Happy new year 2012

Since we came back to Japan, I have been very busy... overcoming our jet-lag, laundry, e-mail and snail mail (got 25 letters waiting...) and reading though all the beautiful X-mas and new-years cards.

There is one thing, we were eager to eat: Jinanbo-Ramen !!!!

The store is located near Muu's pet hotel and so we ate these Thai-style Ramen before we picked him up. They taste very different from "regular" Ramen but they are very deliciously flavoured with Coconut-milk and other spices.

The next day we went to Ukitake-shrine to greet the new year.

That shrine is over 700 years old and has a lot of ancient paintings and sacred rocks...

In the evening we took a lovely walk through Tenjin, had some great food at the Hakata Harp and at a cozy restaurant, called "Gaza". Actually, I wanted to take some more pictures, but we were mostly in the mood chatting and laughing, so I totally forgot. Well, I will do so next time ^_^

Today, on our trip to Shikanoshima we were totally surprised to see the very first Cherry-blossom this year. It was the only one and the tree is located at an Onsen (hot-spa) and since Shikanoshima is the warmest place in Fukuoka, it might be the reason, why it already came out.

Now I really look forward to Hanami-season... even if it will take about 10-12 more weeks.

But first I will be busy working on my new big painting for the upcoming show in Tokyo and on some other pieces. Also need to catch up with my mail... >_>