Chinese Garden

Have been updating only my flickr account and totally missed out on my blog... Make up a bit...

Here's the photo of my solo trip to Chinese Garden. I went there on a hazy day and spend like 2 hours sweating like mad...

Ops.. this is not within Chinese Garden. I took a bus to somewhere nearby and walk my way to Chinese Garden MRT. There is this very nice place that you can either go there for a walk or to cycle. (Do rem to give way to pedestrian and bring towel + a bottle of water!)

Forgot to mention that you can catch the Chinese Garden from far at the park which is like 10 mins walk from Chinese Garden MRT.

Here is the path before you reach the Chinese Garden entrance. I wanted to take a longer stretch but due to several elements, I can't and I had to edit to remove a red pole which was in the middle of this picture.

There were a lot of Zen elements which makes me feel totally not in Singapore as there ain't a lot of tall buildings or HDB when you reach Chinese Garden. This is actually the reflection of the trees which looks very interesting to me.

Another reflection shot

You should not missed out the 7 storey Pagoda. Yes, every level is accessible. And at the 7th storey, you will be able to see the entire view of Chinese Garden (and many other buildings, such as HDBs, condominium, MRT track). This spiral staircase is within the Pagoda.



And this? This is the door knob of the Pagoda

Followed by the door image

There were a few things that I tried to capture (playing around with "ideas")

For example, at the second (or was it third? forgot) level, I went out and remembered a wedding photo where the photographer wanted to capture a pattern of the entrance (somewhere else) with the couple at one side. Using the same concept, (without the couple though), I thought that this picture looks like a chinese word. However, I am still working on what word it could be. :p Let me share with you if I remember.


This photo was yet another shot which I attempted to mimic from others. However, I am still working on which should I be focusing on.. The object in the background? or the window grill. It was suppose to be a picture thru the window grill but it didn't look good for me thus I focused on the window grill instead.

Well, after spending some time (actually like 30mins +), I continued my journey outside. At times, take a look up and you might find some cute little birds chirping (for me, I found one which is willing to "pose" for me LOL)

Photo takings

Some mentioned that taking photo ain't about just happy-snapping. But I find it hard to change this habit of mine.

You see, unlike my peers who have the talent for photography, I am not able to visualize what I wanna take on the spot. Thus, most of the time, when I see what my friend took, and my mind goes "Oh, so this can be taken like that". When I wanted to try out the same shot, a part of me wants to try something different. But sad to say, it failed badly anyway. Thus, my "happy-snapping" will comes in (again...), trying capture whatever I see..

Korean Drama That Fool

Starring Hwang Jung Min as Goo Dong Baek, Kim Ah Joong as Han Ji Soo and Joo Sang Wook as Kim Kang Mo (Ji Soo's secret love).

Honestly, this is my first time seeing Hwang Jung Min's acting. I started this show purely because of the plot and Kim Ah Joong, the lead actress for 200 Pound Beauty. I was impressed with her singing in that movie. The plot is actually a simple one, with some twists here and there... Simple: A famous star and a down-to-earth man fake marriage become true. Twists: The factors leading to the fake marriage and the factors causing the fake marriage become true.

BUT I would give the biggest credit to Hwang Jung Min. If not for him making his character alive, I wouldn't have continued this drama. Lee Chung Ah as Goo Min Ji (Dong Baek's younger sister) and Baek Sung Hyun as Han Sang Chul (Ji Soo's younger brother) also brighten this drama making it more interesting.

Btw, after I did a google on Hwang Jung Min, then I realized he bagged a number of awards (mostly for movie performance).

Some info about the drama

Title: 그바보 / That Fool
Alternative title: The Accidental Couple / While I Was Looking / That Dummy
Previously known as: 식스먼스 / Six Months
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Episodes: 16
Broadcast network: KBS2
Broadcast period: 2009-Apr-29 to 2009-Jun-18
Air time: Wednesday & Thursday 21:55

Goo Dong Baek is an honest and good-hearted postman. One day he encounters with Han Ji Soo, a top celebrity. However, an ordinary man gets no chance to show his feeling to this top actress who everyone loves. Six months period of time with her elapses like a midsummer night's dream. But he cannot just end up his love like a “dream”. Shouting out love! His love has just begun.

