Update: I received feedback that it's very annoying that the "+"back button brings the user to the start of the page instead of the last "+"location. I can't find a solution to it. As a workaround, I make the "+"pictures open to a separate window.";var intro_str="
I took a total of 394 shots on film (11 rolls) and 826 "+"shots on my digital compact camera. Of these, I picked 177 for this album. "+"They are not necessarily the best, but they are representative of the "+"trip. You can easily tell the film from digital shots apart by the aspect "+"ratio: film is 3:2, digital is 4:3.";var DEF_FLAGS=HAS_TN_IMG_FLAG|HAS_IMG_FLAG;var DEF_HFLAGS=DEF_FLAGS|HORZ_IMG_FLAG;var DEF_VFLAGS=DEF_FLAGS|VERT_IMG_FLAG;var m320_16_ftext="Touchdown in Shanghai Pudong airport at 7 am. "+"Introducing our cast from left to right: Rosemary, Bridget, Jia Feng, "+"Wern Se, Fook Yuan, and Heng Wei.";var m320_17_ftext="Ling Hwee was on hand to welcome us. Cold as the "+"coldest freezer I've been in. This was the first time I saw breath "+"condensing.";var m320_17_stext="
According to the last temperature report when we "+"touched down, this was supposed to be 8 degrees, so I remarked that my "+"pullover could withstand it.";var m320_19_ftext="Ling Hwee's car couldn't fit 8 people (including "+"himself), so Heng Wei, Wern Se and I took the bus and waited for Ling "+"Hwee to fetch us at the first stop."+"
There was quite a heavy fog and strong wind, so it was really "+"cold. Realized my father wasn't joking when he told me not to "+"underestimate the coldness.";var m320_19_stext="
Notice the bicycle lane? People walked on it like "+"nobody's business, so the cyclists would horn as they go past. And of "+"course, we put our luggages far from the lane to prevent a snatch-n-go.";var m320_21_ftext="Just when I was on the verge of shutdown from the "+"cold, Ling Hwee showed up and brought us to one of Pudong's town centre "+"for breakfast. Notice the heavy fog. It's still windy, though milder "+"than at the bus stop.";var m320_27_ftext="Ling Hwee's residence. He looked like he was directing "+"traffic! (This was a posed shot.)";var m320_24_ftext="Ling Hwee showing off his house. It has two bedrooms, "+"a hardly used living room, two washing machines and a well.";var m320_28_ftext="Time to check in. Crossed over to Puxi to "+"go to our hotel.";var pict1769_ftext="It's not really a hotel, but a hotel-styled "+"apartment. What's the difference? I don't know; feels like a hotel to "+"me. It has very good facilities: towels, soap, toothbrush, slippers, and "+"even free broadband!";var pict1769_stext="
The first thing we did was sleep. I was quite "+"had tired cos I couldn't catch any sleep on the plane; it was pretty "+"noisy, several turbulences and we had breakfast at 4 am! So I ended up "+"browsing through the in-flight video system and eventually listening to "+"the audio books.";var m320_32_ftext="Ling Hwee was busy for the rest of the day, so we're "+"on our own. But no fear, Heng Wei knows Shanghai like the back of his "+"hand! But still, better check with the map first.";var m321_03_ftext="Lunch at Western Cafe, a French western "+"restaurant. Heng Wei kept asking me for the name over the phone, even "+"though I repeated it several times. \"I know it's a western cafe, but "+"surely it got a name?\", he asked.";var m321_03_stext="
Later the group would say that this was the best "+"meal they've had in Shanghai!";var m320_34_ftext="A map of Xiang Yang flea market, the market for all "+"imitation goods!";var m320_35_ftext="Looks like any flea market, but don't be fooled. The "+"starting price is often absurd and bears no relation to the actual price. "+"A good thumb-of-rule is to estimate the manufacturing cost.";var m320_35_stext="
The sellers try to size you up by your accent. "+"Singaporeans look like fat lambs to them; you'll leave this place either "+"disillusioned or a haggling expert.";var m321_07_ftext="Sooner than you know it, it's night already. Took the "+"MRT to Shanghai bund. Very modern and comparable to Singapore.";var m321_12_ftext="";var m321_15_ftext="We had our dinner in this little noodle shop in an "+"alley. It's amazing that the main street could be so busy and the alley "+"so deserted.";var m321_18_ftext="Supposed to be really famous. By the looks of it, must "+"be really expensive as well.";var m321_26_ftext="Pretty, but windy, so it was really cold, although not "+"as cold as in the morning. There were many people, but the pavement was "+"very wide, so it didn't feel crowded at all.";var m321_26_stext="
Wished I bought a pair of gloves. Offered 5 RMB to "+"a seller in Xiang Yang flea market, but was rejected outright.";var m321_29_ftext="Why did the theme song to Shanghai Beach keep "+"playing in my mind? A MTV version is available here (external link).";var m321_29_stext="
This place is far more awe-inspiring than anywhere "+"in Singapore. The only place comparable is the view of Raffles Place from "+"Sheares Bridge.";var day1_list=[new TextElm(preface_str),new TextElm(intro_str),new HdrElm("Arriving In Shanghai"),new PicElm("M320-016","",m320_16_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M320-017","",m320_17_ftext,m320_17_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M320-019","",m320_19_ftext,m320_19_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M320-021","",m320_21_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M320-027","",m320_27_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M320-024","",m320_24_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M320-028","",m320_28_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1769","",pict1769_ftext,pict1769_stext,DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("M320-032","",m320_32_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new HdrElm("Xiang Yang Flea Market"),new PicElm("M321-003","",m321_03_ftext,m321_03_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M320-034","",m320_34_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M320-035","",m320_35_ftext,m320_35_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new