The Quiet Ripple Defines The Pond

Jeremy and I go to Ie Jima an island a few miles off the coast of Okinawa.

We take our bikes and cycle happily around the island.

Big Red stretches her legs

Fields and fields of tobacco and peanuts and hedgerows of hibiscus.

Hedges of this

However it is the rainy season in the sub tropics and suddenly a colossal rain storm sweeps in. We flee for shelter and luckily there is a particularly attractive public convenience at the end of the island in the lily fields. It is so reminiscent of family holidays in Scotland – Jeremy and I staring out at the grey sea as the rain lashes down. The difference of course is that the temperature is 28 degrees and the rain is warm.

http://youtube/Sgx9IV79h8g

We have fun making disaster movies:

http://youtu.be/RaboplFznc0

Ie Jima suffered terribly in the war. Read this:

http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/okinawa/chapter7.htm

It really is heartbreaking that such terrible slaughter took place on islands inhabited by the kindest , most courteous people I have ever come across.

Caves where thousands sheltered as the US and British fleets pumped an average of 5.87 shells on each inhabitant of Okinawa

I thought this was agricultural machinery until Jeremy enlightened me.

Harvesting tobacco

We climb Mt Gusuku, a big hill in the middle of the island.

On top of ol’ Mt Gusuku
Compare with wartime photos.

At the top the wind is quite strong and huge black butterflies are playing a game of flying to the top of the mountain to be caught by the wind and blasted over  giggling wildly. They then went back to the start and did it all over again. Jeremy and I standing on top of a mountain on an island in the East China Sea with gleeful butterflies flashing over our heads.

I want this boat.

Lovely Stornaway

I dive into the underwater tunnel to finally grasp the magic chip that will prevent Dr Kitatanakagusuku from destroying the visible universe. As my fingers tighten I am blinded by a lashing jet of high pressure oxygen bubbles. ” Bother, my air tube has been slashed by a killer ninja working for Kitatanakagusuku Inc.”. Is this the end of the world as we know it?

We both come from Scotland

Well, no actually but it was quite impressive. Going through a tunnel thing my secondary air supply must have snagged and the end thing was pulled off allowing all the air to gush out of my tank. The endless tube, er, the tube with the end pulled off, lashed around filling the tunnel with a blur of bubbles. Anyway I went out of the tunnel, thence to the surface and home for a nice cup of tea.

Tube in one hand, thing to breathe through in the other

Lesson: attach your secondary mouth piece thing to your BCD rather than letting it trail behind you.

http://www.musictory.com/music/Charlie+Drake/Splish+Splash

So now all three boys are scuba qualified. Bravo Jeremy.  I looked forward to major family diving adventures. We go out for two dives on Saturday with the trusty neighbors Jordan and Connie. The first dive we just swim out and out into unknown waters from the coast. Suddenly the water deepens dramatically and down we go into a space-scape of pinnacles and gullies floored with perfect white sand. Fantastic.

Full Fathoms Five

Jeremy spots a turtle. She watches us for a while and then glides off.

Tina the turtle

It is very hot and tropical as we go back to the apartment and sure enough there is a storm of hot rain. This clears the air for the second dive late in the afternoon. The water is a clear as clear. The fish are abundant.

Connie feeds fish

Splish splash

A far cry from Loch Awe

Hunting the great white whale.

There is no one around. We dive into a deep blue underwater cave that comes up into a cavern inside the mountain. We find pirate gold. We stuff our pockets. We turn around and forty thousand headmen hit the dirt.

The sun is setting as we surface and the water is metallic.

How were we to know there was a party going on?

Supporting Scotland at sporting events is a particular experience. It is a plasma of an inflated idea of our worth whereby we expect to win things through birthright and the numbing reality of regular defeat. However from time to time we do something legendary which re -ignites belief and off we go again. One of these events happened when I was in Tokyo this week. The Scottish rugby team consisting of strange-looking, gnarled, unintelligible creatures defeated the bronzed Adonai of Australia. Admittedly the weather conditions were atrocious with driving rain and howling gale. “Worst conditions I have ever played in.” Kylie Golden (Australia). “Aye haughmagandie groomach.”  Piers St John Pitts Tucker ( Scotland). Two Scots knocked each other out during the celebrations but did not notice until later.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuH4G7dW-SI

Meetings with government in Tokyo.

Shurely some mishtake?

The Cabinet Office looks much the same inside and out.

Imperial Palace where the imperial lives

The Diet – low carbs

Ministry of Lost Property

Ministry of Paths in Woods

Ministry of Nails

Great views from on top of the Ministry of Mid Life.

There is a strong tradition in Japan of celebratory parties post major events. I think these are called Uichage.   We had a big one last night. A group of us organized two concerts last week and so in celebration  my apartment hosted a major bust.

Thanks Gakiya san

The event focused around Roaring Pyramids and non traditional Okinawan cocktails.

Roaring pyramids are self explanatory and always a lot of fun.

Giza

Yay!  Natori san says”It’s great to be on top of men!”

Not much roaring

Ladies team

Discussion

Amazing hand made er gift thing.

There is a black sticky thing inside that looks a bit like a jobbie

We make tropical drinks. Left over from the concert was a bouquet of orchids, individual flowers from which became the crowning glory of each cocktail.

It’s the banana stupid

And the orchid

Jeremy holding a Okinawan Colon Cleanser

When was the last time you had a drink with an orchid and a banana in it?

Violetta!

