tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089352393919921992024-03-13T09:28:50.617-07:00Thiessen Twosome Does JapanThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.comBlogger217125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-85574836162475175552011-09-11T07:08:00.000-07:002011-09-11T07:16:46.290-07:00いいっらしゃいませ!お元気ですか。<div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Irrashaimase! </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Welcome to our blog documenting our three years living, working, and traveling in Japan (and other parts of Asia) from 2008-2011! This blog was recognized by travel giant <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/">Lonely Planet</a> for two years, and has a ton of information on Japanese culture, experiences, people, and life! Scroll through the sidebar, "Our Adventures," to relive our incredible journey!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">After Japan and a month back home in the United States, it was off to the other side of the world to the Eastern European country of Ukraine! You can follow us and our post-Soviet adventures at our new blog, <a href="http://vodkavoyagesukraine.blogspot.com/">Vodka & Voyages</a>:</span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/blog-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 304px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/blog-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Enjoy!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><div><br /></div></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-28194700568765820002011-08-04T06:56:00.000-07:002011-09-11T06:59:36.594-07:00Okay, So I Lied...<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">THIS, my friends, is the LAST of the Japanese Kit Kat posts! A nice little send-off and perfect finale to <a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/search/label/Kit%20Kats">the series</a> from Narita airport:</span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0959.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0959.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0960.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0960.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We're officially back in the land of only two Kit Kat flavors, and are loving every sleep-deprived minute of it!</span></div><div><br /></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-67771497350573655952011-08-03T11:00:00.000-07:002011-08-03T11:00:03.307-07:00Flight<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Departing: 2:25pm on United flight 9724, Sapporo Chitose Airport, Japan</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Arriving: 7:35pm on United flight 826, Wichita Mid-Continent Airport, USA</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">Remembering: the end of one adventure is the beginning of a new one. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">日本ありがとう。。。またね!</span></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-87656328612230952602011-08-02T06:34:00.000-07:002011-09-11T06:55:48.919-07:00Last Night in Japan<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We took a break from all of our last-minute packing (which, incidentally, is ALL of our packing) to head out for one-last night in our neighborhood before hoping on the big bird back to the States tomorrow.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">First stop, sushi at our FAVORITE restaurant, Nagoyaka-te:</span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0929.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0929.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0927.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0927.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0930.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0930.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">This conveyor-belt style sushi restaurant is just down the street from us and has lent itself to our weekly visits over the past three years. In return, we gained a bit of "regular status," being the only foreigners in the neighborhood and all. It's good to head to a place where everyone knows your face...and feeds you some freakin' awesome sushi:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0943.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0943.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0934.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0934.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0935.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0935.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0939.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0939.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0942.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0942.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Afterwards, it was to our grocery store to stock up on Japanese snacks and sake...</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0951.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0953.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0953.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0953.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And to say good-bye to our number one fan, occasional karaoke partner, and store clerk, Mr. Ikeda:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0947.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0947.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And we had to bid adieu to one thing that we DEFINITELY WON'T miss: expensive beer! Here, you can see a 20-pack of regular Sapporo lager for over $60! Scandalous!</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0949.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0949.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">As much as we're going to miss this place, it sure does feel good to be heading State-side tomorrow to get our fill of family and friends! Enough with this procrastination...off to the ritualistic stuffing of clothes and goods! Wish us luck!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-10914019802982321682011-07-31T06:27:00.000-07:002011-09-11T06:32:28.792-07:00Christmas in July<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The best way I know how to say good-bye is through photography (in the form of personalized photo books for everyone):</span></div><div><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0535.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">...and food (a little good ol' Kansas City BBQ sauce, anyone?):</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0534-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0534-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0534-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The fact that Japan is such a gifting culture probably means that the reciprocity of these will result in a plethora of return gifts guaranteed not to fit in our suitcases, but it's totally worth it!</span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-58835211267495584802011-07-30T06:06:00.000-07:002011-09-11T06:27:40.146-07:00House & Hood<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Before heading overseas to Japan, I remember completely preparing myself for a life smashed into a one room, teeny apartment with paper-thin walls and nothing but a house plant to serve as a yard. Needless to say, we got pretty lucky with our three-bedroom house complete with yard for barbecuing! Now as we get ready to completely start packing up our life here, it's time for me to get super-sentimental and offer up one last photo tour of our home and neighborhood here in Japan. Hey, it was our home for the past three years! Now, please excuse me while I try to hold on just a little longer!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The king of our house with his sweet preferred mode of transport:</span></div><div><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0887.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Our living room and joined kitchen/vanity/laundry room:</span></div><div><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0526.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0527.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0531.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0529.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Our bedroom:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0957.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The guest room, host to many a <a href="http://www.couchsurfing.org/">Couchsurfer</a> and friend:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0956.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Jacob's "man-cave":</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0532.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0532.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0533.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0533.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Our bus stop, just outside of the high school:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0923.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0923.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0922.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0922.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Our most favorite sushi restaurant, just 10 minutes from our place (of course leading to weekly jaunts to fill our bellies with delicious, raw fish):</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0872.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0872.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0874.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0874.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0875.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0875.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The historic farm on the corner across from the 7-Eleven, the Big House (our grocery store), and the sushi restaurant. Always a pleasure to see the pretty little ponies out grazing:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0878.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0878.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0877.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0877.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0879.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0879.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0881.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0881.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The huge, and very welcomed, open field of green! Sapporo has quite a few of these designated "green spaces" in which nothing can be built or paved...brilliant!</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0882.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 303px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0882.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0885.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0885.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Typical street of Hokkaido houses:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0883.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0883.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0886.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0886.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Would love to come back to this area in about 10 years and see how it all has changed!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-89985274798194545172011-07-29T06:09:00.000-07:002011-07-31T08:08:46.528-07:00Sad & Sweet School Sayonara<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The inevitable saddest part about leaving Japan happened last week as I had to say good-bye to my students and Sapporo Intercultural and Technological High School. I wasn't prepared for the amount of heartfelt and thoughtful goodbyes from the students themselves, but it made it all the more special and brought about all the more tears.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Many of my last classes held parties or did special activities for me, which was so fun and touching. A couple of highlights of this included a full-on gospel rendition of "Oh Happy Day," followed by a lovely campfire-esque version of "You Are My Sunshine" (coincidentally, one of my favorite songs)!</span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0511.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0511.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0521.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0521.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0513.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0513.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0519.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0519.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0523.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0523.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The amount of wonderful letters, cards, photo albums, gifts, and flowers from the students was just so, so amazing! Aside from the flowers, every last one of those things is getting crammed into my already stuffed luggage somehow!</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0603.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0604.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0606A.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0606A.