Khao Chee Chan - Wat YangSangwaram (Buddha sculptural image)

Located: Just down the road, approximately 2km, from the chinese-thai temple, Anek Kusala Sala (Viharnra Sien)


Research online...
Khao Chee Chan is about 20 km from Pattaya and is part of the Wat YangSangwaram Temple Complex. Located 7km away is the Nong Noch Gardens.
Known to be the largest sculptured image of Buddha in the world, it was done in 1995 by an American (Lives in Naklua, near Pattaya!) for the Kings Birthday. He etched it out using a laser.
The Buddha image is 130 meters tall and 70 meters wide, and outlined in Gold.
Next to here are the Silver Lakes Vineyards and loads of fields full of Grapevines. There is also an elephant Krall across the road.

The shape of this mountain was due to it being mined for the stone during the Vietnam war, the stone was used at U Tapao airbase and also used to help build local roads.

Anek Kusala Sala (Viharnra Sien) - Flowers in Pattaya

Here's a visit to this unique and beautiful temple with amazing statues ... Anek Kusala Sala


Here's another series ...


I like these :-)


More!

Anek Kusala Sala (Viharnra Sien) - Chinese temple, Pattaya

Opening hours: 08:00 am - 05:00 pm (weekdays) or 05:30 pm (Saturdays and Sundays)
Tickets: 50 THB (baht)
Tel: +66 3823 8367

Anek Kusala Sala (Viharnra Sien), located in the large compound of Wat Yanasangwararam in South Pattaya, was built by the Chinese-Thai community to honor His Majesty the King. Viharnra Sien is also known as the "Abode of the Gods".

The interior

Bronze statues line the first floor courtyard

The details and facial expressions are nothing short of amazing

Enjoying the day out

Beautiful scenery

The Thai Art Exhibition permanent display

Elephants are loved throughout Thailand..

Ornate statues...

And finally, the view from the third and highest floor...

All photos were taken with my Nikon D80, in full manual, switching between my Tamron 17-50mm and Tamron SP90mm Macro lens.

ps - More research online about this amazing place...

Built by the Chinese-Thai community in honour of His Majesty the King, Viharnra Sien (‘Abode of the Gods’) is a fascinating repository of arts, artefacts and religious statues from China and Thailand that is both a museum and place to worship Chinese gods.

Visitors can discover a host of cultural treasures in this traditionally decorated pavilion next to a lake within the royal temple of Wat Yansangwararam. HM the King opened it in 1993, bestowing the name of Anek Kusala Sala (‘Multipurpose Pavilion’).

Interesting items include replicas of the famed terracotta warriors, white jade statue of Guan Yin (Goddess of Mercy), brass sculptures of Chinese gods and a pair of huge granite Peking Lions.

Road-side stall Thai lunch - Near Floating Market, Pattaya

We were hungry after visiting the Floating Market, so we stopped at a roadside stall alongside the market...


Thumbs up! These guys have no problems eating anything :-) Ba-Mee Nam.


My choice ... Padkaprao Moo Sarb Kai Dao, my favourite!

Pattaya Floating Market "Water village", Thailand

Located: Sukhumvit Road, on the left, just past the waterski park. The market is located approx 2km past the Underwater world, on the way to Sattahip.


A modern floating market!

Boats were all selling food and drinks, the huts had touristy-items for sale.

Heh heh... this made us giggle!

We stopped for a coffee at one of the huts on stilts, more like a water village here ...

One of my team members brought along his Nikon D80 too! Here he is testing out my Tamron Sp90 Macro lens :-)

More boats ...

Spotted on the way out! A well preserved Tuk-Tuk, and a really nice old 3-series BMW.

Victory Family Church Pattaya has moved to Royal Twins Palace Hotel, Thailand

Add: Royal Twins Palace @ 223 M.10 Pattaya 2nd Road, Pattaya City, Thailand
Tel: +66 3842 0260-4


Welcome to the inter-demoninational church that is Pattaya'as Victory Family Church.


Service, which is conducted in English, begins at Sunday, 10am, each week :-)
Service is held on the 15th floor of the hotel, in a large room with a great view of Pattaya.

Ps - Thanks to the wonderful reception staff at the Marriott, who pointed me to the new location across the road from where they are! Many years ago, I remember the service being held at one of the junior ballrooms of the Marriott!

Ps. From the VFC Pattaya Website, "Fred and Dianne Doell are the Pastors of Victory Family Church and founders of Mercy Center. They still consider it a privilege to pastor in Pattaya and are as committed as ever to the spiritual emotional & physical well-being of all those GOD brings into their hearts and lives."

Pattaya Bay - Scenic view from the Cliff / Radio Station

On Pattaya cliff, near the Royal Cliff Hotel ...


Check out the sign, "The Most Beautiful top view point of Pattaya City"!


Enjoying the view :-)


Flowers!

We could even see a helipad ... The weather at this time of the year, end November, is fabulous. Sunny, and cool (26-27 degrees centigrade) with a light breeze.

Saw this on sale as I was leaving...

Amari Ocean Tower, Pattaya Thailand

Add: Amari Ocean Tower, Pattaya Beach 20150, Thailand
Tel: +66 3841 8418

My home for three weeks...

Took some shots of the exterior of the hotel early one Saturday morning, brought my Nikon D80 as well as my Tamron SP90 Macro f/2.8 and Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 zoom along.

Hotel's Shrine

Thailand has lovely flowers and trees!

Amari Ocean Tower, Pattaya - Pool side breakfast

Add: Amari Ocean Tower, Pattaya Beach 20150, Thailand
Tel: +66 3841 8418

Weekend breakies by the poolside :-)
Have it western style... Or Asian style ... I love the Soup-rice and the Porridge here.

Bliss! Fresh fruits each and every morning...

My table by the pool :-)

View of the hotel from my breakfast table

Lovely flowers near the poolside...

Beer Chang at Marriott poolside bar, Pattaya - Thailand

Royal Garden Plaza - Ripley's Believe it Or Not "Plane" display!


Located alongside the Royal Garden Plaza, near Walking Street, along Beach Road, is the Marriott. Our team went for a drink one evening...


Really nice pool-side bar ... Beer Chang (Translates to "elephant" in Thai) or Heineken anyone?

Tuk tuk, about 10 THB each, taking us back to our hotel, a 10 minute ride, or you could walk 45 minutes along Beach Road (Amari to Marriott).

Pattaya's Walking Street amuses us!

Interesting sights at Walking Street, of the "less risque" nature!

No it's not what you think ... Not an "odd date".
Seems it means delivery trucks and vans have to park on one side of Walking Street before sunset on particular days, and on other days ... they park on the other side of Walking Street!


The trainers I was with were seriously amused at the neat, tidy and very safe cabling works!

Walking Street, Pattaya - Sin City!

Walking Street of Pattaya, really needs no introduction. Here's my walkabout one evening armed with my Nikon D80 and Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 set-up.


Neon lights of restaurants, bars and ... tailors!


This is Walking Street...

A Go-Go Bars!

Any name you can think of...

This looks a wee bit like Jamie Oliver's VW Camper van!

Shudder...

Well, there are also other ways to earn a living along Pattaya's Walking Street...

Tankay Seafood, Walking Street @ Pattaya - Thailand

Located: Near the entrance of Walking Street, on the right side (As you enter Walking St, from Beach Road).
Tel: +66 38 710 447
Map: Check out this great schematic map of Walking Street here.

Simple lay-out, and not "overly done up" unlike some other places along Walking Street ... quite a few locals come here as well, which is a good sign of quality and prices!


Assortment of seafood as you are walking in.


Hmm ... all this beer. Which will it be? Chang, Sing, or Heineken?


Tom Yum Koong & Vermicelli and prawn salad ... both were full of flavour.


When in Thailand ... gotta have the Kao Phad of course, Fried Rice. Always done so well! We also chose the Rock Lobster with Garlic and Pepper, delicious!


We had more seafood! Squid steamed in lemon-broth, and Deep fried fish.


Our team :-) from Malaysia, Poland, China and the UK.

Essence Restaurant, Amari Ocean Tower Pattaya - Thailand

Another buffet dinner here at the Amari Ocean Tower, Pattaya Thailand.

Located: Pattaya, Thailand
Hotel: Amari Ocean Tower, 3rd floor


Hmmm .... should we have chicken, fish, beef or more chicken!?


My "small" plate of food ... No carbs lah :-)

Or how about some ... roast?

