Sylvia's Scenario

Sadly, this is the last day of our vacation in Japan but I can't help think about how much I like it here. I kept saying to Nick during our visit that my impression is so different than what I thought it would be. Here's why. I like the way everyone walks, rides bicycles or takes the train to get around and that they have parking lots for bicycles. I like how you don't have to tip at restaurants and you get the bill immediately and leave when you feel like it with no sense of rushing. I like the unspoken rule of no eating, drinking or talking on cell phones while on public transportation. I like how polite, respectful, considerate and thoughtful people are. I like the shiba dogs everywhere and now I want one! I like how everyone eats fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I like how you don't see any overweight people or need bariatric chairs. I like how they illustrate menu items with fake food that looks...

I have decided that two of my favorite foods in Japan is the curry and the ramen.  The Japanese curry is brown or a beef-type and the ramen is like nothing in the U.S.  For that reason, Nick took us to the Ramen Museum in Yokohama which was spectacular.  We were headed up that way to take the bullet train to Osaka so we stayed overnight another night there to experience more Yokohama.   The Ramen Museum is set-up to look like shops from around the world. It reminded me of the old Seattle Food Circus where I worked as a teenager.   We learned that ramen is from China but it has spread into cultures all over the world.  Each culture, such as Japan, has their own version of ramen.  At this museum, they have different restaurants from various countries that rotate through the museum for sampling of their ramen. So, since Nick has been here before, the samples of ramen are different from the last time he was here.  There wer...