WIN 10 Free Movie Tickets Daily!

Enter this daily draw for the chance to walk away with 10 movie tickets each ( 2 winners per day)!! Last day for the draw is 5th December 2010 and according to the website, the result of the draw will be announced at 1700hr each day. It is effortless: click the tab, fill in your details, answer a super easy question and hit SUBMIT!

Good Luck!!!!!

Good Lobang 2

Nab Nimble Nate!

This is a contest by Nokia to promote the latest model, N8!! From now till 5th November 2010, there will be a challenge each day and if you get the answer right to the challenge, you might walk with $1000 for that day!! There are now 8 challenges left till the final hunt for NATE!!!! So everybody still has a chance to win the $1000!!!! Go try it now!!!!

Good Lobang 1

If I get to go to Tokyo...

I will dress up as one of my favourite animes' characters.

Naruto would attract a lot of attention. I have the head band but seriously, i wonder where can I get an orange overall just like Naruto's. Hmmmm...

Or I can do a Luffy from One Piece. This should be pretty easy - straw hat + berms.

Or how about Ichigo from Bleach? Hmmmm...

Getting to Tokyo Station from Haneda Airport

By Tokyo Monorail

1 transfer, 30 minutes, 620 yen, frequent connections

Take the JR Yamanote or JR Keihin-Tohoku Line from Tokyo Station to Hamamatsucho Station (5 minutes, 150 yen) and transfer to the Tokyo Monorail to Haneda Airport (20 minutes, 470 yen).

By Keikyu Railways

1 transfer, 35 minutes, 560 yen, frequent connections

Take the JR Yamanote or JR Keihin-Tohoku Line from Tokyo Station to Shinagawa Station (10 minutes, 160 yen) and transfer to the Keikyu Airport Line to Haneda Airport (20 minutes, 400 yen).

By limousine bus

Direct, 40 minutes, 900 yen, 1-2 connections per hour

Limousine buses to Haneda Airport depart Tokyo Station every 30 to 60 minutes. The one way journey takes about 40 minutes and costs 900 yen.

Above fees and schedules are subject to change. For the current Yen exchange rate, click here.

Source: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2430.html

I think the subway is a better choice than the limousine bus - cheaper and faster. ^^

Discover Japan via Haneda Airport, Tokyo

This is super cool, the JNTO Singapore is having this contest - Discover Japan via Haneda Airport, Tokyo - to celebrate the launch of the Haneda Airport's handling of international flights. It was formally known as the Tokyo International Airport when it opened in 1931. When the Narita International Airport was completed in 1978, it took over the international flights and Haneda Airport was left to handle the domestic flights.

On 31st October 2010, it will be a historic moment for Haneda Airport as it will be welcoming international passengers again. I sure hope to be one of the first many to be there; please let me win this contest.

Let's see... if I win the contest, I will leave Singapore on 31st October 2010 and I will have 3 airlines to choose from: Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways.

Singapore Airlines

31st October: Leaves Singapore at 1530hr and reaches Tokyo (HND) at 2305hr

2nd November: Leaves Tokyo at 0625hr and reaches Singapore at 1250hr

Japan Airlines

31st October: Leaves Singapore at 0820hr and reaches Tokyo (HND) at 1610hr

2nd November: Leaves Tokyo at 2350hr and reaches Singapore at 0630hr (the next day)

All Nippon Airways

31st October: Leaves Singapore at 2200hr and reaches Tokyo (HND) at 0600hr (the next day)

2nd November: Leaves Tokyo at 2330hr and reaches Singapore at 0620hr (the next day)

Seriously, I think JAL has the best timing and I shall be designing my itinerary according to this flight which allows me to enjoy Tokyo as much as possible.

Ha ha Halloween... We are waiting for your screams...

The song is so so so cool loh... so Hong Kong... (^,^)v

Escape Theme Park

This is cool, another Halloween event in Singapore. The more of such events the spookier Singapore becomes in the month of October... Woooooo....

Source: http://www.escapethemepark.com.sg/events/index.aspx

Write a Ghost Story and on your blog/website or even Wild Wild Wet Facebook page. After completeing your story, share & post the link of your story on Wild Wild Wet Facebook page. Get your friends to like your story and you could walkaway with fantastic prizes Top Prize Story post with most ‘Likes’ wins 2 Pairs of Escape to “Hell”oween tickets and 2 Timex watch Consolation Prizes 5 pair of Escape to “Hell”oween tickets to be givenaway Terms & Conditions - Each user is limited to one story entry only - Winners will be notified via Wild Wild Wet Facebook Page in the Wall section on the 22th Oct 2010 - Prizes are not exchangeable for cash and are not refund-able. E-Card Tagging Contest Download one of the “Hell”oween e-card from HERE. Post your chosen “Hell”oween e-card photo on our Wild Wild Wet Facebook page and tag as many of your friends to invite them to Escape to “Hell”oween event. The E-Card with the most of tags & “likes” will win a 1 pair of Escape to "Hell"oween tickets and a Timex Watch Terms & Conditions - Limited to one e-card entry per submitter - Winners will be notified via Wild Wild Wet Facebook Page in the Wall section on the 22th Oct 2010 - Prizes are not exchangeable for cash and are not refund-able.

