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I'm baaacccckkk!!! :) First of all, thank you Lord for the safe journey home. Amen.
Many apologies... I know, it has been a while since I last updated my blog. That's because I just got back from my holiday trip with my hubby!!! It's really nice to hv a break in between your busy schedule... :) Yep, we've been travelling again... and this time, we decided to go back again (after our honeymoon). Which country I'm talking about here??? Well, it's located in the Pacific Ocean. Some people identifies it as the "land of the rising sun"... can you guess it now? Yes, it's Japan! When we first visited Japan few years back, we said we will return again, and I'm glad and blessed that it finally come true. Hubby said that this was the 2008 anniversary gift for me. I would said that this is the "long-awaited-postpone-break" for us (since hubby has been working very hard lately with no holidays)! :D Anyhow, I'm glad that it finally happened! :DThis time we planned to take it easy and enjoy as much time we have strolling around the country. We did it! :) And we managed to catch a few mins of snow while at Mt Fuji while we were enjoying the breathtaking view of Mt Fuji. Hubby particularly like the onsen there (everyday we dip into the volcano water) and their food too (freshly prepared)! I never see my hubby so eager to want to eat sushi before... heheheh.... well, good for him at least this is not meat/poultry. Fish is always better and healthier options, and what's more he enjoys it! :) Whilst, I am enjoying the shopping, their delicious cakes & pastries, the cherry blossoms and most of all my camera & new lense. I must say the food there is more of an art than just plain food. They not only look scrumptious but they look very artistic too.... you can feel your slyver oozing out from your mouth the moment you see food! :) I'm not kidding dude. Hubby said that we've shot almost 5,000 photos in this trip alone...WOW! I never thought of so many before!!!!! Well, maybe it's because we are LUCKY enough to see & share the full bloomed of cherry bloosoms while we were in the city of Tokyo. I have to say this was the right timing at the right place! :D We would like to thank the Lord for the wonderful blessings and the safe journey throughout Japan. Also, along the way, we have met up with the very nice Japanese who were so kind and nice to help us snap a few photos. All in all, we had more fun than before and we truely cherish it! Hubby said he would want to make it an annual trip to Japan in the coming future. I wish so too! :) Hopefully, next we would see the beautiful Hokkaido very soon! ;-) Arigato! :)
Ahhh... my experience tells me the truth about one fact on Japanese behaviour. Recently after my visit to Japan, the thoughts which still lingers in my mind (up to today when I read this news) was that why most Japanese behaving so subcluded among their society. The article belows strengthen the fact that my thoughts about them is not only true but the issue was also known world wide. This article was published way back in 2005. Please read as follows: UN racism expert reports on JapanGENEVA (Kyodo) - Friday, July 1, 2005 - The U.N.'s expert on racism and discrimination will visit Japan for the first time this month to assess the situation of minorities and foreigners in Japanese society. Doudou Diene of Senegal, special rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights, on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, will arrive in Japan this weekend for a fact-finding mission to last through July 12.
Diene said Wednesday he has asked the government to allow him to study the perception and interaction of foreigners and minorities in Japanese society, and to see how the country's strong national identity is coping with the challenges of multiculturalism in a globalized world. Diene said he has specifically requested a meeting with Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara or a senior representative from his office.
He said his visit is aimed at gauging the extent to which Japan is complying with its international human rights obligations. At issue are concerns linked to discrimination and xenophobia. He said he wants to determine what structures and strategies are in place to remedy the problems.
"As a world power in an era of globalization, Japan has to expand to the outside world," he said. "But its society is still closed, spiritually and intellectually centered." Diene added that such conflicting positions could create tensions that lead to racism and discrimination.
Diene will travel to Osaka, Kyoto, Sapporo and Tokyo, where he will meet with government officials and visit various communities. Diene will focus on minorities of Korean and Chinese descent, while also looking into the situation that migrants from the rest of Asia, the Arab world and Africa find themselves in as they settle in Japan.
