If you plan to travel to Asturias, you must try the regional speciality drink called sidra. This tart yet sweet natural hard cider can be found in siderias and other local restaurants all over the region. Sidra is considered to be the regional "wine" of Asturias and has been produced from local apples since ancient times. It has a relatively low alcohol content, somewhere between 4.5-6%, and is best enjoyed on warm days since it's served chilled. 

During our holiday break we were able to travel to the small town of Nava, which is known as the cider making capital of the world, for a private sidra tour at the Sidra Viuda de Corsino! 

The tour was very fascinating, with the owner explaining the sidra making process as well as giving us some interesting facts about the beverage. This llagar, cider-house, was founded in 1875 and has been producing some of the best sidra in Asturias! 

The wooden barrels you see above have been used in the sidra fermenting process for dozes of years. Every couple of months the inside has to be cleaned out, so a worker has to crawl inside that tiny opening and hose down the barrels. Yikes! The opening was only big enough to fit a medium sized dog. How anyone could squeeze in there was beyond me?! But hey, people fit and sometimes get drunk off the remaining fumes of the cidra. Not a bad day at work! Ha!  

Modern apple press as well as stainless steel fermentation barrels. 

Lovely tour and best of all, a little tasting of sidra directly from the barrel! 
In typical Asturias fashion, our group shared only one glass between us all. 
We each had our own tasting of sidra but from the same glass. 
Sidra: The Asturias peace pipe! 

Sidra is unlike any other alcoholic beverage we have ever tried, not only taste-wise but there is a certain presentation and etiquette involved during it's consumption.  

Okay, totally kidding! Barnacles are not our favorite but at least we can add them to our list of "food we never thought we would try." These dinosaur- like claws are very expensive (50 Euros a kilo!) and most Spaniards only eat them once a year on Christmas. To us, they don't taste like much. I would definitely opt out and recommend trying a delicious Asturias cheese and cured ham plate to go along with your sidra! Enjoy and happy drinking! 

Dan's team is sponsored by Coca-Cola, so today they got a personalized Coke bottle!! 
How cool! I love it.

Ahhh! And I got my very own personalized Coke bottle! Yay! 

This post is going to be a photo journal because I clearly can't edit down my photos. I want you to experience Kraków like I did, so clearly you need to see ALL the photos I took. Don't worry I won't be posting 300 images, only about 20. :) 
So sit back and enjoy Kraków by day!

We started off our morning adventures with breakfast at Wierzynek. Wierzynek is the oldest restaurant in Krakow, open and functioning since 1364. Yup, 1364! We were told that you can't come to Krakow without stopping at Wierzynek...so stop by, even if its just for coffee! It's a bit pricey but totally worth the views and bragging rights that you ate there. :)

Right after breakfast and much needed coffee, we were ready to explore Kościół Mariacki or St. Mary's Basilica. This stunning basilica is located right in the main square, it was originally built in the early 13th century, then re-build in the 14th century. It's famous for two things - it's ornate wooden altarpiece carved by Veit Stoss (see photo below) and hejnał mariacki, a trumpet signal played every hour. The trumpet tune breaks off in mid-stream, to commemorate the famous 13th century trumpeter, who was shot in the throat while sounding the alarm before the Mongol attack on the city. The noon-time tune is heard across Poland and abroad broadcast live by the Polish national Radio. (Thanks Wiki!)

Side note, you have to pay to take photos inside the basilica. Silly! A recurring theme while traveling through Poland. And technically, you are only allowed to take photos near the alter (completely separate tourist entrance.) Needless to say, I got caught and the nice guard told me to erase my memory card. Mmmm NO....so with a smile, a wink and some good ole Polish flirting I got away. Ha! 

Since we only had a day in Krakow and wanted to see everything, my mom decided to hire a "city tour" golf cart. They are literally everywhere on the main square. I forget the actual price but we did haggle with him for a little bit. On the tour we were able to see and get explanations of Old Town, Wawel Royal Castle and the Jewish District, Kazimierz. Very interesting but if we had more time I would prefer just to explore the areas myself. 

The Fiat 126p (maluch) has special meaning for Poles and its connection with Polish politics during the communist period. Under the communist regime, a private car was considered a luxury good, due to limited availability and low salaries.The Fiat 126p was supposed to be the first popular and affordable car for the public. They filled the roads and most families drove this tiny two door Fiat 126p's for many years! I still remember my parents driving a burnt orange Fiat! Now the cars have become landmarks and symbols of Polish history. 

