Good Morning Batam

On Saturday, 30th August 2008, I woke up as usual at 6am. The only different is I'm not home in Singapore, I'm in Batam for our annual company trip and the local time is only 5am in the morning!

As I step out to the balcony to get some fresh air and to do my daily morning stretching exercises, a few of the resort workers were already busy cleaning the pool and sweeping the compound. By the time I finished my exercises, the sun is slowing creeping over the distance mountain top, creating an orange cast in the sky. The sunlight falling on the resort building gave it a warm glow and the distance trees look beautiful silhouetted against the orange skies.

Being a nature lover and photography enthusiast, I couldn't help but rush to get my camera to snap some pictures. By then, my colleague and room mate, Ben Sim is also awake. I took a quick shower and we went down to seaside to take more pictures.

The magical hour between 6.45am to about 8am is best for nature photography. The air is fresh, the lighting is constantly changing and the birds are very active searching for food and chirping away. There are vast photo opportunities for the early risers!

Following are some pictures I took on that beautiful morning.

Birds at Phor Kark See Temple

Last Sunday, I took my new Canon 17-40mm lens to Phor Kark See Temple to test it out but I ended taking more pictures of birds then the temple itself. When I was there trying out the new lens, I found 3 species of birds that I have not photograph before therefore I quickly switch over to my 100-400mm lens and started taking pictures of these birds.

The first pair of birds I saw was standing on a rock at the pond near the temple's entrance. They look like either Herons or Egrets, I could not identify them because I do not find any similar pictures of them during my on-line search. If you could identify them, please let me know which species they belong to.

Around the temple ground, I came across a pair of Scaly-breasted Munia. They were busy searching for food and they could not even bother about me. It gives me the opportunity to move quite close to photography them.

The third bird was a colourful Copper-smith Barbet up on a Bodhi Tree. I was reading the writings on the sign-board beneath the tree when I heard a bird chirping away loudly on the tree. Its action was very swift, it kept hoping from branches to branches and I have to keep adjusting my positions and angles to get a picture.

Finally, as though it feel pity for me, seeing my moving around and bending at weird angle trying to take its picture. It came to rest on a branch in full view and stood there pretty still for me to take pictures. As my shutter clicks away, it turns it head, right and left, high and low, as if to pose for me!

NDP 08 Preview

This year has got to be the most pathetic NDP for me! I got a last minute NDP Preview ticket from a patron at my aunt’s Western Food Stall. But thanks to him I got to attend the preview. The only consolation was I seated between two lovely ladies, we chatted during the preview and enjoyed doing the Marina Bay Roar (yes, similar to the Kallang Roar that every Singaporean is familiar with).

To me the highlight event has got to be my favourite Singapore Air Force Black Knights doing their salutation formations and aerobatics flying! The annual flag bearing Chinook with accompanying Apache helicopters, the new paragliders, the Red Lions parachutists, and all other performances on the platform stage or on the bay all combined to make the night a spectacular one! The grand finale firework display is heightened by the latest dance music spin by DJs from the St. James Powerhouse! All the spectators were dancing and jiving as they leave the stadium.

I left this 43rd National Day Party with a deep impression from a sentense our Minister Mentor, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, made in a video clip on the large screen. I could not remember his exact words, but it goes something like this "....this is a mud land...but in 20 years time...this will become a cosmopolitan city!” The man is true to his words and Singapore has become a cosmopolitan city in a short span of time! I must say the left the stadium being proud that I'm a Singaporean!

Re-visit the Museum

It’s been a long time since I last visited the Museum. The last time I step into the Museum was when Contax launch their AF 645 medium format camera. I could not even remember whether it is in the early 2000 or late 1990s!

On Thursday, a colleague of mine - Mr. Alfred Tan, suggested that we go to the museum to take some pictures. He told me in conjunction with the Night Festivals the museum building wall will be lighted up nightly with laser display. I thought why not? since I could re-visit an old place that I enjoyed and I could take some pictures at the same time!

Sadly, we did not get to see any of the exhibitions except a naked giant statue at the entrance of the museum! When we reached the museum, we entered from the back door from Fort Canning and were busy taking pictures of the museum interior right from the moment we step in. Just as we make our way to the museum's main door, the sky is getting dark and the laser display was about to start. We walk around the front of the museum to recce for a good spot to take the laser display, Alfred took up position on the left hand side of the building and me to the right.

The laser display is great and before we leave I took a picture of Alfred in front of the museum. One day, I hope to go back to the museum again to see the exhibition and hopefully I don't wait for another 8 years to so!