Autumn Ramble

It's definitely unlike my first year in Japan, whereby incomparably I had way more free time than now, however, I do not wanna miss the beautiful colours of autumn, so after careful planning, some of the weekends outings are actually made possible!

Two weeks ago, Ahmet told me this fabulous place called the Japan Open-Air Folk House Museum (日本民家園) located inside Kawasaki, so as a reward of me finishing the preparations of my Monday seminar presentations earlier than scheduled, we headed straight off to this awesome place.

It's an open-air museum of the old Japanese Folk House from all around Japan. One of the most famous folk-house in the museum is the traditional houses which was originally located in Shirakawa-go, Gifu-ken. It is Japan's UNESCO World Heritage Sites, well known with their architecture style known as the gasshō-zukuri (合掌造り). You see, it snows so much in Gifu, so, this unique design allow the house to withstand the heavy snowfall.

Except beautiful scenery, it also exhibit stuff that the olden days people used. Like this below, was used to decorate the praying altar.

And olden days lantern.... not much changes since then.

Besides this museum in that area, it also has an art gallery, science museum, observatory deck. Definitely a recommendation if you wanna spend a day off inside Tokyo but away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Two weeks later today, it's a celebration after a mentally and physically tired weeks. Except the seminar presentation, also had to prepare another presentation as part of a course assessment. Then two exams the following week. Until yesterday, finally finished all my duties as an obedient and proud member of my lab to help out in an external exhibition in Yokohama. (Yeap! we won the university category presentation, more on that later). Further I was down with a flu, and still am, I think the definition of the word "tired" is unquestionably under-rated in Malaysia. Talk about tired-ness, I never knew the exact meaning until now.

Rambling asides, despite the weariness and the flu, with my early Christmas present's first outing, we went to Rikugien Gardens (六義園) located in Komagome Station.

Starting from yesterday up to 13th December, this beautiful garden is extending their operation time up to 9pm in conjunction of the "light-up" event.

What else could I say? Breathtaking scenery!

Sad to say, although very much like to hang out longer till deeper in the night before the starting of another busy week, sleepy-head and the flu just would not leave me alone. Maybe it's time to pay the docs a visit to make sure I am free of the ongoing violent attack of H1N1 here. Oyasumi. :)

Early Christmas Present

I got myself an early Christmas present last Monday. (more like a very lame excuse to buy meself something). Can you tell what it might be?

1,2,3 Action!

You could not imagine the excitement and happiness when the flight captain announce through to speaker to instruct his crew members to buckle up, prepare for landing on Malaysian ground, my joy just cant stop oozing out, from my fingertips, toes, nose, everywhere!! Filled with great joy!

Curious thing is, I am not even a very easily homesick person. But the thoughts of meeting everyone at home after 1.5 years of separations, was so exciting and meantime so comforting. My feeble attempt to act cool was overpowered by my own thumping of feet, rushing out the arrival gate, dashed to hug the two younger rascals and family waiting at the gate.

Merely this simple joy, kept me smiling throughout the one whole month of vacation back home. And a lot of things that were taken for granted by me before this meant even so much more. From down to driving my lil sis to school that used to be an annoying task (although I only drove her once throughout whole month), up to having a lone 6 hours road trip up to Penang Island, I enjoyed every single seconds of it.

All the gatherings and catch-up, also seem far more meaningful. Especially when everybody is so busy enjoying their own great life, a suitable time where everyone willing to stop momentarily with what their doing and give you their accompany was most precious.

It was truly one hell of a holiday for me.

Enjoyed a great buying spree in Cameron Highlands with family. I was so used to buying 3 sweet potatoes, or 1 sweet corn sometimes 2, 1 box of strawberry for myself in Japan, but these units does not make sense with my family market buying spree. Sweet potatoes? Let's get 3kg! Sweet corn? at least 100. Strawberry? let's buy 10 boxes instead. Phew!

Also, had the chance to learn diving in Redang Island. I remember I had written a post in year 2005 on "45 things you should do before 45", one of them is to get a diving license. Well, I got one now. One more slash out from my to-do-list.

Redang Island

This is my second trip to Redang Island. But never from this kind of perspective. On the first day, instructor straight away throw us into the 6m deep ocean for confined water training. Total more than 20 skills you have to master before the actual boat dive. Skills like half-mask clearing, full-mask clearing, hovering, CESA... it was so much fun!!

On the first boat dive, we were sharing the same space with this huge jelly fish. It's truly intimidating! All the happy feeling that Spongebob has for Jelly fishing doesnt apply here. Nevertheless, it's a surreal feeling from the serenity of the surrounding, when a school of fish encircling you and you swimming along side with them, it makes you into addiction, addicted to diving.

It was a good trip back home. And again, it's also good to be back Tokyo, fully charged and renewed to face the new semester.

Till the next holiday.

Petronas Twin Towers

You aint messing with women in cape

Tuan tuan and puan puan, spring is definitely over now. Summer has come and gone too. So it's way overdue to do spiddy web cleaning for my blog. But it still did not deter me from putting on my batman cape and challenge my mentality to jump off the bridge.

I had tons of awesome stories to tell for my summer-holidaying in Malaysia, also been one of the craziest hectic week since I came back Japan.

