Do you recognise this man?

I can't be the only one who is being stalked by this man - I've seen him several times since I got back, and I remember him from 2006/ 2007 too.

Does anyone know anything about him? Is he a local celebrity like Hello Kitty Scooter Gran in Niseko?

(Apologies for poor photo - iPhone will only take non-blurry pictures if it is embedded in a 23 tonne lump of concrete).

Himonya Matsuri

Seems that the mini-procession yesterday was just a warm-up for today's festival.


The chap with his back to us is hitting two sticks together to keep the team in time


I like the contrast in this one


Check out the little kiddies hitting the big drum

More photos on Flickr

Ice breaker

It was a Thursday. 7pm. West Street, Sheffield. I was waiting for the number 52 bus home.

He came from behind me. Shuffled past me. Stopped. Looked me in the eye, then opened his mouth to speak:

Do you know who said

"This precious stone set in a silver sea"

I made a valiant attempt at not looking in the least bit surprised, and admitted that no, I didn't.

"Shakespeare"

"I see", I said. "And do you agree with him?"

I do, I love it here! He was Russian. Had only arrived in the UK a few weeks beforehand. He found this a good way to make friends.

Well, why not? I thought. After all, I used a pet penguin to do the very same thing in his home country.

Covent Garden

I spent a few hours walking the streets of London yesterday.

In my attempt to find Tottenham Court Road, I managed to end up in Covent Garden, somewhere I've not been before.

I loved it.

There was this talking dog. He just sat there, all day.






These statues were something else. I've never seen anyone be so statue-like. Not even a hint of breath. In fact, I was thinking that they might actually be real statues, secretly put there by a human statue in the middle of the night when he got tired of standing still for a living.





The volunteer. Why do we feel so pressured to grow up?



This opera singer was amazing. I've found myself becoming increasingly attracted to male opera singers. Good job *Twinkle*gets here soon, don't want all that wedding planning going to waste.

Tarra