Due to popular demand...

Here are some shots of Sydney which I took after work today. These photos are back by popular demand. Well, actually, only one person asked for it. But that one person was my bestfriend, so it's important that I fulfil it. It was a pleasure take the photos, because I've always wanted to take photos, but never sure of what and for who. So these photos actually have a reason for existence. Enjoy them, Ichi. Behold, Sydney a few days to Christmas...

Martin Place

Pitt Street Mall

Sydney Central and Myer Department Store

This is a popular shopping complex in Sydney. I only noticed the kissing couple as I am uploading the photos now. I totally did not see them as I was aiming to capture the entrance and the Christmas trees. I also wanted to capture the atmosphere of shopping madly dashing here and there....

Queen Victoria Building and the famous giant tree inside QVB with Swarovski crystal ornaments

NYE banners, which gives away what's going to be on the Harbour Bridge for NYE

Sydney Town Hall

George Street (CBD, Shopping & Entertainment precinct)

My office entrance and the World Square area

Meet the star of my show...

Cricket (The Ashes) on a giant screen at Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour

Monorail

Trying to do it like the pros

I saw these lovely flowers and thought I would try and take a photo like one of the pros. I'm sure there's a name for this technique. I call it the Crouching Technique, because I had to crouch down behind the flowers to take this photo!

More Darling Harbour pictures

My friend JA told me the other day, as I was reviewing my career options, that [he reckons] I was the envy of hundreds of thousands of people my age who are struggling in Asia. Then he corrected himself, "No, actually millions!" To give a bit of background to his remarks, he actually misunderstood me when I told him I was considering a change of location. He thought I wanted to move back to Asia, when I was actually referring to an interstate relocation.

I went for a walk to my backyard, Darling Harbour, today. The atmosphere is always so wonderful around there. There's always lots of people, families mostly. I took my trusted digital camera with me and took snaps here and there. I wanted to capture Darling Harbour, a week before Christmas. There will be many photos taken of it on Christmas, but I wanted to capture it on this particular day. Enjoy, everyone. I do feel extremely lucky, blessed, endowed.

Lesson #1

Culture differences is part of human society. It is as real as rice and bread.

It is much easier for people of the same culture to inter-mingle, and eventually become friends. Easier in the sense that it takes less time, less effort, and less psychological costs.

It is usually harder for someone to try and immerse themselves in a culture that is different to their own. The process is is not impossible, but usually the person faces a higher barrier of entry. It takes more effort (and therefore more time), and potentially high psychological costs. Sometimes at the expense of that person losing a part of their cultural individuality.