Goodbye 2008!

Dear Readers,

Yay! I finally caught up with all my posts, so that next year I can start afresh.
Today (New Year’s Eve) has been a bussle of things. I HAVE TO HAVE TO CLEAN MY BLOODY ROOM!

I don’t want any clutter in my life in 2009!

Two weeks ago, when I was in Jeab’s hometown, Chantaburi, I had time to reflect about 2008.

It has been a whirlwind year for me, ups and downs, love and hates.  Maybe my 2nd cycle (born in the year of the rat, 24 this year..) was all about growth. I’ve had to face difficult circumstances and come out of them a survivor. Not really a survivor, but im surviving. I know I said that last year but this full year working at home, going through crises after crises, being a complete hermit and seeing Andrea again, I’ve grown even more.

The highlights of this year included:

Graduating top of the class (HurraY!) no wait, that wasn’t a highlight, the highlight was getting the reward and having my whole family there to see it, and to see mom and dad cry!!!

Vicki also getting into Emirates, congratulations to her!

and my amazing 1 month holiday with Andrea!

Looking back at my 2007 end of the year post, I never imagined seeing Andrea so soon, and to have gone to JAPAN??? (I HATE JAPAN!! Thanks Andrea for pushing me to go!)  that was fabulous.

I also found happiness this year. Found one of my purposes in life, that makes living in this shithole (pardon my french) very bearable. I changed my life perspective, and now I don’t go through my previous roller coaster of emotions (and bitterness) I’m happy to be here with my parents, I want to have them around me and I want to be there for them, and if being with them means living in Thailand, then I accept it, it is part of the package.

I also stopped daydreaming so much of my future. From what I learnt this year, there is hardly any point to plan where I’ll be in 5 years, or 10 years. Life doesn’t work like that, life throws you punches and you have to roll with them. From this point onwards I am trying to only focus within a  1 year horizon, have a vague idea of where I want to be, what I want to do, but keeping it vague.

Lessons learnt in 2008:

1. Once you find purpose in your life, everything falls into place.

2. Take 100% responsibility of your/my life.

3. Live in the Present.

I am resentful for the things I had to go through in 2008, but what doesn’t break me, only makes me stronger. No wait, correction, 2008 really broke me. F*%k you 2008.

But, at the end of the day, I’m here typing, still living.

Cheers to living, and Goodbye to 2008!
Stacy

Amazing Thailand – Phuket – Day Four – Friendships are priceless

Dear Readers,

 

I can’t believe how time flies by in Phuket. It was sad that it would be our last time together in quite a while (at least 2 years?)

 

We went to this safari, we paid 1,500 baht for a 7 in 1 package. CRAZINESS!!!!

We went on an water buffalo ride, (2 minutes), went to see how rice is cultivated, took a photo of sitting on an ox (buffalo?) learnt how to cook som tam (Thai papaya salad), learnt about rubber tapping, learnt some muay Thai, saw an elephant show, saw a monkey show, went on a 20 minute elephant trek and then went canoeing!

 

CRAZINESS!!! And my arms were already itchy and burning from that point, so I had to wear my sarong like a cap to hide my arms from the sun. Didn’t work because now I have ugly hyper pigmentation going on and my arms look like Michael Jackson’s arms… L boo.

 

For the elephant trekking, we bought 3 bags of bananas, and Rita and I shared the elephant while Andrea had her own elephant. At that point of time, I wanted Andrea to experience and enjoy the elephant ride on her own, but I didn’t realize that maybe she’d rather ride with us, Mom said that maybe I excluded her, Andrea, I never meant to!! Sorry if I made you feel that way!

 

Andrea’s Mahoot (the word for elephant trainer) would not let Andrea feed her elephant bananas! SO SAD!! He was a banana nazi!  When Andrea wanted to give her elephant bananas, he’d say NO BA NA NA! NO BA NA NA! Whereas, our nice Mahoot, was laughing with us, and our sweetie elephant stopped every 10 metres lifted her trunk towards us to ask for food. So we gave her all 3 bags of bananas!

 

Our elephant sneezed and the goo went in Rita’s eye, and she kept on screaming AHHHHHHHHH!!! ITS IN MY EYE!!! MY CONTACTS!! EEE!! IN MY EYE!! TISSUE TISSUE!!!

I was the most non-helpful person, I was bowling over with laughter, trying to fidget opening her bag and zipper, and took longer than I should had giving her the tissue. Hahaha hilarious. I wish I filmed it.

 

After we got back, we had a speedy lunch and said our goodbyes at the airport.

