Winter in Osaka

This year end we went to Osaka together with my mom.We reached Osaka early morning and DH started to figure out which ticket/train we are supposed to take to go to our apartment.I use airbnb for the first time and booked an apartment for 5.  The apartment was just 200m from the nearest train station. The host actually picked us up from the train station and walked us to the apartment. After our microwaved ayam beriyani lunch we went to the aquarium.

 At the kaiyukan..the kids touching the fishes

 Outside...it was quite cold

Tak naik pun Ferris wheel tu....amik gambar je

We stopped for a hot pancake-like snack before our next destination

 Then we go to  dotonbori/ shinsaibashi shopping area. After some shopping, balik apartment.

 The next day...Universal Studio ... while waiting for papa to buy tickets..berpusu-pusu orang masuk

Universal Studio  will always give me a special feeling...like you are in a totally different world

 posing dulu 

 Jaws...you are not supposed to take photos...this girl tried to tell us in Japanese...manalah kitorang faham...

 Off we go....that girl was a good actress...siap tunjuk sana sini, muka panik etcs when jaws appeared. I wanted to laugh when I saw a little girl behind us was really scared when the jaws appeared, probably thinking it was the real thing hehheh...

 Jalan2 lagi, we wanted to go to Harry Potter land but were told to take a ticket because they were simply too many people going in at the same time. So, DH took the tickets and we only got to go there at 2pm.

spent time kat Jurassic park dulu...

Selfie behind spiderman ride

 This place is simply magical! Even with so many people around, you felt like you are in a Harry Potter's world.

 would really love to lepak2 here with a hot coffee

 posing lagi

Wanna take the magic ride? That's how long you have to wait!...haih.. tak payahlah

DH looking at this magic plant

 

 Couldn't take a clear photo of the plant..but I would say that it's scary for kids

 

Wanna buy or take a look at the sweets inside? There's a 40 minutes queue...again we take a pass at this...not gonna waste 40 minutes waiting to buy sweets

 Malam...actually I think it was just past 6 pm...the customary photo for universal studio...looking at this pic i realized i should have taken the photo in the morning before we enter USJ. We are not that tired but just couldn't stand the cold, so terus balik apartment je la.

 The next day itinerary -Arashiyama/ Kyoto. We started using our Kansai 3 Day Pass today

 Bamboo groove...very calming path

 Tenryuji Temple

 3-generations of girls hihi

 Resting and enjoying the scenery

 Inside the place

 Outside..on our way out

 Balik beli soft ice cream, green tea and combination green tea and roasted tea flavour

 Next...Nijo castle...had our lunch here. Our lunch throughout the stay is either egg sandwich or egg and cheese sandwich that I prepared in the morning. We brought 13kgs of food, mostly Brahims stuff- which we had for breakfast and dinner. Dinner is always the best meal coz we will tapau sushi, roasted fish and tempura prawns from the supermarket downstairs to take together with our rice dinner. Then we had either ice-cream or chocolate as desserts.

jumping session

 another scenic view..

 and another one

on our way back

Next.... Kiyozumi-dera.. ramainye orang..it's uphill all the way.

From DH lens

From mine...I did not follow DH into the temple, just spent my time outside and look for a nice spot. Mom and kids is somewhere down there... tak nak naik tangga dah

we made a stop at Kyoto handicraft center.. hmm nothing much here that you cannot get at Kiyozumi-dera shops actually.

Our final stop for the day - Gion. DH managed to capture a few geishas on their way to work. Throughout our stay here, this day is the most steps we took...almost 22k steps which is about 15.7km of walking. I'm glad everybody including my 61-yr old mom made it.

bakes & cakes 16

carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

 baklava with cashew filling..fresh from the oven..without the syrup..

two types..one the nuts at the centre (left) and another the nuts were scattered all over on the phyllo pastry and rolled up...the ones at the centre taste better coz the phyllo is crunchier. everybody except Irfan(who does not like baklava) prefers to eat it without the rose flavoured syrup... is it still baklava ke kalau makan tak pakai air gula?

oat cookies...only 5 ingredients, oats, butter, sugar, egg and butterscotch chips. a hit with the kids..I made this 3 days in a row..

Not baked or a cake...a mochi with chocolate filling

 something new...a mixed nuts cake..recipe was actually for a peanut cake but I used almond and cashew. Recipe is not only flourless it is also butter/oil free so the batter initially looks like a sponge cake until you add the nuts.

this has become DH's favourite.....taste great with coffee...must make another soon

cinnamons pull apart bread, requested by DH

coconut cake...using freshly grated coconut