SINGAPORE | Jalan-jalan in Kampong Glam

It has been awhile since I have posted a proper decent post.

I used to post daily, but with only one photo per post, some like it as it is updated daily, but some say why there is only one photo, hence I posted several photos every other day, yet some still say that the photos are still too little.

Oh well, now I will just post whenever I feel like it.

During a previous visit to Arab Street of Kampong Glam, due to some technical problem I did not manage to get to capture the central plaza.

Kampong Glam might not be considered to be a glamourous place in Singapore, but for those who wanted to try something different, this is it.

According to Wikipedia, the area's name is derived from two Malay words, Kampong, meaning "village" or "settlement", and Glam (or Gelam) referring to a variety of eucalyptus (Melaleuca leucadendra) which grew in the area.

Its bark was used by boat builders in the village to caulk boats while its leaves provided cajuput oil (from Malay: minyak kayu puteh, or white wood) which could be used to treat muscular aches and pains, as well as respiratory problems


Bussorah Pedestrian Mall at Kampong Glam, and at the background is the Masjid Sultan (Sultan Mosque).


MAG, Malay Art Gallery, the facade of the building are mainly like this, like those in the black and white movie.


People flocking to buy the goods on sale.


A lone bicycle, just like the classic old movie.


Some row of shop houses.

KUALA LUMPUR | Pudu Jail Haunted?

Pudu Jail a.k.a Pudu Prison a.k.a Pudu Goal was used to house criminals including drug offenders and was also the location for administering corporal punishment.


The main gate, showing the year it was "established", 1895.


One side of the painted mural on the wall, "Death, that's the mandatory sentenced for any drug trafficker in Malaysia"

These murals were painted by the prisoners, who used over 2,000 litres of paint to accomplish the task


The Malaysian's flag hung on the prison's concrete wall.

There are rumours that Pudu Prison is haunted. There have been reports of a strange Indian man walking the halls of the prison and disappearing around the corner. Supposedly, screams have been heard from rooms where hangings have taken place, and there are certain areas of the prison that are far colder than others

Whilst I walked along the area taking photo, suddenly I tripped onto something and I nearly felled, when I turned back, I realised I stumbled upon a risen manhole! Daaaanngg! Why did they not flush it with the pathway.

MALAYSIA | Jalan Pudu

I bet, most people who went to Kuala Lumpur will definitely spend most of their time within the busy shopping malls of the Golden Triangle, i.e. Bukit Bintang area.

But those area does not actually attracted me as much as those "off the trail" area.

So where did I go?


Jalan Pudu was one on my lists.

The concrete wall at the background is the Pudu Prison (Penjara Pudu), which is no longer in used.

Built during the British Colony in 1981 to lock-up about 600 inmates.


Access to the outside world was of course very limited.


High walls with barbed wire were built surrounding all the perimeters. All that can be seen is the sky.

In 1985 recored the highest number of inmates, which were around 6,550 inmates, which the inmates have to be put into shift for their sleeping time!

There are many more interesting stories about Pudu Jail, which is yet to be told.

MALAYSIA | Titiwangsa to KLCC

Just some random photos of a recent journey.


Nope, this is not in Delhi, India, this is in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.


KL Monorail, Titiwangsa Station is where the monorail starts, or ends, depending how you see it.


The sign says it all, KLCC, so how to capture one of the most photographed structures in the world, well I hope I manage to get a different perspective.

AUSTRALIA | Farmers Markets & Such..

For those who want to get their fresher than fresh food, come along the Farmers Markets.


You can get your local fresh produce here.


Somewhere within the vicinity.


A rail station in the suburb.

SEOUL | On the Street 01

Just some random photos of people on the street of Seoul.


1. The guy with the broom.


2. Early stories.


3. Hands together.


4. Shopping with the ladies.


5. Happy moment.


6. Walk on by.


7. Passing-by.


8. Unrehearsed pose.

CAMBODIA | Sowree & Friends Go to School

Hi all, Sour Sdei, Happy New Year 2009!

Traditionally, education were offered by the wats (Buddhist temples). Then in 1975 when Khmer Rouge regime came into power, education systems were abolished, destroying learning materials and schools. But in 1979, the new Cambodian Government came into place, and soon after that modern education came into order.

And this is my short humble story.


My name is Sowree*, I am a year 3 student in Cambodia. My parents said that, if I study hard, when I grow up, I can become a succesful entrepeneur, and helps to improve the live of our family and also to better improve the living quality of our country.

