Greener Pastures

Traffic Offenders' Hall Of Shame

2008-02-04T08:00:00.000+08:00

Did you know there is a website in Malaysia called PanduCermat.org.my where you can submit photos of traffic/parking offenders taken with your handphone camera to their Hall of Shame?

I have a photo that I am thinking of submitting .......
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An Unconventional Swimming Pool

2008-01-22T20:00:00.000+08:00

I realised that swimming pools in Miri are not as popular as the swimming pools in Kuching.

The reason? Miri is a city by the sea and therefore beaches are just a short drive away. Many people prefer beaches to swimming pools.

With beautiful sunsets, I would too. Of course, people still frequent the swimming pools in Miri. I'm not saying everyone prefers beaches.

To go to a beach in Kuching, one would have to drive for at least 45 minutes !! That alone can deter people to go there if they simply want to have a "dip in the water".

However, nowadays people in Kuching come out with clever ways to satisfy their whims. No need to drive all the way to the beach or squeeze with others at public swimming pools.

Just go to that new shopping mall called The Spring ..........

Credits to the person that took the video.

Truly a new retail beginning!

"Greener Pastures" Has Reached New Heights!

2008-01-11T23:59:00.000+08:00

I want to congratulate my 10,000th visitor, who hails all the way from Kuching!! And read my blog for a GRAND TOTAL TIME of ..................... 0 SECONDS!!

Woah.... I thought it takes at least a few seconds before you realize that you can't find any naked pictures of hot chicks here. This has got to be a new record.

Or ....... the picture of a man's hairy behind in this post could have scared you off.

TM - World Class Service Provider?

2008-01-10T12:00:00.000+08:00

Recently I emailed TM (Malaysia's Number One provider of information communication technologies) regarding a problem I have with my account.

Here is their reply:

YOU have been escalated??!

You will FEED US BACK to what???!

Edited: Despite their somewhat humorous email, TM has been speedy and courteous in solving my problem. Thanks TM!

Blog Advertising Alternative

2008-01-07T13:00:00.000+08:00

Since Advertlets.com has not recovered from its new year hangover, I'm exploring an alternative blog advertising widget.

Of all the names in the world, they name it GrabMyAss !!

Picture stolen from Josh (which he stole from somewhere else)

Try it here!

Edited: Oh wait.... Advertlets.com's site is up, but I'm trying out this ass grabbing thingy anyway.

Advertlets Hangover

2008-01-05T00:15:00.000+08:00

To celebrate the new year, my blog decided to get itself a makeover without my knowledge.

Looks fantastic! Complete with a beautiful smiling lady and an eerie figure in the background. Couldn't ask for more.

Only thing is that my blog's content is missing. Hmm......

Saw my sister 's post on the same problem. Suspected that Adverlets.com was the culprit.

Wow! Adverlets did a makeover as well. Wait a minute....

Domain name expired!!! Hahahahahaha. No panic guys. Remove the Advertlets widget for the time being and you should have your blog back.

Part Time Boy Wanted

2008-01-02T09:00:00.000+08:00

Spotted at Boulevard, Kuching:

The sign doesn't have the right ring to it. Successful applicants better be careful when bending over to pick up any footwear.

New Year's Resolutions for 2008

2007-12-31T08:30:00.000+08:00

My new year's resolutions:
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UPDATE THIS BLOG MORE OFTEN!
UPDATE THIS BLOG MORE OFTEN!
UPDATE THIS BLOG MORE OFTEN!
UPDATE THIS BLOG MORE OFTEN!
UPDATE THIS BLOG MORE OFTEN!
kill neighbour's dog.
UPDATE THIS BLOG MORE OFTEN!
UPDATE THIS BLOG MORE OFTEN!
UPDATE THIS BLOG MORE OFTEN!

k thx n happy '08!

Bamboo Cafe, Miri

2007-12-18T21:30:00.000+08:00

One of the greatest satisfaction about hunting for good food is to discover a new place that you never knew existed! That's exactly what happened when a friend introduced me to Bamboo Cafe.

It was a surprise that the cafe is located near the Pujut Corner bus station (along the Miri By-pass road), because it is almost in a middle of nowhere! Nevertheless, it comes highly recommended if you are looking for good food at a reasonable price plus relaxing ambiance.

As I said, food is good. They serve a variety of Thai, Filipino and local food. Anything under the Thai menu would be a safe choice.

Mee Siam

Tom Yam (Recommended)

Why is the place called "Bamboo Cafe"?

**begin sarcasm**

Absolutely no idea!

**end sarcasm**

Adventures (Or Misadventures) Of 2007

2007-12-03T17:00:00.000+08:00

Heck. Time flies. I realized its December and only a month left before a new year. Before I turn into a beer-bellied 50-year-old with receding hairline, allow me to gratify myself and point out the highlights of my 2007.

1. Went horseback riding for the first time in Sabah

Thanks to my non-existent horseback riding knowledge, it was almost disastrous.

2. White-water rafted down the Padas river

It's a good thing that I water rafted before a Dutch tourist died attempting to do it, otherwise I would think twice. Rumours about crocodiles in the river doesn't help either.

3. Turned 24

I think you start losing count of your age in mid-20s.

4. Parasailed in Pattaya

Yes, I know its over-commercialized and nothing more than getting strapped with belts all over your body and under your crotch before hauling you up in the air. But anything that gets the adrenaline pumping for a good 15 minutes deserves a spot here.

5. Molested a snake in Bangkok

Wait, this isn't a highlight. Its a "lowlight" that scarred me for life.

6. Unexpectedly moved from away from my hometown to Miri

Beautiful sunsets and the pace of life is a nice change.

7. Played paintball for the first time

Two words : Damn.Fun.

How was YOUR 2007?

Breast Lifting

2007-11-30T21:00:00.000+08:00

Spotted at a mall:

Breast lifting anyone?

I wonder who's doing the breast lifting. It must be the best job in the world. Its no wonder McDonald's hasn't got any employees at its stall.

Do check out the Eye Lashes Extanssion as well (whatever in the world that is....)

Why McDonalds Urgently Need New Employees

2007-11-15T20:30:00.000+08:00

An innocent looking VACANCY ad that I saw at the McDonalds' McTreat stall that seems to be desperately crying out for people to APPLY TODAY:

It's no wonder that they were desperate........

There's NOBODY looking after the stall!!

Yellow Fever

2007-11-13T12:30:00.000+08:00

Some time ago, I wrote about ordinary people in Thailand wearing yellow to show their allegiance and loyalty to their king.

Last Saturday, Malaysians wore yellow for an entirely different purpose!

Photo taken from http://rockybru.blogspot.com

Save Malaysia indeed!

Top 10 Places In Miri To Eat Laksa

2007-10-31T16:30:00.000+08:00

The top 10 best laksa in Miri, bottom up:

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For the Kuching version, click here.

Performance Anxiety

2007-10-29T23:00:00.000+08:00

Recently I had my blog rated:

Nice! Though parental guidance is suggested, its still suitable for a wide range of readers. There are other ratings such as RESTRICTED. Let's hope this post doesn't screw the ratings.

