The Bottle-Brush flower...

I had just bought a new Telescopic lens with could be converted into a Micro Lens with just a switch for doing Macro Photography. I did not know that it is possible to do macro photography with a telescopic lens not until a friend show me of how he managed to get a close-up of objects that is at a distance with his telescopic lens. I had been doing macro photography with my micro lens and the result always looks amazing. Using the Micro Lens one had to be close to the object. It is all right when taking the image of just the flowers but if one want to get the activities of insects with the flower it would not be that easy as the insect would normally fly away when one get close to it. With this new lens I could do Macro Photography from a distance. A few days ago I tried my new lens and shot some flowers from far away using the micro lens mode of the Telescopic lens and the result is as amazing. Above is an image of the Bottle-Brush flower that I had taken from a distance of some five metres away. The image shows the flower at close range with the insects enjoying it morning meal sucking nectar of the flower. 

Have a nice day.

Xplorer the Blogger...

Yes folks this Blogger name is xplorer and he blog here SUKA JALAN-JALAN; an active blogger indeed. He is indeed an explorer of sorts. He would take his family on an exploration trips all over the country and share the adventure in his Blog. He is an avid photographer and takes picture of his trip and shares that too. I have been following his Blog from the time I saw his first comment on my blog. Then I put a link on my blog so that I do not miss any of his posting. He is from the generation of my kids and writes well indeed. After reading his blog for years as usual with me I wanted to see the person in real life. I have done that even with stranger bloggers from the other part of the world too and met a few in real life when overseas.  So I wrote to him for a meeting and he give me a quick respond to my request. With that we met on Saturday May 4, 2013 a day before the 13th General Election. After a few exchange of email we decided that we could meet at the KL Sentral mall where both of us could get to with ease using the LRT. So on that day at 10.30AM we met. I had just arrived at the Sentral Station and went to the reception counter to ask where Starbucks is. And just as I was about to walk to it a stranger spoke to me saying he is the xplorer Blogger and that his name is Wan Hazizi. We shake hand and move to our destination the Starbucks. There ordered our coffee and found a nice table to sit and get acquaintance. This is the first time I know his name. All the time he is known as the xplorer to me. Since we both have time to while away we chat on many subjects that comes to minds. Among it I wanted to know of his trip to neighbouring Thailand where he took the train to places as far as Bangkok. He say that he had travelled to many places in Thailand using the Thai Railway which start its service from Penang in Malaysia. He says it is a good train to travel and the service is great as well. That it is safe to travel alone or with family using the Thai Railway. I had planned to do the same so this information became valuable so that whenever I do that trip I would be at ease and could enjoy that train ride. As usual with blogger we talk and talk as we move on while enjoying our coffee. Then we ask a youth who was sitting nearby to take a picture of both of us. Above is the image of our meeting at the Sentral Station that fine day. 

Have a nice day.

Of Cobbler Amirul from Penang...

For the last three days last week I kept going back to the GE Mall at Jalan Ampang to see the on-going Art and Craft Sale and Exhibition there. On arrival I notice the foyer of the mall was full of stalls selling all kind of handicraft from the one made by the OA [Aborigine] to the latest technique in Batik making, Ceramic jewellery, leather works and other crafts handmade by artisan from all over the country.

On the first day I went to just have a look without any intention of buying. Did a round of the exhibition and eventually stop at a stall manned by a young cobbler. It was interesting to see the young artisan doing his job on cowhide. He sells sandals and belts made of real cowhide which he had crafted himself. I ask him where he gets his supply of hide. He says that he got it from Pakistan and Medan in Indonesia. The next day I went there again and took along my branded leather belt which I had it cut and shorten a few years ago when I lost weight. I had since regain my normal weight and found that I could hardly use that belt; one of my favourite leather belt. I ask the cobbler Amirul as to whether he could find a way to lengthen it back to the original length. He said that he could but at that time did not have any extra material to do the extension. I ask him to try and left the belt with him while I went to have coffee at the Starbucks nearby. I whilst my time surfing the Net there and enjoy my coffee. I soon forgot about the belt and take my time in cyberspace. After an hour I decided to see whether the cobbler had found a solution to my belt. I was surprised that he did and it’s done.  With his expertise on leather and ingenuity he had extended my belt to the original length. He has done a creative job with it including polishing the whole belt giving it a new look just like a new one. I took a look and like it. Indeed very happy with the workmanship. I then paid him and went home happy.

