You can become a singer!!!

Well, August will be over soon.

I want to write about my summer vacation again.

After going to the orchid garden, my mother thought about what we would do.

Then she wanted to go out to Karaoke with me.
Yeah, I love to sing songs!
When I was a student, I often went out to Karaoke with my friends.

Sometimes, my friends and I kept singing songs in Karaoke until early mornings.
Finally, I could find songs that I could can...

Since I became a full-fledged member of society, I didn't often go out to there.
However, I sometimes go out to Karaoke to enjoy singing songs.

Anyway, I enjoyed singing songs in Karaoke with my mother for 3 hours.
While singing song in Karaoke, I broke a sweat.

Yes, singing songs is a good exercise.

If you go out to Karaoke in Japan, you may be surprised.

Because there are Karaoke machines with many functions.

For example,

- You can check how many calories did you burn off by singing songs.

- You can compete with other and see the ranking in Japan.

In addition, recent Karaoke's machines are so convenient because we can order drinks or snacks etc.
I think that they look like staffs of Karaoke's boxes.

At the first time, it was so difficult to sing songs in Karaoke for me.
Of course, I was so ashamed to sing songs in front of others.
But I got more accustomed to sing songs in Karaoke and could enjoy singing songs with friends.

I would like to go out to Karaoke soon.

The battle of cooking

Well, it is too fast that the times go.

By the way, I want to write about my summer vacation.

After enjoying seeing orchids in the garden with my family, my father wanted to try cooking a pasta like the restaurant where we ate pasta.

So I went to a supermarket and bought some vegetables(tomatoes, paprika, bean sprout, cabbege,cucumbers) and a beaf.

Then my father prepared to make pasta.

When I was watching my father in the kitchen, I tought I would try cooking other dish.

What did I make?

The answer is gazpacho!!!



I sometimes make gazpacho in the summer because the weather is hot and we don't feel eating heavy foods.

My recipe is here.

- Cut vegetables
- Boil bean sprout and cabbege
- Add salt and pepper, white wine
- Mix vegetables and tomato's juice

Then gazpacho was kept in refrigerator.

The time of dinner came and we eat pasta and gazpacho together.

My father said, "You win! Gazpacho is more delicious than pasta!".
And he said that he put into a little red wine instead of white wine.
So the taste might be not good.

Although he said that, my mother and I were really satisfied with that pasta because the pasta was delicious!

I think he said because my father is kind.

It is nice to eat delicious food at the restaurant with familes.
However, it is interesting and fun to cook something with families.

Orchid garden

I had stayed at my parent's home for 5 days and came back to a real world where I am live on 17th.

I could really enjoy having a great time.

Because I don't like a too hot summer, I went to the places where were cool and close to my parent's home.
Of course my father and mother are same.

On 14 th of Aug, we discussed about what we would go and where we would have a lunch after waking up at 11 am.

The places where we would try to go to were here.

- Going to the airport "centrair"

I had gone to there a few times.
There are many interesting shops and restaurants in there and we can see airplanes in the sky deck.
In addition, there is a hotspring in there!



Unfortunately, I don't enjoy it of the airport yet.
According to the information, we can see the night view and flying planes while taking a bath in the hot spring.

So many people go to there on weekends and holidays.

- Going to a fish market "Ishiki"

You many know about it because I wrote about this fish market on my blog.
On Jan, we had gone to there and there are fish stores and restaurants.
We ate Sushi and we could buy seafoods cheaper.

- The island "Chita"

There are beaches in Chita island. So many children and other visit in Chita island to swim in the oceans.
I like beaches and oceans.
However, it takes at least 2 hours to Chita island by the car.
In addition, we must wait for a few hours if the highway is crowded.
So we decided not to go to there.

- The orchid garden

I didn't go to there before and I love flowers.
My mother had gone to there with my brother and she said that it is so cooler than outside.
The orchid garden is in Nagoya city and it is close to Sakae station.

We discussed for 1 hour and we decided to go to the orchid garden by a car.

And my father knew that the restaurant of the orchid garden was so nice.

After 30 mins, we arrived at there.
The fee of the orchid garden is 700 yen.

We entered into the orchid garden and enjoyed seeing beautiful or interesting orchids.







Then we had a lunch at a restaurant of the orchid garden "THE ORCHID ROOM".



According to the website, this restaurant is known for people and many people married in there.
We ate pasta lunch.

The menu is here.

- Salad
- Bread
- Pasta of octopus and paprika
- coffee

The price is 1500yen.

After a lunch, we went to back.

I prefer quiet gardens to crowded places.
I would like to go to the orchid garden again.

The two sons of Francisco

Do you know "Zezé Di Camargo & Luciano"?

I didn't know about them before.

