Explored Hora, our little village on Anafi. Reached the top and looked down around town and the island.
Another day at work with great colleagues. After work gathered up the energy to go to evening Aikido training in my home Dojo. Normally I always bicycle there, but today decided to walk there instead. Had a beautiful walk and could enjoy all the autumn colour trees on my way. Picked up this leaf, that I wanted to bring home for a decoration piece. Placed it under the fern on the stone. Went to training which was great and lots of banter and tall tales from Iwama and Tokyo after training. On the walk home, the leaf was still there to bring home.
Walked down the hill to explore and find a beach we’d been told about. Put the hammock up between trees and swam, lay in the sun and read. Tried to hitch on the way back up but walked the whole way which wasn’t so bad in the golden light.
Bicycling to and from work in pouring rain. Once home, suddenly the rain stopped and the sun appeared, so went for a walk with a purpose; buying a birthday present for Peter’s Mother’s 77th birthday on Sunday. Great achievement to catch this nice ray of sun on a rainy day at the sidewalk of Kammasvej and managed to find a nice birthday present for Gunhild.
Breakfast of yoghurt and fruits on the balcony, then took the local bus to a recommended beach. It was bliss. Clothes or no clothes, people camping and water so clear and stunning, diamonds bouncing off the top.
Managed to get through another day of work, still a bit dazed by jetlag. Came home and made a lovely soup out of leftovers in the fridge; celeriac, carrot, onion, sweet potato soup. Picture half way in process, it lost some of the nice color once blended, but still tasted delicious springled with spring(le) onion and roasted pumpkin seeds.
Arrived on the island of Anafi at 5 in the morning. Hitched up the hill to Hora the only town on the island and walked up the little tiny streets in the black darkness to our apartment….slept for a few hours and then woke up to THIS!! 🥰
So totally tired and jetlagged on the Monday. Still managed to get through a full day at work. Came home around 4 o’clock and was ready for bed, but stayed up for a lovely dinner. Completely forgot to take a picture on the Monday in my dazed state. This is a picture as close to monday as possible, from Sunday late night being captivated and mesmerized by the charisma of the lead singer in Dry Cleaning, warming up for Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Took a bus to Heraklion a port where we’re taking a ferry tonight….so the achievement is being in the right place, on the correct date for a ferry at 2 in the morning. I booked a hotel room for down time and a mini sleep before getting back up again.
Home sweet home. The morning light comes beautifully into the bedroom and the adjoining room. Back from my trip to Japan, funky feeling traveling back in time. Didn’t really sleep on the long flight from Tokyo to Helsinki, so went to bed early Saturday and got up early Sunday to enjoy this beautiful light and also going to a 13,3km fitness run in Dyrehaven (Deer park) a huge park outside Copenhagen with loads of game. Also opened my mail to discover that I had won tickets for Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds on Sunday evening, so managed my run in a good time (1 hour 14 minutes 11 seconds) back home for a lovely meal and then out to Royal Arena to listen to the preacher man.
Walked round the old town of Rethymno exploring and meandering. I don’t know if it’s a great achievement but I spotted this lady and went back to snap this photograph
So this is me strolling home with my newly bought suitcase. Managed to find a shop across the road from my hotel that sells suitcases 24/7 amongst anything else you could think of needing. I’m a slow packer and didn’t realised I couldn’t fit all my Gi’s (Aikido training outfit) in my suitcase until 2 in the night. Ended up staying up all night till I had to go to the airport so missed a nights sleep.
Took the bus from Paleiochora to Rethymno and on the way from the bus station (bus stations are surprisingly lovely in Greece) to our hotel I saw locals swimming at this little spot so I stripped off and jumped in. Heaven.
This is one of a pair of komainu, which from the 14th century onward, began to be placed outdoors to guard shrine and temple entrances.
Komainu always appear in pairs, with one having an open mouth and the other a closed mouth. Together they represent the sound “a-un”, the Japanese transliteration of the sacred Sanskrit syllable “om”. This syllable symbolizes the beginning and the end of all things, similar to “alpha and omega” in Western traditions.
The komainu pairs embody the principles of yin and yang, life and death, and the dual nature of existence. The open-mouthed “a-gyō” represents the beginning the active principle, and the inhalation of the breath of life, while the closed-mouthed “un-gyō” symbolizes the end, the passive principle, and the exhalation of the last breath.
So as my trip is nearing the end, I feel an achievement in my Aikido training, knowing that this is just the beginning of a long journey.
Had a nice and peaceful morning visiting the local Shinjuku shrine where I met the komainu on the picture and then afterwards the Shinjuku Gyoen Garden. Then headed to the National Olympic Memorial Youth Center for the last day of Aikido training on this journey.
Planned and booked accommodation for the next parts of our holiday from a hammock Scott hung overlooking the beach. Modern times!
So made it through another really hot and humid day, again 3 Aikido training sessions with different Sensei’s. It’s very dame dame ( no good; not serving its purpose; useless; broken) to hang the Gi’s over locker doors. The doors should always be closed and look neat.
We took the bus from Chania to Sougia on the south coast which someone had recommended. I wandered all through the town looking for a room but alas there were no rooms available. I was very relaxed about this somehow and when a ferry came along we jumped on and sailed to Paleiochora and after a lot of no’s, as it was also all full I found a room on booking.com. Wow. Busy busy.
First day of the 14th international Aikido summit in Tokyo. Being held next to the Yoyogi park in the National Olympics Memorial Youth Center. A huge venue and also loads of Aikido people from 88 different countries around the world. Managed to participate and sweat out in 3 classes (out of 5) in very hot and humid climate.
A pomegranate picked by Scott climbing a tree in Chania, Crete.
Another day of sightseeing in Tokyo, this time in Hamarikuy Garden. Beautiful and really relaxing garden near the old Tsukiji fishmarket and the harbour. The trees are being really well looked after and this made me think of my brother. Lots of achievement put in to this park.
Tube, train, plane, bus, walk, check out rooms and find this one….from Crouch End, London to Chania, Crete, Greece.
Busy day, with lots of impressions all day. Sightseeing in Yanaka area, lots of temples and a big graveyard. Got a bit lost, but managed to find the last shoguns grave (Tokugawa Yoshinobu, born Oct. 28, 1837 and died Jan.22. 1913). Then managed to find a really nice okonomiyaki restaurant near Shinjuku station. Then back to the hotel and getting organized for the next days to come in a tiny room and even tinier bathroom.
Using up everything in my fridge to make a packed lunch for my journey up to London. I saved money by going on a very non direct route which involved a bus replacement service from Reading, stopping everywhere on the way to Staines. And then a train onto Richmond. Was it worth it?…an achievement of patience and money saving….
A really busy sightseeing day, people everywhere and loud noises everywhere. Found this quiet little corner with calm and peace.
Side to Side 