Friday, November 30, 2007

Winners for the UK X-Factor

The UK X-factor singing competition have already reach it's fourth season. It's really a pity that the show didn't have the chance to make it apperance in Singapore. Anyway, the season 4 result will be out in a few more weeks but before that, let's take a look at the previous three winners.

Season 3 Winner - Leona Lewis (UK version of Mariah Carey)

A Moment Like This


Season 2 Winner - Shayne Ward

Somewhere Over The Rainbow


Season 1 Winner - Steve Brookstein

Against All Odds

Monday, November 26, 2007

Nunobiki Herb Park Special

Nunobiki Herb Park at Kobe.

Entrance.
























Houses near the Cable-car Top Station.














Roses!!


























































Lavender!!





















































































Morning Glory!


















Big Lalang!!



























Chilis











































Surroundings..










































































Unknown flowers!!














































































Exit!!

Monday, November 12, 2007

Music album price differences

After returning from Japan, i went to the largest music retail store in Singapore and was looking whether the albums i have bought from Japan were already available in the store. Sometime albums can wait for a very long period or even not available here.

This is the latest album of Onitsuka Chihiro and was just released on 31 October 2007. I bought the special edition in Japan for 3300 yen (S$42.00) because it comes with a DVD of three music videos. I saw the album at the local store and it was the normal edition and selling for S$77.00, which was almost double the price. I think that the price was indeed placed too high and was also without the DVD. I went to Yesasia.com to compare the prices and indeed it was much cheaper than the local store. For the normal edition it was price at S$39.04 and the special edition at $43.75 and it qualifies for free shipping if you purchase more than $S25.00, which mean that is already the sale price of the album.

I bought another album in Japan, this is Yuzu's 10 years anniversary album released on 3 October 2007. I have a hard time looking for this album in Japan, most of the larger music stores i went only have the normal edition which is without the DVD. Luckily on the second last day of the trip, i manage to find it at one of the stores in Den Den Town. I bought is at 3500 yen (S$44.80) and it comprises of 2 CDs and a DVD. Back in Singapore, i found it at the store and of course it was only the normal edition and it cost S$66.00. Yesasia.com was of course selling at a lower price, the special edition at S$49.16 and the normal edition at S$41.21. I think that the high prices at the store is due to payment for the shop rental and other expenditures while Yesasia is operating at a lower costs but as a customer i will of course choose the lower price although you may have to wait for a longer period before it will reache you. I do hope that larger retail store will be more careful in their pricing, if not more customers will be lost or do they really care?

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Japan Osaka Trip - Final Day

Sennichimae Doguya-suji - Shops dealing with utensils used in restaurants.
























Shops at Doguya-suji.
































































Namba City Shopping Area.


















Christmas at Namba City.























Mos Burger latest promotion.























Tower Records & Muji at Namba.























Express Train to Airport.












Japan Osaka Trip - Sixth Day

30 mins from Osaka -> Nara by the Express Train - Nara Station.


















Newspaper vending machine at the station.























Sarusawano-ike Pond.


















Deer crossing the zebra crossing.


















A stretch of red-leaves trees.
























Children and the roaming deers.


















Feeding time.


















Todaji Temple.


















School excursion at the temple.


















Overview of the Todaji Temple.


















Osaka Dotonburi - Big Poster at the 24 hours Tsutaya.























Den Den Town street.























Capsule Machines at Den Den Town.


















Cute Dragonball figurines poster.


















Shopping area at Namba.