Lumia 530 - Travel Buddy In Your Palm

November 2014

Singapore

The Nokia Lumia 520 was the one of the best-selling Windows Phone handsets. With the 530, Nokia brings in a few improvements and retains the brightly-coloured plastic body, solitary 5MP camera, and compact 4-inch screen.

What Can Be Improved...

• Being a basic phone the Lumia 530 comes only with a basic camera, which works better with mainly daylight photos.    
• An entry level phone also means the absence of a front-facing camera. OK, so no more selfies.
  

What Merlion Wayfarer Likes...

• Many of the camera apps available in higher-end phones can be installed on this phone, e.g. Nokia Pro-Camera, which gives the feeling of control of an DSLR camera on an affordable entry-level phone.    
     
• With the dual SIM function and Nokia offline maps, the Lumia 530 is the perfect phone for that short getaway overseas.  
  
• Popular social apps such as Instagram, WhatsApp, Viber and WeChat, plus key gaming apps such as Asphalt 8, available in the Windows Phone Store    
• 4GB of on-board memory, expandable with SD cards up to 128GB.
• And of course, the budget price of S$159 only!

Merlion Wayfarer brought the Lumia 530 on her Penang trip. For more photos, join her on Instagram@MerlionWayfarer or preview with Websta.

Thank you, Microsoft & Nokia!

Read More

Panoramic Arashiyama - Togetsukyō Bridge

Togetsukyō Bridge (渡月橋, Moon Crossing Bridge)

Arashiyama Hanatouro (嵐山花灯路)

Arashiyama, Kansai

Honshu, Japan

Winter, December 2013

A calm serene plane

reflects lights, projecting colors.

Gentle golds, blues, on a sheet of black,

daring someone to notice them.

A scene of beauty, majesty, wonder

unrivaled by any other.

A pattern of rusted metal, 

unattractive in the minds eye,

yet stunning to the beholder.

A peace of mind settles over

the eager visitor, impressed

by the display.

A bridge between worlds, 

so worldly and yet, 

not of this world at all. 

Read More

Panoramic Kobe Luminaire

Kobe Luminarie (神戸ルミナリエ)

Kobe, Kansai

Honshu, Japan

Winter, December 2013

I see the flickering flame

And marvel at its brightness

Its warmth

Though its light

Is quite tiny

Somehow

The brightness

Illuminates the room

And manages 

To brighten

My heart—

For in this flame

Burns a steady promise

Of a love and friendship shared

Across miles and miles

On this earthly plane

 And when I feel the steady warmth

Flowing from my heart

And see the light shining 

Like a tiny beacon of hope—

I know that this little candle 

Is a symbol of love and warmth

And truth.

Thank you, dear friend.

In finding you,

I am finding me again.

"Candlelight" Poem by Pamela Rae

Read More

Panoramic Nara - Tōdaiji Temple

Tōdaiji Temple (東大寺)
Nara, Kansai
Honshu, Japan
Winter, December 2013

Ringing bells 

Blissful strike 

Traditional chants 

An energizing feel

Lighted lamps 

A pleasing sight 

Devotional songs 

A prayful world 

Vintage structure 

A timeless boon 

Garlanded deity 

Deepening springs 

"My Village Temple" Poem by Ravi Panamanna,

AllPoetry.com

Read More

Panoramic Himeji - Egret's Eye View

Himeji Castle (姫路城)

Himeji (姫路), Hyōgo (兵庫県)

Kansai (関西), Honshū (本州), Japan (日本)

Autumn, December 2013

Towered over the countryside;

stood mighty palace once derived

from mountaintop; almost alive,

envy of all the land.

Beauty conveying such granduer

like none had ever seen afore.

Inhabitants all loving, pure,

singing hand in hand.

Turrets spiralled to the sky,

as glaciers, but twice as high.

Moments before oncoming nigh

t'would glitter with golden light.

Emblazing in the awesome halls,

reflecting from the many walls;

its luminescence never falls

'to the fading dregs of night.

Overlooking mountains, valleys,

with its many quads and galleys,

abundance of windows untallied;

stood casa magnificence.

"Crystal Fortress" Poem by EtherealAlchemy

AllPoetry.com

Read More

Bangkok - Showcasing Nokia Lumia 930

Bangkok, Thailand
July 2014

Merlion Wayfarer recently had the opportunity to test the Nokia Lumia 930 while on her Bangkok travels. In this short feature, she showcases the phone's excellent photo abilities by capturing the exciting sights of her short trip.

