Heading West, into that great big question mark!

Let the adventure begin!

To launch this trip, and to turn 30, a spectacle was in order. And what could be more spectacular than dining on an entire pig (and with all the bits too; waste not, want not)? I could think of nothing, so that's what a group of friends and I did.

As you can see, the pig is no suckling, and he (she?) is entire. The meal commenced with Chef Chris Cosentino, slicing aggressively down the spine and releasing an enormous waft of pig steam. Then the meat, roasted at 200 degree for 8 hours, came out by the plateful. We dug in - it was the most tender and juicy roast pork I've ever had, and the gravy accompanied fantastically well.

However, we didn't eat just the meat. There was the whole head, which the chef helpfully deconstructed into its component parts: ears, cheek, snout, and skin. Oh, don't forget the brains inside! They were.....odd, quite creamy, much better when smeared on a slice of thick bacon (from a side dish served with Savoy cabbage).

As you can see, it was a feast for the ages! We did the pig justice, making our way through about three-quarters. Apparently the only group to ever polish one off was a group of teenagers there as part of their history class, all decked out in character (Albert Einstein, etc.). We had no hope of catching them...

With the spectacular spectacle behind me, the past couple of days have been a flurry of packing. Oh, so much packing! A million thanks to all those who helped, and a ridiculous fantastic thank-you-very-much to Carolyn for going above and beyond the call of duty as roommate.

And, so, as BART speeds me towards SFO and the first flight to Narita airport in Tokyo, just 11 hours away, we are officially launched.

Oh, and I'm sporting a new look for my trip! We'll have to see how this evolves.....

Keep on reading - posts should come at minimum 2x / week, and an itinerary will follow in short order!