Malaysia Adventures

Three days after returning from HK, I went to Malaysia with Feijie, Shahid & Sufiyan.

Initially our plan was to go to Hatyai and Penang. However, after reading many reports about the violence in Southern Thailand, we made the decision to skip Thailand and headed to Langkawi instead.

Tiger Airways got some really cheap flights to KL (50 bucks). KL was fairly near to Singapore and within half an hour we touched down at KLIA LCCT.

The airport was about 50km away from the train station. We took the shuttle bus between the two and arrived with enough time for dinner and some walking-around. At 2045, our train left the station and slowly chugged northwards in the night.

Our destination was Alor Star, 12 hours ride on train but only 5 hours by bus. The train ride saved us a night accommodation but the night wasn't very enjoyable. The upper bunk sleeper (43 rm) was quite narrow and the corridor lights were always on. The train attendant would make announcements when arriving at every station. Hence these all made an uncomfortable night.

The rather run-down Alor Star station welcomed us when we disembarked and we transferred to the Kuala Kedah Ferry Terminal in a taxi. The taxi driver was planting thoughts in us when he said that were many Russian babes sunbathing topless on the Langkawi beaches. The Russian babes became our obsession throughout the stay on the island.

At the Langkawi ferry terminal, a tout Jan got us to rent a car from him. Being the designated driver, I had bad vibes when our Proton Iswara's stiff clutch failed me at a steep slope. We couldn't make it to our hotel as we lost our way and the car ran out of petrol.

Jan came to our rescue with additional petrol and we barely made it to the hotel. I felt more confident after driving the junk for a while and made the decision not to change to a different car.

It turned out to be a wrong decision.

We decided to go for a spin and the car could barely climb up slopes. In the end the gears all gave way and the car rolled to a stop in the middle of nowhere. After failing to contact Jan (who was having nap), Shahid & FJ hitched a ride to the ferry terminal and requested for help.

The staff was very unhelpful but somehowe we managed to get another car with a much less stiff clutch. We had to pay an additional 10 rm per day on top of the 40 rm which were already paying. In between we wasted about 3 hours and we barely caught the sunset at Tanjong Rhu beach which was already deserted by then. (No Russian babes...)

We drove to Pantai Cenang where we had our dinner. The meal cost only 66 rm for 4 of us inclusive of drinks. "Cheap sia" became our pet phrase for the rest of the trip.

I hadn't introduced the hotel which we stayed: Citin Hotel. The room was dirt cheap (60 rm) and I can understand why. We seemed to be the only guests throughout the stay. Our rooms had no windows (sounds like a prison cell) and its only saving grace was that there was a 24h prata stall next door.

The second day started with the cable car excursion. 15 rm for Malaysian, 25 rm for the rest and it was a rather interesting ride. No Russian babes again but plenty of Middle Eastern women which were covered from head to toe. The summit was foggy and we could not see anything down from there but the ride up and down compensated for the lack of view up there.

After lunch we went to swim at the Pantai Cenang beach. (No Russian babes) The day ended with multiple dinners and shopping (chocolates are cheap; alcohol is tax-free but we didn't get any obviously) at Kuah. (No Russian babes as well) We would leave Langkawi the next day for Penang.

After pestering Jan for the return of our deposit, we managed to catch the earlier ferry to Penang. The 3 hour ferry ride was enough for 2 Rambo movies and we felt like illegal immigrants when we disembarked at the temporary ferry 'terminal'.

Upon arrival, the notice at our hotel (Hotel Mingood) warned us of snatch-thieves on motorcycles in the vicinity. It seemed that Penang wasn't half as safe as Langkawi. Our time in Penang was short and the only notable thing was watching 2 movies at night: Get Smart and Red Cliff. (Cheap sia!)

The last day saw us check out early for the flight from Penang to JB. We had a late lunch at City Square before arriving at Singapore.

Photos 1
Photos 2

Trip to Fragrant Harbour & Las Vegas of the East

Long overdue trip report about my trip to Hong Kong & Macau with my mom and sis earlier this month.

Well I think that it was not a very fun trip because of the weather.

It rained on all 5 days and our plan to visit either Disneyland or Ocean Park was abandoned.

Instead the trip became more of a cultural one as we visited 2 museums (HK History Musuem & Macau Museum).

Perhaps I can share some tips which I gain from this trip.

1. It rains everyday during the rainy season in Hong Kong and Macau. I think that's probably why the sales in HK are held during this period as the visitors will be pissed off by the rain.

2. Mandarin is more widely spoken in Hong Kong already; when I went to HK in Nov 2005, I could hardly communicate. Now most people will reply readily in Mandarin (abeit of varying quality) when they realize that you speak Mandarin instead of Cantonese. This can be probably attributed to the higher purchasing power by their Mainland cousins due to the stronger RMB.

