Giant Grasshopper!

Short-Horned Grasshopper

Grasshoppers, especially big sized ones like these, looms images of "God-send plague of locusts" on my mind and sent shivers down my spine, every time.

Although a search on the Internet proved this species not the one that swarm and destroy crops, their many pictures on the Internet were still creepy!

This palm-length fellow sat in my garden this evening; of a size that our common Sparrow and Myna will find hard to shallow. Eeeek!

Monkeying Around

"Oh! Why are you filming me?"
"I'm just getting a meal up this mango tree."

"Mmmm... See the delicious color, it's really sweet!"

"There doesn't seem to be enough food in the forested area of the Bukit Batok Hillside Park where i came from. Or maybe i'm just getting tired of that place. This neighbourhood seems fun as i people-watch from their windows! But they were shy and shut their window on me?"

"Just the other day, my friend was here. Did you see him today?"

"But, of course i'm prettier!" Heard everybody saying so..

Beijing D9 - Modern Architectural Buildings

Linked Hybrid Complex

On our taxi ride to the BCI Airport, i couldn't forget a building i caught sight of by the highways; a search on the Internet later revealed that it was the Linked Hybrid Complex.

Witnessing its eight residential towers linked by a ring of variant designed sky bridges at irregular intervals was astonishingly unforgettable!

IBM中国系统中心 at 亚运村

We saw the following 2 unique buildings when we were at the Beijing Olympic Park previously.

This was the IBM building beside the Pangu Plaza, 盘古大观 - another magnificent structure of the Pangu Residences and Pangu 7 Stars Hotel!

数字北京大厦, Digital Beijing

And the Digital Beijing, which served as the data center for the 2008 Olympics; designed to resemble integrated circuit board and bar code by their very own Chinese Architectural firm - Studio Pei-Zhu!

中国供销集团 at 宣武门外大街

It was the queer sloping roof of the China Co-op Group Co. Ltd. building at Xuanwumen street which caught our attentions. The company was one of the top 500 in China, based on companies' 2010 revenues; in fact, they are at No. 83!

An exemplary for its rich heritage of ancient architectural, these were accidental snapshots of Beijing's modern architectural buildings while we purposedly visited their CCTV Headquarters and the Beijing National Stadium and Aquatics Center. Bolder and newer structures are coming up and we hope to see them when we revisit the city in the near future.

It's 再见, for now ;)

Beijing D9 - Street Eats and Snacks!

Good Morning Beijing!

When everybody was rushing for work, buying breakfasts from the street food stalls and chasing after transport buses, we followed suit - buying their favourite 灌饼, Egg Crepes with Lettuce (¥2, S$0.40) and Soybean milk (¥1, S$0.20). Both were nice!

Bounded for an afternoon flight back today, i woke up early to catch more of the city... Ric was feeling much better today :) 

Egg Crepes were prepared on such hot plate, similarly for this other variation of crepes - the only different lies in its ingredients used, and therefore was pricier.

紫米煎饼, Purple Rice Pan Crepe (¥4.50, S$0.90)

Looking pretty? We had this outside the Panjiayuan Market.

As in most developing cities, Beijing has its sizable share of innovative food vendors who came up with ideas for the most sellable food stuffs, making a living out of it. Some had even became the city staple food and part of its culture!

These were some that we came across.

Beijing's Halal, 清真 Food Stuff

Beijing 烧饼, Shaobing buns

The cakes, desserts and bread from the Beijing Halal food stall drawn as much crowd as the traditional Beijing baked buns, the Shaobing. Many locals packed bags of these home!  

肉夹馍, "Meat Sandwiched in Bun" (¥5, S$1)

BBQ Chicken and Lamb Drumsticks, Pan Fried Sausages

These were the food stalls at the foot of the Badaling Great Wall, and we bought the soft steamed buns stuffed with mutton and green pepper bell for our hunger pangs!

Melon fruit (¥1, S$0.20)

And the melon fruit hawker at the Panjiayuan Market whom we repeatedly bought from them after tasting sweet, juicy stick from their little trolley.

