Monthly Archives: January 2011

October 2006, My visit again to Vladivostok

I took a couple-of-day trip in October to Vladivostok; Katya told me it is the best season.  I stayed at Vlad Motor Inn again.  Katya, Katya’s parents, her brother,  Maya-san, and I went out for a forest picnic.  It was a sunny, pleasant day. It was a good place by a small river.  Leaves were all colored.  Maya-san enjoyed running. We all came together to the place in Katya’s father’s car.  I brought from Japan some films for rear-view mirrors preventing rain drops. I put them on Katya’s car. Katya’s parents prepared a huge BBQ, which tasted good.  They brought a lot of vodka, too. Before coming to Vladivostok, I … Continue reading

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Tennis and Curry on Sunday

Today, citizens of Kofu were able to use the city sports facilities for free.  We played tennis from the noon to 2 PM. Even with no fees, we were the only ones on the courts on a winter day. Katya started to play tennis after her arrival in Japan.  I did not expect she would be so much fond of tennis, not only playing but watching.  In spring, we are planning to go to a tennis school. In the afternoon, we walked around a lake with Maya-san. Maya-san dug a hole as usual.  She uses not only her fore legs but her mouth. In the evening, I made chicken and … Continue reading

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Unstoppable and Hotel Dinner

I got two discount movie tickets from the university. They were valid till the end of January only in one movie theater, “Kofu-Musashino Cinema 5“. I wanted to see The Social Network, but it was dubbed into Japanese in the theater.  So we chose Unstoppable.  It was better than I expected.  I liked the simplicity of the movie, whereas Katya thought it was too simple and that at least one of the two must die.  I understand what she says. Denzel Washington could have died, but that scenario would been a stereotype, too. There is a hotel just by the movie theater, and we went up to the 13th floor … Continue reading

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Business trips to Shibuya and Kawasaki

In the morning, I went to Shibuya, Tokyo.  I visited an office of the real-state managing company I am asking to take care of my studio in Nakaochiai; the tenant of the studio is leaving at the end of February.  March is the month when people move the most in Japan, and it is relatively less difficult to find a new tenant.  Even though, a good advertisement is preferable. We discussed in the office for 40 min.  The advertisement will be on the web next week. In the afternoon, there was a meeting with judging members for a big project being carried out in our institute.  I am paid from … Continue reading

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August 2006, My visit again to Vladivostok

During the summer vacation in 2006, I went to see Katya in Vladivostok.  Pleasant summer days. I stayed at “Vlad Motor Inn” this time.  It is located in a forest in the suburbs of Vladivostok, run by a Canadian owner.  It may not be a genuine Russian hotel; everybody speaks English with English signs inside.  It is a good, comfortable hotel, if you do not speak Russian.  I recommend it.  Katya likes the hotel, too. One day, Katya, Natalia, and I were having pizzas outside.  Maya-san was with us.  We kept giving her crusts, which she kept eating.  It was funny she started to hide them in her bed when … Continue reading

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May 2006, My visit to Vladivostok

After we met in China, I started working in a different university  in February, thus moved to Kofu.  Katya and I  exchanged mails and e-mails and kept talking on the phone. I visited Katya in Vladivostok in spring holidays called a “golden week” in Japan. I stayed at “Hotel Vladivostok Amur Bay“. Katya and I drove around and walked around the town. Katya, her mother Natalia, and I went out for lunch in a restaurant. I met Maya-san, too, who was less than one-year old.  Katya, Maya-san, and I went to a beach.  Maya-san and Katya ran on the beach.  I was surprised to see how fast Katya ran, although … Continue reading

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Katya and I made dinner together

This evening, Katya worked till 7:30 PM and I, 8 PM.  We made dinner together. Katya made bean starch vermicelli with pork and bean sprouts. I cooked dumplings bought from “Pal System“.  It was a big dinner. We often cook Chinese dishes.

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January 2006, Our Encounter in China

On the way back home from my sabbatical in Illinois to Japan, I dropped by Ghangzhou, China for a visit to a lab and for my rest before going back to work.  I stayed at “Victory Hotel”, where Katya happened to stay.  She was traveling around China to see the country.  She already spoke Chinese, then. On the day of arrival, I met her and invited her to dinner at a restaurant in the hotel.  I remember we had a whole fish.  She was used to eating Chinese food, and we had meals spicy. The following day, we decided to have a one-hour bus trip to Zhongshan city.  This is … Continue reading

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Warm Winter Sunday

On weekend mornings, Maya-san usually takes a walk with me.  There is a place where Maya-san likes to sniff around.  She never found anything, but probably, small animals, like rats, play there. Although mountains over there are covered with snow, it was a very warm day. Maya-san likes narrow streets.  When she walks, she always searches something interesting. After the walk, Katya and I had breakfast at Jonathan’s in Kofu.  Maya-san kept the apartment all by herself. We bought coffees and teas at Coffee Tonya.  We had cups of espresso while coffees are ready to be taken out. Then, Katya and I went out for tennis.  It was a perfect … Continue reading

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Pal System

Our apartment is located in a convenient place to live in.  We have two convenience stores, a small grocery store, and two drug stores in a walking distance.  We can go to a supermarket on bike, in front of which is Gusto. However, we order foods and groceries using a delivery system called “Pal System”.  They deliver stuffs and catalogs on Monday morning, and pick our order sheet.  Therefore, on weekends, we decide what to order. We find interesting and novel things in catalogs, and the qualities are normally good and fare.

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