Hello (again) Singapore!

In my last vacation post (gosh it's almost the end of the first quarter of the year already, how time flies), I will share some sights and sounds of my home country, where I stayed for close to a week before my holiday ended. I had a great time catching up with friends and was so glad I could be the first guest putting up at my bestie's place. However the best thing about the trip back to Singapore was the chance to be close to my mum again. Although it was a short time, we managed to do all the things that we usually did when I was still living with her. It was as if I had never left. I am completely unashamed of being called a mummy's boy because I am and I feel nothing other than extremely fortunate to have a parent who loves me that much.

"LC Food Centre"... I wonder how LC (low-class) it is.

Another signage WTF-moment (it's everywhere if you look closer). Yes, shop theft is a crime but is that even an achievable act?

I finally know what these hanging CDs are meant for. Are birds really scared of them?

Booboo's name on the billboard, well at least the sound of it.

My first-ever blackout in the middle of a meal. Never has that happened during my 30-year stay in the country and then this.

Here is a clip of the blackout experience.

$8.50 for a full-priced movie and $4 with my mum's senior concession. Can you imagine the profit lining the pockets of the people running cinemas in Australia where it costs $20 or so for a basic non-3D movie?

The overcrowding of the public transport system is getting worse indeed. At least the attendants at the station didn't have to shove people into trains like in Japan... yet.

I first saw these ginormous fans in Sydney's Paddy's Market and thought it was quite a cool idea (pardon the pun). Now it seems like they are everywhere in Singapore.

The speed at which Singapore changes never fails to amaze me. For instance this train line (albeit only partially complete) just popped into service when it was non-existent the last time I was back a little more than a year ago.

Do you know how much I paid for this jacket in Tokyo? 13900 yen! To think that it is selling at a third of the price in Singapore?!?! Luckily there wasn't my size so at least it was not all bad. H&M is still one of my favourite shops though (I fell in love with it when I first encountered one living in America).

Look at what one of my fans sent me. He urged me to write a song for Singapore's National Day and this picture was one of his motivational tools.

I find "gourmet kebabs" very oxymoronic. If you see what kebabs are like and what purpose they serve in Australia, you will agree with me too.

All my favourite food that I can't live without (which means my Australian life is not really considered "living" as these are either non-authentic or non-existent on this continent). Examples include Singapore-style yong tau foo (top left), mee rebus (top right) and Indian rojak (bottom right).

More dishes not available in Australia namely fried ngoh hiang/prawn crackers (top left), Singapore-style popiah (top right), and kway chap (bottom left).

My favourite food in the world in the making. I never fail to salivate at that picture.

Tutu kweh (top left) is one of the little snacks I really miss (again non-existent in Australia). We have pandan chiffon cake here but at three times the price shown in the picture. At least booboo is getting better at making one now so that's at least a consolation.

The fabulous meal prepared by my hosts for me, my mother and her parents-in-law. Oil-poached cod (my favourite fish), pumpkin soup with home-made bread.

This is the closest I have ever been to a canine. This cute little dog (Tofu—owned by my hosts) really grows on people.

My bestie's jazzy rendition of this otherwise unbearable Chinese New Year song. This is the most modern take on this piece I have ever heard.

Here is what ended my three-week holiday on a warm and happy note. I will be back again soon enough people, don't you fret! This picture concludes my vacation series (finally!).

Hello Japan! (part 7 - other videos)

Things have been crazy at work recently and I had to put sorting through my vacation pictures and videos on the back-burner. Thankfully the videos are now all done and here are the rest of the clips taken when I was touring outside of Tokyo (Kyoto, Osaka, Nara and Hakone). My next trip will definitely be with my boo (having him around would be SO handy as he is completely-fluent in Japanese) and it will be other areas like the prefectures of Hokkaido and/or Kyushu/Okinawa. In the mean time, I have these video memories to remind myself of how much fun I had and that I should revisit this wonderful country soon.

Ever wondered how these ultra-thin bonito flakes are made? Well here is the machine that makes it at Kyoto's Nishiki Market. The pre-sliced chunks of blackened fish were the things that amazed me.

Another machine at the Nishiki Market. This time it makes and packages little red bean cakes. With such small shopfronts, it is pretty impressive for them to house such complex pieces of machinery.

A walk through the Nishiki Market. One of the best things about market visits are the free samples on offer (it is best to visit on a hungry stomach).

