EyeLog

Idea for Computers Setup

2011-08-08T18:56:00.007+08:00

Compilations of idea for computer room. Got all these photos from the net and thanks for those who posted them up for me to download. Nevetheless i ever dream of a perfect computer workstation exactly like the few last photos. Those are empire workstation that being created back in 2008.

Prosedur untuk blacklist roadtax oleh JPJ

2011-03-05T23:12:00.004+08:00

Jika anda dihalang daripada perbaharui cukai jalan tanpa alasan yang sah anda boleh:

a) Minta alasan bertulis daripada JPJ kenapa anda dihalang.

b) Minta JPJ perbaharui cukai jalan dengan segera jika alasan bertulis itu tidak munasabah dan tidak betul.

c) Jika JPJ enggan mematuhi permintaan anda, anda boleh menyaman/menuntut di Mahkamah untuk gantirugi kehilangan penggunaan kenderaan anda dan kesusahan anda kerana tidak boleh menggunakan kenderaan.

Perkara 13 Perlembagaan Persekutuan

Hak terhadap harta.

(a) Tiada seseorang pun boleh dilucutkan hartanya kecuali mengikut undang-undang.
(b) Tiada sesuatu undang-undang pun boleh membuat peruntukan bagi mengambil atau menggunakan harta-harta dengan paksa dengan tiada pampasan yang mencukupi.

3. Selalunya Perkara 13 ini digunakan di dalam kes pengambilan tanah melalui Akta Pengambilan Tanah 1960. Sebenarnya Perkara 13 ini bukan sahaja melibatkan harta tak alih seperti tanah, tetapi meliputi harta alih seperti kenderaan. Justeru penafian hak memperbaharui cukai jalan dan lesen memandu oleh Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) juga sebenarnya termasuk di dalam penafian hak rakyat terhadap harta. Alasannya jika seseorang rakyat itu dihalang dari memperbaharui cukai jalan kenderaan mereka yang menyebabkan kenderaan itu tidak boleh digunakan maka rakyat itu telah dinafikan haknya terhadap harta.

4. Jika seseorang rakyat telah dinafikan hak mereka menggunakan harta (kenderaan) mereka tanpa alasan yang berlandaskan peraturan dan undang-undang maka Perkara 13 (b) menyatakan bahawa pampasan hendaklah
diberikan. Ini bermaksud jika JPJ menghalang seseorang memperbaharui cukai jalan yang menyebabkan kenderaan tidak boleh digunakan, maka JPJ hendaklah membayar pampasan kepada pemilik kenderaan tersebut.

5. Hujah ini adalah bersandarkan keputusan kes Leonard Lim Yaw Chiang lwn Director of Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan Negeri Sarawak yang telah diputuskan pada tahun 2009. Di dalam kes ini, seorang rakyat bernama Leonard Lim Yaw Chiang telah disenarai hitam dan dihalang oleh JPJ Sarawak dari memperbaharui cukai jalan kereta beliau. Beliau telah memohon kepada Mahkamah Tinggi Kuching untuk memutuskan bahawa tindakan JPJ menyenarai hitam dan menghalang beliau memperbaharui cukai jalan adalah salah. Beliau juga memohon gantirugi daripada JPJ di atas kehilangan penggunaan kereta beliau selama kereta tersebut tidak boleh digunakan kerana tiada cukai jalan.

6. Mahkamah telah memutuskan bahawa JPJ tidak boleh menyenarai hitam kenderaan di atas suatu kesalahan yang belum dibuktikan di Mahkamah. Tindakan JPJ menyenarai hitam diputuskan telah bertentangan dengan Perkara 13 Perlembagaan. JPJ juga telah diarahkan membayar gantirugi kepada pemohon dalam kes itu kerana kesusahan beliau tidak dapat menggunakan kenderaan sehingga terpaksa menyewa kenderaan lain.

7. Justeru di sini ingin dimaklumkan kepada pemandu-pemandu dan pemilik-pemilik kenderaan yang dinafikan hak mereka memperbaharui cukai jalan dan lesen memandu, bahawa hak anda dilindungi oleh Perlembagaan.
Pihak berkuasa tidak boleh sewenang-wenang menafikan hak anda.

8. Berbalik kepada tawaran Kerajaan memberikan diskaun pembayaran saman sehingga hari ini 28/2/2011. Ingin dimaklumkan bahawa tindakan ini tetap salah. Isu utamanya ialah bukan jumlah bayaran kompaun atau denda itu
RM300 atau RM150 atau pun RM50. Isu utamanya adalah, ADAKAH SESEORANG ITU BENAR-BENAR MELAKUKAN KESALAHAN YANG DIDAKWA SEHINGGA MEREKA WAJIB MEMBAYAR DENDA?

9. Perlu diambil perhatian bahawa untuk menguatkuasakan sesuatu peraturan dan undang-undang, sesebuah pihak berkuasa hendaklah juga mengikut peraturan dan undang-undang. Saman tidak boleh tertunggak. Jika ada yang tertunggak maka ianya bukan saman. Saman hendaklah dikemukakan di Mahkamah.

10. Orang yang disaman (OKS) hendaklah diserahkan saman dan diperintahkan hadir ke Mahkamah untuk menjawap saman itu. Jika OKS mengaku salah maka mahkamah akan memerintahkan OKS itu membayar denda. Jika denda dibayar maka saman itu selesai dan tidak akan tertunggak. Jika saman diserahkan kepada OKS tetapi OKS tidak hadir ke Mahkamah, maka mahkamah akan keluarkan waran tangkap suapaya OKS hadir mahkamah. Maka proses yang sama akan berlaku iaitu OKS akan ditanya mangakui kesalahan atau meminta bicara.

11. Jika mengaku maka akan diarahkan supaya bayar denda bagi saman itu. Maka selesailah saman itu. Tidak tertunggak. Jika tidak mengaku maka akan dibicarakan. Bergantung kepada keputusan mahkamah, jika didapati salah selepas bicara, maka akan diperintahkan untuk bayar denda. Selesai lah saman itu. Jika tidak bersalah maka luput juga samann itu. Tidak tertunggak.

12. Soalannya kenapa ada saman tertunggak? Jawapannya pertama kerana saman-saman itu tidak pernah dibawa ke Mahkamah. Kedua kerana yang dikatakan saman itu sebenarnya bukan saman tetapi notis sahaja.

13. Saman Ekor yang dikatakan saman ini sebenarnya bukan saman tetapi sekadar notis kepada pemilik kenderaan meminta maklumat pemandu yang dikatakan memandu melebihi hadlaju. Notis ini juga disertakan tawaran kompaun jika pemilik kenderaan mengaku melakukan kesalahan. Ia dikeluarkan di bawah Seksyen 115 Akta Pengangkutan Jalan 1987 atau dikenalai dengan Notis Pol 170A.

14. Jika pemilik tidak mengaku kesalahan maka kompaun tidak perlu dibayar kerana kompaun itu hanyalah tawaran. Jika pemilik tidak membayar kompaun sepatutnya pemilik disaman supaya hadir ke Mahkamah bagi menjawap tuduhan memandu melebihi hadlaju. Kemudian proses mahkamah yang dijelaskan sebelum ini akan berlaku. Maka saman itu akan selesai dan tidak tertunggak. Masalah timbul apabila pihak berkuasa terus menghukum pemilik supaya membayar kompaun sedangkan kesalahan tidak dibuktikan.

15. Kompaun bukan denda tetapi tawaran. Dendan hanya boleh dikeluarkan dan diarahkan oleh Mahkamah. Bukan Polis dan bukan JPJ. Inilah penyalahgunaan kuasa dan peraturan oleh pihak berkuasa. Mereka bertindak melebihi kuasa yang diberikan. Mereka bertindak sebagai penghukum sedangkan tugas itu hanya ada pada Mahkamah.

16. Justeru kepada semua rakyat Malaysia, ketahui hak anda, jangan mudah terpedaya dengan tawaran dan penindasan. Gunakan hak anda... TIADA SIAPA BOLEH MEMAKSA ANDA MEMBAYAR SESUATU YANG ANDA TIDAK LAKUKAN. Anda Mampu Mengubahnya.

Bagaimana JPJ boleh menhalang pembaharuan cukai jalan?

1) Seksyen 17(1)(d) Akta Pengangkutan Jalan 1987 (Pindaan) 2010

JPJ berkuasa menghalang seseorang melakukan apa-apa transaksi termasuk perbaharui cukai jalan tetapi setelah JPJ BERPUASHATI bahawa seseorang ada perkara yang belum selesai dengan JPJ dan Polis.
Bagaimana JPJ hendak BERPUASHATI?

2) Seksyen 17(2) Akta Pengangkutan Jalan 1987 (Pindaan) 2010

JPJ hendaklah memberikan peluang kepada seseorang membuat representasi. Ini bermaksud JPJ hendaklah menjalankan siasatan adakah seseorang itu ada perkara yang belum selesai. Maka semua pihak perlu hadir iaitu pemilik kenderaan, JPJ dan Polis yang mengeluarkan saman. Perlu disiasat adakah saman yang dikatakan ada kepada seseorang itu betul atau tidak. Sudah dibuktikan di mahakamh atau tidak. Jika tidak maka JPJ tidak boleh menyenarai hitam. Inilah maksud BERPUASHATI

3) Seksyen 17(5) Akta Pengangkutan Jalan 1987 (Pindaan) 2010

Jika dihalang daripada perbaharui cukai jalan maka Pengarah JPJ hendaklah maklumkan kepada Ketua Pengarah pengangkutan, di mana Ketua Pengarah hendaklah maklumkan secara bertulis dalam tempoh 14 hari kepada pemilik kenderaan tentang alasan halangan dibuat ke atas pemilik. Adakah notis ini pernah dikeluarkan kepada pemilik?

Ramai yang masih kabur dan tidak faham hak mereka sebagai rakyat Malaysia. Perlembagaan Persekutuan adalah undang-undang tertinggi Negara. Perlembagaan Persekutuan menjamin hak setiap rakyat Malaysia tanpa mengira agama, kaum, bangsa dan juga fahaman politik. Semua warganegara dijamin hak yang sama. Salah satu hak yang dijamin oleh Perlembagaan Persekutuan ialah hak rakyat terhadap harta. Ini disebut dalam Perkara 13 Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

I Want to Build This On My Land #1

2011-02-15T10:37:00.008+08:00

1st post of 2011. On a lazy day, ntg much to do, i decided to compile up my dream house's concepts to be build on my land one day (so i can always return to this blog to retrieve those designs). Need to pull elec supply, water supply and waste disposal services. I plan to build my house's frames with shipping containers, i-beams, c-channel n other typical n basic building materials. As for the interiors, it will be all up to my own imaginations and what's the mood of that time.

Typical types of Shipping Containers

Below are some designs that i found to be tempting and suitable for msian topography.

Orange in the glass (OiG), outer

OiG - inner 1 - lounge n dinning

OiG - inner 2 - kitchen n island bar

OiG - inner 3 - study n reading

Simple and economical 1

Simple and economical 2

Semi sphere outer frame (alu or steel frames would be better than wood in our context)

Portable 3 storeys tony stark wannabe's mansion

too small for family but nice to guests

Resort friendly

Zen!

when money is extra

Simple n nice

Guest house 2

If the terrain is not level

Open air in the middle to practice tai-chi n mahjong

The below will be how the interior would be

I-Beams for vertical n horizontal supports, cement rendered finishing and wood floor finishing

Retaining the original wall n wood flooring

Glass wall

plastered walls

this one more money involve with marble flooring

glass and wood finishings

Marbles

DIY!! hahahahah

carpet finishings

Will keep compiling designs for this kinda house.

Malaysia's Future in F1

2010-12-10T14:34:00.007+08:00

Visited KL International Motorshow yesterday. B4 I went there, there's a question keep appearing in my head, why the Msia 1st F1 driver, Mr Alex Yoong stop his career in F1 racing? some said he's not good for the race but practice makes perfect rite? so i perceive that it is all have to do with his own motivation or something really makes him think twice to continue on that road.

KLIM 2010 is as good as before, so nothing special except all the local automobiles manufacturers potraying their future concept car. Perodua has a nice range of new cars ahead of them. Proton also has their own share in that but as the oldest local car manufacturer they go a little extra mile,... they reveal their future proton F1 car! Kudos!! we will soon have our locally made F1 machine.!!

Proton's F1 car!!

100% made locally and is on display at an International Motorshow!

I guess it's a left hand drive car, 1st left hand drive F1 car...awesome! Squarish exterior adopted frm the stealth bomber design i guess for aerodynamice and aero cuttings and increasing downforce too! i guess it will be a front wheel drive F1 machine.

1Malaysia and now is 1Proton... so i guess they put all the other proton's cars into that very ONE car. fiber spoiler, aluminium exhaust/muffler, and a 17" wide tires n of course, blaupunkt sound system for the driver to enjoy while overtaking those machines frm merz, beemer, volkswagen, etc...we can do it!

very unique tail light...remember that shape... that's what the other drivers gonna see when this monster is in the track!!... the whole way!

the interior...

the designers had achieved this project within budget! look at the steering.... reused and cut there n here a little bit to comply with the weight limit and comfort of the driver of coz!

ohh.. this machine, u have to shift the gear the old fashion way, with a gearknob, not like what most r using now.. smart shifting on the steering. the gearknob can also act as a weapon incase other drivers decided to ask u mano o mano, pull it out and u have ur very own taming sari! after defeating ur opponent, put it back in and stylishly drive away without looking back.

the powerplant of this F1 machine. Campro etc etc, not really sure, they don't let us go near it!! so i guess it will be 2.0cc.

