Mr Getz

Traumatizing experience in this country!

2006-12-22T14:46:00.000+08:00

I was away for a short trip to this place in this country. I only have these few words on my mind, “Cannot make it (CMI)”.

It started off on a coach which took about 7 hours to reach the destination. Maybe it was because the coach travelled frequently to this country, there were at least 3 to 4 flies wreaking havoc in the coach. They looked very alien, with heads bigger than those found here. I reached the destination at around 2.30p.m. after about 7 hours, with the temperature at 17 degree Celsius. It was very foggy too. I proceeded to the reception of the hotel for check-in. I was glad they allowed me to check in as the stipulated time was 3 p.m. When I opened the door and to my horror, the room was in a mess; with rubbish strewn all over the toilet floor and bed sheets scattered. I was pissed off. I saw the attendant nearby and told her about it. She needed at least 1 more hour. That meant that she could only be ready around 3.30-3.45p.m. I did not want to hurry her as her constipated face told me that she was dulanz too. But wasn’t that her job? I was worried she might not change the bed sheets or do a good cleaning.

I did not dare to eat or drink much as the coach had no toilet. The only consolation was that the coach of this company. The seats were very spacious and personal entertainment system was available. This cannot be compared to the business class of airplanes, but it was already a good bargain for the price. All I want was a good meal. Unfortunately, it was another reinforcement how CMI the place and people were. This restaurant was famous for its roasted chicken. I was greeted by a crew of waiters and waitress with constipated faces again. I could see that they were in agony. They did not like their job. They were like zombies moving around. They appeared busy, but upon closer observation, they were merely moving around and carrying out their tasks slowly. I should say it was like “slow motion film”. Maybe it was due to their lifestyle. I ignored this and accepted it graciously. After an arduous effort of trying to stop a waitress who appeared moving around busily, I placed my order. She told me that they do not have this and that dish. I was wondering astonishingly that how could such a thing be happening at a supposedly well-known restaurant? I tried to be understanding and accepted her reasoning or excuses. She said I need not wait at all if I ordered the “non-chicken” dishes. I gave in. Guess what? I waited for another 1 hour + before my food came. No need to wait? What if I ordered the dishes containing chicken? Half a day of waiting? That just flashed through my mind. I discovered finally the cause of the delay. I really have nothing to say. They are indeed very rigid or stupid. Yes, “stupidity” is the word to be used. The food was prepared according to the sequence of orders and not according to the dishes. So what if I ordered food not containing chicken? The two tables beside me ordered roasted chicken and theirs came before mine!!! What nonsense? Was the waitress trying to con me? As I wanted to try their chicken, I placed another order. They promised that it would come in 10 minutes. Just as expected, they broke their promise again. I had to approach them and threaten to cancel my order before they gei siao to say its coming. Walau!!! This was indeed a traumatizing experience. It also showed how stupid they are and can never catch up.

The people are hostile too. The place may seem vibrant on the surface, with Christmas caroling and bustling activities. However, the people were hypocritical and rude. They might have greeted you “sir” or “mdm”. But look at their faces! They were so cold and without sincerity. They called you for the sake of calling. They were forced into it! Smiling would be an uphill task as compared to squeezing shit out of the nostrils from their constipated faces. The place was very cold. I feel they have severe attitude problem.

The food saga continued the next morning. After settling down at a supposedly average restaurant, I had the same problem trying to stop a waiter/waitress who appeared busy. Similarly, their faces were constipated and gloomy. Some were actors in 1970’s slow-motion films. No wonder their productivity never increases exponentially. Drama was happening at the table beside us. I could tell they came from the same country as me. The wrong order was delivered to them and the mother was complaining vigorously. A couple at another table had a small prelude too. The lady called a waiter and complained to that her order had yet to arrive. I was shaking my head in disbelief. Don’t tell me this is very common? Is this a special trait of the people from this country? I ignored this and ate the food that came. I just knew something was going to cock up again. Yes, the food was not warm enough. This led me thinking. If the food were already cooked, what took them so long to be served? Well, it is another mystery to be solved.

There was really nothing much to play…….. or to see. Everything was confined to indoor. It was an agony whenever meal time came. There were many restaurants or eateries, but the thought of waiting so long and seeing constipated faces that would kill one’s appetite really smoldered the joy of eating. This was one of the worse trips I have ever been to.

It will take me ages before I set foot in this country again!

Malaysia - Penang

2006-11-30T22:43:00.000+08:00

It takes about 9 hours of coach ride from Singapore to Penang. It is really a torture. It is a peaceful place. I has a nice beach and it is really scenic during low tide. It has 2 main shopping centres if I did not remember wrongly. Food is relatively cheap. I tried its famous Penang Laksa and to my disappointment, it does not live up to its reputation. The worst thing is that the stall that I went to was very well-known. This could be seen by the number of customers and the long waiting time. After some pondering, I came to a conclusion that there was nothing wrong with the food. It is me who have a weird taste. Haha.

