Sunday, June 29, 2008

1st Toy & Comic Convention (w/pix)

Went to the 1st Toy and Comic Convention at Suntec City today (how could I not?!) Specially woke up early for it because I wanted to be one of the first 1,000 to receive the special "red/white" event BearBrick. Alas, although I had arrived at least 5 minutes before 11 am, the event hall was already bustling with activity ... that means no BearBrick. Hrmph ... this is a gaming event, hence there ought to be a strategy of some sort to win. Damn, I figured that out a tad bit too late. Next year ... I'll be back! And prepared.

I like the passport idea. Like a game. All visitors who register are issued passports, on which they need to collect stamps from designated booths at the convention. Sorta like a treasure hunt cuz in the end, you can trade your passport stamps with attractive gifts. I think they must be pretty attractive because people had begun queing up at the Redemption Counter at 11 am when the first redemption happens only at 2 pm! Okay. One more thing to note for next year.

Well, the convention's a little smaller than I had anticipated. It's pretty cool nonetheless.

Favourites:

1) 臭豆腐! A spin-off version of Tofu Man, aptly named Smery and Friends. Haha ... I think this is the best find at the convention, for me, because not only is Smery adorable, the very concept of having 臭豆腐, something so Chinese as part of the Japanese Toufu Man collection, is totally cute. What's next? 麻婆豆腐? Lol ... I bought a Smery. It's the wasabi one. Ooh ... there's a spicy one ... but don't think that quite qualify as 麻婆豆腐.

2) That whole section of anime models ... they are so well-made and breathtakingly gorgeous!!

3) Tokidoki. Cute to the max. Too bad the artist signing session is 5-6 pm, I couldn't stay so long.

Disappointment: Not more of Mickey and Doraemon.


































Saturday, June 28, 2008

距离


I wanted to take it easy today. I did. But in all the light-heartedness and precious little things that made me smile, there are some others that put me in pensive thought.

Distance. 距离. Is it because of my free-spiritedness, my will to be independent, my wanderlust, that distance is a constant factor of my existence, for better or worse?

Woke up by instinct at 9.30 am to catch Doraemon. I'm so hooked on this robot cat now that I wonder how it could have taken me so long to start liking it! This episode, Doraemon and Nobita helped a couple realise their feelings for each when the guy from Tokyo had to go home. But thanks to Doraemon and Nobita, this pair of sweethearts will be separated by distance but at least they know they loved each other.

世界上最遥远的距离
不是 我不能说我想你
而是 彼此相爱 却不能够在一起

I went to catch Prince Caspian at GV Tampines Mall, the only place in Singapore that shows it today. I was a little early so after getting the ticket, I went window shopping. Some "vintage" jewellery at one of the carts caught my eye so I went to check them out. Before long, I realised a little girl was checking me out too! Lol ... she's an ang moh girl, and she took a picture of me looking at the necklaces. Plus she used my tactic for taking people shots - snap, smile, sprint! Haha ... kawaii!

Prince Caspian was actually better than I'd expected (well, he's not as cute as I'd expected though). Maybe it's expectations; many people have said that it's very average; the bad part being it's too similar to The Return of the King. Otherwise, I found that at least it was funny, engaging and at some points, really set me thinking (though I cannot remember half of that now).

Well, I can remember three of them though.

The part when Peter defeated the Prince Caspian's uncle, the handphone of someone in the audience went "phew phew!" - you know, the wistle ringtone that comes with older Sony Ericsson phones. The timeliness was hilarious ... what a cheer to Peter's victory!

Haha ... how Susan turns her nose up at the "boy from the school across the street" and goes for Prince Caspian of a world so different yet so akin to hers. How CS Lewis realised almost a hundred years ago that diversity can be strength; in fact greater strength, for everyone is special in a unique way. And if a team is made up of all specialty areas, it's got the grounds covered and victory is almost certain.

By the way, does the original story have a sub-plot of Susan and Prince Caspian? My heart ached at the look in his eyes (did I see this somewhere else?) when he said, "You're never coming back?" And she said, "You and I will never be. I'm 1300 years older than you." Would it work better if it was just 3?

世界上最遥远的距离
不是 我站在你面前 你不知道我爱你
而是 明知道真爱无敌 却装作毫不在意

Distance makes one's heart grow fonder. Even after a year.

时间不是距离.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Where did the weekend go?


Mostly in slumber I think. Wonder why I am so still so tired in spite of 12 hours of sleep last nite and another 2 this afternoon.

Watched two movies yesterday - a rare treat for me who rarely steps into the cinema unless it's a real kick-a** movie. Well, Kungfu Panda was kinda kick-a** though it's a little slapstick at some parts. Penelope, which I decided to watch with my sisters for the sake of James McAvoy (Mr. Tumnus! - since I can't get to see him in Narnia cuz they only have limited screenings of Prince Caspian now) is bearable but is perhaps not worth the weekend ticket price. Fortunately it's a pretty quick movie, about 1.5 hours because there's little left to be desired story-wise.

I went home after the movie and went straight to bed. It was barely 9 pm. I woke at 9 am this morning, thinking that it was earlier that it actually was, thanks to an overcast sky which promised to continue the downpour that had happened in the wee hours of the morning. Lovely Sunday, I just knew it would be. For sleeping, as I did again soon after lunch for another 2 hours.

And now I'm going to bed again. Time check: 9.15 PM.

I can't seem to get enough sleep. Maybe like Carrie Bradshaw, emotional fatigue has totally drained me. A dear colleague who has been a great mentor for the past months served his last day on Friday, as I ponder also if I've served enough time in my current position. Plus uncertainties in other areas of my life now ... I'm really tired.


Friday, June 20, 2008

爱: no break



爱: Protects


Thanks Xiaoming, Wei Eng for the "Love Is" book! Certainly heart-warming to know you thought of me while having fun in HK (^_^)v

Monday, June 16, 2008

Totally Tokyo! Pt. 3


Wed to Fri, we spent most of the day at the Interior Lifestyle exhibition. Wed evening, as Wei Eng had planned to meet her friend, I decided to hang around Odaiba and took a walk to Venus Fort where the Tokyo Eye was. On the way, I had to cross this bridge near the Fuji TV building and stumbled upon a film crew (I supposed it's Fuji TV) filming a live action anime (think Power Rangers type). It's kinda cool cuz even in Singapore, I've hardly (never?) run into a film crew (unless it's my own ... hehe ... ) but I've run into Japanese film crews TWICE! Once last year at Luobuozhai (萝卜寨) and this year, in Odaiba. Had okonomiyaki (which we drooled at in Vietnam last year) for dinner - how filling!

Thu evening, we headed out to Yurakucho where Wei Eng said there's a big Muji store ... indeed, it was several stories of Muji temptation. I bought a good-looking bag which happened to be on sale and a travel pouch for passport, cash and cards; felt pretty satisfied with my purchase ... hehe ...

Fri evening, I headed out to Asakusa again for some last minute food shopping (which I later found that I could get similar crackers at Narita for about the same price!). I was getting late and I was running out of cash (despite borrowing 10,000 yen from Wei Eng) so I decided to return to the hotel for dinner.

I had wanted to try the Jap restaurant on the 21st floor but it seemed forbidding. Then I looked at the Chinese menu and was extremely tempted by 四川饺子 (Sichuan dumplings) - miss Sichuan cuisine so much that I broke my self-inflicted law of not eating anything other than Jap cuisine! I ordered har gao, lotus leaf glutinous rice, shrimp dumplings, wanton soup and of course, 四川饺子. Oiishi! Quite a whopping meal, all for myself.

Then Saturday came. Initially Wei Eng and I had planned to head out to Tsukiji for a final sashimi meal before leaving Tokyo this afternoon. Unfortunately, Wei Eng had stomach flu so the feast trip was cancelled. I wasn't too disappointed cuz I got to sleep late. Still, I decided to wake at about 8.35 am to seize the most of the day and head out to Harajuku for some Cosplay entertainment :)

As I was washing up, I felt myself sway and thought I was having a dizzy spell. Then I realised the door was swaying and there was some rattling noise in the room like the structures were knocking against each other. EARTHQUAKE! I was more excited than afraid; after all, the Japanese must experience hundreds of such tremors a year. I dismissed it as nothing too serious, or perhaps I had imagined it after all. It was later in the afternoon while I was riding the JR line that I learned that several shinkansen services had be disrupted due to an earthquake. So that was real after all.

