Hypotheses

The following conversation took place at a (sports) bar in some other country (not Malaysia), while waiting for a live performance:

Metrosexual muslim guy - who proclaims his love for shopping (was drinking beer at the scene):
U know the other day i had my eyes on this ZARA shoes... it was really nice.

Hot muslim girl - who also likes shopping (dons the headgear but went to the bar as a friend -of her friend got her free tickets to watch a band performing live and initially had no idea it was held at a bar):
I think ZARA shoes are rather expensive...

Metrosexual muslim guy - who proclaims his love for shopping (was drinking beer at the scene):
Not really, it was only USD38.2446.

Hot muslim girl - who also likes shopping (dons the headgear but went to the bar as a friend-of her friend got her free tickets to watch a band performing and initially had no idea it was held at a bar):
Oh okay, that's not too bad. So did u buy it??

Metrosexual muslim guy - who proclaims his love for shopping (was drinking beer at the scene):
No. It has pig skin lining.

Hot muslim girl - who also likes shopping (dons the headgear but went to the bar as a friend-of her friend got her free tickets to watch a band performing and initially had no idea it was held at a bar):
Ahhh.... (but thinking, u can drink beer but u can't wear a pig skin lining shoes?? Okayyy..).

Later, after the loud (but brilliant) music performance the Hot muslim girl - who also likes shopping (dons the headgear but went to the bar as a friend-of her friend got her free tickets to watch a band performing and initially had no idea it was held at a bar) told her friend about the conversation she had with the Metrosexual muslim guy - who proclaims his love for shopping (was drinking beer at the scene), and the friend replied,

"Well, if u wear pig skin lining, u have to samak but if u drink then there is no such need.. that's what i think."

But the Hot muslim girl - who also likes shopping (dons the headgear but went to the bar as a friend-of her friend got her free tickets to watch a band performing and initially had no idea it was held at a bar) was thinking, that's exactly it. At least u CAN samak if u wear those shoes. But the drinking, it becomes part of your flesh, part of you, which has the substance running wild in your veins. No?


p/s: Please bear with me. The author is now suffering from a major lack of inspiration.......

*some small facts are changed due to making this conversation more or less fictional. But not the "HOT" part describing the muslim girl, though :p

BOLD

... is the way to go ;)

Weird Dreams

The other day, i dreamt that i was helping out on a movie set along some friends. Among the cast was Ida Nerina. And something else happened.

And last night, there was Batman, the caped crusader. He was the villain, killing people using toothpaste as its deadly weapon.

What the heck??

Sucker

The one thing i could not resist at the Metrojaya Warehouse Sale recently was this blouse from BITTEN by SJP which i found amidst the mounting pile of Goggles clothing. Sesat. It was the only one. And it was in my size. Not that i was crazy about it, but it's by Sarah Jessica Parker. Lucky it's cheap :P

Yeap, me the sucker.

No photos of felines, please!

If you love your cats, please don't take photos of them. I wanted to blog and post a photo of this cat we found days ago but the conversation i had with my cousin last week stopped me from doing so.

I'm sure some of you have heard that if you take a photo of them (i'm not sure if this only applies to cats), it will die. It may be of pure coincidence but since it has happened more than once to some people i know, i am now just too afraid that it might happen to our new little cat. I am not superstitious, just being careful here.

Anyways, his name is Scabby, after his scabby ears :)

Mamma Mia Madness!

I'm just so crazy over Mamma mia the Movie right now! I've watched it more than once (shoot me!), few days ago being the last time when mum and dad came and stayed over. I put it on and told them to relive their past. At first, dad said, "macam hindustan je.." (because of the singing and all) but still, he stayed on to watch the entire movie even it was already late! Haha..

I manage to get the tickets to the Musical (though the tickets we gals wanted has sold out and had to fork out a bit more). But i am so excited!!

5 weeks..

.. was how long i have been missing from my blog. Not that i don't have anything to share, but during the fasting month, i was simply drained out. (I'm just so glad i don't have to get up for work this time. I don't know how i manage to keep up the last 2 years, seriously). And after that, i have to admit that i have some trouble to begin writing again.

