បាត់ដំបង

Cambodia 7/23/2010 - 9/12/2010

2011-07-14T19:57:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've updated this blog. I guess school, job hunting, facebook...,for the past 6 months, have kept me away from blogging. Perhaps I should get back to blog more like I used to.

Anyway, after Singapore, my final destination is Cambodia where I spend the most time and have the most fun with my folks. This time I get to do more road trips and have the opportunity to visit a few more other provinces that I've never been to before such as Kratie, Steung Treng, Mondol Kiri, Rattanakiri and Pailin. The road infrastructure has been improved for the past 2 years since my last visit, making it possible to travel to more places inside the country. It's good to see the country progressing although, as a result, Phnom Penh gets more crowded and will need to be expanded.

However, despite the changes, I always feel I'm at home whenever I come back. I realize I never leave Cambodia and Cambodia never leaves me. I enjoy the simpler and slower-pace of life, the friendly people, the convenience of cheap eats at every corner, and, most importantly, I enjoy being surrounded by friends and family. Time does fly when you have fun. 6 weeks don't seem to be enough. Before I know it, I have to catch the flight back to Seattle.

More pictures are here.

Singapore, 7/21/10 - 7/23/10

2011-01-06T18:15:00.000-08:00

Flight from London to Singapore took about 15 hours with a stopover at Bombay airport. It is a vibrant cosmopolitan city with a diverse population made up mainly of Indians, Chineses and Malays.

The tiny island is a well-developed economic-booming country. High-rise buildings blend with colonial ones. Public transportation, especially the subway, is very efficient to get around Singapore. The city is full of entertainments, shopping centers and plenty of cheap eats on the streets.

England, 7/03/2010 – 7/19/2010

2010-10-10T21:55:00.000-07:00

From Budapest, I return to the land of Her Majesty. There are so many places to see in England as well as there are so many histories behind them. Shakespeare, Sherlock Holmes, Charles Darwin...they all used to live here. Highlights of the trip are downtown London, Oxford, Stonehenge, Greenwich Mean Time, Richmond Park and Tate Modern.

London underground provides an efficient means for transportation and is always crowded. I enjoy riding the tube and the local pubs. I also like the tradition that represent England's unique identity such as the uniforms of the police and palace guards, and those fancy taxies and buses.

Living in England is not cheap however. Fortunately, I get free accommodation from my relatives during my 2-week stay :)

Next, I'm off to Singapore...

Czech Republic, 6/30/2010 – 7/01/2010

2010-10-10T21:29:00.000-07:00

I've heard a lot of good things about Czech Republic. Since it's not that far from Hungary, I take the train to Prague and return back to Budapest by bus the next morning, which takes about 8 hour each way. Prague is indeed a vibrant city, and touristic too. The foods are cheap, however. The city has good public transportation. Especially, the subway is very efficient to get around the city.

The architecture, from bridges to cathedrals, is very gothic which I find very intriguing. And Czech beers do taste good, standing for their reputation.

Hungary, 6/26-7/03/2010

2010-09-29T23:59:00.000-07:00

After Paris, I hop over to Budapest with Swiss Air. The landscape is different from Western Europe but beautiful in its own way. Budapest is a uniquely charming city. Divided by the Danube river, Buda sits on the hill while Pest occupies on the flat land. Many classical buildings, such as the parliament and the palace, stand tall and proud boasting their significance and power they once had.

View of the palace on Buda side

The parliament on Pest side

Local commuters start going to work as early as 5 in the morning with trams and buses. Hungary has just joined the EU and the country is looking for opportunities to boost its economy. The scars of World War II and communism are still evident on some of the building walls but the people are moving on.

VOLT concert

France, 6/19/2010 – 6/25/2010

2010-09-26T21:24:00.000-07:00

My journey continues eastward. The 7-hour flight across the Atlantic from Newark to London isn’t that bad. Then, after spending a night at a relative's house, I take the EuroStar from London to Paris across the Chunnel. I am a bit disappointed for spending $130 one-way to take the train but at least I can say I've taken the train across the Chunnel from London to Paris. The journey takes about 2 hours and a half but I can't really feel we're moving that fast.

Lunch break

Paris is a beautiful city but very crowded with tourists, especially in the summer. The architectures are magnificent. The French seem to be carefree, ignoring tourists, and enjoy their good food and wine. Highlights of the trip are Château de Versailles, The Louvre, Eiffel Tower, La Défense, Notre Dame, Champs-Élysées...And watching the World Cup at the Eiffel Tower with the crazy crowd is something to remember.

NYC, 6/14/2010 – 6/18/2010

2010-09-26T21:10:00.000-07:00

My around-the-world trip starts in New York city. I’ve been to NYC before but the longest time I spent there was 2 days. These 4-day stays give me a different perspective of the Big Apple. The crowded city is moving at much faster pace than Seattle’s. Everyone seems to rush, especially at the subway stations -- no time to stop and smell the roses. I sort of felt dizzy when navigating through the crowd at the Grand Central station for the first time. And the watchful-stern-looking armed guards also make me a little nervous, though their job is to make NYC safe.

However, as I get used to the city vibe, I begin to like the fast-moving city. There are many places to go and things to do. Foods are cheap and available with almost every ethnic flavor. People are diverse. The subway system, though not very clean, is very efficient to get around the big city. Taking a stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge is a must for first-time visitors. And when you need to unwind or get away from the city crowd, Central Park is a good place be. It is also the time of the World Cup so I occasionally enjoy drinking beers and watching the games with my buddy at the bars.

My father's Book Review

2010-04-24T20:14:00.000-07:00

My father's book received review from The Cambodia Daily newspaper

Star trails

2010-04-06T21:47:00.000-07:00

Cape Lookout campground, Oregon

Oregon Coast Road Trip and Car Camping

2010-03-26T20:21:00.000-07:00

As I survived another quarter at school, I wanted a getaway during school break to reward myself. So I decided to go on a road trip and car camping along the oregon coast. It was indeed a refreshing experience. The weather was sunny most of the time which revealed the true coastal beauties from the north to the south of Oregon.

5-star hotel is overrated :)

The weather was still around 40-60F in March but I got my camping gears ready to keep me warm though there were times when it rained and the wind blew my tent so hard I thought it would be torn apart :). There were many campgrounds along the coast. It was a different experience getting out of civilization for a bit and sleeping under trees or open sky. The smell of fresh air, the singing birds in the morning and the sound of crickets at night were sort of soundtracks :). I expected the inconveniences and discomforts but they didn't seem to bother much when you have appreciation for nature. In fact, comparing to previous road trips, I enjoyed camping more than hotels. Now I suppose I understand why many others like to go camping.

View from Ecola State Park

It seems like there were a lot of things to see on each turn and curve of the coast. Some of the highlights were huge rock formations, lighthouses, surging waves against the rocks and sea lions. It also happened to be grey whale migration season (from south to north) which I was able to spot a few white spouts of grey whales from the coast on clear days. Even though it was hard to see them without binoculars, it was still exciting to know they're there by watching their spouts. It was also thrilling to hike up a steep cliff at Cape Lookout and sand dune in Florence.

The watch that survived the Khmer Rouge

2010-03-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

My dad's Rolex, mentioned in Chapter 2, 5 and 17, is still working great after 40 years. A piece of machine and history.

My Father's book, 2nd edition

2010-02-01T21:34:00.000-08:00

“The Life of a Physician Under The Khmer Rouge Regime” tells the odyssey of a Cambodian doctor in Cambodia's northwestern province, Battambang, during the Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979) which wiped out nearly 2 million Cambodians.

