On our way to Japan, I was so surprised to find KONBUCHAS at the airport in SFO. I couldn't finish a whole bottle even though we had many hours on the plane to Japan. I'm not that big a fan to drink it like a soda- or beer ; )
Thanks to friends, the first nights in Japan we got to stay at this popular hotel overlooking Mikawa Bay. I didn't need to go to the public baths, the tub in our room was really perfect!
Sunrise, on 3/11/11, from Linx Hotel. Praying for Japan and the World.
Over at Ischin's we hung out with Halle and Masumi as much as we could!
A puzzle that was quite easy for Kieahla, now in Halle's hands. When Kieahla saw these photos she said to her mom "that's my puzzle!" though we had told her before taking it away!
Adorable girl. Always ready to play! We surprised her every morning, suddenly presenting ourselves, being in her home, but she'd quickly regain her composure and be excited! Two more people to play with!
Bonsai in the middle of Centrair Airport. When we flew back through the same place, it was all gone. Wow!
Zen's wrist got cracked again. A few weeks earlier. We'd already gotten our tickets. Thank goodness it wasn't as serious and Zen would come back for games after our trip in Japan.
A young woman, beer seller during the two games we saw, she wasn't a fan of basketball, but I got to be a fan of hers. And she remembered I was a beer lover too.
It snowed! Zen was so not into seeing more snowfall, but Taka and I celebrated!
It's a little Amazaki truck that was open- for the concert venue across the street often? Outside our Airbnb.
The tree-caring business, never ceases to impress. There wasn't a whole lot of snow while we visited, but enough to see, trees had lived through the snowier days.
Then there were the interesting buildings. A cafe called "HIPPIE"?! All funky in front of this apartment complex?! Not far from there was this very gorgeous old wooden residence. The modern buildings all around it, I write this remembering, and my head shaking at the awe-ness of it.
One day with Zen we were driving for this cool ONSEN he loves going to. On the way, I saw how all the street snow had been plowed and dumped along the river. "Good idea" I thought. Then, rethought, how awful it really must be for the river life : (
At the Onsen, Zen told us how the cooks, from India, making
nana and curry besides some Japanese dishes on the menu,
the Onsen owners had "saved" them. They had lost their job in the city, but here they were making a good living, and great curry and nan! In a very uninhibited way, hollering IRRASHAIMASE and the numbers in Japanese for orders for us to pick up!
Another day, Taka and I got ourselves to the Sapporo Museum. In the past it had been closed for renovations. This time, we got our passes, and paid for a little tour, which included beer tasting at the end, as well as HOW to pour beer from a can into a glass! (Pour STRAIGHT in and let foam up. Continue to let it foam up with more filling!)
The history, interesting for sure. It reminded me of when we went to the Whisky museum last trip. I did feel surprised no mention was made. Both Whiskey maker and Beer maker went to Hokkaido for the sake of the climate.
Then we were on our way back to Aichi-ken.
No comments:
Post a Comment