Parting brings such sorrow, I was lucky that I was on my way to meet Rita in HK 2 weeks after this trip. And in HK Rita and I decided that we should see each other at least once a year, if not twice a year.

 

We had such a fabulous fun time in Phuket! Being with both Rita and Andrea, it just goes to show that distance and time don’t affect great friendships like ours. Instead of complaining about school work, crazy housemates, and smelly boys, we had graduated to talk about our careers, families and life in general. It is for certain that we’d still be in contact when we are getting married, having our babies, and sending our babies to school, it’s a really nice feeling.

 

Cheers to everlasting friendships!
Stacy

For photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/skmkh2002/AmazingThailandRelaxingPhuketGetaway

Amazing Thailand – Phuket – Day Three – Island Hopping!

Dear Readers,

Day 3 in Phuket was our island hopping day! We bought the express speed boat package that took us to Maya bay, um, Phiphi lay, phiphi don, and some really nice excluded island – all for 1,200 baht.

 

Our exciting day started when we got off our van, and were approached by this small elastic smiling man named Chai. He said, today…you are on a HAPPY TOUR!! HAPPPPPY!!!!!!!! *exaggerating his smile*

Say...HAAAAAppppy

That was the theme of the day, HAAAaaaaaaapppPPPPPPY, and whenever he said Thank you, he said it like this “Thhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaankkkkkk YOooooooooooooou”

Haha hilarious.

 

Before we got on the boat, he said for insurance purposes, they needed to snap a photo of each group of friends. 1…2…3….say…..HAPPPppppppY!!!!!!!!

 

I immediately made, “friends” with Chai, and he told us that we were the first group and that he’d get us the best seat on the boat. Andrea and I were happy, we’d get to sit out on the deck! But turns out, the seats were right next to where he was standing “….”

 

Andrea was a bit bummed about that, because a brash group of Aussie girls just pushed forward and took the deck before we got the chance to.

 

 

My snorkelers!

 

 

 

 

Each beach was really beautiful, and we went snorkeling too, which I didn’t want to because I promised my parents that I wouldn’t go into the water because there was this dangerous evil jelly fish that killed 3 tourist already. So I didn’t enjoy it that much, but Andrea and Rita had the time of their lives!

 

 

 

 

 

HapppY!!

 

K.Chai kept on talking to me, and warning signs started flashing when he was asking about where my office was, and if he could come visit me, and spoke about his ex girlfriend, and that how he’d like to date a foreign girl…Andrea and I immediately exchanged a subtle glance, eyebrow lift and cringe!

 

He wrote on my hand a smiley face, matching his, so that every time he wanted all of us to be happy and smile, he’d say, “We are all…..*points to his hand*…HAaaapppY”

 

 

The highlight of the trip, was at our last beach. It was nice and secluded, and you could snorkel there. But I wasn’t in the mood, so I just sat down on the lounge beach chairs. Every 2 minutes, you had a haggler(?? I can’t think of the word for now) asking “Maaaaaammm would you like some ICECREAMMMMM”

I wonder because  I was the hugest Mama on the beach that they thought I’d eat 10. I kept on declining, but they just kept on coming.

 

Rita came to join me and we were hanging out laughing and chatting, watching Andrea enjoying herself with the fish. Then out of the water comes Andrea, super excited and smiling walking towards us.

 

Andrea: Stacy, I made friends with a Chinese Australian guy for yoU!! He is soo nice! And he wants us to join him and his friends for drinks tonight!

Stacy: Wow Andrea, you love me!!! Haha thank you! *fixing my hair a bit*

Andrea: Oh look there he comes now, Bret (to be honest, I can’t remember his name, but it was a relatively hot name, not cringe worthy)

 

Out of the water, I see a silhouette of a 5’8 hunky bulky Chinese uncle, with tattoos on his arm, dark from the sun, small eyes, spikey black hair and a gold chain on his neck. Rita and I look at eachother, and I say.. “omg…he looks like hack seah wui! (黑社會)

 

Andrea has the WORST taste in Chinese men! She should really….

Lol

 

I almost died from a stomach ulcer of laughter when he left, fine, maybe I hurt her feelings a bit, but seriously! He looked like an uncle! Maybe 33? No wait, I’d date a 33 year old man no problem, but not this one.

 

Priceless, I went into the water later, when he and his friends walked over to say hello AGAIN, and I just waved from the water. Andrea said his friends were better looking so we left that ‘meet up’ as an open option. But I wasn’t really interested.

No no no, I get it.  Andrea wants me to socialize and mingle and meet people, so it was shove I needed but definitely not a shove I welcomed.

