Pink Chopsticks

One uniquely Asian tradition, specifically a Japanese cultural tradition that never ceases to fascinate me are the sumo’s. And its just fascinating to delve into this world and I was so surprised to see that there are also baby sumo ceremonies held in Japan. Here’s two videos showing babies crying on the ceremony at Ikiko Jinja Shrine in Kanuma city, Tochigi prefecture, Japan.

They say this traditional ceremony is held every year to pray for the health and good luck of babies. There is also the belief that babies who cry while being held up in the air is specially lucky. A curious tradition but nonetheless showcases something so uniquely Asian.

I’m also extra curious. How do sumo wrestlers get so big? Is it the diet or do they take extra supplements like those from http://www.besthghsupplements.net? This really begs me to learn more about this area of Japanese culture..

Via Japan Probe.

A quickie update. I’ve checked out Air Asia and they are currently running lots of promos and that means big big savings. Get to visit top Asian cities for less and check out these hot hot promos.

Air Asia 2011 Fresh Deals – Explore a new country for the new year!

Booking Period : 24 August 2010 – 5 September 2010
Travel Period : 3 January 2011 – 31 March 2011

The 2011 Festive Sale!

Booking Period : 23 August 2010 – 5 September 2010
Travel Period : 3 January 2011 – 31 March 2011

Just click on the images to visit the promo site..

Hello! Been awhile..I’m in the Philippines right now with two more weeks to go on my month long vacation. Truth is, I feel really weird coz I’ve been looking forward to this, in fact I could hardly wait for this vacation. I was looking forward to the time off, less blogging, less pressures, less housechores, but now that I got what I wanted I miss working!

Weird of me but yes I found myself itching to go back to full time blogging and writing. Right now I’m keeping busy visiting with old friends, checking out what’s the latest resto’s and hangouts here in Legazpi City and generally just being lazy.

I still have loads of errands to do but hopefully next week I could get everything done. Last week I bought myself a new netbook just for blogging when I need to be mobile. It’s a cute thing, an Asus EEEPC. So far, I’m convinced I picked the right one. I was torn between this and that really fab looking and feature loaded Samsung netbook, but the free portable dvd drive eventually made Asus the choice for me.=)

Till later..

One of the best things to enjoy in Asia are colorful and very distinct festivals. The Solo Batik Carnival is an annual carnival held in Solo City , Indonesia. This is really interesting and the colors are just amazing! Hmm, its a very young carnival having been started just last 2008, but it looks really good. Judging by the photos I’d surely want to see this in person. I’ve been searching online though for a website where I could get more info about the festival but there’s not much…

Here’s some photos from the 2010 Solo Batik Carnival..

Image source: Xinhua

I’ve been browsing Sina.com and found these awesome birds-eye view photos of the Himalayas..

This place is definitely awesome, one of my dream destinations. It looks so remote and fantastically beautiful even just in photos.

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One of my favorite Asian city is Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Mostly because, shopping there is superb. It’s a bit more expensive than Bangkok but there are times I really appreciate its less chaotic streets and modern transport system.

They also have a unique and vibrant culture. And its a melting pot of different Asian races, so its definitely a unique place to visit. And foremost among my reasons for liking this city is, their cuisine. I have several favorites and this one is among them..

this one is from an unnamed restaurant in Petaling Jaya, on our last trip to KL

Nasi Lemak..Though this is not exclusive to Malaysia and can also be found in Singapore, Brunei and some parts of Thailand.This is also known as the national dish of Malaysia. Though its usually found on the breakfast menu, its versatile enough for you to have it anytime of the day.

What’s in the usual Nasi lemak platter? Steamed rice (usually mixed with coconut cream) and flavored with pandan leaves, crispy dried anchovies (luv this!!), roasted peanuts, hard boiled egg, red spicy sauce (also known as sambal) plus the main viand – either chicken, beef, veggies etc..This is also usually packed in banana leaves but some restaurants now veer away from this practice..

If ever you’re in one of those countries I’ve mentioned, Nasi Lemak is really worth a try! Hmm, I’m actually craving for it now, thankfully, Phnom Penh (where I’m currently based) has a lot of Malaysian/Singaporean restaurants so this can be easily remedied, and my recommended place is Singapore Kitchen on #110 St. 360 Boeng Keng Kang area.

I’m currently based in Phnom Penh and since Angkor Wat is just a few hours  away by bus from the city, we headed over there last weekend. Not my first time there but still, the temples of Angkor Archeological Park never ceases to amaze and mystify me.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Angkor Wat is considered the main temple, and it is a great example of classical Khmer (Cambodian) art. It has also become a symbol of the country and is even featured in the Cambodian national flag.

The most common mistake people make about Angkor Wat is thinking that it is the only temple in Siem Reap Cambodia. It’s not, it may be the most popular and the most massive but it is just one of the hundreds of temples you can see there. One even has the danger of being templed out after seeing too many of them. But still, the park is one of the wonders of the world. A reason why its almost always jampacked with tourists all year round.

Gate to Angkor Thom Temples

The Bayon Temple

The city of Siem Reap is the gateway to the temples of Angkor. It is a highly accessible city, lots of transportation options and if you’re worried about places to stay, don’t be. From uber luxurious to the backpacker’s budget choice, the small city has a lot to offer with amenities to suit even the most discerning of travelers. Siem Reap also has its own international airport so you can fly directly from Bangkok, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore and Phnom Penh.

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The fantastic Ice and Snow World opened to tourists last December 24th in in Harbin, capital of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. The freezing park covers an area of 600,000 square meters and presents over 2,000 ice and snow sculptures.

Image credits: Xinhua