Hong Kong

Usual Hong Kong Stuff


This is the daily Light Show at Victoria Harbour. The view is taken from the Kowloon Peninsula looking at Hong Kong Island. Honestly, I wasn't very impressed. But Hong Kong's night scene sure is beautiful!


















Another classic picture taken from The Peak
Now this is taken from Hong Kong Island looking at Kowloon.

Ocean Park!
I have not been to Ocean Park for a long long time ... was there when I was ... err 17 years old ( or thereabout )

Going to a theme park always bring out the kid in me : - )

Didn't get to see hammerhead when diving. So this is sort of a consolation ...

Was lucky. It seems like I was there during the feeding time for the Panda.

Panda at Ocean Park



This is actually a panda too. It is a red panda. Looks like a big squirrel to me . But let's not going to into taxonomy here.




Lantau Island， 大屿山
Took the cable car Ngong Ping 360. The scene is magnificent...

... especially when the big buddha statue was in sight.

The long flight of steps ...



Other scenes in Hong Kong

The hotel I stayed is near Causeway Bay. This photo is taken from the Times Square, Hong Kong. ( of course not the one in NY)

Christmas time is near.  Along Nathan Road.

Night Market
Honestly, I can't remember where I took this, probably it is somewhere near Temple Street.

Food!

I know this  seems trivial, but ... the roasted stuff 烧腊, even at those road side stores,  is among the best I have eaten. The Hong Konger ( and Macanese I must add) seems to have perfected the art of roasting.

And of course the tim sum ... slurp slurp.

To or not to be

Electronic version of Hamlet: "To be or not to be, that is the question."

From the 'Trust me, I'm an engineer' in facebook:

There is no such thing as public money ...

A reminder for all civil servants ... and government too

The Ascent of Money

I never knew financial history can be so interesting... with so many juicy gossips.

History from a financial perspective. A highly recommended watch:

Episode 1 - 5:


(There are 6 episodes, pity the 6th episodes in missing in the above video... Oh here it is:)

Episode 6:


And I highly recommended read too:

Can't fully understand the concept of securities and options. Shall make a mental note to ask my friends in banking and finance.

Check if you are short-sighted.

The Code

Maths is beautiful!

It is a pity that I am not really good at mathematics. But, what the heck, I think I know enough to see the beauty of it.

Watch The Code, presented by Marcus Du Sautoy.

The mathematics is the language of life. More generally, the universe it seems is written in mathematics.

Watch the youtube playlist by clicking the link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RAtFSEkFho&feature=BFa&list=PL26EAE8A22F2E6ABE&lf=results_main

Here is a snippet of some of the clips I find really interesting:

2 great scientists and science educator!

Just bought 2 books from Kinokuniya and will be spending my next few weeks savoring them. The authors are 2 living scientists I respect the most. They are the heroes of science education  : making science so accessible to the public, yet never compromising its rigor.

Walter Lewin

Read this ... and realize that science is all around us. I can't find any more apt title for this book. The title is self explanatory - For the Love of Physics.

He just retired a few months ago and this is his farewell lecture based on the book (loosely, I think)




Richard Dawkins

The next book is Magic of Reality. This books describes myths and folklores ( we heard quite a number of them in our childhood) from all of the world, and then, it provides scientific explanations to them. This is actually meant for children.  Well, I am still a child at heart and am sure will enjoy reading it and the nice pictures inside.

Richard Dawkins also has made a number of films, some of which are controversial, I must say. Below is a series of lectures he gave in 1991. This is the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures for Children. You can click on the print screen below to go to its YouTube playlist. This is an excellent example of how science can be interesting and be made so fascinating to children.

TODAI restaurant at MBS

I thought this is a good place to have lunch, especially with 50% discount. Hee hee.

I think it is korean run since there are lots of photos of korean stars. The food is international though.

More on TODAI restaurant at http://www.todaisingapore.com/

ONE Fighting Championship

I am not really into MMA, but I kind of enjoy the fight, although my other friend who is into MMA says the fight is not really good. Well, this is good enough for me.




More info on ONE FC can be found in this website: http://www.onefc.com/
Some of the fights can be found in this youtube playlist.

The Element by Ken Robinson

This book reforms the way I look at education.


This is the author taking about it



Actually i have posted a number of entries on Ken Robinson's idea:

This is on Multiple Intelligences:
http://ykwee.blogspot.com/2011/03/on-education-intelligence-and.html

This is on Changing the Paradigm of our education system:
http://ykwee.blogspot.com/2011/04/ken-robinson-in-cartoon.html

A view from the top

These photos are taken from the Sichuan Tou Hua restaurant at UOB Plaza 1





This clip is taken from MBS. One of the National Day Parade rehearsal.

Coffee!

Taipei 101

Visited Taipei 101 when I pop by Taipei City. This is really an impressive piece of architecture. I believe it is shaped to look like bamboo - hmm ... very chinese.

What is more impressive is that it takes less than a minute for the escalator to bring us from the 5th storey to the 89th storey!

Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall

Sun Yat Sen memorial Hall seen from the top of Taipei 101.


I really have to give it to them. This is inspired by Taiwanese, designed by Taiwanese, constructed by Taiwanese ...

For more information, here is the link to construction of Taipei 101 by Discover Channel:

(do continue to look at other parts of the videos)

By contrasts, the engineering feat in Singapore, the Marina Bay Sands ...

http://ykwee.blogspot.com/2010/11/marina-bay-sands-infinity-pool.html

are designed by foreigners, built by foreigners, used by foreigners... where are the Singaporeans?!?!

Unless you pay $100 to go into the casino and check-in to the hotel room, just to get try the infinity pool.

Anyway, enough of lamenting, back to blogging...
also pop by a the Scout HQ in Taipei. Well, that's what you expect if you go tour with other scouts. hee hee.



Stayed at Ximending, area. A very happening place!. So vibrant, so much to see, not much photos are taken.


A must-eat food at Ximending is the Ah Zong MianXian. Superb! I never expect such a simple dish can be made so delicious.

阳明山 and 北投

The photos from Yang Ming San in summer do not give it justice. Honestly, it is not best time to visit Yang Ming San in summer. It is hot and humid and looks very much like any tropical reserve. A picture search on the internet shows much 'flowery' pictures of Yang Ming San during other seasons.

The Flower Clock at Yang Ming San


After that we took a cab to a hotspring / thermal region at a foot of 阳明山 - 北投.

Food Galore

Shilin Night Market

A walk in a night market is the must for any Taiwan trip. Well ... a picture may speak a thousand word, but it can never describe the sense of taste, smell, and feeling of bloatedness after eating so many snacks as we walk down the streets; and the stickiness of your shirt filled with perspiration in a hot summer's night.

The fried crispy chicken is so many many times better than KFC

Jiufen

A really nice town on a hill. Beautiful place.

Nonetheless, the weather is warm and humid. So gobble down some really cool stuff, literally.

Ice cream popia! and ...

Ice kacang. I think this is called fen yuan in taiwan.

It is really nice eating fen yuan at the shops at the edge of the hill enjoying the scenery after a long tiring walk.

And some good old Chinese traditional tea!

(though I must admit the weather is a bit too hot for outdoor tea appreciation)

Dan Shui

is a fishing town, and Dan Shui old street is famous for .... what else ... more food!!!


I know Taiwan is very advanced in agricultural technology, but the water melon and carrots and ... are humongous ! Oh yeah, some how the manage to cultivate white bitter gourd and white sugar cane.