The author is one of the Khmer Rouge survivors who lives to tell what he has witnessed during the three years and eight months under the ruthless Khmer Rouge regime and a number of events that occurred after the collapse of the Khmer Rouge.

Available now in Phnom Penh book stores.

Happy 2010!

2010-01-02T15:11:00.000-08:00

Rainy, cloudy and windy new year, the Seattle way!

Sunset at Golden Gardens park

2009-10-09T23:02:00.000-07:00

Back to Sydney, day 10, last day

2009-09-29T22:16:00.000-07:00

My buddy told me, "You can't say you've been to Sydney if you haven't been to Bondi beach". So there we went. The weather was sunny and the sky was clear and blue as the ocean. The ocean and waves looked inviting so we decided to go for a swim. But alas, as soon as we put our feet in, they felt numb in the frigid water. It's not summer yet. After a few hesitations, we decided to swim. I had come along this far anyway, why the heck not.

We also walked along the beach that led to the other beaches near by. At midnight, we went to the pub near by my friend's place drinking Guinness and watching my soccer team Arsenal losing 2-4 to Man. City. I needed more Guinness!

Adelaide, day 9

2009-09-25T00:50:00.000-07:00

Exhausted from the whole day road trip in Alice Springs, we checked in the hostel and just went to bed after arriving in Adelaide. The next morning we walked to downtown, central market and took a tram to Glenelg Beach. It was pretty windy that day. The beach was OK but the surrounding neighborhood was inviting. People seemed to be friendly and laid-back. There are many small shops and cafes along the streets. Many seagulls were flying and looking for food as they're used to being fed by beach goers.

We took the tram back to downtown in the afternoon and then flew back to Sydney. That summed up our 6 day trip. What I brought with me from this trip was a bottle of red sand from the outback.

Road trip From Uluru back to Alice Springs, day 8

2009-09-23T13:21:00.000-07:00

Pretty much the same red landscape scenery, the same hot weather and the same kangaroos corps along the sides of the highway. I tried my first camel ride at a pit stop farm before reaching Alice Springs. That's when I learned from its care taker that camels have 3 stomachs.

We got to Alice Springs around 2pm and caught our flight to Adelaide at 5pm.

Road Trip to Uluru, day 7

2009-09-22T22:03:00.000-07:00

Couldn't get up as early as we planned to because of staying up late last night. We checked out at 10am and would be on the road for 5 hours across the outback. The highway to Uluru National Park is sealed road. There were also many unsealed roads that also let you see more things and loop quicker. However, only 4x4 cars, which were very expensive to rent, were allowed to pass through.

The landscape is different. The land was red, dry and flat partly covered by bushes and small trees. The sky was cloudless as far as the eye can see. It's hot in the day and chilly at night. There were many dead kangaroos, at least 30 of them during our entire trip to Uluru, along the sides of the highway. Not sure if they died from thirst, starvation or got hit by the cars or could be combination of all. But nothing went to waste. The corps provided plenty of nutrition to the crows and eagles, a nice natural balance. Plus, there are too many kangaroos anyway, 60 millions Vs. 20 millions human population.

We got to Uluru around 4pm, checked in the hostel and had just enough time to catch the view and take pictures of Ayers Rock during sunset. Later in the evening, we had combo BBQ, Crocodile, Emu, Kangaroo and Beef; a couple of beers and accompanied by live music performance at the resort we stayed in. My first time trying crocodile and emu meat. Crocodile was delicious. Emu was also quite nice.

Alice Springs, day 6

2009-09-22T21:51:00.000-07:00

We left Melbourne early morning and flew to Alice Springs. However because of our bargain ticket price, we couldn't fly directly to Alice Springs. We stopped over in Adelaide and caught another plane to Alice Springs a couple of hours later. Therefore we arrived in Alice Springs at 5pm, picked up our rental car from the airport and checked in Alice Lodge, a nice hostel for a bargain price. Alice Springs is a very small town in the middle of the outback in Northern Territory. Not much to do there. So we decided to buy marinaded chicken skewers and Kangaroo meat and BBQ'ed them at the hostel's backyard. It was the first time I tried Kangaroo meet. It was tender but tasted OK. To me it's not as good as beef.

The lodge is filled with backpackers, mostly young people. We met and chatted with a group of backpackers, Irish and Germans, and then together we went to a local pub nearby, came back and finished up our bottle of Jack Daniels.

Melbourne, day 5

2009-09-22T21:35:00.000-07:00

The three musketeers went on a wine tasting tour, about 90 minute drive from Melbourne. We took a 15-seat bus. Our bus driver was entertaining and quite knowledgeable about wines. He took us to taste wine at 4 different vineyards. Well by the time we got the the 4th vineyard, everyone in the bus was already buzzed and feeling happy. Gourmet lunch was served at the last vineyard and more wines to taste as a wrap up for the day.

As soon we were heading back to Melbourne, most people dozed off on the bus.

Melbourne, day 4

2009-09-21T18:20:00.000-07:00

Another charming city in Victoria - more laid back and friendly atmosphere. We stayed at the Elephant Backpackers hostel on Flinder St. in front of the yellow "Union Station". Across Union Station is the Federal Square, a popular place for hanging out and hosting events. It's a busy intersection where people get on and off the train at the Union Station to/from the Federal Square.

We stayed at a 2 bunk-bed room with shared bathrooms. The hostel is kind of dirty but livable for 2 days :). I guess AU$20/night is you get for what you pay.

We spent our first day strolling around the city. Our old friend who is a local was kind enough to meet us up after we arrived and guided us around the city. We went to see some points of interests such as the Memorial Temple, St. Paul Church, Federal Square, Melbourne jail and State Library, immense architecture with huge collection of books and materials which made me feel smarter by just getting inside :). We also had delicious chocolate ice creams, dinner and ended the evening with bowling and beers.

Blue Mountains National Park, day 3

2009-09-21T17:58:00.000-07:00

My buddy Tra, his brother and I rent a car and spent our day at the Blue Mountains National Park, about 90 minute drive from Sydney. Frankly, I found the Blue Mountains National Park a bit disappointing. After seeing the natures in Washington, this National Park did not impress me much. The elevation is not high enough for spectacular view, the waterfalls barely have any water. Another commercial site to get money from tourists.

Sydney, day 2

2009-09-18T21:25:00.000-07:00

I spent my whole day walking in the city (unlike day 1, it didn't rain one drop). First, I went to Sydney Aquarium which wasn't as good and big as I expected. Then, after having lunch with my friend, I walked across the Harbor bridge which gave me a nice view of Sydney once I was at the middle of the bridge. Once I stopped, I could feel the the bridge vibrating as hundreds of cars are crossing every minute. Though to be expected, it was still kind of scary considering how high the Harbor Bridge is above the water.

I crossed over to North of Sydney where there seems to be a rich neighborhood along the waterfront with many mansions and big green grass lawns. I came down and walked along the waterfront under the bridge westward to take some pictures where I met another Chinese tourist and we crossed the bridge back and continued to Opera House by sunset.

Later in the evening, I met up with friends had a beer at a packed bar by the the opera house. Australians seem to enjoy drinking beers and have to good time. Then we met up with my other 2 old friends of mine and had dinner with them at the Darling Harbor.

Sydney

2009-09-15T21:06:00.000-07:00

A beautiful and lively city, full of things to do but it's also expensive, I was a bit surprise to see it's more expensive than Seattle. The busiest place in the day is in CBD (Central Business District) where it's full of shopping malls. Coffee shops, restaurants and pubs are at every corner.