Nothing fancy here. The giant moving crab just caught my attention and I had to capture it on film.

The street scene at a busy Kyoto intersection. It felt so different from the crazy pace of Tokyo.

This is Kyoto's famous Pontocho, a long narrow alley of really nice restaurants and bars flanking the Kamo River. I highly recommend this to all visitors.

The largest wooden building in the world a.k.a. the Todai'ji Temple of Nara, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

I posted a picture of the deers of Nara Park previously but only with this video can you experience the real "problems" they bring. It is funny when it happens to other people.

Religious singing at Nara Park. I kept expecting a flash mob of some kind but it didn't come. Anyone knows the name of this religion?

The sulphur hot springs of Hakone. This guy working there must be totally used to the pungent fumes that he feels uneasy when he gets home where the smell of rotten eggs doesn't permeate the air.

The only onsen (hot spring) I went to during my trip. If you only have time for one, Hakone's Ten-Zan is the one you should go to. This is the open space shared between the onsen and the connected restaurant (where you can dine in bathrobes).

A 2.6 km stretch of shopping a.k.a. the Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street in Osaka. I only made it three-fifths of the way (shame on me).

A street performer caught in the act in Osaka.

Pachinko madness (what pokies is to Aussies but on a much crazier level). I only managed to stay in that space for the duration of the video and I had to get out. The cigarette smoke and noise was simply unbearable.

Hello Japan! (part 6 - Tokyo videos)

This next post in my Japan travel series shall consist of only videos taken in Tokyo. I find that pictures alone cannot capture the moods and sounds that are necessary to recreate that moment in time. Only with videos can memories be truly frozen to be savoured in the future.

The quintessential way to travel within the city. Tokyo is a place where a car really feels redundant.

The scene at a typical metro station platform. There is a greeter at all exit gates who greets anyone that walks past. Where else in the world can you find such service in public train stations?

This is a sample of the jingles heard before the train doors close, which are different for different stations. This is handy for people who cannot see which station they are at due to overcrowding in trains. I was told each jingle represents something unique to that area.

Shinjuku is the busiest train station in the world. I was shocked when I took an elevator from B6 to the surface to realise there are six floors. You can get totally lost if you don't know where to look.

I chanced upon this live performance at Akihabara, where electronics of all kinds are sold. There was not a single female in sight in the audience, only geeks. This singer must be really popular among the Tokyo geekdom.

Here are two clips of performances held at the Aisotope Lounge (the second clip features a drag trio who sings live and has their own albums—they are very good). Aisotope is a place where there is a different gay sub-culture compared to the other bars and clubs in the Shinjuku Ni Chome area. People there are young and showcase a very avant garde dress sense—definitely an eye-opening experience.

Pandemonium at the Tsukiji Fish Market. If only there were less people then I could actually get to see the merchandise on sale.

This is the street scene at Harajuku. The cosplay kids no longer surface there but how great would it be if they still did.

The countdown to 2014 at The Ring, the biggest gay party in the city.

This the full clip of all the "illegal" recordings I made during the countdown party (including the clip of the actual countdown). Filming is supposedly not allowed.

Walking in the CBD subway tunnel on New Year's Day. It was eerily quiet at the Nihonbashi station—strange but refreshing.

Meanwhile it was really bustling in Ikebukuro, where people flocked to on New Year's Day to soak in the festive atmosphere.

A walk through in Ikebukuro on New Year's Day. I love these exploratory walks for you don't know what you will encounter at the next corner.

Hello Japan! (part 5 - Tokyo miscellany)

OK, let me resume the vacation picture series. Although I did not have my actual phone with me then (its screen was smashed and could only repaired during the Singapore leg of my vacation), I was so glad to have a standby smartphone with me. I hate using Apple products but the standby phone enabled me to snap up pictures as and when I liked and only with these pictures can my vacation story be complete. Many of these pictures were simply random shots of things that caught my attention and here they are.

Notice the four rows of handles for standing passengers on the metro? I can only imagine how crowded it gets during peak hours. It would be a sight though—seeing passengers being pushed into the carriages by station staff.

 

Two of the most famous cartoon cats in Japan. Since Doraemon has been chosen to be the Olympics mascot, I gather that Hello Kitty is still not as popular in comparison.

Daiso floor guide in Harajuku.With a whopping four floors, this mega store dwarfs all others.

