Name that tune...

Blogger Beta & Picasa are being royal pains in the proverbial, so this is a photo-free post until I can sort out the bugs...

I spotted this at Janet's Snapeariffic blog. My iPod Mini is on shuffle and the first 10 tunes are listed below...Now it's up to you to identify the song and the artist!

1. It was all just a dream, Oh no
2. Do what you want, 'cause I'll do anything (Boys on the Radio - Hole - Claire got it!)
3. She came from Greece, She had a thirst for knowledge (Common People -Pulp - Amy got it!)
4. Sittin' on a sack of beans, Sittin' down in New Orleans (Apache Rose Peacock - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Amy got this one too!)
5. What's wrong? What are you afraid of?
6. Camera got them images, Camera got them all
7. This world rejects me, This world threw me away (Burn - NIN - Amy is definitely on a roll!)
8. Well you can give me all your love, And anything else you got too
9. Freak out, give in
10. He's making all these promises you know he cannot keep (There's a Barbarian in the Back of my Car - Voice of the Beehive - My Float got it!)

It's Photoionary...but with words?!

The Answer...

...A yellow gourd hanging from a bamboo pergola

at Mukojima Hyakkaen:

Thanks for playing Photoionary!

Another round of Photoionary...

What is this?

Post your answers in the comments.

Egypt in miniature...

You may be surprised to realise that this is not the real Sphinx:

It is a cleverly realised miniature from Tobu World Square in Tochigi Prefecture. And it fits nicely with the most recent Amelia Peabody adventure I've devoured - Lion in the Valley:

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Amelia, Radcliffe and their precocious son Ramses do battle against the Master Criminal - a genius of disguise - as they attempt to excavate the burial chamber of the Black Pyramid in Dahshoor...


And I leave you with the grandeur of Abu Simbel:

It's spectacular...even in miniature!

"Please refrain..."

Some important rules to follow if you wish to take the newly constructed Water Bus "HIMIKO" from Asakusa:



Because the embarkation number of people is limited, please understand it beforehand.

Please refrain from a carry-on of food and drink to inboard.

Please refrain from the embarkation of a pet to inboard.

For adult one person, infant one person from 1 year old becomes embarkation charges no charge.

The embarkation to the boat becomes a first-come-first-served basis.

When it is crowded, there is the situation that cannot be carried on the boat which you want to board.

Please ask our staff about waiting time of transfer from Hinode Pier.

On the occasion of the "HIMIKO" embarkation, the extra premium ticket is necessary from child of 1 year old.

I hope that's all crystal clear now!

Frogger...PacMan...Space Invaders...

Japan is a country with a long history of advanced culture and civilisation...and, perhaps, most importantly...

Video Games:



...We spotted these original arcade cabinets while walking around our neighbourhood one night...and it got me thinking about Atari and the 3 games I loved playing the most - PacMan, Frogger and Space Invaders! We didn't actually own an Atari, but I have very fond memories of visiting my friend's house and playing for hours.

What were your favourite games from the 1980s?

Equine Delights...

More shots from my Paris trip:

Police patrolling the streets of Paris

Statue of Charlemagne in front of Notre Dame, Paris

Mounted police in the park in front of the Eiffel Tower, Paris