A few months ago, I found one movie.
The movie was "The two sons of Francisco" and about Brazilian famous musicians "Zezé Di Camargo & Luciano".

This movie was based on the true story and released in 2005.



Finally, I could watched the movie and I shed my tears many times while watching the movie.

The story was about a family of Zezé Di Camargo & Luciano.
Their family was poor and they had many brothers and sisters.
Their father wanted sons to become musicians and they learned to play the music for many years.

After trying making efforts, they could become musicians.

Especially, I was impressed with the last scene of the movie.

The last scene was a concert of Camargo and Luciano.
When they were singing songs, their father and mother suddenly appeared on the stage.

I couldn't stop shedding my tears when I watched the last scene.

"The two sons of Francisco" is my most favorite movie.

The express bus and Ena service area

My short summer vacation was finally over.

I had stayed at my parent's home for 5 days and came back to a real world where I am live in yesterday.
I went some places with my father and mother.
I will write about it on my blog soon.

By the way, it was a first time to get on the express bus 2 times on the evening.
I always had gotten on the midnight express bus.
So I didn't see any landscapes while get on the midnight buss.

But this time, I could see landscapes and took photos.

On 12th, the bus left in Shinjyuku at 4 pm.
The bus stopped at service areas 3 times while about 6 hours.
There are shops and restaurants in service areas.
We arrived at Ena service area at 8 pm.
Ena is a place of Gifu pref.
There are many mountains around Gifu pref.

Then I got out a bus and I saw one thing.

What did I see?

Firework!!!



I watched beautiful fireworks exploded in the night sky!!!

In the summer fireworks displays are held in Japan.
I like seeing fireworks.
So I often go to see them in the summer.
However, I didn't see any fireworks this year until 12 the of Aug.
So I was luck because there were many people in fireworks displayes and the trains were crowed to and from firework displays.
It was so hard to go back homes.
Indeed, I had waited for getting on the trains for at least 2 hours a few years ago.

And we could stayed the place around firework displays for a half day in order to see fireworks.
Before starting a firwork display "Sumida hanabi taikai", I had to stay outside for 5 hours...
I thought I must be tired before seeing fireworks...
Yeah, it was true.

At this time, I could see fireworks without any efforts.

It is fun to enjoy seeing landscapes while getting bus.

The summer vacation's plans

Well, I always think about going to my parent's home since last week.
Today, I reserved the tickets of express bus.
The fee of round-trip was about 10,200 yen.
If I get on the express train , I had to pay at least 21,000 yen by round trip.
So I was lucky because I could save money.

I will leave my office at 15 pm of 12th and get on the bus from Shinjyuku at 16 pm.
The bus will arrive at Nagoya station at 22 pm.
Because I don't have a car license , my father will come to Nagoya station.

What will I do at my parent's home?

Nothing!!!

At this morning, I watched an interesting news on TV.

What is many Japanese's plans of summer vacations?

Their plans are doing nothing!!!

According to the news, many people planed to stay at homes while vacations.
Many Japanese people used to travel or go out by cars.
The crowded airports and roads, express trains etc were famous during summer vacation.
Many news said about them on TV and I watched the news about crowed roads on TV.

However, the price of crude oil is higher and they try not to drive cars now.
(Current oil's price is 190 yen in Tokyo.)
I think it is good to global warming.

I think we will have a little luxury lunch at a restaurant during this summer vacation.
Although we will go to somewhere by my father's car.
However, my father gets eye strain while driving for a long time since last year.
So we may go to the place where is close to home if my father drives a car.

Anyway, I will take a rest at my parent's home.

Difference between Japan and England

I like reading bloggers about writing foreign countries.

Yesterday, I read about English homeless.
One woman started to live in England and she noticed one thing.

What did she notice???

About homeless.

She was surprised because there aren't any homeless people in England.

I agree with her.

Unfortunately, it is true that there are homeless peoples around downtown of Tokyo.
For example, Shinjyuku or Shibuya etc.

I like travelling.
When I travel, I am sorry when I see homeless people.

However, I didn't see any homeless people while staying in England.

I was so surprised.

According to her article, homeless people can stay in B&B or shelter under state care.
I was so surprised at all although I had known that medical costs of England is free.

In Japan, medical costs are rising and old people are increasing.
Meanwhile, children are decreasing...

So medical costs and pensions are big problems in Japan.
Especially, Japanese pension's price is cheap and we think that it is hard to live by only our pensions.
You know Japanese who live in Asia(Malaysia, Thailand etc) or want to live in there are increasing.
Of course me too.
So I wen to Malaysia 2 times to check prices of Malaysia.
Because Japanese prices are expensive...

In addition, homeless people can't get money from Japanese government.
So they have to live in outside and they can't have their address.

