TAK-TAK

Baseball park changed into soccer stadium

2005-01-26T23:45:00.000-08:00

International soccer match SWEDEN vs MEXICO @ PETCO park

Wow!! This place also changed into Mexican place today.

Inauguration

2005-01-21T19:26:00.000-08:00

OK. "the expansion of freedom in all the world" might be good thing.
All we, the foreigners and allies, want to know is "How to ?"
We don't want to let the U.S. use the forces easily to overthrow "the adversary" like Iraq war.

Chinese Letter Tattoo

2004-12-23T22:22:00.000-08:00

Hey, It is Christmas Eve-Eve. It is still warm in San Diego. Many people still enjoy jogging, biking, or beach volleyball in beach.
Last weekend I saw the man who has a unique tattoo in Pacific Beach. It was a Chinese letter tattoo. He might think it was cool. But I felt strange when I saw that tattoo.
As you know, Chinese people use Chinese letters. Japanese people also use both Chinese letters and Japanese letters for writing. Although the pronunciation for each Chinese letter is different between Chinese language and Japanese language, the meaning of each Chinese letter is almost same in many cases. (sometimes Japanese people and Chinese people can communicate by letter-writing, even both people don't know each other languages.)
But once the letters are combined as a word, the meanings of those words are sometimes slightly different between Chinese language and Japanese language.
The tattoo I saw is written as below word.

The first letter suggests "mixed", second letter is like "sloppy" or "disorder", and third & fourth letters show the mean of "condition". Then, what is the meaning of those letters?
I asked one of my Chinese friends the meaning of this word in Chinese. He said this meant "chaos". um... kind-a cool. But most of Japanese are inspired from this word as a "crowded place" like a traffic jam, a crowded store in holiday season, or a crowded train. This image is not cool at all!
If the man who has this tattoo wanted to put the letters meaning "chaos", he should put this word which means "chaos" in both Chinese and Japanese and maybe cool.

So, if you want to put on Chinese letter tattoo, I strongly recommend to ask both Chinese and Japanese people the meaning of the word before you do that.

Why did you vote for President Bush?

2004-11-04T22:57:00.000-08:00

President Bush won his second term.
From many previous pools, I knew about half of Americans support Bush. But I feel I did not realize and did not understand about half of Americans wanted to vote for Bush before Nov. 2nd.
I am living in California, I am a Japanese, and I work in academic field. As you know, in this situation, most of my friends and colleagues supported Kerry. (To tell the honest, most of them cannot support Bush.)
After Nov. 2nd, I am a bit surprised and cannot understand why a half of voters casted for Bush. I don't believe all voters for Bush are just like consevertive Christians or uneducated people. I don't believe left voters and right voters never understand each others.

So, if you voted for Bush, please tell me why you support for Bush. Please let me understand the reason American support for Bush. As you know, most of people outside America don't like Bush, because during last four years he killed bunch of Iraq citizens. The US has extreme strong power. People fear the President of the USA uses such huge power without justice. All we need is to understand what American people think as the leader of this world.

My Favorite Music Station

2004-08-28T21:42:00.000-07:00

Wow. I keep left this blog for almost 2 months.
During these months, sometimes I had some idea to write here. But once I tried to make the article sophisticated or make it better, it became hard to write in a short time.
So, I will try to post some my feeling simply and shortly from now.

Recently I am absorbed in the good music station powered by LAUNCH Yahoo. This internet radio station can be customized as I like to select the rank of songs, artists and genres. The algorism to choose the playing lists is very good. Now, this internet radio station plays not only my favorite songs but some good songs which I don't know!

I attach the link to my music station in right side bar of this blog. You may understand my music interest by listening to this station within an hour.
(To listen to the LAUNCHcast RADIO station, Yahoo ID is required (FREE registration) and IE6 or NS7 is need as a browser.)

Portable Video Player

2004-08-08T21:55:00.000-07:00

'Video iPods' Bring Seinfeld on the Subway

This is interesting.
But I think this player will not became popular in the US as some reviewers said.
Every American people except New Yorkers always use cars. They don't have enough time to watch videos outside.
This player should be released in Japan or some Asian and European nations. Especially in Japan, people spend about two hours for the train transportation everyday. The portable video player is good item in the train.

What do you feel about the WAR?

2004-08-06T07:52:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know yesterday (correctly, 6th of August in Japan Standard Time) is the day when the US dropped first atomic bomb in Hiroshima, Japan in 1945.

Now the USA is familiar for many Japanese people. But you should know most Japanese people never forgive this old tragedy. (We just think most of current American people and society is different from the US army at that time just like we are not same as old Japanese army in World War II.)

Watching recent government policy and society reaction in the USA, many foreign people feel that American people have different (and seriously dangerous) impression about war. I think one of the reason is the land of the USA has never become the battlefields since 19th century. Every war is not sacred. War is not only for soldiers. There is no justice in the war. Many citizens became sacrifice and died in the battlefield. This is far from "GI Joe" or "Combat" in TV. This is even far from the movie, "Platoon" or "Private Ryan".

Actually and fortunately, I have no experience about real war. But all of Japanese children learn the tragic history of World War II (off course, including the reflection about inappropriate action of Japanese government and military at that time). Moreover, I read the good comic described about the life of a child who lived in Hiroshima at World War II. The name of this comic is "Barefoot Gen".

"Barefoot Gen" is not only the story of tragedy of Hiroshima and atomic bomb. It is also written about the atmosphere under the war. People could not talk as they like. Many life styles were restricted under the name of "War". Many people died without reasons and justice.

Some of you may know now some of Japanese people think they should change the current constitution and provide stronger army system (though I cannot agree that). But I still don’t know anybody can criticize and deny this comic whichever the person is liberal or conservative.

Recently I heard the news that whole story of "Barefoot Gen" has been translated for English language completely. (Part of them (from volume 1 to 4 in ten volumes) had been already published in the USA.) I hope all children whose age is about ten years old of all over the world read this comic. Then, in the near future nobody would want to start the war. Someone might say that is a kind of brainwashing. But this is much better than that some children study such tragedy in the real war.

Chord for change

2004-08-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

I like Bruce Springsteen's music for long years.
So I was surprised at the news about he join the concerts of "Vote for Change" and he sent the opinion for New York Times today. (to read this link, FREE registration is required.)

Off course I support his opinion. But I am also afraid such kinds of his activities were ill-used for some political reasons like a famous misunderstanding about the song "Born in the USA." I feel he is too faithful and too honest to do such political action directly.

Anyway, the good thing is he and E Street Band will play the concerts this year though the places are only in "swing states." (There are too far from California) I wanna go to his concert!

Ray Charles Dies

2004-06-11T23:41:00.000-07:00

Music Icon Ray Charles Dies in California at Age 73

I miss him...

I have seen his concert in Japan.
He has recorded Japanese popular hit ballade once.
I love his music.
I love "What'd I say."

Dear Steve Jobs and Apple Computer, Inc.

2004-06-02T23:21:00.000-07:00

Dear Steve Jobs and Apple Computer, Inc.,

I really enjoy iPod and iTunes Music Store now.
Thanks for good service. I appreciate iTunes Music Store is always trying to collect many music database which includes with rare live sources and old good songs to hardly find in ordinary CD stores.

I am living in the US and I am Japanese. Here is a problem about which I want to write this letter. Many Japanese friends of mine complain about that they cannot use iTunes music store service in Japan.

