My friends who were also retrenched early this year and I planned that during our unemployment we should have more time roving around for good food....there's such a wide variety of cuisine and street food to entice us and tease our tastebuds as eating is our passion. To launch our plan we drew up a list of all the popular eating places garnered from friends, personal encounters, magazines, tv programmes etc. that die die must go and eat. It was a formidable list and we were so enthusiastic about it that we started our journey...never mind the distant or out of place location, even before the list was finalised...can't wait to get into the gluttony stratosphere.
Now 9 months have passed and many food outlets later, our initial euphoria has boomz and we are also suffering from a jaded palate not because of over-indulgence.
No! definitely not! Truth is...We have been MSGed! by the food vendors. We now realise why all the food dished out by such acclaimed food outlets taste so delicious and yummy...and we raved about them after eating and then later realise our folly of consuming such "delicious" food. It is the liberal use of MSG (monosodium glutamate) to enhance the flavours and taste! Some chefs are very generous while some are more controlled but they all seem can't do without it. We are not intolerant (lucky or else we will have serious after effect like the so called "China Syndrome") but sensitive to being msg-ed and the resultant effect was a gripping thirst and dehydration that can only be eliminated by drinking litres of water and chinese tea....now we know why chinese restaurants serve chinese tea to go along with your food!!
Now that we have crashed back onto earth with a reality check, our eating out is more prudent....why pay to be poisoned? (Killing me softly with his msg!) Thus we are avoiding and black listing those food outlets that take pleasure is msg-ing us..and thanks to that we are eating more wisely and hopefully healthier but now holding a very small and shrinking list of food outlets to patronise.
We live to eat but now it maybe that we eat to live...how boring....all because of MSG!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
This is Life!!
Life is now very well settled and the daily activity is becoming routine...to read "boring". The pleasure in life now is that I am no longer confronted by time nor dictated by schedules...instead I can now dictate what I want to do...with plenty of time on hand.
Most days the routine has degenerated into beginning a good morning (hah? is it always so??) at no earlier than 8 a.m...bliss..followed by a leisurely breakfast...ah! any reason to rush?..oh but not before feeding that rascal doggie...otherwise kena barked at although I am getting immuned to her unreasonable demands..and the barking..deaf to it more like it...which are also getting less...probably due to menopausing!! Then to exercise off the breakfast I take a short morning power nap which is easily induced by reading those boring articles in the newspapers..you know what I mean..waking up (automatic lah) in time to go for a sumptious lunch...yummy food hunting!..aarghhh..is also getting less enthusiastic..so what if I find a new eating place..gloat over it? What for?
Afternoon is always blissful after a good and satisfying lunch (is that so?)....and more so when aided by a great cup of freshly brewed thick black coffee (aaahh..the aroma of freshly brewed coffee..hmmm!!) and for me it induces sleep effortlessly and quickly... ahha another power nap and opening the eyes only to see the sun starting to set on the horizon with a golden hue...beautiful!!...where got time to watch when you are working?? :( and those damned mossies start to buzz around as its their feeding time...but..aarghh! I have also to start preparing dinner, oh so boring and a chore lah, anyway it is now a breeze as I have mastered the art of churning up a great and healthy cuisine...aiyah just boiling or steaming everything lah...also keeps your kitchen extremely clean...free of greasy stoves and floor..saves me from having to do all the cleaning up....so save energy mah.
After dinner activity is usually tv channels surfing...must exercise the fingers to keep their dexterity mah!! but there is no good channel nor a good programme..HBO..oh it is a Horrendously Boring Old Movies' channel...CNA is perpetually repeating all its programmes including the news..if repeated so often it is no longer news mah and I think they don't know the meaning of news or what is staleness..Completely No Attention grabbing programmes ....The BBC? It is Boring British Commentary programmes...CNN is oh so American...forget about the local channels..cannot understand who is watching those dated and long winded Taiwanese soap operas, one of which is telecasted every weekend (Saturdays and Sundays for 3 hours and already hundreds of episodes)..and the cake is the one shown every afternoon for an hour and it is presently on episode 846..gosh one year is only 365 days..it is being shown for more than 2 years already?? Incredible!! How long more??....What else but try to settle down as comfortably as is possible and attempt to read a good novel which hopefully is a mind stimulant and with a cup of warm oolong chinese tea as companion...perfect to bring the eyelids down (hey curtain down lah!) for the end of a wonderfully challenged day..to the body, mind and soul...aah this life man!!
