The month of Febuary & March 09

February – I went back to school, I registered myself in mid February and start my studies on 4 weekday nights and another one on Saturday afternoon. Pack myself silly till mid May then the other contiuned till end of mid NOV. My worried is that how an old dog like me will not learn new tricks. So let’s us wait and see what this old dog can do. Keke… 

February 14 - Valentine Day brought the twins for their long await hair cut after hubby kept nagging non stop!

 

February 23 – Helper woke up the twins for school and got a shock of her life. She brought him over to our room and woke me up and I too got a shock and wonder why and how his face became so swollen up. Can you GUESS who is he? That became and over night a chubby boy and also had single eye lid too? After a day MC by our GP he got well by the end of the day and that was due to some kind of allergy. Even Izzy was not able to recognize him!

March 20 – 22  – Kids’ School Holiday! What the Lim family can do beside taking a short break up north? For our CFO to work within the budget and still have a break… he had to self drive loh. So Malacca, one of our usual recharge place and because in the month of March the nearest islands are still having monsoon so no beach yet. But not bad got nice foods and there are always something different from home. This time round stayed at Bayview Hotel. Seen the sun set on the Straits of Malacca from our room. Nice view too. My sis & BIL (twins’ god-parents) drive up the next day to gave us a surprise visit too! We managed to eat my miss-a-few-time Satay Celup @ Capitol after a 45mins wait. Lucky me! Hubby queue for us after his dinner and if you ask him to do when he is hungry… OH NO!!! A hungry man is an angry man will definitely comes true!!!

Since we are there too many times, our photos are getting lesser.

The month of January 09

January was the busiest month cos kids school reopen and lots of stuffs to get back on tracks.

07 Jan - Carine’s Birthday.

As usual we will celebrate for the kid. But this year is Carine last year in her school therefor we will do a “big” one for her. She is allowed to invite her friends home for her birthday party before they goes their separate ways to different Secondary school next year. Here are the pics for her celebration. Happy Birthday Darling! May your wishes came true and pass with flying colour for your PSLE! 

12 Jan – My nephew Winston’s Wedding.

Ossdon was asked to be their page boy. Boy! Oss look so smart and handsome! This is his 1st time to be on a suit and bow tie. Sound so bias right! Maybe I am, cos I brought only one suit for Oss and Jad will have to wear something else. My theory was when would be the next available chance to wear the suit again right? Ok, Ok! No more excuses… they all are beautiful! It was a Great Big Ong family gathering. I love gathering and there is another one coming up soon… that’s Chinese New Year!

 26 – 27 Jan Chinese New Year!!! 

Yes we still get to celebrate CNY and give out red packets cos I’m a daughter and it meant that I follow my hubby side rather than the Ong family. We still go round to gather and met up. Love dressing the kids up. Glen informed me No Pink shirt again this year.  Haha…but I like my guys wearing pink mah look so handsome leh. Since I’m still in charge of buying the shirts and co-ordinate the clothes… he has no said till he earns his own keep. 

It’s already almost a year of daddy’s demise. I’m sure he will be happy for all his children and grand children and great grand children. But I would like to let him know that We still MISS You!

Tokoy Day 4 Last day 30/12/2008

We didn’t took much as we were busy packing and did last minutes shopping. Beside that both my sis and my SC card are all used up at Disney. Overall we enjoy ourselves very much esp the kids. They enjoy the snow and in their life (most of them) 1st time enjoy seeing and feeling the snow and watch the snow fell. OK I get it for them to see the actual stuffs are different from the square box. I did get it cos it’s not my 1st. Keke…

We will planned another trip up again soon (Save Save Save!!!) But maybe minus the kids. Haha… they sure will kill us!

Home Sweet Home! and the end of holiday means the start of school days. Play hard must also work hard! Time to work hard for the Lim Family next trip.

Tokoy Day 3 Dinesy Sea 29/12/2008

The whole day was hanging around Disney Sea till closing time! Beside walked, took pictures, the best part was queuing  for the rides for almost the whole day and all in all not more than 5 rides! Sigh… Tired is the word not fun. Haha…. I prefer Disneyland then sea.

