Fall, in love with Japan 2013 - Part 2

So the second day of our trip, we decided to go to Nara. I've been there before, but KK wanted to see the deers so I went with her again. We took the JR to Nara, and since I had to get my foreigner travel pass in order to take the JR train, we also reserved seats for the train to Kyoto for the next day.

When we got to Nara, we checked out the tourist information centre to see if there are maps or pamphlets since we didn't have a solid idea of what we wanted to see.

A very nice lady gave us maps and helped us decide on a course to see the most of Nara, and we were off.

our adventure begins! - with a selfie of course.

 

 

To be honest, we just spent most of the time hanging out with the deers, petting them and trying to take selfies with them - it's not as easy as it seems.

got everyone in the shot ^__^

always on the look out for the little ones

 

KK wanted to feed the deers before we leave Nara but in the end we both forgot. Oh well, that will give her a reason to return next time!

gimme the foooooodssss, human!

Unlike the previous time I went to Nara, this time we actually went into some of the temples. There was one special buddha on display, and legend has it if a sick person touches a picture of it and then rubs the corresponding part of his/her own body, the person will heal. I took a picture of it just in case it comes in handy in the future (^_^;). The weather was pretty good - great condition for outdoor pictures! During the entire trip, whenever I visited a shrine or a temple, I wished for the same things - good health for dad and good relationship for myself (*´∀｀).

just gotta accept the fact that there's always gonna be random tourists in your photos.

love this shot - pretty blue sky really makes a difference.

somehow I always ended up with selfie duties when I travel with this girl.

obligatory touristy shot - not what I usually go for but it's nice sometimes

 

Binzuru, the healing buddha image I was talking about earlier - feel free to use this image. you're welcome.

 

Buddha in the house

 

we also got our fortunes - hmm not entirely sure what it was saying but I got the jist of it...

 

"mom! stop kissing me...it's embarassing!"

 

We stopped by another tourist centre for washroom break midday. The centre also provided visitors with hot or cold tea, wi-fi and AC! We stayed there for a little while and then we were off again after signing the guest book. KK also found her new lover, Sento-kun, standing in front of the building.

what a sweet couple <3

leaving our trace in Nara

 

After more hanging out with the deers, we decided to have kaki no ha zushi (柿の葉寿司) for a late lunch. Kaki no ha zushi means "sushi wrapped in Japanese persimmon leaf",  which is originated from Nara and Wakayama. The reason for using persimmon leaves is because persimmon leaves have sterilizing effects, so the sushi can be preserved for longer before it goes bad. To further extend the period of freshness, the kinds of toppings  (ネタ）used for this type of sushi are limited. Many of the toppings are pickled and thus, have a sour taste. Unlike traditional sushi, kaki no ha zushi are not consumed with wasabi and soy sauce. It was really flavorful and delicious on its own. We shared a box and each time we unwrapped a sushi, it was like opening a surprise because we weren't sure what we would be getting next! (source for info on kaki no ha zushi, because obviously I was no expert on it! : http://ja.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9F%BF%E3%81%AE%E8%91%89%E5%AF%BF%E5%8F%B8)

shared this 12 pcs box with KK

 

yummmm!

 

After lunch, we headed back to the souvenir area and KK bought some souvenirs. We took the train back to Umeda (Osaka). We dropped by kiddyland, where we shopped at the Kapibara-san shop, Snoopy shop, and Rilakkuma shop. We also had dinner at Umeda before we headed back to Namba.

Kapibara-san

The name's Cheburashka/チェブラーシカ! (okay I cheated, I could never remember his name....)

Snoopy store! I swear I got snoopy crazy because of KK...but I'm actually more into his brother, Olaf <3

our dinner - I'm pretty sure it was an Oyako don...

 

When we got back to Namba, we went to Shinsaibashi and Dotonbori because I wanted to show KK the awesome night view there, with all the brightly lit commercial boards along the Dotonbori river. It's definitely one of my favorite places to go at night. KK also got to experience the scene of all the hosts standing around trying to get business for their clubs. /laughs/

This is my idea of beauty, I'm a city girl afterall.

