Twas a cold but sunny day when we visited Hakone Glass Forest and The Museum of the Little Prince at Hakone. We started our journey at 9:00am and arrived at our first destination at 11am.
Hakone Glass Forest
Carnevale VeneziaThe museum is currently having a carnival between 28th December 2009 to 31 March 2010, where visitors can dress up in Venetian costume and Italian masquerade masks. Some of the costumes are simple but others are really elegant and elaborate. Kids costumes are also available. However, we didn't change because Jonathan seemed a little wary when he saw people wearing Renaissance costumes and feathered masks around him.
Upon entering, we were greeted by an opened landscaped area with a huge curtain of crystals hanging over a bridge (bottom left of the picture above). When the sun came out behind the clouds, the crystals shone brightly giving out colours of the rainbow. There were also crystal filled trees around the garden. A very pretty sight indeed.
Strolling garden with a canal running through
"Venetian"The glass museum displays many pieces of Venetian glassware from the 15th Century to the 18th Century that are beautifully and intricately made. There is also the Venetian Glass Modern Museum which exhibits modern Venetian glass works in the 19th Century.
After the glass museum, I proceeded to the Museum shop while the kids and papa went to explore the garden. The shop was definitely not a place for them. They would have run like a bull in the china shop, knocking over crystals and glasses at some point in time. I enjoyed looking at the accessories and glass products in the shop. Glassware, jewellery, paintings, masks, glass thermometers just to name a few.
At the garden
Cafe Terrazza
At 12:30pm, our stomachs began to rumble so we went to Cafe Terrazza for lunch. We had pasta while enjoying live Canzoni (Italian ballads) performance by an Italian duo. Beautiful music, nice ambience with the sun streaming through the window. Very relaxing. It's nice to have a cup of coffee and the croissants are fabulous with a choice of strawberry, apricot, cream filling or just plain.
After the glass museum, I proceeded to the Museum shop while the kids and papa went to explore the garden. The shop was definitely not a place for them. They would have run like a bull in the china shop, knocking over crystals and glasses at some point in time. I enjoyed looking at the accessories and glass products in the shop. Glassware, jewellery, paintings, masks, glass thermometers just to name a few.
At the garden
Cafe Terrazza
Live performanceJust outside the cafe was this beautiful tree adorned with crystals. The sun shone quite strongly and the crystals began to sparkle. I managed to get a shot before it was hidden by the clouds again.
Crystal tree sparkling in the sunThe Museum of the Little Prince
The museum was set up in memory of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of the famous novel The Little Prince. Letters and photos related to Saint-Exupéry are on display. I haven't read the book yet but after visiting the museum, I will definitely add this to the kids' reading list.
Entrance to Little Prince Museum
Theatre du Petit Prince
Jon with the Little Prince
A street of Provence
Librairie Frederic
The Geographer
Entrance to Little Prince Museum
Theatre du Petit Prince
Jon with the Little Prince
A street of Provence
Librairie Frederic
The Geographer
Park near Saint-Exupéry Church
Restaurant Le Petit Prince
Asteroid B-612******************************************
On the way back home, we stopped by a lookout point to catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji from Hakone. Unfortunately, the clouds were covering Mount Fuji and we could not get a clear view of Japan's highest mountain.
Half-hidden Mount Fuji 
Lookout point 
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