Source from Dramawiki

09/09/09

A special date which I remembered being invited to a dinner date with my best friend whom insisted that we should make this date memorable cos it won't happen again. Mabie next year 10/10/10, I will invite her for dinner instead and cont till 12/12/12. :) So Ami chan, you have a date with me on 10/10/10, 11/11/11 and 12/12/12!. Make time for me wor~

iPhone Hang?

My sis came to me today with an iPhone which hang... Without a clue (and press the power on/off button doesn't help) I GOOGLE for help! One of the solution (which was the most simple one) was to press the Home key and Power On/Off key for for about 5 sec(or more) and iPhone will reboot.

And it worked!
However, if you have professional (iPhone) personnel around you, it's always better to check with them before doing this as you never know what caused the iPhone to hang in the first place.

Regards

不死心还在 (Bu Si Xin Hai Zai) - 信樂團& 動力火車 (SHIN & Power Station)

作曲：孫志群．黃邁可．劉曉華．傅超華．左惠夫
填詞：劉曉華．徐昱鈴

不死心还在　

推翻命运安排

为了你活了下来　

给世界一场意外

还不够　

还没到最后

管天理容不容　

心还跳着就有梦

还不够　

不会有最后

谁说我们会选择放手

曾经过　

彻底毁灭的荒漠

远方你的身影　

开出花一朵

一路上　

灰暗统治的天空

绝望的狂风　

逼退不了你我

不死心还在　

推翻命运安排

为了你活了下来　

给世界一场意外

不死心还在　

拯救我们未来

这条路　

很愉快

你和我　

没有尽头才精彩

当灵魂　

被利剑刺穿

你的爱修复我　

到最坚固的状态

当冰冷　

再袭卷而来

胸口再没有任何破绽

曾经过　

彻底毁灭的荒漠

远方你的身影　

开出花一朵

一路上　

灰暗统治的天空

绝望的狂风　

逼退不了你我

不死心还在　

推翻命运安排

为了你活了下来　

给世界一场意外

不死心还在　

拯救我们未来

这条路　

很愉快

你和我　

心还在

不死心还在　

推翻命运安排

为了你活了下来　

给世界一场意外

不死心还在　

拯救我们未来

这条路　

很愉快

你和我　

没有尽头才精彩

-----------------------------

 bu si xin hai zai　

 tui fan ming yun an pai

 wei le ni huo le xia lai　

 gei shi jie yi chang yi wai

 huan bu gou　

 huan mei dao zui hou

 guan tian li rong bu rong　

 xin huan tiao a jiu you meng

 huan bu gou　

 bu hui you zui hou

 shei shuo wo men hui xuan ze fang shou

 ceng jing guo　

 che di hui mie de huang mo

 yuan fang ni de shen ying　

 kai chu hua yi duo

 yi lu shang　

 hui an tong zhi de tian kong

 jue wang de kuang feng　

 bi tui bu le ni wo

 bu si xin hai zai　

 tui fan ming yun an pai

 wei le ni huo le xia lai　

 gei shi jie yi chang yi wai

 bu si xin hai zai　

 zheng jiu wo men wei lai

 zhe tiao lu　

 hen yu kuai

 ni he wo　

 mei you jin tou cai jing cai

 dang ling hun　

 bei li jian ci chuan

 ni de ai xiu fu wo　

 dao zui jian gu de zhuang tai

 dang bing leng　

 zai xi juan er lai

 xiong kou zai mei you ren he po zhan

 ceng jing guo　

 che di hui mie de huang mo

 yuan fang ni de shen ying　

 kai chu hua yi duo

 yi lu shang　

 hui an tong zhi de tian kong

 jue wang de kuang feng　

 bi tui bu le ni wo

 bu si xin hai zai　

 tui fan ming yun an pai

 wei le ni huo le xia lai　

 gei shi jie yi chang yi wai

 bu si xin hai zai　

 zheng jiu wo men wei lai

 zhe tiao lu　

 hen yu kuai

 ni he wo　

 xin hai zai

 bu si xin hai zai　

