Mallorca mystery

After Hannah went back to England, she goes to university to be a biologist.  She spent the special holiday in Mallorca Island and cannot forget about the beautiful blue sea.  At the same time, she regretted that she could not do anything for dead seal which she saw at the beach.  She wanted to help it, but she did not know anything about animals living in sea.

She has another reason.

During she spent holiday with her friend Joe, she felt her job at bank is really boring.  She finds her job is just for her money not for anyone else.  On the other hand, Joe studies Spanish literature at university.  Hannah wanted to study on what she is interested in and it would be better if her study could help other people.  After she could be a biologist, she wanted to work together with Ramon.
He is working for Spanish coast guard and she thought she could help him for protect the beautiful blue sea.  Through the experience that Ramon and Hannah went into the cave, she thought two people could do a greater job than only one person.

Posted for Tomoko

Hiroshi's 'Strange' Holiday - after reading...

This is a story in the summer two years ago. I went drinking with my friends when I went to my home town. The place we drunk was far from my house in my home town. So I left for there by train. We enjoyed our reunion after a long time while drinking. So I forgot the time the latest train leaves.

After drinking, I decided to go home by taxi in the end since the latest train had left. However, I did not use taxi till my house to save the cost of a taxi ride. I decided to walk after getting down from taxi on the way. I walked along the railway. There are not anyone in the way to my house since it was the midnight. It was very dark and silent.

It was the night even the only dog did not bark.

However, I suddenly could hear the strange noise. That was the sound like someone hit the rail way at many times. I looked around, but there are not anyone. The noise continued for a few second. I shouted from fear. Then the noise stopped. When I tried to start walking as relieved, I found something surprised. There were some bunch of flowers by my foots. Those were offered for the dead men by traffic accident there. I could not breath in surprised at the moment. I start running in rush.

Posted for Hiroshi

Dodgy neighbours - suspicious Miyuki

Which of your neighbours could be a master criminal? 

I think the neighbour in next to right side could be a master criminal.

The family is really strange for me and I suppose there is secret in their house. I heard the father is normal office worker but he drives high class car such as Mercedes, Lexus. In addition, he often changes the luxury car. Their children went to high school in China. I think there is a secret to earn money.

The oldest boy has a child and they lived together with their parents. The child is small but I cannot hear any voice or crying from the house. I have never seen a child. Normally, I can hear any voice from house where is child. It is really strange for me.

I'm wondering if the house has thick wall with good quality.

As there are people can speak Chinese, they could contact with China and import or export some goods illegally. Just imagine..

So, I think they could be a master criminal.

Posted for Miyuki

Why I hate science - after reading C.H.O.I.R. Boy

I hate science.. Because everything is difficult for me!! I have an aptitude for humanities course not science course.

I don't like see mathematical formula at all, so I have never felt that science class was fun or interesting. I didn't remember the science words although I tried to study hard. So, my test score was terrible.. I liked to empiric test but I could not find interesting poing for the other stuff.

Also, science teacher class was difficult and it is hard to understand what he said. I'm not sure but I liked science more if the class was fun.

Posted for Miyuki

My Secret Garden

Open a door to a secret garden for me, there are a lot of plants. The garden is green and fresh. There are also various flowers. It is very nice smell. In the middle of the garden, there is a river which is clear water. I can swim in there without any concern. My secret garden has miracle power, if I want to drink beer, some birds bring bottle of beer for me! This place makes anything whatever I want!

Also, there is a library. I can read any of books, magazine. I wish I could have the secret garden.

Posted for Miyuki

Mending bridges - after reading "In Sarah's Dreams"

When I was a high school student, I belonged to a brass band club. I played bassoon and Akiko played clarinet. My best friend Yuka played clarinet, too. Yuka and I used to talked and practiced together. Sometimes Akiko was around us, but she had never spoken to us. And I had never seen her smiling. I thought that I didn't know what she thought. So I didn't like her.

At the time, I liked to read mystery novels written by Yukito Ayatsuzi. None of my friends had read his novels. I talked to Yuka about the novel I read and about Yukito Ayatsuzi passionately! Yuka smiled and said “It sounds very interesting!” “I have read this novel, too.” Suddenly I heard a whisper from behind me. I was surprised. Akiko was there. She had said “I love his novels, too!”. “Really! What is the best for you?” We talked with Akiko for the first time. And we couldn't stop talking about these novels. She smiled all that time. I changed my image of her after we talked. She was just shy. And she was funny!

We have been good friends ever since.

