Japanese Surgeon's Daily Life

Hawaii Again

　　I stayed on Oahu island from Dec. 8th to 15th and I'm going to write about this trip for a couple of weeks from now. Every time I visit Hawaii, I find something new and I can't get bored of visiting Hawaii. On this trip, I revisited some places and got new impressions and visited some new places which I've long been eager to visit.
　　Meanwhile, I have to tell you about the catalyst for starting jogging as one of my hobbies in my 50's. I hadn't experienced any running exercises without obligatory work in my high school days. To such a middle aged man, one of my friends advised me of the marathon on my behalf. Then, I had come to enjoy several marathons as I had written in this blog many times. He sometimes told me that he would like to try to join the Honolulu Marathon at the age of 60. For Japanese people, the age of 60 is a milestone of his/her lives. This practice comes from the Oriental Zodiac. He turned 60 this year and he and some of his friends including me joined the Honolulu Marathon as one of its celebratory events.
　　I own a timeshare condominium in Waikiki, Honolulu. I invited them to my condominium and we stayed there for a week and enjoyed staying on Oahu island to our heart's content.

(Vocabulary)
catalyst «…の»変化を促すもの[人], 要因, きっかけ«for»; 〘化〙触媒.
Oriental Zodiac 干支
celebratory event 祝賀行事

１２月８日から１週間、ホノルルに滞在していました。滞在中のいろいろな出来事をこれからしばらく書いていきます。今回はマラソンを勧めてくれた友人たちと一緒です。写真は滞在したコンドミニアムのリビングダイニングです。

 

The Last Night in Honolulu

　　We spent the last night in Honolulu on the 14th. After dinner three of the four participants of the Honoulu Marathon got together and took some pictures with the finisher's medal raised. Sadly to say, one of the participants had to come back to Japan a day earlier due to her business. Anyway, this medal would become a great memento for us.

(Vocabulary)
memento 思い出の品, 記念品; 形見; 記憶.

　１４日はホノルルで過ごす最後の夜になった。写真はホノルルの最後の夜にホノルルマラソンの完走メダルを掲げている３人。マラソンには４人が参加したが、一人は仕事の都合で１日早く帰国してしまったので３人だけの写真になっている。この旅は本当に良い想い出になった。

Hanauma Bay

　　We visited Hanauma Bay in the early morning for the first time. I had been in the mood to swim in the bay someday since my first visit to Honolulu because I heard that the famous movie, "Blue Hawaii" starring Elvis Presley, was shot in this bay. However, the bay is far from the city center of Honolulu and it's not easily accessible. My friends were also eager to visit the bay and I was able to hire a guide and transportation.
　　The bay was originally beautiful, but additionally it had been closed for three years due to the pandemic and subsequently the bay apparently became more beautiful. The bay is still closed from Saturday to Tuesday for environmental conservation even now, so we visited the bay on Wednesday. We rented all the gears for snorkeling and followed the guide on the surface of the sea. The depth was only 0.5 to 1.5 meters, but we were prohibited to stand on the coral reef. That meant that we didn't take a rest on the way. Floating on the wave which was calmly and slightly moving up and down, I got wave-sick or sea-sick. The guide grabbed my left arm and took me with her to the last destination point. I should have taken some medicine for sea-sickness. Anyway, I was able to shoot pictures with my right hand. I'll show you some of them. The scenery in the water was really wonderful. I saw lots of kinds of fish that I'd never seen before.
　　I have a three-year-old granddaughter. She wouldn't have seen a fish swimming in the wild. I hoped I'd take her to the bay.

ハナウマ湾

　早朝から皆でハナウマ湾を訪れた。ハナウマ湾は初めてハワイに来たときから気になっていた。エルビス・プレスリー主演の映画、ブルーハワイのロケ地でとても美しいビーチと聞いていたから。しかし、ビーチはワイキキの街から遠く、入場手続きが煩雑でなかなか機会が無かった。

　もともと美しいビーチなのだが、３年に及ぶコロナ禍のために観光客が激減し、海が更にきれいになったと言う。現在、環境を守るために土曜から火曜日まではビーチへの立ち入りは禁止されている。ビーチが開かれる水曜日を待ってガイドツアーに申し込んだ。案内、移動、シュノーケリングの道具レンタルなど全て任せられるので楽だった。

