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The Free, Public, Open Yet Sheltered Toron Foot Bath @ Lake Toya [Hokkaido, Japan]

January 18, 2018, 6:12 am
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I don't love the cold and have no plan for a winter trip as i hate bundling up like a dumpling when i am outdoor and have to endure the heated frustration when i step into a building with a radiator.

It wasn't that snowy cold when i was at Lake Toya in August but the chill had set in and i noted from the map that there's an outdoor foot bath that visitors can soak for free! Keyword - free. 

The structure didn't particularly stand out and looked like a longish pavilion from afar. Nevertheless, my feet were excited as they would love to get away from the night-time temperature drop.

Ahhhhh........ the temperature was just right; condition was murky although i am assuming the spring water was mineral rich rather than dirty. Best of all, no one to share the bath with me! 

Iconic dragon acted as the centerpiece for the sheltered foot bath and was also the source of the spring water. As it was night time, i honestly didn't do justice to the area with my lousy camera skill.

Even though there's no gate / door, i noticed the board listing operating hours. Those traveling to Lake Toya in winter would be pleased to know that it's also open from 10am till 4pm! 

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Location Map
Refer to town map brochure as above and look out for Toron foot bath along the promenade. p.s. i didn't resize the map; hence, please save and download as a copy for reference. 


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Candy Crush - Level 3,000

January 19, 2018, 7:30 am
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This was long overdue as i cleared the level before 2017 ended but nevertheless, i always make it a point to publish the candy crush millennial level; you may refer to 1,000 and 2,000.  

Thanks to either the magic potion or dash, i started the game with two colour bombs, two stripped candies and two wrapped candies! Did you notice the 3K pattern? 

Objective of the game; get 333 crazy fishes to create havoc! How do you do it? Use your special candies to clear the licorice locks and hit bobbers that will spawn the insane fishes! 

Those cannons on top would continue to dispense the stripped candies and wrapped candies that would help you to clear the level faster! 

It's not difficult and i can't recall if i did it in one try or two. Still trying to reach the millennial level? Check out the candy crush strategies i am constantly utilizing in this blog post! 
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Johor UK Farm - What To Expect & What To Do There @ Kluang [Malaysia]

January 19, 2018, 11:23 pm
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I am delayed in posting the itinerary for my recent Phuket trip but i thought it's better to clear the last item in my Kluang itinerary before i start a new one. And yes, i do know i have a ton of outstanding for my Hokkaido visit that took place in summer last year!

Anyway, let's now focus on UK farm which is not a farm in faraway United Kingdom. Instead, it's relatively near to the little red dot we called home and takes less than 2 hours, by car, from City Square JB.

To access the interior of the farm, you would have to purchase their tour which wasn't too pricey at RM47.70 an adult, considering that you would spend about 3 hours and have the opportunity to sit on an old-school bus, sample goat's milk and do quite a bit on animal feeding (mostly for free).

As there's about an hour to go before the tour begins and it's lunch time; we decided to fill up our tummies first. It's a mutton / lamb meal at the farm's resident restaurant; psst, mine was the above lamb chop! For review, click here.

Don't lose your admission tickets as you need them to clear 'security'!

Stepping into UK Farm'officially'; it honestly didn't seem much and with the hot sun shining down on us, i wonder if it is a good move to join the tour. We pampered Singaporeans adore air-conditioning!

Brightly painted old-school bus was ready to take us but as the scheduled timing is still about 20 minutes away, we shall not waste timing by complaining about the heat. Exploring, it shall be!

Statue of a goat with the Chinese words that translate into a "wishing goat". Chinese digs such stuff and i bet you can find a lot of pictures of this goat when you google for "uk farm goat".

Explanation of the goat, known as Lucky Aries, for your reading pleasure.

Something about a 100-year old tree.

Farm was huge and even though i think it's walk-able, the operator doesn't seem to allow a cheaper entry just to explore on foot. You may however choose to live in the in-farm chalet / resorts. I shall share the information at the end of this post.

No fruit plucking or risk the fine!

My sister has history (i remember the persimmon at Jeju) but she very obedient this time; take tons of pictures and nothing (illegally) from the farm.

Walked towards the "mini zoo" that's indicated on the map and passed by this open pen that had ducks, geese and turkeys. I think they were quite accustomed to humans and generally ignored us.

The sorry looking mini zoo.
Check out the link here for more pictures.

Loving the cottony clouds! This was taken at the lavender garden which as incredibly pathetic and incomparable to what i saw in Hokkaido!

Random!

Supposed to be the place for sheep challenge but as the tour was starting soon, we thought we could check it out after the tour instead. It didn't materialize as we were hot, sweaty at the end and couldn't wait to soak in the comfort of air-conditioning!

Friendly feline came towards us and my friend, a cat lover, was immediately taken in by the beauty! Oh wait, i think it's a male cat.

Waiting at the bus bay, patiently (so hot, so hot, so hot)!

You can actually have a personalized tour for your family with the horse-drawn carriage. Pricing was definitely more expensive than the bus tour but it would be a novel experience.

From the reviews i read somewhere, the only problem is that the person driving you around may not be able to communicate well in English and hence, might not be able to answer many of your questions.

Boarding the bus!

Aside from the bus driver, there's also an attached guide who would share with you nuggets of information about the farm. As you can see, the refurbished bus likely hailed from the period when my parents are school-going kids and there's no air-conditioning!

Trudging on the bumpy dirt path and driving past plantations that stretched as far as the eyes can see, there's no high rise buildings, no modern structures and i thought i have returned back to the time when i was living in nee soon village.

Disused bas sekolah which means school bus in Malay. Maybe the kind of bus would change when i next visit UK Farm. The style is more the kind from my generation that doesn't come with air-conditioner.

Disembarking from the back!

Goat pens; in case you are unaware, UK Farm is the largest goat and sheep farm in Malaysia and covers over 100 acres in land. How big is 1 acre? It's about 4046.86 square meters.

Directional signage.

First Stop - Feed processing factory where grass are blended and added with vitamins and minerals. Simple setup without any action; didn't quite interest the hyperactive me.

Second Stop - Goat pens! The start of feeding where you can hold out the stalks of hay for the goats to munch on and let the baby goats latch onto a milk bottle! Best of all, you can even carry a baby goat for photo taking! Click here for the pictures!

Walking on foot to the goat milk processing centre.

Remember the grass i mentioned earlier that would be processed into goat feed? The above picture is the big patch of grass that would eventually be ground into feed.

Stop Three - the spacious goat milk processing centre. Now, this isn't new to me as there's a similar, albeit smaller, one in Singapore at Hay Dairies Goat Farm.

Of course, a big placeboard touting the nutritional benefits of drinking goat's milk and eating mutton. For the former, it's known for its high digestibility, multi-functional usage and is recognised as the king of milk.

I am too lazy to summarize; so do refer to the above. :)

The milking arena; a scene that can also be seen at Hay Dairies Goat Farm. As i have seen it before back then, i knew exactly what to expect.

Steps as follows; get the goats to the area, lock their heads so that they can't move much, disinfect the teats, squeeze the teats to check if there's any blood, plug in the milking device if there's no blood, start the pumping, remove the device and disinfect the teats again before releasing the goats back to their pens.

Once that's done, it's rest and relax time where you can also sample goat's milk in four flavours; original, chocolate, strawberry and yogurt!

Toasting time!

In addition to bottles of goat milk, you can also purchase goat milk ice cream, goat milk coffee, goat milk shampoo, goat milk body wash, goat milk lotion etc!

Do you know that fresh goat milk cannot be drunk? To make it drinkable, the factory has to heat it at 69 degrees celcius!

Ample seats to rest while waiting for the rest to finish their purchases. It was airy but we were hoping for some rain to reduce the temperature and humidity.

A touch of Singapore in UK Farm; Ngee Ann polytechnic actually has a contract with the farm to provide a veterinary bioscience educational trip.

Recycle your bottles!

Grass that was already cut and ready for the next step of processing before they are delivered to the goat pens as food. Honestly, you see more lands reserved for the grass than for the goats.

Boarding the bus again!

Stop Four - duck farm where you can feed them using the pack of feed that was included as part of the tour. I actually combined all the animal feeding into one post and you may click here for the pictures. 

On the bus again!

Stop Five - chicken farm; click here for more pictures! You can actually buy the chicken or duck from the farm; be it alive or dead, feathered or not.

Picture of a grass cutter doing his work! It has to be hard work in such hot weather and to prevent sunburn, the grass cutters have to be covered up; hence adding to the heat.

Boarding the bus again.

Scene along the way; at this point, i think we were less enthusiastic as the heat was getting to us. However, i still think it was a pretty good tour and i kept getting reminded of my kampong days! Bet my parents would enjoy the tour, while complaining about the heat!

Stop Six - Ostrich Park; it's more than just for ostriches as i can see deer and also a separate place for rabbits! Again, you can do feeding for the ostriches and deer. For the rabbits, you have to pay separately but it's worth it as they were so cute and docile. Check out my post on the rabbitshere.

She was being particularly flower-addicted that day.

Stop Seven - visit to the one-man jakun village where you can see a one-man performance and climb the tree hour. Check out my post here for more information and photographs.


Random again.


Stop Eight - Tropical Arcade; a rest stop that's necessary as we were totally parched and facing heat exhaustion. We need water and we need the shade!

You can get coconut juice and passionfruit juice but as we had already tried both during lunch (and weren't impressed), we skipped and bought chilled bottled water instead.

Fruits harvested from the farm were also available for sale.

My friend, Andrew, couldn't resist and bought us ice cream instead. Not just any ice cream of course; it's made of goat milk! As usual, i am not as adventurous but since he has already purchased, we might as well gave it a try!

Didn't quite like my strawberry milk as i can still taste the goat's smell.... Sweet but wasn't as milky as i would like it to be.

In our visit, we actually chanced upon the above notice on quite a number of locations and only read through at this rest stop. Very meaningful content, especially for those with elderly parents. Do read the content (i already translated to English) here if you are interested.

Couldn't wait to board the bus!

But it had just left without us, leaving us caked in the trail of dirt and dust. Okay lah, i am exaggerating here as the rest of our tour mates were still at the tropical arcade and that included the guide too.

Stop Nine - we were eventually asked to wait at the nursery which, in reality, was nothing much with just a fridge to get some fresh vegetables.

Other pictures taken at the boring nursery.

On the bus again and on the way back to the starting point! The bus drove past the goat / sheep grazing land. As weather was too hot, they were just huddled tightly under the shade.

I saw horses too!

Horse riding was available at RM 15.90 a person. The ride was pretty short at about 5-7 minutes and as usual, i am not particularly keen in such activities. However, i will take if it is free.

