Oh Christchurch!

Our beautiful home town has been brought to its knees by a massive earthquake. Our families and friends are safe, but many people were not so lucky. It's very hard knowing all this is happening so far away.

(photo by Logan McMillan, via Facebook)

No business like snow business

Last weekend we took the long, lolling (LOL) ferry ride from Sendai to Hokkaido, to take a look at Sapporo's famous yuki matsuri, or snow festival. Hokkaido, being the northernmost island of Japan, really is quite cold at this time of year, and, not to disappoint, within minutes of our arrival a thick blanketing of snow started falling, adding to the already impressive drifts along the roads and footpaths.


The main draw for the yuki matsuri is the impressive array of snow and ice sculptures that the city puts together. The scale of the snow sculpures was just incredible. The above (and below) sculpture of the fox and owl was the size of a building!


Mirabel spent a lot of time taking sneaky pictures of cute Japanese kids in puffy winter clothes or being pulled on sleds. Also a very awkward-looking reindeer mascot for something-or-other.


The trip was part of a large JET-participant pilgrimage, so it was a fairly social time. The first night the lot of us went to the Sapporo Beer Garden, for a two-hour, all-you-can-eat-and-drink free-for-all. The food served at the beer garden is amusingly called Genghis Khan -- a name which in Japan seems to be more closely related to barbecued lamb than to the fearsome Mongolian warlord.

Other culinary adventures included a walk to "ramen alley", a narrow walkway lined with ramen noodle shops. Good ramen. Yup.

We also ventured out to a nearby town called Otaru. They have a festival of their own going at the same time, which involves setting a lot of pretty lanterns in the canal and around-about in snowdrifts. Very nice.

Otaru also has an amazing German-style microbrewery, where I had far and away the best Japanese beer I've ever encountered. I tried their pilsener, dunkel, and weiss, as well as a deliciously smoky special winter brew. So good I brought a pack home with me (it's sitting in the fridge as I type. So tempting!).

Below are some pictures of the wonderfully detailed ice sculptures. Some of them had real fish frozen into them! On our last night we watched a crew of bulldozers and diggers demolish the whole thing with real relish. Creation and destruction!

A Mini-Diana New Zealand Christmas

We spent Christmas back home. It was just wonderful!

- grainy crusty bread and cheese

- camping

- summertime

- cats, dogs, birds, seals

- tasty drinks

- bioluminescent water (all my dreams!)

- swimming

- family and friends

Year of the Rabbit

Knitted bunny pattern

Both these baked treats were filled with strawberry flavoured cream. Extremely delicious, but I am afraid after eating two I can never eat them again.

A winter's night and day

Last night it snowed and snowed, and we tiptoed outside at midnight to build a snowman.

We named him Yuki.

The next day we went for a wander around the neighbourhood, crunching through the crisp, white snow underfoot. Yuki was still looking a picture of health.

The rice fields were blanketed.

much love winter monday

Making up hearts as I go along, with Larksfoot crochet pattern.

Taking part in Much Love Monday

Weird fuds

Here are some weird foods that I bought from the supermarket one day.


This here is a pizza-flavoured instant noodle box -- with mayonaise. It had tiny little instant meatballs in it (just add water!) and did actually taste fairly pizza-ish. Mayo is a typical pizza topping here, so that explains that, but I did feel slightly queasy because of it, I think. 6/10.


Next are some good old corn snacks. These ones are flavoured like Japanese fast food favourite takoyaki, ie. octopus batter balls. I actually like takoyaki a lot, so these were pretty tasty. 7/10.


Next on the list is one for the Metal Gear Solid fans: Calorie Mate! Yes, in Japan you too can dine on the special ration of choice of tactical espionage action hero Solid Snake!


The verdict: extremely dry shortbread consistency and general fruit taste. 7/10. Snaaaaaaaake!


And to wash it down, Calpis. But not just any Calpis; The Premium Calpis. I like Calpis Soda best -- it's kind of like creaming soda -- so I was intrigued when I spotted the premium version. Premium Calpis, however, is thick and milky and tastes a bit like sharpish yoghurt.


Kinda gross. 2/10.


Bonus vending machine entry! Hotcake drink! Actually tasted like caramel milk; not as gross as the buttery image on the can would suggest. 5/10.

to market to market

I went to a flea-market with Sarah and Kumi. I sold two flying horses.