pa-se-ri

Exit options

2011-07-10T06:53:00.001-07:00

Great place to have an office!

Taste of Summer

2010-12-10T11:58:00.003-08:00

Memories of Summer

Night out

2010-11-14T06:45:00.003-08:00

Caution: Happy Beer Drinkers

Golden Ginko Leaves

2010-11-05T03:02:00.002-07:00

One warm November day

Sanlitun Village

2010-11-02T21:09:00.002-07:00

Parkade Entrance

Mini-bottles

2010-10-12T00:34:00.001-07:00

Chocolate-covered fun!

Lanterns for National Day

2010-10-03T00:21:00.003-07:00

View from my flat

I do like flowers

2010-09-24T09:54:00.002-07:00

Not my best pose

Imagine no bridge at all

2010-09-17T13:34:00.003-07:00

Dongzhimen Bridge on a rather rainy,

pre-holiday *&* typical Friday evening rush-hour jam

Home-sweet-home on the left

http://ss14.sinaimg.cn/orignal/6449d57949071b982789d&690

Brazilian Football Frog

2010-09-11T03:02:00.001-07:00

Thank you, Eric!

Home-cooked meal

2010-09-08T08:46:00.001-07:00

Dinner is served!

Kowloon

2010-08-23T17:17:00.003-07:00

West Kowloon Promenade

(thanks for the sunburn)

Back to Hong Kong

2010-08-22T06:15:00.002-07:00

Where the bridges in the sea meets the clouds in the sky

Window cleaners

2010-04-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

Race to the bottom

Take that!

2010-04-06T13:00:00.001-07:00

Swirling colours

樱花

2010-04-06T00:43:00.002-07:00

Blooming in Beijing

Morning sandstorm

2010-04-02T22:34:00.004-07:00

Taken on 20 March
Unretouched

Time to...

2010-04-01T10:30:00.002-07:00

...take the subway at Dongzhimen

Kitchen

2010-03-18T02:50:00.000-07:00

My very own eatery

Jenga

2010-03-15T23:02:00.003-07:00

The thrill before the spill

Daily Green Tea

2010-02-22T22:05:00.003-08:00

After reading somewhere of the health benefits of green tea on the lungs, I'm a convert!

Sun & moon meet

2010-01-15T01:02:00.002-08:00

Partial solar eclipse at sunset

Google in China

2010-01-13T10:58:00.005-08:00

Somewhat embarrassed to say...
I bought this book on the streets of Beijing for a little over $1.00~
lovingly wrapped in plastic & knowing full well it was an unauthorised copy.
Sigh :-(

Food on sticks

2009-12-18T01:51:00.002-08:00

Two bridges from JianWai Soho

2009-10-25T02:36:00.006-07:00

Southeast view from JianWai Soho

Northeast view from JianWai Soho
GuoMao Bridge

9-9-9...ja!

2009-09-10T08:13:00.002-07:00

Disinfected today

Supermarket Hotel

2009-08-19T02:01:00.004-07:00

Conveniently located in the heart of Beijing's Ginza, Wangfujing

The Beginning of Something Special

2009-08-06T10:27:00.001-07:00

Inventive fun

Beijing's Summer Storms

2009-07-30T10:29:00.004-07:00

1 out of 500

It took me more than 500 frames to capture this one bolt of lightning - my very first, at last! With the naked eye one can see plenty of lightning, but getting it on camera is another story. Storms these days and nights are a frequent occurrence, and one might think - and hope -that afterward there would be fresher, cleaner air with plenty of sunshine. Sadly, these past few weeks, even the worst storms with heavy winds and rains, there appears to be no easy (man-made) fix to the notorious Beijing smog.

Chaoyang Park Pool

2009-07-22T06:36:00.004-07:00

Have ticket, can enter

Chaoyang Park gate

Seemingly a hot day, but without any discernible sun due to the clouds - dare I say smog - it was a pleasant afternoon at this 50m outdoor pool. 90% of the people were just splashing about, even in the lanes designated for laps. The 18RMB (roughly C$2.50) price for 2 hours of swim time also included the admission charge to this rather large, lush park.

No helmets! Yay?

2009-07-22T05:39:00.003-07:00

In front of the Canadian embassy at Dongzhimen-wai Road.
Note: I was on a similar bendy-bus when taking this shot.