In all, i enjoyed the tour and thought it would be an educational trip for kids. For the older generation like my parents who had lived in the village, it's a walk down memory lane. Major complaint was the heat and to address it, bring along a fan (mist, electronic, whatever) and drink plenty of water!

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Location
Projek Pertanian Moden Kluang,,
KM13 Jalan Batu Pahat, Kluang, 8,
86000 Kluang, Johor, Malaysia
(about a 20-minute drive from main road)

Google Map
Search under Day One for UK Farm

Farm Map
As above.

Website

Pricing of Tour Package
Bus Tour Package - RM 47.70 a person.

Additional Information
Prefer to stay in the farm? You can choose from chalet, dormitory or camping package. For more information, check out the website here. 


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Curry & Cafe Celan - My First Taste of Hokkaido Soup Curry @ Otaru (Very near to Mt. Tengu Ropeway) [Japan] #celan

January 22, 2018, 7:16 am
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While researching on notable food to try in Hokkaido, i came upon this dish known as soup curry. Now, i don't particularly fancy Japanese curry and hence, didn't keep a mental note about its whereabouts.

As fate has its way of mocking humans, we found ourselves undecided on where to have lunch after Mt Tengu at Otaru and a nearby search on google map unveiled a restaurant called Celan (ケラン) that had a high star rating of 4.3.

Located in a building that could have been mistaken as a house, we were caught off guard by how small the place was; including the counter seats, i don't think it can sit more than 20 diners.

Together with the provision of complimentary WiFi, a container of iced water was also placed on every table. That's Japanese service for us and to think that even if the 10% service charge was imposed in Singapore, you might still be required to pay for that cup of plain water.

Windows looked out to the skate park and you might be in luck to catch a few amazing stunts. However, that's only possible before the food arrives because once it's on your table, your focus would be different.

The menu with Japanese characters that none of us was proficient in; as usual, we recognized a few characters and figured there were spice levels from 1 to 10.

Knowing we are foreigners, the operators kindly passed us English menu with nice pictures with clear indication on the type of soup curry, the kind of soup (tomato versus spice), the spicy level and the portion of the rice (free for small and medium).

Pork Curry Soup (Spice) - i am the only person who chose pork curry soup; i figured chicken curry was pretty common in Singapore and since pork is an option, why not give it a try?

I am pretty careful as i am not that well-acquainted with spiciness and decided on spice curry level two with only a small serving of rice! Frankly, i didn't think much of the curry and assumed it would be light and less flavourful than Singapore's version when i took a sip.

Stewed for six hours, the soup curry was thicker than expected with a peppery fragrance that's piquant yet totally manageable for my standard! Equally commendable were the ingredients; the pork belly was tender, juicy and fatty and we can literally taste the freshness in the vegetables!

My only regret - not getting more rice to go with the delicious curry!

Crispy Chicken Soup Curry (Tomato) - Alex's order was spice level one for tomato soup and while the curry had a sweeter tinge, i do feel that my pork curry soup was better than his.

A satisfying meal no doubt! If you ask me to compare between Singapore curry and the soup curry in Hokkaido, i can only say both are good in their own ways but because of the virgin experience at Celan Curry, i actually planned for a meal at a famous soup curry restaurant in Sapporo a few days later!

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Location
2-16-21 Mogami, Otaru,
Hokkaido 047-0023, Japan

Location Map
As above.

Operating Hours
Wednesdays to Mondays - 11.00 am to 3.00 pm
(Closed on Tuesdays)

Facebook Page

Menu (Food and Drinks)
As above.

Pricing
Pork Curry Soup (Spice) - 1050 Yen
Crispy Chicken Soup Curry (Tomato) - 980 Yen


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Grilled Sausage Shaped Like a Lollipop @ Lake Hill Farm around Lake Toya [Hokkaido, Japan]

January 23, 2018, 6:37 am
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While online reviews and friends' recommendations pointed towards the amazing ice cream sold at the relaxing Lake Hill Farm, i would like you to look beyond the cottage and check out the outdoor stalls beside it.

Grilled meat fans will not need any direction as they would likely follow the enticing aroma to this Japanese gentleman with a hearty tummy! Limited selection as he only had sausages for sale!

Since normal sausage was too common, i pointed my finger at the coiled up sausage and given the language barrier, gave the universal signal for '1'.  A freshly grilled one was passed to me i was holding tightly to it like a kid with his precious lollipop!

First bite - the hot meaty juice squirted out and almost dirtied my jeans! Well seasoned with an incredible taste; the only bad part for health conscious individuals was how oily it was! For non-health conscious people (like i), it was so good; i actually took my time to slowly savour the meat.

Like the owner of the stall, i prescribed to the motto of 'no meat, no life'.

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Location
Next to Lake Hill Farm

Location Map
As above.

Pricing
Grilled Sausage - 360 Yen


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Touching the Nose of the Tengu (Long Nosed Goblin) @ The Top of Mt Tengu in Otaru [Hokkaido, Japan]

January 24, 2018, 7:09 am
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I actually don't recognise the word "tengu" but once i saw the Chinese characters (天狗), the memories of my comic-reading days came rushing back. 

Tengu is a famous goblin in Japanese legend and folklore and easily recognized by its significantly long, pointed nose. I actually don't remember any physical feature of this legendary creature, other than its phallic-looking nose. 

There's a reason why i used "phallic" as you just need to plant the nose on another part of the body and it would not look out of place. Okay, shall not mention more since my blog is, by and large, child-friendly.

At the side of the head statue was an information panel explaining the history of the creature and what you can do to it in order to make your wish come true. It actually came in five different languages; English, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and even Thai! 

Zooming in to the English version for your reading pleasure! As you can see, all the wishes listed involved the touching of the nose which was rumored to make your wish come true! 

No wonder the nose was severely discolored; just imagine an overly greedy worshipper who hopes for the fulfillment of all four wishes and multiplies that one with the hundreds and thousands of visitors who came up to the mountain. 

Aside from molesting the nose, you can write your wishes on the votive tablets and hang them up. I do have one which was part of the admission package we purchased. However, the pens i brought along were not suitable for the wood surface; hence, i decided to just bring it home as a souvenir. 

There's actually a self-service counter with fine tip markers for me to write down my wishes on the votive tablet but i missed it as it was right where the gondola unloads the passenger and we were in haste to check out the beautiful view of Otaru.

Once you take the motion-sensor glass door next to the counter (where you can buy extra votive tablets, if one is insufficient for you to pen down your wish), the head statue is just ahead. 

My tablet, with my wish written on it! I signed off using Cavin so do send me a picture if you happen to see mine. Doubt so though as my visit was almost 5 months ago! 

Right when i was taking this photo to commemorate the hanging up of my votive tablet; it dropped and fell into the donation box! I couldn't reach it to pull out the tablet and guess it was a gone case. But, a Japanese kid saw what happened and with the help of his dad, got hold of the tablet using a twig! 

Frankly, the kindness i encountered from many Japanese in this Hokkaido trip made it extremely memorable and cemented the love i have for the country in my virgin visit. p.s. above isn't mine as i don't think i should damage your eyes with my ugly handwriting. 

The place can be crowded, especially with every new load of passengers disembarking from the gondola via the ropeway. If you prefer to have the "nose" for yourself, best time would be the 5 minutes before the fresh batch of enthusiastic visitors arrives. 

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Location
Top of Mt Tengu,
Otaru, Hokkaido, 
Japan

Location Map
As above.

Website

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5 Days Itinerary in Phuket (Pearl of the South) - Largest Island of Thailand

January 25, 2018, 4:48 pm
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Thailand is my favourite overseas destination - this claim should not be counted as an exaggeration since i do travel to the Land of the Smiles every year! However, i chose a different place this time; Phuket, the Pearl of the South!

Known to be a haven for beach goers, this largest island of Phuket, commanding a population of slightly less than 400,000 persons, is no stranger to me as i paid a visit over 10 years ago on a company trip that's spent almost entirely in the luxurious JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa.

I am not complaining but i thought i am doing Phuket an injustice since i didn't explore it well enough, deep enough. Hence, i specially arranged for this trip and brought along my dad who has never experienced a beach vacation!

Without further ado, let's begin with the itinerary.

Day 1
- Airport Transfer with Phuket SRC Travel
- Swissotel Resort Phuket Patong Beach
- Patong Beach
- At Akarin Tour
- Ruen Thai @ Patong
- Famous Bangla Street
- Street Food off Bangla Street
- Jungceylon Shopping Mall

Day 2
- Tour with Amazing Canoeing
  >  Bypassing Panak Island
  > James Bond Island
  > Panyee Island (inclusive of lunch)
  > Canoeing at Hong Island
  > Relaxing at Naka Island
- Sabai Sabai Restaurant
- Patong OTOP Shopping Paradise

Day 3
- Karon View Point
- Pictures with the Eagles
- Windmill View Point
- Promthep Cape
- The Elephant Temple
- Big Buddha
- Wat Chalong
- Raya Restaurant
- Thalang Road Weekend Market
- Torry's Ice Cream Boutique
- Phang Nga Pineapple

Day 4
- Tour with Seastar Similan Travel
  > First Snorkeling Spot
  > Lunch on Island No 4
  > Princess Bay
  > Second Snorkeling Spot
  > Sailing Rock - Landmark of Similan Islands
- Phuket Tuk Tuk (Taxi)
- Naughty Nuri's

Day 5
- The Eyes In the Sky (Phuket)

Day 1 (05 January 2018)
[Singapore Time 10.11 am] Arriving soon at Changi International Airport and well ahead of time to check in as our flight was at 12.20 pm. Looking at the yet-to-be-completed structure behind the control tower, i think it wouldn't be long before the Jewel is open for business!

Even though i had completed the online check-in before i left my house, i still had to wait for my turn for the baggage drop. It didn't take us too long though as there were quite a number of counters.

[Singapore Time 11.18 am] Breakfast was settled with a bowl of expensive (and pretty normal tasting) fishball noodles at Terminal 2 food court. As dad is a sucker for punctuality, we proceeded to the gate even though the plane departure wasn't for another hour.

Wait, i thought i booked with Scoot? For those who are living in the well (like I), Scoot and Tigerair had merged as of 25 July 2017! Actually, i don't really care so long i can fly to my designated destination, safe and sound.

[Singapore Time 12.26 pm] The plane took off from the runway almost on schedule and while it was only half filled, the happiness was negated by a wailing toddler seated just two rows behind us. Best of all, i forgot to bring along my earphones!

[Thailand Time 12.56 pm] Landed twenty minutes ahead of schedule at Phuket International Airport - third busiest airport in Thailand and the busiest outside the capital city of Bangkok.

[Thailand Time 1.37 pm] Given that i am travelling with my dad who has long been accustomed to the conveniences of tour packages, i prearranged for airport transfer with Phuket SRC Travel; surprisingly, the cost was almost comparable to taking a cab.

