Unexpected O-hanami

I've just had a really nice evening together with Taki, Kuniko and Hiromi. I just texted Kuni and asked if they wanted to go for a walk, and so they did. And then I got invited over for dinner, which turned out to be a balcony picnic under the white blooming sakura tree. It was a bit cold, but that's the way it's supposed to be when you are O-hanami-ing.

You should so go and have a look at the tulips in the botanical garden. They are just so colourful and lovely at the moment. On a stranger side note, this photo would make an extremely boring jigzaw puzzle.


Okay, so what is this Japanese girl up to? Well there is a perfectly sane and sound explanation for this; all the statues in Stockholm do look exactly this way.(*)


Then we went past Sölvegatan, where the sakura are saiting away. (Saite imasu turn into English must be saiting, I'm sure). I chousugoii!! I'm practising being overly excited over seemingly mundane things, like flowers, koi fishes, pretty cars, small boxes, pink stuff in general and so on. We all took lots of photos, and to be fair to the Japanese, it really is the little things that makes the difference. It makes lots of difference if you actually look at the flowers, enjoy their colours and smells.


Then I got invited over for dinner "ban-gohan". And this is the cat that lives next door to Kuni's flat. It is usually rather scared of people, at least of Taki :), but it sniffed my finger and stroked it's cheek against it. it probably sensed that I'm a crazy cat lady or something.


Then we made 楽しいおにぎりwhich would translate to something like "amusing or nice rice balls". Hiromi was nice and taught me how to make the onigri into triangle shapes.

This is actually the flavour for the onigri, and it is a special mix of four different flavours, one of which you can see in the photo below. Yes, for those of you who have visit the land of the rising sun, it is indeed, the classic small dried fish. And I learned to day, that there is an extra bonus in it for you if your lucky. Kuni told me that sometimes you can find small small dried octopuses among the dried fishes, and as a child that was considered an extra perk. I told the story of my friend that scream at the sight of the octopus in her risotto the other week (sorry for that...) and said that most Swedish children would not see it as a plus to find small small octopuses in their food. If you look closely you will see that it is not just a rice grain that looks like it has and eye, it is a fish... with and eye looking back at you...

I convinced Taki that it was warm enough to dine outside. He complained that it was slightly chilly, and in the end I had to admit too that it was just a little bit cold... Two trays of really nice Japanese food. Oishikatta yo!


Kuni and Hiromi eating.

Takinami is eating.

On the menu this evening, just something Kuniko throw together by the way, we had cold udon nuddles that you dip in a soya soup, onigiri (two different kinds), boiled egg, some gobu and some cold Japanese tea. And after the meal we got a coup of warm lovely green Japanese tea.

Thank you Kuni and Taki for a very nice evening and a very nice end on my one-week holiday! I'm happy that you have become my friends!


(*) Field observations made by Kuniko Takinami, 2008. :)