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Published: August 9th 2007
Summer is in full swing out here in Shizuoka. It's my day off today and I am sitting here writing in a little summer dress, with the fan blasting full speed ahead onto me as I try to avoid melting in the summer heat. It's actually not that bad though, and is far better than it was about a week ago because at least now the heat is dry heat and there isn't as much humidity. Despite the heat and humidity I am enjoying all the little quirks that come along with summer in Japan. (The seasons here are all so interesting, they all have their own unique pleasures and annoyances--much more interesting to me than the single season of perfectly mild weather in Southern California).
On a typical summer day here I wake up to the unbelievable noise of the cicadas hiding out in trees trying to cool down. If you have never heard a cicada or a chorus of cicadas before, you've gotta hear em before you die!! I cannot believe that these bugs are capable of making such a loud and machine like noise!!! I am in awe of them! On my morning runs around Sumpu Park
Sea Breeze
My new summer time essentialor up to Sengen shrine, I almost feel like I need to wear earplugs. I chose not to of course because I actually quite enjoy the horrible noise for some odd reason.
These days when I get back from my runs, I can literally squeeze puddles out of my running shirt and sometimes even a completely cold shower isn't enough to stop my sweating. I bought some wonderful new Soap--made by Sea Breeze, it's cooling soap and feels extra cold when you use it in the shower (It came with some Japanese aerosol can cooling deoderant spray, and usually I am not a big fan of aerosol can sprays but this stuff feels so nice and refreshing when you spray it on that I can't resist!!! Despite my cool new soap I'll often get out of the shower and still be sweating and so proceed to stand in front of my NEW FAN (the best investment I have made this summer by far) for about 10 minutes to cool off. Dawn and I don't use the AC, we get enough of that at work and want to allow our bodies the opportunity to adjust a bit more to the
heat.
I got a really bad heat rash about a month ago and was told that baby powder helps to prevent it, by keeping your skin a bit more dry in the humidity so I have been using that in the morning after my showers to stay fresh as well.
I mentioned my new fan briefly above but I have to write a bit more about this wonderful contraption, whoever invented the fan is my new hero!!! I LOVE IT!!! I just got one a couple days ago and am finally sleeping through the night without sweating the entire time...YAY, although I still wear cold patches on the back of my neck (brilliant gel like ice packs that you can stick to you and that don't leak everywhere like real ice packs) and sometimes I even sleep in a damp tank top to keep a bit cooler.
Lots of people lose their appetites during the summer, but not me, I guess it's a combo of running and my never ending love of food. My runs have slowed considerably and I am sure that I am gaining weight thanks to having no access to air conditioned gyms. Oh
well, beauty is on the inside right?!
Okay I am off to try to dream up some travel plans for my upcoming 4 day weekend, then to book some hotels for my parents visit and THEN, to hole up in front of my fan and indulge in my new addiction...harry potter and the order of the phoenix!
PS: I included some pictures of my recent walk to Sumpu Park. I can't believe I have been living here for 6 months now and just got to Sumpu Park last week--when it is just 5 minutes walking from my apartment. Sorry I didn't write much about it 😞.
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Kristen
non-member comment
Wow!
You are such a trouper with all of that heat and all those cicadas! I love reading your journal entries and seeing the wonderful pictures you've been posting! Glad to see you are still having such a great time in Japan :) I miss you!!