#tokyo trip cost from singapore

[japan-tourists-spots-philippines]

Discovering Japan's Heart: Essential Stops on Your Tourist Adventure

Introduction:

Let yourself be carried away on an exciting tour through traditional Japan's and nature's finest beauties. You feel it, from the fast-paced city of Tokyo to the peaceful temples of Kyoto. Whether it's the city or the temples, you will be completely embraced by the essence of Japan. Must-visit Japan tourists spots from Philippines should be explored, for instance, Mount Fuji, Shibuya Crossing, and Hiroshima’s historic city. 

Discover the nectar of Japan's soul as never before:

Tokyo - Where Past Meets Present:

Tokyo, the core center of Japanese culture, is the city where you should begin your journey in Japan. Drop yourself in amongst the busyness of Shibuya Crossing, take a walk in the tranquil Imperial Palace gardens, and gaze at the space-age design of the Tokyo Skytree. 

Kyoto - A Glimpse of Japan's History:

Immerse yourself in the past, by voyaging to Kyoto, the cultural stronghold of Japan. Rainbow the magical bamboo groves in Arashiyama, visit Fushimi Inari Shrine with the thousands of vermilion torii gates and admire the Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pagoda. 

Hiroshima - Lessons of Peace and Resilience:

Being in Hiroshima, a city that not only has stood for recovery one year after the tragedy but also symbolizes the past which in no way should be forgotten. You cannot miss to pay a visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum to gain knowledge about the horrific effect caused by the atomic bomb and the city's efforts in peace and reconciliation. The ferry to Miyajima Island is a must-do where the torii gate of Itsukushima-jinja Shrine, floating on the water and facing the beautiful mountain of Mount Misen, is a priceless sight.

Osaka - Gastronomic Delights and Urban Adventures: 

Conclude your tour in Osaka, the culinary capital of Japan, affectionately known as the kitchen of the country. Explore Dotonbori’s bustling food stalls and spicy takoyaki, to irresistible okonomiyaki. Enjoy these rocking flavors. Queue up at the top of the observation deck at Osaka Castle to enjoy sweeping views of the city, and see Shinsekai, a lively entertainment community. 

Mount Fuji - Majestic Beauty and Spiritual Symbol:

It would be like a tadpole on the tail of the koi if a traveler to Japan misses out on seeing the breathtaking view of Mount Fuji up close. Stride into the Lake Fuji area or Hakone which is equipped with hot spring water bathed containing picture-perfect Mount Fuji. In winter, take the omnipresence of snow as a chance to thrill yourself through skiing or snowboarding on the slopes of the neighboring resorts.

Conclusion:

Japan attracts visitors with a mix of customs and technologies, hence classifying it as one of the most interesting destinations. Travelers from the Philippines can surely visit Japan tourists spots from Philippines when they use the services offered by Diper Tour, and their explorations of Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Osaka, and majestic Mount Fuji will include some of the most memorable times in their lives.

[tokyo-itinerary-singapore]

Where in Tokyo to Have Dinner and What to Eat?

Introduction:

Step into a culinary discovery of Tokyo where parallel worlds of traditional and contemporary cuisines coexist. Venture into energetic districts, such as Shibuya or Shinjuku, for a great selection of dining places. Enjoy sushi at Tsukiji, taste ramen in Ikebukuro, and eat izakaya in the Roppongi area. For a 5-day Tokyo itinerary from Singapore, consider the following highlights: Asakusa's Senso-ji Temple, the Imperial Palace, and Nikko as a day trip to get the best experience of this place. Here are some further details:

Sushi Sensation in Tsukiji:

At Tsukiji Fish Market you can taste unbelievable sushi right from the ocean. Indulge into the savory flavors of well-made sushi and other seafood treats and experience what a true seafood haven is all about.

Asakusa's Street Eats:

Have a stroll through Asakusa's vibrant street and indulge in many local street food options. Besides savory snacks and sweet treats, the cheerful ambiance only serves to make the experience of sampling these scrumptious cuisines more enjoyable.

Traditional Charm in Ueno:

A cultural hotspot is calling on you to relish the magnificence of Japanese food. While you look around museums and parks, you will find restaurants that serve authentic flavors, offering you a very enjoyable gastronomical experience with a background that is richly steeped in culture.

Akihabara's Unique Eateries:

Travel to Akihabara and lose yourself in the geek world in which you can find some very interesting dining experiences. From themed cafes to fancy eateries, enjoy our great food and be a part of Akihabara pop culture. Don’t miss out on the awesome anime and game scene and make your meal a memorable part of the food and entertainment landscape.

Ikebukuro's Ramen Haven:

A haven for ramen lovers, hosting a myriad of shops where you can enjoy the world famous dish. Dive into hot ramen in a bowl and taste the rich flavors and diverse styles that make Ikebukuro the foodie haven sought by ramen lovers.

Ginza Gourmet Experience:

Ginza, Tokyo's uptown neighborhood, invites you to the luxury restaurant. Sample luxury restaurants with outstanding dishes within a stylish shopping experience. Ranging from gourmet food to fine dining, Ginza leads the visitors along a gastronomic trip in the fashion and entertainment quarters of the center of Tokyo.

Odaiba's Seafood Paradise:

It is for seafood fans. Dine at the waterfront in wonder at the breathtaking scenery. Enjoy the view while sampling the catches of the day at Odaiba's seafood restaurants, serving fresh catches along picturesque Tokyo Bay.

Conclusion:

Delve into the culinary world of Tokyo by visiting its cultural districts from Ueno to the nerd paradise of Akihabara. Food lovers will love Tokyo either their favorite traditional, international fusion, or desserts. Combining the essentials of a diaper tour and the delectable cuisine of Tokyo. Plan a Tokyo itinerary from Singapore that will have you discovering the many diverse districts, enjoying the food and drinks from around the world, and making sure you're having a great family time.

[japan-tourists-spots]

Discovering the Most Beautiful Natural Attractions in Japan

Japan tourists spots with magnificent cultural roots and rich heritage, but it also has beautiful natural sceneries that would melt the hearts of anyone who visits. From tranquil gardens to grand mountains, Japan’s natural venues cater to various types of visitors. In this exploration, we’ll go through some of the most beautiful natural points all over the country and make a special focus — it is one of many companies helping people enjoy amazing travel experiences.

Cherry Blossom Havens:

Japan’s sakura, meaning cherry blossoms are the country's iconic plants that color landscapes with shades of pink and white during springtime. Parks and gardens such as Shinjuku Gyoen in Tokyo or Maruyama Park in Kyoto become enchanting fairy tales. With its well-planned routes, and also allows tourists to become part of this splendor and magic when cherry blossoms are at their best unforgettable.

Enchanting Bamboo Forests in Arashiyama:

The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto is awe awe-inspiring natural attraction. Tall bamboo stalks form tranquil pathways that seem like stepping into a different realm. This enchanting forest is also visited through established guided walks via experts so that visitors can not only enjoy the splendor of nature but get to know its cultural significance as well.

Natural Hot Springs in Hakone:

One may find refreshment in nature by visiting Hakone, a region known for its hot springs or onsen. The tourism company gives visitors a unique opportunity to relax in the therapeutic waters surrounded by rich greenery and hills while admiring this beautiful scenery.

Coastal Marvels of the Noto Peninsula:

The Noto Peninsula which has steep, stunning coastlines and beautiful landscapes is a secret paradise for nature lovers. Diper Tour’s coastal exploration packages offer travelers an opportunity to appreciate one of Japan

Aokigahara Forest – The Sea of Trees:

Aokigahara or the Sea of Trees is a mystical forest close to Mount Fuji. Although its reputation as The Suicide Forest is quite dark, the thick greenery and strange surface are just a breathtaking natural place, and also concerning responsible tourism thoughtfully addresses this area, providing guided tours of the forest that promote its ecological miracles.

Serene Lakes like Biwa and Shikaribetsu:

Japan has calm lakes that resemble mirrors officiating the surrounding scenery. Lake Biwa which is the largest freshwater lake in the country provides a serene environment for people who love nature other calm lakes like Shikaribetsu are located in Hokkaido also offer to enjoy the lake through boating, taking a hike around it, and interacting with its wildlife.

Conclusion: 

The natural sites of Japan tourists spots, beautiful and enchanting, attract travelers interested in the beauty of nature.  We are proud to offer authentic and reverent travel experiences, guaranteeing that travelers not only see the magnificent sceneries but also appreciate each location’s cultural and ecological value. Diper Tour promises an unforgettable journey that can lead you from the cherry blossom-filled gardens to the breathtaking heights of Mount Fuji – where Japan’s natural wonders are waiting to be explored.

[mtalkesim]

Roaming No More: How eSIM is Changing the Way We Travel in Asia

Traveling in Asia is an incredible experience, from exploring the vibrant streets of Bangkok to visiting the ancient temples of Kyoto. But one thing that can quickly dampen the excitement of your trip is the dreaded roaming charges and unreliable connectivity. Fortunately, with the rise of eSIM technology, travelers are now able to roam seamlessly across Asia without the worry of excessive fees or the hassle of swapping physical SIM cards.

Let’s dive into how eSIM is transforming the travel experience in Asia and why it's the future of international connectivity.

1. Say Goodbye to Roaming Fees

Roaming charges can accumulate quickly when traveling abroad, especially in a vast and diverse continent like Asia. Traditional SIM cards often incur hefty fees for data usage, calls, and texts, making it an expensive option for staying connected. However, with MTALK eSIM for Asia travel, you get local rates at your destination, meaning no more outrageous bills when you return home. You only pay for the data you need, and you enjoy 100% roaming-free charges.

This makes eSIM a cost-effective solution, whether you’re hopping from city to city or exploring more remote destinations.

2. Seamless Connectivity Across Multiple Countries

One of the biggest advantages of using an eSIM is the ability to maintain connectivity across different countries without having to switch SIM cards. With traditional SIMs, every time you move to a new country in Asia, you’d need to purchase a local SIM, set it up, and hope it works smoothly. This process can be time-consuming, frustrating, and inconvenient—especially if you’re traveling across multiple borders.

With MTALK eSIM, you can activate one eSIM plan that covers multiple countries in Asia, i.e Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam, without needing to switch physical cards. This means uninterrupted service, so you can stay connected with friends, access maps, and share your travel adventures on social media without any delays.

3. Fast and Reliable Internet in Every Destination

Asia is home to both bustling metropolises and remote natural wonders. Whether you're navigating the high-tech streets of Tokyo or trekking through the forests of Bali, staying connected is crucial. MTALK eSIM provides fast and reliable internet with local connectivity in each country, ensuring that you have access to high-speed data no matter where you are.

Unlike depending on inconsistent Wi-Fi networks or paying for expensive roaming packages, our eSIM gives you the freedom to enjoy fast internet for navigation, restaurant bookings, and keeping in touch with loved ones without interruption.

4. Instant Setup and Easy Installation

Traveling should be all about enjoying the sights and experiences—not worrying about technical hassles. With MTALK eSIM, installation is a breeze. Forget about visiting SIM card shops, waiting in line, or fiddling with your phone’s SIM tray. Our eSIM installation is 100% digital. You simply purchase your eSIM plan online, scan the QR code, and activate it in minutes.

The best part? You can even set it up before you arrive in Asia, so you land with internet ready to go.

5. Perfect for All Types of Travelers

Whether you’re a backpacker exploring Southeast Asia, a digital nomad working from co-working spaces in Chiang Mai, or a business traveler attending conferences in Shanghai, eSIM technology caters to all types of travelers. Its flexibility, ease of use, and cost efficiency make it an ideal choice for anyone who values staying connected while traveling in Asia.

With MTALK eSIM, you can keep track of your data usage, top up when needed, and switch between plans effortlessly, making it perfect for both short vacations and extended stays.

6. 24/7 Customer Support

When you're in a new country, things can sometimes go wrong, and the last thing you want is to deal with connectivity issues in an unfamiliar location. That’s why MTALK provides 24/7 support to assist you whenever needed. Whether you're facing setup issues or have questions about your data usage, our dedicated team is always available to help.

This peace of mind means you can focus on enjoying your travels without worrying about technical issues.

7. Environmental Benefits

Traditional SIM cards contribute to plastic waste, as millions of SIM cards are discarded each year. By switching to an eSIM, you're also making a more environmentally friendly choice. Since the eSIM is digital, there’s no physical waste involved, reducing the environmental footprint of your travels.

