Buggeration on tour

日本語の勉強の旅

2008-03-09T09:39:00.002-04:00

新しいブローグをできた！これから，日本語の勉強について話全部そちらで書くつもりだ。

よければブックマークをして。

クリック・ヒヤー

日本語を勉強し始めた理由

2008-02-13T08:57:00.003-05:00

小さいから日本語のアニメやファイナル・ファンタジーというゲームが好きだが、大学に入ったまで、いつも英語の字幕でした。いつでも日本語が難しいと思ったので、勉強しなかった。しかし、大学の一年生の夏休みとき、アメリカへ働きに行って、日本語が話せる彼女と付き合ったら、日本語が勉強したくなった。つまり、日本語を勉強し始めた理由は彼女のためにだろう。とにかく、シンガポールに帰ったら、NUSで日本語１の授業を受けて、日本語の旅が始まった。

最初は、日本語が本当に難しかったが、優しい日本語１の先生が親切に教えたら、日本語がどんどん上手になった。それに，日本語は勉強すれば勉強するほど面白くなると思ったから、次の学期で日本語２も受けた。その間授業とチュートリアル以外に日本語が話せないから、教科書やクラスで勉強した言葉と文法しか全然わからなくて、発音もちょっとおかしかった。あの時、日本へ留学することにした。それから, 日本語の旅は次のレベルになった。

日本語を勉強の理由はいつの間にか変わっていて、三つ目標を持つようになった。一番大切は敬語が上手になって、いつか日本で働きたい。次は、できるだけ十年間に日本に住むつもりで、日本人の女の子と付き合う。そのために、日本語を一生懸命勉強している。

自己紹介

2008-01-15T11:15:00.000-05:00

電子電気工学の四年生のティオン・ハンセンです。２年前から日本語を勉強しています。最初はアニメとドラマをわかるように、日本語を勉強したけど、日本語がどんどん上手になったら、日本人の友達を作りたくなりました。日本のカルチャーや歴史を楽しみにしています。

趣味はスポーツだけど、あまりスポーツができるタイプじゃないので、テニスもバスケッとも下手ですが、友人とテニスやwakeboardingという激しいアウトドア・スポーツを暇なときやっています。あとは、食べることが大好きです！シンガポール料理の中でチキン・ライスは一番すきだから、日本に留学したとき、自分で作って、友達と一緒に食べました。日本料理も好きです。特にざるそばときつねうどんが大好きです。お好み焼きも好きだけど、ショウガがあまり好きじゃないので、お好み焼きやお寿司を食べるとき、ショウガをつけないで食べたほうがおいしいと思います。

この学期日本語５のクラスを受けた目的は２つがあります。一番大切な理由は大学を卒業したら、日本で働きたいからです。次は、日本語と日本の文化が好きな人と友達になりたいからです。実は、日本人と付き合いたいんですけど。。。ハハ。冗談です！本当に信じてください。まあー、このコースで皆と楽しみにしています。

どうぞよろしくお願いします。

The controversial shrine

2007-08-20T11:11:00.000-04:00

In Sino-Japanese politics, the Yasukuni shrine has always been in the limelight, with the previous Japanese PM Junichiro Koizumi bringing Sino-Japanese relations to its lowest point by just paying a visit to this shrine. PM Shinzo Abe promised that he was not going to visit the shrine during this year's anniversary to the end of World War II to appease angry Chinese. Why is it so important? Resting peacefully here are Japanese war heroes dating all the way back to the warring periods and Meiji Revolution, which of course includes their World War II heroes. However, if you carefully go through the rows of military men, you might come by certain all-to-familiar names. Yes, they're the Class A War Criminals. 15 of them in all amongst the other war-deads. Understand a little bit more now?

Whatever it is, many Japanese have not set foot in this temple, only vaguely knowing its existence. As a foreigner, it was kind of an eye-opener, no special aura or oppressive feelings, just a nice walk into the past.

The metro exit

The entrance

Long stretch to walk in.

Even sacred shrines have little food stalls and baskers around

Main entrance to the shrine

Buy and plant trees for remembrance

The shrine set in the backdrop of skyscraper Tokyo

Inner Shrine

Family gathering to pray. The inner shrine is always closed to public.

Nationalistic man thinks he's still living in the 40s, waving the imperial flag and singing patriotic songs.

No camera? Buy one from the vending machines!

The museum where you can find out more about this shrine.

Slack.

Climbing to the top of Japan

2007-07-18T02:04:00.000-04:00

Well, during this 2 week of absence from this blog,申し訳ありません, I've done a couple of things I can't believe myself, one of which is mountain climbing. Although I must say its bad choice to do a 3776m mountain when its my first time mountain climbing, it was generally enjoyable.

I started at around out from Shinjuku station around 4.50pm on a Keio highway bus. It costs 5200yen (S$70) for a return trip ticket to Kawaguchi 5th station on Mount Fuji where I would start my climb. I bought a bento to eat on the bus, and some other high-carbo food to eat on the trip like chocolates which I would not get sick off even if I'm tired and energy-drained.

Along the way up I caught nice pictures of the sunset but, these are the only nice scenery pictures I managed to take.

If you've noticed by now, my plan was to hike up Mount Fuji at night... yes, in the dark, and then reach the peak by 3am to catch a spectacular sunrise. However... Anyway, the rest station at 5th station where you can grab basic necessities for the climb like water and a walking stick. See the snow on the peak? I should've known better...

Sign telling you the way up Mount Fuji.

We were quick coz by 10pm, just 2 hours after we started I was already at the 7th station.

Toilets with 100yen boxes where you donate to them for cleaning the toilets. Although I didn't have a chance to take a photo of the insides, its actually very clean.

Nice little sign along the way reminding you not to throw stones down the slope.

More helpful signs

Nice and cosy rest station. Wish I was inside.

On the 8th station at 12midnight.

As shown on the thermometer, though it was a sweltering 28 degrees in Tokyo, its a shivering 6 degrees up here. List of TOP 10 things I appreciated bringing!
1 - Climbing stick (Bought from shop)
2 - Warm hat (Courtesy of Espen)
3 - Warm windbreaker (Again Espen thanks)
4 - Warm jacket
5 - Gloves
6 - Bottles of water
7 - Head torch
8 - Handphone (Call and chat)
9 - Nintendo DS (Self-entertainment when starting to feel sleepy at rest station)
10 - Good boots (Tough terrain, don't want to bust your sports shoes!)

