A Japanese Summer: Chapter Three

Muahahaha... I'm 7 months late in my posting. By the time "A Japanese Summer" finishes, we'll be all set for this year's summer vacation. ^^;; Then again, these are all my memories and there is no deadlines to them. Writing them now brings back the memories and I always misses Japan every single time in write. *sigh*

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Continuing from where we left off with good old Sapporo Beer.

We left Hokkaido the very next morning. That's another 8 long hours back to Tokyo. (-_-) But hey, that does not mean we let the day go wasted. We head off to the famous Sensoji Temple in Asakusa.

Everyone attempts to take a picture under the "Thunder Gate" more accurately known as "Kaminarimon" or the outer gate of the temple.

Everyone including me. (^o^)

Hah! You'll be surprised that this is what greets you right after the gate. A long stretch of little shops selling every souvenir of Japan. This shopping street which spans over 200 meters is called Nakamise. It's interesting that most temple is surrounded by such hustle and bustle. According to dad it's because early community always develop around a temple.

Food: Biscuits, Mochi, Sweets in every colourful packaging you can ever imagine.

In every different shapes and sizes.



Headgears for you to go all Japanish.


You can even get your complete Ninja set with flying daggers and samurai swords here.

You name it! Nakamise has it!

From traditional geishas...

...to Jpop idols' uchiwas. o_O;;
What are those doing there? *blinks*

At the end of Nakamise is the inner gate to Sensoji Temple. This is actually the main gate, the Hozomon.

By then, the sun has begun to set and the skylight was beautiful.

Right behind the Hozomon was the Buddha's giant slipper! HAHAHA... imagine if Buddha-sama didn't clean his feet properly, how greatly the smell would be. *aiks.. disrespectful*
Gomenasai!

Ah... another shot with the crescent moon as backdrop.

One more shot of the lighted pagoda. *click*

By the time we stepped out of the temple and back to the streets the shops were all closed! o__O;; Hayai! But it was beautiful and there was music playing in the background. Old traditional music.

Click play and listen.

Ahahaha.. this shop was closed but we had a strong hunch it's a Comb Shop. *points to the giant comb as the shop's signboard* And what's fascinating about these shops are their gutters. Even upon closing, each shop has beautiful illustrations on its gutters.

*******

It was dinnertime and we were hungry but we were determined to find that little okonomiyaki shop featured in the Lonely Planet book. It is here we met with the sincerely helpful hospitality of Japan. After giving up wondering around, we stepped into a shop to ask for direction. The man in the shop had no idea of the shop but was so eagered to help us that he went on to take out a map and help us find the place.

Though it turned out we were the ones helping him navigate the map, pointing out to him where his shop was in the map. Ahahaha... we tried so hard to tell him it's okay but he was so determined to help us find the place. (^_^;;) Arigatou Ojichan. I hope your kindness will in return bring you lots of customers to your shop. The fabrics and yukatas there were pretty but they were too expensive for us to buy any.

After walking to where we think the right area of the shop is, we finally got some good reliable directions from a policeman. Hahaha... can't go wrong by asking a man in a uniform. Though he was really intimidating to approach. XD

The little humble shop. FINALLY!

It was REALLY REALLY HOT in there. Even standing at the entrance, we can already feel the heat. Cubbie was having her doubts of going in but come on, after all that effort?

The electrical fan aside, see how authentic the place is. And those white plastic bags? HAHAHA... we were given those upon entering.

Yup, we cooked our own okonomiyaki. That explains the heat of the entire place. Imagine tables of enthusistic guests cooking their okonomiyaki over the flat hot stove in front. And we pay for all that. Hahaha... Why did we pay to suffer?

For the experience lah of course.

For the experience.

=P

And mind you, after all that hassle, my okonomiyaki didn't turned out delicious at all. (-_-)

*bricked*

After our short adventure of the day, we finally called it a day and returned home to YY's place.

Tomorrow... we're out to Kyoto!

*******

Now Trivia of the Post:
Can you guess what were the plastic bags for?

And Cubbie you are not allowed to answer that!

The Weird Post

Uwah. So Rare. Like a Gem.
An update from the office.

In fact, this is so random that I have no idea what to say.
That will explain these random sentences that make this post.

*silence*

Eeek! I think I heard the mosquitoes.
Joking. Impossible.

*more silence*

How lah? I'm rarely this "word-less".
How can? I will lose my job like this.
Oh wait. I'm not working at the moment.
I'm just in the office. (\^O^/)

Why's that? (?_?)
Because the guy behind me is working.
PSP-san. Hurry. (orz)

Oh. But I got chocos.
I invested with the Clean Hands Choco Bank.
Not bad. Within 9 months I earned myself a 100% interest.
One choco invested, one choco gained.
Now I got two chocos.

