Peggy Chow

25’s A Man

May 20, 2014

That ~~boy~~ ~~man~~ half boy half man who’s younger than me by half a year is finally 25.
By right you turn adult when you’re 21 but 21 to me is when you start being reckless and enjoy life to the fullest.
25 to me is when you start taking things more seriously, start planning for a future and to really start being a true adult.
But of course this might not apply to everyone. No big gatherings with friends or whatsoever for Fatty this year because he didn’t want to. (Not sire if he really didn’t want to or he said he didn’t want to just so I could give him a surprise like every other year.)

We initially decided on Cilantro for his birthday dinner but it was fully booked on a Saturday night so Lafite it was.
I was actually really looking forward to try Cilantro, guess I’ll have to continue waiting. Lunch seems like a good idea! :B

Of Friends and Barbecue

May 5, 2014

It was one of the best day I spent with friends after a very long time!
All of us wanted a getaway but couldn’t seem to secure a place and date (up till today), so we settled for a mini get together at Verve Suites.

#1 Ee, Yan, and I had our brunch at Publika’s Redbeanbag before shopping for remaining groceries at Ben’s grocer.

We then went off to KL Sentral to pick our stewardess Foon back to Verve and started preparing whatever that was needed to for our barbecue at night.

#2 Then it was time to relax…

Osaka/Kyoto 2014 : Day 3

April 20, 2014

There’s something about small lanes in Japan. Their lanes look lovely, often brighten up by pots and pots of flowers and colorful bicycles. It really makes you want to stop walking for a while and embrace the moment, admiring back lanes that are so different back home.

#1 Aren’t they lovely?

It was a rainy day on our third day stay and it created quite a fair bit of trouble for us.
Wet shoes in a very cold weather, we couldn’t explore much and we have to forego visiting Osaka castle.
Not visiting Osaka castle equals to not visiting Eiffel tower at Paris, more or less.

For our first meal, we went to Osaka Central Wholesale Fish Market for Endo Sushi.
Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market is very well known but if you’re at Osaka and not Tokyo, Osaka fish market is a really good alternative.
You can wake up at 4am, head over to Osaka fish market and witness the all time famous fish auctions but if you’re not willing to sacrifice few hours of sleep it is still worth a visit. Or multiple visits.

#2 While waiting in line to try out really fresh sushi.

Do expect a 15 to 20 minutes walk from train station to Osaka fish market.
To avoid waiting in line, do go before lunch time or after.
Endo sushi’s menu consists of 4 to 5 sets of sushi and for each set, there are five pieces of sushi available.
Each set of sushi costs 1050 yen which is fairly reasonable considering how good the sushi is.

#4 Le mom and le aunt having some serious talk?

#5 The sushi were very fresh and tasty, we enjoyed it a lot!! It was the best sushi I ever had in my entire life so far!! Fresh, juicy, sweet, all in one!

After enjoying our sushi, we continued eating elsewhere.
We were just really random the entire trip, mainly because I find it really hard for me to read their address and navigate.

#6 Beef innards.

#8 We then moved on to Sennichimae Doguyasuji which mainly sells kitchen related products for the aunties to shop around.

#9 And continued eating again after that.

My aunt did not really enjoy the eating part mainly because she’s not used to Japanese food and as for us, we ate like there’s no tomorrow haha.

#10 My mom insisted that she wanted to eat puffer fish sashimi or Fugu sashimi as the Japs called it but it wasn’t her first time. I guess she just really wanted us to try. Thank God I’m alive by the way because puffer fish if not prepare right has the ability to cause death with it’s tetrodotoxin poison.

#11 One of the must eat in Osaka besides takoyaki and okonomiyaki is kushikatsu. I wanted to buy this man home (in a keychain form) but it was too expensive! T_T

#12 Kushikatsu is actually fried food in sticks (very different from tempura) and you eat them by dipping into a sauce that’s provided on every table. The rule is to only dip into the sauce once.

#13 It’s a great snack for light eating, fried to perfection and the sauce tasted salty with a tinge of sweet and sourness in it.

#14 Too-funny-to-be-ignored-statue. It was raining the whole day so I was really tempted to buy their plastic see through umbrella but I figured it’ll be too much of a hassle for me to bring back home. Rain eventually stopped too and what happened next was a lot of Japanese just leave their umbrella on benches everywhere on the street.

