Hotel Cabinas Fukuoka

... all the stuff we didn't carry in backpacks for the last 8 months so here we are, unpacking and repacking boxes, and shifting our necessary items to suitcases to bring with us to Oman... which is, tomorrow! Yep, our flights have been booked and tomorrow we leave Japan to fly all the way to Muscat, where we're staying for a couple days until we do the short jump to Salalah our new home. <br><br>What is ...

... has helped provide "free rental of therapy robots to nursing homes for the elderly," specifically, Paro, a lovable, consoling seal-type robot.<br><br>-----<br>ROBOTS AHEAD!...<br><br>I made it to the TNC TV Building next to the Marizon Fukuoka Tower before 4 pm. Still looking for the place, thinking it was a couple streets south, I looked up to see a large sign that displayed four futuristic-looking humanoid robots. It read simply, "ROBOSQUARE www.robotsquare.org." I had arrived ...

... the islands separated and the strait was formed. Think Red Sea. Mojiko had strategic military importance, so it was the focus of several wars and fights over whether this part of Japan would be open to foreign trade (a theme that also affected Nagasaki and Kagoshima). Mojiko had an important role in the banana import market, which anyone who has seen melons selling for $10 to $50 in Japan's supermarkets will ...

... was really suffering and sniffling away. At one point, we passed rice fields where they were burning the remnants of the last crop, and the smoke was heavy. This poor kid pulled his jacket over his head--I'm not sure whether he was trying to use the jacket as a filter for the smoke, or if he was secretly blowing his nose underneath, but I didn't hear anything. There is a lot in Japan that you aren't supposed to see or hear, and the ...

We stayed in Fukuoka for one night as we were getting the Beetle at 9am in the morning from the port here. We knew it was a bit of a party town and had many street stalls so went out in the evening for a wander. We walked for miles but ended up back at the first street stall we saw as it had a good view and seemed busy enough that it was ok to eat in!! Sat down and got noodles as we couldn't decide ...

... eingepackt. <br><br>Was ich noch vergessen habe zu erwähnen, wir haben hier den besten maguru (thunfisch) unseres lebens gegessen. Zugegeben es war nicht billig und eigentlich war es nicht der hauptgang sondern nur das Gedeck (das man hier auch zahlt wie in Italien, nur kriegt man hier noch ne kleine Vorspeise diese bestand eben aus besagten Maguru der eingelegt oder so war und etwas ...

... me, I assume).<br><br>After getting money, I walked the hour to the castle ruins at Maizuru park. Stopped by a random curry shop for lunch--definitely a different concept than I"m used to. It was black curry and somewhat spicy (I asked for spicy) and came with a side of different pickled vegetables (which was the best part of the meal), and topped with a barely cooked egg (about half of the white was still clear). Rather good nonetheless ...

... Shinkansen classes and stops at every station (Asa?) and it also had only 4 cars compared to 16 on the Nozomi Shinkansen. After a short trip of a hour, I arrived at Hakata station in Fukuoka city and Kyushu. I went directly to my ryokan to check in and then went out to explore the city before it got too dark. I wanted to see the large park which has a big pond that has a series of long narrow islands running down the center of and where you can walk ...

... about where I went to school, how old I was, what was I doing in Japan. Even after assuring her that I was in fact 21 and a half-an adult by US and Japanese standards- and that I was certain I could locate the gate to my connecting flight, she returned several times to assure me that she could get someone from the airlines to excort me to my gate if I needed it. The gentleman in front of me tossed me several packs of cheese and cracker ...

... in Japan (sounds like biking). Mr. Tanaka invited us to this delicious buffet for lunch which contained so many delicacies. I will try to explain, though it may be difficult. He first pointed out a tempura fried squid "ikko" which was shaped into a round ball. Next, I went for the tail part of a "tai" fish, also called Red Snapper. This fish came with a most delicious sauce which made the fish like the Lebanese frog legs ...