Ok. A lot has happened since 5 weeks ago, since i've been tagged. There's the (sudden) passing of an aunt. Remember my entry on Kampung (an unintended long entry)? The nice old lady who showed me how to pick mangosteens (we call her Mak Bung ) passed away during the fasting month. I went back to my hometown to be with my family on the first day of puasa, and visited her and Mak Wan (hubby's grandma) at his aunt's place. She was all well, free from any signs of sickness. But suddenly we were hit by the news that she was admitted to the hospital. She passed away on the 3rd week of Ramadhan, a few days after discovering that she had a tumor on her spine and had to go for immediate surgery. The surgery was successful, though the doctor said the chances for her to heal was not very promising. Unfortunately, her heart collapsed and was announced dead on Friday night at 8.46pm at HKL. It happened so fast. She was such a nice old lady, warm at all times. She had always made me feel comfortable from the very first time i met her at my SIL's wedding. I can never forget her for being chatty (i don't mean irritatingly chatty, but rather in a sweet and friendly way). May you rest in peace.

Mak Bung
1939-2008

Fasting month has always been a simple affair for us. No fancy buffet or anything like that. And we don't like the food bazaar too. I just think buffet spreads are overpriced and the food they sell at the bazaar most often than not, sucks. I do lots of cooking during this time of the year. Maybe even more than i do in a year! Haha. Just simple dishes and desserts, though. I stayed up most nights till sahur time (because we missed 2 days of sahur early ramadhan, leavingme feeling guilty endlessly). I was never a sahur person, but since it's mandatory for the hubby, i had to prepare meals according to his odd work hours. I would just mostly prepare them, but never really touched anything. Just a glass of yoghurt drink for a dose of calcium and a bottle of plain water for me. I normally could not sleep after that, so i would stay up watching Grey's Anatomy. Hence, you can imagine my sleeping pattern was such a mess. So much for spiritual cleansing, eh. I know :"

Then it was raya time. Oh before that, my car is back! At last, just in time for raya. We get to do the long travel in her after such a long wait (yes, it's a she). I was very fortunate that the engine was not affected by the crash [pix here]. Only major bodyworks had to be done but we need to send it back, as we (or rather he) found some defects here and there (it's handy to have an expert on cars with you :)). I did some maintenance and uplifting job around the house for raya (with the help from my handy men, of course). Mounted a mirror at the dining area, put a fresh coat of white paint for the exterior wall that was long overdue, put up photo frames around the place and bought some plants and slates for the garden. No baju raya or kasut raya for me this year. I don't normally have that anyway as i am not really a raya person ever since.. well, i turned 10 maybe? 

Why? Let me just say being the only daughter with 3 brothers does not put you in that raya spirit so much. (Except for the duit raya :)). The cleaning, the cooking, the ironing for the whole household.. blegh. But ever since i got married, it's always putting the house together that i look forward to mostly come Hari Raya. And i do enjoy a good gathering at friends' and relatives' (only the nice ones, though.. haha), having people at our place and the good food. And that's that.

Pixes of my handymen at work.Tak payah upah Bangla ;)

Kid bro getting off old paint before putting on a fresh new one.

Hubby measuring precisely where to drill to install the mirror.
I was the consultant and the QC lady :)

Signing off now, wishing you and your family a blessed Aidilfitri. Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir Batin from moi. Cheers!

Tagged

I have been busy running around since before puasa, accompanying the other half to the track, and then off to our parents' to puasa together since he had a 4-day off. And then the internet connection was really bad..i wasn't in the mood to blog... yada yada yada.

Anyways, i hope it's not too late to wish all muslims Selamat Berpuasa. And in my absence, our country celebrated it's 51st Independence Day. 51st.. i think that is something, don't you?

I've been tagged so let's do this, for the fun of it.

5 BAD HABITS IN SCHOOL
1. always, always curik tulang.. school was my playground, my means of escapism.

2. bring liquid papers that was prohibited

3. bukak tudung bila time balik (because it was darn hot and i had to take the public bus under the blazing sun)

4. wear fancy sports socks which we are not supposed to.. but not after i was made prefect.. i think..

5. prefects are suppose to fine students who break the rule, but i wasn't one of them. I hated doing it not to gain popularity among the people, simply because i was against the idea that we had a quota of how many samans we should impose in a week. And not to mention some of the ridiculous rules the school had. So the habit here is not saman-ing.. hehe

3 FAVOURITE SUBJECTS IN SCHOOL... WHY??
1. Art.. err because i'm arty at heart??

2. English.. i like learning languages and i like words. BM is too complicated.. frasa.. prosa klasik.. prosa moden.. get the picture?

3. Physics.. because even seated at the front in the lab, me n my friend had a way to communicate through our shared text book!! Once we almost get caught, but thank god, the teacher didn't confiscate our textbook which was full of SECRETS! (I wonder if my friend still has that textbook.. hmm..)

4. Chemistry.. when i was doing accountancy in college that i realised i'd rather do chemistry 1000 times more! Oh sorry, i was suppose to list 3.

