thanks for trying, but...

I was on my way home in my dad's car when someone called the radio station for a dedication.

Now, this girl had the sweetest voice you'll ever hear, but then she uttered the darnedest thing you'll probably hear this year.

"I'd like to say hi to my sister, and wish her a belated happy birthday because it's tomorrow."

We were both bawling in laughter after that.

what do you do on a rainy and stormy night?

Quick question: Are these two mating?

thoughts on kyoto

Kyoto is a city so rich with history, that with so many temples and buildings preserved from the time of the samurais, it feels like a throwback to 15th century Japan. Until you look down and see the hordes of people with their latest digital cameras in hand, that is.

The city has so many ancient temples that it'd really be a waste of effort trying to list them down one by one. However, they are all deserving of a visit or two, which is probably the reason why many people flock to Kyoto again and again. It is simply a very pretty city, and even with the introduction of modern conveniences, is still firmly protective of its heritage.



This is not to say though, that Kyoto doesn't have its share of post-modernistic buildings as well.

However, any visitors planning to cover Kyoto on foot should be warned: this is a BIG city, in terms of size. Kyoto maps are printed such that the places of interest seem close to each other, when in fact the distance in between can easily take half an hour's walk. Bicycles should be the preferred method of getting around.

thoughts on osaka

I finally got a taste of the Shinkansen service when I travelled to Osaka from Tokyo. It's something that everybody should probably try at least once in their lifetimes, taking high speed trains.

Back to Osaka though. It's probably a little unfair to say this, but from a sightseeing perspective Osaka is very much the Kansai counterpart to Tokyo, albeit with older infrastructure and amenities. It also has a seedier part of town (I happened to stay in a business hotel there in case you were wondering), with its fair share of strewn rubbish, run-down shops and homeless people. These are probably reasons why many tourists spend a larger amount of time in neighbouring Kyoto.

However, what really gives Osaka its unique flavour is its people. They are loud, brash, and funny as well. Kansai, and Osakan in particular, humour is very much appreciated all around Japan, and it seems innate amongst its inhabitants. They are quick to warm up to people, provide many interesting answers and opinions, and perhaps most importantly, are always welcoming you to another helping of drinks!

This is probably the only city that I visited that you could have a company CEO coming to a very basic lounge in a small business hotel just to lounge and make friends. I even got invited to lunch at one of the many curry rice chain stores he owns across Japan, and was personally sent off at the train station by him as well! Now THAT's what I call hospitality.


Osaka is also home to 2 of the more interesting escalator rides in the world. One has you look as if you're suspended in mid-air 37 floors above the ground, while the other looks as if you're on the stairway to heaven.

thoughts on yokohama

(Been a little sidetracked the past few weeks, pardon me for my usual tardiness! :P)

Yokohama is slightly over half an hour by JR trains from Tokyo (on an express service, all-stops trains take about an hour), but has a very different feel to its much larger counterpart. However, it can be argued that Yokohama IS in fact part of the Tokyo area itself, since the two areas merge seamlessly in the Kanagawa area.

The port city is probably most famous for its Chinatown, and its many Chinese food stalls and shops that sell treats of the highest quality. However, it is also ridiculously tacky, and is more akin to a Westerner's opinion of medieval China than you'd expect from a country in our part of the world.

Besides Chinatown, Yokohama also has a waterside promenade in Yamashita Park. This is pretty much Yokohama's answer to Tokyo's Odaiba island, although it wasn't built on reclaimed land. Families come here to relax and enjoy the view of the Minato Mirai area directly opposite the shore, and there are a few buskers around to lend a slightly bohemian feel to the place.

Yokohama is a more relaxed city compared to the madness of Tokyo, and perhaps will be a good breather for those who are looking to escape the capital, but still want to have the conveniences that only a big city can provide.