Left 2 my own devices

gay music

2009-12-11T21:11:00.000-08:00

my friend said jason mraz's music is so "gay". i agreed. it does send out happy vibes.

10 times

2009-12-11T20:45:00.000-08:00

i have decided to listen at least 10 times to all the albums that i bought from now on.

olive

2009-12-11T20:30:00.000-08:00

i have grown to love the colour of olive. o lovely :D

Major Zombie Flies @NYCC (NY Comic Con) 2009

2009-02-14T16:19:00.001-08:00

One of the best thing that happened to me during my 3 days hangout at the con was a compliment I got from Jim Mahfood. I was at his booth, about to make a purchase of his awesome new book entitled "Carl The Cat That Makes Peanut Butter Sandwiches", Jim asked me where did I get my T-shirt. He thinks its pretty cool. Man, I was wearing my Major Zombie: Fly T and I was totally flying that day :-)

CNY in SG

2009-01-25T19:27:00.000-08:00

This is my first ever Chinese New Year spend in Singapore. Here are pictures of the famous China Town (Guu Chia Zhui) during the eve of CNY. Loaded with people on a last minute shopping spree and also tourists. A lot of China natives who don't get to go home were having big meals for lunch with fellow worker friends. I was walking around gathering CNY mood.

• Behind me is "Fu Ya" temple, a new temple in China Town which (get this) my nephew Wong Kek Wei(a.k.a Ah Siang) is the civil engineer! I knew he has been working on it for years and I am so proud to finally see gigantic structure myself.

• My favourite Singaporean dish, Hokkien Fried Noodle. This particular one at China Town Complex is really good. Highly recommended! (Take note: Add an extra S$0.50 during the eve of CNY but it's worth it hahahah...)

New Adventure in Singapore

2008-12-30T23:58:00.001-08:00

My new home at Serangoon Center, a very convenient neighbourhood

View from the flat

The entrance

My room looking out

My room

Hanoi (Vietnam pt1)

2008-10-30T00:35:00.000-07:00

Date of Visit: 18 - 26 Oct 2008

Touched down Hanoi, already people trying to rip us off so we decided to take a public bus. Its a blessing in disguise as we had an out of city tour before we reached Hanoi's Old Quarter

Our first meal. Sticky rice and meat. Don't know its name but it's not cheap though, about RM6

The very cool auntie who make very nice "Hong Kong Chee Cheong Fun" type of food

Honoians will do anything on their bike. Here, buying toys for their kids

Stuffed animals

The road near Hoan Kiem Lake

Very long night market which happens from Friday till Sunday

The dessert looks yummy but since its our first night, we couldn't take the risk of having food poisoning. Didn't try

People walking only from one direction on the night market. One lane go and one lane back. So unlike the way they ride their bikes

The very cheap(RM0.75 per glass) but very smooth bia hoi (means draught beer in Viet)

This is the cross road where we had our bia hoi

Motorbike "taxie" which could carry 3 passengers

Apart from ripping off tourists, the locals love excercise

The Korean community Catholic church. The building seems very much Chinese influenced

One of the very old Catholic church in Hanoi

Roadside cafe where the coffee is excellent

Roadside cafe

Roadside cafe

Apart from the excellent coffee, the ice-blended custard apple is good too

Unfortunately the excellent coffee came in very small cup, too small

Students coming out of the church

Cool dudes having their coffee

Cigarettes sellers

Another delicious find (thanks to Chow Shevy's guidebook), a tomatoe soup flat noodle

Hit the street again as we are going to take the night train to Sapa

Street view

Check out the tagline, "For women who use computers", you know its talking to you

Sapa (Vietnam pt2)

2008-10-29T19:51:00.000-07:00

Khol(left), our native guide, ready to brief us in front of our hotel

All set ready to go for our trekking trip

Funny kid

On the way down the valley

"Hi! Whats your name? Where are you from?"

She is famous in this part of the world too

Buy me! Buy me! (They really meant "buy from me!", I assume.)

