#2013ce

[askdrzinasia]

Skyscraper doin' Gangnam-style

Seocho Garak Tower East, GT Tower, in Gangnam Square is unique in a city filled with some very unique high rise buildings.

GT Tower is placed in the center of Gangnam District, the affluent and prestige filled office and living area south of Seoul Central.

The area like the building well known and visible. Not only for people working and living here, but for anyone who wants to see the inspiration for the monster hit Gangnam Style.

Future optimism

I had just visited Samsung showroom of the then latest in mobile tech. Coming out of that futuristic and optimistic place, and having a blue building dancing in front of me, added to the feeling of innovation and future optimism. That is Seoul for, well, any geek or nerdy human.

The 130 meter tall, 24 storey blue building was finished in 2011. Daelim Group, the giant conglomerate based on engineering, construction and petrochemical industry is the main leaser.

More photos from Gangnam District at Seocho Garak Tower East.

[notesfromasmallworld]

United colors of Manila It is not unusual that asian large cities are a traffical locked in mess. Manila is more like a cacophonic chaos with colorful makeup. This photo is taken into the in theory two lane street near a bus terminal and a mall. I let out the cars and modern buses for the jeepneys, philippino tuktuks and the street retailers. I like Manila. But I would never schedule an appointment at a fixed time here. It would be impossible if you needed a ride. The closest to this lockjam would be Moscow in peace time, or Cairo in Egypt, as experienced. And that is not far from statistics. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1383983/metro-manila-traffic-2nd-worst-in-the-world-report #Manila #Philippines #people #streetart #streetphoto #citylife near #chinatown #2013CE #jeepney #stalls #streetfood #colours #colorful #tuktuk #kids #art #Nikon #Nikon1 #10-30mm (at Lucky Chinatown Mall - Binondo, Manila) https://www.instagram.com/p/uLS_TYD-qq/?utm_medium=tumblr

[davidabitbolsmet]

Pointe-toiture

Par Camille | 4 avril 2013Ce chalet contemporain est situé aux pieds des montagnes et d'une station de ski. Ses propriétaires vivant à l'année dans ...

Source :http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/358611340/0/devisartisancharpente

[batimentconsulting]

Pointe-toiture

Pointe-toiture

Par Camille | 4 avril 2013Ce chalet contemporain est situé aux pieds des montagnes et d'une station de ski. Ses propriétaires vivant à l'année dans ...

via http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/358611340/0/charpenteindustrielle

[askdrzinasia]

"Hii!"

You know when you feel great with your favourite dress and accessories, strolling out in the city and seeing a camera…

Yeah, a colourful, happy greeting.

She walked on to join her friends, and I walked off for more photos.

Common goals

This one girl was on the sunny side of life. But street kids in Manila also involves girls lost. And recovered.

Making more girls able to enjoy safe and happy lifes.

[askdrzinasia]

The importance of colours on a rainy day

A rainy or day of heavy clouds are mood changing. Or mood challenging. Using colours and artful placement is an efficient tool against the bad version of grey, cloudy mood.

Grey clouds and desert

Modern cities and places are getting better at using colours, architecture and design to make huge concentrations of people more liveable. Up through the years it has been increasingly used in several cities I have visited. And the Seoul versions are very impressive so far. The weirdest I have seen was in a mall in Dubai, an emirate dominated by monocoloured desert. But that mall had indoors skiing on artificial snow too, so I do not judge the playfulness.

Umbrellas in architecture is one thing, but as interesting is how umbrellas has turned into a design and fashion statement. Just look here.

More photos from Seoul, Hongdae, South Korea.

[askdrzinasia]

Water, umbrellas, curves and play

Seoul got fountains. Like, a lot of them. Both in public squares and places, and like here, inside a shopping mall. It looks like a lot of fun for the kids running and playing with the water, too. Probably very important even on a grey and gricht foggy summer day.

The Mecenatpolis Mall was a fairly new mall in a rapidly developing Hapjeong neighborhood in downtown Seoul when I visit. It was the closest major shopping area to my hotel, and close to a major metro station.

Public transport and market spot

Which was the reason I choose this hotel. Getting around major cities in Asia starts with finding accomodation near public transport hubs. Then easy access to basic staples like water and food.

