Having Dinner with Chris, Ping Long and Emily. Ping Long is a new friend introduced by Chris, and I think both Emily and Chris both still the same, they are still bunch of funny and playful friend of mine.
Kiki’s baby is so cute, big eye cutie, grow up must be a pretty girl ….:)
Eating the local delicacy at 火炭大排挡
Last year I been to the Mong Kok 大排挡 but this one I been to with Emily was the more localize and “real” 大排挡 to me, and we had all the nice and local delicacy in one shot.
People said that I act like a big child, think I really acknowlegde now. Just browse through the Youtube for Doremon theme song and found out these great video of most of the popular theme song play in the concert. I love all these song, great to recall our childhood memory …back to the childhood day …yeah! Enjoy ….
We just had a trip to Pulau Ubin last 2 weeks ago, with two friends of mine, my wife and my sister in law as well as her little baby. Pulau Ubin is the last “Village” in Singapore, and it is famous for cycling. Cycling track was built around the whole Pulau Ubin (Pulau means Island in Malay).
As usual, we start to look out for a good and cheap bycycle rental shop, and would never expecting any special event happen ahead of us. Sometimes, “Accidents” always happen unexpectedly.
Welcome to Pulau Ubin!
Little baby is quite unwilling to get on the bicycle, and especially mummy is on another bicycle.
Keen Leong is the worst baby sitter in the world ..haha …
The long leg large spider all around the Ubin Island, the web is so huge, it can easily cover your whole body
At this point, we still do not know danger is ahead and we will be lost in the mangrove. Before we were getting in the Mangrove, the coconut and drinks seller has warned us the danger of getting lost in the mangrove, and he asked us to go straight after the second bridge without turning to left (in fact, turning was the right way!) We do not know why he said this, probably he doesn’t know the right way.
We started the “wrong” journey here, not sensing any danger ahead, we happily rode to the wrong way…
and then something bad is going to happen …
Look at the mud below, the road is narrow and the bicycle was totally immersed into the mud, as well as our shoes and leg.
We were happyly thinking that this is the right way to pass through the mangrove and got out back to the direction we wanted. Before getting the mangrove, a westerner cyclist has warned us too that we’d better reverse back, but stuborness prevailed and we thought this is the right way to go. Sometimes you need to stuborn for what is right, but not this time. haha.
Look at our leg and shoes after went through the mangrove mud. I don’t dare to come back to Pulau Ubin again …huhuhu
Taipei, yeah, i come again, this should be my fourth visit to Taiwan, and third time to Taipei. The impression of Taipei is a little bit messy yet it is also high tech city, crowded yet organized. Messy is because there are many old buildings, and there are many small route, easy to get lost. It is a High Tech city, the world largest wafer fab and major memory and computer maker located in Taiwan, it is the electronics giant among the world. It is always crowded, every where is people, but organized especially in the train station, people queqe up before getting onboard, and always prior their seat to old folks and whom are in need.
A sphere made of wooden block, looks artistic and natural. Taken in the grand hyatt hotel.
The Taipei 101, althought it is walking distance to the my hotel, but I would rather spend sometime in the night market than this luxurious shopping complex which i hardly find a thing to buy.
XiMenDing, a place where my wife and I stay about 4 years ago when we visited Taiwan first time.
One of the famous Taiwan artist and singer - 小猪罗志祥 is signing autograph for his fans in XimenDing. The queue is so long and mostly below 20 years old, if I go queue up I might be in the over-age group.
A kitten was walking around in the pet shop, this pet shop let the cat walk around to meet their future owner.
Cute and shy little dog
Shilin night market, thus far, the fourth time I came here, which means every time i come to taipei, I will surely pay a visit to this night market, why? it is fun, but too crowded. I was stucked in one street for half an hour because it simply cant move at all, every one were waiting and pondering what happen in front, and to the extend that stranger start chating with each other because no body is able to inch forward or backward.
In the sunday morning, drizzling and the temperature reach 15C, my hotel concierge told me that going for a hotspring bath could be a very special experience, therefore I tried again after the first trial here 4 years ago.
Since i already in Bei Tou, I went to Dan Sui 淡水 too to buy its “Iron Egg”
Travel alone really quite boring, but better stay in the hotel i think ..haha
Fisherman harbour (渔人码头）- This is the place both Bibi and I took picture 4 years ago, though she couldn’t come with me this time to Taipei, but I still recall the sweet memory, haha …
The Long Shan Temple taken at night, still a lot of people praying inside the temple at this time.
Another famous night market - Hua Xi Jie night market.
At last, before I departed from Tao Yuan airport, a man captured my eye, with his big head looks like tomato. Ha, it is real tomato head, it is just a fake man with its advertisement “I love Taiwan”, so cute. Many people was surprised like me and realised they are fooled because it is fake.
