Our visit in Atomic Bomb Museum was very depressing but at the same time I felt that we must not shy away from visiting it. I wrote a lengthy post in IG on this day and I still stand by it.
Our visit in ATOMIC BOMB MUSEUM was very depressing but at the same time I felt that we must not shy away from visiting it. I wrote a lengthy post in IG on this day and I still stand by it. Japan definitely fucked up the Philippines during WWII and I can still recall the horrifying experiences shared by surviving comfort women when I was in college. Every deed that the Japanese soldiers did was unforgivable.
But, we cannot deny that the deaths of the innocent citizens in Nagasaki and Hiroshima were also unjustifiable. It put a stop to the war… but at what cost? May what happened be a lesson that in any war, no one wins and only casualties are gained.
Some of the stuff inside the museum were the wall clock that stopped at the time of atomic bomb explosion, a replica of Urakami Cathedral’s wall remnant, and videos showing uncensored dead bodies / injured survivors.
There was also a replica of the atomic bomb (called “Fat Man”) and what it contained inside.
When I read the poems made to the atomic bombing, I had to put a lot of effort not to cry really hard. C and I were not talking after our visit and had to eat after just to put some good vibes…
We visited IWASAKI HONPO near our Airbnb. Famous for its kakuni manju (¥400 per piece), we bought 6 pieces to share. The meat serving size was generous and it had a kinda melt-in-your-mouth texture. That brought up our mood to a bit of better one.
We bought castella (¥1,200) at FUKUSAYA, one of the famous shops in Nagasaki.
It was time for us to return to Fukuoka and for dinner, we decided to go to ICHIRAN to boost our mood again. We got the premium tonkotsu (kamadare style) set (¥1,580) which included extra chashu slices, tamago, nori, and kikuage. Only the Tenjin Nishidori branch and Hakata Station branch serves the kamadare style Ichiran ramen.
This was C’s first time to try Ichiran ramen and she really, really enjoyed the experience.
Going to Nagasaki’s Peace Park, we got off Ohashi Station instead of Peace Park. We decided to start at the end of the park then walk our way towards A-Bomb Museum.
MARCH 12, 2020
Going to NAGASAKI’S PEACE PARK, we got off Ohashi Station instead of Peace Park. We decided to start at the end of the park then walk our way towards A-Bomb Museum.
Our first encountered monument was the Peace Statue which symbolized a lot of meanings:
Right hand points to the threat of nuclear weapons
Left hand symbolizes tranquility and world peace
Sturdy physique embodies divine omnipotence and love
Closed eyes express prayer for the repose of the souls of all war victims
Right leg is for quiet meditation
Left leg is poised for action in assisting humanity
There was also a bell tower with a horrific account of a survivor from the atomic bombing in 1945…
Other monuments / statues in the park were gifted by different countries as an act of grief and prayer to never experience the tragedy of nuclear weapons ever again.
Tree of Life
Hymn to Life
Similar to Hiroshima, Nagasaki’s Peace Park also had its Fountain of Peace.
Near the park was the HYPOCENTER OF ATOMIC BOMB. There were info sheets detailing the tragedy that happened in 1945. The original remnant wall of Urakami Cathedral was also placed here.
They also encased stones that were damaged by the atomic bomb which served as proof that even sturdy materials were not spared by the explosion and radiation. Another grim reminder on the horrible effects of nuclear weapon.
There was not much in our itinerary so we decided to wake up late and start with a Curry 36 brunch. The place is famous for its currywurst, which is my sister’s favorite. I ordered one serving but ended up ordering another one because it was good and I was really hungry.
APRIL 26, 2019
There was not much in our itinerary so we decided to wake up late and start with a CURRY 36 brunch. The place is famous for its currywurst, which is my sister’s favorite. I ordered one serving but ended up ordering another one because it was good and I was really hungry.
First stop was CHECKPOINT CHARLIE, a former border crossing during the Cold War and division of Berlin.
Next stop was EAST SIDE GALLERY, a more than 1-km remnant of the Berlin Wall with series of murals painted on it. One of the prominent themes in the murals is the call for peace.
We still had time before leaving for Cologne so we went to DER EISLADEN IN BERLIN MITTE. My sister got her favorite coffee drink in Germany, Eiskaffee while I got the Apfelstrudel.
Despite the tiring walks from the previous days, I was still excited for this day trip because I would be going back to Ise Jingu.
During my previous visit, there were few people around because it was a weekday and we reached the place at around 8AM (read it here). But this time, it was a Sunday and already 10AM so there was a huge crowd of locals already.
Despite the tiring walks from the previous days, I was still
excited for this day trip because I would be going back to Ise Jingu.
