Crane Week
It was a good week.
I was on the road. Work was volumey* and conversation-heavy. Downtime was proportionately solitary and quiet.
Cranes loomed over solitary nights. (Hotel curtains stay open—give me the night and waking light.) I enjoyed them. Slow but deliberate. Efficient and inevitable. Hypnotic to watch. Dusk delivers a benediction on their labors. Mysteriously, the two on the right are each lit with a single unbroken line of bright white LEDs until 22:00. The classical music hall in the foreground was also pleasant to regard.
A successful road trip hinges on the daily run. All mornings but one were clear and cold and windy. Many nice little sights, no showstoppers.
Nagoya is a powerhouse. The might of industry. Wide streets. Its own orbit. Indifferent to Tokyo.
By search I found a steak place. Its price range was depicted as 1,000 to 2,000 yen. I showed up and sat down, and it was clear that pricing was for lunch (for which the proprietor does not open at present). Dinner prices increase by one digit. Not above treating myself, I ordered the 200g course. It was delicious.
The course opened with a delicious, simple potato soup. Then came this perfect salad. I was surprised that it included freshly fried bacon bits on it. Master told me enthusiastically that he traveled the United States in the 1970s and fell in love with many things, including the salad at Lawry’s. He also played a lot of golf and took photos with such legends as Arnold Palmer. The photos decorate the small restaurant. Master’s wife said that the bacon bits are a royal pain in the ass to make. Master was adamant that the proper bacon bits essential to this salad require that trouble. I agreed. She did too.
Master brings the raw cut of A5 wagyu over for your approval. You approve. Of course. Then he fires it on the grill to impart the vital charcoal flavor.
Next, you finish the grilling with your own wee shichirin on the counter. Every hot bite is a dream.
After the main course there were options that I don’t remember except the oxtail soup. This was a delight. It was Korean style—spicy with the aroma of sesame oil.
It was a meal to remember.
I also found and enjoyed the Mexican (not Tex-Mex) restaurant Rosita.
This area around the Chubu Electric Power Mirai Tower felt happening and fun. It was precisely the kind of scene that made me miss the family, so I sent this video to them. “We should visit here together sometime.”
The ride home was beautiful. I never tire of gazing upon beloved Shizuoka, as you have been apprised. Seeing winter Mount Fuji and Fuji City brought back the usual happy memories of living there.
I got home and celebrated Valentine’s Day with dinner and homemade treats from the kids. I also received fancy chocolate and nuts from my wife. I am American regarding Valentine’s Day, so I brought home cake for everyone. The sugar levels of the house will be excessive for a bit.
*This Wasei-eigo term volumey is superior to its English counterpart, “voluminous.” I declare it the winner in linguistic evolution.