Japan - Shinkansen

We used 2 week JR Rail passes for our travel in and around Japan. With that in mind we all agreed we would "pack light".  Uh yeah, that did not happen. That being said I have to give my parents credit.  Their bags were significantly smaller than ours.  And of course we had the paraglider to lug around as well, so getting on and off the trains was quite the procedure.  We were always in search of the elevator/escalator to avoid the dreaded stairs!   


Everyone is still smiling after navigating our way through Tokyo Station (AKA insanity) and finally arriving at our train platform. 

The first of many bullet train rides.  They were all spotlessly clean, on time and incredibly efficient which made traveling around Japan so easy and fun. 



The rail cars were often not full which was great because our bags filled up the entire back end of the rail cars! 



Kingsley with our Rail Passes which are a fantastic deal if you plan to see quite a few cities while in Japan.
Being the economical travelers that we are - we would often buy a quick meal at a grocery store or 7-11 and eat it on the train.  This was our eclectic brunch for us in-route from Kyoto to Tokyo.

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Japan - Tokyo Maid Cafe

Kingsley and I happened to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary in Tokyo and we had to do something memorable to celebrate. That is how we ended up at the Maid Cafe.   


We have just been seated at the Maid Cafe and have NO idea what to expect.  

The waitress who spoke zero english started by addressing us as "my princess" and "my master" which struck me as a little odd but initially I just thought perhaps my Japanese was bit rusty.  Being the only one of us who could communicate I took advantage of the opportunity and generously ordered Kingsley the "happy happy love bear" ice cream float.  For myself I ordered the most secretive thing on the menu the "special customized" drink which our maid would prepare at the table for "her princess". I really should have known better...


Kingsley's drink arrived and I knew I was in big trouble after he was forced to perform "happy happy love bear" hand motions which included giving himself ears like a bear and moulding his hands into a heart shaped "love" shaker and pouring imaginary "extra love" into his drink.

When my drink arrived the lights in the entire restaurant were dimmed and I was called up onto the trampoline stage, handed a microphone and required to perform a "happy happy love" dance with a spotlight on me and a disco ball spinning.  Lets just say it is unbelievable what I had go through in order to get my stupid drink.  I was expecting something amazing when I finally took my first sip...it was grapefruit juice (not even freshly squeezed).  I am still traumatized by the entire experience.

I have not, nor will I ever, share any photos of this incredibly embarrassing moment in my life. But one thing is for sure - our 6th wedding anniversary will never be forgotten!


After the Maid Cafe we got lost on our way back to the hotel, which evolved into a 20 minute detour/heated discussion about the exact location of our hotel while wandering up and down the streets of Shinjuku.


We ended the day with a fabulous Japanese dinner with longtime family friends the Boardman's.

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Japan - Tokyo Shibuya

We arrived in Shibuya and after a brief moment to figure out where we were on map, our first stop was to pay our respects at the famous Hachiko statue.


Hachiko bronze statue which was erected in 1934. Hachiko was actually present at the unveiling.


The story of Hachiko is very touching:

In 1924, a university professor in agriculture took in Hachikō, a golden brown Akita, as a pet. During his owner's life, Hachikō greeted him at the end of each day at the nearby Shibuya Station. The pair continued their daily routine until May 1925, when Professor Ueno did not return. The professor had suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage and died, never returning to the train station where Hachikō was waiting. Each day for the next nine years Hachikō awaited Ueno's return, appearing precisely when the train was due at the station.

Hachikō died on March 8, 1935, and was found on a street in Shibuya. In March 2011 scientists settled the cause of death of Hachikō: the dog had terminal cancer and worms. There were also four yakitori skewers in Hachikō's stomach, but the skewers did not damage his stomach or cause his death.

Each year on April 8, Hachikō's devotion is honored with a solemn ceremony of remembrance at Tokyo's Shibuya railroad station. Hundreds of dog lovers often turn out to honor his memory and loyalty.

I just love stories like that!

 Shibuya is famous for its scramble crossing crosswalk.






Walking along the streets in Shibuya there were so many great photo ops. I desperately wanted these sunglasses but Kingsley said no...




We also stumbled upon a "purikura". Purikura, is short for "Print Club", which are these popular photo booths in Japan. You can add little images to the pictures and then the pictures print out as stickers. The photo booths also instantly photoshop the pictures to make your eyes appear bigger and skin more white and flawless.

I really wanted to give it a try but there was a massive line of girls waiting for one of the many photo booths to become available.  Hopefully someday I will get a chance to give it a try as I am incredibly curious how my pic might turn out - my guess is it would be incredibly unflattering and hilarious! 

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Japan - Toyko Harajuku


Tokyo has many great shopping areas, Shibuya and Harajuku being the more trendy and popular among the younger crowd. They also happen to be one of the best places in the world for people watching.

Takeshita Street was one of my favorite spots in Harajuku. It is a narrow pedestrian only street lined with stores containing miscellaneous fashion items popular among Japanese teens.

Harajuku train station on a busy Sunday morning


We saw so many amazing... costumes? outfits?  It was incredible! I got so excited seeing so many bizarre clothing combinations I felt the strong desire to buy something for myself! So before Kingsley had a chance to even notice I was missing I snuck into a store and bought myself a pair of mismatched polka dot and stripped thigh high socks. I love them! Now I just need to find the perfect moment to debut my Harajuku style to the world! 

Lynn's Harajuku fashion style - it needs a little work...but its getting there. 



There were so many shops selling bizarre fashion items it is probably best we only had a few hours to explore the area, with more time who knows what kind of trouble I could have gotten myself into!  

Even this poodle was flaunting her Harajuku style

Fuzzy bear hats are where I draw the line in extreme fashion style. 

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Japan - Tokyo Meiji Shrine

I have been dreaming about visiting Japan again with my parents for many many years.  This spring that dream became a reality when we spent two weeks exploring Japan together.  My parents are great travelers and very adventurous - we had such an incredible time together and a lifelong dream of mine was fulfilled. 

Our first morning together in Tokyo happened to be Mother's Day. So, I did what any good daughter should do, I bought the most bizarre Japanese gift I could find...a snail and snake venom anti-aging/whitening face mask (seriously this is a very popular item in Japan!) and I requested that the restaurant bring out a special dessert plate for my mom. The waiter was very eager to help, sadly he needed my assistance to figure out how to spell Happy and Mother's. Anyway, its the thought that counts! 


 On our way to explore Tokyo


Figuring out the ticketing and train system - thank goodness for my Dad and old school ticket machines. He walked right up and bought our tickets as if he had never left Japan. The train map is also incredibly complex, apparently the most complicated in the world. 


Our first train ride in Japan on the Yamanote (light green/ circle) line - heading to the Meiji Shrine


While walking along the path to the shrine we passed huge barrels of sake. These barrels are donated every year by Meiji Jingu Nationwide Sake Brewers Association.


We visited the Meiji shrine on a beautiful sunny Sunday morning. The walk up to the shrine was very peaceful and shaded by many massive old trees.  I was impressed by how quiet the shrine was even though it is nestled in the middle of a massive bustling city. The shrine is located in a forest that covers an area of about 175 acres in downtown Tokyo (similar concept to Central Park).


The Meiji shrine was founded in 1921 to enshrine the Emperor and Empress Meiji. The Emperor Meiji, also known as Meiji the Great, was the first modern Japanese emperor. His ascension in 1868 re-established imperial rule in Japan and brought the government of the Tokugawa (Samuri) shogunate to a close.  During Emperor Meiji’s reign, Japan underwent a period of rapid westernization, emerging as a modern nation by the time of his death in 1912.

Most of the major buildings of the shrine were burned down in 1945 due to air raids during World War II, but everything was reconstructed in 1958.

Interestingly the white hood that the bride is wearing is called a wataboshi. The purpose of the hood (that literally means "to hide horns") is to hide the "demonic horns" of the bride as a confirmation she submits to carry out her role as a wife with serenity and patience.  

During a visit to the shrine, if you are lucky you might be able to see a Shinto wedding procession in front of the main building. We were very fortunate on the Sunday we visited and witnessed three different wedding processions at the shrine. The incredibly impressive processions were quite solemn and led by the shinto priests.  We kept a respectable distance but we were able to capture a few pictures of the procession. 



wedding processions at the Meiji shrine

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Recipe - Almond Flour Cheesy Bread

I found this low carb, gluten free recipe on the alldayidreamaboutfood blog.
Dream
I was searching for some kind of healthy recipe that would fulfill the occasional craving for bread.
It has the texture of cornbread but tastes just like a cheesy bread stick. It would be a fantastic recipe to pair with soup on a cool day. In Singapore "cool" means anything below 82 degrees.

1 tsp butter for the pan
2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup flax seed meal
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 & 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup almond milk

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425F. Add 1 tsp butter to a 10-inch oven-proof dish and place in oven.
In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, flax seed meal, baking powder, salt and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese.
Stir in the eggs, melted butter and almond milk until thoroughly combined.
Remove hot dish from oven and swirl butter to coat sides.
Pour batter into pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheddar.
Bake 18 minutes, or until browned around the edges and set through the middle. Cheese on top should be nicely browned.
Remove and let cool 15 minutes.



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Dengue Fever Epidemic

The dengue fever epidemic in Singapore is on the rise and does not appear to be slowing down with weekly infection cases currently at a six-year high.  

The government reported 195 dengue infections yesterday, bringing the number of cases to 6,123 this year. That’s more than the full-year total of 4,632 in 2012. 

Dengue fever is an illness caused by the dengue virus and is transmittable only through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. Unfortunately, the Aedes mosquito is one of the most common types of mosquito found in Singapore.

With no vaccine nor treatment currently available for dengue fever, the best protection against dengue is to help prevent the breeding of the Aedes mosquito. 

Since moving to Singapore I have known that every Tuesday morning I must shut every door and window in our condo as they perform mosquito fogging around our Waterplace condo.  Even with the windows closed it is not a pleasant experience and you certainly do NOT want to get caught outside during the fogging.  But it is a vital part of keeping the dengue carrying mosquitos at bay. 

Fogging outside our living room window

2 minutes after fogging

5 minutes after fogging


As you can see from the map Dengue has pretty much taken over the East Coast of Singapore. We are located near the little green patches at the bottom of the map so thankfully no dengue where we live yet. But for now we are keeping our windows closed and fingers crossed that we will not be impacted by the virus as we head into peak dengue season in July and August. 

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