NOVEMBER 25, 2018
From Kintetsu Nagoya Station, it was about an hour and a
half trip to Ujiyamada Station. And then from Ujiyamada, I rode a bus going to
Ise Jingu (Geku) for less than 10 minutes.
During my previous visit, there were few people around because it was a weekday and we reached the place at around 8AM (read it here). But this time, it was a Sunday and already 10AM so there was a huge crowd of locals already.
GEKU (Outer Shrine) of Ise Jingu was my first stop and this shrine is dedicated to Toyouke Omikami, deity of three essentials of human life: cloth, food and shelter.
After visiting the small shrine at the top of the small hill in Geku, I went back to the bus stop to go to Naiku.
Weekend bus time table from Geku-mae
Weekend bus time table from Naiku-mae
NAIKU (Inner Shrine)
was even more crowded than Geku. I wasn’t able to take a picture of Ujibashi Bridge but good thing I
already have one from the previous trip.
Wooden stands at one side of Ujibashi Bridge will be used in 2033 when Shikinen Sengu will be celebrated – a ceremony wherein all shrine buildings and main bridges in Ise Jingu are rebuilt every 20 years. Interestingly, the wood they use are sourced from trees grown within the shrine grounds. Shikinen Sengu happens every 20 years and the last time it has been held was in 2013. Through rebuilding, it is said that the power of the deity (Amaterasu-Omikami) is renewed.
Remember to walk along the side of the road because the center aisle is believed to be for deities only. Notice how most locals stay on the side.
When entering shrines and temples in Japan, temizu should be done to cleanse the mind and body as their gods are believed to hate impurity. In Naiku, aside from the common method of using a small wooden dipper, one option is to go to Isuzugawa (Isuzu River) to wash hands and rinse your mouth.
Seeing Naiku in autumn season was another treat – Isuzugawa was a nice spot to see trees in autumn colors.
The most crowded area in Naiku was Shogu, which is the main palace dedicated to Amaterasu-Omikami, Shinto’s most venerated deity. It is believed that her sacred mirror is enshrined inside the palace. Most people are not allowed to enter the inside of the palace but certain powerful people are given special exemptions.
Tall cedar tree with its base being touched by people for prayers
After going around a bit more, we decided to leave the
temple just in time for the bus going back to Ujiyamada Station.
A glimpse of Ujibashi Bridge
Ise Jingu will always one of my favorite places in Japan. I like the crunch sound whenever the sole of my shoes press on the pebbles, the bright rays of sunshine that are able to pass through spaces in between trees, and that unexplainable feeling of tranquillity in this place. I will definitely return there whenever possible during my future Japan trips!
We visited LAS CASAS FILIPINAS DE ACUZAR as our 2nd stop and this site is located in Bagac, Bataan. The literal translation for the name of the place is “Acuzar’s Filipino/Philippines Houses”, which is accurate as the restored Spanish-Filipino houses found in this area are Jose Acuzar’s property. It is amazing to learn that the houses here were carefully dismantled and meticulously re-assembled to preserve everything.
NOVEMBER 15, 2017
We visited LAS CASAS FILIPINAS DE ACUZAR as our 2nd stop and this site is located in Bagac, Bataan. The literal translation for the name of the place is “Acuzar’s Filipino/Philippines Houses”, which is accurate as the restored Spanish-Filipino houses found in this area are Jose Acuzar’s property. It is amazing to learn that the houses here were carefully dismantled and meticulously re-assembled to preserve everything.
For the admission fee, we paid Php 1,500 which includes access to the site, free guided tours, and towel + refreshments at the end of the tour.
Jeepneys inside the site are free of charge so it is easy to go from one place to another. The houses though are quite near to each other so we just walked. We only rode the jeepney to and from the entrance building.
Since we were there at past 12NN and the next walking tour would only start at 1:30PM, T and I decided to roam around the area first.
We went inside the open building near the walking tour area. We saw religious relics inside as well as exhibits with photos of historical churches and accompanying information about them.
Found a few nice spots to take own portrait pictures before the free tour started…
T and I took turns taking pictures in this vintage-looking vehicle. We initially thought it was a resting area because it was situated under a lot of trees, providing cool shade for tired visitors.
But one of the staff approached us and told us if we would be going to the beach area… Apparently this vehicle actually moves but follows a schedule, which is every 30 minutes. Since the free walking tour was about to start, we politely declined.
The free walking tour started on time so yay. It was really hot and humid during our visit but our tour guide, despite wearing long sleeves top and long skirt, carried on with the whole tour with a big smile. It was as if the scorching heat didn’t affect her! She told us the stories, origin, and controversies related to each casa we visited.
Aside from the informative tour, another advantage of joining is gaining access to casas that are not open to the public such as Casa Biñan and Casa Baliuag.
