First Trip to Hirado

On Oshogatsu, having very few other plans but wanting to take advantage of the day off, we decided to head to Hirado and "find out what that's all about."

The drive was a ramble through misty jade mountains, past giant white windmills, curving along small rivers and jigsaw puzzle coastlines.  In other words, it was quite lovely, evoking several classic images of Japan's natural beauty.

The longer-than-expected drive took us through several smaller towns and past a couple different insect museums (we were unaware there was such a big demand for those in these parts), until at last we came to a fork in the road.  One prong took us toward a waterside fish market, while the other took us over a big red bridge (sort of like a miniature of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco).  Having no set plans other than "to have an adventure" we chose the bridge, thus ending up on Hirado island. 

 

We drove around some more, trying to find a good place to stop and start exploring on foot.  After a short but awkward detour into what may have very well been someone's private backyard distillery, we at last found what looked like the parking lot to a natural park of some sort.  We parked.  We took a potty break.  We started walking. 

And this is what we saw:

We began with a climb up a grassy hill.

Then came across a rock monument of some sort, and a very severely leaning bench.

Then Aria took the lead and decided we were to climb the nearest giant hill, to see what was on the other side.

Where we found these views, and a large stone compass rose.

Daddy played pony on the way back to the car.

New Year, Old News

Akemashite Omedetou and Happy New Year as well!

Sorry for the long hiatus from this blog.  Being better about updating is on my list of resolutions.  Dedicating myself to so many resolutions at once, however, is making things a bit more challenging.  Here is some stuff I meant to post about forever ago:

Thanksgiving

Our first Thanksgiving in Sasebo meant our first Thanksgiving without access to a full size oven.  Or any oven at all.  It was readily apparent if the traditional turkey and sides were to be consumed this year, it would have to be through acquisition of pre-made dinners on base.  Luckily, we knew of at least two places on base that were offering cooked full size turkeys and all sorts of traditional side dishes for fairly reasonable prices.  We'd seen the signs on base.  So we were set.  With that, the stress of Thanksgiving prep went away.

Three days prior to the feasting holiday, I went to Popeye's to reserve a turkey.  As I stepped up to the counter, I read the sign closely for the first time.  In small (but legible enough that it's not a fair excuse) print, I read the words "orders must be placed at least two weeks in advance." 

"Oooops," was all I could really think.  I texted Hubby, and he called Brody's, only to discover the same rule applied there.

With that, we determined a traditional Thanksgiving meal wasn't in the cards this year.  Refusing to feel defeated, we simply decided to go out for a nice meal somewhere out on the town.  After some discussion, we solidified a plan to get Thai Food at a wonderful hillside restaurant we found.  Just to be clear, while "liking it fine" I have never been a Thai food zealot.  This restaurant's green curry changed all that forever.  I could eat there every day.  But at the heart of it, the decision was based on the following logic:

Thanksgiving & Thai start with the same three letters.  Plus Thai food is delicious.  This was meant to be.

We functioned under this logic all the way through the week, and Thanksgiving day, right up to the moment when we drove up to the restaurant... and found it closed.  No lights on whatsoever.  A big dark black hole of Thanksgiving failure. :-/

We then proceeded to get cranky, because we were all getting increasingly hungry and fed up.  After a bit of snippiness and disagreement, I got the idea to go to Bistro Bijou.  It was a French-influenced family restaurant, and just our luck, it was open.

The rest of the night was a great success.  The food was tasty, I got a massive dessert sampler plate that made me especially happy, and Aria not only got a delicious meal, and ice cream, AND candy, but she also got a lovely yellow balloon poodle from the nice waiter.  We ended the holiday with satisfied tummies and smiling faces.  That, and several key lessons learned for next year.

I wonder if Popeye's will start taking orders now for next year's turkeys... 

Christmas

I will keep this Christmas portion brief, and simply say it was low key, but wonderful.  Aria received some truly beautiful clothes from her grandparents, aunt & uncle, and great aunt and uncle as well, along with several other very kind gifts.  And since she decided (especially when reminded) to be a good girl for Santa, he brought her the special pink kokeshi doll she had asked for.

Hubby got himself a PS3 and Madden, and had been enjoying the gift several weeks prior to Christmas.

I was blessed with a new USB hookup microphone to record music, a pair of amazing Bose earbuds, and a super cute mini skillet brownie making set.  

The whole family also got some super sweet Nike shoes from "Obaachama."

The other element of note was that Aria had a big hand in the decorating around our house this Christmas.  She and Daddy decided to put everything up one evening when I had other stuff going on, and I was informed our little girl dictated where everything should go.  Not to brag, but she has a really good eye for interior design.  I was impressed (and not just "I'm her mom so I'm biased" impressed... LEGITIMATELY impressed).

