BKK, before the trip home for CNY holidays 2016

Every time, during CNY holidays, if I happen to use Thai airways, I will usually stop by here in Bangkok, a kind of "rituals", and this year is no exception.

First I just want to talk about the hotel I stay, Ibis hotel Nana...The hotel is good, but the location is not, hence in future, this will not be the place for me. The road leading to the hotel is so messy, and dirty, and if u are walking along the street with your luggage, there is no walkway or pavement, and you have to fight the space with the public vehicles moving along the road. Though I would agree that the atmosphere at nite time could be fun, if you like bars, pubs, drinking and girls, they have plenty here.
One thing I have been observing most of the times, I think westerners or foreigners like to visit these kind of places...I am not sure why, possibly these places offer them what their home place could not, for example, cheap beer, cheap and tasty good, with lots of girls and ladies surrounding them...There is nothing wrong for sure, as where is the demand, there is the supply, and that is what making BKK special in this sense. But u can see lots of the tourists, most of them westerners frequenting these places. Do not get me wrong, there is nothing wrong, but I am just amazed sometimes, at how it attracts so many tourists....I am just curious sometimes, and if I can do a survey to understand why, it could be kind of interesting for me... was it the cheap beer, was it the comfortable environment, was it the "worth every cents of your money  versus food, versus services, was it because of the comfort the places give to the visitors, was it the sex service, was it the girls and ladies....
I like the overall feel for sure, kind of like it is a place where you can do what you like and nobody just care about what you want to do....do as u like within the laws, and spend your money on what you like to so, kind of freedom I guess.

And putting that aside, for this trip, somehow, I do not feel so much excited on the shopping that I did, or things that I bought. I mean the feeling is different, from the past....perhaps I do not get too attached to the material stuffs...but for sure I am happy to buy things I want and can afford too.. but I do feel more happy if I can get some stuffs for my family members of friends....it gives more a kind of satisfaction, a balance feel for me.

I love Bangkok, somehow, it is not perfect, but it shows a lot about us human beings, about survival in this kind of environment, about finding ways to work and make money, on being self dependent, on using all your capabilities, ....a lot, I do not know if I say it gives opportunity for you to reflect yourself is right, but I begin to have this kind of feeling more and more. And begin to also ask the purpose of life......a lot to do with the Buddhism topics I am trying to understand, learn and discover too.
Thank you Bangkok, for all these.

The road to the hotel, and this is Sukhumvit soi 4, nite time it is very busy with lots of bars and pubs and massage parlour

The food gourmet at Siam Paragon, I like this place a lot cause it is where I can get the best good in one stop...and around Siam Square, there are plenty of good restaurants at reasonable prices too

Gifts for ?

Clothes and other accessories that I shopped

Choong

IBIS hotel, Nana

BKK, Thailand

31st Jan 2016

My Biz Trip This Time Around....

Have never had so long continuous biz trip for so long until this time around, close to 8 days...covering 3 cities, Guangzhou, Hongkong and finally Seoul (Songdo and Seoul).
Meeting with colleagues, meeting with customer and meeting with old friends.....and enjoying discussion, good food and good company.

Gan en.

Choong
Hotel S.R
Bundang Seoul,
Korea
Written on 15/1/2016, posted on 31st Jan (missed out)

Okinawa Trip-Part 2

This trip was not planned and it was last minute decision to come here.

And every new place I go to, I usually will take it easy, as everything is a new experience, new exposure, new feeling....it is always good and always positive.

And having explored almost all of Naha, and walked close to 60km, from 2nd Jan to 5Jan, I think this is a kind of great achievement for me, though my leg muscles are painful but I feel great...really.

And finding my pottery/ceramic bowls....that makes me even much happier....

Thanks and thanks.

I am ......

Warmest regards,

Choong

Naha

Okinawa

Japan

Okinawa.....my walking journey

I seldom record the details of my walking distance..but now with proper software it is very easy to do so. And you know, if I am not in a rush, usually when I am traveling alone, I like to explore the city by walking... And for the last few days, or starting 2nd, my arrival date, around 6PM when I reached hotel, I managed to cover close 8.77km (mainly around Kokusai area), the on the 3rd, I went to Katsuren Castle, and most of the time I was in the bus until on the way back, I again walk another part of the city, covering Meibashi area and if not because of the rain, I would have walked more. Then on 4th, I was walking a lot, mainly around Suriyo castle area, and from Suriyo I walked to Shikinaen, a kind of achievement for me. And today, the 5th, almost the finale day (tomorrow I might only have a few hours, hence I do not think there will be much walking)...I walked around the beach area-Naminoue, then I walked until Pacific hotel area, then back to Kokusai street, to Tsuboya Pottery Village and again, I walked from Tsuboya Village back to my hotel, that is Mercure at Tsubogawa...it must be a kind of super achievement for me...haha.

And to have met a local Japanese friend during my walk around Naminoue beach, Mr. Kunio Shimabukuro who has been very courteous and nice and I have invited him to visit Penang when he has the free time to do.
And I am very much happy, contented and feel very blessed....

I am....

Sincerely....

Okinawa-Various Types of Food

Okinawan foods, I think it slightly different from what you find in mainland Japan, and I think it is more similar to SEA countries and also some similarity with food and delicacies you have in Southern part of China...since geographically, it is located nearer to mainland China, and there was already a  close relationship established with mainland China a long time ago, esp during Qing dynasty...

And honestly, since I have so much time to explore by means of walking, I have the chance to explore more of the local scene, during my "exploration journey. I think it is very interesting especially in the Makishi public market a lot, as you can really buy, see, taste, and experience a lot range of products at reasonable price here.

Choong

Mercure hotel

Tsubogawa Station, 

Naha,

Okinawa.

Okinawan Trip-Part 1

Have been talking about coming here for a long time and finally I made it, though I have been to Japan main islands many time before and visiting here is like completing a Japanese journey, from Hokkaido, to Honshu, to Shikoku, Kyushu and finally, the final southern most prefecture, Okinawa.

Before I came, I always imagine it to be like Hawaii....but too early to say anything cause I have not ben to the seaside as yet. It is beautiful place, but I find that the transportation here not as good as in mainland Japan. May be they cannot build a full coverage of Subways because of the population size, close to 1.4 millions spreading over the whole big island....so this is something I find it hard to accept as my image of Japan is always good with subways, in any part of the city you go to....hence this is slightly different anyway. And you see USA army camps, it is huge in sizes.... I saw two along the way to Katsuren Castle.

One thing I observe that, some of the locals really look like our Polynesian friends, ,...the features.
Food here so far taste okay and price is about the same as mainland Japan....but the locals are very helpful and polite. And today, the bus driver helped me a lot.....I appreciate his efforts....

Too early to make any conclusion here, just a thought to record down my experience so far.
Oh yeah another thing is, weather is gloomy, hope tomorrow, the sun will be kind enough to show up just for a whole for me to take some nice pictures,,,,perhaps, we never know, life is always good to me...thanks and nite.

I like this figurines honestly speaking and will consider bringing a set home for sure

The bus is almost empty and using buses here are tiring.

Katsuren Castel, majestic and beautiful

I love this custom-made pair of sandal

Walking along Kokusai street for window shopping

The dessert that I like

The OKi card for all modes of transportation

Mercure hotel

Local apples and oranges

Local oranges

Choong 

Mercure hotel

NAHA, Okinawa (Tsubogawa station)

Trip to Hatyai- A family Outing

This is an old article that I didn't not post out. It was a trip to Hatyai with my sis plus family, my cousin plus family and my 4th Uncle.....more or less a family kind of outing. As you grew older, you tend to approach this kind of gatherings more, a platform to get together, recalling memories, revising your childhood together, and of course enjoying the present moment.

This trip, we went to a temple for dana prayers and of course, in addition to that, good food and hoping in Hatyai Thailand.

We at the border before crossing over to Thailand. Here we had out breakfast and exchange for some Thai currency.

Tasting good coconut ice cream together with my 4th Uncle.

One favourite flower, Jasmine.

My favorite food, fish cakes.

In short, the trip was meaningful, religious wise, relationship wise, mind wise......

Choong