お花見のカレー
Back awhile ago, when the cherry trees were still blooming, before we went to Europe and had our short trip extended unexpectedly by the volcano, we had a fun event with our skating friends. (ところで、日本語は下に書きます。）Mipo-san has arranged these events before, and they are always pleasant and interesting. 
She rented a room in a building overlooking Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens, and arranged with Imu-san to get some delicious take out curry from a special shop, and some others managed the drinks and other things. All we had to do was sign up, participate in City Run that day, and then skate to the park and enjoy the food, friends and beauty of the gardens until late in the afternoon. As usual, when we have these types of events with our Japanese skater friends, (including when we do a large porch party at our home) the cost is determined, and everyone pays the set fee at the beginning of the party. Works very well for all concerned.
That day's City Run went from Ueno to Gaienne as usual, and from there, Papa-san led a small group by skate to Koishikawa Korakuen. Apparently everyone else was either involved in the preparation and transport of the food and drinks, or would in any case travel there by subway. The skate route was easy except for one very steep street down, which I didn't expect and was a bit scary for me as I've taken my brake off my big wheeled skates, but the street surface was smooth, and Papa-san timed our descent so that traffic wasn't a problem.
We arrived about the same time as the curry and most of the other participants, and after we got the financial details taken care of, we all had a campai and each got to choose between beef, seafood or chicken curry. I chose beef and it was so delicious. Japanese curry is quite different from Indian curry. I won't pretend to understand it well enough to explain, but I do intend to take the family to this restaurant soon. See more info about the restaurant below. As usual, with these friends, the time passes quickly laughing and chatting.
The theme of this event was Ohanami お花見 (お O is honorific) (花 hana is flower) (見 mi is see) 
which means cherry blossom viewing. Since Martin and I had somewhere else we had to be, after the tasty curry and a pleasant social interlude, together we strolled through the park and took some photos before going back on the train. There are several different types of cherry trees in this garden-like park, which was started almost four hundred years ago by the 
reigning Daimyo. Some of the cherry trees are very old, and rely on wooden supports in this meticulously maintained garden. One of the weeping cherries was completely finished flowering and had broken into lush green, while others were at their peak. This Japanese garden is laid out in such a way that it seems much bigger than it is, with meandering paths, waterfalls, ponds and exceptional speciman trees. You can almost forget that it sits here in busy Iidabashi right next to Tokyo dome. In one of our photos, you can see the roller coaster going over the top. The park is a lovely enclave of nature amidst the bustle. I especially like to see the many varieties of water birds living here.
Here's a few relevant links:
Martin and I took photos: HERE マーティンとパメラの写真です。
English page of the park . 小石川湖楽園のページ
The website for the Curry Restaurant is only in Japanese, but you can understand the map and enjoy the very interesting photos on their blog: This restaurant (Moyan) has four locations in Tokyo. The closest to us would be the Shibuya location. I definitely plan to take the family there for the lunch buffet, as Jonah really likes Japanese curry, and from what I sampled, this is delicious. このリンクはカレーのレストランのウェブページです。四つ店があるので、私に一番近くの店は渋谷の店と思います。ジョナは日本のカレーが大好きだから、ランチバピュッフェに家族と食べに連れるつもりです。味を見たものはおいしかったからです。このレストランのブログの写真は面白いです。
Wikipedia's explanation of Japanese Curry is very interesting. I didn't know that curry was introduced to Japan by the 
British as their version of Indian Curry while still in the Meiji Era. Now, Japanese Curry is quite different from Indian style, with a unique set of parameters all its own.
先程に咲いた桜木の間に、ユーロッパに行った前に、火山から短い計画した旅行は長くなるさせた前に、スケータ友達たちと楽しいお花見のイベントは起こりました。みぽさんはそのようなイベントを作る上手な人ので、いつも面白いです。今度小石川湖楽園のビルの部屋を予約しました。イムさんは有名なカレー店から、おいしいカレーを持って来ていました。友達たちは飲み物とかも持ちました。
今度マーティンと私は何もない努力したので、いくつの人と公園に 滑りました。いつものように、スケータ友達と、そのようなイベントをしたら、値段が決心した後に、皆は払うと、乾杯をできます。家のポーチパーティーもしたら、同じ方法を使います。
あの日のCRはいつものように、上野から外苑まで行って、あそこからパパさんは小石川湖楽園に導きました。皆以外は電車か車で行ったと思います。あのルートは殆ど全部は簡単ですが、一つとても険しい下り部分です。最近、スケートのブレーキを外したから、それは私にはちょっと怖かったです。でも、道の表面はなめらかなし、パパさんは交通と下に行くことの時間調整念入りに連れて行ったし、大丈夫でした。
牛肉カレー、チキンカレー、シーフードカレーもあるので、ビーフを選びました。
それはとてもおいしかったです。普通日本カレーのほうがおいしいと思います。味はセイボリーだし、少し辛いだし、私の好みにぴったり会いました。もうやんカレーというレストランに家族と連れて行くつもりです。上にレストランのリンクです。いつものように、そのともだちたちと話しながら、笑いながら、時間は早く過ごします。
そのイベントのテムはお花見だから、出た前に、マーティンと公園に散歩を回りました。もちろん写真を撮りました。その公園はたくさんいろいろ桜木があるので、いくつは咲く終りので、いくつは花盛りでした。殆ど四百年間前に、大名はその庭のような公園が始まったので、いくつな木はすごく年を取ったです。保全から、シダレ桜はたくさん木造の支柱があります。その公園に自然は慎重な扱いだから、いろいろ鳥も住んでいるので、見て楽します。小石川湖楽園は大きい町真ん中であるですが、中の人はそれが殆ど忘れられます。曲がりくねった小道があるし、滝があるし、池だし、すばらしい木があるから、見かけほど大きいない。静かな飛び地そうです。
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