We enjoyed a special Christmas brunch at Harbor View Club on base, and otherwise just focused on being a family and sharing lots of hugs.  Even without the hoopla, I couldn't have been happier with how this Christmas turned out.

New Year's/Oshogatsu

We rang in the New Year with a combination of traditional Japanese cuisine and American champagne at midnight, and very little fanfare beyond that.  We bought our door hanging, with lobster and daidai attached, along with our kagami mochi for the sacred shrine.  It was tiny, and looked even tinier in the shrine space.  But it was Avery's, and Avery's little daidai given to her by the nice lady at the market sat atop it.  So for us, it felt perfect.

And yes, Mom, we cleaned the house thoroughly.  I know the rules.

I was fairly proud of myself for making the traditional foods on my own from scratch, with a bit of careful research, a bit of panicked phone calling to my mother, and a little luck.  It may not have been as ornate as most people's meals, but it was tasty and made with love.  And yes, I carved all those carrot slices individually.  NEVER AGAIN. Next year I am just buying a shaped cutter.

A Train Trip to Fukuoka

Mid December we decided to take a trip up to Fukuoka for the weekend, using the train and testing our chops at navigating one of Japan's most heavily utilized modes of transit.  Knowing Aria would be especially happy to ride the train, we picked a weekend, woke up early, and headed out.  

While it may be the biggest station in our fair city, Sasebo train station is still relatively small.  So getting through there wasn't difficult.  We made our requisite stop at Trandor, a bakery inside the station, and purchased many tasty goodies to be consumed as breakfast on the train.  With that, we found the unreserved train cars, found some seats, and settled in.  

It took about 2 hours to reach Hakata Eki (Hakata Station), and once we did, we were surrounded by the sights, smells, and sounds more readily associated with a major Japanese train station.  Countless people bustling about, the dull roar of a crowd all politely trying to navigate past one another.  And the smell of bakeries and noodle shops and tonkatsu stands and fish houses all co-mingled inside this massive building.  Myriad shops and stands lined up beside the few major department stores that served as large guiding posts in the lab mouses' labyrinth that is a train station when you can't read the signs.  We few lost Americans uttering in a thin echo across the stores: 

"We passed this cake shop twice already!" 

"No we didn't!  That was the other cake shop.  This one is next to the place that sells cookies shaped like little chicks." 

"Well that doesn't help us any."

"Wait, look for the place selling the fish roe."  

"The big one or the small one?" 

"The one with the yellow roe, not the pink and red roe."

"Stop eyeing the sushi we need to focus."

"Wait I want to just take a look at this mochi kiosk here."

"No, I found the yellow fish roe! Let's go before we get lost again!"

As stressful as it can be, it's also a heck of a lot of fun.  :)  The discoveries one can make and the tasty things one can try make the utter confusion well worth it.

Finally meandering our way out of the train station, we headed to Canal City Mall.  We had heard great things about this allegedly huge shopping complex, and sure enough it didn't disappoint.  We found a huge and elaborate H&M there, along with innumerable boutiques and restaurants, including this little Engrish-labeled gem.

  

 

We ended up indulging in a tasty pizza-based buffet at Shakey's, a chain that started in the states.

Our kiddo was exhausted, as were we, so we caught a cab and headed to our hotel.  In the lobby we ran into our neighbors two doors down!!  Quite the pleasant surprise. 

Once we got settled in for a little while on the single bed we discovered in our tiny room, we all took a nap.  Hubby and I more than Aria, I think.  After waking up we headed out to find dinner, which turned out to be no easy task.  We trekked about outside for a while finding countless restaurants which were all full or reservation only.  So we finally ended up at.... um... hang on...oh yeah!  A noodle shop in the basement of the train station.  I now remember the argument that ensued over picking a place, and the nearly intolerable tantrum Aria threw while we were there.  Humiliating and completely draining.  The noodles were yummy though.

Our stomachs sated, we headed outside the station to see the beautiful lights they had up for the holidays.  Take a look.

Once again Aria was a big hit with the people who were SUPPOSED to be taking pictures of the light displays.  She walked into one lady's shot, and though we tried to scold her, the lady begged us to let her pose with Aria instead.  This girl is being made far too aware of just how cute she is.

  

The lateness of the hour and the frigidness of the air finally convinced us that bedtime was calling.  So after a short stop at Family Mart (a "combini" or convenience store chain here) we got to our hotel and back in proper bed sharing position.  

The rest of the night was spent by Hubby and I being kicked ferociously and repeatedly by the tiny (but ever so strong), sprawling creature in the center of the bed.

Morning brought a Japanese breakfast buffet that was light and healthy and delicious; rich with grilled fish, miso soup, rice, vegetables, and lowfat yogurt with fruit.  

