On Sunday at 11 AM EST it became my birthday in Japan.The great thing about living here and having lots of family and friends back home is that I get to celebrate my birthday for the next 36 hours. Now I wish I could tell some crazy legendary story about the longest birthday I ever had. However, my birthday was just what I needed. We had just concluded a 7 day work week with our Friends Day on Sunday (my latest post for those of you keeping tabs on my life). Because of this we actually had my birthday off. This was probably the greatest present I could get, well besides the package sent by my family full of peanut butter M&Ms and other foods I miss.
I spent most of the beautiful day doing nothing just being lazy which was great! Then in the afternoon, I decided to play some tennis with Aaron. Sadly, we got there and all the courts were booked. So I got on my bike and left. Some of you say, "Greg why are you boring me with this minute detail about getting on your bike, are you going to tell me you breathed next?" Well faithful reader here is why...As I was riding my bike home I came to a road diverged in a path (save it Robert Frost fans) with a curb to the other side I needed to be on. Aaron behind me told me to jump it so of course I listen. Next thing I know, my bike tells me it doesnt want to make it over there and I go flailing in the like a balloon that you let go after blowing up. After what I hear was a backflip the Russian Gymnastics team would be proud of, I slammed onto the ground. Luckily for me, the only thing that really hurt was the bruising I took on my ego for the rest of this week (thanks Aaron).
Finally, I get to my birthday dinner at this steak place called Gesho. My boss told me this was the best steak in Sendai. Its Kobe beef without actually being in Kobe, Japan. The place has national won awards. We even had to call ahead and say what we wanted because they need to pick out the cow to slaughter for us (exaggerating slightly). I decided to go big and got the 5000 ($50) yen platter. All I can tell you is that after the first bite the gates of heaven opened up and God called down saying "you're welcome." It was literally the best thing I have ever eaten. Its amazing what giving your cows beer, massages, and playing music for them makes them so much tastier.
This was truly the highlight of my 26th birthday. The great thing about my birthday was that for the next day till 1PM, it was still my birthday in the US so I had 13 extra hours to celebrate being born. Thanks mom for all you did 26 years ago to pop me out June 6th :)
I spent most of the beautiful day doing nothing just being lazy which was great! Then in the afternoon, I decided to play some tennis with Aaron. Sadly, we got there and all the courts were booked. So I got on my bike and left. Some of you say, "Greg why are you boring me with this minute detail about getting on your bike, are you going to tell me you breathed next?" Well faithful reader here is why...As I was riding my bike home I came to a road diverged in a path (save it Robert Frost fans) with a curb to the other side I needed to be on. Aaron behind me told me to jump it so of course I listen. Next thing I know, my bike tells me it doesnt want to make it over there and I go flailing in the like a balloon that you let go after blowing up. After what I hear was a backflip the Russian Gymnastics team would be proud of, I slammed onto the ground. Luckily for me, the only thing that really hurt was the bruising I took on my ego for the rest of this week (thanks Aaron).
Finally, I get to my birthday dinner at this steak place called Gesho. My boss told me this was the best steak in Sendai. Its Kobe beef without actually being in Kobe, Japan. The place has national won awards. We even had to call ahead and say what we wanted because they need to pick out the cow to slaughter for us (exaggerating slightly). I decided to go big and got the 5000 ($50) yen platter. All I can tell you is that after the first bite the gates of heaven opened up and God called down saying "you're welcome." It was literally the best thing I have ever eaten. Its amazing what giving your cows beer, massages, and playing music for them makes them so much tastier.
This was truly the highlight of my 26th birthday. The great thing about my birthday was that for the next day till 1PM, it was still my birthday in the US so I had 13 extra hours to celebrate being born. Thanks mom for all you did 26 years ago to pop me out June 6th :)
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| Our 5000 yen meals |
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| Just for your viewing pleasure. This is the sign of a hallway outside a parking garage. I guess you can pee on walls just not in jug |
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