Moving Calamari Head
54. Hakodate Morning Fish Market (Hokkaido, Japan)
Japanese fishermen arrive at Hakodate fish market before 5am. Surrounding sushi stands bustle to life to serve them food. Some of the day’s catch shows up immediately at the breakfast table.
The Hokkaido region is famous for its snowy crab and salty uni (sea urchin). We tasted them in many preparations as we wandered from stall to stall. They were barbecued, in triangle onigiris, and served raw on top of rice donburis. The fish stall owners, dressed in rubber boots and plastic aprons, would pause from hosing down their stands to serve us a sublime small bite for breakfast.
I was impressed by Arnau’s ability to eat raw fish for breakfast. The only time he freaked out was when we realized that the head of our calamari sashimi was still moving, 20 minutes into our meal.
Day 19. Ciutadella, Ole! (Menorca, Spain)
The ancient genteel city of Ciutadella hosts one of the world’s most incredible parties every year during the Festival of Sant Joan.
Majestic horses ridden by bow-tied gentlemen gallop and rear through crowds dancing in the narrow cobblestone streets. Hazelnuts are thrown for luck and pomadas (gin + lemonades) flow freely through the windows of the locals. Aristocrats in their evening gowns and jewelry watch from the balconies of their mansions, waving as the passing riders raise their hats in greeting.
The horses sometimes divert from their path to visit the houses of sponsors and friends. Many of the houses in Ciutadella now use their stable doors as front doors, and during Sant Joan they are flung open for the rider to duck into the house on his horse and say hello.
The riders seem to range from ages seven to seventy, and can ride every year once chosen until they decide to retire. By tradition, the rider positions are allocated by occupation. The majority are farmers, with a couple of craftsmen and merchants. The nobleman with his white gloves and top hat and the debonair priest ride at the end of the column.
The horsemen are known for their fantastic handling skills, as they routinely have the horses rear and dance to entertain the crowd. Drunk people often crowd around the horses and block their path before moving away in the last minute, so the horses have to remain calm even under aggression.
My husband and I were once right in the path of a panicking horse. We were holding hands, and somehow let go and each dove to a side as the horse passed in between us. The man directly behind us was knocked down. He quickly jumped up and rejoined the crowd, singing “Ciutadella, Ciutadella. Ole, ole ole ole!”
A baby humpback whale swimming around his mother.
Video taken while snorkeling near Vava'u, Tonga
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