At home I thought of doing an article on the activities of craftsman like him for my Blog and at the same time was thinking of asking the cobbler to take a look at my old leather sandals, a favourite shoe of mine to see whether he could replace the worn-out parts with a new layer of soft leader.  So wearing those sandals I again went to the Mall. On arrival at the ground floor of the mall I spend the first few hours taking picture of the exhibition for my article and then went to see the cobbler again. I sat on one of the chair and showed him my sandals while asking him whether he could repair or replaced the worn-out leather.  He said that he could and that it would take more than two hours to get the job done. I told him it would all right with me but I did not bring a spare sandal to wear while he repairs mine. He said not to worry while handing me a spare sandal to wear while he repair mine. I then hand him both my sandals.

Wearing the spare sandal went to have coffee at the Starbucks nearby. I got myself an end table sandwiched between three youth. I soon found that the one in front of me is a young doctor and the other two both students. Soon we got into talking on various subjects that comes to our minds. As usual when we are on a chat times passes by fast indeed. I look at my watch and found that I had been there more than an hour already. I decided to just go and have a look at what has happen to my sandals. I notice that one is ready and the cobbler is dong the other pair. I tried and found it well done and felt the comfort. I then move on to continue my coffee at another place at Starbucks and surfing the Net as well, without realising that I am wearing one of my own sandals on one foot and the borrowed one on the other.  After a while I went back to see whether my sandals are ready and saw him polishing one of it. He told me that I am wearing different sandals on both feet. I was surprised that I did that and just laugh it off. He says he wanted to have the other sandal to polish it as well. I sat there and watch him put a finishing touch to both my sandals. When all are done my old sandals now look new and it does make me happy.  I then paid him for a job well done and move on wearing my 'new' pair of sandals. Indeed an interesting and productive week at the mall.

Have a nice day.

[Please click on the image to enlarged]

The Magnificent Sun and the Moon...

I left Kuala Lumpur yesterday for a short break in my hometown of Kuantan. I had planned to go and watch the rising sun today while there. At just past 6.30AM this morning drove to the Teluk Cempedak beach and waited for the sun to rise. There are already may people there waiting for the sunrise and enjoying themselves in the cool morning. I was rather surprise to see many people especially the young already there. The last time I was at this beach there were not that many people at this early hours of the morning. The sun was expected to rise at the horizon at just past seven. Soon we saw the glow of amber as the sun makes its entrance announcing the beginning of another day, May 1, 2013. It was a magnificent sight to watch and wonder as it slowly rises above the horizon. This time using a telephoto lens I took many shots as it continues to rise; mesmerizing indeed. And then I look up and saw the moon too was there shinning bright in the morning sun, a rare opportunity indeed to be able to watch the rising sun and the moon at the same time. It was a blue sky thus I could see a clear three quarter moon up above. I took aim at it using the telephoto lens and got a few great picture of it before it disappeared as the sun rises. Above are the image of the sunrise and the moon as seen at just past seven this morning. Enjoy it folks much as I had enjoyed taking that photos. 

Have a nice day.

My little abode....

I love the Malay kampong house; completely made of wood are never two alike. In the days of my growing up period in the early twentieth century most Malay houses in the kampong [village] are so designed as to get the best use of space. It is raised above ground. The floor been made of thick wooden planks arranged with a slight spacing in between allows cool air from the ground to get into the house which cool the house. In most houses there is no ceiling. The extra space provides enough space for the air to circulation. The wall made of thinner planks is build high up, where the top  one eighth part of it is always left with hole opening as a ventilation to allows hot air to circulate and get out of the building, thus cooling the whole area of the house. Because the house is raised and with lots of ventilation there was no necessity of having fan in the house. The house is always cool even on a hot and humid day. At night with the outside temperature down the inside became cooler making it a great place to get a good night sleep all night long. Kampong houses is actually friendly to the ecosystem for not much energy is required to allows one to live comfortably in such house. Because it is airy there is no need for fan let alone air-conditioning. Most of the parts are made of hardwood thus last longer than brick houses. So when I bought a house in Ulu Kelang which like all houses now are construct of brick and cements I tried to give it a Kampong atmosphere the best I could.  Over times I had installed laminated wooden flooring, build a serambi or patio, a loft and whatever little addition that could give me that Kampong look and comfort. Above is an addition I had added from the garage as a stairway to go up the house via the serambi or patio above. It does give this little abode of mine that Kampong look and the elegances that comes with it.

Have a nice day.