GROWING UP

I've had several visitors since I came to Dazaifu-Fukuoka, Japan. This time, it was my aunt and cousin from Taiwan who dropped by.





















Theresa, my aunt #1.






Isn't she adorable? I have 6 aunts in total, and she's the 1st one, #1!






Relaxing train ride, wonderfully-equipped Japanese-style inn with amazing, soothing, breathtaking HOT SPRINGS, very kind & welcoming staff, a FEAST for supper, little surprises like Japanese YUKATA in the drawers, already-made FUTON after 'onsen' (hot spring), a VIP pass to the special, exclusive Onsens (for reasons I do not know, but my aunt insists that it was because we were both just too cute), CREAMY PUFFS from the staff (again, due to our irresistable charm), and last but definitely not least - GREAT company.



I honestly can't recall the last time I was so full during dinnertime... But we did it!



Before we went in.... the VIP onsen!




Now, if you can read Kanji 漢字, you'll be able to tell the difference.
Actually - hehe, interestingly, the next morning when we went back, the door signs were swapped. At first, we thought that they made a mistake, until we bumped into the Cleaning Lady. She assured us that it's safe, and that they swap the Onsens day & night so that we can try both styles out - WOODEN style and STONE onsens. How great is that? ... we really were as happy and excited as we seem in the pictures. No exaggeration added whatsoever. Honest.

* * * * *

On the train, we chatted, laughed, read. And it's funny how sometimes the highlight of the trip could be the part before you actually even reach the destination. The excitement that builds up by the minute, I especially like the part where you'd talk, revise, and talk about the schedule - it just gets better and better. Of course, sometimes I'd be let down because I had expected way too much, and I let my imagination run wild - sometimes I should really put a chain on it; too much expectation really brings the dream crashing down. That kind of happened during the Okinawa trip, but a good time nonetheless. The point was, this trip was just IDEAL to say the least. This might be the first time I had such an unexpected good time on a trip. And we didn't get lost. Or, I mean, I didn't get us lost. =)


"We grow all the time. You never know, I just might grow after this trip, too." After my aunt said this to me, I began to accumulate what I think might attribute to my "growth". And surprisingly, there is quite a lot I've noted down ...

... in my diary.