Further to the late night. Drove from Poh Kong Park, Green Road to Jalan Kedandi, Tabuan Jaya in 10 min last night. No cars on the road. And, this was with me stopping at every traffic light. Love driving at night. No traffic.
Getting addicted to online gaming. Hmmm... should really get Streamyx soon but got other things to do with RM1K.
Switch from the Mata Hui I to Mata Hui II : Hahli. Faster to load on a dialup line. Although, she does have to harvest a HUMONGOUS amount of flax. So be forewarned. Need to log in first with a userID else game is not saved when you go there again. Can get an account at mainpage.
Am now thinking of getting a small model to put near by PC. Gali Nuva looks good but so does Kopaka Nuva. Perhaps next trip to KL? Then again, Bionicle Matoran Adventure Game and Bionicle Game looks good. Now, how to talk to Agan into lending me his Game Boy Advance? Going to check out the local game store at Tabuan Jaya soon!!
Starting to speak like a Polynesian now. Heck, I even know the alphabets!!!
Was looking at the various websites of the FlashForward2003 finalists when I came across a very interesting interactive site. Okay, so it's on Lego.com but hey, the graphics were good. An interactive game for kids, it was also quite interesting just clicking here and there. Looks like the Jalas might have a relative in the Captain of the Guard. Hee hee... lame joke but still, check out the site. It's huge! Am always getting lost in the burnt forest.
...Accidents...
Poor Lol. Wonder what really happen in the accident? Should never post hints and leave the rest of us GUESSING!!!
Was cleaning out my mailbox when I came across a very old email from way back in 2000. This was just about the funniest email I've had in a long long time.
Excerpt :
B is a commercial saturation diver for Global Divers out of Louisiana and performs underwater repairs on offshore drilling rigs. Below is an email he sent to his sister. She sent it to Laughline and won the contest (he wasn't thrilled with her for that one). Anyway...anytime you think you have had a bad day at the office, remember this guy in April 1998.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi S,
Just another note from your bottom dwelling brother. Last week I had a bad day at the office. I know you've been feeling down lately at work, so I thought I would share my dilemma with you to make you realize it's not so bad after all.
Before I can tell you what happened to me, I first must bore you with a few technicalities of my job. As you know my office lies at the bottom of the sea. I wear a suit to the office. It's a wetsuit. This time of year the water is quite cool. So what we do to keep warm is this: We have a diesel powered industrial water heater. This $20,000 piece of junk sucks the water out of the sea. It heats it to a delightful temp. It then pumps it down to the diver through a garden hose which is taped to the air hose.
Now this sounds like a damn good plan, and I've used it several times with no complaints. What I do, when I get to the bottom and start working, is I take the hose and stuff it down the back of my neck. This floods my whole suit with warm water. It's like working in a jacuzzi. Everything was going well until all of a sudden, my ass started to itch. So, of course, I scratched it. This only made things worse. Within a few seconds my ass started to burn. I pulled the hose out from my back, but the damage was done. In agony I realized what had happened.
The hot water machine had sucked up a jellyfish and pumped it into mysuit. This is even worse than the poison ivy you once had under a cast. Now I had that hose down my back. I don't have any hair on my back, so the jellyfish couldn't get stuck to my back. My ass crack was not as fortunate. When I scratched what I thought was an itch, I was actually grinding the jellyfish into my ass. I informed the dive supervisor of my dilemma over the communicator. His instructions were unclear due to the fact that he along with 5 other divers were laughing hysterically. Needless to say I aborted the dive.
I was instructed to make 3 agonizing in-water decompression stops totaling 35 minutes before I could come to the surface for my chamber dry decompression. I got to the surface wearing nothing but my brass helmet. My suit and gear were tied to the bell.
When I got on board the medic, with tears of laughter running down his face, handed me a tube of cream and told me to shove it "up my ass" when I get in the chamber. The cream put the fire out, but I couldn't shit for two days because my asshole was swollen shut.
I later found out that this could easily have been prevented if the suction hose was placed on the leeward side of the ship. Anyway, the next time you have a bad day at the office, think of me. Think about how much worse your day would be if you were to shove a jellyfish up your ass.
I hope you have no bad days at the office. But if you do, I hope this will make more tolerable.
Sigh. Got turned away on Friday during a recent blood donation as blood pressure (BP) was too high : 120/90. Went to the clinic to get it measured, same reading. Maybe I'm tired. Definitely not enough sleep. Blogging has become addictive. Updates at night for mum-mum. Then again, it'll probably last for only a few days. Hmmm... hopefully, it's not a long-lasting effect. BP used to be 140/80 during uni days. Talk about stressed out.
Then again, got such a humourous title today in the mailbox : Interesting Guys From Malaysia. Coming from www.sms.ac . Open the mail out of curiosity. Wah! So many guys are desperate. From the youngish twenty-somethings to the desperate ones in their late forties. Urgh! Not for me. Never used that service. Why should I pay extra for SMS and get gimmerish from unknown people? Then burst out laughing as at the end of their biodata window, a little plea saying 'Please SMS me NOW!'
