A Wicked Christmas This Way Comes!

Merry Christmas!

To spit, swallow or chew!

Almost every time I go for my vocal class, I develop a cough, be it a mild or racking cough. A cough for sure it is. Not sure if psychologically, the thought of hitting those ever so high notes have somehow conditioned a fear in my body which manifests itself via coughs.

Then again, my teacher says I have weak lungs, to take less cold drinks, etc. So many dos and don'ts so that he can push me to soar above the harmonies so that the melody rings clear and true way way above all else.

And not only giving advice, he promotes the traditional type of medication. Should take this (insert a chinese sounding herb like name), should take that (insert another chinese sounding herb like name), all for a better health. Well, not that I scoff at traditional Chinese Medication, it is just that I am generally wary of it, especially not knowing the ingredients and how it will affect me internally. But my teacher swears by it, and says he is a living proof of such medication.

My teacher even brought me to see a sensei "down the road", who guaranteed him positive results for his own ailment with almost like a money-back-guarantee promise. Of course, after my teacher who spoke to him in Mandarin about my cough, (me no speakie Mandarin, and he no speakie English) like the traditional kungfu masters, he felt my wrist and listened for the internal drumming of my heartbeat for the hue and cry of my body, wailing non stop of the abuse and torture that I put it through. Even asked me to stick out my tongue for scrutiny.

And what did he say?

Sensei: You must drink less cold water! Your tongue is white! You have indigestion problems, and your throat is usually dry.

Errr.. right! I have already limited my cold drinks intake, but true, just a few minutes ago, I took a sip or two of cold water. And although I don't speak Mandarin much (well, almost never), I do understand bits and pieces, and when I heard about cancer and the sensei said can cure, I thought to myself this is a scam!

Of course, I am no expert, but surely if traditional medicine can cure cancer, it would already have been patented and sold like hotcakes all over the world. Perhaps it is the sensei's marketing technique or ploy, but talk about misrepresentation! When I mentioned it to my teacher later, he sort of hedged, and said the sensei mentioned will help alleviate cancer, but I know what I heard even if my Mandarin is not first rate.

And my medicine? For 9 packets of dodgy looking herbs, nicely wrapped in small rectangular paper, to take whenever my throat does not feel right (and I ribbed my teacher saying that I will take a pack every time before I come to his class), it cost me RM54!!! When I expressed a mild dismay at the cost (RM6 for a small miserable looking pack!) the sensei quickly defended that this is good medicine, and to take only as and when. Shish! Must be me being yellow skinned but speaking in ang moh language, so he took opportunity to slaughter on price! Ciss!

And now? I sit here staring at the medicine. Not sure if I will actually take it or not! But definitely will not let my teacher pressure me into buying such medicine next time. When I mentioned that my body is already full of other prescribed medication, he said I was too westernised and should consider my eastern roots!

And here I thought I am very "Cina" already, somemore must be more "Cina"!!! Aiks!

Conspiracy

Rain conspired against me. Poured through the wee hours of the morning, and woke me up about 5am. So I cancelled my exercise plan scheduled for 730am, and when I woke up around that time, it was a beautiful day!!

Oh well, next week perhaps.

Grammatical Conundrum

Oh dearie me.

Have always been puzzled by the usage of "You are welcome" vs "You are welcomed". I have always used "welcomed" instead of welcome in this context. Recently, someone said it should be "welcome" and not "welcomed".

After doing some research online, it was deduced that both are ok, depending on the usage. "Welcome" is used in the context of an adjective, and "Welcomed" in the context of a verb.

What brought this on? Well, came across this sentence in one report:

"The portfolio is expected to be underweight in bonds for 2009".

Should it be read as "The portfolio is expected to be underweighted in bonds for 2009"? Am still trying to reason it out. I think it should go in the context of adjective and verb as well.

How ah? What do you think?

I have a date with Spring

It has been a while. Have forgotten about this movie until recently, when I heard that Dama Orchestra was bringing this to life on stage as a musical. The first time I saw this was on the big screen overseas, and I remembered it because of the beautiful music and story. Set in the period between 1960s and 1980s, it tells the story of four women and their lives.



I thought that the local adaptation was very well done. Dama, again, does not disappoint. The four female leads obviously shone. Some difficult music there, but well performed. The male leads held their own, with some good voices. Very nice sets, props, and use of stage too. Bravo! Bravo!!

Even after the show, I was still humming the music. Go watch!!!

Bright Blue Rose

Attended a concert earlier on today, and heard this song being sung. It caught my attention immediately with the beautiful melody and lyrics. Still trying to digest the lyrics. Bright Blue Rose by Jimmy McCarthy.



I skimmed across black water, without once submerging
Onto the banks of an urban morning
That hungers the first light, much much more
Than mountains ever do.
And she like a ghost beside me, goes down with the ease of a dolphin
And emerges unlearned, unshamed, unharmed
For she is the perfect creature, natural in every feature
And I am the geek with the alchemists' stone

Chorus

For all of you who must discover,
For all who seek to understand,
For having left the path of others
You find a very special hand

And it is a holy thing, and it is a precious time
And it is the only way
Forget-me-nots among the snow, it's always been and so it goes
To ponder his death and his life eternally

Chorus

For all of you who must discover
For all who seek to understand,
For having left the path of others
You find a very special hand

And it is a holy thing
And it is the only way
Forget-me-nots among the snow, it's always been and so it goes
To ponder his death and his life eternally

One bright blue rose outlives all those
Two thousand years and still it goes
To ponder his death and his life eternally

A Panting We Will Go

A panting we will go,
a panting we will go;
Heigh Ho and Cheerio,
a panting we will go!

Twice round the lake Perdana, yes. Twice around it was. Second time this week, and hoping to make it a regular at least once a week event.

Exercise seems to be an abominable word, but unfortunately, it cannot be a word any longer. Have to actually get physical!

The walk (yes, more walk than run) highlighted a few things. Am totally unfit, and need to lose weight (what's new?)! Am way, way above my ideal weight for my height, so time to do something about it! But, here's hoping I can see through my current push!!

Having been there twice, a few regulars were already noted. There's this guy doing a leisurely run pushing a baby stroller, with the baby sleeping, oblivious to the world (yes, he overtook me, even with pushing the stroller). There's also this group of more mature uncles and aunties doing tai chi at the park. Today, there were more serious runners noted, particularly a foreigner who overtook me 3 times!!! For every round I did, I think he did two!!!, and when I finished my two rounds, he was going for another! Cis! I console myself that it has been a while since I exercised, and will take it at my own pace.