So what I did was to pick up a free umbrella and brought it home. HAHAHA CHEAPSKATE SIAL!
Sometimes I cannot believe what a cheapskate I am but a thrifty lady makes a good housewife you see.

#15

#16 Three of us; petite, skinny, and short but eat like monsters wtf.

I once ate a bowl of beef noodle and then ordered another plate of chicken rice from the stall beside and finished everything by myself. If it weren’t for the genes from my parents, I would’ve become a freaking giant by now. Sometimes I scare myself wtf.

#17 At about nine, we met up with Ian and his wife and they brought us to a hot spring near our accommodation. Vending machine for towels and other necessities.

#18 Took this picture when the place was closing.

The sections were separated between female and male and all guests are require to strip of naked before going into the designated area.
I know these are very common in Japan but it was a very embarrassing moment for me!
I really don’t go naked in front of anyone and I believe most people don’t just go naked randomly either so it was quite nerve-wrecking for me. I can only go naked in front of one person WTF hahahaha!

It became even more embarrassing when I have to be naked in front of my mom and vice versa seeing her naked.
Thank God I’m a petite so I can actually block whatever that is needed to be block with the face towel I purchased.

You can choose to stay indoor or dip yourself at their outdoor hot spring and I find it quite enjoying to do it in the outdoor area when the temperature was really cold.

#19 That’s how you’re suppose to shower after all the dipping, sitting on a small stool.

Although embarrassing at first but it turned out to be really relaxing and a place like such in Japan is a must go!

#20 Ended my night with a bottle of milk before packing up my luggage.

#21 If you’re a person who couldn’t stand cold like me, heat pack is a must to cold places! For few ringgits a pack, it’ll keep you warm for about 12 hours and I’d say I was glad I bought those. One is for you to keep your hands warm, just place it in your pockets and another is for you to stick on your chest or wherever. You can buy these heat pack here from travel stores.

#22 Alas, Tokyo Banana given by our host to us as a gift. How sweet. The flowers on banana looks very appealing and cute but I don’t know how it tastes like cause I gave mine to Fatty. I don’t eat banana. :)

This is the end of my very short but delicious Japan trip. Japan is such a nice place I’m sure when I get the chance to explore it with Fatty, we’ll have the time of our life.

Another city marked off my world map, life has never been better in my travel chapter.
And it’s just gonna get better and better. :)

Osaka/Kyoto 2014 : Day 2

April 8, 2014

On our second day, Japan decided to be a little more generous and gave us the heat we wanted to keep ourselves warm. It was really sunny. We went over to Kyoto which is just an hour away from Osaka. Initially Nara was in our itinerary too but we were running out of time so I have to save Nara for the next time.

#1 But first, let me take a selfie. HAHAHA stupid song.

#3 We were all really hungry when we arrived Arashiyama, so we randomly went into the first restaurant we chanced upon.

Arashiyama (嵐山 Storm Mountain?) is a district on the western outskirts of Kyoto, Japan. It also refers to the mountain across the Ōi River, which forms a backdrop to the district.

#5 This is Togetsukyo Bridge in Arashiyama which is a well known landmark.

#6 Bought green tea ice-cream from a stall nearby and it was really good! Knowing that it’s a sunny day, I had the chance to wear my skirt instead of pants. Beige trench coat from Zara Kids, for only RM79.90!! So worth it I want to cry LOL!

#7 Was really excited when I spotted geisha so I went over and asked for pictures. Or maybe they’re maiko, I cant differentiate.

#8 Super HUGE daikon or white radish as we call it. Mom said it was really heavy!

We spend quite sometime exploring the souvenir and snack shops around Arashiyama.

#9 Couldn’t spot any Sakura as we were two to three weeks earlier but Plum blossoms were everywhere.

#10

#11 What a pretty sight to behold! To be honest I do not know how to differentiate Sakura and Plum blossom, why do they look so alike to me?

#12 Wish I could see the real Sakura though since they only appear for such a limited time.

Tenyru-ji is a major temple of the Rinzai School. It was built in 1339 on the former site of Emperor Go-Daigo’s villa after a priest dreamt of a dragon rising from the nearby river.

The main attraction of Tenryu-ji Temple is the Zen garden dating back to the 14th century. A triumph of design, the garden features a large pond which catches the reflection of the maple trees and large rough-cut rocks on the periphery. It also makes use of “borrowed scenery” from the nearby hills of Arashiyama, which appear to be the next tier of the garden.