Updated satellite images of hotspots in Borneo. Dry season is here but luckily it's been raining for the past few days. Hopefully, it'll last until August.
This was such a cool link. I like the Sketchbook a lot but not for little kids. This guy is just amazing! Goes to show that the best adverts come from the Brits!
Hmm... after putting up that little note about the P800 Sony Ericsson, Lol wants to get hubby that. Seriously, do not get it. I like fooling around with new gadgets but that one seriously tries my patience. Then again, I suppose it's because I'm so used to the PDA environment on my Palm 515 that I find the P800 so crappy. Even the PocketPC is more user-friendly compared to the P800. I would suggest you try it out yourself. I hated this phone. Another thing is the resolution!
Anyway, here are some other handphones that I'm waiting to see :
Samsung SGH i700 This is a PDA phone running on PocketPC. Not sure whether it’s out in Malaysia yet but looks very kewl. The downside is headphones are recommended for these sort of phones. Other thing is the battery standby time. The problems with PDAs is that their batteries never last long enough and you cannot simply change the batteries. Getting a dealer to do it will cost a lot of money. Nice thing about Samsung is that it’s not as pricey as the other phones and their displays are one of the best available.
Samsung SGH D700 This was very nice and the battery lifetime is much longer than a PDA phone. I like the swivel display as well as the digital camera. Reminds me of the SONY Clie PEG-NX70V/G but with the phone as an added bonus. Also, comes with MMS, MP3 players as well as RealOne Player. There is a MMC memory card slot available so enough space to load songs in!
Motorola V600 Well, a Motorola phone is really a 50-50 phone. You have a 50-50 chance that it might or might not work! They’re not making it to last these days compared to the early Motorola models a few years back. Remember the advert where the construction worker drop the phone in the rain and it lasted? Well, those are bygone days. Camera is always kewl but cannot rotate it compared to the Samsung. Between Samsung and Motorola, I’d rather for the Samsung. Better value for my money.
Nokia 3100 This looks like a nice phone. Okay lah… it’s a girly phone but it sure is cute. Reminds me of the Nokia 2100. Hopefully, it’ll be cheap even though it has a coloured screen. I only put it in here to make Lol drool. Hee hee! Nokia’s website has a demo to show the glow.
Nokia 765 Saw this phone. My collegue is using it. Not bad but no touchscreen. So, if you’re hoping for a touchscreen, this is not it. The Menu is easy to navigate even for a 1st timer.
Nokia 7250 Read somewhere that the IR sensor is not so good and this phone doesn’t come with a USB cable. Might be a good idea to checkout if a USB cable is provided with the phone or not.
Nokia 6600 Humpty Dumpty comes to mind. New phone. Not out in the market yet, I think. I don’t like the shape. Functions are common. Are handphones suppose to be this FAT?
Nokia N-Gage A gamers phone. Okay, so it was kewl because of the gaming part. Not sure how long is the battery lifetime though what with all the intensive graphics. For sure Agan will be using this phone more often than me when I’m back home. This phone is actually smaller than a Nintendo Game Boy Advance.
One of the major problems with handphones is the the staying power of the batteries. With more gadgets in the phone, power consumption is a lot. Unless the power consumed is reduced, a spare battery needs to be carried at all times.
Check out mobile88. They show the current phones available in Malaysia as well as future ones to come. I know some of the phones are not out in the market yet but no harm waiting. These are the nifty-ist ones. However, if you’re in such a rush, get the SpyderRench or a Canon Powershot G5 (my new love)! I seriously think that this was way cool. Do you guys have a camcorder? That is about the same price as a handphone. Better yet, try Amazon’s to search for Gifts for Him.
My KL uncle bought a P800 Sony Ericcson back with him. Giving him headaches. Giving me headaches. Trying to configure this thing is tough. Instruction manual is not so clear. Grrr... Told him he should be a NOKIA but he wanted this one. Well, since he bought it, he can't complain about it.
The problem is accessing the Memory Stick. Don't like the Storage Manager. Wonder if can download a better file manager? Will look for one tomorrow. Wasted money.
...Blogging problems...
If the page doesn't load properly, click on the archives. Blogger problems, I suppose. Oh well. That's what one gets when blogging for free.
The Canny Ong saga is almost coming to an end. Although, I must admire the police for having the guts to come forward and inform the press that they are re-opening the unsolved rape cases. Still, it's not so good that it took this long just to reopen those cases. I wonder if it's because her husband is an American and that the US Embassy was also involved? I'm just guessing from the newspaper article today.
The reporters in the news talked about improved security in the carparks. Whatever happened to finding out the root cause and fixing it once and for all? Probably because there are many root causes :
Society Police Force Security Firms : Ever noticed how much older the security guards are getting? Religion? This is hard to pinpoint and a very much heated topic. So, I left it here with a question mark and leave it up to the reader to decide. Shopping Malls & Other Buildings with underground carparks ...List is endless...
I'm waiting to see what will happen next. How much do you wanna bet that the Star will start running a few more articles about rape victims?