 

In the evening, we did go to patong area, the most sleazy gross place ever, and we realized that AUSSIE pub, the bar that were suppose to meet them in, was located down the prostitution night life street, so we said, nah nevermind and went shopping instead.(yay for shopping!) 

When we were shopping I lied and said I was half Thai, but visiting from Canada, that’s why my Thai was so lousy. And the lady gave me Thai PERSON price! 200 baht instead of 450 baht! So unscrupulous!

 I seriously I can’t believe I renounced my Chinese heritage for 250 baht, but it was slightly amusing and very very sneaky.

 Haha,

Stacy

 

 For photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/skmkh2002/AmazingThailandRelaxingPhuketGetaway#

 

 

Amazing Thailand – Phuket – Day Two – Surprises!

Dear Readers,

Unbeknowing that Rita was on her way, Andrea had her breakfast as usual, and we lay by the pool side to get a nice tan. Our schedule was to go to the beach at 3pm, then have Rita show up (surprise!) so i tried to delay things a bit, asked Andrea if we could go to our room and finish this horrible movie I rented. I could tell she was getting really antsy, and so would I, we were in beautiful phuket and we were sitting indoors watching a dvd???

I faked a stomache ache so that I could run to the bathroom and contact Rita to check if she was in the car to the hotel, then I went down with Andrea just in my sun dress. So that when we were on the beach, after 5 minutes, and alot of convincing on Andrea’s part, I ‘decided’ to go back to our hotel room to change. I told Andrea I might take a while because I wasn’t sure which swimsuit made me look slimmer and told her i’d be 15 minutes.

But Rita was late for 30 minutes! So could you imagine, Andrea was lying on the beach for a total of 45 minutes, with no watch and no way of calling me. HAhaha, I can’t imagine she didn’t come find me, and I was scheming that when she did meet up with me, i’d say, What are you talking about? I’ve only been gone for 20 minutes, time flies by super slowly when you are tanning…

haha! Anyways, the reunion at the beach was the happiest moment of the trip. Andrea was lying down, and she saw two chinese girls walk towards her, she said loudly, “Is that RITA!!!”  And like in the movies, there was a slow motion running embrace.

All 3 of us then went in the water and had our girly catch up, and you could see from Andrea’s face that she was so happy and surprised! She was a bit disappointed that she flew all the way to Asia and Rita couldn’t make it. And I made an excuse that Rita couldn’t get off work because the markets were crashing (quite a valid reason actually)

Afterwards, we went to have cocktails by the pool bar. 1 for 1 and HUGE! The only disgusting part was, they charged us full price because we ordered the bill at 7:07pm, or something like that. I kicked a fuss and they apologised..

 

 

 

This doll looks freakish

We went to PHUKET FANTASEA!

Thailand the Land of Smiles

I went there 8 years ago with my family and remember it being a nice place. I didn’t realise the show that we paid for would be such a freak show that would leave us so bewildered.

 

 

 

 

Andrea, Rita and I

It was so great to have all 3 girls together, really wish Heather was with us.

I’d recommend for anyone to forgo the Phuket Fantasea attraction,
Stacy

For photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/skmkh2002/AmazingThailandRelaxingPhuketGetaway#

Amazing Thailand – Phuket – Day One – Surin Beach

Dear Readers,

Andrea and I reached SUNNY phuket early Thursday morning. It was a breeze walking to the taxi corner, told them the hotel name, 400 baht sounded just about right, and we were on our way. We were driven in a Camry, in Phuket there are no public taxis.

I was a bit weary whether the driver knew where he was going, so I asked him, and he kept on nodding, then we pulled into a home office driveway, I suppose to ch

 

Yay for Phuket!

eck for directions?

Andrea was a bit antsy, like whats going on? And I didn’t think we were in harms way but have to admit, I was a little bit worried to. Then all of a sudden, a chubby orange hair tan skinned overdone make up transvestite jumps (or just magically appears) at Andrea’s door side and opens the door.

Hi! My name is Shonda, have you bought any of your tours yet, would you like to come in our office to check?

Hahahah the look on Andrea’s face was PRICELESS!! Anyhoo we went in, and I had to maneuver, with my limited thai to tell him about Rita’s surprise visit, and somehow, right under Andrea’s nose I bought all our tour packages in THREE, and the receipt even wrote 3 PAX. I was so surprised she didn’t ask anything about it!

haha, hilarious!

Our hotel was super fabulous, and as soon as we set our bags down, we headed out to the beach where we had lunch and consequently lay on the beach til sundown.

You know, after our fast paced Japan adventure. Doing nothing, lounging in the sun was the exact thing we needed. Or at least what I needed.