Motorcycles with sidecars are all the rage with expats in Beijing. You'd be hard-pressed not to see at least one while out the streets in the embassy district of Sanlitun, night or day. Helmets are optional for drivers and their passengers. Of the 74,000 road deaths in China last year, one wonders how many of those needlessly died young.

Sun setting on a blue-sky day

2009-07-12T11:50:00.004-07:00

It's hard not to feel that talking up the improved air quality, as defined in Beijing by the number blue sky days it gets, so much recently somehow jinxed our fine fortune of wonderful weather. Even the recent rains - natural or induced - can't seem to clear the clouds (aka smog) away. At least sunblock is no longer required during time off lounging at the poolside.

This gets me back to blogging...

2009-07-07T07:54:00.003-07:00

China's Great Fire Wall has not blocked Facebook.
Sad news for all but the elite CPC members and the wealthy ones here who don't have to bother with the rules ordinary citizens have to endure.
Then there are folks like me who can just find a VPN to get around it all.
But seriously, it's time to study Mandarin in a better place than this.

Stormy day

2009-06-16T02:00:00.006-07:00

11:30 am in Beijing

The distant thunder woke me up a few hours before the storm really set in. Sharp cracks of thunder and giant lightning bolts - one after another. Will have to read up on how to catch the lightning on camera. Needless to say, there were several periods of intense downpours of rain - during the one above, the skies were so dark it was like nighttime.

Hello, again

2009-06-14T06:50:00.002-07:00

Thanking Adam for getting back out there!

Backdoor ajar

2009-05-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

Small joy that I've found a free service that opens the door closed to the Blogspot/Blogger domain by the authorities here in Mainland China. For a nominal fee I could subscribe to a proxy/VPN which would open up the door completely, allowing me to post photos & videos of my goings on here on sites such as YouTube & Blogger. For now (but, for how long?) Facebook will have to suffice. A host of other websites are also blocked - some again, some for the first time. Herdict.org provides a reporting service on sites blocked around the world, though is itself blocked from time to time in China. Country report figures change frequently, but China regularly wins top prize for number of inaccessible sites.

While this strategy of blacklisting & blocking 'objectionable' content may seemingly be in the 'best' interest of the ruling elite, its ultimate effect is the dumbing down of the increasingly educated masses. The cat and mouse game of bypassing China's NetNanny, aka the Great Fire Wall (GFW), may not appeal to many, but it will make for smarter hackers and rouse the curiosity of true thinkers. Great social injustice is being served up either in the name of keeping competition out (YouTube vs. Youku) or in the endeavour to close minds up (T-words).

I've had to remove more than half of my Google Reader subscriptions because they are from the Blogspot domain. In a previous crackdown on Blogspot, Google Reader subscriptions were still viewable. This time Google Reader froze up until I removed all Blogspot subscriptions. I saved all those 'offending' blogs, by exporting my subscriptions to an OPML file, in anticipation of being free to view them again somewhere, someday.

Great Walls of Fire!

2009-04-10T00:20:00.002-07:00

It looks like recent moves by China’s NetNanny, aka the Great Fire Wall (GFW) has shut-out the blogger.com domain, as well as YouTube.
There are backdoors, of course. But I can’t go into the gory details.

Here’s hoping Windows Live Writer will come to the rescue!

Beijing Images

2009-03-09T01:54:00.002-07:00

The power of suggestion

Another Yen Party~

Numbers for your hole-drilling needs

Car art & bus ad

An Olympic mascot's new job

Snowy day in Beijing

2009-02-25T08:48:00.003-08:00

From the rooftop

Out of the bedroom window

Out of another bedroom window

Down on the ground

Chinese "white wine"

2009-02-18T05:29:00.004-08:00

白酒 - Baijiu

This is grain alcohol, known locally as "white wine"

Somwhere in between all this...

2009-02-17T00:20:00.007-08:00

... is my new flat.