　波に浮かんでシュノーケリングしながら移動するのであるが、船酔いならぬ波酔いをしてしまい、残念ながら十分には楽しめなかったが、沢山の魚が泳ぐ姿を見ることが出来た。人を恐れることを知らない魚ばかりで、目の前を横切っていく。貴重な経験だった。もうすぐ３歳になる孫娘を連れてきて遊ばせてやりたいと思った。自分で撮った水中の写真をＵＰするのでご覧下さい。

Pipe Masters

　　Pipe Masters, the word which I had never heard of before. Judging from the sign whose pictures are shown below, however, I understood that the event has a long history. Our driver urged us to go to the beach and I was surprised to see the big waves. It was rare or no chance to see such big waves in Japan. Four participants of the competition were floating and waiting for the best wave. Compared to the height of surfers, the height of the waves would have been more than 3 times their height. We were very lucky to happen to watch the competition. On the last visit to Hawaii, a taxi driver advised me and my wife to visit the North Shore in winter to see the big waves. I understood his words today. When we came back to our condominium, the taped competition was on air. Two Japanese surfers were on the participants list. After coming back to Japan, they were respectively the 23rd and 37th place out of 40 participants. I hope that they would win their spurs in the future.

https://pipemasters.vans.com/2023/leaderboard

パイプマスターズ、初めて聞く言葉だった。しかし、立て看板から察するに伝統ある大会のようで、ガイドに促されてビーチに出てびっくり。日本ではあまり見ることの無い大きな波が打ち寄せていた。人の身長は優に超える高さだった。この日はたまたま大会が開かれていた。大会を観戦することができてラッキーだった。前回の旅で冬のノースショアの波を見るといいとタクシードライバーから聞いていた。これだったのかと理解した。コンドミニアムに戻ってテレビを付けるとまさに我々の見ていた大会が録画放送されていた。日本人も二人参加しているようだった。帰国後、結果をネットで確認すると、２３位と３７位。来年は是非とも優勝してほしい。

Honolulu Marathon

　　Before the entrance of my condominium, lots of runners were moving from the direction of Waikiki beach to the starting point. The start line was set in front of the Ala Moana Center, about 1km from my condominium. We got to the starting place 30 minutes before the starting time. The gathering spot was filled with excitement. The Honolulu marathon is one of the sports events, but I didn't feel any sense of tension from runners around me. The organizer of the marathon didn't set a time limit for finishing the marathon, so I enjoyed the marathon without being concerned about "time-out".
　　The marathon was begun not with a shot from a starting gun but the sounds of fireworks. It was 5 o'clock in the morning, but the sky was still dark before the break of day and the fireworks were really beautiful. The number of runners was about 30,000 and it was 15 minutes later for runners around me to move forward. I saw some on-screen talents running with lighting and shooting assistants. I was captured in a video of one of those talents, "Egashira 2:50", and I'll show you below.
　　I saw various runners, one of them was running with a horn. An old lady was running in memory of her doctor in charge. I was able to run in high gear until the 20km post, but as the sun started burning and it got sweltering, I got exhausted. I couldn't cover up the lack of practice.
　　One thing, the scenery of the seaside of Oahu island was wonderful and I often stopped running and took snapshots or chatted or danced with supporters along the route. After all, my finish time was 9 and a half hours, which was unbelievably bad. However, I enjoyed the marathon. I'd like to join the marathon again some day.
　　In the last picture, the marathon runners were having a party with American beef and wine. I look exhausted and the young lady seems to be perfectly normal. Age tells.

(Vocabulary)
be filled with excitement（催し物・試合などの場所が）熱気に包まれている
the break of day 夜明け

外へ出るとコンドミニアムの前にはすでにスタート地点に向けて大勢の人が歩いていました。アラモアナセンター前からの出発で、我々も１ｋｍほど歩いて３０分くらい前にスタート地点に到着。集合場所はすごい熱気で溢れかえりランナー達はみな楽しそう。スポーツイベントなのですが、あまり緊張感は感じられません。リゾート地のマラソンならではでしょう。制限時間がないので、いつも制限時間を気にしながら走る僕でも気楽に走れます。

スタートの合図はなんと、花火！朝とは言えまだ５時。真っ暗な空に打ち上がる花火の轟音とともにスタートするわけですが、僕の周りのランナーたちが動き始めるまで１０分くらいかかりました。参加者は３万人近くだったそうです。芸能人たちが照明係のスタッフとともに走っていて、そのうちの一人、コメディアンの江頭さんの動画に映り込んでいました。キャプチャー画像を下に載せます。さて、マラソンですが、２０ｋｍまでは快調でしたが、日差しが強すぎて後半はバテてしまいました。練習不足はごまかせません。

