Mount Faber Park, Singapore

26 July 2017:

Today we escaped the dense metropolitan area and went for a morning hike in Mount Faber Park. This was recommended by Lily's brother Hengki, and it was very nice. Top: Lily walking across a very interesting pedestrian bridge that connects Mount Faber Park with Telok Blangah Hill Park. The bridge is called the Henderson Wave. It crosses high above Henderson Road, connecting the two parks that run along a ridge line. Bottom: walking down from Mount Faber after a pretty good thundershower interrupted our walk. We managed to find shelter until the storm passed.

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Singapore Riverfront

25 July 2017:

Two photos from a midday walk along the Singapore River. Top: Old and new, a piece of the Cavenagh Bridge (built in Scotland in 1869, assembled in Singapore in 1870 using convict labor) and the towering skyscrapers behind. Bottom: A whimsical sculpture on the riverbank just beside the Cavenagh Bridge, with Lily looking on.

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Satria Gatot Kaca

23 July 2017:

We are staying in a hotel very near Bali's main airport, Ngurah Rai International. This dramatic statue is at the entrance to that airport. I caught it after sunrise this morning, backlit by some rather menacing clouds.

https://baliskytour.wordpress.com/2011/04/15/satria-gatot-kaca-statue/

Tomorrow we finally leave Bali for Singapore, having been here for 16 days!

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Bali at night

22 July 2017:

Both of these are from yesterday evening. Top image: the bar at Mano's Warung in Seminyak. I liked the waitresses hanging around at the far end. They cooperated! Bottom image: four minutes of star trails from our balcony at Grania Bali Villas.

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Bogie Board (Pantai Peti Tenget Day 2)

21 July 2017:

Another visit to Peti Tenget Beach. It is a great place. The surf was way up today, and there must be a big storm down in the far reaches of the southern hemisphere. Not a good day for bogie (sic) boarding!

Bottom image is of Angie (Hengki and Ida's oldest daughter) and Abby, the crowd favorite.

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A small statue and Peti Tenget Beach

20 July 2017:

Top - a small statue found on a morning walk near Grania Bali Villas.

Bottom - a visit to Peti Tenget Beach; front to back are Sally, Abby, Rika, Tony.

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Another experiment

20 July 2017:

From an image of a Balinese statue taken on the 11th of July, and an image of the checkered cloth found on almost all Hindu shrines in Bali.

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Warung Batavia

19 July 2017:

Today we drove down out of the 'jungle' into Seminyak, a major Bali tourist destination, and we are staying in the villas owned by Lily's brother. We had a late lunch at a local restaurant that features food from Jakarta, called Warung Batavia. We have been there before, and I like it.

Top: Lily enjoying a special herbal tea blend called dewake ku (something like that).

Middle: A collection of clocks on a shelf in the restaurant.

Bottom: Rika and Abby happy after lunch.

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Tour of the rice fields in Abiansemal, Bali

17 July 2017:

Top two photos are from a morning hike through the local neighborhood in Abiansemal: Rika is photographing a family shrine, and Serena is walking through the rice fields.

Bottom two photos were taken in the afternoon. In the group photo, starting at the upper left, are myself, Abby, Rika, Tony, Judy, Justin and Warren. Front row left to right are Orie, Angie, Lily, Sally, Ella, Lisa and Laura. In the bottom photo, Ella wanted to meet the photographer. Ella, her parents Sally and Justin, and her sister Abby live in Christchurch, New Zealand. They are close friends of Rika and Tony, and until recently lived in Vancouver B.C.

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Arrival at Green Village, Abiansemal, Bali

16 July 2017:

We traveled from Tanjung Benoa to Abiansemal, Bali to begin our stay at the bamboo houses. Top: Lisa at lunch in Seminyak, bottom: family style dinner in the 'Sunrise' bamboo house. Clockwise from bottom left: Lisa, Judy, Serena, Tony, Orie, Paul, Angie, Carla, Lily, Rika, Laura, and Warren.

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Morning fisherman, Tanjung Benoa

15 July 2017:

Taken about 7:30 am on a mostly empty beach. I really like this one.

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Tanah Lot Visit

14 July 2017:

Visit to Purah Tanah Lot. Top: Laura, bottom: Lily and I in our matching batik, photo by Ria.

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Nusa Lembongan and Pantai Kuta

13 July 2017:
Top: Boat tour of the mangrove trees on Lembongan Island. Serena, Lisa, Warren (Carla is hidden).
Bottom: Rika shooting the sunset from Kuta Beach, just before our on-the-sand barbecue seafood dinner.

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Story Time for Abby

11 July 2017:

Abby,  her mother Sally, and her baby sister arrived today from New Zealand. Sally and her husband have been good friends with Rika going back to Rika's time in the Pacific Northwest. Here, Rika keeps Abby occupied during dinner with some good stories.

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Nusa Dua Beach Walk

10 July 2017:

We went for a walk along Nusa Dua Beach in Bali.

Top: Applying sunscreen.

Middle: A well decorated motorcycle near the beach.

Bottom: A Bali wedding photo shoot.

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Chicken soup and cigarettes

9 July 2017:

Chicken soup and cigarettes all in one convenient location.

Tanjung Benoa, Bali.

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Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Ueno

7 July 2017:

A selfie in front of the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Ueno (the reflection is from a smaller version of Chicago's Bean).

It was hot!

This was the only image taken by me today. Instead of taking pictures, we viewed images. We toured a 'citizens' show up on the second floor featuring photography from local amateur photographers. A number of the images were quite impressive.

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Water basin, Shiba Toshogu Shrine, Shibakoen

6 July 2017:

This was taken on a pleasant late afternoon walk around Shiba Park. This water basin is just in front of a small temple adjacent to Zojoji Shrine. The simple but elegant design was very calming, a difficult trick in this densely packed city. Water slowly dripped from the bamboo pipe and overflowed the basin.

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Experiment

6 July 2017:

A layering of two images, one of the stonework surrounding Hama Rikyu Garden and the other of tree branches from that same park.

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Hama-Rikyu Garden, Zojoji Temple

5 July 2017:

Top: Morning trip to Hama-Rikyu Gardens near Tokyo Bay. This wooden bridge is one of the primary highlights of the Garden. Lily is in the distance enjoying the view.

Bottom: A huge drum head inside the Zojoji Temple. Fantastic pattern!

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View from the Bus

4 July 2017:

As seen by the camera, on the bus, from the airport to the hotel.

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From the 17th floor of the Celestine Hotel

4 July 2017:

Light rain moved in at sunset, just after we arrived at the Celestine Hotel in central Tokyo. Quite atmospheric!

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