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.

The Old Town

Jalan Pudu used to be a business hub of the town. But over the years, the commercial area had moved somewhere else and the shophouses here had lost their importance and some were even left abandoned for new development.

The same went for the residential areas round here. The old flats here were still occupied and despite being near the city center, the place was still quiet and green.

There were plenty of urban decay to be captured though as most of the buildings here could easily be dated from the 60s and 70s, mainly occupied by Chinese businessmen.

The houses were mainly rows of flat 4 stories high, with Art Deco finish and bright colours. As with most part of KL, the maintenance and facade had suffered over the years. A new coat of paint would have been nice.

We took a left turn along the rows of houses to reach one of the old abandoned building which Ripi had identified .....

Ching Wan Xian Shi Temple

Nestled at the edge of the buzzing Pudu Wet Market, sat this quaint Buddhist temple, full of colours.

The volunteers there were busy preparing for some festival the next day, hence there were plenty of activities going on. There would be a pantomime and some food offering for the next day. The keepers there answered our questions while we were snapping away.

Neat row of plantsLook at my soleSome incense Volunteers helping out for the coming festivities

Plenty of colours and nice lights, although compared to other temples, this place was a right tiny one. We were there while waiting for the market to open. Some of the walker took the time to have some morning drinks at the stalls nearby.

I pushed on to the market ...

Setting Off

Although many were lugging along their bulky gear, we ended up using a compact for the group photo. Ripi's Sony RX100. It did its job.

We made our way towards the Pudu Wet Market, about one km away. We passed by some flats and shops, took the time to talk to other walkers, and of course sample the local scene.

The flats offered some interesting backdrop, although I would wish for a sunny blue sky. The dull overcast weather would favour some high contrast black and white shots. Easily done, especially with the Ricoh GR.

The Meeting Point

I have been to Pudu Plaza a few times but not really familiar with the area. I was always intimidated driving to the area since traffic was usually bad, and there were too many cars parked on the side of the street. Manoeuvring could be a challenge. Most of the time, I parked inside the complex, but never ventured around on foot.

For the photowalk, I parked at the plaza, and walked across the street to get to the meeting point, Ali Food Corner. I was greeted by the usual faces, friends I get to meet once a year during the photowalk. Happy faces.

Said hi to everybody, took my seat and ordered my breakfast. Plenty of new faces. The number of walker exceeded 50 which was great.

The meeting proper then started with Ripi - the walk leader for the past 3 years - gave us a briefing on what to see and some pointers, followed by the customary group photo. Best to do it first thing as before long, everybody would be walking at their own pace and get spread out. Walkers would reach the end point at their own time and some may not meet again.

Group photo done. Time to move ....