#13 Mom and I at Tenryu-ji temple, one of my favourite picture with her thus far. :)

#14

#15 Followed the path along Tenryu-ji Temple and it will lead you to Sagano bamboo forest, one of the very famous attraction at Arashiyama.

#16 Le bro and I. Walking along and between stretches of bamboo trees was very calming, soothing and relaxing.
But because time was our biggest issue, we couldn’t stay for long.

#17

#18 I just kept saying, ‘Japan is really very Japan indeed’ lol. You know how sometimes you eat a piece of chicken and then you’ll say, ‘This chicken taste very chicken’. Okay, maybe it’s just me haha.

#19 The weather started getting warm so we all get to take off our outerwear for awhile. :)

My yellow knitwear is from Zara Kids too, for Rm39.90! :D

#20 Look at that sun ray, we were all very happy because it was very cold the day before.

After leaving Arashiyama, we went over to Higashiyama district. It was quite a long walk from the nearest train station, for about 20 minutes or more maybe.

#21 Randomly walked into a praying shrine after I spotted some really colorful hanging pouches.

#22 I mimicked the Japanese and prayed, not sure if I did it correctly though.

We walked uphill along Higashiyama district, entering and exiting shops while heading towards Kiyomizudera Temple.

#23

Kiyomizudera (清水寺, literally “Pure Water Temple”) is one of the most celebrated temples of Japan. It was founded in 780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the wooded hills east of Kyoto, and derives its name from the fall’s pure waters. Kiyomizudera is best known for its wooden stage that juts out from its main hall, 13 meters above the hillside below.

#24 I wanted to write my wishes on a piece of wooden plate and hang it but I was too stingy to do so because it will make me go 700yen poorer. I think it was 700yen.

#25 And then I prayed again wtf. (Let me eat all the sashimi in Japan lol).

#26 From above.

#27 I was actually looking forward to drink their holy water too but the queue was too long I cant be arse. There will always be a next time I told myself.

#28 From below, the famous wooden stage of Kiyomizudera Temple.

By the time we were done with Higashiyama, evening started to set in and because my mom and my aunt were too tired we forego Nara.
I was actually very looking forward to hanging out with lotsa deer but since Fatty too has not been to Nara we can go visit together in the future. :)

#29 Randomly went into an Udon shop, I tell you it’s very Japan one.

#30 Don’t remember how much this bowl of Udon cost but it is really cheap and really good too! So cheap we were shocked. Love lah, warm hearty bowl of Udon. Slurp.

#31 In a convenient store before heading back to Zebra House.

Sometimes I still couldn’t believe that I’ve been to Japan and back.
I used to hate Japan so much that this country has never been in my ‘country to visit’ list.
And I hated Japan so much because of the way Japanese used to torture innocent people during war.
What was I thinking? Such an extreme person LOL.

Osaka/Kyoto 2014 : Day 1

April 2, 2014

I never thought that I’ll get to go to Japan this soon because a place like Japan is way out of my budget.
There’re always pros and cons in every decision made and like I said my brother being a pilot tends to make me feel paranoid but one of the perks is of course, very cheap air tickets.

My brother works in AirAsia and by right, he can only get us free tickets to nearby places aka short-haul flights destination.
Destination operated by AirAsia X is out of the story but it was very kind of the company to give out free tickets to 6 long-haul destinations.
My family decided on Osaka!

I only paid RM200+ for airport tax and there I was, in Japan! Even my domestic flight tickets costed more than that!
We only managed to explore Japan for a total of 3 nights and 4 days because my brother couldn’t get anymore off days but that alone is a blessing to me.
As for accommodation, we booked a 2 bedrooms apartment via Airbnb and the total damage is only Rm200+ per person for 3 nights. There were 4 of us; my mom, my aunt, my brother, and me. Luck was with us too when Airbnb decided to give discount for first timer. :)

So all in all, flight plus accommodation in Osaka only costed me about Rm500! Nothing gets cheaper than this!
I was too tired and lazy to go around the house snapping pictures but here’s how the place looks like (took these from Airbnb).

airbnb2
#1 Living area with filled with travel guides. There’s also a tv for you if you’re bored. A double bed in one of the two bedrooms which can surely accommodate more than two.

airbnb3
#2 Dining area and a kitchen, fully equipped with pans, pots, and even a coffee machine.

airbnb1
#3 A tatami room as the second room whereby can sleep up to 3 people.

airbnb
#4 Bathroom separated from washroom and because it is separated we tend to save up more time.