Yesterday when I was surfing the net to find out more about the Mumbai attack, I was shocked by another news which mentioning about a new controversial song created by Ming Zi 黃明志. He was famous because of his song “Negarakuku”, which insulted Malaysia government because he used the national antheme to “rap” about the society fact.
The recent controversial song created by him called 《丘老師ABC時間》，he was sued by his school and many are throwing anger bomb towards this latest production.
Vulgar words and sexual element was the major arguement from the public, as well as using his secondary school as background.
I would like to point out one things is - if you read all the negative comments and news before watching the video, 90% of the people will be influenced by those comments and feel the same way of bombarding him. To find out the true feeling from your inner heart, you need to ignore all the comments first, because different people has different point of view.
To me, the first 2 videos could be boring and nonsense (strickly speaking, the ugly man shouting the “ar ar ar” and the boobs picture covered with bra is not “porn” enough if you are looking for porn video), but it show the reality how chinese people speak today, and the low moral standard in today society, people do not care about content they speak, they just focus on expressing their anger.
But to many people, these videos are not “healthy”. (because of the actor face? or because of the vulgar words) I think we dare not scold some one if they speak those vulgar/filthy word in front of you (directly or indirectly to you), but many people seems very mad at this video ? why ? Because he speak vulgar ? Or you think he ruin the name of the chinese?
Frankly speaking, I am not a fan of Ming Zi after all, but indeed I am proud of Ming Zi too, because he dare to voice out his view. Controversy sometimes is good, it makes people think and start to figure out where the problem is, people see him as problem maker, but I do not think so, he is just too provoking and agreasive when making his view known. But the real issue lies in the society whereby no one really go and dig it out and face it.
I am proud of chinese independent school, most of the student from there has great career, and better discipline. This thanks to the education system there. I admited that language is a problem, chinese is the main medium to teach, it is hard for everyone master two language at a time, especially the great difference in chinese and english. One has mentioned that we require different side of brains to study these two languages due to its personality.
After 6 years of study in chinese independent school, most of the students are good at science and math. But without great presentation and communication skill, you can’t survive in the society. If we look at the bright side, chinese always has strong fighting spirit, I have my school mates work and stay in different country - US, England, Japan, Australia, Singapore, China, Taiwan …you name it, this show the great results from the chinese independent school education system. I’d only started to communicate with people in english since my University study here in Singapore, and now I have no problem communicating with my colleague and counterpart from United State (with American slang). So my point is - if you have cultivated the fighting, learning, growing spirit since young, you will not fail to succeed, this is what I have learnt in my 6 yrs Chinese Independent School study.
Then while I surfing for this song in youtube, another singer was discovered - Karen Kong 龚柯允. She is a pretty chinese singer, I do not know who is she in the first place, but she impress me with her Malay Song Album. After much discovery from the internet and her blog www.karenkong.com/, I learnt that she is the first chinese singer has her first album debuted in Malay song and she is from labuan (Sabah).
As a malaysian chinese, we live under the same system, to be frank, there are some unfair treatment need to be resolved. First to mention is the education system, just like what Ming Zi expressed, there is quota for chinese to be accepted in the local University.
But this is not a loss to malaysian chinese, this is a loss to the government. Think about it, every year, there are thousands of great talents and graduates will be outflowed to foreign country to work after they studied in oversea. They are not contributing to the nation GDP but contributing their effort to other countries’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product), and after all most of these Malaysians work and live in oversea enjoying their life there, spending money and contributing to the economy oversea too.
So back to the two singers, Karen and Ming Zi, they are both malaysian chinese. Ming Zi sang song to complain about current society issue in malaysia. But Karen has another more effective method, she sing malay song with her amazing voice, it could melt the heart of all malay fellow citizens and feel the love from chinese people too. (When you like some one, you start to learn their culture and language - just like you learn korean and jap when watching their show and listening to their music)
In all the religion, either in buddhism or christianity, all of them proclaim about love. Love can solve everything but not hatred. I would say Ming Zi’s way of expressing is nothing wrong, but sharing the love could be a better way to resolve the issue. (Making some one hate you is easy, but making some one like you could be a mission impossible sometimes.)
Instead of always complaining about the unfair treatment, malaysian chinese ought to stand up and penetrate into the lives of other races too. While we are holding on to our cultures, we ought to familiarised with other races’ culture and language.
Let’s work together for a better tomorrow! Cheers!
I have not been blogging for a while, because I was so busy for my wedding last week.
Today is our wedding customary 1 week aniversary, both Bibi and I feel so relax. When recall what was happened last week today, everything seems like a dream and all was in the memory and those memory are so sweet.
I have just added more post, picture and video to my wedding blog, especially the feeling before my chinese customary and the wedding banquet.
We (my brothers and I) started to plan about this weddding banquet since at least 5 months ago. Bibi and I have mobilized so many people to help to achieve the final victory. Every little things now seem wortht the effort!