Sydney and Seattle share similar waterfront settings and the same love for coffee.

G'day from Down Under

2009-09-11T06:08:00.000-07:00

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I've finally made my first trip to Australia. I first flew to Sydney, visiting my friend Soputtra. We then traveled together to a few places in the country such as Melbourne, Alice Springs, Uluru National Park and Adelaide. Now I'm back to Sydney and will fly back to Seattle on the 13th which I'm not looking forward to it at all :). It's been a fun learning traveling experience - different culture, different landscape and different perspective.

More pictures to follow.

Glacier Basin, Mt. Rainier

2009-08-20T21:47:00.000-07:00

Last weekend my buddy and I went hiking at the Glacier Basin at Mount Rainer, one of the active volcanoes in Washington. The hike was about 5 hours round trip. With such a sunny day and temperature around 55 F, we can comfortably pace though the landscape and enjoy breathtaking views of the cascades, diverse plants, wild flowers and little animals.

Beauty can be deceitful! Inside Mt. Rainier's glacier peak are melting hot lavas waiting to burst out. Hopefully it won't happen for a long long time.

My neighbor

2009-08-09T21:43:00.001-07:00

This raccoon is looking for food at the backyard. So I just had to snap a picture of it through my window. It really reminds me of the movie "Over the Hedge".

Can I borrow some sugar?

Barcelona FC Vs. Seattle Sounders FC

2009-08-06T16:51:00.000-07:00

One of the best soccer teams in the world, the 09 Champions Barcelona FC came to play friendly game with Seattle Sounders yesterday. It was a great chance for me to see Barcelona play at Qwest stadium in Seattle without having to go to Spain :). Messi, Henry, Xavi were among the line up stars for the first half. Too bad they didn't let me bring my DSLR camera and lens inside :( so I had to borrow a Lumix from my friend.

As expected, the game was one-sided, dominated the entired 90 minutes by Barcelona. We ended up losing 0-4 to Barca lol. But it was a good experience for the Sounders to play against probably the best team in the world.

Messi's second goal in the first half.

Rattlesnake ridge

2009-08-04T20:39:00.000-07:00

Another hiking weekend to Rattlesnake ridge, 1750 ft. (533 m) gain, with the view of Rattlesnake lake and the east cascades. The hike is not that rough. I would say easy to medium, even little kids can do it :).

Tiger Mountain, Issaquah

2009-07-26T17:58:00.000-07:00

It was a hot and dry day. Hiking from Chirico trail to the Poo Poo Point at 1650 ft (511.50 m) elevation where para-gliders jump off from the lookout. It was really cool to see the para-gliders in action: waiting for the right wind, taking off and off they floated in the air.

Snow Lake, Snoqualmie

2009-07-21T17:50:00.000-07:00

About an hour drive from Seattle and another hour hike leads into this hidden lake in the middle of the cascades. As the name indicates, this lake is completely covered with glacier in the winter. Here in the middle of July, there are still some ice patches floating on the lake. I dipped in the lake and could only endure for 10 seconds in this frosty ice-cold water :) but it was so refreshing.

Driving: 1 hour and 10 bucks of gas
Hiking: 1 hour
Energy snacks and water: 5 dollars
10 second dip in the freezing lake: priceless

Illumination

2009-07-05T00:55:00.000-07:00

July 4th at Lake Union

Seattle Center

1 day hike, 2 waterfalls

2009-06-14T04:15:00.000-07:00

Snoqualmie falls, seems so far away, yet so close to civilization.

Force of nature

Twin Falls State Park

Today I decide to hike to the waterfalls for my waterfalls photo theme. My trip begin at noon as I drive along I-90 East toward Twin Falls State Park at exit 35. The nice thing about this park, is you start hiking along the water stream all the way to its source, the twin waterfalls. Along the path, the trees are green with trunks covered by green mosses. Lush of vegetation on the ground and raspberries are ripe bloody red. The celebration of life is once again at its fullest. The music of serenity from the water flow is playing nonstop. For my break, I sit on a big rock in between the waterfalls and the steam, listening to the water flow, admiring nature's beauty and capture some photos.

Now it's about 6pm, time to leave Twin Falls and go visit another waterfall, Snoqualmie Falls. It's on the way back to Seattle on exit 25. Snoqualmie falls is much grander and unbelievably in the backyard, a few miles off I-90. The falls are so powerful and steep, dropping 268 feet in vertical with such a velocity that creates a thumping sound and shoots out the water vapors hundreds feet back to the top. I decide to stay till dark for my night shots of the falls and it is definitely worth it.

Mount Si, revisited

2009-05-11T21:36:00.000-07:00

I hiked this mountain last summer. Yesterday, I went there again with my friends. 4 miles up and 4 miles down, and 10 pounds of my camera equipments on my back made this hike a real work out. It was a constant incline all the way to the top and coming down was just as hard as going up. But it was worth every step to get to the top at 4,000 ft. elevation. This time I could see mount Rainier and managed to get some good close-up shots of the birds.

Tulip Farm, Skagit Valley

2009-05-03T22:55:00.000-07:00

To my surprise, the weather turned out to be nice today. So my buddy and I decided to go check out tulip farm, an hour drive north. This is the last week of tulip season. So a photo op not to miss or will have to wait until next summer.

The Puget Sound

2009-04-30T20:54:00.000-07:00

Winter is long this year. It's still cold in May. I wish I could go into hibernation like the polar bear in winter :)

View from Columbia Tower @ 74th floor

2009-03-25T21:10:00.000-07:00

City of rain

2009-01-30T23:31:00.000-08:00

Trust me the weather in Seattle is really nice when you can see it :)

Retaken with new camera Canon 5D Mark II and 24-70mm 2.8L lens

West coast road trip summary

2009-01-13T13:22:00.000-08:00

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Highlight: Death Valley National Park, CA.
Lowlight: Biting my tongue during lunch at Denny's in Roseburg, Oregon.
Best scenic drive: Pacific Highway 101, CA.
Worst drive: During the pouring rain on first day from WA to OR.
Longest drive: From Needles, CA to Redding, CA. 12 hours by myself.
Shortest drive: from Las Vegas to Hoover Dam, 45 minues.
Coldest weather: 18 F at Crater Lake.
Hottest weather: 55 F in California.
Most expensive motel: Quality Inn, 82/night at Crescent City, CA.
Cheapest hotel: 4 Queens Casino/Hotel, 20/night, Las Vegas.
Highest elevation: Grand Canyon, 7000 ft.
Lowest elevation: Somewhere along Pacific Highway 101.
Best weather: From California to Nevada to Arizona.
Worst weather: Washington and Oregon.
Scariest moment: Almost involved in accident twice at Crescent City and San Francisco, CA.
Best city: San Francisco, CA.
Interesting vista views along I-5: Mount Shasta, CA and Mount Angel, OR.
The best snack on the road: Beef jerky.
The most music listened to on the road: Preab Sovath.
Total miles for the entire road trip: 3,500 miles.

Pictures of the entire trip:

West coast road trip - Updated

2009-01-10T18:24:00.000-08:00

Day 3, 1/3/09: We left early in the morning and drove on Redwood Highway 101 along the Pacific coast enjoying the views of the mountains and the Pacific ocean. Occasionally, we stopped to take longer views. About 2 hours later, we drove through the Redwood National Park. It was dark inside the park as the giant trees act like a huge wall blocking the sun from reaching us. I rolled down the windows to breath the fresh air as our tiny car made through. There is a small community of people living in Redwood. We made frequent stops to take pictures including at the famous drive-through tree.

