Tuesday, November 14, 2006

My friend called Jack




Played with my Canon 100mm macro and some water. ! Water turned into a soothing sour mash....
Way to go, Jack!

*Edit - This is a closeup shot of a droplet of water, with a Jack Daniel (Whiskey) bottle in the background. The label can be seen as off-focus in the background. The bottle can be seen within the droplet itself, click on it to enlarge! This edit was posted as many couldn't figure out the message behind this post*

Singapore Motorshow 2006

Not as keen to attend motorshow as 2000... but still made the 'pilgrimage' to Suntec City on Sunday. Brave the crowds and took only 1 minute to find a parking lot!! How lucky, no traffic jam outside as well. Strange.

The convention halls were busy, but not packed. Russ Swift is here again to do stunt demonstrations. The tickets ran out very quickly. Well, we've watched it in 2004, shldn't have been much of a difference.

Well, pictures are at www.perqjon.com/motorshow2006.html

Monday, August 14, 2006

It doesn't have to be Oysters and Sashimi - Cafe Brio's

*Picture to follow*

Happy birthday, to me!

Went to Cafe Brio's @ Grand Copthorne. 1 for 1 deal using UOB cards. Of course, as an Oyster / Sashimi fan, the first plate is full of raw stuff! But then, disappointment....failed to tickle my palate. It was the next round of MEAT that blew me away. MEAT that doesn't need to be CUT, and to be able to be chewed off easily..and thats goooood stuff! There was also supremely delicious Cheeses that Wenhui was yumming all the way through.

*burP*

NUS Triathlon 13th Aug 2006



My first Triathlon. Signed for 500m swim, 25km cycle, 5km run. Cost $54! + $5 'admin' fee for the champion chip (chip where times are logged during the race).

Seen here at -2EV using A80 shot by wenhui. Racer on the left is Terence. Race delayed due to reasons unknown... butterflies stirring!




Thanks to Terence for loan of Helmet and anti-fog (for goggles)






Had some struggle during the swim at 200m, had to force myself to relax, pace the strokes to finish it. Getting on the bike never felt so good, the breeze on the salt-laden water on my skin felt good. It was still only 830am (I think), sun was gentle. And time to push the bike!! Getting into rhythm, but still got 'qie4' by at least 100 riders.(99% were using road racers). Enroute towards esplanade, a good friend Mr Sehsuan got up early to prep himself on the road shoulder and snap this pin-sharp shot at the right moment. Thanks bro!

At the halfway mark of the ride, I managed to start pulling back on some of the earlier riders, counted at least a couple of mountain bikers and 1 or 2 on road racers! Many complains on the race by the veterans as the roads weren't completely blocked, leaving top riders dreading the occassional red light.




Finally, I managed to push the bike back at around 1hr and a few minutes. Was happy with my time. But there's still a 5km run!!! OMG...my legs weren't jelly, but there was nothing left in them, nor in my lungs! Was literally throdding along, forcing myself not to stop and walk, and finally made it back in ** mins. Shot taken by my beloved Wenhui as I was near the finishing point.

Overall a great experience, but it seems to be one of the worst organised race in recent memory for those veterans!





Finally, after shower, it was lunch at the East Coast lagoon, and Terence and I shared a bday cake as it was to be our bday on the following day...14th aug 2006. :)

Utmost thanks and love to Wenhui for being the cheerleader, supporter cum photographer. :)

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Tibet Day 2: The Bears whom lack sleep











We wanted to go to Wolong Nature reserve, where pandas roam free. Due to rain, we went to a nearby research centers to get a close up on the huge bears instead. Here seen a Giant adult panda in his enclosure






A pair of pandas feasting, oblivious to strangers. Pandas seem to be grouped in pairs, their names are in pairs as well, with 双双 and 美美 etc.






Shhhh....Keep Quilt! Pandas are resting!






Panda having a good time after a meal. There's a video on this, went on for Minutes! HOHOHO






Sneaking up onto a Panda






One of the most endearing 30mins, watching 3 young cubs playing either each other, with 2 of them virtually wrestling each other and going for each others' throats!






This is the smaller specie of panda, looks very cute as well. Possible to pose with to have a picture taken, no such luck on our visit.






Parting shot ending with the the pair of playful pandas having a drink in the middle of their wrestling match. One of Wenhui's Goals fulfilled, to meet Pandas!!

Monday, June 19, 2006

Tibet trip....8th - 17th June 2006 (Day1)!

Took a package tour with 人人 tour agency. Pictures here shall be amateurish story telling with some 'arty shots... :)

Hereby presenting you day 1, first ever landing to Chengdu, China!



Armed with a Map, guidebook and hungry stomachs, Wenhui and I trot the streets of Chengdu for their famous 小吃 for lunch, not knowing what exactly to expect, we hopped into a cab and went straight to the location at Zhong Fu Jie. Here we have a setlunch of 20 dishes. Half are immersed with Hot Spicy chilli Oil!! OMG...my lips were sizzling with the acids... but...other than the fire and ocassional saltiness, the food was fantastic! Hygiene could do better, as a lady spitting right where she was sitting (wake up call!!)






Travelling was via cab all the way, couldn't bother with trying to take the bus, traffic rules were non-existant! U-turn ANYwhere you like! Here our cab stops to 加气。Not sure what it meant, but I'd be terribly pissed if I were in the Amazing Race. Nevertheless, fares are cheap, staring at Y5 (~SGD$1), fares climb at Y1.4/km.





Went looking around for one day tours for the following day (wanted to see the giant blacked-eye bears up north....) and also went to look for softwares..*ahem*, tired legs and parched throats led us to the popular activity of lazing around in the afternoon, sipping chinese tea, at 10-25Y a pop.




