Golden Week #1 : Kyoto

In Japan, Golden Week  often abbreviated to simply GW  is basically of a week of holidays that came about because there are a few public holidays that happen really close together. Every year, it starts on the 29th of April and ends on the 5th of May.


Last year, I spent my GW in Tokyo with Afyqah, Amira and Fatin. This year I spent it with fellow college mate, Angela, and travelled to the Kansai area. The Kansai area lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū.

Our journey began on the morning of the 29th. We were supposed to ride the 7.30am bus to Katsuta station but I had left my phone in my room and by the time I had gotten it and got back to the bus stand, the bus had already left. So, we had to wait for the next bus which was 50 minutes later. I hate myself :(


From Katsuta station we took a local train to Tokyo station. From Tokyo station, we got on the bullet train(新幹線、shinkansen) and headed towards Kyoto. Just imagine travelling around 500km in 2 hours, insane right? This was the first I had ever ridden the bullet train and was pretty excited. Angela even downloaded an app that could calculate the speed of the vehicle you were riding. The highest it reached was 303km/h, I think.


When we got to Kyoto, we went straight to our lodgings; Yuhata Inn. It was really cosy, the futons were dangerously comfortable(it made getting up in the mornings really hard), free breakfast, unlimited coffee and tea and hot showers. There were also rental bikes available, which was important since we were going to explore Kyoto by bike.


To sum it up, we went to the Nijo Castle (二条城, nijyoujo), the Temple of the Golden Pavillion (金閣寺, kinkakuji), The Philosopher's Walk (哲学の道, Tetsugaku no Michi), Sanjyou-Douri & Goujyou-Douri, cycled around the Kyoto University campus a bit, the Kyoto International Manga Museum, the famed geisha district of Gion and also a bunch of other places in between. I really can't remember them all. Should have jotted it all down in my phone. Damn.


While there, we ate so much green tea (抹茶, matcha) ice-cream. They were so delicious. Totally tasted like the real deal, none of that too-creamy feeling which totally makes it so not matcha.


We also bought and ate some Yatsuhashi (八ツ橋) that came in all kinds of flavours. Yummy, like for real, yo'. I also tried a Kyoto-fu udon dish that came with some sort of special tofu that is really famous in Kyoto. 

Bullet train, hidung cam dugong?

I like red brick buildings.

In front one of the many grand gates in Nijo Castle.

Kinkakuji, bebz. Giler famous nih. Penat aku kayuh basikal nak sampai ke sini.

Kyoto-fu Udon

Senbei, snek jepun yang aku sangat suka. Ni kedai old-style ni, susah nk cari nih.

Kyoto station

Japanese shops, the old-school way.

That is one big ass gate you got there

Angela with her matcha.

One of the few geishas we saw at Gion.

Next up, Osaka.


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Spring Shoes

Since around mid-April the delightful season that is Spring has started. It started to get warmer bit by bit and I was all ready to start wearing dresses again. Then, early this week it started to pour. And pour. And pour. The annoying thing is that it's not even a heavy downpour or anything, it's just a constant drizzle of rain. Where's my sunshine? My chirping birds by the window sill? My sweet spring breeze?


Good God, mana weii~?!

However, me being my usual hard-headed self, I decided to start wearing my spring gear anyways. But with all the rain, any open toed pumps or sandals would leave my feet soaked so...tadaa!

Spring worthy wedge pumps. It was the soft pink colour that caught my eye. I hate an usually large amount of different pink hues so to find one that I did not want to barf on was great.

Yes, there is a sewing kit behind it because it wouldn't have been able to stand without it.

I also like the 'clack clack' sound they make as I walk down the hallway to class. Makes me feel regal, I kid you not.



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Singapore

While I was in Malaysia, I got a chance to go to Singapore. At first, a bunch of us were planning on going but in the end, it ended up being just me and En. Paco.

We spent 3 days and 2 nights there. The first day was spent at Universal Studios Singapore and a walk around the Vivo City area. On the second day, we went to the National Museum of Singapore (I am a geek, so yes, these places DO interest me), Orchard Road, Clarke Quay, Marina Bay Art Center, the Singapore Flyer, the Red Dot Museum (also a geeky place, filled with futuristic inventions that make me drool) and Merlion Park. The third day, we didn't anything much, just walked around the Arab area and Indian area to have some lunch. I had an amazing nasi briyani at one of the restaurants there. After that, we took a bus back to JB.

The brand new TBS(Terminal Bandar Selatan ?),
kind of looks like an airport and no annoying people pushing you to buy their tickets

One of the shows at USS,
USS is definitely more about the shows than the rides.

Live performances on the street.
They were singing hit songs from the 60's or 70's, I think.

Who does not love Marilyn Monroe?

Charlie Chaplin; dashing as ever.

Betty Boop; so envious of her upper 'assets' :P

Because we went on a weekday, there weren't that many people around.
Less queues and more fun.

Err...aliens?
That, or Lady Gaga's kids.

In the Ancient Egypt part.

The Red Dot Design Museum
A totally awesome place, definitely a recommendation from one geek to another.

Marina Bay area at night.
The lotus-looking thing changes colour, or at least the light do.

Oh, we stayed at a brand new hostel called The Green Kiwi Backpackers. The place was great. They had comfy beds, hot showers and free breakfast, what more could you ask for, right?

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