The Canadian Embassy
a kilometre away

The massive, new PetroChina headquarters
across the street

Nanguan Park
around the corner

A giant SWAT truck
on the other corner

The Russian Embassy
at the end of the street

Lanterns for Chinese New Year

2009-02-15T21:45:00.004-08:00

At home in Gongti

Over a shop entrance

Piled up and ready to hang at a department store

In Shunyi

In Mudanjiang

Lantern takes flight

2009-02-13T10:06:00.004-08:00

One of many scenes to come of the Lantern Festival

Before, During & After the TVCC Fire

2009-02-12T19:44:00.003-08:00

13 November 2008
View from East 3rd Ring Road

10 February 2009
View from my flat in Gongti

11 February 2009
View from my flat in Gongti

11 February 2009
View from East 3rd Ring Road

Firecrackers, fireworks, fire!

2009-02-11T07:26:00.005-08:00

The main Chinese propaganda outlets have shut out all comments on the recent fire at the CCTV's TVCC Tower. This grab from the China Daily Online website caught my attention because there's no link to an email address where they can be contacted!
How silly is that for "online" media?
Moreover, these outlets are suggesting that 'netizens' are demanding fireworks be banned in Beijing next year. Is that because CCTV can not afford another RMB1-million show or because it can not afford to burn down more buildings?
What would really suck is if fireworks for ordinary citizens were banned because of the negligent use of Class-A fireworks by CCTV.

Mudanjiang's Lucky Vehicles

2009-02-06T21:06:00.002-08:00

Skiing in Mudanjiang

2009-02-05T17:40:00.003-08:00

Mudanjiang Ice Sculptures

2009-02-04T04:00:00.002-08:00

Mudanjiang People's Park

2009-02-02T22:33:00.001-08:00

Eating in Mudanjiang

2009-02-01T23:59:00.003-08:00

Breakfast at home

Dinner out

Return to Mudanjiang

2009-01-30T19:42:00.003-08:00

A warm and sunny arrival at Mudanjiang airport

The local beer, Santa's favourite
Santa will continue to adorn many doors and windows in shops and homes
until the Lantern Festival, which falls on the last day (sometime in the middle of February)
of the month-long Chinese New Year holidays

Evil Little People

2009-01-29T21:40:00.003-08:00

On the bottom of my lucky red New Year's socks,
I found these two little people.
I was surprised to learn they were devious.
But with every step I'd take, I could crush their evil intentions!

Happy 牛 Year

2009-01-22T00:14:00.003-08:00

牛 (or Ox) is pronounced something like "new" in Chinese.
Maybe we could say "Happy Moo Year"...

Bird nests at the Bird's Nest

2009-01-19T18:47:00.001-08:00

Never alone at Song

2008-12-17T21:35:00.005-08:00

On his iPhone

Cloud Painter

2008-12-17T01:06:00.003-08:00

From our place above the clouds

He's Back!

2008-12-10T04:12:00.004-08:00

The ubiquitous Santa cutout on shop windows

Tongzhou, Beijing

2008-12-03T05:04:00.002-08:00

Playing a flute while taking a break

Miyun, Beijing

2008-12-01T16:27:00.003-08:00

Writing on the wall

Tis the season, already

2008-11-28T11:35:00.002-08:00

The toll highway less travelled

2008-11-21T05:56:00.004-08:00

Spell check

Minimum 60

Minimum 80

Pick a lane, any lane

Clouds over Beijing on Tuesday

2008-11-18T23:29:00.005-08:00

Into the clouds from PEK

Clouds reflected at PEK T-3

Clouds through the car's tinted windows

Clouds at sunset over central Beijing

Wired up

2008-11-15T17:48:00.001-08:00

Connected

CCTV Tower

2008-11-14T06:48:00.002-08:00

Unretouched

Two food vendors

2008-11-10T21:42:00.001-08:00

Everywhere

2008-11-07T10:24:00.003-08:00

Ears

and eyes

Building edge

2008-11-03T22:38:00.003-08:00

"Over the Rainbow"

2008-10-30T07:23:00.002-07:00

Wednesday night at Song

Beijing DaDong Roast Duck Restaurant - 1

2008-10-25T22:46:00.003-07:00

Entrance to one of the top-rated Peking Duck restaurants in Beijing

Open kitchen behind glass

Your duck roasted here

Open wine cask (free!) while you wait.
After more than 30 minutes of waiting,
I was in the mood for (almost) anything.

Beijing DaDong Roast Duck Restaurant - 2

2008-10-25T22:21:00.005-07:00

Huge menu to choose from

Your very own duck carver at your table

A roast pigeon for good measure

Tasty duck tongues

It's a wrap~!

