End of Summer

So here we are at the end of another week! It was a busy one for us, full of work and surprises. We'll get to it all in good time. This past Sunday, we headed to Oasis 21, which is this: http://www.sakaepark.co.jp/en/... place. The oval-ish thing pictured below is the "spaceship - aqua," in official terminology. Yes, official. This unimpressive shot doesn't tell the full story. The inner part of the "oval" (not the outer area) is a clear pool of water. You can go upstairs (free) on the elevator or by stairs, and have a great elevated view of the Sakae area shoppers and commuters. The pool of water acts to not only look cool, but block the sun and keep the areas below cooler. 

--------------------------------------

I obviously stole this next image from the website for those who don't want to click the link. It's a really cool space, because we were able to arrive at below basement level (via subway), come up a level or so, and be right among the shops and restaurants on the lowest level. There was also some anime/manga exhibition tent that was packed in the center area. I have no idea what it was all about, but it was very popular with the teens through twenty+ somethings. Then we walked up a curved ramp (still under the cover of the "spaceship" which was good, since it was raining, AND we hd Sydney in a stroller), to the field of green area. We hopped on the elevator, and were up top. 

--------------------------------------

Here's a shot of the view from the spaceship down on the field of green. It's a misleading photo, because it looks like the city is car-less, but the field is actually raised above street level. Very clean, green, yet Japanese-futuristic. I'd expect no less!

--------------------------------------

Here's another shot from our rainy/cloudy time up top. This is the Nagoya TV Tower. I believe the square bit in the middle is a restaurant? You can take an elevator up there and have a better view, but I'm sure they charge for it. 

--------------------------------------

Here's a view from the spaceship again, down on the street below. Notice the abundance of cars. Wait, I mean bicycles. 

--------------------------------------

More of the green space below and people with umbrellas. I wanted to take a shot of these uniformed school girls that walked below, but decided it was too creep-like. While you don't have to worry about getting shot in Japan, there seems to be an abundance of train gropers - so much so, that they have women-only train cars on some trains. This is facing legal challenges, but apparently it's a problem. 

--------------------------------------

So afterward, I took the stairs down from the top with the boys. Angela waited for the elevator with Sydney. The boys and I thought it was funny to look up and see the bottoms of feet on the platform outside the elevator. I believe Angela and Sydney (4-wheeled stroller) are the bottom right of the photo. 

--------------------------------------

Below is a photo of the stairs from the basement exhibition level up to the feet by the elevator. Even the staircase looked cool. Other than that, we just browsed around, and stopped to get shaved ice that the kids really loved in a nice little restaurant/bakery. 

--------------------------------------

This is a random night shot from our street. I've been in the habit of walking to the grocery store after the kids are in bed to grab last minute items for their bento box lunches. Since Angela both works full-time AND is already hard at work on her Master's in Physiology through Case Western Reserve, I am the part-timer/housekeeper/lunch maker/chauffeur (by bicycle & foot), etc.. It's really calming to make this extremely short walk, especially at night. We've recently stumbled upon a parking lot on the next block that all the stray cats hang out in. There were seriously about ten cats when I walked the boys home once, just hanging out - peacefully! Pictures of that to come... 

--------------------------------------

Of course, no week is complete without a visit to our (and the kids') favorite, Nan Master! There were no bug invasions this time. Sydney is also completely in love with curry. COMPLETELY.

-------------------------------------

I made the mistake of playing with the kids at the playground this week. Yes, the mistake. We have been avoiding it a bit since about two weeks after we moved in, because the mosquitos are ridiculous. I would like to go on record that in the US, mosquitos are usually dumb and buzz your ear, and make a scene, so you have plenty of time to slap them. Here, they are straight to the point. I can actually stand still for a minute and just look down at my legs, and they would just appear out of nowhere. Even when I am that vigilant, I still end up with 5+ bites the next day. And regret!

So, we stopped except for a short (20 min) play time. Well, poor Seth got a bite above his right eye, which became nearly completely swollen shut when he woke up. the next day. I took him to the doctor, which was overall a pretty good experience. Actually, one of our coworkers wrote a short note explaining what happened in Japanese. I stumbled through the mostly-English doctor form, and then through a bad game of charades (my bad) with the doctor, who explained how to give Seth the medicine. But then, the staff was nice enough to call over to the school we work at to give the instructions and advice to someone who would actually understand. Here's Seth later on, after his eye was doing much better.
Poor guy!