At the beach we made friends with Dogs. No not really WE, these dogs came to play with us (maybe they saw me burying myself in the sand). And they were a bit crazy, just sat with us. Really bothered Andrea, but I could tell right away that they had good temperment. Was an ulimate betrayal to Perdy, for making friends with them though … Sorry Perdy!! you know I love you the most!

I named them Sandra Dee and Mr. Sand. Here they are:

The big dog is Mr.Sand, and the little lady is Sandra Dee.

We camped out at Surin beach from 2pm til sunset..around 630pm. I would never had imagined sharing this moment with Andrea for a million years, but there we were, and it is a really nice memory to keep.

Phuket is really Amazing (in the good sense),
Stacy

Merry Christmas!

Dear Readers,
Merry Christmas!

I have to admit, this year..Christmas doesn’t feel like Christmas at all. My mom did a really fabulous job decorating the tree, and our living room/dining room with tinsle But I really wasn’t feeling it this year.

Maybe its because of the economy. Or maybe its because in Thailand we basically only have 2 seasons (wet and dry).
No white christmas.

Despite my christmas glum, I have to admit that I had a solid day today. Woke up, watched the BIGGEST LOSER FINALE!! (amazing results!! really motivating!, I only need to lose another bloody 10 lbs!) went grocery shopping with Mom, came back, had lunch, then went to play tennis.

I feel like scrooge. So in that spirit, a bah humbug to all of you.

Doubles tennis was extremely fun. I have to admit, my game is quite lousy, (I can’t serve to save my life) but it was really fun, filled with alot of laughters and shouts. haha

I made 1 powerful return shot and then followed it with an amazing back hand volley. PLAY OF THE DAY!

Oooh it’s late. Merry Christmas!
Your resident insomniac,
Stacy

Fabulous Japan – Day 6 – Sayonara!

Dear Readers,

Day Six – Sayonara!

Total Distance Walked: 12km, Feet Pain-O-Meter: 6

Theme of Today: Singing Enchanted songs is very dangerous.

Day 6 started off in a panic, I put on my watch and the friendship ring Andrea bought for me. And my ring wouldn’t fit! I couldn’t believe it, finally after 6 days, the excess salt and MSG used in Japan got to me. I had extreme water retention! All of a sudden I broke in a panic because I couldn’t take off my ring and my finger was turning purple.

*gulp*

I managed to get it off after using soap, but it was really eye-opening and testament to the crazy amounts of MSG in Japanese food.

Sens0-ji Market – Revisited

 

A girl trapped in a caged bubble. Andrea wouldn't let me buy it.

We went back to the tourist strip to buy souvenirs. I angrily glared at the redbean pancake shop, SUCH LOUSY DESSERTS!! The happiest thing there was spotting Ninja and other japanese costumed Monchichis!!!! They are awesome! I bought one for each of us siblings.

 

 

 

 

 Ueno – Ameyoko-cho Arcade (famous black market district after WW2)

Our sweet Hideyoshi from the previous evening (aka oishi yakitori anime guy) actually emailed us, saying that we should check out Ueno. SO NICE OF HIM!! The email was date stamped 12+!!!

The Arcade was alright, a street market! A clean JJ market! (Bangkok reference)

Andrea  and I were hungry, so wanted to walk in to any restaurant, we walked into this one restaurant, it was quite empty. Imagine a vast room, with a circular counter in the center. The chefs waved and welcomed us, and directed us to the machine to order lunch.

NO PICTURES. Japanese words only!

Andrea loves markets.

In dismay we left that restaurant and found ourselves having lunch at a diner!

My first time in a diner!!! It was smokey and they forgot my meal, so they gave me a free glass of coke. (I didn’t drink it though, I’m a pepsi girl and still on my no-softdrink resolution)

Enroute to the Airport

We had such a good chat and chill time on the train to Narita Airport. Laughing talking about life, and at some point of time I kept on raving about Enchanted. I really like that movie!!!  I was busy singing, “True Love’s kiss,” when they announced that we would be alighting at Narita Airport soon. Andrea was really anxious and went up front to get her luggage.  I la la la happily got off the train, but was rummaging for my ticket. When I got off the train, I looked at Andrea, and

Stacy: I am so sorry Andrea, you have to bear with me, I lost the ticket in my – - -

Andrea: STACY!!! WHERE IS YOUR LUGGAGE???

Stacy: *Wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhht??* noooooooooooo!!!

I turned around and banged the express train with my hands as it started to move again, kept on banging it to stop, but it didn’t

And just like that my small silver case was gone to another terminal.

