Japanese Garden in Den Haag!
EXTRAORDINARY! uploaded by extraordinary on Flickr.I mentioned a mini-road trip to Den Haag in The Netherlands in my previous LJ entry, b-but I never actually stated the reason for our 2+ hour drive... I should probably remedy that now! x'D
We visited the stunning Japanese Garden there - it's part of the Clingendael Domain in Den Haag. The garden only open for six weeks a year because it's so vulnerable: from the 30th of April -> 10th of June & the 13th -> 26th of October! I've been wanting to visit it for years now... it was definitely worth all the planning & the long drive! :D :D :D
The minute you enter the garden it's like you're walking into another world. I forgot I was in The Netherlands for a moment. I've never been to Japan, but I actually felt like I was back in China - that's probably a bit weird, right? The most beautiful garden I've ever been lucky enough to visit is a Chinese one in Suzhou & I was almost having flashbacks to that trip. I felt like I was a couple of years younger and all I had to do was turn around and see a whole bunch of Chinese locals staring at me + the lovely Jane in that ridiculous yellow blouse of hers standing behind me, ahahahaha. I COULD TASTE THE DUMPLINGS. (I MISSED SHANGHAI SOMETHING FIERCE. OH GOD.) O.o;
I'm not actually comparing Chinese gardens to Japanese ones... they're definitely not the same thing! It's just that feeling I had, like, IDEK, walking into a fairytale world. SURREAL. SOMETHING. It's hard to explain. *headdesk!*
Anyway, I'd say the Japanese garden in Den Haag is pretty damn impressive! It's a lot smaller than the one in Hasselt, though? Everything's a bit squished together in a way that almost reminds me of a mini-golf course & there's no koi-pond - but it has that extra special something? ♥___♥!
None of those can probably compare to the real thing, though. I should visit Japan one day. X.x;
OKAY... ENOUGH WORDS?? ON TO THE PICTURES!
The house rules! x'D
This sign amused my mother & I terribly... at first we couldn't figure out what was MISSING b-but then, "OH HEY! WHERE IS THE FRENCH? OH RIGHT. NOT IN BELGIUM ANY MORE." lololol.
The actual entrance. =)
Feeling a bit self-conscious... x'D
(TOO MANY PEOPLE NOT-SO-SNEAKILY TAKINGS PICTURES OF ME! THIS IS NOT A CON, PEOPLE. I have a sixth sense for this kind of thing by now. X.x)
Sooooooooo lovely... the whole garden is covered in moss. :O!
BEAUTIFUL MOSS.
Not sure what this plant is called in English? It kinda seems to grow everywhere here in Belgium, though. For something I have seen a million times before it's still surprisingly lovely. x'D
Lovely enough to require two pictures, apparently.
This is probably the only thing I wasn't WOAAAH! over? There was this ridiculously inconveniently placed BRIGHT RED sign saying "DO NOT SIT HERE!" next to it - I understand that, b-but it's a bit overkill what with the fence around it and stuff & it totally ruins the view. ^^;
IGNORE MY FACE. B-but, look at how neatly my kimono matches the garden?? :D (I wish I could reach into the picture and poke my obiage a little more into my obi, though...)
ME AGAIN. =')
This looks like it should be on a puzzle. Or would make a great desktop image... ^^;
This is my, "MOM! NOT SO CLOSE!" face. x'D
I am so pleased with my perfect ohashori and the fact that my collar stayed in place all day, though. PROGRESS. I AM MAKING IT.
Clapping & bowing~ at the Buddhist shrine... IDEK. RANDOM RELIGIOUS-Y MOMENT. MOVING ON. (MY MOTHER IS RUBBING OFF ON ME.)
Not that good of a picture - it was hard avoiding all the random people photo-bombing left and right. O.o;
I want one. x'D
Guh. Just. Guh.
I think this is my LEGOLAS GET DOWN FROM THERE face. IDEK.
PRETTYYY.
ONE PICTURE OF IT IS NOT ENOUGH.
There are probably more pictures of this bridge than there are of me. Well, there were TWO bridges & only one of me. ;)
Yet another lovely view. :D
I love the reflection of the sky in the water... :O
Is it a plane...? x'D This pose, duuude.
WHERE IS WALDO. B-but I love this picture.
I wish I knew how to make my teeth wither in Ms Paint, b-but I never 'shoop my pictures so... pffft. You guys all know what I look like in person, anyway. IT'D BE USELESS. Still, wearing a BLINDINGLY WHITE juban collar is not very flattering. UGH. x'D
There's a whooooooole park surrounding the Japanese garden so we took a short walk through it on our way back to the car. SPOTTED THIS GINKGO TREE. I LOVE GINKGO.
SEE! LOVE LOVE LOVE!
My mother is a tree hugger.
All in all, a pretty good day! =) I'm definitely hoping I can go back in October to find out what it looks like during the autumn~! ♥!