Welcome to Sendai

I haven't had a chance to take any photos yet since landing here last week.  Still getting over the jetlag and getting oriented.  Instead of waiting until I take some shots, I thought I'd start writing to update those of you who are curious to check my blog.

Surprisingly the flight to Japan, with ANA, was almost empty.  Probably due to the reduced number of tourists and it being the low season.  I had the entire row of four seats to myself, so I could stretch and sleep almost the whole time.  Had a taste of the business class, with a few seatbelt bumps under my back.  Bastien also slept in another free row by the window.

We arrived in Sendai late morning, with a domestic flight connecting from Tokyo's Narita airport.  

The weather is quite colder than I expected, almost 10-13 degrees Celsius.   It rained pretty heavily over the weekend, and the air is quite humide though fresh.  I regret not having packed enough warm clothes due to the archaic 20kg rule with the airline.

Since arriving, we are discovering the new way of life here.  

#1 Recycling

B became quite paranoid after reading the four-page rules on the recycling we have at the apartment.   They threaten us that the garbage will be returned to us if we put wrong items in the wrong colored bag!   One thing that's new from the Swiss rule is that all types of plastic wrappers with a particular sign, are recycled.  Then there is a separate bag for the PET bottles, and a separate bag for the styrofoams, and a separate bag for the aluminum cans and non-PET bottles, and a separate bag for the rest of the food stuff.  It seems that the papers should be bound up neatly also.  I guess we will find out if we are following the rules correctly, when we first fill up our specially colored trash bags and see if it gets returned to us!

Stay tuned for more discoveries...