Kota Kinabalu Port

Took the first two photos not too long ago (October 2011) while visiting Suria Sabah.


Aerial view of Kota Kinabalu Port at daylight.



The view changed completely at night.



Cloudy morning (December 2011) with Logos Hope ship berthed at one of the jetties.

The floating bookstore was in KK Port for about a month and left for Singapore on 12th December 2011.

Pulau Tiga Mud Volcano

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As mentioned in my previous posting, Sunset in Pulau Tiga, there is a unique attraction here that you will rarely find in other parts of Malaysia. Probably the only one in the whole country and one of the few worldwide.

It's the mud volcano.

You know you have reached your destination (Pulau Tiga) when you see this jetty. The friendly staff would help you with the stuff and things. No tips and no worries, it's part of their PR and the warm hospitality offered by Pulau Tiga Resort.

The sweet panoramic view with clear water and blue sky is very refreshing; at least it is to me.

Alright. Without further ado, let's meet the mud-skinned genie. I mean, our tour guide.

"Hi. I'm your cute, little tour guide. I'm a bit shy and will only show up on-and-off when needed, and believe me I know exactly when you will need my presence. I will show you around and right now I'm gonna lead you to the peak of this island and let you soak and bath in our muddy little bathtub. It's free and the mud is totally safe. You are guaranteed of a younger looking skin as soon as you emerge from the pond."

*Note: This is not me*

Hello!

Disclaimer

You have been warned (I'll repeat the English bit for you):

MUD BATH AT YOUR OWN RISK.

BEWARE! MUD POND DEEP 48" (4 FEET)

But  48-inch deep is nothing, you say. Sure, but the floor plane is unpredictably uneven, so there is still risk especially for young children. It's your endevour, so the risk is all yours...

That's including a very high possibility of meeting up with this two-tongue tough guy. It is not the most dangerous animal in the world - it's just a lizard - but their saliva is said to be poisonous, the islanders even compare them to komodo dragons.

Refreshing n cooling!

The mud pond is very much worth fighting for but you are not here to pick a fight with someone. Even water buffaloes behave when mud-bathing. LOL

Okay, I have no comment.

That's gross! Eeuw..!  but seriously, is that the best you guys can offer? Show us some six-packs.

"Rinse up everybody" - That's your big bath tub right in front of the lodging houses.

Once done with the wash up routine, it's pretty much game over. It is best to continue with a more delicate cleansing at the privacy of your chalet. For more information and cost of going there, read here.

Welcome To The Club, Cmeon

Cmeon and Rosa,

A big congratulations to a wonderful and beautiful couple! We want to let you know how happy we truly are for you both. Your wedding day is only one day in your lives, but it marks the beginning of your journey together, the adventures to come, together.

You both met and found one another, compliment each other, and you'll share in each other's ups and downs that life brings. So, best of wishes, big congratulations to you both and welcome to the club!

Lots of love,
floyd & family.

The venue where the historic event took place (St. Michael Church, Penampang).

Blessings, and best of wishes!

Cmeon is my best man during my big day many years back and I'm so glad he decided to settle down and start a family of his own. More great shots of his wedding are not posted here intentionally.

Three Deeish

I was trying to say 3-D as in 3D theater, 3D television or three-dimensional view of things on our flat screens.

In still pictures there are several ways of achieving this effect although I don't exactly know how many. I'll share some of my shots that I think are somewhat close to what is perceived as three dimension by our eyes. Kindly note that they are no where near the fine quality products of the pros but, well, I tried.

One way is via lighting. Lighting the subjects at different focal distances will give you the feeling that one subject is further away from you than the other.

Piranhas in a big aquarium

Sad looking Snake confined in a glass cage

Another way is via depth of field (DOF). Shallow depth of field combined with focusing only the front-most subject can create 3D effect, such as these photos:

'Beruang ' is one of the favourite dogs at Mom's

'also-in' - a typical unwanted weed in your flower vase

Happy shooting!

A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words

Title: "Bukan Salah Mata Memandang"

Location: Jln KK Bypass / Jln Kampung Air 1

Date: October 2011

Sunset in Pulau Tiga

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Friendly people waiting.

Few months back, me and a group of friends embarked on an exciting weekend tour to Pulau Tiga, off Kuala Penyu on the West Coast of Sabah. Tiga is a Malay word for three, although you may not find a trio of island within sight of each other.

It is located about 10km off shore and if you prefer a day trip it is practical to do so but I would say spending a night there will be most suitable and recommended. We spent our weekend at Pulau Tiga Resort.

There is another lodging facility called Borneo Survivor Resort but it was still closed at the time of our visit. You can snorkel, swim, kayak on the clear waters or dive if you fancy going down under. Diving course fee is negotiable, too.

There is also the famous natural volcanic mud but that's for the upcoming entry.

Let's go!

During this time of the year, the sun set on the side of the island where jungle trekking is necessary to reach a useful spot. The less photographic alternative is the jetty in front of Sabah Parks facilities. It is a sturdy structure and you can set your tripod on it and not to worry about vibration.

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Sabah Parks jetty

I just love sunsets!

The red ball before it took a plunge into the horizon.

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Taken after the sun has fully set.

Hot Spring

I'm planning a night-stay trip to the temperate climate part of Sabah with my family in the near future. The area, particularly Kundasang is not short of lodging so one should not find it difficult to get one. If you are travelling in a group of four or more, it is advisible that you get yourself a challet/bungalow. That is just what we are planning to do.

The last time we travel north, weather was not so freindly; the stopover at Pekan Nabalu was good with clear sky and so many others were enjoying themselves at the spot.

