Showing posts with label OTHERs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OTHERs. Show all posts

8/13/16

Where to get Omiyage in Patan ~NEPAL GANESHA

パタンでお土産探ししよう ~ ネパールガネーシャ

What to pick as omiyage puzzles Japanese workers
When we take day off to make a trip somewhere, what to buy as omiyage(souvenirs) to your colleagues is a big issue puzzling Japanese workers.
In deed it is common to hand over omiyage at workplace when we return from vacation. We need pick appropriate things as souvenirs.

Since we need to get more than five souvenirs, if we take something wrong, we would get in trouble with paying much or carrying heavy things. We generally have more than five colleagues, right? And souvenirs should be same. And if we pick each different things to each colleagues, we need them almost at same price. If we give something gorgeous to one colleague and tiny things to other colleagues, someone would complain about it behind you.
What to pick up for souvenirs in Nepal?
When I visit Nepal, of course I try to find such thing for souvenirs to colleagues. However I could not find any snacks or cookies are not individually packed.
 I would suggest one of the best shop where you get souvenirs. It is NEPAL GANESHA which is located near Patan Durbar square.  They have staff who is able to speak English.

ぢゅりさん Juli
Juli-san who runs NEPAL GANESHA in Patan

8/7/16

well-skilled to carry heavy luggage without any tools.

荷物運び術

As I wrote about hard workers and how to carry luggage in Nepal, I really frequently see many people carrying heavy luggage very hard. They are well-skilled to carry heavy and huge luggage. It is kind of overwhelming.

on head
They were able to keep their balance very well while they were walking without holding by hands. I am worried about their neck-pain....


ladies also do
Even ladies are struggling with carrying a heavy luggage.

luggage seems to be heavy
I guess they are carrying something for selling.


kindness
Even a little boy is helping his mum with carrying a big luggage for him.


以前、働き者のネパールの方とか、荷物の運び方について書きましたが、本当によく重い荷物を一生懸命運んでいる人を見かけます。皆さん本当に高いスキルを持っております。圧倒されるくらい。

頭で
このおじさんたちは、手も使わず、すごい良いバランスを保ったまま、歩いていました。首痛くならないか心配だ。。


女性も運びます
女性も頑張って重い荷物を運びます。


重そうだ
何か売り物なんでしょうね。


優しさです
小さな男の子も、お母さんの荷物を持ってあげています。

7/10/16

Hydrangea

あじさい

Rainy season is over...?
Lately it is sooooo hot here in Tokyo. Temperature is beyond thirty degrees. Even the humidity is almost 90%.... this may be like in a sauna!

I suppose it is still rainy season here since I haven't heard that the Meteorological Agency hasn't announced the end of rainy season. But it is more likely in the middle of summer.

Last Thursday, July 7th, was Tanabata(star festival). People generally celebrate it hanging on pieces of paper which a wish is written on bamboo stems. The small pieces of paper are called Tanzaku. They are five colored.

Hey... Is it the same as Tarchor?!

hydrangea
A flower of rainy season in Japan
June is blooming season for hydrangea in Japan and we often see hydrangeas on streets. I love this beautiful flower. Their bright and deep color catch our eyes in rain.

I am just wondering hydrangea is popular in other countries as well? Hydrangea is indigenous to Japan indeed.

Shrines and the flower
I suppose Japanese associates hydrangea with shrines.

Since health care was poor in ancient time, more people suffered from illnesses and killed in the rainy season when hydrangeas bloomed.

Some shrines planted this flower to offer people killed. In fact we have many shrines which is famous with its hydrangea ; https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A2%E3%82%B8%E3%82%B5%E3%82%A4%E5%AF%BA

I missed to visit my favorite place to enjoy seeing hydrangeas this year.....
あじさい
梅雨終わった・・・?
最近、すっごい暑いです東京。気温は30度を超えてます。湿度に至ってはほぼ90%。。。サウナか!

気象庁が梅雨終わったって言ってないし、まだ梅雨だとおもうんだけど。でも、もう真夏みたい。

先週の木曜7月日は、七夕でした。一般的には小さい紙にお願い事を書いて笹の葉にぶら下げます。この紙、短冊と呼ばれます。5つの色が付いています。

あれ、タルチョーと同じ!?