This F1 machine can runs on NGV, diesel and petrol at the same time! tripple the power but economical!

the front bodykit that aims to increase downforce and reduce drag

Now for me, i think i know why alex yoong stop his dream in the F1 racing...

Aiden Mark Williams-Chan

2010-11-07T16:47:00.002+08:00

After I returned from England, I was very kindly invited by both Eva and Derek to Canada to visit my Godson. Godson. I feel funny even mentioning the word Godson. Eva and I were friends since our days in Sunway. A rather odd friendship at that time considering she is a Singaporean and I, a Malaysian. Even though my best friend is a Singaporean, does not stop me from kutuking Singaporeans hiaks.

We were friends since we were 18, and now we are 28. Many things happened in 10 years. If anyone knows me better than Loon, my sisters, my mum or myself, it will be Eva, despite being thousands of miles away.

Besides Loon and my parents & sisters, Eva was there when I got my first job with William CH Tan, she was there when I got the offer to work with OSK, then a universal broker. She was there when I made the decision to leave for England and has always been there to encourage and support me when I am homesick and discouraged in England.

I don't talk to her every day but when there are important events or updates, she will be one of the first to know. My friendship with Eva means a lot to me - one loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives.

Aiden is Eva and Derek's pride and joy. I am extremely honoured to be asked to be Aiden's Godmother. Being a Godmother comes with certain responsibilities. The realisation of this makes you want to be a better person and think of the consequences of your actions. I was thinking for quite a while what do I want to teach Aiden. And secondly, how best to teach him considering I am so far away from him.

Dear Aiden,

Extremely honoured to be your Godmother. I am not exactly the Godmother or Mother material, but thanks to your mum for the vote of confidence. You must be so special that I flew many many miles to see you and mummy.

I am not such a good kid when I was younger, ask my sisters and my mum. I was so bad that my dad threatened to send me to Salvations Army.

In my teens, my younger sister, Jesmine called me Satan's sister. So you can imagine what a horrid I was.

When I grew older, I met Uncle Meng Loon, perhaps the only person who could control me. haha!

I am too young to be judged a successful person or not, nor am I a person with the best of characters, but there is something which I want to share with you, which both Uncle Meng Loon and I really believe in and we remind each other this whenever things are difficult. It is this - "There are no short cuts to any place worth going."

When you grow older, do what you want and like to do. It will be easy to see a man who works only for money and one who truly loves his job. Once you are good enough at what you do, the money will come.

Whatever you choose to believe in when you grow older, you must always remember this. Do what is right and honour God above men, because then, you will find favour in both God and men.

There is no better and powerful way to show you these than for me to live my life like what I shared with you.

Lots of love,

Godmum & Uncle Meng Loon xoxo

Food, food and FOOOODDDdd

2010-08-07T18:27:00.008+08:00

It has been more than 2 mths we never update this blog. just to be fair to this blog, update a bit what happened for this couple of months.

Studying in library

Study groups in the library

Visited the Roofz at Lot-10. Showing finger becoz for standing the whole time altho tony sponsored 2 bottles of JD.. kimek

Choy going to throw the glass on the speaker... reality.. it's dark there.

Back in kuching for popo Maylia's bday at swak club. 1st time there!

My wife before devouring all the food

The setup of bday party

Bday gal cutting bday cake

Halal steam oyster sauced garlic spring onion prawn, near 'green mountain' kuching

Some kicapted fish

Bday boy eating bday flower becoz the food was late

Best grilled thinly sliced beef i ever have!

Combo cakes as bday cake

Taufu i think.. forgot already

Dinning out of Engineer Corps at Royale Chulan Hotel

Me not in messkit in messnight... test for height

Messnight with Perak Sultan

The regt tombo

My usher

The food

BONJOUR * CIAO

2010-05-21T10:42:00.021+08:00

This is a post which has been long due. Late June, mum came over to London to be with me for the last 2 weeks of my English life. Surprisingly, she wasn’t as jet-lagged as I thought she would be. Viva Vitamin C and Multi-Bite. Haha!

The aunties and the uncles have been nothing but welcoming and helpful towards both my mum and I. They will call often to ask if everything’s OK, arrange trip to Bicester (highlight!), arrange meals and even on my last day, they were with me *sob sob*.

First of all, praise God mum was able to arrive in Heathrow despite the volcanic ash crisis. Thank God we were able to continue all our travels without hiccups.

Based in London, it was easy to travel around Europe. I was thinking where should I bring mum when she’s down. I really wanted to go to Barcelona, Madrid (KAKA!) and Milan, then again, I thought maybe mum would appreciate Venice and the French Riviera more.

Mum's time in London, I did manage to bring her jalan-jalan and see most of the sights but if you see the pictures she took, you'll see 1000 species of floras. I found out that Eva's mum love flowers too... hrm...

We flew to Venice via Ryan Air. I've used Ryan Air a few times and it's quite funny - the whole experience. Ryan Air is proudly Irish-owned. Despite thousands of complaints in regards to how the airline company approach and handle issues/complaints, they're still 'proudly the only airline company that has the lowest record of delays.' After each landing, you can hear a sudden military trumpet playing at the speaker proclaiming exactly that.

There's 2 airport in Venice - Trevisio and Marco Polo. Preferably you stop in Marco Polo but Ryan Air stops only in Trevisio (about 1 hours bus ride (ATVO Bus €5) to Venice's Piazzala Roma). From Pizzala Roma, you'll take the ferry bus (vaporetti) to Piazza San Marco... we stayed in a hotel just 3 minutes from Piazza San Marco, Villa Igea. Nice hotel, very convenient location and very good breakfast.

Food in Venice are priced averagely €10. We tried a variety of pasta whilst in Venice. Mum said the only pasta she's eaten is Spaghetti Bolognese. Not only mum, I myself have not been too adventurous when it comes to Pasta. In Venice, personally I think it's important to pay a bit more and stay near St. Mark's square. There's no taxi in Venice ie when you're lost, you're on your own... esp at night. But Venice is very safe. Mum and I got lost on our 1st day and we walked and walked deeper into the maze of Venetian buildings. By 7pm, no water taxi or Gondolas were working, so it's only Bus No. 11 that will take you home.

Venice is all about its canals, bridges, palaces and gondolas. It has about 400 bridges (famous one is Realto Bridge)... famous people from there, you might know... Giacomo Casanova, a Venetian so famous as a womanizer that his name is synonymous with the art of seduction.

Although I did not travel extensively, I must say I've never been to a place quite like Venice. The atmosphere, the walkway, the sceneries, the sight of churches and canals all in 1... indeed, it is truly an experience so unique. I am quite happy mum actually liked Venice, she woke up early in the morning to walk around and take pictures etc.

Near Venice, there's the Murano Island. It is famous for its glass-making. In 1200s, all the glass makers in Venice were forced to move to Murano Island, due to the risk of fire. Murano glass makers were prominent figures in the city. I don't know if it's still like this today, maybe not but they are still very highly regarded. If you stay at certain hotels, like ours, there will be a water taxi service bringing you to Murano Island (20 minutes away) catered by a particular Murano factory. They bring you there in style hoping you'll part with your $$$ buying their products and send you back via water ferry! I must say the Murano glass products are really really beautiful. I was almost tempted to max my card...

I find that I like Italians most, comparison to other Europeans. I think mum too. I like their language, their food, their persona and their warmth. As for Venice, it was really refreshing to not see cars and traffic.

After a few days rest in London, we headed to Nice, South of France. My first impression of Nice - just like old movies, the luxurious apartment balconies overlooking the sea, countless classic restaurants, the Promenade Des Anglais. We stayed near the PDA, just not overlooking the sea. Mum, as usual had a morning walks, taking pictures etc.

The first night, mum and I walked along the promenade and it was very nice and relaxing and scenic. Why Promenade Des Anglais (Walkway of the English)? Because back in the days, English aristocrats spent their winters there due to the 300 days of sun! Nice is also one of the earliest human settlement.

The next day, we enlisted for a tour around the riviera and found out we're the only 2! We had the guide all for ourselves! A private tour would have cost close to a thousand euros! Silvio was our guide for the day and he is... guess what? Italian! He speaks Italian, French, Portugese, Spanish, Russian and English. What a mouthful. He's a wonderful guide, he knows a lot and he's very friendly and we felt very at ease during our tour. Because there were only the 2 of us, he was a bit more unconventional and brought us to many other sites. We went to Grasse (world's capital of perfume), Antibes (Picasso spent quite sometime there and port of some of the super super yatchs), Cannes (no intro needed after the recent Cannes Films Festival), Gourdon & Tourettes (magnificent feudal and medieval villages), St Paul De Vence (art haven and haven of the famous but I did not see any on that day).

At Grasse, we were enjoying Fragonard... one of the 3 major perfumeries (Molinard & Galimard. Grasse was known as the world's capital of perfume for the very reason that it produces 2 thirds of France's perfumeries and many 'noses' trained and spent time in Grasse. Noses are people who create 'parfum' and they are less than 10 in the world today. So you can guess they are very well paid.

At Antibes, we visited Port Vauban, the largest yatching harbour in Europe. This old port was the heart of the ancient Greek city of Antipolis and its history includes Ligurians, Romans and Crusaders stop on their way to the Holy Land. We saw Tatoosh, a superyatch owned by Microsoft's Paul Allen and another yatch with no name, owned by Roman Abramovich as many would know as owner of Chelsea FC. and many more super yatchs just screaming "$$ laundering"... tsk tsk tsk... I'm just saying...

Mum just loved Gourdon and Tourettes, I can just see her expressions! She just loved the ancient villages with beautiful provencal houses with FLOWERS everywhere! We had our lunch at Gourdon - at a picturesque restaurant overlooking the valley! The view was breathtaking.

We spent the day in Monaco the next day. You see pictures of the royal family everywhere. What I expected to see in Monaco, I saw. The Monte Carlo casino, lush floras, port view of super yatchs, super luxurious hotels, lamborghinis and ferraris and bugatis, formula one grand prix etc etc. First half of the day we were wet! So we spent the whole morning in a cafe.

I love South of France and most of all, I love my company.

Re-Routed to Belgium

2010-04-19T03:00:00.011+08:00

Having completed my thesis, and before I return home, and thinking of giving myself a treat, Katie and I decided to go for a long weekend. We booked our long weekend to Stockholm... 2 weeks ago. The morning of the day we were supposed to fly off, I received a call from Katie "Look Cindy, I know we're always joking and all, but we might not go to Stockholm tonight. A volcano in Iceland erupted and I'm not even joking!" My response was only "Yeah right." "Go check the internet!"

True enough, a volcano did erupt in Iceland the night before and its ashes were blown to UK and most European airspace, causing most airports to shut down and all flights cancelled. We were really disappointed. I was and still am sick of hearing the word volcano and Iceland now - that's all we hear now! My sympathies are with those stuck in airports worldwide. I can only imagine the horror that they are going through. And those with family who has no money to take alternatives ie bus/train or even stay in a hotel. Loon would have turned into Incredible Hulk and jumped home from wherever he is, if he's one of those stranded in the airport.

Instead of feeling sorry for ourselves, Katie and I booked a Eurostar weekend to Brussels. It was really last minute but we managed to get a reasonable package. Just 1-2 hours after we've booked our trip, news on TV were saying the Eurostar is sold out as stranded passengers took alternatives.

Grand Place

Once in Brussels, we thought... OK! Stop feeling sorry for ourselves... if that volcano did not erupt, we would have been in Sweden, staying in The Sheraton Stockholm. We were packed for Sweden! Oh nevermind! After reaching Brussels, we reached our hotel, which was not in the centre but near to the train station, which was good. Room was good, but Katie was excited to see the fitness centre until she SAW the fitness centre. Her exact words "It's revolting, Cindy! It's horrendous! It looks like someone will get murdered here!" muahahahahahaha. The hotel is more like a business hotel, everything looks really nice, except the fitness centre.

The first day was quite cold ie 10C. Then the 2nd and 3rd day was heavenly - for Katie. For me, it was nice but a bit too hot - 16-17C. And Katie likes to sit under the sun, which was unusual for me, you seldom see a chinese girl try to tan herself... but I enjoyed just talking to Katie nevertheless.

There's nothing much in Belgium except chocolate and mussels. There are nice buildings but again, I've been overdosed with magnificence so for me, it's more to chocolate and mussels. Turn left, right, front - chocolate shops.

Belgian Waffles just before boat ride

From Godiva, Corne Port Royal... and whatever names, heavenly Belgium chocolate. We tried the waffles in Brugge, it was really that good! Waffles + banana ice cream + chocolate cream = magnifique. And then, I discovered Beer. Something I hated all these while. Normal beer = bitter, nothing nice or tasty. I tried the Belgian St Louis Raspberry Beer, it was surprisingly good. We thought since we're here, why not. And then, we each drank a glass of beer EVERDAY whilst sitting in a cafe under the sun ie Katie's favourite past-time. I even bought back 2 bottles of the same beer! haha.

Her fav Cherry beer. Mine is raspberry beer.

The mussels were good but after 1 dinner of mussels, you won't want to eat mussels for the next 1 year. It was just too much!

We spent our 2nd day in Brugge, 1 hour train ride from Brussels. €14 return. Brugge is something like Venice. You'll see a long canal in the middle as well. It's nice with little shops and music and nice coffee etc.

In Brugges

1 thing I liked about Brussels and Brugge, was the cute cafes and restaurants. No matter how busy they are, you can just sit there and relax and talk without feeling rushed. And their toilets are clean. I've been to quite a few cities where their toilets were unacceptable. Maybe I've just been to a few, but the 5 toilets I visited were clean.