I swear I have way too many photos of this scene in my blog, but I will never get tired of it.

 

We called it a night after that night stroll and went back to our inn. Next day, we were planning to spend the morning hanging out in Osaka and then setting off to Kyoto after lunch. Our adventure continues in the next post.

Fall, in love with Japan 2013 - Part 1

So I've decided to write up a series of posts for my trip to Japan in October 2013.

Not entirely sure how many parts there will be (nor how long it will take), but I'm determined to finish blogging about the entire journey... LET'S DO THIS!

The entire trip was about three weeks. 10 of those days were spent with KK in four cities - Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Tokyo - and then the rest of the time spent either meeting up with my Japanese friends or by myself in Tokyo. I've also made a weekend trip to Hiroshima to meet up with someone special to me after KK left Japan.

So the trip started when I flew to Osaka (KIX airport) after midnight of the 9th. KK and I made separate ways to Japan because we had different flight conditions and we each tried to find the cheapest way for us to travel.

I flew into the country by Peach, a low-cost carrier. This explains why I had to fly at such awkward timing. It was really early in the morning when I arrived KIX. Coincidentally, Bella (and family) was flying out of the country from the same airport on the same morning, so I just waited around until she showed up at the check-in counters. It was nice seeing her there since I wouldn't be able to see her in HK before her flight back to Toronto. It was our last chance to meet until I visit Toronto or she visits HK again. T___T"

started the trip right by seeing this lovely face <3

Saw some of EXILE while waiting for B. ^^

After Bella left, it was still really early. I just roamed around the airport and texted my oniichan, whom called me stupid because I didn't let him know I was coming to Kansai until then, and it was too late for him to come to Osaka to meet me (he lived an hour away but I assumed he had work). Then I found a locker to keep my luggage because I planned to go to my favourite outlet mall, Rinku Premium Outlet (which was close to the airport), to shop before heading into the city.

always bad weather whenever I go there...

I spent about 2 hours there and already did a bigger damage to my wallet than I had anticipated. No regrets though... hehe! Afterwards, I went back to the airport to pick up my luggage and headed to Namba. I dropped my luggage off at the inn that I would be staying at, but it wasn't time for check-in yet, so I went out and poked around Shinsaibashi.

EXILE's TV show ended so the ad got taken down....but at least Nino was there to greet me!

my favourite Osaka spot.

Glad to see a familiar face - the lovely Glico man

I've bought some little things like accessories, and also two chip n' dale unibearsity keychains (same style as the stuffed toys below) from the disney store.


Would've bought them too if I didn't have to worry about luggage space.

After that nice afternoon stroll, I decided to head back to the hotel to check-in, and to have a short nap before my evening plans. Before KK arrived (she flew in from Tokyo and took the Shinkansen to Osaka), I planned to go to the Exile Tribe Station and 24 karats shop and then have a short meet-up with Hiromi, whom messaged me that morning when she found out I was in Kansai.

So being the direction dummy that I am, I managed to get myself lost on the way to the Exile shops even though I've been there at least twice before. That also made me late for my meet-up with Hiromi but luckily she was understanding and we managed to have coffee before I had to find KK. It was nice seeing Hiromi again two years after I first met her in Toronto. It was also kind of amazing how we were able to meet up in two different countries.

Thanks for treating me to coffee, we will def. meet again!

Hiromi took me to the train station where KK was arriving at. There was a little glitch when we were trying to meet up but in the end we successfully found each other. We decided to go back to Namba first and eat our dinner there. We just randomly went into a ramen shop and ordered their house special. Unfortunately for us, it was not that good because it was very oily.

first night's dinner - ramen and gyoza

tiring day for the both of us but yay we're in Japan!

After dinner we headed straight to our inn since we were both really tired. We decided to have an early night in so we would be well rested for our adventures ahead!

