LOVELY DINNER FOR ONE :)

Tonight I prepared a nice dinner. I had a busy day at work and I felt very tired. I thought I deserved something good to improve my faul mood.

Here is the menu:

Miso Soup with Spring Onions

Roasted Kabocha with Chilli Flakes, Garlic and Olive Oil

Grilled Salmon, marinated with Honey and Soy Sauce

Natto

White Rice with Hijiki, Shisou and Sesame Seeds

New Harvest Green Tea (present from Shin-san)

I feel much better now! :D

TRIP TO JAPAN 2 (KAMAKURA)

Early in the morning I went with Odhran to Yokohama to look for his "grand-uncle" grave. He was a soldier in the British Army and died in a war-prisoner camp in 1944. It took a while to find the military cemetery, but in the end we found it. It was a very green and peaceful place. The cemetery attendant was very nice and helped us locate the grave. He kept on apologising to me, because he though my grandad was buried there. I found it rather sweet.

A big ship in Yokohama's Maritime Memorial.

We then reunited with the others at Kamakura Station and we proceeded to visit the city. This is Daibutsu, the Great Buddha of Kamakura. So imponent!

It emanates great calm and clarity of mind.

Ice-cream? Oh yeah!!! I'll have two ;)

Volpe, too!

Cat-san :)

A bell-maker.

Oden from an old lady at the market.

More prayers...

Incense offerings. I love incense and the smell was everywhere in the air at Kamakura. So nice!

Calla Lilies and big Koi. They are always hungry.

First to arrive at the Zeniarai-benten! This is a Shinto shrine with a cave-like entrance. Visitors come here to wash their money in a natural spring with the hope of financial success.

Cat was very keen to wash her money, but she struggled a bit to reach the shrine... Di Caprio!!! Ha, ha! (well, this is a long story...)

My money-washing setto! Incence, candles and a basket for the money. Apparently the day of our visit to the shrine was a special one. The power of the spring was supposedly double!

This is made of hundreds of origami cranes.

Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu.

Eirik, Cat and Volpe.

Cat & I.

Very much needed Yebisu!

Happiness is... a soba restaurant after a long day. This was really delicious. You could see the noodles being made as you entered the restaurant.

I was even happier to taste my Japanese chestnut montblanc form Fujiya. This was back at the hotel in Tokyo :D

CUPCAKES FOR TOMMY

Today we had cupcakes for Tommy's birthday (a bit late, it was on 26th...)

I had a vanilla one with a sugar elephant as a decoration. Very cute. Very sweet. Very bad?

The pictures aren't great because I forgot my camera at home and I had to use my phone instead.

IN THE MEANTIME...

The second episode of my Japanese trip is on its way. In the meantime take a look at my okonomiyaki. I'm quite proud of it. In all honesty it is not a great achievement because it is really easy to make, but still!

Okonomiyaki more or less translates into "whatever you like". I fancied squid, prawns and pork. Maybe next time I'll make it with natto and squid.

TRIP TO JAPAN 1

What to say? Amazing! Japan is truly a fantastic country. I had a great time and I wish I could go back soon. The trip wouldn't have been the same without the help of my Japanese friends that really made a great effort to take me around and show me beautiful places. Thank you everyone!

I've taken way too many pictures and it is taking ages to sort them all out. I'll start posting the ones I've taken in Tokyo.

We landed at approx. 9am and we couldn't check in until 4pm. Luckly we could leave our luggage at the hotel. We stayed at Tokyu Stay in Shibuya Shin-Minaminguchi, which was nice. Cat met us in Shibuya station and we decided to go for a bite to eat nearby. I must say I felt a bit tired after the flight, but I was determined to get used to the Japanese time as quickly as possible.


Cat is cool :)

Giulia tries.

Eirik, too.


I look blind, but happy ;)

My pork with kimuchi didn't need much preparation.

A satisfied Panda.


Cute overload!!!


Behind me are Chopper (from One Piece, if you are a fan of Oda-sensei) and Baby Capibara. I really wanted one, but came back without one. Baby Capibara!!! I need one!!! Please... hint, hint!

Volpe and Rilakkuma.

Sake offerings at the Meiji Temple.

You need to purify before entering the temple. I know everything about it now!

Prayers on wooden blocks...

Cat and Eirik with Kirin at the best and cheapest giyoza place ever!

My healthy breakfast at Jonathan Family Restaurant. The white stuff is yam. So nice!

Tsukiji fish market. You need to go there early in the morning. A crazy place.





Queueing for the freshest sushi ever.

It was worth waiting!!! No pictures allowed inside the tiny restaurant. Can I marry the chef?



Asakusa. We were lucky enough to be there for the annual festival. So many stalls selling all sorts of things and delicious things to eat!











Happy Eirik :)
































Catch the fish with a paper wand... I did it!!!