tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32809031614327221192024-03-13T00:34:21.009-07:00Chaos and KanjiAnother blog about a guy going to teach in Japan.Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.comBlogger584125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-14954819379400012852016-01-22T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-22T03:00:10.451-08:00Singapore: An Exciting Stroll through Little India<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I have to admit that I'm a bit at a disadvantage when it comes to verifying the authenticity of ethnic neighborhoods. After living in Japan for a while, I can say that Japantown in San Francisco is pretty good. But I've never been to China or India, so visiting Chinatown and Little India in Singapore doesn't give me anything other than the hope to get a feel for each country's culture.</div>
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That said, it was obvious that Chinatown was geared toward tourists. Hong Kong is westernized China, but it did have some realness to it... and Chinatown was not quite real. I'm not saying it's bad. But it's touristy.</div>
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But I quickly appreciated the sights, sounds, and smells I encountered when I traveled to Little India.<br />
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Yes, you can buy Indian clothing. But this shop is there for Indians.<br />
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There are food markets which had Indian shoppers browsing.<br />
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There were a lot of those flower things. I believe I missed Deepavali, which is a Hindu festival, by a week.<br />
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Little India is located a bit further from downtown Singapore, and it's full of Indians going about their daily lives.<br />
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One of the best parts of visiting this neighborhood was peeking down the back alleys. It was more real. Trash, carts, people hanging out talking.<br />
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Chander Road is the heart of the neighborhood. You'll find some restaurants and tourist attractions here or nearby.<br />
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The main streets running around and through the neighborhood are full of shops selling pretty much everything. Some stores are for tourists, but most are practical. It's like the Indian version of Mission Street in San Francisco.<br />
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The stores are great!<br />
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Interesting sign partly for the subject matter, and partly for the inclusion of five languages.<br />
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This is Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple. Don't ask me how to pronounce that.<br />
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It is a Hindu temple with elaborate decorative elements. It was closed in preparation for Deepavali but I could enjoy the outside.<br />
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Above are some detail photos of the decoration.<br />
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The historic buildings here are still in the same general style as you see around the rest of town.<br />
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A little more realness that makes this neighborhood so enjoyable.<br />
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If you're looking for some good Indian food, you have a lot of choices here. Plus, the stores have a lot of cheap goods - clothing, decorations, and rugs (see the photo below).<br />
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I started in the southwest corner of the neighborhood: Sungei Road (Bukit Timah Road) and Race Course Road. Serangoon Road runs north-south and is the commercial center of the area. Just wander and see what you find!Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-7143098786883586512016-01-21T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-21T03:00:18.302-08:00Singapore: Chinese and Japanese Gardens in the Rain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After walking through the giant body at the Singapore Science Centre, I took a 15 minute walk down the street to the Chinese and Japanese Gardens.</div>
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My interest in gardens can probably be traced to my childhood; my grandmother and my mother both had gardens in their backyards, and I have distinct memories of visiting public gardens like the Japanese Garden in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Singapore's gardens are quite expansive, set up on the same gigantic tract of land as the Science Centre and its accompanying museums.</div>
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The massive Jurong Lake Park basically covers everything; the two gardens are on separate large "islands" in the middle of the lake. Much, but not all, of the lake has a trail/path for people to exercise themselves and their pets. In the photo above, the garden is on the opposite side of the lake; the white sign is on the trail around the lake.<br />
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Entering from the east side, the first thing you encounter is the large pagoda.<br />
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The lake itself is beautiful too.<br />
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You can go in and up the pagoda.<br />
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Next to the 7-story pagoda is a short philosopher's path.<br />
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The path is lined with statues of great philosophers and leaders.<br />
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Continuing counter-clockwise through the garden, I next came to the twin pagodas.<br />
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While they are apparently being renovated or are just closed to the public right now, they are quite beautiful sitting on a pier in the lake. Apparently whatever construction work is going on will stop affecting these pagodas in the middle of 2016.<br />
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This is my first stone boat, and it's very attractive at a distance. There is a tea house nearby.<br />
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Reaching the west entrance to the park, the Live Turtle & Tortoise Museum is a paid attraction which promises, among other things, mutant tortoises.<br />
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I didn't go in the turtle museum, but there is a carp pond in the structure that's right at the west entrance. (The turtle museum and tea house are nearby.)<br />
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There are a few large bridges between the islands and "mainland" and between the two islands. This, I believe, has 13 arches. Sorry, you can't see them here.<br />
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This might be my favorite picture of my garden set.<br />
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Reaching the end of the "loop" for the island, there's a long peninsula which leads to the bridge, which then takes you to the Japanese garden. Along the way you'll come across the bonsai garden and Garden of Abundance.<br />
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The Garden of Abundance is filled with fun statues, including one of 10 sundials scattered around Singapore.<br />
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I believe this is the Bai Hong Qiao (White Rainbow 13 Arch Bridge). I do know that this bridge links the two gardens.<br />
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Ah, I'm back in Japan!<br />
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I spent most of my time at this garden around the large lake. Yes, the island in a lake has a lake of its own. (Plus a pond back near that red gate.)<br />
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Oh, and the lake in the island in the lake has its own islands too.<br />
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A series of bridges takes you from one to the other. There's a white bridge with a zig-zag halfway through.<br />
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Plus a pair of red arched bridges. They are slippery when wet!<br />
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This might be a nod to the floating torii in Miyajima, in Hiroshima.<br />
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This area has a large artificial rock "beach" which helps you get closer to the water and animals living in it, plus a pavilion. I'm very glad there was a pavilion here because:<br />
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Downpour. It rained hard off and on all day - once on my way to the science centre (and I some while I was inside, too). And again the skies opened up, so I took refuge in the pavilion to relax while nature ran its course. Actually, if you examine my lake shots, you'll see that several show signs of raindrops hitting the water.<br />
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It would have been nice to have had clear or nicely cloudy skies, but I saw all I wanted to see on this trip so once the rain stopped I walked back to the nearest MRT station to take me to my next stop.<br />
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Speaking of MRT, here is a picture inside the Chinese Garden MRT Station. Take a look at the floor and how clean it is - no gum or trash to be seen. There isn't usually much trash (if any) in Japan's stations, but the floors aren't as clean as this. Amazing, huh?<br />
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The Chinese Garden MRT station leads right to the east entrance of the Chinese Garden. There is a bridge between the Chinese and Japanese gardens, plus additional west entrances for both gardens. Walking to/from the Science Centre takes 15-20 minutes despite being right next to each other due to the layout of the gardens and the size of the park.<br />
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The park is open daily 6 AM to 11 PM, and admission is free. The Turtle and Tortoise Museum doesn't seem to be worth the approximately $5 entry fee but I haven't been inside to verify anything. However, it's open 9 AM to 6 PM.<br />
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Keep in mind that the renovation works should be completed by mid-2016. Until then, expect various attractions to be closed.Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-59563927170133994632016-01-20T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-20T03:00:10.006-08:00Singapore's Chinatown: Shopping, Touristy Shops, and Shopping<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Singapore is a truly multicultural city. This is reflected in its food and its neighborhoods. The markets have all sorts of grub from all over Asia, and the neighborhoods have their own touches (and restaurants) based on the origins of their peoples. Chinatown is no different. While the architecture reflects that of the rest of Singapore to keep the buildings cool, the area is packed with Chinese culture.<br />
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And souvenir shops.<br />
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The main area in Chinatown is unfortunately completely commercialized to cater to tourists. Maybe even more so than any other Chinatown I've visited.<br />
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It's off the main path that you'll find more authentic shops, though I didn't really get there.<br />
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The main shopping street is covered, meaning whatever the weather you can stroll and spend to your heart's content. This is actually the Food Street. But shops are here too.<br />