 tui fan ming yun an pai

 wei le ni huo le xia lai　

 gei shi jie yi chang yi wai

 bu si xin hai zai　

 zheng jiu wo men wei lai

 zhe tiao lu　

 hen yu kuai

 ni he wo　

 mei you jin tou cai jing cai

爱到疯癫 (Ai Dao Feng Dian) - 动力火车 Power Station

作词：Hebe、施人诚 

作曲：Ella 

空荡荡的房间

坟墓里一样安静的夜

不肯撕去的昨天

陪着我还在等谁

你一定没有变

一定还爱我对不对

眼角不能有泪水

下一秒你就会出现

爱到疯癫

苦的酸的无所谓

看背叛爬上你不遮掩的脸

我竟然还觉得很美

爱到疯癫

伤了痛了都没感觉

你要我等你到哪个期限

我都奉陪

你下楼去买烟

然后迷路迷了几天

这样牵强的谎言

对我都是种慰藉

你一定没有变

一定还爱我像从前

嘴角不能再流血

等一下吻你不方便

爱到疯癫

苦的酸的无所谓

看背叛爬上你不遮掩的脸

我竟然还觉得很美

爱到疯癫

伤了痛了都没感觉

你要我等你到哪个期限

你要我再赔上多少尊严

我都奉陪

爱到疯癫

苦的酸的无所谓

看背叛爬上你不遮掩的脸

我竟然还觉得很美

爱到疯癫

伤了痛了都没感觉

你要我等你到哪个期限

我都奉陪

我都奉陪

 -----------------------------------

 kong dang dang de fang jian

 fen mu li yi yang an jing de ye

 bu ken si qu de zuo tian

 pei zhe wo hai zai deng shui

 ni yi ding mei you bian

 yi ding hai ai wo dui bu dui

 yan jiao bu neng you lei shui

 xia yi miao ni jiu hui chu xian

 ai dao feng dian

 ku de suan de wu suo wei

 kan bei pan pa shang ni bu zhe yan de lian

 wo jing ran hai jue de hen mei

 ai dao feng dian

 shang le tong le dou mei gan jue

 ni yao wo deng ni dao na ge qi xian

 wo dou feng pei

 ni xia lou qu mai yan

 ran hou mi lu mi le ji tian

 zhe yang qian qiang de huang yan

 dui wo dou shi zhong wei jie

 ni yi ding mei you bian

 yi ding huan ai wo xiang cong qian

 zui jiao bu neng zai liu xie

 deng yi xia wen ni bu fang bian

 ai dao feng dian

 ku de suan de wu suo wei

 kan bei pan pa shang ni bu zhe yan de lian

 wo jing ran hai jue de hen mei

 ai dao feng dian

 shang le tong le dou mei gan jue

 ni yao wo deng ni dao na ge qi xian

 ni yao wo zai pei shang duo shao zun yan

 wo dou feng pei

 ai dao feng dian

 ku de suan de wu suo wei

 kan bei pan pa shang ni bu zhe yan de lian

 wo jing ran hai jue de hen mei

 ai dao feng dian

 shang le tong le dou mei gan jue

 ni yao wo deng ni dao na ge qi xian

 wo dou feng pei

 wo dou feng pei

Haw Par Villa

Going to crash post all my entries which I have omitted for... months? After
many months of "I will be heading to Haw Par Villa", I finally get to go! (Again
with my photography kaki- I guess I really find it hard to be taking photo
alone.. Makes me feel like odd one out in the crowds LOL)

Extracted from Wikipedia: Haw Par Villa (Chinese: 虎豹别墅) is a Chinese mythological theme park in Singapore, located along Pasir Panjang Road.
The park contains over 1,000 statues and 150 giant dioramas depicting scenes from Chinese folklore, legends, history, and illustrating various aspects of Confucianism. These include The Laughing Buddha, The Goddess of Mercy, The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and most famously The Ten Courts of Hell, a depiction of a gruesome underworld of tortures and torments set in the mouth of a 60-meter-long dragon.

