Yes, we had a pretty boisterous lunch-party at a friend's house on the 28th...
It was, I'd say, more of a "ladies' party"...
The husbands, the men that is, stayed at the sidelines and watched the ladies yakked and roared...
It was a good opportunity for us husbands, to connect and establish rapport...
And for me, it was particularly refreshing to get to know the children of my friends...
The boys, handsome as they are... and the girls, pretty and charming...
It will be a joy if I can meet them again in the future...
After the party, we took a taxi in the rain to KLIA...
As in most of our travel back to Malaysia, the midnight flight was tiring and taxing on our senses...
How long more can we take this, I sometimes wonder...
Thankfully, we managed to fly back home safely to Japan...
From a pleasant temperature hovering around the high 20s (as in 28 or 29 degrees Celcius) in Malaysia, we were welcomed by a windy 6 degrees at Kansai International...
From there, it was another 5 hours by highway bus before we can get to our front door...
It felt good to be home again, after two weeks of moving around...
But wooh, how cold the house was...
We set the heater thermostat to 18 degrees, but still it felt cold for me...
As in my daily practice, I took my blood pressure before heading for my bath in the evening...
Wooaah... my eyes almost popped out of their sockets when the meter showed 154/92 with a heartbeat of 86...
Was it the greasy, cholestoral-packed food that I so happily gulped down in Malaysia?
Apparently no, as the weight scales showed 62.8 kilograms with 16% fat... (thank god)
My doctor had mentioned that the blood pressure reacts to cold weather, so perhaps my body had yet to adjust to the sudden cold...
Good thing that on the next day, the blood pressure indexes were back to normal at 113/78 with a heartbeat of 72...
The weather forecast is for colder weather on this last day of 2010...
The winds are howling, and there is a layer of ice on the pond...
Good thing, the goldfishes are not frozen yet...
The frigid weather is to continue until early 2011... brrrr...
Anyway, we have been spending our year-end-year-beginning days in Malaysia for the last few years...
Perhaps we may go for new year prayers at the local shrine tomorrow...
Happy new year to anyone reading this post...
Gardening, photography, food, fishing, traveling, scuba diving, life in Japan, plus of course, news and views of being away from home...
Friday, December 31, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
Discrimination, you say?
The habit of waking up early in Japan is thankfully not lost even while I'm vacationing in my village...
My missus wakes up before six to catch the morning news in Japan...
I crawl up at about seven, just in time to watch the day gradually brighten up...
And oh my, the singing of the birds... trhe misty morning views... this is as heavenly as I could wish for...
Normally for breakfast, we would have some hot Japanese green tea (brought from Japan) and wheat bread purchased from the minimarket the previous day...
I bought honey, 'Madu Tualang dari Cameron Highlands' for the first time...
It has a faint sourish(?) flavor and I like it...
We'd sit at the table in the back of my brother's house, cherishing the early morning calm as we watch the village folks pass by on their motorbikes and motorcars...
You know, I was really thrilled to witness the invasion of cyber space into my ancestral village...
The initial prospects and anticipation of being able to link up through the net within the comforts of my village soon turn into bewilderment...
My niece had contracted Celcom Broadband and man, talking about being frustrated waiting for the 'broadband' to link up...
Of course, I'd be foolish just to sit there, waiting for Celcom to do its work... While trying to hook up, repeatedly, that is, I listen to the radio... I enjoy the views from a distance through my binoculars... and at times, I read the papers...
Once it took me almost two hours to give up trying...
Thing is, I would have enjoyed updating my blog more often if the connection had been better...
So much for 'broadband' in Malaysia...
Anyway, my missus and I were very honored to be invited by an old classmate to his house to celebrate Christmas...
We haven't seen each other for 35 years and just some days earlier, We accidentally bumped into each other at a tosai shop...
So, there we were with his family and their friends, listening to Christmas songs and chatting about work... about family life and how one of his daughters love sushi...
Soon, another old classmate came along and it was fun to catch up...
This guy grows orchids as a hobby and has two young lovely daughters...
The conversation was pleasant and cordial...
Till that episode that almost made me, cringed...
My friend had sent his daughter to a Chinese school...
And in his daughter's own words, she 'geram' when her (Chinese) friends bullied her in school...
Apparently, her dad then transfered her to a national school when she was in Standard Four...
So, there you are... the discrimination in Chinese schools...
I don't know why, but I felt somewhat bad for the girl that such a thing happened...
But I suppose that discrimination occurs everywhere... even in schools in Japan...
Still, somehow at the back of my mind, I thought to myself...
Now, if the Chinese Malaysians are so inclined to voice out how bad racial discrimination in Malaysia is, they should first watch their own backyard...
The mother of this bright little girl is Javanese...
Her dad is of the Punjabi lineage...
Just imagine... she speaks Punjabi and probably Javanese as well...
Her English is super fluent and I suppose her Bahasa is equally good...
Put in Mandarin, and can we envisage what kind of Malaysian we will have in her when she grows up?
I say, when she asked for a transfer, that Chinese school should have conducted an investigation and should have reprimanded the culprits (if found guilty)...
Now, we can only feel sorry for yet another case of lost opportunity in cultivating inter-community goodwill, among other positives, that is...
My missus wakes up before six to catch the morning news in Japan...
I crawl up at about seven, just in time to watch the day gradually brighten up...
And oh my, the singing of the birds... trhe misty morning views... this is as heavenly as I could wish for...
Normally for breakfast, we would have some hot Japanese green tea (brought from Japan) and wheat bread purchased from the minimarket the previous day...
I bought honey, 'Madu Tualang dari Cameron Highlands' for the first time...
It has a faint sourish(?) flavor and I like it...
We'd sit at the table in the back of my brother's house, cherishing the early morning calm as we watch the village folks pass by on their motorbikes and motorcars...
You know, I was really thrilled to witness the invasion of cyber space into my ancestral village...
The initial prospects and anticipation of being able to link up through the net within the comforts of my village soon turn into bewilderment...
My niece had contracted Celcom Broadband and man, talking about being frustrated waiting for the 'broadband' to link up...
Of course, I'd be foolish just to sit there, waiting for Celcom to do its work... While trying to hook up, repeatedly, that is, I listen to the radio... I enjoy the views from a distance through my binoculars... and at times, I read the papers...
Once it took me almost two hours to give up trying...
Thing is, I would have enjoyed updating my blog more often if the connection had been better...
So much for 'broadband' in Malaysia...
Anyway, my missus and I were very honored to be invited by an old classmate to his house to celebrate Christmas...
We haven't seen each other for 35 years and just some days earlier, We accidentally bumped into each other at a tosai shop...
So, there we were with his family and their friends, listening to Christmas songs and chatting about work... about family life and how one of his daughters love sushi...
Soon, another old classmate came along and it was fun to catch up...
This guy grows orchids as a hobby and has two young lovely daughters...
The conversation was pleasant and cordial...
Till that episode that almost made me, cringed...
My friend had sent his daughter to a Chinese school...
And in his daughter's own words, she 'geram' when her (Chinese) friends bullied her in school...
Apparently, her dad then transfered her to a national school when she was in Standard Four...
So, there you are... the discrimination in Chinese schools...
I don't know why, but I felt somewhat bad for the girl that such a thing happened...
But I suppose that discrimination occurs everywhere... even in schools in Japan...
Still, somehow at the back of my mind, I thought to myself...
Now, if the Chinese Malaysians are so inclined to voice out how bad racial discrimination in Malaysia is, they should first watch their own backyard...
The mother of this bright little girl is Javanese...
Her dad is of the Punjabi lineage...
Just imagine... she speaks Punjabi and probably Javanese as well...
Her English is super fluent and I suppose her Bahasa is equally good...
Put in Mandarin, and can we envisage what kind of Malaysian we will have in her when she grows up?
I say, when she asked for a transfer, that Chinese school should have conducted an investigation and should have reprimanded the culprits (if found guilty)...
Now, we can only feel sorry for yet another case of lost opportunity in cultivating inter-community goodwill, among other positives, that is...
Friday, December 24, 2010
Blissful in Malaysia
Am now resting in my village Kampong Ah Piew, and my hometown Alor Star...
It has been raining almost everyday, otherwise, it is cloudy....
The air is cool and we like it...
We had the so-called 100th day memorial for my mother the other day...
It seems that the people around Tokai (the one-street town about 2 kilometers from my village) got together to collectively secure a burial plot in Bukit Pinang...
So, it is like, 'together forever... dead or alive' for folks around Tokai area...
The highlight of the memorial was the invitation by the Taoist monk for mother to rest at the ancestral altar in my youngest brother's house...
Which means to say, my mother is now reunited with my father and all the ancestors...
We did not plan to do any scuba diving this trip...
