Monday, December 20, 2010

Afterthought after coming back from Singapore

I grew up in SIngapore, thinking that I was living in a perfect land with infrastructure and surroundings way more advance and better than any other Asia countries. This was especially reinforced when I went travelling with my parents to countries like China, or when I went visiting my cousins living in Malaysia. The "my country is really great" notion stayed with me till I was 15years old, that was when I had my first stint of ëxperiencing life out of Singapore with my homestay and exchange programe in Japan, Sapporo which started to introduce a better environment than what I had. I realised then that there are better countries out there, a more considerate societies that I had grew up in. Still, I didnt fully digest what I had been exposed to. I only know that there are countries better than mine.

As I matured and wisen up, and made more trips to other neighbouring countries, it broaden my horizons and open up my eyes and mind. I realised that pretty infrastructure is nothing more than a shallow surface, it is the society and people that matters more. Poorer countries may not booast of number one airports, ports or top countries to do business in, but they have beautiful sceneries to compensate for, their people are better natured, warmer, and less materialistic contrasting greatly to what many Singaporean has become and that is starting to chill my bones. So in short, my country may have richen in monetary value, but the soul of my nation has certainly gone poorer, under the pretext of "better life", with the constant chase of material wealth cheapening its core values.

Dismal aside about the pace of changing landscape, it's a little disconcerting about the attitudes and behaviour of the general youth today in Singapore. I went back recently on a short trip and open the papers, are expensive premium brands ads splashing all over the newspaper, or 24years old girl proudly decked in luxury foreign brandwears and bags, denouncing the long held concept and values of saving for rainy days, and her sole belief that money is for spending and she has no qualms about spending every penny on brands that I had not heard of or dream of splurging on. Her spendthrift values were further reinforced by parents who bought her Mercedes CLK sport car or whatever accorded names that are as alien to me as the complete range of botanical plants in the world.

There is really nothing wrong with indulging oneself if u are living within one's means. But call me conservative but earning a meagre SG$2400 does not support the "spend it all because it makes me happy' notion. Sadly, she is not alone. I am sure many of the youth today are shunning hard work, saving up for rainy days and only eager to shine in limelight without working hard for it.

I rem a story I read when I was a little girl. A story about the ant and a grasshopper. Where the grasshopper would mock the stupidity of the ant for working all day to store food and grain, instead of singing and dancing in the sun. Comes winter, the ant are warm and snug with plenty of food to last thru the cold, while the regretful grasshopper died alone with much remorse. I used to question the logic of the story, as to who will be THAT STUPID not to prepare for rainy days, to just see the good times and enjoy every moment with no thoughts of possible bad times? I think in modern days, this wise old story is coming back to haunt out current youth.

As I sat down for tea with one of my fren still living in Singapore, she confessed that Singapore is changing so much that even it is too fast for her that she find it hard to cope with all these changes. She misses the familiarity and some old spots that have been demolished, only to have another cold building in its place.

My friend drove me through town and I saw this school of art. Nobody seem to know what it is about, nobody cares, and what's more, the building is so non spectacular and I think it is really ugly. The architects has no concept of landscape harmony. Sitting down the road is SJI - converted museum, and further down Raffles hotel. Instead of retaining the colonial flavour that is a reminder of the historical value of the place, we have brainless architects that is slowly stripping the area of its beauty with a literal concrete jungle. By that, I meant a visually non appealing concrete building overflowing with hanging green plants to try to look wannabe-green building. I asked everyone in the car, which do they think look nicer? The ugly piece of shit SMU and school of art, or the former SJI boys school building and the Raffles hotel? The votes were no brainer. The colonial designed themes won hands down. Question is, who approved all these "modern" buildings smacked right in town, designs with no soul nor any linkage to the rich history of the area? Stupid stupid stupid. An opportunity to showcase any architectural talents is obviously lost on these people.