I beg your pardon did you say Boring???
Most days the routine has degenerated into beginning a good morning (hah? is it always so??) at no earlier than 8 a.m...bliss..followed by a leisurely breakfast...ah! any reason to rush?..oh but not before feeding that rascal doggie...otherwise kena barked at although I am getting immuned to her unreasonable demands..and the barking..deaf to it more like it...which are also getting less...probably due to menopausing!! Then to exercise off the breakfast I take a short morning power nap which is easily induced by reading those boring articles in the newspapers..you know what I mean..waking up (automatic lah) in time to go for a sumptious lunch...yummy food hunting!..aarghhh..is also getting less enthusiastic..so what if I find a new eating place..gloat over it? What for?
Afternoon is always blissful after a good and satisfying lunch (is that so?)....and more so when aided by a great cup of freshly brewed thick black coffee (aaahh..the aroma of freshly brewed coffee..hmmm!!) and for me it induces sleep effortlessly and quickly... ahha another power nap and opening the eyes only to see the sun starting to set on the horizon with a golden hue...beautiful!!...where got time to watch when you are working?? :( and those damned mossies start to buzz around as its their feeding time...but..aarghh! I have also to start preparing dinner, oh so boring and a chore lah, anyway it is now a breeze as I have mastered the art of churning up a great and healthy cuisine...aiyah just boiling or steaming everything lah...also keeps your kitchen extremely clean...free of greasy stoves and floor..saves me from having to do all the cleaning up....so save energy mah.
After dinner activity is usually tv channels surfing...must exercise the fingers to keep their dexterity mah!! but there is no good channel nor a good programme..HBO..oh it is a Horrendously Boring Old Movies' channel...CNA is perpetually repeating all its programmes including the news..if repeated so often it is no longer news mah and I think they don't know the meaning of news or what is staleness..Completely No Attention grabbing programmes ....The BBC? It is Boring British Commentary programmes...CNN is oh so American...forget about the local channels..cannot understand who is watching those dated and long winded Taiwanese soap operas, one of which is telecasted every weekend (Saturdays and Sundays for 3 hours and already hundreds of episodes)..and the cake is the one shown every afternoon for an hour and it is presently on episode 846..gosh one year is only 365 days..it is being shown for more than 2 years already?? Incredible!! How long more??....What else but try to settle down as comfortably as is possible and attempt to read a good novel which hopefully is a mind stimulant and with a cup of warm oolong chinese tea as companion...perfect to bring the eyelids down (hey curtain down lah!) for the end of a wonderfully challenged day..to the body, mind and soul...aah this life man!!
I beg your pardon did you say Boring???
Monday, August 17, 2009
Retirement
Retirement. A noun. Longman Directory states: "when you stop working, usually because of your age".
But many are not sufficiently prepared financially and emotionally for retirement even though they may have reached the retirement age...usually considered to be 55 years old. Today for some (who may be in the beginning of 50) it may not be an option but forced upon them either due to ill health or the loss of employment from retrenchment. Some companies are also using this economic downturn as an excuse to "kick out" their older staff..by "offering a beneficial retirement package"...which is targetted at those who are 50 years and older. However, if you look at the retirement package that is offered it is similar to those for retrenchment!!
