Random Thoughts

It was bitter sweet to leave Japan, but we missed the kids too, so we promised ourselves that we will definitely be back!

Our trip back to Osaka was a breeze. Since we know how to deal with their complicated train system, we were able to get tickets and then boarded the train as soon as possible.

Now our train was off to Osaka International Airport.




The train ride was not too fast but not even slow. It was just right. I slept the whole time so the 1 hour travel time was just nothing to us. I actually enjoyed the down time after roaming around Osaka and Kyoto for days.

It was so easy boarding the train and arriving in Osaka International Airport. We can truly say that we've fully adjusted to this beautiful country already. (*grin*)

I got a forwarded message through text and it made me feel panic because it seems so real. Here is the exact message (I'm sure if you also got this message from your friends too!)...

"Dear all, due to the Equinox phenomenon that will affect us in the next 5 days. Pls stay indoors especially from 12pm-3pm daily. The temperature will fluctuate till 40 degrees Celsius. This can easily cause dehydration and sun stroke. (Ps: this phenomena is due to the sun directly positioned above the equator line) Please keep everyone inclusive of yourself hydrated. Everyone should be consuming about 3 litres of fluid everyday. Monitor everyone's blood pressure as frequent as possible. Many may get heat stroke.Cold showers as frequent as possible. Reduce meat increase, fruits & vegetables. Heat wave is no joke! Place a new unused candle outside home area or exposed area. If candle can melt, its in dangerous level.Always place a pail or 2 water half filled in living room & each in every room to keep moist temperature down.Heat stroke has no indicative symptoms. Once fainted, its seriously dangerous as organ failure kicks in.Always check, lips, eye balls, moisture."

I know, it is scary. When you live in a tropical county you would actually get used to the heat. You experience the worst during summer but it gets better eventurally. Sometimes, you would even ignore warnings such as the text message that I received this morning. But, you know what, we should NOT. I believe that the weather has changed immensely (hello, global warming!) and our bodies adjusted to the weather should be prioritized. We should do something about it. Prepare ourselves well, especially our kids so they won't experience the worst cases of heat strokes or other illnesses caused by heat. It is best to hydrate (as mentioned above), eat plenty of fruits and veggies, make sure that you drink plenty of liquids. I would add here to avoid sugar too, coffee and carbs. So in short, try as much as possible to be healthy to avoid the illnesses caused by this hot weather.

You prepare your body for this inevitable super hot summer in the tropics but have you considered preparing your homes too? Yes. You read that right. In times like this, you don't only prepare for the storm, but you also prepare for the hottest summer ever. How? Here are my suggestions:

1. General Cleaning. Through the years, dusts usually accumulate and this is the perfect time to start removing those dusts. This will also prevent allergies and asthma attacks. You might want to clean up your sofas, bed and cushions.

2. De-clutter. Got those excess stuff? Get rid of it. This will give more room to move around. More space entails more room to breathe.

3. Wash your curtains or blinds.

4. Install plants around the house for good air and oxygen.

5. Repair the broken appliances especially the air-conditioner. Of course you want to maximize the use of your very expensive air conditioner, yes? Find something like the air conditioning Phoenix that repairs broken units or just cleans and takes away the dust. I'm sure there are counterparts here in Manila that can do that.

If your air conditioning system is blowing warm air or if it has started to make an unusual noise, this is the best way to schedule air conditioning repair service. Not only will it benefit your family but it will also lower down your electricity costs too. If you are in Phoneix, you are in luck because Morehart Air and Heating offers 24/7 for AC service. They know that things can happen unexpectedly and they didn’t want your home heating up to unsafe temperatures. Yes, they actually know what they are doing!

Is your air conditioner not turning on? These are serious problems that require the aid of a professional technician. So if it happens, best to contact Moreheart and Heating as soon as you can. Be assured that they only hire trained experts in their field, so call them when you need any heating repair services in the Phoenix area. Oh, how I wish I live in Phoenix! My life would be easier!

Here's more, Morehart Air and Heating is also offering high quality A/C installation services in Phoenix and they can assure you that this one you deserve. So, don’t let your home’s comfort during this hot summer suffer because of poor air conditioning installation work. Just call them now before it's too late!

This is simply unforgettable because, it was our last lunch in Kyoto and Japan too. We were going home in a few hours!

Since we wanted to make it a bit special, we ordered some of our favorites...


Pasta, a sandwich and coffee.


Oh, this was so good!


Yup, that's avocado on top of a pasta. Yup, the combination was good!


We loved the interiors of this coffee shop. We loved the food too! I'm so glad we chose this cafe as our last hurrah before we went back home.

Pontocho Alley was a real alley. Yes, it was too small that I didn't expect it was actually there! While I was doing some research for this anniversary trip, I never thought I would find it. But with luck and blessing and good weather, we accidentally found it!

It was right behind the Kamogawa River. Woot, woot!

Pontocho (先斗町, Pontochō) is one of Kyoto's most atmospheric dining areas. It is a narrow alley running from Shijo-dori to Sanjo-dori, one block west of Kamogawa River. The alley is packed with restaurants on both sides offering a wide range of dining options from inexpensive yakitori to traditional and modern Kyoto cuisine, foreign cuisine and highly exclusive establishments that require the right connections and a fat wallet.