Posted for Mio

My favourite mountain-top

When I was a child, I often went to the top of Small Mountain with my friend who lives near my house. There was a shrine in the mid of the mountain. It was easy to go there as we go to the shrine 3 to 4 times per year for taking part in the annual event with our family. There were steps from the bottom of the mountain to the shrines, one is the small one and another is the big one.

In order to go up to the top of the mountain, we have to climb a trail without maintained. Although it was not maintained, we could enjoy to climb up as it doesn’t long way. The mountain has a lot of pine trees and the other trees, but there were small space without trees in the top of the mountain. It was filled with the silky white sand there. We could play with the sand, find some strange shape of stones and enjoy beautiful scenery. Sometimes my mother stopped me to go there as there was some cliffs, but I often went there as I could see a lot of sceneries in four seasons.

Posted for Reiko

After reading "Gone" - an interview with silent Timmy

[Reporter]  I am here to interview 10 years old Timmy.
Do you remember that you were in trouble which was taken from supermarket?
[Timmy]  Of course! No!  But I heard it from Dad and Mum and I know that Jenna rescued me.
And I saw a blue hat which my grandmother made for me and I put in that trouble once.
[R]  Only once?
[T]  Yes, Mum housed it not to remember that trouble.
[R]  Did you hear that another boy was in the trouble as well as you?
[T]  Yes, I know Ryan well.  We live close to each other and we are friends.
He is prone to illness a little, so when I met him, we played game in Ryan's house and sometimes played football in garden of his house.
[R]  What are you doing after school or at the weekends when you doesn't meet Ryan?
[T]  I am taking with Jenna my dog Pocket,  Buster, and Bounce to the park and play them with ball.
Jenna likes to walking very fast with dogs, so sometimes I am doing running with Dad and Pocket.
[R]  What do you want to be when you grow?
[T]  I want to be dog trainer.
[R]  Thank you for taking your time for my interview.
[T]  Thank you.

Reporter - Ritsuko

Lost in the Mist - after reading The Rainbow Girl

This is a kind of lost story on the way to Ueda city although it is not lost in the mist and the completely lost.I went to a hotel in Ueda city to attend a seminar by my car. It was the first time to get there by myself, so I used the car navigation system to find the route. My plan is to use two toll tunnels, not high way. I set up the car navigation system without using the toll road because I believed it meant high way, but it was wrong. The system showed the route without using not only high way but also toll tunnels. I should have realized it before I left my house.

I was still confident that I could get to the destination on time as the car navigation system showed that the arriving time was still good for me. I followed the route that the system showed. I drove through the mountain road and it was harder than expected as I wasn’t good at driving such a road. In addition, there were very narrow roads and a few tunnels without lights. I was worried if I could get to the destination and Fortunately, I could arrive at the destination on time, but I was exhausted. I learned that I should check the overall route before the departure.
Posted for Chinasa

After reading The Rainbow Girl - a similar story from my culture

In Japan, calligrapher "Shoko Kanazawa" is famous and she has a Down syndrome. There are 50 thousands of patients of Down syndrome patients in Japan. I have image that their understanding is slow and limited, but they have supple mind and special ability in one field. Some of them has special ability especially in the art/music field.

Ms. Shoko Kanazawa is active on calligraphy field and her special ability is as per my image/understanding.

Nowadays, she wrote the title "平清盛" of annual famous drama played by NHK which is public television. Her calligraphy doesn't pretend to ingratiate to people (=to be famous? to make money?) and her supple mind is shown on calligraphy. I have never seen her calligraphy, but I saw a article that most of people who saw her calligraphy, were moved and her pernal exhibition or events were increasing.

At a feature segments of Mr. Shoko Kanazawa, I found that I had incorrect understanding and prejudice for Down syndrome. There are so many patients of Down syndrome, so incorrect understanding causes big problem. I think that various success of people having Down syndrome will decrease people like me.

Posted for Ritsuko

Lost & Found - after reading The Rainbow Girl

I am bad at directions. Therefore I often get lost. The latest was two month ago. It was happened when I drove my car to my parents’ home for two hours at night. At that time, I was very tired after work, and very sleepy. So I had to go to convenience store a few times to rest and to buy some foods to open my eyes. Because of that, I could wipe the sleep at last. But next, I had been lost in thought about our work. I have driven same way to my parents’ home many times, so I got careless. “Where am I?” The next thing I knew I drove on an unfamiliar road. I noticed I had to turn left the previous crossroad. But I thought when I would turn left the next crossroad, I also would be able to get home. But it was too naïve. I completely got lost. I tried to use navigation of cellphone, but that area is too poor cellphone reception to work well. I started to feel heat. “Don’t freak.” I said to myself. When I got a main street, the navigation of my cellphone started to work. And then I could get my parents’ home 30 minutes late. I thought even if we would used to do something, I would have to be alert.
Mio

Nobel prize winners

I should write about three scientists who won Nobel Prize this year. They are three Japanese, Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano, and Shuji Nakamura. They invented blue LED which is brighter and more energy efficiency than standard red or green LED. Moreover, by combination of red, green and blue LEDs, white LED becomes available.