Now, if only I could cut down on my breakfast intake after that! Hmm...

Short trip out

Lemangs! lemangs! On the way to Kemaman. Lots of lemangs. Been told it is sold whole year round, as opposed to only the Ramadan period. Good! More incentive for me to go. :)

Was on a short break out of the city a week ago, to Awana Kijal. The last time I was here was at least 5 years back I think. How time flies. This trip, slightly on the quiet side as it was the fasting month. I guess it's good in that less people to "fight" over the pool, the food, and even the spa. But, I wonder how the resort tide over the low seasons to cover costs. Hmm.

The beach remains quite nice. Peaceful, as again, not that many people. Even managed to take a short drive to Kertih for the Ramadan Bazaar, but didn't stay till night to see the Paka power plant lit up. Heard it is very beautiful and good photo taking opportunity, but perhaps next time around.

Well, it was a good short trip, and good to catch up with friends again.

Unity?

Adverts aired in the past. Children understand, but adults? ... sigh... and even then, amongst one's own race, disunity persists. In the financial markets, some would only deal with others who are of the same "kulit" (skin). Very sad, but true. Call me idealistic, but here's hoping for a truly united country... one day... Happy Merdeka!!!

Of one bleach chapter and another

Yeah, been watching Bleach. Just finished chapter 133. Too preoccupied with the series to blog. Later... later... later...

Bleach Theme Song translated:

Your fragile, folded wings
are just tired from the pure blue sky.
You don’t have to force your smiles for anyone.
It’s okay to smile… for yourself.

That lonely feeling keeps creeping up on me.
A single candle burns still inside.
There shouldn’t be an expensive chandelier in a wild place like this.
Can I really bury it all with empty words?
I don’t even know anymore…

As long as we can swim freely in our dreams,
we won’t need that sky anymore.
Even if you can’t let go of the past,
I’ll still be there to meet you tomorrow.

Your fragile, folded wings
are just tired from the pure blue sky.
You don’t have to force your smiles for anyone.
It’s okay to smile… for yourself.

Yasmin

Yasmin Ahmad, a wonderful talent, RIP. Will greatly miss all her wonderful heartfelt adverts and movies. A special tribute:

Bleach

It has been a while since I watched any Manga show. Last I saw one was back in Uni days, and I remember violence, violence and more violence. And of course, the adult nature of it all.

But the ability to fly, fight and have supernatural powers seemed all the rage then, and even more so now. A secret society, fighting for good against the all consuming evil, well, what else is new? The Asian version of comics which have won the hearts of many. I guess it is the plot, the twists, and human relationship aspects and the ability to fight certainly becomes a major factor to draw in the viewers.

And against my better judgment, am starting on Bleach! First few episodes have already been engaging, and a bit worried that I will be hooked. Looks interesting though. Just finished episode 3, and starting on the fourth. Another 195 more to go! At least those episodes which a friend lent me anyway, and I gather that the series has not finished. It's akin to watching those Chinese Soaps or the Korean Soaps... oh my!

SFX Family Day

What a contrast! From one family day to another. SFX recently had its Family Day, and boy, was it packed. Lots of stalls for games, for food, and even for books/stamps/plants etc. Plentiful indeed. Sure, there was a system to how the stalls were positioned, but it was really cramped at the Church Basement. In the end, it appeared like a huge market with endless noise. Although relatively fun, I had a headache after an hour of being there.

There were things I liked, and things I didn't. I liked the various stalls other than the food stalls. Enjoyed the stamps stall, and bought a miniature sheetlet to add to my collection. Almost bought a RM150 brochure with an unperforated
miniature sheet, but resisted! Out of my budget as I had recently gone on an online stamp shopping spree!

I think the main thing which put me off, besides the noise, was the hygiene at one or two of the stalls. The main culprit was the satay stall. When change was given, there were bits of satay sauce and chicken bits stuck to the money. Personally for me, it was very off-putting. Some of the dear ladies manning the stall were unsure what to do and were ungenerous with the satay sauce. Sigh. Still, I had to remind myself that this was for charity. Think food allocation didn't go as initially planned for some of the stalls, either running low on some ingredients, and had to be rationed. On the whole, prices were generally steep, but hey! its for a good cause! :)

I like the vegetable stall though, as it was decently priced. Certainly much cheaper than Cold Storage at the mall near my office. There was even a theme to save the environment. Plastic bag usage was minimised, and people were encouraged to bring their own tiffin carriers as well as containers.

Towards the later part of day, things quietened down, and it became more peaceful. SFX has undergone Phase 1 of the renovation works, and my, a wonder it certainly is. Threat of the roof collapsing has seen it undergoing a huge facelift. Coupled with the wonderful stained glass windows, a more inspired feel is achieved for a sacred space. Each of the stained glass window has a story to tell. Fr. Simon elaborated once when it was first installed, totally captivating, but I have forgotten some bits. Shhh! But if anyone remembers, do share! :)

And to cap the day, Fr. Gerald celebrated the 530pm Mass, chanting the preface to such a degree that I had goosebumps! The second time I have ever felt it (first time was Fr. Aloysius, also when he sang the preface), and with the tolling of the bells three times, it gave it such a profound effect.

Grumpy

Grumpy, that's how I generally felt today. Easily irritable, but still need to keep a "game face" on when dealing with some people. Doesn't pay to be too nice to people, one can get taken advantage of.

Better recite my calming mantra... "don't frown, smile, don't frown, smile, don't frown, smile"... and if all else fails, I should just say, "WAT!" with my meanest look.

Autobots Rule!!!

YAY!!!



I remembered black skies, the lightning all around me
I remembered each flash as time began to blur
Like a startling sign that fate had finally found me
And your voice was all I heard that I get what I deserve

So give me reason to prove me wrong, to wash this memory clean
Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes
Give me reason to fill this hole, connect the space between
Let it be enough to reach the truth that lies across this new divide

There was nothing in sight but memories left abandoned
There was nowhere to hide, the ashes fell like snow
And the ground caved in between where we were standing
And your voice was all I heard that I get what I deserve

So give me reason to prove me wrong, to wash this memory clean
Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes across this new divide

In every loss, in every lie, in every truth that you'd deny
And each regret and each goodbye was a mistake too great to hide
And your voice was all I heard that I get what I deserve

So give me reason to prove me wrong, to wash this memory clean
Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes
Give me reason to fill this hole, connect the space between
Let it be enough to reach the truth that lies across this new divide
Across this new divide, across this new divide

One night in Bangkok

One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster... well, that's the title to one of the songs in the musical "Chess". But I was there this time (my second trip) for 3 nights at least. The first time was quite rushed, followed a tour, but this time also kind of rushed, because it was a working trip. However, managed to squeeze in some time between attending various sessions of the conference. Even got to hear the Prime Minister and Finance Minister speak!

