My Favorite Things

Where Do We Go From Here?

2011-02-21T20:07:00.002+08:00

Things seem ok from the external view. Things seem ok from the 2nd party. Or is it me who feel anxious, not satisfied, don't feel normal? Wish there's an answer. Things are sooo perfect, just a small part more to make it whole.

Bored, Sleepy

2009-03-20T14:36:00.002+08:00

Bored, sleepy, mixed feelings, cold, waiting and waiting.....

Rainbow at the end of a storm

2006-11-05T18:49:00.000+08:00

How this amazing being hit me. Higher education? Probably not. The selok-belok of life? Definitely a yes. Was hit by a "storm" in the living room this afternon and all it takes this being to quiet the "storm" was to use the like of "rainbow at the end of a storm". A simple fact that makes me smile and get on with life again.

Doesn't make much sense a gal like me who's too lazy to do housework, too lazy to cook, etc cross path with this person who calls himself "keling" and I myself have started calling him that.

How would we know the rainbow is beautiful if we didn't go through the storm first? Take it as a blessing to experience the horror of storms first in order to be able to appreciate the beauty of the rainbow.

The storm might hit again. Most probably it will. Only this time, I'll be more aware and know that there's something beautiful at the end. When? Don't know. Just be cool and wait. And, everyone who is human WILL experience this. I'm not alone.

This brings to the fact that perhaps my mind is too tensed and my sense of urgency is getting to a higher degree than before. With all the "storms" I've collected through my 32 years, these "urgency cells" are spreading like malignancy cells. I'm scared. I'm worried.

I should tell myself all things happened for a reason. I should be concentrating on relaxation and perform the "now factor". Do things at the moment for that moment and shouldn't be doing things for the past or for the future. I should empty my mind and not burden my mind. I should love myself more.....

Dimana Kan Ku Cari Ganti (Where Can I Find Another?)

2006-08-03T20:36:00.000+08:00

Hendak ku nangis
Tiada berair mata
Hendak ku senyum
Tiada siapa nak teman
Kalaulah nasib
Sudah tersurat
Begini hebat
Apa nak buat

Di mana kan ku cari ganti
Serupa denganmu
Tak sanggup ku berpisah
Dan berhati patah
Hidup gelisah

Alangkah pedih rasa hati
Selama kau pergi
Tinggalku sendirian
Tiada berteman
Dalam kesepian

Dunia terang menjadi gelita
Cahaya indah tiada berguna
Keluhan hatiku
Menambah derita
Tetap kau jua
Tak kunjung jelma

Dimana kan ku cari ganti
Mungkinkah di syurga
Untuk kawan berduka
Menangis bersama
Selama-lama

(I want to cry
But I have no tears
I want to smile
But there is no company
If my fate
Has been determined
To be like this
What can I do

Where can I find another
Like you
I can't bear this parting
And heartbreak
Living in agony

My heart aches so much
Since you've been gone
Leaving me all alone
With no one
All alone

The bright world becomes dark
The beautiful light is useless
The weeping of my heart
Adds to my sorrow
But you still
Never appear

Where can I find another
Perhaps in heaven
To grief with me
To cry with me
Forever and ever)

Moving On

2006-03-17T19:58:00.000+08:00

Used to sing this song back in Form 5 with a friend who was transferred to our school. She's from Subang Jaya. Used to coo over the whole album, right now, this song comes to mind:

We're on the road,
We move from place to place,
And oftentimes when I'm about to call it home,
We'd have to move along,
Life is a constant change...
The friends we know we meet along the way,
Too soon the times we share form part of yesterday,
'Cause life's a constant change,
And nothing stays the same, oh no.

Clouds that move across the skies,
Are changing form before our very eyes.

Why couldn't we keep time from movin' on?
Hold on to all the years before this moment's gone?
Why must we live the days at such a frightening pace?

We're all like clouds that move across the skies,
And changing form before our very eyes,

Have we outgrown our Peter Pans and wings?
We've simply grown too old for tales of knights and kings'
Cause life's a constant change,
And nothing stays the same, oh no...

"Constant Change". As fresh as ever, memories of yesteryears, decades, years ago. Even fresher, events, things that happened yesterday. People, places, have high impacts on small me. How do I ever forget and move on, like having amnesia? Download my brain contents into other forms? Is that ever possible? Live for that moment, wake up tomorrow and feeling like a child again. Possible?

Self Esteem

2005-10-28T16:44:00.000+08:00

Happiness is... when someone whom you seldom see suddenly calls you and know you can be relied on

Happiness is... when you can offer a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on

Happiness is... when you can offer time to connect with someone

Happiness is... when you're able to save someone from leaving this world

Happiness is... when that someone calls you a few days later and thank you that everything is alright again

That was what I experienced last week. My self esteem soared high when I successfully brought him back to ground. Now, why did I relate that experience with self esteem? I'm not quite sure as I've limited knowledge in psychology. I see a connection there but not too sure how its connected.

You can't touch it, but it affects how you feel. You can't see it, but it's there when you look at yourself in the mirror. You can't hear it, but it's there every time you talk about yourself. What is this important but mysterious thing? Is that what's called self-esteem?

Ok, so I kind of know what self esteem is, but what's the connection here? Will blog about this when I get the answer or on the way to getting the answer. Any psychologist up for help?

2005-10-27T21:04:00.000+08:00

tree

Humour of Getting Married

2005-10-15T21:21:00.000+08:00

Case #1: Getting married is like going to a restaurant with friends. You order what you want, then when you see what the other fellow has, you wish you had ordered that.

Case #2: At the cocktail party, one woman said to another, "Aren't you wearing your wedding ring on the wrong finger??" The other replied, "Yes, I am. I married the wrong man."

Case #3: Before a man is married, he is incomplete. Then when he is married, he is finished.

Case #4: A little boy asked his father, "Daddy, how much does it cost to get married??" And the father replied, "I don't know son, I'm still paying for it."

Case #5: Young son : "Is it true, Dad, I heard that in> some parts of Africa, a man doesn't know his wife until he marries her?" Dad : "That happens in most countries son."

Case #6: Then there was a man who said, "I never knew what real happiness was until I got married, and then it was too late."

Case #7: Married life is very frustrating.> In the first year of marriage, the man speaks and the woman listens. In the second year, the woman speaks and the man listens. In the third year, they both speak and the neighbours listen.

Case #8: A man inserted an 'ad' in the classified : "Wife wanted". The next day, he received hundreds letters. They all said the same thing "You can have mine."

Case #9: When a man opens the door of his car for his wife, you can be sure of one thing : either the car is new or his wife is new.

Case #10: After a quarrel, a wife said to her husband, "You know, I was a fool when I married you." And the Husband replied, "Yes, dear, but I was in love and didn't notice it."

The Long Road

2005-10-04T10:01:00.000+08:00

We have in the news lately that the situation in Algeria is improving after countless of killings for over a decade. Like elsewhere, we have the military, politicians and religion vying for control of a country. Then, we also have the "colonials" – these days coming in different guises. Besides these, we also have leaders of organizations such as unions and NGOs that harbor political aspirations.

There is no easy solution which also goes to show why governments of the day often resort to questionable or objectionable measures to exert control and to remain in control. When looking at Algeria for instance, we have to remember that they were once colonized by the French. Like it or not, the French had to give up and after that, there has been more of a continual power struggle since.

People have a tendency to turn to religion when there is dissent and dissatisfaction with those in power. It is as if to give up on man and turn to God instead. This can give rise to fanaticism and religious leaders can gain political mileage as a result. Time and again we have seen this happen. Iran and Afghanistan? The army in Algeria seized power when elections were indicating that the religious parties would be winning. Whether there has been Western influences involved remains only as highly speculative. That was sometime in 1992 and immediately thereafter, there have been indiscriminate killings from both sides. There were many instances when entire villages had their throats slit and bodies thrown into wells. It was hell!

