Night gathering

Another gathering and it turned out even better because we had more ex colleagues joining in than anticipated. Barbie especially is a rare appearance since she is hardly ever available during dinner gathering. We ended up at Pokka cafe and Ivan was embarrassed when Barbie pointed it out that wasnt UCC cafe. Hoo hooo..

Barbie is one of those "little woman" whose whole life revolves and prioritise round her partner. Since the first day we all knew her, she was forth coming in that she is the sort that will "sacrifice" her friends to keep her bf company. She seriously stated it's her mission to spend as much time with her honey. Personally I found it really adorable of her to be so candid and honest about it. As she has been sooo upfront about it, no one ever hold it against her if she doesnt appear. She is a cute character. Very princessy, with a penchant for nice (branded)clothes, bags and shoes, and alot of expensive bling bling to tag along. Very Barbie indeed. Haaaa. By the way, Barbie isnt even her name but a nick we gave her in office without malicious intent. Its just a term that pop into every's head and it suited her to a T. Being her, she didnt mind one bit either and relish the fact we even coin a name for her. haaa

Anycase, last night was as usual a blast when everyone get together and started yakking. My laugh lines has prob deepen by an inch just surviving from last night. The group as usual never fail to impart some localised "vulgarity" to me. It took me the longest time to figure out why "Dining Wok" and "7" were vulgar terms.

The conversations ranges from so many things and everyone was just pitching in. From our exbosses or rather how Linda scared off our former Belgium boss with her infamous "NO MONEY NO TALK" slamming of the table during pay discussion, to Barbie's dog to helpers...Linda is one funny girl and she always made us laugh with her complete honesty. We said she had etched the worst possible image of HK girls in our foreign bosses mind now and scarred him for life now. Linda in turn retored no what, he gave me wine. He knows the cantonese word asking me to hurry up and leave (wine sound like leave in cantonese)! We laughed so hard! The most heated discussion that night centered on "Dishonest Maids" and how 90% will take liberty with your stuff. Even the most hardworking and honest ones will pinch a couple of hundreds when u aint looking. Sigh. I was sharing how my part time maid is starting to take liberty of my kindness too.....

Barbie also showed us a pix of her beary looking dog. We nearly died from laughing when she honestly confessed she partially bought the dog because it was cute, but also to keep her maid busy. However now she regrets having the dog since it took more time than she expected. Like me, we believe dogs are just dogs and shouldnt be treated as if they are human beings. So her dog trainer was appalled when Barbie drew the line saying she would never call herself "MOMMY" of the dog.

Barbie and I, we believe the dogs are just pets, and should be viewed as one. So no licking on the face, No lip to lip kissing with the dog, No sharing of bed, and definitely no "come to mommy". Jo was so amused and kept laughing at the two of us agreeing with each other about how some people just go overboard with their pets...



Well, the night din't end till about midnight. Ivan had to leave before desserts to pick up his Snow white while the girls stayed behind to chat more. The heart shape waffle is really nice!

Lunch at Agnes B

Lunch at Agnes B.

I wonder how long the Agnes B restaurant is gonna stick around judging by the mostly empty tables most nights. Sooner or later they have to fold if this crisis keeps up. Personally even before the econmy hits a snag, I have already felt they are overly ambitious, too fast too many outlets at one go. It's like 4 outlets now if i rem correctly. Crazy. How many good French resturant under the same label does one need? Not to mention pricey.


The main course was alright. I like my lobster and Jo's beef was decent. I had wanted the mussels but they didnt have stock. Must be cutting costs. A sign of things to come..... I was so full after lunch that I cannot stomach any dinner. Must be the cheese.... since I didnt think I ate that much.

The cakes are alittle disappointing honestly. The chocolate truffle slice is way too bitter, rich and lacking something. The mango cheesecake is also a little rich but fared slightly better than the choc truffle. This is coming from a choc fanatic.... so u can imagine. I like their tea offering though - Orange Pekoe. Very light and aromatic. An enjoyable way to spend a day with friends without the crowd.

Vday meal

Completely forgotten to update about Valentine Day.



When it comes to special days like this, I have to hand it to my partner. He is WAaaaaYYYYY much better at remembering things like these than I am. Honestly, for a woman, I am embarrassed to say I dont have any romantic genes in me. Sadly, something just isnt genetically programmed into me. I wonder if I should have been born a guy instead?