I visited the famous temple, Ji2 Le4 Si4. It was really impressive. The place is indeed quite good for cultivation. It is very scenic too. It is at the outskirts and not many taxis are willing to make the trip. Besides, it is even more difficult to get a taxi back to the city. As a result, I had to take the bus. The experience can be quite interesting as I am able to slow down and observe the different walks of life.

Singapore

2006-11-28T21:07:00.000+08:00

Singapore is my homeland. When I was a kid, I keep thinking that other countries are better than Singapore. However, I realize this may not be the case when I get older. As I travel more, I get to see how other countries function and their environment. I think Singapore has one of the best infrastructure and also a very efficient system of doing things.

All I can say is that Singapore is a clean and green country, with very low crime rate. It has its unique flavour. I urge travelers all over the world to pay a visit to this island. You will discover things you have never seen or heard before.

My Collection

2006-11-11T20:16:00.000+08:00

Clouds

2006-11-10T21:36:00.000+08:00

Clouds are actually formed due to the condensation of water vapour into water droplets.

Taiwan - Xiao3 Jin1 Men2

2006-11-10T21:29:00.000+08:00

This is the place where Taiwan open fire at China during 1950's or 1960's (not sure). It has a nick name called " Da4 Dan4". It used to belong to China.

Now, Taiwanese troops are stationed on it. Though can't go onto the island, you can take a ferry ride from Xiamen and tour close it.

Taiwan - Wulai

2006-11-10T21:23:00.000+08:00

Wulai is has many mountains and this is where you can find Alishandi guniang. I have to apologise for the poor quality of the pictures as they were taken very long time ago.

Taiwan - Kaoshiung II

2006-11-10T21:20:00.000+08:00

Picture 2 & 3 - Dragon Tiger Pagoda - Here, there are stalls and shops selling handicrafts, snacks and gifts directly across the road. I remember the vendors told me that when entering the pagoda, you should never enter through the tiger's mouth. As the saying goes, " song yang ru hu kou", meaning putting the goat into the tiger's mouth. So can we assume that it means inauspicious? Anyway, just believe la hor. :)

Taiwan - Kaoshiung

2006-11-10T21:15:00.001+08:00

Kaoshiung is located at the southern part of Taiwan. It is a vibrant and colourful city. It is famous for its scenery, temples, betelnut girls (binglang xishi), shopping centres, smelly beancurd, snacks, sauna, massage,.......etc. I dunno if it is true, I heard that it is quite easy to get hookers too. But I do not encourage guys to flirt around when you go tours la hor.......:) wait kena STD then you know...hahaha.

Picture 2 & 3 - Zhong Zheng Wen Hua Zhong Xin - This is the place to commerate Chiang Kai Sek. Below is his sculpture. I'm not very sure of its usage, but at night, there are Taichi classes and martial arts classes being conducted at the parade square.

Taiwan - Kaoshiung - Fuo Guang Shan

2006-11-10T21:03:00.000+08:00

Fuo Guang Shan can be considered as one of the most well-known buddhist temples in the world and in Taiwan. The monastry is "divided" on two mountains and the monks and nuns live in each separately. What meserized me is the size and facilities of the temple. I have never seen such a big temple.

Picture 4 - It is stated "feng shan" which means the mountain is closed in mandarin. I was very lucky as one friend and I went without knowing that the temple was not open to public anymore. Out of goodwill, they allowed both of us to go in. We were overjoyed. However, this does not mean that the public cannot go. But there is a need to make an appointment beforehand. The temple implemented this step as they had complaints from some public that the temple maybe be too comercialized if it is open to tourists. To uphold the reputation of the temple and Buddhism, I think this is the reason why it took this action.

Hong Kong - Changzhou

2006-11-10T20:58:00.000+08:00

You need to take a ferry from Hong Kong and it takes about 1hour. It is an island consisting of villages and some holiday chalets. It is not so popular as Lantau Island as it does not have any special facilities or tourist attractions. However, it is very serene and peaceful there. It is definitely a good place to unwind and relax.

Hong Kong - Ocean Park

2006-11-10T20:56:00.000+08:00

Ocean Park is a place not to be missed. It consists of a theme park, maritime place and games. It is a great leisure location for a family to spend its weekend. It is a heaven for many kids. It has a long cable car ride which is about 1/2h long, challenging the contours of the mountains. It is a breath taking sight when look out of the cable car. It would be quite cold if during winter, as the cold mountain winds send chills down your spine...
On top of that, it is believed that it has the longest escalator in the world. Of course, it does not mean that the escalator does not have breaks in between, but rather, the escalator is spanning practically from the foot of the mountain to the park.

