2022 and the first half of 2023 were marked with revenge-travel post-Covid19 lockdowns. In 2022, I accumulated substantial air mileage with frequent flights to Manila and Iloilo, and a visit to Singapore. 2023 brought me even further as I flew to Manila several times, to Iloilo, and then to Japan and Denmark, all in a span of six months.
There is nothing much to share about Iloilo and Manila, both domestic destinations not having anything new to offer for locals like me. While Manila seemed more crowded and busier than usual, Iloilo was pretty much the same.
Japan in Spring
Our law firm’s annual meeting took place in Fukuoka, Japan. Visa and flight arrangements were handled professionally for the more than 100 lawyers who flew out of the country in three flight batches. I left Cebu to take a flight out of Manila together with dozens of lawyers from our Makati offices.
We arrived a little after lunch (Japan time) and checked in our hotel (Grand Hyatt Fukuoka) at around 3 p.m. This gave me enough time to walk over to the connecting Hakata Canal mall where I was lulled by the sight of retail shops. After checking off my shopping list containing some of my sons’ purchase “orders”, I proceeded to the ramen shop where it is customary for one to pre-order using a vendo machine that churned out paper tickets. I was immediately seated in what seemed like a tiny confessional window that was opened to reveal my delicious bowl of piping hot ramen. One order seemed enough for two so there was little room for dessert.
Day 2
On my second day in Fukuoka, Joan, Daryl (Joan’s hubby) and I went to the business district on foot, with me on the lookout for pink sakura blooms and Joan on a quest for limited edition Jo Malone sakura scent (and other shopping vanities that shall remain our secret). Needless to say, we both got what we wanted after a few hours around the city. Not only that, we got our fill of sakura blossoms, tulips in a multitude of colors and other blooms that seemed to grow everywhere!
After a late lunch of ramen (what else?!), we went back to our hotel to freshen up before making a quick run to the grocery down the street. I got a pack of large strawberries along with a variety of Japanese snacks, crackers, mixed nuts, matcha powder, and many other items that had names that I couldn’t pronounce.
The evening was capped by a tasty spread of Japanese cuisine served the 5-star way.
Day 3 was more hectic with bus tours taking us out of the business district, onward to the iconic temples and Ohori botanical garden where one can easily walk over to the Sakura Festival site which was teeming with people. Wow. Just wow. There’s so much to gush about Fukuoka that I filled half a Muji notebook with details of my recent trip while on the plane ride back to the Philippines.
Up next…my trip to Copenhagen, Denmark.
