Enderong House: Retreat of Mind, Body & Soul.

I was in Enderong House in Tanarimba, Janda Baik in Pahang, recently . Nestled within the secluded sanctuary of Janda Baik, Pahang's rainforest hillslope, with an impressive built-up area spanning 9,273sq ft spread over an acre of land, makes an arresting statement in simplicity amidst lush greenery. This house did, after all, win a mention in the single residential buildings category at the PAM Awards 2004 organised by Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM) or the Malaysian Institute of Architects. It was built from scratch in 1995, with the access road leading to the house and the building platform having to be cleared beforehand. Choo Gim Wah of CWN Architects, who undertook the project, revealed that a pivotal consideration in designing the Enderong house was its harmonious blending with the terrace and surrounding natural rainforest to minimize the impact on the ground. Enderong House is a shining example of a sustainable development project. Sitting amidst lush forest, the eco- sensitive house is built from pine trees that had to be cut down for a road and rocks found in-situ. The challenge was to create a living environment and to enjoy the unique features of the site while preserving the natural ambience with as little disturbance to the existing forest, flora and fauna as possible.
I woke up early in the foggy morning and found myself in the middle of the rainforest, and thought I was in heaven. I looked out the window from my bed and saw tall, lush trees rising with the mountains in front of my eyes. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows framed with hard timber opened out to a wonderful view of pristine rainforest surroundings. A bird was chirping sweetly nearby and when I looked down I could see the contoured pool and lake fed by cold mountain streams. It was a retreat of mind, body and soul.
Enjoy&Godbless.

Portraits of the Old Skool Cyclist

I try to photograph people's spirits and thoughts. As to the soul-taking by the photographer, I don't feel I take it away, but rather that the sitter and I give to each other. It becomes an act of mutual participation. The revelation will come in a small fraction of a second with an unconscious gesture, a gleam of the eye, a brief lifting of the mask that all humans wear to conceal their innermost selves from the world. Enjoy&Godbless.

Cycle Therapy

Busy time around here, but I invested in some "bike therapy" last weekend to give my cameras something to do when my brain is done working for the week. Been planning for the project around a bike for sometime ago with friends: something I can take no longer for a light weekend tours, but can also be comfortable for riding around Melaka town and can use for errands. This is the starting point for Kelab Sepeda Tua Johor Bahru, inconjunction with KOSTI from Indonesia, Kelab Basikal Tua Batu Berendam and Basikal Malaya to organize “Acara Kayuhan Dua Negara: Malaysia Indonesia” and room for improvements will slowly come.
I have no professional interest in antique bicycle’s history or archives, but I do love them. For all of the hubbub that folks in the bicycling community make around Melaka, it's interesting to note the paucity of antique bicycles in the online portion of the archive, which, of course, is miniscule compared to their physical records, but still. These are some of the images which I wanna share with you for your therapy.

All photos snapped at the “Acara Kayuhan Dua Negara: Malaysia Indonesia at Melaka World Heritage City. Not my bikes, church, or Flor de la Mar.

Just go to this site and look around: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cyfu/
Enjoy&Godbless

Idyllic Weekend Photography Session: eyes for detail.