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Durian Kaki - A Popular Durian Store @ Junction Nine [Singapore] #duriankaki #junction9

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Everyone loves a good deal but when it comes to king of fruits, it can get a bit complicated; you wouldn't want to waste your daily calories intake with lousy durians and that's the reason why people would usually check out reviews, for better or for worse.

I am lazy to travel out of the notorious town of Yishun (if not, i would have gone to Ah Di Durian in Ang Mo Kio) and have heard of favourable reviews of durian kaki for quite some time; guess it's time to check it out with my secondary school mate whom i have known for over 20 years! 

Four steps of ordering although i think it misses one step; first is to queue, second is to choose your durians, third is to pay (NETS payment allowed), fourth is to decide whether you want to takeaway or eat at the store and last is applicable only if you need packing for takeaway. 

We managed to secure a table right outside! There were only two so i guess we were lucky; on second thought, not really since the cream of the crop (mao shan wang / cat mountain king species) was sold out and we had to make do with golden phoenix (which is still preferable) and mixed species.

Five durians for just the two of us; smallest were the golden phoenix species. I was telling my friend we should order moderately for health reason but it didn't quite sit in well with him as i had durians four times in eight days! 

With durians, always start with the lower quality one and the cheaper mixed species we had were yellow-meat, big seeded and tasted sweet. No complaint since it's S$10 a kilograms and quality was alright for the price.

Golden phoenix species was priced higher at S$16 a kilogram but due to their smaller fruit size; it really didn't quite matter, especially when the seeds were smaller / flatter with pale-yellow meat and the taste hovered between the highly sought bitter-sweetness.

Overall, i enjoyed the durians from Durian Kaki and despite the relatively young age of the sellers; it's obvious they are not out to scam you like in the case from many other durians stores. Next time, maybe i would call to reserve their durians! 

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Address
18 Yishun Avenue 9, Junction 9, 
#01-83, Singapore 760935

Contact Number
+65-8405-8509

Durian Prices 
As of 08 June 2019 and subject to fluctuations depending on supply, demand and seasons.

Pricing of Our Orders
Golden Phoenix - S$26 (for two durians)
Mixed Species - S$18 (for three durians)

Getting Excited Over Sakuras @ Guiyang [Guizhou, China]

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The sakura blossoms in Japan are world famous but as the air ticket and accommodation's prices are known to be exorbitant during that time; i have never even attempted to visit, especially given the fact that the blossoming dates are never confirmed until maybe a week or two before. 

Therefore, it's a treat indeed for both my dad and i to chance upon the sakura blossoms in Guiyang, the provincial capital of Guizhou! One particular tree stood out for its low-lying branches and being Singaporeans; we had to step closer for more photo taking! 

Some of our travel mates were as excited as us and we helped each other with the photo-taking. While Singapore is a tropical country with blooming flowers all over the year, it's rare to find trees that were literally covered thickly with flowers.

Dad actually loves flowers a lot and when we were in the village; he kept many pots in the garden! When we moved to the HDB flat in Yishun, he had to make do with a limited space and could, sadly, only keep a few pots. Therefore, you can see him excitedly taking out his phone camera and take picture after picture.

I prefer to take photos of my dad instead of him taking pictures of me; which he did by the way but my eye bags were too heavy for me to publish them on this blog! Hahaha!

It may not look much from the photographs taken using my phone but in real life, coupled with the cool weather, the tree was a breathtaking sight to behold and it's depressing i didn't have my DSLR with me. :( 

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Jovyn's Birthday 2019

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It didn't feel too long ago when Jovyn was just an infant and it's amazing how time flies as we age, especially towards the middle-age. To a kid, an incident three years ago would be a long enough period although to an adult, it might still be considered a relatively recent occurrence. 

Nevertheless, to celebrate a kid's birthday is important as they might not be so keen in such family celebrations when they reach their teens and have their peers who are able to relate to them better. I think it's inevitable since most of us have gone through the rebellious teenage years.

I am only hoping that Jovyn wouldn't force me to remove her many pictures from my blog. 

Birthday girl sticking her own candles on the cake; adults like us would be happy to just go with one or three candles but for the kid, it must be the real representation of their age!

My sister taught her the pose so that she appeared slimmer in the picture; guess the mom is aware how to work her magic when it comes to photo-taking. Uncle me isn't as creative.

The dress you see on her belonged to my younger sister even though it's quite a good fit for Jovyn. Kids being kids; she managed to dirty the dress while she was digging into a slice of her own birthday cake! 

Let the singing begin! We were actually done with just one birthday song; however, the candles went out due to the air-conditioning and a second song was needed to relight the candles.

Praying for her birthday wish! 

Giving me a good, shy, demure smile as she cut the cake. 

She even attempted to slice the cake for her guests; being amateur when it comes to cake-cutting, her slice was huge and it's appalling for the adults who are trying to cut on sinful, sugar-laden food! 

The coco exotic cake from Four Leaves was delicious and i enjoyed the crunchy hazelnut base very much. Nowadays, i am too lazy to bake birthday cakes and since i am not very good with it; it's easier for us to buy from professional bakeries too.

Happy birthday, Jovyn! 

Shun Li Lai Traditional Roasted Delight (顺利来传统烧腊) - Pretty Good Char Siew Rice @ 7 Stars Coffee Shop along Dover Road [Singapore]

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I am always on a diet crusade but there are always obstacles that derail my plan! My recent obsession is with char siew; the strips of caramelised roasted meat, often with charred bits, that appeal to me more than chicken rice! 

Remember the Yu Pan dry noodle that i blogged earlier this month? Housed within the same coffee shop is another stall that often puts me in a dilemma as i had a hard time deciding if i should have noodle or get a serving of their delicious looking char siew; that stall is Shun Li Lai Traditional Roasted Delight (顺利来传统烧腊).

Char siew rice it shall be this time! p.s. especially since i needed to clock in an entry for this blog. At S$3.30 a plate, the portion was sufficient even though i could never say no to more pieces of char siew.