Rather than talk about the conference, might as well let some pics do the talking. There was a lot of walking, and just exploring where ever curiosity struck.

Essentially:
1) Food prices can really range. Some reasonably cheap, others pricey, particularly at malls, etc.
2) A lot more tourists compared to KL.
3) Contrast between Chinatown area and the main upbeat shopping malls is so great. The agedness of Chinatown could be felt right down to the bones. There is a certain beauty, yet the feel of oldness permeates right through.
4) Patpong by day and night. Such a contrast, and they are all there to make a living what ever way possible.
5) Massage parlours galore, for both locals and foreigners. Reasonably cheap comparatively to KL. A 2-hour Thai massage costs about RM45, with aromatherapy massage slightly more.
6) Shopping, shopping, shopping. From the expensive, right down to the cheap. Just need to know where to go.
7) River transport for short trips still available. Makes sense too, as I reckon it is cheap. To cross the Chao Phraya River costs only 3Baht, which is about RM0.30.
8) Tailoring for a suit is quite a breeze and fast! They even deliver, and is cheaper than KL.

Of one family day and another

What a bright sunny day it was! Almost cloudless sky, with even the just popped confetti, reflecting the radiance of the magnificent sun.

A family day it certainly was for the Church of Our Lady of Fatima, with the young and not so young aplenty, intermingling freely and smilingly in most cases, with scheduled song and dance as well as Tae Kwan Do exhibition, coupled with various telematches abound. All just a stone throw away, from the increasingly popular KL Sentral at the Girl Guide's Hall.

For the organisers, it was a hectic time making sure things run smoothly and that all are comfortable. Kudos to the Committee for taking time to plan and to carry through the process.

Being somehow involved via my BEC (yeah, was somehow roped in as Coordinator and then don't know how, Zone Coordinator!), more like a messenger to relay messages etc, it was an eye opening experience watching the various vagaries of human interaction. As though working in the salaried corporate world isn't enough to see the yes and nos, and cover backside events, it was certainly a different perspective on a volunteer basis. But to be honest, at times it was not so much volunteer but desperation because there was no one else to do it or help out. Name throwing became common to the extent that it was no longer a volunteer basis, but almost like a directive from the top. The funny thing is, I hardly attend Mass at this Parish and am not involved in any of the ministries, but by virtue of my residential address, I "belong" to this Parish. However, I have thoughts of lessening commitments in St. Francis Xavier Church in PJ (which is just "down the road" from where I stay), and contributing more to the Church of Our Lady of Fatima, but somehow, I don't feel a connection.

Having said all that though, I salute the aunties aunties who willingly wake up in the wee hours of the morning and do their bit to make the event successful in their own way. Stories of waking up at 5am to do mega rounds of cooking just for the family day for charity sale and other what nots somehow made the whole event a richer and more appreciated experience. After all, these are on a volunteer basis.

From here too, I learnt a few things:
a) Kesari - an Indian kuih/dessert is pronounced as "KaySeRee" and not "KehSarRee", which unfortunately happened to me, but am sure I have been forgiven by those who heard me.
b) Kolkattai (as vertically pictured above) - Heaven forbid if it is ever pronounced as "KolKhatTai" but more with a side shake of the head "KolKetTay"! You see, I have never been strong in languages, so had the daring misfortune to pronounce it wrongly in the presence of the aunties aunties and uncles uncles who excelled in the culinary delights of the Indian Community, who initially looked at me in shock and horror when I blurted the mispronounced names. LOL!!! You see, this is what will likely happen when a Banana Chinese have been assigned to coordinate the Indian dishes for sale!
c) Pulut Panggang - and not Nasi Panggang. Had a few blank stares initially, but subsequently clarified that it is pulut panggang! And you noticed the signage in the picture above? That's done by RF who saw me making the sign and said that my handwriting was too ugly to read and not to use white because it doesn't stand out! So, she revamped my signage for me instead. She asked me to put some pictures in, but I tactfully declined. LOL!!!
d) String Hoppers with Dahl Curry - also known as "Iddiyappam" which luckily, was given to me as "string hoppers" to pronounce! For the life of me, when I first heard of string hoppers, I thought of something green and stringy like thingy. Until I saw that! as pictured above. Had thought that the dish was Putu Mayam but didn't want to embarrass myself to ask, and now, after doing a bit of research, it is one and the same!

There were games aplenty too, with the usual throwing of rings to bottle necks, trying to catch moving fake fishes within a time frame, navigating balls through perilous (almost!) obstacles, and other carnival like games. There was even a guess the weight of the cake game!

In line with going green, potted plants were donated and put on sale. I saw the price they charged for the plants, and it was a veritable steal! Was almost tempted to buy a few of the potted plants to put in the office, but RF (who had been assigned to take care of my plants) would have a mega fit! After all, I had threatened to put it as a KPI (Key Performance Indicator) that for every leaf lost, deduct one point! Muahahahaha! (evil laugh!)

A quick trip to Bandar Ikan Patin - Part 3

D. Gunung Senyum and Gua Terang Bulan

The story goes (taken from the plaque describing the place):
According to history, Gunung Senyum derived its name from an incident where Sultan Ahmad, the ruler of Pahang from 1863 to 1892 was on his way to Kuala Krau, Temerloh. Before reaching Kuala Krau, he saw a mountain on the right side of the river and asked his aides the name of the mountain. The aides smiled because no one knew the name of the mountain. To avoid embarrassment to the aides, the sultan declared the name of the mountain as Gunung Senyum or Smiling Mountain.

