TR- bert has a Spooktacular time with TPR in Japan!

[bert425]

Bro you should have just bought the earphones, who doesn't want to do breast cancer research on a long flight like that!?

 

this is ABSOLUTELY hysterical.

 

you clearly missed some details while reading thru the report.. LOL.

[bert425]

apologies it has taken me THIS long to get back to this thread.

 

Covid-19 has really impacted my available free time - as tho I worked from Home already most days? since late March when everyone started working from home at my Company. . . well. . let's just say it's made for some VERY long days (having to talk folks thru having to do things, and working really late hours due to many many more virtual meetings with my co-workers around the world - via Skype or Microsoft Teams (won't do Zoom tho.. refuse to load that onto my work laptop!).

 

add into this, some re-org changes that I was hit with in mid April, that resulted in me scrambling to find a different position within the company (so long hours training for the new position I found, and then even longer hours passing down my old position to the new folks taking it over - overseas of course - since the re-org meant what I had been supporting was only going to be overseas supported by end of Q3).... and .. *of course* the day before I was supposed to start in the new position?

 

Crises that they need me to stay to help support for another 3 months on the old job. So still in situation where I'm working really long hours most days.

 

all that has contributed to me simply not having a lot of time to post on TPR all that much. Tho I'm able to stay pretty active on the TPR Facebook Forums, since I keep FB open on my Home Computer behind my Work Laptop. So easy enough to pop in for a comment or a post there.

 

anyways. . . gonna try to update this over the next couple of days/weeks, to show off some of the swag I got while in Japan with TPR.

 

I've missed you all! and can't wait to be able to travel again.

the dining room table after I got back from Japan.

 

yeah. . I bought a few things.

 

I'll post close ups over the next several updates, and give details (if anyone is interested).

 

if you spot something you're curious about? ask.. I'll let you know if I have pics upcoming that go into further detail.

just a few Souvenirs purchased. . LOL

this was one of the fun things, I picked up from a Capsule vending machine at the Tobu Zoo.

 

(at least that's where I think I got it).

 

it's a series of Animals at Urinals.

 

why?

 

well, Duh! Japan!

now opened the capsule, and here's the insert from it

and the parts.. I didn't get the Bear (sad). .but I did get the penguin!

 

notice the pieces left to right: Stand, Urinal, Baby (who watches daddy pee!), and Emperor Penguin

the assembled piece.

 

which I have sitting on my work desk, so I see it every day. . LOL

[Nrthwnd]

You got the PENGUINS!! I love Japanese capsule machine stuff.

 

And that table-ful of your acquired 'stuff' along the way..... awesome, Bert!

It looks like a lot of great things, especially those things you intend to actually

use in your life, which will of course, constantly remind you of the trip, lol.

 

 

 

 

p.s There was a CAT, possible? That's sooooo Japan.

[SharkTums]

Awww, I see the noodles we made at Yomiuriland!

[bert425]

Awww, I see the noodles we made at Yomiuriland!

 

yup!

 

and I made them a few weeks later, and they were. . . . um.. . acceptable.

(but I'm sure that was more about my choices of what to put in them than anything else. . LOL).

 

 

I saved the hand made lid as a keepsake - it's on the wall in the comic room.

[bert425]

yes, I'm logged in and working on a Sunday morning (sheesh). but while waiting for a response to an email from overseas (it's Midnight in Asia right now, but they are online trying to resolve something) - I'm gonna post a few more shots of things purchased on my Japan trip:

T-Shirts (some Godzilla ones!), Diecast vehicles, Disney Halloween swag, and a Totoro coin purse (that got lots of "so cute!" reactions every time I pulled it out during the trip to pay for things.

T-shirts, Japan Gay Pride (RainbowFesta!) souvenirs, and the UFO noodle pack I made at Yomiuriland.

 

yes, I schlepped that whole thing home in my suitcase (most others who made the noodles, at them while in Japan. . LOL).

closeup on some of the T-shirts

 

(with magnets/keychains on the left. . I guess since the 2020 Olympics got postponed, some of that stuff is now more collectable?).

More Magnets

the Doom Buggy / Haunted Mansion candy-holders that I did my search for on the final day (I bought 3, but kept two of them for me, and gifted one to a friend who had asked me to get him anything Haunted Mansion from Japan) - the Hello Kitty stuff above it were gifts for another friend

more magnets / gifts for friends/coworkers, and some Disney Capsule Machine toys bought at the parks (the gift shop exiting Tower of Terror at TDS, and I believe by Pirates of the Caribbean)

Studio Ghibli & Godzilla magnets? oh..those are all for ME.

 

no idea what this Bear was, but saw the magnets and fell in love, and bought different versions of him.

the only "official" park magnets I could find (other than that one TDS Halloween one in a prior picture).

