minamimusings

My husband and I haven't been to Singapore for some time, and to be perfectly honest, we've never had the inclination to visit unless it's for a specific reason like a scheduled event, an exposition or convention. So, yes, it was Echelon Asia that eventually prompted us to go for a short trip last month... well, he had to attend it and I was along for the ride. Fortunately, the National Gallery was hosting an exhibit by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama at the time, which I looked forward to, so there's that. Yayoi Kusama. In the middle of the exhibit, there's a video wall showing the artist singing a song she wrote. Image-heavy after the jump!

Sooooo, I have been on a few trips back to our favorite Land of the Rising Sun since my last entry here, but I haven't had time (or effort) to organize my thoughts and photos. Meh. In the meantime, I want to share some posts from when I went to the World Expo back in 2010. I didn't have a lot of access to the internet back then, so they were hosted by my now-deleted LJ. :) ---- The Shanghai Diary #1, also known as, "I can’t tweet, so help me God!"  I woke up in this room that’s strangely reminiscent of the room I stayed in in Tokyo with Paul, but this one has no windows, the carpet is really dingy, and I’m crossing my fingers really hard there are no bedbugs. Surprisingly, I am online! We found the ethernet cable and, consequently, the internet. (YEY!) However, I don’t know what I was expecting knowing that most of the sites I frequent and use as my sounding boards–facebook, twitter–are blocked. Livejournal, obviously, surprisingly, isn’t.  So is Gmail. (Ho...

Ok, this was a long time coming, but now that we've tackled flights, let's talk accommodations. But before all that, make sure to read my previous post on choosing hotels . Done it? Great! With the presence of the internet, booking places to stay has never been easier. There is a wealth of sites dedicated to the hospitality industry, with photos and reviews. Travelers now have better knowledge of different properties, and thus, better control over their decision-making. Plus, it doesn't hurt that because of all the competition, some websites offer special deals and discounts! Here are my favorite ones to visit when I'm looking for places to stay, whether it be in Japan or other countries.

One of the most important things to consider when traveling is having the right pair of shoes. I think that they can either make or break your trip or rather, your feet, especially in places where you have to walk all the time. I'm very particular about shoes and I tend to only bring one pair when traveling, depending on the place we're visiting. For sunnier climes, I have my favorite Fitflop sandals. These are my go-to shoes for Singapore, Hong Kong, countries in southeast Asia and local spots. They are SUPER comfy, as they're designed to cushion our feet , which means MAXIMIZED WALKING! Different styles mean you can take your pick of which sandal will best complement your travel fashion, so they can be casual or trendy. I admit that they're pricey as they average about 4000PHP a pair, but they are worth it because they last long--I've owned mine for about 4 years or so? And I've basically worn them everywhere! I even wore a pair to a wedding because they w...

This was originally part of my Accommodations post, but seeing as it got too long, I'm using it as a separate entry. Yay! More blog posts! So, how to choose where to stay? Here's what I think: 1. Choose a place near a railway station. Wherever you decide to visit, my key recommendation, owing to the nation's advanced, extensive, and hugely efficient transportation system, is to stay near a railway station. If you are near one, you can basically get anywhere. An added plus is that Yamanote Line (the train that goes around Tokyo) stations usually have affordable dining options nearby. 2. Map out your itinerary and see where you find yourself spending the most time in! Railway tickets can get pricey--the minimum you'll pay for a stop on Tokyo's Yamanote Line is 130Y or about 65PHP--so it might also be best to map out the exact tourist spots you plan on seeing, or seeing more of, and look for a good place to stay nearby. For example, when we're in Tokyo, m...

Happy New Year! It's the first month of 2015, and if you're Pinoy and planning a trip to the Land of the Rising Sun this year, well, there's no better time to start than now. Trip planning always starts with a little research, and here I am joining the number of blogs that have shared their insight on which airline to take and which room to get. Flights There are a number of airlines that fly direct to Japan from Manila, and here's what I think of the most popular ones. Cebu Pacific is the budget airline famous for its piso fares that have made it possible for the average Pinoy to travel. They run out quickly, but if you're fast and extremely lucky, your round-trip will only amount to four whole numbers, which gives you room to book extra baggage for the trip back. Even if you don't get the cheapest fare, anything below 30,000php (which is the usual price for a Japan trip) already saves you money, although personally, Cebu Pacific is only a steal if I p...

