Rascal

Play just like the Dad when he was young.

From The Land Of The Rising Sun

Osaka Castle, Temple @ Kyoto

Learn English The Japanese Way

Welcome to Japan. Let's learn English the Japanese way.

From Down Under

Here are some pics from Philip Low. Of our friends from Down Under. Together with his family, Philip was in Perth for holiday and caught up with our Mr Handy Man and his wife. He looked 'full', guessed he had really good rest instead of running around fixing our plumbing, walking dogs, troubleshooting faults..................... Looks like he will be opening a hostel soon to accomodate you guys going down under.

He's should start a website for internet booking.

(the way he grinned still the same, how come har)

Honshu Experience

Konnichiwa (hello)

We went to the Land of The Rising Sun - Tokyo and Osaka for a week on an ANA tour package. The food was a letdown. We loved Japanese food and were expecting a certain class. But it was a disappointment. In fact, the ramen stores we seek at every opportunity was so much better.

The only good food we got out of the tour package was a tonkatsu restaurant and the morning breakfast buffet in one hotel.

If you are above 16 years old, give Tokyo Disneyland a pass. They are sooooo kidish. Or maybe we got bombarded by the latest animation - Shrek!, Spiderman, Back Draft, Jurassic Park.

Universal Studios Japan(USJ) is GREAT. They had a Sesame Street parade and we ended up following them, probably the only family of four with a total age of 135 years!

USJ was FUN. Make sure you watch the Sesame Street parade. Party with Elmo, Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Bert and Ernie as they sing and dance. "Cookie san kawaii desu ne!"

Spit your hear out with Spiderman ride - the Statue of Liberty vanishes! Race through the city as you try to keep up with the world's favorite web slinger in this no-holds-barred battle against the forces of evil. You'll zip around battle-worn streets as Spidey swings overhead and goes up against Doctor Octopus and an army of twisted villains. Amazing 3-D action erupts all around you when Spider-Man takes on the Hobgoblin and the searing heat of his exploding pumpkins. You'll be caught in the line of fire and live the story first-hand in the most incredible action-packed adventure ride ever ? The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man.

Cool.

The DREAM, USJ newest roller coaster is mild. Hoping to catch the ride with my digital camera, the crew asked me to remove it before the ride started. Anyway it was mild.

For the cute cutest cutesssst Peanuts and Hello Kitty planet on earth. Snoopy and his friends have taken over the Studios! Snoopy's transformed himself into a director, and you're his assistant. Discover how much fun it is to complete the characters' costumes, create and add sound effects and music. Immerse yourself in the fun-filled, light-hearted world of PEANUTS

Don't miss Terminator 4D show. A combination of movie, actors and robotics.

Not enough time to catch the all the attractions.

I WILL BE BACK.

(ps dialogue is in Japanese so you got to get use to your favourite characters speaking in nihongo)

Tree Top Walk

Fresh Clean Air. We spent two hours at Tree Top Walk on Vesak Day. It was a refreshing walk out in the natural habitat.

Enjoy the fresh air.

The Land Mines of Cambodia

Three decades of war in Cambodia have left scars in many forms throughout the country. Unfortunately, one of the most lasting legacies of the conflicts continues to claim new victims daily. Land mines, laid by the Khmer Rouge, the Heng Samrin and Hun Sen regimes, the Vietnamese, the KPNLF, and the Sihanoukists litter the countryside. In most cases, even the soldiers who planted the mines did not record where they were placed. Now, Cambodia has the one of the highest rates of physical disability of any country in the world. While census data for Cambodia is sketchy, it is generally accepted that more than 40,000 Cambodians have suffered amputations as a result of mine injuries since 1979. That represents an average of nearly forty victims a week for a period of twenty years.



Source: www.mekong.net

Angkor Mission 2

Jireh took a 10 days trip to Cambodia on a bag pack trip. At the Cambodia Cultural Museum, is the infamous Killing Fields Museum.

On April 17, 1975, Phnom Penh fell under the control of the Khmer Rouge, the communist guerilla group led by Pol Pot. They forced all city residents into the countryside and to labor camps. During the three years, eight months, and 20 days of Pol Pot’s rule, Cambodia faced its darkest days, an estimated 2 million Cambodians or 30% of the country’s population died by starvation, torture or execution. Almost every Cambodian family has lost at least one relative during this most gruesome holocaust.

On January 7, 1979, Vietnamese invaded and freed the Cambodian people from Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror. 600,000 Cambodians fled to Thai border refugee camps. Fearful to return back to Cambodia, many Cambodians had no choice but to emigrate to the United States, France, or Australia.

Today, many people and organizations are educating the world about the Cambodian Killing Fields. Only through awareness will the world remember the lessons of the genocide, honor the memories of the 2 million killed, and promote peace and tolerance so as not to relive the same dark days.

Source: www.killingfieldsmuseum.com

(Click on the temple, behind the door are stacks of human skulls)