こんばんわ (・ω・)ノ
Class got canceled (no lecturer = no thoughts head empty), so I did the responsible thing and bought ice cream.
Health update: not dead! Recovered from being sick and finally feeling human again-yay ^^
Class got canceled (no lecturer = no thoughts head empty), so I did the responsible thing and bought ice cream.
こんばんわ！
(…and that’s basically the peak of my Japanese today m(_ _)m)
Today = OFF DAY. Agenda: sleep like a log, wake for snacks, repeat.
First mission: massage + ginger tea in the morning. My soul said “arigatou,” my muscles said “finally.”
Also, I cut my bangs ✂️ Did I unlock “feminine” or just “baby panda”?
undecided lol.
Best plot twist: Dad’s in Bali! The man is a walking Michelin star.
He made gerang asem (Balinese goodness) and I inhaled it like a polite tornado.
Appetizer? Mango so sweet it needs a visa.
Too much food. Too much joy. Zero regrets.
楽しい〜 and good night ❤️
楽しい〜 and good night ❤️
Finally a day off! I was ready to sleep, drool, and become a professional blanket burrito… but day off from Part Time ≠ day off from uni. sigh
After class I made a beeline to Warung Sakura, been curious forever.☻
Ramen report:
Miso ramen & shoyu ramen both looked cute on camera and behaved well IRL.
Do they cure my heartbreak for Japanese ramen?
Not really.
Do they taste good and treat my wallet nicely?
Yes. IDR 35k per bowl = slurp-friendly.
Mandatory side quest: tamago. Always.
Nothing dramatic today: just soup therapy and a sprinkle of homesick for Surabaya. Maybe soon I’ll go home. For now…
おやすみ 😴
I’ve been working + studying on repeat, so my blog has been ghosted… by me.
Tragic.
I keep wishing I could post once a week, but time keeps speed-running the month like it’s late for a meeting.
I still want the big things: write better, tell good stories, maybe become the dramatic author who types in cafés and pretends it’s not just iced tea.
Lately I get tired fast and daydream about a reset button: new city, new country, new snacks. But first: save money, pass deadlines, survive.
Priorities, unfortunately.
This year already did the whole rollercoaster: cried, laughed, cried while laughing.
10/10 character development.
Some days are heavy. Life still taps its watch and says, “keep moving.”
So… what do normal people do on Sundays?
I’m choosing the classic: horizontal therapy.
PJs. Pillow. Power-down.
Good night, from me and my clingy boyfriend, Assignment.
I’m a weekend houseplant: water me, stream a movie, let me photosynthesize. But next month’s about to chew me Part Time, study, repeat,
In conclusion, I gave myself a rare Saturday night pass.
Plan A: Sanur Festival (24-28 Sept, Maisonette, Inna Grand Bali Beach).
Reality: wall-to-wall humans.
If you curious with sanur festival you could see here
We admired the crowd, said “woah,” and… left. (Introverts call this cardio.)
Plan B: find wifi + chair and pretend a talent scout will “discover” me while I refresh nothing.
We landed at Roppan. I debated ramen vs bento and chose chaos:
Beef ramen: tastes like the multiverse where I didn’t go to Japan. Miss you, Osaka broth.
Choco Chizu & Chibi Berry: for my sweet-toothed friend.
Peach tea: sweet-but-sour; my brand.
Tokyo milk tea: friend’s,we share custody.
Matcha ice cream: emotional support.
Damage: about IDR 100K for the table. Bread (パン) slaps;
Ramen… I’m filing an appeal.
Meanwhile I’m still auditioning for “girl who knows makeup.”
Current results: less “stunning,” more “circus intern on break.”
But tonight the eyeliner mostly behaved, so I took 47 selfies like a responsible adult.
Micro-moments (aka captions)
- “Sanur was so crowded we celebrated from the parking lot.”
- “Roppan for the free wifi and the false hope.”
- “Beef ramen, but make it a personality test I failed.”
- “Matcha: the only man who never disappoints me.”
- “OOTD: trying. Face: also trying.”
Weekend summary: festival (almost), ramen (mid), matcha (hero), selfies (excessive).
Next month I’ll be married to my assignments again, but tonight I touched grass, a chair, and a spoon. Progress.
Happy weekend everybody ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ
I was properly lost in Osaka and negotiating dinner with my stomach like, “pick anything before we eat the map.”
Spotted a sign, second floor, vibes: mysterious.
Sold.
Up the stairs, bell rings, and a woman greets me with the kindest smile known to humanity. Zero English, my Japanese = ひらがな+ vibes only.
We did the international language of pointing, nodding, and giggling.
Griddle sizzle. Batter waterfall. Cabbage confetti.
She shaped my okonomiyaki like it was a love letter.
I have no photo (I know, report me), just a memory burned into my brain and my coat smelling faintly of heaven.
Service? Immaculate.
The kind that makes you want to learn 50 new verbs just to say thank you properly.
I kept the receipt like a treasure map.
It says DON an okonomiyaki/teppan izakaya, somewhere in Osaka (06 area code). Three okonomiyaki, two drinks, ¥3,140, and a memory that still smells like hot griddle and happiness.
No idea what the address is, but I’ll follow those kanji breadcrumbs back one day.
