This is the best restaurant in Kyushu, Yokayokatei. Everything from bibinba noodles to tonkatsu, teppan yaki, and raw horse sashimi – all divine. Plus, we were stared by the people at the next table for speaking in English, so I conspicuously picked my nose and flicked boogers in their general direction.
Misty Pool
All the photos I took at Kikuchi gorge came out foggy because of the blanket of mist that lingered over it all day. This was the pool we started out at, jumping off the end of the fallen log.
Bumpy Ride
Natural waterslides at Kikuchi gorge.
Sit still, Yoda!
I have found over the past month that a black cat is one of the most difficult subjects to photograph, especially if it somehow always gravitates toward black backgrounds, for instance, my black rucksack resting on the asphalt. At night.
They’re STARING at me!
Possibly the most disturbing strawberries on a cake that I have ever seen. The fluorescent lights and the polarized glass caused the weird bars to appear in the photo. Too cool.
Virtual Swashbuckling
New arcade game employing toy wakizashi as controller.
Red Ceiling Thing
Adam said this ceiling adornment was cool; I said it looked vaginal. We are both right, I think.
Flappy, the Blue Globe with Wings
The Kix mascot at the mall across from the terminal building. I dubbed him “Flappy.”
Land of Packaging
So I checked the kitten in and I’m sitting next to some smelly foreigners at the gate. They are big and hairy – the gorillaest one actually has hairs sticking out through the back of his knit polo shirt. Gross.
Anyway, I brought the kitten in a red picnic basket thingy we bought somewhere for like 500 yen. Nam found this free coupon on the web for a rental cat carrier so I figured we’d transfer him over to it at check-in. The staff, however, had another idea. They took the top off the rental carrier, placed the entire picnic basket (with sleeping Yoda inside) into it, padded all four sides of the basket with cardboard and bubble wrap, then taped the whole contraption together and screwed the carrier back together. I am beyond asking why at this point, but it was reminiscent of a high-end department store where they use bags on boxes on wrappings on inner boxes wth partitions, ribbon, and a cherry on top.
Kyushu – The Final, Final Verdict
I am going. I wanted to visit Adam’s village one last time anyway. Will take some nice photos I think. Local debauchery can wait until next week, for my 30th birthday. I know, I know. The world isn’t ready for my mid-life crisis. Shoot me already.