Roads of Arabia

Yesterday Mrs. M and I enjoyed the exhibition
titled Roads of Arabia---
Archaeological Treasures of Saudi Arabia.
（アラビアの道　サウジアラビア王国の至宝展）

It is held at Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park.
（東京国立博物館　上野公園）







Roads of Arabia are:

１　人類・アジアへの道　（アラビア先史時代）
２　文明に出会う道　
　　（メソポタミア文明とインダス文明をつなぐ
　　　海上交易で繁栄したアラビア湾沿岸地域の出土品）
３　香料の道
　　（香料交易で賑わったオアシス都市の出土品）
４　巡礼の道
　　（巡礼路と共に発達した新たな交易ネットワークの
　　　拠点ラバザの出土品、美しい書体のアラビア文字。
　　　イスラーム美術の魅力）
５　王国への道
　　（イスラーム美術の装飾が施された工芸品）
　　　初代国王アブドゥルアジーズ王の遺品）

I was greatly interested in the following:









(the Koran)


Yesterday it was such a lovely day
that Mrs. M and I enjoyed walking a little,
here and there in Ueno Park.





What a nice day I had!
Thank you so much, Mrs. M!

I walked 13284 steps yesterday.

beautiful weather

The sun is shining high in the sky.

The wind is not blowing.

It is not so cold even outside.

Has spring finally arrived in Tokyo?

(taken around noon, today)




Looking up at the blue sky here in Tokyo,
I'm thinking of my hometown in Niigata.

My hometown is famous for its heavy snow.

My elder sister lives there alone,
whose husband passed away last month.

I call her every day.

I hope my sister will survive
this severe winter.

I'm always with you, Dear Sister!

Happy Birthday to my Son-in-law!

How happy I am
you are my daughter's husband!

I can't forget the day my daughter introduced you
to me as a companion for life.

Both of you were university students in Kyoto
and belonged to the brass band club at university.

You've been enjoying the saxophone since then.

I am glad
all your family are
very close to each other.

Thank you, my Son!
Have a wonderful Birthday!

(every year I send him a present of a dress shirt and a tie)

going to Shinjuku

Hi, Visitors!

How are you today?
I'm good, thanks.

How is the weather there?

Here in Tokyo we've had agreeable weather lately.

I'm worrying about coastal areas on the Japan Sea
hit by very heavy snows.

Come on, visitors!
If Winter comes,
can Spring be far behind?

==================

Yesterday morning I felt a little uneasy.

I wondered if I could go to the museum
in Shinjuku where I had promised to meet
Mrs. M.

I said to myself, “Don't have such a negative
attitude, karin.”

I hurried to Shinjuku by bus and by train,
thinking I'd be all right if I saw Mrs. M
and enjoyed the art exhibition.

Yes, I was right!
I got well while viewing five promising
mid-carrier artists’ works.

Mrs. M and I enjoyed the exhibition
titled

Quintet Ⅳ Five-Star Artists 五つ星の作家たち
which is held at損保ジャパン日本興亜美術館.

Five-Star Artists 五つ星の作家たち 2018 are
青木恵美子・竹中美幸・田中みぎわ・
船井美佐・室井公美子（敬称略）.

They are all young ladies
who were born in 1970s.

What fresh sensibilities they have!
What creative spirits they have!

I was feeling quite well
while viewing their works.

I had a very nice day
enjoying the exhibition
and talking to Mrs. M.

Thank you so much, Mrs. M!









(we are allowed to take pictures)

Ancient Civilization of the Andes

Yesterday morning I woke up earlier than usual.

I felt better and felt like going to
National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo
（国立科学博物館、東京・上野公園）
to enjoy Ancient Civilization of the Andes.
（特別展・古代アンデス文明展）

I called Mrs. M but she had already gone to Chiba
to play golf.

So I went to the exhibition alone.

I stayed there two hours
and thought of people
who had lived in the days of
Ancient Civilization of the Andes.

I felt eternal flow of time
as I always do
when I come into contact
with ancient remains.

Oh, I shouldn't have cancelled
the trip to South America!