I shy-ed away from the desserts, had lots of dragon fruit, thai oranges, apples, pears and pineapples instead!

Amari Ocean Tower - Dinner buffet, Pattaya

Dinner on evening at the hotel, 3rd floor restaurant, after a long hard day at work ... Buffet here is good, only RM$60. Nice Thai selection, as well as international style pasta and roast meats.

Thai salad selection, pork and tuna dishes...


Freshly prepared Pad Thai with huge prawns. Good!

Padkaprao and Tomyam - Food Wave, Royal Garden Plaza @ Pattaya, Thailand

Located adjacent to the Marriott in Pattaya ... a mall called the Royal Garden Plaza.

Average Tom Yum Koong (Prawn Tom Yum @ 100 THB)

Pad Kaprao Moo Sarb with Gai Dao - Minced pork and Holy Basil with Omelette on the side, 110 THB

Kao Phad Koong, Prawn Fried Rice

Lots of smoothies and bright coloured drinks in Thailand!

Pattaya by night, Thailand

My favourite shot this evening with my Nikon D80 and Tamron 17-50mm ...

f/3.2 , 1/40s , ISO400

More night shots...

The Amari Ocean Tower, Pattaya.

View from my hotel room...

Hard Rock Cafe, Pattaya Thailand

Yes, there's even a full fledged Hard Rock Hotel at Pattaya!

This is Hard Rock Cafe, Pattaya.

Love all ... Serve all!

Sunset one evening ... Pattaya, Thailand

Day one in Pattaya, Thailand ...

Took these shots between 5:30 - 6:30pm one evening...

An idyllic evening ...

There was a gentle breeze, the air was crisp, and the temperature was no more then 29C ... perfect!

The sun sets over Pattaya beach...

It was a lovely evening for me and my Nikon D80!

Last flight to Thailand this year ... KL - Bangkok, Thai Air TG416

Flight: Thai Air TG 416
Time: 1:10pm - 2:15pm (No delays, yay!)
Route: KL's KLIA - Suvarnabhumi Bangkok Airport
Update 25 Nov 2008, 11pm - "As of this evening, 2 hours ago, Bangkok's international airport has been closed after anti-government protesters surged into the main terminal building. I am doing OK in Pattaya, some 2 hours away from Bangkok!"

I always like the food on Thai Air, the fare in "Coach" is actually rather decent, and you can see they take pride in their servings. MAS? No way!

Simple mains ... but rather good! Beef with pepper sauce, and some vege-omelette on the side.

Thai Air - Star Alliance Lounge, KLIA Airport

This is the recently refurbished Thai Air (Star Alliance) lounge at KLIA.


The view...


Nothing to shout about ... but there are a couple of hot dishes, pasta with fishball in tomato sauce, simple vegetarian fried rice and stir-fried cauliflowers and brocolli. And all the beer, wines, spirits, and soft-drinks you can drink!

Grilled Stingray aka Ikan Pari at 555, Bukit Tinggi Klang

Location: 555 Kopitiam, Jalan Batu Nilam at Bukit Tinggi, Klang

Found a hawker-style kopitiam in Bukit Tinggi, Klang that serves really good Ikan Bakar aka Grilled Stingray or Ikan Pari. RM$17. A well sized portion, probably enough for 2-3 pax. Garnished nicely with slices of ladysfingers on the top.

The stingray went well with some carbs :-) burp! Rather tasty and good value Claypot chicken rice for one ... RM$5

More fine dishes at Reunion, Bangsar Village 2

Add: Lot 2F-17 & 18 , Level 2, Bangsar Village II, Jalan Telawi Satu, Bangsar Baru, KL
Tel: +603 2287 3770

Why am I featuring Reunion at BV2 once again!? I went with WT, WM and their some lovely new friends who introduced me to "NEW" (by my books anyway!) dishes which I previously hadn't experienced here ...

WT's choice ... Chinese style Curry Chicken (RM$23.80) - Surprisingly good!


Kung Poh Chicken in Yam Basket (RM$23.80) - Chicken pieces were tender, full of flavour, and the yam basket was good too.


Corn and Butter Prawn (Medium @ RM$43.80) - Excellent! Fresh, tasty, and I loved the corn-y texture.


Fried pork and Salted Fish patties (RM$23.80 - Many of the "medium" sized dishes here are priced the same!) ... I really enjoyed this, subtlely flavoured with "ham yue" or salted-fish, and WM reminded me that her granny used to cook this. Ah... just like home!


Other dishes our party chose include the ones which I had previously enjoyed, including Beef with Bitter Gourd (Medium @ RM$25.80) and a large Spinach in Superior Stock (RM$32.80 - Approx. RM$4.50 per bowl, when it was served out to us individually) aka Xiong Tong Yuen Choy.

Pomelo and Sago in Mango Cream - We ordered five of these! RM$8.80 each. This is always devilishly good!


ps - Dinner for the seven of us came up to RM$316, or approx. RM$45 per head. Not cheap, but you do get the ambience, service and really good food.

Nikon D80 - Basketball shots at the park

Here are some shots I took at about 06:00pm one evening at the Bandar Botanic Park, in Klang, with my Nikon D80 with a Nikkor Zoom DX 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 VR Lens.

Shot most of these at round about ... ISO100, f/6.3, 1/200s , free-hand, on near enough full zoom. The VR works well!


More action shots...


He was from my alma-mater!


Thanks to the lads who let me shoot them! Well ... it was rather stealthy, shooting from a distance with a full 200mm zoom!


Spotted a nice beagle as I was about to leave...

Nikon D80 - Workout at Bandar Botanic Park, Klang

Some shots from a walkabout late one evening in Klang's Bandar Botanic Park ... Nikon D80.

Pretty!

Nice vivid colours :-)

More shots...

I used two lenses through-out the shoot ..
Photo on the left was taken with a Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Macro lens ,

and the photo on the right was taken with a Nikkor VR Zoom 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 lens

ps - Shots from a previous visit to the park.

Mum's Place - Catering service

If you are interested in some catering, I found Mum's Place (Damansara Perdana) to be a really good choice. Near enough "home cooking" style food...


Add: 31-1, 33-1, 35-1, 37-1 & 39-1, Jalan PJU 8/5A, Damansara Perdana, PJ
Tel: +603 7726 3376



Everything from satay, to yong tau foo, to butter prawns, honey chicken, rice and noodles ... and more! The Ice Kacang was well received too :-) on this hot day!

Wah Chai, Bukit Tinggi Klang - Sang Har Mee

Add: Wah Chai Kopitiam, Lorong Batu Nilam 1D
Located: Beside Chin Chinho Steamboat


Interesting variant of "sang har mee", kon-loh noodles (A Wah Chai specialty, as you can see from my previous review) served alongside a bowl of thick-broth prawn stock and 2 large "tai tau" prawns which are sliced into 2. RM$16, not cheap!


The Yong Tau Foo from the stall alongside ... average.

The lemon-barley was good!

Amazing Race Asia 3 - Epsiode 11 (Phuket, Thailand)

Screened on AXN, Thursday 20th November 2008, at 9:00pm Malaysia time.
This is the 11th and final leg of the Amazing Race Asia 3 series.

There were 10 teams ... and now we are down to the FINAL THREE.


Malaysia's Ida and Tania.


Phillipines' Geoff and Tisha.


And the "nice guys" from Hong Kong ... Sam and Vince.


This final leg started in Oman, at Muscat (Office of Muscat Governorate). They then travelled off-road to Said's Camel Farm at the desert area of Al-Albayid.

The gals were in the lead at this point!

Roadblock!

One team member must locate one of seven keys buried in the sand using the metal detector to unlock the clue box. Boy was the sand ... hot!


All the teams struggled with the off-roading required in their Toyota Landcruisers. At one point or another, each team had their vehicles sink into the very fine and hot sand!

Time to head from Muscat (Muscat International Airport) to Phuket, Phuket Province, Thailand (Phuket International Airport)! Yes, Ida and Tania were still in the lead ...

Alas, due to some bad-luck, the girls chose the route via Dubai and Singapore, missing a connection at Dubai ... and voila, from first to third (last!).

Welcome to the LAST LEG ... Phuket, Thailand!

The Phillipinos were in the lead by minutes against the HK boys having sat towards the front of the plane. The two teams then headed from the airport to the Sam Poh Kong Temple, and then on to Siray Island (Thai Trade Food Ice Factory) . Teams then searched for a small Amazing Race ice cube buried in a barrel of ice to get the next clue!


