jjkproductions vlog

Macau SAR

2007-04-23T10:22:00.000+08:00

Trilingual Macau. Chinese, English, and Portuguese.

The Ruins of St. Paul's Church. The mainstay of tourist attractions in Macau. By day, you have to negotiate the steps with hordes of day trippers, but by night ....

Many Macau locals and inhabitants from Hong Kong head into the city to gamble. A one-hour ferry ride takes you from Hong Kong Central to Macau.

Meat in Macau. These square provisions are what Macau is known for. I tried one. Beef. It didn't have a distinct taste, bland.

The Grand Emperor Hotel (where I did not stay).

2007-04-23T10:00:00.000+08:00

The winding back roads that twist their way to the Ruins of St. Paul's direct you by St. Dominic's Church.

I spent around $4 USD on slot machines in the Casino Lisboa. Lost all four. Would have spent more on card games (i.e. Texas Hold 'em) if only I could speak Chinese, and if only they were playing Texas Hold 'em.

Headquarters of Macau SAR.

Smog or fog? You tell me. Macau Tower.

2007-04-23T09:35:00.000+08:00

The inner streets of Macau's center conjure up memories of Europe ... and for good reason. The Portuguese owned and ran Macau as a trading post for hundreds of years. Holdovers from Portugal's reign over the city still linger, and Portuguese architecture abounds.

Religious iconography was visible at every turn.

Mount Fortress where the Museum of Macau is located. The castle is situated next to the Ruins of St. Paul's.

An evocation of Prague. Cobbled mosaics.

2007-04-23T08:53:00.000+08:00

The ruins of St. Paul's Catholic Church built by the Jesuits in 1602. After a fire gutted the building in 1835, all that remains is the front facade.

The highest point in Macau: the Guia Fortress and and Lighthouse built in 1637.

Senado Square (Largo de Senado) off of Avenida Almeida Ribeiro (San Ma Lo).

Heading off to Macau, China.

Buddha, Redux by way of Ed Hebert

2007-04-13T10:27:00.000+08:00

"He was begging for a high five...couldn't leave him hanging." - Ed

Hong Kong

2007-04-10T08:03:00.000+08:00

My hotel was located in the Special Administrative Region (SAR) of Macau, China; however, I took a one-hour ferry ride over to Hong Kong to explore the city. Pictured above is the Tian Tan Buddha of Lantau, one of the world's largest statues of Buddha.

Lantau is an island that makes up part of the larger Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR). It is not connected to Hong Kong Central, which is the heart of the city. In order to get to the Tian Tan Buddha, another ferry and a bus had to be boarded. And many steps climbed into the clouds.

Hong Kong and Macau are not part of mainland China. The "SAR" moniker connotes an integral difference both in terms of culture and status between the mainland and its outer territories. Mainland China stands apart from its Special Administrative Regions and yet lords over them with certain dictums. Beijing, the capital of China and where the Great wall is situated, is part of mainland China.

The Peak Tram takes you up the steep climb to the brow of a hillside overlooking the city.

Utterly modern, Hong Kong, and sterile in many ways. The folks here do not seem to have a spirited appreciation for history. In fact, from what I gleaned from pamphlets, brochures, Lonely Planets, etc., the locals here would just as soon plow through the last vestige of historical significance so as to have a state-of-the-art car park.

The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

2007-04-04T09:13:00.000+08:00

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The Beach at the Panuba Inn

2007-04-03T12:01:00.000+08:00

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More Stills from Tioman Island, Malaysia

2007-04-03T11:42:00.000+08:00

When you arrive on Tioman Island before you are allowed to step foot outside of the airport, you must pay a mandatory conservation charge of 5 Ringgits. The money goes to preserving wildlife, particularly at the Marine Park which is pictured below. The park was just an inlet near Tekek Village. We were allowed to get off the boat and go diving here. Sea turtles, tropical fish, etc.

These rocks were situated about 200 feet off the shoreline of Coral Island. Coral Island is a small land mass located off the northwestern shore of the much larger Tioman Island. Although it may look shallow in the picture, the depth of the water beside the rocks dropped approximately 30 feet. I took this picture from the boat.