3. Take the Tram! Not the Peak Tram but the Tram which runs on Hong Kong Island. All trips on the Tram only cost 2 HKD regardless of distance travelled. It is one good way to save money on transportation for budget travellers who have ample time to explore. I stayed on the Kowloon side the other time so I was not able to make much use of this transportation previously.

4. Hong Kong History Museum is a good place to visit when there is tropical storm outside. We spent almost 5 hours (the whole afternoon) without realizing. Beside the usual exhibits, there are many videos which are interactive and interesting life-size replicas of actual sights in HK. Worth the 10 HKD entrance fee (Free on Wed).

5. If you are going only to casinos in Macau, you can don't need to spend a cent on local transportation. There are shuttle buses between the ferry terminals and the various casinos. I've seen shuttle services to the border at Zhuhai. Very convenient for gamblers indeed. However, some casinos may require to show proof that you gamble before allowing to board their shuttle buses (Stanley Ho's Lisboa & Grand Lisboa are the ones that I know of).

Of course no trip report is completed without the photos.

Day 1 Lantau

Famous Ngong Ping Buddha

Tai-O

Day 2 History Museum

Bonhom Strand West - Where is Sai Bao??

Tram (not the real one; exhibit at HK History Museum)

Day 3 The Peak

We saw TVB Artiste Angela Tong at some shopping mall.

HK

The Peak

Day 4 Fishermen Wharf & The Venetian

Rather Tacky Place

Gondolas

Venetian Buildings

Me in front of something opulent

Day 5 St Paul's Ruins

Cathedral

St. Paul's Ruins overran with tourists

Pak-tor Lane

Macau with Zhuhai in backdrop

Truely Asia

Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.

At least what's happening in real life is not constrained by what already has happened.

Why did I say so?

Just look at the huge tussle for the post of Malaysia's next PM (and the access to billions to ringgits).

Najib "I don't know the Mongolian Model" Tun Razak

vs

Anwar aka the Comeback Kid aka Come-I-want-to-poke-your-backside Kid

Malaysian politicians are never known for the subtlety.

However this saga has taken them up to a whole new level.

Accusations followed by counter-accusations; statutory declaration rebutting the previous statutory declaration.

The whole Rashomon-esque chain of events make us all wondering what has exactly happened.

Who kill the Mongolian model?

How did the 61 years-old Anwar manage to sodomize the 23 year-old Saiful?

Is the Malaysian Police corrupt? (To many the answer seems pretty obvious though)

Scandal, murder, sodomy, homosexuality, obstruction of justice, imtimidation of witnesses.... All these make materials for a good Hollywood script.

Perhaps the Malaysian King can consider doing a Juan Carlos I by telling all of them:

¿Por qué no te callas? ("Why don't you [just] shut up?")

Malaysia Boleh indeed.

My Weird Interest

I didn't realize that this interest in national anthems is considered weird until someone pointed out.

I have already forget when did the interest start. Perhaps it's from Zamorano belting out the Chilean national anthem during the World Cup '98 which got me started.


Himno Nacional de Chile

I will put up some of the more interesting national anthems that I've found on Youtube.

Peoples' Republic of China - 义勇军进行曲 (March of the Volunteers)

Flag Raising Ceremony in Hong Kong

起来！不愿做奴隶的人们！
Arise! All who refuse to be slaves!
把我们的血肉，筑成我们新的长城！
Let our flesh and blood become our new Great Wall!
中华民族到了最危险的时候，
As the Chinese Nation faces its greatest peril
每个人被迫着发出最后的吼声。
All forcefully expend their last cries.
起来！起来！起来！
Arise! Arise! Arise!
我们万众一心，
Our million hearts beat as one,
冒着敌人的炮火，前进！
Brave the enemy's fire, March on!
冒着敌人的炮火，前进！
Brave the enemy's fire, March on!
前进！前进！进！
March on! March on! On!

Although I'm not a big fan of China, somehow I like the drumbeat of this anthem. I also like the way how the soldiers flip the flags during the flag-raising ceremony.

As the lyrics is in Modern Chinese as opposed to Classical Chinese of the ROC National Anthem, I can understand them fairly easily.

I don't understand why the Chinese people have to use their bodies to form the new Great Wall though.