Oh, the Belgian language is a mix of German+French. Thank you is Dank U, it's TQ in German as well. And they say Bonjour when they see you, so it's French. Katie only taught me Merci Beaucoup.

Anyway, this trip was truly relaxing and we just talked and laughed a lot and did stupid things together.

It was really fun for me and I had a really good time. Now I just hope mum's flight will be OK. Whatever it is, if it's meant to be, then be it. No point feeling angry and all. World events seem to be revolving around me ie collapse of investment banks, coldest winter ever and now... volcano eruption stalling european air traffic. I really hope I won't see the apocalypse in my lifetime.

Vienna, the city of music & Fin-de-siecle Budapest

2010-04-07T06:26:00.012+08:00

After the year end accounts, 31 January tax return dateline and before I start with deutsche, I thought I should have a good rest. So I suggested a supposedly relaxing trip to Vienna and Budapest via Bratislava to Jesmine and Royce. It was a relaxing trip, but the word relax did not apply to both my legs. I have never walked that much in my life!

Anyway, back to my eastern europe trip. Jesmine, Royce and I flew to Bratislava, the Slovakian capital a bit like Sarikei/Bintulu (was about to say Miri but that would definitely anger my cousins) en-route to Vienna, the Austrian capital. The distance from Bratislava to Vienna is like Ampang to Sunway or perhaps Klang. Although near, there is nothing similar about Vienna and Bratislava.

Vienna is a beautiful city. Vienna is also synonymous with music, being the home to Mozart, Beethoven, Frank Schubert and Johann Strauss. When we were younger, we watched a movie about Johann Strauss Jr and how this King of Waltz composed his greatest ever masterpiece, The Blue Danube. And I remembered so clearly Jesmine decided to take up violin thereafter. She was quite good then and we played together a few times.

We went to Bratislava via Ryan Air. It was really cheap but we've been warned about Ryan Air. Not to indulge in further details, Air Asia is much better. In fact, Air Asia is much better than EasyJet. Not saying that because I'm from Malaysia and Air Asia is a Malaysian product, but because I've travelled a few times via Easy Jet and Ryan Air, I feel Easy Jet and Ryan Air lack common sense. When you travel via Ryan Air - read the small prints. When they say 1 hand carry bag, that means you can't carry a handbag and another bag, be it plastic bag or laptop bag. And if there's any muck-up, you WILL miss the plane. Don't kid yourself that 'they'll understand my situation', they won't. Easy Jet also dua kali lima. When they say check-in time 2 hours before flight, mai keh kiang line up before that thinking the earlier the better because Loon and I had to queue up again after we queued for more than 1 hour because when we reached the counter, the check-in for our flight was only opened at 2pm. It was 1.45pm when we reached the counter. Then again, can't expect first class when you don't pay first class.

From Bratislava's Stefanika Airport, you can find buses taking you to Vienna just outside the airport. It costs €10 at most per person. In Vienna, they speak German. They can speak good English and are more friendly than Parisians who refused to speak in English even when they are conversant. After going to a few cities, I find Vienna as my favourite city. I just love the feeling of music and efficiency combined. Vienna is clean and the people dress very well. I've seen baroque and classical architectures in other cities and Vienna's is as magnificent as the rest but there is just something about Vienna that I really like. Some people say Vienna is too clean, well, it can never be too clean. Ancient giants like Rome and Budapest should learn from Vienna. You don't see many graffiti as you do in Rome and Budapest, and as tourists, you will be put off by graffiti.

Vienna's transport system is very efficient, modern and of course, clean. Except the doors of the trains aren't automatic, you need to yank open the door when you wish to enter or exit. Many times I just stood there, expecting it to open by itself like it did in London. Then you'd listen "Oi!!! Open the door la!" from Jesmine.

If Jesmine is writing this, she'll write about the architecture and how astonishing the design/art/carvings are etc. But I've been to Rome and Paris where the architectures and grandeur were A-M-A-Z-I-N-G, so I was looking for something different in Vienna.

We stayed about 3 minutes walk from the Westbahnof Station. Basically, there are 5 lines in the underground system, U1, U2, U3, U4 and U6. Don't ask me where's U5.

Typical picture of the Viennese Underground

The heart of Vienna is the Innerestadt - the area that lay within the city walls, until they were demolished in the mid 19th century. The center point is Stephansdom, a gothic cathedral, which is surrounded by the wide Stephansplatz. Some of Vienna's most beautiful buildings were built along it, among the most important are the Staatsoper (State Opera House), Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts), Naturhistorisches Museum (Natural History Museum), Parlament (Parliament), Rathaus (City Hall) and Burgtheater (Palace Theater).

Night view of St Charles in Karlsplatz

Mozart was baptized and married in the chapel, and he later died in Stephansdom.

View from North Tower, Stephansdom

Stephansdom is named after St Stephens, a martyr of the Christian church who was stoned to death at the gates of Jerusalem forty years after the birth of Christ.

The crypt of Rudolph, from the House of Habsburgh, one of the most important royal families of Europe, one of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors and rulers of Austrian and Spanish empires who originally came from Switzerland.

An artist work reads 'I forgive you' - the 'I' and 'you' are unknown

I view Viennese as proud people. Proud in a good way ie proud to be Viennese, proud of the German language and will accept no nonsense. We were at the Stephensdom, and took the tour of the catacomb under the Stephensdom. Talking about the catacomb, I scared Jesmine and Royce about how the catacomb in Paris was like ie dirty, wet and eerie... only to find the catacomb in Vienna to be cleaner than my flat will ever be. The tour guide, a very clever and no nonsense looking man told us that he will only be speaking in 2 languages ie English and German. An Italian women asked if he can speak in Italian, and his exact answer to her was "You come to Austria and you have limited understanding of Deutsche and English, that isn't very intelligent, is it?" wo... how rude... and incredibly proud! But it is the true and I really liked him for being so straight forward. "I will not be conducting the tour in Italian, I think it's best if you get a refund for what you've paid for." and showed her the door.

Typical Schitznel aka Pork Chop (nothing too special, Malaysian Pork Chop maybe tastier)

If you like cheese, you'll like this - can be very pricey

My highlight of Vienna is the visit to Zentralfriedhof ie Central Cemetry. There lies Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Strauss and Hadyn to name a few. If you visit the site, you won't find any information on where the most interesting graves and crypts are, fair enough as it's a working cemetery and not a tourist attraction.

Entrance of ZentralFriedHof

Sesat in Zentralfriedhof

Johann Strauss II Tomb in ZentralFriedhof

Beethoven's Tomb - a rose each to some of my favourite composers

I've played piano classically since I was quite young and since forever, my aunty Charlotte (also my music teacher) had been drumming symphonies, movements, sonatas, concertos composed by these music geniuses. So it made this trip extra special for me. She must have had the worst time drilling into my thick skull appreciation of music and how these geniuses made all the difference to classical music. I wasn't too interested then, I was only interested in playing songs I like at that time ie pop songs and all those rubbish. omg I was also so into backstreet boys and take that and boyzone... sia soi wa now. So I must mention that the trip to Vienna was special because my mother was willing to spend tens of thousands of ringgit then in my music education. If you think about it, many parents even today think music education isn't as important as maths tuition for example. When I say music education, it means proper classical music education and not playing recorder or castanet in primary school. But knowing how to play a music instrument is special to a child. It will not help you secure a job or get 20As in SPM but having had the chance to learn a music instrument, I know there is a difference. So if you have the financial means to support your child to take up a music instrument, why not?

In the baptismal chapel where Mozart's son was baptised, the base of South Tower.

After 3 days in Vienna, we took a bus to Budapest. Orange Bus it's called. The service, in particular the 'bus stewardess' on that day - 3 words... KA NA SAI (like shit). First of all, understanding of English - even uncle rubber tapper's English back home is better and she's just insincere and rough! Not cut for customer service la. Sometimes I just don't understand how is it acceptable that you can't speak good English or understand simple English phrases when your country is heavily dependent on tourism and you're sort of front of house! Of course I don't expect them to speak perfect English, even I don't speak perfect English but at least don't ask me 'what' 10 times. Travelling around made me appreciate how Malaysians in general speak fairly acceptable English. I have friends like Seademon, Lillian, Cheryl, Alice, Hope, Eva (although Singaporean but still considered Malaysian) and Mandy who speak and write superb English. Then again, for Malaysian to speak English with grammar mistakes - standard too low lar... but for these Europeans who can't sum up an English sentence - EXOTIC ma! Cis!

If you have more money, you can travel by train, it's faster and you might not need to tolerate illiterate wannabes. We had a really good apartment (7Seasons) in the centre of Budapest. Very modern and fully equipped apartment and very reasonably priced. In Vienna, Jesmine was in-charged. In Budapest, Royce was in-charged. And did I tell anyone that the distance I walked in Budapest is equivalent to the distance I walked in total for the last 1 year? Basically, Budapest is divided by the Danube River ie Buda and Pest. We stayed in Pest and when we were at Buda (di bawah bukit), we had to hike a small hill to the Citadel (on top of the hill). And then walked all the way down, cross the Blue Danube via Margaret's Bridge to Pest and took a train back. It was a good walk, but very tiring.

Magnificent St Stephen's Basilica in Budapest

Down town Budapest

Traditionally dressed Hungarian boys and girls

Fishermen Bastion in Buda Castle District

At Heroes Square

Budapest is different from Vienna. It gives a totally different vibe ie people dress well but not as well as Viennese. Dirtier but structures are magnificent especially at night. Very romantic city and people are perhaps less educated although culturally rich! Except those working in the hotels and tourist attractions, the rest of the population can't even understand "what time do you close" even with hand signals. I think I made Budapest sound awful, but don't get me wrong, Budapest if BEAUTIFUL, maybe more beautiful than Vienna or even Paris but I wish the people there watch more MTV, the more entertaining way to learn English.

The beautiful view of Buda Castle from Pest

Walking towards the Buda Castle

Finally, it was time to return home... I had a good time with Jesmine and Royce and wish Loon was here. I can imagine him standing at 1 spot for 1 hour perfecting a picture - but it's nice to see him so engrossed. Also wish Pearly was here... it'd be great.

The must-tries in Budapest, Caramel Almond Coffee, and traditional delicacies

Famous Pixie, with Buda Castle as background

So here you go, another write-up to encourage friends to travel if time and money permit. I should perhaps rephrase that, money, we can always earn, time, we can't... so find time to travel.

Dry Dock for a Tugger

2010-03-10T22:58:00.018+08:00

I had been given the task to oversee a Dry Docking for Intermediate Survey of a tugger [overall length = 22.2m, breadth=8.2m and draft = 1.2m(3.9m)]. Our company also need to rectified all the foundings by the class on the intermediate survey that being carried out by their surveyors.

We used muscle to pull this ship up the slipway, too muddy!

The heavy rain did not help at all!

The Upslip process been conducted on 17 Feb 2010 at a slipway that is capable to handle 250tonnes of vessel. The process started at 1830H on that day as the highest tide were to be expected was 5.6m on 1930H. All the chock preparations had been carried out days earlier. We had divers to standby to confirm the vessel’s seating on the chock. By 1835H, the tugger was on the slipway and been pulled up with manual help at both side of the slipway to ensure that there’s no collision onto the wall. It rained heavily on that period and accompanied by strong wind. We successfully docked the tugger at around 2045H that night. Reconnect electrical supply for the ship’s crew as requested by the owner’s rep. Packed and call it a day at around 2200H. Ship safely docked with alternative power supply and fresh water supply from the dock. All manholes had been open for ventilation purpose for the visiting surveyors in 48hrs time before the ship being upslipped.

1st night on land

On 18 Feb 2010, we continued with high pressure wash on external hull of TB3. This was to prepare for the paint integrity inspection by Jotun’s coating advisor. The coating advisor came at around 1330H that day to carry out his inspection. On 19 Feb 2010, 2x surveyors from SCM came and inspected the vessel. A total of 18 rectifications needed by the surveyors. Discussed with owner's rep to carry out the additional jobs. The survey finish after lunch time on that day. O-group at workshop for jobs briefing for all the workers on what to do for the next day.

Surveyor doing their job.

Under a hot sunny day, CNY!

On 20 Feb 2010, with a crane moved into location and staging had been built, few jobs being carried out concurrently. We removed zinc anodes from the hull. Removed sea chest in preparation of grid blasting and painting job. With the help of the crane, we removed the rubber fender and the holding chain and subsequently removed the padeyes. Another team of welders were doing jobs on the bulwark area. Cropped the dented bulwark as per initial job scope and cropped the port and stbd towing rope guide to be renewed with new piece. Life rafts being removed from the vessel to be inspected and service. Fire extinguishers being collected at one point for the same purpose. Alternative fire extinguishers were put on place while the ship’s set were sent for inspection and service. Rudders end clearance were taken and both rudders were removed in the afternoon with the help from the crane. Portside propeller was removed by the end of the day. Jobs in removing the propellers involved fabricating of alternative padeyes underneath the aft hull of the vessel. After unscrewed the conenut of the propeller with special tools, we managed to manoeuvre the portside propeller out from the shaft with the help of chain blocks. The propeller then was lifted up onto the side by using the crane. We called it a day after that.