Since after my proposal to Bibi in feb 08, we started to plan about this whole marriage.
The sequence of event are as follow:
Dec 07 - discussing with my close friends how should i propose to bibi and survey the diamond ring for proposal. Learning the 4C of diamond, etc etc.
Feb 08 - finally the day has reached and I brought bibi to beach and proposed to her with the diamond ring i bought, and of course, she happily accepted my proposal.
March 08 - told our parents about our decision, and started planning the whole wedding event.
April 08 - start survey about bridal house studio, and restaurant for the wedding banquet
May 08 - Surveyed for more than 3 restaurants, most are full and occupied with the date we wanted, but finally we found the Selayang Palace Restaurant which is newly open and the date we want (Nov 8 ) is available.
June 08 - Signed up with Redsense Bridal House, and also submit ROM form (registrar of marriage) and confirm date of Aug 9 for ROM at Chinese Assembly Hall in Kuala Lumpur
July 08 - We have taken our wedding photo in FRIM.
Aug 08 - Called the registrar of marriage and realised that they made a mistake that our ROM date should be 8 Aug. As 8 Aug is a good date and Olympic openning date, what an ouspicious date, so we happily accepted the mistake with fate, and ROM on 8 Aug with relatives and friends’ great blessing!
Sept & Oct 08 - Sending invitation to friends and relatives for our wedding banquet. Also meeting my brothers for the wedding banquet program discussion, coordination with MC and helpers.
Nov 08 - Just one week before the customary and banquet, my wedding blog is up to commemorate our wedding, and Bibi rush to design the 22 feet lonog banner for backdrop of the stage. And finally the actual day came and we celebrated our customary and banquet joyfully with all our beloved relatives and friends.
I would like to thanks all helpers and close friends whom helped us so much throughout this period! And many said you would recognize whom are true friends when you need help especially in your big day!
I was really touched that we have so many true best friends celebrated with us for our wedding, I guess all the hardwork has been paid for because of this!
After a lot of hardwork for a week, finally my wedding blog - Paul & Bibi’s Wedding is up and running with all the photo and feature embeded.
This blog is specially made for my beloved wife - Bibi, to commerate our marriage and wedding.
I would like to say, wedding is really a lot of work to do, but could be memorable and enjoyable though, since you gonna to do it, so let’s enjoy the process …
This Idea just came to my mind about 1 week ago, and just gotten our wedding photo and MTV, instead of post it to picasa or flikr, I thought of making it special, to make our own blog…
Enjoy …and remember to sign on the guest book so that we know you have been there …:)
Although both my wife and I are malaysian, but most of our time are in Singapore because we stay here and work here. Passing by Johor is a must while we going back to Kuala Lumpur, but we never stay more than 2 hours in Johor, don’t even talk about touring around.
This time, we have a chance to follow my in law uncle and aunty (whom are singaporean) go to Johor to visit their Palm Oil estate.
We set out at 9am, after all the chores of custom clearance and about 1 hour journey, we reach the palm oil estate, it is about 200 hectares. Tons of Palm oil seeds are collected and ready to be transported to the process factory. Although Malaysia is well known for palm oil, as a malaysian for 28 years, this is the first time I come to palm oil estate, what a shame :(
We set out to another destination then to tour around the nice destination in Johor…
After all the hard work of choosing domain name, web hosting and set up the templates and plug in, finally my Traderwork.com is up and running.
I would say i learn a lot setting up a site all by my own, from nothing to completion. I have zero knowlegde of website design or any coding like HTML, CSS, frontpage, etc. But at least now I able to get my site up.
Traderwork is a site for options trader, for people who are curious and motivated to learn about options trading. Besides, I would love to share my trading journal as well as market check with my readers.
One last thing missing, a logo for Trader Work. Erm…I shall hire my lovely wife for this assignment …the most important part is her design job is free of charge. Thanks wife!
3 hours later will be the first Singapore F1 night race, Singapore is making history for the first time hosting F1 race and even more, the first night race! I will be celebrate it together with Singapore, by not going to the actual scene (to create more space for my fovereigner friend, what an excuse??) , but I would rather watching the better screen, my own TV at home, and having beer at home with friends to cheer for Hamilton. :)
I have the first encounter with F1 few years back in Milan, visiting the ferrari shop near the Duomo di Milan.Everything inside the shop are to be expensive, even a cup or a keychain, I do not think it is worth to buy at all, don’t even talk about T-shirt or a jacket (which cost few hundred Euro). So be frankly, to be a truely Ferrari fan, it could be quite costly. That time, I only know it is one of the famous motor race, and the famous driver Michael Schumacher. Besides, my Italian friends are very proud of their Italian technology - Ferrari, of course.
Tonight, Hamilton and Massa will be competing for the crown first time in the foreign place here in Singapore. Find out more here from the official Singapore GP website.
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