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Posted on February 1, 2012
Yup, that’s what the missus and I did over the recent lunar new year holidays. We decided to get away from all the festivities going on and visit our friend in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The Tree of Life at sunset
Tucked away in the Persian Gulf, situated next to Saudi Arabia and surrounded by sea water lies the island of Bahrain. It’s size is quite similar to that of Singapore. While Singapore is elongated east to west, the longest part of Bahrain island stretches from north to south. Like Singapore, it takes just about an hour to drive from one end to another end. Its population is however just a quarter that of Singapore.
When we were there, it was winter, and lucky for us, the ideal time to visit the country. During the day it was a cool 18 degrees but I was told in summer temperatures can soar up to more than 50 degrees celsius with humidity of more than 90%!
Being our first time in Bahrain, or rather first time to the middle east for that matter, it was a new experience for us to visit the region. We were also so well taken care of by our hosts that we were truly spoilt and were so reluctant to leave towards the end. We leave behind some beautiful memories and I would like to share with you some images from the country. We hope that the tourism industry would further develop in Bahrain as it really is a beautiful place to visit!
The images below shows the hotel that we stayed, the National Museum of Bahrain and some street scenes
We also visited some old houses that were restored in the city of Muharraq, the third largest city in Bahrain. You can also see the Tree of Life – one of Bahrain’s main attractions, captured during sunset. The Tree of Life is so called because it stands as the only tree in the desert far from other trees, and where it obtains water to survive has always remained a mystery. Finally, before we departed, we had a stopover at Arad Fort, one of Bahrain’s 4 defensive forts still preserved to this day.
Posted on October 11, 2011
And yet I have barely scratched the surface…
Posted on September 29, 2011
Last week I went to Bintan with the missus and a group of friends for a quick weekend R&R, plus some photography on the sidelines, of course! Bintan island is just a 2 hour ferry ride from Singapore, but it was my first time there so I was pretty curious to check the place out. The island reminds me of Pulau Ubin, but it was a more interesting version with many more things to see. For instance, the many quaint fishing villages that seemed untouched by outside influences. The people were very friendly as well, and most of them would even smile at the camera – a far cry compared to some other places I’ve been where one would get an annoyed stare, or an outstretched hand demanding money for a picture taken.
It is a beautiful place (especially the sunrises and sunsets) and I would not mind going there again, and for couples who like to venture just a little further than our Singapore islands, I think it makes a great location for pre wedding photography as well!
There's my wife and friends capturing the sunrise also!
I thought this picture would look more interesting if there were a human element. So I just composed the image and waited. True enough, someone walked on the plank and here it is!
These group of fishermen went fishing for ikan bilis well before dawn and here they are back with their catch of the day
Posted on May 26, 2011
From time to time, I would take a short break from wedding photography and go on a short photography trip to recharge myself. I find it intriguing and somewhat fascinating to venture somewhere outside of Singapore and see for myself how things are and how people live. However, being the spoilt and timid Singaporean that I am, I would probably not be able to plan and go on a solo backpacking trip and rough it out in unknown lands by myself.
So I chose the next best thing and signed up with Singapore Trekker. These guys are specialists in organising photography trips around the Asia region. I went to one of their trips about 2 years back to Siem Reap and it has been positive experience, hence I was waiting for a chance to go for another trip.
This time it will be Hanoi, and it would also be my first time to Vietnam.
With a population of about 6.5 million people, Hanoi is the capital and the second largest city in Vietnam. A quick lookup in Wikipedia tells me that Hanoi has been established 1000 years as at 2010!
This trip was also special because my wife Ivy signed up with me and it was her first such photography trip. Initially, I was wondering if she would be able to withstand the photography intensive nature (compared to shopping intensive which she is more familiar with haha) of this trip but after 2 days, I was relieved and somewhat impressed by her hardiness and dedication to get the shots she want. I also get a feeling that this would not be her last photo trip.
Anyway, allow me to share with you my journey from the trip. For some images, I will try to add a bit of context to it so that it would not just be a picture, but hopefully you can appreciate the story behind it as well.
Hanoi Old Quarter walkabout
The old quarter has historical roots which dates back nearly 1000 years. It is a very lively, dusty, noisy and “happening” area. What is significant about it is that the area is grouped into areas of trade. For instance, you will find metalworks congregated in one area, and then when you walk to next street, shops and shops of toys greets your eyes!