Now.... what is performance anxiety??

Performance anxiety is a term often used to refer to self-consciousness and anxiousness about the quality of one's performance.

Its a self-conscious, self-doubting awareness that hinders performance instead of helping.

Imagine a gradual build-up of TENSION.... to that moment when everything around you seems to freeze .... and all focus is on YOU.

Imagine a moment of climax .... where you know you MUST perform .... otherwise that moment will be lost forever .....

What am I talking about?
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Check out this public toilet in London..... (What were you thinking about??!!)

Its a toilet with one-way (or two-way - depends on who you're talking to) mirror walls.

This is from the outside....

Don't tell me you'll be perfectly comfortable peeing in this toilet.

Talk about performance anxiety!

The End of James Bond

2007-10-18T12:30:00.000+08:00

Bond .... James Bond - the epitome of talent, intelligence, physical prowess, coolness and style that has placed him as the desire of women and the envy of men everywhere.

Whether it be piloting assault helicopters, firing rocket launchers, clobbering nameless henchmen or regularly bedding beautiful women, Bond rose to fame by excelling in everything that he does.

In fact, I would love to learn how he manages to jump away from explosions with his crisp tailor-made suit still intact.

It's the accomplishments of the British secret agent that has led him to possess the rank of "Double 0" in Her Majesty's service, hence the legendary code number "007".

The "double-0" prefix indicates his discretionary licence to kill in the performance of his duties.

The seemingly ageless Bond was allegedly born in 1968, which would make him 39 years old this year.

I think James Bond has finally called it quits, slowed down the pace and ventured into a new field.................

SELLING DIM SUM IN MIRI!!!

Er... Mr Bond, one sio bee please..... steamed, not fried.

Another Little Planet

2007-10-16T12:30:00.000+08:00

I'm still amused at this:

Again, you can create your own little planet using the instructions here.

A Dog's Life

2007-10-07T00:00:00.000+08:00

A few months ago, I posted a video of a neglected stray dog in YouTube and totally forgotten about it.

After some time, I checked the video and it received a number of unfavorable comments (and links to a number of ~~animal cruelty~~ caring for your pets websites), in what I perceive as a total LACK OF understanding in the situation and the cultural differences.

Here are some of the comments (unedited):

"WTF dude that is sooo mean!!!"

"man, you shouldnt own a dog, if you cant be responsible get him/her to a vet. Not impressed at all.."

"This is horrible. What kind of sick and cruel person would leave this aninmal to suffer?"

"that is just plain horrible to leave a dog to suffer!!
what the hell is wrong with you?
take him to the vet, but DON'T make him suffer like that.
Just becasuse he can't speak, doesn't mean he doesn't have the right to be treated right."

OK. First of all, learn to spell properly. Secondly, its a stray dog and therefore it doesn't belong to me. Besides, someone was aware of the situation and was trying to help it.

It's also obvious that they are not aware that stray dogs in a 'less than desirable' condition are a common sight in this part of the world.

I live a culture where generating the next winning 4D (lottery) number takes precedence over pro-actively caring for stray (and potentially dangerous) dogs. There are limitations to what the general public can do to curb the problem.

The dog catching competition proposed a few months ago here in SemuaPunBolehLand could reduce the number of strays in the streets, but was too controversial.

Seeing neglected stray dogs roaming the streets of Malaysia remains part of our everyday lives.

One thing to bear in mind, the strays here do NOT look as if they were fed an 8-course buffet for the past 6 months......

And in this part of the world, the dogs - strays or not, certainly do NOT receive $12 million.

Peculiar Massage Parlors

2007-10-02T00:00:00.000+08:00

Found in Miri (Dedicated to Orange):

A massage parlor with a name like that, you begin to wonder what else they have on their 'menu'.

On the other hand, here's a massage parlor that I came across during my last trip to Thailand:

**begin sarcasm here**

Thank goodness there's PHYSICAL massage there. I was beginning to worry that the non-physical massages that I've been having aren't effective for my sore muscles.

Washroom Routine

2007-09-26T16:30:00.000+08:00

So my camera is dead. That doesn't stop me from my usual illustrative blogging (Thanks to the often-overlooked MS Paint).

The following illustration depicts a plan of my office's gentlemen washroom:

The design flaw here is that the paper towel dispenser is placed too far away from the sink. One would have to walk across the toilet area to dry his hands.

The normal routine that me and 95% of the users of this washroom follow (under normal "circumstances") is:

Enter washroom.
Use urinal (Absolutely NO greeting is allowed).
Wash hands at sink (Now is the time to greet anyone whom you may know).
Walk across toilet area and use the paper towel dispenser.
Exit toilet.

Normal Routine

Once in a while, I see people do THIS:

The Quick Enter-Use-Exit Routine

Moral of the story:
Do NOT greet and shake hands with people who have just exited the washroom.

Deprived

2007-09-25T16:31:00.000+08:00

I feel so deprived. I don't have an internet connection at my place and my camera's dead.

Updates when all is in order.

Ipoh Town, Miri

2007-09-18T18:30:00.000+08:00

If you've failed geography in school, NO - Ipoh Town is NOT a town in Miri.

West Malaysians are probably familiar with a franchise of eateries called Old Town. It serves fantastic signature delicacies from Ipoh such as hor fun, extra kao white coffee, toast, and half-boiled eggs with bulging and orangy yolks.

Miri has its own version of Old Town!

Sadly, it doesn't serve any hor fun. I think it would be impractical to import hor fun from Ipoh all the way to Miri.

On the other hand, it does serve other reasonably good dishes. Prices range from RM2 to RM7.

Chicken Curry Toast

There isn't any outstanding dish that I personally like. Nevertheless, the dry kueh tiao is a good choice.

Dry Chicken Kueh Tiao

In addition, Ipoh Town is an ideal location for an afternoon tea break, in view that food is somewhat scarce here after lunch hour.

Loh Lou Shu Fun

Not forgetting the pride of Ipoh - white coffee .....

Looking at the fact that the white coffee isn't as kao and aromatic as the one at Old Town cafe in West Malaysia, I have a feeling the white coffee here originates from the SUPERMARKET .....

Ipoh Town Kopitiam
Address: Lot 1395, Grd Flr, Centre Point Phase II, Jln Kubu, 98000 Miri, Sarawak.
Phone Number: 085-415288

Hello Miri

2007-09-14T06:00:00.000+08:00

I know... it has been more than a week since I've updated my blog, but I have good reasons. Almost everyday after office hours, I have been occupied with activities, dinners and relocation issues.

I think I'm beginning to adapt to the lifestyle here. Life isn't as hectic as KL or even Kuching. Being a city by the sea, there are plenty of recreational activities. The only thing this place needs is good laksa!

I have been and will be staying in a cosy lil' hotel room until I move to my apartment around the end of the month.

Better not get too cosy though... I know it won't last forever.

Top 10 Places In Kuching To Eat Laksa

2007-09-05T00:00:00.000+08:00

Ahh... laksa! What's there to hate about it? For those of you who do not know what laksa is, allow me to give a brief introduction..............