Suphachalasai National Stadium, Pathumwan

From a tall vantage point across, you see a majestic stadium in the bright morning sunlight. The rays of the sun are not directly above, the light is still slightly golden in warmth. And the sky is a clear cloudless blue. In direct contrast to the cool lighting, an orange brownstone building lies to your right. In the morning sun, the shadow of your building is cast upon it, all the way to the Stadium...



Suphachalasai Stadium, also known as the National Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Bangkok. It is located behind the Mahboonkrong shopping centre. The stadium was opened in 1935 and can hold 26,000 people. Currently, it is used mostly for football matches, other sporting events, and any event requiring the use of a large space.

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

At mid-morning, the market is buzzing with activity. You just don't know where to focus your attention at. Then all of a sudden, in the torrential downpour, a sampan rows by with a rainbow-coloured umbrella... The most famous of Bangkok's floating markets is Damnoen Saduak, about 100 kilometers southwest of the capital city. The colorfully clad merchants at this lively market paddle along congested canals in sturdy canoes laden with fresh fruit and vegetables to sell to shoppers on the banks and in tourist boats. There is lots of chatter and activity - bargaining is common among the peddlars, both on land and in the boats.

Chinatown, Yaowarat

A flurry of cars zip past you on the streets. There are no traffic lights. Only dull street lamps enhanced by the bright neon lights of shops peddling exotic herbs and products, or eateries to whet the appetite. Whereever you stand, you are in the path of traffic - be it an incoming car, a departing bike, or a reversing vehicle... Bangkok’s Chinatown is a popular tourist attraction and a food haven for gourmands who flock here after sunset to explore the vibrant street-side cuisine. Hordes of shoppers and diners descend upon this 1-km strip and adjacent Charoenkrung Road to get a day’s worth of staple, trade gold, or pay a visit to one of the Chinese temples in an area packed with market stalls, street-side restaurants and a dense concentration of gold shops.

Erawan Shrine, Ratchaprasong

You are walking along the elevated walkway to avoid the uneven street pavements and throngs of pedestrians and vehicles. At a junction, you see many people at a small fenced-off area offering their prayers. At a corner, elegant Thai dancers glad in their finest sit waiting. You zoom in with your phone camera to get a better view...

The Erawan Shrine is a Hindu shrine in Bangkok, Thailand, that houses a statue of Phra Phrom, the Thai representation of the Hindu creation god Brahma. The shrine is located by the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, at the Ratchaprasong intersection of Ratchadamri Road in Pathumwan district, Bangkok, Thailand. It is near the Bangkok Skytrain's Chitlom Station, which has an elevated walkway overlooking the shrine. A popular tourist attraction, it often features performances by resident Thai dance troupes, who are hired by worshippers in return for seeing their prayers at the shrine answered. 

Amarin Plaza, Ratchaprasong

A lone bear looks back at you from the entrance of Amarin Plaza. It is now past the World Cup season and it wonders if it will be left behind for the rest of the year? You smile back at it and decide to capture a shot... Amarin Plaza is a shopping mall located in the centre of Bangkok's Ratchaprasong shopping district. Amarin Plaza has five floors of shops in categories such as fashion, furniture, jewellery, electronics, and Thai handicrafts.

Fifth Food Avenue, MBK, Pathumwan

After a hot day out shopping and walking in the sweltering temperatures, you escape to the welcome confines of an airconditioned shopping centre. What better way to cool down than to order a Shirley Temple and a Coke topped with refreshing crushed ice? Located on the fifth floor of MBK, Fifth Food Avenue has a great variety of kiosks in a spacious setting, with chefs preparing the foods in open kitchens. Options include Arabic, Vietnamese, Hainese, Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Italian. There is also a vegetarian section with a good, all-natural, MSG-free menu, called the Tamarind Cafe.

.

Road Traffic At Night, Ratchaprasong

From the overhead bridge, you observe the hustle and bustle of Bangkok traffic. Even near midnight, the streets are abuzz with activity - the smell of exhaust, the honking of tuks tuks, the zipping of taxis - all separated by a faint line on the road segregating the two traffic directions. Look at how close the white car and the yellow bus are...

