I was out hardly 6 hours yesterday ... and yet, it was quite eventful. Definitely quality that counts, not quantity :)
I went for a wonderful relaxing massage at Touche TQL, the Bugis branch, at 4 pm. Ahh ... that was bliss that I wish could go on and on ... I had signed up for a package earlier, which is interesting because I get 24 ++ (plus some free) sessions that I can "redeem" for either massage or facial. Think the majority of this will go to massage because I'm still happy with my current facial service, and I think a beauty regiment is one of those things that you need to build up over time with your beauty advisor who will know how your skin has evolved over time, and will thus be able to suggest better treatment solutions.
So around 5.30 pm, I walked out of Touche rejuvenated, and all ready to learn from the image master Steve McCurry at the Asian Civilisation Museum (ACM) ... gosh, can I say this visit is long overdue! I knew about it on the day it opened at ACM on 19 June. Had a good mind to join the competition (albeit the prize - printers - is not too alluring) with some pictures that I'm quite proud of. The theme is "Unguarded", and over the years of travels, I've collected quite a number of those that I think would strike a chord with McCurry.
But alas, the competition is already over (keeping in mind that the exhibition ends next Sunday, this is not too surprising). The winners, as well as participating photos, grace the wall near the entrance to the ACM. I could clearly see why all the pictures had won over McCurry except for the First Prize winner in the Open Category. To me, it is an interesting picture of a little girl, donned in lime green against a backdrop of towering women in white veils that cascaded in a rhythmic pattern behind the girl, whose eyes transfixed on the photographer instead of the prayer ceremony that was going on during one Hari Raya last year.
Nevertheless, it did not strike me as a very compelling picture on its own, but as I went through McCurry's exhibition on Level 2 - his work in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar - I realised that this picture actually struck an emotional chord with McCurry beyond its visual portrayal of "unguarded" nuances of a person's life defined by culture, environment and circumstance. It was a very small exhibition (a little disappointed at this, but what can I expect when it is free) but eye-opening. And nostalgic.
As I looked at his photos, I couldn't help remisniscing my own journeys in South Asia and Egypt. The boy with the bread reminds me of the boy balancing a tray twice his own body size on his head, full of bread, dashing down the stairs of an apartment block in a poor part of Old Cairo, presumably after a home delivery? Or maybe he lived here and was just off to work. I've been to India several times, and never before to any of the famously over-crowded train stations. Was I afraid? Should I be? Ah ... I should return to India very soon for I do realise that this is a great place to ponder and reflect on the meaning of life as we become more complacent in our material success but will drop in a flash if we were left to survive on close to nothing.
Like the woman with a child in her arms begging for a few rupees through the passenger seat window in a monsoon downpour. A common sight in India, Indonesia and Bangladesh. My oh my ... I was guilt-stricken as I stood frozen in front of that picture. A boy of 11 or so with a naked toddler brother followed me when I came out of the grand fortress of the Sheraton in Dhaka. I did not give him any, hastened my pace and lost him through the maze of lanes in a nearby neighbourhood. A couple of hours later, I returned to the hotel, and there he was again with his toddler brother. He followed again, and begged, until he was chased away by a gentleman. I did not give him any money because I feared more beggar kids would ambush me from their hiding holes. But I've constantly regretted this decision. What would 10 taka have meant to me, and what would the same amount have meant to him, whose basic survival from day to day is an enormous question mark? I pledge to practise philantropic travel whenever it's within my means.
I walked away from the exhibition before the ACM closed at 7 pm, with lots of mixed feelings and thought-provoking quotes from Steve McCurry:
"If you wait, people will forget your camera and the soul will drift up into view."
"I try to capture what it is like to be that person, a person caught in a broader landscape, that you could call the human condition."
"If you want to be a photographer, first leave home. Go as far as you can. Be a stranger in a strange land. Acquire humility."
It was still early for the Night Festival (had planned on going with Fauzie, Pauline and Karen but they're tied up yesterday and Fauzie was still exhausted from the previous night's show). So I popped into Raffles City to try to get rid of my $20 Topshop voucher from Citibank. Alas again, I can't use it on sale items so I promptly left with much annoyance. Ah ... maybe the Night Festival would cheer me up.
Since it wasn't starting yet, I popped into the National Museum to enjoy the aircon and to pick up a programme booklet. This year's lineup was not as awesome as last year's. The highlight would be a pyro show on the facade of the museum but would only happen around 11 pm or so. Meantime, cultural performances had started on SMU's campus so I decided to go take a look and if I didn't like it much, would move to PS and go home early. Then I received Hui Ching's message that they'd be heading out to Jalan Kayu for food, and I asked if they'd pick me up.
A big crowd had already gathered, and though I didn't realise it just yet, so had a big cloud. I stood in the crowd for maybe 15 minutes before I felt the first drops fall on my arms. I didn't think it would amount to much, probably just a light drizzle that would go away shortly. I kept my eyes on the stage where a little boy was teaching the lady MC Chinese tongue twister. Because it was SMU, there were no lack of cute guys ... one in particular kinda caught my eye as he moved from the crowd to somewhere behind me ... my gaze didn't exactly follow his movements as what was unfolding onstage was quite interesting.
As the performers launched into a cultural dance, the drops became bigger and more intense. That quickly turned into a downpour. I was forced to retreat to the foyer, and at the same time, HC called to say they were on the way. So great, I'd start my journey to the Cathay where I would wait for them. As I walked to the sheltered foyer, I noticed that cute guy was also escaping the rain, a few persons ahead of me.
When I got out my weird "Hug Me, Kiss Me, Love Me" umbrella from Lund, Sweden (hehe), someone came up to me, and asked which way I was going.
Oh shit! It's that cute guy!
Haha ... I was quite honestly stunned ... but this one's a smooth talker, he very quickly put me at ease and we had a constant conversation going in that 10 - 15 min walk under my weird umbrella to the entrance of Rendezvous Hotel where we parted ways (oh man! Can't believe this irony of ironies ... Rendezvous. Parted ways. Sigh). He lived near Sunshine Plaza so of course he didn't have an umbrella with him because the rain was unexpected (but I think it's a guy thing ... they never bring an umbrella when it's not rainy) Well, I was headed for the Cathay so I couldn't exactly shelter him home all the way ... hope he got home okay.
Hmm ... that really lifted my mood and ended the day on a high note (^___^*) What a night of ironies, sheltering Sky from rain ... hah ...
P.S. ... so that was Sky, political science graduate from NUS. Way too young for me, but oh well, he thought I was studying at SMU but I told him, nope I was from NUS and I'm an old girl. He laughed.
