Towering mightily above the surrounding city, the Petronas Towers are one of the prime tourist attractions in Kuala Lumpur. Possibly as much for the large, modern shopping mall beneath the towers than the towers themselves. Designed by architect César Pelli, construction was finished in 1998. At the time, it was the tallest building in the world. It has since been eclipsed by several subsequent structures, the most recent being the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It still remains the world’s tallest twin towers.

It you’re in Kuala Lumpur, it’s possible to go up to a view deck on the bridge between the towers. It used to be free but now cost’s somewhere around US$20. Get your tickets early in the day. I’ve been to the towers twice but have never gone up to the sky bridge. I’d personally recommend going to the nearby KL Tower which is taller and has a 360 degree view.

Petronas Towers - Kuala Lumpur

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It’s taken me a bit longer than expected to get back here to the blog. I’ve been traveling in Singapore and Malaysia for the past several weeks and between meeting up with friends in Singapore, moving from place to place in Malaysia, and an unusual dearth of internet connectivity in a number of places, the posts just haven’t happened. But I’m back, and just in time for everyone’s favorite romantic holiday: Valentine’s Day! (It’s unlikely I’ll get a February wallpaper out at this point. Apologies to those of you waiting for one. I’ll try to do better for March.)

The Merlion at Marina Bay in Singapore is an odd bit of statuary artistry which likely leaves many wondering what it’s all about. Well, according to Wikipedia, a merlion is a Malay mythical creature with the body of a fish and head of a lion. The merlion has become the national ‘personification’ of Singapore, where the fish represents Singapore’s origin as a fishing village and the lion head is a symbol representing Singapore’s original name, Singapura, which means lion city. In any case, it’s a popular tourist spot: if you come to Singapore, you have to see the Merlion. And here, in recognition of the sappy lovey-dovey day known as Valentine’s Day (thank you Hallmark), is a young couple getting a bit fresh in front of the Singapore Merlion.

Merlion Valentine - Singapore

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I’m really looking forward to this trip, partly because I’m over and done with the cold and mess of winter. I don’t do cold very well and I’m excited about getting back to the tropics. But I’m also hoping this trip will inspire me and get the creative juices flowing again. Stay tuned.

For now, here’s a shot of the Seattle Space Needle from back in September.

The Space Needle - Seattle

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Well, it’s the new year again. Actually we’re almost into the second week already (where does the time go…?). Commonly around this time of year, people make new years resolutions which are then quickly forgotten or abandoned. I don’t do new year’s resolutions but I thought this might be a good time to post my Bucket List. There’s no resolutions involved with it, it’s just a list of things I’d like to do or see or accomplish before I, you know… kick off. It’s not a static list and will change over time as my priorities and interests change. Initially I wondered if it’s appropriate to post this on a blog that’s primarily about photography, but then what’s the point of having your own blog and website if you can’t post what you want. Check it out and let me know what you think. Do you have your own bucket list?

Today’s Photo

The ruins at Mitla are small but much of it has been nicely restored and is well maintained. Most of it can be seen in about an hour. It’s worth the one hour bus ride from Oaxaca just for the bus ride itself and the chance to wander through a quiet rural Mexican town.

Ruins at Mitla, Mexico

This month’s desktop image is of the Experience Music Project in Seattle, otherwise known as the EMP. This funky building houses a rock and roll museum and is worth checking out if you’re in the Seattle area. I can’t comment on the museum itself as I’ve never gone through it but if you’re interested in music history it may be worth your time.

Also, don’t forget that my wall calendars for 2012 are still available.

There are three versions of the wallpaper image available, including one for iPad (without the calendar). You can click on the photo below for the large 2560×1600 resolution version, or click on the links below for the resolution of your choice.

1280×853 January Wallpaper
2560×1600 January Wallpaper
January iPad Wallpaper

Enjoy! and share with your friends.

January 2012 Desktop Wallpaper

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I hope you enjoy going back through these and maybe you’ll see some you missed the first time I posted them.

Taiwanese Folk Opera - Taipei

Adrienne - Kubota Gardens, Seattle

Lucky Charms

Boys are lined up outside school in the morning - Puerto Galera.

Classic - Puebla, Mexico

Lost in Prayer - Longshan Temple, Taipei

On the Plaza - Taipei

Filipino Village Girl - Montalban, Rizal, Philippines

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Today’s Photo

My previous post was a detail photo of the exterior of the Teatro (theatre) Principal in Puebla, Mexico. Today’s photo is of the interior lobby of the building. Although the lobby was wide open for anyone to walk into, the rest of the theatre was closed so I have no idea how interesting it might have been.

The Lobby - Puebla, Mexico

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Today’s Photo

Some of the colorful architecture you’ll find in Puebla, Mexico, represented here by the Teatro Principal.

Teatro Principal - Puebla, Mexico

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While I tend to mostly post travel images on the blog here, loyal followers know that I don’t just shoot travel photos and therefore I like to mix things up occasionally. Keeps everyone on their toes. Of course, a photo of what’s a familiar place for me could very well be a ‘travel’ photo for someone else. It’s all in your perspective. In this case, the old refining equipment at Seattle’s Gasworks Park, which was recently repainted, provides a great study in color.

Orange - Gasworks Park, Seattle

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Flashback to Fall: Technically winter hasn’t arrived yet in the northern hemisphere and won’t be here for almost three more weeks. It feels much like winter outside, except that there seems to be a few more leaves left hanging on the trees than usual for this time of year. Although it was hard to say that Seattle really had much of a summer, fall itself seemed to arrive later this year as well.

Flashback to Fall - Seattle

There’s still plenty of time to contribute to the Passports with Purpose funding campaign to raise money to build libraries in Zambia.

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