Fukuoka - festival day (4 May 2017)

Thursday, 4 May 2017: our first day in Japan, exploring Fukuoka

Lots of activities, food stalls, sales, and processions of all kind of groups, here in town. After all it's Golden week. 

We knew upfront coz 7 years ago we visited Japan in exactly the same period. Almost all Japanese are off and enjoying themselves. So it was very busy in town, AND difficult not to make too many photos of the families enjoying the food and all the colorful groups of children rehearsing in the park. 

fishing

cuteness

choc booth

loved the fresh pineapple, great taste

potato artist

picnic in the park

A visit to the former house of the governor, which is now a museum. The building is in a classical French Renaissance style with wooden floors and nice ceilings.  We drank herbal tea and admired the awesome flower pieces, which appeared to be REAL. Wow, amazing. 

Japanese luvvv cuteness: dogs, dressed up receive lots of attention

open air traditional Japanese theatre

Park with rehearsing groups:

hey I know that guy

more cuteness

parade

Asahi beer and a bite. However, the place only served Udon plates, which I am not particularly fond of. Asked them to skip the Udon, which wasn't easy to explain and of course impossible as 80% of the dish consisted of Udon, which I found out later. The beer was nice.

Visiting the Kushida shrine, a Shinto altar

 thori

worshipping Japanese

familiar: the wishing papers at a Shinto temple  

 'wish papers': the one we bought,  no. 6, wasn't very positive :-(

Koi carp

On our way back to the hotel at the pedestrian crossing we passed many fun dressed people, sooo more pictures ...

on one of the many bridges crossing the river.

dikke kus

Carina

02-03 May 2017: Amsterdam - Seoul - Kyushu

Monday 2 May 2017 Schiphol sunset, waiting for our KLM flight to leave to Seoul, Korea.
At Seoul we transferred to a Korean Airline flight to Fukuoka, Japan.

Phew, lost in time after 17 hours of travelling and tired because falling asleep, while sitting in an plane, is impossible for me. So I caught up with a few recent movies.

approaching Seoul, returning after 2 years

in line for the shuttle to bring us to the transfer terminal

coffeee and internet, killing the time at Seoul Airport

Koreans love to dress up into traditional clothes, 

while others like to pose in front 

Arrrived, and after 7 years revisiting Japan. This time we will travel around the south island of Kyushu, starting in Fukuoka.

Subway from the airport to Fukuoka Tenjin station. Almost there.

yatai, the Fukuoka way to eat. 

Fukuoka has 150 yatai, which is more than there are in the rest of Japan.

the yatai we visited was owned by a French guy and situated close to our hotel; the Richmond Fukuoka Tenjin hotel.

And now, after 2 beers and some 'French/Japanese' snacks, at Japanese time 23.45 hrs, we take a shower and sleeeeeeeeeeeep.

dikke kus

Carina

Easter weekend 2017: Os en Paard

Thursday, 13  April up to and including Easter Sunday, 16 April 2017: 

Easter weekend in de Betuwe, staying at 'Gasterij Os en Paard', a lovely small hotel (4 rooms) at the river Linge. Great hosts who made us feel at home and relaxed. We truly enjoyed it.

Thursday drinks and bites at 'the neighbours' 

Friday, 14 April:
Although cold and clouded we went cycling the area. Stopped after 10 minutes to visit a mill, great tour/explanation. 

fruit trees, the river Linge, lambs and a 'kroket' with tea to get warm

the leaning tower of Acquoy (a Mrs Pisa is burried here)

walking in Marienwaerdt

dinner at Os en Paard

one for the road :-)

Saturday, 15 April

 

another bike tour with a bit more sunshine, but also more wind

first visiting Culemborg and drinking tea at Carola's home 

next stop the lovely small town of Buren

we made it

dinner at Italian restaurant Jammo Ja at Beesd. SUPER! 

Recommend this. Great food, service and atmosphere.

Easter Sunday 16 April: 

Easter breakfast at Os en Paard. We are feeling at home here, but unfortunately have to leave. Thanks Wouter en Anneliek!

Next stop: Breda, where our friends Femke and Gerard invited us to go cycling. They showed us their city, among other things the new railway station AND afterwards a lovely lunch at Brasserie De Baronie.

It was a lovely looong weekend, AND still not finished as we have another day to linger at home.

dikke kus

Carina

Weekend Nijmegen

 1-2 April 2017:
Visiting friends in Nijmegen. Pradeepika prepared us a great Sri Lankan meal. Loved it. Olaf served Peter various whiskeys. It was a lovely evening.

Stevens Church in Nijmegen

Sunday, 2 April: a walk in the Ooijpolder