While I was in Mexico, we had some relatives visiting from south Mexico, so we went around town showing them the city. One of the places we went was a small ecologic reserve outside of town. The place is a little like a zoo and a little like a ecologic center. It is very fun to visit, especially if you live in a different climate, because you get to see first hand the wildlife in the desert. We were really lucky because at that time spring was really showing and we got to enjoy all of the amazing displays that spring at the desert has to offer.
The humming birds are abundant in spring
The Sonoran desert is one of the hottest and biggest deserts of the world (Arizona and Mojave desert are small pieces of the Sonoran desert). Life is hard in there and plants struggle to survive, but there is one important thing to remember, even though is a desert, spring always means life and color. So, when the time comes there are plenty of blooms around and life awakens and fills everywhere.
The sahuaros bloom as well
The flowers are a bit more rough than in other climates, as most of the plants are too, but this is just as expected from desert plants. They have to be tough to survive in those conditions. I think they are incredibly beautiful nonetheless.
This one is called fireworks
Just as japan has the Sakura, in the desert we have our own version of spring bloom trees. Ours are called "Palo verde" (meaning green tree), it is a native species from our desert. The name of the tree comes from the unusual colored bark. These trees retain the green color on their trunk and their branches even when they have fully matured and have several years old, because the photosynthesis is carried on in the bark.
The palo verde is the desert sakura
Everywhere around the wilderness and also in many streets and houses we have a lot of of these trees blooming every year. The same as the sakura, the trees flower all at once in an impressive and beautiful demonstration that only last a week or two.
The spring blooms in the desert are amazing
It is an amazing sight to see them blooming every spring.
Please help japan with a donation or good thoughts.
My best hope for those in Japan. You can help donate here.
Amazon
Google Checkout
Donation For Japan Earthquake 11th March 2011
American Red Cross
International Medical Corps
AmeriCares
Donate with Paypal
causes.com
It has been almost two weeks since I got back from Mexico, and everything here in Tokyo seem to be happening normally. Life continues as usual, the weather changes, spring is here and the Sakura are in full bloom. However, there are still a lot of things going on. We still get aftershocks now and then, the nuclear power plants are still an issue, and the lack of electricity still has effect on everyday life. And also, of course, Northern Japan still has a long way to recover from the devastating scars the tsunami left. For Japan, this will be a period of renewal and resurrection, It has to revitalize itself and rise from the catastrophe.
The blooming of the Sakura in Japan
Spring and the blooming of the sakura (cherry blossom) arrived on the best moment possible. They are gorgeous, inspiring, and help us see beyond the problems we are experiencing. I trust Japan will recover from this disaster very well. The same way that the cherry tree loses all its leafs during the hardships of winter, only to blossom with beautiful sakura afterwards.
Seeing the sakura blossoming is wonderful. They cheer up the mood and bring back the smiles in people’s faces. They give us hope.
The sakura in full bloom
Here in Japan going to see and enjoy the beauty of flowers is a very old tradition called Hanami (花見 "flower viewing"). Going to see the sakura is so important that even the national weather bureau keeps a very tight track of when the trees will bloom. They also have many festivals around and many sakura related events, promotions, decorations, food, and other products.
Cherry blossoms at Ueno Park
The blooms also look amazing at night
Sakura at the entrance of the imperial palace
Nowadays, hanami usually consists of having an outdoor party or a little pick nick under the sakura trees. In some parts, food stands are set close to the viewing areas and a little festival is held. Also, many parks also hang paper lamps temporarily to help people see the blooms at nighttime and to intensify the beauty of the flowers.
Millions of people gather for hanami all around Japan
Here in Tokyo it the blooming of the sakura usually happens around the beginning of April, and depending on the weather, last a week or two. Every year most Japanese people go out whenever they have some time and have hanami, even people from other countries come on those days to enjoy the blossoms.
They look like a little cloud or a big white cotton candy
All around Tokyo they are many great places for enjoying hanami because sakura trees are very popular plant to have. You can always find a great mature tree even when walking along the little alleys in the suburban areas. However, most people concentrate on the biggest parks, so it can get very crowded there at times, but it all contributes to the festivity feeling it all has.
