Odaiba, Tokyo

One of the less visited district in Tokyo (esp for first-timers) is Odaiba (お台場), a shopping and entertainment area which Tokyo has plenty of. But since April 2012, there is an additional reason to drop by there.

Odaiba is actually on a man-made island on Tokyo Bay. Created by huge landfills joining several small islands into one big one, it now has a futuristic and glitzy outlook so typical of Tokyo. Boasting of several huge shopping malls and entertainment complexes, it is a popular hangout for the locals. There are also state-of-the-art modern buildings like the Fuji TV tower and Tokyo Big Sight, the latter being Japan's largest exhibition and convention center.

Connected to the rest of Tokyo by the Rainbow Bridge, reaching the island by public transport is easy with the Yurikamome train line. You could also drive across the bridge or even walk across, as there is a pedestrian walkway but the views along the way are great on the train line, since its an elevated line. One of the primary reasons for visiting Odaiba is the beautiful view of the lighted Rainbow Bridge at night.

On 19 April 2012, another entertainment and dining complex opened in Odaiba - DiverCity Tokyo Plaza. Its star attraction is the Gundam Front Tokyo, a shop/museum/attraction dedicated to the anime. And right in front of the building, is a huge "life-size" Gundam model And one that moves!!!

Three times a day, there is some light and sound "show" where the Gundam statue "comes to life". Before you get overly excited, the only part that moves is the head. While Japan is one of the most technologically advanced countries, a real Gundam I'm sure would make huge international news. Nevertheless, for Gundam fans, seeing the 18metre statue would certainly make your day, and make your trip to Odaiba worthwhile! And in the shop in the building, there is a huge display of all kind of Gundam models as well.

Check it out if you have spare time in Tokyo!

Kamikochi, Japan Alps

During the koyo (autumn leaf) season in Japan, one of the best places for autumn foliage as well as spectacular mountain scenery has to be Kamikochi (上高地).

Situated between Matsumoto and Takayama, it fits right into your itinerary as both Matsumoto and Takayama are excellent and popular destinations as well. However, it is open only from mid/late Apr to mid Nov. If you visit during late Oct like what I did, be prepared for the crowds!

There are numerous hiking trails within the park area and thus, spending a night or two in the park is highly recommended. Accommodation options though, are limited and expensive. However, there are campsites in the park too, so for those who have their own tents etc, then it makes even more sense to stay overnight. With forests and mountains as backdrop, and no light pollution, Kamikochi is an excellent location for star trail photography! Also, after the last bus leave, you can also enjoy the peace and beauty of the mountains without the crowds.

Mountain lodges within Kamikochi

Tashiro Pond, one of the scenic attractions along the hiking trails

Kamikochi is excellent for Star Trails photography

For those who are not camping, there are dormitory-style accommodations too. I stayed at Nishi-Itoya mountain lodge for 8000yen (~US$85) a night which I thought was my most expensive dorm bed yet! BUT, the price comes with dinner and breakfast just like a ryokan stay, and the food easily rival those in a restaurant. I met a Japanese guy in the lodge, who was a 3-time return visitor and he claimed that he came back for the food!! Moreover, within the lodge they have an onsen, so after a hard day of hiking, it's pure relaxation soaking in the onsen!!

Kappabashi, the central iconic hub of Kamikochi

Beautiful autumn foliage!

Great food!

Kamikochi is not directly accessible from Tokyo. It is only reached by bus (Nohi) from either Matsumoto or Takayama. So for those who have rail passes, you can still reach Matsumoto and Takayama via trains, and then transfer to buses. Of course, as mentioned previously, either way, do spend time in Matsumoto and Takayama as well!

Masouleh Iran

Nestled along a slope of the Alborz mountain range in western Iran, Masouleh is a perfect town to get away from city life, especially if you have spent too much time in the frantic traffic of Tehran.

While situated 1050m above sea level, the town is not far from the Caspian Sea. Its climate is quite special, as the predominant weather feature of the town is its fog! As such, most of the houses are covered in a yellow clay which allows better visibility in the fog. Add to the fact that the houses are all built along a slope, and thus the view of the town from afar can be really pictureque!

