Hina-Matsuri and New Restaurant

Last Saturday, Cindy (who else?) and I made our way to Shunan for a Hina-Matsuri (Girls) Festival. Shunan is SUPPOSED to be about an hour and a half drive from Iwakuni, but we took the lllllooooonnnngggg way and got there in about four. We made it to the festival with just enough time to wolf down some curry and rice and get dressed up in Kimonos. This was a first for me and I soon learned that dressing someone in a Kimono is a certified art form. Supposedly, you have to have a certificate to do it.

And just in case we needed to make a quick exit, there is one hidden behind that curtain.

We decided to end the day with a trip to a Chinese restaurant Cindy has been meaning to try just down the street from her house. With no English menus, we just pointed to what the one other person in the restaurant was eating (fried rice and ramen) and said "we'll have that" (in Japanese of course.) I am SO glad we did, because it was the BEST ramen and fried rice I have EVER had. And I have eaten a LOT of rice and ramen since I have been here.

The husband and wife owners/cooks/servers were adorable and, after attempting to use every bit of Japanese I knew, we were instant friends! However, later I learned that I accidentally mixed up the verb "to come" (Japanese: kiMAS) with the word "yesterday" (Japanese: kiNO) and so when I was trying to tell him "We came/flew here from America in August" I was actually telling him "Yesterday, I flew here in August." Whoops. No wonder he was giving me the "Say WHAT???" look.

We've been back three times now, and every time is like a little reunion. They even took OUR picture.

I can't wait until Matt comes home so I can take him here! He'll love them AND the food. Now if we could only fit under their tables...

Ramen and fried rice: CARBS and SALT Kudasai!