During the December school holidays in 2023, we went on a 6D5N free and easy trip to Hong Kong. It was towards the end of December and the weather was freezing cold! Obviously, the ladies in the family were insufficiently dressed and attracted amused stares from the locals! It was a very memorable shoot for all of us as it was drizzling in Mong Kong on the morning of our photoshoot.
I had engaged the services of Cyan Production after chancing upon their works on Instagram which gave off the vibes which I like. Was pleasantly surprised that their rates are actually very reasonable and affordable in contrast to other photographers that I had contacted. I wasn’t willing to splurge on a one-hour shoot as all I wanted was some decent family photos during our holiday that wouldn’t (further) burn a hole in my pocket.
A whatsapp chat group was set up before our shoot and Patrick was our assigned photographer. We decided on the meeting point and time, and also communicated on the type of photos I was looking for.
I love the look of Hong Kong’s old buildings and big colorful signboards, both of which are very unique and representative of the country. As it was really cold, the one-hour shoot actually felt kinda long but we enjoyed ourselves!
Would definitely recommend doing an outdoor family photoshoot if you are travelling to Hong Kong, or anywhere in the world!
Photos from Hong Kong Disneyland coming up next! 🙂
The Chewys went on a short 4D3N to Bangkok in June 2023 during the school holidays and I cant believe it took me almost a year to post this! I have always wanted to do another traditional costume photoshoot after our last in Korea and Bangkok is the perfect place to do so.
I chanced upon Sense of Thai online while I was doing some research for our trip. They offer modern pastel colored Thai costumes which instantly won me over.
Another bonus is that they collaborate with freelance photographers so it’s very convenient to just make a single reservation for costume rental and photoshoot.
We chose the earliest photoshoot time slot which was 11am to 12pm because we wanted to just get it over and done so that we can relax and go about doing whatever we wanted for the rest of the day.
Thankfully, the weather was cloudy and kind to us despite the not-so-ideal timing. To save time, I prepared screenshot selections of the preferred costumes for all of us and simply showed them to the Sense of Thai staff to hunt for the fabric for us. We were in and out in less than 20 minutes inclusive of fitting with help from the staff.
Photoshoot location was Wat Arun temple. We had to take a ferry about 2 to 3 stops away and our photographer Aofaum was already waiting for us at the entrance. I actually contacted him via IG because the response from Sense of Thai was very slow. He actually got back to me on the same day.
There is also a small entrance fee for Wat Arun temple but the freelance photographers are stationed there all day so we didnt have to pay for his.
Aofaum was very professional and good at directing poses so we felt natural and at ease.
Annyeong Chewys! It’s been such a really long time since I updated this dusty blog of mine that I had almost forgotten my login password hehe. Time flies~ Both littlemisschewy and minimisschewy are in primary school now. So before minimisschewy entered Primary 1, we went on a winter vacation to Korea (Seoul and Busan) with my parents last December (in 2022).
My last trip to Korea before this was a couple trip with misterchewy. We did a hanbok photoshoot as well but it was at Gyeongbokgong and it was in May or June so the weather was pretty good. For this family trip, I really wanted to have everyone dressed in hanbok and I’m glad that nobody had any violent objections LOL.
Since it was mid December, the weather was really cold. Sub-zero temperatures if I’m not wrong.. We rented our costumes from Hanbok That Day and they had a pretty nice variety of hanboks for adults and children. Tip: Always book the earliest rental slot and arrive at least 5 minutes early to avoid the crowd.
We booked a one-hour photoshoot via Sweetescape and were very lucky to be assigned a local photographer who converses well in English and is also very talented as evident from the photos here. You can look up @jinkim.photography on Instagram.
Like I mentioned, the weather was crazy cold and freezing! We actually donned our thick jackets but had to chuck them on the roadside whenever we stopped for photos. It was pretty hilarious!
Some lovely shots of the grandchildren and grandparents.
I have always wanted to strike a couple pose in Kdrama style! Hahaha.
The following photos were actually taken before we walked to Bukchon Hanok Village. We had arrived a lot earlier than our photoshoot time slot and decided to seek refuge from the cold at this pretty Baskin Robbins ice cream shop while waiting for our photographer to arrive.
