My Favorite Kind of Booze...

Bambooze

Food in Nepal

Chicken Lolipop...Mmmmmmm

Motorcycle Cut

I was on the way to the Department of Archaeology in Kathmandu to get my bronze statute approved for export. I was riding on the back of the sculptor's motorcycle, when another motorcycle came from the other direction with metal rods sticking out of the side of the rider...Slice...

Dunbar Square Patan, Nepal

Pocket Ninja

What would Pocket Ninja do?

Fugu me!

As Homer Simpson said in the One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish episode of the Simpsons:

"Come on, pal. Fugu me!"

Fugu is a Japanese dish prepared from the meat of pufferfish (normally species of Takifugu, Lagocephalus, or Sphoeroides) or porcupinefish of the genus Diodon. Because pufferfish is lethally poisonous if prepared incorrectly, fugu has become one of the most celebrated and notorious dishes in Japanese cuisine.

My dinner swimming around in the tank before it hit my plate...raw.

I had my meal prepared by an apprentice chef (Not to worry, he was an able chef as well.). You will find that funny, if you understand the One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish Simpsons episode.

Perhaps the best-known fugu story in America is that of the fictional character Homer Simpson of the TV show The Simpsons, who eats fugu served by an apprentice chef. Because of the chef's lack of knowledge of fugu preparation, Homer is given 24 hours to live (before his "heart would explode"), during which he vows to do all the things he has always meant to do but had never got round to. However, most of the time is spent either asleep, with his senile father, or in jail. He survives the 24 hours in the end, to the joy of his family and friends. See "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish".

No Smoking Archer Fish

What is an archer fish?

Archer Fish 1

Archer Fish 2

Honey Pot Cafe in Japan

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

If not, here is what I am thinking:

honey pot definition

See definition number 1.

You know you are getting old when...

...toys from your childhood show up in a museum.

Japan Toy Museum

Japan Toy Museum

The sign was a kid level. I passed right by the museum it was so small.

Ultraman!

Suicide Quarter

This way to the Suicide Quarter of Himeji Castle...

No Scribbles

No vandalism at Himeji Castle, please.

Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle is probably the best example of Japanese wooden castle design and original construction.

FREE Rent-a-bike

You can rent a bicycle for free in the town of Himeji.

Abstract Sea Life

Whale Shark at the Osaka Aquarium

A whale shark swimming in the world's largest aquarium tank at the Osaka Aquarium.

As aquariums go, Osaka Aquarium was decent, but not one of the best aquariums that I have seen.

Cherry Blossoms at the To-ji Temple

Koi at the To-ji Temple

What is amazing about this shot is it is a single shot with a point and shoot digital camera on single shot mode. The fish was eating cherry blossoms that had fallen into the water and were floating on the surface (the white particles in the water. Do I still use my expertise in understanding fish behavior that I gained while studying Marine Science at the University of Miami to assist my photography? Hell, yeah! How many people do you know still use what they learned in college in their everyday lives?

The Five Story Pagoda at To-ji

The five story pagoda at the To-ji temple complex is the highest pagoda in Japan at 57 meters high.

Mustafa and Ed at the Todai-ji Temple

While I was in Japan I met up with Mustafa. Mustafa is a friend of mine who I worked with at The George Washington University. Mustafa was a student while I was staff.

Mustafa in front of the Todai-ji Temple. The temple is massive. See the people on the steps of the temple.

Here I am with two wooden statue heads in the Todai-ji Temple. Three mean faces!

Here are Mustafa and I at the Nara train station enjoying some Pocari Sweat, heading back to Kyoto.