Day 5 of 15, Yokohama Part 3

See why we always visit a convenience store at the end of every day? To buy tomorrow’s breakfast.

This morning’s selection:

THe Mini Baum looks and tastes like the Indonesian Layer cake, but I really wonder how they make it round?

This Big Yakisoba Roll is Mat’s favourite. We first saw this in a Japanese drama that we watched, and when Mat saw it, he went “TING!”. So when he saw it on the shelves of the convenience store, he was soooo excited.

It’s a bun with something like “chow mien” as the filling. Fortunately for him, I don’t like it. It doesn’t taste like “chow mien”. I can’t describe it. But Mat will tell you it’s absolutely delicious.

Mat’s off to a long day at the conference today. So I’m on my own.

Today is the last day in Yokohama. After wasting the first day in Yokohama because of the rain, die die also must finish seeing Yokohama today, at least all the tourist attraction sites lah.

I’m starting from our hotel. We stayed at Yokohama Heiwa Plaza Hotel. It doesn’t look that fabulous, but at least it’s clean, and this is one of the cheapest priced hotel provided in the conference website. And the staff speaks english. Pretty central, and convenience stores surrounds this hotel

The hotel is opposite the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Cultural History, which I didn’t go in.

Next, I arrive at the Yokohama Customs (Tower of Queen).

And if there’s a queen, of course there should be a king. The Kanagawa Prefectural Government (Tower of King). The buildings look their part hor. One looks feminine, the other masculine.

Then I crossed very interesting zebra crossings. When the pedestrian light turns green, all of them turns green, so you can cross to any corner from any corner.

Crossed the zebra crossings, and walked towards Yamashita Park. First “attraction in Yamashita park, something called an India Water Tower:

From Yamashita Park, you can see Yokohama Bay Bridge:

The Girl with Red Shoes Statue. Am I coloured blind or what? Doesn’t look red to me. But it sure looks shiny!

Statue of Protectorate God of Water:

Some random photos of flowers around the park:

These looks like mini guavas. If Viola was with me, she would have made me eat it!

“Viola… is it edible?”

A cute looking grass… or it could most probably be a weed

The NYK Hikawamaru. I have no idea what the NYK stand for. It’s a museum. I didn’t go in. Just one interesting fact about this ship, this ship was involved in assisting Jewish refugees escape from the Holocaust. Maiden voyage, 1930. Last voyage, 1960.

Photo from the park of the city skyline of Yokohama:

Ok… I have to at least appear once in my photos right? Even though the background is absolutely clueless. Haih~… nvm… I shall try again with a better background later.

At the end of the park is a water feature which I think looks like a frog with teeth.

A shot of the Yokohama Marine Tower. Love this shot!

This tower is 106 meters high. And there is an observation deck at 100 meters. But I didn’t go up.

Walked across a bridge:

And I arrive at the Yokohama Doll Museum. This doll, is called the Blue Eyed Doll. Again… I don’t see no blue eyes! They should say it’s a replica of the real thing right? Bluff ppl… hmph~

I did not put that thing on the doll’s lap. Some cheeky fella before me did it.

The Doll Museum. Once again, I didn’t go in . Entrance fees apply ok? If I enter each and every one of them, I’ll pokkai lo. And I’m not interested in seeing dolls either anyways. It creeps me out. Trust me… especially the Japanese dolls… it’s really really creepy.

I think this bridge is called the French Bridge… at least on the map. This is only one side of the bridge. There’s another staircase on the other side.

Up up up I went through the France-yama.

And I get to see a haunted house….  just kidding lah.

The house use to look like this in the picture below.

But now it looks like this:…sad…

And went through a “forest”…

Passed a very deep well… ok… now it really sounds like I’m walking through a ghost movie scene… *shivers~*…

… and reached Harbor View Park… safely… got lah… I got pass some tourists as well.

Some more attempts to get a self portrait with more “meaningful” backgrounds. Succeed! But ai ya… I’m not looking at the correct place. I kept concentrating on the camera screen.

Sigh… fail again. My eyes… look wrong place. Flo…. look at the lens… looks at the lens!!!!

Next stop…. the Yokohama Foreign Cemetery. So what’s there?…. erm… dead ppl? I didn’t really walk through the cemetry because there was a group of foreigners shooting a documentary or something.

Yes, the foreigners are alive. I don’t see dead people.

It’s a pretty nice walk up here in this part of Yokohama. It doesn’t feel like you’re in the city. Very peaceful, quiet, and I think it’s a high class residential area. Because most of the residential houses I saw in this part of town are the size of mansions.

This area is called the Motomachi Yamate Area. According to the map “A great place to feel the Yokohama, atmosphere with the Enclave for Foreign Residents and many streets with stylish shops.” chehwah…

Yamate Museum. The last remaining wooden western-style house in Yokohama, built in 1909. Need to pay to go in one. So of course, I didn’t go in.

Tin Toy Museum. Exhibition of tinplate toys. I only entered the front part of the shop. No toys caught my eye.

Beside it, is a tiny collection of antique cars.

Ever wonder how Santa gets around?

Behind the toy museum is a Christmas shop, where it sell Christmas goods all year round.

When I entered this shop, I was greeted by a very beautiful golden retriever…. kawai desu ne!!!

This shop has everything you can think of for Christmas.

Caught a couple of santas climbing up the ladder to the roof, without a chimney.

Something interesting on the road, look like pepper corns.