 

i bought two of each, because another friend had asked me to please try to get her any Disneyland Magnet I could find for her. So since there are two parks, two magnets. . . total 4 bought.

 

they aren't my favorite magnet type (not a fan of the "puffy" ones), but I do like them

 

and I LOVE the music on the CD - it's the Spooky Boo parade soundtrack.

more gifts for another friend -this time for a friend who's a Star Wars fanatic, and when I discovered these pins are TDL park exclusives, I picked them up for him. I was confused by the popcorn bracelet, but once it was explained it was an "R2D2 popcorn bucket" charm bracelet, got that for him too.

 

the HardRock Yokohama limited edition Halloween pin, I picked up when we were at CosmoWorld (and Jon and I wandered across to the Hard Rock so I could look for a KISS pin).

Godzilla diorama I spent way too much time (and some $$) trying to win from a Claw Machine in a claw arcade with Jon.

 

but yes, it was a ton of fun.

and the Super Deformed version, won from another claw machine, in another claw machine arcade (both were near the Giant Godzilla statue/hotel in Shinjuku)

the 2020 Disney Calendar (hanging on my wall next to me) that I picked up in TDL on the way out one evening.

 

the images in it are absolutely lovely - even if none of the USA holidays are noted, and those holidays that are noted are in Japanese.

 

still, it's amazing, and love it.

3D Godzilla Magnet - picked up at the "Hotel Gracery," (the Godzilla statue Hotel) in Shinjuku gift shop

close up of some of the Studio Ghibli stuff.. the coal puff is a magnet

section of stuff I got for my best friend Russell. . .. the Doom Buggy candy holder, a tin of treats w/ Chocolate Crunch, some die cast vehicles, and PVC blind box collectible (he told me it was a Country Bear with Pumpkin head)

magnets bought as gifts for co-workers. . .gave me lots of choices to hand out.

more gifts for folks, and swag for me. I prolly shouldn't have handed out the Olympic pendants to my group (as noted, they likely are way more collectible now, and I broke up the set to hand out 1 each to my 4 coworkers I work very closely with. . but at least I kept the green one for me ).

 

and they all loved the mini boxes of Cubic Chocolate Crunch

[Nrthwnd]

So - much - swag, Bert! Very impressed with everything you bought over there. So - many - fridge magnets!

 

And thank you again for my fridge magnet! And the other great stuff you sent me.

[bert425]

let's update with some pics of the famous TDL/TDS Chocolate Crunch!

 

after hearing about Chocolate Crunch from Robb for many years (via his posts here at TPR), I was dying to try it. . but I was afraid if I did, I'd way over buy it. So I was determined not to open up any tins until well after I got home.

 

What I wasn't expecting was how cool the Tins would be - not just the Halloween themed ones, but some standard ones. . so still ended up buying way too much!

 

luckily, tho once I got into it, I loved it. . I'm not a big "sweets" eater, so they have lasted to this day, and there's still a tin yet opened!

 

 

also including pics of a "treat" from Fuji-Q that I'll never open. (it's probably is disgusting, but couldn't pass up that packaging!)

OMG. . look how amazing this tin is!

here's the other side of it, but of course, I bought two, so I can display both sides on the counter!

the flavors in these tins are Milk & Royal Milk Tea

here's a Halloween Themed Tin

and the other side of that one

Even the top of it is beautiful

 

flavors in this were "white tea" and Royal Milk Chocolate"

ok.. time to get into this sucker.. let's see what this "chocolate crunch" is

hmm. . .they are not at all what I was expecting. they are 1/2 dome shaped.

and each flavor comes in it's own bag, and within that bag, they are individually wrapped.

and here is the one "treat" I bought at Fuji-Q - if I'm not mistaken, from the exit gift shop at Takabisha.

 

I took one look at it and knew - "oh, I have to buy this and bring it home"

 

the "pink female" on the packaging is one of the Fuji-Q mascots

when you open the box, here's the inside packaging that keeps the treat in place - "pudding/flan/jelly" ?? (not actually sure what kind of treat it is).

but. . OH MY. . . the top unsnaps to reveal the treats under plastic for your to enjoy.

 

 

 

oh, Japan! I cannot wait to go back!

here's what they look like if you were to try one of each flavor.

for size comparison.

 

how to describe them. . . they kind of taste as if you crossed a Nestlee Crunch bar with the consistency of a Kit Kat (tho they don't taste like a Kit Kat).

 

they are super sweet, regardless of what flavor I tried.

 

they are VERY addictive tho.

[Nrthwnd]

^ Ha! I remember getting "a pair of those" in the Fujiyama Coaster gift shop, back in....2011.

But what I bought was (were?) just in a sleeve pkg. not as fancy as yours was.

 

And that chocolate crunch... don't know why I never picked any up.

Certainly looks good, from what I see of yours. The tins look really nice, too.

