Osaka & Kyoto Trip Part 2

2nd day! We went on separate ways. Samantha, my mom and I went to Rinku Town(Osaka Factory Outlet), and my sister and her family will go to Legoland. Shop like crazy! Didn’t really take photo over at the outlets as I was busy shopping. Hahaha.

It’s not a very big Premium outlet, comparing with USA one, so you will be able to finish window shopping within 1 day. Unless you are somebody who every store you go in, you will stay for 2 hours kind. hahaha. Below are the brands of the Premium Outlet.

The total train ticket to Rinku Town is Yen3400 per person. But you are entitled to a Yen2000 shopping voucher when you collect the tickets from the train counter. Sooooooo… MORE DISCOUNT! Hahaha. I went Rinku town, not hoping to buy anything other than shoes, because Japanese guys are mostly small size people. So there is no reason for them to produce more XXL sizes items.

But, I WAS WRONG! THEY HAVE MY SIZES! Hahaha. I shop like siao! Hahaha. Shoes, shorts, clothes, socks. Hahaha. Quite a lot. Hahaha. And guess what…. Their price is just abit more expensive than the USA Premium outlet! Like the Ralph Lauren t-shirt, it costs about $10 in USA. In Osaka, it’s $18. And Europe, $35. WoOOOooOO! I’ve been to all 3 Ralph Lauren Outlet, so I’m quite correct in the pricing! Hahaha. Total expenses in Rinku Town for Samantha, my mom and I is $1000. So it’s still reasonable. hahahaha. But we really bought super a lot of things. The pram was useful that day. Everything load on the pram and we just carry Mikaela. Shopping bags are much heavier than Mikaela. Hahaha.

After shopping,  we went to Coco Curry Restaurant to eat before going back to our apartment. When Samantha and I went to Tokyo, we ate Coco Curry nearly everyday because it was so damn good! But…… Osaka one, wasn’t so good. And the waiter was always in a black face when serving us. Maybe he thought that we were PRC, so not really interested in serving us. So after finishing our food, we left the restaurant. It started to rain quite heavily. We quickly went into a shopping mall near Rinku Town. Then suddenly, I felt a person tap my shoulder, turned around, I saw the waiter who serve us from Coco Curry, he came to return us our under armor purchases! The bag contains about $200plus under armor stuffs that we just bought! He was so honest! What really impressed me was that he came running to find us through the heavy rain. We said thank you and without asking for tips, he went off back to work. We felt that how can we don’t tip him!?! So my mom went back to the restaurant, gave him Yen1000. At first he kept refusing it, but we insisted then he took it. Smiling widely. =)

After shopping, we went back to our apartment. Waited for my sister they all to be back before going out for dinner. We went to Dotonbori Street to get our dinner. There were lots of restaurant over there. That place look like Taipei Xi Men Ding. Crowded with lots of young people. And……. Taiwanese and China people as well! They were shouting in chinese, “大减价，进来买哦！！！” I didn’t acknowledge them because I can’t stand their 撒娇 voice! Ewwwww…..!!! Think of it also hair stand… Hahahah.

So we walked around and when the kids started to say they are hungry, we just anyhow choose a restaurant. WORST MEAL IN OSAKA!!!! Hahaha. At the first floor, there will a person approaching you and ask you to come and dine at their restaurant. As it looks like an traditional Japanese restaurant, decided to go ahead there. The restaurant was at the 4th floor. We ordered some of their recommended food shown on the menu. And when the food came. It’s not super bad. But it’s just normal. Not like it’s super nice. Ok… Im choosy, but I really love Jap food. My past experience at Japan, the food are damn awesome! So much better than Singapore Jap restaurant! They food is at most, Sakae Sushi standard. Hahaha. Then came the bill. It was Yen9480!! So expensive and not super impressive. We left and didn’t want to come back here again. Hahaha. I didn’t manage to take a photo of the entrance of the restaurant. But trust me, it’s really normal… Don’t waste time and money there.

This actually their signature dish. I don’t know why… Hahaha.

As my sister and her family wants to walk around first. Samantha, my mom and I went back first to let Mikaela sleep first.

