Yokohama

Pictures from Yokohama. It was such a nice day out yesterday and with this Typhoon coming our way we really needed to take advantage of it. So yesterday after my class we went to Yokohama, the Hard Rock Cafe, watched some magic and juggling shows, window shopped then came home. The full moon in the background was really cool!

Random Pictures from around the House

I always forget to add these :) That tiny machine looking thing is our dishwasher... it hold enough to make it worth it but still barely holds anything compared to an American one...

Mt Fuji

Almost made it to the 9th station, less than 500 meters to the top. Tried to make it back before the dark but ended up walking in the dark for about 30 minutes or so, ard to see anything ahead of you- the 2 things I forgot MY LIPS!!!! (sunscreen) and the light we were supposed to bring!!!

Day in Zushi

more umbrellas and starfish than I have ever seen. Guam and Okinawa had such nice beaches and weather- maybe that is why people never crowded. This was very, very strange!

All American Rejects Live in Yokosuka

Went to the free concert yesterday on the base. It was cool. Here are some pictures... Liam came straight from camp- we walked to get sandwiches then got out GREAT spot up high near the front and then we he got home he wanted to play connect 4!!!!!! WHAT THE HECK! An all day field trip to a cool future museum, a concert and then it is not enough.... go to sleep!

I think

I sometimes forget about this blog..... anyways here are some pictures from todays trash. I was out walking when I figured out today was cardbard trash day, I was very excited to participated and take my junk out- it was also magazine day but I did not have another paper bag or string so I could not paticipate in that one, maybe next time.

Japanese Trash

I finally woke up early enough to take the picture of the trash system at our house. You know the big trashcans and huge dumpsters used in the U.S. ? The trash in Japan does not work that way, in addition to sorting the trash about 6 different ways (we have tons of trash cans!) each type of trash also has its own scheduled day. So on Monday we have burnable trash which consists of food, diapers, paper (but not newspaper or magazines or food boxes, that is another trash) anything gorss like band-aides, personal items, q-tips, etc. Then Tuesday is plastics and packaging which consists of all the plastic packaging that comes on stuff you buy, potato chip bags, bottle tops, one time food packaging(yogurt, sour cream) toothpaste containers (cleaned) shampoo, conditioner, lotion, etc, (all cleaned!) Wednesday is Cans and Bottles (cleaned and dry) then Thursday is burnable again. SO we have 4 days of trash. So your regular bottle of water would consist of paper trash, plastic trash and plastic bottle trash!

Sometimes the crows get to your trash then your trash ends up all over the street and if you are not home you don't know about it until a neighbor tells you. That is when good candy comes in handy :)

These people are lucky: in addition to a net they also have a container, it gets folded up after the trash people come. No trash is allowed out before 6 am in the morning and if the nets arn't out yet and you need to leave for work- you can't leave your trash.... It is a little difficult to get used to. I wish we could just pay for a trash service to come and pick up our garbage :)

Japanese Kitchen Small and Cramped

Here it is, small and cramped. I think it is the smallest kitchen we have ever had.

We have babies

in our yard. Racoon Dog babies. We saw 2 tonight- they were cute, they have weird tails though. I wonder how many babies are back there.

Guess who came back

no, not the racoon dog! The fruit guy with his big cart of cases of fruit. We bought more oranges today and got some peaches as a present! The price went up on the sour oranges since they are at the end of the season but he threw in some extras and then the 2 peaches which are easily almost $8 at the Japanese store...so I guess it wasn't to bad of a deal :) They will be enjoyed!

Design Festa

Spent a longgggggggggggggggggggggggg day yesterday at Design Festa at Tokyo Big Site- Here are some very different things I saw.......... I really don't get most of it..... whatever :) Some things were VERY strange, I forgot to get a picture of the yellow guy (he was there last time too, so maybe next time!) Some things were cute and fun! Enjoy or be grossed out! Sorry :)

Running away to Tokyo

Thinking of doing it again this Friday, if it doesn't rain :) It was soooooo much fun last week, heck- if it rains we might just take off to Yokohama instead! So much to finish before the Design Festa next weekend, not sure if I should run away....... My husband offered to drive- what a RELIEF, I spent over 30 minutes today trying to get Japanese people to understand my English on the phone- what a nightmare.... it is soooooo much easier to speak to someone in person.