快晴の中、景色が素晴らしく、観光スポットで写真を撮りながら走るとついついペースが落ちて９時間３０分でゴール。タイム的には呆れたタイムでしたが、マラソン自体は楽しめました。沿道の応援に応えたり、所々で写真を撮ったり、一緒に踊ったり、，，，ホルンを演奏しながら走っている人や、主治医の追悼のために走っていると思われる高齢女性もいました。しんどかったですが、また走りたいと思っています。

最後の写真は夜、それまで我慢していたワインを飲みながら一緒に走った仲間で宴会をしています。僕のやつれた顔と若い女性の顔が対照的。いやはや歳には勝てませんな。

Honolulu Marathon Eve

　　On the eve of the Honolulu marathon, the dinner was beef steaks. I usually have wine with it, but I refrained from drinking wine for fear of impacting on the marathon. I went to bed about 9 p.m. and got up at 3 a.m. 2 hours before the starting time.
　　The following picture is the breakfast of the Marathon day. This was a typical Japanese-style one with rice and miso soup. Rice keeps you going longer than bread and miso soup goes really well with rice. We brought instant miso soup from Japan for this day. We set out for the starting site at 4 a.m.

明日はいよいよホノルルマラソン。夜はステーキを焼いてもらった。いつもならワインを飲むところだが、今日は不可。しっかりと食べて９時前に就寝し、午前３時に朝食。写真はその食事。腹持ちの良いおにぎりと味噌汁など和食。このために日本から持って来た。４時、スタート地点へ向かった。

Kalakaua Merrie Mile Run

　　Some marathon-related events were held on the eve of the Honolulu marathon. The topic of "Kalakaua Merrie Mile Run" was one of them. When we left the condominium just after 5 o'clock, masses of people in running outfits were walking toward the Honolulu Zoo, in front of which the run would start.
　　Take a look at the first picture. Two men with an orange T-shirt were outstanding with their flashy garnishes. The garnishes on their heads and waists were surely from the outfits for Polynesian dances. I was eager to get them and asked them where they bought those garnishes. They were from the Netherlands and they were brought from their country. Tough! I'd like to run the marathon with them on. The distance of the Merrie Mile Run was only one mile and you can join it lightheartedly. Separated into several groups, lot of people started. Some famous Japanese comedian were among them.
　　We were wandering on the almost empty Waikiki beach. It was really comfortable walking. There were around 20 people on the jetty. Their purpose seemed to view the rising sun on Diamond Head. We also saw it and it was indescribably beautiful. After cheering the last group, we headed for KCC Farmers' market, which was well-known by tourists. We were going to have something local as brunch. I'll upload some pictures in the next entry.

(Vocabulary)
jetty 突堤, 防波堤; 桟橋(pier), 波止場.

　

　ホノルルマラソンの前の日、マラソンに関連した様々なイベントが行われるが、その一つ、メリーマイルランがある。コンドミニアムを出発したのは５時過ぎだったが、既にカラカウア通りには出発地点へ向かう人の波が出来ていた。

　最初の写真に写っているオレンジ色のシャツの男性二人が人目を引いていた。頭の飾りと腰に巻いているものは間違いなくポリネシアダンスの衣装をモチーフにしている。欲しくなってどこで買ったのか尋ねたところ、オランダから持って来たとのこと。残念。付けてマラソンを走りたかったのだが。メリーマイルランの走る距離は１マイルなので気楽に参加できる。何組にも分けて大勢の参加者がスタートした。日本の有名なタレントもいて盛り上がっていた。

　スタートまで少しの間、人のまばらなワイキキビーチを散策した。突堤の先に２０人くらいの人がいた。ダイヤモンドヘッドから昇ってくる朝日を見るためらしい。とても美しい日の出だった。メリーマイルランのスタート風景を見終わってから観光客にも有名な産直市を見に行った。

Jet Lag

　　Jet lag is widely accepted as a nuisance, but it wasn't on this trip. We saw a need to keep being suffered from jet lag for 2 days. The start time of the Honolulu Marathon was 5 a.m., so we had to get up before 3 a.m. on the day of the marathon. Luckily for us, the jet lag helped us get up at such an early hour. All of us went to bed around 9 p.m. last night and got up at about 3 a.m. It was because of the jet jag, and four of us, who would join the marathon, had to keep this condition. I would usually continue to stay in bed to recover from jet lag even if I couldn't sleep, but not on this trip.
　　After breakfast, we left for Waikiki beach to watch a fun run.