Oh, did I mention since we're "forced" to have this "terrible" National Health Insurance thing, that the visit was free? And the medicine, free? Yes. We just pay our monthly premium. Definitely beats Seth's last visit for a consultation in the US, where the doctor looked at him (for advice on his underbite), said "We don't work on kids this young, come back in a year", then was nice enough to send us bills totaling $400. For... great advice to return in a year and then she'd maybe have something useful to offer us then? Like another, larger bill? Mind you, I thankfully had the better of two insurance plans through my employer. Oh, wait, but the insurance company didn't cover it? God bless America. Really. We certainly need all the help we can get.

--------------------------------------

So I'm sure some people have wondered what the grocery stores are like. Well, after the produce section which actually is first (like back in the US), there's a lot of fish/ocean things. I myself have been too lost on each visit to properly document the amazing finds that people here wouldn't offer a second glance. I will let this speak for itself (apologies I couldn't rotate the image).

--------------------------------------

And............a pricier option. Pass.

--------------------------------------

Wisconsinites! You won't feel so far from home if you're ever in Nagoya, and shop here at our neighborhood Yamanaka. They have four or five different varieties of Johnsonville Brats. For real. The are indeed the same, US-made ones you will find in your Pick N Save or Piggly Wiggly. This was especially surprising, given that there are NOT cases loaded with sausages or other US-made meats. In fact, the vast majority of the seafood/chicken/beef is all store-packaged, so I believe they process it all. You won't find case upon case of Tyson/Perdue shipped from who knows where, packaged whenever.

--------------------------------------

Except for THIS back label!

--------------------------------------

I was walking the kids home from school one day, and couldn't help but notice this awesome garden. The owner used old cds, and shiny vinyl (or maybe... a Laserdisc????? Remember those?) to scare crows, I believe.

--------------------------------------

I couldn't help but snap a photo of this. I have no idea what it is, except maybe some sort of deodorizer, since it was in the cleaning/deodorizer section. But that advertising?? Oh my...

--------------------------------------

I let the kids get ice cream cones for the long, hot walk back to our apartment after running errands after school. This girl.... A beautiful disaster!! Luckily she likes to take showers now, which is right where she went as soon as we got home!

--------------------------------------

Today (Saturday - 30th) Angela showed me the way to Noah's school. Starting next week, he'll be going to a different branch of the school since he'll be six in September. Straight across from the school is a rice paddy. So serene. 

--------------------------------------

Soon after that, we pedaled our way to the big park near our house,Shōnai Ryokuchi Kōen. I stumbled upon this fountain one day, and let Seth and Sydney play in it. We were headed to a playground at the park, but instead stopped here. The fountain is a large circle, with a "moat" of water surrounding it. There's a large circle sprayer in the middle (with a metal grate over it, so you can stand on top of them), and maybe five or six smaller circles equal distance around the main circle (but inside the moat). They alternately spray a fine mist, then suddenly a big stream of water up to five or so feet in the air. Obviously, the kids loved it! They made friends with two other brothers, and were splashing each other and jumping around having a blast. Sydney mostly played around in the moat this time around, picking up leaves. Here's Seth and Noah (no idea how it looks like they're alone - there were probably fifteen other kids at least!).

-------------------------------------

Here's a closeup of the boys getting wet. Noah actually requested to put his shirt back on, to mimic another kid who would...(see next):

-------------------------------------

Do this:

-------------------------------------

Various kids.

-------------------------------------

Well, that wraps up our week. Tomorrow Angela will basically lock herself up somewhere to cram through a bunch of school work, and I'll try to keep my sanity and entertain all three beasts! Unfortunately, our lovely lower-80's sunny day today looks like it will give way to gray/rain/storms which we've been seeing too much of! Thankfully, we are located about halfway between the ocean and the mountains, so events like the recent mudslides in Hiroshima are not of a worry to us personally. Only earthquakes, which we, also thankfully, haven't experienced! Come Monday, we begin the regular school year, which is both exciting and terrifying! The boys will be in their required school uniforms, which is going to definitely be photographed!! Until next time...