Living a little

I will take the time to live a little this coming weeks.  See God's magical creations, have new friends and humble myself with new experiences. 
I won't be bringing my computer so I cannot write for a while.  But I will see you again when I come back.

Hotel Chuo Oasis in Osaka, Japan (Reminicing Japan trip 2)

 Hotel Chuo Oasis in Osaka is a very compact, cheap and delightfully clean hostel you can stay during your trip to Japan.  A night would only cost you 3300 yen single occupancy or 1,150 pesos.

 If  you book your stay from April 10 to July 22, they will give you a 210 yen or 105 peso voucher  from Flet's .  One voucher per guest /per night.   

Flet's is a 100 yen store just across the street, everything there is worth 100 yen or 50 pesos.
(And after asking around, we found out that they also owned Flet's)

Like most of Japan's hostel, the rooms were fairly small compared to what we are accustomed here, but you will be amazed at how CLEAN everything are.

 Every morning, you can have free brewed coffee in this dining table.  Breads are 200 yen per piece ( the same ones are sold in Flet's at 100 yen) :) 

They also have a small kitchenette adjacent to the dining table. We cooked  frozen gyoza bought from the grocery and we cleaned the place afterwards.   
As with everything else, it is sooo CLEAN, you wouldn't dare make a mess.

Beside the kitchenette, you can use these computers for free, you are advised to limit usage to 15 minutes to accompany other guests. 

But if you wake up really early, nobody waits for you to finish.  So I get to use them as long as I like.

 I forgot to take a picture of the room, but I did remember to picture this laminated instruction sheet in the bathroom wall.  Its for the functions in the watercloset. ( yes! the watercloset)

A button rinses your posterior with warm water, another button stops shower or bidet spray.
 You can even control the shower or bidet pressure and the temperature of the toilet seat.
                            
Its like a luxury spa machine for my behind! 

So it will be understandable if you took twice the amount of time inside the bathroom every morning.  :)

Hotel Chuo Oasis
1-9-15 Taishi Nishinari-ku Osaka-shi Japan 5570002

TEL 06-6647-6130
FAX 06-6647-6178
http://www.chuogroup.jp/oasis/english/

Reminicing Japan trip 2010

 It was day 2 of our trip to Japan and we rode the Japan railways train to Kyoto from Osaka.  

We took the usual touristy pictures outside Kyoto station,  when we saw these two ladies dressed in traditional kimono crossing the street. 

They stood out like a traffic light on a dark street. 

And still I felt that they blend in.   Fashion conscious Japan still have their roots imbedded in tradition.

On the 3rd day, sister and I decided to go to Kobe to try Kobe beef.   Because as the saying goes, when in Kobe, eat Kobe beef...

We ended up in Kobe Harbourland Mosaic Center and found this French decorated jam-packed restaurant named Bistro Kobe Brand .  Its dinner time and we waited awhile to have a table.

 I didn't take a picture of the menu, but I wish I did.  Kobe steak costs a fortune!  Its priced from 2000 yen to 15000 yen. Or 1,000 pesos to 7,500 pesos a pop.

 And when I looked around, all the other people there are eating steak like it's Burger Mc Do.

So I gingerly settled for this plate of Kobe hamburg steak  in demiglace sauce priced at 2800 yen or 1,400 pesos. (Because as the saying goes...when in Kobe....eat Kobe beef)

My favorite is the potatoes,  its very flavorful and cooked just right.

 The beef is okay...., it's like ordinary beef with more fat. But I have to admire the Japanese who cooked it to perfection.  They really put so much love to their work.

But the next time I am in Kobe, I wouldn't be placing myself near beef restaurants, 

because I like fish more :o

Bistro Kobe Brand
Kobe Harborland Mosaic Centre

Level 2 Shop 40
1-6-1 Higashikawasaki-cho, Chuo-ku
Kobe, Hyogo 650-0044
Tel. 81-78-360-1722