Made it! So expensive... I hope it is worth it :P
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
I think it's time for a change
P.S. - this picture has nothing to do with the post :P
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Sunday, July 24, 2011
It took 'm long enough
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Saturday, July 23, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
New Fish Bracelet
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Friday, July 8, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Monday, July 4, 2011
Japan - Tokyo Day 6
We started our day lazily, checked out of the hotel at 10:30am, rolled all our luggage from the JR Shinjuku Station to JR Shinagawa Station. The bags were all locked in 2 x ¥600 lockers and we headed towards Tsukiji Fish Market. Note that the market is closed on Sundays but some food places are open.
From JR Shinagawa Station, we went to JR Homamachi Station. Exited and crossed a narrow street to the Tokyo Subway, Odeo Line to Tsukijishijo, exit A1 is just 5 mins from the market itself.
True enough hardly any of the fish shops were open, but there were quite a few restaurants filled with hungry people. The prices were quite similar, around ¥3,000 for the better sushi sets and the more comfortable looking places. And about ¥2,500 or less at other places.
We decided to try Sushizanmai, Fata went for the ¥3,500 omakase sushi set, with 12 delicious pieces of sushi and I tried the ¥1,500 chirashi. Both sets came with little cups of miso soup with twin shrimp heads. Very yummmy! We relished every piece slowly, it was all so fresh, so smooth.
From JR Shinagawa Station, we went to JR Homamachi Station. Exited and crossed a narrow street to the Tokyo Subway, Odeo Line to Tsukijishijo, exit A1 is just 5 mins from the market itself.
True enough hardly any of the fish shops were open, but there were quite a few restaurants filled with hungry people. The prices were quite similar, around ¥3,000 for the better sushi sets and the more comfortable looking places. And about ¥2,500 or less at other places.
We decided to try Sushizanmai, Fata went for the ¥3,500 omakase sushi set, with 12 delicious pieces of sushi and I tried the ¥1,500 chirashi. Both sets came with little cups of miso soup with twin shrimp heads. Very yummmy! We relished every piece slowly, it was all so fresh, so smooth.
Walked off lunch a little around the closed stores before heading back to Harajuku in hopes of catching otaku. The JR Harajuku station was super crowded as it was at one end of the even more crowded Takeshita Dori, lined on both sides with lots of stores selling clothes and all manner of toys and trinkets. Lots of young and very trendy people.
We also tried crepes at Marion Crepes, we had a tip that this was better than the Angel Crepes just across from it. But the peach melba crepe was soft and not crispy. The important part is that we found it and tried it :)
Then it was a right turn at the end of Takeshita Dori, where we found Starbucks, Muji and Nike. This was a happy shopping trip for us :)
Another right turn took us towards Yoyogi Park where I was hoping to caught some otaku, but by the time we reached the park around 2pm there weren't any left. But I did see a few earlier along Takeshita Dori. The park was very pretty with many many people just hanging out. There were dancers, a couple of harp players, a circle of ukulele player, and lots more people just enjoying the Sunday afternoon.
We marked the end of our walk with a pair of cold Asahi beers and we headed back to Shinagawa for the 5:20pm Narita Express. Time to go home... But before we got into the JR Harajuku Station we did try to look around for the Jangara Ramen shop, but with no luck.
On the Narita Express, I kept looking out the window at the dusk sky, soaking in the last hour we had in Japan. Kumxia Guan, Wah and WeiWei for the great suggestions and recommendations, and an even bigger kumxia to Fata for the trip.
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Saturday, July 2, 2011
Chopsticks 2011/21
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Japan - Osaka Day 5
Last night Fata had a brain wave, let's go to the Osaka aquarium. So we got up at 530am (the sun was already up) on a Saturday morning, to take the Watanote line from Shinjuku to Shinagawa, and the Hikari 461 departing at 7:10am and arriving Shin-Osaka at 10:03am.
It's beyond Kyoto, talk about maximizing our 7-day JR Rail Pass ;)
On the Hikari, there were 4 older ladies traveling together, they were like a Gilmore Girls marathon on TV, it was non stop talking, maybe except to take a breath :P
Breakfast was a wagyu hamburg rice lunch box (¥980) with onigiri (¥550) from Shinagawa station. The beef was tasty :) and the 'fried rice onigiri' was good too.