Couple cuddled up in a sleeping bag, not wanting to spend 7000yen each on 3-hours rest stations

Our final stop before the peak, we were cold and shivering requiring of some shelter from the blizzard outside. We stopped over at this over-priced rest place. They let you stay for 15 mins max for each order, then they start chasing you out. Since we were really early to reach the top for sunrise, we decided to take up his "bargain" to stay for an hour for 1000yen ($13).

Finally at 4am, I reached the peak. Sadly though, what welcomed me was not the spectacular sunrise I was expecting, but thick misty, bone-chilling fog and blistering cold wind. Yes, I picked the wrong day to climb. My friend climbed 2 days later and caught spectacular pictures of sunrise from the peak.

Torii at the peak too?

After deciding that the fog was not going to clear, I headed back down.

Low visibility and chilly winds like this on Mount Fuji are to be expected from Fuji's temperamental weather conditions.

Morning climbers are already setting off to the peak at 6am.

Nice and serene

Exorbitant priced rest stations

Mystical forest?

Finally back to 5th station for my bus ride home, here's a map of Mt Fuji.

Overall, this was an eye-opening experience. I won't say I was prepared enough for the trip. Though, thanks to Espen, I had good quality clothes to keep me relatively warm until the peak... I need to climb again some time, but not anytime soon. Terror of Mt Fuji experience still lives deep in my memories.

Slack.

Forgetting things on the train

2007-07-02T00:56:00.000-04:00

When we were kids we learnt this phrase in one of the chapters in our Chinese text. 路不拾遗. Always thought it was just an utopian concept, but recently I realise that Japanese are somehow or rather like that.

Last Saturday on the train, I carelessly left a plastic bag with a laptop and many other stuff in it on the train when I got off (it happens very often in Tokyo). I immediately informed the station master once I found out, and the bag with its belongings intact was recovered 5 stops down. 30 minutes later, we got a call telling us that we could collect it from the lost and found section of that station.

When my friends went to a party and got themselves knocked out, my friend kinda misplaced his wallet. He got a call the next day from the party organiser that they were holding on to his wallet. My friend wondered aloud, "How did you know it was mine?" The organiser simply replied that so many people had came up to him telling him that if someone should return his wallet, to call this number.

Slack.

A-ya-ka... a-ya-ka...

2007-06-28T03:10:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I went for my first big live event in Tokyo. It was my first big live for some time too. Ayaka was holding her 2nd last live for her Peace loving tour held at NHK hall, Shibuya. It was a helluva experience being so close to Ayaka man... This close ->|............................|<- You could feel her energy and power coursing thru you man. Her powerful voice hitting high notes sounded so pleasant to the ears. She even sang her new song, Jewellery days that's going to be out 7/4. During the concert, she stopped her repertiore a couple of times to chat with the audience. During the many instances of her talking with the audience, you could tell how 元気 or lively she was. Always prancing around the stage, and joking with us. Okie, before you think I'm another fanboy or Otaku, I'm not. Interestingly though, there were many around me. =(

Well, can't wait to hear her new release for Final Fantasy coming out in September. Too bad I can't take pictures in the hall.

Slack.

Romantic getaways

2007-06-27T03:45:00.000-04:00

Today's topic is specially themed for couples interested in visiting nice places in Tokyo. I mean, seriously, don't bring the girl you're intrested in to Shibuya or Shinjuku, or for that matter Akihabara. Here are some of my favourite getaways. By the way, they sell nice magazines in convenience stores where you can get more information on good restaurants and places to go.

1 - Disneyland

Need I say more? This place is totally meant for couples or families. If you're a bunch of kinds and you find yourself in Disney... hmmm, getalife. Kidding. Anyway, its my favourite in the list, but I suggest getting the night pass which is much cheaper and just go in for the feel, atmostphere and well... magic-ness.

2 - Odaiba （お台場）

Its somewhere near Chiba, away from bustling Tokyo. You can find nice planetariums, an artificial but pretty beach, great skyline, big movie theatre, lots of shopping and restaurants, and theme parks. There's a sony gallery for technology somewhere there. For 500 yen you cn have some good fun. Otherwise, its nice to just chill out.

3 - Yokohama Minato Mirai （横浜ーみなと　みらい）

This place is more like Odaiba but it has a more city feel. Its by the sea, has a nice big ferris wheel, a small theme park, nice restaurants and good attractions. Head over to the harbour where there's a nice piece of artificial grass patch where you can lie down and gaze at the clouds, see the yokohama skyline, etc. Its also where you can take a cruise to nowhere for about 2000yen and about 2+ hours. A bit more if you want to have dinner on-board. Then you can always take a lift up landmark tower for a 360 degrees view of Yokohama city from Japan's tallest building for 1000 yen. In good weather, you may be able to see Mt. Fuji.

4 - Korakuen （後楽園）

This place is better known as Tokyo dome. Its where you can find one of the better roller coasters in Tokyo other than at Fujikyu. Other than that, there're also many interesting rides, many of which are skewed towards being for couples. It is a great place to hang out too. Shopping is similar to those you can find at Odaiba, food too. The selection is less, but there's a nice atmosphere. Oh, and there's a Bubba Gump shop here too! Okie, out of point there. At night, there's also a nice musical fountain performance which makes Sentosa's one pale in comparison.

5 - Yoyogi Park (代々木公園）

This place is a Sunday place. Come here for a nice picnic. You can also enjoy the music of wannabe-bands strutting their stuff hoping to be noticed by music producers. Nearby, there's also a stage where occassionally there're performances. Sometimes you get interesting fairs around the NHK hall area too. At the park itself, there're many trees and benches where you can just relax and waster the day away. Nearby, there is the Meiji Jingu and Harajuku for shopping.

Slack.

Tsukiji market

2007-06-25T02:24:00.000-04:00

Thousands of people must have wrote on this market, and half of them probably hate it. My sentiments tend to lean towards the きらい side. I mean, why do you have to wake up to see people cut up giant tunas and get yourself tired and stinky, then queue for exorbitant sashimi, albeit fresh, not really worth it I feel. I mean, go to the wet market with your grandma in the morning for heaven's sake...

