Let me explain….This is a picture of the Japanese Consult General’s residence in San Francisco. Beautiful, isn’t it? They call it the Marble House because of all the Italian marble inside. That is me standing in front ready to go in to the Wecome Reception for all 198 of the Japan Memorial Fulbright Teachers.
This is the table of food that I couldn’t recognize inside the Consult General’s house. It is where I had my first taste of raw fish. Really quite good but one has to get over the idea of it to really enjoy it. Each offering is a work of art in itself using both color and display. The centerpiece which you can barely see is of the Golden Gate Bridge made from carrots.
Here is a picture of my first Japanese friends, Yoko, and Yoko (a very common name in Japan) They were such great first impressions of Japan and were very concerned that I would have a good time and take away a good impression. They should become ambassadors. However, when I asked them what they were most looking forward to in Japan, they both said ‘raw fish.’
This is Tokyo at night as seen from the Tokyo Tower and the 1959 Dog Memorial. I understand there are several children books written about this–I will have to ask the Media Center people on the trip and get more information.
Here are two Japanese musicians playing before we left to go out to eat with Machida-san, a Fulbright Alumni who studied at the University of Wisconsin.
And here is Machida-San our dinner host. His website is www.h4.dion.ne.jp/~machida. His avocation since retiring is photography.
And lastly is a picture of the locking umbrella stands you see everywhere. Patrons leave their umbrellas outside and lock them up.
posted Tuesday October xxxx