Here is the recipe. In big glass put pineapple, kiwi fruit, a whole banana,some lime, lots of ice, a serious slug of awamori, top it up with grapefruit or orange juice and then garnish with rose petals  and orchid. You drink it then eat the banana. Not sure how this would go down on Islay but you know, different drinks for different geography.

I have to ask people to leave at 2:00 because I am 60.

Time to go home

Great group of people!

http://youtu.be/Z66V9a_9Eh4

This is a famous pipe retreat. I remember someone telling me a story about Sandy Townsley, of the well-known tinker family in Kintyre, who made some money by playing the pipes at fairs. Having drink taken, he struggled through a tune and was asked, “Tell me Sandy, was that “When the Battle’s O’er?” “Oh no” says he “That was chust a skirmish.”

03 When The Battle’s O’er played by Sir Jimmy Shand RIP

Jeremy arrives on Saturday and on Sunday we cycle over to Ishikawa to watch bulls fighting. This is always fun as the bulls are not really very aggressive and frequently don’t want to fight. No problem – they are just led out again and some more appear.

After the contest we wander behind the stadium to pay respects to the combatants. They are a soppy bunch who love to be tickled.

Hiromichi with Lulu

Fifi

Flopsy

Whitey

Mimi

It is hot, humid and the crowd very Okinawan. I love this stuff.

Spectator

Go Lulu!

Flopsy wins!

Fifi gets cross

Whitey: “Hoo are yoo lookin’ at?”

Good way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Woman like long neck bottles
And a big head on her beer
I don’t like to talk about my women
But I hold that woman dear.

Likewise I do not like talking about my work but er here goes. These last few days have been astonishing in their intensity. For a new graduate school on an island in the East China Sea we certainly shake our tail feathers.

Work

Two days of meetings of Board of Governors. 5 Nobels, strong government people, much organization. A lecture, Einstein’s Universe http://www.einsteinsuniverse.com/Einsteins_Universe/Welcome.html to inaugurate our mega 500 seat auditorium.

slash

Einstein loved to fiddle

We are visited by lots of first ladies.

Da first lady of Japan

We put on a mega classical concert

Sold out 6 hours after we opened the registration

Folks waiting to get in 2 hours before we opened the doors

Packed

Jonathan with striking backdrop

We had the Four Seasons played by an orchestra of students from the Prefectural University of Arts.

They were wonderful

Solo violinist for Four Seasons

Jack Liebeck, whom I have got to know by serendipity, is an astounding violinist. He gives an astonishing recital. Buy all his recordings now.

Jack

Vicky Sayles, Jack’s wife, is also an incredible player. They play the Prokofiev Sonata for 2 Fiddles.

Wheee, grunt, shnurt

Vicky

So a glimpse at the other side of my life.

10 gallon jar of Awamori! Notice rebirth costume

So I recently turned 60. This heap big deal in Japan.  5 x 12 year cycle = 60. This is year of dragon which is also strong juju. You dress in red cos you are like reborn and thus besmirched with blood and natal slime. Anyway I benefit from much attention and kindness for which much thanks to all. Big party!

People lunge towards food

Kids room with a father drinking beer

These are cork toasters that James sent

Shintake san eats meat

“Golden slumbers fill your eyes”

 

We drink too much

Sleepy Manami Sophia

Great party

Little blog activity due to much other activity. Is there an inverse relationship between business and bloginess? Do more – blog less?

So let’s try to catch up.

Alan, my much beloved eldest brother came on a flying visit.  I was ,unfortunately chained to the treadmill most of the time but we did manage to do some cool stuff – like diving.

But give me half a chance and I be taking off me
Clothes and living in the jungle.
But the only time that I feel at ease is
Swinging up and down in a coconut tree.
Oh
what a life of luxury to be like an frogman

It’s a long, long road
From which there is no return
While we’re on the way to there
Why not share
And the load
Doesn’t weigh me down at all
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother

Anyway my brother Alan is a saint and it was great having him here.

I can’t remember if I have gone on about this before but I increasingly think that just visiting a country in fact  tends to  reinforce pre-established judgements. You see what you expect to see and go home with stronger conviction.

To have any real understanding of the country you have to live and more importantly work there for at least 2 years. Learning the language is also key to any real knowledge.

I have lived and worked in Algeria, Switzerland, France, the USA and now Japan. In the first four countries my leaving concept of the country was very different to that I held after say 6 months. This was especially the case in the US. Everyone is an expert on the US especially if they have never been there.

As for Japan I have been here for 16 months and have no idea what is going on but I am trying.

Today I go to hospital.

My colonoscopy adventures revealed 2 largish polyps that have to be removed. I go to the Chubu Hospital to have preliminary check and fix date for the operation. Chubu is a bog standard Okinawan public hospital. I have no interest in going to a fancy private place.

Chubu!

I wait for a bit and then see my doctor

I wait here for a while 

He speaks quite good English and explains what he is going to do to my tubes. We fix the date.  I have a blood test in Japanese and am then told to go off to get my medicine and food. Food – yep the day before the operation I have to eat special stuff. I buy it at the hospital shop.

Boiled beef and carrots

The medicine I get at a dispensary place in the hospital. I am very proud of myself as I negotiate all of this in Japanese and mime. Try miming colonoscopy.

You then go to the checkout and pay.  3,000 yen approx $36 for the consultation blood test and the dope.

It is doing this sort of thing that gives insight into a country. A shrine in Kyoto, beautiful as it may be, does not give much knowledge. Grimy hospital in Uruma city does.