4175. Vietnam Travels. Photography and videos. Fansipan flowers, Ha Long Bay, 36 streets

 Good Morning. I saw the Galaxy Ha Long Hotel Bonsai tree which must have had taken years to grow. Bonsai is said to bring energy and harmony to guests.
BONSAI is the Japanese art of growing and training miniature trees in pots. Bonsai has larger-in-proportion trunks, are planted in unobtrusive, low sided containers with simple lines and muted colours.

 

 

 

 

Vietnam - Jun 2022. A bed of colourful flowers in Fanispan Sapa at over 2000 metres high. Cable car station area.

 

 

 

 

 

 VIETNAM - 19 Sep 2022. The St Joseph's Cathedral, Hanoi, built in 1886, backdropped the pre-wedding photoshoots of this couple, now walking to the restaurant (L). Photo shows the culture of Hanoi - A rickshaw driver, motorbikes, a tourist, students and tough-looking locals are present. Also green-shirted sunburnt smoking men (GrabFood, GrabBike, Gojek and a local startup) and the man in the green military helmet which is sold at souvenir shops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Focus on the people in the boat…the photo turns up sharp
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  18 Sep 2022. VIETNAM TRAVELS. Impact of Covid-19 pandemic

Ha Long Bay is still quiet as the China Nationals are forbidden from
overseas travels owing to China's "zero-Covid" policy. You can see

the large dining hall of the Magnolia Restaurant practically empty during

dinner time. My group of 20 travellers and two other groups had dinner
there but you can see many more tables are empty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Ha Long International Cruise Port’s Marina, Vietnam.   17 Sep 2022
18 Singapore travellers + 2 tour managers passed by on this sunny morning

No China Nationals owing to zero Covid-19 policy, hence no large crowds

UPDATES AT:

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/11/4175-vietnam-travels-photography.html

Judy's handphone photo not sharp

 

 

 

4174. Dr Sing's Travel Stories. MYANMAR TRAVEL STORIES. A visit to a village in the Karen area, Myanmar

2015 travel.

MYANMAR TRAVEL STORIES. Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow)
A visit to a village in the Karen area, Myanmar

I prefer to visit the villages and to know the way of life of the locals rather than go to tourist spots.  In this trip, I had a good friend who showed me a Karen village and an extended family with a 86-year-old grandpa, kids and two ladies who had had worked in Singapore. Water was drawn from the well for cooking. Mainly farmland, some pigs, goats and chickens. A church building surprised me as temples and pagodas dominate the tourist places I visited.  Rats from farms would be a dish for some villagers.  

I would say that photography and journaling one's travels are good for one's mental well-being as one can reflect on the travels and maybe, prevent or delay the development of dementia.  

It is time-consuming to write one's travel stories, but I wrote about the travel in the blog:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2015/12/visit-to-karen-farmland-hinthada.html

#myanmartravels
#karenvillage
#singkongyuen

#www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

#www.instagram.com/davidsing1

#www.instagram.com/toapayohvets

#www.toapayohvets.com

TO BUY PHOTO:   www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

THIS BLOG:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/11/4174-travel-stories-visit-to-village-in.html

86-year-old grandpa with no dementia

T

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images above show some villagers, a primary school, vegetables for dinner, an extended

family who welcome me, had dinner and a visit to a primary school. A church
was a surprise to me as I had not seen more than a handful in my limited travels in Myanmar.  

 

4173. SELF CARE for retirees -

 4 Nov 2022:

Sedentary retirees. 

Yesterday, one career lady told me she was worried that her father, 68 who just retired would just sit at home and use his handphone. No other activities. "He might get dementia if he continues".

1. "He has no hobby", she told me when I advised her to ask him.
2. "Does he go out to exercise?". She said no.
3. "Does he take photos like me?" She said no.
4. "Has he friends?". She laughed, "His friend is his wife. She would accompany him to drink beer every evening". I was impressed. "She does not drink at all. He drinks 2-3 bottles," she laughed.

"He really took good care of her when she was ill," the daughter said.

It is not surprising that retirees are inert. 

It is hot and humid outdoors in Singapore. I cope with it like today, I was outdoors to spend time to relax at One Punggol waterway - see flowers and river, cycle and exercise.

SOME SUGGESTIONS OF ACTIVITIES FOR SEDENTARY RETIRES

1. Photography promotes observations of life and Nature. It promotes physical and mental health for retirees who are not into socialisation with people.

2. Brisk walks promote some exercise of the leg muscles for retirees whose leg muscles will atrophy due to lack of exercise. 

3. Fitness corner in public parks are free to use. I recommend the leg push equipment to strengthen your calf muscles especially, to prevent cramps.