Green tea mouthwash anyone? Only in Japan.

It seems Kinokuniya sells much more than books in Japan.

My two encounters with the majestic Mount Fuji. From Mori Tower at dusk and on the shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo to Kyoto. I missed out on getting closer by not visiting Lake Kawaguchiko (one of the five lakes at the base of the mountain).

This is the ornament seen everywhere during the New Year period. I wonder what it exactly symbolises.

Pachinko madness in Japan. Very noisy and smoky inside, I seriously wonder how can people stay glued to their seats in such an environment for extended periods of time. This game must be really addictive!

I am surprised there is a rule against street-smoking because cigarette vending machines are everywhere. It is like not allowing someone to wank off to his favourite porn! Well at least there are many smoking booths around. And then there is this chuckle-inducing sign seen on the door of a smoking booth on the bullet train platform.

Ah... the soothing water-spraying toilet that cleans and massages. This is the thing I miss the most about Japan.

This was one of the rare times I encountered a gym. Yet the Japanese manages to stay so lean (I only saw one obese local man during the two-week trip). The world should learn from whatever they are doing to achieve this feat.

The smallest hotel room (in Higashi-Shinjuku) I ever stayed in—11m² of  pigeon-hole goodness. But it has everything you need so I cannot complain. With such a high premium on land in central Tokyo, this is the only way to go.

On the last day of my Japan trip I noticed this in the hotel room. I told myself I gotta get myself some of this erectricity!

It is a huge thing when trains don't run on schedule because trains are usually very punctual. "Person on tracks" was the reason—it must be an accident.

When I saw lots of men in women-only carriages, I realised this only applied during peak periods.

Although I know the Japanese drink a lot, I was still shocked to see how cheap alcohol is over there. AUD$12 for a bottle of gin?! And whiskey in gigantic PET bottles! These bottles were on the racks of every convenience stores.

"Adult" magazines and photocopiers aside, I was seriously impressed when I saw a public toilet in a 7-11.

To discourage disorderly behaviour in public, there is this peculiar policy in a lot of clubs in Japan. I was fooled on my first clubbing night but quickly realised it was an unenforceable rule. I ignored that ever since.

When I asked what the best gay dance party was for New Year's Eve, I was told this. And there I went. With this flyer, I managed to shave a third off the cover charge.

My first-ever countdown gay party. I was groped many times but was thankful that the group of really hunky local guys pulled me into their circle to gyrate and rub bodies with.

Random miscellany. Why do people want to know the elevation above sea level at train station exits? And with such low crime rates in Japan, I wonder how long have those "Wanted" notices stayed on the board.

More random miscellany. I didn't know QB House (ten-minute barber shop) came from Japan. Now I know.

Musical journey (43)

My next series of vacation pictures will come next week as it is time for this month's musical journey once again. When I was living in America, I was heavily involved in an online community that was set up to share download links, IT tips and jokes, discuss TV shows, debate about life issues, and everything else under the sun. That was a time when I realised that one can actually have strong feelings for a group of people one has never met. This online family helped get me through a sometimes rather lonely period and to show my appreciation, I wrote two songs for the website (it is called "Jimmy's Forum"), one fast and one slow. This is the slow one. If you swap certain words in the song, you can change the target audience very easily. That is how powerful song lyrics are when coupled with a great tune. I like this tune a lot and hope you will like it too.


[Fly Away]

When you're feeling lost and you need a hand
There's always one on whom you can depend
When all your worries don't seem to end
You can count on this old friend

When you're down and out and you've lost all your strength
When your road's about to bend
Thank God, take a look at what He has sent
It's anything but a man

Come on in, take shelter
Heal the pain with laughter
It is our home like none other
With all the troubles in our world today
We need a place to where we can escape

Fly away, on the wings of Jimmy's
Fly away, surfing you along the streets of heaven everyday
Fly away, 'cos I don't wanna miss a single thing
I'm so blessed you came my way
Jimmy, I'm coming home to stay

Hello Japan! (part 4 - food)

OK, Valentine's Day has come and gone and I must say I have never been as withdrawn from this commercial "holiday" as how I was this year. Maybe I am getting old and jaded but I am sure many will agree with me that it is an absolutely meaningless day, or at least not one that deserves this much attention. Well enough whingeing and let's bring on the next set of my vacation pictures.