Hong Kong - Lantau Island

2006-11-10T20:50:00.000+08:00

Lantau Island, known as "Da Yu Shan" in mandarin, is very popular for its holiday chalets/bungalows. Also, it has a temple which provides good vegetarian meals. It is a very quiet and serene place for cultivation. The air is pure and the scenery is superb. After the "Da Fuo", Big Buddha is built, the island has an additional attraction for people or tourists to visit the island. If anyone of you go to Hong Kong, I strongly feel that Lantau Island is not to be missed. It is convenient to go. It is merely a ferry ride which takes less than an hour, if I did not remember wrongly.

You need to have good stamina and strong legs to get to the top! But you would feel worthwhile by the time you get to the top. The feeling is unable to be described by words. Just a piece of advice, it is super windy at the top where the buddha statue is. Therefore, I feel that it is better contact lenses are not to be worn. I could still remember, the wind was so strong that I felt as if I was almost lifted off the grounds. I'm really not exaggerating. Experience it and you will know. :)

Malaysia - Tioman

2006-11-10T20:42:00.000+08:00

Tioman is a paradise for snorkeling, scuba diving or just for relaxation. The budget for the trip can be quite little. I think S$300 should be more than sufficient for a 4-5 days stay, inclusive of transport. Unless you go for scuba diving, then maybe that is not sufficient. Its water is so clear and clean that we can see the seabed in shallow waters. Sometimes, you would be able to see stingrays, fishes or even mini-sharks swimming below your boat at certain parts of the island. Due to its mountainous nature, the island is not fully accessible by roads. Hence, there is a need to take boats to the other side of the island. I'm not sure if it is legal or not, but there is a beach where some female tourists go topless. Maybe the guys can try their luck there hor. haha. But if you kena caught, then it is not my problem.

Picture 2 - "Demon Hill"
Remember "Journey to the West"? Are we at the white bone demon's territory? Majiam like a demon hill hor........

Picture 3 & 4 - This is how the inland looks like. It is mountainous mainly in the middle of the island. Hence, human activities are located at the fringe of the island along the coast. But there is a nature trail and waterfall deep uphill inside the jungle. If you are the type who likes hiking and are not afraid of mosquitoes, that is a great experience definitely.

USA - Los Angeles

2006-11-10T20:38:00.000+08:00

Universal Studios - Many movies were filmed here. It is similar to Disneyland. It does not really have actual theme parks, but it has rides and shows. Furthermore, there would be stunt shows and other performances on how movies are made. It is really interesting.

This is the building where "Back to the Future" is filmed. It is actually a lot smaller than it seemed in the movie. Looks like most of us are deceived. Besides this filming ground, there are others....eg King Kong.

Mexico - Tijuana

2006-11-10T20:31:00.000+08:00

From Los Angeles, we can take a coach to Mexico, Tijuana. Once we cross the border, it feels as if you have entered into another world. Though it is not so developed, it has a unique flavour of its own. The only thing which put me off is that the tour leader told us that besides the tap water, even the soft drinks in cans may not be save be drinking. This is because there are a lot of "chiong" drink brands around. Therefore, we only consumed food and beverages from the restaurants they took us. ( who knows, maybe it is a business gimmick to earn more money hor :) )

Australia - Darwin

2006-11-10T20:28:00.000+08:00

Darwin is the northern capital of Australia. But did you realise that the roads are so empty? This is because it is not a night city. The shops close at around 3pm, and by 6pm, most of the people would be at home already. Unless it is a weekend, it would really be quite deserted.

Thailand - Pattaya

2006-11-10T20:23:00.000+08:00

Pattaya is a famous & popular for its red light districts. However, I need to emphasize that it still has scenic attractions and good food.

Agogo Bar - Inside this bars, there are topless shows, so called "tiger shows" and the ladies can accompany you for drinks. Of course, you can buy them out for supper and I bet you know what happens after that. The topless shows include pole dancing and "tiger shows" are shows when the ladies perform stunts with their private parts. eg, shotting darts, putting an egg in, opening bottle caps, pulling very long lengths of threads out from there, wax dripping.........

There are many such alleys in Pattaya where such bars are found. Also there are high class massage parlours where indecent transactions are provided. Why called high class? It is something like window shopping where all the gals or old basans would exhibit themselves in a extremely large "fish tank". it can hold up to more than 100 people for some. If I had not witness it, I might not believe it too. Those found in Geylang arer actually nothing. By now, you must be suspecting I must have been doing hanky panky stuff right? :) No la, I merely went in in take a look with my friends and sat there for a drink. Regarding Geylang, I was told my some " zhu peng gou you" that it is like that.

South Korea - Seoul

2006-11-10T20:14:00.000+08:00

I cannot remember much about Seoul as I was still very young. It was the first time I see snow. It was not too cold as it was just minus two degree celsius. Moreover, it does not have the wind chill as compared to Beijing. I remember that it was very common for restaurants to offer chewing gum after a meal. It was very unique.

