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    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Collection Preview - Now Live

    2020 - Giles and Paula go to Japan

    Iron Heart Meet Ups & Travel
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    • Madame ButtonflyM
      Madame Buttonfly
      IHUK Crew
      Joined:

      Giles's photos are way better than those I took, a few of the cherry and plum trees in the lovely gardens at Nijo-Jo Castle are starting to blossom, in a couple of weeks it will be spectacular.  As you can see, we were incredibly lucky with the weather today, bright sun and around 20 deg C

      AKA Mrs G

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      • Madame ButtonflyM
        Madame Buttonfly
        IHUK Crew
        Joined:

        And this must surely be every kid's dream of a school bus!

        AKA Mrs G

        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • GilesG
          Giles
          IHUK Crew
          Joined:

          "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • AnesthetistA
            Anesthetist
            見習いボス
            Joined:

            Really enjoying the pics this trip, keep up the great work! That last pic of G is the best [emoji482]

            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

            IG: bluehandsslim

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            • steelworkerS
              steelworker
              見習いボス
              Joined:

              Great photos!  I encourage you to ignore the signs and run around on the grass.

              Those are my principles, and if you don't like them…
              Well, I have others.

              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • GilesG
                Giles
                IHUK Crew
                Joined:

                Last night we wanted Tonkatsu.  When we got to our chosen restaurant, it had closed - well it was 9PM  ::)

                So we ended up doing Yakitori again…...

                "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

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                • ROmanR
                  ROman
                  Haraki san Prodigy
                  Joined:

                  Great pics @Giles & @Madame Buttonfly , They're inspirational. Thanks

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                  • PalmerP
                    Palmer
                    Iron Heart Deity
                    Joined:

                    Looks like you're having a fun and private vacation! I can't believe the lack of other people in your photos.

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • louisboscoL
                      louisbosco
                      啓蒙家
                      Joined:

                      ^sounds like the perfect time for a holiday.

                      "Loyalty is a two way street. If i'm asking for it from you, then you're getting it from me."

                      • Harvey Specter
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                      • GilesG
                        Giles
                        IHUK Crew
                        Joined:

                        Today we drove from Kyoto to the Island on Shikoku.  Connecting the mainland to Awaji Island (a stepping stone to Shikoko) is the longest single-span suspension bridge in the world, the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge.  I was super excited about that, but of course, it was pissing down and vis was awful, this is the best I could do:

                        More here:

                        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akashi_Kaikyō_Bridge

                        At the southern end of Awaji is another shorter bridge which spans the Narutu strait.  Home to what are claimed to be the largest whirlpools in the world, but I bet @neph93 will have something to say about that.

                        What is amazing is that under the bridge itself is a suspended walkway (covered and super safe - of course) and you can walk over some of the whirlpools.

                        Whilst we were there a smallish ship came through.

                        Obligatory "do not" notice…..

                        "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

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                        • neph93N
                          neph93
                          見習いボス
                          Joined:

                          These updates are awesome. With regards to the whirlpool, Saltstraumen (in my back yard), is deemed the strongest (as in most powerful), so I’ll let the Japanese off for claiming the Naruto straits as the largest, they’re probably right.

                          What marks Saltstraumen apart (as you know from first hand experience), is that it is an awful lot of water being pushed through a very narrow gap twice a day. The force of the current is what makes it special.

                          “Some of those that work forces
                          Are the same that burn crosses”

                          • Virginia Woolf
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                          • gaseousclayG
                            gaseousclay
                            Joined:

                            If you and Paula have the time, the Nikko Toshugu Shrine is an amazing site to visit.

                            WTB:
                            IHSH-129 size L (blue)
                            IHSH-19

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                            • GilesG
                              Giles
                              IHUK Crew
                              Joined:

                              It's 10 hours drive from here 🙂

                              "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

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                              • jordanscollectedJ
                                jordanscollected
                                啓蒙家
                                Joined:

                                Looks amazing there @Giles. Years ago i went to Mexico despite the swine flu warnings, and we had an entire hotel and most of Isla Mujeres to ourselves. Stay healthy and safe all.

                                The podcast was a fun listen today, thanks for sharing.

                                Did Haraki like the idea of the OD buttons for "pimping"?

                                world tours:
                                888 Fat guy chocolate WT
                                Mad Red x2
                                Wabidashery

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                                • GilesG
                                  Giles
                                  IHUK Crew
                                  Joined:

                                  Have not spent much time with him yet…..

                                  "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

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                                  • GilesG
                                    Giles
                                    IHUK Crew
                                    Joined:

                                    Yesterday we drove from Shikoku to Kojima.  I wanted to explore some of the interior of Shikoku, so we plugged Mima City into the GPS and headed off.

                                    This is where it took us….

                                    Not really what I was expecting  🙂 🙂

                                    To get off Shikoku, we had to cross the Seto Ohashi Bridge.  I first saw it about 10 years ago when I was in Kojima and always wanted to travel over it (sad, but true)….

                                    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Seto_Bridge

                                    "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

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                                    • GilesG
                                      Giles
                                      IHUK Crew
                                      Joined:

                                      This morning we went to a dairy farm with Fam Sarina….There is a little shop there, that sells ice cream made from the cow's milk, which I suspect why the kids like going to the farm so much... 😃 😃

                                      That was mine, but I made the mistake of giving it to Mia to carry up the stairs, I did not get it back…

                                      Keat took this, but it was well photo-bombed by Mia….

                                      "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

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                                      • neph93N
                                        neph93
                                        見習いボス
                                        Joined:

                                        Lovely kids… great pics. I’m a fan of bridges too.

                                        “Some of those that work forces
                                        Are the same that burn crosses”

                                        • Virginia Woolf
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                                        • den1mheadD
                                          den1mhead
                                          Raw and Unwashed
                                          Joined:

                                          @neph93:

                                          Lovely kids… great pics. I’m a fan of bridges too.

                                          Agreed, looks like fun was had by all  🙂

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                                          • ChrisC
                                            Chris
                                            Raw and Unwashed
                                            Joined:

                                            You allowed a small child to hold your ice cream, expecting to get it back?

                                            C'mon, Giles, that's a rookie move. You're better than that.

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