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0606A.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0602.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0605.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0524.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0524.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Hanging out in the teachers' room on the last day of classes before summer vacation:</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0539.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The last day of school before vacay brings about a huge, important (super sweaty and hot) assembly in the gym...just look at them all lined up:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0540.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0540.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0540.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And with it, my farewell speech in both English AND Japanese!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0543.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 323px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0543.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0544.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 329px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0544.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0545.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0545.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0553.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 322px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0553.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0554.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0547.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0547.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0547.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And, cue the tears and hugs:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0558.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 324px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0558.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0562.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0562.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0559.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0559.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0564.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0564.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0566.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0566.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The principal and I with my sweet reward for...um...working?</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 320px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0598.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">More parting school-slash-gift shots:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0592-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0592-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0592-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0588-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0588-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">See that gorgeous fan above? It was a gift from the English teachers and is a pretty darn expensive way to cool yourself! It's hand-painted silk with Japanese washi (handmade paper) as a backing and all folded up onto bamboo pieces. Just lovely:</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0611.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0601.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0601.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0601.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">This whole "sayonara" thing isn't getting any easier, especially with folks as awesome as the young adults at S.I.T., but it seems as if we're necessarily crossing them off of our lists, one at a time. A huge ありがとうございます to all of the students and teachers for the wonderful, sweet send-offs!</span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-735603777954697942011-07-28T05:57:00.000-07:002011-07-31T17:10:19.762-07:00Kicking the Kit Kat Habit<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Yup, we're heading out of this wonderful land of novelties this week, and that means saying good-bye to one of my favorite pastimes here: hunting down crazy, colorful Kit Kat flavors! So, in the spirit of </span><a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/search/label/Kit%20Kats"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">all the zany Kit Kats I've encountered</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> during our three years in Japan, here is our last Kit Kat post!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">First on the list is definitely the most meaningful Kit Kat as 10 yen from every box sold is going to help those affected by the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami (the front top of the box says "Let's Help Tohoku"). The flavor is Zunda, a sweet soybean powder that is served on top of <a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/2008/12/holidays-are-just-around-corner-and.html">mochi</a>, and which was the special regional flavor last year of Miyagi prefecture, one of the worst affected prefectures in the disaster:</span></div><div><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 351px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8777.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 351px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8778.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; ">Next, who doesn't love ANYTHING that is tiramisu flavored?</span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 351px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8787.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">There seems to be a newly designed package containing petit Kit Kats...I've found two of this flavors so far, Strawberry Hazlenut...</span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 358px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0904.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">...and Cookies & Cream:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 357px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0905.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style=""><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; ">And finally, a music edition cherry flavor that tastes more like a light cherry cheesecake:</span></div></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8788.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 351px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8788.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I'm sure going to miss combing the 7-Elevens, Don Quixote, and our Big House grocery store for the latest in Kit Kat Kreations (too much with the K-thing?), but I will rest assured knowing that I can get all the Japanese Kit Kat fix I need by heading over to the </span><a href="http://www.nestle.jp/brand/kit/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Kit Kat Breaktown site</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> (highly entertaining, actually...click on the building on the top left-hand corner to check out all of Japan's special regional Kit Kat flavors)! Oh, Nestle Japan and your brilliant marketing strategies! Gets me every time...</span></div><div><br /></div></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-77912694579242877012011-07-25T23:49:00.000-07:002011-07-29T23:52:25.053-07:00It's As If They Know...<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">This week, our store had an "American Fair" section to it:</span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8749.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 351px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8749.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">It's like we're being prepped for encounters of Skippy, Swiss Miss, Heinz, and other familiarities that we'll soon be encountering! Thanks, Japan!</span></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-65948298652434492192011-07-23T19:12:00.000-07:002011-07-28T05:56:26.976-07:00There's Only One Way to Say Goodbye...<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">...and that's with plenty of food and beer, of course! Just as we predicted, July has been filled with farewell parties galore, the first of which was a going-away soiree for me thrown by some of the teachers and co-workers at my school!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">If all-you-can-drink Guinness, Kilkenny, and Carlsberg beer doesn't say "adios" Japanese-style, then I don't kno--wait, that TOTALLY is NOT very Japanese at all! Oh well, it was good Irish fun anyway and a nice way to kick-off this month's goodbyes:</span></div><div><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0241-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0242.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0245-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0247-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0262.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0259-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0271.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0278.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0282-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">My sweet, lovely bouquet from everyone:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0282-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0282-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0284.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And, as if the night weren't international enough, we headed out salsa dancing at my favorite Latin club, El Mango, afterwards! I love having the world here in one city!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The next weekend was our grand good-bye barbecue out at our place...</span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0285.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">...only the grandeous nature of the thing was heavily dampened by rain, rain, and more rain! We got tarps up so that Jacob could still do his grilling-thing (complete with a little KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce from the homelands), but our number of reserved guests definitely dwindled to a cozy few (more BBQ chicken sandwiches on homemade buns for us!):</span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0289-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0287-3.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0291.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0299.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0293-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 314px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0302-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 313px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0303-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">To make up for it, however, we had quite a big turnout for our after-party down at our favorite bar, Famous Door. Turns out people will brave torrential downpours for a little New Orleans hospitality Japanese-style (and to actually see us, of course!):</span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0307-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0306-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0308-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0346.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0344-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0315-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0315-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0345.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0345.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0348-3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0348-3.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We've certainly made a ton of good friends and met some really fantastic people during our time here! Goodbyes are sad, it's true, but ours have been made just a little sweeter by having so many awesome folks to share them with!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The beers help as well...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-66483134294213266202011-07-21T16:30:00.000-07:002011-07-21T17:44:32.952-07:00Roomie Reunion!<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; ">When I was a freshman in college, I went to housing and requested to have an international student as my roommate. Being from a small town in Kansas, my interaction with people from other cultures or countries was limited to say the least, and I wanted to really get to know someone from outside of the States. I got my wish when Kaori from Japan came to live with me for a year. Although there was a huge language barrier between us, we became good friends and had quite a few adventures together (including a road trip to a country that was just as foreign to her as hers was to mine: North central rural Kansas!). When it was time for her to return to Japan, I told her that one day we would meet again, but in her country.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Two years ago when my sister came to visit, we met Kaori again in Tokyo after almost 9 years! And last weekend, a newlywed Kaori and her husband, Taku, traveled all the way up to our island of Hokkaido to spend a few days with us!