A fruit named Salak

IMG_0427, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.

Have you heard of this fruit called Salak and whose skin resembles that of a snake? I have not.

So when Chin asked the tour driver to bring us to buy Salak, I was surprised to see such a fruit. They say it tasted like jackfruit. Anyway, as I am personally not a fan of jackfruit, I gave it a miss.

Salak pondoh is an important fruit in Yogyakarta province. In the five years to 1999, the annual production in Yogyakarta doubled to 28,666 tons. Its popularity among local Indonesian consumers is mainly due to the intensity of its aroma, which can be overripe and sweaty even before full maturation.

Salak is a species of palm tree. The fruit grow in clusters at the base of the palm, and are also known as snake fruit due to the reddish-brown scaly skin. They are about the size and shape of a ripe fig, with a distinct tip. The pulp is edible. The fruit can be peeled by pinching the tip, which should cause the skin to slough off so it can be pulled away. The fruit inside consists of three lobes, each containing a large inedible seed. The lobes resemble, and have the consistency of, large peeled garlic cloves. The taste is usually sweet and acidic, but its apple-like texture can vary from very dry and crumbly (salak pondoh from Yogyakarta) to moist and crunchy (salak Bali).

Prambanan

IMG_8457, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.

Prambanan is a collection of massive Hindu temples (candi) built by the Mataram Kingdom, rulers of central Java and defeaters of the Sailendra Dynasty.

Prambanan was designated at a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991 and its global profile as a tourist attraction rose markedly in the 1990s. In the wake of the May 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake, some parts of Prambanan sustained significant damage.

There is a legend that Javanese people always tell about this temple. This folk legend tells about a story of a prince called Bandung Bondowoso who wanted to marry the daughter of King Boko, Roro Jonggrang . Bandung Bondowoso insisted on the union, and finally Roro Jonggrang was forced to agree but she posed one impossible condition: Bandung must build her a thousand temples in only one night. With the assistance of sprints, Bundung Bondowoso succeeded in building 999 buildings. When he almost completed the last temple, Roro Jonggrang ordered the palace maids to begin pounding rice and set a fire in the east of the temple. This is an attempt to make the Prince and the spirits believe that the sun was about to rise. As the cocks began to crow, fooled by the light and the sounds of morning time, the supernatural helpers fled back into the ground. The prince was furious about the trick and in revenge he cursed Roro Jonggrang to stone. She became the last and the most beautiful of the thousand statues. According to the traditions, the unfinished thousandth temple created by the demons become the Sewu Temple and the Princess is the image of Durga in the north cell of the Shiva temple at Prambanan, which is still known as Rara Jonggrang or Slender Virgin.

Borobudur Temple

IMG_7993, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.

Borobudur is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist monument in Central Java, Indonesia.

The word Borobudur is believed to mean monastery on a hill. It was abandoned following the 14th century decline of Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms in Java, and the Javanese conversion to Islam.

It was built in three tiers: a pyramidal base with five concentric square terraces, the trunk of a cone with three circular platforms and, at the top, a monumental stupa. The walls and balustrades are decorated with fine low reliefs, covering a total surface area of 2,500 m². Around the circular platforms are 72 openwork stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha. The monument was restored with UNESCO's help in the 1970s and has since been preserved through several restorations. The largest restoration project was undertaken between 1975 and 1982 by the Indonesian government and UNESCO, following which the monument was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Borobudur is also Indonesia's single most visited tourist attraction.

The streets of Jalan Malioboro

IMG_7728, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.

Jalan Malioboro is a major shopping street in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The street is the centre of Yogyakarta's largest tourist district surrounded with many hotels and restaurants nearby. Sidewalks on both sides of the street are crowded with small stalls selling a variety of goods. In the evening several open-air streetside restaurants operate along the street. Less obvious to the tourist, but more for the local population are the side streets, lanes and structures that lead on to Malioboro are as important as the street itself.

My travel mates and I named this "the Orchard Road of JOG".