Retirement. Why are many not prepared?.... Poor financial planning or more likely the lack of financial planning in the second life phase..i.e. the working phase, is the principal cause. Many have borrowed large amount of loans to finance their purchases of big ticket items like an apartment and a car or two (one for the wifey)...considered as a necessity, they say. Whatever remains from the wage income is put into small pools of funds for different purposes, the crucial being: children's education up to tertiary, annual or semi-annual overseas holidays to "destress" from hectic worklife. But a fund for retirement? Only if there were any money left.....into a savings account...."for a rainy day". But most will use the savings for punting in the stock market rather than making strategic investment plans which expose them to risks. Some do not even have life insurance or critical illness insurance to cover themselves.
Could it be an attitude problem rather than poor financial planning for retirement?
I think it is. Common attitude is why bother. Many has this archaic mentality that their children will look after them in old age since they had "invested" heavily on the children and thus the children are "obligated" as filial piety goes to take care of their parents in old age. No matter how much you have spent on your children to give them a good station in life that is your principal responsiblity as a parent. One should not look towards the children as a source of income for retirement but should be prepared financially to be independent and continue to enjoy a good life. Otherwise I think it is miserable.
But many are not sufficiently prepared financially and emotionally for retirement even though they may have reached the retirement age...usually considered to be 55 years old. Today for some (who may be in the beginning of 50) it may not be an option but forced upon them either due to ill health or the loss of employment from retrenchment. Some companies are also using this economic downturn as an excuse to "kick out" their older staff..by "offering a beneficial retirement package"...which is targetted at those who are 50 years and older. However, if you look at the retirement package that is offered it is similar to those for retrenchment!!
Retirement. Why are many not prepared?.... Poor financial planning or more likely the lack of financial planning in the second life phase..i.e. the working phase, is the principal cause. Many have borrowed large amount of loans to finance their purchases of big ticket items like an apartment and a car or two (one for the wifey)...considered as a necessity, they say. Whatever remains from the wage income is put into small pools of funds for different purposes, the crucial being: children's education up to tertiary, annual or semi-annual overseas holidays to "destress" from hectic worklife. But a fund for retirement? Only if there were any money left.....into a savings account...."for a rainy day". But most will use the savings for punting in the stock market rather than making strategic investment plans which expose them to risks. Some do not even have life insurance or critical illness insurance to cover themselves.
Could it be an attitude problem rather than poor financial planning for retirement?
I think it is. Common attitude is why bother. Many has this archaic mentality that their children will look after them in old age since they had "invested" heavily on the children and thus the children are "obligated" as filial piety goes to take care of their parents in old age. No matter how much you have spent on your children to give them a good station in life that is your principal responsiblity as a parent. One should not look towards the children as a source of income for retirement but should be prepared financially to be independent and continue to enjoy a good life. Otherwise I think it is miserable.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Ageism
I wonder when will I be getting an opportunity to rejoin the workforce again. I am now classified under MOM unemployment status as a chronic unemployed. I have arrived at a station in life where age is a distinct disadvantage in the employment game. The corporate world deems that I am past my shelf life (anyone after 50 years old) for employment but physically and mentally I feel it is too early to retire as I could still contribute significantly my expertise and my accumulated experience to my employer.
The government is aware of this problem and has been emphasising that older unemployed workers should be given an opportunity to be reemployed upto 65 years old and such urgings are also well echoed by the various union leaders. But the corporates by and large are lending a deaf ear. Why? Because of Ageism.
Ageism is not peculiar to the present economic downturn. I became aware of its ugly head during the Asian Financial crisis when many of my friends and colleagues in their early to mid forties who lost their jobs had tremendous difficulties in getting employment again. I think most corporates believe that the older workers are an impediment to progress as they have fixated mindset, failing dexterity, inflexible attitude, sluggishness etc and the strongest underlying belief is that they being past their shelf life would be carry many inherent health problems (which can be very costly to the employer). Aiyoh, come on lah, look at the wealth of experience!! Nah, too expensive to pay as younger workers are cheaper, more versatile and are easier to train (hey, but there is monetary cost for training and there is a time gap before these young workers are up to speed, so there is also opportunity cost). What about applicants who are willing to take a lower paying job? Don't trust such applicants as when the economy picks up they will hop away immediately when there is a better offer from another organisation. It is really a catch 22 for us job applicants. No chance to get a similar job never mind but if we were to go for a lower paying job, we are considered flippant. Aiyah!
