Friday, August 31, 2007

Highway Scriptures




Di jalan bebas hambatan menuju Emory, papan pengumuman ini menarik perhatian saya. Hari ini, dalam perjalanan ke Hootens (toko alat-alat pertanian dan bangunan), saya inget untuk bawa kamera dan nyempetin berhenti sebentar untuk motret.

On a highway towards Emory, this sign board had been catching my attentions. Today, on our way to Hootens, I remembered to bring my camera and stopped by it to take pictures.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Donkey Restaurant





Ini foto waktu saya ada di Xi'an, bulan April yang lalu. Di deket hotel, ada restoran yang memakai keledai sebagai maskotnya. Kurang tau apa keledai ini juga bagian dari menunya, tapi yang pasti sekitar dua kali sehari sepasang keledai ini dibawa jalan-jalan keliling blok-blok di sekitar restoran untuk promosi. Keledainya cantik, dihias dengan pita di kepala dan ada iklan restoran di punggungnya. Foto ini diambil sore hari, sekitar jam 6 sore, waktu restoran siap-siap buka untuk makan malam. Selain si keledai, para pegawai restoran pun bersiap-siap untuk mulai shiftnya dengan acara briefing sembari baris teratur di depan restoran. Di akhir briefing mereka teriak (mungkin) slogan mereka supaya semangat kerja kali......... seperti ganti giliran jaga di kemiliteran aja! Ini juga dipraktekkan di mal-mal sebelum ganti shift. Pernah di satu mal tiba-tiba ada teriakan keras sekali, bayangin mal 6-7 lantai berapa orang pegawainya dan semuanya teriak berbarengan! Huh bikin kaget aja!

The photo was taken in Xi'an. There's a restaurant by the hotel that uses donkey as their mascot. Not sure if donkey is in their menu as well (never been there), but for sure, about twice a day, this pair of donkeys are herded around the blocks I guess to advertise the restaurant. The donkeys are accessorized with bows and restaurant's advertisement. This picture was taken in the evening about 6pm when restaurants along the streets are getting ready for the evening shift and dinner hours. Besides the donkeys, the staffs are also getting ready to start the shift by attending a briefing in lines in front of the restaurant. At the end of the briefing they will shout out loud their slogan (perhaps)... remind me of a changing guards in the military! The shopping malls also practice this ritual. Imagine a 6 to 7-storey mall during a changing shift... it made me jump!

Matahari Terbit di Colorado


Sunrise in Colorado, last year before the snow storm hit.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Homemade Hot Stuffs

Sweet Relish


Candied Jalapeno