Now the government of the day has organized a referendum for amnesty covering all the outrageous crimes of the past 13 years spurring from both sides. The people decided and voted yes! That is fully understandable as they are weary of killings after all these years. The slaughters total some 100,000 people. What a bloody mess! Thank God there is hope for some good change, but what does all this teach us?

All because political opponents cannot work out compromises, the entire public is made to suffer. Why could not sensibility even flicker before the deaths of so many? So who really suffered? It's the general populace, people like you and me who just care about getting laid and getting paid! Where were all the intellectuals who could perhaps instill some sensibilities to the system since religion failed? Who cried-out for the thousands killed? Did the UN commit troops? Was there a "Coalition of the Willing" to help out? And what about genocide trials? Who's to blame?

The objective of my comments and the point I am getting to is that you people do wield power. But so long as the guns are pointed at your face, you have none. Your liberty is conditional to other's approval. So before you start putting your trust to any system or help to install any leaders, think carefully about what you are doing. You need to be reminded that you are putting your fate in their hands.

Always watch the accusers. Be weary of "wolves that come in sheep clothing" situations. Like demons from Hell, they have lots of money too and they can buy "everybody". When they sell arms as a pretext to "help", they innately may be hoping that you blow each other up. Remember lesser means a bigger share! What a nice scam! They are helping to dwindling competition and are making big money at the same time.

They can take a long road to a proximate destination so long as it suits them. Simple pragmatic solutions seem the furthest from their minds since they are more convicted to pursuing there very own objectives. So many will continue to die and don't expect much to change. Count yourself blessed that you are not a victim! But for how long?

Look at Bali today! What a carnage and to a place they call paradise? The locals get caught-up in crossfire just because their foreign guests are targeted. We all know that the Americans, British and particularly the Australian arrive in droves to this island. But so do the Japanese, Koreans, Singaporeans and nearly all other "reans". These unintended victims also get caught-up in the crossfire.

The world is getting crazy and the crazy thing is that it is mostly due the actions of only a few mortals. Borders are only good if you can effectively police them. Does this mean that all other foreigners should isolate themselves from Americans, British and Aussies? That would be an impossibility in a free world. But at the end of the day, peace may still prevail but not after wanton slayings of innocent people.

Why take the long road?

Hanya Satu Persinggah

2005-09-29T23:01:00.000+08:00

Aku.....
Umpama perhentian di tepian jalan
ketika kau kebasahan hujan
kau singgah untuk berteduh
dan setelah hujan reda
kau pun berlalu.

Aku.....
Umpama dermaga di gigian lautan
ketika kau dipukul ombak
kau melepaskan sauh untuk berlabuh
dan ketika ombak reda
kau terus belayar jauh.

Aku.....
Umpama lapangan di daratan
ketika kau dilanda ribut dan kabut
kau akan mendarat kecemasan
dan ketika semuanya reda
kau pun terbang tinggi meninggalkanku
yang terkapai-kapai
melambai bukan merelakan
tetapi lambaian kehampaan.

Itulah aku.....
Umpama persinggahan bagimu.

Road trip to Penang

2005-08-27T11:56:00.000+08:00

Was up and about again recently. This time to Penang. Just love to hit the road and drive and look around. Took the ferry as this makes the trip more enjoyable. Given the choice, would love to make a living from travelling. I love to go a wandering.....

Here's the picture at the jetty. It wasn't crowded the day I arrived. Waited for a while only before boarding the ferry. Oh, the toll has went up. Used to be RM7 but it's now RM7.70.

Queing up at the ferry's jetty

As usual, got out from the car and walked around the ferry. Most locals prefer to sit in their car and wait. Either they are tired or fed-up of this journey everyday. The wind was very strong the day I arrived and was cloudy as well which was the reason why the pictures didn't turn up that good. Anyway, this was captured from the right side of the ferry overlooking Penang Bridge.

A boat passing by with Penang Bridge & an island in the background

An adjacent ferry taken from the ferry I was in

Cars in the ferry

Two ferries and KOMTAR...

A rusty corner of the ferry

Stayed in Copthorne Orchid in Tg Bungah. Rate is quite cheap for a sea facing room with balcony! Spent lots of time admiring the sea and enjoying the breeze at the balcony. Can't imagine how it was like when the tsunami hit this area back in Dec last year. While driving along the coastal road, I noticed that there were many newly built houses for those who lost their homes to the disaster.

A view from the balcony

Had some time to visit a friend who's studying in USM. This university has changed from the time when I was here about 12 years ago. Ah! Sweet memories. I was placed in Desa Harapan which is within the campus's compound. My friend stays in Desa Tekun which is in an area outside the campus.

One of USM's hostels (Desa Tekun)

The hostels

Took the chance to visit P. Ramlee's house in Jln P. Ramlee, which is near the Penang Free School. He's the Seniman Agung of Malaysia. Was born in 1929 in this house and died in 1973. It's really a big loss to our entertainment industry in Malaysia. He was one talented guy who never excel academically but musically. He was a singer, a musician, an actor, a producer, a composer, a lyrics writer, etc, all rolled into one. One fact that I learnt while visiting his house of birth and gallery is that he had 3 wives, one after another. The latest being Saloma who sings duet with him. I am the proud owner of their songs and love to listen to them while driving.

My favorite Malay star

Explanation...

P. Ramlee's place of birth

View from the back

After visiting P. Ramlee's house, I fed myself with one of Penang's main attraction, the Penang Hill or Bukit Bendera. Is it because the hill is filled with flags? This hill was opened by the British back in the 19th century to escape the tropical heat. Seems like that's the main reason why the British liked going up the hill. Other places like Cameron, Fraser's and Maxwell were opened for the same reason.

There are a few ways to get to the top of the hill. Heard that locals love to hike up there via a route which starts from the Botanical Garden. Anyway, I took the Furnicular Train which was only RM4 for two-ways, 30 minutes each way. The ride was slow, but was enjoyable as I was able to capture lots of pictures along the way. Squeezed my way through the first gerabak so that I can get the best view to take pictures. Hehe!

I love this place

About Penang Hill...

Refreshments

The lower station

A furnicular train leaving the station

An oncoming train from the top

We had to change train at the Middle Station. Actually, there are a few other smaller stations along the way which was built for the convenience of those who lives in the hills. Kind of cool living there, away from the city's madness. My kind of place.....

Mid-way

The control room

Bangalow in the hills

Light at the end of the tunnel

The destination (blur!)

Penang Hill has changed some compared to the last time I was there a few years ago. The municipal has taken the effort to beautify this place especially the public toilets. Don't have to squeeze your noses anymore when you enter. Hehe!

So many interesting places up here

Breathtaking view from the top

An old coach

Sedia berkhidmat

Instead of just hanging around the central area where the crowds are, decided to take a 2km walk to the Canopy Walk. There's some jeeps taking people to the walk which cost RM1 but I prefer walking. This place is very suitable for a long walk. Quiet and lovely and nice views and sceneries along the way, which might be missed should one take the jeep. It was sunny up in the hill but was cool too. So it's both cool and sunny at the same time. Oh well!

Stumbled across this bangalow along the way. Can't remember the name though. It's so cosy.....

An old but beautiful bangalow

It's almost 80 years old

The gate

Where's the wind coming from today?

Beautiful view

Entrance to a trail

Finally! It's scarier than I thought when I went on this shaky walkway. I think it's even higher than the one in FRIM Kepong. Remember, for those of you who are going to Penang or are from Penang, don't forget to visit the canopy walk in Penang Hill. Not many people know of its existence. Plus, it's free. The one in FRIM is RM5. Ok, so much for advertisement. Hehe!

Entrance to the canopy walk

Narrow and high and swaying...

Besides monkeys and trees, there are other beautiful things to see too while walking along the canopy walk. Captured this beautiful house half-way through the walk. Isn't it beautiful? Wonder who it belongs to.....

