Harbinger of Spring?

This early blooming cherry (or is it ume, or is it...) blossom tree caught my eye on one of the few sunny days this winter. Hugging the wall of a dilapidated, long since closed eatery, it seems to be somehow celebrating the past, albeit briefly.

On a less wistful note, I seem to have gathered a small band of followers. Many thanks for your interest. I will try and justify that by posting more regularly. Hopefully the crappy weather of late will improve and allow me to get out and about a little more often...

What is it about planes...

The sun, quite literally, sets on Northwest. I never ever thought I'd be nostalgic about this airline, but I am. I am.

台湾 Taiwan

I have been lucky enough to visit Taiwan twice in the last few months. It's a fantastic place, so close to Japan and yet quite different, in character and landscape. It seems to be less ordered than Japan, yet somehow more laid back with a quirky sense of looking at life. Delicious food of ALL types, literally, and... tea. Tea. I am not known for drinking tea, but spent 3 wonderful hours on the terrace at a tea shop on the mountain at Jofun as the clouds misted and tendriled around us, finally forcing us inside in a burst of wind rain and clattering awnings. Hi Chen!