The Philippines - Manila

2006-11-10T20:05:00.000+08:00

Manila is a city where I do not feel very safe at first. This is because it is my first time to see firearms being sold and even the security guards use shot guns and the bullets are strap round their waist. Wow!! Like those robbers in the films hor. From what I heard, the robbers here have powerful guns. Hence, even the security guards of shopping malls and especially banks need powerful firearms too. But it is on the whole quite safe to move around in the city. I think it is just because we come from a different country and can't get use to the sight all of a sudden.

Picture 2 - Southern Harbour

Picture 3 - Rizal Park - Guards changing of duty in the top picture. On the right, it is the monument to commerate him. But who is this person actually? I think he is the revolutionary hero of Philippines. This is a "sacred" place as I remembered told by some locals that couples are not allowed to be intimate in this vincinity.

Picture 4 - Fort Santiago - This is a fort used to fight the Japanese during WWII. It is quite well preserved. We can find empty shells of bombs and cannons here. There are also dungeons here, but they are already out of bounds to the public.

Picture 5 - Tutuban flea market - This is very famous and popular among the locals and even tourists. It is always so crowd. You can get all sorts of local handicrafts here. Unfortunately, I do not know how to appreciate them......hahahaha

China - Fujian - Tong An

2006-11-09T21:57:00.000+08:00

This is the film studio built in accordance with the actual Tiananmen and the Forbidden City in Beijing. However, it is only 1/4 of the actual size. Well, if people who do not have a chance to go Beijing to look at the real one, this is in fact already quite realistic.

Unfortunately, its construction is not completed as its boss was involved in a smuggling case, and was jailed or had fled.. In fact the largest ever in China. (US$500M I think)

China - Fujian - Da4 Deng4

2006-11-09T21:52:00.000+08:00

This is Da4 Deng4 Dao3 where China bombed Jin1 Men2. This place is really a military field preserved.

Picture 2 shows an air raid tunnel. The walls are painted after it is open to tourists. Do not be mistakened that it is very bright inside. The brightness is caused by my camera flash. Inside is actually very dark, cannot even see your hand at certain point. The ceiling is also quite low. I think people taller than 1.80m may need to bend down as you walk.

China - Fujian - Quanzhou

2006-11-08T17:21:00.000+08:00

This is "Qing Yuan Shan" where "Kai Yuan Si" is located. This is a very old temple of 1300 years, 100 years older than "Nan Pu Tuo Si" located in Xiamen.

It has a very long story. There was a rich landlord, who has a "sang1 shu4" plantation on this plot of land. He had a dream which Buddha told him that he has to donate this piece of land to build a temple when all the sang1 shu4 bloom with white lotus. One day, a monk approached him and requested this landlord to donate the land for the building site of a temple. He was reluctant as it was really a big piece of land and cost a fortune. But he remembered the dream. Then he asked the monk, how big the land must be? The monk replied, just the size of his jia1 sha1. (robe) The landlord thought the robe is so small, not a big problem after all. The monk threw the robe into the air. To the landlords astonishment, it expanded till the size of the plantation and descended, covering the whole plot of land. Concurrently, all the sang1 shu4 bloomed with white lotus. The landlord obliged, as he was a devout buddhist too.

There is a very unique sang1 shu4 in the temple, which has 3 trunks. It is believed to be left behind since the landlords time. It was said that the robe has a hole for the head, thus the land of this tree is not covered, thus it was not chopped down. If this is true, the tree would be 1300+ years old. Wow!

Hopefully I did not distort the story as it was based on my memory only on what the tour guide said. :)

There are 2 pagodas in the temple made purely from rocks and stones. It is so special as normally pagodas are made from wood, or with a mixture of materials. Unfortunately, they are too old and may not have sufficient structural strength to take human load. Hence, their entrances are locked up. The architecture is impressive.

China - Fujian - Shi2 Shi1 (Stone Lion)

2006-11-08T17:14:00.000+08:00

It was stated in the local tour brochures that if youu have not visited Shi2 Shi1, you have not visited Fujian. Sorry la, I beg to differ.

After we went there, we realise that it was merely a commercial place in fujian, where most of the merchandize are sold. From the tour guide, this place is not very safe as compared to Xiamen. Shoplifting is not uncommon. But if you are alert, this shouldn't happen so easily la. (Think this applies to many places too hor)

This is a motorcycle taxi. It can ferry you to you destination at a extremely low cost. By right, it can take only one passenger. But many flout the rules by carrying 2-3 passengers. You may wonder how they do it, majiam like acrobats right......:)

China - Fujian - Xiamen - Gulangyu

2006-11-08T00:06:00.000+08:00

Gulangyu is considered one of the best attraction in Xiamen. It consists of eastern and western architecture as it was colonialized by different western nations.

It is named as a Musical Island. From the tour guide, this is because many western musicians used to live on the island, and had composed a lot of great music.

It is also called "wu che" island, meaning no cars island literally. Only 3 kinds of cars can be found. They are rubbish vehicle, fire fighting vehicle and carts. Even bicycles are disallowed. Everyone on the island travels by foot. It takes about 2hours to travel from one end to the other end of the island.