3 SUBJECTS YOU DON'T LIKE... WHY??
1. History.. it is such an interesting subject, but all history teachers, i repeat, ALL history teachers never fail to succeed in making the subject the MOST BORING subject in school! I find it sad..

2. Accounting.. like i said, i prefer chemistry a thousand times more. Enough said.

3. Economics.. this was an extra subject i took for the exam. It was either this, or Accounting for the science students. Since i hated accounting, i took economics. But since i love art and loathe the economics teacher, i later dropped this subject and took up Art. And never regretted it!

ATTRACTIVE ON YOU...?
err.. my slender figure?? hahaha.. NOT! Maybe my wit.

U LIKE MOST...?
i'm happiest when i'm home or away on a vacation, far away from the madness of life.

YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT...???
i have to say my senses.

WHO DO YOU CALL EACH NIGHT BEFORE GOING TO BED..?
hubby if he's supposed to be back but still no sign of him..

and this little kid (my brother) that isn't so little anymore. He's here on a break and sees his friends almost every night (he drives me around in the day since my car is taking forever to be ready), i'd call him to remind him that the carriage has turned into a pumpkin like an hour ago.

YOUR TAG VICTIMS
whoever, you are free to tag yourselves.

The one with the dialogue.. of a broken toe

It was 2 days ago. I was getting out of bed. I climbed to the foot of the bed and somehow the littlest toe of my right foot got caught in the gap between the mattress and the bed frame as the rest made it out of the bed. I think. It's either that, or that i accidentally folded and sat on it. I felt a sudden twinge. But being the clutz that i am, the pain was rather typical and i did not think that i had hurt myself seriously till i looked down on my foot. (That was after hubby asked, "why are you walking like that?" I casually said “Oh, kaki i tersangkut kat katil tadi..”)

Much to my horror and amazement, i saw the fifth toe sticking out pointing at 2 o’clock! In shock, i could not help but to burst into laughter! It was really funny! Painful, but really funny nevertheless. I swear if you look at it, you will hoot in disbelief too! (I have a pix taken while waiting for the doc but am not gonna post it since it looked too awful!) I pointed to hubby still in utter astonishment and he thought that i was pulling some kind of an acrobatic stunt, that i could do that naturally. Can u believe that? I then finally stopped laughing when suddenly it hit me. Is it broken? He stopped the chuckle too and we rushed to the clinic. I was then referred to the hospital.

I had officially broke my toe. It was after seeing the Ferrari & Liverpool avid supporter doctor who twice jabbed anaesthetic on each side of the toe and with a Bismillah pulled it with a small ‘ktak’ sound and an X-ray later that it was confirmed. (I sure hope it has nothing to do with hubby disclosing that he is a Mc Laren fan).

The conversation that took place in his clinic was as follows:

Doc: So what happened to you?

Clutz: I think my toe got dislocated or maybe it's broken.

Doc: Okay, let's have a look at it. Over here (pointing at the bed while making his way).

I carefully slipped off my slippers.

Doc: Boleh pakai slipper lagi?

Clutz: :) (tersengih)

Doc: Did you kick him? (suddenly he asked, referring to the hubby)

Clutz: What? Nooo! (How could i? That's derhaka ok)

Doc: Did he kick you then? (Lowering his voice now, followed by a laughter)

Clutz: Hahaha.. Takkk (Berani la buat)

Doc: So what happened?

I told him.

Doc: Hmm.. oklah i percaya that is the truth (Chaih)

Clutz: Well it is, trust me. (reassuring him though i cannot help laughing along because i too can't believe how it happened)

Doc: Ok i think i believe you (still laughing.. haha)

He said in most cases where ppl hurt especially their pinky more often than not, refuse to tell that they were involved in a fight. So that's why he asked.

The poor broken fellow is now tied to the guy next to him and will have to be bound together for 2 weeks to allow it to heel naturally. Two times a day, i need to put ice on it for 10 minutes or so. But i can walk fine. Not as good, but still, fine. Alhamdulillah, Thank God.

I still make it to my cousin’s engagement later that evening and my friend’s wedding yesterday afternoon though in slippers :)

Birthday

My sister-in-law just reminded me of my birthday. I honestly wasn't aware it was coming so soon.

Hmm.. perhaps i didn’t realise how time really flies..Or that i don’t think it's really that big a deal.
Or perhaps i was trying hard not to think about it (and it worked!).
Or i was hoping i still have months to go.
Or maybe it's because i have had 27 birthdays before? Haha.

(I remember having gone to the circus with grandpa (and my brother) on my 7^th birthday and only realised that it was my birthday the next day!). So maybe it happens like every 21 years? I wonder.

