Hokkaido's Owl Howl

The Spring Festival this year has our family going to Japan's Hokkaido for a holiday! I was a little terrified of not being able to survive its cold winter because Malaysia is summer all year round!But thanks to mum's preparation of sufficient winter clothing, I enjoyed this beautiful country the 1 week I was there!I have been missing blogging and visiting your blogs and leaving comments so here I am again, hoping to catch up with all the bits and pieces happening in your life!My fingers were itching to click on your blog address all the time I was holidaying!

I love how everything is covered by pure white snow in Hokkaido, the country appears so still, quiet and serene in that pure white state. I love catching snowflakes in my black gloves and seeing it melt away and sighing and catching somemore and being mesmerized by the creative beauty of nature.

I would love to expose a little secret about me,

I am an ice-cream-holic. I cannot resist any flavours as long as it's ice-cream. I was licking greedily my honey melon ice-cream in that picture, caught "red-tongued" by my sister on camera.I am also a sake-holic, I don't just like any alcohol. Sake-the japanese rice wine, is my one and only love. This is one sake factory we visited.

There is no one place in Japan that is not picturesque. Anywhere you focus your camera, there is bound to be a spot of beauty, whether it is the natural beauty of its environment or the way the Japanese display its souvenirs, rice wine, dolls, food on the counter. Every detail is taken care of, display arranged as a visual feast to take your breathe away! My heart's truly captured by the Japanese's aesthetic values and persistence!

If you've been following my blog you'll know about my fascination (and just maybe, a little obsession ;) with owls because they symbolized magic, wisdom and intuition to me. I have been reading up on these nocturnal creatures as native americans animal spirits that were held precious and sacred by its people. I was truly amazed and astonished that owls are a sacred winged creature for the Japanese too, and they truly regard them highly. Almost everywhere I go, every shop in every tourist attraction spot, are seen selling owl statues, owl accesories, big and miniature owl carvings handmade from wood. And my heart is filled with blessing as I take it as a sign to keep on painting these magical birds!

Wood carvings Glass Owls (these ones look so classy and adorable) More more glass owls (I wish I could have a mansion all filled with these creatures) Ice sculpture of an owl catching a fish with wings spread out (this must be hard work) Gigantic sculpting of an owl from snow (the wings' intricacy left me speechless)

The break is a blessing as it pulls me away from my obsession with work and gets me outdoors for a breathe of fresh air and filled my mind and spirit with new wonders of a country with such a different and unique cultural experience.

Now, after the eye-opening and refreshing mini-break, I'm ready to take back the paintbrush and paint away, and howl the creative howl with the snow-white owl!