Ready for Your Next Adventure?

Get your MTALK eSIM for Asia today and enjoy seamless, hassle-free internet access during your travels. Stay connected, roam freely, and explore the beauty of Asia with the convenience of a MTALK eSIM.

Conclusion: eSIM – The Future of Travel in Asia

As more travelers explore Asia, the demand for convenient, affordable, and reliable connectivity will only continue to grow. eSIM technology is at the forefront of this transformation, offering a smarter way to stay connected while reducing costs and eliminating the hassles of traditional SIM cards.

MTALK eSIM is here to revolutionize the way you travel in Asia. With 100% roaming-free charges, local fast internet connectivity, easy installation, and 24/7 support, it’s the ultimate travel solution for the modern explorer.

[datajournalismntu]

MRT will link up with the Greater Taipei Area in 2030

Metro Taipei is usually regarded as a symbol of urban modernization. Through its well-connected routes, it has penetrated people's lives.

According to the data from the Department of Rapid Transit Systems, DRTS, and Global Views Monthly, the New Taipei Metro and the Taipei Metro will link up the Greater Taipei Metropolitan Area by 2030. It is expected to travel through the administrative areas of Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taoyuan City, and Keelung City, with a total population of up to 10 million, which will reach the internationally recognized scale of the megacity.

Without the duplicated interchange MRT stations in the Taipei Metro, the New Taipei Metro, and the Taoyuan Metro, there are currently 180 stations in operation in 2023. 

If we include the MRT stations expected to be in operation by then, the Greater Taipei metropolitan area is projected to have about 225 MRT stations in 2030. The number represents that there will be about 2.2 stations for every 100,000 people, which is quite good when compared favorably with other Asian areas.

Major Asian cities have been actively developing public transportation. For example, Tokyo has 3.1 metro stations for every 100,000 people, Seoul has 3, and Singapore has 2.2. By then, the Greater Taipei Area will be able to catch up with international cities. Individuals and society will save more on environmental and transport costs, which further improves the quality of life.

In the past five years, the profitability of Metro Taipei has significantly decreased, and doubts about the necessity of developing new MRT routes have emerged one after another.

If we take a closer look at the operating status of each route in metro Taipei last year, it is surprisingly found that only two lines, the Bannan Line and the Tamsui-Xinyi Line, made profits. Among them, the Wenhu Line suffered the most serious loss, with a deficit of 1.2 billion. The reasons for the loss include a medium-capacity system, its capacity is lower than that of other lines, and the stations of the line pass through fewer commercial districts.

Despite the deficits, the average daily ridership of total lines in MRT has been steadily climbing in the past 10 years, showing that the public is gradually developing the habit of taking the MRT. Even though the pandemic once had a serious impact on the number of daily ridership, the current statistics are returning to normal, reaching 1.6 million daily trips in 2022.

If we look back at the construction costs of the MRT routes, since the first route, the Wenhu Line, opened in 1996, the total cost of the five routes has exceeded NT$490 billion. Among them, the Bannan Line cost the most, with around NT$177 billion.

Despite the deficits, there are still four MRT routes under construction, including the Xinyi Eastern Extension, the Wanda-Zhonghe-Shulin Line Phase I, the Wanda-Zhonghe-Shulin Line Phase II, and the Circular Line North Section & South Section (Circular Line Phase II).

The overall statistics indicate that the development of new MRT routes will require a longer time cost. Not to mention, even if the new route is successfully commissioned, the huge construction cost might not be amortized immediately.

However, when we look at the bigger picture, the benefits of MRT in terms of saving environmental costs and improving the convenience of life are so high that it is unfair to evaluate only the revenue of Metro Taipei to discuss the opening of the new route or not.

[cityninestay]

Things that you need to consider when looking for a serviced apartment in Iron Bridge

Serviced lodging allows business and leisure travellers to enjoy the top places in the world, from London to Paris, Amsterdam, Dubai, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, and New York. Hotels are a thing of the past; the future is in accommodation that prioritises guests and providing high-quality living spaces that meet critical needs. Cleaning service that is consistent and dependable. Serviced flats provide hotel-like amenities such as room service and cleaning. Make sure that you get the best Ironbridge Accommodation.

Check to see if the apartment you want to look at provides this service and how safe, dependable, and convenient it is, especially if you want to stay for an extended period. Some flats have laundry facilities for people who prefer to do their laundry.

Complete cooking amenities are available.

Fully equipped kitchens in serviced apartments make it easy to prepare homemade meals. It is critical to ensure that they have all the utensils required to prevent bringing items you may not use or being disappointed upon arrival.

Public transportation is nearby.

Choosing an apartment close to a bus stop or train station is a sensible decision. This will save you the trouble of hopping from one location to another to use local transportation. If your apartment is not near or in the neighbourhood of the communicative zone, you can alternatively choose corporate serviced accommodation. The Ironbridge Serviced Apartment will help.

Near a Local Supermarket

The serviced flats, which include an adjoining kitchen area, allow you to cook your food. Modern kitchen appliances such as microwaves, ovens, and electric stoves allow one to prepare food in minutes. So, if the apartment is close to a store, shopping for local produce to replenish the pantry will be easier and more cost-effective. They can also help you save money on eating out regularly.

Mattresses of exceptional quality

At the very least, it significantly impacts a guest's stay. Frequent travellers have left unfavourable evaluations after staying in luxury serviced apartments, claiming they were uncomfortable and didn't get enough sleep, resulting in chronic pain.

Security

Learn about the security measures in place to keep people safe. Do they have extensive checkpoints? Are prompt and dependable emergency measures in place? Is the room safe from intruders?

Proximity to modern conveniences

The majority of serviced flats are in or near city centres. The location of your destination is determined by the type of up you will have. A business trip needs to stay closer to the city centre to facilitate access to business meetings and luncheons. When you want to get out and explore, being close to a church, hospital, coffee shops, and malls is convenient.

[liferoaming]

Singapore

A futuristic country full of beauty, its  here that  you can find a country like no other. Ever since David Attenborough talked about this small country in his documentary, ‘Urban Wild’, I have always wanted to pay a visit.

Singapore is the most eco-friendliest country in all of Asia after establishing the Green Plan in 1992. The country is immaculate, full of stunning greenery and breathtaking architecture.

After becoming newly single, I needed to do something for myself. I love travelling, there is nothing better than visiting the unknown and discovering a new culture.  I decided to spend four days in Singapore, staying at a hostel in Chinatown. I stayed at the hostel, ‘Beary! Best’,  in an female only dormitory. When you get to my age, the last thing you want to do is share with other people because it can feel like returning back to being a student at university. However,  staying in a hostel is a good way to meet other people when you are travelling alone. It is down to the individual on what you prefer but I do recommend that you give it a go because you can also save a lot of money.

My days were jam packed with things to do, I hope this inspires you to gain courage to travel alone if you haven’t yet done so.

Day 1

It was Tet in Vietnam otherwise known as Chinese New Year elsewhere. I woke up at 4.30am due to lack of taxis and heavy queues at the airport because my flight was at 9am. If you are travelling during this time then please make sure you allow enough time. 

When you are arrive at Changi Airport , make sure to check out the Jewel Changi, this holds the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. 

The subway is very easy to use and I did not find it to be overcrowded like other cities such as Tokyo and London. The trains are air conditioned, smooth and clean as they are regularly patrolled by the police. Make sure you get a visitor pass which is $30 (SG dollars) for three days, you can then top up afterwards. Make sure you return the pass also because you get a refund back of $10.

Due to it being Chinese New Year, I stayed in Chinatown after settling into the hostel. I met up with another traveler off the Singapore Backpack Group on Facebook. We found a restaurant that had some vegetarian Chinese dishes, she had some dumplings and I had some fried tofu with noodles. Not all Chinese restaurants have vegetarian dishes but it is possible as we found out.

Chinatown was packed and the smell of durian was everywhere and I am sorry guys, the smell still makes me gag. If you are sensitive to the smell of durian, then please be aware of this when travelling around.

After dinner, we had a walk around but because the other traveler’s hostel was on the other side of town, she decided to leave early to beat the crowds when getting home.

I waited around on New Bridge Road whilst a television show was being filmed, waiting patiently for the fireworks at midnight. It was good for a while but as I became more aware that around me were couples, families or people with their friends it was then that I felt lonely. However, it was the only time I felt lonely during the trip.

The fireworks took place at midnight and it was worth it, if you are travelling at this time then its a great celebration to be a part of because you get to experience it with the locals and other international visitors.

Day 2

Singapore is very small and it is very easy to get around.I managed to do a lot on the second day! 

Fort Canning was a beautiful park with a spectacular view of the sky scrapers when you reach the hilltop. It was part of the British Army Barracks, it is here than you can view such landmarks as ‘The Gate of Fort Canning’ and the ‘Old Soldiers Marriage Quarters’. It is peaceful and a lovely place to take in the calm of the morning sun. Admission is free.

You can walk from Fort Caning to Marina Bay Sands but be sure to check out Old  Hill Street Police Station on your way. Tracing back to 1819, it is one of Singapore’s oldest governmental buildings. 

Marina Bay  is the WOW factor of Singapore! The view of Marina Bay is stunning and there are many things to do within this area. Be sure to check out the Merlion of Singapore, Esplanade Theatre and take a walk along the Helix Bridge. On the other side of the Marina Bay Sands, you can find the ‘Gardens by The Bay’, I will discuss this later on. Please return to Marina Bay in the evening for the fireworks show!

Botanical Gardens was founded in 1859 and is home to a rain forest and even an orchid garden. My favourite area of the Botanical Gardens was Ethnobotany Garden, containing stingless bees, turtles and Malayan water lizards that roam freely.

Haji Lane is known for its graffiti, trendy shops and cool bars. This is definitely a hipster area which is great to drop by and do some shopping or chill out at a bar.

If you are are vegan (or vegetarian) like me, then you might have also found it difficult to find plant based Korean food. I have been craving to try Korean food for a long time but it is impossible to find plant based Korean food in Vietnam. However, in Singapore you can! Check out Boneless Kitchen, for just $9 I had a mushroom ramen which was delicious although could’ve had been spicier. It was packed with noodles, mushrooms, tofu, vegan pork, Korean dumplings vegan sausages and cheese. It was absolutely delicious and I highly recommend you visit during your stay.

Day Three

Sentosa Island is that artificial place that you are not too sure you want to visit...but you do. Home to Universal Studios and other attactions, I went there to visit the man made beach. Palawan Beach can be reached by the sky train and a ten minute walk. The beach is immaculate and you can walk across a suspension bridge where you can visit the outlook towers. It is a great way to spend the day relaxing, having a swim in the water and topping up your tan.

If you love Japanese food, like me, then look no further than Herbivore. This vegan restaurant has the most amazing dishes. This is a time when I would have liked someone with me because I could have shared some dishes. However, the katsu bento was just perfect. Katsu curry with vegetables, rice and a seitan cutlet accompanied with a salad, miso soup and lychee jelly. The dish cost around $19.

Gardens by the Bay is a wonderful place to visit and is probably the highlight of my visit. It is here that you can view the Super Trees, art sculptures, the cloud forest and the flower dome. You can get lost in the magic here..

Day Four

On this day I visited Little India but I did not stay for long. I think it might have been the only time that I felt a little uncomfortable in Singapore and it might be better to travel with someone else to this area. It is a great place if you want to buy beautiful material and eat some Indian food.

I visited the Bugis Centre to do a little shopping. I bought a boxy shirt and some shorts from UNIQLO for just $30 (SG Dollars). I ate at the Green Dot for some tradtional vegan Laska, however, it was carb heavy much like the majority of Asia. I always find rice and noodles too heavy to eat in the heat and ended up just eating the vegan prawns, fish balls and pork along with the soup. The dish cost $9.

In the evening, I ate at a vegetarian Taiwanese restaurant but I am unsure of the name. I had a three course meal that consisted of tomato and carrot soup, some truffle bake followed by a lava cake served with cider to drink. This meal was the most expensive costing $33.

After this, I visited the light show in Gardens by the Bay. The light show takes place at the super trees and it was pretty spectacular to watch, I highly recommend it and it also free for admission.