My sis they all came back about 9plus, Mikaela couldn’t sleep once they are back because she wants to play with her cousins. Hahaha. Knowing that the apartment does not a TV, I used my laptop for them to watch movies. 4 of them gather together to watch Zootopia! Hahaha! It was such a sweet sight, so I quickly took photo of that.

The following day :

Separated day as well. Hahaha. My mom went with my sis to Nara Park to feed the deers. Hahaha. Heard from sister that my mom was being chased by the deers as her was holding on to their food. Hahaha. There’s a video and photo of my mom running away but it’s with me. The photo is quite a funny photo. Hahaha!

Samantha and I went to Universal Studios Japan instead. The reviews from my friends are that it’s awesome! Must not miss it! It’s damn fun! Hahaha. So yeah… We decided to go ahead. Highly recommended from Eileen that we need to buy the express ticket into to enter into Hogwarts area. Eileen and Samantha is hardcore Harry Potter fan! Hahaha. As the online service is removed from their website, we can only purchase the tickets at the Park itself. WEIRD RIGHT? Hahaha. Anyway, we reached about 11plus in the morning, spoke to the counter person. She showed the amount we need to pay for express tickets, it’s $200(SGD)plus per person!!! WHAT THE SHIT! SO DAMN EXPENSIVE SIA!!!! Then I saw a brochure indicating that people can buy annual pass for $300(SGD). I just top up $100 more I can go USJ for the next 1 year! Hahaha. In the end, we did’t get the express tickets as we went to Orlando Universal Studios before and it’s the main Universal Studios, so I guess we won’t need the express tickets, and Im not daring enough to take the rides on my own. I will die…..

Went in, first impression was… Wwwwwww… That’s big. Hahaha. The entrance looks like the Singapore but much wider.

We had our lunch at 3 Broom sticks. The menu all is the same as USA universal studios. No Sushi or curry. Hahaha.

After lunch, we left, as the park is quite the same as the Orlando one, just that it’s smaller. But I got to admit, Japan one got more space. Hahaha. Orlando US is quite cramped up together, as they will want to cover more universal movies.

On our way back to the apartment, we went to BIC Camera to purchase some camera stuff.

After a whole day of walking and walking. We decided to take a cab back to our apartment. We were at Namba, so the cab fare should be still affordable. CAB Starting Fare : Yen680.

Its like nearly $8plus once you board the cab. Its way more expensive than Singapore cabs. We were damn tired, went into the cab at the taxi stand. No queue. WOoOOo! Shiok! Went in, showed the address of our apartment from our itinerary. He said, “ok ok”, came out of this cab, and open our door and say something like, “you can walk, it’s very near.” Then he kept pointing to a direction. Then he went back into his cab. WOW! First time too rejected by cab because it’s near! I thought nearer will be better? Save petrol more? No? Hahaha. Anyway, in the end we walked, and luckily we didn’t follow his instructions, we used google map and the direction he pointed to us was wrong… Hahaha.. Heng ah! Never get into his cab, if not sure damn expensive.

 

To be Continued…..

Osaka & Kyoto Trip 2016

Yeah! Just came back from Osaka & Kyoto. Went with my whole family(except for my Dad). Its like… hmmm… Maybe 16 years since the last time I went overseas with my sister. Very long hor?? Hahaha.

Anyway, as usual, Samantha helped us planned the itinerary. She is really damn “zap” in doing trip itinerary! Fun fun fun! Shopping shopping shopping! Sight-seeing sight-seeing sight seeing! Hahaha. In total, we went for about 9D8N.

Was excited in going to Osaka, as we heard that Osaka is the kitchen for Japan. It’s where all the delicious food ah! Hahaha.

We arrived at Osaka Airport at about 9plus at night. We hired a airport transfer company to send us to our airbnb location. As we are quite a big group, they gave us a big van! WoOOoo!! Comfortable ride!

Very comfortable and the driver skills was good. HENG AH!!! Hahaha. We reached out airbnb location. We reached our airbnb apartment at about 10plus. It’s about 45mins drive from the Kansai Airport to our location at Nipponbashi area. So…. There was nothing to do for that day. Just went down to the family mart to buy some food as most of us are hungry.

I got to admit that Japan food are really so wonderful! Even if it’s bought from Familymart or Lawson(another mini mart chain). The whole trip, every morning we will eat sandwiches purchased from Familymart. It’s so freaking soft! DAMN NICE LA!!! WHY SINGAPORE SANDWICH CANNOT LIKE THAT! Hahahaha.

