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A DisneySea-like Adventure in Hakone
Japan : Tokyo, Fujikawaguchiko, Hakone
Spring 2024
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| Sailing across Lake Ashi aboard the Victory Royal II - Queen Ashinoko "Pirate Ship" (apr-2024) |
Journal Entry... My 10th time traveling to the country of Japan. Have I not have enough of it? Perhaps. On this trip, hubby needed me to tag along as a plus one to his office junket. I tell the hubby our second issuance of 5-year Japan visa will be expiring in November 2024. He replies nonchalantly, "Let's renew it after the trip." Oh well.
6-apr: Arrival in Tokyo... 7:38am, Gate 107, Terminal 3, ANA Airlines Flight NH820, 9:10am departure time. I was in lackluster mood for doing last-minute packing as always, and in turn, for not having slept a wink overnight. Morning sun seeped through the glass wall in a poorly air-conditioned boarding area of the airport in Manila. I can't wait to board to my seat within the cooler confines of the plane. A direct flight landing in Narita airport, from Manila, is a short flight of 4-5 hours. I did not care if I was in economy section. ANA Airlines in-flight service to economy section is more than satisfactory from experience, and a deal much better than the flag carrier. (I try to smirk at myself for getting spoiled to business class seats from our last two back-to-back trips to Japan (in December 2023 & in February 2024) via Cathay Pacific. "You don't get to ride business class all the time, darling," I muse to myself. On Cathay Pacific flight, however, the flight route took longer, and flight schedule were unholy hours, because of the Hong Kong layover. Also, the business class lounge in Hong Kong closes its doors at 12 midnight, thus creating a homeless scenario for business class passengers in a huge airport terminal that are lacking in comfy recliners. Returning to Manila during unholy hours on that first Cathay Pacific flight had pushed us to pay for land side hotel (Regal Hotel), in Hong Kong, to keep our sanity through the wee hours till the 8am outbound flight the next day. Note to self: short flight in economy; long flight in business.)
Narita Express train to Tokyo Station. Black (London-style) taxi to hotel. Check-in: The Royal Park Canvass, Rm. 1305, in the Ginza area. A new location for us to our usual Shinjuku base (Century Southern Hotel) when in Tokyo. Complimentary items to hotel guests were free-to-take at the reception area. I make a mental note to secure a sufficient stack of those 'UCC drip coffee' and 'tea selection' alongside the necessary toiletries, for my collection. Fingers crossed, the hotel staff will not ban me for it. As if that was not enough, I signed up the hubby to my plan of action. Lol
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| Fujikawaguchiko, 2024 |
First stop: Oishi Park, in Fujikawaguchiko. There was a lake before it, a food hall, and a supposed "superb view of lake Kawaguchiko and Mt. Fuji at once." But clouds hovered over the active volcano to no avail. There was a call for a group photo by the rocky shores of the lake, the dry sand next to the lake seemingly breathing from under our feet, because it had turned soft from water composition. The ground where we stood was moving up and down from feet movement scurrying about the area for that best photo spot.
Second stop: Fuji-Q, a requested theme park itinerary by the younger ones in the group; one had a fascination for 'Naruto' which did not ring a bell for me. To be honest, I was not exactly keen about theme parks it being past my generational interest. Moreso the theme park had various rides not for the fainthearted. Hubby and I went straight for a Mos Burger meal way past lunch time and to pass away the time till the next stop.
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| Rocky shores of lake Kawaguchiko overlooking a no-show Mount Fuji in clouds at the Oishi Park |
(to be continued)
Getting Around Central Honshu
Japan
Winter 2024
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| A wave of nostalgia looking off into the distance at Kamakurakōkō-Mae station, while a select crowd lines up to that railway crossing made famous by 'Slam Dunk-anime.' (jan, feb-2024) |
Travel Journal... Wanderlust, noun - a strong desire for or impulse to wander or travel and explore the world. For Filipinos, like myself, this is also strongly motivated by a multiple entry visa stamped on one's passport. Fresh from a holiday trip to Japan's snowiest Hokkaido region for year ender 2023 and HNY 2024, here we are headed back to Japan's central Honshu region after a month. It's a short 5-hour flight away from the Philippines... usually.
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| two peas in business |
28-jan: Day trip to Kamakura & Enoshima island... one hour away on the train from Shinjuku station. Exit Kamakura station, purchase a day pass for the Enoden line that takes you from end-to-end, for unlimited hop on, hop off to sightseeing spots. Hase stop: to the Great Buddha of Kamakura. Kamakurakokomae stop: to the railroad crossing featured in the opening scene of the 'Slam Dunk-anime' (I have yet to watch on TV.) Enoshima stop: to cross the 400-meter bridge connecting Kamakura to Enoshima island for the night illumination on top of the island. By the seaside, it was calming. On a clear day, majestic Mt. Fuji will even grace for a backdrop to one's souvenir photo.
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| A sitting Great Buddha of Kamakura awaits every curious visitor, while a pair of his giant slippers are tacked on a wall (not in photo) |
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| 400-meter stretch of bridge connects mainland Kamakura to Enoshima island; your choice: ride or walk |
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| Enoshima Sea Candle (lighthouse) is a spectacle of lights by sundown on top of the island |
(to be continued...)
Frozen in Hokkaido
Japan
Winter YE23>2024
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| A customary shrine visit on the 1st day of the year, this time, to the Hokkaido Jingu in Sapporo amidst freezing temperature of -6.3 degree centigrade outdoors (jan-2024) |
Journal Entry... (to be continued)
Good morning, Vietnam!