Within this place, you can find a lot of interesting statues which comes from
myth and legends.

Opening Hours: 9am to 7pm

Admission: Free

The Entrance

My first stop was the Ten Courts
of Hell (which I would recommend you to go for it), but there is a small fee

The origins of the '10 Courts of Hell' is believed to be based on the Indian
Buddhist legend of the 'World of Suffering' (世间苦难) where one would be punished
in 'Hell' for sins committed in one's present life. The concept of 'one reaps
what one sows' and 'cause and effect' （善有善报，恶有恶报）depicted in the '10 Courts of
Hell' is the central tenet that serves to restrain anti-social, unethical or
immoral behaviour.

A sneak preview of what you might be able to see via the path to Ten Courts
of Hell:

This is a chinese saying on Retribution... Do you believe?

Repentance

The view before the gate to Ten Courts of Hell

Entrance to Ten Courts of Hell

One of the punishment (pierce) if you committed something wrong in life.

The guard passing out the sentence
(Translation of the chinese: The judge sentenced the guy to be reincarnated as a black sheep and the girl will be reincarnated as a rabbit)

>This is a city for those souls who died a wrongful death


TBC...

Fort Canning

After my "fatal" encounter with 3 wild dogs, yes, I venture back to Fort Canning with my photography kaki. Although the place was nice, but I didn't really took a lot of pictures as it was very hot that day and I spend most of the time wiping my sweat than taking pictures. I should have really considered taking my drops of sweat as well <- ok.. it's just a joke. Back to the topic, this plot of tiny flowers (if you know the name, pls kindly let me know thanks).

It was on the slope of the bridge and if only I can bend more.. I had wanted to capture a picture for the desktop background but this is the best I can do..

This is the famous cupolas! You shouldn't missed this if you are visiting Fort Canning... Y? Cos it is a cooling shelter and it looks nice from far.

If you think this picture looks blur, or not sharp enough, it's not your eyes'
fault. This is actually from the bench and I have cropped it from the bench.

Moral of this picture, be kind to baby! Special thanks to my photography kaki for lending me his leg to rest on the statue. Don't worry, nothing was tampered, damaged, or broken. It was just a candid shot in case you might misunderstood the situation.

Here comes the last picture!

Botanic Garden Revisit(s)

Yes, this is the third time that I went back to Botanic Garden and it never fails to amaze me. I had thought that I finished covering almost 80% of the place but I was wrong. After getting a map from the counter, I realised just how big the place is. However, I spent most of my time walking and exploring than taking pictures, thus, it will be a short collection.

Do you see the light? A pity I wasn't able to make the petal brighter to show it's white color as the yellow area will be overly-done.

I like this picture a lot but if only the leaves are less obstructive.

I love this shot as well, but if I could just have it without the yellow flower in between.

Inspired by another photographer, I happened to spot them in this position and without delay, I took a few snaps in case one is not enough.

Another interesting moment that I couldn't resist from taking

The "firework sparkle".. Doesn't it look like?

Surau Kampong Lorong Buangkok

After weeks of delaying to visit the last kampung in Singapore, my kaki-s and I went to check out the place as we weren't sure if the kampung was still there. 

Meeting at Buangkok MRT, we took Bus 43 and alighted at Buangkok Green Blk 911 stop where we were supposed to take bus 101 to Buangkok Link Blk 980C. However, as it was only a bus stop distance, we traveled on foot. 

If you are thinking of visiting this place, another alternative route you can use is to alight at Yio Chu Kang and take bus 70 and alight at Yio Chu Kang Road opp Shell Station. (BUT well, always do a double check for the directions as I didn't travel there via this route)

Reaching the end of Buangkok Link, there were two paths; 1. one that led up to International Alliance Hostel, and 2. where there were a lot of vehicles parked. 

