Fukuoka

 Can't say that in a hurry and get it wrong as I did once. I asked someone how to say it and apparently it is Fu kou ka which makes more sense that how I was trying to say it.

Again our hotel was within walking distance of the train station, straight down the main road after a couple of hours on the train, brilliant train rides.

The train station had a very big forecourt probably about 400 metre square we completed an adventure lab there which was aimed at kids and nearly did our heads in, but Warren was determined not to let it beat him. Each step was a puzzle of some sort.

This was the first one, the puzzle was to find a golden angel and a heart. It was way over to one side and is an actual letter box outside a post office. 

Second one was easy, what was wrong with the picture. The station is called Hakutta and picture had spelt it with two ks. 

Had to find this statue as well and send photo. Station is behind to the left. 

Missing in action for awhile

 I think I needed a break from the blog but now I'm back. 

I have been busy though just doing other things. Bought myself a new sewing machine. Luckily when I decided I needed one, it was end of financial year sales so I got a good deal.

I had been making bags for drainage after an operation and suddenly my old machine didn't work properly, the tension was wrong. Spent a few days changing the dials to correct it, it didn't work. The machine was a cheapy and I had had it five or six years. Spur of the moment, I said to Warren that I wanted to replace it. 

In the deal, I got a new paper pattern worth $23, $15 worth of fabric and an extra assessory. In my "spare"time I have been sewing, more on that later as my footy team has just started playing on TV. They may lose if I don't watch.

Stay tuned, more to come.

Washing in the hotels

 

It was a concern of mine about washing. The first week in Tokyo, we washed things and hung them to dry over the bath, there was a portable line that could be pulled out.

However at all the other hotels there has been a laundry room, wash and dry for between 500 and 800 yen, powder included.

Warren did our last wash today, shortly after John dropped in, he had been to do the same and they were discussing the availability of machines when John said, "Just look on your TV".

What?

Yep, on our screen it shows the machines, John's was washing, in No 1, No2 was empty, No 3 was finished but not collected as yet, No 4 was ours and it was into drying.

When using them at the start, a four number code needs To be put in sSo no one else can open your machine, takes twohours for washing and drying.

Hiroshima

 Our hotel was only 300 metres from train station and included breakfast.

We headed out to the Peace park, going to walk it but as it was a little warm and our plans took us a fair clip, we ended to the station after breakfast and caught the trolley car.

Friday night we went for pizza at a craft beer pub and watched some baseball on TV. Later we saw a manhole cover in the street, this was the local team called Carp and they were playing Fukuoka, our next port of call.

This is the bomb site, building has been left as a reminder of what war can do.

The peace clock representing the bomb, it strikes every morning at 8.45am, we were there just ten minutes after.

The peace bell, every one is invited to ding it if they wish, it has a very low deep sound

The actual memorial with lots of paper cranes in glass boxes

The eternal flame.

For all the population and crowds, it's very quiet,no one speaks loud, no loud noises, it's very serene.

Golden Pavillion

 Warren and I went out here by bus. Again lots of school groups. I had read that there was Tobe no posed photos. The reason, so many people, could take a snapshot but it was a one way trip about 1.5kms with a few rough steps in stone.

The paths were reasonably wide but it was still a lot of people to get through.

Everyone milling around to get tickets, cost was 500 yen

First glimpse

Probably the best shot that I got

This was like a wishing well, throw money into a shallow bowl of water for good luck, ours didn't make it 

Bamboo grove

 Can't spell the name of this place, it is out the other side of the train station and we went by bus, costing 230 yen which sounds a lot but it was one cost no matter if you went 3 stops or 28 like we needed to and equals to about $3, not bad for an hour bus trip.

Nice and cool, it was probably the hottest day we had had at 28, so good to be in the shade.

Lanterns and moss

A family dressed in kimonos, many young girls in kimonos

Very tall bamboo

John and Sherrol strolling along

Warren

He took the front seat in the bus coming home, it was raised about a foot higher than the rest. This was in Kyoto.

Red Torii

 We caught the subway to the railway station and had an English breakfast,

they only had three things on the menu, full English, eggs Benedict or pancakes,all with tea or coffee.

Then a suburban train to the the Red Torii or Red doors. I don't know how many there were but it would be in the hundreds. On the left it states who or what company donated them and the date is shown on the right. Hoards of school kids, they are coming up to summer break

The start, with lots of kuds

The surban train

Masses of people but everyone talks in a low voice, no loud noises.