巴国布衣 (Ba Guo Bu Yi)

Address : 定西路1018 号近延安西路 (just 10 minutes taxi ride from Hotel Nikko Shanghai)

The name 巴国布衣 means "Sichuan Common People," The last two characters 布衣 mean "cloth gown" which refers to the commoner's garb. Sichuan cuisine is known for its spicy dishes and dishes featuring snake, turtle, rabbit, eel, bullfrog etc. (My colleagues ordered the rabbit meat and Megan & I skipped it totally).

This is my second visit to 巴国布衣, the first being July 2007. They used to have fire-spitting performance but it is now banned. Nonetheless, the face-changing performance is just as brilliant. I was standing merely a foot away and I am very sure that my eyes did not blink. In that spilt second, he changed his mask! You just have to see it for yourself!

IMG_5073, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.

The food that we ordered....

Smile, Lion!

The album for Beijing is up!

IMG_3592A, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.

紫禁城 Forbidden City

Uploading in process....

Flickr : Bonk! xx files did not make it..

Me : This is so traumatising!

I have spent almost one whole day uploading the photos and I only managed to get 62! I even went to the extent of compressing the photos. Still! W.H.Y?

See this urn or vat. It is coated with real gold! (In the past they store water in these vats so if there is a fire, they can use these water to put out the fire).

IMG_3523A, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.

Our itinerary
First day - Weather was really bad ; heavy rain and temperature went down to 14 degree Celsius! Frozen! In the evening, Fen's brother took us to a Sichuan restaurant. Business was so brisk that they do not accept reservations. One of the many dishes that they ordered; I do not know what this is called but this is really power!

Second day - Weather was so much better and warmer. We visited Tiananmen and Forbidden City which are two of the "must-go" places in Beijing. (I am still trying to upload the photos to Flickr).

Third day - We reached the National Museum in the late morning but it was closed!! So we went to the wholesale book stores and medicated halls as Fen needed to get the stuffs for her TCM course. After that, Fen's brother took us to this hype shopping place where they have a 3 storey Uniqlo!

Fourth day - We visited Great Wall! It is a dream came true (for me). 不到长城非好妹. I am a 好妹 now. It was very misty and not a good day for photographs. But I enjoyed the wind and that "meng(4) huan(4)" feel very much

Go Beijing must eat Beijing duck right? We had dinner at 北京大董烤鸭店. It is very nice; much better than all those Beijing ducks that I have ever tried in Singapore.

Fifth day - We decided to visit the National Museum again but it was closed for a special event!! No luck again!

We have a very laid back itinerary. At times when we were not doing something touristy, we chill out at Fen's brother place watching cartoons by Hayao Miyazaki. Anyway, if you have time, do visit Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven; also one of the 'must see places in Beijing".

My checked-in luggage on the return trip was 24.8KG!! Madness! I think it is likely due to the yuan yang hotpot, 10 peaches and one frozen beijing duck. 

20110710 KTM Choa Chu Kang

IMG_2880_Resize, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.

Gone are the glory days

Terracotta Warriors - The first emperor and his legacy

This exhibition features one hundred artefacts from Shaanix province in China. Besides terracotta figures, the display contains important bronzes and jades from the Qin state before the time of the First Emperor. This is the first exhibition of the actual terracotta warriors to be held in Singapore as well as the first presentaton in Southeast Asia.

The first Emperor (259-219 BCE), Shi Huangdi, unified China and established the imperial system that lasted for more than 2000 years. He remains an intriguing historical personality.

Interactive

1) Download the ACM Terracotta Warriors iPhone app.

Search ACM : Terracotta Warriors.

2) The Broken Warriors 3D Puzzle

This is just outside the gallery. Restore the two broken terracotta warriors back to their former glory.

3) Emboss a book mark

Hunt for the unique Qin Dynasty seals and motifs and emboss them onto limited edition bookmarks

One of my favourite photos. I like the shadows in this photo.
IMG_3030, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.

