A Tortoise Got Me Started - :Part I

I had wanted to return to my blog for some time but somehow found it difficult to get restarted. One thing after another distracted me. I wanted to write for those who miss my blog and for some, that is our only meaningful mean of communication. But I kept putting it off. I need a kick-start. In the meantime, I've become quite active in my flickr site - http://www.flickr.com/photos/11517445@N08/ If you have enjoyed the photos I took, please drop in there for a visit and drop some comments while you're at it. Finally, today I forced myself to write again and it is all because of a tortoise. Read further to find out how a tortoise got me started again...

To toughen up for the Gunung Irau climb (which will be my next blog, already partially written out in flickr), I took up jogging in this park behind my house and have continued since then. On my way back late last evening after the sun had almost completely sank below the tree lines, I came across what I thought was a small coconut in the middle of the concrete jogging track…

Nearing it, I discovered that it was a tortoise with its head and all limbs tightly tucked in. Some naughty boys must have caught it from the river, played with it and left it there. It must have been severely traumatized because it showed no sign of life…

I took it to the muddy bank and carefully placed it down in the shallow so that it sat on the mud. I waited for 10 minutes but there was still no sign of life. It was completely dark by now and I have to go. I told myself I will come back early next morning to check on it.

Just to know that it is still alive and took some shots from the place where I left it to mark the crossing of our paths. I overslept and it was about 11.00 am before I reached the bank but was happy to find that the tortoise was no longer there. It lives

The intense Malaysian sun was too high up to take good pictures and they did not switch the fountain on but I said “what the heck, I’m already here” so I took these shots anyway for me to post it up in flickr to share with my new friends there. So this post is actually written for flickr and modified for this blog. It used to be the other way round. I upload pictures into flickr so that I can easily transfer it to my blog. Whichever, it was a tortoise that made it happened.

I now jog here once or twice a week. Usually, I will jog for 20 to 25 minutes for almost a complete round of the lake and spend the rest of the hour listening to music while reflecting on life. This are time I'm beginning to enjoy, time spend completely with myself dwelling on old memories. A little sadness won't hurt anyone, I think.

In life and taking photos, I tried to see the beauty in ordinary things for I do believe that we have to be happy with what we have, rather than desperately seeking for what we have not. But I know it is not easy sometimes…

I see Beauty as a perception and it is not universal. Thus I tried to appreciate others’ appreciation of Beauty besides my own. I don’t succeed all the time.

But whether we do or not is not important. We are all unique in our own individual way and have our own special preference and taste. What is important is that we must learn not only to tolerate others’ preferences and decisions but also to accept that we have to respect others' choices if we want them to respect ours.

And we should not be so arrogant as to think that our appreciation of Beauty is the correct one. For indeed, “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” and we all see Beauty in different ways.

In the words of John Keats in his epic poem, Endymion he said -

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

And there are few things in Life whose Beauty is as universal as the flowers. Which is why I took so many pictures of them. Our life is not completely futile when we can still appreciate Beauty. So I spend a lot of time these days trying to capture and share them with my friends.

The Atlanta Hotel, Bangkok - #4 (The Garden).

The Atlanta has a small garden that is also a mini-jungle with fully grown trees and a slightly unkempt look that gave it a more authentic atmosphere than a perfectly manicured one.

You can comes across beautiful blooms or…

tall slender palms tree that provided a complete shade from the tropical sun.

This is the path that leads directly from the hotel lobby to the swimming pool. The garden is in-between and to both sides.

To the left, you came to a gated section that is partially hidden from the rest of the hotel. There is a lazy reclining chair inside. You can push the creaking iron gate to step into a little secluded world of its own. Considering that the hotel is so small, it is amazing that this little spot can give one so much solitude.

Like the rest of the hotel, there are surprising little finds littered all over the place.

Like this little Thai shrine hanging with fresh garden that all at once gave it an exotic atmosphere that is uniquely distinct.

Almost hidden by the plants is the coy figurine of a naked lady trying to shield herself. A rather erotic figure that gave you pause for it arose the same feeling as you would, had you stumble on a real bathing lady by accident.

On the other hand, you had a different sort of strange feeling when you came across this statue holding up the light like the statue of liberty. It would have been totally out of place in the company of the shrine and naked lady had this place been anything but The Atlanta. For here, a mish-mash of objects seemed perfectly acceptable even given its incongruity.

If you chose the path on the right, you came across this sign informing you of the oldest inhabitants of the hotel – Archibald and Doris who lived in this pond with their children. The hotel placed more importance to them and the cats than you, their guests especially if you misbehaved.

This must be one of the little one.

Across the pond, I saw the workers’ quarters. Through the screen, I saw this hotel worker ironing the bed-sheet. Thought it made an interesting picture.

Every section of the hotel has its distinct character unlike any you have made. This is a hotel with personality and as you acquaint yourself more with it, you tends to think it is one with multiple personalities.