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We made sure to take them to the best of touristy Sapporo, including Raman Yokocho, a narrow alley with about a dozen little ramen shops:</span></div><div><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0370.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0366-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; ">And where we ate our island's speciality ramen: miso base with Hokkaido sweet corn and butter (as <a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/2011/02/no-reservations-hokkaido.html">Anthony Bourdain</a> will concur, it is amazing!):</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; "><br /></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0364.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0365.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">After some shopping and overdosing on creamy Hokkaido sweets, we then headed off for </span><a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/2010/02/sapporos-brilliant-beer-museum.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Sapporo's awesome Beer Museum</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0373.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0378.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0380.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0383.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; ">Japan gave us a public holiday on Monday, so we rented a car and headed off into the center of our fair island for a fun day-trip:</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; "><br /></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0393.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0394-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0469-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">First stop, a lunch of some amazingly delicious soup curry with lovely fresh veggies:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0390.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0390.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Our final destinations were the areas of Biei and Furano. This was a little meaningful for me, because </span><a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/2008/08/raise-your-hand-if-this-is-your-image.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">the first trip I ever took in Hokkaido three years ago</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> was to this same area. Besides being just gorgeous landscape-wise, this area is known for flowers, flowers, flowers, especially lavender:</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0402.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0395-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0397.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; ">One of the most popular places for flower-viewing in the area is Farm Tomita:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0416.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: left;">We had to fuel-up first, however, with our share of lavender flavored ice cream, soda, custard flan, and cream puff! Lavender here knows no boundaries!</div></span></div><div><br /></div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0413.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0412.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0414.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0415.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0421.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0426-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0443.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 324px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0435.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0439.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0449-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0444.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0451.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 301px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0453.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 328px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0460-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0413.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; ">After Furano, we made our way towards the little village of Biei. The scenery along the way is just gorgeous:</span></div></div><div><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0466-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 300px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0484-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0484-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; ">And the town Biei itself is unlike anything Japanese-y. In fact, I'd liken it more to something Colorado-y instead:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0487-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0488-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0489-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0490-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0492-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0485-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">A quick stop at a road-side place selling cantaloupe-flavored ice cream in a real cantaloupe (delicious-genius, by the way), and it was back to Sapporo for us: </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0472-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div><div><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 317px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0474-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div><div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0485-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; ">Kaori and Taku's last night in Sapporo, we took them out for Genghis Khan, a Hokkaido "speciality" of lamb and veggies grilled at your table. Why a northern Japanese food of cooked meat is named after a legendary nomadic Chinese leader is anyone's guess, I suppose:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0499-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0499-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0501.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0502.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Saying good-bye once again and sending this fun couple back to their home in Saitama down on Honshu island:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0502.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0502.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0504.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0504.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0505.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0505.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">It was so amazing reuniting with my old roomie and her new husband once again in Japan...seriously, one of the best experiences during my time here! Knowing that it's so much easier to rendezvous anywhere in the world helps ease the pain of good-bye a bit, and makes me so thankful for the good friends we've made all over the world. かおりとたくちゃん。。。楽しかった! ありがとうございます!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-16309781600937745452011-07-07T19:25:00.000-07:002011-07-09T04:06:46.623-07:00Thiessen Twosome Does Tokachi 十勝<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Our time is quickly winding down here in Japan, and there's no better way to bid farewell than with a good ol' roadtrip, especially now since Jacob has a really light work schedule for the month of July!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We wanted to head out east on our fair island of Hokkaido and wound up in Tokachi, an area of hundreds of small, quaint farms and fields surrounded on all sides by mountainous national parks. Tokachi is not only the largest agricultural food base in Japan, but it also is said to have the most clear, sunny days a year in the whole country! From what we saw, both of these seemed to be right on:</span></div><div><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0015-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0021-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0048.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0024-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 302px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0017-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0027-3.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The first night of our trip, we arrived in the area after dark and found an empty campsite field in what I can only describe as truly in the middle of nowhere (okay, so it was probably in the middle of a bunch of cow pastures...). Made for a beautiful and peaceful morning start to our explorations (with a little help from some Simon & Garfunkel breakfast music):</span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0001-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0004-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">In addition to agriculture, Tokachi is also known all around Japan for its vineyards and wine, kind of like the Napa Valley of the country:</span> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0006-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0006-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 468px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0006-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0011-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0011-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0029-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0029-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">You can't be out in this part of Hokkaido without stopping at one of the many dairies for some ice cream, cheese, and other goodies. Okay, so we stopped here and had ice cream at 9 in the morning...hey, it's a roadtrip!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0042-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0042-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0042-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0040-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0040-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0115-3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 316px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0115-3.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0163.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0163.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Tokachi has many towns and villages, but only one proper city (over 100,000 people)...that city is Obihiro, and we stopped for lunch, some beers, and a looksie around:</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0064-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0060-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0060-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0060-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">As we're suckers for a good brewpub, lunch was at Tokachi Beer and we were definitely not disappointed:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0066-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0066-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0068.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0068.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">In addition to our huge broccoli and camembert cheese pizza (the Japanese aren't so traditional when it comes to Italian food), they also had an amazing all-you-can eat salad bar with delicious, fresh Tokachi veggies and bread made from the leftover beer yeast! Nom, nom:</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0069.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0080-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0080-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0080-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Caution! Little old ladies in wooden geta crossing the street:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0090.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0090.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">After some good time on the plains, we headed up into the mountains on the other side of Daisetsuzan National Park (Japan's largest national park...you can see past trips to this beauty </span><a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/2011/05/all-girls-glorious-spring-hokkaido.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> and </span><a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/2010/10/all-girls-awesome-autumn-hokkaido.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">) for a little camping near Lake Shikaribetsu. And yes, my legs really are that painfully white (working at a day job here will do that to ya, I suppose):</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0135.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0135.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The most magical thing about our campsite here was the natural onsen (or hot springs...check out more about Japan's many onsen <a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/2008/09/lake-shikotsuko.html">here</a>) that was about 100 meters away down next to the river and with only a little covered shelf area to put your clothes. So, so awesome (and further reinforcing how MUCH I'm going to miss the onsen culture in this country):</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0138-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0141-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0141-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0141-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0144.