We have never celebrated V-day ever because I think its so cliche and I hate crowd. This year he decided to not stay at home. It also happened to land on a sat which is usually our eat out day. So apart from the fancy but disaapointing Italian dinner on Friday, we thought we would try the V-day set Jap dinner at our fav haunt. The good thing about being a regular, it helps with getting a prefered seating. Heh heh... I'm a sucker for things like that.

Dinner was alright. Not overly expensive and the fatty tuna just didnt match those I had in Hokkaido. Oh. I got a rose too. That freaking rose lasted a long time man. I didnt remove the stalk from the packaging and left it in one corner. Up till today (how many days passed?), it's still alive and kicking and bright red, with only a few outer petals wrinkled. I am impressed!

Akai Ito Episode 10

This week's episode of Akai Ito is kinda boring, all about Yui being knocked up and stuff. Anycase, you can watch it here yourself and be the judge.

The Guardian: Lessons From Singapore

I always thought it is an interesting read, about how others view our education system vs our own people.

One thing I have to agree, I do love those extra curriculum days much that I found them a chore sometimes in those time pressed days. However thinking back, those days were truly fun! I rem more from those activities days than the drumming dull moments in classrooms.

It was the charity flag selling days that opened my eyes about this society - that some poorer people who are tanned from slaving in the sun whole day, dressed in old and somewhat torn clothes were richer in their hearts to part with their money than those well dressed professional in shenton way, clicking their tongues in impatience, buzzin us off like annoying flies, or ignoring us like we dont exist...

While I often receive $2-5 from the manual labourers, I get 10-20 cents from a well heeled executive. At 13yrs, this charity flag day not only overcame my fear of approaching a complete stranger for a good cause, more importantly, it opened my eyes about all these adults that rushed past me. It's funny how such moments stuck in your head for life, helping me make a resolve never to be like those very people who had once snubbed me.

Anycase, enjoy the short read below from the UK papers - The Guardian.

Mike Baker
The Guardian, Tuesday 17 February 2009

How do you achieve a school system consistently in the top three in the world for maths and science, fourth for literacy, and described by experts as leading the world in teaching quality? Moreover, how do you manage to get 80% of pupils to pass five or more O-levels when they are taught in their second language in classes of 35? The answers are found in Singapore.

I have just accompanied winners of the Teaching Awards on a study visit to Singapore. It was organised by the charity CfBT Education Trust, which has sent British teachers to several countries to see what they can learn from other school systems.

So what did they expect to find? One assistant headteacher from the Midlands expected to see "a very traditional curriculum, rows of pupils, teacher in front, students there to learn". And indeed she did. But she also saw a whole lot more: traditional methods blended with more progressive thinking, and a focus on teaching the whole child, not just on exam results. It gave the British teachers plenty to ponder.

International comparisons are fraught with difficulties; it is easy to forget that what works in one country will not flourish in another. But Singapore has many similarities to the UK. The official language of school instruction is English, there is a national curriculum, and the national examinations are O- and A-levels, administered by Cambridge Assessment.

It was soon clear to the British teachers that there are similar challenges. Singapore is a multi-ethnic, multilingual society. Pupils are obsessed with mobile phones and computer games, and are, as one Singapore school principal put it, the "strawberry generation: easily bruised and damaged".

So why does it work? First, education is the government's top priority. That is not just rhetoric: a country with no natural resources (it even has to import water) knows it lives and dies by its collective brainpower. The ministry of education is very close to schools; as all teachers and principals are civil servants, they regularly rotate through postings to the ministry.

Teachers speak approvingly of the way the ministry supports initiatives with targeted funding. Or, as one former headteacher put it, the system runs on "top-down support for bottom-up initiatives".

For example, there is a drive to boost learning outside the classroom. The government provides funds for school visits, clubs and extra-curricular activities, enabling them to make such activities compulsory. Pupils are regularly graded on these activities, and the grades count towards entry to further education.

In another reform, the ministry announced recently that all primary schools would move to single-session teaching, with the juniors taught in the morning and the infants in the afternoon. This will bring smaller classes, better pupil-teacher ratios, and allow a programme of compulsory extra-curricular activities for the juniors in the afternoon.