And to get a bit of the description out of the way (also taken from the same plaque):
Gunung Senyum is an archeological site located about 68 kilometres from the town of Temerloh and about 1,549 metres above sea level. This mountain is situated in the Jengka Forest Reserve covering an area of 794 hectares. The mountain is mainly of limestone estimated to be around 3,000 years old whilst the lowland in the east are made up of mudstone and shale estimated to be 2,100 years old. There are 19 caves with different unique characteristics. Among the notable caves are Kolam Tujuh Cave, Terang Bulan Cave, Gelap Cave, Taman Satu Cave, Taman Dua Cave, Angin Cave, Merlap Cave and Elephant Cave.

This is a pic of inside and outside the cave, as well as a few of the "younger" colleagues doing a Japanese like action sequence thingy.

There was no hiking involved, luckily, but a short walk to the entrance of Gua Terang Bulan (Bright Moon Cave). The cave is immensed, and purportedly the largest in the area. Quite dark inside, and advisable to bring torchlights. Certain angle of the cave face, makes it look like a skull face. Eerie that. I don't think anyone would want to be alone here at night!

It got its name from a certain hole inside the cave, and as you look up, it looks like a bright moon. There were also sounds of water dripping (limestone muh), and nature was abundant inside. We saw mini black crabs (but it moved too fast for me to take a picture of it), and almost got to see the white crabs but the guide didn't want to disturb the white crabs in the mini pool above ground. We were told that we were lucky enough to see the crabs, as sometimes they couldn't be spotted no matter how you look. Respecting nature, the guide put the crabs back where he found them. A few of us wanted to climb the slippery area to see the crabs in the natural habitat but decided otherwise due to the dangers involved.

Walking to the cave entrance allowed us to cross a bridge with a sign that says "Jambatan Rosak" or "Bridge Spoilt" if translated literally. Still, we crossed it safely, with the bridge looking sturdy enough. Some crossed the bridge with great aplomb, others with varied looks of apprehension fearing for balance, and some literally just strolled across taking time for a picture or two!

There was an erected tower for Flying Fox (zip wire) activities. With the line ending into the murky water. Can't imagine people doing it, and roughing it into the algae infested and god knows other what not infested water. But still, you never know, some like a challenge indeed.

Along the way to the entrance of the cave, there were flowers and plants aplenty, even bamboo trees, and other trees which I don't even begin to know the names. Even saw a Tongkat Ali tree. Flora and fauna in abundance indeed. Was also told there was also a house built nearby all natural, with not a single nail used. Didn't get to see it though.

Had expected to see more creepy crawlies, but perhaps I didn't look hard enough. Probably all there hiding, and peering from beneath whichever leaf or branches, eyeing us intruders ever suspiciously.

And how can a forest be a forest without greens? Some leaves were extremely huge! Had one or two shots with a person standing beneath the leaf, and the leaf could cover the entire person, height and width and more to spare!

Can you spot the red dragonfly? I almost missed it, until someone pointed it out to me. I was already the last one in line, so had to take a quick shot and hurry to catch up with the rest.

And inside the cave? We saw some casulties. There were bats flying high above us in the upper sections of the cave, but one baby bat was seen on the ground. Injured and scared with the guide subsequently putting the little bat in between the leaves and branches in the hope it does not become fodder for other bigger predators.

Alas, also saw the remains of another baby bat which was unfortunate to fall from the sky and couldn't make it back to safety. Almost like charred remains from being exposed to the sun. Vampire bats? JENG JENG JENG!!!

Incidentally, don't touch the bats, apparently they bite. I wonder if West Malaysians go bat hunting. I remember going hunting last time for fruit bats when I was a kid in East Malaysia, and once the bat was shot down from the sky, if still conscious, we would pick it up from its wingtip and slam it against the ground (not grass) to knock them out and put them in a box for cooking later. I did my fair share, but come to think of it now, kind of err...cruel. I think I was put off bats completely when I saw someone skinning the bats before putting it in a pot to cook! I never took a bite, ever!

And after all that, amongst the backdrop of the public loo, two beautiful butterflies in midair, dancing the dance of love. Ah, what a sight to behold.

A quick trip to Bandar Ikan Patin - Part 2

Part C: Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary
The trip for elephant rides were initially scheduled for the afternoon, but had to change to the morning because it was fully booked. Morning rides were brief and just went round once a small area, but I think the novelty of sitting on an elephant without harness, safety equipment, etc was quite exhilirating itself for most, especially the young kids.

Shouts of "Pau Ching Ching" or "Hold/hug tight tight" permeated through the air as the local guides attempted to speak Mandarin to the kids, with the kids' supervisors on hand also readily reminding and possibly worrying like mad for the little ones.

Afternoon rides will apparently, bring riders into the river, and a change of clothes is expected as getting wet is a certainty. Think there's a programme to bathe the elephants, etc. Now that would certainly be a novelty in itself. Perhaps something to plan for the future.

Could be the onset of school holidays, as there were bus loads of people, especially kids. However, was told that the crowd is quite large on a daily basis. Kuala Gandah elephant sanctuary is gaining more popularity. See? I didn't even know they had an elephant sanctuary right next to KL itself! Overshadowed by the likes of such camps by our neighbouring Thailand. There's even a deer sanctuary nearby.

All around, you could see the place is extremely popular with kids and adults alike. Here's the sanctuary of the great beast, a humongous sized being, in a semi wild life environment. Some were a little apprehensive, some were eager to touch, and some were just pleased to be there snapping photos away. I looked around, and hardly saw any grumpy faces. But the best is the look on the little ones' faces, as they come face to face with such a gigantic being. More so, the excitement and happiness after, which I am sure, will more than light up all parents' faces as the little ones look on in apparent joy.

However, unlike the more commercialised Thai elephant sanctuaries, this one has fixed show times and ride times. If walk-in visitors wander in half way between the programmes, there may not be much to see. Got to check and prebook the rides, etc. Can find out more about the place here and here.

A quick trip to Bandar Ikan Patin - Part 1

It began a couple of months back, when the difficult task of getting everyone's calendar to agree on a single date for a day trip was underway. And the destination was proposed by a colleague who grew up in Temerloh. Imagine planning for an 8-car convoy, and almost 30 people! I think I would freak out. Luckily, it was left to the capable hands of some colleagues, with detailed planning, the maps, some initial drama of almost getting lost even getting to the meeting place, the food, and the ever gracious hospitality by my colleague's family (the Cheahs!), making such a wonderful day excursion possible.

Here's a sneak peak.