Nevertheless, it was an eye-opener and there really was a large variety of seafood. That said, I won't come here again. Oh btw, if anyone tells you "Go there early to catch them bidding for the tuna!" THat's a lie, ever since last year, its closed to publc. "Go there early to see them slice up the fish!" That's another lie, I went there at 8.30 and they were still cutting tunas.

Go there before 9am, and you should be able to catch an eyeful, but mind you... be ready to duck from dangerous zooming vehicles, bear the fishy stench and if you're a trigger-happy gaijin, prepare for dirty stares.

Petrol kiosks in Tokyo due to lack of space. More feasible than those u see in Rome.

Trucks they use to transport the big chunks of fish and barrels of ice. The only place you'll see this type of vehicles.

Gargantuan tuna

Sliced up into smaller pieces for sale to sushi shops and restaurants

The mechanical slicer

This poor man has no mechanical slicer... tough on him!

Eww...

Gimme a kiss...

Queueing to chomp on raw fish.

Whole bunch of raw fish sets for you to pick from, some includes yellow sea urchin meat. Argh! I don't like this place... haha but don't flame me if you like Tsukiji.

Slack.

Yokohama

2007-06-12T04:10:00.000-04:00

If I haven't mentioned yet, I actually don't stay in Tokyo. In fact, I stay in this place which is essentially in Yokohama, Kanagawa prefecture. It is only half an hour from Tokyo, and the main station is pretty much as crowded as Shinjuku would be. However, it has its own beautiful sights like its port. Minato Mirai especially is a place where you could go for a romantic getaway, a ride on the ferris wheel or a cruise to nowhere for under 2000yen.

This is the landmark tower. Tallest in Japan. The elevator brings you up to the top floor in less than 20 seconds. And the view from it is fantastic.

A view of Yokohama Bay.

Ferris wheel from the top.

The view of the city at night.

Yokohama stadium.

Yokohama Bay bridge. Famous in case you don't know.

Chinatown. The impression you get is that everyone's selling big meat buns for exorbitant prices, and they don't taste as good as the ones you get in Singapore.

The ferris wheel which I've yet to try. Someday...

Slack.

PACKED TRAINS!!

2007-06-08T09:57:00.001-04:00

I've always wanted to blog this. The train traffic during rush hour here is すごい! When my Japanese language teacher told me that in Singapore, I could hardly imagine how amazing it was. After all, I've taken the New York subway, the London tube and Singapore MRT during rush hour too, what can amaze me further?

Well, you have to try it for yourself, and as much as it amazes me, we all hate it. My friends who came to visit me in Japan all said the same thing when I asked them why they hated Tokyo, "The trains are too damn packed!", "The city is too crowded". This is all thanks to poor urban planning according to an architect friend.

The standing area between seats usually has 3 rows of people, and the place next to the door is packed like sardines. When people need to get off and you're standing somewhere there, you'd be SHOVED out of the train, pretty roughly I might say. If Japanese are known for their politeness, everything dissipates into thin air on the trains. See them rush for the seat like hyenas pouncing on their prey. People pretending to sleep when needy people come along. Trains full of drunkards at night tipping left and right. Shoving and pushing to get on the train. Worst of all, molesters out to take advantage of the situation to feel ladies all over without getting punished. =(

Jammed pack on the platform.

Squeezing onto the train. Even ladies do it, leaning the body-weight against the person behind so you make a space for yourself. By the way, after I took this picture and before the door closed, 3 more people squeezed into this cabin.

Inside the sardine-packed train.

Slack.

Boy's day

2007-06-08T08:33:00.000-04:00

This is a back-dated entry which for some reason did not appear. Its about Boy's Day which occurs every year on May 5th. It falls in the long chain of National holidays the Japanese affectionately call the Golden Week, coz its the week when nearly all Japanese go on vacation. Some say this holiday is the Japanese version of the Chinese 端午节... the dumpling one which falls on the 5th of the 5th lunar month as well. On top of that, this festival also welcomes in the spring after the long chill, but then again, spring comes at different times in different parts of Japan. For more info on Boy's day, click here for Wiki!

We were supposed to attend a festival, but coz I only came home at 7am that morning, hmm... by the time we got there, everything was over.....

However, we managed to catch pictures of this Koi flag hanging outside somebody's house. The kid's called Taro.

And we also ate the official bun for Boy's day!

Slack.

Disney Sea Tokyo

2007-06-05T05:54:00.000-04:00

Last week I had a bunch of friends come over from Singapore, okie, 1 friend and her bunch of math-teacher-friends, and we went over to Disney Sea to see what's the hype about. Turns out to be pretty different really, not just the ride, but also the characters and themes and feel was slightly different. For example, my friend was collecting popcorn containers and she saw someone carrying one in the shape of Pooh's honey pot. But that was not available in Disney Sea, coz Pooh is a Disneyland character!

The train into Disney Sea, which we didn't take coz we figured that we should take a nice 20mins stroll in the cool breeze.

Mickey mouse parade.

Water all around. Venetian gondola?

Although this looks like Venice, Disney Sea Tokyo is still pretty much a Japanese place. Most people here are Japanese, and naturally the shows and stuff are in Japanese too. Too bad if you can't understand. Gwen fell asleep thru one of the 4-D shows. =)

More fake boats and the Tower of Terror in the background.

Look like Titanic?

Not-so-Indian tandoori chicken and nasi goreng.

The nautilus.

The volcano starts bellowing smoke and rumble once in awhile to add to realism. Hmm... but not very majestic on my cam.

The bunch of us in front of the Tower of Terror. Anyone going to Disney Sea MUST take this ride. I shall not be a spoiler. ^^

Slack.

Ramen Museum in Yokohama

2007-06-05T03:03:00.000-04:00

Went to the ramen museum on a rainy day, so that was the only thing we did that day other than alot of shopping. Well, when you enter the building this is what you see. Kinda shocking really, since I was expecting a museum rather than a time machine bringing me back into the past. Basically, the ramen museum is a remake of the olden days of Japan. Pretty funky and very similar to olden Singapore I feel.

An old sweets stall! Good old mamah stalls.

More pictures of the old shops. Look like a movie from the 70s showing at Princess. Hmm... but what do I know about the 70s...

