Nara and Kyoto Snapshots

On our way of Kyoto, we stopped by a temple and a shrine with wonderful structures. It was then that I learned the difference between a temple and a shrine, in which the former is affiliated to Buddhism while the latter is Shinto, as explained by our tour guide.

The first stop was Todaiji temple. There was a Sakura tree outside of the temple, that was my first close-up view of the unique flower. 

The temple is an antique wooden structure that houses a giant Buddha statue inside. The effort put into the preservation of the site was truly amazing.

There were also many deers roaming outside of the temple as well. Although they were super cute, to be honest, they freaked me out.

The shrine that we visited next was called the Kasuga-Taisha shrine. The mostly red-coloured shrine had a completely different vibe than the temple that we went to.

Temple or shrine hopping in Japan can truly be a unique experience. They are just simply beautiful!

Wizarding World of Harry Potter

(Still about Japan)

I was so desperate to get into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (WWOHP) the last time I went to Universal Studios Japan (USJ) since I had not been able to get during the previous times that I went there. As I forgot to ask my agent to purchase the Express Pass that contained a pass to enter the WWOHP, I was so anxious that I would not be able to get a timed entry coupon that would allow me to enter the WWOHP section of the theme park. 

The moment we arrived in USJ, I rushed to the entrance gate and made my way to get my share of the timed entry tickets in the park. I studied the map of the park so many times beforehand so that I wouldn't get lost! (yes, I was that desperate!)

After the embarrassing run that I made to the ticketing booth, I finally managed to get hold of of a timed entry ticket. Even then, I had to wait for 4-5 long hours before I could enter the WWOHP.

I was so happy the moment that I got inside. The sight of the Hogwarts Express welcoming all of the WWOHP newcomers was just so exciting! Everything just seemed so dreamy. 

Of course the first thing that I did was to treat myself a serving of Butterbeer, a spicy and non-alcoholic Harry Potter-style drink that came in both cold and warm versions. Due to the chilly weather, I opted for the warm Butterbeer, served in a cute little cup that I took home as a souvenir (had to pay for it of course). 

What I did next was pretty much just wandering through the alleyways and peeking into the windows of Ollivander's and other cute souvenir shops, marvelling at the realistic view of the site itself. Too bad that the queues for the rides were sooooo long. 

A little tip from me is to plan your trip from a couple of months before and get the Express Pass that covers WWOHP entrance and rides to avoid the disappointment from not being able to enter the magical site. Make sure to get the Express Pass a few weeks or even a month before especially during peak seasons ( I went in Spring so it was really crowded!) 

I really can't wait for my next visit to WWOHP!

Japan (Again!)

My friends and those who know me would know how much I love Japan.

I know that this post is way overdue, but just like how I like to say it, it's better late than never!

I'm currently studying for THE LAST FINAL EXAM OF MY DEGREE LIFE! The fact that it's the last exam somehow leaves me with a bittersweet and mixed feeling, procrastination on one hand (because the finish line is so near yet so far) and excitement on the other (imagine not having to cram all night long before a test ever again!). 

While I was scrolling back through my iPhone's photo gallery in desperation because I couldn't seem to memorise some Islamic Finance terms, I stumbled upon the snapshots of the good time that I had in Japan earlier this year. We finally visited Japan in its early springtime and managed to catch a sight of its iconic Sakura flowers. Although they were not in full bloom yet, the flowers were already so gorgeous!

My family and I also visited Kyoto, where I dressed up in a kimono, learned Japanese tea ceremony and had one of the best Matcha ice cream that I've ever had in my life.

Osaka-Kyoto-Tokyo was the route that my family and I took during our visit to Japan. For my next visit (Insyallah), I would really like to go once again to Kyoto because we didn't really get to explore the city that much last time. Summertime in Hokkaido would be an amazing idea, too!

Baking Mood

Figured that my blog has not been updated with much fancy colours lately.

Here is a little throwback to some delish Pavlovas that I baked a few weeks ago. Time flies so fast, it could even be from last month!

I like my Pavlova with lots of whipped cream, chocolate sauce and some berries, just like how I tried it for the very first time.

The Pavs are super duper easy to make, although baking them may take more than an hour or so.

All of your patience and hard work will be worth it, though.

Can't wait for a well-deserved break from University so that I can start baking all day long.