Tales From The Beach (Incognito)

A little picnic by the sun decks in front of Club Islander. A few dips inside the sea for a father and his daughter. A couple of shots by 2 shutterbugs. A quick dinner at Vivocity before returning home.

Everything happened except the last. Perhaps Michael Jackson’s death earlier in the day had made these fans of his lose their marbles and dump the original day’s itinerary, heading to Marina Mandarin instead to drown their sorrows while listening to Michael Jackson in the car. So we rushed through the entire Marina Square floors to buy our takeaway food and return to our rooms to watch the Michael Jackson tribute on Star World that never materialised.

The continuous coverage of the King of Pop on almost all cable channels was enough to set somebody to tears late in the night. Not me. Somebody.

An enjoyable yet sombre day. A monthly thing perhaps for Le Cirque De Voyages?

Smile (Michael Jackson)

It finally happened. Michael Jackson is dead and no longer will he be in the news for all the wrong reasons. I basically stopped listening to his songs after the album Bad came out and like many, believe he was at his peak only during the Thriller days. The man was an icon and a genius when it came to music.

• Ben
• Don’t Stop ’till You Get Enough
• Rock With You
• Off The Wall
• Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’
• Thriller
• Beat It
• Billie Jean
• Human Nature
• P.Y.T.

All the songs that I love from the man … before it all started falling apart.

Rest in peace Michael.

Mad World (Gary Jules)

It’s been a while since I last heard this one.

The beautiful cover of Tears For Fears’ Mad World.

On The Road Again (Canned Heat)

Our Langkawi trip for this June was postponed as some didn’t feel too comfortable with the spread of the H1N1 virus on board some flights. So Bon Ton it’s not. Instead we settled for a road trip through 3 states in Malaysia; Pahang, Terengganu and Kuala Lumpur, after knowing that the resort we wanted to go to in Pulau Redang was fully-booked during that period.

I chose Impiana Resort Cherating as our first accommodation as it’s located right smack between the Pahang and Terengganu border. The 2 rooms booked were large with their own living rooms. The resort probably has seen better days judging by the condition of the surrounding facilities. The beach was fine and conducive for swimming although we didn’t even go in as most of the time was spent binging on the local food and shopping. The swimming pool is definitely not worth soaking in. It may look inviting from afar with a waterfall in the middle of it, until on close inspection you realise that the water’s falling from the murky pond near the main entrance. Needless to say I didn’t see a single guest dumb enough to dive in. The resort’s staff service was not that great to start with when we had our lunch there upon arrival, but the surprise call from the female manager an hour later did help to sooth some nerves. The Indonesian hospitality is still tops.

It was actually my second time in Cherating and hoping to see the beautiful sunrise in front of the coast yet again, it was disappointing that it didn’t turn out as nice while sitting alone by the beach with a cigarette in hand at the break of dawn.

It being a road trip, most of our stops for food were along the roadside stalls between Pahang and Terengganu. The Ikan Bakar at Restoran Sri Gelombang had a delicious ‘Asam Pedas’ twist to the usual ones we get in Singapore. That coupled with the fresh lemang, keropok losong and durians definitely delayed our arrival in Kuala Lumpur on the third day. It was interesting how one knows which state one’s in based on the trucks that rolled by the windscreen. The ones in Pahang were carrying big logs and those in Terengganu carrying oil. And Terengganu seems like such a clean and developed state as compared to most other Malaysian states, barring Kuala Lumpur. We also saw a few Orang Asli along the road through Pahang. I would love the chance to discover their lives even deeper.

I’ve booked Crown Regency Serviced Suites a couple of times over the years but have always opted for another place of accommodation and given it a miss at the last minute. This time around it materialised since credit card bookings cannot be dumped as easily as verbal bookings. A reasonably-priced 3 bedroom suite comfortable for 7 of us, but I find the lighting inside the bathrooms rather lacking resulting in a gloomy feel as compared to other places we’ve stayed in. The parking area is also a nightmare and does not tally with the image the place is trying to portray. Great location for clubbing though. Too bad I arrived a decade too late.

The usual restaurant and cafe hopping around Pavilion and The Curve occured during our stay. We regretted not having check out the Kampong Baru area the previous evening though, as it looked interesting. A quick lunch at Shazana Pau Shop & Cafe and we returned to The Curve to shop for some things  at Debenhams that we missed earlier before heading back to Singapore.

