My Walkabout

On my first Sunday in Mito I went and a long walk around the Sakura (cherry blossom) river and Samba lake as a long-cut to getting to church. It was a beautiful day and so the hour-long walk was a beautiful time to think and pray after a crazy first week of work. (I would add sipping coffee to that list of enjoyments but no one seems to walk and drink here in Japan and so I drank my coffee before I left. 

Here are some pictures from that walk. 

The flowers are plum blossoms.

However, going to church has not been my only excuse to get out and see the city. On at least two occasions I have gotten horrendously lost on my way to the grocery store. The kind of lost where I started in downtown and at one point had to follow signs saying "Mito city this way" (in Japanese, of course) -.- But that trip took me through the outskirts of the city where every yard seemed immaculately  and beautifully trimmed. It was snowing too, so thickly that I could not tell the difference between the falling snow and the thick white plum blossoms on the trees. The camera did not do it justice so I won't belittle that particular scene with photos. 

I also did some extensive walking after church through the gardens and parks of the city (not the famous one... the many other parks. I somehow have not made it to the famous one yet).