January 2019

2019 so far has been busy. The new year was ushered in with the usual display of fireworks at Straits Quay.

Helen has taken on more students and several days does 3 lessons....which stretch into the afternoons. Coco seems to require more exercise and is not happy unless she can have a run on the beach or an attack on Pearl Hill or even a longer walk. I get the evil eye in the mornings until I take her to the beach.

We were told that January is a slow month for real estate but so far that has not proven to be correct. We have had six viewings. One of the first ones looked promising when they requested a second viewing and an offer was mentioned....the word not a figure. They bottled out when the mother-in-law invoked mis-directed Fengshui. The over-sized hibiscus flowers in the mean time have been doing their best to look good for punters.

As well as the building noises from high-rises in the greater vicinity we have had the adjacent house being prepared for habitation and that has also involved some noise. Interestingly they have covered the top floor balcony like we have. One morning we had the trees at the back also been trimmed  sawdust rained on the full washing line.

We have had some visitors as well. A sister of one of my photographic buddies and friends of Dani’s spent several nights aboard. Helen was the usual excellent guide. We have had several guests with AirBnB.....I mentioned we have changed our criteria.....two nights minimum and no breakfast.  We have three bookings one after another over Chinese New Year. AirBnB are changing many rules on the 31^st March and have it detailed in a huge document...so we may not be doing that after that date.

The weather during January has been hot and dry.....which is normal for this time of the year but has not been typical in the last few years. It is also the start of the photographic season, both natural history and festivals. Unfortunately, a number of my favourite sites have been degraded, some to the point of extinction. Penanti, the moto-cross course has been almost obliterated....half of it has been flattened and all the trees removed. There is still a pair of Kingfishers operating there so I may squeeze out one more season of action. Thus far I have had over 100 images from there accepted in International salons.

I am still here

It has been so quiet in two visits that I have been photographing lizards. They are unique anyway....called Malay Butterfly lizards this species are all female and breed by parthenogenesis.The second image of a related species, also a Butterly Lizard, is a better example of how they got their name.

Another site at Byram has been getting worse each year as the rubbish dump is extended. It possibly will not be there at all in a year. I will be writing a blog on the degradation of natural sites in the area. Most of this is not deliberate but done out of ignorance. From a nature photography perspective this site, like others, is currently hanging by a thread.
Byram is on a migration route which added to the local secies.

Byram is where the migratory Blue-tailed Bee-eaters can be found. They migrate down the coast avoiding the winter in China.

 Byram is a good place to see at least 4 species of Kingfishers, such as the Collared Kingfisher that hunts fishes in the waterways but also enjoys a good bath.

Byram was the first place I saw Smooth-coated Otters. I was happy to see six of the same species during the latter part of January.

Otters appeared to be using the dirt bank across the river as a holt

 The Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters are still in great numbers on the hillside Kek Lok Si temple. They are always delightful to photograph.

Speaking of Penanti action I have one of my classic shots from there short-listed for this years BBC Natural History Competition. It is now run by the Natural History Museum. They had 48,000 plus entries this year.

The Thaipusam festival was carried out with all the usual colour and noise. Helen and I located the two chariots on the eve of Thaipusam as they made their way through George Town.There are two rival chariots; a smaller Golden one that is pulled along by volunteers and the Silver Chariot that is pulled by two bulls. The Hindu followers bring gifts to be blessed. The riot of colour is pushes sensors and senses to the limits.

Orange is the new black, or discounted

Just before the chariot arrives at a particular place coconuts are smashed. Hindu devotees smash coconuts on the roads to symbolise 'the breaking of one's ego to reveal the purity inside'. Many, however seems to derive some sadistic joy in smashing things. I can imagine the boss at work is in many thoughts.

The next day Helen went with others to where the skewering takes place whereas I walked down to the area near the temple. I try to get different angles or use of light each year. I was amongst the crowd for a bit over two hours.

The roti maker shows his prowess with the dough.

The fortune telling team is waiting for customers. The Rose-ringed parakeet pulls a card from the deck for the boss to read. It seems to always go for the middle so you could stack the good outcomes in the centre of the red cards. 

I wondered why there was a shortage of limes in the supermarket.

A Mehndi (henna) artist applying a design to a customer's hand

On another afternoon Helen and I went to see a nature conservation-themed art exhibition on the dark side of Penang Island. The art was varied but there was a photographic club doing a model shoot. Such an organised shoot is common in Asian camera clubs where they will all shoot a subject arranged by one of the more experienced members. This one was about young ladies (models) sheltering from the rain using large leaves as shelter. The rain was some dude with a hose.

The following art images are pertinent to Penang and Malaysia. Baby turtles scampering to the sea in a numbers survival game. The other is about poaching Pangolins....the most persecuted animal in Malaysia.

As my prospective photographic sites diminish I may have to rely more on the Botanic Gardens.....the problem is that half of Penang goes there each morning to exercise.

It would be better at the Botanical Gardens if there was some wise plantings of trees and shrubs so that the local native birds make an appearance for the many folk that use the gardens for exercise each morning. Two hours shooting at a Saraca tree in bloom brought out 4 species of sunbirds.

Olive-backed

Van Hasselt's (Purple-throated)

Crimson

Plain-throated

On the pub quiz front we won the final quiz of 2018 but 2019 has proven a bit more difficult to claim the vodka. We have been in the beer with a second and two thirds. It seems to be getting more competitive. On the last Monday of the month we were two members down and recruited 2 Englishmen who come to Penang for a couple of months every year. I had played with them previously when we had too many members. We combined well and won the vodka and scored 50/60.

'The Shed', the Aussie pub has decided to also run a pub quiz albeit less frequently. I went to the first one and joined a team that was short-handed. We won two jugs of beer but I was not impressed so have taken that one off my social calendar.

Like many others in the New Year we both want to get fitter. Helen and I both purchased new Fitbit wrist monitors. It is like having a well-meaning but nagging mother on your wrist.

Helen has had one for several years but I was not particularly convinced. I do find it particularly useful and it literally keeps you on your toes. You get a read-out each week on how you are keeping active.