Hyatt Residential Suites Fukuoka

My first impression of Fukuoka was neon. Though my body knew it was the middle of the night it was used to, I was able to get yen from an ATM, buy a subway ticket, and get to the 100 year old inn where I had reservations. Enjoyed the hot communal (gender separated) bath, but not as much the ********** and buckwheat pillow.
Fukuoka, Kyushu-Okinawa, Japan travlingal

... like? I have no friggin' idea. I've been trying to research it on the internet but have come up with very little as to what kind of life we'll be living there. Which is one of the reasons I've decided to revive the travel blog and maybe somewhere down the line, someone else is moving to Salalah and will actually have some idea of what it's like before they get there. Here's hoping it's good!

-M

... has helped provide "free rental of therapy robots to nursing homes for the elderly," specifically, Paro, a lovable, consoling seal-type robot.

-----
ROBOTS AHEAD!...

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 ...

... end of the line, that is, the Japan Rail Kagoshima Line. From Hakata, it's only about 45 minutes by rail if you do the Hakata to Kokura run by Shinkansen. Between Kokura and Mojiko, there is only one choice, the slow train. Mojiko is located at the Kanmon Strait which separates the island of Kyushu from the island of xx. According to myth, at one time, the two islands were connected, but at a particularly strategic ...

... face masks--in Japan, politeness and civic responsibility require that you wear a mask if you have a cold. You are also not supposed to blow your nose in public, although it's ok to sniffle. I wonder if there is an underclass of allergy sufferers who suffer from discrimination, or at least chronic nasal problems from fluid pressure. On the train back to my hotel from Karatsu, there was a student with either allergies or a cold, and ...

... the other stuff was!! But glad we did as it was the best noodle soup we have had all trip. Then we decided to be brave and order some other little bits - Rob ordered some chicken skewers, which although this is what it was, we had no idea what part of the chicken it was from as it was hard and crunchy!!!! Lesley then pointed at a few things that could not be identified but thought it might be ...

... south of Japan, and 40 degrees Celsius outside. Fukuoka itself was an absolute treat. It was pretty difficult getting around, since not many people in Japan speak English, but it's easy enough when you have an okay sense of direction. My favorite sites were Shofukuji - Japan's first Zen Buddhist temple and Canal City. Canal City is basically just a shopping mall that leads into an area with a man-made canal (hence the name). I ...

... us accommodation, allowing Meg to get acquainted, and me reacquainted, with a Japanese ryokan, always a highlight of a trip to Japan (I spoke about them in my entry from Nikko during my first visit to Japan in July 2005). They are a type of traditional Japanese inn featuring communal baths, yukata gowns, rice-paper doors, green tea, portable mattress, geta (communal slippers) and tatami (rice straw) matted rooms, the latter being my ...

... we arrived in Hiroshima we had to grab one last train to Fukuoka. This was once more a Kodoma train stopping everywhere. Finally pulled into the station at 6pm and it was dark and we had nowhere to stay. Overall the train journey wasn`t too bad. The views were pretty good and you get to see that Japan isn`t really the high rise country that Tokyo would have you believe. Around Hiroshima the houses were pretty sparse and there was a lot of greenery. Once at Fukuoka Station (confusingly ...

... what kind of cotton robe you would like to have. I have to start looking for it now, and also if you can give me some approximate measurements, sizes. Would something that fits Atsuko also fit you, since she has your shoe size. Don`t expect any post cards. They do not exist in Fukuoka. Seriously. I have looked everywhere. Absolutely not existent. No ice cream either.