First beach visit

Last Sunday Hiro brought us to Morito Beach, near Kamakura. It was our first visit to the beach (in Japan) this year. A bit too early. It was still cold, and the cafes are still being built. The beach season will start on July 1st this year. Hiro, who hates crowd, prefers to go there either too early or when it almost finishes.

We had picnic lunch there. No, I didn't prepare anything. We just brought some food from the convenience store. Iki and Hiro played with the sand and the cold sticky water, and explored around excitedly, while I sat alone waiting. Ah.....this always happen lately. That Iki loves playing with Hiro, and that I have to kill the time alone (_ _!)

We also visited a shrine nearby where Hiro and Iki prayed a bit.

We didn't stay long. I felt the wind was too cold and was afraid to catch a cold (which actually really happened!) But it was a good relaxing one. I think it was a good change from our regular camping trip.

Spring holiday

We actually didn't plan any overseas trip because we wanted to drive around Japan this year, but my brother got married last March so we ended up spending the spring holiday in Indonesia. Iki unexpectedly agreed to help bringing the bride's gown! He did a very good job! I knew my very shy boy was so nervous that he almost cried after he did it :p. It was a huuuuuge thing for him walking in front of hundreds of people haha

Hiro lost his Iphone in Surabaya so we kind of lost of holiday mood. He put a lot of important data there and it was really scary to imagine if someone could manage to open his password vault inside the iphone!! But Iki had to enjoy it so Hiro spent time with him in the swimming pool :). It was surprising to see Iki's swimming progress now

We had dinner at Iki restaurant on Hiro's last night in Surabaya. Well, we really had to go there this time. Surprisingly one waitress still remembered Hiro and me! Iki can read now and he was very excited to read the restaurant name LOL

Too bad I didn't have good appetite during my trip in Surabaya. I couldn't eat a lot but I was happy to be able to eat my fave soto banjar and baksowith Enyo. Also this bebek Sinjay for breakfast one day!! Boy it was soooo goood!!! and it was the biggest meal I had during my whole trip in Indonesia! -Thanks, Vi!

Then we went to Manado. I realized that I really don't have any single friend in Manado that I spent my whole time with my family. We (me and Iki) really had quality time with families, which I'm not sure could happen again anytime soon.....Iki had so much fun!!

I just can't believe that I lost 1.5 kgs during my holiday in Indonesia!!! usually i gained at least 4 kgs during holiday. Blame it to the "good quality" family time....?? hahaha

Night ski and Ice Lake Fishing

We had lunch at McDonald's last Saturday when Hiro suddenly said, "let's go ski and ice fishing after this!"

Well, actually planned a day trip on Sunday, but still I was very surprised and not prepared!

Anyway in less than an hour we were in our way up north to Urabandai area in Fukushima perfecture. After having a quick lunch then we did our first night ski together. Boy, it was a beautiful night!! We went up and saw the beautiful lights from the villages down the mountain.

I (of course) fell off when I tried to turn on my snowboard and accidentally realized that there were millions of stars up there. I love spending few minutes laying on the snow, watching them twinkling.

Then we stayed in a Minshuku, a budget version of Japanese Ryokan by the end of narrow and slippery Urabandai road. It was very cheap. A good accommodation choice for our unplanned trip. Eventhough spoilt Iki asked once he saw the building: "What? we're staying here? is this really hotel?!" LOL

We spent the next day fishing wakasagi (Japanese smelt) on the frozen lake. What an experience!!!

At first Iki was very excited but then after 5 minutes he got bored and started to complain :p

We waited for 3.5 hours but got nothing!!!! not even one tiny wakasagi! (>.<). It was very cold and Iki looked very miserable so we gave up

We went back without any wakasagi but we brought back home an unforgettable experience

One day ski/snowboarding trip

We went to Mt. Jeans in Nasu, Tochigi area, Japan yesterday. Oh well, Iki actually still had pretty bad cough but he (and Hiro) really wanted to ski that the season almost comes to the end.

Iki is getting better skiing. He really loves it and started to say irritating things while waiting for me (like:"you're so slow, mom!"), or even tried to teach me how to snowboard! Ha! Let's wait until you try snowboarding, young man!!

I wished I could learn as fast as a kid could. I am still working hard on my snowboarding skill. Have to practice a lot to turn. I fell down for so many times that my whole body is aching now -don't ask about my rib. Yes, it's still painful (>.<)- I'm running out of time (and money haha!) this year, but I hope I could make it by the end of winter!

Mt. Takao

We went to Ukai Toriyama Restaurant in Mt. Takao last Friday to congratulate Iki's cousin who successfully passed the examination to enter private junior high school. It was a very hard work for her to be able to enter her dream school and we are really proud that she could make it!

