Beitou, Taiwan Hotsprings

Beitou, Taiwan is just north of Taipei, about 1 hour in the MRT from downtown (TWD 35, or just RM3.50). This area is known for its hot springs. Even the air stinks of sulphur sometimes.

You can opt to go visit the outdoor hot springs, which is normally full of local people, or you could enjoy one of the many spas at the area.

Most hotels here also provide hot spring water directly into your bathtub!

So, if you're too lazy to climb up the hill to an outdoor hot spring, or don't want to face the crowds there, you can still relax and enjoy the springs right in your own hotel room.

Cutting Creativity

One must have a lot of talent to create a masterpiece so quickly with just a pair of scissors. This woman cuts silhouettes of her customers on the spot in Taipei, Taiwan.

The final piece!

Taiwan's Night Market

Taiwan is famous for its night market. Here's a picture of Ximending right in the centre of the city!

I’m in Xinjiang, China

It’s weird that just a few days ago I was enjoying myself on Perhentian Island and driving along the coastal road on the East coast of Peninsula Malaysia. Then I ended up here in Xinjiang province of China, the area that is most remote from any seas or ocean! What next?
Oh, by the way, there’s still no way to get to Facebook or Blogger in China (have tried proxy – but didn’t work!). So, I don’t know if this will get posted. Hope so.

Little Water Town around Shanghai

Consider this post a little ‘filler’ for the emptiness lately.

Nearby Shanghai (about 1 hour away) is a cute little ‘water town’ called Zhujiajiao (I think that’s where I went). Its basically houses build along the river, with lots of boats around and nice little bridges across the river. The pic here is a typical scene in the water towns. More to come later on…

When Asians take over

The artist’s rendition of a new World Trade Tower in New York. Notice something only Asians do when posing for photos? (yeah, I’m trying hard not to do it too often!)

Modern art in Beijing, China?

Being daring with modern art?

How frustrating!

Its so weird. I have no access to Facebook, Twitter, and my blog (Blogger) from China. Its like being cut off from the rest of the world!

I wrote the last post through Windows Live Writer. When I clicked on “publish”, it returned with an error message. So I thought that I couldn’t connect to Blogger. Mana tau, I got comments on that post (hope I got it published). So, it must have went through somehow. How frustrating it is not to be able to see your own blog!! arggh!

Anyway, small updates: Beijing is quite cold, and the strong winds will chill you to your bones! The good thing with the winds is that it blows the pollution away, and you get clear skies for a day. The next day, the smog is back and you barely see the sun. However, it was much better than the last time I came in March 08. Can’t imagine what it was like before!!

Ok – leave you with a pic of a free range chicken farm in Beijing.

Arrival in Beijing

Wah… new airport! Its so massive. A long long walk from the plane to the exit. Although the massive size, it wasn’t planned out so properly. There were definitely some bottle neck at some parts, e.g. when getting down the plane, everyone bottleneck on this narrow escalator (the only way in). But security was quite high, can check people so many times (especially for H1N1 – they were really paranoid).

The first restaurant you see greeting you at the airport – KFC. You expecting something else?

After another bottleneck to use the lift to the taxi stand, there’s a long line for taxis! And it comes in groups. Your batch of taxi comes, you rush to the taxi with all your bags and move on!

Oh, there’s also no connection to Facebook, Twitter or Blogger! (hope this goes through, and if it does, I cant see it to verify anything!)

 

p.s. I also need a t-shirt that says “I’m MALAYSIAN. I’m not Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Nepalese, Thai… etc”

Japan's Land Problem

Land is so limited in Japan. Particularly in Tokyo city.

They had to protect whatever little bits of nature left...

Even recycling is a complex issue...

Categories of rubbish - plastic, bottles, tin, paper... burnable and unburnable rubbish.

Bullet Train in Japan

I took the bullet train!!

It was from central Tokyo to Osaka. A journey of over 500km in just 2.5 hours on the Nozomi train on the Tokaido line. Bullet trains are called Shinkansen in Japan. This one goes up to a maximum of 300 km/h. A return trip costs JPY 27,700 (USD 275).

Oh yeah, you bet I got excited about it. This is a day trip I'm taking (for work though), so to maximise my time, I had to go there early. I took the 8am train (means I had to wake up and leave the hotel pretty early). My Dad says I'll be passing Mount Fuji on the way. Yay!

I had my little breakfast (bought the night before) on the train. The train was really smooth. At one point, you can feel it accelerating as it gets out of Tokyo city. But other than that, you don't feel a thing. You never realise how fast the train is going, until an opposite train by pass us - and you realise you cant even focus on any window or see anyone else on the other train, everything is just a white and blue fuzz.

Ah... it was a really comfortable ride. So comfortable, in fact, that I easily fell into a deep sleep (factor in the early morning and nice breakfast). Until I woke up mid way... and freaked out!

DID I MISS MOUNT FUJI?!?!?!

This is the only 'mountain' I managed to see until I fell asleep again.

Dancing on Sundays

You can go dancing on Sundays!

Located just beside Yoyogi Park entrance (actually, very close to the cosplay area).

You can do the whole rock concert thing - head shaking, fist pumping action. Its really cute...

 

Or you can do the sweet little 60s dance

Or the more aggressive dance by leather-clad bikers with dubious hairdos.

You asked for it...

(there's a little surprise halfway...)

Cosplay in Japan

If you have a Sunday free in Tokyo - head to Harajuku. Interesting stuff awaits you there!

Head towards the entrance of Meiji Jinggu Shrine (just beside the Harajuku station).

You may see a sign for "No Photo!" - but then, everybody takes photos! So, don't bother about the sign.

This is COSPLAY in action! Everyone dress up as they fancy (but usually following some character in their favourite mangga comic)

 

There's even a make up artist cum hair stylist on standby.

But most of the time, they're really posing just for themselves. They are camwhores!

   

Don't ask me what character they are - how would I know?!

Tokyo by Night

Bright lights dominate the Tokyo scenes! Here's some photos from around Tokyo... enjoy

   

 

Even quiet streets in Tokyo are all lit up!

Harajuku Fashion Guide

Harajuku is more or less the teenage fashion street in Tokyo. It's uniquely Japanese - you cant quite compare it to any other place in the world. This is a brief guide on what to wear in Harajuku.

Its best to go with a good friend. Then you can dress up like twins.

 

Of if you're with a several friends, dress like you belong in a group - not the Mafia kind, but the boy-band kind.

You cant go wrong with either black or white.

 

Accessorise! Hat or head gear, ties, long stockings, wooly boots, etc

 

The "school girl" look is in - and easier to go as twins too.

 

You don't have to be Japanese - fashion applies to foreigners too.

And if you're a couple - dress in matching clothes.

 

And if all else fails... just dress weirdly.

  

Doesn't matter what you wear - you can always get free hugs