As you could probably see from the above, the meat was the lean type which i would usually reject for a lack of flavourful marination. However, the char siew hits the right note when it comes to taste and that's amazing when the sauce wasn't the overly sweet kind that sometimes masked the meat's blandness.

My only grouch - i should have requested for the fattier strips! It's disappointing that i could only find two pieces with significant fat content. Well, let's hope the boss wouldn't reject my totally reasonable request; leave the lean parts to those health-conscious individuals! 

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Address
28 Dover Crescent, 
7 Stars Coffee Shop, 
Singapore 130028

Menu
As above.

Pricing 
Char Siew Rice - S$3.30 a plate.

Mizzy Corner Nasi Lemak @ Changi Village Hawker Centre [Singapore]

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When it comes to Changi Village hawker center, the de-facto signature food is nasi lemak and this can be seen from the many stalls selling it! While i was aware of the above, i couldn't remember which was the original stall as there were changes to the layout after the major renovation a few years ago.

Hence, i will usually just depend on my eyes to check out the nasi lemak stalls; a queue is a good gauge but i was there early in the morning when the crowd was thin and visually, the food from the above stall appealed better to me; Mizzy Corner Nasi Lemak.

There were six basic sets with prices ranging from S$3.50 to S$5.00 but if you have a ravenous appetite, top-ups were available with options like beef rendang etc. For me, i am easily satisfied with just the basics in Set A; chicken wing, egg and ikan bilis.

The healthier thing in this plate of unhealthy food (according to some), is the use of the long grain rice. It wasn't bad although it wasn't that richly infused with coconut milk. Chicken wing was a tad salty and there's wasn't the addictive turmeric taste i enjoy from Malay style chicken wings.

Sambal was good to me as i always prefer sweet chili with a punch of aftertaste spiciness; noted this is highly contentious as the standard for chilli can go to extreme standards for Singapore residents. No comment on the ikan bilis as it's part of the set and not something i would order if it's ala-carte.

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Address
Block 2, Changi Village Rd, 
#01-26, Changi Village Hawker Centre,
Singapore 500002

Menu
As above.

Pricing
Set A - S$3.50

Day Five of The Eight Days' Guizhou Tour Package by Chan Brothers Travel - Huangguoshu Waterfall (黄果树大瀑布) & Doupotang Waterfall (陡坡塘瀑布)

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The morning started on a rather scary note after we got onto the highway towards Guizhou's possibly most famous attraction; check out the video, specifically after the 7-second mark! Visibility was so bad; i was dead worried that i would die in Guizhou

Survived we did and at about 11.30 am, we arrived at the entrance of this AAAAA-China-classified scenic area. It's tempting to see the pots of steaming hot sweet corns, peanuts and sweet potatoes for sale!   

This scenic area is divided into three parts and named after its most notable natural treasure, Huangguoshu Waterfall (黄果树大瀑布). There's in fact another waterfall on the upstream which is lesser known even though in terms of width; it's wider than the famous one.

Doupoutang Waterfall (陡坡塘瀑布) - 21 meters in height and 105 meters in width, it's said to "roar loudly whenever there's a flood". Hence, it is also known as the roaring waterfall. 

Relaxed atmosphere as we strolled from entrance to the waterfall. Saw that bridge in the background; you can actually walk across and make your way down to the huangguoshu waterfall. It would take longer of course and for us on a tour; it's faster to take their internal shuttle. 

Wait, lunch shall take precedence first! And i had this can of beer which was the tastiest i had throughout this trip; can't really explain using my limited vocabulary but it sure was flavourful. 

Restaurant where we had our lunch (and beer) was at a hotel in the scenic area as the local government had clamped down on standalone restaurants within the designated scenic area due to the massive jams in the past. Hence, we had to make full use of our legs to walk; distance was rather long but at least there's no slope or bumps.

From a distance, i had spotted the natural wonder that appeared in the opening segment of childhood's favourite drama serial; the waterfall that Sun Wukong called its home in the Journey to the West!

It's a big hit in Singapore and my grandparents would tape down each episode so that the restless grandchildren, without the modern distractions like phone and computer, can have something to do.  

Dad was in his late 20's then, when the drama was broadcast in Singapore, and he was as addicted to the show as us kids. And for someone who loves to visit China for its scenery; he has been looking forward to this breathtaking item on the itinerary for a long time and he wasn't disappointed! 

Exact spot from the scene in the drama! Maybe i should photoshop in a mini version of Sun Wukong; as if he was flying into the waterfall. By the way, if you have watched the show, or even read the novel, you would be aware of this water curtain cave (水帘洞) that's behind the waterfall?

It's not fiction; there's really a cave behind the waterfall and you can in fact walk right through it! Take a closer look at the picture and you would see a line of visitors in the higher-middle of the waterfall.

More photos! Obviously we wanted to check out the cave; we had paid for the tour package, spent hours on the plane, days in Guizhou and there's no way we would miss it just because there is a risk of getting soaked! 

Done with the cave; wet and dark inside and it's surprisingly not huge. It's more a 134-meter pathway that cuts across from the back of the waterfall. The above photo was the queue lining up to enter the cave; it's not that crowded as the season we went isn't really the peak for tourism. 

A happy dad after fulfilling his dream to visit the beautiful Huangguoshu Waterfall and check out the water curtain cave. Oh i almost forget; the waterfall is 77.8 meters tall and 101-meter wide and its name came from the yellow fruit trees that dotted the area.

Me preparing to take a time-lapse as we had ample time to spend. I am glad i took it as i lost my DSLR the next day. Without all these photo pictures and videos, it would be quite sad if i couldn't document this wonderful journey i had made to China.  


Check out the compiled video here which included the slow motion videos for the Huangguoshu Waterfall, the time lapsed one i took of the waterfall and another time-lapse video of this super long escalator ride. 