Vietnam
Autumn 2023
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| Birthday celebrant kicks off from the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long ("Soaring Dragon") in Hanoi (nov-2023) |
Journal Entry... I can't believe I have never been to Vietnam after all these years of traveling. My ignorant thinking often tells me it looks and feels the same as my home country, las islas Filipinas, which is hot, humid and crowded. Le poupee had previously traveled to Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh (formerly, Saigon) & Hanoi, twice, on an office junket, and he, the winter-traveler, said, "Vietnam is hot, humid, and crowded with people and street motorcycles!" But inevitably running out of quick getaway travel locations was when a thought bubble of mine whispered, "How about Vietnam?" Well... come to think of it, I have always been fond of the brisket pho, fresh rice paper rolls, pomelo shrimp salad, stuffed chicken wings, to name a few, from #PhoHoa restaurant, in Manila. And so- Vietnam it is for my birthday trip.
4-nov: Touchdown, Hanoi. It was the earliest flight time I have ever taken throughout my years of traveling. The ideal #CebuPacific direct flight Manila-Hanoi was at 5AM, arriving Hanoi in the morning vs. PAL's 10pm flight arriving Hanoi at midnight; it's better to navigate a new city in the morning than midnight. Still, the 5AM flight meant foregoing sleep to get to the airport by 3AM, with all waking hours of the day used up for last-minute travel preparations that included leaving my neighbor's recently gifted shaggy-black toy poodle ("Molly") with the same neighbour (who gladly took back Molly for a weeklong stay.) Two-and-half flight hours later, 7:28am, it was touchdown on Vietnam's capital city, Hanoi. Hubby said, it'll be cooler in this northern part of Vietnam... but it was not in November's autumn notwithstanding it was a shy away to December's winter. Ironically, the week's weather forecast indicated a temperature drop, and of all days of the week, on the very day we are to leave Hanoi for another location, sigh.
Back to Check-in: #LaSiestaHangBe, this charming boutique hotel conveniently located in Hanoi's old city quarters. The hotel had arranged a shuttle car to pick us up from the airport; the drive to the hotel which included easing through motorcycle-ridden narrow streets of the old city quarters, after exiting the highway, took roughly 1 hour. It was 9:20am, check-in was 3pm. We left the luggage with concierge to find my first Hanoi traditional meal nearing lunch time. I was already in a floating disposition given a 24-hour lack of sleep, and being meal-deprived for not ordering a meal on the plane which the hubby said was not worth it. But first order of the day: money exchange; there were three money exchange counters at the airport, each offering low to high exchange rates, but I was sleep deprived, I could not make a decision I ended up not availing of any of it to the exasperation of the shuttle driver who was getting impatient by the minute of his waiting; I also told him I was waiting for the hubby who went searching for the counter to claim the wifi gadget he had gotten for use during our Vietnam trip at the airport and was nowhere in sight. The shuttle driver made many attempts to communicate with me through a Google translator to come follow him to the car, but I strongly glued myself to the spot where the hubby had left me with the luggage. LOL
(To be continued...)
My 14-Day JR Pass
Japan : Tokyo, Kawagoe, Nagano, Matsumoto, Hakuba, Osaka, Mount Inari, Nara
Winter 2023
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| Day 11: Mount Inari Trail hike. (My record: 1:36H>top, 4.5 km, 12000 steps, 10000 torii-gates) (jan, feb-2023) |
Journal Entry... Cheers! to a post-pandemic travel reboot out of the country. Slowly, but surely; need I add, safely? Mask, or no mask, let's head back to Japan - land of the rising sun, even in the coldest of winter, plus a whole lot more of animation! The hubby lives to travel, especially in celebration of his birth day. He had celebrated his 50th in Brugge (Belgium), his 52nd in London (England), and three pandemic years later, his "55th" in Tokyo (Japan). Quite logically, his treat every time.
30-jan: Arrival in Tokyo... via #JapanAirlines that least expectedly gave our choice of carrier, ANA Airlines, a run for the money in terms of in-flight service and flight fare, by the way. Check-in: Hotel Century Southern Tower, Rm. 2866, offering grand Westside views of Tokyo, night and day, day and night, from high up on the 28th floor. To begin with, hotel lobby was already on the 20th floor.
31-jan: Revisiting old familiar cravings... 'ebi furai' meal set for me at Takashimaya food court a footbridge across the hotel, and 'tsukemen" ramen dish for the hubby at Fuunji, also near the hotel. But playing the 'claw machine' was a first... all for curious George! How many attempts does one make?-- Never give up, patience is a virtue.
1-feb: Day trip to Kawagoe... Happy Birthday, le poupee, and you're "55!" Day trip to Kawagoe, and first-try, 'yakiniku' food trip in Shibuya for hubby's celebratory meal. Celebration would have been complete had the hubby grabbed a Swatch x Omega's "Mission to the Moon" watch for purchase either at Ginza or Shibuya outlets. Here's wishing you an overload of cheers!!!
2-feb: Ginza shopping... Hubby was still searching for his desired Swatch x Omega's "Mission to the Moon," and dragged me off to Ginza. The Swatch pop-up store at Ginza had none, but unexpectedly, there was one-- Swatch x Omega's "Mission to the Sun" in bright yellow face, smiling up at me from its nest box. FYI, I had no intention whatsoever to buy one. I have formal, dress Omega auto-watches (two of them!), but only a left wrist to wear it at a time. A third Omega watch, collaborating with Swatch, made it somewhat toy-like, and not my idea for a watch collection, if I even had one to begin with. But... BUT... the search for missing missions had overtaken my self-restraint. After all, it was a "Mission to the Sun" lording over all other missions, and there was 1-in stock (according to sales talk!) Swiped my credit card, and fell victim to 'impulsive buying syndrome.' What have I just done?!! I was thinking, perhaps I could sell the yellow watch later, and make a profit from it if it was so much in-demand. Huh?