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0144.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0117-3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0117-3.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Lake Shikaribetsu itself is a gorgeous, colorfully clear body of water up in the mountains:</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0190.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0177-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0177-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0177-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0179.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0179.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And there was even a free, scorching hot foot onsen right along the lake shore:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0189-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0189-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We love driving, it's true:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0175-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0175-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">It's definitely bear-season here in Hokkaido, and our island is home to over 3,000 brown bears alone. Fortunately for us, the only bears we saw on our trip was this gargantuan fella:</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0233-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">A few more pics with the pretty skies of Tokachi before heading back to Sapporo:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0223-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0223-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0223-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0209-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0209-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0214.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0214.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">As you can see, Hokkaido really is like a completely different country from the rest of Japan (which just might account for the fact that it's been sooooo easy to live here for three years)! It's beautiful. It's wild. It's super road-trip-and-camp-able (with courtesy to the bears, of course). Most of all, it's just enough Western to remind you a bit of home, but just enough Japanese to let you know that you really are romping around in Japan.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-5057439383568303512011-07-03T04:19:00.000-07:002011-07-03T05:28:13.854-07:00Saving the Fest for Last<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">If you really want to see how absolutely magnificent the Japanese are at working together in groups, you can look no further than the annual school festival tradition, which cumulates from 2-3 weeks of intensive preparation, practice, and organization (check out our school's <a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/2010/07/kokusai-joho-school-festival.html">Michael Jackson tribute festival last year</a>). After three years and three festivals, I still marvel at what an awesome event the student-body can produce:</span></div><div><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0078.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">This year, just like </span><a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/2009/07/all-work-and-all-play.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">my first school festival</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> here, I was asked to be a judge for うたポン, a singing competition held the first night of the festival in which the entire school is split up into 10 mega-groups who then put on a dance, chant, and singing performance. John, our South African and other native English teacher at school, was a judge as well, and we debuted the duty with fabulous yukuta:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0041-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0041-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 468px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0041-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0043-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 300px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0043-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0050-3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 312px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0050-3.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0061-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0061-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Some of my fabulous ex-students who graduated last year...I miss them so much:</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 328px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0071.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Saturday of the school festival is reserved for a day of play performances put on by the third-graders (like seniors...basically, last years). Each third-grade class writes, produces, performs, directs, makes costumes & set designs, and basically runs an entire production! It's a rare chance to see these kids' incredible creativity when working together.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The last day of the festival, Sunday, is open to the public. Parents, former students, prospective students, siblings, and friends all come to see not only how the school has been transformed, but to also get an idea of daily life at S.I.T.:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0084-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0084-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0084-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And it wouldn't be a Japanese festival without stands of yaki-tori (grilled chicken), yaki-soba (fried noodles), choco-bananas, and the like. Fortunately, that's the PTA moms and dads' duties:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0080-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0080-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0087.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0087.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0085-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0085-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The inside of the school is transformed into a place for students to display and enjoy achievements of classes, clubs, sports, art, and musical talents:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0095-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0095-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0094.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0094.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0089.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0089.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Each class creates one of these cardboard wonders promoting their class theme for the year:</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0077.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0075.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0075.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0075.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0119-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0119-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And the first and second graders keep the cardboard creativity going by morphing their common classrooms into amusement lands, cafes with snacks and drinks, and little shops selling goods:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0113.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0113.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0116.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0116.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0114-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0096.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0104-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0118-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0106.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0096.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Of course, school festival is also a time for class presentations and projects to be shown:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0096.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0096.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0101-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0101-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0102.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0102.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0120-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0108.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0108.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 468px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0108.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0117-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0117-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0122-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0122-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0124-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0124-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0112.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0112.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div></div></div></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">If you ever find yourself in Hokkaido during July (or elsewhere in Japan during October or September), seeking out a high school festival to attend is highly, highly recommended and totally delicious! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">As my last school festival here in Japan, this year's event was a tad bitter-sweet for me...hitting home a little that we'll be out of here in exactly one month from today! 悲しい!</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-65888086264618696622011-06-27T00:04:00.000-07:002011-06-28T05:25:28.441-07:00First of the Farewells<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And so it begins. The countdown and reality of goodbye was kicked off this past weekend at my former Japanese instructor, Akiko's, house:</span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0046-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0046-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Akiko and her husband Yuzuru (and their cute little baby, Satoru) always host the best get-togethers at their place, and our early going away party was no exception with plenty of food, friends, babies, and Akiko's homemade tiramasu:</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0042-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0045.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0052.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0064.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0064.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0064.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0056-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0050-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0050-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0050-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0062.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0062.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I was really touched by everyone who came out to say goodbye. A special ありがとうございました to the Miyoshi's for their kindness and friendship during my time here in Sapporo!</span></div><div><br /></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-82188778436376120682011-06-22T22:54:00.000-07:002011-06-27T00:03:59.441-07:00International Mini Festival in 岩見沢<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I headed to the little town of Iwamizawa, just outside of Sapporo, again this year for the ALT-organized International Mini Festival. I had so much fun teaching salsa dancing at </span><a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/2010/06/gettin-all-international-over-here.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">last year's event</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> that I couldn't wait to partake again:</span></div><div><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0035-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0033-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0033-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">This year, instead of dancing the day away, I was pimping out the good 'ol USA at the American booth (note KU hat and football props courtesy of Jacob):</span></div><div><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0009-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0003.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0004.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0008.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0005.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0006.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">Just like last year, about 150-200 kids showed up, despite the unfavorable weather, to visit the various country booths and get stamps in their cute passports (and to relish in the Obama stickers found at our booth):</span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0013.