japan anecdotes

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> All the seats on the Shinkansen Bullet Train and some local trains get rotated 180 degrees at the end station, so that you’re always facing in the direction of travel. > In shops, you’re obliged to take your shoes … Continue reading

kyoto

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Driving to the train station this morning we realized that Tokyo and Kyoto, the current capital and the ancient capital of Japan, are an anagram of each other.  Coincidence? Things that make you go hmmm … too early in the … Continue reading

hiiragiya ryokan

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Had a truly unique and unforgettable Japanese experience at Hiiragiya! A Ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn where travelers would stop for a few days, enjoy traditional kaiseki cuisine and then move on.  The Hiiragiya Ryokan is perhaps one of … Continue reading

tokyo

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Tokyo to me is like Legoland! Building blocks that are meticulously put together, incredible attention to detail, complete self-control practiced by the populace, as well as supreme quality achieved through simplicity. And just like Lego blocks of varied colours, the … Continue reading

seoul

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As we’re checking in at the ANA counter at Gimpo Airport for our flight to Tokyo, the lady at the counter tells us that after checking-in we have to go stand in front of the TV a few metres away … Continue reading

chinese gardens

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All our plans had changed for the weekend.  After a highly dramatic turn of events, instead of heading to Bali we ended up staying in Singapore. So we decided to venture into a part of Singapore that we had never … Continue reading

fashion show

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The ladies from the Orang Laut village on Bintan have for some time been making jewelry from beads that have been supplied by The Island Foundation.  It expresses their creativity, creates a bond amongst the women and gives them a … Continue reading

singing

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I left the photos in their natural progression. Corinne Gibbons arrived to the Orang Laut village and picked her stage … a decrepid little blue church.  She took the stage, pulled out her guitar and started playing. In no time, … Continue reading

orang laut

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Photographing the ever changing family life in the Orang Laut village on Bintan is pure joy.  Kids running around, mothers holding their baby’s, the elderly gallantly overseeing village dynamics.  Their faces are dynamic, sharp and expressive. We come here on … Continue reading

quran class

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Caught them during a break in their quran reading class.  Running around, laughing, hiding, playing.  Kids are kids!