Dessert – Anne Goes to Places

Kyushu, Day 12: Nokonoshima

We took a bus then ferry to go to the island then another bus to reach the main area of Nokonoshima. Note that the ferry runs every 30 minutes only.

MARCH 15, 2020

Every breakfast in our Airbnb felt like a feast… and as someone who does not eat breakfast, I always end up feeling super full after eating our breakfast.

Before leaving the house, Hisako-obaasan gave me a plastic mat and snacks for our Nokonoshima trip. Such a super sweet person as well as her husband! They made us feel like we were their grandkids.

We took a bus then ferry to go to the island then another bus to reach the main area of NOKONOSHIMA. Note that the ferry runs every 30 minutes only so better get the schedule first from any tourist info center to be able to plan this trip properly.

We paid for ¥1,200 entrance fee per person to get inside the park. And while there were no sakura trees blooming yet, there were a lot of flower types already in full bloom.

After a long walk, we finally reached the area which I only saw in pictures before.

The rapeseed flowers were in full bloom and there was a pathway you can enter to be closer to the flowers.

Once satisfied with the pictures, we set the plastic mat and munched on the snacks provided by Hisako-obaasan. What a wonderful picnic especially with good weather that day!

We had lunch already in Hakata station where we tried HAKATA ISSOU. C still prefers Shin Shin because she found Hakata Issou’s broth to be nice at the beginning but too salty towards the end.

We spent the rest of the afternoon shopping for clothes and souvenirs then went back to our Airbnb to rest.

Kyushu, Day 10: Dazaifu Tenmangu

Once we entered Dazaifu Tenmangu, we were greeted by the statue of an ox. We saw the locals patting its head and upon researching, it is believed that you can become smarter by doing this.

MARCH 13, 2020

At Tenjin Station, we bought the Dazaifu and Yanagawa One-Day Sightseeing Ticket Pack (¥3,080). This was a good purchase because you can either choose the route:

Tenjin – Dazaifu – Yanagawa – Tenjin; or
Tenjin – Yanagawa – Dazaifu – Tenjin

The ticket pack also included discounts in various partner stores (restaurants, souvenirs, etc.).

We went for the first route option as we had a scheduled kimono rental in Dazaifu in the morning. And when we reached Dazaifu station, it made us feel like we were transported back in time.

We reserved an appointment for kimono rental in WARGO, the same rental shop I went to in Kyoto last 2018. Still in awe on how quick they were in dressing us up as well as doing our hairstyle. Their location was convenient for us because Dazaifu Tenmangu was just a short walk away.

Once we entered DAZAIFU TENMANGU, we were greeted by the statue of an ox. We saw the locals patting its head and upon researching, it is believed that you can become smarter by doing this.

After this, there were bridges to cross over Lake Shinji to reach the shrine’s honden. These three bridges represented one timeline each – past, present, and future.

Reaching the honden (main hall), people pray and revere Sugawara Michizane, the god of academics and learning. When Michizane was still alive, he was respected as a scholar, politician, and a poet.

I noticed that this shrine had omikuji in various colorful papers and ema in different shapes and designs. I was not able to see it but I read that there Dazaifu Tenmangu offers a unique omikuji called usodori. The usodori is a type of bird and is considered to be the guardian of Tenjin-sama. It is believed to improve people’s fortunes and brings them happiness.

Dazaifu Tenmangu also has an ume garden but unfortunately, the trees were not yet blooming. Or did they finish already?

Before leaving to return the kimono, we dropped by the line of food stalls outside the shrine and bought takoyaki (¥500). I also bought an Amaou strawberry stick (¥700). In a stick, there was one chocolate-covered Amaou strawberry while the other two were plain ones. Seemed expensive but all worth it because those were really good strawberries! Amaou strawberry is the pride of Hakata region because it is considered as one of the best, if not the best, strawberries in Japan.

Time to return the kimono and head to Yanagawa!

Kyushu, Day 9: Nagasaki A-Bomb Museum

Our visit in Atomic Bomb Museum was very depressing but at the same time I felt that we must not shy away from visiting it. I wrote a lengthy post in IG on this day and I still stand by it.

Our visit in ATOMIC BOMB MUSEUM was very depressing but at the same time I felt that we must not shy away from visiting it. I wrote a lengthy post in IG on this day and I still stand by it. Japan definitely fucked up the Philippines during WWII and I can still recall the horrifying experiences shared by surviving comfort women when I was in college. Every deed that the Japanese soldiers did was unforgivable.