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You will find Chinese souvenirs here, like lamps and costumes. There were lots of things I'd love to have come home with.<br />
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Little India is nearby, but there are some shops that spill over to this area too - one of the coolest temples is nearby.<br />
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And, shopping.<br />
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Here's an authentic Chinese market. I doubt I could get any of this through customs, but then I don't know how to cook with any of this. Or is it medicine? I don't know, but stores like this - real Chinese shops - are what make a Chinatown real.<br />
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Not McDonald's.<br />
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Here's a mosque - Jamae Mosque. It, like Sri Mariamman Temple, is out of place in Chinatown. But Jamae Mosque has been in this place for about 200 years!<br />
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As in other districts I admired the architecture and the colorful paint jobs.<br />
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How awesome would it be to live in one of these buildings?<br />
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Bee Cheng Hiang is one of several shops you'll find in Chinatown selling bak kwa, which is barbecued meat.<br />
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Some shops let you watch the cooking occur. The meat is usually then packaged for later consumption, especially as souvenirs.<br />
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Bak kwa is delicious - it's very much like a softer, tastier jerky. I'm guessing those 50% sales are pretty much permanent. Some shops are cheaper than others, though they're all pretty comparable. Shop around before buying. You can also taste-test at some shops, but I didn't really notice any difference in quality. The shop above, Bee Cheng Hiang, is where I got my bak kwa. They sell small individually packaged pieces of different flavors, so I was able to try all of them relatively inexpensively.<br />
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Will I eat more bak kwa? You bet!<br />
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Oh, and souvenirs. Don't forget souvenirs.<br />
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One place I didn't get to go was the Chinatown Heritage Centre. If you look on the glass behind the blue-shirted man there's a sign on the window stating the place was closed. Apparently it's open again.</div>
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Okay, so there's a lot of shops here that cater to tourists. San Francisco and Yokohama Chinatowns are the same way, and you probably have to go a bit off the beaten path to find real Chinatown here. That doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy my trip. There are a couple individual stops in this neighborhood that I'll be posting about later: the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Sri Mariamman Temple.</div>
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Plus, I came across some shops in Singapore's Chinatown that had some really good prices on kitschy but authentic-feeling souvenirs. Good enough that I said "if I had a bigger place and a little more money I'd definitely waste the cash here getting these goodies."</div>
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The Visitors Centre is located at 2 Banda Street, and Chinatown Station will put you right in the heart of the neighborhood. There are various walking tours advertised on different websites which will lead you around to the main sights in the area, plus their choices of the best food. I decided to walk down to the Maxwell Food Centre, though, at the southern end of the neighborhood, for my lunch.</div>
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Not counting restaurant time, you should plan to spend a few hours walking the streets, browsing the shops, and visiting the temples, mosques, and museums. I feel like I am saying this for almost every Singapore post, but I'd like to go back again to Chinatown to eat and shop and explore a bit more.</div>
Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-81597059696231955302016-01-19T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-19T03:00:02.677-08:00Singapore Science CentreIt's not my first post, but the Singapore Science Centre was my first stop after leaving the airport. It's located on the other side of town from the airport, but I got there pretty easy with only a couple train changes.<br />
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As a former science teacher (I could return to the profession someday) I enjoy going to science museums, though most don't offer anything I haven't seen before in other museums or even in my classroom. But I was here to check out the Human Body Experience. We'll get to that later.<br />
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First, the permanent exhibits. Optical illusions are a good start, right?<br />
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Science in the past to science in the future: dinosaurs to inventions.<br />
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iZ Hero is an interactive attraction designed for kids.<br />
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Physics as taught through Dyson fans.<br />
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This museum does a real good job of showing application of science, including military uses - one display even discussed cushioning in vehicles for transporting soldiers.<br />
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The museum covers all the major branches of science.<br />
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Including fishies! But as I mentioned, I was here to check out the Human Body Experience. It's a temporary exhibition which opened in mid-2014; it's popular enough that it's still there a year and a half later.<br />
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The target age range is 10-12 years old, but younger kids and adults are welcome. You start by climbing up the tongue in the mouth.<br />
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Pass through the larynx and you're in the body!<br />
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The exhibit is really well done. The lungs breathe. The heart beats. There are sounds to help you feel immersed in the experience.<br />
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Here you are in a blood vessel. The giant red balls are meant to be blood cells.<br />
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Oh no! This body isn't very clean!<br />
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It's not a simple walkthrough. You have to navigate through the neurons, for example.<br />
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Despite going in through the mouth, it takes some time to get to the throat, where you travel through the digestive tract.<br />
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Here are the large intestines, and you also squeeze through the small intestines, before reaching...<br />
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The exit.<br />
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There is a permanent body exhibit too, including details on reproduction and genetics.<br />
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"Those wacky Japanese" get an exhibit too. Or at least this uses the Japanese expression "chindogu" which describes inventions which aren't really necessary but not quite useless.<br />
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Here are some examples of "nonuseless" inventions. I'm not sure where the inventions themselves came from.<br />
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Outside the museum is a courtyard with lots more interactive science goodies. Some of them have instructions so you can learn something, while others are just fun to watch.<br />
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The Singapore Science Centre is located at 15 Science Centre Road. The closest MRT station is Jurong East; you can take bus 66 or 335 from there, or take a short walk. I chose to walk on a route that took me through a market for some lunch. Without stopping, it's less than 10 minutes.<br />
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Opening hours are 10:00-18:00 daily, though they generally close one day a month. <a href="http://www.science.edu.sg/Pages/SCBHome.aspx" target="_blank">Check the website</a> for the schedule. Also at the Science Centre is something called KidsSTOP (a children's science-focused play center), an Omni-Theatre IMAX), and Snow City (an indoor snow play center), so it's possible to stretch this place out into a full day with little ones.<br />
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Standard admission to the Science Centre is $12.00, $15 with the Human Body Experience. Prices for the other places vary.<br />
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Note that the Science Centre will be moving into a new building around 2020, not too far away.Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-58608468665130968282016-01-18T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-18T03:00:18.726-08:00A Glimpse into Fuchiko's Mini WorldI've picked up a few new "hobbies" here in Japan. I've always enjoyed singing, so it is only natural that I've gotten into karaoke. And another time (and money) killer is playing the UFO Catcher games at the arcades.<br />
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I've written about UFO Catchers before - in the US I always called them crane games - and I have developed enough skill to have an above-average success rate.<br />
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One local machine has a bunch of little figurines known as Fuchiko. This tiny girl is designed to sit on the edge of glasses. In addition to Fuchiko, I've seen a bunch of other characters and themes get released.<br />
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The machine I've been getting these from is near the office, and I took these pictures at work. I didn't have a cup or mug handy when I won the first three figures last week. Above, my coworker's pencil case serves as a precarious canyon which Fuchiko is carefully trying to survive.<br />
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I believe the office suit version is the first (possibly in blue, originally), but other Fuchiko costumes are out there. Here's a beach bikini Fuchiko afraid of the cold water. A couple of her friends are hanging off the back side!<br />
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And here they are. The green one obviously belongs upside down, but I believe the yellow suit figure should somehow be sitting.<br />
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A Team Japan soccer version first showed up around the most recent World Cup games. This time, she's sitting on the mug properly while another office Fuchiko checks out the coffee level.<br />
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And from the back. Or front. I don't know. </div>
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Technically, Fuchiko started as a gacha-gacha capsule toy, and is still available there, but I see her pretty often in crane games too.</div>
Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-37103253992091338902016-01-17T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-17T03:00:07.464-08:00The Japanese HighballIf you don't know what a highball is, I'm not surprised. I don't feel that the drink is really popular in the US, given all of the other mixed drinks available in clubs these days. But thanks to a successful advertising campaign and marketing by Suntory less than 10 years ago, the highball is served in pretty much every restaurant in the nation.<br />
