Fresh Fish, An Oncoming Storm

My adventures of late have not been too overly exciting. Work continues to keep me busy during the week days. As of recently though I have continued to use the evenings for fun dinners out and about with friends and coworkers. Last night was Sushi, severed in the traditional way. Or at least as traditional as you can get without paying too high a price. I went with one of my Japanese friends to this restaurant which is actually located above a fresh fish market and distribution center locally here. He was explaining that the whole place is used to take the incoming fresh produce and fish and then redistribute it around the city and other prefectures.

So in terms of sushi we went about as close to the source as I have ever been for freshness of the fish and location. I have to say it was rather good sushi, and the meal overall left me very satisfied and full. I think if it wasn't for all the walking I do here I would begin to gain some weight because of the food and how much I seem to enjoy.

Right now though as I am typing this there is a typhoon approaching. The first that I have experienced this year so far. Rumors are that by the time it hits here things will only be a heavy rain, but just as a precaution I went to the grocery store and stocked up on some food so if I am trapped in my room I am not going to go hungry. The major disappointment is that unless the weather lets up this could cancel my plans out and about for this last weekend I am here in Japan. Only way to tell is watch and see what happens.

Fun With Food

This last first week at work was busy. That might even be an understatement depending on what your normal work week looks like. One of the things I have been reminded of though is the wonderful, fun and sometimes unique food I can fin here. Last night I got to go out with one of my Japanese friends to a tempura place that is probably the best tempura restaurant I have ever eaten at. The bummer to going to a place is that now all other tempura tastes second rate. The thing about this place though is that it is  all in Japanese and they don't cater to the english speaking people like myself very well, actually not at all. So I have to take someone who speaks Japanese. 

After dinner, we wandered to coffee and donuts. Chatting about lots of life kinds of things. He is about my age and looking at buying a house soon in the area. It was fun to talk with him and compare the differences of how buying a house in the states compares and is also so different than buying here in Japan. Sitting there just laughing at jokes, sharing about things we have in common, it was a nice way to get out of the hotel room for a night.

Today with the weather starting to take a change I picked up some groceries and hunkered down for the night. As I type this I can hear the thunder rolling in. Groceries are always fun. There is so many things just out and about you would never expect to see. Or at least I would never expect to see. The special find today was deep fried baby crab halves. Just a small crab, cut in half and deep fried... I think someone started with them and decided on strawberries instead. I think that is a good choice, I chose the strawberries too.

Work goes on, and I am already looking forward to coming home after such a busy week last week. Maybe this weekend, weather pending I will try to get out and about to one of the surrounding areas.

Until next time, keep me in your prayers and I'll make sure to try and avoid the weird food... but no promises on whale meat if I'm offered it. I did find a place with sharkfin soup though...

-Nick

Travels and Herbs

Things seem to move so quickly. It was only a few months ago that erin and I returned from our crazy trip to Japan, started this blog to help keep everyone informed and now as I type out these words I am sitting in Seatac International Airport waiting for my next flight out to Japan again.

Erin will not be joining me on this trip. I fly out today and fly home on the 4th of June. This trip is short, though not as short as the crazy last trip. Things over in Japan have steadied out and work has resumed. So that means I will be helping to cover the work load over there until the person who was permanently selected comes out to work. It isn't easy being away from erin for this long. I know that last night was relaxing having finished all my packing but it is still sad to know I am away from my wife, family and friends for another trip.

Thank you to my mother-in-law Patti for coming over this weekend to keep erin company. Last report I had from them is that erin bought herbs from the farmer's market to grow over this summer. Not sure what budget those come out of... food? Household (because they are plants)? Well either way with erin's green thumb and a month before I return I am sure that I will be welcomed home by a wonderful wife and happy herbs.

I'll be keeping up my trip updates on this blog and hopefully erin will get a chance to post a little too.

-Nick