Spring - Kintai

I think Spring in Iwakuni is finally on it's way....

The grass is turning green, and the Sakura trees are just beginning to show their pink little buds. 

I'm afraid of truly believing that spring has come because it seems so delicate right now. Every other day or so has been 65 degrees, and I still have to wear jeans and boots on occasion. In fact, every morning when I go to work, I have to wear my Uggs and scrape the ice off of my car's windshield.

But the days are surely getting warmer. 

And the air is even beginning to smell like spring!

I don't remember spring feeling so wonderful when we lived in Okinawa. Maybe it's because Oki is a tropical island, or maybe its because I was younger then. But in Iwakuni, the spring time is beautiful. I can almost feel Japan come alive around me. The ocean is beginning to warm up again, and the salty sea smell is blowing more steadily these days. Birds are beginning to tweet again, and the trees are green!!!

As you know, my classes are finally over, so I have had the time to breathe in the air around me and take all this spring beauty. I've also had time to use my camera more and travel around. 

On Saturday, it was a beautiful 65 degree day. The sun was shining brightly over head and we decided to head to the Kintai Bridge for a picnic. I had to work in the afternoon, so I couldn't really stay as long as I would have liked, but the little dose of springtime adventuring that I did get completely revitalized me. 

For lunch we wandered around the stands of vendors that line the streets, and picked up some yakitori (chicken on a stick), mochi (rice cakes), and a treat that Kintai's food vendors are famous for...soft serve ice cream. Most vendors around Kintai have at least 15 flavors to choose from, varying from peach and green tea, to cherry blossom and fish flavor. We stayed away from the more interesting flavors and were satisfied with 2 Banana and Cherry Blossom cones and a Mango cone with sprinkles .

When it comes to food, I'm pretty adventurous, but the fishy soft serve just wasn't appealing to me. 

Maybe next time;) 

Before we left, the boys took a quick romp in the (freezing) river, and we lounged in the grass...just soaking up the beautiful, warm sunshine. On the way home we made a quick stop by the 7/11 so I couldpick up some onigiri (rice balls) for dinner, and it was back to work for me. 

I have to say again how utterly amazed I am at all the amazing things there are to do in Iwakuni alone. Much less the rest of Japan. Just makes me more and more thankful for the opportunity to live abroad!

Hope you all are enjoying the spring weather as much as I am!

xo