秀吉の征韓論

4月30日（金）曇後雨

青森県の羽柴秀吉氏経営の小田川温泉がまたもや不審火で全焼。地元では明智光秀放火説も。氏は豊臣秀吉の末裔を自認し、全国の選挙に精力的に出馬。自宅は大阪城、温泉施設は国会議事堂を模しています。前回焼けたのは確か平等院鳳凰堂でした。数年前私有地に3,500万円を投じて対北朝鮮用のミサイル基地を建設。普天間はメディアの空騒ぎ。沖縄の米軍基地を撤去しても朝鮮出兵の実績がある秀吉にお任せあれ。

小田川温泉

大阪冬の陣

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Korean conquest by Hideyoshi
Fri. April 30 : rainy after cloudy

Odagawa Hot Spa managed by Hideyoshi Hashiba in Aomori prefecture has burnt down again by a suspected case of arson. Some local people are whispering that it was done by Mitsuhide Akechi. Mr. Hashiba sees himself as an ascendant of Hideyoshi Toyotomi and he energetically run in general election of Japan. His house imitates Osaka Castle and his hot spa, the Diet Building. I’m sure that the former hot spa building that had burnt down was the Phoenix Hall of Byodoin. Several years ago he built the missile base against North Korea in his premise spending $420,000 on it. Futenma Base issue has been just a big fuss in the media. Even if the US base in Okinawa is removed, leave everything to me, Hideyoshi who has experienced the Korean campaign.

Odagawa Hot Spa

winter war in Osaka

マンゴスチン

4月29日（木）晴

七つの海を支配した大英帝国のビクトリア女王が、「わが領土にあるマンゴスチンをいつも味わえないのは遺憾である」と言ったことから果実の女王と呼ばれるようになったとか。1個30－40円。東南アジア原産で樹高20ｍ。10年を経ないと良い実をつけません。味はいいけど大きな種を吐き出さないといけないのが女王としては少し下品かな？楊貴妃はライチを好んだそうだからそれも果実の女王かも。

果物の王様

マンゴスチンの花

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Mangosteen
Thu. April 29 : fine

Because Queen Victoria of Britain Empire said “It is regrettable that we cannot always enjoy mangosteens that are produced in our territory” mangosteens are called “the queen of fruit”. They are $4-5 each. They are 20m tall trees originally from South East Asia. They come into bearing fine fruits only after they are 10 years old. They taste good but you have to spill the large seed out. I think it’s a little vulgar to do that as a queen. Yang Guifei used to be fond of lychees, so they could also be the queen of fruit.

king of fruit

flower of mangosteen

マミー・サポーテ

4月28日（水）曇

青物市場で砲丸木の実を発見。と思ったらマミー・サポーテという初見参の果物でした。メキシコ原産の高木で20ｍ。外皮はザラザラしていて堅いけど薄く、包丁で簡単に切れます。実の中央に大きな種が1個あり、クリーム状の果肉をスプーンですくって食べます。パンプキンパイのような風味で、舌ざわりはアイスクリームのようだと店員の説明。しかしさつま芋のようでもあり、干し柿のようでも。

砲丸木

マミー・サポーテ

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mamey sapote
Wed. April 28 : cloudy

I found cannon ball tree fruits at the green market, I thought. But they were actually mamey sapotes, the kind of fruit I had never seen. They are 20m tall trees originally from Mexico. The skin of the fruit is rough and firm but thin so you can easily cut it by knife. The fruit has a large seed in the center of it and you can scoop the creamy flesh with spoons. The shopper explained us that they taste like pumpkin pies and their texture is like ice cream. But I think they rather taste like sweet potatoes or dried persimmons.

cannon ball tree

mamey sapote

カーター・ピーナッツ

4月27日（火）快晴

農民で牧師のジミー・カーターはパレスチナ国家の建設、パナマ運河のパナマへの返還などを実現。平和・人権・環境に徹した姿勢でノーベル平和賞を受賞。トルガ村で買ったカーター・ピーナッツは中国産や千葉県産に比べるとかなり小粒ですが、気候が適しているのか驚きの美味でマカダミア・ナッツの味がします。シンガポールに持参して、ラッフルズ・ホテルのロング・バーで食べてみたい一品です。

ロング・バー

ピーナッツ

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Cater peanuts
Tue. April 27 : fine

Mr. Jimmy Carter, a farmer and a pastor, realized the foundation of Palestinian Territories, the restitution of Panama Canal and more. He wan a Novel Peace prize for making his best endeavor to peace, human rights and environment.
The Cater peanuts I bought in Tolga Village are pretty smaller than the ones from China or Chiba prefecture. But they seemingly fit to the climate and are quite tasty like macadamia nuts. They are so great that I want to bring some to Singapore to eat at Long Bar of Raffles Hotel.