[Fun fact on the last two pictures: Shooting location for Gen. Luna’s Spoliarium-like death scene in “Heneral Luna” movie]
We were also lucky to chance upon a wedding that day. We only saw it from a distance though… Their wedding reception was already set up earlier that afternoon.
If we weren’t in a hurry to visit the next location, we would have done other activities in this area such as strolling along the beach area, doing the river cruise or kalesa ride, and visiting Hotel de Oriente.
All in all, I’d say this is one of the must visits in Bataan. T and I enjoyed our short trip here. 😊
T and I went to DAMBANA NG KAGITINGAN (Shrine of Valor), a historical shrine built on Mount Samat to honor the Filipinos and Americans who fought during World War II.
Before seeing the iconic 92-meter cross, we encountered the colonnade which houses sculptures made by National Artist Napoleon Abueva and stained glass murals designed by Cenon Rivera.
NOVEMBER 15, 2017
Because of the ASEAN holidays back in Nov 2017, T and I spontaneously thought of going out of town for the long weekend. She suggested Bataan and since I haven’t been there, I agreed to go there.
From Cubao, we rode an air-conditioned Genesis bus bound for Mariveles. We overestimated our travel time and reached the area of our Airbnb at 5AM. There were no street lights and we hopped off the bus at the wrong drop off… Good thing we were already near the Airbnb and I was able to contact the host before our phone’s signal turned to nil.
After catching some sleep, T and I went to DAMBANA NG KAGITINGAN (Shrine of Valor), a historical shrine built on Mount Samat to honor the Filipinos and Americans who fought during World War II.
Before seeing the iconic 92-meter cross, we encountered the colonnade which houses sculptures made by National Artist Napoleon Abueva and stained glass murals designed by Cenon Rivera.
Near the colonnade is the entrance to the underground museum, where war memorabilia are displayed – weaponry, uniforms, photos from the war, path of the Death March, and miniature display of mountains and their use during the war.
Our final stop was the cross but to get there, we had to climb hundreds of steps that zigzagged the area.
Upon reaching the cross, I was in awe of how huge it was. The sculptures found at the base of the cross were also works of Abueva.
The staff said that we would have a better panoramic view of Bataan if we go to the viewing gallery inside the cross. Unfortunately, during our visit, the elevator was under maintenance so we didn’t get to see it.
Still, there are other spots around the area where you can get a scenic view of Bataan. Our tricycle driver showed us one location and it was just breath-taking.
Next location we visited was Las Casas – stay tuned for the next post under Bataan 2017 trip.
Last day trip outside Osaka before we head back to MNL. Our destination is Ise-Shima, mainly because I want to go to Ise Jingu which is dedicated to the sun goddess, Amaterasu. Hence, it is considered as the holiest Shinto shrine in Japan. I read before that locals wish to visit this place at least once before they die.
January weekends were quite busy so I only had the time today to finally post the first half of our Ise-Shima day trip! Here you go…
MARCH 15, 2017
Last day trip outside Osaka before we head back to MNL. Our destination is Ise-Shima, mainly because I want to go to Ise Jingu which is dedicated to the sun goddess, Amaterasu. Hence, it is considered as the holiest Shinto shrine in Japan. I read before that locals wish to visit this place at least once before they die.
I bought our train tickets back in Manila by going to the English website of Kintetsu Japan. Got our Limited Express train ticket for ¥2,640 (2 pax) so we had an early train to catch for this day. The trip was about an hour.
Upon arriving at Ujiyamada Station, we looked for a bus that would take us to GEKU (OUTER SHRINE) of Ise Jingu. It is relatively smaller than Naiku (inner shrine) but nonetheless, a tranquil and breathtaking place. Geku is dedicated to Toyouke Omikami, deity of three essentials of human life: cloth, food and shelter”.
Further exploring Geku, I saw a couple going up these stairs and eventually found myself in front of a small shrine. Paid respect before leaving for Naiku…
From Geku, we rode a bus that would take us to Naiku. They said that another option is to walk but that would be too long and it us usually done for pilgrims.
Upon reaching NAIKU (INNER SHRINE), we were greeted by this first torii framing Ujibashi bridge.
Fun fact: Ujibashi bridge is rebuilt every 20 years as part of the Shikinen Sengu. The most recent Shikinen Sengu happened in 2013. All shrine buildings and main bridges in Ise Jingu are rebuilt every 20 years, and they source their wood from the trees grown within the shrine grounds. Through rebuilding, it is said that the power of the deity is renewed.
From the bridge, it was quite a long walk before we reach the area to do temizu. Notice how people only walk along the side and not stepping on the center area. If I remember correctly what our Tokyo tour guide said, this is because the center aisle can only be walked by their deities. It was easy to spot tourists because some kept on walking on the center part.
