Tokyo January 2009

We stopped by Tokyo for a few days on our way back to Malaysia for Chinese New Year. This is the very first time we have been back home for Chinese New Year since coming to the US ten years ago. We have been through Narita airport many times enroute back to Malaysia but we have never spend any time in Tokyo before. So now that we have two toddlers in tow and seven pieces of luggages weighing about 50lbs (25kg) each, we finally decided that it is the most convenient time to visit Tokyo while enroute back to Malaysia (actually we always wanted to do that before the kids but didn't get the chance because we always had to be back in Malaysia asap to apply for US visa). So we landed in Tokyo airport after flying for 13hours from Dallas, found the baggage storage center. We left five big luggages at the storage center for 500yen per piece which is quite reasonable compared to other airport. Then we hopped onto the bus with one luggage, one infant carseat (we did not leave the infant carseat at the storage center to save cost), two jetlagged kids and headed into frigid Tokyo winter. Tokyo is much colder than New Orleans and the temperature hovers around 30s to 40s fahrenheit.



Outside the Tsukiji wet market in downtown Tokyo. Tsukiji is a huge market where tuna auctions is held daily.

Award winning Prada building near Omatesando avenue in Tokyo.

Shinto shrine near Asakusa.

Meredith admiring the chocolate dipped banana in front of the Shinto shrine near asukusa.

We finally gave in and bought her a chocolate dipped banana for 300yen (about $3). She didn't like it and I ended up eating 3/4 of the not so good banana.

The shinto shrine at Asakusa. We arrived very early at about 8am because both Isaac and Meredith would not sleep and woke us up at 3am.

Shinto shrine at Asakusa.

Meredith developed a new habit. When we asked her to look at the camera, she would deliberately turn away from the camera.

When we arrived at Asakusa, the sun is still not up and temperature is very cold with gusting wind. So we holed in a McDonald right outside the temple. To my surprise, the McDonal is packed with homeless people. Many people just order a cup of coffee and sat for hours inside the McDonald to escape the cold. I saw a guy that simply grab an empty McDonald happy meal cup and started sleeping on the table. It is pretty thought provoking to see a country like Japan with so many homeless people.

Meredith dressed in the Japanese robe provided by the hotel. Tokyo is an expensive city. We stayed in a mid-scale hotel and it costs more than Europe or US.

Day after Christmas

On the day after Christmas, we had a another group of friends visiting from Houston. So during the christmas week, our social life in New Orleans greatly expanded with all the visitors we had. Sadly, everyone has gone back to Houston two days later.

Walking in Audobon park in garden district of New Orleans

Isaac has never seen so many people in our house in New Orleans before. He is wondering why there is so many asian people in New Orleans suddenly.

Impromptu jazz performance in front of Jackson Square in New Orleans. In true New Orleans fashion, a passerby starts dancing to the Jazz music.

We brought our friends to this dessert shop, Sucre.

The dessert shop has beautiful interior and atmosphere. The cake is quite good too but really overpriced at $6 a piece.
Outside Sully mansion in New Orleans where Brad Pitt's latest movie "Benjamin Button..." was filmed.

Brad Pitt and A. Jolie. Rumor has it that Brad Pitt and A. Jolie lives in New Orleans part of the year. We have never run into them before until now. They are actually quite friendly to talk to.

Christmas Day in New Orleans

We spent our Christmas day meeting up with two car loads of Malaysian Houstonians that drove six hours to Louisiana for Christmas. We met up in a friend house in Baton Rouge (about one hour drive from New Orleans) and enjoyed some good home cooked nasi lemak. It is interesting to observe a snippet of Malaysian culture at that moment with nasi lemak, some home made kuih with a roomful of Malaysians in the back water of southern Louisiana.

Looking at the mighty Mississipi river from river front in Baton Rouge.

Sitting in front of state capital building in Baton Rouge

Sarawakian Malaysian friend from Houston


The kids racing each other

Meredith unwrapping her present on Christmas morning before we left for Baton Rouge. Being cheap parents, we saw a mock up kitchen set that we really want to give Meredith but we just couldn't get over the price tag for the kitchen set. So we ended up buying a small set of Playdoh for her. Much to our delight, a surprise gift to Meredith (not from us) actually contains the kitchen set that we wanted to get her.

Isaac tried to play with the new kitchen set. He didn't last very long at the new kitchen set, he got elbowed by his big sister very soon after the photo was taken. Meredith got a red card (scolding) for the offense against her brother.

Isaac's present is a story book which he will be able to read in a few years time. In the mean time, Meredith will have an extra story book.