Another Call

Another call today before I would be off to Bangkok this weekend for a talk. And there would be a stem cell infusion this afternoon to keep me occupied.

To prepare for the long day, best to have some breakfast before the clinic starts. So, here we go!

Light Traffic

The school was off today and there was hardly any traffic driving in. I ended up at the Doctor's Lounge just after 8, browsing the news channel. Too early for breakfast.

Since I don't have a clinic this morning, I might as well run some errands before putting on the finishing touches on the lecture in was due to give this weekend.

Not a bad idea.

School's Off

My boys had been celebrating since the announcement were made around lunchtime that school would be closed both tomorrow and Tuesday. It looked like their weekend was extended to 4 four days courtesy of the haze.

It was pretty bad when I drove for my morning rounds at around 9, but it had brightened up considerably even since. In fact, Anita and I went out for dinner at the stalls earlier and it appeared to have improved a lot.

I felt sorry for the Ministry since as soon as they announced the school closure, the haze tended to improve. Last Sunday, it rained almost straight after the announcement. At the current rate, we might have bright blue sky tomorrow ....

A Hazy #WWPW2015

It was finally done and I stayed indoors most of the time. The API doubled between the time we gathered until we split for lunch. And the KL Marathon scheduled the next morning was cancelled soon after due to the haze.

But that did not deter our determination to shoot. In the end, only 40 shooters turned up, which was a decline from last year. On paper it should have been at least 70.

We congregated as planned at Restoran Yusoof dan Zakhir right opposite the Central Market main entrace. Since I arrived late from the hospital, I parked straight there. Luckily it wasn't affected by the KL Free Car Day that morning. Had a quick breakfast before we congregate at the front of CM main entrance for a quick briefing as well as the obligatory group photo.

Soon after we that, we set off. We walked past the old “Bus Stand Kelang” - now transformed of course, passing by the far entrance of Petaling Street towards Pasar Karat, which was our first shooting area. We spent around half an hour there, shooting and mingling around with the crowd, having some coffee in the end as well.

I then walked past Petaling Street proper - which was still closed as it only operates from 11 am - through the remnant of Hotel Malaya towards the Guan Di Temple. Here, the group started to thin out with half of the group moving on towards the Sri Maha Maniaman Temple while others decided to hang around at Pasar Karat.

Me? I went to a completely different direction. I turned back towards Petaling Street, all the way towards Stadium Negara and join some friends at Merchant's Lane Cafe. This was a real discovery for me, a quaint, rustic cafe bar, renovated from the old pre-World War shophouses along Petaling Street with a hipster twist. Something that Puan Anita would appreciate! More on that later.

I had a slightly bigger breakfast, took some photos there while catching up. Half an hour later, it was time to walk towards the end meeting point while taking snaps along the way of course. But by this time, the haze was really picking up. The sky was even greyer than when we started, the air quality deteriorated, not a conducive time for a photowalk all around.

I skipped the planned stop at the Indian Shops along Leboh Ampang, and went straight to Burger King where we end our walk. We reached there quite early and got the best seats in the house. Again, we caught up with friends, said our goodbyes, quenched our thirst before finally setting off towards Central Market again, via Dataran Merdeka.

At this point in time, the KL Marathon had yet to be cancelled and preparations were in full swing. A long of runners were there to pick up their gears for the next day's race and judging from the air quality, I wasn't surprised that the announcement for cancellation finally came. We walked past the Masjid Jamek bridge and walked towards the CM Annex for our final stop - lunch.

Bob Magnus suggested that we have lunch at his old stomping ground on the top floor of Central Market. It must have been around 20 years since I last been at the stalls there, and not much had changed. More food and finally time to pack up and go.

A subdued walk due to the haze unfortunately, but the flame was still there. Definitely would be going again next year. And now time for post-production …. and uploads of course!

Let's do the #WWPW2015

It's that time of the year again. It's the reunion time!

Since 2009, we had been congregating in town for a photowalk and to be honest it was not that much of the walk but the company. Some of the walkers I had hardly seen in a year and today we get together for breakfast before launching ourselves to the mercy of the weather and traffic to what is known as the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk.

The obligatory group photo to start the day of course after filling our collective bellies with teh tarik.

The route this year verges towards Petaling Street and one hope that there would be none of the nonesence from our local ikan bakar mogul to spoil the day! The weather forcast? Not that great! But again, it was the getting together which was the ain thing.

I have already got my gear ready. I will be taking my A7R mark II and the Ricoh GR, plus my iPhone as well as my Fenix 3 for photo geolocation! Everything charged up! The social media account streamlined. Clinic cancelled. Now it was time for the morning rounds! And the sun has yet to come up!

Let's go!