Light after dark

An attempt to capture the beautiful light as darkness falls at 7.42 pm on 19 May 2013 at Lower Peirce Reservoir.

The golden glow of the Golden Land

Suvarnabhumi Airport is probably one the the few airports in the world to which I don’t mind getting in early to catch a flight out. Besides the array of quite affordable food that is available at the terminal building, there is also the wonderful architecture of the terminal building to marvel at, particularly when the westward facing end of Concourse F catches the light of the setting sun. Bathed in the glow of sunset, the concourse of the airport, the name of which in Sanskrit translates to “Golden Land”,  does literally turn into a golden visual treat. The terminal building was designed by German born American architect Helmut Jahn and was completed in September 2006.

The light in the darkness

Once again, I found myself seeking the peace and joy of the twilight at Lower Peirce Reservoir away from the crowds on a Saturday evening, and have these two photographs taken in the semi-darkness with just enough light in the sky to permit both the sky and the surroundings to be evenly exposed. The photographs were taken at about half an hour after sundown, the first at 7.37 pm and the second at 7.43 pm.

The sun sets on the last working remnants of the Naval Base

6.55 pm, 26 April 2013. The sun sets over an area which was once part of the huge British Naval base in the north of Singapore . The base which stretched some six and a half kilometres from where Sembawang Park is today across to the area close to the Causeway, was vacated in 1971. A commercial shiprepair yard, Sembawang Shipyard, was established in 1968, taking over the facilities of the former Naval Dockyard for a token sum of S$1. The yard, the north wall and finger pier of which is seen in the photograph, and the former Stores Basin – now used as a US Navy logistics facility and cargo berth, are the last working parts of the former base still with us. Based on the Land Use Plan recently released to support the somewhat unpopular Population Whitr Paper, the yard will move its operations to the west of Singapore to free the land it now occupies for future development – a move which will erase a significant part of the memory of the  role the area played in Singapore’s economic development

Twilight’s colours

The colours of twilight, Lower Peirce Reservoir, 7.21 pm, 16 March 2013. I thought the cloud formation together with its reflection off the waters of the reservoir resembled inkblots used in Rorschach psychological tests.

The sun sets on a Singapore we want only to forget

The Singapore of my wonderful childhood, was one that was very different to the one I now find myself waking up to. It was one where we could find pleasure not in the clutter of the pompous paraphernalia we now seek to embrace, but in a simplicity we can no longer find beauty in. It was a world of places marked not by the cold hard stare of concrete, glass and steel that had rendered them faceless, but one where escapes could be found in the unique charms of places that even today, we seek to forget.

Twilight in a world we seem to want to forget.

Colours after Sunset

Colours after sunset, 7.50 pm, 5 January 2013.

The night before the end of time

A couple of photographs taken of the orangey night sky about half an hour following sunset on the last evening before time was supposed to end.

The first was taken at 7.28 pm and the second at 7.35 pm.

A beautiful end to a beautiful day

The wonderful colours of sunset that brought what turned out to be an exceptionally beautiful day to an end …

Colours on a Sunday evening

The colours of the fading of day to night seen at a spot that I consider to be one of the more scenic places in Singapore and a place that I often find an escape in.

Evening Calm (II)

A reflection off the surface of Lower Peirce Reservoir of the afterglow of what had been a glorious sunset on the 11th of June 2012.

Evening calm

A capture of a reflection of the evening’s light off the surface of Lower Peirce Reservoir just as rain clouds were moving in this evening.

Sunset on a Sensation

Sunsets can be dramatic at times, especially ones that in combination with unusual combinations of cloud formations, light and colour. One such sunset was the one last evening that I captured, believe it or not, with a HTC Sensation mobile phone that I got to play around with.

Last evening's dramatic sunset.

The colours of the day

There are those days when the sunrise or sunset delights us with a spectacle of colours. Somehow up till now, I have not given much thought as to what sometimes makes the transition from night to day or from day to night such a marvellous sight. I guess it is one of those things like art and music, that we should appreciate by sitting back and marvelling at.

The afterglow of sunset on 8 Feb 2010.

Sunrises in particular have long been my favourite time of the day. It is a time when the day is abound with freshness and with the anticipation of the new day. It is a time when a sense of calm and peace envelopes the atmosphere around us. There is nothing that beats watching a sunrise, as the darkness is transformed to light, revealing the beauty that surrounds us. As the sun – our source of life, makes it journey over the horizon, sometimes preceded by the announcement of her arrival by the wonderful colours of the morning, we can find the time to contemplate and be thankful for the beauty that mother nature has provided.

Sunset on Tasik Bukit Merah, Northern Perak.

Sunrise on Tasik Bukit Merah, Northern Perak.

Sunsets bring the day to a close, when the tiredness and heat of day is transformed to the cool quiet darkness of night when we are free to be lost in our dreams. Sunsets can surprise us sometimes … when the heat and anger of red and gold is suddenly transformed into blue and red afterglows that mesmerise as the sun bids farewell to our day …

Whatever it is, I just adore sunrises and sunsets!

San Juan del Sur

There is an idyllic bay in some far flung corner of the world I spent some three weeks at, which had some of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. Clear blue waters and a wide sandy beach lined with wooden beach side cafes, San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua seemed like paradise, particularly with the exchange rate on got on the black market for the US Dollar which was controlled by a leftist leaning government that came to power on the back of a bloody revolution fueled by a intense resentment excesses of the US supported dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza (Jr). As a result, the locally brewed Cerveza Victoria cost something like 10 cents a bottle, a bottle of the local rum went for something that translated to maybe $2, and a plate of Langostino grilled to perfection and served with a generous serving of plantain prepared as we would french fries, and fresh salad, cost maybe $1.50.

Las Lugos Restaurant Receipt, Dec 1984.

Evidence of the Revolution was everywhere … the uniformed soldiers, the murals of the revolutionary figurehead, an Augusto César Sandino, who had led an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow Somoza’s father, the senior Anastasio Somoza in the early 20th century, and the black and red flags of the FSLN, the Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional, of the Sandinista Front for National Liberation, named after Sandino, and numerous walls scarred with bullet holes.

The Beach, San Juan del Sur

The Beach, San Juan del Sur

The hardship caused by the economic sanctions imposed by the Ronald Reagan led Presidency was also very evident. Even basic neccessities such as soap and toothpaste was in short supply. Shelves of the few shops I found would seem like how Mother Hubbard’s  cupboard would have appeared to her poor dog. What made up for the dire situation the people were in was the warmth they exhibited. Somehow, admidst the hardship and poverty, there was also hope for a brighter future promised by the Revolution. Also, for the first time, I witnessed how, with so little in life (from a material standpoint), people were happier – thankful for the little that they have. The local beverage, referred to as Refresco, made from pureed melons, sweetened and served with ice, was a nice discovery I made, particularly refreshing in the muggy climes of the tropics.

Sunset over the Bay, San Juan del Sur

Sunset over the Bay, San Juan del Sur, 22 Dec 1984

Sunset over the Bay, San Juan del Sur, Christmas 1984

Sunset over the Bay, San Juan del Sur, 5 Jan 1985