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0011.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0014-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">We even got an Aussie to come over to the "dark side" if only for an afternoon:</span></div></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0017-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0017-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Besides the booths, dancing and other activities, there were also a few food tents selling everything from Costco muffins to tacos to...SMORES:</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0015.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And then the rains came. Fortunately, it didn't dampen too many spirits, and festival-goers were still able to travel to Korea, the USA, the UK, New Zealand, the Dominican Republic, Palestine, Norway, and Russia in style:</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0018-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0020-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0022.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0021.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And because our American booth was just so cool and informative, we were even interviewed and featured on t.v...</span></div></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 313px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0026.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The show, E-Kita, is a Hokkaido-based program highlighting foreigner life and interests in Japanese and English:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 404px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/logo2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Us "Americans" with host, Isis, and me with my ever-prominent football prop:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0030-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0030-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">So, while this year wasn't as sunny or weather-cooperative as last year, I'm still so happy to have been a part of another successful attempt at bringing a little international flavor to some cute Japanese kids and their parents!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-12605186470159682282011-06-14T22:15:00.000-07:002011-06-14T23:18:24.181-07:00よさこいソラン祭り...YOSAKOI!<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">June is upon us here in Sapporo, and with it comes longer days, tons of BBQ parties, and about 50,000 dancers for my favorite festival, Yosakoi Soran. This yearly gathering brought hundreds of colorful teams from all over Hokkaido and Japan to compete and perform for the masses, and cries of "Soran! Soran! Soran!" accompanied some incredibly well-choreographed and energetic dancing for this year's 20th anniversary of the event:</span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0761.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0761.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0762.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 308px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0762.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0491-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 312px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0491-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0530.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 321px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0530.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0480-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 312px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0480-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">As I mentioned </span><a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/2010/06/soran-soran-soran.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">last year</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> and the </span><a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/2009/06/yosakoi-soran-matsuri.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">year before</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> (check out the links for more festival pics), Yosakoi combines traditional Japanese summer festival dancing with high-impact (almost hip-hop like) dance moves and music. The costumes are always beautiful and colorful, and some of them can easily be changed one or more times during the performance as a part of the dance. In addition, the teams are required to use special clappers called <i>naruko</i> (which you can see them holding in the photo below) in order to be eligible for the final performances:</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 322px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0449.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0534.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0534.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 301px; height: 468px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0534.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Besides the street parades, the teams also have a chance to perform on the big stage as well. A Yosakoi team can end up performing their dance up to 9 or more times in just one day alone!</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0586-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0586-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0588.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 305px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0588.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0654.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0654.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Unlike previous rain-filled years, we had a few absolutely gorgeous days to enjoy the dancing and handy festival beer gardens as well:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0372-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0372-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0372-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And you can't enjoy a Sapporo beer or a Coke at this festival unless it is a special Yosakoi-edition:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0360.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0360.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0371.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0371.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0750.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0750.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0500-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0500-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0632.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0632.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0637.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 345px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0637.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0772.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0772.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0389.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0389.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0489-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 309px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0489-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0465-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 327px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0465-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0457.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0457.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Being able to enjoy this festival for three years now (and having a chance to dance in it last year) has truly been one of the highlights of our time here! Not having Yosakoi to kick off our summer anymore is gonna be a bummer (I mean, just <i>look</i> at how much fun it is), but as long as dancing like this still exists in the world, I suppose we can let it go! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Thanks, Yosakoi...and congrats to all of our friends who danced this year!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-32352694782377307252011-06-07T01:48:00.001-07:002011-06-08T06:20:59.374-07:00Kolossal Kit Kat Explosion<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">This was a post that was supposed to happen last fall, and then again this past winter. Now it's summer and the empty Kit Kat boxes have piled up, waiting for their debut on the ol' blog. There's a lot of them here sure to tantalize your taste buds, folks (for a blast to the past of our other crazy Japanese Kit Kat reviews, head <a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/search/label/Kit%20Kats">here</a>).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">First up in the flavor fiesta is a special edition from the southern islands of Okinawa where the local beni-imo, or purple potato, is extremely popular in foods, drinks, and of course, Kit Kats:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0070-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I always wondered when Nestle was gonna get really creative. Here it seems they've done it with a flavor combo pack--cola and Lemon Squash (a softdrink here):</span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0348-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We picked this limited edition from Shikoku (one of Japan's main islands) up on our trip to Hiroshima and it is a delicious citrus blend:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0347-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Shhh, don't tell the kiddos, but this is Adult Flavor (meaning dark chocolate):</span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 321px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0349.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Bitter Almond, sponsored by the Tokyo Beauty Clinic:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 326px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0352.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Also from Tokyo Beauty Clinic, Aloe Yogurt:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0344.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0344.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0344.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Hojicha, or roasted Japanese green tea:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0131-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 319px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0131-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i>Ramune</i>, a type of soda here that comes with a marble in it (??)...usually lemon-lime flavored:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0351.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 324px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0351.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">You may think this is a standard package of Kit Kats overly packaged in excessive plastic:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_7998.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 351px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_7998.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">...but this edition comes with a pack of Nescafe and a handy mug to beat the afternoon slump:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_7999.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 351px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_7999.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Onto more crazy flavors! <i>Kinako</i>, or roasted soybean powder:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8101.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 351px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8101.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Ginger ale:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0350.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 326px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0350.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Matcha, or thick Japanese green tea:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_7110.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 351px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_7110.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i>Kinako Ohagi, </i>a type of dessert in Japan which consists of sweet, red adzuki beans stuffed inside a pounded rice cake (mochi), and then rolled in powdered, toasted soybeans:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0357.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 340px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0357.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">"Kuchi" (mouth) "doke" (melt) chocolate almond:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0356.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 334px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0356.