Avenue of Stars... wooooo...

Wooooooooooooooooooooo....

It is really cool to dress up as a ghost or something and walk on the street. Kind of AA (attracting attention) but hey, you don't do it all the time; only once (and maybe a few more times) a year during Halloween. We don't dress up during the Chinese 7th lunar month... *choy* people will think I am crazy if I do that during that time... *touch wood*

I will dress up as a Vampire if I get to go to the Avenue of Stars. I have to be properly dress up in order to match the status of this area. (^,^)v

Woooooooooooooooooooo...

Saw the Halloween Parade on TV again.

I remembered seeing the Halloween Parade 2010 @ HK's Disneyland being featured on TVBS the other time. That was how I got to know about this eerie parade in the first place. Anyway, I saw it on TV again a few minutes ago. I think it would be really interesting to go to Hong Kong to have a look no matter what.

We should have something like that here in Singapore. Maybe at the Universal Studios Singapore (USS)? Ya, I think that will be fantastic. Now, let me see... how can I contact the good people from USS... hmmm...

Hong Kong Disneyland's Halloween Parade 2010!

Credits to http://www.youtube.com/user/usji

This parade is so cool... I want to be there... (^,^)v

Halloween Horrors 2010 @ Singapore Night Safari

source: http://www.halloweenhorrors.com.sg/events.html#trainofterror

Are you ready for the scariest ride of your life? Are you sure? Then get on the 'Train of Terror'!!

The Night Safari (Singapore) is proud to present Halloween Horrors 2010! Other than the 'Train of Terror', visitors will also get to experience the 'Trail of the Undead', 'Memories of the Departed', 'Scares Galore', 'Gruesome Treats' and 'Haunted Village @ Singapore Zoo'.

Do note that the Horrific activities only happen on the following dates: 2,8,9,15,16, 22, 23, 29, 30 and 31 October 2010. Tickets can be bought online and over the counter.

B O O O O ~ ~ ~

B o o o

The Chinese celebrates the Hungry Ghost Festival every 7th lunar month of the year. The Westerners have their own version as well - Halloween. It falls on the last day of October, ie 31st October.

Kids are the happiest bunch of people on earth on this day as they dressed up and go around the neighbourhood trick-or-treating. Over the years, Halloween has been gaining popularity in Asian cities like Singapore and Hong Kong who also party on this special day.

Over the next few days, I will be sharing more of this festival and the Halloween happenings in Hong Kong and Singapore.

B O O O ~ ~ ~

Ben & Jerry's CHUNKFEST 2010 is back when I am back!

Hippie Hooray! Can you feel it? Can you hear it? Can you taste the excitement that's coming your way? Right behind the curtain, we are buzzing like bees as Chunk Fest sets to take on centre-stage once again.

It's the very same, one and only, hippie-themed ice cream festival held once every year in Singapore, since 2008. Celebrating all things good – peace, love and of course, Vermont's finest ice cream from Ben & Jerry's.

This year, we're swirling in more groovy mixes of hippy-trippy ice cream (with 12 exclusive flavors, specially flown in just-for-the-day), sweet sweet moosic, and lots of other fun-tastic activities – like the ever-awesome Vermonster Challenge everyone loves!

So get ready to party like never before at Chunk Fest 2010 – it's gonna be a real blast from the past!

Check out the flavours: http://www.chunkfest.com/flavors/

My first batch of graduates...

Rain rain rain... so much...

Source: http://imcms2.mediacorp.sg/CMSFileserver/documents/006/PDF/20100719/1907HNP003.pdf

It has been raining and raining in Singapore and flooding occurred again and again. Isn't the Marina Barrage suppose to prevent floods in the low lying areas? What happened?

Mistakes in the design? Miscalculations?

All in all, it doesn't look good for Singapore; these floods can be and should be prevented. 

But the above picture showed that Singaporeans are willing to help each other when someone is in trouble. And, that's nice. 

Sony Alpha 550

Now this camera looks very attractive to me... should I buy it? 