A home amidst the jungle

The big house's swimming pool

The next morning, went to the beach and played with the water and sand. Of course my camera wasn't left behind in the room. Took this picture:

Home by the sea

Time to go home. Took the ferry again.....

Until next time

Sailing through the strait

Yay! "Hello" is back

2005-08-27T10:42:00.000+08:00

When I was younger, I recalled someone telling me not to worry over problems or hiccups in life. Just sleep on it and it will be over the next day. I just did that and hurray, this "hello" thingy has sprang back to life again.

Last Wednesday, that's 17th of August, a few of our friends decided to leave us (just joking) behind and fly to Hawaii. Reason? They want to study in BYU, like as if there's no university or college in Malaysia (another joke). Good for them, they will get loads of experience, both academic and spiritual that us in Malaysia will not have.

Good luck and all the best to Megan, Li Mei, Melissa, Tyler and Dennis. Below are a few pictures taken before they flew off that night. Could have taken more pictures but we ended up chatting away.

Megan, JQ & Li Siah's back!

Darlie will love this picture

Ka ting hang fook (Happy Family in Cantonese)

How d'ya like this picture?

"Hello" Offline!

2005-08-27T00:02:00.000+08:00

Just when I got into the mood to blog again after more than a week, and this is what happens. Bummer! Has been doing some road trips these couple of days and the next couple of days and thought of posting some pictures here. Sigh!

Another time, folks unless someone can suggest other ways to upload photos to this blog.

K. Hell back to K.L.

2005-08-17T01:46:00.000+08:00

Life is much better these days with the haze gone. Went out on Saturday night to roam the KL streets, to see what the city folks are up to after the choking episode. The first place I went to was the pride of KL, the landmark, and it's very near my place, only 5 minutes' drive away.

The Petronas Towers, in Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) was built in 1996. The towers were crowned with the controversial 73.5 metre stainless steel pinnacles which officially made the buildings the world's tallest - and sparked off a passionate debate half way across the world on whether the previous holder of that title, the Sears Tower in Chicago, should relinquish the honour.

With the pinnacles, the Petronas Towers stand at 452 metres surpassing Sears Tower by 10 metres. The pinnacles feature aviation lights and facilities for cleaning the exterior cladding of the upper floors.

The multi-billion-ringgit Petronas Towers are built on a site where punters made and lost fortunes on horse racing. The Selangor Turf Club was the venue for thousands of would-be millionaires every race.

A New York-based architect, the renowned Cesar Pelli, winner of the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal, designed the towers and he included the unique feature of a skybridge connecting the two towers on the 41st and 42nd floors.

The Petronas Towers also hold another record - they have the largest number of double-decker elevators in the world with 29 in each tower. Made by Otis, theyare also the first double-decker lifts in Malaysia.

The towers are part of KLCC, which include the Exxon-Mobil Tower, the Maxis Tower, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Suria KLCC shopping center, the newest KL Convention Center, and other skyscrapers around the perimeter of the KLCC park.

Malaysia's pride & joy

Then, I decided to go to Dataran Merdeka, another well-known landmark in KL. Passed by Chow Kit along the way and took a picture while waiting for the traffic lights to turn green. As you can see in the picture below, there's a bridge and white canopy at the back of the traffic lights. This is the monorail, the latest addition to our rail system in the city. It connects most places in the city center.

The Chow Kit junction & Monorail Station

And then, I reached my destination - from an ultra modern building to an old historical building - the Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad. Also known as KL's Grand Old Lady, it is just across the Independence Field (Dataran Merdeka). This Grand Old Lady is very pretty, especially at night, which is the reason why I was there, hehe! Even though she is more a hundred years old already, she needs no makeup. Her blemishes and wrinkles are not visible and dozens of photographers snap shots of her daily from various angles and leave with good memories of having been in her presence. This building was constructed between October 1894 and April 1897, under the supervision of A.C. Norman. It is the beloved symbol of KL.

At night, the Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad which now houses the Supreme Court, is lit up by hundreds of bulbs turning the area into a fairyland of lights. On Saturdays, the area is fenced off and turned into a pedestrian mall. Often, people buy food and drinks at the pasar malam which is held every Saturday at nearby Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and have a feast on the road or on the Padang ground. Anybody wants to join me next Saturday?

Pretty night sight

The Padang on Saturday nights also turned into "Starlight Cinema". This is free, unlike the one in Bukit Jalil. But you don't get good movies lar. Lol! When I was there, there were families, couples, friends sitting on the field, enjoying the movie which was being shown.

So, what is this place called Merdeka Square all about? Let's go down memory lane. This was the place where the Union Jack of the British colonial power was lowered and the Malayan flag raised at midnight on 30 August 1957. Some 20,000 people were there to witness the historic moment.

Just before midnight, the banks of floodlights were turned off and there was a hush as everybody turned to look at the giant clock on the tower. When the clock started chiming at the first stroke of midnight, the lights were switched on and the police band played God Save The Queen as the Union Jack was lowered. Immediately after that, the band played Negaraku as Tunku Abdul Rahman, who became the nation's first Prime Minister, saluted the Malayan flag which was being raised. Shouts of "Merdeka! Merdeka!" resounded throughout KL in the first few minutes of Independence Day.

Night picnic-cum-dating-cum-movies-cum-chit chatting

Yet another landmark of KL is found just at the back of the Padang - the Selangor Club. It's the white building with black borders in the picture below. In the late 19th century, the Selangor Club was where the action was - everybody who was anybody was a member. It was where white planters and colonial administrators quenched their thirst and where bored womenfolk held their gossip session. It was the meeting place for romantic trysts, and where one could find out the latest news.

Founded in 1884 to meet the needs of the Europeans, the Selangor Club was formed as a social and cricket club featuring the all-important bar, with reading rooms and billiard halls. Acting Resident Rodger, who had energetically pushed for the formation of the club, became its first President while Venning was the first secretary.

The Selangor Club a.k.a. the Spotted Dog

This beautiful building is located at the end of the Padang. It houses history of Malaysia prior to our independence in 1957. I've been there once, many years ago but am not sure how it looks like inside now.

The National History Museum

Pre-Sabbath (Saturday)

2005-08-15T12:33:00.000+08:00

The next afternoon, we had a special SA District activity. Now, it's always on the 3rd Saturday that we have SA activities but just for this month, we decided to bring it forward to the 2nd Saturday because a few of our friends will be leaving to BYUH on Wednesday (17 August). They have been great friends and we are close, having spent much time together. We will miss you: Dennis, Li Mei, Megan, Tyler (he did not join us on Saturday), and Melissa (who is not quite a SA yet).

Lyanne took the trouble to create the FAREWELL wordings. Her brother, Anthony helped to hang it up across the main corridor. Nice!

Happy Trails to You...

We had hot dogs as our main course that afternoon. These buns were bought from Carrefour in Peel Road:

The shelves are empty because of us!

Sister Miller helped to boil the sausages:

100 sausages to go with the buns

Then, there were other food too. We had difficulty finishing everything because the turn-out was quite low. But, we get to "ta pau" home the food later. Free dinner! Hehe!

More food to go down our throat

Below are pictures taken during chow time:

Hungry Jimmy (he's from PJ1 Branch)

Anthony & his hotdog number ...???

Lyanne fixing another hotdog. She's competing with her brother. Who's the winner ah?

Guess who?

2 RMs (return missionaries) enjoying their food

Clowning around

After the makan-makan, it's time to cut the cake bought by AP and sing "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow"

The farewell cake

We sang as they cut the cake

Trio - future BYUH students

You cut it this way and then that way!

Finally, after cutting the cake, it was Farewell Speech time. Picture below shows Dennis and his cake. He's still hungry, so he took his cake to the front and talked and ate at the same time.

