Memoirs of Aleisha

Fruit salad was breakfast, which I had purchased the day before. Plenty of fluids to sip on to stay hydrated – mostly water, coconut water and sips of gatorade as well. I didn’t end up eating the Cliff Bar and only ate one banana, although had planned on and should have eaten two. And some sports liquid (gel).

Here is what I packed for post-race replenishment:

Didn’t end up eating half of that stuff after the race. But better to be prepared. Basically we had to bring all food and supplies as there would be no opportunity to purchase anything after the race and the one-hour bus ride back. Better to have all the junk food on hand. Just think of all those calories that I would burn off and that needed to be replaced.

There was bus for the Japanese group that would take us to the race venue. Bus left at around 5am and we got to Merizo Pier – the south end of Guam at about 6am. I ate a breakfast of fruit salad on the bus on the way.

Merizo was about an hour away. Some pics of the coastline from the bus window along the way:

Weather and water conditions were looking favourable. Flat and glassy.

We arrived about 6am at Merizo Pier. Race time was at 7am. There were 2 course options: 4km or 8km.
The 4km race started at Cocos Island and you swam to Merizo. This has been the original race course for about 20 years. Swimmers are required to take the ferry across to Cocos Island. A ferry takes the swimmers across there.
Only in the last couple of years have they offered the 8km swim, which is start at Merizo, swim to Cocos Island and then back to Merizo.

Race course:

Time to Grease Up courtesy of the Vaseline table:

Vaseline helps to protect against jellyfish and chafing.

We could see out to Cocos Island. And there was a rainbow. It was a good sign.

Water looked flat for now but it would change once we started swimming.

Cocos Island:

The course marked by about 15 buoys was a curved route, not the most straightest direct route. And the 4km and 8km swimmers all started at 7am. So the 8km swimmers had to make sure to stay right of the buoys so we wouldn’t swim into the oncoming 4km swimmers.

I guess it doesn’t look too far….

Water temp was warm about 24-25 degrees. My ideal water temp although for a long distance race it could have been a bit cooler as it definitely got warm out there as we were swimming. Air temp was in the 30s.

Ready or not:

Number #302. Mind the 4am bedhair that I’m rocking. Not looking my finest in these pics.

Pre-race selfie. All greased up. Goggles. Check. Swim cap. Check. Cossies. Check. Shoulders. Check.

Just after 7am we were off. There weren’t many of us in the 8km swim. As it turned out, only 28 of us. This meant that most of us would be swimming our own race as we’d all be spread out over the 8km swim. They had a couple of hundred swimmers in the 4km swim though. I started off ok. The water was nice and I was really enjoying the swim. It was fun for about the first 2km. There were lots of buoys to follow so that made sighting easy but then they seemed to get further and further apart. I kept swimming but goddamn it that island did not seem to be getting closer. I started to worry a little. I was not getting closer to the island at all. Was there a current? Was I getting pushed back? Was the island being moved further back? Was I moving at all? Were my arms working? Was this all a dream and the alarm clock was going to go off any minute? Sadly the latter was not the case. Nothing to do but keep pushing forward a little stronger.
Lots to think about when you’re swimming 8km.

I thought to myself: “by the time I get to the island/halfway point that will only have been 4km and I have to do it again to go back”. The thought of doubling that and doing another 4km was overwhelming. I even half-wished I would get stung by a jellyfish just so I would have a reason to quit the race. The 4km was mentally tough even though I do 4km most days at the pool. I had trouble sighting the turnaround point. Where was that last goddamn buoy? I didn’t want to miss it because that was where the drinks boat was going to be. Surely enough I saw it. There was a kayak sitting by the buoy. Boy, was I happy to see that. I swam up to the kayak and grabbed a cup of water. I stopped for a mini break whilst treading water. I had two cups of water, and took a gel (I had carried 2 gels with me tucked into my cossies. One for the 4km and one for the 6km point). I asked the guy for the time. It was 8:12am. Alright. Not bad. Was happy with that. 4km in 72min. I had beaten the cut-off time. There was a 75min cutoff time to reach the halfway point. I actually cleared the 4km in about 60-65min because the race hadn’t actually started until about 7:10am. Buoyed by the fact that I was within the cutoff and that I could see a handful of other swimmers behind me, I continued on. At the risk of sounding like an Nike ad, “Giving up is not an option”.

