Birthday Girl!

So today is my birthday... I'm going to write a lot because I want to remember some lovely things that happened. If you care not to read, just scroll to the end for the link to the flickr set. :-)

Yes, this is a self portrait. I'm wearing a yukata, which is like a dressing gown. A kimono is a much more beautiful, elaborate affair and I would certainly need assistance to wear one (and I'm fairly certain my hair would have to be much neater as well). The yukata was very comfortable to wear and one might follow me home - very in-keeping with my status as an ordained Dudeist priest.

I had a really good night's sleep - probably the best sleep I've had in at least 10 days. The bed was two thin futon mattresses on top of each other on the tatami mat floor. My back felt great!

I had a card and present to open. A friend at home insisted I open these on my birthday because she thought it would be sad to be all alone. I have to admit it filled my heart with joy to open the card and the lovely little gift. I bow to my friend's superior wisdom. (I love having friends who are smarter than me because I get to learn so much. I already know all the stuff I know so I don't need to hear it again).

I took my time getting ready - I love not being rushed in the morning. It had been raining since about 7 am. About 9:30 am I went out to see the famous floating torii at high tide (instead of yesterday's low tide, when it wasn't meant to be seen. Being an inanimate object, it can hardly pull the curtains as the tide is going out and say (inexplicably in a Woody-Allenesque-New-York accent) "No show here, folks. Come back in a few hours."). It turns out living in Scotland for many years now has been a great preparation for seeing beautiful places in the rain. I didn't think twice about going out whilst a good few folk looked put out that it was raining.

By this time the rain was much steadier, heavier, and naturally I got pretty wet, despite my trusty MEC raincoat. When I returned to the ryokan three little older ladies (and they were proper Ladies) started fussing over me, getting out towels to dry me off, my coat, my hair; all around me saying things that sounded kind. Not a word of English among them and I felt I understood perfectly. This motherless child (on her birthday, no less) felt a lot of motherly love in their care and touch.

When I came back down a few minutes later to check out, the lovely ladies insisted that the desk clerk (the only unpleasant not overly pleasant person so far) give me and my case a lift to the ferry terminal. His resistance was nothing compared to the strength of the older women. More power to older women! This turned out to be extra kind because it was still teeming with rain and was a good deal farther than the pier I came in on. At that pier, a lovely woman with a big cheery smile and the best English on the island steered me onto a SuperJet back to Hiroshima and then onwards to Matsuyama. Even the women on the boat who asked where I was from and laughed heartily with no explanation when I said 'Scotland' gave me maple cookies - they didn't even know I'm Canadian and maple syrup runs in my veins! Another thing to love about Miyajima - the maple trees and the maple syrup products. It could almost have been Ottawa. Must go back sometime in the autumn for the changing of the colours...

I got to the businessman hotel in Matsuyama and into my room which is a pretty sharp contrast to last night's affair. I purposely chose to stay overnight on Miyajima (rather than just a day visit) and to stay in an expensive ryokan because I wanted to wake up on my birthday in a beautiful place. Mission accomplished. Now back to watching the pennies. This new room is small in a way only the Japanese can do small and perfectly functional and adequate for the single traveller.

I rested up and went for a wee wander and then in the evening went to the hotel restaurant for dinner - included in the modest room price. Whilst I am happy to travel on my own, I'm not particularly comfortable eating in restaurants on my own where I don't speak the language. I figured this was a good opportunity to try because they probably have a set menu for guests in the hotel - you know, a set price they don't tell you about and they don't go over. Also, I haven't been particularly hungry but today I had only eaten some pastry at lunch (oh, the baked goods here are to die for!), so dinner it was.

Let me paint the scene for my memory for you. The restaurant is pretty empty at this point. There's me on one side, one guy on his own across the room and four guys who look like old buddies and who may be tipsy on the way to becoming drunk over on the far side. I'm sat with my back to the tipsy guys, keen not to attract their attention. Other than at Osaka airport and Miyajima, I have seen only a handful of non-Japanese people so far.

The waiter is a lovely, chubby young man with a kind smile. I give him my coupon and he smiles broadly.

"You have any dislike food?"

It takes me a second to catch his drift and then I reply "Yes, I am a vegetarian..."

"Ah, vegetarian! Ok!!"

A few seconds later, after conferring with the chef ...

"You eat eggs?"

(Thinking 'well not normally but this is far from normal) "Yes!"

"Ah, hai!"

"Chopstick or fork?"

"Chopsticks!"

We're off to a flying start!

The first course is a green vegetable - spinach? - very steamed but tasty. It tastes a bit like fish but I decide it must be the dressing. This is followed by a little bit of salad, egg fried rice Chinese style (with a spoon because it's Chinese style - the waiter and I laughed) grilled tofu in a sauce with steamed eggplant and mange tout, and then tempura vegetables with a dipping sauce. Did I mention the Japanese omelette and the steamed vegetables? Dish after dish appeared from the kitchen. No menu was ever given to me and I was as happy as a clam.

I quickly became full and left over half the rice and some of the tofu. I'm out of the habit of eating so much. I try to explain that everything was lovely and that I'm full. The waiter then asked if I would like "a rittle dessert"? I think the 'l' sound is difficult for a native Japanese speaker to make - I've seen references to Rondon instead of London. Despite knowing this, I find it charming and said 'hai' with a big smile. He brings me a little scoop of ice cream with a cup of green tea. Perfect! He then said "this is the end of the course" and I said "good!" hopefully not in an insulting manner but the thought of more food would have done me in. I made a point of thanking the waiter enthusiastically. My first dinner alone in a Japanese restaurant - tick!

I then took myself off to bed where I read too much facebook read a book and went to sleep. All in all a rather wonderful birthday!

More shots over here.