3-feb: Transit, Tokyo to Nagano... Riding the shinkansen at Tokyo Station for next destination city: Nagano. One-and-a-half hours later, I had to be in "fur & boots." Winter in Nagano area was biting cold. Check-in: Chisun Grand Hotel 5-minutes worth of walking distance from Nagano station. Past 3PM, I was really hungry. I had a checklist of Nagano's local foods and delicacies in mind, all of which converged in and around Nagano station. [facepalm to walking]
Checklist 1, local foods to eat-- "Udon"/thick noodles in broth, paired with deep-fried ebi (shrimp) tempura, at Sanuki Udon Hanamaru
Checklist 2, local foods to eat-- "Sauce Pork Loin Cutlet", at Meijitei Restaurant
Checklist 3, local foods to eat-- "Sanzoku-Age Fried Chicken", also at Meijitei Restaurant
xxx
Checklist 6, local foods to eat-- "Spicy Miso Ramen", at Ramen Misoya
For sweet treats, I got a selection from Ringonoki Patisserie: Noa Noa Shinano cake with walnuts & almonds; Apple pancake; Apple sable; and Apple pie filled with seasonal Nagano apples. Yup! All apple-based dessert in the apple town of Nagano.
4-feb: Day trip to Matsumoto... which is known for the "Matsumoto-jo," and dubbed by some as the "Black Crow Castle." Seeing it up close is to believe.
It is one of the five castles in Japan designated as a National Treasure. All stairways inside the castle rise at a steep incline, which most definitely are not for "seniors" to hurdle. You climb up the stairs either wearing socks, or barefoot; the "stairs" are steep and narrow, and slippery, and cold to the feet! Hubby says, "It's painful for the feet to step on." Half-way thru, hubby was hurrying to get down from the castle.
The castle structure is made up entirely of wood, its pillars made of hemlock, cypress & pine. "The castle's beauty awes visitors throughout the seasons." Imagine... the summer greens, the fall colors, the winter scene, and the spring blossoms... surrounding the castle. "In spring, the cherry trees around the moat create tunnels of flowers." Fabulous!
4th and 5th-floor stairway incline at 40 degrees. Go, Grandma! Go, Grandpa!
"The topmost floor-- the 6th floor -- of the tenshu (Donjon Tower) was used as a borou, a watchtower for enemies during wartime." North, south, east, and west views can be admired from safely-screened openings. At the same Donjon tower, the ceiling revealed a god named "Jijuroko-ya-shin," the god of 26 nights, who protects the Matsumoto Castle.
On the way down was the castle's "Moon-Viewing Wing," an area to gaze up to the moon, supposedly. But the sun was still up over in Matsumoto. Currently, only two castles in Japan: the Okayama castle and Matsumoto castle, have moon-viewing wing.
Walking back to the train station, there were frogs here, there and everywhere at the frog-themed Nawate street. "This street is an old-fashioned alley, lined with a variety of fun shops, and is loved for its nostalgic and festive atmosphere. You will find plenty of Japanese food to indulge as well." Quick snack, 'karaage' (fried chicken) for the hubby, and fish-shaped America dog for me. Over in Nawate, the story goes: there was once a strong typhoon that hit Matsumoto; the Metoba river overflowed, and flooded nearby Nawate street; Metoba river had turned muddy for its resident frogs, and drove away the frogs to seek higher ground, upstream. Nawate street was since dedicated into a "frog street" as beacon for the frogs to return home. Oh, how sweet!
5-feb: Journey to Hakuba snowmobile... Good morning, Nagano! Woke up to a snowy morning. Snow is significant for today's snowmobile activity in Hakuba. The Japanese alps is living up to its winter promise. A snow-filled day means, "Snowmobile fun ride for two!" c/o #LionAdventureHakuba So what's the best comfort meal to cap that snowmobile ride and wintry outdoors when in Nagano? Checklist no. 6, local foods to eat-- "Spicy miso ramen"... nom, nom, nom! Just a pedestrian crossing from Nagano station, it's where most locals eat, tourists like us included.
6-feb: Walking 2.5km in 1-hour to visit the Zenkoji temple... Konnichiwa-good morning Nagano! Day 8 of the trip, devoting it to the city of Nagano. Today, we are walking all the way to Zenkoji temple.
12:54pm, starting point was from the corner of Lawson. Wooden lanterns line the road, also serving as guides/markers to Zenkoji temple. There are "47 lanterns" that light the pathway to the temple. Mid-February, the city of Nagano holds a lantern-light festival. To commemorate the 1998 Winter Olympics that was held in Nagano. This year, it was happening in five days, but we will not get to see it. It was our last day in Nagano, and we're transiting to Osaka the next day.