But, we cannot deny that the deaths of the innocent citizens in Nagasaki and Hiroshima were also unjustifiable. It put a stop to the war… but at what cost? May what happened be a lesson that in any war, no one wins and only casualties are gained.

Some of the stuff inside the museum were the wall clock that stopped at the time of atomic bomb explosion, a replica of Urakami Cathedral’s wall remnant, and videos showing uncensored dead bodies / injured survivors.

There was also a replica of the atomic bomb (called “Fat Man”) and what it contained inside.

When I read the poems made to the atomic bombing, I had to put a lot of effort not to cry really hard. C and I were not talking after our visit and had to eat after just to put some good vibes…

We visited IWASAKI HONPO near our Airbnb. Famous for its kakuni manju (¥400 per piece), we bought 6 pieces to share. The meat serving size was generous and it had a kinda melt-in-your-mouth texture. That brought up our mood to a bit of better one.

We bought castella (¥1,200) at FUKUSAYA, one of the famous shops in Nagasaki.

It was time for us to return to Fukuoka and for dinner, we decided to go to ICHIRAN to boost our mood again. We got the premium tonkotsu (kamadare style) set (¥1,580) which included extra chashu slices, tamago, nori, and kikuage. Only the Tenjin Nishidori branch and Hakata Station branch serves the kamadare style Ichiran ramen.

This was C’s first time to try Ichiran ramen and she really, really enjoyed the experience.

Kyushu, Day 7: Aso Tour

We met again with Helen (Explore Kumamoto) to do the full-day tour on Mount Aso. However, we had bad weather as it was raining and quite foggy. Good thing Helen was prepared with a back-up plan!

MARCH 10, 2020

We met again with Helen (Explore Kumamoto) to do the full-day tour on Mount Aso. However, we had bad weather as it was raining and quite foggy. Good thing Helen was prepared with a back-up plan!

We went first to SHIRAKAWA FOUNTAINHEAD, Southern Aso’s most sacred and beautiful spring. Helen shared that this was one of Japan’s top 100 water sources and we could fill our bottle with the spring water. It was really nice that there was no weird taste plus the water was cold. Helen said that the temperature never changes.

Next stop was KAMISHIKIMI KUMANO IMASU SHRINE. Quite a mouthful to say but Helen asked if we knew of Hotarubi no Mori e. I told her that I watched it and it was good for a short film. Apparently, this shrine was the inspiration for the setting of the film and the creator, Yuki Midorikawa, grew up in Aso region. Midorikawa-sensei is also the mangaka of Natsume Yuujinchou (Natsume’s Book of Friends), which I am a huge fan of.

The gloomy weather made the shrine look mystical and straight out of a manga setting. After paying respect in the shrine, we trekked uphill and Helen shared another folklore involving oni.

The previous day, I shared with Helen that my most favorite manga / anime would be One Piece… and she told me we can visit the statue that was in Aso. HUHU SO NICE!!! We visited Usopp’s statue!

There was a local grocery nearby and I bought this Aso milk cheese pudding (¥300). Not a fan of milk but this was super yummy!

For lunch, she brought us to 鉄板焼 阿蘇まーぼー where we ordered akaushi teppanyaki (¥1,700). The owner cooked our akaushi to perfection (medium) and the egg was runny, yay!

We spotted a shop nearby selling Cremia (¥500) sooo what else to do but buy, right?

Kyushu, Day 3: Yufuin Food Trip

There were a lot of food that I wanted to try in Yufuin so we did not opt for eating a heavy meal in one place. Our first food stop was Bakudanyaki Honpo.

MARCH 6, 2020

Near Floral Village was a Snoopy-themed shop selling food and merch.

There were a lot of food that I wanted to try in Yufuin so we did not opt for eating a heavy meal in one place. Our first food stop was BAKUDANYAKI HONPO. Bakudan yaki literally translates to “fried bomb” and this place is famous for selling a very huge piece of takoyaki – even bigger than my fist.

C and I ordered the original flavor (¥450). We did not want to share so we had one piece each. Haha! Inside the bakudan yaki was more than 10 ingredients including octopus, sausage, corn, meat, and cabbage. We also ordered a bottle of ramune which was a good pair with the takoyaki.

It was so good that we were able to finish it in less than 10 minutes. I asked C if she wanted to get another one but for sharing. She was game so I ordered the cheese flavor (¥500). It was also very delicious! Aside from the generous amount of cheese, there was a bit of spiciness as well.