From the Shin-Osaka Shinkasen station, we had to change to local trains. Thankfully the train information guy was very clear and the train stations were also referred to by letters and numbers. First, Midosuji Line, M13 to M18, cross to the Chou Line to Osakaku.
Aquarium entrance fee was ¥2,000 per adult. The first time I saw the whale shark my heart skipped a beat, never in my years of diving had I ever seen one in the wild. This was an experience I will remember. But by the time we left the aquarium my feelings were mixed.
Looking at the size of that whale shark sharing that tank with rays, sharks, jacks, skates and all the other creatures, and the size of the tank, I likened it to me walking circles in the room we got at Sakura Ryodan in Kyoto. These large pelagic creatures are not meant to be kept in tanks, especially in tanks so small.
Oh well, it was good that we visited the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, kumxia Fata for the idea.
Lunch was okonomiaki at Boteju and gyoza from a 2nd place, all at an adjoining mall before the 3 hour Hikari back to Shinagawa.
Shibuya was our next stop. Lots of people, shopping and food. Plus Scramble Junction was crowded! Fata and I crossed the junction just for the sake of it. It's a huge shopping district, and ended up buying matching New Balance shoes which are available only in Japan. That store had that pair of shoes on 10% discount and a timed sale of 20%, even the sales person said that it was a good deal.
Dinner beckoned as our reservation at Kaikaya drew near. Based on last night's experience of walking around place, Fata suggested we take a cab. ¥800 later and a phone conversation between the restaurant and the cabbie we were seated in the non-smoking section at Kaikaya in Shibuya.
I had forgotten to bring Guan's notes about ordering what the chef decides (omakase) so we went with the kind waiter's recommendations. All yummy food washed down with a jug of Yebisu :)
Then it was time to go back to the hotel cos we were up since 5:30am.
Kumxia Osaka!
It's beyond Kyoto, talk about maximizing our 7-day JR Rail Pass ;)
On the Hikari, there were 4 older ladies traveling together, they were like a Gilmore Girls marathon on TV, it was non stop talking, maybe except to take a breath :P
Breakfast was a wagyu hamburg rice lunch box (¥980) with onigiri (¥550) from Shinagawa station. The beef was tasty :) and the 'fried rice onigiri' was good too.
From the Shin-Osaka Shinkasen station, we had to change to local trains. Thankfully the train information guy was very clear and the train stations were also referred to by letters and numbers. First, Midosuji Line, M13 to M18, cross to the Chou Line to Osakaku.
Aquarium entrance fee was ¥2,000 per adult. The first time I saw the whale shark my heart skipped a beat, never in my years of diving had I ever seen one in the wild. This was an experience I will remember. But by the time we left the aquarium my feelings were mixed.
Looking at the size of that whale shark sharing that tank with rays, sharks, jacks, skates and all the other creatures, and the size of the tank, I likened it to me walking circles in the room we got at Sakura Ryodan in Kyoto. These large pelagic creatures are not meant to be kept in tanks, especially in tanks so small.
Oh well, it was good that we visited the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, kumxia Fata for the idea.
Lunch was okonomiaki at Boteju and gyoza from a 2nd place, all at an adjoining mall before the 3 hour Hikari back to Shinagawa.
Shibuya was our next stop. Lots of people, shopping and food. Plus Scramble Junction was crowded! Fata and I crossed the junction just for the sake of it. It's a huge shopping district, and ended up buying matching New Balance shoes which are available only in Japan. That store had that pair of shoes on 10% discount and a timed sale of 20%, even the sales person said that it was a good deal.
Dinner beckoned as our reservation at Kaikaya drew near. Based on last night's experience of walking around place, Fata suggested we take a cab. ¥800 later and a phone conversation between the restaurant and the cabbie we were seated in the non-smoking section at Kaikaya in Shibuya.
I had forgotten to bring Guan's notes about ordering what the chef decides (omakase) so we went with the kind waiter's recommendations. All yummy food washed down with a jug of Yebisu :)
Then it was time to go back to the hotel cos we were up since 5:30am.
Kumxia Osaka!
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Friday, July 1, 2011
Thank you for the chocs
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Japan - Tokyo Day 4
Happy Friday Tokyo!
Fata was to meet CF in Mitsukoimae, about 30mins by train out of Shinjuku. So, we took the train to JR Ueno, where Fata was going to change trains at the Kaisei-Ueno Station and I spend the day at Ueno Park. It's a huge park with museums, schools, theaters, shrines, temples, lakes and lots of place to stroll and hang out.
