Sunday, March 31, 2019

Flying in the second trimester

After a relatively smooth flying experience to Portugal in my first trimester, I thought that flying in the second trimester would be a breeze. After all, my main concern about nausea had subsided - I had no morning sickness after 15 weeks and my flight was scheduled at 22 and 23 weeks. 
Also, Asia flights are easier for me. From the west coast it is just one long flight to Tokyo, then a short layover before we are in Taiwan. To Europe, we usually have a layover on the east coast - a long flight - then another long flight over the Atlantic. 

I thought Taiwan would be easier in my second trimester but I faced new challenges I did not anticipate. 

On the plus side, since I was no longer experiencing morning sickness, I brought way less medicine this time. But my new symptoms were also terrible:

Constipation and Heartburn

To combat these, I packed Fiber gummies and Tums. I ended up going through both bottles in my two weeks in Taiwan. 




Again I was worried about having to pee and dealing with turbulence, which thankfully were not issues on these flights. 

My main complaint was that my belly grew quite a bit from week 12 to 22, and now I was too big to have the try table down comfortably. I never realized how tiny and uncomfortable airplane economy seats were until I flew in my second trimester as a slight larger person than I normally am. 

Also, even though I got up every hour to walk around, I still had horrible pain in my butt and legs. This time, the compression socks did not work and I still had significant swelling in my calves. 

Despite the fact that I can usually handle flights over the Pacific like a pro, I had a horrible time flying on this trip. No good advice on how to avoid the discomfort and frustration that the second trimester brings. Just be happy you're not throwing up anymore. 

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Afternoon Lunch in the cold

It's darn cold outside and I am trying to last as long as I can without buying maternity clothes. I wore this stretchy non-maternity summer maxi dress with a long-sleeved shirt and then put a jacket and scarf over it. 





Dress: Target
Shirt: Uniqlo
Jacket: vintage
Scarf: from Nepal
Boots: vintage
Bag: Coach

Saturday, March 23, 2019

Photo Diary: Best of Porto, Portugal

Porto is such a gorgeous city practically every view demands to be photographed. I spent six days in this city, which was plenty to time to see many sides of it. I must say I love it more than the capital Lisbon. Something is so charming about this northern town.








































Tuesday, March 19, 2019

McDonald's Imperial: Art Deco McDonald's in Porto


McDonald's Imperial in a landmark in Porto. Named for the majestic eagle that rests above the sign, formerly the Imperial Cafe. When Mcdonald's took over they preserved much of the structure and decor, which makes for an ironic sight: fast food amidst historic luxury. 



At this point in my life, I don't eat at McDonald's anymore, so I merely went inside to photograph and capture any culturally-specific relics. 

The first thing I noticed were the large self-ordering stations, made to look like giant smartphones. Here guests order and pay first, and pick p their purchases at the counter. No need to talk to the staff. 


Although it was extremely crowded, I still got to see the beautiful chandeliers inside, as well as the stained glass designs. 



There were even finer details in the ceiling if you take the time to look up. 



In all, this is probably one of the most interesting McDonald's locations in the world. I'm glad I got to experience the richness of Porto's architectural history...without any of the fast food calories. 


Days around town

Wore my favorite Niko and... top again, paired with old Urban Outfitters leggings I have had for 15+ years, and a brand new Gucci cross body...