Yummy Kumamoto ramen. This one's pretty light, I still prefer the spicy Kanto Ramen like those in Tokyo. =)

Pictures of different ramen, check out the ramen served in a claypot from Susaki（須崎).

Slack.

Shibuya crossing

2007-05-30T01:09:00.000-04:00

Recently I've had a couple of visitors from Singapore. All of them being my closest friends in my life, I felt obliged to bring them around. As such, I've been so busy lately, there was hardly any time for myself.

So just an update on my life so far: I'm working on electron transport of coupled quantum dots, in lay-man's term.. wait there's no lay-man's term... hmmm... basically its something that has to do with quantum computing, which is the future of computers 10-20 years from now. I'm still single and looking for a pretty Japanese girlfriend, albeit not very successful thus far. Jap friends reading this should recommend me some Jap girls... hehe. Japanese language is improving, not as fast as I would like it to be, but ordering food and basic daily conversation is no more a problem. Finance still going strong, as long as I don't keep shopping. And, there're still many things I wanna accomplish before I head back for my final year.

Okie, enough crapping, here are a few pictures I took from Starbucks overlooking the infamous Shibuya crossing which appeared in Tokyo Drift. Click here to Wiki Shibuya. Supposedly 3 million people cross this junction daily. Many many...

Slack.

Sumo wrestling

2007-05-20T12:04:00.000-04:00

Sumo is a big thing in Japan. Its supposed to be spiritual, and its definitely rich in history. Seeing 2 colossus bodies come together make you think why would people invent such brutal sports without any finesse? You have to go see for yourself. Its better than watching soccer or baseball... seriously.

A view of the ring and the crowd. Notice the roof on top of the ring. Long time ago in the Edo era, sumo was fought in a pavillion for the samurai lords to see. Now, with the stadium seats, you can't do that, so the elevate the roof.

Announcers like this one sings out the names of the competitors in the coming match. Yes, sing.

The sumos from the premier league of Makuuchi gets to make a grand entrance into the ring wearing this heavy piece of silk cloth. Notice he isn't Japanese, many sumos are not Japanese, including the current Yokosuna (Best fighter) is Mongolian.

Sprinkling salt to purify the ring.

"Yoisho", the crowd shouts as the sumo lifts his leg off the ground simulating the noise you'd make lifting a heavy object. The higher the sumo's leg goes, the louder the crowd shouts with glee.

Ready, set....

Off they go!!

Caught this sumo in mid-flight as he lurched at his opponent, hoping to throw him off-balance!

Out of the ring he goes. 2 ways to lose. Step out of the ring, or have any of your body other than you feet touch the ground. Its really a balancing act. Not easy at all.

Slack.

Bento!

2007-05-15T10:07:00.000-04:00

In Japan, no one eats proper lunch. Okie, maybe some do, but the most of us don't because the restaurants here are all TINY. Biggest one you can find is a 30-seater, maybe. With so many students and workers all going to have lunch, there's always long queues. And, with the nice weather, its common, to buy a bento (take-out), sit on the lawn and bask in the sun.

Typical bento contains 1-2 meat dishes, 2 salads, rice and 2 sides.

Sitting under Sakura trees.

Eating with friends on the lawn.

Slack.

Reminiscence of ol' days

2007-05-10T22:12:00.000-04:00

As the smell of spring feels the air and the temperature gets warmer, it brings back memories from 2 years ago. Work and travel in Morey's Piers, New Jersey. The smell of the air while walking to the supermarket for groceries, going to atlantic city for stomach-exploding Chinese buffet, having lunch with friends at the games stalls, going down the water slides at the theme park, going to bars to drink ourselves silly, jogging on the boardwalk with friends and friendship.

This morning I did myself some egg and bacon. The smell that blended with the smell of spring reminded me of the small little kitchen where Ying Kiat, Marc, Gwen, Shuling and me would cook our meals. Why bacon? Coz that's the cheapest meat you can find in US other than ham.

Those days of reckless living and all-out fun will always remain in my memories. Cheers to all my Work and Travel friends!

The girls had huge luggages. Picture of us lugging it to our apartments.

This was the tiny kitchen where many of us squeezed to prepare meals. Nostalgic.

The food that our girls cooked! Nice.

Jogging to the end of the boardwalk.

The place where worked.

My Colleagues and friends!

More colleagues from my pier. Mostly Taiwanese in this picture.

My super friendly Boss Sash.

Before we did a free-falling stint.

Drinking ourselves silly!

Celerating Shuling's birthday with a American style BBQ.

Picture of us on Atlantic City's boardwalk

Going to Delaware for a helluva shopping experience during off-days

The goods we bought.

On another off-day, we went to Six Flags NJ. Highly recommended! The rides were fantastic, in this picture, my lousy map got the team lost somewhere in... dunno where...

This one we went to neighbouring Philadelphia.

On this super long trip we went up to Niagara falls and Boston. fun fun Fun!!!

This was Cape May! Beach outing. Glorious sun!

Another of our off-days where we had fun in our theme park.

Slack.

Drinking culture

2007-05-08T09:48:00.000-04:00

I thought it was in the European blood to drink alot, but Asians drink alot too. Maybe not so in Singapore (except for my block in hall), but its very obvious in Japan. Ever since the samurai days when Japanese drank Sake, they've invented all types of alcohol. Not the 96% alcohol that you find in Europe, but nice drinks with alcoholic content of around 25%.

Occasions when they drink? Anytime, EVERYDAY. Be it BBQ, izakaya (little hut where working adults drop by for a drink after work and for men to hide from their wives and families), bars, clubs, restaurants, and Mac? That one I'm not too sure but I won't be surprised.

Izakayas are relatively cheap places you can get your daily dose of Asahi (beer), mixes, whisky and Sochiu / Nihon shiu (Japanese wine).

This vase is used to serve warm sake. My friend says the sake tastes like banana. I don't like it too but it gets you nice and woozy.

If you decide to drink at home (much cheaper), its only 20 bucks for 4 liters! Nice. Too bad I don't drink. Drinks anyone?

Slack.

Additional battery pack

2007-05-06T09:57:00.000-04:00

Your handphone runs out of battery coz you forgot to charge it, but you need to leave home now, possibly without your handphone. However, in Japan, there's always a handphone charger that operates on 2 AA-sized batteries for you to charge your handphone on-the-go. Nice!

