I atop a castle and Munster on top of Europe

It was a gruelling week, putting down 72 hours and being constantly run off my feet. Two of the bio team staff were gone to Hawaii to compete in a Triathlon (congrats girls, great times too) so it was left to muggins here to hold the fort. As the team leader and vice-team leaders were gone, I was Lord of the Bio-team for the week and I had to answer every call, request, and demand. Ordinarily, having a full complete of team members would have made the job easier, but having two gone was certainly a big loss. However, it was a good experience and I learned an awful lot in the process. After all, that is the point of working here, to learn and gain the experience.

Saturday morning was glorious so I set off to Himeji where I was supposed to attend a Matsuri festival, and meet one of the guys from work who's from there. The city is about 80 minutes from Osaka on a special rapid regional train. I was about 10 minutes outside Kobe when Maeda-san called me to say the event was cancelled due to threat of thunder storms. I was pissed off but decided to go anyway and see the castle and japanese gardens there. I met Maeda-san, a professor from Osaka uni, now working as a translator at the firm. A nice man in his early 60's, very knowledgable and capable of having a laugh. I spent the next 4 hours or so walking around the castle and gardens. It was pretty cool and the castle is the best I've seen so far in Japan. It is a World Heritage Site and I must say it was very beautiful. I think it featured in one of the modern day Bond films, possibly one of the Brosnan films. The reason the castle is still standing and survived WWII was that the Americans used it as a landmark to make a turn and head west to Hiroshima and Nagaskai. Grim really.

However, despite the fact that when I arrived in Himeji the sky was threatening, it turned out to be a glorious day with beautiful sunshine and a clear skies. The humidity is begining to start and it was uncomfortable at times. The five floor climb to the top of the castle tough and everyone who was at the top floor was sweating and giving out about the heat. The Japanese are like the Irish in that respect. When it's too cold, they'll complain. When it's too hot, they'll complain. When it's just perfect (in my book) they'll complain that's not warm enough. Wonderful consistency.

The highlight of my week had to have been the boys in red, finally getting their hands on the European Cup. Alas I couldn't watch the game as i couldn't locate a bar that was showing it. However, I read the match reports with glee and followed the score the net last night. It only dawned on me then this morning that I could have been listening to it live on Radio 1...what a twat. Anyhow, if anyone would like to burn a dvd of the game for me, I'd be most delighted and forever indebted to you!!!! Man-of-the-match performance to the smallest man on the pitch and a brilliant individual try to that man, Peter Stringer. A legend and a player coming into his own now. He doesn't appear to be as slow and predictable as he used to be. A good omen for the Irish team too. Hopefully they can do the job in NZ and Oz this summer.

Not much else to report fans. A bit of a bbq on Saturday night with the lads and a new team bio member who starts work tomorrow. No birding for me this weekend. A bit of a rest was needed this morning. I need a holiday....

Carmo's Diet: this week, I have mostly been eating nato and broiled eel

Carmo's Birds: Narcissus Flycatcher, that's about it.

Carmo's Birds for Byrdy: that chick from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon