Infinity, infinity

We were facing four-seasons, the best spa resort in Bali. Just imagine our 4N stay in Alilia only afforded us a single night in the four-seasons. That's 800US per night! But the prices comes with everything NOT. A private pool, yes. No breakfast, lunch and dinner. Exclusive conceige services and tours (To pay). And No Free spa too. I wonder what has gotten into me. Best I return to my normal living and travelling. This crazy buddy is really crazy.

7 centuries

Rain or shine it stands. This ancient village comprised of members of a common root. In this bubbly village, one will notice by the entrance of each household, there is a metal plate inscribed with genders of that family. One of its kind here. The tradition of rooster fighting can also be witnessed here, though it appears to modern man more of a cruel act than a past-time cause at the end of each duel, a rooster will die. But which is more cruel? Time or past-time. With the erosion of tiime, certain values are lost. With this new era, another set of modern values takes its toil on this village. The younger generations are moving to the cities in search of jobs to improve their quality of living, but the older folks still remain, probably as the last guardian to this remaining civilisation.

If you wonder what those long straw towering overhead, they represent their holy mountain. To the locals, the tallest feature, in which case the mountain is sacred.

Defining art

It says open, yet his juvenile stays put by the gate, reluctant to enter the holy ground. Perhaps it needs to wear a sarong? Nay cause it will find no food therein. As with all living creatures, there exists a dynamo to live. For these primates, food is at the top of their chain. Ironically, one sees similarities betwwen these primates & homosapiens. Both species, though of same origin, has the same desire i.e. to live and sustain living. What differentiates homosapiens from these primates is our ability to think and apply and innovate. But really if we look hard enough, the people around us, are we that different?

Finding my rainbow

It always surprises Jeff for what he can see and capture on a foreign land. It goes to show the extend to which Jeff can see through both his eyes and his heart. The varicella-zoster virus must be a blessing in disguise. The Tanalot is a temple built out at sea by the same monk who built the Uluwatu Temple. Used to be places for pure worship, these temples have seen an increase in human traffic, thanks for the government's pro-tourist policy. Well, at 60% of its GDP, one can imagine the lures of tourist dollars for Bali. And who says that a temple is meant only for worship? This local thinks otherwise.

Kintamani

One of the active volcanoes in Bali. At the foot of the mountain, one sees the havoc wrought upon this luscious land by seering lava. They appear charred. But with nature's wonders, life always find an alternative. Life after death. When there's new life, human comes in and path the way for civilisation.

Somewhere at the foot of the mountain, there lives a tribe remote from civilisation. My driver recalled that his last visit to this tribe sent his skin crawling. These indigeneous Balinese do not like people outside their tribe. It was described that their intense gaze will send u fleeing and never to return. In a way, this is perhaps aimed at protecting their dying culture. The body of their next of kin is left under a huge tree (unknown). Apparently this tree is able to absorb the bad gases eminating from the decomposing cadaver.

Bali and return

This must be the most happening trip in Jeff's diary to date. Beautiful people and cultures. Here, he sees people with a true passion to improve their standard of living using their hands. The natives has a passion for virtually everything and will want to make you feel at home. Yes. Jeff was charmed, especially pampered by the infinity pool by Alila Ubud and the Balinese message. However, there is just a tiny glitch to this picturesque scene: Jeff contracted chicken pox and has to be under "house-arrest" for the nest two weeks. He was wondering if he could even make it back in one piece, past the tight singapore customs. He made it to write this. :)

P.S. Trust me, you dun like to have blisters developed all over and definitely dun feel good.

String

Suddenly, the entire garden was infested with caterpillars suspended on tiny threads of protein. Been a while since I last created images of orchids. Been a while and I almost lost that touch. The touch of being human

Bali ... time for another fresh new sensory flooding session. Eyes through my heart. Can U see it?

Tower of Babel

To an ant, the miniaturised lighthouse is a mountain. To a man, tis but a structure at eye level.

Nighty night

Genius & Genius

Chicken and egg

A stone bird that guards the fortunes to an empire. Chinese obsessions with geomancy.

*otography

I know not thy name but only that it allows me to capture all that will be of the past. It has no meaning, on the surface or into the depth. Tis but a transient thought. Tis premediated cause the truncated words in the background looks interesting. White on grey. The passing homosapiens have no real meaning. They are but tiny adornments to my frame, but w/o whom it would feel empty. This feeling of devoidness is very strange. Why do I keep trying to fill it up. Is there a ghost in the nether region of my mind that I hid from my consciousness? Perhaps. The answer is perhaps.

Whose's bride?

Strange that i kept bumping into this photog who took wedding photography.

Cloaked

Mystery of the veil, removed!

Perspective

There was a Dream

Has always been fascinated by trains since young. Here, I did not take a ride and am glad I did not. Nevertheless, My four wheels brought me on a roller coaster ride on the undulating back of the mountain ranges in Yunan Province. I was elated beyond words, naturally.

Wisdom

Probably defined as one who posseses the ability to understand and assimilate, to translate into action in his own context and beyond. The ability to foretell is of course a much desired gift for one with the abovementioned traits but to manipulate to his advantage is very much lacking here for Jeff. He wonders... all but is a wisp of clouds...

A duck is a duck

And not trying to be something else. A duck behaves like a duck and nothing else.

African Crane

Colors of nature

It's Pure

If one is pure of heart, then nothing can contaminate it. The Northern star showers its radiant light once again and from its glow, a saliant wizard will merge.

Out of this world

Almost forgotten in my archives. Today, it finally saw the light of day. A very special place through my eyes.

Crimson sunset

When one thought all is lost, a miracle will surface. I have seen that miracle come through in my mind.

Tribute to a passing soul

I received a very strong wake up call today while visiting a very ill colleague. Dun regret what u have not done only by your death bed. But tis long as one holds true to one's heart, this life is considered complete. Jeff is glad that is always true.

I can only wish his strong will will tide him over this crissis.

His kind of world

There are times when Jeff wishes there is only one tree that he could give a name and call his own. there are times when he loves to stay lying under his tree and think of his present, past ans future. There are times when he does nothing but look for his missing tree. On this day, he found his tree. And with this tree, is his buddy. A buddy is worth a million pennies... And time never lie.

Tempting Yellow

If I were a tiger shrike, I would find this three spotted yellow mouth watering delicious. Come 2007 will be an exciting annum. Time has come to stretch my wings. Wonder where I should begin... fund proposal for private exhibition perhaps?... So many possibiities... the adrenelin is high in the air...

Man and Green umbrella

If one read M.R's book on Bangladesh, the abovementioned image will ring a bell. Not that Jeff was there.

P.S. There are times when a distance image is better than a close up. Pulling up too close will deprive one the benefit of the environment. Something is lost along the way. Meaning is lost along the way. Though tiny in the frame, it's more than sufficient to serve as an anchoring point. Tis the little green umbrella. What's interesting in this image is the subject is using an umbrella for fishing. Real innovative here. The irony here is some 50meters before is a running dam.

Inspiration

Inspiration drawn from a wide angle zoom. Simply stunning and most importantly, it works!