Richmond Hotel Hakataekimae Fukuoka

... learn in person!). Each plant only produces one pineapple and it takes around 2 years for the fruit to ripen. No wonder it's difficult to compete with low-cost producers! I also did not realize that there were so many applications for pineapple -- from cakes, to wine, to vinegar. For those of you that have been to Hawaii, this is probably not a revelation. For me though, it was interesting. <br><br>Today is our last day in Okinawa and it is with mixed emotions that we leave ...

... yourself in a sub-tropical paradise surrounded by beautiful trees, beaches, and ocean. Yet, nearly 70 years on, the history of World War 2 and the horrendous events that happened in this place still weigh heavy on the minds and consciousness of the people here. When one considers the scale of what occurred during the Battle of Okinawa (around 13,000 Americans killed and over 200,000 Japanese killed), how can it not? It is mind boggling to consider the scale of ...

... this though, I probably would not have noticed this at all -- the signs that this prefecture is a bit behind others are subtle. A shabby building here, some litter in a river there -- things that one tends not to see to such a degree in other parts of the country. Nonetheless, this is quite a nice place and definitely a sub-tropical paradise.<br><br>We will definitely see a lot more of rural Okinawa over ...

... did all of our shopping in fast forward. On our way home, we stopped at the military exchange, the small American-style mall on base. My mom and I went inside to buy silk robes, like the one Julia gave me for Christmas. We also got books for our respective plane rides, and then went to dinner at Macaroni Grill nearby. It was absolutely delicious, and Riley was very funny. While Julia packed at home, my mom and I took Riley ...

On Saturday, I managed to wake up a bit earlier, which is good because we had to be out of the house and on the road to get to the aquarium. Okinawa's aquarium is located near Nago, on the north tip of the island, and is the seconds largest aquarium in the world after the one in Georgia. It also has the largest sheet of plexiglass in the world for its main tank, which holds three whale sharks. We were very excited to see this, even ...

... of my still-tender toe, but I just pointed to it and tried to explain, and so the lady doing my feet avoided it except to paint it. It was extremely relaxing- the little girl across from us completely conked out. I chose jasmine oil to help me recover from my fatigue, and opted for some nail art to try to blend in more in Asia.<br><br>Unfortunately when we left the nail salon, it was pouring, so we slipped along the road in our massage oil-covered flip flops. Then when we ...

Minna, konnichiwa!  Depuis maintenant une semaine, je me trouve à Fukuoka. Je vais donc, pour ceux qui ne sont pas informés sur la vie au Japon, décrire un peu comment le quotidien est maintenant pour moi. Il y a aussi toutes ces petites choses dont on entend parler sans vraiment savoir que c'est vrai avant de les avoir vu. Ce sont des choses que j'ai remarqué, et je vous en fais pars pour le plaisir. Pour ainsi noter les petites différences culturelles, qui sont ...

... the Torii gate in the water, so hopefully some interesting pics soon, will get them onto the blog one day. Ok, more from us later, byeee x Photos....

... I managed to find a convenience store and bought a new umbrella. Got lost again. Managed to find Hakata station and jumped on a train back to Kokura. Wandered into a gaming shop and got all nostalgic and bought Wing Commander III for playstation. Only cost me 280yen. Finally got back to my sisters place and settled back in again. Turns out she now has a pet cat called Tomo. Took a while but managed to coax it into letting me pet it. Signing off for now as flatmate wants to use computer.

... This time round I arrived punctually, actually 5 minutes early but Atsuko-san beat me to the place once again, with her father waiting in the car across the road. With a gentle bow her father greeted me, which I returned likewise. Her mother stayed at home to look after her 94 year old grandmother. The drive through Fukuoka was the first one where I had a chance to see the outskirts of the city. Actually, they had a ...