Continuation of Japan Trip

Mich~
Our focus now shifts back to Japan...continuation of Day 3...
The next stop was Tojimbo, and we visited this shop which sells different kinds of pottery. The potteries were very exquisite and delicate, but would be too expensive for us to bring them home...i suppose I wouldn't bear to use them too...

"Nice" prices too....

Thereafter, we proceeded to Kagahan, touring a place which sells a variety of Japanese sweets. The nice thing about this shop was that the staff would generously allow guests to try their Japanese sweets, serving you in a delightful and polite manner. Thus, by the time we left the shop, our stomachs were pretty full from all the FOC trying. Pity that we did not get to buy any of the sweets home 'cos the sweets would only last for about 2 days.

Next, we visited Kenrokuen in Kanazawa city, one of the 3 great gardens of Japan. Guess what? By the time we reach the garden, it started to.....SNOW!! We were getting zealous at the sight of snow flakes, playing around the garden like little kids on an excursion. The garden exudes charm and peace, coupled with interesting structures built in the olden days.

Oh my!! Snow...haha....

After a hearty lunch, we proceeded to Shirakawa-go, a world heritage site housing old farmhouses with steep roofs, resembling two hands folded for a prayer. The whole area was covered with white fluffy snow by the time we reach there. Once again, we toured the houses like eager children, awaiting to discover every nook and cranny of the area. At times, we would play amongst ourselves with the snow, and at other times, we would busy ourselves with capturing all the wonderful moments in our cameras. I could sense that everyone of us was reluctant to leave the place, because we were having a fun time there, away from the bustle of the city life.

I like the wallpaper

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Mich~

It has been 10 months since we started this blog. Phew! Time flies and we are ushering the new year in another 26 hours. :) I hope that as the new year comes by, we will grow wiser and happier.

The roads seem less congested this morning when I headed for work. But sadly, the heavy downpour during the evening somehow dampened our mood in going back home. Hopefully, it would not rain over the next few days.

Yeah yeah...new year comes with new clothes and new wishes....

Valentine's Day

Mich~

How did u spend your valentine's day today? Was it one of those days that you would indulge lavish gifts and dinner in each other, or was it one of those ordinary days that you would spend time together?

For us, it was celebrated with a simple dinner. Somehow, with the busy work commitments in the office, I felt that it was just any other ordinary day, ended with a hearty meal to reward ourselves.

And HM just told me she didnt find the person whom we met up 2 weeks ago suitable to be her soulmate. I felt a sense of pity for her (& XX), but did not want to impose my thoughts on her....

Wondering how she spent her valentine's day, but have yet to pluck up the courage to call her and send my regards to her........

(HM is my best friend since our secondary school days, and we have been through the ups and downs....)

Day 2 continues....

Day 2
Our next destination was Kyoto, and we had to ride the bullet train to reach there. It was a 10 minute ride, and surprisingly, we did not feel the train moving real fast when we were in the cabin. According to our tour guide, the train is very stable, thus its fast motion would not be felt by passengers. In addition, the longer the distance of your trip, the faster the train would travel. We travelled only one stop from Osaka to Kyoto, thus the train would not be cruising at its maximum speed.

Getting ready to enter the station....

Upon arrival, we headed for the Kiyomizu temple, whereby its location offers a panoramic view of Kyoto. This temple is widely revered by people, thus we were cautious not to do or say the wrong things inside the temple....of course, we prayed for the usual wishes, and may everyone's wishes come true in the near future!!

Majestic view, right??

Thereafter, we headed to a town called Awara, where there were hot springs in the resort we were staying. The guide strongly encouraged us to give the hot springs a try, as she felt that it would be a nice and refreshing experience for all, especially after 2 days of travelling on the roads.

Without much hesitation, we mustered courage ('cos u have to be naked!!) to experience the hot springs, going in groups of boys and girls. The 2 hot springs were separated by men and women. Basically, once u step in, you would need to undress, shower, before you head down for the soak. Hahaha..as it was my first time trying hot springs, I felt embarrassed, but was promptly overwhelmed by the heavenly spring water. It was such a revitalising soak after a hard day!! But do bear in mind that you should not soak for more than 10 mins, because your body might not be able to withstand the increase in your body temperature. 10 mins passed very quickly, as the few of us started chatting about the events of the trip.

After the soak, we dressed ourselves in kimonos, and indulged in sumptuous "settos" (that was what the guide told us) for dinner. What an unusual way to spend a day......

The nice settos we ate....