So...I suppose I should say a word or two about Gifu, Japan. Why? Well, because it is the city in which you can find the house in which you can find the computer at which I sit. It is also the place that we currently (and for the last six years) call home. Gifu has an approximate population of 480,000 but it is widely dispersed and you'd never know it unless you found yourself out driving the roads on a Sunday afternoon...in the midst of a stop-and-go sea of humanity. The city is surrounded by mountains and the region is known for outdoor activities. A river, the Nagara, bisects the city and provides an escape from the muggy summer air. A 50 minute drive into the mountains places you at the ski lodges in winter, waterfalls and diving pools in summer. Rafting and mountain biking enthusiasts speak of the prefecture as if it is some sort of mecca, as do climbers. Being the admittedly sedentary person that I am...none of this really has any bearing on our continued residence...though it is nice to have all that nature within reach. Our favorite Sunday drive takes us one hour north to the Kouga keikoku (river gorge), where short waterfalls tumble down the mountain from one crystal clear pool to another. Stop and pick up some convenience store sushi and you're all set for an impromptu picnic! I suppose spring and fall are the best seasons here; the most moderate weather... And yet nothing compares to the ice cold plunge into the river gorge when the summer sun turns all of Gifu into one big furnace! It is a land-locked prefecture, one devoid of anything resembling an ocean breeze. I am not a fan of winter,(you will no doubt see this reflected throughout my webpage) so it is difficult for me to say anything positive about winter in Gifu...usually I escape to warmer parts of the world. We are fortunate to have a schedule that allows us the freedom to roam the globe several times a year. But that is another page entirely.

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