A. Summarised Itinerary:
7:15am: Gather at meeting point along Karak Highway
7:30am: Depart to Yik Kee coffee shop, Karak.
8:30am: Breakfast! Yee Wat (fish cake) with noodles, Char Siew, Dim Sum, Bak Chang, etc.
9:30am: Depart for Kuala Gandah, Lanchang, the elephant sanctuary.
10:30am: Arrive at the elephant sanctuary. Elephant rides were pre-arranged.
12:15pm: Leave Lanchang for lunch in Temerloh.
1:00pm: Lunch at Wee Kee restaurant (otherwise known as FeiLo restaurant I think)! Patin fish, Yee Wat, Chui Ha (Drunken prawns), etc.
2:15pm: Leave Temerloh for Gunung Senyum. A forest guide was engaged to ensure safety.
3:00pm: Explore Gunung Senyum caves.
4:15pm: Return to Temerloh for tea.
5:00pm: Tea break at colleague's family place! Lemang with serunding (beef and chicken), Nasi Dagang with fish, fruits galore, konyaku jelly, etc.
6:45pm: Head back to KL.

B. The food
Was uncertain how long it would take getting to the initial meeting place, so budgeted about 10mins spare for "getting lost", but in the end, was there about 6:45am! So, the few of us grabbed a quick morning snack at the 24-hour McD. Whilst some stayed healthy with orange juices, a few imbibed the much needed caffeine, together with the hashbrowns and pint sized burgers.

Yik Kee, Karak is apparently quite well known. Especially for its fish cakes. They also serve egg tarts and other bakery like sort of cakes which some of us ta-paued (for take away) in case we get hungry and to bring back home. But for the duration of the trip, I doubt if anyone ever got hungry because of the sheer amount of food we consumed.

Temerloh, as some of the signages put it, is also known as Bandar Ikan Patin. Patin fish is a river fish and surprisingly not as many bones as I had expected. Different grades of Patin fish exist depending on whether it's captured wild, or bred through various methods. The fish we had was exceedingly fresh, with no fishy smell usually associated with river fishes. But it was HUGE! and yet, was eaten right to the bones. Ravenous eaters, some of us be. The drunken prawns was a favourite among some, but somehow, the "younger" generation was not a major fan I think. Fish cakes were good, as were some of the other dishes.

And guess what! LEMANGS!!! I like! Usually I would eat it on its own or with heaps lots of Kaya, but there was serunding (meat floss) provided as well. We even got to ta-pau back home because there was simply so much food left. The Konyaku jelly (wonderfully home made by my colleague's mom), the various fruits (apples, mangos, rambutans, langsat - well, not quite langsat, but I forgot the name, and cikus!), and of course, the camaraderie of it all as we munched and filled our bellies through the day.

Movie Marathon

Weekend movie marathon indeed. Finally caught the three shows that I have been eagerly anticipating, and another sci-fi movie (Push).

I guess I was slightly disappointed with Angels and Demons, probably because I have read the book, and the twist and turns didn't surprise me at all. Still a good movie though.

Wolverine? Yay! Now I know the origins of deadpool also. First saw the character with Cable. But what brilliant fight scenes towards the end. Overall, go watch! And make sure you stay right to the very, very end! Instead of one extra clip, there was an additional after all the acknowledgement and thank yous! :)

Push. Good attempt, but not enough suspense I reckon. Expected to see more kicking butt and fight scenes, but I guess it's enough with the various watchers, shadows, pushers, etc. I still enjoyed it though.

But Star Trek? What can I say? Simply marvelous!! One of the better movies I have seen. I felt thrills like never before while watching the movie. The whole set, the Enterprise!!!, the characters, the humour... Wow!!! A must see.

Now, I can't wait for three more to arrive at our shores: G.I Joe, Transformers and Terminator!!! Can't wait, can't wait...

Time and ages pass

You know, everytime I "balik kampung" (direct translation = return village) or go back to my hometown, I feel reluctant to leave. It's not so much the good things we have here, the food, the laundry being automatically done, the peace and quiet, but more so the time spent with family (especially parents).

Have you noticed the age lines etched on their face as they sleep, the ever increasing tiredness with each task performed, the joy and happiness when they get a call from a loved one, and the love shared between husband and wife. It is a treasure to behold indeed, and what more with a grandchild! Pictures and videos in this modern age has transcended boundaries, and made the ever far distance that much nearer.

As I sit here at the airport waiting for my flight, I think back and can't help but feel that the week has passed by ever so quickly. So for those of you who have your parents at home or nearby, don't wait too long. Go chit-chat, go spend some time, no matter how brief, and enjoy those precious moments.

Eating Wind

As I felt the cool breeze on my face outside the car window, the contentment and joy of a 10-year old is quite hard to describe. The exhilaration, the thrill and more importantly, the opportunity to be out of the house.

Come to think of it now, the dangers of such act in the city is quite real, like sticking your head out in a moving automobile. Even more so now with the ever rampant crime which sometimes bring a shudder to one and all.

But as someone who had grown up in a small town, the unhurried driving pace, the smiling passer-bys, the cooling slow evening drive around the small town will certainly bring a feeling of happiness to any kid (or even pets!). Yes, I am back in my hometown now, and at times reminising about the good ol' carefree days bring a warm inner feeling. As I walked the narrow alleyway between the shophouses this morning, I couldn't help but smile as I imagined myself back as a kid, with my rollerskates on, daring myself and jumping across those ever so high and wide gaps between the drains, and trying hard not to run right smack into the wall. Actually, I don't think I ever did crash against the wall, but I recall more than one occassion when I was definitely flat out against the wall with my hands barely cushioning the impact. Yes, I did lose a tooth or two and even broke my collarbone when I was young, but that's another story altogether. :)

Seriously, the gaps are not that big, but as a wee lad, those gaps looked wider than the widest gaps! A real daredevil then, with rollerskates, and even a skateboard and a later progression to a BMX, but as one grows up, the urge to try and push the adrenaline factor has waned down tremendously. No, no rollercoaster rides, no bungee jumps, and definitely no skydiving nowadays. A more sedentary lifestyle is much prefered, with the exception of an occassional walk (especially to view a new place). :)

But I digressed. Eating wind as it is called, a direct translation of "Sik Fung", is something I miss. The joy of just being driven around with the windows down on a cool evening breeze has not been felt for a very very long time. As a matter of fact, I can't even remember when was the last time I hopped in a car and just drove aimlessly around to enjoy the sights. Sigh, city life is so much different from a small town, or even a kampung. Yes, I do count my blessings that my parents even had a car back then, and I had the opportunity to experience such joy. But the fact of the matter is, this is just one example of childhood happiness. Each of us grew up in a different environment, and each of us experienced the joy and heartache of life differently. And as I remind myself everyday, count your blessings.

