Macau

A trip took me to Macau, China last week. From Tokyo, it took approx. 4-hour airplane ride to Hong Kong and then a 50-min. ferry ride to get there.

Weather was warm and semi-high humid. I could enjoy nice runs while I stayed in the former colony of Portugal ( it was transferred back to China in 1999).

As usual, I never have much time to do sightseeing, so my running let me see the places I visit.

Here is a beautiful statue of Kuan-yin.

Macao has many buildings from the European colonial past.

Here's a scene of a back street.

Many new casinos are being built.  This one is on going, but some are stopped due to the current financial situation.

Grand Lisboa Hotel - one of the oldest hotels that was renewed last year.

A very short visit to Quebec

I had a very short trip to Quebec last week.
The day I left Tokyo, our high temperature was almost 25 deg. C (77 deg. F), but when I arrived at the Montreal Airport, it was 0 deg. C (32deg. F)!

Next morning, I could take a jog around the hotel I stayed – in Boucherville.
Air was cold and crisp – I noticed that the surfaces of creeks were frozen (Temp. was -1 deg. C).

The temperature rose to a comfortable level during the day and it was beautiful.

I wish I had more time, but I guess it was better than not being there at all.

Here's a scenery close from the hotel I stayed in Boucherville.

My Canadian friends tell me that this restaurant is the heart and soul of Canada.

Frozen lakes seen from the airplane we took.

The city of Montreal seen from the same airplane on the way back.

I understand that they have annual Montreal Marathon in September.  Maybe I will be able to participate in it some day.

A Nice Long Run for a Change

I finally had a nice long run yesterday (about 23 km). The last decent distance I made was over a month ago on 8 March when I ran approx. 22 km with my wife to prepare for her marathon.

What had happened after that was that I was so busy with work and then I caught a cold after the ski trip.

My body’s a bit sore this morning, but am glad to be able to run a fairly long distance before my 26 April half-marathon. May be I will be ready for it!

I am posting some photos from the run.

Roka Park

Kinuta Park

A cute little suspension bridge in Kinuta Park.

Ultraman, my childhood hero was standing by Soshigaya-Okura Train Station.

The street by this station is called Ultraman Shopping Street .

A Japanese telephone carrier, Softbank, is having a campaign on iPhone.

Hanami

We had a perfect weekend for Hanami this weekend. the weather man told us that it might rain, but that did not happen. On Saturday and Sunday, many people could enjoy the warm weather with beautiful sakura.

These are photos from the nearby Inokashira Park on last Saturday". It is the park that was featured in a 2008 German movie “Kirschblüten – Hanami”.

The "Inokashira Pond" and the grounds were VERY crowded with people!