Welding the bulwark

Sunshade

Anal job

Facelifting

In progress

Removing the propeller's nut, yes.. no safety cause we don't have a HSE officer! hahaaha

Ninja gaiden at work

On 21 Feb 2010, continued with removing the starboard side propeller. We encountered difficulties in removing the propellers. Concurrently another team was doing the installation of new padeyes, cropping and renewing new bow metal fender pipe and installing newly refurbished bulwark piece with new wordings on it. Variation order incurred. The portside propeller’s shaft being pulled out partially in the afternoon. Jobs of loosening the starboard propeller were carried out until 1830H to no avail. Call it a day at 1930H after securing all the tools and working equipment. High tide did not raise until the skeg level of the vessel.

On 22 Feb 2010, with crane in location, we managed to move out both shafts and propellers to be send to workshop for their refurbishment process. Before doing that, with both shafts being partially pulled out, the clearance had been taken. Both propellers will be refurbish back into shape and static balancing will be carried out for both the propellers. Prop shaft will be remetalled and machined back to shape. Starboard side prop shaft found to be not straight and coldstraigtening process will be carried out to straighten it. Other jobs being carried out concurrently. Cropped and remove aft plate of port and starboard side. Deck cracks being rectified. Relocation of ship’s bell being carried out as well.

On the 23^rd Feb, jobs being carried out were such as replacing all the manholes gaskets, removing ship side valves to be brought back for servicing and cleaning in the workshop. The propeller’s shaft, propellers and rudder were carried back to workshop for rectification works. Both propeller’s shaft had grooved for about 2mm. The propeller’s shaft were then being remetalled and machined back to size and stbd prop shaft had to be coldstraigthen. Dye penetration test was carried out at the keyway of the propeller’s shaft to make sure there’s no cracks in it. As for the rudders, heat fairing jobs being carried out for the starboard rudder as the upper plate was slightly dented. Both rudders were sand blasted and then being painted with undercoat and anti fouling paint. Each rudder was fixed with 2x zinc anodes of size 6B. The propellers’ blade (tips) were being brazed back to normal and balanced. Concurrently, all body works being carried out towards the end of the week.

Propellers blade remetalling, brazing process

almost finish piece

Bangla welding style

drilling holes for zinc anode to fit onto the existing nuts

coldstraigthening process being carried out in the workshop

mahaguru determining the straightness.. no need laser technology k

Machining process to crop away accessive metal

On 1^st Mac 2010, works of installation began. After installing new padeyes, installation of new chain holder for the tyres fender being carried out. Concurrently jobs of installing propeller’s shaft with new forward and aft cutless bearings also being carried out. With both the propeller’s shaft in, new tailshaft clearance was taken. Installation of new zinc anodes was also carried out as well. Ship side valves being fixed back with new gasket as well. Fixing the propellers were carried out afternoon and by the evening, both propellers were but without tightening the nuts as by then, the tide was coming in fast.

On 2^nd Mac 2010, works started with tightening the propeller’s nuts. After that had been done, rudders were being lowered down via crane and being fixed too. New rudder’s clearance reading was taken. Jobs of tightening all the internal nuts for the forward cutless bearings (stern bush) were carried out in the engine room. This was to ensure that water will not flood the whole engine room and resulting the ship to sink. All ship side valves were made sure tighten. A 2 round checks for the ship side valves were carried out with the Chief Engineer and 2^nd Engineer. 1x SCM surveyor came down for checking of all the vital parts that need to be sure.

Pushing in the prop shaft

with new stern bush, it's harder than it look

On 3^rd Mac 2010, final touch up works were being carried out and checking also being carried out together with the Chief Engineer. The serviced life rafts, fire extinguishers and new floats were sent onboard. Rubber on the water tight door at steering gear compartment was supplied and installed. Spindle for the fire hydrant at engine room was replaced and the mesh cover for vent head was replaced.

On 4^th Mac 2010, the ship was downslipped at around 1930H. Both gensets were activated to supply electricity for the ship on that night. Minor leakage was found on the propeller’s shaft packing glen for cooling water inlet. Wrapped both the area with clothes to minimise the water entry rate and called it a day as rectification jobs need to be done when the tide was low.

With new propellers and new paint

Looking good to go!

New holding chain for fenders

Final piece of rubber fender to go in

Finished product

ready for action

last night on rest for the next 2 yrs

On 5^th Mac 2010, jobs of rectifying the leakages being carried out. We found that leakages also occurred on the stern bush joints as initially the chief engineer told us not to fix gasket for that part. Removed the flanged cutless bearings and gaskets were fabricated as fast as possible to be fixed before the next high tide. The next day, both main engines being powered up but the starboard M/E didn’t activate. Chief Engineer reported this defect to owner’s rep and once again we were requested to rectify this problem together to fix back the gasket. Jobs being carried out at 2300H until 0630H 7 Mac 2010. All problems solved by then and the ship is ready for operation.

The work force

Overall test with the ship’s chief engineer was satisfactory and all found to be back to normal. Service reports being signed by the Master and our job is done.Bon Voyage. Now is time to become Ahlong and collect money from the owner! cipet.

Job Journal - Project Star Explorer

2010-02-25T21:09:00.007+08:00

This is my 1st post regarding my new job in Malaysia. A simple job but took ages to complete due to spare part + CNY + everyone involved in CNY mood. Must thank the Marine Superintendent of Sang Muara for being very helpful and proactive in dealing with the owner(s) 'why so expensive's attitude. Another it will be one of the many series of jobs that I had involved and completed and will serve as a online update resume! hahahahahahah (as advised by tonyice)

On the way on back of lorry gohdardee

Tugger with a kapult genset

Headed a technical team consisted of a service engineer and 2 skilled technicians + 2 trainees/slaves/runners/teh tarik ice's boys to tugger ‘Star Explorer’ at West Port, Port Kelang, to carry out overhauling of one unit Perkins Sabre 6TWGM Marine Genset engine (Port side), in-situ with tugboat still in operations, during our normal working hours on weekdays. Our works been carried out on 28 Jan 2010 at 1000hrs after boarding the tugboat. We started to dismantle all the accessory parts, exhaust and inlet manifolds, intercooler tubestack, lube oil cooler, circulating cooling water pump , raw water pump, etc. Then we removed the flywheel assembly, pulley assembly, drive gears cover, all the drive & drive gears. Lowered the engine sump casing in order to have access to the connecting-rods and loosened all the securing bolts accordingly. Then we removed the cylinder cover, rocker arm-unit, cylinder dead, the pistons & connecting rods from the engine block for cleaning and inspection by owner's rep.

Royal Engine

The culprit

Dismounting

Half day job...

More to do

Due to limited space on the portside of the engine room, we disconnected the engine from its base mounting and negotiated the engine slowly with few chain-blocks to move the whole engine towards the middle of the engine room where we continued to removed the main bearing keeps and shaft ends keep, lifted out eh crankshaft for cleaning and inspection.

Layout inspection

After inspection with Sang Muara’s Marine Superintendent on 29 Jan 2010, we concluded that most of the small end bearing (bushes) of piston had worn and gudgeon having carbonized spots. With that we suggested that a new set of pistons are required to avoid unnecessary problems in the near future. On that day, we took all the pistons and connecting rods back to our workshop to de-carbonize and final checking. Cylinder head intake and exhaust valves dismantled and de-carbonized. We found that all intake valves and exhaust valves grooved and pitted deeply. Removed all cylinder liners for renewal with owner’s supply..... this is the lagging part.... only can proceed on after CNY!! had oil all the parts and wrapped them up in plastic.

After CNY - We cleaned all the crankshaft crankpins thoroughly and air-blowed through all oil holes, and oiled the crankpins thoroughly before re-assembly. Servicing had been carried out for the fuel pump assembly as well as intercooler for the gen set. On 17 Feb 2010, we carried out the reassembling job onboard Star Explorer. It was a difficult task especially when the tugboat was on operations. Upon completion cleaning and checking, the engine was reassembled with new parts (supplied by the owner) and re-used back whatever items not supplied by owners and all tightening were torque-up as per instruction manual and the rocker arms tappets were checked to correct clearances as per instruction manual aka toyol.

Have to wait for owner's rep to be ready for commissioning.. another lagging...On 22 Feb 2010, refitted all accessories, manifolds and connections. Upon completion of the task, we filled up the oil-sump, purged the fuel pump, fuel lines primed and the fuel injectors. After purging, the engine was test-run at lower RPM in the presence of Senior Technician onboard to his satisfaction. Engine being kept running for 2 continous hours. No problem

After running-in as requested by the Owner’s Rep, the genset was then run at normal RPM and put on-load on 24 Feb 2010. Overall test was satisfactory and all found to be back to normal. A job that really like working in a sauna room + noisy + unstable. the best part will be when u go back home, wash ur hand and start to dig ur nose for all the black gold!

a happy tugger

CONGRATULATIONS MIN-GIN

2010-02-06T22:34:00.004+08:00

Heartiest Congratulations to our friend Ming and Ginny for making the very promise and commitment Loon and I made to each other quite a few years back. There were many hard and testing times but there were also many fun and memorable experience only shared between the both of us. Cheers to Min-Gin!

The Art Of A Good Marriage

Wilferd Arlan Peterson

Happiness in marriage is not something that just happens.
A good marriage must be created. In marriage the little things are the big things. It is never being too old to hold hands.
It is remembering to say "I love you" at least once a day.
It is never going to sleep angry. It is at no time taking the other for granted; the courtship should not end with the honeymoon, it should continue through the years. It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives. It is standing together facing the world. It is forming a circle of love that gathers the whole family.
It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy. It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is not looking for perfection in each other. It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of humour.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow old. It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal. It is not only marrying the right partner; it is being the right partner.

~Loon & Cindy

Sisters' Trip 2010

2010-02-05T17:03:00.005+08:00

I had a great holiday with Jesmine and Pearly for the last 2 weeks or so. We decided to settle for South West and South England visiting Oxford, the Cotswold, Bath, Wells and Stonehenge in Wiltshire. We rented a car from Europcar, a VW Golf. Very comfy and stable. Drove like 120 miles also no rasa. Pearly somemore can sleep behind. Lawfully, only Jesmine can drive, but South West and South England witnessed a somewhat MichaelSchumacher in VW Golf. Last spotted in KL 2 yrs ago in black vios.

Our first stop - Bicester! Bicester is a shopping haven for branded goods. The reason we stopped here - Pearly! She claimed she's deprived of shopping in Russia.

We were in Bicester for 5 hours practically. Not that many people because it was a Friday. So we didn't need to queue. At around 6pm, we drove to Bourton-on-the-Water, one of the villages of Cotswold. I first came here with Aunty Dilys and Uncle Alex. It is really beautiful, the picturesque English countryside. We stayed the night at this little B&B just 3 minutes walk from the main square. Really nice room and good breakfast. For as little as £60 for 3 person. We walked around Bourton-on-the-Water in the morning and proceeded to Broadway, another village of Cotswold.

Bourton-on-the-Water

In a tea house in Broadway

After Broadway, we drove all the way down to Bath. Bath is also a very famous and beautiful town in the south, we did not stay the night as intended because all the B&B were full. We drove around Bath for about an hour and parked to have our dinner at Weatherspoon, Loon's favourite pub/rest (Chillis concept). The trip was fun and adventurous because we made plans ie book B&B as we go, thanks to Jesmine and her laptop and the 3 dongle. We spent the night in Wells in a farm house B&B. Very nice and comfy - most of the B&B here are I believe.

The Circus in Bath

We visited Wookey Hole Village as well, first intending to visit Wookey Hole Caves but changed our mind when there was practically nobody there - scared. The caves have been used by humans for around 50, 000 years and the low temperature means that the caves are used for maturing Cheddar cheese. Heard about this from Aunty Ann who brought Mae here last year, so decided to make a stop.

After the short drive around the village, we decided to visit Wells Cathedral. We have seen great cathedrals before, after having seen St Peter's Basilica, Vatican and The Notre Dame and Sacre Cceur Basilica in Paris and La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, we thought oh well, how great can this one be. Well, it is very grand and very interesting. Entrance is free and the church ground includes close looks at where the vicars used to stay as well as the bishop's palace and the park around the bishop's palace. The Vatican and other notable cathedrals are very grand but give you very limited access, can't be blamed though - security.

In front of Wells Cathedral

Walking around the Vicar's Close - walkway connected to the Cathedral ground

Entrance to Bishop's Palace

We proceeded to Stonehenge in Salisbury right after that. Always heard of the place and finally went. Quite interesting but don't expect a lot from there. You are only driving towards a vast land to sekelompok of batu. Very beautiful though. Archaeologists had believed that the iconic stone monument was erected around 2500 BC.

Stonehenge

Finally, we drove to Oxford to have dinner at the same time to visit a good friend, Sean Stevens. Sean studies in Christchurch and very kindly brought Jesmine and Pearly around his college. Christchurch's Great Hall was depicted in the movie Harry Potter.

Dinner at Pizza Express

When you are in London, you have to experience the west end theatre. I went once with Aunty Ann to see The King and I in the Royal Albert Hall. We decided to watch Wicked in the Apollo Theatre in Victoria. It is good and commendable.

Pearly flew to Moscow early this morning. Jesmine will return to Middlesbrough tomorrow. Our first Sister's Trip was in Lang Tengah and then Langkawi (with bro-in-law). This is our third and we look forward to the next one and many many more. Wish you were here TML. Cheerios!

No 2 and No 3

2010-01-22T06:46:00.002+08:00

No 2 is arriving tonight... woo hoo... got maid hehe... that's why I did not sweep the floor for the last 2 weeks...

and No 3 is arriving next week... shopaholic!

All the best hubby for your CE interview later, you'll do fine I'm sure... :P Don't eat too much in Siu2 like I said otherwise luak...

When We Were 17...

