Tokyo Experience - Navigating Shinjuku Station

There is much to see and do in Tokyo. Admittedly, we didn't get to experience Tokyo in its full "busyness" as we were there during the Golden Week holidays. So we didn't have to be squished into the trains during peak period, or encounter the hordes of work crowds crossing the streets of Tokyo.

Our first experience of Tokyo city was Shinjuku station, probably the busiest train station in the world serving more than 3 million passengers per day. Arriving on the Narita Express (we got the NEX + Suica pass), our first order of the day was to go to the Odakyu Information Centre to collect our Hakone Free Pass. This was not an easy task. First-time visitors to Tokyo and Shinjuku Station can attest to the daunting size of this train station. It serves as the hubs for the JR, Odakyu, Keio, Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway. Get a copy of the Tokyo subway map from the Narita Airport Information Counter as well as a copy of the JR trains to help with your Tokyo travel.

Whilst it's fairly easy to catch the trains operated by the different train companies - follow the signs and make sure you have allocated enough time because some stations can be a couple of kilometres apart, it's more complicated trying to locate the exit you need to take (there are about 200 exits) or as in our case, locate the Odakyu Information Centre. Add the language barrier to the equation, you have four jet-lagged tourists climbing up and down the stairs asking for directions, being led on a wild goose chase.

We managed to locate the Information Centre after about 1/2 and hour or so of traipsing round and round. The Odakyu Information Centre has dedicated personnel to assist foreign visitors so we had no issues getting our passes. By then, we were more than ready for lunch. Options are plentiful as the Shinjuku Station is connected directly to at least 8 malls. The department stores are a great place for food. You can either opt for the bento sets at the basement of the deparment stores or check out the restaurants at the top floors. We headed to the top floor of the Odakyu Department Store, just above the Odakyu Line Concourse. We had our first Japanese meal of our trip - tempura and cold soba, the first of many delicious meals. One of the best tips we learnt about eating in Japan is to check out the menu boards in front of the restaurants. The pictures of the food sets and prices can help you decide what to eat. Make sure you remember which one set you want because the restaurant may not the English language daily special menu in the restaurant. If the restaurants don't have a menu board outside, chances are it's quite an upscale restaurant.

After a very satisfying lunch, we headed towards the Marunouchi Subway line to catch the metro train to Shinjuku Gyoenmae to go to our hotel. Which brings me to my next tip - it's probably easiest to stay at a hotel near to smaller station like Shinjuku Sanchome or Shinjuku Gyoenmae. That way you can avoid the experience of trying to locate the exit you have to take out of the 200 exits at the main Shinjuku Station.

"The only way to be sure of catching a train is to miss the one before it"
GK Chesterton

What Living in Thailand Taught Me

A friend of mine was lamenting about the language challenges of visiting Japan. As a result, he did not enjoy his travels to Japan. On the other hand, despite my lack of Japanese language skills, I loved my trip to Japan. I pondered about our two different reactions to the same circumstance.

My conclusion? Living in Thailand has made me more open to visiting a foreign country where English is not the first language and is not widely used by a wide majority of the locals. I admit it was tough going for me the first couple of months living in Bangkok. I remember my frustration during my first grocery shopping trip. I could not figure out the laundry detergent to buy for my top-loader washing machine because all the packaging was in the Thai language. Thankfully, I later found another supermarket that had small English labels on the shelf. There was another time when we were eating at a local open-air restaurant. As we were not well-versed with the Thai language at that time, we pointed to a dish that another patron was eating, thinking it was fried squid. When our dish came, it turned out to be fried intestine!

There are probably a dozen or more such stories - driving on an unfamiliar highway interstate and not being able to read the Thai detour directions, having to memorize a few local Thai dishes names so we could order at local shops when we travelled out of Bangkok, not being able to understand the commentaries when watching a Thai performance, etc, etc. As a result of having experienced first hand the language challenges of living in a foreign country, I think that I have become more accepting of people who don't speak English and perhaps, even more adaptable when visiting a country like Japan.