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Highballs were popular in post-World War II Japan, too. From the 1950s to 1980s, whisky drinks were popular at izakayas, the Japanese pubs where salary men go to drink and socialize with their coworkers. But like the stereotypical image of a salary man, highball is an old man's drink. Beer grew in popularity and Suntory was going under. In 2008-2009, the company took some steps to try to appeal to younger drinkers.<br />
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The Japanese highball is made with Japanese whisky, usually Suntory. It's pretty simple, just whisky and soda water, served over ice in a tall glass like you see below.<br />
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There are several variations on the highball now, such as an "oolong hai" using an oolong tea mixer. And chuhai is a highball drink using shochu liquor. You can buy canned chuhai and highballs in convenience stores now, and bottled Suntory (and other Japanese whisky brands) are on hand to make your own highballs.</div>
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What you see above was my first and only highball so far. I drank it Saturday night at a party, and found it to be exactly what you'd expect if you mixed whisky and soda water - a somewhat bubbly watered-down whisky.</div>
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So I switched to cola-hai that night, which is whisky with Coca-Cola (or Pepsi or some other cola; Coke is king in Japan but you never know). Cola-hai drinks are sweet, just like you'd expect a whisky with Coke to be. And my favorite drink is Jack and Coke (thanks, Craig, for introducing me to that drink) so it works for me! (I should note that I have had some chuhai at parties too. But that's for another day.)</div>
Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-22294020318485059512016-01-15T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-15T03:00:19.897-08:00Singapore: Joo Chiat and Katong: Food and History<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Singapore is a mix of old and new. Yesterday's Thieves Market is an established cultural landmark dating back over three fourths of a century, while the Esplanade, Merlion, and Palace Bay Sands all are modern creations.</div>
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Singapore's location means it's always hot, and its historical architecture, built back when air conditioning wasn't really an option, reflects its climate. Buildings all have lots of large windows with shutters: windows which can be opened to help air flow through the building and keep things cool. </div>
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An entire neighborhood full of these buildings has been preserved in Joo Chiat and Katong. The area developed as a residential neighborhood in the early 20th century, with many of its residents being Peranakans. </div>
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Many of the houses now have cafes, coffee shops, or restaurants and the area serves as a destination for foodies. There are plenty of shops selling traditional clothing, crafts, and other wares. There are also hotels to be found in the area. </div>
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As you'll tell from my pictures below, I was only able to visit at night. There is some sightseeing to be done, and of course you should plan to shop and eat during your trip. This is yet another area I have to return to on a future trip, but you can get a feel for the architecture and dining options in my photos below.</div>
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My evening walk started from Paya Lebar MRT Station, where I walked south down Joo Chiat Road to East Coast Road. From East Coast Road, several buses make their way back toward downtown Singapore or nearby MRT stations.</div>
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Be sure to check out the photos below!</div>
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(Hey. Lian! I wonder if that's pronounced like "Ryan" or "Lee Ann"... and they spelled tire tyre.)<br />
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Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-27953261996550176742016-01-14T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-14T03:00:15.280-08:00Singapore: Shopping at Sungei Road Thieves Market (Flea Market)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dating back to the 1930s, the flea market at Sungei Road got its start selling stolen goods, leading to its name as the Thieves Market. For over 80 years, vendors have sold their wares here, where the rent is free and there are no refunds. As such, buyer beware. But you never know what you'll find here.<br />
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Unfortunately, there has been a lot of turmoil at the site of the flea market, It has been "torn down" but rebuilt a few times, and about five years ago half of the market was closed off to build a new MRT station. And in 2017, the entire market will most likely be closed. The peddlers have requested a new location to move the market, but so far their wish has not been granted.<br />
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Now in the shape of a "T" with about 80 stalls (though one source in my research said there are over 300), the market still offers a wide range of guaranteed-used goods. Expect to find housewares, clothing, and knickknacks, all of which would be good souvenirs. Come to bargain and bring small bills to help the negotiations, and be aware of your surroundings just in case.<br />
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Right now, the market seems to be open daily 1:00-7:00 PM. The center of the market is at the intersection of Larut Road and Pitt Street, most easily accessible from Bugis MRT Station.<br />
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There are other flea markets in Singapore, though I didn't have the opportunity to visit any.Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-41093874011085424412016-01-13T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-13T03:00:15.420-08:00Singapore: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
One of my favorite things to do is walk. This is something I had to have picked up from my grandmother, who would take me into downtown San Francisco as a child. She never could drive due to her eyesight, so we used SF's unreliable transit system to get around. But buses don't go down every street, and sometimes it's easier (and nicer) to just walk from A to B.</div>
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When I lived in San Francisco as an adult, I went out almost every day for a walk. I took a bus or the streetcar to somewhere I hadn't been or somewhere I enjoyed visiting before, and just walked. City walks remain my favorite, but I love getting out into nature, too.</div>
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For that, I probably have to thank my mom. My memories of visiting California's countryside involve her, going up into the mountains of Yosemite or out to the redwood forests north of the Bay Area. Most of my travel as a younger adult focused on cities, but I "discovered" all of the great state parks in Georgia which rekindled my interest in that which isn't man-made.</div>
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So when I travel I look for places to walk - both in the city and in the country. Singapore is pretty small so it doesn't have that much country, but there are some places to get out and see the wild.</div>
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Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is up in the northern end of Singapore. After a short boardwalk stroll, you come to the Wetland Centre, with some information about the wetlands and wildlife found within.<br />
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A bridge leads you into the wetlands loop trail, the only open trail at this time.<br />
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It is from this bridge I saw a giant monitor lizard up in a tree! He had to have been about a meter long or more, resting up on that branch.<br />
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Without even venturing onto the trail, I also saw plenty of birds and mudskippers.<br />
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As for the trail itself, it mostly looks like you see above. It's wide and flat, suitable for more-rugged wheelchairs and strollers. And most of the view through the brush is of water.<br />
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The loop trail takes you around some tidal ponds where migratory birds spend their winters.<br />
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The site is right next to large open water spaces. The mounds seen in the mud are most likely from crabs.<br />
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Unfortunately, I didn't see much fauna on the loop itself. But I enjoy the flora too, especially the ferns and trees growing out of the marsh.<br />
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Around the backside of the loop is a tower, visible in the left-hand picture. You can climb to the top and see the entire park. Also found along the loop are little blinds to allow visitors to view the wildlife without disturbing it. I should warn you that spiders, ants, and other creepy crawlies are found in some of these.<br />
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Here are a couple views from above.<br />
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Visiting right before the park closed, there were some stragglers including families on the trail, but the backside stayed mostly quiet. I visited on a weekend, so I'm guessing there were more people there than usual.<br />
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There is a new trail since my visit that heads east - actually, there is a new visitor's center on the eastern edge from which the new trail heads west to join with this original trail. If I get the chance, I'll definitely be checking out the new extension.<br />
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Buses are available from Kranji Station (route 925 or the less-frequent Kranji Express). The park is open 7 AM to 7 PM daily.Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-24446625309098236172016-01-12T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-12T03:00:04.127-08:00A Quick Stroll Down Orchard Road: Singapore's Main Shopping Street<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When looking for a trendy spot to eat, it's easy to turn to Clarke Quay. The indoor shopping mall also has a good selection of standard mall stores for standard mall shopping. But tourists don't want malls. They want Fifth Avenue in New York. Ginza in Tokyo. Or Orchard Road in Singapore.<br />
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The proliferation of international high-end name brand goods throughout Asia means that any city worth its salt will now have a district or area full of stores with the hottest brands. <br />
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From Burberry to Armani, Singapore has it all; that's what you'd expect from a world class city. There are also Japanese stores like Takashimaya, seen above.<br />
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There are several malls here too, some nicer than others. I found one mall, not pictured, that seems to be nothing but basic souvenirs and mall-style restaurants. But that was my point for being there; I'll post about the food later but know that you'll be satisfied with a quick lunch here. Or enjoy something nicer in the upmarket restaurants or cafes.<br />