Flight: $160 (SG Dollars) , GBP91.00 

Travel: $30 (SG Dollars) , GBP16.00

Hostel: $113 (SG Dollars) , GBP63.00

Travel money: $260 (SG Dollars) , GBP150.00

Total for the trip: $565 (SG Dollars), GBP316.00 

[dcmeterwrites]

oh boy, did you get manny jacinto for an eight a.m.? wait no, that’s PARKER IBARRA. i heard the thirty three year old is a teaching assistant who gives a pretty tough lecture in philosophy. he tries to be witty and independent but on the stressful days, he’s complacent and insouciant. when he gets a chance to relax, catch him at the local bar listening to victorious by panic! at the disco. 

— RUNDOWN.

full name: parker domingo ibarra

name meaning: keeper of the park, sunday


date of birth: march 28th

place of birth: manila, the philippines


age: 33


star sign:
 aries


department: philosophy

specialisation: modernism, post-modernism and semiotics

alma mater: harvard university

alignment: chaotic neutral

mbti: entp

spoken languages: english ( native speaker ), tagalog ( fluent ), spanish ( fluent ), french ( proficient ), malay ( proficient )

mother’s name: penelope ibarra 

father’s name: alberto ibarra

siblings, if any: lilibeth and reyna ibarra

birth order: oldest

height: 5′11″

hair colour: dark brown

eye colour: dark brown

— BACKSTORY. 

having problems ? sucks to be you, i guess ! 

it was approximately at the age of two and a half that parker domingo ibarra decided that he was king of the world, long before that bitter old hag spielberg wrote it into titanic. and there was no reason that he had to think otherwise. born to a filipino family settled in singapore, his father and mother were the co-owners of the brand dionysia — his dad being the business end and his mum being, well, the designer that started it all. 

it was a charmed life of limousines, ferry rides, private schools in new england, internships in hong kong and australia, and trips everywhere from new zealand to chile to denmark. by the age of eighteen, he’d amassed more memories and experience in the world that anyone had the right to. 

given that it was pretty much a guarantee that he would take over on the business end of his parents’ work, they figured they should let him do whatever the fuck he liked before the age of 21 or so, before sticking his name onto all the business cards and labels and leaving the future of the company to him. but even their patience was tested when, out of all the useless things he could’ve chosen, he chose philosophy at harvard. 

they imagined that his reason for choosing the subject was that he wanted as little work as possible during his college years, preparing instead to enjoy his last few years of irresponsible youth before buckling down. then they noticed something a little strange. 

parker was — well. he was actually doing rather well for himself. his essays were receiving stellar reviews, and he was invited to attend symposiums and even give a couple of presentations to actual academics. jeez, his parents only hoped that he wasn’t getting in over his head, indulging the idea of doing this nonsense for the rest of his life instead of something meaningful.

the problem was that — yeah, he kind of was indulging that idea. 

well, what on earth did you expect ? he was receiving the highest of praise from his professors, from his peers, and cementing himself as the big man on campus.  it seemed a hell of a lot better than hanging around the stuck up friend circles he had back in singapore, insisting on either formal parties with stiff suits and bitter drinks, or complete and utter debauchery at strip clubs and gambling dens. like the buddha said — could there simply not be a middle path ?

his parents learned of this a bit too late. he popped in his parents’ room at the age of twenty-three, a master’s quickly attained, to announce that he wanted to continue, and nearly made his poor mother require a nurse from her “shock”. drama queen. but the family was more or less decided that he was not going to do anything of the sort. his sisters were just getting their bachelor’s degrees, and were far too young to get their interest in this stuff. his mum convinced him to at least try working with the company, in the easiest field there was: public relations. 

unfortunately, there’s only so much you can control when it comes to what other people think of you. parker had somehow alienated himself from his brand’s clients, seeming like a pretentious, detached, and most importantly, uninterested. for all his talents, he was a dreadful actor. 

so he switched over to the design branch, but he was terrible on that front too — not a good artist, and certainly not good at sticking to deadlines. then switched to accountancy. the department’s own workers wanted him gone. then to management. he was insufferable. all this consumed nearly one and a half years of his adult life, following which he had enough evidence to demonstrate that he was not meant for any of this. 

cool, said his parents. so, what are you gonna do? he shrugged. then he made it expressly clear that they weren’t going to pay for any of his shit if he wasn’t going to stay with the company in singapore. he said, fine. 

so, at the age of twenty-five, he dipped the hell out of that whole affair, and began the rest of his life. it was sort of bananas, and he doesn’t have the best memory of that whole time. for a while he was a teacher of english in singapore, then a teacher of english at a fancy school in tokyo, then he returned home to his beloved harvard, to get that phd he always wanted, while working not only as a teaching assistant for whatever it was worth, but also tending bars, doing editing work for the local paper. everything. hell, his thesis was about postmodernism in commonplace thought, and what better way to gather all that data by just — asking people about it ? and of course, backing them up with theories.

at this age of thirty one and a half, fresh out of his doctorate, he got offered a position at riverbank, sweet ! while the faculty may or may not have been excited to have him for his interesting takes, he didn’t quite see riverbank as anything more than one more stepping stone across a big, beautiful lake. did he know what was at the end of the lake ? hell no ! if he did, he would get a boat and go there. the fun was the stepping.

as teaching assistant, he hasn’t taken more than two courses this first semester ( apart from boring logistical duties ), although his higher ups have been nagging him to take more. he knows the trap ; they’re going to try and get him into a more permanent spot at the old, low-cost. no, sir ! can’t take parker ibarra for a fool, though you can take him for quite a lot more. 

has already gotten a reputation as a strange guy among students, but nevertheless vastly entertaining. he always seems to have a suspicious story for any sort of analogy he wants to make, which has always led students to debate what the actual fuck happened in his life. he makes some of them up. 

is he kind of living hand to mouth ? hell yeah, but who needs material things when you have intellectual pursuits ?

[idontlikesummer]

Japan Trip 2018 (Kansai)

Back from Japan again!

This time I went with my family went to Kansai!!

There were so many things we did in the span of 10 days that everything had passed by in almost a blur. The entire vacation was quite thrilling because we landed in Japan right when the flooding was taking place in Osaka. We stayed at my hometown in Nagano for about three days, and by the time we reached Kansai, most of the flooding had disappeared!

As with the previous travel post, I took pictures of almost EVERYTHING I saw. Some of my brother’s and dad’s photos will be in this log, and I will highlight them accordingly!

Please enjoy!! :’D

(Warnings: Lots of photos of pretty things, my sparse commentary and my occasional photobombing totoro)

Day 1: Travel to Nagano

ACK. I ate salted salmon with rice on the plane but everything was shaking and I forgot to take a picture. 

We arrived in Japan but I could only take a photo from the middle seat! The ride was crazy – the pilot said there would be clear skies but the rain was near torrential so the landing had a lot of drops. The woman behind me screamed, so naturally I, being terrible with turbulence, screamed as well. 

The floor was wet so the plane skidded a little when we landed!

NARITA EXPRESS to Tokyo station. Unlike the previous two trips, we managed to be on time for the train, so we didn’t have time to stop by the Starbucks ;w;

I napped throughout the flight since I didn’t manage to sleep a wink during the plane ride, therefore missing most of the awesome view. Totoro’s enjoying it in my stead but he’s separated from his natural habitat by a glass panel.

We reached Tokyo Station and went past GranSta!

There was an AI robot called Pepper greeting us there! This is my first time seeing an AI, but I didn’t have much time to find out what he was used for

Eventually, we stopped by Beer Hall to eat (this restaurant was located right next to Character Street!) I tried their mentaiko spaghetti and I was blown away by how light and delicious it was! This is something I can eat two helpings of before I become full!

Time to go to Daimaru, the place I can’t afford unless I’m with my parents. We bought Tops cake from there before heading off to my grandparents’ house!

I’M LEAVING TOKYO STATION AND I DIDN’T EVEN EXPLORE HALF OF IT. (Spoiler alert: I’ll be back here a few days later)

My brother ate some Shumais we bought from Tokyo station along the ride! I dozed off because the seats in the bullet train are better than my bed

Dropped off at Sakudaira! Since we were surrounded by mountains the weather was freezing despite it being mid-summer. Even though it’s only been a year I missed this place so much

COUNTRY ROAAAD TAKE ME HOOOME to the PLAACE I BELOOONG 

(the car ride back to my grandparents’ home  was super enjoyable since my brother kept blasting 70s music that my parents love)

On the way we stopped by a Seven Eleven! I got carried away with buying the cup noodles (Santouka and Ippudou) since they only cost 4USD while they would have caused 18 USD if you ate them in a restaurant in Singapore!

[First photo by my brother] Home away from home I missed you so. Most of what we had to do for the next few days were family stuff that I won’t go into detail about. But basically we had a whole lot of relatives to greet and a ceremony to prepare for! So there was a lot to do

View from my grandmother’s garden!! I love the mountains and I wish I could plant one where I live. I hope the tectonic plates in Singapore converge in five years

[Last photo by my brother] Like a good girl, I slacked off from cleaning duty to walk around the neighbourhood. This place always calms me somehow. If I lived here permanently I would probably want to walk at least twice a week! Here are some of the stuff that I photographed. I’ve always associated this place with good things and I feel like I go through some sort of emotional and spiritual cleansing each time I come here.

Here’s what we ate for dinner [photo by my brother]! Loads of protein and no carbohydrates. The chicken in particular was really nice and it was from this restaurant called Big Ben!

[First photo by my brother] Since my grandparents’ house was pretty much completely occupied, we stayed at our uncles’ place instead! It was so huge, almost like a Ryokan, and could afford at least 3 guest rooms. I can’t believe they live in something so grand it’s like a hotel

Day 2: Nagano

Honestly I live in an apartment so for this entire section to be the guest room just blows me away. IT’S HUGE.

We went back to my grandparents’ house for breakfast and ate matsutake  gohan with fish! I’ve always loved eating cheap and healthy food. The fried eggplant was probably the best eggplant dish I ever ate! Countryside food is so different from Tokyo food

Ate this for lunch during the ceremony! It was really filling!!

We had more time in the afternoon so I went to scale one of the mountains to a satisfying height!

Our grandmother came to join us in the afternoon, and before we knew it, it was dinner time and many of our relatives joined us with their food! [photo by my brother] It felt a lot like the Summer Wars sort of dinner gatherings, where everyone just sat along a long table and drank alcohol while chatting

We went back to my uncle’s place and our aunt made us mango pudding! She’s a really good cook.

Day 3: Nagano

The next morning she gave us cherries and grapefruit! Today we would have to leave her house for good, and it makes me a little sad. But I hope to return one day!

The next day was a day of loafing around at my grandparents’ place, but we did find some goodies! Namely my dad’s baby photos and we teased him relentlessly about it. We also tried the Ippudou and Santouka noodles and it was really good! The soup tasted just like the way it did in the restaurant!

Later in the afternoon, we went to a friend’s house! I haven’t been here for five years so it was really nostalgic to come back here! It always had a really western-decorated interior which I was fond of.

We had really delicious cake! The cream was super fresh and sweet *p*

It was blueberry season so we went to pick some blueberries from the garden! The one I picked was pretty but sour lmao. I have no green thumb

Mini eggplant! Too young to eat!

These were leeks!

Some of the flowers I really liked in the garden!

Good old chimney I always know where I stand with you

After that, we came by this area to buy our train tickets for Ise! [First photo by my brother]. I used to eat at a ramen shop here nearly ten years ago. I’m amazed how it’s been so long and everything still looks the same!

EON MALL I MISSED YOU SO [Photo by my brother]

Even the stores are the same as five years ago!! I’m on a nostalgia trip

They ACTUALLY sell uniform sweaters here! I really wanted to buy the red one but they were so expensive!! I will reserve my gakuen dreams for another day

Each time I step foot into a supermarket I realize how fortunate I am that I don’t live here, because I’d probably be bankrupt within the first week or so from attempting to buy half the stuff in the market. I mean, LOOK AT THAT BEEF.

Obon festival lanterns!

I’ve been eating at this Yakiniku house all the time since I was a kid. Until recently, I haven’t been able to return to the village, so I did miss this place a lot. Up until today it has the best yakiniku I’ve ever eaten ;w; For the curious it’s called Chikumaya (千曲屋)!

I’d probably make it a point to come by here every now and then! My favourite beef was the Karubi beef!

Cozy Corner cake for supper!! I was so full that when I lay down on my back, I felt like a turtle

That night I saw a starry sky for the first time in my life!!

