Here's my Easter Island iconic photo otherwise known as Isla de Pascua or Rapa Nui.

Here's my iconic Machu Picchu picture taken with my new camera.

I haven't been posting since January and something happened to my blog page. Instead of figuring it out, I just picked a new template and lost whatever I had before.

This blog is just like my real life. I have moved from the Sunset section of San Francisco and am back in the Richmond. I lost my semi-ocean view and friends tell me Baker Beach is a 10-minute walk from my place. I haven't been to Baker Beach in years.

This is my first night in new apartment. It's 100 square feet smaller than where I was previously. Your real estate dollar doesn't go quite as far here since I am on the edge of mansion row. I think Senator Diane Feinstein used to have a house in this neighbourhood, or was that Laurel Heights. Robin Williams used to live close to here as well, but I think since his divorce he moved to Marin.

Maybe I'll go back to posting now. My life has been crazy so far this year. I was in Peru and Easter Island from February 13 thru March 2, and then after I came back I had to look for a new place and now here I am. What a whirlwind it's been. Hopefully now I can settle down and start writing and blogging again.

I went to the japanese new year ceremony at the asian art museum on december 30. I was so intrigued when I read the following: "As in past observances, a 2100-lb., sixteenth-century Japanese bronze bell originally from a temple in Tajima Province in Japan and now part of the museum's permanent collection will be struck 108 times with a large custom-hewn log. According to Japanese custom, this symbolically welcomes the New Year and curbs the 108 bonno (mortal desires) which, according to Buddhist belief, torment humankind. It is hoped that with each reverberation the bad experiences, wrong deeds, and ill luck of the past year will be wiped away. Thus, tolling heralds the start of a joyous, fresh New Year. "


Here are my pictures of the bell. I took these pics with my new canon sx-100 camera.

More bell.