You call this SMALL?

When I tell my family that I am checking in to Cititel Hotel at Mid-Valley, they all gave the same comment that the room is very small and that one hardly have space to put the luaggage in the room and move around.

Well...How SMALL can this be??? Views from 27th Floor aren't bad either....

Meeting My (Grand) Nephews and Nieces

From left to right: Cuthbert Chia (nephew), Brenda Lee (niece), Dylan Lee (grand nephew), Eliza Lee (grand niece), Karen (Adrian's wife), Adrian Lee (nephew), CJ Lee (nephew), Me or Johannes

Yesterday we went out for lunch with my some of my (grand) nephews and nieces.

I finally met my eldest nephew (Adrian Lee) after 13 years. It has been awhile and he is now married with 2 children which makes the family relationship rather difficult to distinguish. I guess his son and daughter is my grand nephew and grand niece, I am their grand auntie??? (complicated and I can't get use to that terminology)

They flew off to Miri yesterday evening so that they could return home at Brunei. Although the world is small now but frankly speaking, I have no idea when will we meet again…. but surely in His time.

Home is Calling

21^st Jan 2009, Kuala Lumpur 24C

This is an unexpected trip but if the timing is now then the trip must happened. It was rather rushed yesterday, once the decision is made, the rush follows.. rush to buy air ticket, rush home to pack, rush to airport. Thanked God that I am able to sleep and rest for the entire trip. I had a very deep and sound sleep as if the Lord knows that I need extra energy once I reached Kuching.

A taxi ride from KLIA to LCCT costs RM35 or RM50 (depending on the type of taxi) but a bus ride costs RM1.5, I am not stingy but just being wise with money, why should I pay the premium for nothing, I am not in a hurry and no big luggage, so the bus is just fine.

Finally checked-in to the flight to Kuching, hate the Air Asia’s chaotic and charging me RM60 for 2.8 kg access. If not because there is no availability on MAS, I wouldn’t opt for Air Asia. Anyway, the importance is to be home as soon as possible. Talked to Sophia, she was in Cindy’s car then on the way to hospital. Cuthbert will be picking me up later tonight.

Bought a cup of Coffee Bean Ice Blended Coffee the ultimate, costs RM12.90, thing is definitely not cheap anymore.

Now, waiting for boarding...

Up Close and Personal with Geisha (芸妓) and Maiko (舞子)

Now, let me switch to a different topic. If you watched the movie ‘Memoir of a Geisha’, you would probably know that Geisha's are trained in Kyoto and the apprentice Geisha is called Maiko (舞子). They are traditional female Japanese entertainers that still exist in Japan.

There were several occasions where we spotted Geisha's,

The very first time we spotted Geisha was at night at Gion (祇園) district – Kyoto traditional pleasure quarter, somewhere at Hanamikoji-dori (花见小路通) where all the ochaya or tea houses are concentrated. While strolling on Hanamikoji-dori, we could hear music and laughter’s from inside, but all the ochaya are very secluded and we almost see nothing inside. We saw some maiko or geisha walked pass us in the hurry like rushing for the next appointment, and also saw geisha with a male Japanese guy next to each other, may be this man is her danah? We didn’t take any pictures because it was dark and these geisha and maiko walked really fast.

When we were exploring Southern Higashimaya area, we spotted a couples of them, all the photos above were taken at Southern Higashimaya and they sometime come out in a group of 2 or 4. In reality how many of them are real ones? After all there are more or less 8000 of them in Japan. Furthermore there are a few institutions in Kyoto providing the service of re-making of Geisha or Maiko with the option of taking a stroll in the costumes. It is in fact the desire of many Japanese ladies to be able to dress up as Geisha and that's why all the 'Geisha' or 'Maiko' in the photo are not by professional but re-make.

Anyway, I still find them quite fascinating...

Kyoto Food: Matcha Kitkat

Something green, something made from Uji tea, something so Kyoto. This is Kitkat – yeah, the usual kitkat chocolate bar, you get this in white chocolate sometime but getting this in green tea flavor has to be so uniquely Kyoto or some thing from Kansai region. Taste wise, this kitkat green tea chocolate is really nice, it melts in your mouth directly and gives you the smooth, milky texture and yet the bitter (from green tea) and sweetness (from white chocolate) flavors. Hmmmm....

Manga (Komikku) Culture

We all know that Japanese comic is very popular. From my childhood I have been reading Japanese comic translated to Chinese, where the pretty girls are always with big eyes, nut shape face and, in long socks and short skirt. Well, the comic may have evolved now since my time, but overall comic is still very popular in Japan. Apparently, reading manga is a temporary escape of reality and indulgence into a comic world of romance, violence , adventure, sports or even sexuality. Due to the rigidness of the Japanese society, comic is a form of release from tension, social obligation and lack of space.

There was one night, we walked into a 24 hours manga store where with a little fee, one can have unlimited drinks, free read of manga, magazines and even an assigned cubical space with computer and internet for people to watch DVD, listen to music or interneting. We did that for an hour or so… just for the fun of it.

