"It seems our efforts are wasted, but yet it hasn't been in vain"
-This is Our Emergency, Pretty Girls Make Graves

Eve and I gave the beach a try on Sunday. We took the train to a place called Shinchi, about 90 minutes away from Fukushima on the Pacific Ocean. We walked over a kilometre in the wrong direction along the beach. We were aiming for the bathing area that had the typical umbrellas and snack bars, boat rentals and shops, but Eve read the sign wrong, mistaking this arrow <-- for this --> . So yes, we headed in completely the wrong direction along the beach and ended up at a fishing port, with me al the while saying, “I don’t think this is the right way…I don’t think there’s anything further up ahead.” And, all I can say is that I’ve learned my lesson now- that’s twice Eve has lead us in the wrong direction (first in Tokyo on the subway) so I think I’ll have it much easier scouting my own way from now on.

All was not lost since we had still made it to the beach, albeit a sparsely populated area of it. It was like having our own private beach, punctuated by a random fisherman here and there. The locals were all looking at us like we were crazy since we were clad in t-shirts and shorts and they all had on jackets, jeans, and rubber boots. The water was freezing, but we weren’t there for a swim anyway. It was all good until the wind picked up and it felt like we were going to get Swept Away, just like that horrible Guy Ritchie/Madonna movie that I haven’t seen.

On the way home, again following Eve’s direction to just hop on the train instead of waiting for the one 25 minutes later, left us stranded at the wrong station for quite a while, until we finally made it back to Fukushima, tired, and either suntanned or with windburn.
So I learned the following on this outing: don’t listen to Eve’s directions, black fluffy caterpillars make me scream, and if you don’t have your rubber boots on you’re underdressed for the beach. Other than that, the view was good and the ocean was salty. And then we came home and watched United 93 and America's Next Top Model because nothing screams post-beach party like 9/11 movies and modeling. And our wrong turn did leave us in front of this "famous places" sign, which I felt I had to point out the Monument of Self-Sacrifice...since that describes me so well.

And Rusty is arriving tomorrow for 2 weeks, so I don't know when my next post will come. Nothing like boyfriends to ruin all your fun (Rusty, if you're reading this, I'm kidding and no comments from anyone else).

"Just keep on doing your thing right now"

Top 5 Playlist for Removing Sand From Oneself and Possessions (aka the “How Did I Get Sand In There?” mix):

Yellow Submarine- The Beatles
Turn Into- Yeah Yeah Yeahs
From Blown Speakers- New Pornographers
Factory- Martha Wainwright
Country Girl- Primal Scream

"Keep on doing your thing you do now"