Genki JACS

This picture was probably taken during my third week at Genki JACS. A class of the strangest, weirdest individuals, who have brought me so much joy and laughter in the ensuing weeks. 

And you, 

yes you, 

the one in the middle with your head bowed and hands in a praying gesture, 

I am gladdest to have met you.

Daizaifu 大宰府

They say a picture speaks a thousand words. Here's a couple of thousands for you.

Inari Shrine 稲荷神社

いなりのかみ

Umegaemochi 梅が枝もち

Inari Udon　いなりうどん

"Heidi, the only two uncertainties in your life right now is Dan- and what you should do in life.
And you should be laughing at them."             
 - Petra

Thanks.

Meeting good people

After all the bad things that has happened, the few good people that you meet, that is the silver lining I have been looking for.
 

Dinner with Kim, my first ever German どいつ人 end, at the local Sushi bar across Ijiri Station.

It is Kim's first experience with Nigiri sushi (also her first experience with chopsticks), so I ordered us Omakase set おまかせセット 8 pieces. (Kim ate with her hands in the end)

 

It's a really old style sushi bar, see how the sushi is placed directly on the wooden table?

Clear soup to go with.

The chef was so understanding with Kim, who was struggling to finish all the sushi. In the end, he packed the leftover sushi for her to bring home. (sorry Kim! we should have went for Okonomiyaki instead..)

Murasaki Sushi　紫すし

Cake of the day: Apple pie りんごパイ from Fortnum & Mason.

I shall not comment much except that it was very disappointing for a signature product. I guess apple pie is still best served warm.

Breakfast the next morning at Doutor cafe ドトル, which a chain cafe littered all over Japan. I wanted to see how is Doutor like in Japan, since we are supplying them cakes over at the Singapore branch. I am impressed. Doutor in Japan gives off a completely different vibe compared to in Singapore. Maybe Doutor Singapore should relocate to somewhere busier and smaller instead of that stupid Financial Center.

Maccha Latte 抹茶ラテ

Croque Monsieur

Cake(s) of the day from Bleu Fonce Fukuoka.

フルフル Baked Souffle. Plain baked souffle dressed in cake crumb and whipped cream. Simple yet lovely.

Seasonal Mont Blanc モンブラン. Different from their normal Mont Blanc, the colour of this Mont Blanc cream is darker in colour, and tasted exactly like chestnut, which had me totally baffled. Does Japanese creme de marron taste different from French creme de marron? I must find out.

The construction of this particular Mont Blanc is special in that it uses a feuilletine base, which allows you to concentrate more on the Mont Blanc cream itself. Not a bad idea except that it got a bit too sickening in the end. 

After a particularly sick and twisted Japanese movie that the school showed us (every Friday is movie day), I went to an Izakaya with Daniel and Jimmy (both unabashedly American).

Tofu salad 豆腐サラダ.

Stir-fried burdock root ごぼうきんぴら.

Fried chicken 鳥から揚げ.

Pizza ピざ. It puzzles me to no end. Why on earth would an Izakaya have pizza on the menu?

I hereby declare that Americans, it seems, have little or no inhibitions. (translation: they are the craziest people ever.)

I had breakfast with Kim the next morning at a cafe in Shintencho 新天町that she really likes.

BLT. A surprisingly very good one. I would definitely return for the egg and cheese version.

Ueshima Kissaten 上島コーヒー店

Cake of the day: Fruit tart フルツタルと from Hanako Fruit Cafe はなこフルツカフェ.

Told you I'd return. I originally wanted to try the Fruit Cake フルツケーキ but it sold out. Oh well. Fruit tart was quite good, and had all sorts of fruit of it, fruits that you wouldn't even think of, like pomelo.

I went back to school to attend Kim's graduation ceremony.

And went to the ultra-gay (depending how big of a fan of Pokemon you are, it could also be ultra-cool) Pokemon Center at Hakata Station.　ポケモンセンタ　8階

Pikachu I choose you!

Dinner at the Hakata Daruma Ramen 博多だるまラメン, Ramen Street in Hakata Station 博多駅. I was actually craving for gyoza  餃子, and I know I wouldn't be able to finish both ramen and gyoza if I ordered the set. So it's just gyoza for now.

Mentaiko mayonaise gyoza  明太子マヨ餃子 since Fukuoka is famous for its mentaiko.

おいいしかった！

End.

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.