More about those Lambs

2008-10-23T06:28:00.002-07:00

Remember those care-free lambs?

Well, they had their turn...

... and turn again.

Then, we had our turn.

Ingredients for a Delicous Chinese Meal

2008-10-23T06:09:00.003-07:00

Fresh Vegetables

Sun-dried Chili Peppers

Free-range & well-fed Chickens

Carefree Lambs

Talented Chefs

Two Chinese Kitchens

2008-10-20T21:37:00.004-07:00

Afternoon at 798

2008-10-14T17:34:00.004-07:00

New home in Beijing

2008-10-10T23:11:00.004-07:00

View from below

View from the 26th floor

This aquarium is now home to more than 50 fish

Iconic old man fishing on the bridge
He seems to have lost his pole...

YVR -> PVG

2008-10-09T10:15:00.003-07:00

Taxiing out for Vancouver departure

Circling over the outskirts of Shanghai

Shanghai Pudong Airport

PVG (Shanghai Pudong International Airport) Control Tower

Boarding the bus to Shanghai's other airport:
Hongqiao International Aiport

Vancouver International Airport

2008-10-08T11:37:00.002-07:00

MU582 to Shanghai: Departing soon!

Kuro Knows

2008-10-07T18:10:00.004-07:00

She knows I'm taking another trip

Autumn at Paul's Garden

2008-10-07T18:05:00.002-07:00

Kuro's winter coat

2008-09-28T20:14:00.004-07:00

With a lot less hair, she's in need of something warmer when it gets colder.
Thanking Grant and David for this ;-)

On guard

2008-09-27T07:03:00.003-07:00

Kuro at her new home

Packing up

2008-09-25T11:37:00.003-07:00

Kuro's Back on The Drive

2008-09-22T19:37:00.002-07:00

The painter and the painted

Morning clouds and a crane

2008-09-15T08:34:00.002-07:00

Crane atop TV Tower 2

Kite of Chinese Opera Masks

2008-09-15T07:59:00.003-07:00

Boundary Bay Airport

2008-09-15T07:52:00.003-07:00

Mt Baker from the apron

Climbing out of CZBB

SYTYCD Canada

2008-09-15T07:49:00.003-07:00

On the other side of the VPL from where Vancouver auditions were held

Pre-bath Kuro

2008-09-14T22:30:00.003-07:00

She knew she needed a bath and was eager to have one.

Moon over Richmond

2008-09-10T22:03:00.001-07:00

View from the Oasis at Wreck Beach

Moon over VPL

2008-09-07T23:25:00.002-07:00

Early morning view of the moon while walking Kuro.

Kuro meets Eorna

2008-09-05T20:52:00.004-07:00

A chance meeting while I was at a coffee shop
and two lovely American gals were dining
on the terrace of the adjacent restaurant.

Car charms

2008-08-31T18:07:00.003-07:00

Going nowhere without some protection
dangling from my windscreen.

Kuro's new look

2008-08-30T02:04:00.004-07:00

Already two weeks since I took the clippers to Kuro again.
Taken from my cell-cam, hence the 'special' effect.

Two men on the deck of a ship

2008-08-28T03:09:00.001-07:00

Two men on the deck of a ship, originally uploaded by National Media Museum.

120 years ago

Alley entrance

2008-08-25T23:08:00.001-07:00

Didn't venture in and give it a try for some reason.

Kuro skunked!

2008-08-25T08:58:00.002-07:00

It wasn't this critter, though skunks are everywhere at night.
The baby skunks seem to come out of nowhere and don't take notice of humans
until they are so close they startle themselves.
Many, many thanks to Grant & David for cleaning up Kuro after
she was sprayed the other night. Kuro's fine, of course.

Home

2008-08-20T18:21:00.001-07:00

Home is where the heart is

Bitches of Honour

2008-08-18T03:00:00.002-07:00

Kuro and Kenzie at a friend's wedding over the weekend.

Millennium Water

2008-08-16T04:19:00.002-07:00

Out for an early morning walk around False Creek.

Oh, so valuable!

2008-08-14T09:24:00.004-07:00

Comic strip on the dog poop baggies box in my lobby.
If only everybody with a dog thought so!
The caption reads:
Of course it's valuable!
Why do you think they always pick it up?!