遠方より友来たる 1（A Friend Comes from Far Away 1)

とろとろ台風10号のせいで、当初の予定が後ろに、後ろにと、ずれこみましたが、9月6日、やっと埼玉の友人がポルちゃんに乗って訪ねてくれました。

Because of the awfully slow typhoon 10th, we had to postpone our plan again and agin but finally our friend could visit us on Septemper 6th from Saitama, in 718 Cayman GTS 4.0.

718ケイマンGTS4.0のポルちゃんと安曇野。格好良いだけでなく、走りが凄くて、れいこさんの優しーい運転ではもったいない車でした。

This Porsche is not only lovely looking but also so highly functional that Reiko's driving skill cannot meet it.

まずは大王ワサビ田を訪れました。

We first visited Daio Horseradish Fields.

大王ワサビ田で蕎麦を食べたことがなかったけれど、美味しかった。ワサビが自分で摺り下ろせるのも良かった。

We had not tried buckwheat noodles there but they were very tasty. We also loved to grad horseradish for ourselves.

国営アルプス安曇野公園は黄色コスモスが見頃でした。

In Alps Azumino Government Park, yellow (orange?) cosmos were in full bloom.

左：蕎麦の花も綺麗でした。

left: Buckwheat flowers were in full bloom, too.

夜はれいこさんの手料理で、メインはオイルフォンデュでした。信州牛、信州りんご豚、と地元にこだわった甲斐があって、美味しかった。

For this night, dinner was prepared by Reiko. After three appetizers, the main dish was oil fondue. Reiko insisted on using Shinshu beef and Shinshu apple pork, both of which were really good to satisfy our efforts to get them.

翌7日、僕らの車でご案内しようと思っていたけど、ポルちゃんを使って良いということで、ポルちゃんと一緒に奈良井宿を目指しました。最初はちょっと緊張。だって、右ハンドルだけど、ワイパーとウィンカーの位置が逆で、れいこさんは何度もワイパーを動かしていたし……。

On the next day, Sep. 7, we intended to drive our car to visit Narai but our friend suggested Reiko to drive his Porchue. I was a little nervous, for Reiko kept moving wipers instead of blinkers! 　

左：奈良井宿にはスポーツカーが似合いますね。他の方もご自身の車と木曽の大橋のツーショット写真を撮っていらっしゃいました。

left: We saw a small sport car in front of Kiso Big Bridge. I wanted to take a picture of our Porchue there, too.

資料館中村邸：かつては漆櫛の商家だったそうで、奈良井宿の典型的な町家造りを楽しめます。

Museum Nakamura Residence: Once this residence was a shop of Japanese lucquared combs and was a typical private house in Narai Post Station.

この夜は、穂高有明のレストラン　マサヒロ・ニシムラにご招待頂きました。窓の外にポルちゃん。

最初は、大きな器にちょこっと盛り。虫眼鏡で見たいような、丁寧な仕上げ。ヌーベルキュイジーヌかなと。

On the second night, our firned invited to a French Restaurant Masahiro Nishimura in Hotaka-Ariake.

left:You can see our Porchue outside of the window.

middle: The first dish was seved in this size.

right: It was served very artistically. I wonder if this is nouvell cuisine.

最初の四品は、一口サイズだったので、ついパンも食べてしまったら、ここまでは前菜だったそうで、慌てました。

The first four dishes were such a small portion that we ate two rolls of bread, which were tasty, too.

Yet, we then learned that those four dishes were appetizers.

メインは普通の分量で、魚はウナギのパイ皮巻きと白身魚のポワレとひよこ豆添え。

The main dishes were normal size. The fish dish was a white fish poire with a roll with some eel meat in it.

肉料理は、北海道の神楽牛。赤身の味が特徴のブランド牛肉ですが、実際、すごく柔らかくて美味しい牛肉でした。

The meat dish was a steak of Kagura Beef. This is Hokkaido's brand beef whose red meat is well known for its good quality. In fact, it was very soft and tasty.

口直しのソルベと、二種類のデザートを紅茶と一緒に頂きました。お腹一杯！　でも、デザートまで完食しましたよ！！！

Palate cleanser, Granite(sherbet) and two plates of dessert.

We had been full before dessert but we ate all of them-- of course!

翌朝、大町の仁科神明神社を訪れました。小さな神社ですが、国宝です。

いつもならガラガラの駐車場に車が一杯。何事かと思ったら、秋祭りの準備で氏子さんたちがお掃除に訪れていました。

On the next morning, Sep. 8, we visited Nishina Shinmyo Shrine in Ohmachi. It is a small shrine but a national treasure and has a sacred atmosphere.

Usually this place is not very crowded so we were surprised ot find the parking lot full. This morning, shrine parishioners were cleaning the shrine to prepare for the atumun festival.

最後、池田町の北アルプス展望美術館から安曇野を見渡しました。天気が下り坂だったうえ、日曜日ということもあり、帰宅ラッシュを避けようということで、友人にはそのまま帰路についてもらいましたが、ラッシュにも雨にも遭わずに帰宅できたそうで良かったです。

Finally we stopped by Northern Alps View Museum to observe the whole view of Azumino.

As the weather was deteriating and as our frined wanted to avoid a returning rush on Sunday, he left us soon afterwards. He later informed us that he had arrived before rain without being caught in a traffic jam.