Slack.

BBQ by the river

2007-05-05T14:03:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a national holiday, so I went out to meet some friends. This is where we went for a BBQ. Apparently its the only place in Tokyo where you can legally bbq, and Japanese love bbq man... Nice meat, nice big fishes (tunas, salmon), scallops, clams, vegetables and Yakisoba (Japanese fried noodles). The thing I felt that was missing was hotdogs, coz the pit next to ours had nice big brockwurst. =(

The pit we set up using rocks lying around.

Doing pork on the grills. Nice and fatty.

My friends actually brought down a DJ set and some DJ they knew spun some vinyls while we were having the bbq. Awesome! Beats lousy radio big time, except that the generator we had to bring along was erm... heavy. Very heavy.

Slack.

Seeing my future... I hope

2007-05-03T09:40:00.000-04:00

Went down to Roppongi today with my room mate and our homestay host. First time I'm actually there in the day. So there wasn't really anybody in the queue for the viewing gallery on the 58th story of Mori's Tower. So we went up, at the top you get nice views of Central Tokyo.

These 2 towers are the famous Mori Towers of Roppongi Hills, built by Mori-san. It is the most expensive apartments available for rent in Tokyo at a price of ¥3,000,000/month (S$38,000). My dream apartment.

Next, we went back to Ebisu where I had my most expensive meal ever. It cost ¥16,800 (S$213) for the 3 of us. Nevertheless, the Yakiniku was fantastic. Besides, as its on the 38th story, the view here is awesome as well. best thing is, I didn't have to pay for it. =)

Slack

Nice chill out places

2007-05-02T03:35:00.000-04:00

Good music, hopefully with a live band, some nice food and drinks and most importantly good company makes the day's hardwork worth it. Last Wednesday I went to my friend's live at this small bar tucked in a small alcove. According to the owner, he says that Japanese like these nice little "secret" bars where the people who come already know that the place exists.

This pic is from his last live.

Golden Week surfing!

2007-04-30T11:56:00.000-04:00

YES! Finally I did my surfing trip. This week is what the Japanese call the "Golden Week". For those who don't know what it is, it is a week where 4 national holiadys fall very close to each other, so we get most of the week off. For more info click here. So after checking the internet for clear weather, we decided to embark on our surfing trip to Kugenuma (湘南・鵠沼海岸) which was in the Shonan area known for surfing. Best thing is that its only an hour away from where I live. Glorious Sun!!

There were people waiting for the waves, playing volleyball, enjoying the sun, no bikinis though, its still under 20 degrees here.

And here's a picture of me suffering in a wetsuit, its so tight I can't breathe, help...

Despite aching muscles and wind-burned face, and a hole in my pocket, it was pretty fun. It was definitely more difficult than wakeboarding. It took so much effort to just get out far enough to catch the waves. Push, heave, pull... the experts make getting on the board so easy man... its all a lie. But, when you do get on it and ride the wave, its awesommeee..... breeze in your face, standing above everyone still paddling in the water. Sweet.

Slack.

Aikido Club

2007-04-30T11:46:00.000-04:00

Just an update, I've joined the Aikido club here in my school. The clubs here are very, very, very different. Firstly, they have practice 4 days a week, and any other free time they have between lessons, they will come to the club room. The club room is stacked bottom up with mangas which people leave there even after they graduate!

Secondly, they have a very clear seniority system. This is what I don't like. After being here for only 1 week, I'm already pretty sick of the segregation, but its just a reflection of the Japanese society where seniority plays a very important part in daily lifestyle, explaining why there are so many ways to phrase a sentence depening on who you're talking to. Plain form, polite form, keigo, etc... Keigo itself has different level of politeness. Well, it just needs getting used to, but I sure am getting alot of practice for changing between the forms. Nice.

However, its so tiring, both the prysical training and the mental exhaustion from trying to understand what they're saying to me in Japanese and trying to reply in a way they can understand, sigh!

Slack.

The misleading coin

2007-04-18T09:01:00.000-04:00

As the title suggests, this is THE misleading coin. This ¥500 coin is actually worth about $6.70 which can get you anything from a nice sushi meal to a Big Mac meal in Tokyo. The problem lies with it being a coin. And in Singapore, I don't put much emphasis on coins as a coin in Singapore can't get you a proper meal yeh? Unless you live on bread.... So, I tend to spend this coin often, not realising that... I'm spending alot... haha...okie I'm crapping...

Slack.

2007-04-17T11:04:00.000-04:00

I haven't really mentioned the reason what I'm doing here in Japan, so I'm going to do a brief summary of what I'm doing here. NOT to get a Japanese girlfriend, NOR to buy porn. I'm currently doing a research program at Tokyo Institute of Technology, concurrently with my SEP. Its tiring but its really an experience because you get to play with multi-million dollar equipment, and research in an environment that is very conducive. Why? Some of the top tech firms are in Japan, and they've plenty of money... hehe... meaning you get to use the newest and most advanced equipment! And... the Japanese are work horses... But, I must admit, there're other benefits of doing an exchange program like this in Tokyo. hehe...

Here's a few pictures of my office, my table and the wonderful view out of the window. =)

They held a welcome party for the new Year 4 students and me last Friday. At first, the lab environment made me feel alienated. Japanese are not very sociable to begin with, and the fact that I can't speak Japanese well, made them reluctant to talk to me. Sigh... but I guess alot of booze and nice food makes everyone sociable.

My boss, the new secretary and me!

Trying to get the new secretary drunk.

They managed to get one of the secretaries superrrr drunk...

That's my tutor on my right, they assign a master's student to every newcomer in the lab to facilitate us with admin matters and orientation.

My China friends and me!

And my Korean friend... last year pHD student... damn...

And me being really drunk.

Living the Japanese way... RICH Japanese way

2007-04-15T12:04:00.000-04:00

This weekend, the school organised a nice little trip out of crowded Tokyo for us. Away from Rush hours (simply stifling I tell you), away from shockingly pretty girls and my SUPER hardworking lab mates, we arrived at peaceful and serene Tochigi prefecture.

Starting off, we had an open-air BBQ... oh yeh!... with the sakura and serene lake in the background... and falling sakura petals falling into your cup of tea. Btw, the Japs use 2 words to describe the scene of falling sakura petals... 风流! haha...