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As you can see from the photos, there were pedestrians and cars everywhere despite being a rainy evening. Robinsons and TANGS are the two long-time department stores of Orchard and Singapore. If you're looking for truly luxurious shopping, the Marina Bay Sands resort will have everything that will suck your wallet dry.<br />
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Orchard, Somerset, and Dhoby Ghaut MRT stations are all in the area and plenty of buses stop in the shopping district.Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-88471696505363334732016-01-11T03:00:00.002-08:002016-01-11T03:00:58.171-08:00Singapore: The Merlion, Marina Bay Sands, and Esplanade ParkSingapore is a beautiful city. It's known for its harsh laws on what many consider minor infractions like littering, so it's pretty clean. and the city has worked hard to build a beautiful skyline. The unbelievably popular area around the Merlion is no different.<br />
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My visit to the famed Merlion statue started from The Esplanade, the arts center located along the waterfront. Enlarge the picture and you'll see that just beyond is an outdoor theater and waterfront seating for shows over the bay. And on the far right side of the photo is the Singapore Flyer, a large, expensive Ferris wheel which apparently offers good views of the rest of the city. I wouldn't doubt it, but I didn't actually visit it on this trip.<br />
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Note the pedestrian bridge being built between the Esplanade and the Merlion (to the right out of frame). By now, that bridge should be open, making for a much more peaceful stroll across the mouth of the Singapore River.<br />
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That view centers on downtown, with the skyscrapers reaching up to the sunny skies above. The white low-rise building you see just in front of the vehicular bridge is now The Fullerton Hotel, but was opened in the 1920s first as a post office and the home of the Singapore Club, later holding government offices. It was redeveloped as a hotel which opened in 2001.<br />
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Speaking of hotels, just across the water is the Marina Bay Sands hotel, another icon in Singapore's skyline. It's actually a casino resort with an ice skating rink and a bunch of other amenities.<br />
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The hotel reminds me of a surfboard balanced on three piers. Again, I didn't have time for a visit, but I would like to go to the top and see those palm trees up close! I think it's pretty exclusive, though - there is an infinity swimming pool up there.<br />
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This funky looking building next to the casino is the ArtScience museum. Yet another amazing building that I need to visit.<br />
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So, how about that Merlion?<br />
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I never made it down to that pier to see the Merlion from the "front" but I was okay with that. This area is absolutely packed with tour groups.<br />
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It's a giant white concrete fountain. But everybody loves to visit it for some reason. When our students go to Singapore, the most popular gift they bring back are chocolates in the shape of the merlion.<br />
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A smaller merlion sits back to back with the large original.<br />
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Without any context, that girl looks crazy. But actually she's positioned herself to make it look like she's drinking the Merlion's water, I think. I believe she'd have to face the water to make it look like she is the fountain.<br />
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Anyway, the Merlion statue and waterfront area is a short walk from the Raffles Place subway station. Marina Bay Sands is best accessed via Bayfront Station or by walking from the Merlion. The Esplanade center and park are across the river to the north; Esplanade or Promenade stations are both close by. For architecture or walking fans, that whole area has a lot of promise.<br />
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The Merlion is very popular and a key stop for all tour groups, so be prepared. Maybe visiting in the afternoon will have lesser crowds; note that the statue is also lit at night and is worth seeing then too.Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-65929123851947948352016-01-10T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-10T03:00:21.378-08:00Four Years: Statistics on the BlogWhen I first started blogging five years ago, I paid close attention to the stats. How many people read my blog each day? What kinds of posts did people read? Where did I get comments? I was writing about my hobby, and I had the time and energy to put together one, two, or even three decent posts each day.<br />
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Now, four years into this travel blog and five years into my blogging "career", the numbers don't matter so much. Life gets in the way, and posting doesn't happen for months at a time. Ruts are scattered down the road, and I don't write the kinds of stories I want to.<br />
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I'm blogging for myself, but I like to see that others are benefiting from my thoughts. And the stats can teach me a bit about what works, and provide at least a little entertainment, too!<br />
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So let's see what this blog looks like after four years.<br />
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<i>Images/graphs are enlargeable.</i><br />
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I'm nearly at 200,000 page views for this blog. That's amazing. In fact, I'm averaging over 200 page views per day! That's interesting to note because my newest posts only get about 10-20 page views in their first couple of days.<br />
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My busiest month to date was in August 2014, when I had nearly 8000 hits. With a couple months of consistent writing I think I'll beat that this year.<br />
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Talk about a runaway hit. My post about Don Quixote, a really fun shop found around Japan, has nearly 24,000 hits. That's followed by a post about a night market in Taipei, and my opinion on tattoos and piercings and observations in Japan. Numbers four and nine are amusement parks in Taiwan, and five and ten are a couple of Tokyo's museums. The Christmas Wish List is surprising, but got a lot of hits when I first posted it. Seven makes sense, since there's not much out there about CPBL baseball, but another oddly popular post is my return to blogging after a three month break. Perhaps the photos are the draw for that one.<br />
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Let's look at the keywords to see where the draw comes from. Actually, I can trace several of those to blog posts above. But mongo? Hanayashiki has a post, but why isn't it high on the post list? The peanut butter cup is mentioned in that 2012 Christmas post, but I shouldn't rank high in Google's searches for that. Odd, huh?<br />
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Now, visitors. I'm glad many in Japan are using my blog in addition to US readers. Several other Asian countries are there, too. I'm guessing that most of my visitors, and thus page views, are of tourists or people considering visiting Japan or other countries I've posted about.<br />
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Last, the browsers. Chrome rules, that's good to know. Safari's high ranking plus Mobile Safari confirms the popularity of the iPhone, iPad, and iPod as browsing means. Some Chrome visitors are probably using Android too. I.E. is fourth, and pretty much everything else is small potatoes.<br />
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One more statistic that stands out: 320 comments. Some of those are my replies. So most readers are just, well, reading. Sure, there isn't much to say in many of my posts, but 320 is a stark contrast to the number of comments on my hobby blog.<br />
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So those are Google's statistics for this blog over about four years. Did I learn anything? Yes, if I want really popular posts I should show photos of pierced women eating peanut butter cups while shopping at Don Quixote. Maybe later.<br />
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As always, thank you for reading. And please, post comments!Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-13353244028844336342016-01-09T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-09T03:00:00.227-08:00Four Years in JapanToday, January 9th, is the anniversary of my departure date from the U.S. to live in Japan. It started as just a year of teaching, but last week I celebrated my fourth New Years holiday in Japan.<br />
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Obviously, I like living in Japan! My location is an important part of that. Tokyo is only 45 minutes away. My favorite hobbies are well represented, and I can't complain about the most convenient, frequent, and reliable transportation system in the world.<br />
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I still eat a lot of Western food, but my tastes have broadened over time. I've eaten sushi and sashimi, several local variations of ramen and other noodles, practically every snack and sweet Japan has to offer, and even tried fugu.<br />
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I've learned to read hiragana and katakana and I can identify about 100 kanji. I can speak and write a little too, but I would say I'm somewhere around "survival" level.<br />
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I've made lots of friends and acquaintances both at work and outside of the office.<br />
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I have done a lot of travel. I've been all over Japan, from top to bottom, and I've had several international trips, too. Japan is a beautiful country that is packed with sights I love: roller coasters, baseball, history, nature, and cities full of hidden neighborhoods.<br />
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My travel has changed, too. This started before coming to Japan, but ten years ago I ran from place to place taking pictures. Now, I try to explore more, experience more, and try more. I look for local cuisine to get a taste for the region. I'm still a tourist, but the itinerary is shorter, so there's more time to enjoy the places I visit. I keep notes of things to do when I return, because just seeing the tourist hot spots leaves me wanting more.<br />
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I've grown a lot as a person. I'm still a kid at heart, but the shy, socially awkward guy I was five years ago is now much more outgoing. Japanese politeness and respect has rubbed off on me. I'm still American, but to quote the song, I think I'm turning Japanese... somewhat.<br />
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I haven't found a girlfriend yet. I guess that part of me hasn't changed - I'm no good at talking about my feelings, especially with women. Maybe things will change this year... but don't hold your breath.<br />
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My grandma passed away last month. We had a very close relationship and the past few months have been hard. I'm thankful that I was able to see her in June, when I went back home for a couple weeks. Now that she is finally at peace, I'm feeling better. But those of you who have lost a very close family member know that it's not easy. I have had support here from my friends and coworkers.<br />