梅雨の花
6月はあじさいの季節で、道を歩いてるとよく見かけます。わたしはこの綺麗なお花が大好きなんですよね~。鮮やかで深い色で、雨の中で目を惹きます。

日本以外でもあじさいはポピュラーなのかな?あじさいは実は日本原産です。

お寺とあじさい
思うに、わたしたち日本人はあじさいに、お寺を持っているのでは。

昔は医療が発達していなかったため、 沢山の人があじさいが咲く梅雨の時期に病気になったりなくなったりしました。

お寺の中には、そうした人たちに手向けるためにあじさいを植えたところがあります。実際、あじさいで有名なお寺が沢山あります。
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A2%E3%82%B8%E3%82%B5%E3%82%A4%E5%AF%BA

今年は行けなかったなあー。

5/22/16

Shopping in Nepal and a cool shop "GANESHA" in Patan

ネパールでの買い物

Simple Nepali handmade items
I picked Nepali fabric before.
What I always buy in Nepal are like them. Mainly handwoven and felt items. And small cute metal works and traditional handmade paper production called Lokta paper.

Nepali Lokta paper Metal works
Nepali Lokta paper produt and a metal work

They are nice really but actually very simple. Perhaps they are not commercialized much. I personally love such things but most regular Japanese girls want more commercialized things.

Yes, Japanese girls like "brands". Then I always struggle to find "good" souvenirs to female colleagues(My friends are like me so I can pick my favorite Nepali staff). Indeed last time I got something for them at the airport of Thai where I change the airplane....
shopping in NEPAL GANESHA
But finally I found a nice shop in Patan. Actually a Japanese lady runs the shop. You will find every items more sophisticated than others. My friend San let me know it.
Why not visiting there when you stroll in Patan? The address is Swotha No-11 Patan Nepal.

NEPAL GANESHA
The front of the shop. Cool

Very organized


ネパールガネーシャ

素朴なお手製ネパール製品たち
以前、ネパールの布製品を紹介しました。わたしがネパールで買うのはだいたいあんな感じです。だいたいハンドメイドの織モノやフェルト製品。または小さな金属のフィギアとか、ロクタと呼ばれる伝統的なハンドメイド紙製品。

全部ステキなんだけど、素朴。多分、あまり商業化されていないのか。わたし個人はそういうの大好きですが、普通の日本人の女性はもっと商業的なモノが好きです。”ブランド”好きですから。そのため、女性の同僚への「良いと思われる」お土産探しはちょっと大変(友達は私と同じなので、わたしのお気に入りを選べば大丈夫)。前回実は、乗り換えのあるタイの空港で買いました・・。
ネパールガネーシャで買い物を
でも、ついにパタンでいいお店を見つけました。日本人の女性が経営しています。どの品も洗練されたもの。オススメです。友達のサンに教わりました。これで日本へのお土産は一安心・・・!

お店はパタンにあります。

5/11/16

the only Zoo in Nepal

ネパールで唯一の動物園

I went to the zoo located at Jawlakhel of Lalitpur Patan district last year. It was fun to walk around a zoo outside of Japan.  And this is the only zoo in Nepal !

This is the HP. http://www.centralzoo.info/

Actually it is a simply zoo. But you will see 700 animals of 108 different species.

First this is a map.
zoo nepal kathmandu 動物園 カトマンズ ネパール

Signs are in English and Nepalese.
Nepal Kathmandu Zoo ネパール 動物園 カトマンズ

Rhinoceros....filled with melancholy 
Nepal Kathmandu Zoo ネパール 動物園 カトマンズ
サイ 哀愁漂ってます

Hippopotamus....seems to be fine 
Nepal Kathmandu Zoo ネパール 動物園 カトマンズ
カバ ご機嫌

 I saw monkeys and deer, a tiger... and this beautiful garden. I didn't figure out why this garden is situated in the zoo...
Nepal Kathmandu Zoo ネパール 動物園 カトマンズ
なぜか素敵なお庭が中に

this is the place.

5/9/16

I boast this Nepali Embroidery shawl

自慢のネパーリショール

Hand Embroidery is incredible!
I want to boast this shawl. I got this in Thamel in Kathmandu, cashmere with silk woven.

カシミア シルク ネパール スカーフ

4/28/16

No Way! Nepalese Government

だめだめな ネパール政府

100,000 victims remain homeless.
Nepal marked the first anniversary of its tragic disaster on April 25th.There are about 100,000 victims left homeless.
With such difficulties, Kathmandu held some events for the quake. People prayed for Kumamoto, even.
I believe what delays recovery from the quake in Nepal is government.
ネパール 地震 Nepal earthquake event

4/25/16

When to visit Nepal?

ネパール旅行は、いつがよい?

