Red Fort

Passage to India

It’s been a very hectic two months for me. My marcom projects have kept me away from my blog and passion (photography of course!). Anyway, my apologies for my long absence…

I recently travelled to India – Delhi and Kumaon Himalayas, for some R&R. But I ended up more stressed than relaxed. As you know, the traffic in India is horrendous. Chaos ensues left, right and centre and to be stuck in the middle of all the madness can make you go mad! I’m just glad to be back in one piece, my sanity intact.

This photo was taken at Lal Quila or Red Fort in Old Delhi. I’m not into touristy attractions, but I must say these cusped arches of Diwan-i-Aam are quite majestic.

Temple of the Dawn

This is Wat Arun at dusk. Contrary to its name which means Temple of the Dawn, the popular tourist attraction is at its most magical when night falls.

Haunted Hill Station

I don’t know which is scarier? Bokor Hill Station or the ride up there and back?

Established by the French as a hill-station with a casino and hotel in the 1920s, Bokor Hill Station was abandoned twice, during World War II and the Khmer Rouge period. And it was during the latter that the entire Bokor region saw fierce fighting between the Vietnamese and Khmer Rouge. The battle scars are still there – bullet holes that dot the walls of the Catholic church and casino. Walking along the cold and crumbling halls of these buildings (think The Shining) is guaranteed to give even the bravest among us the goose bumps.

Besides its grim past, Bokor Hill has one of the worst roads, accessible only by 4WDs and motorcycles, and virtually inaccessible during the wet season. Throwing caution to the wind, Mei and I decided to endure the bumpy three-hour drive to Bokor Hill from Kep. And bumpy is an understatement. Turned out that our vehicle, a five-passenger pickup truck had poor suspension. Whenever the vehicle hit a bump (which was like every two minutes), it would jolt Mei and I from our seats with a violent thump. We ended up with very sore bums and a bad back. “There goes my hours of yoga practice,” Mei moaned. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, we realized to our shock and horror that the vehicle’s speedometer was broken! We didn’t know whether to laugh, cry or scream. Thankfully God answered my prayers and we made it back to Kep in one piece.

Would we do it again? NO WAY! But to be fair, Bokor Hill Station is quite an interesting place to visit. And if I did not make the dangerous and uncomfortable journey up there, I would not have taken these photos.

N.B. Bokor Hill Station is now off limits to tourists. A conglomerate, Sokimex Group, is currently redeveloping the site – repairing the roads and the old buildings, and building new ones (hotels, restaurants, golf clubs etc). So it’s a good thing Mei and I got to see the original Bokor Hill Station before it’s turned into another soul-less integrated resort.

Stormy Weather

One of the most photographed landmarks in Ho Chi Minh City is the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee or Hotel de Ville as it was formerly known. The French colonial style building was built between 1901 and 1908, and is unfortunately not opened to the public.

I took this picture in August 2007 just before the heavens opened up and rained down on the streets of Saigon. The ominous clouds not only add drama and tension to the picture, they are also a stark reminder of the city’s early turbulent years.