I understand that the government in order to solve this problem and ensure that older workers continue to be employed, will by 2012 create laws for employers to reemploy their workers who are at 62 years old for further years but will these new laws cover those who are already unemployed and seeking employment? I hope the new laws will cover this group too...otherwise many of us may have to consider taking up employment as "environmental engineers" or "hygiene environmental specialists"... plain speak...as cleaners for hawker centres and toilets (pathetic so many of them now)!! But then when we apply for such jobs the employer will say we are overqualified given our education level..who knows may be in a few years' time the minimum educational level requirement could be upgraded to a graduate degree for a cleaner level, a MBA as a supervisor for the cleaners and a PHD for a manager in the cleaning company??? May be such could happen when more than 50 percent of the population is above 62 years old..in 15 to 20 years' time?? I don't think so. The jobs will all be taken up by the China Nationals who are already gaining a good foothold in the various industries...so they are our competitors for jobs!!! What do you see???
However, I am not losing faith as surely there will be one or two enlightened employers amongst the dim witted who see the benefits of employing experienced jobseekers. So....Patience!!
The government is aware of this problem and has been emphasising that older unemployed workers should be given an opportunity to be reemployed upto 65 years old and such urgings are also well echoed by the various union leaders. But the corporates by and large are lending a deaf ear. Why? Because of Ageism.
Ageism is not peculiar to the present economic downturn. I became aware of its ugly head during the Asian Financial crisis when many of my friends and colleagues in their early to mid forties who lost their jobs had tremendous difficulties in getting employment again. I think most corporates believe that the older workers are an impediment to progress as they have fixated mindset, failing dexterity, inflexible attitude, sluggishness etc and the strongest underlying belief is that they being past their shelf life would be carry many inherent health problems (which can be very costly to the employer). Aiyoh, come on lah, look at the wealth of experience!! Nah, too expensive to pay as younger workers are cheaper, more versatile and are easier to train (hey, but there is monetary cost for training and there is a time gap before these young workers are up to speed, so there is also opportunity cost). What about applicants who are willing to take a lower paying job? Don't trust such applicants as when the economy picks up they will hop away immediately when there is a better offer from another organisation. It is really a catch 22 for us job applicants. No chance to get a similar job never mind but if we were to go for a lower paying job, we are considered flippant. Aiyah!
I understand that the government in order to solve this problem and ensure that older workers continue to be employed, will by 2012 create laws for employers to reemploy their workers who are at 62 years old for further years but will these new laws cover those who are already unemployed and seeking employment? I hope the new laws will cover this group too...otherwise many of us may have to consider taking up employment as "environmental engineers" or "hygiene environmental specialists"... plain speak...as cleaners for hawker centres and toilets (pathetic so many of them now)!! But then when we apply for such jobs the employer will say we are overqualified given our education level..who knows may be in a few years' time the minimum educational level requirement could be upgraded to a graduate degree for a cleaner level, a MBA as a supervisor for the cleaners and a PHD for a manager in the cleaning company??? May be such could happen when more than 50 percent of the population is above 62 years old..in 15 to 20 years' time?? I don't think so. The jobs will all be taken up by the China Nationals who are already gaining a good foothold in the various industries...so they are our competitors for jobs!!! What do you see???
However, I am not losing faith as surely there will be one or two enlightened employers amongst the dim witted who see the benefits of employing experienced jobseekers. So....Patience!!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Supermarket or Amusement Park?
Nowadays when you go to a supermarket especially in the heartland in the evenings or on a weekend you wonder if the management has also turned it partly into an amusement centre by allowing (tacit I suppose) parents to put their brats into the trolleys to humour them and pushing them around the supermarket...some parents even put 3 kids into the trolley...definitely not shopping but abusing the sole purpose of a trolley!! and some are not young kids...in some instances as old as 10 - 11 years...hello they got no legs to walk meh? Sometimes you hear a brat yelling to be quickly put into the trolley and in the process obstructing other shoppers who want to take out a trolley from the rack. I wonder if such parents (educated?? no??) understand social etiquette...I don't think so, otherwise they will not be so socially irresponsible...and causing inconvenience to shoppers!! Bo naou !!
