After 11/Mar/2011 in Japan

11/Mar/2011 is the day that 3 tragedies happened on the same day in Japan.
M9.0 quake, Huge Tsunami and the nuke accident.

First of all, please let me say "may your souls rest in peace" for all the victims of 11/Mar/2011.
And please let me send the best wishes to their families.
And I do hope more people can make it back alive, and can find family members who are missing.
And Hope all the people who are forced to leave home can receive enough supplies soon.
-I hope all the copters in Japan could come to those people...-

Please let me send my huge appreciations especially to them as below.
They are doing their responsibilities at the risks even of loosing their lives.
- Japan Self-Defense Forces
- Emergency rescue teams from foreign countries
   As of today 16 countries, over 800 people are working for Japanese people.
   And many more countries are offering to send their rescue teams.
- Many people who are working for Fukushima nuclear plants.
  They are working hardly in order to stop the worst stuff.

I have been so much heartbroken and couldn't stop watching TV.
After a few days passed, I realized that I had to stop it.
Because I cannot support those people just by watching TV.
I cannot work like them who are mentioned above.
So I made a donation while hoping it can be used in a good way.

I've heard from here and there that people who are close to epicenter are doing very respectfully while helping each other.

Meanwhile, I am kind of dubious about what people in Tokyo are doing....
(Oh, including me!!)
I think, now we are required to stay cool & smart to do our own responsibilities.
Because we cannot support anyone while not doing all fine by ourselves.
That's true that we are still feeling scared by every day's aftershocks and blackout.
And also, we got scared since some media is cascading how to avoid radiation.
-The fact is that no need to do that in Tokyo!-
I think,  now the time for us to appreciate for what people are doing to us/others and EVERYTHING.
And to get to know that everybody has own responsibilities, and they are different for each.
No need to deplore that we cannot support victims like a professional rescue team, but it should be okay to do things that we CAN while doing our own responsibilities.
By doing that, we can enjoy our lives as long as we CAN.
If we can have dinner tonight, that's so happy. If we can enjoy live music, that's very happy, and that they are deserved to be appreciated!
And all of us should be deserved to lead our lives happily!

Please show my limitless appreciations to all of my friends.
Not only in Japan but also from overseas...
You've sent the remarkably kind thoughts to me via phone, emails, Facebook, Twitter.... THANK YOU!!!
That means a lot!!
I believe that to think of someone is the "positive energy" itself and it must reach whom we think of.
So are your thoughts!!

At the end, please share this story....
One of my friend said that "I am feeling frustrated since I cannot do anything to the victims...."
I told him that "No no no.... your country sent the rescue such quickly -so appreciated!- and that rescue is working by the tax that you paid to your government! And above all, how so precious your kind thought is!! "

WITH MUCH LOVE AND APPRECIATIONS!!

Ate Prayed Loved in Sicilia

-Sicilia travel sketch-


" ATE, PRAYED, LOVED"

Yes. I ate, prayed and loved in Sicily this time.

"ATE"

Look at some photos.

Olive oil, lemon, porchini, fish.... very nicely cooked.

"Mangiare" in Sicily with Sicilian friends was such a fun!

A lot of talk, laughter never stops.

2nd dinner after St.Agatha



3rd dinner at the last day...look at the wall! it reminded me of the movie "Amelie"! Such a lovely restaurant!

pasta on a fried pizza

horse meat (which I can't eat, but Sicilian people love it)

First dinner at a pub just after landed in Catania! this is a starter for 4 ppl! still a loooot and yum!

1st pizza in Italy! Yes! very yummy!!

"PRAYED"

We are so lucky HAPPENED to visit Sicily (Catania) right on the big festival day, called "St. Agatha".

It is a huge festival to pray for St. Agatha.

Crowd of people were gathered to a place, and enjoy music, water spectacle and fireworks.

I was amazed to see them!

Do you see the crowd of people in the photo below?

First, we enjoyed watching the orchestra which was made only for this festival.

One of our colleague was joined the orchestra as a singer. What a honor of him!

And next, water spectacle started.
It was amazing, synchronized with music.
Next, fireworks started. sometimes with water performance.
That fireworks were huge. No interval and numerous of numbers!
We all said WOW for those performances.
This is the most important festival in Catania and that it was televised.
It was hilarious that I heard that our faces were on-aired for 4 times during the festival!
One time was my close-up for long time! I did the best smile and waved!! LOL
At the next day at the office, some of the colleagues said that they watched us on TV!
How funny! We had a lot of fun at that festival.
Less prayed actually... :))

 lit up

the other side of the place

color was changing

the orchestra which was organized only for this day!

collaboration of fireworks and water performance(left bottom)

do you see the crowd of people!!??