Sea Change (Beck)

With the H1N1 bug making the rounds, we decided to postpone flying to Langkawi and go on a road trip for a few days instead starting tomorrow morning to Pahang, Terengganu and last but not least, our food haven, Kuala Lumpur. I look forward to waking up early at dawn to catch the always beautiful sunrise along the coast of Cherating and hopefully the Terengganu crowd, especially the women folks, have come down from their high horses and become friendlier.

It’ll be another month plus before I embark on a solo trip with a group of guys to Yogyakarta for a photography expedition. A homecoming of sorts for this Jawa Murtad. Release not your fury Mount Merapi.

Clubhouse (Dexter Gordon)

We finally managed to check out Safra’s new clubhouse at Jurong West last Wednesday, after more than a week of its official opening.  Funny how I’ve always shunned going to any of the Safra clubhouses before, yet find them worth visiting now upon being released from the army for good.

The main thing while we were there was to check out the facilities for Ooyah to enjoy, like the large indoor playground, children’s gymnasium and the swimming pool. She didn’t like the indoor playground that much due to the loud sound emitted by a feature in the playground and the kids gymnasium was meant more for kids 3 years and above. So she’ll probably be enrolled there when she reaches 3. The swimming pool was alright but I think the one at CSC Bukit Batok is much better. At 1.8 metre at the deepest end, Safra Jurong’s swimming pool is really meant for swimmers and not one to carry a toddler into. The children’s swimming pool is quite decent though with its interactive water elements.

A few restaurants and cafes are also located within the premises, like the Halal version of Han’s, aptly called Hanis. We have yet to check out the rest.

Down Stretch (Eddie Gomez)

Strange way to go man.

The very last person I’d expect to pull off a Michael Hutchence.

Stretched a tad too much …

The New House (The Bliss)

The Teban Posse finally made a downpayment on a cluster house in Johor last Sunday. It’s been more than a month of searching for the right unit and we almost confirmed one in Setia Eco Gardens the previous week, but decided to wait a while longer upon receiving a tip-off from a reliable source.

Frankly, I’m not easily convinced when anybody mentions that houses in Johor are worthy investments; Kuala Lumpur has always been my target. But having seen this particular mixed golf residential development, it made little sense not to buy a unit there, given its location right inside the Iskandar Development Region and handled by an established developer. Famous designers were also engaged to supply their talents for the project. When I realised that Argentinean architect Ernesto Bedmar of Bedmar & Shi was commissioned to design the clubhouse, I immediately knew the likely design criterias the developer had in mind. Add to that an 18-hole international championship golf course blended into the residences, designed by renowned Australian golf course architect Ross Watson. This is definitely not the typical run-of-the-mill residential developments that have sprouted all over Johor the past few years, where the values plummet soon after and eventually leave the residents in limbo due to unreliable managements and safety issues.

We changed from our originally intended purchase of a link house to a cluster one, since the latter is much sought-after and doesn’t have the ‘terrace house’ feel of the former. The estimated completion date of our unit is August 2010, that leaves us with more time to design the interior and landscape and also for a few to pick up some ’skills’. Having seen some of the showroom units, a few ideas have cropped up. For one, an island kitchen seems probable, done ‘Arclinea’ style by yours truly. The only issue would be transforming the garden area bigger visually with the right landscape, a trade-off against the link house. A designated spot for a big BBQ grill is also a must.

Our weekend home away from Singapore. Excited are we.

Festival (Santana)

The Singapore Arts Festival is back and having missed the opening ceremony, I decided to head down to the Marina Barrage last evening to catch the second performance of Hélios II, by French urban theatre extraordinaires La Compagnie Malabar. Took advantage of the free shuttle service from Marina Bay MRT station to the venue, which was surprisingly fuss-free as the buses arrived rather fast. The only snag was the slight traffic jam halfway through the journey caused by those who decided to drive or take taxis to the venue.

It was already around 5 minutes into the performance by the time I stepped into the smoke-filled place and greeted by what looked like one giant praying mantis, with a couple of men on its back churning out some ambient trance music. It was quite a spectacle as numerous stilt walkers followed behind and mingled with the crowd. The weather was quite humid though, and it got worst once the crowd gathered nearer to the central fountain to catch a better glimpse of the ‘praying mantis’ and its followers who settled behind it and engaged in a few performances. Frankly, I don’t really know what to make of it except that they remind me of Cirque Du Soleil performances. A couple of shots and I soon boarded the shuttle bus as it made its way to Tanjong Pagar MRT station.