Such as them....

Pekan Nabalu

Poring Hot Spring, off Jalan Ranau-Sandakan. This is a must-visit if you are visiting Sabah.

Peluk tubuh lagi! Ini air panas kah air sejuk ni?

Come early and chances are you will get one hut with bath tank for you and your friends. It's always full house though during weekends.

The best I could get during the previous trip. It was raining and you don't want to risk drenching your camera while taking pictures.

Big tree - we should keep it that way. Jangan tebang!

The canopy walk.

Shot taken just before the rain poured.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . Sunset . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Out over the ocean, and it’s waves it lay,

A magnificent orange sphere, as it drops to the sea,

With spears descending from within the fire,

The magnificent beauty of the sunset each day,

An immanent display, for the world to share,

As it seeps below horizons, to end the day,

Only to share light, so that others may see,

The beauty of the sunset for all who care,

Up above the clouds, that shadow the light,

The rain, the snow, and the elements that blind,

That magnificent glow, that Brightens our world,

Another sunset awaits, just to share its light,

by: B.J. Ayers

For all of us, sunset hunters.

Sharing a narrow path

Location: Along Sutera drive, off Coastal highway Kota Kinabalu. This man-made rocky shore is ideal for fishing while enjoying sunsets.

"Caught anything yet..?"

Two kaki-pancing enjoying the sunset while fishing. I cooked this up a little to lighten the foreground.

Selamat Pengantin Baru, Felix

"Welcome to the club" untuk pasangan Felix dan Lynda yang telah melangsungkan perkahwinan baru-baru ini di Kota Kinabalu.

Felix ketika menjadi artis jemputan CLAS Musim Ke-4, March 2011 yang lalu.

Lagu "Aku Juga Iya" pada CLAS Musim Ke-3, pada April 2010

Dinobatkan sebagai Juara CLAS (Carta Lagu Artis Sabah) 2010.

Sedikit liputan oleh The Borneo Post mengenai upacara perkahwinan Filex dan Lynda di sini.

Alone But Not Lonely

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No one is out of reach anymore. Well, hopefully.

"Hello, anybody home? hello!..hello!....what *$^*&%"

Satelites and telco towers. They can be anywhere around the orbit, and or deep in the jungle. This one was captured on the heel of Crocker Range, Sabah.

Congratulations! RVS

Let me start by congratulating the lovely and talented couple, Robert and Vivi. Vivi is a talented singer and Robert is very good with musical instruments.

from their pre-wedding shot

For it's our faith that guides our lives

With a measure of God's grace

For this is what keeps love strong

Through whatever we may face

- M.S.Lowndes

This was back in June and it happened in a small town of Tamparuli. As with my post for Ester's Big Day, my apologies to Vivi for the late entry.

A venue to remember....

Lighting of the Unity Candle

Mr. & Mrs. Robert

 


Let's proceed to the reception at Tun Hamdan's.





"Mbah, lambai-lambai tangan dulu bah....."





It's plain simple but I can't do this alone

 




Cheers....!!



"Sa inda tau begini complicated pula mau buka ni. Tiapa, maintain senyum luk la"



Today is the beginning of a journey the two of you now share

The vow to love, honour, and cherish now seen in the rings you wear

And so my wish to you both is that when you wake each day

You will turn to each other with the same look you share today

So, welcome to the club & this is wishing you only the best!

Again...CONGRATULATIONS on your wedding, Robert and Vivi.
Sincerely,
Floyd,

P/S: To Vivi, there are many more interesting shots of both of you during your big day. You know where to find me.

The Green Connection

Let's head to The Green Connection for a family outing.

Welcome to The Green Connection!

Where:
It is a 10-minute drive from KK city and is located within Badan Sukarelawan Complex, KM2, Jalan Tuaran, Likas Sabah. If you are driving from Kota Kinabalu, you would have passed through Razz Ma Tazz clubhouse, SLDB office and finally a temple on your left hand side prior to the intended left-turn to The Green Connection.

When:
It is open daily from 10.00am - 6.00pm and last entry is at 4.30pm

How:
My wife always say that I'm good with sketching direction map but I am not going to sketch one this time. Uncle Google will. Just a little bit of touches here and there and we are good to go:

Finding it is very easy

Show me the money:
Ticket price for adult : RM 25.00
Child : RM 15.00 children between 2 yrs and 16 yrs old. It's free passage for babies.

Err...these vases don't grow flower one!

About half of the fun is outdoors but no worries, the compound is amply vegetated and your tour would mostly be under the shade of the trees. If you are unlucky and it rains, you have to just stay indoors but there are still plenty of things you can do.

Get a hand at the starfish if you'd like to. Just don't take them out of the water please..

Hensem kah saya?

The main attraction is this centre is the big aquarium inhabited by many aquatic species. Some notable ones being the stingrays, sharks and turtles.

Shoot them as you like & take all the time you need

Guided tour:
As part of the education program, the centre provide a short on-the-job briefing prior and during the show. Fish feeding time (I call it showtime) is at 11.30am & 4.00pm on Monday to Friday. On Public Holidays, Saturdays and Sundays there is additional show at 1.30pm.

Should I listen to her? or watch the diver feeding the fishes?

"There.. Take it, you greedy pari!"

Less activity outdoors for us as it was drizzling that day. There are snakes and other reptiles as well but that'd be for the next visit during drier days.

"Mana sudah mama kita nih aah?"

"Ahoyyy pirate!"
...fares you goodbye as you approach the exit.

Happy Holidays! and spend sometime with your loved ones this weekend.