Me helping to setup the pit.

A few other Ysep students and our host families.

Not just vegetables... there were nice big slabs of meat... pity I didn't take a picture of the meat.

The teacher in charge and my Momma!

Now... here's where the life of a Tai tai starts. See the lady to my left in the picture? She drove me here in a posh BMW, the Volvo behind is hers too, and so does the fantabulous house behind us. Wait till you see what was waiting for us in the house.

In the house, there was were nice little cups of aromatic coffee welcoming us. Together with the afternoon coffee were biscuits, strawberry cakes, hazelnut rolls and pomelo cakes, all made by the host! haha... tai tai life here I come!

Next, we went over to the host family for Tee the Thai exchange student. The nice little Japanese genkan (area near the front door to put you shoe) had an interesting shoe.. hmm.. Gucci made shoes?

This is the host's living room with a nice little stove in the corner. Its not used for cooking though. Its like a fireplace. The picture below is the chimney.

This picture is of Tee and his host. She's a very famous Japanese writer! Anyway, notice the nice little plates holding the young bamboo shoots? They cost 50 bucks apiece because its handcrafted by a well-known potter. The serving tray she's using is a specially designed Ainu wood tray, etc etc...

So after all the afternoon tai tai tea.. and coffee... it was finally time for dinner... wait.. but we just ate? Ah heck, lets eat more... My host brought me and my room-mate Yan Chao to this nice cozy sushi restaurant. Yummy.

Oh by the way, sushis in Japan all look like this... not the icky, tiny pieces of fish you find in Sakae sushi... Oh a plate of 2 sushis don't cost much here by the way. Only S$2 a plate.

This.. is what we call ootoro sushi. ootoro is the most expensive part of the tuna fish. A plate of it can cost around ¥6000 or 80 bucks! Well, couldn't really find out what's so great about it. Zannen.

Ok I have to sleep now. Gotta wake up early to go find a nice suit tomorrow. Continue with the tai tai adventures some other time.

Slack.

My handphone

2007-04-10T11:18:00.000-04:00

My handphone was only ¥1!! And its not like the $0 buys you can get in Singapore. Here's some of the things I like about it.

This is how it looks like from the front. Plain, shiny and white.

The interface is simple, plain and very user friendly with the normal things you can find in any phone around the world like making a phone call, sms, surf the net, play music, currency converter, calculator, dictionary, translator, yadda yadda...

Here's the amazing part! Watching TV! In my room, there's no TV but now I don't need one. Neither do I need to bring a TV along with me on the train. On the way home from school (which ends at 8pm!), I will miss my favourite variety show... but with this nifty thingy, I watch it on the way back, despite being squashed amongst erm 1million people... nvm, not important. The thing is, this thing is awesome...

Swiveling the screen, and placing it flat against the keypad turns it into a full 2.5 inch TV, small maybe, but the reception, clarity and sound is awesome, better than TVmobile... hehe...

So you might think this thing must way a ton, have short battery life and make you look like you have an erection? Nope, it only weighs 152g, has great battery life, I think 3 hours with the TV on bah... never tried, and look, its thinner than the bottom half of my Mac! Hee...

Slack.

O-Hanami!

2007-04-09T10:57:00.000-04:00

Before I came to Japan, I was wondering: "What's all the hype about Sakuras??" Well, the answer to that, cannot be given to you really. You have to experience it for yourself. All I can say is that its really pretty and... "Good things don't last long". Here are some photos!

Nice photos of sakura in my school. Nicer than NUS...

Japanese appreciating flowers: Hanami

How it looks like close-up

Slack.

Meticulous

2007-04-08T05:16:00.000-04:00

–adjective 1. taking or showing extreme care about minute details.

In Japan, even the dogs live a good life.

For the Japanese, from head to toe, you can see their meticulous nature. Nicely clipped nails, plucked eyebrows (for men too), well trimmed snobs of facial hair, well-pressed shirt and coat, polished shoes. Colours match too! Image is very important because it determines the type of person you are.

An example: Before I came to Japan, I took my class 2 license at Ubi driving center. It took me 7 friggin hours to get my license becuase of some inefficient dumb system, you know what I mean. Over here, when I was applying for my foreigner pass, it only took me 15mins. Why? Not becuase there were less people, but because, the moment they realised there was a growing number of people waiting, they opened 2 new counters! And they were patient, efficient and courteous, apologising for every minute they had to make me wait. In addition, they added nice counters on the queue number board to tell you how many more people are waiting before you. Nice little things like that makes you feel happier waiting. Hmm... did I mention the pretty girls you could look at? hehe... Below is a picture of the form-filling table. Notice the clock there to inform you of today's date?

2nd example: I waited 4 friggin hours for donuts at the Donut factory in Raffles City. Mind you, there was only erm... 25 pple in the queue? Take a look at these photos.

200 PEOPLE IN THE QUEUE!! I counted. The queue takes all but slightly under 2 hours. Besides, as you enter the shop, they'll happily give... serve, you with a freshly made donut (warm and yummy!!), and apologise profusely for making you wait... 25 people -> 4hrs, 200 people -> 2hrs. Kick me... why do I wanna stay in Singapore?

Slack.

I'm home!!

2007-04-04T08:32:00.000-04:00

Yes, its greatfully heartwarming to hear the nice cheerful "Ohayougozaimasu" the minute I got off the plane, then the escalators that carefully warns you to be careful when you are near the end of the travellator in case you were half asleep from your tiring flight. Buying breakfast from a bread store, the gorgeous lady at the counter, regardless of how busy she was with the morning crowd, greeted me good morning with a brillant smile spread across her face, returned my change, and with a slight bow, SINCERELY thanked me for patronising the store, then wished me good day. Evrything is just so nice. The weather is pleasant. The people are nice. Speaking of which, my tutor accompanied me for lunch, gave me a treat, showed me to my hostel, helped to carry my friggin heavy bag... how cool is that?! Which graduate research tutor in NUS would render that kind service... to a foreigner?! nice!

The place I'm staying at is an awesome place. You'd be amazed how Japanese squeeze 2 desks, 2 cabinets, 2 wardrobes, a chest of drawers, 2 beds, a toilet, a bathtub, a kitchen, a gigantic fridge a lounge area, microwave, washing machine and even a kitchen cabinet... all into 40 square meters (the size of a double bed dorm in Eusoff)!!