Hopefully if I have the time, I’ll probably drop by a few more performances during the festival.

Private Reserve (Jazz On The Vine)

Alone on a public holiday while Fadelinah and Ooyah are back in Kuala Lumpur with the Teban posse, I seized the opportunity to venture to the Sungai Buloh Wetland Reserve this afternoon. Thought it would be worth a trip to this rather isolated location where I would probably be able to take a few shots of some wild life, and perhaps even a detour to the Kranji War Memorial after that before heading home. Alas, only managed the former as it proved to be rather tiring walking around the compounds of the reserve. Not really that much wild life to take pictures of anyway. Should have taken heed of what one regular of the place mentioned; that the birds are aplenty only in the early hours of the morning and mostly disappear by noon. Did see a few tree-climbing crabs though, and a couple of jumping fishes while walking down the planked bridges around the mangrove swamps.

Navigating the reserve without the map supplied at the entrance could be risky, as the signs at various junctions of the reserve are misleading and could lead to one circling the same routes with neither a hint of the exit. However, there are a few vantage points offering panoramic views of the surroundings, should one need a quicker guide to it. I didn’t realise the reserve is that close to Malaysia until I saw a few familiar buildings along the Straits of Johor while at the edge of one of the mangrove swamps.

Not too sure if I’ll visit the place again, since I would probably get to see more birds inside Chinese Garden itself on any given early morning.

Nightmare Revisited (Danny Elfman)

Nightmares are made of these.

Mr Potatohead on stage swirling a pair of panties in his hand.

A female audience holding a dildo in her hand.

Tiffany, Debbie Gibson and Samantha Fox holding hands.

And the fact that I queued in front of the cashier decades ago … with cassette tapes of these people in my own hands.

Black Coffee (Peggy Lee)

Just completed this particular kitchen this evening, for one very demanding but gentlemanly client (full payment was made even before we started work). A simple case where money is no object but the available space does not allow for me to take full advantage of its potential. Nonetheless, it’s in line with Arclinea’s image and for that I’m one happy designer.

Coffee Solid Ray door fronts and Cashmere Caesarstone worktop with coloured sandblasted glass wall cladding used for this kitchen; fully-equipped with Miele appliances.

Understood from his driver that it’ll only be used for 6 months before the client move to a bigger residence. Fingers crossed that I’ll be called upon again to design the new one.

Underclass Hero (Sum 41)

A tad late to go to JB yesterday and we ended up visiting a local historical site instead. Besides, returning to the expected traffic jam at the Second Link in the evening didn’t seem very enticing.

Reflections at Bukit Chandu is a museum showcasing the heroic deeds of the men of the 1st and 2nd Battalion Malay Regiment, who defended the western sector of Singapore with all their might, 2 days before its surrender to the Japanese in 1942. I’m not going to divulge in detail about what exactly exist in the place as I was too busy taking pictures while the rest of the family browsed through the various displays. The fact that the caretaker warned us that we had only less than 30 minutes before closing time put paid to any personal discoveries and appreciation of the place. Nonetheless, I did manage to notice a few interesting items like personal artifacts left behind by the men involved in the battle and also an interactive visual display on the first floor, where the narrator described the events that took place during the battle. There are also a few statues within the vicinity like those of Leftenan Adnan. A few coloured hand drawings by survivors of the Japanese atrocities are quite saddening, like that depicting family members of one tied to trees and bayoneted to death, including little children.

The area around the main building sure looks spooky and the fact that the men actually died around the hill only heightens the supernatural factor of it all. Judging by a few used condoms scattered around the car park area, I guess those who went there for some ‘personal’ action during the night had no problem with ghosts and the likes. The caretaker did mention to us while we were on our way out that both his colleague and him sometimes find the windows on the second floor opened, even though they’ve made sure all were closed before they closed the place. That and a few more incidents that have ruffled them, yet they’ve grown accustomed to after 7 years on the job.

Perhaps I need to return to really appreciate the place … on a bright day with a lot more people around.