I guess you are trying to stock many foreign popular songs in iTunes Music Store database before you start iTunes Music Store service in those foreign countries.
But you might be ready to make good profits from many foreign countries even now. You have already started to sell many iPods in those foreign countries. And for example, in Japan, there are many American popular music fans and 130,000,000 CDs of American and European songs are sold per year.

If iTunes Music Store just accept international credit cards, you will get such amount of international music fans without collecting many foreign popular songs. This is very simple way and everybody will be happy.
So, please consider my proposal. I convince your service could become international big business and many people in the world would thank for your services.

Sincerely,

Take me out to the ballgame

2004-05-19T23:37:00.000-07:00

Everybody knows Randy Johnson made a perfect game against the Atlanta Braves last Tuesday. He was amazing. He struck out 13 batters and pitched 98 MPH fast ball though he is 40 years old.

Today, I read one article about this topic in a newspaper during lunch time. I found an interesting comment in it. One member of the Braves felt ignominious not only because they were defeat with a perfect game. That game played in Atlanta, the hometown of the Braves. Most audiences usually support the Braves. But at that time, everybody supported Randy Johnson after seventh inning because they wanted to see the history. And the players of the Braves felt they were abandoned.

This story includes a kind of characteristics of American ballparks. Japanese ballparks have a little different feature. In Japanese baseball game, about 60% of the audiences are fans of hometown team and others supports opposite team. Of course the ratio depends on how popular those teams are. In fact, there is only one baseball team occupies the popularity in Japan. The team is the Yomiuri Giants, owned by a TV broadcast company, because the land of our nation is not so big and all Japanese people watch almost same TV programs. If you want to watch baseball games on TV everyday in Japan, you can only see the Giants games. There are no other choices. Hideki Matsui, a player in the NY Yankees now, belonged to the Giants in Japan two years ago.
Anyway, the unique system in the Japanese ballparks is the audience seats are separated into two sides. Right fields seats are for fans of home team and left fields seats are for away team. In this situation, non-home team also gets good supports and loud cheers. And for audience, they always feel a sense of belonging with same fans.

I like to watch baseball games. Sometimes I go to the PETCO Park, a home ground of the San Diego Padres, to watch the baseball game. The last time I went there, my next seats was sit by the Chicago Cubs fan. He and I showed quite different reaction during whole game because I am a fan of the Padres. It is also an interesting experiment for me. We support different team but we enjoyed and sometimes we talked about baseball. It’s just a game. It’s not a war. (Only one regrettable thing is the Padres lost that game.) But I still wonder if one stern tough guy with many tattoos sits the next seat of mine and he support opposite team from me…

Sunday Newspaper

2004-05-17T23:35:00.000-07:00

'San Diego Union-Tribune' is most popular newspaper in San Diego. 'USA Today' is also popular, but I think 'San Diego Union-Tribune' is best about San Diego local information. You can also buy 'Los Angeles Times' in San Diego. But that is Orange County Edition. That is not San Diego Edition.
From this month, 'San Diego Union-Tribune' raised the price of their Sunday paper as $1.75 at stores and $2.00 at their vending machines. That's the way it goes. But I have one small problem.
Usually I get the News from TV and internet. Sometimes I bought their Sunday newspaper because it always included many good advertisement and weekly TV program. My apartment has a vending machine of 'San Diego Union-Tribune.' I used to buy at there. This vending machine does not accept bills. We have to pay for it with coins. From Monday to Friday, the price of Newspaper is 50 cents. It's no problem. But At Sunday, I have to prepare eight quarters coins. Inconvenience!

In the US, I found many vending machines which do not accept paper money like parking meters, soft drink vendors, or newspaper vendors. I always prepare some quarters. In Japan, most vending machines accept paper money if the price of items are pretty small. (You can buy a soft-drink with a 10 times larger valued bill and the vending machine makes change well.) If some vending machines were old and could not accept paper money, the vendors always prepare good change machines next to those vending machines.

Have You Seen This?

2004-05-13T23:18:00.000-07:00

Star Dudes

Today, I found this funny flash movie from one review of Japanese blog site. It is very nice and cute. You can see whole ‘Star Wars’ story within 3 minutes. This flash is short but includes all impressive scenes of ‘Star Wars’ movie. Now I understand the story of ‘Star Wars’ was quite simple and possible to be described in very short time!
I like ‘Star Wars’ movie. But now I love this flash movie more!

If you cannot connect to the top link. Please visit from here. You can also find many other funny flash movies.

Chain of hatred

2004-05-11T23:54:00.000-07:00

I understand all American people had been shocked by today’s news of American hostage video. I am very sorry for the family and friends of this victim to hear that. I hate such an incident. However, at the same time all Iraq people are shocked by abuse for Iraq prisoners. “The chain of hatred” is never-ending. There is no justice in the war. We should cut off this chain.

New service of iTunes Download

2004-04-29T22:43:00.000-07:00

Wow, it’s cool! From this week iTunes music store started new service. We can watch some Music Video & Movie trailer with iTunes. Though it might be not supposed to save these video files, we can watch these as many times as possible by free.
I think this is the first service to download some commercial video files officially and legally. I am looking forward to what is the next service of iTunes.
Tonight I will enjoy these video files!

The 50 Worst Songs Ever

2004-04-22T23:53:00.000-07:00

Recently I felt blue because there were many bad news in the world (especially about Iraq) and I had a bad health condition this week.
However, today I found funny(?) article in USA today.

"The 50 Worst Songs Ever" were selected by Blender & VH1. Actually the selected musicians are not honored for this award. But this also means these songs are very popular and known by everybody. In fact the line-up is very famous numbers as "We built this city", "Everybody has fun tonight", "Ebony and ivory", and so on.
The things which many people love are always the things which many other people hate. So I think this award is a kind of joke and honor.

By the way, If I choice this award, which number is appropriate for the worst song ever?
I flashed the songs "Rock me Amadeus / Falco" and "Heaven is a place on earth / Belinda Carlisle".
How do you feel? I feel these are sucks. (If you like them, I am sorry. It is joke.)

Re-start!

2004-04-15T00:49:00.000-07:00

It has already been past one month since my last posting.
Sorry!! Actually in these one month, I was absorbed to make my Japanese web site and I had a long trip to Europe.
Today is the re-opening day of this English blog!
I updated my private trip to Sweden in here with many pictures. Please check it out!

I will try to post articles in this blog every 2 days or twice in a week since now!

Wildflowers in the desert

2004-03-15T23:57:00.000-08:00

Anza Borrego Desert is one of California State Park, which is located 90 miles east of San Diego.
Only for a few weeks in spring season, some desert wildflowers bloom there. Yesterday I went there with my friends.

There were tiny flowers. Most of flowers color was purple. Others were yellow and white. The land filled good smell like lavender. That color and smell reminded me Hokkaido in Japan. (Furano, a small town in Hokkaido is famous town about lavender in Japan.)

We also went Font's Point, from which you can see great wide view of Borrego Badlands.
I make this report in another web site with many pictures. Please check it out!

Power of the people

2004-03-13T21:53:00.000-08:00

Terror blasted three trains in Madrid, Spain. The News at March 11 made many people all over the world displease and be sad. I was also confused what I should say.
But I was attracted by one sight in the TV news this morning. That was the millions of people who gathered in streets of Madrid to mourn victims and to show solidarity. The news said at that time about ten millions of people participated and the number is about one quarter of population in Spain.

I wonder European people know about "the power of the people" well. Even if same kind of terror happened in Japan, we could not do such massive demonstration. Just after 9.11, American people united and showed their patriotism. But they could not appeal the nonsense of terror like this time in Spain.