Thereafter, we continued on Highway 101 all the way to San Francisco. We arrived in San Francisco around 9pm. I almost had an accident as I was about to change the lane at the Golden Bridge. The other car was on the blind spot which luckily the driver slowed down for my car and I pulled back to my lane when I saw that on second look. That was close. We stayed in downtown and checked out the city for a couple of hours. One thing to notice, San Francisco downtown is hilly with some really steep streets. Luckily, our rental car was a V6.

Day 4, 1/4/09: We checked out early and left for the Golden Bridge. We stopped at a nice Park which has the view of the Golden Bridge and Alcatraz island. After taking pictures and walking along the Park, we walked across the Golden Bridge. Time was short. We only walked half way on the bridge and back. We had lunch at Chinatown and then got back on the wheels to the next destination. We decided to stay for the night at Ridgecrest city, near Death Valley National Park.

Day 5, 1/5/09: Death Valley was fascinating in a different way. It is a desert with sand dunes, rocks and bald mountains. No greens or water to be found. The annual rainfalls are 2 inches or below or some years none. This complete change of scenery captured my perspective, especially the sand dune where I made a long stop. I guess I could make it a substitute for the Sahara for the moment. I hiked up to the tallest sand dune and just sat there for about 15 minutes. The valley was in complete silence and serene. The only noise I could hear was my breathing.

Then, we drove to see the castle on the other side of the mountain and the volcanic crater. The sun was setting as we departed Death Valley. The dusk beautifully painted the peaks of the mountains with variation of golden color...I've still got sands in my shoes.

About 5 hours later, we reached Las Vegas. We stayed at 4 Queens Casino/Hotel on 15th floor for 20 bucks/night, a nice bargain. Soon after checking in, we went sightseeing Sin City. It's another different atmosphere where the night is full of neon lights luring people into gambling and various entertainments. And they got me. I couldn't resist the temptation. I lost 4 bucks to slot machine :(

Day 6, 1/6/09: Our last but not least destination is the Grand Canyon, Arizona. On our way there, we stopped by the famous Hoover Dam that lies on the border of Arizona and Nevada. It's more exciting to see in person, a fascinating mega structure built during the 1930's.

At about 8pm, we arrived at Williams, AZ and decided to lodge there for the night. It was pretty chilly and there's still snow on the side of the roads. Given its remote location, I was a bit surprised when I found out that our Motel owner was an Indian (from India).

Day 7, 1/7/09: After wasting a couple of hours following our incorrect GPS navigation, we finally made it to the Grand Canyon. At about 7,000 ft elevation, it's still cold on a sunny day. Some parts of the canyon were still covered with snow. The canyon is vast and deep, about ten miles wide and one mile deep. I gazed in awe of such creation by mother nature: the layers of rocks formed millions years ago, their color variation and each chunk was beautifully carved. It looks as if the canyon was a result of the earth's crust being ripped by gigantic hands.

We stayed there until sunset. It marked the end of our sightseeing journey. For the next two days, we spent our times driving during the days and resting at nights as we made our way back to Seattle. I've brought with me many good memories and of course a lot of pictures.

West coast road trip

2009-01-02T22:44:00.000-08:00

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With the company of my friend, Vireak, from New York, we've decided to rent a car and go for a 10-day winter road trip, starting on the New Year's day.

Day 1, 1/1/09: We drove south on highway 5, then highway 101 to Astoria, Oregon, hoping to get the best scenic drive possible. It was cloudy all the way but we still could enjoy the view. Vireak has a permit and wanted to practice his driving skill. So we switched driving. About 2 hours later, Highway Patrol officer pulled us over. Apparently Vireak's driving on the serpentine road wasn't smooth enough which caught his attention. So he asked Vireak if he had been drinking and he said "No". I tried to explain to the officer it was his first time driving since his last driving test. Not convinced enough, he asked Vireak to do Alcohol test. He passed. So the officer let us go and recommended me to drive instead. So I did.

We passed many small towns that look like a different part of the US. We were driving along the Pacific coast, enjoying the view of the ocean, when it stared to rain as soon as we got close to Astoria. We crossed the beautiful Astoria bridge over Columbia river that divides Washington and Oregon. The darkness started creeping in and the rain stared to pour more. So we decided to get back to Highway 5 and drove to Eugene, OR, which was our final stop on the day. All the way back to Eugene was the most stressful driving as the rain poured on like crazy and the visibility was low. We could hear the beating sound of the rain on our car. But we stayed alert and slowed down and eventually reached Eugene where we stayed at Motel 6 for the night.

Day 2, 1/2/09: We checked out and left Eugene around 9:30am for Crater Lake National Park. The weather was partly cloudy and sunny. We first drove on I-5 to Roseburg and then took highway 138 E to Crater Lake. We slowly ascended onto higher elevation. The temperature was getting lower as we got higher. At about 4000 ft., we were driving on snowy roads. The snow was nicely plowed, however, which made driving possible. There were a few other cars coming and going. We got to Crater Lake around 2:30pm and it snowed lightly there.

Although we could not get a glimpse of Crater Lake because of the heavy clouds, we still enjoyed the magnificent view of the snow on the mountains and pine trees along the way. It was just serene and peaceful which reminded me of my last road trip from Kansas City to Seattle.

Photo Credit: Vireak

At about 3:30pm, we left Crater Lake and headed to Crescent City, Northern California where we would stay for the night. It started to get dark soon after. As we got close to Crescent City, we drove through Redwood highway accompanied by the many huge and tall trees. They look amazing, yet intimidating. All we could see from our car's headlights were these giant trunks which make us feel insignificantly small.

For tomorrow's destinations: Redwood National Park, Nappa Valley and San Fransisco.

Ha Long bay at dusk, Vietnam

2008-12-06T22:37:00.000-08:00

Photo credit: taken by Vattana

Across the graceful dusky horizon
Waves are calm, birds are returning to their nests
The night is reclaiming the mountains and ocean
Mother nature seems to be at rest

The transition cycle is beginning
Shimmering water reflects the golden sky
As a farewell to the tranquil evening
She proudly appears in bright orange to say good-bye...

Crocodile show, Koh Kong Safari World

2008-11-22T20:52:00.000-08:00

I have to admit I was scared watching the fellows playing with their lives with these ferocious predators. Even the crocodile hunter on Discovery never dares to play with a crocodile this dangerously.

Still can't understand how these guys can mess around with these predators without hurting themselves. No matter what tricks they have, these are still wild animals with crushing jaws. Talking about dangerous job...And I'm sure there's no life insurance for them and their families either.

That was one heck of a show. My bow to you!

I prayed the crocodile wouldn't crush his skull every time he put his head in between its jaw

Wanna check what I had for dinner?

Kitties at Koh Kong Safari World

2008-11-18T00:36:00.000-08:00

It was amazing to see the bangle tigers up close: their elegant body stripes, their powerful paws that can take down a cow easily with one strike, their ferocious sharp fangs and eyes... What a beautiful predator!

These adults weigh probably 200-250 Kgs. The zoo keeper said they were captured from the jungle somewhere in Cambodia. Hopefully, their population is not dying out from human destruction.

So...do you wanna check up my teeth, Doc?