Little Trip (Mugison)

Never have I spent less than 2 nights in Kuala Lumpur, but I did this morning. It being a long weekend due to Labour Day, my earlier thoughts of us flying off to a nearby destination was put on hold upon missing out on some good travel offers. Instead, we decided to take up Fadelinah’s colleague’s offer to travel with her daughter and her to Kuala Lumpur to see her husband. So at 4 am Friday morning, we set out on one hell of a car ride with Cikgu Nurul. We reached Kuala Lumpur in less than 3 and a half hours with her fast and at times, stomach-churning driving. The fact that we started early and avoided the usual public holiday traffic jam really helped; going through both customs was a breeze. I think it would have taken much longer if we were to travel by plane, especially with all that waiting at the airport and taxi ride from Sepang.

Upon fetching Cikgu Nurul’s husband near Damansara, we headed to Medan Selera at Jalan Raja Muda Abd. Aziz, where I had one of my food wish list for the trip granted. The good old Malaysian roti canai, with curry, dhal and chilli anchovies. Soon after, we did a short visit to one of Cikgu Nurul’s relatives home before heading to The Ascott Kuala Lumpur where they dropped us off to check in.

A day is hardly enough time for one to try most of the great food in Kuala Lumpur. No going back to The Curve, Bangsar or Kajang. Just quick visits to eateries nearby Bukit Bintang. We returned to Tony Roma’s at The Pavilion for their full rack, where Fadelinah and I both agreed after the meal that it would probably be our last time there. We’ve had our fill of the place. That was followed by a short taxi ride to Berjaya Times Square, where we just had to sample a few of Krispy Kreme’s donut offerings. They’ve recently opened there on 26th April, where there was a really long queue and the first customer actually received a free one-year supply of their donuts. Another branch will be opened at The Pavilion in a few months time. Krispy Kreme donuts are supposedly the best but it was far from it based on what we tasted. The only one that I liked was Glazed Cruller. As much as I hate to admit it, J. Co Donuts & Coffee’s are better. Luckily we ordered just 6 to sample, and to think that we had actually wanted to order 3 dozens to bring back to Singapore.

By then, we were getting tired and returned to our hotel to enjoy whatever’s left of the night, like enjoying the view of Kuala Lumpur’s night cityscapes from the 22nd floor Sky Lounge before returning to our 32nd floor apartment to watch a movie. The rather limited yet tasty breakfast at Sky Lounge the next morning was followed by our usual dips in the swimming pool, before heading to Madam Kwan’s in KLCC for lunch. Definitely a place not worth the hype. 2 hours later, we were back inside Cikgu Nurul’s car heading home.

A day is just not enough.

The Road Not Taken (Robert Frost)

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Maid Of Constant Sorrow (Judy Collins)

I don’t really know why this particular video only started making headlines the past 2 months, although it happened way back in 2007 in Kuala Lumpur and the bitch is now probably out after her 2 years jail sentence. A sentence too light considering the trauma she afflicted on the poor toddler, physically and mentally. TV3’s 360 programme recently featured it and I tried my best to fight back tears looking at the kicks she landed on the totally defenceless little girl while being watched by her equally innocent little sibling on the baby chair. The maid even stepped on her with both legs, enough to damage an adult, let alone a toddler.

Ooyah was by my side when we were watching it and I really feel sorry for the victim’s parents. I sure hope the little girl came out of the ordeal without much damage. 2 years was not enough. It should have at least been a lifetime. Actually, if I was the parent, I’d bring the maid to an isolated location and subject her to a slow and very painful death. There are instances whereby the law doesn’t matter anymore.

It’s just another case that heightens my reluctance towards hiring a maid for our own home. I simply don’t trust maids to take care of my family members. Just looking at the way the maids handle their charges while bringing them to Ooyah’s playgroup is enough for me to never consider hiring one. Even our neighbour’s seemingly docile Indonesian maid recently ran away with her Malaysian boyfriend around 2 am after receiving her pay the day before. Who knows what happened during his clandestine visits.

A helper isn’t of much help when you’re not at peace with what she really does in your own home while you’re away.

Hot Bread (Pulpo)

Used to be that whenever we found ourselves within the vicinity of Holland Village, our first stop would be Provence Bakery & Cafe, where we would rush over to the counter and ask the staff if their wassants were still available. More than likely we would end up empty-handed if we came later than 1 pm. Their wassants are so good that reservations are usually made over the phone by customers a day in advance.