Siam Center, Ratchaprasong

From the BTS platform, you see a mall with its welcoming warm lighting. A slight contrast with its neighbouring buildings with their bright neon exteriors. Crowds mill about the open square in front of it, exiting from the train station and strolling in search of a dinner location... 

Siam Center, a small four-storey structure built in the 1970s, is one of Bangkok’s original shopping malls. It reopened in early 2013 after a substantial renovation. Decor-wise, it looks like a super modern photo studio, with lots of artistically dark surfaces accentuated with bright lights, and is filled with some elegant modern sculptures. The result is an edgy, artsy space that seems to attract a slightly younger and hippier crowd than its neighbouring malls.

Road Traffic At Night, Ratchaprasong

From the overhead bridge, you observe the hustle and bustle of Bangkok traffic. Even near midnight, the streets are abuzz with activity - the smell of exhaust, the honking of tuks tuks, the zipping of taxis - all separated by a faint line on the road segregating the two traffic directions. Look at how close the white car and the yellow bus are...

After You Dessert Cafe, Central World, Ratchaprasong

A delicious mudpie is served in front of you. It consists of 2 scoops of delicious ice cream, a generous dollop of whipped cream and a melt-in-your-mouth mudpie. Instead of wolfing it down immediately, you feel you need to do justice to the dessert by taking a macro shot. Yeah, there's always room for dessert...

Photos taken with Nokia Lumia 930

Read More

Osaka - At First Light

Osaka, Honshu, Japan

Winter, December 2013

It was sunrise. From the plane, you watch as a sliver of light blue creeps up over the horizon. The pale blue slowly lightens to a pale orange, before gradually darkening to a deeper rich peach hue. On the ground below, a lighted metropolis slowly awakes. Buiilding lights flicker on as street lights dim...

Osaka (大阪 Ōsaka) is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the largest part of the Keihanshin metropolis, which comprises three major cities of Japan : Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe. Located at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, Osaka is Japan's third largest city by population after Tokyo and Yokohama, as well as an economic hub.

The hues of sunrise from the airport - orange, pink, blue purple - 

This promises to be an exciting and colourful trip!

  

Kansai International Airport (関西国際空港 Kansai Kokusai Kūkō, IATA: KIX) is an international airport located on an artificial island in the middle of Osaka Bay, 38 km (24 miles) southwest of Ōsaka Station, and located within three municipalities, including Izumisano (north), Sennan (south), and Tajiri (central), in the Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The airport is off the Honshu shore and was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano.

Nankai Railways' Rap:t limited express trains take 30 minutes and cost 1,430 yen (all reserved) from Kansai Airport to Namba Station, while express trains do the same trip in 45 minutes and for 920 yen. 

It was time for the Airport Express...

KIX was built on a manmade island in the Gulf of Osaka. It sits about 5 kilometers from shore. The only access is via the Sky Gate Bridge R. One end of the bridge lies at the Rinku area of Izumisano City in Osaka, and the other, at Kansai International Airport. Construction on the bridge began in June of 1987 and was completed in March of 1994.

The access bridge is multi-leveled; the upper-level is a 6-lane road, the middle level is a 2-track railway, while electricity, gas, water service, telephone and all others utilities to the airport are at the lowest level. The bridge was given the name “Sky Gate Bridge R” - the R comes from the first letter of the words Road, Railway and Rinku.

Zipping by under the road layer of the Sky Gate Bridge...

  

It was early in the morning and the platform stands empty in the golden glow of the morning sun...

Likewise, the few commuters up at this early hour sit quietly, contemplating the day ahead...

Sources

• "Kansai International Airport". Japan-Guide.com. Retrieved from http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2033.html (03 May 2014).
    
• "Kansai International Airport". Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansai_International_Airport (03 May 2014).
• "Sky Gate Bridge R: The longest truss bridge in the world" (21 April 2008). The World’s Greatest Japanese. Retrieved from http://www.japanese-greatest.com/civil-engineering-construction/truss-bridge.html (03 May 2014).
     

Read More

Panoramic Arashiyama - Bamboo Groves

Bamboo Groves (竹林)
Arashiyama Hanatouro (嵐山花灯路)
Arashiyama, Kansai
Honshu, Japan
Winter, December 2013

聞く  : To Listen

Distant thunder
An uninvited visitor arrives
Quietly silence departs 

Listen to the wind
Nature flows over and past
People standing still

Pearl Diver

Read More