Now that we have familiarized ourselves, here are the top 10 places in Kuching serving the best laksa. The list is done with the following assumptions:

I'm aware that there are many variations of laksa, such as Asam Laksa and Curry Laksa. However, the list strictly comprises of Sarawak Laksa.
The maximum price of the laksa being contested in the list is RM5.
I place a high importance on the gravy.
The list is done based on the my personal view. If you are offended in any way, then go suck on a lollipop.
I do not have weird fetishes when it comes to eating laksa, such as ordering laksa kosong (Believe me, some people do order that!).

Without further ado, I present you the top 10 list, bottom up.

#10 - Sin Chong Choon Cafe

Sin Chong Choon Cafe is located at the Green Heights commercial center. And yes, the cafe apparently have relations to the famous Chong Choon Cafe at Abell Road, which is also in this list.

The laksa tastes nothing like its counterpart though. It has rooms for improvements, particularly in the quantity of the ingredients.

#9 - Combo Laksa

The Combo Laksa shop is at the Pending commercial center, near the Dua Puluh Sen Store. Rumors have it that once upon a time they served laksa in coconut shells.

The color of the gravy looks fantastic but unfortunately not as fantastic in taste. It needs a little less coconut milk and a little more spice.

Combo Laksa also sells the most expensive laksa I have ever seen - Abalone laksa for RM128!! A more realistic RM10 option would get you clams in your laksa.

#8 - Barrett's Laksa

Barrett's Laksa is being sold in a cafe called Tiang's Cafe at the Bormill Estate, Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce.

They go the extra mile by adding fish balls and fish cakes into your laksa - an ingredient desirable but non-essential. The gravy is rich in spices.

You can also buy their laksa paste or sambal belacan if you like it.

#7 - Madam Tang's Cafe

Despite serving one of the best beef noodles in Kuching, the laksa at Madam Tang's is somewhat mediocre.

The flavor of the gravy is bland and diluted. A regular laksa comes with prawns you can barely see. You might want to size up your laksa to the RM10 option if you want your prawns truly visible.

#6 - Jin Ming Cafe

Jin Ming Cafe may be hidden from the usual hustle and bussle of the Sekama main road, but the laksa here commands a fair number of faithful eaters.

The laksa here is enough to satisfy one's cravings for the food. Decent, but not spectacular. The only complaint I have is that the prawns are sliced in half and placed outer-side up on your laksa, giving you an impression that prawns are aplenty.

#5 - Golden Arch Cafe

The "golden" laksa of the Golden Arch Cafe at the Golden Arch Commercial Center is above average. In the mornings, the cafe is usually packed full of people and parking can be quite a hassle.

The laksa is savoury and deserves to be one of the most popular laksa spots in Kuching. I, however, do not frequent this place.

#4 - Foody Goody Cafe

Foody Goody Cafe can hardly be missed if you know where the Kuching Specialist Center is. The cafe not only sells laksa, but a host of other local delicacies.

Sometimes I think the laksa here is overrated and overhyped. Many people have agreed with me that there is nothing so spectacular about the laksa.

Among the most popular stalls is the one that sells Yu Cha Kueh (Fried dough sticks) fresh out of the frying wok.

What happens if you add these crispy fried dough sticks to laksa?

Almost as good as eating strawberry and cheese together I suppose.....

3 - Hak Guan

Hak Guan is located at a house-like establishment near the traffic light at 4 ½ Mile. The cafe is always thronged by hungry Kuchingites every morning.

Food being sold here include kueh chap and porridge but the main attraction has got to be the laksa. The gravy is superb - not too spicy, strong or diluted. Prawns are big and fresh.

The only thing that can be improved is maintaining consistency of the taste in their gravy.

#2 - Mei Mei Food Centre

In the not-so-faraway land of Chong Lin Park, lies a cafe selling one of the best laksa in Kuching. Parking is hassle-free as there are plenty of parking spaces. There are also more than enough tables to cope with the current stream of customers.

Mei Mei's laksa is delightfully aromatic and rich in ingredients. The price of the laksa as shown in the picture below is only RM3.20. Imagine what you would get for a RM5 option.

Not only is the laksa delicious, but the drinks here are also fantastic. Order a kopi peng or teh-c-peng and you would get a smooth-tasting drink with froth.

Mei Mei's laksa also needs to maintain more consistency in the taste. Sometimes the taste of the laksa may not achieve its "full potential". In fact, this is the reason why it lost out on the #1 spot in this list.

#1 - Chong Choon Cafe

Its no secret that many people think Chong Choon Cafe at Abell Road serves the best laksa in Kuching. Just look at the number of customers there! The laksa is usually sold out around 10am. The place is crowded and seats are limited.

Tips for securing a seat at Chong Choon Cafe:

Don't be afraid to ask people if you can share tables with them. Remember to be polite and courteous!
Locate and position yourself nearby people who have finished or almost finished their food and stare at them until they leave. Remember to be polite and courteous!

The laksa? Simply breathtaking.

Interesting Points Of Thailand Trip

2007-08-27T00:00:00.000+08:00

Moving away from the heat of the recent post about a newspaper in Pattaya that turned into a Kenny Sia fans versus non-Kenny Sia fans war, here are 5 interesting points during my Thailand trip earlier this month.

1. Alcazar Cabaret

A trip to Thailand is never complete without watching an ah gua show. I dropped by a cabaret show in Pattaya called the Alcazar Cabaret.

What amazes me is NOT how these voluptuous "women" are not as much as the women they appear to be, but its the breathtaking stage settings. From Thai throneroom-like settings to settings resembling nightclubs with dancers fully dressed in clubbing outfits. The quality of the photos I took doesn't do much justice here.

My favorite performance was their rendition of Dreamgirls - almost exactly as seen in the movie. One of them even looked like a masculinized Beyonce Knowles.

2. Mango Sticky Rice

I thought the mango sticky rice at Kuching's Lok Thian Bangkok Thai Restaurant was fantastic. That was until I tasted the authentic mango sticky rice there.

For only 50 Bahts, the dish comprises of the steamed glutinous rice, creamy coconut dip and freshly sliced ripe mangoes.

3. Yellow People

One morning I was wondering why all the sudden 80% of the Thais in the streets were wearing yellow shirts.

I found out that ordinary Thais dress in yellow shirts on Mondays to show their allegiance to the king. Yellow because its the king's birth color, traditionally corresponding to the day he was born, a Monday.

Yellow-masked tuk-tuk rider

With the whole Negarakuku controversy in my own country, its a culture shock to see people showing such public affection to their king and country.

Yellow people were everywhere. So much so that it reminded me of this:

Fortunately, no yellow Thais were following me.

4. Stray Thai Dogs

While stray dogs in Kuching look like this:

Stray dogs in Bangkok looked like this:

Eh? That's not a stray dog! That's a stray baby hippo with the head of a dog. And what are the Thais feeding them? Protein shakes?

