Ramen, and the Rest of It

Please click the photo above to play the daily videoA sunny start, which after the week's steady grey felt like the city had remembered it had another setting. Everything looked better lit. It's remarkable how much of a mood is simply a question of what the light is doing.

Anita was out with friends today — a continuation of the birthday, which has by now stretched comfortably into its own small season. I approve of this entirely. A single evening never seems quite adequate, and she has the sort of friends who treat a birthday as a standing invitation rather than a fixed appointment.

Once the morning's work was behind me, I drove straight to Bukit Bintang. No particular reason beyond wanting to be somewhere with people in it. Ramen for lunch, which is a decision I make roughly once a fortnight and have never once regretted. There's something restorative about a bowl that demands your full attention — you can't check anything, can't half-do it, you simply sit there and get on with the business of eating. Twenty minutes of enforced presence, delivered by broth.

Afterwards, a short walk around the area, mostly to let the ramen settle and partly because it seemed a waste to leave immediately. Bukit Bintang in the early afternoon is a strange, pleasant thing — half the crowd is tourists moving slowly with their heads up, the other half is people who work there moving quickly with their heads down, and the two streams flow through one another without much friction. I walked without a destination, which I do far too rarely, and noticed several things I've driven past a hundred times without seeing.

Physio in the late afternoon. Necessary, useful, and conducted in that brisk, unsentimental manner these sessions have, where you're praised for something you didn't know you were doing and corrected on something you were certain you'd mastered. I came out feeling loosened and mildly humbled, which is presumably the intention.

Dinner at Bangsar Village, alone, and unexpectedly enjoyable for it. Eating on your own has a bad reputation it doesn't deserve. Nobody to consult about the order, nobody's pace to match, and a perfectly good excuse to watch the room. Bangsar on a bright evening is good watching: the shopping-bag brigade, a few families negotiating with children, the usual cast of people who appear to have been sitting at the same table since noon.

Then home, and prep for tomorrow's talks. That's the part of the day that always takes longer than the estimate, because the material never behaves the way it did in your head. You read through what you've prepared and find the joins, the bit that doesn't quite lead into the next bit, the slide that seemed clever on Tuesday and now seems merely busy. I got it into decent shape. Not perfect — nothing is, the night before — but decent.

Tomorrow will be a talking sort of day. Tonight was a walking, eating, stretching sort of day, and that seems a fair way to have earned it.

Kelby Walk 2017

The weather didn't look promising at the start of the day. After waking up extra early, I must say that I was disappointed when I pulled the curtains. There were heavy clouds, even threatening to rain at certain parts of the horizon.

Selfie with the walk leader, RipiHalimi brought his own transport ...Catching up with the news ...And so we embarked ...Making my way to the hospital for an extra early rounds, I was happy to see that the cloud had begun to dissipate. I was even more optimistic as I made my way into town for my yearly meeting with my friends. It was that time of the year again. The Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk. And this year, we would be following the Heritage Trail starting at Central Market.

Time for a pose ...A mural near Pasar KaratA peaceful Chinese teahouse. Business started early ...Looking up as we approached Pasar KaratThe gear I took with me this year was the the X-Pro2 with a wide angle zoom as well as the Ricoh GR as backup. I also brought the 35mm f1.4 lens just in case it started to rain and I needed a faster lens.

After meeting up at one of the mamak shop along Kasturi Walk, we confer gated at the Central Market main entrance for the obligatory group photos. This was followed by a short briefing by Ripi who was again the walk leader.

Welcome to ChinatownFollowing my own shadows ...Stop for a second breakfastAnd the weather turning gloomy ....We were soon making our way to Pasar Karat and Chinatown. All in glorious sunshine ....

Masjid India

After we said our goodbyes with the bigger group, I broke off around Masjid India on my way to the LRT near Masjid Jamek. Some of my photographer friends decided to have dim sum lunch at a nearby restaurant but since I had to return back to the hospital, I had to give it a miss.

Very colourful place but very warm at the same time since the sun was already high up. The fact that the place didn't have much win blowing also didn't help.

There were shops there mainly selling snacks, clothes and bootleg items. In fact, Masjid India was famous for that.

Time to head home ....In the end, there weren't much to see as I was rushing. Took the LRT and that was the end of my photowalk for the day.

Urban Decay

As mentioned, I could've easily called the Photowalk this year as exploration of urban decay. Certainly was a suitable theme. The overcast weather certainly gave the ambiance an extra lift, exaggerating the dull tone.

Walking around this part of Pudu alone could be intimidating. I wouldn't mind the Chinese folks which made the majority of the residents here, it was the foreigners. They look at the locals suspiciously and certainly I wouldn't want to be seen with expansive gear walking around here.

Best to walk in a group.

But if you were with friends, certainly there were plenty to see and photograph. Best to walk around early in the morning as the lights would be better and the weather wouldn't be as hot and humid.

For the day, I decided to shoot black and white with my GR. The 28mm perspective was just nice although it would've been great to have a wide-angle zoom along - I bought one a week later.

The black and white palate certainly brought the atmosphere to life.

Stop for Cendol

The sun was getting higher and the clouds had parted by mid morning with the market bathed in some sunshine. With the sunshine came the early afternoon heat and humidity. By that time, I've been walking at least 3 km, and could do with a drink.

But nothing could be better than a touch of cendol and ice. Gorgeous. That also allowed me to catch up with the rest of the group as I was away from the main crowd while in the market.

I was told that this particular stall was the best in town. Or at least in Pudu. I found the ice a bit too sweet though. Couldn't finish all of it. But the stop was a welcomed one. The next part of the walk would be around some old shops along Jalan Pudu before some architecture shots and abandoned building at Jalan Sarawak.