We reached the area where you could do the usual way of doing temizu but I could not pass up the opportunity to try the traditional way…
Here by the riverbed of the Isuzugawa, you can directly soak your hands in the water and rinse your mouth. Temizu is a must whenever entering shrines and temples as it is said that the gods loathe impurity; hence, the need to cleanse the mind and body through this method.
A little bit of walk from here and I saw the prayer hall, where I bought two types of omamori (Japanese amulet that provides luck or protection) for myself and one for our home.
Naiku is definitely bigger than Geku and the place does not feel like the usual shrine. Think of Meiji Jingu but a lot bigger and with longer walks from one spot to another. I definitely enjoyed walking slowly and taking in the sights here.
We finally reached the Shogu, the main palace. This is the area dedicated to Amaterasu-Omikami, Shinto’s most venerated deity, and her sacred mirror is believed to be enshrined inside. Most people are not allowed to enter here but donors and bigtime people are given special exemptions. Locals still pay their respect by bowing and praying.
After retracing our steps back to the entrance, we walked a bit more and reached OKAGE YOKOCHO. I read that this is part of Oharaimachi, the traditional approach to Naiku. The place is a recreation of how towns looked like from Edo to Meiji period.
An interesting thing here is “tabearuki” (食べ歩き), which means that food/local delicacies can be eaten while walking around the area. This is a big deal because in Japan, eating while walking is considered taboo and disrespectful.
Lobster croquette
With real lobster bits!
Did not like this 😦
Butasute (meat croquette)
We also passed by this shop which had a long line so we decided to join and see what the fuss is about. Apparently, they were lining up for this mochi-like product made of red beans. There was no English product callout or explanation so I am not sure what it is… But when I took a bite of it when I got home, I understood why. Not a fan of adzuki but this one did not have the overpowering bean taste plus it was not too sticky.
Some more exploration in the area and we found a shop that was selling fried chicken as street food. We bought one serving and we were blown away by the taste. I could not remember though the name of the place. 😦
We made sure that we were able to go around the whole area before we decided to get lunch… I realized that the only activity we did in Okage Yokocho was to eat. Oops! We went inside this restaurant called EBIYA (ebi means shrimp) because we were attracted by their menu outside the restaurant.
We both got the tekonezushi set meal, which included a huge piece of raw abalone. I have always been curious on how it tastes especially after seeing abalone in different Korean variety shows. Proof of its freshness was when I squeezed the lemon over it, the meat-like stuff wriggled for a long time!
Meal set J and I got
Raw abalone (gumagalaw pa!!)
Tekonezushi is also known as “fisherman’s sushi/meal” as it is believed that this originated from a meal that fishermen made while out in the sea. It is a local delicacy in Ise which consists of marinated red-meat fish (usually tuna or skipjack), vinegared rice, and garnish. In our case, we were served tuna with Japanese pickles.
Tekonezushi
Next half of our adventure in Ise-Shima is in the next post. 😊
NARA KOEN was our first destination but we were confused where to get off (while on the bus) so we chose a random stop. Apparently, the park was huuuge and all of the places we wanted to visit were all there. We looked for a quiet spot first to eat breakfast – and away from the deer!
MARCH 13, 2017
Another daytrip that we did from Osaka was to visit Nara. Our train ride was about an hour and a half, which gave us enough time to sleep because we woke up early.
NARA KOEN was our first destination but we were confused where to get off (while on the bus) so we chose a random stop. Apparently, the park was huuuge and all of the places we wanted to visit were all there. We looked for a quiet spot first to eat breakfast – and away from the deer!
After filling our tummies, we went to KOFUKU-JI (UNESCO) and we had free access to the temple grounds. Its five-story pagoda was an amazing sight and considered to be the second tallest in Japan.
We were unable to view Central Golden Hall (the main hall) because it was undergoing renovation. We decided to just explore the other parts of the temple grounds instead.
Since we did not have a lot of stops in our itinerary, J suggested we visit NARA NATIONAL MUSEUM. It was also raining so it would be good for us to seek shelter for the meantime. Taking pictures was not allowed inside but it was worth the visit. The extensive history of Buddhism can be found there as well as A LOT of Buddha and Buddhist-related statues. We also visited a portion that was dedicated to Omizutori, which was our last item for the Nara itinerary.
Near the museum, we saw an old lady selling sweet potatoes per gram. We bought 500g and we were surprised how big it was. Even if the three of us shared it, we were not able to finish eating it.
One deer spotted us with the sweet potato and it followed us even when we crossed the road. We ended up hiding in a shrine but we could see the deer looking for us. LOL.
Seeing and interacting with deer was the activity we were all looking forward to. But, I was initially scared especially when we encountered them in groups. We saw a local who threw bits of crackers and the deer nearby went wiiild – I even saw a few jumping over rocks while rushing towards the food.
