Robots, White Trash and Ottawa Fog

The January thaw as it's called has arrived in Canada's capital city and it's damn wet. All this week temps are hovering around the 10c mark which is a bit of a climatic rollercoaster ride considering it was close to -30c just a week ago! So, it looks like there'll be no skating on the Rideau Canal this week or the next few. I'm hoping the Canal will be frozen so Mai and I have a chance to do some skating before she heads back to Japan.


What's this?? It's the view from my apartment window this afternoon. Normally there's a nice view of Ottawa, but today the fog was thicker than pea soup. What wonderful winter weather we have.


Normally a beautiful site, here's the locks at the Rideau Canal beside the Chateau Laurier Hotel this afternoon. Sure doesn't feel like Winter.


I was going through some of the piles of old footage I have on my laptop and came across this little snipit this afternoon. I took it when I was in Shibuya in Tokyo last Spring. I thought it was mildly amusing.

The little "robot flagman" at the construction site was just weird. The "White Trash Charm Japan" jewelry shop in Rypongi was also a nice hoot. Gotta love Japlish!!


Well, back to school nice and early tomorrow morning. It's going to be rough waking up at 6:30am after such a long and relaxing vacation. Lots of new courses and projetcs on their way, all designed to make me a better teacher I suppose. Sounds like a few of them will be pretty cool and a few others...well, I'm just not sure at all what to expect.

Tokyo Dance Trooper

I've been hangin around the apartment this evening nursing a swollen liver(yesterday's after class festivities took me to the Heart and Crown in Ottawa's lovely Byward Market)and surfing around YouTube. Lots of great vids about Japan/life in Japan (I'm moving to Osaka next Spring...so I'm interested in learning more about all that is Japanese-like). Some serious and some that are simply there to entertain. I love these vids...the Tokyo Dance Trooper...great stuff. Honestly, I'm not a huge Star Wars fan (sorry if that offended anyone), but seeing a guy in a stormtrooper outfit randomly dancing in city streets is damn hilarious ^^

Tokyo Dance Trooper in Shibuya

You can see more about the making of this video and everything else about the creator, Danny Choo. More at http://dannychoo.com


Tokyo Dance Trooper



Dance Vader

See all of the originals here.

These are entertinng vids and Danny Choo's blog is an entertaining read. Check it out.

Am I Still A Tourist???

Ok Ok....here we go. Sooo...the trip to Japan was great, even though it was something of a whirlwind. Osaka was the base of operations since it is Mai's hometown. From Osaka we first went to Himeji. Himeji has, argueably, the most splendid castle in all of Japan...it's all original...not remade like Osaka-jo. It was great. From there we ended up in Tokyo for a few days. It was a harrowing and somewhat stressful trip, but we came out the other end relatively unscathed! I have no idea how people can successfully navigate that city on a daily basis. Al I can say is one thing...SHINJUKU STATION is EVIL!!!!!! From there we went back to Osaka and the Kyoto. Kyoto is AMAZING!!!! I loved it there. it is such a gorgeous city that needs at least a dedicated week of your time to do it justice (I was a wimpy cry-baby for this leg of the journey...tired and with sore feet).

Oh yeah...we also went to Nara which was soooo great. The fact that they have 1200, mildly aggressive deer as national treasures is a treat. Don't eat anything in public cause you're liable to be mauled by a pack of roving fawns!!!

Ok...I left Asia after my wonderful trip with Mai. Last weekend I landed in Vancouver and met up with Greg and Arin. They work at CDI's emmersion school in Vancouver called CSI. EEEEK....I got there just in time for their class pageant (Wizard of Oz) and graduation ceremony. One of my old students from Busan was even there. We both almost had heart-attacks when we saw each other. A few days in Vancouver and then I was off to Ontario.

Jeez...I feel like a tourist in my own country. I've been away for so long that I still have yet to feel like this is home. I suppose it isn't. I may be a citizen of Canada, but Korea has been home for years and still feels that way. Soon I'll be back in the game though. Timmy Ho's has been tasting pretty good and sooooo cheap compared to the coffee I'm used too! The Sens may be out this year, but I'll be in Ottawa this Fall to cheer'em on...oh yeah....and Canadian beer does taste GREAT!



In Vancouver with Greg and Arin...


Golden Temple in Kyoto with Mai...


Granville Island in Vancouver...


I am the keeper of the fire...ugh!