Detour!

Teams had to choose between Pull or Plunge.

In Pull, teams must kayak to a nearby oyster farm and find the marked shell by pulling the oyster lines, then the teams must bring the marked shell back to the beach to exchange it with their next clue.

In Plunge, teams must snorkel and search for a giant clam shell with a pearl inside; the pearl should be exchanged with their next clue.

The HK boys tried Plunge first, but quickly swopped over to Pull!

Our gals were hours behind...

Following that ... In Lam Him Pier, teams must ride a boat and look for a fisherman in a marked boat to get the next clue.

And finally ... In Rang Yai Beach, teams must dig up a treasure chest and carry it to the Finish Line!

Will it be the boys from Hong Kong, or the couple of the Phillipines!!!?

Our Malaysian gals were far behind, though they did finish their Plunge challenge with a humour, grace and determination!

A mad dash to the finish line ...

The other participants who had been knocked out in earlier stages cheered them on...

There was only going to be ONE WINNER ... Winner takes all. WELL DONE, SAM AND VINCE from Hong Kong. Their prize for winning "the toughest race ever"? USD$100,000!

A much deserved victory dance!

Surprisingly gracious, in 2nd place, Geoff and Tisha...


Our gals came in third, but kept their spirits up just as they had throughout all the legs ... Well done, Ida and Tania!

Singapore Prawn Mee, Thye Hong @ Food Republic - Pavilion KL

Add: Thye Hong @ Food Republic, Lot 1.41.00, Level 1, Pavilion KL, 168, Bukit Bintang, KL


Where can one find Newton Circus - Wisma Atria Singapore-style prawn mee, of the pale stir-fried "wet" variety in Kuala Lumpur? Look no further ... Thye Hong at Pavilion's food-court. And it's good! RM$7.50.

Petrol has now been reduced to RM$2 per litre

With crude down to below USD$56 a barrel ... the local government has taken prices at our pumps down! RM$2 per litre! :-)



Previous reduction was only recently, at RM$2.15

Sure Pizza - Fettucini con Pollo

Add: SURE PIZZA @ P37, Plaza Damas Ground Floor, Hartamas Shopping Centre, Jalan Hartamas 1, KL
Tel: +603 6201 6014
Opening hours: Daily (10am-10pm)
Note: Pork-free
Located: Next to Sao Nam (Vietnamese), and opposite Kim Gary (HKie)

On a rainy night, in need of comfort food ... there are few better eateries then Paolo's "Sure Pizza". Here's my choice, RM$25.50 worth of Fettucini Con Pollo. Perfectly al dante, and served with a lovely creamy sauce with fresh shrimp and chicken pieces.


Ps. Here's a review of a recent / previous visit.

La Salle Klang '91 reunion - Foo Chee Keong

CK was back from the UK :-)


This is us ... 19 years later :-) La Sallians of '91

Anbe Sivam Orphanage, opposite Klang Hospital

My work's community day out ... Anbe Sivam Orphanage, Klang in Taman Sri Andalas opposite TAR / Klang Hospital.


Who's got a pressie...


Besides contributions of cash and goods ... we also presented Anbe Sivam Orphanage with 2 rooms, a study and a physio/computer-room.


We arranged for a clown to cheer up the kids :-)

Fun for all!

The kids were so brave ...

Musical chairs!

Time for some Chicken Briyani lunch :-) SLURP!

Me and 18 year old Shanker ...

My colleagues' kids had such a good time too!

Our team ... who made the day possible :-)

Amazing Race Asia 3 - Epsiode 10 (Oman)

Originally screened on AXN, Thursday 13th November 2008, at 9:00pm Malaysia time.
This is the 10th leg of the Amazing Race Asia 3 series.

Three of the most competitive teams were the boys from HK, our gals from Malaysia ... and of course Tisha and Geoff from the Phillipines.

The team from Singapore, by the skin of their neck's ... were still in the race!

The Race started at Pune, from the Bhaja Caves to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, where they later had to key his birth-year into a Standard Chartered Bank building ATM. Can't believe the Phillipines team keyed in 1977, duh! Guess everyone was tired from the 30+ hours lack of sleep!

They then flew from Pune International Airport, to Muscat, Oman ... Over 1,500km away. They first had to make their way by driving themselves to the Al Alam Palace.

At Nizwa, they had to decide between counting ... or finding a carpet design! Our gals and the HK boys did great ... and final place was left as a competition between the Singaporeans and Phillipine team.

Geoff and Tisha couldn't decide together whether to do the counting or carpet task, and ended up going between the two tasks at least three times!

Finally ... they travelled from Nizwa / Mutrah Souk into the dessert, where they would face a really tough Roadblock of cliffhanging over a 60m ravine! This was at Wadi Tanuf.

Ida then did the most amazing thing the gals have done since the start of the race ... she actually out climbed and out enduranced the HK boy :-)

As their reward ... Ida and Tania were FIRST. They each won USD$2,500 for their efforts, and go into the Final Three ... first!

Geoff and Tisha were 2nd ... and the HK boys, despite the 4-hour penalty for non completion, still came in ahead of the Singapore team.

As always ... strolling right till the end. AD and Fuzie came in last ... but they did give it their all, and did the race at THEIR own pace, with their heads up high! WELL DONE!

Nasi Lemak at home ... Ahhh, comfort food!

COUGH COUGH SPLUTTER splutter ... I miss Nasi Lemak! Gotta be good and "kai-hao" at the moment, but I always have fond thoughts of what must be the ultimate comfort food! My favourite variant, has to be that of the home-made variety ....


Delicious wholesome tangy with just enough "zing" ... Sambal. Perfectly fried ikan bilis and peanuts :-) Ah ... and a half hard-boiled egg. A heavenly combo!


When one has nasi lemak at home, one can have ANY "lauk" one desires ... Even siew-yoke, yes Roast Pork! It goes so well...


ps. I do enjoy the "commercially available" outside variety, and my current Top 3 include...
(1) Kak Sanah's stall at Damansara Jaya
(2) Nasi Lemak Tanglin near the Lake Gardens KL
(3) Village Park at Damansara Uptown

Amazing Race Asia 3 - Epsiode 9 (India)

Originally screened on AXN, Thursday 7th November 2008, at 9:00pm Malaysia time.
This is the 9th leg of the Amazing Race Asia 3 series.

First flight of the race ... Cochin (Cochin International Airport) to Mumbai, Maharashtra (Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport). Hey, Ida and Tania (Malaysia) were still in the race!


Additional tasks ... At Nehru Stadium teams must hit a cricket ball onto a board decorated with the Race colours. If they did not manage to do so in 36 balls or under, teams incurred a ten minute penalty.


Geoff and Tisha are always scheming ... lets see how far they get in The Race!


After the cricket task, teams use a map application on the Nokia 6210 Navigator to direct their auto rickshaw driver to their next destination, the Shaniwar Wada. At the Sony World teams had to persuade the locals to tell them a joke while one team member recorded this story into the Sony Handycam camera, then teams have to come back and replay the video to the staff. If they think the joke is funny enough, they gave teams the next clue.


In this leg's roadblock, one team member had to find the correct pheta from 50 men who were walking around the castle. If that person found the pheta with the word "Correct" inside, they received the next clue.


In this leg's detour, teams had to choose between Push and Crush. In Push, teams had to go to one shop and push the cart with 75 pots to another shop with 70 or more pots unbroken at the destination before receiving the next clue. In Crush teams had to go to the market, make 40 glasses of sugar cane juice and sell them to earn Rs200 or more to receive the next clue.

The HK boys and our gals did well ... 1st and 2nd :-)

Hmm... who will choose to sabotage another team with a U-turn, requiring them to re-do the alternate task!!?

Yes ... Geoff and Tisha U-Turned AD and Fuzzie of Singapore! Oh oh ....

I was very impressed that the Singapore pair went through with the Push task having already completed and exhausted themselves out through the Crush task! And guess what ... it was a NON ELIMINATION LEG, pre-determined before the race began! This must be the third such non-elimination leg...

Amazing Race Asia 3 - Epsiode 8 (India)

Unfortunately I missed Episode 8 of the Amazing Race Asia 3, but I do know that the teams travelled from Macau to Hong Kong via TurboJET, and subsequently flew to Cochin in Kerala, India.

