Another attraction in the Changbaishan scenic area is the Changbaishan Canyon (大峽谷). It is quite a deep canyon (going down 100m), with some interesting rock formations within it. However, it requires a separate entrance ticket, and its actually quite a distance from the Changbaishan park entrance at the northern slope.
The canyon itself is surrounded by pine forests, and looks really pretty in winter. There is a boardwalk running through the canyon, and makes for a very pleasant walk. The guidebook suggested that its a 40min walk, but I took almost 2hrs as I love photographing the winter scenes. Moreover, I seem to be the first and only visitor, as the boardwalk is covered with snow with no footprints at all. The boardwalk is on a raised platform, and with heavy snow, the edge of the boardwalk became barely distinguishable. So, extra care must be taken not to accidentally step off the boardwalk!
So, is the additional trip and entrance ticket worth it? Well, I enjoyed myself quite alot in there. However, in other seasons, the sceneries will be different, so your enjoyment mileage may vary :)
The Great Ocean Road is a famous stretch of road in south eastern Australia, and is one of the most popular drive trips for that region. One of the highlights along the journey is the Twelve Apostles, and some drive through just for that. So while the Great Ocean Road can be done in 5 hours, me and my friends went through it in 5 days.
Well known as a scenic coastal drive, a large portion of the road hugs the coastline. However, besides just coastal views, there are many other interesting stops along the way.
Lorne, a beach town popular with tourists, has other attractions including nice forest walks as well as Erskine Falls, a pretty waterfall not far from Lorne.
Further down, you'll drive through the Great Otway National Park, housing temperate rainforests and temporarily hiding the coast from view. There is also Cape Otway Lighthouse, Australia's oldest operating lighthouse till it was decommissioned in 1994.
And as you go further westward along the Great Ocean Road, there are other rock formations besides the Twelve Apostles : Island Arch, Blowhole Gorge, and London Bridge (which has fallen down) etc. And of course, lots of beaches.
So, when you do go for the Great Ocean Road drive, do it slowly and enjoy the journey!!
Fangchuan (防川), a small village in a sliver of land wedged between Russia and North Korea, finds itself in some travel guides for one reason - to be able to view 3 countries from a single viewpoint.
Situated in the Yanbian (延边) Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Jilin Province of Northeast China, the area does contain quite interesting histories for those who enjoy the subject. For the casual traveller, the notion of being at the border of 3 countries is the main draw. In fact, the moment I arrived in Hunchun (珲春), the town that connects to the rest of the prefecture, the cab drivers started quoting prices to Fangchuan. When I asked, "What to see in Fangchuan?", the driver exclaimed incredously, "To see the view of 3 countries (一眼望三国), why else would you want to come to Hunchun??!"! Well, Hunchun itself is very similar to the other towns/cities in Yanbian. Korean seems to be spoken as widely as Chinese, and dog meat restaurants, barbeques, and kimchis are all over the town. While the road and shop signs in the other Yanbian towns are in bilingual, here the signs are all in 3 languages : Chinese, Korean and Russian. However, I did not see many Russians when I was there.
The journey to Fangchuan and the viewpoint eventually follows a road hugging the Tumen river, and you can see the mountains of North Korea - so near yet so far. When you reach the viewpoint, what do you expect in China? Entrance fees of course. But still, it was interesting, and the closest I've gotten to Russia and North Korea to date! :P
One of the highlights in Northeast China is ChangBaiShan (长白山) and most guidebooks recommend a visit in summer, especially to see the beautiful Tianchi (天池). But I went in winter, and I was absolutely blown away by its beauty.
Tianchi, or Heaven Lake, is a lake in a caldera atop the Changbai mountain range which straddles China and North Korea. In winter, the lake is completely frozen, and seeing it from the peak of ChangBaiShan will certainly take your breath away, in more ways than one. At 2600+m, -28°C, and howling wind speeds, I needed the lake's beauty to distract me from the harsh conditions. It was indeed quite challenging for photography!!
