In the 7 1/2 years I have been in Bangalore, I’ve never seen the annual flower show held at Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens leading up to August 15th (India’s Independence Day). So this time, I told myself I wasn’t going to miss it.
Also, I haven’t clicked in a while.
So on a bright Sunday morning, I actually forced myself to get up at 7:30am and made my way to Lal Bagh with my Canon 7D and Tamron 28-75 f2.8 lens in tow.
Lal Bagh had it’s usual early morning joggers but I wanted to make it here early before it got too crowded.
Lal Bagh on a rather calm Sunday morning
I paid the entrance fee of Rs. 40 (it’s Rs. 30 on weekdays and I didn’t qualify for the Rs. 10 ticket for children either). As I made my way in, first up was a vegetables.
Boring. Then I realized the main flower show was inside the glasshouse.
The Lal Bagh glasshouse
Every year, the organizers put up one big show piece all done up using flowers. Last year’s big attraction was a dinosaur but this year, the organizers paid tribute to our soldiers.
India Gate
And with that, I began clicking…
There were a lot of 1st prize signs, so I'm not sure who the clear winner was
From a distance, these looked like sushi rolls to meIndia Gate was sprinkled with water internally from time to time
This is a panorama comprised of 7 shots
With the dripping paint, more like 'Saliva'
I don't think this was real
If only sharpening pencils produced such beauty
Not to be confused with Bangalore Muncipality's 'malaria'
This was the most interesting looking flower they had at the show -- called the CockscombEverybody wanted to touch it
From a distance, this looked like cauliflower flower(?)*
The good old fashioned rose
Spent a long time shooting this bee
There were a LOT of photographers...... and I wasn't the only one enjoying macro photography 🙂If I had my Canon 10-22, I could have got this photo in just one frame -- but this is comprised of 8 shots
All in all, I was very happy with the photos I took. I don’t usually shoot macro, simply because before I bought the Tamron 28-75mm, I couldn’t have been bothered. But now, I’m hooked!
Man's best friend couldn't be bothered. Sunday after all...
*if you are wondering whether I often have food on my mind, the answer is ‘yes’
Last month, when the 30 second preview for Linkin Park’s latest single “The Catalyst” hit the web, fans were upset. Many asked “where are the drums, guitars?!,” and said they didn’t like the direction Linkin Park was heading. Understandably so.
When ‘Hybrid Theory‘ (2000) came out, Linkin Park was coolest thing in the so-called “nu-metal” genre (after Limp Bizkit kicked things off). It became their best-selling album and showcased the kind of music this so-called “metal” band could churn out. From rap infused “Papercut” to the song everybody knows the words to — “In the End” — Linkin Park was the best nu-metal had to offer.
Next came the remix album ‘Reanimation’ — mostly a showcase of DJ Joseph Kahn’s talent. It took tracks like “Points of Authority” and made it sound even more awesome (not to mention a cool music video too). Then came ‘Meteora‘ (2003), my (& probably everybody’s) favourite Linkin Park album. From the awesome “Faint” to the brilliant “Breaking the Habit” and their best ballad to-date, “Numb” — Meteora offered great singles!
By now, Linkin Park was the de facto music used in thousands of AMVs and other fan-made videos dedicated to their favourite video game, movie, anime, etc. They dwelled further into the world of hip-hop thanks to their collaboration with Jay-Z, which was another successful project.
And then came ‘Minutes to Midnight‘ (2007). While I liked the tracks “Bleed It Out,” “Hands Held High” and “No More Sorrow,” the album in general was a disappointment. And I wasn’t the only one who agreed. Most fans were disappointed. When everyone was looking forward to another “In the End” or “Numb,” all they got was “Shadow of the Day”. Weak.
Three years have passed since the release of Minutes to Midnight and while Linkin Park’s popularity hasn’t diminished at all, fans who have been listening to LP since the days of “My December” have been hoping for a real return to form.
Which brings us to Linkin Park’s latest single “The Catalyst”….
… and going by most of the comments, return to form this isn’t!
But you know what? I’m not dissing the band (just yet). This is just one song from their upcoming album ‘A Thousand Suns‘. And after listening to the full song, I like it! I only hope the whole album isn’t like this.
Is the new album going to be another Minutes to Midnight? Rick Rubin is the producer on this album as well, so it could. LP have always mentioned in the past that they would like to try and keep doing something different, but I’m sure the members have listened to their fans too. I mean, for gods sakes, they were even famously mocked a few years ago for their formulaic song-structure:
It’s a double-edged sword. If you are generic, people criticize you for being the “same”. If you try and be different, fans are disappointed and ask for the “good ol’ days”. And as talented musicians, singing the “same ol’ shit” can get hella boring…. but they don’t want to lose their fanbase either.
So here’s hoping ‘A Thousands Suns‘ (out in September but suuuure to leak online August-end) is a good mix of songwriting we haven’t heard from LP before, along with some kick-ass jumpers like “Faint”. But whatever they put out, I pray there isn’t another “New Divide“. Now that was some ‘generic’ sh*t!