HdrElm("A Walk Along Shanghai Bund"),new PicElm("M321-007","",m321_07_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M321-012","",m321_12_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M321-015","",m321_15_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M321-018","",m321_18_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("M321-026","",m321_26_ftext,m321_26_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M321-029","",m321_29_ftext,m321_29_stext,DEF_HFLAGS)];var m322_01_ftext="Breakfast provided by the hotel; one coupon per room. "+"For the unprivileged, it's 10 RMB. It's pretty cheap for us, but maybe not "+"so for locals. (When's the last time you paid $10 for your breakfast?)";var m322_02_ftext="Porridge was available as well. The breakfast tasted "+"normal to our Singaporean taste-buds, so Fook Yuan was all in favour of "+"having breakfast in the hotel. It sure beat experimenting with strange "+"Shanghai dishes (which Ling Hwee was liable to subject us to). My "+"sentiments exactly.";var m322_02_stext="
The porridge was pretty nice. It tasted a little "+"like cereal.";var m322_06_ftext="Start of a day's shopping. Despite the place being "+"named so prominently after the temple, I couldn't find it!";var m322_06_stext="
I'm sorry, Ling Hwee, we decided to come here to "+"shop instead of attending your ROM.";var pict1790_ftext="
In Shanghai, one must try the xiao-long-bao. "+"There's a very famous store here, but Heng Wei said it's not worth queuing "+"45 minutes for it. Jia Feng then said we should look for places with 90% "+"quality, but only need to queue 25 minutes or less.";var pict1790_stext="
Anyway, most of us still preferred the "+"Singapore-style xiao-long-bao, with its tender skin.";var m322_11_ftext="So it's drizzling. It takes more than a little rain to "+"dampen our spirits. We've survived wind yesterday, rain today. Do your "+"worst!";var m322_11_stext="";var pict1793_ftext="30 RMB entrance fee. Everyone else wanted to shop, so "+"I went in alone.";var pict1798_ftext="To say Yuyuan Garden is big is an understatement. "+"They say that this was owned by a rich person in the past. I think that's "+"an understatement as well. He must be damn rich.";var m322_21_ftext="Looks just like Chinese Garden, except this is real. "+"It can evoke strong emotions because (very rich) people used to live "+"in this. You're walking in history, whether you appreciate it or "+"not.";var m322_32_ftext="";var pict1832_ftext="Looks right out of a period drama.";var pict1839_ftext="I was smiling because I was sitting on the wet "+"concrete slab, the water was sipping through my jeans and the self-timer "+"was taking so long to countdown!";var pict1841_ftext="Entrance to an enchanting garden. It looked very much "+"like the picture-within-wall art above, especially in this weather.";var pict1847_ftext="This is the correct color. The film shots are "+"processed by the lab to be overly saturated. While they look nice, the "+"colors are too fake. This is actually how it looked like that day.";var m323_12_ftext="The man and his \"designer\" clothes.";var m323_12_stext="
One look at the greenhouse and Heng Wei already "+"commented that this was Ling Hwee's type of hideout. I also like such "+"places, except I'm more cheapskate.";var m323_14_ftext="Free-flow food.";var pict1866_ftext="Healthy living.";var m323_16_ftext="Such delicious food, can't tahan anymore. Don't wait "+"for Ling Hwee's other guests, stomach comes first!";var m323_17_ftext="Muse's mom checking that the marriage certs are "+"correct. In China, they make them like passports.";var m323_19_ftext="First good shot of Ling Hwee and Muse.";var m323_21_ftext="Everyone who saw Ling Hwee's ROM photo would laugh "+"heartily. That's because it's such a joyeous occasion. Or it could be "+"because Ling Hwee's hair were so stylishly combed standing up.";var m323_24_ftext="Ling Hwee, his friends and colleagues in Shanghai.";var m323_23_ftext="Ling Hwee has something to announce.";var m323_26_ftext="Ling Hwee asked King to help him collect the flowers. "+"When King brought it in, Muse nearly accepted it before King realized the "+"protocol was wrong. He then joked that Muse was secretly in love with him, "+"and she should have told him a long time ago.";var m323_27_ftext="Here's the right man, Ling Hwee, holding both the "+"flowers and and present (no, it's not a ring). He was very nervous and "+"his voice was shaking as he proclaimed that he was doing this because he "+"promised Muse he would do it. Bravo!";var m323_29_ftext="Proposing after the registration. They really do things "+"differently in China!";var m323_29_stext="
We travelled 4500 km just to witness this very "+"moment.";var m323_31_ftext="So Ling Hwee gave her a necklace. \"A ring is too "+"common\", Ling Hwee declared!";var m323_34_ftext="A well-deserved kiss for the hero after his show of "+"love.";var m323_34_stext="
There were no eyes that remained dry, no hands that "+"were not clapping and no mouths that were not cheering for our Man in "+"Shanghai.";var m324_10_ftext="This was the only proper group photo with all "+"nine of us present. However, some of us were out of focus because after "+"giving the waitress a bunch of instructions, I forgot to adjust the "+"aperture from f/3.5 to f/5.6!";var m324_12_ftext="After the tea party, it's time for dinner!";var m324_17_ftext="Quan Ju De is not a place you want to eat, you get to "+"eat. You got to wait! We tried to get Ling Hwee to tell the waitress to "+"serve us on this small table.";var m324_17_stext="