At 10:30am there was a free English walking tour held by an English speaking volunteer guide. I had the honor to have the company of Kume-san, a retiree who lives just 1 train station away from Ueno Station. He spends his time fishing around the world, the last trip he made was to the east coast of the south island of New Zealand were he caught 30 12-pound brown trout. His next trip is up north to Hakkaido.
The tour was one-to-one 'cos I was the only one there :P It started at 10:30am and went through to a little pass noon. He took me to all the historic sites and explained the stories behind each. It was enlightening and it felt good how much the Japanese take pride in and hold on to their past.
There were 2 pandas at the Ueno Zoo, and at ¥600 I thought it was worth a look-see. Both pandas were in some state of 'nuah-ness' cos the weather was just too damn hot. The enclosure' s made up of compartments for different functions, like sleeping, eating... okay, I can now saw I have seen live pandas :)
Off to the red pandas on the other side of the zoo, super long walk in the heat across a bridge. Anyhow, the furry cuteness was worth it! I saw the zoo keeper arrive once with a snack for the russet panda, it was super cute! Later, the zoo keeper came back with lunch and this time a 2nd darker red panda emerged from one of the little houses. Super cute!!!
By the time I left the zoo it was 3pm, so I headed back to Shinjuku to wait for Fata's meeting to finish. This time instead of getting out at the usual South Entrance, I got out at the East Entrance and ended up on a side of Shinjuku that was totally new to. The shops and people were amazing, so many things to see and buy and eat!
The rest of the day was spent with Fata at Akihibara strolling around the stores. And we had a pre-dinner-ramen-snack at a small vending machine place and it was yummy! This was a snack 'cos we then headed back to Shinjuku looking for a Tsunahachi tempura place Guan recommended. We took a long time wondering around looking for the place but by the time we did, we were glad we made it in time for their last order.
We shared their special set and ordered extras, the extras included mushrooms, unagi, and a very special tempura egg yolk which was still runny inside! Yummy!!!
Kumxia Japan again for another good day!
Fata was to meet CF in Mitsukoimae, about 30mins by train out of Shinjuku. So, we took the train to JR Ueno, where Fata was going to change trains at the Kaisei-Ueno Station and I spend the day at Ueno Park. It's a huge park with museums, schools, theaters, shrines, temples, lakes and lots of place to stroll and hang out.
At 10:30am there was a free English walking tour held by an English speaking volunteer guide. I had the honor to have the company of Kume-san, a retiree who lives just 1 train station away from Ueno Station. He spends his time fishing around the world, the last trip he made was to the east coast of the south island of New Zealand were he caught 30 12-pound brown trout. His next trip is up north to Hakkaido.
The tour was one-to-one 'cos I was the only one there :P It started at 10:30am and went through to a little pass noon. He took me to all the historic sites and explained the stories behind each. It was enlightening and it felt good how much the Japanese take pride in and hold on to their past.
There were 2 pandas at the Ueno Zoo, and at ¥600 I thought it was worth a look-see. Both pandas were in some state of 'nuah-ness' cos the weather was just too damn hot. The enclosure' s made up of compartments for different functions, like sleeping, eating... okay, I can now saw I have seen live pandas :)
Off to the red pandas on the other side of the zoo, super long walk in the heat across a bridge. Anyhow, the furry cuteness was worth it! I saw the zoo keeper arrive once with a snack for the russet panda, it was super cute! Later, the zoo keeper came back with lunch and this time a 2nd darker red panda emerged from one of the little houses. Super cute!!!
By the time I left the zoo it was 3pm, so I headed back to Shinjuku to wait for Fata's meeting to finish. This time instead of getting out at the usual South Entrance, I got out at the East Entrance and ended up on a side of Shinjuku that was totally new to. The shops and people were amazing, so many things to see and buy and eat!
The rest of the day was spent with Fata at Akihibara strolling around the stores. And we had a pre-dinner-ramen-snack at a small vending machine place and it was yummy! This was a snack 'cos we then headed back to Shinjuku looking for a Tsunahachi tempura place Guan recommended. We took a long time wondering around looking for the place but by the time we did, we were glad we made it in time for their last order.
We shared their special set and ordered extras, the extras included mushrooms, unagi, and a very special tempura egg yolk which was still runny inside! Yummy!!!
Kumxia Japan again for another good day!
Chopsticks 2011/20
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