ムツゴロー

9月15日（火）快晴

日本のトビハゼ（ムツゴロー）は埋立てと環境汚染の影響で準絶滅危惧種。トビハゼはアジア、アフリカ、豪州の熱帯・亜熱帯の干潟に生息。鰓呼吸と皮膚呼吸ができるので波打ち際で陸上生活。ケアンズは干潟やマングローブ林が多いのでトビハゼの仲間が数種類います。大型種は体長が30ｃｍ以上もあります。オスはメスよりも背ビレが大きく派手で、求婚のダンスを踊ってメスを巣穴に誘います。マングローブ林の木道から生態が観察できます。

ケアンズ空港の木道


シティーの海辺の児童公園にも巨大なムツゴローがいます。偉大なイチローについては明日書きます。



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Mudskipper
Tue. September 15 : fine

Mudskippers in Japan are designated as the sub-endangered species due to the influence of landfill and environmental pollution. Skippers live in the tropical and subtropical tidal wetland in Asia, Africa and Australia. Using both their gill respiration and skin respiration they have land life on the surfside. As there are a lot of tidal wetland and mangrove forests in Cairns you can see several different species of mudskippers. The biggest kind is more than 30cm long. The male has larger and showier back fins than female and it dances to invite a female into his nest. You can observe it from the wooden path in the mangrove forest.

wooden path at Cairns airport

There is a huge mudskipper at the children’s park on the City coast. I will write about great Ichiro tomorrow.

キャンピングカー

9月14日（月）快晴

日本は今週末に大型連休だとか。豪州で大型連休と言えば1ヶ月以上の休暇のこと。3ヶ月以上かけてキャンピングカーで豪州1周も人気。日本ではハイエースの兎小屋レンタカーが1日25,000円、豪州では5,000円。大型の6人用でも1万円のレンタル料。ＴＶ，ガスレンジ、電子レンジ、冷蔵庫、シャワー、トイレは標準装備。引退間近のご近所さんがモーターボートを売って、新車のキャンピングカーを2000万円で購入。自宅は賃貸に出して3年間夫婦で全国放浪の旅に出るそうです。

白髪の放浪者

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Camping car
Mon. September 14 : fine

I heard there is a long holiday this week in Japan. In Australia a long holiday has more than 1 month. Going on a holiday around Australia in a camping car spending more than 3 months is a popular challenge. A Hi-ace camping car costs $300 per day in Japan but it is $60 in Australia. Bigger one for 6 people costs only $125. The TV, the gas stove, the microwave, the refrigerator, the shower and the toilet are standard equipments. One of my neighbors has sold their motor boat and bought a new camping car with $250,000. Offering their house for rent, they are going on a trip to whole the country for 3 years.

grey nomad

フルーツ・プラッター

9月13日（日）快晴

プラッターとは大皿のこと。合理主義の国・豪州では肉料理でも魚料理でも1枚の大皿に野菜やパスタなども満載にして運んできます。皿洗いも楽だし、テーブルも込み合いません。ビッグ・ブレックファーストもその１つ。シーフード・プラッターは高知の皿鉢料理に似ています。我が家の朝食はユミがシリアルに牛乳、僕はフルーツ・プラッター。今日はパッション・フルーツ、キウイ、ネーブル各2個。果物の安いケアンズ、材料費は合計約200円。

ビッグ・ブレックファースト

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Fruit platter
Sun. September 13 : fine

A platter means a large plate. Meat and fish are served on a large plate with vegetables, pasta and other food in the rational country, Australia. With that way it is easier to wash plates and it doesn’t make the table busy. Big breakfast is one of the platter cuisines. Sea food platter seems like the Sawachi cuisine from Kohchi. In our house the breakfast for Yumi is usually serial and milk and a fruit platter for me. Today I have 2 passion fruits, 2 kiwifruits and 2 navel oranges. Fruit is reasonable in Cairns and it comes to $7.