Long Bar

peanuts

トルガ村の落花生

4月26日（月）晴

トルガ村のハイウエイ沿いにはあちこちに落花生の看板が見られます。トルガ村は木材と落花生の一大生産地で、落花生農家が40軒あり今が収穫期。道路脇の売店では各種落花生を販売しています。米国のカーター元大統領は落花生農家で小粒の「ランナー種」を作っていました。日本の産地は広島県三次市。僕も彼から種を分けてもらって十和田の家庭菜園で栽培していたので「ランナー種」を購入。

カーター・ピーナッツ

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Peanuts from Tolga Village
Mon. April 26 : fine

You can see the peanuts’ signboards here and there along the highway in Tolga Village. Tolga is the producing center of wood and peanuts. There are 40 peanut farmers and it’s the harvest season now. There’s a stall beside the highway and they sell several different kinds of peanuts. The former US president, Mr. Carter was a peanut farmer and he cultivated the small species, “runner”. In Japan this kind is cultivated in Miyoshi city in Hiroshima prefecture. Remembering that I used to obtain some seeds from him and cultivate peanuts in my kitchen garden I bought some “runner” peanuts.

Carter peanuts

トルガ村の博物館

4月25日（日）晴

今日はアンザック・デー。ＯＺの愛国心が高揚する憂鬱な日。テーブルランドのトルガ村の博物館は旧トルガ駅舎を改装。陳列されているのは鉄道や林業関係と第2次大戦の資料。戦時中この村には米軍基地がありました。豪州は米国と軍事同盟を結んでいますが現在米軍は駐留していません。核の持ち込みも拒否しています。米国の言いなりで駐留経費も負担し、大量の兵器や戦闘機を購入する日本とは違います。

アンザック・クッキー

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Tolga Village Museum
Sun. April 25 : fine

Today is Anzac Day. It’s one of my gloomy days when OZs patriotism gets uplifted. Tolga Village Museum in Table Land was renovated from the old Tolga railway station. The articles on display are materials from the railway, forestry and World War II. There was a US army base in this village during the War. There is a military alliance between Australia and the US but American army is not stationed in Australia now. Australia has refused the US to bring any nuclear weapons into its country. It is different from Japan that says yes to the US, bears the station costs of US army and buys great deal of weapons and fighters.

Anzac coockies

顔写真

4月24日（土）晴

ビザ更新には3か月以内に撮影した顔写真2枚が必要。写真屋で撮影から完成まで10分。代金はパスポートサイズの写真が6枚で1200円。「2枚でいいから半額にして」と頼んだけど「残り4枚は落書きでもしたら」と断られました。不機嫌な顔をしてはいけません。リタイアして豪州に10年住んでいるうちに表情が柔らかくなりました。毎朝の散歩で20人以上と笑顔で挨拶を交わしているから当然かな。

国際免許の顔写真

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Mug shots
Sat. April 24 : fine

You need 2 mug shots shot within last 3 months to apply for visa renewal. It took 10 minutes for shooting and handing the photos at the photo studio. They charged me $15 for 6 passport-size photos. I said to the clerk “I need only 2 photos so please charge me half”. But he refused it saying, “You‘d better draw graffiti on the rest”. Don’t make a sour face then. I have more relaxed face now than I did 10 years ago when I moved to Australia after retirement. It must be a natural result because I exchange greetings with smiles with more than 20 people when I go for a walk every morning.

mug shot on my international driver's licence

日本領事館

4月23日（金）晴

6月で豪州ビザの期限が切れるので更新手続き中。日豪両国の警察証明書が必要。豪州の証明書は1週間で交付されたけど、日本の証明書は2カ月を要します。「自分で青森県警に出向けば1週間で交付されます」との説明。「こちらで申請すると2カ月かかるのは何故？」と尋ねても明快な回答はありません。警察証明書は無料ですが、ビザ申請代行業者には18万円の支払い。僕の退職者ビザは10年間有効です。

ケアンズの領事館

シドニーの領事館

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Japanese Consulate
Fri. April 23 :fine

As my visa will expire this coming June I am in the process of its renewal. I need the police certificates from both countries, Japan and Australia. Australian certificate was delivered after a week but Japanese one took two months. The officer explained to me that “If you go to the Aomori prefectural police, you can get it in a week”. I asked him “Why do I need to wait for 2 months, if I apply for it in Australia?” but he didn’t give me a clear answer. I can get the police certificate free of charge but I have to pay $2,200 to the visa- applying agent. My retirement visa is valid for 10 years.

