Distractions, reflections

Distractions, reflections

David Ing, at large … Sometimes, my mind wanders

2013/07/04-05 Suzhou

December 22, 2013
On our 26-day journey, we only scheduled 24 hours in Suzhou.  The city is on the main train line between Beijing to Shanghai — actually only an hour east of Shanghai.  We arrived at Suzhou North Railway Station, and had a long taxi ride to our hotel west of the Jinghang Canal.  Thus gave us an experience of suburban Suzhou, with Yushan Lu station nearby the shopping mall.

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With Jinji Lake a destination sight, we rode the not-very-busy subway at rush hour through the city centre to the east side at Dongfang Zhimen (Gate of the Orient) station.  The building outside that subway stop looked to be a concert hall with no performances that day.

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Jinji (Golden Rooster) Lake is manmade.  Knowing that, the concrete shore is less surprising.

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After dinner, we walked along the shore in the dark.  Vendors featured lit-up toys.

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Looking westward, the higher buildings in central Suzhou were prominent.

Continue reading “2013/07/04-05 Suzhou“

2013/06/29-07/03 Beijing

December 16, 2013
In the ultimate family trip, we started a 26-day journey of China and Vietnam in Beijing. By the end of the trip, we would have 8 people in the group. On our first stop in Beijing, five of us flew together.

We picked a hotel near the Olympics site.  We knew the location was by the Beitucheng metro station in north central Beijing, but hadn’t appreciated that there would be a pond just east.

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[See the album of 23 Pearson-Beijing webphotos (with a slideshow option)]

The pond east of the hotel is on the west side of the Chinese Ethnic Culture Park.  Headed out for sightseeing on our first morning in Beijing, we thought that we might spend an hour or two in the culture park, and then move on.  Once inside, we rediscovered the park was much larger than anticipated.  The existence of the park focused on ethnicity is itself a surprise, as the vast majority of the country is populated by Han Chinese.  The south end includes reproductions of buildings in the Uyghur style, as would be found in the Xinjiang northwestern region of China.

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On the east side of the Ethnic Park was a large bridge depicting the She (Hakka) region in southwest China.

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From the Gelo house, we could look at stream depicting the Maonan ethnic minority, both from the southern China.

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Prominent in the middle of the Ethnic OPark was a reproduction of the triple pagodas, as found near Dali City in southwestern Yunnan, Continue reading “2013/06/29-07/03 Beijing“

2013/11 Moments, November 2013

November 30, 2013
Denver, CA; San Francisco, CA.

Art at Denver Airport A gates
Art at Denver Airport A gates. Dual Meridian by David Griggs overhead in atrium by trains from Terminal A. Also heard Train Call song by Jim Green as doors were about to close, a welcome alternative to the usual boring warning tones. (Denver) 20131128 1041

SFO Terrminal 3 art installation
SFO Terrminal 3 art installation. Japanese Toys! From Kokeshi to Kaiju display at San Francisco Airport, between the speedwalks to T3 departures. Discovered that UA720 at 5:44 a.m. PT must be the first flight out for the day, as under-capacity security personal said I was the third person checked that morning, around 4:15 a.m. (San Francisco Airport) 20131129 0429

2013/09 Moments, September 2013

September 30, 2013
Ottawa, Ontario; Toronto, Ontario.

Farhat Bakery Meadowlands, Ottawa
Farhat Bakery Meadowlands, Ottawa. Lebanese baker warms up meat pies and zataar in oven at lunchtime for takeout. First time in modest storefront of Farhat Bakery on Meadowlands, high quality for reasonable price. Friend suggested only half the usual spice, but slight burn an hour later suggest I should ask for mild next time. (Ottawa, 1119 Meadowlands) 20130911 1219
Bridesmaids at Burwash Hall Gate House
Bridesmaids at Burwash Hall Gate House. A rainy Saturday at Victoria College, University of Toronto presents a challenge for a photographer trying to capture a wedding day. Maybe 7 bridesmaids in pink. Groom and bride to the left, photographer to the right. Was on campus today for the annual Victoria College Booksale. (Toronto) 20130921 1323
American Embassy, Ottawa
American Embassy, Ottawa. At the western edge of the Byward Market district, the Embassy of the United States of America on Sussex Drive is an imposing concrete building. The skylights at the north end create some visual interest. (Ottawa) 20130925 1826

Chinese postage stamps of Dr. David Lam
Chinese postage stamps of Dr. David Lam. Commemorative postage stamps of Dr. David Lam, in addition to medal, plaque and glass trophy for lifelong service, issued by Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in April. Only one of two TCM practitioners recognized at this level outside of China, Dr. Lam in Canada, and another in the U.S. Dr. Lam declined to go to China to receive his accolades. Retired in Canada, he still teaches and sees legacy patients. (Toronto) 20130928

2013/08 Moments, August 2013

August 31, 2013
Toronto, Ontario; Ottawa, Ontario; Kingston, Ontario.

