Kurume Kapers

So we settled in Kurume for three days. Nancy attended presentations in the morning while I did laundry, got the blog caught up and, on the final day went “parading” in Kurume (if the reference is obscure watch “A Hard Day’s Night” again). The photo album that shares this post’s name includes random shots taken over this three day period as we toured private gardens, a public park and my unguided parading. Officially we visited Kumamoto Castle, Suizenji-koen and various private gardens which, of course, have no name.

Here is what the guide book says about Kumamoto Castle. “Kumamoto Castle is Japan’s third biggest and one of its most romantic looking by night. It was used during the filming of Tom Cruise’s 2003 movie, The Last Samurai.” The day we went was overcast and it had been raining during the night and morning. It did not rain while we were there but the grey, gloomy aspect actually suited the castle I think. You can judge for yourself from the photos.

About Suizenji-koen the guidebook says, “an elaborate garden dating from 1632 . . . containing a series of scenes (including a miniature Mount Fuji).” For both the castle and the garden I will once again defer to the photos. In fact, I will create a separate album for each of them as they were very photogenic. I will do that tomorrow if we have Internet access at the next hotel as it is getting late and I want to get this blog and album done then get to bed.

In Karume there was an opening and a closing banquet but in between we were on our own for dinner for three nights in a row. Some spontaneous law of attraction brought together the Klan Kurume consisting of Nancy, Barbara and I as well as David (from Huntington Gardens) and Frank (from a botanical garden in Virginia the name of which now escapes me, I will correct this error in a later post, I promise Frank). Frank and David were on the pre-tour and we had been hanging out a bit. The Klan Kurume was completed with the addition of Matt and Elizabeth (the Kurume Kids), a young couple from Philadelphia where Matt works at Longwood Gardens. We went in search of first noodle soup, then ramen (a Kurume specialty) and then just very Japanese food.

Both Nancy and I have acquired a new appreciation for Japanese cuisine on this trip although it still has the capacity to draw forth a heartfelt, “Yuck!” on occasion. Frank had lived in Japan some years earlier and still retained a mastery of “restaurant Japanese” which served us well. (Frank also was quite knowledgeable about Japan to the extent that Matt dubbed him Frankapedia.) It was Frank who introduced us to Calpis. Calpis (yes, pronounced just as you would imagine) is a fermented milk drink. When I heard that the dreaded yuck factor seemed to be looming but in fact it tastes wonderful, like a slightly less sweet and slightly less carbonated version of 7-Up. The world is stranger than I had imagined.

We were very successful all three nights. The first night we found an excellent noodle shop in the Kurume train station. The second night Frank had the girl at the hotel reception desk recommend her favorite ramen shop. Hot noodle soup and/or ramen are what Frank termed “Japanese comfort food,” warm, savory, safe. No yuck factor.

The third night we ventured a bit further afield finding a small Japanese restaurant down an alley across from the train station. Emboldened by beer and sake we ordered squid, scallops, gyoza, pizza and (thanks to Matt) raw horse meat. (Matt, I managed to get two paragraphs in before the horse meat got associated with your name.) Matt and I were the only ones who tried it. Didn’t taste bad but has an unpleasant fatty texture.

The closing banquet was an elaborate buffet at a hotel different from the one where the congress was held and where Nancy and I had stayed. Many of the meals we have been served have been buffets. This apparently works best for both the tour company and the touristas. From my point of view it gives me a chance to try a small bite of foods I am unfamiliar with to gauge the yuck factor before a set amount is heaped on my plate.

The final banquet, as delicious and delightful as it was, did feature a couple of off key notes. When the meal began we were all (200 of us if you recall) invited to help ourselves. Plates and cutlery were stacked at both ends of the buffet table and in the middle. No flow was established and mild chaos ensued. At nine, just as the party was getting rolling, closing time was announced and we were requested to leave. Hint to ICS: If you want to attract young people to the camellia world don’t stop the party just when the young folk are getting rolling. The Klan decided that in future the Australians should organize the party since, at the risk of both over generalizing and stereotyping, they seem to be a fun loving group.

The bus leaves early friends so I will quit here. On to Beppu (love that name) tomorrow. Guidebook again, “Beppu boasts 2849 hot springs . . . plus nine jigoku (hells) of bubbling mud and geysers.” Away we go. “The humming of the tires/It sure is pretty/I’m thinking ‘bout the women in Kurume City/Hey! I’m on the road again.” (With apologies to Tom Rush for altering the lyrics but that has been my traveling theme song since I first heard it in the mid-sixties so I feel as though I own it.)

Photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=23559&id=1680191390&l=1bef66dece