They basically come in 2 varieties, the chocolate and custard wassants. The former, especially, I can never get tired of and usually eat more than 10 at one go. That’s not to say that they only bake wassants, they do have more confections and breads available for sale but one has a better chance of getting those than the snail-looking wassants. Priced at $6 for a pack of 10, it’s always better to get at least 2 packs since they will disappear quickly the moment you reach home, converting even those who shun such stuff into addicts.

So it was almost God-sent when I saw that they’ve opened up a small take-and-go outlet in front of West Coast Plaza, called Petit Provence. Managed by 2 staff, the wassants tend to be more readily available than the main outlet. We usually make a detour to the place while en route home to grab a few packs these days.

Masih Cinta (Kotak)

Space Cowboy : Kamu ada lagu itu enggak? Errr … ada tik, tik, tik?

Salesgirl : Tik, tik, tik?

Space Cowboy : Errr … groupnya Kotak. *after suddenly remembering the group’s name*

Salesgirl : Ohhh … ni CD nya.

Space Cowboy: CD ini takda lagu tik, tik, tik deh.

Salesgirl: Ini dia, nombor 7, ‘Masih Cinta’. *then she starts singing it for me*

Space Cowboy: Ohhhhhh …

The freaking song has been playing inside my head throughout the whole Jakarta trip that I just needed to get the CD for memories sake. I hereby join the league of Indonesian music freaks. Thank God it’s not Kucing Garong, or else I’m fucked.

And yes … Gua Masih Cinta Jakarta.

The Return Of The Space Cowboy (Jamiroquai)

Why is it that a city with mostly dirty streets and reeking of pollution be it in the air or water attract me so much? No doubt it’s my second time in Jakarta in less than 6 months yet I didn’t realise how much I miss the place till the plane landed at Changi Airport, and I stepped out only to see the typical Singaporean faces I’ve grown so accustomed to seeing daily, in this all too clean and structured environment. I had actually hoped upon seeing the heavy haze over Jakarta earlier in the morning from my hotel room, that it would be bad enough for Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to stop all flights. If only there was somebody else in the showroom the following day, so that I need not come back early and refuse my client’s offer to extend another night. Jamiroquai was after all performing the same night I left Jakarta. What rotten timing. The only thing that helped raise my spirits was when I saw my own family members’ faces peering from behind the glass panel of the arrival hall, especially Ooyah laughing happily upon seeing me.

To say that I thoroughly enjoyed my 3 day stay in Jakarta is an understatement, especially the company of my client and his ever-friendly acquaintances. An even greater selection of food this time around too, as I got to taste ranging from fish head curry infused with marijuana leaves in a restaurant to ‘Sup Kaki Sapi’ at a famous roadside stall. Loads of stuff I would never get the opportunity to eat in Singapore. Accommodation at Orchardz Hotel was livelier as compared to its neighbour that we stayed in previously, Sheraton Media Hotel And Towers. I may have been deprived of Jamiroquai, but I did get loads of Indonesian music jammed into my eardrums, so much so that I actually grabbed a CD by one of the bands on the last day. That coupled with loads of nicotine … perfect.

No personal midnight exploration of the darker side of Jakarta by bajaj this time, but a short taxi ride in the afternoon to the nearby Mangga Dua Square, where I bought a couple of T-shirts since I’ve already ran out of clean ones to wear by the second day. I will definitely avoid taxis other than those from Blue Bird Group in the future after having been taken for a ride literally by the driver of a black taxi who said he was charging by the meter but it was never working to begin with. Paid almost double by the end of the journey … which worked out to errr … about $1. Yeah … chump change but I hate being swindled by such assholes.

So it’ll probably be another 6 months from now that I’ll take a plane to Jakarta again, to install the new kitchen extension to the one just completed. This project sure seems neverending … not that I’m complaining.

Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers)

Love the song … and the hairdo too. Can hide mobile phone, wallet and what-not probably.

Lebanese Rhapsody (Waleed Howrani)

There’s a new kid on the block along Arab Street. We decided to give Gulf Beach Restaurant & Cafe a try last night instead of our usual haunt, Cafe Le Caire. As expected given a new eatery, there was hardly anybody inside the restaurant when we arrived and some of the staff were outside trying to coax the passers-by to walk in. I guess the male staff who I approached upon us coming out from the car right in front of the place, was taken by surprise when I immediately asked for a table for 7.