It's been more than an hour on the road and we had yet to reach our accommodation in Patong. Why did i choose Patong which is well-known to be extremely touristy? Because dad isn't the relaxed kind and staying in a touristy area means there would be a lot of activities; for better or for worse.

[2.50 pm] Finally; the Swissotel Resort (Patong Beach). I decided to splurge a bit more on a premier room which cost me about S$134 a night. Gone were the days when my room budget was S$50 a night. It's okay, for the sake of my dad.

[4.12 pm] After taking a shower and booking a day tour with At Akarin Tour for the next day, it's time to hit the famous Patong beach! With so many people lazing on the beach, i really can't imagine myself lounging on the beach for an extended period of time; snorkeling would be a much better option!

Early dinner at Ruen Thai restaurant; food was generally good and the die-die must order item would be the strawberry fruit shake! Pricing was almost comparable to Singapore; oh well, it's a touristy area and i really can't complain about it. 

[5.34 pm] Sun was setting at Patong Beach! No, we didn't catch the "performance"" as patience is unfortunately not a virtue in the family. In the mind of my dad, the sun sets every day, everywhere.

[5.39 pm] Hub of night life at Patong; despite the huge words 'Patong Beach', this road is actually known as Bangla street and from 6 pm daily, the vehicular road would be converted to a pedestrian-street. We were too early and while many had already started drinking, the atmosphere didn't "wow" us.

Chanced upon a night market off bangla street selling Thai street food; it's obviously catered for the tourists and for the pricing, i would suggest you visit a restaurant (like Ruen Thai) instead.

[6.00 pm] Checking out Jungceylon; the largest mall in Phuket. The shopping was okay but do make a beeline for the Big C Superstore where you can get local souvenirs (e.g. seaweed, peanuts, dried fruits) for friends and family back in Singapore!

On our way back to Swissotel Resort (Patong Beach); no, i didn't buy anything from Big C as Jungceylon is only about 13 minutes' walk from the resort and i could do the shopping on our last night.

[7.00 pm] In Thailand, i always make it a point to go for Thai massage! Alex and dad went for foot massage whereas i alone opted for Thai massage! The session was going well until the masseur asked if i wanted a massage "down under". Service level dropped after i rejected her persistent request.

[8.05 pm] Last stop at the 7-11 convenience stall near our hotel where we stocked up on the essential mineral water, snacks and of course, the must have yogurt drink!


Day Two (10 January 2018)
[7.30 am] I was up since 6.00 am and guess it must be my biological clock calling as i usually wake up at 6.30 am on weekdays to prepare for work; according to Singapore timing, it's already 7.00 am. Anyway, the early wakeup call was a hint to hit the gym before our first day trip to Phang Nga Bay!

[7.39 am] The staff who sold us the tour the night before had told us to wait at our resort lobby from 7.45 am and glad we were at the lobby early as the driver sending us to the Ao Por Pier had arrived ahead of schedule.

[9.00 am] Since we were the first to board, the minivan had to stop over at other locations to pick up the rest of the customers; resulting in us spending over an hour before reaching the building of Amazing Canoeing where we were blessed with snack and water.

[9.30 am] Ao Por Pier is a private jetty that stretches a few hundred meters out from the mainland. To access the pier, there's a fee of 20 baht per person but you also get to ride the shuttle and have the sea breeze brushing rapidly against your face!

[10.00 am] There were the options of big boat or speedboat and being an impatient person; i opted for the latter so that i can cover more places! I chose the front of the boat for that frontal view where the limestone formations slowly loomed in front of me.

Less than ten minutes later would be the first stop on our itinerary; Panak Island. It was said that the tide was too high and we couldn't step onto the island. Hence, the speedboat just slowed down for us to take in the impressiveness of this karst-dotted island.

After another ride against the waves for about 30 minutes, we arrived at the most recognizable island in Phang Nga Bay; so well known is this island that many agents market the tour as a trip to the island, rather than the bay.

[10.30 am] James Bond Island; named purely because it appeared on the 1974 James Bond movie "The Man with the Golden Gun". The iconic 20-meter 'stone' is actually an island known as Ko Ta Pu.

The main island that almost encircles Ko Ta Pu is Khao Phing Kan and i literally went wide-eyed over this smooth split between two towering rocks!

Dad taking a photo with the traditional long tailed boat; i would strongly recommend visitors to accord more time at James Bond Island as it is crazily crowded with tourists jostling to have a picture with Ko Ta Pu and i recall seeing a separate ticketing booth that would allow access into the caves (i think).

Departing from James Bond Island at around 11 am, our next stop would be lunch at Panyee Island. What's so captivating about this island? It's a fishing village built on stilts and had a population of 2,000 that consisted of only Thai Muslims.

There's even a decent mosque (constructed on solid ground) on the island although the key attraction, which i didn't visit, was the floating football pitch!

[11.30 am] Our Thai lunch at a restaurant that's located on the far north of the island. As it's communal dining, our table chad a nice mix consisting of 2 Italians, 2 Spaniards, 1 Cuban and 3 Singaporeans.

When lunch was done, we were given time (until 12.30 pm) to explore the shops in the village. The passage was dimly lit but its connected all over the place; kind of reminded me of the Chew Jetty in Penang. Pity most of the shops sell the same stuff and it's pretty boring after a while.

[1.15 pm] Our next destination involved a friendly chap with a bob marley beanie hat on the canoe at Hong Island! I thought we were going to work out our muscles ourselves but it's not to be, Oh well, the locals would know best on how to navigate rather than leaving it to the ignorant tourists.

We actually enjoyed the company of "bob marley" as he was jovial and eagerly pointed out formations that looked vaguely like animals, persons or organs. Even though it was nice to canoe into the caves and get close to the limestone, our skin suffered from the burning under the hot sun!

James Bond Island Number 2, according to "Bob Marley". The canoeing took only about 20 minutes and as all tourists can't all get onto the canoes at once, it's a matter of waiting for the rest to complete their rounds before the boat left for the last stop on the itinerary.

[2.10 pm] Naka Island where you can relax by the beach, swim in the water or partake in adrenaline-charged activities like jet-skiing, parasailing or banana-boating. We chose the first option and plied ourselves with coconut water, BBQ corn and the alcoholic mai tai.

Our stay lasted till 3.30 pm; not really enriching and i felt that the duration spent at Naka Island could have been used for a longer stay at James Bond Island.

[6.00 pm] We were back at Swissotel Resort (Patong Beach) by 5.00 pm and after a much-needed shower, our stomachs were gearing for dinner and our dining venue this evening would be the Sabai Sabai Restaurant where only one dish stands out; the strangely addictive guey teow phad see-ew.

[7.00 pm] It's Starbucks time! I have never known that Starbucks can be so empty as the common situation back in Singapore was that all the tables would have likely been taken up by hoggers.

[9.00 pm] Dad was tired and proceeded to bed whereas Alex and I enthusiastically walked to the resort's gymnasium for a short workout. As the sleeping bug had yet to bite, we even walked out to explore the OTOP Shopping Paradise that's super near to Swissotel.

[10.00 pm] Ending the night with a stroll along Bangla Street! Oh my, it was so crowded and the air was electrifying; loud booming music, girls dancing sexily around the steel poles that seemed to be in every bar and there were even strip tease clubs that had glass enclosures with scantily dressed ladies making sexually provocative poses!


Day Three (11 January 2018)
[9.00 am] This shall be a day of exploration and i had arranged for a private driver, Mr Daj, to bring us to the key attractions in Phuket that were already identified and confirmed in my email correspondence with him.

[9.30 am] Karon View Point where one can soak in the breathtaking sights of the three lagoons bordering Kata Noi, Kata Yai and Karon beaches.

You can even take picture with the eagles at Karon View Point; it's not free and please expect to pay 100 baht per person if you are using your own camera. No camera? Please fork out 200 baht for a Polaroid photo.

Spotted along the way to another attraction; elephant sanctuaries. I have read that many of these sanctuaries are just a commercial front to earn money and the operations don't really care about the welfare of these giants; hence, i decided against including it in my itinerary.

[10.00 am] Taken at Windmill Viewpoint where the beach and clear turquoise water beckoned to me! A pity i didn't bring along extra clothing and my snorkeling mask. :(

It's called Windmill Viewpoint for a reason.

[10.21 am] A short distance away was Promthep Cape which was the southernmost point of Phuket Island. The sunset was said to be most spectacular here and i honestly don't know why since the landscape was not mind-blowing extraordinary.

I expressed more interest in this outdoor Thai temple near the cape that had countless elephant statues of various shapes, sizes and colours!

No prize for guessing where we would be going next; the obvious hint would be the humongous structure on top of the hill.

[11.30 am] Big Buddha of Phuket - 45 meters tall and built in 2004, the white marbled statue was a sight to behold; whether from far or near. I spent almost an hour at this religious attraction as i couldn't help taking a ton of pictures!

The location of the Big Buddha on the peak of the Nakkerd Hills means you would be granted an amazing view! It was such a beautiful scene, like standing on heaven looking down on earth; it felt almost unreal. 

[12.50 pm] A short distance from the Big Buddha is the most important and biggest temple on Phuket; Wat Chalong! Its actual name is Wat Chaiyathararam to pronounce but because it's such a mouthful, visitors just called it Chalong Temple since it's situated in the subdistrict known as Chalong. This nuggets of information was supplied by Mr Daj! 

Unusual things to see in the temple included the lifelike wax models of the ex abbots of the temple and the pagoda that housed a splinter of Buddha's bone. Above were statues (of previous abbots) pasted with gold leaves by worshippers.

[2.00 pm] Late lunch at Raya Restaurant in Phuket Town that came strongly recommended by Ms Letitia Thng. She wasn't kidding as it was the best meal we had in Phuket; the crab curry was utterly delicious and i actually recommended it to a friend who enjoyed his meal very much too last when he was there last weekend!

[2.50 pm] After the filling and highly satisfying meal, we should work out the calories by exploring the nearby Thalang Road which is THE place to visit if you only have a short time at Phuket Town. Go on a Sunday (Lard Yai) for the Sunday Weekend Market!

As the road had yet to close for the market and there was a light drizzle, we decided to take shelter and pile up on our calories  by having desserts at the popular Torry's Ice Cream Boutique.

[4.00 pm] The market was almost on full force with the crowd starting to stream in; i believe it would be more happening at night but as we only had Mr Daj till about 6.00 pm, we couldn't stay till then.

There were a lot of food stalls but our tummies were still full from the meal at Raya Restaurant and the desserts at Torry's Ice Cream Boutique. Nevertheless, i got a pack of Pandan layered kueh for breakfast the next morning.

