31st

私とかぼちゃんとともだちは、Tokyo Bay で、クルーシングしました。
楽しいかったですけど、そとはとてもさむかったです！ このRainbow Bridgeの写真は、ちょっとよくないですね。残念でした、東京のスカイラインすごいですよ！それで、みんあは、こうはくうたがっせんをみにいきたいから、ともだちのすてきマンションにかえりました。2007は、おとこがかちました。

カウンダウンのあとは、３１日のゆうしょうくをたべた。もちろん、フィリピンのりょりでした！さいごのしゃしんは　ともだあちのバルコニーからです。すてきですね？！
あけましておめでとうございます！

Ako, si Kabochan at aming mga kaibigan ay nag-cruising sa Tokyo Bay.
Masaya pero sobrang lamig sa labas! Itong kuha ko ng Rainbow Bridge eh di maganda.　Sayang, ang ganda pa naman ng Tokyo skyline! Pagkatapos ay tumuloy kami sa dream-condo ng aming kaibigan para manuod ng "Kohaku Uta Gassen" . Nanalo ang mga lalaki sa 2007. Pagkatapos ng countdown, nag-media noche na kami. Siyempre, lutuing Pinoy!

Itong huling litrato (ng Rainbow Bridge) ay kuha sa balkonahe ng kaibigan ko. 'Ganda 'no?! Manigong Bagong taon sa lahat!

29th

'Met up with a good friend of ours who is at home for the holidays and had heaps of sweet stuff at a nice Japanese sweets shop. Then had dinner, drinks and a round of pool with another friend at Ryogoku.




Ryogoku station, from the "Soul Bar". This is a cool, funky bar which is totally out of place in Sumo Town. There were 2, black-suit clad, middle-aged salariman next to us at the bar singing to "Rock With You", and drumming to "Rockit", complete with the "wish-wish-shawr, wish-wish-shawr" sound effects, heck I could not help myself but join them!

25th

Christmas Day is a regular working day here though the 23rd is a holiday, the Emperor's birthday. Most department stores in Tokyo have a "depachika" which is a floor (usually in the basement), dedicated to gourmet stuff. On Christmas Eve, these are usually packed and the longest lines are from the "Christmas Cake" shops. Ewan ko ba kung bakit naging "must-have" ang isang simpleng white frosted strawberry shortcake for Christmas Eve dito. Sa Pinas naman, dapat may HAMON sa mesa!


We had sashimi and sake.



Toro-maguro, marbled tuna meat... heavenly!

Christmas Eve

Ice skating! I can finally ice skate, yehey! Nakakatakot sa umpisa, it's like walking on a floor of marbles! Buti na lang marunong akong mag-rollerskate, but it's still difficult on ice. It took me at least 30 minutes to let go of the partition for support.



Siyempre, gutom na gutom kami pagkatapos kaya ang Christmas dinner namin at sa isang "izakaya" (pub) that's got really good fish. I had "shochu" to warm up.


For starters, we have monkfish liver "ankimo", which tastes just like foie gras. In the smaller plates are raw fermented squid guts and in another, raw octopus with wasabi-soysauce for pulutan. There is also a bowl of iced, crispy, raw, sweet cabbage with a nice mayo dip courtesy of the izakaya.


My all-time fave, grilled salmon belly "harasu" with grated daikon.


Atka mackerel or "hokke" from Hokkaido. This is semi-dried and then grilled. SARAP!


Voila! Our Christmas eve dinner!

Pasko 2007

Pasko with dear friends...


Of course may "exchange gips" pagkatapos ng kainan! Bukod pa dito, one of our generous friends gave everyone a gift! Salamat po!



The flat with the multi-million-yen view! It was cold at the balcony but this fantastic view of Tokyo Bay and the Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower to the left is just awesome!




Ito yung "genkan" which is a part of any Japanese home, no matter how small. It is where one leaves his/her shoes upon entering. At least here in Japan, your shoes will not get stolen. A friend of mine lost her limited edition Adidas sneakers in a genkan in Vietnam! Hmmm, sa Pinas rin siguro, mawawala ang sapatos mo pag nakursunadahan ito!