The houses are also interconnected in such a way that its architecture is unique in the whole of Iran. Firstly, no vehicles are allowed into the town, as the streets are too narrow anyway. More interestingly, the layout of the houses is such that, the roofs of the houses are also the courtyards (and streets) of other houses!! Hence, the special architecture of Masouleh is popularly known as "The yard of the above building is the roof of the below building". So it's pretty interesting wandering up the streets of the town (and tiring as well).

I was also lucky that when I was there in Nov, I encountered their first snowfall of the season. So literally in 2 days, I managed to see 2 different views of Masouleh! Pace in the town is remarkably laidback, and many Iranians (esp from Tehran) like to come here to spend their weekend holiday. While Masouleh can be visited in a day trip, an overnight stay is highly recommended if you are keen on photography. The only issue for me is, if you have a heavy backpack, lugging up the slope is no fun!!

Masouleh can be reached via shared taxis from Fuman. From Tehran, there are comfortable buses to Rasht, where you then transfer to Fuman (again shared taxis). There may be buses from Tehran to Fuman too, according to various sources, but I have not found any. While it may not be that convenient to access to, once you reach Masouleh, you'll be glad you did!

Views from El Alto, Bolivia

La Paz, the administrative capital of Bolivia, is one of the highest capitals in the world. Sitting in a 'bowl' surrounded by high mountains, including the beautiful imposing peak Illimani (the 'guardian of La Paz'), the city should be viewed from afar. And one of the best places to see La Paz in its environment is in the neighbouring city of El Alto.

El Alto is one of the highest cities in the world at 4150m (La Paz is about 3650m). Thus from El Alto, there are commanding views over La Paz, which provide an excellent photographic setting. Aside from shooting during the day, stay till night where the city lights light up the valley, and the scene is easily one of the best city night scene you can find. Moreover, with Illimani as a backdrop, it was almost picture perfect. To complete the "perfectness", wait till a full moon day. When the full moon rises behind Illimani, it is really quite a beautiful sight!!

So here's sharing a gallery of photos of the views from El Alto!

Illimani, watching over La Paz

The city expanded up the hill and mountainside

Shadows and Light in La Paz

Moonrise over Illimani - Beautiful!

City lights at night, with moon over Illimani - picture perfect!

Kutná Hora

For visitors to Europe, churches, cathedrals and chapels are common sights and many are attractions in their own right. But perhaps one of the most interesting and unique chapels I've visited lies in the Czech Republic.

In the town of Kutná Hora, there is a small chapel known as the Sedlec Ossuary. Centuries ago, an abbot from a monastery returned from Golgotha (a holy site in Jerusalem) with a small amount of earth which he sprinkled over the grounds of the abbey cemetery. News soon spread and the cemetery became a very popular burial site. On top of that, the Black Death plague at that time resulted in even more burials in the cemetery. Further down in history, a church was built on the cemetery grounds and a chapel beneath it. During the construction, all the bones from the graves had to be exhumed, and the chapel was then to be used as an ossuary. So what was so special and unique about all this?

Well, in 1870, a woodcarver named František Rint turned all the bones in the ossuary into an unbelievable piece of art. The whole interior of the chapel is now decorated by bones - in fact, some of the furnishings are constructed by these bones (and skulls). Notably, there is an enormous chandelier made entirely of bones, and it's supposed to contain at least one of every bone in the human body! All in all, an estimated 40,000 people's bones are now used inside the chapel.

Kutná Hora itself is also worth a visit as its town centre is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Most famous is the Church of St Barbara, with its impressive spires and beautiful interiors. It is easily reached via train or bus from Prague, and so, can be done just with a day trip.

Do check it out when you visit the Czech Republic. Highly recommended!

Beautiful Light in Bagan

For visitors to Myanmar, Bagan is a definite stop in the itinerary. For visitors who are avid photographers, Bagan is a dream stop in the itinerary. And for me, the best stop for landscape photography!

Bagan is an ancient city on a site containing over 2000 temples, pagodas and stupas. During its heyday as the capital of the Kingdom then (11-13th century), there were as many as over 10,000 temples etc. Now, while majority seems to be in a state of ruins, many have been restored and maintained. For those interested in the historic and cultural aspects of Myanmar, the temples provide fascinating glimpses into Buddhism in this part of Asia.

