Secret Wall

There's a secret about this wall. What do you think it is?

這道牆有玄機，猜猜看是什麼。

京都祇園、いづ重



Canon Kiss X3
EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM
Aperture

It was THIS good! 就是這～麼好吃！

The o-inari-san was THIS good!

More on this century old sushi restaurant in Kyoto later. Stay tuned!

Thanks, Gloria Huang for taking my picture!

Canon Kiss X3

EF 35mm f1.4L USM

Aperture

Blessed 幸福

京都金閣寺

Golden Pavilion, Kyoto, Japan

我覺得我好幸福喔。有家人疼我，朋友愛我，還有有自由讓我到處走，到處看。真的好幸福，好幸福！


I feel so lucky to be loved by family, cared for by friends and have the freedom to go places and see things. I am so, so, so blessed.


家族に愛されて、友達に可愛がれて、あっちへ行ったりこっちへ行ったり、自由自在に動き回ったりしてる私は本当に幸せです。とてもとても幸せです。






Canon Kiss X3
EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM
Photomatix Pro
Aperture

Hello from 京都 Kyoto! And thank you!

Hello from the bamboo forest of Arashiyama in Kyoto, Japan! Thank you everyone for your warm birthday wishes!!

Thank you, Mom, Dad, Mama, Michael, Daniel and Quyen for having me and being my family.

Kyoto Hanatouro 京都花灯路

When the light of the bamboo weaved lanterns lit up Gion’s stone paved streets and bathed the low, stone and wooden walls, and bamboo fencing in a soft, orange glow, I was instantly transported to a different world, in a different time. “Oideyasu, Hanatouro,” I heard in my head, in a singsong tone that a maiko might speak. “Welcome to Hanatouro.”

The lanterns’ gentle glow against the earthy building materials made me feel especially warm in the cold, winter air. Each street in Gion is quite short and windy, and there was a new view and surprise at every turn. It was a pleasure to guess what shape the next set of lanterns will take, what they will light up and what charming store or restaurant entrance they will showcase.

In contrast to Taipei’s Pingxi lanterns that were sent up to the sky, Hanatouro’s lanterns were fixed to the ground. The Pingxi sky lanterns gave me a feeling of hope as my eyes followed them up to the heavens, while the Hanatouro lanterns gave me a sense of not just nostalgia, but of stability as well as an appreciation of the present and the past.

I’d like to visit Hanatouro again, maybe next time in my kimono, hopefully with a handsome young man also wearing a kimono. But if not, then my yakuza-looking uncle will do too. :)

Notes -
Timing: go on a weekday, otherwise you’d be looking at crowds of people and not lanterns. Hanatouro doesn’t attract incredibly huge crowds of people like the cherry blossoms do, so you can still catch moments when a street is clear of bodies to take pictures, or if you’re just walking around, it’s also very nice to not be shoulder to shoulder with other tourists. The festival is held in December and in March. http://www.hanatouro.jp
Photos: bring a tripod (a point-and-shoot camera will do, but learn how to use Night Mode and how to set a long exposure time.

Slideshow.

Kyoto Day 3 - たい焼きとたこ焼き

結局抹茶ソフトクリームも
湯豆腐も食べられなくて、
たいやきとたこ焼きを食べました。。。

でもまあまあ悪くない写真を撮れて嬉しいです。

Danielからの三脚を使って
自分の写真も撮れましたよ。

楽しんで下さいね！

Kyoto Day 3 - shopping (for other people)

昼ぐらいホテルを出て、
Mom and Dadの買い物をしました。
その美味しそうなお煎餅は会社の人たちに。
自分の買い物をしなかったです。
いい思い出だけは一杯で、
物質的な物はいりません。
（実はお金がないから。。。）

買い物がやっと終わった後、
デパ地下で鮭親子とたらこのおむすびと
蓮根のわさびなサラダを買って
ホテルに戻って来ました。

これからご飯を食べて
南禅寺へ！

今晩豆腐料理食べようかな？
その前、おやつの時間に抹茶ソフトクリームにしようかな？
黒ごま味でも美味しそうですね。
楽しみ楽しみ！！！

時間あまりないから
早くしないと。

いただきまーす！

Kyoto Day 2

Slideshow.

Kyoto Day 1

Slideshow.

京都での最初の日、
やくざみたいのUncle Onchanと祇園でお茶を飲んで、
祇園町を歩いて、
美味しいご飯を食べて、
花灯路を見に行きました。
楽しかったです！

Spent the first day in Kyoto with my Japanese mafia boss looking uncle. We had tea, walked around Gion, had a wonderful and simple Japanese dinner and then visited Hanatouro. I had a fantastic time!

京都的第一天
我和長得像日本黑道的uncle
到祇園喝茶，散步
吃了美味的晚餐後
去看花燈路
超開心！

Kyoto hanatouro 京都花灯路

In Kyoto for the Higashiyama Hanatouro (ground lantern festival).

Thanks for the tripod, Daniel and Quyen!!

Had a fantastic first afternoon with my yakuza uncle.