Unless, of course, part of the sought after travelling experience is spending hours in a taxi queueing sloooooowly in carfilled, crowded city streets.

Worth a visit

I found the food and grocery stalls and shops on the outside of this complex most interesting. But a walk inside gave a view to a modern, colourful and visual very interesting design. Just as a lot of modern malls in a lot of Asians cities are these days.

Making them interesting spot to visit. Even for not so heavy shoppers like me. See more photos from Mecenatpolis Mall.

[askdrzinasia]

A korean foodie alternative to Prag

When you cannot get to the old astronomical tower, the tower gets to you.

A very good replica of the old astronomical clock tower of Prag/Praha, the capital of the Czech republic. The real old clock tower is a symbol of Prag, like Angkor Wat is for Cambodia, Lady Liberty for the US and the Old Ben Clock tower is for London.

A piece of Czech global culture

Here in Hongdae, South-East Seoul, it is part of Praha Castle, a czech micro brewery and restaurant complex. They are serving meat heavy czech food, and international food like italian pizza, german sausages and US hamburgers. Pretty much the same you will find at Starometszke Namesti, the Old Town Square in Praha (original name of the Czech capital).

The lager beer type also has its origin in Czechoslavika. This beer now drunk all over the world was first made in scale in Plzen, a city close to Prag. And czech Bodovar Brewery is still manufacturing beer in Plzen. But their US grandson and namesake Budweiser brand and their MLiaC-style beers dwarf the European original in sales and is far more famous.

Evening shot only

I was after all visiting Korea, and local food is what you eat in this culinary power house of East Asia. But reviewers say the food at Praha Castle, Seoul is very authentic. I will take their word for it.

Part of a series photos from Seoul, at Seoul, Hongdae, South Korea.

[askdrzinasia]

Foggy evening in party town

The Yongsan-gu district between Seoul City modern City Center and Gangnam district was mostly defined by the large US military base there. And the surroundings such installations usually generate.

As the military presence in central Seoul is downscaling, the area are into a large transition and gentrification. That means growing into a combination of very affluent neighbourhoods with supporting upscale establishments, and some interesting entertainment, food and drinks area.

Craft beer and international cuisine

Back when I was visiting, the craft beer and homemade sausage/burgers trend had just been ignited in East-Asia. And the small alleyways and old Seoul wooden house areas was converting into small pubs, bars and eateries. All with a distinct charm a combination of historic memories and respectful modern artisans can bring. Together with well educated, very modern Korean youth and locals.

Being easy accessible by metro, not only tourists and Gangnam people enjoyed this area. A lot of people from around the city got there for the good drinks, quality food and the good mood in a mostly civilised party area. Being tired of PA-styled craft beers already back then, I still was able to find some interesting porters and fruit and spice based beer offerings. And even a kimchi-tasting one.

I still remember a Hawaii-styled hamburger with Belgian big fries as one of the best burgers I have ever tasted. The chilli-sausage later that night was proper German styled, but not extraordinary.

According to Lonely Planet, the area is still worth a visit.

[askdrzinasia]

A topside sign of a green city

There is a point to be made regarding Seoul Metro, it looks like modern metro systems everywhere. But they do some unusual architecture, like these towers I was told was ventilation towers for the large metro station underground.

Inspiration was told to be some sort of traditional rice storage facilities used in the korean countryside. It fits well into Seoul city design and architecture, where connections with classic history and culture and vivid innovative modernity is visible throughout.

There is probably a point to be made in this photo about the importance of curvy details in everyday life, too.

Seoul Metro Subway is a enormous system of railroad tracks and vessels running anything from city commuter underground transport to light rail and regional intercity train service.

With a range of up to 100 km away from Seoul city proper, its is extensive, inexpensive to use and effective. On the City central 9 main metro commuter lines, 1,91 billion passengers travels every normal year. Or, transporting the equivalent of one quarter of the worlds human population. Every year.

The metro is also easy to use, being well designed and often with universal accessibility. Including information signs in several languages, including English, Japanese and Chinese. It is the best way of getting around this megacity without getting bogged down in heavy car traffic, wasting time and money.

https://www.instagram.com/p/wenBw6D-qZ/?utm_medium=tumblr

[askdrzinasia]

Welcome to Bling-town, Manila!