Distance to Zenkoji temple was about 2 to 2.5km, which they say takes 30 minutes on foot. But it took us 1 hour... with our stopovers at Mos Burger for a quick lunch, and Arteria Bakery two blocks from it. A leisurely pace is how one should walk to visit Zenkoji temple, especially in cool, winter weather and sunny day. The city of Nagano is laid-back, unlike Tokyo, which I was beginning to like. 2:01pm, reaching the Niomon gate, the first gate to Zenkoji temple grounds, at last! This first gate is guarded by "Ungyo" on the right, and "Agyo" on the left -- statues. Past the first gate was Nakamise Dori, the temple shopping street. Hungry? There's always food en route to the temple. Don't worry. Every temple visit in Japan includes a food trip for the road. There were a lot of eateries and things to buy... on the road to Zenkoji temple. Just one thing the hubby had noticed, that it seems everything he saw in Kawagoe: "kamote, pudding..." were also being sold in Nagano. He preferred to see more Nagano delicacies, than Kawagoe's.
Zenkoji temple. "Zenkoji temple was built in the 7th century, and around it, the city of Nagano was born. Zenkoji translates to temple of benevolent light." Inside the temple was a statue of an old man, all his body parts can be rubbed coinciding with one's own body parts that needs healing. "The Healer" is how he is called. I hesitated, and did some observing of every temple goer rubbing their hands all over the old man statue-- rubbing the head of the old man statue and rubbing their own heads, rubbing the eye of the old man statue and rubbing their own eyes, rubbing the belly of the old man statue and rubbing their own bellies, and so on and so forth. What visible toll it made on the wooden statue, poor old man. Tsk.
7-feb: Transit Nagano to Osaka via Kanazawa... Konnichiwa-good morning! Leaving Nagano, today. Rushed to the train at Nagano Station that will leave at 10:47AM. We had 15-minutes to spare, but the hubby was "salamander-ing"-jittery. Shinkansen's route will be from Nagano to Kanazawa, connecting at Kanazawa to Osaka, our "14-Day JR Pass" on its 8th day of use. The Shinkansen (Nagano-Kanazawa), and the Thunderbird-express train (Kanazawa-Osaka), both departing on schedule. Train ride was close to 5-hours, till we've arrived at the Shin-Osaka station, thank God. From there, hopped on the Midosuji line swiping that circa 2014-Suica Card for the subway/metro, to get to the hotel, and proceeding to Exit "12"-access to hotel's B1 level elevator. Check-in: Hotel & Museum Royal Classic, Room 1905 offering a view of Osaka's Namba district high up from our 19/F-premium guest room. Hotel location used to be the site of the "Shin-Kabukiza Theatre" in Osaka's Namba district.
Konbanwa-good evening! We are back in Osaka, and for Osaka's night life and food trip. I was craving for Harijyu's 'sukiyaki', but the restaurant was closed-for-the-day at an early hour. Next meal option was 'yakiniku' at the restaurant with a "hanging cow" outside, which for the five years or so that we've frequented Osaka, we would pass by and see the "hanging cow", but every time, we had skipped the restaurant. Thinking, it's a tourist trap, or it might be expensive, whatever. But, the restaurant turned out to be okay, one imbued with that traditional Japanese restaurant vibe, hubby says. Bill was 7000-plus Yen for some premium beef selection, including the cow's tongue and entrails, for that yakiniku-style over the 'konro grill'. It was an interesting dinner to say the least; the grilling interactive. Since the Yakiniku-Like (restaurant) celebratory dinner we tried in Tokyo, the yakiniku-style meal had made its way into our diet on this trip for certain.
8-feb: "Day's Agenda: Solo Walking Tour"... Hubby wandered off ahead, and cannot wait for me. When I left the hotel, it was around 1pm already. We were staying in a nice, premium room (19th floor), I wanted to stay in if I had my way. But, I could not just stay-in, I need to explore the city of Osaka on this travel. Besides, I had a personal errand to do-- to buy makeup at Daimaru which has a Nars counter. Metro-Namba Station was annexed to the hotel, but I preferred walking the streets, and turning it into a 'solo walking tour'. (Note to Self: Bicycle riders abound, don't swerve left or right and walk a straight line, so as not to hit a biker. Dang! i've lost my bicycle count.]
Let's start walking: Namba-Dotonbori-Shinsaibashi... Daimaru stopover... Shinsaibashi-Dotonbori-Namba... on repeat... till meet-up time with the "Missing-Le Poupee" (Mr. Pasaway, grrrr!!!), at Harijyu Restaurant, for late lunch-early dinner of "sukiyaki" meal I have been craving, since arriving in Osaka.
But wait, who is the spotted: 'Japanese-TV Personality' also, up and about in Osaka's main drag, pulling a 10yen-cheese coin?!!
9-feb: All systems go! Mount Inari trail hike... The Special Rapid JR-train to Kyoto timely arrives on Platform 8 at Umeda Station, in Osaka. Still, using our '14-day JR Pass', which was on 10th day of use and with 4-days remaining credit, hubby and I easily hopped on the train, and took a day trip to Fushimi Inari-Taisha-- head shrine of the kami Inari. It is the kami of rice and agriculture, also commerce. Inari was enshrined by the Huta clan, in 711. The shrine sits at the base of a mountain, also named "Inari." Here, foxes abound, regarded as messengers and keeper of the key to the shrine. Next to the shrine was an area map on a marker post: the Mount Inari Trail.
Mount Inari is 233-meters above sea level. The mountain trail spans 4-kilometers. There are 12,000 steps to climb. Passing through 10,000 torii gates. All systems go! for an impromptu hike to the TOP. Hike to the summit takes 1-2 hours. My record: 01:36H.
3:06PM, Start of Mount Inari Trail.
3:09PM, Torii Crossroad.
3:42PM, Big Pond.
4:09PM, 1st View Deck.