[5.45 pm] Photo of Mr Daj and my dad back at Patong Beach; we enjoyed his service and if you are interested to engage Mr Daj for your day trip, you may whatsapp him at +66 86 274 9195 or email him at ded.chatha@gmail.com.

[7.36 pm] After securing another tour with At Akarin Tour for the next day, we went back to the Swissotel Resort (Patong Beach) for a short rest before venturing out again! Above was a typical Thai pancake mobile stall that's everywhere in Phuket; however, it seemed more like a crepe. 

Bangla Walking Street again! 

[9.01 pm] Since we were in the vicinity of Jungceylon shopping centre, i thought i might as well have some shopping done; including the purchase of a pack of mini-pineapples that i have never seen before in my life.

I was so curious of this herbal charcoal toothpaste from Patong OTOP Shopping Paradise that i bought a few to try it out that night. If it turned out to be good and refreshing, i can purchase a few more for my family! 


Day Four (12 January 2018)
[7.30 am] It was already daybreak in the above photograph yet we had already been on the road for about 90 minutes; which means we were already at the resort's lobby at 6.00 am! Why did i have to torture myself on a holiday!? 

[8.19 am] Arrival at the base of Seastar Tour; journey on the road already took us more than two hours and there was still the speedboat portion which would be for another 1.5 hours.

Please collect your towels, snorkeling masks and have breakfast (porridge, pastries, toast, coffee, tea, biscuits etc); no charge would be imposed as they were provided as part of the expensive package we bought.

[9.23 am] On board the speedboat that would bring us to the islands many have heard of but may not want to take the trouble to travel to; Similan Islands! That's really the name of the islands and for those wondering what the big deal is; similan sounds like a Hokkien expletive (similar to what the f). 

[11.00 am] First snorkeling stop near Island No 5 (Ha) and 6 (Hock) of Similan Islands. I was excited as it's been more than a year since i last took a look of the underwater world! 

It's my dad's virgin snorkeling and he didn't expect the seas to be so much rougher. In his haste to take a rest at the rocks, he cut his toe; resulting in blood dripping all over the floor of the speedboat. Thankfully, the staff of Seastar Tour knew exactly what to do to remedy the situation.

A harrowing experience no doubt although i am not going to waste my hard-earned money doing nothing on the speedboat; down into the water i shall go and swim with the fishes! 

[11.50 am] Second stop at Island No 4 (Miang) where we had buffet lunch! Frankly, it was almost like reliving the experience in Sapi Island at Kota Kinabalu but worse since there's no proper tables and chairs for us to sit.

[12.30 pm] After lunch, walk off the calories by cutting across the island towards Princess Bay which was exactly how i imagined Similan Islands to be like! With about 30 minutes to kill, we took to snorkeling and taking plenty of photos! 

[1.36 pm] Third stop; the second and last snorkeling stop for the day near Island No 9. In summary, i don't find the underwater world at Similan Islands to be fascinating even though it's better than Krabi. The best i encountered so far, aside from Maldives, would be at the Perhentian Islands in Malaysia. 

[2.16 pm] At Donald Duck Bay at Island No 8; can you guess the reason for its name? Look for the stone that looks like Donald Duck! Remember, i mentioned duck, not trump. 

The true icon of Similan Islands isn't the Donald Duck stone; rather, it's the above Sailing Rock which looked like it's at a precarious angle / location that's ready to drop into the sea with a light push! 

Sharp-eyed readers would have seen the people crowding around the rock that has absolutely no safety barriers! Together with my dad, we reached the exact same spot and boy was it nerve wrecking! I was absolutely terrified that it would be my last day on earth!

Snorkeling at Donald Duck bay to soothe my nerves! 

Not for my dad as he was absolutely agreeable with height whereas his lousy son would literally see stars and get jelly legs when at height.  

[3.30 pm] Time to leave the Similan Islands; it's necessary to depart early as it's a long journey for those living in Phuket. If you prefer to stay longer at Similan Islands, you may consider the 2 days or even 3 days package with Seastar Tour.

[5.24 pm] A buffet dinner was waiting for us when we arrived back on the mainland! For the price we paid, i must admit it's value for money; service was friendly and there were breakfast, lunch, dinner and in between, there were sweets, snacks and fresh fruits with limitless water and soft drinks. Seastar even provided motion-sickness pills for free! 

[6.00 pm] On our way back to Patong Beach; the two-hour journey transformed the sky from daylight to sunset and eventually to night. By the time we got back to Swissotel Resort (Patong Beach), it's 8.00 pm which means we were away for 14 hours! 

[8.45 pm] I was determined to have a good meal on my last night in Phuket; with that in mind, we hopped onto a tuk tuk that brought us to Naughty Nuri's restaurant (it sells insanely good pork ribs)! 

[9.45 pm] Dad wasn't feeling well (maybe due to the long journey on the boat and minivan) and we got onto another tuk tuk to bring us back to the resort. p.s. each trip cost 200 baht within Patong beach, regardless of how short the distance is. 

[10.40 pm] Alex and I sneaked out to Starbucks to help SaNeVa buy Starbucks cards and a mug. Since we were there, might as well get a cup of frappe too before we retired for the night. 


Day Five (12 January 2018)
[7.00 am] Woke up early as i had to take pictures of the resort before i leave! I really just need a room to sleep when i am overseas as i simply have no time to check out the resort's facilities. Hell, i don't even know Swissotel Resort (Patong) has a rooftop pool! 

The airport transfer i arranged with Phuket SRC travel arrived on time and the assigned driver was super nice! He knows i like to take photographs and deliberately stopped over at Laem Sing View Point; a kind gesture that i deeply appreciated.

[8.38 am] Reaching the departure terminal for international flights at Phuket International Airport; with two more hours to kill before our flight, i thought i would have more than sufficient time to have breakfast. 

The two counters open to man the check-in were insufficient and we took almost an hour! Many foreigners were on this flight to Singapore and i think there were miscommunication about the baggage allowance, especially for those who would be in transit in Singapore. 

[Thailand Time 10.30 am] Dad had successfully cleared his first beach vacation even though i don't think he would want to take another one. He is really more a mountain person and i can sense that the sea doesn't quite appeal to him. 

While on the plane from Phuket to Singapore, i saw this island that looked familiar; it didn't take me long to realize it's the Phi Phi Islands! I didn't go this time as i have already visited it about 7 years ago; you may read it here. 

[Singapore Time 1.39 pm] Landing soon at Changi International Airport; do you know that there are two routes for the plane to land and take off? One is in between Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong and the other one is my personal favourite as you can see the coastline of East Coast Parkway and the city skyline of Singapore.

Last thing to do at Changi International Airport before collecting the luggage; stocking up on apple cider and liquor at the duty free shops. Strongly recommended by the service staff, i couldn't wait to take a sip of the handcrafted cider from Bilpin! 

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Expenditure
- Airfare - S$190 per person
(via Scoot) 

- Swissotel Resort (Patong Beach) - S$134 a night 
(via Agoda.com, twin sharing, no breakfast)

- Other Expenses - S$500 
(paid for airport transfers, meals, tour packages to James Bond Island, Similan Islands, the engagement of Mr Daj for a day trip and other shopping).
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Chinese New Year Decorations for the Dog Year at Chinatown [Singapore]

January 27, 2018, 8:20 pm
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I am contemplating a revisit to Chinatown maybe next week to take more photographs of the Lunar New Year decorations as the session i planned last Friday was marred by the afternoon thunderstorm!

In the meantime, i am not going to waste those pictures taken last Friday and thought it's better for me to publish them today. p.s. there's a slim possibility that i might not return if my full-time work continues to bog me down.

Focus is always on the main, 11-meter tall, centerpiece in between Eu Tong Sen Street and New Bridge Road and as it is the year of the canine, let us present to you the family of six dogs!

There has been a bit of controversy over this year's centerpiece; not seem since the chicken year in 2005 when the rooster was sitting on a bed of eggs.

Aside from the position of the alpha male, which was said to appear as if it's humping the mama dog from a certain angle, it's the expression that many Chinese took issue with.

Many commented that the dogs look like foxes and the expression was too 'fierce'; latter of which isn't appropriate for the happy occasion known as the most important festival among the Chinese.

I share the same sentiments although i viewed the controversies positively; at least it gets people to talk about it and for the designing team to be more mindful of the wires in the future. Personally, i thought they could have been more adventurous with the colours.

Colours for the 88 hand-crafted canine lanterns, i meant, and maybe various breeds in the mix to differentiate from one another.

From this angle, it appeared as if there was a pack of dogs waiting to chase the passing cars! I wouldn't be surprised if a driver, who is scared of dogs, braking suddenly when he/she drives past.

Taken further down the street, away from the centerpiece; in total, there are 2,188 lanterns purposely handcrafted for the street light up at Chinatown and "powered by around 13,000 environmentally friendly LED light bulbs", according to the article on Straits Times.

Hanging decorations along Eu Tong Sen Street and New Bridge Road, respectively. The use of pineapples was because of its similar pronunciation to two other Chinese words; the dog's bark and prosperity.

The stage for yesterday's opening ceremony.

Time to check out the street bazaar but before then, let's check out the queue at Chinatown's most popular bak kwa store; Lim Chee Guan! Queue was manageable at about 20-person long and pricing wise, the signature sliced pork bak kwa was selling at S$56 a kilogram as of 26 January 2018.

Street bazaar with over 400 stalls that run across a few main streets in Chinatown! As you can see, the floor was wet and that's no thanks to the light drizzle that eventually turned into heavy rain! :(

It's a bummer as many stall owners had no choice but to cover their wares with plastic sheets / curtains to prevent water damage.

Taking photo wasn't easy as i needed to protect my camera too! As business is dependent heavily on the weather, i hope the weather in the next few weeks would be better with minimal rain.

Didn't help that some of the streets were still open to traffic and in addition to the danger of being hit by a car, there's the risk of having water splashed onto you!

The above wasn't covered as the pomelos would benefit from the water!

Cross junction of Smith Street and Trengganu Street with the iconic building that's always featured on my CNY festive decoration postings.

Dog statues for one to take picture with.

Has there been a renovation? Trengganu Street seems much wider than before although i figured it would not address the issue of human jams in the run up to Chinese New Year's eve.

Taiwanese jellies and samples!

Bored with standard festive decorations for your home? Check out those with LED lights and sound. Thankfully, i am super lazy when it comes to decorating and have no interest to adorn my house.

S$38 for one?!

The irritating dancing dogs. On second thought, they would not be as bad as the shrills and screams coming from the chicken toy!

Started raining really bad and my mood was all gone since i specifically took leave that day to cover the new year decorations.

Many people were just holding on to their brollies and like me, praying for the rain to stop so that we can continue to roam the street without having to get wet.