For us wee Asian muggles who missed our letters from Hogwarts and despaired of ever setting foot in anything Harry Potter-related, the news of Universal Studios Japan building its own Wizarding World theme park came as an answer to a prayer. Finally! We can fulfill our Hogsmeade dreams of drinking butterbeer! Notwithstanding the obvious language barrier, WWHP in USJ is... in a very cliched term, several kinds of awesome. Several different kinds of awesome. It's like unicorns and rainbows and chocolate and winning the lottery all at the same time. (On second thought, maybe not so much winning the lottery... but it's close!) Here are some hopefully helpful tips for first-timers on their way to demand their much-sought-after letters from Japanese Dumbledore.

Honestly, I wasn't prepared for Europe. I thought I was, I thought I had read everything I could to prepare, but the continent threw me for a loop that left the pompous, arrogant, thoroughly pampered Asian traveler in me reeling. So, basically this is a LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES blog post for you who might stumble onto my humble site looking for a few more tips from recent travelers. Apologizing beforehand for the messiness of it all. ----- Don't bring a super-large or heavy suitcase unless you're sure you're going to be on one of those escorted coach tours with its own bus and baggage handlers tipped and paid for. Basically if you're doing-it-yourself, but still not qualified as a backpacker, a small-sized suitcase will do. Prepare to do laundry. Bring a foldable bag you can use for souvenirs when they won't fit in your suitcase anymore. Take note: There's a " tourist tax " for being in Europe, depending on which country or city you...

Here's a delayed hotel post about the place we stayed at in Jakarta. Because the trip to Jakarta was more of a business trip than anything, the choice of hotel was already predetermined by my husband's company. The Rasuna Icon is a quaint little boutique hotel (only 6 floors!) located in the middle of Jakarta. I would say it's near the business district, except there doesn't seem to be exact boundaries on where certain districts are, and so everything looked like the business district to me. It was also partly residential, when I think about it. I can say for sure that it's not near any of the major tourist spots. Also, going there is a bit of a pain because the taxis don't seem to know where it is even if you give them the complete address and a mini-map. And even though the place is at the end of a very long, narrow, two-car, two-way street, I noticed that the drivers like to take the long route and enter it from the opposite end, but I chalk this up to the...

Our big Eurotrip was coming up and I didn't have a single thing packed into my suitcase. But because I am an avid fan of the saying "When in doubt, check the internet", that's exactly what I did, hoping it would give me some answers. I concentrated my search parameters on the three countries we would be visiting and the period of time we would be there--during that crazy transition phase between spring and summer when the weather gets SO unpredictable--and came up with TWO conclusions: One, "Layers!" and, two, "Scarves!" "Scarves" is easy. "Layers" was tricky. It meant clothes that you could mix and match and wear over each other in different ways to create new looks so you don't end up looking the same. They should be light enough to stack on but not add so much weight to your luggage. I understood that part. What I did have a problem with was that most of the samples people posted on their parts of the web consisted of...

So this is where I get to share my most awesome day of wearing an actual kimono and walking along actual temple streets in actual Japan. LOL. Obviously, I love kimono! The color, the pretty designs, the formality, the elegance and daintiness of it all... One of my big dreams has always been to wear one, and specifically, wear it in its native land. Back when we first travelled here in 2007 , my goal was to own a set, however, I balked when I saw how much a new one (or even an old one) costs; I decided to purchase yukata, the summer kimono, instead. Because we were headed for Kyoto for this trip, I thought, well, why not see if I can wear one while touring their amazing temples? Magpaka-ilusyonada nang nasa Memoirs of a Geisha or Rurouni Kenshin!   It took procrastinating and a lot of very-rushed, should-I-shouldn't-I decision-making before I made reservations with Okamoto Kimono's branch in Kiyomizuzaka. At the time, I thought we could maybe visit three or four temples, an...

Girls in kimono in Kiyomizu-dera. There are a number of shops that rent out kimono in Kyoto and offer kimono-wearing services. Because Kyoto is a big tourist area--currently Conde Nast's top Asian destination for the second year --they cater mostly to travellers and tourists both foreign and local, although the Japanese are also apt to acquire their services for special occasions due to the expense of owning the actual garment. (Also, renting offers more variety.) Here are links to some of the stores with english websites: 1. Sensho Kitamura Location: 470 Shimokawaracho Higashiyama-ku Kyoto-shi kyoto 605-0825 Price: 5250Y (includes dressing, accessories and hair setting) Return on or before: 6:00PM 2. Yume-Kyoto Location: ( main shop ) 300 Gion-cho Higashiyama-ku Kyoto-shi ACROSS Yasaka building 4F ( Kodaiji shop ) Masuya 2F, 362-5 Masuya-cho, Higasiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi 605-0826 Price: for female, 3500Y if they choose for you, 5250Y if you choose for yourself (...