Though an island by itself, it has all types of facilities, ranging from hospitals, hotels, universities, etc. Really no joke k, I was amazed too.

But I think the only drawback is when one is too sick to walk or in terms of emergency, really "jiao tian bu ying, jiao di bu ling".......just a personal opinion. Well, but I think the island is still great on the whole. :)

Picture 1 - This is the statue of Zheng Cheng Gong. He is from the transition period from Ming and Qing dynasty. He was a patriot and capture reapture Taiwan from the Dutch. It was a famous victory as we all know how powerful western navy was. For those who like history, you can watch the movie " Zheng Cheng Gong" acted by Zhao Wen Zhuo. I feel it's not bad.

Picture 4 to 6 - This place is the "Underwater World", similar to the one on our Sentosa. However, I feel it is not as nice. The only winning part is its wider variety of marine life which are not found in the tropics.

This is a real skeleton of a sperm whale found dead along the coast of Xiamen. It measures 60m long sia, impressive.

This is the real skin of the dead sperm whale. The skeleton is removed and stuffed up. It gives us a feel of how large is the whale. Wow!

Picture 7 - Gulang Shi (DrumWave Rock) - This rock got its name as it produces a drum beating and waves sound when waves gushes through the hole in the centre of the rock.

China - Fujian - Xiamen II

2006-11-07T23:25:00.000+08:00

Picture 1, 2 & 3 - Huan2 Dao3 Lu4 - Xiamen International Conference and Exhibition Centre is located here. It is similar to our Singapore Expo. It doesn't cost much taking a cab there. On the way, you would pass by Xiamen University and have a very clear view of the whole building structure. Also, you would pass by a beach. It is super windy there, until you would start tearing. Its scenery is superb. When I was here, I feel as if I'm at Marina South, where there is kite flying. The layout of the area is very similar, except that it is much bigger la...There is a neighbourhood near it. There is also a 4 or 5 star hotel here, very convenient for the people attending conferences.

Picture 4 to 8 - This temple is called "Nan Pu Tuo Si". It is called south Pu Tuo because it originates from Mt Pu Tuo. Since Xiamen is in the south, hence labelled "Nan Pu Tuo Si". It is very old, having a history of 1200 years. No joke k. It only loses out by 100 years to "Kai Yuan Si" in Quanzhou. I think it is a must see place in Xiamen.

Picture 8 - Many people see this as a wishing rock. To enable your wishes to come true, you have to toss a coin up and make sure the coin stays on the rock. But the difficult part is that the coin bounces off very easily. But the tour guide taught me a method......throw the coin like a frisby, so it would not bounce off so easily.....I had 2 successful attempts. So next time if any of you go there, can use this "secret method" la hor.....:) [actually just simple physics la]

China - Fujian - Xiamen

2006-11-07T19:44:00.000+08:00

Xiamen is actually an island city located in Fujian Province. It is about 120 sq Km. It is rated the cleanest city in China, or one of the cleanest I think. Its temperature can go up to 37 degree celsius in summer and 2-3 degree celsius in the winter. It rarely snows. Vehicles are not allowed to honk, I think partly because it wants to maintain a good image of a tourist attraction. It has many scenic spots. Jimei district is just very near it and it is the home town of Mr Tan Kah Kee. In Jimei, there is a whole village of schools......from the most junior schools to university.

Picture 3 - Hu Li Shan Pao Tai - The largest ancient cannon in the world. It has a firing range of 6.4Km. It is considered a feat in the past, I think it is about 120 years ago. (not too sure).

Picture 4 - It is a close up of the largest ancient cannon.

China - Guangzhou - Shenzhen - Jin Xiu Zhong Hua

2006-11-07T19:38:00.000+08:00

I'm actually in the "small world". Here, you can find most of the famous places of interest, landmarks or items in miniature form.
This is the minature structure of Bu Da La Gong, which is very famous in Tibet. It sort of represents Tibet. But too bad, this is only its minature structure. Hahaha, are you all taken in initially?

Picture 3 - They are the exact replica of the "bin ma yong" of Qin Shi Wang. It was known that he was very afraid of death and loneliness. That is why he constructed a whole army of them for burial. Also, he was a tyrant before his death, so he was afraid that the souls of his enemies would seek revenge. Hence, all these soldiers would be able to protect him. Anyway, these are just hearsay.......it is really up to you to believe.

China - Qingdao

2006-11-07T19:34:00.000+08:00

Before I came to Qingdao, I thought it was a ulu place. But it was so developed and is labelled as the "northern capital". It has a few attractions but I did not have the opportunities to go. One famous mountain is Huang Shan. As you all know, it is famous for its beer. I bet many of you have heard or drank it before. In terms of safety, I do not think it is as safe as Shanghai. I still remember that 3 friends and I were walking through an alley lined with food stalls and restaurants. They were pulling customers and even aggressively try to pull me in. The owner even bent my thumb. I retaliated and the 4 of us ran away as fast as we could. But on the whole, as long as you do not stay out too late or go to deserted places, it is still quite safe.