Indonesia - Indonesia Raya (Great Indonesia)

Indonesia v Saudi Arabia Asian Cup 2007

Indonesia, tanah airku, tanah tumpah darahku.
Indonesia my native land, the land where I shed my blood.
Di sanalah aku berdiri, jadi pandu ibuku.
There I stand, being a soldier of my mother.
Indonesia, kebangsaanku, bangsa dan tanah airku.
Indonesia my nationality, my nation and my country.
Marilah kita berseru, "Indonesia bersatu!"
Let us exclaim "United Indonesia!"
Hiduplah tanahku, hiduplah neg'riku,
Live my land, live my state,
Bangsaku, rakyatku, semuanya.
My nation, my people, all.
Bangunlah jiwanya, bangunlah badannya
Build its spirit, build its bodies
Untuk Indonesia Raya!
For Great Indonesia!

CHORUS:
Indonesia Raya, merdeka, merdeka
Great Indonesia, independent and free,
Tanahku, neg'riku yang kucinta.
My land, my country, which I love.
Indonesia Raya, merdeka, merdeka
Great Indonesia, independent and free,
Hiduplah Indonesia Raya! (*2)
Live Great Indonesia! (*2)

Almost 90,000 people belting out at full volume. Some of the words used here can be found in the Malaysian and Singapore national anthems as well.

Wales - Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Land of my Fathers)


RWC '99 Mileenium Stadium

Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi,
The land of my fathers is dear unto me,
Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri;
Old land where the minstrels are honoured and free:
Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mâd,
Its warring defenders, so gallant and brave,
Dros ryddid collasant eu gwaed.
For freedom their life's blood they gave

(Cytgan)
Chorus

Gwlad, gwlad, pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad.
Land!,Land!,True I am to my land!
Tra môr yn fur i'r bur hoff bau,
While seas secure, this land so pure,
O bydded i'r hen iaith barhau.
o may our old language endure.

The Welsh anthem is slower but somehow it always moves me when I listen to it.

United States - The Star-Spangled Banner


By Carrie Underwood

O! say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming.
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

The national anthem of the most powerful country in the world is yet another slow tune.

Seems that most Americans only know the last line.

Italy - Il Canto degli Italiani (Song of the Italians)

Euro 2008 Italy v France

Fratelli d'Italia,
Brothers of Italy,
l'Italia s'è desta,
Italy has awoken,
dell'elmo di Scipio
with Scipio's helmet
s'è cinta la testa.
binding her head.
Dov'è la Vittoria?
Where is Victory?
Le porga la chioma,
Let her bow down,
ché schiava di Roma
For God has made her
Iddio la creò.
Rome's slave

CORO:
Chorus

Stringiamci a coorte,
Let us join in cohort,
siam pronti alla morte.
We are ready to die!
Siam pronti alla morte,
We are ready to die!
l'Italia chiamò.
Italy has called!

Anyone who is a fan of F1 racing will find this song familiar. Whenever the prancing horse wins, this tune will be played. It sounds a bit like opera music to me.

Almost all the Italian players in the starting line-up sang the national anthem with gutso prior to the game against France. The only exception is Christian Panucci. Mauro Camoranesi doesn't sing it as well. (He's a naturalized Argentine.)

France - La Marseillaise (The Song of Marseille)

Rick Blaine's Bar, Casablanca

Allons enfants de la Patrie,	Arise, children of the Homeland,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !	The day of glory has arrived!
Contre nous de la tyrannie,	Against us, tyranny
L'étendard sanglant est levé. (bis)	Bloody banner is risen. (repeat)
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes	Do you hear in the countryside
Mugir ces féroces soldats ?	These ferocious soldiers howling?
Ils viennent jusque dans nos bras	They are coming into our arms
Égorger nos fils, nos compagnes !	To cut the throats of our sons, our wives!

Aux armes, citoyens !	To arms, citizens!
Formez vos bataillons !	Form your battalions!
Marchons, marchons !	Let us walk, let us walk!
Qu'un sang impur	May an impure blood
Abreuve nos sillons !	Water our furrows!

Who can forget the classic scene in Casablanca when Victor Laszlo led the bar patrons singing La Marseillaise to drown out the German officers?

If I have to choose, this will be my favorite anthem.

However I will have to agree that the theme of the song is very violent.

An interesting fact is that Christian Karembeu refuses to sing La Marseillaise in protest against the treatment of his uncles as exhibits of human zoo back in the 1930s.

But I think that even he has to agree that this song is right up there among the best national anthems.

Random

The other day I had a chat with an old friend about how complicated his love life had became.

Although I only gave him the knowing smile, he managed to say out everything which went through my mind while listening to him.

It was quite obvious that he had thought through a lot before committing himself to the relationship.

Hopefully everything will end up well for him.

End of Internship

Last Monday was my last day of work at GT&T and I bought donuts to treat my colleagues.

Here are some of the photos from my time at GT&T.

With Wiliam on his last day.

With Serene on her last day

Another Pic

Jiaqi's Treat @ Pizza Hut

Blurry Pic

With Mingye