Chinese Cemetery at Pulau Ubin

Quite a number of old cemeteries can still be found along some of the cycling pathes of Pulau Ubin.

The Red Letter Box - A Singapore Icon

Most of the older buildings in Singapore still feature a red letterbox as pictured above. On my opinion, this is one of the lesser appreciated icons of the city in the same way as the red phone booths in the UK. I do hope that they will not be all replaced by standard more modern soulless alternatives. The above image was taken in Pulau Ubin.

Encounter with a Wild Pig - Pulau Ubin

This particular animal can often be seen closeby the Chek Jawa Park Headquarter.

Oriental Pied Hornbill - Pulau Ubin

D700 70-300mm @ 300 ISO400 f/9 1/400

An opportunity take, so the light and background are not great . It might be worth it to go back with the right lens...

Colours Of Pulau Ubin (6)

D700 70-300mm @ 70 ISO400 f/13 1/5

I found these drawings of plants on the inside wall of a disused wooden house. A creeper started to take over the space through the broken floor. Some post processing was applied to the capture to give an aging feel to the picture.

Colours Of Pulau Ubin (5)

D700 70-300mm @ 78 ISO400 f/5.6 1/250

Blue.

Colours Of Pulau Ubin (4)

D700 70-300mm @ 80 ISO400 f/8 1/640

Green.

Colours Of Pulau Ubin (3)

D700 70-300mm @ 78 ISO400 f/4.5 1/25

Red and gold.

Colours Of Pulau Ubin (2)

D700 70-300mm @ 102 ISO400 f/9 1/60

Mustard and blue.

Colours Of Pulau Ubin (1)

D700 70-300mm @ 95 ISO400 f/11 1/250

Taking the camera along on a bicycle trip through the island, I escaped here and there to take a few quick shots...

Portrait of a Wild Pig - Pulau Ubin

D700 70-300mm @ 70 ISO400 f/5.6 1/60

Oink, Oink - Further to a special request, here is a second picture of the wild pig we met on Pulau Ubin!

Pulau Ubin Mini Series – End of the Day

D700 70-300mm @ 125 ISO400 f/11 1/500

The bicycle rental shops were packing for the day. It was time to go. Contented of our excursion, we boarded for a trip back to the present. It was a refreshing experience and we promised ourselves to return early in the new year.

Pulau Ubin Mini Series – Power Generation

D700 70-300mm @ 170 ISO400 f/11 1/60

There have been some talks about installing landlines to the island. Till today, all the electricity required is produced by diesel generators and some solar panels. This is astonishing as Pulau Ubin is located not further than 15 minutes away by bumboat from Singapore, one of the world’s most modern metropolises.

Pulau Ubin Mini Series – The Red Bicycles

D700 70-300mm @ 85 ISO400 f/11 1/125

After returning the bicycles, we walked around town. The sun was lower in the sky and shadows were softer and longer. I liked the light and tried to take advantage of it in this picture.

Pulau Ubin Mini Series – The Old Hawker Cart

D700 70-300mm @ 110 ISO400 f/8 1/250

On the way back to Ubin Town, we noticed this disregarded hawker cart in front of a washed out blue door… A stop was required to take the shot!

Pulau Ubin Mini Series - The Wild Pig

D700 24mm ISO400 f/5.6 1/30

While reaching Chek Jawa Visitor Centre by the old rubber estate, we had a surprise encounter with a wild pig. It was a pretty tame animal that almost paused for its portrait. I could not avoid picturing Obelix carrying this poor creature for its dinner after a successful hunt in the forest of Armorica.

Pulau Ubin Mini Series – The Coconut

D700 70-300mm @ 92 ISO400 f/5.6 1/15

Caught in a sudden downpour, we sought cover in a side road hut, where two ladies were selling beverages and fresh coconuts. While waiting for the rain to go by, I noticed the shiny pot, used to keep drinking water in the absence of water on tap, and thought that it would be a perfect subject for a picture… The rain stopped as quickly as it had started and we pursued our cycling tour of the island…

Pulau Ubin Mini Series - Ubin Town

D700 70-300mm @ 75 ISO400 f/11 1/500

To start this mini series on Pulau Ubin, here is a typical postcard shot of the first two houses of Ubin Town, the last kampong (village in Malay) of Singapore. The 17:30 light gives a nice warmth and reduces the harsh contrasts of earlier hours.