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I'm going back to San Francisco for a week for the memorial service. It will be a bit of a family reunion, too, as I'll see my cousins who I haven't seen in five to six years.<br />
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Year five is full of unknowns. I will remain in Japan. In fact, I should be getting a new apartment later this year. I'll be moving out of the triangle!<br />
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I want to return to Korea in the summer, but money will be tight due to the San Francisco trip. I'd also like to see the Sanriku Coast, Kyushu, and more of western Japan.<br />
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I'd like to pass the JLPT N5 test, which has been a goal of mine for a couple years now. Also, I hope I finally can stay serious about losing weight.<br />
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Let's see if I can stick to my plans and have a good, healthy year!Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-88647341377075892172016-01-08T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-08T03:00:17.262-08:00Singapore: The Esplanade Theatre<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm a bit of an architecture buff. About 10 years ago, a lot of my travel included hunting for historic landmarks and unique buildings. While my sightseeing now is much more diverse, I still love checking out architecturally interesting sights.</div>
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In fact, the first two posts I've made about Singapore have included historically important buildings and architecture. So let's go for three straight with the Esplanade Theatre.</div>
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Technically, this performing arts centre has multiple theaters, as you can see in the panorama above. The two domes hold a 1600-seat concert hall and 2000-seat traditional theater. The name comes from its location, Esplanade Park.<br />
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The two domes are essentially glass walls, covered with aluminum sunshades. The design is reminiscent of durians, a stinky fruit synonymous with Singapore.<br />
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The best way to experience The Esplanade would be a live performance, but guided tours are available. The shorter 45 minute one focuses on the basics, especially the acoustics, as you go through the concert hall. The longer, two hour tour discusses the architecture, management of the center, and a bit of local music history, as you travel backstage and see the concert hall and the theater.<br />
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For those with little time or who just want a glimpse, it's possible to just walk around the outside of the building and the inside mall. In addition to seeing the building, which has different personalities based on your location in relation to the sun and the angles of the shades, there are some statues and pieces of art scattered around the park. Going inside, you can find a selection of shops, restaurants, and cafes.<br />
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The "walk" is $10, while the long tour is $30. Note that the long tour requires a group of at least 12 people. The walk is possible Tuesdays through Fridays at 9:00, 12:30, and 14:00, and Saturdays and Sundays at 9:00. Walk-ins are fine on a first-come first-served basis.Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-83098695583441858982016-01-07T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-07T03:00:20.424-08:00Singapore: Clarke Quay Area<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Clarke Quay has a history as a port in Singapore, and some of the remaining infrastructure has been restored in the redevelopment of the area after port operations were moved. Shopping and dining options can be found on both sides of the river.<br />
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I never once saw anyone actually ride it, but there's a pretty impressive-looking reverse bungee ride there, too.<br />
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No, I didn't eat at Hooters. But there's one there. Several of the warehouses lining the river have been converted into the commercial locations that exist now.<br />
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In addition to colorful buildings, some original, some redeveloped, there is a very large mall. A local brewpub is in the building seen above, under that black sign to the left. I had planned on having a beer or two there but the timing didn't work out.<br />
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The mall is pretty standard, and since I visited in November their lights and Christmas tree were up.<br />
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Clarke Quay also has a subway station directly under the mall, and it and the nearby bus stop served as my transportation hub. My hotel was down a side street similar to the one you see above. While the redevelopment of Clarke Quay itself has removed a lot of the historical charm of the area, the nearby old buildings like you see above make the area interesting to walk through.<br />
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I saw this one day walking around. It dates back a week or two before my visit. Could you imagine if they used these in the U.S.? There would be hundreds of signs on some street corners.<br />
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One building I went inside but didn't get to properly explore was this colorful building on the corner of River Valley Road/Boat Quay and Hill Street/New Bridge Road. The Old Hill Street Police Station houses an art gallery and several government offices.<br />
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Honestly, Clarke Quay was interesting to walk through, but for a tourist like me, there isn't much here. The shops are fairly standard, and the restaurants are upscale but generally gentrified. I would like to try that brew house and the reverse bungee ride, but with so many great food stalls scattered all over Singapore, I didn't have time, money, or stomach space to spare here. I see this more as a place for locals, or for tourists looking for a "safe" meal.Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-63027549000658616182016-01-06T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-06T03:00:19.872-08:00Singapore: Asian Civilizations Museum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Asian Civilizations Museum was on my original itinerary as a maybe, mostly due to timing. As it turns out, I ended up right at the museum just before opening, so I putzed around for a few minutes waiting for the doors to be unlocked.<br />
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The museum is housed in the Empress Place Building, originally known only as Government Offices. It was built in phases from 1864 to 1920.<br />
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The first exhibit one sees is on the Singapore River, which runs right outside the front doors.<br />
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This gallery has lots of artifacts relating to Singapore, especially the downtown business district and the building's history.<br />
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These historical trinkets are the kinds of things I like to see in museums. I love beautiful artwork and royal gowns as much as the next person, but folk history is much more interesting.<br />
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In addition to the relics are some displays showing life back in "the day".<br />
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The musical instruments were pretty fun to see, too.<br />
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From there, the museum moves into older relics.<br />
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This is where the beautiful royal jewelry and furnishings can be found.<br />
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To go with the gorgeous bodywear, we have... royal gowns!<br />
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Singapore is a nation of many cultures, and the museum looks at several of them.<br />
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There is some impressive porcelain work, from the plate on the left to the incense burner on the right.<br />
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I don't think I'd want the pig's head or pink porcelain containers on my dining table, though they're both beautiful in their own way.<br />
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The museum tries to be as "hands-on" as possible, with various exhibits allowing some interactivity. And the museum has a good balance of folk history to go with the usual royal history.<br />
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The South Indian gallery has some very colorful pieces which reminded me of a Hindu temple I visited the day before. I'll post about that at some point.<br />
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After walking through all of the exhibits, I can definitely see why, in 2014, this was ranked the top museum in Singapore and the ninth best museum in Asia according to TripAdvisor.<br />
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There is also a children's area (closed when I visited) and a restaurant in addition to the usual gift shop.<br />
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The museum opens at 10 AM daily, closing at 9 PM on Fridays and 7 PM the rest of the week. It's located downtown about five minutes on foot from the Raffles Place MRT station. Admission is $8; it used to be free for for everyone, but starting in late November, tourists began to be charged admission.Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-3861405242515460152016-01-05T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-05T03:00:12.645-08:00Hong Kong: The Grime (Final Thoughts)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's taken me quite some time to get through all of my Hong Kong posts, but we've finally reached the last group of photos for my final thoughts. The trip was in November of 2014, over a year ago, but I can still remember the experience quite well!<br />
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In many ways, Hong Kong lived up to my expectations. In the iconic waterfront downtown business area, the city is full of beautiful shiny high rises, while Kowloon and commercial areas are a bit more gritty and have more personality.<br />
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Hong Kong is a city to be explored. I only had a few days there, but more than one entire day was spent just walking. And yet there is so much more to be seen. I never made it to the former walled city and there are so many neighborhoods and coastal towns scattered outside the main city that are just begging to be seen.<br />
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There are other museums and tourist attractions I haven't seen yet, either. The big Buddha statue near the airport, the railway museum. There must be more shopping, too. The markets I visited deserve better exploration and I couldn't check them all out.<br />
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On the other hand, I feel like I missed out on cuisine. Perhaps it comes from living in and traveling around Japan, but I don't have a gastronomical connection to Hong Kong. I only had one opportunity to try an egg tart, and I'm glad I did, because it was really good. I got the classic Hong Kong-style western breakfast/brunch, which was also pretty tasty. But I didn't get any wanton noodles, fish balls, dim sum, duck, or curry. I would have loved to try whatever kung pao chicken really is in China, or some other spicy Chinese chicken dish. What <i>did</i> I eat on this trip, exactly?<br />