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Milk coffee spring edition:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0358-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 334px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0358-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The über Japanese flavor of them all, wasabi:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0355-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 323px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0355-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And finally, replacing the limited edition Hokkaido flavors of roasted sweet corn and buttered potato, the new Hokkaido edition of Yubari Melon (which is our fancy name here for cantaloupe):</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0353-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0353-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The extra-large gift box is even ready for mailing as is:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0354-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0354-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Hungry yet? I hope so, because it seems that Nestle has been lagging in the Kit Kat flavor department since about early spring! Hoping for at least one last flavor post before we shove off in August!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-12946237267487782832011-06-03T06:42:00.000-07:002011-06-03T06:42:00.189-07:00Future<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">In exactly two months from today, Jacob and I will be headed on a big bird back home to the States, ending the life we've known here in Japan for three years. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">In three months from now, I'll be on another bird to my new job in...Ukraine! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I've been accepted as an English Fellow through the <a href="http://elf.georgetown.edu/">Georgetown University English Fellows Program</a>, and will be in the former Soviet Union for 10 months (Russian-study and a new blog to come!). Although the next couple of months will no doubt be stressful and sad, there are some exciting things oozing their way into our future plans, and for that we're truly grateful!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-20053235104914254482011-05-31T05:53:00.000-07:002011-05-31T23:22:34.465-07:00All-Girls Glorious Spring Hokkaido Roadtrip<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">In the spirit of our grandabulous </span><a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/2010/10/all-girls-awesome-autumn-hokkaido.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">autumn Hokkaido roadtrip last fall</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">, my partners-in-driving, Krista and Vanessa, and I headed out of Sapporo once again to the north-central part of our island just in-time for the arrival of Spring there. We were greeted with lush gardens, colorful dairy farms galore (made me a bit homesick for Kansas), and some amazing colors that you have to see to believe:</span></div><div><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0272.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0118.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 299px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0122.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; ">After a night stop with our friends in Engaru, our first destination was the Holland-rip-off tulip gardens in Kami-Yubetsu. Yes, it is anything but Japanese-y, but it was still pretty nonetheless (thanks in part to the gorgeous weather that decided to accompany us):</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0039-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0039-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0043.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 307px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0044-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0055.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0070-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 468px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0104.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 316px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0059-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0061.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; ">And from there it was on the road again, only to be lured off by an excessively large crab claw in Monbetsu:</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 310px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0110.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And since we were already there, we thought we'd better join the kids at the park jumping on the Fuwa-Fuwa Dome (translates to "fluffy dome"...these things are everywhere across Japan and are so, so awesome):</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 315px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/P1040440.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Our primary destination was actually spotted on a poster on our last roadtrip. Takinoue is a sweet little town known for mint, turkey farming, it's pink fairy mascot...</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0120.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">...and especially it's acres and acres of </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">shibazakura</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">, or pink moss phlox, which cover the hillsides like a thick 70s-esque-era rug:</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0139.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0131.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0128.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; ">It's one of the most gorgeous places I've ever seen:</span></div><div><br /><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0193.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 468px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0158.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0165.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We saw this guy just </span><a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/2011/05/spring-ishere.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">a few weeks ago at hanami </span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">in Sapporo and were really surprised to see him, bushy eye-brows and fancy get-up galore, up in Takinoue as well:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0136.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0188.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0140.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 334px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0199.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0188.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><div><div><div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; ">Gratuitous driving pics (not recommended):</span></div></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0243.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0231.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0237.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0231.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: left;">Our original plans included camping out for a night, but unforeseen rains dictated that we make ourselves a car tent and sleep in the michi-no-eki (roadside station) parking lot instead:</div></span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 317px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/P1040573.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The next day, we headed to the beautiful area surrounding the town of Biei. The watery rice paddies encompassing the farms in this part of Hokkaido are so, so dreamy:</span></div><div><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0260-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0263.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0255-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The cute little town of Biei looks more like it came out of the Midwest, U.S.A. rather than in northern Japan:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0266.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">With a quick stop at the area's Blue Pond...</span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0275-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">...and the pretty Shirohige Waterfalls:</span></div><div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0275-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0275-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><br /></u></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0303-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 305px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0303-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">...and it was back to our city-life in Sapporo with another glorious roadtrip under our belt, and a renewed sense of pride for our beautiful (and uncharacteristically non-Japanese-y) island of Hokkaido!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-70290166308063892772011-05-26T18:44:00.000-07:002011-05-26T19:44:40.973-07:00You Gotta Go to 由仁町 (Yuni-cho)<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Out in the rolling hills and farmlands of Hokkaido, just about 35 minutes outside of Sapporo, lies the quiet little country community town of Yuni-cho. My Aussie friend, Sam, works as an English teacher there, and everytime I visit, it's always a tasty adventure!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">This past Saturday was designated as Yuni Food Day, as there are so many quirky little eateries utilizing some amazing farm-fresh foods. One of these places (and first of our day) is Bennu Cafe and Art Gallery:</span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0257.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0257.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0240.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0196.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0194.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0197.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The place is run by an English woman (and 18-year Japan vet) named Kate and is so colorful and inviting that it's hard to believe the place is surrounded by cows and crops:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0251.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0251.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0251.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0200-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0200-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0201.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 302px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0201.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">At the back of the cafe is a hip botique shop filled with clothing, jewlery, and other fabulous treasures gathered from her many trips to Bali and beyond during the long winter months that the cafe is closed:</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0247.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0249-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0249-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0249-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And on the side is an entire gallery showcasing her pottery for sale. Cuteness alert:</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0203.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0203.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0210-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0210-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0205.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0205.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0209.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">It's the organic coffee and homemade treats, however, that really "take-the-cake" (whop, whop, whaaaa):</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0220.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0220.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0220.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0232.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0232.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0233.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0233.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0225.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0225.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0238.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0238.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0236.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0236.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And the most inviting swing in the world, just outside!</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/Untitled-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 312px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/Untitled-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">So, you know Japan is known world over for its crazy vending machines, but did you know that in the countryside of Hokkaido it is not uncommon to stumble upon an egg vending machine? EGG VENDING MACHINE! Did I just type that?</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0273.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0273.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0270.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0270.