Enoshima

Last weekend we went to a town on the coast called Enoshima.  It is an hour train ride from our house.  From the Enoshima train station we walked across a bridge to an island.  It is a small island that has a big hill.  There is a small winding walkway with lots of little shops and restaurants.  The walkway goes up and up until you reach a shrine.  We visited the shrine, said a few prayers and then went to an outdoor food court.  Maddie got some corn on the cob, I got some grilled squid and a beer.  Vanessa went to a vendor that appeared to be selling some kind of octopus (tako) dish.  The attendant was standing behind a big metal press type of machine.  She put three small raw octupusses (octopi?) that had been dipped in some kind of batter on the surface and they sizzled from the heat.  She then lowered the top and began cranking a handle that pressed the octopus.  It made a very loud hissing noise as she continued to crank it.  After a few minutes she released the crank and to Vanessa's surprise handed her a huge, extremely thin cracker!  You could see through it and could clearly make out pieces of octopus.  It tasted great.  We were so eager to eat it we forgot to get a picture.

We wandered around the area and enjoyed the beautiful scenery.  There were fishing boats in the water.  These amazing hawks were flying all around the area and making screeching calls.  It was kind of like a typical hawk screech followed by a sound that seemed to me like a giggle.  Vanessa thought they sounded eerie.  We made our way back down the hill stopping to shop and eat various things like cheese puffs, potatoes, chicken and croquettes.  We didn't eat the sea snails that were being offered at many of the street vendors.  They were cooking them in the shells on little hibachi style grills.  The island is famous for these sea snails.   Vanessa and I had eaten them on previous trips and they were not our favorite.  I think I will give it another try next time we go.  We walked back across the bridge and took the train back home.  It was a great day trip.  Here are a few pictures: