A Night Out

Some more photos of one of my trips to Japan. These were taken after work on my first visit. to Tsukuba where I did some work at a research establishment. After work the guy I who was looking after me took me to a typical Japanese restaurant or bar

 This is what the bar looked like inside

 The guy in the foreground is who was looking after me, his name was Kado San, the guy behind was a local who came in and he knew.

 This happy guy is the owner

 and this fellow was the chief

 This is him again with his wife after work, we stayed after closeing time

 By this time of the night I tried on the chiefs coat and had and had drunk a little too much saki. You could say I had a good time there. 

takeing part in Our World Tuesday

St Gwendoline Llyswen

This week The Church Explorer takes you back to Wales for the first of 5 churches I visited in the area. Llyswen is along the A470 to Builth wells and the church is set back off the main road along a lane. The Church is Victorian the older Norman one being destroyed at some time, the only remaining item from that times is the Font

Eating my Rose

Partial Eclipse of the Moon

Back on the 16/17 of July we had a partial eclipse of the moon on the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, quite apt really. I only found out about the eclipse when they said about it on the news so I popped outside to see and well had to get a couple of photos.

 Not the best ones I've taken but at least a record of the event.

Happy Skywatch

The Exhibition

My wife and I went off to a camping exhibition the other week to have a look at what was on offer

The camping field where you can see all the tents on offer

Small caravans with a pop up top, not my cup of tea, might add they cost in excess of £18000 for which you could pick up a nicer caravan anyway

A Ford Transit based camper

another type of van based camper with a high top

Custom built version which is what you normally see around most places

These are another type though not my favourite

There were lots of tents like this one which is an air beam, not poles but the poles are air bags. they have become very popular

Bit more conventional 

Quite a few Teepee's 

What we had come to see  trailer tents. First think my wife and I had was one of these

Though we loved this one as it was very easy to put up

ands it looks like this when it is put away

Smaller tents to go hiking with

and all sorts of seats you could by to take with you. We did not buy anything apart from some butane bottles for the cooker I use. I'll stick with my caravan

Taking Part in Our World Tuesday

St Mary Freeland

This week the Church Explorer takes you to Freeland and St Mary the Virgin, which is of High Victorian Gothic and full of interest

Regatta Sky

A week or so ago my wife and I went off to an Exhibition and we passed through Henley where you have to go along a road beside the Thames called Thames side. Looking out the window I could see the Leander club so as we had stopped in the traffic I too a photo then turned around and took one of the Regatta site. A couple of weeks ago you would not have been able to drive along here with all the people milling around watching Henley Royal Regatta. Now they are in the stages of taking down all  the tents that held the boats for the clubs that competed

 The Leander club basically home of the Royal Regatta and where the top rowers come from

The tents where all the boats were kept for the regatta soon to be taken down. The sky was a little overcast but still a warm day.

Happy Skywatch

Book Stand

A trip to Mottisfont

My wife & I have been here a couple of times to see the roses, if you get it at the right time in June you are give a beautiful show of roses and the smell is wonderful.

First place you see when walking in the walled garden is this area which has changed since our last visit, they are making a vegetable garden here
The entrance to the rose garden is through this gate

Roses grow along the walls and the garden paths take you through the rose beds

Where ever you look you will see roses and they smell is wonderful

Lucky there were not many people around when we were there but then not all the roses were in bloom

 There were plenty of Allium's on show though

 but the roses I felt were a little disappointing some had gone over and others had not come into flower which was a shame

We went past this old gatehouse which is the gardeners cottage you can visit and learn how they look after their roses. Mottisfont is well worth visiting though if you do go in June you will find every one else there as well. It is looked after by the National Trust so unless you are a member you will have to pay but it is well worth it.

Taking Part in Our World Tuesday

St Mary North Leigh

This week the church explorer takes you to North Leigh in Oxfordshire and St Mary's church, one which dates back to Saxon times and has some wonderful features to see.