The Hangover

Thank you, B!
B is 40 and I woke up at 2 pm, after a long night partying. When did we party the last time ... ?

Today, around 4 pm - lets say right after breakfast - Mr Paula and I circled the City centre. I had to stick my nose into those lilacs/syringa bushes at Heldenplatz and Volksgarten.

Their scent is divine.

Japanese people passionately watch cherry-blossoms. Hanami.
 I name my passion rirami. rira is japanese for syringa. (pronounced lee-la). I highly recommend this passion.

 

 Not far from the rirami-scenery you will find the Theseus-temple

I was suprised how different my perception of what I saw today was compared to the time before my journey to Sicily. I obviously learned a lot about the shape and construction of antique temples during that trip. Amazing, how learning changes your perspective.

  For the first time after years (decades?), it is white and open to public.

one piece of modern art is on display.

There have been discussions concerning the protection of the impeccable white appearance. Good to see, the people are allowed to sit on the stairs.

  Next to the temple you find groups of tulips and likewise groups of tourists.

The upper middle class also fancies a stroll. 

 Around 5 pm I felt incredible hung over and hungry. We paid our favourite Japanese kiosk a visit and it did not take long and I melted away. The food, ... the soup, oishiiii desu! We met a couple we know from work. They both are as devoted to Japan as Mr Paula and I are. We chatted about the fun we have, talking in Japanese, those few phrases we know by heart ...

Laying your head on the counter (the dishes are served on the counter) somehow still feels appropriate, since Japanese people take any chance they find for a short nap. Hmmm. This was nice, closing my eyes, my head resting on the counter, waiting for korokke and agebi at 5 pm, hearing the sounds from the kitchen behind me and the chatter of the family (it is a family run business). Though I am not so sure, if the kiosk was the appropriate place for a short head-rest.

 Foto: Japanese Food Report

And then it all added up. All it takes is a hangover, incredible delicious korokke and agebi with dashi and the fear of 2 weeks rain in Scotland* to get us to checking flights and shinkansen-connections to Kyuushu. Kyuushu is a southern Japanese island, far away from Fukushima and a mild, dry climate around October/November.

Have a wonderful rirami-season!
Paula

PS: the new blogspot-workflow is a pest. takes forever to put everything in the right place, all those invisible line-breaks that would not show up during editing a posting ...

* On our way to B's party yesterday evening it was raining heavily. I looked at Mr Paula and said "This is what our trip to Scotland could be like - and probably will be like: rain and 11°C. A  vacation, that is meant to be a hiking-trip.