Prologue A nuclear bomb has just been let off in the office!! Don't you just hate it when someone farts and the air-circulation is just so terrible?!?!??! Arghhh!!! Need Ambipur!! Heck, even the mosquito coil smells better!
Chapter 1 Found the culprit. One of the various vendors in the office. Standing behind my partition. Complained loudly to LS about the terrible stink. Smell got so bad LS fled! Leaving me behind to make a lot of noise about the smell.
Chapter 2 Fanning my cubicle. Vendor had left and was now so embarrased. I do not care. Serves him right.
Chapter 3 Unknown smell again! Argh! Bad air circulation in the office! Bad bad bad bad day!
Epilogue Moral of the Story : Come armed with the air refreshener!! Evasive Tactics : Leave the room until air has cleared!! But nigh impossible when you're in a bloody office!! Direct Approach : Tell the %(*&@$ to clear out of the office!!
Little Devong sure has quite a lot of things to say. Sounds like she's becoming a little Singaporean. A couple of years back, she was the star of the show at her Granma's birthday bash. Yep, the mike was in her hands and hers alone. Of course, the rabbit ears were there already.
...Rats!...
Huge ones actually. Found out my two uncles have been eating my Haagen Dazs ice-cream last night! They've finished more than half the cup! Cookies and cream are now in their two stomachs. Sigh. What a way to find out. Sneaky.
I've finally got back my 17" Flatron Monitor from the PC shop. About 6 months back, the display buttons gave up and I couldn't do any adjustment at all. So, sent it to the shop under the warranty. One thing's for sure, I will NEVER buy LG products again in Malaysia. The aftersales service is really bad, at least in Kuching anyway. You would have thought the Koreans would have provided better service but guess not. Tried to send in a complaint at their HQ website but even that was slow (and on a T1 line at the office as well!!).
What a glum day. It was so HOT! Getting a headache.
...Blogs...
Thanks to Mr. T for the offer of the webspace! Yes, sis and myself shall be moving soon but dunno yet when. Great offer from Mr. T and no, he doesn't wear gold chains and have a mohawk!
Have updated mum-mum today just to cheer LG up. You should be so moody about your age gal!
Another friend saw the mum-mum and wanted to start one himself. Let's see what happens next. My cousin and her daughter have started their own blog themselves. Doubt if the other relatives will start but let's wait and see what happens next.
For those who are lazy to design their blog. Where do you think I got inspiration for mum-mum? Incidently, I started a friend blogging as well after that.
It's really sad that nature is getting spoiled day by day. Also, it's a bloody excuse saying that sewage treatment plants are not working well due to customer payment. Why did the Indah Water Konsortium let it go on for so long after taking over? Why aren't they being more proactive?
The water in KL is pretty scarey. It's literally brown. All the equipment installed for water filtration probably wouldn't last for a month before it needs to be replaced. So, if you wasted money on Diamond Water, well, too bad. In Kuching, watch out for seawater intrusion. Then there is chlorine overdosing. The list goes on and on and on. The Diamond Water probably works in the beginning but what happens when the incoming water quality changes?
I like this : water recycling. Using nature to treat the water. Why can't we do that? We have the expertise. Why not? There is a type of lotus that purifies water in Sri Lanka. There are the reed beds in UK that purify the streams in villages. Why not us?
It's beginning to look that the Government only acts when : big features that gives bad publicity, big politician has to step in, only then things start to move. Open any newspaper, you'll find all these things. Enough said. Blood pressure rising.
Sometimes your memory will push its way into my mind. It's not that I don't want to think of you, or that I don't miss you terribly. But, that in remembering you brings tears into my eyes and an ache into my heart. Makes me remember with your memory, all the pain and makes afresh the wounds inside my soul. Makes the emptiness overwhelm me, until I cannot feel anything but hurt, and anger, and helplessness. Never will I forget you, or stop hurting. But hope sometime when your momory pushes its way into my mind, that it wont be so hard to remember you. And maybe even smile at heaven, knowing you are there.
Have not stop running around today for work. However, did manage to eat at a nice restaurant. Great dessert.
...To my Pal...
P, thanks for the dinner. Don't worry about turning another decade older. Cheer up at Orisinal.
Happy Belated Birthday! Life should enjoyed more often from this moment on!
Do take note of the older generation who are louder and less bashful compared to the younger generation. Live life to the fullest! I try to. That's why the old folks like me. Ha!
Got it up with Blog*Spot Plus25. Going to try it out for a month to see how it goes. Pictures sure do load up very slowly. Hmmm... maybe should also upgrade VillagePhotos as server faster. Then, cannot load pictures in blogs. ARGH!
Mum-mum is a common word in Chinese meaning EAT! It's the title of a new blog that I'm making on places to eat in Kuching.
Have included some pics of food that I ate with some friends. Cannot upload the pictures directly to BlogSpot yet. Have to upgrade my account but not yet. Anyway, there is a link so enjoy looking at the pics.
Note that the pics are small so that when I can upload pics to the blog body, I will do so. Until then, it's going to be links and small pics. Hopefully, will also be able to include bigger pics but let's see how it goes first.