4:14PM, 500-meters to Summit.
4:18PM, 2nd View Deck.
4:42PM, Top of the Mountain.
Along the mountain trail, one can hear the sound of nature: birds chirping, and calming flow of water. At some point, the call of the wild. Yes, there are monkeys around. The sign says, "Do not feed the monkeys. They are aggressive." "Or take photos. They [monkeys] are not friendly, unlike the spa/snow monkeys of Nagano," hubby added. I'd say, "The Inari monkeys are like [ungkler]-- aggressive! Kawaii!"
Many small shrines dotted the trail. Hi ho! Hi ho! Up the torii gates of Mount Inari we go! A never-ending tunnel of torii gates. Amidst lush forest, wild boars & monkeys. "10,000 torii gates. 12,000 steps to climb." It was a spontaneous hike-to-remember, indeed. "Hingal!" Cardio exercise. A long trek up. Whoooo! Raaaawr! I only ate 500-yen worth of "xiao long bao" (5-dumplings), while the hubby ate a stick of steak barbecue, down at the market-- "PANTAWID GUTOM."
Mount Inari Trail hike, motto: Don't quit. One step-at-a-time. Paved steps notwithstanding, it's no joke to climb 10,000 steps. I thought to myself, the Mount Inari summit better be worth it.
The Mount Inari view decks (1st, 2nd) opened up to a panoramic vista of the city of Kyoto, and dramatic sunset hours... to "Golden Hour" and "Twilight".
Remember the donkey asking Shrek: "Are we there yet? Are we THERE YET? ARE WE THERE YET!" One cannot help acting out the donkey, on the hike leading up to the summit of Mount Inari. 500-meters to go... 5-minutes to go... At 01:31H, "That's the summit!" hubby announces. "No, it's not the summit," I counter. At 01:32H, "That's the summit!" hubby declares. "Where is the summit!@#$%^" I retort back. Dear Lord... give me strength. Homestretch to summit...
After a long trek up through the torii gates, which took us a hike record of 01:36H climbing the steps, we made it to the very top. The mountain top. The SUMMIT of Mount Inari. And on that summit sits the Kami-no-Yashiro Shrine, 233-meters above sea level. We've reached the very top of Mount Inari, and there's a shrine there-- I'm claiming my REWARD!
"Nakakahingal! A lot of cardio! And we're done! It's time to go back down. Thumbs up! Great!"
5:13PM, Descending from Summit.
5:16PM, "Golden Hour" - 2nd View Deck.
5:59PM, "Twilight".
Walking down was easier, than going up. Now that I'm not busy catching my breath, I could start counting the torii gates. 1.. 2.. 3... Night has set in. Lights are open. We're still descending from "Station 4." Three more stations to go to reach the foot of Mount Inari. Hurry down, before it gets too dark, and the monkeys and wild boars appear in surprise. To think, there was a "wild boar" trailing behind me. "Bruto!" the hubby-wild boar. Lol
Downward trail seemed shorter. Hike to the summit took 1:36H, and only 45-minutes on return. We went on a different loop on the way down. Because I did not see the "torii crossroad" anymore. The downward loop led to a road to the market, and the torii gate of the Fushimi Inari shrine, where we started.
My thoughts: One can only endure the Mount Inari trail hike during a cold winter, and not a hot summer.
6:08PM, Inari Station.
6:39PM, Kyoto Station.
8:06PM, Namba-Osaka Station.
10:21PM, Late-night Dinner at Yakiniku Horumon Ryunosu Restaurant, in Shinsaibashi. We ran out of meal options for late-night dinner. We've been walking back and forth, it was exasperating. Hubby could not decide. I said, "We're dining here. Period." A restaurant grill with a private door access to every table, from the alleyway; it was a charming concept. The restaurant uses a "stove grill" for yakiniku, filled-up with ice cubes for smoke control. It was difficult to pick a meal when one is super hungry. I ordered a bowl of noodles in broth, with cow parts. Foodie verdict: Tastes like Pinoy-bulalo! A meal fit for winter season. Hubby ordered a meat-set for "yakiniku", cow and chicken parts. Foodie verdict: Meat slices were disappointing. It came with 3-kinds of dipping sauce. We also ordered a side dish of "kimchi." But, WAIT-- !!!CAUTION: 2-extra side dishes of "cabbage" were served to our table. We thought it was complimentary cabbage, and ate it all up! ("Cabbage" was not free; the same had cost us, plus 1500-yen! which we did not order in the first place.) Meanwhile, the stove grill was ready, after prepping it with meat fat to be non-stick. The "yakiniku" was chewy to the bite. Have we been short-changed with the meat slices the restaurant had served? (Watch the video, and be the judge.) Tsk, this is what we get for dining late-night-- "scraps of meat." Oh well, goodbye restaurant! Peace out! P.s. The restaurant overcharged the bowl of noodles in broth, by 980-yen, too.
11:43PM, Midnight stroll in Namba. Got ice cream for midnight dessert, for two. (Hubby continues to grumble against that yakiniku restaurant...grrrr! Never again. Foodie tip: Avoid touristy restaurants-trap.)
10-feb: Today is deer-feeding time... Let's go to Nara to feed the deer, again. It's our second visit to Nara; first visited Nara, in 2015. It's a short train ride to Nara, from Osaka, via the Rapid Express train.
Wild deer freely roam in Nara Park, and are not afraid of humans. Wild deer had taken on the culture of bowing their heads, when fed. In Nara Park, deer take priority. Traffic comes to a halt for deer crossing.