I also blame the management for not taking any action (equal condone??) thus this is becoming a prevailing and growing practice of putting a child in a supermarket trolley...pushed around for a joy ride and turning the place into an amusement centre!! I dread going to a supermarket during evenings and weekends.
I also blame the management for not taking any action (equal condone??) thus this is becoming a prevailing and growing practice of putting a child in a supermarket trolley...pushed around for a joy ride and turning the place into an amusement centre!! I dread going to a supermarket during evenings and weekends.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
My Neutered Dog
My doggie got neutered 6 weeks back...a decision which was not easy to come by. I wanted her to have a natural life but she being such an ignorant, gullible and happy go lucky kiddie I have my doubts if she knew how to take care of herself and she is also in the "hiao" phase of her life. It was a friend's comment that since I always send her to the pet farm to stay the likelihood of her being raped is very high and then poor me will have a handful of unwanted illegitimate litter of unknown parentage...pariah? Rugilah! Also after childbirth she will look ugly...saggy stomach etc.. This caused me to have a nightmare. Gosh what am I to do if such were to happen and I just can't abandon those kids on the street (I won't have the heart to do so). Anyway AVA is very strict on this...rotan for the culprit???
It was a very painful experience for her and my heart went out to her. She endured 3 days of pain after the operation and didn't want to take the painkiller tablets to ease her pain nor her food...lying down in a corner quietly and giving me that mournful look every now and then...so, so pathetic lah..try to make me feel guilty for having caused her distress and pain...HELLO?? Worst and more humiliating was that she had to wear a "lampshade" over her head (looks like a monster out of space!!!) to prevent her from licking or biting off the stitches... for a week..as required by the vet but by the third day I have taken it off during the day but made her wear it at night...out of pity.
Within a week she was back to her normal devilish self although part of her tummy area was totally BOTAK!! Looks cute!
Today, maybe because she has been neutered she is more subdued and barking less (hurray!! more peace and quiet) but she is eating more...a voracious appetite and always seems to be hungry and getting fatter...a doctor friend said she is monopausing...alamak!!..at least no more PMSes!!! No wonder she barked so much and threw tantrums in the past... some pompous halal neighbours called SPCA and AVA to complain...they should understand that my doggie is a bitch what...anyway which dog don't bark?? A halal dog?
One good thing is that the price of the dog licence fee dropped from $70 a year to $14 a year...wah make money...huat ah!!!
It was a very painful experience for her and my heart went out to her. She endured 3 days of pain after the operation and didn't want to take the painkiller tablets to ease her pain nor her food...lying down in a corner quietly and giving me that mournful look every now and then...so, so pathetic lah..try to make me feel guilty for having caused her distress and pain...HELLO?? Worst and more humiliating was that she had to wear a "lampshade" over her head (looks like a monster out of space!!!) to prevent her from licking or biting off the stitches... for a week..as required by the vet but by the third day I have taken it off during the day but made her wear it at night...out of pity.
Within a week she was back to her normal devilish self although part of her tummy area was totally BOTAK!! Looks cute!
Today, maybe because she has been neutered she is more subdued and barking less (hurray!! more peace and quiet) but she is eating more...a voracious appetite and always seems to be hungry and getting fatter...a doctor friend said she is monopausing...alamak!!..at least no more PMSes!!! No wonder she barked so much and threw tantrums in the past... some pompous halal neighbours called SPCA and AVA to complain...they should understand that my doggie is a bitch what...anyway which dog don't bark?? A halal dog?
One good thing is that the price of the dog licence fee dropped from $70 a year to $14 a year...wah make money...huat ah!!!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Almost four and a half months have passed by and rather quickly as well. I am now feeling rather aimless and getting restless in not being able to rejoin the corporate world...not through lack of commitment but opportunities, given the current bleak economic environment.
