Catch Fraz in Japan

In mid Spring...

Everything is so Green!

Leah and I take-in a few sights on Awaji and get amongst the flowers.

The Classic All Blacks are in town...

These boys may no longer be current All Blacks (The National rugby team of New Zealand...rugby being NZ's national sport) but they can still play! Up against the Cherry Blossoms of Japan (mmm not such a fierce name?) the Classic AB's put on a pretty good performance and ran out worthy winners. Japan tackled all night...never giving up and a few good moments of their own. Last chance to see the likes of Jonah Lomu, Andrew Mehrtens, Justin Marshall, Carlos Spencer, Pita Alatini, Jeff Wilson, Ron Cribb and others in Black and a fun night out.

Trip around the Isle...

One day during Golden week Leah and I went for a wee drive and circumfrinced Awaji. We saw strange and wondrous things and nearly got stuck in a camping ground where we had ventured, little to our knowing, without an electronic key to get out again! (needless to say some pretty smooth talking and profuse apologies were required...leaving some slightly dumbfounded attendants in our wake......sorry Mr attendants).....(dumb foriegners!). We passed a monkey park...a billion onions (Awaji onions are famous in Japan)...picniced in the aforementioned camping ground by the sea...wandered out to the whirlpools underneath the bridge over to Shikkoku...ate Awaji onion soft cream (Leah's idea...actually it tasted okay!) and then somehow managed to find our way home again. A Great day out.

Sakura...sakura...

Early Spring is cherry blossom time.....Leah and I took a wander around Akashi Park.

A few boats...

I take the ferry between Iwaya and Akashi...a lot. They both have little harbors and lots of boats. Fishing is big here!

Birthday adventures...

My actual birthday was a weekday...but Leah still surprised me by coming out to the island and providing a candle-lit supper. On the weekend Leah put together an adventure whereby I had to choose the next step from a series of envelopes...not knowing what was inside! Here I have chosen french toast for breakfast...mmmm it was deliscious!

We ended up in Amano Hashidate...one of the three most scenic places in Japan! according to the locals. We took the fast option across the bay.

Leah surveys the dinner spread at the Ryokan that we stayed at. It was a nice meal and a great way to end the day.

We went up the chair-lift on the side of the hill to get a better view of Amano Hashidate...it's a pretty place!

This is what you do here...am not sure it enhances the view...but it does provide a bit of a laugh!

Of course no day would be complete without an ice cream!

Thanks to my dearest Leah for a fun and adventurous birthday!

Engagement..

January 3rd will forever remain as one of those special days.

Leah and I had done some serious ring hunting leading up to Christmas and before New Year. I had purchased one and it was touch and go as to whether it would be available in time to propose in America. I had previously mentioned to Leah that I was most likely to propose in Japan and only decided to do so in Williamsburg when thinking about dates and timing and where and how and when etc. I decided that in Williamsburg it would be and thought that New Years Eve a good time...when this became impossible I settled on Jan. 3rd the day we had booked for dinner at Christiana Campbell Tavern, a nice restaraunt in Colonial Williamsburg.

I planned it for when we would be alone in Leah's parents house and had gathered a few of Leah's favorite things: Mango, Almonds and most important of all Godiva Truffles. I started it out as a thank-you for a lovely christmas holiday in Williamsburg and then put on some music...a song called "grow old with me"....I carefully took out the ring box I had carefully placed within reach... and asked my beloved Leah to marry me.

We were both quite overcome with emotion and joyful tears flowed...and yaaaaay! my dearest said "yes". We then celebrated with a lovely meal and shared our good news with Leah's parent upon our return home.