Started in Ho Chi Ming City, Vietnam, 2013 was one of the hardest years of mine. Many important things collapsed, including relationships with some of my friends, a job I once belonged and so on. Except the traveling to South East Asia from late 2012 to early 2013, I never traveled abroad at all. It was weird as well as dangerous, considering the fact that traveling has been always the way of maintaining my mental health, which has been working since 2005. But I didn't do it last year because I simply wanted to live in this country as much as I could. I started to shuttle between Tokyo and my hometown each month, it finally made me stop to count how many times I go back and forth by the time of the middle of 2013. Anyway, we hit 2014 and I'm pretty fine. So why don't we see some pictures taken in 2013? (Probably most people have already stopped thinking about previous year, that's why I made this post :))
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While I was in Japan, I kept thinking about one critical thing: Why doesn't this country suit me?
I definitely am a fan of small countries such as Rwanda and Syria, not only its smallness, but also the hospitality of people that I felt when I was there. Compared to these facts, my country is so big and indifference to others, full of messes. Naturally, I got sick of them every now and then. In the same time, I knew there are many good aspects in this place, fresh delicious foods like sushi, old architectures are spread across the country. "I hate some parts of this country because I like it as well" In the middle of the year, this notion suddenly inspired in my head. I'm not sure about my future though, let's not think about it so seriously for the time being.
Oh, the last one was the 1st day of this year :D I hope the year of 2014 gives a lot of godspeed to all of you ;)
Hi, Iko.
ReplyDeleteI'm Arthur, from Malaysia. Hope 2014 has been good to you so far.
I was in Tokyo on a solo trip Iast month - my main aim was to get a Dreamcast console from Akihabara which I did in the end : )
I also visited many temples / shrines like the Sensoji, Tokyo Daijingu, Meiji Jingu, and Imado Jinja and I like the culture of your country very much. I had a sense of calmness and peace of mind when visiting these places even though there were crowds of tourists.
Above all, your country is very safe for a lone traveler like me, something which you can't do in Malaysia without the risk of getting robbed or killed or something worse...I felt completely carefree when in Tokyo and was very sad when I came home to Malaysia.
I've enjoyed reading your blog and look forward to reading more entries soon. Take care.
Kind regards,
Arthur
Good morning Arthur, and thank you very much for commenting! :) It's really impressive to hear that you came to Japan to get a Dreamcast console. I have to be honest, I once had it when I was a kid :) Mine's gone for years though, you went to exactly the best place to find it. Akihabara has anything you want in terms of electric products.
DeleteI've never heard of Imado jinja so I checked it out. It's in Tokyo, right? I have to head there soon ;)
Since people tend to get together both for home and business, it must have been crowded everyplace you went. I think December is the most crowded plus busiest month in my country.
I also see your blog and I like it by the way.
Filled with topics about foods and places you visited, and I happened to find a post about puyo-puyo, which I enjoyed during days of my elementary school students. Despite I wasn't good at it, there's always clever player at least one each class in a school :)
I'm fine now, and hope you come visit here soon :)
Ohayou gozaimasu, Iko and thanks for visiting my blog as well!
DeleteI do indeed want to visit Japan again very soon and this time to the Kansai region (Kyoto, Osaka etc.) probably during the cherry blossom season this year. If not, it'd be in autumn when the weather isn't too warm.
Yes, Imado Jinja is in Tokyo, and I went there to get a pair of maneki-neko to take home. The ladies working at the juyosho (hope I got the spelling correct) of the shrine were laughing all the time when I was choosing the omamori and one of them was very kind to give me a bar of chocolate as part of my purchases as well ; )
I'm not good at puyo-puyo as well. I saw many youtube videos of great players creating rensa flawlessly on puyo-puyo 2 and it's a joy to watch.
If ever you'd like to visit Malaysia anytime, please let me know. I'd be pleased to show you around (not in the high-crime areas, though).
Konbanwa!
DeleteThank you again for visiting here :)
Will you come to my country this year as well?
How nice, let me know whenever visiting here!
I actually ate food called "Okonomi-yaki" which is a unique food in Osaka today, and that was absolutely good ;)
Here it's too cold and the forecast said it will be snow tomorrow.
If it's true, it will be the first time in Tokyo (Or second time? I just forgot :))
These days many people including me go to temples and shrines not for praying, but for taking rest or walk.
I really like visiting there when I finish something important.
Just sit back one of chairs inside, close my eyes and listen to the sounds I could hear, such as winds and whistle of bird :)
About puyo-puyo, there are a few people that have ability to play cleverly.
I can't understand how to do such a short time, less than second to decide what to do! :D
And your country Malaysia, I've heard of stories from people visited there.
Penang, Kuala Lumpur and so forth.
I would like to visit too! :)
Nice pictures!
ReplyDeletekeep them coming^^
haven't shoot with digital for a while..
Megu-san,
DeleteThank you so much!
Are you busy these days by the way?
I always enjoy reading your blog and can't stop it^^