Japanese Drama Galileo Special - Episode Zero

I just watched Japanese Movie "Suspect X", a continuation of popular drama "Galileo" with hubby and was really satisfied and touched with the plot and ending! I just remembered that "Galileo" also had a one episode special titled "Episode Zero" which premiered in Japan on 4 October 2008 together with the opening of the movie.

The special is set 3 years prior to the drama series, with the story being related to a murder case that was partly referenced in the original show. Detective Kusanagi is looking to solve a murder mystery, and he gets back in touch with his former badminton teammate, the brilliant professor Yukawa Manabu. Those who have watched the movie and are craving for more Galileo action like me can watch the special at: http://www.mysoju.com/galileo/.

(Source: http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Galileo)

(Source: http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-3680)

A Cedar Cove Christmas - Debbie Macomber

Here is another interesting and heartwarming story from Debbie Macomber. I just finished reading this book last night and am going to start with another "Cedar Cove Series, 8 Sandpiper Way" today :> It is always a joy reading Debbie Macomber's books and i'm looking forward to reading her latest released book "The Matchmakers" when it is available at my local library.

Back to "A Cedar Cove Christmas", the main character of the story is mother-to-be Mary Jo Wise who arrives in Cedar Cove on Christmas Eve, searching for her baby’s father. David Rhodes had said he’d be in town. But he isn’t. Which leaves Mary Jo stranded, pregnant and alone. And there’s no room at the local inn . . . So Grace Harding brings Mary Jo home to her nearby ranch. She and her husband, Cliff, have a houseful of guests but offer her a room over their stable (currently sheltering the animals—including a donkey and camel—for Cedar Cove’s Nativity pageant!)

When Mary Jo goes into labor that night, a young man named Mack McAfee, a paramedic, comes to her rescue, just as her brothers—the three Wyse men—show up in town. The people of Cedar Cove join them in celebrating the birth of baby Noelle. But no one has more to celebrate than Mack. Because this Christmas brings him faith, hope and love. I enjoyed reading the story of Mary Jo and it was also very funny reading about Mary Jo's 3 brothers, Linc, Mel and Ned when they were almost mistaken as thiefs and arrested by the police of Cedar Cove while searching for their sisters. They also have real bad sense of directions and kept losing their ways while trying to locate Grace's house. I look forward to reading more about their story and also how Mary Jo and Mack's relationship would progress in future "Cedar Cove Series".

2009 Chinese New Year in Beijing - Great Wall Of China

Finally the tour of a lifetime i have been looking forward to!!! Climbing the Great Wall of China and seeing it with my own eyes!!! About an hour's drive away from Tiananmen Square lies the Great Wall of China, one of the world's Seven Wonders. Pieced together by an estimated one million men, the Great Wall stretches about 6700km. Climbing the steep and well-worn steps can be pretty tedious and scary, but it's well worth the effort!!! I had a super heavy breakfast to prepare myself for the long walk :>


Once you've scaled to a height of some 300m above sea level, you will be treated to a panoramic view of the surroundings. I never realised that it is so scary when you climb down the long stairs and i did not even dare to look down as it is so scary!!! I found myself developing a fear of stairs while climbing down and the same feeling of fear happened when i was climbing down normal stairs for awhile on the rest of our tour of Beijing. For those who are afraid of heights, it is not advisable to climb the Great Walls . I kept thinking what would happen if i missed a step and fall down while climbing up and down the stairs....it is just so scary!!! I had to hold on tight to the side railings throughout my climb up and down the Walls which was not a very nice sight hehe but it was worth it when i got to the top.

Lunch:

Garlic Crush

(Source: The Singapore Women's Weekly, December 2008 edition)

The ancients were on to something when they said that garlic was magical. Studies have shown that garlic may lower the risk of breast, colon, stomach and throat cancers. Besides, it's heart-healthy too. The secret? Sulphides, which are released if the garlic is crushed and left to sit for at least 10 to 15 minutes before cooking.

Japanese Movie - Suspect X (2009)

Suspect X Movie Trailer :

I'm so excited as the movie version "Suspect X", of my favourite Japanese drama "Galileo" starring Masaharu Fukuyama and Kou Shibasaki which i had wrote (http://ladyjansneverland.blogspot.com/2007/11/new-japanese-drama-galileo.html) about in end 2007 will be showing in Singapore cinemas from 26 February 2009!!! I have been waiting for the movie version since i finished watching the drama and had thought it would be shown last year. The movie has gotten great review (4 out of 5 stars rating) from "The Straits Time, Life! section", 25 February 2009 edition and hubby has promised to watch the movie with me this week :> Those who are fans of the drama do support the movie version!

The movie like the drama "Galileo" is based on the award-winning mystery writer Keigo Higashino's popular Detective Galileo series and it reunites the principal cast from the hit TV adaptation. The movie continues with genius mathematician and high school teacher Tetsuya Ishigami (Shinichi Tsutsumi) having taken a fancy towards Hanaoka Yasuko, a lady working at a bento store. When he learns that Yasuko and her daughter have killed a person, he then helps the two of them to construct the perfect alibi. The police investigation runs into difficulty and Detective Kaoru Utsumi (Kou Shibasaki) seeks the advice of his friend, the brilliant physicist Manabu Yukawa (Masaharu Fukuyama).

Ishigami is Yukawa's college friend and Yukawa regards him as a true mathematics genius. Elaborate bluffs, false testimonials, loopholes in logic - all begin to appear in Detective Galileo's (Yukawa) way as if intentionally placed as a challenge by someone with mathematical brilliance. A fierce battle of wits breaks out between the genius mathematician and genius physicist.

(Source: http://sg.movies.yahoo.com/Suspect+X/movie/15065/)

(Source: http://www.encorefilms.com/suspectx/index.htm)

(Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPqv4gx2OC0)

2009 Chinese New Year in Beijing - Qianmen Street

Beijing's oldest downtown commercial street,the Qianmen Street was built in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The commercial street took shape about 570 years ago and reached its heyday in the 1920s and 1930s, garlanded with restaurants, theaters, silk stores and tea houses. It was still a famous shopping area even before the refurbishment, despite its rundown condition and over-population. The street was closed for a facelift in May 2007, with old buildings demolished and only reopened before the Beijing Olympics last year. It was really nice taking a nice walk down the street after dinner and admiring the beautifully designed and built buildings. The lightings made the whole place look very romantic :>