Unique Bathrooms

One thing I really appreciate when I travel are very clean and unique bathrooms. I must say though that the best ones are found in Japan. They have fancy toilet bowls that produce heat and sounds to muffle your business and multiple bidet features. 

My most favorite bathroom to date is the one at Manami Resort. The bathroom in their villa is huge! The shower and toilet area is separate and their sink is ginormous. Their restaurant CR is truly unique. It's the only toilet I've seen with parrot wallpaper, special sinks and interesting lighting fixtures.

And here's a few more interesting ones in Singapore:

*Our unit's bathroom 

Cebu

Bangkok 

There were other unique bathrooms in other countries, but at some point I stopped taking photos, haha. The elements are the same, but other countries like in Europe, Pakistan, Sri Lanka etc. decorate differently. Maybe I'll try to unearth photos of them (if I have any).

#BeKind #StaySafe

Lakwatsera Fridays: Traveling Alone in Japan

From being hopelessly lost during our family trip to Tokyo, I eventually learned the ropes of getting around in Japan. You really need to learn because taking a taxi is very expensive. Armed with Google Maps and the train card Uncle Fumio gave me, I eventually learned to commute everywhere.

I once visited a school. It was located in the outskirts of Tokyo. Told Yoshi-aan I'll just meet him at the station near the school. I checked the train line to take and the exact time of the train I should take. Uncle Fumio explained there are express trains and trains that stop at all stations. If you're going to a far away place it's best to take the express train. It's always on the dot. 

When I arrived at the school with Yoshi-san, the principal asked how I got there. I told her I took the train from Ropponggi. She was so shocked I made it all the way to their town by myself. I told her I just followed Google Maps. I beamed when she congratulated me for the effort, haha. 

Eventually I got bolder and took the Shinkasen by myself from Tokyo to Nagoya and then Osaka. Train stations in Tokyo are HUGE and you have to be mindful of the line you have to take. Yoshi-san graciously bought the ticket for me and I just asked him for some directions. Well, I made it and met up with him in Nagoya. The next day I travelled alone to Osaka. The funny thing is, Yoshi-san checked on me at the station to make sure I was at the right platform!

I never got scared traveling alone especially in Japan. I took basic Japanese and you can always ask for directions at the station. Knowing how to get around by myself made it easy for me to visit places I was interested in (like my fave place,Tomato). Well, we also had a special session on traveling. We were taught what to watch out for and some basic self defense techniques. Thank God I never had any issue. 

I miss those days when I had opportunities to venture out on my own. There's so much you can discover about your surroundings and yourself when you travel alone. Just always understand the situation locally and be mindful of local practices.

Shared how that trip from Tokyo to Nagoya went: 

http://aileenapolo.blogspot.com/2020/05/multi-level-tokyu-hands-in-nagoya.html 

#BeKind #StaySafe