It started with me realising that I was an idiot when I tried to check in online 20 hours before my midnight flight. Suffice to say I had a passport issue *.*
And I just had to take JLPT 2 mock test after work on the evening of my flight - hurriedly did my last paper and dashed home to shower and cabbed to the airport.
But I made it safe and sound to Gifu! And if that sounds ulu to you, well, it is quite so!
Friday, 24 Oct 2008
I arrived in Nagoya in the morning and took a 55-minute train to Gifu. Couldn't find the bus terminal Na talked about and realised I wasn't in the JR station - walked there in the bloody rain with my trolley bag.. The next few hours were super boring! I actually took a NAP! But also walked around the station a little, window shopping and checking out the bus terminal..
There were a lot of cabs outside the station, like, a lot!!
Finally, it was time. Took a 20-minute bus to Na's place. Or rather, her bus stop. I was so glad to finally see her!!
Na stayed in a cute little flat. It got dark within an hour of us meeting and we got hungry and so we had an early dinner nearby before going back to nua at her place. Oh yeah, I loved to nua :) Especially when we had cute company
Saturday, 25 Oct 2008
Grabbed Na's friend Mayu to go to Gifu Castle given the (relatively) good weather!
Went up via ropeway, i.e. our cable car. Passed through a few mon or gates, or what they called mon-gates, to get to the Castle!
Which reminded me of Himeji..
Oooh, that's me
Roamed the castle museum and took a picture of our reflections :p
Think that was the picture of the castle owner..
Went up to the viewing gallery and had a nice view of the surrounding mountains. I realised that the mountains I saw in my past trips to Japan were all volcanoes - Fuji, Sakurajima, Mt Aso..!
Next was the Squirrel Village! This sign told visitors the do's and don'ts in cute cartoons :)
We put on gloves and let the squirrels come eat from our hands - they were so cute!! :)
But the little girl was cute too - so, who's cuter? :p
Went to a shopping centre nearby in the afternoon. Na shopped for household stuff, like I did at Argos! Again, 懐かしい.. I love looking at household stuff! Yes, I'm quite an auntie heh :p
Na introduced me to this drama Nodame Cantabile which was very funny! I finished the entire series very quickly when I got home :p
Sunday, 26 Oct 2008
Shopping day! Went to this place that reminded me of 五分埔 in Taipei. I bought a geisha costume along the way, wanted to wear it for Halloween but didn't in the end.. Too tired or something, I forgot.. Thought I would use it next year instead, before I turn 30..?!
As usual, what is shopping without some tea? This was like that 何必减肥 place in Taiwan - omg! - three years ago!
We came back to Nagoya for good old yakitori!
That round thing was a cheese mochi - it was soooo good! Where we sat, we could see the kitchen area - it was a small yakitori place.. Poor kitty fan above the grill was quite charred..
After all the nua-ing, I must pack to leave... But it was so difficult!!!
Monday, 27 Oct 2008
And so Na sent me to the bus stop and went to work.. I took a train to Gero for some nice onsen.. The train ride was really lovely as we passed by quite a bit of scenery.
Ryokan owner came to fetch me at the train station - nice cos it was raining and I realised it was quite a walk with luggage!
Some pretty 紅葉 in the rain :)
This one, um, not too pretty... I walked by a bridge, saw a man wrapped in a towel walking... I thought it weird and followed him as he walked towards a pool of..naked men! Outdoor onsen!
The next thing I knew, he took off his towel *.*
I roamed the streets just before the onsen shrine, which felt very peaceful. I walked the path behind the shrine until my feet told me they had enough...
So we went for outdoor foot bath!
See the difference in colour between the part exposed and that dipped in the foot bath?
Yes, I must pose before I went for onsen in my ryokan - it was supposed to be a tired pose.. Eh? :p
After onsen, I was treated to a superb meal!
The process repeated when I got a lovely breakfast!
Took a camera to the onsen at night after dinner when I went for another soak :p
That night, it being rainy and me being lazy, I stayed in for some TV. There was the SMAP variety show with Tony Leung and Takeshi Kaneshiro promoting their film, Red Cliff. There was a funny scene where both were trying the food in silence...... Later I read that there was some unhappiness in the filming of the variety show as host Kimura didn't give their guests much face...
Tuesday, 28 Oct 2008
I left Gero and found my tiny ryokan in Nagoya. I think I went shopping.. Got a lot of stockings and socks! But I was rather tired by then and got a packed dinner early and spent the rest of the time watching TV :p Hey, watching TV is a luxury to me ok!
Wednesday, 29 Oct 2008
I trotted out of the ryokan very early. The owner was very nice - ryokan breakfast wasn't ready so he gave me some bread and a packet drink to have on the way! Nice, cos I get hungry *.*
Came back on an empty flight. There was a cute Japanese kid trotting about and he smiled at me! Kids these days start young, haha!
Had a farewell dinner that night and turned up in my dress and - I like this - over-knee socks! Surprisingly, my radish calves looked ok in them - I'm hooked! And I think I could do better next time cos I have another pair that comes with some ribbons and lace at the top :)
Next trip to Japan - Hokkaido! I cannot wait already =)
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