It'll all be gone

Looking at the rate that old architectures are being demolished to make way for development, by year 2020, most of the historical buildings in Malaysia will be gone.
I am a fan of anything old and antique. Including buildings and architectures. As much as I like new modern high rise, I hope the government or the construction companies will retain some of theses unique architectures.
They can co-exist, the old and new. When I was in Melbourne or Chicago, I am very impressed on how they've managed to develop the city while retaining the past. Really hope that we can learn from them.

Read:
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2012/8/15/central/11852762&sec=central

My Ah Pa

I went to the clinic after work today to collect some medicine for mum but silly me, I forgot her registration card number. As I was trying to describe her to the nurse, I mentioned that her file should be attached to my dad's file. When I mentioned my dad's name, she immediately remembers him. And she goes on complimenting my dad on being the nicest person, always so polite and funny. She mentioned something that touched my heart. She said that 'I can remember uncle not because he is handsome or because he is rich. I remember him as he is always so polite and lights up our day when he comes here.'

That's my dad. 

This brings me back to the incident when my dad sprained his ankle a couple of months ago. When I accompany my mum to the market here, everyone will ask about him. Asking why he didn't come out to the market for few days dy. Young or old, they said they missed his jokes and teasing. 

Yup, that's my dad. 

When I was younger, I used to wish that my dad is younger when my parents had me. I wished for that so I do have to bear the household incomes so soon. I know I am selfish. But I no longer thinks like that. I am proud of my dad as he has shown me much all these years, thought not directly but through his way of working things out.

For as long as I know, my dad is the most dedicated and loyal employee. When he was still working, I think he hasn't taken one day of MC. I used to feel ashamed when I take MC because I have a slight headache or a slight tummyache. He always say that we should not procrastinate (which I failed miserably).

My dad is the most routine based person I know. Sleeps and wakes up the same time. Eats bread with butter and jam every morning. Walks to the market be it rain or shine. I kinda admire that quality in him.

So, dedicating this post to Pa....Hoping you'll stay strong and healthy and happy.

Yogyakarta Day 4 and 5

Day 4 brought us to Solo, an hour (plus) drive from Yogya. Solo is less touristy compared to Yogya. Solo is home to Mangkunegaran Palace and Kasunanan Kingdom, two of the former Royal family.

Kasunanan is a palace that has the architecture of traditional Javanese and European influence. It is now a musuem. We were brought around by this funny and witty guy who keeps making hysterical comments.

We then proceeded to a local antique market. I like all things antique and find this place full of stuff that is hard to come by now.

Next, we went to Mangkunegaran, a beautiful and well maintained palace. Some of the royal family still lives here and they even have two cute to the max puppies. I think the little fellas kind of took the limelight of the visit to the palace. 

Included in the itinerary for the day is a visit to Sukuh, the so called 'erotic' temple. It is full of 'interesting' ornaments. Our guide call it pornographic temple. @@ 

There are many mysteries surrounding this temple. Google it for more information.

Day 4 is not a too tiring day for us. We ended the night with drinks from the hotel lounge, where we were the only patrons there. Enjoying the view from where we're relaxing and sipping cocktails.

And day 5, we bid farewell to out guide and to Yogya! Till we meet again (not in the near future though....)

Some Study That I Used to Know (Gotye Parody)

LOL....some mid-week humour....

I'm no diver but...

I would really really really want to go here...

Raja Ampat in Indonesia....such beauty!!!
Happy weekend everyone!!

Kissenger??

Hmmmmm....ok.......i just find it funny....:P

Taken from the site:

'Kissnger is an application of Lovotics. Kissenger system consists of a pair of robots to transfer kiss over distance.

Kissenger provides a novel way of transferring a kiss through interactive digital media. It provides a physical interface enabling kiss communication for several applications facilitating intimate human tele-presence with the real and virtual worlds.'

More info on:

http://kissenger.lovotics.com/

Yogyakarta Day 3

Woke up to a beautiful sunrise!

Since the place that we stayed is opened by a Korean, the girls have a chance to try on Korean costumes after breakfast. I enjoyed breakfast albeit the food sucks, as it was a cool, windy morning and with the view of the beautiful lake.

Our first destination for the day was to the foothill of Mount Merapi. It was a long walk up and along the way, someone's shoe didn't survive the journey.

We got to see some remains of buildings and areas affected by the volcanic eruption in 2010 along the way.

The last eruption claimed dozens of lives and also the life of Mbah Maridjan. He was named the gate keeper", charged by appointment to the Sultan of Yogyakarta with managing the volcano's hidden spirits. He refused to leave when officials came to tell him to evacuate.



Next stop, Malioboro Road, the city’s main shopping street. The pavements here are bustling with rickshaws and stalls selling art, clothing, jewellery and snacks, perfect place to hunt for souvenirs. Too crowded for my liking but we got some great bargains.

Last stop for the day is Parang Tritis beach aka PARIS. It's one of the most popular beach in Yogya and the amount of people there proves it so.