The blog is still in prelim stage so have not added in a comments page or guestbook yet. But I will soon! Excited? Yeah, for awhile anyway.
A bit difficult to come up with an English translation for cucur. I suppose you can call it a deep-fried-batter-ball? The one that I had yesterday was extremely crunchy. There were some spring onions and I think some leek (?) inside it. It's usually eaten with chilli sauce. Indescribable taste. Then again, everything deep fried is always tasty.
Can buy it from Sunflower Deli for 30 cents a piece or RM2 for 7 pieces. Sunflower Deli is located at 3rd Mile and Tabuan Laru. In the case of the Tabuan Laru branch, the bakery usually runs out of the cucur by 6-7 p.m. so be forewarned.
...friends...
An old friend ask me to invest in a streamyx system (broadband) so that I can host my own flog. Will rethink it. Investment costs are too high and my sister will scream that she wants a digital camera first. Sigh.
Found a site that will host pictures and files for free (30MB!!) and let you post the pictures elsewhere. So, was busy trying to set up a website on eating spots in Kuching. If anyone knows how to redo the code to prevent the add from being blocked, please do let me know. Can check out the site here although it's very empty at the moment. More later on.
This blog will remain for catchup news for family.
Personally, Shell fuel is a whole lot better, even if your engine does sound louder. Can feel that the pickup is a lot better. Now, my car has slowed down a lot since I pumped in Petronas fuel last week. Will never make that mistake again. If anyone says otherwise, try driving a car with a smaller engine and you tell me the difference the fuel makes.
Can't believe that it's still going on in the newspapers. Seems like everyone is pointing fingers at the Ipoh City Mayor for creating the hype for creating a morally good society.
A fellow collegue watched 'Malaysia Hari Ini' whereby it was said that the ruling was there to stop girls from getting gang raped as most gals were getting raped by people they know. Does it work? No one says anything about the effectiveness of such ruling. Makes you wonder whether anybody bothers to check if such acts are effective.
At times like these, I wish I could read the Chinese Newspapers. More interesting news there albeit a bit on the tabloid side.
So hot today. Mercury must be boiling right now. I hope it rains tonight. Where is the blessed rain, showering blessings upon us poor mortals. Sigh.
In another few more weeks, there will be less rain and the haze will start. It has gotten to be a very controversial matter that the API index is no longer published. People are complaining in the newspapers about the haze but many more aren't doing anything about it. The farmers are being blamed for this yearly occurance but they weren't the ones to make it worst. For many years now, they have been clearing land the only way they know how. Because of the bush fires in Indonesia, they are being blamed for this phenomena.
Back in '97, the Indonesians were blamed for one of the worst haze occurances. They were torching the jungle to prevent extensive logging in the jungle. It was like a perpetual fog in Kuching, Sarawak where you could not even go out of the house without a mask. Schools were closed and it was difficult for people to work outdoors. At the same time, it was the dry season, resulting in lower rainfall and brackish (saltish) water from Kuching Water Board. There was not enough mineral water for the entire city!
The haze last year wasn't so bad because of the higher rainfall. Also, no saltwater in the water supply but not this year. Already, the water has a slight saltish taste to it. And, if the heat wave is any indication, it will get worst.
Well, or so legends in Sarawak says. It was the Gods that showed human beings how to plant and grow it. Then again, many Asian communities have the same legend as well. At the end of the day, rice just taste GOOD! In Sarawak, most of the native tribes plant rice on dry land and not in wet fields. The only place where padi is grown in wetfields is in the Bario Highlands, near the Indonesian border.
For padi (rice in Malay) grown in dry fields, land-clearing is done every year during July-August period. During this time, it gets pretty hazy and a lot of hotspots crowd the satellite photographs. This practice has been around for a really long time before haze become a big issue back in the 90s. It's the cheapest and faster way to clear the land. It's not easy to clear the jungle using the chop-&-slash method. There is just too much vegetation and the jungle claims back what it lost EXTREMELY fast.
In the Bario Highlands, the serenic scenes of the padi fields surrounded by the nearby longhouses will always make one fill at peace. Needless to say, this is just about the most expensive rice available in Sarawak. The taste? Like fragrant Siamese Rice but a bit more sweet and sticky. It's great as porridge but can be eaten normally as well. Want some? My relatives have a farm up there.
Seems like I got my first negatory comment of the day from someone called Jules. After that, got a nice one from davelynn.
I suppose a blog is only for the person concerned and for whatever reasons the said person created it for. Mine was for my sister to catch on news back home so that she would feel less lonely. Everything else is secondary.
So what is a blog? At the end of the day, it's still a reflection of a person's character. It's an insight to how someone thinks. A blog = a work of art? Well, to each his/her own. A blog can get really personal at times especially when one gets extremely angry at comments posted. The Blue Ribbon? Definitely. Obnoxious? Of course.
Remember, graphics don't necessary make a website popular. Good example : LT Smash.
Anyway, enough said. As long as my sister is happy, I'm happy.