On the background, you see roasted sweet potatoes? Yes :)

These were what that really distracted us as we were trying to locate the routes to Niujie Mosque; gigantic Sunflowers for sales!!? No, they were actually Sunflower Seeds. And the hawker invited us to try!

Oh, how silly were we! Having only seen these seeds in nice packaging, i never knew its fundamental form. It tasted a tad raw cos we were used to the ones which underwent roasting process, these were just intriguing looking at!

Beijing D6 - 全聚德 & 大栅栏, Dashilan Commercial Street

Qianmen (前门街)

Other than the most famous Beijing's pedestrian shopping streets, the Wanfujing (王府井), you should have read about the Qianmen (前门街) and its adjoining 500 years old Dashilan (大栅栏) commercial streets.

Without a doubt, the most imposing structure along the Qianmen street would be that of Quanjude (全聚德), Beijing's oldest roast duck shop since 1864 who started their businesses right here at Qianmen street.

This early hour, you'll see a queue of locals patiently waiting to purchase the "duck rack" from a takeaway counter outside the restaurant; that's a whole rack of duck bones after deboning. An old granny told us that they use it for soup brewing - it'll be tasty. Other than this, tourists were seen packing away boxes of roasted duck from the restaurant itself.

After a snack at 都一处, we boogied down the narrow street of Dashilan that garners some of China's oldest brand, such as the TongRenTang (TCM), Neiliansheng (shoes) and Ruifuxiang (silk and fabrics).

北京瑞蚨祥, Rui Fu Xiang

北京同仁堂, Tong Ren Tang

It was more footwork as we crossed the road to Liulichang (琉璃厂), an old quiet Beijing cultural street that holds a bazaar of Chinese folk arts such as paintings, calligraphy, pottery, scrolls, books and Chinese stationary like the paint brushes, ink slab and paper.

We merely want to see the street itself but could not relate much to it ;)

When we were trying to cross the street via the pedestrian overhead bridge to Liulichang, we were quite taken aback by the provision of an elevator! See that! Neatly clad with glass curtain walls!

Boy! In all of Singapore's modernization, we don't have such luxury!?

"We've got to call our Transport Minister, Dear!" ;)

Beijing D5 - Panjiayuan Market, 潘家园

I love antiques, or anything that looks ancient and timeworn. Still, i had my doubts about visiting the Panjiayuan Market... will it be just another cheap flea market!?

Hate the thought of it being another tourist gimmick as it takes considerable effort to locate its suburb location.

Never say never, and we are here :)

It was an eye-opener!!

Not that we were buying anything; but simply ogling the extensive display filled you with awe and respect. The creativity and design in moulding these artifacts were unimaginable; it doesn't matter if these stuffs were genuine, they were such attractive pieces to look at!

I wished i had the energy to cover the whole of the Panjiayuan market! The ground was big!

At one end of the outdoor bazaar, there were even huge sculptures and statues!

Was told to visit the market on the weekends for the outdoor bazaar while only the anchor tenants in permanent shop houses operate daily. And remember to bargain for your buy.

A Motor? A Car? A Tri-car!

MM NmG, US$29,995

Call me a 'Mountain Tortoise', which i believe many are, in limitary Singapore. This could be the one and only three-wheeled car registered here - The Myers Motors No more Gas (NmG) electric single-seater three-wheel vehicle. Earlier, the originator of this motorcycle, then named Sparrow, was by Corbin Sparrow till they filed for bankruptcy in 1999.

I was all the "Wow...!" when Ric show me these pics.

Quoting from the Green Autoblog, this three-wheeled configuration, called the tadpole or reverse-trike, keeps two wheels up front and places one in the back, is much stable and has the advantage of decreased weight and lower rolling resistance, being the preferred arrangement for builders of green vehicles.

Go to the Myers Motor website and you can see that the motorcar comes in 14 bright colors!

But there's no saving for owning this green vehicle in Singapore though, the LTA registered it under the car category - meaning you've got to pay for road taxes and parking charges that of a car and not a motorcycle ;)

Now you know why you don't see much Sparrow here?