Our Japanese friend Aoi is being surrounded

Native kid's meal

Native kid's lollies

There is a squirrel in the bird cage behind the kid

Corn hanging on the ceiling inside the house

They normally don't wear pants

Ahhh... cozy...

Different tribe, different backpack

Naturally dyed fabric(indigo blue extracted from a type of plant) to be made into their traditional clothing

Too bad can't swim here

Too far down

And too cold too

A pig was slaughtered when we passed by a village. A party is coming up, probably.

A native joinning us

Villagers opening a new path

Kids hang around

While their mom & dad dig

Pretty native (probably already given birth to 3 kids)

Check out what they have in their backpack

A craft made from a roadside plant by the natives, nice

Our trail is getting tougher

One of us saw a tiny green snake somewhere over here. Khol, our guide just sprung off. Later she told us she "doesn't like" snake

Native kids

We came from the far end of the cliff, and keep walking

"Buy me! Buy me!"

"Buy me! Buy me!"

"Buy me! Buy me!"

I hope he is not lost

Cool old dude

In a primary school. For some strange reason, we are allowed to go into a class in a middle of a lesson

Their books hanging on the wall

No, she is not the teacher

Yes, there is a teacher

Kids playing in front of the school

Hopefully a bigger school will be built here

Buffalo roaming

Not sure if its pork or beef

A patrol kiosk and a worker (kidding about the later)

Ending of our 12km walk

Our friend Roisin(right) just can't resist the native art anymore

Its is just a swing

They work while seating, walking, talking and selling stuffs to tourists

Aoi and her mom, I m so impressed by her endurance

Room with a view. Its not as expensive as it looks

All meals are included and they are one of the most decent food we have eaten during this trip

Sapa town, drizzling

Remind me of some European small town

To Mimosa, a very nice restaurant. Should try the hot plate, really delicious yet affordable

Remember the name, there is a fax number too

Highland Bakery, friendliest place. The boss actually helped me to make a phone call back to Hanoi twice without charging me. Its so rare in Vietnam. I came back to but its excellent chocolate baguettes

Remind me of Japan

Rose plantation

Scenes from Hanoi (Vietnam pt3)

2008-10-29T01:01:00.000-07:00

Don't know what is this called, but its like Hong Kong chee cheong fun

Pho (reads "fur") Xao, as tasty as a very good M'sian fried beef horfun.

"Swans" at the vgreat West Lake

The very best French baguette served with meat and egg by the road side

Hanoi Opera House

The back of Hanoi Opera House, where workers play pools or have a drink

People on the street

People on the street

Cool uncle on a bicycle

The famous ice-cream place at Trung Tien Road

Vietnamese goes everywhere with their bike, even into an ice-cream shop

Park your bike and get an ice-cream

A 3-level bookshop at Trung Tien Road.

Vendor send books right into the bookshop. I was shocked coz I never expect to see a bike inside a bookshop.

Woman selling blood dripping fish on the street.

Tam Coc (Vietnam pt4)

2008-10-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

Good enough reason to go cycling under hot sun, no?

A temple near Tam Coc, remind me of Bali

From another angle

One of those many "Buy me! Buy me!" schemes

Fellow trip member James with his daughter

Felt like cycling under the hot sun through Simpang Pulai, Ipoh!

It felt much better as we turned into the village

The kids are genuinely friendly

Kids

Buffoos having a good time

More kids on bicycle

James and his happy daughter

Scene from the village

This is where the 2 hour sampan journey begins

Notice they use their feet to row

row with your feet

Highlight of the journey is we get to go through the lime stone hills by sampan

Villager living by the river

Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi (Vietnam pt5)

2008-10-28T04:04:00.000-07:00

Hoan Kiem Lake at 530 am

People work out at the lakeside

Love

Group exercise

Sport by the busy main road near Hoan Kiem Lake.

Hoan Kiem Lake

Jade Hill Temple, Hoan Kiem Lake

Jade Hill Temple, Hoan Kiem Lake

Jade Hill Temple, Hoan Kiem Lake

Cigarette smoking men, Hoan Kiem Lake