LUST for LIFE

Colonial-Style Jesselton Hotel

Steven — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 13:07:21 +0000

It has been a years since I last stayed at The Jesselton Hotel in Kota Kinabalu - it opened in 1954. So decided to book this boutique hotel during the trip to Sabah last February. Stayed over in KK for 2 nights before departing for KL. It is conveniently located on Gaya Street … within walking distance to shopping malls and the Waterfront. Plus plenty of ‘makan’ places.

The Jesselton is right in the midst of the city’s business district … the Sunday Market is held along this street when it is sited

Just like the planters of the Colonial days … missed out taking photos of the chambermaids

This is what I selected for breakfast … unlimited refills of juice and coffee/tea

Making A U-Turn

Steven — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 07:16:06 +0000

The title is taken from a conversation between my wife and her mother … Less than a week after our return from Sabah, my wife got a call from his brother saying their mother had a minor stroke and admitted to the Kudat GH. She was not responding and the doctor had advised that the next-of-kins be informed. Miraculously, my mother-in-law regained consciousness. She needed extra time to recognise my wife, who helped in nursing her. She told my wife that “it was not time yet and had made a u-turn”. She has since been discharged from the hospital.

The grandlady with one of her grandchildren … at her 91st birthday celebration in Kudat … I thought ‘Me’ sounds better than ‘I’

Kota Kinabalu: Waterfront

Steven — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:00:46 +0000

Here are some photos taken in Kota Kinabalu … at various sites in the vicinity of the jetty and waterfront … all the photos were taken with my wide-angle Tamron lens

It’s 7.30am local time and the guy is still sleeping on the bench

The Tip of Borneo

Steven — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:11:21 +0000

Every time I visited Kudat, I made it a point to go to the Tip of Borneo … the different weather, sea and tide conditions offered different perspectives for photography

As you can see, Kudat is known for its abundance of coconut palms

During low tide and calm sea you can make your way to the ‘tip’

Yonder is where the South China Sea meets the Sulu Sea

Crystal clear water

A favourite backdrop for photographs

Glimpses of Kudat

Steven — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:59:32 +0000

Not many people have been to Kudat nor know where this administrative centre for the Kudat Division (covering the districts of Kudat, Pitas, Kota Marudu and some offshore islands) is located. It is on the northern tip of Borneo Island and indeed some associate it with Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, which is the northern most point of Borneo island.

Some colleagues have asked that I post some photos of this idyllic place, which is about a 2-1/2 drive from Kota Kinabalu. Kudat is a small town - one can probably transverse the town in less than 1 hour on foot.But it is not really a sleepy hollow … well, it has a golf and marina resort located on the town’s outskirt. And you must check out this website www.kudatriviera.com - wow and woot, woot.

BTW I read that Kudat was the first landing point for the Hakkas who migrated to SE Asia during the 1880s. The first batch of Hakkas from Guangdong landed in Kudat on 4 April 1883.

Took this with my Sigma 10-20mm lens from the Hotel Ria where my family stayed during our trip to Kudat for the CNY <Canon 50D + Sigma 10-20mm lens>

The jetty is at the end of this road <Canon 50D + Sigma 10-20mm>

This red and yellow house - under construction - stands out among the others … the village is inhabited by the Bajaus, who are known for their seafaring ways <Canon 50D + Canon EF 24-105mm>

Many vendors , mostly women, sell their farm produces along the corridors of the market

This mak chik is hawking a variety of salted fish

Birthday Celebration @ Kudat

Steven — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 10:16:46 +0000

Here are a couple of photos from my MiL’s birthday dinner held in Kudat, Sabah …

Helen helping her mother cut the birthday cake

One for the album … four generations, woot … it would have been a bigger group - some of the grandchildren and their families could not make the trip to Kudat

The children performing a song and dance for their great-grandma

Born 1919

Steven — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 04:37:37 +0000

This time around, my family travelled to Sabah to celebrate the Lunar New Year with my in-laws and relatives. Actually, it was a double rejoice - it was a golden opportunity to celebrate my mother-in-law’s birthday since her 3 sons, 4 daughters (excluding the 5th who’s residing in China), grandchildren and great-grandchildren would be back in Kudat for the CNY. The grand lady turns 91 this year. The birthday-cum-reunion dinner was held 2 days before the dawn of the Tiger Year.

I love this candid shot of my MiL … she enjoys an occasional drink of beer, woot … that’s a can of Tiger beer she’s holding … just the brew for the Tiger Year

Dawn Silhouette

Steven — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 08:40:41 +0000

Took this shot some where in Petaling Jaya. Didn’t have the POV that I wanted … so only managed to catch a sun rising behind a building (located in Kuala Lumpur).

Thaipusam @ Sungai Batu

Steven — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:38:09 +0000

Continuing from yesterday’s posting…

The mother applying the pottu on her daughter’s forehead

Was told that the pottu signifies the third eye (centre of awareness) and heightens one’s spiritual awareness

All set to make the climb up the 272 steps into the Batu Caves inner chamber

Off they go to perform their vows (Canon 350D + Sigma 10-20mm>

Thaipusam: By the Sungai Batu’s Bank

Steven — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:32:10 +0000

I’ve almost come to the last of my photoblogs on the Thaipusam celebration at the Batu Caves.

After spending a couple of hours in the vicinity of the main Great Cave, I took a 750-metre stroll to the bank of the Sungai Batu. It was about 11am and the sun was blazing through the atmosphere. There were groups of devotees preparing themselves for the ritual.

At the river bank, there was a family conducting prayers, led by their mother. It was a unique experience watching them … and they allowed me to photograph them.

I am posting two pix here … more pix tomorrow.