Drive to Asamushi / 浅虫へのドライブ

It was a Monday way back in February. We have only had our car for about two months and as today the weather was good and the road conditions were fair, we decided to take a short little trip to Asamushi.

今年の２月下旬。車買って約２ヶ月。今日天気が良かったし、道路の雪が段々溶けるたから、浅虫までドライブに出かけた。

While my wife familiarizes herself to her old hometown after ten years, I sit in the passenger seat looking all around me. My wife told me the mountain in front of us is called Azumadake.

妻も青森市に運転してるのは１０年ぶりなので、僕は助手席に座って回りを見てるだけ。前にある山は東岳と妻が教えてくれた。

The other side of this tunnel is Asamushi. It is only a 30 to 45 minute drive from our house.

このトンネルの向こうは浅虫。浅虫は車で家から約３０分から４５分の距離。

We decided to have lunch at the Asamushi Roadside Station called Yu-sa Asamushi. The Roadside Station is a 5 story building selling souvenirs on the first floor. A rest area on the second floor. A restaurant and gallery on the third floor. Conference rooms on the fourth and a public bath located on the fifth floor overlooking Mutsu Bay.

道の駅「ゆ～さ浅虫」でランチを食べることにした。この道の駅は５階たてで、１階はお土産屋さん、２階は休憩所、３階にレストランとギャラリーがあって、４階は会議室と５階は展望浴場「はだか湯」がある。

The name of the restaurant on the third floor is called [Sunset].

３階にあるレストランの名前は「サンセット」。

I ordered the scallop curry.

僕が注文したのは帆立カレー。

My mother-in-law ordered the regular curry.

義理の母が注文したのは普通のカレーでした。

My wife ordered their chuka soba.

妻が頼んだのは中華そば。

There is a nice view of Yu-no-Shima from the 3rd floor.

３階から湯の島が綺麗に見える。

As long as we were here, we decided to check out the small gallery as well.

せっかく来てので、３階にあるギャラリーも覗いてみた。

There were a few flower arrangements along with historical items of Aomori displayed in the cases.

展示されてるものは古代のものと青森の歴史に関連するもの。ほかに生花を展示されてた。

These were made at some craft class that's also held at the Roadside Station.

道の駅にいろんな教室もあるみたいで、これはなんかの教室で作られた作品。

Free potpourri. They gave off the scent of cypress.

確かにひのきの香りがした。そして無料でもらって良いとのこと。

My wife and I were familiar with the free foot bath outside Asamushi station but today, we wanted to check out one other free foot bath. It's located near a place called the "hot spring egg" area. If you bring your own eggs, you can make "hot spring" eggs which are called onsen tamago. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to make, so while you're making your onsen tamago, you can soak your feet in the foot bath.

駅前の足湯があるのは知ってますが、今日私たちの目的地はもうひとつの足湯。その近くにたまご場があって、自分でたまごを持ってきたら温泉たまごが作れる。ちょっと時間がかかりますから、その間は足湯でゆっくりするべき。

Making onsen tamago.

温泉たまご作り。

There is my mother-in-law soaking her feet.

右側に僕の義理の母です。

Time to soak my feet as well.

はい、僕も足湯を使ってます。

The water is pretty hot.

足湯は結構熱いよ。

Checking our "hot spring" eggs.

私たちの温泉たまごはもうそろそろ出来上がってる。

They turned out pretty well. We ate them at home though.

温泉たまごはよくできました。家に帰って食べました。

We headed closer to the water.

水のすぐ近くまで来た。

My wife told me when she was younger, you could actually walk out to the large rock. Now it's on the property of a university and is not open to the public.

妻が昔若いときにその岩まで歩いて行けると言ってた。現在は大学の校内にあるため、行けなくなった。

Yu-no-Shima / 湯の島

As it was still February, none of these shops were open. They mostly do business during the summer.

まだ真冬のため、店は閉めております。夏だけの営業です。

It was a nice little drive to close out the weekend. Oh, and I did find a job and would start on the beginning of March.

週末でちょっとしたドライブは良かった。このあとは家に帰りました。あつ、そうだ。仕事も見つかりまして、３月から再出発だ。