Didn’t take photo of the place we stayed as we were always so tired when we are back home. Hahaha. Just want to relax. And we just dump the things everywhere, so it looks messy. Oh yah! Just to mention, their toilets are so dangerous! Bathroom, it’s a bit translucent, so if you did not draw the curtains, people will be able to see your beautiful body. hahahaha! 1 amazing thing about this trip was that, there are 9 of us in this trip, and for both the apartment, we only had 1 urinal toilet!!! Hahaha. We survived! Didn’t had a moment where by 2 person started to shout for toilet together. Hahaha!

2nd day, woke up.. Took our delicious breakfast, and off we go for some sight seeing! Explore Osaka! Japan seriously is all about walking walking and walking. I think I’m damn pampered in Singapore. Not much of a walking person. So when we started to walk, I was the first one usually to lose the energy. Hahaha.

To walk to Nipponbashi station, it’s only a 5mins walk from our apartment. Very near la. Walked 10mins to Ichiran Restaurant. So our apartment was rather good. =)

My sister mentioned that she read ironladychef blog post about Japan. He mentioned that if you never eaten Ichiran before, you’ve never been to Japan! Hahaha. Got so KUA ZHANG ANOT!? Hahaha. But we love Ichiran! Delicious!

The last time I went to Ichiran was during 2013 when I went to Tokyo. So I totally forgot how to order. Hahaha. So when I saw the red sauce thingy, I just put as regular, thinking that it will be just like a sweet sauce. Hahahaha. And there came my noodles! Then Samantha saw my bowl had the red sauce, and she ask me if I knew that the red sauce if actually like their chillis. I was like “OMG!!!!” hahaha. But order already, no choice. Just eat. And surprisedly, its very nice! Not spicy at all! Maybe it’s regular, so the power is not there yet. Hahaha. Heng ah….

As the 2nd day, we don’t want to waste too much energy, we just visited 2 location. 1st is the Kuromon Ichiba Market. Highly recommended by our friends and family members. They say got a lot of good food! Hahaha. So off we went to that place first to eat some good food!

This salmon sushi is freaking $40!!! Hahaha. SGD40! Hahaha. And it’s quite huge. So after taking just 2 sushi, I was rather full. Hahaha. But Samantha insist I finish it because it’s $40. hahaha. I got to admit, it’s delicious. The best salmon sashimi I ever tasted.

This Kuromon Market is really quite crowded. Plus the weather wasn’t really cooling. I perspire like crazy. Hahaha.

After Kuromon Market, we went to the Cup noodles Museum. And we got to take the train there!!! OMG!!! hahaha. Stairs, stairs, STAIRS EVERYWHERE! Luckily I got pram with me, I can use the lift for some places. Hahaha. But there are times when the station doesn’t have any lift, so got to carry the pram up the long flight of stairs. Luckily Melvin was helping me to carry also, each 1 side. It was much easier. Oh… just to add on, Mikaela was sleeping inside the pram. So, it’s double the weight and climbing up the stairs! I need to breath like crazy when I reached the top. Hahaha.

Cup noodles Museum wasn’t super interested.The most fun part will be that you are able to do your own Cup noodles! Any flavors or topping you want. WoOoo! Hahaha.

It was a fun experience for the kids! Hahaha. After the museum, we went to eat Ichiran. Bringing a pram is seriously troublesome sia. Ichiran queue line are so narrow, so when I was exiting the restaurant, imagine with my size and that big pram, how difficult it was for me to get out of the restaurant. I think my shoulder or the pram knocked into everybody. Hahaha. I can only keep saying, “sorry, excuse me” x10 times. Hahahaha.

So that was our 1st day in Osaka. Minimum itinerary because got kids, surely will be tired for them. And plus we adults, Hahaha. We are bit weaker. Kidding… Hahaha. We just want to have a relax trip. Leave the busy place and enjoy ourselves.

Shall blog more on the trip this week. =)

Proposal

Just last Friday, celebrated Samantha’s birthday at our place with our close friends. Were chatting about our old times. How slim we were, what stupid things we did. Hahaha. It was a great chat. Scrolling through our Facebook, finding photos that we took like many years ago.