For a change, we spend our time relaxing, and soaking in the views of the green-carpeted paddy fields, the fresh air in the village, and the songs of the little birds that congregate day and night at the fruit trees at my brother's house...
We also did something that we had not really done before...
That is, meeting up with old friends... schoolmates from secondary school...
I have not met some of them since 1975, which is like thirty five years ago...
In KL, one friend was too kind to set up a get-together at the roof-top of a condo, with sweeping views of the KL skyline and Genting Highlands...
Another was too gracious to bring my missus and I out for a night at a Lebanese restaurant...
In Alor Star, a friend met and chatted with us for hours over coffee and toast...
The same evening, yet another friend entertained us at a Thai restaurant in Jitra...
The following morning brought our friend and us together at a popular tosai joint where we met another old classmate by accident...
It was a joy catching up with him and I was too happy to accept his missus' invitation to visit them on Christmas day...
As if this is not enough for us, we are set to meet up with a bunch of old buddies and our teachers on 26th December...
We are due to fly to KL on 28th morning to connect to a late night flight to Osaka...
We are equally thrilled that a friend is organizing a lunch get-together on that day...
Wooh... how lucky can we get with these friends of ours?
It has been raining almost everyday, otherwise, it is cloudy....
The air is cool and we like it...
We had the so-called 100th day memorial for my mother the other day...
It seems that the people around Tokai (the one-street town about 2 kilometers from my village) got together to collectively secure a burial plot in Bukit Pinang...
So, it is like, 'together forever... dead or alive' for folks around Tokai area...
The highlight of the memorial was the invitation by the Taoist monk for mother to rest at the ancestral altar in my youngest brother's house...
Which means to say, my mother is now reunited with my father and all the ancestors...
We did not plan to do any scuba diving this trip...
For a change, we spend our time relaxing, and soaking in the views of the green-carpeted paddy fields, the fresh air in the village, and the songs of the little birds that congregate day and night at the fruit trees at my brother's house...
We also did something that we had not really done before...
That is, meeting up with old friends... schoolmates from secondary school...
I have not met some of them since 1975, which is like thirty five years ago...
In KL, one friend was too kind to set up a get-together at the roof-top of a condo, with sweeping views of the KL skyline and Genting Highlands...
Another was too gracious to bring my missus and I out for a night at a Lebanese restaurant...
In Alor Star, a friend met and chatted with us for hours over coffee and toast...
The same evening, yet another friend entertained us at a Thai restaurant in Jitra...
The following morning brought our friend and us together at a popular tosai joint where we met another old classmate by accident...
It was a joy catching up with him and I was too happy to accept his missus' invitation to visit them on Christmas day...
As if this is not enough for us, we are set to meet up with a bunch of old buddies and our teachers on 26th December...
We are due to fly to KL on 28th morning to connect to a late night flight to Osaka...
We are equally thrilled that a friend is organizing a lunch get-together on that day...
Wooh... how lucky can we get with these friends of ours?
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Contemplating about a wood stove...
Been debating for a long time about whether to install a wood stove in our house...
A main issue is of course, the chore to obtain firewood...
Where from?
A neighbor of mine who has a wood stove gets his firewood from trees chopped down by people in the neighborhood, and also from the hills owned by a friend of his...
The wood needs to be split and put up to dry for at least a year and half before it can be used...
Which means, there must be a shed to store the wood while letting it go dry...
It will certainly be a chore...
We are using a keresene stove and a fan-heater now...
Another issue touches on where we should place the stove...
It can weigh up to 200 kilograms...
We finally went to a showroom to seek for some advice...
Hmmm, sounds good...
I found myself really attracted to what the man had to say...
It will cost quite a bomb, and the chimmney installation is very expensive as well... Still, to have a real fire in the room... wooh, cozy, I imagine...
And, I love baked food... fish, chicken, bread, pizza, cookies, muffins, sweet potatoes... plus, soup of course...
All these can be cooked with the wood stove...
A main issue is of course, the chore to obtain firewood...
Where from?
A neighbor of mine who has a wood stove gets his firewood from trees chopped down by people in the neighborhood, and also from the hills owned by a friend of his...
The wood needs to be split and put up to dry for at least a year and half before it can be used...
Which means, there must be a shed to store the wood while letting it go dry...
It will certainly be a chore...
We are using a keresene stove and a fan-heater now...
Another issue touches on where we should place the stove...
It can weigh up to 200 kilograms...
We finally went to a showroom to seek for some advice...
Hmmm, sounds good...
I found myself really attracted to what the man had to say...
It will cost quite a bomb, and the chimmney installation is very expensive as well... Still, to have a real fire in the room... wooh, cozy, I imagine...
And, I love baked food... fish, chicken, bread, pizza, cookies, muffins, sweet potatoes... plus, soup of course...
All these can be cooked with the wood stove...
Sunday, December 05, 2010
Fishings boats in the night
Took these pictures last July...
The venue was the fishing port of Aji...
The night was calm, almost windless...
And the reflection on the water...
The venue was the fishing port of Aji...
The night was calm, almost windless...
And the reflection on the water...
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
A week well spent in Korea
Night shot of Dongdaemun on the final night
Korean udon at Myongdong, Seoul
Spicy broth made from loach-fish in Gwangju
The various side dishes that come with any food order
Asari (clam) udon in Seoul
Dumplings filled with meat and kimchi
Night shot of Seoul from hotel room (20th floor)
First, the Malaysians have May 13, and the Koreans, May 18...
In May 1980, I was in Manila, training under PAL to be a pilot...
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Korea, I am at...
Am now attending a conference in the city of Gwangju, the city of lights, if we go by the Chinese characters...Chose to stay in a non-rated two star (?) hotel for its nearness to the conference venue...
It is a bit old, but rather charming... clean, and its staff members, polite and obliging...
And what a surprise to find out just now that there is free wifi in the room...
Flew into Inchon International from Takamatsu airport on 9th...
For all of Takamatsu's claim to be the the 'gateway' to Shikoku, the only single international flight out of the city is to Inchon...
Flight time is slightly under two hours, but getting to Gwangju from Inchon required a further four hours of sitting in a highway bus...
It was interesting to observe from the bus, the many tombstones sited on the hillsides...
Was really looking forward to coming to Korea... for the food, that is...
Language is always an issue but with pictures of the menu and some finger pointing, no problems so far...
Ooh, I just love those hot, steamy, spicy soups... and this is just the perfect season to enjoy them... slurp...
It is a bit old, but rather charming... clean, and its staff members, polite and obliging...
And what a surprise to find out just now that there is free wifi in the room...
Flew into Inchon International from Takamatsu airport on 9th...
For all of Takamatsu's claim to be the the 'gateway' to Shikoku, the only single international flight out of the city is to Inchon...
Flight time is slightly under two hours, but getting to Gwangju from Inchon required a further four hours of sitting in a highway bus...
It was interesting to observe from the bus, the many tombstones sited on the hillsides...
Was really looking forward to coming to Korea... for the food, that is...
Language is always an issue but with pictures of the menu and some finger pointing, no problems so far...
Ooh, I just love those hot, steamy, spicy soups... and this is just the perfect season to enjoy them... slurp...
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Gentle rains at October end...
The first cold wave of the season hit us last Tuesday...
Temperatures dropped to about 8 degrees in the mornings...
Yours truly had to grab that long johns to keep the cold at bay...
This weekend showed a return to warmer temperatures...
It rained on Saturday morning, giving me a good opportunity to clean up the store room...
In the afternoon, I turned to doing woodwork...
More precisely, I made some borders from wood for the vegetable beds...
Saturday the 30th of October also marked the first appearance of our favorite bird, the so-called 'Daurian Redstart'...
We are more comfortable with the Japanese name of 'jobi taki'...
This little pretty bird is super friendly and it sometimes comes close to me while I am working in the garden...
Close, as in about two meters or so...
Sunday morning was spent in the potager...
But rained caught us up at about noon and I turned my attention to working on wood again...
Under a shed, I tried my hand in making a trap for the animal pests that come to our potager...
Stray cats in particular, and perhaps racoons?
The rains continued to fall until the night...
Gentle rains, that is, and for sure, my plants are very happy...
Temperatures dropped to about 8 degrees in the mornings...
Yours truly had to grab that long johns to keep the cold at bay...
This weekend showed a return to warmer temperatures...
It rained on Saturday morning, giving me a good opportunity to clean up the store room...
In the afternoon, I turned to doing woodwork...
More precisely, I made some borders from wood for the vegetable beds...
Saturday the 30th of October also marked the first appearance of our favorite bird, the so-called 'Daurian Redstart'...
We are more comfortable with the Japanese name of 'jobi taki'...
This little pretty bird is super friendly and it sometimes comes close to me while I am working in the garden...
Close, as in about two meters or so...
Sunday morning was spent in the potager...
