Bam in Kimono

Ukiyo-e is what they called artworks/paintings by various Japanese artists done in woodblocks. A number of them look something like this.

Presenting Bambie Carlos in casual summer kimono!

Yes, she bought one so it had to get immortalized. The dressing up took 1 hour while the shoot only took 30 mins.

Model: Bambie Carlos
Photos by: Caren Carlos
Enhancements by: Yana Rojales

JAPAN - Last day at Matsumoto, back to Nagoya

It was our last day at Matsumoto so huling hirit. We went to the Time Piece Museum to look at the clocks and watches. Then we visited the Ukiyo-e Museum to look at the woodblock paintings of Japanese Beauties by various Japanese artists.

At 12:20 pm Ate, Bam, Rosa and Shobe rode to the happening city of Tokyo while Kuya Nicky and I went to the boring city of Nagoya. Time for us to go home. But we went shopping at CentrAir. Bonding time with KN!

JAPAN - Kiso Valley and Matsumoto (9.12.08)

We took a day trip to Kiso Valley, same place where Hiro Nakamura traveled to in Heroes. We were supposed to hike the whole 7 km from Magoma to Nagiso but we would have to pass some forest and some... Basta, scary, and we had to be wary of bears. So we took the bus.

After all that hiking, we had sashimi and sushi galore again at Matsumoto.

JAPAN-Matsumoto (9.11.08)

One last pictorial with Bam, Ate and KN in the yukata then we made our way to Matsumoto.

It was hot so we all had cold soba. Matsumoto is known for their soba. HEre, we visited Matsumoto Castle, had green tea and milk tea flavored gelato, and went around. Unlike the previous places we visited, Matsumoto is a city. Very refreshing and lively for the bunch of city girls.

At night, we had our sushi and sashimi in abundance.

JAPAN-Takayama (9.10.08)

We went back to the old private houses for Kuya Nicky's and Shobe's sake. We even found green tea soft serve on the way.

In the afternoon, we visited the Hida Folk Village. It's sort of like an Intramuros but with the actual houses of the lords from the varios eras. They were all transferred to that village so people can see them all in one place.

JAPAN-Takayama (9.09.08)

We spent the whole day in Takayama. We went to the old private houses. It's a very touristy spot with a lot of attractions. There was a miso house that gave free miso soup; a sake house that sold not just sake but sake sherbet; a shodo house showcasing a lot of intricate artworks by sho brush; lots of souvenier stuff with different sizes of the Sarubobo, a red monkey monster they made to ward off evil from kids.

In the afternoon, we took a 2-hour walking tour wherein we saw the preserved area of old houses, kids going home on their own, and more houses.

THe food is fantastic. We had Hida Beef, the delicacy of Takayama. The beef is so tender, you eat partly raw, but it melts in your mouth in oh-so-buttery goodness. Then we had oishi sushi as well.

JAPAN-Kamikochi to Shin-Hotaka back to Takayama (9.08.08)

What an activity filled day. We hiked the trail in Kamikochi. Now this place was cold. The soba was great, and the view was fantastic. We all hiked to the beginning of the climb, then Kuya Nicky and Shobe climbed the rest of the way to the Summit.

Meanwhile, Ate, Bam, Rosa and I (who are not fit ergo are tamad to climb) took the cable at Shin Hotaka to another summit point. Madaya kami. But we didn't really see anything once we got up because of the fog.

So, back at Takayama, we ate. We didn't get to take pictures of the food coz we were just so hungry.

JAPAN-The Shinkansen and Takayama (9.07.08)

After Inuyama, we took the very expensive train to Takayama. No choice because the buses were all booked. But it was very fast. It only took us 2 hours from Nagoya to Takayama.

We stayed at Rickshaw Inn, a very clean and highly recommended ryokan in Takayama. No shoes allowed but it's really really clean. And it was a good experience because we slept on futons and the flooring of the whole room is tatami. The room came with yukatas, the Japanese robe for sleeping, so pictorial on timer again!

JAPAN-Inuyama (9.07.08)

Before moving on to Takayama, we took a day trip to Inuyama.

Meiji-mura, which they now refer to as a theme park, is a representation of how it was during the Meiji era.

JAPAN - Nagoya upon arrival (9.06.08)

Such a tiring day but it was an experience I will never forget. The plane landed at 5 pm, Japan time. After getting all our luggage, we had to lug it with us to the train that would take us from the airport to Nagoya propoer, down to the subway that would take us to Fushimi (our stop), lug it to the hotel and up to the room.

There are no porters or escalators in that entire episode. So we were all so tired when we got to the hotel. But it was a very nice and CLEAN hotel, well, the whole country in general. And yummy food!

*About the vendo, instead of ordering through a waiter, you put your money in, pushe which food you like, get a claim stub, then they bring the food to your table.

Macie, Matteo, Manu, Tita Bam Photo shoot

Super cute! Gulo but cute! And Manu is so adorable! He's two months now.

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY BAM! You now have pictures with all 3 kids.