This photo was taken in 2007 at the Fukuoka Yahoo! Dome in Fukuoka, Japan. The Fukuoka Dome was built in 1993 and has a seating capacity of 35,695. Frank Sinatra played his last public concert there in 1994. The stadium is the home of the Nippon Baseball League's Fukuoka Softbank Hawks. The Hawks won the Pacific League in 2010, but fell in the Pacific League Final Stage to the Chiba Lotte Marines in 6 games despite holding a 2-1 series lead after 3 games. The Hawks haven't won the Japan Series title since 2003, but have a strong team heading into 2011.
This photo was taken in 2011 at AQWA Aquarium in Perth, Australia. Pictured is a moon jellyfish, a common jellyfish belonging to the genus Aurelia. Ten species, including the moon jellyfish, in the genus Aurelia are so similar that it is impossible to identify differences without genetic sampling. Moon jellyfish lack respiratory, excretory, and circulatory systems. They feed on plankton, using their tentacles to trap and paralyze the small animals while small cilia move the food into the jellyfish's gastrovascular cavity. Little is known about the vitamin requirements of jellyfish, but since they produce digestive enzymes it is reasoned that they can process fats, carbohydrates, and proteins just as most animals can.
This photo was taken in 2009 at Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi, Vietnam. Hoa Lo Prison was used by the French to house Vietnamese revolutionaries and later gained infamy in America as the prison that American POWs sarcastically referred to as the "Hanoi Hilton." The memorial garden is a tribute to all of the Vietnamese who died at the hands of their French captors. The French were exceptionally brutal, keeping Vietnamese prisoners chained to a large, flat table by their ankles then torturing them and executing them by means of the guillotine. The words on the wall mean, "High Indomitable Patience - Eternal Glory."
This photo was taken in 2011 at Penguin Island in Rockingham, Australia. Penguin Island is home to the largest colony of Little Penguins in Western Australia. Little Penguins are the world's smallest penguins, standing around one foot tall and weighing about two pounds. Little Penguins are only found in Australia and New Zealand with unconfirmed sitings in Chile.
This photo was taken in 2009 in Xingcheng, China. The two figures on the rock are not people, but statues facing each other. If anyone knows what the statues mean, please fill me in!
This picture was taken in 2008 in on the Yalu River in Dandong, China. The boat is flying the North Korean colors and appears to be manned by a few soldiers near the bow. Dandong and the North Korean city of Sinuiju are separated only by the Yalu River. One of the main attractions of Dandong is the ability to get close to North Korea. We took a speed boat along the river and near the North Korean shore for 70 yuan or about 11 USD. Also available in Dandong are pictures, posters, pins, and stamps featuring Kim Jong-Il and his father Kim Il-sung.
This photo was taken in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2009. The mural is propaganda for the Communist Party of Vietnam, hence the sickle and hammer logo in the top right. Under the mural, the words translate to, "Determination to successfully implement the resolution of the Party." In Vietnam, it is not uncommon to see Communist propaganda on walls near schools, police stations, and public meeting places. Sometimes, the murals feature various workers or students crowded around a teaching Ho Chi Minh.
This photo was taken in 2011 at AQWA Aquarium in Perth, Australia. The grey nurse shark is known as a sand tiger shark in the U.S. and a spotted ragged-tooth shark in Africa. They are the most commonly kept aquarium sharks due to their ability to survive well in captivity. Grey nurse sharks are fierce looking because of their jagged teeth that protrude from their mouths, but they are relatively harmless and will only attack if provoked. The grey nurse shark gulps air into it's stomach to maintain buoyancy. Out of all known shark species, none are known to do this besides the grey nurse.
This photo was taken in 2007 in my co-worker's backyard in Kumamoto, Japan. In Japan these spiders are called Joro-gumo, literally 'harlot spider.' The name comes from an old story from the Edo period about a woman who lures men into her home, then turns into a spider and eats them. In western countries this spider is called Nephila clavata and is a member of the golden orb-web spider group. The web of the female Joro-gumo can reach one meter in length. After mating, the female spins her egg sack, which can contain between 500-1500 eggs, and attaches it to a tree.
