Saturday, September 1, 2007

Dirty (This week's Photo Hunt theme)





I have to admit that I seriously contemplated not taking part in the Photo Hunt this week; this because, much as I enjoy getting visits from other Photo Hunters and checking out others' blogs, I don't particularly want to dirty my blog with aesthetically displeasing pictures that I didn't care to particularly take as well as put up. But then it occured to me that I had an opportunity here to highlight one of my pet peeves: air pollution -- something that the Pearl River Delta area (which includes Hong Kong along with Macau) suffers from quite a bit, albeit more some days than others. So...

This week's panoramic views of Macau were both taken from an upper floor of the 388 meter high Macau Tower (and, for the record, with the same camera). The first one dates back to April 2006 while the second was taken in June 2007. Although what might particularly strike viewers of this pair of photographs is how there are more buildings in 2007 than 2006 (and that one of those newer structures is a really tall and rather funny shaped edifice), what I'd like to ask you all to focus on is the stuff in the background and thereby discern how much more and further you can see in the 2007 photograph.

This is because on my April 2006 visit, the air pollution was so bad that many a professional photographer -- I was there on a press junket! -- complained that they couldn't take pictures that had the sky in the background as it came out looking a rather dull white or dirty gray rather than clear blue. And I don't think it entirely coincidental that I caught bronchitis and had to spend some time in hospital shortly after returning to Malaysia either. Additionally, while on my June visit, the air did seem less polluted, what I'd really like to see on one of my future visits to Macau are truly clear -- and consequently all the more beautiful -- views of a part of the world that I generally do think has much to offer visitors...

20 comments:

RUTH said...

A very good post. A very important take on the word Dirty and your photos highlight it well. Air pollution is worrying in many of our cities throughout the world and I am sure is the cause in the rise of asthma in children.

Gattina said...

You finally found something very nice ! I also had difficulties for a dirty thing in my household !

A. said...

Excellent! And,as Ruth says, very important. I'm wondering how the authorities are going to manage to get the pollution under some control before the Olympics.

JaamZIN said...

you have found a perfect solution. You didnt dirt your blog, because the photos are still enjoyable...but still fits to the theme.:)

Chen said...

hehe.. despite the dirty photo, your blog is still clean :)

jams o donnell said...

Excellent post. I can only imagine what effect it has on people with respiratory difficulties. Happy weekend

Lynn said...

Great take on dirty. Air pollution is everywhere. I was thinking of smog too to post but thought of something else.

Anonymous said...

Yes! I can see the 'dirtiness' in your pictures. Hehe (=

Carver said...

Great post and picture. Air pollution is terrible and good to highlight that. Excellent photograph.

lissa said...

Sad to hear about that. Air pollution is still a problem.

I, too didn't want to "dirty" my blog. An unique take on Photo Hunt. You didn't go for the obvious.

YTSL said...

Hi Ruth --

Thanks for your comments and definitely agree with you re much of it, including air pollution being the cause of the rise of asthma in children.

Hi Gattina --

The views could be nicer but agree that they're pretty nice as is. :)

Hi a. --

Have read that the authorities will do such as get area factories to stop operating just before and during the Olympics. Also, that they're limiting the amount of cars and such being allowed into Beijing. Now if only they could be as strict against polluters during other times... :S

Hi Zsolt --

Thanks for seeing what I tried to do and reckoning that I managed to successfully accomplish it! :)

Hi Chen --

Yes, indeedy! ;b

Hi jams o'donnell --

Among the scary things about air pollution is that it can CREATE, not just add to, respiratory problems... :S

Hi Lynn --

Just want to take the opportunity to say (once more) that what you thought of was fantastic! :)

Hi pelfy --

Glad you can see what I was trying to show! :)

Hi Carver --

Glad you got much out of the post in general along with the photos. :)

Hi Lissa --

Air pollution isn't "still" a problem -- it seems to be an increasing problem. Sad but true... :S

Dragonheart, Merlin, Devi, and Chloe said...

It is very sad what humans are doing to our planet, creating pollution of all kinds - air, water, land, etc. Excellent photos and an important take on the theme.

My Photo Hunt this week.

Anonymous said...

Air pollution is a real problem everywhere. It's also amazing to see how much construction took over in a year. Great photos and have a good weekend.

jmb said...

We all seem a little reluctant with this theme but this is a very good take on it.
Thanks for visiting.

YTSL said...

Hi Dragonheart --

What's all the more sad is how much of the pollution is unneccessary and created in the name of "development"... :S

Hi Kissedalotoftoads --

Yeah, Macau -- since its return to China in 1999 -- would make a very interesting developmental case study.

Hi jmb --

Must say that, on the whole, this week's has been a far more interesting Photo Hunt than I thought it would be. :)

Journo June aka MamaBear said...

I know exactly what you mean. After 2 years in Korea, our son had serious lung damage.

Lau Niang said...

pollution is quite bad over here in malaysia too. Great blog you got there!

YTSL said...

Hi "Mama Bear June" --

Yikes re your son! Hope the damage's not permanent!

Hi "bibik nyonya" --

Is the haze back in Malaysia? Thanks for the compliments re my blog -- and if you check more of it out, you'll realize that I'm actually Malaysian too... ;b

Willow said...

Do you remember my dirty pics around Beijing? ;D

YTSL said...

Hi Willow --

Most definitely! And I thank the heavens just about every day that Hong Kong's air pollution is not as bad as Beijing's!

Hi Bhuvan Chand --

My post wasn't directly about global warming but since that is another environmental problem that does worry me, won't consider your comments to be spam and will leave them on this page.