Zebra house is kept really clean and tidy, fully equipped with whatever you will need. Hosts are a Taiwanese and a Chinese, so it makes communication much easier for us. They are extremely friendly and caring. Walking to the nearest train station takes about 10 minutes and they will offer us a ride from station to house whenever they’re available.
Highly recommended for it’s price, cleanliness, and hosts that will not disappoint.

As for transportation in Japan, cheap is not something you will get but buying rail passes is the best way to go in order to save up as much as you can.

We stayed at Amagasaki area and the train that operates around that area is Hankyu Kobe line.
It is all very confusing to me at first because there are two many lines and you’ll be unsure of which type of passes you should buy.
Different line actually means different train company (kinda) and if you buy JR pass, you won’t be able to use that pass on a subway. It really depends on the area you stay and which type of line you’ll like to use.
Japan’s train line is very very confusing (to me) and to make things really simple, I went to Hyperdia website. Hyperdia is a website for you to look at train timetables and to search for routes.
For example, if you’d like to go to Amagasaki Station from Osaka station and is unsure of the best route, you can key in the said destination on Hyperdia and automatically they will come up with a list of different routes, trains, and time for you to decide on. You can even key in the exact time you want to board a train and see which is the closest to the time you want. Hyperdia will also break down the price for you if you’re taking more than one type of train so Hyperdia is really the way to go for tourists who find Japan’s train line all too confusing.

Most tourists will opt for JR passes but because we have to take Hankyu Kobe line (which is not JR), we decided on Kansai Thru Pass instead. Kansai Thru Pass is only available for tourists.

Foreign visitors to Japan can purchase the Surutto Kansai 2 Day and 3 Day Ticket inside the Kansai Region, across Japan and outside of Japan at any time of the year. This version of the pass is called “Kansai Thru Pass”.
Points of sales inside the Kansai region include Kansai and Itami Airport and information and transport bureau centers in Osaka, Kyoto and Nara, as well as several hotels in the Kansai Region. In the rest of Japan and outside of Japan, the ticket is available through major travel agencies.

Kansai Thru Pass includes all the trains, subways, and buses except for JR train around Kansai region (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, etc) and in my opinion it seems more flexible this way.
For a 2 day pass, you’ll have to pay 4000yen and for a 3 day pass the cost will be 5200yen.
Here’s the ultimate guide to Japan rail passes to make it easier for you.

As for internet, they do not really sell data sim card like most countries do and instead they will rent you pocket wifi. They cost about 900yen+ for a day if I remember well and in my opinion, it’s really quite expensive but you probably just have to because they don’t really have wifi around. If you really want a data sim, you’ll have to buy in advance from b-mobile on the net and have them send it to your hotel or airport. Japan is such a technology advance country and yet they make it so hard for us tourists. I did not rent my pocket wifi from Kansai airport. I rent from our Airbnb host instead because for the entire stay he only charged us 900yen. :)

We arrived in Kansai Airport around 3 in the afternoon and we headed straight to Namba station and not to Zebra House because our host, Ian suggested that we walk around Namba area in order to fully utilize the time we had. Going back and forth will take us too much time as the shops closes about 8 plus.
Quite a good idea actually and don’t worry about all the luggage, they actually have lockers at their train stations that fit different sizes of bags and luggage.

“Namba is a district of Osaka, Japan. Namba is regarded as the center of so-called Minami (“South”) area of Osaka.”
There’re a lot of shops, boutiques, restaurants and stalls around Namba area, so it’s really quite a nice place to walk around, shop a little, eat a lot, and to look at some local Japanese.
After sorting out our luggage at the locker room, we headed to Dotonbori direction which is one of the main tourist destination in Osaka.

It is a single street, running alongside the Dōtonbori canal between the Dōtonboribashi Bridge and the Nipponbashi Bridge in the Namba ward of Osaka. A former pleasure district, Dōtonbori is famous for its historic theatres (all gone now), its shops and restaurants, and its many neon and mechanised signs, including snack/candy manufacturer Glico’s giant electronic display of a runner crossing the finish line.

#6 The first ramen shop we came across while walking towards Dotonbori.

#7 The ramen was 600yen (1000 yen = Rm33 more or less) and we ordered it via their vending machine. Me mom was seriously enjoying that bowl of ramen haha.