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I hope to have another opportunity to spend a few days in Hong Kong. A return trip will probably be less hectic, since I've been to most of the museums already. And I can spend more time finding good restaurants or at least places to find tasty real food.<br />
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I'll leave you with this, my final photo taken in Hong Kong very early in the morning. I was on the top of a double decker night bus on the way to the airport, somehow weaving its way through this market warehouse street.Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-23720851764983747972016-01-04T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-04T03:00:16.493-08:00Hong Kong Heritage Museum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Located in a nice building way out in the middle of nowhere, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum looks like it has a lot to offer.<br />
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Out front is a nice statue of Bruce Lee, though given the timing of my visit it could have been temporary.<br />
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Inside, the lobby is quite spacious. The museum is spaced across two floors, but the exhibits are all on the second floor. The gold-yellow area is part of a special exhibition on Bruce Lee. To the right, a gallery provided a very well-made and comprehensive history of Bruce Lee's life, acting career, and martial arts studies. The yellow area is filled with a collection of Bruce Lee memorabilia from a collector - trading cards, toys, movie posters, and so on.<br />
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The left-hand side holds the permanent exhibitions.Again I noticed the large spaces, but I felt like I was in and out quickly due to a lack of depth.<br />
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That isn't to say that the museum is a waste of time. I just felt it was a little unrepresentative of what I would find inside. The chest holding old tobacco boxes and tins near one of the gallery entrances was the highlight of the permanent collection for me, because I love old advertising art. See below.<br />
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The first floor has a restaurant, gift shop, and kids area. Being a bit out of the way, I wouldn't make a visit to this museum unless it has a special exhibition you're interested in seeing. It seems that the Bruce Lee exhibit is still there a year and a half after I visited, so it may be a permanent exhibit (right now the museum lists it as current through July 2018). If that is the case, and you're a Bruce Lee fan, this museum is definitely worth the trip.<br />
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The museum is open 10:00-18:00 (til 19:00 on Saturday and Sunday), closed on Tuesdays. It's located across the river (use the pedestrian footbridge) from Che Kung Temple Station, Exit A.<br />
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Admission is HK$10, free on Wednesdays. There is a museum pass including several other museums for $100 for one year, $50 for six months, and $30 for a week. If you can't visit during a free time, the pass may be a good option. The six month and one year passes also offer discounts, including a substantial discount at Hong Kong Disneyland.Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-34623665311212045322016-01-03T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-03T03:00:13.847-08:00Hong Kong: Ocean Park Trip Report<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Long time, no post. There are a lot of reasons why, but let's just say life got in the way. Now it's time to get back to Hong Kong, at least as far as posting goes.</div>
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Ocean Park is a large amusement park on Hong Kong Island split into two by a mountain.<br />
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The entry area has a lake and a nautical theme. There aren't really rides on this side of the park, so I grabbed the cable car over the hill to get to this:<br />
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That's a fun looking coaster, huh?<br />
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The cable car is one way to get from one side of the park to the other, similar to the sky buckets at other amusement parks. These are a little more common in Japan as a form of transportation due to the mountainous terrain. And at Ocean Park, you can't just walk from one section to the next.<br />
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Another benefit of taking a cable car is the view!<br />
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The mountain is a lot higher than it looks at first, and the cable car gives a great view of the ocean when the weather cooperates.<br />
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What's that in the distance? The awesome coaster I teased above! It's built right next to the cliff-side. And I'm not surprised given the limited amount of space the park has. Hair Raiser is the name given to this coaster, and it's by far the most thrilling ride in Hong Kong. I got on several times, it was so good.<br />
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Many of the park's coasters use the hill to their advantage.<br />
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Nearby is an ice-themed section of the park where Artic Blast is located.<br />
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Arctic Blast, like most of the park's coasters, is pretty tame. It has a compact layout that makes it feel like it's going faster, but not really anything else going for it.<br />
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After Arctic Blast, I journeyed down the hill to the Mine Train. Nice little theming touches like this can be found around the park.<br />
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The park would get really busy by mid afternoon, but early in the morning this ride had nobody else on it.<br />
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It's hard to get a picture of a lot of coasters in this park. But Mine Train goes way out over the hill. Unfortunately it's really tame too, and being out in the open removes a lot of the thrill.<br />
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The park has a few flats, but this Enterprise was closed. I don't see it listed on the park's website so it might have been removed.<br />
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The back side of the park doesn't offer much as you walk from the Mine Train back to the main rides area in the loop, though you'll eventually come to a dolphin tank.<br />
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The dolphins swim and play in the large building when they aren't doing shows, and you can see them get fed and practice their tricks.<br />
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So far away... I didn't go back to the Mine Train after that first ride because it's just so far away.<br />
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Back in the main ride area, there are more flat rides, including the obligatory pirate ship.<br />
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Another coaster and... not surprisingly, a Ferris wheel. Let's check out this area of the park from the open-tub Ferris wheel, shall we?<br />
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Swings!<br />
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That coaster from before! It is somewhat painful and gets boring pretty fast. By the way, it's called The Dragon.<br />
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S&S Tower. Either they're toned down from their original excitement level or Asian S&S towers are weaker to begin with. Or I'm jaded.<br />
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Off in the distance, the dolphin show had begun.<br />
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Whirly Bird is one of those flying swing-style rides but less exciting.<br />
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This area of the park has its own cool little art piece too.<br />
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The theming reminds me a lot of the Roller Coaster Tycoon games.<br />
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While the front side of the park has several non-ride exhibits, there are some aquariums on the back side, including the shark tank.<br />
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Sharks are hard to photograph in the dark. Here's a ray instead.<br />
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There was a nice traditional garden but it was closed off.<br />
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The jellyfish exhibit was pretty cool, with several color-lighted tanks.<br />
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Another group is going on The Abyss.<br />
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Games, carnival style!<br />
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Penguins!<br />
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After riding all of the coasters and checking out the exhibits, I headed back to the front. I wasn't able to get any good pictures, but a tunnel runs from one side of the park to the other with a "submarine"-themed tram to get you across. It lets you out near the cable car entrance on the front side of the park.<br />
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One area in this part of the park is themed similar to a tropical island or maybe a Mayan civilization called Emerald Trail.<br />
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There's a long path up a hill including bridges and nice plants.<br />
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Near the top is a big building. Note the two obvious steel doors, which were both locked. What secrets lie inside that temple?<br />
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The front of the park holds the kid's section, where you'll find some rides for the little ones.<br />
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There are some animals here too, like these millipedes in a case.<br />
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There are plenty of play attractions to wear kids out. I remember going to Great America in Santa Clara as a kid and playing in the play area for hours. That play area is gone now, replaced with rides of some sort.<br />
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Hot air balloons for the kids instead of a Ferris wheel. Good call!<br />
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Okay, product placement alert. But these seats were popular as a photo opportunity too.<br />
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Pandas!<br />
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The merry-go-round had some nice theming too.<br />
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Up near the cable car is an "old Hong Kong" themed area. This double decker bus sits near the city's entrance.<br />
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There aren't any rides here, but there are several stalls selling food and gifts.<br />
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Despite the lack of attractions, this area of the park remained busy. But by this point the entire park was getting busy.<br />
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This old tram car was a hit, too.<br />
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You could pull some levers and such, but the upstairs was off-limits. I reached my camera up to get a picture.<br />
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The park even put some old advertisements to enrich the experience.</div>
