Day 365: Done it: 365!

1 Completed 365 project + 1 Balloon + 1 Sharpie + 2 Lights + 1 Excited Amatuer with too much free time = 

And this is why I've loved doing the project this year;
- Getting better with my camera
- Developing my eye
- Journalling something everyday
- Being able to look back on the small moments that we lose, and the amazing year that was 2011
- Gaining the confidence to go public with my photos
- Celebrating the small stuff



If it wasn't for the year of journalling, I wouldn't have been able to take 3 such cool photos, I couldn't choose just one!

Here's to a second great year!

Day 357: Mount Fuji

Stunning Mt Fuji - we were very lucky to get a pretty clear day, apparently "she doesnt show her peak very often".

I'd fallen asleep in the coach, and the view when I woke up took my breath away.

We sat down to a bento box lunch, with Miso Soup in a very pretty restaurant...

Before we went for a wander in the grounds. Oh thank the lord we spotted this rollercoaster after lunch!

This is the Mt. Fuji Art museum. The exhibits were pretty dry, but the building itself was beautiful.

A wee cruise over Lake Hakone, to Hakone peak - on which I saw Pirates! Well, an old chinese junk now toating tourists around ...

Before we we went up the most terrifying cable car (only as it was soooooooo high), to one of the most breathtaking scenes I've ever witnessed.

                                 ^ The pacific ocean to the left

Then back to the city.

Day 356: Shinkasen to Tokyo

Today was really sad, we left Mike & Junko in Kyoto, to pop over on the Shinkasen (bullet trains) to Tokyo for a few days before we flew home.

(Aren't we hams?!)

These are non-reserved economy seats. Can you image how good First class is?

Once we'd navigated Tokyo station (13 train, metro and bullet train lines, approximately 1 million use the station every work day - and that's not even close to the busiest station, which has approximately 4 million each work day), we settled in out hotel, then went for a bite of dinner, and a wander.

I set my self two photo challenges whilst in Japan.

1) To get an awesome city lights over the river shot using my tripod.

2) To get a light trail shot (this is where you catch the motion of something moving, by using a really long shutter speed.

Wham! I'm more proud of these shots than any other, oh except my first manual depth of field shot on my phone camera.

Day 355: Nara

Beautiful Nara.

These Sika deer were great. They eat out of your hand (this one I especially loved - he had worked out that he should stand by the cart selling the deer food discs. Smart beastie) then bow to you. They are regarded as messengers of the gods in the Shinto religion.

 

 They may look innocent ...

Emma Photo

 

The lads:

Todai-ji Temple entrance gate

Todai-ji Temple, its Great Buddha Hall, the largest wooden building in the world, houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana. A UNESCO World heritage site.

 

                        

He couldn't contain his excitement!

We also visited one of Andy's frequent haunts, a tachinomi ("stand & drink bars") where we were given New Years Sake by the owners, then Andy's mates came over. Oh I wish we could have spoken Japanese!

Day 354: Hiroshima

This was incredible, sad but incredible.

This building is known as the Atomic Bomb Dome -  so close to the detonation site of the nuclear bomb, some of it survived:

 

Folded paper cranes representing prayers and wishes for peace and Sadako Sasaki

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum: The museum exhibit presents the facts of the atomic bombing, with the aims of contributing to the abolition of nuclear weapons throughout the world, and of promoting world peace.

Hiroshima Peace Park, with the flame of peace.

Treats on the way home - Green Tea & Citrus KitKats, and the special 'Momiji Manju' cake/biscuit.