November 2012

Ah-ha! I knew it seemed odd that I had not one single photo of November. Turns out they just hadn't been taken off of my old computer! So behold what you missed from November:

We go to Fukuoka! (~4 hour drive south of 'Kuni). Fukuoka, or Fuuk for short, is on the next island in Japan called Kyushu. (The one we live on is Central Honshu. (Japan is made of 3 main islands, plus a whole bunch of small ones making the archipelago to the south. The main ones are Hokkido (north), Honshu (central), Kyushu (south))).

This is the bridge connecting Honshu to Kyushu.

First stop in Fuk: Hakata style ramen!! Osihii!

Yay friends!

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A formidable opponent.

Nick (of course) found the one and only (probably) Domino's on Kyushu. (It was actually just around the corner from our hostel.) So naturally, he had to get a pizza.

The only Hummer that would actually fit on a Japanese street.

Nick thought this was funny.

Oh yeah- sumo!! We wen to a Sumo tournament.

It was the first day of the tournament so the stadium was pretty empty.

This window lists different flavors of drinks (?) offered at this restaurant. Please begin reading from the top. The first word after the / .   (!!!)

Saw this building and thought of my friend from Le Sueur, MN

Oh, Engrish. You never get old...

The following are photos of the nasty hostel we stayed at:

Entry way

Our "room" which was just a hallway to the room behind those curtains.

Disgusting shower #1

Disgusting shower #2

Sink in shower room

Entryway from the other side

Out front the hostel

This is the first thing you see walking up to the hostel- a pile of rubbish!

Memo to self: Don't stay at the Aloha Spirit Hostel...

More Smile, More Energy!

So Fuk was the first weekend in November. The rest are randos from the rest of the month:

Cat in a Box- like MARU!!

We stumbled upon some sort of festival in Hiroshima on a random Sunday afternoon while trying to get our Tsukemen fix.

Pretty tree in the yard. Yes, there is beautiful fall weather and colors until late November!

Cat.

Then there was Italian Thanksgiving!

And actual Thanksgiving.

And then we put up the Christmas lights!

The last weekend in November, I went to a flea market in Hikari with some co-workers. It was another B-E-A-Utiful fall day!

After picking fleas, we walked the beach which was full of sea glass!

Wedding!

Loved these guys, chillin' in the window outside the restaurant where we ate lunch.

Lunch spot!

After lunch, we went to a beautiful garden area! I must remember to take my mother here when she comes to visit.

Seen at the gardens: This here really captures Japan: There is food to feed the Koi for sale, 100 yen per bag, but no one is watching so they not only trust that you will put your 100yen in if you buy some, but also trust that you won't just walk off with the money jar of other people's payments. And further, it's not in some mechanical dispenser, nope. It's all just in an old basket jimmy rigged to a fence. Lastly, looks like someone forgot a sock/ mitten and so they have conveniently just moved it to eye level and left it for you to come back for it. & that is Japan for ya

Rude gift bags at the Bulldog!

Cat. Asleep.

Yay christmas tree! I made sure we put it up before Nick left for the States.

LOL not my pic but one of my favorite memes!

They really like putting bumper stickers on their cars to say "baby on board" but it's just so Japanese the way the baby is pictured on the sticker here: it's not just a baby in a car seat or anything  nope, it is a baby in some cute critter outfit with ears and all! (which the babies really do wear!)

Cat again.

Silly flower! It's almost December and she's just blooming!

Goose learned to jump on my shoulders! Her fav place to hangout. Which is conveniently close to my ponytail and ponytail binder- her favorite toy. Also, I was getting ready for an 80's birthday party! 

See?

And that was November!