Stages of a photographer - How good we think we are

Pretty self explanatory really... though I must admit I had to study it for a while. The key shows what the coloured lines mean.

Posted via email from jayavant's posterous

A nice piece of camerabilia

Seen in Kyobo Bookstore in Centum City, Busan, today. A pencil sharpener shaped like a twin lens reflex camera.

There is really no limit to the things one can collect. I resisted the urge to buy. I'll stick to real cameras.

Much more worrying, nearby were "dog staplers".

Posted via email from jayavant's posterous

YMO in Pocky ad?

See the full gallery on posterous

On my way back from Japan last week I stayed in a hotel in Fukuoka. An ad came on the TV that featured members of the Yellow Magic Orchestra. I grabbed my iPhone but only managed to grab the last few seconds.

Here are some stills I captured from the ad. That looks like Yukihiro Takahashi on the left and Harry Hosouni on the right but is that Ryuichi Sakamoto in the middle?

I like to hope it isn't.

The product incidentally is a fake-chocolate dipped pretzel stick known on Japan as a Pocky and in Korea as a ppeppero (빼빼로). They are thoroughly nasty.

Posted via email from jayavant's posterous

Heoshimcheong microbrewery

See the full gallery on posterous

This is a place I used to frequent when I lived here in Busan a few years ago. They make 3 varieties of beer on site, the darkest being a tasty and very strong brown ale they call Dunkel. it is situated on the ground floor of the Heoshimcheong  sauna complex, a part of the Nongshim Hotel in Oencheonjang, on subway line 1, Busan.

The brewing equipment is all visible though glass windows, the decor is faux-Bavarian and the super-cute waitresses and, I suspect, embarrassed waiters, all dress respectively in Heidi-style costumes and lederhosen.  The menu is dominated by overpriced sausages, but it's definitely worth a visit just for the beer.

I went there today at about 5:30pm and the waitress, who has excellent English, told me I was the first customer. I enjoyed a 500ml glass of Dunkel, and the complimentary bread sticks, which seemed to contain chilli.

On weekends the place is packed with hikers, enjoying a few drinks after a post-mountaineering sauna. They have a house band which plays pretty cheesy pop and the place can get quite lively.

Anyway I enjoyed my own post-sauna beer and may sneak back later in the week for another.

Posted via email  from jayavant's posterous

Daegu's "Beer Factory" : a brief review.

See the full gallery on posterous

I was in Daegu, Korea, this week and spent an evening with some very good folks at a microbrewery style of bar called The Beer Factory. They had quite a range of beers from a pale Pilsener to quite a dark stout. I only tried the brown ale and can attest to it's deliciousness. Prices are on the high side but typical for a bar of this type. Food was the usual fried chicken dishes but they were generous with their free "service" dishes. Then again we were a largish party and spent quite a lot.

One thing really amuses me though (see second picture): in the gents, above each urinal, is a menu if their beers so one can plan what to drink next even as one voids the last beer.

Posted via email from jayavant's posterous

Miyazaki Station

See the full gallery on posterous

Just some images I shot with the Hipstamatic App on my iPhone while waiting for the train to Miyakonojo at Miyazaki Station the other evening.

Posted via email from jayavant's posterous