Hello everyone, it has been a while since i last updated my travel blog. I hope all of you are well! I've been very busy before Christmas last year and I travelled to Amsterdam and other parts of The Netherlands for almost two weeks before returning to Singapore on New Year's Eve. When it comes to travel, there are some destinations we instantly fall in love with, others that we become fond of in time, some just remain in our minds forever.

Visiting Amsterdam is a life-changing experience no matter what time of year you go. However, the city dials it up a notch over the festive season and New Years. It’s not known as one of Europe’s merrymaking capitals for nothing. ​Even for the most world-weary traveller, there is something very special about Amsterdam. #iloveAmsterdam #iamsterdam

Woohooo! #蓝天游 My photo essay on Japan, Tokyo's two remaining iconic two streetcar lines - Setagaya Line #世田谷线 and the Toden Arakawa Line #都电荒川线《乘坐东京仅存路面电车》is published in Lianhe Zaobao 联合早报 zbNOW/早报现在 today! U made my day while i'm currently travelling in Amsterdam. Thank U so much 感谢、感恩！

A good start to a happy weekend! My photo essay under pen name 蓝天游 on Czech Republic’s St. Barbara's Church of Kutna Hora《圣巴巴拉教堂 捷克小镇上的建筑瑰宝》is published today! So happy to see it being featured nationwide in print! Special thanks to Lianhe Zaobao, you have made my day! Thank U so much 感谢 感恩 :)

I got the chance to see Southern Finland for the first time in December last year during Christmas and fell in love with Finland. I spent most of my time in Helsinki, but one day I took a one hour bus ride to Porvoo, a medieval town filled with cute, colorful streets. Porvoo is the second oldest city in Finland. And if only the cobblestone streets could speak, they would tell you tales of many Finnish artists who’ve called Porvoo their home. 

I fell in love with Porvoo as soon as I saw it. And not just because Porvoo is pretty – even though it is, very pretty indeed. It’s one of those places that you find on those ’10 most beautiful villages’ kind of lists, alongside a plethora of stereotypical descriptions – picture-perfect, candy-coloured houses, picturesque, cute as a button, quaint cobbled backstreets, and so on.
 
Fact is, Porvoo really is that. It is picture-perfect. The medieval town and riverside have a happy, holiday-ish vibe which is unique in Finland. That is my favourite part about Porvoo. The time seemed to tick even slower in Porvoo. Wandering around in the enchanting town is easy to get lost back in time and feel the easy-going and historical atmosphere.

去年十二月我迎着冰雪的芬兰之旅，去寻找冬天里冻出来的美景。无雪的北欧冬天不知道会是怎样一幅萧瑟的画面，而我是幸运的，赫尔辛基以银装素裹等待着我的到来，没有雪的冬天，又怎能算是一个完整的冬天呢。我在赫尔辛基有几天的时间，就去波尔沃（Porvoo）这个童话般的小镇走走，体验了芬兰的另一面。波尔沃中世纪小镇有着完全不同于赫尔辛基的精神。

踏入古镇，首先会想到的是，我重新定义“景色如画”这个词。波尔沃是一座有着200多年历史的古，具有北欧威尼斯之称，处处美景如画。如果没有身着现代装束的居民和游人熙来攘往，我会以为整个古镇还被尘封在600多年前的某一天里。当初我为何选择去波尔沃完全是被网路照片那一整排河边红色小屋给深深被吸引了，所以决定前往追寻。我查找了一下交通方式，其实从赫尔辛基搭巴士过来还满方便的，在时间充裕的情况下，决定来个波尔沃 一日遊，享受一下芬兰第二古镇的魅力。从赫尔辛基到波尔沃车程大约只需55分钟。在赫尔辛基市中心的长途汽车站即可乘车前往，长途汽车车身上通常标有 Porvoo 字样。

波尔沃小镇上的观光客並不多，尤其是冬季。一到冬季添了些许神奇的魔力。如果说夏日的波尔沃明媚灿烂的酷似油画，那么冬日的波尔沃则更像是冰雪中的童话世界，同一个地方，相反的季节，风格迥然。

Streetcars used to be very common in Tokyo. However, due to the progress of technology and the progressive migration of trains from above to under the ground, they have almost disappeared. Only two streetcar lines are currently left: the Tokyu Setagaya Line and the Toden Arakawa Line. You may read my recent blog on the Setagaya Line here.

There's something deeply nostalgic in seeing a vehicle with such a retro look still running the streets of Tokyo.

之前为大家介绍过的世田谷线外，另外就是这条东急电铁的都电荒川线。到东京不一定只能玩市区，而已经来东京不少次的游客，若希望挖掘一些郊区或隐藏景点，可利用都电荒川线来趟郊区一日游，买一张都电荒川线一日券，随兴的上车下车，体验一些意料之外的乐趣，也是不错的选择。都电荒川线在东京复杂的铁路系统中，是仅存行驶于路面的电车之一，光凭这个原因绝对值得搭乘，若喜欢郊区一点的步调与景色，更是不能错过，在电车叮叮叮的声音中，我开始展开一天的行程。

​那天坐上百年历史充满复古怀旧的都电荒川线路面电车 (Tokyo Sakura Tram)，就像把时钟拨慢我不赶行程更没有紧凑的步代，走走停停来来回回全靠当下的一念之间。荒川线就像一本历史故事，也像一铁道电车百科全书，喜欢老时代氛围的会爱上它的内涵，是铁道迷的更会来此捕足它深度的风采。

It was a warm, spring day as the Setagaya Line snakes its way through the quiet, residential streets of Setagaya Ward. Its ten-station line is a haven for local feeling and one of the true little joys of suburban discovery. The compact, two-carriage tram might be just a regular commute for locals, but it also gives sightseers a rare glimpse of Tokyo away from the crowds. Easy to get to, easy to ride and easy to enjoy, the Setagaya Line is a must for those looking for a picturesque day of feel-good sightseeing. I spent a day getting on and off, exploring quiet residential neighborhoods and local shopping streets.