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Yes, there are the standard white and brown fresh farm eggs. In Yuni-cho, however, you also have the Golden Egg variety:</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0275.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0277-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Which I most definitely had to buy (I think "buying an edible golden egg from a vending machine is <i>somewhere</i> hidden on my life-list of things to do):</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0277-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0277-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Turns out, they are smoked and flavored. EGG-cellent:</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0280.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0280.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">When you're in Yuni-cho and it's lunch time, you MUST head to the Farm Yard:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_7337.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 312px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_7337.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Known for their local and seasonal vegetable, herbs, and fruits, this is THE place to go for soup curry (Hokkaido's speciality dish) and UH-MAY-ZING pies:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_7336.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 312px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_7336.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0268.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_7339.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_7339.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 312px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_7339.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_7340.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 312px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_7340.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Think we couldn't handle any more after all of that? Wrong. Last stop of the day, and one of the best reasons why YOU should visit Yuni-cho, is this place:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0332-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0332-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Yeah, it looks cute and quaint, but on the inside of the Ushigoya Ice Cream Shop (located on the grounds of Yuni's North Star Dairy Farm) is a hidden rasta party of deliciousness:</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0302.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Fresh, super-flavorful, homemade ice creams from the dairy's own milk cows:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0294.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0294.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0294.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0290-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0290-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And the proprietor behind all of the craziness, Ya-chan herself:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0318.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0318.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0297-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0297-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">If you don't want one of the pre-made ice creams, you can get a "maze-maze" mixed up on a cold stone for you by Ya-chan herself! Flavors range from "Love in Chocolate" and "Sweet Potato Cheesecake," to the ever popular "Lady Boy":</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0287-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0308.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0308.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0308.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0312.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0312.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Oh, yeeeeeaah:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0316-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0316-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0320-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0320-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Apple-cinnamon-caramel custard, anyone?</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0324.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0325.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0325.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 468px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0325.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0327-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 313px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0327-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0335.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 322px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0335.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">So there you have it. Yuni-cho, folks. I'd say get there fast while the eatin's good, but then it's ALWAYS good out in those parts!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">(Thanks, Sam, for a great weekend)</span></div><div><br /><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-50345292258449807452011-05-25T06:56:00.000-07:002011-05-25T06:56:00.401-07:00Mr. Thiessen is 29!!<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Gearing up for our last birthday BBQ here in Japan! </span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/number-29-300x300.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/number-29-300x300.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Jacob's made about 40 homemade whole-meal buns and hamburger patties, we're getting the grill fired up, and here's hoping to lots of warm sunshine and happy birthday vibes! 誕生日が好きい!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-60723247306109113812011-05-22T22:31:00.000-07:002011-05-23T06:08:08.743-07:00Spring is...here?<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The first signs of Spring here in Hokkaido don't consist of flowers, sunshine, or even warm weather. Instead, they come in sakura (cherry blossom) filled advertisements and treats from Starbucks:</span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8394.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8394.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 312px; " /></a><br /><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8393.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 468px; " /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8409.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8409.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8409.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="text-align: left; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 468px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8407.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8407.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 468px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8390.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8390.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 312px; " /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Yup, once I'm able to munch on sakura cheesecake, cookies, and scones, and then chase it all down with a cherry blossom latte, I know that sunshine-y days and light jackets are soon on their way.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Or, so we would like to hope.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">A couple weekends ago marked the opening of the sakura blooms here in Hokkaido, and with that comes a multitude of hanami (flower-viewing) BBQ parties in the park. Hanami in Hokkaido, however, is COLD! Sure, you can warm yourself with a bottle of wine and a little fire from the BBQ, but as soon as the sun starts to dip, it is downright chilly! The pretty blossoms and quirky people-watching are nice distractions, though:</span></div><div><div><br /></div><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0167.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 468px; " /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0171-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0171-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0171-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="text-align: left; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " /></a><div style="text-align: left; "><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0168-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0168-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0175.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0175.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 468px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0185.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0185.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " /></a><br /><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0169-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0180.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0180.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0180.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="text-align: left; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " /></a><div style="text-align: left; "><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0177.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0177.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0189.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0189.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 468px; " /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">This past weekend our very own Odori Park held an Earthday Ezo festival celebrating natural and environmentally-conscious endeavors here in Ezo (the very old-school name for our island of Hokkaido). The tulips were blooming, the people were out, and the cold, drizzly, rain cleared off just enough for the event to be pretty rockin':</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8717.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8717.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 312px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8714.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8714.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 468px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8711.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8711.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 312px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8706.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8706.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 312px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8702.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8702.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 312px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8705.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8705.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 312px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8712.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8712.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 468px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8709.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8709.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 312px; " /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">These guys make saving the earth look like a whole lot more fun:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8713.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8713.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 468px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Good times!</span></div></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; ">So, sitting here with my kerosene heater still pumping and a cold, Northern wind breezing by outside and wondering yet again just when WILL Spring get here, I realize that it's taken me three years to finally accept that this cold, grey, heavy-coat-wearing, heater-running, sakura-dotted season IS spring in Hokkaido. I'm just glad we have Starbucks to let us know that it's actually arrived...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; "><br /></span></div></span></span></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-12358409492508177112011-05-16T05:50:00.001-07:002011-05-31T21:33:00.885-07:00Golden Week Adventures in Thailand-Part III, Bangkok<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i>You can read part I of our Thailand trip </i><a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/2011/05/golden-week-adventures-in-thailand-part.html"><i>here</i></a><i>, and catch part II </i><a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/2011/05/golden-week-adventures-in-thailand-part_14.html"><i>here</i></a><i>.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">After our amazing stay down on the beaches of the Andaman coast, we were actually excited to get back to Bangkok for a night and a full day as it's such a vibrant (and delicious!) city!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">One of the highlights of this trip to the city was the amazing, amazing boutique hotel, Phra-Nakorn Norn-Len (Slow Life). With it's hand-painted rooms and halls, eclectic style, exceptional Thai massages, and simple organic meals, it is seriously one of those places that you hope will forever stay a best-kept-secret:</span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0007.