Sakura at Nagoya Castle

March 28 - 2009

We start our sakura hanami ( sakura viewing ) at Nagoya Castle. Even we need to pay for the parking & entrance ticket, the view of sakura with the castle is worth of spending. The castle are was crowded with peoples to enjoy the sakuras. Everyone enjoyed taking pictures with sakuras. Some of the are students from the graduation ceremony, they came in with kimono outfit an it is really shows the beauty of Japan.
My kids enjoyed their first contact with sakura.

Under the sakura tree.


candid of Eirfan & Yuri while they are watching the sakura.


Short rest on the manhole.


I asked them to smile..but this is what i get.


My angels


Well..family shot is a must.

Wandering at Nagoya Port

March 21 - 2009

It was a fine sunny day and we can't decide where to enjoy the sun with clear blue sky. Finally we end up went to Nagoya Port. This is the 2nd time we went to the port, the first time was in December. This time we walked from the Garden futo until the Nagoya Port Aquarium area.
There are many things to explore here.

Yuri giving her pose with the flowers.


Eirfan also posed with his kind of style.


With the propeller... big but not huge enough, i've seen larger propeller back at my workplace.


The bridge seen is the highway, somehow this view really reminds me of Yokohama ( viewing Bay Bridge from Minato Mirai )


Eiqmal is still slow with his walking and always being left behind.


With the exploring vehicle at Antartica. The ship for this exploration is an icebreaker ship. ( top picture)


Crossing the bridge & heading to the aquarium side. The building in the background is the Nagoya Port Building.


Take five a while and enjoy their drinks.


Interesting post box in front of Nagoya Port Aquarium.


Posing at the aquarium's entrance before heading back home.

Nagoya Argricultural Centre

March 17 - 2009

Finally spring has come and the colourful season of flowers has begun. In Japan, before everyone enjoy the beauty of sakura, they enjoy the beauty of "ume" or plum flowers. the tree it self is not as big as sakura but the colours are similar.
So this time we headed to Nagoya Argricultural Centre here in Tenpaku ward. It's a free public flower farm. Actually we went here on the weekend few days back but it was too crowded with long queue of cars until the main road. So the weekdays is the best. The main attraction here is the ume, but by the time we came here most of it already gone.
But there are a lot more to see than ume. What i like most was the rape blossoms, the yellow flowers with the blue sky is just beautiful. We also enjoyed the milk ice cream that being produced from cows here. Tropical flowers also can be seen at the temperature house and other flowers being change by the seasons.

big map


Yuri at the entrance decoration


Eirfan with his pose


The flowers are so low


Yuri was excited with the flowers


Found a full bloom and just nice for a family shot.


Eiqmal with his walking style.

Enjoying the milk ice cream.




The best spot for photo shoot that we found during this trip. The yellow rape blossoms are just great.





Eirfan with the milk cow


Eirfan said.. " Look! it's a F1 car" hahaha...

Full slideshows from flickr

Exploring the zoo again

Feb 28 - 2009

It's time to explore to zoo again. Even it's already end of February, most of the trees here still without any leaf yet. Our 1st stop in the zoo is at the asian elephant and the penguins. After that we went strait to the petting zoo and hoping my kid can touch the animals there. The main attraction at the petting zoo are the goats that keep on coming to you when you have their food. The food is sold for 50Yen and you'll a half palm full of the food. The other attraction is to hold the guinea pig. Well, as per expected... all of them afraid of the animal. They just watch them from a distance only.

Eiqmal also interested at the penguins.


We'll ride this next time OK?


Eirfan and the goats


If you got their food, they'll come to you


That's the nearest distance that he can approached.


Yuri don't even want to look at it...


Eiqmal is busy walking since he is still new in walking business.

After spend some time at the petting zoo, we leave from there and headed to the monorail ride point at the botanical garden. Before leaving the petting zoo all of them washed their hand at the washing area..but the water was so cold. hahaha
This is the first time we entered the botanical garden, actually the ticket for the zoo is already include the botanical garden too but the zoo is too big and we don't even have enough time to visit the botanical garden. We spend a while resting at the botanical garden before riding the monorail and head back to the zoo's main entrance.

We didn't explore the botanical garden, just took this picture only.

Everyone seems enjoy the monorail ride, even it's a little bit shaky all the way.

Just love the ride


Passing by the polar bear & seals


Eiqmal still ride it for free.


That's all for this time... still a lot more things to explore at this zoo

Outing with Eirfan - Nagoya & Sakae

Feb 14 - 2009

Today is the day that Eirfan experience his first time using the subway. Eirfan & me off to Nagoya Station to met my old friend from high school. ( he also graduated from Japan university ). He is on a business trip to Gifu, and Gifu to Nagoya is about 20 minutes by train. We are going to meet at Nagoya Station's most popular meeting point "The golden clock". From our house we took the Higashiyama Line subway at Higashiyama Koen station, about 20minutes slow walk with Eirfan.

After got the subway ticket we enter to the platform, Eirfan still free of charge and only will be charged when he enters primary school ( 6 years old ). Eirfan was very excited on his subway ride. It took us about 20 minutes to reach Nagoya Station and then we rush to the meeting point. My friend manage to spot us in the crowd at meeting point. Then we when outside the station for some photo shoot and went into Big Camera to see the latest gadgets.After had some window shopping with the latest cameras & all the gears, we headed to Sakae for some sight seeing & lunch. This is also my 1st time to be at Sakae.

A shot with Docomo's advertisement at the platform wall.


Eirfan with uncle Hasrul. He was shy at first but when he get along... there is no space for me hahaha.


Our 2 shot with one of the stone sculpture outside Nagoya Station.


Huge LCD TV at Big Camera.

After we reach to Sakae, we head strait to Oasis 21, one of the main attraction at Sakae. The building itself is very interesting and at the glass roof top of the building is a pool and can see the space below inside the building. From the roof top also can see Nagoya TV Tower, Sunshine Sakae & Central Park. Sakae is a place with a lot of branded shops too. Under the central park is an underground shop lots. After had our meal at one of the Japanese Restaurant at Oasis 21 and bought some toys for Eirfan at Tomica Shop, we headed for central park.

Eirfan was fascinated with the water flew out from the pool


Eirfan & Uncle Hasrul already become good friends.


Even during lunch Eirfan didn't want to sit beside me :P


He got his toy and very happy♪


An interesting view at the underground connection part between Oasis 21 & Central Park's underground shop lots area.


An open area at Central Park.


Three of us with Nagoya TV Tower as the background

We separated with my friend here at Central Park and he went back to Nagoya Station before heading back to Gifu. For me & Eirfan, we are on the other direction from Sakae. Just before heading back home we wander around a little bit more at Central Park. After reached back at Higashiyama Koen Station, Eirfan claimed that he is very tired walking, but he is still very happy with the outing.

Eirfan and the tower


With the big fountain at Central Park