Farewell speech & cake eating

Pre-Sabbath (Friday)

2005-08-15T11:53:00.000+08:00

Fridays and Saturdays are usually filled with normal Institute Classes, FHEs, or activities like SA Activities, CES Activities, RS Enrichments, etc. But this time around, it's a bit different from the "boring" old routine. On Friday evening, after Institute, we had a short choir practise in preparation for the Fireside by Elder Craig C. Christensen at 8pm. He's in the 2nd Quorum of the Seventy. The turn-out was good, considering that it's a last minute thing. Pres Cragun, the KL Branch Pres did a good job by sms-ing members to attend the Fireside.

I forgot to bring my camera (from now on, I vow to put my camera in my bag and carry it with me to anywhere, always). The picture below is "adopted" from Lyanne's camera. For more pictures and info for that evening, please go to Lyanne's blog.

Happy faces

More on Haze

2005-08-12T10:38:00.000+08:00

Things were pretty depressing yesterday. I didn't know what to do. Watch TV, walk around the house, eat, read a book, blog, etc. Doing the regular daily things doesn't feel right. It's like something is missing. Where is the sun and blue skies? Can't go out for my regular jog.

Want to have a say in this issue? Saw this in the Star today. Go to hazeinmy.blogspot.com. After reading the comments there, I found out I'm the only one suffering.

Have a good Friday.....

Outdoor adventure - Ulu Yam

2005-08-10T04:34:00.000+08:00

Besides songs and music, I love mother nature too. Lots! Lyanne asked me today where else around KL that has a place something like Bkt Belacan. Recalled taking some pictures while on a trip to Ulu Yam (UY).

The picture here shows Sendat Waterfalls and is located 5 km from UY Bharu. This is a concealled waterfall, as when people talk about the UY waterfalls, they invariably ended up with the more exposed Sungei Tua waterfalls. So, how to get here? First, pass by UY Lama and enter UY Bharu, assuming you're coming from Batu Caves. After the village in UY Bharu, you will have to drive along 4 km of untarred road, which will lead you to the forest reserve.

The untarred road ends at a bridge. Leave your car behind, and walk the next 200 metres of paved road to reach the waterfall picnic area which is well shaded. This waterfall is about 15 metres high and it's quite easy to walk there.

Cold and refreshing

The picnic area. Some pondoks are provided but as with many other public places, there's rubbish everywhere. So sad.

Some pondoks

As clear as crystal

Next, I went to the Sungei Tua Waterfall. This is easy to find as it is just beside the road, very visible and no need to walk in. Parking is also easy as there are a few carparks near the waterfall.

Shower anyone?

Besides these natural waterfalls, there are also a few commercialised picnic areas on both sides of the road which are run by private operators. The newest along that stretch from Batu Caves to UY village is Rock Resort, I think. There's one with horse rides even. Can't remember the name of the resort though. Was it Woods Resort? They provide chalets and other facilities like games, pools, meeting area, BBQ pits, etc. Anyone game for a trip there?

Think of Me!

2005-08-10T02:43:00.000+08:00

Now, I'm a person who loves musicals. You name it, I love it, from the good old days of (what else?) The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, Oliver, The King and I, Casablanca, My Fair Lady, Singing in the Rain, up to present days' ones like Evita and Phantom of the Opera (the newer version), I looovvee them all and have no problem memorising them all. When I have passion for something, I'll do it right and get right to the very core of it.

When I was in a faraway place, "Climb Every Mountain" was "THE" song for that morning. It was very cold, the road up was windy and was very beautiful. The song was played again and again over the car's player. It was perfect. Pretty.....

A few days later in another city, songs from Frank Sinatra was also played over and over again. They fit very well....the atmosphere, the mood, the sight, the sound.

What am I talking about here? Events of the past which will stay with me forever. It's been awhile now, was expecting it to fade off as with any other similar encounters but there's not even a teeny weeny sign yet. It might if it involves just one element only and not all three. Well, probably it will, when I grow too old to remember. Looking forward to time. Can it travel faster?

There's this song from The Phantom of the Opera, "Think of Me" which was mentioned sometime ago. I did say that every word holds a tonne of meaning. Here goes:

Think of me
Think of me fondly
When we've said goodbye...
Remember me
Once in awhile
Please promise me you'll try...

When you find that once again you long
to take your heart back and be free
if you ever find a moment,
spare a thought for me

We never said our love was evergreen
or as unchanging as the sea,
but if you can still remember
stop and think of me

Think of all the things we've shared and seen
Don't think about the things that might have been

Think of me
Think of me waking, silent and resigned
Imagine me trying too hard to put you from my mind

Recall those days,
Back on all those times
On all the things we'll never do
There will never be a day when I don't think of you.

We never said our love was evergreen
or as unchanging as the sea
But please promise me that sometimes
You will think.....of me!

Andrew Lloyd Webber, thanks for the music.

Hot Sleepless Night

2005-08-10T02:15:00.000+08:00

The haze is really getting into me. It's so hot and I feel so sticky and smelly! I must've have taken at least 10 showers today. Ok, that might be exaggerating (spelling?), probably took 3. Went out for a drink just now at the nearby mamak stall cos I just couldn't sleep even though I knew I was sleepy when I hit the pillow. Somehow, my eyes stayed opened and decided to get up to do something. That's the thing about sleeping, the harder you try to sleep, the more you won't sleep. So, coming back from the mamak, I'm still wide awake. Thought of surfing for some info but ended up here.....

Life has been quite monotonous, apart from some slight difference in the usual Sunday sacrements 2 days ago. The SA sang the closing hymn for both KL & Cheras Branch. We had to be there early to catch the KL's sacrement. Well, the singing was so so only. Could be better. Anyway, we sang and participated.

Then on Saturday, was in PJ Chapel with a few other SAs for setting apart and a brief meeting with a few leaders. Got a new calling. Well, actually it's not something new, it's something I've been doing all these while. Hopefully, with a full team now, things can run better. Yeah, was talking about CES.

Now, what else? This is kinda weird. I'm not sure whether I'm typing this blog for myself or is anyone else reading this? And if someone or a few people are reading, I don't really know who. So, guess I'll just make my target audience a generic one.

This Saturday, it's gonna be the District SA activity cum farewell for our 5 friends who will be leaving for BYU. We had chosen Bukit Belacan. Wonder why it's called that. It's written Taman Rimba Ampang at the pintu gerbang. Was there this evening with Lyanne to check out the place, see where to start the BBQ pit and stuffs. Hmm, wish the place is better, still it's nature. I thought that place was in a better condition when I was there 2 years ago. Of course going to somewhere like the old Gombak road before they build the Karak Highway, or even Ulu Yam would be better. But, transport remains a problem, as always with with Church activities. So, better stick to somewhere nearer.

Also picked up my new job offer letter. Looks quite ok for now. Hope the job allows me to stay longer. My job in Nilai was so demanding, start at 8am, and ends at odd hours, even until 10pm sometimes. It wasn't odd to see me coming at almost 12 midnight. Also, there were many weekend duties and stuffs and had to travel all the way to Nilai..... Oh! This new job requires travelling outstation. Yes! That's the part that attracted me. I'm definitely not a person who sits down in the office and roots. Whatever that comes along, and if anything fails, at least I know what I like.

Still wide awake......better do something else. Looks like blogging doesn't really help. Any remedy for insomnia?

I Got It, I Got It.....

2005-08-06T22:44:00.000+08:00

Funny how simple things can make me happy. Has been figuring out how to create links to others' blogs. Opened this window, opened that window, read ?Help, link here and link there, and finally.....still no results. So, let it rest for awhile and come back to it later. And the results? Deng, deng, deng, finally got it. The answer was staring at me.

Solutions come in different ways and sometimes in ways that you least expect it. For you "veteran" bloggers out there, you might think this is all too simple and what is this girl jumping around in joy for? For me, the thrill of discovering something new, even a teeny-weeny discovery, and even though I'm no longer a kid, never fail to excite me.

