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My Trip to Hong Kong and Macau

Victoria Harbour
Like what I said in the preceding post, I treated myself for four days vacation trip to Hong Kong and Macau. I left Singapore in the afternoon of Saturday and supposed to arrived Hong Kong at around 8 in the evening but because of the airline re-timing, I arrived way past 10 in the evening at the Y-Loft Hotel where I was billeted for the duration of my trip. Because of that I decided to stay in the hotel for the night instead of the initial plan of a night tour at the Central district that include the famous Temple Street night market.

A Birthday Trip to Hong Kong

I have never been out of the country for months now, three months to be exact. So I decided to treat myself a birthday trip. I'll be going to Hong Kong, Macau, and hopefully Shenzhen this weekend. It sounds like a long vacation, but it's not since will cover only four days more or less. I'll be arriving Hong Kong in the evening of Saturday until late afternoon of Wednesday. I am not sure how much I can cover the number of places I want to see and check during these four days but I am pretty sure I can maximize my time. 

I have a hard time finding a hotel to stay in Hong Kong. It was only last night that I finally find one. I didn't realize that hotels in Hong Kong is quite expensive even those nice few budget hotels. Should I have known beforehand that this would be the case, I have had booked a room on the same day I booked the flight. Though I have already found two hotels with reasonable rates, I waited until a week before the departure that I decided  to book a room, so the result was that the rooms that I have selected were no longer available. So I have no recourse but to book an expensive hotel since I don't want to stay in the infamous hostels at Tsim Sha Tsui area. Though the hotel room is pricey but it is located beside a mtr station somewhere in Kowloon area. This is the most expensive hotel so far that i'll be staying. I hope that the room and the service will be proportionate to their rate.

During the trip I want the see the following attractions in Hong Kong; The Peak, Giant Buddha, Noah's Ark, either Ocean Park or DisneyLand, the Avenue of Stars for the Symphony of Lights, temple night market, all in two days! A day in Macau and another day in Shenzhen but it is only I still have time.

This trip is not on my task list this year, but what the heck :).

Exploring Palau Ubin Singapore


Last monday was a national holiday here in Singapore being Labor day falls on a sunday. So I took the opportunity to finally explore Palau Ubin located off the north eastern end part of Singapore. For a background, Palau Ubin is an interesting place to visit and explore since its present condition reflects a typical village in Singapore way back in the 1960's. 

The journey begins at the Changi Ferry Terminal where I took a bumboat for 2.50 sgd. The bumboat is allowed to carry 12 passengers only, if someone carry a bicycle that included in counting for the number of passengers. The boat ride is about 15 minutes. Upon alighting from the boat at the Ubin jetty and walk through towards the island, you will be directed to the island main center. Within the vicinity are shophouses, mostly bicycle rental shops and eating establishments. 

The Royal Wedding Live Stream Links

Source


There are a lot of channels and live broadcasts you can choose on for the wedding of Prince William and his fiancee Catherine Middleton. For those who are planning to watch it online, I am pretty sure by now you have already chosen which live streaming site you will going to watch and just waiting for the time to start.

But for those who are still clueless or still searching for the link to a live streaming site, here are some. 

Enjoy  commoners! :)






Just Birthday...


I cant recall when was the last time I got excited when this day is coming. As far as I can remember there is nothing a year that I really can say I had a memorable one. Every year it is always an ordinary day for me. I have never experienced to have a celebration that I can categorize as grand.  This day always come without fanfare. 

Even now. I am not complaining. In fact I am thankful.  I give thanks to the Lord every year for continued support and guidance. Thanking and asking to continue to provide me things I need to survive in His world. 

But just like any mortal, I have some grievances that I felt I have to deserve. I may sound ungrateful but I guess it is human nature.


…Happy not included. Don't bother to ask why.




Red Bull Street Speed Singapore


The Orchard Road became a play ground of former Formula One driver David Coulthard last sunday!  Part of Orchard Road was closed to traffic and shoppers-by and spectators were treated to high pumping  stunts, as the former Red Bull F1 driver  raced the Renault Red Bull F1 race car for an hour along Orchard Road. He also performed burnouts, engine brakes, short sprints, and donuts stunts.

I was stationed far from the action and was frustrated not to be able to take close up shots. Even my panning shots were lousy. But at least I enjoyed the show which is more important heheh. I realized that I have never touched my camera for quite sometime now. 

This is how I spent Easter Sunday. 

The Passion Of Jesus Christ

source

Mark 15:16-47

"The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. And they began to call out to him, "Hail, king of the Jews!" Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him. 

A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. It was the third hour when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.

They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!" In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him. 

At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama "--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 

When some of those standing near heard this, they said, "Listen, he's calling Elijah." One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!" 

Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there. It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). 

So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid."

Source : http://www.cptryon.org/xpipassio/passio/mark/6cruc.html

Gunung Kawi Temple, Bali Indonesia



Another Bali's ancient temple complex is the Gunung Kawi temple situated in a hidden deep valley surrounded by rice fields. The complex uniqueness from the other temples is its carved shrines and royal tombs on a solid rock hill. It is believed that the shrines were dedicated to a king ruler, his queen and sons, and his concubines.