[photo taken by my brother]. The phone camera quality does the scene no justice. But it was REALLY amazing, since all around, the silhouettes of the houses and mountains were actually blacker than the night sky. There were so many stars that the sky seemed more GREY than anything. The clouds also parted in a way that almost made it seem like there was a galaxy in the sky.

We counted loads of constellations, including Virgo, the Summer triangle, and we also probably saw Mars, Jupiter and Mercury or Venus. My brother studied astrology as a module in university, so he was telling me which constellations were which. And we sat there for hours by the roadside, just talking about how to read stars, which constellations were which etc. It was a really refreshing experience!

[Photo by my brother] This gave me a lot of Totoro vibes (the part where the Catbus appeared for the first time while Satsuki and Mei were waiting for their dad)

Day 4: Travel to Ise

The next day, we had to leave early, but my dad brought us to a place we frequented in our childhood since we had a bit of time. There was this mega-large slide which took approximately one minute for us to slide all the way down. We had to climb a large hill just to hitch one ride on it!

We left for Sakudaira station after this to go to Tokyo for a transit to Kansai soon after, but I’m sure I’ll be back here before long!

There was a really long queue for this ramen shop in Tokyo station, so we decided to try it! Apparently, it’s quite famous! It’s called 六厘舎 (Rokurinsha), to those interested! The broth was really good! The egg tasted like it had alcohol in it, but my absolute favourite was the CHASHU.

HARRY POTTER POP-UP STORE (anime style). I COULDN’T BELIEVE MY EYES. I wanted to take the entire stand home!!!! They had many of the popular characters, like Draco, the Marauders, and I think even Regulus Black! I was hoping to get Luna, but they didn’t sell her, so I settled for Hermione and Ron! I think the store owner was amused because I kept running back to the shop to buy new things

CHARACTER STREET! I have come back for you. Since we only had about two hours before the next train ride, we couldn’t really explore anything in detail. So I decided to loiter in the Ghibli shop!

This medal reacts to “Barus!” (words of destruction). The product makers have an interesting sense of humor

The match boxes were AESTHETIC

I WANT EVERYTHING

There were some OSomatsu-san stuff in one of the shops, but I didn’t have time to stay and look! ;w;

Self control….. self control…..

[First photo by my brother]. I ate at Italian Tomato Cafe Jr.  a really long time ago at EON Mall (but that outlet has since disappeared), so I was happy to see it in Tokyo Station! Their shortcake was just as good as I remembered!

Hoho. Komeda Coffee. I’ll be back for you one day…

Some of the things that fascinated me in Tokyo Station. Yes. That is a chandelier made up of kitkats, and that is PORK JERKY

TIME TO GO TO  KANSAI! We hitched a ride on the Hikari bullet train! This one was slightly bumpier than the one we took to Sakudaira because of  the terrain. It was interesting because our ride took place along the Toukaidou, which connected Kyoto to old-time Edo (Tokyo). Apparently, Tokugawa created this system that made the feudal lords move from Kyoto (the emperor’s place) to Edo (Tokugawa’s residence), so the economy of Japan boomed along this area. Stuff like Woodblock art and Kabuki became famous along the road.

We passed by Shizuoka, and we suspect the mountain blocked by clouds is Mt Fuji!

Well, if I can’t see Mt Fuji today I’ll just have to settle for the picture on this bottle

We’ve hit Nagoya!

We took another train to Ise! It seems like we’ll be travelling the entire day today! So I got a Café Latte to stay awake!

On the way we passed by Tsu: a station with only one syllable

The sky has become a lot prettier!

By the time we’ve reached Ise it was evening! This place feels really mystical—all the street lamps had windchimes in them, so each time there was a breeze you get this really lovely chime in the air.  To the curious, Ise is where the shrine of Amaterasu (The God of the Sun) is located.

My brother took a really nice photo of the lamps and the sunset, so I’m showing it off

[last photo by my brother]. This is the first time I’ve ever eaten in an Izayakaya and I ordered…. ORANGE JUICE. But the food was super good! My personal favourite was the omelette! Everything tasted home-cooked and the bill was really cheap! For those interested, the restaurant is called とばっこ (Tobakko).

We stayed at a really neat AirBnB! The furniture was sparse (if you ignore our laundry), and it was at a very good location. Our hostess was really helpful in helping us to find places to visit as well! 

Found this in the nearby Family Mart! I would buy you if I lived here, Hijikata… At this moment I’m eating five meals almost every day..

Day 5: Ise Jingu

We set off at 5am the next day I was near Death. From hereon we would repeat the cycle of waking up at 5-6am and arriving home at 11pm for the rest of the vacation. The good thing about it is that the streets are completely empty

It was a nice walk to the shrine! One nice elderly man on a bicycle said “Good morning!” to us and that brightened my mood for the rest of the day!

[last photo by my brother] Here we are at 外宮Geku shrine! This one is dedicated to Toyoukeno Oomikami, who takes charge of Amaterasu Ookami’s food, clothing and shelter! The place was really quiet and serene. It felt a lot different from Meiji Jingu, which was always filled with people. There were multiple offering spots in the shrine, and the main gate bans us from taking photos. The vibe here is really mystical and it feels powerful

We waited for a taxi to get to naiku! That’s Amaterasu Ookami’s shrine. The taxi on the sign looked like it was smiling. Our driver spoke in Kansai dialect – I was a little surprised to know that it’s not just the words, but the intonation had also changed!

This was a lot bigger than Geku! Like Geku, we were forbidden from taking photos of the interior shrine. One of the offering places was to the Wind God, Fujin, who apparently helped to expel the Mongols from the Japan seas in the 13th century! There were more people here than at Geku, but it still had that really mystical aura. I might come here again when the weather is cooler!

Well, since we left the house at 5.30am we were finished with Naiku by 11am HAH. We had lots of time to explore Oharai Machi, which is located right outside Naiku. But because of the hot weather, the fact that we didn’t eat breakfast,  and the little rest we had, I was about to drop dead at this point

So Oharai Machi used to be a purification and dance/singing centre dedicated to the Gods of Ise Shrine, but today you can find loads of food shops and goodies. The vibe of the place feels super retro and I love it! I caught one or two Halal shops that sell Japanese oden and kushi sticks!

[last photo by my brother] We ate some sweetened ice to cool down after the Naiku trip! They were really generous with the portions and their red bean snacks were DELICIOUS. I don’t usually like this sort of traditional sweets but I couldn’t stop myself from wolfing this down. The restaurant is called Akafuku (赤福) - at least, that’s what the signboard seems to say!

Yeah, I really like the aesthetic of this place. I live for street Udon tbh

We chose to eat at Ise Udon Soba Okadaya (岡田屋)! A sparrow flew into the shop the moment it opened so I guess we were the second customers for the day lmao. THE UDON WAS REALLY REALLY GOOD. It had a really chewy and soft texture and it became more and more delicious the more you ate it; it was surreal. It didn’t taste like all the types of Udon I’ve eaten before. I’m so sad that I can only eat it in Ise and not where I live. I will definitely be back for more argh. 110% WILL RECOMMEND. It’s pretty cheap too and in my opinion, it’s best to eat it without too many toppings. Maybe just an egg with garnishes will do

(The store had a retro telephone booth)

[Photo by my brother] We ate Matsusaka beef and ONE STICK COST 9USD. INSANE. But it was really good and chewy and I’ve never had better beef in my LIFE

Okage Yokocho is an area in Oharai Machi! It looked a little bit like a festival! They had a rifling booth which I wanted to try, but I was trying to save money so I decided against it. Lots of fancy buildings here!

We went to Kaminogo Station because our host recommended another shrine! The weather made me feel like I was swimming in a volcano, but the clear skies make it worth it! I could take photos with my eyes closed and it’d still turn out pretty

Here’s a bit of what was inside of the shrine! It was significantly cooler in temperature than Naiku and Geku. There were bees buzzing around here and there. The walk was less intense than Naiku and Geku but I was starting to get tired around this time

So we returned back to the apartment to pig out.

Only for us to leave about two hours later so we can eat… AGAIN. The sky was really pretty. I guess one good thing about summer is that you get really pretty skies

Guess what we’re having: Matsusaka BEEF! Apparently it’s one of the THREE BIG BEEF along with Oumi Beef and Kobe beef. Which means it’s expensive as hell but you only live once I guess. The restaurant was called Ishikawa 石かわ and it’s famous for Matsusaka Beef!

The restaurant had a really quaint feeling you would get from a sleepy little town. The chef pan fried the beef on a sizzling stove. I WISH I HAD A BIGGER PIECE. The beef was so chewy and the sauce was so good I made it a point to keep the meat in my mouth longer than necessary. The vegetables were also really fresh so it added to the taste! EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT. This was probably one of my favourite things I ate along the entire trip. Top 3 for sure

Ise is just as mystical at night time!

Aaaaaand we went to eat ramen for supper. This is the same restaurant as Tobakko, except it was a Ramen booth instead of an Izakaya. It had the roadside street stall feeling to it, and the ramen tasted really nostalgic! There was only one man running the shop so he must have been very busy

Day 6: Nara and travel to Osaka

The next day we woke up early to go to our host’s café! It was located deeper in the alley where the apartment was situated. I REALLY liked her decorations!

She cooked for us Ise Udon and many other side dishes like salad, omelette, and tofu pudding! It was REALLY cool because we were the only people in the café at that hour, so we could spend a lot of time chatting with her. I’ll miss this place and our hostess when we’re gone! ;w;

We traveled to Nara on a one carriage train called Yamashiro Reccha! [photo by my brother] All the blinds were drawn so the carriage was dark and my dad kept making murder mystery jokes

WELCOME TO NARA. You can almost tell from the staircase what this place is famous for; I’ve never seen wild deers before in my life so I’m really excited!! Unlike Ise, Nara seems to be a town instead of a countryside, so the vibes are pretty different

Here sells nothing but melon bread. I want to live in this stall

[Last photo by my brother] The tourist center recommended that we try 天丼まきの (Tendon Makino) for Tendon since it was a popular tourist destination. I swear to God, this is the BEST TENDON I’ve EVER eaten in MY LIFE. I’m not fond of octopus but I ate everything up in one go. There was a fried egg in the bowl you could crack open and spill all the yolk everywhere. Literally this is something I’d never get sick of. I could probably eat it everyday for the rest of my life.

MISTER DONUT. I will have you one day….

One of the stalls had a sparrow’s nest near its opening gate! While the sparrow chicks were cute as sin, I sort of pity the poor sparrow for making its nest in the middle of a tourist district

We stopped by Kofuku-Ji Nan-en-dou 興福寺 on the way to Nara deer park! The architecture of the tower seemed really old! It seems there are lots of old buildings (dating to before 16th century) in Kansai

A really nice looking hotel called 菊水楼Kiku-sui-rou. It seems they have a very high rating for their hospitality and their food!

We arrived at the gates of 春日大社(Kasuga Taishi)! And I SAW MY FIRST DEERS. I didn’t dare to approach them since I thought they would run off, but silly me, they were probably already accustomed to having people around.

More deer and shrine stuff! The deers are literally everywhere. And there are lots of tourists too! The awkward part was that there were tonnes of deer droppings everywhere, so you could step on them if you’re not careful.

There was a rest stop at the shrine, so we sat here to cool off a bit. Then this deer appeared out of nowhere and started sniffing my dad’s bag. He was sniffing every single human he came into contact with. Then he came up to me and began to sniff my plastic bag.

THEN HE RIPPED IT APART AND ATE OUR MAP.

I hope it was at least a little bit nutritious but now we hae no directions

We had ice-coffee and ice-cream at the rest stop after that!

So we walked down from the hill after that and played with some deers! This one kept following me. I’m sorry, I don’t have a biscuit for you but I can give you attention if you’d like!

Deers crossing the road! And the bus gave way to them

On the way to 東大寺Toudaiji!

Toudaiji houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana. The statue was at least ten times taller than me without exaggeration!! I also really liked how old the building seemed to look! It seemed really ancient 

We headed out of the temple and this deer stuck his tongue out. What message are you trying to relay, friend?

We returned to Nara station soon after that and took the train to Osaka! We’ve been taking so many trains that the JR Pass is adequately used!