As I was sitting down to take a break and rest my feet, I saw a bunch of ppl around doing something.

Curious, I walked  behind one of them to see what they were doing.

They seem to be in some art class or club, going places to sketch/draw/paint. Very impressive.

This booth caught my eye. It’s a phone booth. Looks like there’s someone inside.

A robot? From the looks of it, looks like an antique telephone on top of the modern one.

After my rest, I continued stopping at all the interesting architectures along the road, when I finally reached this place. The Berrick Hall.

hmm… I’ve seen this somewhere before.

And suddenly it all clicked.

I COULDN”T BELIEVE MY EYES!!!!!!

The exterior of this buidling was used in a Japanese drama that we watched a few months back before we came to Japan. Shokojo Seira. It’s sort of a cinderella story where a rich girl becomes poor suddenly.

Oh oh oh!… Entrance is FREE!! YIPPEE~!

So I thought the interior of the building will also be the same as in the drama series. But no~…. it’s totally different. I suppose they shot the drama in a studio, and just used the exterior of this building in their outside scenes.

Dining room

Staircase

Upstairs, in one of the rooms I saw a very interesting book. It’s a pop up picture book. Sugoi!

Hall

Mat called me while I was taking photos of the hall. And I told him “you wouldn’t believe where I am now”. And I sort of made him jealous that he wasn’t with me at this point

By this time, I’m hungry. And it’s lunch time. I need to recharge my fuel. So off to look for lunch!

Simply chose a cafe, and ordered this. (Yes, I just pointed to the picture, and said ONE).

I ordered the Omurice set. Comes with Omurice, of course, and 2 tempura prawns, and salad, and a glass of ice tea.

Omurice is actually pattaya, Jap style. Tomato based fried rice wrapped up with egg.

Delicious.

But somebody’s missing in this picture… sigh… it’s not very nice eating alone. Everybody go…. awww~~

Washed down with a glass of super cold ice tea!

And guess what happened after lunch?

Of all the things to happen…

MY CAMERA  BATTERY FLAT!!!!!!!!!!!!

AAAARRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next time, remind me to get an extra battery pack?

My backup camera is with Mathias, because we thought maybe he wants to take some pictures in the conference.

Now what.

Never fear! Out comes my SAMSUNG F480!

(handphone camera…. ‘ ‘ ‘  <– 3 lines on the forehead @_-)

Hey…. don’t underestimate the power of my 5 mega pixel camera phone. Some photos taken with it is actually pretty superb.

From this point onwards, all photos are taken with my Samsung F480.

Next stop, Diplomat’s House.

Entrance also free, that’s why I went in lah. But the pictures of the rooms are pretty boring. So I’ll enclose a few interesting pictures, especially the plants that was in the house.

You know what this is? I’ll show you later…

Ever seen plants planted in a jar?

They have hairy edges.

This one’s a pretty looking flower.

The next photo of this strikingly beautiful flower is taken by my humble mobile. Couldn’t believe the vibrancy of the colour.

Behind the house in the gardens.

Next door neighbour. Which I also went in, because its free.

Remember a few photos back I asked what this is and I’ll show you later?

Well… it looks like it’s from this plant. Ya… cotton! First time I see a cotton plant.

This next door neighbour i s called Bluff No 18. I have no idea why they are called Bluffs. To bluff ppl?

Dining room in bluff 18.

Wonder how they play the piano at night in the olden days? Wonder no further…

Lucky I didn’t pay to go in the doll museum eh? This house has it’s own small collection of dolls.

Another random photo of flower ornaments

Guess where this is? …

… flowers in small glasses on the staircase. The attention to the “forgotten” places is impressive. But try doing that in a Malaysian house with no mosquito netting. Kena saman later…larvae…

City skyline from bluff 18

When there’s not enough space to put your bike on the ground, go upwards.

This is a school. A primary school. I saw some kids in the building.

At this point, I was starting to feel abit lost. The tourist map that was provided is not very detailed, and it doesn’t name all the street names. Then I saw this:

Looks like the china town gate. So just followed, and followed the red “shanghainese” looking lanterns, and I won’t go wrong. Took me right to China Town.

Photos of chinatown during the day.

Oh… and I took a photo of the beef bowl chain that we ate the other day. It’s right at the corner of Zenrinmon Gate.

A cute looking police car… look abit like kancil.

And back I went to the hotel, because I really feel like I want to luput already. And of course, to charge my camera batteries!!!

Rested till Mat came back from his conference, and we went out again to look for dinner.

Since I’ve tried the omurice, Mat also wanted to try omurice. Unfortunately this omurice didn’t taste as good as the one I had.

And I ordered Hamburg Steak.

Who’s the little cute dust ball peering above the table?

Got this from Ghibli Museum… original! Have always wanted to get one of these dust balls.

And interesting looking warning at a water feature in the shopping mall.

Night scene of the Nippon Maru Memorial Park

Bye bye Yokohama.

Oh wait… need to visit convenience store first, buy breakfast.

Daily didn’t have the Yakisoba Bun, so tried Lawson…. Mat’s best friend.

This photo is not an illusion. The door is really that short. Mat’s trying to show you that the keychain attached to our room key is humongous.

And this is our room. Not sure why they gave us two single beds. But it didn’t matter to us anyway.

Off to bed early tonight. Tomorrow have to wake up at 5am. Have to catch the 6.30am shinkansen to somewhere else.

Oyasumi nasai… ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz