Foodie and Travel Bug

Back To Hyden

2009-11-27T08:08:00.006+08:00

I have not forgotten Hyden (in Western Australia). After a week's break to concentrate on the wedding shoot, I am back with some shots of interesting textures on this whole giant piece of rock called Hyden. Climbing the giant rock will take you up to an almost flat terrain where you see rock pools and view the breathtaking view of the countryside below. I don't know if many people would enjoy viewing these scenes but for me it was a beautiful experience.

On a side note, I will be away this weekend for a short holiday in a tropical island. Next up will be stories and photos on the Wave Rock. Have a pleasant weekend!

Youngest Guest

2009-11-25T23:39:00.005+08:00

Meet Sarah. The youngest guest at the wedding. She came with her daddy and nanny. She's such a pretty little girl. Her daddy used to work with my company but have since moved on and established his own business here in Malaysia.

It is not uncommon to meet old friends and ex-colleagues at weddings. I met some familiar faces at my friend's wedding.

Image copyright of Mei Teng.

Married!

2009-11-24T22:41:00.010+08:00

Congratulations to my friends who got married last weekend. It was a pleasure photographing their big day.

Marriage takes effort and commitment. Don't you agree?

Images copyright of Mei Teng.

A Tribute To A Beautiful Bride

2009-11-21T16:20:00.007+08:00

A quickie post to update on my wedding photo assignment which ended this afternoon. Was really glad everything really well without a hitch. Here are some preliminary shots. I have to get ready soon for tonight's wedding dinner. I wasn't going to shoot tonight but will just bring my camera along...just in case I cannot resist taking some snapshots.

All images copyright of Mei Teng.

Busy Is The Word

2009-11-18T00:00:00.003+08:00

I have a super busy week ahead. Work deadline to meet. And a friend's wedding where I will be photographing. I hope to be able to finish off my work and get everything out of my mind so I can fully concentrate on the wedding shoot. My first wedding photo assignment. I don't want to disappoint my friend. After all it's a wedding. Once in a lifetime event. And I want to present beautiful photos that will make my friend's wedding memorable for her and her loved one. My friend has more faith in me than me in myself. Any advice for me?

I had some time last night so I rummaged through my wardrobe to see if I can decide on a decent outfit for the wedding dinner. Black is one of my favourite colours (especially for formal functions) and all my dinner dresses are in black! Just how many LBDs (little black dress) does a woman need? One, two or more? I have four. I should seriously add some colour to my wardrobe.Image copyright of Mei Teng.

Clown Life

2009-11-16T23:34:00.008+08:00

Met a clown named Banana last weekend. No kidding. That was the name he asked to be addressed and the same was introduced to the audience. He makes a living entertaining people. Bringing joy and good cheer. He charges by the hour. It cost RM400 to hire Banana for an almost two hour performance. Not bad to be earning that much for two hours' worth of work in a day!

All images copyright of Mei Teng.

Rock Textures

2009-11-13T23:24:00.007+08:00

People travel 339km from the city of Perth to a town named Hyden for rock watching. Its famous rocky landmarks are the Wave Rock and Mulka's Cave (and along the way, Hippo's Yawn, which I blogged about earlier). My trip to Hyden covered all three rock formations. The best of the three is the Wave Rock which I shall blog about later.

Hyden's economy is mainly agricultural based (in the form of cattle and sheep rearing). Hyden also benefits from tourism and mining activities.

I guess rocks aren't just rocks. You see beautiful textures on rocks too. I have no idea what are those specks of grey on Hyden Rock. They could be mineral deposits. Strange looking thing that adds depth to the surface.

All images copyright of Mei Teng. More photos and stories on Hyden Rock in my next post.

Nature's Bottle Brush

2009-11-11T00:03:00.008+08:00

I don't have the names to these strange looking plants I saw on my trip to Perth. They reminded me of bottle brush - the kind of brush you use for cleaning bottles.

All images copyright of Mei Teng.