More photos on my Flickr photostream. All photos for the day were taken with EF50mm f1.8 prime lense.

FYI - There is a Terracotta Warriors Weekend Festival from 13th to 14th Aug 2011 (Saturday and Sunday) from 1 to 6pm. On this weekend, the admission to galleries (from 9am to 7pm) will be free!!

(All informaton are from Asian Civilisation Museum)

Schmap: London Photo

About three weeks ago, I received this email from Ms Emma. And I replied "Yes". I mean, why not? I am glad to share my photos with everyone. But after clicking on the below link, I realised it is actually a guide for London ; not a guide about Singapore published in London. LOL. My photo was taken in Singapore at Silk Road Restaurant, Amara Hotel.

http://london.schmap.com/restaurants/silk_road_restaurant

From:	Emma J. Williams Emma Williams
Subject:	Schmap: London Photo Short-list
	Hi Technical Tango, I am writing to let you know that one of your photos has been short-listed for inclusion in the sixteenth edition of our Schmap London Guide, to be published late July 2011. www.schmap.com/shortlist/p=47266196N07/c=SQ1001887 Clicking this link will take you to a page where you can: i) See which of your photos has been short-listed. ii) Submit or withdraw your photo from our final selection phase. iii) Learn how we credit photos in our Schmap Guides. While we offer no payment for publication, many photographers are pleased to submit their photos, as Schmap Guides give their work recognition and wide exposure, and are free of charge to readers. Photos are published at a maximum width of 240 pixels, are clearly attributed, and link to high-resolution originals at Flickr. Our submission deadline is Friday, July 8. If you happen to be reading this message after this date, please still click on the link above (our Schmap Guides are updated frequently - photos submitted after this deadline will be considered for later releases). Best regards, Emma J. Williams Managing Editor, Schmap Guides

Angkor Wat means "City Temple"

The highlight of the trip - Angkor Wat. It was also the 4th temple that we visited in a day. By then, we were all tired and parched. I had exhausted most of my energy at Bayon Temple. If there is a chance, I will like to visit Angkor Wat again.

IMG_1186 Cropped, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.

Angkor Wat is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. It is the world's largest religious building. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.

Bayon Temple

IMG_1008 Resize, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.

The Bayon is a well-known and richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor in Cambodia. Built in the late 12th century or early 13th century as the official state temple of the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII, the Bayon stands at the centre of Jayavarman's capital, Angkor Thom. Following Jayavarman's death, it was modified and augmented by later Hindu and Theravada Buddhist kings in accordance with their own religious preferences.

The Bayon's most distinctive feature is the multitude of serene and massive stone faces on the many towers which jut out from the upper terrace and cluster around its central peak. The temple is known also for two impressive sets of bas-reliefs, which present an unusual combination of mythological, historical, and mundane scenes. The current main conservatory body, the Japanese Government team for the Safeguarding of Angkor (the JSA) has described the temple as "the most striking expression of the baroque style" of Khmer architecture, as contrasted with the classical style of Angkor Wat.

Victory Gate

IMG_0781 Resize, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.

Victory Gate is one the gates into the ancient town of Angkor Thom. Of the five gates, this is the 2nd most visited. The gate can be reached at the end of the Royal Road that extends from the compound of the Royal Palace of Angkor Thom, near to the Terrace of Elephants, past the Prasat Suor Prat towers, and then eastwards toward Chau Say Tevoda. Victory Gate Highlights include the marvelous carved heads (Gopuras) leading up Victory Way to the gate, and the similar carved faces which make up the head of the gate, which are representations of both Gods and Demons, facing in the four cardinal directions.

Banteay Srei Temple

Banteay Srei is a 10th century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Located in near the hill of Phnom Dei, 25 km north-east of the main group of temples that once belonged to the medieval capitals of Yasodharapura and Angkor Thom. Banteay Srei is built largely of red sandstone, a medium that lends itself to the elaborate decorative wall carvings which are still observable today. The buildings themselves are miniature in scale, unusually so when measured by the standards of Angkorian construction.