#8 Right after a bowl of ramen we randomly walked into a yakitori eatery. The shop is really small and cozy.

#9 It was so random but so good!

#10 Unlike most yakitoris that normally taste the same be it beef or chicken (because they use the same sauce), the yakitoris we had there tasted very different. Me and my brother enjoyed our yakitoris a lot because it was really really good.

#11 When you spot Glico Man, you’re right at Dotonbori. Dotonbori is a very fun street to explore besides the food, their signage is extremely large. Quite a way to attract attentions.

#12 Huge ass crab which you definitely will not miss. Fatty insisted that I try their crab and so I did.

#13 It was quite pricey…

#14 …but super delicious!! The crab was really sweet and to be frank I haven’t tasted a crab this sweet before. It was so good I ate it again 2 days later.

#15 Cheap gyoza! 6 pieces for 200yen only!

#16 Want a piece of sushi? Sushi is what I most look forward to!

#17 My all time favorite, sweet shrimp sushi! Satisfied my cravings a whole lot! What I like about Japan’s sushi is that they’re very generous with the size of said raw seafood unlike what we have here in Malaysia.

Not much pictures were taken because all we did was just to eat and eat.
To conclude my day one in Japan, we were actually extremely cold (8 celcius) and tired but beyond happy too.

First quarter of 2014.

March 27, 2014

A lot has happened this March.
Never in a million years have I thought that I will experience this so soon but yet I did.
In fact, it isn’t just March.
Not sure for you but my 2014 hasn’t been smooth thus far.

I started off the year with a lot of arguments. There were too many dissatisfaction which lead to quarreling every alternate days.
I was back to my old emotional self for awhile and that hurts a lot.

Just when the arguments started wearing off and I was back to my old happy self, really looking forward to my Japan trip I read a bad piece of news.
Our very own MAS airplane went missing while on the way to Beijing, few days before I flew off to Osaka.
I was affected by the news because I was afraid (I’ve always been afraid of boarding a plane that will crash).
Not only was I affected because I was afraid of boarding a plane so soon but I was also very afraid and concern over my brother’s safety.
He’s a pilot and I don’t want to imagine losing a family member this close to me after my father’s death.
Not sure how my mom feels but every single time my brother step out of the house for work, I feel scared.
And every time I see him coming home in one piece, I feel relieved.
I also have friends who work as a pilot and stewardess, so it does really affect me in a way.

I was constantly updating myself by reading the news while I was at Japan but because I was travelling, I wasn’t that focus.
The travelling did lighten my heart a little bit during that few days.
Then I came home on Friday, got myself a complimentary ticket to FMFA which was great at first.

I partied, had fun, went back to Fatty’s place, slept, and woke up with the worst news after 14 years.
A very very good friend of mine passed away at that exact same place, it was too hard to digest.
In fact he passed me by at the rave and I kept thinking to myself if I have followed him that night, he might still be here.
If I had done a little bit more, just a little bit more by following him. But I did not and he’s a very close friend of mine, so this feeling inside of me really…… I don’t even know how to describe.

It was such a hard time for all of us, all of his close friends and family.
I find it hard to face his mother because occasionally I’ll end up at his house and then bump into his mother and talk a little.
I also find it very hard for me to see how upset and heartbroken my boyfriend was. I just cant do anything to make him feel better.
Then there were a whole lot of close friends who were heartbroken at the same time too.
The pain from seeing my love one being heartbroken, the pain from seeing all my close friends being heartbroken, and the pain from in within feeling really heartbroken.
It was too much to handle and up till this day I still feel like it was a really really bad dream sometimes.

After trying to get it together for a week, I received another news from my bestfriend that her dad passed away.
I was lost for words.
Another week passed by and now, our prime minister announced that our very own MH370 ended up in Indian Ocean.
That’s a whole fucking lot of lives we’re talking about. I was really saddened by what he announced because deep down I wished that the plane was just lost. Lost not perished.

Actually I still have this hope in me somehow that this was just a mistake. Who knows, we’re all capable of making mistakes even our very own prime minister.
What I prayed for during my Bangkok trip and Chinese New Year didn’t come true at all.
I wish for health and safety of my family and friends but that didn’t happen. I wish for happiness for all of them and that didn’t happen.
Was I not sincere enough?

One piece of long ass heart broken post and I’ll update on my Japan trip next.
I want nothing but the remaining of the year to be free from sadness, that’s all.