That was wow!

Another fireworks for people on the other side!

"LOVED"
I know, I might be stupid to mention about this in the blog,
But can't hide this feeling! Mamma Mia!.... I've forgotten such feeling looong time!
I am so grateful to remember how wonderful falling love is!!
Hope it goes well.... possibly....!

one ally in the evening. beautiful, isn't it?  

Sunrise from the Mediterranean sea! First time for me to see Mediterranean sea which I'd wanted to see!

One of my colleague gave me a big orange which is VERY SICILY! Cute isn't it? and had good smell!

Mt.Etna! I saw it finally at the last minutes in Catania! It was covered with clouds for previous 2 days. At the last morning, it finally appeared! So touched! :)

 

beach in front of the hotel. last minutes walking. peaceful time! 

 Beach, Mt.Etna, Catania town. Beautiful view!

 Mt.Etna from the plane

THIS IS TAORMINA!!!! (right bottom)  Birth place of  Cinema Paradiso!!!!!

I listened to "Cinema Paradiso" of Chris Botti while looked down this!!! It was one of the most pleasure moments. I actually didn't know exactly where Taormina is. (just know the roughly location)

However, I found that it was Taormina on seeing it! Because it was totally different from other places even just looked down from the plane.

It looked such a pretty little place on the cliffs. I definitely would LOVE to visit there next time!

It must be Taormina. Because I checked the geography now! :)

Istanbul Travel Sketch -2- Touristic

There are lots of things that I would like to write about my experiences in Istanbul...

This time, let me write about the touristic part of it, because I would love to share the photos with you!

On 7th/Oct, my adventure in the exotic city has just started.
Tram is one of the main method of transport in Istanbul. It runs on the road like this!

Topkapı Sarayı (the most famous palace in Istanbul) was the first destination.
On the way there.

Everywhere is photogenic!

Inside of the palace.
Very interesting "Harem".

This is the apartment for eunuchs.
Right here... I was absorbed into the mystery world...
Why did the emperors in various countries in the past make "Harem" like this?
Why was "eunuch system" made for men to work for the emperors?
The same system existed in China, Japan (though there was not eunuch system in Japan) and some other countries.
Is this by accident? Or can it be said that it is universal rule?
Nevertheless it must have been most difficult to learn about the system of foreign countries in that past.
I wanted to learn more about Harem and the emperors lives.

Hope you imagine how beautiful was it .... It was too beautiful to picture, actually!

This is Sultan's private bathrooms.

Hmmmm now I understood how the term, "breathtakingly" meant!

Enjoyed details too.

Wooow!!! Galata tower is seen!! Isn't it very Istanbul!?

Below is Sultan's dinning.
Do you recognize that all tiles are painted with fruits? Isn't it cute?

Finished Harem. Went to outside. One more thing to add about Harem, it cannot be seen from outside even its garden too.

Before enjoyed the spectacular view of  the Bosporus, I enjoyed lots of  treasures that photo was not allowed.
It was indeed great including the treasure knives which were very beautiful, gorgeous dresses of Sultans (I was amazed to see them! Fun to see as well), and the huge diamond!!
It was really huge and beaming!
I've never seen such strong beam from the diamond before!  My eyes actually was hurt by the reflection from the diamond.  Really great to see that! Girls are always loving diamonds.

Then, I moved to the restaurant inside of the palace which has a great view of the Bosporus!
How I can tell you my excitement of that moment... I came from Asia and it is just across the Bosporus... and I was standing on the edge of Europe! Isn't is cool?
The Bosporus bridge was also in the view!
I wanted the sunshine hopefully.... it should have been more gorgeous if I could see the reflection of the sun on the Bosporus sea. I actually wanted to have lunch at exact that table in the below photo!
Unfortunately, I couldn't do that due to rain....
But! We always can use our imaginations!  I imagined how it would be beautiful if it didn't rain. :)
(It still WAS beautiful and I was totally blown away!)

What I ate there... meat stuffed green peppers with Chai. :)

Again, this is Asian side, viewed from Europe side.

Another garden in the palace.