What’s better than having ice cream? Having ice cream in cold winter weather! Brrr!
Yup ice cream is always a good idea!
Hope you guys enjoyed this set of photos from our Korean hanbok family photoshoot! Till’ the next time! 🙂
A few months back, we had the opportunity of trying out ice skating at The Rink, JCube, for the very first time as a family. Ice skating is not new to me, I had been to Fuji Ice Palace when I was really young so that was many years back!
Putting on our ice skating boots!
We were introduced to Coach Mag who then gave us an introduction on the basics such as balancing ourselves and how to get up from the ground.
Without further ado, we were whisked onto the ice skating rink!
Both littlemisschewy and minimisschewy went straight for the penguin aid LOL. It certainly helped while Coach Mag provided them with some guidance.
After spending some time with Coach Mag, we were pretty much able to skate freely on our own. It was really fun!
There are various packages and classes available at The Rink. Click here if you wanna know more! 🙂
I’m a hugeeeee fan of cup noodles and instant noodles although these are not the healthiest food options around. I love the convenience they bring and all the interesting flavors that are constantly being developed over the years. With that, I decided to include Cup Noodles Museum in Osaka Ikeda in our Japan itinerary.
It is also known as Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum, named after the person who invented the world’s first instant noodles, “Chicken Ramen,” after an entire year of research using common tools in a little shed he had built in his backyard in Ikeda-city, Osaka Prefecture.
Momofuku Ando, the Father of Instant Ramen, invented the chicken ramen in 1958 and dedicated his entire life to thinking about food in new and creative ways. Throughout his 96 years, he practised creative thinking and never quit until he achieved his goal. As a result, people from all over the world is still benefiting from his achievements today.
Admission to Cup Noodles Musuem Osaka Ikeda is free of charge but fees apply for attractions like the Chicken Ramen Factory and Cup Noodles Factory.
I bet you will be able to find all your favorite instant noodle here in this vast museum!
I already spotted my favorite Seafood and also Tom Yam Seafood cup noodles!
Due to time constraints, we only picked the My Cup Noodles Factory activity.
A sample of how the final product will look like.
In exchange for 300 yen at a vending machine, you will get this My Cup Noodles Factory cup and you can start decorating or coloring it in any way you wish using the markers provided.
As Littlemisschewy was still napping in the stroller, only Minimisschewy joined us in the activity. Well, I did most of the drawing and coloring. As I’m not artistic, my “artwork” is very simple and minimalist!
When we were done decorating our cup, we joined the queue to pick out the ingredients for our cup noodles. If you are not planning to eat the cup noodles, then whatever ingredients that go into the cup would not really matter.
How thoughtful! Since most visitors are travellers, the museum has prepared a bag which you can store your cup noodles and then inflate it like an air bag, thereby protecting your cup noodles from damage.
There’s also a string, which makes it very convenient to carry around.
Littlemisschewy woke up from the nap and totally missed the activity, so here’s a photo of her with the final masterpiece.
There are interesting exhibits in the museum, so it’s best to dedicate at least two hours if you are planning to pay a visit.
There is also a drama theatre but I think it’s all in Japanese language.
There is a small shop selling all sorts of souvenirs that you can buy for that friend who also loves cup noodles. I got myself some miniature cup noodle magnets, and trust me, they are the cutest!
Hellooooo! It’s been a really long time since I last blogged and I’m determined to finish up our Japan 2018 travelogue before we head off for our next trip!
We spent the second leg of our trip in Osaka, and no trip to Osaka is complete without visiting Universal Studios Japan! Well, I guess it only applies if you like visiting theme parks!
We started our day bright and early, so the kids were chirpy and also thrilled to be able to interact with the various mascots in USJ!
We got our admission tickets via Voyagin, which was easy and hassle-free. All we had to do was just scan the QR codes and we could walk through the gantry! Prices are also very competitive, and Voyagin is verified by over 50000 positive reviews.
Look at those cute Minion popcorn buckets!
The hubs and I also purchased fast passes to enjoy rides such as Hollywood Dream, The Flying Dinosaur, Harry Potter & the Forbidden Journey, and JAWS. Without the passes, I doubt we could go for all of these rides! The waiting times for the normal queue are insane! At least one hour and could even go up to more than 3 hours!