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Ocean Park is older than Hong Kong Disneyland and has more thrilling attractions. Both parks are good though. I wish Ocean Park would get more new thrill rides to replace the quasi-thrill rides it has scattered around the park. The park was so busy on what should be an off day that the park could really use some more rides to eat up the crowds. On the other hand, I guess finding space for them is tough.<br />
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Ocean Park has <a href="http://www.oceanpark.com.hk/html/en/home/" target="_blank">a good website here</a> with hours, rates, and other details.Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-31849040236235614282015-10-21T03:00:00.000-07:002015-10-21T03:00:05.389-07:00Hong Kong: Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Going off the beaten track isn't really that hard in Hong Kong. Actually, that's true for pretty much every city and country in existence. But what I mean here is that public transportation is so good that it's really not so hard to get anywhere in Hong Kong. So while most people don't head out to see the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery, it's easy to get to and worth the time.</div>
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Speaking of getting there, I had a bit of difficulty following Google Maps, mainly because the road mapping here (and actual roads themselves) is a bit sketchy. Sha Tin Station is the closest MTR station. At the gates, turn left, and head back to the pedestrian ramp seen above.<br />
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This old building can be seen from that ramp; head down the ramp toward the square.<br />
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When I visited in 2014, the square was under construction, but that didn't affect pedestrian traffic much.<br />
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Head back towards the cluster of buildings with storefronts. you're going to head to the corner.<br />
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In the corner of this shopping area, there is a flower shop and a restaurant (those could change by the time you visit, but the buildings will probably remain). Head back in there to the path between the buildings.<br />
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Here is the path you want. Note the "stone" building on the left.<br />
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That path is mildly twisty; keep heading back. Note the pagoda way off in the distance. That isn't the monastery but can help guide you for a while.<br />
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Note the sign here leading the way. Follow the arrow to the left.<br />
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The path will continue for a little while. Just keep going. I believe there were tennis courts or something like that behind the dark green fence.<br />
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Eventually you'll reach some modern buildings. Again, keep going straight down that road. (Note: if you turn left here you'll end up at Po Fook Ancestral Hall with its own pagoda; admission there is supposedly free to and I've heard it's nice.)<br />
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The modern building is the Sha Tin Government Office. Head past its main entrance and keep going back.<br />
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And you'll eventually see this sign. That path will lead you to enlightenment. Or at least ten thousand Buddhas.<br />
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This isn't where the 10,000 Buddhas are. But your trip up the hill will take you past over 500 large Buddha statues, all in different poses. Note the white and red signs here. You should also see at least one sign warning against giving money to beggars who prey on the tourists. Note that the monastery is free and that the beggars are not part of the monastery; they might not even be Buddhists and beggars are not considered true believers. Save your donation money for the top and give it directly to the collection boxes.<br />
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Be sure to enjoy the Buddhas on your way up. If I'd had enough time I would have probably photographed each one to admire later. As it was, I probably shot about 50 pictures.<br />
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It's not an easy walk, especially if you're out of shape!<br />
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While the monastery is quite nice, as you'll soon see, I think I enjoyed the hike up more than the top.<br />
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Ahh! Stairs! My mortal enemy! These steps do mark the final battle in your march to the top.<br />
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The statues up here are a little bit different, too. If you pay enough attention, you'll notice the differences in statue detail and quality as you compare older and younger statues.<br />
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Finally, the top. This is the main building, inside which is the 10,000+ Buddha statuettes.<br />
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There are a few other structures, including a nine-story pagoda you can climb.<br />
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More interesting statues await you at the top.<br />
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This is Kwun Yam Pavilion.<br />
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Various statues and a collection box. I encourage you to donate to support the upkeep of all the fantastic statues.<br />
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The monastery was built fairly recently (finished in the 1950s) and the Buddhas were finished in the '60s. However, flooding and landslides damaged the area in 1997 and I believe it's now finally repaired.<br />
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The pagoda and the statues in the pavilion.<br />
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Looking out from the pagoda.<br />
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Behind the pagoda is another pavilion.<br />
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The main building, which houses around 13,000 mini Buddhas.<br />
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There are a couple large Buddhas inside.<br />
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Each of the 13,000 little guys are unique.<br />
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A staircase leads down to a small area. There are more statues here.<br />
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There are other things to be found further into the complex, but unfortunately my time was too short to fully explore. This is one of those places that I'd really like to visit again - both to see what I didn't have time for and to spend more time enjoying that which I've already experienced.<br />
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The monastery is open 9:00-5:30 every day, and admission is free. Plan to spend a good bit of time here, both for the journey up and down the hill and to take time to explore the grounds. And extra time for the Po Fook Ancestral Halls.</div>
Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-54511556465518858912015-10-20T03:00:00.000-07:002015-10-20T03:00:03.853-07:00Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence (Defense)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Located on Hong Kong Island at the far east end, this museum traces the history of Hong Kong's maritime protection. It's converted from the old Lei Yue Mun Fort, high on a hill.<br />
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After buying your ticket, an elevator brings you to the top (the structure seen in the first picture), where it's a short stroll a bit more uphill to get to the redoubt, where the main exhibits are held. Along the way you'll see some existing structures.<br />
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Almost every old battery and other structure remaining is accessible and explorable, unless it's just unsafe.<br />
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You can go inside the storage areas, and walk out and see the view from where the cannons once sat.<br />
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A small town across the water makes for a nice view now.<br />
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The redoubt has been modernized, in that it is covered with a nice roof and a second floor and air conditioned. The basic structure remains, though.<br />
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Hong Kong is still a major shipping port, and the occasional views of the waterway afford the opportunity to see barges moving in and out.<br />
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You can "explore" one of the guns near the redoubt (seen in a picture above). The old leather pouch remains as well as instructions and engravings for setting the gun.<br />
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Inside the main structure, the old passageways around the outside hold a permanent exhibition outlining the 600-year history of maritime defense.<br />
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All of the rooms are accessible from the central area, now covered.<br />
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The forts were used through World War II, when new fighting techniques rendered them obsolete.<br />
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A series of tunnels leads out and around the grounds, allowing access to the batteries.<br />
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You can go both inside and outside the batteries.<br />
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Some exhibits can be found outside, including this "opened up" torpedo.<br />
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The gun mount is visible in at least one place.<br />
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Continuing with the exhibits inside, mannequins and artifacts help tell more recent stories, including the Japanese occupation during Word War II.<br />
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Old books always fascinate me.<br />
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The second, modern floor of the redoubt has lots of open space, but I didn't see anything up there that interested me as a solo visitor. There is a restaurant/cafe of sorts near the redoubt but not inside.<br />
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After visiting the redoubt, it's a good idea to follow the route down the hill where the other old structures remain.<br />
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Some areas are off limits for obvious reasons.<br />
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One particular trail leads down to the water and the torpedo room. There, you'll learn about how the torpedoes were stored and how they would have been launched.<br />
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All of the old buildings look like they'd be really cool little places to live. I'd totally live in here!<br />
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One of them even has a skylight!<br />
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Back towards the bottom, one of the ruins has a collection of monuments.<br />
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This building was built right into the mountain and stored ammunition far from everything else for safety purposes.<br />
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The monuments come from around the world.<br />