But rained caught us up at about noon and I turned my attention to working on wood again...
Under a shed, I tried my hand in making a trap for the animal pests that come to our potager...
Stray cats in particular, and perhaps racoons?
The rains continued to fall until the night...
Gentle rains, that is, and for sure, my plants are very happy...
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Diving at Tioman Island
Scuba dived at Tioman in early September...
We are now more into doing shore dives by ourselves...
This allows us to control our dives better...
The downside is, we just get to see the 'common' creatures...
Which is not really a problem, actually...
This is probably a kind of damselfish...
We are now more into doing shore dives by ourselves...
This allows us to control our dives better...
The downside is, we just get to see the 'common' creatures...
Which is not really a problem, actually...
This is probably a kind of damselfish...
Am not very sure of its name
but it was fun watching it darting in and out of the corals...
Size was about three centimeters?
but it was fun watching it darting in and out of the corals...
Size was about three centimeters?
The house reef was nice to dive...
Coal bleaching was apparent in many spots...
This particular brain coral was just off the jetty...
Coal bleaching was apparent in many spots...
This particular brain coral was just off the jetty...
My dive buddy aka missus getting on low to peep at the fish life...
The finger corals were bleaching too...
The finger corals were bleaching too...
This lemon damselfish was a joy to observe...
It would hide in the corals as I tried to focus...
But patience always pays off...
And we had a lot of air to spare because we dove shallow...
It would hide in the corals as I tried to focus...
But patience always pays off...
And we had a lot of air to spare because we dove shallow...
In the shallows, the anemone fish is unavoidable...
Not to say that we want to avoid them...
Not to say that we want to avoid them...
And, what beautiful creatures they are...
The so-called 'sargeant major'...
Think it is part of the chromis family...
This picture was taken below the jetty where there were loads of them...
Think it is part of the chromis family...
This picture was taken below the jetty where there were loads of them...
This is called a two-lined spinecheek, I think...
Was resting on the sandfloor, just observing this guy...
Shot this picture as it was yawning?
Was resting on the sandfloor, just observing this guy...
Shot this picture as it was yawning?
A pair of blennies, resting on top of a little brain coral...
Perhaps two centimeters or so...
Their movements come in spurts...
And they seem to be darting all the time...
Perhaps two centimeters or so...
Their movements come in spurts...
And they seem to be darting all the time...
And finally, yours truly...
The sargeant majors were picking at my hair, mistaking them for food...
My missus had a good laugh upon seeing that...
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Lovely autumn weekend spent...
Spent a very pleasant and productive weekend...
On Saturday, hosted a potluck party called 'An Autumn day at Aji'...
This was the second time we hosted the event and as in last year, we invited a couple of nice folks in the neighborhood...
The blue skies, the cool temperature... wooh...
One of our guests brought hand-made soba... delicious...
As in last year, we roasted some chicken parts with the dutch oven...
Still have a lot to learn, as I over-cooked the chicken again...
Such a pleasure to chat with these folks...
Today, went to a jersey cow farm to collect cowdung for our potager...
Apparently, they use only grass to feed the cows, so the dung does not smell...
And it is free...
Immediately use some of it to prepare a vegetable bed for carrot seeds...
Also went to a stone-wholesaler to collect some wood to be used as boundaries for the vegetable beds...
The wood is used to hold the stones during transportation and once they are done, the wood is treated as 'rubbish'...
Tonight, the moon is so pretty... and the night is so bright and beautiful...
Aaah, heavenly...
On Saturday, hosted a potluck party called 'An Autumn day at Aji'...
This was the second time we hosted the event and as in last year, we invited a couple of nice folks in the neighborhood...
The blue skies, the cool temperature... wooh...
One of our guests brought hand-made soba... delicious...
As in last year, we roasted some chicken parts with the dutch oven...
Still have a lot to learn, as I over-cooked the chicken again...
Such a pleasure to chat with these folks...
Today, went to a jersey cow farm to collect cowdung for our potager...
Apparently, they use only grass to feed the cows, so the dung does not smell...
And it is free...
Immediately use some of it to prepare a vegetable bed for carrot seeds...
Also went to a stone-wholesaler to collect some wood to be used as boundaries for the vegetable beds...
The wood is used to hold the stones during transportation and once they are done, the wood is treated as 'rubbish'...
Tonight, the moon is so pretty... and the night is so bright and beautiful...
Aaah, heavenly...
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Paddy harvesting and tractors in the fields...
Our last vacation back in Malaysia went by rather uneventfully...
Which was a good thing...
We did all the 'standard' things we had wanted to do...
Scuba diving (at Tioman, more later), eat ourselves silly, meet friends,etc...
Mee Abu... again??
Yes, again...
We normally have a plate of mee rebus, and then we share one goreng...
This time, koay teow and mee hoon goreng it was...
As I look at this picture, I want to fly back to Alor Star again... now...
Actually gained 1.5 kilograms after the trip...arrggghh...
My youngest brother owns two combine harvesters...
And he plants a couple of longan trees in his garden...
The fruits are a little small compared to the commercial ones, but they are juicy and sweet...
But taken too much at one go, you will probably end up with a sore throat...
This is one one his combined harvesters...
I just love this kind of scenes...
And we were lucky to be back during the harvesting season...
While growing up, I had my fair share of helping out in the paddy fields...
No such machines then... and naturally, we had to harvest the paddy by hand...
The combine harvester loading the harvest right into a truck...
Back in the old days, we had to put the harvest into gunny sacks...
And transportation was manual, be it by man or buffalo...
Sometimes these guys work until almost midnight...
My brother would be with them, buying them food and drinks...
I wouldn't be able to heck it... oh no, not until midnight...
There was a lot of rain, too...
Days after the harvests, it was time to till the soil...
I watched with interest, as four tractors did their stuff on the fields...
Again, in the old days, we had our buffaloes...
There was a large flock of white cranes, coming in to look for a meal or two...
Too bad, I only had my mini-mini camera with me...
Which was a good thing...
We did all the 'standard' things we had wanted to do...
Scuba diving (at Tioman, more later), eat ourselves silly, meet friends,etc...
Yes, again...
We normally have a plate of mee rebus, and then we share one goreng...
This time, koay teow and mee hoon goreng it was...
As I look at this picture, I want to fly back to Alor Star again... now...
Actually gained 1.5 kilograms after the trip...arrggghh...
And he plants a couple of longan trees in his garden...
The fruits are a little small compared to the commercial ones, but they are juicy and sweet...
But taken too much at one go, you will probably end up with a sore throat...
I just love this kind of scenes...
And we were lucky to be back during the harvesting season...
While growing up, I had my fair share of helping out in the paddy fields...
No such machines then... and naturally, we had to harvest the paddy by hand...
Back in the old days, we had to put the harvest into gunny sacks...
And transportation was manual, be it by man or buffalo...
My brother would be with them, buying them food and drinks...
I wouldn't be able to heck it... oh no, not until midnight...
Days after the harvests, it was time to till the soil...
I watched with interest, as four tractors did their stuff on the fields...
Again, in the old days, we had our buffaloes...
Too bad, I only had my mini-mini camera with me...
Sunday, October 10, 2010
'Kick-Ass' politics in Malaysia
I must admit that I am addicted...
Addicted to reading about the happenings in my beloved Malaysia...
It is not only 'fun', but 'educational', and 'entertaining' as well...
This latest tough talk by the MCA lame-duck Dr.Chua and UMNO's double-talking Najib that PAS will 'rule' Malaysia should PR comes to power...
That MCA should 'kick ass' on its disloyal members, and blah blah blah... warns Najib...
Oh my, how I chuckled out loud upon reading what PKR's Tian Chua had to say on this...
'The only ass that Najib kicked was probably his own'...
Super right on, I must say...
Last year, I met an American professor at an academic conference...
He approached me and said that he was the academic advisor of Dr. Koh Tsu Koon while Koh was in the US studying...
He then said to the effect that Dr. Koh is a good politician, and a good chief minister, too...
Plus, Dr. Koh was such a gracious host when he visited Penang...
I could only look at that person in disbelief...
For, who can forget that episode when the UMNO suckers tore his photo and shamed him so publicly?
Dr. Koh should really quit politics and start growing vegetables (like me?)...
And now, with Dr. Lim Keng Yaik giving him some tight slaps, in full view of the public...
Come next election, I really pray that these suckers will be kicked out, in the ass, that is...
Addicted to reading about the happenings in my beloved Malaysia...
It is not only 'fun', but 'educational', and 'entertaining' as well...
This latest tough talk by the MCA lame-duck Dr.Chua and UMNO's double-talking Najib that PAS will 'rule' Malaysia should PR comes to power...
That MCA should 'kick ass' on its disloyal members, and blah blah blah... warns Najib...
Oh my, how I chuckled out loud upon reading what PKR's Tian Chua had to say on this...
