Japanese Whiskey Appreciation
Mention Japanese food and we think of sushi, sashimi and ramen. Mention Japanese beverages and we think of green tea and sake. However, we never associated Japan with whiskey until recently.
Category: Beyond the Dot
How to Trade-In Your Old Camera in Tokyo
For many of us photographers who shoot with DLSR cameras and all it’s associated lenses, we would have accumulated some lenses and old camera bodies over the years as we progress through the hobby. Very often we wonder what to do with the old equipment even as we continue to upgrade to new equipment. And then there are those who suffer from GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) who often have a whole storeroom of photography equipment.
Old Town Revival
So I found myself back in Ipoh again this spring for a family visit. This time I decided to visit the old town area which has been experiencing a rejuvenation of sorts over the past few years. Continue reading “Old Town Revival”
Inle Lake
Inle Lake was the fourth and final stop in our trip to Myanmar before heading back to Yangon. Due to lack of time we only spent 1 day here, but if we really could, we would have spent 2 days at least and I would recommend that anyone who visits here do that. This is the last blog for my series on Myanmar. For my other blogs on Myanmar, you click on the following: Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay, Mingun. Continue reading “Inle Lake”
The World Wonder that Wasn’t
There are some incredible sights of the ancient wonders of the world like the Great Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt and the Great Wall of China of which I have been blessed to be able to visit these 2 places and look upon their wonder. However, how about those places which never made it to the list of ancient wonders? The wannabes who might have endured to amaze their descendants? Read on, for this is one of those places which might have made it into the annals of historical wonders. Continue reading “The World Wonder that Wasn’t”
The Road to Mandalay
Just hearing the name Mandalay conjures up images of old British colonial Burma, and nowhere is this more vivid than in Rudyard Kipling’s poem of the same name:
By the old Moulmein Pagoda, lookin’ eastward to the sea,
There’s a Burma girl a-settin’, and I know she thinks o’ me;
For the wind is in the palm-trees, and the temple-bells they say:
“Come you back, you British soldier; come you back to Mandalay!”
Kipling’s poem was written for a bygone era that has been romanticized in literature. Nowadays it’s best not to bring up past British colonialism unless you want to cause a diplomatic faux pas.
Land of a Thousand Pagodas
Bagan was the second stop of our journey to Myanmar, and is also the main reason tourists come to Myanmar. This mystical land will bring out the Indiana Jones in you as you explore the ancient temples. For more on Yangon where we started our journey, click here. Continue reading “Land of a Thousand Pagodas”
Yangon in a Day
This is the first in a series of blog posts on my recent trip to Myanmar (previously called Burma) in December of 2017. As we spent more time in other areas of Myanmar compared to Yangon, this post will summarize what you can do if you have only 1 day in Yangon. Continue reading “Yangon in a Day”
In a Little Submarine
It was my first time to Surabaya and we had only a few hours to see what Surabaya had to offer once we left the cruise ship. It was time for a quick decision and I decided that visiting a submarine parked smack in the middle of the city seems like a good idea. That, and that there are a couple of shopping malls where we could spend our time afterwards made the decision easier to make.
Unseen
Usually when we visit a place we only see the good side of it. After all, who wants to see depressing slums and shanty towns when we can enjoy the modern shopping malls and eat good food in the main tourist areas. But then like a person, every city has the public side that is shown to the whole world, and the unseen side which is hidden from view.
Beyond the Little Red Dot 