I do love to be beside the sea

Here's me clowning with one of my students in Ako last Sunday.
Ako park has a playground that is probably unsurpassed by any other in the whole country! It has a replica pirate ship that can be climbed all over and an obstacle course containing all sorts of fun challenges.

The park is also home to a salt museum (Ako is famous for its salt) which actually had some interesting buildings were they were harvesting salt the old fashioned way. And is right beside the sea. However a peek at the beach revealed it to be a bit on the dirty side so we stuck to the play equipment.

Back by the sea on Monday but for a different purpose. I went to the Porto Bazaar, which is a outlet mall near Kobe. It is designed to look like a Mediterranean town, I was hoping for some cheap laughs but actually came home converted after finding some bargain jeans. Then I took a visiting friend to see a love hotel,

Here's the menu board, anyone for today's special?

Inoshishi Delishy

This past Sunday I took a trip to Sasayama, a small town to the north of the Kak. It is famous for it's Inoshishi (wild boar) Nabe (stew). So naturally after walking around to see its temples and samurai houses I had to warm myself up by ordering some. It was ridiculously huge but quite delicious.

The town itself was pretty small but quite lovely. I enjoyed wandering around the little streets. There is the ruins of a castle and a partial reconstruction of it, which houses a museum, but I didn't bother going in to that. The biggest drawback to the town is that it is miles from its station but it had a pleasantly untouched feeling to it.

On Monday I visited Awaji, an island off the coast near Kobe. I have been past it many times on the train but this was my first visit. I took the ferry over and it was quite a pleasant ride. On reaching the island I did some walking, saw an interesting temple and got to ring its big bell. Also climbed up a big hill to see the view, which was quite beautiful. Then wandered through the little town for a while before heading back to the mainland.

Happy Hikings

Had a very active weekend this week as I hiked up two different mountains. The first was Mt Shosha, near Himeji on Sunday. I had visited it before when my 'rents were here but when we went we took the cable car, this time I did it the hard way. It was lovely and sunny so made a really nice day. On Monday it was Mt Rokko near Kobe. I had also been up a different part of the Mountain with dad and mum again by cable car but this was again all on foot. On the way up I was amused to see these toilets, cunningly disguised as tree stumps...

Here's me having an Indiana Jones moment. This bridge was seemingly in the middle of nowhere, still not quite sure what it lead to.
Further up was this dam. Was a really pretty spot and again the weather was cooperating beautifully.

At the top of the mountain was the Nunobiki Herb Garden. Unfortunately being winter there wasn't a whole lot to see but the views were nice. Tried to eat in the restaurant there but it was too crowded so instead headed back down into Kobe. There I ate in a restaurant that uses this ingenious ordering method. Decide what you want then select the button on the vending machine and pay and it will issue you a ticket. Go and sit down and someone will come and take the ticket and then being you your food.

Since there was still some daylight left after I'd eaten I went down to the earthquake memorial in the harbour.