ABC Wednesday: M is for Milan

Last two weeks, Grace and I were traveling in Italy.  The first part of the trip was at southern Tuscany participating in the photographic workshop of David Hoptman.  The latter part of the trip was spent in Milan.  Grace was in a conference and I got the chance to walk around Milan and practice what I have learned from the workshop.  This is the famous Plazza del Duomo with Duomo di Milano on the right and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II on the left.

This is the view of the plaza at night.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is a glass covered huge shopping mall that has all the famous European brands and many roadside restaurants.  In the center, the right side is Louis Vuitton and on the left is Prada.  However, a word of caution, all the roadside restaurants around the area only serve microwave version of pasta and risotto, and twice as expensive as the authentic version in southern Tuscany.  For the name brands, the better way to do is to shop around Via Monte Napoleone.

This is the Basilica Di San Carol Al Corso on the way to Corso Vittorio Emanuele II when I walked from Duomo to the area of Via Monte Napoleone.  It was great fun to mingle with the well dressed Milanese people and watch Ferarri, etc. drove on the cobblestone paved streets.

This is the famous Teatro alla Scala at night.  It is not as an impressive building as the Paris Opera.  It can be reached easily from the Duomo through Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.  We have the chance to hear a concert by José Carreras during our stay in Milan.  It was a fantastic experience.

This is the Castello Sforzesco view from Via Dante.  The castle was first constructed in the 14th century.  It has been destroyed and rebuilt many times in the history and the latest was the allied bombardment in 1943.

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ABC Wednesday: K is for Kill Time

The second day of our visit to Shanghai, the morning started with a fantastic view of the Bund across the Huangpu River.  Grace had to go to her meeting for the whole day.  I had some time to Kill by myself.  I decided to take a walk on Huaihai Middle Road.  For tourists, the most famous road to walk is Nanjing East Road, which is a pedestrian street now.  It is too touristic for me.  Huaihai Middle Road is a totally different fashionable street.

The area is original French Concession part of Shanghai, thus all the street and park is lined with London Plans that was first introduced by the French.

Although Huaihai Middle Road is now line with the most fashionable shops from around the world, it is the little side street, Changle Road that really lead the Shanghai fashion.  All the little shops can be as fashionable as any clothing stores in London, Paris or New York.

We can see the most expensive and exotic car parked by the road but also see plenty of ordinary hard labors go about their everyday business.

Further down the road, I arrived at Shanghai Xintiandi (Shanghai New World).  The developer rather than torn down the old building of the area, it totally restored the structures.  It became one of the biggest tourist attractions in Shanghai.

The buildings in the area form big contrast to the surrounding highrise.

The area has many fine restaurants and interesting shops

Not only tourists, also quite a few photographers like me around try to catch a glimpse of the old Shanghai.

You can see me here from the shop window of the famous clothing store Shanghai Tang.

I continued my way arriving at the waterfront, the Bund, just before sunset.  With the sun now behind me I had a fantastic view of the new financial district of Pudong.  If you enlarge the picture, you can see the sunstar at the International Convention Center.

The final highlight of the day was crossing the Huangpu River, not by car or by boat, but by the underground tunnel.  It was a 5 minutes ride on a small cart with a fantastic show of light display.  It took me right where I started in the morning, in front of the hotel at the International Convention Center.

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ABC Wednesday: J is for Our Journey to Shanghai

Shanghai has a very special meaning for us.  Although both of us were born in Taipei but our parents came from Shanghai.  We have been to Shanghai several times when Bradley's parents were still with us.  The trip that we took last week was the first one since both of them have passed away.  We have planned this trip for quite a while for the purpose of visiting the World Expo.

The above picture was taken from the famous Shanghai Bund toward the new Shanghai district Pudong.  It was the ancestor home for Bradley.  His grand father used to own several houses right at where the Shanghai World Financial Center is now.  He ran a business of several ferry boats across the Huangpu River between Pudong and Shanghai.

This picture was taken from our hotel window at the Shanghai International Convention Center, looking across the Huangpu River toward the Bund.  The Bund is about 1 km long and lined with colonial buildings left from the early 20th century.

We will show more pictures of our journey to Shanghai and World Expo in the near future, so stay tuned.

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ABC Wednesday: H is for Happy

Last week our post for "Green Pond" brought about some sad history of the small lake.  However, it has always been a popular playground for Taipei residents.  I still remember went there during summer nights, the adults sat on the lounge chair drinking tea under perfect moonlight.  We were running around just for fun.  It was a Happy time 50 years ago.

The park around the Green Pound went under major renovation last year and just reopened this summer.  One of the major attraction is the water fountain and water cascade beneath the suspended bridge.

The fountain came up from the ground every few minutes.  The temperature was over 35 degree C.  The kids all had so much fun and Happy time.

Here, as every happy kids would do, climbed up the water cascade.

