Yep - as the title suggests, did all that & a bit more in the last 8 days. Last Sunday (March 8) had us heading for a pleasant drive out the Koshu Kaido (Route 20), eschewing the expressway for the more scenic route, on our way past Lake Sagami and on through the mountain mura (village) of Doshimura. Not much to see or do in Doshimura so we continued along the road in search of the soba (noodle) shop we had visited a few months ago. Aha! There it is - but wait - it's closed! Gadzooks! Guess the spring tourist season hasn't opened up yet. This area of Yamanashi Prefecture is dotted with many "auto-camps" (camp grounds) where fishermen abound in the spring when the trout are hungry & the fishing is good. But, not today, so munching on a wee bit of nodoame (throat candy) we headed on down the road. I recalled that we had driven past an interesting bit of architecture in the past that looked like a miniature English village set into the forest near Lake Yamanaka.
A short drive later & there it was.
Daieika - Big English House! It was open, and definitely not crowded (there were only two other customers this time of the year) so we decided it would be a good place to have our lunch. Food wise, nothing to write about, okay omrice (omelette rice) swimming in a house made demi-glasse sauce & a wafer thin, crispy crust pizza; enough to keep us going till evening.
Daieika is a busier place in the summer season and according to the owner's son, who was our host & chef for our stop there, his father bought an old building along the highway & started transforming it into this bit of England transplanted to Japan. There is an authentic enough looking pub area, but as it wasn't heated (gotta have a full house to be able to heat the place) we settled for a walk-through and a return to the dining area where there was heat & friendly explanations about how the place came about. Seems his father is a builder, with a few hotels and other places in his experience book, and this place continues to be a bit of a work in progress. His brother is a wood craftsman & makes these fish models, which are for sale in the little shop in the front along with some other items that may or may not be genuine antiques.
"Mooove, you fish!"
Someone also managed to catch this monster - hopefully, not nearby!
Some BIG Bug!! eh!
Unfortunately, one more item was for display only - someone got there before me!
(excuse me, that reminds me... off to get a bit of libation - be right back)
Okay - I'm back, Singleton 18 year old in hand (soon to be in stomach) :-)
Away form Daieika & on over to Lake Yamanaka, which is the biggest of the Fuji 5 lakes. Not many people there either at this time of the year; only a few bird watchers with cameras at the ready. Even the ubiquitous swan boats were put away for the winter. There were a few hardy soule out in boats, and some in hip high waders, standing thigh deep in the cold water, fishing for whatever fish may be caught in this season. We stopped to watch the bird watchers and enjoy a cup of coffee from the thermos while the water lapped the shore. Actually, pretty relaxing - a "zen" sort of feeling.
So, where is the Spain part? you may well be wondering by now. That came on Thursday when my friend & friendly wine merchant, Eric Dahler Eric's Wine Homepage, had the wine maker from Botegas Altanza (Spain) in town for a tasting event held at Sabao Sabadete (see the review at Fodor's Review of Sabado Sabadete). Great food & very nice wines. We enjoyed Edulis Crianza 2005; Lealtanza Reserva 2001; Altanza Especial Reserva 2001; Lealtanza Salvatore Dale 2004; and Lealanza Joan Miro 2001. Needless to say, a few bottles of Spanish wines now dwell in my home wine cellar, but I expect them to "evaporate" fairly quickly - must be the dry air!
Saturday - rain, no golf! Withdrawal symptoms....... nah, it was okay and we headed to Roppongi Hills to see Okuribito, the award winning movie (English title, Departures). If you haven't seen it - go! It's a great movie. I think it is pretty true to life (or, in the case of the movie's theme, death), but having been involved in the wife's family members' funerals over the last few years, I do know that not every departed soul has the same rituals performed in the home. Similar, but shorter versions are done also. It's one of those movies that brings on both laughter and tears - more than a few sniffles were heard from our neighbors in the theater, but a lot of laughter was heard too.
A line that I remember from the movie (paraphrased): "Dieing is just a gate that we pass through and on the other side of that gate is something more wonderful." Good line, don't you think?
Sunday, March 15, today. A bright sunny day, just right for a walk through Showa Kinen Park , which was established to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Emperor Showa's reign. The park is a pleasant place to stroll and if you go be sure to visit the Japanese Garden and see the bonsai. If you're lucky, the gentlemen who take care of the bonsai will be at work and they are friendly fellows, willing to answer questions about the bonsai and the care of bonsai (in Japanese only).
This "old fellow" is 300 years old!
How big are bonsai? Wife, Takako, puts it into perspective:
And this one is about 180 years old:
You can even have a bonsai forest!
That's it for today folks!
St. Patrick's day is coming up and I'll be out to join some friends for a mug o'green beer. Until next time here's an old Irish blessing for you & yours:
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields and,
Until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.