Aerosmith Live in Sapporo~ エアロスミス 札幌公演

Occasion: Aerosmith Concert Live in Sapporo 2011(For Official Band website: Click HERE)

When: 10th December 2011

Venue: Sapporo Dome 札幌 ドーム

Address: 1-3, Hitsukigaoka, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo (Access: Toho Line- 10 mins walk from Fukuzumi Station)

Deck the halls with boughs of holly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Tis the season to be jolly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la. 

Wishing all a very Merry Christmas (not too late since there is supposedly 12 days of Christmas.. hehe) and a Happy New Year to you all out there!!! (:

This is suppose to be the season of joy and I wish I share the same happy sentiment as you guys. Unfortunately, I couldn't say it is and shall not pretend it is anyway. Lots happening right now and I am just blessed that special holiday occasions like these make me feel more love and appreciative of things I have with me. I guess that's what Christmas spirit is all about. It has been a tough month for me and I just hope that the worst will be over soon enough. A new year hopefully will bring me a new start! Nothing wrong with wishful thinking right?! It's all about positivity!! (:

Right! Enough ranting over here.. anyway, I am glad to say that I've attended one of the most happening concert in Sapporo this month!! AEROSMITH was in town!! Ohmaikot!!! *screams like crazy girl and pulls hair* LOL

It was fantabulous to the max!! They are definitely a great live band. You know how some people say that some bands are just not up for it? They can't go live and only good on studio-recorded audio? Well, NOT THEM!! They were just great all the way through.. Their performance was awesome and got me high on adrenalin rush at all time. I was glad my heart didn't palpitate wildly and burst out at some point causing me to die unexpectedly!!

Anyway, as usual caused i'm nice liddat, and for those who doesn't know them... (ohmaikot!! are you for real??!! Seriously?! *face palm* ..

Below is a brief about them as taken off wikipedia,

Aerosmith is the best-selling American rock band of all time, having sold more than 150 million albums worldwide, including 66.5 million albums in the United States alone. They also hold the record for the most gold and multi-platinum albums by an American group. The band has scored 21 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, nine number-one Mainstream Rock hits, four Grammy Awards, and ten MTV Video Music Awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, and were included among both Rolling Stone's and VH1's lists of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

As usual, I'll let the photos from that day do the talking for me. Enjoy!

Check out the crowd man... Superb!

Steve Tyler, the man himself (:

Joe Perry, guitar. He was quite a big hit that nite, the crowd went
crazy for him.

Joey Kramer, drum. Performing solo at an interval. Great showmanship!
Have I ever mentioned before, besides the bass, my other fav
would always be the drummer (:

Tyler joining Kramer on the drums! Good job! (:

For someone at 63 year old, he can sure ROCK!! 

Looks like Tom Hamilton there playing Bass..

Getting the crowd to sing to his leopard printed scarfed mic!

Piano performance on 'Dream On'- my favorite!!

until he decided to get on top of it and ROCK IT!

That man sure got charisma aitelyu!!

The whole band has got it!

Joe Perry on the big screen!

Tyler looked as if he got sent down from above.
It was a great live concert!

Tribute to the Japanese for the 311 incident

They performed a lot of their greatest hits such as Angel, Crazy, Love in an Elevator, I Don't Want to Miss A Thing and many more!!

I didn't know some of the songs but yet that didn't stop me from bopping my arms and head along with the amazing live performance they've put on. It was incredible! The energy that channeled to the crowd made them unstoppable. 

Some of the concert goers of that day
(K, T, Gel, Moi and Big Guy)

The WHOLE group that gone for the concert that day!
Special mention to Dino and Li for the great photos!

Last but not least, found this video shared on YouTube (credit given to thelujinjbj). Here, you can see how amazingly strong Tyler's vocal is performing "Dream On" on top of a piano. Cool siut! It is definitely my favorite song from their greatest hits album. Too bad, there isn't an official music video made for this song. ):

Gonna end this post with something familiar and definitely one of everybody's favorite from their greatest hits, "I Don't Want to Miss A Thing", soundtrack of the movie 'Armageddon'.

"Every life has a measure of sorrow, and sometimes this is what awakens us."