There are some unique things in Manila. The chaotic traffic culture is one. These jeepney minibuses another.

Jeepneys are probably the most commonly used public transport in Manila and they only exists in the Philippines. Very narrow seating and overly kitsch and bling decoration are design features, not flaws.

Army surplus

The name is a kind reference to the origin: the first jeepneys where made of left behind Willy Jeeps from the US Army after 1945, and become stretched and extended into this minibus-variant of sorts with appx 20 seats.

Jeepneys are everywhere in urban areas, and picks up passengers and let them off in a system that sometimes follow routes and tables, but often not.

A new 20-seat Jeepney costs between 700.000-1,2K pesos, appx 16000-24000 USD. As a way to manage and improve safety, new operators need to at least ten of them to get an operating licence.

[askdrzinasia]

Fun to run the shop with mum

Children do seek out photographers these days. The generations born this century are going to be the most photographed ever.

And that means smile and V-gesture wherever you rise your camera.

Growing up in a shop

Like most cities in Asia, Manila have the shops on wheels were families sells food and drink for a living. And at the same time taking care of their young.

It is quite an impressing feat.

[askdrzinasia]

The border zone between classic and new

This is a historic spot in old Manila. The Binondo church with its many co-names had its first building here in 1596. It was a church targeting chinese converts to christianity in the nearby area now called Manila Chinatown.

The church is bordered by an increasingly modern building mass built around it. Back when I visited, the high rise on the right was soon to get company.

Rebuilt with many names

The Minor Basilica and National Shrine of San Lorenzo Ruiz was destroyed by artillery bombardment in 1762 during the 7 year war . The building built in its place got mostly destroyed by the Battle of Manila in 1945. Only a wall and parts of the tower was standing.

The Binondo Church got many names, as the catholics loves their saints and holy figures very much. The Minor Basilica and National Shrine of San Lorenzo Ruiz is in memory of a missionary born and educated here. Mr. Ruiz was canonized as the first catholic saint from the Philippines in 1987.

Originally the church was dedicated to Saint Gabriel the Archangel who became Binondos patron until the mid-19th century. It is also known as Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish, as it venerates the Blessed Virgin Mary as Binondos patroness from the early 1700s up to the present.

It is still an interesting marker of times of old and times of new in Manila.

[askdrzinasia]

Hiding in the stripes and shadows

Had a walk along the city river Pasig in Manila, and found this play of light, stripes and colors.

And someone lurking in the shadows.

The Pasig river runs between Laguna de Bay and Manila bay on Luzon island, the main island in the Philippine archipelago. This river is the main divider of Manila into a northern and southern part.

Recovered from dead

It is technically a tidal estuary, since it direction is depending on the water level of the two bays. Normally, that would follow the rainy seasons. Still a freshwater source, its drainage basin covers 4678 km2.

Destroyed by neglect and industrial pollution, Pasig River was declared biologically dead in 1990. Efforts to clean up and return the river to life resulted in fish, birds and flora returning in the last ten years.

[askdrzinasia]

United colors of Manila

It is not unusual that large cities in Asia are a traffical locked up mess.

Manila is more like a cacophonic chaos with colourful makeup. This photo is taken into the in theory two lane street near a bus terminal and a mall.

Letting out the ordinary cars and modern buses. The jeepneys, Philippine tuk-tuks and the street retailers make the proper impression.

No fixed appointment

I like Manila. But I would never schedule an appointment at a fixed time here. It would be impossible if you needed a ride.

The closest to this lock jam would be Moscow in peace time, or Cairo in Egypt anytime. As I have experienced a couple of times.

[askdrzinasia]

Guarded by overwhelming cuteness

Noone with a heart would try to steal any of the stuff this puppy was guarding. This good boy obviously had an owner, and was given a task it was taken as seriously it could.

Stray service

The streets of Manila and other cities in the Philippines is home to 12 million stray dogs and cats. Meaning the issue of handling them safely is a bit of a challenge.

Animal shelters, adoption and neuter campaigns are common. But also some creative ones, like the mayor of Quezon City suggesting to train some of the strays as service animals.

This mutt would probably be a good candidate.