Wawel is a complex that houses the Royal Castle and Wawel Cathedral. We wandered around, climbed to the top of the Bernardynska Gate (nice view of Krakow!), checked out the cathedral, and had a couple of beers at a little restaurant. Awesome day! 

The Wawel Cathedral has not only impressive interiors but also a whole hidden underground world. It has been the main burial site for Polish monarchs and kings since the 14th century! Exploring this underground world is a very surreal experience...calming yet eerie. 

A midst a lot of controversy, it also houses the remains of former Polish President, Lech Aleksander Kaczynski and his wife, Maria, who were killed in a plane crash in 2010. Many Poles were not thrilled about this controversial former president being buried next to Polish kings. But hey, Poland has no more kings, so I guess a president is just as tomb worthy! 

Check back soon for photos of the Salt Mine Wieliczka! 

I still remember my first ever flight...
I was nine, traveling with my mom on an intercontinental flight from Warsaw to Chicago. I still remember our seat, the beige interior of the plane and the fact that we had a bulk head seat. Why a petite mother and a nine year old need a bulk head seat is beyond me. It just drives me nuts when regular sized people think they need a bigger seat or more room. Dan being 6'9, I have new sympathy for tall guys in those tiny regular seats! So, I am sorry to all the 6'9 men that had to sit in the regular seats while the nine year old me enjoyed all the leg room in the world! Ha! Anyways...

While on my first ever flight across the ocean, I had a strange desire to order tomato juice with one ice cube. Not sure, why...maybe I thought I was being a clever nine year old...maybe I was low on vitamin A (or is it C?!)...who knows. Regardless, it was strange because I normally didn't drink tomato juice! Even now (19 years later), I still crave tomato juice on flights. So.Strange. So in preparation for our next intercontinental flight (tomorrow!) I am already getting excited for my go-to drink of choice. Minus the one ice cube, because that would be weird, plus I think the flight attendant would just roll her eyes, so I'll probably aviod that whole awkward exchange.  
So here it is folks...my comfort drink when I travel. Good ole tomato juice! Strange yet satisfying and only enjoyed 35,000 feet in the air!

A meal so good it deserves it's own entry. No joke. Since most of our Japanese meals were from local convenience stores or cheap noodle shops we quickly jumped at a chance to splurge on our last dinner in Kyoto. The restaurant was nice and cozy and located about a ten minute walk from the Kyoto train station. The Kouan Dinner (not sure what that means, Kyoto specialities...name of a person...name of the restaurant perhaps?! Not speaking Japanese makes researching frustrating and impossible at times....grrrr) cost 3,000 yen ($35) each but it was well worth it! All local Kyoto specialties paired with good ole sake! 

The appetizer consisted of pickled pumpkin, tofu and pickled radish. A bit strange and mushy but the massive bottle of sake we ordered helped to wash it down. Next came an awesome sashimi plate with seaweed. Yummy! Our waitress was awesome,  anytime she brought out the next course she would have her Iphone ready and translate the dish. Gotta love technology and Japanese hospitality. 

Grilled fish with minced radish on the left and grilled tofu on the right. Both absolutely A-mazing! 
They even made little pink sakura (cherry blossom) designs out of the tofu. 

Salad, tempura shrimp, tempura vegetables and tofu soup. 

Last but not least, yummy udon noodles with soy sauce, radish paste and wasabi. 

And of course to end the night, here is my mom posing with the massive bottle of sake....sake galore...but rest assured, we did not drink the whole thing. It was just a decorative bottle the waitress brought out ;) 
Kamapi to an awesomely memorable trip to Kyoto! 

If you are interested in checking out the restaurant (which we highly recommend!), this is the best address I could find online: 
Kyōto-fu, Kyōto-shi, Shimogyō-ku, Minamifudōdōchō, ３−１  

Exploring the Tsukiji fish market is definitely a must-do in Tokyo! The fish market is the largest fish market in the world and the top destination for sushi lovers. Many tourists like to see the famous tuna auction that takes place between 5 - 615 in the morning, however, I am NOT a morning person. The couple of times I visited the market I never arrived before 9 am. This time was no different, my mom and I arrived around 9 am and still loved exploring the market. There are a lot of vendors selling different types of seafood, speciality knives, as well as tea. Buckets of eels, massive crabs, octopus, fish-shaped cakes, as well as anything and everything relating to tuna can be found here. The market is great for people watching as well as trying out new types of food: fried tuna bits, little critters on skewers, as well as the traditional sushi! If you are brave enough, make sure to check out all the samples! 

