A Visitor from Switzerland

This evening has been an extra special one, because I have a visitor who came all the way from Switzerland to Malaysia, and we met up over a dinner session in a local Chinese Restaurant. This was my first encounter with anyone from Switzerland (he was actually a German living in Switzerland), it was an exciting session of cross-culture and photography thoughts exchange. We had plenty to talk about our own background from different countries, and of course, sharing our passion and love for photography, which was the medium that connected us from two very different parts of the world.

Meet Thomas Moser, an IT Specialist, and a passionate photography enthusiast. 

In our earlier email correspondence, Thomas requested for a quiet place to sit down for dinner, and he specifically wanted Chinese. Hence I looked around and found this interesting restaurant at the Gardens Mid Valley shopping mall, that fuses all sorts of Chinese cooking with tea. The place is called Purple Cane Tea Restaurant, and it was my first time dining there as well. Thomas agreed with the venue, because the food was rather unique (we do not mix tea with food on normal occasions) and something that he could not find from where he came. 

We had the following dishes:

Mee Hoon with Tea

Aromatic Crispy Duck 

Vegetable Spring Rolls

Burdock Chicken Soup 

It is very interesting how the Internet works, and changed the way the world works. Interaction between two like-minded individuals sharing the same hobby for photography at two different locations separated far apart, can be brought together thanks to the advancement of technology. I was very flattered to have readers from so many different countries now, something I never knew I can accomplish through my blog. It was refreshing to hear what Thomas had to say about my blog, my photography work and myself as well. He recognizes the technical background I have had from my engineering career being infused into the way I structured my blog entries, as well as my yearning and longing for creative freedom, since being in engineering, I was void of anything artistic. We can both relate that we do not do photography to compete, or to please anyone else, but ourselves. Shooting was entirely for the fun and joy of it, hence it was no surprise I have called it "shutter therapy". Funny, because a friend commented to me recently that "I shoot to please fans" (to be honest I don't consider myself having fans, but I do have beautiful blog readers). I guess that friend has totally missed the main point of this blog, and what I was doing here in the first place. I shoot, because I want to, and because I love doing it. I blog, because I have something to say, and photographs to share. 

To Thomas, welcome to Malaysia !! It was great having met you, and when you have settled down and have some time to spare, lets attack the streets of Kuala Lumpur together. I am sure you will love the people and culture here.