Like England, Singapore is undergoing a big school building programme. But there is no disruption while the builders are in, as the whole school decamps to a vacant school nearby. The government maintains spare capacity for this very purpose.

In a reform called the Integrated Programme, schools with more able pupils are encouraged to bypass exams at 16, allowing greater curriculum flexibility right through to A-levels.

One visiting headteacher from Essex was struck by the real stretch offered to more able pupils, the "clear articulation of ideas between government and schools", and the way the whole system not only "talked the talk, but also walked the walk".

Perhaps the real key to Singapore's success, though, is the rare combination of traditional teaching and discipline, and a holistic, child-based approach. In the UK, we tend to see these as mutually exclusive opposites.

mikebakereducation.co.uk

Akai Itp Ep 09

Akai Ito episode 09 is up! However it is definitely not my fav ep. I soooo hate Mami and she didnt die. What a waste! Oh well, watch epsiode and review here

Dars New Choc Flavor

Found a new flavor of Japanese Choc that I am currently addicted to - Dars Creamy Cocoa. Only sold in City Super as far as I can find. After this, I can't go back to the old Dar's red pack anymore coz I find them too sweet now.

Nowadays, I buy stacks of choc home since I am finishing them faster than i can blink..not good..not good at all for my waist line....

The wind is exceptionally strong today. Gushing through the house. I hate the enveloping mist too. It's so thick that it completely obscure the peak mountain behind my place. I feel as if I am amongst the clouds.

Not only that, everything in the house felt a bit damp and my sheets are not drying properly. Such fantastic timing since I am washing 2 sets of sheets this week to prepare for my in laws arrival. I guess I have to stick them into the dryer at some point, though I much prefer not to since it wear out the rubber fitting very quickly.. As I am typing this, the layer of mist is descending quickly and looked even heavier than before.

The whole coming week is predicted rainy, warm, sticky and misty.
I am missing my winter months already.... Can't wait for my next Japan trip, hopefully weather will be more decent than HK.

Dinner at Grissini (HK)

Went out for Italian dinner today at Grissini@ Grand Hyatt Hotel. There was some Channelnews asia event at the hotel and many reporters were snapping away at all the big shots coming through the main lobby. Remembering my last personal experience in Budapest Four Seasons, where I was most unceremoniously shoved aside by Bill Clinton's body guard as old Bill was crossing path with me through the hotel's main door, I am not in a hurry to get in the way of another mob.

Frankly, dinner was quite a let down and disappointing. U can be sure that we wont be back in a hurry, or rather, won't consider going back.

The service is polite but relatively slow, inattentive and at times no service staff were in view for minutes. When asked about the base for a particular pasta item in the menu, the staff had no idea but she was polite enough to state she would find out and get back to me. Hmm.. not exactly great training if she wasnt even sure what goes into the pasta sauce, for an ITALIAN restaurant. Well at least the chef was nice enough to change the base for me.

Granted the view of the harbor was spectacular with the lights, laser show going off and tonight, shrouded by misty fog, it still didnt warrant the price nor the time wasted waiting for food to arrive. At one point, our plates for starters were sitting so long on our table that I had to wave and wave for some service staff to remove it. I had to like raise my hands 4-5 times before someone finally saw me, that is excluding the few minutes before trying to even LOOK for one service staff.

The bread stick was excellent, and probably the only decent thing for the whole dining experience.

My fried calamari starter while wasnt close to disaster, was pretty far from good. In fact, I couldnt quite understand how an expensive restaurant can ruin a simple dish by over salting it. What made it worse was the way it was presented, like bloody KFC chicken pops in a paper wrap, with greasy oil spot showing through the wrapper. The sauce was bland and absolutely worse combination to go with the food. The whole serving looked cheap, tasted cheap and they are charging me HK$160 for it. I could get a spectacular fried calamari in Sydney for half the price and twice the serving size.

My pasta fared slightly better though I didnt quite like the olives in my tomato base sauce. The linguine was cook right and scampi done right, but it was not something that tickled your imagination nor one's palette. I suddenly missed the fantastic pasta I had in Tokyo back in Nov. That was my last Italian meal.