Dog lanterns for the year on top of a store's awning - i thought it's nice to have them all around Chinatown instead of being restricted to zones.

Things improved nearing 6.00 pm but i honestly didn't have the enthusiasm to continue the photo-taking as i would be meeting my friends for dinner and i think the stall owners were worried that the rain might start again; hence, their products were still covered up.

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Location
Chinatown, Singapore

Website
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Tenguyama Shrine (天狗山神社), Dragon God Shrine & Statue of a Shinto Priest @ Mt. Tengu in Otaru [Hokkaido, Japan]

January 29, 2018, 6:58 am
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You would not need to search around for directions to the Tenguyama Shrine as it's super near the long nosed goblin head statue; literally a few footsteps away.

Anyway, you would not have missed the white flags lining the path towards the shrine. I find the usage of the white color intriguing as China, Japan's neighbor in the far east, prefers bright colors and only dons white in funerals.

The iconic structure denoting a shrine's entrance! I recognize the Chinese characters on one of its pillars; 昭和57年 which means this Japanese temple was completed in 1982.

A simple introduction to the Tenguyama Shrine.

I think i have mentioned this countless times; Japanese shrines generally don't appeal to me. Friends who have been to Japan countless times (e.g. the Great Kon) said i just haven't been to the really good ones.

To a certain extent, i do agree even though in general, Japanese shrines have plain decoration that tends to fuse with nature and the general atmosphere is quieter and more peaceful than its Chinese counterparts.

In case you are mistaken, as i was, this shrine doesn't honour the tengu which is a creature and not a deity; the patron saint for tenguyama shrine is Sarutahiko.

The money box for your donations! According to the introduction, praying to Sarutahiko is said to aid in prosperous business and smooth traffic.

To the left of tenguyama shrine is another shrine even though i couldn't find any information about it on the official brochure and website.

The last two Chinese characters (赤沼龍神) translate into dragon god.

I am always curious about what's inside the 'house' that's in the Shinto shrines. For Chinese, the statues would always act as a relatable vessel for devotees to pray to.

Another stone tablet was erected behind the shrine; can't recognize the words though.

There's no money box but devotees continued to place coins in hope for their wishes to come true. 100 yen is about S$1.20 and as you can see, that's a lot of 100 yen coins out in the open!

On the left of dragon god shrine is the statue of a monk.

Again no information and the four Chinese characters offered scant information except that it's a Shinto priest. Speaking of Shinto priest, i once had a strange encounter with one in Singapore at Clementi MRT station.

I was studying in Singapore Polytechnic then and i was on my way up the escalator and when i reached the platform, the Shinto priest just threw his string of prayer beads at me and pulled it back immediately. He murmured a few words of prayers and continued his way while my feet remained glued to the ground; shocked and not knowing if there's any ominous aura around me.

Nothing happened to me; not that i recall as it's almost 20 years ago! Anyway, there was this line of smaller stone statues on the side leading up to the statue.

Quite interesting even though i still don't know their origins.

This boulder didn't suggest anything and i can vaguely make out two words; life umbrella. If the first character is save, then it would be interesting as it would mean save-life umbrella. And there's no brolly from where i see.

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Location
Summit of Mt Tengu,
Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan

Location Map

As above.


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Tenguyama Slide - The Sled Ride on the Summit of Mt. Tengu @ Otaru [Hokkaido, Japan]

January 31, 2018, 7:18 am
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The combo ticket we purchased for Mt. Tengu included a two-way trip on the ropeway, a pack of sunflower seeds for the chipmunk, the votive tablet for the long-nosed goblin and lastly, a one-time ride for Tenguyama slide; latter of which we shall be covering today! 

An upward climb of about 250 meters appeared daunting at first but the motorized mechanism pulling the sleds shall make your "job" much easier; just rest and relax under the hot sun. 

Instructions on how to operate the sled which i thought was pretty similar to the luge ride we have on Sentosa Island in Singapore! 

Visualization for better reference with further information on the ride; the English translation is pretty funny. For example, the drunk one cannot take it. 

With just a lever in the middle, i didn't think it would be much of a hassle to operate the sled; push forward to accelerate, pull backward to brake. Chicken feet in my opinion and you can see many kids giving it a try. 

My turn - the worker shall ensure a safe distance between riders by placing his foot on your sled before allowing it to cross the red line to join the rest. 

Here's the climb up the 250-meter slope! 

Big boards along the way shall act as kind reminder on what you should do and since you have literally nothing to do, it's very to your face. 

No English translation and i am guessing there are woodpeckers on the 680-meter tall mountain.

Halfway up the slope - the ride was said to take 5 minutes and i did a check; the climb up the slope was about 4 minutes which means the actual "slide" was a minute or less.

I think it's an eagle.

Boredom had set in at this time and i was just taking useless pictures (like the above of a dead bug) while complaining about the hot weather that was actually making me sweat! 

This will be the spot where gravity shall give us the much awaited thrill; however, safety comes first and the advice, according to the board, was to pull down the lever so that you don't go too fast!


Down we slide! Aside from having the wind brushing against my face on this sunny day, riders would be guaranteed a view of Otaru.


As the speed can reach up to 40 kilometers an hour and you might be unlucky to have a scared rider ahead of you who decided to slide down slowly; do be mindful of what's ahead of you and brake accordingly to prevent an accident.

Important notice - the last 20 meters and braking is NECESSARY! 

I had stepped out from my sled and guessed it might be useful to show you how the last leg of the ride looked like. Right behind me was Alex by the way.

Look at the joy on his face and you can roughly gauge that the 1-minute slide was fun! 

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Location
Summit of Mt. Tengu,
Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan

Website

Combo Pricing
Part of Our Combo Ticket which cost 1,800 yen an adult

Ala Carte Pricing
400 yen - 1 ride for adult
1,800 yen - 5 rides 


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Otaru Ski Museum @ Mt Tengu Observatory in Otaru [Hokkaido, Japan]

February 2, 2018, 7:45 am
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I noticed the entrance to the Otaru Ski Museum right after i stepped off from the gondola at the summit of Mt. Tengu and decided to check it out while the rest were busy with other attractions on the 532-meter mountain.

Even from the entrance, i can spot the two white statues that appeared to hail from the medieval age in Europe, rather than Asia. Oh well, guess the most important feature would be the set of skis on their feet. 

Although i am unsure if they were antiquated skis, these were the kind that existed 200 years ago! Plain, simple, natural without the vibrant colours we see nowadays.

Two very important men in the history of skiing in Japan; Hans Koller introduced skiing to the land of the rising sun in 1908 whereas Theodor Edler von Lerch taught the Japanese the skiing techniques in 1911. Why the three years difference? No idea! 

This was lost on me but i guess it refers to the popular skiing spots in Hokkaido back when the sport was introduced to the country. 

Worst than the one before this - i don't even know what the above means! Was it a development chart on the surface, material and soles over the years from 1910 to 1980?

Different type of skis. Now, i don't think i am interested in the sport; yes, it looks fun and cool but at my age, i am more worried of the medical and dental expenses should i unfortunately fall and break my brittle bones and teeth. 

Never say never - i might still try it for the sake of experiencing it if i ever get a chance. It's pretty low though since i don't think i will enjoy the cold that comes with snow. 

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Location
Mt. Tengu Observatory,
Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan

Website 

Pricing
Free Admission
p.s. ropeway pricing still applies.


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Tengu House - Many Artefacts of the Long Nosed Goblin! @ Mt Tengu Observatory in Otaru [Hokkaido, Japan]

February 3, 2018, 7:30 am
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The tengu house was pretty hidden from public sight and i only got to know when i chanced upon it after getting totally bored out at the mini Otaru Ski Museum. 

For those interested in the legendary long-nosed goblin, i bet you would be like this open-in-1981 exhibition area that showcased about 700 artefacts. 

Many masks depicting the different faces and expressions of Tengu - its history and legends were complicated and aside from being called a goblin, some have classified Tengu as ghosts, supernatural beings or even gods! 

I am curious about the relationship between Tengu and Mt. Tengu; was the mountain named because of regular sightings of the long nosed creature? Again, there are a few theories although a popular one pointed to immigrants from Honshu who named the mountain after their resident Mount Tengu back home. 

It was an impressive display although for a person who doesn't understand the native language, there's only so much i can derive from. 

One of the many big-sized masks housed in glass enclosures. 

Sarutahiko is the saint i mentioned before that was housed at Tenguyama Shrine outside the Mt Tengu Observatory. What i didn't know was that both Sarutahiko and Tengu are related; on the panel, it was indicated that "tengu was derived from Sarutahiko"!

Explanation left me hanging as there wasn't further information on what it means by derived. Anyway, this is the longest nose i have ever seen; since i can't even see the end of it! 

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Location
Within Mt. Tengu Observatory,
Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan

Website 

Pricing
Free Admission
p.s. ropeway pricing still applies.


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Lake Hill Farm - More Than Just The Gelato Ice Cream in Summer @ Lake Toya [Hokkaido, Japan] #lakehillfarm

February 4, 2018, 5:45 am
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Nothing beats seeing the lake hill farm at Lake Toya for real as the quaint little cottage sat in a relaxing surrounding with beds of blooming flowers right in front of it.

Let's talk about the cottage first which is divided into A and B; the former, as in above, housed a restaurant where you can dig into a plate of Japanese curry, pizza and wash them down with a cup of cappuccino. 

Menu as above for your viewing pleasure and reference. As we had already eaten quite a bit at Road Station Akaigawa, we didn't think we should burst our tummy then as dinnertime was only about two hours away. 

The connected B section was where we would be spending a bit more time in as it came strongly recommended, even from friends who had visited Hokkaido. 

It's well known for its gelato even though you can also find fresh fruit juce on a separate counter. Prices of fruit juice ranged from 360 yen (kiwi yogurt etc) to 420 yen (orange banana etc). Note: please pay at the cashier first before you approach the counter for your order.

Gelato cost 350 yen for two scoops and there's an option for soft serve which we didn't take up since we had travelled all the way to Hokkaido; we might as well go with the popular product. 

Depending on season, there are about 20 selections of gelato in store and in summer (when we went); i can count green tea, rock melon sorbet, blueberry milk, cookies and cream, pumpkin etc. 

Joining the queue after payment.

The laminated sheet on top of the gelato fridge is actually very helpful to those who are sensitive to dairy / egg products as it clearly shows which gelato contains dairy and / or egg products.

Very pretty serving staff; i think she wasn't too pleased when i shot this picture. I should have been more daring and asked her for a pose... guess i am too late to say sorry. :( 

Coming back to the gelato; i think we got vanilla and rock melon and they didn't impress us. Our friends' rum and raisin and sesame were much better; it's a pity we didn't have the stomach space to order another one! 

Back of the cottage which strangely, wasn't mentioned much in many blog reviews although i personally feel that it's definitely way more memorable than the gelato. 

