Año Nuevo

Posted on January 7, 2014 by spikekalashnikov

When I first went to California I could not handle words with a little squiggle above the N. This symbol changes the pronunciation of  Año Nuevo from Anno as in Latin to Anyo as in er, well, you know.  Thus Cañada is not verbalized like the huge country with Mounties but is pronounced Canyada. I do not know why, but I always stumbled on such words indicating that I was a no good greenhorn. Now I can say them easily and it makes me feel Californian.

What do you mean,you don't like sponge cake?

What do you mean, you don’t like sponge cake?

We go to Año Nuevo to watch Elephant Seals. I also used to think that Elephant Seals only hung out on remote islands in the extreme South Atlantic and could only be seen following a very strenuous sea voyage during which you wore wet clothes for weeks on end,  developing terrible chaffing and skin fungi in intimate parts of the body.   Here you can eat a late breakfast of Eggs Benedict on Haight, get in the truck, motor South, stopping off to get body  lotion and be amongst the Elephant Seals at 12:00.

Is there any point building yet another neutrino experiment?

Is there any point building yet another neutrino experiment?

Mummy Elephant Seal suckling two new borns. Crow anticipates

Mummy Elephant Seal suckling two newborn. Crow anticipates

Ben is not an Elephant Seal

Ben is not an Elephant Seal

Sailor James

Sailor James

Sun goes down on another perfect day in California

Sun goes down on another perfect day in California

 

 

 

 

 

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Is it a Fish? Is it a Bird?

Posted on January 6, 2014 by spikekalashnikov

From Moss Landing we head to Monterey to go diving in the cold Pacific Ocean. The truck is small and we all squeeze across the front cab.

There are two bucket seats, which means James is sitting on the center console. Notice pained expression.

There are two bucket seats, which means James is sitting on the center console. Notice pained expression.

The water is cold and we need big thick wetsuits and hoods.

Good way to fill a pick-up flatbed

Good way to fill a pick-up flatbed. In addition to diving gear there is an outboard and an inflatable boat.

Whoa, this is not Okinawa. There are seals and sea-lions swimming around us, which fulfills a childhood dream cherished since watching seals from boats in Scotland.  Orange giant jellyfish abound. What are those wierdo fish? They aren’t fish they are cormorants diving down and ripping food from the ocean floor. They come very very close and seem unconcerned by our presence. Truly amazing. All the wild life is calmer than in Okinawan seas, which I imagine has to do with slower metabolism due to cold water. Whatever; it makes for great diving as you can get very close to fish and er sea-lions.

Yay!

Yay!

I so wish I had brought my underwater camera thing. We do 2 amazing dives, getting very cold and unco happy.

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A Place of Deep Mud or Mire

Posted on January 5, 2014 by spikekalashnikov

We borrow Topher’s truck and head south to Elkhorn Slough, which is pronounced slew as in, “As he was valiant, I honour him. But as he was ambitious, I slew him.” We have  a boat, we have an outboard that works, what else do you need?

Pump up the volume

Pump up the volume

We go on a wildlife binge.

A congregation of Marbled Godwits

A congregation of Marbled Godwits

Sea lions snooze

Sea lions snooze

Bufflehead beat it

Bufflehead beat it

We cruise up and down the Slough and out towards the ocean. The place is heaving with wild things.

A See You Jimmy Otter

A See You Jimmy Otter

Holy Mackerel - a Belted Kingfisher

Holy Mackerel – a Belted Kingfisher

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Suffering Surf Scoters!

There are so many Sea Otters, which do not seem to mind you being there as long as you are polite.

Have we been introduced?

Have we been introduced ?

Harbor Seal

Worried Harbor Seal

Eared Grebe

Eared Grebe

I feel like this most of the time.

I feel like this most of the time.

A rookery of Sea Lions

A rookery of Sea Lions

This Western Grebe has a busted bill

This Western Grebe has a busted bill

"I say, I think that Froggy is croaking at me." An Englishwoman once said that to me on a ski slope upon being being addressed by a Frenchman.

“I say, I think that Froggy is croaking at me.”
An Englishwoman once said that to me on a ski slope upon being addressed by a Frenchman.

All good things must come to an end

All good things must come to an end

Incredible day. We then went to Phil’s Fish Market http://www.philsfishmarket.com/menu.html where we ate amazing fish, drank Sierra Nevada and listened to bluegrass.

Kampai!!

Kampai!!

Oh California I'm coming home Oh make me feel good rock 'n' roll band I'm your biggest fan California I'm coming home

Oh California I’m coming home
Oh make me feel good rock ‘n’ roll band
I’m your biggest fan
California I’m coming home

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Crabs

Posted on January 4, 2014 by spikekalashnikov

So, it is crab season in San Francisco. You can get them everywhere, not just from the toilet seat.

We buy a big live crab from a Chinese supermarket and eat it.

