Cameron Highlands Tea Plantation, Malaysia

Monday, June 29, 2015

Our World - Lights Galore

While roaming around the city of Guilin, I came across this park with a wonderful display of lights. It was fun to watch the lights changed colours every 20 seconds or more.

I can't make up my mind which photo I like best so I'm posting all three here. What do you think?

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OurWorld

Monday, June 22, 2015

Our World - Yehliu Geopark

One of the interesting sights we visited in Taiwan was Yehliu Geopark.  Located at Taipei’s Northern Coast, Yehliu is a cape located in the town of Wanli.  One of the most distinctive feature of the cape is the hoodoo stones of different shapes and sizes that lined its surface.

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When we arrived, we were warmly greeted by beautiful blooms waving in the air.

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While walking through the cape, you'll encounter tons of different kind of rock formations. These were the result of sea erosion, wind and weather conditions forming them into the shape we saw today.


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It's quite common to come across this kind of honeycomb weathering which can be found all over the place. As can be seen here, they're covered with holes of different sizes.


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The star attraction here is the Queen’s Head, a kind of mushroom rock. The 4,000-year-old rock formation got its name from its resemblance to the profile of England’s Queen Elizabeth.


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The fairy's shoe was another favourite spot of photography. This was my first time seeing something like that.

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Weathered and eroded to different stages, they even have 'pineapple bun' here.


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I spend the rest of the afternoon exploring other unusual rock shapes, taking pictures, overlooking the sea.

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Potholes are a common sight in Yehliu.  They can be as small as a few centimeters and as large as several meters in diameter.


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Some rock formations have been given fancy names based on their shapes and sizes. I have no idea what this is called, no luck searching for it on the net. I call it 'A Hole in the Wall' for lack of a better description.


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Before leaving the area, we paused over the boardwalk to enjoy the lovely views for the last time before we made our way back.

Our World

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Skywatch - The Blue hour

These were captured at Pantai Bersih in Butterworth during the evening twilight. A great spot to just relax and enjoy water and skywatching on the beach.

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Skywatch Friday

Monday, June 15, 2015

Our World - China Lane, Chengdu

A walk along the bustling street will reveal the daily life of the locals and the surviving culture of Chengdu. One most apparent place we visited was China Lane featuring an interesting blend of old and new architectural designs.

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Some of the buildings were built in the style of the Qing Dynasty and there were corners which displayed the ancient times.


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The streets are also adorned with an array of modern boutique shops, restaurants, tea houses and an occasional bar. Even Starbucks has a big presence here.


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As we moved along, our eyes were attracted to these amazing wall art that framed the streets. If only those people can speak, I'm sure they have many interesting stories to share.


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In a different corner, it's great to come across artists at work, some are pretty talented.


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Everywhere in the street corner is populated with lots of these vendors. It's fun to see what the vendors are selling because things they have in other countries are so different than in our own. I approached the girl for a photo but unfortunately, she declined and covered her face.


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It's also quite common to encounter these kind of coloured masks which typically depict well-known characters from the opera. Not my kind of thing but I enjoyed watching them during opera performances.


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Here is a big panda bear welcoming everyone to the store. Too cute and I couldn't resist buying one as most everyone else seems to have done.

OurWorld

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Skywatch - Twin Pagodas

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The Dragon and Tiger Pagodas are one of the famous twin pagodas located at Lotus Lake in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. They are pretty magnificent especially at night.


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Here's a dragon and a tiger standing guard over the pagodas. According to Chinese folk tales, entering through the dragon and exiting from the tiger brings good luck and reverse bad fortune.


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The surrounding views made it a worthwhile stop whether or not you believe in the folk tales.

I took these photos without a tripod and I liked the way they turned out.  Hope you liked them too.

Happy Skywatch Friday.

Monday, June 8, 2015

Our world - Chishingtan Beach, Hualien

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There is nothing more enjoyable than spending the day at the beach.


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Serene, inviting and refreshing.


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Don't you wish you were here too?

Our World

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Wordless Wednesday - For the sweet tooth

Monday, June 1, 2015

Our World - Jiuzhaigou Natural Reserve

This is a continuation on my trip across Sichuan. We made our way from Huanglong Valley  to Jiuzhaigou Natural Reserve at the crack of dawn the next day.

Also known as Valley of Nine Villages, Jiuzhaigou consists of 3 main valleys arranged in a 'Y' shape.  As the layout within the park is enormous, shuttle buses are available to take you from one scenic spot to another, so it's really convenient.

We visited the park in the middle of peak season since it was the most beautiful time to see the place.

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While I'm pleased that tourism in China is booming, I'm not happy with the big crowds. Despite the long queue, I was hesitant to get in line as this was the place we mainly came to SiChuan for.


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When we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by the beautiful trees swaying in the air.


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A wonderful start to autumn


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The scenic landscapes were indeed a feast for the eyes. The water seemed to be perfectly still and everything had a balanced reflection


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I learned that some lakes have a high concentration of calcium carbonate, which made the water crystal clear and the bottom often visible even at high depths.


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At a different corner, here's a flock of beautiful mallards moving gracefully around the lake


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Another breathtaking view along the way. The air smells great and refreshing too.


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Before leaving the park, we stopped by to enjoy the the soothing sounds of a waterfall before we made our way back. A lovely way to end the day.

Our World