First of all, from the point of commercial view, blue LED is a good eye catching item. I believe more consumer would notice the product in the shop or online store. In recent years, blue LED started using for illumination. In this season, we can see many Xmas trees illuminated by blue LEDs.

Secondly, a lot of manufacturer produce and sell white LED bulb in the market. They encourage us to replace with white LED bulb and it becomes very popular among us. It needs less energy than red or green LED, so it can provide us with longer life and cost saving. I think this has very important meaning especially for developing countries where the literacy rate is still low. A lot of children are living in poor village where have no electricity. They cannot study at home after it gets dark. If electricity and LED bulb becomes available in those areas, the literacy rate could be higher. This would help those countries for economy growth.

After reading "CHOIR Boy" graded reader, by Tomoko

The Rainbow Girl - after reading, share your favourite mountain

My favourite mountain-top view is from the Mountain Jonen. It was the highest mountain I have climbed. I had never known there were no trees before I climbed the Jonen. When I climbed the Jonen and into the top, I was scared. Because there were no trees, so I could look down into the valley below. I had never looked down at the mountains. It was sunny day, so I could see clearly.
The view was beautiful and so wonderful. I could see mountain next to the Jonen very nearly. And I could see people climbed the next mountain.

 Mount Jonen from Mount Yari (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It was hard for me to climb the Jonen. Nearby the top, I was extremely short of breath as I climbed a little. But it was harder for me climbing down than climbing up.

When I climbed down from the top, I was so scared that I didn’t know how could I climb down. I didn’t know where should I placed my foot. An experienced person told me where my right foot on and then where left side on. He told me that all the way from the top to the mountain cottage. So I could climbed down.

I can see Jonen every day and I like it. Sometimes I remember this experience.

Posted for Yuri

After reading "Gone!" - my first solo journey

I visited one of my friends from university who lived in Okayama prefecture several years ago. She was an elementary school teacher, so it was difficult for her to take days off in weekdays.

It was a long and expensive journey for me, as I needed to take Shinkansen from Nagoya to Okayama station, so I decided to go another near place by myself in a weekday. I went to Kagawa prefecture, as I could go there by local train from Okayama station.

The train crossed the bridge called Seto Ohashi and the scenery was very wide and beautiful from the window on the train. When I arrived at Takamatsu station, I borrowed a rental bicycle to see around the city. I also had very delicious Sanuki Udon. It was very simple, but udon had body and the soup was very tasty.

 After that, I went to the park and walked around for an hour. Then, I went to a park near the port. I sat the stairs and drank coke while seeing very big vessel. I was very excited to see such a big vessel. Then, the vessel suddenly blew a whistle to departure from the port. I was very surprised by big sound, so I spilled coke on my cloth! I could not release my anger on anything…

Posted by Tomoko for Chinasa

After reading of "The Rainbow Girl" - A special rainbow

A sports festival is scheduled every September at my son’s nursery school . But September is the season of typhoon in Japan.

Two years ago, it was postponed due to the bad weather. I don’t remember clearly, but the typhoon was coming towards to Japan at that time. This year, the typhoon came again.

I checked the weather forecast every day, but it told me it would rain due to typhoon on that date. On the day before the sports festival, the weather forecast said it would be 80% chance of rain. I almost gave up and didn’t prepare anything for the sports festival. However, I got a message from nursery school in the morning and it said the sports festival would go ahead as scheduled. I was so surprised, but I prepared quickly then went to nursery school with my husband and son.

When we arrived, we found a beautiful rainbow in the sky. As the typhoon had passed in early morning, it became a sunny day. The rainbow stayed in the sky for about an hour even when the sports festival started with a happy song. The rainbow brought me a lot of happy things on that day. My son won the foot race and I could see his big smiles.

After reading the Black Night - describe your favourite art gallery

I like Chihiro Iwasaki. She painted babies and children a lot. Her paints make me feel warm. Children in her paints are so cute. But sometimes they look sad. I want to look them many times over because I don’t know why.