big breakfast

青空文庫

9月12日（土）快晴

ケアンズに移転して2年。図書館、貸本屋、日系旅行社の無料貸し本などを全制覇。ケアンズの日本語の本は読み尽くしました。今は電子図書「青空文庫」で著作権の切れた無料の古典を読んでいます。中学生の頃早熟な友人に進められて読んだプロレタリア文学。昨年の「蟹工船」ブームの時に読むのは癪だったけど、ブームが一段落して50年振りに再読。蟹も船も好きだけどこの小説は露骨で好きじゃない。VUEのプールサイドでは住人たちが青空の下で読書。海に浮かぶ船は蟹工船ではなく観光船。

パースの観光船

ベトナムの観光船

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Blue Sky Archives
Sat. September 12 : fine

2 years has passed since I moved to Cairns. I have used all those facilities, the city library, the book-lending shops and the free rental library at the Japanese travel agencies. I have finished reading all the books in Japanese that exist in Cairns. Now I have been reading free old books of that their copyright has been expired on e-books of Blue Sky Archives. I read some proletarian literature that was recommended by my premature friend when I was a middle school student. I didn’t want to reread it last year in the middle of “Crab Fishing and Canning Boats” fad. Now the fad had passed and I finally reread it 50 years after the first time. I like both crabs and boats but I don’t like this plain novel. Residents are reading books beside the swimming pool of VUE under the blue sky. The boat floating offshore is a tourist boat but a crab boat.

tourist boat in Perth

tourist boat in Vietnam

クックタウン・オーキッド

9月11日（金）快晴

熱帯雨林を歩いているとQLDの州花の蘭を見かけます。人通りの多い遊歩道のすぐ脇にも咲いています。山野草を見つけると日本人はすぐに採取して持ち帰ります。20年間住んだ十和田市の街外れの丘には福寿草、カタクリ、エビネ、スズランなどの群生地がいくつもありました。10年後にすべての野草は掘り尽くされ、20年後には国立公園の十和田湖や八甲田の花畑も絶滅の危機に瀕していました。キノコでも山菜でも根こそぎ採取。珍種の蝶を乱獲し、値を上げるために蝶の食草も根こそぎ抜き取るそうです。

カタクリ

クックタウン

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Cooktown Orchid
Fri. September 11 : fine

I sometimes see orchids, the state flower of QLD when I walk through the tropical rain forest. They also bloom just aside the busy pathway. Japanese people easily pick them up to bring home when they find some wild flowers. There were several spots of gregarious pheasant-eyes, dog’s tooth violets, calanthes and lilies of valley on the hilltop in the suburbs of Towada City where I lived for 20years. 10 years after, all wild flowers were dug away. 20 years after, the natural flower gardens in Lake Towada and Mt. Hakkoda national park are in a verge of extermination. They also pick up mushrooms and edible wild plants entirely. They catch rare kinds of butterflies recklessly and pick up all the larval food plants in order to increase the price of butterflies.


dog’s tooth violets

Cooktown

ミナミマグロ

9月10日（木）快晴

ホンマグロに次ぐ高級マグロ。体長250cm、体重250kgに達する中型マグロ。南半球のみに生息し、豪州北西部、つまりケアンズ沖が産卵場。過去50年間で92%の個体減少が起きて、最も絶滅が危惧されている動物の1つ。世界のマグロの90%は日本が消費。ケアンズ沖で採れたマグロもほとんどが日本へ直送。ほんの一部が魚屋に並びます。ケアンズでは赤身も中トロも大トロも100g250円。築地では中トロが100g2500円。船釣りで1m級が釣れますが、OZは当然のようにリリースします。

築地市場

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Southern blue fin tuna
Thu. September 10 : fine

It is the second-grade tuna that comes after black tuna. It is middle sized with its maximum weigh of 250kg. It lives only in southern hemisphere and lays eggs in the sea of north-east Australia, the offing of Cairns. 92% of it has been decreased within past 50 years and it is one of the most endangered kinds of animals. 90% of tuna that is caught in the world is eaten in Japan. Almost every tuna that is caught offshore of Cairns is send to Japan. Only a small amount of it is displayed at the fish stores in Cairns. The red meat, the medium-fatty and the fatty are all $4 per 100g. At Tsukiji fish market the medium-fatty tuna is $49 per 100kg. 1m-long tuna is caught easily on the boat but OZs release them naturally.