We spent most of our time in Wonderland as this park of USJ is catered for young children. However, minimisschewy did not meet the minimum height requirement for most of the rides.
The minion buns looked cute but did not taste so good.
If you are a Harry Potter fan like us, you would be in awe upon stepping into The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! I reckon it looks even more mesmerizing at night.
Our second (first was in London) time having Butterbeer! YUMS!
Let’s make a butterbeer moustache and say cheeeeese! Or should we say Wingardium Leviosa?
Even the washroom is so cool! I swear I heard Moaning Myrtle but I couldn’t find her anywhere..
Sumptious dinner at The Three Broomsticks! And spot that butterbeer again!
What an unforgettable dinner at USJ, in the nice cool weather with Hogwarts Castle as the beautiful backdrop.
We considered our trip to Japan in 2018 to be a very eventful one as we managed to discover many interesting places despite having been to the Land of the Rising Sun a few times before. When we were in Osaka, we paid a visit to a very photo-worthy (or should we say Insta-worthy) place, the Namba Yasaka Shrine, also known as the Lion Head Shrine.
Namba Yasaka Shrine is very conveniently located within a 8-minute walk from Namba Station. As our Airbnb was also around the area, we stopped by early morning before heading to Kuromon Ichiba Market.
The Namba Yasaka Shrine is the home of the Namba’s guardian deity and is also well-known for its enormous lion head-shaped architecture, which is often seen as something different and unique from most other temples and shrines in Japan.
Inside the 12m high by 11m wide lion head is a stage where several events are held throughout the year. The lion head is believed to ward off evil spirits by swallowing them, and hence brings good luck to worshippers.
Always remember to cleanse your mouths and hands before praying at a Japanese shrine or temple.
The temple beside the lion head structure reminds me of Osaka Castle because of its white, light teal and gold colors. What do you think?
Praying for good health, safety and happiness for the entire family.
Amulets are available for purchase at the temple.
There is also a small shop that sells a variety of amulets and wooden wishing plaques.
Write your wishes on the wooden plaque and tie it up at the temple.
Every temple and shrine has its own unique wooden plaque design. Of course, the lion head is featured here at Namba Yasaka Shrine.
We also chanced upon Hello Kitty omamori and decided to get one each for Chanelle and Cayla.
If you have time to spare, do explore Namba Yasaka Shrine and immerse yourself in its beautiful architecture.
Namba Yasaka Shrine Osaka 難波八阪神社 Address: 〒556-0016 2-9-19 Motomachi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka City Nearest Station: Namba Station Opening Hours: Daily from 6am to 5pm Admission Fee: Free
“Where to stay near Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea?”
Trust me, I get this question from sooo many of you that I am providing a dedicated blog post on Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay, our choice of accommodation in Tokyo Disney Resort. This post will definitely be useful to you to a great extent if at least one of these points are applicable to you:
You are travelling with children.
You want to stay as close to Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea as possible.
You are on a mid-range budget and Disney hotels are out of the question.
Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel is a Tokyo Disney Resort Official Hotel
If you want to make the best out of your trip and wonder where to stay near Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea, we strongly recommend that you stay on property. It minimises all the hassle and travelling time, so that you get to do more and see more in the Disney parks. You can find a list of hotels on the Tokyo Disney Resort website that are categorised into Disney Hotels (Deluxe/Value), Tokyo Disney Resort Official Hotels, Tokyo Disney Resort Partner Hotels and Tokyo Disney Resort Good Neighbor Hotels. This should give you a rough idea on where to stay near Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. Only the Disney Hotels and Tokyo Disney Resort Official Hotels are located within the grounds of Tokyo Disney Resort. Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel is one of the relatively affordable official hotels which you definitely should consider!
Besides the Disney hotels, Vacation Packages are also available for booking if you choose to stay at one of the official hotels. The Vacation Package includes a host of premiums such as fast passes and unlimited free drinks, etc which we will touch on later. We picked up our Vacation Package at the Tokyo Disney Resort Ticket Center at Ikspiari, the shopping and dining complex located in front of JR Maihama Station. PRO TIP: Check in directly at the Tokyo Disney Resort Welcome Center next to JR Maihama Station and leave all your luggages at the hotel service counter. Your luggages will be delivered to your hotel free of charge. With that, you can save time and head straight into Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea!