This photo was taken in 2007 in Kyoto, Japan. Kyoto was the capital of Imperial Japan and was so from 794 until 1868. Upon becoming the capital in 794, Kyoto became home to the Geisha. Also known as Geigi or Geiko, Geisha were originally skilled dancers called Oiran who also provided sex to their patrons. In the 1700's, many Geisha stopped dealing in sex and became exclusively entertainers; mostly actresses, dancers, and musicians. While some Geisha still offered prostitution, Geisha was seen as a respectable and desirable occupation for women. The women in this picture are Japanese tourists who have paid to be dressed and made up as Geisha.
This picture was taken in 2007 at Shin-Yabakei near Nakatsu, Japan. Nakatsu is in Oita prefecture about 60 km from Oita City. The surrounding mountains are known for their beautiful trees which change to all shades of yellow, orange, and red during autumn. Oita prefecture is also home to some of Japan's, and the world's, finest hot springs with Beppu being a particular place of interest. The combination of stunning scenery and friendly people make Oita prefecture a wonderful place to visit while in Japan.
This photo was taken in 2009 outside of a restaurant in Manzhouli, China. Donkey pulled carts are not uncommon in China, especially in smaller cities. Many vegetable deliveries are still carried out by local farmers who can't afford cars or delivery trucks and have no other option but a donkey cart. When the donkeys become too old to pull the cart, they are slaughtered and eaten, usually as stuffing for dumplings. Such is the life of the sad, poor beast of burden.
This photo was taken in 2009 on the beach in Xingcheng, China. The early Inuit used glasses with a small slit down the middle to reduce the exposure of the sun, however, they didn't decrease the intensity. Sunglasses as we know them have been used since the early 1900's. In 1929, Sam Foster introduced cheap sunglasses to the masses in New Jersey, U.S.A. Foster's brand was called Foster Grant and was sold from a Woolworth's in Atlantic City. Regular use of sunglasses can reduce the chances of getting cataracts, glaucoma, snow blindness, and eye cancer.
This photo was taken in 2009 at the former Demilitarized Zone of Vietnam(DMZ). The DMZ is located about 100 kilometers north of Hue and was established at the Geneva Conference of 1954. The DMZ was set at the halfway point and separated the communist controlled Democratic Republic of Vietnam(North Vietnam) and the imperial controlled Republic of Vietnam(South Vietnam.) Troops from either side were not permitted within 5 kilometers of the DMZ line.
This photo was taken in 2010 at Mun Island in Vietnam. Vietnam is home to some of the best diving in Asia. It's clear water and natural coral reefs combined with low costs make it an ideal place to become a certified diver or even a dive instructor.
This photo was taken in 2009 at our hotel in Beijing, China. Pictured through the peephole is my friend, Stephen Kovaz. In the U.S., a burglary occurs every 14.6 seconds and 34% of burglars come in through the front door. So please, lock your doors and utilize your peepholes.
This photo was taken in 2008 from the window of my hotel in Manzhouli, China. China is home to over 12,000 tourist hotels with approximately 1.3 million hotel rooms, or enough to house the entire combined populations of Iceland, The Bahamas, Belize, and Malta. Between 1998 and 2002, the number of tourist hotels in China went from 5782 to 8880, a 54% increase. Hotel prices in China range from well over 1000 USD a night to under 10 USD a night.
This photo was taken in 2009 at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China. Present day Tiananmen Square was the result of Chairman Mao's dream that Beijing be home to the largest meeting place in the world. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of The People's Republic of China, a number of important buildings were erected around Tiananmen between 1958 and 1959. These include The Monument to the People's Heroes on the southern side, The Great Hall of the People on the western side, and The Revolutionary History Museum, now called The National Museum of China, on the eastern side. The northern side of the square contains the gate to The Forbidden City.