2010-01-10T03:23:00.011+08:00

Loon left for KL yesterday - now stuck in Dubai (failed to appear in time for his connecting flight to KL due to the delay in Heathrow) for more than 15 hours - I'm certain he's enjoying himself in a comfy hotel room and FOOD, and watching house of flying daggers! Monday will be a big day for Loon as it will be his first day of work as a civilian. I'm excited for him as well - do well, Loon!

Anyway, was looking through old pictures especially old school pictures and laughing like a lunatic by myself. We were 17 years old 10 years ago. Gosh, guess we're old now! But life has been very exciting and I'm sure we've achieved a lot in 10 years. I have been talking more regularly with 2 old friends lately, Lillian and Cheryl. Cheryl was my best friend in school but now her best friend is the RPM bicycle in California Fitness. If all of us are individual programs from a satelite TV, Lillian is MEASAT 3. She told me off about my anti-social behaviour about keeping in touch with old classmates... my usual excuse since last time... busy. Thinking about it, it was my fault really, should have kept in touch with many classmates...

Like my grandmother and my mother, I went to St Mary's Primary and Secondary School in Kuching for girls.

Pearly, Jesmine & I (Pearly & Jesmine were Greenians - Pembelot)

I believe this was in primary school where we all sang Tropika! ... I found the song in youtube sung by some indonesian maid in a belukar.

We even had plays like Sang Serigala... I think I was penduduk kampung

School was filled with interesting incidents like when we were in primary school, Catalina Rembuyan tried to stab Lillian's eye with a 2B pencil. Catalina later joined Malaysian Idol and sang her version of Zombie, she was dubbed the Malaysian William Hung (gosh, I'm mean!). I really admire her courage and guts though.

My birthday party with friends - mum, I believe Lillian almost puke out the yoghurt you made everyone eat...

In primary school too, a group of us were so convinced a cave behind our school was haunted we established 'Kumpulan Penyiasat'. Even created logo and song for our club! It was hilarious... how we conducted our hypothesis on certain made up incidences and ate maggi mee in the canteen with a good view of the haunted cave to evaluate our findings! Those were the crazy days. Oh, we even thought the primary school toilet was haunted. Some teachers even fuelled the crazy allegations of japanese soldiers hanged in the spot where the toilet stands. Cis!

Kumpulan Penyiasat (Nasa, Sabrina, me, Catalina)

And then came secondary school - it was quite fun despite the rebellious antics everybody seemed to develop but oh well, it was quite fun. Maybe I was the worst - I wasn't too popular due to my anti-social behaviour, my best friend, Cheryl. I think she's the only one who could understand me - maybe she's the only one whom I gave a chance to understand me. There was also Yong Syn, who clicked with me due to our interested in music, piano specifically. More to rivalry sometimes as we had the same piano teacher, my dad's cousin, Aunt Constance. And then there was Alice - she was the new girl whom I grew quite close with until she grew closer to Yong Syn... Alice used to make the loveliest chocolate muffins/cookies. She's quite musical as well. I believe both are doing very well now in their own fields... Yong Syn will be married soon... my heartiest congratulations to one of my closest childhood friend!

Alice, me, Lillian and Yong Syn - Reservoir Park Kuching

I was also quite close to Yi Yann, we go to/fro school together almost everyday. Yi Yann was the school editor and she's a very hardworking girl. I believe our friend is a mother to be soon... again, congratulations my friend! Lillian, bila lagi?

I don't know why they didn't let us drink in class - eat, I understand but why can't I drink if I'm thirsty. Well, no rules applied to me as I drank and ate as I liked - worst part, I was sitting right in front. My neighbour was of course my best friend Cheryl and behind me was Lillian. The 3 of us - contributed 80% of the noise pollution of the whole school. Ironically, Cheryl was assistant class monitor... I think her appointment was a strategy, to elect one of the noisiest girl in school so she has a sense of responsibility ie shut up and encourage her other 2 friends to shut up as well... clearly, the teacher's strategy back-fired. With more power, Cheryl recruited more chatterboxes. The head monitor, Ina went berserk. Oh I must mention, Cheryl, although she's very lovable, but she has this bad attitude of laughing at people... like if you fell, don't count on sympathy from her, she'll be laughing the hardest. Maybe she can't control it... well there's this one day when she fell and she didn't dare tell anybody. I only noticed it when I saw blood on her pinafore and saw her bleeding knees... muahahahaha...

I must say our class, was quite divided, everyone had their own agendas. My class accounted 70% school prefects, school editors, club presidents and sports captains, you name it we had it - we could even change the clock to go back earlier and no one would notice it if we wanted to (Coz Yi Yann was in charged of ringing the bell). We had immunities wherever we went/whatever we did. It was very fun.

And then, I also had fond memories of peeping over to St Thomas' with Vero. Vero is this unusual native girl who speaks Hokkien... so we clicked quite well. And because her laughters are very contagious, she clicked well with Lillian and Cheryl too. I also remember Sharon Nani quite well... because she's easily the prettiest girl in school... and Angelina Bong. Angel and I had our share of catfights if you would call it, but all's good now that we're older - truth is I've never seen her since Sunway, so I don't know whether all's good or just we forgot about each other's existence. haha.

And then there was Diana Jinap who's one hell of a girl... I really like her no-pretence attitude but made headlines in the teacher's room everyday maybe. And her close friend was Delilah. Delilah was all-smiles. Be it in trouble or not, she's always smiling, so sometimes a bit misleading you won't know the real situation. Serina was the youngest. I remembered her quite well because she lives near school and sometimes we go over to her house. And Vasantha, our Mariah Carey. She's the prettiest Chindian girl I know...

In school, we witnessed countless cultural dances and performances unique to Sarawakians (Puteri Santubong). Before, I thought it was boring considering having to sit through them like more than 50 times in my primary and secondary school career. But now, I quite miss them. I used to witness good Iban Ngajat at some relative's house during Hari Gawai - hope I can see them again soon. Oh, Sharon Nani was (maybe still is) always very good at them... I think most of us are not as lembut... quite cho lo so can't do ngajat.

My last year of high school was really fun. I think the most memorable one was the whole class representing the school for the choral speaking competition against the likes of St Joseph, St Teresa and St Thomas. I think that was the first time when we were really united. Even then, we learnt what politics were. Our CM aka Pek Mo and most of his konco-konco graduated from St Joseph's, so they hardly lose any competitions - LOSERS! hahahaha... I have many good Josephian friends, no offence. In fact, Loon and I were matchmade by the a Josephian who owned the oldest door (Ellis Rd house) or the oldest tribe statue/carvings in Sarawak - he deals in antiques. And another good friend, also a Josephian who most likely will be the sole supplier of best quality mattress in Borneo - maybe you are already sleeping on 1.

Us during Choral Speaking

(I know it was quite childish - but that was the time I happily vented my anger on some friends I didn't favour muahahahaha how fun!)

Then it was graduation time - 5 Science 1 with Ms Thilaka (background YB Block - the oldest block in the school, a bit more than a hundred years old)

Well, it's more than 10 years today, all have our own lives and all have our own achievements. I truly believe what I am today is somewhat contributed and affected by each of my classmates - good or bad. I know I've MIAed for the last 10 years (damn!) but wishing all a GREAT 2010.

I've taken the following illegally from everyone's FB for my greater benefit hiaks... thanks in advance. :P

Adeline (right) and I met again in Southport. She's now engaged to Mostyn, erm... a Josephian. Met Mostyn, a really nice guy - more and more Josephians are nice lately :)

My wedding with 20% classmates... Was I the first to get married? Hrm...

This kind of position (near food), Cheryl (right) is always in it. With Chua Chew Huii at Lillian's wedding I believe.

Nasa (left) and Vero (right) - I have very glamorous friends too now... :) Very happy to know some of my friends are doing very well in business...

Delilah... where's Samson?

Lillian (left) and Yong Syn at Lillian's wedding - ane sui!

Cheryl aspires to be a gym instructor so financing her studies/research (by going to the gym everyday) with her day time job - an engineer.

Alice and Zhu Ming. Alice is now in NZ...

Vasantha our pretty Mariah Carey... oh is your brother still available? Jesmine might be interested.

And to my dear husband, Happy 6th Anniversary and thank you for all your sacrifices.

Indeed, we have come a long way.

POMPEII

2010-01-03T19:42:00.007+08:00

I have always wanted to go to Pompeii. The site of Pompeii is located in western Italy in a region called Campania, near the Bay of Naples. Campania is a fertile plain, blessed with soil rich in phosphorus and potash. In ancient times, the region's crop yield was six times higher than the average of the rest of the peninsula. Pompeii was under Hellenistic influence and was the center of Greek administration and Rome took control about 290BC.

You can find many tours from Rome to Pompeii, it will costs between Euro 100 - 120. We used The Appian Lines - quite a good pick. The tour lasted 13 hours (moved early in the morning) and lunch is provided in Vittoria Hotel (I think the only hotel in Pompeii). Wealthy Roman citizens looked to Pompeii and the Gulf of Naples as a relaxing vacation area.

Earliest self service (above)
the house of a rich man with elaborated marble entrance (below)

A typical middle class family house (above)
Earliest laundry. The tour guide said they used urine as detergent (below)

Roman Bath (you will notice that the male bath is much better than the female's)

The destruction of Pompeii was solely contributed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius at 79AD. Mount Vesuvius caused an earthquake at 62AD. Quite a devastating one. For the next seventeen years Pompeii concentrated on repairing the damages the earthquake had caused, determined to make their town even more splendid than before.

One of the earliest brothel - catalogues painted on wall for clients to choose - uncomfy bed
The sign of the penis and the scrotum meant brothel

Signs of the upcoming eruption began at 79AD. Small tremors shook the ground, but the quakes caused so little damage that few paid any attention to them. Springs and wells also dried up, which in ancient times was often interpreted as a sign of the gods' displeasure. Then the earth began to rumble and crack, and the usually calm sea gave way to giant waves. The volcano burst open early one morning with an earsplitting crack. Smoke, mud, flames and burning stones spewed from the summit of the mountain, sending a rain of ash and rock through the surrounding countryside. Pompeii was covered in a layer more than 30 feet thick of volcanic ashes.

One of the morbidly fascinating results of the 79 A.D. eruption of Vesuvius is the large number of holes found in the volcanic deposits around Pompeii that represented corpses of people and animals that were buried by the hot ash.

This person apparently saw the end was imminent and curled up to wait to die.

Then, the memory of Pompeii and Herculaneum faded into a legend. The Renaissance (14th century) were quite interested in antiques, thus the realisation of the legend. They began to dig ancient writings about Pompeii and what lay beneath were also unearthed.Pompeii was found during an excavation that began at 1748.

When you enter the city of Pompeii, you will be awed. It was amazing to see early civilisation so connected to our day to day living today, only today we make it more sophisticated, but the principles are ancient. Sometimes in conversations we tend to say "Tem pai tu oo lor!" - last time already got! But actually seeing something which dated back more than 2000 years ago was really an experience. If you are in Rome, do try to come to Pompeii or Ortia.

Our Italian trip is a very educational and humbling experience. Wishing family and friends a blessed and prosperous 2010 - May this year bring inspiration to reality through hard work, perseverance and determination.

Love,
Loon & Cindy... and Gon :)

VATICAN

2010-01-01T06:34:00.014+08:00

The Vatican - it needs no introduction. Some people say Saudi Arabia may be the richest due to its oil reserve - well, after visiting the Vatican - I beg to differ. Not too far from our hotel but we decided to use the taxi anyway coz it was raining. Oh, if you are in Rome - make sure the taxi fare starts at 2 Euro, we only found out on the last day - got cheated for the last few days - charged at 4 Euro!

The view of St Peter's Basilica and St Peter's Square is breathtaking as you drive in.

I remembered the shameful experience of me sleeping in the Louvre in Paris. Yes - sleeping in one of the most famous museum in the world. Why? Coz' everything's French, no translation whatsoever. My only highlight - Mona Lisa painting and Ming tricked me into asking the museum guards where they placed the Last Supper!! It's in Milan Madam, not in the Louvre. I am sure I will find the Louvre as captivating as any artistic soul - I just needed some enlightenment. So this time - Loon and I joined a tour for the Vatican City. Yes it is expensive - but by paying 45 Euro each, you get to enter the Vatican Museum & grounds with an experienced guide and most importantly, you beat the line. I never gave much thoughts to 'beat the line'. Last time, Pearly asked me to book the tickets to Edinburgh castle early to beat the line - well the line wasn't too bad. Perhaps 50-100 person in line? When they say you better book early (I mean 1-2 months in advance) to visit the Vatican to beat the line - it means beating the line to more than 1000 people... I am not joking! Or maybe more... Loon and I were so thankful we took the tour and 'beat the line' as we walked towards the main gate - people were practically lined up around the parameter of the Vatican City (more than a mile long along the city walls)!

You need to be careful though on which tour you follow... when you reach St Peter's Square, you will suddenly be swarmed by a group of tour operators trying to get you to join their tours. We were supposed to be led by a New Yorker, Brendan... but Brendan was stopped by a group of Vatican undercover officers on suspicion of being an illegal tour operator. Brendan may be illegal but luckily the tour company isn't - to make us all happy - they sent their best tour guide - Angelo! From the moment he started talking - we knew we'd have a good time. Being a graduate of European Arts and Drama - we had the best person to do the job. He knew what he was talking about and he knew people in the Vatican quite well - making our tour much more interesting - like only our tour group got to walk the secret staircase where the Pope walked etc...

leading a group of 30 in a very packed Vatican Museum was not an easy task

The Vatican Museum holds the greatest art collections in the world, the museum is most famous for its spiral staircase, the Raphael Rooms and the exquisitely decorated Sistine Chapel famous for Michelangelo's frescos. Without a tour guide - everything you see may look the same. With a tour guide and some homework before your visit - it gets really exciting. You learn about Michelangelo, Raphael and Bernini. I find art quite boring most times - but if you know why Michelangelo drew this and that, you will appreciate the art and you will suddenly find yourself wanting to study European Arts. haha... It is hard for me to explain word by word what I understood and learn from the whole experience - these pictures do not bring enough credit to the real thing - it is nothing we've ever seen before.

