I saw in my previous post that I provided a description, but failed to insert the picture. In case you were interested….
Richard Westallโs The Sword of Damocles. The story behind the painting:
The “sword of Damocles” refers to a situation where a person lives under the constant threat of an impending disaster or harm. The idiom comes from an ancient Greek anecdote where a sycophantic courtier named Damocles, who envied the powerful life of King Dionysius II, was offered to trade places with the king for a day. Damocles found himself in the king’s seat, enjoying the luxury, only to look up and see a sharp sword hanging precariously above his head by a single strand of horsehair, symbolizing the ever-present danger and anxiety that comes with power and fortune.
It all started out with The Queen giving me the stink eye, because she saw the suitcase and that always means trouble, in her pointy little headโs opinion. After the final treat, I headed to OKC and caught my first flight to Atlanta. I remember Drew always referring to it as โHotlanta.โ Somewhere I saw a sign… several years back… that said, Nobody calls it that. We did.
Spent an hour and a few dollars in the Braves Bar during the layover before taking off for RDU–The Raleigh/Durham airport.
That evening, my brother and I spent hours outside talking and drinking. He was hanging something fierce the following day (the whiskey was good but perhaps a tad too much), so we lay low and just hung out.
Truly a very nice evening. We havenโt talked like that since we were kids, and I suppose that is a good thing.
Hangover and a Papilio glaucus
We spent the day just resting and enjoying being outdoors in the beautiful weather. There are several very fat mosquitoes around his house. I had no idea they were feeding on me until the following day. Ate my ass up! After a bit, the brother felt well enough to move around long enough to go to the grocery store. I picked up the fixinโs for a nice chicken curry. When I started to put it together, we discovered that they had no curry powder; however, they had all the ingredients to make their own curry powder… very tasty.
The butterfly was beautiful.
Duke
On this day, we went to Duke University, where my brother received his PhD. A beautiful campus and very rich. I bought a flimsy t-shirt and thought it would cost about $20. Turns out… $56! Almost told the girl she could keep it, but came home with it anyhow. Glad I did.
At the top of my list was the University Chapel. Yeah, they call that a chapel. Truly stunning and I would like to have heard that organ play.
We went to lunch in the refectory at the School of Theology. Should have taken a picture, but had Zimbabwean Beef Stew, Fufu (a doughy African bread used for scooping food), and a curry cabbage dish. Everything was excellent. Afterward, we went over to one of the many libraries, where I saw an exhibit on Indigenous Peoplesโ Graphic Novels/Comics.
Had to send several pictures to my friend, Faith. There were several pieces on The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW).
The interesting thing about the exhibit was to see the evolution of the portrayal of Indigenous People in the graphic novels/comics. From Scalphunter to Superhero…
That evening, the brother fixed us all a steak dinner, and I had the opportunity to finally begin to know my sister-in-law, Tori. So great. The conversation was very wide-ranging, and before it was over, I had ordered a specific translation of Danteโs Inferno. Definitely looking forward to the read. I have shied away from it in the past because I did not understand all the historical references to persons and places. Tori says that it is not necessary. Seems it is a bit like Umberto Ecoโs Foucaultโs Pendulum–read and enjoy the larger story without getting too bogged down in the details.
Saturday with Mark and Tori
Tori had a meeting with their Quaker group, so Mark and I eased into the day. When we got moving, we headed to the University of North Carolina. Markโs official title and position: MARK TOLES, PHD, RN, FAAN Professor; Beerstecher-Blackwell Distinguished Term Scholar & Senior Division Chair, Health Systems, Policy and Leadership Innovations. Heโs pretty much got his act together.
We began the day at UNCโs botanical garden. Way too many pictures to post here, but it was beautiful, even though late in the season.
Bald CypressTithonia
Also in the garden was the cabin of Paul Green. I knew nothing about him, but I very much enjoyed seeing him. According to Wikipedia:
Paul Eliot Green (March 17, 1894 โ May 4, 1981) was an American playwright whose work includes historical dramas of life in North Carolina during the first decades of the twentieth century. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his 1927 play, In Abraham’s Bosom, which was included in Burns Mantle’s The Best Plays of 1926-1927.
