A Visit to Sekinchan - Part 1

Wow, let me see .... I think my latest (and first) visit to Sekinchan was last year December 2011. I always wanted to write a blog about Sekinchan and to share some photos taken during the trip ... because of my bad habit - procrastination, waited until now I still haven't start ....

Well, "better late then never" .... I guess it is right. At least I am not like somebody else just talk only but no action. (hahaha, who is this somebody ? If you want to match the seat go ahead ( 对号入座。。。) hee hee hee !!

It was an early sunny Saturday, a group of friends car pooling to drive to Sekinchan, it was a pleasant journey, we chit chat and gossiping about everything and the most talked about was not girls but our favorite topic..... camera and photography.

Sekinchan is a photographer's heaven, if you type Sekinchan in Google search, you would probably get hundreds thousands of photo about this place. Sekinchan is well known with paddy fields. I believe the paddy fields have the best advance farming methods in Malaysia because of the high quality and high yield of rice per sq ft as compare to many places in Malaysia. It is easy for outsiders like us to drive around because of its complete inner tar road in the paddy field. We can easily access to the heart of field.

Photo taken using Yeow's Film Camera, he is trying to poison me to get film camera  ... hahahaha

When we arrived, I was stunned by its breathtaking scenery .. wow, it was simply awesome ... with wide and large view of greenery paddy field connected to the clear blue sky ... there were no high rise buildings around, you could see from far ....

The greenery is very relaxing and smoothing to our eyes .. this is a great place for relaxation and De-stress, it washed away all stress and headache in the city life.

In month of December, the paddy almost ripe and started to turn yellow ....  According to local folks said, it will take few more weeks, harvesting will begin.

Rice is the staple food for all Malaysian .. It's the daily grain that we eat most since we are young. Some even can't live without rice.... Look how healthy of these paddies .... it will soon turning into a month full of delicious hot rice...

Thank to my friends, i have many nice shots, some were very creative. Just one single pose, a few shots with difference angles being captured at the same time ... Thanks to my friends. We were having great time. Many surprise photos were shared after the trip.

Photo taken by Yeow

Photo taken by Mun Keat

Photo taken by Alvin Lau

Photo taken by Robin Wong

We were really enjoyed ourselves there ... we took our sweet time to snap snap snap ....

Everyone is looking around to find the best spot for photo shooting :)

Photo taken by Mun Keat

Photo taken by Mun Keat

...and the best shot of the day is ........ hahahahaha ......

  

Wow ... really fun when you went out with a group of good buddies .... We truly enjoy ourselves .. we let down our hairs and be totally relaxed, we acted like small kids despite the facts some of us are professional in various fields ....  big bosses, engineer, architect and many more ...

Using Olympus Pen - Art Filter Dynamic Range

Emmm ... I need to split the blog into two parts ....this blog post is getting very long for just to cover the paddy fields ... 

Sekinchan is not only has beautiful paddy fields, it is also famous with fishing village. After all the happening in the paddy fields, we were hungry and we drove to the nearby fishing village to look for seafood. .... Time for lunch.

... to be continue

Be positive to make the world a better place to live

Today radio station channel 988 asked, are we having more negative posts or positive posts in our facebook? Well, generally people are more negative than positive, but sometime leaving grouches or grumbles feedback in the facebook would release some inner stress from our body and also allowing our friends to know our state of mind so that they can cheer us up or console us. That what's friends are for ... isn't it?

But today, I spotted a forum that I would called beyond negative. The forum focuses on a friend, Robin Wong as the target for criticism at his recent blog post on the review of the newly launch camera - Olympus OM-D EM5. The forum is with the title "The Robin strikes again ...", the forum started with an extreme opening,   "Robin's review is up again. I'll wait for you guys to decipher / criticize what he has mentioned." Off course, subsequent posts were over whelming by so called expert in criticism ... ops, sorry i mean expert in photography, started posting bad remarks on Robin....