I was literally shaking, and Andrea really saw the panic on my face and gave me a hug and told me everything would be okay. We went to the conductor, took out a piece of paper, Andrea started to draw a brief case, and I was anxiously doing charade movements of a travelling case.

Andrea had to board her plane, (we took separate flights) so she had to leave me and gave me one last big hug and hoped to see me at the agreed place in Bangkok Airport.

ARgh!!! I was so edgy and my hands were shaking! I had to stand there for 15 minutes, regain composure and hop on the next train heading to terminal 1. The conductor told me that once I get off the platform I would see my suitcase.

That wasn’t the case. I was directed to the lost and found, which was closed. Went back down to the platform to ask the Terminal 2 conductor’s help. At the end of the day, I got my luggage and was able to breathe again.

As I was boarding the plane, I glanced at the Plasma TV airing CNN – BOMB BLASTS IN BANGKOK. 48 INJURED (or something to that extent) Lovely, isn’t it great to live in Bangkok?

****
This is my last entry of my Fabulous Japan series. I have to say that the trip for me was more of experiencing Japan with Andrea than experiencing Japan itself. The entire week I was not stressed at all, (except for the suitcase train incident) it was filled with fun and laughter, and so many random stories.

Japan was fabulous, but what made it truly fabulous was being there with Andrea. We had such a great reunion trip and after travelling to Japan together, I feel like we can conquer the world! (except for India, I need Neha’s help on that one.)

I love you Andrea!!

Andrea, I LOVE YOU TO PIECES!!! Thank you for such fabulous memories!

Sayonara,

Stacy

For photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/skmkh2002/FabulousJapan2008

 

 

Fabulous Japan – Day 5 – Ninja-ing Tokyo

Dear Readers,

Day Five – Ninja-ing Tokyo

Total Distance Walked: 12 km, Feet Pain-O-Meter: 7

Theme of this evening: 1…2…3…NINJA!

The 2nd part of Day 5 begins at Tokyo station. Andrea and I quite expertly manage to find our subway station, we switched lines, I was carrying my small travelling case, Andrea was carrying her HUGE travelling case. In Japan, it is rare to find escalators, so I found it sadistically amusing seeing Andrea lug this huge mama but extremely durable case around.

The map to our hotel was insanely ridiculous. There were some main street names, and a big star in the middle.  After 20 minutes of walking around the square area, we went down this narrow street, and asked a waiter (who was standing outside the restaurant giving out flyers) where our hotel was.

He is probably one of the only Japanese people we’ve met this entire trip who knew where he was going. In his Japanese wooden clogs he tattle tattled 20metres down the street, and pointed to our hotel, that was hidden. SO NICE OF HIM!!

Ninja Restaurant

What can I say, I think that Andrea and I have a fascination (at least I do) about stealthness and ninja techniques. I love being stealth! correction. I love trying to be stealth! I haven’t mastered it at all yet. So naturally, when we read:

“Ninja” is a theme restaurant located in Akasaka, Tokyo. The restaurant is designed as a ninja house, and there are some tricks in the building. Food are served by “ninja” who also performs magics for guests. The food are based on Japanese cuisine but are creative. The presentation of the food is beautiful and interesting. There are about 100 dishes to choose from. It’s recommended to reserve a room.

We were interested.

Our ninja training? – Was being escorted to our table, we walk  through a dark passage, and we listened to the water fall, walk walk walk, watch our step, walk walk walk, look at the pond below…see a school of fish right below us underneath the transparents glass…1…2…3…say NINJA!!

NINJA!

A moat comes down and we enter the restaurant.

I have to admit, that was quite nifty and got 2 thumbs up from me.

Our waitress was super nice, we ordered drinks (that were SO SMALL and basically virgin drinks), we ordered a ninja caesar salad, crab something, and sea bass on a golden cloud, lamb…all were presented to us using Ninja tricks.

The food was really god-awful. The crab had a fishy smell…and the sea bass was overcooked..and the golden cloud turned out to be whisked egg whites which just made both of us gasy.

We sat right behind Steven Spielberg’s signature, so that was somewhat fascinating. And Andrea kept on saying that this must be a tourist trap, but around us we saw alot of Japanese locals.  I think it’d be a really nice place to go on a date, amusing and something to laugh about later on. I haven’t been to dinner theatre before,  but I think i’d like it.

We were mesmerised by a magician, he was AWESOME, he put a coin in my watch, not in my watch, but between my watch and wrist. I was so shocked. I loved it! I love magic!

