家乡 (Sunset By the River)

也许从小在米乡这小镇长大的原因，我对朴实的乡村景色特别偏爱。每趟回来家乡，我总爱来到这静寂的河边，看着小河里的流水，望着那随风摇摆的椰子树，心里有说不出的宁静平和，我所眷念的，正是这与世无争的生活。

发呆了良久，太阳开始缓缓的降落在树丛里，有备而来的我从容的把落日余晖拍摄入镜头中。

在外工作多年，回到家乡，朋友们已不像以往那样多，也都有了各自的家庭，各忙各的。除了和家人在一起的时候，单独一个人的时间反而多了。除了拜年和一些小聚会，在家乡的农历新年竟是最清闲的一段日子。

母亲今年已七十八，除了膝盖偶尔会酸痛，所幸身体尚无大碍，依旧有一斑朋友定时练功强身。也庆幸从事保健产品的姐姐长期供应给母亲服用养生。

兄姐们都生活得很融洽，孩子们都能打成一片，今年唯独少了嫁到狮城的妹妹太过忙碌没能回来。

家乡的新年，清闲中带有热闹，又不失和谐欢欣的气氛。唯一恼人的，是那酷热的天气。。。

Whenever I come back to my hometown, I like to wander around just to look at the places where I grew up as a child. Equipped with a camera, I would try to capture images of places appealing to me.

This small river is located at the back of my sister’s residence. I would never miss visiting this place whenever I visited my sister. The simple view of the ordinary wooden houses, coconut trees by the river and its serenity are enough to have me captivated. I would sink into deep mental meditation state.

When the sun started to set, I would be awoken from the meditation. Came prepared, I shot the sunset scene of this tranquil place to be used on my desktop wallpaper.

随性 (CNY)

年幼的儿子从小就爱看舞狮，买了个小舞狮头给他，他就随着舞狮录像的节奏似模似样的舞起来。和所有小朋友们一样，爱玩，爱闹，爱模仿的天性不需大人们的启发，它就在体内流着的血液里，也在每个人与生俱来的基因里。

回到乡下过年，除了和家人们的团圆饭，和朋友们聚一聚，一些民间习俗如放鞭炮，舞龙舞狮，烧香接财神等虽然都是春节惯例，却让春节的气氛更加浓郁，也让那几乎忘了玩乐的心灵又活跃起来。

没有了民间传统艺术，没有了信念，生活会是如何呢？只有工作生产赚钱的生活，和行尸走肉没甚分别，也必定不是完整的。因此朋友，兴起爱玩的时候就请尽情玩乐吧。平衡永远比失衡好得多。

随缘随心随意，是我向往的生活。如何在为生活奔波的同时，能做到随缘随心随意，是我在龙年的小展望。。。

During my stay in my hometown for CNY (Chinese New Year) celebration, I had an infection on my lip, but that did not stop me much from having good times with my family and enjoying the usual lovely atmosphere of the Spring Festival.

The traditional Chinese cultural art and practices such as the lion dance, the firecracker and the prayers for the God of Fortune made the children as well as the grown-ups cheery and delighted.

I did not miss the opportunity to capture some images of the lion dance, the firecracker and the incense sticks used for the prayers.

Every Lunar New Year celebration may be more or less the same, but I never fail to enjoy the joy through these simple activities and atmosphere they created, as well as through the opportunity to reunite with family members and meeting some old friends.

步步高升 (Balik Kampung)

无论我们如何努力，尽管我们以最快的速度奔跑，也追不到地球环绕太阳的转动。于是，兔年又接近尾声，我们也再次开始准备回乡过年。

看着我们的“年岁”户口节节上升，不曾下降过，或多或少也会有少许领悟：健康就是一切；除了健康，就是亲人朋友，其他事情在户口不断上升的真相前，都变得次要了。

在我返乡之前，让我分享最后几张巴厘岛的摄影作品，当作兔年最后一篇博文，也当作是巴厘岛系列的结尾。

1。海神庙附近的日落
2。海神庙经历千年日月精华的墙壁
3。库搭海滩
4。山脚下的梯田景观

祝各位龙马精神，身体健康。

It’s this time of the year again, when the Earth is close to completing yet another Lunar cycle of orbiting around the Sun, and most of the Chinese working outside of their hometown again begin to prepare to travel back to their respective village for family reunion and Lunar New Year celebration.