She paints a lot of illustration of books, too. (ex, Andersen) She painted some illustration of war. But she didn’t paint the scene. She painted facial expression a lot. So her paints were very impressive for me.

She painted in water colors. She used a lot of water. So sometimes paints look like India ink drawings. She used mellow colors. I like her colors, too.

When I was a child, my mother bought some replicas for my sisters and me. One of them used only green and white color, and a girl is smiling. I exhibited it in my room. When I was tired, I looked it. It healed me.

There is “Chihiro Museum” near my home town. I haven’t gone there lately. So I want to go there and look her paints. I think many women or girls like her paints.

Posted for Yuri

Shopping for Trouble - a shopper writes

When the going gets tough, I go shopping... 

I like shopping! Because I like looking many things for clothes, grocery, shose, etc.. So i like looking something but also buying something. When I buy new things, it makes me happy and excited. My favorite place is Karuizawa outlet and Isetan, which is famous department in Shinjuku.

Regarding Karuizawa, there are many shops. I can buy anything with cheap price. I also like to touch the high brand clothes. Of course I'm not able to buy them but it is exciting. And for the Isetan, I can look and buy latest stuff there. Sometimes, it is hard for me to get some products in Matsumoto, but if I would go this department store, I can get them.

For me, it is exhausting sometimes but I like looking goods and imagine how to use them in my life style. Furthermore, if I can buy a goods after researching, looking, it is very happy!

After reading Death at Hadrian's Wall...

What 10 things would you put in your backpack for a long hike?

1 a tent: We can be out of winds and rains in a tent. And if we will sleep outside without a tent, it will very dangerous!
2 a torch: we can walk in the dark night safer.
3 a mobile phone: People who reads this book will understand it is necessary to walk for a long distance. If we will get into danger, we will be able to inform it to others quickly. As I am bad at directions, I want to confirm where I am by GPS.
4 raincoat: we need not wet clothes and ourselves if we wear it. So we can keep feel well.
5 matches: They are very useful to set fire when we cook.
6 a pot: If we take it, we can eat hot meal.
7: a map: This is one of the most need things. We can confirm the course to goal.
8: batteries: When the battery of torch run down, we can change it with new one.
9: money: We can buy foods, clothes and other need things. And we can stay a hotel or youth hostel and we can take a bath there.
10: medicine: If we have a stomachache suddenly, we need it.

Posted for Mio

After reading Mystery at Lion Rock - my trip to France & Italy

Write about a (school) trip...

I went to Italy and France with my friends after the graduation from the university in 2005. It was good for me to have two weeks trip with the cheap price as we were still students.
We visited a lot of famous and beautiful buildings like church and museums.

In Italy, we were very excited to go around the locations of Roman Holiday like Spanish Square, The mouth of Truth and Trevi Fountain. We enjoyed doing the same action as the movie.

In France, the most impressive one was the Louvre. I was not very familiar with the arts, but there were many arts that I learned in the text book. Especially, I was moved to see Mona Lisa. It was much smaller than expected, and there were many people around the art, but I felt the great presence from the drawing.

I was also looking forward to seeing the Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay, but it was cloudy, so I hope that I can see it in sunny day next time.

We also enjoyed eating many delicious pizza and sweets in those countries. I can eat most of them even if I am in Japan, but I felt they were special when I had in Italy and France.

After reading Daeth at Hadrian's Wall...

Write about an historic structure or building in your country, that you have visited. Include photographs.

 There is a Zenko-ji temple in Nagano city, Nagano prefecture. It was built in seven century.
The main temple was designated a national treasure in 1953. It is the 3rd biggest wooden building in which was designated a national treasure.

Its honzon (the principal image of Buddha) is Amida Sanzon-zo (the image of the Amida Triad). But we can’t see the honzon. We can see the copy instead of honzon once in seven years. The period is called Gokai-cho. The copy is an important cultural property built in Kamakura period, made of bronze.

Zenkoji in Nagano, Nagano prefecture, Japan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A pillar called Eko-chu is built in front of main temple when Gokai-cho. If you touch the Eko-chu, you will happy in your next world. When I went to Zenko-ji in Gokai-cho, there are a lot of people. So I got in the line to touch the Eko-chu over one hour.

There are some idioms including “Zenko-ji”. For example, “Ushi ni hikarete Zenko-ji mairi” = Never see me as just a cow, the mind of mine let you to go to Buddhism. It mean you are unexpectedly brought to somewhere with others. And an invitation from someone or unexpectedly chance will lead you good or lucky.

I think Zenko-ji temple look very beautiful. I like it.

Posted for Yuri