Nepal Trek ネパール トレッキング
Nepal = Himalaya
the Rainy season in Nepal
We have the rainy season in June and July in Japan. The rain is not heavy usually in the rainy season but it rains just often and generally drizzle. In Nepal they also have the rainy season. It last from June to September usually.

4/23/16

No doctors in Nepali villages

お医者のいないネパールの村

April 25th will mark one-year-anniversary of Nepal

Today I attended the event held by NGO Japan Platform. That about the Nepal earthquake.
A professor of Sophia univ. made a keynote speech on Nepali situation after the quake.
She has been studied about Nepal.... kind of subculture... Her HP is here. Actually where I know about is just Kathmandu and Pokhara. Even I stayed in local houses with local people, my knowledge of Nepal is just about two cities. I don't know about villages.

Health Posts in village

Most of today's stories were new to me. Specially about the medical situation in villages was like in a fairy tale...

When villagers are sick, first they go to a shaman in their village. Of course, nothing recovers....
Then they walk to the health post where medically trained staff are assigned there. That may be like a nurse office in school?

4/19/16

The quake in Kumamoto

熊本の地震で

Fore-shock
The strong earthquake hit Kumamoto prefecture on April 14. When I learned it, it was just after 20 mins of the first quake. We thought it was the first quake but it turned be a fore-shock. Next morning the main shock whose magnitude was 7.3 occurred.
The aftershocks have been occurring more than 550 times. Nearly 100,000 residents have been evacuated.
Stolen
People say that Japanese are very well-disciplined but cruel thief stealings have been happening in vacant destroyed houses. It is quite a sad thing.
Food supply
Food and water, toilet paper shortage at shelters grew worse. Even the government carried to Kumamoto, landslides cut off traffic routes and Emergency supplies haven't reached people. I don't know this kind problem always happens in such situations...

4/18/16

Nepali women outfits

ネパール女子のお洋服

Girls' cloths
I asked my Nepali girl friend Pun is a professional dress maker. Thease are her works.

Nepali girls outfits
Pun's works... beautiful
Accutally I had no idea about women's dresses in Nepal before I visited Nepal for the first time. Now after I have been there twice, what I think about Nepali young gilrs' wearing style is that there are not big differences between each other.



When I met my Nepali friend's mum, she was wearing a traditional dress. it have may be a sarry. She told me that she had joined a wedding party before we met so that may be a formal dress.




Stomach
One thing I noticed was... her stomach was out.
Since commonly we Japanese elder women don't wear skimpy dresses, I was surprised to see it a bit. But it was nice and I liked it. It looked beautiful on her.
Kurta Suruwal
Normal outfits of adult women wear are called Kurta Suruwal above. It is composed by a shirt and pants, the Nepali equivalent of the salweer kameez). Putting a scarf on neck is common.
I have never tried them but I want...! Next time I visit Nepal, defnately I will ask Pun to make Kurta Suruwals for me! My legs easily feel cold even summer so this is my style.


All of them are Pun's works. Awsome!


You can have a kuruta suruwal made to order. It takes only three days. Pun's shop is located in thamel, Kathmandu. If you like, let me know and let me connect you and her!

Kurta Suruwal
Pun's catalog of Kurta Suruwal. There are many bright colored dresses!

glittering!

女子の洋服
友達のプンはお針子です。これ彼女の作品(上記のものも全部)



ネパールを訪問するまで、ネパールの女性の洋服のイメージって全然ありませんでした。 2回ネパールを訪れて、若い女性の服装について思うところは、あまり大きな違いはないということです。

ネパール人の友達のお母さんにお会いした時、お母さんはこんな感じの伝統的な洋服を着ていました。結婚パーティに行ってきたのだと言ってましたので、正装ですね。
おなか
ひとつ気になったのは、おなかが出ていたことです。
日本の年輩の方が露出の高い服を着ることはあまりないですから、ちょっとびっくりしました。でもとてもきれいで、すてきでした。お母さんにもよく似合っていました。
クルタスルワール
女性のふだん着は、クルタスルワールと呼ばれます。シャツとズボン、ズボンとシャツの組み合わせを呼ぶネパールのsalweer kameezと同じ組み合わせです。ショールも掛けます。
まだ試したことないんですが、次回訪問した時は絶対作ってもらおう!足が冷え性なので、わたしにぴったり!すてき!