His play The Lost Colony has been regularly produced since 1937 near Manteo, North Carolina, and the historic colony of Roanoke. Its success has resulted in numerous other historical outdoor dramas being produced; his work is still the longest-running.
The plaque behind the desk reads:
WHAT IS THE SOUL OF MAN?
I WALK THROUGH THE WOODS, AND I WALK THROUGH THE HILLS, AND I ASK YOU TO TELL ME IF YOU CAN – YOU KNOW WHAT A TREE IS, YOU KNOW WHAT A ROCK IS, BUT WHAT IS THE SOUL OF MAN?
I SEARCHED THE BROAD EARTH, I BEGGED THE FAR SKY, I QUESTIONED THE RIVERS THAT RAN, BUT NEVER A WHISPER TO TELL THAT THEY KNEW AUGHT OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
I BOWED DOWN AT EVENING, I BOWED LOW AT MORN. I PRAYED FOR SOME SIGN OF LIFE’S PLAN, WHEN LO, THE GLAD ANSWER, THE WORD WITH ITS LIGHT — LOVE IS THE SOUL OF MAN.
FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT WILDERNESS ROAD
MARCH 17, 1979
Itโll probably show up in a sermon someday.
Mark also enjoys water painting. He is much better at it than I am.
We met Tori for lunch at Suttonโs Drug Store, but unless a tasty chili cheeseburger is a drug, then it is now only a restaurant…. but what a burger, and yes, I got the t-shirt.
We continued touring the campus and saw a show at the planetarium (there may have been a nap involved during a portion of it) and then stopped at the Ackland Art Museum. We were all delighted with this visit, and it definitely made the day.
My favorite piece was Saint John the Evangelist by Valentin de Boulogne. He is listening so intently to the Spirit.
Richard Westallโs The Sword of Damocles. The story behind the painting:
The “sword of Damocles” refers to a situation where a person lives under the constant threat of an impending disaster or harm. The idiom comes from an ancient Greek anecdote where a sycophantic courtier named Damocles, who envied the powerful life of King Dionysius II, was offered to trade places with the king for a day. Damocles found himself in the king’s seat, enjoying the luxury, only to look up and see a sharp sword hanging precariously above his head by a single strand of horsehair, symbolizing the ever-present danger and anxiety that comes with power and fortune.
Finally, there was a fine etching by the German artist Albrecht Dรผrer titled The Babylonian Whore, a depiction of a scene from the Book of Revelation.
Saturday and Home
La Luna, รจ bellissima. A wonderful few days in North Carolina.
There was only one place on the agenda for today. It took a little while to get there, but it was definitely worth the trip.
I confess to being a fan of Japanese whisky, and, in my humble opinion, you canโt beat Suntory. As they are the oldest whisky distiller in Japan, I am not the only one.
Isnโt it pretty?!
To make the best whisky, you have to try several different techniques and methods. How many? This is probably only halfโฆ
Iโve no way of getting any home, so I made good use of the tasting room.
Donโt worry, those are about 1/2 ounce.
My second round included some of their best (the top shelf went for $230 an ounceโฆ a bit rich for me, but mine was still delicious and special).
How do they describe it?
If you take your time, you will experience it just as they describe. It was a fun day.
Tonight, I will find one more bowl of ramen (Iโm sushied up for at least a week) and then return to the hotel for the final pack. After a little shopping here in Osaka, the packing will need to be creative.
Ohโฆ the mark I got on my arm yesterday just kept growing. Guess Iโll have to live with it.
Blessings to you all. It has been a great trip. Homeward bound.
Day nine of Japan started with a nine-hour nap. That was absolutely brilliant. Afterward, I got up and started moving. I had a nice breakfast downstairs, and then it was time for church.