Wikipedia summary...
Roadblock, the chosen team member must perform a bungee jump from the top of the Macau Tower to receive their next clue. The first team to complete the task will receive a helicopter ride from Macau to Hong Kong instead of the TurboJET ferry ride.
In this leg's Detour, the choice was between Fish or Fill.
In Fish, the team members must carry six large swordfish to a nearby restaurant before receiving their next clue.

In Fill, teams must fill an intricate floor pattern using colored rice before receiving their next clue.

Additional tasks ... At the MASkargo Warehouse, teams must search and open their box containing letters from their loved ones before receiving their next clue. At the Neelam Kulangara Devi Temple, teams had to get a blessing from the Indian priest before they received their next clue. At the Elephant Wash Area in SPS Temple, teams must wash an elephant using the traditional way of using coconut husks as abrasives.

Ida and Tania endured a half hour penalty ... but survived.


Surprise ... surprise ... What I thought was the STRONGEST team, has just been eliminated! Our own, Bernie and Henry. Alas...


ps - Wikipedia has an entry about Bernie...
Bernie Chan is a television host, actress and a beauty pageant trainer from Malaysia. She started her career in a Singapore sitcom named Alter Asians: Catherine Listening to the Rain, followed by Kopitiam and Talk About Love. At the same year, she debuted as a stage actress in Ubu Roi and Split Gravy on Rice.
As a host, Chan hosted the Miss Malaysia/World for two years (2002-2003), followed by the Boh Cameronian awards in 2004. After that, she hosted Pillow Talk on ntv7 before moving to Audition in 2004. At the same year, she also acted in Otak Tak Centre on stage and Table For Two.
In 2005, Chan joined the stage act again for the drama The Odd Couple. Chan became the producer for beauty in Federal Academy of Creative Technology. In 2006, as a guest judge in What Women Want.
In 2007, Chan returned as the announcer for Project Runway Malaysia. In 2008, she participated in The Amazing Race Asia 3 with her brother, Henry Chan. They obtained 5th position in the show.

Quantum of Solace : James Bond 007 - Movie (2008)

Malaysian premier: Thursday, 6th November 2008
Cinema: Cineleisure, Damansara (Near Mutiara, Ikano)


Wikipedia
Quantum of Solace (2008) is the 22nd James Bond film by EON Productions, released in the United Kingdom on 31 October 2008 and due in North America on 14 November. The sequel to the 2006 film Casino Royale, it is directed by Marc Forster, and features Daniel Craig's second performance as James Bond. In the film, Bond battles Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), a member of the Quantum organisation posing as an environmentalist, who intends to stage a coup d'état in Bolivia to take control of its water supply. Bond seeks revenge for the death of Vesper Lynd, and is assisted by Camille Montes (Olga Kurylenko).


Starring ...
Daniel Craig ... James Bond
Olga Kurylenko ... Camille
Mathieu Amalric ... Dominic Greene
Judi Dench ... M
Giancarlo Giannini ... Mathis
Gemma Arterton ... Strawberry Fields


James Bond has certainly moved on over the years, from the suave British superagent in the yesteryear to the meaner, darker, edgier one that we have grown to enjoy in Daniel Craig's representation of Double-0-7. Not my favourite Bond to date, I prefer the cheesiness of Pierce Brosnan's portrayal in GoldenEye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World Is Not Enough (1999), and Die Another Day (2002), but it is hard to totally dislike the edge that Daniel Craig brings to the character. Great action sequences in the Siena, Italy Aston Martin DBS v Alfa Romeo chase-scenes as well as the scaffolding fight sequence.

Chicken Rice at home when one is under the weather

Was feeling under the weather one evening, and even had to decline a food tasting at Hotel Nikko with Masak-masak, FatboyBakes and Cumi-Ciki ... I needed some home cooking!

Steamed chicken ... Kampung chicken purchased from Bukit Tinggi, Klang
Char siew ... Mum bought this from opposite where Great Wall used to be, location of the famous "pai-kut" stall.

Restoran Fei Por - Famous steamed chicken

Add: 211, Jalan Pudu, KL
Tel: +603 2143 4798

Steamed chicken at a Pudu "institution" with mum and dad one evening...

The to-fu was good , but served cold ... Odd! The beansprouts were really crunchy!



Don't let this little stall fool you, it serves dozens of dishes in TWO shop-lots!

Here's a review from my previous visit to this popular restaurant.

Oldham Hall reunion with Kabi, Kuala Lumpur

Oldham Hall mini-reunion ... K, J, V, E and me!
We met up at Jarrod and Rawlins, Damansara Heights one cool evening.

The choice of brew for the night ... Hoegaarden (Along with red wine and Kilkenny!).

Enjoying some White-Beer!

Oldham Hall, Singapore 1989 - 1993 :-) This is us ... 19 years on!

We had a laugh all night!

Cheers! Here's to 19 years...

Till next time...

Jarrod and Rawlins, Lorong Dungun @ Damansara Heights KL

Add: No. 6, Lorong Dungun, Damansara Heights, KL
Located: Up the road from Manulife and HP Buildings
Tel: +603 2093 0708

RM$85 bottle of Santa Julia Malbec, good value...


Caesars salad, lots of fries ... perfect on a cool evening.


400g of steak, chopped up and enjoyed by all...


Pigs in Blanket, various sausages as well as pieces of bacon ... Excellent!

Terry Fox Run, Lake Gardens KL Malaysia 2008

My first Terry Fox Run, in aid of Cancer Research, held on 2nd November this year at Lake Gardens, KL.


Date: 2 November 2008 (Flag off 9.00 am)
Venue: Taman Tasik Perdana (Lake Gardens).
T-Shirt Price: RM 25.00.

Wikipedia ... The Terry Fox Run is run around the world every year to raise money for cancer research. It is non-competitive- no winners or awards, just people joining to raise money for cancer research.

Pre-race...


Our team who participated this year :-) YL took the shot, and CL was somewhere else!


The actual run ... which was relaxed and a lotta fun!


We made it!



UPDATED! LF took these two shots, part of the Nikonian contingent :-) Cheers!


Wikipedia ... Terrance Stanley "Terry" Fox, CC (July 28, 1958 – June 28, 1981) was a Canadian humanitarian, athlete, and cancer treatment activist. He became famous for the Marathon of Hope, a cross-Canada run to raise money for cancer research, which Fox ran with one prosthetic leg. He is considered one of Canada's greatest heroes of the 20th century and is celebrated internationally every September as people participate in the Terry Fox Run, the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research.

In 1977, after feeling pain in his right knee, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. This is a form of cancer that strikes men more than women, usually around ages ten to twenty-five. Very often the cancer starts at the knee, then works its way up into the muscles and tendons. At the time, the only way to treat his condition was to amputate his right leg several inches above the knee. Fox believed that the injury from the 1976 crash had weakened his knee and made it more susceptible to cancer, although his doctors disagreed. The causes of osteosarcoma are not known.
Three years after losing his leg at age 18, the young athlete decided to run from coast to coast in order to raise money for cancer research. In creating the Marathon of Hope, his goal was to raise $1 from each Canadian citizen.

In June 1981, Terry developed pneumonia, and on June 27 he went into a coma. He died on the 28th at 4:37 a.m., which was his favourite hour of running, a year after his legendary run, and exactly one month shy of his twenty-third birthday.

Seven Star Garoupa steamed at home, with love from KK!

This is half the Seven-star Garoupa which I had recently purchased from off Jalan Tuaran, Kota Kinabalu during my trip to visit P and J. Mum prepared it in teochew-style, with just the tail-section simply steamed.


Soya sauce grilled chicken - Finally figured out how to use the new Microwave-Oven unit! Yummmm...


Special chicken curry - Very appetising!


Tempura button mushrooms, fresh and really good!


My fave ... Stir fried cabbage.


Simple, but fluffy omelette...


ps - The above encompasses two recent meals, slurrrppp :-) Guess it ain't all about eating-out!

Isuzu D-Max Pickup Truck 3.0LS Ddi iTEQ Super Commonrail

The variety of pick-up trucks and 4-wheel drives in Kota Kinabalu is nothing short of astounding, especially for one visiting from "Semenanjung" .... This is my experience riding in a Isuzu D-Max 3.0Ddi truck. J's version is in "angelic white", cool colour name eh!