The great view from the porch of my hotel room.

Cross-Island Trek in Malaysia

2007-03-21T08:48:00.000+08:00

On Tioman Island, there is a nature trail that crosses the island's waist from Tekek to Juara (7 km long). I trekked halfway to the top of the mountain then returned to Tekek.

Not used to seeing wildlife so close. A monitor lizard.

The path was hard to discern in many places. Mudslides and fallen trees, etc., covered the way. The best way to stay on track was to follow the overhead cables (see below). They lead directly to Juara.

Arrival on Tioman Island

2007-03-16T09:56:00.000+08:00

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Tioman Island

2007-03-12T08:30:00.000+08:00

My flight on Berjaya Air, which landed me in Tekek Village on Tioman Island.

A rope swing at the beach adjacent to the Panuba Inn Resort.

February 23, 2007: Hung out at this beach.

Portugeuse Men-of-War were stranded as the tide went out.

Renggis Island, just off the shore from the Berjaya Tioman Beach Resort, was a prime location for snorkeling. The coral reefs surrounding Renggis were substantial. Lot's of odd fish and sea life.

Some of the coral reefs were exposed during low tide.

Looking off toward Renggis Island from the shores of the Berjaya Tioman. Early mornings at the resort were great. I'll be posting a video walk-through tour of the Berjaya sometime soon.

Melaka, Malaysia

2007-03-08T22:23:00.000+08:00

Walking fish.

A relative of the Komodo dragon.

Malaysian shacks.

Melaka's living museum.

Melaka Square. This area was built a few centuries ago under Dutch rule. Melaka was an important trading post.

Borneo

2007-03-05T11:39:00.000+08:00

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2007-03-05T11:27:00.000+08:00

The best part of the trip was when this guy, the boat driver, left us and jumped up into the trees.

Into the Archives ...

2007-01-31T08:43:00.001+08:00

For the next few weeks, due to lack of money and leisure time, I will be reaching back into archived footage for updates. Most of this footage will not be from Taiwan; however, the posts will include other images and sounds. Contemporary posts will return after my trip to Malaysia ends on February 28.

Hsinchu Streets

2007-01-12T00:08:00.000+08:00

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On a Cold Sunday Afternoon, the National Palace Museum

2007-01-07T17:19:00.000+08:00

It was another SSAT weekend for me, but while I was up in Taipei I was reminded to go and pay the National Palace Museum a visit. The New York Times featured it a few weeks ago. The National Palace Museum is considered to be among the finest museums in the world, and it's making headlines now because it just re-opened after years of renovation. To celebrate its recent relaunch, the museum is showing off an unprecedented exhibit of historical Chinese artifacts.

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• Read the article from the NYT.

Wow, was it cold today! A "balmy" 57º here in Taiwan. I wasn't prepared for that. Anyhow, from what I hear, the good ol' northeast quandrant of the U.S. has me beat temperature-wise. Good for you guys.

Happy New Year!

2007-01-01T16:02:00.000+08:00

Fireworks at Taipei 101. (This is not my photography).

New Fairhaven Film

2006-12-20T11:59:00.000+08:00

Check out this new documentary by Alan Hemenway. It showcases the buildings in Fairhaven that were donated by oil magnate Henry Huttleston Rogers. This film utilizes photography from two of my documentaries, which I shot respectively in 2001 and 2002: The Unitarian Church and Fairhaven High School.

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Lunch in Taipei

2006-12-12T12:29:00.001+08:00

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Wilbur Point Pt. 3

2006-12-03T17:24:00.000+08:00

This is the third installment of the family documentary.

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• Wilbur Point Pt. 1 (Posted in Aug.)
• Wilbur Point Pt. 2 (Posted in Oct.)

Fort San Domingo in Danshuei

2006-11-29T09:35:00.000+08:00

For a long period of time, Taiwan suffered from an identity crisis. Danshuei, Taiwan, which was first occupied by the Dutch, eventually was taken over by Spain. The Spaniards were quickly superseded by the resurgent Dutch, but then Portugal stepped in, followed by the Chinese and, lastly, Japan.