There's a bonsai garden right at the end of the escalator with over 3,000 over bonsai plants. For us, we were smitten with the flowering sakuras! 

Last stop for this scenic area was tianxing bridge area; sadly, i didn't take any picture using my phone except for the one above which was at the end of our journey. To be honest, the tianxing bridge area was boring although two things stood out; the tree that looks like a lady and Chinese characters that were carved onto a cliff.

Setting sun! Our travel mates couldn't resist and bought steam sweet potatoes to share with us! Our batch was nice and cost only RMB 5.00 for 500 grams.

Our herbal dinner (said to be healthy and nutritional) was lousy and my dad and i sneaked out to the nearby food street after checking in to our hotel. As tourists, we didn't know about the food street but i happened to eavesdrop the conversation the tour guide had with our tour leader!

Coincidentally, we bumped into them and other travel mates! It made sense for us to dine together and this was the best ever meal i had in my trip to Guizhou! The hot pan is like a better version of the mala that's quite popular in Singapore nowadays and we added stinky tofu and even beef cuts! 

In addition, we ordered skewers of chicken skin, ice blended deserts (the delish cucumber and glutinuous rice flavour) and other portion of stinky tofu from another stall (which was honestly the worst i had in my whole life)! Total damage for the hot pan; RMB 95 which was only about S$20.

Disappointing dinner; satisfying supper! 

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My Ubin Cycling Trip with the Kids [In December 2018]

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In November last year, i asked the kids if they would want any present for Christmas and was surprised they rejected the offer! Being the kindhearted uncle, i suggested bringing them for a cycling trip to Pulau Ubin, together with my dad.

Jovyn doesn't know how to ride a proper bicycle and i rented one with three wheels and as Jerald isn't confident riding on his own; i got a double bicycle. I thought it would be quite a straightforward trip since i have been to Pulau Ubin numerous times but i am so wrong.

Halfway towards Chek Jawa, Jovyn literally gave up cycling and asked if there's an air-conditioned place around. Air-conditioning in such a rustic area?! She scowled and no amount of nagging, scolding and threatening could force her to ride the bike! 

Not only did she resist riding her own bike; Jovyn insisted on taking the double bike so that we can push her along! Can you imagine that i paid so much money just so all the guys on the trip could push bikes for almost 4.5 kilometers. 

While the guys were doing the hard labour, Jovyn just kept on her tirade of complaining: "Are we done? It's so hot! I am so tired!". She only perked up (and stopped her complaints) with the entry of the wild monkeys.

I wasn't intending to blog about this but my friends reminded me that it's a good thing to share my experience so that Jovyn would read about it when she's older! 

We finally got to the main town in Ubin after close to 3 hours; mainly spent on pushing the bicycles! You can see from my dad's expression that he was super pissed with Jovyn as it's a waste of money to rent the bicycles without effectively using them.

As for Jovyn, she miraculously recovered after i brought her to A Spoonful of Sugar @ Changi Village; look at how charming her face was!

Guess i wouldn't be suggesting any outdoor activities in the future. Despite my efforts to get them to enjoy the outdoors (and maybe lose some weight), i think it's best to stick to places with air-conditioning. p.s. to be fair, Jerald is actually more acceptable.  

Revisiting the German Girl Shrine [Nadu Kuniang aka Berlin Heligtum Shrine] at Its Rebuilt Site @ Pulau Ubin [Ketam Mountain Bike Park]

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I promised an update to the German Girl Shrine at Pulau Ubin back in 2015 and i can't imagine it took me more than 4 years to do so! Oh well, the western side of the island isn't as popular and most people i went to Ubin with didn't have the stamina to cover so much in one trip.

Except for the group i was with last Saturday! One of them, making her first virgin trip to Pulau Ubin despite being Singaporean all her life, is utterly interested about this German Girl Shrine and i thought it's a good opportunity to bring her there!

Furthermore, i could also take the opportunity to update the "new" building that was completed at the tail end of 2015. Back when i blogged about the shrine 4 years ago, it was still housed under a temporary tentage. 

L
ocation of the "new", permanent shrine is literally a few meters away from its temporary abode and as you can see, the interesting yet morbid origin of the shrine had brought quite a number of curious visitors although they didn't stay long and were in fact hesitant to step into the building. 

I thought this was the signboard with the words "Berlin Heligtum" / 柏林苑 was new; watched a video regarding the shrine before it was rebuilt and it appeared that the signboard was already in existent then! 

Classic - a stone incense stick holder.

Stepping in for a closer look; the "new" place didn't look big from the outside and was indeed rather small. If this is your typical shrine honouring deities found elsewhere, i can guarantee you it wouldn't attract any non-devotee. 

The stones on the side of the main altar that were honored with offerings and incense sticks; as mentioned in my original post here, this reminded me of the stone that gave 4D numbers at Loyang Tua Pek Kong temple

By the way, i have yet to explain how this German Girl Shrine came to be named as such. In a nutshell, back in the first world war, a German girl living on the island fell while escaping from the British and villagers started praying to her remains, with some winning lottery; hence, contributing to her popularity on the island. 

As she died at a supposedly young age, devotees assumed she would like things more befitting her age; hence the offerings that consisted of perfumed water and face powder popular a few decades ago, toys, sweets, nail polish, cosmetics and shoes. 

Main statue of the resident deity; this is definitely new as the one i saw previously was a typical barbie doll you can easily buy and replace from toy store! 

My friends were intrigued with the blending of religions at the German Girl Shrine; a Taoist practice yet imbued with traces of Catholicism coming from the angels and rosary beads! There's even a small Christmas tree on the side! 

For someone who had been accustomed to following both Buddhism and Taoism since young, i wasn't that surprised with such blend. There's actually a term for this interesting blend and i got to know this from this friend who came with us and whom had a master in history; syncretic religion! 

Now, can someone enlighten me? 
What do the words on the stone mean? 



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Location 
Ketam Mountain Bike Park,
Pulau Ubin, Singapore

Click here for my first post on the shrine! 