　時差ぼけは厄介な物というのが通説だが、今回は違う。我々は時差ぼけを２日間は維持する必要があった。ホノルルマラソンは５時スタートなので、３時頃には起床して準備が必要なのだ。なので、９時頃にはマラソン組は就寝し、９日土曜日も３時に起床した。何の苦労もなく自然に目が覚めた。今日も目一杯遊ぶ！腹ごしらえをして午前５時過ぎ、出発。

Arrival

　　We left Japan in the evening on the 8th, but arrived in Honolulu in the morning on the same day as we strode across the dateline. I usually try to get over jetlag as soon as possible, but this was not the case on this trip. I'll write about the reason in the following entries.
　　Anyway, a brilliant blue sky of Honolulu welcomed us. All the procedures at the airport were perfectly done in a minimum time thanks to the face authentication system. We would stay at the Groud Islander in Hilton Hawaiian Village. I firstly visit Hawaii in this season. The Christmas tree displayed at the airport was a little curious to me.
　　After depositing our suitcases at the condominium some who would join the Honolulu marathon headed for the convention center to check-in the marathon and others started to walk around the village. Then we got some food at the Waikiki Market which was opened in early 2023.
　　I'll show you some pictures shot in the airport, the village and the convention center. The two medals are for the winners and they seemed to be made from 100% gold.

(Vocabulary)
a face [facial] authentication system 顔認証システム

8日の夜に日本を出発したが、日付変更線を跨ぐために到着は同日の朝。眠気はピークだが今回の目的であるホノルルマラソンに合わせるために敢えて時差を解消せず、維持する考え。
ホノルルは快晴で何のトラブルも無く入国審査完了。顔認証システムのお陰で実にスムースに入国できた。この時期にハワイを訪れたのは初めてで、真夏のクリスマスツリーに違和感大！
まずはホノルルマラソンにチェックイン。コンドミニアム近くのコンベンションセンターで受付を済ませ、コンドミニアム周囲やワイキキを散策。今年開業したホノルルマーケットで食材を買い込む。
この投稿ではリゾート内の風景とマラソン受付会場、そこに展示されていた優勝者用の純金のメダルを呈示します。

Honolulu Marathon 2023

　　I found a flyer of the Hawaiian tours in my home which was designed by JAL, Japan's flagship airline company. My wife spotted it at a nearby supermarket and brought it back. The tours were for people who would join the Honolulu marathon which would be held on Dec. 10th. Lots of Japanese would join it after three years of the restraint on overseas tourism, including me and my friends!
　　The tour was elaborately tied-up with upscale hotels and restaurants along with the convenient flights. I've run the Honolulu Half Marathon several years ago. A few hundred top runners were serious at that time, but most runners were running with fun or sightseeing on the public road on which people weren't usually allowed to walk or run. The Honolulu Marathon would be the same. I'd like to enjoy the marathon in December, ignoring the finishing time.

New Shoes

　　I bought a pair of jogging shoes after an interval of several years. The pandemic started, the runners began wearing masks voluntarily in Japan. The experts would be able to run with masks on, but I can't. I would easily become depleted of oxygen, so I haven't practiced jogging for three years. However, I have a marathon which I would really like to join. It's the Honolulu Marathon. That's why I bought new shoes. I asked the shop worker to choose the best ones for beginners. It looks French-made and its cushioning properties are wonderful to protect knees and feet. My next overseas trip will be Oahu island in December.