Live and learn!

Top 10 Tips for travelling in Japan

I just came back from two weeks in Japan - travelling the recommended route from Tokyo to Kyoto, with stopovers in Hakone (the land of Onsen) and Takayama (the land of Hida beef). It was one of my best holidays. Despite the language challenges, travelling in Japan on your own is very do-able. Here are my tips for travelling on your own in the Land of the Rising Sun:

View of Tokyo city from the Metropolitan Government Building


Lake Ashi, Hakone


Hida Folk Village, Takayama


Golden Temple, Kyoto


Before the Trip
1) Do your research before hand! This will help you decide on your itinerary and keep you posted on latest events.
- Go online to the travel websites - Frommers, Lonely Planet, Fodors,Japan National Tourism Organization,Japan guide
- Buy a travel guide book (it's worth the investment!)
- Visit the travel forums on the travel websites. You will find useful tips from the questions posted and answers provided by the regulars

2) Get accomodation reviews from Trip Advisor
- So far, I've not been disappointed by my hotel choices based on the reviews provided by Trip Advisor users.

3) If travelling by train, use Hyperdia to plan your travel times and budget.
- Note that the Japan Rail Pass may not be worth it if you don't make a return trip from Tokyo to Kyoto. Use Hyperdia to help you evaluate.



During your Trip
4) Use the Takkyubin (luggage forwarding services)
- If you have a big luggage bag, make use of this unique service to transport your luggage from the airport to your hotel and from one destination to another. This will save you the hassle of lugging your luggage up and down the stairs in the train stations and to your hotel. We used Yamato or Black Cat on our trip. Very reliable. You would need to pack one day's clothing with you as delivery is often the next day.


5) Buy a Japanese language pocket book
- This will help with basic communication. It came in handy for us in asking about food!

6) Wear comfortable walking shoes
- You will be doing lots of walking - Apart from walking for sightseeing, some of the major train stations like Shinjuku and Tokyo Stations are huge! So be prepared for lots of walking.
- If possible, wear slip on shoes and make sure your socks don't have holes. Some temples, shrines and even accomodations, especially Ryokans and inns require you to take off your shoes before entering. Slip ons are just more convenient.

7) Speak softly on trains
- The Japanese are by nature soft-spoken and polite. On trains, most Japanese don't carry out conversations. Instead, they read or play with their phone. In fact, we discovered that the Japanese love to use the flip phones, the reason being that the the longer phone allows them to speak closely (and hence, softly) on the phone!

8) Bring a large suitcase, if you're a foodie
- We came back with one suitcase filled with Japanese delicacies, ranging from soba to mochis and green tea Kit Kat! In fact, the food markets was one of our favourite places to visits - Tsukiji Market and surrounding shops in Tokyo and Nishiki Market in Kyoto.

Tsukiji Market surrounding area


9) Buy your duty free Japanese whisky and sake on your way in if you don't have a direct flight home. We found out the hard way and missed out on the Japanese whisky (which can only be bought in Japan) because we were transiting in another country.



10) Go with an open-mind!
- Be open to the culture, food and people. Visit the temples and shrines, markets and department stores. Go for a cultural performance and enjoy the street fashion of Harajuku. Try some unagi and black bean tea.

- Don't be afraid of the language barrier. You'll be amazed at the generosity and graciousness of the Japanese people. Sure, we had challenges in asking for directions at Shinjuku Station as not many people whom we asked could speak English well. But we also encountered a well-spoken Japanese young man who approached us whilst we were trying to decipher the map at Shinjuku Station and went out of his way to take us to the Metropolitan Government Building.

If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home.


James Michener

If at first you don't succeed...