As I walked around local shops, eating at Joo Chiat local haunts, a feeling of resentment wells up as I am served by only China people. I stepped into 7-11, and 3 out of 3 staff are mainlanders working there. I went to Dempsey Long beach, and I was served by either only Mainlanders who barely could speak a word of English, or by Filippinos. The only local was the one collecting money. I went to coffeeshop in Changi village, I got another bunch of Mainlanders. I went to a Japanese restuarant and only 1 in 6 were was local, with 2 Japanese staff.  Japanese staff I can understand, but what happen to the other half? I went to Mandarin Gallery to Thai restaurant, I was served by a bunch of people who again didnt look or sound local. I hopped over to Jones the Grocer opposite, was served by 2 chinese guys with an American accent and mannerism (prob by products of international schools). So question is, what are happening to the local people? Dont they have to work anymore or everyone is too busy becoming their own bosses, or busy buying parangs to chop up one another?

 I went to the public toilets and I was disgusted. In East coast beach, the minute I opened the main toilet door, the smell hit me soooo bad that I backed away immediately. All thoughts of peeing vanished as the pungent smell assaulted my senses. How on earth can local people stand that? I havent smell a smelly toilet for years since I left Singapore. In Singapore malls like Takashimaya, the toilets still stink though not as much as that in east coast beach. There is a sickly smell masked by the disinfectant. In Hong Kong malls, I never ever had that problem. In HK, I never had to push open the door in fear of some disgusting toilet habits greeting me, nor have used sanitary pads discarded all over the place except inside the bin like people in singapore do. In Singapore, you never know what filth is lurking behind those doors. Its a utter disgrace and yet after 40over years, this awful toilet habits still have not improve one bit. Why?

When I was leaving Singapore to come back to Hong Kong, I decided to do a quick visit to the loo. Singaporeans after washing their hands, wet the sink area all over and fling the wet water from their hands all over without a second thought. Then I saw this little Japanese girl, maybe about 10-12yrs old. She washed her hand and dried her hands with tissue. She paused. I could sense her confusion. I didnt know what she was pondering on. Then she tip toed and grab a few more tissues, and she wiped the sink dry. When the local woman next to her wet the sink as she was drying the sink, the little girl just take more tissue to dry the sink area. Her mum, also a Japanese let her do it because it is a POLITE NATIONAL HABIT IN JAPAN that you clean up after yourself when u wet the damn toilet sink. The local cleaner didnt give a shit if the pads were spilling from the top of the bin to the ground, or that a tourist is drying up the sink for her. I felt embarrassed for my own country, that a Japanese little girl had to show us what is the correct behaviour even in a public toilet. And my god, this was in Changi airport.

Should it be sad that I felt more at home now in Hong Kong? That there are more things I like here especially in the service industry ? I no longer think very favorably of my own country. Not that I hate it, more it is more like a sign of frustration that we were once good but we lost that vision and now we are just mediocre, or worse, lagging behind in our social and basic etiquettes despite our annual bragging of GDP growth or toppin surveys rankings. What is the point of being number one in so many other things but we have forgotten how to behave as a civilised nation, that is if I can still call it my country and not an island known as China-town?

If going by Wikileaks published in Australia's SMH, with the leaks of some top officials thinking its great for SG to be assimilated by China,  and if that day do happens, if we do get assimilated, then I think that will be the day that I will finally stop holding my red passport with any last shred of loyalty and pride.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Another clash with hateful crass China tourists and why I hate them

While composing this post, I didnt know if I should be filled with rage or remained bemused by the whole ugly incident with this China couple. I would put it out there, I HATE, LOATHE china tourists in general, especially those sick bastards who made it rich in recent years and couldnt wait to flaunt their wealth in the most disrespectful manner. So this incident only further intensify my rage against these human parasites.

The incident goes like this. We headed out to HK DFS in TST to check out some sales. While we were in Bally store, the place was full of people and only had one staff trying to sort out some mistaken payment by one group of china tourists. We waited and waited for a good 3-5mins. Seeing there was 2 empty seats, I sat down and wait while playing with my iphone games. Naturally when I sat down, I choose to sit extreme right near the seat edge so that it gives more space to people who waited to sit on my left.

Within 5mins I had sat down, this rude fat china prick just plonked his fat arse down unceremoniously from my right side and literally pushed me off my seat. Not wanting to argue with an uncouth man, I just move slightly to my left and continue to play my game.

In another couple of mins, he shoved me again. I turned to look at him. Note, LOOK not glare, to see what was his problem. He demanded loudly to me in Mandarin "Move Over!"