The decor is quite decent and the place waited by attentive staff. We didn’t adjourn to the second storey as we were told there aren’t any tables or chairs, merely floor seating areas; a typical set-up for such eateries. The waiter who attended to us gave a good service, although the fake-accent he had was rather off-putting. He sure looks Malay lest he thinks he’s Woody Allen, judging from the hairdo.

We ordered a variety of food but were left quite disappointed. I definitely feel that my order of mixed BBQ platter wasn’t up to notch. Most of the meat seemed tough and tasted dry and bland, so much so that they made Amirah’s Grill look good. I don’t know. Maybe Lebanese food is supposed to taste like that. Perhaps the reason food in places like Cafe Le Caire taste better because they are fine-tuned to suit the local palate. The taste is similar to that of Sofra’s, one place that I vowed never to return albeit their nice decor. A request for curry or any kind of gravy was politely turned down by Mr Slang. Made me recall that scene in a Malay movie whereby the woman asked for chilli sauce in a supposedly high-class restaurant, only to have the chef storm out from the kitchen in anger.

The chef at Gulf Beach Restaurant & Cafe did come to our table actually. But to pass the right order as his assistant had given a wrong one. “On the house!” he said referring to the half-eaten botched order. That and together with a basket of potato wedges and some couscous desserts he later brought to our table. Maybe he felt grateful to us since more customers came in when they saw our group inside the place. He also mentioned that the current menu is due for expansion soon with more new dishes. Nice guy and I reckon we held back in saying how we really felt about the food due to the staff and his friendliness.

I can’t say whether we’ll return to the place. We’ll see when they’ve revised their menu.

You’re Not The Man (Sade)

I simply do not trust this guy. Good luck Malaysia.

Pool It! (Monkees)

Just one of those father-daughter outings during my day off and when Fadelinah’s in school. Ooyah had been asking to go to the swimming pool ever since we returned from our holiday; as if the daily dips in the hotel’s swimming pool weren’t enough. So I relented and brought her to Jurong East Sports Complex last Wednesday, after having seen their rather large swimming complex every time I passed by it on the way to work.

It’s been a while since I last stepped inside a public swimming complex and was surprised to see that the entrance fees have not escalated that much; merely $1.50 and 80 cents per adult and child respectively. And not only was it popular with the locals, but also quite a few expats with their children in tow.

There are quite a few interesting features within the compound, especially the water slides, not that I had a chance to try them out. I accompanied the little girl to only certain places that she fancied, basically soaking inside the kids’ pool and the shallower end of the wave pool. The rented buoy proved redundant as we drifted only about a third of the lazy river’s length before Ooyah screamed her lungs out not wanting to pass underneath a waterfall. It was a good 3 hours worth of lazing around the pools before it started drizzling. Just in time for us to have a light meal inside KFC and watch the Albirex Niigata players practising from the grandstand.

Can’t wait for the new Safra clubhouse in Jurong West to open this April for me to bring her to the children’s gymnasium and largest indoor playground in Singapore.

Streets Of Philadelphia (Bruce Springsteen)

Was at Gramophone yesterday to pick up U2’s latest when I saw a compilation of The Boss’ hits. I’ve long lost the tape of such a compilation and wonder if it’s time I buy it again. Especially since this particular song’s included. And did I mention that it’s from one of my all-time favourite movies?

Maiden Voyage (Herbie Hancock)

Our maiden voyage to East Malaysia was interesting to say the least, although I couldn’t help but feel that we needed a longer stay to fully experience the culture there. We booked a 3-nights stay in Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu, that basically faces the hub of activities within the city area and spend most of our time shopping, eating and venturing to whatever tourist attractions there are possible within the limited time that we had. Forgivable for a first trip but I have already in mind a list of things that I must do on future trips to Kota Kinabalu.

Now that I have been absolved of whatever forced climbing by the military, ascending Mount Kinabalu finally looks tempting. So is exploring the deeper side of the capital, like visiting the monsopiad headhunters and touching the vile-smelling rafflesia. I could only listen with envy how my reservist mate recounted his own experience staying with a tribe in Sarawak and joined them hunting for food and slept in a longhouse on stilts directly above a crocodile-infested river. Call me a Robinson Crusoe-wannabe for all I care but I do appreciate the wild life if it’s not forcibly shoved down my throat.