HELLOOOOO OSAKA

We arrived at our new AirBnB destination and I slept so soundly here!! Maybe it’s because I had my own room, but I love that we had the entire floor to ourselves! I also really liked the decorations she put all over the place! It’s really close to the station and Namba City so it was pretty convenient! Here’s the link if anyone is interested!

By the time we reached Namba it was already rather late! So we scoured the place in a rush. There was a Takashimaya somewhere in there which sold nice cakes!

The store Rope Picnic sold lots of cute clothes at 70% off because of summer sale! I felt like I held myself back from spending money just for this moment!! I would be coming here repeatedly over the course of the next few days!

Meanwhile my brother ate some Milk Ice-cream that’s so smooth it looks almost like a toy [photo by my brother]

We decided to eat at 百十Momojuu since it’s a crime to go to Osaka and not eat Okonomiyaki! That is, we ordered Monjayaki instead because we didn’t know there was a difference. THE BEST DISH WAS THE TONPEI (Omelette with meat inside)! The Okonomiyaki (second last picture) was not ours, but the cook accidentally placed it on our grill. Overall the meal was pretty affordable! If I were to go back to Osaka, I’d definitely come by here again.

(The air ventilators seemed to suck smoke up in the air, so people could smoke in the restaurant without bothering the other customers!)

Day 7: Kyoto

Some things I noticed and liked on my way to the station. Today we would be going to Kyoto. I haven’t been there since I was five but I remember bits and pieces of it!

THE ESCALATOR AT OSAKA STATION IS SO TRIPPY. Apparently people in Osaka seem to stand on the right hand side of the escalators rather than the left? That’s really interesting!

The escalators in Kyoto station have handles which are actually decorated!

We’ve reached the gates of the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine(伏見稲荷大社)! This one’s well known because of all the red gates and the impressive climb you need to take to the summit of the shrine. Inari is the God of rice, and you see lots of fox statues throughout the climb. Each of the gates have been donated by a Japanese businessman apparently.

It seems that at each of the gates, the fox on the left has a scroll in its mouth, while the fox on the right has a ball.

[Photos taken by my brother]. At the base, there were tons of people, but the numbers dwindled as we hit the summit. I had to stop at every rest stop because I was just that unfit! But the climb was good and hitting the summit made me feel healthy! One thing I was surprised about was how un-summit- like the summit seemed. We didn’t realize it was the summit until we had to climb down the  stairs on the opposite end of the hill!

Down we go!! My legs hurt. I probably won’t be able to stand tomorrow agh

We reached the base and ate some oden and shaved ice to cool down! The lady in charge of the shop told us that tourists only came by Fushimi Inari about four to five years ago. It appears that the shrine was a pretty recent tourist destination!

Eventually we headed back to Kyoto station and checked out the restaurants in Isetan! There was a restaurant which specialized ENTIRELY in omurice! Naturally, I was very excited!!

...Though we ended up eating at永寿案 “Washoku” Restaurant Eijuan since we were at Kyoto!

 They serve really fresh and delicious grilled fish dishes with tons of mini side dishes on the tray. The restaurant is also located on the top floor of the shopping center so you’re treated to a killer view of Kyoto! For Washoku, this restaurant is pretty affordable and the quality of the food is really good! It’s something to look for if you like light meals :’) The service staff were also really helpful in helping us to find places we can visit in Kyoto.

We took a bus from the station and headed to Kiyomizudera Temple! We have to walk up a hill again but thankfully it wasn’t as insane as Fushimi Inari. We did a lot of walking today and my legs are tired

SCENIC

We paid about 400 yen to see the rest of the temples, but I thought it was really worth it! Most of the trees in the mountain change colours really quickly when it hits autumn, but for now all the trees are green since it’s summer. The view is really breathtaking and worth the climb!

It was a long way down from the temple, but there was a shopping district with aesthetic houses nearby!!

I’m marrying this Ice cream melon soda shake you’re invited to our wedding

TOTORO SHOP KYOTO STYLE. I LIVE

This No-Face Piggy Bank will EAT YOUR MONEY so WATCH OUT

Some other things that caught my eye!

We took the bus to Gion-Shinbashi next! Gion’s the Geiko district with lots of Geiko and Maiko (geiko apprentice) running about!

The street is really pretty! I think you can’t enter any of these shophouses since they usually cost a bomb to go into. Lots of the second-storeys of the houses are covered with some sort of curtain. I wonder why

I MANAGED TO CATCH SOME MAIKOS

Before they boarded a taxi

I wonder if they’re used to tourists gawking at them each time we pass them by..

There’s a Lipton café at Kyoto station I don’t believe my eyes

I wanted to eat here but our train is departing soon!

We’ve arrived back at Namba!

Don Quijote is going to be my best friend for the rest of my days

There’s literally an alcohol called “Do your best, Daddy!” I can’t stop laughing

In the end, we decided to eat at a Yakiniku store since Osaka seems to specialized in grilled and pan-fried foods! We ate at牛角 Gyuu-Kaku, which is apparently expensive where I live, but pretty cheap here.

[second last photo by my brother]. The meat was really good! I swear everything we’ve eaten on this trip is good. The dish in the last picture was especially good—they put some sort of cotton candy and boiled the meat in sauce, and the cotton candy just melted into the sauce after that. I have no idea how it works. All I know is that it was GREAT

THEY HAVE GRILLED MELON BREAD WITH ICE CREAM. I went to town on this one. You grill the melon bread, cut it open and shove ice-cream into it. It’s SO GOOD I can die. This is the highlight of my trip

Then we ate takoyaki after that! We eventually headed back to Don Quijote for grocery shopping

ATTACK ON NOSE HAIR

We had dessert when we went home again! This one came from CRAMERCY New York!

Day 8: Osaka

My dad went to 高野山Koya-san while we rested at home for the day. Apparently, it was first built by monk 空海Kukai, who founded the Japanese calligraphic system! Here are some of the pictures he took!

Apparently, you would sit on a monorail that wasn’t shaped horizontally to get to the top of the mountain like you see in the last picture! It seemed really cool!

Guess what we had for breakfast the next day!!

1.       Cake

2.       Cake

3.       Cake

I can’t believe they made Takoyaki cream puffs and sold it in Takashimaya

We headed to Namba City and ate a buffet meal at GOOD SPOON! I really enjoyed the décor of this place. Apparently it specialized in Italian food, especially their cheeses! The huge bag on the bolognaise in the fourth picture is in fact a huge chunk of cheese! Honestly, everything we’ve eaten on the trip has been really worth it and delicious!

On our way to Osaka Tower!

There seems to be tons of Billiken motifs in the tower. He was dreamt up by an American artist, and is said to bring good luck!

A scene from Osaka tower! Apparently you can see Universal Studios here somewhere!

The history of this place seems a little interesting. Apparently it was built and opened in 1912 along with the amusement park, Luna Park, which included arcades and rides. Unfortunately the original Tsutenkaku and Luna Park burned down in the 1940s, but they rebuilt it under Hitachi in 1956, so the tower is still around today!

The Tower also hosts the Glico museum! Glico was the company which made Pocky!

I’m honestly scared of how much weight I’m going to put on

Eventually we headed back to Namba Area as a cut through to Dotonbori!

 [last photo by my brother] Doutonbori has so many lighted billboards I LOVE IT. The giant crab in the first picture actually MOVES. It reminds me of Tokyo a little, but has more of a night life feeling to it! Lots of shops that I love here, but I only had four hours to run through the place before everything closed!

There was a festival taking place along the river while we were there

We eventually went to eat Kushiyaki at だるまDaruma because that’s another thing Osaka is famous for! It was really good! My favourite dish was the Dotemiso and the quail eggs! So far, it seems like Tokyo has a larger variety of food, but Kansai’s food is more flavorful!

Gintama sale at Marui. I’ll patronize your store another time, Elizabeth….

Day 9: Kobe

We’ve arrived at Kobe! The weather was CRAZY HOT today! I really like the port towns in Japan since they seem to have a lot of delicious Western food, history and architecture! It reminds me a lot of Yokohama in a way! Plus it’s located on a hillside facing the ocean, just the sort of thing I like!

We went ahead and took the Kobe City Bus! It looked really fancy and there was an announcer giving us a rundown of the historical importance of the routes we were taking.

Our first stop was Ijinkan! AKA the street with all the old Western houses that rich foreigners used to live in or use for their recreational activities! The street here was REALLY pretty! Since Kobe was a hill, we would have to climb around to get to just anywhere. The England House apparently had a Sherlock Holmes exhibition on the second floor, and I could see Watson’s silhouette through the curtains!

We bought the tickets to go to the Trick House! Albert Einstein greeted us from the window it was surreal

Many art pieces would look REALLY TRIPPY if you took a photo with a person in it, but I’m camera shy. Here are just some of the exhibits which don’t require you a person to be in the picture. The third one was probably my favourite since it looks like a mirror but actually isn’t! They arranged two rooms to look perfectly symmetrical and you could only tell if a person is walking on the other side. It’s a lot like that one room in the Witch’s House…

You have paintings like these too. 

It was fun to walk on air :^)

Next we had to climb a steep hill to Uroko House!! It was a struggle in the hot weather but at this point I’m so used to sweating. I wonder how the staff come here to work everyday…

Kobe tiles!!

Uroko House! …..’s café

There’s a wild boar in front of it called Porcellino which brings good luck if you touch its nose! I kept getting distracted by its name because of Porco Rosso’s nickname…

The REAL Uroko house! Apparently they named the house as such because the tiles used to decorate the mansion look like scales (uroko). This house used to be luxury rental houses for wealthy foreigners. The exhibits include not only the rooms, but also antique utensils, tableware, and a small art museum!

If I were a doll and these houses are completely furnished I’d live in them.

Some of the stuff we ate in the café! I really liked the ice-cream. We accidentally spilled our drink and the waitress was nice to refill it for us for free

Here are some of my favourite rooms!! I’m glad I came here. It looks a lot like the dollhouse in The Secret World of Arrietty

The view and some of the nice artworks in the museum!

Now we’re off to Yamate 8Ban Kan

Yamate 8Ban Kan! It’s oriented to the sea with trapezoidal bay windows in a row. Inside the building, the “Saturn’s chair” which is believed to grant your wishes if women sit on the right and men on the left. I was having a stomachache so I might have wasted my wish by wishing it to be gone

FUJIKO MINE CLORETS! I love her she’s such a role model

Now we’re going to try Kobe Beef at Steak Land! While we were taking a lift to the restaurant, a man stumbled into the elevator with us. We suspected that it might have been someone important since the restaurant continued to serve him after its closing hours

I’M SO EXCITED!

THE BEEF WAS REALLY GOOD! They cooked the vegetables first and saved the beef and beansprouts for last!! I can’t help but think that everything that we’ve eaten on this trip was really delicious! As far as Kobe beef goes, this was one of the more affordable options!

SCORCHING SUMMER SUN. You can see how hot it is. I could write a song about how much the weather makes one suffer

We continued to take a bus trip around and passed by the maritime museum! I didn’t manage to go in this time, but there will always be future trips that I can plan for :P

Kobe is so scenic!!

Nishimura’s Coffee looks really fancy and I really like the exterior décor despite not eating inside.

We headed to Mosaic Mall! Which seemed to be an outdoor shopping centre!

We meet again, Donguri Garden.

SMILING TOTORO BAG. How can something so perfect exist

My brother tried some chocolate ice-cream from Frantz! Though I didn’t manage to try it to tell if it was good or not

We took the bus back to Kobe station and headed to Namba again!

MY FIRST CREPE ON THE TRIP. I have found you at last

I seem to come across a lot more kittens than full grown cats while I’m in Namba, but this brave warrior didn’t seem afraid in the midst of all the people walking around.

Lmao R18 gacha-gachas

We headed back to Namba City for dinner! There’s this shop called C3 Baked Tiramisu which is ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. I’m not sure if you can find it in Tokyo but this is hands down the best Tiramisu I have ever eaten in my entire life. We bought a dozen back home to finish

MIX FRUIT JUICE SHAKE IS GREAT! I should make this on my own next time! It probably had mango and orange inside, maybe even pineapple, but I’m not too sure

Eventually we headed to Shabu Nabe Udon Noraya のらや, which specialized in Udon and Shabu-Shabu. I had the Udon and tempura set while my brother and mother shared the Pork Shabu Shabu. HOW CAN SUCH A PINK PORK EXIST. I guess the reason why the food here’s so great is because of the quality of the ingredients as well. I really like non-greasy food so this has to be one of my top 3 meals in the entire trip! Definitely would recommend this! And it’s pretty affordable as well. They are really generous with the portions!