Oh, and the other day i have also forgotten my best friend's birthday! When i wished her apologetically, she went.. "How can you forget? It's only 20 days away from yours!" Maybe that's why i have forgotten hers. Because i didn't remember mine. Gosh, i hope nothing serious is happening to me.

p/s: To the best friend, again, I am sorry. And yes, i still owe you a wedding present due to my absence. To SIL, thank you for reminding. And the proposal sounds kind of fun too! :)

Dr. Martens

A cousin of mine is busy looking for one to replace his old pair that he has given away only to regret it later. He has been bugging me (not that i don't enjoy his bugging) on msn on this and i decided to write about the footwear -- Dr. Martens, Doc Marts, DMs.

I am a shoe lover (though i have to admit to have a weakness for bags too). I have a pair of Doc Martens purchased wa.....aaaay back when i was about 17 years old in which i love to bits and still have them till this very day!

It was the IN thing at that time. Everybody has to have one. And so, with much love (for shoes) and determination, i finally get to buy the shoes from the neighbouring country, as our place in JB has not many variety. You can only get them from places like the Old West or Rock Station at that time and the designs were very, very limited (and that the kind available were more of those the skinheads would wear - 10 or 14 holes).

I bought my DMs with the hard earned money i received from working 9-5 while waiting for the SPM result as my parents never shower us with such luxury and trust me, it will only be asking for death if i ever voice out such request. It is by far the most expensive shoes i've ever spent on (though i just splurged on a black heel pump that is of higher price yesterday, but it was at a 60% discount, so practically the DMs still remain my most expensive shoes). It was about RM400 after conversion but it was money well spent. (Mum, if you're reading this, i know i said it was around RM200+ last time (or did i say RM100+?), but that was so long ago, so let's just forgive and forget, ok?)

I used to pair them up with jeans, mini skirts, even dresses for outings, it was perfect. Mum and dad used to tease me of the difficulty to take them off and putting them back on when visiting but i didn't mind at all. I was very happy with the pair! :)

The classic Dr. Martens boots is in black leather and with the signature yellow stitching (as small pix above). But they do come in different designs and colours. I once saw the one in electric blue and fell in love with it instantly. But being the practical gal that i am, i managed to refrain myself to fall for it since it will be odd to be running around in electric blue boots in most cases and that you can't pair them up with a green dress or a red skirt. Maybe some of you would, but it's just not my style. So, i bought myself a 6 holes in light brown suede instead (large pix). (They now have this delicious chili red pump i just saw online).

I've stopped wearing them altogether now, but back then in college days up in North, it has served me well (apart from my selipar jepun) during my years of exploring the island of Langkawi going up and down the hills of Telaga Tujuh and Durian Perangin to name a few, during nights out fishing at the jetty and going to classes (in style) when it was raining cats and dogs, given it's durability. My brother had several times worn the DM's to the wet market nowadays because not only they protect him from the wetness, they are non-slip too!
As for me, i'm planning to keep it. I may use them again some day. For hiking or something and if it goes back in style i'd still wear them, even with the hijab. Or with kids. I don't mind :)

Kampung - an unintended long entry

Last week, we visited grandma (Mak Wan) at his kampung, my better half. Wasn't my first time being there, but saw it in a different light nevertheless as we get to spend a longer time. Brought along the kid brother. Who too, found consolation from the place. The city boy. Grew up knowing very little about living in a village just like his elder sister. Whom only once in a blue moon gets a taste of the kampung ambiance when he was still so young.

We had a kampung. Our great grandmother's (Tok Nek). Whom we only visited if and when we pass by the house to or from my hometown when travelling, when she was still around. She passed away when i was 14. My brother was then still at the tender age of 6. The large compound, the wooden house, the trees, the breeze of Mak Wan's house took us back down memory lane. He can still remember the house quite vividly. Where the great grandmother spends the last years of her life. Mostly alone. The house was built far off from the gate, a row of rambutan trees would welcome each visitor from both sides of the road leading to the house. It has the old fundamental wooden structure in the middle, sandwiched between the concrete extensions of the living room and the kitchen area after remodelling. On the side, lies a large porch with curved arches, where we normally would sit to enjoy the kampung breeze and listen to the sound of crickets singing in accord. There, we would also play games and run from one end to another to prove who was the fastest and gave out lame reasons to justify our losses in giggles, but at all times refraining our eyes from even the slightest gaze at the small gate where you could gain access to the dark area under the old wooden stretch. At the back of the house was a massive land area with many rubber trees.