5. Snake Molesting

To much regrets later, I visited a snake farm where snakes were kept in aquariums for display. A snake handler was busy catching a snake in a barricaded section.

He proceeded to bend the snake and showed me 2 protruding "growths". He then asked me to TOUCH IT.

With no previous professional training in snake anatomy, I thought it was a tumour or a mutated growth. I must have given it at least a good 10 SECONDS RUB before he told me it was the SNAKE'S PENIS(es). WTF!

He was nice enough to tell me, "Snake have 2.... I have 1." Oh you have 1? That's a relieve.

Apparently the snake farm uses the snake's reproductive organs in producing medicine to sell to the tourists that visit the farm. When I was there, the tourists were going there by busloads.

I just wonder how many times a day the snake gets molested by unsuspecting tourists.

Best Airport Baggage Information Screen

2007-08-22T00:15:00.000+08:00

Candidates

1. Narita International Airport - located at Narita, Chiba, Japan:

2. McCarran International Airport - located at Las Vegas, United States:

3. O'Hare International Airport - located at Chicago, Illinois, United States:

Winner

KLIA LCCT Terminal - located at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia:

Malaysia rocks! Where else in the world can you see a pretty air stewardess updating the baggage information "screen"?

Something Smells Familiar

2007-08-19T23:15:00.000+08:00

You know the old adage that says "People learn from their mistakes (or the mistakes of others)"? It's not true! Somebody's work just got plagiarized again.

My sis and I picked up a recent newspaper while we were on vacation in Pattaya, Thailand. It's called "Pattaya Today".

It's filled with articles and advertisements that I couldn't care less about. That was until I flipped to a section called "Lighter Side".

How enlightening indeed. Despite being discolored, distorted and cropped, one of the pictures looks too familiar.

Heck! That isn't Pattaya. It looks more like my beloved hometown - Kuching. But that wasn't it. I recognized the picture from somewhere.

Tell me that its the same picture! Hahaha. How uncreative can people be? Let's hope nobody gets tulan again.

Things To Do Before I Die, # 37

2007-08-11T21:40:00.000+08:00

Things To Do Before I Die List

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37. Take a boat ride to an island and fire an M16 rifle. (Done)

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'Nuff said.

A Series of Unfortunate Events

2007-08-10T22:45:00.000+08:00

My first day of my vacation and it was already plagued with a number of undesired circumstances.

First, my flight from Kuching to KL was delayed half an hour due to "technical problems". Then my flight from KL to Bangkok was delayed for more than 30 minutes due to heavy traffic on the runway.

Then I was warmly greeted by a sea of people waiting at the immigration. I stood in line for over an hour.

Exiting the immigration, I then found out my tour guide was waiting over 2 hours for me. The traffic in Bangkok is also horrendous. Toyota Altis and Vios everywhere.

To top it all up, I settled into my bed after an exhausting day just to find it stinking of vomit.

But I'm having a hell of a good time here. Sawatdee Khrab!

Pay For Breathing

2007-08-07T00:00:00.000+08:00

There is a particular eatery that's infamous for charging for every little thing. The name of the kopitiam shall not be revealed (It's the kopitiam near Thompson's Corner, Nanas Road!!!).

You are welcomessss.

During a recent visit there, I did not see the signboard/menu that indicates the charges for items which we would normally get for FREE at other eateries. It's a good thing I snapped a picture of it a while back.

Now imagine if you are a foreign visitor that ONLY speaks English. It would be pretty shocking to see this.....

Extra air for 30 cents "only". I knew that one day oxygen would be costly!!

So make sure you take a deep breath before entering, gobble up all your food, pay and leave before you die of suffocation.

Best Lui Cha in Kuching?

2007-08-05T21:30:00.000+08:00

I usually cringe at the at the slightest mention of Lui Cha or Lui Teh but one fine day I decided to give it a go. Destination? The residential house at the Jalan Intan - Jalan Tengah junction near Green Road.

The Lui Cha here is reputedly one of the best in Kuching. I cannot judge, simply because I DON'T normally eat Lui Cha. Apparently there are only 6 or 7 tables here and they don't sell any drinks.

You are allowed to choose between bitter or non-bitter Lui Cha. Naturally, I opted for the latter.

The soup looks so much like gunk scooped out of a nearby drain that the only thing missing is a few fishes swimming in it. BUT it tastes nice. One thing about Malaysia is that we have food that looks/smells like crap but tastes heavenly.

For non-Lui-Cha-fans, its a good place to start.

The Most Deserted Stall at Kuching Festival

2007-08-01T23:59:00.000+08:00

It's that time of the year again where the most "sinful" food in Kuching congregate and tempt you to a night of hot and passionate gluttony - its the Kuching Festival Food Fair.

The Kuching Festival doesn't excite me as much as it did 10 years ago.

Maybe because it was not me who was driving through the mad jam 10 years ago. Perhaps now it is the thought of pushing through a sweaty and food-lusting crowd.

Or maybe its because the festival is almost the same every year - too predictable up to the point that I can guess where a particular food stall is located.

The festival this year is somewhat different. No, not because the SugarBun stall is at a different location this year. It's nice too see a number of well-known stalls such as Mango Tree and Igloo dominating the scenes instead.

At almost EVERY stall, you can see a small crowd or at least a few people waiting for their order to be prepared. With the obscene number of visitors to the food fair, I can safely assume that most stalls can command a steady stream of customers and make a decent profit.

However, one thing that remains the same year after year, which in my opinion is the most DESERTED and EMPTY stall ever........

Flying Headless Ghost

2007-07-31T00:45:00.000+08:00

Just around a month before I move to the "Resort City", I'm reading unfavorable reports about it in the newspapers.

House break-ins seem to be on a rampage in the city. At certain areas, break-ins can occur multiple times in one night.

An interesting article that was published in the papers recently was about a headless pontianak spooking the town. Rumours were spreading after numerous pontianak sightings.

A rather peculiar phrase was well-spotted by damndirtyangel :

Now if the long hair CAN'T be on the HEAD of a flying HEADLESS ghost, I dare not imagine which hair the resident was talking about.

If a flying headless ghost isn't enough to spook me, a flying headless ghost with long KETIAK hair definitely will!

Tomoe Japanese Cuisine

2007-07-28T21:40:00.000+08:00

Starter:
Pictures here are courtesy of Orange because I brought my camera with me but not my memory card -.-

One of the places I frequent for Japanese food in Kuching is Tomoe Japanese Cuisine.

This Japanese restaurant is located at the Jalan Mendu shophouses near Chung Hua No.5. The reason why you may not have seen it before is because it is hidden from the main road.

The interior is simplistic, but WHO CARES when they serve great food for a reasonable price. The staff are friendly and always willing to serve you. With all these in mind, its a surprise that the restaurant is never full whenever I go there. I think Tomoe is underrated or not visible enough.

Mixed Sushi (Regular) - RM16.00

As with most Japanese restaurants, Tomoe boasts a sushi bar where the chef will whip out your favorite sushi.

Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pizza) - RM12.00

The signature dish of Tomoe is the Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pizza). Okonomiyaki usually includes chopped cabbage and various toppings like thinly sliced pork, red ginger, yakisoba noodles, tenkasu (tempura crumbs), corn, green onion, squid, shrimp, dried bonito flakes, bean sprouts, and more.

I have no idea what ingredients Tomoe put in their Okonomiyaki, but it sure looks and tastes good! It is so tempting that you can see the bonito flakes waving at you when the dish is served straight from the kitchen.

California Maki (8 pcs) - RM14.00

The California Maki is another must-have dish at Tomoe. For just RM14, you get 8 pieces of great-tasting-pants-wetting California Maki. Somehow, the juicy Tobiko (Flying-fish roe / orange-colored-eggs-thingy) on the California Maki is what makes it taste so good.

Tenzaru Soba - RM12.80

Tomoe Japanese Cuisine Sdn. Bhd.
Address: Ground Floor, Lot 9896, Section 64, Jalan Mendu, 93200 Kuching.
Phone Number: 082-335399
Fax Number: 082-341425

The Haunting of Monokuro Boo

2007-07-25T11:45:00.000+08:00

I thought it was amusing at first, but now its seriously starting to annoy me......

Its MONOKURO BOO!! and its everywhere....

The name "Monokuro Boo" derives from Monokuro (Japanese for monochromatic) and boo (the Japanese version of "oink") . But somebody tell me what can be so cute about these monochrome looking creatures???!

Walk into any shops selling gifts or cute cute items, and I can bet that you can find those critters there. They are on picture frames and cups to disgusting-looking bags....

To alarm-clocks in case you want to look at Monokuro Boo first thing in the morning...

Wallets and purses.... (Cool pig my ass)

Generally with anything popular and famous, there will be cheap imitations. Not that I can tell the difference between originals and imitations (or that I care...)

I can't imagine anyone would wear something with Monokuro Boo imprinted on it. Sometimes when a girl wearing a Monokuro Boo t-shirt walks by, I would stare at the t-shirt in disgust so much that the girl must have thought I was staring at her chest.

There are even shops selling Monokuro Boo children's clothing. I call it "Child Abuse".

Usually there is one black and one white Monokuro Boo together. I'm not sure if one is male and the other is female, or if there is any sex at all since it is a monochromatic character.

Once in a while, I catch the Monokuro Boo character having an adulterous affair with a different colored pig.

The black one looks like a pedophile doesn't it?

Heck! There are even places selling Monokuro Boo cosmetics....

What is the Monokuro Boo cosmetics supposed to do??? Make up your face to be like Monokuro Boo????!!!

Cute or not?

Child: Daddy! What is this orange cat thing below Monokuro Boo?

Dad: Oh... that is Garfield.

Child: Garfield?? What is that?

Dad: Nevermind... that is what we used to play during our time. You want Monokuro Boo or not? This one wearing polka dots underwear looks very cute.

Child: OK!

Everywhere you go, you see shops selling Monokuro Boo merchandise and you see people using Monokuro Boo items. If this whole Monokuro Boo fiasco doesn't stop soon, I'm going to have nightmares of Monokuro Boo.....

In fact, there is only one place I feel Monokuro Boo belongs......

In my BARBEQUE PIT!!!

Oyster Omelette

2007-07-23T15:00:00.000+08:00

Oyster omelette (or known as Orh Jien) originates from Fujian and can be found in many countries including Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. It basically consists of an omelette with small oysters.

According to Wikipedia, in Hong Kong the dish is traditionally made from oysters that are found in DRAINAGES near areas of the new airport and some areas of New Territories, but they taste the same as other varieties of oysters.

Picture taken from Wikipedia

Gross! I know in most places in Sarawak, the bidin/midin/bilin vegetable can be plucked near/in drainages but does that mean I can pick the small snails from the drainages here and make an Escargot Omelette?

The style of cooking an Orh Jien varies according to geographical location. At most places, the omelette is mixed and fried with the small oysters. Chili is served with the dish as a dip.

Oyster Omelette from 'seafood paradise' Sabah

The Kuching way is to scatter the small oysters around and fry the omelette until it is crispy and pizza-like. A dip consisting of fish sauce with pepper is served with it.

Absolutely tantalizing!

Chasing Bears

2007-07-20T17:15:00.000+08:00

An interesting news was published in The Star today:

Kosmo! reported that a food stall owner in Jeli, Kelantan, had the shock of her life when she came face to face with a bear in the kitchen scraping rice from a pot.

Zabidah Yusuf, 52, said she had just finished her isya’ prayers and had gone into the kitchen when she saw the animal with the rice pot in its paws.

Stunned by her appearance, the bear scampered out through the front door, carrying the rice pot with it.

Zabidah said her husband, Mohd Asri Mat San, 42, and several customers who were at a table outside the stall screamed when they saw the animal dashing past them.

After the initial shock, they gave chase and retrieved the pot. The bear disappeared into the jungle not far from the shop at Batu 18, off the East-West Highway.

Mohd Asri said it was the second time since April that the bear had made its unwelcome visit to the shop.

The last time, it carried away a sack of rice.

After the initial shock, why the heck were they chasing after the BEAR for the rice pot??!!!

Now mind you, i doubt that the bear was a kiut kiut kawaii baby panda bear eating rice with chopsticks.

Picture taken from Pandafix and here.

It was most probably a sun bear with huge-ass claws that it uses to scrap the rice.

Picture taken from MSN Encarta

At the worst, the bear could probably look something like this:

What could have prompted them to chase a ferocious bear for a RICE POT??!!!

Perhaps they were starving to death and the rice was all they had left. Perhaps there was a million dollars hidden in the rice pot.

Or perhaps it was a 24-karat gold Rice Cooker that produces endless rice supply and promises great wealth to its owner.

Life's lesson: Don't chase a bear for an ordinary rice pot. Its not worth it.

Anniversary Dinner

2007-07-19T23:50:00.000+08:00

For some uncomfortable reasons, this post seems to be very popular. It has since been removed. Do contact the author of the blog if you really want to read it.

Kuching Chicken Porridge

2007-07-17T08:00:00.000+08:00

Starter:
I was at "World Wonder" Saberkas browsing ~~pirated~~ DVDs when i felt the floor beneath me shook at certain intervals. Anybody else has a similar experience?

Judging from the extremely faded signboard, I assume that Kuching Chicken Porridge at Jalan Nanas (Nanas Road) has been in business for a long time. Despite living in Kuching all my life, it was my first time there. Yes i know shaddap!

I don't normally eat porridge for dinner, but if you do then head out to Kuching Chicken Porridge. It only operates nightly from 7:30pm to 10:30pm, Monday to Saturday.

Be wary that they might start operating from 7:00pm. When I was there around 7:40pm and wanted to order a side dish of chicken meat, they said that it was sold out. WTF!! Only 7:40pm! The porridge may also be sold out by 9:00pm, so arrive early.

The porridge itself is thick and fragrant. There is a distinct aroma that separates it from the rest of the porridges sold in Kuching. Add minimal pepper and light soy sauce as the taste is sufficiently rich.