  We had more cakes for supper

 Day 10: Leaving Japan

Tiramisu for breakfast! It’s over so soon and I don’t want to leave Osaka so soon ;w;

We stopped by Tully’s Coffee at Osaka station and my mother tried a pancake! It would take a few hours before we reach Tokyo…

We had lunch at 矢場とんYabaton  at Tokyo Station!! The Pork cutlet was really good since they cooked it with their own miso! The staff were really nice too! They helped to warm up my food since I took such a long time to eat because of my stomachache ;w;

We took a Monorail to Haneda Airport! I didn’t know that monorails would tilt to the side when they turned!

Might that be rainbow bridge?

Amuro Tooru seems to be really popular in Japan now! It’s probably because of the new Detective Conan movie in Japan but he’s always been intriguing! I hope they release more on his backstory soon.

Agghh I don’t want to leave but I will definitely be back

The sky was really pretty! Overall the ride was way better than the initial one, since much of the rainy season has cleared up. I actually managed to sleep so that was impressive!

It’s good to be back!!

I guess on the whole Kansai has a pretty different vibe from central Tokyo. Both had their fair share of cultural landmarks and city areas, but Kansai used to house the really old capital of Japan, so they had much older monuments compared to Tokyo. Osaka’s city also seems to be a lot more night life-ish compared to my experience with Tokyo! In terms of food, I’d say that Tokyo has more variety, but I really think Osaka’s food has more flavour. Literally everything I’ve eaten on this trip is delicious and worthy of a recommendation!

On the other hand, I’m really proud of myself since I managed to control myself from overspending this trip :^)

If you make it a point to visit the cultural landmarks instead of going to shop, you really can save a lot of money when travelling in Japan! There are also many more Halal food options compared to what I’ve seen last year, so it should be possible to find good Japanese food for those who have to adhere to a religious diet!

[japan-tourists-spots-philippines]

Why symmetrical locations are popular in Japan

Introduction:

To have a beautiful Japanese landscape or to tell a cultural story, there are many well-known places of symmetry. These art forms frequently express harmony and balance, which are core values of Japanese culture. Japan tourists spots from Philippines desire to see iconic sites such as Mt. Fuji, Tokyo Tower, and the temples in Kyoto because of their beauty and cultural immersion. The things that make Japan so lovely:

Cultural Significance: 

In Japan, the matter of symmetry is not limited to mere appearances; rather, it has a profound cultural significance. It symbolizes values of harmony and balance that are deeply revered in Japanese culture. Symmetry is a visual representation of these fundamental laws, and the same can be said about different spheres of our lives.

Aesthetic Appeal: 

Japan is visually appealing and brings a sense of eternity. Japan attaches special importance to this aesthetic appeal, designs of which are very popular in their architecture and art. The timeless appeal of aesthetics has kept it in vogue, timelessly beating the short-lived trends.

Traditional Architecture: 

The designs of the Japanese temples and shrines revere history. The beauty of these buildings helps to retain traditional architectural styles which give a bond to the past. It's a way of preserving your culture in a visual form.

Natural Harmony: 

The Japanese's relationship with nature manifests in this way. This copying of natural patterns and symmetry leads to visual harmony, which is well in line with the Japanese culture of nature, it creates a sense of balance and unity with nature.

Gardens and Landscapes: 

Japanese gardens play with peaceful landscapes to produce calmness. The balanced and entrancing designs of these fountains foster contemplation and create a tranquil atmosphere conducive to connection with nature.

Shinto and Buddhism: 

Both Shinto and Buddhism, the spiritual pillars of Japan, focus on harmony and balance. This influence carries a design of religious structures and rituals, in which peaceful stands for the spiritual balance that we seek in religious practice.

Tea Ceremony Influence: 

The Japanese Tea ceremony, an amalgam of aesthetics and mindfulness, is commonly held in tea rooms that reflect symmetrical architecture. The design, taking into account the visual balance helps support the meditative and ceremonial aspects of the ritual and creates an atmosphere of reflection and connection.

Cultural Continuity: 

The endurance of symmetry speaks for the cultural subconscious to which it has been passed from generation to generation. It is a testimonial to the timeless stance and the manner of speaking the visual language which is characteristic of Japan.

Modern Interpretation: 

Contemporary Japanese artists have given birth to a new design style, which is a blend of modern and traditional aesthetics. As a design choice, symmetry continues to be the prevailing aesthetic feature that brings together the elements of heritage and innovation in modern architecture and designs.

Conclusion:

The symmetrical patterns in Japan are the manifestation of the profound culture going back to the days when harmony was given utmost importance not only in life but across different aspects of life. The continuity of this tradition has adopted a unique modern aesthetic yet still becomes a timeless visual language. Japan tourists spots from Philippines are to see cultural diversity through the Dipper Tour and the renowned spots including Kyoto and Tokyo offer a truly meaningful experience.

[thetrueghostqueen]

Stalked- Chapter 18

 Masterlist  cover prologue chapter 1 chapter 2 chapter 3 chapter 4 chapter break chapter 5 chapter 6 chapter 7 chapter 8 chapter 9 chapter 10 chapter 11 chapter 12 chapter 13 chapter 14 chapter 15 chapter 16 chapter 17

  The photoshoot lasted longer than anticipated but the guys were very happy to learn that there was nothing else on their schedule. In fact they had the next month free.

  Their manager suggested a mini vacation and the guys agreed excitedly. Aisha suggested a theme park vacation but it was quickly vetoed due to cost.

  Aisha laughed and made a phone call. "Andy, the guys are on vacation for a month starting now. Let's do a theme park trip."

  Aisha put her phone on speaker so everyone in the van could hear the conversation. 

  "How many people? Obviously us, the guys, and Yora. Are the mangers coming? Would they like to bring their families? Which park? Universal Japan, Universal Singapore, Hong Kong Disney, Tokyo Disney, Shanghai Disney, or the U.S? Or Paris?"

  Namjoon looked at the phone dumbfounded. 'Seriously? She didn't even try to disagree.' He thought.

  Aisha looked to everyone for an answer. When no one spoke she told Andy they'd talk at the dorm in 20.

  Yoongi spoke up after the call ended. "We could have fun without spending money on an expensive trip." 

  Everyone agreed as Aisha sighed. "It's not an issue."

  Jin stared at Aisha. "Andy just asked if 20 plus people wanted to jet to a different country for an amusement park. That's kind of a huge issue. You don't need to waste your money on us."

  Aisha snickered. "Oh, Jinnie that's cute. Seriously though it's not wasting money. Well it is but it's for an awesome cause."

  "What cause?" Taehyung asked confused.

  "Fun." Aisha grinned.

   Silence filled the van as they arrived back at the dorms. Aisha told the manager that she would give him a call after the details were hashed out but to plan for a morning departure.

  She followed behind the guys to see Andy and Sayora not in make up waiting for them by the door.

  Hoseok sped up and reached Sayora picking her up into a hug as he peppered her face in kisses.

  Everyone gathered in the living area to discuss Aisha's outlandish proposal.

  "It isn't about going. It sounds great. I'm sure the guys would agree that going to a theme park would be fun. It's the cost and it's last minute which means it would be more. We can't spend that kind of money." Namjoon reasoned.

  "Let them spend it." Sayora muttered. "They're filthy rich anyway." 

   "What, Love?" Hoseok asked not quite catching what she said. 

  Sayora smiled sweetly at Hobi. "Nothing. I just said they are going to do it anyway. Might as well give in." She arched up to kiss his cheek.

  Jimin looked down at Sayora seated beside him with a grimace. He heard what she muttered. The more he was around her the less he liked her. 

  The argument continued back and forth for over two hours. Aisha eventually won the battle. they would be going to Universal Studios in Singapore. Aisha called the manager who asked to bring his wife and 3 children. Andy called their brother Mac. She even invited their pilot and his family.

  With the amount of people coming Andy was informed that their other plane would be required along with the co-pilot so she invited the co-pilots family as well. in total there would be 26 people going on vacation.

  Jin cooked dinner while Andy made all the phone calls and reservations. Jungkook and Namjoon panicked internally as they watched Andy scribble the amounts of everything on paper. 

   To change the topic of conversation from the trip Sayora explained the reasoning behind no longer wearing the 'Kaylee' make-up. 

  Dinner was a lovely affair. Everyone teased everyone. Jin laughed as he told his dad jokes. After dinner was over Jungkook grabbed Andy to head to his room. 

  Namjoon stopped him.  "We are all happy for the two of you, but Jimin and Tae need to sleep in their beds." 

   Andy laughed as Jungkook reddened with embarrassment. "Honestly, Joonie, they could've come in whenever they wanted to."

  Taehyung choked on the water he was drinking. "But you and Kook..."

  "We didn't do anything but talk." Andy spoke.

  "This morning and the moaning." Jimin chimed in.

  "A misunderstanding Min. Kookie showed me a stupid video that caused me to laugh hysterically. What you actually heard was me trying to breathe."

  "And the statement at breakfast?" Namjoon asked. 

  "Me pulling y'alls leg.  I'm not opposed to sex guys, but Kookie and I literally got together last night. Rest assured I haven't defiled him. Yet anyway. Good night."

  Andy grabbed Jungkook's hand and raced to his room effectively ending the conversation.

  Since tomorrow was a packing and shopping for a trip day everyone called it a night. Namjoon found himself on the couch that Tae and Jimin slept on the night before since his room was occupied by Sayora and Hoseok.

[travelsthruindonesia]

A short interruption in our trip

July 25

Ubud, Bali

This morning two of our group members, after feeling a bit lethargic, took an antigen test using a home-testing kit they had brought along with them. Bad news: they both tested positive. Given those positive results, the rest of us also decided to take a home test. More bad news: 4 of the remaining 6 people tested positive. Bummer!

The two who tested negative continued on the trip. The six of us took a PCR test this morning, with the results expected by this evening. The hospital even sent a nurse to our hotel to administer the test. Cost of the test: about $17 per person.

If the results of the PCR test come in negative, we will get to continue on with our trip. If the results are positive, we are required to quarantine in our hotel for 5 days.

Thanks to the two COVID vaccine booster shots we had before we left home, so far none of us feels terribly sick, just a minor cold.

Next update of our status: Tonight, after we receive our PCR test results.

July 26 Update

The results of the PCR tests are in: all six of us tested positive for COVID. Now we have to remain quarantined in our rooms for 5 days. Compared to the very active itinerary we had mainted earlier, the first day of quarantine felt like being in solitary confinement, though we did get a chance to eat our dinner by the poolside and drink a bintang, the local brew. Some in our group also had a card game going.

July 29 Update

Released From Solitary Confinement; Out on Parole

We depart our hotel later today for our flight home. We will need to wear an N95 mask for the entire 33-hour travel duration, including transit time for connecting flights, for our flight home (Denpasar - Singapore - Tokyo - Los Angeles - Minneapolis). Health is normal, never felt otherwise, except for a runny nose for a day.

Our plans are to take a series of PCR tests after we get back home, until we get two negative test results to feel confident that we have finally expelled this scrouge from our bodies. That would be the time when our parole ends.

August 5 Update

Free at last. Unshakled. Parole restrictions ended. Past record wiped clean.

[antoine-roquentin]

After last week, it would be easy to believe that Washington’s North Korea policy is in a state of chaos.

Last Thursday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo named a new special envoy on North Korea and announced they were heading together to Pyongyang for high level talks. Little more than 24 hours later, President Donald Trump, in a series of tweets, cancelled the visit.

Beneath the disarray, however, a certain order could be found. Based on conversations held this past week in Washington with senior administration officials, including two members of the North Korea negotiating team, as well as former national security officials who are consulted by Secretary Pompeo and the National Security Council, a broad consensus emerges. Interestingly, it is almost completely in sync with the views held by senior Japanese officials.

The foundation of this consensus is a profoundly skeptical view of the possibility of achieving “final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea,” the goal reiterated by new special envoy Steve Biegun. While there were some differences concerning exactly what might be achieved in the talks with Pyongyang, not a single official dealing with North Korea said he believes this ultimate aim is reachable. The only possible exception is the President himself.

The second pillar of consensus is a deep concern that the South Korean government of Moon Jae-in, which has driven the opening to North Korea, is no longer bound by the need to move in tight coordination with Washington. Some even fear the alliance itself may be in jeopardy.