Tsukiji fish market

オイルタンク跡地の美術展

9月9日（水）快晴

スクラップ・アンド・ビルドの日米と違い、欧州や豪州は歴史的・伝統的な建物を簡単に取り壊しません。シドニーにも羊毛倉庫、発電所、刑務所、裁判所、郵便局などの跡地を利用した博物館や音楽堂などが多数ありました。ケアンズのオイルタンク跡地でも３つの巨大なタンクが、展示・ダンス・音楽などの会場に再利用されています。ケアンズ祭りでも高校生の絵画・オブジェの展示。多民族国家なので多様な表現が見られ、時には驚くような斬新な絵に遭遇します。

発電所跡地の博物館

警察署跡地の博物館

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Art exhibition in old oil tanks

Wed. September 9 : fine

Being different from Japanese or American scrap-and-build way, Europeans and Australians don’t easily demolish historical or traditional buildings. There are a lot of museums and concert halls that were renovated into from old wool shed, power house, jail, court house or post office in Sydney. Three huge tanks of the old oil tanks are being reused as the sites for exhibition, dance, music or others. Some paintings and sculptures done by high school students are displayed there during Cairns Festival. As Australia is the multinational country there are various ways of expressions and sometimes I am surprised at some novel paintings.


power house museum

old police museum

熱帯雨林のコンサート

9月8日（火）快晴

豪州では政治家、科学者、財界人、芸術家などを特別扱いしません。首相も財閥会長も医者も作家も俳優も庭師もみんな平等です。弊害もあります。一流の俳優は米国へ、音楽家は欧州へ海外流出。結果豪州には二流の俳優や音楽家しか残らないとしても、「平等の国・豪州」はそれでいいのだと思います。ケアンズ植物園のステージで演奏するのは三流の音楽家たち。しかし花と緑に囲まれ、鳥や蝶が舞う演奏会はこの上なく豪華。毎日聞かされれば地獄ですが、年に数回なら極楽です。

マーディグラ

星空映画館

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Concert in the tropical rain forest
Tue. September 8 : fine

OZs don’t give politicians, scientists, financiers or artists any special treatments. Prim minister, President of financial conglomerate, the doctors, the authors, the actors, the gardeners and all other people are equal. It also has some negative effect. Top-class actors are gone to the US and top-class musicians are gone to Europe. As the result, there are only second-rate actors and musicians remain, though, I think it’s OK for this “equal country”, Australia. The musicians ho play on the stage in Botanic Garden were the third-rate musicians. The concert surrounded by flowers and green with birds and butterflies dancing were supremely luxurious. If I had to listen to that everyday, it would be the hell but if it is a few times a year, it would be the paradise.

Mardi gras

starry sky cinama

ケアンズ祭り・最終日

9月7日（月）快晴

昨日はフェスティバル・ケアンズの最終日。メイン会場はシティーの北外れのコリンズ通り。植物園と貯水池跡地と公園に囲まれた1kmのゆったりスペースの歩行者天国に500の屋台店。植物園と貯水池のあちこちにステージが作られて音楽やダンスのパーフォーマンス。どこも入場無料。アルコールは禁止。子供も身障者も安心です。郷里・青森のネブタ祭りはアクセスも場所取りも大変。ゴミと雑踏の中で、暴走族が暴れ、酔漢同士が喧嘩して、祭り見物も命がけでした。

日本の夏祭り

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Last day of Festival Cairns
Mon. September 7 : fine

Yesterday was the last day of Festival Cairns. The main site was Collins Street, northernmost of City. There were 500 open-air stalls on the spacious 1-km-long pedestrians’ paradise surrounded by Botanical Garden, the old water tanks and the park. Several stages were built in the Botanical Garden and in the old water tanks for the music and dance performances. The entrance fee was free everywhere. Drinking was prohibited. It was safe for kids and disabilities, too. In Nebuta Festival from my hometown, Aomori the access and place saving were the big problems. Hoon ramped and drunks started fighting to each other in the rubbish and the crowd, so we had to watch the festival at the risk of our life.