When we left the restaurant, we were escorted out, and I turned behind and was quite impressed how the waiter/manager was watching us walk away, and right when Andrea and I turned around to look back, he surprised us by stylishly opening a scroll *SHING!!* ” Please come back again!”

hahah PRICELESS!!

Electric Town – Akihabara Electric Town district (filled with electronics stores)– most fascinating at night with all of the bright lights

It took 30 minutes to get our check at Ninja, so that by the time we reached Akihabara, it was around close to 9?

We walked into a AM/PM store (equivalent to 7/11) and right away the clerk took out a map and pointed us the direction.

BRAVO!!!

We followed his directions, looked right, looked left, looking for bright lights, shameless electricity wastage…but everything was dark! We walked and walked, just couldn’t find any lights! We then asked a pedestrian where Akihabara was, he scratched his head and apologised that he didn’t know.

BRAVO!!!! An honest answer!!!

Turns out, we arrived too late! all the stores were closed, no lights. Fabulous! Too bad we didn’t get to see what everyone raves about. Oh well. We then set off to find…

Oishi Yakitori  Doko Desku?

I think it was on Anthony Bourdain (love him) where I saw him eat really fresh chicken under train tracks. Actually I am not a yakitori fan at all, – its simply chicken on sticks. Big whoop.

But, its something to do late at night, we didn’t have our itinery with us, but ANDREA remembered the subway stop! Really amazing!! She is a superstar.

Come to think of it, it is quite scary to walk down an alley below the train tracks asking complete strangers “Oishi yakitori doko desku?” I told Andrea that I would ask (which was a big change), I asked a young looking small guy…

Stacy: Sumimasen, Yakitori Oishi (hand gestures) doko desku?

Young looking guy: Oh, you want to eat yakitori?

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He spoke English! Talk about winning the jackpot.

His name is…Hideyoshi and he looks like Japanese anime. He was such a sweetheart, told us that most probably all the restaurants were closed, and walked us to the popular ones. We invited him to join us for supper and he was super happy about that. The diners were open but were on last order so they didn’t want to entertain us. Boo.

Anyways, he then walked us to the subway station, and we exchanged business cards, and when we said goodbye, Andrea gave him a hug! And his face looked as if he had been stunned. lol. I wish i captured it.  I also gave him a hug, and was surprised how he returned the hug. aww…

Roppongi – Gaijin Nightlife

We reached Roppongi. It was FREEZING. We went up to a place called Roppongi hills, which really reminded me of Singapore’s Marine parade area – Esplanade + Merlion place. At that moment, I pictured myself living in Japan, and I thought it possible.

Andrea and I decided to play a game, make eyecontact and smile at locals passing by us, and count how many return the smile. We weren’t obnoxious about it, very casual like, eyecontact …tiny smile and nodd…eyecontact …tiny smile and nodd…

Person 1, Person 2, Person 3….Person 10 – NO RESPONSE! really amazing. It says alot.

We exited the subway station, and tada! Roppongi! A strip where you can find TGIF fridays (is that the chain name?) and all other American restaurants and what nots. We were walking down the street, contemplating whether or not to try out some club, or maybe go to HardRock Cafe…

Backtracking a bit..right near the Ninja restaurant, we met 2 black couples touring in Tokyo, we smiled and said “Have a good evening” to them,and they replied “have a good evening too! *smiles*” Tourist are always friendly to eachother!  Yay!

So, when we were standing near HardRock cafe, we saw a group of black tourist (men), so Andrea and I smiled and nodded.

Then one of them, walks up to Andrea and says, “Hey Baby, (like…Baaybeh..) whatcha wanna do tonight? *sly greasy teeth twinkling grin*leaning wink*”

!!!!EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Andrea and I just turned right around and power walked out of that situation!!

Hilarious.

We ran out of that situation, and back to the hotel.  That pretty much sums up Day 5.

Alright…repeat after me, and I will do a vanishing trick…

1….

2….

3….

Ninja!!!

Waiting for a Star to Fall

Dear Readers,

I feel like break dancing to Boy Meets Girls – Waiting for a Star to fall. 

I am now in Chantaburi with Jeab. She is exhibiting her exquisite pieces of art this weekend, so I thought I would come to help her with sales and give her moral support (its her first trade show.)
Turns out that I am only playing my role as her moral support, because the only things I sold today were 2 headbands @100 = total 200<– meaning that I didn’t help one single bit.

Anyways, her guardian told us that today there will be a shooting star at 930pm.

Yay for shooting stars!

I was thinking about all the wishes I would like granted, and was anxious to get up to her roof terrace to catch the 930 spectacle.

930…931…932…and also we are standing on her roof terrace, which is huge, and I don’t know where to look!

