.....on the road again......

Ritsue and her mom said get in, so I got in and off we went. Many, many tunnels we travelled through. (More than a couple of them were over 3 km. long.)

 

.....but first a visit back to the day before....... Walking in the neighborhood takes me past this cemetary.

Wow, so much coming in and going out in that luggage! (hope it all fits!) That took......

.... a little grocery shopping. (actually, a lot..)

I decided my ride along entitled me to a prize of some sort. (Cost me a whole 300 yen, but......)

.....so well worth it!

I was spoiled again that evening......sukiyiki time!

.....this is going to be good!

....full circle to I'm going to need all that food to get me through a big road trip. (At least that's what I'm telling myself.)

First pit stop, even the vending machines seem to have more to offer......

I decided an espresso was in order, and dang, it came out of the machine hot!

Headed across the Kanmon kaikyo bridge....

....a freak mini rainstorm while crossing.

...... uhhhhh yes, that way.

...cruising through Isahaya City.....

to our first destination, which is famous for......

the Unzen Onsen. (a geothermally heated volcanic hot spring field don't you know.)

.....pretty incredible to be here and see it's power.

One of the traditions is to eat an egg that had been hard-boiled by the steam. (and we did.)

Hmmmmnnnn, where to spend the night????

Well, Ritsue had quite a surprise. Our hotel room bath had steaming hot water that came trickling in from the Onsen. Our own personal hot tub! (Yes, the cold water tap was needed every now and again.) What a treat!

The hotel served us dinner, so good!, and so well presented.

As visually appetizing for the eyes as well as the palate.

....treated to a sunset as well, perfect!!

The nourishment for the weary travelers continued.....

.....including this not so surprisingly oishii cheesecake a gelatin desert!

My Onsen view in the morning, ahhhhhhh. Do we have to leave?

...breakfast at the hotel was also a wonder of color, taste and textures.

Look at that! Oishii desu!

Had to check out Japan's longest foot bath before we left, which was across from the hotel, the Hot Foot 105. (length and temperature)

One last look......

....but first, beside the hotel......

...we went to to buy locally made sake. (So nice, he even threw in fresh onions and broccoli from the garden, wow!

We hit the road, and it wasn't too long before I spotted this beach. I said "stop the car!"

When will I ever again get the chance to put my feet in......

...the East China Sea!

I was blown over, I meant away.

Along the way to our next adventure I saw this Sony factory in Isahaya City (deja vu), one of the largest factory buildings I think I have ever seen.

Family time......

It was different kind of road trip, and a different kind of vending machine. ((Stopped at a rest area and saw this.)(We had just started out, my underwear was still quite fresh, lol.))

 

On this day Ritsue and mom attended to the family grave in Fukuyama.

These cemeteries are everywhere across Japan.

In honor of the grand-parents.

I strolled up to the top of the hill for the vista.

The show of respect, makes me think.....

Later on we went to the to see the priest and his wife at the temple. I felt blessed......

While in the area, we went to the local favorite Onomichi ramen restaurant. (Tonchinkan is the name when you book your trip!)

My vista of my first look at Onomichi. (More to come!)

Wow, this was quite a view. After lunch, we went to Senkouji Temple Park, also in Onomichi

So spiritual......

.... down to the town, we went for a stroll around the market.

Looking out towards Mukaishima Island, if we only we had more time, lol.

Wow, we've got to get back up there??

.....let's take the gondola back up to the top (like everyone else)......

.....one last absorbing the view, looking west.....

.....and the birds-eye view looking east.

The next day was closer to home in Hiroshima. A morning walk up above Ritsue's mom's neighborhood took us past these baseball fields. (Baseball is so huge over here.)

I'm guessing 20 plus times I've walked the hood. Love it.

Then back home for a late breakfast. Always a dining adventure, yum! First up was Shirasu (baby sardines)

....tsukushi next! (Horsetail shoots!) An earthy tastiness.

Then the rest, which made it a completely satisfying brekkie.

Relax today, I'm thinking tomorrow is going to move me, my inner savant says.

Ode to Auntie and Unk........

Back in the hood! (Ritsue's mom's place in Hiroshima. Nice to get out walking familiar terrain again.

 

This is the efficient way to get around in Japan. (It could possibly fit in the back of my pick-up truck, lol.)

Shopping in the hood, everything displayed seems to be a lot more colorful than mundane stores in the Lower Mainland.

Hey, wait a minute, those aren't carp, they're eggs! (Those would be really, insanely large carp eggs. (Ritsue pointed out even the eggs are cheering on the Hiroshima Carp baseball team. Go Carp!)

Walking about the neighborhood, hmnnn, looks like a small problem......

.....whoa! Looks more like a big problem to me!

The cats in Hiroshima look just as surly as the one back home, lol. (Inside joke with a certain daughter.....)

Well, well, what's going on here?

Ritsue and her mom made up a batch, and I mean a batch, of oysters for frying!

.....and dang!, oishii desu!

This blog is dedicated to the hard-working folks out there, like Auntie and Unk. On this day we asked mom is she needed us to do anything while we were there and she said yes........

.....so we loaded up and headed out........

.....a little bit larger than the facility I am used to in sleepy Summerland, B.C.

.....smooth and efficient process like a lot of things in Japan.

....getting closer.......

......almost our turn......

.......mom asked us to get rid of a few things around the house. So this was officially my first "dump run" in Japan.

The eyes were everywhere.

....could quite possibly be the cleanest dump I'll ever be at.

....afterwards we made a stop at the local 7-11. This is where this story becomes a private joke between us and Auntie and Unk. When your on a dump run you need the mandatory......wait for it.........

......roadie!! (which I thoroughly enjoyed, sorry Ritsue, you're driving...)

To celebrate the momentous event we celebrated with her mom and friends at an awesome yakitori restaurant. I could get used to this!