J is for Japan
and Just doing the best I could.
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| Himeji, famous for its castle, is where we had our spaghetti dinner. |
We finally got to put all of our new knowledge to use when we arrived in Japan. Miss Landers was a great tour guide. She took us to tourist places in cities as well as personal homes in villages. She was well integrated into the Japanese culture and gave us experiences of what the country was really like.
A few days into the trip, Ward and I decided that we were confident enough to strike out on our own. We wandered the streets of the small town we were in looking for a place to eat. I was hoping to find something that catered to tourists where I might have a chance to eat something other than fish and rice because fish is not my favorite food. Luckily, it was common to have a picture menu posted in the window of a restaurant. When I saw a picture of spaghetti on one of the menus, I decided that this was the place.
I ordered spaghetti and was relieved to see it was pretty traditional--tomato sauce with noodles. I immediately dove in showing my best chopstick skills which I had honed by practicing for months. In fact, I was kind of proud how I was handling the long noodles. Well, pride goeth before a fall, they say. And this time they were right..
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| One of many pages of chopstick instructions I practiced. |
We had a few more adventures on our trip that I'll tell you about another time. But now it's time to think about the letter K.
*This trip was before you could go on the Internet and find everything you need.
If I had to eat with chopsticks I would starve! Maybe I should consider that my next diet. Thanks for visiting me. https://mhsusannematthews.wordpress.com/
ReplyDeleteI think part of the problem was that I am left handed. There aren't many people using their left hand in Japan as their dominant one, so it looked odd. At least that's what I'd like to believe.
DeleteWas the problem that you weren't using chopsticks correctly, or that the Japanese don't use them for spaghetti?
ReplyDeleteWhat a great cultural experience. It's nice to be able to visit a place and have someone local guiding you. I'm with Susanne--I'd starve if I had to use chopsticks! They have always baffled me.
The problem was that I was awkward. If it hadn't been a touristy restaurant, they might not even had a fork to offer me.
DeleteIt was a great experience. We were in the schools and peoples houses. We were in the local bath house as well as the standard temples and shrines that everyone visits.
Great story to share. I remember travel before the days of instant information access. Do you remember going to AAA for their trip books with physical maps and routes?
ReplyDeleteWe still get the books and maps. They come in handy at times. However, it's been a long time since we got a Trip Tik.
DeleteThat's a funny story. I bet that was the trip of a lifetime! I've tried using chopsticks a couple of times but no go for me.
ReplyDeleteI used to practice to get better, but decided it's not important if I never improve. I've lost what little skill I had, so I would go hungry with Susanne and Kris if I had to use chopsticks all of the time.
DeleteThat sounds like a wonderful adventure! My chopstick skills are rather basic, too. I can eat, but not neatly, and not at all quickly. Spaghetti would be especially hard to eat neatly with chopsticks, I'd think.
ReplyDeleteSpaghetti is hard, but I thought I was handling it just fine. I guess I was in my own way--awkwardly.
DeleteHa - good for you for trying! I'm think I'm fairly adept with chopsticks, but I taught at a summer camp in North Korea where we had metal chopsticks, much like we have metal flatware in cafeterias here for reuse. Well, metal chopsticks don't have the friction on your skin that wooden ones do. Let's just say meals were more than a little challenging.
ReplyDeletePractice certainly helps. Interesting point about the friction. It makes perfect sense. I do remember learning some of the differences about the way chopsticks were used in Korea and Japan, but I don't remember that point.
DeleteI think it is great you practiced, regardless of how it went :) I do not know to use chopsticks - we've used our fingers for a long time and then transitioned to spoons. I remember, during an official dinner years ago, one of the guests suggested we all eat with chopsticks and oh well, I went home hungry because I barely got anything into my mouth. But yes, now I am tempted to learn. I love how some kids use them like pros!
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my blog! :)
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Spoons are a great idea. They should be the universal eating utensil. :)
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