Parks and Recreation (and Shopping Malls)

I had to go and pick up some curtains I ordered from the other side of the island this week and there just happened to be a shopping mall right next to the curtain shop. Too bad I took a wrong turn and ended up in Mister Donut - life is tough sometimes. We decided to venture out of the donut shop and take a look around the mall. I was impressed - the Japanese really know how to throw a lot of randomness into one space. In the department store there we went from what looked like women's funeral wear, straight into an arcade, then into a section that sold Hawaiian shirts.

A mall is a mall wherever you go...

Interesting Japanese candy store

Outside of the department store we found some great shops like Uniqlo, a great coffee shop, a 100 yen store, a Best Buy equivalent, some overpriced baby clothes stores...and arcade after arcade. They have photo booths on steroids here - you can have glamour photos taken in these photo booths - choose your level of tan, eye color, skin softness. I didn't actually try the photo booths out because Dominic would never allow such frivolities, but I do plan to have a go soon. We did, however, get to try out this little play area. You pay Y300 per child for 20 minutes of play and they provide massage chairs for the adults in the waiting area (for a fee of course). The kids loved it.

Soft-play area

 

A pink ball, of course!

This is his super excited Tasmanian Devil face. Or the "stink eye" as Chris calls it.

Aaaaah balls

Aaaah my balls...

Baby is SOOO funny

Playtime is over, so they get a Japanese candy bar as a treat. What a life - rewarded with candy for playing. Funny thing is the Japanese are mostly skinny, all the fat asses are American.

We had to try out a few arcade rides too.

While we were out and about we decided to check out a nearby park that had a huge rollerslide. The kids liked it, but I found it a little dirty and it had a lot of random men just lying around on the benches. The men were nice enough and very respectful it was just a little awkward. I guess I am just tainted by the ways of the west, where nothing good ever comes from old men watching kids play at a park - sad to be that way.

Dominic eats a bag of grapes every day, he absolutely loves grapes.

She certainly has no issues with balance, even with an ear infection and in clunky crocs.

That's a big slide

We love rollerslides.

 I'm glad I got us new purpose built rollerslide trays. We go so fast on them.