Paultan.org
For the Isuzu D-MAX 3.0LS Ddi iTEQ Super Commonrail that uses a 3.0 liter turbodiesel engine, the 4JJ1-TC 2,999cc intercooler turbo DOHC 16 valve i-TEQ Super commonrail engine. Fitted in the manual transmission model, it now makes 280Nm of torque peaking just above idle at 1,200rpm and stays steady all the way to 3,400rpm. Peak horsepower is 136 PS at 3,400rpm.
For the 4-speed automatic transmission, the engine is tuned somewhat differently, probably to match the behaviour and transmission losses of a slush box. It makes a higher amount of torque - 294Nm, but this torque peaks relatively later at 1,400rpm. But I’m sure the 280Nm at 1,200rpm is there too, so you don’t really lose anything. This 294Nm stretches up to 3,000rpm where it dips to the manual’s torque levels. This looks like some kind of overboost between 1,400rpm and 3,000rpm. Horsepower is the same as the manual version.


Paultan.org ...The 3.0 liter model has a self-illuminating meter panel that Isuzu calls e-LUMAX that works much like Toyota’s Optitron, while the 2.5 liter model has a traditional backlit instrument cluster.


More from Paultan.org ...Features that the 3.0 liter model has over the 2.5 liter model is the 4X4 transmission of course, as the 2.5 is a 4X2. Other premium features in the 3.0 include a while the 2.5 only hkey-coded immobiliseras a normal immobiliser, a 6-speaker system instead of a 4 speaker system, an integrated 2-DIN AM/FM/MP3/WMA player instead of a 1-DIN Pioneer AM/FM MP3 player, driver and passenger SRS airbags, ABS with EBD equipped with G-sensor, an LSD differential, turn signals on the wing mirrors, and finally a projector headlamp system instead of the 2.5’s multi-reflector headlamp lense.


As for pricing ...
The premium Isuzu D-MAX 3.0LS Ddi iTEQ Super Commonrail manual transmission goes for RM89,776.30 for individual private registration inclusive of road tax and insurance, while the auto costs more at RM96,758.30. The solid paint versions cost RM89,476.30 and RM96,458.30 respectively.

Do not litter sign ... Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

"Adakah anda nampak orang membuang sampah dari kenderaan?"
Translates to ... "Do you see someone throwing litter from their vehicle?"

Litter must be a real problem in KK, but I see it as a town which is MUCH cleaner then Tawau!

Early car registration in Sabah

This must have been one of the first cars in the state of Sabah!

Tenom Men and other tai-chau goodies ... Syn Lee at Kota Kinabalu

Located: At the Towering commercial centre, along Jalan Penampang.
Kedai Kopi Syn Lee is located a couple of shops away from the tyre shop beside the roundabout.
Opening hours: 6:30am - 2:30pm daily (Except Mondays)

Friendly service, and excellent (And interesting for someone from Semenanjung!) food too... Another brilliant "find" by P and J! Sweet and sour dish... and some sauce-y roast meats, gorgeous!

Veges with egg ... yummy! Interesting :-)

Fish dish....

Beautifulkk.com describes this interesting noodle dish best ... Kedai Kopi Syn Lee is popular for its Tenom Men, and its flagship product is the “fried wet Tenom Men”. Customers can also have the noodle fried dry, or have the noodle in soup. The “kon lau” Tenom Men is also very tasty, and normally “kon lau” are noodles mixed with black sauce, but in Sarawak there are “kon lau men” that comes with white sauce too.

Wah Juan, Tanjung Aru in Kota Kinabalu - Favourite Kon Loh Mee!

Add: Kedai Kopi Wah Juan @ Jalan Besar, Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

On my last day in KK ... P, J and babs (Check out proud daddy in the 2nd photo below) in tow took me out for a final blitz on the city's finest culinary centres!


Mr Chef wondering why this strange man was taking a photo of him!


Pale looking, but oh so VERY delicious! Also known locally as Pork Mixed Noodles! I prefer calling it ... Kon Loh Mee :-)
BEWARE! Portions are small, despite the price-tag being RM$4.50, but you pay for quality! And be prepared to wait, chef is very methodical and takes his time. Yummmm....


Lovely meats...



Even the soup is delicious ... this IS possibly one of my fave makan places in fabulous KK!



ps - BeautifulKK.com has a great writeup on this very popular eatery ...
Tanjung Aru area is probably one of the oldest suburbs of Kota Kinabalu. Lies just 10 minutes away on foot from the Terminal 2, the old International Airport of Kota Kinabalu. Tanjung Aru used to be a trendy township. During the colonial time this was where the British Crown housed their civil servants. Today these housing has been demolished for new development, and just a few of these houses survived, which would be good for historical conservation. Tanjung Aru township consists of a post office, a police station, a small market in the centre and a few blocks of shoplots. This is also where the popular Daily Express newspaper printing factory is located. More than a dozen eateries operate at Tanjung Aru, which cater for the many government and private offices around this area.
Of all these kopitiams at Tanjuna Aru township, Wah Juan Kopitiam would no doubt be the most popular. Wah Juan Kopitiam opens day and night, but what people come for, especially KK Lites, is the pork mixed noodle. This tasty mouth watering pork mixed noodle is only available in the morning, from 7 am to 11 am. At times one must be prepared to wait for a table, which can take up to almost half an hour long, but the faithful customers are always seen patiently happy waiting for their table.
The pork mixed noodle serves here is among one of the top five in Kota Kinabalu on the pork mixed noodle category. The special tasty dry noodles served here is of colourless gravy instead of the usual dark sauce gravy. The pork mixed that comes with pork’s intestine, ear, stomach and tongue, is of very good quality stuffs, no wonder customers always come back for more. For soup one can try out the crunchy beef balls on plain soup. After 11 am the chef will cook some nice simple Chinese cuisine for the lunch time crowds.

Durian and fruit orchard at Kota Kinabalu

Whilst I was in KK, I went to visit a "family orchard"...

Hmmm, nangka or jackfruit?

The king of fruits! The durian...

There were also bright coloured rambutans!

And at a local street, I sawa pick-up truck full of labu or pumpkins.

Jaguar E-type in Kota Kinabalu ... Well sort of!

Was wondering why J drove me to some back-alley in KK ... only to suddenly see this appear in some merchant's warehouse! Yes ... a shell of a Jaguar E-Type!


Wikipedia ... The Jaguar E-Type (UK) or XK-E (US) is a British automobile, manufactured by Jaguar between 1961 and 1974. Its combination of good looks, high performance, and competitive pricing resulted in a great success for Jaguar, with more than 70,000 E-Types being sold over its lifespan.
It is often referred to as the E-Type Jag, and has subsequently become an icon of 1960s motoring. In March 2008, the Jaguar E-Type ranked first in Daily Telegraph list of the "100 most beautiful cars" of all time.
In 2004, Sports Car International magazine placed the E-Type at number one on their list of Top Sports Cars of the 1960s.

Kon Loh Mee @ Kon Dung Chai, Ira Manis - Kota Kinabalu

P and J so spoilt me on this trip to KK, we ate "hawker fare" and comfort foods at one new place after another! Care to remind me where this is, bro?

UPDATE! 19th Nov 2008
My bro and golf-kaki J SMS'ed this piece of information ...
Location: Ira Manis, off Lintas Highway (Between Bukit Padang & Kolombong)
Hope that makes sense ... it's worth the trip!


Roast duck and Siew Yoke with delicious Kon Loh noodles ... marvellous!

Mercedes E280 Sport - W211 UK Spec

This is the UK-spec Mercedes Benz E280 Sport (2006 model year). I do like the discreteness and stealth-iness of this variant, and the sporty bumper (I especially like the twin pipes - Looks a whole lot better then "after-fit" do-it-yourself pipes!) and wheel combo, just reinforces and makes-complete the E-class magic!

Paultan.org describes the recently locally available E280...
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is arguably the benchmark of “making it” in life. It’s the car that your mother (or mother-in-law) hopes you’ll drive back to the kampung one day. For the longest time the E-Class in Malaysia consisted of the E200K and E280, but with the recently introduced E230 to fill in the large gap between the E200K and E280, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia could not afford to fiddle around with the E280 specs abit. The result is this new model - the Mercedes-Benz E280 AMG Sports Package.
W211 E200K - RM 353,888.00W211 E230 - RM 398,888.00W211 E280 - RM 423,888.00W211 E280 AMG - RM 438,888.00

Nothing quite like looking down the bonnet, and seeing ...

(Perhaps better to see a flying spur, or "B"!)

Sporty dash board, but perhaps let down by the overly-practical and not-sporty or tactile steering wheel.

Pedal-shift ... Now we are talking!

The key fob that says ... you have arrived!

Sporty-ish pedals awaits your posh shoes, or sandals!