Kore wa Nandeska ? (What is it)

Something different and interesting happened today while I was at home. The doorbell rang so I went outside to find a man with a wheely cart with about 10 large boxes on it. He took a box and started talking- I had no clue what so ever what he was saying- but figured either he was trying to sell me something or someone was having a gift delivered to us. It ended up he was selling fruit and it was 2500 yen for the box (about $25 which is average for a box this size in Japan) no clue what it was, how it would taste but decided what the heck, it's not everyday someone comes to the door with something that you actually need - FRUIT!!! They ended up tasting really good, kind of like a lemon and an ornage but more on the sweet side- Everyone likes them:) Then to top it off I sold a miniature original this afternoon which made my fruit purchase almost nothing. I think there is an order form in the box. Wouldn't it be cool if I could get fruit delivered every week :)

FingerPrint Friday

I am linking the below pictures to the FingerPrint Friday on the PamperingBeki Blog- www.pamperingbeki.blogspot.com Right smack in the middle of busy, busy, extremely busy Tokyo among all the buildings, cars, noise, yucky air is this beautiful( even thought it is small) garden between skyscrapers. You would have never imagined to find a mother duck and 10 ducklings floating around in a pond if you were walking on the street or passing by the buildings in a car. It was a nice place to spend 2 1/2 hours this Friday- so glad we ditched everything we were supposed to do :)

Ropponghi Hills

Ditched everything and enjoyed a beutiful day in Ropponghi Hills in Tokyo. After eating Indian food (it was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo GREAT) we went for a walk around the Japanese garden and layed in the super soft grass. Guess what we saw? A mother duck with 10 baby ducks- they were sooo cute! Included in the pictures is an upside down view of skyscrapers, we were laying on our back enjoying the sun! Funny- buildings on one side and a garden with a pond on the other!

New Pets

Some new strange, unusual and friendly pets. First the strange and unusual Salamander, I think we have babies swimming around in a ceramic vase in the yars, either that or maybe they are tadpoles- we will see. Friendly- the little pigeon couple that started coming around the other day- we threw them some bread and leftover popcorn then they started showing up every afternoon at about the same time so we kept feeding them. Today they came and landed on the fence where they watched me thru the window, I got some old bread for them and they ate again, then they came back a second time later this afternoon. As long as they DO NOT bring their friends I will continue feeding them, once the friends start showing up the food will stop- I only want the 2 of them :)

Cherry Blossoms in Ueno

Was on the way to Kamakura today when I decided, what the heck- Let's just go all the way to Ueno and see tons of Cherry Blossoms. They were in full bloom- it was spectacular!!!!!!!! and on the way home we could see the Tokyo Tower all lit up............ That's the reason I like unplanned days like this, where you just cancel all activities for the week, get up when you want, leave the house when you want and come back before it is time to go to bed- this is the reason. Today was GREAT!!!!!!! Go to my other blog spadazzle.blogspot.com and click on my flick to see more photos- Enjoy!!!! oh- also a funny guy wearing really goofy glasses and selling food :)

Cherry Blossoms

We went to Ueno last week while in Tokyo- The Cherry Blossoms were 60% bloomed. There were tons of people just walking and taking pictures of the flowers, picnicing on cardboard box tables and drinking lots of beer and other liquor.

Kindness in the Tokyo Subway Poster

Please do it at home! I love these posters- this one is to remind people to give up their seats to people who need them :) Cute.

THQS

Here are some pictures from the New Years trip to Tokyo! Pictures include New Years Mochi Decoration at the hotel, The Tokyo Tower 2009, New Years Fortunes at the Shrine and A Japanese Building in Ueno