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Fort San Domingo's construction began under Spanish rule but was later completed under Dutch sovereignty. Further on, the fort fell into the hands of the British and was converted into a consulate. Penultimately, the location was shared by Australia and the United States. Today it is maintained as an historic, national landmark.

New Bedford, MA

2006-11-27T19:55:00.000+08:00

Go visit New Bedford for a brief day trip or spend 36 hours in the old Whaling City. There's got to be something worthwhile on the banks of the Acushnet River for The New York Times to rhapsodize about it on two separate occasions in the past six months.

• Day Trip
• 36 Hours

Hsinchu 2 - Happy Thanksgiving

2006-11-23T00:38:00.000+08:00

Triangle Park. Guan Di Temple. The City God Temple.

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Hsinchu 1

2006-11-18T00:47:00.000+08:00

The East Gate. The Moat. The Train Station.

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Anti-Chen Protest in Taipei

2006-11-07T22:54:00.000+08:00

After it was revealed last Friday that the first lady and three presidential aides were indicted on charges of corruption, the anti-Chen protests, which began three months ago, were reinvigorated in Taipei. I stumbled upon the protest and decided to take part.

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After I shot this segment, I was interviewed by a television reporter from a Hong Kong television news station. She wanted to know why I, an American expat, was taking part in the Taiwanese protest ....

$9 Cheerios

2006-11-07T00:35:00.000+08:00

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Taipei's International Travel Fair

2006-11-05T20:41:00.000+08:00

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Immediately after I finished filming this one, a group of Taiwanese teens came over and asked to take some pictures with me.

Rock Formations

2006-11-04T19:05:00.000+08:00

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Atop the crag in Yehliu

2006-11-02T23:58:00.000+08:00

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Yehliu

2006-10-30T11:12:00.001+08:00

Yehliu is located on the northeastern shore of Taiwan, just 45 minutes outside of Taipei. The geological park in Yehliu took two hours to reach from Hsinchu.

Out of all the rock formations in Yehliu, this one, the "Queen's Head," is the most renown. You can find her image on postcards and websites. She ended up being much smaller than I imagined.

We climbed to the top of this crag (above) to view the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

We remained dry at the coast, but the rain clouds skirted the mountains.

2006-10-30T11:06:00.001+08:00

Wilbur Point Pt. 2

2006-10-27T11:54:00.000+08:00

This is the second installment of the family documentary.

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• Wilbur Point Pt. 1 (Posted in Aug.)

What Is This? Pt. 2

2006-10-24T13:04:00.000+08:00

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Beaches and Coves

2006-10-21T15:52:00.000+08:00

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On the Shores of Kenting

2006-10-13T13:06:00.000+08:00

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Kenting, Taiwan

2006-10-11T10:29:00.000+08:00

I went down to the southern tip of Taiwan this weekend with some friends from Hsinchu. The Taiwanese celebrated their Moon Festival from October 7 - 11, so we had five days off from work. The trip took about five hours. We drove down the coastline to get there. It was a great vacation: nice beaches, beautiful views.

This is the house where we stayed the first night in Kenting. This seaside village is popular among the surfing community. There were some pretty nice waves down at the beach. The view from atop the house was impressive.

2006-10-11T10:25:00.001+08:00

These few days where among the best yet here in Taiwan. When I flew over here, I had hoped to see places like this. The journey paid-off. It was cool going to the beach on October 8th. The water was warm. The temperature hung in the mid-80s.

2006-10-11T10:11:00.000+08:00

Here are the lodgings for our second night in Kenting (below). This used to be a presidential summer palace; however, it has been converted into a hotel. Check out the giant rock crag in the back.

2006-10-11T10:09:00.000+08:00

2006-10-11T10:08:00.000+08:00

The Trip to Neuwan

2006-09-26T10:23:00.000+08:00

Neuwan is about one hour outside of Hsinchu. If you head east from Hsinchu and into the mountains, you'll reach this small town known for its perennial street fair and suspension bridge.

Here are two of the 77,123 pictures I took with my Taiwanese friends last weekend.