We decided thereafter to go back to Canal City, before we caught the late afternoon train.  While walking to Hakata Eki where the taxis were, we found ourselves in a sudden, but relatively short, moment of snowy fun.  Five minutes of snow was just enough to bring out our happy inner children, without dragging out the grumpy, cold, pragmatic adults that would have followed 20 minutes later if the snowfall continued.

After another full day of exploring and people watching, we got back on the train home to Sasebo.  We managed to maneuver properly when told by the conductor we'd have to switch train cars before a certain stop, so as to avoid being left behind when the train was split into two segments heading two different directions.  Traveling WIN! 

Shellfish and Ships

This past Sunday was a particularly special experience for our family.  

Having been tipped off the previous week to an Oyster Roast that happens every November at Kashimae Pier (near the 99 Islands and Pearl Sea Resort), we decided to do it up right and bring a bunch of delicious food along to grill up outdoors.  

The way it works is a group pays to use one of maybe 150 or 200 grill spaces, along with the charcoal and shucking knife.  Then you can buy bags of fresh oysters, or you can buy fish, squid, other shellfish, and other delicious ocean-based food items.  Then you sit on tiny folding stools near your little grill and grand tastiness ensues.

The problem, we learned after our first time at the Oyster Roast, is that there aren't any sauces or vegetables for sale.  Luckily, you are allowed to come prepared with "side dishes" and sauces.  

So this time around Hubby and I wanted to do it up right.  The night before, we made deviled eggs.  We made all sorts of vegetable skewers (including eggplant and asparagus).  We brought marshmallows.  We brought 5 or 6 different sauces.  And the piece de resistance... I made my father's famous omusubi sauce and 11 perfectly shaped omusubi (my mother would have been so proud to see them).  Then we stepped back, looked at all the food, and realized it was WAY too much for our little family to eat alone.

Simple solution.  Invite our dear friend Yuri and her unjustifiably adorable daughter.  Luckily they were free and agreed to meet us Sunday morning.

With that the fun began.  The food was so delicious, though we did learn Japanese Kabocha squash does not grill up well on that particular grill.  But everything else was so tasty, and my dad's secret sauce was a really big hit with everyone, which made me immensely proud and happy.

An especially entertaining moment throughout the memorable morning was the moment Yuri and her daughter had roasted marshmallows for the first time.  They compared it to eating extra-fluffy whipped cream.  That also made me proud and happy, because you can only have your FIRST roasted marshmallow once in your life, and I am glad I did such a solid jobs so as to make a solid first impression.  I was told a few days later that Yuri went out and bought two bags of marshmallows to roast with her husband.  So between the sauce, the deviled eggs, and the marshmallows, Hubby and I can put this bbq experience in the "win" category.

Afterwards we parted ways with Yuri and her kiddo, but didn't quite feel like going home yet ourselves.  So we asked Aria if she was interested in going on one of the tour boats at the Pearl Sea Resort.  Though only a month and a half ago she was adamantly against it, this time she was firmly in favor of the idea.  So we all enthusiastically power-walked toward the Pearl Queen, and made it just in time for their next tour.  

Up on the top deck, we enjoyed a beautiful view of perhaps 50 of the 200+ islands in the Kujukushima cluster.  Weaving in and out between the islands, hearing the recorded tour guides giving us valuable information about each island in Japanese, then English, then I believe Mandarin, and perhaps also Korean(?), Hubby and I did our best to keep Aria from sprinting around the deck, touching floatation devices, and generally from jumping overboard in her excitement.  The intense wind did not seem to bother her, and she demanded Daddy take her up to the very top observation platform, designed somewhat like a crow's nest.  I, trying not to look terrified, took pictures from below.     

  

Mt. Atago, the mountain by our house.

This island apparently looks like a proud lion lying down.  I sort of see it.

Hubby putting on his best submariner face with the island that looks like a submarine in the background.

As the tour was winding to a close, we headed down below to the second deck, for refreshments.  I bought these adorable boat-shaped cookies, which Aria demanded she be allowed to eat.  After some stern reminders on the polite way to ask for things, she was given a pirate ship cookie.  Which she dropped accidentally on the ground perhaps 2 minutes later.  Sigh...

Despite the wasted cookie, the day was anything but wasted.  We can't wait to repeat the experience.  Apparently they have Oyster Roasts in February as well. :) :)

Shrine

I am not going to write a lot on this one, other than to say we visited a beautiful Japanese shrine about halfway between Sasebo and Nagasaki.  And we took some pictures, which we wanted to share.  Though it was a bit chilly, we couldn't have asked for more beautiful sunlight and blue skies, nor for a more serene and revitalizing ambiance.  Hope these pictures help capture that.

Feeding the koi.

   

  

Various shots from the garden.

The "to-ri" (gateway) to the shrine grounds.

Japanese Maple

    

A leaf bug and/or grasshopper we found.  Just like the grasshopper in Mikawachi, this little guy (or gal) was completely at ease around Aria.