This is such a weird post.

I Made Sushi - updated!

I can't help being very proud of myself over my darn good sushi.
It's hard to be modest when I'm so so happy with it. Please whack me back to the humble me.

*sigh in contentment*

It's actually quite surprising the all Japan-loving me have never ever attempt to make sushi. Especially since I love my random Sunday stints in the kitchen. Why oh why? Honestly, I'm not quite sure. I think it was the thought that sushi simply won't satisfy my cravings enough. I need good sumptuous food. Pasta with soup topped with bread puddings and all. That's the meal I want to cook and enjoy.

So why now?

I craved for Japanese fooood!
Like seriously for the entire last week.

*desperate*

And my Japanese meal is scheduled this week. Ya. I have my meals scheduled. *shrugs* Furthermore, it was the last week of the month. Even if I'm willing to splurge for food, it's hard to find others who share the craziness.

"Wait get salary first."

*pouts*

By Friday I call for emergency meeting. I need to take matters into my own hands. Literally. I'm gonna make sushi myself to at least satisfy that annoying craving.

So come Saturday. I prepare.
Sunday. I turned Sushi Chef.

Not bad at all wei!

I think I got talent lah. Really, please bear with me as I indulged myself with my own flatter.

*hearts*

.

.

.

But but... I think I overdid it a little.

*blushes* Awww....

Everyone has an Ah Tan

Come on, admit it.
You have a friend name Ah Tan, too, don't you? Especially when you were back in school. Dearest Cubbie read my last post here and responded "I knew of 6 Tans."

Yes, but you don't call every Tan you know, Ah Tan do you?
I knew more than one Tan but there is only but one Ah Tan.

So the question is, do you have an Ah Tan?
Come on, everyone does.

For everyone deserves an Ah Tan in their lives.

*snickers*

To Ah Tan: Thank you for being such a good friend. Heh. Do feel good to know that you are most certainly appreciated here. =)

Earlier post: The Name's Tan. Ah Tan.

Daddy's Big Shoes

It's pretty big, huh?

It's been a week without dad at home. So here, there and everywhere I was filling in for my dad. Mornings were busier with me being the one opening all the doors, warming up the car engine, taking the newspaper in, followed by closing up all the doors again before I leave the house. Also mornings were greeted by darkness. Usually, dad is always up before me, moving about in a brightly lit house.

Mum slacked a little, saying it was not worth cooking for just the two of us and there I was in charged of buying dinner. Dinner was made only when sis returned home from college and mum approved to cook for three. Heh! But sister was another concern as I have to figure out a way to get her to and back from college since dad is daddy dearest is not at home. And me and driving is totally =.=;; a sad case.

Therefore, I'm thankful he's home now and more importantly, that he arrived home safely.

One things for sure,

Dad wears big shoes!

The name's Tan. Ah Tan!

Hah! So the "25 Things About..." tag went spreading all around the world and back to my teenhood friends: one being the Ah Tan I have always known to be, though now more widely known as Duncan. In one of his 25s, he mentioned how people used to call him Ah Tan before our Uni days.

My response? I figure saying "You'll always be Ah Tan to me." just sounds way *cough cough* hahaha... so I opted for a simple ...

"And I still call you Ah Tan."

I believe the message got across nicely as Ah Tan replied

"Jovin: Yes, and I appreciate it."

*smiles*

More than that, the thought of Ah Tan brought back memories of conversation at home. Since Tan is a common Chinese surname, it's no surprise my younger sister also has a friend named Ah Tan. -.-;; and such conversation seem to happen quite often at home back then...


Mum: Eh, so what is Ah Tan doing now? / Eh, last time Ah Tan... /

I thought Ah Tan... *basically you get the idea*

Me and Sis: *stares at mummy dearest* Which Ah Tan?

Mum: *points to a random one* Your Ah Tan.

Me or sis: Ehhhh?? Ah Tan is not mine!


HAHAHA... it's silly but it's always funny everytime that happens. That rarely happens nowadays since both Ah Tans are now far away from home.

Awww... since it's so nostalgic, I really might as well...

"No worries. You'll aways be Ah Tan to me."

*gelinya*

HAHAHA

Cheetahcub is the Fastest!

We don't call her cheetahcub_mk for nothing.

XD

MSN Chat (Day: 30 Jan 2009, Time:10.22pm)

Urgh, and that's like half a month ago.
Gosh, I'm such a procastinator in blogging.

Oh oh, and Cubbie lives in Puchong.

Heee... a Cubbie blooper will always be remembered.

*snickers*

And it will be part of our memories neh.
That's why it needs to be posted here.
Some day, we'll read this post again and laugh about it together.

Awww....