Well, this is interesting. From site: Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines Following Japan's slight lift of visa restrictions last June , now Taiwan has decided to be more lenient with Filipinos entering their territory. The condition that you have never worked in the country means they're ensuring you're not there to become an OFW (or eventual TNT). And the one for having a valid first world country visa means that if those stricter, go-through-your-application-with-a-fine-tooth-comb embassies can let you in, then maybe you're good enough to temporarily visit them as well. Honestly, and let me get sidetracked here for a moment, I think it makes their job sifting through applications easier. Let's face it, the US, Japan, and Europe's applications cost, plus they're not very generous with giving away those fancy rectangular stickers. We have a friend who, despite his history of European travel, wasn't granted a visa this time around. And...

When my husband goes on out-of-town trips, I tend to tag along. (I pay for my own expenses, of course.) So in February, when he said, "Hey, I have another conference and I'm thinking of extending my stay. Wanna join?" I said, "Sure. Where to?" He replied, "Jakarta." I exclaimed, "You want to extend your stay THERE?! WHY???" In all honesty and with no disrespect, I've never heard good things about Jakarta. When people think of Indonesia, they think of Bali beaches. Or Yogyakarta's ancient structures. But when the capital is mentioned in the news, it's accompanied by reports of unrest, rallying, fighting, things getting bombed, and traffic. LOTS AND LOTS OF TRAFFIC. I really didn't want to go to Jakarta.  But that month, I found myself inside the Soekarno-Hatta airport musing for the thousandth time about how pathetic any of the NAIA terminals compare to those of other countries. Ok. So it's not so bad...

UPDATE! Looks like we reacted too soon. Popping our bubble, the embassy clarifies that Filipinos still need to apply for visas when visiting Japan. However, when approved, you can now be granted multiple entry for up to three years. From: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan June 25, 2013  In celebration of the 40th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation, the Government of Japan has decided to begin issuance from July 1, of multiple entry visas for short-term stay to nationals of the Republic of the Philippines (ordinary passport holders) who reside in their home country. The further development of Japan-Philippines exchange is expected as a result of the issuance of multiple entry visas, including increases in the number of tourist from the Philippines who visit Japan and the enhancement of the ease of business transactions between the two countries. «Reference» Multiple entry visas for short-term stay for nationals of the Republic of the Philippines (ordinar...

I was going to post these with the other snapshots from Singapore, but, this is GARRETT POPCORN, something I've been totally addicted to ever since Paul and I bought a small pack at the branch in Universal Studios Singapore. They have several flavors, but I highly recommend their Chicago Mix, which combines their Cheesecorn and Caramel flavored popcorn in one pack of sweet and salty goodness! I must note that what I love the most about their cheese popcorn is they obviously don't use artificial powdered cheese flavoring. I'm not sure but I think they use a buttery kind of melted cheese, judging from the wet, yellow streaks on that flavor's glass container, and I guess each popcorn is covered more thoroughly this way. Gah, I don't know. They just taste SOOO GOOD! And just so yummy when alternated with their caramelcrisp popcorn!  Gad, I sound like a free ad. Haha! I really wish someone would franchise it locally. I would, if I only had the money. *WISHIN...

This is one of three or four Catholic churches in the vicinity of our hotel in Victoria St.  Harris Planerds in 313 Somerset. Sadly, it was closed the whole time we were there. :( See? The posters say the Boss went fishing. We thought it was because of the Muslim holiday, but we went back the next day and it was still closed. T_T Breakfast! Orange juice, chicken cup noodles and 4-flavored Yakult. Louis Vuitton, why all the tentacles in your store display!? This was in Marina Bay Sands. How are you not supposed to notice something like this??? The view of the ArtScience Museum and the surrounding area from the top of Marina Bay Sands. Yes. That's not a Jollibee. It's a Jollibean. This was cool. A baby seat by Combi in the female toilets. For parking your baby when mommy has to take a leak. LOL. (But really,  I think it's a great idea.)   The toilet also has an extra attached seat for children. You can r...