The next day we went to Nara, which will be Part 2 of this series. ^^ v


2013 Recap and 2014 Aims

Ahh... it's been a long time since I worked on this blog. At the beginning of the year school was taking up all my energy as I had to spend a lot of time working on my final year project. When school was finally over, I was busy with life - taking a trip to NYC with my bff, enjoying the last days in Toronto, settling down in Hong Kong, and going on my awesome trip to Japan with KK. Before I knew it, the year ended and my blog collected an inch thick of dust. =__="

I've decided to do a recap of my 2013 (for my future reference) since it was one of the best years of my life up till now. I've challenged myself throughout the year, and I feel like I've grown a lot as a person. I will forever treasure all the new encounters and memories this year brought me.

Major Things that happened in my 2013:

1.) My final year project as a Marketing Major - worked in a team and created a marketing campaign for our client - ASUS. It was a really nerve-wrecking, yet fruitful experience as we had to meet up with our client, come up with a proposal and a presentation for them. This was a really good opportunity to experience the 'real business' scene.

2.) I've become more active this year. Although I still couldn't seem to stick to one kind of sport for a prolong period of time /laughs/. I've been playing badminton with my friends regularly on a weekly basis for a few months, then that sort of stopped as many of them turned to rock-climbing and bouldering. I started hitting the gym around Spring time, then switched to swimming in the summer time. Unfortunately I stopped exercising religiously since I moved back to Hong Kong, but even in my daily life, I'm trying to walk more. I'm trying to do things that are better to my body but I need to learn to be persistent with it hahaha.

3.) Finally finished with my Undergrad and moved back to Hong Kong. Finally having to deal with this annoying question, "what is my future (career) plan?"

4.) Met a bunch of friends online, and eventually being able to meet them in person. This was such a wonderful and amazing experience for me. They were really understanding, and gave me motivation and encouragement when I needed them. They definitely added colours to my otherwise boring life. I sure hope they will stay in my life for a very very long time :)

5.) NYC trip with the bff - we've talked about this for years and it finally happened. I'm really grateful that he was nice enough to book everything and took care of me so well during the trip. Roaming around NYC was really fun and tiring, and it made me super happy to finally being able to watch the Lion King musical!

6.) Japan trip - I had been looking forward to this trip ever since KK and I decided to go together. I was a little worried whether or not we could get along for 10 days, but we did and the trip was awesome!!!! I can totally see us taking another trip without major problems and I'm glad I found a good travel buddy <3 After KK left Japan, I went off to Hiroshima to meet someone special. Had a really fun weekend there and then went back to Tokyo to meet more of my online pals. The whole 3 weeks in Japan was probably the highlight of my 2013 and I can't wait to go back again!

7.) Bleaching and Dyeing my hair - now I'm obsessed with light hair colours and I don't know how to go back to having dark hair T_T"

8.) EXILE live tour (live viewing) and One Ok Rock WAYWAW Tour 2013 - just...pure awesomeness. I realize how lucky I am to be able to see an OOR live, because it's so much harder for fans to get tickets for lives in Japan and I'm really glad I got to see them in Hong Kong.

I've also done a lot of fun things like exploring downtown Toronto with Terri, going to the big buddha with my girls (Bella -and family- and KK), meeting up with Tammy again, going to Ocean Park (going on roller coasters in OP and haunted houses for the first time in my life) with KK, taking a family trip to China (ironically without my parents), trips to disneyland with my cousin, watching 風たちぬ with bff when he came back to HK for a short visit, etc...


All in all, 2013 was a pretty enjoyable year for me. I've learned a lot, faced a lot of challenges, had a lot of fun, and met a lot of awesome people. I'm sure 2014 can only get better, because I'm grateful for all the awesome people that are in my life, and with them, I feel like life can only get better ^^

In 2014, I hope to finally figure out a career and find a lifestyle that suits me. I really want to have a new start in Japan. Although my parents are not fond of the idea, I know if I don't try it for myself I would regret it. Well I don't know how it will turn out, but for now I'm just taking life one step at a time, and who knows where my next step will take me?