'The only ass that Najib kicked was probably his own'...
Super right on, I must say...
Last year, I met an American professor at an academic conference...
He approached me and said that he was the academic advisor of Dr. Koh Tsu Koon while Koh was in the US studying...
He then said to the effect that Dr. Koh is a good politician, and a good chief minister, too...
Plus, Dr. Koh was such a gracious host when he visited Penang...
I could only look at that person in disbelief...
For, who can forget that episode when the UMNO suckers tore his photo and shamed him so publicly?
Dr. Koh should really quit politics and start growing vegetables (like me?)...
And now, with Dr. Lim Keng Yaik giving him some tight slaps, in full view of the public...
Come next election, I really pray that these suckers will be kicked out, in the ass, that is...
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Getting back to routine...
Am gradually falling back onto my routine...
Been cycling to work again for the past few days...
Close to twenty kilometers one way...
wooh, I love it...
The air is dry and cool, really nice...
And the views of the vegetable patches along the way, pretty...
The above shot was taken by my missus in early August, I believe...
These days, I am all long pants and long sleeves
as the temperature is sliding down to around 20 degrees in the morning...
The day is getting shorter
So, by the time I reach home at about 7:00 pm
Been cycling to work again for the past few days...
Close to twenty kilometers one way...
wooh, I love it...
The air is dry and cool, really nice...
And the views of the vegetable patches along the way, pretty...
The above shot was taken by my missus in early August, I believe...
These days, I am all long pants and long sleeves
as the temperature is sliding down to around 20 degrees in the morning...
The day is getting shorter
So, by the time I reach home at about 7:00 pm
it is already nightfall...
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
My mother's not-so-fat Chinese funeral
Seen the movie 'My big fat Greek wedding?'
It's pretty hilarious, good stuff... hence the title of this post as my tribute...
My mum was an 'eater'... Yet, in her heydays, I'd say that although she was a little on the plump side, she was not exactly 'fat'...
Once, she visited Thailand with some of my siblings.
When they returned home with the goodies, my father wondered why they were such lousy shoppers.
These longans, so tiny! my father exclaimed.
The reality was, during the drive back home, mother had selectively wolloped the big ones.
I often bring mother out for a short walk in her wheelchair whenever I visited her at the nursing home.
The home was situated in a housing estate and the neighbors were always willing to exchange a word or two as we walked by.
It's pretty hilarious, good stuff... hence the title of this post as my tribute...
My mum was an 'eater'... Yet, in her heydays, I'd say that although she was a little on the plump side, she was not exactly 'fat'...
Once, she visited Thailand with some of my siblings.
When they returned home with the goodies, my father wondered why they were such lousy shoppers.
These longans, so tiny! my father exclaimed.
The reality was, during the drive back home, mother had selectively wolloped the big ones.
I often bring mother out for a short walk in her wheelchair whenever I visited her at the nursing home.
The home was situated in a housing estate and the neighbors were always willing to exchange a word or two as we walked by.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Sayonara... dearest Mother...
Am now back at my village in the middle of nowhere in Kedah, again...
It is late now at night, and I briefly stopped writing this blog to go to the toilet at the kitchen area...
Compared to the noisy previous nights with lots of people movements, tonight is extremely quiet and peaceful...
There are just seven people tonight, compared to perhaps a hundred or so (?) the last few nights... and they are all sleeping in their rooms now...
As I walked into the inner kitchen, suddenly, 'klingg'... 'klannngg'... came the sounds of crockery and cutlery when handled...
Immediately, goose pimples sprang up all over my body...
It is late now at night, and I briefly stopped writing this blog to go to the toilet at the kitchen area...
Compared to the noisy previous nights with lots of people movements, tonight is extremely quiet and peaceful...
There are just seven people tonight, compared to perhaps a hundred or so (?) the last few nights... and they are all sleeping in their rooms now...
As I walked into the inner kitchen, suddenly, 'klingg'... 'klannngg'... came the sounds of crockery and cutlery when handled...
Immediately, goose pimples sprang up all over my body...
Monday, September 13, 2010
Cybercafe-ing in KL Chinatown...
Am facing this major problem whenever I return to Malaysia...
I am simply unable to communicate... in Mandarin...
The noodle hawker charges me in Mandarin...
The taxi man asks me where I am going, in Mandarin...
The bank teller asks me how much I want to withdraw, in Mandarin...
The little ones, particularly the nieces and nephews, and their even-littler ones...
They speak to me in Mandarin...
And I go blurrr... errr... errr...
My youngert brother talks to his wife in Hokkien...
She talks to their kids in Mandarin...
Their dad talks to the kids in our funny-funny dialect...
They respond in Mandarin... oh my...
Ahh, as I have reminded myself a million times before, I have to master this language...
Soon... or else...
Am now in Chow Kit, just a stone's throw from Legend Hotel, where we are putting up for the night...
Shall be returning to Japan tomorrow... whoopeee...
When you are away from your sweet-sweet home for two weeks, you long to return...
Even though the temperatures there continue to ossillate around 35 degrees...
I am simply unable to communicate... in Mandarin...
The noodle hawker charges me in Mandarin...
The taxi man asks me where I am going, in Mandarin...
The bank teller asks me how much I want to withdraw, in Mandarin...
The little ones, particularly the nieces and nephews, and their even-littler ones...
They speak to me in Mandarin...
And I go blurrr... errr... errr...
My youngert brother talks to his wife in Hokkien...
She talks to their kids in Mandarin...
Their dad talks to the kids in our funny-funny dialect...
They respond in Mandarin... oh my...
Ahh, as I have reminded myself a million times before, I have to master this language...
Soon... or else...
Am now in Chow Kit, just a stone's throw from Legend Hotel, where we are putting up for the night...
Shall be returning to Japan tomorrow... whoopeee...
When you are away from your sweet-sweet home for two weeks, you long to return...
Even though the temperatures there continue to ossillate around 35 degrees...
Friday, September 10, 2010
Cyber space invades heart of village in Kedah
This post could as well be titled 'Bike riding and eating too much in Alor Star'...
Am now vacationing in my 'ancestoral' village in Kedah...
The paddy harvesting has begun some days ago, and today being Hari Raya, work has stopped for the time being... and ah, the fragrance emitting from the fermenting soil in the fields...
Yes, being the perenial hungry ghost, I am doing what I did in Chiang Mai: bike riding and eating too much, that is...
Am now vacationing in my 'ancestoral' village in Kedah...
The paddy harvesting has begun some days ago, and today being Hari Raya, work has stopped for the time being... and ah, the fragrance emitting from the fermenting soil in the fields...
Yes, being the perenial hungry ghost, I am doing what I did in Chiang Mai: bike riding and eating too much, that is...
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Bike riding and eating too much at Chiang Mai
Am now at Chiang Mai University (CMU), and we are at the final day of our symposium...
CMU has a very large and pretty campus, with lots of green...
Their staff members, from the janitors to the executives, are super friendly and helpful.
Hence, it is such a joy just to be here...
Each time I come to Chiangmai, I take the opportunity to rent a motorbike to cruise the city...
The old part of the city, particularly the moat, is a wonderful place to go cruising...
CMU has a very large and pretty campus, with lots of green...
Their staff members, from the janitors to the executives, are super friendly and helpful.
Hence, it is such a joy just to be here...
Each time I come to Chiangmai, I take the opportunity to rent a motorbike to cruise the city...
The old part of the city, particularly the moat, is a wonderful place to go cruising...
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Kansai International Airport
Each time we travel abroad, we almost always go through Kansai International, aka KIX...
The airport is built on Osaka Bay and sometimes I get to see it from the air when I fl to Tokyo from Takamatsu... We are quite used to it, so much so that we can cruise through the sections with ease...
It is user friendly, with easy internet access of course...
This morning, tried purchasing the travel insurance through the automated machine for the first time...
It turned out to be a breeze...
Am now sitting in the quiet of the card-members lounge, sipping away the tomato juice...
This compared to the other airport that I used quite frequently, KLIA...
User friendly too, but nothing compared to KIX...
KLIA has turned into a pasar malam (night market) with crappy stalls selling cheap stuff...
The airport is built on Osaka Bay and sometimes I get to see it from the air when I fl to Tokyo from Takamatsu... We are quite used to it, so much so that we can cruise through the sections with ease...
It is user friendly, with easy internet access of course...
This morning, tried purchasing the travel insurance through the automated machine for the first time...
It turned out to be a breeze...
Am now sitting in the quiet of the card-members lounge, sipping away the tomato juice...
This compared to the other airport that I used quite frequently, KLIA...
User friendly too, but nothing compared to KIX...
KLIA has turned into a pasar malam (night market) with crappy stalls selling cheap stuff...
Friday, August 20, 2010
Chiangmai bound...
Am spending a night at a business hotel near Kansai International...
Shall be flying on Thai Airways tomorrow morning for Chiangmai...
Was a bit concerned with the political situation even though the emergency decree is lifted...
Shall spend a week at Chiangmai...
A fully packed schedule, with a lecture, participating in a symposium, and meeting with the Japanese long term stayers...
Am excited with the prospects...
Plus, the trip provides a good escape from the excruciating heat at Japan...
While at Chiangmai, hope to rent a motorbike as I did twice before...
It is such a joy to cruise the streets of Chiangmai, getting lost, and then finding my way back to the hotel...
Also plan to go to the Sunday night street market in the centre of the city...
It is not the shopping, but the scene... the atmosphere that pulls me...
Just love to shoot pictures of the market...
Shall be flying on Thai Airways tomorrow morning for Chiangmai...
Was a bit concerned with the political situation even though the emergency decree is lifted...
Shall spend a week at Chiangmai...
A fully packed schedule, with a lecture, participating in a symposium, and meeting with the Japanese long term stayers...
Am excited with the prospects...
Plus, the trip provides a good escape from the excruciating heat at Japan...
While at Chiangmai, hope to rent a motorbike as I did twice before...
It is such a joy to cruise the streets of Chiangmai, getting lost, and then finding my way back to the hotel...
Also plan to go to the Sunday night street market in the centre of the city...
It is not the shopping, but the scene... the atmosphere that pulls me...
Just love to shoot pictures of the market...
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Dr Pornthip, 'pure electricity'... Dr. Dzulkefly, simply hilarious...
At one corner, renowned Thai forensic expert Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand...
55 years of age... pretty, classy... even funky...
Pathologist and Director of the Central Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Justice, Thailand...
Also, author, human rights activist, cancer survivor...
In Batu Member of Parliament Tian Chua's words... 'Pure electricity'... 'and everyone is watching her'...
On the other corner, Malaysia’s Attorney-General Gani Patail...
Coincidentally, 55 years of age... controversial... and 'must surely rank as among the most notorious of Malaysia's top civil servants'... (Source: http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/)
Now, visualize the Attorney-General's point man, the MACC's head prosecutor Abdul Razak Musa, cross-examining Dr Pornthip...
"If you say blunt object, where is the weapon," a frustrated Razak said.
To which the quick-witted Pornthip replied, "I want to ask if you are a lawyer?"
Uwahahahaaa... imagine the roar at the court house...
And, 'On Pornthip's conclusion that there were strangulation marks on Teoh's neck, Razak pointed out that Teoh could have strangled himself as the other four doctors had found no such evidence. When Teoh's lawyer Gobind Singh Deo asked Razak to demonstrate how one could strangle himself, Razak quickly obliged, only to draw more jeers.'
Twitted Dr Dzulkefly, who sat at the proceedings...
“Can't take the stupidity of ridiculous questioning from the prosecutor [sic]... baffling... imagine this joker gonna be a judge one day," he remarked.' (Source: Harakahdaily)
Back to the proceedings... "Did my learned friend (Razak) just say he strangled himself?” quipped Gobind, drawing another big burst of laughter from court.
Dr Dzulkefly's last words for the day's event ... “I've enough comedy for a year! Thanks to this joker (Razak)".
Hmmm... wish I was there at the courthouse today...
55 years of age... pretty, classy... even funky...
Pathologist and Director of the Central Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Justice, Thailand...
Also, author, human rights activist, cancer survivor...
In Batu Member of Parliament Tian Chua's words... 'Pure electricity'... 'and everyone is watching her'...
On the other corner, Malaysia’s Attorney-General Gani Patail...
Coincidentally, 55 years of age... controversial... and 'must surely rank as among the most notorious of Malaysia's top civil servants'... (Source: http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/)
Now, visualize the Attorney-General's point man, the MACC's head prosecutor Abdul Razak Musa, cross-examining Dr Pornthip...
"If you say blunt object, where is the weapon," a frustrated Razak said.
To which the quick-witted Pornthip replied, "I want to ask if you are a lawyer?"
Uwahahahaaa... imagine the roar at the court house...
And, 'On Pornthip's conclusion that there were strangulation marks on Teoh's neck, Razak pointed out that Teoh could have strangled himself as the other four doctors had found no such evidence. When Teoh's lawyer Gobind Singh Deo asked Razak to demonstrate how one could strangle himself, Razak quickly obliged, only to draw more jeers.'
Twitted Dr Dzulkefly, who sat at the proceedings...
“Can't take the stupidity of ridiculous questioning from the prosecutor [sic]... baffling... imagine this joker gonna be a judge one day," he remarked.' (Source: Harakahdaily)
Back to the proceedings... "Did my learned friend (Razak) just say he strangled himself?” quipped Gobind, drawing another big burst of laughter from court.
Dr Dzulkefly's last words for the day's event ... “I've enough comedy for a year! Thanks to this joker (Razak)".
Hmmm... wish I was there at the courthouse today...
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Support for Teoh Beng Hock and family...
Steadyaku47 chuckled, saying that the suspicious suicide note act 'is really the Attorney General at his most creative'.
Din Merican meanwhile honored the note as the 'mother of all fabrications'.
If one is trusted to do a job, why is it so difficult to do it well?
A job that one can proud of... a job done with honor...
Thai forensic expert Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand is due to testify tomorrow...
I hope it will be one heck of a show...
Meanwhile, Teoh Beng Hock's family laments the 'wilting' support for this cause...
I say no, the support from the common people has not waned...
I am certainly with you, and the many others who had faced cruel injustice in Malaysia...
Justice will prevail... sooner or later...
Din Merican meanwhile honored the note as the 'mother of all fabrications'.
If one is trusted to do a job, why is it so difficult to do it well?
A job that one can proud of... a job done with honor...
Thai forensic expert Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand is due to testify tomorrow...
I hope it will be one heck of a show...
Meanwhile, Teoh Beng Hock's family laments the 'wilting' support for this cause...
I say no, the support from the common people has not waned...
I am certainly with you, and the many others who had faced cruel injustice in Malaysia...
Justice will prevail... sooner or later...
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Snorkeling at the neighborhood...
Was working in the vegetable garden...
Wooh, with the temperature shooting up to 36 degrees, I was sweating like mad...
After lunch, went snorkeling at the Japan Inland Sea..
There were many holiday makers, this being the O-bon season (All Souls Day)...
There were many boats around, with lots of kids and families...
But the one menace is the water scooter, I would say...
These people are the marine version of the motor-bikers on the road, those young 'bosozokus'...
Every year, there are reports of accidents and deaths as a result of their stunts...
Found an isolated corner with lots of boulders...
Woah, nice... lots of cute little fishes swimming around...
Tried to take some pictures but ohh, tricky...
Ended up taking home three shellfish...
Wooh, with the temperature shooting up to 36 degrees, I was sweating like mad...
After lunch, went snorkeling at the Japan Inland Sea..
There were many holiday makers, this being the O-bon season (All Souls Day)...
There were many boats around, with lots of kids and families...
But the one menace is the water scooter, I would say...
These people are the marine version of the motor-bikers on the road, those young 'bosozokus'...
Every year, there are reports of accidents and deaths as a result of their stunts...
Found an isolated corner with lots of boulders...
Woah, nice... lots of cute little fishes swimming around...
Tried to take some pictures but ohh, tricky...
Ended up taking home three shellfish...
Friday, August 13, 2010
Mentality in Malaysia going down the pits
There are a lot of folks in Malaysia that I respect.
Especially those folks who are fighting in the field...
fighting for the betterment of Malaysia...
Tony Pua, Karpal, Gobind, Dr. Dzulkefly, Anwar, Guan Eng, Raja Petra, Zaid Ibrahim, Khalid Samad, among others...
Compare them to people like me who choose to move overseas, away from it all...
To these Malaysian heroes, I reserve my utmost respect...
When I read about the death threat (accompanied with a live M16 bullet, no less) sent to Tony Pua, I couldn't help but to shake my head in utter disbelief...
What more, many months ago, I chanced upon a page of Tony's... among the contents being a photograph of him, his wife, and his child (if my memory is intact)...
I coiled, feeling mildly shocked that a high profile politician like Tony would (willingly or inadvertently?) reveal his family photo in public space...
Without a second thought, I immediately sent an email urging him to take down the picture as there are many mad people around and we wouldn't know what crazy thing they would do to us...
I received no response... I didn't check the page again but I had hoped that he would take the picture down...
There are several write-ups on this death threat...
One is by Saw Teik Lim, penning under the name 'romerz'...
Another opinion is by Thomas Lee Seng Hock, who says 'I trust our police will act without fear or favour to bring the culprit to book, even if he happens to be a powerful politician or works for one.'
I let out a heavy sigh... the Malaysian police?
