2008 Taipei Game Show

Another great event at Taipei! Besides the 2 big game console maker, Sony (PS3, PSP) and Microsoft (Xbox 360), there are also plenty of Taiwan game production company showed up for this event. Each of the exhibitors take different approach to attract the new generation games. Some gave freebies such as free game CDs, posters to the visitors, and some even gave free game play. Visitor even can get free Pringles potato chips for free. Of course, there were a lots of performance by show girl in game play character costume.





More photos.

三峽 + 雲森瀑布

三峽, a typical old town is well known its artistic building. Although now a days the old street and building is renovate for tourist attraction, visitor still feels the living culture in the pass.







There is also hidden nature beauty attraction, the 雲森瀑布. Visitor can take public bus from 三峽 town, but the bus is limited and not that frequent especially during the weekend. If you planned to go there, its better to start the journey in the morning and return to 三峽 in the afternoon. The station that you should get off is 熊空車站.

We reached 熊空車站 around 4:15pm and needed to take the last bus from the same place around 6pm. Thus, we had a very tight time limit and little time to be spend at the waterfall. From 熊空 to the waterfall, we took about 40 mins of nonstop mountain tracking. We were delighted and stayed for 20 mins to take rest beside this breathtaking waterfall before heading back.

Visit this blog to get more information on the tracks.



More photos

Weekend break at Ying Ge

As usual for each trip to Taiwan for work, I would visit Ying Ge (鶯歌), a small town famous for production and commerce of ceramics. Not that I love pottery, but I just like the atmosphere of the artistic town. There are a lots of shops selling tea pots, plates, glasses, cups etc at reasonable price. For pottery lover, you will not regret visiting this town.

Shopping for books

I was delighted to know one of the bookshop nearby my hotel is closing soon and offers discount up to 30%. Thus, I bought a few photography guide book which rather expensive and hard to be found in Malaysia/Singapore.

There are also some online bookstore such as www.books.com.tw in Taiwan which offer user to order books online and have it collected at 7-11 store that near your area. Ain't it convenient?

2008 Taipei International Auto Show

Taipei International Auto Show, which held every 2 years started on Dec 29, 2007 and continues until Jan 6, 2008 at Taipei World Trade Center. For the ticket price of NT250, visitor not only can see the latest car from various world leading car maker, but also can see gorgeous show models posing with the cars for photographing. It's a norm in Taiwan for event such as PC show, Auto Show or Game show to have model as an event attraction.
















More photos

2008 new year celebration @ Taipei 101

Happy new year! It's not my regular practice to celebrate this occasion. Since I am on an oversea assignment, why not... after all this might be the last fireworks display whereby Taipei 101 is officially world's tallest structure. Besides, I am keen to test my camera on fireworks shoot.

10:30pm : Arrived and set our station

• 
• 
  Kent preparing his "Canon"
• 
  Chok and Karen

11:00pm : Woo... no more front seats.

• 
• 

11:59pm:

• 

12:00 am: The moment!

• 
• 
• 

Learned from experience:
1. Get a sturdy tripod, a shutter cable to avoid contact to the camera.
2. Switch lens focus to manual and preset the focus on infinity.
3. Shoot at lowest ISO possible ie ISO100, F11-16 and BULB mode.
4. Press before the explosion and release after some movement of fireworks (3-5 seconds) and on your own preference.