Getting ready

Only one week left until my plane takes off. I am getting psyched, I got my mind set and I read the most amazing book about Japan written by Misako Matsubara "A path to Japan / Weg zu Japan" from 1983. It beautifully tells the story of Japan its struggles, its heros and its transformation from the medieval times, the first european ships to run ashore, Oda Nobunaga, the Tokugawa clan and its isolation from the world for 200 years, the forced reopening of the border and up to the modern industrial times. In fact it was so good that since my sister is getting married to a Japanese architect I recommended it to my mother. At this time I must quote her because only a female writer could have made my mother say the following "At first I thought this book was only about facts and dates but as I started reading I could not get enough. Everyday I was looking forward to come home from work and stuck my nose in this book.". Mum you're just the best :).