Vietnam trip pictures

2008-11-16T16:08:00.000-08:00

This year I also got a chance to visit my good old friend Chea in Hanoi, Vietnam. My other friend, Bo, also joined me on this trip. We began the trip by taking the bus from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh city. Then from there, we flew to Hanoi.

Vietnam in many ways is like Cambodia but way more populous. We had a blast there. It was a good destination to add to my traveling experiences.

Picture sets: Hanoi, Ha Long, Kat Ba.

Pictures from Cambodia

2008-11-12T19:47:00.000-08:00

Below are the links to sets of pictures taken during my stay in Cambodia:

Family pictures

Hometown Battambang and Poi Pet

Kroh Long, Kampong Cham, dad's hometown

Road Trip to Koh Kong, Kompong Som and Kom Pot

Home

2008-11-08T20:27:00.000-08:00

My one month vacation in Cambodia was over too fast. Like they say, time flies when you're having fun. And I did have a wonderful time with my family and friends.

I enjoy seeing the changes every time I go back. For examples, the infrastructures are getting better which makes traveling easier. The country is booming. My nieces and nephews have all grown up and some are now in college which reminds me of how old I am getting :).

However, Phnom Penh traffic is a different story as the city is getting more crowded and the respects for traffic rules are still low.

One of the things I miss most about home is, not surprisingly, the FOOD. I often heard people made fun of me of how much I ate but I didn't care :). Everything was just delicious to me. As a result, I put on a few pounds after a month.

Eating Cambodian soup with family (Soup Chnang Dek).

Incheon Airport again...

2008-11-04T17:15:00.000-08:00

This time I have to wait for 11 hours to catch my flight back to Seattle. Thanks to the free internet with generous 22 inch LCD at Asiana Airline lounge which lets me kill times by catching up with emails, uploading pictures, updating blog and chatting. There is also a nice rest area next to the Internet Zone where you can relax/sleep/nap.

So here's the tip for those who will be stuck at Incheon Airport for a long while like me and want to kill some boredom and rest. Asiana lounge is probably a good place to go. Just make sure you don't miss your flight :)

Incheon Airport, Seoul, Korea

2008-10-09T03:03:00.000-07:00

After 12 hours of flight, I've finally arrived at Incheon airport in Seoul. The next flight to Phnom Penh got 15 minutes delay which isn't too bad. I have about 2 hours of waiting for my next flight to the final destination. Thanks to the airport's generosity for free Wi-Fi :), I can check emails and update the blog while waiting.

For my snack, I had Korean spicy ramen which was pretty good. It's past 2am Seattle time but I'm not feeling sleepy. 30 more minutes to go for boarding...

Going home

2008-10-08T10:01:00.000-07:00

In a few hours...Looking forward to see my folks there. Hope I have packed everything I needed :)

First attempt to shoot heaven

2008-09-15T21:51:00.000-07:00

Ahh...light pollution from the city is really a big obstacle to get a decent shot of the stars. The shot could have been better if it was in minimal light polluted regions like Cambodia where the stars glitter more and rule the night.

Coincidentally, making it a little more interesting, a plane was passing by leaving the light trails from its wings and body captured by the long exposure from the camera.

Hiking Mount Si

2008-09-07T17:56:00.000-07:00

Since it was a delightful sunny day yesterday, I decided to go hiking at Mount Si (pronounced as "Sigh"), about 45 minutes east of Seattle. The mountain looks moderately high, 4000 ft (1200 meters). The hike was 4 miles and took me two and a half hours. Haystack was the highest point but not everybody who made to the top went there because one had to scramble on the almost-vertical sharp-edge rocks. One misstep could end one's life.

I can spot the peak...

With extreme caution, I determined to scramble to the peak. It was worth the risk to get there and have a 360 degree view of the city and cascades. After eating lunch and enjoying the view for a couple of hours there, I hiked back down which took about an hour and a half.

Yay! I made it...

The only way up to the peak.

I'm glad I made it back in one piece.

15-minute trip from Seattle

2008-08-20T20:41:00.000-07:00

Because of water level differences between fresh water and sea water, Ballard Locks give the ships a way to cross from Lake Washington to the Puget Sound and vice versa.

It is also a place to witness the remarkable journey of salmons that swim upstream from the ocean (hundreds or thousands of miles away) to the lakes and rivers to spawn. After growing from eggs into young salmons, they instinctively go back to the ocean by reversely swimming through this canal and will come back to the same place to breed when they mature. The same process is repeated, known as the Salmon circle of life.

Hmmm Salmons...my favorite sushi. They sure don't look as good as they taste.

View of Puget Sound at Discovery Park, when the sun is setting behind the Olympic mountains

Road Trip to the Olympic

2008-08-10T23:26:00.000-07:00

While everybody is cheering for the Olympic games in Beijing where the best of the best athletes from around the world are competing against each others and trying to beat the world records, I too am cheering my way to the Olympic - Olympic National Park, west of Seattle that is.

The trip begins with a cloudy morning but the sky on the west looks sunny and promising. An hour of driving later I reach the highway W16 accompanied by the tall pine trees and mountains. It is still mostly cloudy as I drive along the winding scenic road. But another hour later I arrive at Port Angeles where the sky is blue and the sun is brightly casting upon the town.

Unhurriedly, I decide to take a walk around the port before going to my final destination as I remember a saying; "It's the journey that matters, not the destination." Located on the Olympic peninsula, Port Angeles offers a terrific open view of the Pacific inlet to the North and the Olympic mountains to the South. I feel the cool ocean breeze as I stroll along the shimmering water front and looking across I could see Victoria island on Canadian side.

An hour later, I head for Hurricane Ridge at the Olympic National Park despite being warned by the Information Center that it might be too cloudy up there to see anything. It does look cloudy at high elevation but at least the clouds are not dark enough to produce rains. Having come this far, I can't be deterred by these clouds. Plus the elevation is probably high enough above the clouds that I can still enjoy the view up there.

After another hour drive climbing up on a serpentine scenic road, I finally reach Hurricane Ridge at 5400 ft. elevation. Up here it's not as bad as it looks from Port Angeles. It is less cloudy and I am actually as high as the cloud. Though I cannot see Port Angeles and the Pacific inlet down below, I can still have a breath-taking view of the Olympic mountain peaks covered with ice caps. It's still bright enough to hike along the meadow trails.

Soon after I park, I eat my lunch sandwich, drink good amount of water and hike up to the tallest hill around. Without enough sun and the wind, the weather is a bit chilly but calm. Along the trails are pine trees and beds of green grass and wild flowers mostly in purple, white and yellow. I encounter squirrels, birds, and deers as they are coming out to eat their dinner buffet on the rich meadows. The air is pristine and hiking through the white clouds at high elevation is really spiritually uplifting.

In sum, hiking at the Olympic National Park is as spectacular as the Americans unexpectedly beat the French in the 400 meter Free-style Swimming Relay tonight.

My tools

2008-08-05T22:57:00.000-07:00

These Canon lenses help me capture the beauties of natures, landscapes, objects and the living things around.

From left to right: 10-22mm, 28-135mm and the newly bought 70-200mm 2.8 L IS

Each lens is great at serving its specific shooting purpose. But the one I use most frequently is 28-135mm. It's a carry-around lens with good quality, my first good lens for my start-up photography. It has a good range of zoom serving multiple types of shooting. But most importantly, it has a sentimental value as it was a gift from my dad.

One more shot with full moon wouldn't hurt

2008-07-16T23:24:00.000-07:00

A plane just passing by under the illuminated moon, descending to Sea-Tac airport.

