Last Party for emi chan!

We had the very very last party last friday for emi before he flew off back to France. In his drunken stupor a few weeks before, he made a promise to make french cuisine for us so everyone was looking forward to it. Well he was pretty game so he agreed to carry out with the deal. That made him (and me) really busy. He was running around getting Jan to share with him his recipe (Jan's a great cook!), gathering all the spices and making trips to the supermarket late at night, dragging me along. ( the supermarkets here closes at 12). But anyway to be on the safe side, a few of us, including me, Frederik ( a Sweden guy in my class), Sandra ( a Czech girl) decided to contribute to the food since well, we were expecting quite a number of people.

But all in all, Emi managed to get the food done! 3 cheers to him. It was some kind of beef stew. And really as what french cuisine is just like, he had to dunk all the beef into a whole of red wine for a day before it was done. I nearly fainted at that... haaa

But well, party of course many weird games played again.. Including my famous Hello Kitty Masquerade party and this time round changing heads around. Don't get what I mean? Look at the pictures then!

Emi the french chef in action! *look at my dirty kitchen*

The even great mess when everyone came over to prepare food! arrggggghhh =D

All of us! Ehh... and my long arms

The Hello Kitty fair comes on! Presenting the summer edition!

And the great body changing sessions!

Ok enough of the digusting pictures.. you get the idea don't you... heee

Be With You..

Read from Teck Guan's blog that this movie is currently showing in Singapore and apparently his friend couldn't find anyone to go with her to watch it because it is UNBELIEVABLE...

Well, just a few thoughts to share... name the top 3 most popular movies and inevitably Star Wars, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings comes to mind. Coincidently, all three are fiction isn't it? So whether a movie is unbelievable or not, it is not that important I guess. Do you think so?

For those who hasn't watch the movie, it was a super hit in Japan prompting the production of the drama currently airing now. The attraction of the movie isn't so much about its storyline but that of what Japan is famous for, touching lines, simple gestures saying a thousand words and a simply beautiful story. This movie touches on the deep love not just between a married couple but also that of the mother and son that suggests that such love transcends beyond the boundaries of life and death. The lady who supposedly got a glimpse of her future when she met with an accident at 20 chose to marry the same guy even though she knew eventually she has to part with them one day. Another part that touched me was when she went to the cake shop to make reservations for son's birthday for the next 12 years to come till he is 18. She knows she won't be around so she makes sure that someone, somehow remembers it on her behalf...

Well... for those who are going to watch this show. Go with an open heart. Relaxed, enjoy the great onscreen chemistry of the cast. Of course if you understand Japanese, you will enjoy it even more! (Btw, both the leads are really getting married in real life) Lastly, be prepared to cry buckets!

My self Potrait!

I received a very special present from Carol, my good friend about 3 weeks back when we were going to Kyushu for a holiday. Despite her claims that she drawn it during her exam period and her apologies that she didn't draw well, I think it is fantastic! Don't you think so? Go look in her blog and you will realised what a talent she is!

Can't use words to express how delighful I felt. It's such a personal gift that I deeply appreciate.

Thanks Carol! For the drawing, for the wonderful week in Kyushu, encouragements during the climb in Mt Fuji and lots of fun to come!

Hanabi!!!

My first in Japan's hot summer. Hanabi anyway is the fireworks festival. It is a season where Japanese will turn up in Yukata, a simpler form of Kimono and enjoy fireworks by the riverside. Along with it will be eating together, games and of course Japanese's favourite pastime, drinking beer!

Went with 8 other friends. It was fun meeting together and getting dressed up for it! Tying our hair together and adjusting our yukatas. Kinda felt like high-school prom kinda of thing.

But well.. enjoy the photos! more to come because this is only the start of summer!

The pretty girls!

Attempting to look demure.. failed??

Watching Hanabi with my "son" Emmi!

The very loving couple.. ahhh...

All of us!!

Strangely speaking, we gathered lots of stares everywhere we went... probably due to the foreigners among us wearing yukatas... good experience nevertheless!

Fuji Q- Highland...

Very very very very FUN!!!! Contrary to it's small size. It had really good attractions!

The world's longest and highest roller coaster, The fastest jet coaster. The longest and very scary haunted house and well with a fantastic view of Mt Fuji!

We all agree the trip to Fuji was a test of the limits of every part of our body. First it was our limbs then at Fuji Q highland it was our heart- our courage!

