Aliens and Ramen

Bird of Meguro city - Shijukara (Great Tit) - I don't make these things up

What to focus on for today? So much happened yesterday, that my brain is still processing it all. Should I tell you about the absolute unexpected joy we found while going through Meguro City Hall to get Joseph registered as an "alien", and finding a psuedo-socialized medical system that will be much more convenient and inexpensive than my TRICARE military insurance? and that while in city hall we were greeted with such genuine friendliness, concern, and competency? Ok, so I'll tell you about it. This ain't your local DMV. Everyone was thoroughly helpful, gracious, and bent over backward to make things clear. This is one place where the regimented rules and regulations actually helped move things along. And get this, they actually seemed happy. No grumpy fat old ladies with overapplied makeup and smokers cough to tell you to go someplace else for assistance. So, Joe is now registered, can get a Japanese bank account, and has Japanese health and dental insurance. (all happened in less than 2 hours - much less than my previously experienced two days for everything!) We also found out that our city has an "international friendship association" that offers classes in learning Japanese, sports, outings, culture, cooking, etc! I had never been so happy to be in a city hall before. Never would have gone there in a million years if it hadn't been for Joe!

There was more joy to be had afterwards - our dear friend and neighbor, Yoko, took us to what is now my most favorite ramen restaurant - EVER! There is one in New York, if you can't make it here to Tokyo - it's called IPPUDO. One bite and I wanted to devour the entire dish. I only took a picture after I had already gobbled up most of it. No curly Top Ramen type noodles here. No, they make their noodles nice and straight with just enough "chew" and none of the slime to give you satisfaction. Then, the soup base, ahhh the soup base. Pork based, with I think Miso, black pepper, red pepper, various veggies, a few slices of pork. Don't let the pepper throw you off, it isn't spicy peppery at all - just a wonderful fusion of all those flavors (and more that my palate cannot determine), perfectly balanced to make you cry out in frustration that you ever wanted to be on a rice ball diet.

I want to write more about the other thing that happened, but will save that for another posting. I know you all don't have time to dilly dally in my blog all day, so I'll sign off and save some for later!

Ja Mata...