Harajuku and the girl with one shoe

It was a sleep-in kind of morning for the girls.  We kept them out until 10:30 last night (actually many nights) which is unheard of in our normal life.  Mackenzie turns into a pumpkin at about 7:30 at home.  She has been a sleepy traveler.  We found breakfast in a take-away bakery near the Metro and broke the etiquette rule of eating in public. We ate sitting on a wall in the train station.  It isn't the first staring we have encountered, nor the last.  

We hit Harajuku late morning.  Mack was pretty excited about this day even though she was claiming that she didn't want to go.  I think she was hesitant to reenter the crazy train-world that we experienced last night during rush hour.  It was way more mellow (though chaotic still) and we found our way just fine.  Well, Brian found our way.  He is the train champion in our book.  The train let us off right at the top of Takeshita Street.  We were met by an eccentric lady in a colorful outfit singing away in the road.  Next, we were met by a wall of squishies.  Mack had arrived.  

The next part of our day would be the walk down Takeshita Street with an angry dragon.  We were hopping from shop to shop looking for what we were hoping to find.  I wanted a skirt, Fiona wanted clothes and slime, Mack wanted...well we already know what she wanted.  She was happy when looking at squishies.  She was unhappy when looking at non- squishies.  It was a rough visit.  Daddy just patiently went from store to store.  Our trip was cut short by her difficulties but we did manage a crepe for the girls and we all ended up with some fun items. 

She really wants these boots.  We made a deal that she can have them when she learns to tie her shoe.  

 

This is beauty.

Art under the train tracks.

In the train station, our little one showed her anger about having to leave by kicking the wall.  This broke her slipper and it was beyond repair.  She had to ride the train in a broken slipper and then walk from the station to our hotel with one bare foot.  I thought people were staring while we ate our breakfast standing?  This barefoot blonde child raised some eyebrows today.  Mine included.  Fiona and I wanted to finish our shopping, so we grabbed her sandals from the hotel and headed back to Uniqlo for some Japanese Old Navy-like clothes.  

Shopping thirst quenched, we then needed food.  Headed back to the noodle shop we had yesterday after looking around a bit.  Sometimes it's easier to go somewhere you know, you know?  The kids didn't seem as enthused about the food today.  Perhaps the edginess of the day was just setting in.  Dinner happened at 4:45 today which is 2 hours earlier than we have been eating.  We're all tired.  Our month away is winding down and honestly, taking Autism on vacation is a huge amount of work.  Totally worth it because growth comes from experience, but the day to day wears on Brian and I (and Fi).  

Our day ended after a quick perusal of a pet shop near our hotel.  Adorable mini dogs and cats.  You can get a cute kitten for 16,900 yen.  Or move to Kauai and blink and you'll have one in your yard.  It's funny because the sign outside shows that they carry monkeys too.  I didn't see any and maybe I am happy about that.  

After we put Mack to bed, we were mildly rocked by an earthquake.  It was a 5.9 in Chiba which is where Disney is.  We felt it a little here on the 25th floor.  It worried Mackenzie and she has woken several times since then.  I haven't felt an earthquake for a while.  All is fine.

I'm not quite sure where we are headed tomorrow.  We have a few places we'd still like to visit.  I'd like to visit a temple nearby but fear for my safety if I tell the kids we are going there. Cambodia was temple overload for them. I'm happy looking at some nearby craft shops, maybe relax in a park, and end the day at Tokyo Tower.  I do know that that we need to keep it mellow tomorrow.  Tomorrow is our last full day here.  Wow.  A month goes fast.