Fishy memories

"I don't wanna eat his eyes!"

A plea from my youngest and not something I had considered asking him to do anyway. I'll be happy enough if he eats the body of the fish let alone the facial features.

Reminds me...

I was once a long long way from home, somewhere in the middle of Japan, missing my beloved hubby (at that time my fiance) terribly. My very kind and considerate friends took me to an izakaya to cheer me up with a few beers and some good food. They presented to my innocent western eyes a bowl of something milky looking but thicker and slimy and urged me to try it. The usual refrain of 'It's good for us' was spoken in encouragement. I did as asked and slurped the tiniest bit from the bowl but unfortunately the gag reflex kicked in and I couldn't stop from crying out 'What the HELL is that?' To which my giggling Japanese friends said 'It's what the boy fishy gives to the girl fishy to make baby fishes'.

Well that made me feel better. I swapped being lovesick for being physically sick. Oh how they all laughed. Nothing better than playing food games with the foreigner. Don't even get me started on the sea urchins.