Gadgets galore ... and a rather nice subdued and "real-looking" wood finish.

Paultan.org ... The 7G-Tronic gearbox has three shift modes - C for Comfort, S for Sport and M for Manual. I recommend leaving this in S most of the time. Even at full throttle and full torque from first to second gear the gearbox manages to keep the shift very smooth. In Comfort mode the shifts take just too long and you get a slightly floaty sensation as the automatic transmission’s internal clutches are kept slipping most of the time between gears.

Look up, and this will greet you. A huge light-console. Leave no doubt, this car still focuses on being comfortable above all else!

I like the stock sound system which comes factory-fitted. No complaints!

Here's me having a test-drive ... I have to say, I was very VERY impressed, I had previously plodded along in a W211 E240 (CKD Malaysia), and was surprised how lacklustre the performance was. The E240 pales in comparison with the BMW E60 525i! However ... The refinement of the E280, even with the low-profile 18" rims and tyres combo, was up-to-par with the E240, but the body-roll and torque was much improved.

Dedicated mobile phone console with that all important tri-star emblem? You got it!

Parking's made easy with the front and rear parking sensors, those are LED-display lights at the front of the dashboard to indicate the distance between your E280 and other cars / wall etc.


Check out the reflection of (What the cantonese like to call it) this "tai-sai-ngan" (Big small eyes!) at the back of that pick-up, and once again ... Many would simply buy the E280 (Or any Merc for that matter) for that badge on the bonnet, and leave it to their drivers to ferry them about. If you had the privilege of owning a W211 E280, I know it would be the driver who would be having fun! Drive it yourself and be impressed!

Breakfast noodles @ Lee Wong Kee, Hilltop Kota Kinabalu

Located: Behind UniTAR at Hilltop, Kota Kinabalu

Springy noodles with a delicious kon-loh sauce... Slurp!

Served with a bowl of tomato-based seafood soup and meat/fishballs, with delicious beancurd-skin pieces.

Side-orders here are just as good, and dipped in a rather unique vinegar-ish chilli sauce.

Weekend High Tea buffet - Cafe Boleh, Sutera Harbour Resort Kota Kinabalu

Add: 1 Sutera Harbour Boulevard, Sutera Harbour, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Tel: +60 88 318 888


From a travel website ...Across Sutera Harbour Resort no less than 14 food and beverage outlets await to take you on everything from a fine dining culinary experience, to casual al fresco dining and fun with karaoke, live bands and lively pub atmosphere.
Cafe Boleh is Sutera Harbour Resort's only 24-hour restaurant and serves an a la carte menu all day. It's also famous for elaborate buffets come breakfast and dinner, but the legendary stuff happens on weekends, during the Weekend High Tea.

Thanks for the treat J and P, here was what awaited me soon after I touched down in KK :-) Be prepared to eat for 2-3 hours, and do make reservations as it is very popular!

Excellent roast chicken, average sushi...

The local fare, such as rojak, satay, ngau-chap soup and mee goreng mamak proved very good.

How about some soup noodles, and a choice of pastas /sauces...

There were so many desserts, both local and western, we just didn't know where to begin...

And more!

Kunyit (Turmeric) Roast Chicken, home cooking in KK

J and IL's mum prepared a wholesome dinner one evening in Kota Kinabalu, and it was yummy...

Pumpkin - Sweet!


Stir fried cabbage - Lovely with the chicken.


For the life of me... can't remember the name of this "ulam-style" vege, kacang empat segi, or tiga segi or something. Any clues?


Kunyit roast chicken - Marvellous! IL had been raving on about it, and her mum's masakan more then matched her comments. Deep in flavour, tender and so juicy.


Yes, city-slicker me had never seen... Kunyit!


Wikipedia describes Turmeric
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae which is native to tropical South Asia. It needs temperatures between 20°C and 30°C, and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive. Plants are gathered annually for their rhizomes, and re-seeded from some of those rhizomes in the following season.
It is also known as kunyit (Indonesian and Malay), Besar (Nepali) or haldi (Hindi) or pasupu in some Asian countries. In Assamese it is called Halodhi. In Hawaiì, it is called "`Olena." In medieval Europe, turmeric became known as Indian Saffron, since it is widely used as an alternative to far more expensive saffron spice.

Dome Cafe, One Borneo Kota Kinabalu

Add: Dome , 1Borneo, Lot G831 Ground Floor, 1Borneo Hypermall, Jalan UMS, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Tel: +6088 484 555

The drinks ... Tall Latte (RM$12) and English breakfast tea (Pot @ RM$9.50)

Pancake Stack @ RM$18 - Nothing spectacular, and could have done with more fruits.

Eggs Hollandaise @ RM$15.50 - Decent, but hardly special!

Restoran Masakan Sedap, Luyang at Kota Kinabalu

Add: Restoran Masakan Sedap, 1-0-1 Block B, Lot 20, Kolam Centre, Fasa 2, Jalan Lintas, Luyang, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Tel: +6088 247 459

Stir fried large prawns in thick black sweet sauce ... Delicious! RM$49


Steamed fish in minced bean sauce ... Fresh! RM$32


Sabah Choy with Belacan - Always an excellent local choice! RM$12


Fan Sue Miew (Tapioca leaf), once again stir fried with Belacan. RM$12


Claypot Aubergine ... Delicious. RM$10

To Fu with minced meat ... Possibly best dish we had! RM$12

We enjoyed the good food here, as you can see from the satisfied happy faces.

Nice to meet up with Lf and FL too!

Toto Dog ... The most adorable Westie ever!

13 years young ... and going strong!

Toto's the brightest, sweetest West Highland Terrier I have ever met!

Congratulations P and J - Baby Ethan

Congratulations P and J!


Welcome to our world, Ethan!


Proud daddy!

Proud family :-)

Happy Full Moon, Ethan Yee!

Ethan Yee's full moon party ... Kota Kinabalu. Happy Birthday, little guy :-)


It was a great party!

Time to celebrate with Blue Label and Montecristos! Cheers bro :-)

Cheers!

Cheap and beautiful seafood for sale, Kota Kinabalu

Add: Fung Seng Seafood, Lot 7-8 Jalan Bakau, Inamam Industrial Estate, KM8 off Jalan Tuaran, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Tel: +6088 380 013

Select from a wide variety of seafood, both fish and shellfish, it comes vacuum packed and frozen, and then repacked into boxes such as below. The finishing touch is a purpose-printed sticker, with your airline number (Eg. Air Asia AK xxx) on it, in order for you to hand-carry on your flight!

I purchased 2 fishies...

Sunu (7-star Garoupa) : RM$47 per kg

and, the hallo'ed ...

Hoi Tai Kai : RM$60 per kg

Thanks to P and J, I also brought back some Sabah Choy!

1Borneo - Largest Lifestyle Hypermall, what's wrong with it!

On my recent trip to KK, I took the chance to visit the largest local mall, 1Borneo which was now half a year old. I was terribly dissapointed!


How does one get to 1Borneo? Here are just 2 options which I found online ...
Driving: The quickest way when you find yourself in the city centre is to head along Jalan Pantai, direction Likas.
The moment you hit the fringes of the city and the start of Likas Bay, you’ll see the first 1Borneo signboard telling you that 1Borneo is only 7kms away.
Following this road will take you past landmarks such as the Sabah Trade Building, the Floating Mosque, the Tun Mustapha Building (large cylindrical building that houses Atmosphere Restaurant & Bar), University Malaysia Sabah.
Depending on traffic, you will reach the largest lifestyle hyper mall in East Malaysia, 1 Borneo, about 20 - 30 minutes later

Or for the very well heeled... By helicopter!
A helipad, located on the near end of the 1 Borneo property as you approach from Kota Kinabalu, accommodates the 1 Borneo helicopter for the decerning shopper or busy hotel guest wanting to avoid traffic alltogether.
Although helipads in Kota Kinabalu are few in numbers, you will be able to transfer conveniently from either the Kota Kinabalu International Airport or Sutera Harbour Resort, straight to 1 Borneo is one easy flight from helipads located there.


On to my visit ... My first impressions were not good, a car park that did not seem "finished", with poor line markings and confusing signage, as well as many labourers still working on parts of the parking-floors.


I have to say that AEON Bukit Tinggi mall in Klang, which houses Jusco, seems to be a lot better thought out and finished, compared to 1Borneo. The "atmosphere" at 1Borneo was relatively cheap and dingy, with rather poor lighting, and chipped tiles on the floor. There was also a lot of duck-tape/masking tape on the floor, covering up repaired and unfinished areas. Shoddy!