In China, you must not only know how to bargain. You "+"must also be assertive and keep insisting on your rights.";var m324_19_ftext="Famous for its Peking duck. The chef would cut the duck "+"beside your table. However, the place was so packed that he cut it quite a "+"few tables away. Don't think the duck looks big, it's a very lean "+"duck; there were only ten plus slices.";var m324_20_ftext="Our dinner. Ling Hwee revealed that mainland Chinese "+"finish their dishes first and then have a plain bowl of rice. As proof, "+"he had to instruct the waiter a few times to serve the rice with the "+"dishes.";var m324_20_stext="
One thing I'm not used to is the smell of cigarettes "+"in restaurants. Spitting, throwing rubbish, no problem, you can find them "+"in Malaysia.";var m324_23_ftext="After dinner, Ling Hwee took us to a 'factory-reject' "+"store. It was drizzling with breeze. Yahoo said it 'felt like -4 "+"degrees'.";var m324_23_stext="
Rainy nights are always a good time to take unique "+"photos due to colourful reflections on the ground. However, I was too "+"drenched to remember that.";var pict1880_ftext="Still hungry, so we sneaked out to the 24-hour "+"convenience store beside our hotel for a snack. None of us bothered to "+"change to something thicker for such a short walk, except for those who "+"feared cold.";var pict1880_stext="
The day before, Rosemary wanted to go down to buy "+"yogurt. Fook Yuan didn't want to go, so he said he'll go if I go too, "+"knowing I wanted to surf net instead. So, knowing Fook Yuan's weakness, I "+"said I'll go if he go as-is, in shorts. This, of course, resulted in a "+"deadlock. It was resolved when we all compromised. Everyone was happy."+"
Last words: a few seconds of exposure to the cold in t-shirt, shorts "+"and slippers is non-fatal.";var day2_list=[new HdrElm("Breakfast"),new PicElm("M322-001","",m322_01_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("M322-002","",m322_02_ftext,m322_02_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new HdrElm("Chen Huang Temple"),new PicElm("M322-006","",m322_06_ftext,m322_06_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1790","",pict1790_ftext,pict1790_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M322-011","",m322_11_ftext,m322_11_stext,DEF_VFLAGS),new HdrElm("Yuyuan Garden"),new PicElm("PICT1793","",pict1793_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1798","",pict1798_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("M322-021","",m322_21_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M322-032","",m322_32_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1822","","","",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1832","",pict1832_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1839","",pict1839_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1841","",pict1841_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1847","",pict1847_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new HdrElm("Tea Party At Lapis Lazuli"),new PicElm("M323-012","",m323_12_ftext,m323_12_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M323-014","",m323_14_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1866","",pict1866_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M323-016","",m323_16_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M323-017","",m323_17_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M323-019","",m323_19_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("M323-021","",m323_21_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M323-024","",m323_24_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M323-023","",m323_23_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M323-026","",m323_26_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M323-027","",m323_27_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M323-029","",m323_29_ftext,m323_29_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M323-031","",m323_31_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M323-034","",m323_34_ftext,m323_34_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M324-010","",m324_10_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new HdrElm("Dinner At Quan Ju De"),new PicElm("M324-012","",m324_12_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M324-017","",m324_17_ftext,m324_17_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M324-019","",m324_19_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M324-020","",m324_20_ftext,m324_20_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M324-023","",m324_23_ftext,m324_23_stext,DEF_HFLAGS&~HAS_IMG_FLAG),new HdrElm("Supper"),new PicElm("PICT1880","",pict1880_ftext,pict1880_stext,DEF_HFLAGS)];var pict1903_ftext="Some farm houses we saw on our way to Zhou Zhuang. I "+"thought the houses looked pretty good, but Ling Hwee claimed they look "+"good on the outside only.";var pict1914_ftext="A map of Zhou Zhuang.";var m324_27_ftext="One look and you know it's cold. Not only was it the "+"the coldest day (0 - 4 degrees), but there were also strong winds making "+"the apparent temperature -4 degrees; weather report courtesy of Yahoo.";var m324_27_stext="
Some were wearing as many as four layers. My hands "+"were frozen and swollen in red as soon as I left the car. It's c-c-coldd!";var pict1926_ftext="We had to pay 100 RMB to enter Zhou Zhuang. The good "+"thing was, almost everything after that, such as entry to this house, was "+"free. After the trip, I realized 100 RMB was a lot of money! (Would you "+"pay S$20 to enter Chinatown just to walk around?)";var m324_035_ftext="Reminds you of that story of a painted leaf on a "+"wall, doesn't it?";var pict1936_ftext="A well-preserved kitchen.";var m325_01_ftext="Heng Wei and Wern Se in a quiet alley. I really took "+"very few photos of them.";var m325_01_stext="
Since both of them have gloves (seasoned cold "+"weather travellers), I wanted to ask them if they would trade one pair "+"if I take a photo of them. Maybe that's why I took so few photos of them...";var m325_04_ftext="These birds catch fish, for a price. Business seemed "+"bad, though. The fishermen were practically begging for our business and "+"one of them stopped Muse from taking photos of the birds.";var m325_04_stext="
