More photos from from the inner palace and (quite possibly) Qianlong’s garden.

I actually rather like Chinese traditional garden architecture. Not just “gardens” but “garden architecture”. The Chinese have a bad habit of building on every last square inch; and then paving up the rest. Well, that’s not what I like about it.

Garden architecture is not like the stiff formality of normal buildings. It tends to be airy and light. It looks like a pretty cool place to have a party on a hot summer’s day but it’d probably be pretty useless in the bitterly cold northern winters. Look at all those windows, pfft.

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’d like to build a Chinese-style garden at some point in my life. And a Japanese one. And a sleek modern one too. Don’t forget the kitchen garden. At this rate I’ll be sitting on the residential equivalent of a theme park.

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Made red bean soup dessert the other day. My Sunbeam StickMaster Pro immersion blender is teh awsum.

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Did you know that the guy who founded Kambrook (Australian affordable household appliance company) invented the four way power board, the plug-in electric timer and the plastic kettle? Aussie aussie aussie oy oy oy!

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This Saturday marks the 10th year anniversary of my Antipodean sojourn.

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I ‘m hanging out for some Korean barbeque. There’s a great new-ish place near Her Majesty’s Theatre off Grote Street. I think it’s called Hwan-Ro? Great price and most authentic joint in town.

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Work is piling up.
-dying-

I’m rapidly losing interest in blogging the China photos. And 90% why is because my photos are craptaculatively mediocre.

Top left: Pavilion of Something or Other. The characters were so complex and esoteric that there was even an explanation, in Chinese, for the Chinese. It’s located in the palace complex that was built for the Qing Dynasty’s Qianlong Emperor on his retirement as Emperor (I wonder if he had to sit for an exit interview?). He’s a pretty artistically accomplished man so his garden was pretty speccy.

In olden times scholars would hold poem/wine parties where they would compete in composing poems while floating cups of wine down a stream. It’s a pretty common image - there are a number of paintings depicting such parties.

This pavilion is meant to be an analogy of that. The windy recessed floor could be filled up with water, or wine as the case may be. Then everyone in the party could take turns composing poetry etc. Wouldn’t like to be the one to clean that up. I didn’t see a drain on hand anywhere.

Top right: Really really big flower. It was about 20cm in diameter, one flower head per stalk. No dupping.

Bottom left and right: Both possibly taken in Qianlong’s garden. Note photo on left: the tree is slanting so far to the right that a pole is needed to support it or else it would collapse. Gardeners often puposely bend trees at unnatural angles for artistic effect. I personally think the effect is spoiled somewhat by having to put up with walking around huge supportive poles.

Left: One of the ponds/stone bridges in the inner palace section. The main garden sections are all in the inner palace area, which is where the women are kept. Garden manuals praise the colour of stagnant ponds variously as for example “jade green” and “milky green”.

Center: Another tortured tree.

Right: Another feature in the inner palace garden. This mini grotto features a smallish pavilion built on top of a mound of stones. The entrance is that dark bit at the centre of the photo behind the woman in beige posing for a photo. The rock structure isn’t stable enough for the thousands of tourists who woul like to trudge through so it’s sealed off. I think one of the many palace intrigues that was doubtless occurring at the time culminated in a concubine dying up there.

In other news, I’ve totally rearranged my room because I’m running out of space D:
Cue had a 20% off sale for members only, which discount could be taken off the price of already discounted items. I got 2 dresses and a skirt. I was going to return one dress at a later stage because I couldn’t pick between them.

The salesgirl was all “oh, you’ll try them out at home and you’ll decide to keep them”.
Me (thinking): Yeah right whatever.

It turns out I will keep both of them -shakes fist-

Many main palace buildings are built a bit above the ground level, on a (sometimes marble) platform. Staircases lead up to the level of the building. Some of them have what they call the “dragon path”.

The dragon path is the bit smack bang in the middle of the staircase. Only the emperor may walk on it.
I looked around for a not-so-main building, where the dragon path wasn’t fenced up. And I made sure to walk all over it

Actually it’s pretty difficult to walk on! Maybe the emperor got carried up on a palanquin, with the servants carrying it walking on the steps on either side of the path.