“You’re halfway done”, I told myself. “It’s all downhill. Just take your time going back. It only took you an hour to do 4km. The total race time cut off is 2hr 45min, so you’ve got another hour and half to do the last 4km, and you’re not last. There’s a bunch of people behind you. You can do it”. I entertained myself with thoughts of all the food I was gonna eat after the race. The massage to look forward to. The sightseeing. And oh, the retail therapy I would indulge in after the race. I was going up to hit up the shops as a post-race reward. I almost made a deal with myself before this swim race that I could get myself a Macbook Air if I finished this race. But I decided to save that for passing JLPT level 1 this year. Somehow, I don’t think I’ll be getting a Macbook Air this year. Anyway, I digress. Swimming is awesome for thinking a million thoughts. At least I didn’t have to count laps. Counting 4-5km worth of laps in a 50m pool gets pretty monotonous.

Swimming back to the Guam mainland was harder physically but mentally fine. Sighting was a big problem for me because basically all you saw was the giant landmass of the Guam coastline and from Cocos Island it was hard to spot at what landpoint you should be heading for. We had been told to look for a high mountain/peak with antennas/power lines. Do you know how small antennas are when you are 4km away? And floundering in the water, no less. And when you are shortsighted! One of the best things I had done in the lead up to the race was purchase myself prescription lens goggles. What a world of difference they make. If you knew where to aim for, for the finish spot, you could straight-shot the distance back, but if you couldn’t, you could follow the buoys but that was going to be a longer distance. I ended up following the buoys for most of it but kept well clear right of them so I would be in better alignment for the finish goal.

Everything was getting tired. Shoulders and elbows were getting sore. Even my upper legs were weirdly getting sore. Prior to this race, I had never actually swum 8km in one go. The furthest I ever got to was 7km in a single session, and a couple of 6km sessions. I did do 9km in one day but there was split over a 5km morning swim and a 4km afternoon swim, so 8km in one go was definitely testing me physically. I found the first 4km tough mentally though.

The water was definitely choppier as time passed, compared to the morning’s glassy conditions. Not strong chop, but small and steady and there was definitely a current as the tide picked up. It was a beautiful swimming location though, ideal for beginner endurance open water swimmers.

Finish ramp in sight. I was so happy that I had finished it. Done. Completed. Survived. Hell yeah. This had been a bucketlist swim for a while and I was glad it was over.

Lisa had finished 13min prior to me, and took some photos of me coming into the finish line:

In good form, even 8km later:

Shaky legs: Feeling weird to be vertical again.

Start and finish point:

I loved how they had an ambulance ready and waiting at the finish line. Perfect. There was my ride home.

The post-race selfie (to compare with the pre-race one): Feeling pretty damn happy.

I was super happy with the achievement of swimming 8km. Was very pleased with my time of 2hrs 23 min (and 55 seconds). I got 4th female overall. And Lisa and I dominated in our age category. She took 1st place and I took 2nd place. I even scored me a medal! Fancy that (although am still waiting for that to arrive in the post due to a medal mix-up and someone took my medal home). There was also a 20min difference between myself and the 3rd place woman in our age group.

Mind the swollen goggle-y eyes:

There were only 28 starters for the 8km and I came 14th out of all the men and women. About a third of the men were all military dudes as well, so I was up against a strong bunch of swimmers. I’m not your model swimmer. I’m basically a 30-something year old, overweight office worker. Am not tall nor lean nor even that fit, so was happy to just to swim 8km just to finish the race and swim the distance. And let’s face it, it was an excuse to go to Guam. So basically right in the middle. Pretty much an average swimmer but beat half the people there. Such results were unexpected but I was super happy. I had been super worried that I wouldn’t make the cut off time. And I had never swum 8km before either.

My tongue and lips were feeling super funky.

Cocos Island conquered. Looking pretty damn pleased with myself:

Post-race thoughts: They recommend that you be swimming on average 25km per week in training prep for this swim. Whoa. Really?! I had only been doing about 15km per week. The swim conditions were favourable, I thought, compared to a rougher water ocean swim. I didn’t come across any jellyfish which was awesome. Although jellyfish are a problem for this swim. Water was clean and clear. I got few stings/bites from sealice etc which caused some discomfort during the swim. I didn’t do the swim as comfortably as I thought I would have. So yes, I definitely recommend swimming 20-25km a week. I could have trained more, but time constraints make that difficult. I actually felt like I did a lot of training for this swim, but if I had wanted to finish in a faster time and to do it more comfortably, I definitely would need to train more. For my goals, what I did was sufficient and doable. More training would have led to an imbalance in my lifestyle. For 8km, I always knew I could do the distance. It was more a matter of could I do it in the allocated race time limit. I could potentially have shaved off a couple of minutes if I had wanted to. eg reduce rest/fuel time at the turnaround point. Between the 4-8km mark up, I was also taking periodical sips from my second gel. I also took my time in the second half. The second 4km took me about 10 minutes longer to complete than the first 4km.