And now back to real life.

Due to conflicting schedules, we could only settle for the Gaya Street Sunday Market instead of embarking on North Borneo Railway’s 4-hours steam train ride. Frankly, I find the market to be a glorified pasar malam. It’s long, that’s for sure, but apart from pathetic-looking animals put up for sale and the occasional interesting street characters, you can find almost the same in other Malaysian states. While Fadelinah went crazy over the crystals and pearls, I walked away from the place with 3 T-shirts … as always.

The hotel we stayed in is very conveniently located within walking distances to popular day and night markets, shopping centres, restaurants and street food eateries. Service was impeccable, except for that Caucasian porter who stood out like a sore thumb among the local staff. He’s probably a management trainee made to start out from the bottom. I could tell from his forced smile. The hotel we’ll probably stay in the next time around would be Sutera Harbour Resort, where we spent a few hours at raiding the Hi Tea buffet inside Cafe Boleh and watching the city’s famous sunset from. Nexus Resort Karambunai is just too far away to be convenient.

Taxi rides are not metered and one pays generally RM10 for short trips within the city and RM25 for longer ones to the airport or 1 Borneo HyperMall. The latter currently the biggest shopping centre in East Malaysia, with Mercure, Novotel and Tune hotels flanking it. One thing I realise about the taxi drivers or the locals for that matter, that they’re generally an honest lot and would have a conversation only when you start it. Simply put … decent people.

I guess whenever one lands in a place near the ocean, seafood tends to be the staple throughout the stay. We had a lot of it. Right from the delicious lobster at Port View Seafood Village to the burned-to-a-crisp garoupa at a stall behind the Filipino Market. Definitely a must-visit judging from the number of locals and tourists dining there.

And on our last day in Kota Kinabalu, we took a speedboat ride from Jesselton Point to Pulau Manukan. Supposedly the most popular within the group of islands in front of the city but it was such a disappointing sight. The numerous dead corals washed up ashore made for a painful walk and the water isn’t exactly Redang standard. Besides, there were simply too many people that made it look like Singapore’s East Coast. The only decent snorkelling that can be done seems to be near the jetty, provided the staff don’t see and tell you to climb back up. Will definitely skip Pulau Manukan and visit the other more secluded islands the next time.

I guess that about sums up our first trip to Kota Kinabalu. And I’m still pissed at not being able to hang with my homies, the proboscis monkeys and orangutans. Never mind … another one added to the list of things left undone in Kota Kinabalu. More trips need to be planned it seems.

One Last Time (Lewis Grizzard)

Like finally set free from a disease and about time too.

Count on them to call me back at the most inappropriate time, just like when they called me back a few days after Ooyah’s birth … this time around on my birthday. So it seems a case filled with a Hamilton watch and a few tacky medals are the rewards for my serving my NS to its full mandatory 7 high-key, albeit completing it way behind schedule; my original unit completed theirs a few years ago.

And no … I did not go down to the stage to join a few hapless beings when my name was called out. I already knew what was coming. So you let them blow the flames of the candles of the birthday cake as the whole battalion sang them a birthday song by force, then let them cut it and swiftly asked them to return to their seats, without eating the cake. Typical.

I did go down earlier to collect the elusive MR certificate from the CO and could only muster what felt like a smile. Perhaps the CO’s question when I shook his hand dumbfounded me. “What company are you from?”. What the fuck? Didn’t the MC announced it earlier? I expected him to say something like “Congratulations! You will be fucking off from here pretty soon and no son of a bitch will be able to call you back to camp to do meaningless stuff anymore.”. I guess he only wanted the audience to see his lips moving.

I smoked and slept throughout the 8 days and actually managed to finish reading a book after like 25 years. I also let some mosquitoes have their last taste of my blood when forced to join the rest inside the Pasir Laba area for the live firing exercise. Apart from that, it got kind of melancholic a few days before I left the camp for good. Being treated like slaves by the PTIs who eventually turned me from a couch potato into the fittest in the company, sleeping inside a drain and eating instant noodle on top of a grave, resorting to drinking from a murky puddle due to extreme thirst while climbing a mountain in Brunei, and last but not least, throwing all homophobic ideas out the window by clinging to smelly mates while stuck inside the 3-tonner during a typhoon in Taiwan.