I had the option of attending an English language service, but I chose a Japanese one instead. I wanted the experience of it. The rhythm of the service is the same and they provided me a bulletin in English so that I could follow along with the lessons. It worked out just fine. It was beautiful. I wish I knew what the priest was saying because he was very excited about it. Regardless, his enthusiasm was catching, and I felt like I had definitely heard a good sermon.
The works in the church were produced by Cecco Bonaotte, and the design of the church was done by his son, Pier Paolo Maria Bonanotte.
This church was planned by 5 churches in umeda area, Osaka. It is a four-story complex facility, produces an impressive space with the fusion of tradition and modernity. In other stories of the building, there are the satellite campus of Sophia University, the bookstore of Sanpaolo, which deals with the books of Catholic and so on.
Utilizing the natural light, the pure white church marvelously brings out the grace and lightness of the bronze sculpture by Bonanotte.
Beneath the altar / Last Supper
Processional Cross
The sanctuary was quite full (I was the only non-Japanese), and the congregation was very welcoming. If you find yourself in Osaka, I can highly recommend Holy Family to you.
Ohโฆ I donโt know what kind of wafers they used for Mass, but they were โdifferent.โ I may have to try and find them for St. Matthewโs. Definitely not your standard styrofoam.
After all that work, It was time for an early afternoon snack. I went to my local favoriteโMinori. Enid does not need another Mexican restaurant. It needs an Aรงai Bowl restaurant!
Peanut butter with honey, almonds, blue berries, strawberries, banana, peach, coconut, granola, aรงai. Yum!
After a brief rest, I headed back out. While wandering the city, I bumped into something and canโt seem to get it off my arm. Very strange. Maybe itโll wash off tomorrow.
Being Sunday night and all, I thought the city would be quieter. That was not the case. I suppose they are getting in every minute of the weekend before back to work.
And, if you stand in this one spot for long enough, the camera comes on and your up on the big screen. Yes. Iโm a dork, and stood there and took a picture of me taking a picture of myself.
That is all for today, my Japan virtual companions. Tomorrow is my last day here, and I have only one item remaining on my Japan itenerary. Am I ready to come home? I suppose I probably am. I miss you all and I miss The Queen. So, for now, Iโll leave you with this thoughtโฆ
I have an idea, letโs go find lunch/supper on the Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Street the longest Arcade in Japan.
First, we walk, then take a train, followed by a bus.
This is followed by more walking until we come to the street weโre looking for. Aha! There it is. It’s time to walk a bit more.
Now what to eat?
First stop? Yeah. Sushi time! Thereโs a raw quail egg under all that smelt roe. Nice and rich. The bonus: those little orange eggs get caught in your teeth. Even after brushing your teeth, thereโs a good chance youโll find one or two still lodged up in there and have them for breakfast tomorrow.
Yummy!
That was the appetizer; from there, I moved further down the street and found this tasty dish. Iโm not sure what to call it, but omelet works just fine. Pork on the inside with a tangy sauce.
Also, yummy!
After stopping in two different restaurants, I felt like this โDo not crossโ sign was intimating something about my current condition.
After more wandering about, I head back to the hotel, via walking, bus, walking, train, and walking a little more.
5,222 steps and all the rides later, and Iโm back at the hotel. Iโm thinking that a little later, I will head back to Minori for another Aรงai Bowl.
As for the riding and walking, it is how you get anywhere. Sometimes, the trains are literally packed like sardines. You canโt even turn. Other times, they are almost empty. It depends on the time of day and where you are headed. The bonus: they are highly efficient. Iโm impressed with Google Maps and its ability to even let you know if a train is running late and by how many minutes.
Tomorrow is Sunday and Iโve found a Catholic Church near by. They have an English language service, but I plan to attend the Japanese language one for the experience. Given the flow is very much like ours, Iโm guessing Iโll have some idea as to what is being said. So, if I can find a church to attend in Osaka, Japan, you can certainly find one near you. No excuses (even if it is a Morning Prayer service and your priest is out galavanting around somewhere!)