It has dawn on me that I cannot switch and fit into the role of a Mr Househusband. Multitasking and passion are some of the pre-requisits necessary to become a very good housewife or househusband....for me multitasking per se is not a problem. I think it is the mental make-up (both attitude and aptitude of housework...traditionally men are very poor in) and the lack of passion for the role...not that I have never done any housework before, on the contrary, my mother was a very strong advocate of boys having to do housework and had always insisted as part of growing up that I have to share in doing some of the housework...not a pampered life! But 30 over years in corporate life have moulded me differently and definitely not for the role of a househusband...I have put my mind and soul into the task initially but this enthusiasm had worn off.
Now I find housework to be very mundane and boring...even cooking is no longer a challenge but has degraded to a very routine chore to be performed at certain set time of the day. Thus procrastination has started to creep in and the lazy worms (now you know why I want to ban worms!) have started their invasion as well...but thank goodness they have not reached the core yet!
Maybe I am missing the stress and frustrations so inherent in corporate life and the laughters and banters of colleagues. These are missing as a househusband and these are factors that keep your mind active and challenged and they may make or break your day....hmmmm....so retirement is not an option for now.
It has dawn on me that I cannot switch and fit into the role of a Mr Househusband. Multitasking and passion are some of the pre-requisits necessary to become a very good housewife or househusband....for me multitasking per se is not a problem. I think it is the mental make-up (both attitude and aptitude of housework...traditionally men are very poor in) and the lack of passion for the role...not that I have never done any housework before, on the contrary, my mother was a very strong advocate of boys having to do housework and had always insisted as part of growing up that I have to share in doing some of the housework...not a pampered life! But 30 over years in corporate life have moulded me differently and definitely not for the role of a househusband...I have put my mind and soul into the task initially but this enthusiasm had worn off.
Now I find housework to be very mundane and boring...even cooking is no longer a challenge but has degraded to a very routine chore to be performed at certain set time of the day. Thus procrastination has started to creep in and the lazy worms (now you know why I want to ban worms!) have started their invasion as well...but thank goodness they have not reached the core yet!
Maybe I am missing the stress and frustrations so inherent in corporate life and the laughters and banters of colleagues. These are missing as a househusband and these are factors that keep your mind active and challenged and they may make or break your day....hmmmm....so retirement is not an option for now.
Monday, May 4, 2009
My washing machine suddenly went kaput...refused to work any more!! Not that I had abused it. Most frustrating is that it stopped after having added the soap powder on to the clothes and a few spins later....arrrgghh!! with all the soapy water undrained!!
It is not an old washing machine...it is considered very new..one year and one month old...problem is that it is a darned China made China washing machine with an Ang Moh brand name...and I got misled by the salesman of a big well known household retailer..with a megastore in Tampines next to Ikea...and the washing machine was distributed by/agency by a reputable company that carries many well known brand names...come to think of it such does not give any value to the distributor....but trust the Chinese that they will produce lemons and not quality products!!
Why didn't I call for the service repairman to repair the fault? Well, this is not the first break down...the door started giving problems 6 months after installation as it could not close properly as the hinges were loosen as not properly aligned and also cracks on the lousy quality plastic cover near the hinges...then the major problem arose..the pump went kaput after 11 months and 3 weeks later after replacing the pump it conked out again...the serviceman came again and this time gave me an Italian made pump. Apparently the serviceman told me that all the parts for this brand..Straaten..is reconditioned as they do not have originals....parts taken from other owners's machines (who have given up the machine)...alot of problems with this brand. That's why the door could not be replace!
This time the problem is with the motor and the drum can't spin and...my warranty had just expired!! so instead of having to pay hundred of dollars for the repair..which does not guarantee that it will last as the serviceman told me...dump it!
