Best of 2020

What a long strange year it has been. Do I have anything to write about for a year end recap?  Mmmm, let me think.  

Well, I went to Kyoto for the New Year holiday.  

At the end of January, I went to the Tokyo International Quilt Festival. 

Ted came for a visit and we did some touristy things near where I live in mid-February.

I met with friends early in the year, before You Know What.

In early April, I enjoyed the cherry blossoms near my apartment by myself.

Over Golden Week, I visited some local shrines and temples that were within walking distance of my apartment, again by myself.

For most of the year, I went to work and stayed home.

In early November, I went on an overnight Green Tea Tour in my prefecture. 

Shortly after that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases started going up in Japan, so again, I went to work and stayed home.

I voted in the US presidential election.

I celebrated my birthday in December.  

And of course, I stitched a lot! You can check out my 2020 finishes here.

You know what?  In spite of the pandemic, I've had a good year and I am thankful. I'm also very hopeful for the new year.

The Green Tea Experience Trip - Part 4

 After leaving Macha More, we headed to Gyokuro-no Sato for lunch and the Tea Experience. Lunch was delicious - green tea soba and tempura. There was a band playing outside.

After lunch we crossed the road and went to the place where the tea experience was held.  It was a gorgeous house with a gourd theme.

Yes, we had another sweet and more tea.

I learned that you pour a little into each cup several times so all cups have the same strength tea.

Macha Soft Serve Ice Cream

Next, we went to T's Green Omachi in Shizuoka City, for tea and sweets.  I had to draw the line.  I could not eat another sweet, let alone another tray of Japanese sweets.  This shop did make beautiful trays of sweets though.

Our final stop on the tea tour was Kinzaburo in Shizuoka City. The first floor is a tea shop.  

We went to the second floor for a lecture and demonstration and tasting of different teas.

This was the end of our two day tour.  A big thank you to everyone, especially our guide, Satoshi Nihonyanagi of Local Network Service. I had a wonderful trip and learned a lot!