Now, to more "blog discovery".....

Father's Day....Did My Dad Celebrated Too?

2005-08-05T03:24:00.000+08:00

Feel so inspired to blog tonite, or is it this morning? Mentioned about Father's Day in my previous post. Brings me to thinking about my late father. He was born on 26 Oct 1944, married mom on 28 Mar 1970, and died on 13 March 1978. Dad had a short life, only 33 years of life. Well, I hardly knew him, I don't remember much beyond three years old, plus the fact that Dad continued his studies at Brighton, UK when I was two only, doesn't help much in my memory of him. All I know is that Dad was a smart man, he won the the Shell Scholarship. And, I know that Dad loves me very much.....

I came to earth from the spirit world looking like this. This picture was taken when I was a week old:

Hello Earthlings!

From the photo albums, I learned that Dad takes me out for walks to the Seremban Lake Gardens:

In my hero's arms

Then, it was time for Dad to continue his studies. He must have loved me very much to hug me like this at the then Subang International Airport. This picture is very precious to me:

Bye Dad, will I see you again?

It must've been very cold in Brighton. Dad sent mom this picture, together with many other pictures. They are all with me in KL now and they are priceless.

My good-looking Dad

Dad came back for a holiday in-between his studies:

Just the 3 of us

And he never returned home after going back to complete his studies ..... I wish he lives longer..... I'm crying here.....

Dad, I'm waiting to see you again

Dad's body was cremated and the ashes brought back to Malaysia:

The Buddhist way

Father's Day

2005-08-05T02:50:00.000+08:00

It's 2:53am and I'm wide awake. Have lots on my mind as usual including whether to take up the newest job offer or not. When will I stop thinking about things? The thought of Father's Day celebration in Church 2 months ago (June) comes up the strongest this early morning and would like to share it here.

A week before that Sunday (19 Jun 2005), our Branch's Primary President asked me to buy some lollipops to be distributed to all fathers the following Sunday. Pop = father. So, I went around hunting and found some kewl, interesting pops at Toys R Us (one of my favorite hang out places) in Mid Valley. It came in many different flavors, were bigger than the usual lollipops, and the plus point was, they were no ordinary lollipops. The middle is actually chewing gum and can be blowed into balloons. Well, as you've guessed, the Primary children had more fun with the lollipops than their fathers!

Here's the picture of the lollipops prepared for that Sunday:

All ready for giving to Daddies

The lollipops were given not only to present Dads but to future Dads as well, as you can see here:

Ramesh & his lollipop

Look who is going round giving the men lollipops.....

Almost finishing

Presenting, the Cheras Branch Primary children (this is just SOME of them, wait till you see ALL of them)

Happy faces

Hungry members after 3 hours in Church:

Makan-makan

Well, well, finally knew how to post multiple pictures in one posting. Previously, in my Bangkok story below, I posted one by one and ended up having so many posts. Slow learner, me!

Warm days, warm nights

2005-08-03T10:09:00.000+08:00

Funny how the Malaysian weather is. Just last month, it was pouring and pouring but it's been hot again lately. Air quality is bad especially for us living in the city. Couldn't sleep well last night due to the high temperature. Had the ceiling fan on full blast and slept in the hall but still woke up with perspiration.

I'm wishing for snow.....

Bangkok, Here We Come! (18 - 22 July 2005)

2005-07-31T01:47:00.000+08:00

Sawadee Kha! Recently, Mom & I went for a holiday in Bangkok, Thailand. It was great as we got closer after the trip. Mom, being a person who loves to travel (just like me!) was definitely the happier one, being able to walk around again and to go for a holiday.

I'm really thankful for she couldn't walk at all earlier this year due to a very bad backache. She was admitted to the hospital for almost a month and still couldn't walk after being discharged. It took both of us lots of patience, courage and faith to go through those difficult times. My Branch President also visited mom in the hospital together with 2 Elders and gave her a blessing. They were willing to go all the way to Seremban to visit us. Was really touched by their concern.

Ok, back to the Bangkok trip. We went by Air Asia (now everyone can fly!) as it was more affordable. I made the booking via the internet a few days earlier but had some hiccups there. Fortunately, it was solved and we could go for our holiday. Weehhh!!! Flew off on Monday morning. The plane was delayed, very typical of Air Asia. Sigh! Here're some pictures at KLIA:

Bye KL, see you soon!

2005-07-31T01:46:00.000+08:00

Bangkok is also known worldwide as the City of Angels. Hmm...I thought Los Angeles is aka as the City of Angels. Anyway, Bangkok is host to some of the region's most historically significant and visually astounding architectural landmarks, some of which I will share in the form of pictures hereafter.

The capital of Thailand was established at Bangkok in 1782 by the first king of the Chakri dynasty, Rama I. The name Bangkok comes from Bang Makok, meaning 'Place of Olive Plums', and refers to the original site, which is only a very small part of what is today called Bangkok. The official Thai name for the city is quite a tongue twister:

Krungthep mahanakhon amonratanakosin mahintara ayuthaya mahadilok popnopparat ratchathani burirom udomratchaniwet mahasathan amonpiman avatansathit sakkathattiya witsanukamprasit.

Pheww!!!

What a patriotric plane!

2005-07-31T01:45:00.000+08:00

After about 2 hours in the airplane, we finally saw glimpses of Bangkok city through the window. The plane was not full, being Monday I guess, and we took up 3 seats all to ourselves. I was wondering what Bangkok is really like. I've read a lot about it in the net and in the "Lonely Planet" book, but it'll be different to really step foot on this Thai capital.

Hello Bangkok!

2005-07-31T01:44:00.000+08:00

This is the cheapest way to get from Bangkok's Don Muang International Airport to the city center. Don Muang means "town on a hill" in Thai. These colorful busses are called Airport Bus and there are only 16 seats inside. The cost for one way is only 100TB and they serve 4 routes. The one that Mom & I took was Route 3, which passed by Sukhumvit Road where our hotel was. To know more about this economical, comfortable and fast way to the city, go to http://www.airportbusthailand.com

Fancy, colorful busses are all over Bangkok

2005-07-31T01:43:00.000+08:00

This is the room where we slept for 4 nights. The Somerset Hotel is only 5 minutes walk away to the BTS Skytrain station, very convenient for shopholics like us, hehe! It's right in the middle of one of Bangkok's busiest road, Sukhumvit Road, but yet away from the crowd as its in a small lane off the main road. The room was nice and cozy and the staff were very warm and friendly. Oh yes! Their breakfast was delicious too.

Lullaby, and good night....

2005-07-31T01:42:00.000+08:00

The very first night in Bangkok, we went for a traditional Thai puppet show at the Joe Louis Theater. Thai theatrical puppetry is unique among the various forms of puppetry in that each puppet represents a character taken from the traditional Thai khon theater - a highly sophisticated and stylized form of staged entertainment with dancing, singing and music comparable in complexity with the European opera-ballet of the 18th century French royal court at Versailles.

It is also unique in that each puppet requires the synchronised efforts of three puppeteers in its manipulation, all of whom appear on stage with the puppet, and each of whom is a khon dancer in his or her own right. The puppets, in short, perform khon on stage with the puppeteers.

The exterior of the theatre

2005-07-31T01:40:00.000+08:00

About half an hour before the show started, there was a puppet making demonstration outside the hall. Picture below shows two people making the puppets:

Skilled hands at work.

2005-07-31T01:38:00.000+08:00

Local Thai puppet artist Sakorn Yangkhiawsod (also known as Joe Louis) has maintained the legacy of traditional Thai puppetry. The company presents among others, "The Ramayana", a famous play in Thailand. This theater is one of only 16 in the world that still presents this vulnerable art form.

Just before the show.

