Osaka night life
I spent a bit time roaming around Osaka at night over the weekend, through the shopping arcades, the restaurants and the bars… Minami is one of the main areas to go out, and is crawling with people. I walked through what felt like the longest shopping arcade in the world, in between countless stores. You can […] Read More
Late night Hanami
I was a bit tired on the first night, and actually just wanted to cross the river to have a look at the castle, in preparation for the visit tomorrow. But then, right on the river bank, I saw a few stands, and people, and then more stands, and many many more people… Another Hanami […] Read More
Overwhelmed
I’m slightly overwhelmed by the first days in Tokyo. The city is everything, and all at once. From my quiet, more residential neighborhood with its tiny streets without cars to the mega-pedestrian crossings of Shibuya, the mega-shopping streets to tiny pedestrian zones, shrines and parks, hanami parties, fertility festivals and Japanese weddings… I met up […] Read More
New friends (and food)
I recently met up with Clint and his friend Nina in Grand Central in Ponsonby for an after-work beer. Ginger fusion, actually, something they had on the table and I joined in, not tasting the alcohol in it until it was too late…. Clint is a Pacific Islander through and through, coming from the biggest […] Read More
Beach day
Another day at the beach… Waiheke left me knackered, so I scrapped my plans to go visit and hike around Rangitoto today. I needed something more mellow… On to the ferry to Devonport again and over to Cheltenham beach to be lazy in the shade and a bit in the sun. It was windy, not […] Read More
Auckland Pride Festival
Timing couldn’t be better on this one, I arrived at 7.10 in Ponsonby, by 7.45 I was on the street and taking photos of the Pride march that had just started. It wasn’t a huge march, rather like the one in Melbourne, not many floats, but many marchers and political associations, and had a friendly, […] Read More
Mr. & Mrs. Howell
On my last day in Melbourne I finally made it to the restaurant where Kate works: Mr. & Mrs. Howell. Mr. & Ms Howell is located on bustling Sydney Road in Brunswick, a lively neighborhood in the north of Melbourne, not unlike Fitzroy. It got its name from two characters from the US sitcom Gilligan’s Island. […] Read More
Melbourne routines
Back in Melbourne, I immediately felt at home as the taxi rolled through Fitzroy and on to Abbotsford, my new home in the Milkbar. It’s a great place, in a quiet side street, in walking distance to the Abbotsford vietnamese area, and a 10 minute walk from my Smith Street watering holes. My host Gerome […] Read More
Salamanca Market
I love the markets. This one was recommended everywhere, and I expected a little local market, but it was indeed big, all along the Salamanca Market front and up the street along the park. Mostly local produce, berries, honey, vegetables, and local craft… Tasmania is big into wood, so there were lots of stands with […] Read More
Farewell Drinks
Last night all together in Melbourne. Rajiv is already in Sydney, I head to Hobart tomorrow, Colin is off to London. It was time for drinks at the Victoria Night Market, again! And I had to say good-bye to St. James, my bike. I’ll see Michael again on my last two days in Melbourne. We […] Read More