Spaniards showed they never accept any kind of terrorism with the number of people participating demonstration. I think this is much more powerful and significant than any other comments of leader, any other policy or any military campaign.

We should learn many things from them. This demonstration shows the meaningless of terrorism to all over the world obviously.

Summary of this one month activity

2004-03-08T23:32:00.000-08:00

Almost one month has gone since I started this blog.
Today I want to summarize this activity a little bit seriously. Why did I start this blog? There were some reasons.

I. Practice of English composition

This is main reason. Though I came in California last October, my English skill still does not be improved enough. Most of my working time, I am in the front of a computer or some measurement equipments alone, or I discuss something with my colleagues. But the members are fixed. Recently they became to understand what I want to say easily, because they have already learned my bad habits of English speaking. And moreover, we discuss about specific scientific field. This type of discussion is easier for us, because we have already shared many specific words of our specialty.
I always feel I need some reviews of my English study. When I speak English, I don’t notice my English mistake. Even if I notice my mistake while I am speaking, it is hard to speak again correctly and it is easy to forget. An English teacher of my ESL conversation class recommended me to make composition everyday like diary.
At the same time, I was also interested in blog. I usually read the news and web log of CNET.com and CNET Japan. Before this year I just had an interest in blog as a reader. But 'Sotto Voce', whose writer made guest blog in CNET Japan last February, fills the pleasure of bloggers. After I found that blog, I wanted to make my blog. Then I thought it was good method to use blog for my English practice.
Unfortunately my English teacher doesn't like using PC. I can't use this blog as an interactive training with him. But he makes correction of my printed papers. Sometimes some of my colleagues and friends point my mistakes by e-mail. I always thank them. Now, this works. Do you want to know how my English skill is improved? I think it need more times.

II. Communication with my American friends

The second purpose is to let my friends know who I am and what I think. Actually the number of my American friends is not so many. But sometimes I need the time to speak what I feel in English and I lost the chance to say that. To write some personal opinion in my blog, I can make chances to talk about it with my friends. Now, it also works. For this purpose, I also started to make another web site with free format. But recently the number of Japanese readers is more increased than the number of American readers. So, I tend to be absorbed to make Japanese web site. It is not good for my English practice...

III. Making opinions as a foreigner to American people

Sometimes I found good web site which included some feeling or opinions of Japanese people who lived in the US. They wrote both of respectable points and bad points of the US. But most of them are written by Japanese language. It is pity. I want to tell such opinions to American people directly. I know, it needs more progressive English skills. Now I am satisfied this blog as a private training. This purpose is my final goal.

How popular is the NY Yankees on the west coast?

2004-03-06T22:06:00.000-08:00

The tickets of the LA Dodgers single home game were on sale today. I tried to purchase tickets for one game with internet online. The game will be at June 19th, the LA Dodgers versus the NY Yankees. Most Japanese want to watch that game because the NY Yankees has Hideki Matsui, a famous Japanese baseball player and now the LA Dodgers also has some good Japanese baseball players.
Tickets of all Dodgers single home games were on sale today morning except for the opening game. For first two hours, it was hard to connect the Dodgers web site online. Sometimes I tried and failed. In the afternoon, I could connect to the web site to purchase the tickets which I want. But, can you believe it? At that time the rest of the tickets of that game were scarce!

The price of the Dodgers home game tickets is from $6.00 to $37.00. Higher priced ticket seats are closer to home plate. When I could connect to the web site, all the tickets higher than $12.00 were sold out. This may be some reasons. That game will be good match. That game will take place in daytime of a weekend. Those games during 6/18-6/20 were the only chance we can see the Yankees in California.

But I still wonder why only that game was sold out early. There are many other good games like the Dodgers versus the SF Giants at weekend. I also researched those other games sales and I found I could buy the higher price tickets of all other games. Why was only this game of Dodgers versus Yankees sold out? Off course the Yankees has many good players. It's special. This year the Yankees also gets Alex Rodriguez. It might be too much. I feel American sports fans always like their home team. Is the NY Yankees so popular in California?

I guess the reason may relate to Japanese interests. Many Japanese baseball fans support Hideki Matsui. It draws big money. And California is very familiar and close to Japan. Many Japanese live in California. I guess half of Japanese baseball fans in California tried to buy that ticket today. But it is still not enough. I guess some Japanese travel agency tried to buy out the tickets of this game. They will make a big tour campaign in Japan like "Go to LA and watch the baseball battle of Matsui versus Nomo!!" and so on. What do you think?
I bought $12 tickets to this game. The seat position is almost at the top of outfield. I wonder how many Japanese tourists will appear this game.

The Oscar goes to ...

2004-03-01T22:31:00.000-08:00

As everybody knows, the 76th Academy Awards took place last night.
I watched it on TV. Here's just my short impression.

The TV show was too long. It was almost 4 hours! The Grammy Awards is the music awards. We also enjoy great live performance in the Grammy Awards. But the Academy Awards is the movie awards. Most parts of this show were speech and talking. It was boring to watch the whole 4 hours.

Why was the announcement of best supporting actor the first in this show? Most Japanese might have lost their interests within first 20 minutes because we learned that Ken Watanabe, the Japanese actor who played in "the Last Samurai", did not win the Oscar.

Everybody admired "the Lord of the Ring." That may be good. But recently I have less interests the Hollywood Big Pictures. I have never seen "Titanic", "Armageddon", and so on. They might be fun. But they are just fun. Nothing serious. If I have some chances to see them on TV, I will see them. But I don't want to pay to see them in the theater.
(I have seen "the Last Samurai." Because I thought I need to criticize from the viewpoint of Japanese person.)

One winners comment by "the Barbarian Invasion," which won the Oscar of Foreign Language, was funny. They said, "We really thank that the Lord of the Ring was not nominated in this category."

Sake-bomb

2004-02-28T00:06:00.000-08:00

I didn't know this drink. When I went to the Japanese stake (Teppan-yaki) restaurant, I shared the table with young American guys. They were nice and friendly. They found I was Japanese and recommended me their sake. I like sake. I had a cup of sake from theirs. But they also recommended a "sake-bomb" to me. I didn't know that name and I wondered about their glass. Their small cups for sake were put on the bottom of beer mug cups. They taught me about the "sake-bomb".
Most of American young people seem to know "sake-bomb". I explain it for Japanese readers. First, beer is poured a half of small beer mug cup. Second, sake is poured in small sake-cup. Third, sake-cup is dropped into the beer mug cup. Last, you drink this blended alcohol in one drink!
It was a little weird. Do you blend sake with beer? But they did that. With some curiosity, I also tried. The taste is... hard to tell. It was not bad. It was not special. If you want to taste real sake, I don't recommend the sake-bomb. It is a kind of party style.
But in the next morning, I found why people call that drink a "bomb"... Headache... I was hung over.

San Diego View

2004-02-27T23:59:00.000-08:00

I had a short business trip in this week. (So I didn't update this blog from slow dial-up connection in the motel and I post some articles at the same time.)
I used an air-plane this time. When the plane which I rode started flying, I knew it was my first time I rode a plane departing from San Diego International Airport. I have used airlines in the USA many times. And I have ridden the plane arriving to San Diego Airport many times. But sometimes I rode a plane departing from LAX airport and sometimes I left San Diego by car and returned to San Diego by one-way flight.
What do I want to say? I mean, the view through the window of plane departing from San Diego Airport is really BEAUTIFUL!!
San Diego International Airport has only one long landing field. All planes land from the sky over the downtown and all planes take off over the Pacific Ocean. If you sit on the right window side luckily, you can see the great view of Mission Bay during taking-off.

