2014 May: Japan: Kyoto: Toei Studio Park

Travel Date: May 18, 2014 Sunday
Toei Kyoto Studio Park Japan
〒616-8161 Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto, Ukyo Ward, Uzumasa Higashihachiokacho, 10
9:00am-6:00pm ・March-July,September(Sat,Sun&Holidays)
Admission: 2200yen
Map: http://www.toei-eigamura.com/en/pdf/parkmap_en2014.pdf

From Nijo take the San-In line, drop by Uzumasa.  There is only one exit and has a sign going to TOEI Studio Park.

The area is big, but you can spend half a day or 3-4 hours to enjoy and see what's worth of the entrance.

Anime Museum

Hero Land in Padios

2014 May: Japan: Kyoto: Kawaramachi Catholic Church

Central terminals are really confusing. Due to sudden change of itinerary, it took me more time to figure out the name of the line and which platform in Kyoto is going to Kyoto-Shiyakusho-mae station.  

Arriving at the station and taking exit 1, it took around 10-15minutes to reach the Roman Catholic.  Starting May 2014, English mass will only be on 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month.

Kawaramachi Catholic Church (Kyoto Diocese Cathedral)

Kawaramachidori-sanjoagaru, Nakagyo-ku, KYOTO, 604-8006

Patron Saitn: The Holy Mother of the Capital

http://www.cbcj.catholic.jp/eng/ediocese/kyoto.htm

2014 May: Japan: Kyoto: Mimuroto-ji Temple

Travel Date: May 18, 2014 Sunday 

Location: 

Mimuroto-ji Temple, Kyoto Prefecture 611-0013, Japan

三室戸寺 21 莵道滋賀谷 Uji,

Open: 8:30 to 16:30 (until 16:00 from November to March)

Admission ends 30 minutes before closing time; Admission: 500 yen

http://www.mimurotoji.com/ 

Aside from Umeda in Osaka, there is another option to reach Kyoto.  I took Keihan Line from Yodobashi station to Chusojima.  Then, exchange to Uji line going to Mimurudo station.

In early weeks of May, you'll see full bloom of azaleas in Mimuroto-ji Temple.  It is about 20 minute walk from the station.  

Check if you can see the signage and directions while being covered by the branches.

2014 May: Japan: Kobe: Flower Road

Travel Date: May 17, 2014
Location: Flower Road, Kobe, Japan

Traveling solo makes me listen to what I see, I just love to spend sometime making a stop and watch these people as they make music.  

Flower Road gives a promising and untiring walk even for more blocks.  It is well maintained with varieties of flowers and lighted streets at night.

Summary of 3 days itinerary in 2014 Spring Osaka, Okayama, Kobe, Kyoto, Trip:

Day	Places to see	Food and Restaurants	Where to Sleep
Day 1	Go to Okayama by train Wake Wisteria Park, Wake Folk Museum Go to Kobe by train Western-style buildings in Kitano area Walk along Flower Road	Ramen Noodle Shop Kobe Beef	Hotel IL Cuore Namba
Day 2	Go to Kyoto by train Mimuroto-ji Temple (Azalea) Kawaramachi Catholic Church TOEI Kyoto Studio Park Return to Osaka by train Namba Parks	Clever Coffee	Hotel IL Cuore Namba
Day 3	In Osaka, visit Nakanoshima Park (Roses) Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park	Clever Coffee Cante Grande First Kitchen Restaurant Tully's Coffee	Hotel IL Cuore Namba

2014 May: Japan: Kobe: Kitano-Cho

Kitano-cho (北野町, Kitanochō) is a city district at the foot of the Rokko mountain range where many foreign merchants and diplomats settled after the Port of Kobe was opened to foreign trade in the second half of the 19th century. More than a dozen of the former mansions, known as Ijinkan, remain in the area and are open to the public as museums. [Read]

Guide Map: http://feel-kobe.jp/_en/guidemap/index.html

Arriving at Sannomiya Station, from Tourist Information Center it will take 15 minutes walk going to Kitano. I was able to pass by the old English architecture of Starbucks.

In Kitano-cho Plaza, glad to catch a simple street circus entertainment.

Artists near the Weather Clock house.

2014 May: Japan: Okayama: Wake

Wisteria,  a flower that is more sensitive than cherry blossom and flourish in a shorter period - mostly during Golden Week or last week of April to first week of May.

