So its been a while since I posted anything and that's cause I just got back from the best few days ever. Bridge and jules came to Nippon and i met them in Kyoto on the 31st December. It was snowing. It was cold but it was beautiful. We went to kinkakuji (golden pavilion). The next day we got on a train and went to hida takayama and the ride was amazing. I don't know how many photos I took of the snow. We got there and dragged our cases through the snow, (damn me for not having proper shoes) and got settled in. It was super quiet in town, dead in fact, but we found a fun little place to chow down on some ramen after escaping out of a yaki-niku shop that looked super cute on the outside but like a hairdresser on the inside, super strange. We took stroll through the picturesque town and it felt like10pm but it was only 6pm.
Time went slowly in this town. Forced relaxation.
So we headed down some stairs to a litltle izekaya that, from the outside, looked pretty trashy. BUT, on the inside it was super cute, shoes off, we had out own little booth with lowered table and we had to ring a little bell for service. No english menu but one with pictures, we made some good choices pizza, edammae, some skewers and then some bad choices, cartlege deep fried (it looked like popcorn chicken on the menu) and some kind of chicken gizzard. So we put them to side and kept on drinking. Then jules gets on his serious face and says 'i have a question to ask'. So i said,' this sounds serious, do we need another drink?' he says maybe and then whips out a massive diamond ring and says 'what do you think about this?'. I cover my mouth in shock and can't say a word. Bridge starts giggling and says 'is this a gift?' then she giggles some more and keeps eating edamame. jules looks a little nervous now and i am sending bridge telepathic message 'say something say something'. then she says 'of course'! Of course she said of course!! So then she puts on the ring, she didnt know which hand and it was all very exciting, but the whole time i am wishing that i could shrink into the timber walls behind me. i could not back into the corner small enough for my liking. I yell at jules and told him, he could have waited until i went to the bathroom or something. This is a moment that is for couples and i already feel like a third wheel on their tour through japan. Apparently jules had been carrying the ring around for days and had been waiting to find the right place to do it. he also had a speech prepared but that apparently went out he window when he decided to propose ina litltle izekaya in takayama! love it! so we celebrated an the rest of the Ong's came down to have a little drink....
Time went slowly in this town. Forced relaxation.
So we headed down some stairs to a litltle izekaya that, from the outside, looked pretty trashy. BUT, on the inside it was super cute, shoes off, we had out own little booth with lowered table and we had to ring a little bell for service. No english menu but one with pictures, we made some good choices pizza, edammae, some skewers and then some bad choices, cartlege deep fried (it looked like popcorn chicken on the menu) and some kind of chicken gizzard. So we put them to side and kept on drinking. Then jules gets on his serious face and says 'i have a question to ask'. So i said,' this sounds serious, do we need another drink?' he says maybe and then whips out a massive diamond ring and says 'what do you think about this?'. I cover my mouth in shock and can't say a word. Bridge starts giggling and says 'is this a gift?' then she giggles some more and keeps eating edamame. jules looks a little nervous now and i am sending bridge telepathic message 'say something say something'. then she says 'of course'! Of course she said of course!! So then she puts on the ring, she didnt know which hand and it was all very exciting, but the whole time i am wishing that i could shrink into the timber walls behind me. i could not back into the corner small enough for my liking. I yell at jules and told him, he could have waited until i went to the bathroom or something. This is a moment that is for couples and i already feel like a third wheel on their tour through japan. Apparently jules had been carrying the ring around for days and had been waiting to find the right place to do it. he also had a speech prepared but that apparently went out he window when he decided to propose ina litltle izekaya in takayama! love it! so we celebrated an the rest of the Ong's came down to have a little drink....
The next day the town seemed to wake up so we checked out the local markets, sake breweries and the old town with traditional streets. it was so beautiful...that night we ended up eating at some random restaurant as the doors opened on us automatically and we felt we should go in! it ended up being a great experience, we communicated though pointing at other people dishes and the waitress had the best laugh. the next day we were off to Yokohama.
So after walking around the block a couple of times we found the rose hotel pure 1980's. pretty funny. but great location, right on the edge of china town. we dropped off our bags and headed for port terminal while there was still light. Its still a great project, its aged really nicely and actually gets used. mostly to photograph minato mirai and the Ferris wheel....We had read about a themed park style restaurant that is supposed to be reminiscent on 1920's shanghai so we though that sounded interesting for dinner. we found it, but it was nothing more than a tacky food court and place where you could dress up and have glamour shots taken. so we headed back toward some busy looking street stalls and got some pork buns and dumplings take away and headed back to the hotel....after getting addicted watching some bad meg ryan film and then the aviater, went to bed, ready to hit Tokyo the next day.
A whirlwind three days....akihabara to look at electric town, through the CBD, imperial palace. Shibuya crossing, Parco basement, 270bar for dinner and drinks. (ps. the desserts there are really good)!
day 2, the fish market after 9am (no tourists allowed before 9am) , ate breakkie at a tourist sushi bars and downed a tasty (but overpriced) negitorodon. Then to harajuku, to the sou fujimoto exhibition its open till the 16h January at the warati museum, and its worth a look.
day 3, we met in ebisu for breakkie, walked through daikanyama and then went to ginza to see the sony centre. it was a little disappointing and i am not sure about the 3d tv's but it was worth a look. Then shimokitazawa for dinner. we met at the station and in one of the tiny back alleyways we found a place for dinner which is a tiny yakitori bar, so super cute, we made friends with the girl that works there, i wish i knew the name! so then we kind of bar hopped across shimokitaweren't quite ready to go home so we went to another bar (after accidentally going into a girlie bar and being told that it was probably too expensive for us! but then it got to about 3am and we were all a little tired so after a stop at maccas we caught a cab back to shinjuku and after a little teary at the station i was home about 4am.
day 2, the fish market after 9am (no tourists allowed before 9am) , ate breakkie at a tourist sushi bars and downed a tasty (but overpriced) negitorodon. Then to harajuku, to the sou fujimoto exhibition its open till the 16h January at the warati museum, and its worth a look.
day 3, we met in ebisu for breakkie, walked through daikanyama and then went to ginza to see the sony centre. it was a little disappointing and i am not sure about the 3d tv's but it was worth a look. Then shimokitazawa for dinner. we met at the station and in one of the tiny back alleyways we found a place for dinner which is a tiny yakitori bar, so super cute, we made friends with the girl that works there, i wish i knew the name! so then we kind of bar hopped across shimokitaweren't quite ready to go home so we went to another bar (after accidentally going into a girlie bar and being told that it was probably too expensive for us! but then it got to about 3am and we were all a little tired so after a stop at maccas we caught a cab back to shinjuku and after a little teary at the station i was home about 4am.
I had the best time with bridge and jules and did loads more sightseeing in 3 days than i have done in 3 months. When they left, i was sad. But on the upside, its only a month till i can see them again. xoxo
Oh Cass, its a FABULOUS story... I love it!! So happy you had an amazing time and the little places you found sound like a real holiday adventure... amazing photos by the way, I really love the second one of the temple, and Bridget & Jules look so cute all rugged up and big grins!
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