Singapore and ABL Round 2

We signed in Singapore to return to the ABL league of South East Asia. It was disappointing to not return to our old stomping grounds Vietnam but on the flip side very exciting to see a new country. Singapore is known for its lavish lifestyle, safety, technology and FOOD. This was one of our favorite seasons because we were able to have Janelle and Wendy visit as well as my parents. If theres one thing we love when we are overseas its visitors!!!

Globalport and PBA Round 2

Dior finished in Japan and then signed with a new PBA team Globalport. We were beyond happy to be returning to Manila. Happy to see all of our friends and favorite food spots. We had another incredible summer in Manila....

Nagoya: City Science Museum

After the Toyota Museum we went to visit the City Science Museum. From a few blocks away we could already see the giant planetarium! Outside of the museum there is a large park, I can't wait to go back on a sunny day for a picnic!

I can't wait to go back on a sunny day!

 While shopping in the Sakae district of Nagoya we bumped into this gorgeous girl. I hope I have the opportunity to try on a kimono before I leave Japan.

 I spy the Nagoya tv tower! I took more photos close up but they're on my phone. The tower looks like the Eiffel Tower except without the flashing lights and romance :) This tv tower in Nagoya has been a major part of a couple Godzilla movies... Godzilla is always either climbing it or tearing it down!

If you can't tell: Dior is holding an Old Navy bag! I needed new jeans :-p

Nagoya: Toyota Museum

Dior and I took the train to Nagoya, a city about an hour from where we live. Nagoya is much different from our town. I joke that our town is the Hollister of Japan and Nagoya is the San Jose! Our first stop was the Toyota Commemorative Museum. We got to see how the company Toyota made its way from a looming factory to a giant car manufacturer. We have never seen how cotton is made into string... I really think every middle school should take a field trip of some sort to see how its done.

The first example of how cotton is made into string!

Dior wanted to help out haha

Moving on up!

The first Toyota forklift... looks better than my dads!

Time to make me a new car!

Konnichiwa from JAPAN!

Dior and I are now in Japan! We live in a small city near Nagoya and are loving the easy access to delicious Japanese food! Dior's team is Hamamatsu Phoenix and he's played in six games and they won five of those :)

We've done a bit of sightseeing already... We took the local train and visited Toyokawa-Inari temple last week and had a nice time seeing traditional Japanese buildings.

The trains reminded us of BART

Strolling the shops outside the temple

The Temple gate was built in 1884

The main shrine is made of whole zelkova trees. I had to google the tree since I had never heard of it.

Prayer banners you can make at the temple, they were hanging along most of the pathways

Behind the temple there was a shrine for Toyokawa Dakinishinten, who is depicted in Japanese Buddhism as a female deity riding on a white fox. People who come to this temple bring little fox statutes and leave them behind.

There were so many little foxes but I am not sure what the red fabric symbolized.

Okuno-in temple was built in 1814 and was surrounded by these incredible trees! the couple on the bottom right were writing their prayers on small pieces of fabric that are then tied on to a surrounding fence. I didn't want to bother their prayer so I didn't take any photos but it was very moving to see.

After spending the day at these temples we completed the day with a train ride to Toyohashi, a nearby city. In Toyohashi I found...... STARBUCKS! Grande caramel machiatto please... arrigato!

CHEERS!

Typhoon Maring

Four days of severe rain in metro Manila. Our hotel area didn't have any flooding but it did pour rain 24/7 throughout the storm. The wind sounded like 10 jets zooming past our window. We can now say we have experienced both a typhoon and monsoon.... at the same time. Other areas were severely flooded, praying for the families that lost so much during the storm. Its rainy season in the Philippines so more storms are expected but hopefully not as severe as Typhoon Maring.

Within the Walls

When I visited Manila for a weekend during our Saigon season I had hoped to visit the Manila Cathedral. Unfortunately it was closed for renovations-- now eight months later it is STILL CLOSED. Manila Cathedral is located within Intramuros. Intramuros is a historical part of Manila, where the Spanish government held control of the Philippines. Intramuros means "within the walls" because the small city like area is surrounded by the original walls built by the Spanish.

Manila Cathedral

The security in Intramuros are dressed in the colonial Spanish times uniform.

St Agustin church

St. Agustin Church (the picture above) was built in 1607 and was declared a National Historical Landmark by the Philippine government in 1976.

The interior of St Agustine

Altar boys still wear their traditional outfits in St Agustine

Cobblestone streets and colonial style buildings

Spanish home within Intramuros