Alright. Another morning of waking up at 4am, which is 11am at home. So, what better time to put my two cents in?
We've spent the last couple of days in Amagasaki, outside of Osaka. Quite urban, compact, and industrial, with remarkably few cars on the roads, but a great rail transit system, if you can read the instructions! Below is a view of the tire shop from the hotel window. As it is at home as well, store fronts are just that-- fronts. But what for us would be a parking lot in back instead holds at least four dwellings. Here, compact is key. And everything stacks. If you actually own a car here, you can park it in a tower. Just use the car elevator!
By far the most interesting viewing is of the people. Everyone I've "met" (or even tried to talk to) has been very friendly. Even the cooks wave when you leave the restaurant. They are very respectful of others, which is probably why I got busted while taking pictures of the first Sonos concert of the tour. Embarrassing! But not without some booty:
This first one was held at the Hyogo Performing Arts Center. The audience was impressively quiet during pieces, and they waited until the conductor's arms were down before applauding, allowing us to hear such things as the extended note at the end of one of the pieces for at least 15 seconds.
The audience's musical skills were evident as they sang along with A Thousand Winds, mostly all in tune and well-timed, watching Jim and going right along with the ritard at the end. It was quite impressive to sit in the middle of it all.
But now, it's time to start the new day. Off to Tokyo!
Posts
YAY!!! A Post! YAY!!! ha ha! now tell mom to write something cause I'm waiting!
ReplyDelete@Kim - hit the link for "Older post". Your mom already posted twice! Pay attention, girl! :-)
ReplyDelete15 seconds for an audience is "forever." It must be scary.
ReplyDeleteThere's a story about the original cast of "Oklahoma." They had been doing it for about a year and were pretty set in their ways. One night they got to a place where the audience had always laughed... and they didn't. It was dead silence. I don't know how performers "work harder" but that is what I was told happened.
Mike Houston
I am one of the audience at Hyogo yesterday. Thank you for all the members ob Sonos,cause you gave us kindly and grateful time yesterday.Actually,the last moment was so much beautiful when your bell sounds were fading away.Although it was my first experiance of handbell ringing,I had become a great fan of you.Please come back to Hyogo near future!
ReplyDelete