Brother, I would painfully like to trust so, very very much indeed... but in things Malaysia, events will probably go the way as envisaged by Din Merican at Attorney-General, IGP & MACC Chief: Stop The Fabrications and Lies
Especially those folks who are fighting in the field...
fighting for the betterment of Malaysia...
Tony Pua, Karpal, Gobind, Dr. Dzulkefly, Anwar, Guan Eng, Raja Petra, Zaid Ibrahim, Khalid Samad, among others...
Compare them to people like me who choose to move overseas, away from it all...
To these Malaysian heroes, I reserve my utmost respect...
When I read about the death threat (accompanied with a live M16 bullet, no less) sent to Tony Pua, I couldn't help but to shake my head in utter disbelief...
What more, many months ago, I chanced upon a page of Tony's... among the contents being a photograph of him, his wife, and his child (if my memory is intact)...
I coiled, feeling mildly shocked that a high profile politician like Tony would (willingly or inadvertently?) reveal his family photo in public space...
Without a second thought, I immediately sent an email urging him to take down the picture as there are many mad people around and we wouldn't know what crazy thing they would do to us...
I received no response... I didn't check the page again but I had hoped that he would take the picture down...
There are several write-ups on this death threat...
One is by Saw Teik Lim, penning under the name 'romerz'...
Another opinion is by Thomas Lee Seng Hock, who says 'I trust our police will act without fear or favour to bring the culprit to book, even if he happens to be a powerful politician or works for one.'
I let out a heavy sigh... the Malaysian police?
Brother, I would painfully like to trust so, very very much indeed... but in things Malaysia, events will probably go the way as envisaged by Din Merican at Attorney-General, IGP & MACC Chief: Stop The Fabrications and Lies
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Asset declaration by cabinet members: time to 'Look East'
Have been refraining from commenting on things political...
But, my conscience beholds me...
Speak up for the good of your country! My conscience seems to insist...
Quoting the Malaysian Insider... Show asset-declaration precedent, MCA tells MACC...
IPOH, Aug 1 — MCA today asked the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to give examples of countries which asked their Cabinet members to declare their assets to the public. Its president, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, said to his knowledge, no country practised such a policy. “Even in the United States, they only declare their assets to the president. They don’t go around announcing their assets here and there,” he told reporters after opening Perak MCA’s annual convention here today.
While hardly an expert on such matters, I believe the Japanese cabinet members have been required to declare their assets (voluntarily) since 2001... quite recent, considering that she is advanced nation...
For the benefit of MCA and MACC, I hope they would look up this link in the Japanese papers...
Cabinet members report relatively modest total assets; PM has lowest in history
Prime Minister Kan Naoto had his cabinet members declared their assest shortly after taking office...
Now, as Malaysian Insider asks... 'Is declaring assets publicly so difficult?'
But, my conscience beholds me...
Speak up for the good of your country! My conscience seems to insist...
Quoting the Malaysian Insider... Show asset-declaration precedent, MCA tells MACC...
IPOH, Aug 1 — MCA today asked the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to give examples of countries which asked their Cabinet members to declare their assets to the public. Its president, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, said to his knowledge, no country practised such a policy. “Even in the United States, they only declare their assets to the president. They don’t go around announcing their assets here and there,” he told reporters after opening Perak MCA’s annual convention here today.
While hardly an expert on such matters, I believe the Japanese cabinet members have been required to declare their assets (voluntarily) since 2001... quite recent, considering that she is advanced nation...
For the benefit of MCA and MACC, I hope they would look up this link in the Japanese papers...
Cabinet members report relatively modest total assets; PM has lowest in history
Prime Minister Kan Naoto had his cabinet members declared their assest shortly after taking office...
Now, as Malaysian Insider asks... 'Is declaring assets publicly so difficult?'
Sunday, August 01, 2010
First swim at Sasao Beach this season...
Took my first swim yesterday at the beach near my house...
Water temperature was tolerable...
Which leads me to thinking about scuba-ing there...
As in every year, the beach was quite filled up with sun bathers...
Cars are parked every where, illegally...
And without fail, after each summer season, these beach goers (from the city, I presume) almost always leave much garbage in the vicinity...
Residents (including myself) are left with the cleaning up...
Some of these people apparently stayed on deep into the night...
This is not an issue except that they play with fireworks...
The noise from the fireworks at around midnight, and sometimes, at four in the morning...
Our house is quite a distance from the beach, yet we feel disturbed...
Those houses sitting right at the beach-side, they must be feeling the maximum effect...
Temperatures have been shooting up the sky, lately...
Nights are cool, though...
Am planning to go for a second swim today...
Water temperature was tolerable...
Which leads me to thinking about scuba-ing there...
As in every year, the beach was quite filled up with sun bathers...
Cars are parked every where, illegally...
And without fail, after each summer season, these beach goers (from the city, I presume) almost always leave much garbage in the vicinity...
Residents (including myself) are left with the cleaning up...
Some of these people apparently stayed on deep into the night...
This is not an issue except that they play with fireworks...
The noise from the fireworks at around midnight, and sometimes, at four in the morning...
Our house is quite a distance from the beach, yet we feel disturbed...
Those houses sitting right at the beach-side, they must be feeling the maximum effect...
Temperatures have been shooting up the sky, lately...
Nights are cool, though...
Am planning to go for a second swim today...
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Fireworks and 'matsuri' at Aji
As is celebrated in countless localities all over the Japanese archipelago, the hamlet of Aji just concluded her 'natsu matsuri' (summer festival) yesterday...
Was determined to enjoy the fireworks display this year
It is quite tricky to shoot fireworks, actually...
This is one of the better composed shots from the night...
A crowd puller, especially for the young, is the night stalls...
The pull for me, is the photo-shoot opportunity offered...
Set amongst the lanes surrounding the little fishing port, the reflections from the lights are quite irresistable to my itchy fingers...
The pull for me, is the photo-shoot opportunity offered...
Set amongst the lanes surrounding the little fishing port, the reflections from the lights are quite irresistable to my itchy fingers...
Closed in on this particular stall selling ice candy...
Exposure was a bit too long, on hindsight....
Before I realized it, the crowds thinned out as the stalls began to close...
A main feature of the matsuri at Aji is the use of fishing boats to carry the 'mikoshi' (portable shrine)...
These boats such as the one bouyed in the background were decorated with colorful flags calling for the gods to protect their safety when out in the sea...
A main feature of the matsuri at Aji is the use of fishing boats to carry the 'mikoshi' (portable shrine)...
These boats such as the one bouyed in the background were decorated with colorful flags calling for the gods to protect their safety when out in the sea...
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Noodles, I love...
Weekend lunches are normally noodles for me...
While I occupy myself in the field
my missus keeps busy with the noodle preparation...
This is a somen-soba combination
With lots of vegetables such as mitsuba (picked from the hills)
carrots, onions, and tofu
Meatless, it was... slurp... urmm...
With lots of vegetables such as mitsuba (picked from the hills)
carrots, onions, and tofu
Meatless, it was... slurp... urmm...
Another meatless concoction in yellow noodles...
with loads of veges...
bean sprouts, mitsuba, preserved plum, kimchi
carrots, mushroom, snow peas...
with loads of veges...
bean sprouts, mitsuba, preserved plum, kimchi
carrots, mushroom, snow peas...
Sometimes, we go for fried noodles...
This time it is yakisoba with prawns, lemon balm
onions, mustard greens, green beans..
This time it is yakisoba with prawns, lemon balm
onions, mustard greens, green beans..
Sunday, July 11, 2010
At ease, on a July Sunday morning...
Been rained 'in' on many a weekend these days...
As always, would have loved to be out in the field...
but have to sit in the house...
Which is not really a bad idea...
as it gives me a chance to do some 'keyboard tapping'...
Was requested by my missus to make breakfast...
As always, would have loved to be out in the field...
but have to sit in the house...
Which is not really a bad idea...
as it gives me a chance to do some 'keyboard tapping'...
Was requested by my missus to make breakfast...
Pizza (actually, bread) toast, boiled egg, tomato salad...
fresh beans and cucumber from the potager...
Got an 'A' (90 points) for my efforts...
Attended a seminar on international student issues last Thursday...
The venue was Shibuya, Tokyo
As usual, very well organized it was...
And was I pleasantly surprised about how cheap the food was...
For a measly 590 yen, you get a main course of your choice...
plus all the rice, miso soup, salads...
and dessert, hot or cold drinks that you care to consume...
The salads included chick peas...
whooh... now, where can you get that for this price?
fresh beans and cucumber from the potager...
Got an 'A' (90 points) for my efforts...
Attended a seminar on international student issues last Thursday...
The venue was Shibuya, Tokyo
As usual, very well organized it was...
And was I pleasantly surprised about how cheap the food was...