Porphyry Tub

Every precious art work especially from Ancient Rome - the Vatican has it. Its most precious treasure - porphyry bath tub. Caesar used it to place food (to maintain freshness of food - coz' the stone is cold) and for orgies. Porphyry is extremely rare and rumour has it that it's extinct and only the Vatican has it now - in 2001, it is worth Euro 21 million, now it's priceless. The guide joked that when Ancient Rome experienced the devastating earthquake, most things fell into the Vatican.

The Vatican is guided by the most loyal soldiers in the world - Swiss Guards

I used to think it was the Gurkhas - but just learnt it is the Swiss. One of the requirement of being a Swiss Guard is 'good looks' haha... their service - 5 years. Sadly, it was found that the Swiss Guard has the highest suicide rate amongst military/uniformed men. Their uniform is designed by Michelangelo.

Inside the Vatican - there is a shopping centre for Vatican residents. They mainly sell branded goods - 20% below tax free prices. Can we shop there? No, only Vatican citizens can.

I must however mentioned what I've learned about the great Michelangelo from the visit to the Vatican: -

1. Why Michelangelo's work on sculpture is perfect? Because he performed a lot of forbidden autopsies on male bodies. He knew very well how every muscle, ligament, joint and bone worked, which allowed him to recreate them through sculptures with great accuracy.

2. It is very difficult to do frescos.

Not supposed to take pics in the Sistine Chapel but CountLoon insisted. Well if you're caught, your camera can be confiscated and you risk being shouted at by the guards. As Kodak won the contract to clean up the frescos, the Vatican gave them all writes to the frescos for quite a number of years, maybe 15-20?

Michelangelo initially refused to do the Sistine Chapel. Frescoing is the technique in which layers of plaster are laid and the outermost layer is painted directly before the plaster is completely dry. The plaster soaks up the paint, so it does not lay on the surface but becomes part of the plaster. The plaster can only soak up so much paint, leaving very little room for correcting errors, short of breaking out a section of plaster and starting over and this means Michelangelo painted the entire ceiling of the Sistine Chapel with no mistakes!

3. Michelangelo simpan dendam! Michelangelo's "The Last Judgment" fresco featured naked figures. A few of the Pope's right-hand men wanted to censor the painting (their efforts known as the "Fig-Leaf Campaign"). Biagio da Cesena, the Pope's Master of Ceremonies, complained to the Pope that those frescos fitted brothels and public baths and not the holy place and this didn't sit so well with Michelangelo. In the bottom right corner of the picture, there is a rather ugly old man standing there, nude, with a snake wrapping around him.

4. Michelangelo is a very jealous man.

The Pieta is a depiction of the Virgin Mary cradling Christ's body, presumably just after it was removed from the cross done by Michelangelo koko when he was just 23.

This masterpiece has been behind bulletproof glass since a madman attacked it with a hammer in 1972. Michelangelo disguised himself and hid in the shadows trying to overhear people's conversations upon seeing his creation; when he heard every other artist's name but his own given credit for the work, he sneaked in late at night in a fit of rage, and carved into Mary's sash: "Michelangelo Buonarroti, Florentine, made it."

Inside St Paul's

Angelo also told us that the popes were lara croft the tomb raiders in some respect. During the construction of St. Peter's Basilica, they conveniently swiped whatever marble had remained from ancient Rome - from the Colosseum steps, from the Palatine Hill and Hadrian's palace, and especially from the Pantheon. They just stripped the ruins of anything valuable - marble, bronze - leaving the ruins in a worst state than they already are.

I am sure we are both more enlightened after the trip to the Vatican - makes me want to visit the Louvre one more time - with a tour guide of course.

S.P.Q.R

2009-12-31T06:53:00.017+08:00

S P Q R reads Senatus Populusque Romanus and means The Senate and the People of Rome - appears on inscriptions on monuments and public works around Rome. Just so you know - I was trying to guess what it stands for since I arrived. Loon treated me to a trip to Rome - partly to celebrate our 6th anniversary. :) We went on Boxing Day - it was raining but it did not dampen my spirit to walk north south east and west - the surprising part was my normally walk-lazy husband was walking around happily despite the drizzles!

We stayed in Donna Laura Palace Hotel - perhaps about 1/2 hour walk to Piazza Del Popolo, the entrance to all the other famous Piazzas ie Piazza Navona (Julius Caesar was killed near here), Piazza Venezia, Piazza Colonna, Piazza Di Spagna (Spanish Steps) etc. The hotel was very comfortable and food was no problem (pizzerias and cafes behind the hotel). We ate pizzas, peppers, mushrooms, gellatos everyday!! yummy! Pui liaw...

Piazza Del Popolo, above and Piazza Navona, below

Piazza Colonna - the obelisk of Marcus Aurelius detailing his Roman campaign. He is depicted in the movie Gladiator, the emperor who was murdered by his own son.

We have divided our Roman trip to 4 - Eternal Rome, Imperial Rome, The Vatican and Pompeii.

ETERNAL ROME

I have always admired Samantha Brown's job in Passport to Europe - perhaps my imaginations of Rome were mainly derived from her show. High on list of my must visitsis The Spanish Steps, the most famous square in Rome with its 136 steps and the fountain of the Barcaccia by Bernini, who also designed Piazza San Pietro, the colonnades in front of St Peter's in the Vatican. Loon said "Hamik lai? Lau tui nia ler!"

Of course, a short walk away, we reached the Fontana Di Trevi - it's more beautiful in real life than in TV. Loon spent quite sometime just taking pictures - hamik angle tu hip!

We also visited The Pantheon - according to our tour Vatican tour guide, the Romans believe, those who have come to Rome and not visit the Pantheon are jackasses. Most buildings in Rome are very grand - I went to Paris, I admired the grandeur of the architectures, it is really beautiful there too but the fact that most of the ginormous and beautiful Roman buildings are constructed and completed and refurbished more than 1800 yrs ago, some even Before Christ. The Pantheon's "how-did-they-do-that" is its dome. It is stated that the upkeep and maintenance of the dome are only made possible by skilled rock climbers. It is the largest unreinforced concrete dome.

Augustus (some say Hadrian)'s Pantheon and its dome, below.

The Pantheon was the oldest temple for pagan worship, burned down twice and refurbished by the Emperor Hadrian, now commissioned a church - Santa Maria Dei Martiri. Also buried there are 2 kings of Italy, Vittoro Emmanuele II and Umberto I. There's a golden lamp above the tomb which burns in honor of Victor Emmanuele III, who died in exile in 1947. It also holds the mortal remain of Raphael, the great artist and his fiance, he died before they could marry.

Piazza Navona is built on the ancient site of Roman Stadium of Domitian, in the centre, there's Fountain of Four Rivers, Fontana Di Quattro Fumi, which was used in Dan Brown's Angels and Demons as one of the Altars of Science.

IMPERIAL ROME

If you are not too fond of all the Piazzas and fountains and paintings and frescos and statues and obelisks which can be seen all over the city - you must be gobsmacked by The Colosseum, The Palatine Hill, The Capitoline Hill and the Roman Forum. After seeing Imperial Rome - Loon said "Wa ai ki China!" He's convinced The Imperial City is much more impressive - we have yet to see.

The Colosseum - if you can afford to pay for a private tour - do so. For 25 Euro each, you get to enter The Colosseum, The Palatine Hill, the Roman Forums and a tour guide. The line is long (perhaps an hour or even more) if you decide to queue even as early as 9am and you will be a bit lost walking around not knowing what is this and that - even after you've watched Gladiator 3 times. Loon and I decided this time that we won't save on tours - coz' I really would like to know the insights through somebody who is more insightful. The Colosseum is as impressive as I imagined it to be. Even at its much decayed stage now - compared to its magnificent original self during the Flavian Empire, it is still very grand. Fully marbled, sat 50K Romans easily, the Colosseum was constructed by Emperor Vespasian 72AD for gladiatorial spectacles - most famously depicted in the movie Gladiator starred Russel Crowe.

Inside the Colosseum. Ancient Roman could not see the columns/passages we see today as the arena was covered by a big stage made by wood for gladiatorial spectacles.

There's an eerie feeling though when you walk around the Colosseum, it was estimated that 500,000 people and over a million wild animals died in the Colosseum games.

Every good Friday - the Pope leads a torchlit procession towards a cross in the north wing of the Colosseum, where the Emperor used to sit - grand stand.

I spent quite sometime there just admiring how smart people were even at that time - fire and safety was thought rather carefully, entrances and exits, very cleverly positioned - but the thought of human ingenious and labor used for cruel and wild human games - so cultured but yet so uncultured.

Md Nor (Loon's Skot)'s wife and kids and Maximus' Skot

The Imperial Rome tour educated Loon and I about the Roman Empire. Some of the most famous ones (which I've never really heard considering the only history I've ever studied and tested was Sejarah Melayu about Hang Tuah and Melaka, now even Hang Tuah is taken out of Sejarah Melayu - why the hell did I bother study Sejarah Melayu in school!) - Emperor Vespasian (Flavian Dynasty) and his 2 sons, Titus and Domitian. Vespasian built the Colosseum and Titus commissioned the Colosseum. The Flavian rulers are considered to be good emperors who cared for the people. I always tend to ask "So is the king good or bad?" You never know at those times - obviously siaw lang also can rule. Nowadays, there's no obviously siaw lang rulers not even dictators.

You also have Emperor Nero - obviously siaw lang - spent so much until the empire was in debt by the trilions - thinking about it - maybe there are obviously siaw lang presidents and prime ministers living in our world today taking into account how debt ridden we are. Nero was so hated by the people and the senate that his statues were disfigured and records re-written to erase him from history - the only bust statues of Nero is kept in the Palatine Hill in Mussolini's villa.

Us in front of Mussolini's Villa (he considers himself an Emperor, so chose the Palatine Hill as his residence), the white slabs behind us are marble slabs dating back to the first century.

Of course you also have Emperor Augustus - the loved and simple emperor. To show how simple a life he lived, you can visit the Casa Augustus in the Palatine Hill - which we did not due to long queue and we had to meet Md Noor, Loon's scot in front of the Colosseum.

The Palatine Hill, the most important of the seven hills (according to legend, Rome was build on 7 hills) and where the imperial palace was build with a surface of 80,000 sqm. You can only imagine how magnificent and beautiful the imperial palace was - only ruins now although you can see some original marble slabs here and there. It even held a private stadium for the emperor. According to records, archeologists believe there are many floors still unearth but they fear the whole hill will collapse should they dig deeper.

these marbles decorated the entire walls of the imperial palace

the whole vast area used to be covered

We also visited the Roman Forum - social place for the Roman politicians - where you can also see the Arch of Titus, Constantine Basilicca, Temple of Vesta, Temple of Caesar, Temple of Vespasian and Titus and the residence of the Vestal Virgins. The Vestal Virgins were priestess to maintain the fire of Vesta and considered of high status in the Roman society. They were chosen from respected families from the age of 10- their service 30 years. There goes the saying - life begins at 40!

Overlooking the Roman Forum

Me standing in front of Constantine Basillica (Ancient Roman Bank)

It is very exciting to see all the Ancient Roman ruins, discovered by chance many of them. I wonder how it is building a house/doing extension on your house and while digging, you hit something - very likely you'll discover something from Ancient Rome - in your backyard.

To be continued... The Vatican and Pompeii

Merry Xmas Everyone!

2009-12-25T20:11:00.004+08:00

Wishing you all a Merry Xmas and a prosperous 2010!

A new dawn ahead

Daun sirih

Wishes from us

An Outdated Post - Edinburgh

2009-12-07T06:28:00.009+08:00

My wife n I went to edinburgh n aberdeen during summer 09. forgotten to upload all the pics coz too bz with life after that trip. we had not planned much for this trip n it's kinda an ad hoc event. so, the easiest way to get funding for this trip was to visit the our friendly neighbourhood casino n luckily we got all the funding we need.

Win some money in the game, then off we go to aberdeen n edinburgh

Didn't take many pictures of aberdeen. it's not an interesting city. the buildings are dull n grey. many ships docking there tho. went there for an offshore exhibition where in the middle of the hall, an active mini casino had been setup where it attracted the most visitors. good idea for making an exhibition a success.