I was already annoyed that he had shoved me the first time and now you are ORDERING me to move FOR YOU? Fuck off you china freak. So I calmly and asked him point black '"Why can't you move yourself?" I think its a valid question since I was seated there first and if he spotted the empty seat, why couldnt he just walk over like any other decent human beings would? I would have moved if he was polite, and didnt shoved me the first time but No instead, this wanker think that he is still in China and because he have some stinking Money, he can bully people around.

The fat twat obviously was stunned at my counter question to ask him why couldnt he move himself and he flew into a stinking rage. He and his china slutty partner decided to yell at me in Mandarin saying "You have no manners, never seen the world, country pumpkin etc." All these simply because I refuse to do his bidding.

Like all uneducated, barbaric China people, he couldnt be reasoned when I politely explained that he had already bumped me once without apology, and I see no point in having to move again. Of course, like all Lying Despicable China Freaks, they yelled at me and they refused to admit their mistakes. My husband not understanding mandarin, saw the commotion asked what the hell was happening and told the china clown to get his fingers off my face and stop being so rude. Instead, they continue to point at me in my face with their fat stubs, like 2mm from my face, cursing at me. The china prick thought my husband was saying I was rude, went in stammering English "Yes, RUDE, YOU Rude! No manners!"

I laughed. Yes I laughed in the fat pig's face and commented in a snide manner "He is refering to you dude." It took him like a full min before he even understood what I said. Then he went ballistic. The couple started to yell at me in all sort of curse words, saying I was ill mannered, I had no class, I was ill bred, uneducated, no social graces etc. All this time, the two clowns were yelling at me, shocking all the customers and sales, while I was sitting there calmly not reacting.

Like all TYPICAL CHINA BULLIES, they tried to intimidate me and wanted to cower me into submission by employing the China Village bullying tactics by numbers. He went to complain to all the other china tourists about me, saying that he asked me to move and I asked him why I should move. The pig couldnt even get it right, my question was WHY COULDNT HE MOVE? Plus the slutty woman added how was she to know that I dont know Mandarin. HELLO, WE ARE NOT IN CHINA. WE ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO UNDERSTAND MANDARIN ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE OVERSEAS IN A TOURISTS SPOT. Plus obviously I understood you which Is why I asked you why couldnt you move yourself. How stupid is she? Plus the fat gut wasnt handicapped though I wish I could make him one, and he wasnt old, and most of all, I was seated there first and he shoved me! It was a legitimate question but of course, you cannot reason sense with uncouth China clowns.

No one jumped on the wagon of course. My husband couldnt understand anything the china guy was cursing at me, but he definitely pissed off the China prick further by mocking his finger pointing actions. The China coupple with limited English vocab, could only scream at me "You fuckers, you Son of the bitch, You bastards. Shut up shut up!" Shut up? I didnt say a thing. I really had to chuckle.

I mocked at them with a smile and said, "Whatever dude."And also in Mandarin so that they can fully understand my insult, "Yeah people like you sure is showing a lot of class. So this is your CHINA CLASS. Is this what your country teach you? Do you think you cursing vulgarities is your having seen the world? WOW! Impressive, funny." It drove them further into rage.

The fat bastards of course pointed at me and tried to intimidate me by saying in mandarin 'You are ugly! You are the ugliest woman I have ever seen! U are so ugly!" I laughed even harder. Here is a FAT Ugly Pig Face China man with a Pot Belly, telling me I am ugly. How convincing is that? Plus why should I care when I know I am not ugly? Haaa haaa. So I laughed at replied him in Mandarin mockingly "Nevermind I am ugly, I am not going for beauty pageant so its ok. But you on the otherhand, totally without looks, uncouth and no class, you are totally hopeless."


By now the securities are all into the store in full force. They china guy know that he couldnt piss me off by insulting me deciding to employ the country pumpkin uneducated curse, he started swearing in the worst Cantonese curse, saying our mothers are cunts, are whores etc, go Pok Gai etc. If my husband could understand, the fat china wanker would have been down unconscious in a flash. So I didnt translate to my husband and just turn to the security, are u going to continue to let him go on like this? U know exactly what it means. The security was telling me to forget it but holding back the fat wanker who wanted to bash me.