Overall though, I felt pretty good considering, after the race. I drank lots. Didn’t have much of an appetite until a couple of hours later. It took several hours for my tastebuds to adjust again. Lips were swollen and pruny. I will admit that I must have peed been about 8 times during the race. This is why I love open water swimming as opposed to a pool. But by the time I got out of the water, I was in dire need of an actual toilet. An 8km swim in the open water is definitely going to cause some bowel movement.

It was then back onto the bus for the trip back to Tumon. On the way back, our bus temporarily broke down along the side of the road.

Race started at about 7am and I was done and out of the water by about 9:30am. The day had barely even begun.

Back to the hotel room, for a much needed shower and relax time. We then had a big celebratory lunch.
Cue meat coma. Needed the protein, what can I say.

Thank Guam for US-sized portions!

Local news wrap up of the race.

And I enjoyed a well-deserved massage later that evening. The poor shoulders and arm!

So that’s my main personal big swim race challenge for the year done. I think I’ve decided that I want to do a destination swim every year. It needn’t be a long swim, just a destination swim race.
I have also stupidly signed up for a 10km swim race later on this yea…well, actually in a couple of weeks time. And not just one 10km swim race but 2! One of them is not until later on though so have another 2 months to train to get up to 10km. Ugh. I blame my housemate. Somehow I’ve been roped into doing them. Thus, the swim training continues. Why do I do this to myself?

And I appear in photo 26 of the photo gallery. Not. At. All. Flattering.

OWS swim #1 2014: Minami-Atami swim (1.5km)

May 30, 2014October 11, 2016memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

It’s that time of year again – the open water swimming season, that is.
I’ve been training hard, or at least training, for the last 6 months or so.
Miles make the champions, so they say.
This year will be the year of some long-distance swims for me, so stay tuned for some hopefully interesting swim race reports.

Swimming has been consuming much of 2014 so far.

First race of the season was last Sunday. Just a baby one of 1.5km. It was technically an aquathlon event, but they did also have a 1.5km swim only option which I signed up for, but only because I knew a couple of other people were going to be there as well. It was a long way to go for 1.5km. Down at Minami-Atami Nagahama beach. Took over 2 hours to get there. But I wanted do at least one open water swim in race conditions before this weekend’s big swim. I also need to practice swimming with gels in my cossies.

The day was warm and humid despite being a little overcast. The water was flat as.

Here is us testing out the water:

The water was surprisingly cold. A chill 19 degrees. I had gone to the beach the day before at Onjuku, and whilst it was refreshing, I was not prepared for how cold it would be down Atami way. Water felt a lot colder. I struggled with it at first.

Our little swimming posse:

I have an extremely high kick in this photo:

The 500m distance was up first, and then they moved the buoys out for the 1500m. It was supposedly a 750m course of which we were to do two laps.

Number 502 is ready to race!

I felt strong and fast through the swim. Everyone went hard out to the first bouy and it felt like I was back of the pack, but come the second buoy I was lapping everyone. And kept lapping more people as did the second lap. I felt fast. But the course also felt short. Really short. It must have been less judging by our times. For a supposed “1.5km”, I got a time of 16min and 39 seconds. My guess is that it was only about a 1km or so. I had a gel pack with me (not that I was going to drink it) and I lost it before I even got to the
first buoy. Must tuck it fully into my cossie. Lesson learnt.

Lisa and I were the only two females in the swim event. She took out 1st place and I took second. She had beaten me by a minute. Such a shame that it was not a proper 1.5km course. How do they even measure these distances? They were basically just riding out jet skis and moving the buoys. But how do they measure the course?

I got a second place female medal. And came 5th place overall (male and female) for the 1.5km swim race.

