Father
Today, student three bought a car, so transportation is now positively luxurious and simple.
Our weary legs thank him.
In said car we travelled to the Nisshinkan.
The dynamic between student three driving behind the wheel and student two driving from the back seat is going to be a source of ongoing entertainment.
Nisshinkan was good, is always inspiring to visit.
We then lunched at Ne Ne Ya, successfully feeding everyone.
Next stop was the helix tower and its surrounds: White Tigers memorial and other shrines.
Student one paid for us to ride the travellator instead of the stairs, continuing the leg free theme of the day.
Wife, not coping with all the easy travel and worried her blister were beginning to heal, decided to walk back to the minshuku.
We chose the car.
A relaxed evening of chatting, drinking student three’s yam vodka, playing cards, then bed.
Daughter
I got up.
We had breakfast, then hopped in the car, drove to the forest, then had a beautiful walk.
I went up the hexagonal, weird tower with students two and one. Dad did not go up though.
Then looked at some SPECTACULAR sacred trees, they were HUGE. Daddy too my photograph with the SPECTACULAR TREES.
Started to go back to the minshuku, then mummy showed up at the door as we arrived.
We went inside, then I had a bath and shower, cleaned teeth and then bed.
Today’s Tsukemono
Connoisseur one
Minshuku Aizu
Breakfast
Light rain
The ticking of the one working clock was there to remind us of the fleeting beauty of the morning’s breakfast pickles.
Pickle 1
Freshly made cucumber in a sweet brine.
Thinly sliced.
Accented with small pieces of seaweed.
A good start and the sweetness keeps with the theme of the breakfast.
Pickle 2
Flaming kimchi.
As previously reviewed: nice and hot.
But probably not an intermediate course between two sweet pickles.
Pickle 3
Plum.
About 30mm in diameter
Under ripe.
Slightly furry texture on the skin.
Biting into it is an exercise in commitment. There are no nibbles with this pickle. There is initial resistance, until sufficient pressure is applied and then you bite straight down to the pit.
The flavour is intensely sweet, but doubtful that is due to the natural sweetness of the fruit.
The first impression is cherry syrup that would be poured on shaved ice.
There are notes of cough syrup and old lollipops.
I enjoyed this pickle.
Mainly because of the lingering sourness that arrives and stays.
It is practically candy.
Connoisseur two
Fresh cucumber and seaweed.
Fresh is the correct term for this pickle.
Delicious, not too piquant.
An excellent palate cleanser.
Large umeboshi – also homemade.
Too sweet, hints of aniseed.
Odd texture and quite vile.
Kimchi is back.
Perfect as before and necessary to remove the taste of the plum.