Cherry Blossom & Capybara - Hanami at High Park ♥

Sakura/Cherry blossom is my favourite flower.
Not only does it represent Japan - my favourite country aside from my home countries (HK & Canada), but I just think sakura is really really pretty. I really like the shape of it and also its pinkish white colour.
Coincidentally the cherry blossom scent from L'Occitane is one of my favourite scent! I'm so obsessed with it! I use the shower gel, body lotion (rarely), and recently - its perfume.

I did my nails to match the sakura theme.

Back to the main point. After countless talks and planning, we finally went for a hanami (flower viewing) picnic at High Park - one of the few places in Toronto that has cherry blossom trees.

I've been to High Park for the cherry blossom 2 years ago, but we just took pictures, walked around, and chilled out.This time, we had a PICNIC - just how I've always imagined hanami should be.

I've made spicy salmon roll and tempura shrimp x tamago x cucumber roll (first attempt). Also, I've made egg salad sandwich - my favourite kind of sandwich. *nomnomnom*

cut up tamago-yaki to put in sushi

making spicy salmon roll

tempura shrimp roll

Before KK came over, she went to Centerpoint to get a table cloth so we can sit on the ground, and also some potato salad and macaroni salad.

I think preparation is a big part of a fun picnic. I love cooking and making bento boxes. However, I was running around frantically all morning cause there were just so much to do! At least KK came at 1:30 to help me out. However, we weren't ready until about 4PM.

i called shotgun.

so squished at the back XD

Bella drove us all down, but the traffic was kind of slow. It was also impossible to get a parking space! We took so long to find one - and at one point I had to ask these girls if they're going to their car, but they just looked at me and gave me this clueless blank look without answer my question! My fragile feeling was hurt - but then it was actually more funny than hurt hahaha....oh boy.


When we finally got down to the area with the cherry blossom, the place was so crowded, but lively! There were so much to look at, cosplayers, random hula hoop dancers, dogs, kids, babies. It was amazing.

View from our picnic spot.

We found a spot and quickly set up our picnic stuff. I think we were all pretty hungry by then and we just ate and chilled. There was a kid with her mom and sister, he was playing near our tree, and we made friends with him by giving him some sushi! At first I was a little worried cause it was spicy salmon, but I guess I didn't put too much spicy sauce so it was okay. Later, when he was about to leave, his mom said he didn't want to leave us! LOL. Then he asked us for a juice box - well it was a vita lemon drink. He seemed to like it nonetheless, so maybe we have infested some asian love in him. /Hopefully/ XD

epic picnic time ft. salad, sandwiches, sushi and OJ!

Us girls walked down the waterside to take some pictures ^^ The weather and view was so amazing.
Bella had to leave afterwards, but the rest of us just walked around - we visited the small zoo there!

The waterside was so nice.

Individual self-shots with my dearest dearest friends - B, KK, Terri ♥♥♥

self-shot group

A nice man took a group photo for us ♥

Last time, I was not impressed with the zoo because the animals all looked like bulls and cows. There were different species but basically they were kind of similar. The wallabies weren't on display last time and I was so sad.

This time however, the same bull-ish animals were still there, but there were also wallabies! Just as I thought it couldn't get any better - I spot one of my favourite wild animals - Capybara! I was crazy about them when I visited the Osaka Aquarium last summer. I practically ran to them when I saw them from a distance. Oh My God they were super cute! They looked like super big guinea pigs.

Kapibara-san konnichiwa!

They look so funny and cute♥

After the zoo, we started heading back. On the way, we found a playground, and Terri suddenly wanted to play on the swing! I guess she found her childhood back haha. On the other hand, we discovered that Ray never learned how to play on a swing. It was hilarious watching him try so hard to swing up, with Terri swinging happily beside him.

Terri happily swinging!

We took the TTC back, and it took about an hour. I was exhausted when I got home, and I slept at 10:30PM. I didn't even have to worry whether I should get dinner - I slept right through it.

 I had an amazing day with my dearest friends. It makes me even more sad to think that I have to leave them very soon, and won't be able to see them for 4 months. >w<"

♥

I hope I can go to Japan for the cherry blossom season some time in the future. From my penpal's pictures, it looks really amazing.

ending with a selca :)