Seeing that I still have no major reaction or anger towards his curses, then out come the typical CHINA MAFIA tactic. The THREATS. He started to scream, really SCREAMED "You watch out! You better watch out! I will cut you up! I know people and they will wait for you to butcher you! You come China you better be careful!" I rolled my eyes at him and laughed (esp the thought that like he is going to sit at the immigration everyday for me) and mockingly replied him "Watever dude. I couldnt care less what you say." I muttered to myself in Mandarin loud enough for him to hear, that why would any human be upset with a mad dog that that barking crazily? We are not even of the same league.

I could have said a thousand things more to push his buttons and remain calm. I could have sang ï'm beautiful I'm beautiful"by James Blunt in his face and laugh. I could have told him "he is Human waste (ren zai)" I could have told him an infamous chinese saying, elephant trunk will never sprout from a dog's mouth. But I didnt insult him because I didnt feel like he would even understand sacarsm, plus my husband with black belt will really bash him if the fat prick lay a finger on me, and I didnt want to blow up the matter since we are working here and the jack arse is just a tourist here. We have more to lose than he does. It is funny to mock him and send him into rage, but its not funny when it comes to blows.
With such crass people, it will only be a lose lose situation. They have no reputation, they have no dignity, they have no class except a big fat elephant size EGO and flase sense of INFLATED SELF worth. They know people look down on China people for their bad behaviour so they try to overcompensated by decking themselves in luxury brands to try to BUY respect. But CHINA freaks like these do not deserve respect nor backing down. They need to be taught that just because they shop in expensive stores doesnt mean they can bully people around.

In the end, the security guards initally asked me if I want to step away to calm the clown who was to burst but I flatout said No. By leaving, it means I am at fault which I am not. So I calmly sat there while I told my partner to continue to try his shoe. The china obnoxious duo also tried to sit down and shop but because they are not civilised people, they cannot do it. They huff and puff and said I am ruining their day and left immediately.

Oh goodie! So I did RUIN their fucking day without even having to say one swear word, and still managed to carry myself with dignity and smile. Was it tough? It wasnt easy not to yell back but normally under extreme stress and dealing with CHINA people I despise, I always end up devoid of emotions esp when I stop caring. I am pretty good at being cold to people I dont give a shit about from years of practice.

When they left, the HK sales woman quickly offered me and my partner some water to calm down. The floor manager also come to us to apologise, and gave us a box of Bally Chocolates to take our mind off the incident. The floor manager told me that even though he wasnt there, he is very sure it wasnt my fault either and they are very used to such crass rude and insulting behaviours from these CHINA losers.

During dinner, I finally translated what was cursed at us. My husband initially was upset that the fat china freak called me ugly and was sorry he didnt understand or he would bash the guy. I told him its ok because I really wasnt offended and I just shrugged it off. Rather, it didnt even register any impact except it was funny coming from him. I never profess to be pretty, nor is my job a model, so what if I am not pretty, there is no crime in that. Only shallow china people like them who only cares about outward appearance more than internal beauty will be offended by slurs like this. When my partner learned by the china guy cursing his mother being a cunt, he was really angry and vowed tat he should really learn his mandarin and cantonese better. I told him rather, I am glad he doesnt understand so that our laughing was more effective in driving the fat wanker nuts.

Of course I posted the incident on facebook and got many responses to it. All on my side of course. Some found it funny at my responses and people who know me well wasnt at all surprised at the non reactive way I handled the arsehole and cheered me on. My friends said of course if we were Caucasians, they would never even dare to raise their voice at us in the first place.

These China rude people are like dogs, and should be treated like one. China people have never been persecuted like the Jews in the hands of crazy people like Hilter for sole reason he didnt like the race. If China had suffered like the jews did, they would perhaps learn what is respect and love for others. Sadly the history of wars and communism have taught a handful of modern citizen of China people who have not stepped out of their shallow well nothing except poverty, loss of civilised culture and the insane greed for money to better their current lives. All they think about is that they have been under dogs for so long now, and TOO PROUD to act decently. They would the world to recognise them without realising that respect needs to be earned, not demanded.

There should be zero tolerance to bad behavior in Asia, esp with the influx of rude china people invading our lands.

I have read many complaints about rude Singaporeans by Australians and others, those are nothing compared to the true extreme shameless rudeness displayed by many China tourists, who are master of rudeness. I wouldnt be so callous to say all china people behave like this but many are driven by the intense need to be boot licked and crave for status recognition.

