広島講演旅行:往路（On the Way to Hiroshima for a Lecture)

11月13日、広島の安田女子大学で講演をするのを機会に、一週間、中国地方と関西地方のあちこちでいろいろな人たちとの再会を楽しみました。

We took a week tour in Chugoku and Kansai areas from Nov. 10, for Reiko was invited to give a lecture in Yasuda Women's College in Hiroshima on Nov. 13.

11月10日、いつものように特急「しなの」で出発し、紅葉真っ盛りの木曽路を抜けて名古屋に。そこから新幹線で、久し振りに姫路城を見ながら、岡山に向かいました。

We left Azumino and took a Shinano Super-express train as usual to go to Nagoya, enjoying the autumn colors on the way, especially in Kiso area. We also said hello to Himeji castle from a Hikari Super-express train, too, before arriving at Okayama.

岡山の友人宅で、ゆっくりと二泊させてもらいました。ここの奥さんの手料理はいつも本格料亭のようなものです。

We stayed with our friends in Okayama for two nights and took some rest before the lecture.

Our friend's wife always serves a wonderful set of delicious Japanese dishes.

ワインは美味しい三次ワインの白で始めたのですが、息子さんが戻られて、一緒に楽しく赤まで飲んでしまいました。（これで度を超して、翌日、れいこさんは調子が悪くて……、以後、この旅ではお酒には厳重注意となりました）朝ご飯は、ご主人がいつも作ってくださいます。

Our friend first opened a nice Miyoshi white wine. We intended not to drink a lot but it was not only so delicious but also the atmospher was so good that we drank another bottle of red wine, which was too much for us. Later we were very, very careful about the amount of drink.

In the morning, our friend made a big breakfast for us. He says that he always makes breakfast for his families.

家の近くの池を散策。

It was such a fine warm day that we took a walk near the house.

ちょうど紅葉の最中で、気候も暖かく過ごしやすかったです。

It was a very nice season to take a walk. We enjoyed autumn colors, too.

午後は調子が悪くなって寝ていたれいこさんですが、夕食までには復活。美味しいおでんの夕食を頂きました。（ただし、今回はお酒はなし！）

We skipped our lunch and took a nap but by the evening we had recovered and enjoyed Oden dinner, though we did not drink alcohol on this evening.

翌日は岡山駅に送ってもらい、電車で西条に。そこで別のお友達と合流。

西条の酒蔵通りがすっかり整備されて、綺麗な通りになっていました。

On the morning of Nov. 12, we took a train from Okayama to Saijo to meet another friend of ours.

Sakagura-dori Street was neatly renewed with some fashionable stores.

友人とのランチでは、牡蠣フライと鰆のお刺身を食べました。鰆はこの時期が美味しいのだそうです。

For this lunch we took a lunch set with deep-fried Oyster and sashimi of Sawara fish. They say that it was a tasty season for Sawara fish.

西条から広島へは、カープ電車に乗りました。

広島駅はすっかり新しくなっていて、広電に駅舎の中で乗り換えることができます。

以前のように迂回することなく、駅から真っ直ぐ市の中央に入ってゆきます。

From Saijo to Hiroshima, our train was wrapped with Carp pictures. We realized that we were back in Hiroshima.

HIroshima station was completely renovated and we can now take a Hiroden train in the station building. Hiroden trains go directly into the city.

広島のお宿は、安田女子大学の手配でホテルグランヴィアの部屋を予約してくださってました。広島城を正面に見下ろせる素敵なお部屋でした。

Thanks to Yasuda Women's College, we could stay in Hotel Granvia, the best hotel in the middle of the city.

The room was spacious enough and we could observe Hiroshima castle just in front from the wide windows.

講演前夜は、安田女子大に勤める教え子さんと奥様が、素敵なワインバーに案内してくださいました。お料理もワインも、そして気の置けない会話も、すべて楽しめました。

On the evening before the lecture, Reiko's former student, who is now teaching in Yasuda Women's College, took us out to a wonderful wine bar.

どの料理も贅沢な材料を使い、手が込んでいて、家では味わえないものでした。

Each dish was very special and went very well with wine.