Atsui des! (It's hot)

Well, after a week of rain, I thought maybe we would be transitioning towards fall like weather, but I was wrong, because its ATSUI DES! all over again. Reliving July and August and those moments of endless backsweat.  This time, as noted on the picture, I am armed with a brow handkerchief that I keep to gently dab my forehead as the ladies do. My sister Lan, who is on her second week of visiting and already a local and claims to have "DONE" Tokyo, bought it for me as I was clearly not being Japanese enough. Curiously though, the ladies here don't seem to sweat.  I was reminded of some peculiar things that occur in this heat:

1.  Walking around with a small umbrella in bright sunshine. I have been guilty of carrying a green frog Karope umbrella that Ellena and Dennis gave Conor for Christmas on 100+ degrees days. It got a few giggles from the ladies at Starbucks. I'm in on cuteness factor here, anything that makes Japanese girls giggle must be a natural winner.

2.  Ladies Summer Fashion. Ladies wear full on makeup, fake eyelashes, nude stockings in this weather. Not to mention many layers of all black outfits as if it were December. And summer cashmere! These are accented with what I call leg warmers for arms. This, like the umbrella, is all meant to keep your skin white. Being tan equals peasant, like me.

3.  Towel heads. Guys, usually those that have to do more physical work, literally wrap a light towel around their heads to prevent sweat from dripping down their faces. It's just part of the outfit. Kind of like nude stockings. Now that's what I'd like to see on a head...hmm, possibly different scenario springs to mind.

4.  Advertising. Instead of flyers, people give out paper fans and tissue paper with logos on them. Much more useful.

5.  Anecdote on how hot it was- my large plastic pot, urn if you wish, from Ikea is lopsided because one half has melted in the sun.

6.  Another personal anecdote, I showered three times today.

I can't wait for fall...