... try and try again"

Today, I managed to do a roll-over* at my Pilates mat class. I've been struggling with this exercise in past classes and have never managed to do a successful roll over on my own. So, when my Pilates instructor told us to do the roll over exercise three-quarters way through the class, I mentally groaned and thought to myself "Oh no...". Anyway, I gave it a go. To my utmost surprise, I actually managed to perform this exercise on my first attempt. I could not believe it. It was probably not the most graceful roll over, and yes, I needed to use my hands to support my buttocks to assist the roll over - but I did it! I still have to keep working on it to refine my technique and learn to roll down properly but after a taste of success today, I am confident that I will be able to master this exercise not too far in the future.

The key to success is to keep trying, keep practicing, keep going. And when success finally comes, it will taste so much sweeter because of all the sweat (literally, in this case) and tears (for all the aching muscles after each class).

So whether it's trying out a Pilates exercise, or learning to ride a bike, or sitting for a test, or going for a job interview, or securing a business deal, if at first you don't succeed, try and try again. Don't give up. Success comes to those who work at it!

* Generally, a roll over exercise involves lying on your back with your hands by your side and extending your legs upwards at a 90 degree angle. Using your abdominal muscles, you then draw your hips and legs over your head until your legs are parallel to your chest. Deepening your abdominal muscles, roll onto the broad part of your shoulder. Slowly roll down, using abdominal control to peel down one vertebrae at a time.

Risotto with Prawn and Bacon

It's been a while since I experimented with new recipes. I've always been a big fan of paella and risotto. Maybe it's the Asian in me - rice is such a big part of my life. I've been wanting to cook a paella or risotto dish for a while but was not able to find the medium grain Arborio rice in Malaysian supermarkets. The Arborio rice has a high level of starch which absorbs many times its weight in liquid, resulting in a soft and creamy texture. So, on my last trip to Australia, I bought a pack of Riviana Arborio rice. To be honest, I was quite surprised at how easy it is to cook risotto. However, if you're looking for a quick dish, then this is not it as it requires a fairly long cooking time and constant stirring. If you have the time and patience, this dish is worth it. As with all recipes, you can substitute the ingredients according to your fancy.

Ingredients (serves 4-5)
2 tablespoon olive oil
30 gm butter
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
600 grams streaky bacon (or as much or as little as you want)
600 grams prawns, seasoned lightly with salt and pepper (again, as much or as little as you want)
2 cups Arborio rice
4 cups stock, simmered (you can use chicken or a combination of stock. Since I was cooking fresh prawns, I used the prawn shell and head to boil into about 1.5-2 cups of stock. I used chicken stock for the rest)
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Basil or Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Heat a large heavy based saucepan. Fry about 1/3 of the bacon until crispy and set aside. Note, since I used streaky bacon, it was not necessary to add oil as the bacon will ooze its own fat. Add a little olive oil and stir fry the prawns until it's pink. Remove and set aside.

Heat the rest of the olive oil and butter in the pan. Add the onions and stir fry for a few seconds. Then add the garlic and the remaining bacon and fry for about 3 minutes. Stir in the Arborio rice and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes or so, until the rice slightly colours, stirring regularly. Add the white wine and simmer to absorb the liquid, again, stirring frequently (Note: this is a constant theme when cooking risotto!).

Begin adding stock, one cup at a time. I found it best to add the stock slowly, stirring well and allowing the rice to absorb the liquid, before continuing adding the stock. So, for one cup, it may take about 2-3 pours. Continue to do so until the you have finished adding all 4 cups of stock, making sure that you stir dilligently! You will see the arborio grow plumper as the rice grains absorb the flavourful liquid. After you have added all 4 cups of stock, taste the risotto. If the rice is still crunchy, you may need to add a little more water or stock until the rice is fully cooked. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese and basil/parsley. Dish out the risotto and add the crispy bacon and prawn. Enjoy the fruit of your labour!



I've eaten risotto at restaurants where the risotto is way too mushy and is served in a bed of starchy liquid. Personally, I prefer my risotto like this - you can see each plump and juicy individual grain.


Rice is born in water and must die in wine.
Italian Proverb

He is Risen!

