a 1-day car trip...quality family time...and something we'll probably never find again

during the last 'golden week' holiday a few weeks ago, we loaded up in the car and headed out on a

kuroiwa family adventure. as usual, it was a one-day trip....literally....one. day.

22 hours. about gazillion kilometers.  one car.

one angst-ridden teenager.  one aggravating little brother.

mom. and dad.

we loaded up in the car and headed out at 4:00....in the morning.

during the trip, we drove a little, took a ferry, drove some more, ate ice cream at eight in the morning, and despite the close confines of the vehicle, we all survived it quite nicely...and yes,
we can admit that we had a pretty fun time.

here was our trip:

we have taken many a day-trip over the years, but never had we journeyed down to this part of kyushu before.  it really was quite nice. 

at one point, looking at the navigation map, we all got a bit of a chuckle, for this is what we saw:

 f.y.i.....the road goes through, out and around and once again through the mountain. very cool.

an interesting part of this trip was when we got off the highway and near the city of miyazaki.

issei asked, "are we in california?"

this part of the island of kyushu is famous for it resort-ness.  a long time ago, it was THE place for japanese to go on honeymoons.  the palm trees...the beaches...the pacific ocean...

it really is very southern california-ish.

aoshima was one of the places we really wanted to visit.  there is a very small island that is just off the shore.  on the island is a shrine (famous for good luck in love...hence the many couples we saw!!) and a small jungle-like area with a few more very small shrines. 

koji gave a tarzen yell while we were in there, so that should tell you what it was like!!

the best part is not just what is on the island itself, but really....what is around it.

all around the little island (and all along the coast, actually) you see this

*note to self:  burn the overalls. they are not the most becoming article of clothing in the closet. 

they call it the "devil's washboard".  it really is quite amazing.

but the most amazing thing was what we found....

koji and issei were running along the rocks and suddenly stopped....

"mom!!!  come here!!!"

wondering what on earth it was they had found, i had prepared myself for just about anything....

but was NOT prepared for this...

 

oh sure...it was probably carved into the stone by someone, but....

really....i don't care.  what are the odds of finding something (heart-shaped, no less) so incredibly small

in this

so. very. cool.

after playing/running in the rocks for awhile, we headed on down the coast to another shrine that is up in a cave overlooking the ocean.  we hit some major power spots, my friends.  we prayed in many places and

all was right with the world.

our final stop was a place we had all been really looking forward to.

it's a place that was kind of cheesy, but, we like places like that.

you know the moai statues on easter island, don't you?

well, here on our island of kyushu is the only place in the world where the people of easter island have given permission for someone to replicate those statues.....

and we were there.

it really is a nice place...but one that, we decided, you don't really need to see twice.

that happens sometimes.

(^-^)

the boys had a good time

 

**in case you're wondering...no, there was no glass...it's just the frame. silly boys!!

yeah, yeah, yeah....we ALL had a good time!!!

.