We saw a lot of shops selling dairy-based products so we were wondering if Yufuin is famous for it…

Then I spotted a shop selling Cremia (¥500)!!! I told C that she also had to buy one for herself because this ice cream was legit heaven! She fell in love after her first bite and every time we saw a shop with Cremia during the trip, she would buy one.

Last food stop was MILCH, famous for its cheesecake cups.

We bought a piece of hot mini cheesecake cup (¥150) and it was a burst of textures – gooey and fluffy cheese topping with sponge cake in the middle and crispy graham-like crunch at the bottom. I read online that it was awarded the “Monde Selection” quality label for three consecutive years (2015-2017).

We also got Milch pudding (¥300). Its taste closely resembled crème brulee! Sweet but not overpowering.

All of the delicious food and desserts that we had are enough to convince me to go back here again!

Kyushu, Day 2: Miyajima

Our first stop was Miyajima. The train from Hiroshima to Miyajimaguchi and ferry going to Miyajima were free because we had the JR Pass.

MARCH 5, 2020

We bought a 7-day JR pass as we went around the Kyushu region for the next few days. So for our first use, we went to Hiroshima using this pass and boarding a shinkansen. Our first stop was Miyajima. The train from Hiroshima to Miyajimaguchi and ferry going to Miyajima were free because we had the JR Pass.

The weather was a bit gloomy as we experienced a bit of drizzle and there was fog in some parts. We visited ITSUKUSHIMA SHRINE (¥300) first and we were surprised to see a few deer around.

Prior to our flight to Japan, I already read that the famous otorii was under restoration so no surprise that we saw this…

Itsukushima Shrine is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and located in a small inlet. Upon entering, the path is linear so you will not get lost. The path in front of Takabutai (elevated stage) has the best view of the otorii! And most likely, the sunset as well. The shrine and otorii are illuminated everyday after sunset until 23:00.

Here was our view near the Takabutai…

Explored a bit more of the shrine…

After going out of the shrine, we went to Omotesando to eat brunch. I was dead set in eating at KAKIYA, famous for its plump Miyajima oysters. The place was a bit difficult to find because they had no English sign but Google Maps location was on point.

My sister and I got the Normal Kakiya Set (¥2,150) to share and I ordered a plate of raw oysters (¥900) for myself.

Kakiya did not disappoint! It was my first time to see such big and plump oysters. Getting to taste these oysters served in different styles was also a plus point for me. For the set that we ordered, we had barbecued oysters, simmered oysters on rice, fried oysters, oiled oysters, red miso oyster soup, and cabbage with their original oyster dressing. Sobrang sulit!

For dessert, we went back to the stall that we passed by (still in Omotesando) which was selling momiji croissant (¥200). It was crispy and not too sweet hence the perfect dessert for me! ❤

Before going back to the ferry station, we visited MOMIJIDANI KOEN – famous for its maple trees during autumn. We just took a quick look as we were pressed for time but there is a cable car near the park which can take you at the top of Mount Misen.

That’s it for Miyajima. Next entry will be on Hiroshima City!

France, Day 6: Jardins du Château de Versailles

Next stop in Jardins dus Château de Versailles – which is the immensely wide gardens in Versailles. Honestly, we wanted to rent a golf cart but no one had (international) driver’s license so this was impossible. We had to go around on foot and that took us around 2 hours!

MAY 3, 2019

Next stop in JARDINS DU CHÂTEAU DE VERSAILLES – which is the immensely wide gardens in Versailles. Honestly, we wanted to rent a golf cart but no one had (international) driver’s license so this was impossible. We had to go around on foot and that took us around 2 hours! There were a lot of Greek references especially with the sculptures. We also visited on a good day which included fountain shows.

For lunch, we decided to eat near the train station and found CUTIE’S CRÊPE. I ordered galette which had beef bacon and cheese then we shared an order of dessert crêpe.

We went back to M’s place and took a long nap in the afternoon. Château de Versailles drained our energy… well, more like the gardens. For dinner, we went to BOUILLON PIGALLE and I was surprised to see that they had cheaper prices than the average restaurant in Paris. We ordered deviled eggs, French onion soup, escargot with pesto sauce, and bœuf bourguignon. Everything was good so super sulit!

France, Day 4: More Paris Sights

Just like in PH, France celebrates its Labor Day on May 1. We took a chance to see if we can visit Palais Garnier but it was closed on that day. Some train stations were also closed because of areas where the rallies were concentrated.

MAY 1, 2019

We ate lunch at M’s favorite Thai restaurant while I also bought a pack of fresh strawberries as baon.

