Sunday, June 19, 2016

Day 2 of Overseas Trip 2016

In Osaka, the first attraction I visited is Osaka Castle.

Basically, I walked from Namba towards Osaka Castle. The picture on the left is what I first spot after crossing the cross roads.

After crossing the bridge over the moat, I entered the gate. The main castle, which was the house of lord, is about 10-15 mins walk from the gate. Admission fee is required to enter inside the castle for my exploration.



After that, I had a lunch in a Japanese place. Actually, I went there before the operating hour. The Japanese lady is very kind to let me to sit down and wait for her to get ready. It is really spicy curry rice.



After lunch, I walked to Umeda so that I can buy a new pair of eyeglasses in Jins shop in a shopping centre opposite Osaka station.





By 4pm, I walked from Osaka station to Umeda Sky Building. The aim is to take pictures on the aerial views of Osaka. The below three pictures are the position of sun from 5pm to 6.30pm.








Thereafter, I went back to host's home. Next blog will be about Day 3.

Books
Title: Warren Buffett's Ground Rules - Words of Wisdom from the Partnership Letters of the World's Greatest Investor
Rating: 9/10
Remark: Excellent discussion on snips of key stuffs written by Buffett. The author has demonstrated his understanding which some of us may have not thought of.

Movies

John Reacher (Hollywood Movie 2012)
Synopsis:
The crime occurred when the sniper did a random shots at 5 unrelated people. With the available evidences, the cops arrested swiftly on the suspect. The suspect requested for John Reacher. Who is he?
Rating: 8/10
Remark: Good movie.




Tony Del Piero wrote and posted at at 2:00 pm

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Before First Day of Overseas Trip 2016

Before I bought open jaw ticket from Singapore to Tokyo to Osaka to Tokyo to Singapore, I had hard time to choose two timings.

It is great to select 11pm-12pm or 5am-6am because this timing allows you to arrive fresh in Japan by early afternoon. I chose 6.30am timing since it was cheaper.

This means I have to arrive Changi Airport at 11.30pm and stay there overnight since I intend to travel there by train.

Day 1 of Overseas Trip 2016

I arrived Narita International Airport at 2.20pm (Japan Time). During the stopover time, I got JR Pass and 3 days Tokyo Pass. After that, I headed to Narita Domestic Airport so as to take another plane to Osaka. I arrived Itami Airport at 7.20pm.

Surprisingly, I exited Itami Airport very fast. I tried to understand how to buy train ticket on the machine.













The employee for the train firm, Osaka Moonrail, taught me how to use the machine. For next few train purchase, I can easily press without assistance. I have to take train from Itami Airport to Hotarugaike Station.




I have to walk for less than 3 mins to another company's Hotarugaike Station - operated by Hankyu so that I have to reach Umeda station. From there, I needed to make another transfer by exiting Umeda station to another company's Umeda station.

With much difficulty due to poor signboard locations, I managed to find Midosuji line from Umeda station to Namba station.





Finally, I arrived the host's home with little difficulty. Namba station has so many exits and so I had to figure out which exit i need to head for. I think Orchard station in Singapore has around less than 8 exits while Umeda and Namba stations have more than 20 exits. M16, on the photo, means Midosuji line number 16 exit.

After putting my backpack bag in the host's home, I did a dinner in Dotonbori. Dotonbori is popular spot - a long row of eating shophouses near river. Very high human traffic.




On next blog post, I will write up about Day 2.

Books

Title: Getting There - A Book of Mentors
Author: Gillian Zoe Segal
Rating: 9/10
Remark: It is amazing book that the author interviews the successful people who didn't have good life start. Great examples!

Title: Black box thinking : the surprising truth about success (and why some people never learn from their mistakes)
Author: Matthew Syed
Rating: 8/10
Remark: It is good book - it encourage people to embrace failures before succeed the aim. There are plenty of real-life examples to illustrate it.

Title: Make change work for you : 10 ways to future-proof yourself, fearlessly innovate, and succeed despite uncertainty
Author: Scott Steinberg
Rating: 6/10
Remark: I read this book out of curiosity. So far, it is decent book.

Title: Bounce : Mozart, Federer, Picasso, Beckham, and the science of success
Author: Matthew Syed
Rating: 8/10
Remark: Matthew Syed has written a quite number of good books. It is about practicing the right way before you can deliver quality performance based on that practice.

Title: Getting There - A book of Mentors
Author: Segal, Gillian Zoe
Rating: 9/10
Remark: It is excellent book whereby all mentors who used to fail before succeed were interviewed.

Title: The Manager - Inside the Minds of Football's Leaders
Author: Mike Carson
Rating: 6/10
Remark: Nothing insightful even for me, the football fan.

Title: Originals - How Non-Confirmists Move the World
Author: Grant Adam
Rating: 7/10
Remark: A series of studies on how famous names get the success. Highly recommended.

Title: Dream Big  - How the Brazilian Trio behind 3G Capital - Jorge Paulo Lemann, Marcel Telles and Beto Sicupira Acquired Anheuser-Busch, Burger King and Heinz
Author: Cristiane Correa
Rating: 9/10
Remark: Engaging real-life story of how three guys build the first business and then second one.

Title: The Oracle & Omaha, How Warren Buffett and His Hometown Shaped Each Other
Author: Steve Jordan
Rating: 9/10
Remark: Short but touching discussion.

Movies and Dramas

Title: Signal (Korean Drama 2016)
Synopsis: In 2000, a righteous cop was killed. Before he died, there is unknown supernatural spiritual link between him and another younger cop, Park Hae Young over walki-talkie communication in 2015. It is the first and second communications. The latter cop was spooked as he found evidence of unsolved murder case as per first communication. After he died, Park Hae Young contacted he same cop of 1995 for the verification of that. Eventually, they set to solve the cold cases that the righteous cop was involved.
Rating: 9/10
Remark: Most of 16 episodes have cliff-hanger moments.

Title: The Accidental Detective (Korean Movie 2015)
Synopsis:
The owner of book store with his passion of detective stories tries to be detective in order to find the truth. That truth will prove his best friend that he is not the murderer.
Rating: 9/10
Remark: Easily one of the best Korean movie by far in 2015.

Title: Persona Non Grata (Japanese Movie 2015)
Synopsis:
It is based on true story. Chiune Sughihara issued visa to Jews so that they can escape from German army.
Rating: 7/10
Remark: Touching story.

Title: Space Brothers (Japanese Movie 2012)
Synopsis:
At adult age, younger brother sent the application to be astronaut on behalf of his older brother. It is to fulfil the dream of two brothers being sent to space.
Rating: 6/10
Remark: Slow moving story but inspiring one.

Title: Suits Season 1 to 5 (Hollywood Drama 2010-2015)
Synopsis:
Harvey hired a smart guy with no law degree, Mike as associate in the law firm. When will the trouble hit the law firm for this audacious act?
Rating: 9/10
Remark: Brilliant show, great dialogues. Harvey and Donna look cool in there.

Deadpool (Hollywood Movie 2016)
Synopsis:
A superhero movie. A modified man who can heal himself automatically sets out to destroy evil people he has on his target book.
Rating: 8/10
Remark: Refreshing movie, very different from standard superhero movie.



Tony Del Piero wrote and posted at at 9:25 pm