While I`m Still Relaxing

I went a couple of times into Obihiro over the weekend. Once to shop and once for dinner with the Usui`s, I will expand this topic because the dinner was a good example of the differences between Japanese food in Alberta and Nihon-Sokuji. Japanese food in Alberta is not bad, sometimes it is even delicious, but everything is relative. The restaurant we went to was called "Cro Roku", roughly translated as black six, it is also the name of a kabuki play. It illustrates two things about Japanese cuisine. Firstly, that often the best food is not to be found in a big, flashy restaurant, but in a small out of the way place. In my experience, the more out of the way, the better; however, the reverse can be true, as anyone who has eaten at an expensive hotel`s restaurant can attest. For the record, there are not many expensive hotels around Shikaoi so the other type tends to flourish. Secondly, the ingredients. I don`t want to rub it in, but all of Japan is much nearer to the sea than all the Alberta and because of this they get better, fresher ingredients. And as the French say, if you start with good ingredients it will taste good. The Japanese also seem to take a lot more pride in the quality of their ingredients. This is quickly noticed in the fruits and vegetables in their grocery produce departments. The fruits and vegetables are biblically perfect, not a single blemish. It`s actually quite funny to see the over packaging on the fruits; its like there made of glass, all wrapped up in styrofoam and plastic. I don`t know what there selling as tempera in Alberta, but the tempera last night was delicious. I would have ate more but I didn`t want the Usui`s to think I`m a bottomless pit or a freak or something.

Shopping was a success but it does not offer much content to blog. Driving in Obihiro, near the train station, is more interesting. And I like to think I`m still recovering from the trip to downtown. Its not so much that the Japanese are bad drivers, its just that there are so many cars and the roads are so narrow that those two things compounded make for a jarring experience when driving downtown. I`m still relaxing. Directly upon leaving work today I`m going for a run. I`m very sore from work. Grade five is about the grade in my estimation that kids can really start to hurt an adult with their force, speed or weight. Having three kids on top of me makes me sore. Grade two and three kids, you can just pick up under an arm, but not the later grades. So, I need to get out for a run before I drop - asleep - on to my bed.