Qinhuai River

Qinhuai River, originally uploaded by rickirick.

Nanjing is my first touchdown in China Mainland, kinda not excited at the beginning, cloudy sky, dust, noise of horn at the street, plus language barrier made me wonder whether I can survive living here days forward. Good thing someone told me to visit this place, Qinhuai river, where the famous Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao) is located. It's nice to be here at night time, to admire the lighting of traditional scenery along the river. It gives me a courage to keep exploring the beauty of place where I am at the moment, and indeed helps me to start enjoying my life here.

ricki @ nanjing 2009

Shalmy's first hair cut

Shalmy's first hair cut, originally uploaded by rickirick.

After bidding a farewell to Tokyo, I went back to Kuala Lumpur. I spent the weekend to visit Batu Caves, a popular Hindu shrine outside India. This Indian baby girl in picture is Shalmy, she is brought out to Batu Caves by her family for the first hair cut in her life. In Hindu tradition, the hair from birth is associated as undesirable traits from past lives, so here Shalmy is freshly shaven to signify freedom from the past and moving into her future.
Be growing up as a nice girl Shalmy! :)

ricki @ batu 2009

Haunted House Izakaya

Haunted House Izakaya, originally uploaded by rickirick.

I went out for dinner at a cool Izakaya bar. The place is more like haunted house instead of normal Izakaya (Japanese style dining bar), it's dark, decorated with horror theme and some spooky dolls. The waitress wear white burial kimono, read some magic words when serving a food, and they also have some fun games.
This funny guy is my best mate in Japan: Sukawa-san (洲川), he got bad luck eating 'deadly spicy tempura' at the russian roulette game we played. As a punishment, he had to wear white kimono like when a person dies :) It was fun.

ricki @ kichijyo-ji 2009