Vision is entirely a creative faculty: it uses the body and the mind as the navigator uses his instruments. Open and alert, it matters little whether one finds a supposed short cut to the Indies-or discovers a new world. Everything is begging to be discovered, not accidentally, but intuitively. Seeking intuitively, one’s destination is never in a beyond of time or space but always here and now. If we are always arriving and departing, it is also true that we are eternally anchored. One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things. Which is to say that there are no limits to vision. Similarly, there are no limits to paradise. Any paradise worth the name can sustain all the flaws in creation and remain undiminished, untarnished.
Henry Miller / Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch
The list: USA, Italy, Spain, France, Ireland, Norway, Japan. Not an extensive list, but respectable. I still hope to add at least India to it.
Now, donโt think Iโm slipping over the edge here. Just having a think is allโฆ
In the places Iโve visited and the resources required to experience them, have any of them made me happier/a better person/more wise/etc/etc/etc, than 2426 Sherwood Drive with The Queen in my lap and a good book in my hands? The short answer: no.
To see the beauty of Godโs creation and those things created by His creation is a gift and a delight. To have walked through the halls of the Sistine Chapel, to have gazed out over the Grand Canyon, to have been a total tourist and ridden the elevator to the top of Tokyo TowerโI know that I am blessed (and spoiled) to have had these opportunities. I would not trade the experiences, but to write sermons and preach the Gospel, sit with friends and play Uno, write silly blog posts, are (I was going to say โequallyโ as enjoyable, but..) far more enjoyable and life giving/experiencing.
My friend, Mr. Miller, said, One’s destination is never in a beyond of time or space but always here and now. If we are always arriving and departing, it is also true that we are eternally anchored. One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things.
In this life, your destination is where you are at this very moment. You can choose the place where you will experience those moments, but the place is not your life. The place is the backdrop.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
Today was a much quieter day. I had to check out of the hotel by 11 AM and make my way to Osaka. I had a late breakfast, packed up, and headed to the station for a one-hour train ride. It was not one of the bullet trains, but it was still quite pleasant.
After dropping my bags at The Gala Hotel Umeda (check-in was not available until 3 p.m.), I spent some time sitting in the lobby, reading, and wandering around fairly close to the hotel.
Along the way, I came across what looked like a very interesting๏ฟผ restaurant, Minori, where I could get a snack.
The restaurant had probably enough room to seat 15 people. It was about half full when I arrived, and I was the only guy in the building. It was filled with happy chatting young Japanese women. What was served? Aรงai bowls.
What exactly is aรงai?
Aรงai is actually a small, dark purple berry, which comes from a palm tree in the Amazon rainforest.
โSimilar to blueberries, acai is high in antioxidants and fiber,โ says Melissa Keeney, RDN, clinical nutrition manager at St. Vincentโs Medical Center. โGrown in the rainforest, theyโve long been used in medicine โ but have recently become popular around the world for their benefits with immune health.โ
Like broccoli, avocado and sweet potatoes, aรงai is considered a superfood, meaning itโs packed with nutrients and linked to countless health benefits. (Source)
Thatโs the official description. My unofficial description is that itโs a bit like a mullet. Business up front, and party in the back! All that healthy stuff is on top, and then all that delicious goodness is below. I was convinced that it had some Nutella mixed in there. I will probably have to stop by there at least once more before I leave.
Afterward, I came back to the hotel and sat out in the lobby to read my book, and then I rememberedโฆ Books. Not just any book, either. A very special book. A quick search in Google Maps found me a bookstore about a half mile away. I started walking.
I typed out my request in Google Translate and handed it to a clerk on the second floor. They read my request and immediately directed me to the third floor. The clerk there brought me to the correct section, but these were English language books. ๏ฟผThis will not do. Back to the clerk, and I revise my request. The clerk had an โAhaโ moment. He brought me back down to the second floor, and there they all were. I canโt read a word of it, but itโs my favorite souvenir so far! A Japanese version of The Shining by Stephen King!
