The Walk Part I

The turn out was very good. A quick head count at the starting point tallied at around 60. Weather was nice. It rained in the early hours, and the pavements were still wet. The sub had already started to pierce through the thick morning Kuala Lumpur cloud when it was time to start off at 9.30 am.

It was a Saturday, 5th October 2013, at Restoran Sahara on the north end of Chow Kit. The sixth instalment of the Scott Kelby Annual Worldwide Photowalk, the KL chapter was organised and lead by the ever irrepressible Ripi. Maps and email storm galore prior to setting off, to make sure every participant for the picture. And he started things off with the pre-walk preambles and briefing.

Then came the obligatory group photo. Best to take it before we set off because the group will start to disperse and shrink before long. Fariz obliged with his 5D and wide angle setup. All smiles!

Young and old, there was space for everyoneFariz set up the group photo for us this yearThe group started to pair up and heading out in groupsSome were still trying to find their bearingsTime to rolloutThe route this year snaked through Chow Kit wet market, exiting on the opposite site - near Menara Safuan - before heading into the Town Center along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman towards Maju Junction and Medan Tuanku. There were a few gem here. Plenty of old shophouses plying the trades since the 70s with the owners having plenty of story to tell. The place had certainly passed its heyday.

Next, we passed by the main shopping district of Jalan TAR before the roads were blocked for the weekly Pasar Malam - the block started at 3 pm and we were well early. We then took a sharp left towards Jalan Bonus and Semua House. Walked along Masjid Indian and the new bazaar - creatively named Bazar - before reaching Masjid Jamek where we grouped for lunch at one of the cafe by the LRT there.

Getting wet in the wet marketColourful indeedThey certainly looked freshRolling out againBy the time we reached that particular checkpoint everyone was already comfortable sitting around. Lebuh Ampang and Chinatown was not far off for those still energetic - or have a spare battery pack. My X-Pro1 battery started blinking red once I hit the 350 frame mark. And it was time to call it a day.

Not after a spot of lunch though. And on the subject of food, we set off from a restaurant - Restoran Sahara - and I stopped at Cafe Safuan, Cafe Capital, Restoran Kudu bin Abdul and at the end CoffeeBox Cafe. So, you get the picture. It was food, drinks and chit chats along the way, plus stops at cafe, shops and stalls talking to the vendors taking in the feel of the place.

I just realised that Jalan TAR was filled with hardware shopsOld and rustic charmPlotting our next destinationDone and dustedIt was just before 3 pm when we said our goodbyes. Some of us had other engagements to attend to for the rest of the day, while some like myself, it was family time.

More on the walk here.

After the Walk

It turned out to be a nice day weather wise and the wall went on without a hitch. I started my day as planned with an early ward round. I was driving back towards the city by 8.15, and parked at KLCC. Took the LRT and Monorel towards Chiw Kit, and made it to the starting point well before we set off.

Around 60 photographers turned up. There was even a family - Mum, Dad, Daughter and Son - who came. Got to meet friends old and new. Quite a gathering. And the trend now was towards smaller gears and smartphones. Of course there were the D3s and 5D Mark IIs. But there were not as many as before.

Some of them ordered breakfast but it was clear the restaurant couldn't cope with our orders.

As usual, we did the obligatory group photograph at the starting point. The route this year was from Chow Kit Monorel station, setting into the chow Kit wet market, exit on the opposite side and walk towards Maju Junction and Masjid India.

Then we would congregated at the end at Masjid Jamek where we would have lunch.

Tea when I reached homeI ended up eating long the way. How could I resist, there was Restoran Kudu along the way. And the stores along the way .... I was full by the time I reached the destination. That didn't stop me ordering more drinks afterwards.

It was a great day out. I snapped over 300 frames which explained why my battery was almost dead. Took the LRT back to KLCC, and I was home by 4. Tired, I actually took a nap before uploading the photos into the computer. Hmmm .... Post-processing fever coming tonight ......

More entries on the walk here.

Photowalk Tomorrow

Setting off during the 2009 walkSo, if things fell into place, we would be embarking on another chapter of the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk tomorrow morning. The first one I joined was on the second chapter in 2009. A great day out it was, and we explored the wet market of Chow Kit that fine morning.

I helped organised the walk in 2010, and the route I picked was around Central Market towards the old KL KTM Station. 2011 was around Masjid Jamek. Ripi helped organised that, and he will be doing the same again tomorrow, but this time we would be back to Chow Kit.

Ripi helped organise the walk in the last couple of years, and he is doing the honours again tomorrowA common theme during all the walks. Food. And plenty of them!This was snapped at the beginning of the 2010 walk which I helped organiseWeather does play a big role. And I hope tomorrow would be a nice one ....I couldn't join last year's walk due to work. It was around Pavilion, but it was interrupted by heavy rain. Praying for good weather tomorrow.

I have cancelled the morning clinic, and would be starting my ward round very early. We were talking around 7 am. I would then hopefully be able to join the walk from the start by 9 am. Parking would be a challenge and I might end up having to park at Pavilion and take the Monorail across town, which in itself was a journey. Better set off extra early then …..

Entries on the 2013 walk here.

CNY Slideshow

I wished that I had more time to spend walking about enjoying the decorations, but my schedule had been pretty tight. I ended up taking quick snaps here and there. But at least, I had the chance .....

The walk was documented here.

Olympic Centennial Park

One of the things I knew about Atlanta before my trip there was the fact that it was the host for the Centennial Olympics back in 1996. Personally, the game should have been held in Athens, to mark the 100 years since the first modern games were held, but Atlanta managed to pip through on the last bid. Being a sentimental, it should have been in Greece, but hey, I do not make the rules.

So, I was looking forward to some legacy of the games, but all I got was the Centennial Park, which to be honest was a lot smaller than I imagined it would be. It was also the site for the Olympic bombing which killed two people during the games.

It was a nice grass field with a few monuments surrounding it, but in itself, it was nothing special. But the tiles which made up the footway caught my eye. They all have names of donors written on them, which were mainly people of the city. They must have lent their money to the project and had their names immortalised in the park.

There was also a small fountain made up of the five rings of the Olympics located in the centre of the park. I walked by this every morning from my hotel to the Congress Center.

In the evening, the park was transformed somewhat with the lightings wing erected, celebrating winter and Christmas. Unfortunately they don't get much snow in this part of the US, but the brown leaf from the tree contrasted well with the clear blue sky. It was quite a vista actually with the cool breeze that we had during my stay there. Since the weather is in the mild side, a skating rink was erected at the part of the park near the Georgia Aquarium.

More about my Atlanta trip here.