Is it natural?

2004-02-27T23:48:00.000-08:00

Today I make a little dangerous comment.
Within these a few weeks, I watched same topic in morning news everyday. Gay marriage. Particularly after President Bush urged gay marriage ban, this dispute looked escalated. I think if the President really wanted to stop same sex marriage, last Tuesday's action made the matter worse. Most of California people hate Bush. Some Californian, who didn't agree same sex marriage before, might be change their stance after President Bush commented about that.
But I still feel somewhat out of place with same sex marriage. I know, the USA is a country of freedom. But I have a simple question. Is same sex marriage natural for the creatures on the earth?
It may be reasonable in the macro view of the earth. God doesn't want the number of mankind increased more than now on the earth. Gay couples cannot make their children.

Rain...

2004-02-23T23:57:00.000-08:00

From Last Weekend, there were rainy days in San Diego.
I don't know. February may be a kind of rainy season in San Diego.
Japan is a very humid country. There are many rains through a year.
From last October to Last January, I have used my umbrella ONLY ONCE in San Diego.
Oh, my God! I have already adjusted to San Diego weather. Now, I hate to use an umbrella!
This town has a good and comfortable weather and environment. I am afraid whether I will re-adjust to the Japanese environment or not when I will come back to Japan.

P.S. >For Japanese readers
Though I couldn't enjoy to go outside last weekend, I updated some information and articles of "another Japanese Web site of mine ". Please check it out!

"KISS MY BRASS!!"

2004-02-20T21:09:00.000-08:00

Today's article is a kind of "live report."
If you don't have any interest in the pop concerts, please read another article.

February 18th, 2004, Bette Midler appeared at San Diego Sports Arena.
Most of the audience was over 40. Some mothers came there with their daughters.
I had gotten arena tickets. The 16th row. It little bit far to see her face. But the position was still good because the stage design was really attractive, like a play. I can enjoy the art on stage.

About 8:20pm, Bette Midler came on stage riding on the white horse of Merry-go-round in the air.
I thought the line-up of this show would focus on some tribute songs about Rosemary Clooney which were recorded her latest album. Actually, the numbers of the concert were not only Rosemary's songs. She sang all her own famous hit numbers. She sang "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "Friends" in the beginning of her show. That was a good surprise for me. I love her old numbers. She also talked a lot. Unfortunately I can understand less than half of her talk with my listening ability. Sometimes she was vituperative about Janet, Christina, or Britney. It was not so serious. It was just fun.
She also sang the great cover number "When a man loves a woman." I was surprised she could still shout really well in this song over 25 years after when she had recorded this song. About 1 hour after, the show took a break after the song "silver me timbers."

After the break, she appeared again on the stage with the costume of mermaid that was popular style of her concerts. Sometimes she rode on a moving chair. Sometimes she moved by jumping on her tail with her back chorus member. Some cover numbers of musical play songs, "from the distance," "chapel of love," She sang many good songs.
With the famous number, "wind beneath my wings", the show ended once. Most of audiences were still not satisfied. Everybody still clapped their hands. Suddenly one scene of the movie "The Rose" was showing on the screen of the stage. Everybody wanted to call "Rose" on that screen. The situation was similar as real audience. As "Rose", who was acted by Bette Midler, appeared on the scene, the real live Bette Midler also appeared on the encore stage. The encore number was the rock number, "keep on rockin'." The audience was really excited. Then she sang greatest ballad number, "the rose." Everybody sang with her. The voices surrounded all over the hall. At last she sang "friends" again. The show was really over. The time was about 11:10pm. It was marvelous! I really enjoyed it.

2004-02-18T23:52:00.000-08:00

Tonight I went to the concert of Bette Midler. It was really great!!
I am still exciting.
Maybe, I'll report it in detail tomorrow.
Sorry. Good night!

Privacy

2004-02-17T23:33:00.000-08:00

I feel the American people respect their privacy vaguely.
While I was watching the TV news, I noticed one different point from the Japanese TV news. In the American TV news, everybody shows their name on the caption. Off course the anchor persons and the reporters should show their name. They are kinds of public people.
I mean, I found the name of people who was a normal citizen and who was interviewed by the reporters. For example, today a traffic accident between a truck and a skateboarder happened in San Diego. The TV reporter interviewed some police officers and other young skateboarders. While a young skateboarder was speaking to the TV reporter, his name "XXXX XXXX / skateboarder" was shown on the TV caption.
I don't want my face and my name were broadcasted on the TV. Everybody whom I don't know can know me from TV. I don't want that. The Japanese TV news does not show any personal name in that case. While the interview, there is no caption, or just "a skateboarder" or just "a friend of victim" on the caption.

And now I have another question. Did that skateboarder tell his real name? If you happen to be interviewed by a TV reporter, you can tell your false name. To make a false comment is not good. But it is not so serious to tell the false name. You can protect your privacy.
I remember the news about internet registration. Congress discusses 'Fraudulent Online Identity Sanctions Act.' I don't know this act is good or not. But it is obvious why they try to make this act. Many people use false personal information to register online.

A Beef Bowl

2004-02-15T23:15:00.000-08:00

I ate a beef bowl in Yoshinoya today.

Maybe, I should write today's column of the Japanese (person), by the Japanese (language), for the Japanese (people).
From last weekend, Yoshinoya in Japan stopped serving the beef bowls to their customers. The reason is the BSE, mad cow disease.
Yoshinoya in Japan usually use American beef because they are cheaper than Japanese beef. As you know, last year some mad cows were detected in the US. Japan and Korea reject to import beef from the US without the BSE test, now. Yoshinoya is trying to stock beef from Australia or domestic ones. But it needs time and costs. Yoshinoya gave up supplying the beef bowls temporarily. The last night when Yoshinoya served the beef bowls, many stores were crowded with many Japanese customers who want to have a beef bowl.

How do you feel about this news? Some people may say Japanese food companies and Japanese customers overreact to the American BSE. I rarely find the restaurant which takes same kind of measures against the BSE in the US.
I think, this difference between Japan and the USA comes from the thought about who has the responsibility.
In Japan, once someone has a disease caused by some foods, the food supplier has a responsibility about it. Japanese like rare foods like sushi and sashimi. And Japanese are also sensitive about freshness of foods. Supermarkets should not display out of sell-by foods. If several customers with food poisoning are found, the restaurant has to stop its business in a few days and research the source of poison. Japanese food suppliers always care about food poisoning risks.
One day, I went to a grilled restaurant in New York. It also served good fresh meats and some rare fishes. I found the notice in the menu; "some marked menus include rare foods. You have your own risk to have them."
In the US, many people said like this; "there are some risks or danger in the world. Everybody has their own responsibility to avoid and control those risks by themselves." I think this is good attitude. (But I have no idea why people always try to shift the blame each other in the court of the US.) Sometimes, people in the US have strong independency and people in Japan depend on each other. It must be caused from their history. US people had to pioneer their life in large country. Many Japanese people had to live with harmony, "Wa" each other in small land.

P.S. Here are small tips about Yoshinoya in Japan. You can find some different points in Yoshinoya in Japan from that in the US.
Yoshinoya hadn't served other bowls except the beef bowls before last year in Japan. There were no chicken bowls, no salmon bowls, and no other bowls like menus in the US.
Yoshinoya is one of the fastest-food restaurants in Japan. There are no tables. There are only long counter bars in the store. In the lunch time, the stores are crowded with many customers. You don't have enough time to taste bowls quietly, because many people might be waiting just behind you.
Most of customers are composed of business men and single unmarried young men like college students. Half of Japanese young women never used Yoshinoya and most of young women never go to Yoshinoya with only girls group.