Business hours and closing days of the restaurants, bars and shops along Pontocho vary by establishment, but most places are usually open from around 17:00 to 23:00. Some also open for lunch. An increasing number of establishments offer English menus. SOURCE.

Most of the restaurants along the eastern side of the alley overlook Kamogawa River. From May to September, many of them build temporary platforms over the flowing water where patrons can dine out in the open air. Known as kawayuka, this type of dining was developed as a way to beat the summer heat and is a great way to try some traditional Kyoto cuisine while taking in the cooling effects of the flowing water and the lively summer atmosphere. Advance reservations for kawayuka are recommended especially on Fridays and Saturdays. SOURCE.

Never miss this alley. It will show you a taste of "old Japan". And if you can, get a meal or two in this area!

To get to Pontocho Alley:
The closest bus stop to Pontocho is Shijo Kawaramachi, which is served by numerous bus lines, including lines 17 and 205 from Kyoto Station. The closest train stations are Kawaramachi Station on the Hankyu Line and Shijo Station on the Keihan Line.

I can't believe it has been 16 years already since my first job! Wow. Time is flying by so quickly, especially if you are having fun. My first job was a Programmer. I studied Computer Science for 4 years. Although at first I didn't know what I wanted to be "when I grow up". The course that I took just grew on me. I started to love it and appreciated the beauty of technology during my last year in school and when I started working as a Programmer. I had a wonderful opportunity when I was enrolled in Web Development in the year 2000 (Ooopss, don't start counting please! You'll know my age. (*grin*)). And then I started working in an internet banking system. It was surreal to be one of the first developers of a huge bank in Manila. I learned a lot from this project and started to be amazed at what Internet can do to your business. With the ease and convenience of Internet Banking, I guess this showed how much this is a plus to the company in serving their clients well.

Everyone has a website nowadays. Even a person has his own website. But not all companies have developed their own website. I guess they haven't found the benefits of being online, being out there to show the web what your company can do. And to take note that this is just one of the benefits. There are actually more benefits that you won't realized until you get your own. But of course if you are running a business and you want a website for your company, you got to choose a website developer that is in the business for years now. Why? Because they have more experience, more creative juices and more advices that can give you for the company.

One thing I found online is this company that offers website design Glendale AZ. They are called Website by Toni. Basing from their website (you now see the benefit of having one?), they are really professional and has been in the business for years now. They have different kinds of services to choose from the following:

- Website or Blog for your business. With Website by Toni, you get to choose which one to get, a full website or a blog. This will depend on what suits the company. There are companies that website would be a best choice. There are also companies that need to have a blog that needs to be updated everyday. Or you can opt to have both! Website by Toni can actually do that for you.

In both website and blog, the company can make a new design for you or they can also work from the design that you already have. If your company has a theme and wants to add that to your website, then they can do that for you. If you are working on a website from scratch, they can also do that for you.

Another service that you can avail from Website by Toni is getting your website found online. With this, you can advertise your website, avail the Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and even social media. Yes, they can do that for you.

- Maintenance for your existing business. If you already have an existing website, you already know the advantage of having one. But there are times that you won't find time to update or add information regarding your business so they will do that for you, from content, images, and even blogging.

Website by Toni also offers website maintenance. With this they can oversee the scheduled updates that is needed for your website. It can be everyday, every week or every month depending on the need of the company.

- Other Services. There are more services that they offer like the following:
- Convert your existing website to WordPress.
- WordPress Training – learn to update, add, change or blog in your existing WordPress website.
- Update or redesign your WIX, Weebly, Webstarts, or Godaddy Tonight website.
- Hosting, Domain and Other Services.
- Need help using Mailchimp – they can send out your newsletters for you or provide training.

These services are just what my company needs. So, I'm off to check more details on their site and after that I will definitely recommend them to my boss. (*wink*)

Our last day was definitely memorable not only because of the perfect weather but it was an opportunity to explore Kamogawa River before our flight back to Manila.

This is one of the popular spots in Kyoto and we made sure that we checked it out before going home.

The Kamo River (鴨川 Kamo-gawa?, duck river – see onomastics) is located in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. The riverbanks are popular walking spots for residents and tourists. SOURCE.

In summer, restaurants open balconies looking out to the river. There are pathways running alongside the river on which one can walk along the river, and some stepping stones that cross the river. The water level of the river is usually relatively low; less than one meter in most places. During the rainy season, however, the pathways sometimes flood in their lower stretches. SOURCE.

Hubby and I had so much fun going around this trail.


It was so refreshing with all those trees around it and the fresh air. It was perfect!


Kamogawa River, best to go during spring and summer time!

Are you up to save the environment this coming weekend? Check this out...

“Go beyond the Hour,” urges Secretary Mel Senen S. Sarmiento of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to all Local Chief Executives (LCEs) as the Philippines will once again join the global community in celebrating the 10th year of Earth Hour on Saturday, March 19, 2016.