SOOK Siam - The Indoor 'Floating Market' @ Bangkok's Iconsiam [Thailand] #iconsiam #sooksiam #indoorfloatingmarket

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Even though i didn't manage to check out ICONSIAM back in November last year, a few friends went and already told me the most amazing thing in Thailand's largest shopping mall would be the indoor floating market.

There was indeed a water component at the basement of the mall but i must admit my expectations were a lot higher as i thought the boats, synonymous with floating markets, would be traversing all over the man-made waterway.

As you can see from the above picture, the vessels were literally 'placed' at their position like any permanent structure! I was expecting some row, row, row your boat action. 

While i was a tad disappointed with the 'floating market', i was still pretty impressed by the literal sheerness of the space that seeks to bring together food and cultural heritage from "four main geographical regions" across 77 provinces in Thailand! 

It was bright daylight outside the mall yet here in Sook Siam (the name given), it was as if we were walking on a cooling night, surrounded by traditional two-storey shophouses in Thailand and in the midst of a bustling crowd similar to Huamum night market

Without further ado, it's pictures' time! 

Street food and snacks are popular with Thais and you can see them everywhere in Sook Siam! The good thing is that the vendors came from all over Thailand and if you have the stomach space and tenacity to stuff in as much as you could, do indulge! 

Prices were obviously not as cheap as those along the streets although it's not as expensive as those typically sold in the shopping malls. Taking my favourite tender grilled pork as an example, it's 15 baht a stick compared to 10 baht at a street vendor and 20 baht at terminal 21.  

Should you have the time to spare, you can even catch a few performances!

Food is but one main component of Sook Siam; you can also find Thai handicrafts and Thai-made products! I was drawn to the piggy banks as always but the one i had the most interest in was the terrariums! Pity i figure it would be hard for me to haul back to Singapore.

Looking for Naraya? There's a super huge store (cutting across two or three floors) at ICONSIAM where the ladies would go crazy, i presume! 

Plenty of instagrammable photo spots which was created by 200 local artists from the four regions; namely the North, Central, Isan (Eastern-Thailand), and South. The one that left a deep impression was the escalator that's flanked by two of the mythical creature; the Naga! 

I don't recognise these two creatures though; their appearance would best be described as long haired deer. The QR code indicated that the taller one on the left is an "animal belonging to the mythical forest of Himmapan" and came from the legends of the Thai Yai tribe (also known as the Shan people).

Feeling tired after all the walking?! You can have your massages even though i find the concept to be too open for my liking. Foot massages would be fine though. 

Lastly, the views from the second floor! According to the website of ICONSIAM, there are over 3,000 business operators in Sook Siam spread out over 7 zones (which i didn't know until now)! Guess i would have to make another trip to Sook Siam in the near future.

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Address,
299 Charoen Nakhon Rd, 
Khwaeng Khlong Ton Sai, Khet Khlong San, 
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10600, Thailand

Website

Replacement for My Loss - Another Nikon D750 #nikond750 #alanphotosg #funanmall

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After three months of consideration since the unfortunate loss in China, i knew i had to do something as i clearly wasn't satisfied with pictures taken from my iPhone Xr and the old Nikon D7100.

Eventually decided on an exact replacement, the Nikon D750; it was a tough call for me as i couldn't decide on the brand / model. On one hand, i would love to try something new yet on the other hand, i do have some Nikon lenses which would be left redundant should i change brand. 

Unravelling the prize in the box; similar to buying a new car, there's this new camera smell fresh out of the box that excites the mind! For me personally, the contour and the feel of the camera also brought forth a strange sensation; like i have gotten back the D750 camera i lost in Kaili, Guizhou

Attaching the strap to the two eyelets on the sides of the camera; this is by far the most tedious stuff for any new camera! Can't they just do it at the factory?! 

So why did i decide on purchasing the same camera that i lost? Reason is simple; i am cash strapped and for the amount i could afford, it's a fight between the newer, more expensive D500 and the older, cheaper yet full-frame D750. 

I was almost ready to get the D500 despite people telling me that it's more for sports (which i honestly have no interest in) but the game changer is this website i chanced upon a few days ago; cameradecision.com. Right on this page, it weighs the pros and cons of each camera and it's obvious that for the purpose i have for phototaking; D750 is the preferred choice. 

Now, i have to read the user manual more carefully to at least have a better idea of the functions and features of the camera. As of now, i am amazed that i didn't know that there's this time-lapse function! 

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Purchased From
Alan Photo,
107, North Bridge Road,
Funan Mall, #03-29,
Singapore 179105

Additional Information
The camera was purchased from Mr Rod Foong, a friendly product specialist at Alan Photo, who doesn't hard sell, is knowledgeable about cameras (as versus to me) and able to offer options for the limited budget i had. 

Joyce's Birthday 2019

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Jovyn's birthday celebration has not even passed the two weeks' mark but here we are again celebrating another birthday of an immediate family member! 

Birthday girl is Joyce, the mother of Jovyn! Actually, i do enjoy birthday celebrations so long it's not my own and it's a pity that i am getting a bit too lazy to bake. Maybe i should attempt a home baked carrot cake for my parents' birthday in September.

I digress. Don't you just love the message on my shirt of my brother in law? "My wife made me fat so that no one else would want me"! According to my sister, this design was chosen by my brother in law; a sneaky way of pushing the blame away! 

With Jovyn; her split image. When we attended events by extended family, relatives always commented how Jovyn looks just like her mum at that age! Well, i can't remember although i must admit she has indeed inherited her mom's death stare. 

Happy XXth Birthday, Joyce!
p.s. i didn't reveal your age. 

Walking Round the Lake Opposite Longdu Jingyi International Hotel @ Kaili [Guizhou, China]

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I didn't have a good sleep after what happened the evening before and since dad is an early riser; we got ready to explore the surroundings of Longdu Jingyi International Hotel on day seven of our Guizhou tour

The drum tower where i lost my six days worth of photographs. Even though it has been about 4 months, my heart continues to ache whenever i think of that day. 

Such is the irony; the tower is labelled as welcome guest pavilion (迎客亭). I am a guest yet the welcome i received via the form of a lost DSLR is not what i expected. Oh well, the fault is mine so let's not blame the drum tower built according to the Dong tribe custom and tradition.

Regardless the heavy emotion, i endeavoured to continue to enjoy myself for the rest of the tour. My only worry is that my dad would start to nag about my loss. His nagging is no joke as it can totally spoil your day! 

I didn't know the tiles were just stacked up as i thought they were glued or something. Hm... in event of strong wind, wouldn't they fly away? 

Dad was thankfully quite understanding and didn't say much except to act as a model for my photo-taking using the less than stellar iPhone Xr. 

View of the peaceful lake; i think it's man-made as baidu map didn't indicate even the name of it. There's a ferris wheel to the left but we heard from the tour guide that it has been there for a long time and she had yet to see it move. 

Long corridor; actually looked like this was a historical structure.

Almost dried-up canal; weather was still a bit chilly although relatively comfortable and not as cold as the first night we arrived in Guizhou.

Another view and with dad in it; the backdrop seemed so fake but i can guarantee you it's really that real and that nice! Maybe because it's not that near residential blocks, the place was relatively quiet and peaceful.

Longdu Jingyi International Hotel in the middle and the drum tower in front of it. As shown in the photo, there were a number of drum towers dotting the surrounding, including on the hill right behind the hotel where we stayed for the night.

Dad again! 

There's a structure that extended right to somewhere the middle of the lake and connection is via this bridge with a unique name that i learnt of in my last trip to China at Guilin. Time to check it out.

Yet again another view of the lake; without the DSLR, i am actually quite lost even though the mobile phone did a pretty good job except for the resolution. 

Entrance of the structure which felt more like a restaurant. However, there's no gate and others were also strolling in; so i guess we can also step in for a closer look.

Name of the bridge; Wind-Rain Bridge (风雨桥). English translation is terrible; basically, it's also known as flower bridge and is common in the areas like Hunan and Guangxi. Said to be one of the ten most unbelievable bridges in the world, its name of wind-rain bridge came about as it can help shelter, those walking on it, from the wind and rain.

In this case, the bridge was laid with tables on both sides and although didn't quite serve its original purpose; it's a no-choice thingy when the whole place was more a restaurant that's catered for the night, beer drinking crowd.

银秀宴 which i presume is the name of the restaurant; this notice served to inform diners that the fishes were from the natural spring water in the region and said to be specialties. 

Fishes in the tanks.

Large compound at the back; why didn't i realise this the night before? I should have grabbed a beer or two and soaked in the drinking vibe in China, especially needed after the loss! 

Right opposite is the imposing building of  "凯里民族文化馆"; a cultural museum that i stepped in the day before as it housed the retail store of a branded silverware company. 


My dad is actually happiest when surrounded by flowers and i recall that when we were living in the village at Nee Soon; he had a lot of flower pots under his care. Sadly, his son didn't inherit his green thumb.

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First Meal in Hongkong - Grilled Japanese Salt Chicken @ Panda Place's KFC

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I knew a trip to any of the fast food restaurants in Hong Kong is inevitable if I travel with Alex but I didn't expect it to happen on the very first day of my visit to the former colonial jewel.

Yes, we paid a visit to KFC as it was already late afternoon (about 4pm plus) and we had yet to have lunch! KFC sounded like an extremely good option when we were simply too lazy to seek out eateries with positive reviews!

To substantiate my reasoning, KFC Hong Kong apparently uses fresh, whole chickens which means the chicken would likely taste better than Singapore's version as the latter was rumored for a long time to have used frozen chicken.

Our meal for two; wrong order by Alex who doesn't speak Cantonese and claimed that the order-taker had misunderstood what he wanted. Well, I should blame myself then since, in terms of the language, I am slightly more proficient.

Because those who know me would be aware I am unlikely to order rice in a fried chicken restaurant; even at Arnolds Chicken, my usual order is 2 or 3 pieces of fried chicken, without any side. And on the tray was this serving of rice with mushroom gravy! It tasted quite alright but I left more than half uneaten.

Another reason for trying KFC in Hong Kong - they came out with these grilled Japanese salt chicken! Okay, I am unsure if this special was launched in Singapore since, to be honest, I am not exactly a KFC fan back home.

The chicken meat was moist and juicy although the bone did appear to be dark which is a giveaway sign (according to my mom) that it's likely to be frozen. Anyone else can confirm? Anyway, in terms of taste, it didn't take my breath away but I did quite like the thin, grilled chicken skin; made me feel a bit healthier.

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Pricing
For your reference! 

My First Authentic Hong Kong Breakfast @ 漢都茶餐廳 [Next to Panda Hotel]

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My first meal in Hong Kong was nothing to scream about as KFC is found in most countries, including Singapore! Hence, we made it a point to check out authentic Hong Kong food for breakfast the next day!

Being lazy people, we popped by 漢都茶餐廳 which was just a stone's throw from our hotel.

Decision making is hard when we didn't want to travel but things are easier when you see the place pretty crowded and there were menus (literally posters with photographs and pricing) posted all over the place!

Milk Coffee - i needed my coffee fix and this was my first and last Hong Kong coffee (Starbucks and Pacific Coffee not counted). It didn't have that enticing aroma commonly found in Singaporean coffee and tasted pretty weak; obviously failed to perk me up.

Pork Chop Double Egg with Buttered Bread - no complaint about two slices of soft and fluffy bread with a butter middle. Well, the eggs were nicely fried although deeper frying (resulting in a light crisp) would have been better.

I was more looking forward to my pork chop; thinly sliced, it's only lightly marinated and an option better than the saltier (and usual) bacon. Overall unimpressive although it gave me the feeling this was comfort food that could have only come from home.

