Moving over

Due to certain reason. This blog will be closed. Entries will still remain. And will be moving over to a new site.

In the Eyes of Cambodian.

This entry is a mix of my hand held diary of mine and some of my later addition. It took me some time and laziness to write up this entry.

7/8/09 12.51am (GMT +8)

Can’t believe I am writing on an old diary of mine just before my trip. Well, this will serve as a simple journal as I journey through Cambodia. Feeling excited and looking forward of what I will experience there.

Expecting it to be a simple but yet soul enriching journey. With a new environment to photograph, bet it will be loading with tons of pictures. Wohoo! Gonna take a break now, will write more as I go along.

7/8/09 1.50pm (GMT +8)

Still at KL budget airport waiting for our flight to Cambodia. Kinda feeling like a dead zombie on the outside without having enough sleep. But the excitement kept me awake. Once again, I am behaving like a little kid, filled with excitement and joy.

7/8/09 9.03pm (GMT +7)

After a nice warm shower at our hotel, I am back writing my journal again. And yup, my very 1^st day at Cambodia, Phnom Pehn. The country wasn’t as bad as I thought, its like Thailand just few years back then. The pace is much slower here. So far haven’t taken any picture that I am impress with, but well still got 5 days more to go. Theres nothing much around my hotel, is actually a semi detached housing converted into a hotel. So far, I am not daring enough to take the picture of the locals here. Afraid that I may offend them in some way. Oh well, hoping tomorrow gonna be more fun and eye opening. So far, is a great start! Time to head into bed.

8/8/09 10.01pm (GMT +7)

Had a great day at Phnom Pehn. Our first trip is to go Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. We walked there from our hotel, but ya, we lost our way. But well interesting way to see the locals life there. The museum rather disturbing. 20,000 people was torture and killed during the 4 years occupation of Khmer Rouge. The place use to be a high school, than converted to a HQ of torturing, and now, a museum. A depressing and heart aching scene.

Other areas we went to are the markets, Russia and Central market. Is filled with local food and a lot interesting pieces of artworks. I brought a few of my paintings there.

The most cool thing there is to see our Singapore embassy there, too bad I didn’t manage to take a picture of it.

Time to pack our bag, and get ready to move on to Siem Reap and meet up with Fu’s friends.

10/8/09 7.53am (GMT +7)

Been rather late on writing up my entry. Kinda tired and lazy to, haha. It’s a 6 hours long journey to Siem Reap and with only 1 stop. The bus was better than I expected, with aircon and double deck, like those buses to KL. Siem Reap on another hand, is less developed that Phnom Pehn. Not all roads are properly constructed. I would expect Siem Reap to be develop as well, due to Angkok Wat. *Fingers cross* hoping it will be much better.

Met up with Fu’s friends, bet the journey will be more fun and is always good to explore everything new together. So far, our stay in Siem Reap is just visiting of an old market, much the same as those I had seen in Phnom Pehn.

Anyway, today will be visiting the Angkok Wat, the highlights of our trip. Cant wait to take more pictures. Just finish my breakfast at the hotel café, more like a huge mosquito’s breeding ground than a café. Having a meal there is like going for outfield.

10/8/09 11.47pm (GMT +7)

It’s been a long day today. Went to a few great temples as well as a great chance for me to test out different photography method. And yea, we stepped into the temple of Angkok Wat, the largest of all religion site in the world. The architectural design of the building is just splendid, amazed on how the ancients did it back then. At the top of Angkok Wat, I met this woman and her child. She looked wored down. She agreed for me to photograph her. After showing her the picture of her child that I took, she spoke nothing as her face just filled with a smile. She than give a motherly kiss onto her baby. Nothing beats the look of her eyes as it filled with love.

There are children as young as 9 is at street selling post cards and stuff. Kinda heart break to see that scene, but well, there’s a limit on how much we can offer to them.

12/8/09 6.00pm (GMT +8)

After reaching back home, I settle myself before I wrote this part of entry. On my very last day of activity, we went to the jungle temple. Its filled with interesting contour of the tree root and temple. After that, we drop by Tonle Sap Lake. A lake filled with floating houses and people doing all the daily routine there. Washing, bathing and watching tv on their floating houses. The color of the lake was rather murky, like milk tea.

A lady wave to us under the basking sun, along was her 3 others kids, 2 sleeping and 1 busy removing water from their boat. The mother of 3 approached us with a bunch of banana. Of course, we have no intention of having the banana, Marian just passed her $1. The mother pass that dollar to his busy son, in an instant, the kid was bubbling with joy. The eye exchange between the mother and son was beyond words. For a moment, I never felt so touched before. So overwhelmed by the love the family had.

The trip is by far the simplest yet each moment is filled with joy and touching scene. Every part of this country has its own history. Taking photograph was the main objective of my trip, but I gained more than what I expected. I met new friends, Ivan, Marian and Jess. Brought 2 lovely and amazing cheap painting, took 1378 picture in total within 6 days, used more than 12 batteries. When everyone ask me how’s the trip, my reply would be: eye opening, simple and touching. Each time I pressed down the shutter, time is frozen, and each heartwarming moment is kept...

[Photos I took can be view at my facebook albums.]

those simple little things

Sometimes during life, I/We forgotten those little things that can cheer up. At kids, we are easily contented with just a simple toy. As we grew older, our line of content expands and changes. Perhaps we forget what we really wants...

I brought this cute little Domo-kun. A toy that cause 2 adults to crazy over it. haha.


什么时后起,我门开始忘记最简单的东西能带给我们的快乐.

To Aug

Never nothing much now adays for me to write it down.

The only thing I am looking for is my aug oversea trip. Cant wait to travel and see Cambodia. Expect myself to practise alot of my photgraphy skills. So ya, aug is a exciting month for me. For now, really nothing much. Everything... seems rather boring. Haha. Oh wells, things gonna get better, I hope.

Additional Fin.

Its a great feeling each time I pick up my camera and begin snapping pictures. I never imagine I will get addicted to a new hobby. Reading photography books, snapping pics, going photography outing.

A mechanical box. Filled with the magical abilities to freeze time, capture memories, and give the user a new pair of eyes. Isnt it just amazing to freeze time. Within that frame of pics, the time freeze and preserve forever. I really enjoy this new hobby. And enjoy the quiet moment I took out my camera and begin snapping at all things. Though is not a DSLR kind of camera, but I am content with my result.

Much more to learn and much more pics to come. My camera is my partner and my dearest friend now. haha.

Here are my top 3 favourite pictures:

Nephew David and my fish tank. I love the contrast and the expression of David in mirror.

The first close up pic of my fishes. Simply cool and love their colors.

The flower pic that I love most, took at hortpark.

Believe in

This few weeks have been loss in work. Kinda really uncertain to do what next. Somehow or rather, things like falling apart in my life. Apart from my family. Kinda tired to handle things at times, kinda wish to run away from all reality that I have to face.

Slowly, I am find back myself. Slowly once again discover myself. And slowly, be ready to the world.

I am sooooooo envy of my nehpews. Life for them now is so carefree. Soon their turn to face reality in time.

Life's gonna get better each moment onwards, and I believe so.

worthwhile

That night, the wind is graceful and soft.

I saw the eyes of my friends, each filled with their own sorrow.

Each filled with their own unhappiness.

I slowed my steps, close my eyes, and begin to pray.

Hoping to reduce their pain.

Life's not easy, but is friends that made the journey worthwhile.

To my dearest friends, jia you.