Christmas 2024 in Japan

I had a great time in Japan, but I'm so bad at taking pictures. All I took were food and cute animals.

Karuizawa is a popular ski resort two hours outside of Tokyo. Due to global warming, it was very little snow this year. It was actually quite warm if not for the wind from the mountains. Since we didn't get to play in the snow, it was quite disappointing. So I wouldn't recommend going to Karuizawa for skiing.

Ueno Park had great museums.  Unfortunately they were closed for the new year.  Ueno Zoo was still open.  We waited more than an hour in line to see the two giant pandas for two minutes.  Not worth it.

Daimaru Tokyo was so busy with tourists and locals trying to buy fancy gifts for the new year.  Every restaurant and every cafe were full with long waiting lines.

カフェ 英國屋 大丸東京店 1

カフェ 英國屋 大丸東京店 2

カフェ 英國屋 大丸東京店 3

This tiny rice ball shop inside Ueno JR Station was so good! And for $15 total!  I love rice balls in Japan!

Fancy cars in Ginza were probably for publicity stunt because we didn't see drivers with the cars.

Hotel Chocolat does not sell coffee and chocolate drinks in Tokyo metropolitan shops anymore. Outside Tokyo, such as Yokohama and Kichijoji locations, still sell coffee and chocolate drinks. Delicious! So flavorful. I'll miss it terribly.

Hotel Chocolat MARK IS みなとみらい店

By the way, this department store called "Mark Is" really bothers Math Teacher.  He literally couldn't even with the grammar.  Funny thing is, one of his favorite stores in Japan is called "Niko And..." 🤣🤣

Afternoon Tea TEAROOM MARK IS みなとみらい店 1

Afternoon Tea TEAROOM MARK IS みなとみらい店 2

Yokohama is a great city. Huge, open space. Great malls. Chinatown. Good food. Beautiful harbor with so many museums and attractions. Easy access into Tokyo. One week is not enough to explore Yokohama.

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2024!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

ANA Crowne Plaza Narita 1

ANA Crowne Plaza Narita 2

Mark Is Minato Mirai

Queens Square Yokohama

Love Actually (2003)

I watch this every Christmas. I don't know how many times I have watched it, but this year, the video colors started to fade. Not sure if it'll survive next year 😢

My favorite parts:

• Billy Mack singing at the beginning – him cursing was hilarious.
• Juliet finding out Mark's crush on her in his loft – the split second when his heart broke, my heart broke.
• Jamie jumping into the lake with Aurelia – the camera scanning down to reveal the tattoo on her back and Jamie swallowing hard was too sexy!
• Harry buying a gold necklace at the department store – I was aghast at the efforts that British put into gift wrapping. 😂
• The Prime Minister dancing in 40 Downing Street – priceless!
• Sam running through the airport – too adorable!
• Airline staff being distracted by Billy Mack singing stark naked on TV to allow Sam to slip by – great writing because it was promised earlier in the plot and completely paid off!
• Aurelia walking down the stairs at the restaurant to meet Jamie – every princess needs to walk down a spiral staircase!

Every time I watch it, I cry at different parts. I used to cry at Juliet finding out Mark's crush. This year, however, I got misty eyes when Joanna kissed Sam on the cheek. Wonder which part I'll cry at next year.

Math Teacher could not stomach the mushy lovey-dovey story. Honest Trailer did a hysterical video on this movie. It pointed out all the other parts that the actors had played before or after this movie.

That was how I could get Math Teacher to watch bits and pieces of it. For example,

• Hans Gruber vs. Mr. Bean!
• Ra's al Ghul (Batman Begins) crying over his dead wife.
• Davy Jones (Pirates of Caribbean: At World's End) singing naked!
• The Kingsman (2014 & 2017) being cheated on and being clumsy.
• Dr. Watson (Sherlock BBC) naked and doing sex! (Math Teacher disliked this one so much! 🤣)
• Xerxes from 300 (2006 & 2014) was the most shocking!  He should be an underwear model!

See you next Christmas!

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

We were in the library deciding what movie to get.  I saw this and said out loud, "Let's get this movie just because of Henry Cavill's muscles."

This was based on a real story.  It was very fictionalized.  It was so ridiculous that I loved it.  The British planned everything meticulously.  The Nazis could not plan out of their asses.  Everyone on the British team was a dead shot.  All Nazis could not aim.  I've been told that's a trope now.  😂

Yup, lots of muscles to look at, but not Henry Cavill's.  I'm surprised he was so different in this movie.  Overall, an enjoyable movie for a quiet Thanksgiving night.

True Lies (1994)

My gosh, after 30 years, True Lies was still a fun movie!  The characters had small gestures and winks that played off each other.  Even the sleaze ball and the villains had funny parts.

The dance Jamie Lee Curtis did in the hotel was so hot that made me and Arnold blush.  Arnold's line delivery was a bit rigid, but that's just Arnold.

The ending where Arnold shot a missile carrying the big bad villain through a hollow skyscraper into another villain's helicopter was simply ridiculous.  That about summed up the whole movie.  Don't take it seriously.