Cast iron statues of animals associated with Imperial China - dragon, deer, male and female lions. The female plays with a little lion cub, and the male plays with a ball, symbolising the earth. Or something like that.

Large, large bronze pots filled with water everywhere - these would be used in case of fires. During winter wood would be burned under them continually to keep them from freezing over. How decadent!

Some stone carving of a thingy with a hole. More symbolism, 99% of which I have forgotten the meaning of. The square shape meant something…justice? How the Emperor was always right? The circle hole - the earth, universe, that the Emperor ruled over? And there was something to do with the function of the hole itself. And then of course there are dragons around it which is pretty much a given when it comes to Chinese stuff. So terribly over the top and gaudy.

There are wells, too scattered around the place. They seemed to be all dried up though. Or maybe the water was just a very very far way down?

Wish I posted all my China entries earlier. It’s quite painful looking back at the photos now. They look terrible!!!

This weekend was absolutely beautiful in Adelaide. Picture perfect autumn day. It was too good to waste so I cycled down to Himeji Japanese Garden, a Japanese-style garden on South Terrace.

I brought along my camera but didn’t spend too much time on it. The garden was particularly busy today. Families with kids running around, people dozing in the sun, some hipster guy who looked as if he was meditating for a couple of minutes before he started tapping away on his powerbook and even a bit of wedding photography going on too (I would have sacked the photographer, he was all “yeah, baby! Give me a smile there! Even the guys are looking good! C’mon now, grab her butt! Give me a bit of *smooching sound*.)

Anyway I found a nice big stable stone that was on the edge of the water. I brought along “Alamein, War without Hate“, a war history by John Bierman & Colin Smith. It’s about the North African desert campaign in World War II - Rommel, Monty, etc. It’s utterly fascinating. Bit of a contrast staring out at a peaceful idyllic pond while reading about death and destruction.

It was an extremely enjoyable afternoon actually. I must do it more often. It actually feels a bit decadent, being out in the open in a beautiful garden and just…reading. And I love cycling, it’s such an old school mode of transport.

Oh and did I mention I hang out at libraries, the museum and the art gallery on weekends?
And on Saturday I again snubbed the Mall for Central Market so I could make my spaghetti with home made meatballs and home made tomato sauce.

Also I am trying to use the computer less. I’ve always known the internet sucks up time arguably better spent in the fresh air, but I guess it is only now in my old age that I’m acting on it (’_').

Sidenote: When trying out some new WP themes, I noticed that WP 2.5 was out. So I’ve upgraded the WP install and happily, my RSS feed now works! I didn’t realise that the latest version came with a significant facelift so I dithered a bit thinking something disastrous had happened. It’s very web 2.0-ish. Very pleased.

See other photos from today’s expedition to the Garden here.

Some photos of stuff found inside the palace halls.

Top left: a “blessing stick”. Or something. Apparently if you hold on to it you get good fortune. Or something. There were quite a number of these scattered around the palace, made out of a variety of sizes and materials.

Top right: Goldfish bowls. Wonder how long they could survive in those inhumane bowls. Note painting behind the bowls of a concumbine and fishbowl. Ugly concubine.

Bottom left: Sculpture of bamboo in a china bowl. The bamboo is made entirely of jade. If I remember correctly, this was in the Palace Museum, which costs extra to get into. We were debating over whether to pay extra to go in, but in the end went because it’s not like we’re ever going back hey?

Bottom right: Photo of Concubine Zhen. I thought she was ugly then but looking at the photo on wiki I suppose she’s not *that* bad. This is the room that her sister (also an imperial consort) set up in memorial of Zhen after she was executed on Dowager Empress Cixi’s orders. She was thrown into a well.

I came across this article entitled “Green with worry” via green blog re-nest.

It’s about how SF bay residents who have always been at the forefront of the “green” movement are turning from eco-conscious to eco-neurotic, and driving the people around them crazy in the process.