It took almost 3 hours and 4000yen from Osaka to Okayama, with the following transfers:

• Midosuji line: Namba to Umeda
• Tokaido lineL Umeda to Himeji
• Sanyo line: Himeji to Aboshi
• Sanyo line: Aboshi to Aioi (Banshu-Ako)
• Sanyo line: Aioi to Kamigori
• Sanyo line: Kamigori to Wake

Tip: Look at the screens, every 10-15 seconds, it will change from Japanese to Romanized, to guidelines on which platform you'll wait.

From Wake station, took a cab going to Fuji park - Wake-cho 1386-2 Fujino.

藤公園 和気町藤野１３８６－２ 【問い合わせ先】和気町役場産業振興課 TEL：0869－93－1126

Terribly disappointing because the blooming season is over by 17-May.  Instead of falling petals, there are a lot of hairy caterpillars that brings itchiness (Filipino: higad).  From the image below, the left photo was taken from a small closed shop or ticket booth, that is what I was expecting to see.  However, the right photo was the reality, very few flowers that you can catch on. 

2014 May: Japan: Oishi (Delicious), Itadakimasu! (Let's eat!)

Your Japan trip can be inexpensive if you know where to find an affordable meal.  It is a balance between being thrifty and having the Japanese experience. 

Convenience stores - Bento boxed meals or rice covered with seaweed are available in Mini Mart, 7/11, Family Mart, etc.  

Supermarket - Few minutes before closing, supermarkets would offer dimsum or suchi for half of its price.  You could also buy cheaper drinks and omiyage in supermarkets. [Read more tips]

Street Food – Try toasted dumplings.  Just like Kenshin.  Mitarashi dango is a traditional rice dumpling with sweet soy glaze and is normally skewered on a bamboo stick.

TOEI Kyoto Studio Park

2014 May: Japan: Osaka: Hotel Il Coure

Arrival at Kansai International Airport (KIX)
It is my second time to arrive at Kansai International Airport (KIX).  Since I'll always be out for the earlier time of the day and can't wait for the opening of foreign exchange in Namba, I decided to exchange most of my USD on the counter outside the terminal near the ticket machines for Nankai.

Instead of using the ICOCA machine reload, I went to the ICOCA office for them to do the reload on my behalf. (Before hand, I already have the computation of my estimated train expenses. In total, I’ll spend 10000yen (5000php, 2014) for my 4days-3nights stay in Kansai.)

Going to the Accommodation

From the airport station, I took the Express Rapid Train (yen).  Arrived at Namba Station and took escalators going to Swiss Hotel exit gates.  It is just nearby Subway Exit 5 and main pedestrian crossing going to Hotel Il Coure Namba. 

Price: Average - For walk-ins, it would cost 9000 yen.  So try look for early bird discounts.  I got my 3 nights stay for 20000 yen (8500 php, 2014)

Book Hotel IL Cuore Namba, Osaka in Agoda

Location: Superb - Very accessible from Namba Station.  Take subway exit 5 or exit going to Swiss Hotel.  Staying in Namba means you have direct access from and to the airport, you can take Midosuji Line and Sennichimae Line.  You can also see Namba Parks and Takashimaya.  There are a lot of convenient stores and restaurants around the area.

South Korea: Jade Garden

The reason I wanted to go back to Korea, to see this place from That Winter, The Wind Blows, SBS and Love Rain, KBS.

On my way to Incheon last month, I was able to finish the movie, You are My Pet (last scene is also taken there).  

English Boarder and Italian Garden:

Love Rain - KBS 2012; That Winter, The Wind Blows - SBS 2013

South Korea: Former Seoul Station

Former Seoul Station

2014 Feb: South Korea: Seoul Food

There is nothing to worry when it comes to food – I did not plan anything for lunch or dinner, since good food is anywhere in Seoul.

  

Restaurant found on the second floor open until 2am (near GS25, Myeongdong Exit 8)

Food: 9 out of 10

Value: Affordable

Atmosphere: 9 out of 10

Location: near GS25, Myeongdong Exit 8

Glad that this decent restaurant is still open to welcome us on our first midnight in Myeongdong.  I love the man-made cherry blossom tree inside. 

Underground Hole in the Wall Japanese Restaurant

Food: 9 out of 10

Value: Affordable

Atmosphere: 9 out of 10

Orders:

Location: Seolleung station Exit 1, turn left before Posco, on the third block, take the stairs to go underground of Italian Bistro (along Teheran-ro 78-gil, Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu)

Unique experience that reminds me of Gion, Kyoto - we were actually seating on the floor while eating.  I miss it.

2014 Feb: South Korea: Seoul: Drama Cafes

It’s been two years when I last stepped at Korean peninsula, and with that I have gathered the places I wanted to visit from the dramas and realities I have been watching.  Let’s start with coffee shops I wanted to try.