The Mushroom Chicken Leg side order is a must if you like chicken feet. It's tasty and complements the porridge well.

Did I mentioned that the regular porridge is only RM2? Where else can you find great-tasting porridge for such an attractive price. Head there right away and take me with you.

Process of Turning Into a Man

2007-07-15T14:55:00.000+08:00

This post is in response to Shen's marriage post.

How would you like a SIMPLER and FASTER way of the "Process of Turning Into a Man"?

Get an instant "dict"! Only available in Midvalley, KL while stock last.

Deceitful Starbucks!

2007-07-14T00:40:00.000+08:00

Starter:
I have added a new label called "Only In Kuching" since a lot of my posts are about Kuching.

Not that I'm a fan of Starbucks Coffee, but it has finally hit the shores of Kuching. Miaoland's first Starbucks outlet is at the Kuching International Airport, of all places!

I'm particularly careful when ordering at any Starbucks outlet. They have a deceitful way of squeezing as much money as possible from you.

For example, they might ask what kind of syrup we would like with our coffee - Hazelnut syrup, Someothernut syrup or Whateverocipalanut syrup that will cost you an additional RM1.70 when in fact we can simply decline it and opt for coffee WITHOUT syrup.

Adding whipped cream will also cost you RM1.70 when the price of a kopi peng at most kopitiams will cost less than RM1.70. I suppose its fine if you would like to visit Starbucks once in a while and drink the ambiance.

With that being said, I noticed something peculiar, or should I say, redundant about the Store/Opening Hours signboard.....

Hmmm.....

Fried Wantan in Tomato Gravy

2007-07-12T00:00:00.000+08:00

This is a steaming plate of fried wantan in tomato gravy, or locally known as ~~Char Chiaw~~ Char Kiaw. Not only is it a unique dish in Kuching, but the place is quite hard to find if you are a first-timer at the BDC Resettlement area.

Remind me to have a plate of it before I leave.

You know that you're at an unconventional Malaysian wedding when.....

2007-07-10T09:00:00.000+08:00

You know that you're at an unconventional Malaysian wedding when the bridal march music is NOT the traditional Bridal Chorus or Wedding March processional music.

Picture courtesy of eirenechong.blogspot.com

You know that you're at an unconventional Malaysian wedding when the wedding dinner is planned as a romantic poolside dinner at a beach resort.

You know that you're at an unconventional Malaysian wedding when you see THIS:

Congratulations to newlyweds Shen and Alicia.

The following video is dedicated to you both.

World Wonders from Kuching

2007-07-07T00:45:00.000+08:00

Starter:
I'll be attending and helping out at Shen's wedding at Damai. Updates will be posted after my weekend getaway.

The skyline of a city holds great importance. It symbolizes the greatness of a city and the image a city projects for the world to see.

In many parts of the world, the city skyline is so important that the architectural interface of old and historical buildings are preserved even though the interior of the building may not exist at all! Some of these "buildings" may look like museums but are actually open space car parks.

In conjunction with 7th July 2007 (07.07.07), a new set of Seven Wonders of the World will be announced during the Official Declaration ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal. The New Seven Wonders of the World is a proposed revision of the Seven Wonders of the World, organized by a Swiss-based, corporation called New Open World Corporation (NOWC). The selection is being made by free and paid votes, through telephone or online.

Not only is the Sydney Opera House a candidate in the final 21 finalists, it was also recently added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. It was quite an achievement for a futuristic arts complex that was completed in 1973.

I'm disappointed that only 2 properties in the World Heritage Sites list and none in the Seven Wonders of the World candidates belong to Malaysia.

There are many monuments and properties in Bolehland that deserve an award. Therefore, I present to you 3 buildings from Kuching that should have been a world wonder candidate.

In 3rd place.....

Forget The Great Wall of China. Let me introduce The Great Eyesore of Kuching.

Once when I was a few thousand feet high in an airplane above Kuching city, I spotted an outstanding monument. Then I realized what it was:

Yes! Its none other than the Everrise building in BDC - flashed in "Sunquick" orange and "kaya" green. Nothing speaks louder than a building painted in bright contradicting colors. Shocking...

In 2nd place.....

When I saw the picture of this building before the actual thing, I thought the picture had been photoshopped. It was not!

Sitting in the heart of Kuching city where tourists and locals alike bustle around daily, its indeed a sight to behold. While we were busy trying to keep up with the latest movies at Star Cineplex (a tenant of Medan Pelita), the management at Medan Pelita were busy pimpin' up its building. It looks like a multi-level multi-colored kindergarten for the "Special Color-blind Children".

Its an extraordinary human feat to have selected and coordinated the painting of so many colors on one single building. At the time of writing, the paint works have yet to finish. Who knows what other colors they might unleash to us innocent Kuching citizens.

And finally, the prime candidate for a world wonder...

In 1st place...

Wisma Saberkas! Why you might ask. After all, it looks more decent than the rest.

Take a closer look...

Various section of the walls are painted in disgusting pink! I thought they would have painted the entire building with several shades of pink that would have made Xiaxue proud. But NO! Only a portion of the building. There is nothing worse than an unfinished bad work.

The pink portion of the building reminds me of something. Something all so familiar indeed......

That's it!!

Now which building is your "favorite"?

Bella Italia, Kuching

2007-07-05T14:40:00.000+08:00

I enjoy Italian food, but only when it is at Bella Italia. This Italian restaurant is located at RH Plaza, BDC.

The interior is minimally decorated, decked primarily with red, green and white deco. The walls are adorned with paintings of various places in Italy.

You can find your usual Italian dishes here - pizza, pasta, lasagna, risotto and even tiramisu. Prices for main courses mostly range from RM10 to RM20. A number of appetizers are also available for less than RM8.

Bruschetta Bread

I would recommend any pasta with cream sauce. Fettuccine Alfredo or Fettucine alla Carbonara are my favorites. In fact, I never miss ordering a cream sauce pasta dish whenever I dine there.

Fusilli alla Pollo

The risotto dishes are not bad either.

Risotto Tuna

Bella Italia would be a better place for lunch or a quick dinner. Its not the type of cozy and relaxed restaurant as Magenta. If you do decide to dine there, then I say to you - Buon appetito!

Bella Italia
Address: RH Plaza, Ground Floor, Lot 9958, Block 16, No. 111, Jalan Lapangan Terbang No.1, 93250 Kuching.
Phone Number: 082-454570

The Tip of Borneo Statue

2007-07-03T11:38:00.001+08:00

Have you ever wondered what the Tip of Borneo looks like?

Which tip am I talking about? Its the upper-most north-east tip of the Borneo Island at Kudat that looks like a horn of an animal.

So off I went on a road trip to Kudat one fine morning during my last visit to Kota Kinabalu. The drive was 3 hours long. My anticipation and excitement were building up along the way.

Finally after 3 hours long, we reached the tip and I rushed out to take a picture.

SUDDENLY there was a wave.