I can identify with that. Most definitely.

I hope the Rudd Government brings that bag tax, or “levy” as they prefer it to be called, into effect, and soon. No, not just a 25c levy per bag, but hey, go the whole hog and make it a $1 levy per bag! Ever since learning, to my horror, that our garbage bin liners at work are replaced every night as long as there is anything other than paper in it, I’ve avoided using my bin, instead either dumping my used tissues are food wrappers into either colleague’s bins or making the short walk to the kitchenette. I’ve scribbled on my bin liners with permanent whiteboard pens so I’ll know when the plastic bag has been changed. So far my record has been one and a half weeks, probably only cut short because my colleague dumped a whole load of tissues into my bin while she was sitting at my desk.

I struggle in the throes of guilt whenever I get a plastic bag from the supermarket. It’s definitely prevented me from buying stuff at convenient times when I don’t have a reusuable bag with me. I feel resentful when I see people drive shiny new 4 wheel drives. What #^$%^$%tards!!! And I’m always *this* close to lecturing people I see at the supermarket who use plastic bags for bagging fruit and veg. What’s wrong with placing them directly in the basket? You wash them again just before you eat them right?
I once saw some chinese students using a bag for 2 apples, and another bag for 2 onions. I almost flipped out. Screw it, next time I see that behaviour I WILL start yelling. One time I was helping Ray’s mom put away the shopping and I saw ONE TOMATO bagged in ONE BAG. I couldn’t think of any polite “nice” way to say anything, so I didn’t say anything. More than my feelings of outrage were my feelings of guilt over not saying anything.

Ray being my shopping partner most of the time could probably attest to my shopping manics.

The article makes a point at the end of chapter 2 in a quote from Osman, a therapist, who says

The depression, anxiety, panic, and feelings of hopelessness are symptoms of a world out of control. After all, what we’re facing is a fear of extinction. The people who are not anxious—those are the ones I’m really scared for.

I interpret that as perhaps meaning those guys haven’t cottoned on to the fact that the human race and its current wasteful, consumerist, way of life is facing extinction, and therefore by inaction are pulling the whole environment down into the dumps with them.

I might be crazy but I’m still rational. Everyone else is crazy for not being crazy.

I still dislike hippies though.

Yarrrr. Fancy.

These aren’t protected by wire. It’s a wonder none of them fall off. Wouldn’t like to be the person in charge if there was a heavy hailstorm.

All sorts of mythical beasts adorn the roofs of the Forbidden City. Dragons, lions, qilins and possibly other animals associated with good government, prosperity and longevity.

A monarchial/dictator system of government has been around for pretty much forever compared to more “enlightened” democratic systems. It existed to an extent in ancient Rome but that didn’t last long. I wonder how long democracy will last before some academic comes up with some other bright idea. Arguably that happened with communism and, hah, I suppose it would only work in a perfect world. All theory…

In other news, it’s blazing hot in Adelaide - 39 degrees. Went to this morning to volunteer for an Adelaide Festival of Arts event at the Mortlock library (one of those really old school ancient ones that look faaaaantastic) - Living Books.

From the blurb:

A library where the books are human beings! Borrow a fire fighter, a footballer or a government minister. Find out what it’s like to climb a mountain, play sport at an elite level, or live and serve in a war zone, not by reading a book but by talking to someone who has experienced it.

Discover the extraordinary capacities and experiences of ordinary people, and the courage and humanity of some of the remarkable people who live and work in South Australia.

Come into the historic Mortlock Chamber of the State Library on North Terrace, browse the catalogue, make your selection and then enter into a conversation with a Living Book. Themes include sport, politics, history, religion, the arts, sexuality, science and technology.

It was an idea that originated at a youth festival in Denmark. Municipal libraries pricked up their ears and they did their own events. Apparently it’s never been done on this scale before. This is the first year Living Books has been done at the Festival of Arts but due to positive reactions they will definitely be doing this everytime from now on.

Hopped back for lunch, went for a facial, got locked out of my apartment, then went off to the Bakehouse Theatre for “Pratchett Pieces II - The Radio Play“. It’s another Fringe event.