Diagnosis: Broken

2006-09-18T23:32:00.000+08:00

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5 Years On ...

2006-09-10T14:20:00.000+08:00

So five years have passed. It's inconceivable that four other anniversaries have come and gone. Details from that morning remain more vivid than most events I can recall; even memories from last week aren't as bold.

I wanted to go back into my archived footage from that day: I had hoped to re-edit and post an entry which would have provided a tangible glimpse back at that morning. But I am too far removed from those tapes and a long way off from any other material I wrote or collected during the days and weeks following September 11, 2001. So here is a brief written account of what I recall from that day.

I moved into my NYU dorm on August 26, 2001. Two-and-a-half weeks later the city was transformed. The twin towers were a permanent part of the landscape, and yet they were removed, so quickly, from the panorama of the island. I was in class when they fell. When I got out, distraught crowds filled West 4th St. I ran into a classmate I recognized from orientation and asked him why I couldn't see the towers.

"They fell down, man. They just collapsed."

I remember the fear that welled up after I heard his words. I remember running back to the dorm, discursively contemplating the people that must have died downtown and wondering if my family knew what was going on. I remember rushing back to the few people I knew: my roommates and floormates. They were gathered around a small television I had hooked up in our dorm room. The phones were dead - clogged to a standstill.

Fortunately, instant messenger and email were functioning, and I was able to get in touch with my sister and, through her, the rest of my family. Colleen was at school in northern MA, Endicott College. I give her a lot of credit, she was prescient that day: she printed and saved the transcript of our entire online conversation.

But it goes without saying, the events of that day unnerved this brash, naive freshman.

I recall that we had a fire drill that morning at 6 AM - hours before the terrorist attack. The kids that emerged from their dorm rooms were scuffling, tossle-haired, and bitter-faced students, but by the end of the day, they were reshaped, wide-eyed individuals. And they were forever branded "The 9/11 Generation," a brotherhood that still binds the class of 2001.

The firefighters that investigated our dormitory that morning were said to have perished at Ground Zero a few hours later.

Try this out ...

2006-09-04T11:12:00.000+08:00

Please check out this website: www.Pandora.com

This webpage tailors your own radio station to match your personal preferences. You just type in a name of your favorite band or artist, and the program will immediately configure an array of tunes that are of the same genre and feel of the artist(s) you entered. It's a great thing to have at work.

What Is This?

2006-09-02T15:24:00.000+08:00

up On the Roof

2006-09-02T15:18:00.000+08:00

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Wilbur Point Pt. 1

2006-08-27T20:08:00.000+08:00

No, this video is not from Taiwan, but I meant to post it three weeks ago and never got around to it. Now I have. It is the introduction to a family project that began one year ago this September.

(This is a large file - approx. 77 MB - so it will take some time to buffer).

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Back up to speed

2006-08-23T13:01:00.000+08:00

I have lessened the quality of the four vlog postings from Taipei. The bad news is that the video images won't look as crisp. The good news is that each posting should play faster with fewer delays. The files are much smaller now. Let me know how it works.

Taip-A

2006-08-22T12:16:00.000+08:00

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Taip-B(irthday)

2006-08-21T21:51:00.000+08:00

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Taip-C

2006-08-21T20:36:00.000+08:00

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Inspected, Injected, and Detected in Taiwan

2006-08-14T14:47:00.000+08:00

I had to go for the obligatory physical today. Didn't know I needed one until after I arrived, but I guess it comes with the territory of a new job, particularly one that provides health insurance. The woman who brought me to the hospital spoke a negligible amount of English. They call her "Teacher Michelle" around here. She hustled me around the hospital through a maze of masked physicians until the journey ended with a lymph node check.

It was the quickest physical exam I've ever had. And from what they didn't tell me, I'm fine. My lungs looked good anyway, I understood that.

Hsinchu Saturday Night

2006-08-13T08:23:00.000+08:00

(Let this video buffer for a minute or two after clicking on it).

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Hello and Welcome

2006-07-10T11:55:00.000+08:00

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First Post

2006-07-08T09:59:00.000+08:00

Hello and welcome to jjkproductions vlog!!