Harrods Tea Plantation, Ginza: Afternoon tea

May 29, 2014October 11, 2016memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

Due to a technical glitch, I hadn’t been able to blog for the past week. Couldn’t get access into blog host to post up some recent happenings.

Ticked off another afternoon tea venue in Tokyo, bringing my total tally to 28 venues, and that’s just in Tokyo alone. Doesn’t include the rest of Japan nor my afternoon teas abroad. I have singlehandedly had high tea at about 50 different venues around the world.

This time it was off to Harrods Tea Plantation Salon in Ginza, located in the Mitsukoshi department store.
Went there with a friend (whom incidentally started out as a blog reader, got in touch with me when she was in Tokyo and now has a job here. We’ve become friends, and meet up on the odd occasion to partake in tea and scones.).

It had a hint of a Singapore Raffle’s vibe to it:

Afternoon tea is available here from 2pm onwards (until 5pm) and boy did it get busy after 2pm. Luckily we had gotten there early at 1:30pm and were seated right away. We ordered the afternoon tea, even though we wouldn’t be served it until 2pm. The venue does not take bookings.

The Harrods Afternoon Tea set is a set price for 2 people so it needs to be shared and you’ll need even numbers. It includes a pot of tea each per person but the pots here are very small.

The tea selection is pretty impressive covering about 3 pages worth.
We went the Georgian Blend No. 18

and the Assam Orangajuli.

From 2pm, the place gets busy.

The teapots are tiny. Barely enough for 2 cups of tea. Free hot water refill is available, but the tea gets really weak.

I really liked the sugarcubes. They had different sized cubes, perfect for when you only want a half teaspoon of sugar!

Afternoon tea for two:

This place is an all-round good afternoon tea venue. The food was classic. Not too fancy but not too plain either. All in all, everything was pleasant.

I quite enjoyed all the sweets.

And the sandwiches were plentiful. There were 6 triangles each to consume, so it wasn’t too skimpy on the portions.
This was the serving for one person:

Scones were typical of the scones in Japan. Not the same as Aussies scones, mind you. Aussie scones are the best.

Scones with strawberry jam and cream – simple and sufficient. Scones served with any other jam than strawberry is blasphemous.

At the time of you ordering, you had a choice of either a plain scone or a raisin scone.

The price is split between two people so at a price of just a tad over 2500yen per person, it’s a very reasonable afternoon tea in Tokyo. Food was good, and plentiful. But no all you can drink tea.
It’s a nice spot for afternoon tea if you need a break from shopping in Ginza without breaking the budget.

Am now seriously running out of afternoon tea venues in Tokyo!

Indonesia Day 1: Taman Sari Water Castle

May 20, 2014October 8, 2016memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

Back to Yogyakarta on day 1.
After checking out the Palace, we walked onwards to the Taman Sari Water Castle which was nearby and a hell of a lot easier to find the the Palace.

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/jW-ypb9PEKONoUEGkJ1RRd0ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-k3KWZIDABHU/U2o8DAxyW3I/AAAAAAACkzk/YkoukME9jxo/s640/DSC_0104.JPG” height=”425″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/uJ0XWK8DmtvQizw_G_8Oct0ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-qC7wrs_lMX4/U2o8DCVfV4I/AAAAAAACkzw/KSfTYGgB2Ik/s640/DSC_0105.JPG” height=”425″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

Passed a chick on the street:

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/iuUiF0p8KNKf7aJ03xvRSt0ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-q_pB6dlfsx4/U2o8ERq839I/AAAAAAACkz8/W-nWVzg07cE/s640/DSC_0108.JPG” height=”425″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

Being all about water myself, I was keen to check out the Taman Sari Water Castle, but it wasn’t very big at all. Just a few old half empty pools. Nevertheless it was kinda chill and a chance to take a seat and get some respite from the heat. It’s always very relaxing to be near water – a natural energy.