Source: http://www.sony.com.sg/microsite/dslr/promotion/promotion.html#a550

This is so true.

Fake ATM in Beijing

Source: http://www.china.org.cn/china/2010-06/21/content_20308444.htm

Oh my gosh... there is fake ATM in Beijing!! 

Some of the PRCs are really "innovative" to come up with this idea. 

佩服，佩服。

门当户对?

“门当”与“户对”最初是指古代大门建筑中的两个重要组成部分。 
门当原本是指在大门前左右两侧相对而置的一对呈扁形的石墩或石鼓（用石鼓，是因为鼓声宏阔威严、厉如雷霆，人们以为其能避鬼推崇）；户对则是指位于门楣上方或门楣两侧的圆柱形木雕或雕砖，由于这种木雕或砖雕位于门户之上，且为双数，有的是一对两个，有的是两对四个，所以称为户对。 
用木头雕刻的户对位于门楣上方，一般为短圆柱形，每根长一尺左右，与地面平行，与门楣垂直；而用砖雕刻而成的户对则位于门楣两侧，上面大多刻有以瑞兽珍禽为主题的图案。 
根据建筑学上的和谐美学原理，大门前有门当的宅院必有户对，所以，门当、户对常常被同呼并称。又因为门当、户对上往往雕刻有适合主人身份的图案，且门当的大小、户对的多少又标志着宅第主人家财势的大小，所以，门当和户对除了有镇宅装饰的作用，还是宅第主人身份、地位、家境的重要标志。 
所以，门当户对逐渐演变成社会观念中衡量男婚女嫁条件的一个成语，在今天，反而被人忽略了其原来的意思。 

In short, (a) doesn't match with (b) and (c) but (b) and (c) match. 

I am a 好汉!

Attempting to do star jumps... 

Hutong 胡同

Now, it is not easy to say Hutong like the Beijingers. They say it with a 'r' at the end, so it sounds like Hutongr. I am pretty sure that people from other provinces or countries will not say it as well as a Beijinger. 

Anyway, Hutongs are narrow streets within a neighbourhood. They are the corridors of Siheyuan , traditional courtyard residences. So imagine an area filled with Siheyuan and the streets between them are hutongs. 

 

Some paintings on the walls of a hutong. 

Singapore has Orchard Road and Beijing has Wang Fu Jing

All countries have their own unique and famous shopping streets. Singapore has Orchard Road and Beijing has Wang Fu Jing Night Market (王府井). There are many shopping malls along this street; some have been here for decades and some were only built a few years back. This is the place you should visit if you are to visit Beijing as there is a fusion of new and old stuff - you can find high-end brands such as Gucci and LV or you can turn around at the corner ahead and see traditional Chinese masks and keychains. 

The name of this street is derived from this well. Wang = King, Fu = Residence, Jing = well.

Look at the malls they have here, old ones are being renovated and upgraded while new ones are being built from time to time.

Inside this relatively new mall, I found a Uniqlo store!! Seems like Uniqlo can be found in most of the big cities. The large LED screen was showing a World Cup match and an area was furnished with chairs so that shoppers can sit down and enjoy the matches. 

One can find a lot of old Chinese stuff here... I tried the 冰糖葫芦 but didn't like it - too sweet for me. 

For those who are adventurous enough, you can try the fried scorpions or starfishes... 

  

There is a church here, St Joseph's Church. From wikipedia: "A small church was first established in 1653 on the open grounds by the Jesuit Father Lodovico Buglio.^[1] Later several earthquakes and wars gradually destroyed the church. It was rebuilt in 1904 as a Romanesque cathedral, with strong pilasters and one high and two low vaults displaying a grandiose architectural style. After the restoration in 1980, the church reopened. Because of its geographic location, the Church faces west."

The church as seen in the day.

Some interesting statues along Wang Fu Jing. 

Bird Nest? In Beijing?

Yup, there is a huge bird nest in Beijing. 

Unless you have been staying in Mars for the past 2-3 years, you should know this 'bird nest' pretty well. The official name for this place is the Beijing National Stadium and 'Bird Nest' is the nickname given to it (as it really looks like one). It was used in 2008 for the Beijing Olympics. 

The Bird Nest came into sight as our coach reached our destination.

The design is really unique and it really looks like a Bird Nest.

The weather was hot so this ice pop really came at the right time.

Now say "茄子"

Ready, Set, GO!!!!

World Expo 2010 @ Shanghai (Part 3)

The rainy weather made my pictures looked gloomy.

The South Korea's pavilion walls are decorated with the Korean words.

In short, the World Expo 2010 @ Shanghai is definitely worth a visit but do expect to see people and more people everywhere.