Eat now

Eat now

 

Boiled beef and carrots, Boiled beef and carrots, That's the stuff for your "Derby Kell", Makes you fit and keeps you well. Don't live like vegetarians On food they give to parrots, Blow out your kite, from Morn 'til night, On boiled beef and carrots.

Boiled beef and carrots,
Boiled beef and carrots,
That’s the stuff for your “Derby Kell”,
Makes you fit and keeps you well.
Don’t live like vegetarians
On food they give to parrots,
Blow out your kite, from Morn ’til night,
On boiled beef and carrots.

First we cook it. We boil it alive, cut it in chunks, then stir fry with garlic, ginger, spring onions and chili.

It is awesome with beer.

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Motorcycle Madness

Posted on December 29, 2013 by spikekalashnikov

I am in San Francisco. Son James has a motorcycle. He lets me drive it. I ride around San Francisco on a motorcycle. I am 61 years old but nobody knows because I am wearing a full face helmet. I am careful where I park; in hidden corners, behind abandoned containers, deep in underground parking lots, so that nobody can see my transition from motorcycle outlaw to bald, fat old man.

He sort of smiled and kissed me goodbye The tears were beginning to show As he drove away on that rainy night I begged him to go slow But whether he heard, I'll never know Look out! Look out! Look out! Look out!

He sort of smiled and kissed me goodbye
The tears were beginning to show
As he drove away on that rainy night
I begged him to go slow
But whether he heard, I’ll never know
Look out! Look out! Look out! Look out!

The weather is glorious. San Francisco has never looked more wonderful and I am with my boys.

IMG_0507

Health food – check out the salad!

CCTV

CCTV

Yay, CCTV mirror art

Yay, CCTV mirror art

I roar off to watch birds on Chrissy Field. Quite tricky to find somewhere to do my Superman /Clark Kent switch and I think some people may have realized that the motorcycle outlaw is actually an aging birdwatcher – damn!

DSC_0155

Pelican on the dock of the Bay

Snowy Plover! Desperately rare

Snowy Plover! Desperately rare

White crowned Sparrow - not rare here but very rare as in non-existent in Okinawa.

White crowned Sparrow – not rare here but very rare as in non-existent in Okinawa.

Cattle Egret

Cattle Egret, wrong Snowy Egret

Xmas tree/house

Xmas tree/house

I am blessed to have such great sons, who live in a great city and one of whom has a motorcycle! Ben has a scooter – I will try that tomorrow. Compliments of the season y’all.

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Yes. This is Xmas

Posted on December 27, 2013 by spikekalashnikov

I set off for California where I am to spend the festive season. Xmas day in Okinawa is grey, rainy and cold, well, er,you know 19 degrees. I am leaving my car at the airport, so that a student whose girlfriend is flying in at about the same time, can pick it up and use it while I am away. Discussing how he can find the car he says, ” Like, just send me some photos when you park.”

I do not like to admit that I have no idea how to do this. Anyway I have just been allotted a new iPhone and I take some photos. I feel so proud as I work out how to blast them through the ether into the other guy’s phone. He messages back saying he has found the car. It is so easy but I still find it conceptually difficult. I mean how do photos travel through the air and how do they find their way to another phone? Actually I think I could just about explain how, but I marvel.

Anyway, I sit in the lounge reading the Japan Times and sure enough on the front page there is the article outlining that yesterday the Abe cabinet doubled our university’s annual budget.

I celebrate budget increase with Santa' helpers

I celebrate budget increase with Santa’ helpers

Hooray! Nice end to a very satisfactory year in Okinawa. California here I come.

Happy Yuletide to all!

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Throwing Up

Posted on December 22, 2013 by spikekalashnikov

It is Winter in Okinawa.

Then, too, they say, thro’ all the burthen’d Air,
Long Groans are heard, shrill Sounds, and distant Sighs,
That, murmur’d by the Demon of the Night,
Warn the devoted Wretch of Woe, and Death!
Wild Uproar lords it wide: the Clouds commixt,
With Stars, swift-gliding, sweep along the Sky.
All Nature reels. — But hark! the Almighty speaks:
Instant, the chidden Storm begins to pant,
And dies, at once, into a noiseless Calm.

There have been storms. It is cold, I mean like 17 degrees. Japanese ladies sit at work with rugs over their knees. I wear my woolies.

The Spot -billed Duck returns

The Spot -billed Duck returns

The Common Sandpiper bellows

The Common Sandpiper bellows

Taro is harvested

Taro is harvested

It is freezing

It is freezing

There are lots of caterpillars

There are lots of caterpillars

What I do not understand is why so much junk is thrown up onto my beaches. You would think the same volume of flotsam sort of hangs around in the East China Sea whether it is Summer or Winter. Notwithstanding, orders of magnitudes more beach garbage is thrown up during Winter.