The haunted house was apparently so scary that one of my friends exited halfway haa... so leaving So, Emmi and I to complete the walk screaming all the way togther. Yes. The guys screamed so loudly too.

Jet coasters. I just shut my eyes throughout... too exciting! Can you imagine the fastest one goes up to 172km/h in just 1.8 seconds??

WOoh.... but I love the place. Great fun!

Our Jet coaster photo. -Fujiyama



In the haunted hospital...



The world's highest and longest coaster. 3.5 minutes long...

Mt Fuji conquered!

Yes... on the morning of July 6th, at 8am.

When the group of us reached the top, one comment was prevalent, " Unbelievable... Can't believe we did". Well, ok maybe just among 2 of us, Shiro and me.. haa But really, the path we chooe or rather So-san, our leader chose was reputably the toughest among all the treks. It was supposed to be for mid-advanced climbers and not amateurs like us! But well, he only knew that on the day of the climb so can't blame him either.

Ok the day started with 8 of us meeting at the Okazaki station at 5.40am in the morning. Yup, we had to do so because there were very limited bus services to the 5 station of the mountain which we will start the climb. But the early hours did not dampen our moods, we as usual went crazy with photos and jokes all the way till the 5th station.

Here's Carol and Emmi who stayed with me for the night before the climb: Too excited to sleep..

8 of us, still sane and energetic and the 5th station. (with Carol as the photographer)

So we went on our way... but well due to the vast difference in physical conditions, some of us were fast and some of us were slow... But never the less, we made it through the 6th, 7th and 8th stations together. See the wooden pole each of us have? There are services at each station to brand the station's mark and metres above sea-level on it.

only finished the story halfway... we made a night's stop at the 8th station meaning to get some rest but well with 8 noisy and excited people you will only get a night's non-stop worth of snores and tossing around. Especially when it was freezing... Poor Carol who slept beside me had to move to another futon. Well that's only because Emmi insisted on squeezing beside us to sleep... ha

ok.. cause of the rain we could only set off again at 5am in the morning... so cus of time contraints only 6 of us made it to the top... sighz... but yup we did!!!

Resting along the way...

The small and squeezy rooms... felt like the coolies in "Wu Shou Nan Yang"...

The beautiful sea of clouds!

Finally, the conquerers!

Hellp Kitty Self-made series

Everyone who knows something about the famous Japanese- mouthless Feline should know that one trait about it is its every-changing image. Hello Kitty, fondly refered to as Kitty-chan by Japanese have been seen in every image possible. Now let's see some self-made images by yours truly...

The male body-builder...

The female weight- lifter....




Ahh... half naked... Kitty's so hairy!



Sexy Kitty....

Promiscious Kitty....

People behind the "scenes"....

Your contribution is greatly appreciated by the audience and the cast...

Kyushu- Nagasaki, Fukuoka and Kumamoto

Managed to conquer this 3 cities on my 6-day "pilgrimage" to Kyushu...

It started with a long 12-hr bus ride from Nagoya to Nagasaki. By the time I got down the bus, my head was already in a state of confusion from the lack of proper sleep and also inactivity.

Ok we started the day off by visiting the Peace Park. Nagasaki, for those who don't know, was the other city after Hiroshima which US dropped a atomic bomb on. As I walked around the museum, it brought back some of the emotions I felt when I first visited Hiroshima. All of lives in our history textbooks, we were taught the atrocities by the Japanese troops during the occupation. We all know how much the Chinese especially the older generation hate them even till today.

Yet, the museum presented another side of the story, which is the innocent Japanese who were wounded and died in the bombings. I was really shocked to know nearly half of the city perished. The effects of the radiation are still felt till today. The way they died were just so gruesome.

Anyway Nagasaki is just so different from other Japanese cities. It is so unlike Japan! The fashion is different, streets are pretty dirty... could be due to the fact they were the "door" to foreigners in the past so the place is pretty much still under the influence of dutch for instance from the numerous dutch artifacts left behind.

Fukuoka on the other hand is the glitzy city. We could feel the difference immediately as we alighted the train. The bright neon lights, high acitivity level even till wee hours in the morning.. It is also the first time I ate in a road-side stall, called "Yatai" in Japanese.

Lastly in Kumamoto. Was supposed to go to a Volcano but well due to the rain, the plan was cancelled.. sadness... but well that's 6 days in Kyushu!