Project Petronas

I made my first trip to the Malaysian capital over a recent long weekend. Although the trip was primarily supposed to be a getaway of sorts to help relax my nerves (along with my wife's), it turned out to be a great opportunity for me to take some really good clicks. 


Although my passion truly lies in street photography, I couldn't help but marvel at the splendor and grandeur of the Petronas Twin towers. As a result I ended up with a great number of shots of the twin wonders. This prompted me to embark on a mini project with the aforementioned title. 


The concept, very basic and simple - capture images of the twins from a variety of vantage points, great or otherwise. The end result is a collection of approximately over thirty clicks as seen from different spots in the city. Although I do not remember clearly all the locations, I have managed to mention most of the prominent ones. So here goes -  

The towers as seen from the scenic view of our hotel room. 

A Panoramic shot taken from our hotel room. The twins are flanked
by the "other iconic" tower, the Menara KL tower.

As seen from the Luna bar. The view of the tower is a major 

reason for patrons, tourists and locals alike,  frequenting this rooftop bar  

A glimpse of the towers from a street

alley near the hotel. It is almost 

impossible to miss them if you 

are in the Golden triangle area

The view from the Menara KL towers. Although not as famous the twin towers, the KL tower arguably offers a better view of the city. Well at least you get to see the iconic Petronas towers.

 The towers as shot from different angles from the tower base, the Suria KLCC Mall and KLCC park and the KL Convention Center.

Random Shots From Streets All over the City

 

  

So there you go. The Petronas Twin Towers as clicked from a myriad of vantage points throughout the Malaysian capital by yours truly.

The Lion City

The Lion City, a set on Flickr.

It's been over a year since I moved to Singapore. In the time that I have been here, I have been privy to the wonderful sights and sounds of the city.  With it's rich and diverse mix of people, cuisines, leisure centers, landscape and tourist hot spots Singapore always has something to offer to a budding photographer.

This slideshow is my small homage to the Lion City.

Suckered!

The latest offering from director Zack Snyder, in many ways lives up to its title. Unfortunately, I suspect it isn't the way he wanted it. Sucker Punch is a disappointment!

Snyder is known for his stylized action sequences and stunning visuals. Both 300 and Watchmen relied heavily on the CGI drenched imagery which immersed audiences into a neo-fantasy worlds of mythology and comic pop culture, respectively. Sucker Punch, his first original script, is replete with the same signature Snyder visuals and action. The slow-down, pace-up of intense gun battles and sword fights, a trademark Snyder approach is a delight to watch on screen.

The visuals and action are simply fantasy sequences that are being played by the female protagonist in her questionable mind. And to make it more confusing, in the fantasy world, she has second level of fantasy. Inception anyone?

The fantasy world, specifically the second level with all the action and foot tapping background score, truly is amazing. Ranging from gatling gun wielding giant samurai warriors, colossal mythical fire breathing dragons to killer Nazi zombies and futuristic androids, the dream world scenes are truly praise worthy and absolute eye popping!

Despite the stylized action, stunning visuals and thumping soundtrack, Sucker Punch bores you to no end. Why? Simply because of the story. Or more accurately, the lack of it. The main plot is almost childish and seems to have been concocted at the very last minute in an attempt to make the various fantasy sequences part of a coherent storyline. Sadly it just seems wasted and the amateurish performances by the lead femmes does little to help.

The real world is shown on screen for about just 20 minutes, which works well, since there isn't really much to show in there. The fantasy sequences are almost comic book like. In fact I get a feeling, Snyder was heavily influenced by Japanese manga, filled with metaphysical and metaphorical references. Somehow, the transition from paper to celluloid didn't work very well for this one.

Sure there is plenty eye candy for the male audience, both in the form of bootylicious babes and gut wrenching action. Alas, it falls flat simply due to the lack of the backbone of the movie, the script.

Guess Snyder should stick with what he does best and leave the story-writing to the professionals!

Wanderlust - Manila

My recent visit to the capital city of The Philippines was a very short one as the primary purpose of the trip was to attend a wedding. Still, I did manage to experience the city to a considerable extent (Thanks to my wonderful friends!).  Here's a small account of the sights and senses, I had the privilege of experiencing first hand during my stay.

As I made our way out of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and drove into the city of Manila (Metro Manila as some call it), there was a sense of familiarity. Even in the darkness of the morning twilight, what my eyes saw was nothing radically different from what they had seen in countless cities over the years back home in India. The sights, the sounds, the smells, all of which reminded me of my very own hometown of Bombay, were a welcome change from the overly sanitized, organized and structured ones of Singapore.

Having said that, one cannot help but notice a rather strong influence of the Americans (read USA) over the infrastructure. Right from the 24 hr diners and fast food chains to freeways to drive-ins and even the huge malls. The influence extends beyond tangible aspects and even permeates into the populace itself. The language diction and enunciation of most educated Filipinos (Pinoy in the local tongue) is unmistakably Americanized.


Upon reading the history of The Philippines, the reason for the strong Spanish and American influences are explained. The Spanish influence obviously predated that of the American, and is therefore deeply rooted in the language, religion and culture. The American one, relatively more recent, dominates their current lifestyle.

Although my journey within the city were confined in a rather spacious and climate controlled private vehicle, I was fortunate to observe the ways of the local public transport in the city. They have the standard options; the MRT (Mass Rapid Transport - the metro), the buses and the cabs. But in a cute reference to its own past, they also have the Jeepney, a cross between bus and a cab. These quirky looking four-wheeled public transportation options run on fixed routes and can be hailed anywhere along said routes. The fares are obviously competitive to other modes of transport, since most of the populace rides them.

Despite the presence of major US fast food chains (McDonalds, KFC, BUrger King, etc) the locals still swear by the indigenous fast food giant, Jollibee. With a menu that comprises a mashup of McDonalds and KFC with strong local flavors, it is little wonder, this fast food chain comes highly recommended by all my Filipino friends. P.S. The Spicy Chicken Joy is worth a try.


Another unique indigenous addition to their American dominance, is the complete absence of fries in most fast food menus. Yes! They do NOT serve fries with their shakes, or burgers, or fried chicken. Instead, you will find rice as a standard side at all fast food joints. It may seem odd for those of you have grown up on those long pieces of salted deep fried julienne potatoes, but trust me, the rice does go well with most dishes. But then again, that could just be the "Indian" in me, saying that!

What impressed me most about the city, was the vibrant nightlife. The hotspots seemed more lively and not all that expensive. With a variety of themed bars and lounges, you'll be spoiled for choice. Of course, my evening outing was at the same place till 4 AM! But then, it was with great company, so absolutely no regrets.

As I said, this trip to Manila was very short for me to pen adequate details about the city beyond the culinary experiences! Rest assured, what little I have experienced of the city has titillated my senses and I am eager to experience more of the city and rest of the wonderful country of Philippines.