Sacchin cycling in Melaka

I have not posted any entry for a very long time.
Yes, I have been busy (and procastenating). But I make it a point that I post now since I have some new pictures.

I went to Melaka, Malaysia with my cycling friends for an overnight trip of cycling and eating, and I brought Sacchin with me together with her mountain bike. Too bad I don't have a folding bicycle model, suitable for pinky:st.

We were waiting for bus near Golden Mile Complex, so I took this photo after I gobbled some breakfast and a glass of Kopi.
Looking bright and shiny ready to go!

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After some drama trying to load the bus with small luggage compartment with 20+ folding bicycles, we were ready! We even managed to persuade customs to let us keep the bicycles in the bus.

Then comes the 4+ hour ride to Melaka. The Kopi keeps me awake during the journey.

This is the front view when looking out from the hotel compound entrance, taken not long after we arrived at the hotel, and about to have a very late lunch (2:30 pm lunch)

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And this is the hotel we are staying at, Aldy Hotel, near the old town center.

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Below there is a bar cum restaurant. A fellow cyclist become the background (that green liquid in a jar was a drink ordered by another cyclist).

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At night me and some cyclist went to eat pizza at a restaurant named Coconut House, in Melaka. It is behind Jonker street, opposite boutique hotel Baba House.

She is enjoying the various sizes of popular drink Coca Cola.

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After dinner I went sight seeing at Jonker Street Pasar Malam (Night Market) but did not buy anything. I saw some really interesting umbrella that comes with metal cover and made to look like bottle of perfume or shampoo or wine etc, but the umbrella is rather small so I decide it was not a good buy. Small umbrella does not give much protection in monsoon season rain or torrential rain which happen frequently in Singapore.

Back to the hotel and sleep because we have to wake up and gather at 7 am the next day.

The next day we went for a long cycling trip along the beach to the direction of the cemetary of a Malay legend, Hang Tuah. However the cycling was furious and we did not stop long enough for me to take out Sacchin, and took her photo.

However on the way back we stop for chendol and the wait took long enough for me to take Sacchin out for a picture. At the background is the chendol shop, crowded with my cyclist friend busily eating chendol.

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After than we went back to the hotel and those who are tired have a chance to recuperate. Of course, high on palm sugar (gula melaka) I hardly feel tired and I took Sacchin out for photoshoot. Here she is posing in front of the ruin of portugese fort.

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Next to the hotel there is a small park that play host to an old properller aeroplane ...

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and old diesel train locomotive and cabin...

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There are fire engine and bullock cart too but there is no good place to place Sacchin for a good photo.

The sun was way up when I make it to the old town center, but undeterred I took her photo anyway.

Here she is by the fountain.

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There were a lot of tourist, local and overseas, and it was Sunday, sunny and bright. The colourful tricycles are there for the tourist to hire.

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This is the old church but I am not sure if it is still in service. May be it is already converted to be a museum.

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This is the photo from higher elevation, up the stair case on top of souvernier shops.

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Here is the photo of clock tower from ground floor.

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And this is from higher elevation.

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Up the stair case (from the front) or the hill from behind you will have high elevation view to one end of jonker street.

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After that I walk along the river bank behind the rows of shophouses and took this photo.

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There is river cruise available too, but I did not take it. I like the comfort of being on land best.

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At the end of the row there is a parking lot and opposite that there is an old church. There was a mass held at the time.

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That was it, I went back and meet my friends before we are set for lunch, and after lunch we took the bus back to Singapore.

Sweet & cute discovery at Singapore Toy & Comic Convention 2009

I went to Singapore Toy Comic Convention 2009 (SGTCC 2009) and was quite bored with the range of toys and comic. The only interesting thing there was the display of Blythe doll (amazingly cute with freaky realistic glass eyeballs), and the artist gallery.

One artist which catch my fancy (and earned some money from me) is Stephanie aka Asuka. She made such a wonderfully detailed mini cake and bento and cookies and many many more.