Soft drink

2004-02-12T21:18:00.000-08:00

"Students Learn to Dispense with Sodas"(If you want to see this link, you need a free registration.) Today I saw this news in the cafe for lunch. Recently, many schools discuss whether the vending machines of sodas are necessary for the school, or not. I'm adult. I don't care.
But we, Asian people, still can't understand these movement. Why do you, American guys, always want to have sodas??
I occasionally use fast-food restaurants. In those stores, I can choose one drink in their variety. But most of them are similar kinds of sodas. Coke, Sprite, or Mountain Dew. What is the difference? Sometimes I find a cold tea like NesTea, but it is also too sweet, too much sugar in it! If I want non-sugar drink, my only choice is water.
I wonder why Coca-cola does not supply cold non-sugar tea in McDonald's USA, even though they have already supplied a kind of Oolong tea in McDonald's Japan and China. Cold tea has different taste from hot green tea. Oolong tea is healthy. (At least, it is healthier than Coca-cola Light.) And many USA people have a great interest in diet. Cold oolong tea must make a great profit for Coca-cola in the US. Please try it! At least I will always choose one!

Bicycle, bicycle

2004-02-11T23:35:00.000-08:00

I want to ride my bicycle. I want to ride my bike...

In weekdays, I always use bicycle to go to my office. Now, I live in San Diego. There is a new town around my apartment. The roads are wide and clean. Some roads have a good bike lane. It is comfortable for bikes.
But I have some tiny troubles. In my town, many traffic signals are new. They have a good sensor. Most traffic signals change their light by the sensor. On the small street, if that street has no cars, the traffic signal in the intersection never turn to a green light in the direction toward that street. It is reasonable. But the traffic car sensor cannot sense me when I ride my bicycle!
First one week, I didn't notice this traffic system. I just waited in front of a cross section till some cars appeared on the same street. I know, I could get off my bike and push the pedestrian button. But sometimes I want to turn left in a big intersection. It is inconvenient. Does anybody have a good idea?

I also have to care about cars which are turning right in an intersection. Some drivers pay less attention about bikes. Today, I watched a car that almost ran over another bicycle. (Fortunately, It was not me.)
One of my American friends gave me one good advice, "When you are riding a bike, you are an invisible man for car drivers." He is exactly right.

Grammy Awards

2004-02-09T20:52:00.000-08:00

Last sunday, I watched the Grammy Awards.
Just my short impressions.

The winners were not surprising, but many live performances had good quality!
Prince, beyonce, Beatles tribute band, sting, Dave Matthew, Black eyed Paes, and so on.
I felt these performances were greater than those for recent several years.
When I saw Christina Aguilera singing, I thought her gentle live costume must be influenced by Janet Jackson's trouble.
But when Christina appeared again to get Grammy's, CBS must be stupefied by her wide spread dress.
Oh, show business...

Another web site will be also available!

2004-02-07T23:25:00.000-08:00

Hi,

Now I am making another original Web site of mine and combining it with this site.
Please check it out!

Tower Records

2004-02-05T23:07:00.000-08:00

"Tower Records to Seek Chapter 11." Today, I noticed this article. I like Tower Records. This store is also popular in Japan.
According to this article, Tower suffers from stiff competition from mass market retailers. I know, I can purchase some new CD cheap at WAL-mart. But the number of CD is much larger in Tower Records. And I can listen some CD at Tower Records before I buy them. Sometimes I found my previously unknown good music by listening at Tower Record.
I think their stock is special. Of course, we can buy best-seller CD everywhere. But some people (like me) are not satisfied by only famous pop music. If you look for some minor CD, you will find the stock of Sam goodie's is different from that of Tower Records. I feel there is some aesthetic in their own CD stock.

This opinion may be nostalgic. But I think the CD stock of Tower Records is sort of the culture of the US. That is not historical culture but modern culture. WAL-mart is very convenient. I understand the reason why WAL-mart is prospering. But we always change our culture for economical convenience.

Adding a article (Check out the old article: 12/23/2003)

2004-02-05T22:21:00.000-08:00

I have just started this blog in the beginning of this February.
But I have been in San Diego since last October. These 4 month I have many wonderful experiments and some troubles in US. Sometimes I wrote such experiences in my PC. Sometimes I remember what happened me and what I thought at that time.

This blog system accepts to post some articles at the old time stamp. So, when I want to post such old experiences, I would post at that time stamps and I would give notice for such kind of articles.

I like driving. Last Christmas holidays, I drove to NYC with my friend (from San Diego!)
So, I want to post my impression about this wonderful journey.
Tonight I post the 1st article of my journey on the time stamp of December 23, 2003.
Please check it out!

iTunes

2004-02-04T23:04:00.000-08:00

I am a Windows PC user. Now I also use iTunes frequently.
I have some opinions about iTunes and some P2P software. I support iTunes. But I can't tell many things today.
I find many attractive songs in iTunes Music store now!!
Now I am checking "Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues" series and some songs of Etta James.
(Here's a question: How old am I? Now, I am also downloading Beyonce and Green Day)
Today I don't have enough time to write the column.
I want to listen to the music!! I'm sorry.

CC (Closed Caption)

2004-02-03T20:48:00.000-08:00

Last night I watched the TV program "Beverly Hills Cop". (I like this kind of movie. Now I am writing this column while watching "Die Hard".)
I have been in San Diego since last October. And I think "Beverly Hills Cop" was broadcasted over 4 times within these 4 months. Some channels play same movies twice in a day. ("Beverly Hills Cop II" was also played. But I wanted to watch "III" !)
I mean, It is no problem for ESL people. Movies are a good place to practice listening. I can train repeatedly.
One of the good systems of American TV is closed caption. I know, It is developed for hard-of-hearing people. But it is also very useful for ESL people. We can understand English conversation with closed caption more easily. If same TV program is broadcasted repeatedly, firstly, I watch it with "cc", and next I try to understand it without "cc".
DVD is also good training for listening. Most of DVD movies have the "cc" option. I have a "Friends" DVD-set. (It is a good deal. 4 disk-pack is only 35 bucks. And each disk includes 6 episodes, over 2 hours!)

I think one of the good point in US is the careful systems for disabled people. We can find parking spaces for disabled people everywhere. Most buildings are designed with stepless slope. And sometime these systems are good for not only disabled people.
In this point, Japan is still a developing country. Now, Japanese are trying to change many society systems to be good for disabled people. Many buildings and houses still have many steps and most of TV programs are played without closed caption. And these are not only bad for disable people, but for foreign people. If you visit Japan, you can find some beautiful views, kind people, safe living. But sometimes you would feel some inconvenience because many billboards are written only in Japanese and many TV program are broadcasted only in Japanese without "cc".
But please don't dislike Japan for only these reasons. I think such difference of society systems were caused by historical and geographical backgrounds. I'd like to write my opinions on these points another time.

Just Started!!

2004-02-02T23:01:00.000-08:00

Hi, somebody.
I have just started this column.
I'm a Japanese and now live in California.
I want to write some feelings and opinions about USA life in the view of Japanese people.
And this page is also for English practice of a Japanese ESL person.
So, it would be a pleasure if you make a comment or send me e-mail when you find some English grammatical mistakes or you have some opinions about this page.

