Super blue blood moon

Super blue blood moon and lunar eclipse, view from my backyard.

#historyinthemaking 

#iphone8camera

Kyoto Osaka 2017 | The planning Vs The actual Itinerary

The Actual Itinerary...

Day 1 - 24/11

1. Travel to KL
2. 2am (25/11) fly to KIX

Day 2 - 25/11

1. 8am reach KIX
2. 11am reach Kyoto, lunch then checkin to New Miyako Hotel.
3. Tofuku-ji Temple, Autumn balcony, 400yen

Day 3 - 26/11

1. Kodai-ji Temple
2. Yasaka Shrine

Day 4 - 27/11

1. Moved to New Hankyu Hotel
2. Steam Museum / Kyoto Railway Museum
 Fee:

• General admission (18 years and older): 1,200 yen
• University and high school students: 1,000 yen
• Junior high and elementary school students: 500 yen
• Children (3 years and older): 200 yen
• Fees for “The SL Steam" - 300 yen

Day 5 - 28/11

Day Trip to Arashiyama

1. Kyoto Station - Saga-Arashiyama Station 240yen
2. Buy Sagano Romantic train ticket as soon as we reach Arashiyama, got the 4pm ride.
3. Arashiyama Togetsukyo Bridge, then to Bamboo forest
4. Sagano Romantic train
•   Adult 620yen Child 310yen

Day 6  - 29/11

1. Nishiki Market and Anime Street
2. Gion Shirakawa

Day 7 - 30/11

1. Fushimi Inari Shrine (alone)
2. Kyoto Aquarium 11am - 3pm
3. To Osaka. Checkin to Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Osaka.
4. Takashiyama Shopping Mall

Day 8 - 1/12

1. Kuromon Market
2. Takashiyama Shopping Mall

Day 9 - 2/12

1. Dotonbori & Shinsaibashi
2. Moved to an Airbnb

Day 10 - 3/12

1. Kuromon market (alone)
2. Takashiyama Shopping Mall
3. To airport, flight back to KL at 10pm

Day 11 - 4/12

1. Flight back to Kuching

Budget:

Flight tickets = RM4574.62
Accommodation = RM7805

Notes:For the 2nd time, we have to skip Nara again.  A good excuse for us to come back to Osaka/Kyoto for the 3rd time :)

At KIX, after a long sleepless night on the plane, kids still have plenty of energy and were very excited of the cold weather.

The planning...

Day 1 - 24/11

1. Travel to KL
2. Midnight fly to KIX

Day 2 - 25/11

1. 8am reach KIX
2. 10am reach Kyoto, check hotel.
3. Tofuku-ji Temple, Autumn balcony, 400yen

Day 3 (if not Rain) - 26/11

1. Kyoto Station - Saga-Arashiyama Station 240yen
2. Sagano Romantic train
•   Adult 620Child 310
3. Bamboo forest
• Arashiyama Boat Rental (Arashiyama Tsusen) 
  Opening hours:
  9am-4:30pm, last application 3:30pm
  Price: 1400yen/hour 

Day 4 (if rain) - 27/11
4.1 Steam Museum            
General admission :

Adult (18 years and older): 1,200 yen

University and high school students: 1,000 yen

Junior high and elementary school students: 500 yen

Children (3 years and older): 200 yen

Museum hours	10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (No admission after 5:00 p.m.)	Every Wednesday (open on holidays) and year-end through New-Year season (12/30 to 1/1).

Fees for “The SL Steam” Please purchase at the steam locomotive boarding area.

High school students and older 300 yen

Children aged 3 and older 100 yen

4.2 Kyoto Aquarium 10am - 6pm

Day 5 - 28/11

1. Nishiki Market and Anime Street
2. Gion Shirakawa, then to Yasaka Shrine (optional)

Day 6  - 29/11

1. Fushimi Inari morning market
2. Kiyomizudera Temple

Day 7 - 30/11

1. To Osaka
2. Kuramon Market
3. Dotonbori
4. Nipponbashi (anime)

Day 8 - 1/12

1. to Nara 740yen/per/way

Day 9 - 2/12

1. Free and Easy

Day 10 - 3/12

1. Church
2. 2pm to KIX
3. 10pm fly to KLIA2

Day 11 - 4/12

1. 4am reach KLIA2
2. 9am fly Kuching

*These are for day-time sightseeing
*Night/dark for indoor/mall shopping

Dolphin Show at Kyoto Aquarium

Dolphin Show, is the highlight of our visit to Kyoto Aquarium in Nov 2017.

The 25-min show was full of excitement and laughter, even though we didn't know a single word of that they were saying (ok maybe we understand 1-2 words) , but they (the performers and the dolphins) make it so interesting that you feel like you understand the whole things and it makes you want to laugh and even cry at some point. I loved it.

Dolphin show time : 11.30am and 12.30pm

Operating hour : 10am - 4pm

Entrance fee:
Adult : ¥2,050
University and High School Student : ¥1,550
Junior High School and Elementary School Student : ¥1,000
Child (3 and over) : ¥600

More info on http://www.kyoto-aquarium.com/en/info/index.html

Pork Noodle at Pyramid Foodcourt

Thanks to a fellow blogger, Rose, I came to know about this foodcourt.