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0007.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0009-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0009-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Although we took in most of Bangkok's main sites on </span><a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/2009/01/great-thailand-escape-part-i.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">our last visit to the city</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> two years ago, it was still nice walking around and taking in some of the lesser-known wats (Buddhist temples) and scenes of regular street life:</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0050-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0081.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0053.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">In Bangkok, your mail is only going one of two places:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0044.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0044.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 468px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0044.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Heavenly street food REALLY comes alive during the night-time markets and street-stalls:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0018-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0020.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 308px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0040.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0039.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0030-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0035.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Asia has many, many markets, it's true. The undisputed king of them all, however, is Bangkok's weekend Chatuchak Market, which contains over 15,000 stalls (!!!!) over a 35 acre area selling everything. Seriously, everything. Clothing, food, massages, antiques, house-wares, art, jewelery, live animals, handicrafts, books, music, plants and flowers...not to mention the wonderful live entertainment and music! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">There is absolutely nothing you cannot get here and, as this was our second time visiting the shopping behemoth, it comes highly, highly recommended:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0105.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0105.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0105.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0124.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0124.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0115-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 314px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0115-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0111.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0111.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0109.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0109.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0119.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0119.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Whew...after a shopping experience like that, it's ALWAYS definitely time for a Thai massage:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0166.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0166.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">What a relaxing way to end our fabulous Golden Week journey to the Land of Smiles! As a bonus, it was soooo nice returning to Japan just in time for Spring flowers and sunshine rather than mountainous drifts of snow! Makes getting back into the swing of things just that much easier...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-32175766213595953402011-05-14T05:34:00.000-07:002011-05-31T21:32:31.081-07:00Golden Week Adventures in Thailand-Part II, Railey<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i>To read Part I of our adventures in Thailand, head </i></span><a href="http://thiessentwosomejapan.blogspot.com/2011/05/golden-week-adventures-in-thailand-part.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i>here</i></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i>.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">After Koh Lanta, we journeyed to the little tropical hideaway isthmus known as Railey. This is the poster-child for the limestone karst-studded emerald waters of Thailand's Andaman coast:</span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0432.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0432.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0460-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0460-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0430.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">At the end of the isthmus is the most beautiful place we've ever swam: Phra-Nang (Princess) Cave Beach:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0252.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0252.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 331px; height: 468px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0252.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0255.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0255.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0277.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0277.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The cave on the beach is said to hold the spirit of a drowned Indian princess...</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0286-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">...and many offerings (some downright amusing to say the least) are colorfully stacked inside:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0509.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0509.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 468px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0509.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0287-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0287-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0303.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0347.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0347.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0347.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0328.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0328.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0316.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0316.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The north end of the beach was our most favorite place for sunset-gazing and good conversation:</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0411.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0405.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0473-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0473-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 468px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0473-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We liked that beach so much that we hiked there everyday that we were in Railey. It's best in the afternoon after the boatloads of Chinese tourists have left for the day:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0479-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0479-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 468px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0479-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0494-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0525.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0525.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 468px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0525.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0498-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0498-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Oh yeah...and we continued to eat, and eat, and eat...</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0386-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0426.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">After one more stunning color-show on the beach... </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0426.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">..we were off the next day on a plane back to Bangkok:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8638.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 351px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8638.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8640.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 351px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8640.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And that's where we'll end our wonderfully relaxing vacation in the next post...</span></div><div><br /></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608935239391992199.post-40148708480168070802011-05-12T06:55:00.002-07:002011-05-31T21:32:02.712-07:00Golden Week Adventures in Thailand-Part I, Koh Lanta<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">For our last Golden Week vacation here in Japan, Jacob and I decided to head back to Thailand for a relaxing getaway on the beaches during low-season. We were long over-due for some quality time together since our job schedules don't always permit it.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">First stop, the island of Koh Lanta in the Andaman Sea (next to its more famous cousin, Koh Phi Phi), and our cute little bungalow:</span></div><div><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0001.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8590.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8590.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 351px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/IMG_8590.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">This is what you get in Thailand during the low season: a beach nearly all to yourself:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0200.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0204-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0204-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0204-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0037-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Okay, so the real reason we decided to head back to Thailand more than anything was the food! Thai food is the stuff of spicy, fragrant, flavorful dreams:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0044-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0044-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0044-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0103.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0059-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And did I mention the sunsets?</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0059-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 311px; " src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0059-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0070.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0070.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The best way to get around Koh Lanta is by motorbike, and we took many sunny adventure drives around the island:</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0086-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0086-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0084.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0137.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 308px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0056.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Hmmm...what should we do today:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 310px; height: 468px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0198.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0115-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0115-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0191.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0191.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0195.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0195.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0217.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 308px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0217.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0221.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0221.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0219.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0219.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0223.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0223.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0228.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 311px;" src="http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/thiessentwosome/DSC_0228.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">After a good five days in Koh Lanta, we headed on a boat off to the isthmus of Railey for a little more lazy beach life in the Andaman...</span></div><div><br /></div>ThiessenTwosomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16517942113288970723noreply@blogger.com3