Slack.

And then there was snow

2007-01-01T09:35:00.000-05:00

Poor man braving the blizzard to clear the roof of snow.

More scary conductors

The many trucks holding the equipment needed to put up a concert at Osaka Castle for Alfie.

These 2 cats don't like me... =(

Pictures with Osaka Castle... Pretty castle.

Oh is that a plane crashing into the castle?!

Buying AV from the vending machines.. I didn't get any though!

Vending machines where you can purchase meal coupons. Had this fantastic ramen called Oishii ramen at this branch! Nice.

Without tips there can be good service

2007-01-01T08:17:00.000-05:00

The closed imperial palace in Kyoto.

Deers roaming the streets of Nara

The Stags lose their horns for the safety of visitors.

Deers like white chocolate too!

Poor boy getting chased by deers

Hansen and his pet deer in front of Todaiji

The great Todaiji of Nara

And its Dobutsuden which is 14m tall!

View of Kyoto from their spanking new Kyoto train station.

The speedy bullet train snaking through the tall buildings

The spanking new Kyoto JR rail station.

Japanese and their well known good service. I was waiting at STARBUCKS for the staff to gift-wrap my newly purchased coffee tumbler. Their service went 1 step further. Knowing that the weather was cold, the barista offered us a cup of freshly brewed coffee each. Thumbs up to good service.

Today, we also went to public bath. The Japs sure know how to enjoy. Eat good food, have great hot baths. Amazingly jumping alternately into scalding baths and freezing baths made me feel so relaxed after that. Finish it off with a shower which sprays warm water from the walls, and showers you with ice water from the top. Fantastic... but the Yakuzas were scary... haha

Slack

Kyoto's closed 26th Dec till 3rd Jan

2007-01-01T07:06:00.000-05:00

Headed to Nijo Castle to see the "Nightingale" floors and the various anti-Ninja defences, but it was CLOSED! Closed till the New Year. Damn! Nevertheless, still managed to catch a sight of a pet bear! Haha...

Kinkakuji - The temple covered in gold leaves.

At Ryoanji temple, some say that this zen garden calms the heart... didn't feel anything though...

Some kimono-clad girls

Ginkakuji - Temple that was supposed to be covered in Silver leaves, but they never got down to doing it.

A cute girl and her dog

GIon district: Known for 2 things Gion Matsuri and Maikos (Apprentice Geishas) but I didn't catch any of it. I must come back to Kyoto another time.

¥2200 and 10 hours to get to Kyoto

2006-12-29T11:27:00.000-05:00

A bowl of Kitsune udon removes the stiffness in the muscles.

An approaching conductor still sends chills to my spine, wonder why...

Finally in our cozy little home.

Lonely Christmas

2006-12-29T10:48:00.000-05:00

The toilet seat is nice and warm despite the cold weather, and there's a hot water spray that cleans your ass-hole righton. Sweet. Just in case you're worried it makes a mess? the water jet is as accurate as a trained sniper.

1 buck for 10 mins of internet usage... rip-off...

In Tokyo, they love things small... Capsule hotels, mini cars, and mini Starbucks coffee?? Sigh...

CHEAP FRESH SUSHI!! only ¥75($1) for one! The sushi master...

I love 牛丼 with raw eggs, Tokyoites love doughnuts

2006-12-29T08:20:00.000-05:00

For lunch that was what I had. Amazingly how the raw egg really adds so much more flavor to the food!

代々木 (yoyogi) Park was fantastic. It was like Central Park, except that it was more spectecular with up and coming bands putting up performances on the roadside hoping that the people from NHK would notice them.

Harajuku crepe place. Its just so good.. Caramel Cheesecake Crepe. Need I say further???

Ever seen such a long queue for Krispy Kreme? Tokyoites love doughnuts... its fashionable?

Santas don't use reindeers anymore...

Happy birthday dear emperor!

2006-12-24T11:43:00.000-05:00

Sat today, there's no one in the streets of ulu Asakusa. Don't be mistaken, its already 12 noon in this picture.

This stoic young man... poor guy, if it was me I would have fallen asleep.

Typical Japan... Happy birthday dear emperor.

5th Avenue New York? hehe...

Times Square? hehe...

Maybe a new car advertistment.

Apple shop is so pretty... and so bright.

Doraemon and my brother. Do they look alike?

Dear God, I don't remember dying, why am I in Paradise?

2006-12-23T09:42:00.000-05:00

Silly me, I thought I was in paradise. But the girls were so pretty, the food was so good. The feeling was just fantastic! Check this out!!

Its very like Taiwan in many aspects, but this place is the place to be. Regardless if its fashion, technology, shopping, cuisine. They've done it right! More pictures of a busy Shibuya junction.

And... the shrines look so peaceful...

Slack

2006-07-24T09:46:00.000-04:00

Some wierd statue in Bologna

2006-07-24T09:43:00.000-04:00

Meeting a new friend from Canada

Europe trip 4: Venice the water city

2006-07-22T13:57:00.000-04:00

Venice is one of the most well-known city in the world, not just in Italy, so we had to leave 4 days just for Venice, much more than for Rome and even Paris. Everyone said it was magical so we had to see it for ourselves and indeed, it really was magical. Its just... whoa...

Slack.

2006-07-22T13:51:00.002-04:00

Venice and its gondolas

2006-07-22T13:51:00.001-04:00

Huge balloon dog-looking structure

2006-07-22T13:51:00.000-04:00

Venetian mask. Venetians will wear one of these masks and the costume in the bottom right pic during the weeks of Mardi Gras in February. The scene must be fantastic man....

2006-07-22T13:47:00.000-04:00

Some of the goodies we enjoyed in Italy. Gelato and pastries (eg. Apple crumble!)

2006-07-22T13:46:00.000-04:00

Rialto Bridge - Considered the true heart of Venice, this landmark bridge, characterized by its 24-foot arch, is built on approximately 12,000 wooden pilings that still support the bridge more than 400 years after it was built.

2006-07-22T13:45:00.000-04:00

Taxis, ambulance, buses, trucks... they're all in the form of boats in Venice.

2006-07-22T13:44:00.000-04:00

Testing Gwen's fantastic ability of taking self-portraits...