Japanese summer festival

低い虹

9月6日（日）快晴

ケアンズ周辺でも高温少雨の影響で山火事が頻発しています。一昨日久し振りの雨。雨上がりに西のテラスから低い虹が見えました。虹の高さは太陽の位置で決まります。水滴の光の屈折率から、虹は太陽を背にした地上の観測者から42度の上空に見えます。だから太陽の位置が低いと高い虹、太陽の位置が高いと低い虹が見えます。虹の謎を解明したのは16世紀の哲学者にして数学者のデカルト。「方法序説」に虹発生のメカニズムを発表しています。数学は哲学の母、詩の祖母。真善美は三位一体です。

高い虹

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Low rainbow
Sun. September 6 : fine

Bush fire has occurred frequently around Cairns because of high temperature and little rainfall. It rained after a long separation the day before yesterday. After the rainfall I saw a low rainbow from the west terrace of our unit. The height of the rainbow depends on the position of the sun. According to the reflective index of water-drop a rainbow is seen 42 degree up of the sky by the spectator who stands with one’s back to the sun. So you see the high rainbow when the sun is low and vice versa. The mystery of the rainbow was dissolved by Descartes, a philosopher and also a mathematician from the 16 century. He published the mechanism of appearance of rainbow in his book, “the Discourse on Method”. Mathematics is mother of philosophy and grandmother of poetry. Truth, good and beauty are the Trinity.

high rainbow

総合芸術の衰退

9月5日（土）快晴

ミュージカルでは独唱で自分の心中を歌う場面が多いけど腹に百物、自分の考えをはっきり言わない日本人にはあり得ない光景。だから和製ミュージカルはとても不自然。昔は日本のどの街にも、どの学校にも演劇サークルがありましたが最近は珍しい。プレゼンテーション軽視の教育、物言わぬ国民の育成が社会を幼児化。TVや漫画の低俗文化。昔はシャンソン歌手もカンツオーネ歌手もいましたが、今や和製ポップ1本槍。観客の審美眼が低下し日本の舞台は年々さびれる一方。

昨年のケアンズ・ミュージカル「キャッツ」

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Declination of composite art
Sat. September 5 : fine

Musical stars often sing about their feelings in solo but these are unlikely circumstances in Japan, because Japanese people never tell what they think. So I feel that Japanese musicals are very unnatural. Long time ago there was a drama group in every town and every school in Japan, but that is rare now. The education that neglects learning presentations and the nation that cultivates taciturnity has made the society childish as being represented by some lowbrow culture such as TV programs and comics. There were some chanson singers and canzone singers before but there are just Japanese pop singers now. As the audience loses their sense of beauty the stages go downhill unilaterally year by year.

"Cats", last year's stage by Cairns Musical

ミス・サイゴン

9月4日（金）快晴

50年以上も歴史があるケアンズ歌劇。フェスティバル・ケアンズに合わせて大作「ミス・サイゴン」を上演。演出、俳優、オーケストラ、裏方など100人以上の大所帯。会場の市公会堂は定員600人の古い建物ですが、舞台設備は充実しています。入場料は$40（3000円）。入場料9000円の劇団四季より内容は間違いなく数段上。内気な僕は、宝塚や劇団四季のミュージカルを見るのはかなり疲れます。元タカラジェンヌのミセス鳩山のトークも少し疲れます。

サイゴン

宝塚

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Miss Saigon
Fri. September 4 : fine

Cairns Musical has history of more than 50 years. They played the epic stage “Miss Saigon” during Festival Cairns. It was the big stage with more than 100 people including the directors, the actors, the orchestra, the stagehands and others. The venue, Municipal Hall is an old building with accommodation of 600 persons but the stage equipments are ample for the full stage. The entrance fee was $40. The stage was absolutely better than Shiki’s. I’m so shy that I’m quite fed up with the musical of Takarazuka or Shiki. I’m also fed up with the ex-Takarazuka-star, Mrs. Hatoyama’s speeches.