Seattle - Take 2 with new lens

2008-07-09T23:32:00.000-07:00

At sunset

At night a couple of hours later...

Happy Birthday US of A!

2008-07-05T19:33:00.000-07:00

This year I have a chance to see July 4th fireworks up close at Lake Union. The presentation before the fireworks was spectacular. It started with a Chinook helicopter carrying the flag and circling around the lake. I've never seen a Chinook flying that close before.

2008-07-03T22:44:00.000-07:00

Concrete jungles light up the night
A crow is gliding through and lingering
Looking lost among the colorful lights
A flying crow keeps on searching...

Magnuson Park

2008-06-15T23:15:00.000-07:00

A beautiful (rain-free) sunny day in Seattle to spend at the Park with magnificent view of Lake Washington and Mount Rainier in the background.

Fins from US old nuclear submarines from the Cold War. Now they look like a pod of Orcas swimming in the Park.

International friendly match - Brazil vs. Canada

2008-06-10T20:52:00.000-07:00

5/31/08 - Seattle was hosting soccer friendly match between Brazil and Canada at Seahawk stadium. The atmosphere was electrifying as 47,000 fans, mostly in yellow Jerseys, came to watch. I was cheering for the underdog Canada with my Arsenal red and white Jersey :).

The stadium was shaken as the crow roared every time each team scored a goal. It was a close match over all. Each team played competitively with high energy and enthusiasm. The game ended with 3-2, victory on Brazil.

Robino was going for another goal.

A powerful shot from Canadian striker left no chance for the Goalie.

Yatch sailing on Puget Sounds

2008-06-10T00:20:00.000-07:00

Olympic Sculpture Park, Seattle

2008-02-26T20:34:00.000-08:00

Snowboarding...first time

2008-01-18T22:08:00.000-08:00

Finally I got a chance to try snowboarding, something I always wanted to do. My friend and I and his other 3 buddies went to Snoqualmie, only about an hour east from Seattle and right by I-90. The weather was beautiful and sunny, really perfect for snowboarding and skiing. We got there early to take advantage of less crowd in early morning. It really snowed a lot on the mountains. The temperature dropped as soon as we got there. The green pine trees, the white snow and the slopes of the big mountains made one heck of a scenery.

Since I don't have a waterproof coat, I had to borrow my friend's army waterproof jacket. Trying to look like a skateboarding pro hehe.

So here I went. After many fallings (a few hard ones) I managed to balance myself well and can slide like a leaf movement using thighs and hips. My friends said I did well for the first time. I was proud I didn't hurt myself so bad. I was ready for the higher slope after trying beginner's slope a couple of times. I saw some seniors, maybe at their 70, skied like a pro. That gave me inspiration :). I wanted to snowboard more until they closed but my body didn't let me. I got soared all over especially my thighs, my knees, my wrists and my butt :). I was worn out.

But it was worth it. It was a fun challenging experience. This was the first time but won't be the last. I will come back. I'm sure the pain will be worse tomorrow when I get up :).

View From Space Needle

2008-01-15T01:05:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday was a rare day that we can finally see the sun. Mother nature decided to give us a break from the rains that have been sprinkling everyday for months. Ahh now I know why they call Seattle the city of rain! Sometimes it's unbearable. But I'm a survivor :) and I can survive this. If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere :).

So to take advantage of the sunny day and to celebrate my new contract employment with Microsoft, my friends, my cousin and I decided to come up to Seattle, have some Dim Sum and go to the Space Needle's 360 degree sky view deck. That means an opportunity to snap new pictures although a $16 ticket to get to the top each time is a ridiculous price.

Puget Sound to the West

Skyline and Mount Rainier to the South

Boston

2007-11-30T15:34:00.000-08:00

I took a train to Boston to meet and catch up with an old friend. After the meeting, I toured a bit around North Station and was able to take a few photos. Too bad, I didn't have time to go over the Cambridge side where Harvard and MIT are. Gotta catch the train back to Lowell. I will next time.

Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge

A cold full-moon night

Visiting my sister in Lowell, MA

2007-11-27T19:36:00.000-08:00

It's been 3 years since I last went to visit my sister in Lowell, about 45 minutes from Boston. This time I decided to use thanksgiving break to fly to Boston but it was a long 6-hour flight from East to West coast. I brought a bunch of DVDs to watch on the plane to help shorten the flight and it did work.

Nevertheless, the trip paid off. It's good to spend time with everybody again.

Nephew and cousins have all grown up fast since the last time I saw them.

My 2-year-old niece Visey

Pacific Science Center

2007-11-18T20:11:00.000-08:00

Where the Boeing IMAX theater is. Got there only to find out Beowulf tickets were sold out. Oh well...

Space Needle again

2007-11-18T19:59:00.000-08:00

While waiting to see the movie Beowulf in 3D at Pacific Science Center, I thought of taking a few shots of the Space Needle. 10-22mm wide angle is pretty awesome.

Mount Rainier

2007-11-04T18:55:00.001-08:00

Monday 10/22/07: A beautiful drive to Mount Rainier. We can go as far as Paradise at about 5,000 ft. elevation, 1/3 the height of mount Rainier.

Mount Rainier's Peak

Christine Fall

Museum of Flight

2007-10-29T16:11:00.000-07:00

Sunday 10/21/07: A fun learning experience at the Museum of Flight in Seattle. Nate, Shaun and I spend our times there longer than we intended to. It's interesting to see not just how much Boeing has contributed to history of aviation, but also to World War I & II and Space Research (NASA). We enjoy walking through the history of aerospace, viewing from Boeing's first airplane to the world's fastest jet and NASA space ship.

One of Boeing's earliest planes, equipped with wooden propeller.

Lockheed SR-71, a.k.a "The Blackbird", is claimed to be the world's fastest jet ever built. It can fly 3 times the speed of sound. Currently no longer in service.

Another no-longer-in-service jet: Concorde, a co-production of France and Britain, the fastest commercial aircraft.

Concorde stretches 6 to 10 inches at supersonic speed.

Vancouver "Bumpy" Road Trip

2007-10-26T09:44:00.001-07:00

My friends Nate and Shaun from Kansas City are over for a conference in Seattle. They decided to fly here a few days earlier to hang out with me and tour the Northwest. It's a good opportunity for a reunion since I left Kansas City 6 months ago. One of the top things we've planned to do is to visit Vancouver, Canada since it's only 3-hour drive away.

Friday 10/19/07 6:30 PM: Off we go on a rainy evening. Shortly after we pass Seattle my car is making a rattling noise I never heard before. The noise seems to come from the AC fan. I am like "Oh O! This isn't good.". So I have to pull over, pop the car hood, and take a look. We still can't seem to find what causes the clicking noise. So we decide to go buy some tools from the auto shop nearby to do further inspection. We still couldn't find anything after a thorough look at the fan and things around it. But this time the noise is gone. I guess we magically fix it. We joke about quitting our jobs and open a mechanic shop :). We think this could be some little thing stuck in the fan and just fell off.

So we continue our trip to Vancouver. Everything seems to go well and we get to the USA-Canada border. Surprisingly, we see a long line of cars ahead of us and a very slow bumper-to-bumper move across Canadian border. Oh Canada!! An hour later, we're still in the line. Then suddenly I hear something snap from the front of my car as I'm trying to turn to cut the line. My power steering is not working anymore. The Battery light is on. The engine temperature gauge points to Red which indicates the engine is really hot. This time is serious. But I'm getting close to cross the border. I can't just stop in the middle of hundreds of car. I want to cross the border, get out of the endless line and take a look at the car or get my car towed to Vancouver.