However, access to the peak seems to be quite controlled. There are specially designated jeeps that bring you up to the peak's visitor station. Perhaps this is a good thing, since you wouldn't want to wander into North Korea territory... From the visitors station, its just a short trek to the lake viewpoint. Although it was extremely cold, I am glad I made the trip!!
Rainbows never fail to lift my spirits, even if it's for a while. And during travels, they make an excellent backdrop to your scene doesn't it?! ;) But more importantly, no matter how dampening a rain or how gloomy a storm, a rainbow on the horizon signals hope for the future ahead.
Here's some quick tips for spotting and shooting rainbows :
1. Know when there could be rainbows Rainbows are caused by the refraction of sunlight on raindrops or moisture in the air. As such, obviously sunlight and rain clouds need to be present. There needs to be a certain angle where the sunlight need to hit the raindrops for rainbows to be seen, and so, typically this happens when the sun is lower in the sky, ie. mornings or late afternoons.
2. Know where there could be rainbows. Also, rainbows occur on the anti-solar point in the sky, ie. where the sun is shining, look at the other direction. That's where the sunlight is falling onto, and if there's rain clouds or moisture in the sky, there's a chance there will be rainbow!
3. Use a circular polariser Put your circular polariser to good use! Turn it until the rainbow is the clearest!
4. Move By all means, take your shots immediately when you see a rainbow. But remember to move to improve your composition, eg. such that the ends of the rainbow fall onto something, or the rainbow is less obstructed etc.
Of course, "rainbows" appear in fountains or waterfalls too. Since there are water sprays and droplets in the air, the principle is the same. But what I just love is seeing a proper rainbow in the sky!
The Rainbow Connection, by Kermit the Frog
Why are there so many songs about rainbows And what's on the other side? Rainbows are visions, but only illusions, And rainbows have nothing to hide. So we've been told and some choose to believe it I know they're wrong, wait and see. Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection, The lovers, the dreamers and me.
Who said that every wish would be heard and answered when wished on the morning star? Somebody thought of that and someone believed it, and look what it's done so far. What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing? And what do we think we might see? Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers and me.
All of us under its spell, we know that it's probably magic....
Have you been half asleep and have you heard voices? I've heard them calling my name. Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailors? The voice might be one and the same. I've heard it too many times to ignore it. It's something that I'm supposed to be. Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers and me. La, la la, La, la la la, La Laa, la la, La, La la laaaaaaa
Singapore is well known as an urban city, with tall buildings and modern shopping malls. But visitors to Singapore can also look out for some nice green outdoor activities in nature as well - one which is The Southern Ridges.
These Ridges stretch through three parks, covering Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park, and Kent Ridge Park. You can take walks through many of its trails, cycle along its paths, or just relax in various sections of the park, eg. HortPark, a gardening paradise for horticulture enthusiasts. Besides HortPark, other attractions include Alexandra Arch and Henderson Waves, two bridges that links many of the walks from the various sections. These bridges are architecturally unique and in the evening, they're beautifully lighted to accentuate its form. The lights on Alexandra Arch actually changes colours through the night!
My favourite would be Henderson Waves though. It is Singapore's highest pedestrian bridge (36m) that connects Mount Faber Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park. It's structure is truly unique - constructed to follow the form of a mathematical function, its curves or "waves" is quite an achitecture wonder. The views atop the bridge is wonderful and it's no wonder that it's becoming a favourite outing for families and tourists alike. National Parks Singapore provides more details, including maps and walking routes. Check out the Southern Ridges to see another side of Singapore!
It's coming to the end of 2009, and I only managed one long trip (2 weeks) to Morocco, and several short trips round the region (Fraser Hill, Hongkong/Macau, Bali). Nevertheless, there are images that have left lasting impression in me, and I would like to share some of these favourite travel images of 2009. Happy travels in 2010!
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