Life commences as a Salaryman this week..... while hearing the Christmas Bells

After a 3-week break, I start on a new career journey at a Japanese bank, with a new career path in relationship management and credit. I am still trying to settle down. I believe there should be no problem, just gimme a few weeks. Starting work at a more relaxed festive season certainly has certain advantages.

Christmas is really around the corner, I can smelt it. The Christmas aroma in the warm Singapore has been still unmistake-ably felt. I look forward to a good time with my friends, and loved ones as usual. The year is coming to an end, and we should celebrate all our achievements and good memories before going into a new year.

Cheers folks! Let's all have a merry time counting down to Christmas! It will be beautiful, no doubt!

Settling Down, After a Recharge Trip

I am back after a 13-day break in 東京. Very different experience as I was alone most of the time, since my travelling partner was not with me this time. His companionship was missed but I had to make the best out of it :). I walked in parks alone, lunch-ed alone, tea-ed alone and shopped alone most of the time.

I ate cakes and donuts most of the time, which explained my expanded waistline. They were too tempting. I did my shopping, despite there were no sales and it was not intended even. I walked the gardens, since I wanted to have a truly good re-charge, and it was amazing that one week the trees were yellow and red, and the other week, they disappeared, due to the gradually lowering temperature.

I went to:
1. 東京Disneyland, which has a truly magical Christmas theme.
2. 御殿場市(Gotemba), which was a breeze from the city, since it is a factory outlet, biggest in asia, under 富士山.
3. 箱根町, yes it is a mountainous area and not a lake mistakened by tourist. I have my on-sen retreat, as well as, a relatively nice みかん plucking session in the みかん farm. 万葉御園　was a pleasantly surprising bonus, with a nice stroll under the 紅葉。
4. Simple Christmas illumination lightings, from 東京 Midtown ( http://www.tokyo-midtown.com/jp/index.htmland ) 六本木ヒルズ (Roponggi Hills).
5. My first shabu shabu in 東京: buffet-served style with australia すき焼き beef and mouth-watering buta-niku (pork), which is simple and light. This is followed by another nice dinner occasion at the 居酒屋 beside 北綾瀬駅 。
6. 青山一丁目、 外園前/ 明治神宮/ 皇居 Gardens: For the beautiful parks.
7. Blistful　and quiet shopping at the usual　下北沢 and 吉祥寺.

Of course, I wanted to thank my wonderful host, 銀座onechan, for taking good care of me, and my travelling companian most of the time when we are there.

There is one other incident that makes me love the city more: I lost a new scarf that I bought on the 銀座 line subway at 表参道 station. I was upset, and luckily onechan helped me to call the lost and found of 東京 metro. Guess what, they found it at 渋谷　station and I collected it in an hour's time. This is amazing as 東京 was so so big and it is something that will never happen in my small country, what a shame. That makes the memories of this trip truly sweeter.

I would look forward to go back to this city again with my travelling companion and also looking forward to seeing 銀座onechan again.

Greetings from 北あやせ、Tokyo

Hi folks at home

I have been in Tokyo for about 3 days. I have been alone in the day, but I have truly enjoyed myself. I have already went to Harajuku / Shibuya, Shimokitazawa, Aoyama University Sports Park (to see the red / yellow maple trees), Kita Senju, Ueno and of course, my favorite CD shop, Tsutaya (to get my stock of J-pop CDs)

G-san, our favourite Little Spoon, Labrador T-Shirt Shop, Harajuku Book-Off have ceased businesses :( So sad neh, but yesterday, I ate organic vegetarian curry rice and one of my Japanese friend, Minamina has brought us to a very nice donut shop. This is a premium donut restaurant by Mister Donut, and we thought, the standard is better than Krispy Kream. All of you donut lovers should not miss it. See below picture.

Today, I will pop by the Kita-Senju and Shinjuku.