Half an hour later, without much choice, I manage to drive my car across the border despite all the problem indications. We stop and take a look at the car again as soon as we cross the border. Still we don't find anything breaking or leaking. We're only about half an hour away from Vancouver. We continue to drive for about a mile but the engine temperature gauge is pointing red again. So we decide it's better to stop driving and call a tow truck. Twenty minutes later the tow truck arrives. The truck driver seems friendly and asks us what is wrong with the car. Fortunately he knows something about cars. After taking a look in the hood, he points out that the Serpentine Belt is missing and is the cause of all these problems (Now it makes sense to me: the rattling noise as it's wearing out and the snapping sound at the border as it broke). He says getting the new Serpentine belt replaced is not very expensive and will fix the problem. I'm relieved to hear it's not somethings major with the engine system. But if I kept driving longer, the engine would likely be fried.

Now my car is being lifted and towed and the three of us are riding in the truck by trying to sqeeze in the passenger seat that supposedly accommodates only two people. The truck driver recommends to get my car fixed at Canadian Tire as they do "first come, first serve" service 7 days a week so that I probably can get my car fixed by tomorrow. Trying to cheer us up, the driver does the guiding tour for us as well while we're heading our way to Vancouver in the middle of the raining night. But all these don't come in cheap.

Eventually we get to Vancouver, drop the car off at Canadian Tire, pay the expensive tow (but admittedly the tow guy was really helpful to my car) and check in our hotel around 2 AM. Exhausted and hungry, we order the pizza and pass out immediately after.

The next morning we check out the hotel, walk around the city, take some pictures and do the local brewery tour at Granville island while waiting for my car to get fixed. Vancouver is a beautiful city indeed despite the cloudy and rainy day. The city's hype, the surrounding nature and the architectures are well blended with each other. At about 2pm I get a call from Canadian Tire that my car is fixed. What a relief! Our plan doesn't get ruined! We then go get the car and drive back to Seattle and go to the NBA game (Seattle Supersonics vs. Houston Rockets) as planned. It feels good to drive and be on the roads again!

Shaun, Myself and Nate at a park in Vancouver.

A little celebration after going through all the troubles.

View of Seattle from Queen Anne Hill

2007-09-09T16:16:00.000-07:00

This is one of the best places where you can enjoy the glimpse of Seattle Skyline and Mount Rainier in the background (white glacier mountain on the right) during sunset.

The view is still terrific during the night.

A day hike at Bear Creek Falls

2007-09-05T21:28:00.000-07:00

Lunar Eclipse

2007-08-28T13:25:00.000-07:00

The moon is shot on different time frames and put together in Photoshop.

It is my first time to witness and photograph one of nature's greatest phenomenons: the lunar eclipse. Today's lunar eclipse can be seen from North and South Americas, Oceania and Asia. I call up my dad to look for eclipse when the moon is rising in Cambodia. Delightfully, the Northwest gets the best seat for watching the entire show this year. So I do not want to miss this opportunity. I bring with me my camera and tripod and set it up just outside of my apartment.

The weather is generously cooperative for the entire eclipse. Although it's about 50 Fahrenheit outside, the night sky is clear and quiet which makes photography a lot easier. I just need to remember to occasionally clean off the dew from my lens filter. The full moon is setting from the opposite side of the bright stars which enables it to dominate the dark horizon and thus makes observation more joyful.

Starting at 1:51 am Pacific Time, the Earth's shadow starts creeping slowly across the illuminated moon taking one bite at a time until the moon is fully overshadowed. Suddenly the moon becomes orange, then turns into red-blood and lasts for about an hour. That is, to me, the most eye-catching part. Unfortunately, I am not able to gaze at the second phase of the eclipse where the Earth's shadow moves away from the moon. But I think it is similar to the beginning phase. By now it is already 4:30 am and unfortunately I am not a full-time photographer :). I have to get up at 7 am for work. I'd better get a couple hours of sleep so that I can function at work.

Sacrificing a few hours of sleep is worth the experience. From beginning till the end, I enjoy gazing at the eclipse, taking photos and sipping beer in between.

Full moon before eclipse

Pike Market

2007-08-12T22:39:00.000-07:00

These are the things one usually sees at Pike Market in downtown Seattle.

Chili peppers anyone?

Balloon man

Street music band.

Man's best friend

Police riding horse. This horse is an officer too. Look at the badge.

Chewing gums on the wall. It's pretty gross but I guess people have their own ideas of creativity.

...and busy crowd.

Cambodian Cultural Heritage

2007-08-12T21:50:00.000-07:00

I was delighted to see the Cambodian Cultural Heritage celebration in Seattle yesterday. This event gives others the opportunity to get to know our country and culture. The program included a variety of shows: from Cambodian Classical Dance to the documentary about the Khmer Rouge genocide which killed 2 million Cambodians between 1975 and 1979.

It was a good event overall. We had an enthusiastic audience and all the performers did a good job.

Cambodian Classical Dance

Blue Angels at Seattle Fair

2007-08-05T21:30:00.000-07:00

These jets fly at lightening speed with aerobatic style and synchronize in team. They are the NAVY's Blue Angels. They perform over Lake Washington.

Please don't try this at home :).

Downtown Seattle at night - Take 2

2007-08-05T21:26:00.001-07:00

Test new lens

2007-07-31T23:00:00.000-07:00

Taking my lunch break at Solo Point park with view to Puget Sound (arm of the Pacific Ocean), about 10 minutes from Intel and using the opportunity to test my new lens. The weather is great today.

Wide angle puts more scene into the picture and creates more dramatic look.

Catching some water skiing action at the bay with 28-135mm.

How wide can it get?

2007-07-31T18:52:00.000-07:00

Here are test shots from my two other lenses comparing to 10-22mm from the same distance.

With 28-135mm at 28mm

With 18-55mm at 18mm

With 10-22mm at 10mm

Gotta love the 10-22mm. It's great especially for landscapes and indoors with tight space.

My new lens

2007-07-30T21:00:00.000-07:00

It's Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM super wide angle. It's now the third member of the lens family. More pictures will come from this lens.

See the moon through camera's lens

2007-07-29T20:20:00.000-07:00

I shot with my 28-135mm and 2X lens extender (thanks Pa! In addition to the lens, I find this extender very handy indeed). Then I cropped the moon with the max resolution. The result is quite good considering not using the expensive telephoto lens.

Experiment with portrait photography

2007-07-25T20:37:00.000-07:00

As the famous photo expression goes: "The camera looks both ways. In picturing the subject, we are also picturing a part of ourselves."

This is my favorite portrait shot of my friend's daughter, Aria, because it's not just a portrait photograph but photograph with feeling. What a graceful look! Very natural. I like the depth of field in this shot that shows the details of her hair. The picture was taken at Seattle Center during "Bite of Seattle" event last weekend.

Another shot of Mt. Rainier from Highway 5

2007-07-11T22:27:00.001-07:00

Happy July 4th!

2007-07-05T21:09:00.000-07:00

Watching fireworks from Harbor Avenue on 4th of July, American Independence Day.

Touring Seattle

2007-06-23T21:08:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine, Ran Xu, goes by Eric, who lives in Indianapolis just flew in Seattle. We went to college together for 2 years and have not seen each other for 6 years. Eric and his fiance are going on a cruise trip from Seattle to Alaska. They got here a day earlier before their trip which gives us the opportunity to meet up and tour the city. The weather today is typical Seattle - with sunshine and overcasting sky interchangeably. Although I warned them about getting some jackets with them before leaving the hotel, they thought they wouldn't need jackets as it looked like a sunny summer time until they get in downtown that they have to buy ones.