It's cold, even for the birds. One of the birds was "+"shivering through its feathers.";var pict1949_ftext="Ling Hwee just couldn't resist stinky toufu.";var pict1951_ftext="But it's not for everyone. The smell didn't disagree "+"with me, but the taste certainly did.";var pict1955_ftext="Very picturesque. You can see that the wind was so "+"strong that it blew the boats to the end of the river. Just kidding.";var pict1959_ftext="I can only read the first four words. Can someone "+"translate?! The mainland Chinese must think that Singaporeans are so "+"jialat; can't even speak one full sentence in Mandrian. Heng Wei said I "+"blend in perfectly, but that's provided I don't open my mouth!";var pict1959_stext="
At the tea party, Ling Hwee's friends jokingly "+"told us not to try to impress them with Chinese sayings, since even Ling "+"Hwee's Chinese, supposedly the best among us, was also made fun by them.";var pict1960_ftext="This was the coldest of all places because it "+"was right beside the sea. I really wished I had bought that pair "+"of gloves.";var pict1961_ftext="Jia Feng finally couldn't tahan anymore and asked for "+"heat packs from Rosemary. Unfortunately it was useless to him as he wanted "+"to warm his hands. Jia Feng had the worst luck in Shanghai: he was sick on "+"arrival, he broke his specs, and then his computer got corrupted.";var pict1964_ftext="Well, it didn't look that cold, did it? The pullover "+"was amazing. I bought that nice looking Hugo Boss jacket, which came in "+"just useful for times like this. My hands were frozen solid, though. I "+"remembered asking Ling Hwee twice if there's a danger of frostbite.";var pict1972_ftext="Fook Yuan commented that this was like a scene out of "+"Yi Tian Du Long Ji and if you turned the statues round, you may be "+"able to find words scribbled on them!";var pict1975_ftext="Believe, and you shall be saved.";var m325_05_ftext="Three shivering guardians of the temple. No one shall "+"pass unless he has paid the toll!";var m325_11_ftext="Our lunch. Unlike outdoors, it was merely cold indoors. "+"The vegetables tasted slightly funny; it's either the after-taste from that "+"stingy toufu or they used the same wok. Ling Hwee joked that the vegetables "+"were washed with river water.";var m325_12_ftext="Looks like Ling Hwee still needs more practice with "+"cold weather after 3 winters in Shanghai.";var pict1981_ftext="Can the bridge withstand their weight? I took this "+"photo to make them stay longer on the bridge. Bridges were much colder "+"than the streets due to lack of protection from the wind.";var pict1987_ftext="Were they all waiting for tourists?";var pict1990_ftext="Too cold to row a boat for me. I wonder how they stand "+"it?";var m325_16_ftext="I'm either taking a nap, or someone snapped when I "+"blinked. To his credit, he thought he saw it.";var m235_17_ftext="The above mentioned someone. See, such nice "+"composition. Are those your admirers on the left?";var m325_18_ftext="See the boat? Another masterpiece.";var m325_21_ftext="Crossing a bridge was a big deal for Ling Hwee.";var pict1996_ftext="Take this or I'll bash you.";var pict1999_ftext="We almost crossed the famous twin-bridge without "+"realizing it if it weren't for this tour guide.";var pict2001_ftext="Pretending to sew. One look and everyone knows you're "+"a fake. Where got people sew with gloves one?";var m325_24_ftext="Better, but still not good enough.";var pict2002_ftext="You see, want to pretend, must make use of the thread "+"and needle. Then it'll look realistic.";var m325_25_ftext="Someone's wedding. They were walking, practically "+"marching, really fast. The bridegroom must be wondering how come got such "+"a busybody photographer one.";var pict2008_ftext="Trying to choke the dog.";var pict2011_ftext="Should have bought some back. This is what this town "+"is famous for!";var pict2013_ftext="According to Ling Hwee, all these 'artisans' are fake. "+"They just pretend only. That's why he's so focused on that guy, to see if "+"he's real or not.";var m325_31_ftext="Muse's father preparing our dinner.";var m325_32_ftext="Our dinner. Muse's mom was very afraid I would have "+"nothing to eat, but her fears were groundless. As long as there's "+"vegetables, I can survive.";var pict2031_ftext="Had a promotion when we went: 40 RMB for 45 minutes. "+"Ling Hwee did not lie, the time really went past very fast. The normal "+"massage didn't do anything to me. I would try the foot massage next time.";var m326_03_ftext="Jia Feng opting for the vacuum cup treatment. He had "+"no choice but to co-operate with my photo-taking, since he couldn't move.";var m326_04_ftext="Did someone tell a joke? Oh no, someone just "+"intentionally misinterpreted what I said. Even the staff was laughing. "+"Now, that's embarassing. Maybe my choice of words weren't the best...";var m326_05_ftext="Time to settle old scores. Let our accountant figure "+"it out. The way we threw the money around, it's like playing Monopoly "+"like that.";var m326_05_stext="
After this, we had our ta-pao'ed supper again.";var day3_list=[new HdrElm("Zhou Zhuang Village"),new