Parangtritis Beach is very closely related to the legend of Ratu Kidul (Queen of South). Many Javanese people believe that Parangtritis Beach is the gate of Ratu Kidul’s magical kingdom who controls the southern sea.

Our day ended with a little surprise party for SoonYeng. We changed our hotel for the next two nights to Yogya Plaza, a normal city hotel.

Be aware

With all the cruel cases of snatch theft recently, I do have this tinge of fear each time I go out. I'm someone who likes to shops alone and jogs alone. With the cases happening in car parks of shopping malls, this has somehow has affected me in a way. I've lessen my visit to shopping malls (means I've spent less). Everytime I go for a jog, I’m always armed with a small pen. You’ll never know when it’ll be useful.Every morning, walking to the office is like a mission for me. I park quite far (about 15 mins walk away) at Tun Sambathan monorail station. The parking lots are FOC but in order to get it, I must reach before 7am. Normally, I'll reach about 650am and it's still quite dark.
People might think I'm paranoid. With each passing motorcycle, I'll avoid them as if I've seen a ghost. Can't blame me as this is the Brickfields area that we're talking about. Better be safe than sorry. I never carry any handbags, only my laptop bag and I'll walk as fast as I can until I reach KL Sentral.
It's really scary to read on those incidents where the victims were injured. Why need to hurt people when all you're after is wealth? Sigh....What is happening to the world now? I thought people are more civilized? We must put a stop on this by helping each other and doing our part in the society.
And to our dear government, please do something on this!

Yogyakarta, Day 2

Day 2 started before dawn. We eagerly waited for our tour guide to pick us up at 430am to Borobudur. Borobudur is the biggest Buddhist temple in the ninth century and was completed way before Angkor Wat in Siem Reap. Borobudur has 1460 relief panels and 504 Buddha effigies. 

We watched Mr Sunshine peeking from behind Mount Merapi and the mist begins to dissipate while eating our sandwiches.
The base of Borobudur, called Kamadhatu, symbolizes human being that are still bound by lust. The upper four stories are called Rupadhatu symbolizing human beings who have set themselves free from lust but are still bound to appearance and shape. On this terrace, Buddha effigies are placed in open space; while on the other upper three terraces, Buddha effigies are confined in domes with holes are called Arupadhatu, symbolizing human beings that have been free from lust, appearance and shape. The top part that is called Arupa symbolizes nirvana, where Buddha is residing.

I was awestruck by the structure. It was really a wonder on how they have built such a magnificent structure way back before civilization.
We were served breakfast with this delicious banana fritters with cheese.

For me, watching the sunrise in Borobudur is the highlight of the trip. It was just so calm and peaceful. We are lucky that there weren't many people at that time. 

Next, we proceeded to Candi Mendut (Mendut Temple) which is 3km eastward from Borobudur. It is a Buddhist temple, built in 824 A.D. Nearby is another Buddhist temple called Candi Pawon, westward from Mendut Temple and eastward from Borobudur. Pawon Temple is not a grave but a place to keep King Indra's weapon namely Vajranala. This temple was built with volcanic stones. Architecturally it is a blend of old Javanese Hindu and Indian art. 

By mid day, we were on our way to Dieng Plateau, a few hours drive from Yogya. Dieng Plateau is an upland volcanic plain, famous for its scenery and ancient Hindu temples.

Built in the middle of Dieng Plateau, Arjuna temple is one of the Asia's most mysterious temples because there are not many reliefs and inscriptions about the temple. 

Next stop is Sikidang Crater. We were greeted by a strong odour as soon as we arrived at Sikidang Crater. The smell of sulphur can be a nuisance at first but I guess we kind of get used to it by the time we leave the place. The place is still popular for brimstone mining. Despite the strong odour, the steam contains sulfur that is believed to smooth the skin and eliminate acne. Hmmm...

A short distance away is Telaga Warna (the Colorful Lake). It's a bright green volcanic lake that reminds CY of Lake Tekapo in NZ.

I insisted to try Mie Ongklok, the famous must eat dish in Dieng. I loved it. Thought it might not be so clean but I think that's what makes it special, eating by the roadside with wooden benches. 

Our journey back to town was hell-ish was half way through, we had to U turn as there was an accident ahead. It took us double the time to get back.
After a long day, we all went to bed exhausted but excited thinking of the next day's itinerary.

Here's to us

Art of eating sushi

With so many sushi joints popping up, it's so easy to get Japanese food nowadays. I am a great fan of Japanese food but little do I know that I've been eating sushi/sashimi the wrong way all this while.
I read this article in the newspaper and below are a few tips on the right way of eating sushi:
1. Eat sushi with your hand. This is an tradition but if you feel uncomfortable, use the chopsticks. Grasp the sushi with your thumb and middle finger on both sides and the index finger on top.
2. Smudge a little bit of wasabi on top of the salmon (or other raw fishies). The soy sauce and wasabi are meant to sterilize and flavor the raw fish.
3. Do not dip the rice in the soy sauce.This will break the balance of vinegar and rice. The sauce must only touch the fish.
4. Put the whole piece in the mouth with the flesh of the fish touching the tongue.
5. Chew and savour the moment.

