First Week of Summer Holidays

I didn't really plan to do anything this past week.  But it turned out to be very busy!

Tuesday I had to go to the city to renew my "Alien Registration Card"  I'm guessing that each country has a system to track legal immigrants in the country.  This is Japans way.  I have a permanent residence visa, so  can stay in Japan but every 7 years I have to renew my card.  It's very quick to do but the drive to the city is about an hour, then finding the immigration office took time.  Still it's done.  I then did a bit of shopping.  There's a nice import food shop that I like to go to, managed to buy some Weetabix.  When I got back we went to another city.  Library and craft supplies shop.  Hannah needed some material to make a mask for home economics class.

Wednesday I did nothing.  Tired from Tuesday.

Thursday Hannah invited a friend to watch a musical together.  I made cakes for them to enjoy.  I had to go to the city hall and to mobile phone shop.  City Hall was very quick, mobile phone shop took forever!

Hannah's DVD and cakes

Friday Mikey, Christopher, Hannah and I went for a nice drive.  I wanted to see the sea.  The drive was lovely, through small towns, villages and countryside.  Our poor car really struggled on the mountains so we couldn't use the air conditioner.  

Some of the sights we saw.

I don't know what the white building is but looks lovely

The writing under the left octopus says takoyaki.  

Takoyaki is a popular snack in Japan.  Little bit of octopus cooked in a dough and covered with a sauce.

Japanese countryside

Took about 2 hours drive to get to the seaside but it was worth it.

First glimpse of the sea.

Reminder of social distancing

This photo is amazing.  Those bags belong to young mother.  She was on her phone, her daughter (elementary school age) went on down to the sea, the mother put her phone in the bag and went to join her daughter. I could never imagine doing that in the UK.  First the daughter going off by herself, then leaving her bags with nobody to watch them!  Japan is a very safe country.  In the cities one has to be aware but I never feel afraid to walk at night like I do in the UK!

Hannah, Christopher and Mikey

We didn't stay long.

On the way back drove past a lovely castle.  We didn't stop as my knee was very

painful.  Maybe next time.

Also a forest of trees planted next to the sea.  The idea is to keep strong winds form the sea hitting the city.  Some of these trees were twisted because of winds, very beautiful, the photo doesn't so it justice.

All in all a very nice day out.

I have one more week of holiday,  again no real plans.  I hope to do some cleaning, plan lessons for nest term.  Plus I realize that I need to study Japanese, which I haven't really done in ages.