Since iphone’s bluetooth has been hacked to play with other bt toys nicely, and it’s perfect timing to put my new little printer in action. oh the fun doesn’t stop here.
spring in shanghai came with series of chilly rain and left quickly without a trace. everyone enjoys the warmer weather while it last. god knows when it gets cold again without a warning.
while i’m lying to myself that i’m still on vacation, but when reality settles in, the idea of getting a job sure do creeps me out. yet, there’s no source of income if i want to work freelance. chances are slim. time to hit those jobs site again.
while I’ve been lacking updating the blog, could only be meaning i no longer gluing myself in front of a computer like i used to. life is moving forward, it doesn’t wait for me, which challenges and changes that i need to face.
this year’s lantern festival falls on the day before my own birthday, i thought why dont i give it a try to see what it’s like in shanghai. might as well take my new 5D out for a night shoot spin. but boy… bad idea.. the whole place was packed with people.. chinese holidays… avoid any place that has people.. avoid at all cost! enjoy the photos below.
It’s one of those time again allowing me to look back what has happened in the past and comparing where i am today. for one it’s rather strange to spend my birthday in shanghai since 99, i couldnt even remember what i did ten years ago. but for one thing, i’m with someone. that’s all it matters. the rest doesn’t matter any more. hope you all have a wonderful week and there’s more photo coming from me. make sure you watch this space in near future
I’m in Hong Kong once again, the first time was being there by myself without knowing anything but depending on a map, spend less than two days. left in a rush because i did not like the feeling of traveling alone in this mega metropolitan. this city was too big for me to swallow… so much to see, yet i was tight on budget. just fresh out of college without any saving, all but 200 bucks on me. i told myself that i will be back once again with a vengeance.
the second time was accompany my brother for a short trip in this city again, this time i had a budget, little more comfort room to spend, a little more luxury I’d say. this time we explored a little more than those place I’ve been to. more time to look at things that i haven’t had the time to do so. but both was in the hot summer days. walking on the street was a torture, it was too hot.
last year, last month, it’s my third time in Hong Kong and this time, i let myself loose without visiting those silly ass tourist places. i went crazy with shopping, without spending. window shopping that is, watching her do her happy day shopping and happily slaving for her, carry her shopping bags. she showed me what’s hot and places to go for shopping. also treasure hunting the legend canon 5D mark two. and i got my wish granted. i now own two generation 5Ds. I’d rather keep the old 5D and use both for my future photography career. then again, if I’m tight with budget, I’d hate to let it go. let me know if anyone who’s interested to take her away from my hand. email me directly. [ 5D was sold by the time i post this... ]
As you all have been wondering what has happened to my world traveling, there’s a major change at the moment. Not because i have not been faithfully updating my travel blog and almost disappeared from facebook status updates. the thing is for the last few weeks, something major has happened in my life, that altered everything i planed last year.
I met someone, someone that i’m so crazy about. for her i’m giving up my travel plan for now, and let her lead my life here. for now i’m going to starting my life over again in shanghai. I will travel again in the future, of course with her. it’s still quiet odd to me that i ended up with some one who doesnt speak any english at all, our daily communication is totally based on my half ass chinese. in the past few months, i’m grateful that i do not have any commitment to attend everyday, but little projects on the side from time to time.
and i promise i will post more often from now on since i have access to internet 24/7 without need to search for a free or paid wifi hotspots.
happy holidays and happy chinese new year to you all!
Moganshan road is well know among local artists, as well as getting more international attentions. but thanks to the international exposure, the local rentals for the place has been skyrocked ever since then. it’s getting hard and harder for the local artists who are still doing well but with the extra fee need to pay for the housing. some are thinking about moving else where with cheaper cost.
a friend an i visited a semi-abandoned factory, before we arrived, the people who works there told us there was another group of photographer who hog the whole place for photo gigs.
i dont have much feelings with this place but still interesting to look at.
It’s been more than 20 days since I left the states, saw countless faces, one after another dinner gathering, and yet to devote some time to myself just get my shit together and finish some of the projects that I’ve promised to finish ages ago ( to those who know what I mean, I swear I will finish it before head out to india.)
Things that I have been seeing around here changed yet again, more foreigners in the mass public area, the metro, mall, restaurants, even the area where I’m currently staying. Shanghai has become like the hub of international flash gather point, some rooted here, some are here for short gigs, some are just here for their biz trip, and the rest falls into tourist group。
Free internet, there’s no such thing as free wifi here, after some serious hunting, coffee bean is the only place that offer free wifi (if you don’t mind the slowness). And both smoking/non smoking indoor rooms. Starbucks offer wifi, but not free, iphone owner will find themself get away with slow/crawing wifi connections, free eh? you get what you paid for.
there are things i meant to blog, but they kept on skipping my mind like fadded pages in a notebook. i might as well need to jog down the thoughts on my phone while i still holding onto it. otherwise it’d take me some thinking in front of a computer. after all i cant carry the laptop with me everywhere i go. thurs goes with the notebook. but i think i will have some more free personal time once i arrive india.
the price to india for one way from shanghai is redulicious. 4500 RMB estmated. i’m like wtf.. that costed more than what i paid for my one way trip to here from DC. another idea is to enroute tibet and cross nepal into india.. but i dont have much time here, my 30 days tourist visa for this time expires in 29th, and that leaves me less than a week and half to travel from shanghai to india via land.. doable but it’s going to be stressful and rushed. i’d like to stay in Lahsa for few days and enjoy the sun from high above. *sigh* next time then. and i hope india is going to grant me more than just 30 days stay once i landed, if not… i’m screwed, i’d have to do a short overland trip else where and come back to india for a longer stay. i will worry about that later.
the internet addiction withdraw is still hard to shake off, im still holding on my phone for some web actions, offten i find myself looking at facebook’s latest status, news on cnn, wapo etc. *sigh* we are i am totally hopeless without the internet. still hours before i hit the hay still stays with book reading and games on the phone, there’s no network reception on the bed :/ no tv at all, there isnt cable in the apartment. pretty much sucked. i tried to visit my aunt’s apt which is next block to mine, but with her crappy attatidute, facital express toward my visit for using their internet, i’m not gonna put up with it, even if i have to suffer slower than 56k speed with the phone in my apt, or the internet bar. so see you later auntie.
I have to thank Tim for giving me this opportunity to shoot this wedding, 1 for extra cash toward my travel fund. 2 for erasing the post-dramatic experience i had with my last wedding gig. and sure enough this one turned out pretty well. as a backup photographer, it’s a pretty easy task to do, as long as i dont have to deal with the bride. but some day.. that fear needs to be tamed.. someday perhaps…
Click here for Tim’s post on this wedding
pictures this way
timmy hard at work, with a broken foot.
i can say this wedding has been iphonelized! Apple owns all the wedding now
as they look onto their life together into the future
gotta love that little girl’s expression
it’s groom’s job to make the ladies happy that night
but only tim can order the ladies around that night
