Japan trip - Day 8

I really am starting to feel the stress of a time-line and have to get this done with soon. I am sorry if it will seem as if I'm rushing it.

Like I said, every time we want to go somewhere we need to get on the train.

This is usually the sort of train we take. The seats can be moved to chance the direction which is of use and the bottom of the seats is also heated.

My choice for that day. Awww i'm gonna miss you vending machines!

The next day I finally had the chance to go to Shinsaibashi and hit the stores. I fell in love with some things (fortunately not as much as last year) but decided to wait for the sales to buy something from the stores or at least wait till after going to the major used clothes stores due to budget.
We got up very late that day and it was alreasdy lunch time when we arrived at the "triangle" so we just had lunch (we had also missed breakfast because of that).

Having stores and restaurants in the underground floor is absolutely normal here. Not so ordinary back home.

The menu had a monster ice cream. I seriously do not understand how these girls are so tiny! I see them eat, they finish the places just like I do.

One of the few shots i have from that day, sorry about the quality. Figured I should post something else than food.

Lunch, tasty hamburger wish salad and white rice. it was yummy!

After that we hit the stores. It's a bit boring for him but he is a sweetheart. I'm going to leave you with some street shots and some store front shots with little to no text thing time.

Osaka BABY, the stars shine bright store front. Christmas decoration version. They always have things I want, you guys should check them out.

Mandarake signs at the door. I had a blast there and my husband found things he liked too so this was actually fun. I need to go there again.

Every year I take a snap of those street lamps because they are awesome.

Doesn't look like much but its one of the only two places i got stuff from that day, PureSound (one of Osaka's second hand stores). You can buy lolita, japanese punk and goth, cds (mainly visualk), visual k band "costumes", magazines and random merchandise...

Here you can see the Marble store sign. I used to go in every time I was there but seriously? I hate the quality of most things so i just passed this time. I didn't have a lot of time, it was already getting dark.

My favorite store in Osaka, Atelier Pierrot. They have Victorian Maiden, Juliette et Justine, Atelier Pierrot, Chantilly, triple fortune, Moi-Même-Moitié etc there. They are also some of the friendliest store staff I have ever dealt with, regardless if they change workers or not. I just love going there and of course almost everything these is my style.

Osaka's Innocent World. It's like a regular apartment in a building complex. I always find that odd.

Not a brand I am familiar with but who the heck names their store "gross"? Do they want us not to shop there? It works XD

h.NAOTO's stores are always fun to visit, there always seems to have a ton of people having fun on the inside, that's the idea i always get when i visit one.

Another one of my favorites, Miho Matsuda. I try to always by something there when i visit. Their accessories are very reasonably priced.

Random visual k costumes? I'm not sure which band but i thought they were corny as heck and needed a photo.

After this we were very tired (we basically spent a ton of time looking for the meta store but couldn't find it!) and found a lovely cafe that served gorgeous looking cake slices. Plus I needed a smoke and I hate how you can never find the right spot to smoke in Japan. I'm very carefully being polite and following all the rules so i didnt wanna be caught smoking somewhere where its not allowed and risk a fine or something.

The lovely cup of coffee that fit the atmosphere of the place.

My strawberry cheesecake with ice-cream and fruits. So pretty!

The shopping part of the day was over.
My husband wanted us to go see the town's Christmas lights like all couples do on christmas eve and so we did. We walked around that area but ended up going a bit far and it was fun but cold and tiring too. The photos are lovely though and it was insane, the amount of people there and the amount of people coordinating where citizens would move, etc. It was crazy!!!

Trying to show just how much people there was there!

After that, while people got ready to party I suppose, we left. We had promised that we would go home and celebrate Christmas together like we do in the west. We got on the train and left.
When we reached Oji I saw Oji Christmas lights too and didn't want them to feel inferior to the Osaka ones so I asked for a photo in front of it.

 

Awww at least its something!
It was soooo cold that my husband called his dad who was on the run anyway and so just picked us up. We waiting at the convenience store for a while so we wouldn't freeze and then got in the car.
we stopped by Kentucky fried chicken to get part of the xmas dinner and went straight home. Mom was already waiting and dinner was served. A different dinner from the one I have at home but no less delicious.

We even had a Christmas tree (of sorts)!

Tasty KFC chicken that needs to be reserved with some time in advance because its what some people have on Christmas eve.!

Delicious handmade food(etc): octopus (sooo tender!), chicken, salads, sashimi, sliced salame, corn soup and wine.

Every year on Christmas eve the national figure skating champion is on and i still remember watching last year. We did exactly the same this time. Everyone is so enthusiastic about it and its so nice to see that the newspaper and news focus on almost all sports and not just one (in Portugal is all about soccer soccer soccer).

After getting a present from my mother in law: she got me a magic stole that keeps me warm! It was time to go to bed again.
What a different yet full Christmas eve this is, in portugal I barely do anything at all (just buy last minute things and help in the kitchen).
It was fun!
That's it for day 8. I shall post what i got tomorrow with the day 9 post. Stay tuned!
Jo