Just let the Pics talk…

Tokoy Day 2 Shibuya & Takeshita Street 28/12/2008

Hmm… Day 2 at Tokyo was Free and Easy therefore it’s SHOPPING and EATING Day! Our 1^st stop was around Shibuya Station. 

 

Shibuya is one of the twenty-three city wards of Tokyo, but often refers to just the popular shopping and entertainment area around Shibuya Station. Shibuya is one of Tokyo‘s most colorful and busy districts and birthplace to many of Japan’s fashion and entertainment trends. Most of the area’s large department and fashion stores belong to either Tokyu or Seibu, two competing corporations. A prominent landmark of Shibuya is the large intersection in front of the station (Hachiko Exit), which is heavily decorated by neon advertisements and giant video screens and gets crossed by amazingly large crowds of pedestrians each time the traffic light turns green. (Extract from www.japan-guide.com) 

 

 

We have our lunch at one of the supermarket. WOW! lots to choose thus end up we got different Bentos so we can food test everyone of them.

 

2^nd stop Harajuku Station

 

Harajuku refers to the area around Tokyo‘s Harajuku Station, one station north of Shibuya on the Yamanote Line. It is the center of Japan’s most extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles, but also offers shopping for grown-ups and some historic sights.The focal point of Harajuku’s teenage culture is Takeshita Dori (Takeshita Street) and its side streets, which are lined by many trendy shops, fashion boutiques, used clothes stores, crepe stands and fast food outlets geared towards the fashion and trend conscious teens.In order to experience the teenage culture at its most extreme, visit Harajuku on a Sunday, when many young people gather around Harajuku Station and engage in cosplay (“costume play”), dressed up in crazy costumes to resemble anime characters, punk musicians, etc.

 

Meiji Shrine, one of Tokyo’s major shrines, is located just west of the railway tracks in a large green oasis shared with Yoyogi Park, a spacious public park.

 

But in the end we didn’t  go visit the Shrine cos not everyone were interested. But we did joined in the fun in engaging in cosplay, we had our own 2 to be on “display” too. Let me present JadOss. Keke…

 

After that we went to Takeshita Dori for shopping. There is a Diaso there big enough to go thru for an hour or so.  Takeshita Dori is birthplace of many of Japan’s fashion trends; Takeshita Dori (Takeshita Street) is a narrow, roughly 400 meter long street lined by shops, boutiques, cafes and fast food outlets targeting Tokyo‘s teenagers.

By then we finished walking the whole of Takeshita Dori and back to Harajuku station the sky had turn dark. We went back to Shibuya Station for our dinner but due to My nieces, sister and Xiaogo wanted to have beef for dinner, we had to spilt into 2 group again. Yipo follow us as she don’t eat beef too. We tried one of the restaurant and the food was nice and price reasonable too. After dinner we meet up with the rest and we went more shopping before taking the train back to Ikebukuro Station to our hotel without the other group… cos their dinner booking was 9.30pm

  

 

Tokoy Day1 Ikebukuro, Asakusa Kannon Temple & Nakamise 27/12/2008

Last night, we checked into the hotel in Tokyo very late. At last we reached Tokyo our next leg of our trip. It’s going to be on our own thus we said goodbye to our Tour Leader and tour members and take the bus to the airport for the Limousine airport transfer to our next hotel.

But upon arrival at the counter, after checking realize the next available was an hour later thus we puts our heads together and decided on the train. Yippee! 

Our main worried was how to manage so many bulky luggages with 2 kids and the direction of the hotel.  The 1^st thing was how to walk out of the train station (lucky which is connect to the shopping mall) with so many luggages. We managed to found the exit but were a flight of stairs. Thus we took the longer way and used the lift but it were too slow, end up we put the luggage one by one on the escalator while the other parties collect from the other end! Great idea right! It took us much fastest way then to wait for the lifts. We stay near Ikebukuro Station.

 See the numbers of pieces of bags we have!

