13 July, 2009

Hokkaido n Tokyo - 28 June to 7 July 2009 北海道加东京 - 零九年七月

Went with Chan Brothers to Hokkaido in a group of 30.
I had been to Hokkaido but it was in the winter during Sapporo Snow Festival in Feb 1995.
This time it was in the summer. Weather was good at max 28°C.
Though Lavender was still not fully blossomed yet, we managed to see its beauty.
Hotels were good especially those Japanese style ryokan provided good hot spring bath and good traditional Japanese meal.
I really enjoyed the food in this trip. Kobe beef, Hokkaido crab, Otoro, Sushi, Hokkaido Ramen and etc.
Not much to shop in Hokkaido but we did well in Tokyo.
We extended our trip in Tokyo for 4 days 3 nights. Stayed in Sunroute Shinjuku. It was just opposite the South Gate of Shinjuku JR station, very convenient.
We arrived in Tokyo on Saturday morning. Started shopping immediately upon arrival. Shinjuku, Harajuku and Shibuya were packed with shoppers on Saturday and Sunday.
Also had a hair cut in Harajuku.
It was a great trip.


Arrival in Tokyo Narita Airport connecting flight to Hokkaido
东京成田机场乘内陆班机往北海道


Arrival in Sapporo, Hokkaido
抵达了北海道的札幌


Hokkaido Crab for Lunch
午餐北海道蟹


Plus Sushi
加寿司


After lunch, had a P with a good view of Sapporo
餐后尿尿间鸟览札幌


Sapporo TV Tower
札幌电视塔


Sapporo City
札幌市


Visit Hokkaido Temple
再到北海道神社拜拜


Temple girls
醉翁之意不在酒?


Lavender Garden
薰衣草花园


Sounkyo
层云峡


Hello Boss ! Apple please.
老板你好!请赏我个苹果。


Hot Spring Resort Town, Noboribetsu
温泉小镇-登别


Hell Valley Geyser
地狱谷間歇泉


Get Ready for Hot Spring Bath
准备好要去泡温泉澡了


Time for Japanese Sake
澡后最好来杯日本清酒


Place for Good Sake, Otokoyama Sake Brewery
借问酒家何处有,男山酒厂


And a Good Ramen ?
再来个拉面如何 ?


Shopping for Omiyage Presents.
买点手信回家。


Arrival in Shinjuku, Tokyo
抵达日本购物最棒的地方-东京新宿


Shibuya
涩谷



Shopping in Harajuku
原宿购物街
Green Tea or Wasabi Ice-Cream ?
绿茶或芥末冰淇淋?


LV Harajuku
原宿LV
Prada Harajuku
原宿Prada

Roppongi
六本木


A Little Edo Time of Ginza
一点点江户时期的银座
Bye Bye Tokyo - Narita Airport
拜拜东京-成田机场

01 May, 2009

Holland 0409 荷兰 0409

Went with Five Stars. A big group of 50 pax.
Main attraction for this trip was Keukenhof, the World best place to see tulips.
Went to Kroller-Muller Museum half and hour b4 it closed. Managed to see some of Van Gogh's works. Regrettably, did not have time to visit Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
Also did not visit Rotterdam but just there for dinner.
The guide in Amsterdam was good. A Singaporean, very funny.


Traditional Dutch Windmill
传统荷兰风车


Mordern Windmill
摩登风车


Sea of Flowers
花海


Keukenhof Garden
库肯霍夫公园


Keukenhof Garden
库肯霍夫公园


Dutch Wooden Shoes
荷兰木鞋


Amsterdam
阿姆斯特丹


Rotterdam
鹿特丹


Kroller-Muller Museum with Van Gogh.
梵高与我Kroller-Muller 博物馆


Keukenhof Garden
库肯霍夫公园

Workum
沃卡姆

Sun Bathing-Workum
日光浴-沃卡姆
Keukenhof Garden
库肯霍夫公园

Atomium Brussels
布鲁塞尔原子塔

manneken pis-Brussels
布鲁塞尔撒尿小童
Amsterdam Piss
阿姆斯特丹撒尿老童

Posters Help Piss Fast n Accurate
海报助尿尿快而准

Shanghai 0309 上海0309


Pudong
外滩眺浦东


World Financial Center in Pudong
浦东环球金融中心


Bund Tunnel
外滩隧道


Old n New
新与老


Yuyuan
豫园


Yuyuan
豫园


Yuyuan Night
豫园夜景


Gathering Place for Artists-Tian Zi Fang
艺术家集聚之地 - 田子坊


Very Delicious Ah Niang Noodle. Waited 40 min. Worth it.
阿娘面很好吃,排了40分钟,值得!


Shanghai Maglev- The world fastest public transport on road. Max Speed @430 km per hr. 世界最快陆路公共交通,上海磁浮最快车速每小时430公里。


Hansan Temple
月落乌啼霜满天,江枫渔火对愁眠,姑苏城外寒山寺


Hansan Temple
夜半钟声到客船


Suzhou
苏州


Suzhou Garden
苏州花园




Suzhou Boats
苏州过后无艇搭



Easternl Venice
东方威尼斯


Wuzhen
乌镇


WuzhenWater Village
水乡乌镇


Chinese Novelist Mao Dun's House
茅盾故居


Making Maltose
制作麦芽糖


West Lake
西湖


West Lake
西湖一角


Hangzhou Mei Jia Tea Garden
杭州梅家茶庄.


Nanjing Zhonghuaman
南京中华们古城堡


Nanjing Qin Huai River
南京秦淮河畔


Wuxi
无锡


Three Kingdoms Park
三国城


Three Kingdoms Park
三国城



Wuxi
无锡


Wuxi
无锡

Wuxi
无锡

10 February, 2009

Temasek holdings lost $39 billions last year

Just read the news in CNN, and in CNN it's got to be US$ instead of S$. I was just in my earlier post said that Temasek has more than US $100 billions asset, and in one year it lost $39 billions. Nepotism kills. Who should be responsible ? Ho Ching and those who appointed her as CEO of Temasek?
No wonder she is running away !
I wonder how much bonuses did Temasek give out last year for the good job done for the lost of US$39 billion?

07 February, 2009

Ho Ching to Leave Temasek Holdings

What a great news this is !

There were allegations of nepotism since she took over the job in 2002. If she was not married to our PM Mr Lee Hsien Loong, would she be appointed for the job as the CEO of Temasek Holdings which has an asset of over US$100 billions and is owned by the Singapore government ?

Already in 2007 Mr Lee Hsien Yang, our PM's brother had stepped down from Singtel which is majority owned by Temasek Holdings and now Ms Ho Ching is stepping down from Temasek Holdings from 1 Oct 2009, it makes Singapore a more democratic society.

What's next ? when is our PM Mr Lee Hsien Loong, son of Singapore's first PM Mr Lee Kuan Yew going to step down, so that the allegation of nepotism could be totally eliminated ?

Although it takes time, I hope to see Singapore becomes a more open and democratic country.