As for China, the national security officials I met all tend to take a jaundiced view of Beijing’s role. They see China as eager to use North Korea as a tool to drive the U.S. off the Korean peninsula. For now, they believe it still supports Washington’s diplomacy, including maintaining large-scale economic sanctions, even if it is not ready to sharpen its pressure on the North Korean regime.

Finally, the spoken, and unspoken, aim of most professionals implementing North Korea policy is to hold off President Trump from meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un again. They worry about a repeat of the June spectacle in Singapore when Trump made significant concessions that undercut their attempts to seriously negotiate with the North.

Beneath the chaos, emanating mostly from the Oval Office, a four- sided containment policy exists – containment of North Korea, of South Korea’s Moon administration, of China, and, most of all, containment of Donald Trump.

Inside the national security bureaucracy, there are no illusions that the suspension of testing of missiles and warheads by the North Koreans represents a move towards abandoning their nuclear capability. “The North Koreans are liars,” a veteran of previous talks with Pyongyang told me. “I am not expecting happy results on denuclearization,” a senior official who has participated in the talks said.

Every attempt to move to the specifics of denuclearization, including the July visit by Secretary Pompeo, has gone nowhere. North Korean officials refused to discuss concrete steps such as a declaration of North Korean nuclear facilities.

Instead the North Koreans keep referring to the Singapore declaration and insisting they reached agreement with Trump to move first towards an ‘end to hostilities,’ beginning with dumping the existing armistice agreement that is part of the foundation for the U.S. military presence in South Korea.

Indeed, when Pompeo tried to press the case for denuclearization steps, his North Korean counterpart Kim Yong Chol held up a cell phone and taunted him – “why don’t you call your president?”

National security officials insist that even if the results are limited, the diplomatic process is still worthwhile to prevent a return to President Trump’s war threats of last year. At the same time, they are trying hard to keep the economic sanctions pressure in place and prevent China, South Korea and Russia from breaking ranks.

The negotiators were ready to offer Pyongyang a “declaration for declaration” compromise when Pompeo visited again. In this deal, the U.S. would offer a “political declaration” of the end of the war in exchange for North Korea’s declaration of its nuclear facilities.

“It will only be a statement of objective fact that the end of the war had occurred and would not be a substitute for a peace treaty,” a senior official told me. The State Department has pushed this bargain, but the Pentagon worries this will give the North Koreans leverage to undermine the security alliance with South Korea.

Despite their skepticism about the negotiating process, “both would take that over anything the President would do,” a former senior official in previous Republican administrations who is in close contact with this administration told me.

Still only hours before the President cancelled the Pompeo trip, a senior U.S. official predicted to me that North Korea would reject the declaration for declaration deal, confident they can get what they want from another Kim-Trump summit.

Pompeo, he told me, “is going not knowing if he is getting something.” The North Koreans are just waiting to meet Trump again. “Their chances of success increase exponentially every time they see the President,” he said. “It is a mistake for Pompeo to go.”

Inside the national security bureaucracy, there is growing alarm over relations with South Korea. On the surface, President Moon and his government continue to support U.S. diplomacy and reinforce its messages to Pyongyang. But things are starting to shift, with Seoul telling administration officials that the nuclear issue is basically between the U.S. and North Korea and that they want to separate their engagement with the North from progress on that issue.

“We have a big problem coming with South Korea,” a senior official involved in the talks told me. “It has reached the point where the South Koreans are determined to press ahead. They no longer feel the need to act in parallel with us.”

Moon is planning a visit next month to Pyongyang. He is eager to proceed with projects such as rail and pipe lines that will run from South, through the North, to Russia and China, as he outlined in a recent address.

Some officials warn that the U.S. is prepared to sanction South Korea if it proceeds. They believe Moon will not risk the domestic political cost of showing a visible gap with the U.S., particularly as his popular support is starting to soften. But others worry that a tough response may just deepen the split.

Even without breaking the United Nations resolutions, South Korea can provide massive supplies of food aid if the UN declares there are serious food shortages this fall.

Contrary to Trump’s claim that China has eased pressure on North Korea, security officials all agree that the Chinese continue to enforce the economic sanctions, particularly on large scale flows of energy and food. They do report some softening on controls over border trade and the flow of hard currency through Chinese banks.

On September 9, Chinese leader Xi Jinping will stand next to Kim and watch a parade of North Korean might in Pyongyang. State Department officials remain hopeful that the Chinese need to be seen as a responsible power may yield more North Korean concessions on the nuclear issue.

But there is no evidence Xi is insisting Kim make significant new steps. “China is simply pressing North Korea to keep the process going,” says the Republican former national security official. “That is all they care about.”

Privately, senior officials do not echo the President’s claim that Beijing is retaliating for tariffs. “We always knew that there was only so far they would go,” says a senior official responsible for China policy. “They are cool customers.”

The President’s abrupt decision to cancel the negotiation team’s visit to Pyongyang came after a one-on-one meeting with Pompeo. It was the President himself who pushed for this visit, having dispatched a letter to Kim asking him to receive Pompeo.

According to senior officials, Kim had agreed, unlike in July, to receive the Secretary. Pompeo, who prides himself on his ability to manage his relationship with the President, was ready to go but he was concerned about a repeat of the unproductive and embarrassing July experience. It is possible Pompeo himself pushed for the cancellation.

“Trump really wants to meet Kim Jong Un again,” says the former official who has been consulted by the administration. “He thinks that he alone can solve it, based entirely on his personal relationship with Kim Jong Un. I don’t think Pompeo wants a summit because there is nothing he can deliver.” As the President stated in his cancellation tweet, he himself is still looking forward to that meeting.

Deeper inside the administration, there is a clear understanding of the challenge facing them. “The bureaucracy is unifying to protect the world from Trump,” the former official told me. “They do not conceal their complete frustration and alarm with Trump.”

[shaunstoffer]

I left the school I worked at in Vietnam to start a new journey backpacking Japan, visiting my family in Singapore, and to live and teach in Taiwan. I didn’t dislike Vietnam but couldn’t get past some of the cons that made me not want to extend my stay past my fifteen months of living in Ho Chi Minh City.

Some of the things I do and don’t miss about living in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam:

The corruption: My temporary residence card was a piece of crap to begin with. It cost me well over $100 and was simply a cheap quality business card that had my photo laid on top and laminated. The seal was uneven and already breaking after just a few weeks in my wallet. So, I tried to double laminate it like a stubborn fool only for it to get bizarrely stuck in the laminator and come out looking like this. As a result, I tried several different ways to leave Vietnam from trying to purchase an exit visa, paying a bribe, and hiring a man who specialized in immigration issues such as this. In the end, the only method that worked was ironically getting help from a friend’s, whose dog I was fostering, cousin who worked for immigration. He simply met me at the airport, talked to immigration for maybe one minute, and waved me through hundreds of people queued in immigration and security. Literally he instructed me to go to the staff lines, which were empty, while hundreds of people waited in the regular lines. Each employee would look at me confused, I’d point to him, he’d give a thumbs up and a nod, and they would wave me through without a second thought. It was the most impressive thing I’ve seen in a long time.The pollution: My neighborhood in district seven was among the cleanest in Ho Chi Minh City, which isn’t saying much frankly, but I still never got used to waking up and seeing smog that would conceal the sky. I ended up getting a Vietnam “cough”, something a lot of expats initially develop from the exposure to pollution and are left with no choice but to either get used to it or leave. I was missing fresh clean air and nature more than I ever imagined to the point that every holiday I took I would go somewhere with mountains or beaches or both. Fresh air is something I’ll never take for granted again. The flooding: There’s nothing more comical than watching a horde of people with their feet on the panhandles of their bikes, going a kilometer an hour, and doing everything in their power not to come to a complete stop as that would cause them to have to put their leg, sometimes thigh deep or more, in the dirty flood waters that have nowhere to go due to the poor sewage system which is regularly clogged by locals uncaringly sweeping their into the drains. It was also unpleasant to be driving to work or the gym and experience a mild drizzle turn into a full on flash flood within five minutes. Many people wear heavy raincoats while driving, as umbrellas aren’t rational, even when walking due to the strong winds. However, people typically still bring an extra outfit in their bag or wear shorts and flip flops to avoid being stuck in wet clothes the entire day.

My students:My neighborhood, Phu My Hung:An unfortunate quick stop to Singapore: I reluctantly took a trip to see my mom and her side of the family in Singapore for my birthday prior to going on a three week holiday to Japan. I was fighting a serious case of homesickness and had contemplated going back home for my holiday instead of Japan. However, after spending three days with my family I couldn’t wait to say goodbye and move on to the next adventure. Aside from a nice birthday dinner and some much appreciated birthday gifts, I was all but forgotten. No one wanted to go out to eat, I ended up getting sick again, and every conversation went to gossiping about people or questioning my every life action. “What are you going to do after you’re done teaching?” “How are you qualified to teach social studies?” “What’s this? Why are you growing a beard?” “If you don’t like it you can go eat somewhere else!” It’s been a long time since I’ve been around people who made me feel so alone and small and I attribute my coldness and lack of trust to my undesired experiences and interactions with a fair amount of my family. To them it’s normal, to me it’s something I would never tolerate from any other persons. I chalk it up to different cultures but also to a lack of understanding from both sides of my family. I’ve never been understood and people can seldom relate to me, I ultimately think it attests for a lot of my loner mentality and lack of emotions.

Fair warning Singapore is a fun place but definitely strict when it comes to drugs. If you want a party beyond alcohol, don’t come to Singapore or try your luck in Geylang.The view from my grandmother’s apartment in Braddell Place.Six different currencies I’ve managed to collect overtime. Thai baht, US dollars, Japanese yen, Malaysian ringgit, Singaporean dollars, and Vietnamese dong. (From left to right, top to bottom.)Osaka Food Market: The seafood market was easily the best and my favorite out of the three I visited in Japan. Some of my favorites of the foods I tried were Kobe beefsteak, raw sea urchins, and fresh fire-roasted scallops.

Osaka’s Streets: Osaka is absurdly clean and people follow every traffic rule there is. No one j-walks, no one loiters, and everybody is helpful and courteous despite the language barrier. In Japanese culture it is rude to stare and common courtesy is expected such as holding the door out for someone, allowing someone in a hurry to pass you by, and to greet and thank customers and patrons habitually. That being said, a lot of Japanese will still see foreigners as outsiders, especially if they do not speak Japanese. Meaning just because they are polite to you does not necessarily mean they care or want to know about you.

My regular traditional Japanese Food: Sushi and dumplings.A Guilty Pleasure: I go to a McDonalds in every country I visit because it’s always a little different from the menu to the seating. Japanese McDonalds have bacon lettuce burgers, teriyaki chicken fillets, and double beef and egg burgers for example.Vending Machines: Vending machines are sprawled out everywhere, literally every block has one. From soda to coffee to beer and even ice cream. There are very few things, especially beverages that you can’t find in vending machines in Japan.

Trains: Japan has a lot of conveniences such as toilets and breastfeeding rooms everywhere for the self-explanatory. Trains are definitely one of those conveniences offering different trains like local, sub-express, and limited express. The system is a bit confusing but there are some conveinces to help you such as maps posted every where, machine for route finders and fare adjustments, and there is almost always a tenant who speaks reasonable English at every ticketing queue.

My first experience on the train in Osaka I followed Google maps which took me on an unnecessarily longer route. I showed the ticket tenant my ticket and asked if my directions were accurate. He literally gave me my money back, bought a new, cheaper ticket, and walked me to the right line, stop, and told me when and where to get off. I had never been so thankful or respectful of someone’s courtesy and helpfulness.

7th Eleven: These are everywhere as well in Japan and offer some of the freshest meals as well ass an exceptional variety of beverages.

Toilets: Something I have to admit I miss about Japan is the toilets. The seats automatically lift up and down and there is always a set of buttons that allow you to control music, clean the toilet for you, a bidet with adjustable buttons for the spray strength and temperature. It became one of those weird things where you actually looked forward to using the toilet.