I followed my cousin’s advice on how to feed deer with lesser chance of experiencing them being aggressive:
Be careful when buying food in the deer cracker hotspot – areas with many vendors who are all selling deer crackers. Better to look for another place with less vendors as fewer deer are hanging out there. (We were able to buy ours in a store near the road – it was the only store at that spot)
Do NOT let the deer catch you buying their food! Put the crackers inside the bag right away. They are smart enough to see that you bought crackers and where you put it. Once they see you, they will not stop bugging you to give them food.
Most of the deer roaming around the park can be too aggressive especially when it comes to their food. Those that are inside temples are more docile and they kind of act like a hippogriff – when you bow to them, they’ll bow to you. Some already bow once they see you. We felt that it would be cold of us not to give them food so we ended up giving most of the crackers to deer inside temples.
Fun fact: Deer is the symbol of Nara and it is regarded as the messenger of the gods. Nara’s deer mascot is called Shikamaru-kun – and this made me realize one of the famous characters in Naruto named “Nara Shikamaru”. Cool!
The walk to our next destination was quite long but it was a pleasant one. It took us about 20 minutes of walking along a path covered in trees before we reached KASUGA TAISHA.
This is the most important Shinto shrine in Nara, and it is famous for the donated lanterns decorating a portion of the shrine. These are only lit during evenings of Lantern festivals in Nara. Similar to Kofuku-ji, the grounds do not have any entrance fee.
We spotted a few deer here and they were hiding near the stone lanterns.
Inside the hall, we saw the lanterns with intricate designs as well as ema which included deer-shaped ones.
Since we still had time to kill before the Omizutori, we ate late lunch and checked out the line of stalls near Todai-ji.
Our last stop in Nara was TODAI-JI (UNESCO), a famous Buddhist temple founded thousands of years ago. We were not able to explore this since we arrived during closing time. It was a bit of a bummer though as I wanted to visit the Daibutsuden (Big Buddha Hall – Main Hall) – largest wooden building with the largest bronze Buddha statue in Japan.
But, we did not felt that bad because the main reason why we visited was attend the Omizutori. The ceremony was held at Nigatsudo Hall, which also gave a good view of the city. We were lucky enough to be able to climb the steps going up the hall but we were eventually asked to leave as the locals prepare for Omizutori. OMIZUTORI is one of the oldest festivals in Japan as it started in 752 AD. It is done as a way to cleanse sins and welcome spring. They say that March 12 and 14 are the best days to watch the ceremony – longest on the 12th (45 minutes), shortest on the 14th (5 minutes) but more spectacular as torches are lit all at once.
Even before sunset, there were already a lot of locals in the temple grounds. Wouldn’t be surprised if there were more than a thousand people there.
Funny story: we realized we came unprepared when we saw almost everyone were sitting on the ground with a plastic or cloth that they can use as a mat. There was still about an hour of waiting because Omizutori would only start at 7PM. I had scratch bond papers inside my bag and brought it out to use. But, an old lady took pity on us and gave us her extra big disposable plastic mat. (Arigatou obasan!) Made us love Japan and its people even more! ❤
The ceremony started on time and seeing this 1250-year old tradition in real life was surreal. Series of torches were lit one at a time and on occasions, the torch holder would shower sparks over the crowd. It lasted for about 30 minutes and everyone was focused in this ceremony.
I wish I could post the videos but the file sizes are too big. 😦
After Omizutori and making our way out of the crowded place, we decided to have dinner in Osaka. Automatic choice was to go to Dotonbori and just choose whichever we wanted to try. We went to DARUMA, which is famous for its kushikatsu (deep fried skewered meat/vegetable) and has been in the business since 1929. We were lucky because there was no line and we were able to get a table right away. Our table (2nd floor) was also next to the window which provided a view of Tonbori River.
We initially wanted to order 2 sets but because there were 3 of us, that would mean that for every type of kushikatsu, one of us would not get to taste it. And so, we decided to just get one set each. I think the staff could not help but stare at us because 1 set has 12 kushikatsu sticks. But, we were hungry plus we did not know when we could get to eat again there. J and I ordered oyster too because a deep fried one sounded yummy.
Our orders did not disappoint! Definitely not for health-conscious people but come on, the oil probably helped in making the kushikatsu delicious. :p
Note that they do not allow double dipping for hygienic purposes. You are only allowed to dunk each kushikatsu in the sauce only once. If you still want more sauce, you use the piece of cabbage (provided for free) to scoop more sauce. I also read in some posts that eating the cabbage helps in digestion.
After dinner, we explored Dotonbori some more and after seeing J enjoying her Cremia ice cream before, I had to buy one. My sister always told me that it is fun to eat ice cream during cold season but the idea is weird to me. So after trying this during this trip, I finally understand what she meant. What I like about eating ice cream during winter is that I do not have to worry that my ice cream would easily melt and drip everywhere. Haha!
