 Wind surfing Here are some photographs of people playing different types of water sports such as wind surfing, body surfing and body boarding in Hawaii. The three different sports were played in three different beaches. Before I went to Hawaii, I didn't know that different beaches were used for different water sports, I thought they were all done on the same beach. I have never seen any of these sports live before and it was nice to watch people playing these water sports with my own eyes. I now appreciates these water sports more and hopefully I will get the opportunity to learn how them later on.  Wind surfing  wind surfing  A man walking on the beach  wind surfing  rush of waves  Body Surfing    chillin in the sea     LDF 2015: 17-29 September.  Perplex tunnel, Mise-en-abyme by Matteo Fogale, Laetitia De Allegri and Johnson Tiles. Exhibited at the V&A Museum, London, United Kingdom. This was an immersive installation located between the bridge over the Medieval and Renaissance galleries in the V&A.  Barnaby Barford: the Tower of Babel.A tower of miniatures of shops that are local to London, which tells an array of stories about the capital city of United Kingdom, as a society, economy and as consumers.   The Cloakroom by Faye ToogoodCool stylized emoji coats to keep us warm (or way too warm) whilst looking at the map attached on the coat to find all the statues of this coat.The navigational coats by Toogood were made from Highfield by Kvadrat, a high-tech compressed-foam textile and each has been hand-treated to render it unique. In addition, the design of this coat were based on the voluminous Oil Rigger coat, one of the first coats designed for the Toogood brand.   I wore the biggest size coat available on my petite frame to keep my whole body warm ;) Curiousity Cloud by mischer'taxler    This year (2015) is my first time attending the London Design festival and I went to the biggest venues (from V&A, Shoreditch and central London, more blogposts on individual places). I thought the LDF's collection in V&A created an interesting juxtaposition with the permanent exhibitions that are mostly traditional and historical works of art. The images above are the few that I enjoyed looking at the most out of the collection. I liked the light bulbs one (Curiousity Cloud by mischer'taxler) the best because it was really imaginative and I could spend hours looking at it.
 Hi Friends! Recently I went on a trip to South Korea, and one of the places I visited as a Buddhist temple called the Woljeongsa Temple. 월정사 in Korean and 月精寺 in Chinese. The temple is located on the eastern slopes of the Dongshan Mountain at the Odaesan National Park in Gangwon Province's Pyeongchang County, surrounded by green coniferous forest. The Woljeongsa Temple is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and was founded in 643AD by the Silla monk Jajang Yulsa (자장 율사/ 慈藏律師). The weather on the day as you can tell from my pictures was very sunny, however what it doesn’t show is how cold it was. The temperature of the day was about -15c to -20c. Since the temple was situated in the mountains, I can imagine it to be -18c at least (sorry I didn’t exactly check the outdoor temperature then, but I was freezing!) I think this is the coldest I have been in so far in my life, I felt like I could turn into a block of ice really quickly! Around 10 minutes being outside of our warm and cosy vehicle, I was already shaking and my nose was really red from the cold. Towards the end of my visit (I didn’t last very long, just under 30 minutes), I couldn’t feel my toes, feet and fingers even though they’re wrapped in thick socks. I wish I could stay there longer to admire every little artistic details of the temple but was too cold to do so. DESPITE the cold, I managed to get some stunning images of the Woljeongsa Temple and would like to share it with you guys. I can imagine Woljeongsa during the spring or autumn time to be most pleasant to visit, when the spring flowers are blooming or autumn leaves are falling.  On our way to the actual temple, we had to cross a stone bridge and then hike up the hill next to a crystal clear river. When I visited, parts of the river froze and the see the river to be crystal clear.
The view from the bridge  The view of the bridge and river after crossing.  The hill I needed to hike up to reach the Woljeongsa Temple  Almost there!  YAY! The front/main gate where you walk past the four gods, when you ask for blessings  A picture of two of the four buddhist gods. 
   As you walk through the intricately decorated entrances, we begin to see the inner courtyard/ main houses of the temple, where monks practices their everyday routine. The image below is one of them. The picture on the top featuring the Nine Story Stone Pagoda is located in the middle of all of the building complex.   Just on the far left corner of the main Woljeongsa temple building I found a flowing well. The water from this well is believed to be collected on streams from the mountain and the water was crystal clear rich in minerals.Because of the cold weather, the water around it has became ice which created a stunning and surreal effect. More closeups below.
 There were tiny buckets with handles on the side where you can used to drink from the well. Since the water was ice cold, I took an empty bottle and filled it up instead of drinking it on the spot. I enjoyed it when I was back in my warm vehicle and the water was really sweet and fresh. If you ever have the chance to visit, I would definitely recommend drinking from this well.  Overall, the visit was a pleasant one. Although it was cold, but I was happy to be close to nature and breathed in fresh air from the countryside.  Make you wish on these lotus flower.  Here are some pictures of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia. This collection of photos depicts how nature take slowly take over the temples as time passes. Angkor Wat, also known as Capital Temple originally was constructed as a Hindu temple for the Khmer Empire. However, the temples gradually transformed into a Buddhist one toward the end of the 12th century.    Moss everywhere  A window with a view of a lake covered in moss  Tree roots taking over the temple  Roots crawling on top of a building         Right before Christmas, I went to the Borough Market in London Bridge for a short day trip, to be out and about the city. The place was decorated with pretty colours to welcome the Christmas that is approaching. I enjoyed spending my time there, walking around tasting different foods as well as the soaking in the festive spirit. The place was filled with the smell of mulled wine, cinnamon, smokey barbecue and many more delicious sensations. The photographs above were some that I took that day. This is one of my last favourite moments of 2014.