2006-07-22T13:43:00.001-04:00

Great view... plus one of the river buses.

2006-07-22T13:43:00.000-04:00

An action shot!

2006-07-22T13:42:00.001-04:00

Saint Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco)

2006-07-22T13:42:00.000-04:00

Campanile di San Marco and view of St Mark's square

2006-07-22T13:40:00.000-04:00

These strange people seem to love the dirty pigeons that flood the whole of St Mark's square.Gwen would gladly testify how hateful that bird is, since she got shat on twice in 2 weeks... hee...

2006-07-22T13:38:00.000-04:00

A rare group pic in front of pretty Saint Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco).

2006-07-22T13:36:00.000-04:00

The girls imitating the statue

2006-07-22T13:35:00.000-04:00

more pictures of St Mark's square

2006-07-22T13:34:00.001-04:00

Taking a short break at a cafe for its wonderful cuppuccino!

2006-07-22T13:34:00.000-04:00

The girls could not resist not taking the gondolas. Although I was reluctant at first (70 euros man!!) but I must admit that at the end of it... it was fantastic!

2006-07-22T13:32:00.001-04:00

Me and the pretty pink Doge's Palace

2006-07-22T13:32:00.000-04:00

Joanie n YK with the Bridge of sighs in the background. This historic bridge connects the Doge's Palace with its prisons and was named for the condemned prisoners who crossed it to meet their executioners.

2006-07-22T13:30:00.000-04:00

Gwen and me and the Bridge of Sighs

2006-07-22T13:25:00.000-04:00

Our gondolier skillfully ducking under the bridge as he rows under it

2006-07-22T13:24:00.000-04:00

On the Gondola through Venice

2006-07-22T13:23:00.000-04:00

Bread clock?

2006-07-22T13:22:00.000-04:00

Hmmm...

2006-07-22T13:01:00.000-04:00

Day 2 of Venice on our way to the outer islands Murano, Burano and Torcello!

2006-07-22T12:58:00.000-04:00

One of Venice's sinking churches... hee..

2006-07-22T12:57:00.001-04:00

Also made from Murano glass... cool

2006-07-22T12:57:00.000-04:00

Made from Murano glass

2006-07-22T12:56:00.000-04:00

Some cute guys the girls picked up along the way...

2006-07-22T12:54:00.000-04:00

One of the Murano's Glass Blowing Museums... Murano is known to make the finest glasswares, but most of the souvenirs we see in shops boasting Murano glassware... are MADE IN CHINA. hah!

2006-07-22T12:51:00.000-04:00

meow... our 2 girls hidden behind these Venetian masks.

2006-07-22T12:50:00.001-04:00

hmmm... there's a leaning tower in Burano as well.. Italian architects... tsk tsk...

2006-07-22T12:50:00.000-04:00

One of the pretty scenes in Burano

2006-07-22T12:47:00.000-04:00

Posing at one of the colorful houses in Burano... cool hor.

2006-07-22T12:44:00.000-04:00

Relaxing in Torcello... the dog is a sucker for under-the-neck rubs... me too!

2006-07-22T12:37:00.000-04:00

Day 3 in Venice was spent shopping for souvenirs in the many many great shops they have there... too bad I had no money to shop. hee

2006-07-22T12:35:00.000-04:00

more shopping for souvenirs...

2006-07-22T12:24:00.000-04:00

Our fav cafe in Venice by now. 2nd time we stop by this tiny cafe for a drink. Hmmm, maybe my companions aren't too happy i stopped by so often...

2006-07-22T12:15:00.000-04:00

and we also sipped cuppuccino...

2006-07-22T12:08:00.000-04:00

Joanie and Gwen prepared the Risotto (Rice), someone prepared the salad.. and I erm... took out the chicken.. haha... and drank too much wine.

Europe trip 3: The Renaissance Capital, Florence

2006-07-20T10:41:00.000-04:00

Firenze. I had much to expect from this city. Hoping to be more informed about great pieces of art and see the city which produced the 4 great names for my Ninja turtles... I came here with great expectations and it disappoint me. Besides, after we were done, we had great many Gelatos to lick on... haha...

Slack

2006-07-20T10:39:00.000-04:00

This is the camp which we slept in. Did I mention that that night... it poured damn heavily and we froze in those little tents? It was like 10 degrees out there.haha...

2006-07-20T10:38:00.000-04:00

More of our camp and campsite.

2006-07-20T10:37:00.000-04:00

Joanie's chomping away our food!! Main thing is... at the start of our trip, our meals were limited to under 1 euro a person... which was soon to balloon... haha

2006-07-20T10:36:00.000-04:00

View of Florence from our campsite!

2006-07-20T10:35:00.002-04:00

Around Florence

2006-07-20T10:35:00.001-04:00

Santa Croce church

2006-07-20T10:35:00.000-04:00

Some things you're prohibited to do! At least in Singapore they put the big F-word (fine)... in Italy they just fine you without the warning.. haha... okie, I'm still sore...

2006-07-20T10:33:00.000-04:00

The building is the cathedral known as Florence's Duomo. Fantastic piece of renaissance architecture. I don't know much about archi, but this style really looks different from other buildings I've seen elsewhere... but hey, I think this reminds me of the Field of Miracles, so I guess its Italian.

2006-07-20T10:30:00.001-04:00

An ancient clock in the Duomo's cathedral.

2006-07-20T10:30:00.000-04:00

Grand interior of the Duomo.

2006-07-20T10:29:00.000-04:00

The painting under the Grand Duomo (dome). Amazingly Michelangelo spent countless years under this dome, cranking his head to paint all the fine details into his grandest piece of art.

2006-07-20T10:28:00.000-04:00

Beautiful stained glass at the Duomo

2006-07-20T10:26:00.000-04:00

The great Duomo of Florence. Bottom left is the Campinile (Bell tower). Last picture shows a beautifuly crafted door, taking 20 years to sculpt.

2006-07-20T10:22:00.000-04:00

Mercato Centrale. Great market where you can get most of the foodstuff you'll need!

2006-07-20T10:21:00.000-04:00

Chomp chomp yet again... our resident chomper...

2006-07-20T10:19:00.000-04:00

This was one of my favourite cheese that went into my daily sustenance of bread, ham and cheese. Oh and some wine to go with it...