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xXaJHtaLJza-l07sxnEq990ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-fcW9cQ2C13o/U2o8FtjxQDI/AAAAAAACk0Q/8tthgRTL3Zk/s640/DSC_0111.JPG” height=”425″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/RQ4mIICZVnBAs1MaNJDAUN0ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6K4ucGAHNns/U2o8Go62a_I/AAAAAAACk0o/m1wl320wtbw/s640/DSC_0113.JPG” height=”425″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/iyI2teu4IYbz4Nj0IrN-Nt0ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mUTC4PMh8Bo/U2o8HADXD_I/AAAAAAACk0w/M1PQPCZiOfA/s640/DSC_0115.JPG” height=”425″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ws4gS-vBaSqWis06CriOtN0ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-v-CKfgdphWw/U2o8H-CvTmI/AAAAAAACk1A/-tIxZd2zKGI/s640/DSC_0117.jpg” height=”640″ width=”425″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/etVXgm1VopS4BEauJIw2Lt0ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KYJYYX_VIvw/U2o8I2ftUTI/AAAAAAACk1U/hXcpP3w-nzk/s640/DSC_0116.JPG” height=”425″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/IEburiAo6mn-HLS-xXFBAt0ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-op_oLrwBQgA/U2o8JWI2pPI/AAAAAAACk1Y/bxo59BgwcBk/s640/DSC_0120.JPG” height=”425″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gvPHOQarkcXJ7QQLjO5BW90ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KSV4lcBbSrg/U2q-vkeRzcI/AAAAAAACl8E/-Ut_1FDNS-8/s640/IMG_7624.jpg” height=”640″ width=”480″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6HNAR1g5KxgVOpo1ZnSzoN0ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TljsI93tct4/U2o8LXAbXdI/AAAAAAACk2Q/oODnVxp57SI/s640/DSC_0125.JPG” height=”425″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vW_7otuFu_X7MUI__NjWSN0ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JIpu0LGLy4g/U2o8MCvsPPI/AAAAAAACk2Y/nW8SFYtwChE/s640/DSC_0127.JPG” height=”425″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-7rsqmBFVTL95LcuCPG7Pt0ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LrhqA6qNzMA/U2q-w6VrdFI/AAAAAAACl8c/v-leC323RqE/s640/IMG_7628.JPG” height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/X7-iWnDjIsuow9hibRaQd90ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-55ylFRbuacg/U2q-w5fhiFI/AAAAAAACl8Y/46YOd7zmoMc/s640/IMG_7629.JPG” height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kYPctEln_MTakXaOVPDZH90ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9WeEm9Lz2s0/U2o8OY947tI/AAAAAAACk3E/bhh-j-UCIc8/s640/DSC_0132.JPG” height=”425″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/4PEo-g0z-MlvM0bGPStkUt0ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DHH3hBHSjm4/U2o8PUXwSZI/AAAAAAACk3Q/SIaH2HzasII/s640/DSC_0134.JPG” height=”425″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/MuqXG8U6gsqPCVamB0-ugN0ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Jhf9DjZamwg/U2q-9Zf_2xI/AAAAAAACl8k/AyI6Os2Eiqk/s640/IMG_7651.JPG” height=”640″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/klZj-KLvNf8s6ACa-rhBdt0ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DGXQsoBeoRg/U2o8Qw_G3PI/AAAAAAACk3o/JIEP8k7LHPA/s640/DSC_0136.JPG” height=”425″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

View over the local rooftops:

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/W49dpIrk8NfzG1fL0wpuQN0ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-R2Wy1ovRfgs/U2o8RJZ39gI/AAAAAAACk3w/i_7xVqkLt6Q/s640/DSC_0137.JPG” height=”425″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ZMIvYbkf4wMaoLoxEIqiTN0ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-NMoTyfy6XYc/U2o8R65SQJI/AAAAAAACk38/FYR_qSfqup4/s640/DSC_0139.JPG” height=”425″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/QtmKDaLteBNSvVK–Zwqh90ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-cesg-IFFdtM/U2o8SSb21SI/AAAAAAACk4A/at9YsFik9SA/s640/DSC_0140.JPG” height=”425″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LjlVXVQ6aUaQyJB-icJxZ90ErprwCYrsut0bVWpMc2o?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-EiBUPfZyek0/U2o8TDM-zzI/AAAAAAACk4M/VUHgTXgcUf4/s640/DSC_0142.JPG” height=”425″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/TamanSariWaterCastle?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Taman Sari Water Castle</a></td></tr></table>

Nobu, Tokyo

May 19, 2014October 8, 2016memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

The year is flying by. Turned another year older last week. Kept it pretty lowkey and had a birthday dinner on the day of my birthday even though it was a school/work night.

Had a nice birthday lunch courtesy of my boss with a few colleagues. Went to Nobu which is a really nice (and pricey) restaurant. I really enjoy the food there. Have been there a few times now.

The Chef’s Lunch Box: A little bit of everything.

