Japan Livin'

The other day I was helping plan an event we are having at work. I am thinking about making little quesadillas and was showing my Japanese coworkers what they might look like via Google images. Somehow, that got to a search for the different things that have been on the El Arroyo sign downtown on 5th. Every time I saw a new picture, I would burst out laughing. Of course it was a muffled burst of laughter because we were in the office, but a laugh all the same. Most of the signs I had to explain, such as "There is a person out there for everybody... your person may happen to be 5 cats" and "Hey Oprah, hope your Tour de Lance was dope!" and "A balanced diet is a taco in each hand." They both seemed to enjoy the jokes, but one of them pointed out that those jokes would never happen in Japan. That is a good point, Japanese are all about respecting people. I countered with what I believe to be true: that those jokes wouldn't fly in a lot of the US either. Dear Austin, I miss you.

Last weekend I joined the World Wide Wonders rowing team for a practice. Although it was about a 40 minute bike ride total one way, it was really enjoyable! Picture this, my friends.. are you ready? Four people on a little boat rowing through the little rivers that flow through rice fields in rural Japan northwest of Matsue. The day wasn't too hot but was pleasantly sunny. "Catching a crab" is when you get your oar stuck in the water and can't get it out, which only happened to me once. It was a bit terrifying though. I am hoping to keep this up, but can't let it get in the way of my other travels. It seems like such great exercise and an easy thing to continue doing when I am back stateside.

This weekend I took another trip with my friend Sachie and her husband Kei. We went to the Matsue English Garden to see the Rose Festival which just opened. We took a lot of pictures all around the garden, then had dinner at a really amazing restaurant called Laut. I believe this is the closest to a 7-course meal I have ever had. To begin, we had a little plate with salad, potato salad, fried noodles, something else and two whole baby squid. Surprisingly, the squid were not that strange and were quite delish. Next, we had a little shrimp, an egg thing that was similar to a quiche with no crust, and chicken that was bred locally on Mt. Daisen. There might have also been fish, but it is difficult to remember. Next in line was a cold potato soup, followed by a bread plate. Then was the first dish we chose: I chose a pasta with vegetables and seafood, and a  pepperoncini sauce. Next in line I chose some fish and mixed veggies. Last, the dessert... espresso ice cream, a brownie, tea flavored mousse (sort of), coffee cake, and fruit. Oh ma goodness. What a fantastic meal and I was just the perfect amount of full at the end. Those fancy restaurants know how it's done.

My family, my friends, rainy season has begun. That does not just mean a lot of rain, nay, it includes 1000% humidity as a bonus. It is enough to cause even the most secure of hairstyles I can accomplish turn into as close to an afro as my hair can get. The temperatures are also beginning to rise to uncomfortable levels. A note to the rainy season, if you are reading: I can already tell this is going to be a tumultuous relationship. We are going to have many disagreements, and I would appreciate you considering my input in them. I am willing to keep this civil, and only ask that you do the same.

I did some research and it would seem that Matsue is approximately the size of Amarillo, for all of you Texans out there.