How To Grecian Hairstyles

A Year in the Kansai region, takoyaki and laughter among family

And it 'also started in 2011, the year the mysterious and futuristic ... I wrote years a child on a mysterious white sheet imagining my future here it is! Who would have thought that I would be in Tokyo in a room all white, temperature +15 degrees, I drank a mediocre coffee 'of barley and wrote my blog page waiting for the right time to start making a cake ( the first cake Tokyo .. but this 'yet to come! There story in the next post?)

Then, in 2011 and' started in extremely cold, even though heaven and 'a really blue skies and clean, a polar wind is blowing through the streets while I trudged on my bike, of course against the wind, trying to avoid the looks fun passers-by, not fitted bike who admire my cap which flies away and forces me to go back .. not without difficulty. Where to go next?

registry office in my neighborhood ... but ... Vaffa

In Osaka time and 'was very bad, rain and snow every day, but that' does not stop us from visiting the places of the heart ... that when they go away from a City 'will remain in my heart, exactly, and which help to build that sweetened and idyllic paradise that is called "memory". We've been Dotonbori and Amemura in my restaurant favorite ramen (it's called Kamukura , for those who care, I cry every time I taste of happiness' -but also for temperature-searing simply ), we have once again enjoyed the fabulous takoyaki of Sennichimae and wintered in my favorite library of Shinsaibashi, Junkudo (which I think is 'really the most' beautiful Japan, at least so far ..).

I can not remember the lovely day in Kyoto, even if the gray sky did not help immortal the wonders of this city '... I have better pictures of the ancient capital ...

In the district of Demachi-yanagi and 'created the world literature. Here, about 10 centuries ago, the daughter of a wealthy Buddhist Monaco grew up and received unusual education (of those which belonged to the young males) but the only daughter of that monaco think it was very intelligent and inclined to the study of ancient Chinese sutras, and in fact 'that during his long life (and' died about 70 years ... which was then a rarity ') has produced his two masterpieces: the Genji Monogatari (Tale of Genji, the Shining Prince) and Murasaki Shikibu Nikki (homonymous journal ). She was Murasaki Shikibu , the one who has put in writing the language of women, kana, then bisfrattato language as not worthy of the most 'high literature, hitherto restricted to only China (and then only kanji). As you may know now in Japan are used kanji (ideograms), but also the ' hiragana, traits simplified the language and if there ... we owe it to Murasaki Shikibu ... thanks for having partially liberated ; by the complicated Chinese characters!

The temple where he lived is called Lady Murasaki Rozanji (庐山 寺) and it 'should visit in late spring when the flower Sumire (violet) blossoms into any backyard zen ... that must really be splendid.

In Kyoto I have done a bit lacking 'healthy shopping. For nearly 10 years are brand loyal customer Mamy Sango http://www.mamysango.co.jp/catalog/s_kyo/index.html Kyoto and I always find the latest news' .. . it's lip balm enriched with various essential oils, perfumes Japanese balm spreads behind the ears and wrists to you ' green ', all'osmanto (!!!), to cherry blossoms, lavender, etc ...), also sell face creams (at yuzu, a Japanese citrus fruit) and lip gloss with gold flakes and silver (!!!). Well ... so much. For those who live in Japan 'can buy online .

And, of course, I spent my evenings with the happy family of K., we talked a long time, enjoying the specialties' New Year prepared by the father of K. (Who works as a cook), including the big shellfish peppered and cooked alive (!!!) and drank gallons of beer and ... umeshuu (Plum liqueur) made at home by the mother of K.! So 'good and gentle alcohol to get drunk without realizing it (ehh.. Are 40 degrees!). That's why 'a certain of December 31 have been seen dancing to the rhythm of Chiquitita Abba and Armando with Sumichan (mother of K.), huge fan of the legendary Swedish group since 1974 ... so far that preserves dozens of vinyl (beautiful).

Tara no tamago (cod roe)

O-Konomi-Yaki

Wagashi and O-mochi (cakes made of rice paste and sugar)

choice ... seeing an old vinyl LP Lionel Richie in my hands.

J. (Brother of K.) and Kirachan

Nth kanpai! (I had already 'lost was too ... umeshuu good!)

Even K. was pretty "gone" ... to tell the truth '.

O-Zoun (soup made from rice paste runny) and 'good wishes.

O-sushi made by the father of K.!

-O-Sechi Ryouri

-O-Sechi Ryouri

awabi ... E. were alive. Moved while the father of K. put them in a pan ...

At the stroke of midnight (ie at the stroke of the bell of the temple, joya no kane ) We drank and ate soba toshikoshi of soba (a kind of buckwheat noodles) that brings good luck if eaten at midnight on January 1st ... and 'synonymous with long life!

Toshi-koshi soba

The next morning we ate other traditional dishes and we went to the Shinto shrine (the Namba Jinja), where we stood in line to pray ... then we did omikuji that we consulted the oracle that does not seem to be pretty good for me this year ... the direction and 'the North (? ) work will come 'will not' what I expect and I absolutely prevent the removals. Furthermore, it seems that it will return 'a person from the past ... and it will be' a key person for me in 2011 (vedremo.).. This is' the year of the bunny rabbit at all so ... good!

O-mikuji (oracle of the sanctuary)

is giving away, and if the number I get the oracle on!

you post some pictures of this short but intense osakese holiday ... with the hope that this new year to give shape and substance to some 'of those who lie in poultices our mental archives under the heading of "wishes" ...