Dog's Nose Bar

So Vicki and I went to my old watering hole this evening for drinks with some friends who are still in the valley of the bears. Andy and Regan are here and kicking on strong. It was good to see them again though I think Regan needed a lot of reminding before he had any idea who I was.

Anyways, after making a short walk from Kumagaya station immediately after we got into town I was on the doorstep of the old Dog's nose. Many a night were spent here with mates, without mates, looking for help, offering help, but always well lubricated. And it was Bob and Kumiko that overall I reckon I spent most of my time with while I was here the first time. Truly they are two wonderful people.

As we walked up to Dog's I could see that we would be the first customers of the night and I was really glad it would work out that way. This ended up giving us lots of time introduce Vicki to Bob and Kumiko and to catch up with them. After having walked around the town during the day and noticing that it is now a different place due to many buildings having been knocked down and rebuilt or not rebuilt but replaced with carparks I was so glad to know that Bob and Kumiko and the Dog's nose are still standing strong.

After a little while one of my close mates Atsushi turned up with his new fiance. It was lovely to meet her and I can see why they are so good for each other. Hopefully with a little effort we can convince them to come for a visit to Australia soon. More and more people turned up and as per usual at the Dog's nose it turned from quiet to rowdy pretty quickly. The pic below is of the Dog's nose from the doorway if you've just walked in and turned left. It's a small place, but you'd be surprised how many people it holds on a big night. And that's assuming we don't spill out onto the street.

Bob and Kumiko below are the best hosts. There is no team better on this planet to make you feel at home and comfortable. And I can't even illustrate how much of my drunken burbling they've endured and even made me feel like theyd enjoyed. Also, Bob has the most amazing collection of records and cd's and tunes on his laptop. I've only ever seen more vinal in a record shop. Kumiko has more talents than that wonderful smile and one of them is her cooking. WOW.

Below is the one thing that probably cost me most in Kumagaya. Corn nuts. Or giant corn kernals or whatever they are called. If you are near alcohol of any description you don't want to start eating these buggers. Being lightly salted and incredibly delicious they are possibly the major cause in my drinking as much as I did when I was living here.

And you know how I can't resist the perfect photo op.

The entry to the dog's nose. Nothing too exciting to the uninitiated, but anyone who's been inside knows it's something special. It looks literally no different to the day I last walked out those doors. And the best part is the faces that greet you on the inside.