(Vocabulary)
cushioning properties クッション性

Jogging Along The Thames

　　"What a beautiful and peaceful scenery it is! I didn't imagine that Oxford city had such a place." When I walked in the city center of Oxford, I felt something cold and cramped due to the existence of the old rock walls and pavement. This feeling might be caused by my Japanese genes. However, the atmosphere around the canals was totally different from those old artificial cold surfaces. According to my later research, the length of the total canals in the U.K. is up to a few thousand miles. The U.K. might be called the land of the canals. When I posted the last entry, I didn't know how to call the boats running up and down on the canals. They are apparently called narrow boats. I got it, just expressing their shapes. While jogging, I often stopped and took snapshots. I'll arrange them and add some descriptions to them.
　　I started jogging from Hythe Bridge and reached Isis Lock as I saw yesterday. I took a left turn there and found a railroad heritage site which strongly attracted me. I decided to drop in at the site on the return leg, and went ahead on its underpass. Then I reached the place where the Thames was a little widened. It's the first picture below. I took it as a reservoir formed by a lock, but it was just the place the Thames widened. After 20 minutes of jogging, I found myself at the tip of the towhead. There were several swans and some of them were brown, which would still be babies. According to my later research, they were mute swans. They are apparently often seen across the U.K.
　　Going ahead, several narrow boats were moored in the yacht club. An angler was fishing something in the 7th picture below. While I was gazing at him, he didn't catch anything. Take a look at the backdrop. Lots of oxen were put out to pasture. I remembered the description about the origin of the name of Oxford in the memoir of Prince Naruhito. The Thames used to have a ford on which oxen could cross it around the area. That's why this area was named "Oxford". Even though Prince Naruhito was busy on a daily basis, he could have been at such peaceful places for a change.
　　I continued to run and reached the place which is shown in the 10th picture as a blue round spot. The just-left cocktail glass mark stands for the Perch which I visited a few days ago. Additionally, the upper cocktail glass mark shows the site of the Trout Inn. The route on which I'd run must have been the route that Prince Naruhito loved and cycled with his guard. The Prince would open the gate and go ahead. I wrote about its goal in another entry: https://kumo.typepad.jp/weblog/2023/07/thames-path.html

(Vocabulary)
surface 外見
leg 〔旅行の〕一つの行程◆休みを取らずに、方向や進み方が同じ旅行の区間
towhead (立木の生えた)川の中州
mute swan コブハクチョウ
put ~ out to pasture（家畜を）放牧する
pasture （家畜の）牧草地, 放牧場; 牧草
ford 浅瀬
backdrop（景色などの）背景

https://kumo.typepad.jp/weblog/2023/07/thames-path.html

　

　なんとのどかで美しい景色だろうか。旧市街を歩くと周囲は全て石で囲まれており、窮屈な感じ、あるいは冷たい感じがしていた。オックスフォードにこんな場所があったとは。しかし、この運河周辺は全く異なる。帰国後調べたところ、イギリスの運河の長さは数千マイル、まさに運河の国と呼んでも良いのでは？先の投稿時には知らなかったのだが、運河を航行するボートをその形の通りナローボートと呼ぶらしい。ジョギング中、たびたび立ち止まって景色を写真に収めたので、順に並べて説明していく。

　昨日同様にHythe Bridgeからジョギングを開始した。走り出してIsis Lockまで昨日と同じルートを走り、左手に折れた。古い鉄道の跡があったが、これは帰りにじっくり見るとして線路の下をくぐり進むとテムズ川の川幅が少し広くなったところへ出た。これを北へ曲がり北上。１枚目の写真がテムズ川の広くなっている場所。閘門に繋がるリザーバーかと思ったが、単に川幅が広くなっているだけだった。北へ向かって走ると中州の先端のような場所に出た。なんと、白鳥が居た。成長した雛とともに。どうやら家族だ。後日調べると、Mute Swan（コブハクチョウ）らしい。イギリスのほぼ全域に１年中見られるらしい。

　更に進むと、ナローボートが何隻も係留されていて、ヨットクラブまであった。７枚目の写真では釣り人がいる。その向こうを見て欲しい。牛が放牧されている。そういえば、陛下の留学記に、オックスフォードは牛が渡ることの出来る瀬があるということから名付けられたと書かれていた。陛下は日頃研究で忙しくても、週末に自転車なら２０分ほどでこんな風景が拡がっている。気分転換には最適な場所だ。

　景色に感動しながら走り、１０枚目の写真の場所へ来た。この場所はどこかというと、最後の地図を見てください。　右下の青い丸が僕のいる位置、すぐ左にあるカクテルグラスのマークは先日立ち寄ったパブPerchの場所を示しています。そして、上の方にあるカクテルグラスのマークはTrout Innの位置を示しています。僕がジョギングしてきたこのルートは、陛下が警護官と一緒に自転車でパブをハシゴされたルートに間違いない。陛下はこのゲートを開けて走って行かれたに違いない。そしてそのゴールは先日の記事に書いた。

Jogging Along Oxford Canal

　　I had some time early evening until the dinner with my daughter. I enjoyed jogging around my hotel. Wandering aimlessly, I found myself on the Hythe Bridge at the westside of Oxford Station. There, I noticed a few slim and unique shaped boats moored on the right hand looking from the bridge and promptly headed for them. All the boats were covered by a roof and some of them bore cargo even on their roof.
　　Those boats were not only moored to the shore, but connected to a power point. There was a garbage dumping site and a toilet near the mooring site. According to the signboard, the mooring was restricted within two days. This site would be synonymous with Japan's RV park.
　　Recently in Japan, the facilities called "Recreational Vehicle Parks" have been built across the country. I've utilized a few campgrounds in Alberta in Canada in the 90s. Finally these facilities started to be opened in Japan too and I'm very happy with this condition. Like the epitome of curiosity, I continued to do slow jogging along the channel over looking around. I stumbled across a person on the way who was operating a lock. Observing him, I realized how the lock worked and it was Interesting.
　　I found a signboard to explain the area and I learned that the name of the channel is "Oxford Canal". I ran up to the north along the canal and turned to the right at Godstow Rd, then ran down Woodstock Rd to the south to my hotel, the easy Hotel Oxford. The total distance was about 10 km. Walking, running, and taking snapshots, everything which came in my sight was fresh and new to me. The jogging was great fun.
　　After dinner, I traced the route on the map which I had travelled and was surprised to know that I had almost reached three pubs which Prince naruhito, present Ten-noh, had referred to in his memoir. I decided to run around the pubs tomorrow.

(Vocabulary)
power point (英）コンセント　outlet(米)

　夕方、娘と約束したディナーまで時間があったのでジョギングした。当てもなく走っていたらオックスフォード駅の西側に出て、Hythe Bridgeという橋の上にいた。ふと右手（北の方）を見ると、細長い船が何隻も川に係留されている。反射的にそちらの方角へ向かった。
　ボートには電源コードが繋がっている。係留は二日までと表示されているこの場所は、日本でも最近増えてきたＲＶパークのようなものだろう。この船達はいわゆるキャンピングカー、あるいはモーターホームに相当するのだろう。運河脇に、トイレとゴミ捨て場も設置されていた。好奇心の塊と化して、キョロキョロしながら水路に沿って走った。途中、ちょうど閘門を操作している人に出会った。なんと人力でやっていた。
　しばらく走っていて案内板があった。この水路の名前はOxford Canal。さらに、この運河に沿って北上し、Godstow Rdに出て右折、Woodstock Rdを南下して宿泊していたeasy Hotel Oxfordへ帰着。１０ｋｍくらいだったか。歩いたり、走ったり、写真を撮ったり、眼に入る全てが新鮮で、楽しいジョギングだった。
　ホテルに帰ってから走ったルートを確認して驚いた。陛下がサイクリングではしごした３軒のパブ（The Perch, Trout Inn, The White Hart）の近くまで走っていた。明日の計画は決まった。

CLIMBING BOOTS

　　During climbing up, the sole of my climbing boots started to peel off and I had to walk carefully not to aggravate the situation. On the summit, however, the sole of the left boot peeled heavily, almost taken off. While climbing down, the right side one fell into the same condition and I had difficulties.
　　Everything has its life span and I bought these boots about 35 years ago. I used them one to two weeks a year for 10 years or so, but ever since the boots have been stored in the shoe box. This event shows that the component outlives its usefulness and capability of preventing failure.
　　However, I wasn't able to give up the boots and took them to my regular shoemaker. I appealed to him for revival of the boots. I'd like to use them a little longer. The shoes' trouble sometimes endangers climber's lives in high mountains. Especially in winter, that's the case. I'm not going to use them in winter or high mountains, but these boots truly fit my feet and I'd like to use them while trekking on easy routes.
　　When it comes to the shoes trouble, a happening in Whistler in Canada sticks with me. This incident is written here in this blog(link). After coming back to the lodge, my ski boots came apart in pieces as I stepped forward. If this incident happened in skiing, I would have been seriously injured. In today's case, I was just lucky with lots of helpful friends, the wonderful weather and the low mountains.