Anti-boyfriend Tag

Been seeing this tag on Youtube lately. The questions seem fun to answer. Since I don't plan on making videos anytime soon I decided I will make a blog post about it, here it goes.

❤ What is the one (most important) quality you look for in guys?
I like guys that are laid-back, or understanding.

❤ What quality is a turn off?
. I hate guys who are pretentious and arrogant. Basically show-offs and know-it-alls are no good for me.

❤ What physical feature do you notice on the opposite sex first?
Hm, I think it would be hair, or face. I say that because while I think face is important, I don't need him to be extremely hot or anything, just decent, kind looking is fine for me. However, a guy's hairstyle can change how he looks completely. A guy might not have the best facial features, but if he has an awesome hairstyle, it makes him a LOT more attractive in my eyes.

❤ Describe your dream date.
Depends on how old the guy is. If he is about my age, or a few years older, then probably Tokyo Disneyland. If he's older, then going on drives, or just a day trip to somewhere away from the city seems fun.

❤ Who would your celebrity boyfriend be? 
This question is probably the whole reason I wanted to do this tag.
Hands down Atsushi from EXILE! I love him sooooo much. ❤❤❤❤❤
I also wouldn't mind having Tacchon (from eito), and Omi (from 三代目JSB)...hehehe ❤

❤ What is your relationship 'deal breaker?' (Something that you might end a relationship because of)
If he's too controlling. I like my freedom. Of course, if he cheats on me, that's also a no-no.

❤ What is your relationship 'deal maker?' (Something you would like a guy to do in a relationship) 
I would be really happy if he is very patient with me, and cares about me. Also, I get nervous very easily so if he can calm me down, that would be great.

❤ What eye and hair color do you prefer?
Hair colour doesn't matter as much, but since I tend to go for Asian guys, I would say dark brown eyes. Of course, I don't really mind if he wears colour contacts if he is the "oshare" (trendy) type.

❤ He buys you a gift. What would it be?
Probably some sort of accessories. Maybe a simple necklace that I can wear all the time so I can feel like he's always with me ❤

❤ Would you say you have a type? If so, what is your type?
Physically, I don't think I have a type. I've liked people (in real life and celebrities) that look nothing alike. However, I think all of them are laid-back, kind, gentle, and...soothing?! In Japanese, it's called 癒し系.

This tag was fun. I wonder if my answers would change if I do it again in a few year. Well, now that I have my 2013 answers down, I can come back and compare in the future. Better yet, maybe I will have a boyfriend by then to see if he matches my answers. Hehe!!

Happy Birthday, My Dear Blog!

So last year on Nov. 11, 2011, I've started this blog, while B started hers.

One year later, my updates became less and less frequent, and B's actually sorta died. /laughs/

I think I want to keep updating from time to time, but maintaining a blog is so much work!

And lazy is my middle name...scratch that, first name. = ="

I've gotta think of what to write, then take/find photos, resize them...blah blah blah that's just wayyyy too much work for a lazy girl like me.

Anyway, seeing as it's my blog's first anniversary, I guess I'll just come and randomly blab about what has been up with my life.

About two weeks ago, I've posted an ad looking for penpals on Japan guide - for the first time. I used to reply to other people's posts before but it wasn't easy finding suitable ones. So I decided to compose and ad and let people come at me. lol.

I've gotten quite a number of responses and have been having a lot of fun talk to many people. I have never typed so much Japanese in my entire life. I think my Japanese skills have improved a lot for the past 2 weeks, and I'm super happy about that. I even skyped called (voice only) one of them and although it was a little awkward at first, it was damn exciting and super fun! I'm so glad I met so many nice people.