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Address
No 162, Tsuen Wan Market St,
Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong

Map
As above

Pricing
Milk Coffee - 15 HKD
Pork Chop Double Egg with Buttered Bread - 36 HKD

Day Six of Our Eight Days' Guizhou Tour Package by Chan Brothers Travel - 西江千户苗寨 (Xijiang Miao Stockade) #xijiangmiao

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Leaving Anshun at 8am; we were already well-prepared (having been informed the night before) for the coach ride that would take about four hours to reach our next stop, which is a major item on our itinerary and one that i am looking forward to!

Please be assured that there were toilet breaks along the way although i was still mindful not to gulp too much water! We knew the attraction was near when the architecture of the buildings along the way changed from modern to traditional.

The attraction we would be visiting is 西江千户苗寨 (Xijiang Miao Stockade)! Now, in case you are unaware, the Miao minority ethnic group numbers about 9 million people and 70% of them reside in Guizhou.

Right here at Xijiang Miao Stockade, it's considered as the "most well-preserved and largest" one of its kind with over 1,200 families, numbering 6,000 people living in it, of which only 1% of them is from the non-Miao tribe!

Panorama of its entrance and with Dad showcasing his signature pose!

Since it's already noon, let's proceed for a Miao lunch in one of the restaurants within the stockade. Known as Miao long table cuisine, it's somewhat like hotpot with local ingredients and specialties. What's more interesting was their welcome custom for male guests; the almost never-ending downing of rice wine!


Thanks to our tour guide, the men were aware of what's required for them. Never touch the rice-wine bowls and your butt should never leave the long bench, no matter the tactics used by the Miao girls! Check out the video appended below.

Dad was visibly impressed by the historical feel of the stockade, and took many photographs which came in handy for this blog after i lost my DSLR.

For me, i like the place although i am also aware that it has been infected with the allure of the tourist dollars. Many shops were obviously catered for the thousands of tourists that thronged its streets on a daily basis; a sad yet inevitable process.

There are pros and cons when a supposedly historical landmark becomes touristy; better upkeep of the place, improvement of the hygiene conditions (specifically the toilets) etc.

Agriculture continues to play an important part in the area. Anyway, we were waiting for the shuttle bus bringing us to the viewing platform that promised to give a great view of the entire stockade. I have seen the pictures and nothing beats seeing it with our own eyes!

And it sure didn't disappoint!

Despite the many century-old houses dotting the landscape, you can find the modern facilities like a spanking new soccer field on the right side. According to Huan Huan, our tour guide, the older houses are higher up the hill.

A panorama for your viewing pleasure! This picture doesn't do the place justice as i was literally blown away by the breathtaking view ahead of me!

Instead of taking the shuttle bus down to the base, my dad and i opted to walk instead. I think walking runs in my family as we can hit the HPB standard easily whenever we are overseas.

Walking also allows us to soak in the sights on a slower pace; that's what holidays should be about right? That's why i dislike tour packages with those commission-based factory shopping stops; it always feels so rushed!

Do pay a visit to the Xijiang Miao Museum if you wish to know more about the Miao ethnic group; including their life, customs and traditions.


Showcasing his skill in mixing the cooked pastry (known as butterfly cookie) with the sesame seeds, i have in fact seen this on youtube before! Whatever the case, i bought a few packs and the cookie tasted like our local tau sar piah with chestnut filling.

Could this be the same scene a few hundred years ago? Given that Guizhou is not known to be a rich province historically, chances are the stockade would not look as clean and as tidy as what we see now.

Traditional performance at a square; Dad insisted on getting a photo! The revolving performance didn't seem much even though we were more attracted by their attire and silver accessories.


Video! 

Another picturesque photograph.

Good enough backdrop for dad to be my model again. Luckily i have the habit of taking photos with my iPhone as it would allow me to share with the rest of my family members via WhatsApp.

The sad thing is that i have a lot more photographs on my DSLR but all were lost after our visit to 西江千户苗寨 (Xijiang Miao Stockade). Read my story here

Well, unfortunate things happen and i am not one to dwell on it too often as life goes on and there's absolutely no point in crying over spilled milk. It's unfair for my tour mates to wait for me indefinitely while i searched around for my DSLR and requested to proceed with dinner first. 

Dinner at 乡愁餐厅; nice to see that the operator indicated their welcome for us on their huge screen. Now that i didn't have my DSLR with me, my iPhone would have to do most of the job then. 

Our sumptuous meal; as compared to my first trip to China back in 2007, quality of food served in tour packages is now much better! In the past, i can literally eat just plain rice with a bit of vegetables and meat even though there could be eight dishes on the table.

Birthday celebration for a fellow travel mate! According to the wife, this could be pre-arranged with Chan Brothers. I should have done so when i was in Beijing with my family in 2012. On second thought, maybe not as i didn't have a good review of the tour agency.  

Fancy dog meat? It's available in this region! Of course i didn't try any... Anyway, we returned to the hotel, checked out the CCTV and couldn't find anything that would find my DSLR.. :(

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德記山水豆腐花 - Where I Tried Ngong Ping's Famous Beancurd Pudding @ Lantau Island [Hong Kong] #LantauIsland #BeancurdPudding #TofuPudding

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My first visit to Hong Kong over 20 years ago didn't bring me to many areas popular with tourists although i did recall from a travel show that visitors to Lantau Island should check out the tofu pudding (known as tau hua for Singaporeans).

There were a few shops selling the signature dessert but over half appeared to be either closed for the day / for good. Hence, we made do with the one that's nearest to the grand entrance of both Po Lin Monastery and the humongous Tian Tan Buddha; 德記山水豆腐花.

Service standard in Hong Kong is not renowned to be the friendliest and you would expect some impatience and roll-eye expression from the staff; having prepared myself before the trip, i was quick in shooting out my order. For those who don't understand Chinese, you order from the cashier counter (doh-fu-fa), let them know if you want cold tofu pudding and pay first. 