Sister
My sister! With that thrilling word Let thoughts unnumbered wildly spring! What echoes in my heart are stirred, While thus I touch the trembling string. -Margaret Davidson
There can be no situation in life in which the conversation of my dear sister will not administer some comfort to me. -Lady Montagu
Want to hear some great blues from an Asian band? Look no further than Singapore. It's the Universal Blues band! Okay, doing some promo for my cousin, Trevor Jalla. He plays a mean tune on his guitar and is the lead singer in the band. Listening to him sing, you would not believe that he is a Kelabit from Sarawak! Enough said else he'll get mad at me for a long time!
Want to listen first? They're uploaded their songs on CD Baby so feel free to pop by and have a listen. Nice tunes! My favourite is 'I Can't Cook!'. The others are equally good. Sad to say that I've never had the chance to hear them play live.
They're based in Singapore but will be making a visit to Kuala Lumpur on 20-21 June, playing at 'No Black Tie' (27 Jalan Mesui, behind Jalan Istana). Blues sound starts at 10 pm so don't be late!
On another note, they are organizing the UBLUES Festival 2003 in Singapore on 12-13 July @ Fort Canning Park. Missed the previous one. Shucks! You can also catch them on UBLUES Webcast if you can't go to the festival. Haven't really tried the link yet so not sure what you'll get on the screen!
Don't you just hate it when you go on a 2nd Saturday of the month only to be informed by the old guard that bank is now taking it's 1st Saturday holiday this Saturday as the previous holiday was a public holiday? Sigh... have to go next week during lunch time.
Habitat : Swampy marshland. So, it makes it difficult to harvest as it grows in the wild.
Where to buy : At the wet market!! Sometimes at the supermarket but gets bought so fast you barely see it go...
Cooking Style
Stir-fried with Garlic and some soy sauce : Simple but always delicious. Stir-fried with Garlic and oyster sauce : Like the above but better taste. Stir-fried with Garlic, soy sauce AND rice wine : Hmmmmm.... perks you up for the day. Stir-fried with Garlic, soy sauce, chillis and belachan : Yeah baby! Belachan is Malaysian butter. Made from prawn paste and other stuff which I've yet to fine out.
Taste : Crunchy and tender at the same time.
Cons : High in uric acid! Definitely not for people with gout!
Okay, thought of one that I've been meaning to put up.
KL chap : You come from Sarawak? I heard you live in trees?
Wena : Yeap. And we have a pulley-system lift and solar panels. You know, a modern lifestyle in the jungle.
KL chap : ... (looks so puzzled and totally speechless. He did take me seriously.)
Actually it's amazing what people think of Borneo : The Land of Headhunters. Guess it doesn't help that people try to find out information from National Geographic! Haha! Seriously though, the misconception about living in trees has gone on for an extremely long time. Heck, even during my parents' time, it was already there.
I heard a comment from a Singaporean collegue about Kuching.
Kuching is a small town. As soon as you drive out of the town boundaries, you're in the jungle!
Sorry to dissappoint you but the jungle is not that easy to tame. Maybe that's why it's so interesting. Back home in Miri, there is a family of monkeys living in the jungle (small strip of land) behind my house. Fruits are definitely not safe to be left outside the house. They even started eating chillies and long beans when Granny was living with us!
Being near the jungle also have many visitors. Let's see : different kinds of birds, ants, beetles, snakes (urgh!!!), spiders, monkeys, monitor lizards (BIG and SMELLY and have a really MEAN BITE!!!), big rats (I will not get into that!!!). There are other animals as well but I will not scare you any further. You haven't yet seen the wild boars at the Bako National Park. If you're a Muslim, do not pitch a tent there but book one of the chalets. They come out once at night and once in the afternoon on a regular basis, or so I heard. Ha! Do you believe me? :)
Relaxation
Ever got the feeling that once you've reach home, your whole body just collapses? BJ and myself decided not to go to the Jazz do. Just plain tired after a tough week at work.
Everyone says Kuching is such a small town. Outside the town boundaries, you're immediately in the jungle. Good what! Less noise and pollution. Peace. Serenity. Anyway, am going to go to watch a Jazz Band perform at Sarawak Club. Heard that they're good. Write up is coming later.
Making a hole in a comet
How about signing up for this? It's free and your name is imbedded in a comet. They will stop taking names January 2004. Also, you'll get a certificate immediately so if you want to waste your colour ink and print...
No, I did not suddenly buy junk. It's the name of a new-fangled-dangled restaurant in Kuching. Well, not exactly new as it's been open for more than a year now but if you're looking for good food at extremely reasonable prices, this is the place to go to. Just came back from dinner with a couple of good friends.
Before we get into the topic on food, let's talk a bit more about the interior. Everything you see in this shop is from another era. You will find that your tabletop might be an old school desk or a used high court judge chair! The shelves and foodstuff are stored exactly as back in the 60s in glass panels and huge glass jars. Other junk stuff include an old cash register, an old kiddie Vespa, enamel chamber pots (!!!), clocks, telephone, cutlery and lots more! It has a very nice ambience and cosy atmosphere for wining and dining. Going further into the restaurant, there is a little fountain with many potted plants around.
