My Last-minute Japan Trip

As a reward for finishing graduate school, my aunt granted my wish to spend winter in Japan (where she's residing with her family). It's my 3rd 3-month trip to Japan but it's my first time during winter 'cause I usually go during spring. It was a last minute trip because there have been some delays in our (me and my grandmother) visa application. Our visa was released late in the afternoon of November 26, so we were able to pick it up from the agency on the morning of the 27th. That day we confirmed and paid for our ticket, which has been pre-booked on the 28th. We only had the afternoon and night of the 27th to pack our stuff because our flight was at 5am the next day. Each roundtrip ticket (Manila-Narita-Manila) cost Php 24,000 (taxes included) via Delta Airlines. The trip was too sudden that I didn't have the time to say bye to my friends.

luggage :)

super early flight

with the granny

Anyway, I was satisfied with Delta. The ground crew and the cabin crew were very nice and efficient. Thanks to the pilot, we had a smooth flight (especially the landing and the take off). We travelled for 4 hours. However, there was a long queue at the immigration gates so it took us an hour before getting out of Narita Airport. My uncle came to get us. It's a 4 to 5-hr drive from Narita to Suwa, Nagano (my aunt's apartment) so we had lunch brunch first at the nearest service area. Since the weather's too cold (less than 10 degrees Celsius), I got a ramen.

the view before landing at Narita

udon

spicy ramen

My grandmother only stayed 'til December 14. She usually travels with me to Japan and stays for 3 months but this time, she just stayed for 2 weeks since she preferred spending Christmas in the Philippines, plus she'll be coming back here with my cousin on March (spring) for 3 months again. But during the two weeks she's here, we've been going to different places, dining and shopping. We often go to onsen (hot spring) too to relax.

aunt's bedroom

cousin's bedroom

i love buying veggies for the healthy meals I make

it's a dream come true! haha always wanted to try this :))

One place we're visiting often is Matsumoto City (Nagano). We love shopping at Don Quijote, a place with literally everything under the sun. It has lots of cute stuff too, plus some branded items such as bags and jewelries. Hard Off, a recycle shop there is a must visit too. Some of the second hand items there actually look new. And of course, we've visited a lot of Daiso (100 yen) shops too.

Edion Mall (electronics)

kaiten sushi (conveyor belt sushi)

Starbucks tumbler Nagano

ear muffs :)

no Green tea flavor :(

road trip :)

ramen and gyoza love

shoe lockers at the resto

Japanese food overload...and it didn't cost nor taste cheap.

vendo!

one of the best ramen places

used stuffed toys that actually looked new

lovin' these neon kitchenware from Daiso

So I spent Christmas with my aunt, uncle, cousin, and my aunt's bestfriend. (I call my aunt Tita Mama because she's like my second mom). Christmas is just like a usual day in Japan ('cause they're not Christians); however, they acknowledge the Christmas-New Year holidays  that's why they have Christmas-New Year Sale too. On Christmas Even, we exchanged gifts, had Noche Buena, and Skyped with our families in the Philippines. It wasn't a white Christmas because it didn't snow that night/day, but I'm glad to have experienced winter Christmas.

the winter halo before Christmas

our mini Christmas tree and Coach presents :)

Christmas cake

fruits

Noche Buena plus Skype w/ the fam in the Phils

with my cousin in our Santa Claus costumes

Christmas hoodie! haha

More of my Japan trip in my upcoming posts.

xoxo,

city girl :)

Sponsor A Noche Buena Has Been a Success! Thanks to Everyone who Helped Out.

The fundraising project for typhoon Haiyan victims that we have initiated has been successful. You may refer to these posts for the background of the project:

http://www.citygirldiaries.com/2013/11/sponsor-noche-buena-for-typhoon-haiyan.html

http://www.citygirldiaries.com/2013/11/updated-sponsor-noche-buena-for-typhoon.html

We were able to send out 1,550 holiday baskets to the victims. Thanks so much to everyone who helped. We received a lot of help from New York, Dubai, New Zealand, and of course, the Philippines. We even got featured on GMA News TV and WheninManila.com.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/video/186034/stateofthenation/isang-grupo-nangangalap-ng-pang-noche-buena-para-sa-mga-nasalanta-ng-bagyo

http://www.wheninmanila.com/sponsor-a-noche-buena-rebuilding-leyte-through-baskets-of-hope/

Again, thanks to everyone who helped. Let's continue praying for the victims of typhoon Haiyan for their quick recovery.

xoxo,

city girl

UPDATED: Sponsor A Noche Buena for Typhoon Haiyan Victims

UPDATE:

We moved our fundraising site from Fundrazr.com to YouCaring.com due to additional charges by Fundrazr. As much as possible, we want to minimize on that so we could maximize the donations we can give to the victims.