So what's so interesting about the tofu pudding in Ngong Ping? The soy beans were supposedly ground using natural spring water and unlike the relatively standard sugar syrup that is poured over the beancurd, the one here had a nice, gingery flavour. 

It tasted pretty good, especially after the climb up and down Tian Tan Buddha although picky eater might feel that the texture isn't as smooth as expected. Want it sweeter? Help yourself to the container of red sugar! 

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Location
Near Entrance of Po Lin Monastery and Tian Tan Buddha,
Ngong Ping, Lantau Island, Hong Kong

Pricing
Beancurd Pudding - HKD 17 

Big Dog Cafe & Bistro @ Bangkok [Near Thailand Cultural Centre MRT Station] #bigdogcafe

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Among the many animal cafes in Bangkok, Big Dog Cafe is one of those that are featured frequently on friends' social media! Hence, when my younger sister suggested a visit back in April, i was happy to join her as the cafe is conveniently located near the Thailand Cultural Centre MRT station

Even though we read somewhere that it would be better to make an appointment to reserve a time slot; we couldn't be bothered as we prefer flexibility. Turned out our arrival timing at about 4.30 pm on a Thursday wasn't a busy period and a slot at 5.00 pm was still available. 

Change to the cafe's slippers before you step in; separated into three sections, the cafe operation is in the middle one whereas the one facing the main road would likely be open should there be a crowd. The inner section would be where the mingling with dogs shall take place and as mentioned above, the next slot is at 5.00 pm.

Interesting thing about the Big Dog Cafe (which would be celebrating its 10th birthday this year) is that you don't have to pay the cover charge of 199 baht if you don't have the intention to play and mingle with the dogs! 

Dog lovers would be pleased to note that there are over 40 dogs in this compound and they range from the diminutive Pomeranian to the gigantic Great Dane! 

Certification of vaccination for your reference.

A few dogs require extra attention and those paying the cover charge should be mindful on the dos and dont's listed on the booklets placed around the cafe; for example, not to wear sunglasses, mask, cap when the Tibetan mastiff is around.

Be mindful around the wolf hounds too! You may attempt photo-taking only when the trainer / carer is around to assist you. As the bites for big dogs can be lethal, especially for some of the breeds, it's good to take precautions. 

Other cafe rules as above! 

Awaiting the dogs to bounce down the ramp from the second level and crowd out the not-too-big compound; Alex chose to sit in the air-conditioned cafe and guard our belongings while we prepared for the doggies arrival at the inner, non-air-conditioned section.

Some ongoing renovation for another structure next to the inner section; maybe an expansion to include birds or reptiles? Or maybe an air-conditioned mingling area given how hot Bangkok can be.

A swimming pool for the dogs!

Canines are generally greedier than felines and having a bag of treats would make it easier for you to get closer to the dogs! Available at 150 baht a bag and promotion was buy two, get one free! Stinginess runs in our family as we didn't bother to purchase.

Here come the dogs! 

As it's impossible to get all the dogs down at the same time (imagine the noise, the confusion and the mess), there are shifts limiting to about five dogs at one time and each shift is about 15 minutes. In order to see all the dogs, you would need at least two hours. 

Time to bombard you with picture and picture of the adorable doggies! 

'Accidents' can happen and i don't know why people can still willing sit on the cement flooring! Aside from the risk of dirtying your clothes, you would likely be potential urine "markers" for the dogs.

Thankfully, there were a lot of staff members on standby and once they spot the "accident", they would proceed to mop up the mess. However, if you "kenna" the urine, there's really nothing much they could do except to pass you wipes and febreze fabric refreshener spray. 

Fans and air-coolers were placed at strategic locations and it's so cute to see some of the dogs making use of them to cool themselves down; like this kawaii pomeranian! 

Bowls of drinking water (for the dogs) were also available and the doggies knew exactly where to get them! Just note to steer clear of them after they drink as they would shake off the excess water once they are done! 


A time-lapse for your viewing pleasure! Those people in yellow vests are the friendly staff members who would help you entice the dogs to come over and take photos for you, regardless of whether you bought their treats.

My younger sister with some of the dogs!

While her original choice was the Alaskan Malamute, i think it's the breathless English bulldog that eventually won our hearts! How can it be so ultra cute?!


Check out the video i took of Beary!

A satisfied sister even though we didn't manage to check out all the dogs given that we had already scheduled dinner with our elder sister. p.s. how they did manage to squeeze in 40-over dogs on the second floor?!

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Address
82 Ratchadaphisek Rd, Khwaeng Huai Khwang,
Khet Huai Khwang, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10310,
Thailand [Exit 1 of Thailand Cultural Centre MRT Station]

Map
As above.

Facebook Page

Menu
As above. 

Charge to Play with Dogs
199 Baht - Per Person

Minority Culture Museum of Qiandongnan Prefecture (黔東南民族博物馆) @ Guizhou [China]

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The first stop on day seven was still within the city of Kaili, where we were brought to the Minority Culture Museum of Qiandongnan Prefecture! I am actually not a museum goer when overseas as i could literally spend hours and that's not very good use of my vacation. 

Since this was part of our Guizhou tour package, we might as well go through the flow and it's great to have Huan Huan, our tour guide, explaining and clarifying the exhibits. 

Opened in 1988, the museum was undergoing rather extension renovation and certain sections were closed. Not a big problem for me as this would mean spending less time in the museum and more time in other attractions! 

Region we were in is the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture and according to the explanation above, is known to be the intangible natural museum and has 276 traditional villages, comprising 10.8% of the total in China. 

Miao ethnic group is always mentioned and talked about but in this prefecture, the Dong ethnic group takes up a signification percentage in the population and the one thing that always comes to mind about the tribe is their choir (known as 侗族大歌)! It would be a great honor if i can hear them sing! 

Other tribes in the prefecture. It's interesting how culturally distinct each ethnic group and amazing how they manage to maintain their roots in the modern days. 