Now, that's the correct way to enjoy your sushi.

Yogyakarta, Day 1

Despite waking up at an ungodly hour (3am), we were all excited and wide awake, all the way to LCCT. The smell of coffee from Oldtown Kopitiam greeted us, as usual, together with the crowd. Why so many people travel so early one?!!

The flight took us only 2.5 hours and reach reach Yogya at 8ish. It's already hot early in the morning. The airport is small and the line was long! We pratically have to line up all the way to the runway.

Upon passing through customs, we were welcomed by our tour guide, Mr Corry. Funny guy he is, keeping an eye on FL all the time....LOL.

First stop, to eat breakfast, at my request...:P. He brought us to 'masakan padang'. I've tried better 'masakan padang' in Jakarta last time. Well, throughout the trip, the food is nothing to shout about as it's pre-arranged at restaurants decided by the agent. Should have asked for it to be excluded so we can try the local stalls.

So, after breakkie, we proceeded to Yogyakarta palace (Kraton). We were shocked to see 'people mountain, people sea'. It's a long holiday weekend apparently. Kraton is a famous tourist spot. The place is like a walled city within a city that serves as home to the Yogya Sultans.

The courtyards, pavillions and royal heirlooms were all well-preserved displaying the Javanese culture. We managed to catch an art performance that is scheduled each day.

 Next stop is Taman Sari aka Water Castle. Taman Sari consisted of four distinct areas: a large artificial lake with islands and pavilions located in the west, a bathing complex in the centre, a complex of pavilions and pools in the south, and a smaller lake in the east. This is where the sultans used to come to relax and watch his wives and mistresses dance and bath in the pools. We walked along some alleys and reached a underground tunnel. The tunnel is a pretty place for wedding pictures! This tunnel was used as an escape route if the palace is under attack.

Nearby, we can see how batik and silverware is made. As usual, we spent little time here as we're more into exploring the city.

 Towards the eveing, we headed towards to Prambanan, the largest Hindu temple in the world. This place is famed for it's beautiful sunset and it doesn't disappoints! There are a few 'candi' surrounding Prambanan. I particularly like Candi Sewu, less crowded and it's secluded towards the end of the compound. There's a mythical story surrounding Sweu. Google it...

And so that marks our Day 1. We were then ushered to our dinner and then to our humble abode for the night. It's a unique small boutique hotel, owned by a Korean. Pretty neat place to stay I would say. 

hiccups

Who says wedding is an affair for two people?
If I get to choose, I'll do it differently. Now, don't get me wrong. Everything is going smoothly (I think), just that, maybe I'm getting nervous for the big day. Too many people = chaos. IF I get to do it again from the start, it'll only be a small event with close relatives and friends (not more than 50pax) on a beach or a garden wedding. That's my dream wedding.
We're still getting info here and there on what to buy, what to prepare, what to do on the day, etc. The dtae seems still far but yet, there's not a lot of weekends left to prepare. *panic mode*
And I'm quite disappointed with my wedding pics! Sigh, if only I can do it all over again.
I know it's supposed to be a happy occasion. Maybe I am thinking too much. I should try to enjoy the process rather than worry one the outcome.

Rascal Flatts : I Won't Let Go

Discover this song in my Ipod while jogging and it struck out to me. Uplifting and meaningful lyrics....

Basic self defense...

Few weeks ago, I have the opportunity to attend a self awareness and defense session, an event organised by the company.


Some useful tips:

1. First of all, avoid the situation lor...duh! Like if you see a bunch of suspicious looking people, do not try to act bold and walk towards their path.

2. Always assert self confidence. You'll tend to be a target if you look weak.

3. Always be aware of your surroundings and look for an exit point, just in case. (ie. NO texting or talking on the phone when walking lor...)

4. Imagine a cat when it's being provoked or it sensed danger. It will make hissing sound and try to make itself bigger by fluffing out its fur. Yup, thats's right, if you are being confronted, try to make loud noises like a mad person. This will make your attacker a bit hesitant and you can plan an escape route in that split second.

5. Physical technique, if you really need to use it - poke eyes, the classic kick to the groin, poke the hollow spot at the neck, impact slaps to the ears that will make the attacker lose balance, kick to the shin.

We were taught how to block a knife attack. It's difficult to describe the steps but it works, that is if you remember the steps correctly!

It was overall a very useful (and fun) session. But what the instructor (one of our UK collegaue who has trained the army @@) said is true, when you are caught by surprise, you'll tend to forget everything that you've learnt. So stay calm and think fast!!

Now, who wants a free lesson?

PS: Lots of free videos on Youtube on how basic self defense.

Oh! Ji Ho

I am back! To the blogging world that is...Sorry for the hiatus (not that anyone cares anyway...HAHA). I am still obsessed in watching Running Man. Learnt some new Korean words. Got to know some pretty and handsome Korean celebrities. And this make me wanna...VISIT KOREA!
Latest favourite hunk to slurps over- Oh Ji Ho...

 Love his dimples

 Love his rugged look

Love his body

But not loving this pose...