  Cute cake art by the Free From Bakehouse   Hot Chillies as Christmas tree ornament  Gingerbread men by the Free From Cakehouse
 Mistletoes  Hummingbird Although I didn't get to visit the Amazon forest in Brazil, I was able to have a wildlife experience by visiting the Parque das Aves, which is right next to the Iguaçu National Park in Brazil. Parque das Aves in english means Bird Park that exhibits mainly birds and a few other animals such as crocodiles, snakes and butterflies. Here are some images I took during my visit at the park. I am so in awe of the creation in this world. These photographs reminded me of the wonders and beauty of this world. All taken on 10th June, 2013.   I am watching you!  Toco Toucan   Go away, I want to sleep.  Brazilian Green-billed Toucan staring at me  The White Cube Gallery has three locations, two are located in South London, United Kingdom and one is in Hong Kong. This exhibition I went to is the main White Cube Gallery located in Bermondsey, London. (for more contact information, please scroll to the bottom)  Robert Irwin 2 x 2 x 2 x 2  Installation by Cerith Wyn Evans  Robert Irwin 2 x 2 x 2 x 2  Cerith Wyn Evans  Cerith Wyn Evans's work that made my friends look like they've switched heads.  Robert Irwin 2 x 2 x 2 x 2  Cerith Wyn Evans' work  Me standing behind Cerith Wyn Evans' work There were two artists works exhibiting at the White Cube Gallery in Bermondsey. One is Cerith Wyn Evans and the other is Robert Irwin last year. They both have lights installations but the composition and design of their pieces are very different to the other.
Robert Irwin is one of the pivotal figures in recent American art and his exhibition is called 2x2x2x2. This exhibition brings together fluorescent works, transparent acrylic columns and a diptych. The juxtaposition of the different materials created an interesting energy and atmosphere between them. I especially enjoy looking at the acrylic sculpture by this artist, because you are able to see different objects in focus from different angles of viewing at this piece. Cerith Wyn Evans is a Welsh conceptual artist. His work take form through the reflection on and interrogation of the world about us. For this exhibition, his works focused on ideas around the flows of energy via material. He uses lights to show signs of immaterial conduits, circuitry and choreology. I especially enjoy his work, although some of the light sculptures was a bit too bright to look at if I view the work for too long, over all, it was interesting to see how the artist used lights to form different shapes and lines out of this material and the result of it. This exhibition is showing till the 15th of November this year, which is in 2 weeks! I would recommend going there for an evening visit after work or a weekend visit along with Borough's Market nearby for lunch. Click here to read more about Borough's Market, London.   Bun Bo Xao 香茅炒牛肉撈檬 Stirred fried beef with lemongrass, pineapple and onion  Mouth watering... slurp slurp.  Bun Chay 炸豆腐素檬 Vegetarian, lemongrass crusted tofu and fried ginger julienne  Young Coconut Drink, my favourite. My friend and I went to a Vietnamese restaurant at Central, Hong Kong the other day called BÊP. The food there was delicious! Since I don't eat meat (by choice), I ordered a Bun Chay, which was a deep fried tofu cold vermicelli dish. My friend ordered a Bun Bo Xao, which was a beef cold vermicelli dish. Both of the dishes are similar except the topping and it is usually consumed with a sweet and chilli sauce. I usually put the sauce into the noodles and give it a good mix before taking a bite, but my friend prefer having the sauce in a spoon and dip each serving into the sauce. Nevertheless, it was a good meal and we had a good time chatting away. We went during the weekend for lunch and it was quite crowded. I heard that during lunch time especially on a week day, it may get so full to the point where there is a long queue outside the restaurant. Overall the service was quick, so we got what we ordered quite quickly. However I would suggest (if you want to try this restaurant during a week day) either go a bit early or later to avoid lunch rush hour (around 12;30-2:00) or you can do take out/ dinner time. It is definitely a restaurant I recommend.