Some weird pictures we took during our journey.

right - cheapest B&B in town

Edinburgh is nice! lots of attractions. it seems that all the ancients n long dead are still alive there. i met william wallace by the roadside n managed to convince him to come to swak to fight for our freedom frm the hand of 'he who not to be mentioned n u know who i mean'. william is doing his visa to enter swak. then we also met the last white king of uk b4 being ruled by the Queen now, yes, n again just beside the road too, to b more precise, beside william. last king of england n william wallace r buddies now. Hallelujah! both of them live in edingburgh castle that being protected by the scottish dragoons who dine in the mess run by the red coats.

in n around edinburgh castle

One thing i love bout edinburgh is their spirit of eating! when come to food n drink, morale is not an issue. that's a good motto to live n die for! hahahahahahaha. the other thing is how they treat their military x servicemen. another good idea to bring into msia, of course, i need funding in doing that. any bumiputra partner wanna jv with me. i need them to get watever license kinda hoo-haa frm the local government.

main attractions. the porkie still sleeping, served fresh

Famous local attractions/products - waitress - 'white lemonade, white coffee or our white pussy?'

bottom left - this is how u bury the alive as a dead

The local breakfast is a meal one must try! i would strongly recommend to take that meal around 10am or 11am or just at the limit of the end time. it will last till ur dinner, a late dinner for me. it's a nice place to walk around too. the street is full of performers and lots of things to see n a good place for photographers. whenever u see a 'heart' sign on the ground, just kneel down n kiss it k. the local believes that it will bring good luck in ur life for the next 8 years!

exhibition in aberdeen with casino n some northern style food n buildings

CSI on the ground with the 'love' shaped design that one must kiss when see it around edinburgh!

It's a nice place to visit. too bad that we didn't have much time to tour the nearby towns. they have day tour for that n it's cheap too. if one wanna visit edinburgh, i do suggest a 4 nigthts, 5 days trip will just be nice. don't forget to kiss the heart shape where u can find alot when u stroll around there! go chase ur luck!

There'r Reasons For Us To Know Each Other

2009-12-05T18:44:00.009+08:00

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.

"What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered. He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed this warning: "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house!

There is a mousetrap in the house!" The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray.. Be assured you are in my prayers."

The mouse turned to the cow and said, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap . . .. Alone.. . ..

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house --the sound Of a mousetrap catching its prey.The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it. It was a venomous snake whose tail was caught in the trap. The snake bit the farmer's wife.

The farmer rushed her to the hospital. When she returned home she still had a fever.

Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup. So the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.

But his wife's sickness continued. Friends and neighbours came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. But, alas, the farmer's wife did not get well.... She died.

So many people came for her funeral that the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them for the funeral luncheon.

And the mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness. So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and you think it doesn't concern you,

Remember

When one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another. Each of us is a vital thread in another person's tapestry. Our lives are woven together for a reason.

Reality!

2009-11-18T13:37:00.010+08:00

Back to Msia last month to attend an interview and finish up my last documentation stuffs.

the 1st thing that caught my eye when i watch the local tv is this ad... Telekom Malaysia (TM)'s ad. telling ppl that TM actually connecting ppl in msia because it is the sole fixed line communication provider in our country because other companies r not being given the permit.

TM proudly telling ppl that, when ppl using their line (for broadband internet via streamyx), the users might need to use 'own effort' to get the data going. by watching the ad above, they r indirectly telling their clients to use their 'initiative' to get good connection. it's so true n honest for them to tell us so! hahahahahah. i have my own experience in calling streamyx to get a decent broadband with typical dial up speed and they charge u for all the calls to their customer service center where u need to wait like 10 mins to be patched through! that's what happen when one utility company being given the monopoly for that service and also a good way to protect certain ppl n keep them rich. anyway, that's life. that's how to make some group rich n maintain their wealth.

tony, choy, ho n i managed to get our civ id on 24 nov and we celebrated it frm lunch until very early the next day. too bad ming was not there.

Freedom!!!

Meet mrs micheal

We finish our day by listening to music in concorde hotel KL. the hotel had a very unique attraction that nite. they have live band with live dancer too!

The bangla dancer!

choy after watching the bangla dancing for 30mins!

good luck to all of us in our future undertakings! its the begining of a new journey!

TYLER ONG

2009-10-30T06:17:00.006+08:00

Congratulations to our good friends Daryl & Mandy Ong, the proud parents of handsome baby Tyler Ong. Daryl & Mandy and Loon & I go way back, especially Mandy & I. We've been friends since high school I guess, despite being from 'rival' schools.

Quite emotional for me because I was there when Daryl & Mandy started seeing each other seriously and made the big step to get married (well, I wasn't physically there at the wedding) and now, baby Tyler! Wish I can see him in person...

Wishing you God's every blessings and wisdom in bringing your little prince up.

- Loon & Cindy

Porkie Ball 1.2.3... (Frits et Cruits Porc Balle)

2009-10-10T03:19:00.010+08:00

Another trial and error cooking. i got all the ingredients from the fridge, ad hoc cooking.

Pork Ball served with some pastabolognise and fresh vege

The ingredients were all taken from the fridge. Ad Hoc, look, see, idea, hands,pans, mouth, stomach and then office. The ingredients:

Minced pork, green beans, cherry tomato, cheese (any type), 2x eggs, thinly sliced carrots, salt, pepper, any herbs u like, cornflour.

Chop the green beans into small pieces, oh ya, pop some spring onions into it

Everything into a big bowl where u need to mix n marry them. do it with hands

make up

this is the outcome. remember how to make 'ee'? do just like that or anyshape that u want

perspective view

fried them in the pan (not deep fried), just to strengthen the outer layer n making them crispy

until the color look like this.

arrange them like dunkin donut

Never thought of using the cheese at this stage, just do it so they look more like donut hahahahahaha

some vege, with hot water + salt

the porkie into oven. 200c, 45 mins. cover in the foil to prevent overburn n to retain the moisture

This is the end product

Dig In!!

Summary:

Preparation time : 15mins

Frying time : 10mins (around 5mins each side)

baking time : 45 mins

to plate time : 3mins

eating time : 8mins

total time needed: 81mins

effective cooking time: 25mins, so who wanna sign my log book now??

TOTAL RECALL!

2009-10-09T20:38:00.013+08:00

Another cold morning but love it. it naturally burn off my fat, i think. nevertheless, a man got to do what a man got to do..... and of course, big biz!

So i ran to my office early in the morning, forget bout taking the tube... i basically 'RUN!' as for me i always believe in doing things with my own will n might. I forgot my office's key! darn!. as i approached the door... it's not locked. Hallelujah! Ahead i rushed into my office and began my 1st big transaction.........

My office chair.... transaction complete... it's a DONE deal!

anything that is relieved from gastrointestinal tract can be considered as dropping a big 300HP hydraulic pump from ur body. with that big burden being drained out from u, one can easily have a plenty of memories rushing back to your head. suddenly i remember some poems that i saw in numerous toilets around the world... which really does make sense in sometime n someway in our life.

Here I lie in stinky vapor,

Because some bastard stole the toilet paper,

Shall I lie, or shall I linger,

Or shall I be forced to use my finger.

(Kuala Lumpur - KLCC toilet, near Chillies)

Here I Sit

Broken heated

Tried to shit

But only Farted

(Melbourne - DITC, offr's mess)

You're lucky

You had your chance

I tried to fart

but shit my pants!

(Sydney - Circular Quay's public toilet, near quay no 3)

I came here

To shit and stink

but all i do

is sit and think

(Sydney - Opera house, toilet near the main entrance, cubical no 1)

some come here to sit and think

some come here to shit and stink

but i come

here to sratch my balls

and read the bullshit on the walls

(Kuala Lumpur - KLIA, toilet near international departure hall B)

If you can piss above this line, the singapore fire department wants you!

we aim to please! you aim too! please

(Singapore - CK Tang's 3rd floor toilet, 1987)

The hands that clean these toilets also make your food....please aim properly.

(Kuala Lumpur - Mamak Restaurant near Bukit Antarabangsa - behind the toilet door only... must close, sit down n read)

Some of the things i did in the toilet as well...........

Peridot trading

Decorating the scabbard of taming sari

REMEMBERING EUNICE LEE

2009-10-04T01:40:00.004+08:00

PS: Pictures courtesy of Lovey Lee.

19 October 2005 was the day a childhood friend left us forever. Eunice, Lovey, Jesmine, Pearly and I spent quite a lot of time together when we were younger as our parents were involved in Newlife and IQ. I think after the whole direct sale thing cooled down, that was when we never saw them again... until I was in KL. Even then, it was once in a blue moon. Both Eunice and Lovey had grown up so much from the little girls I remembered them to be. If anybody could relate to the 2 girls, it would be Pearly, as Pearly was more their age group. But I don't think any of us kept in contact, except our parents. The few times I visited Uncle Lee's house, I only saw the boys as both Eunice and Lovey were out with friends, popular girls they are. Eunice finished her Form 5 and was in one of the colleges in KL doing mass communication, on her way to a bright and successful future. I never gave much thought about the Lee family - only occassionally when dad mentioned "Uncle Lee".

One day though, dad said Eunice has passed away. The only Eunice both dad and I knew mutually was Eunice Lee. I was so shocked. Here's a girl who's only 17 and had everything going for her. I never really knew what happened - until today. Some said she died of pneumonia and some dengue... Both Jesmine and I went to her wake and I, her funeral. There was a feeling of deep despair when I saw Aunty Phyllis cried for Eunice when her coffin was lowered down to the ground. There are moments which you will remember for the rest of your life, for me, one of them is Aunty Phyllis' face that day.

We often take for granted what we have today. I am guilty many a times for driving so fast down the road without slowing down to appreciate what I have so far. In a competition that Eunice took part before her death, a question was asked - what was behind her smile? She said- Knowing that I'm alive and that every day is full of surprises and I'm excited to know what can happen in a matter of 24 hours.

How true it is - you can plan all you want, but the truth is, you will never know what awaits for you in the future. Only He knows.

To Uncle Lee, Aunty Phyllis, Lovey and the boys - Eunice is still remembered fondly by us 3 girls.

Lamb Shoulder ala Kakarot

2009-10-03T04:08:00.005+08:00

This is my 1st attempt to do a roast lamb here. What i have in mind is something different, something colorful, very colorful. I love lamb but never like the agony of slicing it. Why don't just have something that can be scooped up using a spoon n eat like salad? no need to look at ur dish... just eat while watching the tv. so this is my attempt to to just that.. and of course, without any rosemary (can't find any in the kitchen).

Few ingredients to season the lamb shoulder. Oyster sauce, olive oil, 10x cherry tomato, 1/2 of lemon, salt, pepper, oregano. i cut my lamb shoulder into 4 big pieces (will cut it into smaller cubes after it has been cooked).

The preparation. Seasoning time = 2hrs (1 hr each side)

After 2 hrs....

Into the oven (set to grill at 200 for 40mins, 20mins each side)

This is the end product (cut into smaller cubes)

then put all the carrot (stripped to smaller bits), whatever vege u wanna throw in, corns, some oyster sauce, little bit of olive oil and stir fried them with your lamb.

This is what i call colorful. the taste?

my wife finish the whole thing.

My 1st Roast Chicken

2009-09-29T04:46:00.005+08:00

Aunt Ann taught me the recipe to cook roast chicken, so here i am, cooking it.

1xchicken, some potatos (for my own mashed potato), parsnip, carrots and not sure what's that cucumber look alike thing call.

Marinade the chicken with salt n pepper

peel off all the skin, like sunat

chicken in the oven, 180c for 90mins

mashed potato in process

the end product

forgot... put some honey on the chicken before chucked in inside the oven.

next i will try on a turkey! so next time no need to hunt for roast turkey that's overpriced in msia.

HAPPY RAYA AND HAPPY B-BIRTHDAY MALAYSIA

2009-09-23T17:55:00.006+08:00

This is an outdated post but it is dedicated to all the my friends who celebrating(ed) Hari Raya wherever they are.

I also have my own fair share of malaysian delicacies here

The other thing is i wanna wish happy b-birthday to malaysia too, she's now 52 yrs old and i m wondering is she still growing or having stomach upsets every now and then. need some po chai pills from chinatown?

this pic i took from one of the flickr uploaders (not mine)

one of her landmark, wonder this building is fully occupied or not

anyway, after 52 yrs, malaysia has successfully created the 'typical' malaysian. let me share with you some of our national pride. i got this from my facebook friend.

NATIONAL EXCUSE FOR HAIR LOSS:
Ajinomoto

NATIONAL INSTANT FOOD:
Maggi Mee

NATIONAL BREAKFAST:
Nasi Lemak

NATIONAL LUNCH:
Nasi Ayam

NATIONAL SUPPER:
Roti Canai & Teh Tarik

NATIONAL EXCUSE FOR BEING LATE:
Traffic Jam

NATIONAL CONDOM:
None. Most Malaysians still feel embarrassed buying condoms. So they rushed into a 7-11, hurriedly grab the nearest pack, any pack, pay and leave before the cashier can even blink an eye.

NATIONAL FRUIT FOR INDUCING MENSTRUATION:
Pineapple

NATIONAL APHRODISIAC DRINK:
Stout. Many Malaysian men swear by it. But then after a few pints they start swearing at everything...

NATIONAL FAKE ILLNESS FOR GETTING MC (MEN):
Food Poisoning

NATIONAL FAKE ILLNESS FOR GETTING MC (WOMEN):
Menstrual Pain

NATIONAL EXCUSES GIVEN BY WOMEN WHEN REFUSING SEX:
Headache, kids not asleep, maid not asleep, mother-in-law around, early appointment, food not digested yet, air-cond not cold enough, air-cond too cold, nail polish not dry yet, forgot to take the pill, sleepy, stomach cramps, period, haven't remove make-up, haven't shower, no water supply, going to watch "Santa Barbara ", depress, no mood, etc...

NATIONAL EXCUSES GIVEN BY MEN WHEN REFUSING SEX:
None. Malaysian men never refuse sex.

NATIONAL CURE FOR DIARRHOEA:
Cap Kaki Tiga. Down one bottle with warm water and you are all
"dried up".

NATIONAL CURE FOR HEADACHES:
Panadol. The "cure for all". If it fails we have another secret weapon - Tiger Balm.

NATIONAL CURE FOR NAUSEA:
Moh Fah Kor.

