Less starch in the collar thank you

Good evening one and all, I write (some of) this to you on a wet and pretty horrendous afternoon. The rainy season has hit Osaka with a bang today. Although the rain is a welcome break from the heat, the humidity remains a constant thorn in the side of gaijins and locals alike. What is particularly harsh is the fact that we have to wear the suit going to work even in this tropical weather. However, this week, as a treat to myself, I decided to get my shirts dry-cleaned as it is less than one yoyo a pop, cheap as my dear fellow. When I got them back, they were fantastically pressed and the collars and cuffs stiffly starched...just a tad maybe. All in all, a pleasant and somewhat nice feeling not to have to iron the shirts this week.

A trip to Nanko bird sanctuary on Saturday yielded a multitude of mozzy bites for my troubles and little else. A sojourn to Shinsaibashi in the afternoon to watch the game against the All Blacks was a pleasant and frustrating change. I thought we were unlucky, and lapses in concentration cost us the game. As that legend of a man, Paul O'Connell said, the game was there to be won, but they didn't go for the win. Is there something within the psyche of this team to become the best in the Northern Hemisphere and beat the best of the Southern? I hope not, as I think this team has the players to win on the big occasion. As the beer flowed and I got progressively louder and more aggressive in my shouts and rants at the large tv screen, the fun began. I don't think the locals were ready for the Carmo attack while the other punters remained calm and very eloquently raised their objections to the game play. Well, one Kiwi in particular who watched the game with us after the first half, probably feared for his safety after a I made my point known that the All Blacks second try was a knock-on while I thought the first try was a double-movenment. The lads thought I was hilarious. Those who know me will understand. Anyway, Andy the Kiwi ended up coming out for pints with us after the game and I must say I had one of the best nights in Osaka in a long time. We caught the last train home and good fun was had by all.

Sunday was spent in bed in the morning after a last minute cancellation to head to Kyoto. With that, I browsed the internet and came across this brilliant Cork band called Cartoon. They have a brilliant song called karmasookie, which can be downloaded as an mp3. I was well impressed. It was good fun browsing the Cork blogs such as Pure Cork Boy and the infamous StevieG. Great craic and mad to see that the place is still going strong. Now with that man Pee Wee back on the green shores and strutting his stuff down Pana and serving up a mix of beer, wine and excellent tunes in the new Roundy, I look foward to visiting home again. I was in stitches reading some of Pure Cork Boy musings on the club scene back home. Well worth checking out. Listening to Cartoon reminded me of the days with young master Pee and our times alighting on the dance floors of Cork in all sorts of horrendous conditions doing the tunes justice with our sleek and slick moves on the dance floor...nice...I look forward to doing that again, oh yeah.

As I was chilling out waiting to go to Kyoto, Kazu, a Japanse birder whom I met here last year, emailed me to tell me that there was a Chinese (Swinhoe's) Egret at Ebie!! I missed the one there last year so it was great to hear there was one here again. Although annual in Japan, they are very rarely seen in Osaka. I legged it to the train, rang Rob, and was on site 40 minutes later. Cool, another new species in the bag (see first photo above)!! Rob arrived 2 minutes later and we had a brief chat, making plans to go camping and trying to get me to play in the frisbee tournament next weekend. Anyway, he had to leg it back home before the family woke up as he had snuck out without them knowing. Although the heat haze was bad and the heat unbearable, a couple of Green Herons flew in (see second and third photos) which was nice. All rounded off with a close Spot-billed Duck (see photo below) which are common as muck. So, I left there in good spirits, notching up another lifer, and trying unsuccessfully to photo dragonflies, butterflies, Little Terns and Japanese Skylarks. A pleasant afternoon.

Off to Kyoto then, and back again as the whole venture north was cancelled at the last minute due to our inability to get the car. An emergency came up which there was nothing we could do. Oh well. There's always next weekend. So my friends and those I don't know, I bid you all farewell and good night...

Carmo's Diet: This week I have mostly been eating Subway Club, with Subway Avacado Special as a treat

Carmo's Birds: SWINHOE'S EGRET*; Little Tern; Green Heron; Kentish Plover; LRP; - 257 Japan

Carmo's Birds for Byrdy: The brazilian chick I saw in the crowd during the week watching a game...