Singapore's Pisa Tower

Doesn't this building reminds you of Italy's leaning Tower of Pisa?

It wasn't until i searched the internet that reveals we were looking at the making of the Reflection at Keppel Bay, a waterfront residential development featuring 6 high-rise towers, some linked by sky bridges, and spacious low-rise villas. The towers are of 24-storey to 41-storey heights.

So this is just 1 of the tower block coming up and we're going to see half a dozen "Banana Tower" by year 2013. Haha..

Jokes aside, we really like this architectural design and marvelled the construction aspects of it. Can't wait to see the completion of this unique piece by master architect Daniel Libeskind. It's going to be awesome ;)

Sports Car - You like?

A Lotus Elise we came across at the car park. A new one now easily sets you back at near S$250,000, includes COE!?

As to every average girl, a sport-looking car impresses. We are not into the specification of the machines; just its cool cool look...

The seats are a definite hard knock for a date. Plus the super low profiles that makes getting in and out of the car elegantly a real challenge. Haha...

But we still like looking at one.

May i catch a Lamborghini soon...

Hello Kitty play Mahjong!?

Also from the store that sells the Alessi Watches at OUB Centre.

This Mahjong set is a perfect gift for your girlfriends who do Mahjong!

Hello Kitty Mahjong Tiles set - gold/ pink ($180-$200)

Can you Mahjong?
I can't and i probably wouldn't, even with these lovable Mahjong tiles ;)

Alessi: Cute Watches

Alessi KAJ Wrist Watch (Online purchase: US$85)

These Alessi Italian Design Watches we came across at OUB Centre, level 2 were colorful and interesting!

I love its extended second hands that ticks and reminds me of the propellers of Doraemon's "Bamboo Dragonfly". Pity i've outgrown such cute childish watches :(

Paying tribute to its designer Karim Rashid.

Meidi-Ya : A Jam Exhibition

If you love Fruit Jam or the many assorted spread for your daily bread, come on down to Meidi-ya Supermarket for their Jam Exhibition!?

Should be correct, i read the banner :)

Nouveau 2009 Blueberry Jam at $25!
Nouveau Pomelo Jam (not in pic) at $30!!

Oh, just get any one of it for me; i'm fine with anything... Ha.

Ginger Jam, and Honey with Stem Ginger? Intriguing.

Peanut Butter and the assortment of Fruit Jams by Meidi-Ya ;)

Japanese Carrot

Japan Carrot ($9.50, 2 in a bag)

Spotted something familiar in Meidi-Ya - the Carrot with its 'hair' still intact, just like the ones Brother brought back from Tokyo!

The long rosette of leaves on its crown are beautifully fresh; i adore the thought of a Rabbit nibbling on it while the stout taproots are still buried underground ;)

Can the leaves be eaten? By us?

My Neighbour Totoro

Haha... almost a Totoro ;)

My neighbor's seemingly Klein German Spitz breed, a Spitz dog type loves to window-watch.

And it's a sight we love to catch - the cute Trio glazing out innocently.

It makes my home Parson Russell Terrier in a constantly jealous mode over them :))

Doraemon Guitar!?

Going towards our lunch area, we passed by the basement of Excelsior Hotel/ Peninsula Plaza and spotted 2 Doraemon Guitars on the window display!

It was cute and i wondered how it looks on one, holding and playing it. How does it sound?

No price tag was available, but searches on the internet give a whopping S$877 value!

Rambutan? Pulasan?

Third Aunt brought us many fruits today after her visit to the Jurong West Fruit market. Durians (one of my favourite), Mangosteen, Duku Langsat and Rambutans alike Pulasan!?

My first encounter with Pulasan today...

Instead of being hairy like the Rambutan, it is softly blunt-thorny?

It has a firmer texture compared to Rambutans but is generally sweeter. You would also notices that its flesh separates much easier from its seed than the Rambutans.

And, a word of caution from my home elderly, "Never have Durian with Mangosteen."

Myth or Truth? And why? We never know, but it's just seems best to take heed to advise of good intentions.