Coca in Osaka

Posted on April 18, 2014 by heavenliner

my bottle

A lot of friends and colleagues who has been to Japan agrees that the taste of Coca-Cola seem different as compared to other parts of the world. And I do agree with this observation. For me regular Coke or Cola in this part of the planet seem lighter to the taste and smoother to the gullet. It is not disturbingly sweet and not unnerving to the tongue. I can actually drink a regular coke in this part of the world without the need for ice.

What is even more fun drinking Coke in Japan, particularly in Osaka is that you can actually have your bottle personalized. Located at Grand Pronto Mall, Osaka’s new mega-shopping town complex is a Coca-Cola store where you can have your name stamped on the bottle label for free.

While my bottle was being stamped, I was imagining on top of a hill and wanted to sing the popular Coca-Cola jingle… I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing (a Perfect Harmony).

guess what this store is selling…

osaka lady stamping my bottle

my sister’s nickname is so exotic

so “shota” is a popular nickname in osaka…

My body had changed, my sensibilities changed, though to this day, I still drink Coke. Admit it or not, but there are lots of chows, cuisines or simple sustenance best consumed with a bottle of Coca-Cola. I guess, no one is too old to drink this precarious drink.

Its da ril ting… Inom na!

Charmed Again by Charming Osaka

Posted on April 16, 2014 by heavenliner

Being a third timer in Osaka, I can therefore conclude that this charming city never ceases to amaze me. The place positively radiates character. Aside from the beautiful weather what I particularly like about Osaka is the almost perfect harmony of old and traditional Japan standing side by side with the contemporary cosmopolitan Japan. Enjoy the photos…

one of those colorful restaurant facades of osaka

namba hips at the background

absolutely beautiful at night

On this third journey I finally realize that Osaka people indeed are less busy, more down-to-earth, less starched, more carefree and (as I personally observed) laugh louder compared to the other people of Japan.

And since I work for a group of restaurants and I love eating. Osaka is heaven for people like me. Food is always to die for in this part of the world. Osaka people I guess must have the happiest taste buds in the planet.

with billiken and my wicked sisters

charmed by the colors of infectious osaka

Tokyo I know is the front runner of Japan in terms of business, tourism and commerce. But Osaka is like a younger sibling to Tokyo. The one who would not boast about his flair and beauty but when opportunity comes to present his, you will simply be enchanted by its gift and endowment. Osaka is the relaxed younger brother who is fresh, cool and hip.

Because of all these, it can be said that this infectious Kansai city is a good representation of Japan to the world.

Di nakakasawa!

Superman Ceased Wearing Briefs While A New Superhero Wears Panties

Posted on July 7, 2013 by heavenliner

I’m a bit disappointed when I saw on screen the changes in the Superman costume. He has gone commando (sort of) and no longer wears with those red little briefs. But with or without the red underwear, the Man of Steel will always be my favorite superhero.

But wait. In the midst of giving up the red briefs by the western-made superhero, a new superhero emerges from the other side of the planet. He’s Hentai Kamen. The eastern-made forbidden superhero! He’s not wearing briefs but a pair of panties.

Unlike the old-fashioned and non-sense red briefs of the Superman, the panties for this Japanese superhero, I guess, would be very essential. Why? It is used not to cover his golden balls but to actually conceal his face and his identity.

Watch this and behold the hero of Japan…

Hentai Kamen is no ordinary panty-masked hentai for he is the Hentai of Justice!

hentain kamen

I would die and go to heaven in case a movie would be made starring the Man of Steel and Hentai Kamen. Imagine two super powers from the east and west??? This dream of a movie will definitely give the Avengers a run for their money.

Kayanin kaya ng mga cosplayers ang kostyum ni Hentai Kamen???

Modern Bowel Movement

Posted on June 8, 2013 by heavenliner

I hate winding up with thriving colonies of molds and mildews bonding together like concrete on my bathroom walls and floor. That is why habitually, routinely and tirelessly I would scrub my bathroom and my toilet.

Early today while I scour, soap-up and wash my toilet which I consider to be a medieval form of torture, I remember taking photos of public restrooms during my recent trip to Japan. It come not a surprise that this highly urbanized country has technologically advanced and sophisticated toilets. They transformed the basic toilet facilities into ingenious comfort room devices.

To prove my point, here’s one photo of buttons to press of a modern Japanese public toilet inside a mall when I answered a call of nature and do a number two.

Notice those patterns of raised dots? Those are Braille, making this toilet blind-friendly.

I was nuts about the right most button (in the photo). When I pressed it, an artificial sound of flushing waiter played on a speaker inside the toilet to disguise what otherwise obnoxious tune my butthole is producing.

Hay tek na pag pupu.

A Super Fun Day At Universal Studios Japan

Posted on April 28, 2013 by heavenliner

One day. That is how long me and my family has allocated for our attack and invasion of the first Universal Studios in Asia.

I was actually not excited that USJ (Universal Studios Japan) was in one of our itineraries in our journey to Japan this year. Two weeks before our trip I and my niece Kim checked out the USJ website. Both of us thought that it was plain, ordinary and simple run-of-the-mill theme park.

During our first visit to Osaka, we did not bother going to Universal Studios because we thought the thrill and excitement would basically be the same as that of our family’s former trip to Universal Studios in Singapore.

But we were completely, veritably and absolutely wrong!

had fun here…

the gang at the facade

look at how wide the streets are!