Punishment

2009-11-06T22:20:00.013+08:00

What kind punishment abounds at the Fremantle Prison? Punishments ranged from solitary confinement (in dark windowless cells) to convicts being flogged, put on restricted diet and hard labour with shackles chained to their legs. These punishments (except for the shackles put on legs) continued to be carried out even after the 1900s.

What does it feel like to have your legs placed in iron shackles? Those shackles were obviously meant to prevent prison escape. The shackles vary in weight according to the severity of the punishment. Convicts with leg irons were put to hard labour. Being chained in the legs often leads to injuries such as skin ruptures, lesion, severe groin pain and bruises.

Convicts who have attempted unsuccessful prison escapes were flogged and placed in solitary confinement with only bread and water. Solitary confinement cells are literally dark and lifeless thanks to the cells being windowless. Darkened cells tend to cause disorientation to prisoners. A maximum of 28 days was permitted for solitary confinement.

Being flogged with a nine cord black felt strands bound with grey thread named the Cat-o'-nine tails is no laughing matter but a brutal form of punishment which caused excruciating pain as well as physical scarring. Fremantle Prison recorded its last flogging (of 25 lashes) in 1943.

The photos shown here are one of the many cells in the prison (this one looked pretty decent with a makeshift hammock-like bed complete with a small table and stool) and a pole where flogging is carried out. I can't recall in details what the prison guide explained but I remembered hearing about the person being tied to the two ends of the pole before being flogged. I shall not go into details as this subject isn't something I enjoy talking or blogging about (especially after having watched the Passion of the Christ). I don't think there's a word that comes close to describing that gruesome flogging scene as depicted in the movie.

All images copyright of Mei Teng.

Doing Time In Fremantle Prison

2009-11-05T11:04:00.010+08:00

Fremantle prison was built in the year 1850 upon the arrival of the first convict ship named Scindian. The convicts on board the ship were skilled convicts requested by the colony settlers from the British government. The skilled convicts were put to constructing the prison using quarried limestones. The prison tour guide mentioned that limestones tend to absorb moisture and odour easily so you can imagine what the convicts go through living in those limestone cells. The prison was expanded after the year 1907 with the construction of the new division. Part of Fremantle prison was used by the Australian army as a military prison during the first and second world wars. The last convict to be hung at Fremantle prison was a serial killer in the year 1964.

A prison riot took place in the year 1988 with seventy prisoners holding fifteen officers hostage and taking over several prison divisions. The prison riot led to a fire which caused a damage totalling AUD1.8 million. The prison eventually closed down in 1991. A three year restoration plan began in August 2005 to prevent deterioration to the buildings as well as preserve them for the future.

Fremantle prison was the first building in Western Australia to be listed on the country's national heritage list and is still the best preserved convict-built prison in the country. This prison like many others around the world are not just buildings. They are part of the history and development of a country (or place).

Do you think there's a place that is worth preserving in your country?

Jailhouse Rock

2009-11-03T00:00:00.005+08:00

Continuing from my post last Thursday is my prison adventure. Ever wondered what it feels like to be incarcerated? A scary thought for most of us isn't? These scenes from the courtyard of the Fremantle Prison conveyed a sense of feeling trapped. Prisoners would spend a great deal of time confined within their prison cells. The only glimpses of life outside would be possible only during prison break. After which the prisoners are herded right back to their cells.

Fremantle Prison was officially closed down in 1991 and its prisoners moved to Casuarina Prison with the latter replacing the former as the state's maximum security prison. Fremantle Prison is now open as a museum for public touring. Another interesting point to note is that this prison was featured in The Amazing Race (8th episode of the 9th season).

Believe it or not, Fremantle Prison offers its venue for hire. You can book its venue for various functions. This coming November 21 2009, Fremantle Prison will hosts Jailhouse Rock featuring prison entertainment in the form of a buffet dinner and a night of rock and roll!

