Going to Bali Denpasar

Closing in into Johor. Distant shower rain sighted.

Passing through a cloud with a  index finger pointing upward towards the sky.

Closing into Bali, scattered cloud trying to cover out a crater. I think the volcano is dormant at the moment.

I wonder you can go for a smokey steam bath over there. Let's just hope it stays dormant.

Passing By Hong Kong

Passing over Hong Kong Area at 40,000ft above sea level. It is already dark over the ground but from the air you can still see the last glimpse of sunlight.

This is a closer shot. See if you can identify Hong Kong International Airport.

Another side over the ocean, the fishermen has already started work. Lights from the boats decorating the pitch black sea at night.

Brisbane South Bank Parkland

I took a stroll around South Bank, Queensland, Brisbane. It is quite an interesting walk along the river bank. This is an aerial view snapshot from google earth of the place I covered.

The walkway is modernly designed. The arching pillars highlighted with the crimson shades blended quite well with the surroundings. There are also lanes for pedestrians and cyclist.

One thing that caught my attention is the Children's Playground in the Park. This is a phone. There are a lot of  "Phone Booths" around the park, not just adjacent to each other. You can whisper to the cone, I believe the person which is at any other station can hear what you had to say.

The kids are having a great time spinning around. I wonder if they spin fast enough, they can be centrifugally ejected from the inverted mushroom.

Best of all, the playground is build around a very old old tree. It felt very homey. The playground is modern yet with a touch of nature feel, ornamented with some red grey mushroom alike structures where the children can play around with.

Of course, a playground would not be complete with a swing. This swing can hold a few kids at the same time. I guess the sister would have to use more energy to push them up.

While the playground is so happening, you can still find 3 Donald Duck's friend chilling in the crystal clear water.

This passage is blended in with some crawling flowery plants around the horizontal bars. I like how the shadows decorated the walkway.

Just when I think the kids only have the play ground, I found another water park for the kids. They are so lucky to have such public facilities in their country.

This two cute kids are scaling through some blue hunchback turtles making their way to the spouting water platform.

I guess the whole design of the park is based on coniferous plant idea. This one can give you a good splash of water to cool you down in a hot sunny day.

The children are really having a great time around. They also have a life guard on duty to watch over them just in case anything happen.

There is also a beach. This little girl is taking her baby steps into the waters to get over to the beach.

I found 3 teenager trying to choke each other with sand by digging. Or maybe they are just trying to make a sand castle and they are laying out the foundation.

Despite the big crowd around the beach front. The whole surrounding feels very peaceful and calming. You have the clear blue sky, clear blue water and the bright sun to spend your weekend by the beach, in a metropolis, what more could you ask for?

The locals were really enjoying themselves. Some just laid down bareback or with their bikinis and tanned themselves.

Just parallel to the park you can find yourself to Stanley Street. You have a lot of restaurants, a lifestyle market on Sundays, an auditorium for concerts and many more.

I came across this boy who is a big crowd attention when he pumped up the music and made some solo dance performance. I must say he got potential for the entertainment industry. Check out his moves.

There was another little boy which he drew out from the crowd. He wanted to teach the junior how to dance. Unfortunately, apparently that junior can actually do some break dancing. He ended up paying the boy so he does not steal away his limelight.

Out of nowhere, you will find a Tibetan temple in a park over here. What a fusion of west meets east.

The structure is delicately crafted. there is also a thousand hand Buddha statue where you can seat at the bench inside the temple and gaze upon. You don't get to see any monks or praying session, just visitors taking photos and examining the structure.

The cultural and performing art center is also just around the corner. A young Aussie was making her performance in an open stage beside a coffee shop with a lot of crowd enjoying the music while sipping their coffee.

Well, that was my experience over the South Bank. I will end the post with the soothing voice of the young artist.

Ideas

Moving to a new house or seeking new ideas to revamp your house or room? Well, if you happen to be staying in Penang, Malaysia. Maybe you can check this designer out.

Location	33, 11600 Penang, Malaysia
Hours	Mon - Fri: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm Sat: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
About	i n t e r i o r d e s i g n

Email	ideaideas@hotmail.com
Phone	016 5361518

If you are interested, maybe you can hop to her facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Idea-Ideas/170771499648414

I had a brief chat with the boss of the Company, below are some quick info.

Q: Why did you set up the Company?
A: Because it is what I do. I Do design and I still love doing it. I was attached to 2 companies before I came out on my own. Having my own company allows freedom to express and execute my design work the way I feel is right.

Q: So What type of services do you provide?
A: My company covers from doing
- doing layout plan to help owners to understand the potential of their space
- doing 3d views of the proposed design, so the owners will have an idea of the style and colours that they are getting
- doing site supervision, assist in shopping

Q: What is the charges for your design?
A: Charges depends on the area. If interested, drop me an email and provide some info and I will submit in a quotation accordingly

Q: Can you tell me more about yourself in the designing field?
A: I've studied interior design for 3 years in the university, upon graduating, have continued in this field for 3 years to date.

Q: What types of building do you design for?
A: My job scope covers from residential, show unit to commercial, factory, hospitality,

Q: Do you work alone?

A: There are 2 designers in the company. I am the face for the company.If the client needs construction team, we have our team consist of contractors and carpenters who has done job with satisfactory result 

Q: What about approval for design from local authority?
A: We have associate partners who can do it, we can assist to get the approval for local authority

It is not IKEA but you can certainly get some ideas from I.D.E.A.