Every deer want a piece of cracker! Everywhere I walked, I came face-to-face with a deer, young and old, big and small. Every deer speaking out, "I want cracker! Feed me cracker! Go buy me a cracker!" Oh deer! Some were quite an aggressive bunch, too. Not a second from buying the "deer cracker" from the store selling it, the aggressive bunch of deer immediately followed and surrounded me, nudging me from behind, and reaching to bite that cracker from my hand. LOL
(to be continued...)
A Travel Reboot On the Island
Philippines
Summer 2022
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| No mask required post-pandemic at Bulabog shores in the island of Boracay (apr-2022) |
Journal Entry... Roughly two years after the global (Covid) pandemic hit, I was apprehensive to travel, I resisted it. Then came summer. Two peas, mask on. Hop on, hop off #FlyPAL, next shuttle van to ferry port, then boat ride to the island-- x marks the spot. A travel reboot in 2022. "And I think to myself, what a wonderful world."
21-apr: Hotel check-in: #AquaBoracay, Rm. B3-206 with a view. Day and night, night and day. Island vibe with the coconut trees and ocean breeze. Two peas, mask off; no mask required outdoors at Boracay shores.
Link to YouTube>>> Ungkler Travels 2022 | Travel Reboot in Boracay + Bulabog Beach Vibe - PHILIPPINES
(To be continued)
Cleared for TakeOff
England, Scotland, Portugal & Spain
Winter 2020
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| Globetrotting takes a downturn in the year of the Rat, 2020. Clockwise: Red Telephone Booth, in London; Rosslyn Chapel grounds, in 15th century Midlothian; Tagus river promenade, in Lisbon; NH Hotel balcony, in Madrid. (jan, feb-2020) |
Journal Entry... Barely two weeks to a planned trip, Taal Volcano (Philippines) spews ashes from deep its core forty-three years in the making, causing indefinite flight cancellations. Looming ahead, at the same time, was this threat of a respiratory virus from a neighbouring country. If these were not stop signs, it had me deeply contemplating-- "Am I [still] one who does not back out from an adventure, or is wealth one's health more than these travel destinations of the world?" Got instant reply from this little cardboard cutout of a Gospel verse, when my gaze rested on a safekeeping bowl in the home foyer: "Do not fear. Only believe. - Mark 5:36"
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| Check-in: Qatar Qsuite |
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| Tea light meal in Qsuite |
ENGLAND
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| Sharing a photo-op with random individuals outside the gates of Buckingham Palace in London |
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| "Heathrow Express" to Paddington Station |
Check-in: #StMartinsLane, in the area of Covent Garden and West End, a block away to/from Trafalgar Square. It was tad difficult to pin a ground zero for a London base, during the planning stage, to be honest; every location seemed walking distance to every city landmark, in mind. In the end, our hotel-of-choice did turn out to be well-thought-out. That Black Cab driver did remark, "Covent Garden is a wonderful location for first-timers!" Reliable fast food, #FiveGuysBurger (for the hubby) and #Chipotle (for me), dotted the street, solving quick-meal fixes on day's end; right on Trafalgar square were the London Red Bus stop, and the London Tube station; and traipsing past Trafalgar square, down the street to Westminster, leads to every tourist's photo-op session with the iconic Big Ben - clock tower.
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| Two Peas & "No Ben" |
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| A 900-year old Tower of London and Keeper of the Crown Jewels, sits next to the Tower Bridge (Erratum: Tower Bridge is not the "London Bridge".) |
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| (L-R) Tower Hill outside the walls; St. Peter ad Vincula Chapel (the resting place of Henry VIII's beheaded second wife, Anne Boleyn); Waterloo Block, home of the Crown Jewels of England and the Headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers with Regimental Museum (behind the tower); and William the Conqueror's 11th-century White Tower, foreground |
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| England's Queen Victoria, in white marble statue, fronts the Kensington Palace |
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| Henry VIII's palace, ahead |
An unwritten part of "The Other Boleyn Girl" (American film, 2008) had been kept in my mind, enough to remember to snoop for tidbits at this Hampton Court royal palace when I get there. Surely up a corner panel of the Grand Hall was Henry's and Anne's ["H.A."] love-initials; it was kept intact by some palace keeper's ingenuity, thus etching officially Anne's whereabouts, in history... despite the King's order for all traces to the girl be discarded on the occasion of the King's third marriage. (Anne's female offspring with Henry, "Elizabeth," ended succeeding longest to the throne, without herself an offspring, as life's irony would not have it any other way.)
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| Henry VIII's Hampton Court Palace today is accessible by train or bus, not only on boat |
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| A controversial "H.A." initials make its mark on a wood panel in the Grand Hall |
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| Courtyard protocols |
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| The Maze |
The Garden Explorer Map led to the Great Fountain Garden; and the Wilderness, where, in the 17th century they say, was a place for courtiers to wander pleasurably and get lost 'along intertwining paths and hedges clipped in geometric patterns.' And, let's leave it at that. Entrance tickets to the palace included access to "The Maze" which proved easy to enter but laborious to exit from "circuitous paths and hedges"-- I am no courtier! Worming ourselves out of the crafty maze, I declared the day trip ended. Here, exit the front palace gates; cross the bridge; hop on the train at Hampton Court station, 4PM departing. Touring hours had me hungry and craving for traditional fish-and-chips, also on my checklist of must-eat. No fish platter came up when we walked Hampton Court's main drag; we ended swallowing up on overpriced and overrated fish-and-chips, at 20-pounds/serving, at #RockandSolePlaice in central London. No worries, it was lunch/dinner combined in a tourist's budget.