He remembered how we used to walk (and sometimes run) as fast as we could from the kitchen area to the living room at the front, passing the cold, dark wooden part of the house, never dare turning our heads or even the corner of our eyes towards the old rooms for it was very gloomy and never once fail to give us the chills. We would visit only these 2 concrete parts of the house for afraid of any unwanted encounter. Though none of us really ever did.

She (the great grandmother) would only stay at the kitchen area, where a room and a small bath was built specially for her to better access the kitchen for meals as she wouldn't want to leave her home. She was always very quiet, the great grandmother. Sitting on the wooden dining chair unspoken, looking pale but pleased with our visit, every time. Clad in small floral prints cotton baju kurung and batik sarong, as she normally would, a small bun always neatly set on her long, gray hair. A warm smile would draw on her small face, exposing fine lines that had gathered from her 90 years whenever dad or any of us uttered something that amuses her. I wish i had a photo of her and her house too, for the house are no longer there, replaced by a factory after she was long gone, but i don't. I did not know her well. What more my younger brother. All i have is this remaining memory of how she used to look like and what used to be there that soon will fade as time passes by. But with this entry, perhaps it could help me remember how it all used to look like once again, when that day comes.

Today, at her age of 89, Mak Wan's house is still very much alive and well taken care of for she stays with 2 of her children. Sometimes 3. Though old, the house is far from a state of dreary. Unlike aruah Tok Nek's. Even though she can now barely stand up, the house is still as lively as can be. Each room are filled with bright sunlight, the sound of the tv surrounding the living area, the kitchen, busy with sounds of the frying of keropok and the clanking of cups and dishes, and the trees are still green and bear delicious fruits each year. Near the house, within the large compound sits another wooden shack now used to keep old, unused stuff. An old well that is no longer in use are a few steps away from the main entrance to the house.

That day, we relived the memory of aruah Tok Nek's house, ate juicy fruits, even plucked them ourselves and get to bring home some too, rode on the bike (which once belong to my hubby), had keropok, hand picked bunga kantan, in short, had great fun. That day, i took the opportunity to photograph the only kampung i have left. And today, i shall have the privilege of sharing them with you.

from private grounds

2 guys savouring on durian kampung

city boy wandering around

the boy and his kampung

boys on truck

the bike and its proud previous owner

his favourite pastime before he could legally get his hands dirty on car engines

the gleeful brother on the 17 year old bike

old well

lovely window

Mak Wan in the living room

checking out the old shack

the kitchen

this is how you do it, she says..

a skill i picked up on the day trip..

menjolok buah manggis - for the first time in my life:
here's a bag-full of the crap.. i mean crop.. heh

another thing i handpicked and get to bring home for asam pedas and tom yam!

goodies

one for the album
(kindly excuse our selekehness.. hehe)

My Bali Story (err.. yes, finally)

The Hotel

It’s called the Abian Biu Residence. A small boutique hotel with only 10 rooms located in the serene area of Kerobokan near Seminyak perfect for un-happening couple like us who prefer peace and quiet. Our room – the Kamajaya Ratih (which means the Goddess of Love as told by our nifty tour guide) was decorated modestly yet amicably with a sizeable bed with canopy, colourful stained glass decorating the large windows and the door to the outdoor bath. Huge, rustic handcrafted doors fixed at the entrance as well as to the terrace added more charm to the room (although hubby didn’t really fancy it. But that’s what makes it Balinese, right?). The outdoor bath was amazing (i initially thought it would be creepy!) and finally, it has a kitchenette as well as a separate dressing area.

The hotel carries the elements of Oriental-Javanese in its concept which was very ideal for yours truly given her roots are a mix of the two clan (as you can clearly make out from the combo of slightly slit eyes, somewhat fair skin and the unmistakably broad nose.. hehehe). We were also told by the tour guide that the name Abian Biu translates Perkebunan Pisang (Banana farm) in bahasa (told you he was nifty!) Though there are no banana trees in sight, i believe the Heliconia (it belongs to the banana tree family,right??) being its signature decoration validates the name.

The staffs were friendly and accommodating, hospitality was superb! The hotel also has a Spa and we couldn’t be any happier to get the free 30 minutes foot massage included in the package!

However, only if you plan to sign up for tours (that provides pickup from the hotel) or that you plan to stay put (ie. you do not expect to get around on foot) that we would recommend you to stay at this hotel as it is situated rather distant from town and that it will take some familiarity of the place for people to find it. Even for the locals.

Abian Biu Residence
(i was shocked to learn the name of the tea we were drinking after half way! :D)

The Tours

An arrangement (and negotiations) had been done 2 weeks prior to the trip via internet (don’t you just love what technology can do for you!) and Bali Star Island was responsible for presenting Bali at its best to us for the next 3 days.

