this lush garden within » Lifeblog http://www.mrbiao.com mrbiao Mon, 29 Dec 2008 09:05:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc en hourly 1 Toronto - Montreal (Day 110) http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/toronto-montreal-day-110.html http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/toronto-montreal-day-110.html#comments Thu, 24 Apr 2008 06:16:19 +0000 mrbiao http://www.mrbiao.com/?p=408 I only planned for a half day layover in Toronto, and I’m glad I planned it that way - there’s nothing much to do in Toronto - not much sightseeing besides the CN Tower (another one of those tourist traps where you pay $20+ to take an elevator up, wow at the view from the top for a couple minutes and that’s it). Needless to say I didn’t go for it. Too much to pay for 2 minutes of city view when they are more or less the same everywhere else and no less magnificent for example at the Pearl tower in Shanghai, OUB Plaza in Singapore, etc.

There are actually lots to do in Toronto for people who love the arts… and comedy - Canada is like the comedy capital of the world with lots of shows in Toronto. I didn’t go for them again as I’m on a budget and don’t really want to spend like $30 to watch a comedian for a couple of hours when I can watch on TV.

I took the morning before my departure for Montreal to do a walking tour of downtown Toronto as recommended by Frommer’s, and had a supposedly famous “peabody style pork bun” in St Lawrence market - it was absolutely disgusting, with many pieces of salty and greasy pork cutlet slices wedged between a bun and nothing else, not even a slice of lettuce! Man, I got to stop believing in those marketing efforts put up by these eating establishments - rows and rows of newspaper and magazine reviews on how good that expensive bun is… it was so bad I couldn’t finish eating it!

I don’t like the feel of Toronto - it’s too fast faced, much like Singapore… (but still slower than the latter). And oh the temperature here these couple of days was a comfortable ~20 degrees celcius - quite unexpected given that its still less than 10 degrees in Vancouver - I came here expecting worse, which is typical of weather in East Canada… hmm… global warming effects changing the typicity of weather?

I took a grueling 7 hour bus ride to Montreal from Toronto. The only reason why I chose bus over a flight or train was because of the price … I bought it at a steep discount for early purchase… no complains for the price and the relatively OK bus ride since I had two seats to myself.

Along the way… there was mostly … nothingness. The countryside in Canada is such a vast landscape of emptiness… grass and trees, the occasional farm and small town, and nothing else. I wonder how people who live hours away from a major city (i.e. those in the agricultural industry) survive in this age. It must be quite boring. And oh I had Tim Horton’s for dinner again. Darn. It was the only choice available at the rest stop.

The bus pulled into Montreal shortly after 10.15pm, and I was surprised at how well-developed the city is - seems much, much better than Toronto. At least, first impressions was good - the subway is a more pleasant experience than in Toronto and there are few homeless people on the streets - I felt quite safe walking late at night in the empty streets looking for the hotel I’m booked into for the next few nights - very comfortable room (check out the pic! - I’ll upload tomorrow). I’m glad I got a good rate for this stay.

]]> http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/toronto-montreal-day-110.html/feed Cherry blossoms and snow in spring http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/cherry-blossoms-and-snow-in-spring.html http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/cherry-blossoms-and-snow-in-spring.html#comments Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:37:07 +0000 mrbiao http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/cherry-blossoms-and-snow-in-spring.html
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]]> http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/cherry-blossoms-and-snow-in-spring.html/feed Day 76 in Vancouver http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/lifeblog-post-3.html http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/lifeblog-post-3.html#comments Tue, 25 Mar 2008 04:56:57 +0000 mrbiao http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/lifeblog-post-3.html Tomorrow I’ll be going to the Rockies! So excited about the trip, but also worried about all the work and chores I have to catch up on when I return…

Dumpling rice noodle soup…

Sun 16/03/2008 18:05 16032008398

Cherry blossoms are blooming all over Vancouver…

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]]> http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/lifeblog-post-3.html/feed More reading week vacation photos http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/lifeblog-post.html http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/lifeblog-post.html#comments Tue, 04 Mar 2008 07:01:51 +0000 mrbiao http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/lifeblog-post.html Really plump bird (left) at Stanley Park…

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Bird of paradise… think this was at the Vancouver Aquarium…

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Dolphins performance at the Vancouver Aquarium…

Sat 16/02/2008 16:10 16022008252

Ice cream place with over 200 flavours…

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$5.50 for 18pcs of sushi plus miso soup… not very good though…

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Fireplace at the UBC Macdonald’s…

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My stash of food… just a small portion of it… =)
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View from UBC… breathtaking!

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Taken on the ferry to Victoria…

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Breakfast on the ferry… looks pretty good eh?