Olympus OM-D EM-5

Wow, after reading all these remarks, I "memang beh tahan" (in English, it means I can not stand it), so I spontaneously register myself to give my 2 cents worth of comment-lah. Sound like the Robin Hood saving the poor Robin ... hahahaha....

For all the friends who are k-poh (busy body), you may visit the forum post here, or let me cut and paste my response from the forum so that you can read easily.... 

Base on my logic thinking, it is quite acceptable on what Robin had written. Just like you see a pretty woman and you think she is the most beautiful woman you ever seen and you tell everyone about it. But later, when you meet another woman who is even more pretty than the earlier one .... what should you said? Is it wrong to say you saw the most beautiful woman when you have said the same thing on somebody else already? I guess E5 is good at the point of time if without comparison, but after new technology and improvement come out ... an experience photographer would sense some differences in the improvement, it is "normal" to quote one is better than another one despite the facts the earlier it was best at that time.Robin write up is more on his own users point of view and it is unfair to expect him to criticize the weakness of the camera. He also qualified himself earlier this is non professional review and I guess finding bone in an egg would be asking for too much. Just like criticize he did not comparing with other manufacture's camera.Tell you the true, I am a fan of robin's blog and a friend too (I just register for the sake of this post and he didn't even know it) ..... I guess you would think I am bias on my comment because we are friend. It is already "disqualified" here ... hahahah. Anyway, I am not boarder, I believe constructive criticism is good and pointed out for improvement, but unfortunately I could not find constructive here but just criticism after criticism ....Well, I guess it is the freedom for anyone to comment or to criticize, we can't force people to like us, right? .... but I choose to be positive and to give good compliments because it made me feel good. Sorry, Raist3d, I disagreed with you.  Bye. 

Hahah as of the time I write this blog, so far there is no response yet from others.. (I hope the so called expert will have mercy on my response post and not firing at me ...... )

Ahyo! The world is so big, so got different types of people. We can't please everyone in the world, right? As long as our conscious are clear and no wicked thinking, I guess we are living life in a correct manner. Be positive, be happy is my tagline, although I too will be negative sometime, but at least self control a bit lah. We are what we think. If you always think about bad things ... hatred will be accumulated in our body and many things you see will be bad or no good. Some more toxic will be formed in our body that cause health problem. We have the choice to choose how we feel even when we are in adverse situation. I believe happiness is contagious, let spread happiness to many people so that it will make the world a better living place. 

World Peace !!

 

Oh, My Blog

It was a long times I did't touch you. I think you miss me, right ? I am sorry that I neglected you. In beginning of the year, I didn't even spend time on you, until today, I only wrote one blog post, I guess I am too engross with many new toys. First, i got my beloved ipad, then, i got another new toy - Sansung Galaxy Note. 

Don't worry, not only you, you are not alone, I also neglected my beloved EPL2 camera which now lay aside to collect dust.

Well, these new toys are so cool, they are like time-suck vacuum cleaner and they took my attention from you. I am so sorry.

My dear blog, please bear with me, I promise to update you more often in future. 

hehehehe...

However, for time being, let me have some extra times to play with my new love first- the Galaxy Note... Please don't be jealous as it is still new in the family... I need to get familiar with it, if possible, I want to test the Note on the function of uploading blog, if I am successful, I believe both of you can be good friends. Each can accompany one another....

So, my dear blog, you just need to be patience.

Product Preview - Olympus OM-D

Finally I have seen the Olympus OM-D  the most talk about camera by my Photography buddies lately. The OM-D is a new mirrorless digital interchangeable lens camera, another micro forth third camera beside the PEN Series. Thank to Olympus Malaysia organizing a product preview session on this camera for its die-hard fans on 18 February 2012 at Fullhouse, Sunway Geza Mall.  Everyone were on time and eagerly wanted to "molest" this new camera. The OM-D are smaller than I thought. the size is like PEN EP3 with slightly taller as the top mounted with electronic view finder.   

OM-D has the best size that we want. Generally, we love PEN Series camera because of the light and compact body. The camera is easy to be carried around especially during trip or street shooting. 