For a measly 590 yen, you get a main course of your choice...
plus all the rice, miso soup, salads...
and dessert, hot or cold drinks that you care to consume...
The salads included chick peas...
whooh... now, where can you get that for this price?
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Off to Tokyo...
Have never stopped marvelling at how expensive transport costs are in Japan...
The flight from my 'hometown' Takamatsu to Haneda International Airport costs a whopping 63,000 yen, return...
With that price or sometimes even lesser, one can cruise back to Malaysia, hot meals included...
In this particular Tokyo flight, passengers used to get sandwiches and drinks...
They did away with sandwiches, so now you get just one drink...
And lately, they took off the newspapers...
All these while, the fares kept increasing...
Well, as they always say, safety comes first...
Japan has had her fair share of the so-called no-frills airlines...
But they all seem to be doing badly... wonder why...
Think it is high time Air Asia move in, and I presume they are trying hard to do just that...
Anyway, shall be flying to Tokyo in a while for some university business...
The flight from my 'hometown' Takamatsu to Haneda International Airport costs a whopping 63,000 yen, return...
With that price or sometimes even lesser, one can cruise back to Malaysia, hot meals included...
In this particular Tokyo flight, passengers used to get sandwiches and drinks...
They did away with sandwiches, so now you get just one drink...
And lately, they took off the newspapers...
All these while, the fares kept increasing...
Well, as they always say, safety comes first...
Japan has had her fair share of the so-called no-frills airlines...
But they all seem to be doing badly... wonder why...
Think it is high time Air Asia move in, and I presume they are trying hard to do just that...
Anyway, shall be flying to Tokyo in a while for some university business...
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Single for two weeks...
Once or twice a year, my better half visits her mum in Kanagawa Prefecture...
This time, she shall be away for... uh, two weeks.
I recall one of her married friends who, years ago, visited her mum, as my wife is doing now...
After three days, her husband could not take it anymore.
He went over to his mother in law's place and literally kidnapped his wife back home.
Yours truly is not about to do likewise... hehheeee...
Yes, it is lonely to be alone...
This time, she shall be away for... uh, two weeks.
I recall one of her married friends who, years ago, visited her mum, as my wife is doing now...
After three days, her husband could not take it anymore.
He went over to his mother in law's place and literally kidnapped his wife back home.
Yours truly is not about to do likewise... hehheeee...
Yes, it is lonely to be alone...
Friday, June 25, 2010
Annual medical check-up... continued
I could feel the camera snaking through my digestive system...
(see the first part of the story... Annual medical check-up)
The twirling, poking... the nudging of the inner skins of my stomach...
Relax... said the nurse, as I lightly closed my eyes...
It was over in about 7 minutes...
The doctor showed me the photos he took... more than 30, I believed...
A polyp here, a 'suspect' spot there...
(see the first part of the story... Annual medical check-up)
The twirling, poking... the nudging of the inner skins of my stomach...
Relax... said the nurse, as I lightly closed my eyes...
It was over in about 7 minutes...
The doctor showed me the photos he took... more than 30, I believed...
A polyp here, a 'suspect' spot there...
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Sashimi chicken liver, anyone?
While training as a cadet pilot in Manila in 1980, I experienced my first bout with food poisoning.
I had no clue what happened and what caused it, until some days later.
All I knew was, I was immobile, wriggling in pain, bedridden for two or three days.
Fast forward to 2010...
Here at my university, I established two student clubs, with plenty of help from the students themselves,of course.
One is a club for international students and the other is for Japanese students.
It has been more than a decade since... and with much honor and pleasure, I remain as advisor to the two clubs.
The Japanese students are very organized, and they work very well as a team.
The international students are, well, independent, and rather weak as a team.
I had no clue what happened and what caused it, until some days later.
All I knew was, I was immobile, wriggling in pain, bedridden for two or three days.
Fast forward to 2010...
Here at my university, I established two student clubs, with plenty of help from the students themselves,of course.
One is a club for international students and the other is for Japanese students.
It has been more than a decade since... and with much honor and pleasure, I remain as advisor to the two clubs.
The Japanese students are very organized, and they work very well as a team.
The international students are, well, independent, and rather weak as a team.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Start of rainy season
Am sitting inside the house on a Sunday morning, listening to the rain falling on leaves...
The rainy season this year comes a few days later than is normally expected.
It is good for my plants...
This morning, got up at 5:10 am, as usual...
Missus was still asleep, so decided to prepare breakfast...
Now, where should I start, I wondered...
Started with preparing the cocoa drink for me (van houten with milk, raisins and oats) and tea (strong, so two sachets, plus milk and oats) for the missus...
The rainy season this year comes a few days later than is normally expected.
It is good for my plants...
This morning, got up at 5:10 am, as usual...
Missus was still asleep, so decided to prepare breakfast...
Now, where should I start, I wondered...
Started with preparing the cocoa drink for me (van houten with milk, raisins and oats) and tea (strong, so two sachets, plus milk and oats) for the missus...
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
The friendly policemen in Japan
With a face like mine living here in Japan, life went/goes on pretty much 'undisturbed'... While a student here in the late 1980s, I hanged out with some buddies from Ghana, US, and Brazil. While I went on with life quietly, policemen came by and stopped my Ghanian friend... 'hey, where did you get that bicycle?' Not once, but several occasions, apparently... In the supermarket, a young kid yelled out to his mum upon seeing my friend from US (of German ancestry) shopping... 'kaa-chan, gaijin ga tofu wo katte imasu!' (literally, mum, look! a foreigner buying tofu!). As a faculty member and international student advisor these days, I have had a student from India telling me the same story with the policeman bugging him about how he got that bicycle.
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Annual medical check up
Each year around this time, I look forward to going for my annual medical check-up... it is quite fun, actually.
The Japanese have a name for it... 'ningen doc' (literally, human doctor).
Been doing this since 1996, without fail.
The check-up is quite detailed, I must say.
First, no more eating from 9:00 pm the night before the check-up.
No problem for me as I am always getting ready to hit the sack at this hour.
On the day of the check-up, no breakfast... water and clear tea is ok... no milk or sugar...
The Japanese have a name for it... 'ningen doc' (literally, human doctor).
Been doing this since 1996, without fail.
The check-up is quite detailed, I must say.
First, no more eating from 9:00 pm the night before the check-up.
No problem for me as I am always getting ready to hit the sack at this hour.
On the day of the check-up, no breakfast... water and clear tea is ok... no milk or sugar...
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
What do you do... what can you do...
What do you do when an international student comes to you with a financial problem?
What do you do when the student had expected to obtain a scholarship, and had failed to do so?
What do you do... when during 'normal' days, the student is so radiant, so energetic, and so full of hope and smiles?
And what do you do... when the student breaks down, weeps... and cries for help...
For what can I do... to provide each and everyone of the needy international students with a scholarship...
The student leaves the room, dry-eyed by now...
and silently, in the privacy of my own company, my heart cries...
Oh god, this is just beyond my reach... for my eyes can only sob for them...
What do you do when the student had expected to obtain a scholarship, and had failed to do so?
What do you do... when during 'normal' days, the student is so radiant, so energetic, and so full of hope and smiles?
And what do you do... when the student breaks down, weeps... and cries for help...
For what can I do... to provide each and everyone of the needy international students with a scholarship...
The student leaves the room, dry-eyed by now...
and silently, in the privacy of my own company, my heart cries...
Oh god, this is just beyond my reach... for my eyes can only sob for them...
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Penang-born BBQ King in the making...
Not to say that you can get to yaya (show off) how 'terror' your friends are...
While yours truly is hiding away, keeping a somewhat low profile as a small time academician in a small time university here in Japan, an old buddy of mine is, yes, practically creating waves over the other side of the pacific... and he says he is just having some fun doing it as a weekend hobby...
Harry Soo, or 'aSua' to us 'goondoos' in the inner circle, hails from Penang.
While yours truly is hiding away, keeping a somewhat low profile as a small time academician in a small time university here in Japan, an old buddy of mine is, yes, practically creating waves over the other side of the pacific... and he says he is just having some fun doing it as a weekend hobby...
Harry Soo, or 'aSua' to us 'goondoos' in the inner circle, hails from Penang.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
First try at oatmeal cookies
Today is such a rainy day... and such strong winds...
There was no way I could go out into my field to work.
So, I spent the day streamlining my blogs... housekeeping, so to say.
In between breaks, I asked my missus to teach me how to make oatmeal cookies.
I love those cookies... especially when they are homemade... no white sugar, no unnecessary additives...
The ingredients are, roughly...
oatmeal 50 grams
brown sugar 60 grams
vegetable oil 30 grams
wheat flour 100 grams
baking soda 1 small spoonful
milk 30 grams
There was no way I could go out into my field to work.
So, I spent the day streamlining my blogs... housekeeping, so to say.