My husband's choices fared much better. The mussels starter was reasonably good and so was the veal sirloin which was tender. Though again, I personally found it a little oversalted for the meat sauce. Not as bad as my calamari.

We waited ages for the choc pudding dessert till I had to wave for someone again to check on my order and it came prompto. Sigh. Again, not a dish that made me excited nor wow. I had more interesting facial expressions over a hawker fare than here, and I had more memorable food reviews of food at tasted at the backpacker alley in Ho Chi Ming than this.

So word of advice, skip this place even if u have cash to burn. There are much better options out there.

Watch Akai Ito Ep08

Ok for all those dying to watch Akai Ito Ep 08...hee heee.. I finally found a site that you can watch. Watch it quick before the site is forced to remove the video. Dont say I didnt remind you! To find out where...refer to my drama blog.

Conversation with my Filippino Helper

The thing about foreign helpers, they "scare" me to a certain degree.

Currently, I have a part-timer who comes in once a week to help with the ironing and some basic chores. Frankly, I dont really need her since I'm doing the main chores on my on throughout the week. However my husband who is used to having a helper prefered to have one coming in once a week to relieve me on weekends.

Well, I always believe in treating helpers right and respect them like you would to a friend. So even though she is a part timer by the hour, I didnt mind her taking time off to have her quick lunch -may it be noodles or bread on me. In return she is equally honest and diligent, and I can safely say we got along well.

Last sat, my helper for some reason started this conversation with me. She started off saying she enjoyed working with us, saying if there is no perfect boss then we are prob close to perfect. She shared that she looked forward to coming our place every sat because she get to laugh, listen to music (my ipod selections), and we never hover around her watchin her (No wonder I always thought she never want to leave our place early sticking around till eve). Then she started to tell me about her HK employer.

She is currently upset with her HK employer because the HK woman is trying to reject her maid's leave back to Philippines. Technically, the maid is entitled to go back for a month based on her accumulated leave. However her HK boss said that her brother just had a newborn and she wanted her maid to help with the new born, so the HK boss said she is "troubled" if the maid return home. I was astonished. How could the boss be so inconsiderate? The maid also have 4 daughters of her own and she hasnt seen them for a year, and she really wanted to go back for her daughter graduation. So I could sympathise with my helper.

While working, even in winter, she isnt allowed to use the hot water because her employer said the hot water may melt the water filter installed at the tap! I was like snorting in disbelief! Melt? Then she must be some HK cheapo to buy something cheap and nasty for a tap filter to melt! I mean tap filter are meant for BOTH HOT and COLD water stupid! She also had to hadwash all the clothes instead of using the washing machine because the HK owner said the washine machine is dirty. How ridiculous?! I was shaking my head. If the washing machine is dirty, go freaking get a new one!!!

Then my helper started to tell me how usually she is told she is disallowed to have breakfast until she finished teh designated chores, and she is also not allow to eat her dinner until all the chores are done. WTF?!! And the dinner is only instant noodles that's it, while the HK family eat their own stuff and told the maid not to touch anything from the fridge. No wonder I was wondering why my maid was so happy when i offered food before and she told me she was very touched. I felt like I am supporting some abandoned and mistreated home pet.

I can never understand some people. Why employ a maid if you cannot be decent enough to treat them right? Instant noodles everyday while you eat your fish and meat before her? What is worse is that my helper cannot let them find teh biscuits she bought or they would stop buying stuff for her assuming she can buy food herself with her own pay. I think it is so inhumane. Even if I am only listening to one sided story, I have a tendency to believe at least 70% is true.

Because the HK family also doesnt drink from tap water direct (since they are often discoloured and yellowish), the maid is suppose to fill the water container with the filtered water from the tap. My maid gleefully told me she deliberately filled it with pure tap water instead of filtered just to spite them. When it comes to laundry, she also deliberately misplace some socks and stuff just to piss off the old lady at home who apparently nag at her everyday. Everyday, she would call her other friends to complain and curse her boss in her own language,calling her bitch, asshole etc etc....I laughed at her description (because I am also not the victim) and told my helper she is sooo bad! My helper looked at me seriously and asked me if i really thought so.

I told her it is not my place to comment since I do not live together, and living together often have conflict and frictions and so its easy to get angry. I did tell her that she shouldnt though unless they really torture her or abuse her rights.