While scrolling through the photos, Tina mentioned that she has the photos of my proposal to Samantha in her Facebook account. Hahaha! I was surprised! Been trying to find the photos, but don’t really can look it up my Facebook as it’s like 7 years ago? I think I will seriously need to scroll and scroll all the way til the end to find the photos. Hahaha.

The proposal was on my birthday celebration. Samantha planned a birthday party on my birthday. We booked a room at Riz Carlton to just celebrate with our friends on that day. All of my friends who came to the celebration were told before hand that I was going to propose. So whenever Samantha is not looking, they will like give me a “jia you” face. Hahaha. So after all the birthday song, I begin thanking everyone who came, and lastly, thank Samantha, and there… I proposed! Hahaha.

When I decided I want to propose, I needed some help to get Samantha’s ring size. So Serena(Sam’s sister), helped me by going to jewelry shops, just to try try and have a feel. Hahaha.

So here we are! Married for 5 years! Dated for… 11 years! Hahaha. Long huh. Yeah! Happily married!

*Today is not our anniversary* Just wanted to just write something happy. Been very negative for the past few weeks. =)

 

 

You can only trust God

This period life is not a easy period for me. Maybe one of the toughest period I’ve ever encounter. Don’t know how to describe into words how I’m feeling right now. I can only trust God that He will bring me through this once again.

Been thinking and praying a lot recently. Isolating myself from those people that I feel that will never understand what I’m going through.

Anyway, this post is just to remind myself to always pray and seek God during good times, during bad times.

Always remember that during bad times, you should cry out to God and never blame God for what you are going through. Every difficult moments you face, God allows it because He believes you will be able to pass the test. Remember that… You will go through it.

It’s pretty amusing that people will tend to blame God for every bad things that is happening around them. We know that it’s only God that can bring them out of that situation, so why are we always blaming God for it?

Watched Lord of the Rings recently, Pst Ulf mentioned before that that the story is somewhat related to God. I can’t remember which part did he mention about it. It’s like the ring is some sin or what. I can’t recall. But what I do realize in that movie is that it reminded me of Jesus and myself when we are together in the walk to my destiny together just like Sam and Frodo. Hahaha. It sound stupid, but it’s a comforting assurance for me.

Remember Sam(Jesus) is the faithful friend of Frodo(Me) when Frodo was on their mission to drop the ring into the volcano to destroy the Sauron. During the journey, Sam just faithfully follows and protect Frodo. Mid way to the destination, Gollum(Devil) came along and acted like a a servant, promising to serve Frodo, bring him to the destination, but his ulterior motive is to get hold of the ring. Gollum knows that Sam doesn’t trust him at all and always be protecting Frodo away from Gollum, so… he started making Frodo doubt Sam of his friendship and trust. When things started to get difficult, Frodo just blame Sam for everything, and eventually Gollum convince Frodo to ask Sam to leave and he will be the “best friend” to bring Frodo to the destination. Isn’t that us as well?? Always during difficult time, you always have a thought that why is God doing this to you? Why why why??? Then you will feel, “I don’t think I need God to reach my goal, I can always do it alone.” So you stopped praying, stop seeking.

Next part the story, Gollum betrayed Frodo. Frodo ended up got caught by the Orcs. And you know who came back to rescue Frodo? Of course it’s Sam! He didn’t leave Frodo, he just stay away watching from a distance, ensuring that Frodo is still safe. Isn’t this what Jesus always does? We ask him to go away, but He will always be watching from a distance, to give us the free will decision, but if we make a mistake, He will always be there to fix it for us.

When finally Frodo and Sam reached the Volcano, Gollum never gives up even tie the very end. They had a fight, in the end Gollum fell into the volcano and died with the ring. In the midst of the fight, Frodo and Gollum fell down towards the Lava, but Frodo grabbed hold of  the edge of the rock, but he doesn’t have the strength to climb back up, so once if he has no more strength to hold on, he will also drop into the lava. It’s like us also isn’t it? When you are at the end, you seriously need help to climb back to where you are, you need help. You need to seek God, cry out to Him. Sam came, he said to Frodo “don’t you give up, all you need to do is to reach out to me, grab my hand.” When I saw that sentence, I know it’s time to reach out to God. Only He can bring you through. Only Him alone.

Thank you Jesus.