To get to Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel, take the Disney Resort Line monorail from the Resort Gateway Station adjacent to JR Maihama Station and get off at the second stop, Bayside Station.
Disney Resort Line – Bayside Station
From Bayside Station, it is only a 1-minute walk to Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel. The hotel also offers complimentary shuttle bus service from Bayside Station, as well as complimentary shuttle bus service to and from JR Maihama Station.
Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel is just opposite Bayside StationSheraton Grande Tokyo Hotel Bay Standard Room
I’m sure we are all aware that hotels in Japan are generally on the smaller side which can be quite uncomfortable if you are travelling with family members and have a few pieces of luggages. Our Standard Room at Sheraton Grande Hotel Bay is extremely spacious and also luxurious. The overall interior design is somewhat lacking but we really find that the space makes up for it. PRO TIP: Don’t forget to request for child amenities such as bed guardrail, step stool, kids toilet seat, kids nightwear, tooth brush, slippers and towels.
Separate bathtub and shower
We got a very beautiful sea-facing view.
Casual Dining Galleria Cafe
Galleria Cafe features an All Day Menu (11am to 12 midnight) and all of us had the same thing for supper – Pork Rib Ramen (￥2000). The soy sauce flavored chinese soup was especially comforting after an entire day of being exposed to cold weather. The noodles were thin and springy, while the deep fried pork cutlet was tender and juicy.
As mentioned earlier, there are shuttle buses to get around Tokyo Disney Resort. If you would like to venture outside of your hotel for supper, take the shuttle bus.
Disney-themed shuttle busSeijo Ishii Supermarket at Ikspiari
If you love visiting Japanese supermarkets, you will be glad to know that Seijo Ishii offers a wide range of items, including fresh foods, imported wines, cheese, and also various home made deli products and desserts.
Breakfast Buffet is also available at Galleria Cafe from 7am to 10am. The range is pretty extensive and food is quite up to standard. We didn’t manage to try every single food item as we were in a rush to get into the Disney parks.
Alternatively, you can choose to have breakfast at Japanese Restaurant Asuka. Breakfast is from 7am to 10am. Do note that it is not buffet style.
Japanese breakfast set at Asuka Japanese Restaurant
Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel offers station delivery service at a fee as shown in the picture above. This is especially useful if you are planning to visit Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea upon checking out as you can simply take the monorail straight to the Tokyo Disney Resort Welcome Center at JR Maihama Station to collect your luggages, instead of making another trip back to the hotel. The fee is applicable for transporting of luggages from the hotel to the station. Transporting of luggages from the station to the hotel is free of charge.
Tokyo Disney Resort Vacation Packages
If you are willing to splurge a little more, we highly recommend booking a Tokyo Disney Resort Vacation Package. There are two types of Vacation Packages – “Standard Plan” and “Enjoy Lots of Attractions“. The main difference is that the “Enjoy Lots of Attractions” package is more expensive than the “Standard Plan” but it really depends on your priorities and interests. If you would like to secure a show viewing ticket in Disneyland or DisneySea, go for the “Standard Plan” and if conquering as many rides as possible is your goal, the “Enjoy Lots of Attractions” includes more fast passes.
We wanted something which can cover a bit of everything, which includes trying out various rides and also being able to watch one of the show performances, hence we went ahead with the Standard Plan.
The Tokyo Disney Resort Vacation Package – Standard Plan includes:
5 fast passes per pax (can be used on all FP rides except for “Toy Story Mania!” and “Nemo & Friends SeaRider” at Tokyo DisneySea)
1 show viewing ticket per pax
1 original goods voucher per pax
1 ticket holder voucher per pax
1 free drink voucher per pax
1 original popcorn bucket voucher per room
Disney Resort Line 3-Day Pass
Hotel breakfast after the first night
We hope this post is useful in helping you decide where to stay near Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea 🙂 Going to Japan soon? Follow our updates on our Japan 2018 trip or read our popular Japan trip itinerary!
If you are thinking of what to do and eat in Asakusa, and only have a few hours to spare, this post covers what you should not miss in this traditional district of Tokyo.