That eve, I told my husband, it is scary to have a live in maid. I am "scared" because you really do not know what they can do to you if you piss them off too much. Which is why we are to date, no keen of ever entertaining the thought of having a live in maid.

I'm just thankful I havent done anything to piss her off!

Akai Ito Episode 08 Review

OMG. I just finished watching Akai Ito Epsiode 8. It is one of the best and saddest episode to date.... I felt sooo sorry for Taka and Mei.

Read Akai Ito Ep08 synopsis here.

Em's birthday

Yesterday was one of those days, where almost everything went perfectly. It was also Em's birthday, the first that I got to celebrate with her. It's one of those things on my "must do" thing since I missed the previous one while living in Sydney.

So come this year, I am glad to have a chance to do so for couple of reasons, mainly being that she was the first to extend a warm hand of friendship when I first arrived cluelessly in Hong Kong few years back. With that, came along a bunch of friends who gave me much infinitely happy moments and laughters. Even when I was living away, getting her calls were always a highlight, especially precious since I know she doesnt earn alot. U just know when u meet those people whom u know u want to keep as friends for life and those people u thanked for during Thanksgiving day.

Since her boyfriend couldnt take leave off for the day, I gladly took her out for lunch and treat to Japanese movie "Ponyo on the cliff by the sea" till it was time to pass the baton back to her man. It must be her birthday luck because everything went so smoothly that day from timely buses, to getting a slot at a popular Jap restaurant at peak lunch hour.

Lunch was really good at Tonkichi at World Trade Center. It was my first time there and I was pretty impressed by the serving and attentive service. Em was especially happy coz she had always wanted to try the place but never had a chance to.

I'm glad we had fun, even more so that I made someone else really happy.

Movie: Cape No. 7 (海角七号) OST

Just finished watching the new VCD i bought - Cape No. 7 (海角七号). My interest arouse solely from the fact they had won so many acolades and so I thought I should check it out.

True to its review, the movie is surprisingly good for a Taiwan production. The story weaved through several characters, interconnected by a series of 7 letters, written by a Japanese man to his lost Taiwanese love Tomoko somewhere 60years ago. The address stated on the postal mail no longer exists after all these time and the guy working as partime postman decide to open and read the letter. The man was forced to leave Japan after WWII defeat, leaving behind the love of his life and hence a written journal of his emotional turmoil.

Accompanying the letter narration is another story of a modern love-hate relationship between this aspiring band guy vs a Japanese lady working in Taiwan.

While the acting may not be of worthy of A-list ranking, yet the plot is simple and at times touching. There were also moments that I found myself guffawing so loud, much to my own surprise. The ending is somewhat cliche but I love the part where the letter was being read. If I were the old granny reading that long overdue letters, I think my tears would not stop flowing with my heart tugging away...

If u havent seen the movie, I think its a nice show worth considering. If U had, then you will rem this song sang towards the end.

Track: 國境之南 [download]

Niseko Pictures

Here's a slideshow to sum up the views of Nisekko

Onsen time!

One of the nice thing during my ski trip was the trip to Onsen.

Hotel Kanronomori which was close to where we stayed had one. So we decided to head for it one day when we returned early from ski and didnt feel like more physical excercise.

During our first try, we couldnt get the outdoor onsen as it was fully book. So we settled for the indoor one. It was good and relaxing and even comes with a massage bed! We were both fighting like kids for it of course in the precious remaining 10 mins after our onsen soak!!

On our second visit, we manage to get our private outdoor onsen which was located 2 floors below the reception area. This time, there wasnt any shower facility nor massage bed. What we got instead was just a normal room with TV, and an outdoor onsen in a wooden tube out in the cold air.

For reasons of modesty, here's a preview of the tube before my session:)

Playtime in the Snow! Snowman and Fairies!

I love snow. Especially fresh falling ones.

Just outside our lodge, I got a kick out of making my snow fairies and snow man for the first time in my life! I'm a big kid at heart. When we were done, we were laughing so hard that it has got to be the "ugliest" snowman and "weakest" snow fairies ever in Hokkaido this season :P

On our last night, I decided to have another go at making another snow fairy. Yeah, I'm like that in a way. Just have to get it right or it will kill me... :)

Consultation at Japanese Hospital

After the 2nd day on monday, I woke up in the morning with a hideously red and blotchy face. The face was warm to touch. The angry redness was strangely restricted to my mask circumference at the middle of my forehead to the sides of my nose bridge. However did that happen is unknown.

