Travelogue around Asia Pacific Part II

Manila @ Marikina - Just a short distance away is the Marikina Show Museum which houses the infamous Imelda Marcos huge collection of shoes.    The museum is area is very small and majority of the exhibits displayed are about Imelda's shoes.    I  saw all the exhibits in under 30 minutes.   There is also an extremely small 2nd storey.  Entrance fee is only P50. Entrance Imelda Marco's collection 800 of her 3,000 shoe collections are stored at this museum.   Imelda in her younger days Another exhibit of the vast shoe collection Looking down from the second floor Giant shoe

Manila @Marikina   - This church was across the road from Cafe Capitan.  This is a very old church and built in the year 1690 (that's more than 300 years old) Church frontage

Manila - In between our meetings, we had out lunch at this Cafe Kapitan.  This house is also called Kapitan Moy Residences and is situated in Marikina, Metro Manila, the Philippines.  It took us about 45 minutes to reach.   This 200-year old house of was the residence of Don Laureano Guevarra, known as the founder of the Marikina shoe industry.  Also known as Capitan Moy as he served as capitan municipal. Entrance Well inside the restaurant Quirky displays Cream Chicken Soup Tenderloin Steak on hot plate It came on a hot plate and it was sizzling hot; did not live up to the name of tenderloin but because we left the meat cooking on the hot plate for too long. Crab Omelette Stir Fried Marlin Fish The dish was simple, tasty and good but the ambience was excellent.   Just across the road is the famous Marikina Shoe Museum.  

Makati -  KAI is the Japanese restaurant located on the ground floor of Greenbelt 5.  The food is fresh  and tasty. Silky Tofo with Miso beans Miso Soup Sashimi Set A very delicious sashimi set of tuna, yellow tai, salmon, sea urchin, squid and a small fish.   The fish bones was deep fried into a crispy dish. Grilled Hamachi Cheeks Eel with Garlic rice Stir Fry French Beans

Manila - Dinner was at Harbour View Restaurant located on a jetty overlooking the Manila Bay.    The setting was very casual with many water tanks of live fishes but the prices are on the high side.   Harbour View also sells Sashimi and Sushi but restaurant setting did not look very appealing to me. Harbour View Restaurant Sir-fried Kangkong with Garlic Seafood Fried Rice This portion of Seafood fried rice for two persons was too much for both of us. Steamed Mud Crab Steam Grouper This steamed fish was very delicious and meat was very tender.   This was the best dish of all our choices.   From the restaurant jetty deck, I was able to get a nice night view of the manila bay lights. Nice view of Manila Bay

Makati - I think once in a while we have a craving for good Italian food and Lesley proposed we go to Italianni's @ around Greenbelt 2 ground floor.   Nice staff and since it's my first we try some oval pizza which is their specialty. Oval oven baked pizza This is their speciality of Oval Pizza of Sicily.   The crust was crispy and the ingredients was very fresh and hot.   Very delicious pizza. Sicilian Salad  This caesar salad was well tossed with lots of fresh fruits of mango and grapes and sprinkled with walnuts. A good lunch and will come back again to try to their other specialities.

Tokyo @ Shinagawa - This was a beautiful manicure garden within the compound of an event location.  The owners took great care to protect and preserve the tranquility of this garden at the same time market event rooms for companies and weddings.  It is a perfect location and there were many couples taking their wedding photos when I was walking around.  This garden is 50,000 sqm in area. So beautiful and tranquil Bonsai garden Tea house I spent about an hour resting in this tea house overlooking the tranquility of the beautiful pond with Japanese Koi swimming around. Japanese Koi Koi in Japanese pond Daigo Shrine Besides this shrine there is also a Christian chapel within it's compound to host weddings and other Christian ceremonies. Manicure path It was a good long walk to Happo-en and worth the time....

Tokyo @ Shinagawa - I was cross a bridge and this University caught my attention because of the very English architecture. This is a Christian University founded by 1863.  I would not believe that these are University campus buildings.

Tokyo @ Shinagawa - Further down the road about 30 minutes there is a Sengakuji Temple .  This temple is known as the burial ground of the Forty-Seven Ronin (in feudal Japan he is a wandering samurai who had no lord or master).   You can read about the true heroes of 47 samurai that took revenge for Asano.   This was made famous by the 2013 movie 47 Ronin acted by Keanu Reeves. Sengakuji Temple entrance Bronze statue of Oishi Kuranosuke Main Hall of the Temple Bonsho and Shoro Constructed in 1913 under the 41st Abbot.  The bell sounds every morning Zazen and in the evening when the gate is closed. One row of the 47 Ronin 2nd graves row of the 47 Ronin One of the famous Samurai warriors There are a few tourist mostly Europeans placing joss sticks on each of the tomb stone. Grave of the Samurai Warrior