We recommend visiting Tokyo’s oldest and most iconic temple, the Sensoji Temple, also popularly known as Asakusa Kannon Temple. Our family makes it a point to pay homage to the Buddha at Sensoji Temple every time we visit Tokyo. It certainly feels very reassuring to be blessed by the Buddha from a temple with immense significance.
Visitors enter Sensoji Temple through the Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) with a gigantic lantern hanging in the middle. This is a highly popular photo spot among tourists visiting Sensoji Temple.
Right outside Sensoji Temple is an entire street of shops known as Nakamise Shopping Street.
Over there, you can find all sorts of souvenirs and bric-a-brac.
There are also plenty of snacks that you can munch on while strolling along Nakamise.
At the end of Nakamise Shopping Street, you will find another giant lantern.
A mere 3-minute walk from Nakamise Shopping Street, you really ought to stop by Namiki Yabusoba for lunch. This famous soba restaurant in Asakusa boasts more than 100 years of history and sees a long queue during lunch and dinner times.
Namiki Yabusoba’s buckwheat noodles are handmade from 100% buckwheat flour milled on the same day, giving it that clean taste and earthy flavor. When eaten together with the rich and flavorful dipping sauce, the zaru soba is refreshing and satisfying.
If you prefer something hot especially when visiting in winter, there is also a choice of hot soba soup with fish cakes.
I’m really glad I decided to try something different – the Yamakake soba, which is cold soba covered in a sauce combination of grated yam seasoned with dipping sauce. Give it a good stir so that the noodles are evenly coated in sauce. I loved that it was slimy and slippery, on top of being yummy.
If you visiting Tokyo on a tight schedule and still wish to spend some time in Asakusa, we hope this post on what to do and eat in Asakusa will inspire you.
There are many things to see and do in Kota Kinabalu, and embarking on North Borneo Cruises will give you an unforgettable experience of a lifetime, sailing across the South China Sea, while indulging in an International buffet with live entertainment onboard.
The North Borneo Cruises is the first of its kind in Sabah, taking guests on a 2-hour scenic cruise past the islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine park and down the central coast gliding along the city’s famous Waterfront. There are two different sessions daily starting from 4:30pm to 7:00pm for the Sunset Dinner Cruise and from 7:30pm to 9:45pm for the KK Night City Buffet Dinner Cruise.
Since we were travelling with a bunch of kids, the earlier timing for the sunset cruise worked better for all of us, plus we wanted to catch the beautiful sunset for a more memorable exxperience!
Boarding North Borneo Cruises! Passengers in baby strollers or wheelchairs can board the cruise via the ramp.
We were first ushered to the main deck and shown to our respective tables. The International buffet spread was already waiting for us! Haha.
Free flow coffee, tea and water are included. Currently, there is Happy Hour promotion of 50% off beverages, not applicable for peak season, public holidays and eve of public holidays. Terms and conditions apply.
All guests had to be seated and listen to the important safety briefing before we were allowed to roam around.
Complimentary orange juice and Muruku fish crackers were served to all tables. We really like the intimate and cosy dining setting.
Dinner is served! The variety is very wide and you will definitely get to eat your fill.
North Borneo Cruises’ resident band offers daily stellar live musical performances in different genres and languages while you enjoy your sumptuous dinner. Feel free to join in the fun and dance the night away! The band also accepts song requests.
Guests are welcome to explore the remaining decks and snap many photos while they are at it.
Even the North Borneo Cruises staff all seem to have plenty of fun! Their energy is simply infectious!
The sun-deck is very popular as it offers a beautiful unobscured view of the sea and beyond.
If you want to catch a glimpse of sunset, be sure to arrive at the sun-deck early to grab a good spot. We enjoyed the sea breeze blowing in our faces.
Even without joining the KK City Night Dinner Cruise, we could still experience nightfall while out at sea.
If you have a large group or celebrating a special occasion, North Borneo Cruise offers private VIP room which seats 20 to 25 pax comfortably, and the room is also equipped with a karaoke system.
North Borneo Cruises is offering a Buy 3 Free 1 promotion, book and enjoy by 30th December 2018. For more information on the cruise and rates, visit their website here.
We have come to the end of our Kota Kinbalu series of blog posts! We would like to sincerely thank the following for their kind hospitality and for making this trip a splendid one for all of us:
