White Day

In February 14th marks Valentine's Day in Korea, I think anywhere also the same . However, on that day women are the ones that buy chocolate and gifts for the men here. Woman presents chocolate gifts , usually to a man as an expression of love.

Regarding to my title, what the heck is White Day you may ask ? It is a very unique day that falls on March 14th. That's when it's payback time, and the men are expected to return the favor to the women. Popular White Day gifts are cookies, white chocolate, marshmallows as well as jewelry.

From my point of view, this day is not only special offer for couples but is a friendship symbolism. Let's your friend know that you are so appreciate this friendship between you and him/her. If you are shy or embarrass to express your feeling, now is a good time for you to do so. I think you just give a sweet to your friend on that day, I think it already represents a warmly greeting and everything !

I spent my evening time in a mini market nearby here (shop name: Hanaro) today. I was attracted by the cookies were wrapped in a white well-designed box for White Day celebration. Without any hesitation, I took it , walked towards the counter and paid for it. I 'm so curious how the taste of this cookies but I decided to open it on White Day.

Lastly, I would like to say Happy White Day !

The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines

I spent my quality Saturday time to watch one movie: The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines. The main reason I watched this movie is because of my friend's strongly recommendation during my birthday celebration that time.

This story is telling about Flynn Carsen (Noah Wyle) as a librarian who protects a secret collection of artifacts. In the beginning, Carsen is assigned his first death-defying mission to protect the world from evildoers, to recover a mystical crytal skull in Utah. At Carsen's birthday party, he meet his father's best friend, Uncle Jerry. Carsen's mother gives him an amulet his father's belonging. Carsen received an parcel from Egypt and there is a scroll inside. When he goes back home, his apartment hass been trashed , he is attacked and his scroll is robbed as well.
This scroll is a map containing clues to the location of King Solomon's Mines. He goes to Morocco to find part of the ky to the scroll.

He meets Emily Davenport (Gabrielle Anwar), an archeologist. They are attacked after discovering a hidden meaning to the amulet which find out where to find the remaining part of the map legend. They go to Gede Province in Kenya.After a ride on a honeymoon tour bus and several more days of hiking, they finally reach a village. Carsen and Emily have find out a connection between Akon code and Biblical Song of Solomon which leads to a romantic interlude. They travel Three Witches Mountain near Mombasa.

They manage to penetrate the caves where Solomon's trasure is hidden. Gold, jewels and other trasures litter the caverns; a huge head of Queen Sheba, carved out of the stone wall. Carsen finds a book resting on a pedestal and realizes that this is the book he is searching. He is so surprise when he knows that his Uncle Jerry is the one who wants to run back time so he can fulfill what he thinks was his destiny. Carsen takes over book and wrestling it from Jerry with the incantation unfinished. When Carsen is about to throw the book into lava pit, he begins to see his father in the pit. Jerry try to convince Carsen that they can change the time together. Emily uses a reflecting spear to shine light on Carsen's amulet which catches his attention. Carsen throws the book into the lava pit and Jerry jumps after it and falls into lava.

How is the fortunatess of Carsen and Emily in the end ? Emily decides to pursue her search for the Queen of Sheba in Tunisia while Carsen backs to New York.

Noah Wyle

Gabrielle Anwar

7th Day - Tokyo (part1)

In the morning, we went to Sensoji 金龍山浅草寺 also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Asakusa. Before that, I would like to share a legend behind this temple. The legend says that in the year 628, two brothers fished a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, out of the Sumida River, and even though the put the statue back into the river, it always returned to them. Therefore, Sensoji was built there for the goddess of Kannon.

When approaching the temple, we first enter through the Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) 雷門. This is the main symbol of Asakusa. A shopping street called Nakamise, leads from the first fate to the temple's second gate, Hozomon,宝蔵門.

Kaminarimon Gate,雷門

Hozomon Gate,宝蔵門


A lot of Japanese souvenirs such as yukata and folding fans, various tradisional local snacks are sold here.





Beyond the Hozomon main gates stands the temple's main building and a five storied pagoda.


Five storied pagoda.

Sensoji main building.

Worshippers burn incense.

Clean yourselves before entering the temple.




Omikuji,御神籤
You can see this in any temples. They are random fortunes written on strips of paper.







Asakusa Shrine.


Lunch in nearby shop.

No chairs are avaiabled. We all stood up to eat.

Chi Bao bao ....Let's move on.


Sumida River, 隅田川
No wife bridge??

Asahi Beer Tower


Let's move on to Meiji Shrine, 明治神宮 ,located in Shibuya which is the Shinto shrine that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken.

Barrels of sake (nihonshu) donated to the Meiji Shrine.

Another view of the torii at the entrance to Meiji-jingu.





The central sanctuary where the Meiji emperor is enshrined

6th Day - Tokyo (part2)

Next place was Yushima Tenjin Shrine.

The shrine was first erected to enshrine a deity, ameno-tajikarano-mikoto who appears in Japan’s myths in 458. Sugawara no Michizane who was an aristocrat and scholar from the Heian Period has also known to be a god of learning was enshrined in 1355. A warlord who was in charge of Kanto region, Oota Dokan reconstructed the shrine in 1478.

The shrine was worshiped by many men in academic field such as Arai Hakushu and Hayashi Doshun from the Edo Period. Today, many students who are trying to achieve an academic success or passing an entrance exam come here to pray.

I wish I can complete my master course as earlier as possible !!

We continued walked to Ameyoko,a busy market street.

The name "Ameyoko" is a short form for "Ameya Yokocho" (candy store alley), as candies were traditionally sold there. Alternatively, "Ame" also stands for "America", because a lot of American products used to be available on the black market.

Ameyoko street

We decided went back to our hotel had a short break. Teresa and I needed to move our luggages to a new room. The room was the most comfortable, clean compare to previous hostels that we had stayed so far, of course the rate is a bit big higher also. 6 persons share in one room.




After resting around 3 hours, we met Teresa's friend who study in Tokyo almost 4 years there. She brang us to Odaiba,お台場. Daiba, literally meaning "fort", refers to some of the man made islands in the Bay of Tokyo, which were constructed in the end of the Edo Period (1603-1868) for the city's protection against attacks from the sea.

Took another train to Odaiba.

In front of Fuji TV Building



Shopping centre - Aqua City

night view

.

Rainbow bridge. Behind is the tokyo tower.


Dinner time.

Ferris Wheel


A replica of the statue of liberty


Venus Fort.


It is a shopping mall in the style of a 18th century South European town. It features more than one hundred boutiques, shops, cafes and restaurants, targeting a mainly female audience.

Inside Venus Fort

Miao ~~~

We had spent our whole night here. Here the night view is very attractive and romantic, very suitable for couple for dating.