4. Stop smoking.

5. Package tours overseas.  

 

-----------------------------------

WorkingWell
S.T. 7 Oct 2022.  B2 Insight
To work well, we have to commit to rest well.

Rest is more than getting enough hours of sleep. We need to replenish our inner resources, esp those most depleted.

1.  Physician Saundra Dalton-Smith wrote a whole book on rest. She suggested that humans need 7 types of rest: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, sensory and creative.

Emotional rest - Covid-19 pandemic - the toll of caregiving on doctors, nurses, teachers, therapists and others in emotionally draining professions.  

2. Dr Christina Maslach - gold standard for measuring burnout - the Maslach Burnout Inventory.
She lists 3 core dimensions of the burnout experience as:

Exhaustion (the stress response)
Cynicism (the negative reaction to others and the job).
Inefficacy (the negative evaluation of one's own accomplishments.

We need to slow down and take time to replenish the parts of our life where we feel most depleted.

4172. "Good Morning" from a vintage clock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to create a “clock” image

Use "Select and Mask" and "Subject" in Photoshop to get isolated clock in white background as jpg or png files.

#vintageclock #antiqueclock #clockimage #singkongyuen #www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

#www.instagram.com/davidsing1

#www.instagram.com/toapayohvets

#www.toapayohvets.com

TO BUY PHOTO:   www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

 

UPDATES AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/11/4172-good-morning-from-vintage-clock.html

4171. "Good Morning" Photo. A tear in the petal of the big yellow simpoh flower

"Good Morning" Photo. A BROKEN FLOWER. Yellow Simpoh (Dillenia suffructicosa) which is native to Singapore. Large yellow flowers and leaves.

It is best to photoshop out the tear in the petal and some rusty spots in the leaves.
The original image is shown too.

#bigyellowflowersingapore
#publicgardens
#flowerlentormrt
#singkongyuen

#www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
#www.instagram.com/davidsing1

#www.instagram.com/toapayohvets

TO BUY PHOTO:  
www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

UPDATES AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/11/4171-tear-in-petal-of-big-yellow-flower.html

 

 

 

Yellow simpoh or simpoh air (Dillenia suffrucrticos) 

is native to Singapore. Grown as ornamental shrubs nowadays

 

original photo shows tear in the large yellow petal of yellow simpoh
It has red fruits which split open to form a "star".

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source: NParks

Species Name: Dillenia suffruticosa Family: Dilleniaceae 

Common Name: Simpoh Air, Yellow Simpoh 

Distribution: Southeast Asia Conservation Status: Native to Singapore (Common)

 

 Dillenia suffruticosa is a large shrub that grows up to 7 m tall and often form thickets. Free flowering throughout the year bearing showy large, yellow flowers that last only a day. Its fruit splits open into a star when ripe, revealing seeds covered in a fleshy red aril. 

The Simpoh Air has very deep taproots to reach underground water sources. As a pioneer species, it helps to create a shady environment that support the growth and succession of low-light species. The large leaves are traditionally used to wrap food such as tempeh, or formed into shallow cones as a container to hold rojak. They can be found along streams, and forest margin, up to 500 m altitude.

 

4170. An old model Poco Pro X3 takes a sharp image of a majestic pine tree

 

1 Nov 2022. An old handphone model Poco X3 pro takes a sharp photo if you have steady hands. The man in his early 70s took this photo handheld just before he tees off and sent photo to me. 

Good Morning 

From Glenmore Heritage Golf Course, Australia

handheld Poco X3 pro handphone 

 

#glenmoreheritagegolfcourse
#golfcourseaustralia
#glenmoresydney

#singkongyuen

#www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
#www.instagram.com/davidsing1

#www.instagram.com/toapayohvets

TO BUY PHOTO:  
www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

UPDATES:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/4170-old-model-poco-pro-x3-takes-sharp.html

 

 

 

 

 

4169. "Be prepared". Sneaker photography tips

1 Nov 2022:

Every photo has a story. This photo's story is "Be prepared" to practise your skills when you have to wait and wait for the service provider to attend to you!

The owner in his late 50s focuses on sneakers of all sizes and types for many years.  An ex-Singaporean migrant lady from USA conversed for nearly an hour with him - so I practised my photography on his goods.  Indoor lighting. Where to focus my Canon R5 camera? This photo was accepted and is at www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets 

#singaporesneakers
#shoeshopsingapore
#sneakersshoes

#singkongyuen

#www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
#www.instagram.com/davidsing1

#www.instagram.com/toapayohvets

TO BUY PHOTO:   www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/4169-be-prepared-sneaker-photography.html