And let me tell you about the horning. Basically every vehicle that moves on the roads horn. And there are MANY vehicles. They horn at anything and at everything. I think over there, the pedestrians got to watch out for the cars and motorbikes, not the other way around. Forget about them giving way to you at zebra crossings. It takes a certain amount of skill in judgement, and sometimes pure guts to cross the street. And yes, they still horn at you!
Some locals do not like their pictures taken. I spotted this lady sitting outside her shop and when she saw me raising my camera, she quickly turned away.
However, others don't seem to mind their pictures being taken. These group of schoolkids ran out and waved at us when they saw us taking pictures of them! Love the red ribbons!
Sapa
Sapa is located about 350km northwest of Hanoi and is close to the chinese border. To get there, we had to take an overnight train to Lao Cai, and then take a nearly 2 hour bus ride to the town of Sapa. It was a slow uphill journey as the mountain town is situated at an altitude of 1600m. Sapa town has a population of about 36,000 is also home to a diversity of ethnic minority groups. Their staple is rice and corn, and due to the mountanous enviornment, most of them work on sloping terraces.
There is also a predominant existence of mist. In fact, there are about 160 days in a year where there is mist, and it was no surprise that we were greeted with thick mist upon our arrival.
The mist was really depressing because you can hardly take any photos as everything was shrouded in a thick grey blanket. Then I saw this lady appearing from the mist like an apparition and walking towards us. I took a few snaps and this was my favourite because her walking posture was nicely formed, and her facial expression was still visible thru the mist. I wonder what was in her mind...
The market in Sapa is really interesting. One can find familiar items such as pork and vegetables, and often not so familiar stuff…
I'm not sure why the locals like to display chickens in the manner above. This seemed to be the standard way of displaying the chickens for sale. It cracks me up.
That is my wife and our friend braving the drizzle en route to our next destination!
Lao Chai village and Cat Cat valley
We spent some time trekking from Sapa town to Lao Chai village and Cat Cat valley in the next few days. On the way, we saw many children such as the boy below with mucus coming out from their noses. It seems that cold and flu is a common ailment among the people due to the malnutirion and climatic conditions.
Life is tough on the little ones, many of them had to baby their younger siblings while their parents work the field all day. These 2 girls were watching their mother working.
I like this picture as it shows that despite the challenging lives they led, they still find joy in life's little moments, and can give such a sweet smile!
I saw these 3 little girls and went to take their picture. One method which seems to work well is to show them the picture review in the camera, which never fails to delight them.
During our trek the Cat Cat valley, it started to mist heavily again. I must admit I was pretty disappointed as we had already lost half a day in photography due to the mist previously. However, the skies cleared abit and even the sun came out eventually and I was able to take the images that you see below. Yay!!
Meet Melvin, our tour leader from SGtrekkers. One thing about Melvin is that he loves to jump, and in all the places that he has been, he had been jumping. So it was no surprising that he jumped (perhaps with extra vigor) at the wonderful sight beneath him when the mist lifted.
Many of the locals at Cat Cat valley who do not work in the fields, turn to making scarves, shawls and other art and craft items and sell them to tourists like us to make a living. This lady was busy knitting a scraf and her little girl was sleeping on the makeshift bed on the right hand side of this picture. I decided to buy a shawl for my wife as I was pretty impressed by her knitting skills. She was happy and despite our gentle protests, even woke up her baby girl to let us take some pictures.
I should have taken this picture with a smaller aperture...
It is not uncommon to find some children without clothes. I think our kids in Singapore live in a totally different world.
This was the last picture taken before we left Cat Cat valley. I can only imagine the magnificance of the area when bathed in golden morning light.
SaPa town at night
I spotted these 2 little girls near our hotel. The hats on their feet suggests they might have been trying to earn some tourist dollars. Poor things, they looked shagged out after a day's work.
Some kids jumping and taking photos in front of the old church in Sapa
Bac Ha Market
We travelled by bus to Bac Ha market on our last day at Sapa. Bac Ha is famous for its sunday market which attracts throngs of villagers from surrounding tribes to trade, mingle and exchange. It lies about 80km away from Sapa and the sights that greeted us along the journey was beautiful as well.
Like a leopard stalking its prey, our tour leader Melvin uses the same technique to stalk his camera subject 
Our senses were literally assualted at the market. The colorful sights, pungent smells and loud trading noises were everywhere. For some, they can add taste to the list if they are daring enough to try the many strange and exotic looking foodstuff openly displayed.