After a few walks downtown, we decide to take "Ride the Ducks" tour, a 6-ton tour bus/boat which was used in Military in World War II. It can go on land and water. So quack quack we go.

Apparently our driver/captain is very hyper. Not sure how much caffeine (I hope it's the caffeine) from Starbucks she's been consuming. But she's doing a very good job telling us history about the city while driving. We feel welcomed by locals that wave and smile at us as we pass by on this funky vehicle.

After sightseeing on land, we cruise on Lake Union where we have the best view of Seattle. There are a lot of boats and home-boats where people reside on.

View city skyline from Lake Union.

This plane is just above our heads as it's about to land on Lake Union.

The evening is followed by dinner at a delicious seafood restaurant at the Waterfront on Alaskan Way avenue. I call it a good weekend of city tour and reunion with an old friend. Oh and we enjoy the Washington's Chardonnay as well. More pictures here.

Behold Mount Rainier

2007-06-11T06:03:00.000-07:00

The 14,410-foot (4,392 m) stratovolcano. View from Puyallup on a clear day, about 30 miles away.

On cloudy days, the whole mountain is invisible which seems like it magically disappears.

Space Needle, Seattle

2007-05-20T16:24:00.000-07:00

This beautiful architecture was built for the 1962 World's Fair.

New Lens

2007-05-19T11:37:00.000-07:00

Just got a nice present from my dad. It's Canon EF 28-135mm Lens with Image Stabilizer. I heard a lot of good reviews about it. So I will put it into the test :). Expect more pictures from this lens.

Downtown Seattle

2007-05-16T21:20:00.000-07:00

City Skyline, view from Hamilton Viewpoint Park

Interesting Building. The smaller base of the building that supports the bigger structure caught my attention.

????

Sunset at Lake Washington

2007-05-16T21:17:00.000-07:00

Weekend at Puyallup, WA

2007-05-07T17:05:00.000-07:00

Lunch at a Cambodian family's house on Saturday. I enjoyed Banh Hoy food very much. Thank you for your warm hospitality.

The majestic active volcano Mt. Rainier surrounded by cloud on top.

Fishing at Rattlesnake lake

2007-05-03T16:48:00.000-07:00

A nice outdoor Sunday at Rattlesnake lake, about 40 minutes east from Seattle.

Rattlesnake lake (though the name has nothing to do with rattlesnakes)

A duck enjoying sunbathing

I made it!

2007-04-29T23:14:00.000-07:00

After some 2300 miles, a few wrong turns, running over a squirrel and
smashing countless bugs , I finally made it to Seattle safe and sound.

It was a lifetime experience adventure and was worth every mile. Driving
on the winding road up and down the cascade mountains was such a
wonderful entertainment on the road. Going on the mountain top, seeing
snows and green pine trees, listening to the nature and looking down from the
mountain top really lifted my spirit and made me feel I was on top
of the world at that moment.

The wildlife, Geysers, canyon and waterfall...in Yellowstone were
very charming. The park is in high elevation, huge, full of wildlife and hot
springs and picturesque. I can't put enough into words. Let the
pictures speak their thousand words.

Check out more pictures from the trip.

Mount Rushmore and Devils Tower

2007-04-26T22:37:00.000-07:00

April 26th: I got up early and headed to Mount Rushmore around 8 am which is only 2 miles from the motel I stayed at.

The weather was perfect, sunny and warm. I finally got to see this famous giant sculpture of presidents' faces in person and was impressed by it.

After Rushmore, I headed to Devils Tower which is about 2 and a half hours away. As soon as I got close to Devils Tower, it drizzled down. It's amazing to see this giant of rock column stand out among other mountains. According to the information, the rock was formed 50 million years ago by magma. On the top, it was the size of a football field where ants, rats and an occational snake can be found.

Two climbers almost made their way to the top. I wish I had a zoom lens.

Then I continued my way to Yellowstone. I decided to take US-16 highway recommended by the sign on the road that I would get the most scenic view and get there fastest.

The guy at the Information Center adviced me to take I-90 instead because US-16 is a winding road going up the mountains and it might snow up there. But I decided to take US-16 anyway because I wanted the best scenic view while driving. As I drove up the mountain, it got more and more cloudy. Then it showered. Then it turned to be slightly snow. This didn't look good. My rear-wheel drive car would just make things worse if it snowed more later on the winding road. My instinct told me to turn back and forget the scenic view. So I did and took I-90.

It's snowing slightly on the mountain.

Then an hour and a half later I saw another route to Yellowstone, US-14. It's still a winding road going up and down the mountains but the condition was much better than US-16. It looked sunny over the mountains this time. I took US-14 and it was a beautiful ride all the way. On mountain tops, there're still snow covered the ground but the pine trees were all green.

I drove on the elevation as high as 8400 feet and the temperature dropped as low as 28 Fahrenheit, below freezing. Felt like winter again.

Now it's 12:30 am. Time for bed. Tomorrow is going to be a big day.

Kansas City, Missouri to Keystone, South Dekota

2007-04-26T22:07:00.000-07:00

April 25th: I left KC around 12:30 pm. The weather was cloudy and looked like it was going to rain.

Indeed a couple hours later after I got into Iowa, it showered, though not heavily, for like 2 hours on the road. But that didn't delay my trip I had planned.

11 hours didn't seem too bad. I like the open road that seems endless. Plus, talking on the phone with friends, singing along U2, Red Hot Chilli Pepper, Jack Johnson... and chewing on Sunflower seeds helped keep me entertained. Got in Keystone around 11:00pm, mountain time.

A scenic Rest Area in South Dekota

New Adventure

2007-04-25T07:21:00.000-07:00

My road trip plan:

Transportation: Car.
Destination: From Kansas City, MO to Seattle, WA.
Stops on the way: Mount Rushmore, Devil's Tower and Yellowstone.
Total hours of driving: 30 hours.
Total distance: 2000 miles.
Total days: 4 days. Plan to get there by 29th.

Here I go...I hope to get internet access to keep you posted on the way.

Downtown Chicago

2007-04-11T12:23:00.000-07:00

Downtown and Lake Michigan. View from Shedd Aquarium.

Concrete jungle. View from Sears Tower.

Cloud Gate (The Giant Bean) at Millennium Park. A great piece of art!

Interesting Architecture.

Looking up.

Shedd Aquarium, Chicago

2007-04-10T21:09:00.001-07:00

The time was 2:30 pm on Sunday, 8th. It was a cloudy freezing day for April in Chicago. The temperature dropped to a little below 0 celcius. As Chicago is known for "Windy City", the wind from Michigan lake, which is right in front of the Aquarium, added the chill to our already-chilled bones. Our ears and faces were numb. Yet my friend and I decided to stand and wait on the long line outside the Shedd Aquarium. I guess everybody thought it was Spring. Like other tourists, we were pretty excited to get in despite waiting in the frost-bite cold. It's supposed to be one of the best Aquariums in the country.

After 45 minutes and some jaw rattlings later, we finally were able to gaze at the fish, reptiles and mamals inside the Aquarium. It was worth the wait though we wish we had more time to spend there. But I will probably go back there if I have a chace to visit Chicago again...

School of fish. Can you spot Nemo?

Anaconda. Still growing!

A family in tuxedos ready to party.

Playful dolphins put up the show.