It's a good thing that my partner earned enough to support my boycotting China made products as much as possible at home, anywhere else but china maybe except maybe clothes since I dont give a shit if the china people want to torture their own people to death through sweatshop labor. I do not see how my perception of China people will ever improve if I meet are crass people like these.

The last parting thoughts, it is funny that China people who are not educated overseas, seemed to only know 3 swear words, You fucker, You SOB, You bastards. Its funny. Perhaps one of this days, I should educate these China imbeciles that there is a broader swearing words like you m*therf**king dipsh*t, pu*s sucker fkhead, fat twat retard,lame piece of nimcompoop China jackass. Then again, do I want to waste my breath on these losers? Prob not, it was just much easier to point and laugh at them, as they make a terrible fool out of themselves with their one man swearing show as they turn purple and ready to pop!

Luckily for me, there is no love lost there. However the dread that these crude people are invading my country and flood my land with their crass off-springs (since what kind of parents will raise the same kind of child) is a terrible thought and leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Updates and watching Secret Garden

Yes, am still alive and kicking. Have so many things I had wanted to blog but adding Japanese with couple of other things like watching my Korean drama, it kind of slip my mind and now I completely have forgotten what I had wanted to blog. Is this what old age does to your brains?

I guess I still have a bunch of Japan trip photos that I havent uploaded....and a bunch of photos that I shot of Carina Lau and Donnie Yen when I was in CWB. That sat when I had dinner with my frens in town was like a star struck nite. I must have seen 5 HK celebs in the span of half hour.

First was Gi Gi Leung, then another HK actor which I recog but forgotten his name. They were at some Nike store event at Pak Sha road. Then as I was keeping my camera away (which was there to take shot of my frens actually), and how was I to know Edison Chen dressed in a hooded top walked right past me. Yes the very Edison in that scandal which I dont really care about. Damn, I was torn between running after him for a photo together but thought better of it...he prob may snub me anycase.

Just as we cross the road to Sogo side as I wanted to bring my fren to eat the steam milk thingie for dessert, we aw a huge crowd and shooting crew. Hold and behold! It was Carina Lau and Donnie Ye. So out whipped my camera and snap snap snap. What can i say, I love my new Canon S95 cam!

And oh yeah, one of my gf Moo Moo has given birth and pouring over boy names....and of all the million names, she ends up shortlisting Javier, the same name as one of our common fren's son. Same frequency, same taste? Haaa haa
So that is all I can rem for the past few weeks of my life. Kinda sad to be able to sum it up in last than quarter of a page really....pathetic laugh.

I guess its time to seek refuge in my TV world again. Anyone started on K-drama Secret Garden yet? (Read series recaps )

OMG! I can only say OMG because my one and only all time fav korean actor Hyun Bin is starrng in it and he is sooooo adorable in the show that I can almost say I love him to bits (To my partner: sorry darling, u just have to share 1% of the slot with a korean guy yah)

Hyun Bin has been my number 1 actor since My lovely Kim Sam Soon, where he totally charmed me with his boyish and yet manly charm. Long Sigh........its a sin for someone to look so good and talented...unlike many other korean stars that comes across as androgynous now adays, a cross bred of man-woman look, Hyun Bin totally looks like a man and he cannot pass off as a woman no matter on what counts. His chiseled cheek bone (which is looking extremely slim currently), his dimple smile, his eyes....i know I know..I sound like a silly 16yr old having a major crush. T think he is only in late 20s and he looks better as he get older....oh wait, does that make me a cougar?!!! gasps!

In Secret Garden, his character requires him to be rich obnoxious dude and struggling to come to terms with  with his inexplicable liking for a poor stuntwoman who is worlds apart from him. The girl who was initially repelled by him starts to feel conflicted as he came to her rescue several times and yet openly dissing her about her poverty, making her feel so small...Now thru sheer strangeness, they have got their bodies switched! Not the most original plot but who cares, I am watching for the actor to bring me smiles and laughter.

Ok enough of me going on and on about Hyun Bin, here's a MV to share, where I get to indulge in the OST which I really like.