After wondering around the small streets and admiring all the seafood that was starring at us, we were ready to eat sushi! We found rows of tiny restaurants with eager tourists and locals waiting in line to get in. We patiently waited in line for about 30 minutes until a spot opened up. Next came one of the best meals of our trip! Sushi, sushi and more sushi...oishii!!!!

Have you ever had a food moment? A moment of true bliss, where your taste buds were taken on a magical journey? When you took a bite, all you wanted to do was savor the flavor and chew slowly, so the moment would lasts forever? I've tasted some delicious food in my lifetime but this truly was my first euphoric food moment!  Feeling truly content, happy, joyous, and excited I savored every single bite as if it were my last. Thank you Tsukiji Market! They weren't lying when they said the BEST sushi in the world can be found here. 

Every country has their own traditions when it comes to food at sporting events and since we spent the majority of our lives in the States we were used to the western way of dinning. Hot dogs, pizza, nachos, and beer were all items we would pig out on! In Japan it was a little different, the first time I attended Dan's game I thought I was going to gag when a fan unwrapped raw fish eggs with rice next to me. So different! At least they still sold cold beer.  Normally you could find noodles, bento boxes with fish or chicken, rice balls, chicken skewers and lots of different types of tea. At the end of our stay in Japan, I loved munching on a tuna rice ball and some unsweetened green tea during Dan's games!   

Our friend kept telling us about a chicken resturant in Ishinomaki that served the best chicken in the world. We were intrigued and jumped at a chance to go one Monday evening.

Ishinomaki is located about an hour north of Sendai and was one of the worst hit by the tsunami. 
(If you would like to see some photos of the damage check out our blog entry on tsunami clean up in  Ishinomaki.)

The restaurant was beautiful! It had a few tables and a main grill in the middle along with a wooden bar area surrounding it. The wooden bar was actually salvaged from the previous restaurant and restored.

We were excited to try "the best chicken in the world" and soon discovered our friend wasnt exaggerating. The chef prepared each piece of chicken with precision and served it on skewers. We were told the restaurant specializes in yakitori (translation, grilled chicken.) the food just melted in our mouths and we couldn't be happier to try all of the local specialties!

The Japanese eat all parts of the animal which sometimes to us and many westerners can be a little too much to handle. But I'm happy to say that in our time abroad we ventured past our comfort zones and will gladly try anything once. Chicken heart, liver, skin, stomach, cartilage, as well as regular chicken wings were all part of our meal!
 All of the food was delicious and we particularly liked the heart, valves and all!

The time slowly passed by as we all enjoyed the delicious chicken, grilled veggies and cold beer. Conversation was lively and laughter was abundant! We felt so thankful to be part of such a heart warming experience and be welcomed by such great hosts. We were eating the best chicken in the world at a restaurant that a year ago was completely flooded by the tsunami, such a surreal, unbelievable yet rewarding feeling. Rewarding in the sense that one really felt that Japan is rebuilding, the process will surely take a while but it was special to see people laughing, eating and rebuilding their lives with one restaurant at a time. A truly special evening!

After the meal we were presented with a gift from the host. Shouldn't it be the other way around we thought? Not only did we get fed but also snagged a gift along the way! But we were told it's given to guests as a good luck symbol for the restaurant on its opening. They were two beautiful glass sake glasses with a Japanese symbol of "Chicken-Dragon" on it, the name of the restaurant. We will cherish those glasses forever! The whole evening felt truly special for so many reasons and it's definitely going to be a memory we will never forget. Thank you to our hosts and the chicken dragon himself for giving us the opportunity to try the world's best chicken!

Arigatou gozaimasu! ありがとうございます

Enjoying some refreshing Stongbows at Ha'Penny Bridge Irish Pub in Sendai. We were celebrating our 7 year anniversary, belated St.Patrick's Day and of course, the two Sendai 89ers home wins.