The Setagaya Line is one of two surviving tramways in Tokyo (the other is the Arakawa Line which i will blog about it separately). Sangenjaya is a town with a long history. Beginning as an area with three tea houses, travelers and warlords stopped here on their way in or out of Edo city. Today, Sangenjaya sits beneath a towering expressway, offering a fascinating mix of old and new.

I've made this series of photos into a comic book illustration. Making a picture different, quirky, and a little bit crazy doesn't necessarily make the image immature. Such effect has great potential to really make moments memorable and really etch that fun memory in stone. The comic effect can be an important reminder to not take life too seriously, have fun, and enjoy those special moments in life.

我这次去东京为自已安排了一趟怀旧路面电车之旅，体验的是东京市区宁静的另外一面。我已经三访、四访东京，不想再走人潮拥挤的观光或购物景点，所以搭乘路面电车走进东京朴实住宅区体验不同于东京繁华的悠闲氛围原来是一个不错的旅行方式。我找一个晴朗的好天气，跳上这一条路面电车。东急世田谷线，从起站到迄站，短短的十个站点，不到十八分钟的车程，整体给人迷你可爱的感觉。东急世田谷线是东京唯二的路面电车，另一条是都电荒川线。

我将这一系列的普通照片制作成漫画版的照片。我用漫画的形式重新诠释照片里的内容，发挥了我的想象力，让我的照片更有趣。 无论是黑白素描风，还是日系小清新风格都能够轻松搞定，内含表情贴纸，气泡贴纸，让漫画版的照片更加生动。

Japanese people have had a long relationship with cats. More than 1,000 years ago, people in the upper class were already living with cats. Common people also started having pet cats at home several hundred years ago and Japanese people have been involved with cats in a variety of ways since then. There are shrines that worship cats as gods across Japan and cats have also played a part in folk beliefs through the ages. Cats have been loved by Japanese people through the ages.

Yanaka in Tokyo is famous not only for its old world charm, but for its sizable population of friendly stray cats. Of all the sights to see in the cozy, old-fashioned neighborhood Yanaka, one stuck out to me the most: cats, cats everywhere. 

Gallery Nekomachi 猫町 is an art space that only has cat-themed works on display. I felt that it was like a spot which would appear in the films of Ghibli. ​The 15-year old gallery itself is a pleasant place to visit, occupying an old house at the top of a steep set of stairs.

喜爱猫咪的东京 “谷中银座” 商店街，有很多以猫作为吉祥物的店铺，猫迷们走在街上，总会被那些真假猫们牵去了目光。
 
谷中一带猫踪处处，什么都会和猫扯上关系，GALLERY猫町就是一个专门以猫做主题的艺廊，由民家改建，藏于幽静的住宅区中。如果你肯定自己是百分百猫奴，便一定要来这里。老板非常喜欢猫，所以便开设了这个gallery。老板不为赚钱，只有望有更多人认识这些同样同猫的艺术家。

A wonderful start to the weekend! My photo essay under pen name 蓝天游 on Kyoto, Japan UNESCO World Heritage Site's Jishu Shrine 地主神社《京都地主神社求良缘地》is published in today's zbNOW/早报现在 Lianhe Zaobao 联合早报 Special Travel Edition ! Thank U so much 感谢、感恩  :)

​I’ve started a new painting.  I was always trying to figure out something new to try, artistically. And so this circles series. Each circle painting measures 12" x 12".
 
WHY CIRCLES? The circle is a universal symbol everyone can relate to. Simple yet profound, it symbolizes wholeness, enlightenment, and the universe in all cultures. For us, the circle means connect, create, and celebrate.
 
When I work in this style, I create the circles spontaneously and decide on their placement in an entirely intuitive manner. I don't pre-plan anything. I then painted in various circles, one color at a time. For instance, first I painted in all the yellow shapes. Then all the orange shapes, then blue, green, etc.
 
I strive to create a balanced variety of circles and colors. The idea is that the different shapes and placement of colors will cause the viewer's eyes to bounce around the canvas. In this way I seek to create a sense of movement and energy in these funky artworks.
 
There is beauty in repetition.

For anyone who enjoys the sight of old-fashioned Japanese houses and the rich culture that flourished in the early 1900s, the Nezu residential district of central Tokyo is a wonderful place for a stroll. The joint Takehisa Yumeji and Yayoi Museums are located in two adjacent buildings in a side street near the Tokyo University. Takumi Kano, a Japanese lawyer, established the Yayoi museum in honor of the painter Takahata Kasho. Six years later, the Takehisa Yumeji Museum followed.

东京大学弥生门旁，是一条清幽的小径。我沿著东京大学围墙信步而往，不久便抵达竹久梦二美术馆。

竹久梦二美术馆与弥生美术馆优雅静謐地矗立在小道上，红砖的洋房，翠绿的竹林，幽秘的小池塘。竹久梦二美术馆和弥生美术馆由两幢小洋楼组成，两个美术馆由走廊连接在一起，只需要一张票就可以参观两个美术馆。两个美术馆彼此相邻相通，展览空间却是各自独立的美术馆。竹久梦二美术馆是以竹久梦二为主题的，所以展品都是与竹久梦二相关的内容，是东京都内能欣赏到梦二作品的唯一场所。