Ame

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Rain or ame 雨 as it's known down here, is just pouring down. The temperature is fine though about 15 degrees but still makes you feel a bit miserable. Rudy decided to come to Fukuoka with us after all and spending a weekend there was great fun.

The highlights of this trip for me were:
A) the Kushida shrine, already once visited in november of last year. It was founded in 757 and a there is a huge ginko tree in the forecourt that is supposed to be 1000years old. The grand deity, Ohata Nushina-mikoto, is enshrined here. It is mainly used for traditional japanese weddings and today was no exception. The white cap covering the woman's head by the way is supposed to hide the horns that every woman has according to legend.

B) the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum (FAAM) http://faam.city.fukuoka.jp/eng/home.html with contemporary art from around Asia. There was an extensive exhibit on about Lollywood Film Posters (similar to Hollywood and Bollywood but now from Lahore) and funky sculptures from India plus lots more. Modern art somehow is for me at least connected to the West and I must say how intrigued and amazed I was at discovering Oriental modern art. The Orient stood for traditional in my limited perspective and this was quite an eye-opener. Will definitely try and find out more...........

Had dinner in a Szechuan place, Xiang's proposal, and went to a bar where they had more than 700 specialty beers from around the globe, with the majority from Belgium and Germany.

Had the best ramen ever...in the ramen stadium. A delicious broth with tender pork meat, nori (seaweed), egg and chinese noodles. Add some spicey La-yu and togodashi (sesame seeds with chillies) and you're in heaven.
Fukuoka tower with its 236 meters about is another great way to get an overall view of the city. The have an observation deck (well enclosed that is) on the 5th floor..??? Yes the fifth floor but it is 123 meters up.

Normally we travel by bus between Fukuoka and Nagasaki but now we decided to take the train on the way back. Missed our reserved seat train by one minute (go figure..the trains in Japan always being on time) so we had to scramble for seats in the unreserved section of the next train. It was choc-a-bloc so had to push some old women out of the way to get my seat. Not proud of myself but standing for two hours is not what I was meant to do in life.

If you ever come to Fukuoka and have some money to spare then go stay in the "With the Style" Hotel. A small boutique hotel (16 rooms only) but fabulously decorated. Laid back but with understated elegance......check it out ::: http://www.withthestyle.com/eng/index.htm
Alexandra had already told me about it..she has a nose for these things..