Now to the food. Some of the lists but not conclusive :
Lime Crush, Longan Crush, Watermelon Crush : Blended fruity drink with a bit of milk added to it. Very nice although they do blend in the seeds for the added flavour. Very cooling and not too sweet. However, need to drink it fast before the ice melts. Tempura Crab Salad : oooohhhh!!! Soft shell crab. My favourite. Serve with salad, 3 crabs are deep fried and served with the tempura sauce. Tasty and always a local favourite. Did I forget to mention that it's also my favourite? ;p One of the few places in Kuching that can actually do it RIGHT! T-bone steak serve with mash potatoe and salad : Huge portion and done very well. Served with Sarawak black pepper so it has a very interesting flavour. Lamb Rack : Actually, it's rack of lamb served with a creamy sauce mixed with mint. Juicy, tender, tasty and definitely filling. Again, salad on the side. Lamb Shack : Always the tasty part of the lamb. Very soft and tender after being stewed with carrots and celery. Served on a bed of mash potatoe (made with real potatoes and not powder!!) and salad.
The Junk also serves are very good selection of wines at very reasonable prices. Prices ranges between RM6 - RM35 (US$1.60-US$9.21) for the food. Not sure about the wine prices but should be reasonable as well.
How to get there? It's facing St Mary's School, along the same row as Borneo Hotel but at the bottom of the hill. Parking is a bit of a hassle so you'd need to find parking a short walk away. It's located in one of the older shoplots. Opens only at night and closed on Tuesday. Definitely a place to chill out or charm your loved one. Telephone No. : 082-259450. Before I forget, the name of the restaurant is The Junk. ;p
(I seriously need to put up a website of interesting places in Kuching. Then I don't need to think so hard on where to goto eat. Just get friends to select and then off we go!)
Beg!
My sister left me an interesting message in the Guestbook. Answer : No, I will not remove that line about your love life. :p But you can try to "persuade" me.
Reading
Mr. Green, read all you want and hopefully, I made you as hungry for food as I'm making my sis, Mum and friends!!
Swinging Doc!
Lolly, will try and get a picture of your sibling. Problem is the newspaper clipping I hard was not that good. Let me see if I can scan it. Stay tune folks!
An old friend from childhood days is arranging this event. Travelling from Langkawi to Kota Kinabalu in 18 days. This is to raise funds for mentally and physically challenged children. If I'm not mistaken, this centre used to be called the Sunflower Centre.
Website was down when I log in at 6:27 p.m. Think they're trying to include in a day-to-day journal of the trip. Saw some pictures this morning donated by Copal Photoshop. Nice shots.
*yawn*
Came back late last night from work. Major activities in a water plant. And, it's not a SHIT plant so no wise-cracks. ;p Fell asleep with a towel around my head. Now, my hair reeks!!! Argh. Laugh at my misery and you will get it too! Lousy cursing.
Thought it was cute so added it in. Location is Kuching, Sarawak. Wonder when the little cat will appear beside the little WeatherPixie. Ironic that Kuching means Cat! Meooooooooowwwwww!
Thought it was so cool. It was either this or the camcorder for Dad's Father Day Gift. Camcorder was better. Then again, I wanted the SpydeRench too! This coming from a gal who owns a Swiss Army Penknife (gift from Dad).
Seems like the season for crab. My neighbour just gave granma some fresh seawater crab. Or were their fresh freshwater crab? Anyway, it tasted so good. Granma stir-fried and later stewed them with egg, chilli and ginger. *Swoons in ecstasy*. Enough said. Hungry, Jas? :p
Eating spots in Kuching
Am thinking seriously of setting up a webiste for eating spots in Kuching. Some are so intriguing. Maybe put in a corner for Granma's homemade recipes as well. Gotta find time to do it.
Reading about this came from another site after hearing the change in highway speed limits. Was on the AutoBahn about 4 years back. Interesting experience considering it was in the middle of winter. Also, loads of car on the road. The Germans would turn on their hazard lights if they need to slow down fast. Collision course? More like a rally!! Excitement and definitely not for the young. It helps that the Germans have to get their cars check every year whenever they renew their license. Ironic that there wasn't single Proton car in sight!
Another legend : the highway policemen drives Porsche. The logic : it takes a sportscar to chase down another sportscar!
To family members : I wanted to put a picture of Philip Raja running around with a sarong and a rugby ball online but Sarawak Tribune has NOT been updated since May 2003. Would you believe that the whole of Kuching is talking about that picture?!?!? Great advertisement for a wife!! Should have put down his handphone number as well.
Hmmm... link display not working right. Must be something to do Herbert a.k.a. Blogger template. How like a man to get temperamental on a woman. HELP! Someone willl say something soon.
Up to refreshing fruits? Mum (in US) always asked when is the durian season? Then she'll time her trip back to Malaysia during that time. Granma's rambutan tree "ripens profusely" in November/December, provided it doesn't rain. (Granma's wise words of wisdom : to have more rambutan, cannot rain one!!). Anyway, for my sister, a good read and loads of envy. He he!