The design of the OM-D remains the retro look, just like its parent or great grand parents camera, the retro look is one of my preference, my blood pressure and heart pumping faster when looking at those beautiful camera ....

Wow !!... Aren't they simply look gorgeous  !!

The key features of the OM-D are fantastic, I love the fastest auto focus, it is important for me when I capture street shooting, the touch screen just like EP3 where you can just touch on the  areas on the screen that you want to focus, the camera immediately capture the photo. Beside the fast auto focus, build in EVF in the camera is a cool thing that do, that what I want  ... 

I was told that the OM-D will only reach Malaysia in the end of March or beginning April .. some of my Pen Lovers who are eagerly wanting to buy have to wait for this camera loh. They have been talking about it even more, look like it is going to be many sleepless nights for certain people ...... til the product hits the market ... Ha Ha Ha!!~~

For time being, we can embrace the miniature OM-D that Olympus had given us as door gift .... maybe it would help to make you sleep better .... hahahaha

Door Gift - Miniature OM Camera with two lenses

The end.

  

Pt 3 - Trip to Kuching - Cat Museum

Kuching means Cat in Malay language. Kuching is also the name of the capital city of Sarawak, one of the state in Malaysia. It was also famously referred as the Cat City. In fact, you will see many cat statues built around the city. If you first time visiting Kuching and a cat's lover, it will appreciate my recommendation to visit the cat museum. You will find many collections of cats in various forms and designs. Many are contributed by the royal families, locals or special collection from overseas... some are artifacts and priceless.

I have captured some cats photo, i hope you will like it.

The famous richest cat that you will see in most of the restaurant is the "Chew Choi Meow", which means that Cat that attracts prosperity. I think it's origin are from Japan.

Beside that, I like the Chinese version ... some made by clay, very unique and it is not easily found in market. They are priceless, I think.

You can also find more westernize ....

Tigers have been referred as big cat ..... you may find some tigers in the cat museum too.

And I had found a mirror on a wall, so I shouted at it, "Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the handsome afterall ? " Do you know what, my face appeared, if you don't believe, check out the following photo ... ha! ha! ha! .... LOL!

I have spent almost 2 hours plus there, as a photo enthusiast, there are so many cute kitties for photo shooting. I really love it but the time is not allowed for me to stay longer as my family members are waiting impatiently ... LOL, quick!! better run .....

and lastly, I took an exterior look of the museum before I went off ....

Btw, don't expect the whole place is cat museum, this building is Kuching North City Hall, the museum is just occupied at lower ground floor.

The End.

Pt 2 - Kuching Trip - A Living Museum

Our country, Malaysia has rich cultural diversity with multiple races like Malay, Chinese and Indian. More so for Kuching which consists of various tribes, mainly, the Bidayuh, Iban, Penan, Orang Ulu, Melanau and many more .... it has made Kuching full of rich cultural heritage and being a city boy, I was amaze with their rich cultures and customs.

A must visit place in Kuching is the Sarawak Cultural Village, it is also called the Living Museum. It consists a 17.5 acre of land on the foothill of the legendary Mount Santubong. You can find seven authentic ethnic houses built surrounding a lake. These houses were built base on the authentic architecture design of olden days houses ... it is simply amazing, when you walk inside, you will feel like you are having a time traveling back to the old days to experience their living.

The awesome part is that you will meet many "actual" person who are the origin people of the tribe, they are hired as care taker of the house. They all dressed up like olden day in their own costume and greet you when you enter into their house. That why this place is also called "Living Museum". The village also provide lodging service where some of those houses are open for rental.

Wow ... I have taken so many photos and it is impossible to share all my photos in this blog. Well, this is a fantastic place and I have meet many friendly people. I also realized that this place is to host the world famous Rainforest Music Festival, maybe one day I will return to join the music festival. 

On daily basis, they will perform two cultural shows at 11 am and 4 pm each day. I was in fact late, by the time I reached the fully air-cond auditorium, it was 4.30 pm. But nevertheless, I manage to watch some of the fantastic performance.

If you decided to go Kuching, please don't miss the opportunity.

The End.