In between breaks, I asked my missus to teach me how to make oatmeal cookies.
I love those cookies... especially when they are homemade... no white sugar, no unnecessary additives...
The ingredients are, roughly...
oatmeal 50 grams
brown sugar 60 grams
vegetable oil 30 grams
wheat flour 100 grams
baking soda 1 small spoonful
milk 30 grams
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Outdoor toilet... masterpiece number two
We enjoy having friends coming over for potluck lunch parties.
Initially, we had them inside the house but I did not want to burden my missus with too much cleaning after the event.
So, I moved the event outdoors, onto the spacious dead-end part of the road just in front of our house.
I picked up a wooden table from the university, which was disposed off as rubbish, and it is just perfect for such events .
The table is probably 30 to 40 years of age and still very solid.
Problem was the toilet...
When we renovated the second floor, I kept the toilet bowl, knowing that one day it would come in handy.
From a stone wholesaler nearby, I picked up some wood which was used to hold the stones together during transportation.
From the tall reeds which I cut when clearing the field, I constructed the walls...
And hoola, my 'masterpiece' number two (see masterpiece number one here).
All from materials recycled, and 'free' of charge...
I sited the toilet at the furthermost south-eastern point of our potager.
The pond beyond is called Sasao Pond, and it makes a beautiful backdrop for the toilet, doesn't it?
In early May, we invited a bunch of friends over and put the toilet out for a test.
The ladies who used the toilet were quite thrilled (or too polite with their comments?)... said they, ' it was like a trip back to the olden days...
how nice it is, to answer the call of nature while enjoying the open sky and the green'...
'Call of nature' here refers strictly to only the 'small' one... I shall be making further improvements to this 'masterpiece'.... care for a test?
Initially, we had them inside the house but I did not want to burden my missus with too much cleaning after the event.
So, I moved the event outdoors, onto the spacious dead-end part of the road just in front of our house.
I picked up a wooden table from the university, which was disposed off as rubbish, and it is just perfect for such events .
The table is probably 30 to 40 years of age and still very solid.
Problem was the toilet...
When we renovated the second floor, I kept the toilet bowl, knowing that one day it would come in handy.
From a stone wholesaler nearby, I picked up some wood which was used to hold the stones together during transportation.
From the tall reeds which I cut when clearing the field, I constructed the walls...
And hoola, my 'masterpiece' number two (see masterpiece number one here).
All from materials recycled, and 'free' of charge...
I sited the toilet at the furthermost south-eastern point of our potager.
In early May, we invited a bunch of friends over and put the toilet out for a test.
The ladies who used the toilet were quite thrilled (or too polite with their comments?)... said they, ' it was like a trip back to the olden days...
how nice it is, to answer the call of nature while enjoying the open sky and the green'...
'Call of nature' here refers strictly to only the 'small' one... I shall be making further improvements to this 'masterpiece'.... care for a test?
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
A walk in the hills in May
After breakfast on weekends, I normally take a walk in the hills with my missus.
The air is super-fresh, and there are almost no cars around.
The views of the Japan Inland Sea is very pretty, even when it is foggy.It was as if there were ghost ships sailing about, horns blaring as far as one can hear...
One of the joys of walking in the hills is that we get to pick wild mountain vegetables.
These 'mountain asparagus', their skin has to be peeled before cooking.
My missus do not mind the cooking and it has become my duty to do the peeling and slicing.
They taste a little tangy when cooked.
The other pleasure is that we get to collect dry leaves.
I normally bring a gunny sack with me for the purpose.
Once back home, into my vegetable garden they go, mulching.
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Garden party during the golden week
Had a long, long weekend due to the so-called 'Golden Week' holidays here in Japan.
So, invited some friends over for a potluck lunch out in the garden.
Been doing this for the last 4 or 5 years.
Must have gained a kilo or two due to too much eating that day... burp...
As in previous years, each and everyone of my guests brought along their own 'specialty'.
This particular guest always brought freshly harvested ingredients, and always insisted on tempura-ing right at my place so that we can all eat them the minute they are cooked.
Another always brought these... katsuo tataki and hamachi sashimi...
A lady friend who attended for the first time provided us with these delicious onigiri (rice balls).
Urrrmmm... consumed with those pickles at the center, absolutely delicious...
And, the final dish of the day... roast chicken in the dutch oven...
The seasoning was done by my missus and the cooking, by me.
Really tasty it was... I must say...
This particular guest always brought freshly harvested ingredients, and always insisted on tempura-ing right at my place so that we can all eat them the minute they are cooked.
A lady friend who attended for the first time provided us with these delicious onigiri (rice balls).
Urrrmmm... consumed with those pickles at the center, absolutely delicious...
And, the final dish of the day... roast chicken in the dutch oven...
The seasoning was done by my missus and the cooking, by me.
Really tasty it was... I must say...
Friday, April 23, 2010
Pygmy seahorses in Tulamben, Bali
Sipadan Water Village (SWV) is probably the resort that we enjoy most thus far.
The touch of the hardwood floor and walls, the absence of sand flies, the delicious food, the friendly staff... all these have led us to put our dream of going to faraway Maldives for the time being... paradise is at our front door, why go far away to search for one?
Some time ago, the dive guide suggested that we go see the pygmy seahorse at Seaventures dive site, which is just off SWV. Why not, we thought.
Now, Seaventures is a dive resort made up of an abandoned oil rig dragged in from somewhere.
From the wooden comforts of SWV, one can't help noticing how ugly the structure is.
Down under the oil-rig-turned-dive-resort lies that pygmy seahorse, and as we already knew from our earlier dives there, very strong currents.
Very, very strong, I mean.
We back-rolled and descended immediately, holding on to a rope tightly buoyed.
The currents literally made us hang perpendicular to the rope, very much like the 'kois' flying perpendicular to the flag poles in early May (Boys' Day) in Japan.
Maneuvering the currents, we took turns to ogle at the creature.
I managed to snap a few pictures but can you figure out how to shoot a subject the size of a flea (OK, I am exaggerating a little) while trying to stay still in strong currents? No way...
My missus and I had to signal the guide, figuratively slitting our throats, 'out of air' as we ascended, again in perpendicular position to the rope. Wooh... no joke, both our air gauges showed zeros...
Fast forward to our trip to Tulamben.... the so-called world's easiest wreck dive site, the Liberty...
Reviewing my pictures, I was surprised to count 5 different specimens of pygmy seahorses, all documented in photos. And no strong currents a la Seaventures...
This shot is probably the 'best' one of them all.
Size was probably about one centimeters or so.
Pretty cute little thing, don't you think?
The dive guide was very excited to see this cutie.
I wondered why.
He grabbed my camera and kept on shooting excitedly.
He later told me how lucky we were to be able to see
a pygmy seahorse frolicking in a fully opened gorgonian fan.
Hmmm, how true, and lucky we were, I suppose.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Sakuras a-blooming
Sakura blooms normally last about a week.
This year, due to the rather unusual cold and rainy weather, it was reported that blooms stayed on for up to 15 days.
The sakura tree in our compound normally begins to bloom a few days 'late'.
So we get the pleasure of seeing the flowers even after the other sakura trees shed their petals.
This last weekend, we took a walk in the woods on the east side of our house.
It was actually the first time for me to walk over there.
And the view of the sakura tree and our house from there was quite magnificent, I must say...
We paused for a while to enjoy a view of the hamlet...
Kites (top right) are very common here.
Was 'lucky' to see two of them copulating just meters away from my vegetable garden the other day.
It was over in perhaps 30 seconds.
Meanwhile, planted black soy bean seeds, sweet corn seeds, and sponge gourd seeds.
Some of the seeds I planted last week are already sprouting... wooh...
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Tunicates at Bali
Although I have not posted any underwater pictures recently, I have been scuba diving about twice a year with my missus all these while.
We dived Tulamben, Bali, in August 2008.
Until I dug them out a few days ago, the pictures have been in cold storage since the trip.
And, hmm, I must say that the Canon G7 is quite capable of recording some decent pictures although I was disappointed with the Canon housing.
That thing leaked and ooh, it was not a good feeling to see so many wonderful creatures coming into view but you are not able to record them.
I particularly like observing the vein-like patterns of the barrels.
Scientifically, they are defined as 'any of various primitive marine chordate animals of the subphylum Tunicata, having a rounded or cylindrical body that is enclosed in a tough outer covering. Tunicates start out life as free-swimming, tadpolelike animals with a notochord (a primitive backbone), but many, such as the sea squirts, lose the notochord and most of their nervous system as adults and become fixed to rocks or other objects. Tunicates often form colonies.' (Dictionary.com).
Apparently, they feed on zoo-plankton and minute animals, opening and closing the mouth somewhat like an underwater Venus fly trap, perhaps?
Size was about three to four centimeters, I think.
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