There was a large field filled with the laughter of kids and adults. 

Environment was unlike what you can experience in Singapore where many such places (and there ain't many) would likely be overcrowded with people and weather is too hot, too humid. 

And i don't think we have such large sunflowers in Singapore; trust me, some of the sunflowers were actually bigger than my face! 

Even without any lines, families were happily playing badminton and I initially thought that the families brought along their own shuttlecocks and badminton rackets.

I believe some would but there's a storage box where you can borrow for free! Contrast that with many Asian resorts where you might even need to rent for a fee despite paying a lot for accommodation. 

Cottage from the field; the one with a green drape would be the gelato shop. 

What's a goat doing on the field?! The thing i hate the most when i am playing on the field is stepping onto some unholy waste material and the worst case scenario is that i would have to throw away my shoes. 

Yuki is the goat's name and it's actually chained to prevent it from roaming around. It's actually pretty cute and was well accustomed to humans surrounding it for selfies. 

The goat wasn't the only animal on the field; nearer to the entrance was a pen that's a huge favourite among the children.

Rabbits! 

With tall wire meshes, the rabbits were pretty much left alone and had the option of staying put in the right middle, away from humans' hands, or venturing to the wire meshes where humans await with hay and carrots. 

There's more than just the rabbits and goat; the above came with a warning in Japanese which i didn't understand until i utilized our trust google translate app.

They were dwarf / pygmy horses with piles of ungodly material near their hooves. The warning by the way was that the horses bite and do not enter the fence. 

Looking for fresh farm produce? Look no further as there were stalls right beside the cottage. 

One stall didn't even have anyone manning it and it's totally based on trust; the price was listed and you are just required to deposit the money into the box on the side. 

As indicated before, the gelato ice cream wasn't that memorable in my opinion but i would still recommend friends to drop by Lake Hill Farm for the delicious grilled sausage that's sold in the outdoor stall headed by a gentleman with a motto "no meat, no life"! Check here for my review. 

From the same gentleman, you can also get carrots to feed the rabbits! 

View of the flower beds from the stalls; as you can see, the carpark was just a short distance away and in case you would be travelling to Silo (Sairo) Observatory, Lake-Hill Farm is only 1.6 kilometers away. 

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Location
Hanawa 127 Toyako cho, 
Abuta-gun, Hokkaido,
Japan

Website

Pricing
Gelato Ice Cream - 350 Yen


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Ruen Thai Restaurant near Patong Beach @ Phuket Island [Thailand]

February 5, 2018, 7:10 am
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It's 4.22 pm at Thailand and more than seven hours since our last meal in Singapore; hence, i didn't waste any time in seeking out the Ruen Thai restaurant near Swissotel Resort (Patong Beach).

Thankfully, i managed to squeeze in a bit of research before my trip and although it doesn't command a high rank on Tripadvisor (numbering about 50 out of 569 restaurants in Patong); the above 4 rating from over 200 reviewers is still commendable.

Note: it's non-air-conditioned but most, if not all, travellers to Phuket are beach goers and i wouldn't expect people to drop by in suits and ties for a meal! Interior design is more like an English pub than a Thai restaurant although it's a versatile eatery that served both Thai and Western cuisine.

See the number of condiments reserved for Western food like mustard, ketchup, sea salt, HP sauce and Tabasco sauce. Oh well, we have no use for them and i placed higher importance on the WiFi username and password!

Upon taking out seats, we were each given a piece of cold wet tissue to cool our bodies down! Not that we needed it even though it's a nice gesture that drew praises even from my dad.

Now, i have been accustomed to long waits at restaurants in most Southeast Asian countries and i found Ruen Thai to be bold and honest in telling their diners to expect a wait of "15 to 40 minutes for your order"!

Strawberry Shake - this came within ten minutes and was an order by Alex; i took a sip and found it thirst quenching for the beach weather. Ice blended, the sweetness was just right and you can still feel the many strawberry seeds!

Good enough for us to order two more!

Pad Thai with Shrimp - the kind of traditional Thai fried noodles i enjoy; smooth in slurping down my throat, sweet yet rich in the wok hei that's similar yet different from the Chinese kind. Strangely, i tasted a hint of tomato sauce that luckily didn't adversely affect the flavour.

Omelette with Shrimp - a good omelette must have two key features; oily and fluffy! This didn't disappoint although the shrimps tasted bland and didn't contribute much to differentiate it from a good, old plain omelette.

Baked Rice with Chicken in Pineapple - i honestly thought i ordered pineapple fried rice but as the name suggested, it's baked rice with tons of ingredients like cherry tomatoes, nuts, yellow pepper, chicken meat, raisins and pineapples!

It didn't taste oily (thanks to the rice being baked i guess) and each bite was an interesting mouthful of satisfaction as i got a bit of freshness, nuttiness, sweetness and zestiness; all amalgamated as one! Personally, i like this better than our usual pineapple fried rice!

Deep Fried Shrimp Cake - this came more than 30 minutes later when we were about done with our meal and faced with a super stuffed tummy...

Served scalding hot, the shrimps didn't create much of an impact once again and i thought it tasted more like fish fillets for which i actually need the accompanied sauces to improve their palatability, in view of my full stomach.

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Location
78/11-12 Soi Wattana dr, Thaweewong Rd,
Patong, Patong, Kathu, Phuket 83150, Thailand

Map
As above. Search under Day One for "Ruen Thai Restaurant And Guest House". 

Facebook Page

Pricing
Strawberry Shake - 85 Baht
Pad Thai with Shrimp - 160 Baht
Omelette with Shrimp - 120 Baht
Baked Rice with Chicken in Pineapple - 140 Baht
Deep Fried Shrimp Cake - 180 Baht


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Cheapest Private Car Transfer from Phuket Airport to Patong Beach - Using Phuket SRC Travel

February 7, 2018, 6:38 am
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I researched quite a bit on private airport transfer before my trip to Phuket and even though i was adamant on not paying ridiculous pricing; most of the companies i found quoted an average of 800 baht and it was definitely cheaper for the three of us to join the taxi queue and pay 550 baht plus an additional 100 baht for airport surcharge. 

Luckily, i persevered with my classic zodiac stubbornness and eventually found a website where i got a great deal of 600 baht, for a private car that can sit at most 3 persons, to Patong Beach! 

Full of apprehension with the online purchase (which could have been a scam), i was actually keeping my fingers crossed when i stepped out of Phuket International Airport after clearing immigration. 

Imagine my relief when i saw the above sign! Even though there was no one standing by, the person in charge came over in less than half a minute and told us to wait at the side while she called the driver to pick us up.

It didn't take long before a sedan with the Phuket SRC Travel logo stopped at the kerbside! And you know what the amazing thing was? We had a female driver and she's definitely younger than us! Honestly, i thought it's extremely rare to have a female driver with three male passengers.

Ride was uneventful with three nice gentlemen and we got safely to the Swissotel Resort at Patong Beach! I actually purchased a one-way airport transfer just in case there's a scam and as the chauffeur wasn't proficient in English, i didn't even manage to book the transfer back to the airport on 09 January 2018! 

So i sent a whatsapp message close to midnight instead and got a reply at 4.39am! The response wasn't light fast but the point is; i got my airport transfer confirmation.

In the morning of 09 January, the vehicle arrived almost on time and this time, it's a guy with a much bigger passenger van; p.s. I thought the above photograph made the chauffeur look so cool.

Despite the language barrier and his pretty fierce-looking face, he is actually super kind! He noticed my penchant for taking photographs and pulled over at this Laem Sing View Point so that i can take some pictures. So sweet right as he could have just sent me from Point A to Point B and take a longer break before the next drive.

As expected, we arrived safe and sound at Phuket International Airport

=====

Booking the Airport Transfer
WhatsApp: +66 86 270 7585


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Nightly Fireworks in Summer @ Lake Toya [Hokkaido, Japan]

February 9, 2018, 7:30 am
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When i asked a fellow colleague what's interesting about Lake Toya, her reply was a short 'the fireworks' and with that in mind, we prepared ourselves to be on the lakeside before 8.45pm! 

Sure hint that the firework show would be starting soon - when the cruise ship, decked out brightly like a beacon on the dark lake, started its journey from the pier and stopped in the middle of nowhere.

The first burst always elicits some screams from the spectators.

See how close the ship was to the place where the fireworks were set off. Some might find it exciting to be so near the action even though i though fireworks look the best from far. Yes, i am displaying signs of sour grapes. 

Animated gif for your viewing pleasure; that's the beauty of being able to shoot multiple shots per second although truth is my video taking skill sucks big time. 

Another one; many people were crowding at the lakeside but there's more than sufficient space as it's a long promenade and the locations of the fireworks will 'move'. 

You can't really see from the pictures; the fireworks were actually set off on moving barges which means the cruise ship will not be permanently stationed at one point throughout the show and shall move towards the direction of the action.

For lazy bums like me, i walked a bit and decided i could still see the fireworks from where i stood and stayed rooted for the rest of the 'performance'.

It did get boring after a while and the cool weather was making me so sleepy! 

Large burst of firework concluded the performance that took place every night from 28 April to 31 October in 2017. The crowd actually dispersed pretty fast; bet many couldn't wait to soak in their hotel's onsen before they hit the bed. 

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Location
Lake Toya,
Hokkaido, Japan

Duration of Fireworks
About 15 minutes

Tickets for the 40-Minute Fireworks Cruise Ship
Adult - 1,600 Yen
Child - 800 Yen


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Toyako Onsen Summer Festival in 2017 @ Lake Toya [Hokkaido, Japan]

February 10, 2018, 10:19 pm
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Summertime in Singapore is almost a whole-year affair but in countries like Japan, where there are four seasons, it's actually celebrated and welcomed in the form of festivals spread throughout the country.

It's the same situation in Lake Toya and since we had nothing planned after our dinner at Ramen Ippontei (一本亭), we decided to check out the festival.

You wouldn't miss it as there will be music and dancing; literally the most happening place should you happen to stay at toyako onsen town. 

When i wrote music, i am obviously not referring to modern, popular mixes; i understand the need to move with time to draw the crowd although sometimes, we do need to hold on to tradition for that unique difference found nowhere else.

A lot of people came to the festival dressed in traditional summer garb known as yukata. Since i am unsure how to wear it, i didn't even attempt even though the inn we stayed at that day did place two sets in our room. 

Dates of the summer festival in 2017; the dates for 2018 are not out at the moment. Those who would be visiting Lake Toya in summer 2018 can check out the updates here. 

Kids joining the dance that rotated around the main structure. 

Dance steps didn't appear complicated although they were rather repetitive and i guess i would be less bored checking out the rest of the festival's activities! 