Day 1 – Uluwatu Tour

Sunset and Kecak Dance at Uluwatu Temple, Seafood Dinner at Jimbaran

It was a half day tour which starts at 4.30pm. As our flight from KUL-DPS landed around 2pm, we had just enough time before the tour. The journey from our hotel to the Uluwatu Temple took about an hour, in which our tour guide had utilised to enlighten us about the island. The Hindu Temple is located right on the edge of the sea cliff overlooking the magnificent Indian Ocean. It is one of the 6 biggest temples in Bali and one of the great places to view the sunset. We saw the fascinating Kecak dance performance here at the temple that tells the story of Ramayana. Very unique indeed.

The power supply went out just as the Kecak performance was ending. The event happened due to the rationing of power supply in conjunction with the recent petrol price hike in Indonesia. Different parts of the region will be subjected to the power cut-off for a few hours every single day.

The tour then include a seafood dinner at Jimbaran Beach where we were seated right on the beach with the view of the sea front to end the evening. Having your meal in company with the sound of the wave and the sight of airplanes ascending & descending from the nearby airport was heaven especially for those into beaches and aircrafts :) There was also a local ensemble going from one table to another, putting together songs for you and your companion. A very romantic place if you wish to watch sunset too!

Day 2 – Kintamani Tour

Tegalalang Rice Terrace, Ubud & Kintamani

We started the tour at 9.30am. We stopped by to see some batik making and silver work at Batubulan and then proceeded to Ubud to see the Rice Terrace at Tegalalang en route to Kintamani. Luck was not on our side as the paddies were yet to be sowed at the time therefore, as much as the view was extraordinary, the terraces were patchy with brown soil. 

Kintamani, a hilly countryside offers a spectacular view of the volcanic Mount Batur and Lake Batur. The cool climate contributes to the lush greens and abundant fruit orchard which can be seen along the way to the plateau.It was simply breathtaking!

The brilliant landscape and the fresh, cool breeze brushing our bare skin made it possible for us to protest the buffet spread peacefully (luckily we weren’t that hungry). You can also spot the biggest mountain in Bali, Mount Agung in the background - a volcano now remains inactive after killing about 2000 people of the island when erupted in the early 80s.

Mas Joko (bersarong) kelihatan berposing di Tampak Siring @ Tirta Empul & Goa Gajah bersama isterinya, Neng Baizura hehe..

After the sucky lunch but a splendid panorama later, we stopped by at Tampak Siring aka Tirta Empul a holy spring water temple. Here, a big water source (which was so cool by the way) can be found which is believed to cure all kinds of illness and being used for cleansing and purification purposes by the local people. A palace founded by the first president of Indonesia can be spotted just on the hill next to the temple. 

There’s a myth to the existence of the spring water, but my memory is a bit rusty now. So i better not try too hard here for afraid that i might change history. Hehehe. However, the guide did tell us that they believe if one spots a white eel in the pool where the water source is, it will bring prosperity to the person but he also said that he had been there a hundred times but never once saw it. Haha! Perhaps next time, Ketut! (By the way, Ketut is a nickname to a fourth child, or eighth, and so forth).

Next we visited Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave) in Gianyar, originally a dwelling for Hindu priests. Hundreds years prior to that, a Buddhist temple was erected nearby in the eighth century but was later destroyed by a massive earthquake (the rubbles are still kept here). A small cave shaped like the capital letter T with a massive stone carving at the entrance is situated at a steep river valley. Bathing pools can be found close by, filled with water from spouts held by six female figures (one of which was actually stolen as what was conveyed to us). While the true history of the name remain uncertain, some say the name of the cave originates from the statue of Ganesha, part of the statue being an elephant. The tour did not include the visit to Tanah Lot but how can you go to Bali and miss the chance to see the Tanah Lot Temple. I heard the sunset there is gorgeous too. And so, we requested to extend the tour to Tanah Lot for the sunset.

Sunset and dinner at Tanah Lot

Before reaching Tanah Lot, we spent about an hour in a painting gallery in Ubud looking at the various art collection produced by local and foreign artists. I loved it, though we didn’t purchase any piece.

We finally arrived at Tanah Lot before 6pm. The place was flooded with tourists and the sea water was rising then. The guide led us to a restaurant nearby to enjoy the beautiful sunset where we had another round of seafood dinner (and had suffered mild diarrhoea (for me) and not so mild one for him).

