http://monicali.fotopages.com/ Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:28:40 GMT Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:28:40 GMT http://www.fotopages.com/images/rss_logo.gif http://shw.fotopages.com/ 40 60 http://monicali.fotopages.com/?entry=1594783 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT Tai O is a quaint fishing village located on Lantau island. While you're there, look for the little old lady selling black sesame paste if you're craving for good dessert. http://monicali.fotopages.com/?entry=1108371 Sat, 18 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT A week ago I saw what looked like two large blue crabs on the piling of our dock. When I looked under the dock yesterday there they were again. I tried baiting them with a chicken neck on a string. My knot on the chicken neck held up well but the crabs just would not cling on to the bait long enough for me to net them. I said to myself, "Time to break in my brand new crab trap." I meant to take up the trap before sunset but it started pouring. I was almost afraid the crab trap might have drifted away. Guess what I found early this morning? That pair of blue crabs and a conch (?). Such blue crabs are called doublers or buck and rider. The male crab cradles the female crab in an elaborate courtship ritual. He does it to protect her because she's in her soft-shell stage and is venerable. This particular male crab didn't let go of the female even as I threatened to kill it. His dying devotion seemed so real. Even though I'm craving for a good meal of chili crab, I couldn't bring myself to separate them. So they're back in the canal now. Hopefully they will make lots of babies and live happily ever after :D http://monicali.fotopages.com/?entry=146338 Tue, 29 Jun 2004 00:00:00 GMT Since I'm on a travel theme, I've decided to post photos from my last trip to Penang, Malaysia. Penang is a gastronomic paradise for food lovers. Some people think Gurney Drive is a tourist trap but there are many locals who eat there too. There are dozens of hawker stalls offering all types of cuisine - Malay, Chinese, Indian and Western. The stalls open early evening to late at night. If you arrive before the stalls open, you can stroll around at Gurney Plaza, the nearby shopping mall or enjoy the seabreeze along the esplanade. For those who have never experienced a wet-market, the 112-year-old Chowrasta market will be an eye-opener. There is the typical multi-storey building which houses all kinds of hawkers, including fishmongers, butchers, and vegetable sellers. Along Jalan Chowrasta, street vendors line both sides of the street selling anything from snacks to goldfish. To experience a shock to your senses, I suggest visiting during peak hour, that is, early morning when the locals do their grocery shopping and have breakfast. http://monicali.fotopages.com/?entry=143930 Sun, 27 Jun 2004 00:00:00 GMT A follow-up to the earlier entry. St. Thomas is indeed very colorful. Here are some side-notes: *Cuzzin's serves wonderful Creole food. If you dare, try the very hot hot sauce. *We hear that deep-sea fishing is really good. We went snorkeling and saw some fish but also a lot of dead coral. *Keep in mind though the weather can be quite fickle. It was terribly overcast. The photos turned out looking washed-out. *Also be prepared that downtown shops close early, around 5pm. The island is geared towards cruise ship business. *The island is very hilly. It's not advisable to rent a car unless you're comfortable with a right-hand drive car on the left side of the street. *Be prepared that cabs are not metered (~$15 per person). We mostly took the water taxi from the Marriot where we stayed. Less traffic traveling by water :) http://monicali.fotopages.com/?entry=143009 Fri, 25 Jun 2004 00:00:00 GMT An email from my friend Pet reminded me that I haven't posted new photos for quite a well. Been traveling a bit. Was in China for 2 weeks!!! Here are some of the photos. http://monicali.fotopages.com/?entry=142110 Thu, 24 Jun 2004 00:00:00 GMT I took this photo from Blackbeard's Castle aka Skytsborg Tower (meaning sky tower in Danish) on St. Thomas. The "castle" was built in 1679 by the Danes as a watchtower for the harbor of Charlotte Amalie (pronounced a-mal-yah). It is rumored that pirates buried treasures on Water Island which you can see from the castle's window. The weather was somewhat deary so I didn't get to take many good pics. Watch out for them in the following entry. Here's the link to the photo challenge: http://discuss.fotopages.com/viewtopic.php?t=299&sid=e52a54bdb7674c66fa006755159376ed http://monicali.fotopages.com/?entry=94822 Tue, 27 Apr 2004 00:00:00 GMT Here's a photo I took of a sea-urchin in a tidepool at La Jolla Cove in San Diego. The water was so clear that you barely see the ripples. http://monicali.fotopages.com/?entry=86182 Thu, 15 Apr 2004 00:00:00 GMT Here's a piece by artist Carl Cowen titled "Florida Avenue Mural." It's located on...Florida Avenue, where else? It evokes a postcard with images of Tampa's past and present. http://monicali.fotopages.com/?entry=77632 Sat, 03 Apr 2004 00:00:00 GMT We spent the afternoon at the Skyway Pier feeding the fish. I say that because I kept losing my bait :b I did catch a pinfish which we used as bait but still no bites. Our friend caught a Sheepshead with stinky cut-up squid. I should have used the macro function with the close-up of the Sheepshead. It's hard to see from the photo but it has a row of teeth that resemble human teeth. Pretty amazing. http://monicali.fotopages.com/?entry=74322 Mon, 29 Mar 2004 00:00:00 GMT