Worst of all, were the toilets, which cost RM$0.30 per entrance! What does 30 sen buy you?
1) Broken door locks andtoilet cubicle hinges
2) No toilet paper in the holders
3) Sink design encourages leaks at the side

Ps - I previously read a scathing review on 1earthadventures dot com and I have to say that having now been to 1Borneo, I rather much agree!

Sutera Harbour Golf, Kota Kinabalu

Add: 1 Sutera Harbour Boulevard, Sutera Harbour, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

My one and only round at KK on this recent trip, it was just too rainy! Thanks to J for the round again. Uncle P and Uncle C joined us as well.


A great time for all!


Pan Pacific Sutera in the background ...


J played really well...


BANG! From the bunker ...

J just out-drove Uncle P!

The sun sets an hour earlier in Sabah then it does in Semenanjung / Peninsular Malaysia.

We played the last two holes under floodlights ... very tough to read the greens and focus by this stage! It had been a while since I stopped keeping score, but I did so on this round, after all it was meant to simply be a "knock about", and I was just looking forward to having some R&R time in KK :-)

Ps. From the corporate website...

The Sutera Harbour Golf Club is one of Malaysia’s most impressive golf experiences. Not only is it one of the most picturesque golf courses in Malaysia, but it is also Sabah and East Malaysia’s only golf course equipped with night golfing facilities.
This Sabah golf course consists of 27-holes of championship, Graham Marsh designed holes and provides a golfing challenge for both intermediate and seasoned golfers. Voted Malaysia’s Best Golf Resort at the 2006 World Travel Awards and Best Golf Resort at Hospitality Asia’s 2005 Platinum Awards, this Sabah golf course is a golf resort in Kota Kinabalu not to be missed for your golf holiday to Malaysia or Sabah.
But more than just a Sabah golf course, the Sutera Harbour Golf Club is a golf vacation destination. If you are looking for a golf holiday in a golf resort that has everything, then Sutera Harbour Golf Club is as far as you need to look. Located on the Sutera Harbour Resort property, the Golf Club is part of the integrated Resort experience, where golf goes hand-in-hand with luxurious 5-star accommodation, pampering spa treatments, watersports and other recreational facilities and 14 dining outlets for a varied culinary experience.

Land Cruiser Amazon 4.2 TD - Toyota UK Spec 100 Series

A popular sight in Kota Kinabalu, I had the pleasure of driving one a couple of times, easy to maneuver, has excellent comfort-manners, plenty of torque and power on-call, and is really safe... For the driver and passengers! This is ... the Land Cruiser Amazon 4.2 TD. This particular version was imported from the UK, and comes with ALL the bells and whistles.


Wikipedia
1998 - Toyota introduced the 100 Land Cruiser to replace the 80. At launch the UZJ100 featured the first eight-cylinder engine (4.7-litre 32-valve 2UZ-FE petrol engine) in a Toyota four wheel drive. Other engines in non-US markets included the 1HD-FT/E turbodiesel. For the first time in Land Cruiser history, the 100 Series featured independent front suspension for increased on-road handling. In Africa and certain other markets, Toyota offered a 105 model, which retained the solid front axle for more demanding off-road use. The Land Cruiser won Australian 4WD Monthly's "4x4 Of The Year" award for the third time in a row. It was called the Land Cruiser Amazon in the UK until 2003.

The rear tail-gate has a rather easy to open "split" or window section as well as bottom section. Great for loading the pram or a set or four of golf clubs!

Side and rear view...


I love the touch-screen centre console, which is useful not only for the multimedia functions, as well as vehicle control and trip logs, but also as a rear camera / reverse monitor. Excellent safety for a vehicle this large, and much needed too! There's also GPS, but that seems to be configured to the UK (Check out the Liverpool map below!). The Bluetooth phone-connectivity seems to work easily as well.

Wikipedia

Total global production to date is 3.72 million vehicles. 90 Prados get active traction control (Active TRAC), vehicle skid control equipment (VSC), and electronic brake force distribution (EBD) systems as standard equipment in some markets.

2002 - All new 120 Prado is released and the 100 is restyled. The centre of gravity was reduced by 30 mm, ensuring better stability and dual fuel tanks with a total capacity of 180 L in the new 120 Prado. Downhill Assist Control and Hill-start Assist Control enhance the vehicle's stability under difficult off-road conditions.
Also called Lexus LX, Toyota Land Cruiser Amazon (UK 1998-2003)

Production 1998-2007

Assembly ARACO @ Yoshiwara, Aichi, Japan

Engine(s) 4.7 L V8 177 kW (237 hp) [Petrol], 4.2 L I6 146 kW (196 hp) [Diesel], and 3.0 L I4 [turbodiesel].

Transmission: 6-speed manual is available, or in this case ... a very smooth 5-speed automatic

Three modes for suspension height, Low/Sport, Normal, or High/Off-road. Wow!

More luxuries ... Memory electric seats for the front passenger as well as the driver. Even the steering tilt-telescopic controls are electric!

The rear passengers are well taken care of as well! Check out the console as well as the connectivity!

Audio-video (AV) capabilities come as a standard ... 2 LCD screens on the back of each of the front head-rests, which allow for DVD playback and/or PS2 / Nintendo etc. as well. Check out the multimedia player in the centre console, as well as two wireless headsets.

KL - Kota Kinabalu on Air Asia AK5110

Flight: Air Asia AK 5110
Time: 10:30am - 12:55pm (Flight arrived 10 minutes early!)
Route: KL's LCCT - Kota Kinabalu

Flight was rather empty, I had 3 of the front seats all to myself, even whipped out my Nikon D80 and Tamron 17-50mm to shoot these shots, it was so bright I had the shutter speed at a max of 1/2000s.

Hotel Maya - Still Waters, Cantonese lunch set menu launch

Add: Hotel Maya, 138 Jalan Ampang, KL
Located: Near KLCC, opposite Zouk


Hotel Maya has recently introduced a set lunch menu, with chinese cuisine tailored for the individual. These sets are available from Monday till Friday, at Still Waters, and is priced from RM$40. The meal comes with unlimited refills of jasmine or green tea. There was a consistent theme throughout the Cantonese contemporary meal, with the focus being on freshness, quality, and bite sized servings. The presentation was clean and sophisticated with white dishes used throughout. A typical set meal here would last one hour, with a good variety of dishes, which is suitable timing for a quick business lunch. Most tables here seat four to six people, but there is one private room available, which sits between 12 to 20 persons depending on the preferred layout.



Appetiser ...


The starter we chose was that of an Alaskan crab meat spring roll. I was impressed that it was not oiley, and the crab meat was both fresh and sweet. The manager explained to us that a lot of fine-tuning over the year resulted in an appropriate portion size, in order to allow the patron to complete all the courses!


Next came the Oriental codfish, which was served with a slice of Fresh ginseng. It was interesting that the cod had a meat-like firm but smooth texture. It was served in soya sauce which was fragrant yet not overpowering. I particularly enjoyed the generous slice of home made tofu, which the fish sat on.

The Chinese Spinach Vegetable with salted egg yoke was created as the Chef personally likes egg yoke. Once again the sauce did not overpower, and whilst the garlic pieces were mild, the flavours came through.

I enjoyed the next dish, Noodles in soup with Har Gao. The noodles had a smooth texture and just like the other dishes, it was simply easy eating! The way to enjoy this dish is to first eat the springy noodles (before it gets soggy), and finish off with the delicious har gao.

Finally, the Durian pancake was served. Despite this being a local D24 durian, the dish was well balanced and mild. I ended up leaving Maya full, but not with an over-ate feeling. The helpings were appropriately sized and delicious, and I look forward to my next visit here.

Other desserts, which can be chosen from other set menus ... Mango Pudding (Photo below) as well as Almond Jelly.

The Executive Chef gave an interview to the press who were present at this food tasting...

ps. Didn't indulge in wines, it was after all ... lunch!

Tien Tien Lai Seafood, Setapak

Tien Tien Lai Seafood is located in the heartlands of Setapak, not far from Tasik Titiwangsa and what was the Eye On Malaysia. Here's a previous review of our visit to this eatery. It's a humble eatery, located off the beaten track.

Choice of veges ... plenty of "fire" or "wok hey"!


The signature dish... Sweet and Sour fish.