Some of Japanese people doesn't have any hopes because they put up with their terrible lives..

I think our society will become cheerful if Japanese government think about homeless people and weak persons.
If Japanese government helps them and we have to pay more expensive taxes, I can understand and I will pay.

Struggle against sleepiness

Hi, how are you?

I am fine. However, I feel like taking a nap right now with all this work...

Because I can't often sleep well recently.
At last night, I waked up at 2 am and 4 am...
I think I might wake up because of air conditioner.
For example, I wake up and feel a chill because I put on the air conditioner while sleeping.
Meanwhile, if I don't put off the air conditioner, I can't sleep because of the summer heat...

So when I wake up at this morning, I felt dull.
If it is possible, I'd like to take a day off today.
But I managed to go to the office.

After a lunch, I couldn't stop closing my eyelids a few times.
My boss's desk is in front of my desk.
Fortunately, my boss took a day off today.
I drank many cups of coffee to fight off the urge to sleep.
What do you do if you feel sleepy while working?

I often do these things.

- drink lots of cups of coffee

- rub the sleep my eyes

- go out and feel a fresh air to cool my head

- chew a gum

If I can't stop feeling sleepy after doing all, I must give up not to take awake. It is best to leave my office and take a nap at my home.

Yes, I am a bad employee...

So I saw the clock many times while working because I wanted to go home at once. As soon as it will be 6 pm, I will leave my office without any words...

The Bon festival

The Bon festival will come soon next week.

This year, the Bon festival takes place every year from August 13th to 16th.

This Buddhist festival is held to welcome back the souls of the dead.
These souls are believed to return to their families during the festival.

It is also an occasion for people to visit their relatives' graves to pray and make offerings of food and flowers.
When I was a child, I often went to my grandmother's house with my family to pray. Then we made these horses by vegetables.
They are called "Shyouryou uma".
"Syorou uma" is believed that dead people ride on "Syorou uma" to come to our world.

Most cities also hold Bon dances at this time.
So we put on yukata and enjoyed dancing when I was a child.

Many people receive company holidays during the Bon period and go back to their hometowns.
According to JR, the number of people returning to their own homes after the holidays will reach a peak on August 16th.

I couldn't take holidays while the Bon period at ex companies.
However, my current company receive company holidays.
So I will go to my parent's home to spend a time with them next week.
If I wasn't busy, I would take holidays from friday of this week.

I will write about my vacation after coming back to Tokyo.

Best pizza "Sicilian"

How are you? I am fine. When the weekend comes, I usually stay at home because I don't like Japanese summer heat.

If I must go out, I try to go out at nights.

By the way, do you like a pizza?

I love a pizza.

Then I found my best pizza!

One day, one person taught me one pizza's restaurant.
That is "California pizza Kitchen".

Do you know that?

I didn't know that at all.
A few days ago, I went to there and ate Sicilian pizza for the first time to eat a pizza.



I can't explain the taste of Sicilian pizza well.

The toppings of pizza were Italian sausages, salamis,Parmigiano Reggiano,Mozzarella,basil,oregano.
Taste was so spicy and the sausage and salami were so nice!!!
And pizza bakes until the top was so crispy.
The price was about 2380 yen.
I think 2 or 3 peple can be satisfied with one pizza.
Please think again to order another pizza if you want to eat many pizza.
You had better order another pizza after finish eating a pizza if you can eat and you aren't stuffed.

Before I loved Mrgherita pizza but I prefer Silian pizza now because I love spicy foods.
The volume of Sicilian pizza was so huge and I was so stuffed that I couldn't eat another bite.
However, I want to eat Sicilian pizza again and I will tell my friends California pizza.

The movie "Ikigami"

well, I will go to spanish restaurant although we planed to eat Japanese eel tonight. Because my friend said that we couldn't reserve at Japanese eel restaurant.

Maybe, many people plan to eat eel because the weather is too hot!!!

I was sorry but I perfer Spanish food.

By the way, do you remember about Japanese comic "Ikigami"?
In the past, I wrote about it on my blog.
Finally, the movie of Ikigami will be released next month in Japan.

Shouta Matsuda as the main character of this movie played in the movie. If you want to watch other movie previews, you can watch this.

Find more videos like this on www.truveo.com.

You may know his father.
His father is a famous actor "Yusaku Matsuda".
Yes, his father had played as the movie "The black rain".

According to the website of wikipedia, Shouta Matsuda can speak English because he studied abroad in UK for 2 years.

I like Shouta Mastuda too.
When the TV drama "Bara no nai hanaya" was boradcasted in Japan, I often watched it.
(The title means that flowershop without rose)
I didn't know about him before watching them at all.
I thought his performance was great after watching them.
He is 22 years old but his talent was greater than other Japanese actors.
I expect his future!!!