I passed by this road at least once a week, but I never noticed the existence of this foodcourt.  After knowing that there’s a next-generation of Noodle Descendant aka Bishopgate Pork Soup is here, I decided to bring hubby for a try.

So, off we go on Saturday morning after sending the kids to school.

Here’s the foodcourt.

 And this is the stall: Bishopgate Pork Soup

Our food were ready no time.

We ordered 2 set for the plain noodle that comes with a bowl of mix pork soup.. RM8 per set

You will see this signage from the main road.

What I like about this foodcourt is that there are plenty of parking space and you can even wash your car next door while having your breakfast.  Food serves in no time, tables are plenty, so fast and easy.  Will definitely be coming back.

The car was next door.

The location.  Jalan Datuk Bandar Mustapha, Kuching.

Updated May 2022: This place is closed down now, the Pork Noodle moved somewhere else.

ohhh Boots! In Japan

Adoi, banyak nya boots yang cantik di Japan.

Design sleek and simple, quality tip top, jahitan kemas, nampak keras tapi bila dah disarungkan ke kaki, lembut la pulak rasa, sedap gitu.

Rambang mata iouls..

Kita cuba yang Suede pulak, kiri lain, kanan lain.

Yang mana satu pilihan kalbu.

Suede vs Leather, from Mr. Google I learnt that Suede takes more TLC than Leather, tapi cantik la Suede, sedap dipegang pulak tu.

Made In Japan vs Not Made In Japan, generally those Made in Japan cost more than non-Japan, setanding harga dengan yang Made in Italy.  Tapi dah alang-alang di Japan, takkan nak beli yang dari negara lain pulak kan.

ohh ya, I noticed that all the shoes/boots/handbags that I checked in Japan does indicate from which country it is from.  Kalau tanya Leather kulit apa, the sales lady will check in her file and inform you the material.  Dah balik Kuching, pergi tengok-tengok kasut kat Parkson takda satu pun yang ada tanda Made from where. hmmm..semua Made in Malaysia kot.

Ha... hubby pun dah terjebak.

Yes, I bought a pair of boots in Japan, the most expensive one that I have thus far.

See also ohh Boots! In Beijing

ohh Boots! In Beijing

Since it's end of Autumn, coming to winter, basically almost every ladies wear boots when I was in Beijing.  Men mostly wear sneakers.

Boots dekat kedai pun melambak... see..

No, I didn’t buy any new boots while in Beijing.

I think boots in Hong Kong are more appealing; then again, maybe boots in Beijing are better suit for the coming extreme cold winter.

See also: ohh Boots! In Hong Kong

Hui Hui Xiang Restaurant, Beijing

Hui Hui Xiang, a halal restaurant in Beijing.

Located within walking distance from Tourism Malaysia office Beijing.  There are few other halal reatuarants in this area too.

Fresh yogurt.

Pentahotel Beijing

3-18 Chongwenmenwai Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 北京市 China, 100062.

I had a pleasant stay in Pentahotel during my trip to Beijing.

Location is good, hotel very clean, wifi are ok, NO access to Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram, Google, Blogspot, so ya, I am practically disconnected from the world.

Walking distance to Beijing New World Shopping Mall.

And walking distance to subway station.

The check-in counter.

Lobby area.

The cafe/breakfast area.

Our messy-messy room.

Views from our room.

Sunset views. 

My few days of breakfast spread.

Plain porridge with red bean curd.

Again, plain porridge with red bean curd, and sweet corn rice porridge.

Again, plain porridge with red bean curd plus salted seaweed.

Again, plain porridge with red bean curd plus salted seaweed.

Again, plain porridge with red bean curd.

Hari-hari saya makan bubur nasi putih tu.  The best plain porridge I tasted so far.  Makan kosong macam tu pun sedap.

Borneo Delight, Kuching

My lunch yesterday.

Tomato Kuey Teow - RM6.50

Cantonese Yee Mee

Icecream

Terung Asam - RM1.40

Dabai - RM1.80

Very the Sarawakian :D

红京鱼 (Hot Fish), Beijing

红京鱼 Hóng jīng yú

Apparently this fish-in-hot-oil (Sichuan Boiled Fish) is quite a popular dish in Beijing.

At 1st try, I thought it is a hot soup, and had a spoonful of an awful taste of the spicy oil, then only I know that you only take the fish not with the oil soup.  Sakai betul :p

The fish meat was so soft and tender.  I learn that by using oil (normally vegetable oil or palm oil) the fish meat will not be overcooked and will stay tender throughout the meal and the sweetness is kept in the meat.  Interesting!

This is a mild spicy version,  normally it will be covered by the chilies and peppercorn. I don't take spicy food so this is just nice.  I am not sure what type of fish this is, but it looks very similar to Ikan Patin, the meat is soft just like Patin too.

So here are the rest of our lunch meal on my Day 2 in Beijing.

Location map.