Keeping Up With Sophie: Out and about...in Fukuoka

Things here in Fukuoka (pronounced foo koo oh ka, FYI) are settling down nicely. Sophie calls it "Foo koo yoka" so don't feel bad if you mispronounced it! There's a large grocery store a few blocks away (with beautiful, delicious strawberries!), a huge park the other way, and the train station has an elevator! Life is good. We just wish the weather would shape up! It's been cold cold cold! It snowed like crazy today! Sophie was totally loving it!

Here are three pictures of the same thing (or close to it) in the span of an hour. The progression of the storm was intense. This was off our balcony.

I'm still trying new things. Last city, I took up Bikram yoga. It's 90 minutes of 26 poses (two times) in 105 degree heat. I'd say it was no sweat...but that's incorrect. Quite. Here in Fukuoka it's been difficult to find a yoga studio that is close by and/or affordable. So far, it's a no go.
I also have been to the dentist two times since we've been here in Japan. In Osaka, we went for a cleaning and the doctor was super gentle and nice, and they offered iPods with relaxing music on it. In Fukuoka, you had to take off your shoes and wear slippers. When I sat in the chair, they offered me a blanket. Have you ever had that happen in the US? Not me!

Valentine's Day is special in Japan in that the men get gifts and chocolate and other lovey things. The day for women is in March. Funny, huh? I decided to make use of my Japan-only cupcake maker one more time and make cupcakes for Jim. Sophie helped. She's a very good flour pour-er and egg hand-er. I made red velvet inside French vanilla cupcakes. Sophie had to approve them. She's also a very good cupcake taster.

Surprise!

On our last day off, we wanted to go to the aquarium. So we trekked to the boat dock for the ferry and there were no boats running that day. I think it was too cold and windy. We decided to check out the Fukuoka Tower. Click here for the official site. The views of the city and the ocean were pretty amazing! Here are a few pics Jim took. This is an overhead view of the ferry station. It reminded me a lot of Huntington Beach, with surf shops and restaurants. We are facing Korea, which a Korean tourist told us it was an hour by plane. Yes, that close.

Japanese kids in matching hats

Supermodel Sophie

Making faces

Sophie and I went to site for the first time yesterday, and the train station is decorated in KOOZA style! It's super easy to navigate and stroller-friendly to boot! Fukuoka is the closest to the US as we've been that I've noticed...well, except for the whole everything-in-Japanese and the driving-on-the-left side thing. HA!
You can see Sophie on the left. The stairs are the Trickster and the columns are posters of the acts. Plus there are numerous posters around the station, in the trains and at bus stops.