(Vocabulary)
climbing boots 登山靴
spats スパッツ
sole [C] 足の裏; [C] 靴底; [C] (複 sole, soles) シタビラメ (海水魚)
shoes with rubber soles ゴム底の靴
endanger one's life 命に関わる

https://kumo.typepad.jp/weblog/2012/03/miserable-boots.html

Paralympic's Over

　　I seldom watch the paralympic games. I'm not interested in their sports, but this is not the single reason. The long and short of it is that I have become too sorrowful to bear seeing the games. Even if someone set a record high in some games - of course, it's surely joyous - his/her record is, in many cases, created by setting categories. Their record might be changed by their tools or categories. I'm totally indifferent to their records, but I admire their tremendous effort. I'm not confident to continue to exercise like them with physical handicaps.
　　On the other hand, I have another paradoxical viewpoint. I cannot help comparing handicapped athletes with other people with disabilities. People with disabilities will have hardships for living itself. They must have been struggling to make a living. Once a handicapped athlete rises to fame, he/she would get some financial support and also get exempted to work, then he/she would be able to concentrate on his/her sports. I had been seeing ordinary handicapped people in my daily life as a health care worker, who couldn't afford to start with their favorite sports. How do gold medals glitter among such a few number of players.

 

Tokyo Olympics Over

　　The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are over. I think that this Olympics finished in success. Because of the pandemic, various limitations were imposed on this Olympics, but people who were involved in the Games have done a good job. I'd like to extend my congratulations to them and thank the Government for its decision. Seeing the happy faces of the participants and ordinary people, some groups who were against the Olympics sank in silence. Their gloomy appearance made me feel refreshed. In addition, I hope for the vigorous fights and cultural exchange in the coming 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

(Vocabulary)
gloomy 鬱(ゆううつ)な, 重苦しい; 悲観的な[同意] depressing ; 薄暗い, 陰気な
cultural exchange 文化交流

Tokyo Olympics

　　The 2020 Tokyo Olympics has just started though it's in 2021. There were various controversies over the holding of the Games, but the Government decided to hold it overcoming huge difficulties. To tell the truth, I'm not so much interested in the Olympics, but there would be no country other than Japan that would be able to hold such a big international event at present. People who are involved in the Olympics still have a lot on the plate, but I hope that it ends in success.

 

A Week To Go

　　The start of the Tokyo Olympics is coming in less than a week. Lots of players and associated people are arriving in Tokyo. To confine the pandemic, the Japanese Government decided to hold the Olympic Games without spectators, which causes various controversies everywhere. I don't know if the decision is reasonable or not, but I hope that the Tokyo Olympics will become the starting point of the restoration from the pandemic.

 

What becomes of 2020 Tokyo Olympics

　　The recent poll says that more than a half of Japanese people want to re-postpone the Tokyo Olympics one more year. Japan's government is going to shut out international spectators and tourists during the Olympics. Without international guests, can the Olympics be livened up? To tell the truth, the increasing number of would-be volunteers appear to back out of their tasks. I'm for the postponement though it might be a considerable hardship for athletes and people who are concerned to wait for the Olympics one more year.
　　By the way, do you know where the 2022 Winter Olympics is to be held? It's in Beijing. The U.S., Canada, and EU acknowledge China's policy for Uighur people as GENOCIDE. Naturally their policy doesn't go well with the Olympic Charter. What becomes of this Winter Olympics? Even if China pushed to hold the Games, would the Olympics, in which lots of countries from the northern hemisphere don't join, be completed? Does such Olympic Games make sense?
　　Japan has the experience of holding two Winter Olympics in Sapporo and Nagano. How about Japan's taking on the substitute of China and holding two Olympics of Winter and Summer in the same year, 2022?

 

2020 Tokyo Olympics

　　What will become of the one year late Olympic games in Tokyo? Representative players from all over the world are surely expecting it to be held, but about 70% of Japanese people around me seem to be reluctant to have it. As for me, I'm on the reluctant side. I'm sorry to say this for the authorities concerned, Japan should be cautious to the utmost about receiving visitors. The influence of the Wuhan virus is now decreasing in Japan. I hope that this tendency would go on and on to put an end to the outbreak.

今年、1年遅れの東京オリンピックが開催されるのだろうか？ すでに代表に決まっている選手たちは是非とも開催して欲しいだろうが、日本の国民感情はどうだろうか？僕の周りでは７割くらいは消極的な考えのようだ。僕自身ももう開催しないほうが良いのではないかと考えている。
準備に投資した関係者には申し訳ないが、海外からウイルスが持ち込まれる可能性がある。大量に外国人がやってくることには慎重になるべきではないか。