You may now send your donations to: http://www.youcaring.com/help-a-neighbor/holiday-baskets-of-hope-for-typhoon-haiyan-victims/108814

We also revamped our Facebook page so please like and share: www.facebook.com/SponsorANocheBuena. On this page, you can see how you can help. We are open to partnering with companies that are interested to sponsor or offer discounted items for the Noche Buena and holiday baskets. You may also send us clothes and toys as donations. 

For Philippines-based individuals, you can sponsor a Noche Buena and a Basket of Hope for one family affected by typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) with only Php 500. Please see the photo below for more info.

I hope you can support this endeavor. Thank you in advance. Let's keep praying and helping our brothers and sisters who have been affected by the super typhoon. May God continue to bless us all.

Sponsor A Noche Buena for Typhoon Haiyan Victims

Please support our project for the victims of typhoon Haiyan. We are raising money so we can hold a Christmas party for the typhoon victims in one of the affected communities in Northern Iloilo in Panay Island, Philippines. We plan to have a simple yet meaningful Christmas feast for the victims to give them hope and make them happy, most especially because it will be hard for them to feel the spirit of Christmas with what happened to them. Besides having an early "Noche Buena", we'll be also giving away holiday baskets to the families and toys for the kids. We really hope you could support this cause.

For your donations, visit https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/2des6. Please also like and share our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SponsorANocheBuena.

Sponsor A Noche Buena initiative, a disaster relief project in partnership with Sigma Alpha Nu, a Sorority of University of the Philippines, aims to help provide holiday gift baskets to 1,000 families who are victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. 

Typhoon Haiyan is said to beone of the biggest and most destructive natural calamity that hit the Philippines in the recent years. This disaster is feared to have taken at least 2,000 lives (as of this writing), left thousands injured and missing, hundreds of thousands homeless and at least 2 million people in need of food, water, and medicine. These numbers are expected to soar as search and rescue continue.

This cause was started by a facebook group "Sponsor A Noche Buena" launched by Kei Obusan, who wondered how Christmas will be spent by these people in this very upsetting condition. In the Philippines, Noche Buena is a special Filipino tradition where families get together on Christmas eve to share food and gifts. Imagine being homeless at a time when the rest of the world are celebrating in fancy clothes giving grand gifts to each other. Imagine those children who are out in the cold desperately finding comfort in their temporary shelter. This project is for those people who deserve to be given a spark of hope. A little gift from us who are very fortunate to have Internet running and clean water to drink anytime we want. 

Each "basket of hope" will be filled with some typical noche buena items, some toys for the kids, a letter of kindness from the volunteers and donors, and other stuff that we can give to (hopefully) lighten the burden that the victims are going through. At $10, you can already sponsor a basket that can bring joy to these families.

This campaign will serve as a launchpad to invite partnerships, companies or individuals with the heart of gold who are willing to sacrifice their $10 for the affected families of this calamity. 

Your help is needed. Share your blessings! Thank you. 

Christmas Means Sharing

I apologize for the late post. But I know it's never too late.

It's been my KSP barkada's tradition to celebrate our Christmas Party with underprivileged families, most especially with kids who look forward to a fun and exciting Christmas. This year, we held our Christmas party at the same venue as last year's, at the NCE 1 chapel. This time, it was a different set of families from Payatas whom we shared our Christmas with. We were also thankful for our friends who helped, plus some company sponsors: Toby's and Pepsi.

Again, it was an afternoon packed with games for both kids and adults. Besides the meals we provided, we also gave Noche Buena bags to each family. At the end of the day, we were tired yet happy to have helped.:)

 thank you!

 longest line!

 pink!

 they're singing for us :)

 Noche Buena bags

artwork winners