Big Hop Mall, Inzai, Chiba-prefecture, Japan

This is a garden style mall, with many outlet shops. Most of my Eddie Bauer clothes I buy here.
 

This is some of the new remodeling at  Big Hop Mall. This fountain was nice on a hot summer day. I then was told the sign told you not to do what we did.

Leena decided to climb on the new jungle gym outside the Wild One Outdoor shop.

Ian and Leena finally got a chance to be in a tumbler.

Arakawa World School Camp, August 24-28, 2013

WOW, I had a pretty busy but good week!
I had to finish up the Matsudo city Junior High school English Speech contest, then I had to do a special work assignment.

Back in June, we had an invitation to volunteer for this camp, which is put on by Arakawa-ku Board of Education. It's a massive program involving 20 Assistant English Teachers (the native English speaking ones,) 12 Japanese education student teachers, 10 Japanese teachers and about 140 Grade 6 students from all over Arakawa-ku's elementary schools. The event took place at Arakawa-ku's Summer education camp in Kiyosato, Yamanashi-ken, a 3 hour bus ride from Tokyo. The place was GREAT! The accommodations were similar to a YMCA conference centre. The food was superb and our students were top notch, as were the men and women to work with.

The pictures I took are of the teachers and some scenery.

Viren from California and I. This was taken in the Teacher's lounge which had a soft drink and beer vending machine! Each night, after we had our meetings, we'd go here to relax and have snacks which were provided. Usually they had hot dogs or sandwiches, or instant soup. There was coffee in the mornings.

Chris from Colorado, and Martin from Michigan

There is an interesting story involving this shot, but I leave that one for Martin to tell. It involves his teenage years. Viren, Chris, Martin and I all shared the room. The accommodations provided Japanese futons, Japanese style chairs and a table.

Jessica from Philadelphia, incidentally a fellow wargammer, and Matt from Belfast, Northern Ireland. We were coming back on the bus on August 28. We went up on the same bus and came back on it.

What do you mean I have to stay on my diet?

I found these pictures my wife uploaded. This top one looks like I'm being forced to eat salad aka rabbit food.

But then again, if I'm taking up this much of a seat, maybe my wife has a point! However, I'm back to cycling to work so my weight is going down a bit.

And actually I've lost about 7kg in the last month!

So the kids got to eat pizza! I snuck some pieces too. Hee hee.

 

Cycling and Camping gear Volume 2

This shot shows what I like to wear when I go camping. On the left I have my woodland camoflage pattern vest, centre are my DPM t-shirt and trousers, on the right, my faded Eddie Bauer bush hat as well as an Eddie Bauer flannel shirt. From a distance, the flannel shirt looks like it's in a military camoflauge pattern but actually, it's a duck hunting scence with dogs and ducks. Rather comfy. On the far left is my kit bag my wife bought me for Christmas.

My hot weather gear I wear for camping and cycling. At the top, I have a British forces issue towel, Canadian Forces issue summer combat trousers, which I bought close to 20 years ago from an army surplus store in Nova Scotia. My bush hat again. Centre are my British army desert DPM pattern trousers, and t-shirt. Then we have another Eddie Bauer item, a pair of shorts, which look like camoflage but are actually a pattern of many differnt trees and leaves.

My wolly-putty sweater which me Mum sent me from Canada. I added the RA TRF as I was a paid reenactor with Parks Canada back in 1995 as a member of the 3rd Bde. Royal Artillery who were the gunners garrisoned at the Halifax Citadel at the same time as the 78th Highlanders (1869-71). My NBC suit is a Mk II British Forces issue. After the Fukushimi-Dainichi accident last year, there were fears that with the rainy season, the rain would be contaminated with radiation. As a precaution, I bought myself this suit to wear while cycling.

My current rain gear consists of a DPM bergan cover (on the bottom), an AFV balaklava, an ex Highlanders balmoral which I added the current TRF of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. I couldn't find one of The Highlanders or Seaforths. The 78th Highlanders were merged into the Seaforth Highlanders in 1881, becoming their 2nd Battalion. The other DPM item is a nylon rain suit which I picked up from a shop called "Workman" which supplies construction workers or those working outside in Japan. The packinging read Green Camoflage. I wear this under the NBC suit as an added layer during the late winter and spring. On the left, is my new small day sack which my wife got for me at Christmas.  As I cycle in Japan, I usually get stared at, as I seem to be the only foreigner who cycles to my job in this area. My feeling is, if you are going to stare, have a reason. Though cycling by the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Base does make for fun as the armed sentries try to figure out who I am. Though I have chatted to one of their officers who was outside picking up trash. All these items I have collected either via http://www.cadetdirect.com/, or Eddie Bauer. Incidently, Eddie Bauer seems to be the only clothing shop which sells large sizes for non-Japanese. When my waist size got to the point where their largest size was still too small, I decided to begin cycling to work. It's paid off, as I can now buy clothes from them again.