May 4, 2009: The Big Buddha

Teresa and Kelly were early to rise (maybe around 5AM), especially since their body clock is still on American time. We had shown them the night before how to use our bath, but it’s not the easiest process, so it’s understandable that they needed extra assistance. Around 7:30, we were awoken by their confusion. Not long after, I was fired up and ready to start the day. In no time at all, fresh ground coffee was brewing and I was cutting apples and strawberries for a fruit salad. We ate breakfast and then all crammed in our car for the mountains. It’s a short 15 minute drive and we’re up in the mountains. You can get a beautiful view of our town, Iizuka, from this one lookout point.

We stopped in a neighboring town, called Sasaguri. It’s famous for having more than 88 shrines and a gigantic, reclining Buddha. It was raining, but we still had fun. We trudged through the murky puddles and smiled for the camera anyways!

The Big Buddha and a closer look at the statue's feet


Teresa & Kelly (Brandon's parents)

Kelly

I often took pictures with random kids. What a cutie!

After a couple hours, lunch was calling our name. We wanted Teresa & Kelly to experience some Japanese food, but nothing too crazy. “Don Don Tei” is a local okonomiyaki place. The menu has several dishes that you cook yourself because your table has a flat grilling surface. “Okonomiyaki” is a kind of omelet, using egg and cabbage, usually with your choice of meat and any other extras you want. They bring you a bowl with all of the raw ingredients for you to mix and cook. We ordered a couple of different omelets, along with plain meat and vegetables. I even ordered a side of cheese fries, just in case the other food wasn’t filling. It’s a weird choice, but delicious.

There’s always room for dessert! Brandon and I go to this bakery often, mostly because you get free coffee if you eat there. It’s a huge weakness and the main reason why I haven’t lost weight since I’ve lived here.

All this running around wore us out, so we went back to our apartment. Teresa and I decided to take a nap, while Brandon showed his dad a nearby lake. I made pork chops and vegetables for dinner. It was Teresa’s birthday, the day before, so we had coconut pie (her favorite) for dessert. We visited for awhile before deciding to get ready for bed.