Osaka music festival?!

I can't believe we are in Osaka already! Half way through our trip and 2 days here before heading off to sub-tropical Okinawa :) I will update about Kyoto soon as it was gorgeous.

We spent today in Osaka, after visiting Osaka Castle yesterday. Georgia and I walked around outside when we heard live music coming from the castle. We followed it to find three tents with local bands performing. All at the same time, next to each other... Interesting! But the bands were actually really good. Including a girl playing her own songs on the piano (I'm guessing they were her own, but she was singing in Japanese so I am not an expert haha).

At the far end of the area a big crowd was growing waiting for one band in particular to play. We joined the crowd and WOW! I was blown away by this band - they were a drumming band who were just amazing. Three guys on massive drums, a guy on bass and a guy on piano. It was just so so good. I have got a video to upload later but I can't get it sorted yet.

Here are a few of them photos anyway;








When they were finished (boo!) we walked back past these two... Only in Japan!




They were performing a song and dance, super cute but what are those outfits?! They were the subject of my photo today - very blurry (think I have solved this problem now thought!)




And this cute little chap just had to be photographed... Trying to step on an ant!



Off to the bamboo forest and either Mount Koya or Himeji Castle tomorrow!
Zai jian!
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A guilty purchase...

So walking down the streets of Namba in South Osaka we came across a shop called Beams. It looks like an Urban Outfitters so we went in, why not?!

I found this...


A fujifilm instant camera!

I have been looking for one in China for a few months, but with postage and film etc it was working out to be about £100 everything included.

In beams this beauty was ¥7000 - about £50. How could I resist?! So I didn't and now am the proud owner of this gorgeous blue instax camera. Unnecessary? Probably. Fun? Absolutely!

And here are a couple of the photos taken last night on our night out in Osaka (details to follow later!)








No idea who the gurning Japanese guy is. We attracted a lot of stares in the club!

And so to celebrate my new camera, here starts the one-photo-a-day-for-a-year 50 before I am 50 challenge! Who cares if is in the middle of the year!

Zai jian!

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Location:Osaka

Tokyo... And onto Kyoto!

Delayed post due to lack of wireless!


I am loving Japan :) the people are just lovely. I would kill my kids for using a word like that but I can't think of a better one to sum them up. Kind, helpful, considerate. Of course I am generalising here, and that's just from our small exposure so far. BUT so far we have had a random lady come up to us in the station when we were looking lost and confused (a common expression for us it seems!), explain to us the way to go and then actually take us there herself. As if that would ever happen in London or Shanghai! Plus amazingly helpful staff at restaurants, subways etc. I love the bows too, much nicer than a handshake!

Tokyo has been good fun - the bright lights were just as garish and fun as I imagined them to be and despite it raining heavily and constantly all day yesterday we got to see a lot. We started the day at Oeko Park, where the big museums and some temples are. There are three main ponds and two of them are covered in giant lily pads. It was very quiet there (it seems to be quiet everywhere - bit of a change from the shouting, hocking and beeping of Shanghai!)

We visited the Nippori Textile Town after that, every Pinterest girl's dream! I am glad Georgia was keen because I am not sure it would have been high on Steph's to-do-in-Tokyo list! (No idea why?!) I had to restrain myself but still walked away with 5m of 4 different types of fabric! 4 new projects lined up!

We moved into our capsule hotel yesterday afternoon. I am so glad we booked to stay there, it is something that springs to mind when people mention Tokyo and it was a great experience! They are actually a lot more spacious than I expected, plus complementary pyjamas (very sexy!). We didn't brave the communal shower/bath but we are going to have to suck it up tonight when we arrive at the ryokan!
We were going to the robot restaurant last nigh, which looked as awesome as it sounds, but it was fully booked until 10 by which point we would have missed the last train home and would have to spend the night down stripper street...! Never mind!

On our way to Kyoto! Bring it on!

Zai jian!
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Hello strangers!

Soooo I am pretty sure my last post was about my New Years resolution to keep on blogging...6 months later that has clearly worked out well!

But I am now on my SUMMER HOLIDAYS!! And I am travelling around Japan for just under 2 weeks and then on to Yunnan province in China for 2 weeks, THEN back to Shanghai, to Hong Kong and finally to Cardiff for Kat and Eliot's wedding :D so I thought this would be a good way to record what happens along the way!

Steph, Georgia and I safely arrived in Tokyo this afternoon! We are staying at Oak Hostel in the North of Tokyo which seems fine, complementary Japanese robe as standard! We went straight out to see Senso-Ji Temple, which was impressive. It has survived the earthquake but not WW2 so it was mostly rebuilt quite recently.