China - Nanjing

2006-11-07T19:28:00.000+08:00

Nanjing is colder than Shanghai in winter. When I was there, it was around 2 degree celsius while it was ard 12 degree celsius in Shaghai. There is a Zhou En Lai Museum and the most famous is Sun Yat Sen Mausoleum. There are arguments as to whether his body was really buried here. However, it is generally taken that this is his burial ground.

Picture 1 - Sun Yat Sen Mausoleum - The elderly may have a problem climbing the long flight of steps. This is what you see from the top, majiam like heaven realm. Feel like a deity? :)

Picture 2 & 3 - Zhou Enlai Museum - This is actually his office last time. But it was later converted to become a museum to commerate him. Some of the arrangements of furniture are left unchanged too.

China - Wuxi

2006-11-07T19:15:00.000+08:00

Wuxi, simply means "tin less" in mandarin, where the local tin mine was exhausted during the Han Dynasty. There is the famous Taihu and Lingshan Big Buddha. Taihu is like a sea, though it is a lake. If i did not remember wrongly, the tour leader told us that it is the size of about 300 Singapore. Wow!

Picture 1 - Peng Lai Xian Dao - From Taihu, take a cruise and you can reach this "Fairy Island". It is a very scenic place, really like heaven. :)

Picture 2 - Taihu - Right? Majiam like a sea sia.....the sticks that are seen are to show where the fishing nets are cast.

Picture 3 - Sanguo City - This is where the drama serial "Sanguo Zhi" is filmed. You can see the city at the background. It is specially built for filming ancient shows. An ancient warship can be seen to. This was exactly the ship found in the show. If I did not remember wrongly, this ship was built around 500 years ago........

Picture 4 - Filming Studio

Picture 5 - Real ancient bridal sedan - This is a real bridal sedan which is preserved. It looks really heavy, really pity the people who carry it........

China - Hangzhou

2006-11-07T19:10:00.000+08:00

Shang you tian tang, xia you su hang......Xihu is located in Hangzhou. It is believed that it is very easy to find your partner here. Believe or not, you can try if you are desperate. :) Then, there is Lingyin Si, rumored to be where Ji Gong stayed. It was built in 326AD. Also, near it is Fei Lai Feng. If i'm not wrong, there was a myth saying that Ji Gong saved a whole village by informing them thata huge cliff is flying to wards the village. That was how the name came about.

Picture 1 - Xi Hu - What a scenic place for couples. So romantic sia!

Picture 2 - San Tan Ying Yue - This is the most scenic place of Xihu during the night of Lantern Festival. Guess the number of moons you would be able to see during this time?

The answer is 33! You must be bedazzled by my answer right? Well, it goes like this. There are a total of 3 "tans". Each "tan" has 5 holes, allowing the oil lamp to shine through.. Hence by looking at the 3 "tans", we would get 3x5=15 moons. The oil lamp resembles the moon. These 15 "moons" would be reflected onto the water, adding another 15 moons. Now, there is a total of 30 moons. There is one real mmon in the sky, plus its reflection in the water, that would be a total of 32 "moons". What about the extra one? "Yue liang zai ni xin zhong" Heard before the song by Deng Li Jun? "yue liang dai biao wo de xin" hahahaha, a abit niao right....but that was what the tour guide told us.

China - Suzhou

2006-11-06T21:19:00.000+08:00

Suzhou is famous for beautiful ladies. But after I went there, I dun think the ladies are exceptionally pretty leh....dunno y. :) Also there is a 7 storey pagoda called Bei ta. It is one of the highest building here, considering that it is built by old technology. Huqiu ta is also a breath taking sight which cannot be missed.

Bei Ta (Northern Pagoda) - Picture 1 & 2 - Taken from six storey of Bei ta. We can see practically the whole of Suzhou.

Hu Qiu Ta - It is built in 961 AD. It has 7 storeys and due to the weakening of foundation, it became slanted and is nicknamed as "leaning tower of Pisa of the east".

Han Shan Si

China - Shanghai

2006-11-06T21:10:00.000+08:00

Shanghai is the financial capital of China. It is the most populated city and it has one of the lowest crime rate, so as to attract MNCs to invest there.

The Bund - This is the so called " Shanghai Tan", which is very famous in cantonese soap operas. It is actually located at Puxi. Shanghai is divided by the Huangpu Jiang into Pudong and Puxi.

Dong Fang Ming Zhu - The highest building is actually a tv studio. It is one of the highest building in Asia. In fact, it is even much higher than Tokyo Tower! It is situated at Pudong, directly opposite The Bund and is only seperated by the Huangpu Jiang.

Nanjing Bu Xing Jie - This is a very long stretch of pavement, lined with shopping malls on both sides. This is something like our Orchard Road, selling all the branded stuff.