I like the fact that someone has the good sense of preserving Fremantle Prison and turning it into a museum offering tours into prison life. On the local front (here), it's sad to hear that Pudu Prison is likely to be torn down to make way for development. Could they not have done the same by turning Pudu Prison into Jailhouse Rock? What do you think?

More glimpses of prison adventure in my next post.

Images copyright of Mei Teng.

Earn It

2009-10-31T21:50:00.004+08:00

Respect cannot be demanded. It has to be earned. Don't you agree there's a whole lot of truth in those words?

Striving hard to demand respect from others does more harm than good. Being true to yourself and working hard to show you are worthy of respect will make you earn it. If only some people will realize.

Image copyright of Mei Teng.

Ugly Or Beautiful?

2009-10-29T00:00:00.001+08:00

Do these images bring to mind the word ugly? Don't worry. I won't get mad if you think these images are ugly. These are meant to show the "ugly side" of urban decay. Personally, I find the first photo rather yucky looking with paint peeling off as well as little holes and craters all over the surface.

What may be beautiful on the outside may not necessarily be so inside. The reverse is also true. Life is a paradox!

These images of urban decay were photographed at a site I visited away from the city of Perth. More stories and photos coming up in my next post.

All images copyright of Mei Teng.

Connecting With Strangers

2009-10-28T00:00:00.001+08:00

I read about an interesting photo project sometime ago. Never really gave it a thought until yesterday. I am keen on this. Not sure about the timing and place though. I shall name it connecting with strangers. This project requires you to photograph someone you don't know (stranger) and post a short description about your subject. Interesting? Yes! And challenging as well. I am not exactly a people person so approaching a stranger (at the risk of rejection) might be quite a challenge for me. The upside potential of this project is you get to brush up on photographing people and making new friends. On the other hand, one has to be extra careful when approaching strangers. Not just anyone. Common sense rules. No photo is worth risking one's life.

My gameplan would be to introduce myself and my project. And then ask for permission for a portrait and a short description of the subject. I am not sure if this sounds ok. What do you think? Any suggestions? Should I give my subject a copy of the photo to for keepsake?

What Upsets Me?

2009-10-27T00:00:00.011+08:00

What upsets me when it concerns photography?

People expecting you to snap pictures of them all the time (or almost all the time).
People expecting you to compose shots the way they like it.
People telling you how and what to shoot (like you don't need to use your creativity).
People expecting you to shoot like you're having a point and shoot camera.
People who don't understand that a good photo requires skill, creativity and time and not just pressing a button.
People who exploit amateur or hobbyist photographers.
People who try to impress others with swollen-headed words rather than letting their works shine.

And something else that angers me most? Having experienced someone telling me to do photo manipulation (as in cutting and pasting photos of people's faces onto someone else' bodies and whatnots). I don't believe in this at all. Never.

What upsets you when it concerns photography or taking photos?

All images copyright of Mei Teng.

Windy Day At The Beach

2009-10-26T00:00:00.002+08:00

Continuing from my previous post on sandboarding in Cervantes, here are some snapshots of the beach. Beautiful isn't? A nice place for a walk or a jog? On a normal day yes. But not on that particular day I was there. Cold and strong winds blew full blast. Trying to walk against the direction of the strong winds was an arduous task. No wonder the beach looked deserted except for a bunch of us tourists hovering there for photo opportunities.

As much as I would love to walk on the beach, but not on days where the winds are cold and strong like these. I would rather stay indoors where it's warmer and the weather isn't as severe.

I realized two things I hated the most from my recent trip and they are strong and cold winds and taking the ferry ride to Rottnest Island (where I almost barfed into a doggy bag as a result of the weather and choppy sea conditions).

All images copyright of Mei Teng.

Err...I Shall Order Something Else

2009-10-24T14:36:00.009+08:00

Have you ever walked up to a certain food stall (or restaurant) wanting to order a certain dish and then suddenly changed your mind quite abruptly? I don't usually do that. Unless of course there are reasons to do so.