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| Great Fountain Garden, with "[A]n avenue of yew trees in the fashionable form of a goose foot" |
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| Day trip to Stratford-upon-Avon |
Lady staff at the Visitor's Information Center had mapped out what's to be a half-day's worth of places of interest in town - all Shakespeare-related, of course.
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| William Shakespeare sits in a chair on a town monument of Stratford-upon-Avon, joined in by four of his play characters - Prince Hall (in photo), Sir John Falstaff, Lady Macbeth and Hamlet |
From birth, to doom: Shakespeare's Birthplace; Shakespeare's schoolroom; Shakespeare's house, in ruins - because the buyer got tired of the number of daily visitors/tourists and demolished it; Shakespeare's old bank; Shakespeare's resting place at the Holy Trinity Church. Now, William Shakespeare sits in a chair on a town monument, joined in by four of his play characters - Prince Hal, Sir John Falstaff, Lady Macbeth and Hamlet.
All's well connecting the dots to Stratford-upon-Avon, after reading up on Shakespeare's literary works in a high school literature class, myself stumbling on Shakespeare's traditional writing, and reaching quickly for handy Cliffs Notes being passed around behind one brooding elderly Spanish professor, timely coming up with sensible interpretations to Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Hamlet & Merchant of Venice.
"And to thee and thy company, I bid a hearty welcome," the gate at Shakespeare's (new) house quotes Shakespeare's The Tempest, Act 5, Scene 1.
Except for the church, all Shakespeare-landmarks encircled by the lady staff have been boxed in by the afternoon visitors. CNN report about the virus spike did leave me me content to being an onlooker, ticking off landmarks from the street till sundown. We have managed to circle the old town, reaching Cox's Yard by the river for the sunset scene. #Barnaby'sFishRestaurant nearby served traditional fish-and-chips, two-thirds cheaper than London price, at 7 pounds/serving, which was oh-so divine!
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| Sunset scene on the river Avon from Cox's Yard, in Stratford-upon-Avon |
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| HBD le poupee @52 |
"HBD, le poupee! xo"
Why the hubby gets to have a celebratory trip every time is how it is when one loves to travel*wink;)
SCOTLAND
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| "Hogwarts Express" |
Check-in: #HiltonEdinburghCarlton in Northbridge. Hilly walking up panting all the way to the hotel coming from Waverly Station. No reason to waste a taxi fare for the short distance. When in Scotland, no tourist really minds having a welcoming experience of walking up the highlands, ey!
6-feb: Sightseeing in Edinburgh... Castle Rock, on Day 1; Holyrood Palace and "Arthur's Seat" trekking, on Day 2; the Harry Potter trail and counting closes (Scottish for passageways) walking Edinburgh, on Day 3; and out-of-town trip to Rosslyn Chapel, featured in Da Vinci Code film, on a flip-flopping sunny.. er rainy, windy, stormy day.. er sunny, again, on Day 4, all because of that Storm Ciara.
Cheers, and welcome to Scotland !!!
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| "Arthur's Seat" (an extinct volcano) seen in the distance from Edinburgh Castle ramparts |
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| "Castle Rock", the impenetrable Edinburgh Castle that sits on a volcanic plug |
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| Holyrood Palace, home to Mary Queen of Scots, includes the ruins of a 15th century abbey |
10-feb: Flight Delay... Stuck in Edinburgh!!! "Storm Ciara" finally hit the UK, prompting virtually all airlines to cancel flights on 9-10 February 2020, including Brussels Airlines. Brussels Airlines had sent a text message of the "Flight Cancellation"... late in the evening of 8 February 2020, with a supposed rebooking process via their website. However, the rebooking process did not occur, and repeated attempts to contact the Brussels Airlines Service Center were routed to an automated system that only left calls on hold and unanswered.
We were thus compelled to extend our stay in Edinburgh for one day - 10 February 2020, and to purchase new airline tickets with UK's flag carrier, #BritishAirways, for that next available flight from Edinburgh (UK) to Porto (Portugal) on 11 February 2020... and to avoid the forfeiture charges on our hotel accommodation in Porto, as well as to fly out of the UK before the forecast of a succeeding "Storm Dennis" to also hit the UK. Thankfully, we had travel insurance c/o Standard Insurance cost-saving the day*wink;)
Many...
hours...
of delay...
later...
PORTUGAL
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| Sit back and relax-- on Azulejos tiles |
But first, check-in: #EurostarsPortoCentro located in the old town... 30-euros worth of taxi ride from Porto airport and a safe block on foot to the São Bento train station... (for that next Porto-Lisbon itinerary.)
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| Bird's eye view of the port city; the double-deck metal arch Luis Bridge (right) |
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| Crossing Luis Bridge |
On day's end... Walking Porto meant having to do uphill or downhill in whichever order - get the picture? Escadas (Portuguese for long staircase) are supposed to make one's effort easier, or not. No wonder there are many birds in this port city. Aside from diving down to the river Douro for their seafood bounty, the birds are the only ones able to fly up and down the hilly city without a sweat.
14-feb: Happy Hearts in Lisbon... Train transit from Porto took 3 hours but happily saving 10 euros with the regular vs. high speed/tilting train.
