SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA

(Ta Brohm, one of major scenes of the movie "Tomb Raider")
(Bayon, the famous smiling Cambodia)
(bird view of Angkor Wat form hot air balloon)
(Angkor Wat in the morning)
(enjoy watching sunset from Angkor Wat)

Recently there is a TV show "1000 places to see before you die" at Travel and Living channel; it is about a young couple traveling to 13 countries in 14 weeks. On July 29, they introduced Seim Reap, Cambodia.

In 2005, I took a 5-day trip to Siem Reap and spent 3 days at Angkor Wat area. It was a pleasant trip to see those wonderful ancient palaces and temples and to enjoy the hospitality of Cambodian people.

It is really hard to believe that Cambodia had a terrible time during 70's under control of Pol pot and now they can live in such a peaceful way. Most of Angkor Wat areas are rebuilt and maintained under UN programs, but now they are also facing the over development of tourism business. If you are planning to visit Siem Reap and have not made it, I will recommend you start to book the flight!

MY BIRTHDAY GIFT

(bottom side of package)
(upper side of package)
(comparison of gun comb and Glock 17 BB gun)

July 17 is my birthday. Today I got a late present from my female cousin which is a gun comb! This gun comb is quite a unique designed stuff; the shapes of the comb and the package are quite similar to Glock pistol. Though it is a comb, I prefer just keeping it in it package instead of using it for my daily life.

Also, I wonder if I can pass security check with this comb at airport?

(do not try to threaten animals or people with this gun comb)

product from Dxion Creative

TAIPEI 101, THE CURRENT NO.1 SKYSCRAPER IN THE WORLD

(Taipei 101)
(bird view of Taipei from Taipei 101 observation desk which is allocated on 89th floor)
(another bird view of Taipei from Taipei 101 - 2)

Currently the No. 1 skyscraper is Taipei 101 (Taipei Financial Center), which contains 101 floors and is 508m high. But today news said one building, Burj Dubai in Dubai now is taller than Taipei 101. Because Burj Dubai will not finish the construction work completely until 2009, so Taipei 101 can still enjoy the world no. 1 title for few years.

SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE

(Public Market on Pike Street, Seattle)
(the restaurant where Tom Hanks had lunch in the movie)
(the first Starbucks with original logo)
(the famous fish company - Pike Place Fish Co.)
(heaven for seafood lovers)

Many of you might watch the movie "Sleepless in Seattle". Except the romantic story, you might pay a lot attention to the beautiful city, Seattle. One place you saw many times in the movie is the Pike Place Public Market which is a place you must visit in Seattle. You can find not only wonderful seafood there, also a lot unique stores full of surprise; comic books, antiques, toys and many many other stuffs.

Also, you can find the first Starbucks on Pike Street. Don't miss it and check out its original logo; it is not green!

(all photos taken in 2002)

BEAUTIFUL LUZERN, SWITZERLAND

If someone ask me which country is the most beautiful one in Europe, I may choose Switzerland. Although I have only been one city in Switzerland which is Luzern, I just could not forget how beautiful it is.

It was in May, 2003. We were on the way from France to Italy, so we just spent 2 days in Luzern. Nice and clean German style city, clean streets, and friendly and educated people, it was really a pleasure to take a walk around the lake, visit nice stores and have a cup of nice coffee.

When you visit Switzerland, don't just pay attention to their fine watches, but also the beautiful views.

MISSING OBELISK OF LUXOR TEMPLE

(there should be a pair of obelisks in front of Luxor Temple)
(one obelisk is missing)
(the missing obelisk from Luxor Temple is in Paris)

If you have been to Luxor Temple in Egypt, you may wonder where another obelisk(方尖碑) is? It supposed to be a pair of obelisks in front of the temple, but who took it?

I went to Paris in 2003 and saw a obelisk and I did not pay much attention on it. I thought it was built by French for some special purpose. But when I visited Egypt in 2004, then I knew where that obelisk came from. The one in Paris was a gift from Egypt which was moved from Luxor Temple!!! It is really hard to believe why Egyptian government gave such a precious item to France and make their own historical site incomplete.

WSI VISIT IN YEAR 2000

HK G36K assault rifle

HK SL8-1 rifle
HK Mk23 SOCOM pistol with silencer

Here are some digital photos taken in 2000 when I visited WSI (Weapons Safety Inc., now can not find their web site; it seems becoming Wade's Eastside Gun) in Bellevue WA. USA. At that time, I visited WSI as a correspondent for Target Magazine. It was a great pleasure to visit this company to see and test fire some famous fire arms. WSI offers variety choices of pistols but no rifles for rental purpose. So I and my friend tested SIG PRO 2340, Walther P99, HK USP9, Browning Hi-Power and HK Mk23 with 250 rounds ammunition.

As you can see here, the quality of these photos are not as good as today's high quality pictures. What can you ask for digital camera at that time?

SHIN KONG SKYSCRAPER IN TAIPEI

After a whole day Adobe CS3 seminar, I walked out the convention center and headed to MRT station. Suddenly I found the 51-floor Shin Kong Skyline Building (Chinese web page) standing in the dark blue sky. Once it was the highest building in Taipei City, but after Taipei 101 was built, people started to pay less attention on it. Since I had my little Casio on hand, so I took the pictures of yesterday's star of Taipei.

KING/QUEEN HATCHEPSUT

Last week the TV news said the Egyptian scientists found the mummy of King/Queen Hatchepsut, the most famous female Pharaoh of ancient Egypt. That reminded me I had been to the Temple of Hatchepsut during my Egypt trip in 2004.

This temple is famous not only because of Hatchepsut, but also a terrorist attack in Nov. 17, 1997; 62 tourists were killed in that massacre. This also made Egypt to set up a tourist police department to protect tourist sites and tourists.

(the tourist police with AKS-47. There were 2 armed police on each Nile cruise boat. Also, a lot of them at every tourist sites)