For example, the food! I had a satisfying meal at Ramen Ippontei even though the same can't be same for the rest of my travel mates who ordered a different item; knowing Alex, he will definitely get the BBQ corn to fill up the rest of his stomach.

Large one at 300 yen; taste was pretty good although our hearts were skewed towards the BBQ corn we had in Bali at Tanah Lot, a month before our Hokkaido trip! 

Game booths! 

It's like those 80s games that i played when i was a kid; no matter how much technology has taken over our lives, these kind of hand-eye-mind-focus games still attract a following!

Hm.... 500 yen for a plastic mask is too expensive...

Japanese traditional game - super ball sukui which is actually ball scooping using a tool with a thin paper as the net. Once the net is broken, your game ends and whatever balls you scoop are yours to keep.

The scale of the festival is small with limited stalls and incomparable to even the pasar malams in Singapore where you can find a ton of stalls. Nevertheless, more doesn't translate to better.

We were attracted by food again and no, not the shaved ice which i already had earlier that morning in Otengu Ropeway observatory. At my age, i should seriously control my sugar intake which this shaved ice seems to have a lot of.

Can't resist barbecued / grilled meat though.... Not fantastic; as in not as nice as the ones in Tori Q but it did help satisfy the glutton monster in my tummy.

Pictures of the menu with listed prices for your reference; they were not expensive with the meat skewers costing about 100 yen which is similar to the pricing we have in Singapore.

Walking away from the main festival activity towards the other direction (left of lake) along the promenade where the noise level was significantly reduced.

The lighted cruise ship that's operational for the firework performance starting at 8.45pm! You may check out my post here for the fireworks. 

Something bright over the hill; no idea what it is. 

Stopping by the free for public Toron Foot Bath; even though it's summer, the temperature at Lake Toya can still be relatively chilly and it's still nice to have my feet soaked in the warm, mineral-rich water! To read more, click here. 

Ending the night with fireworks on the lake! 

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Location
Lake Toya, 
Hokkaido,
Japan

When
Every summer. 
Check the dates here. 


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Otaru Mt. Tenguyama (小樽天狗山) - Take the Ropeway to the Summit for Great Views & More Activities! @ Hokkaido [Japan]

February 12, 2018, 6:53 am
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Our last stop at Otaru, before we departed for Lake Toya, would be a visit to Tenguyama; an iconic hill (not really a mountain) that's said to have an incredible view of the charming port city.

To get to the summit, we just had to pay for a ropeway ride!

The place is more famous during winter as the entire grassy patch next to the observatory would be filled with thick, fluffy snow suitable for skiing.

First picture actually shows a snow school (likely for rental of skiing equipment, snowboards and conduct of ski classes etc) and to buy the tickets, you have to go to the building right behind.

Tengu is the name of the hill / mountain and it refers to this Japanese legendary creature that's also known as the long-nosed goblin for obvious reasons. You may refer to my post here for more pictures of this interesting character.

Ticketing counter!

Fare list - 1,140 yen an adult for two-way tickets with an option for a one-way that cost 680 yen. As we don't really have the luxury of time, two-way it shall be.

Wait - there were combo tickets! We couldn't quite decide as the first two offered food / drinks but the third one appeared to have more fun activities; i.e. the chipmunk and the slide.

Third one it shall be at 1,800 yen an adult - comprising of two-way rope way tickets, a votive tablet, sunflower seed for the chipmunks enclosure (free entry by the way) and a ride on the tenguyama slide, the original price would be about 2,090 yen without factoring the negligible pack of sunflower seeds.

We didn't know what the votive tablet is used for and thought it's for decoration; hence, when we saw the stamp, we assumed it's for the tablet!

To deface one is bad enough yet we managed to literally de-commission two pieces as our dear Alex missed the mark for the first one; sacrilegious....

Souvenirs of Mt. Tengu - one thing i realised in Japan is that their souvenirs are not cheap with a simple key-chain / magnet costing a minimal of S$4-5 each!

Some technical information about the steel rods used for the ropeway, in Japanese; surprisingly, the thickest rod isn't necessarily the strongest.

Time to go to the second level to hop onto the gondola!

We should have taken a bet; which door would be opened for us? As we arrived shortly after their operating hours, there weren't a lot of customers. After going through Mt Tengu, however, i would suggest you to visit before sunset instead.

It's blue!

This gondola with limited seats can take 30 persons and to reach the summit about 700 meters away, it took about four minutes. Nothing too fanciful and after being on a cable / gondola on quite a number of occasions, they all look and feel about the same.

Three pieces of important information; what to note, what to do in emergency and how to use the intercom. The English translation is quite weird although i do understand what it means.

Let's start our way to the summit!

Ishikari Bay!

Photos taken during our ride; on one side is plain wilderness whereas the other side is chock-full of buildings that made up the quaint little city.

There are five main outdoor observatories at Mt. Tengu and i had checked out four of them! Initially, i wanted to come out with a separate posting for it but i really didn't want to have that many sub-postings! Therefore, let's just cover them here!

Rooftop Observatory
This would be the nearest upon disembarkation from the gondola and accessible via a staircase; there are no trees with an expansive blue sky awaiting you to take millions of pictures.

Old school telescopes (chargeable) in case you need a closer look of the streets down below. As i get older, i really don't see the need for them anymore as cameras nowadays are quite powerful in their zoom function and when i am on a viewing platform, i am more interested in the panoramas rather than the closed-ups.

Great view of the city!

The photography stand - an elevated platform for you to stand on to take a selfie with the backdrop of the city below you; it's really helpful!

Don't know what to do? Let my friend show you!

Oh, how could i forget to take the panorama in front of us; although iPhone has the function, i sometimes prefer to use my DSLR as the stitching and angling is better with greater flexibility of how i want the eventual picture to look like.

Map showing the different areas in front you.

I wrongly assumed this would show the location of Suitengu Shrine and our airbnb (AMS Suitengu) but they were on the left of this picture.

First Observatory
Located right beside the ropeway, this would be the perfect place to capture both the cityscape and the gondola as it slowly advances towards / away from the station.


The two benches were placed at the edge of the hill; a nice place to rest and soak in the sights ahead of you or even use them as an elevation for selfie taking.

These kids, with their teacher, were just happy being able to rest their feet! I noticed the gaudy fan that the teacher was holding on; is that a religious fan or the result of an arts and craft workshop?

Our friend took it a step further; closed his eyes for a short snooze on the bench! He can think of all sorts of poses; quite similar to the Great Kon who was also a joy to travel with!

Being camera shy, i think i should adopt the above pose in future trips!

In most cases, i would need a model and Alex always comes in handy for being so photogenic. Although this blog has yet to generate a high traffic compared to many others, he has been identified by friends and family members on a number of occasions.

If you are a friend or family member and decide to message him after seeing him in this blog, do encourage him to continue appearing here as i NEED a face for my travelogues!

By the way, in case you are wondering what are those buildings above Alex's head (the ones surrounded by trees); they are tombs in a Japanese cemetery known simply as Central Cemetery.

Second Observatory
Pathway leading to the second and third observatory.


It wasn't too far of a walk before i arrived at the little hut with the indication (in Chinese / Kanji) that it's the second viewing platform.


While the previous two observatories comprised of a mix of city and forest, the view here focused more for the city and it's like seeing a typical touristy map of Otaru.


Picture within a frame!


Again, there was an indication of the areas for ease of reference; hence, don't make Mt. Tengu your first stopover when you reach Otaru. Explore the port city first like we did and it's more fun to identify the places you have visited, at the observatories.


Second observatory was said to have the best lookout for Otaru and i think so too!
Two half-body statues behind the wooden hut; no idea who they are.


Maybe due to the heat, i thought this path (which would take about 20 minutes) is the way towards the third observatory! I can't afford 20 minutes and realized, to my horror, after my trip that it's only a hiking trail.


Too bad for me then; another scenic picture of the port city for your viewing pleasure. 

Tengusakura Observatory
This shall be the last outdoor viewing platform for the day and in my opinion, better than first and rooftop observatory even though it's also beside the gondola station.


View was unblocked and even though it's quite similar to the first observatory; there's not slope and falling beyond the edge would likely be fatal for a mere human.


A lovely installation for the couples!


If you look closely at the markings on the floor behind the 'love' frame, the couple is supposed to stand facing each other which means it's a kissing pose! So sweet right!?


There's a reason why this observatory is known as tengusakura; this tree next to the 'love' frame is actually a 100 year old cherry tree that's planted during the Meiji era!


How did i derive from the Japanese wordings? I used google translate and understand the species to be the ezo yamazakura cherry. Honestly, i really thought it's a normal tree and just happened to chance upon a picture with it in full blossom; hence, the curiosity to know what tree is it.


Just for laughter - entering the gang of five.


Now that we are done with the outdoor observatories, let's check out the rest of the summit as i kid you not; there's a lot to be done here and in fact, we spent more than two hours on Mt. Tengu!

For example, we wasted quite a lot of time playing at this playground. Of course i am kidding as i am so over the age limit. Hahaa.

Be in awe of this humongous head statue of the long-nosed goblin! Rub the nose, according to the instructions given on a side panel, for luck! For more pictures and the instructions, click here. 

Write down your wishes on the votive tablet and hang them up! Yes, the tablet is to be used for this purpose and not as a decorative material for us to desecrate it.

Checking out the Tenguyama Shrine! Pretty interesting with another shrine honouring a dragon god and a statue of a Shinto priest. Click here for details!

Next activity would require us to take out the pack of sunflower seeds!

The chipmunk enclosure where you can use the seeds to entice the timid chipmunks to come out and feed from your palm! No seed? It's okay as the enclosure is free for entry for all visitors and to be frank, i don't see a lot of chipmunks which means the ones we saw could have been sick of all the seeds they get on a daily basis! Click here for more pictures.

Cuteness max; reminded me of Jovyn when she was younger.

Motors for the chair lifts that would be operational this time of the year; i.e. winter. I was under the initial impression they were no longer in use until i realised the stretch next to it would be capped with thick snow a few months later.

As we toured Hokkaido in summer, we didn't have the luxury of skiing down a bed of snow but we did manage to have a little bit of excitement at the Tenguyama Slide (also known as the Mt.Tengu Bobsleigh)! To know more, check out my post here.

Next to the Tenguyama Slide is an open area with some obstacles; from far, it kind of reminded me of a dog run even though on closer look, i think it's more a kid's adventure arena with a trampoline. It's not free and charged 500 yen per person per hour.

It was so bloody hot outside and i am definitely embracing the cooler temperature indoor at the ropeway station. Believe it or not, there were more to explore within!

Aside from the souvenir buying where you can get expensive tengu-related mementos and Hokkaido biscuits / pastries / snacks / puddings.