We had an amazing traditional dinner at a restaurant called Hana No Mae sat on the floor on the mats. There was a mock sumo ring too, which we enjoyed playing sumos in (especially after our big Japanese meal!)
Georgia and I have decided we will try something new at each meal and we outdid ourselves this evening - we tried Satsuma Age (fish cakes with egg, mushrooms and ginger), octopus tempura, tuna sushi, Japanese tea and also cider. It was all amazing, lots of photos taken but on my camera so they will follow. The tuna sushi was the best bit, though it looks completely different to how I think of as sushi - it was served in a big bowl (with a lot of wasabi!)

A great start to our trip, I can't wait to continue exploring tomorrow!

Zai Jian! (not sure what goodbye is in Japanese!)




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January fun!

Good evening!

I hope you are all having a good January and recovering from Christmas! Everyone got back into the swing of things straight away here; its been a really good couple of weeks at school and I FINALLY feel a bit more organised! Though I have probably completely jinxed that now!

The first weekend back I went out for my first Shanghai brunch - I can't believe it's taken me 5 months to finally get there! This was a Saturday brunch so it was slightly different, but the champagne was still free flow for 3 1/2 hours...! The rest of the people there weren't taking advantage of that but we were! And as a result...

And that continued on into the evening at various bars around Puxi and then to a Yunan restaurant called Southern Barbarian. We arrived halfway through the food, and were left with mashed potato(?), a tasty aubergine dish and some bugs. Yep, bugs. A choice of crickets, wasps or something else which I can't remember at the moment. However I am sticking with vegetarian January, so I couldn't try the bugs. Shame! After that came salsa dancing. No comment on that needed, haha!

Other highlights so far this month include going to see the Shanghai ballet's performance of Swan Lake. Apologies for the rubbish picture, but it was a lovely thing to see - I haven't seen a ballet before and it was so impressive. It was at the Shanghai Cultural Square in the French Concession which is impressive even by itself.

We wen't for a big breakfast at Glo London today. I have had it recommended by so many people and I wasn't disappointed!

Tasty veggie breakfast!

I am actually enjoying the veggie challenge, wasn't even tempted by the sausages (well maybe a little!)

Anyway, that is all for now! 

Speak sooooooooon! Zai jian!

First post of 2013!

Happy New Year!

People are always saying that they think New Years is overrated and an anticlimax. To a certain extent I agree, I think the actual night is usually a bit of a let down (present year excluded; lasagne, champagne and Articulate at Libby and Andrew's will never be a let down!). But I actually really enjoy starting the year fresh, it gives me a chance to think about the previous year, what I have achieved and what I want out of the next year. And it's always good to start new things with a whole year ahead!

What a wicked year 2012 has been! I think my top 5 moments of 2012 are:

- Celebrating Anushi and Akshar's wedding in India
- Completing my first 10k run with Kat
- Being a bridesmaid for Libby
- Moving to China and visiting Beijing/the Great Wall with Charlotte
- Being able to spend Christmas with my family and friends (after a lovely mini holiday in Thailand!)

And it looks like 2013 is shaping up to be a great year too, with lots of travel! Seeing more of China with Kat and parents, visiting Hong Kong, Japan and who knows where else in August! Plus being a bridesmaid for Kat in August!

But I also have some goals for 2013, I have been a bit resolution heavy this year:

- To be better at keeping my blog updated - even if no one reads it I like the idea of having a kind of journal I will be able to look back on in the future
- Complete at least two of my 50 in 50 tasks (veggie for a month and writing a letter/card every week for a year)
- Be better at facetiming/skyping friends
- To join another club/society outside of school
- To enter another challenge which will motivate me to get fit... Another run? Trek? Suggestions needed!
- To read more kids books - now I am teaching year 5 I never know what to recommend them to read! So ideally I want to read a kids book every month.

I know that is a lot of resolutions, but I am going to give it a good shot! Maybe review them in June!


Zai jian! X




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Last of 2012, but a resolution!

Ok, so my blog writing has been shocking recently, apologies for that. I am planning on updating it much more frequently next year, as it really doesn't take too long and I am also able to upload my photos now!

I won't go into detail about the last few months as I am sure I have spoken to most of you about it. But I am really enjoying being at home for Christmas, and can't wait to see all my friends in London over the next few days!

On a side note, I am looking for a new challenge for 2013.... Suggestions welcome!

X

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Location:Back in the UK!