(C) Copyright 2009, Lim Jun Ying. You may not use reproduce, distribute or use this photo without permission from me. This photo means a lot to me, thank you.

His name is Happy in Icelandic. Since there are 4 words for happy in Icelandic, I shan’t guess which one of those it is. He doesn’t beg for food, doesn’t bark (except at car tires), doesn’t even run. He would just walk up to anybody sitting on the grass and lie down in front of him or her. Just a mellow old sheep dog that has outlived its purpose, now just enjoying the human company.

Somewhere in Klauster, Iceland

Svínafellsjökull, Skaftafell, Iceland. One of several glaciers tongues fed by an even larger one behind, Vatnajokull. I came here on a geology expedition, looking specifically to confirm the presence of frazil ice, which in turn indicated the presence of supercooled water.

Copyright Lim Jun Ying, 2009

Bromeliad, Singapore Botanical Gardens

Another photo

http://limjunyingphotography.wordpress.com/2008/05/24/bromeliad-layers/

Capitol Building, Singapore

Now, let’s look at what good ol’ Wikipedia has to say:

The building was completed in 1933 by the architectural firm Keys & Dowdeswell, and built on the existing structure of the Capitol Theatre, built earlier in 1929.

The style of the building is eclectic neo-Classical, characterised by somewhat ponderous detailing. It was one of the very few air-conditioned theatres when it was built by the Namazies, a prominent Persian family to host live shows. By the mid-1930s, there were 10 cinemas, of which the Capitol was the largest and the newest. It opened in 1930 and was followed by the Alhambra, Marlborough, Pavilion, Roxy, Wembley, Tivoli, Empire, Jubilee and Gaiety.

During the Japanese Occupation, the Capitol operated under the name Kyo-Ei Gekkyo until 1944, when a bomb planted by the anti-Japanese resistance damaged it. The theatre’s English-language movies were later forbidden by the Japanese who replaced them with their own films. After 1946, the Capitol was purchased by Shaw and rebuilt. It became the organisation’s flagship theatre (1,686 seats), and renamed as Shaw Building. The patrons had “the choice of gallery, stalls and circle seats which were priced at S$1, S$2 and S$3 respectively from the early post-World War II years until the 1970s.

It was listed for preservation in August 1983 by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and acquired by it in 1983-1984 so that it would be preserved as part of a future development.

Its use as a movie theatre ended with its last movie screening on 29 Dec 1998 when Shaw Organisation, its tenant since 1984, returned it to the Urban Redevelopment Board (URA) in 1987. In 2000, the Singapore Tourism Board took over the building to explore alternative uses for it, but plans to turn it into a home for an arts group did not bear fruit.

Stray dog sleeping at the Ubin jetty, Pulau Ubin, Singapore

Communication

Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Highest point on Cameron Highlands. Highest point on Peninsular Malaysia that’s accessible by car. 6666 feet.

Brinchang, Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Our welcome to Brinchang, a small town (albeit the biggest) on the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia. Lots of steamboat places around, fruit markets, plus their famous night-markets (Pasar Malam) on Friday and Saturday nights.

The architecture is really 18th century, Tudor style, which is a hint at Cameron Highlands’ past as a retreat for the British community in Malaysia. Or so I heard. Correct me if I’m wrong.

With a few adjustments to contrast, clarity and brightness.