At 9:57pm I see a flash of blue, a small flash of blue actually. Was that it?

Then at 1015 I see another flash of blue? Was that it?

Lying on the mat, looking at the sky, waiting for a star to fall…stars don’t fall on a schedule, they fall when they want to and disappointment is closely linked to anticipation.

Nonetheless, the moon is full and bright so made my wishes anyhoo.

Going up again to give it another shot. Shall I just stay there waiting for a star to fall, or should I make my wishes come true on my own merit/accord?

“I’ve learned to feel what I cannot see
But with you I lose that vision
I don’t know how to dream your dream
So I’m all caught up in superstition
I want to reach out and pull you to me
Who says I should let a wild one go free

Trying to catch your heart
Is like trying to catch a star
But I can’t love you this much baby
And love you from this far

Waiting for a star to fall
And carry your heart into my arms
That’s where you belong
In my arms baby, yeah”

Don’t know the song? DOWNLOAD IT.

or..listen to it here

la la la,
Stacy

Fabulous Japan – Day 5 – Saying Goodbye to Kyoto

Dear Readers,

Day 5 – Saying Goodbye to Kyoto

Total Distance Walked: 20 Km, Feet-Pain-O-Meter: 9

Theme of the Day: TBA

1. Orange Tori

Tori isn’t a snack,  Tori-s are gigantic arch like structures. Andrea read that it was a beautiful site, to go see 3,000 Tori lined up. And when she asked the Customer Service officer at the Hotel lobby, that woman was ’so sweet’ to even highlighted the subway station we had to get off.  She told Andrea that it would take us a 45 minute ONE WAY JOURNEY, and it would cost 140 yen to get there. 140 yen ONLY???

I seriously didn’t see whats the big deal about giant orange arches, but I decided that, yes we are in Japan and we are going to do as much as possible! So told Andrea that I was willing to wake up at 6, to take a 45 minute train ride to see this place, tour it for 1 hour, take a 45 minute journey back so that we can still squeeze in Nijo Castle before lunch.

Again our day started with a chewy energy bar, and we were sitting chatting on the train.

REACHED OUR DESTINATION IN FIFTEEN MINUTES.

FIFTEEN MINUTES

This is pure testament to local Japanese people’s lack of understanding of time and space.

Anyhoo, exiting the subway station worried Andrea a bit, because I misplaced my subway ticket, but I figured I could get away with smiling at the booth kiosk guy and asking him directions, and he let me out without asking to see my ticket! Great!

Our subway station was very local, in the sense that we landed in a real village, with real homes – no high rises. So it was nice to experience that. Turns out that the Orange Tori place was…

Fushimi Inari Taisha (tunnels of torii)

We woke up really early for this..

A shinto jinja (shrine) located in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan. Fushimi Inari Taisha is also famous for appearing in the film Memoirs of a Geisha It is especially well known for the thousands of vermilion torii lining the paths on the hill on which the shrine is located. The torii gates are all donations from individuals, families or companies. The Inari spirit is considered to be the protector of grains, especially rice, and has thus historically been associated with wealth. Companies often make offerings to Inari shrines in the form of barrels of rice wine (sake) or torii gates.

Good. A shrine for businesses. I prayed there and just absorbed the whole setting. Don’t remember anything from the Memoirs of the Geisha though.

2. Nijo Castle – UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

 Finally! A tourist attraction that has english signs and AUDIO tapes! I quickly paid 500 yen to listen to the Audio guide, I suggest this to anyone. That or…before going to Nijo Castle or any tour sites in general – DO RESEARCH.

The castle itself was very plain but somewhat grand at the same time. The highlight of the castle was the nightingale hall. Which was designed many many years ago using ‘high’ technology. They constructed it so that any weight on the floor boards would cause a squeak – a nightingale chirp.

Nijo Castle

Hence, the whole hall sounded as if we were surrounded by birds. The bum part of it was that we couldn’t hear what chirp sound we made individually. BUT then, Andrea and I found ourselves in a position where there were no other tourist with us, and we were tiptoeing on the boards and NO SOUND! We could be Ninjas!! (We had really good stealth experience at York!! HAhaha the RAID OF TATHAM HALL! MUAHAHAHAAahahahah good times good times..)

Well we could be ninjas. That – or the technology isn’t very good.

Nijo Castle Gardens

Andrea and I walked through the palace gardens, which was apparently a very ‘in’ trend in the 1500s for castles to have gardens. The Nijo Castle actually has 2 castles, but the other one was burnt down.