After a Nap at 金满堂hotel and a short trip to Carrefour (yes they have it), we went trotting down to a two-storey restaurant Kong Liang for the hottest steamboat on Earth! With enough firepower to ignite most stomachs, our oil laden innards would heave everytime some of the chillis trickle down our throats. Take off, anytime soon!

Saturday, April 22, 2006

Burn the Floor!



Had free tickets after buying K750i (thanks to M1 and Sony Ericsson!). Burn the Floor, cabaret style dance event showcasing World champions of Ballroom dancing. Had real crappy seats at first, can't believe any show will take the breath of all 601-603 halls of Suntec, and expect people from the extreme side to see anything at all! Moved to the centre column as many seats were unfilled. And hence I've got the better view (as above).
Overall quite a good show, reminscent of MDC days, where entertainment/dance/singing was other of the day. Burn the floor ain't the usual musical. I'd have preferred a Live Band accompanying the dancers. A theme akin to musicals such as Fame might add another dimension to the show. But a poor storyline might render it Cheessy...

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Sunday, April 16, 2006

Nongsa Village@Batam 15th-16th April 2006



Kudos to Maureen and Beng Hwee for invitation to their lovely villa at Nonga Village (Batam Island). Stress-free and laid back with furnishing akin to a Dempsey road showroom, this is truly paradise. One needs to take 10 steps from the back door to meet this inviting sunrise over the endless horizon.

Shot taken using K750i again. F2.8, 1/800 ISO 100. Doesn't look very clean when blown to full 2megapixel.

Friday, April 14, 2006

Pink River



Heavy downpour, pink river spotted near my house (yeah its REAL)...Shot using new K750i.....slight post-processing needed as picture was a bit soft at inifitnity with some chromatic abberations.

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Earth, Moon, Sun



Shot using reverse macro. 350D, 80mm reversed, fixed at F5.6.

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Thunder @ Sepang! 17th to 19th March 2006

Waited ~4 yrs..or 7 yrs to do this trip. To a F1 Grand Prix with a Good View. Finally...plonked down the dough to get K1 Gold tickets, and spend hell of a weekend with My Loved One up north! This thread will be more of a photo blog entry... Welcome to Sepang! Colourful weekend awaits you while track officials checks on quality of the track
Swarmed by Ferrari Fans..well...what to do.....


Wenhui here seen butchered by the exhorbitant pricing of food! If its GOOD food, I wouldn't mind forking out, but charge me HIGH price for food you can hardly swallow? OMG....


Some family member of Villeneuve



Some pro getting break, look closely and you'll find 2G CF cardSssss. + >S$10K worth of Glass...


Getting ready just before the 5 lights! at the edge of the pit straight!!




Fisichella leads the pack into 1st corner cleanly. Man, was firing away, no idea who was leading...this the dilemma between shooting an event you love to WATCH.





Kimi!! My fav driver! Alas, crashed out during the first lap by Nick Heifeld...grrrr This pic taken during qualifying...or was it free practice... well, panning at 300mm was really difficult without IS nor monopod nor experience. (enough excuses yeah?)







Multiple burst mode of one of the key points of the race, schu makes his way up the field, seen here bullying past trulli.



Anxious fan looks on as the red cars were nowhere near the podium towards the end of the race.


Young renault fan awaits anxiously for the first 1-2 by Renault team since joining F1 in 1982.


Fisichella wins his second career Grand Prix by leading from start to finish! Following closely behind is his team mate Fernando Alonso. Gratz for the French team and Fans.


I don't smoke, but doesn't mean my eyes can't 'smoke candy'



Till Sepang 2007! Jumpa Lagi! (See you again!)
Two vids can be found @
Massa Leading Schu
Some audible commentary
(commentary can be heard....but cars are way too loud to hear properly, ear plugs were compulsory!)

Pat Metheny Trrioooo

Christian McBride and Antonio Sanchez joined forces with 7-time grammy award winning Path Metheny to bring Jazz to Sunny Singapore. Mann....are they great of what! $110 for central DD34 seats right behind the mixer. Pat played to expectations...the usual melodious lines with fast paced licks lace. Christian, one of most wanted bassists in the world, played effortlessly. It was Antonio that blew me away. I've seen many drummers, dishing up solos of great energy, mixing high-level technical rolls, double taps, 'out' rhythms to their repertoire. Antonio didn't even seem to try very hard. This is what I like and admire, playing with minimal effort, yet measured and controlled beats, never attempting to overplay. Only gripe was the sound crew upped Pat's guitar so high that the bass and drums got buried on many ocassions, shall email Benson about that...

till the next Mosaic Fest, Adioss!

Monday, March 13, 2006

Sax from Ipanema: Paquito and New York Voices



Mosaic Festival Back in Singapore!

First paid concert went was Paquito and New York Voices, NYV are great 4-some jazz acapella. Captivated by their 'Desafinado.mp3', plonked down the dough to get row D seats! Man are they amazing!

Opening set by Vocaluptuous, 1F4M group, pretty good arrangements etc

Next, DA MAN from Ipanema! seen Clarinet (Paquito) and Trombone (Didn't catch his name) played in such a way!!

Wld have prefered NYV to have more fast numbers ala Manhattan Transfer etc. but well, they did a magnificent job. Ending/Standing ovation/Encore were all great!

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Butterflies - A day of

2006 march 1st.

Butterflies crashing into knots,
Results to Qualifying Exam for PhD to released
Fear reached levels unmatched since 5th Jan 06
Simple show of matric card exchange for a small brown envelope
A4 letter in 3-folds, a gentle pull....
......passed.....written right in the middle
Butterflies break loose, fly to a place far, far away......