Saturday

I am so glad that we have weekends.  They really do help me to re-energize myself for the upcoming week.  The past couple of weeks have been very busy with working on admissions and different programs and meetings.  I feel like the weeks actually zip on by and the weekends go even faster.  So, today I took on the project of taking pictures of my trek to the Seiyu (associated with Walmart) store.  Seiyu has a grocery store with some North American type foods but it also has a very Japanese flavor. 

Shelf with various items

Drinks

Rice

Alcohol

There are a few people who actually drive to the Seiyu, but most people ride their bicycles.  There is a free bicycle parking lot right across the road.  This afternoon is was quite full and finding a place to park your bicycle prompted you to become creative. 

There's my bicycle!

I parked my bicycle in an aisle, and when I came back, it was move a little further in and I had to move some bicycles to actually get mine out. 
These pictures were taken on my way back home.  I do pass by a number of vegetable and fruit stands.  They have good looking vegetables and sometimes I do stop and buy from them instead of the Seiyu or some other grocery store. 

This stand had mostly vegetables on display.  Sorry for the blurry picture.  I was taking it as I was bicycling.

I do have to cross the tracks by the Kiyose station to get home.  I ride along the tracks for a bit. 

A Seiyu train coming into Kiyose station

It was a beautiful, sunshiny,  warm day to go for a bicycle ride. 

A bright sun at approximately 3 pm

As I get closer to where I live, there are a number of hospitals and health associated offices. 

Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association

National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health

This is the entrance to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.

There are hospitals and rehabilitation centers all around. 
I pass by one of the convenience stores that are fairly close by.

LAWSON 100 convenience store

There is usually a bicycle/walking path beside the road, but there are places where I bicycle right on the edge of the car lanes.  Sometimes it gets a little close if you have traffic in both directions. 

One side is a park and the other side is a construction site.

Truck passes by

One of the things you will find in Japan still is a phone booth.  There's one only a block or so away.  I have never used it and maybe I could use it if I needed to, but not sure I could follow the directions. 

Phone booth with no graffiti!

Looks pristine!

Yes, an in-tact phone book!

Here I am arriving! 

This has been a fun place to live.  I have enjoyed the neighbors, even though I have not been able to have conversations other than the traditional greetings and some non-verbal communication.  I will be moving into a different place in three weeks.  The new place will be in Niiza-shi, which will be a temporary place, for three months until I fly to Vancouver, BC.