What is a vacation without plenty of great food as well as the discovery of new tastes and new ways of eating. I also tried things that I haven't before during this trip and I have the pictures to prove it.

A walk through the food halls of department stores is always an eye-opening experience. Who knew chicken skin can be the wrap of choice for dumplings and lotus roots can replace buns for burgers? And those sushi rolls were ginormous!

The famous fruit shelf at Takashimaya. The selection on display looks completely fake and at more than AUD$100 a melon, they better not be!

This is one food item that tastes exactly the same as other parts of Asia, even Australia. It's Takoyaki from Osaka, the birthplace of this wonderfully-gooey snack.

Happy hour with the most awesome view. This is at a bar on the top floor of the Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills. Champagne will never taste the same again at ground level.

I saw this menu item on my first night in Japan and I swore I would garner enough courage by the end of the trip to try it. Yep, that's horse sashimi. To add to the irony of it all, my Chinese zodiac sign is horse and I had the sashimi on the eve of the year of the horse.

One thing I missed out on was a good kaiseiki ryori (Japanese degustation). There were many really nice restaurants scattered amongst the Kyoto shrines that served it. At about AUD$60, they are a steal! Well there is always next time.

Japan is the land of vending machines and the city is packed full of them. You cannot throw a stone in Tokyo without it hitting one of these boxes that never sleep! They spit out both cold and warm drinks which was really amazing. I heard there were ones that even vend fresh vegetables and fish!

But these machines sometimes offer rather dubious drinks. This "cider" is actually nothing more than flavoured soda water.

It was raining the night I was at Osaka and the best way to spend a cold rainy night is to stay indoors and have hot pot! The one I had was an everything-in option (mixed meats, seafood and vegetables) and was very reasonably-priced.

This is my favourite fast food restaurant and needless to say I must try something from MOS Burger in its country of origin. In Tokyo, they have rice burgers with steamed fish in miso sauce as well as onion rings, two of the things I got to savour.

Is this the smallest martini or what? But it was potent I tell you. At AUD$8 a pop, you can't go wrong.

 

This elaborate yet simple meal I had in Nara costs only a little more than AUD$20. You can never find Japanese food of this quality and price in Australia. Unique to the region is the leaf-wrapped steamed sushi (bottom left of the picture).

I was super impressed with the convenience stores of Japan as they actually sell delicious food that I would want to eat. Bentos of restaurant-quality could be found in these stores littered all over the country (they are almost as plentiful as vending machines).

Rows of fried delicacies (left) and oden (right—various food items cooked in stock) could also be found in the simplest of convenience stores. The Japanese sure know how to eat and how to eat well in the most efficient manner!

Can you tell that this is a replica? Japan boasts the most realistic food replicas often found in restaurant display shelves.

Hello Japan! (part 3 - spirituality)

Japan manages to achieve a unique balance between spirituality and hedonism—look at this picture where a quite shrine (bottom) can be found nestled amongst the crowds of Harajuku (top). Another good example was when a gay person I spoke with told me he first went to the shrine to pray on New Year's Day at midnight (like most other Japanese) and then proceeded to a gay dance party. During my trip, I dropped by numerous shrines, temples and palaces and here are some of the pictures from those visits.

At Asakusa, the contrast between the traditional and the new becomes as clear as day. I particularly like this shot with the Senso'ji Temple standing majestically in front of the Tokyo Skytree.

This place would be swarming with extreme crowds when it turns midnight on New Year's Day. Well I am guessing as I was busy partying then.

Is that a giant slipper in the rightmost picture?

Scenes of praying and fortune-seeking. Also, it is believed that you will receive good blessings from the smoke of the burning incense.

The grounds of the Kyoto Imperial Palace can only be accessed via a free tour that needs to be booked in advance where you'd have to register your personal particulars. Because of this, it is extremely peaceful and serene. It makes you pause for a moment to imagine how it was like back in those days when the emperor was still living there.

The Todai'ji Temple in Kyoto is a UNESCO Word Heritage Site and is the largest wooden building in the world. I was very impressed by its architecture and its sheer size. Just look at those ant-like figures at its doors!

Kyoto is dotted with countless little shrines and though I am not a spiritual person, the quiet ambiance there was amazing and very refreshing.

These shrines are a photographer's heaven.

You can find these mini shrines in tiny alcoves by the streets of Kyoto. I heard there is a shrine in Japan for almost every thing one would want to pray and wish for.