Entertaining Guests.

They were both entertaining and entertained.  It was a good three days.

We had some friends from Niigata come and visit us this last weekend.  It was a Kagoshima whirlwind.  The day they arrived we also had two last days of school, one farewell party and one school viewing day.  So we divided and conquered.  Miraculously we all managed to get to the same hotel in the Kag at the same time.  We strolled through town and had dinner at an Izakaya.  Everyone was tired so we had an early night. 

The next morning we started with the main attraction, Sakurajima, the volcano. 

The ferry ride was a little cool but the view was super cool so that kind of made up for it.  I managed to make a wrong guess during one portion of our drive and we had to back track to get to our second destination.  This was the basic theme of the trip.

At the dinosaur park the daughter climbed this five meter t-rex to prove she could even though I said she shouldn't.  While sliding back down she got some painful fibre glass burns.  Yes I mentioned to her that I told her so.  So hard not to.

After the dinosaur park we hit up the free foot spa.  We had passed well into the lunch hour so the kids got pop to tide them over.  For lunch we headed back to kagoshima city and had black pig pork cutlets at pretty up scale place.  They were good but I think we all felt a little under dressed.

 We finished with the requisite picture with Saigo Takamori.  The big man of Kagoshima. That night they came back with us to stay in Ijuin.  It was a crowded house but we all made do and had a good time.  I made chili and pizza.  The mrs. contributed veggies and dip.  There was lots of beer.

The next morning we didn't rush out the door.  We took our time over breakfast and then we headed south for the requisite visit to the sand baths.  The daughter went in with the guests while I played with the boys at the beach and the Mrs. took some pictures.  However, she only took that one with ours.

 We made it back earlyish and had a great dinner of Kagoshima's traditional foods.  This of course included lots of beer.

 The last day we went and visited Miyama, a local pottery village.  If you have been following that is where the kids and I made our pottery.  We toured the grounds of a historic pottery making site.  Then one of our guests bought some shochu cups.  The original potters came to Japan from Korea so it was neat to see the Korean influences. 

After a great ramen lunch where the daughter finally got some gyoza (she was twice denied only earlier restaurant trips) we headed for the airport.

Our guests did some last minute omiyage shopping and then we said our farewells.  They made it back to Niigata safely. 

It was a busy busy four days but it was good to see them.

Love out.