Showing posts with label beautiful destinations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beautiful destinations. Show all posts

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Life, Lately: Celebrations and Realizations

Every June the past years, I get busy getting into everyone's schedules to celebrate my birthday. And I am thankful for those people who have shared their time and energy with me. This year was a complete turn around and I did not really plan on doing anything grand cos I'm saving up for something and well, I'm just tired and getting old that I somehow don't want to do anything, ya know, stuff like that. But the universe still made ways, as if it's a dear friend pulling some strings to make things work. It worked. And for that I'm forever grateful.

I welcomed my birth month with a weekend trip to Shizuoka with my family- probably the first time in a loooong time that I celebrated my birthday with them. It was a much-needed breather for me and I guess for my family, too. We went to this cabin in the middle of the woods somewhere in Kannami, had BBQ for dinner, dipped into the private onsen, and breathed in the view of Mt. Fuji through the window. The next day, we roamed around Atami (the beau and I's second time) and Mishima. It was a fun trip and to be honest, I did not expect it to be. But it was. This trip will forever be in my heart and memory.

First time to see an alpaca in person! Omg! Haha!
If you are in Mishima area, definitely go to Mishima Rakujuen Park!

On my actual birthday, I had a very interesting dinner care of the beau. Everything was great, the raclette, the edible jelly lipsticks, ahhhh the dessert table! I loved this night! And when I got home, I got a birthday cake my Mama ordered for me. Ahhhh a million times yes!






I was also lucky to have tutees-turned-friends and one decided to have our conversation lesson while celebrating my birthday at Shinjuku Mitsui Club.  ありがとうございました。


Since there was a Detective Pikachu campaign at Pokemon Cafe, we went of course. Though this was our second time at the cafe, we still enjoyed how cute the food were! 

Pokémon Cafe
〒103-0027 東京都中央区日本橋二丁目11番2号 日本橋髙島屋S.C.東館 5階電話番号 03-6262-3439

Last but not the least of my birthday celebrations... indoor skydiving! My childhood friend and beau joined me and I could not have asked for better companions. I loved every bit of this day.


Fly Station Japan 
Nearest Station: Koshigaya Laketown Station, 12 min walk
For details and reservations, visit https://flystation.jp.


As if all those celebrations did not exhaust my energy and my pocket, I went to Chiba to see one of my favorite flowers- hydrangea/ajisai with my cousin and beau and I did not regret nor I ever will. Just look at these beauties! 

Read more about my hydrangea heaven escape here:

Since my cousin is here for a limited time, we also decided to go to Shiota Chiharu's exhibit, something I've been looking forward even before it opened. It was a  great ending to a great day and a great month that was June.



Celebrations aside, if there's something I've learned this month, or have re-learned rather, it was focusing on who is important, on what is important. I've had my fair share of distractions this first half of 2019, I was blinded by things I deemed as gold but were only rocks, and I've compromised things I should have not even compromised in the first place. Thankfully, I was given another year which means more time to re-align. And that, for me, is the best gift my 28-year-old self has received this year. 

Hope your June was beautiful. Moreover, I hope July has been treating you well. 

xx,
Alyssa

Thursday, March 21, 2019

Matsuda Cherry Blossom Festival 2019

It's March and spring aka my second favorite season is coming (or is it already here? lol) yayyyy! And as expected, my feed was (and is still being) bombarded with cherry blossom forecast posts. Based on what I have seen so far, the cherry blossoms in Tokyo will start blooming today, earlier than usual, which means I'm gonna miss it cos I'm flying out of Japan a few hours from now for spring break ohhhh nooooooo!

Of course ya girl won't give up that easily! I'm not gonna miss this fleeting sakura season without putting up a good fight! I knew before that there are lots of sakura varieties and each has its own bloom period. The somei yoshino type would bloom before the fluffy yaezakura type (my favorite) and so on. Given that, I tapped my bestie Google and gladly, I was answered- MATSUDA CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL A.K.A. KAWAZU SAKURA HEAVEN!

So off I went to a place I have never been before and after two hours worth of train and bus rides... I finally got my kawazu sakura dose! Glad that these early-blooming cherry blossoms exist omg! Yassssss!






Kawazusakura (カワズ桜) is one of the earliest cherry blossom varieties to bloom. These pink beauties can be seen as early as late January until the first few days of March. I went to this place last March 9th and these were what I have had witnessed~ 


There's a mini train that children (and children at heart lol) can ride. I'm not sure if there's a fee as I didn't try but you can easily spot the entrance to this "attraction".


ハロー ❀








ハロー、ラブ! ♡

We had to hike up a bit to see the view I wanted to take a photo of: Mt. Fuji with lots of kawazusakura beneath it but it was very cloudy when we went so yeah, I couldn't. 

But look at this view? Ain't it breathtaking? Ahhhhh this was more than enough for me~



This was another favorite view: pink kawazusakura x yellow rape blossoms 












Another favorite view weeeeew~




Sorry for flooding ya all with my face, I can't help but take lots of pictures with these pink beauties omggg heaven~




Also, I loved that this place wasn't that crowded! Usually, sakura places are flocked with lotsa tourists but not this one... not yet lol!


It started drizzling so we hurriedly headed down and ate sakuramochi soft cream instead! It had bits of sakura mochi ahhhhhh oishiiiiii~

The long travel time and the impromptu hike were worth it! If you have time to spare during the first two weeks of  March, I suggest you go! Here are the details for when you plan to go next kawazusakura season~

Matsudayama Herb Garden
2951, Matsudasoryo, Matsuda-machi, Ashigarakami-gun, Kanagawa 258-0003
Access:  Matsuda Station/Shin-Matsuda Station, 10-min shuttle bus from Matsuda Station bus stop to Nishihira Park (¥150/adult, one way)

xx,
Alyssa

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All photos are mine. 
Please don't use them without permission.

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