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Emergency exercise on the ferry…

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Victoria, BC…

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Our hotel room in Victoria…

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Very well-stocked mini fridge…

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Chinatown in Victoria…

Sun 17/02/2008 17:22 17022008265

Speakers’ Corner… but not like the one in Singapore! This is outside a TV station’s building… presumably for anyone with a newsworthy story to share…

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The Christmas Village Shop… where it’s Christmas all year round…

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A view of the Victoria Inner Harbour

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Butchart gardens… is pretty bare in winter

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Appetizer for the English Tea at Butchart Gardens. Think it was whipped cream with blueberry jam at the bottom. I’m not a fan of whipped cream, but this was light and really nice.

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These two gentlemen are blocking the way to the entrance of the hall where they hold Parliament sessions as parliament was in session that day…

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The historic Fairmont Empress Hotel where we were originally supposed to stay for another night in Victoria (lucky that we didn’t because there was nothing much to do in Victoria during winter)…

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View on the evening ferry back to Vancouver

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Waiting for the next bus at the Tssassawwen ferry terminal…

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View from a park in Capilano, North Vancouver…

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Grouse Mountain Skyride…

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Grouse Mountain sleigh…

Tue 19/02/2008 16:16 19022008273

Another view from Grouse Mountain…

Tue 19/02/2008 16:20 19022008276

The Cessna 172 we took in Squamish…

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View on the flight…

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]]> http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/lifeblog-post.html/feed Reading week vacation photos (Seattle) http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/lifeblog-post-2.html http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/lifeblog-post-2.html#comments Sat, 01 Mar 2008 10:19:50 +0000 mrbiao http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/lifeblog-post-2.html Restaurant car on the Amtrak Cascade train to Seattle…

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Food on the Amtrak train… not bad and quite affordable.

Thu 21/02/2008 17:49 21022008318

Cheesemaking in progress…

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Pike Place Market…

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Yummy looking pastries…

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The famous Pike Place Fish Market stall…

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Monk fish?! Doesn’t look appetizing…

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Cute car wash billboard…

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Bus station at Everett, WA…

Fri 22/02/2008 09:48 22022008340

$7 for an apple?! Forget it…

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My souvenir from the first Starbucks store at Pike Place Market…

Sun 24/02/2008 21:58 24022008341

More to come… (Time to ZZZ first)…

]]> http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/lifeblog-post-2.html/feed Vancouver day 33 photos http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/vancouver-day-33-photos.html http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/vancouver-day-33-photos.html#comments Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:00:56 +0000 mrbiao http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/vancouver-day-33-photos.html Fried noodles!

Mon 04/02/2008 13:22 04022008215

Modified dim sum steamer…

Mon 04/02/2008 20:34 04022008216

Siew mai (but didn’t taste like it)…

Mon 04/02/2008 20:36 04022008217

Potato wedges with garlic, herbs and spices…

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Yummy…

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]]> http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/vancouver-day-33-photos.html/feed Vancouver day 31 photos http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/vancouver-day-31-photos.html http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/vancouver-day-31-photos.html#comments Sun, 03 Feb 2008 23:45:45 +0000 mrbiao http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/vancouver-day-31-photos.html Sunny side eggs (look real, don’t they? except for the bottom one)… actually there is a smell of yogurt but for some reasons all my friends were fooled until they actually ate it!

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Lots of cutting and chopping…

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Japanese chicken curry and stir fry veggies…

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Leftovers of tom yum soup… forgot to take the ‘before’ picture.

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Tom yum soup…

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]]> http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/vancouver-day-31-photos.html/feed Vancouver day 27 photos http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/vancouver-day-25-photos-2.html http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/vancouver-day-25-photos-2.html#comments Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:34:30 +0000 mrbiao http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/vancouver-day-25-photos-2.html Tue 29/01/2008 09:32 29012008198

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]]> http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/vancouver-day-25-photos.html/feed Vancouver day 23 photos part 2 http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/vancouver-day-23-photos-part-2.html http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/vancouver-day-23-photos-part-2.html#comments Sun, 27 Jan 2008 07:49:00 +0000 mrbiao http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/vancouver-day-23-photos-part-2.html View of West Coast Express trains from outside Waterfront station…

Fri 25/01/2008 16:23 25012008188

Prima Taste Vancouver (Laksa for $10+!)…

Fri 25/01/2008 15:15 25012008185

Famous steam clock at Gastown…

Fri 25/01/2008 16:18 25012008186

Lots of birds bathing…

Fri 25/01/2008 14:32 25012008182

Go Fish! (It’s the cafe’s name)…
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Fish and cheaps, yummy!

Fri 25/01/2008 14:09 25012008179

Fisherman’s wharf…

Fri 25/01/2008 14:28 25012008180

View of Granville Street bridge…

Fri 25/01/2008 13:51 25012008177

The pic’s not big enough, but there was a huge bird sitting comfortably on a huge stretch limo, looking happy…

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