My initial thought was F*@k! It's an allergy!!! Upon further examination, it was strangely localised at the 3 areas on my face only. I was relieved since it wasnt something major that would have ruin my trip. I figure the culprit was probably the new sunscreen I had been using. It prob wasnt meant to be used for sports. Organic bastards.

The puffiness didnt subside. So on wednesday, I decided to trouble Takeda san to drive me into Kutchan town to visit a doctor in the local hospital. Fortunately for me, Takeda san was heading in the same direction, which made me a little less guilty about have to "baby me" for the morning.

As in typical Japanese style, the registration to collection of medication was efficient, quick and over in a blink of an eye. While I had the great fortune of having a native Japanese local with me to handle everything, the place I noticed was relatively friendly for English speaking "visitors."

They actually had a sign that says "Registration for new visitors at counter 1". On one hand its great, on the other hand, it makes me wonder exactly how many foreign visitors they have have treated here to make that English sign worthwhile! (^0^)

Anycase along the way, Takeda san called the hospital to say we are running late, due to road delays of shovelling the snow off the pavement. I didnt quite understand since I didnt know we had an appointment. Upon arrival, it dawn on me that there is a cut off registration time which stops at about 11am and the next session is 1.30pm. So that's why!

Takeda san was funny. There was an English registration and a Japanese registration form. He cheekily ask me i i want the Japanese version. I would have if it wasnt already 11.30am so I stuck to the English version which simply only require your name, nationality, allergies queries and contact address. No verification was required.

Then I was told to sit and wait for someone and in less than 5 mins, a sweet Japanese lady came by, issued me with my first ever Japan Hospital swipe card personalised with my name on it.

Next, I was asked to follow her upstairs and there was another seperate waiting lounge. I was told that I would be attended by a dematologist specialist. I was crossing fingers I wouldnt be slap with a big bill later. While waiting, I noticed a family of Hong Kong people behind me yakking away. What is it with Hong Kong people who just cannot shut up even for a minute?

Another sweet looking nurse appeared at the counter window and called for me. First question was do i speak Japanese. I didnt know how in depth the questions was going to me especially later with the doctor so I figured I better tell her I wasnt very good. Sensing her relief that I could at least understand her, she decided to forge ahead with the rest of "questionaire" in Japanese. At this junction, all I had to confirm was area of concern, when was first occurrence and allergy queries again. Phew. That wasnt too hard.

Next was the HK family and the mum acted annoyed with the nurse when she was asked in English if she can speak Japanese. The HK mum barked "Noo NOO NOO. We DONT SPEAK JAPANESE." (I bold this as this was exactly the loud volume she was talking to the polite nurse)

The nurse told her to wait a minute and dial "emgergency" request to someone, asking for an English Translator to come up.

In the next 5 min, a very pretty and well dressed lady came up in a hurry, wearing a bright yellow sign round her neck, stating "English Translator".

Very quickly, it was my turn to see the doctor and the translator came to me and started to explain her role. She is apparently also a doctor, or surgeon to be exact, but is acting as translator today between patients and my doctor. She was efficient, business like and meticulous. Could I say I was in awe and never in my life until now, did I wish I am a doctor by profession. I thought she was soooo coool! U know those doctors in Singapore are always nerdy and reserve, but here I am with this female doctor who gives u the feeling she is in control. Damn she is hot too, not to mention perfectly fluent in English!

My session with my specialist was over in less than 5 mins. Apparently we all concluded it was prob allergy to my sunscreen. When it was finished, I thanked them both and waited patiently for the nurse to give me next instruction. The cute nurse appeared again with my file, and explained to me the medicine which was to given later, as well as the usage frequency. Takeda san appeared just then to fetch me and she thought that was my grandfather? haaaa haaa. So funny.

Anycase, I took my file, went back to the first level and handed my file to counter 2. Then I was told to sit and wait for a number, which came shortly. With the number, I was to proceed to counter 7 to pay my payment. Luckily they accepted credit card, and my bill came up to 6350yen for the visit. Wasnt that expensive thankfully!