One of my team mates sharing her picture with a local.
Somehow this guy reminds me a bit of Al Pacino... Asian version...
This old lady and her grandchild did not pose for the camera just like that. I took a shot, went up to them and showed them the picture. They giggled and that was when I took this picture. Always works!
I wanted to take a group picture but I guess some were just too shy.
This old lady was with a few of her friends when I walked up to them. I gestured that I would like a picture of them taken, however, they seemed reluctant. I quickly took a snapshot of them together and showed them the preview on my camera. Guess what? Yes, it works and I took this picture shortly after.
Last days in Hanoi
We went back to Hanoi and spent the last full day shooting a model in the morning in the famous Hoen Kiem lake area and roaming the city in the afternoon.
I was told that the model from the last trip won Miss Vietnam eventually. So I am wondering if Ha (the name of our model) will share similar good fortunes. Frankly, I do not think she would have much problems.
Some of my team mates... all recharged and ready to go after some vietnamese coffee!!
Shooting St Joseph's Cathedral
Morning flag raising at Ba Dinh Square
Every morning at 6am, there would be a flag raising ceremony at Ba Dinh Square, the site of Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum. Our last day at Hanoi was spent witnessing this ceremony. We reached the square at 5:30am and it was already relatively bright. I was surprised to see many people already exercising in the square, and the whole place was buzzing with activity.
A jogger glancing at the guards standing at the entrance to the Mausoleum
After a while, I noticed that there were a few people who would walk up and stand in front of the Mausoleum. With heads bowed and observing a moment of silence, they would then walk away. I concluded that Ho Chi Minh must be a figure that still commands great respect from many of the Vietnamese.
As 6am approaches, a group of guards appeared in the square and began to wave the people away. I was hushed away moments after this shot was taken.
Onlookers, mostly locals would then line up some distance behind the flag pole and wait for the flag raising ceremony. They were hushed, as if expecting something to happen.
The flag raising ceremony commenced when a group of guards marched in along the perimeter of the square admist the blaring of a nationlistic sounding tune from the loudpseakers. They congregated in front of the flag post, facing the mausoleum, and the Vietnamese national anthem began. The flag is slowly raised with a guard holding it. At a certain point and with a flourish, the guard throws the tail end of the flag into the air.
The guards marching past the mausoleum after the ceremony, like little white figurines.
Vietnam is a country with such rich cultural diversity and history and there is definitely so much more than what I have tried to capture during this short trip! I enjoyed this trip tremendously not only for the photo opportunities, but also for the group of very fun and very nice team mates that I got to know!
If you have read this post all the way here, thanks for sharing this journey with me!
Posted on June 21, 2010
After 5 days in London, it was off to Paris! Our first impressions of the city of lights was that it is a really charming city, with its myraid of historical buildings and classical architecture. About every turn and corner in the city centre, you will almost always see buildings that are of some historical significance. There is one regret that I have, and that was not being able to climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower and view the city at night. I am sure that the night scene of Paris would be nothing short of magical…
Oh well, perhaps next time. Some of my favourite images to share with you…
One of the must see places in Paris - The Musée du Louvre, or the Louvre Museum is one of the largest Museum in the world, and one that is most visited. If you have seen The Da Vinci Code, you would find this place familiar
Some of the paintings in the museum are so large it is amazing!
Another view of the Louvre Museum
A typical street scene in Paris - bustling with a hive of activity
Could not resist taking a shot of my darling with the golden sunlight behind her!
A view of Notre Dame Catherdral from the Seine River
I'm sure you know what this is
A view from the bus tour of Paris that we took. It was a great way to see the city in relative comfort and you also get to hear an audio commentary on places of interest as the bus passes them by
A frontal view of La Madeleine - which is actually a church, dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Construction of this building started in 1764!
A view of The Arc de Triomphe - commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to commemorate his victories.
A building whose name I have forgotten
If you are into shopping, this is one of the streets you must check out!
I caought sight of this beauty at Rue Saint-Honore. For car lovers, you know how special this car is!
Just love the sunlight being reflected off the golden statues on top of the building...
Declarations of love by unknown couples in the form of locks that you can find throughout the many bridges across the Seine River
Love this picture because it reminds me of a painting!