As soon as we reached the façade, first thing I noticed (which is unlike the Singapore version) is that it’s huge! The streets are wide and spacious! And the attractions do not looked cramped into a limited space. Thus, even though there were lots of people, the park don’t feel like it’s congested and overcrowded.

But what was even greater about this theme-park-adventure was the rides and attractions. Good thing Denden (my nephew) planned very well the sights and rides we are to take. He seems to have plotted it in a thrill-escalating manner. Except for the roller coaster Fantasy Ride which my nieces and nephews excitedly started with, imagine we (including Nengkoy, my 76-year old mother) commenced our adventure with the kiddie Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic program and ended with the viperous 85-feet near vertical drop of the hair-raising Jurassic Park ride.

luis with pink (not the singer but the stuffed toy)

after the amazing spiderman ride…

the wacky photo taken during the 85 feet drop of jurassic park ride

Among the features of USJ, the ones that I enjoyed most were the rides of Back To The Future, The Jaws, The Spiderman and of course the Jurassic Park. In all these amazing rides, I felt the cross-fertilization of fear, terror, shock, awe, astonishment and of course excitement hybreedizing down my spine. That is why while on a ride, I was screaming at the top of my lungs so as to discharge these feelings.

denden, nengkoy and ate gaying loving the parade…

And to cap the day off, USJ featured their jaw-dropping, amazingly awesome and totally fantastic Magical Starlight Parade. It was the parade that brought the same feeling I had when I personally saw the Disney Parade in Hongkong. I was so happy freaky tears of joy were running down my face.

Abot hanggang Pasay ang sigaw ko grabe.

Anna’s Cups Is Erika’s Music

Posted on April 23, 2013 by heavenliner

erika: the lady with pretty good musical foresight

This post is dedicated to my niece Erika who would frequently play this music when I and my relatives were having a fun vacation in Japan.

Last year when I was in Japan, Erika could not stop playing the song Call Me Maybe when it was still fresh and not yet a big hit. She even fell asleep in front of the computer playing that song.

This year, while having a vacation in the same country again, Erika yet again keeps on playing a song. This time its entitled Cups sang by the lovely Anna Kendrick. Though not really a new track, this song was included in last year’s musical movie entitled Pitch Perfect.

As an upshot of incessantly hearing the same song over and over which is similar to a hypnotic induction, I and my relatives were actually swayed to watching the movie via web while in Japan. And we did and we had a good laugh! The movie was purely entertaining!

Surprisingly, while we were in Japan, Anna Kendrick last April 12 actually published/released a new (director’s cut) video of this track on YouTube which as of this writing has reached more than 2.6 million hits. Though the acapella version is really fresh this remixed edition has some cool vibe it in.

Here’s another pretty cool version

Now that I’m back in Manila, Cups is starting to become a huge hit…

Tenks Ikang… Lavet…

Takoyaki

Posted on April 22, 2013 by heavenliner

Aside from having the ardent desire to revisit my dear nieces and nephew, destiny concurred and recognized that I return to Osaka, Japan because during my first visit I failed to eat Takoyaki.

Everybody knows that a trip to Osaka won’t be complete without eating the tastiest Takoyaki in the face of the universe. The best and most delicious is in Osaka for a simple reason that this lip smacking dish was invented right in the heart of the city.

cooking takoyaki

that’s my order…

It’s actually easy to find a good Osakan Takoyaki. Simply look for a store with a long queue selling this Japanese street-snack. Then you’re in the right place!

my niece (kim) behind her is one popular takoyaki store near don quixote

the popular takoyaki store along dotonbori street

the often blockbuster takoyaki store along dotonbori street

Truly, a trip to Osaka won’t be complete without trying at least one ball of hot savory Takoyaki!

Pogita bols!!! Yum Yum!!

A Siopao In Kobe

Posted on April 13, 2013 by heavenliner

Food has always been an integral part of my travels. Though I have a limited ability to explain my wondrous experience about food in all of my travels, I try as much as possible to describe it.

Just like what I just had. It`s about the tastiest siopao (pork meat buns) in the face of Kobe, Japan. Thanks to my niece Erika for bringing me and my family to have this amazing palatal experience. At first I had doubts when she told me that we should try the best pork meat buns in Kobe.

But when we reached the middle of Chinatown of Kobe, I was surprised. I was surprised to see that there was actually a long queue and these people were patiently waiting for their turn to have the chance to enter the very small yet infamous Rosyoki store.

blockbuster!!! pila balde ang peg!

waiting in line with kim and luis (two of my monster pamangkins)

how i wish i can bring all of these back to manila

packing the taste of heaven

happy and excited with our purchase (with erika & luis)

what a palatal surprise!!!

Rosyoki store only sells siopao (known in Japan as butaman). It is a bite-sized pork meat bun with taste that can actually bring you to the doors of heaven. On my first bite, I knew that Erika and the people who fell in line were all correct. It was one of the worthy waiting that I had to do in my life.

Walang sinabi ang asado ng mamunlok at chowking…

Happy Morning In Osaka

Posted on April 6, 2013 by heavenliner

Its my first morning on my second trip to Osaka, Japan. The mood is great. The morning is fine with cool drizzle outside.

I`m so happy to be back, I want to dance to this fine tune…

Ang soyah soyah…

Nengkoy

ruminations & travesties of the favorite yet naughty son of Nengkoy

Tag Archives: osaka japan