Japanese Plastic Food Display

So far I have been talking about real food, now how about the famous Japanese plastic food display which is purely for your eyes only. The plastic food displays come in real size and look real, these are usually display at the entrance or the window of the restaurants. They are quite enticing and visual in a way making those with language problem able to select base on the display instead of reading from the menu.

Kyoto Food: Western Cakes

Ok, enough of namagashi (和菓子) and other Japanese food for the time being, now I am going to switch to a different topic and write about the western cakes that I have tried in Kyoto. Kyoto is not that old fashion anyway, western bakeries can be found everywhere on the street, cafes or in the supermarket or convenience stores.

In general, the western cakes here are light and fluffy and very Asian, like the one we get from any bakery in Malaysia or Hong Kong.

Here is the list to my liking; my best choice so far is the chestnut tart which the Japanese called Mont Blanc. Although it looks like a pile of cream but these are not cream but chestnut paste. It tastes very light, not sweet but just full of the chestnut aroma. Finally on top of the paste comes with a real chestnut

My second choice is this Green tea roll. It is bitter just as any matcha should be. I love the texture of the cake, not too hard or soft, just right. And the cream in the roll is very light and contains anko bean which gives a different texture when you bite on it. Very well done.

Then is this green bun which I bought in mistake assuming it was matcha bun. Anyway, this rock melon or honey dew bun is actually quite refreshing. It gives the natural intense melon taste. I like this as well.

Finally, this is a rather disappointing matcha cake. The cake itself is fluffy and light but the cream is rather disgusting, both Johannes and I ate only the cake and chuck away the cream.

Our Japanese Ryokan (旅館) Experience

Ryokan is usually refers to traditional Japanese Inn dating from the Edo period. The main features are the tatami mated floor, sliding doors, futon bedding spread out on the tatami floor, communal baths by sex, and guests may wear yukata (summer version of kimono) everywhere they go.

After we checked out from our apartment, we stayed 2 nights at this ryokan Matsumoto (松本旅館) nearby the Kyoto tower. In fact, this is not a real ryokan but a modern guesthouse converted to give ‘ryokan’ feel and atmosphere without the Japanese garden and a proper viewing platform.

To add the thrill to ryokan experience, there isn’t any bathroom or toilet attached to our room. So for big or small business we need to get out of the room and thankfully the toilet is nearby. For shower or bath, we have to go down to basement where there is a public bath. In both nights, I actually used the bath alone by myself.

This time is basically just a glimpse of ryokan elements, sleeping on the floor and the futon blanket is rather thick and heavy.

Next time I am going to stay in a real ryokan, if I ever go to Japan again.

Kyoto Food: Matcha Pudding

The original packaging, photo taken while in Kyoto

Matcha Purine that what is stated on the cover, it comes in a set of four, this is the individual packaging

Matcha purine once the case is removed, very green

Opening the package that contains some green tea syrup

Close up of the Matcha purine with the syrup on top of it

From my expression you probably could tell how good it taste...

This is something that I bought home to taste, since there are countless snacks, cookies and wagashi to try in Kyoto and I only got limited time there. I bought the matcha pudding from a shop that selling all about the taste of Kyoto in Kyoto station. I finally got the chance to taste it last Saturday 10^th January at home.

Kyoto: Nikishi food market (錦市場商店街)

This is one of the Kyoto must visit place but we didn’t do it until much later part of our trip. We finally came by to look for some local delicacies to bring home and as the New Year (Oshogatsu お正月)is approaching, the market alleys (narrow streets) gets very busy as both locals and visitors came by. The locals came to source for their New Year meal's ingredients while visitors came by either to check off the ‘must do’ list or like us, to sample local delicacies and in search for something to take home.

Nikishi market starts from Teramachi-dori and run east-west parallel to shijo-dori, frankly speaking, I came here in 2 occasions but never walked from end-to-end, as it was too crowded to squeeze in between the crowds on such a narrow alley. It was fun for a start by I give up after a few blocks.

This is a stall that selling snappers, a must delicacies for Japanese Oshogatsu (お正月). Mind you that it actually cost a bomb, rather expensive one.

Kyoto Pickles or Kyo-tsukemono (京漬物) these are pickles again but marinated in Kyoto way. You get this usually in a small ceremic dish and eat it as condiments with your meal, taste wise, sour, salty or hot or combination of all.

Matsubagai (crab) – some delicacies in the autumn winter period

Nukazuke tsukemono – another type of pickles in nuka (rice bran) where vegetables are fermented. They have a lighter color compare to the other type of tsukemono.

This dried cod another oshogatsu staple. No idea how they should be eaten...

This shop sells all sort of beans, on the second row left is the black bean (Kuromame) that Japanese people eat on New Year, and the one next to kuromame in yellow are newly in kuri (chestnuts).

Here are some seasoned, grilled or smoked little fish (sardine?). I remembered this from the movie 'Memoir of the Geisha' at one scene the mother of Sayuri is eating this for lunch/dinner.

Another shop that selling the local delicacies such as the new bean, black bean, mushrooms etc.

Nikishi market is very vibrant, very lively, most of all very crowded and smelly and noisy, but my knowledge about Kyoto delicacies, staple and wagashi increased each time I strolled through this market and extend my taste bug to the fullest.