Tuesday, October 16, 2007

An Expedition

My niece has been agitating for a "tea party" and suddenly, with the weather turning crisp - a picnic with ginger tea seemed very desirable. (I LOVE ginger tea!) I'm not very good at organizing expeditions encompassing more than the members of our own household... but what's a picnic without company?! So we invited a few more people and arranged to meet at "the fountain" along the cobblestone walkway in central Hirosaki.

I should have specified "The Stone Lady"

We might have found each other a little sooner! But we did find each other. And we had fun while we waited.

Mary cuts up

After lunch we headed off in search of an Art Gallery - which turned out to be between exhibitions. We wandered into the new hat store (a lot of fun!) , and then Mary wanted to see the "Model Rooms" for the large condominium Polestar is building on Dotei Machi. We explained at the front desk that we were poor but Mary really wanted to see the rooms and - who knows! - she might marry a rich man... That was a lot of fun, too!

The Scent of Autumn - Chrysanthemums

We ended at the park - after 5 pm to avoid the admission fee - for the Chrysanthemum Festival.

Naemi, Karl and Mary played with their cameras

Bethany and I simply enjoyed the flowers!


Mary did her artsy thing again

But dusk fell fairly soon!

And shooting flowers was soon out of the question

- at least with our camera!

But there was still the castle...

And Mt. Iwaki silhouetted...

... in the evening sky.

2 comments:

Nick said...

If you're ever looking for an Art Gallery in Hirosaki again, try looking at the flyers at the information table just inside Space Denga, or the little desert cafe down the street from Nakasan on the right before you come to Sky Park, or the little one above "Old Junk" just up the hill from Asahi Bowl.

...or ask the people at the info center, they're always helpful ;)

I'm sure there are at least three art exhibits going on on Dotemachi at anytime.

Laurie Elliot said...

We were actually heading for a particular Art Gallery - the one in the Tsugaru Nuri place across from "Old Junk".

Isn't the building that houses "Old Junk" incredible?! I love the windows! But where is the art gallery? The only thing we found on the 3rd floor above "Old Junk" was a sort of knick knacky shop run by a couple of graphic artists who's mainline is advertising.

I think we liked the shop with old Japanese stuff on the first floor the best. But we're laying plans to come back and eat at "Old Junk" (at noon before the bar opens!)