After checking in, as our rooms were not ready, we decided to go for our sights seeing and lunch.  Our 1^st Place was to fill our stomach and Ramee was our 1^st choice and was our 1^st and last Ramee in our whole trip. Then we went to Sensoji (also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple) to pay out respect. The legend says that in the year 628, two brothers fished a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, out of the Sumida River, and even though they put the statue back into the river, it always returned to them. Consequently, Sensoji was built there for the goddess of Kannon. The temple was completed in 645, making it Tokyo‘s oldest temple.

 

After paying our respect and photo taking we tried some of the “Xiao Che” along the shopping street of over 200 meters, called Nakamise. Then we went to the pedestrian lanes of Ameyokocho in Ueno for shopping and head back to Ikebukuro for dinner But for 11 paxs to find a good dinner place was a problem thus we decided to split into 3 groups to search for our dinner and meet back later in 11/2 hour time. 1^st gp – Kids were with me and my sis, 2^nd gp – Xiao Gu, Yi Po and hubby and last was Jocelin and Elizabeth. We finished 1^st and was out in the cold street waiting for the rest when we saw the sweet potatoes  cart pull by an old man going round. By the 2/3 round I can’t stand anymore and asked my sis she interested to share a roasted sweet potato even though we were full.

She said she don’t mind and we got one and peel off the skin and spilt into a few pieces and shared among the kids too.  The feeling of heating something hot and sweet under the cold weather… that’s “heaven”! After everyone had a bite or two, the 2^nd group came back to our meeting place and saw us holding something and munching away and got curious too. I gave me last bite to hubby and he too decided to get a piece but the cart was doing his round. We waited but it did not turn back therefore we decided to head back to hotel as it was getting late and cold. But luck was on his side… cos we met the old man with the cart and he had the last piece of his sweet potato on his cart. He went back a happy man with his potato and munching away after sharing it with Xiao Gu, Yi Po and the kids (again).

Re the heavy snow fall news taken fr website

Dec. 26 (Bloomberg) — Japan Airlines Corp. and All Nippon Airways Co. canceled flights between Japan’s northern islands of Hokkaido and Honshu as snow storms swept across the country, prompting warnings of avalanches and gales.

Japan Airlines canceled 78 flights, leaving more than 11,000 people stranded, a faxed statement from the airline said.

ANA had canceled 109 flights affecting 16,729 passengers, according to company spokeswoman Mie Takeichi said.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued warnings for heavy snow, high winds and thunderstorms from Hokkaido in the north to Fukui prefecture in central Honshu. Coastal residents throughout Hokkaido and Honshu were warned of high waves and storm surges.

In Sapporo, Hokkaido’s biggest city, 32 centimeters (1 foot) of snow fell by this morning, public broadcaster NHK Television reported on its Web site.

New Chitose airport, the main airport on Hokkaido, is closed due to heavy snow, Masachika Takahashi, a spokesman for Hokkaido Airport Terminal Co. said.

Four rail services were canceled on the island, Hokkaido Railway Co. said. One elementary school was closed in Kamiyubetsu town in the north of the island, the local education board said.

On Honshu, bullet train services north of Tokyo were operating normally, according to the Web site of East Japan Railways Co.

The heavy snow and gales are forecast to continue through tomorrow, the weather agency said on its Web site.

Last day at Hokkaido 26/12/08

Upon wake up, 1st thing I do was went up to the window to see the what havoc did the storm created.

Wow!!! I’m shocked and delighted at the same time. It had made everything even whiter than last night. See the different

The night B4 I went to bed.

The morning 1st thing at the same spot, still not able to see buildings for a distant and the park below was thick with snow!

See the different! Everything so, so white and thick.

It’s still snowing when we had our breakfast and carried out our luggage up the coach. Everywhere we bypass, everyone was busy clearing outside their shop for customer to walk  or their drive way. When we reached our 1st POV that was Sappora Nijo Fresh Seafood Market, the snowing kind of stop.  Only upon leaving then it started to snow again. Next we visited the largest shopping mall Sapporo Station Shopping Arcade. After couple of hours there looking at beautiful displays of cakes and foods, you just can’t said no. My niece brought some to try and sure enough it taste as good as it look. 

