Hiya ! 大家好！こんにちは！

29 July, 2008

Tibet 0708 西藏

We are one of the first batches of foreign tour groups to Tibet after the 314 riot. Weather was fine other than a little rain but most importantly it was not crowded. We could take our time to visit all sites.
We received special welcome party at the airport by tour company, dinner hosted by the Mayor of Lhasa and interviewed by CCTV.
On the way to our dinner one day, along Beijing Dong Lu, we saw many buildings that were burned during the 314 incident. We were not allowed to take pictures. Our Tibetan tour guide commented that a true buddhist would not do this sort of thing.
我们是自314事件后最先到达拉萨的外国旅行团之一。除了点小雨之外，天气还算不错。由于游客不多，我们可以从容的游览个名胜.
我们也得到当地旅游公司在机场的特别接待，献哈达和献花。拉萨市长为我们设了个晚宴，中国中央电视台也访问了我们的领队和团员。
有一晚，在去餐馆的路上，在北京东路，我们看到了314事件中被烧毁的许多屋子，我们都不准拍照。我们的藏族导游感慨的说，真正的佛教徒是不会做出这种事的。

Beijing Airport 北京机场

Chengdu airport 成都机场

Lhasa airport 拉萨机场

Welcome party 欢迎队

Tibetan style building 藏式建筑

Potala Palace 布达拉宫

Member being interviewed by CCTV 中国中央电视访问团员

Statue of Yak 牦牛塑像

Jokhang Temple 大昭寺

Barkhor Street 八廓街

Tibetan people in Barkhor Street 八廓街

Tibetan prayer in Barkhor Street 八廓街

Yangzhuoyong Lake 羊卓雍措

If the card pull Glacier 卡若拉冰川

Yarlung Zangbo River 雅鲁藏布江

Gyangze (Jiangzi ) Baiju Temple 江孜白居寺

Gyangze (Jiangzi ) Baiju Temple 100,000 pagoda 江孜白居寺十万佛塔

Tashilhunpo Monastery 扎什伦布寺

Tibetan butter 藏式酥油

Na Mucuo 纳木措

5190m above sea level 海拔5190米

View from train 冰山

Xi Ning airport 西宁机场

Tibetan children 藏族儿童

Yellow flowers of rape 油菜花

Labour Market in Xi Ning 西宁外劳市场

Xi Ning 西宁

Beijing Olympic Lane 北京奧林匹克专用道

"Nest" 鸟巢

CCTV Building 中国中央电视台

Beijing Xiushui Street Market 北京秀水街市场

Blurred Beijing Airport 朦朦的北京机场

Quiet Beijing Airport 静静的北京机场

12 July, 2008

Human Rights 人权

Wikipedia defines human rights as the "basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled."
So what are the basic rights and freedoms ?
To me the basic rights and freedoms should be subjected to condition that they will not adversely affect other people. eg. one cannot walk in a crowded area swinging his arms freely as he will hit others.
So, should we allow people to have freedom to speech that will result in racial unrest ? Just saw a YouTube video titled "Buddhism is stupid and evil." You may think this guy has his right to express his view but in Singapore, we are a multi-racial, multi-religious society, we have gone through racial unrest and we do not think we should allow people such a right.
In the name of Human Rights, other countries should not impose upon Singapore to do things their way. Let us have our right to decide.
It is not just the government policy, it is the majority Singaporeans' agreement.

Article 1 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states :
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."
Sounds good, but why America attacked her brother Iraq ?

The Us detain prisoners captured in Afghanistan and currently being held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba without giving them the right to be trial in court, you call this Human rights ?

If you go to the US, the way you are treated by the immigration and the custom, you will wonder how could these people criticise others on Human Rights ?

10 July, 2008

成语猜谜

胡锦涛在八国峰会上说话 - 胡说八道。

08 July, 2008

Bangkok 0708 曼谷

Went to Bangkok with Ken and friends on 30 June 2008. They were there attending a 2 days hair dressing course.
We stayed at Amari Watergate Hotel, nice 4* hotel and well located in busy and noisy downtown. At night we went drinking at RCA, Bed Supper Club, Hyatt Hotel and a local club Songsalueng at Thonglor 21, Sukhumvit 55. Bed was nice but need to produce passport. For guys covert charge is 600 bahts, ladies are free.
Ken and friends went to Pattaya after the course and I moved into Metropolitan Hotel next to Banyan Tree. It is a nice and quiet hotel located at business district. The room is very big and the service is excellent.
Went for a one day trip to Tiger Temple which was amazing to see so many tigers in such a close proximity. So glad to be able to take photos with the tigers.
Tried to book for a dinner at Sky Bar on 64 storey of State Tower but it was fully booked from Thursday till Sunday. So settled with Breeze on 52 storey of the same building. We sat at the open area of the restaurant. In my opinion, it is more beautiful than Sky Bar and it serves Asian food too. After dinner we moved up to Distil Bar on 64 storey to drink.
I think it is a better option to dine at Breeze and drink at Distil Bar later than dinning and drinking at Sky Bar.
On the whole it was a great trip.

Very nice Chicken Rice stall at Petchburi Road opposite Pratunam Complex. Open from 11am. Must try. Saw people carrying guide books there.
在Pratunam 带有古早味的鸡饭。生意很好。好多人拿着旅行指南找到那儿去。一定要去，十一点开门。

Highly recommended Zanotti Italian Restaurant at Sala Daeng Rd turned out to be a so so place in my opinion. It is cramped, my steak was disappointing. I will rate it at 6 out of 10.
在Sala Daeng出名的Zanotti 義大利餐馆。结果有点失望。

A simple local restaurant which is nice and cheap but have to queue.
便宜好吃的小食店。要排队哦！

Near Somtam restaurant. Another good restaurant with nice Thai food.
Siam Square 不错的泰国餐馆。

Reclining Buddha
好命佛-睡佛。

At Metropolitan Hotel. I like the idea of projecting a clock onto the wall
在我住的Metropolitan Hotel，把鐘投影在墙上，这idea不错。

Floating Market
水上人家

River Kwai Bridge
桂河桥

Hellfire Pass is the name of a railway cutting on the Death Railway in Thailand. It was built by the POWs of the Australian, British, Dutch and Indians. Majority of the railway had been destroyed by the Royal Air force during the war.
泰缅死亡铁路记念馆

Tiger Temple 虎虎大睡

虎光山色

Tiger Temple.
不入虎穴焉得虎子

Four Faces Buddha
东张西望，瞻前顾后的四面佛

When in Bangkok, must go to State Tower at night. might go Breeze on 52 storey for dinner then drink at Distil Bar or Sky Bar on On 64 storey. Night view of Bangkok is fantastic.
在曼谷，一定要去State Tower 看夜景。先去52楼的Breeze 吃饭，再去64楼的Sky Bar 喝酒看夜景。

The Palace
皇宫

I was not allowed to get into the Palace as I was in shorts. Forced to buy a pair of paints at 100 bahts (S$4) to get in. And I like the paints,
穿短裤不能进皇宫，结果买了条新币４块的裤子来穿。

The Palace 皇宫

New Suvarnabhumi Airport of Bangkok.　
曼谷新机场