Sugar Beach umbrellas and sailboats in Toronto Harbour
Sugar Beach umbrellas and sailboats in Toronto Harbour. At 23 degrees C, a perfect August day to be at Sugar Beach under an umbrella, or on the water in a sailboat on Toronto Harbour. Appreciating comfortable climate after having spent practically all of July in humid temperatures over 30 degrees in China, Vietnam and then Jamaica. Better planning would let me stay home in the summer, and travel to other parts of the world when I’ll appreciate their climate more. (Toronto) 20130807 1823
Shooting Covert Affairs in Toronto
Shooting Covert Affairs in Toronto. Clapperboard said @CovertAffairs, spotted @PiperPerabo in drivers seat of car with mic and grips behind, on The Esplanade, just west of Berkeley Street. Extras on sidewalk, police blocking traffic both directions, but filming stopped to allow TTC bus to pass. Basketball players on court in far background could care less. The city retains some glamour as a media production centre. I’ll have to watch out for the episode where this car shows up. (Toronto) 20130807 1834
Dow’s Lake
Dow’s Lake. Canoeists learning to paddle on Dow’s Lake near central Ottawa. Appreciate the moderate summer temperature on a August weekday. (Ottawa, ON) 20130815 1309
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill. Evening stroll in Otttawa by Parliament Hill, on the south bank of the Ottawa River. Compared to Toronto, the people in Ottawa are friendlier and seem less stressed. Since I spend so much time outside of Canada, I’m getting cognitive dissonance of dealing day to day with nice people where I don’t have to think so much about how we communicate (Ottawa) 20130815 2005
Kingston Portsmouth Olympic Harbour
Kingston Portsmouth Olympic Harbour. On the route home, by Portsmouth Olympic Harbour, right beside the Kingston Penitentiary, a maximum security prison. Noting the many boats on trailers that anyone could just drive up, hook up, and tow away, without supervision or security. Does the prison next door give thieves any pause to think about potential consequences? (Kingston, Ontario) 20130816 1858
Edward Gardens Fountain
Edward Gardens Fountain. On our 28th anniversary renewal of vows, the limestone lady at the Edward Gardens fountain looks freshly cleaned. DY and I queued for a wedding party to clear, and then recommitted for another year. With my retirement and AHI’s surgery, it’s been a roller-coaster year. After the big family pilgrimage to China and then Vietnam, we’re considering couples travel together. (Don Mills, ON) 20130824 1458

Control room at Bell Lightbox
Control room at Bell Lightbox. Expected to see movies previewing on monitors, but largest screens were cameras watching pedestrians on outside the Bell Lightbox King Street. Signs and programs of the Toronto International Film Festival posted on many walls. Walked around the building, haven’t yet seen a movie in it. (Toronto) 20130831 1654

2013/06/15-18 Hameenlinna, Haltia, Espoo (Finland)

August 21, 2013
In contrast to my winter visits to Finland, the timing of Co-Create 2013 conference meant an opportunity to visit in the summer.  Minna and Petri now live in Hameenlinna, which is cottage country 100 km north of Helsinki.  As a way of beating jet lag, Minna suggested that we bicycle along the paths north by the lake (Vanajavesi).

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In town, the Finnish sense of humour shows up at the HAMK University of Applied Sciences with a milk pier, for which the design is patented.  It’s outside the dairy.  Students produce products which the local neighbours enjoy.

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Petri and Minna have a big back yard.  The weekend was warm enough for brunch under the gazebo, but not warm enough for shorts.

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One tourist attraction open on Sundays is the glass outlet in the town of Iitala.

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At the Naïvist Art Gallery at Iittala, was a showing of Tinga Tinga paintings — some on bike parts — from Tanzania. Continue reading “2013/06/15-18 Hameenlinna, Haltia, Espoo (Finland)“

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