To boldly go

Hats off for another Star Trek movie. This time, a younger Kirk and Spock to hit the big screen very shortly!

Am certainly looking forward to it. Have been a fan, but actually more to Star Trek - The Next Generation, and the ever brilliant Captain Jean-Luc Picard. I still have some memorabilia when I joined some fan club during my teens, and of course, recently, got some stamp sheetlets on this. Yippeee!! :)

But I came across a story from a local daily which took being a "fan" to new heights! Read it in full here. In short, taken from "The Star":

TREKKIES are among the most die-hard fans out there and many would think nothing of paying as much as RM25,000 for a car registration number matching that of a starship from the series while other have even named their children after Star Tek characters.

Richard Si, 40, and his wife May Teoh, 32, are living proof of this. Si actually paid RM25,000 for the NCC 1701 registration (which is also the number of the USS Enterprise in the Star Trek franchise) and the couple also meticulously timed (with the help of a gynaecologist) the birth of their daughter for Jan 17 at 1701.

Si’s son was christened Riker Si James Tee Kirk while his nine-month-old daughter bears the name Seven Si Kathryn Janeway after a character from Star Trek Voyager.

I really don't know what to say! Oh dear...

Oppressive Heat!

Not sure if it is a spell of heat wave or not, but it is VERY HOT!!!

Am at the moment back in Sarawak, and yes, Sarawak is nearer to the Equator, which supposedly makes it consistently nearer to the sun (and thereby hotter) as the earth turns on its axis. My hometown, Serian, situated inland, although on higher ground, is actually situated that much closer to the Equator. Hot! Hot! Hot!

I wonder where we are on the chart now on the relative humidity and temperature scale. Some countries may have the heat, but don't have the humidity. Just standing for a while in a non-airconditioned room or in a non-fan circulating room, will make one sweat quite a bit, with the skin feeling sticky. That's humidity for you!!! I can't imagine those who work as labourers in this oppresive heat.

Was just speaking to a relative yesterday, and he said that up north, one glacier the size of Singapore has split and is melting. That shows how the global warming and heat is affecting everyone. To be honest, I don't know much about global warming except what I read, but I can certainly feel its effects.

Incidentally, now that I am back in Sarawak, it gets darker earlier here, due to the island being situated much to the East. As a matter of fact, I remember there was a time so many years ago when the time zone was different. Sarawak was one hour ahead of West Malaysia, with a subsequent adjustment made to the time zone in West Malaysia and Singapore to be in line with Sarawak.

And another incident made me pause a while, when during dinner one day with a group of 3 girls, one commented that the sunset was spectacular. When I commented the same, and that I viewed it from the PJ skyline, the girls were saying, nope, theirs was from the Batu Caves area. And being typical me, I blurted out something like this:

Alex: No matter where you are, it's the same skyline no?
G2: Yes, but Batu Caves nicer.
Alex: Sure, but the sun sets towards PJ side.

And then, I got a puzzled look. I wasn't sure if the girls were making fun of me, but reasoning was that PJ is towards the West of Batu Caves, hence with the sun rising in the East and setting in the West, the PJ skyline view would be amazing.

As a matter of fact, I have paused a couple of times to just take in the moment of sunset. Perhaps one day I should simply go to the pool side area of the higher blocks of the Condo I am staying to just simply enjoy the view.

Godspeaker Trilogy

Finally finished the Godspeaker Trilogy by Karen Miller. Much, much better than the Kingmaker, Kingbreaker series. I enjoyed the first book, but the second book, "The Riven Kingdom" somehow didn't catch my attention, so it was a bit of a plough through until I got to the third book, "Hammer of God", which was much much better and tied the earlier two books together.

All in all, brutal in nature, good fight scenes (the Hotas!), and after finally watching "Red Cliff 2" yesterday, the attack on Ethrea was made even more real. A warring nation in the name of their God, the power of being "Right" and to exorcise the demons in the world.

This is a brief description of the 1st book taken from Amazon.com (by D. Gibbons):
Hekat is an interesting character; she comes from the humblest of beginnings in a remote, mostly abandoned part of Mijak where women and girls (or, in the local vernacular, bitches and she-brats) are seen as less than stray dogs, worthy only to breed more male children. Hekat grows up with no sense of love, only anger and disdain. She first starts to feel love when a caravan master who has seen how beautiful she will become and has purchased her for a great purpose, pampers her and treats her like a special child. She believes he loves her, but when she discovers his real purpose for doting on her, it shatters her ability to ever trust anyone again. Thus she takes life into her own hands and joins the military, rising in rank from canteen slave to soldier and upward. She does work very hard for her rise to power, not through seduction but though training in war arts, personal study and defying death on the battlefield. Her troops admire her because she is willing to face the same conditions they are. And she does seem to have some supernatural talent with divine support from the scorpion god.

That is as much good as one can say about her. She may be clever and a fierce war leader, but she is also manipulative, cruel and obsessed with her destiny. Her devotion to the god is such that she has no room in her for any other emotions but fulfilling its will. This makes her a very terrifing villain. She has no room in her to respect others and no room for compassion, even for herself. Her son Zandakar and the godspeaker Vortka seve as an interesting counterpoint to Hekat, a sense that there are people in Mijak who do believe in compassion and that all is not about sacrifice and death.

Personally, I enjoyed the trilogy (more so for books 1 and 3), and especially about Emporor Han from Tzhung-tzhungchai! More! More!

Ave Verum Corpus

One of my all time favourites:



Translation:

Hail,true body
born of the Virgin Mary,
Who truly suffered, sacrificed
on the Cross for man,
Whose pierced side overflowed
with water and blood,
Be for us a foretaste
In the test of death.

Simply exquisite. I miss singing in a choir doing such 4-part works. Maybe I should start a revival in the local church choir.

Of one oink and another

Am not trying to trivialise the matter, but Saucy Susie asked me a question the other day.

Saucy Susie: Why is the current pandemic called Swine Flu and not Pig Flu?

Alex: Err... cos' it sounds better?

Saucy Susie: And, and last time for the Bird Flu, it was called Avian Flu, and not Chicken Flu?

