Musings of a Travel Addict
9 months into this partly manufactured “crisis” and the travel and hospitality industries have taken the biggest hit. Travel will never be the same as it was before corona. Usually at this time of year, I’m in Singapore doing the Friendsgiving thing. Not this year. Let’s take a look back at the joy of travel. Because the journey is just as important as the destination.
Business class lunch. I believe I eat better when I’m traveling than when I’m stuck in the states.
This was a fast trip, to be ended with an early morning in Tokyo. It made more sense to get my ramen fix while I was in town, as opposed to being in transit.
This is how transit looks like in Tokyo. The trains are color coded and queueing is orderly. However, it’s a huge crush even at 0700 in the morning. Thankfully people here have a good sense of hygiene. But you don’t have ramen for breakfast here. Yet.
I was in Hong Kong for several days so I decided to get my ramen fix there. Many of the major ramen chains are there including Ichiran.
Ichiran is (in)famous for it’s attitude towards it’s ramen. Instead of tables where you can occupy space for hours, yakking with your friends, their ramen is served individually in cubicles so nothing gets in the way of the ramen. Then when you finish, you leave. Your bowl is customizable. The softness of the noodles, the intensity of the broth and as many (or as little) toppings as you’d like. As it should be.
Since the Singapore leg of this trip was going to be busy, I’m glad I got my fix here.
I took a stroll up Nathan Road to Mong Kok after the protests of October 6th. This is Exit E 1.
Something there does not typically belong.
Mong Kok Station was especially hit hard by the protestors that night. The windows above were knocked out so you could peer inside and see the mess going down.
I wasn’t the only one who was taking pictures.
I took a panorama but I’m not sure if it will work properly on this site.
I don’t condone the attacks on the MTR. They are in a bad position. The MTR supported the protestors in the beginning. But because they are also public transit, they got their orders from the government to transport cops and not cooperate with the protestors. The problem is that everyone uses the MTR and by vandalizing it to the point that half the system shuts down (like on 7 October) doesn’t help and turns potential supporters against the cause. So stop already.
It’s been close to two years since I exercised my 2nd Amendment rights. And during that time, two firing ranges (coincidentally the two closest to San Francisco) have closed. So the nearest range to San Francisco is in San Leandro. 90 minutes travel time during daylight. The price of ammunition has also spiked thanks to liberal slime in Sacramento, except for .22LR, which is still affordable. Soooo range time means practicing with a Walther P22 and a Henry Survival Rifle, both chambered in .22LR.
That’s the official name. It consists of three colonial buildings: Central Police Station, Central Magistracy and the Victoria Prison as well as a modern add on.
Tai Kwun
10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong
Take the Travelator and there’s a set of wide new stairs about halfway up. That’s the easy way in.
An old photo of a sakura and my V-Strom, circa 2009…
Another classic from the BMW Museum. I’d prefer one of these over its modern day successor.
Another one from the BMW Museum. The engine in the foreground is the first M engine that powered the M1. The display also had headphones so you could listen to how each engine sounded up to redline.
Found this on an old MacBook that’s being prepped for recycling. This was from a trip to the BMW Museum about 10 years ago.
Gorgeous!
Another photo from the Google cloud archive. This is a Giulia from 1968. When they got raced.
