Kwass

This is Kyoko Higashikawa. She's a biology teacher. I taught with her for one year at the high school on Ojika. She moved to a different school in Isahaya at the end of March. I had a few random days off in the middle of the week, and I decided I wanted to go to Nagasaki to get my hair done and do some shopping. Isahaya isn't too far from Nagasaki, so I called Kyoko up to see if she'd like to have dinner with me while I was on the mainland. Dinner turned into an overnight and sightseeing in the area.

We went to a Russian restaurant which she recommended and were brave enough to sample "Kwass," a traditional Russian drink. (So the menu said.) We regretted our choice. It was gross and had tiny dried, yet re-hydrated, grapes floating on the top. The waiter explained Kwass is a kind of alcohol made from the bi-product of bread making. Hmm.

The steak seared table-side was a much better choice.

The next day we went to Mt. Inasa and rode the cable car to the top. The brochures all claimed that it was a 1,000,000 dollar view. I guess we should have waited for a clearer day. It was more like a 100 dollar view when we went. The cable car ride was the best part.

Here's Kyoko posing at the top. After we rode the cable car down to the parking area, we stretched out under a tree and chatted for a bit. It was awesome. Any day with lying under a tree, out of the sun, and chatting with a friend is a good one, no matter what happens.