You can see a lot of sakura even from the trains
I got very lucky, close to my new house there is a river all bordered by sakura trees. It is a very calm place and walking along the view is just amazing.
This is the sakura bordered river close to my house
I must try rowing with a special girl under the sakura trees someday
Please help japan with a donation or good thoughts.
My best hope for those in Japan. You can help donate here.
Amazon
Google Checkout
Donation For Japan Earthquake 11th March 2011
American Red Cross
International Medical Corps
AmeriCares
Donate with Paypal
causes.com
I am already settled at the new house, but I still hardly know anything about the new neighborhood. So to try and fix that I went around with my bike. I was very happy to see spring going full bloom everywhere.
Spring is here
One of the things I like most about japan, is that they have a great gardening culture. In almost every corner you can find a small patch of green or a couple pots that are being taken care of diligently. So it is always easy to find some flowers around.
It is an amazing neighborhood, right in the middle of tokyo. Now everything feels like a bike ride away, is much more convenient than the old apartment. I am less than half an hour bike ride from the university campus, the emperor palace and from many other big stations.
We even have a great river surrounded with sakura, they look amazing now that they are in blossom. I will make a full post about that later on.
I will do a full post on sakura
But for now a small preview
I was also happy to see they have a small garden center around, so I won't be out of resources around here. They also have a lot of little flower shops where they sell potted plants.
The new place location is great, but i still have a lot more to explore, in the meantime, here is a little bit more of the spring in Tokyo.
Please help japan with a donation or good thoughts.
My best hope for those in Japan. You can help donate here.
Amazon
Google Checkout
Donation For Japan Earthquake 11th March 2011
American Red Cross
International Medical Corps
AmeriCares
Donate with Paypal
causes.com
Today was a very long day. I was out all day with my family and had a lot of fun, but running around with a six year old hyper kid, a seven year old little girl and a one year old "starting to run" baby, drained my energy completely. So, I was not on the best mind state to call a bunch of companies and deal with a lot of little mishaps I had. The most frustrating was dealing with my flight's travel itinerary. Turns out that my flight to Tokyo was cancelled because of the problems that Japan has been having with the nuclear plant, the earthquake and the tsunami. I can understand that, it happens. But, the problem is that the new flight they can book for me will have me stranded in Los Angeles airport for one day, and will add six hours to a already long flight. I will end up going in an almost one day and 20 hour flight!
This on top of having my luggage lost on the way to Mexico. Which by the way, happened right after I took some time mid trip and went to the Delta counter to ask if my luggage was doing ok. I had two connections, so I wanted to make sure it will get home with me. I asked, they told me it was on route. I got home, the bag was not there. Definitely not good. And, if I add having to deal with a very unfriendly customer service person from Delta Mexico, this has been the most problematic plane ride I ever had. This time was definitely not the best airline experience.
Well, ok, not much more left to do. There is not a waiting list for a better flight at delta. Oh, and for the record, delta's customer service from tweeter was better, too bad they also weren’t able to help.
Now I will have to take that twenty hour flight, my last hope is to try and see if at least I can get them to let me stay at the delta skyclub to spend the night while in LAX. It would really make my day. Anybody has an idea how to get that?
Spring blooming starts
Anyhow, back to the gardening matters. Hopefully my little garden in Japan will not be dry if the landlord helped me out and watered the plants. If not, it will be a very sad sight when I return. But for now I am still at Mexico, so here is how my little garden in Mexico is doing.
Even in the desert there are a lot of flowers
Here the spring is at full. There are a lot of flowers and life is at full. Perfect for brightening a frustrating day.
Papayas growing among the bugambilia
The aloe starts to flower
The petunias are blooming beautifully
The desert plants start to grow again
The oranges started to grow
And as always, there is a hummingbird in the garden
We have a bunch of new plants because we went to the nursery, but I will let those for a new post. Hope everybody is having a great spring!
Please help japan with a donation or good thoughts.
My best hope for those in Japan. You can help donate here.
Amazon
Google Checkout
Donation For Japan Earthquake 11th March 2011
American Red Cross
International Medical Corps
AmeriCares
Donate with Paypal
causes.com
