The Ice Monsters Cometh

Posted by on Oct 1, 2011 in Travel Volunteer Journey, Yamagata | 2 Comments
The Ice Monsters Cometh

In a mountain town in Yamagata, people go about their daily lives as if everything is normal. Men repair potholes; women linger in shops, waiting for customers; mile after mile of soba is served in little restaurants. No one seems worried by what’s to come, and yet they know – they must know – what ...

A Whale Of A Problem

Posted by on Sep 30, 2011 in Travel Volunteer Journey, Yamagata | 4 Comments
A Whale Of A Problem

There’s a saying in the southwest of China: “We will eat anything with legs, except a table. And anything with wings, except a plane.” It’s not a philosophy that Katy and I always subscribe to. We’re not total killjoys: on our travels we’ve eaten camel, wood-worms (pictured left) and guinea pig. But at other times ...