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/XSWr1Ksn7ThrI1oi-v1zStmlF_Hgg1WgE844Oxhxuns?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-6Ia91PThqy0/U3oj0m2FZrI/AAAAAAACp7A/02p5tlaq-aw/s640/IMG_8816.jpg” height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/Birthday201402?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLKd54_FlaPenwE&feat=embedwebsite”>Birthday 2014</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/lmv4k6Dleu1DKwJTOqIwd9mlF_Hgg1WgE844Oxhxuns?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1UK09X6_e2g/U3ojxQGo_pI/AAAAAAACp1k/zcUtII4pAY8/s640/IMG_8810.JPG” height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/Birthday201402?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLKd54_FlaPenwE&feat=embedwebsite”>Birthday 2014</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/mG1IeKjSuCDTYNhlLc3fYdmlF_Hgg1WgE844Oxhxuns?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_PEiB7aSnAU/U3ojxvt9CaI/AAAAAAACp1Q/VHZOhjkrEWo/s640/IMG_8811.JPG” height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/Birthday201402?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLKd54_FlaPenwE&feat=embedwebsite”>Birthday 2014</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/jiUtQKScazTrnFc8d-6A-tmlF_Hgg1WgE844Oxhxuns?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r1FBIb3Ku8o/U3ojyQaLOjI/AAAAAAACp1Y/zxM7RdfuXqk/s640/IMG_8812.JPG” height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/Birthday201402?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLKd54_FlaPenwE&feat=embedwebsite”>Birthday 2014</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WjYwr6IIme-__9FaVFmUMdmlF_Hgg1WgE844Oxhxuns?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dOm3fqRKi1o/U3ojzGucoII/AAAAAAACp1s/WEsAeGl_RbA/s640/IMG_8813.JPG” height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/Birthday201402?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLKd54_FlaPenwE&feat=embedwebsite”>Birthday 2014</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/4DPQj74lJz7D9-RahnM6X9mlF_Hgg1WgE844Oxhxuns?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-YHbW4S7IUS8/U3ojzcC4tbI/AAAAAAACp1o/r9JpcysL34w/s640/IMG_8814.JPG” height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/Birthday201402?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLKd54_FlaPenwE&feat=embedwebsite”>Birthday 2014</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/PTNHh7Ehw5Jzq-9Ve761zNmlF_Hgg1WgE844Oxhxuns?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-84b1AzPw7H8/U3ojz-40ReI/AAAAAAACp14/SofLELe2ZsA/s640/IMG_8815.JPG” height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/Birthday201402?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLKd54_FlaPenwE&feat=embedwebsite”>Birthday 2014</a></td></tr></table>

Amazing chocolate souffle:

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/PLNjub6Uwxv6014YPHikwNmlF_Hgg1WgE844Oxhxuns?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gS-nTWp2DHk/U3oj9yEzfEI/AAAAAAACp4Q/RTR8u-2ccXY/s640/IMG_8974.JPG” height=”640″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/Birthday201402?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLKd54_FlaPenwE&feat=embedwebsite”>Birthday 2014</a></td></tr></table>

And then my birthday dinner was at a casual retro Mexican restaurant in Nakameguro – Junkadelic. A place that has been on my bucketlist for a while now. Finally got to tick that off. I highly recommend the fajitas there and there frozen mango margaritas.

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/mWQFk98S-_yWP2XU-iytgNmlF_Hgg1WgE844Oxhxuns?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mLU_wWY0z74/U3okA1D4TQI/AAAAAAACp4g/CqgH-My_jE8/s640/DSCN3435.JPG” height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/Birthday201402?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLKd54_FlaPenwE&feat=embedwebsite”>Birthday 2014</a></td></tr></table>

Got two Mexican jokes for ya courtesy of my best friend:

Why are Mexican houses so hot?

… coz they have fajitas (four heaters)!

And why are Mexicans so good at laying carpet?

Because they really know their underlay, underlay!

Chimmichanga time:

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/roHSb7jZn1H-YBX-G_0Zx9mlF_Hgg1WgE844Oxhxuns?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-XrQuS4qoFf4/U3okJWqItXI/AAAAAAACp48/Kf__UG33668/s640/DSCN3444.JPG” height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/Birthday201402?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLKd54_FlaPenwE&feat=embedwebsite”>Birthday 2014</a></td></tr></table>

Good friend. And good friends:

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/O6aq-t1Kz1r393TkAT1IANmlF_Hgg1WgE844Oxhxuns?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-VUqDj8zRHK8/U3okN2moIHI/AAAAAAACp5I/D8Ucts8ddP8/s640/DSCN3445.JPG” height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/Birthday201402?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Birthday 2014</a></td></tr></table>

And surprise birthday cakes. Yes, plural. Two cakes!

