Home of green tea

Here 和束（Wazuka) where is in the south of Kyoto prefecture is a major source of Japanese green tea. The tea fields extent along Wazuka river. The fog often lay all around there and closes in over tea leaves and helps shade. So the taste of Wazuka tea will become more delicious.

                                

A so kind acquaintance in Wazuka took us to the top of the tea field by his pickup truck. The truck climbed up on the winding, narrow, bumpy road with deadly speed. As we rode on the rear carrier, it turned to something like the ride in an amusement grounds. I enjoyed the thrill that I might be thrown off the truck.

 

                                                 Cosmos by the ridge

                                      


                                                 Harvest of Wazuka tea

When I stood up on the top of this tea field and looked down tea fields, golden rice field, houses etc, I felt I conquered this area. But when I was getting down there, a very big monkey crossed ahead of me. Nobody was there. I was so surprised that I couldn’t cry. Indeed, I have a experience that I was attacked by a monkey when I was a child. It’s a little kind of trauma for me. The monkey seemed not to aware of me.

                                            The view from the teafield

                                          Golden rice fields expands around the hills of tea

When we were going down at the teafield, we came across a local old woman with a long stick, a pistol( only sound for monkeys), and a watering can.

She said “Get down with carefully. Because more than one hundred monkeys came from this mountain now and they went the mountain over there but they will come back to this mountain soon.” A lot of mess of persimmon scattered around there.

 

Soon we encountered five monkeys. They were flying from a house to a house. We picked up some stones as a weapon for their attack. But as they disappeared,  I was very relieved. So I wasn’t tired to go up the tea field but monkeys terrified and exhausted me very much.

                                            The teafield like an arena theater

My Autumn trip in France

I visited France in September. I have been to Paris three times. This time I visited the other beautiful cities and Paris.

Upside-down pyramid



pyramidal entrance at Musee du
Louvre( click picture to enlarge them)

 

The new restairant in Opera Garnier



Eiffel Tower and doves




The park near Musee Marmottan. 
 I happened to meet a Canadian
in MuseeMarmottan who was teaching
 English  near my house.  Who set
 a lot of chestnuts on the bench, I wonder?

As you know Paris is attractive artistic beauty city. But getting out of Paris, the farms are so large that I can’t distinguish the boarder of the land and the sky. Vines were lined up infinitely in order on the plain. They were winding lower posts not a shelf like in Japan. The fields of corn or grain have started to turn yellow. Those field in the evening sun reminded me of  “ L'Angelus(The Angelus) or " Des Glaneuses( The Gleaners)"  by Millet.

I heard mothers in France think the best nutritional value for their children when they ready meals for them. I thought it’s possible as I saw those large harvest on the fields. I also heard the population in France is increasing.



Mont St-Michel at a distance

Mont St-Michel



The cloister in Mont St-Michel



West side terrace in Mont St-Michel

A lot of sea gulls fly on the mud flat
 in Mont St-Michel



Sunset and contrails




Chateau d'Amboise---one of  old chateaus along river Loire




one of pilgrimage place--Rocamadour
three pilgrimage place--Rocamadour,
 Mont St- Michel, Chemins de
Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle en France

Rocamadour--world heritage site

 

I watched the ballet by the director George Balanchine  at Opera  Garnier  in Paris. The ballet was modern　and the movement of dancers were interesting.



Act 1

 

Painting by Chagall

 

Our seats were the first raw in one of the balconies in the Face of the third floor. The balcony was things like a compartment. So it has twelve seats, coat hanger, a red long sofa and a door.

I rushed out of the balcony to take photos without having anything except for my camera at the intermission. That’s a totally failure. I was taking the gorgeous stairs at the first floor. Soon the bell rang to let people know the start of the next stage. I climbed up the third floor and I was surprised. Because each balcony had the same door. I had no idea which door is my balcony’. For I didn’t have anything, a ticket or a bag except for my camera. I tried to enter one balcony but it didn’t make a hit. Some doors were already shut and I couldn’t open them. A young usher and I got into a panic. But two doors were open yet. I managed to reach my seat at last. The stage had already started.

Basilique de Notre-Dame de
 Fourviere in Lyon



Site historique de Lyon--Cathedrale St-Jean or La Saone



Pont du Gard--the waterworks bridge of Roman.

 

Bourgogne wine at Beaune





Hotel Dieu--old hospital--at Beaune

Pont Saint-Benezet( bridge in Avignon)--It was left with half broken.

 

When I visited Paris last time I came across a girl pickpocket in a metro. But she couldn’t get my wallet because I noticed her cold fingers run on my fingers that took hold of the zipper of my bag.　Also I  witnessed   polices were chasing a suspicious man at the  airport Charles de Gaulle and the man run away quickness my side.  I witnessed dangerous side at that time.

But this time I could feel the rich leisurely localities and lovely Paris.




Ville fortifiee histrique de Carcassonne
(one of the largest fortress village in Europe

 

 

Pont Van Gogh in Arles-- I heard
 there are many great beauty in Arles



the basin for yachts in Nice



Marche in Nice



Beadh in Nice



Eze--village built on a top of the mountain




in Ezu village



Cassis--nice resort--Cassis wine is tasty




Plane tree avenue in Aix-En-Provence



Morning glow in Lyon