Pic's

***NOTE: click to enlarge photos***









This is a view from the window of Matsumoto Castle. It's taken from the moon viewing room over looking the moat.










Mastumoto castle from outside the moat. Nicknamed "Crow Castle" for the black lattice work that is kind of unique. It appears to have 5 stories, but in reality there is a 6th (the 4th floor) that is hidden from outside view. The used this space for food and ammo storage.

















Matsumoto Castle, taken from the inner grounds.

















Another shot from the Moon Viewing room. You can see the array of colours that accompany fall in Japan.
















Some cool samurai frog things. If you want to know more, you'll have to find someone to translate the sing, cause my Japanese sure isn't that good!













Some ni-nen-seis (2 - year - students) at Hirano Elementary. This was taken at lunch so they are in their serving clothes.










Halloween, English Night Class style. Meet Devin Snow aka. "Cold Cobra," Brandon Dean Back (BD) aka "Masta Rasta," Rich Shelala aka "Soop," and me...I could tell you my code name, but then I would have to kill you!

















The good old tub of apple bobbing fun.














One of our students trying after a successful snag...

















...and giving the obligitory peace sign as I take her championship photo.








Sakura. The cutest, and most tempermental, little kid. Her mom is a student in our class. Sakura likes me, but takes a good 30 min to warm up to anyone during class. She is holding Kaki, or persimmons...which are suprisingly like pumpkins. We carved them for a good old halloween feel.










Another ni-nen-sei class. This was taken at Nagaoka-sho (sho is short for the word for elementary school) during our Haloween party. Click to enlarge and see the cool costumes. My Spiderman mask pales in comparison.











More Nagaoka-sho kids. This was taken in September. No one would be ballzy enough to wear shorts now!












Pink team taking a bow after their play at English Camp.














Pink team celebrating many victories in the English Camp awards.


















A Japanese parfait...edible art.













A traditional Japanese meal...more edible art.













If you click to enlarge, see if you can find the first mountian snowfall.


















A waterfall in the hills near my house. I have been told it freezes into an ice fall in the winter.