Till the next time. Ciao.

Pulau Redang

I went for 4 days 3 nights open water diving course in Pulau Redang, awesome experience! Wait later I have time to organize, will upload the tons of photos here!

Ueno Zoo

They made me broke but happy

I resisted myself to grab the cute hello kitty wrapping papers since these presents are for the adults in a traditional Chinese family. Imagine my granny opening the hello kitty wrapping paper....... Hmmph!!!!! ADORABLE! Should I consider re-wrapping?

They took me whole night to do the wrapping, but the final look make me so happy.

Tamagawa Fireworks

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You probably get sick of people uploading summer fireworks pictures. I promise this is the last time. For Tamagawa Hanabi 2009, we brought along merely a good-old-picnic style with coke, snacks, sushi, laughter and a faithful tripod.

Have fun clicking the next button in the photos.

Also, if you wanna get a "real feel" of the fireworks, below is the video people screaming "sugoi", "wuuhuu". But I must warn you this recording looks like a pirated cam-version of a blockbuster from the cinema, with people blocking the full view.

Hi, My name is Bob

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Ps, You wont think I am just gonna post Bob's picture right? Try clicking the picture. :)

Also Pss, there's total 3 images!

What a WEEK!

It didnt feel like summer holiday at all until the last day after I handed up my report. Although still miles and miles of research works needed to be done, but at least it's end of the semester and I survived the spring semester!!

First stop: Tokyo Bay Fireworks Festival. 東京湾花火大会

Same as last year summer, we played dress up in yukata and join in the massive crowds to watch the fireworks display. And same as last year too, I wore the same yukata, same obi, same shoe. (shhh..) well, I dont wanna spend another fortune for a whole new set. However, proud to say, it took me merely half an hour and only one trial to put on yukata this time! compared to multiple fail attempts last year!

Siska, me and Rainbow Bridge. Photo courtesy of See Tatt.

The fireworks was awesome. The gathering with Japanese Intensive course classmates was awesome too. Afterall, it's been awhile since the last gathering in a karaoke session.

Tokyo Bay Fireworks Festival 2009


東京湾花火大会2009

Later that week, discovered a giant watermelon after a big feast in Hanamasa Yakiniku Buffet in Shimbashi. There goes my diet plan ditch down into the gutter.

"You come one more step closer I am gonna smack your head with this giant watermelon"

Also, if you dropped-by Shimbashi, take a short walk to Ginza and stop by the Sony building, every year summer they have an event called Sony Aquarium. Except the real aquarium on the 1st floor, they will be also showing a 3D show giving you a glimpse of the legendary Okinawa aquarium.

The definition of kimochii waruii.


This sting-ray made Ahmet very happy becoz sting-ray has a happy smiley face. Note the diver behind, I accidentally took like hundred of pictures with his butt facing the camera. Nope, it wasnt intentional.


"I'm leaving on the JR train....."

All the different buildings with unique architectures in Yokohama is visually stunning. The interior design also equally breath-taking. Literally. Every time I take the long long escalator from Minatomirai line to Queen's tower in Landmark Tower, it never fail to make me feel nervous. It's like one slip, the fall rolling off the escalator is gonna be absolute killer. Gone case!

I brought this fear along to challenge myself to the observatory deck. Located 69th floor of Yokohama Landmark Tower. The elevator up this 273m tall building takes no longer than a jiffy. 69 floors, 273m tall, with a elevator with max speed of 750m/mins, it took only 40 seconds to be exact.

"Ladies and gentleman, you just reached 69th floor in 40 seconds"

The view up there was......... breathtaking. 1000yen is all worth it.

Met Patrick Star and Mr.Krab up 69th floor.


"Ooishii sou" Looks delicious! >.<


UFO attacking Yokohoma.


Yokohama Stadium


Minatomirai 21 day time


Minatomirai 21 night time

By chance, also saw a muted fireworks display from 69th floor.

Took a walk from Minatomirai to AkaRenga, on the way to Yamashita Koen, there's a newly built park. And they have this whole stretch of wall shining with blue lights. Not sure what is so appealing about this design.

I dunno, it looks like those electronic flies zapper to me.

Difference is this Zzzap human instead of flies.

Let the record play

Standing right there listening to The Beatles and Jefferson Airplane playing on Ahmet's records, I realized I had been living in misery all this while. It just hit me that instant how good music should be. I started hating my-ever-so-proud mp3 collections' sounds like. Hate the sound with a passion, hate them with a vengeance! Thinking they sound like bunch of chipmunks trying to sound good, seriously evoked my nausea from the unmelodious, flat sound coming out of my speaker.

Who knows, I will surrender myself to a turntable instead.

Earthquakes

Getting one more one of these I will be having a heart attack.

It's already 2 times in a row this week. First one was Sunday around 8pm with magnitude 6.9 in epic center and with a magnitude 3 shaking my building.

Second one was Tuesday early morning 5.07am. It shook me up from my sleep. And nothing wakes me up except my sisters' annoying tickles and alarm clock after snoozing for 1 hour. So you know how strong it was. Magnitude 4 shaking me in 6th floor.

Now, I sleep fully dress, a tiny bag with all the emergency kits, prepared and ready to run!