Japanese Consulate in Cairns

Japanese Consulate in Sydney

ブルーライト・ＶＵＥ

4月22日（木）快晴

1週間ほど前からロリキートの大群がねぐらを求めて空中回廊の植え込みに潜り込んで日没の前後1時間くらい話し声も聞こえないくらい激しく鳴き続けます。6:30-10:00pm僕のアパート・ＶＵＥのプールは青くライトアップされます。豪州の夜空も青く光ります。故障客船は満艦飾で夜の海に浮かんでいます。闇の中オオコウモリがプールサイドの植え込みの竜舌欄の花を食べに飛び回っています。

満艦飾

ロリキート

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VUE with blue light
Thu. April 22 : fine

For the past one week the flock of lorikeets has gotten into the planting beside the aerial corridor of our apartment building, VUE. They sing so loudly for an hour before sunset that we cannot hear our voices in our room. The swimming pool is illuminated with some blue lights from 6:30pm to 10:00pm. The night sky in Australia also gleams in blue. The broken cruise ship is floating on the night sea with the full-dressed ship. Fruit bats are flying on the pool side eating the flowers in the century plants.

full-dressed ship

lorikeets

故障客船と虹

4月21日（水）晴

アイスランドの火山噴火で欧州の空は大混乱。トリニティー・ビーチでもＰ＆Ｏの3万トン級の豪華客船が電気系統の故障で沖留めしたまま動けずにいます。ＴＶニュースを見る限りでは、乗客はケアンズ滞在日数が増えたのでホクホク顔。雨季もそろそろ終わりなのか天候も良くなってきました。海上は小雨が降っているのか夕方には虹が見えました。写真でも分かる通り、飛行機は問題なく飛んでいます。

今日は女王誕生日

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Broken cruise ship and rainbow
Wed. April 21 : fine

European flights have been in chaos due to the volcano eruption in Iceland. There is also the luxurious 30kton-cruise-ship of P&O that has been anchored offshore of Trinity Beach due to the electric accident. As far as you can see it in the TV news the passengers look quite pleased because they can stay in Cairns longer than they are scheduled. As the rainy season is almost over the weather is becoming better and better. It was rainy over the sea and I saw the rainbow in the evening. As you can notify in the photo the air planes are flying without any problems.

it's the Queen's Birthday today

見栄張り民族

4月20日（火）快晴

日本の葬儀費用の平均は236万円（葬儀社142万、料理屋40万、寺54万円）。米国44万円、英国12万円、ドイツ19万円、韓国37万円、豪州10万円で、日本は飛び抜けています。日本の結婚式・披露宴の費用は433万円、米国270万円、英国300万円、フランス65万円、韓国116万円、豪州80万円。日本の披露宴の招待客は平均75人。新婚旅行に更に平均95万円使うそうです。程度が低いと言うべきか？

息子の結婚式

豪州の披露宴

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Show-off Japan
Tue. April 20: cloudy

The average funeral expenses in Japan are $29,000 ($17,500 to pay the funeral director, $5,000 to the restaurant and $6,500 to the temple). They are $5,500 in the US, $1,500 in UK, $2,300 in Germany, $ 4,5000 in Korea and $1,300 in Australia. So Japan is enormously expensive. The average wedding expenses are $54,000 in Japan, $33,700 in the US, $37,500 in UK, 8,100 in Germany, $14,500 in Korea and 10,000 in Australia. The average number of the guests to the wedding reception in Japan is 75. Furthermore, they spend $12,000 on their homey moon on an average. It must be considered to be stupid.

my son's wedding

wedding reception in Australia

日本がデフレ？

４月19日（月）曇

高過ぎた日本の物価が正常化しているだけ。税金、土地、兎小屋、電気、電話、飛行機、電車、ホテル、車両、家電、食材、レストラン・・・日本に行くと物価が高いのに驚きます。価格性能比（コスト・パーフォーマンス＝和製英語）の悪い日本製の車やテレビやパソコンは急速に売れなくなっています。事業仕訳よりも価格性能比が最悪の役人の人件費を3割削減することが急務。デフレは企業と役人のガセネタです。