Living in Malaysia
I've always enjoyed Mary Schneider's column in the Star. Always a good laugh to brighten up the day.
Another interesting read would be Chong Sheau Ching's column Stories for My Mother. Also, Marina Mahathir's Musings, always out to make everyone THINK! All articles in the Star although haven't seen Chong Sheau Ching's writeups recently. A pity. Gotta get her book through.
Notice all the women names? Go figure.
Dad's New Toy (coming soon!)
Just ordered Dad's Father's Day Gift. Sony Malaysia has some good deals at the moment, with the T3 SONY Blockbuster. Can't believe there are so many camcorders less than RM2K. Heck, my little toy was about the same price. Got Dad the SONY DCR-TRV355E for the trip to USA come July. He should be getting it in a week's time. Wonder if he can open the PDF brochure I emailed him?
Sprain
Don't know why but my wrist is forever getting sprain and not from exercise. Definitely unfit.
Errr... no comment about the title. Submitted the blog and next thing I knew, got an email saying that it was in the list. Okie, let's just see what happens next. How to improve site traffic? Pictures, I guess. When I have time.
Actually, the pictures of Gawai Ngiling Tikai are up. Private viewing of course. Ask me nice. :)
"Rowena, I'm on the way to pick you up," says Yak. Yikes!! Overslept!! Aircon works too well in the middle of a hot hot afternoon. Rushed like mad to get dressed for the Gawai Ngiling Tikai.
Gawai Ngiling Tikai is the end of harvest celebration i.e. end of Gawai celebrations. It's celebrated about a week from Hari Gawai. Ngiling Tikai means rolling up the rattan mat which signifies the end of partying and back to work.
As usual, to make my sister salivate, here is the rundown of the menu at Hilton, Kuching :
Cold cuts : Chicken cuts, spicy baby octopus (Japanese style), crunchy jellyfish!! Steam sultan fish with tauhu : too oily for me so just ate the tauhu. Mixed Vegetables with fishball and exactly 4 pieces of sweet peas : Hilton! You selfish hotel! Duck in sweet soy sauce and 'pau' (fluffy white bread) : Yummy yummy. Fried egg tauhu with onion, green peas and gravy : oohhh!!! Nice. Fried rice with salted fish : Very very delicious. Leng Chee Kang : Chinese desert dish with white fungus and mushroom. Ate it cold but can also be eaten warm. Hilton didn't make it well. The stall by the roadside makes it better with more ingredients and cheaper too! Hilton, for shame!
I think there were other things on the menu but just cannot remember. Did remember tuak though. What is Gawai without tuak?
The amazing thing was that the younger generation all left earlier and the older ones stayed behind to joget, dandut and twist! Haha! Perfectly harmless and friendly.
It was a bundle of laughs throughout the nite. Uploading pictures on Monday. Over 60 pictures. Competitions were held throughout the nite :
Ngajat Traditional Iban dancing. The warrior dances accompanied with percussions and two ladies. The warrior dons his headgear, parang and shield. Start to attack with war cries. Aiiiiieee!!
Pakai sirat For the men. Who ties the best loincloth style in 5 minutes! Definitely a fashion show with the men wearing loincloths over their pants. Even Roger the Singaporean went up, the only Chinese candidate amongst all the Iban.
Laughing Competition Of course, laughing for at least 60 secs. People were rolling over the floor!! Great stomach control!
The end song for the nite :
Selamat Hari Gawai Ke kita semua Sama rami, sama gaga Ngintu hari ti mulia
Enti bisi laya jako Enggau pangan diri Anang agi, ingat ke agi Taun udah nyau beganti
Chorus Tu meh maya kitai Betundi begagai Begulai sama sama Bujang enggau dara
Enti bisi utai Anang malu makai Laban tu meh maya Hari besai kia
Aram meh kitai sama ngirup Ai pengayu beram bisa Ai tuak kitai Dayak
Interesting nite. Met so many people. Definitely networking. Caught up with Dianne after 5 years. Next year? Perhaps. If I'm invited again.
Have put in a numerical counter. Also, fixed the stupid guestbook. Problems after problems. Frustration.
Gadgets
What can I say? I just luv gadgets. Have checked out the new Canon Powershot S50. Steep prize but great photos. For little thing, it sure packs a quick a lot of features. A mini-SLR. Check out the review and sample shots at Steve's page.
Think I'll stick with my little baby for awhile. Although, do not buy this camera. No optical zoom so pictures aren't that good. Also, limitations in Memory Stick storage space. Still, features are still quite good. Camera follows me everywhere. Great editing software from Pixela. Surprisingly, not avaiable in US.
One thing for sure, need to improve camera battery life. After 1 hour, all da juice is used up. Pathetic. Not to mention that batteries are so darn expensive (20% of camera price). Cheaper alternative a GP batteries.
CNN Newsbreak! Holding Hands
Have a good laugh reading this. International Humiliation!! HAHA! What will happen next.
Jokes and Engineers
Recommended by my ex-student. Remember humour keeps one young. Spend some time reading this. Don't play-play with engineer ho!