However, there are also some weirdos out there. There was this 35 year old guy who messaged me, knowing very well about our age gap, and that I was looking for people in the 20s. I accepted his friend request because he seemed sincere. After a couple of emails later, I felt irritated because he started 'lecturing' me on stuff like, how I should smile when I take pictures. He then mentioned that we have a really big age gap that cannot be filled (wtf) and that it might be a barrier for us (wtf x2). He KNEW this before he even messaged me, so why is this an issue now? He also assumed that my "type" is the "handsome type", just because I told him I like EXILE, and some Johnny's groups. Yes I do like handsome guys, but doesn't everyone appreciate handsome/pretty people? What's more is, I started liking EXILE because I fell in love with Atsushi's VOICE. The visual attraction came much later! Anyway, he decided to give me a lecture on Japan not being a country that has a lot of handsome guys. He said only 5% is handsome and the rest is NOT MY TYPE?! I was very pissed that he was judging me that way. It was so shallow of him. What's more, I never even said I was LOOKING for a guy or anything. I just wanted to make friends for god's sake!

I could go on and on about him because it's not everyday that I get pissed off by some guy that I don't really know. But there it is, a very good example that not everyone can be compatible, which makes me cherish my existing pen pals a lot more. :)

That's probably the most exciting thing that's going on with my life. Oh, and my friends and I started playing baddy weekly. It's super fun and I'm getting some exercise for a change XD

Ending the post with a picture of my very very cute capybara babies.
(I know it has nothing to do with the post, but it's cute!! My blog needs something cute!)

Happy Birthday, Blog! ♥

Why I Love Japan.

I've been wanting to write this post for a while. It's no secret that I really like Japan. I think the language itself is beautiful, and I like Japanese related things like J-pop (which is one of the things that got me started on studying Japanese), dorama,  and Japanese fashion. There are just so many aspects of Japanese culture that attract me, and I've always enjoyed travelling in Japan. To some people, it might seem like I'm looking at it through a rose-tinted glass, but believe me, I'm actually aware of the darker and not-so-great sides of Japan as well.

This post really isn't about fangirling over Japan, but rather, I just want to explain how Japan has changed me in a positive way, and for those reasons, I truly love Japan. Hear me out.

I'm a naturally introverted, shy, and at times, socially awkward kind of person. I've had trouble talking to strangers and meeting new friends all my life. Making friends had always been very difficult for me (but I do have a bunch of very close friends). Also, I have always been dependent, whether on my family or friends.

After I've started learning Japanese about four years ago, things started to change. Since I really don't come in contact with Japanese people on a daily basis, I started actively searching for Japanese penpals online so I can practice my Japanese. I've discovered that talking to people online is a lot easier than talking to a stranger face-to-face. It is easier for me to open up and carry on a conversation when I don't have to worry about being judged based on my appearance, and I have time to sort through my thoughts before I reply (I'm kind of slow too = ="). Sometimes, I feel that I can express my thoughts and let my personality show even better when I'm behind a computer screen. It might seem dangerous to talk to a stranger online, but you just need to be cautious about what kind of information you are telling the other person.

This whole penpalling became an important part of my life. I've met many great people and made friends this way; some stopped corresponding after a while, some stuck around, and some I even got to meet in person. It's a really good feeling when you have been talking to someone for a while, and you finally get to meet them in person. They are in between a stranger and a friend - sort of strange, and yet familiar. It's a lot easier for me to face someone that I already know a little bit about, rather than a complete stranger. The feeling is kind of exciting, and I've had a lot of fun each and every time.

I've also learned that people come and go in life. There were times when some of my penpals stopped responding all of a sudden, and there was nothing I can do about it. In the beginning it was really hard for me to cope with. It took me a long time to recover each time, but as I talked to more and more people, I realized, c'est la vie. There are many reasons why people stop responding, and often it's nothing personal. Sometimes, the best way is just to let it go. This is a major self-esteem lesson for me, not to take things so personally, and not to be so emotionally dependent on other people.