PicElm("PICT1903","",pict1903_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1914","",pict1914_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M324-027","",m324_27_ftext,m324_27_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1926","",pict1926_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("M324-035","",m324_035_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1936","",pict1936_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M325-001","",m325_01_ftext,m325_01_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M325-004","",m325_04_ftext,m325_04_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1949","",pict1949_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1951","",pict1951_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1955","",pict1955_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1959","",pict1959_ftext,pict1959_stext,DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1960","",pict1960_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1961","",pict1961_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1964","",pict1964_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1972","",pict1972_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1975","",pict1975_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("M325-005","",m325_05_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M325-011","",m325_11_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M325-012","",m325_12_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1981","",pict1981_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1987","",pict1987_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1990","",pict1990_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M325-016","",m325_16_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M325-017","",m235_17_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M325-018","",m325_18_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("M325-021","",m325_21_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1996","",pict1996_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT1999","",pict1999_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2001","",pict2001_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("M325-024","",m325_24_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2002","",pict2002_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("M325-025","",m325_25_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2008","",pict2008_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2011","",pict2011_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2013","",pict2013_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new HdrElm("Dinner At Muse's Parent House"),new PicElm("M325-031","",m325_31_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M325-032","",m325_32_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new HdrElm("Massage"),new PicElm("PICT2031","",pict2031_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M326-003","",m326_03_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M326-004","",m326_04_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new HdrElm("Aftermath"),new PicElm("M326-005","",m326_05_ftext,m326_05_stext,DEF_HFLAGS)];var m326_06_ftext="Heng Wei and Wern Se were going back, as Wern Se was "+"worried about her baby girl. Hence, we shifted from two 2-room "+"apartments to one 3-room apartment on the 7th floor.";var m326_06_stext="
The new place had the same hot-water problem. It's "+"almost impossible to control the temperature of the hot water. A slight "+"twist gave scalding hot water.";var pict2049_ftext="Sure looks like a vine monster is creeping up its "+"unsuspecting prey.";var m326_09_ftext="Ling Hwee collecting Heng Wei's tailored garments. It "+"turned out that Heng Wei didn't rest on the first day, but came here to "+"tailor some clothes. I'm impressed that it is ready in such short "+"notice.";var pict2054_ftext="One guess why the baby was crying. Try asking the guy "+" wearing the blue windbreaker and was walking away rapidly.";var pict2056_ftext="Full coats look mighty impressive, but they are "+"useless in hot and sunny Singapore; unless, as Jia Feng put it, if you're "+"a flasher or concealing guns.";var pict2067_ftext="Cold weather makes people more affectionate!";var pict2086_ftext="People hang their clothes to dry on power cables!";var m326_16_ftext="A view from the top. There's a mix of old and new "+"together. When someone who's used to orderly Singapore comes here, "+"he'll have great difficulty accepting it.";var pict2105_ftext="Lunch at Xin Wang Cha Can Ting. All of them had "+"enough of Shanghai cuisine, so they asked for something they're used to.";var pict2106_ftext="The restaurant's toilet is first-class. It may sound "+"strange, but toilets were an obsession of our group. Singaporeans are "+"very particular about it; they're used to very clean toilets.";var pict2122_ftext="The first mosquito I saw in Shanghai. Easily killed "+"because it was retarded by the cold.";var pict2129_ftext="Traffic in China is really free-for-all. All vehicles "+"horn very frequently to warn you of them. Despite this, Ling Hwee said "+"the accident rates were quite low. However, it's quite bad once there's an "+"accident. Drivers make a scene even for minor scratches.";var pict2129_stext="
I feel the roads are very motorbike unfriendly, "+"despite the dedicated cycling lanes. There are roads off-limits to "+"motorbikes and you got to look out all the time for vehicles and people "+"who cut into your lane.";var m326_18_ftext="We're back at this place cos Fook Yuan still wanted "+"to look for his oil painting.";var m326_18_stext="
As an example of the chaotic traffic, I took this "+"in the middle of the road. I still got confused which direction to look "+"when crossing a road, but the correct answer is to look both ways and as "+"many times as you can.";var pict2142_ftext="Ling Hwee was not satisfied with the price and quality.";var m326_19_ftext="Fook Yuan Business Complex. Ling Hwee said this is "+"where locals come to shop.";var m326_19_stext="
In China, they call the waiter/waitress by "+"fu-wu-yuan. However, they speak so fast that it becomes fu-yuan. So Fook "+"Yuan gets called many times. Ling Hwee particularly likes to do this.";var m326_20_ftext="While Fook Yuan was still looking in vain for a "+"painting that \"talks to him\" (in his words), I saw this huge "+"painting that I rather like.";var pict2162_ftext="Today wasn't as cold as yesterday, but it's still 0 to "+"6 degrees. Ling Hwee applied his theory of eating cold stuff in cold "+"weather to equalize body and ambient temperature.";var pict2162_stext="