And for the recordโฆ I am not a nerd! I smiled all the way back to the hotel (not The Overlook!) and then some. Itโll go next to my Norwegian version of Carrie.
Tomorrow, I donโt plan to go far. Iโll step out for a bite to eat and all that, but I will take a day of rest and enjoy not moving too much.
I hope you all have a good day and that you are well. Thank you for following along on my adventures in Japan. I hope you are enjoying these block posts because I enjoy writing them.
Today was another travel day, and you donโt always expect travel days to be that exciting, but today was really kind of great. In the picture above, you should say if it was really kind of great, then you should be smiling, but as fast as that train moves, you can either take a picture or smile. Itโs going pretty fast.
My travels today consisted of a 20-minute bus ride to the train station and then a three-hour train ride to Kyoto. It was peaceful and not crowded.
What strikes me about the countryside is that it is very much like Oklahoma. The only difference is that instead of growing wheat, they are growing rice. On any flat piece of ground, if there is not a building on it, there will be a garden, and in most cases, that garden will be growing rice.
Look familiar? If youโre from Oklahoma, it most certainly does. Although they have a lot more water than we do.
After arriving in Kyoto, I took another bus to my hotel. I read the reviews about this hotel, and there were some complaints about the rooms being too small. However, given the fact that land is at a premium in this country, I donโt think you can expect to have a sprawling room with lots of wasted space. Everything you need is right here, only a step away. I find the rooms to be absolutely delightful. The staff is very kindโฆ Oh, Iโm at the Hotel Resol Kyotoโฆ itโs in the middle of everything, and thereโs nothing that you are without. So, you can complain if you want, but this is a lovely place.
Besides, you have traveled 13 1/2 hours to be in Japan and an additional four hours to get to Kyoto from Tokyo, and youโre going to complain about the size of the room?! Get out and see the world, for crying out loud. You came this far. You are here. You are blessed and fortunate.
And then we hit the bucket list jackpot! Now we have discussed sushi, and you know that I am quite fond of the raw fish. Anytime I have the opportunity, I will try to eat my weight in the raw fish. I find fish, whether it be raw, broiled, fried, boiled, baked, canned, poached, etc., etc., etc., to be absolutely amazing. You know this. However, my all-time favorite is the sushi, and tonight I found the sushi conveyor belt. You pay based on the color of the plate. It goes round and round and round, and you just pick up what you want and eat it.
I kept saying to myself, โJohn, donโt embarrass yourself. John, donโt embarrass yourself.โ I reached a point when I just didnโt care! It was good, and I was happy. I was in a sushi-eating frenzy.
Look at all that loveliness go rolling by! It desires to fulfill itโs purpose in life by being eaten by me! ๏ฟผ
Oh, donโt judge me! The yellow ones are beer. LOL. ๏ฟผ
Afterward, I wasnโt quite ready to return to the hotel, so I wandered up and down the street for a bit, eventually ending up in a very small basement cocktail lounge. I was the only one there, along with the bartender, Uno. What a fantastic conversation we had. I understood most of what he said, and he understood most of what I said. We talked about Oklahoma, red beef, the differences between the big cities and the smaller towns, and, of all things, Pink Floyd.
My new friend, Uno, plays guitar. Heโs a fan of Deep Purple but had never been introduced to Pink Floyd. He pulled up a track from The Dark Side of the Moon, and heโs hooked forever.
He gave me several recommendations on local restaurants that I need to check out, and Iโll do just that. Heโs only about two doors down from my hotel, so I told him after my day was done tomorrow that I would swing by and let him know how things went. He seemed quite pleased with that.
What a good day.
Tomorrow is looking to be an exceptional day as well, including the fact that tomorrowโs blog post will include the word psithurism. One of the other spots I planned to visit means that I will need to get up early to beat the other tourists. Considering how Iโve been doing that every day, tomorrow should not be a problem.
Thatโs all I know for today. I pray your day has been good. Sleepy time in Kyoto. ๏ฟผ
Candle in a Cave 