The way to Awa!

As the great wheels of fortunes and fates are spun by immortal hands and the destinies of mere mortals are written into the book of days, there comes a moment when the ills are cast aside and luck favors us with beaming smiles. I am blessed with a few free days and Hitomi, fresh from her winter break with her sister, needed a break from her usual routines and get away with me.
Just across the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge and onto Awaji Island itself, there lies a beautiful white hotel standing on the brow of a small green hill. The Westin Awaji Island, has views out over the bay and of the bridge itself and at night you can see Kobe light up the distant shore.
We arrived on Thursday afternoon. One funny thing is that back home in Tokyo we have a 'Westin Hotel' and its just south of Ebisu train station and here just past the Westin and the Yumebutai conference center we have a Hotel Ebisu. I do like to see little patterns of familiarity emerging from far away places. More of which later!

We took our room, unpacked and showered and then enjoyed a wonderful French style meal together of Roasted lemon garlic chicken, potatoes with rosemary, and a gratin of spring vegetables followed by a three fruit Clafouti for dessert. The waiter recommended a Semillon instead of our usual Sauvignon Blanc. Its sweetness complimented the meal perfectly.

After dinner we just relaxed in the lounge with a few drinks and as I looked around I noticed an old man at the bar. He looked at me as I looked at him and I had a vague recollection of him. He returned my smile although I could not recall his name. I went to introduce myself and as he spoke I remembered at once that he was an old associate of my fathers who spent many evenings talking business with dad. Even though now I know his name, I remember calling him Mr Heroin when I was a young teen. We parted after five minutes and I said I would pass his number on to my dad and then as the night fell, Hitomi and I took an evening spa on the balcony, illuminated only by the stars, the cute little garden lights and the sparkle in our eyes.

The air drifted coolly by with a slightly salted taste and the minerals in the water, as we relaxed into it, absorbed all of the built up stress of our muscles completely. We felt immersed between two plains, one above us and one below us and where we drifted we painted the freedoms of our minds and of our souls and of the total relaxation felt within our bodies. There is a certain freedom when we are suspended in water that is not found in the air, perhaps it is pleasure that only the fish and the mermaids truly understand as they come together in a gravitating manner and the slide of skin on skin is so much smoother.
Oh we could dance majestic under ocean wave where the buoyancy is almost an imitation of flight.

Tomorrow we will explore our new temporary local and check out the local stores and gardens, the scent of flowers along with the fresh sea air is an addictive perfume.