Blurb:

Bite-sized Terry Pratchett comedies performed as radio plays with live sound FX.

Original short stories written by Terry Pratchett. Adapted for the stage by Pamela Munt, and then for radio by Rod Lewis.
Directed by Rod Lewis

The Discworld is on the air with an outrageous collection of short stories by Terry Pratchett, performed in the crazy style of an old time radio show. THRILL to the action! LAUGH at sound effects created live on stage! SWOON over the real looks of those handsome heroes, leading ladies and worn out warriors who will stop at nothing to prove that they still have it!

Anything is possible in the outrageous world of aural illusion!

TWO INCREDIBLE STORIES

Our heroes tell us that in death, there is honour. We’ve been promised an afterlife worth fighting for. But when a fictional character meets his maker, can an author live up to the expectations of his medieval creation?

Then meet Cohen the Barbarian, who has spent his life fighting for a better future. But the Trolls under the bridge are overweight businessmen nowadays. The forests are chopped down, and there’s no one left to fight. Sometimes you can be too good at your job.
But can Cohen make one last stand for truth, justice and the Barbarian way?

It was pretty good, and very good fun watching make the sound effects live, like banging coconut shells together for horse hooves, 3 belts with little bells tied to the metal buckley end for the sound of horse harnesses, etc. In the above photo there is one guy on keyboards, 2 doing the sound effects, and 3 voice actors. They swap around too. At times I just closed my eyes because it was easier to “see” what you’re meant to be imagining.

I didn’t realise there was a theatre company (Unseen Theatre Company) specialising in Pratchett plays in Adelaide!! Maaaaaan I’ve missed out on so much T_T

The more I dig, the more I can’t believe anyone could find Adelaide boring. Sure, entertainment doesn’t leap out at you but in some ways it so much more satisfying when effort is put into finding it.

Will be watching a colleague’s band play later on tonight too - if I’m still awake.

HALP.
My RSS feed is tewtally stuff0rred!!

My old feed used to look like this: http://evanelam.photo-log.com/?feed=rss2.
My new one looks like this: http://evanelam.photo-log.com/feed/.

I updated wordpress and every plugin that was outdated recently. I’m pretty sure that my feed got stuffed up after that point, because I only really started updating again after that.

People using my old feed (David, Ray) say nothing has come through since then. Facebook automatically imports my posts as notes. It uses my old feed and it is updating fine. I subscribe to my own feed in Google Reader to make sure the feed is working properly. Well obviously I haven’t checked it recently because, using my old feed addres, it has the same problem as Ray and David.

I noticed feedburner is using my old feed address too. So I try updating it with the new address. It borks on me. Completely fails. I enter my blgo web address into Google Reader and it automatically picks my new RSS feed address (as that’s what it’s listed as in my header for the blog). It works, but the entries it shows are from way back, even less up to date than what shows up when gReader is using my old address.

If you feed my new RSS address into Feed Validator, this is the error report you get.

I’m pretty sure there is no easy way to change my feed address, or settings, through the admin options in WP (the only thing I found was in Options>Reading, and that was just how many posts to show in the feed and whether to show full texts or a summary.

Okay, so after that longwinded error report…can anyone help me =_=

I really do not want to dig around in the WP files by downloading my whole install via ftp. I’m quite decidedly rusty on PHP and the XML used in generating feeds.

Maybe the next step would just be to disable all my plugins and see if that will help - I have a couple of plugins that access the feed for reporting purposes, and a feedburner plugin too…maybe they somehow affect it?

Argh.
-pulls hair-.

While going through my old China photos, I got bored of all the mediocre shots.
So I scribbled over them.

I can’t believe how many *bad* China photos I took >_<

I went to Saldechin last year while moseying around Adelaide, waiting for an interview to start. It’s located in one of those old bank buildings. I really like the atmosphere inside. Sort of serene, with bucketloads of grandeur. Good fusion of tradition and modern style.

