Food!! Glorious Food!! January!!

January

All the amazing, interesting and strange food and drinks I have had in the past month!

Amazing mochi cream - a sticky rice sweet with cream filling in a range of flavours!


Amazing tacos made by Sianna - I thought I had had Mexican but definitely not! I have now had the real thing!


The strawberries here are in season now and are beautiful!


BBQ oysters


Fried oysters with onion miso, zoni soup and salad which we made in our cooking lesson


The dessert we had after our cooking class - mochi with soybean flour and strawberries


Good old meat pie in Australia!


Mmm pale ale - in Australia too!


Shrimp gratin - it had a whole shrimp in it!


Yum green tea cake and stawberry cake!


The 'donkey' cake I made for Sianna's birthday


Guacamole and tortilla chips that Richard made


Seven layer bean dip that Emily made


Tostadas that Rachel made

Australia Day!

January 23rd and 26th

We had a welcome party for the new Australians and we had an Australia Day theme to it!

Me with a friend at the Aussie welcome party


On Australia Day we had to go to work but after work I had everyone over to my place for some Aussie food and drinks!

Snow on Australia Day!?! Definitely not in Australia! (This is the vegetable garden near my school.)


Some of the yum Aussie (and Japanese) food at my Australia Day party


Hmm not the best beer in the world but it works for Australia Day! Couldn't believe I found it here!


An old favourite - fairy bread!


My makeshift Barbie! Weiner sausages baking in the oven!


Ali made lamingtons which were amazing!


Me as Aussie as I can be in Japan!

Community Centre Welcome Party!

January 17th

The local community centre held a welcome party for the 8 new Australians that have arrived but we were all invited. It is always interesting as they either have a performance or demonstrate an aspect of Japanese culture. This time we saw an electric koto performance and were able to try ikebana (flower arranging). I have always wanted to try ikebana and found that I really liked it and hope to take up lessons!

My equipment


My flowers


My masterpiece!


Everyone at the welcome party


My creation at home in a special ikebana vase

Kite Festival!

January 11th

I finally got to go to the annual kite festival which was really interesting. It was held at the nearby race course on the windiest and coldest day! But when we arrived we could see a huge amount of kites in the sky of varying sizes. The most amazing kite was the Himeji castle kite! It didn't stay up long but it was very impressive. This was also the first day that I saw snow! It just suddenly started when we were at the festival. I really love the snow as it is just so beautiful and I am hoping for more!

Kite festival - so many kites and so windy!


Himeji castle kite getting ready for take off!


And it is away!


More kites


This man talked to Taube and I for ages as he makes these kites with cool dragons on them


The snow coming in over the mountains!

Sianna's Mexican Fiesta!

January 10th

For Sianna's birthday we had a Mexican Fiesta party in the meeting room downstairs! We dressed Mexican, ate Mexican food and drank sangria and tequila! It was an amazing night that continued at the local latin dance club!

The birthday girl


The 'donkey' cake - in Aussie terms the bum cake! Sianna is all about loving the 'donkey' so I thought it was appropriate to make a cake in the shape of one!


Amazing tortilla chips and guacamole that Richard made


Yum Sangria!


Seven layer dip that Emily made - yum!


Amazing tostadas that Rachel made


Kyosuke and I


The ladies - Me, Emily, Sianna, Rachel and Taube


The boys - Kimi, Richard, Pat and Kyosuke


My amazing plate of Mexican food

Australia!

December 23rd to January 5th

I went home for Christmas and New years which was great! It was so good to see everyone and enjoy all the yum foods that I had missed! And of course being able to fit into clothes and shoes was an advantage! I have decided while I stay here I will always come home for Christmas as it is just such a special time of year and it is nice to escape the winter!

My first glimpse at the beach - Brighton


Kate and Jared on Christmas Eve


Me on Christmas Eve enjoying some fine Aussie champagne!


All the presents under the Christmas tree!


Kate and I in front of the Christmas tree


Caleb enjoying his keyboard that I gave him


At Glenelg beach


Catching up with Kim and Nikki


Renee and Caleb on New Years


Meeting Alexandra for the first time


Lin, Shell, Alexandra and I


The Alexanders and I


Catching up with Cait, Jose, Quenby and Peter


At the beach with Steve, Tina and Marie


Me with the whole beach to myself on my last day in Australia


At the airport with Renee


and with Mum and Auntie