2005-07-31T01:36:00.000+08:00

After the show, we walked around this night bazaar. It is huge! They sell all kinds of stuffs there including arts & handicrafts, home decor, clothing, souvenirs, food (of course), and even pets. We were really exhausted and couldn't complete the whole bazaar. It was also getting late. Tired and sticky (Bangkok is a very humid city, even more humid than KL), we took the MRT back to the hotel.

This bazaar is as big as 7 football (soccer) fields

2nd Day: 19 July 2005

2005-07-31T01:33:00.000+08:00

The second day was an adventurous one. We took the skytrain to move around. Actually, it is almost identical to our LRT in KL. Bought the one-day pass for 100TB for unlimited rides till midnight! This train is perfect for those wanting to escape the often horrendous traffic jams on Bangkok's streets. 23 stations are conveniently located along the Sukhumvit and Silom lines, which operate daily from 6am - 12am. It cover many of the commercial and residential areas of the city, including the most popular and exciting areas for tourists to explore.The picture below was taken at Asok station:

Choo, choo train....

2005-07-31T01:32:00.000+08:00

Now, the skytrain also offers access to the Chao Phraya River through the Saphan Taksin station. We decided that morning to discover the mighty river and alighted at Saphan Taksin station. The river is right in front of the train station! There's a booth selling tickets and we bought the One Day River Pass which cost 100TB. Looks like everything in Bangkok costs 100TB. Hehe! So what do we get for 100TB? #1 unlimited rides on the "Chao Phraya Tourist Boat", #2 a guidebook, #3 a guide in the boat with a mic to introduce us to the places along the river (though I must say I didn't really understand what she was saying), and #4 which delighted us was 2 bottles of cold mineral water. We really needed that because Bangkok is so hot & humid. If you look at me now, I'm darker than I was and I even got sunburn in my neck and my skin peeled :(

The "Chao Phraya Tourist Boat" provides service to 9 piers, which give access to Bangkok's famous attractions. The journey starts from the Central Pier, which is just next to the skytrain station mentioned above, the Saphan Taksin station.

Unlimited rides, guidebook, tour guide & mineral water - all for 100TB only.

2005-07-31T01:29:00.000+08:00

The Chao Phraya river plays many roles in Thai's life. In fact, it is regarded as the principal artery of the nation. Much of Thai history can be traced along the banks of the river. As it flows, the river carries with it the history and culture of the country. I really love those rides along the river for I'm one who loves history and have great passion for old, forgotten and past things.

The "Chao Phraya Tourist Boat" service provides access to Bangkok's most famous attractions many of which are in the Rattanakosin Island Historic area, which was settled during the Thonburi and Rattanakosin eras. Old temples (Buddhist temples), palaces and communities along the river tell us that the Chao Phraya river has provided livelihood for the people and has led to the birth of a civilization.

All set for adventure

2005-07-31T01:27:00.000+08:00

While sitting in the boat, I managed to take some pictures. There were just so many beautiful buildings along the river bank. Both sides actually, so much so I didn't know which to take first. Here is one of my 'masterpieces'. Ahem!

Wat Arun was founded in the Ayutthaya period. King Taksin the Great decided to shift the capital of Thailand from Ayutthaya to Thonburi. At the end of the royal barge procession, he arrived at Wat Arun at early dawn. Hence he named this temple Wat Jaeng, meaning the temple of Dawn. Later, its name was elaborated to Wat Arun Ratchtharam by King Rama II, and was under his designated patronage. Phra Prang of Wat Arun, the impressive tall tower of the Temple of Dawn, is one of Bangkok's most famous landmarks.

Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn)

2005-07-31T01:18:00.000+08:00

After sitting in the boat for awhile, Mom & I decided to get off at Tha Tien pier and headed for Wat Pho. It is the oldest and largest wat in Bangkok. It features the largest reclining Buddha and the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand, and was the earliest center for public education.

Anyone read Thai?

2005-07-31T01:17:00.000+08:00

Wat Pho is the national headquarters for the teaching and preservation of traditional Thai medicine, including Thai massage. The massage school is located outside the temple grounds. You can receive half-hour and one-hour massages, as well as study massage, Thai herbal therapy and traditional Thai medicine in 7 to 10 day classes. A full course of all three takes one to three years to complete; graduation is by exam.

Inside the walls of Wat Pho

2005-07-31T01:13:00.000+08:00

Next, we went to the Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew which were quite nearby, within walking distance. The sun was very strong that morning and my face turned lobster red. Since wat are sacred places to Thai Buddhists, this one particularly so because of its royal associations, visitors should dress and behave decently. There were many people that day who were refused admission into the palace as they wore shorts or mini skirts. Fortunately, they could loan some clothes at the entry area. For walking in the courtyard areas, only closed shoes are permitted.

Entrance of the Grand Palace

2005-07-31T01:12:00.000+08:00

The Grand Palace complex was established in 1782 and it houses not only the royal residence and throne halls, but also a number of government offices as well as the renowned Temple of the Emerald Buddha. It covers an area of 218,000 square metres and is surrounded by four walls, 1900 metres in length. The palace was built in 1782 after King Rama I's ascension to the throne.

The picture below shows the Upper Terrace and there are 4 main monuments:
1) A reliquary in the shape of a golden chedi
2) The Mondop, a repository for Buddhist sacred scriptures inscribed on palm leaves
3) A miniature Angkor Wat crafted by the order of King Mongkut (Rama IV)
4) The Royal Pantheon

Four monuments, can you see all of them?

2005-07-31T01:06:00.000+08:00

Visiting just two places took us half a day. So what's next after half a day of walking and sightseeing and taking photographs? Filling up our tummies of course! Was walking towards Maharaj pier to catch a boat and stumbled across this nice air-conditioned restaurant called S & P.

You think it looks good? Wait till you eat it.

2005-07-31T01:05:00.000+08:00

S & P is something like Secret Recipe in Malaysia. It serves main dishes as well as desserts and of course cakes and pastries. Simply yummy!

Check this out!

2005-07-31T01:04:00.000+08:00

After lunch, we took another boat to the Royal Barges National Museum which is across the river. Originally called the Royal Barge Dockyard, the museum was initially built during the reign of King Taksin as a dockyard for royal barges and warships under the supervision of the Royal Thai Navy. During world war II, the dockyard was damaged and its upkeep was transferred to the Fine Arts Department for the repair and restoration of all barges, which were registered as a national heritage. Didn't take any picture inside the museum as we're required to pay extra if we want to take pictures.

The Royal Barge Museum pier.

2005-07-31T00:59:00.000+08:00

Enough of river and boats, we went back to Central pier and took the skytrain to Jim Thompson House Museum. The guides working there were quite good in explaining the Jim Thompson story. They speak various languages and there were English, Japanese, French, etc groups. Guess it pays to know foreign languages in Thai as there are many tourists everywhere.

Jim Thompson was an American who was born in Greenville, Delaware in 1906. A practicing architect prior to WW II, he volunteered for service in the U.S. Army, campaigned in Europe, and came to Asia as part of the force that hoped to help restore Thailand's full freedom and independence. However, the war endd before he saw action. He arrived in Bangkok a short time later as a military intelligence officer attached to the O.S.S. After leaving the service, he decided to return and live in Thailand permanently.

The hand weaving of silk, a long-neglected cottage industry, captured Jim's attention, and he devoted himself to reviving the craft. Highly gifted as a designer and textile colorist, he contributed substantially to the industry's growth and to the worldwide recognition accorded to Thai silk.

He gained further renown through the construction of this house combining 6 teak buildings which represent the bes in traditional Thai architecture. Most of the houses were at least two centuries old and were easily dismantled and brought to the present site, some from as far away as the old capital of Ayutthya.

Jim Thompson, an American who made Thai his home.

2005-07-31T00:57:00.000+08:00

In his quest for authenticity, Jim adhered to the customs of the early builders in most aspects. The houses were elevated a full storey above the ground, a practical Thai precaution to avoid flood during the rainy season, and the roof tiles were fired in Ayutthya employing a design common centuries ago but rarely used today.