Bag of beach garbage with big float

Bag of beach garbage with big float

Plastic bottles load every rift

Plastic bottles load every rift

There are also millions of little blue jellyfish

There are also millions of little blue jellyfish

Much of the jetsam is festooned with shellfish

Much of the jetsam is festooned with shellfish

Beach Boys

Beach Boys

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Alabama, Arkansas, I Sure Miss My Ma and Pa

Posted on December 17, 2013 by spikekalashnikov

Today was a very painful day. The morning was spent at the dentist having root canal treatment. This entails Mori sensei sticking red-hot wire into the nerves of your teeth, or something like that. He says, ” Hai!! much pain!  This challenge, Neil san. You man, Neil san!!  Wakarimashitanokitatanakagusuku!!”

There is something very Japanese about all this.

I can think of more than 5.

I can think of more than 5.

The pain is predictable. You know that when the spike hits the nerve there will be shocking pain but that the pain is very short-lived. Anticipation is the real problem. I think torturers must play a lot on anticipation rather than on pain itself. Anyway, as you sit under the spot light with the wire heating in the furnace  you also know that there is an end in sight, er, like in lets say 40 minutes, all this will be over.

All said and done I prefer this to the other dental pain of continuous, sleep-depriving, unshut-outable, unfocused, throbbing pain.  Sharp definition pain is better than soft, wilting, tired, exhausting ever-present pain. I thought you would like to know that.

Anyroadupwards, I get home feeling wrung.

My spirits are immediately lifted by the classiest Xmas card from old friends McGillivray. They live in a chateau in medieval France. I have spent many a happy time there, check: https://quietripple.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/st-dude-arthaud/

and

https://quietripple.wordpress.com/2012/11/26/vie-de-chateau/

Snowy Sothonod

Snowy Sothonod

1000 years!

1000 years!

What can you say? What is a little tooth pain compared to a 1000 years?

I felt uplifted.

Compliments of the season and thanks Mac Gillivrays

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Voyeurism

Posted on December 15, 2013 by spikekalashnikov

I like to watch.

I pick up garbage from the beaches and watch shells.

Hello trees,hello sky

Hello trees,hello sky

There are about a million of these at the moment

There are about a million of these at the moment

I like living on a beach

I like living on a beach

Exotic seed from Cathay probably

Exotic seed from Cathay probably

I wander in the undergrowth by the house looking for things to watch.

tiny mageurite

tiny daisy

Hookah

Hookah

I don't like sponge cake

I don’t like sponge cake

I then go to watch the stinking pond. There are two super rare Black-billed Spoonbills but they hide at the other end of the stinking pond.

Teal

Teal

Shoveler

Shoveler

Suddenly both Spoonbills take off and fly straight towards me. This is very strong juju. They settle just in front of my squalid hidey-hole.

Augury

Augury

The science of interpretation of signs was vast and complex. Only some species of birds (aves augurales) could yield valid signs[26] whose meaning would vary according to the species. Among them were ravens, woodpeckers, owls, oxifragae, eagles,black-billed spoonbills. Signs from birds were divided into alites, from the flight, and oscines, from the voice. The alites included region of the sky, height and type of flight, behaviour of the bird and place where it would rest.

The science of interpretation of signs was vast and complex.
Only some species of birds (aves augurales) could yield valid signs[26] whose meaning would vary according to the species. Among them were ravens, woodpeckers, owls, oxifragae, eagles,black-billed spoonbills.
Signs from birds were divided into alites, from the flight, and oscines, from the voice. The alites included region of the sky, height and type of flight, behaviour of the bird and place where it would rest.

I think 2014 will be a good year. I will keep watching.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Low Self Esteem

Posted on December 14, 2013 by spikekalashnikov

I have been very sick of late with continuous cold and fatigue. The weather has echoed my health. Then comes the traditional yuletide abscess under tooth. Mori sensei, my best friend, utters the seasonal cries of “Pain?!” and “So desu much pusu!” Stumbling back from the clinic I find a Christmas gift in my mailbox. I look at it stunned. I had kinda forgotten Xmas due to pain, misery, pain, illness and strong stuff at work. I realize I have not even thought about buying Xmas gifts for family and other monsters of the deep, let alone the delights of wrapping and sending. My self-esteem is very low.

Much pusu

Much pusu

However I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself, I think. I am a wild thing so I launch myself on Saturday 14 December to fix it. Am I too late? Can stuff get from Okinawa to what is still the United Kingdom in 10 days?

I buy lots of great stuff and then realize that because it is Saturday the post offices are closed. Not so, a very few are open for emergencies such as forgetting your family at Xmas. I safari to a lost depot place in Uruma City.

How to grow a palm tree.

How to grow a palm tree.

The depot. Do not get the wrong idea, Japanese post offices are usually centers of happiness and joy

The depot. Do not get the wrong idea, Japanese post offices are usually centers of happiness and joy but this is Saturday.

Of course, the people are charming and helpful. They claim that the gift will arrive in the UK in 3 days. Can this be true?

I have never been to this part of the island before.

Hot stuff

Hot stuff

Different from my part of Okinawa

Different from my part of Okinawa

December in Uruma City

December in Uruma City

Anyway I hope the box makes it before Xmas. I least I tried.

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