That’s it for Nara. Next stop is USJ (and WWOHP)!!!
Our 2nd daytrip was in Himeji, almost 2 hours away from Osaka by train. From Himeji Station, we rode the Himeji Castle Loop Bus which looked like an old-fashioned bus.
Our main stop here was the famous HIMEJI CASTLE (UNESCO), which is also known as “shirasagi-jo” or “white heron castle”. It was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the 16th century and during our visit, a portion of the castle was undergoing restoration – goes to show how Japan highly values their history and puts great effort in preserving this.
MARCH 12, 2017
Our 2nd daytrip was in Himeji, almost 2 hours away from Osaka by train. From Himeji Station, we rode the Himeji Castle Loop Bus which looked like an old-fashioned bus.
Our main stop here was the famous HIMEJI CASTLE (UNESCO), which is also known as “shirasagi-jo” or “white heron castle”.
It was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the 16th century and during our visit, a portion of the castle was undergoing restoration – goes to show how Japan highly values their history and puts great effort in preserving this.
What was interesting for me during our visit was whichever area we were in the castle grounds, we could always clearly see the castle. Before going to the main keep, we explored the other areas nearby including a long passageway.
Castle defense mechanism 1
Castle defense mechanism 2
Inside the main keep, we climbed 6 floors. This was not the only challenge as the staircases were narrow and steep so if you have kids with you, better be careful in climbing those stairs. At the topmost floor, there was a small shrine where the local visitors all paid respect and prayed for a short while. Aside from this, we were also able to see the spectacular view of the city and the maze-like layout of the castle.
Fish ornaments placed on the roof are believed to protect the castle from fire
Before leaving, I was trying to look for a magnet that had its cute “mascot” as the design. Unfortunately, there was none so I decided to just buy the coin-like souvenir with しろまる姫 (Shiromaru-hime).
We went to KOKOEN GARDEN afterwards, which was just a few blocks away from the castle. The ticket we bought included admission for the castle and this garden. We were lucky because there were some flowers that had already bloomed but I bet that it would look even better during springtime.
Drainspotting — white herons!
We were supposed to visit Mount Shosha but given the time we finished the garden, we decided to go back to Osaka so that we still had time to visit ONE PIECE MUGIWARA STORE. I only bought two small boxes of keychain with random characters since I could not find any Zoro goodie that I liked. I was sooo lucky that one of the boxes had Zoro in his Film Gold costume! (Note that a few days after this, M told me that Den-den Town stores were better since he was able to buy the ship that was out-of-stock in OP Mugiwara Store.)
Since we did not have the energy to go far from our Airbnb, we bought dinner at MCDONALD’S and tried some of the sakura-themed items. I had the fries and soda for this but I bought a regular cheeseburger. The fries was yummy at first but I found it to be too salty later on. I guess I shouldn’t have poured all the powder… The sakura float tasted like medicine so good thing I bought an apple-flavored alcohol beverage, which was a good pair with my food.
This is for the French fries to make it “sakura fries”; package says “sakura ebi shio” which translates to sakura shrimp salt
Next day’s adventure is Nara (including deer), yay!
After about an hour of traveling, we arrived at BANTEAY SREI before 5:30AM. It was still dark so we stayed in our tuktuk. When the sky was starting to light up, we got off the tuktuk and went inside.
FEBRUARY 22, 2016
We started our day even earlier than the previous 2 days spent in Angkor Archaeological Park. We were going to Banteay Srei and Kbal Spean, which are at least 30km away from the popular area of Angkor Park. Mr. Kim fetched us promptly as usual. We were thinking if we would bring a long scarf or jacket since the tuktuk ride would definitely be cold. We decided not to since the rest of the day would be hot. We sort of regretted that decision because it was really cold. I don’t know how I managed to do it but I was able to sleep despite the cold and bumpy ride.
After about an hour of traveling, we arrived at BANTEAY SREI before 5:30AM. It was still dark so we stayed in our tuktuk. When the sky was starting to light up, we got off the tuktuk and went inside. There was only one person in the entrance area, sweeping the ground. We walked into an open area then encountered a fork road. We did not know which to take so we went back to the entrance and asked the guy for correct directions. I was a bit jumpy while walking because it was not yet that bright. T.T
Eventually we saw the outermost structure of Banteay Srei. We passed by the ticket checking area since there was no one around. We were the only tourists there, and we were able to keep the temple to ourselves for about an hour. When the sun started to illuminate the temple and ground, I was able to witness what other travelers say about the place — the structures seem to have some color of pink (even if originally they don’t).
