Write Stuff: Juliana Neumann and Sary in the Real World

Friday, November 22, 2013

Juliana Neumann and Sary in the Real World

I have another awesome tale from one of my favorite people, the amazing chef, Juliana Neumann. She's been a regular guest on this blog, and you should also check her out over on twitter, and of course her blog (warning: it will make you hungry!). And if you're looking for some spectacular recipes, check out her cookbooks!

Don't forget: do you have a Sary story to share? I'd love to host you!

My husband and I have been to Japan twice. Both times we were in awe. We ate delicious food, we took many pictures trying to capture landscapes that don't exist here, soaked in as many hot springs as possible and enjoyed talking to Japanese on a variety of subjects. The Japanese are naturally polite, considerate and kind. They are willing to help you if you have a problem or are in need of aid. My Sary story is about a few very kind people we encountered on our trips.

On our first trip to Japan, we were spent a few days on beautiful Lake Kussharu in the Hokkaido Prefecture. This lake has hot springs under the bottom of lake. You need only dig you feet in a little and they will soon be covered with warm water. On one of the days it was rainy and cold and we sought shelter in a small gazebo with a table and benches in a park. It was the only covered area. While it continued to pour, a couple started to lay the table in preparation for a picnic lunch with another couple. The woman poured cups of hot broth and then walked over to us, offering us each a cup. Such kindness! She spoke no English and we of course no Japanese. But I'm sure she understood our "arigato" which we must have uttered 15 times That hot broth warmed us up and once the rain let up, we were on our way again.

During our second trip to Japan we were again on the northern island of Hokkaido. We consulted the bus schedule which would take us to our next stop, a village in the next valley over. By car, maybe half an hour. But the online bus schedule told us we would have to go back to the main town 1.5

hours away, change buses there and then come back. The entire trip would take about 4 hours. Not a stranger to bus schedules, we compared the two buses running in each direction and noted there was a bus stop at the crossroads to the other valley. If we could get off the bus leaving the valley we were in, we could wait 20 minutes and the bus going to the other valley would come by. But how to tell the bus driver that? We tried in very simple English to tell the bus driver to stop and let us out. He didn't understand. After repeatedly trying, a young woman sitting in the front seat asked if she could help. We explained what we wanted to do and she relayed it to the bus driver. I think it was something no one had ever asked for before. He looked like he didn't believe it. But sure enough, he reached for his telephone, called the other bus driver and told him there were two tourists who would be waiting at said bus stop. The kind woman asked if it was fine for us to wait the 20 minutes and we assured her it would be better than traveling back and forth for 4 hours. By this time the bus was humming, the other passengers were busy talking about us and our strange wish. We got off at the bus stop, they all waved at us as the bus drove off. We waited the 20 min and when we saw the bus, I was nervous. Would it stop for us? It did! Thank you to the woman on the bus who organized it! We got on and were off to the other valley, where we spent three wonderful days at a beautiful hotel. I will never forget the amazing spa area. But that is a story for another time...