There's a doorway next to the Tengu restaurant which would open your eyes to the Otaru Ski Museum and the impressive Tengu House with over 700 displays/artefacts of the long-nosed goblin!

I had a hard time finding a pen to write my wish on the votive tablet and you can find one on a display next to the washrooms. In addition to the marker, you can also pay 100 yen for a divination lot! Hm.... that hole on the box is for the money right? So how to get the lot?

Anyway, we shall proceed to the last observatory which is blessed with two advantages; it's indoor which means you can continue to stay there when it's raining, and it's air-conditioned.

The Panorama Restaurant Tengu!

It commands an impressive view and despite the two advantages i shared two paragraphs above, it has a disadvantage; it's hard to take pictures as using flash would result in it bouncing back from the glass.

The red gondola!

Now, i wrote somewhere at the start of this post that i would suggest you to visit before sunset and the reasons are as follows; Tenguyama is said to be ranked number 3 for night view in Hokkaido and the setting sun would likely wash the city with a glow over it, making in even more alluring.

In the past, i don't quite understand why some people term the housing in Japan as matchbox houses. From the above photograph, the term seemed quite right. 

Bet my dad would enjoy it as much as this ojisan did. Except he would likely get bored after a while with perpetual yawns that would infect me! Oh, by the way, the binoculars were provided by the restaurant and free for you to use. 

Got a shaved ice at 300 yen; it was just a bowl of not-so-finely-shaved rice drizzled with a sugary syrup. Why didn't anyone think of bring ice kacang, ice jelly, cendol etc to Hokkaido!? 

Menu of Panorama Restaurant Tengu for your reference.

Bumped into Jovyn lookalike again; to be totally truthful, she is cuter than Jovyn and i so wanted to pull her cheeks! I think her mum is used to strangers asking to take pictures of her adorable kid.

Time to leave and we got the blue gondola again! Maybe it's luck or maybe because all six of us are guys and it's fitting to give us something blue! 

The gap that all acrophobics should avoid; keep your head up and just walk into the gondola! My feet almost turned to jelly when i took the photograph. My condition isn't that serious i guess.

Last two photographs before i end this long post! 

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Location
Tenguyama, Otaru, 
Hokkaido 047-0012, Japan

Operating Hours of Ropeway
9.00 am to 9.00 pm

Map of Mt Tengu Summit
As above.

Attractions on Summit

Brochure
As appended above; i have saved it in its original resolution so to view the image in full, right click and save to download to your local drive. :) 

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Suitengu Shrine (水天宮) - The Typical Shinto Shrine @ Otaru [Hokkaido, Japan]

February 14, 2018, 7:11 am
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I can't seem to sleep in nowadays even when i am on holiday; that's the reason why i drove out to the nearby Suitengu Shrine at Otaru while my travel mates were still in dreamland! 

After parking the rented car and checking out the worst toilet in my entire Japan trip, it's finally time to walk up the stairs to my first shrine in Japan. 

One thing i love about Japanese shrines in general is the vibe of being at peace, similar to how i feel when i step into a Buddhist temple. Of course, it depends on the crowd that day which, in my case, was zilch.

Stone lion that's similar to its Chinese counterpart. 

I recognise the characters which mean to wash the heart! I didn't see any water even though i am familiar with the Japanese custom to wash the hands before prayers.

Hanging paper cranes, folded papers? I have no idea then and there's no explanation; i did note the sign for no camera though. It's only when i visited Hokkaido Shrine that i understood what the papers were for and the reason they were folded.

Back to the main shrine which was built in 1919 and on the way to celebrate its centennial next year! The original shrine actually dated back more than half a century before (in 1859) on the same site.

I am the kind of person who mysteriously managed to survive so long in life despite being known as an ultra curious guy; as we all know, curiosity has killed some cats before. Anyway, i would love to explore within the building! 

Out of respect (and the fear of being caught), i resisted the temptation to cross over the low wooden barrier. By the way, above was the money box for your generous donation. 

Courtyard from the main building.

Other angular view of the shrine as i am running out of words.

A lot of cobwebs on the roof; interestingly, we might find their existence an ugly presence in Singapore but here in Japan, it's a matter of living harmoniously with nature.

Notice on the dos and donts i think; i roughly guess that you are not allowed to litter, catch birds and pluck flowers in the shrine. Take a picture with your google translate app to find out more! 

Can anyone help to translate and let me know the content of the notice?

It's related to the smaller shrine next to the main temple and aside from being painted a glaring red, the thing that caught my attention were the dog statues on the sides! 

The patron saint is a dog? I have no idea even though the first character that ran through my mind then was the celestial dog (嘯天犬) that belonged to a prominent Chinese god; Erlang Shen (二郎神).

So cute right; got bib. 

Just as i was about to leave, i caught sight of a pathway that's towards the direction of our airbnb in Otaru (i.e. AMS Suitengu)! Of course i would want to take a closer look! 

Another sign in Japanese; i am guessing once again and believe no firework is allowed on the temple premises and something about walking the dogs and cats.

Staircase down. 

A bit further down and i see a familiar building on the left. From Google map, the shrine was literally next to our airbnb in Otaru (i.e. AMS Suitengu) but there didn't seem to be an access point; hence my decision to drive instead! 

With five of my travel mates looking down from the balcony of our airbnb; i really couldn't deny the fact anymore and must accept the label of being environmentally unfriendly by wasting petrol. 

There's an access from the side of AMS Suitengu and wouldn't take me more than five minutes, even if i leisurely strolled up the stairs. 

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In summary, Suitengu Shrine was pretty boring after a while and i am glad i didn't pull my travel mates out of their slumber to join me. I did visit quite a few other shrines and to be honest, they were all about the same although i am most impressed with the Hokkaido Shrine which i would post in greater detail in the near future.

Location
3-1 Aioicho, Otaru, 
Hokkaido 047-0028, Japan

Map
As above.


Information of the Shrine

As above.

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I'm Kim Junior Buffet Dinner - Korean BBQ & Army Stew @ *SCAPE (next to Cineleisure Orchard) [Singapore]

February 15, 2018, 6:32 pm
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Our reunion dinner last year at Goro Goro Steamboat and Korean Buffet wasn't that memorable but it didn't stop us from reserving seats at its related eatery; I'm Kim Junior! 

Concept didn't appear to differ from I'm Kim Korean BBQ at School of the Arts (SOTA) and i wonder about the differences; as the word junior was used, i am very much assuming that it's a scale-down version from the restaurant at SOTA. 

Our family had the tendency to have an early reunion dinner when we are dining outside; primarily because my dad has to go to the temple although it's good to beat the crowd too! Nevertheless, we had the dinner earlier (last Sunday) as my elder sister couldn't make it on the actual day.

Being the first few groups of diners mean the food would be laid out nicely as versus to the scene a few hours later when batches of hungry hordes have messed up the aesthetic display. So what's included in the buffet?

Free flow plain water, lime juice, water chestnut and Korean barley tea; they were all cold and those who prefer a hot beverage can request separately for plain, hot water. 

The cooked food section with ddeokbokki, japchae noodles, french fries and the all time favourite Korean chicken wings (it's as popular at I'm Kim Korean BBQ and Goro Goro)! 

This would be the cheezy dakgalbi; now, it's rice based so hold back taking a large scoop as it's going to fill you up fast! Don't know what's dak galbi? Check out my posting on Yoogane Dak Galbi.

Now on the other sections.

Condiments and Bites - you can get salads, dressing, sliced tomatoes, broccoli, pickled radish, corn, edamame, fruits like watermelon, pineapple and dessert (longan jelly in our case)!  

Army Stew Faves - at I'm Kim Junior, you get a pot of soup that would allow you flexibility to customise your own version of the army stew! From this counter, you can self serve on enoki mushrooms, fishcake, cabbage, button mushroom, potato, uncooked japchae, egg tofu, sweet corn, baked beans and seaweed.

Veggies and Buddies - the former is definitely not a buddy of mine for any buffet except for maybe onion! The buddies consisted of chicken sausage, luncheon meat, prawns and squids!

In addition, i would like to strongly recommend the pamuchim which tasted like sweeter kimchi with a roasted sesame kick! Joyce whacked quite a lot from what i remember.

Meat Fiesta - the section that many would attack first with ten different styles across chicken, beef and pork; 3 for chicken, 5 for pork and 2 for beef.

Further breakdown as follows; black pepper chicken, garlic chicken, volcano chicken, premium bacon, prime pork belly, Korean marinated pork, Korean honey pork collar, prime pork collar, beef roll and Korean marinated beef. Grab a bit of each to see which one you like before taking more! 

Back to our table where the server helped to switch on the grill, turn on the UFO thingy that sucks up the smoke and pour the gravy for the army stew pan. 

A piece of cheese and a pack of noodles for the army stew! Again, i think army stew in a buffet is another way for the operator to entice you to fill your tummy faster! I, for one, would be full with just army stew.

To make my money worth, i concentrated on the meat instead; did you the smoke that was sucked into the UFO device? I actually put my hand over it and can totally feel the strong suction! 

Sadly, i couldn't resist the cooked food even though i did try to ensure i don't take a lot. The signature chicken wings were as good as i recall, ddeokbokki was pretty nice and not that spicy whereas the cheese dakgalbi tasted like what i had at Yoogane; and i can't have more of it as i don't think my tummy can take in the rest of the items if i continue to indulge in it! 

Waiting, waiting, waiting. It's a waste to bring Jovyn here as she has no interest in the grilled meat (why, why, why?)! In fact, she only has interest for rice, french fries and chicken wings. *face palm*.

The Korean marinated pork was delish and the one that impressed us the most for two reasons; the marination wasn't hot and each slice was immensely juicy given that they were pork belly! Yum yum! 

Obviously, we took more; a lot more. 

Our family actually didn't make use of the army stew for its true intent although it works well as a steamboat to boil items like mussels, prawns etc. 

I am too lazy to de-shell prawns (crabs are okay) when i am outside but we have an official de-sheller in the family who would gladly do it for the family. *happy*. 

Desserts to fill up whatever remaining space in my stomach! It's been quite a while since i last had such a filling meal and i feel that i am unable to take in as much as i could in the past! Guess it's related to age. :(

=====

Location
2, Orchard Link, #03-01,
*SCAPE, Singapore 237978

Pricing
As above. Do note that there's a time limit! 

We paid S$242.60 for 9 persons (5 adults, 2 children, 2 senior citizens) which i thought was extremely reasonable for a buffet dinner on a weekend. The range of cooked food is wider at I'm Kim Korean BBQ at SOTA and since i am not into army stew, maybe we can consider the original I'm Kim Korean BBQ next year. Maybe. 


It's the first day of Chinese New Year and i would like wish everyone an amazing year ahead; one that's blessed with good fortune, pink health and most importantly, happiness. :)
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