For all Ling Hwee's theories, you can safely ignore "+"half of it and discount the other half.";var pict2174_ftext="Couldn't resist another round of stinky toufu";var pict2186_ftext="Ling Hwee brought us to his favourite DVD shop. It's "+"slightly more expensive, but has more variety. I saw the just released "+"ROCH 83 DVDs here, whereas I couldn't find it elsewhere.";var pict2192_ftext="My Little Chef. Very nice show, but pacing is "+"slow, so not everyone will appreciate it. It's about a chef who evokes "+"strong emotions through her cooking.";var pict2192_stext="
I bought the R2 Japanese DVD for US$180, it's only "+"60 RMB here! It remains to be seen if the quality is good or not. I saw "+"a couple of series which I couldn't bear to spend US$200 on, but I could "+"part with 50 RMB any day.";var pict2201_ftext="We spent so much time at the DVD shop that we only "+"had time to shop for fruits. Originally we wanted to buy food stuff to "+"bring back to Singapore.";var m326_25_ftext="Muse's sister treated us to dinner. They used a "+"yin-yang pot so that they could keep the meat to one side. I'm "+"touched!";var pict2209_ftext="Looks like a lot, but they disappeared into the pot "+"rather quickly.";var pict2220_ftext="After dinner, there were 7 people, including Muse, so "+"someone had to end up in the boot.";var m327_02_ftext="Ling Hwee brought us to the Shanghai night scene to "+"relax.";var m326_33_ftext="Can't really take good portraiture at night with or "+"without flash. I should have experimented with off-camera flash with 1/32 "+"power.";var m327_10_ftext="After walking round the entire Xintiandi, Ling Hwee "+"finally settled at his ex-watering hole, which has live band.";var m327_10_stext="
They were really loud; my ears were ringing "+"after their first song.";var m327_12_ftext="Ling Hwee and Muse. After that, Ling Hwee asked me "+"what's the meaning of posing his drink and candles as such (not really "+"captured on film). It's purely to light up their faces, I swear!";var m327_13_ftext="Fook Yuan and Rosemary. Fook Yuan was really enjoying "+"himself. \"Louder, louder\", he would shout!";var m327_18_ftext="Whereas Jia Feng was drowsy because he took his "+"medication with alcohol.";var m327_18_stext="
Ling Hwee, Muse had to leave cos Muse had to work "+"the next day. Jia Feng and Bridget also left. I wanted to leave too, "+"but Fook Yuan bribed me into staying by offering to pay for the drinks. "+"(He wanted to spend all his RMB in China.)";var m327_17_ftext="The second band. Not as good as the first, but they "+"played Can't Take My Eyes Off You, so they're a winner in my books.";var m327_24_ftext="Fook Yuan may be slumped, but don't let him fool you, "+"he's still fully wake and hyper-active.";var m327_24_stext="
Aftermath of two long island ice tea cocktail, one "+"full cup of beer (\"felt like water\"), and one gulp of whiskey. Never "+"underestimate the cocktail.";var day4_list=[new HdrElm("Moving House"),new PicElm("M326-006","",m326_06_ftext,m326_06_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new HdrElm("Tailors At Dong Jia Du"),new PicElm("PICT2049","",pict2049_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M326-009","",m326_09_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2054","",pict2054_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2056","",pict2056_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2067","",pict2067_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2086","",pict2086_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new HdrElm("Lunch"),new PicElm("M326-016","",m326_16_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2105","",pict2105_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2106","",pict2106_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2122","",pict2122_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new HdrElm("Shopping"),new PicElm("PICT2129","",pict2129_ftext,pict2129_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M326-018","",m326_18_ftext,m326_18_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2142","",pict2142_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M326-019","",m326_19_ftext,m326_19_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M326-020","",m326_20_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS&~HAS_IMG_FLAG),new PicElm("PICT2162","",pict2162_ftext,pict2162_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2174","",pict2174_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2186","",pict2186_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2192","",pict2192_ftext,pict2192_stext,DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2201","",pict2201_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new HdrElm("Dinner At Xiao Fei Yang"),new PicElm("M326-025","",m326_25_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2209","",pict2209_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2220","",pict2220_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new HdrElm("Xintiande"),new PicElm("M327-002","",m327_02_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M326-033","",m326_33_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M327-010","",m327_10_ftext,m327_10_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M327-012","",m327_12_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M327-013","",m327_13_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M327-018","",m327_18_ftext,m327_18_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M327-017","",m327_17_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M327-024","",m327_24_ftext,m327_24_stext,DEF_VFLAGS)];var pict2236_ftext="At first glance I thought it was an innovative "+"advertisement, but on closer look, it was clothes hung to dry!";var pict2236_stext="