China - Beijing

2006-11-05T23:30:00.000+08:00

Being a Chinese, I'm proud of China for its development. Its natural scenery is among the best I would say. I have been to quite a few parts of China. They are Guangzhou, Qingdao, Beijing, Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Zhuhai, Wuxi, Xiamen and Quanzhou.

The Great Wall of China - "Bu deng chang cheng fei hao han", so now I can be considered as a "hao han"!!! Can see the snow? Damn cold sia!!! Minus 10 degree celsius! But what really causes the cold is the wind chill.
The Great Wall is definitely not to be missed. Not every part of the Great Wall is opened to public. This Great Wall is not built in the Qin Dynasty, which is a misconception by many people. It is actually constructed in the Ming Dynasty if I'm not wrong. The 1st Great Wall has already been broken down due to thousands of years of weathering.

For those who are interested to go there, please go when you are young and fit. This is because the steps are very high, about knee level. Besides, the steepness has to be overcome. Lastly, though it looks beautiful during winter, it is not advisable to go at this time, but rather autumn. The snow in winter would cause the ground to be very slippery. In fact, I slipped 3 times but luckily merely lost a bit of balance. I witnessed a tourist fell flat.......

Tian An Men Square - Though it was only minus 2 degree celsius, but it was very cold due to the strong winds blowing across the unobstructed Tian An Men Square.

The Forbidden City - As the name suggests, it forbade commoners in the past to enter. It was actually the palace of the emperors in the Qing Dynasty. It is one of the few in the world that is being conserved so nicely. Also, visitors or tourists would get to know how well the emperors lived. The architecture is magnificent. It is almost unbelievable that there can be such good architecture with ancient technology. Sometimes it leaves you wondering why no screws are needed. In fact, I observed that the buildings consist mostly of joints which are cut to pinpoint accuracy. However, I'm still unable to decipher how they keep the joints together.

Tian Tan - By right, I did not remember the name wrongly. This is where the emperor "communicate" with heaven.

The Emperor's Throne - This is the seat/throne that countless people had died fighting over it. It is made of solid gold. Besides this, I don't see the point fighting over it. Some people say, a modern sofa is definitely more comfortable than it. Just a joke......anyway, the throne is a symbol of prestige and power.

Summer Palace - This is the place where Cixi Empress, also known as Empress Dowager, came to during summers. It would be very hot in the Forbidden City during summers, hence she would come here to escape from the intense heat.
Above is the stone ship built by her. She spent a huge amount of funds building this stone ship, instead of spending on the modernizing navy at that time. That was why it was always an irony felt by the commoners. She could have spent this huge sum of money to strengthen the navy to fend off the foreigners.

Frozen lake - If only Singapore has winter, I bet many of us would love to skate on the frozen lakes or rivers.

Chang Lang (Long Corridor) - This is known to be the longest corridor in the whole world. I can't really remember the exact distance, but I think should be close to or around 1km. It is even colder here in winter and its even more tormenting as you walk along the corridor, with freezing air blown over the frozen lake to you. Wonder if it was a coincidence, my camera broke down when I was here. Moral of the story: Always have a backup camera, which I did. :) The special part of this corridor is the carvings at the ceiling. Can you imagine carvings along the whole stretch? Wow! I wonder how long it took to carve them. Btw, it does not consist of wood alone.......I saw many types of materials. What a lavish life the royals had in the past.....

England - London

2006-11-05T21:58:00.000+08:00

Big Ben - If I am not wrong, it is at the side of the Parliament House. It is also known as the Clock Tower.

Buckingham Palace - It is famous for the change of guards. I witnessed guards riding on horses. It was really a majestic sight.

London Eye - It takes about 20-30 minutes to complete one round. I cannot remember the exact duration. We can get an aerial view when we are on top. It is really very scenic. Each capsule can hold around 20 people.

Japan - Hiroshima

2006-11-05T21:35:00.000+08:00

Hiroshima City - It is difficult to imagine that a city which was a victim of atomic bomb can become so developed.

Atomic Bomb Dome - This is the only building in Hiroshima which survived the atomic blast during WWII. It could survive because the atomic bomb exploded about 900 metres above it. In other words, this building is in the position of the epicentre of the explosion. The explosion force is outwards in a ring. Hence, this building suffered the least damage.

"Porno" public phone booth - This public phone booth is pasted fully with advertisments in its interior. These are actually advertisments for massage and prostitutes. This was such a unique sight to me when I first saw. I was stunned. What an eye opener!!!

Hiroshima Castle (Sakura) - This is a castle left behind by samurai. It is one of the most in tact in Japan I guess. The architecture is very different from China's Forbidden City. Later you would be able to see. April would be the best month to view sakura. They would be light pink and blossoming at that time.

Japan - Tokyo

2006-11-05T21:26:00.000+08:00

Shinjuku - Kakibucho - This is the red light district in Shinjuku. There can even be people distributing pamplets, soliciting customers. However, I am not sure if this is legal.