The washing machine was not cheap either as I paid $529!!! but like my friend says it is an expensive lesson learnt... never to trust any China product again (that goes for their canned foods as well). Look at all the contoversies...tainted milk powder, pesticide tainted buns, toxic toys..the list goes on...no integrity at all...only produce and sell to make money. What a shame!
It is not an old washing machine...it is considered very new..one year and one month old...problem is that it is a darned China made China washing machine with an Ang Moh brand name...and I got misled by the salesman of a big well known household retailer..with a megastore in Tampines next to Ikea...and the washing machine was distributed by/agency by a reputable company that carries many well known brand names...come to think of it such does not give any value to the distributor....but trust the Chinese that they will produce lemons and not quality products!!
Why didn't I call for the service repairman to repair the fault? Well, this is not the first break down...the door started giving problems 6 months after installation as it could not close properly as the hinges were loosen as not properly aligned and also cracks on the lousy quality plastic cover near the hinges...then the major problem arose..the pump went kaput after 11 months and 3 weeks later after replacing the pump it conked out again...the serviceman came again and this time gave me an Italian made pump. Apparently the serviceman told me that all the parts for this brand..Straaten..is reconditioned as they do not have originals....parts taken from other owners's machines (who have given up the machine)...alot of problems with this brand. That's why the door could not be replace!
This time the problem is with the motor and the drum can't spin and...my warranty had just expired!! so instead of having to pay hundred of dollars for the repair..which does not guarantee that it will last as the serviceman told me...dump it!
The washing machine was not cheap either as I paid $529!!! but like my friend says it is an expensive lesson learnt... never to trust any China product again (that goes for their canned foods as well). Look at all the contoversies...tainted milk powder, pesticide tainted buns, toxic toys..the list goes on...no integrity at all...only produce and sell to make money. What a shame!
Monday, March 30, 2009
5 Days 4 Nights Hong Kong itinerary
Making a trip to Hong Kong has to planned carefully before you depart as there are so much to do, see, explore and most importantly to eat...unless you are the category of people who eat just to live and not live to eat. Although the suggested itinerary is flexi but it is very food focused as the objective of going to Hong Kong was...to WAN SIK! So here's what we did...
Day One:
Very important is where to stay in Hong Kong to give you the best of everything and I would suggest Tshimshatsui...obvious lah..all the makan lobangs are there and even late into the night you still can get your supper and it is a very lively area too. All the hotels are located near the MRT entrances (exits).
If you take the morning flight you will arrive in the early afternoon and after check in you can go out for a light meal...dessert shops like Hui Lau Shan (on Haiphong Road) and Sweet Dynasty (on Canton Road..Haiphong Rd junction turn right..) are my favourites and so are those Hong Kong small eateries which serve delicious wanton noodles and best of all is their beef tendons/belly noodles and wash down with their special milk tea..lai char (along Cameron Road, Granville Road, Hankow Road, Haiphong Road etc). These are also open for breakfast and they have western sets too.
Dinner, if you are still exploring Tshimshatsui...drop in at Wu Kong Restaurant on Peking Road...serves great Shanghainese cuisine...lion head as a suggested dish..be careful...the servings are all very large..or walk further down Nathan Road to Shamrock Hotel where they have a restaurtant...serves very traditional Cantonese food and sea food too..or walk another kilometer further to Yau Ma Tei...London Restaurant on Nathan Road and many others. If you are going to Ladies's market at Sai Yeong Choi Kai...there is a good claypot eatery near Stanford Hotel and after that you can cross over to Langham Place for dessert at Honeymoon Desserts...great variety including durian!!
If you have a craving for Teochew food then take a taxi to Kowloon City which is a Teochew and Thai enclave...many Thai restaurants there too. We liked Soon Kee Restaurant for their Teochew food...Teochew owners...located at 41 Nam Kok Road, Kowloon City.
Tired???No?? Then take a walk to the Waterfront Promenade..nearer towards Star Ferry and have a beautiful night view of Hong Kong and the nightly laser show...if Chinese factories abstain from polluting the night sky!