Good riddance is all I can say. My own self from the army … and the army from me.

On A Beach On A Mountain (Young Antiques)

Bored out of my mind following my last ICT, the Ooyah Clan is flying off to Kota Kinabalu this morning and will be back by Tuesday.

Loads of things to do yet so little time.

Corner Of The Earth (Jamiroquai)

5th April Kuala Lumpur … 8th April Jakarta … but why oh why don’t you include Singapore?

One of the acts I would actually pay through the teeth to see and now left feeling almost helpless … unless I do something really drastic to make sure it happens. Not really an F1 fan though it’s going to be literally a free concert for ticket holders … and the thought of postponing a particular trip to coincide with the Jakarta date did cross my mind. Hhmmm …

Face To Face (Angel City And Angels)

Better the second time around? So far no superpokes … no thrown lambs. Let’s just hope it stays that way or I’ll shut the whole thing down yet again like I did a year ago.

Due to a request from an ex-colleague, I decided to give Facebook another try and have so far spend quite a bit of time uploading my pictures into it, to the point of ignoring Plurk almost entirely. I guess the thing about such social network and micro blogging platforms is that together with people you are genuinely interested in keeping in touch with, there’re also the linked contacts you’d rather not see. Especially when they do their updates and it turns up on your screen. Frankly, too many politically-correct individuals can really irritate the hell out of me. Give me the true blue in-your-face kind of comments anytime from people who just couldn’t be bothered. At least I know you’re speaking your mind and that’s who you really are.

I’m not sure if Facebook has anything I can use to prevent others from seeing my almost constant picture uploads. Don’t want to piss others off in that manner although I do make sure this time around I only send friend requests to those I’ve met personally throughout my life and think are good people to be associated with. It’s ironic though that a few ex-classmates requested the same from me although we hardly communicated back then. Anyway, I’m not about to be the arrogant one and deny them. Maybe we will meet up and built a stronger relationship especially when they’re talking about a gathering soon.

It’s interesting to see how some old friends have turned out. Some for the better and some for the worst, be it career-wise or appearance-wise. At least I can take solace in the fact that all the guys, at least the married ones, turn out to be Puff Daddies like yours truly.

Eat ‘Em and Smile (David Lee Roth)

New eateries have been introduced inside JP2 while the whole residential cum retail project is nearing completion. Feast, the third food court between the old and new wings combined and supposedly the higher end version, surprised me by including a few Halal joints. I was beginning to think that JP2 was getting a little too Cina with the numerous tacky clothes shops and more non-Halal restaurants lining the sides. So for the past week, we have been checking 3 of them out. Java Village, Anjappar Authentic Chettinaad Restaurant and Sakura Halal Chinese Cuisine.

The first one serves average-tasting Indonesian food and their Ayam Penyet definitely can’t compare to the other places. As I told Fadelinah, it was probably the first and last time we would be there. Perhaps I was insulted when served Teh Sosro in a packet instead of in a bottle. It did state Teh Botol in the menu. It’s the little things that can sometime make or break a restaurant’s image. No pictures taken … just couldn’t be bothered.

Anjappar actually serves pretty decent Indian food and we enjoyed our thosai and briyani dam, albeit the slightly higher prices as compared to those you can get along Serangoon Road. I couldn’t tell whether the waiter attending to us was being friendly or pushy, but he did help me out when I asked for the actual name of the minted cumin seeds in front of the cashier. And for that, we will return.

The last one, Sakura, is what I had always wanted JP2 to have. Funny how I was in Java Village looking at my pathetic Ayam Penyet and secretly wishing either Sakura or Magic Wok would set up a branch in JP2 and not realised that we had walked past Sakura earlier. It’s actually the first shop on the left side of the entrance. I didn’t notice any signboard so that’s probably why. To-date, we’ve been there twice and recently had their promotions of set lunches and fish head curry. For $5.80, you get to choose from one of their popular main dishes, together with a drink and dessert. Definitely cheap and did I mention that the fish head curry costs just $10.80? I’m not referring to teenie weenie fish heads here but quite a big one served in a big claypot, enough to serve 4 I think. Although taste-wise, we think Seri Laut still reigns, it sure beats eating at Fig & Olive. Enough said … I’m going to be a regular there every week.