Change interface again, dearie? Interesting Tag-Board. :p Playing follow the leader? :) Ha! Now, have to find more stuff! BTW, might want to check your page. Didn't log completely i.e. half page viewed. Could be because of new interface.
Food
I'm probably only doing this to tease little sis. :p Went for dinner with the RC, BD, UJ and Manfred. Went to a great Chinese restaurant called Hai Par Wang (Tel:+60-82-255126). The menu for the nite are house specialties :
Fried Udon in soy sauce with prawn & tauhu : Definetely delicious. Kailan with scallops : Crunchy and yummy. Definitely not bitter. Mashed tauhu with mangkuang, deep fried with sambal : Ohhhh!!! My favourite. Venison cooked in gravy with onions and peas : Meat is definitely tender and juicy. Not many Chinese restaurants or seafood restaurants can prepare it this way. Usually, they don't bother to tenderize the meat. Baked crab : Yummmmmmmmmmmmmm........... excellently done. House specialty all the way tonight!!! Very fresh crab.
I can hear my sister screaming at me right now. :) Want to have the food couriered over? :)
Crab = Ketam
Speaking of crabs, Dad taught me the important lesson of killing them for the meal. Imagine a 12 year old with her dad behind the house, by the sink, with 10 crabs and a big kitchen knife (not the cleaver!!)
Dad : Wena, this is how to kill the crab. I'll show you how to do it for one crab and you do the rest.
Wena : Me?!?!?
Dad : Yep. Now, flip the crab over and push the knife through the belly.
Wena : Errr..... okay (looks extremely skeptical. Smokie the Cat was looking on throughout this conversation).
Dad : Here. You try it.
(Wena looking at the biiiiiiiiiiiigggggggggggggggg crab claws. Claws were tied up with string but crabs were frantically clawing and moving and... Definitely need tremendous courage.)
Wena : Do I have to do it all? (Starting to wonder where the heck is Jas and why she isn't doing it).
Dad : Yep. Then we eat.
Wena : Hmmm... (picks up one crab and pushes the knife through. Cannot do it.) Dad, too tough lar!
Dad : Eh, push harder. I know you can do it.
Wena : Humpphh! (Pushes harder. Knife goes in. Crab goes into death throes.)
Luv Gawai period. Time to catch up with friends and enjoy the various 'kuih-muih'. Some of the interesting food that pops-up during Gawai period.
Umai : Can get this whole year round. It's the Melanau-version of sushi. It is fresh fish mixed with fresh chillies, shallots and lime. Usually spicy but goes great with sago. Hmmm... in Kuching, try it out at Mukah Seafood.
Bamboo Chicken : One of my favourite dishes. The chicken is cooked inside a bamboo. Tender becomes very tender and juicy. Need quite a bit of skill to do this. Have always loved the way my cousin, Garnet, does it.
Tuak : What is Gawai without this? Let's see, have tried the rice-version and sugarcane-version. It's like sweet white wine. Note that the sugarcane-version packs in a big kick so small doses are always advisable. When drinking tuak, you will not feel anything until later.
So, what is Gawai? It is the end of harvest celebration for the indigenous people of Sarawak. During this period, there will be plenty of merry-making (eating and drinking mostly) and catching up with news. People will have 'Open House' i.e. they wish to entertain their friends for the whole day just to celebrate. Usually, 'Open House' to the visitors will also mean food binging and drinking with heavy drinkers. As mentioned earlier, never try to outdrink an Iban. You might end up suffering.
Found another fellow Malaysian Blogger. Also, just recently created her Blog journal.
Add-Ons Addict
Found another interesting add-on to put on a website. Forgot how much I love trying out these thing. Called a Tag-Board. Hopefully can get it up soon. Saw ut at Maria's blog. Extremely cool.
This blog seems to be taking an extremely to load. Bah! Humburg! And the comments button is not working right. So, have reactivated my guestbook. Hmmm!!! Never use SquawkTV again.
Yahoo!
Have put in a description for this website. Now, to start thinking of putting humourous events online. Sarawak related, of course.
Now, this must be the question of the day although ask last nite. Hai Pa Wang? Jojo Cafe? Peter's Special? Top Spot? Muara Tebas? Buntal? Hmmm... cracking my head. Any suggestions anyone?
Missing Comments Page
SquawkTV is really Squawk lah! Offline today. Now looking for another one. Hai ya!
Happy Gawai!! For drinks and booze and bamboo chicken... yummy... and no, I did NOT get drunk!!! Then again, I'm feeling really tired at the moment. :p
Late night out. Never EVER outdrink an Iban. You'll never win. As found out by Mathiew, an innocent British chap, that had to unload himself of the liquid diet. Poor fellow! Too much beer and vodka lime ain't that a wise decision.
Today is 'Bak Chang' Day or 'Du Jie' Day. Loads of dumplings. With pork, black mushroom, soy sauce, cheshnut. All surrounded by gluotinous rice. Wrapped in pandan leaf and steamed until cook. Gotta find a weblink with the picture.
Posted at 10:25 PM.