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/J6jPja8dRQfixwx-lzKFZ9mlF_Hgg1WgE844Oxhxuns?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-k3QXEyAlu28/U3okYVyAZNI/AAAAAAACp5s/GhFWEiZ2RSE/s640/DSCN3449.JPG” height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/Birthday201402?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Birthday 2014</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/IHI8dOFkDZrQcSRCDgGdT9mlF_Hgg1WgE844Oxhxuns?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-WqfeUpb1Vhk/U3oke6LLATI/AAAAAAACp6E/6eOPQbgpCb4/s400/DSCN3454.JPG” height=”300″ width=”400″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/Birthday201402?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Birthday 2014</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6TpEdpOmZ3Fiy1pc6IYrmNmlF_Hgg1WgE844Oxhxuns?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-zmFQKfRMNQg/U3oj9-I49EI/AAAAAAACp4Y/bw5CUjXuWzs/s640/IMG_8973.JPG” height=”640″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/Birthday201402?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Birthday 2014</a></td></tr></table>

Got some nice flowers which was sweet:

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DAASDf-6l29R1oBwfyTqb9mlF_Hgg1WgE844Oxhxuns?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-tZEUv4M80EI/U3oj9j99PEI/AAAAAAACp4M/MLoemZnNszI/s640/IMG_8919.JPG” height=”640″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/Birthday201402?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Birthday 2014</a></td></tr></table>

And when I got home later that night, I found my bedroom filled with balloons, courtesy of my housemate!

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/s-0pNghVoHKpU3wquaABTNmlF_Hgg1WgE844Oxhxuns?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-4KPos6_Y18s/U3oj77oPikI/AAAAAAACp4I/ZaLM8MLZT8Y/s640/IMG_8831.JPG” height=”640″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/Birthday201402?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Birthday 2014</a></td></tr></table>

Some of them even glowed in the dark!

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DqakYs-xh4NGWbzTA25j-NmlF_Hgg1WgE844Oxhxuns?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wp8g8BihfjQ/U3oj5FiYEzI/AAAAAAACp3E/74wehGGdnrA/s640/IMG_8825.JPG” height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/Birthday201402?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Birthday 2014</a></td></tr></table>
<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0R93iRt4EXkIE2_vR-ncVtmlF_Hgg1WgE844Oxhxuns?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-wED5ALU4puc/U3oj4vyRCOI/AAAAAAACp24/Ia72dVceoRM/s640/IMG_8824.JPG” height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/Birthday201402?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite”>Birthday 2014</a></td></tr></table>

Cheers to that!

Birthday 2014

May 18, 2014December 13, 2016memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

The year is flying by. Turned another year older last week. Kept it pretty lowkey and had a birthday dinner on the day of my birthday even though it was a school/work night. Had a nice birthday lunch courtesy of my boss with a few colleagues. Went to Nobu which is a really nice (and pricey) restaurant. I really enjoy the food there. Have been there a few times now. The Chef’s Lunch Box: A little bit of everything.

Amazing chocolate souffle:

Got two Mexican jokes for ya courtesy of my best friend: Why are Mexican houses so hot? … coz they have fajitas (four heaters)! And why are Mexicans so good at laying carpet? Because they really know their underlay, underlay! Chimmichanga time:

Good friend. And good friends:

And surprise birthday cakes. Yes, plural. Two cakes!

Got some nice flowers which was sweet:

And when I got home later that night, I found my bedroom filled with balloons, courtesy of my housemate!

Some of them even glowed in the dark!

Cheers to that!

Indonesia Day 2: Borobudor

May 11, 2014December 5, 2016memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

Have recently just got back from Golden Week holiday in Indonesia . Had an amazing adventurous time. Only spent about 10 days there. Way too short. I totally loved Indonesia. Definitely warrants another visit. So much to see and do there. Only went to Java Island and Lombok region. Went with a friend flying from Haneda to Yogyakarta on Java Island. We decided to avoid Jakarta although we did have a layover there enroute. On the second day upon arrival in Yogyakarta we went out to Borobudur about 1.5-2 hours from Yogyakarta. Borobudur is pretty amazing. It’s the world’s largest Buddhist temple. The stupas (bell-like mounds) are really cool to see. Just the scale of the place is pretty amazing.