It sells traditional Chinese furniture (reproduction, not antiques, if the price and finish is any indication), Chinese teas and serves as a teahouse/cafe too. The dimsum (small selection) is apparently home made. After a bad run of baos and dumplings with mysterious gristle (and the whole China poison food and cardboard char siu baos news came out at the time), their char siu bao was refreshingly…homemade-tasting, I guess. It tasted good and not artificial.

On the weekends, the place turns into a club sort of place I think. It would be an alright place to hangout for the 30-something officeworker. (haha, I’m still too young for that……………………………… >_>)

Saldechin is located at 21 King William St, Adelaide.

This was actually completed at the start of 2008. The tram is now operational and is free from South Terrace to North Terrace. The extension replaces the 99B free bus. It’s pretty awesome and I’m sure is very convenient for those commuting using the tram line. I just wish it was a bit more frequent, or at least run according to the schedule. Because those trams DEFINITELY do not come every 15 minutes (or whatever the interval was meant to be).

traveling, with you
traveling, on board
lighting up the asphalt
traveling, to where
traveling, are we heading to?
anywhere is okay, as long as it’s far away

traveling, sway
traveling, more
the urge to break it
traveling, accelerate
traveling, more
although there’s no need to hurry

create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.

there’s a song I want you to listen to
so I put it on REPEAT
spurs on my feeling
just as planned
partying with the waves, inviting the clouds
I finally met you
but being young, I glance away
like the dust in the wind

traveling, with you
traveling, on board
lighting up the asphalt
traveling, where
traveling, are you?
now’s the best time
traveling, sway
traveling, more
the urge to break it
traveling, accelerate
traveling, more
I’m a little afraid to stop now
traveling…

- Utada Hikaru, “Travelling”
(Lyrics translation courtesy of Anime Lyrics)

Chrysanthenum, Himeji-jo

We spent a day at Himeji. We thought we’d take it easy and just see the castle and its attached garden.

Himeji-jo is reputed to be the prettiest castle in Japan. Having seen the castles at Hiroshima, Nagoya, Okazaki, Kanazawa and Osaka, I think that’s probably right. It sits on a hill and is built on the slope, which is why, at some angles, the castle looks like it’s leaning. That’s why some of my photos don’t look straight >_>

There was this cool wall leading up to the main donjon. It had little rectangular and triangular holes in it which I surmise was for not only decorative but defensive purposes (to shoot arrows through?).

Find out more about Himeji-jo on the wiki here.

Because it was a Sunday, there were tons of tourists around.

You could take photos with some actors dressed up in feudal-era clothes. There’s a bunch of cafes and restaurants at the front of the castle grounds and there was a pretty good jazz band playing there that day. Oh yeah and there was a wedding in the vicinity too. The weather was great that day - not too hot and not too cold. It was bright and sunny. A lovely autumn day.

Seems like at every castle the local chrysanthenum club has a chrysanthenum display. They were HUGE! So many varieties and colours and sizes…Some were used in bonsai displays, and some were used to form sculptures.

We went to lunch after that. Went down one of the shopping arcades and got some department store bento. Originally we wanted to eat them at Koko-en but we weren’t allowed to ;_;

Koko-en was constructed on the former site of the Nishi Oyashiki (Lord’s Western Residence) and other samurai residences. It is made up of 9 separate gardens, each with a different theme. These include a tea ceremony garden, a garden imitating the countryside, a garden of bamboo and a garden of summer trees.

Even though it was autumn and the gardens looked a bit dead it was still very pretty. It’s too bad we weren’t there in spring though. There were tons of sakura trees everywhere.

Himeji-jo as viewed from the front of JR Himeji station

Himeji is on the main Sanyo shinkansen line. A main road leads from the front of JR Himeji station straight to the castle and is probably about a 20 minute walk. Don’t forget to drop by at the tourist office that will be on your right if you’re walking from the station to the castle. They offer *free* bike rental for the whole day. How trustworthy is that?!

Full-size photos, some with extra descriptions, are available in my “Japan 2007″ flickr set here.
See the rest of my Japan blog entries here.