-__-

Yes.... that was all. A pointy rock being washed by the waves and waves washing pointy rocks. I spent barely 15 minutes there before making another 3 hours journey back. In my humble opinion, more attractions could be built there. After all, its a 3 hours journey from Kota Kinabalu.

Back in May 2007, there was a mega project to build the world's tallest Mazu (Goddess of the Sea) statue there. No surprises that plans to build the 10-storey high statue have been stopped due to the sensitive nature of religious issues and Malaysia being an Islamic country.

Rumours were also circulating that the statue issue was one of the two main reasons behind the shock resignation of former Sabah's Deputy Chief Minister/Minister for Tourism Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat.

I agree that erecting a 10-storey would have boosted the much-needed tourism in Kudat. However, the whole controversy could have been avoided by proposing a well-accepted statue instead.

My suggestions? How about a friendly Ronald McDonald statue?

Or maybe to induce culture and arts, we should import a 10-storey high peeing statue from Brussels, Belgium?

In fact, I would make the entire journey again if they decide to erect the statue as below.

Now that's what I call transforming Kudat (pardon the pun). All hail Optimus Prime!

Hakka Mee, Carpenter Street Kuching

2007-07-01T23:30:00.000+08:00

Starter:
I was kind of disappointed at the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, but the Transformers movie was great! Thank you Michael Bay for rekindling my childhood, and thank you Megan Fox for being in the movie.

Carpenter Street, Kuching has an abundance of cafes and kopitiams well known for its delicious food - from the famous Bishopgate "cheng" to chicken rice and fried chicken wings. These places are usually brim full with customers, some willing to wait more than an hour just for a taste of their famous delicacies.

One of my recent discovery that is perhaps less known is the Hakka Mee at Nyan Shin Cafe.

When I arrived around 9:30am on a Saturday morning, tables were aplenty. Don't be fooled though - the food is excellent. The Hakka Mee stall sells other variation of mee, kueh teow and bee hoon.

Hakka Mee can be best defined as thin, flat, yellow noodles. In fact, there are other types of thin, flat, yellow noodles so I best just leave the pictures to define it.

Hearing a conversation between the stall owner and some customers on another table, I assume you can customize your mee according to your whims and desire. I on the other hand, went straight for the Special Hakka Mee, served with lean pieces of beef.

Here's how it came out:

If you look at the picture, you'll notice that it is sprinkled with golden-brown cubes. No those are not fried garlic. Those are the tiny bits of half pork skin, half pork fat that is crunchy and taste ORGASMIC~!!! It really sexes up the Hakka Mee.

Anyone joining me for the next trip?

Apple iPhone Review

2007-06-30T00:30:00.000+08:00

Starter:
Here lies a short and concise personal viewpoint on the Apple iPhone without the technical jargon or excessive compliments.

I remembered the times when mobile phones looked like black bricks but I would still proudly attach one to my belt and parade it around shopping complexes. People would look at you and whisper, because mobile phones were such a rare sight. Today if you still proudly parade your black brick around, people would still look and whisper....... and praise you for your innovation on the crab-cracking tool.

Effective

Black brick no more! Say hello to the revolutionary Apple iPhone. In conjunction with its launch, I shall present to you why the iPhone has kept me drooling over it ever since Apple first announced it.

With a height of 4.5 inches (115 mm) and a depth of just 0.46 inches (11.6 mm), the iPhone is thin, sleek and sexy. Designed with smooth edges making it somewhat curvaceous, it doubles up as a great accessory for the fashion conscious or simply as an excellent addition to a geek's arsenal of gadgets.

However, I stress that the iPhone CANNOT instantly make you look good.

This man/woman needs more help than an iPhone can give

Apple boasts that the iPhone is the best iPod ever created. Having owned an iPod for the past 3 years, I couldn't imagine how I could survive without one. What I liked most about the iPhone is its Cover Flow browsing for albums, as seen in iTunes 7. It enables me to browse and admire album artwork almost as browsing through a stack of CDs in real life, minus the hassles of flipping real CD covers. It certainly is a fresh breath from browsing textual album names.

Cover Flow

The power and battery aspect is also impressive. With a talk time of up to 8 hours, you could go to work with a fully charged battery and talk until you finish work in the evening. The battery standby time is up to a mighty 250 hours!!! But then again, who would buy an iPhone just to leave it on standby?

The iPhone does not have a conventional keyboard or keypad as usually found on mobile phones. Instead, it features an innovative touch-screen keyboard that dynamically changes according to the application you are using. If you are typing an SMS, it lets you use a QWERTY keyboard – the kind of keyboards used with personal computers. When dialing a number however, it can be changed into a numeric keypad.

Typing an SMS conversation in iPhone

With advanced technologies such as the intelligent keyboard in place, the iPhone is said to be 5 years ahead of its time. In fact, the iPhone is so revolutionary that I lost count of the number of times the word "Revolutionary" is used in the 20 minutes guided tour at the Apple site.

Here are other facts and features that might interest you:

The iPhone has a 3.5-inch (measured diagonally) full-color LCD touchscreen
There is a 2.0-megapixel camera
You can use Google Maps to browse and find locations
You can play YouTube videos
You can browse the Internet with Safari web browser
There is an HTML e-mail program and the iPhone syncs with Outlook, Entourage, and web-based e-mail accounts like Gmail and AOL
Phones will be available only at Apple Stores, AT&T-owned and -operated retail stores and the Apple Web site beginning at 6 p.m. (29 June 2007) local times in the United States only
A two-year voice and data service contract from AT&T Wireless is required
Each end user will need an online iTunes Store account to activate one of several AT&T service plans

Think of the iPhone as an all-in-one gadget. Imagine your mobile phone, web browser and media player in a single hand-held device. Not to mention that the iPhone is packed with 16 core applications.

The only thing that I can safely assume the iPhone cannot do…… is giving birth.

If you want an iPhone, you can buy it from Amazon

Little Planet

2007-06-29T10:11:00.000+08:00

Starter:
Sadly I couldn't get any tickets to watch my childhood heroes on big-screen - Transformers. My friend suggested that I go to Pertanak and watch Transexuals instead. -.-

I fell in love with this photo when I first set my eyes on it. It's created using a 360 panorama image.

Learn how to create your own here.

Horseback Riding, Sabah

2007-06-27T16:34:00.000+08:00

During my trip to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah in April, I decided to try something I’ve never done before – Horseback riding. My travel partner and I found a place called Kindawan Horse Riding Centre, located on the Kinarut beach.

They provide horse rides along the beach, forest trail, to the waterfall and mountains. You can even ride to the nearby islands if the tide is low. We opted for a ride along the beach, costing us RM100 per person. Our instructor was Mrs. Dale Sinidol – an Australian who has been teaching horse riding in Sabah for over 20 years.

Before we began, we were given a form to sign. It basically states that Kindawan would not be held responsible should any injuries or death occur during the riding session. OMG. It was a standard procedure for these types of activities, but it made me uneasy.

Without a clue on horseback riding whatsoever, I mounted a brown horse. My horse then started following my instructor’s horse. I thought my horse was on auto pilot and could listen to my instructor’s voice and that all I need to do was to enjoy the ride. After a short distance, my horse stopped to eat grass! WTH!