Um, the park was extremely nice, and we enjoyed our walk around there, it was close to 12, so we wanted to go and try that 100 year old restaurant. We couldn’t see the exit sign, so Andrea asked a Japanese woman where the exit was, and she pointed to us LEFT.  In front of us, I kinda saw a sign indicating another garden (close to the exit) that said to turn to the RIGHT, but I figured maybe her way was the real exit.

IT WASN’T. Andrea and I basically walked the whole outergarden and were stuck in Nijo Castle grounds for 30 minutes! In those empiral days, if you were a Ninja – you’d really need to know where you are going.

3. Lunch with  a TV star.

The 100 year old restaurant turned out to be closed, that or we decided to save our money for our NINJA dinner in Tokyo..forgot which. Anyhoo, we went to a local fastfood but GOOD food restaurant. TEMPURA! We had udon noodles with tempura, everything laid out buffet style for us to choose. I found the lunch quite good.

We couldn’t find a booth to sit at, so we placed our trays down at a counter and sat like a couple. haha. I went to get us green tea and more sauces, when I returned, Andrea was chatting with this American 40-5o year old man sitting at the opposite side of the counter.

You have to visualise, 2 counters facing eachother, separated by a board covering the face area only. So I could see his hands and food, but not his face. His name was Mike and he was the most chatty thing in the world. Andrea and I supposed that it was because he rarely ever met native English speakers in Japan, thats why he was talking at 100 words per minute. (alot)

He told us that he acted on BAYWATCH!!! My eyes POPPED OUT!!! (yes, I admit, I used to watch it on Starplus. Didn’t you?) And I was about to bombard him with questions like, so who did you play? were you Yasmin Bleeth’s boss or something? (because I didn’t recognise him) But right away he said – I was the doctor on Episode XX  (some number i forgot which)

A comedian!

He really was a comedian, an entertainer, teacher, musician, and ordained minister?

The best joke we heard was, when he conducts a ceremony he says, “Ladies and Gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness the joining of….*sees all the stone faced Japanese people*….so what time is the funeral?”

haha, fabulous.

3. Train to Tokyo

Sometimes I find that I am really too smart for my own good. I noticed that a bottle of water in the train station cost 150 yen, but on the train I remembered seeing a sign 120 yen, so waited to buy a bottle of water there. It was 120 yen for a 330ml bottle of water, FABULOUS. I almost died of thirst.

A few things about the train ride.

1. Andrea and I slept shamelessly. At the opposing aisle from us were 2 working Japanese men, who weren’t good looking at all, but presentable and stylish.  (Seriously, the only good looking Japanese guy in Japan is Hiro, ladies, if you want his number, ask me.) They must had chuckled quietly at Andrea and I. I don’t know about Andrea, but I was so exhausted when we sat down, that I actually slept with my mouth open – which I hardly ever do. When I feel myself starting to open my mouth, I’d wake up and fix the way I look, but this time, I just slept all the way. Not to mention that I am a head-bobber, and my head was bobbing towards the aisle..so much so that I was…

2. almost decapitated 2wice by the food trolley girl.  What is with trolley manners in Japan? They just ZOOOM by. Its crazy!

3. We filmed my funny North West video.

4. We saw Mt. Fuji for the 2nd time and Andrea musta taken 20 photos. But it was foggy

5. We didn’t get to see that nice Vietnamese family! A darn shame, I was looking forward to hearing about their tour. But it gets better. A few stations before Tokyo station, Andrea looked at the people walking on the platform, and she said, Hey Stacy! Isn’t that your guy with his parents!? She was right! He was on the same train as us but different compartment. He was walking 10 paces ahead of his parents, POWERWALKING with his poor small parents trailing behind. SO RUDE!!! Omg, was so shocked about that. Tsk tsk. Never judge a book by its cover. Lesson learnt. 

Last thoughts on Kyoto

I was so impressed on how Andrea and I conquered Kyoto in 2 days, by the 3rd day we were navigating the routes. The life in Kyoto is slower pace, and somehow I came out preferring Tokyo much more.

Perhaps we didn’t go during the right time, Kyoto is the place to visit when the cherry blossoms are blossoming and/or during the fall.

And 13 degrees in Kyoto is FREEZING COLD. I almost died – my teeth were chattering.

Also, I wish we went to Osaka, which was just a 30 minute train ride away .

Overall – I appreciated the very glam hotel we stayed at, and the lower cost of living in Kyoto than in Tokyo, and I found Kyoto folk to be much friendlier.

My rating? A thumb and a half.

That’s right I am a hard woman to please,
Stacy

For photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/skmkh2002/FabulousJapan2008