Day 3 - Bali Rafting and Ubud Tour

White water rafting at Ayung River

Besides the scenic view of Lake & Mount Batur at Kintamani, another highlight on the trip has got to be the white water rafting adventure! We were told to be ready for pick up at 8.15am. But after 45 minutes of waiting, i knew the driver must have had trouble finding our remote hotel. But the van arrived as we were about to get the front desk to contact the rafting company. We joined a nice older couple from Singapore, Peter and Joanne (who thought we were Filipinos by the way) on the journey for the rafting experience. We were joined by another couple from the States and a guide in one raft. It was a 3-hour rapid love affair with the river and i enjoyed every second of it! Except the part where we need to climb the never-ending steps of hell get to the restaurant after the rafting ended. Phew! Well i guess every love affair comes with a hefty price, ey ;) The water level was measured at 3 and that was good enough of a rapid for me.

Ubud Art Market, Puri Saren (Ubud Palace)

We skipped the Monkey Forest as we were drained from the rafting. So we went to the Ubud Art Market for souvenirs that's just opposite the Ubud Palace aka Puri Saren where we next visit. There was a preparation for a royalty cremation in progress. The body, as we were informed has been kept more than a month as they were waiting for a good day for the ceremony to be held. The body will be laid in a cow-like figure (the riding animal of Lord Siva the Destroyer that represents death) made of wood before burning with an 11-tiered structure properly made of carved wood (which i am not too sure what it symbolises but for a commoner, a 5-tiered structure are normally prepared for this sad occasion).

The tour ended about 5.30pm and we wrapped the day with a 90 minutes body massage at the hotel spa at night followed by dinner from Mc Donald’s.

The Villa

Villa Victoria

We checked out from Abian Biu Residence and moved to Villa Victoria on the fourth day. We decided to experience the Villa as it was the popular mode of stay when you travel to Bali. Since staying at the villa is pricey, it’s only wise to stay in and chill to make every cent/second worth. Hehe. The place was introduced by a friend of mine, Harry (bukan nama sebenar) who went in May and said that it was beyond doubt a whole new experience and we thought we ought to try it! The villa was very private, stunningly done and of course, very comfy. The design was a mix of traditional Balinese and modern, with a private swimming pool, an open-air kitchen and rest area, a huge bath, a plasma TV complete with the DVD player and a very comfy bed that puts me to sleep every few minutes, no kidding! I had to stay away from the bed to prevent myself from dozing off! My fellow traveller really enjoyed the dip and spent hours in the pool. There was a food delivery guide provided by the villa that enabled us to order in Mid Eastern food from Queen’s Tandoor (something like our D’Tandoor) for dinner besides Mc Donald’s (again) the next day. The food was good (at last!).

The extend - Kuta on Day 5

Kuta Beach

We woke up rather behind schedule the next day and decided to take one last plunge before breakfast. I had started packing and it was heartbreaking that we only had a couple of hours before leaving. And then while having breakfast he said to me “why don’t we stay another day?” So that’s how it was decided. Since we travelled on concession tickets, the extension was not a problem. We visited Kuta at about 5pm, and saw the sunset (yup, another one) by the beach. We plan to look for a nasi padang restaurant but we changed our mind as soon as we got to the place. It looked pretty unconvincing and we didn’t want to risk having diarrhoea again. Not much shopping were done at Kuta. We were merely checking out the much talked about place that was very crowded and didn’t quite fancy it (like i said, we are an un-happening pair). But we did purchase quite a number of DVDs that we watched back at the villa as they cost only RM4 per piece! We took the flight at 2.30pm the next day and i get to try out the nasi kedewataan (plain rice served with veggie, fried chicken, fried anchovies and peanuts with a special extra hot sauce) at the airport before leaving Bali. Very yummy!

[Useful Tip: Be sure to search as many alternative and choices possible for place of stay and the tour packages. I highly recommend booking online as you can get very good prices and discounts too ;)].

p.s: Thanks Harry for the tip-off on the villa. We really loved it there!

Why the long pause

Pardon me for not updating this space, i am somewhat distracted by the MEGA SALE going on at the moment (it's crazy!), so the post on Bali trip will have to wait. And right now, we are at the Cineleisure Platinum lounge where hubby is busy on the massage chair while i am typing this. (Just trying out since they are offering RM25 before 6pm). Watching The Dark Knight in a moment. Hopefully it's worthwhile. Have fun shopping now!

The lounge

Bali

I'm back. As usual, i was not able to update the blog as soon as i got back as there were many things that requires much attention once reality has kicked in and plus, selecting the pics is not an easy task too! Hehe.. All in all, we had a lovely 6 days in Bali, which was a day longer than intended. It was very exciting to learn more about the people, the culture, the place, and the landscape were truly breathtaking! (Though our diet consists mainly of fruits, choc bars and bottled water after the 2nd day). Will update the details soon so stay tuned! :)

A quick post

.. to inform that i won't be updating my blog for a bit (at least not till next week). So do take care, read more good books, eat healthy, be nice to each other and watch your steps (i can still feel the pain on my ankle sometimes from falling down the stairs a while ago). See you soon! xoxo.