Takeshita Street was interesting, with tempting fashion including cosplay costumes, and shops selling J-Pop and soccer idol paraphernalia. Idolisation is big in Japan!

I also went to the Meiji shrine. There, I made a few wishes, including some which I wrote on a wooden plate which I hung along with others around a sacred tree where ceremonies will be held every morning and evening for blessings from the Gods. Think my wishes can come true here! I also saw a few wedding ceremonies being held there at the Meiji temple. Way cool! Almost like a sign from above. Haha ...

Then it's off to the airport :( And that's the end of my Tokyo trip this time ... but I'll be back very soon!! (~_~)


Totally Tokyo! in Pictures


Finally on the A380! And on the upper deck to boot!

The ledge by the window and the big high-res screen for in-flight entertainment are awesome ... but that's about where the "wow" ends.

Shibuya in the afternoon.

The young and trendy of Shibuya.

What I had for lunch first day in Tokyo. Some cheese and beef don. The cheese melts in the heat and covers the beef and rice so that when the chopsticks scoop them up, there's this gooey trail like in a good mozarella pizza ... can I say yummy again?

A little off the main Shibuya area, on the way back to our hotel. There are some love hotels here ... can tell by the hourly rates they offer :)

Shibuya at night.

Pauline feeling bored on the 1.5-hour train ride from Shinjuku to Odawara, where we need to transfer to another local train to Hakone-Yumoto, before transferring yet again onto a local bus to Motohakone for Mt. Fuji viewing.

A couple stand near where their wishes (lots divined at the temple) are tied, along with others, on poles erected in the compound of a shrine in Hakone.

Devotees can also write their wishes and prayers on wooden plates like this.


This is where we had lunch in Hakone. A small eatery with only 3 tables, run by an elderly couple who serve up fresh and sumptuous seafood meals.

A testament to the above statement. Oiishi!!!

Me: gazing out in the direction of Mt. Fuji which refused to show its face from behind the foggy veil, from a "pirate ship" cruising on Lake Ashi.

It's not mountains on fire but some geothermal action taking place in this onsen resort town of Owakudani.

The cable car (or as the Japanese call it, ropeway) that ferried us back to the train station.

We had sushi dinner at Shinjuku before heading back to the hotel. Pretty quiet even though it was barely 10 pm.

Love kiddy shots! Like I told Pauline, I should start an album of "Kids from around the world" cuz I do have many from different places I've been to. Including those from 萝卜寨. Wonder how they are now.

OK Totoro. You win.


Sensoji in Asakusa, the oldest temple in Tokyo.


I drew a lot and tied it to the post here in the temple. Think it'll come true! (^_^)

Artist at work. He handpaints postcards and mushroom mobile hangies in a little shop tucked into one of the quiet alleys of Asakusa.

The master's workshop, and retail front.

Tsukiji: where we had lunch.


Our chef at work!


And his creation ... are you drooling yet?

A tempura dinner at Ten-ya in Asakusa ... double whammy yummy!

J-Pop Idols on sale (their photos ... lah) in one of the many "idol shops" along Takeshita Street in Harajuku.

Cosplay costume: there were many who walked the streets in their bizarre costumes, which seem really fun too ... then I thought, why not? If escaping into another realm once every weekend makes me a much happier person. Can't say I wasn't tempted to dress up too! Hehe ...


Heading out of Takeshita to head for the Meiji-jingu shrine nearby.


The main shrine entrance.

The drumroll marks the start and end of religious ceremonies.

I wrote my wishes behind this wooden board (^_^) Not sharing. He he ...

There are ceremonies every morning and evening here at this sacred tree where the wish cards are placed.

Thought I was lucky to witness a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony in session. But in my brief 1.5 hours there, there were at least 3 of them. So I guess, people probably get married there every weekend. It's still nice though, to witness the holy matrimonies.

The priests lead the couple and well-wishers around the courtyard and into the inner halls of the temple for prayers and to seal the vows I guess.

Tourists posing with a Cosplayer - not sure if there was monetary exchange.