Traditional housing in Japan: Oddities: For whatever reason Japanese people love Spam, they literally have flavors I didn’t even know existed. Nightlife: Osaka has a thriving nightlife from strip clubs to highball bars to British pubs. People in Osaka are generally more open and friendly towards expats whereas many Japanese can be particularly cold to foreigners. For example, many foreigners who have tattoos are not allowed into saunas, gyms, and springs unless they find a way to cover them up. Also, many foreigners are politely unwelcome at restaurants or bars simply because they are foreigners as well as aren’t fluent in Japanese. They’ll be politely told we are closed or full.

I experienced all these things in a variety of way such as being told at a hookah bar in Kyoto that they were full, until they saw my Japanese girlfriend and magically two seats became available. I also booked a hotel in Tokyo with a Taiwanese girl who spoke Japanese and laughed when a sign posted read:

The famous Glico Running Man:

Highballs & Sake: Highballs, which are basically tall cocktails comprised of liquor, normally whiskey and a lot of club soda. At first, this drink seemed unappealing to me as I prefer whiskey on the rocks or neat, but overtime they grew on me and I ended up having numerous highballs over my time in Japan.

Sake, on the other hand, is something to be either taken as a shot or sipped and enjoyed. A general rule of thumb is that quality sake is served cold where has lower tiers are served warm. I had the pleasure of trying a variety at various bars and have to admit I became a fan of aged Suntory whiskeys.

To politely cheers in Japan you should either pour your sake bottle or be holding your sake glass with two hands to receive your sake. You should also cheers lower than the person you are cheering with.

Japan isn’t cheap to eat or drink out at and one should expect to spend around 600-700 (around $6) for a standard beer at a bar.

Hookah in Japan: I fell in love with smoking Japanese shisha in Japan because it was something cheaper, social, and I wouldn’t be comatose in bed the next day. I also happened to Casanova my way into charming a female employee who gave me quite the hook up.Traditional Japanese Eateries: What I loved about the neighborhood, Tennoji, that I stayed at in Osaka was the variety of traditional eateries a short walk down the street form my hostel. The language barrier was difficult at first as I didn’t learn how to say useful phrases such as, “one please” “thank you” or “excuse me” until after a week of practicing in Japan. I relied on Google translate, pointing at pictures, and the dumb luck of having an occasional English speaking server or chef.

Osaka Castle: Is it touristy? Yes. Is it worth it? Hell yes.

Nature and weather during summer’s June: All over fellow travel blogs and travel websites I heard that June was the worst month to visit Japan due to the lack of blooming cherry blossoms and the unfortunate rainy season. However, of the three weeks I spent in various cities in Japan it only rained, and mildly at that, a fraction of the time. There was no flooding, no heavy rain, and no thunder or lightning. A simple umbrella and you can get around no problem. As far as nature goes, there is a bit of a lack of variety in color but there are still plenty of flowers and everything is very green and pleasant to see nonetheless. Many flowers won’t be in bloom but nature is still worth visiting in parks and gardens for sure.

Survival Japanese: Simplified for English pronunciation.

One = Itchy

Yes = Hi

Cheers – Comb pie

Please – Own knee guy she mas

Thank You – are we got toe go zi mas

Excuse Me/Sorry = Sue me ma send

No Problem = Moan die nai

Story Time: My last night in Osaka I spent the day in the slums run by the Yakuza. I walk into the first restaurant I see without any foreigners and the server tells me, “only Japanese menu.” I reply “mondai nai (no problem),” and the cook comes out to take my order but instead asks me about my cauliflower ears. I explain I’m a semi-retired fighter on holiday.

We start taking about fighting and I show him old videos of me and some of my old training partners killing it right now. They start bringing up old Japanese Pride fights and ask me to send them one of my old fight pics. They print two copies out and get me to sign them and they tape one on the wall and tell me they are going to put the other up in a nearby bar. It turns into a small group of the staff but we are all vibing.

I ask them if there are any Yakuza bars nearby I should be wary of and they laugh. They tell me you’re really close to one and I go seriously? The cook pulls up his shirt to show a full back piece of Shiva and I’m like oh shit. He explains he’s lower tier but not to worry, if you respect us we’ll respect you. I offer to buy them a round of drinks and they starts cheersing me and return the favor by giving me a free meal.

We keep talking and they literally say we’re going to close the restaurant down and take you to a local bar. Being me, I reluctantly say let’s go. They literally close the place down and we go to a Yakuza bar that’s something like a speakeasy where, go figure, is the second picture hung up. The bartender’s and other patrons go what are you doing bringing this foreigner here? They go don’t worry he’s with us, he’s cool. They warn me the boss isn’t in tonight but if he decides to show up you have to leave, it’s not personal but you aren’t one of us. I tell them I understand and we start eating and drinking but then a random member stands up and slaps me in the face – twice. I stand up and square up like what the hell? They all start laughing and say we wanted to see how you would react then say don’t worry, we all like you now because you didn’t back down, it shows you have pride like us. We go shot for shot, drink for drink ALL NIGHT. Eventually, I leave and they ask for a way to contact me to keep in touch, I right down my number and bid them farewell.

Never a dull moment. This is my version of Bert’s “I Am The Machine!”

Osaka I left the school I worked at in Vietnam to start a new journey backpacking Japan, visiting my family in Singapore, and to live and teach in Taiwan.

[fdxjapan2020]

Day 27 - From Sabae to Nagoya

To avoid a detour to Kyoto and its greater crowds, I used a direct Shirasagi train to take me from Sabae to Nagoya. All over Japan, foreign tourists were disappearing, and the hotels, which I normally could not afford, suddenly offered irresistible deals. I booked my favourite place near the Sakae district in central Nagoya.

My lovely Nagoya friend, Satoko, had invited me for lunch. I dropped my bike and luggage at Hotel Vista, and headed for the subway. At the time, I am not sure whether Satoko realised what a blessing her invitation had been for me. In her company, I was able to forget about the fact I had no flight home, and feared for my family and friends in Europe and Australia. Our friendship had developed many years earlier when I ran a summer course as a French and English teacher at the Aichi Shukutoku University. 

“Omotenashi” is the Japanese art of making people feel welcome and comfortable. Satoko always knows how to make me feel at home and relaxed when I visit Nagoya. On my last visit, she had taken me to a French restaurant serving fish (I do not eat meat), followed by a visit to a small gallery with a bird photography exhibition. This time, after a French vegetarian lunch, we went for a long stroll in her favourite park. 

At the end of the day, I felt calmer and ready to face calling the Singapore Airlines Tokyo call centre. After many (many!) calls, I was lucky to be able to get assistance. What helped in the process, in my opinion, is that I still had my JR Train pass and, thanks to the Shinkansen train network, could quickly head to any international airport around Japan. In addition, after plotting my way up the ladder of the Singapore Airlines membership status, I was then a Gold member worthy of personal attention. There was for me a spot on a direct flight to Brisbane provided by Qantas, and it didn’t cost anything to rebook my ticket via a different airline. My last chance was a flight on the following Monday night. I lost myself in words of thanks to the Singapore Airline employee. There were tears, in fact.

This only left me with a last challenge: earlier on my trip I had forwarded some of my luggage to what was meant to be the hotel for my final two nights in Kyoto before heading to Osaka Airport. There was no time to lose, and I immediately made plans to travel to Kyoto on the next day, a Saturday, to retrieve my luggage.

😴 Hotel Vista Nagoya, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture

[frombaliwithlove]

🗓️ 11/22/20 // To go to Bali is possible, if you apply for an e-Visa, which allows you to stay 2 months with 4 times to extend (equals 6 months max). It feels like a lot of steps— even leading up to my departure, I still feel like I’m missing something. So I’m documenting this now, but will update it once I get to Bali to confirm any changes. (NOTE: this has been updated, as of 11/29/20). So here’s how I did it...

Find a reputable Visa Agency - I used Bali Visas. I learned about them from my friend Christina (@christinaadavis), who is a Digital Nomad Coach. (I can put you in touch with her for more guidance).

Prepare the following materials to apply for the e-Visa:

Bank statement with at least $2,000 (yes, it’s a low barrier of entry, but the economy is suffering with no tourism, so I’m sure it’s this case to allow those who can do this long-term stint a chance.)

Passport that won’t expire for 12 months

U.S. address & Indonesia address (I have a friend based in Singapore, who shared his friend’s Bali address, which I listed since I wasn’t booking my hotel until after I got my e-Visa)

Health Insurance (as per my previous post, I went with SafetyWing for $40/month - covers motorcycle accidents, COVID-19, and scuba/surf accidents, dengue and monkey bites - all things that I’m concerned about plus others)

Lastly, once you’ve submitted the application, you’ll need to bank transfer $410 to Bali Visas (if you want the basic package; there is also a VIP one), which is the cost of the e-Visa and their fee. It was easy for me to do online with no bank fees. Then with each extension, it’s approx. $50

Once you get the e-Visa (took less than 2 weeks for me), prepare these docs as print outs for your trip:

Sponsorship Letter via Bali Visas

Health Letters signed via Bali Visas

COVID-19 negative test taken within 7 days of arrival

Return ticket (have it insured)

IMEI registration - if you plan to get an Indonesian SIM card, like I will be doing, you can port your U.S. number to Google Voice for $20, then it’s free forever. This is a bit of a stressor, so here is an article to help understand the steps and VAT. This is only recommended if you plan to be there longer than a month.

Note: you need to go to the IMEI customs after you go past normal customs to register the phone via the steps in the above link. You’ll pay the VAT with a credit card. I listed mine at $600, and should have said $500 because I had proof of my iPhone 11 Pro degrading to $506 and had a print out, but even once showing that, they referred to my registered price of $600, and I had to pay $43 tax. Still not bad when I did the comparison math of keeping my cell plan on in USA.

You’ll need to fill out the eHAC form online via Bali Visas; make sure to do international and domestic versions

Also, get a letter of good health from a US doctor (I ended up not needing to show this, but it varies, so be prepared)

Lastly, should you plan to rent a scooter, motorcycle or even drive a car, head to AAA website, print out the application for the International Driver’s Permit and go to the local office with 2 passport pictures. For $20, you can get that permit and drive around with no problem from the police.

That’s it for now! I have other tips to share, but will do so once I arrive, e.g., airport pick up driver, how to pick a hotel until you find a long-term stay villa, etc.

UPDATE ON 11/27 - TIPS:

VIP Fast Trak via Bali Visas for ~$100 - I decided to add this on 4 days before my flight. I started to worry about the 3 hour transfer between my international to domestic flight once I got to Jakarta, and I'm so glad I did it. If you do have tons of time, don’t sweat it, but I arrived at peak 4pm and if it wasn’t for the assistance, I wouldn’t have been able to skip the 4 different lines (e.g., 2 COVID/Ehac lines, Visa Passport Check, Customs, IMEI Customs, then baggage claim, onward to Domestic check-in, then security all over again)

CASH - don’t forget to get cash at the ATM in the airport. I was rushing and forgot to. Reason is for GoJek, which is the [scooter] Uber for Indonesia. The app is rejecting my US credit cards, but they accept cash that you can hand to your driver.... so have been walking around until I have time to find a local ATM near my current stay

TILE - if there is anything I couldn't suggest harder, it would be to buy a tile and put it in your luggage. So quick FYI, I booked my flights on Delta using points, but the flights were two affiliates (Korean Airlines and Garuda Indonesia). In this case, I am able to check my bag once and they’d know to transfer it from one airline to another during my layover. However, because this was booked via Delta, I couldn’t check into a seat at Garuda until I got to Korea. Long story short, once I got to Jakarta, I couldn’t find my checked bag, and thankfully, the TILE app pinged me its location, and I found it. I literally started to prep myself on the idea of letting go of my belongings and buying everything new in Bali...

Priority Pass (access to airport lounges) - before booking, check to make sure these are open in the airport you’re going to. I had three options in Seoul, Korea/ICN, which was great. Better wifi (it was low in main terminal), good food, place to rest. My friend Christina checked with Tokyo, Japan/Narita Int’l, and it’s closed when she gets there. It’s the best perk to relax at lounges in between flights. If you can’t find one, check if there are Nap Rooms, which are actually quiet/open/dark/safe.

LASTLY, thanks to my girl, Christina (@christinaadavis), who helped me figure out this Visa process, and Kevin (@wellnesskev), who was over in Bali giving me small tips at each step when I needed it. And that’s just two new friends of a larger community of ex pats that I’ve already connected—all who have been so amazing with info shares. If you can take the time in your life to embark on this time away from your every day... DO IT! I’m happy to help anyone wanting to make the jump, too!