tsutsuji fest @ higashi-son

It was a beautiful Sunday morning, perfect for outdoor activity and the Tsutsuji (Azalea) festival at Higashi-son (Ben's village) could not have been held on a better day. We cruised to Higashi accompanied by Dave's interesting collection of music and the view of the pretty pretty blue sea.

We stopped at a Family Mart to get some food; I was starving, and this gave Dave the ideal opportunity to buy balloons and fill one with water to throw at me in celebration of Holi after I took this pic on the right:

(Holi is an Indian festival celebrated at the beginning of spring by putting color on each other, splashing water on people and kids usually pelt water balloons at unsuspecting people.)





















Here, above, is the suspension bridge connecting the mountains that comprise the park. The azaleas are not in full bloom yet. Ben tells us that last year the whole place was just colored patches, and that the hills didn't have any green on them. Even thought the entrance cost some money, I am definitely going back again when they are in full bloom.

Here are some lovely specimen of azaleas to be found at the park : A large part of the park was cordoned off, some parts because they were dangerous and some because they were constructing pathways of some sorts. But we still managed to break the law and take a hike down to a stream, evading the plethora of cobwebs in our path. Ah! the beautiful undisturbed nature that got disturbed by us.

And of course Ben bumped into some of his cute elementary students and we had a fun time frolicking around with them at the playground until sunset.