3日くらいで作ってくれるそうです。あ、オーダーメードですね。カトマンズのタメル地区のはずれにお店があります。 興味のある方はお声がけください!つなぎますよ。

4/17/16

KathmanduTown in Tokyo

リトルカトマンズ

From Korea to Nepal
A few months ago I watched a TV program about Nepal in Tokyo. The show is Tamori Club. Tamori who is a toastmaster of this show visits Okubo area. Okubo area is a famous with its Korean town is located.

Almost ten years ago, Korean drama shows made a blockbuster hit in Japan and triggered the Korean entertainment industry to takeover Japanese one and Okubo area transformed an old unsafe area in Tokyo to a entertaining Korean town where Japanese girls and ladies flooded out of shops selling Korean stars items.

And now " KathmanduTown" has joined there. Tamori mentioned that there are more than 2,000 Nepali people are living in Okubo. Totally more than 36,000 Nepali live in Japan according to a survey last year.

I visited Okubo to check it. When I went out of Shin-Okubo station, I didn't see anything more likely Nepal. After I walk a few minutes, I found a drugstore that was supposed to be located near so called "Islam Street" .

FOOD and SPICE CENTER BARAHI
When I watched the TV show, I got so excited and decided to visit there immediately. I expected quite a lot of Nepali things.

4/14/16

Strong earthquake hit Kumamoto in Kyushu of Japan

Just 40 mins ago, the strong quake hit Kumamoto prefecture. The magnitude was 6.5. Now again an alert of another strong shake has been just given.

More than ten houses were allegedly collapsed so far and rockfalls occurred. Fires are breaking out too.
A TV breaking news has been reporting about many times aftershocks afterward.

The focal depth is 10 km and it is sallow which is almost same as Hanshin-Awaji-earthquake in 1995.One of my friend who used to be there told me a piano in her room almost flew to the corner of her room at that time. It is horrible...

4/13/16

After Sakura parties in Japan

桜宴のあとの日本

Cherry blossom please eyes even after full bloom
As I mentioned it yesterday, the Sakura season is over now.Even after the full bloom season, cherry blossom trees pleases our eyes with their falling petals and their another appearance.
Falling petals are like falling snow, maybe more beautiful. Because the color is not white but slight pink. After they fall down, we can enjoy them laying down on the ground. It is "petal sea".
I don't know why but cherry blossoms don't die and they fall down as they are in full bloom.

petals

4/11/16

Nepal warm and adorable felt and woolen products

ネパールのあったかくてカワイイ ニットやフェルトたち

Sakura season is over
This morning I realized that Spring really has arrived, seeing Sakura paddles were falling down and greens of trees are getting bright. The color of greens are transitioning from light yellow green to bright green.
Yes, Sakura season is over. Now most cherry blosom trees are covered by more green color than light pink color. I don't need to wear thick socks in my room because my feet don't feel cold even in the evening any more. Normal socks are enough to keep me warm.


So I put these Nepali bright socks in my closet saying "thank you for keeping me warm". Is this great, isn't it? It looks like Missoni which is one of the high brand from Italy!!


4/7/16

On the top of buses

バスの上で

Indian blockade
Since India blockaded the boarder with Nepal in last September, Nepal have been facing shortage of fuel and medical supplies. Even after India stopped it and opened the trade routes, Nepali people have been suffering from shortage of fuel.

Nepalese constitutional changes which were done in last September triggered it.

Actually Indian government denied the fact. But I saw many many many motorbike's and taxis' lining up to gas. And my Nepali friends told me that they were complaining about the raising price of gas. Since Nepal doesn't have any oceans surrounding it, most supplies are from India. Most of snacks and foods I introduced in this blog are actually Indian products.
Isn't it Violation??
This picture shows they don't have enough buses bringing people. Passengers are sitting on the top of bus...
I don't know their long histories but don't figure out why India thinks that they are allowed to do it. Because they are two different sovereign countries. Each could never be violated. Even it was an unofficial blockade, it is never allowed, I think.
インドによる封鎖
去年の9月にネパールに接した国境をインドが封鎖して以来、ネパールは燃料や医療用品の不足に対峙しています。。インドが封鎖をやめて物資ルートを開放したあとでも、ネパールの人たちはまだ燃料不足に苦しんでいるんです。

9月のネパールの改憲が引き金でした。
インド政府はその事実を否定しました。でも、わたしは大変な数のバイクやタクシーがガスを求めて列をなしているのを見ました。ネパールの友達も、ガス料金の値上がりをぼやいていました。ネパールは海を持っていないので、多くの生活品はインドから来ます。わたしがこのブログで紹介した食べ物なども、ほとんどインド産です。
侵害では?
この写真では、十分なバスが走っていないことがわかります。バスの屋根に座っています。
両国の長い歴史は正直わかりませんが、インドがこのようなこをして許されると思っていることが解せないです。だって両国とも主権国家なわけですから。それぞれ侵害できないはず。正式な封鎖じゃないにしても、そんなこと許されない、と思う。

