Usu Crater, Lake Toya, Hokkaido

Hinata Japanese restaurant, Central Embassy BKK

Tried a lunch some years ago at this place and it was not bad.  On this second visit, I tried their sashimi set (at THB700).  The sashimi was an imported one and the steamed egg was impressive too.  The dining ambience of this place was very cozy with just 4 tables for the window dining section with 6-7 feet away from each table.

Traffic light and your phone.

Have heard quite many anti-parties claiming that walking is healthier these days (after the subway was damaged).  I then commented back to some of my friends that "working out should be a constant habit but not suddenly thought of, and please keep it up either you can take the subway or not.  These days people often make excuses for what they have done to justify their mindset.  It's even irrational for some claiming that no traffic light is good for getting ourselves smarter or even claiming "all these are just non-living things".  I'd also commented back to those of my anti-party friends that "then destroy your phone too as the phone is also a non-living thing".

I was in a car ride in Kowloon last week and spent almost 1.5 hour to pass thru' the cross harbour tunnel.  Mass traffic jam and even some car accidents took place.  My question was why the medias just reported on the demonstration mass but not on all these reality scenes.  

杏香園 (Hang Heong Un) dessert shop, old quarter, Macau

It was surprising to me after I checked in the hotel at Ponte 16, I googled around and found out this dessert shop was just within a 3 minute walk.  I then brought my business fellows to this place and mentioned to them how I tried the first branch of this shop in Eslite store of Tai Koo Shing.  The menu looks the same as their HK branch's and even the text font and colour are the same, except the prices which are about 10-20% higher than HK's.

十六浦 (Ponte 16), Macau

This area is on the west side of Macau.  The hotel Sofitel Ponte 16 gave me a very nice room with this panoramic view to the harbour.   We can see the blooming Macau and the neighbouring Zhu Hai area.  The Macau/Zhu Hai/Hong Kong bridge also signifies another page of the Greater Bay economic zone.  If we can map up the recent HK prolonged unrest, in coincidence, that took place right after the bridge was opened.  So when the American Chamber HK's leader got denied to attend a conference in Macau 2 days ago, we knew there were something very political around this region.  It's just the beginning...  After all, I feel that Macau Gov't has done a right thing.  

At my industry gala dinner, I was thrilled to see how supportive of the various Gov't departments have been supporting the local cultural development.  I was delighted to enjoy some very professional live performance of local Portugueses and Chineses.  There should always be some local cultural developments instead of going too globally.  Globalization also means "colonization" by certain leading power.  

I also met some old colleagues that I have once worked to help set up the copyright system in Macau.  It's really not easy to talk about copyright in Macau when it's dominated by the casino business.  This is something I am thankful that I learned from all those difficult times.  Old speaking - no pain no gain.  

The old quarter, Macau

At the Grove, Central World, BKK

Tai Koo Lane, Chengdu, China

This place looks quite familiar to me as I have seen Temple House (Tai Koo hotel with its first renowned hotel Upper House in Admiralty), Jade Garden and the name Tai Koo Lane.

南堂館 (Nantang Resturant), Chengdu, China

The deco. of this place looks quite Shanghai style, but it's a local Sze Chuan cuisine.  It was quite refreshing for having a light sweet soup of goji berries and snow fungus.  We ordered bean curd with truffle casserole, boiled choy sum and a spicy and sour fish filet.  At first, I thought the bean curd was just with a few slices of truffle, instead of blending it in the bean curd.  The truffle flavour was too overwhelming.  The choy sum should be trimmed for a better serving.  The spicy fish filet was a bit too spicy, but not the pepper aroma.

手感抄手 (Hand made dumplings), Chengdu, China

It seemed to me the food I tried in Chengdu wasn't that heavily seasoned or salty.  It's rather with more Chinese herbs, and mostly in Sze Chuan pepper.  I found my stomach better after taking the Sze Chuan pepper.  I recall the first time I tried the hot and spicy hot pot in Taipei, that Sze Chuan pepper was used.

This shop was quite impressive to me as they made the chicken broth very aromatic.  The dumplings were freshly made to order.  So RMB24 for this soup dumpling was quite a bargain deal.

寬窄巷子 (Wide & Narrow Alleys), Chengdu, China

成都熊貓基地 (Chengdu Panda research centre)

Panda Express #3