To find out more about them: Click here As for now, Happy Jetsetting! ✈  During the Christmas holidays recently (2015), some may know from my instagram update that I visited South Korea. This 5 days short trip was a family getaway and bonding time. I have always dreamed about a White Christmas, even though England is always cold in the winter times, London just never get quite cold enough for snow during Christmas. In 2015, I was determined to experience snow for Christmas and also learn to ski again. The last time (also the first time) I went skiing was about a decade ago (oh my, that makes me sound old!) when I was a child. My memory of learning how to ski for the first time was in some really cold snowy mountains in Australia. During my university days, I’ve always wanted to go on a ski trip, but it is always pricey because I was in Europe and countries with ski resorts such as Switzerland and France were always beyond my budget. So this time for Christmas, it was my chance to learn how to ski again and yay I am so happy to have done it. South Korea was exceptionally cheap for skiing; it cost around 600-700 hkd (£55-65) for the equipment for the day. The tour that we went on took us to a place called Yong Pyong Ski Resort. Later I found out that this resort would be one of the main venues for the 2018 Winter Olympics! (Scroll down for more pictures of skiing and my ski experience)  My sister (left) and I Ski ready, ready to learn  The path towards the ski slopes in YongPyong Ski Resort  My sister (left) and I in matching outfits and had a fab time skiing. My skiing experience- I was exhausted in the morning on the day. Mostly because I didn't have enough adequate sleep the night before. I was staying at the Yong Pyong Resort and the sleeping arrangement isn't what I am used to. In Korea, it is common to sleep on a heated floor with cotton stuffed mats underneath you as mattress. The name of this sleeping arrangement is called Ondol (correct me if I'm wrong). Because of not being used to sleeping on a super heated floor and hard mattress, I had a not so pleasant sleep. This aside, I had a big breakfast and was excited for my skiing day ahead. Despite having inadequate sleep, I was fully awake and excited to learn once I got to the ski slopes and I actually had a fantastic time. (picture of my sister and I above). Perhaps growing up I have done sports like ice skating and ballet, I didn't find skiing to be as hard as some have told me. It requires a lot of body coordination and balance, but I find it to be a little similar to ice skating except the ski is heavier and longer in size. I would say each person has a different learning speed and my encouragement to you first timer is that do no be afraid to fall and just have the confidence that you will conquer it. Side note: I do think Ondol is an experience that one should try when visiting Korea, I would suggest that you give that a try after or a few days before you go for a ski if you are a light sleeper like me. (Keep scrolling for more pictures of wintery scenes and find out about the dreamy snowy land)  The view of one of the ski slope. (This is the beginner's level slope if I remember correctly) Apart from skiing, the resort also has a cable car that goes up to the one of the highest mountains in the region, PyeongChang. On top of the mountains, we were able to see a nice view of mountains, trees and snow around us. The sight was magical, it seems as though it was a scene I have always dreamed of when thinking of a White Christmas. I thought I would share some images I took with you all. Enjoy!  The white wonderland on top of the mountain  The view from the cable car  This tower is the exit/ entrance of the cable car to the top of the mountain. It has a coffee shop and restaurant inside for guests to keep warm.  It is as if I were in a dream  Sister playing with snow  The view from the top of the snowy mountain.
 
  Happy that my dream of having a White Christmas was fulfilled. I feel so blessed to have my loved ones around me to celebrate this season with a grateful heart. The core of Christmas to me is Jesus but being able to celebrate Him in such a beautiful environment is a massive blessing to me. Thank you once again.
 Skulls at Choeung Ek Killing Field  Hush, don't tell. Pol Pot was the leader of Khmer Rouge from 1963-1997. From 1976-1979, he became the prime minister of the Democratic Kampuchea, a controlled state that defeated the Khmer Republic of Lon Nol in 1975 at the time. Pol Pot ruled under a totalitarian dictatorship, who was responsible for the execution and death of more than 3 millions in the span of 4 years, Cheoung Ek (image above) was an orchard converted into a killing field, where over one million people between 1975- 1979 were executed. Victims include former political leaders, scholars, doctors and their family as well as civilians whom disagreed with Khmer Rouge's view. After the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime and Pol Pot, mass graves containing 8,895 bodies were discovered.here. From evidence of such killing field, it is most likely that many of the victims were tortured before suffering a tragic death. The mass killing and cruelty of Khmer Rouge were sometimes compared to the brutality of Nazi's concentration camps. (Scroll down to see what I have learnt through this trip.)    Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. (Ecclesiastes 1:4)  Where was the freedom of speech?  Where was the freedom of speech?    Weapons of War  I visited Cambodia a few years ago, before heading to university. And reflecting on this short trip, the lessons I have learnt from it has really impacted on how I have been living out my life, throughout my university days and in the present. From this trip to Cambodia, I have learnt that hate does not cover over another act of hatred, but magnify injustice and hate even more. Violence cannot solve an act or acts of violence, but love, patience and forgiveness can. When you treat a neighbour with contempt, you will most likely receive something similar in return. Cruelty only intensify a problem even more and it is a bitter escape. Love on the other hand is the hardest thing to do on earth. To forgive those that have wronged you, to love and accept those with shortcomings, to look towards the future instead of the past. Reflecting now, perhaps this trip has impacted me more than I have been aware of. But I am glad that I can see it more clearly now, that I do not believe in violence but love and forgiveness. That the world needs peace more than war.
'Love your neighbour as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:31) |
Welcome JetsettersHi Jetsetters, welcome to my blogisphere. I am Esther, your guide for today! I hope you will enjoy this tour of my visual travel diary. @jetsesther on instagram
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