I read that Banteay Srei stands for “Temple/Citadel of Women”, and that the carvings of the temple was done by women. Indeed, women might have done the carvings because this was the only temple we visited that had flowers and very detailed icons/drawings.
After an hour of being the lone tourists there, Kim and I went back to the entrance and we saw a few tourists had already arrived too. I checked if the sun was already up — it was but not yet that high to be able to see it above the trees…
Kim told me that she absolutely loved this temple, and that this was probably her favorite among all the temples we visited. The place also reminded her of one of the areas in Diablo…
We revisited the other spots we saw earlier to admire the intricate carvings. I also saw beautiful lotuses growing in a murky pond near the innermost structure.
When more tourists started pouring in, we decided to leave and have breakfast first before proceeding to Kbal Spean. I can’t remember the name of the restaurant where Mr. Kim brought us but it was a total rip-off. Not blaming him though as he might not have any idea — we noticed locals eating there and they do not look that well-off. The menu handed to us had prices in USD. For just one order of noodles, we were charged USD 8 already. The other food items were of the same price or even more expensive. Ridiculous! We just ate quickly so that we can already leave the place.
After almost an hour of travel, we reached KBAL SPEAN. In the parking area, there were lots of vans so we thought that there might be lots of tourists already. It was already 9AM so some might have chosen this as their first destination instead of Banteay Srei.
Guard checked our ticket and then we entered the area. We were not sure what to expect because the area looked like a forest so we walked a bit… After a few steps, we saw a sign that indicated “1500m”. We told each other it was not that bad since walking around acad oval in UP would be longer (2200m).
How was our walk? Uhh, it became a HIKE! If you plan to go here, wear your most comfortable clothes and sturdy shoes.
We walked and walked and walked but the ground was a bit uneven…
We also climbed rocks and went up long flights of stairs…
Good thing that the area was quiet, peaceful, and scenic…
After sweating buckets, we finally saw a person who was selling drinks then another person who seemed like an employee or guide there. Apparently, we were the only tourists there contrary to what we initially thought. A few more steps from where we saw the two locals, we finally saw the carvings! I was surprised to see that there was no waterfalls though so I thought I incorrectly remembered the travel stories I read about this place… When I asked the guide(?) why there was no water, he replied that it was because of the dry season. Here are the pictures of Kbal Spean when we visited…
…versus the pictures I saw online
Credits to MonsoonAdventure.com
Credits to Nsteck
A few hundred meters from the stone carvings (without water), we found a big pond although there were no stone carvings at that part anymore.
We decided to go back after making sure that we saw everything. A few tourists arrived just as we were about to leave. We had another perfect timing here, similar to Banteay Srei, because while walking on our way back to the parking area, we passed by a lot of tourists. Some of them asked if Kbal Spean was still far, a few asked if the hike was worth it — my answer was yes. Even without the water, the carvings were still grand and mesmerizing to look at.
My most memorable encounter on our way back was with the monks. The monk below in the picture passed by me but the other monk behind him stopped to have a small chat with me. He asked, “How do you find this place?”. I told him that I loved the place because it was peaceful and unique. Unique in the sense that among all the places we visited in Angkor Park, this was the only one that was inside a forest. The rock carvings were also cool to because it makes you think what kind of tools did they use back then to be able to put those details there. The monk also asked what country we would go next but I told him that we were not backpackers and we will fly back to MNL the next night.
I bid my farewell to the cheerful monks then I saw Kim talking to a tourist. Turns out he was a Thai citizen and Kim told him that I would be going to BKK the next month. He said that he noticed an interesting trait Thai and Filipinos share — we always smile whenever someone talks to us, even if it is a stranger (of course with the exception of shady people).
We continued our hike after our conversations with them, and we still loved our trip going back because we saw the surroundings from a different perspective (mostly climbing up before, now mostly going down stairs and rocks).
When we got back to our tuktuk, we told Mr. Kim to take us back to the town proper so that we could have our lunch. We fell asleep along the way and I was surprised to learn that the travel time was about 2 hours. I showed a picture of an eatery to Mr. Kim. I was not particular in eating in that eatery but more of going to the place since there were lots of eateries there that sell dishes at USD 1.50 only. The stretch of eateries can be found in SIVATHA BOULEVARD. A blogger recommended Chae Ngek Restaurant but it was closed when we were there. Good thing Mr. Kim knows someone who owns an eatery there. We loved the fried spring rolls and grilled squid; we did not like the flat noodles (too saucy plus it tasted like pork & beans) and pad thai (did not resemble the taste of authentic pad thai).
We were supposed to go to the Roluos group of temples (Bakong, Lolei, and Preah Ko) after lunch but when we got back from Kbal Spean, we told Mr. Kim that we would cancel it. After having our lunch, Mr. Kim asked where we would be going next and Kim answered, “Back home”. But before we headed home, Kim requested Mr. Kim to stop if he sees a vendor selling unripe mangoes. We were able to find one then we were off to go back home… or so we thought.