If you recognize 06-6643-6578, message me the exact address so I can run back up those mysterious stairs.
ありがとう, mystery upstairs restaurant. you fed me, fixed my mood, and made me fall harder for Osaka
Located in Fontana Hotel Bali, Portabella has a cheeky view. Uploaded it with so minimum review. You shud be annoyed with this post
#1
Portabella’s got cheeky vibes and bigger-than-my-future wine bottles. Who’s volunteering as tribute?
#2
Pre-dinner glam = me pretending patience while side-eyeing every plate that passes.
#3
Yaaay, carbs have entered the chat. 🍝✨
#4
Told you it’s a short post: food = great, lighting = flirty, me = coming back.
End scene.
Ikkel
Today I let my smartphone (smarter than me, rude) guide me to Yasaka Shrine, and I actually didn’t get lost. wtf achievement unlocked.
Streets closed = pedestrian parade.
Low-key Nyepi vibes, except… people everywhere.
Slipped into the shrine and boom: festival mode.
Food lane like in manga: yakisoba, takoyaki, shaved ice, mystery chicken (?) and a thousand smells saying “forget your budget.” I obeyed.
Yakisoba 300円, takoyaki 500円.
Yukata everywhere: so many cute prints I almost proposed to a fabric bolt. Where do I buy a cheap one pls.
Omamori corner: Charms being all famous and tempting. My wallet: pls no. My hands: already at the counter.
Shaved ice (必須 in summer) to finish, 300円, brain freeze, zero regrets. ε=┌( ≧▽)┘ ε=┌( ≧▽)┘
Couldn’t see the stage performance because I’m short and the entire Kyoto region is tall. Tip: if you want to watch the show, camp in the front early or bring a periscope. (do they sell those in Daiso?)
Night fell and the lanterns switched on: instant drama, shrine glowing like an anime opening.
I posed and made it 20% less aesthetic. you’re welcome.✿✿✿
Me appearing to make the lanterns looks fugly wtf
oyasumi! 🌙
Me appearing to make the lanterns looks fugly wtf
Dragging my snacks back to the hotel while the streets still buzzed. Tomorrow: Gion Matsuri.
Also tomorrow: me, somehow, in a yukata… if my budget doesn’t faint first.
oyasumi! 🌙
Ikkel
Leaving Kyoto in 2 days (rude), so I picked one last big sparkle: Kinkaku-ji—the Golden Pavilion, a Zen temple in the north wearing actual gold leaf like it woke up and chose extra.
Getting there (feat. my bus confidence)
Hopped a city bus (I boarded like I knew what I was doing; I did not).
Partner navigated; I contributed vibes and snacks.
On the way: a matcha shop ambushed me. I bought first, repented never.
a matcha shop ambushed me. I bought first, repented never.
Yaay, the entrance! Too excited.
Green everywhere, camera feral, self-control at 0%.
Green everywhere, camera feral, self-control at 0%.
Priorities, in order:
Food.
I told myself “explore first, snack later.” I lied.
Dango
Chewy, grassy, perfect. That’s it. That’s the caption.
Thank you for attending my Dango Talk.
Bought one to eat now, one for later, one “for photos” (which I also ate).
Tickets, facts, tiny flex
Entrance: ¥400 (adults), ¥300 (children)
Hours: 9:00-17:00 (daily)
The current pavilion was rebuilt in 1955 (the previous one burned down).
Three floors, three moods:
- Shinden style (aristocrat house energy)
- Buke style (samurai chic, gold outside)
- Zen hall with a golden phoenix on top
You can’t go inside (tragic), but you can stare glamorously across the pond like a mysterious heiress in a period drama. ✔️
Jizō statue: people toss coins and make wishes.
I tossed one for extra height. Still 155 cm of pure ambition. wtf.
Ryūmon-baku: “Dragon-Gate Waterfall.”
The rock in the middle is Rigyōseki: the “carp stone.”
Legend says the carp becomes a dragon if it makes the leap.
Me too, if I ever reach the top shelf.
Queues for charms everywhere. I bought “good grades,” “safe travels,” “life success.” Sadly, no “grow 10 cm” model (ToT).
But there’s merch, snacks, and more snacks. Choose your destiny ヽ(・∀・)ノ
But there’s merch, snacks, and more snacks. Choose your destiny ヽ(・∀・)ノ
Have been maddddddddly in love with matcha dango, bought it to hotel (ﾟωﾟ=)ﾉ =3 =3
Quick plan you can steal
Go early (fewer crowds, softer light).
Shoes you actually walk in. Paths are gentle but you’ll wander.
Bus lines: 12, 59, 101, 102, 204, or 205 → Kinkaku-ji-michi stop (3-min walk).
Verdict
Kinkaku-ji is exactly what it says on the tin: gold, serene, a little theatrical, and unreasonably photogenic.
Come for the temple, stay for the garden loop and matcha everything.
If you hear someone whisper “okaay slay, i will buy all dangos,” that was me.
Happy gilded wandering ✨
HoursDaily 9am-5pm
TransportationBus 12, 59, 101, 102, 204, or 205 to Kinkakuji-michi (3 min.)
Prices Admission ¥400 adults, ¥300 children
Happy holidays!
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