NATIONAL CURE FOR DIZZINESS:
Minyak Angin Cap Kapak.

NATIONAL CAUSE OF DIZZINESS (FOR YUPPIES):
Happy Hours.

NATIONAL INSTANT CURE FOR DIZZINESS (FOR YUPPIES):
The sight of a police road block.

NATIONAL RICE COOKER:
NATIONAL Rice Cooker

NATIONAL RUBBISH DUMP:
Anywhere. As long as it is not your house.

NATIONAL MOST MIS-PRONOUNCED NAME:
Carrefour. Sometimes even pronounced as Carry 4!

Wish u all best daysss ahead

TOWARDS END OF SUMMER 2009

2009-09-08T01:50:00.008+08:00

The weather here is getting colder and i m burning more fat than ever now to keep my body warm. my metabolisme is becoming more active now. i have to eat more! more meat... lean meat. must keep away from red meat but once in a while have to devour them also.

i have been keeping myself busy with few DIY stuffs, trying to live the american dream... one of it for now.. built a shelter, for now... a garden shed. it's a 8x6 structure that can withstand wind up to 80knots n quake up to 100Rc and it's nuclear blast proof too.

this post basically contains lots of disturbing images and parental guide is a must for kids under 100 yrs old. must be viewed with company of parents aged 120 yrs n above. all the characters involve in all the screen shots are not fictional n they are as alive as u n me.

oh ya.. not for those new aged spirit that happen to own 'other-world' computers who happen to be able to log into our net, this HUMAN pictures but will wish u all happy chinese ghost months anyway.

Building the roof. aunt ann trapped inside.

Cindy's place to sleep if she can't cook up a good meal for me

Where's the remote alarm ignition switch??

I think this shed is bigger than most of the msian army's guard post and it's more comfy too

This is one of my new found hobby... gardening. wish i learn more from granma last time. i manage to master her 'grass pulling techniques' though

Most of our weekends are spend with meeting ups with the elders. they will pamper us with all the best food n drinks! for me, i think the food here is better. maybe that's just me. i do miss some of the msian dishes but as a whole, i need another stomach to fill my appetite i think. hahahahahhaha. cindy does hunt for msian food around london and suprisingly we do get most of it (minus kolomee and tomato kuehtiaw... kl also don't have k).

Ice kacang (but it's actually ABC), taste = ok, kch one.. better of course!

My wife and I

BBQ without a sweat!

the elders

Another new hobby (passtimer)... dead rummy

Macro shot

Mahjong... but I m 50% slower than these experts

Fellowship of the TilesGame

Bustop of the year!

Why so serious in a game...

wanna learn mandarin?

day and night playing... how lah machaaaaa??!!

Then break fast....

See how much a hungry gal can eat!!

exercise after meal... the Wii says my BMI over 27...!!

another night session....

These r the main chefs

Peppy trying to have some fun too

another break fast dish

damn!! moooonn

manage to meet up with loke lasst sunday after failing so many times hahahahaha, in chinatown of course

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY WIFE

2009-08-15T03:24:00.017+08:00

Some ppl call Kata-Kumm

AUGUST 11th. It was Cindy's birthday. She went to work as usual, came home as usual. One thing about Cindy is she never demands or asks astronomically. She never demanded to be taken to a restaurant (but she loves williams which does not look like a restaurant but cost like a 5 star restaurant) or be bought an expensive present. She has always been a moderate person. Ho chai.

I never talk about my wife, at least publicly. But after being married to her for more than 5 years now, should say a bit since la it's her birthday. Otherwise she thinks I never think good of her.

Ming and Cindy in the catacomb, only the best photographer can take pics in that place hahahaha

Don't know what to say...

Although at times she has crazy mood swings (towards me at least), I think she's a very good friend, sometimes too good to do her any good. Maybe watch too much Jin Yong movies (chinese martial arts and chivalry movies) with me.

We come we see we conquer, windsor

Anyway, we went to a Lebanese Restaurant in Northwood (food not bad) and Cindy was spoilt by the aunties with bajus and handbags. I think the elders are trying to convert Cindy into more of a fashionista. So if anybody think Cindy's dressing nowadays a bit 'bright', then you know why. Nowadays, Karen Millen lor, Versace lor, that one I heard, the one I have not heard, I dunno.

Aunt Lianny's gift

Presents opening gala

Aunt Ann's cake

Some lebanese style chicken

Bday dinner

Lamb shoulder

Mixed grill that got something like gorhiam

The venue

Aunt Ann's gift

Our trip to paris in eurostar

Must say I'm proud to be married to Cindy lor. Happy Birthday Laling. Also Happy 21st Anniversary to Uncle Bryan & Aunty Lianny. We have 16 more years to go.

THE ENGLAND TOUR TO TOUR DE FRANCE

2009-08-14T18:52:00.028+08:00

It has been almost 2 months i left my empire. i m now no longer an emperor. hhahahahahha. do i miss home? not as much as i left to be enlisted in 1995, in fact, i m beginning to love this new land. it's my 1st time i step my foot in the UK and i think i know how this place works by now, literally. I have to thank my wife for making sure i fit in well here and all the elders and locals that make me feel welcome.

After settling down well, my wife and i plus mocha (he flew from msia for his backpacking experience) began our journey to explore london and paris, 2 of the oldest citites in the world. we started off from england and moved our way down to france and back to london before mocha flew back to msia again. he will then become a lecturer of history back in msia. oh ya, he's a PhD holder in ancient history, specialise in gothical myths and legends. he visited northern uk to deepen his research. next leg, he will be going to the old saxon areas.

Below are pictures of london/england during the 1st leg of our journey...

Typical buildings around all the corners in the heart of london

This is how the sky look like in 8pm summer time

This is what a real limousine look like, tell that to KLIA Limo service

after chanting some spells to my camera, it can then took pictures of harry potter's magical bus

Harrods, it's packed and smelly for some reason in the summer

Somewhere near eton college (MCKK of the West)

A nice n generous cathedral - Exeter Cathedral where u can take pics at any angle in the church as u like, now... that's the spirit of sharing, not like some cathedrals which do not understand the meaning of glorifying God in a generous way

The Buck-Palace

Unkel Ben

Come-la.... or kamlan?

Jimmy Choo is Bicester Village. nice place to shop for designers clothes, cheap somemore

Ripley's museum, better watch the tv show

V-for Vendetta

Then we ventured down south of england, to Portland. it shaped like a small appendix for Dorsett. it's one of the UNESCO world heritage site. Portland is famous for it's stones that been used to rebuild london after the great fire. Dorsett is where the stonehenge hides.

This is not the stonehenge but it's the wannabe

Gon managed to carved our name on one of the stones

Some stonechairs on one of the portland clifts, facing the open sea

After portland, we continued our journey to Paris. we took the eurostar fast train and reach paris in less than 4 hours. it's a very smooth journey. everyone fast to fall asleep. we had our 1st culture shock in paris as after we stepped out from the train, english words keep on decreasing in numbers. by the time we stepped out of the platform, it's all in french. luckily we managed to learn the word 'sortie' (exit). then is time for us to use their underground (tube). it's all in french, even the auto tix machines r in french! talk bout trying to blend in! hahahahhahaa. but anyway, we managed ourselves. we had high IQ, it's all bout numbers basically. after 24hrs, the 3 of us can move around using their tube service like the locals.

Inside the Lourve

The famous Arc de triumphe

Then somebody loves shopping that much, so i bought her an LV paperbag

Typical buildings and sky in paris

oh, did i mention we cycled around paris? it's cheap too and very convinient

After a long day of cycling, i treat myself to a limo with lots of chicks

Then i went to repent for that.....this is Church of Jesus

Famous street for gals to do shoppings and guys to be sad

Upskirt photo of eiffel

Sunset on eiffel, tried to have a dinner looking at the tower while the sun setting down but the price of the meal there just does not make up the maths

Not sure what's this building

This is the church of jesus nightphoto

Hallelujah, meet jonjon, cindy's long lost friend who brought us around paris eating the local chinese food. very nice food indeed.

Next we visited the catacombs of paris

all the walls here r build up by bones

Monster and pepi will love it here

A small chapel in the catacomb

After paris, we moved back to london as mocha's flight back to tanahair departed from gatwick and we also think that living any longer in paris will make us join the homeless clan there or maybe i can start a begger clan in paris hahahahahah.

we went to chinatown (licester square) and found out that durian is really the king of all the fruits there. back in msia, u can get all that lot for rm5!! or pay rm10 n u can go into the farm n do the harvesting urself. ppl usually go using pickups.

went to windsor castle

then to whitehouse's branch in london. we were lucky that mr obama greeted us and asked us to sit on his table, 'Make yourself at home.. guys..'

after whitehouse, we were greeted by the queen and she insisted to take pic with cindy as she said both of them r same size n height.

Then this julia also didn't wanna lose out, so she asked cindy to pose with her so that she can then again proclaim herself as 'pretty woman'

Along came johnny, he also wants some limelight

talk bout bad temper, i managed to stop the hulk from squeezing me with my 2 fingers only. who say he's strong?

'unkel, want some mars?' u can see that he's quite annoyed. i only found out that he's on hunger strike after i read up in wikipedia. he should have tell me earlier.... unkel--- ahh...

it's 2009 now.. u r a Freeman now morgan, don't think bout that movie anymore... Glory

All those fun figures can be found at this aunty's hse, Aunty Tussauds. Shop at tesco, n u can win urself a free entrance to aunty tussauds'. thanks to sean, we got a good deal for this

ROV Pilot/Tech Course in Portland by GMSL

2009-07-28T21:02:00.015+08:00

Ming and I attended our ROV pilot/tech course in Portland, England which was conducted by Global Marine Systems Ltd. it's a 3 weeks course that consisted of theory, practicals and simulators. As for my batch, we had 5 participants. the course can accommodate up to 9 ppl (i reckon). 3 of my coursemates r local so we had no prb in exploring local foods, booze and boobs hahahahhahahaha, i mean books.

Crews of Freedom and Independent

While some of the participants resided in B&B, ming n i lived in a small cottage which is 20mins walk from the training center, 20mins of uphills and downhills, so basically both of us had good exercise for the last 3 weeks. everyday we clocked 40mins of walk, some of the days under the crazy rain and unpredictable wind. accommodation here starts from 15gbp a nite until 60gbp a nite, depend on where u wanna stay n what u want in ur room.

Cheapest rate in town, only 5mins walk to the doorstep of the training school

this is our retreat after every class hahahahah

Typical meal's price

This is where all of us will rv everymorning to talk bout safety and how u can hurt urself and sign all the papers u need to sign incase things happen to u and u had been told bout that.

so, what actually the training package that had been prepared for us? as usual, everything starts with theory. so there's class session where the instructors talked about safety, basic offshores do and don'ts, story bout going offshores, experience sharing, basic electrics, hydraulics, symbols, accronyms, teamwork, rov applications, rov procedures, hydraulic and electrical maintenance, seamanship and beers (after class of course). the training school also let us all onboard one of their ships, CS Sovereign n showed us around how things actually work on board. so we all had a good real life glance on the bigger picture. it's not an isolated operations after all. after all those theories, we also been exposed to workshop practicals and all the related tools that will get the job done. familiarization with all the powered tools, electronics n electrical testing equipment, fibre optics handling and workshop safety practise. we were trained to do mechanical re-termination on smd plough umbilical where each of us been given our own cable to reterminate! perry scarab III junction box retermination and again, we had our own box and cable for that too.

As for simulator experience, we had a go in flying leviathon workclass ROV and seaeye tiger for some subsea intervention jobs. tools fixing onto ROV on the seabed n etc.

For real life flying, the seaeye falcon is our machine. we had to open up the shack, place the ROV, pre dive checks, launching it, umbilical monitoring, piloting, co piloting and post dive checked it almost every 2 days. tasks that had been carried out using the falcon are such as pier legs inspection, placement of marker bouys, hull inspection, pier wall inspection, navigation and use of sonar.

Termination of umbilical fibres using hot melt ST connectors and use of fibre optic test equipment to confirm optical loses. besides that, each of us had to do fusion splicing of optics tails on to the umbilical. we also been given harness to repair and practice to do molded joints and tape/scotchkote repairs. use of grinders, megger meters, all the safety gears, etc is part of the package. when u r not piloting, u can expect to be standing most of the time! hahhahahaha, i had a good exercise though. as for testing out camera system on one of the idled ROV, perry scarab, we been taught to use scopemeters and oscilloscopes.

The falcon's shack

Fresh air, lookout for tsumani

Cable-Guy 2009

Mocha's 1st virgin breaker task as an ROV personnel

Pre dive check

i need a ps style joystick!

everyone happy with post dive check and ready to go home look

locking up n ready go say byebye

Mech retermination of smd plough umbilical

have to shine all those small cables and do some weaving! now i regret never pay attention in pendidikan seni during my f2 time, at least we weave using color paper only

to make a birdnest like steel ball so the ball can go into a big steel cup. i spent few days doing this practical!

Electrical retermination of cable belong to that autobots behind me

Some of my coursemate replacing the compensator for this machine

Harness repair station

after few hours, all look like kolo mee and ur stomach asking u to eat them

ok now... which one shall i cut.... (question of all micro surgeons)

Fibre optics station

pow wow session minus the dancing and singing hahahahah

this is the vessel that we had visited, forgot to bring my camera onboard.. darn

pictures of instructors and students. all are now ready to face a whole new world ahead! ganbatte to all of us!

POWERFUL TESTIMONY BY CHRISTOPHER YUAN

2009-07-27T17:04:00.001+08:00