After a tiring previous day (and only hitting the bed at 4am), I got up early to receive my parents from Bur Dubai bus stand as they were visiting from Abu Dhabi. Since today and tomorrow were all going to be ‘family time,’ we were going to be staying with my father’s friend, in his nice, posh little flat in Karama.
Once we all landed at my father’s friend’s place post-lunch, we rested for some time before heading out.
It was back to Dubai Mall for me — but for my parents, despite having lived in Abu Dhabi for nearly an year, it was going to be their first time experiencing Dubai Aquarium and At The Top of Burj Khalifa.
First up, the aquarium:
My father really enjoyed being this close to sea creatures
That’s what a stingray’s face looks like
Well, hello there!
For more photos and videos from inside Dubai Aquarium, check out my first post. Next up, we waited for our turn to go up the Burj Khalifa.
My parents at the At The Top gift shop
200+ storeys; 95kms – from where one can see the top of the spire; 12,000 slaves… sorry, labourers; 57 elevators; 500,000 tonnes – weight of the empty building
I had booked for an evening slot for the At The Top visit, hoping I could see Dubai all lit up. But as we got up, the sun was still very much above the horizon.
Regardless, my parents loved the viewDubai financial centerThat’s how many floors there still are above the observation deckThe sun setting over the yet to be completed The World islandsWatching the sun set from atop the world’s tallest building is a great idea
For more photos and videos from At The Top, check out my first post.
We finished our tour of Burj Khalifa, made our way out and to the Dubai Fountain site. The $200 million-plus Dubai Fountain is an attraction built on the artificial (duh) lake just outside Dubai Mall.
Built by the same people behind the famous Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas, Dubai obviously had to up the ante. So these fountains shoot water up higher, 500 feet high (150 metres)!
Shows are every half an hour between 6pm to 10pm. Here’s the show I saw: Since it’s free, and since I can’t afford to go to Las Vegas just yet, this was great!
Me and my folks in front of a massive concrete & steel Christmas tree
After the show, we made our way to the buses that drop visitors to the metro station.
Why, why would someone do that to a Porsche?Architectural beauty
The next day with my parents…
The next morning, I took my parents to Bur Dubai for some shopping and to show them around.
My father considering ‘post-retirement’ work
My father bothering some random Chinese dude for a photo
After showing them the souk station, I took them to the Hindu temple (photos of both can be seen in my first post).
Taking a break from all the walking
Pigeons by the creek
And with that, we were done. Took a taxi and headed back to my father’s colleague’s place. He offered to drop us off near Jebel Ali power station, where we had been invited for lunch by our relatives.
Inside Mr. Nandakumar’s Peugot
Once again, it was a drive on Sheikh Zayed Road.
Emirates Towers
Those guitars used to be where Dubai’s Hard Rock Cafe was
The view from my uncle’s flat near Jebel Ali power station, where he works
After lunch, we decided to check out Ibn Battuta Mall, which was nearby. This was the last major mall I had yet to see and the one my friends highly recommended, just because it was different.
The mall business in Dubai is, let’s just say, quite cut throat. For such a small state, Dubai has some of the largest malls in the world. And since just about every mall offers the same set of stores, mall operators come up with differentiators to draw the crowds in.
What’s the differentiator for Ibn Battuta Mall? For one (if you haven’t figured out already), it’s named after the great Muslim explorer Ibn Battuta. The entire mall is themed after his travels across China, India, Persia, Egypt, Tunisia, and Andalusia with a section dedicated to each zone.
We parked near the China entrance. Each of the sections have a lobby with a major attraction specific to that zone. This is what the China court looks like.
Panorama comprised of 6 shots
The main attraction here being a replica of a Chinese sailing ship supposedly used by Ibn Battuta in his travels.
Ibn Battuta Mall houses the only IMAX screen in Dubai
From China, we then moved on to India.
India Court’s big attraction
From India into Persia. Persia Court’s big attraction is a replica of a Starbucks Coffee outlet*.
*just kidding
From Persia, you have two paths to Egypt.
Both paths eventually meetThe Egypt Court houses a lot of history, facts and trivia about Ibn Battuta
And finally Andalusia.
Andalusia Court’s main attraction
With that, we had conquered all five regions of Ibn Battuta’s mall. So we made our journey back, passing by more displays.
Back in China Court
Ibn Battuta Mall truly is a must-see in my opinion. It was a good move on Nakheel Properties’ part to use a theme like this to set the mall apart from Dubai’s other shopping centers.
Once out of Ibn Battuta Mall, we wished our relatives goodbye and took the metro to Bur Dubai bus stand. I was heading back to Abu Dhabi.
Lal Bagh had it’s usual early morning joggers but I wanted to make it here early before it got too crowded.
Boring. Then I realized the main flower show was inside the glasshouse.
