It was late midnight, when all heads were pointing to the sky and all eyes were focusing to a breath-taking real human puppet show. Every single movement never stopped to wow the crowds and every single second offered a whole new viewing experience. Brought by Studio Festi of Italy; its well-choreographed music, dance, story, and lighting were something you will want to see not once; but more.
Nothing challenges me more than capturing this dance show in well-composed photographs. Out of hundreds takings, only a handful is worth-showing.
Continue reading ‘hang on’
Filed under events. |
The day Barrack Obama claimed his victory in Democratic presidential candidate, the world’s largest democracy is right on his way for a true change. And if the change does happen (in as early as next January), the world’s political map will be greatly affected … and be corrected.
Today is 4th July, this is just another day (except that it is the last chance for Americans to commemorate its independence under the disastrous Bush administration).
Filed under events. |
The first thing we did when we arrived in Penang was simply to refill our empty stomach, after a tiring 10 hours bus ride from Singapore. Ranging from Penang laksa, mie siam, wantan noodle, up to the famous bak kut teh … Penang has so much to choose to satisfy our taste buds.
Within two days, I took pictures from various attractive spots including the long waited visit on the Penang Hill. In this island, let your nose and eyes guide you along …
Continue reading ‘penang: eating-fest’
Filed under places. |
I was crossing the Millenium Bridge of London when I noticed a tall chimney out a building, so called The Tate Modern. What is written inside the Lonely Planet was not so attractive that I don’t really expect so much from this museum. But by the time I step inside the main hall, it was a jaws-dropping experience. This simple yet grande art installation, which is called The Crack, has so much to offer to human imagination.
An art it may be for Londoners, a disaster it is for the people of Sichuan in China. On May 2008, a quake measured at 8.3 at richter scales shocked much of China causing more than 50,000 lives. And the crack of London is simply a gentle reminder of how volatile the earth could be (at least to my imagination).
Continue reading ‘london: the artquake’
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By the time John Terry’s penalty kick hit the bar, the fate of Manchester United has been decided and the title of European Champions 2008 is once again back to Old Trafford. Fifty years after the Munich disaster, the soul of Sir Matt Busby may probably linger in the Luzhniki Stadium, bringing the Lady Luck alongside his successor, Sir Alex Ferguson. It was not really a great performance by United but surely enough to finish the game with triumph.
For decades, United fans recognize George Best as the ultimate legendary winger of all-time. There has been a saying: “Maradonna Good, Pele Better, George Best”. From now on, it will continue with: “Ronaldo Perfect”.
Continue reading ‘manchester: glory united’
Filed under events and places. |
I was having my early breakfast at McCaffe in a suburb north-east of Melbourne, called Bundoora, when the local newspaper showed a picture of disaster from Burma. What surprised me more was that the Cyclone Nargis, which killed hundreds of thousands lives along Irrawaddy river, was happening five days before (without my knowing).
What I remember about Irrawaddy River is nothing but full of regrets. There were dozens of kids strolling around the slum on the river bank, while some were following me, trying to sell their self-made souvenirs for livings. (May God forgave me for ignoring them just to save few dollars).
It is very sad to know that such disaster occurs to places that we are familiar and we’ve ever been. As I wrote now, thousands more are in a danger of loosing lives; while the stubborn generals are doing nothing but hampering the relief efforts.
One thing for sure, we are living at the mercy of this planet (not at the hands the crime-doers junta) …
Save Burma and its Dear Lady !
Filed under places and stories. |
His birth, 16 years ago, had enough to amaze the world as the first polar creatures to be born out of tropical country. And while Inuka is enjoying the full care of the zoo’s employees, little he realizes that his fellow species, at the other corner of the earth’s pole, has shown a sign of stress due to population shrinkage …
Global warming has been the main threat that causes a rapid diminishing of sea ice in the Arctic, which is used by polar bears as their living platform. And without this platform, there is a growing concern that the ursus maritimus will be left as polar fossil within less than a century.
As we celebrated the Earth Day on 22nd April, the words of Al Gore (in his Inconvenient Truth) has once again reemerge:
We have the vision and know-how and technology we need to address global warming, but we lack the political will. But political will is a renewable resource.
Hope is high up in the air for coincidently next year, countries like United States and Indonesia will undergo a makeover in political leadership. And it is change that we can believe in.
In the meantime, enjoy Inuka at Singapore Zoo …(while you can)
Filed under stories. |
A student activist, Lhadom Tethong, said during the recent Free Tibet rally in San Fransisco:
This is not about us battling torchbearers. This is about the Chinese government using the torch for political purposes. And we are going to use it right back.
Months before it reaches the unsettled Tibetan regions, the Olympic torch has been struggling to keep its flame firing, amidst chaotic road protests along its runway. And as it passed Paris at 7th April, the torch had to be extinguished not once, but three times; enough to activate the China to mobilize its special 70 members of “torch protecting squad”.
And for the first time ever, on 22nd April, the the Olympic flame will descend into the streets of Jakarta, a city that already has enough political heat to be born. With the route is cut short, only within the vicinity of Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, unconfirmed news has spread around that mass rallies will occur. Even my good photographer fellow has already donated his dollars for making t-shirts, placards, and banners 
Though the “lights at the end of the tunnel” is yet to be seen, whatever happens to Tibet, the candles inside Drepung Monastery will always be lighted up, bringing hope to the silent prayers across the plateau.
Om Mani Padme Hum …
Filed under events, places and stories. |
The first time I saw the giant poster of the Queen’s musical show was last year in a Musical Dom, just besides the magnificient gothic church of Cologne Cathedral of Germany. Little I knew about this show until finally this month, I managed to grab front-seat tickets during its tour at the Esplanade Theatre of Singapore.
It was a ground-breaking performance with powerfull and energetic singers led by the main character, Galileo, a definite reincarnation of Freddy Mercury. There is also the villain character, Killer Queen, whose voice could bring you down on your knees within split seconds.
Enough said, the real highlight is actually not on the stage, but the bohemian sitting right next to me. Heart on her lips, and soul within her eyes is enough to steal the show …
Reference: http://wewillrockyou.queenonline.com/
Filed under events and places. |
Exactly 1 year ago, on 7 April 2007, I was out to Belgium for a trip, or to be exact, for a “secret mission”. It was so confidential that only three beings knew that such a mission does exist (including me, her, and HIM). We spent 3 nights in Brussels, but spend most times outdoor in a nearby retreat port, called Brugge.
The mission is well-accomplished, except that I came back with a corrupted and undetectable hard disk. And for almost a year I gave up not being able to see all my pictures again, until one day, after a silly experiment, that I managed to recover only 70% of them.
It was such a great relief, BUT the only pictures left out of Brussels are those, in the last few hours I spent in front of a pissing statue, namely Mannequin the Piss.
(Finally, after a hard time, I could really appreciate how memorable this pissing statue is to the city of Brussels.)
Filed under places and stories. |