4/3/16

Design your own T shrits in Thamel

自分のTシャツ作ってみよう

Custom-made-Embroidered T shirts
When I visited Thamel, I found one great thirsts shop. NEW POTALA
T shirts seems to be popular gifts from Nepal. Even the famous Japanese trip guidebook series "Chikyu no arukikata"(how to travel in the earth) on Nepal is mentioning t shirts as one of Nepali handcraft souvenirs.

In this shop you can order your custom patterned t shirt. This guy is the shop owner!
And I am so impressed with this sawing machine. it seems to be rather than vintage, not old.

This is completely customized-embroidered one. I ask him to use a single pink thread. This is for myself.


Another one went to my close friend Kazuko. I asked him to embroider the small figure of person suggesting her standing on the top of the mountain, and her name and the arrow to ready-made-embroidered one.


Your order will be ready in one day. I recommend you to get your unique souvenirs. Their prices are around 700 NRP just! nice price!

information:
Under the TNT Cargo of Ward No.29. Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal
New Potala


オーダーメードの刺繍入りTシャツ

タメルに行ったとき、すごいTシャツ屋さんを発見しました。

ネパールのTシャツは人気みたいです。日本の有名な旅行ガイドブック「地球の歩き方」のネパール版も、ネパールのお土産のひとつにTシャツを上げています。

このお店では、オリジナルTシャツが作れます。この人店主です!このミシンすごいですよね。古いというより、ビンテージみたい。

これは完全なオリジナル刺繍もの。ピンク色の刺繍糸一本で仕立てるようお願いしました。自分用。もう一つのこれは友人のカズコ用。彼女が山の頂上にいるみたく、小さいヒト、彼女の名前の「kazuko」と矢印を、既製の刺繍ものに加えてもらいました。

次の日には出来上がり。オリジナルお土産にいいですよ。700ルピーくらいでできちゃいます。

4/2/16

Prince Harry visited Nepal

ヘンリー王子 ネパールに行く

Prince Harry made his first official visit in Nepal the week before last. That is expected to catch people's attentions to Nepal and promt to rebuild.

He seems to be very friendly.
He joined locals for dinner and dance, Holi(the color festival). Even he stayed over in a local family when he visited Leorani village.
http://gu.com/p/4hyf2/sgp


イギリスのヘンリー王子がネパールを公式訪問しました。先々週。人々の注目を集めて、ネパールの復興に拍車を掛けることを目的としたものです。

ヘンリー王子、非常にフレンドリーな感じ。
地元で夕食やダンス、カラーフェスティバルにまで参加。レオラニという村にいったときは、なんと地元のおうちに一晩止まったらしい。

3/17/16

Hospitals in Kathmandu

カトマンズ病院事情

Traveler's Diarrhea and Cold room in a hospital....
Unfortunately I got Traveler's Diarrhea when I visited Nepal for the second time. I drunk some amount of tap-water directly by mistake. Originally I have a sensitive stomach and a problem with my stomach often. So I am used to it but  this time I suffered from it every thirty mins for two days that made me totally nervous. I asked San to take me to a hospital. He took me Green City Hospital in his neighbor. The place I was taken to was an emergency room because it was still 6 am. There were about ten beds and it was cold like outside... It was in the end of Feb. Maybe some windows are opened....

One young doctor told me to lay down on a bed and checked my stomach from outside. I explained my problem and he told me to pick some stool up in a small container for examination.It was so small small container that I could not do it easily... but I managed to do it!
Btw it was surprisingly they didn't have toilet paper in the toilet although they are a big hospital....


3/15/16

How safe is it?

安全度合いは?

Japan may be very safe... but
I saw one "salary man" (it means office workers in Japanese) wearing an eye mask for sleeping in the commute train this morning.
Yes that man was sleeping on the seat.
I was so surprised that I could not take my eyes on his face.. A couple of mins later, he woke up and took off the mask down on his neck and started to look at his phone. After a while he took up the eye mask from his neck to put it into the eye mask bag and got off the train.
hmmm, Viva Japan! even he sleeps deeply with an eye mask like in bed putting his bag on his legs, nobody steals it. It is Japan.