Picture of the day

Veeti my dearest friend

End of May

So May is ending and summer starts everywhere ....
but here in Japan rain is falling from sky.

The storm hit last evening to Niigata and you could
hear it from hotel room windows. Wind was howling
in windows like in 20's old houses. And after awhile
it started to rain.

Now sky is grey and water is puring down.

So what nice day to end May and start summer..

Picture of the day

Flowers in rain

North of Niigata

So Sunday drived up north of Niigata
to see coastline. Rain was pouring water
over the mountains.

Not so far away from Niigata you start to
see mountains and road starts to clime up.
The forest is crowing on mountais and
roads pass in the valleys.

As you pass the mountains other side
you will come to shoreline, which is quite
different to south.

It's more small fisherman villages separated
with mountains. The road follows the coastline
and beaches are shorter than south.

Also water is more clear and you see more
birds living on rocks. It's worth to see ..

Here is link to pictures
http://picasaweb.google.com/KarelianBear/NorthOfNiigata

Japanese Hot spring spa

Well last Saturday went to Japanese hot spring
spa in Iwamuro.

As you stepped into spa you leave you shoes
inside locker. Men and women are seprated to
own spa-areas.

Inside spa was sauna and 5 different baths. All
the baths had different temperature and three
of it was outside. The hottest was 40 degC and
coldest ~16-18 deg C.

It was quite fun to sit outside in warm bath and
see night darkening around. Light rain was pouring
water to baths and steamed air rised from hot
bath.

What would be a better way to end long working week.

People of Japan - Part 1

Well it's been 3 weeks since I arrived to Japan
and been on the site.

More I have seen and discussed with people
to more understand the local habbits in here.
The society is quided from top to downwards
and you can actually see it in every day work.

The thing, that I don't fully understand is the
long working days, when you actually find time
of your own or with family.

The people are friendly you could actually say
that they concern everyone who is present on
the place.

A day in Niigata

So after a long week relax for Sunday.

Tomorrow to jump in to car and head
towards a new adventures.

And what a trip it was going south of
Niigata ~130 km by shoreline. Visited
to light houses and see one where we
couldn't going in.

The road was under construction caused
by landfall.

So here is link to pictures

http://picasaweb.google.com/KarelianBear/SouthOfNiigata

13 th day of May

Well today is 13th day and is May.

Sitting on hotel and writing my blog in
Niigata city 3000 km away from home.

Here day was sunny but windy and it'll
be raining tomorrow. The tornado has hit
the east coast of Japan and earthquake in
China. And here am I in middle .....

I don't know should I be warned or just
keep on living like Japanese seems to do.

Well anaway here is link to my Niigata photos
http://picasaweb.google.com/KarelianBear/Niigata

I'll be back

So it's May

April ended before I got enough time to come back
and write something and so is 1st of may also behind.

I jumped to airplane on 2nd and now in Japan in work
issues.

So first the old stories - how ice in Saimaa lake went
dark black and during weekend in smelted in place
and mixed with water. The days were like summer no
breeze of wind and 20 degC warm. So if you walked
by lake your felt same time hot and cold as water
shines cold.

After "labour day" in 2nd of May when I was in
taxi to train station I could see first small leafs
in birch and tulips started to slowly open.

So over night spring started so unexpectly as always.
What was the best was to see it before to leave to
Japan. Spring which is the best time in Finland - to
see nature awake to life.

So after two days of traveling in west coast of Japan
by the Sea of Japan and after jetlag back in the work.

I find this country somehow so interesting that makes
staying easier. More to come....later on this week