Chinese New Year 2010 - A not-so-Chinese-New-Year album

If you are expecting fireworks or firecrackers, I'm sorry, I don't have it. While fireworks to appear in the skies of Singapore very often - and Chinese New Year period is included - firecrackers are banned. Anyway, we chinese love to scare away ghost with lots of noise, which still keeps me wondering: "How does that work?", and with all the technology on Earth, I believe Hell would have at least some simple earplugs. Still, it's a tradition, and like most things ridiculous to some, is a familiar tradition to others.

Well, although these photos were taken during Chinese New Year, there isn't a single photo that has a hint of any celebration. Maybe you'll see some next year. =)

Fun in Taiwan!

Like most couples, we were always itching for a holiday. For most Singaporeans, 7 countries in Asia will come to mind when thinking of a holiday - Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Japan & South Korea. For Malaysia and Thailand, it's usually the budget that brings Singaporeans there - although every state in any Third-World Country that sees many tourists seem to get an automatic upgrade to First-World Country, in terms of price.

Having been to Malaysia & Thailand, I must say their capitals are the last place I want to be on Earth. Hong Kong wasn't as enjoyable as I expected, since I'm not very comfortable with crowds - hate them actually. Having been to these few places, Taiwan seems like the next choice on our list - since it is nearer and cheaper than Japan or S. Korea.

A few months before the holiday, I was contemplating on buying a D700, which would arise one major problem - my DX lenses will cause a vignette on my photos. Lucky for me, Nikon came out with the amazing D300S! I bought it one month before the holiday and went for a trial run, just to familiarise with the buttons. After that, it was FUN TAIWAN!

Although Hong Kong wasn't as fun as I expected, Taiwan was a little bit in the middle - I disliked Taipei more than Hong Kong, but I enjoyed Hualien & Kaoshiung more than Hong Kong. I prefer a relaxed lifestyle, and the outskirts of Taiwan had lots of it on offer. The only disappointment would probably be the fact that we couldn't spend more time exploring the rural lifestyle of Taiwan - like those we always see on Fun Taiwan!

I'm hoping to go there again after "conquering" other parts of Asia and some parts of Europe, since the money would be better spent on another country, rather than one I've already been to. When that time comes, I do hope everything would be better planned out for a fun-filled adventure!

The photos above are for days 1-3, if I remember correctly. It was November last year, so it has been some time... Haha! Days 4-7 are below.