This morning as we took Kess for a morning walk, we were greeted by the sight of a rainbow. Now, in the days of Noah (Genesis 9:13) the rainbow was given as a sign of God's covenant with His people after the great flood that destroyed the whole earth, all except for the people and creatures on Noah's ark. The rainbow was God's covenant that a flood would never again destroy the earth.

On this Easter morning, the rainbow reminded me of more than just God's promise not to destroy the earth. The rainbow was a symbol of God's redemption for mankind through His son Jesus Christ. Jesus, who bore no sin died on the cross for mankind's sin. Yet the story does not end there. If it did, there is no redemption for us. Jesus is risen! Death could not hold the Son of God in its grip. So, we have eternal life because our Saviour conquered sin and death on that Easter Sunday.

Balinese Cuisine at the Uma, Kota Damansara

One of the family traditions I cherish the most is celebrating birthdays together. Not only is it a good time to catch up with the family, it's also an excellent time to try out new restaurants. I really enjoyed Balinese food from my last trip to Bali, when I discovered the Bumbu Bali Restaurant at Tanjung Benoa in Bali. This was my first taste of the Balinese Rice Table or the "Rijsttafel", which essentially is a set menu comprising rice served with vegetables and meat condiments.

So, when my sis suggested going to the Uma, a Balinese restaurant at Kota Damansara for our latest round of birthdays celebration, it was a lovely trip down memory lane for me. We opted for their "Nasi Ratus", which is equivalent to the Balinese Rice Table at the Bumbu Bali. The portions are fairly big. We ordered six sets with 2 extra rice for the 8 of us. We ended up trying seven sets (they accidentally served us the Babi Kecap Manis which we didn't order, which turned out to be a happy mistake as it was very good).

The verdict? Absolutely delicious! The Nasi Ratus set is served on a bamboo basket, layered with banana leafs. Depending on the set, the rice and vegetable condiments may vary. A sample of the condiments include minced fish satay, shredded chicken salad, tempe goreng, sambal mbe and sambal tomat, mixed vegetable salad and fried long bean. Our absolute favourite was the Grilled Tuna set. The tuna was fresh and marinated in fragrant Balinese spices, not unlike our otak-otak, but much lighter in terms of the marinade.


Dad loved the Pork Rib Curry Nasi Ratus set (yes, this place serves pork - hurray!). The curry, which has a similar colour and texture to our Kurma curry complemented the tender pork rib perfectly.

The house specialty - Bali Bebek - Balinese steam duck. Served in a bowl of soup, very much like our Soto ayam, the duck literally melted off the bone. We also tried the fried duck set. However, of the two, I personally preferred the steam duck.


The happy mistake - Babi Kecap Manis (Sweet Sauce Pork)! Succulent and flavorful.


The pork sate set was scrumptious too. The sate was served on thick bamboo sticks and was well-seasoned enough to be eaten without any sauce. The rice, Black-eyed pea rice which had light sprinkles of nuts and herbs was my favourite rice accompaniment.



On the other hand, we found the grilled chicken set rather dry. To be fair, it was tasty but just paled in comparison with the other, oh so very delicious sets.


The meal which came to slightly over RM200 for the 8 of us was very reasonable. So, if you had a yearning for some good Balinese cooking, but don't have the budget to fly to Bali, head over to the Uma at Kota Damansara (7-G & 7-1, Jalan PJU 5/21, The Strand, Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya). Be sure to make reservations (Tel:603-614 2271)!

Postscript: I paid another visit to the Uma in May, 2010 and was pleased that the food tasted as good as ever. As we were there with two first-timers, we ordered our top three favourites - the tuna, pork sate and pork rib curry nasi ratus sets for our group of four. We made sure we had room for dessert this time round. Fans of "hak lo mai chok", or glutinuos rice porridge aka bubuh injin would love this dessert. Served with coconut milk and gula bali, this dessert is rich and creamy. We'll definitely be back again.



One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. ~Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright, Pavarotti, My Own Story