I was going to order some spring rolls for lunch today. Unfortunately, the stall was nowhere in sight. Not open today...for whatever reasons unknown to me. I thought of Sarawak Laksa as my next choice. I walked over to the food stall and upon approaching, I couldn't help but notice a guy helping the food stall owner dispose leftovers into a trash bin. His bare hands came into contact with the bin bag containing trash. He didn't wash his hands after the bin was placed on the ground. I don't need to elaborate what raced through my mind. Either I don't eat. Or I can ask him to wash his hands before serving me (I presume this guy will definitely have a hand in helping to serve food to customers). Both stall owner and the guy asked me if I would like to order. Without much thinking, I politely declined and walked away. I ended up ordering a prawn noodle take-away. I am not sure if the guy would be offended if I were to ask him to wash his hands first before serving me. What do you reckon? My guess is I will be better off eating something else.

I just cannot stomach the idea of having my food served by a pair of hands which have come into contact with leftovers and whatever else is in the trash bin that I wouldn't wish to know. If I hadn't witnessed this episode, I will just close both eyes and eat. But having seen it, err....I shall order something else.

Let's Go Sandboarding

2009-10-22T00:00:00.017+08:00

My sandboarding experience begins in Cervantes, a town situated more than 200 kilometres from Perth. There is more to this township than just sandboarding. Cervantes also boasts beautiful beaches along the Coral Coast with holiday homes and camping grounds. Cervantes is also close to the Nambang National Park where one can view the world renowned rock formations known as the Pinnacles (which I shall cover later on).

Dave, our local Aussie guide skillfully maneuvered the bus across the sand dunes. It was one rear bumping ride. Do you think it's possible to sandboard on board a bus? Yes, of course! Dave drove the bus up to a steep point and suddenly, the whole bus tilted to almost 90 degrees and careened gently down the sandy slopes amidst screams going off in the bus. It was like a sand roller coaster ride but a little less scary than a real roller coaster. Sandboarding on a bus is not only fun but perfectly safe.

Game for more? Oh yes...I was hooked. Dave gave it another go. Screams erupted as soon as the bus tilted and rolled down the sandy hill. Dave commented our screams were not as loud as some people from somewhere....which I shall not mention here. Go figure!

Now that we have sandboarded on the bus, it is time to hit the sand slopes proper. We got off the bus and started sandboarding down the slopes. Many people had fun that day. Including myself (sorry, no photos of yours truly will be posted here). I saw many had a go at it again and again. People can't seem to get enough. It was almost addictive. How does one sandboard? Get hold of a wooden sandboard (see my earlier post), sit on one end and place your feet on the other end and just drop off one of the sandy slopes!

What's the hard part about sandboarding? Well, after you've hit the bottom of the slope, you need to pick up the wooden board and make your way up the steep slope. The climbing up wasn't easy but well worth the fun of sliding down. Also, strong winds blew sand all over as we sandboarded. It was a "sand gets into my eyes" day. I went back with my hair, face, ears and clothes covered with sand. My greatest worry that day was my camera. Sand is one of camera's predators. Having sand in my camera would be disastrous. Thankfully, my equipment was safe and sound. I promptly cleaned up my camera and lens as soon as I got back to the hotel that night.

All images copyright of Mei Teng.

Do You Take The Time?

2009-10-21T00:00:00.003+08:00

To have some fun in life? Sometimes we ought to. What do you think I am about to do next? More photos and stories in my next post.

All images copyright of Mei Teng.

Care For A Spin?

2009-10-20T00:00:00.004+08:00

The eye is not far from home. That was what I discovered. The exact same wheel we have here in Malaysia (currently, the giant ferris wheel's in the historical city of Malacca) is right here in the city of Perth! Perth's Eye is located near the Swan River (next to the Perth Bell Tower). A couple of minutes walk from the central business district.

