Another thought about food (and not the last)

I think the first meal of a trip often sets the tone for what is to come. I'm not talking about the in-flight meal, if there is one, although the bibimbap on KE86 last night was quite tasty. No, what I'm talking about is the first thing you eat when you've arrived at where you're going. Case in point, when we got to St Maarten in February 2008 there was some confusion with our airport transfer (caused by American Airline bumping us from our original flight for a later one) and while we were waiting for the driver to arrive we ducked into the little restaurant overlooking the arrival and ticketing halls, which at Princess Juliana International Airport is one and the same. While not a culinary standout, the restaurant was EXACTLY what we wanted, some hearty Caribbean cuisine featuring conch, shrimp and a healthy dose of island spices mixed with tropical drinks. It would be the staples of what we would be eating for the next week, with some additions, and we loved it.

So here I am in Incheon Airport at 8 a.m. looking for something to eat and what do I get? Just what I wanted, a bowl of noodle soup with kimchi. A most unlikely of breakfast foods for most westerners, but it is what they eat here so it is what I eat. And I didn't have to go far. Only to the concourse between gates 10 and 11. Because there, in the midst of the duty free shops and currency changers is a small shop serving up udon that would be the envy of most places I've been to in New York (or any other place so far).

Sated with the spicy broth and rich noodles, along with a bottle of Coca Cola - is there a better combination? - I'm about to board my final flight of the day for Osaka then onward by Japan Rail to Kyoto. If my simple airport bowl of noodles is any indication, this is going to be a great and tasty journey.