Japan 2013 (Days 10,11,12 - 21st,22nd and 23rd of July)

21st of July elections day

We woke up that day knowing that we had to go out for my husband to vote. We thought the hole familly would do so together but they ended up doing it seperately since my husband votes in one place and my inlaws in another.

I had coffee for breakfast, a mini salad, fried egg, my favorite sausages and two mini breads. 

Then we got ready to leave the house and took Mari with us as well.

Mari has learned so many new things in Japan. She now crawls all over the place in very big speed! She also says "hi" with her hands, no with her head and other things. This is her waving her hands up. She does that when she wants someone to pick her up but also when we do it ourselves. Doesn't she look cute?

This is the place where my husband voted, the Kanmaki city hall because it is the address of where he used to live here. 

When we arrived there were only 2 people voting or so but my husband had to do something extra since he lives abroad so it took a bit longer.

I sat down and listened to old ladies talking about how many names there were in the voting papers and how they had a hard time searching for the ones they wanted to vote. Of course since I did not vote I have no idea of how many names were there but i can imagine. 

There were two vending machines there, one was the regular bottle / can one but the other was something a bit different. For a little less than regular price you can just get the same amount of your favorite drink but in a cup which is interesting since we do not have vending machines for coca-cola in cups in my country.

When we got in the car i saw something I had never seen before either, in this heat someone had covered the front of their car in a black sort of fabric thing. I thought it was funny. I have no idea what it is for. Doesn anyone know?

We had been looking everywhere for a bathing suit for Mari but we could only find big sizes so we kept looking by going to a different store this time. But I also wanted to buy a new pair of jeans and some track suit pants for jogging. My jeans were old and got holes in them so i threw them out. I wish they had lasted as long as the trip because i did not want to spend on jeans but what can i do.

I look ridiculous here but i had to post this. This is a trying clothes booth. As you can see there's a cut so you can see one's legs and head. Of course since i'm tall it looks extra ridiculous but this is horrible! I felt sooo unconfortable! haha

Also looking at this photo I would assume that this person ended up not getting this pair because they are too short, right? But no, I had to get them, they were the only decent pair that fit me. They are sort of legging jeans and I had to buy the LL size. I guess i can only fit in Japan's biggest clothes size but hei, at least i can buy clothes here, its not like what happened in China where i tried on man pants and still had a terrible time to find something that was made for people my size. It's not embarrassing, it is life. I am who I am and that's just it.

After that we went to a shoes store. That store is heaven for tenis shoes. My husband was still wearing the pair we got at the same store 3 years ago. Those are, of course, very worn out so we went for him to get a new pair.

I took the oportunity to buy new jogging shoes that match my track paints for 25 euros and they are NIKE. I cannot believe how cheap tenis shoes are here, brand shoes in my country are expensive. I also saw the cutest my melody all stars but they were way too adorable for me. I can imagine 2 or 3 of my friends drooling over them though. They were a bargain as well, at 20 euros! Not kidding.

We also went to a store called Hotto Motto bento which is a store where you just order take out food of all sorts.

                           

This is what I had for lunch, white rice, a cabbage/carrot slice salad and fried pork. I think its the sort of food even those who are picky with food could enjoy.

In the afternoon we did nothing, me and my daughter took a long nap and my husband just worked on his thesis of course.

Mari is an odd baby, first she does not use pacifiers to sleep, she does have one or two but just uses them for fun. And so instead of that she used her fingers. She does not use her thumb like regular babies though, instead she uses not one but two fingers. She's so odd, oddly adorable. <3

This was dinner, pasta with surimi, vegetables, egg. As separate courses some squid, eggplant and white rice which is odd but then again, in Portugal we do have rice and potatoes all the time which is kind of the same thing, isn't it?

My mother in law now gives me beer in this glass, its steel and keeps it cool for longer, super sweet of her, right?

After that we hanged out and Mari crawled all over the place and after that we just went to bed/futon. 

22nd & 23rd of July I think I might be sick days

I have nothing to post about those days, and even in terms of photos its all food and Mari. I woke up feeling ill, headache and a bit sore so we suspect i was in the process of catching a cold.
So I woke up on the 21st very late, ate a small udon bowl and had the following:

A sort of vitamin drink (?) and pills. Every time i take them its 3 in a go. I don't know why but every time i have to take medicin in Japan its always multi pills of the same medicin which is very strange for me. 

I am feeling better now though so i guess it worked. 

So to make things interesting even those two days were a bit wasted i'm posting my favorite purchase of the whole trip. It is something I always wanted but in a colorway that is not handy at all (even though it is pretty and original) since it is hard to coordinate. I took a bit deciding but when the shop girl told me that they would only release new ones in October/November I was sold and just closed my eyes to the price tag and got it. I do not regress it even though i can only wear it with one, two, maybe 3 or the dresses I own. 

Triple Fortune Half Bonnet (green)

I am very very happy. I still wish i had a full bonnet in ivory though, can't help it. XD

Love always,

Jo