From Borobudur

There are apparently 72 of these stupors. Entry into the grounds of Borobudur requires all visitors to wear a sarong (provided) regardless of what you are wearing.

From Borobudur

Pretty fashionable stuff. Cheesy poses are mandatory at all touristy places.

From Borobudur

The grounds are pretty massive surrounded by various gardens and forest. So lush and green, surrounded by low-hanging mist.

From Borobudur

The temple consists of a few different tiers:

From Borobudur

Most people are eager to climb up straightaway to check out the stupas, but the correct ritual is to actually walk around the whole complex three times in clockwise motion. We took the time to do this before entering the temple getting a 360 degree view of the place, all three times.

From Borobudur

The stupa mounds are pretty fun to look at. They kinda look like bells or Hershey kisses or short-handled toilet plungers. They’re so photogenic, one cannot stop taking photos of them. There is after all, 72 of them to look at. And you betcha that I’m going to post a photo of every.single.one.of.them. Just kidding. But I did take a hell of a lot of photos.

From Borobudur

The walls of the temple:

From Borobudur

Check out all the Buddha carvings into the concrete:

From Borobudur

A walk through the garden grounds:

From Borobudur

We had to pass through a maze of street stalls strategically placed enroute to the ground exit full of sellers selling their wares and touristy knick knacks. Mmmm coconut. I love fresh coconut water.

From Borobudur

Borobudur is Indonesia’s single most popular tourist attraction. I can see why.

Kobeya afternoon tea

May 10, 2014October 11, 2016memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

My mission: to find a cheap afternoon tea in Tokyo. The request was for under 3000yen. That was going to be a hard challenge.

I had plans a few weeks back to meet with a couple of ladies from my Namie NESS days.
We usually meet for coffee/lunch etc. They wanted to do afternoon tea but had set a budget for 3000yen or less.
The starting price for afternoon tea at most places in Tokyo is 3500yen.
And the consumption tax rate in Japan has recently risen as well (that’s been a huge pain!).
This was not going to be an easy task. And I wanted to throw in the extra personal challenge of choosing a venue that I have not yet been to.

I put my research skills to the test and came up with an afternoon tea venue for under 1500yen! Total score.
Not the best afternoon tea I’ve had in terms of food quality, but it made for a pleasant afternoon nonetheless.

The venue was Kobeya at the Tokyo International Forum (TIF) in Yurakucho. Points gained for location.
Kobeya is actually a really nice bakery chain. Some of their bakeries have extended into cafe dining restaurants where you can actually order main meals etc. The only place I know where the afternoon tea set is available is the Yurakucho branch of Kobeya. It’s kind of a “gentei” thing, which means it’s limited to so many servings a day. And they don’t take bookings so you’ve just got to turn up and try your luck that they haven’t reached the limit for the day. Luckily, it’s not heavily advertised and most people don’t know about it. You’ll need to ask for the Tea Time menu. And it’s only available between 2-6pm.

The afternoon tea is simple and no frills.
A pot of tea is included. One tea selection only (but you can ask for hot water refill, but the tea did not taste so good after we did this). I think I went with the UVA tea but they also had a couple of other options as well as an organic tea which is technically the tea that comes with the set.
I liked the little touches such as the timer and the teapot cover.

The 3-tier set is light and sufficient, but no so tasty. More skewed to Japanese tastebuds.

I enjoyed all of the sandwiches, except one. There was a mentaiko sandwich. And mentaiko is the roe of pollock and cod (basically fish ovaries).

The other sandwiches were perfectly fine.

The second tier was essentially the pastry course: a chocolate chip scone, a green tea (matcha) pastry and a berry pastry.

Not enough savoury morsels for your liking? They threw in some olives as well.

Clearly, these items are just from the bakery section of their store.

I don’t like matcha flavoured stuff, so I didn’t really enjoy this much. Also the jam doesn’t really go well with a choc chip scone.

The last dish was heavy on the grapefruit theme. Again, not a huge fan of grapefruit, so this afternoon tea wasn’t really to my liking. But I wasn’t here for the food. I was here for the company, to catch up with some friends over language exchange.

There was a cheesecake which was quite nice. Can’t go wrong there.