Amsterdam | 02

Some photos from my phone. Amsterdam = ♥

Camera: iPhone 5s

Amsterdam

 

Some pictures from a brief trip to Amsterdam.

I used to spend most summers in the Netherlands as a child but haven't been back since or stayed n Amsterdam before. It exceeded expectations and I absolutely loved it; I would happily have stayed in our little apartment and moved in!

My favourite place was the Haarlemmerdijk area. The shops were lovely and there were some great places to eat and drink- Bagels & Beans for breakfast though as the staff are the nicest people. My final guilty pleasure was getting some dubbele vla in memory of childhood summers in Rotterdam. My sister and I were besotted/ fascinated and there *might* be an unnecessarily large number of action shots on my camera!

Paris | St. Germain

I am still missing my Parisian wandering from a couple weeks back. These are from the beginning of our holiday- strolling round magical autumnal evening streets and then a luxurious first breakfast.

Paris | Evening

People-watching and sitting at street tables. Grand sights and hidden corners. Kir royales.

I already want to go back. À bientôt Paris.

Tokyo, in the rain & on film

Remembering...

Tokyo

Votive Tablets

_絵馬

Brown Rice Cafe, Tokyo

Shibuya, Tokyo

The Brown Rice Cafe is the loveliest of peaceful spots, tucked away from the frantic pace of midday Tokyo. Luckily the wholefood, vegetarian menu- based on seasonal vegetables, brown rice and soy- is just as magical. Being vegetarian had its challenges when I lived in Japan, so finding places like this is extra special. I could have eaten anything and everything, but went for the seasonal set, and oh my, it was delicious. It was also like art on a plate.

So life has been busy, in contrast with this wee blog space being on mute. But then again, these pictures reminded me that a bit of quiet isn’t always a bad thing :).

Just your ordinary trip to a cat café..

Very dangerous-looking...

One of my favourite cats ever.

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Certainly one of the more bizarre places I have waited out a thunderstorm & downpour, that’s for sure….

My friend and I literally stumbled upon Calico Cat Café in Shinjuku. Finally I can say I’ve made it to a cat café…

Departures, Arrivals...

Hazy, golden Japan days...

Japan, August.

There is something quite otherworldly about Japanese summer, a kind of hypnotic humidity. This wander, while waiting to meet a friend, made me remember my first month when I lived in Japan a few years ago. 

The humidity felt like a cloak over me and I sometimes felt as if I was swimming through it as I wobbled along on my bicycle. It just seemed to smell of sultry golds and greens in the early mornings [probably before I remembered how hot I was...!}

During my rural commute, the heat went from unbearable to a dreamy solitude and I loved remembering it again in the middle of Tokyo.

Underwater Love

We took an underwater film disposable-camera to Rarotonga, as we are nothing if not old-school. Most days my Dad & I took it kayaking on the lagoon with us and I love the adventures it captured. There are some pretty funny people shots- including the village fishing dogs who would swim out to the little motu islands but would hitch a lift back on your kayak if they could...but I liked the way the scenery shots came out, all wonky & dreamy.