When we left home for this trip, I had a sore throat and head cold, which was clearing up a few days later. Then Mike caught my sore throat and head cold, and I started feeling sick again! Now we both have nasty sore throats and miserable head colds.
For dinner, we went to a small (okay, all the restaurants we've been to have been very small!) 4-star restaurant where Mike tried their famous tonkatsu that is covered with miso and then breaded with the panko bread crumbs and fried--he LOVED it. I still felt queasy from too much fried food the night before and opted for a hamburger and grilled vegetables instead of tonkatsu. The hamburger was not so great, but I loved the veges and gave my fried butterfly shrimp to Mike. His stomach must be made out of lead! We also picked up more of the amazing waffle ice cream bars that we discovered at a local store.
The miso tonkatsu dish that Mike ordered and my hamburger meal
November 8th: This was the day of our boat excursion to the Matsushima Bay! We ate lunch at this highly rated katsudon place--yes, more fried food. Mike ordered the tonkatsu, and I had katsudon--the best ever.
This cute couple did all the cooking. The elderly man made all the fried food, and I think their granddaughter was our waitress and busgirl--the only one there. The Japanese work so hard.
A Japanese soap opera and the news playing on the TV
Our amazing lunch! Check out the tonkatsu sauce in the pot
Interior grounds seen from inside the temple
The last interior photo I took before finding out "No Photos" inside
The bridge floor has big gaps between the planks
There goes my Honeybear, Mike
The Godaido Temple
Looking out onto Matsushima Bay, waiting to board our excursion boat
Eating the better part of our disappointing dinner on the boat
Mike was a good sport since he was feeling lousy too
When it got dark, the boat's green spotlights illuminated these islands
Cute old building downtown. Most of the buildings are tiny with two+ stories
After lunch, we walked to the Tohoku University campus to meet the other conference group members to board tour buses to Matsushima Bay. The campus is pretty and close to downtown. The bus ride took less than an hour. Our first tour was of the Zuiganji Temple. Then we went to see the small Godaido Temple that's on a tiny island that you get to by crossing a short bridge.
Entering the Gate to Zuiganji Temple
A Buddha statue on the temple grounds
Painted bamboo
The Zuiganji Temple that we toured inside
Inside the Zuiganji Temple--a very old coach, which used to be pulled by four people
The following photos are of the small Godaido Temple, which was built on its very own little island. There are two small red bridges to cross to get to the island. Both the Zuiganji Temple and the Godaido Temple were built by Lord Date Masamune, the Samurai ruler of Sendai in the 1600's.
These photos were taken from the top story of the boat
Feeling very SICK and tired during the excursion
Plenty of small islands to choose from!
I LOVE this guy
Mike was a good sport since he was feeling lousy too
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