natsukashiiiiiii

thank goodness we didn't lose all of our photos during our move back to CA.  our laptops and backups were stolen from the mail, with the exception of one little 320gb hard drive had *most of our photos... well up until last winter anyway.  here are a few random shots that took me back . . .
I need to move on, I know.

i n s t a g r a m

bought my first iphone and am becoming quite active on instagram !  my name is starisa.

in the sand and on cement

goofing off, killing time, surfing, or all dressed up for a holiday at the temple ~ these are balinese kids !

contrast

more kansai.
we visited the largest slum in all of Japan, called 'airin.' can you spot which photo was taken in that neighborhood? eye opening for us having lived in (spotless clean, orderly, polite) japan such a long time.

でんしゃ

we had a ***w o n d e r f u l*** golden week(s) vacation, and I will post pics soon.  but here are some more from our kansai visit last month.  I took out my dad's canon for the trip, and that's all I used (pretty much.)  I want to use it all the time, but it really is a monster.  so heavy and bulky!  but I love the results ~

little details in kyoto

kobe - osaka - kyoto - kumatori

a little taste of last weekend in kansai . . .

parkdaze cont.

I know I only post sakura photos recently... but it was such a beautiful couple of weeks!  Seeing the cherry trees now, you wouldn't believe they're the same~ they're completely full of lush bright green leaves. 

さよなら　さくら / goodbye sakura

 

before the rain

yellow spring bits, on film

(#4 don't drive your car into the sea)

local news

BBC News, in pictures: some incredible shots of the suddenly active volcano about 50k from here.

みんなのまちです

Last weekend, since it was a 3 day (thank you japan for all of your nat'l holidays!) we ventured out by car in search of a local, but outside of the city, fun.  When we left, we weren't sure where we'd end up, and of course it turned out to be a wonderful day for it.  To start, we went back to the family onsen that we had visited last summer, and I remembered how soothing onsening in the winter is; Layers and layers of clothing can't compare to a long hot water soak.  Afterwards, we strolled through a quiet neighborhood.... and finally hopped back in the car and found the most adorable *modern~french styled* cafe for an espresso pick-us-up.