[Continental Drive: day 10] From New York to San Diego

2004-01-02T21:16:00.000-08:00

Back to San Diego!
It was the final day of our journey. From San Diego to New York. It was really exciting and impressive experiment for me. Though we still worried about whether our flight was safe or not for terror, once we were on the flight, we can do nothing. Actually our flight was comfortable and arrived at Las Vegas, which is our transit airport, and San Diego on time. I thank all people to exert themselves to keep airlines, roads, and cities safe. We were also very lucky about whether condition. Though it was sometimes cloudy, we didn't have any snows or storms.

Lastly, I recorded our travel imformation.

12/24/2003
Start: San Diego, Stop: El Paso
Visited: Downtown of Tuson, Saguaro National Park, Whitesands National Monument, El Paso Intl' Airport, Downtown of El Paso
Departure time: 1:00am Arrived time: 7:30pm
Mileage: 925miles

12/25/2003
Start: El Paso, Stop: Houston
Visited: Mexico, Ozona, San Antonio (The Alamo, Canal Street), Vicinity of W.P.Hobby Airport
Departure time: 7:00am Arrived time: 7:30pm
Mileage: 800miles (1725miles)

12/26/2003
Start: Houston, Stop: New Orleans
Visited: Galveston Island, NASA Johnson Space Center, Uptown of Houston, French Quarter
Depature time: 8:00am Arrived time: 8:00 pm (Return from French Quarter at ???)
Mileage: 470miles (2195miles)

12/27/2003
Start: New Orleans, Stop: New Orleans
Toured New Orleans & around Mississippi River
Departure time: 8:00am Arrived time: ???
Mileage: 260miles (2455miles)

12/28/2003
Start: New Orleans, Stop: Savannah
Visited: Lake Pontchatrain, Jacksonville, Atlantic beach
Departure time: 6:30pm Arrived time: 9:30pm
Mileage: 740miles (3195miles)

12/29/2003
Start: Savannah, Stop: Washington D.C.
Visited: Downtown of Savannah, Fayetteville, Alexandria Old Town
Departure time: 7:30am Arrived time: 7:30pm
Mileage: 620miles (3815miles)

12/30/2003
Start: Washington D.C., Stop: Maryland City
Visited: National Mall, Smithsonian Museums, Dulles Intl' Airport, Sheridan Circle
Departure time: 9:00am Arrived time 8:00pm
Mileage: 125miles (3940miles)

12/31/2003
Start: Maryland City, Stop: Edison, NJ
Saw: New Jersey Turnpike, Manhattan, Liberty State Park
Departure time: 8:00am Arrived time: 7:30pm
Mileage: 410miles (4350miles)

1/1/2004
Start: Edison, Stop: New York City
Visited: Highlands Beach, Asbury Park, Palisades State Park, Westport, Manhattan (Ground Zero)
Departure time: 6:00am Arrived time: 5:00pm
Mileage: 290miles (4640miles)

1/2/2004
Start: New York City End: John F. Kennedy Intl' Airport
Departure time: 6:00am Arrived time: 6:30am
Mileage: 20miles (4660miles)

Back by Flight JFK - LAS - SAN

[Continental Drive: day 9] New York

2004-01-01T21:09:00.000-08:00

First sunrise from the Atlantic Ocean @ Highland Bearch, New Jersey
Instead of countdown in Times Square, we slept early and got up early in the New Year's morning to watch the first sunrise!
Last night we stayed the motel in Edison, New Jersey. One of the reasons was to avoid terror related troubles and another reason was easy to go beaches in Atlantic Ocean.

For Japanese, first sunrise of the year is special. It is a kind of spiritual event called "Hatsuhi-no-de" in Japan. Many Japanese wake up early in the New Year's morning to watch the first sunrise and pray to sun for their annual fortunes or wishes. Many places which have a great view of sunrise are always crowded with many people at New Year's Day in Japan.
I also like to go to see "Hatsuhi-no-de". Especially, I like sunrise from the ocean!
Now, I live in California. So I can never see the sunrise from the sea in the west coast. (I can see sunset to the ocean everyday.) But at that time I was in the east coast!

We went to Highland Beach in New Jersey. There were a few Asian people at that time. I felt I kept whole beach to myself. It was good weather condition. The sunrise was really beautiful one I have ever seen.

Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ
Asbury Park is also located in the east coast of New Jersey. I wanted to visit there, because there is famous as hometown of Bruce Springsteen, American popular rock singer. I love his songs and his live performances. The Stone Pony is known as the live house he has played many times. Out visiting time was morning of New Year's Day. No one was in there. But I was happy to visit that town.

Palisades State Park
In the daytime we drove along the Palisades State Park, which is in the opposite side of the Hudson River from Manhattan Island. We saw great views with George Washington Bridge. After that, we re-entered Manhattan Island from north side because we found free route in north side. (You have to pay some toll fee to enter NYC from other directions.)

Manhattan, again (Ground Zero: site of World Trade Center)
We had reserved the hotel in the south downtown area of lower Manhattan. The hotel was close to Wall Street and Ground Zero, the site of World Trade Center. We parked our car in hotel and then we walked around Ground Zero.

I seriously mourn for the dead people.

I hate all kinds of terrorism, murder, war and every killing incident.
In front of Ground Zero, the list of victims of 9.11 is displayed. But I felt something wrong when I found the word "list of heroes" in that board.
Heroes??
They were not heroes. They were victims. No one wanted to die at September 11. 2001.
They were victims of terrorism. They might be victims of International conflict.
I know, it is a kind of propaganda. But I have no idea why New Yorkers still allow such propaganda.
Recently people in US are easy to set up someone as "hero".
Now, I hate that word.

We also walked around Buttery Park. I found the impressive icon there. It was conceived as a symbol of world peace and stood in the plaza of World Trade Center at first. Now, the Sphere is placed as a memorial to all who lost their lives at 9.11.

I want to believe this Sphere will be unbroken and exist as a symbol of WORLD PEACE, forever.

>> Go to last Day!! >>

[Continental Drive: day 8] From Washington D.C. to New York

2003-12-31T21:04:00.000-08:00

Washington D.C. to New York City!
It was 8th day of our journey. Next destination was our final goal, New York!!
To avoid some troubles about terrorism and related things, we determined to visit NYC in daytime, to stay at night of New Year's Eve in New Jersey or vicinities, and not to use subway.
Our car started in the morning, and passed Baltimore, Philadelphia. Along New Jersey Turn Pike, we found service area. That was first time I used service area in Freeway. I had never seen "service area" in US since then. (There are many service areas in Japanese highway. but all highways in Japan are not free. They are very expensive toll highways!) Another surprising thing was that we can not pour fuel in cars by ourselves in New Jersey. It's State law. All gas stations include service. Many roads going to New York City are toll highway. Wow! There is like Japan!
We entered Manhattan Island through Holland Tunnel.

NYC ( Manhattan Island )
We entered Manhattan Island. It was New Year's Eve. Incredible many people crowded in downtown.
Really huge! No pedestrian cared about traffic rules. They walked across the street everytime. Many cars always used their horns. Crazy... There were many yellow cabs on the street. People might be avoid to drive in Manhattan by their selves. I also didn't want to drive such crazy road. We should use subway, but we didn't.
Tokyo is also huge city. But I feel Tokyo is much more ordered than NYC. Many people all over the world are fascinated by New York. I know, there has strong vitality. But if I have to live in Mid-Atlantic, I'd like to choice around the Washington D.C.