日本のホテル

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Deflation in Japan?
Mon. April 19 : cloudy

It’s just a process of normalizing Japanese commodity prices that used to be too high. I am always surprised at the high prices when I go to Japan; taxes, lands, houses, electricity, phone bills, airplanes, trains, hotels, cars, appliances, food stuff, restaurants, etc. TVs and computers made in Japan with their bad price-function ratios have reduced their sales rapidly. Reducing 30% of personnel expense for those 3 bureaucrats that have the worst price-function ratios is urgent necessity rather than government screenings. Deflation is the faked information created by some companies and bureaucrats.

hotels in Japan

ワンマン・オザワ

４月18日（日）曇

自己保身に汲々とする日本のオポチュニスト政治家の中にあって、外国での評価が高い唯一の政治家。政治主導の確立、国民生活重視、政権交代可能な政治という明確な目標と理念を持ち、昨年の衆院選でついに政権交代を実現。長年の自民党と官僚のなれ合い政治をストップ。世間やマスコミに迎合しない姿勢が「傲慢」と批判を浴びます。オバマさんに「米軍基地はいらない」と言えるのはこの人くらいかな？肩を持つわけじゃないけど。

政権交代

民主党

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One-man Ozawa
Sun. April 18 : cloudy

He is the only politician who is highly evaluated abroad among Japanese opportunist politicians that effort to protect themselves. He has the clear goal and idea of retaining political leadership, emphasizing people’s lives and politics that can change administration. Since winning the election of the House of Representative last year he has realized the change of administration and stopped the politics with cozy relations between the Liberal Democratic Party and a bureaucrat that had lasted for a long time. His stance that doesn’t cater to the public or media is criticized to be “arrogant”. He will be the only politician who can say to Mr. Obama “We don’t need American Bases in Japan”. I don’t mean I speak up for him.

change of power

Domocratic Party

普天間基地と総理の責任

４月17日（土）快晴

「米軍は日本の守護神」とか「核の傘」なんて信じている日本人がまだいる？米国の顔色よりも国民の心が大切。近い将来、普天間に限らず沖縄のすべての基地の本土または海外への移転が必要です。戦後65年間の沖縄の犠牲を解消しないのなら民主主義国家とは言えません。5月中に本土に引き受け手がなければ、米国に毅然と普天間基地撤去を通告。不運でも愚かでもない。これが一国の総理の政治責任です。

首里城

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Futenma Base and Prime Minister’s responsibility
Sat. April 17 : fine

Are there any Japanese who still believe “American army is a guardian god of Japan” or “Nuclear umbrella”? Responding to Japanese national hearts is more important than trying to judge America’s feelings. Not only Futenma but also all the American bases in Okinawa must be moved to the main island or overseas in near future. If you dare to dissolved the Okinawa’s 65-year sacrifice since the war, Japan would not be deserved to a democratic country. If no city in the main island agrees to receive the base, you will have to demand the US removal of Futenma Base. You are not unfortunate or foolish. It is the Prime Minister’s responsibility.

Shuri Castle

大根足

4月16日（金）曇時々雨

ケアンズでは和食に必要な野菜はほとんど手に入ります。入手困難なものはミョウガ、シソ、ニラ、サンショウ。山菜はタケノコとワラビ以外は見かけません。それでも新鮮な野菜が安く購入できるので調理に苦労はしません。白人は大根を食べないので少し高め。市場で「カンガルーの足があるよ」と渡された四つ股の大根。4人家族にはいいかもしれませんが、我が家は2人だから遠慮しておきました。

カンガルー・ポウ

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Kangaroo paw
Fri. April 16 : cloudy occasionally rainy

You can get almost all kinds of vegetables you need to cook Japanese food. Vegetables that you can hardly get are Japanese gingers, Japanese basils and Japanese peppers. You can rarely find any edible wild plants except bamboo shoots and brackens. Nevertheless, you can get fresh vegetables reasonably and I have no trouble cooking. As OZs don’t eat Japanese radish it is a little expensive. We were handed four-finger Japanese radish at the green market being said, “Here’s a kangaroo paw for you”. It may be good for a family of four but for our family of two, so we passed it on.

kangaroo paw