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Here are the 2 pinkies (Range Murata collaboration) at the cake shop, acting as waiters.

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All those cute cakes are made by Stephanie. The totoro dolls also.

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She also made a cake counter full with cute little cakes and cookies but they are not pinky scale so I did not take a photo of that.

I left Nendo L, Shana, Zetshubo Sensei and Sebastian at the booth which she shares with another artist.

From CuteFiguPhoto

From CuteFiguPhoto

L cannot decide which bento to eat.

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Or the dessert to have.

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That causes some commotion. A lot of people come and took photos! Hopefully more will buy from Stephanie. I hope she is not annoyed with that.

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You can find more of her creation at her blog.

Here is a photo of her being interviewed.

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Pinky Catch from Japan Trip

Finally I have unpacked and here are some of my catch that is related to Pinky:St.
I have a lot more but since they are not related to Pinky I do not post them here.

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Wonderfest 2008 Pinky, Custom pinky legs (g-kit), and Yoikono Bukiset (aka Pinky:St weapon set) are from Vance booth during Wonderfest 2009. I was delighted to find that Wonderfest 2008 Pinky was still sold then and disappointed at the same time that there was no Wonderfest 2009 Pinky. Sacchin are bought from a shop in Akihabara, but could not remember where. I just bought her because I did not bring any pinky for the trip and want to take some photos. Gunslinger Girl Pinky:St are bought from Mandarake at Nakano broadway. It was second hand and it has been opened so it is actually cheaper than what listed on Mandarake shop online. I was really happy that I manage to get this.

Below are not pinky but the packages are from Vance / Mr.Hobby with booklet in Japanese which guide the reader on how to paint kits, do modding etc.

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Morning walk in Oimachi, Tokyo

1 more day and I have to go back to Singapore already :(
So I woke up quite early and had my breakfast.

I brought Sacchin to the canteen (bought her in Akihabara, my I cant remember how many copies of Sacchin I have now, probably three?) and also my camera. Here is my Sacchin's first photo in Japan! Yay!
Behind was K-On! tea (left) and a glass of orange juice.

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Here she is off-focus standing in front of the flat facing the hotel.

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I stayed at Toyoko Inn in Oimachi, Tokyo.

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Lets walk around the neighborhood. I have walked frequently from hotel to the train station, so I want to see what near the hotel that I have not explored.

First off, here is the public phone. :)
It is still there in Japan. Amazing, considering the high mobile phone penetration there, public phones are still around and they still use coins. In singapore most of them are converted to phone-cards already

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And this is the sign board for the hotel visible from the pedestrian sidewalk.

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Now I am standing in front of the flat which is facing the hotel. At the background is the hotel with minimal parking lots. The green box near the blue car is the public phone, inside a booth.

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Lets take pictures with beautiful flowers planted by the locals.

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It was summer, around 9 am already so the sun is very bright.

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I think this is some kind of fruit or vegetable?

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Isnt this very nice. I think this is the best photo with flowers!

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Near the crossing to the mall, there is a McDonald Outlet. Their menu is different from Singapore's menu. For example, they have hot-dog.

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They have al-fresco dining too, and for some reason Ronald is feeling shy this morning.

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Next to McDonald there is a Ramen Shop. Hmmmm...

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I cannot remember where this place already...

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7-eleven is quite big in Japan. They call these konbini, short form of convenience shop (with Japanese style of English Pronunciation)

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A sign on street lamp-post about a clinic nearby.

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Sake shop! I dont think we can take photo here at night. But dont worry, all the drunk people are gone in the morning.

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Some sign on the road, which I think say uphill climb. Possibly to remind the driver to switch to lower gear.

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And here is the bicycle park at one of the apartment. They have 2 stories, so the bicycles are also kept in multi levels to save space.

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You can find drink vending machines almost everywhere. One word of caution, if you do not like yorghurt, dont buy drink called Calpis. It tastes like extremely diluted yorghurt.

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This is a public car park. You still need to pay though.

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OK that is all. Need to go back to hotel and prepare for today's trip. :)