September 30th, 2006

• Japanese temples
• Soba: Gotta slurp when you eat, otherwise it’s considered rude!
• At the Mihara’s second home: We made dinner tonight, each attempting to cook something from our home regions. Jeff made a chicken and pasta dish, Carolina made Kaiserschmarn, Olga made Mexican crepes, quacamole, and crème brule, and I made (get this) clam chowder. Our host mother was thrilled beyond belief, especially considering she asked us to cook our own meals as a joke! I’m glad that we took it seriously, otherwise she and her husband may not have had a chance to eat all this food, and I would not have dared myself to cook chowder (though it came out a bit sweet for my taste…any tips from back home?).