Pachinko - This is a very common gambling game in Japan. There are many such shops in Japan. It is played by using ball bearings. It can go up to thousands of ball bearings. Each player has his or her personal account, and all the winnings and loss are stored in the card. It has a nickname in mandarin called " pai qing guang", meaning, clap till empty. It simply signifies that the gamblers are bound to lose.

"Standing" noodle shop - The standard of living in Japan is extremely high. In fact, it is the most expensive country which I have been to. 100 yen is approximately equal to S$1.40. A normal bowl of noodles would cost about 800 yen and above. But, do not stress. There are such noodle shops normally situated in subways. The cost is just about 350 yen. Wow!! Haosiao bo? Everything has a trade off right? The only thing is that it requires the customers to stand and eat. What a torture!!!!! But on the account of your wallet, I think it is still worth. :)

Disney Jumbo 747 - If i did not get the wrong information, Japan Airlines only has 2 of such airplanes of this design. Hence, it is quite rare that passengers get to see them. Think I'm quite lucky. Airplanes are painted with special designs due to the same reason as buses or taxis. It is a form of advertisment I guess......

Mount Fuji - This is the most famous mountain in Japan and is also considered by many as one of the most beautiful mountains. Its trademark is the snow cap at the submit.

Japan - Tokyo - Disneyland / Disneysea

2006-11-05T21:01:00.000+08:00

Tokyo Disneyland can be reached by taking a train from Tokyo Eki ( train station ). In the past, only buses are available. But with the start of train service, the travelling time has been reduced by more than half.
There are rides, shows and games inside. I would advise you to go there early and allocate one full day solely for Disneyland so as to be able to have a try at every item. The entrance fee is about S$90, hence it would be a waste if you go late. Unless you are interested in the Disney Float Parade at night, I do not think it would be comfortable to stay after sunset due to the extreme cold. However, the rewarding part is the parade and the Cinderella Castle which is so magnificent at night.
Food is not a problem here. There are booths selling snacks and even restaurants. I would recommend the restaurant selling curry rice. Japanese curry is different from the curry in Singapore. It is not spicy, yet fragrant! The flavour and taste is a bit unique too. Of course, you can get curry rice outside Disneyland too. I believe it is about the same la.......

Monorail - Observe the windows and handrails of the monorail, they are in the shape of mickey mouse. Cute right?

Big Thunder Mountain - This is a very exciting mini-roller coaster. I say that it is mini because it is smaller literarily, and it does not have a safety lock over your shoulders. There is only a safety lock over your knees and you have to grab damn tight. Although it is smaller and do not have 360 degrees turns, it still offers perfect thrills and excitment.

Japan - Tokyo - Asakusa

2006-11-05T20:35:00.000+08:00

Tokyo is the capital of Japan. It is the place I like best among all I have been. Its places of interest are mainly Tokyo Disneyland/Disneysea, Tokyo Tower, Asakusa, Ginza, Mt Fuji, Shinjuku, Harajuku, Ueno Zoo, Shibuya and Yokohama.

This is a very famous tourist attraction. Its trademark is the giantic red lantern at the entrance. Inside are shops lined on both sides and upon the end of the pavement is a large buddhist temple. Many pigeons can be found as people are allowed to feed them.

Realise what the guy is doing? He is stepping on the cutterfish and slicing them..... dunno if it is hygenic to eat or not.....scully he has hong kong feet, that's it man.
But I think can eat la, so many people have eaten yet did not kena food poisoning.

Japan 2005

2006-11-05T18:37:00.000+08:00

Picture 1 - Although I have been to Japan for more than 20 times, it is my first visit to the magnificent Mount Fuji. Surprisingly, it was minus 10 degree Celsius up there. The wind chill was unbearable. However, the scenery was breathtaking.

Picture 2 - This one one of the temples I went. I think it is in Kyoto. The red colour of the leaves was so enchanting, accompanied by the howling winter winds.

Picture 3 - This is the famous Rainbow Bridge, which became very popular after it appeared in one of the shows acted by Takuya. Many couples wish to go there as it is romantic. I strongly recommend the river crusise. However, the only bad thing is that you cannot stand up straight due to the low ceiling height.

Hello Everybody

2006-11-05T18:11:00.000+08:00

Hi everybody, travelling is one of my hobbies and I set up this site to share with you all my travelling experiences and the nice pictures I took. So far, I have been to England, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, China, Philippines, Australia, USA and Mexico.

I would elaborate only on the places which I think are nice, and would not go through each and every one of those chosen in detail. I hope that this site would be able to provide some useful information and help you to decide your future holiday destinations.

The information provided are already to my best knowledge. Some of which I learnt from tour guides or the locals. Also, some are from my faint memory, due to the fact that I visited the places quite long ago. I apologise if there is any wrong or inaccurate information.

Sit tight! We shall now take off and fly to our first destination. :)