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ABC Wednesday: G is for a Green Pond

Green Pond (碧潭) is a small pound in the middle of one of the rivers that flow through Taipei District.  It is really only right at the city limit and only 20 minutes from our home.  It has been a favorite place for young lovers to date and paddle the small rented boats.  The pond can be crossed by a suspended foot bridge.  Many tragedy has happened in the lake, either young couples drown in the pond from tipped over boat or heart-broken lovers jump over from the suspended bridge.  We were warned not to go to the pond to play the water when we were young.  Things have been much improved since.

Chinese Valentine Day is at the 7th of July in the Chinese lunar calendar and this year it falls on August 16.  It is kind of tradition that young lovers should cross over a bridge during that day.  Although when we went to the Green Pond, it was not exactly the Valentine Day.  Nonetheless the county has a Valentine Day Festival during that weekend.  Many people were walking across the bridge.

Here is a more artistic view of the suspended bridge.

The lakeshore and on the lake also packed with people waiting for the sunset and fireworks.

Notice the little figure on the rock.  The gentleman has been showing off jumping off the rock for many years.  The local policemen have given up on stopping him.

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ABC Wednesday: F is for Fisherman

We have been quite busy recently.  Grace's father has not been in very good health and came to Taiwan with her sister from Hong Kong to see doctors in Taiwan.  His condition was a bit better last weekend.  We decided to take them for a trip to the Northeast Coast National Scenic Area.  Bradley has posted his trip to the area not too long ago.  We arrived at Daxi Fishing Port just after lunch.  There were no Greater Crested Tern for us to photograph this time.  But we arrived just in time for the returning fishing fleet came into the port.

Here one of the Fishing boat was steaming into port with Turtle Island in the background.

The waterway inside the port is quite narrow and it was amazing to see how the fishing boat maneuvered through the waterway like a car.

Here one of the colorful Fishing vessel was docking by the harbor ready for unload.

The labors on the vessel were quickly sorting out the fishes.  Most of them are foreign workers from Southeast Asia.

It is really hard work, not many local people are willing to take on this type of job anymore.  Here they were sorting out beltfish.

Here is a closer look of one of them, a very colorful looking guy.

Here the Taiwanese Captain was unloading a bucket full of fresh fish with the help of his assistant.

What a weather beaten, hard living character, a real Fisherman!

But look, he is really enjoying his life as the Captain of a Fishing vessel.

Now his assistant was pulling the bucket to shore.  The land based crew quickly sorted the fish for the buyer.  Bradley was one of the enthusiastic shopper.  How much?  He asked.  NT$500 (US$13) per kilogram!  Could I have this piece?  He asked.  How they laughed!!  They only sell the fish by the bucket!!!

She must be an owner of the Fishing vessel or daughter of the owner.  With earrings and fake eyelashes, mixing with the labors and carefully took down all the numbers.

Daxi Fishing Port is at Yilan county.  It is famous for the green mountains and sweet spring water which are said to produce beautiful girls.  Seeing these Fisherman's daughters in the mid of hard working Fishermen, We have no doubt of that.

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ABC Wednesday: D is for Dandelion

I always consider Dandelion as a weed and a nonsense for the lawns. However, I must admit that it does have lovely yellow color flowers.

The yellow flower heads turn into balls of silver tufted fruits, which every kid loves.

That includes our lovely granddaughter.  Whenever she got a chance in the Spring, she would pick up every Dandelion in the neighborhood and blow on it.

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Today's Flower #105: Orchids at Restaurant Sixteen

I (Grace) was at the Restaurant Sixteen of the Trump International Hotel and Tower in early June.  The table setting included a single green orchid in a frosted glass vase.

The dessert is a key lime pie which matched the orchid very nicely.  It is not only good looking but very delicious indeed, moist and creamy!

On another side of the dining table are orange orchids which stand out from the white tablecloth and simple tablewares.

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Skywatch Friday & ABC Wednesday: C is for Chicago

I (Grace) went to Chicago in early June.  Chicago has become a more and more livable city with many historical landmarks and modern ambiance.  Here are some famous buildings along the Chicago River.  On the far left hand side is the newly opened Trump International Hotel and Tower.  The building with the clock tower is the Wrigley building which is the Headquarter for the Chewing gum company.  Behind that is the Tribune Tower which is the Headquarter for the major daily newspaper, Chicago Tribune.   The road between the two buildings is the Michigan Avenue, also called Magnificent Mile.

Here is a close up of the clock tower of Wrigley building and the neo-gothic style of the Tribune Tower.

I took the photograph from the lobby of the Restaurant Sixteen at the Trump International Hotel and Tower.  Here you can see that the Wrigley building has two towers: in the front (South Tower) is 30 stories tall, and in the back (North Tower) is 21 stories high.

Here is the small dining room beside the main dining room with fantastic view, clean design and more intimate seating.  

I took this photograph from my hotel window at 5:30 AM.  This is the other side of the Chicago River.  The twin "corncob" towers are the famous Marina Towers Condominium.  You can keep your boat at the lower dock, park your car at the lower levels, and live on the top levels.  A true Marina City with shops, restaurants, and cinemas.

Here is the same place late at night.  You can see the dark blue sky and the reflections on the Chicago River.

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