Sedan from the Dong tribe; well, i am no expert but what difference is this from the other Chinese sedans? Look about the same to me. 

Window Climbing - a courting ritual for the Dong tribe. Wait, i have seen those stairs before! I remember seeing the same type at Mari Mari Cultural Village at Kota Kinabalu; about 2,500 kilometers away! 

Tools used for agriculture.

Moonlit Melodies; a social gathering for the pursuit of romance. The girls would weave and sing while the boys take out their musical instruments and play the melody.   

Scale down replicas of the traditional houses; i am not sure if i would be keen to stay there given the need for modern conveniences like radiator, air-conditioning, internet etc. Furthermore, big houses mean more household chores! 

The wind rain bridge is said to be a unique architecture by the Dong tribe. 
I should know because i saw it before at Guilin three years ago! 

Drum tower - seeing this makes me sad as it reminded me of my loss the day before. Anyway, the drum tower of the Dong signifies the existence of a surname; the more you see in a village / town means there are a few surnames and taller the tower is, the greater the respect. 

Picture of their Dong welcome ceremony for guests.

Composition of the Dong tribe in other provinces; in Guizhou itself, the province houses close to 50% of the Dong ethnic group!

Interest expressed by our tour mates. Before i embarked on my visit to Guizhou, i didn't know it was culturally richer than Yunnan and Guilin with a large group of minorities. Within Qiandongnan prefecture, there are already 33 ethnic groups and that's significant given that China recognises 55 ethnic minority groups.

Ancient fossil found in the area; long, long time ago, the Qiandongnan was an underwater kingdom! 

Spectacular photos taken of the traditional villages! It's a pity that my trip only covered about two days in the prefecture. However, the area is not developed for tourists yet and if you are still keen to explore, you might be inconvenienced with the lack of comfort and modern amenities. 

What's so interesting about the pieces of wood?

Look at the ugly engraving on the surface! During the dynasties of Qing and Ming, the wood traders would make the wood so that in the event it was lost (for example, in a flood), they could find the ones that belong to them! 

This last exhibit didn't generate much interest for me even it was all about a literary giant who is insanely famous in China; Lu Xun, the father of modern Chinese literature.

His life, his works were all display. Well, i don't read Chinese books (except for Chinese comics and novels from Qiong Yao when i was younger) even though i know of him; hence, i wasn't enthusiastic in learning more.

Unlike my cultured tour mate above.

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Hunger's Kitchen - Affordable Drinks & Generous Roasted Chicken Salad @ Shaw Tower [Singapore]

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Every Wednesday evening, i would be in the vicinity of Bugis and with the abundance of food outlets; i am often spoiled for choice. Trust me; that's a major dilemma for a person who loves to eat! 

For the past few weeks, however, i have been patronizing Hunger's Kitchen at Shaw Tower. There are a few reasons for this continual patronage; one of which is its close proximity to where i would be attending my weekly activity.

Another reason; i need a place where i can hole up for about an hour plus and it's good to note that the air-conditioned restaurant offers extremely low prices for drinks! A cup of hot mocha cost only S$1.80, a bottle of mineral water is S$1.20 and ice lemon tea is S$1.70; that's almost coffee-shop pricing! 

Mocha Coffee - for S$1.80, i am not complaining and this would defnitely last me more than an hour. But drink is only one component; it's dinnertime and i would need something to placate the growling monster we call stomach. 

Roasted Chicken Salad - with me hitting the big 4 o next year, it's important for me to make some change to my eating habit and one of the things i have been ingesting on a frequent basis is salad although i would always prefer mine to consist a meat protein.

While most salad would not contain much meat, i was pleasantly surprised to find a quarter of roasted chicken on my salad that also included corn, black olive, cherry tomato, cucumber, red onion, Parmesan cheese and drenched with lemon vinaigrette! 

It was a good and satisfying meal, especially for a person like me who is somewhat health conscious yet couldn't do without meat! My only wish? For the restaurant to offer even more meat options for their salads! 

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Address
100 Beach Road, #01-01, 
Shaw Towers, Singapore 189702

Website

Pricing
Mocha - S$1.80
Roasted Chicken Salad - S$8.90
(Subject to GST)

Additional Information
Would love to check out their set menu in the future! 

Yi Shi Jia Wanton Mee (益食家云吞面) - The Good, Old Traditional Taste @ Kovan Hawker Centre [Singapore]

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I went round the hawker centre twice as i didn't know what to have for lunch; should it be the minced meat fishball noodles with long queue, the roast delight or something new? Turned out i have been craving for noodles in recent weeks and i eventually cast my vote at a stall that's rather hidden at the back of the food centre.

Yi Shi Jia Wanton Mee (益食家云吞面); it's interesting for a wanton mee stall to differentiate its menu using spicy, ketchup and soy sauce! Usually, it's more like the customers asking for either spicy or non-spicy or the stall owner checking if you want spicy or not. 

It's funny that when it comes to wanton mee, it's never the wanton (dumplings) that matters. Like many other similar stalls, the three small wantons at Yi Shi Jia were nothing to scream about and the soup didn't make a significant impact for my taste buds. 

Char siew wise; again, not the fatty kind with charred bits that i totally love. p.s. i did notice that the operator was generous with the char siew as there were so many slices!

Swimming in an appetising sauce that's mixed in with ketchup (tomato sauce), the noodle was definitely the biggest draw with an alluring taste of nostalgia! The strands of noodle were soaked with the sauce and had an eggy and subtle akaline flavour; each scoop into my mouth brought me back to my childhood when a plate of wanton mee cost only S$1.50.

Satisfaction, max! 

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Address
209 Hougang Street 21, 
#01-57, Kovan Food Centre, 
Singapore 530209 
(Next to Kovan MRT Station)

Map

As above.

Operating Hours
9.00am till 4.30pm

Pricing
Ketchup Wanton Mee - S$3.50 a plate. 
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