Café De Chocolate

Food: 9 out of 10

Value: Average

Atmosphere: 9 out of 10

Orders: Orders= White hot chocolate (5,200 KRW = 208 PHP), Real dark hot chocolate (5,800 KRW = 232 PHP), Hotdog (7600 KRW = 304 PHP)

Location: Chungmuro Station Exit 3

Drama: That Winter, The Wind Blows (2013).

Website: https://www.facebook.com/dechocomania, http://www.dechocolatecoffee.cn/

I did not bother to research on which store they used on the drama, but the one I visited is in Chungmuro Station Exit 3.  We got inside still a bit dark, welcomed our orders and but the service strictly started at 9:00am. 

Cozy and offers a lot of magazines and books to read.  They also have a separate room for the smokers.

2014 Feb: South Korea: Seoul: K-pop Residence

My fouth time in South Korea, third time in Seoul and third time to have the base camp in Myeongdong.

Taking an AREX for the second time is less expensive than taking a bus, but I personally prefer the bus since I don’t want line transfers and its hard to bring luggage in stairs (2011-2012).  Unexpectedly, the plane is delayed on its arrival fro 2 hours to pick-up passengers in Manila hub.  That makes our arrival in Incheon delayed from 20:05 to past 22:20.  We still need to take the shuttle train going to main terminal, queue at the Immigration, wait for the luggage, and we can no longer take the airport bus 6015 going Myeongdong.

I still wonder for a while if there is a possibility to take a night bus, until with a snap I got to process my thoughts immediately - "I need 10000 each (thanks to the extra won we have from our previous trips), I need our old T-money." Rushed to 7-11 to top-up, get down to lower ground take the connecting walkalator, rushed to the train entrance (not sure if I did take AREX, but looks like not, it is an all-stop train going to Seoul Station.  We were able to find our way out and we were literally running, Im pushing our 2 4-wheel luggage to speed us up.  When we get on the station entrance, there are already guards, I said "to Myeongdong Station", and they let us pass - this is the last trip from Seoul Station for Line 4 going to Myeongdong.

This year (2014) on Exit 8, there is already an escalator, but because it already passed the operating hours it is no longer moving, we still have to take the stairs.  After crossing 3 sub streets, we were able to find our hostel.

K Pop Residence II Myeongdong

http://md2.kpophouse.co.kr/?lang=en 

Book K Pop Residence II, Seoul, South Korea in Agoda
Reception hours 07:00~23:00

4-2, Myeongdong 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul

Price: Average for an accommodation in the middle of Myeongdong.  If you prefer cheaper accommodation outside shopping district, there are lot to choose from. 

Location: Good – On the side street of Myeongdong, it is the 4^th and 5^th level of the building, just above Kang Ho Dong’s Baekjeong BBQ restaurant.  Just outside the main street, you’ll immediately see Etude, Face Shop, farther left, you have Forever 21, and GS25 (25-hour convenient store).

2014 Feb: Philippines: Manila: Travel Expo

Philippines: Manila: Wicked

I learned Wicked from Chico who flew to Singapore just to watch the musical sometime in its showing dates on Dec 6 2011 til Feb 26, 2012.

As it is in Manila this early 2014, we bought in at an early bird discount and able to watched it on its first weekend.  Tomorrow is the last night of its showing, be Galindafied with the Ozians!

"Defying Gravity" 

– Elphaba, Glinda, Guards and Citizens of Oz

It's time to trust my instincts

Close my eyes: and leap!

...

So if you care to find me

Look to the western sky!

As someone told me lately:

"Ev'ryone deserves the chance to fly!"

And if I'm flying solo

At least I'm flying free

"As Long as You're Mine" 

– Elphaba and Fiyero

I've lost all resistance

And crossed some borderline

And if it turns out

It's over too fast

I'll make ev'ry last moment last

As long as you're mine

"For Good" - Galinda

I've heard it said

That people come into our lives for a reason

Bringing something we must learn

And we are led

To those who help us most to grow

If we let them

And we help them in return

Well, I don't know if I believe that's true

But I know I'm who I am today

Because I knew you:

Who can say if I've been changed for the better?

But because I knew you

I have been changed for good

A story of friendship, love and forgiving - a must see musical!

March 9, 2014 is the last showing day of Wicked in Manila.  On my recent trip to Korea, it is also being shown in Charlotte Theatre (http://www.wickedthemusical.co.kr/).

Date Watched: 2014 Jan