After payment, I was given another number to collect my medication at counter 10. There was a huge signboard that has all the numbers. There was no english instructions but the Japanese instructions states that so long as your number appear on this screen, you can collect your medicine. So its not going to be some arrow flashing for numbers one by one.

While I was waiting for Takeda san, I noticed the same HK family again who was completely lost and the mum was flustered and nagging at the dad in cantonese. (U know those loud HK woman in market? Yeah she was acting like that n a quiet hospital drawing much stares from the older Japanese patients.)

Initially I kept my distance since I want no association with such people. Yet, seeing how bad tempered and clueless the HK mum was, I thought I would be helpful to explain to her the process in CANTONESE. Guess what? The Hk woman not only did not bother to look at me in the eye, she didnt even bother to say a word of thanks and walk off as if I owe it to her to tell her anything. I wasnt expecting some gushing gratitude but hey, at least a civil word of thank you wasnt that difficult right? I almost regretted instantly for helping her but then thought better since her bad behaviour is a reflection of her ill upbringing, not mine. With that notion, I felt better.

When it was my turn, the guy who dispense my medicine showed me my ointment, explained its usage in English and packed it away with a paper instruction and a colour print out of the ointment tube image. Being everything in Japanese, I asked him for the English version of the ointment so that in even that my face has further problems, I could tell the HK doctor what I was prescribed with. The staff understood and went to dig a large book and wrote the English translation for me.

Everything was over in less than an hour. I am truly impressed. This is faster than the Singapore Raffles clinic at non peak hour!

So there, my consultation experience in a Japanese hospital. Can't say I didnt try everything there is to try. Thankfully it wasnt a broken bone!

And oh, the medication work wonders, my redness was gone overnight after the first application!

Niseko Food Talk

Food...glorious food.

With our constant nightly ripping of smelly loud farts going for us, I reckon we probably overate every night... (^-^) Who would resist good food?!!!

I was often famished and so I didnt take much pictures. Also, half the time I was skiing and it was too much of a hassle to bring my camera along. For those moments I remembered, here there are.

We had dinner one night at J.Sekka (Hirafu),Bang Bang (Hirafu), Rin (Hirafu) and another 2 nights at the Northern Niseko Resort, which is in Annurpuri. I personally would like to try staying here one time only for the reason it is a ski in/ out hotel to the door steps. However, Sekka lodge is just as good and we prob got a better deal out of ours.

That aside, the hotel's Japanese restaurant "An-Non" is SERIOUSLY GOOD! When we work out the price conversion, the meal is actually comparable if not cheaper than a meal out in a fancy restaurant in HK! Bear in mind we are eating really fresh seafood like fatty tuna sashimi, broiled snowcrab leg, BIG FAT scallops and the buttery tasting beef. Funny how we keep thinking yen is strong but after being here, meals still work out cheaper if u compare it to dining spots of the same yardstick.

At An-nonMy husband said this is the BEST tempura prawns he had ever tasted. previously he had never been a fan because the batter was never light and crispy without being oily, and prawns cooked just right. Here, he actually proposed ebi Tempura twice in a row! Our personal fav were the Fatty Toro Tuna that doesnt taste nor look anything like fish, and the beef which is so sweet and soft. By the time I rem the camera, my beef were all gone in a flash.


For the sake of demonstrating the ratio of how big the scallop was, I decided to "model" my hand for it, and also a very much satisfied diner when the butter steamed scallop is all gone.
J.Sekka was alright but I felt it was more catered to a caucasian crowd and the seafood wasnt as big and fresh as a typical Jap restaurant.



Bang Bang is a yakitori place and supposedly recommended by those ski mags, so i see way too many expats here. Never a good thing when u do not see much Japanese. Dont get me wrong. It's decent and fresh food, but I felt, my money would be better spent somewhere else. Too much hype I think. However, the distinctive FANTASTIC singular dish I love here is their scallop. How on earth they get such huge scallops with all the pink juicy bits is unfathomable.




Rin is a typical Izayaka, family style. The food is alright and value for money, but not exactly spectacular. It's just the produce is sooo fresh that it is almost a sin to ruin any dish. Their tofu salad and grilled snapper stood out the most that night we feasted.