Ling Hwee asked if any of us got drunk last night, "+"and he immediately guessed I did. I wondered why he had no confidence in "+"me. :-)";var pict2244_ftext="Ling Hwee brought us to the Shanghai's audiophile "+"scene, something like Adelphi in Singapore, because it was one of Fook "+"Yuan's to-visit spot.";var pict2246_ftext="Jia Feng and Bridget are trying to win the most "+"loving couple award. Auto-censored by my camera.";var pict2248_ftext="Found the Naim shop, but it was a disappointment. "+"There weren't even any demo units! As a consolation, Fook Yuan walked "+"away with a catalogue in Chinese. Looks like there aren't many Naim "+"fanatics in China.";var pict2253_ftext="Award winning photo. I named it \"The Mother and her "+"Baby\".";var pict2266_ftext="Ling Hwee consulted the map a few times to make sure "+"he's on the right track. He's not familiar with the road cos he seldom "+"come to Puxi. But as he said, as long as we didn't cross any bridge or "+"tunnel, that means we're still in Puxi!";var m327_29_ftext="Taken along Mao Ming Nan Lu. Bridget was still "+"shopping for her Cheongsam.";var m327_29_stext="
Today I wore just the Hugo Boss jacket, since the "+"weather was supposed to be 6 to 14 degrees. It did a poorer job than "+"my pullover, but I like the inner pocket, where I can put my compact "+"camera.";var pict2290_ftext="I want to highlight the jacket Fook Yuan was "+"wearing. It was borrowed from Ling Hwee and it was too long for him. As "+"a result, it had a strange effect on him: he would use the sleeve to "+"strike people, together with sound effects. You can see one of his hand "+"is posed for action already. But the effect was much milder on this "+"day, as he was still dazed from yesterday.";var pict2314_ftext="Just an abstract street photography.";var pict2316_ftext="In Shanghai, you find sentries all over the place, "+"even in the smallest carparks or the poorest housing block.";var m327_36_ftext="Zheng Da Guang Chang. It's very large, ultra modern "+"and looks high class. Later we did our grocery shopping at the Lotus "+"Supercenter which was buried somewhere in this buliding.";var pict2362_ftext="Japanese lunch. Ling Hwee actually wanted to try "+"another Japanese restaurant, but it had closed for lunch. Not all places "+"serve food at all times, so don't miss your lunch hour!";var m328_04_ftext="Shanghai Bund from Pudong. Scores of people like to "+"come here just to bask in the wind and look at the boats. I would love to "+"sit here and fritter away an entire afternoon too, but don't these people "+"have to work?";var pict2378_ftext="Looking at the big ships. Surprisingly, they move "+"pretty silently.";var pict2385_ftext="Fook Yuan tried his hands being a pro-photographer.";var pict2385_stext="
Originally he wanted to go for another round of "+"massage today, but he wasn't so enthusiastic about it in his dazed state "+"today.";var pict2389_ftext="Mango pudding time! The puddings were 30 RMB each. "+"That's very expensive for a local! That's why I asked Ling Hwee a "+"few times if one RMB = one dollar to them.";var pict2389_stext="
Was the pudding worth it? Unfortunately, my "+"tongue was too numb from the cold to tell. I think this place should "+"have much better business in summer.";var m328_08_ftext="One for you, one for me.";var m328_10_ftext="A stroll along the Bund before we headed home.";var pict2403_ftext="We ate instant noodles that night. We weren't joking "+"when we said we had enough of Shanghai food. Either that or we've run "+"out of money.";var pict2415_ftext="Last chance to surf net peacefully in Shanghai. "+"There's no wireless, that's why you see the dangling LAN cable.";var day5_list=[new HdrElm("More Shopping"),new PicElm("PICT2236","",pict2236_ftext,pict2236_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2244","",pict2244_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2246","",pict2246_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS&~HAS_IMG_FLAG),new PicElm("PICT2248","",pict2248_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2253","",pict2253_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2266","",pict2266_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("M327-029","",m327_29_ftext,m327_29_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2290","",pict2290_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2314","",pict2314_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2316","",pict2316_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M327-036","",m327_36_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2362","",pict2362_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new HdrElm("Shanghai Bund Revisited"),new PicElm("M328-004","",m328_04_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2378","",pict2378_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2385","",pict2385_ftext,pict2385_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2389","",pict2389_ftext,pict2389_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M328-008","",m328_08_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M328-010","",m328_10_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new HdrElm("Dinner"),new PicElm("PICT2403","",pict2403_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2415","",pict2415_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS)];var pict2426_ftext="Ling Hwee joined us for breakfast. He shouldn't "+"have, it's 10 RMB to him!";var m328_21_ftext="Checked out of the hotel. I was in t-shirt, it wasn't "+"that cold!";var m328_22_ftext="Ling Hwee really prepared a lot of sweaters for us. "+"He was afraid we didn't bring enough.";var pict2445_ftext="Our luggage filled up the entire boot, after putting "+"the sweaters, the rear view was almost 100% blocked. No sweat!, Ling Hwee "+"claimed.";var pict2455_ftext="Back at Dong Jia Du to check out Jia Feng's suit.";var pict2460_ftext="Clothes make the man. Introducing our model of the "+"day, Mok Jia Feng! Yup, you change clothes by asking someone to hold the "+"\"dressing room\" for you. You want to save money, you got to improvise.";var m328_23_ftext="Quite well done. Only minor alterations were needed.";var pict2477_ftext="Since we still had a bit of time, we asked Ling Hwee "+"to bring us to the poorest place in Shanghai. Bridget spotted a "+"cybercafe, so I said they may be poor, but they are not backward!";var pict2520_ftext="And then the richest place.";var pict2520_stext="