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| Sunset scene from a view deck in the Baixa district of Lisbon |
Check-in: #AltisPrata in Baixa district. No ordinary room; our suite was equipped with washer/dryer any long-haul traveler will be most happy to find next to a working kitchen. Everything in Altis Prata Hotel was about their 'Heart logo' which perfectly fitted to Valentine's Day, once again, catching up on our usual winter travel. Stone's throw was Elevador Castelo lift to Pingo Doce grocery, and a view deck above it overlooking the picturesque city which was free-of-charge (great!) Here's to two happy hearts feasting on Italian food (lol! #DamaeVagabundo) on heart's day in Lisbon*wink;
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| Trams plying old Lisbon streets |
Come to think of it, we did spend more time around Lisbon's Belém area than Baixa district. After lunch on a Sunday the day following, we returned to Belém for a visita iglesia to Jerónimos Monastery - a UNESCO site, where the Jerónimos cloister is fully appreciated up close.
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| 16th century-Torre de Belém gateway port gathers a crowd during sunset hour |
This second visit had us leaving the area a bit later in the evening. Hubby hopped inside the arriving tram without knowing the tram would terminate halfway, and not reach Baixa. Twice, we had to hop in numbered trams. Only in that second, and last connecting, tram had a group of (seniors) pickpockets prowling said night tram: one was an old male I would surmise to be the ringleader who made 'eye signals'; and two other cohorts, I'd name-call, hags for their unkempt hairstyle, if you please. "Stand your guard!" I hissed to the hubby. My heart pounded heavily in anticipation to what scenario would play out inside the tram (from a list of tram tricks we've been warned about and did not forget.) Hubby and I got to 'side seats', which was by the tram's rear. As soon as we sat down, the ringleader, who had looked quite settled standing beside the tram driver, traded his front spot struggling on his steps towards the tram's rear, and stood beside where we sat. I know - of all places, right? The old man was barely holding on to the seat railing next to our seats, and choosing the seat railing to steady himself than the more secure straphanger swaying for his attention above his head. This ringleader was visibly boxing us to our seats, whilst two other cohorts by the tram's rear (exit) door were now interestingly picking up on an inaudible argument between them.
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| Pastéis de Belém's sweet custard tart |
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| Bifana snack |
To cap the last day, February 17, we walked up to Castelo de São Jorge for a higher, and better vantage point over Lisbon's old town. Route down the castle had bifanas (pork sandwich in piri-piri sauce at #AsBifanasDoAfonso) waiting for us around the corner to snack on, before continuing back down to street level thru the Elevador Castelo.
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| Ola! Lisbon vista up the walls of Castelo de São Jorge (castle) |
SPAIN
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| 2020 homecoming in Madrid |
Check-in: #NHCollectionMadridGranVia right smack on Gran Via main avenue; turn a corner, walk down Puerta del Sol and straight up 'Kilometer Cero' radial network of all Spanish roads of Spain, and nearby Plaza Mayor for a food trip detour>>> A las diez y media (18-feb) !Salud! a sangria y paella (wine beverage & rice dish and wine), plus takeaway jamon iberico (aged cured ham) at #MuseodelJamon... Merienda a las seis de la tarde (19-feb) !Salud! a sangria y fritura de pescados (wine beverage & mixed seafood fry) at Museo del Jamon once again... Alas nueve y media (20-feb) chocolate con 6 churros (deep-fried dough & chocolate dip) !Ola azucar! at #ChocolateriaSanGines...; add to this, there's a foodie craze happening in town for Mexican tacos at #TakosAlPastor; plus, loading up daily on my traditional Spanish breakfast spread on a plate that will not do without 'iberico." at the hotel's Picalagartos Madrid Sky Bar-breakfast floor.
P.s. Shoutout to Alvaro (hotel staff). Muchas gracias amigo! for quickly facilitating moving us to a higher 6/F from 3/F, which not only muted on-going construction noise down the Metro, but our new Rm. 611 opened up to a fantastic 180-degree city view, day & night, on the hotel room's wraparound/curving balcony.
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| Ten access points converge into the old town square of Plaza Mayor |
I love Madrid [heart emoji] in all the old familiar places. I have so loved the vibrant Madrid from first sight. Such familiar feeling comes rushing back the second time around. Package comes complete with 24/7 food trip hours. 10PM? 11PM? No problem! People in the neighborhood are just gearing up for merienda cena from a siesta, or work shift.
Retreated the last time, but not on this trip. We did locate the not-so-secret 400-year-old Monasterio del Corpus Christi going around curve's end off the Plaza de la Villa landmark, or at Calle del Code to be exact. Take note: Home to cloistered nuns, and their monastery-baked dulces (cookies) - surely not to be missed goodies-for-the-road. Here's how to buy the dulces: 1) Speak your intended order (in Spanish only.) 2) Put money on the turntable. 3) Wait... and wait... until the turntable moves. 4) Pick up item/change, and don't forget to say, "Gracias!" [Horario Venta de Dulces y Visitas, Mañana de 9:30 a 13:00h, Tarde de 16:30 a 18:30h. I'd say, "Success!"
Viva la Madrid! una vez más.
21-feb: Homebound Manila (before 2020 lockdown)... Knowing the end part is the hardest part of traveling, let's do it in style flying #QatarAirways. The Qsuite pillow says it all, "Love. Work. Travel. Repeat." Cheers to unforgettable travels! xo
(Author's Note: Thankfully, we were able to complete #UngklerTravels2020 without a glitch! Except for that "Storm Ciara" that delayed our Edinburgh-Porto flight by one day. No worries as all expenses were paid/reimbursed by the ever reliable Standard Insurance; one must always travel with a travel insurance which comes in handy-dandy when least expected, indeed.)
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