I know most of my friends around the world started their new school term last week, and now I would like to share our daily school day in where we live.


We have a very small wooden school in our village, it only have a single clasroom, and we have to take turn to use the area for our study.


Not all children are able to study, my friend Sokha, is still not eligible to study, but he always come to school, watching and observing what the student are learning.


These are two of my friends, Samay and Channe. Samay feels sad because this is the first time he attended the class and the first time being away from his family.


This is what we are learning today, and on the board is our alphabets. That is our teacher, Ms. Rom Chang. We love our teacher because, our teacher have taught us how to read and write.


Mr. Montha is also one of our teachers. He is a very humble guy, and when we are sad, he always entertained us with his magician skills and his joke, although his jokes and magics were sometimes lame, but we just laugh with him as not to hurt his feeling. (Don't tell him that, that is our secret.)


This is when my friends were shown one of our workbooks, and they were praised of having a good high marks. I am proud of them.


Breaktime is one of our favourites. We can eat our food. The food are usually prepared at home by our parents, so we eat it and share it with our friends.

Oh, I have not actually mentioned the whereabout of my school.

This is our school. It is actually a floating school. I was informed that some of my friends in Brunei also have lots of schools built on the water, and some are connected via jetties.

Unfortunately, we do not have jetties connecting from one school to another, as each individual establishment are built on its own boat or barrage. So how do we get to school?


This is how we get to school, by human powered paddle boat. That is my friend, Prak, rowing the boat to school, carrying along his small sister, Veatta. It will get more interesting if it is a rainy day. Although at times we wanted to just swim to school but the teacher do not allow us, because it will wet our school uniforms.

Now, I will also share with you, how my other friends living on land travel to their school.


For those lucky few, they are sent to the school by their father on motorbike.

Otherwise, we just cycle to school. A good form of exercise to keep ourselves healthy, who knows we might represent the country for the Olympics!


And for those who cannot afford to get a bicycle, we just walk to school, mostly in groups, comes rain, comes shine, despite not having those fancy footwears, we just walk ahead, because we wanted to gain knowledge and change our living condition.


And even with having no footwear at all does not stop us from coming to school! For the sake of knowledge we will walk all the way to the peak of success.

So my friends, I hope we all should not waste our resources, be thankful of what the government have been providing for us. Some are lucky to be chauffered around in an airconditioned vehicle, yet some have been denying the privileges of schooling on their own accord, like escaping from school, being lazy and such.

Please my friends, do not quit school, they are many more unfortunate children who are longing to have a proper school environment, as opposed to writing from the "ink" of the dark forest roots, and writing on the dried papyrus leave.

*NOTE: All the names are fictional.

SIEM REAP | The Town in B&W

It was a bright sunny day in Cambodia. A nice weather to explore the town of Siem Reap.


Bicycles for rent were available almost at every corner, but thinking of inconvenience (parking, bike safety and such) so I decided to ditch the idea and just explore the town on foot.


At every corner one can find something to buy for souvenir, be it postcards, used books, all those small fancy items, could be bought at a bargain.


There are also loads of peddlers, people selling stuff on wheels. Eventhough the local currency is Riel, but US dollars are widely used, hence you do not need to change from the US currency to their local's.


One can also venture into their market to experience their market ambience.


And after those bustling and haggling, one can just walk along the river park, to get away from the busy town traffics.


The sun's setting down, it's time to slow the pace down, back to rest for awhile, to be continued for the upcoming posts.

TOKYO | Walking Along the Street..

Just random photos while walking along the busy street of Tokyo Metropolitan.


A typical scene in the subway of any major cities, people exhausted after a long day at work, or even after a long trip from home to the office.


Then above ground, the younger generations are full of energy. Entertaining themselves, and entertaining the passer by with their antiques.


Whilst some trying to feed themselves with more knowledge, a different type of peddlers, not the usual fruits or food sellers, but instead selling "food for the mind", for those who are hunger for more information and knowledge.


Or otherwise, one can go to the real knowledge bank, The Asahi Shimbun, one of the major newspaper agency in Japan.


Then perhaps, you can go here, the Tokyo Central Post Office, tell me which country have no post office?


On the opposite site of the city, walking under the bright neon lights, the busy traffic, the noise of people chit-chatting, and various other noises within.


I thought she was turning around to have a second look at me, but I was wrong, she was just doing it to exercise her hip, coz her hips don't lie.


These type of name are not uncommon in the fashion street of Tokyo.