As Ling Hwee said, Shanghai is a place you can "+"get by comfortably with either ten or a million RMB per day.";var m328_29_ftext="We took the Maglev train to the airport, 50 RMB per "+"trip. It went up to 430+ km/h, but the ride remained very smooth.";var pict2578_ftext="Check out the girl's wear. She's already dressed for "+"Singapore's weather.";var pict2581_ftext="Farewell!";var m328_35_ftext="Rushing to our plane because we were late! This was "+"probably the only time I saw Fook Yuan walk so fast.";var m328_36_ftext="Our plane.";var m329_11_ftext="A view of the surrounding area of the airport from "+"the air.";var m329_16_ftext="Charming, but too bad she served the other aisle. She "+"walked past my aisle a few times, but was too fast for me to catch her "+"name tag. I'm going to write in to SIA to recommend using bigger name "+"tags.";var m329_18_ftext="Flight stewardii in action. The flight back had much "+"fewer passengers and was much smoother too.";var pict2636_ftext="Luckily this time Jia Feng checked in 24 hours "+"before the flight, so I was able to get this vegetarian meal. On the "+"flight to Shanghai, I got a non-vegetarian meal, but it was a sausage and "+"egg breakfast, so it was no problem for me.";var pict2636_stext="
The noodles actually had some taste after I "+"sprinkled a little salt on it.";var m329_19_ftext="Jia Feng's favourite seat.";var m329_31_ftext="Did a little work. No wireless on this flight, so "+"couldn't surf net.";var m329_34_ftext="Some interesting cloud patterns.";var m330_06_ftext="I have a weakness for cloud patterns.";var m330_07_ftext="I actually spent one roll of film on clouds! I wished "+"there's a way to wipe away the water condensation on the outer window. It "+"was interfering with my photo taking!";var pict2684_ftext="Time for a little sleep, with BeeGees and new age "+"classicals.";var m330_20_ftext="Wow, what a beautiful country club. Must be noisy, "+"though.";var pict2704_ftext="Nice dress, complements the counter very well! Remind "+"me to go temperate countries in summer.";var day6_list=[new HdrElm("Checked Out"),new PicElm("PICT2426","",pict2426_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M328-021","",m328_21_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M328-022","",m328_22_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2445","",pict2445_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new HdrElm("Last Errand"),new PicElm("PICT2455","",pict2455_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2460","",pict2460_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("M328-023","",m328_23_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2477","",pict2477_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2520","",pict2520_ftext,pict2520_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new HdrElm("Close To Home"),new PicElm("M328-029","",m328_29_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2578","",pict2578_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2581","",pict2581_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("M328-035","",m328_35_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M328-036","",m328_36_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new HdrElm("On The Way Home"),new PicElm("M329-011","",m329_11_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M329-016","",m329_16_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS&~HAS_IMG_FLAG),new PicElm("M329-018","",m329_18_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2636","",pict2636_ftext,pict2636_stext,DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M329-019","",m329_19_ftext,"",DEF_VFLAGS),new PicElm("M329-031","",m329_31_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M329-034","",m329_34_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M330-006","",m330_06_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("M330-007","",m330_07_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2684","",pict2684_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new HdrElm("Home!"),new PicElm("M330-020","",m330_20_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS),new PicElm("PICT2704","",pict2704_ftext,"",DEF_HFLAGS)];var pict1889_ftext="View from the hotel room. This was taken from the "+"fourth floor.";var pict1888_ftext="The other direction.";var pict1885_ftext="A posed shot, pretending to sleep.";var pict2423_ftext="After Jia Feng's notebook broke down, all of them "+"had to use my tablet to check email or surf net. All of them had some "+"difficulty using the stylus, because they either didn't tap on the screen "+"hard enough, or the screen shook physically (there's some freeplay on the "+"pivot with the keyboard). That's why you see me using my little finger "+"to hold onto the screen to prevent any movements.";var pict2423_stext="";var parting_thoughts_str="We spent most of day 4 and 5 shopping. We "+"should have spent more time visiting places of attraction instead. My "+"colleagues were rather surprised I visited so few places despite the long "+"stay."+"
I should have brought a lot more film. I brought only 12 rolls of "+"film because I thought I could always get more films in Shanghai. "+"Unfortunately, Shanghai was dominated by Kodak; there was almost "+"zero Fuji presence. And I only use Fuji films. As a result, I had "+"to shoot rather sparingly."+"
But film is a dying concept. Muse's parents gave me their last 3 "+"rolls of films cos they had switched to digital. On my next trip, maybe "+"I'll be using a D-SLR already. I haven't switch because I seldom get to "+"use my SLR these days.";var equipment_str="
| Camera | Minolta Dynax 7 with vertical grip and ML focusing screen |
| Lenses | Minolta 28/2, 50/1.4, 100/2 |
| Flash | Minolta 5400HS |
| Film | Fuji Superia 400, Fuji Superia 800 |
| Printing/scanning | Fuji Frontier machine |
| Alt camera | Minolta Dimage X60 |