The red paint on the outside walls is a preservative often found on many old Thai buildings. The chandeliers were a concession to modern convenience, but even they belong to a past era, having come from 18th and 19th century Bangkok palaces.

Staircase

2005-07-31T00:56:00.000+08:00

All the traditional religious rituals were followed during construction of the house, and on a Spring day in 1959, decreed as being auspicious by astrologers, Jim moved in. The house and the art collection soon became such a point of interest that he decided to open his home to the public with proceeds donated to Thai charities and to projects directed at the preservation of Thailand's rich cultural heritage.

On March 27th 1967, Jim disappeared while on a visit to the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia. Not a single valid clue has turned up in the ensuing years as to what might have happened to him. His famous Thai house, however, remains as a lasting reminder of his creative ability and his deep love of Thailand.

One of the few buildings in the compound

2005-07-31T00:53:00.000+08:00

After the visit to Jim Thompson's House, we went back to the hotel for a quick shower before proceeding for the night's out - dinner aboard a ship in Chao Phraya river. The ship pictured here has 2 tiers and we were placed in the bottom tier which is air-conditioned. They also have live singers aboard. How nice!

All on board.

2005-07-31T00:52:00.000+08:00

Don't we look like sisters? Hehe! The preceeding pictures show all the food we get for the night. My favorite was the tom yum soup. It was a nice experience eating, listening to music and looking out the window as the ship sailed along the river. The best thing was, Mom enjoyed it very much and I'm glad she did.

One for the album.

2005-07-31T00:49:00.000+08:00

Food, glorious food... (from the movie Olivier!)

2005-07-31T00:47:00.000+08:00

Sources of Vitamin C

3rd Day: 20 July 2005

2005-07-31T00:46:00.000+08:00

Was very tired the day before and slept like a log but the adventurous mind kept the body going. So, the very next morning, before the sun was up, we're already up. After gobbling down a little breakfast at the hotel, we took a bus and headed for Ayutthaya, the 2nd capital of Thailand. The first capital was Sukhotai. Thanks to my history teachers in school, I've great passion in facts like these. So bear with me if you don't like history, yeah?

Ayutthaya is about 86km north of Bangkok and it served as the Siamese royal capital from 1350 to 1767. Thirty three kings of various Siamese dynasties reigned in Ayutthaya until it was conquered by the Burmese. Ayutthaya's population had reached one million by the end of the 17th century.

Now, on the way to Ayutthaya from Bangkok, we stopped by at Bang Pa-In Palace, which is 26km south of Ayutthaya. The palace has a history dating back to the 17th century.

The entrance to the palace

2005-07-31T00:44:00.000+08:00

This is a Thai style pavilion with four porches and a spire roof built by King Chulalongkorn in the middle of an outer pond in 1876. This pavilion now houses a bronze statue of King Chulalongkorn in the the uniform of a Field Marshal which was set up by his son King Vajiravudh (Rama VI).

Phra Thinang Aisawan Thiphya-Art (The Divine Seat of Personal Freedom)

2005-07-31T00:14:00.000+08:00

This is another building in the palace's compound. It is a small stone structure in the form o a Khmer-styled prasat built by King Chulalongkorn in 1880 and dedicated to King Prasat Thong of Ayutthaya.

Ho Hem Monthian Thewarat (Golden Palace of the God King)

2005-07-31T00:10:00.000+08:00

Found some non-historical material in Bang Pa-In. Enjoy! Wish you have an elephant or bunny like this in your garden?

Baby Elephant Walk (From the movie Hatari)

2005-07-31T00:08:00.000+08:00

Bugs bunnies

2005-07-30T23:55:00.000+08:00

This Chinese style two-storey mansion was built by the equivalent of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and was presented to King Chulalongkorn in 1889.

Phra Thinang (Royal Residence) Wehart Chamrun (Heavenly Light)

2005-07-30T23:53:00.000+08:00

We continued walking around the palace ground and stumbled across this building which looked like a light house. It's actually a lookout tower built by King Chulalongkorn in 1881 for viewing the surrounding countryside. Visitors are allowed to climb the tower all the way to the top but my legs couldn't bring me up and so we just stayed down and take pictures.

Mom in front of Ho Withun Thasana (The Sages Lookout)

2005-07-30T23:46:00.000+08:00

After a while in Bang Pa-In, we continued our bus journey to the Ayutthaya Historical Park. Ayutthaya was a flourishing and properous capital. It remained an important city in Thailand for 417 years and during this period an abundance of palaces and temples were constructed as a token of its economic success. The ruins of temples and palaces of Ayutthaya, whether naturally worn by time or destroyed by activities of war, are a reflection of a golden and glorious past.

Ayutthaya Historical Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981. The historic temples are scattered throughout this once magnificent city, and along the encircling rivers. There are many wats in this area but we managed to visit three only. The first one was Wat Mahathat:

Thailand has explanation in both Thai and English. We're lucky.

2005-07-30T23:44:00.000+08:00

This wat dates back to the 14th century. The construction begun during the reign of King Borommarachathirat I in 1374 and was completed during the reign of King Ramesuan (1388-1395). Despite extensive damage, the Khmer-styled tower is still impressive, as pictured below:

These buildings had seen better days

2005-07-30T23:42:00.000+08:00

The story goes that the king had a revelation, and the relics of Buddha suddenly appeared. The temple was built to house these relics.

All in ruins.

2005-07-30T23:39:00.000+08:00

In 1956, the Fine Arts Department undertook excavations around the area and found relics of the Buddha within a seven-layer of reliquary. Other antiquities were also recovered including Buddha images, votive tablets, covered boxes shaped like fish and golden plaques in the form of animals. All these objects are now in the Chao Phraya National Museum.

Wihan luang (The grand hall)

2005-07-30T23:35:00.000+08:00

The next wat that we went to in the historical site was Wat Na Phra Mane but I didn't take any photos there. After that, we proceeded to Wat Lokayasutharam. The feature of this Wat is the huge reclining Buddha image which faces east. It's 37 meters long and 8 meters high. I was trying to capture the full image but couldn't fit it in and so had to tilt my camera diagonally.

Wat Lokayasutharam

2005-07-30T23:30:00.000+08:00

It was past noon and we wanted to go back to Bangkok. Bored of taking the bus, we tried another mode to get back to the metropolitan city - by boat. The journey took about 3 hours via the Chao Phraya river. They serve lunch in the boat. Yipee!!! The picture below was taken from our table, which was right at the right hand corner.

Peace...

2005-07-30T23:28:00.000+08:00

Inside the control room

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Half-way through the journey, they announced that all drinks will be sold at 50% off. Happy hours! So we ordered a coconut each to quench our thirst. Coconuts are very popular in Thailand, you find them everywhere.

C.O.C.O.N.U.T......a song from Girl Guides/Scouts

2005-07-30T23:24:00.000+08:00

Otherwise, we enjoyed ourselves by takin in the scenes of everyday Bangkok life through the windows of the boat. Its pretty to observe some of Bangkok's people way of life and their homes along the river. I dozed off in the boat. It was so peaceful and calm....

Bangkok sky

4th Day: 21 July 2005

2005-07-30T23:22:00.000+08:00

The following morning we got up very early again. We're going to the Floating Market (talaat naam). First, we took a bus to Ratchaburin Province. From there, we took another bus to Khlong Damnoen Saduak where we hired a boat to go to the floating market.

A tourist attraction or tourist trap?

2005-07-30T23:21:00.000+08:00

The best is to arrive early. We're already late by the time we arrived and this was what happened! The khlong was as jammed as the streets in Bangkok. Nevertheless, it was fun. Wooden canoes laden with multicolored fruits and vegetables, paddled by Thai women wearing indigo-hued clothes and wide-brimmed straw hats was a common sight at this unique market. It's like a page taken from our Geography books. When I was studying Geography in school (which was many years back), I loved to dream of visiting the places in our books. And this is one dream came true, yay! I have a dream, a song to sing.....anyone wanna sing with me?