Today while I was searching for info. on things we "must do" in Japan, I stumbled on this page. The info is as follows:The Express On Sunday Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge ~ here are so many experiences to pack into a trip to Japan and so much unique culture to explore.With prices lower than you expect and a highly developed, first-world infrastructure to work with, doing so is easier than you think. DAVID ATKINSON (a British) looks at the essential Japanese experiences: 1. Ride the bullet train (Shinkansen) Imagine yourself on a public transport system. A suited official wishes you a pl
easant journey as he enters the carriage and bows respectfully after checking your tickets. A trolley service wheels mouth-watering boxed lunches, cold beers and hot coffee through the carriage as you power through the countryside and the ride is so smooth that, despite thundering along at recordbreaking speeds, you barely even feel the sway. Where could this be? Only on Japan's bullet train, the most efficient travel system in the world. Uniquely Japanese, it offers 174 high-speed connections per day from Tokyo to Kyoto. So, arm yourself with a JR Rail Pass - you must buy this before arriving in Japan - and enjoy the ride (www. japanrailpass. net). From 28,300 yen pp (GBP140) for a seven-day pass.2. See the cherry blossoms
The peach and plum blossoms make a tentative appearance in early March but it's the flowering of cherry blossom or '"sakura" from early April that marks the official arrival of the Japanese spring. In doing so, it unleashes a tidal wave of sakura seekers, Japan's answer to New England's leaf twitchers. Parks across Japan - Tokyo's Yoyogi Park is a favourite (above) - come alive at this time of year packed with everyone from picnicking families to teenage rebels, breaking off from impromptu gigs to admire cascading blossoms on the wind.It's a zen thing, they say.
3. Visit an onsen resortThere are more than 2,000 onsen (hot springs) scattered across Japan, from the frozen north to the tropical south. These rural retreats, which evoke the traditions of feudal rural life, were once places to ease the aching muscles of rice farmers after the harvest. Today, many have become tourist attractions in their own right, the majority accessible via the bullet train network. The onsen experience requires three elements: a wooden bathhouse, the smell of sulphur coming off the water and a host of aged regulars lolling around in yukata (kimonostyle dressing gowns), the latter having already achieved the state of postsoaking nirvana known as "yude-dako" or the boiled octopus. From GBP25pp.4. Stay at a ryokan
Ryokan are Japan's answer to the British B&B - but with a Japanese twist.These authentic, old-style guest houses are bastions of tradition and offer visitors a wonderful opportunity to sample traditional Japanese life. Typically, guests check in from mid afternoon for a piping hot bath in a communal washroom, followed by a slap-up dinner featuring fresh local produce. Guests bed down on futons on traditionally minimalist tatamimat floors with a flask of green tea to keep them company. Gentle slumbers guaranteed. From approx GBP40 per night.
5. Go kitschThe Japanese are notoriously faddish and obsessed with kitsch. One w
ord you will constantly encounter in Japan is "kawaii", meaning cute, and it's applied to everything from Hello Kitty to Winnie the Pooh. The kitsch doesn't come much finer, however, than the theme parks close to Tokyo, such as Tokyo Disneyland and Sanrio Puroland, dedicated to Hello Kitty and other cartoon characters.The latest kitsch fad is food theme parks. Two of the most popular are currently Ikebukuro Gyoza Stadium with various gyoza (dumpling) dishes by famous restaurants across Japan, and Ice Cream City, dedicated to 10 ice-cream stores. Here, also I've with me another blogger who share his experience while he was in Japan. Check this out - http://quaisi.net/10-things-you-must-do-in-japan/
Current Climate in Japan: Spring in Japan starts from March to May. In early spring, there are still cold days when a heavy coat is needed, but in May it gets warm enough during the day that only a short-sleeved shirt is needed. Although there may be days when it gets colder in the morning and evening, most days are generally warm and comfortable. The tourist sites, therefore, are crowded with many people enjoying the balmy weather especially when the sky is clear and the humidity is low -an ideal condition for sightseeing.Spring in Japan is associated with cherry blossoms. Since olden times, cherry blossoms have captivated the hearts of the Japanese people. The traditional custom of hanami is to visit mountains and parks with cherry blossoms and hold sake-drinking parties beneath the cherry trees in full blossom. Tokyo's Ueno Park (which we will visit) and Mt. Yoshino in Nara are famous spots for viewing cherry blossoms. The greatest charm of sightseeing in Japan is surely the seasonal change, such as the cherry blossoms of spring and the crimson and golden leaves of autumn. Below is the map of Japan where in 8 days time me & my keke will be there to set foot on their land. We are so so thrilled and can't wait to see Japan! :) 
See you in Japan! =)
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