I wonder which city does not have an Eye? Everyone seemed to have jumped on the bandwagon offering a ride up a giant ferris wheel. Care for a spin? No thanks. I have a fear of heights. The last time I was up in Malaysia's Eye had me in cold sweat and almost on the verge of signalling for an emergency disembarkation. I don't enjoy being high up anywhere...be they overhead bridges, high staging area or observation towers...just to name a few.

All images copyright of Mei Teng.

Visiting A Cemetery

2009-10-19T00:00:00.004+08:00

Who would have thought of visiting a dog cemetery in Western Australia?! Well..that was what I did on a stopover in a town named Corrigin, a crop and sheep farming community located 229 km from the city of Perth. The entire scene at the cemetery is simply heartwarming. I can see the fondness those dog owners have for their beloved pets. Don't you think those dog owners are simply creative in remembering man's best friend?

According to Wikipedia, Corrigin has a population of 903 and is a key agricultural centre for a district focused mainly on wheat and sheep farming. It contains a district high school (originally opened 1915 as a primary school), National Australia bank, shopping facilities, accommodation (hotel, motel, caravan park), council offices and a telecentre. Each year, it hosts an agricultural show.

For those who aren't fond of dogs, I wonder if there's one dedicated to felines or other kinds of pets?

All images copyright of Mei Teng.

Flowers For The Deceased

2009-10-15T21:06:00.014+08:00

An unusual stopover at a small town out of the city of Perth. A quiet but beautiful place. Not creepy at all. That's where these beautiful bouquets abound. On carved out stones in remembrance of loved ones who have left.

Visiting cemeteries. Not a really scary thing. Except the old traditional Chinese ones where the place is usually poorly maintained with long creepy grass. I had this image etched in my memory as a child (when I visited my grandfather's grave).

What's different about this one? Read my story in the next post.

All images copyright of Mei Teng.

Up Close With The Kangaroos

2009-10-14T22:35:00.010+08:00

How can one visit Australia and not come away with photos of kangaroos? It's almost unthinkable. Here are my up close encounters with kangaroos at the Caversham Wildlife Park.

Have you ever seen white kangaroos and wallabies? I have two white kangaroos in my photo collection (see photos #2 and #4) and one of a white wallaby (see last photo). I have no idea why white kangaroos and wallabies are bred in the park. Personally, I prefer the natural brown-looking ones. The white ones reminded me of albinos!

You Have To Use Your Imagination

2009-10-13T21:50:00.008+08:00

To be able to see a Hippo's Yawn! Can you see it? I hope you did. This rock is so named due its resemblance to a yawning hippo. A rock attraction measuring 12.6 metres tall in Hyden.

The hippo rock is not the only attraction though. There are also rock formations that resembled a turtle and an elephant. At first, I couldn't quite figure out those animal shapes. My guide, Keith took me by the shoulders and walked me over to a spot and told me to use my imagination. Aha...sure enough, I saw both a turtle and an elephant. But unfortunately, I didn't take any photos of those rocks. Only the Hippo's Yawn.

Sometimes, we need to use a little imagination.......for good use of course!

Image copyright of Mei Teng.

I Feel Like................

2009-10-12T21:40:00.015+08:00

prancing through these fields. That was what I really felt like doing when I saw those fields covered in yellow. Too bad I couldn't do just that. Might get prosecuted for trespassing on private property. These are canola fields belonging to farmers. Canola is a type of rapeseed that produces edible oils suitable for human consumption. Its seeds are also used to produce livestock feed.

Is canola good for you? According to Wikipedia, canola oil has been claimed to promote good health due to its very low saturated fat and high monounsaturated fat content, and beneficial omega-3 fatty acid profile. The Canola Council of Canada states that it is completely safe and is the "healthiest" of all commonly used cooking oils.It has well established heart health benefits and is recognized by many health professional organizations including the American Dietetic Association, and American Heart Association, among others. Canola oil has been authorized a qualified health claim from the US Food and Drug Administration based on its ability to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to its unsaturated fat content.

Do you use healthy cooking oil in your cooking?

All images copyright of Mei Teng.