What captivated me however, is the golden light during sunrise and sunset. Cast onto the dusty and misty plains, and dotted with the spires of the pagodas and temples, the scene is stupendous. There are a couple of ways to tour the sites. Most backpackers would hire bicycles to visit the attractions. You could also hire a car or a horsecart for the whole day. For photographers who want to catch the sunrises and sunsets (yes you should!), the latter is recommended. Especially if you want to take the sunsets from some temples that are off-the-beaten-path. The roads there are bad, and after sunset, it would be completely dark and cycling at those conditions are certainly not recommended. In fact, some horsecart drivers were also reluctant to go to some of the further temples for sunsets. Remember to check with your drivers! The most common site for sunset viewing is probably Shwesandaw but I went to Pyathada (which is more remote). For those who have a little more budget, you could also have sunrise viewing and photography atop the hot-air balloons! I would imagine the scene would be absolutely fabulous!

And even back in Nyaung U town, the morning light provided wonderful ambience to the local market. Go between 7.30am - 8.30am, and with the tree foliage around the market area and the dusty air, the resultant light rays add plenty of opportunities for good composition!

As mentioned earlier, Bagan is one of Myanmar's top attractions. So there are plenty of options to get to Bagan, from buses and rail, to air and boat! And there are 3 areas for acommodation options - Old Bagan, New Bagan, and Nyaung U. The latter is where most of the budget options are. Whichever the options, Bagan is my favourite sunrise/sunset location in Myanmar!

Taunggyi Fire Balloon Festival

Taunggyi, the capital of Shan State in Myanmar, and a transport hub for travelers to Inle Lake and Nyaung Shwe, also plays host to one of Myanmar's biggest and rowdiest festivals - the Fire Balloon Festival!

Held annually, usually in November, and lasting a week to coincide with the full moon day, the festival attracts hordes of visitors from all over the country. In 2012, the festival was held from 21-28 November. During the festival, contests are held whereby huge balloons are constructed by teams from associations and groups from neighbouring towns etc, to compete in 3 categories. In the day, the balloons take the form of dragons, elephants, pagodas etc, but I'm unclear how the judging is made - presumably on how ornate the balloon is designed (note that these balloons are huge!). However, it's at night where the competition heats up (literally)! The balloons are generally huge oval-shaped hot-air balloons, carrying a basket full of carefully arranged fireworks. These balloons are launched by their respective teams, and when the balloons are in the air, the fireworks are released systematically. The balloon that goes up the highest, and with the most spectacular fireworks would be judged the best! Finally, there is another category where the balloons would be decorated with candle-lighted designs. The candles are lighted and placed onto the balloon only during launch, and requires quick and organised coordination by team members.

And while all these are going on, the festival grounds is one huge carnival. Lanes and lanes of makeshift foodstalls compete for attention. Carnival favourites like the merry-go-rounds and ferris wheels take up substantial portion of the area with frenzied activity - they are all human-powered, even the ferris wheels! To complete the festivities, another huge area is set up as a concert ground, where live bands and singers perform for the night. No doubt one of the biggest festivals I've seen.

However, a few notes of precaution. Myanmar's tourism infrastructure is still struggling to cope with its recent influx of tourists, let alone such a hugely popular festival with the locals. So accomodation options are extremely limited for foreigners (esp budget ones). The nearby town of Nyaung Shwe has more accommodation options since it is the access town for Inle Lake. Even then, its limits were tested. I could not find any accommodation when I arrived and had to settle for some floor space on monastery grounds. Transport between Taunggyi and Nyaung Shwe were limited to private taxis as public transport does not quite get to the festival grounds, and the festival lasts till past midnight. And finally, even as alot of fire was involved in the celebrations, I'm sure the festival would not pass any safety awards. As the balloon rises into the sky, the pyrotechnics spewing down onto the festival ground is as exciting as it gets. Your run for cover during paintball games is literally kids play compared to this! And then there's the bad news. Not all the balloons have successful flights... some do come crashing down................... 

Nevertheless, everyone is out for good fun as evident by the turnout. A definite highlight on my trip to Myanmar!