We drove through Battery Park, Madison Square Garden, Central Park, and so on. Incredible number of police officers walked around and drove around everywhere. Finally, we drove in Broadway and peeped at Time Square. Even though that time was about 3pm, many people crowded in front of the stage. Many TV cameras reported the stage. And of course many police officers were in there.
After that, I heard million people gathered around Times Square at the countdown event. But I am convinced 10% of those people were composed of police officers!

Liberty State Park
Next, we escaped crazy Manhattan Island. We went Liberty State Park. Unluckily, The Statue of Liberty faces to the Atlantic Ocean. If you want to see her face, you have to ride some cruises or helicopters. We saw the last sunset of 2003. Wide sunset view of Manhattan was beautiful.

>> Go to 9th day!! >>

[Continental Drive: day 7] Washington D.C.

2003-12-30T21:55:00.000-08:00

National Mall
Last two days, we drove long time from New Orleans to Washington D.C. Actually, driving started me feeling a little bit boring. But it was a touring day! We parked our car and walked around the National Mall. It was Christmas and New Year's holidays. Big Christmas trees still existed in front of the US Capitol and the White House. Terror alert still kept high level. Policeman hung on a machine gun. (At that time I did not worry about terrorism seriously, The White House must be one of the targets of terror attack. But that time was New Year's Eve Eve. There were a few visiting people and President Bush was not there.)

Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial is one of my favorite in the Mall. This building was built for memorial of Lincoln. We found the monument of his famous speech. Martin Luther King Jr. also made a world famous speech, "I have a dream", there. The monument of that speech was added by carving on the step of the memorial building. I stood on the step. Martin Jr. must see same view.

Smithsonian Museums
There are several Smithsonian Museums in Washington D.C. All museums are free. You can see many impressive items in there. National Air and Space Museum is most popular in them. We also had visited NASA Johnson Space Center in Huston. I felt, NASA Space Center was a great memorial place but National Air and Space Museum had more memorial items about the Apollo.

Some aircrafts are so big that National Air and Space Museum can't display all of them. Smithsonian has another museum near Dulles International Airport. There are many big aircrafts and spacecrafts.

One Comment

I have to observe about one display in Dulles Smithsonian Museum. From 2003 that museum started to show one collection of World War II aviation, Enola Gay.

This airplane dropped nuclear bombs twice, on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
You may know some Japanese peace organizations are asking to stop showing this massacre airplane of Smithsonian Museum. But it was still displayed in there.
I know there are many different opinions. Sometimes I think this plane body should be displayed in open space, because people all over the world must never forget and never repeat this terrible tragedy. I am afraid some people have already forgotten Hiroshima and Nagasaki even now.

BUT I REALLY OPPOSE the method of Smithsonian Museum. They put on this murder airplane among many other trivial planes.

When I saw that body, I really felt disgusting. The plane looks ordinary, but only two bombs dropped from this plane literally butchered over 140,000 people in Hiroshima and over 70,000 people in Nagasaki. I fear such human's incident.
The reason I have such feeling is because I know the history of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And I think it is important to keep such feeling for creating peaceful world in the future.

But if your child visits here now, how does he/she feel?

I repeat. Enola Gay is put on among other many modern combat planes and other old civilian planes now.
How does your child distinguish all planes? He/she may feel, "Wow, there are many planes! Cool!", and then?

I insist, if Smithsonian want to show Enola Gay, they should prepare a special place for it to let visitors think about the meaning of war and nuclear bombs.
(And moreover, I think this opinion should refer other many combat planes. Are they cool? They were made for killing people.)

I saw Enola Gay. But I can not show the picture of its body here, because I know some people don't want this airplane showing in open space and actually I don't want to see its body many times. I just put on the explanation board of Enola Gay in Smithsonian Museum here.

>> Go to 8th day!! >>

[Continental Drive: day 6] From Savannah to Wanshington D.C.

2003-12-29T22:53:00.000-08:00

Downtown of Savannah
In the morning, we strolled around the downtown of Savannah. It was small city. But we found many good classical buildings. Such historical buildings are hard to be found in California. There was the east cost. During this journey, I realized some differences between the east coast and the west coast.

Drive from Savannah to Washington D.C.
Go north! Our car ran along I-95 all day long. The goal of that day was Washington D.C!! We kept speed limit, however. We might be arrested by aircraft patrol if we went faster.

Dinner @ Alexandria Old Town
Alexandria Old Town is located in oppisite side of the Potomac River from Washington D.C. National Mall. I like that town. It's beautiful and ordered. Many good stores, bars and restaurants are easy to find in a walking distance. We had a dinner at the good Irish bar.

>> Go to 7th day!! >>

[Continental Drive: day 5] From New Orleans to Sanvannah

2003-12-28T22:50:00.000-08:00

Drive from New Orleans to Jacksonville
It was a long journey day. To reach the Atlantic Ocean before sunset, we started in early morning. There were no people in the Sunday morning of New Orleans. We drove all day long. We went through the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, which is the longest bridge in the world. (Over 20miles! Just straight lane!) The weather condition of that day was not stable. Sometimes we drove through the fogs, sometimes under the sunshine, and sometimes with heavy rain within a day. Finally, the end mark of I-10 was found! There was the east coast!

Altantic Ocean's beach in Jacksonville
Coast to coast. That was one main theme for our drive. We passed downtown of Jacksonville and went to the beach. The Atlantic Ocean!! We started from California, the west coast, the Pacific Ocean. At that time, we got to Florida, the east coast, the Atlantic Ocean! The sky was cloudy. But my feeling was fine!

From Jacksonville to Savannah
Having the seafood dinner at the restaurant in Jacksonville, we reconfirmed our drive plan. From start to there, our plan was favorable. Next, we would drive north to NYC. I worried about two concerns, snows and the terror alert. From 16th December, the terror alert had risen up to "orange" level. During this trip, we checked TV news every night. According to the weather forecast, possibility of snow within those 5days was low. But terror alert still kept high-level. Our initial plan was to enjoy New Year's Countdown at the Times Square. Every news said the Times Square was most warning area at that time. So, we decided to give up the Countdown plan. We were going to drive to NYC. But we were going to avoid busy street at the night of New Year's Eve and avoid using subway. (Because Japanese still has a strong remembrance of subway terror attack in Tokyo by Oumu cult members in 1995.)

OK. We had re-scheduled our drive plan. After dinner we went north and found a motel in a suburb of Savannah.

>> Go to 6th day!! >>

[Continental Drive: day 4] New Orleans

2003-12-27T23:48:00.000-08:00

Swamp Tour
That day, we stayed around New Orleans all day long. It was not a moving day. It was a touring day. I heard that morning of downtown in New Orleans meant about noon. So, before noon, we attended the Swamp boat tour at outside of New Orleans city. Great 2 hours! If you visit there in summer, you may see some alligators in that swamp.

French Quarter in daytime
After the swamp tour, we returned the French Quarter to have a delicious lunch and enjoy some good performances. It was Saturday. It was best day to enjoy daytime performances.

Plantation Tour & vicinity around New Orleans
We also drove vicinity around New Orleans. There were many plantation sites along the Mississippi River. Actually, we wander around there to look for good swamp view. But finally I realized I could see best swamp view only on the boat tour.

Night in French Quarter again
We came back French Quarter again and again. Saturday night, S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y N-I-G-H-T! We happened to get the tickets of Dr. John's concert at the House of Blues the day before. (We were very lucky. I had not researched the schedule of the House of Blues.) Dr. John! He is one of the symbols of New Orleans Music. That performance was ... incredible! Marvelous! Brilliant!! Especially his rhythm sections were terrific exciting! I have experienced many rock, pops and blues live performances. Dr. John and his band performance was surely one of the best live performances ever!!

