Japanese and English

Here in Bibury we have Japanese people visiting on most days of the year.  The Japanese love the Cotswolds, and in particular Bibury.  Some say it is because Emperor Hirohito came here when a Prince during the first half of the last century, and on his return home became a fervent advocate of the area.  Other people say that a very famous Japanese artist [no one knows his name] came to Bibury in the 1970s and that the area formed the basis for much of his work from then on.

Accordingly, I have made a little effort to learn a little Japanese.  I can do the basic greetings, the numbers and a few other fairly simple things.  It has been tough going as English and Japanese do not have any words in common, or so I thought.  I have had to learn each word very slowly.  Yesterday, a Japanese gentleman bought a little tub of local ice cream.  The ice cream is fantastic and produced on a farm near Northleach, around six miles away from Bibury.  It comes in small tubs with a small plastic spoon secreted under the lid.  When I placed the tub of ice cream on the counter I could tell that the chap was wondering if there was a spoon available so I launched into a ham fisted attempt in Japanese to explain where it was:  'Asoko des spoon'.  Or 'there is spoon'.  Much to my amazement he understood what I meant and then went on to explain in near perfect English that the Japanese use the same words as we do for a 'spoon' and a 'fork'.  I was over joyed by the fact that here were two words that I did not have to learn.  I asked him if we share the same words for chop stick. We don't.

Incidentally, I was told this morning that the symbolic bird of Tokyo is a kingfisher, where apparently they are in abundance.  We have several of these beautiful birds on the river in front of the shop.  Maybe that's another reason why the Japanese like it here so much.

Otter Update

The otters previously mentioned are apparently owned by a lady who rescues baby otters.  The Trout Farm supply them with food in the form of trout that are deemed to be unfit for human consumption.  For example, if a fish is found to have died over night then it is only suitable for otter food or the bin.  The trout farm also supply fish to the otters at Slimbridge.  Incidentally, these local otters are the same ones that were in the Harry Potter film.

Good and bad news

I hear that the American signal crayfish is a few miles away at Coln St Denis and rapidly traveling towards us. These voracious interlopers eat everything and leave nothing for the indigenous river life. However, they are easy to catch and taste very good. So probably good news for otters and adventurous barbecuers. We shall soon see what effect they have on the river.

Otter day trip

On the topic of the return of wildlife, whilst walking past the trout farm the other day I noticed a lady with a car full of otters. I wish I'd asked where she was going with them. A few guesses:

1. Is it possible to hunt mink with a pack of otters? That avoids the ban on hunting with dogs.

2. A trip to the trout farm with a family of otters would be a big hit. But how does someone get in a position to treat otters? (And you'd get banned from the farm pretty quickly.)

3. Perhaps then it was a day trip from the otter refuge (but isn't there a risk they'll run away?)

4. Weren't there otter noses for sale in the stadium in Life of Brian? And there's an ice cream van parked up nearby. Leave that one there.

5. Travelling otter circus uses unmarked car.

I really wish I'd asked.