Seriously, good points form Saucy Susie, since the culling is on pigs. So, why should it not be called pig flu? After all, we don't hear about the culling of boars, shoats, sows and hogs? Incidentally, if you need to know your pigs, look here. I really think it is just a matter of a general name, but still, a pig is a common enough name. Take "Avian" for example, which means "pertaining to or characteristics of birds". It is more generic in nature, although it happened to the ever innocent chickens (some may disagree as to the innocence if they have been to a farm and have been pecked by a mother hen). I guess it is to put it bluntly, less "in your face" with terms like pig flu or chicken flu. Also perhaps to give it that more exotic name, and to perhaps cater for eventualities if the mutating strands do go for other birds that flock together or pigs that hog together.

An article came out in one of the local dailies of the severity of such pandemic cases. Malaysia is also not immune, with the Nipah scare a few years back. Even with this, I don't know if I can ever go without tasting the succulent char-sius (bbq pork) and siu yuks (crispy roast belly pork). Of course, I would go for the "pun fei sau" (half lean meat half fat)! And not forgetting my perennial favourite, the sweet and sour pork!

Incidentally, the only thing missing in Malaysia is the wonderful tasting chilli oil used in HongKong when eating char siu. Haven't found any here which comes anywhere close to the likes of Hong Kong's chilli oil. One day, one day. Maybe there's no real marketability for it in Malaysia, especially with all the differing curries, nasi lemak and other culinary delights with this spice and that spice added to tingle the tender tastebuds.

Entrapment

Now this is cruel, to be done to a dog that is, but to a CAT? "Here kitty, kitty! Faster kitty, kitty! :)

Sometimes in life, you come across people who have nothing better to do than to make things difficult for others. Am not talking about the uncooperativeness nor the unresponsiveness of some, but more so the ones who seek to do damage to others purely for the fun of it. Such malice is unfortunately found in some, and whilst talking to my insurance agent the other day, it made me think back to some ex-colleagues who are now working for the insurance agent's company (my competitor). Never had I come across such political manipulation until casualties were strewn all across the department. In essence, "if you are not with me, you are my enemy".

I count my blessings now that the present working environment is relatively healthy, with good camaraderie and teamwork. Hopefully it remains that way, with no casualties such as poor ol' Fifi.

Recitative

Recitative, defined as a vocal passage of narrative text that a singer delivers with natural rhythms of speech, is actually quite hard to do.

It's a fine line between singing in a narrative way for the recitation, and doing an actual cantabile on it. The previous Easter Sunday Sequence was one such example, where the singing became too much, and lost some of the recitative form. Instead of like telling the story in a singing style, it became like singing the story.

Hard to describe, but the only analogy I can think of is the walking marathon. Where if you walk too fast, and legs somehow get lifted too much, a person can be automatically disqualified. It's not a running marathon per se, but more like a walking marathon. The question then becomes, to what degree is the fast pace walking considered running?

Of one Kopi-peng and another

Seriously, I miss the taste of a good Kopi-peng (ice coffee). It has been a while, especially considering my bout of coughing for the past one month plus. Stayed away from any cold drinks at all to prevent aggravation, and now, after my singing activities for Easter, I am back to full swing!

Finally had my first taste of Kopi-peng last Easter sunday during lunch. Nice, aromatic senses-inflating thrill! Actually, kopi-peng has been a recent "habit". When I was young, I used to frequent my neighbour's coffee shop, for the Kopi-O-Peng (ice coffee without milk), and a nice bowl of Kon Lo (dry) Kwei Teow with extra tomato sauce, all for about RM2.00!!! They had char siu as toppings. Strangely, have never been a fan of Sarawak's famous Kon Lo Mee (dry noodles). I guess the novelty is in the texture of the noodles, and the secret sauce many keep as their family secret.

Now with the likes of Starbucks, Coffee Bean, Gloria Jeans and other coffee outlets, selling those premium cups of coffee, it is sometimes wonderful just to go back to the small coffee shops for that specially brewed cup of coffee! Cheaper too!

Of course, it would also go very well with some special toast bread with Kaya or Peanut Butter. Yummy! Anyone for a good cup of coffee? :)

Tera anyone?

Wow! First there was the megabytes, then the gigabytes, and before you know it, now it's the terabytes!!! Such capacity being made available to the man on the street, where none was possible previously.

And how much is a terabyte? It's a trillion (1,099,511,627,776) bytes or 1024 gigabytes. Or a million million!

Boggles the mind. But the financial markets are also seeing such numbers being thrown around. Scary indeed.

I can't think of so big a number... yet. Have just gotten used to the gigabytes on my PC.

Of earth and all them living things

How much do you care? 60 minutes earth hour? Is that it? A concerted effort to highlight the plight of the planet, but many still choose to distance themselves from such happenings. Seriously though, the entire city lights cannot be switched off. Think of the criminal minds, with hands rubbing in glee, waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting. Just read the papers today, about a boy and a girl waiting at a bus stop together with two other motorcylists. A car stopped, two men got down and held all at knife point ("parang"), robbed them, then took the girl away and violated her. Then, ram into the cars of single woman drivers, and further robbed the poor victims. Such is the state of crime in the city, getting more and more rampant as economic dysfunction continue to pressure some to the darker unsavoury life.

My point? Yes, do the duties to protect the earth. Do your bits for charity. But how often have you walked away when someone said, "Please help. Am raising funds for this or that charity home?". How many can one help? Is it a crime to help one but not another? It made me think, because I myself am not immune to such indecisions. Was at a mall earlier, and someone came up to me asking for a donation for a welfare home, should I have given? Am I expected to give to one and all who come a knocking? Where does charity begin, and where does it end?

I seem to be digressing, but ultimately, we cannot help everyone. We can merely do our best to alleviate the pain of others, and do our fair share to prolong the life of the planet. Seriously though, an awareness is just the beginning. Good if one and all had switched off those lights between 830pm and 930pm today. But how many plastic bags do you have at home? How many non-earth friendly things do you unconsciously hoard? Are we then really united to show the world we care, or merely paying lip service, and said, "Done that! I switched off those lights. Have done my share. That's it!". An awareness, yes. But surely more will come from that. We can only hope.

Beezee

Haven't been posting for a while. Since coming back from the holidays, been extremely busy at work, what with a few big meetings scheduled for middle of the month. At least now, have a bit of breathing space. But boss will be away for a bit, so pressure on me for a while to "jaga kedai" or "look after the shop".

