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Weekly Topics/Archive
May 2008
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Last evening，I went out to be at the FIMAT Society Reunion.
It was the reunion organized by coworkers who had been at the training seminar for
new management staff of my last company，and has been held regularly in
spring
and/or autumn once or twice a year.
As the last couple of the reunion was held in Hokkaido and Kyushu，it was done
in Tokyo located midway between them this time.
Almost the mates live in Kanto region，but some mates live in the local
area like
Kyushu，Chuugoku，Kansai and Chuburegion.
And so，it is held at a different region from last one every year through
the good offices
of the organizer.
This time，it was the nifty event.
We went on board the restaurant ship，”Vantean”from Takeshiba Wharf, and
enjoyed
the dinner cruise for about two hours.
As might be expected，those who were present were just seventeen residents
of
Kanto region，including three couples.
One of them was an actively working president of the company.
Some of them have worked as volunteers and the others were pensioners who
have
enjoyed the rest of their life finding motivation in some hobbies as well
as me.
Everyone was as fine as ever.
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| Rainbow Bridge in Odaiba at night( photo by Dairiki-san ) |
While havin a dinner，or having a glass of all-you-can-drink alcohol, we
chatted a lot
about how someone who was absent has been getting along，our hobbies，our
grandchildren，how to live with the chronic desease and so on.
I was fascinated with the beautiful night view of Tokyo，while I felt the
sea breeze
on the deck.
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A wilderness of buildings and an illuminated Tokyo Tower
( Photo by Dairiki-san ) |
We enjoyed the fantastic views from the ship's deck like a wilderness of buildings filled
with light，an illuminated Tokyo Tower floating far beyond，Rainbow Bridge
in Odaiba
as if it were a rainbow and the figure of airplane being about to land at an airport from
nowhere.
Anyway，it's been a very nice evening in late spring with everyone.
[Note］the last couple of 〜： 過去2 回の〜、be located midway〜 ： 〜の中程に位置する
through the good offices of 〜 ：〜 の計らいで，〜の好意で、 nifty ： 粋な，気のきいた
as might be expected ： さすがに、 resident ： 在住者、 the rsst of one's life ： 余生
find motivation in one's something ； 何かに生きがいを見つける
as 〜 as ever ： 相変らず〜である、 all-you-can-drink ： 飲み放題の
chronic desease ： 持病、 be fascinated with 〜 ： 〜にうっとりする， sea breeze ： 潮風
a wilderness of buildings ： 林立するビル群、 filled with lights ： こうこうと明かりの灯った
far beyond ： はるか彼方に、 from nowhere ： どこからともなく
be about to 〜 ： まさに〜しょうとしている
Japanese Diary / No.58−2008.05.28 /
FIMAT 2008年度例会(東京湾ディナ−・クル−ズ)
I traveled in Belgium，Holland and Britain with my wife from May 4th to
12th.
This travel in European countries was for the first time for me.
It was one of my motives for traveling that I would like to come into
contact with those
traditional cultures and arts.
The second one was to meet my daughter who has studied in Hague, the Netherlands
since last Semtember.
The last one was to be reunited with my cousine for the first time in almost twenty years
who used to play with in my childhood and lived in Nothing Hill，London.
We left Narita on JAL flight No.411 on May 4th and arrived at Schiphol Airport
in Amsterdam，the Netherlands before 8 p.m. local time on May 4th.
It was about 13- hour flight.
We met with my dauther at the airport and then came to
Antwerpen in neighboring Belgium from Schiphol by NS Inter
City with her.
The traveling time was about an hour and fifty minutes.
We stayed two nights at the Astoria Hotel in Antwerpen and went to Brussels
and
Antwerpen to see the sights each day.
On the evening of the sixth of May，we came to Den Haag in the Netherlands by both
NS Inter City and Stop Train.
Inter City corresponds to Shinkaisoku or Kaisoku train of JR
lines and Stop Train corresponds to the local one.
We stayed three nights at the Hotel's Centrum in front of
Noordeinde Palace and went to Amsterdam，Rotterdam and
Den Haag to see the sights each day.
My daughter has shared the apartment with a Dutchman to save its rent as
much as
possible.
When we visited their place，we were shown a great deal of
hospitality with the homemade dinner by them after having
a toast to the four of us here in Den Haag again with a glass
of wine or locally brewed beer.
On May 9th，after we came to Schiphol airport from Den Haag by Inter City train，we
transferred to BA flight No．435 for Heathrow in London.
The flight time was about an hour.
My cousin came for us at the airport.
We came to Kensington with her by subway.
We stayed two nights at the Kensington Hilton Hotel and
went to central London to see the sights under her guidance.
Her place was about a 15 minutes-walk from the hotel and so she made the
hotel
reservation for us.
We were shown lots of hospitality with her homemade dinner.
Since we heard it would be chilly and shower at least once a day at this time
in Belgiumthe Nederlands and London，each of us took our own umbrella and sweater
on our trip．
However，we enjoyed warm sunny days with temperatures of 21 to 25℃ throughout
the trip and had warm weather rather than in Japan.
I could have a chance to learn something about the traditions and culture
of their
countries while enjoying footloose travel in such good weather.
And also I could meet my cousin I wanted to see.
Anyway，I quite enjoyed an easygoing and nice travel over eight days.
I'm going to introduce my travel sketches to everyone in more detail with
many
pictures in Diary.
Don't miss it!
 Picture : You can look at my travel photos if you click the button below.
  
[Note] motive for 〜 ： 〜の動機、 come into contact with 〜 ： 〜と接する
be reunited with 〜 ： 〜と再会する、 8 p.m. local time ： 現地時間の午後8 時
13-hour flight ： 13時間のフライト、 neighboring Belgium ： 隣国のベルギ−
NS Inter City ： オランダ国鉄(NS) のインタ−シティ(特急)
share the apartment with 〜 ： 〜(人)と共同でア−パトの部屋を借りる
homemade dinner ： 手作りの夕食， be shown hospitality ： 歓待される
have a toast to 〜 ： 〜を祝して乾杯する、 transfer to 〜 flight ： 〜に乗り換える
locally brewed beer ： 地ビ−ル、 come for 〜 ： 〜を迎えに来る
under someone's guidance ： 〜の案内で
be a −minutes walk from 〜 ： 〜から歩いて−分のところにある、 chilly ： 肌寒い，うすら寒い
it showers ： にわか雨が降る、 at least once a day ： 少なくとも1日1回
take 〜 on one's trip ： 旅行に〜を持って行く
enjoy warm sunny days ： ポカポカ陽気の日に恵まれる
A rather than B ： B よりもむしろ A、 footloose ： 気ままな，足の向くままの
easygoing ： のんびりした，ゆったりした、 Don't miss it ! ： 乞うご期待! お楽しみに!
travel sketch ： 旅行記、 in more detail ： もっと詳細に
Japanese Diary / No.59−2008.05.29 /
「ベルギ−，オランダ，ロンドン旅行」
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