New city across Golden Horn bay.

Went out from the palace, and off to Blue Mosque.

Wooaaaa costumes of belly-dance!

Artistic Blue Mosque!

Ayasofya.

Inside of Blue Mosque. The blue sky was seen for just a few minutes.

It was so hard to picture how beautiful was inside of Blue Mosque!
Indeed breathtaking. Softly shining as blue.

Inside of Ayasofya.

This is the wet pole. I was making a wish right there... I heard that women would be able to become pregnant if we could touch the water in it. Woow, wooow....I think... I could touch the water in it... I hope so... :)

Wall paintings inside of Ayasofya.

Went out from Ayasofya.... oh what a complex construction is it.

The cemetery of Sultans. I made a soundless prayer there...

Lunch was "Manti", traditional Turkish menu. I had decided to have it:)  It is sort of Turkish Raviolis with yogurt sauce. With Rake which is Turkish spirit just like.... Pastis in France, Uzo in Greece.
Rake is originally transparent like water and getting white with water.

Then, headed to the basement palace!

OMG.... it was so beautiful and mysterious.

Then, I finished seeing around old city and moved to new city.
On the way going to new city, I walked on Galata bridge on Golden Horn bay.
Such a fun walk while seeing the view of old city and new city.

Istanbul looked like the nice place for kitties. I loved the pose of the left one :)

I didn't know that new city is also exotic! I'd thought that new city is just new. But it was not.
Fun to walk around.

This is the French street. :)

I had chai and white wine at the lovely cafe.  And some new friends were very nice to me.
Thanks Ecer and his brother to help me at that time. It was very kind of you.

On the way to Galata tower, I stepped into a Lokatan, a local restaurant.
An eggplant, mincemeat and a green pepper...!
Oh my, those are all my favorite! This is a dream combination of my fav foods! :))

Charming allies

Finally got to Galata tower.

From top of Galata tower.  Wooow view.
HOWEVER.... It rained unbelievably heavily!
My jeans totally got wet and my umbrella broke.
But again.... I could use imagination.... :))

Various directions from the top! The Bosporus, Golden Horn bay, old city, new city, Asian side....

Waiting for sunset. :) My original plan was to see the beautiful sunset from there.
However alas... hmmmm my plan was not completed under such bad weather. 
Again, I was forced to use "imagination"....

In other name, the steep city, Istanbul!

There was a fish market by Golden Horn bay.

I took the shortest metro in the world!
Again what a steep!

Arrived at Taksim place which is the center of new city.
What a traffic!

Then,  voila! I got to the place seeing belly-dance! huhu!

I've heard that Asena is the most famous belly-dancer. Hmmmm! Her dance was very emotional too!

On the way back to the hotel in old city, historical district.
View from Galata bridge never bores me!

Looking back the Bosporus bridge.

Night view of Topkapu palace.

Mmm! I love this photo!

Mmmmm!!! I looove this photo! He was selling mackerel sandwiches by Galata bridge.

THIS IS IT!! Roasted mackerels are my favorite. Simply with salt and lemon. No bones with them!
This is very similar to that of Japan. I loved it.

Above was all about 7th/Oct!  from 9:00 AM to midnight....  

-----------------------
And then, below was on 8th, just before the concert.
I went to another palace in new city, called Dolmabache palace.

Photo was not allowed inside of the palace. It was such a gorgeous palace with lots of HUGE and BEAUTIFUL chandeliers. Some of them were made by Bacarat which most interested me. It was indeed an overwrought palace inside and out. 
There was a Harem too.
Again, I got into the mystery world and got the same questions as that I thought at Topkapu palace.
Plus, I thought that.... "Hmmmm isn't it only a 'cute stuff' that some guys like to enjoy VIP rooms with ladies, compared with that Sultans actually did in this overwrought banquet rooms....:)"
And.... I thought a funny thing too. I've heard that Sultan's mother used to be the most important woman in the Harem who had to control everyone and everything. To hear that, I said in my mind that "Don't be jealous of your hubby's mom! Mother-in low is always the strongest in all through the ages"  Isn't it correct? :))

There are some guards with riffles even today.

After this, I went back to the hotel and prepared for Chris Botti's concert!

(Preparation took for almost 3 hours haha!!!)

Istanbul travel sketch continues.

Next is about the treasure meeting with friends!

Thanks for sharing my experiences in Istanbul!