Gundam Fall 2009

The currently running Gundam Big Expo reveals a lot af interesting kits for coming fall. The most forward looking kit for almost a year will be the MG 1/100 RX-75 Guntank. With this MG kit Bandai finally completes the Operation V team. Even the Box-art is ready. Release of the MG Guntank will aproximately be late September. At this moment I don't know yet if the MG Guntank will come with new gimmicks like flash LED's or anything else. Bandai has becoming known as the source of the Chaos Theory lately due to the unlogical strategy of release of kits. Now it is revealed that there will be a MG re-incarnation of the MBF-P03 Gundam Astray Blue Frame 2nd L revise (Lowe Gear), which already has a HG 1/100 version. Just half a year after the Release of the PG Astray Red Frame. It is the second MG kit that comes after a PG version. The first one was the Gundam Wing Zero Custom. My guess is that a MG Red Frame release will be realised in a distant future. I will probably get this kit anyway, due to the originality and technical quality of the design. Speaking about design........ I am a great fan of the Cosmic Era (Gundam Seed), but the future releases of Seed vs Frame Astray makes the C.E. a little ridiculous and insults the current line-up. Look and make up your mind. From left to right: NCYS Providence; Hail Buster; Gail Strike and the Regen Duel. The Buster and Strike will be released on August 24th, the Providence and Duel will be released late September. Designs are very undelicious in my opinion. It looks like the designs are coming from an artstudio with some rookie students. Every one can redesign this through replace the MS parts on a different location. I do not wish my future car will be one with the wheels on the roof....defenitely a No No to me.

For now the last fact: This is the first glimp of the next Perfect Grade kit - The Gundam 00 Raiser.
Probably a very good design and a very large kit, since it will come with the 0-Raiser.
My expectation is that the box will has the size of his successor PG Red Frame and the earlier PG Zeta and Strike Rouge + Skygrasper.
Although I'm a major fan of the PG kits, I think it is a little overkill with in mind that the last PG Red Frame release was just 8 months ago by the time the 00 Raiser will arrive.
The timelag between the PG Red Frame and the ultimate frame PG Strike (+Strike Rouge) has been 4,5 years! What has Bandai been doing all these years?
There is no doubt the PG 00 Raiser will be a succes, since the meta series Anno Domini Gundam 00 is a commercial succes. I wonder if the Gunpla fans can catch up this tidal wave of new and good releases.
Time will tell......

All kits will be available at Morgenroete Inc.

Do you like the Seed vs Astray models design?

Gunpla releases Summer 2009

Amongst of the releases, the main focus this month is defenitely on the MG 1/100 GN-001 Gundam Exia. There is also a different kit, MG Exia Ignition Mode. This kit is a limited release with extra parts to make the Exia Repair II mode. Lots of gunpla builders are looking forward to it. So do I. But all other releases are also very interesting and can be ordered at Morgenroete Inc. for Benelux Gunpla builders.
The first batch has arrived!

Second batch is following very soon!

Do you like the MG 1/100 GN-001 Gundam Exia?

City trip Hong Kong SAR - 4 (Last Part)

Asians are quite electronic-addicts. So are they here. This computer centre was in the district Sham Shui Po. The Mekka for electronic-madmen.
All sort of hardware and software for PC and console gaming are available here. I have thought about purchasing a Nintendo DSi here, but on a second thought....it would be better to buy one back in The Netherlands due to the region restrictions. (which weren't an issue in the past).

A few days later we went to Lantau Island to visit the Tian Tan Buddha. It's worlds tallest buddha seated statue outside and has a excellent view. If the weatherconditions are good - and we were lucky - you can see Macau SAR from the top of the statue.
At Wong Tai Sin Temple we were witnessing some of many ceremonial buddhism activities.
We have also visited Hong Kong Park at the district Admiralty. HK Park has a nice Greenhouse and an enormous aviary with a great variety of birds.

On the last day we have visited our grandmother who lives in a adult-day care resort. Because the H1N1 Influenza is an actual item, we had to wear a surgical mask. On the picture: 4 musketeers, my grandfather (left) was joking with us!

Later that night, after being confirmed we were able to jump on the jump-seats again, the PH-BFS 'City of Shanghai' flew us back to the Netherlands. A special note: The 747-400 captain was the same one as on my flight last year from HK to AMS, an unique coincidence.
Unfortunately the last picture isn't that sharp, but it was my best one at the time.
Well, this is it. I hope you enjoyed my mini-trip log.

Have you planned a vacation this summer?

City trip Hong Kong SAR - 3 (City)

During our visit to HK we stayed at The Cosmopolitan Hotel. A high-end hotel at the Wan Chai district. Well...actually it is based in Causeway Bay since the MTR station is nearby. Happy Valley Race Course was situated next to us. Since gambling is illegal in HK, the people are looking for some excitement at the HK Jockey Club and bet on horse races.
Due to the economic crisis the prices for a stay are dropped tremendiously that low, the costs for 1 night at this 4 star hotel was about € 26,00 (US$ 36,50) per night.
In The Netherlands we can't get even the doors opened for us....
Anyway, the location was great we were right in the centre of HK Island.
If you have the chance getting there, make sure you get the infamous Octopus Card.
This card is your key to mobility. Private transport is almost impossible in HK due to the many traffic-infarctions, so the public transport (trains, underground, taxi's, busses and feries) are excellent!
You can simple charge up your card and pay electronically all your fares. The Octopus is also used for payment at convenience stores, supermarkets, fast-food restaurants, on-street parking meters, car parks, and other point-of-sale applications such as service stationsvending machines.

Eating is a very important activity in South East Asia. So people do not cook very often, as it is very time consuming. No, around every corner they have a restaurant, eating house or markets, so let's eat outside!
The 3rd picture is at a market in the New Territories city Sheung Shui.
Later that day we had a good dinner at my grandparents place.

Hong Kong's skyline is also breathtaking and we were able to see the Symphony of Light, an event with a mix of lightshow and music while presenting the skyline and the remarkable buildings of HK Island.
Also remarkable is the building proces in HK. Unlike the European which uses steel or aluminium tubes for scaffolding, the Chinese use bamboo. And they have a few points: It's a product of mother nature, easy to assemble and dissemble, it's weight is limited, also strong and withstands all sorts of stress. And more importantly, the costs are low. Incredible how an ancient method defeats modern methods.

Next time: Part 4 - Cities, Tian Tan Budha and more culture.

Poll results

Well, the poll has already been closed for a while, but nevertheless, the results shows that The United Emirates of Orb are the favorites amongst the voters. Though there were only six voters, 5 out of six have chosen the Orb Union.
It's probably the vision behind this faction that makes sense. The obviously Three Ship Alliance is a forthcoming from the orb faction.

Final results:
Earth Alliance - 0 %
PLANT - 0 %
United Emirates of Orb - 83 %
Three Ship Alliance - 17 %

Thanks for voting and a new poll about the PG kits has been added.