Queensland Maritime Museum

The Queensland Maritime Museum is located on the southern bank of the Brisbane River just south of the South Bank Parklands precinct of Brisbane, and close to the Goodwill Bridge. AUS 8 for an adult entrance fee. Operating hours 9.30 am to 4.30 pm (last entry 3.30 pm). 

 The museum was founded in 1971 and contains a two level exhibition building presenting historic sailing ship models together with merchant shipping from early cargo ships to modern container ships, tankers and cruise liners. 

On display, this is a model of Hatsheput, early Egyptian vessel made out of papyrus in the early years. The name actually comes from the fifth pharaoh of the eighteenth dynasty of Ancient Egypt.

This is the HMS Endeavour. It  was a British Royal Navy research vessel commanded by Lieutenant James Cook on his first voyage of discovery, to Australia and New Zealand from 1769 to 1771.

Some of the models were made from a famous model maker which I could not recall his name. He donated most of his work to the museum. This is one of the ship he made with a lot of cannons.

This is one of the steam ship he made also. I am very impressed with the details he put into the boat, he must had put a lot of effort and time into in.

Aiyae, Captain, shall we turn left or right.....Er port starboard? (By the way, the wheel cannot be rotated, so we just sail straight forward. Lolx)

The museum also includes a library that stocks documents, pictures and other relevant artifacts relating to maritime history. There are several maps that show how early navigators created accurate charts.

I learned some facts on the Sirens, were three dangerous bird-women, portrayed as seductresses who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. One of the stories mentioned that the sailors put bee wax in the ear and tie their captain to the ship to sail out for safety. You can find out more on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siren

There was a wall on the woman's achievement in the sea. Apparently being a pirate also qualify one. This is an artist impression of a woman pirate, I can't remember her name. I don't know if she will smoke you will the gun or her clothing.

There were also a great display of instruments used for navigation in the museum. This is the Pelorus,  A compass for navigation over the seas.

This is the sextant, an instrument use to measure the angle between two visible objects. They use it to help pin point the ship's location by finding the position line on a nautical chart by referring to the horizon and the stars in the sky.

Can you imagine sailing in the sea in a Thunderstorm? I will definitely puke. Sailing in the sea can be very treacherous. I like this oil painting which was on display.

Since it is so treacherous, some of the ship did not made it through. So they ended up in the sea bed. Apparently, there is a map for all the graves of some famous ships.

This is a bunk inside the ship. It is compact, but it still manage to fit 4 beds with a basin and cabinet. 

This is the Great Queensland list of passengers in 1874. I am not sure whether this is the original copy or a duplicated one.

It is very amazing to see this collection of culinary ware. Most of them are made out of sea shells, even the buttons.

They even have a light house inside the museum. It is rotating but not blinking with any light. If there is I think most of the visitors will go blind already.

There is also a showcase on how the equipment used to make ropes, rigging them and sailor knots. I would really like to learn how to make some strong knots one day from a sailor.

This is a model of a light house structure with only the skeletons.

I found this macho man entangled in his own knot. I wished I could help free him.

This is the Pink Lady, the latest acquisition of the Museum. Queenslander Jessica Watson made history as the youngest person to sail solo around the world in 2009/10.

I think this is what she might see in a bright sunny day in the open waters, minus the light house.

Time for some war action. This is MK9 surface launched torpedo. 

Welcome aboard the Diamantina – (nominated as a Queensland Icon) a Royal Australian Navy frigate built in Queensland and commissioned in 1945. 

You get to tour the ship from stem to stern and from bridge to engine room. It is a very humongous warship, so you can take your time an fully explore it, or play around. hehe.... 

I first check out all the artillery and fire power. Unfortunately, I was not able to sit on the gunner's position and spin around because the access to it was blocked.

There are so many turrets on the ship. This is a view from one of the deck. We are sailing towards a bridge that we cannot cross.

I believe these are the depth charges, where they drop it to kill the submarines. There are more barrels stored on the ship deck.

This is where the commander of the ship will navigate. I played with the PA system. I can hear myself but I am not sure other visitors around the ship can hear me making some funny noises there.

This is how they communicate in the ship I believe. Visitors are able to visit most parts of the ship and experience living conditions on a World War 2 naval vessel. 

The Engine Room is in pristine condition and is accessible to visitors. I guess it must be pristine because there is no wear and tear while the ship just sits and dock in the dry dock.

You get to explore about 2 levels of the war ship. this is the cramped quarters in which the crew slept and ate their meals. Hammocks were replaced by bunkers in the later years.

This is the Pelorus compass and other navigation equipment room. There are a variety of exhibitions within the ship which portray the ship's role and other naval memorabilia. 

"Be Aware" Don't play play. These are some wood badges from different war ships that went into service. 

I guess this what it would look like when the war ship goes to war in a rough sea. 

I hope that when they go to war, the toilet is not locked up and out of service.

At the wharf, you can find the powerful steam tug Forceful. Built in 1925 Forceful served the port of Brisbane for 45 years, being the last coal fired tug in operation. 

Upon being donated to the Museum, she was preserved as a working vessel, making regular trips down the Brisbane River to Moreton Bay. However, the cost in maintaining her sea-worthiness has become beyond the Museum's recources and she will be maintained as a floating exhibit.

Well, if you are interested. Grab a spinach and fuel yourself to visit the Queensland Maritime Museum.