Earth Hour, which is being held every third Saturday of March, is an annual global event where people from all over the world switch off their lights for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 pm, to show their commitment to save the planet.

The 2016 Earth Hour encourages everyone to help shine a light on climate action, helping spread a new era of climate awareness that started when the world came together and agreed on a global climate deal in Paris.

“Local officials should encourage their constituents to ‘go beyond the hour’ as our way of saying that we care for Mother Earth,” said Sarmiento.

He told local governments to switch off or dim their non-essential lights, including streetlights, signages and key monuments, during this global one-hour "lights out".

To “go beyond the Hour", the DILG Secretary advised LCEs to “shine a light on climate action” by publicly promoting renewed ways, practices, and programs of initiating change, which can include environmental projects or actions that the offices and individuals are willing to undertake throughout the year.

He also pushed local government units to document and send their own Earth Hour event or key monument switch offs to World Wide Fund for Nature through www.wwf.org.ph/earthhour which shall upload the photos online to showcase Earth Hour 2016 events around the country.

“Mobilize the private sector within your jurisdiction to support Earth Hour by switching off some of their lights in their facilities, as their operations or business will allow,” he added. SOURCE.

LET's DO THIS!!!

Spring is a beautiful season indeed, but, not be to be a party popper or a bubble breaker but, I just hate that during the spring season, my allergies start to attack. I've been suffering allergies ever since I was a kid. It has always been part of my life. Now that I'm living in the middle of the city, I don't only experience it during the change of weather, but I think I'm experiencing it every single day.

And now that I have kids, they inherited my allergies and they have it too. Aaargh! Too bad for them! Because of this I have to DO SOMETHING about it. I can't just let their allergies become part of their lives. I have to do my part as a parent. I don't want to drink anti-allergies for the rest of their lives too! Medicines shouldn't be part of little lives YET. They should be living free of these chemicals. They should be healthy kids as of the moment.

So I've taken steps and did what I had to do. Here are the things that I did to lessen the allergies that the kids are having...

1. House Cleanup. This means I had general cleaning all over the house. From the master's bedroom, kids' bedroom to living room and entertainment rooms. Since the dust settles everyday in our home, we had to do house cleanup every week!

2. Carpet, Sofa and Bed Shampooing. This is done at least every 6 months.

3. Bought air humidifier. This is pretty effective and everytime we go to sleep we would turn this on.

There are a lot of things that we can do to have a clean house. There are ways to avoid allergies. These steps were not enough so I had to look for more ways again for my kids not to suffer. That is when I came across the air duct cleaning Phoenix online. It's amazing how much they have all the products that you need to improve your house. This company is called Golden's Good Air offering air duct, chimney and dryer vent cleaning.

When you live in America, I bet that these are all required to make your home clean and livable. Since these areas like the air duct, chimney and dryer were the HARD to CLEAN stuff in our house, it's best to hire a professional. Good thing there's the Golden's Good Air the company that looks over those out-of-sight-out-of-mind jobs, as they call it. They will clean your dryer vent, air duct & chimney for Phoenix AZ. How lucky are those from AZ. They have professionals to hire for these kind of cleaning! The Golden's Good Air believes that these out-of-sight-out-of-mind jobs are actually the most important part of our homes. Because if not cleaned, safety will be compromised as well as the health of the people in the house.

For example, dirty chimneys will cause fire. If not thorouhly cleaned, your house can be on fire any minute now. Scary isn't? So it's best to call them now for consultation! This is for your safety and your family.

Another example, if dryer is not cleaned out, the performance would not be that good and the cost for it is not entirely maximized.

A cleaned air ducts can improve your indoor air quality. This helps prevent allergies, asthma attacks and other health concerns. I would love to have them cleaned up my air ducts. If only they have a branch opened here in Manila. But as of now, I will just recommend them to friends and family who are near the area in Phoenix.

So if this post is timely for you, why not call 623-203-4698 for a quick consultation and with that you will know more about their company too. I'm pretty sure you will know by then how much you need them. (*wink*)

These are the moments when I thank the internet for all the information that they provide. At least now I know what part of the house I need to focused on to maintain good health of my family.

Our last day in Kyoto was truly a blessing.

Why? Because it was the best weather we ever had during our one week stay! And not only that, we saw a couple of cherry blossoms tree too!



The reason why we visited Japan is because of Sakura Festival. We were a bit late though because some of the trees were gone, but on our last day, we were blessed to see this in the middle of Kyoto.


Now I know why Sakura Festival is veeery popular! The view is breathtaking but did you know that this is just an ordinary alley in Kyoto?


Yes, this is how cherry blossoms make Japan really special. ♥♥♥

I promised myself NOT to shop during this trip but when I saw Daiso and all the other little stores all over Kyoto, I couldn't helped it.

Here are my loots during our 4 day trip to Kyoto...

The BEST Milk Tea I've ever tasted! Oh YUM!

Treats, sweets for my kids...


These beautiful art kits for my artistic kid...


Food, food, and more food for me to bring home...


They said that going to Japan and shopping in that county is expensive. I'd say just look for the stores that offer cheap items and I assure that these are of good quality and yummy too! (*wink*)