I tried to get my horse to keep my horse moving but it did not barge. Mrs. Dale kept shouting instructions at me, asking me to give the horse a kick or something. Using my right leg, I started kicking the horse in the stomach. After gradually kicking from soft to hard many times, my horse reluctantly moved. All along my ride on the beach, I kept using my right leg to kick the horse, but somehow I couldn’t go as fast as the rest.

It was only on our way back to the riding centre, that I realized what was wrong. My instructor used both her heels to kick at the horse! True enough my horse moved and galloped even at the slightest nudge using BOTH LEGS. By then we had traveled a few kilometers and all along the way I was kicking my horse on the right of its stomach. Thankfully, the horse did not throw me off during the journey.

Here’s some tips that I Googled up.

3 Steps to Getting Forward Movement:

Bring your horse up to a medium trot (this should be done in all gaits, the trot is just used for purposes of this example).
Close your legs lightly on your horse's side for up to 3 seconds.
* If the horse does not make a good effort to really pick up the pace, start bumping him gently and steadily with both legs (1-2 kicks per second - with both legs) until he does move forward with effort.
Once the horse speeds up (even if only slightly), relax for a couple seconds & praise him ALOT!

Magenta, Kuching

2007-06-26T08:30:00.000+08:00

When it comes to great food and a cosy environment, a few restaurants come to my mind. One of them is Magenta Restaurant - tucked away in the corner of Jalan Nanas, Kuching.

One of the most significant things you will notice about Magenta is its lighting and deco. Lighting are strategically placed around the restaurant to create a dimmed but cosy and relaxed ambiance. Each table is equipped with your typical floating-in-cup candle.

The restaurant also emphasizes a lot on sprucing up the environment with beautiful deco to enhance your dining experience. You can find framed pictures, mirrors, potted plants and even statues.

Not to forget the main purpose of the visit, the food is well presented and mouth watering. The Classic Chicken Chop Aurora comes with chicken chop (duh!) topped with onion rings, pineapple slices and bruschetta bread with salad on the side. The chicken chop was tender and juicy, cooked almost to perfection. The only complain was the soggy onion rings.

Classic Chicken Chop Aurora

The Mango Salmon however, was rather plain. Although it clearly indicates "Mango" in the menu, there wasn't any mango flavour in it. Or perhaps I should have pinched more salmon from my friend. If you are a heavy eater, you will find that the Mango Salmon dish is rather small in portion.

Mango Salmon

Nevertheless, Magenta is a fantastic restaurant to satisfy all your gastronomical fantasies. From a wide range of healthy fruit juices to alcoholic coffees, small snacks to main courses and grilled meat. I will always have room for Magenta in my stomach.

Magenta Restaurant

Address: 32, Lot 141, Jalan Nanas, 93400 Kuching, Sarawak.
Phone Number: 082-237878

Map of Magenta (click for a larger view):

A Dying Dog

2007-06-23T16:29:00.000+08:00

Today as I was waiting for some of my car's parts to be replaced, I noticed a rather peculiar stray dog standing nearby. The dog was in an extremely horrible and disgusting condition. It was thin, dirty and had lost almost all of its fur. God knows what kind of diseases the animal had.

It was a pitiful sight, as the dog had a very hard time even trying to stand on its feet. It was dying.

I really wanted to give the dog a drink, but I didn't have any water and they weren't any shops nearby.

At the opposite end, I noticed another pair of stray dogs. One particularly short and black. The other was brown and much larger than the black dog. The short black dog started sniffing the big brown dog's ass. No prizes for guessing what happened next.

Ok! I was just bored during the long wait. But an important lesson for us all to learn. If we aren't too busy trying to survive and stay on our feet, we are TOO BUSY GETTING SCREWED.

Sun Phenomenon In Kuching

2007-06-22T14:10:00.000+08:00

At around 11:30 today, I received an SMS asking me to look at the sun. What?! I was particularly curious as being confined in an office cubicle, I hardly know what is going on outside unless there's an earthquake.

Here's how the sun looked.

Apparently, there was a dark halo around the sun, encircled with what looks like a rainbow.

I almost could not take any pictures at all! Of all the time, my phone battery almost died on me, but somehow I could turn it back on and took several pictures.

More shots.....

I noticed many people were aware of the phenomenon and were taking pictures. Many of them were looking directly into the sun. Wonder how they did that. I couldn't even manage a glance. Many of these pictures were "wild shots". My phone camera faced towards the sun while I faced the other way.

Look! That's my finger in this picture.

If I am not wrong, this phenomenon is called an icebow. An according to some sources, it happens every 22 June? Not very sure about that.

I was so engrossed in taking pictures, I almost bumped into a guy who had just parked his car. He was obviously oblivious (wow...obviously oblivious) to what was happening when he gave me a WTF look.

Yeah. That look.

A Brush With Death

2007-06-20T14:38:00.000+08:00

After 7 years of driving, yesterday I was involved in only my 2nd car accident. I was turning out of the junction in front of Grand Continental when a SPEEDING TRAILER CAME OUT OF NOWHERE!!! I managed to swerve in time but the trailer suffered a dissimilar fate...

Imagined if I were underneath the trailer.

Okay! So maybe it wasn't so sensational. There wasn't a trailer, but I was knocked from behind after stopping. Knocked by a familiar person.

My car suffered a number of scratches and a broken car plate. Wilson's car came out the worse. A broken headlight, dented bumper and a punctured tyre?? (wonder how it was punctured)

My car. Picture taken the next day lah.

His car. Picture taken from his blog.

Hmm... remembered I said this was only my 2nd car accident? Yeah I have a very clean record. After all I'm such a careful and responsible driver *looks around* *whistles*.

My 1st car accident was last year. Also turning out of a junction. Also knocked by a familiar person - Samson. -____- Sigh! It seems that my friends like knocking my car. Especially those whose names end with 'son'. =P

So if your name ends with 'son' and you know me, please for the safety of all road users - don't drive behind me.

A tribute to my love in the office (.. and sometimes outside)

2007-06-20T12:42:00.001+08:00

Wake up every morning, mind in a mush,
Already late, running in a rush.
Brain not engaged, still not in gear,
Coffee, o coffee, I need thee here.

I need the fix, I need the kick,
A cuppa of java will do the trick,
To get through the day I need the buzz,
Hot coffee, iced coffee, no need to fuss.

Too much work, datelines, too little time,
Another cuppa coffee and all will be fine.
Need energy, lift up mood to euphoric the day,
Coffee will energise, colourise and yom the way.

Clock out time, day is done, night is coming
Energy draining, fuzzy mood darkening.
Going home, coffee glow from cheek fading,
Caffeine level in blood stream slowly falling.

Such is life, with hustle and noise, our busy condition,
A life truly driven by the world's only legal addiction.
Filled the cups with espresso, latte, mochas and macchiato
Available only in Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Alfresco.

Moved

2007-06-20T12:38:00.000+08:00

Hmm well..... for some reasons I'll be moving to this blog.