To snack or not to snack?

Speaking of the rising prices of stuff, i was out to do some shopping and made a stop at the pharmacy for some Dettol wipes and lip balm. That's when the husband pointed it to me in disbelief.

RM4.98 for a packet of candy bar?? I mean, if the price was RM3.50 is tolerable. Still expensive, but tolerable. But RM4.98? I almost cried. Ok drama, but seriously, gila mahal nak makan Snickers!

I always keep a Snickers bar somewhere in my house/the office (last time) because i get this sudden tremble from hunger (i call it the starvation attack) sometimes which nobody can explain to me so far - even if i just had breakfast/lunch like 20 minutes ago. My body would still be shaking, literally especially the hands. Some say i have high metabolic rate but i honestly have no idea if that was true. Dad was worried that i might have diabetes but that have been checked. Anyways, whenever it strikes, i would stuff myself (usually) with Snickers bars or cookies or whatever i can get my hands on till it stops (just food though, no pencils or keyboards have been damaged so far. So don't worry). It will normally take like 2 bars of Snickers, so now it'll cost me RM10 per attack?? Gosh. Isn't that a costly cure.

We later got to the supermarket, Jusco was offering RM2.09 for a pack of Snickers for their members, but since my membership expired like eons ago, it was RM2.70 for us. Even so, we still bought 10 packets. Almost got the whole box, no kidding. But we decided not to be kiasu and leave some for you guys instead. Hehehe.. (read: not enough $$). I just hope that that price stays only in the pharmacy.

If not then i guess, no Snickers on a regular day. Have to save those for the attacks. Sigh.

Start 'em young

Hey guys, Green diapers. Have you heard? With the major pinch of the current rising prices on stuff (thanks to the petrol price hike), this is something that you mothers out there can consider to save $$ on diapers for your young-lings and at the same time help preserve the environment too!

A true Malaysian product designed by a lawyer, Pn. Azrina Azmi who came up with the ingenious invention to help reduce the ever distressing pollution crisis (Malaysia Boleh!). It's cost effective, practical, safe, environmentally friendly (of course) and there are lots of colours to choose from!

My personal fave are the baby blue, lavender and raspberry.
Butter looks yummy too.

Check out the article Green Diapers on Star Online and the website Freshbots for more info.

Go green and instil that green mind in your kids while they're still young. Cheers!

[useless info: Lady Q was a member of the PREPEC (Preserve Planet Earth Club) in her school days. Even held an important position too! Heh.]

Is this your paradise?

I was asked to give a hand at her video certification shoot by this part-time gym instructor friend of mine a couple of weeks ago. It was a 60-minute stint and to be honest, it was my first experience stepping into a fitness club, that day. Wow, was i impressed with the people working diligently on the machines to stay in shape. I must admit that it did made me feel like working harder on my body (from home), if not sign up for the classes at the club!

As much as being the health-conscious person that i am, i don't go to the gym. Don't get me wrong, not that i am fully contented with the way i look, nor i have anything against those who work out at the gym. (Trust me, i have nothing but envy and utter admiration against those who gets to go the gym for a better build especially earning $$ to boot).

I get lots of questions as to why am i not a member despite being a close friend to a gym instructor.
So here's why:1. i can't afford to be a member (i have other priorities on my list) especially now that i no longer attached to the company that subsidise the membership fee.
2. i was afraid that i'll be paying the fees but ended up not going or going only like once a month (because i'm shy? or just plain antisocial sometimes). So that would be a waste. And
3. i don't see going to the gym as the only way to stay healthy or get in shape. It helps, yes. But it's not the only means. Just imho.

So right now, i'll stick to my own weight-lifting routines (which i started since college days because i thought, i mean, i knew i was too skinny and wanted to -konon- improve my physique ;) - which i work at the convenience of my own time & pace if i may add) and the power walks that i do with my other half (when he's in the right mood) at our favourite park nearby - which reminds me, it has been a while now. I'll show you the next time because right now, i need to make a short run to the kitchen and put all that biceps and triceps (or whatever that is there) into whipping something up before he comes home. (Oh and plus, i now have a copy of the weight-lifting dvd, courtesy of the instructor friend :D)

In the mean time, stay healthy guys! Eat more veggie. That will help too ;)

p/s: in case if you're wondering, the title is given based on one of the tracks during the class.