I can already visualize the traffic condition on the highway leading back to numerous towns of the country. It would be like a few concentrated beams of light shooting from the main cities of the country towards the smaller towns of the country. Every vehicle would be like a particle of light, with the difference that there is a driver, and some with passengers, in each vehicle, whose hearts are beating in a blissful frequency looking forwards to the family reunion, which, for many could be an annual event.

As the last post for the year of rabbit, let me share with you a few photos taken in Bali to close out my articles of Bali.

1. Sunset in Tanah Lot. We waited and hoped for a dramatic sunset that did not arrive.
2. Front wall of Tanah Lot Temple. Note the construction materials that had gone thorough hundreds of years of erosion and weathering.
3. Kuta beach.
4. The exotic view of Tegallalang Rice Terraces.

I will shoot off tomorrow like a photon. Happy Lunar New Year and Gong Xi Fa Cai to everyone!

欢乐时光 （Memorable Bali）

除了拍摄风景古物花草艺术之外，孩子和家人们在巴厘岛的欢乐时光也是摄影好题材。

小孩们出外旅行，只要有伴，就能玩得天翻地覆，学业功课都被那排山倒海的气势击中飞到九霄云外，爱玩乐的本性表露无遗。

大人们除了游山玩水，暂时返老还童和小孩们打成一片之外，当然也趁机品尝巴厘岛的饮食文化。从简便宁静的山谷早餐，山崖海角的下午茶，到巴厘岛道地菜肴如烤乳猪，烤鸭，沙嗲，特色杂饭，和各式各样的咖啡样本品尝，让每个人都尽兴的满腹而归。

不吃过道地食品，不算来过巴厘岛；若不把家人小孩们的欢乐时光拍摄下来留念，也不算有个完整的旅程。

若干年后，重看这些相片，记忆瞬间就能划破时空，一次又一次的重新体验旅程固中趣味。。。

The trip to Bali was a satisfying one not only for me as an avid photographer, but all members of the two families, four adults and four children, enjoyed the company of each other throughout.

Without companionship, the trip would not have been so enjoyable. The swimming pool was exceptionally fun to swim in not only because it was located in a deserted valley in Bali but also just because everyone got to swim and play together.

The beach looked stunningly sunny and beautiful not only because it was located at the tip of Indian Ocean but also because everyone was in a lovely mood.

The sampling and tasting of the Luwak coffee and other numerous types of coffee was not only awakening but also fun. So were other numerous meal stops that provided for the much needed energy and rest before proceeding to the next attraction.

No trip would be considered complete without some family photos, where our sweet memory was deeply embedded inside, readily available for us to rediscover its sweetness at any time in the future.

返璞归真 (Original Bali)

返璞归真，才是最响往的生活。

走在巴厘岛乡间的小路上，我的步伐出奇的轻快，我的思绪出奇的松弛。空气中似乎充满无限新鲜氧气，从鼻根吸入后充沛迅速输送全身，令人心旷神怡。

暖暖的阳光透过大树照在身上，徐徐的微风轻拍树叶发出的乐声飘入耳根。鸭子群在翠绿的田里嬉戏，小童们结伴步行上学堂；独自耕种的农人，头顶载物的行人；一幅极其简单自然的画面，竟让习惯了城市里霓虹灯吵杂声电脑电视手机多媒体广告等严重污染的官感，霎时获得释放，回归自然，返璞归真，感觉就像回到最初的起点，只有真，善，美。

巴厘岛某些景点，需要步行一段路程才到达目的地。由于所经过的村庄小巷朴素的田野风光，倒有点像是到郊外远足，连我们年幼的小孩们也虽然疲倦却不喊累。

郊区的巴厘人生活也许清苦，依然依靠山上流下的水洗澡洗衣，但朴实无华的简单生活，是另一种城市孩子们无法理解的现实与修行。。。

In the rural areas, Bali is exceptionally original in nature without much influence of modern technology and western culture.

We noticed that in the village, the villagers still rely on the stream from the mountain as the main water source for shower as well as washing their clothing. There were groups of ducks seen in the paddy field and the owner would come to chase them back home in the evening.

The original village life of Bali is a purity that is hard to experience in the city. Ironically there are many city folks who lead a busy city life with the objective of retiring and retreating to a peaceful and quiet life one day.

We met with a rich Danish American here who owns a beautiful resort in a valley in Ubud. Obviously he had chosen Bali to be his permanent residence, and his quality of life here is really admirable.

Who dares to say simplicity is not the ultimate sophistication….