>> Go to 5th day!! >>

[Continental Drive: day 3] From Houston to New Orleans

2003-12-26T23:44:00.000-08:00

Houston ( Galveston Island - the Gulf of Mexico )
We reached Houston! That meant we had driven all along the border between USA and Mexico. That meant we had driven from the coast of the Pacific Ocean to the coast of the Gulf of Mexico! In the morning, we went to Galveston Island to see the Gulf of Mexico. Unfortunately, that time was winter season. Even though sea was lonely and there were many clouds in the sky, we enjoyed there. In Bayou Vista, we found many houses in front of water. All of them have their own boat ports under the houses. Cool! After that time, we found such kind of houses many times in swampy area.

Houston ( NASA Johnson Space Center )
Of course we went NASA Space Center. I was very surprised that those control rooms had been in commission till 1998! These were the same rooms when the man landed on the moon in 1969!

From Houston to New Orleans
After that time, we saw many traffic signals hanging on wires. I wonder, they never turn their directions, do they? In California, I haven't seen such type of signals. But I noticed that type of signal was major in the east coast.
Houston is a really big city. There are big uptown and big downtown. Double freeways round these towns. After lunch at uptown, our car went to New Orleans. We saw many swamps near New Orleans.

Night in Bourbon Street
The night in New Orleans. Yes! French Quarter! Bourbon Street! Live music performances were amazing. The taste of Gumbo was great. I agree Gumbo is the one of best foods in America. That night we enjoyed live music at "Mason Bourbon", which was good place for New Orleans beginner. The bar was crowded with many people and the band played many popular standard Jazz numbers like "When the saints go marchin' in" well. And we also enjoyed music at "Blues Club", which was good modern blues live house. We found the incredible good female blues singer in that night. (I am sorry I forgot her name. She may not be famous but she has a really good voice.) Both live houses are famous, outstanding and easy. You do neither have to wait with low for a long time to enter, nor pay expensive fee.

>> Go to 4th day!! >>

[Continental Drive: day 2] From El Paso to Houston

2003-12-25T22:41:00.000-08:00

El Paso & Ciudad Juares in Mexico
In early mornig, we departed the motel in El Paso. El Paso is very close to Mexico. Before we went east, we dropped in Mexico. Parking near the border, we enter to Mexico by walking. (Now, I live in US with J-1 VISA. That was the first time I moved to another country before I go back to Japan.) But we didn't have enough time to spend in Mexico. We must go to Houston in a day. We just entered and walked around several minutes, and came back to the USA.

Drive across Texas
After we exchanged rent-a-car, the new CD player worked well. And the new car seat was luxurious. It was a good trade. We drove to go east. In western Texas, we found really wide view and long horizon. (In Japan, we rarely see the horizon because there are many mountains and many crowded buildings.) The music of Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Doobie Brothers and etc. were fit to our feeling at this time. As we went to east side of Texas, the number of cars increased and the road were surrounded by the greens.

Lunch at Ozona
Ozona is a small town, which locates between El Paso and San Antonio. (Along I-10 in western Texas, there are a few towns. You should check the points for lunch, gas and rest in advance, if you drive around there.) This small town has a quiet atmosphere like good old America. (John Cougar Mellencamp must be singing around there.) But many stores were closed at 12/25. We had a lunch at the Pizza shop near the gas station.

San Antonio
We drove in the nature and country side of America all two days long. When we reached San Antonio, I felt it was a quite huge city! We strolled the front of The Alamo (we didn't have enough time to enter there) and Canal Street.

Stay at Houston

Around 8pm, we finally got to Houston. That day was Christmas day. But we found a good Mexican restaurant. In the restaurant, there were many Mexican people. I thought, th way to spend Christmas day for Mexican people was different from that for American people. Many Mexican stores, bars and restaurants were open at 12/25. Christmas life-style of Japanese is also different. Recently in Japan, Christmas holidays, especially Christmas Eve, are kind of days for young couples. New Year's day, most of Japanese take holidays and spend with their families.

>> Go to 3rd day!! >>

[Continental Drive: day 1] San Diego to El Paso

2003-12-24T22:28:00.000-08:00

The terror alert had risen up to "orange" level since 16th December, 2003.
We had to pay a attention about it, especially in NY and Washington D.C. But I thought we were more safe in other place rather than staying San Diego or Los Angels.
Actually, we really enjoyed our journey. I write all our experience here.

Start from San Diego
To Tucson along I-8. This route is close to San Diego. I will have many chances to go around there. So, we drove only this route at midnight.

Break fast at Tucson
First big city, Tucson. But in the early morning of 12/24, there were few people. Most of the restaurants were not open. We had a breakfast at "Carl's Jr."

Saguaro National Park
This is close to downtown of Tucson. Of course, there are many cactuses. Unfortunately, when we visited here, it was cloudy.

Long drive from Tucson to El Paso
Everlasting road. Great wide view. Long drive with good music. That was what I wanted!! (Actually at that time, CD player of our 1st rent-a-car did not work. It must be broken. We were listening to FM radio programs even though I brought about 100 CDs.)

White Sands National Monument
Great! Everything is white! This is not snow. These are sands!

El Paso

Hertz accepted our complaint about CD player. We exchanged our rent-a-car at El Paso International Airport (without extra fee!). In the first night of our journey, we stayed at the "Best Western" motel (good rooms & reasonable price). We brought some beers and chickens to our room. It was a really small Christmas party.

>> Go to 2nd day!! >>

[Continental Drive] Planning

2003-12-23T23:11:00.000-08:00

Driving from coast to coast!! This was one of my dreams that I want to do while I was staying US.

I needed a partner who liked long-time driving and who was not mentally tired each other. Fortunately, one of my Japanese friends stays in Los Angels when I stay in San Diego.
But, we could share the time in US only 5 months from October to next March. So, we decided we drove to the east coast during Christmas and New Year's holidays! I know, actually winter season is not good for driving. But we didn't have any other choices. We have jobs. Christmas holidays were the only time we could take a long vacation at the same time.

Start point was San Diego, which locates in southern California west coast. We selected most southern route, I-10, to go to the Atlantic Ocean without snow road. From California to Florida! Great! But southern route means the shortest route from the west coast to the east coast (Look at the USA map). We planed to add extra route.

The goal was ... New York City!!! Exciting!!

We could have 10-days vacation. That was not enough time for round-trip driving. (Someone might say that 10-days were enough time for USA round-trip driving. I know, it's enough time just for driving. But most of cities were new for us. We had never been to the east coast before. We wanted also some sightseeing!)

Finally, we made a rough plan for our travel. We would use a rental car and drop it off at New York City. (Hertz was good for our plan because they didn't ask extra drop-off fee even if the drop-off position was JFK airport!) We would go back California by plane. In early morning of Christmas Eve, we would start from San Diego. And we would reach New York City at New Year's Eve. Then we could enjoy the Count-Down Event at the Times Square! We planed to keep New Year's Day for sightseeing in NYC all day long and reserved flight at Jan. 2nd day. If we had some snow troubles or some traffic accidents in the east coast, we could spend one extra day before we get our flight instead of giving up one-day NYC touring.
We just reserved only the two hotels in NYC and New Orleans, because it was expected that there were many travelers in NYC at New Year's Eve and we wanted to stay the good position where is close to Bourbon Street in New Orleans.
How about the other days? We might find some reasonable motels everywhere.

I thought our plan was perfect.
In the midnight of December 23rd. We started ...

>> Let's see 1st traveling day!! >>