Japan Spring Pictures
- Various pictures from early 2006 (Japan)
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| My major accomplishment this year was to leave my old apartment, which I had occupied since being a student. Since my apartment was on the fifth floor with no elevator, living there gave me plenty of free exercise, but it also had its disadvantages. A couple of pigeons decided to make a nest on my veranda (thoroughly covered in my blog), the shower made loud squeaky sounds when used, and concrete would fall down from the ceiling even without the help of an earthquake. | Yuka kindly helped me move to my new apartment, which is more than twice as expensive but also several times more livable than my old crib. While some people compare renting an apartment to throwing money out the window, it is still rather difficult in Japan for foreigners to obtain a mortgage. Similarly, I am reluctant to spend a large amount of money to buy an apartment in Japan without knowing how long I will be around. |
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| The cherry blossom season is a big event in Japan, and this year we spent a Saturday with some friends of Yuka in a park. With a couple of wine bottles, plenty of imported cheese, and lots of food, we had a splendid time celebrating spring. | I am very easily confused, and went into coma for approximately 35 minutes starring at some flowers. Yuka finally managed to get me back to normal by banging my head against a tree for eight long minutes. |
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| My friend Mike does not believe in reading books that are of little educational value to his son. Instead, he is doing his best to ensure that his son gets an early introduction to tax law and finance. | A random picture from Mike's home, where we met on a weekend to enjoy some food and conversation. I am just including the picture to show that I have friends ( or at a minimum acquaintances that will not kick me out even I show up uninvited and unannounced to a party). |
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Finally, a picture from a March trip to Kinugawa, which is a Japanese hot spring resort located north of Tokyo. I covered this in my blog for March, particularly with regard to my stay at the horrible Kinugawa Royal Hotel. |
