Return

Saturday the 14th, we returned to Kobe.   We stopped at one rest place for lunch and found these things:

Another fancy ladies' room.

For the little boys.

Lunch--tempura shrimp  udon  and in the Sara's was  kitsune udon.

The bakery had these peach muffins--yummy.

Mikan (tangerine) bread--looked orange and shaped like one. 

These are apple breads.

A super duper motorbike, one of a group at the rest stop.

Off there on the left is what is supposed to look like the flashing lights of a police car.  I doubt it makes people slow down, though. 

Valentine's Banquet

The banquet was held at the church.  The teen girls served.  The meal took about 70 minutes to eat--some six courses, all elegantly done.  Hats off to the young ladies that put this together and took turns watching the little kids. 

Tomatoes, basil and cheese first course

The salad course

Tomato soup

The main course--pasta and chicken cort-on-bleu with asparagus

Dessert

 

 

 

 

 There were some games and then Henry gave a short speech.  It was a fun evening for everyone.

To Iwakuni 岩国

 Henry was asked to speak at a Valentine's Banquet at the military church in Iwakuni (it means rock country--and the hills around that area are loaded with rocks).  Anyway, we traveled there on the 12th.
 

Friday the pastor took us to a tourist attraction that's rather popular.
Mostly it was souvenirs and outdoor eating under the trees.  However, very Japanese. 

Dozens of carp flags flying in the wind.  These are also used during Boys' Festival in May.

The ducks were searching for eats in the pond.

A lady beat on the drum announcing something.

This restaurant was in front of a beautiful waterfall.

The menu--fried chicken.

Ebisu statue which I think was the theme of this place.

 Then there was the ladies' restroom.  So elegant with heated toilet seats and automatic flushing.  

That's a baby changing table.

Kiji 2015

Recently a resident Japanese pheasant has made his appearance.  This time he was in the field outside the kitchen window just sitting pretty as you please; some 10 minutes which is very unusual.  Looked like it was sleeping.  Then the next day he was perched on the side of the slope and puffing himself up a bit.  He is really a beautiful bird with his red face, dark green chest and blue feathers down the long tail.

It moved to the hill eventually, then went up into the woods.