Song Lyrics
(written from a woman's POV, and is in love with the man)

One woman loves you. That woman loves you wholeheartedly. She follows you around like a shadow everyday, That woman is laughing and crying. Just How..How much more do I have to gaze at you alone. This love that came like the ...wind, This love like a beggar. If I continue this way, will you love me? Just come a little nearer..a little more.. If I take one step closer to you, then you take two steps back. I who love you am next to you now. That woman is crying.

That woman is timid. So she learned how to laugh. That woman's heart has many stories that she can't even tell her best friend. So her heart is full of tears. That's why, that woman. You, She loved you. Because you are just same as her. Yet another fool, yet another fool. Can't you hug me before you go? I want to receive love, baby Everyday in my heart, Just in my heart, I shout and That woman is next to him even today.

Do you know that woman is me? You're not pretending that you don't know, right? You really don't know cause you're a fool. just How..How much more do I have to gaze at you alone. This love that came like the wind, This love like a beggar. If I continue this way, will you love me? Just come a little nearer..a little more.. If I take one step closer to you, then you take two steps back. I who love you next to you now. That woman is crying.

Friday, November 19, 2010

What is wrong with this scenerio? Where it has become a norm that Singapore man doesnt even expecct their Singaporean wife to know how to cook anymore. It's not about whether she is busy with work and too tired to cook but rather, most of them just shun the kitchen as if its beneath them to be caught dead in a kitchen. However, they expect their helper to know how to cook?

In HK, over half of the Hong Kong spouses know how to cook. Some who are married off to "better" half and can afford maids probably does not cook everyday but they KNOW how to cook, they just prefer to supervise the helper to cook most days. My Taiwanese friends, most of the girls can cook too but maybe they just dont do it everyday. As for my western friends, they ALL cook. Havent known one who doesnt yet. So seriously, is there something amiss with the growing trend of this "I hate cooking, I dont cook" sentimnent? Of course its a personal thing, and frankly quite none of my business I concede. However, this in some way says alot about the changes of mindset and that in some ways, are we bringing up the next generation to want everything but not work for anything?

I had lunch with some Singaporean friends and their families. They had 3 children of age 8,6,3. There is something annoying about some Singaporean kids, that is they are so pampered by their parents that they become overly picky with their food. What they choose not to eat is again frankly not my problem, but it kinda annoy me when they make those sickening "Eee eee" sound that is to signify what other people are eating are gross. To me, that borders on lack of table manner. If you dont eat, just be quiet. When asked why they dont eat it, they said the colour looks awful. The mum chiped in declaring "My children only eat western food, they dont eat any chinese food."

And how is that supposed to b something to be proud of? A CHINESE kid trying to pass off as a Westerner and discarding their own culture as if its such a shame to be associated with chinese food. WTF? If it wasnt that it was a good fren's family, I prob wont hold my tongue. But as the boy went going "Eeee eeee" I couldnt but help ask him what was his problem. He said eating black stuff will turn a person black, and eating carrots will turn a person orange.

8 years old or not, when you say something so stupid, it was an open invitation for me. So I counter asked him has he EVER seen anyone turning black or orange himself? He should either show me one or name me one. He squirm in one corner and just insisted it was true. I told him that if he couldnt hold his claim, he is telling a fib. He finally went quiet with his Eeeee eeeing and nonsensical comments. I have never done all these things when I was young.  It's alright to ask questions and having preference in food, but honestly, openly being disgusted with food that others are eating is not good etiquette.

Parents should really stop indulging their kids with everything they want. There is a fine line between loving them, offering them good things in life and spoiling them. And when they behave badly, parents should nip it at the bud and seriously, spare the rod and spoil the child. I dont mean literally having to bash the kid up but I think most (Singaporean) parents these days have been too lax with their parenting that their becomes obnoxious in comparison to other kids.

Trip to Kamakura Japan.

Just recovered from Japan trip. Yen is so strong now that so it kinda took the fun off from shopping but what the hell, still bought some stuff that I didnt see in HK ( or cross fingers that I wont see it as I roam the streets of HK!)