IMG_0678 Resize, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.

Ta Prohm Temple

On the second day, we bought the one-day pass at USD 20. A photograph was taken and we had to keep the pass with us at all times. It was subject to checks at the temple entrance. A hole was punched at the checkpoint. The visiting hours is from 5.30AM to 5.30PM. We can visit all the temples except KULEN mountain and BENGMEALEA Temple. A three-day pass cost USD 40 (any 3 days in a week) and a seven-day pass cost USD 60 (any 7 days in a month). 

We visited four temples - Ta Prohm Temple, Banteay Srei Temple, Bayon Temple and Ang Kor Wat. (Side note : Siem Reap is not just about Ang Kor Wat).

Ta Prohm Temple was built in the late 12th and early 13th centuries and originally called Rajavihara. It is located approximately one kilometre east of Angkor Thom and on the southern edge of the East Baray. It was founded by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Ta Prohm has been left in much the same condition in which it was found.

IMG_0577 Resize, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.

First day in Siem Reap

We arrived at Siem Reap International Airport at noon (local time). After checking in at Royal Empire Hotel, we decided to explore the town. It is only ten minutes ride on the Tuk Tuk. I enjoyed the ride more than the Tuk Tuk ride in Bangkok. It is also very easy to get a Tuk Tuk. We were asked by numerous Tuk Tuk drivers if we wanted a ride. Some of them also offered to be our tour guide.

 

In the town you will find, the Old Market, Angkor Night Market which opens from 4pm to 12 midnight, numerous restaurants, cafes, massage parlors, fish massage and shops selling handicrafts. We also found a KFC restaurant!! Because of this, I concluded that Siem Reap is less "ulu" than Hanoi, Vietnam. There were no fast food restaurants during my last visit!

IMG_0147 Resize, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.

201009 Brisbane and Gold Coast

When you are in Brisbane, do drop by Moo Moo The Wine Bar and Grill Restaurant. Moo Moo serves Australian cuisine specialising in premium export quality beef. Besides steak, Moo Moo also serves oyster, fish, duck, chicken, pork and mutton. I strongly recommend the pork belly. It's yummylicious! Also check out their wide selection of wine!

I am not a fan of thrill rides hence we only visited Movie World.
Lens : EF-24-105mm f/4 IS USM 
Settings : f/4, 1/1600Sec, ISO200, 28MM, Auto

IMG_6621, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.

201009 Melbourne

I miss having breakfast at Queen Victoria Market and watching the penguins emerging from the sea. We have to wait until the night falls. It was freezing C.O.L.D. but when the little penguins started appearing, I knew it was all worth it! This is their nightly ritual on Phillip Island. To protect the penguins, photography is strictly prohibited. Our itinerary for the second day in Melbourne - Churchill Island, Koala Conservation Centre and Phillip Island (penguin parade - Victoria's favourite attraction!)

On the third day, we visited Great Ocean Road and Port Campbell National Park where we marvelled at the stone pillars of the Twelve Apostles. It was too cold to focus so we ended up doing quick snaps instead.

Picture of this sheep was taken at Churchill Island

Lens : EF-24-105mm f/4 IS USM 

Settings : f/4, 1/25Sec, ISO200, 67MM, Auto 

IMG_5809, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.

201009 Sydney

What I miss most about Sydney -  the Fish Market and the grilled corn from the Weekend Market!

Lens : EF-24-105mm f/4 IS USM 
Settings : f/4, 1/3200Sec, ISO200, 55MM, Auto

IMG_5522, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.

201009 Tasmania

Finally! I finished uploading the pictures that I took in Tasmania last Sept. I like Tasmania; the lifestyle is very laid back. It's no wonder the Australian folks told us that Tasmania is the place that they will choose for retirement!

One of my favourite shots from the trip   
Lens : EF-24-105mm f/4 IS USM 
Settings : f/4, 1/400Sec, ISO100, 105MM, Auto

IMG_6331, originally uploaded by Technical Tango.