It is a beautiful restaurant with large Japanese style garden. This was the view from our room:

The food was good too. We chose chicken menu that day and everybody were happily stuffed. I fell in love with the Japanese sake too that day :p. It's pretty pricey though. It costed us 800 usd for 8 people's lunch (+alcohol)

I am interested to see the view in spring, though! ;-)

To the top!!

We did it!

I still had hangover from drinking with my girlfriends the night before, but we went to the top of the mountain together, the three of us. It was incredible!

Japan is surely getting warmer now. It's only february but the snow is wet already. It's even melted on my snowboard. This makes Hiro wants to go ski every weekend.....

Winter Camping

Yes, we did it last weekend. I still think that we were crazy!

We were hungry when we arrived at the Regina forest campsite in Fukushima Perfecture, but before we could start making fire, we still had to clean away snow! What an exercise!

For the first time in my life, I felt like cooking in a freezer. All the leftover food turned into ice the next day, even my liquid dish washing detergent LOL

It was cold cold cold, that I thought I wouldn't survive

Eventhough Hiro and Iki had so much fun making this happy snowman :)

Hot black coffee was a luxurious treat

Thanks God we didn't have to stay in a tent!! Hiro rented this igloo shaped comfortable cabin for us spending the night

But it was fun. Once in a lifetime experience....O N C E in a life time....!!! (could it be only once, Hiro?! :p)

Snow Monkey

We went to Shiga Kogen last two weeks for skiing and Iki wanted to see the snow monkey advertised around the Ryokan we stayed.

Last year we didn't bring him there but this year we thought he would be strong enough to walk so we agreed to give those monkey a visit :p

I didn't expect that we would do a winter hiking to reach the monkey area!! Good that Iki enjoyed the whole trip -which made it even longer :p

We had to walked through a snowy jungle

And a narrow slippery road

And also lots of slippery steps

Until we met this cutie

With his friends trying to warm themselves up in the hot spring

The whole hiking trip worthed it. We could see the only monkeys who wash their food before eating :p. It was a good walk. We saw a lot and surprisingly Iki had so much fun!

Snowboarding

Hiro bought me snowboard and the boots, so that I won't get bored all the time waiting for him and Iki skiing. I tried snowboard before we got married and as far as I could remember, it was not as difficult as ski so I agreed to give it a try again this time.

Again his dream to go to the top of the snowy mountain together and see the breathtaking view melted me. Well, eventhough he knows that it would take years for Iki and (especially) me to go up to the top of the mountain :p

I surprisingly enjoyed snowboarding, though it is actually is not THAT easy. It's a very good exercise too so I hope I wouldn't be too fat putting on layers of fat to keep myself warm during winter!

So I do snowboarding now, while Hiro and Iki skiing. Iki also loves ski now, and Hiro is very happy with that!

Winter is just a month to go. I'm glad that this time the three of us can enjoy it more....

Hatsumode

Hatsumode is the first visit to the shrine during New Year, where people pray for the whole good coming year. The shrines are super crowded during this period so actually Hiro planned to go there in the second of third week of January, when hopefully the crowd is lesser.

But Iki, who now learned a lot of Japanese traditional custom from his daily life, school or even television, asked Hiro to go to Shrine during last New Year holiday. Because he wants a daruma-san for his New Year good luck charm.

We went to a shrine in Sanno, about 1.5 hour drive from Tokyo. Iki could buy his Daruma-san there and then Hiro planned to go to big Outlet stores nearby. There were lots of small shops along the street to the shrine, so it was a good opportunity too to try some festival (and street) food of Japan.

And yes, it was very crowded. We had to queue in line for about 1 hour only to enter the shrine. And needed more than 5 hours to try to queue to the outlet store (then we gave up after 1.5 hour lining!) and to drive back home because of the traffic jam.

Christmas Ski

We went to Zao, an onsen area in northern Japan last weekend. Ski season just started last week, so Hiro thought it would be a great way to spend Christmas skiing instead of camping!

At first Iki was excited and followed papa-chan instruction

Well then again, the drama began. Papa-chan got angry and Iki-chan started to cry

Papa-chan walked away.... and everyone felt bad.

So at last we just put him into the ski school. He loved it, wanted to learn ski more, but not from papa-chan. He wants to learn only from the ski school now (>.<).

Anyway both papa-chan and Iki-chan had a good time skiing. And me....just waiting while watching the snowfall and eating a lot of high calorie snacks (@_@).

At least I had fun playing with Iki

while papa-chan had to clean the car from the snow LOL

It was a beautiful day afterall. A beautiful white Christmas (^_^)

Merry Christmas, hope yours' are as beautiful as ours

Wintery nails

Its getting colder and colder out there. I prefer sipping hot amaretto coffee instead of shopping around now. And doing my favorite relaxing activity: manicuring.

So here are my wintery nails, for welcoming winter (^____^)