Had a short day trip to Kamakura and it was a nice visit to the local shrines and because it was the Shichi Go San festival, a lot of little kids of 3, 5, 7 were dressed in their finest kimono running about with their parents. It was a nice visual treat as the little dolled up gals were really cute and they def relished in being the attention of the adults exclaiming their cuteness:) Proud parents esp dadddies were seen smiling and nodding thanks to compliments and taking photos of their precious:) On my last day in Tokyo, I worked up the courage to intrude on their private family time to approach the grandma and asked to take a picture with her grand daughter. She obliged happily and the little girl was prob wondering what the hell is this looming sleepy eye half awake foreigner wants from her!






Kamakura itself is a pretty litle town. It was established by a famous Genji warrior Yorimoto Minamoto the first Shogun in 1192 and here was his capital.  Unfortunately or fortunately, there were some APEC  people visiting the small town on the same day so traffic was massive nightmare with stalls and jams as the security were heighten and stopped public cars passing through at some point. In the temple, just after I entered the shrine, the rest of public who came later were stopped from entering for good 3 hours and so we few isolated fews were wandering inside with some APEC groups escorted by at least 2 dozens of MAN IN BLACK with ear pieces, ready to shoot on sight kinda demeanour.


In a way it was good because it wasnt as crowded but bad because they cornered some shrines off for their private viewing. A little miffed since I was wondering why are APEC delegates visiting and sight seeing if they should be here on business. And if its not the key people, then why are they getting such VIP treatment depriving the rest of tourist who made only be here once in their lifetime. These people really shouldnt get extra privileges unless its off opening hours...well, that's the thing with "power and status". All democracy and equality are bullshit. It sounds nice but hell hard to practice.

Anycase, arriving at Kita-kamakura station, our first stop was Engakuji Temple before we headed off to Kenchoji temple. The former was once ranked 2nd amongst the great 5 Zen temples and city's most cel;ebrated temple. The various buildings are arranged in a straight line with lovely old cedar tress to line the area. Kenchoji Temple on the other hand, is the first and greatest temple here. Things to see is the wooden statue of Hojo, the chap who renounced power to become monk.




I had wanted to take this because my partne and I made a private joke about the stance. She looked almost as if she was pondering "What should I do with all these money...." :)







 At Kenchoji Temple, this section is usually closed off but there was a sign that stated it was special viewing for this period. Not sure if it was due to the APEC people. Regardless the reason, it was a beautiful dragon ceiling.



In the same temple, there is a hiking trail that leads to Zuisenji - the temple of flowers. The zen gardens is defined by camelias and roses. It was a beautiful day to walk up the steps but we didnt expect it to be sooo warm and hot that we were kinda overdressed and its not fun walking up with sweat streaming down your back....and sun shining on u.....On a good clear day, you will be able to see Fuji-san from up the top but it was a bad visibility day for us, so no luck.




 Due to time constraint and bad traffic, we decided to skip a few other temples and instead of walking 30mins to Kamakura station, I decided to hop onto the bus instead which zoomed straight to the station and ply past the city town - komachi Dori Ave a shopping street. We swopped to the local train at Kamakura station to the local Enoden tramway to Hase station. Off to visit the big Buddha and Hase temple. The train was jam pack with people of all nationalities. Damn it was hot!

The Daibutsu (Great Buddha) is just maybe 5 -10 mins further up ahead of Hase temple. Situated within the Kotukuin Temple, this bronze statue (11.3m) towers in the middle, with 2 windows opening up at its back for people who bothered to Q to the get the kick of limited view out of the Buddha. If u are not interested in this, then honestly, dont bother to pay to come here. There is nothing here to see...

 Hase temple was more interesting.  It dates back to year 736. There are the 11 headed gilt statue of the Kannon (goddess of mercy) and carved in 721, is the tallest wooden figure left in Japan. No pictures are allowed so u wont see it here. Along the way, you can only get a view of the Yuigahama beach, which honestly looks more dirty than spectacular. I have heard someone said to me before that there are no clean beaches in Japan, I havent seen it close up so I cannot validate the claim but as far from I see, it isnt inviting...




 Distant view of the beach.



A crysanthium flower fair. The flowers were huge!




 A corner to pray and pay respect for the deceased.



Just round the corner there is a small low cave. We popped in to see more statues and little dens filled with small wooden figurines where people write on the back to pray for something...








I saw this 3 fellows along my stroll and they are sooo cute. almost begging u to leave some coins with them:)