Saigon

Takarazuka

理由なき服従

9月3日（木）曇時々雨

ロスの火災は多数の住宅を焼き、今なお延焼中。先月僕たちが訪れた70年以上の歴史ある天文台も消失の危機。ここにはエドウィン・ハッブルが宇宙の膨張を証明する際に使用した100インチ（直径2.5ｍ）フッカー望遠鏡があります。世界経済の膨張で米国も台所は火の車。言われるままに米国に湾岸戦争の戦費を提供し、米国債を購入してきた日本政府。米政財界は米国離れに強い不快感を示していますが、宇宙人・由紀夫ちゃんは自信を持って友愛の政治を貫徹して欲しい。

理由なき反抗

国民の品格

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Obedience without a cause
Thu. September 3 : cloudy occasionally rainy

Bush fire in Los Angels has burnt lots of houses and it’s still burning. The observatory that has history of more than 70 year where we visited last month is also in danger of burning down. There is the 100-inch-diameter Hooker telescope that was used by Hubble when he proved space swelling. American finance has been facing the crisis caused by the world economic swelling. Corresponding to the US demand Japan has offered the war expenditure of the Gulf War and bought the US Treasury. Although American government and financial circles show their strong displeasure about de-Americanization of Japan, I hope the spaceman, Yukio achieves confidently his idea, the fraternal politic.

Rebel without a Cause

national people's dignity

ロック・ワラビー

9月2日（水）快晴

クリントン政権が挑戦して果たせなかった銃の規制と医療保険の導入。オバマ政権も医療保険がキリスト教原理主義やその他の右翼勢力の反対で立ち往生。核兵器の削減も前途多難です。クリントンは少しHなおじさん、オバマはニコチン中毒ですが、ともに傑出した政治家。しかし政治家がいくら優秀でも、選挙民の知的・道徳的レベルが低いと良い国づくりは期待できません。良くも悪しくもそれが民主主義。米国にも斜陽の影。日本も対米追随はやめて一人歩きの時期かな？

これでも大人のワラビー

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Rock wallabies
Wed. September 2 : fine

The regulation of guns and introduction of public medical insurance are the things Clinton’s government challenged and failed. Obama’s government is also being stuck in introduction of public medical insurance due to the objection of Christianity fundamentalists and other right-wing organization. Reduction of nuclear weapon is likely to have a lot of troubles. Mr. Clinton is a little amorous older man and Mr. Obama is addicted to nicotine, however, they are both outstanding politicians. Even though the politician is excellent, making good nation would not be expected when the electorates’ intellectual and ethical levels are low. For good or bad it’s the democracy. Apparently, there is a shadow over the US. Isn’t this the time for Japan to quit following the US and to start walking independently.

this is not a child but an adult

愚民は国家を絞め殺す

9月1日（火）快晴

アメリカの忠実なイエスマン。高い税金と低い生活レベル。若者に魅力のないストレス国家。先進国唯一の一党独裁国家がやっと大人の仲間入り。政権与党が変わっても日本の財布は空っぽ。世界の日本を見る目は冷ややかです。「こんな日本に誰がした」が自民党の歴史的敗北に止めを刺すキーワードでした。しかし、それは愚かな選挙民の責任です。半世紀以上の保守政権下で硬直化した日本人の観念を根底から問い直す必要があります。写真は絞め殺しの木・無花果（イチジク）。

絞め殺しの木・ガジュマル

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Ignorant masses strangle their nation
Tue. September 1 : fine

Japan is the loyal yes-man to the US. It has high tax and low life levels. It’s the stressful nation holding no attraction for young generation. The only one-party nation among developed countries has finally entered into the adult. Although the ruling party changes, Japanese purse is still empty. Other countries would keep staring at Japan coldly. “Who has made Japan like this?” was the key word that clinched Liberal Democratic Party’s historical defeat. It’s the responsibility of the ignorant electorates. Japanese rigid idea that has been kept under the conservative administration for more than half a century should be questioned again fundamentally. This is the photo of the strangling tree, banyan.

strangling tree, banyan