Cats

Cats, originally uploaded by Jaqaroo.

Some little ceramic cats I found on a stall in Ueno park after visiting the zoo last week. Funny, the animals in the zoo had similar expressions on their faces.

Look Out Cleveland

Look Out Cleveland, originally uploaded by Jaqaroo.

A word here, a call there, a meeting here and there and the next thing you know the road has changed and you are headed in a new and very interesting direction. Although I have to say that though the mountains look spectacular, the way the figures raise so dramatically to what I was used to down in the valley, those peaks are not a little scary. But I know from experience that appearances can be deceptive, especially in the case of mountains. What looks so steep from the safety (and dullness) of the valley in reality maybe perfectly easy to scale. There is a foreshortening in our perception and that foreshortening can scare us unnecessarily.
Now I've been invited to the base of the mountain, I'm clipped in and I've been given the all clear to start my ascent. No doubt there will be the occasional falling stone, a tricky patch of ice or a difficult pitch but I'll deal with those as I encounter them.
The view should be pretty good from up there. And now if you'll excuse me I have to pack...
Which reminds me I'm seriously considering a Fuji climb next week. Looks like it'll have to be a solo climb, but that's OK, perhaps I need the space to do a little high altitude pondering.