A weekend retreat in Shimane

At the end of this year’s rainy season, we had a 3-day break making it the longest weekend in over 2 months. I hope you had a great time relaxing and enjoying every minute of it! For me it was an opportunity to escape the big city to see a bit of the Japanese countryside – fresh air, great food, hot springs and some sightseeing, including a river cruise. My destination this time was Shimane prefecture where I spent almost 3 days exploring Matsue city, enjoying the views of Shinjiko Lake and visiting local attractions such Matsue Vogel Park, Shimane Winery and Matsue Castle, to name a few. The rain didn’t exactly help to fully enjoy the trip but made it cool and refreshing before the coming heatwaves, so it was much appreciated nonetheless!

 

 

 

AP

I just thought this was really cool.

Found somewhere in Ginza, in a shop's display window. I didn't even bother to check the shop's name  Sorry!

I'm not very interested in fashion, but I have to admire whoever it was that setup this display. The length that they will go to just for a seasonal display is pretty incredible. 

My kids love seashells and cats - So a seashell cat? They'll go crazy.

AH

Boiling over!

We’ve been hit by a major heatwave this rainy season which made it hard for many of us to move around comfortably. As for me, the weather made it very difficult to continue my running routine, leaving me overheated and out of breath on the way.

I also noticed how nature found its way to cope with the temperatures. This bottlenose turtle tried to burry itself under cool ground, in the shade of trees and bushes. It seemed that even water wasn’t cool enough for it to stay in the pond.

So, take care everyone and I hope each of you finds a way to stay cool and safe!

AP

Do I have a problem ... ?

No. No, I don't.

Well, perhaps. But in my defence the yoghurts were on offer - save \100 if you buy three!

And who wouldn't want to try the ice-cream, right? Right.

I haven't tried the ice-cream yet; I'm saving it for a rainy sunny boiling day. Which, if my weather app is correct, will be tomorrow! A scorching 34 degrees - perfect for an ice-cream. 

AH

Frosty refreshments

Summer is here and sometimes, iced just isn’t cold enough. I stuck my coffee in the freezer to keep it cold. What I took out was more like a coffee flavoured lollipop. In the end I had no regrets as it was a perfect brew for a hot day! Best solutions often come by mere chance :)

AP