Fukuoka Day 3

 School starts today. At 9am. And I arrived 20 minutes past 9am. I was lost. Scurrying like a mouse for the at least half an hour, running up and down the station exits before the Central Post Office set me right. Hence, I missed my placement test, and went straight into orientation.

School is fun. My classmates are from America, France, Germany, Quebec. My teacher is Japanese but non-rigidly so. We laugh questions to the teacher, the teacher laughs it back. So much that I think my lungs are more tired than my brain after the intensive 4 hours of lesson. 

For example today, we were learning to use: because ~ too much, therefore ~.

Q: _________すぎたから、疲れたんです。

(Because __________ too much, therefore I was tired.)

A: アクスビデオが見すぎたから、疲れたんです。

(Because I watched too much X video, therefore I was tired.)

One of the more colourful answers offered.

And I think the best thing is there is no racial discrimination here, despite it being so predominantly Anglo-Saxon, simply because everyone is here because they like Asia. It was comforting (and a little strange) when my Caucasian classmates go, "Oh my god! You know Chinese? That means you already know Kanji?!" 

After class, I went straight to Mitsukoshi 三越, having already scouted out the place, and bought myself a tea set at Fruit Cafe Hanako フルツカーフぇハナ子.

 A cafe cum patisserie that specialises in fresh fruits in their pastries, meaning they pile and heap mountain of fruits onto their cakes and tarts. This was the first patisserie that caught my eye in this sea of gourmet heaven. It was the abnormal ratio of fruits to pastry base that is so attention-grabbing that I automatically stop to stare at the display fridge because I was trying to figure out if this shop was selling fruits or cakes. It is the strawberry season now.

 Cake set ケーキセート ¥850 gives you a slice of tart or cake and a cup of tea or coffee.

The strawberry tart 苺タルと is nothing fanciful. A plain almond tart base, filled with fresh cream and topped with an exaggerated amount of strawberries. There was more than enough strawberries to go with each mouthful of tart and cream. And for me, it was really satisfying to eat something so simple yet so good in a long time. I would probably go back to have their fruit cake.

 Dinner shopping.

Maki-zushi 巻寿司

 and seaweed salad わかめサラダ.

End.