Kim and I were chatting the whole trip, and when I finished discussing something to her, I was puzzled why we were not yet at home. I called this out to Kim and she said that we might be passing through another exit of Angkor Park, probably a shortcut going home. We continued chatting and at one point, I instinctively looked at a sign and saw “Preah Ko”. My eyes got wide and I thought to myself if I was dreaming since Mr. Kim confirmed our cancellation to Roluos. When we passed by another sign and it read “Lolei”, I already nudged Kim and told her we were in the area of Roluos and I was not sure why. Mr. Kim eventually stopped in front of a sign that read “Bakong” and he told us that Bakong is just straight ahead. We told him we were not sure why he drove us all the way here when we just wanted to go home… And that was when I realized that he misheard Kim’s “back home” as “Bakong”… T.T He apologized on this error but we told him that it was okay. So finally, we were really going home after that.
We swam again in the pool to cool off and took a short nap to re-energize ourselves. Kim found out that there are exotic snacks in Siem Reap and she found BUGS CAFE. Since it was the only dining place she requested and I saw that most dishes do not resemble insects and reptiles, I agreed to eat here.
We saw the owner going around tables, recommending dishes and explaining how they cook the food. He did the same when we were already settled in our seats. He recommended the Small Discovery Platter so that we could sample different dishes. We ordered that then Kim saw crocodile meat. We were supposed to order that but it was not available. We settled for Snake Soup after getting assurance that we won’t see the actual snake in the soup.
We freaked out with the insects in the Small Discovery Platter because you could really see the actual insect or its actual shape (in the case of the tarantula tempura). I was already crying inside when I thought about eating all of them, but since the owner assured us that it would not taste yucky, I told myself to just get over this dining experience.
I ate the silkworm first because we had eaten it a few days ago (in Marum). Still tasted good so yay, including the crickets mixed in this particular dish.
I decided to eat the water bug on the stick next — its shell was quite hard and when I was able to get a small piece to bite, ugh it was quite difficult to chew and had a really weird taste.
Surprisingly, the grasshopper tasted like danggit na pusit, which is my favorite so I definitely loved this.
Our next problem was how to eat the spider because it was a whole spider. I took my spoon and fork, then chopped the legs and then its body. With this, we did not get to see a whole spider anymore so it was bearable to eat. The spider tasted good too! What kind of flavoring do they use here??
The bigger problem was eating the Tarantula Donut or what Kim and I called tarantula tempura… Even if the tarantula was fully covered in tempura batter, it was still a whole tarantula and the thought of eating tarantula… So I decided to do the same as the one I did with the small spider — split the body in half then chopped each leg. After a bite, Kim and I were both shocked why it was delicious. No icky yucky weird taste. Much, much better than the water bug.
Tarantula Donut
The last dish in the platter involved ants. It was the “safest” there but I did not want to see the ants because it would make me feel itchy + I was imagining the ants coming back to life and biting my throat. UGH. We took a bite of the Mediterranean Feuilletés and it tasted good. No weird taste from the ants. I think the extra pesto at the side also helped overcome our fear of eating the bread with ants. We spread this on the bread to convince us to eat it. The wild spring rolls tasted, well… like ordinary spring rolls so I think that is a positive comment?
Mediterranean Feuilletes with Ants
As for the Snake Soup, it tasted like beef noodle soup with an aftertaste, as Kim puts it. The snake meat was not tough. It had a unique taste which I could not describe but this is more of a positive comment rather than a negative one.
In fairness to what we ate, we felt full after eating here in Bugs Cafe. We decided to have fried ice cream as dessert so we walked to Pub Street from here. I was just disappointed that the staff there let a newbie prepare our fried ice cream. Kim’s ice cream looked okay with a few rolls crumbling a bit but still intact. Mine was a disaster!!! He left the liquid for too long so when he was rolling it, everything crumbled. What made me feel even more devastated was the passion fruit they used was too sour. My fried ice cream was totally inedible that I had to throw it away. Good thing, Kim shared hers with me. T.T It was really disappointing because during our first visit here, we both had an excellent experience.
We walked to LEMONGRASS GARDEN MASSAGE & BEAUTY SPA afterwards. This time, I already booked a reservation online. We were attended to promptly, and we were given free tea before the massage. We both chose Cosmic Connection (lemongrass oil) — no regrets because we were able to have a full body massage. We both ended up sleeping because it was really relaxing, and the massage helped alleviate fatigue and some muscle pain.
Mr. Kim fetched us here after to bring us back to our home. Already the last night in Siem Reap… Time really flies so fast!
Anne Goes to Places 