M suggested we go to Montmartre instead and visit Sacré-Cœur, which he was sure was open despite the holiday. No surprise though that there were a lot of locals and tourists when we got there.

SACRÉ-CŒUR (Sacred Heart) is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is currently the 2^nd highest point in Paris so you can be sure that it offers a good view of the city. Photography is not allowed inside so I have no picture of the interior.

We took the funicular going down and in spite of the long line, the waiting time was short because it could accommodate a lot of people.

We dropped by outside MOULIN ROUGE…

…then went to PIERRE HERMÉ for macarons. M recommended this place because he prefers it over Laduree. Not that I know their difference but Pierre Hermé’s macarons tasted good.

Our last stop was CATHÉDRALE NOTRE-DAME DE PARIS. It was so devastating to hear the news of the big fire while we were in Rome. A part of me wished that we had Paris first in our itinerary but that would not work out for our plans. The place was off limits and guarded by the police to make sure no one would attempt to enter.

To cap off our day, we had dinner at CHEZ GLADINES. M and I ordered the same dish – duck confit – while my sister got the chicken simmered in red sauce.

Germany, Day 6: Charming Cologne

Next stop was St. Gereon’s Basilica. There were only a few people around when we visited so the atmosphere was peaceful. I particularly liked the area where the organ was placed – the sun shone on the stained glass windows, giving a pink light vibe.

APRIL 27, 2019

Next stop was ST. GEREON’S BASILICA. There were only a few people around when we visited so the atmosphere was peaceful. I particularly liked the area where the organ was placed – the sun shone on the stained glass windows, giving a pink light vibe.

We did not have anything to do in the afternoon so we went to MOXXA CAFFE to grab warm coffee and stay indoors.

We really wanted to go to BEI OMA KLEINMANN to try their famous schnitzel but we were not able to make any reservation. So what we did was we went there before their opening hour (17:00) and checked if we would be accommodated as walk-in guests. Fortunately, they did but they told us we need to leave before 18:30 because guests with reservations would start to pour in. My sister and I shared one order of schnitzel with gravy sauce because it was huge.

After our early dinner, we went to KÖLN TRIANGLE, one of the famous viewing spots in the city. What I liked about this place was that it offered 360 panoramic view of the city. They even placed icons in some parts of the glass to indicate that in that direction, you could spot a certain famous landmark or area.

We wanted to see the HOHENZOLLERN BRIDGE with lights on but the wind was really strong that the other people around started to retreat. We just snapped some pictures then decided to head home early.

Italy, Day 10: Venice

Our last stop in Italy! We stayed in an Airbnb near the central station of Venice as the price was much cheaper. From the Airbnb, we hopped on a bus going straight to the popular area but we woke up early to beat the crowd.

APRIL 21, 2019

Our first order of business was supposed to be a gelateria but it was closed. So, we went to the bakery beside it – MAJER. We ordered a pizza slice and tried the arancini with prosciutto and mozzarella.

That arancina was super good that we had to order a take-out for our dinner onboard the overnight ÖBB train to Munich. 🤣 When we were done, we were surprised to see that GELATO DI NATURA was not closed for the Easter Sunday. They just opened later than usual. I ordered panna cotta and dark chocolate flavors, and both were really good.

Overall, Venice was nice but quite difficult for me to enjoy because of the insane amount of tourists during our time of visit.

We passed by RIALTO BRIDGE but we were not able to get good shots because of the crowd.

After a lot of walking, we finally saw ST. MARK’S CLOCKTOWER, which was a sign that the basilica was nearby.

We bought Skip-the-line tickets online for entry to ST. MARK’S BASILICA. At first, I was nervous if we bought legitimate tickets because we could not see any sign of the seller. We thought that maybe we were just hours early for the ticket. We decided to just explore the area first.

When it was 30 minutes before our entry time, we checked out the front of the basilica and was glad to find that the booth had been set up for those who had online pass/voucher (click here). I have no picture to place here because photography was not allowed inside the basilica. A few tourists violated this rule though.

Since the gondola price was too expensive to share between just me and my sister, we decided to ride the vaporetto (water bus) as a cheaper option to pass through the Grand Canal.

It was still quite early so before we left the area, I told my sister that I wanted to visit CHIESA DI SANTA MARIA DI NAZARETH, which was just near the central station. I was glad to find some peace and quiet in here because there were only a few people around.

If you’re in Venice, this should be a must-visit because the interior is really beautiful. It’s a small church so it will not take up too much of your time.