Just say nao!

Okay, so you obviously can’t come to Brazil and not go to a churrascaria. The thing is though, I hate them.  I hate Fogo de Chao and anything like it.  I don’t like the pressure I feel to eat, eat and eat so much meat.  I love meat, but it’s just too much. 

BUT…see first sentence.

We went.  I ate…

I thought the meat wasn’t so great anyway so I kept my card red side up most of the night…

I was almost happy the food wasn’t that great, although the sushi on the salad bar was delicious.  Again, I just don’t like the pressure or the experience of these places. 

I think their lollipops say it all…

Ryokan Meal

We stayed at a traditional Ryokan in Haikone. As part of the experience you eat dinner there at the hotel. After the tofu extravaganza at the monastery we were a bit worried.

When the lady came into our little paper walled room with this plate we were even more worried…



Then she walked in with two of these…



and all was right with the world.

After eating both plates, rice, udon noodles and all the veggies, we somehow in our gestures to tell her we were full, ordered two more plates of meat.

We were all in a beef coma and barely conscious when she opened the door the last time. We were so relieved to see it wasn't more meat that somehow we found room for the delightfully creamy pumpkin pudding that came for desert…