“Cuppa” and a “Chinwag”

My nana always loved a “cuppa” and  a chat. My folks enjoy a good “cuppa” and I am not the exception!

My family are not coffee drinkers, in fact I can’t remember having coffee in the house until my teenage friends started coming round. I have only tried coffee twice in my life and that was when visiting coffee plantations in Costa Rica and Tanzania. I managed a sip!

We are big tea drinkers. I guess it is our English heritage. A “cuppa” is a cup of tea. I do however love a good coffee shop, I actually love the aroma of fresh coffee. But it could be the best coffee shop in the world and I will always order a “cuppa”. This has proved problematic at times, as the proud barista can not conceive one would order tea in such a fine coffee establishment so after ordering a cup of tea I find myself presented with a cappuccino. I am sure my kiwi accent is not that strong!

In Japan, there are numerous coffee shops and cafes. “Cheap and cheerful” chain stores through to the sublime and sometimes expensive. People’s homes are often small and far from the city center so they meet in coffee shops and easily spend a couple of hours over a “cuppa” I guess this is why they don’t mind spending $10 on a drink as they are kind of renting a catch up space.

So come, pull up a chair, settle, relax, savour the aroma of your drink of choice, enjoy the taste and listen in, as my good friend Dotty ( she is the one in orange! such a nice colour on her I think) and I ( in blue to suit my eyes) have a good old “chinwag” over a cuppa in my favourite virtual cafe, NIhongoJapango.

“Hey, Dotty! What have you been doing with yourself? I haven’t seen you since getting back from visiting the folks in NZ over August”

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“Really! I did Blogging 101 back in June, I found it excellent too. I met so many new bloggers and learnt a lot. How about the Writing 101? have you tried that?”

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“Good on you! I am doing it now. It has kept me so busy the last week and a bit. Work has been taking a bit of a back seat!”

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“Well it is definitely thought provoking. I love seeing how others approach topics. I have a 5 day break coming up. Friends from NZ are visiting as of tonight, for a week so I might not be able to keep up with the posts quite as much but am sure I will find time check out my classmate’s responses. What are your plans for the break?”

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“Nice! I love taking part in those neighbourhood festivals. They are so lively. July through to September seems to be the season for them. The street food is fun and the atmosphere amazing. The temples just come alive. The omikoshi, portable shrines are so ornate! and heavy! those things weigh up to 600 kgs! My students take part in one every year I think it is on while my friends are here. We will try and go!!

Local Neighbourhood Festival

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“Yes, we have so many other plans I am not sure if we can fit them all in. We are having 2 nights in Hakone. It is up in the mountains. You can get great views of Mt Fuji, weather permitting and there are wonderful onsen ( hotsprings) there. We will definitely go to the outdoor sculpture park. It is one of my favourite places.”

Mt Fuji

Hakone Outdoor Sculpture Park

Hakone Outdoor Sculpture Park

Hakone Outdoor Sculpture Park

“Hope to walk the Rainbow Bridge and visit Odaiba and maybe this cool wee outdoor museum near my place which has old style Japanese houses from all over.”

Outdoor Folk Museum

Rainbow Bridge

“An of course,  food! I want to introduce them to all sorts of Japanese cuisine. I’d love to take them to one of the cooking class I attend. You should check out their site and come sometime Dotty! I am planning on going to a very cool workshop they are doing in October!”

Cooking class!

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“Yes. I had better get back to work too! Been great catching up for a “chinwag” over a “cuppa” I ‘ll see you again sometime soon Dot! Take care now”

“Oh Reader!” sorry it’s so hard to get a word in edge wise when Dotty and I get going! Don’t run off! Tell me, What’s happening for you this month? Any exciting plans?”

Yoroshiku Onegai shimasu

Leanne