Saturday, December 31, 2011

Looking back at 2011

It has been a really fulfilling year in 2011. Work, family and friends, everything was better than expected.

Work was never as bored as it was meant to be. It was challenging but i think i learned alot during this year! I gained lots of precious experience all thanks to my bosses.
Thanks to the new batch of joinees as well that changes Finance division from its usual dull and boring to happy and fun!

Baby Lucas has been growing up well..he is walking now..and picking up alot of new things.

Friendship was stronger in the year, and i had a new grp of "tai tai" (Petty and Wen) gathering every month. let's hope i can bring forth these gathering to the new year!

I managed to travel more than i have wished for. Hanoi, Malacca and Japan which i have always wanted to go.

Met lots of new friends from rangefinder club....it was a truly enjoyable year in 2011!

While i bid farewell to this year, i hope the coming year would be equally fun!

Happy New Year everyone!

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Japan Travelogue P4 - Kyoto Gion

Gion (祇園) is Kyoto's most famous geisha district, located around Shijo Avenue between Yasaka Shrine in the east and the Kamo River in the west. It is filled with shops, restaurants and ochaya (teahouses), where geiko (Kyoto dialect for geisha) and maiko (geiko apprentices) entertain.

Gion attracts tourists with its high concentration of traditional wooden machiya merchant houses. Due to the fact that property taxes were formerly based upon street frontage, the houses were built with narrow facades only five to six meters wide, but extend up to twenty meters in from the street.

Its definitely a must go place in Kyoto.

Tourists crowd the narrow streets below Kiyomizu-dera Temple in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto
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Autumn was telling us to have this famous ice cream made of soya bean here,...
Even thou the weather was cold, we were determined to try it.
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I couldn't resist tasting it before taking this picture.
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Souvenir Stores
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The good thing about Japan is that maps are always available at tourist spots. We just have to followed the directions.
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Along the way, we saw really nice traditional houses...
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We passed by this Kimono & Yukata rental house.
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Friendly trishaw man, its ard SGD50 for a ride round the streets..but fair enough, these guys are going up-slopes most of the time..
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Everyone was in Yukata...and we knew that we were getting nearer to Gion!
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These 2 girls are exchanged students who speaks fluent english..
I like this pic alot, candid shot.
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An Obassan offered his help to take a picture for the 2 of them!
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And finally we knew we have arrived in the land of Geisha! These 2 are real Geisha posing for a photographer.
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Negotiating prices here!
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More and more Geisha wanabe appears...these are mainly locals who dressed up as a Geisha..
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This Family was receiving lots of attention!
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And of cos, from "SUA KU" like me...i kept following them..haha
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So how do you differentiate a real and fake Geisha? Make them smile...the few real Geisha i saw, has really bad teeth...dark, yellowish, which i guessed was caused by heavy smoking. They seldom walk around in the streets during day time and often they have someone to follow them or to bring them around.

Finally, we reached the garden of Gion..It has one of the best scenic here that stops everyone from leaving...
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Gion is full of shrines and temples and we found another shrine here...
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Yasaka Shrine along our way out of Gion.
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Yasaka Shrine also known as Gion Shrine, is one of the most famous shrines in Kyoto. Founded over 1350 years ago, the shrine is located between the popular Gion District and Higashiyama District, and is often visited by tourists walking between the two districts.
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The shrine's main hall combines the honden (inner sanctuary) and haiden (offering hall) into a single building. In front of it stands a dance stage with hundreds of lanterns that get lit in the evenings. Each lantern bears the name of a local business in return for a donation.

Its famous for its "Ring the bell" and make a wish prayers here...
First step, u throw the coin into the well, 2nd step u ring the bell, and u bow thrice...follow by the hand clapping...
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And since everyone was doing it, we decided to do the same thing..but despite rehearsing for awhile, we still got it all wrong. Fion threw the coin as if she was in some competition..it flew over the well...
I thought i did almost everything correct..till we realised....we didnt ring the bell at ALL! Okay that was embarrassing...

Little Geisha dressed for the event...she was so tiny that the hair keep falling off her head while climbing the stairs...
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Isn't Gion Beautiful? I will definitely visit this place again if i had the chance!

Merry Xmas Everyone

Was supposed to continue with my Japan travelogue posting but got so busy during the past week with the Xmas events. Will continue posting for Xmas.

Meanwhile, wishing everyone a Merry Xmas & a Happy New Year!

I had a very meaningful christmas this year, where our department raised funds for a charity organisation...

Hopefully, next year will be a better year!

Monday, December 12, 2011

Japan Travelogue P3 - Kyoto - Kiyomizudera Temple 清水寺

The most look forward to place on this trip to Japan, Kyoto!
And if you are at Kyoto, the one famous temple that you must definitely visit is Kiyomizudera!

It wasnt as hard to go to this place..since everyone is queuing at the bus station to board the bus to this temple.
The first temple that we reached..this isnt kiyomizudera..its located at the bottom of the hill..but its so nice that i thought i should post some pics of this temple as well.
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Thou smaller, this temple is very serene...
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The Bonsai trees in the temple is awesome!
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Locals admiring the stretch of green lusty trees here
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From this temple, we need to walk 10mins to kiyomizudera
Along the way, we saw these houses that looks so alike to what we often see in Korean drama...
Feels like korean right?
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Fion practising with her camera
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The start of the upslope journey
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Okay its basically a walk thru the cemetery, we didnt know till we see this...
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This is suppose to be the house for the undertaker...
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The Garden...
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Finally after 10mins of climbing, we finally reached!
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Before even entering the temple, the surroundings are filled with nice autumn leaves..that we couldnt resist taking some pictures.
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It looks exactly like this from far..maybe better than what i took...Its definitely worthwhile all the journey!
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Its fairly important how the sky and lighting are that make a nice photo..seems like im in luck on that day!
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The first entrance leading to the temple.
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Finally at the temple
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Need to pay for the entrance fee of 300 yen per pax
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The lucky charm booth! I bought a few charms here!
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View from the top! The famous Otowa-no-taki, the waterfall where visitors drink for health, longevity, and success in studies
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Behind Kiyomizudera's main hall stands Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking.
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The charms etc are very popular with the crowds as well
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The kid just want to be in my picture..
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In front of the shrine are two stones, placed 18 meters apart. Successfully finding your way from one to the other with your eyes closed is said to bring luck in finding love. You can also have someone guide you from one stone to the other, but that is interpreted to mean that an intermediary will be needed in your love life as well.
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After we are done, we made our way down to the Otowa Waterfall which is located at the base of Kiyomizudera's main hall.
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Its waters are divided into three separate streams, and visitors use cups attached to long poles to drink from them. Each stream's water is said to have a different benefit, namely to cause longevity, success at school and a fortunate love life. However, drinking from all three streams is considered greedy.
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I cant remembered which is for which, but i guess i drank from the last 2 streams...still considered greedy...lol
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Despite the long queue, the crowds are cheerful while queuing for their turn
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The famous main hall of Kiyomizudera!
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We are glad that we made our choice to visit the temple on a Saturday instead of Sunday which in my later post will explain why. Its definitely a must go attraction if you are at Kyoto!
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