Cumulus clouds with flat bottoms...ever wonder why?

Up until today, I never wonder about that, but I don’t why today, while in the University I looked out off the window to the city and a saw a very distinguished line separating the clouds in the sky... So I wonder why that happens! First step discover what kind of cloud I saw in the sky. That wasn’t so hard. The several types are divided for both shape related and altitude related characteristics. The ones I saw are the low altitude ones the cumulus, so called like this because they appear to be in a pile or heap.So my question got a little more specific...Why do Cumulus clouds have flat bottoms?After a little more research, and thanks to Yahoo Answers I found my answer:

It has to do basically with the temperature of the air and the point when the water condensate in to small droplets to form the clouds. Since the temperature in the atmosphere does not vary horizontally, just vertically the clouds appear to have flat bottom. The bottom of the cloud represents the so called dew point, above which the water condensates and below which the water remains in vapour!

Festival of the stars - Tanabata

Tanabata or 七夕(in Japanese) means the evening of the seventh when it takes place the the festival of the stars. It was originally inspired by the Chinese festival Qi Xi.

The Chinese folclore says that Orihime (織姫, Weaving Princess) the daughter of the Tentei (天帝, Sky King) wove beautiful clothes by the bank of the Milky Way (天の川 Amanogawa). She woved everyday very hard but she was sad because she could never meet anyone and fall in love. Her father Tentei, then, arranged a meeting with Hikoboshi (彦星, Cow Herder Star) who lived and worked on the other side of the Amanogawa River (Milky Way). When the two met, it was love at first sight and shortly afterwards they got married.

Once they got married, Orihime no longer would weave cloth for Tentei and Hikoboshi allowed his cows to stray all over Heaven.

So, in anger, her father separated the two lovers across the Amanogawa River and forbade them to meet. Orihime became so devasted with the separation that begged her father to allow them to meet, Teitei moved by Orihime’s tears allowed them to meet on the 7th day of the 7th month if she worked hard and finished her weaving.

If I could imagine Orihime, that would be her...Someone you can fell in love at first sight, someone whose movements are hipnotic and amazingly perfect. I took this picture of a Japanese woman who was wearing a quimono, during the festival! She was performing and was so kind to let me take a picture of her!

The stars took up the names of Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair) that are part the most visible stars in the summer, known as summer triangle.

Nowadays the most emblematic feature of this festival is the little paper wishes you write on a piece of paper and hang in the bamboo trees!This is a picture of one of them! The wish written on it says something like, "I wish for the health of everyone to allow them enjoyment, for happiness and for a good wedding". My wishes would be similar for health, happiness and freedom, although I end up not writting them...

Ferris wheel sights

I always had a thing for ferris wheels! I rode it maybe only once in my life but i sure do like to see them! And its curious that every city, or most of the big cities around these parts has one...this maybe my 3rd close encounter with them in Japan (the other two from Yokohama and Osaka).

Anyway, this one is from Tokyo in Odaiba. It was a lovely day and it was taken after my job fair day...I got little upset with the whole job fair thing and just went around to enjoy the neighborhood and I found it!!I can say this pic was one of the highlights of that day!!