This online activity also led me to become more successful in dealing with strangers in everyday life. It got easier for me to take the initiative to talk to people in school, and when it's time to find a group for assignments, it has become much easier for me to do so. This is a very unexpected, but positive result, coming out of my eagerness to learn Japanese.

Another thing is, I've also become a much more independent person. I used to never be able to go anywhere without a friend or family member. However, because of my love of Japan, about three years ago, I started travelling to Japan alone. At that time I had a friend in Kansai, that sorta worked as a safety net for me. She wasn't able to meet up with me everyday, but at least I knew I have someone to call if I got into any kind of trouble. It was a huge step for me, but as it turned out, I had the best time of my life! I went alone again this past summer, and it was another awesome episode of my life. Travelling in Japan was just so liberating for me, and it will always be fun to explore the place at my own pace.

I might still be quiet and awkward at times (especially during social gatherings where games are involved - I really don't like group games...except for pictionary), but I've come a long way, and loving Japan has made some pretty awesome change in me. It's precisely because of these positive changes that make me love Japan even more.

Eating my Kimchi.

So it's been a while. I've been meaning to do a series of posts about my epic summer trip to Seoul and Osaka, but then I guess that is not going to happen. At least not the way I have planned to.

I was going to write about what I did everyday and such but turns out I never made a record of what I did each day while I was on the trip, and since it was almost 2 months ago, I can no longer remember. ^^"

Instead, I will just word vomit and type out whatever I can recall. Ready?

The thing I like most about Korea, is their food. Growing up in a Korean town in Toronto, I've been feeding on Korean food for the past 10 years of my life. It got even worse when my mom went back to HK, leaving me here on my own. I have Korean food at least 3 times a week.

Angel brought me to try a lot of different Korean dishes, some familiar to me, some are new - BUT THEY ALL TASTE SO FRIGGING GOOD! Best of all, Korean food are relatively cheap. Cheap and yummy, I'm in heaven!!!! :D

My favourite has to be the soondae bokeum. Soondae is not new to me, I often order soondae kuk (soondae in soup) at our local korean restaurant. However, it's the first time I've had it in...bokeum form?!?! Basically it's a table cooking kind of thing. It looks like this.

Looking at that makes my mouth water.

My favourite building is this landmark building at Insadong. It's full of boutiques and unique stores (in my opinion). The coolest thing is, you just keep walking in circles and you're actually walking in a spiral upwards. How cool is THAT? XD

As for shopping, I actually really liked the typical touristy shopping place - Myeongdong. I bought a bunch of cosmetics (etude house mostly), and a bunch of accessories (yay fake collars!). It was so fun to shop there. Salespeople speak funny Chinese and Japanese trying to draw customers in, since the place is so fully of tourists.

Etude House ♥

I'm not an Etude House fan or anything (seeing as I'm Japan bias of course I tend to buy Japanese cosmetics), but I hauled a little and bought some stuff from there since I've heard lots of good things about the brand. I bought their precious mineral sun bb cream since many people said it's good - and I was not disappointed! I've been using it since I've bought it and I do really like it. I almost like it as much as my laneige one. I switch between the two depending on my mood but that's basically what I use instead of a traditional foundation.

my little EH haul, with a generous amount of samples.

One day, we went to do our nails at dongdaemun. I had no idea exactly what I wanted but I wanted something sweet because I had plans to meet some friends I made online when I go to Japan and I didn't want to come off as too extreme (and scare them away). So this is what I chose.

In the end my friends never saw it because it started chipping and I removed the nail polish :(
It was nice while it lasted though, and I wouldn't mind wearing this pink x cloud design again!

I had a really good time chilling with my bff and rolling around in Seoul. Shopping, drinking, coffee time, girls' talks. The 4-5 days flew by.
It's good that I had Japan to look forward to or else I would be super sad to leave Seoul.

My awesome friend and I.

I guess I'll make a separate post on Osaka (and a day in Kyoto). This is getting pretty long :P