If you are going to pay a visit there, don't make the same mistake as us. We went UP the route towards International Alliance Hostel which was wrong. 

Even a call to our friend who lives nearby gave us little directions as the place does not have those names which he mentioned to us. 

Luckily we spotted an auntie whom seemed to be living in the vicinity. She pointed us to the route where a lot of vehicles were parked along the roadsides. And just after a short distance of walking... We finally reached!

 

 This signboard gave us assurance that we were at the right place! 

  And walking around the place, we can see that constructions were taking place. Here is a customized letterbox! 

  Followed by a standard design letterbox~ Look at it carefully.. The rust seemed to tell you the age of the letterbox 

The materials of the roof

A look at the last kampung in Singapore 

  

 And a side view of what I would say, a recently-painted house

 

If you are going to visit this place, do not forget to take the pictures of the flowers! They are so beautiful!

 

And so is the plants...

 

My kaki told me that my 50mm will produce a good shot for these beer bottles. But I think I didn't capture the essence of what it should be.

Anyway, beware that there are dogs around so if you are heading there alone. Try not to venture to those areas where there isn't anyone who can help you if you accidentally agitate the dogs. 

Although I only spotted 2, but I got barked at once when I stopped to take a shot. I guess either I disturbed his nap or I stepped on his territory. 

Admiralty Park 1st March 2009

Sunday morning~~ What a morning ~~ After months of no shooting activities, I finally found my kaki~~ (who is at last free to join me). Initially, I wasn't sure whether going Admiralty Park is the right place for photo taking as I have never been there (neither is my friend). But seeing that many photographers mentioned about this location. I convinced my friend to join me... And it was a trip worth going.. Other than the weather not that welcoming... (due to current unpredictable weather)

After a delicious (and exp) Mac breakfast, we started walking from Woodland MRT station. Almost got lost as I was going toward the wrong side. Luckily I remembered that I should be heading towards Woodlands Ave 2, I asked my friend to get his camera out (fitted with a 18-200mm Nikon lens) and took the road sign. (which was when I saw RP on the right side! Which is just beside Admiralty Park! Thus, we then proceeded back to the right track (with the dark clouds above us))

The Flowers Series

Upon arriving at the north entrance of Admiralty Park, we were greeted by the beautiful flowers in the pond beside a restaurant. (I cropped this picture to make it looks like chinese dui lian, those vertical banners)

This picture is cropped to show only the 2 beautiful flowers.. Their colors makes each other stands out.

Yet another 2 beautiful flowers where their color make each other stands out.

The Insects' Series

See the yellow butterfly? It keep flying non stop. Thus, I took a snap of it in action and left. What I am surprise is that it is not very OOF.

This grasshopper was easily spotted! Actually, me and my friend saw like 2 or three together but I only managed to capture one in my shot which is not OOF.

This moth was flapping away its wings that I have to wait for the right moment to snap it!

And if you happened to encounter a dragonfly that stops by for you to take picture, this must be the same dragonfly. I took like 4 snaps of it and it was still resting... Until I accidentially moved and it flew away.. And just like my friend predicted~~~!!! The eyes wasn't focused when zoomed in... Next time~~ I MUST look at the eyes after taking the shot.

The Mushroom Series

Me and my friend did not really venture thoroughly as the mostiquoes keep biting me and thus, we walked out of the cooling area... and saw these mushrooms towards the west entrance..

Although it seems a lot in my pictures, but there were very few of them. It does look tempting to eat BUT I doubt it is edible.... I prefer the mushroom from the supermarket that are edible! LOL

Before leaving, my friend decided to let me take a "special" shot... where he volunteer to place his camera AND his nokia phone WITH the mushroom...

I must really apologize as I did a bad job~~ Luckily~ his camera and phone are not damaged/dirtied..

The nature series

As the weather was very humid, and it look like it could rain any moment. When I look toward the sky, there was a portion which looked so nice.. After editing, it looked like animated sky... Don't you think so?

The last picture of my trip~ The branches branching out towards the sunlight....