"Where are you from?" is a question that is often asked of us, almost as soon as we introduce our names. Usually "Canada" is a sufficient answer, but if anyone asks anything beyond this, I get a bit nervous. Where are we from? Where is home? "Port Perry" is an adequate answer for me, but then Rod answers "near Cobourg" and it just seems odd that a married couple would be from two different places. And then what about the four years that we each spent in Hamilton? And the years we've lived in Papua New Guinea, British Columbia and Mexico? Or, could it be the few months that we spent as a married couple in the wee town of Grafton? Where is home? For that matter what is home? My brother and I have wondered about this, and the best answer we came up with is "Home is where your pillow is."
And so, with that as a guide, let us introduce you to our new home - Himeji.
It's a city of about 450,000 people: a country town by Japanese standards. When I told a student that neither Rod or I were accustomed to living in a big city, she outright laughed at me. I guess I was told. In many ways the city is an odd mix: European style statues are along the main roads; small, traditional shops are everywhere, as are western stores and fashions. There are quite a few expensive and elegant hotels and stores, but equally as many dilapitated buildings. It's not like any city either of us have lived or been to before.
The city's main attraction is Himeji Castle. It is truly a beautiful building, and was built four hundred years ago as a defensive structure. The inside is ingeniously designed to confuse any attackers, and the simplicity of the wood inside is striking.
And so, this has become our home. A plethora of Japanese shops and signs, a world-renown castle in our backyard, and our pillows.
2 comments:
Brilliant title! You had your whitty moment!!
"wow, they have their own web site, that's cool", was the comment from here. 99 snoeks
Rob and Pam and family.
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