Sweet and Sour Pork - I much prefer the ones served at Dynasty Hotel and Chow Yang in SS2 PJ!

Full of flavour ... Kung Poh Deer Meat. So tender!

Chicken with Onion Rings ... Interesting!

Very sweet ... Seaweed soup. The dreaded MSG perhaps!? Hmm...

Ma Po To Fu - Average, sauce was a little too tomato-ey.

Finally ... tasty, and rather mild (Not so bitter, thank goodness!) Bitter Gourd Omellette.

Thanks once again to bro SK for the treat :-) RM$180 for all the above, or RM$20 a person. Good value!

Taiwan Yes, SS15 at Subang Jaya

Add: Taiwan Yes (Yes, that's the name of the restaurant!) @ B5-G, Jalan SS15/4D, Subang Jaya
Tel: +603 5633 3280
Located: Near Public Bank

Niu Roh Fan (Beef meat with Rice) - Excellent, but not enough "gravy"
Thanks to Winner for introducing this dish to me many years ago at Taipei ... Remember our trip, Sammy, Sim, Win?


Repeat order ... ANOTHER Niu Roh Fan, but this time with an extra bowl of gravy. Marvellous!


"Oyster" Mee Suah ... pretty good, and much better then Shihlin Taiwanese Street Snacks


Average ... Taiwanese Sausage.

Lucky Garden, Bangsar - Chap fan and Sarawak Laksa

Add: Nam Chuan Coffee shop @ 2-4 Lorong Ara Kiri, Lucky Garden, Bangsar

Delicious Chap Fan or Economy Rice ... think this may have been the first time I had it for breakies!


"Aunty's" Sarawak Laksa ... meticulously prepared and garnished, and tastes wonderful!
Here's a previous review of one of my fave breakfast places!


Average Teh Ais ...

Fun Lot Trading - Great company name!

Great name for a company ... as spotted in Nilai, near Seremban.

Mizu Japanese - TTDI Plaza, KL

Add: C-2-1, TTDI Plaza, Jalan Wan Kadir 3, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, KL.
Tel: +603 7728 6498


Congrats DJ on the big decision :-) C and E joined us for dins as well in TTDI Plaza one evening. Here's a review from a previous visit to this eatery. Mizu always serves really good japanese meals.

C and E chose the ... Special Oshokuji (RM$36) and the Sake Yaki to Tempura Zen (RM$43)



Japan Unagi Zen (RM$78) - Just too much Unagi, one slice would have been enough, but the serving came with two!

Tamagoyaki (RM$20) - Not brilliant, pity as this is one of my fave jap tidbits!

Gyu Shogayaki to Sashimi Zen (RM$53)

My idea of comfort food

The specifics of what dishes constitute comfort food differs from country to country, as it does from different cultures and individuals. One evening my family prepared a trio combination of dishes that near enough meets my definition!

Stir fried cabbage - Sweetness of the shrimps and carrots brought this dish to life!


Just like my younger days ... Baked beans with minced chicken. Interesting to see this dish presented at most "chap fan" (economy rice) stalls. I guess that's cos' it is simple, cheap and sauce-y!


Mui Choy Pork - Simply delicious if prepared and cooked with some TLC!

ps - This last dish is not my idea of comfort food, but it certainly is my family's. A hint of curry powder on the perfectly fried fish, retaining the meat's juiciness. Good stuff!

Happy Birthday, Pat! Frontera Bar and Grill Tex-Mex, Jaya One

Happy Birthday, cousin!


Add: Frontera Bar & Grill @ 18-G-2, Block L, Jaya One. 72A, Jalan Universiti, PJ
Location & Restaurenteur: Tucked at the far end of the "bungalows" of Palm Square, is Frontera that is run by a friendly American, Larry Martin who used to run the hotdog stand at Hartamas Square. Thanks to Masak Masak for the information.
Tel: +603 7958 8515
Note: Pork free
Opening hours: Daily, 11am - 11pm

Time for Margaritas ... any idea which one is Horny!? Check out the menu...

Stuffed nachos ... Could have packed more zing and kick!

Chicken drumsticks and wings ... Service was slow, we were famished by the time these arrived! They were delicious though :-)

Nachos with a dip ... KK's choice I think.

Hmm... which dish was this?

Chimicanga Frontera (RM$23.95) - Well recommended by Masak Masak!

Uh ... after all the margaritas, I have no idea what the other dishes were, but I thought the food was only average. Alas...

This may be the ... Enchiladas Nortena (RM$28.95)

Nice meeting all my cousin's mates, especially LJL, MG and KK. Special thanks to JQ for very efficiently putting the evening together :-)

Anjappar, Chettinad Indian cuisine at Bangsar KL

Add: 56 Jalan Maarof, Bangsar, KL
Tel: +603 2288 1508

Anjappar is a Chettinad (Cuisine from Chennai, India) non-vegetarian restaurant, it has been operating in its present Bangsar location for some years now and serves some really good authentic indian food. Only problem is I found it too spicey!

We chose, and enjoyed ... Deep fried cauliflower, Meat curry dish, Chicken dish, and an excellent Fruit-briyani. Along with a Naan and Mango Lassi, the total bill came up to a reasonable RM$58.

Dama Vocal Festival 2008 at KLPac Sentul, KL

Add: Kuala Lumpur Performance Arts Centre (KLPac) @ Pentas 1, Sentul Park, Jalan Strachan (off Jalan Ipoh) , KL
Tel: +603 20940400 or +603 4047 9000
Festival Concerts: Thurs, 30 Oct @ 8.30pm: Western Arias / Classical SongsFri,
31 Oct @ 8.30pm: Musical and Crossover Songs,
Sat, 1 Nov @ 3.00pm & 8.30pm: Chinese Classical & Folk Songs
Sun, 2 Nov @ 3.00pm & 8.30pm: Chinese Golden Oldies

A little treat for two very special people :-) They did say they had fun!


NST Online
To be held at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre in Sentul Park from Oct 30 to Nov 2, Dama’s artistic director Khor Seng Chew says the festival will offer leading local professional singers a platform that’s shared by Dama’s unique musical sensibilities.
“It’s a coming together of a common aspiration. The concerts will offer operatic arias and classical songs, musicals, Chinese classical songs, folk songs and popular oldies or evergreens on different days,” says the 52-year-old pipa (Chinese lute) maestro.
The singers are sopranos Phoon Sook Peng, Khoo Hooi Lay and Angel Lee with tenor Armando Chin Yong.
Phoon studied at Trinity College of Music, London, Royal Conservatory in The Hague and the Hochschule fur Musik in Dresden. She was based in The Netherlands, where she was associated with the Netherlands Opera. She returned to Malaysia in 2000 and worked on several Dama projects, including the Spring Kisses Lover’s Tears album.
You will enjoy Phoon’s vocal talent on all four of the concert days.
Khoo studied at the Detmold Musikhochschule, Germany. A former grand champion in the Malaysian Classical Singing Competition — a rare honour shared by Dama’s principal soprano Tan Su Suan — Khoo has also won prizes in singing competitions in Australia and Asia as well as performed solo in Madame Butterfly and The Fiery Angel, among others.
Lee is a veteran recording artiste in Malaysia. To date, she has five solo albums to her credit while her debut album won AIM accolades. Noted for her expressive vocal interpretation, Lee has won many awards in singing competitions in Malaysia and abroad.
Chin Yong took up advanced vocal studies in Rome, Italy, before working at the Dresden National Opera House. While in Europe, he won numerous prizes at international singing competitions, with critics hailing him as an outstanding and promising young tenor.
For the Oct 30 concert featuring Western Aria And Classical Songs, listen to Nessun Dorma (from Opera Turandot), Caro Nome (Opera Rigoletto), O Sole Mio and Die Forelle (German art song), among others.
The Chinese Golden Oldies 3pm concert on Nov 2 will have the assistance of narrator Ian Ng, who has worked with Dama for the past 11 years.
An architect in private practice, he has guested in the TV3 sitcom, Getting Together, and appeared in James Lee’s independent film, Ah Beng Returns. Ng was last seen in Popiah Picture’s Ghost on 8TV.

Price of petrol has gone down once again! RM$2.15 per litre

As recently seen at our local fuel depots ...


Hmm, much more bearable now? RM$2.15 per litre.


I remember when the price of gas was at its peak at RM$2.70 mid-year , and subsequently it was reduced to RM$2.30 in the 3rd quarter of 2008 . But check out a couple of funnies I pinched below...