~ Steven Tyler~

Summer Beach- Bikuni 美国, Shakotan 積丹北海道

Occasion: Summer Holiday International English Village 

(Organised by Hokkaido University Faculty of Education)

When: August 20-21, 2011

Time: 7am (Day 1) to 3pm (Day 2)

Venue: Bikuni Beach, Shakotan

As an international student in Hokkaido University, one will never get bored studying here as there are plenty of interesting and cultural programs offered by the university to gather both the international students and locals here for fun and exciting activities. Just this weekend, I am privileged to go for a summer beach holiday with the local elementary school kids from Sapporo and Bikuni. To be frank with you, I am not one that is comfortable with children especially a bus FULL of all these little monsters!! Even more intimidating, these lil monsters are all the time throwing questions at you in their rapid Japanese!! I was more looking forward to the snorkeling activity stated in the trip itinerary. I really miss our gorgeous beaches back in Malaysia. BUT I was proven wrong by the end of the trip!!!! My highlight of the trip was actually the wonderful moment spent with these children (: *super hearts them all*

Had less than 2 hours of sleep the night before the trip and it was amazing that i didn't wake up late and miss the bus ride. LOL. Took my car motion sickness pill and was knocked out the entire 2 hours journey. 

Check out the refreshing scenery out of city (:
Just looking at the water, I want to jump in and swim away

Upon arrival, we were briefed on the activities and itinerary of the day. Then, we changed to our swim wear and head out to the beach (: Woot woot!!

Happy to be embracing the summer beach breeze (:

Obligatory pose for the camera

Each of the international students were assigned to children who we grouped together to form a 'Buddy' system. I have 2 of the cutest and mischievous buddies ever!!! Both of them came over to ask me to be their 'Buddy' just right after the facilitator yelled "START"... so i have to admit.. i am very flattered by the invitation of these 2 'lil monsters' (:

Posing with my buddies: Saki-chan and Zena-chan (:

So once at the beach, we put on our wet suits and snorkel away looking for fugu (blowfish)!! I was acting just as excited as the kids i tell ya!! hahahahaha... and YES!! We did spot so many fugu in the clear water... it was AWESOME to the max!! (:

Buddies picture wearing our wet suit after the snorkeling session

FYI, the wet suit was so hard to put on!! Oh My... i think i lost almost 1000 calories just putting them on.. and another 2000 calories helping the kids putting on theirs... I almost died from exhaustion..

Of course... the adults have a little fun of their own as well.. hehe

I can't say it is comparable to the beaches back home but it is
still beautiful enough for me (:

Another 2 of my favorite kids... these 2 'belongs' to
my friend... they are super sweet to the max!!

We also had a good laugh burying my fren with sand... especially the kids were squealing in delight doing it.. hahahaha... their laughter were so contagious.. they can make you feel all warm and happy.. (:

Thank you, Gie for offering to be the victim LOL

Kids and adults all teaming up to bury her under.. 

the end results.. LOL

I even brought along my シャボン玉 along so the kids and I can have a little fun blowing bubbly loves all along the shore of Bikuni beach (: 

As the saying goes.. "Sharing is Caring"... so let's spread some bubbly love to the locals in Bikuni (:

Super warm feelings looking at them amusing
themselves with the love bubbles (:

Even the other kids joined in and the boys were busy bursting the girls'
bubbles .. LOL *pun intended* hehe

Wonderful skyline of this little beach town

At the end of snorkeling session, we all gathered back at the
community centre and does many other activities with the children

Here's me helping the kids work on the Welcome Board.
It was a real coincidence that we all wore purple too.. hehe

The kids also busy taking pictures of us with their mobile phones
We felt like a celebrity getting paparazzi-ed LOL

Super cute Misaki-chan here is super smart and beautiful.
She has the most gorgeous eyes i've ever seen and she was drawing
a picture of moi right here (:

On Day 2, the children had to attend the life saving courses and the adults are allowed to roam freely around the area. 

Me and the board showing the co-organiser of the life saving
course of this program

The giant 'buddies' of this 'English Village' program.. 

Strolling along the beach shore area

Fishing boats around the port arena

The lights hanging on top of the boats are used to attract
squid and cuttlefishes

Summer love for the beach (:

Group photo of the 'English Village' participants

bringing home with me wonderful memories..  (: 

I went to Bikuni, Shakotan with a different expectation, and i left there gaining more than what i was expecting... Thank you to the young innocence of these children... I love this feeling (:

"While we try to teach our children all about life, Our children teach us what life is all about." ~Angela Schwindt~