Tuesday, 14 December 2010

Ikebana Lessons!

June 15th

Tonight at Ikebana (flower arranging class) we did an arrangement with some very pretty flowers which I unfortunately don't know the names of!

Cooking lesson!

June 14th

Tonight's cooking lesson we made tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet), vinegar octopus and seaweed, pumpkin and miso soup! Yum!

Shirahama, Wakayama!

June 11th, 12th and 13th

We headed to Shirahama in Wakayama-ken for a long weekend at the beach! Shirahama is also known for its onsens (natural hot springs) and there are many around the town.

I had wanted to go to Shirahama for a long time as the beach is beautiful and the white sand is from Australia! We caught a bus from Osaka which took about 4 hours and then we set up camp and headed to the beach.

Our campsite


Amazing beach!


Such clear water :-)


Aussie sand!


Everyone at the beach at sunset


Beautiful sunset


For dinner we found a cool restaurant which had seats outside with a foot bath!

Me in the foot bath at dinner


The next day we tried the outdoor onsen right on the ocean - unfortunately the waves weren't big enough to come in! And then spent the afternoon at the beach.

Outdoor onsen right on the ocean


Eggs cooking in onsen water


Taube and I at the beach


The last day was a little rainy so we spent a bit of time in the onsen near the campsite and we were the only ones in there!

The outdoor onsen


Taube and I in the indoor onsen


We then got some lunch before catching the bus back to Osaka and the train home. Such a great weekend!

Ikebana Lessons!

June 1st

Tonight at Ikebana (flower arranging class) we did an arrangement with gladiolas and calla lillies.

Sunday, 12 December 2010

Food!! Glorious Food!! May

May

Amazing foods and drinks from this month -

Guacamole


Bubble tea - coconut!


Nachos


Taco salad


Sizzler main meal - steak and chicken parmigiana


Hamburger and fries in Tokyo


Homemade eggs benedict, my first time!

All night in Osaka!

May 29th

Well sadly Rachel is leaving in a few months so we needed to get in some 'last' things! We went to Osaka for a late Mexican dinner before heading out for a night of dancing. We all lasted till the morning and caught the first train home! :-)

Amazing Mexican at El Panchos


All of us at dinner


Pat and Jing


Taube and Rach


Em and I


Osaka lights


Rach rocking the dancefloor


Rach, Taube, Stef and I on the dancefloor - too hot!

Ikebana Lessons!

May 11th and 18th

At Ikebana (flower arranging class) this month we did two different arrangements.



Japanese cooking lesson!

May 17th

This month in our cooking lesson we made fried tofu with snowpeas, seared bonito and Nebaru fish with soysauce, yum!

Tokyo with Rachel!

May 1st - 4th

For Golden week (3 national holidays in a row) Rachel and I decided to spend 4 days in Tokyo.

Day one - we caught the overnight bus there on Friday night which meant we arrived at 7am, dropped our luggage off at the hotel and headed out sight seeing. We went up the Metropolitan Government building which has an amazing view of Tokyo, found the LOVE sculpture, found Burger King, Rachel tried the batting cages, had a nap, met up with our friend Makoto before going out dancing all night with Em and Jody!

View of Tokyo




I miss Burger King - it only exists in Tokyo!




Rach, me and Makoto


Out at a nightclub and the captain was there!


Walking home with the sun coming up!


Day two - we slept in and then headed to Harajuku for shopping and people watching, Yoyogi park and met Em and Jody. We went to probably the most amazing Mexican restaurant ever near Harajuku - thanks to Jody!

Harajuku


People dressed up near Harajuku


Rach and I in Yoyogi park


Em and Jody


Amazing enchilada


Cool poster in Shibuya


Day three - we went to Shibuya, Meiji shrine, Sizzler with Em and Jody and then to a cool theme bar - Lock Up!

Shibuya crossing


Meiji Shrine


Meiji Shrine


Sizzler!


My chemistry set drink!


My second drink - an eyeball!


Day four - we met Makoto and Yuki for lunch and then met Em and Jody for dinner before catching the shinkansen home!

Rach and Jody enjoying hamburgers!


Em and I enjoying hamburgers!


An amazing trip with an amazing girl!