天涯海角 (Romantic Bali)

站在巴厘岛最南端的峭壁上，面向着水天连成一体的印度洋，吹着迎面而来的海风，心情莫名的兴奋，潜伏已久的意识呐喊起来。

乌鲁瓦图也许不是个发达的城镇，其大自然景观的气势却得天独厚，教人把一切烦恼抛诸脑后，宁愿在此乐活慢活发呆一辈子。

断崖庙的绝景不止吸引了游客，也引来了大群的猴子猴孙在此常驻，可见其山灵水秀必定不亚于神话里的花果山。

这里也有些专门帮情侣们安排度蜜月甚至婚礼和结婚照的服务，包括浪漫的住宿，梦幻的玻璃小教堂等。在晋身柴米油盐阶段之前，小两口在此宠一宠自己也是应该的。

风尘仆仆来到这天涯海角，为的只是喝杯下午茶，听那海浪打在岩壁的声音，和看那冲浪高手们和大海最亲密的接触。当然也不忘了好摄一番。。。

We found the romantic face of Bali at Uluwatu.

Here, the soft and sexy Indian Ocean comes in close contact with the strong and handsome Rocky Cliff of Uluwatu. Their encounter results in the most natural sight and sound entertainment of the wave hitting the rock, in a way that melts the heart of all souls.

Pura Luhur Uluwatu temple was built here in the eleventh century facing the breathtaking view of the cliff. This is not only a popular tourist attraction but it also attracted large groups of wild monkeys to make this place their home. It is a dream natural habitat after all.

There are some villas here that provide services for honeymooners, as well as photo shoots and special itinerary for newly married couples. Most of the villas have beautiful facilities and scenery overlooking the Ocean.

If you want to get out of the hustle and bustle of city life, Uluwatu can provide you a dream retreat where you can pamper yourself with either a spa treatment or just taking your own time sipping tea while watching the wind surfers in action or listening to the sound of wave hitting the rocky cliff.

巴厘岛微距生态 （Natural Bali）

巴厘岛的天然微距生态，给我们的旅途增添了些小乐趣。

除了神秘的火山，漫长的沙滩，蜿蜒的河流，浓密的森林，壮丽的断崖，纯朴的村庄，葱绿的梯田，尔雅的居民；巴厘岛路边一草一木一虫一蚁皆流露着自然气息，感觉就像投入大自然的怀抱。一些微距生态在我们不经意间出现，逗乐了孩子们，也让我的微距镜头派上用场。

你看，巴厘岛的蜘蛛是否特别妖艳，连蜘蛛网也散发出野性。你看，巴厘岛的苍蝇和辣椒是否与众不同，谁敢说不是火山泥孕育出来的。你看你看，巴厘岛的绿叶本身就是艺术，可比美任何一件最细腻的手工。还有你看，巴厘岛的宝贝螺还是活的，生活在天涯海角的花圃里，还和我们共用一条行人道。

真情流露的巴厘岛，与其坦荡荡的热情，在瞬间就把我这个好摄之徒给征服了。。。

(注：“天涯海角”是巴厘岛乌鲁瓦图位于印度洋县崖上方的度假村的称呼，拥有海天一色的景观并可让人俯瞰印度洋，来到这里，我们都醉了！)

For my trip to Bali, I brought along three Canon lenses, i.e. 10-22mm wide angle, 50mm f/1.8II and 100mm f/2.8L macro lens.

For all my travel abroad, I would consider the 50mm f/1.8II a lens that I would definitely bring along due to its negligible size and weight (yet it provides for large aperture and sharp images). Another lens that is a must-bring-along is none other than the 10-22mm ultra-wide zoom lens that is extremely suited as well as versatile for scenic landscape shots. For the third lens that my bag was capable of carrying, I hesitated between the 100mm macro lens and the Sigma 18-250mm super zoom. Eventually I decided to choose the 100mm macro lens due to its better image quality and macro capability.

The result of the decision was some macro shots that I would have missed if I brought along the 18-250mm super zoom instead.

The images here were shot as the opportunity arose without our intentionally searching for the subjects. I like to take macro shots, and it sure felt nice to shoot bugs and plants away from home. The spider was more photogenic and wilder than those in my garden, the fly and the chili just looked special compared with those in my neighborhood, the plants were more artistic, and the shell critter from the Cowrie family detected by my kids was such a good model that I could hardly find near my house.

Bali really is a paradise for a photography enthusiast like me….