天川村

A day trip with friends to hot spring. It mainly happened around 洞川温泉センター Dorogawa Onsen Center. I guess it’s more like a tourist place now since they are registered as world heritage. The hot spring itself was really normal, 600yen per person, just one inside with spa bubbles, one still water outside with fence and top cover 亭, only can see a little bit trees. Darling said maybe it’s not 100 percent natural. Maybe time has changed, there is only Rinse in Shampoo, body soap and hair dryer. No Onsen milk, no Onsen egg. Even view is not as good as other one on the other side of the mountain.IMG_8857.JPG

The good thing is always coming with food. It’s probably all first time that I have all the food today.
蒲公英(たんぽぽ)アイス 250yen – Dandelion flavor ice cream, but have coffee flavor since they use coffee beans for planting dandelion. Very nice flavor I have to say, with mild coffee feel. Darling’s two friends in the pictures. IMG_8856.JPGIMG_8861.JPG
鮎(あゆ)の塩焼き 850yen – fresh river ayu fish caught yesterday with lots of eggs. A bit salty but I definitely would have it again. Darling said it wasn’t bad at all. IMG_8877.JPGIMG_8881.JPG
いもぼた 100yen – at 天川村小路の駅, a uncle was selling souvenir and an auntie was in charge of kitchen product. It’s a mix of rice and potato pieces, both steamed, separately maybe since rice was soft and potato is not fully melted, roasted with either salt or soy sauce. It’s interesting experience, maybe I could try to make it at home next time 🙂 just not darling’s flavor 🙁IMG_8884.JPG
Went up to the men-only mountain entry, but seems it changed over time, different from what he remembered over maybe 20 years ago.IMG_8866.JPG

On the way back, we passed the oldest shrine of water in Japan where there were to two ponies, for god to ride on on ceremonies. IMG_8893.JPGIMG_8887.JPG

Trip Notes – JQ7 Melbourne-Beijing 20120322

First experience with JQ7 from Mel to BJ.

Seat: New aircraft with smaller seats in StarClass, so they can fit more customers. E.g. first roll middle seats was two, not fit three, seats narrower.

Dessert: Before was normal round cheesecake cut into triangle slices, now is very small cubes, said they are cutting cost. Point is, the passion fruit cheese cake taste like sponge, not cheesy as before, and they are not allow to give both cake and cheese selections..due to cost. On the flight from Singapore to Beijing, nobody come to serve snacks.

StarClass: Melbourne to Singapore was quite crowded, but Singapore to Beijing had only three passengers in StarClass, very quiet, on the other hand, Economy Class was very busy.

Trip Notes – JQ16 Osaka-Cairns 20120109

First time fly from Osaka to Cairns with Jetstar, not very good.
Less than seven hours flight.

Meal: Beef Stew with Udon Noodles, with mushroom and broccoli.
Salad: cucumber, tomato and red onion with vinegar and olive oil. But food is too oily.
Dessert: banana cake and fruits.

Normally we have cheesecake and cheese and crackers on both way between Gold Coast to Osaka. and Snacks, chips, chocolates…Miso soup…but not from Osaka to Cairns, only Cairns to Osaka. Disappointed. They didn