People mountain, people sea (translate into Cantonese!)

2005-07-30T23:19:00.000+08:00

Red, ripe & juicy.

2005-07-30T23:17:00.000+08:00

Row, row, row your boat...

2005-07-30T23:13:00.000+08:00

Floating food.

2005-07-30T23:09:00.000+08:00

It's lunch time again. Decided to try some of the "floating food" and had meehoon soup. At first mom didn't want as she disliked the sweet soup (Thai are very fond of adding sugar into their food) but after she tasted mine minus the sugar because I asked the lady not to add sugar, mom too ordered a bowl for herself. I put in lots of chilli powder and cili padi and had my stomach burnt afterthat.

Tastes as good as it looks!

2005-07-30T23:05:00.000+08:00

Since it was our final night in Bangkok, we decided to spoil ourselves. Went to Sala Rim Naam Restaurant in Oriental Hotel. It was an experience itself getting to the restaurant as it is not located within the hotel area but across the Chao Phraya river. We went there in Oriental Hotel's private boat. Were given first class treatment and were very impressed. Thai's service is definitely better than Malaysian's. But then, we're Malaysians and probably foreigners get better service than we ourselves do in our own country.

Better known as the Sala, it's a very pretty place. We had to take off our shoes and sit on the floor with pyramid pillows. Mom asked for a table very near to the stage as there would be dance performances while we eat dinner!

Mom & I at Sala Rim Naam

2005-07-30T23:03:00.000+08:00

Thai food is known to be chilli hot but traditional Thai dishes must no be predominantly hot. There must always be a harmony in a dish. The sharpness of the chillis and the spices in a curry dish is toned down by the sweetness of the coconut cream which also enhances the flavors and tastes of other delicate ingredients and herbs.

Dinner, the main meal, consists at least 3 dishes with rice. Dishes are not courses but served all at the same time. One should take a mouthful of this and that in whatever order one prefers.

Mom's fancy fruit drink

2005-07-30T23:01:00.000+08:00

The following were the food we ate for that night. Enjoy.....

Khow taang mieng waan (Rice crackers with herbed minced chicken wrapped in pickle lettuce leaves)

2005-07-30T22:59:00.000+08:00

Yaam thua pu (Herbed wing bean salad with chicken and prawns)

2005-07-30T22:57:00.000+08:00

Tom kha goong naang (Herbed blue river prawns coconut milk soup)

2005-07-30T22:55:00.000+08:00

Gaeng gari gai (Yellow chicken curry)

2005-07-30T22:53:00.000+08:00

Pla priew naam pla waan (Deep-fried fish with sweet and salty tamarind sauce)

2005-07-30T22:52:00.000+08:00

Phad paag gub loog chin goong (Stir-fried vegetables and shrimp balls with oyster sauce)

2005-07-30T22:50:00.000+08:00

Khow hommali (Steamed Mali rice)

2005-07-30T22:49:00.000+08:00

Polamai gub khow niew sangkhaya (Carved tropical fresh fruits and sticky rice topped with egg custard)

2005-07-30T22:45:00.000+08:00

The dance performance was magnificent. This is the first dance. It is an excerpt from a dance drama, Manohra, which depicts the beauty of mythological creatures, half-bird and half-maiden, The Kinaris, taking their bath in the moonlight in a lake. The choreography was ingeniously created to display the merry and flightly movements of the birds combined with the graceful and poised gestures of human beings.

Kinari Rawn (The Dance of Kinaris)

2005-07-30T22:44:00.000+08:00

After years of long drawn out wars between King Rama of Ayutthaya and the Ogre King Tosakanth of Lonka, the two archrivals came face to face with each other in the scene of the grand battle in which Tosakanth was defeated. This dance was first peformed at the National Theatre in November 1959.

The Grand Battle

2005-07-30T22:42:00.000+08:00

This dance depicts the cultures of ancient Ayutthaya. Choreography and costumes are based on archeological finds, such as murals and objects d'arts of the Ayutthaya Era.

Radam Ayuthya (Ayuthya Dance)

2005-07-30T22:39:00.000+08:00

Teachers are decmed most revered persons in all learnings. Self-defence is an art form. It is learnt with great difficulty and hardship. Before entering a fight each fighter pays homage to their teacher with their "Wai Kru" rites. An observant fighter usually detects the strong and weak spots of his opponent through the rites.

The Long and Short Stick Duel

2005-07-30T22:37:00.000+08:00

This performance of Ramayana is the episode of the floating lady Benyakai. Commanded by Tosakanth, her royal uncle, she disguises as the dead Sita to lure King Rama, Sita's husband. Hanuman has a suspicion and suggests King Rama to cremate the corpse. The disguised Sita, unable to bear the heat, flies skyward closely pursed by Hanuman who catches and brings her to earth.

The Pursuit of Benyakai

2005-07-30T22:36:00.000+08:00

This folk dance is a popular past time of young people in the Northeastern region on both sides of the river Khrong. They both sing and dance to the rhythm of the clashing bamboo poles. The Ram Krathop Mai is a dance with a fast tempo and requires much agility, and its popularity has spread to other parts of the country.

Ram Krathop Mai

2005-07-30T22:31:00.000+08:00

After dinner, while waiting at the pier for the boat to get us back to the other side of the river, I saw this ice swan and took a picture with it. Cheese!

Swan Lake from Tchaikovsky?

5th Day: 22 July 2005

2005-07-30T22:27:00.000+08:00

Getting ready to go home? Not quite yet. We woke up in the morning, though not as early as the days before to do some shopping at one of the markets in Bangkok. This city is full of markets everywhere. We just chose one at random, took the skytrain for one last time and spent some money shopping.

Finally, it was down to packing our bags. Checked-out reluctantly from the hotel and took a taxi to the airport. We were there early and the check-in counter was not opened yet. Being a little kiasu, we lined up in front of the counter. There were already a few people in front of us, so we're not that kiasu afterall. Haha!

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go...

2005-07-30T22:26:00.000+08:00

After checking in, we had some time and went around the airport looking for lunch. Spotted an S & P restaurant! Dashed in as we know they serve nice food. We bought some mooncakes too as they looked delicious. This reminds me of our Mooncake party under CES in PJ Chapel last year. Wow! It's been a year already. This year, we are planning to have another Mooncake party.

Our drinks over lunch before boarding the plane home. Last meal in Bangkok!

2005-07-30T22:25:00.000+08:00

The plane home to KL was delayed. Sigh! Sat around the waiting lounge not knowing what to do. Went to the restroom, read something, browse around the kiosks, still no sign of the plane. So, took out my camera and started shooting at planes landing. Here's one of them, though it's a bit blur.

The rubber is about to hit the concrete.

2005-07-30T22:23:00.000+08:00

Home sweet home! Though I enjoyed myself in Bangkok and left with a heavy heart and wished that the holiday was longer, I was actually crying when we were about to land in KLIA. I mean, it's nice to go to another country but it's even nicer to be home. There's a warm feeling to be home. "Negaraku, tanah tumpahnya darahku....."

Waiting for our luggages to appear.

The Re-birth of a Blog

2005-07-30T15:26:00.000+08:00

At last, after much procrastination and delay, ta-daah... I'm back to the world of blogs. Used to have one some time ago but I just left it and don't even remember the user name, let alone the password.

At this moment, what I can think of to post here will be events, things, happenings, people, that are dear to me. It will definitely not be in chronological order. It will be moving back and forth, the present, past, back to present, then past, more into the past, then present again. That kind of sequence. Or what will appear in this blog will be whatever I feel like writing, anything that tickles my gray cells. So, let's see...fasten your seat belts...first gear...and here we go!!!