Not only that, been attacked by the coughing gems. Think it is more the throat irritation which causes the cough. Strong antibiotics have helped somewhat, but a persistent and lingering cough is there. More so when I talk too much or sing too much.

Well, rather than writing a lot, will just have a brief summary of incidents/feelings:
a) Wonder why some people think too highly of themselves. Perhaps they have been whispered to wrongly and as a consequence, have been misguided. Unfortunately, reality checks have been unwelcomed.
b) Wonder why some people only see the black and white. Whatever happened to the shades of grey? Either you are with me or against me kind of mentality? Notice the "me" mentality.
c) Been royally screwed by the watchdogs TWICE! Firstly, with statements that interest rates are too low already, and have been "frontloaded" (that is, reduced by a lot early on already), and then, just about two weeks later, go and cut interest rates again! Secondly, shocked the market with quite a few long tenured bond tenders. And after repositioning portfolio for weaknesses in the long end of the yield curve, the auction calendar was unpresedentedly changed, with a reduction in the number of long tenured tenders and changing to short tenured tenders! WHAT DE!!! *&!~@^*#&. But it's Lent! Must not swear! Within a span of three months, have been jolted twice by regulatory inconsistency. In essence, the watchdogs are trying to influence the market.
d) Planning for a mini "contemplative" do. Someone suggested for compline (new word for me). Thinking of doing Mendelssohn's "If with all your heart...", but not sure how it will fit in. I haven't fully memorised it yet:

Of a land across the ocean - Macau - Part 4

As much as I dislike to say it, the Venetian in Macau is nice BUT a pale comparison to the actual Venice. It's almost too clinical, too neat, too nice, too picture perfect!?! Water is too clean? But no doubt, it looks very beautiful, with the wonderful artificial blue sky, the sweeping arches, the canals, the wonderful buildings, etc. There are even gondolas to be tried. Customed performances, shopping galore, what is there not to like?

Seriously though, it is a marvel in itself, being housed within a building, with casinos, hotels, etc. It makes for an interesting visit, and promises wonderful architecture when one visits the European countries. Wonderful colours abound, but somehow, too picture perfect, at least to me.

However, it is a must see if you really visit Macau, as it is certainly an attraction in itself. So, after all that, I think Macau is a buzzing city, with bright lights and many tourist attractions. But within that hustle and bustle, there is a feeling of calmness, more so when you visit Coloane. Old folks aplenty, taking strolls, siting on benches whiling the time away on the phone (and one of my friends jokingly said, probably on the phone to the remisier punting the market away). And amidst all the visitors, life goes on, with bricklayers, road menders, bus drivers, and shopkeepers. All trying to make a living and make some sense of life.

I guess wherever one would go in Macau, the sights and sounds, be it in the city centre or outskirts, would draw one and all over and over again. For some, a day trip is sufficient, but for me, even three days were insufficient to see and feel this wonderful place. Just be prepared to be adventurous with lots of walking. After all, that's the best way to visit a new place. Sometimes it is not the destination which matters, it is the hidden gems you find along the way that makes it all worthwhile (but still, my poor aching feet!).

Of a land across the ocean - Macau - Part 3

O lord, really, the egg tarts! Before going to Macau, I have been told to try a few things. Namely, the portugese egg tarts, the almond cookies and the pork chop buns! And I tried them a plenty certainly.

However, not all shops sell good ones though. For the egg tarts, many shops sell these, especially along the more touristy spots going up to the Ruins of St. Paul. Most are smaller version tarts. Taste quite nice, but nothing really spectacular. The ones we went for was in the sleepy town of Coloane, to try at Lord Stow's Cafe. The egg tarts taste quite good, and the difference is in the smoothness and richness of the fillings and the crispiness of the pastry, which incidentally, still stayed crisp even after 6 hours (yes! we ta-paued some back to the hotel). I think it is one of the better egg tarts I have tried, but alas, couldn't bring some back to Malaysia. However, not cheap though, each egg tart costs MOP7, which is about RM3.30!! Imagine paying that here in KL, but I guess when one is away on holiday, the willingness to spend is greater.

Another must try (as I have been told) is the pork chop buns. We went to various shops to sample the goods, but I think the nicest I tried was near the St. Joseph Seminary Church. They sell curry noodles there too, but I think famous for their pork chop buns. Since there were seven of us, we had to wait a bit to get seats, and even had share the pork chop buns. Couldn't even have one each!!! We wanted to order more, but the owners "rationed" us because they were fast running out! Imagine that! The shop was kind of small and a bit cramped, but I guess that's the novelty of it all. Lots of customers though, and at times, there was even a queue for seats.

What is not so commonly known, is that this shop called "Mak Si Fu Tim Pan", situated in one of the smaller alleyways near Senado Square. Think the owner has been in business for over 15 years, and his tong sui (dessert) is a must try! I particularly liked the black sesame tong yuin (glutinous rice balls) with some peanut paste filling, and had it three days in a row. It was creamy, rich tasting and non too sweet! Yummy!

The only thing is the lack of seats, but my group was comfortable just getting some chairs and sitting outside the shop. The weather in Macau was cooling the time we went, so it was very pleasant. We even did some promotional activities for Mak Si Fu, especially when som fae others walked pass the shop and contemplated whether to eat or not, we happily receommended our favourite desserts!

Almond cookies? Well, to be honest, not my favourite, but came highly recommended when one goes to Macau. I think the quality differed from shop to shop, and there were certainly so many shops selling almond cookies. The good thing is that one can try the cookies before buying, so can pick and choose which suited individual taste. They make good souvenirs to bring back home though, and the cookies were presentably packed as gifts. Still, I would prefer Lord Stow's portugese egg tarts or Mak Si Fu's desserts anytime. But alas, was unable to ta-pau back.

I didn't manage to take more food pictures though, but we certainly ate a lot during the trip. Even tried the local Dim Sum in one of the shops we chanced upon for breakfast. Left it to my friends who were more than trigger happy to do the snapping of photos. One thing we didn't manage to try, was authentic portugese food. Perhaps next time. The only thing I found not satisfying was the chilly oil. Think Macau shops used some kind of bean paste. Hong Kong's chilly oil still reigns supreme! However, Macau still have so much food types to offer, so, if you ever do go to Macau, do try out the various food there.