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The museum is open at 10AM (closed Thursdays), closing at 5PM or 6PM depending on the time of year. Admission is only HK$10. Access is easy from Shau Kei Wan MTR Station, though it is about a 15 minute walk. The <a href="http://hk.coastaldefence.museum/en_US/web/mcd/aboutus/introduction.html" target="_blank">museum's website</a> has all the details you'll need.Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-38115957813690283392015-10-19T03:00:00.000-07:002015-10-19T03:00:01.228-07:00Hong Kong: Stanley Market<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hong Kong has lots of street markets. I guess when you have a city packed with families that traditionally preferred proximity to square footage, the shopping finds space in between the buildings. In the case of Stanley Market, the area is a purpose-built structure with a roof.<br />
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Things are a bit more laid back here, and the shopping area functions more like a primitive mall than a street market. Prices remain reasonable, but expect mostly "the usual" here. I saw several stores selling luggage (note the backpack store in the first photo) to go along with lots of clothing (especially activewear and underwear) and accessories.</div>
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You can most likely find everything here in Kowloon's markets too, but this market is more relaxed, and for those visiting Stanley, it's a nice diversion. The market is located just off the main street in Stanley. Several buses serve the "downtown" area and there are many restaurants in the area for day trippers to have lunch.</div>
Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-55007718479954661362015-10-16T03:00:00.000-07:002015-10-16T03:00:08.693-07:00Hong Kong: Museum of Correctional Services<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I really do love going off the beaten track, and one type of place I frequent is prison and law enforcement museums. The Hong Kong Correctional Service Museum is located in Stanley next to the prison there.<br />
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The courtyard holds some of the original wall and a bell.<br />
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The museum is first arranged chronologically. It starts about 160 years ago.<br />
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The old artifacts are the coolest, including this register of officers' reports.<br />
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Old locks from the prison doors.<br />
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There are occasional videos to help explain more about the system.<br />
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The left photo is of an electro-shock therapy machine; the right image is a criminal fingerprint record.<br />
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The top floor tour ends with a replica of the former Stanley Prison. Replica cells are on the left, fake doors on the right.<br />
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The first cell on the left is a modern cell. You know, metal bars and stainless steel toilet.<br />
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The second cell is of the older building with an original door.<br />
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The new cell actually overlooks the gallows, too.<br />
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Downstairs are more thematic rooms. Uniforms are a standard.<br />
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These are name stamps; stamps are more commonly used in Asia (China and Japan, for example) than signatures. I have an official name stamp for paperwork here.<br />
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Every prison museum I've seen has a contraband display. Note the playing cards on the top shelf.<br />
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And here's a book with a knife hidden inside.<br />
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A homemade sword and shield from a trash can.<br />
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Shanks... and a bird cage.<br />
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Stanley is a nice smaller town with its own market and a completely different feel from downtown Hong Kong and Kowloon. You could plan a bit of extra time in the area to get more out of the trip; unless you're really into this type of museum you'll probably be disappointed after coming all the way out here. Stanley is kind of out-of-the-way, especially for those with a limited time frame.<br />
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The museum is free, open Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-5:00 (closed public holidays).<br />
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Regular bus service is available from MTR Hong Kong Station Exit D, at the Exchange Square Bus Terminus. Take bus 6, 6A, 6X, or 260 and get off at Stanley Prison. I used the regular bus service to return to the downtown area.<br />
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Minibus service is also an option from Causeway Bay Station Exit C. On Tang Lung Street, catch a #40 minibus and get off at the minibus terminus near the prison. I used the minibus to get there, which is an experience all by itself.Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-17138409781887692882015-10-15T03:00:00.000-07:002015-10-15T03:00:09.430-07:005572320 (Go Go Nana Ni San Ni Rei) is Back with a Surreal Video!A few months ago I wrote about a group of eight junior high school girls in a rock band that featured five guitarists and three drummers. Coconut Sable, a snack here in Japan, is behind the group, but that doesn't make the music any less interesting. And thanks to "the buzz" their video got over 1.8 million views in the first week alone!<br />
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Well, they're back with their new single, and the video is pretty awesome.<br />
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As I mentioned, 5572320 (spoken digit by digit in Japanese, so "Go Go Nana Ni San Ni Rei") is a junior high school band, with girls from Ebisu Private Junior High School. Their latest single is titled Ponpara Pecorna Papiyotta, and is about the young teens transitioning toward adulthood. They are trying to figure out whether to embrace or resist the change, and the resulting video is, well, surreal.<br />
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It all starts when you sit in the dark in a giant empty room at a school desk with hair that covers your eyes, eating a Japanese snack.<br />
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Then, you find yourself on a planet of fire facing an eclipse!<br />
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Before long, the poor girls are transported back to a 1980s Devo music video.<br />
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This animated "sculpture" head was really awesome.<br />
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Let's all dance with giant crackers. (Those are Coconut Sable crackers, and I think they're pretty good. And no I wasn't paid to say that.)<br />
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The sculpture head opens to reveal more sculpture heads.<br />
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Then, in a dessert, giant streamers erupt from your head which attack a giant cracker in the sky. And everybody has seizures.<br />
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It's time to rock in giant marshmallow costumes!<br />
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You have brought forth magma demons...<br />
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The giant rock school girl will save us all!<br />
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Seriously, the video was something I had to watch a couple times. It's amazing what happens inside of a junior high school girl's head when she eats a cracker, huh?<br />
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While most of you who normally read this blog don't know very much about Japanese music production, there are a bunch of "big" names attached: Yoko Kanno, an award-winning producer of anime and commercial music; KenKen, from RIZE; Hideki Aoyama, a drummer who was a part of (the totally awesome) Babymetal; Tsuneo Imahori, a guitarist; and director Sojiro Kamatani, who has been a part of other big commercials here.<br />
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Happy listening! <span id="goog_1481224906"></span><span id="goog_1481224907"></span><a href="http://www.5572320.jp/" target="_blank">5572320's official website is here</a>, and I believe if you have a Japanese iTunes account you can find the song there. I'm a bit behind on posting this, so by the time this post goes live it looks like the new video (seen above) will have already passed one million views.<br />
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This reminds me that I really want to go see a J-Pop performance live...Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3280903161432722119.post-28055368250212517442015-10-14T03:00:00.000-07:002015-10-14T03:00:00.510-07:00Hong Kong: a walk down the (now-closed) Avenue of the Stars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hong Kong is probably more well-known through its role in cinema than actual tourism, at least as far as Americans go. The images of its modern skyline and the gritty feel of Kowloon - especially the Walled City - both serve to set a specific tone for a film.<br />
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But there are plenty of famous names to go with those places, and the Avenue of the Stars looks to honor them.<br />
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A recent development located along the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront at Hong Kong Harbor, the Avenue opened in 2004 with a great view of the iconic skyline across the water.<br />
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Various "props" are set up to take advantage of the view, allowing visitors to create interactive scenes. The first image in this post is a 4.5-meter tall replica of the Hong Kong Film Awards statuette.<br />
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Some statues are also out which you can pose with.<br />
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The most popular might be Bruce Lee in a classic fighting pose. When I visited, there were plenty of tourists hoping to get a picture in front of this and the other statues.<br />
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That includes this director's chair and "set".<br />
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I don't really know/remember what's up with the pig. The camera makes for a nice entrance, while that funky steampunk-looking thing is actually a small kiosk for food or souvenir sales.<br />
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The squares honoring the film stars look like this. Performers get their hand prints immortalized similar to the Chinese Theater in Hollywood, plus a fancy star similar to Hollywood's Walk of Fame.<br />
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Bruce Lee wasn't alive to give his hands.<br />
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Jackie Chan<br />
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John Woo<br />
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Jet Li<br />
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Maggie Cheung<br />
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Michelle Yeoh<br />
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The Hong Kong <strike>Walk of Fame</strike> Avenue of the Stars is actually closed now through 2018 for redevelopment. The statues are being moved to the "Garden of the Stars" at Tsim Sha Tsui East Waterfront Podium Garden, and an exhibit is being set up at exit 1 of East Tsim Sha Tsui Station.<br />
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It'll be interesting to see what the redeveloped Avenue looks like when it is reopened in late 2018.Ryan Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12670458381967699663noreply@blogger.com0