 

And individually wrapped, too! Damn I love Japan. Thanks for sharing your recent 'souvenir food', Bert.

This is the package of....uh...boobs

pudding I got in Fuji-Q.....2011. (o:

[Taylor Finn]

I bought one tin of the Chocolate Crunch. The Royal Milk Tea one. I love love love the tins and thought it was just about the best souvenir you could get (they were reasonably priced, if I remember)!

[bert425]

I bought one tin of the Chocolate Crunch. The Royal Milk Tea one. I love love love the tins and thought it was just about the best souvenir you could get (they were reasonably priced, if I remember)!

 

yeah, if not mistaken, the tins were ~$11 American. and several of them (like the "old timey" one) were just too beautiful to pass up.

 

I MADE room in my luggage to get them home

[SharkTums]

I have bought several of the 'food' containers over the years just for the containers and not the food inside!

[bert425]

it's look at some of the diecast vehicle/ride-vehicle collectibles I got.

this is the 2019 Halloween special diecast vehicle (kept this one to display in the box)

and this the 2019 Halloween Tokyo Disney Complex Bus special diecast vehicle (kept this one in the box too).

but Dumbo vehicle got opened!

OMG. .he's so adorable. .and hangs out on my desk at home. . . often rolling as I type (the wheels are very sensitive)

and being a huge Haunted Mansion fan. . of COURSE I had to pick up the Doom Buggies. that come 2 per set.

the ghosts, glow.. the buggies "rotate" on the wheels..

and they even open up for loading!

I was kicking myself for only buying one, since it just didn't look "right" with only two doom buggies.

 

but then I found someone selling them on Ebay for only a few bucks more than I had paid in Disney, and snatched up another box.

there.. . MUCH better.

 

WELCOME, FOOLISH MORTALS.

Edited July 21, 2020 by bert425

[bert425]

I have bought several of the 'food' containers over the years just for the containers and not the food inside!

 

[bert425]

^ Ha! I remember getting "a pair of those" in the Fujiyama Coaster gift shop, back in....2011.

But what I bought was (were?) just in a sleeve pkg. not as fancy as yours was.

 

 

did you try em?

 

what are they??

[SharkTums]

OMG, those haunted mansion vehicles are amazing!!!

[Nrthwnd]

...did you try em? what are they??

 

Pudding.

 

Vanilla pudding.

 

Great little collection of TOMICA you picked up, there.

[bert425]

OMG, those haunted mansion vehicles are amazing!!!

 

aren't they?

 

I was so upset with myself for only buying one - when I set them up and it didn't look "right"

 

luckily, I was able to find fairly cheap back in November. . . the prices now seem to be in the $60-$70's range!

 

(I think because most of the ones that were for sale when we were there, "retired" - or at least have moved to new packaging for 2020. . I see an AMAZING Chip & Dale (and egg) Easter Magnet. . that I might end up paying way too much for and ordering online:

 

 

 

 

...did you try em? what are they??

 

Pudding.

 

Vanilla pudding.

 

Great little collection of TOMICA you picked up, there.

 

thanks.. . I have the "1st Visit" one you gifted me too!. . but since I didn't buy that on the trip, I didn't include. but that's part of my collection too

 

as to the Fuji-Q .. . . treat:

I'm surprised they are vanilla, since they seem to have a sauce packet - so I figured they probably were flavorless, like tofu.

[bert425]

last little batch of Halloween specific stuff, and some Magnets

a squeezie mickey ghost keychain

blind box set of "Spooky" keychain figurines

here are the ones included in the set, but if you bought the whole box (as I did) you were guaranteed the "chase" figure.

lovely mt. Fuji magnet

the Castle, and one of the "demon boots" statues (as I called them, since they look like Gene's boots, and I'm sure that's where he got the inspiration from for his KISS boots)

FujiYama magnet. . not my favorite coaster there, but my favorite magnet option from Fuji-Q Highland

Shibuya crossing magnet

temple (with dangling lantern) magnet

Arashi (with SD2K in the background) from Nagashima Spaland

go-go bandit go! From Yomiuriland

[bert425]

and here are the Magnet goodies I got in the mail today - found on EBAY from 1 seller who cut me a deal to purchase all 4 (he was asking $16 each, and I offered him $50 for all for, so got em for $12.50 each. . not bad at all, since they retail for ~$8 each).

 

Not sure if these are brand new, or older. They certainly weren't avail. when we were there last year, or would have immediately snagged them from TDS.

 

I suspect there are 3 more magnets. I would guess: Chip & Dale for the Wilderness Trails; Daisy Duck for Arabian Coast; and Duffy for Triton's Undersea Kingdom. . .but just a guess.

 

anyways. . LOVE these, and as noted would have grabbed them if I saw them. So happy I was able to notice them on EBAY.

[cfc]

Goofy and the Mysterious Island of Captain Nemo? Sold!