Mr. Hara's birthday

Another blurry yet evocative offering today. The flash on my camera stopped working in Nepal the summer before last, and I haven't got around to sending it away to be fixed, as there are always so many things to take pictures of! So indoor shots remain frustrating. Still, I thought it better to capture a blurry shot for the sake of memory.

And besides, the blur conveys a joy of movement to the shot which I quite like. Today was Mr. Hara's birthday, and here we are with him, doing the signature "hands in the aaiirrr" Cambridge House pose. Mr. Hara is the man you can see in the (African) hat, and loves to throw 'International parties', which are always full of costumes, food and dancing. He makes short documentaries for NHK in his spare time, and so the event is also filmed for posterity (felt a bit strange at first, but a great memory always!). Met a lovely Nepali couple today, from whom I may be able to acquire the means to make dhal baat takaari (a traditional Nepalese dish consisting of curried vegetables, lentil soup, and rice) in Japan! Another great day.

P.s. Got given a katana samurai sword today at the party, by someone who names himself Hattori-san (Kill Bill, anyone?!). A model one, I mean (not sharp), but over a metre in length, and very exciting. Overjoyed at this gift, until I looked up bringing it back to the UK, and found it is illegal. Heartbreak.