Author Archives: spikekalashnikov

In 1987, I bought a chopping block from our local butcher, Monsieur Prost, in Collonges Fort L’Ecluse. It is a fantastic thing. The slab is made from hundreds of square oak blocks and the undercarriage is very solid pine of … Continue reading →

Not good news I’m afraid. A huge typhoon ripped through Okinawa yesterday. 100 knot winds for several hours and 1ft of rain! https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/video/typhoon-khanun-turns-deadly-as-it-lashes-okinawa-japan The boat has suffered. The cover ripped and blew off. The boat filled with water. The cockpit … Continue reading →

As I stand before the house in San Francisco, I notice two things, the house is looking ever more derelict and that it is blissfully cool. Bright sun, blue sky but cool! What delight! I thought I was going to … Continue reading →

I return to Okinawa to spend six weeks of blissful sailing adventure. As usual with boats, things do not work out as planned. While away in California there was a small typhoon resulting in much tugging on the bow mooring … Continue reading →

Off I go for a jaunt to Fukuoka. Unfortunately my visit coincides with a canicule in Japan and indeed the rest of the world. It is 36 Celsius and 80% humidity in the killer streets of Fukuoka, which makes walking … Continue reading →

I am afraid that I have fallen behind. After the wedding I flew back to Okinawa as things had to be done. I also thought a few weeks of summer sailing would be a good idea. I have not written … Continue reading →

I introduced Ichiro san to Tomomi san and to a certain extent promoted the start of their relationship. They asked me to take on the formal role of “go between or matchmaker” at their very traditional shintoist wedding at the … Continue reading →

We go to the very holy town of Togakushi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Togakushi_Shrine We stay in a ryokan. Yuko san runs the place. She does everything from cleaning, cooking, business stuff. Her husband watches baseball and does the garden. The three of us … Continue reading →

I go to Nagano. Not much cooler. At zebra crossings in Japan, they play ‘Coming Through The Rye’. This is another demonstration of what a civilized country Japan is. Here is a Japanese take. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDuCBVhFRKE I go to Zenkoji. It … Continue reading →

I am in Tokyo. Sleepless and jet lagged, I set off for Ueno Zoo. I walk there at 07:30 which is very pleasant as the tremendous heat of the day is still nursing its wrath. The zoo does not open … Continue reading →