After the shopping around, it was time for meet up, we heard our guide said that the airport was closed since morning and most flight was cancelled and we too hoped ours was too. But guide said that since ours departure time was 8pm so we would only able to know around 5 or 6pm and as a group usually if the airport was able to open we’ll be the 1st choice to depart. Sigh… our hope kind of dashed. The next stop was Chitose Factory outlet mall Rera. My mind is not about shopping and so did the kids. We had a fun time playing and taking photos as it was our last night with snow and lots of snow. Tomorrow or rather tonight we will be at Tokyo and no more snow anymore.

Hokkiado Day 4 (Otaru and Sapporo) 25/12/08

We departed the resort with a heavy heart, it must be due to most of us love to play with snow and by leaving this place it mean our journey was already almost coming to the end and it would be our last night at Hokkaido in Sapporo… we may not able to see and play with snow as we wanted.

 

We left Rusutsu for Otaru, the 1^st place we reach was the Otaru Canal and from there we headed to Otaru Orgel Doh which house the Otaru music box museum. At the museum, Jaddon complained that he was not feeling well. I touched his head and sure he was running a slight fever. It must be because he had played too much snow yesterday for the whole day and no rest or nap in between. As my med. kit was inside the big luggage, I checked with the guide any medical hall around as I just need Para for Jad only. But there were none nearby and thus they went around asking our tour members anyone had it in their handbag. Lucky one of the member had a pack of adult para with her and she was so willingly to give it to us.  I thanked her and break half of adult dose for Jad. He chewed and swallowed it without any fuss. Other than that he just wanted me to carry him all the way back to coach and no one else.

 

Otaru is also famous for its ice-cream, the shop name was Venetian. Since I had to carry Jad back to coach, I asked my sis to get one for me to share. They order 2 and with all flavors. I like the melon and vanilla but lavender taste not bad too.

 

After Otaru, we head back to Sappora. On the way we visit the Ishiya Chocolate factory and “Li Xiao Lu” for shopping before heading for dinner and back to hotel. The weather today was so so cold maybe it was not snowing until we left the restaurant after dinner than it started to snow heavily. Upon reaching the hotel, it was even heavier.

 

Hub wanted to try the Ramee about 20 mins walk from the hotel but with the storm we were stuck till it sudden stop around 10pm. We decided to leave the kids with my sis and went out to try our luck since the guide said just cross the bridge and walk straight. But our 20mins turned to about an hour cos we were busy taking photos here and there as the storm makes everything white and much better than at Rusutsu! We were also so lucky that we saw one of their famous red fox hunting under the bridge too. 2^nd time luck (as hub consider) was upon reaching the hotel (without eating the Ramee!)  the storm started again and it turn into a blizzard just minute we reached our hotel lobby. That cause my sis some worried as she was with the twins in our room, she was dialing my mobile when she saw us entering.

 

I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

 

 

 

Hokkiado Day 3 (Lake Toya & Rusutsu Ski Resort) Part 2 24/12/08

Lunch is at a restaurant with a great view with Lake Toya. The earlier group had a Lake Toya cruise and go to the Island called Nakajima for island walk and deer watching (was confirm by RN my friend). That is provided if there is no snow for snow activities. Lucky for us our days here were snow and more snow thus we were able to get to do snow rafting and snow tubing instead.  

After Lunch as we still got time for photo taking before boarding the coach. The kids just can’t get enough of the snow. They continue their snow ball fight with their Xiao Gu and Daddy while I took photos. (No one are suppose to “touch” the camera man, thus I’m safe LOL!!!)

After Lunch, we headed down to Rusutsu Resort http://en.rusutsu.co.jp/  for our snow activities e.g. snow rafting, snow tubing and snow shoes nature walk (All inc in the package). These 3 activates took lot’s of our time. By time we finished the snow walk the sky already turn dark and time to check in and dinner would be in about an hour time. 

After Dinner, the kids continued to have their snow ball fight and as it was Christmas Eve too, the resort also provide a laser cum fireworks shows at 9pm. It was really a different Christmas after all.