Day Two:
After breakfast take the MTR to Wong Ti Sin Temple (station is Wong Tai Sin) as it is one of Hong Kong's most famous temples and is packed on each of the first and fifteen day of the lunar month. From there continue your journey on MTR to Kowloon Bay for a very delicious and sumptious tim sum lunch at Maxim Palace Restaurant in Telford Plaza...MTR station walk right in and to the right at the end of the shopping complex (shops opens at 11 a.m.). Maxim Palace's tim sum are sold on push carts and so you can check out what you want when each carts arrives at your table. Do try their desserts too especially the green bean soup..with a special kind of seaweed..that helps to cool the body..very popular during the SARS.
Be warned that Maxim is very popular and if you arrive after 12 p.m. you may have to take a queue number...definitely for Saturdays and Sundays but tim sum is still available the whole day except there is a special promotional price between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Bill is about HK$250 for 5 big eaters.
After lunch the suggestion is go to Sai Kung...in the past it was a quaint village but today it is the starting point for walks...many walking trials into the hills...very popular during the weekends and camping sites too...Honeymoon Desserts started their business in Sai Kung and still has a very large shop there.From Kowloon Bay take the MTR to Choi Hung for the mini bus (green) which station is just outside one of the exit..check the exit before getting out. The mini bus is very quick and gets to there in about 15 - 20 minutes and cost HK7.50. Alternativcely you can also take a bus..double decker and sit on top for a panaroma view as the bus climbs up hills and go down valleys into Sai Kung...slower pace too. Take the MTR to Diamond Hill and go up to the bus terminus and look for the bus to Sai Kung. Alternatively, you may want to venture to Lama Island for seafood. Rainbow Seafood Restaurant is one recommended. Do make a reservation as they also provide the ferry service from Central to the jetty next to the restaurant and vice versa.
Walk around the town and go for the desserts at Honeymoon, then along the waterfront...you see boats selling seafood and many locals buy from them and take home for dinner but you can also buy from them and then take the seafood to a restaurant of your choice..they will charge you a cooking fee and you can also order the vegetable and noodles dishes from the restaurants.
If you have time to kill then take one of the numerous boats for a ride to the offshore island which is popular with campers and then back for dinner.
Day Three:
Morning after breakfast take a taxi to Kowloon City...about HK$50 (but if you are more adventurous then take a bus..number 1A from Star Ferry bus terminus or along Nathan Road, Tshimshatsui and get off at the bus stop in front of the old Kai Tak airport...ask the bus driver to inform you when he reaches the destination) and explore the area...must do is the wet market and the shops fronting it...very cheap dried seafood like dried scallops, salted fish, fish maw, sharkfins etc.. and mushrooms (another place is of course the famous dried seafood street in Western District on Des Veoux Road West on Hong Kong Island...take a tram...Kennedy Town direction). In the market there are lots of Teochew foodstuff like preserved olives, salted small craps and shellfish etc. Also do visit Wo Kee Loong on 7 Tak Ku Ling Road, a very traditional Teochew pastry shop..yummy.
For lunch head for Sham Tseng...for Hong Kong's most popular roasted goose (the original place was a poultry farming village and some owners of the farms decided to roast their goose to sell which became very popular and Chan Kee and Yuen Kee grew in popularity as well). Suggest Chan Kee which is on the main road..Castle Peak Road..a taxi ride from Kowloon City costs about HK$100 or you can take the MTR to Tsuen Wan station and then get down to the mini bus station and take the bus that passes by Sham Tseng..driver will alert you if you let him know in advance). In the evenings especially weekends it is very crowded with locals..don't see many tourist...except the stray ones..
Afternoon go to Mongkok for shopping...taxi from Sham Tseng costs HK$100 if you drop in front of Langham Place Hotel...ha..dessert at Honeymoon on Langham Place...
Dinner you can cross over to Hong Kong on MTR to Wanchai and get out at exit A2 to head for Sang Kee Seafood restaurant...1/F Hip Seng Building, 107 Hennessy Road..you can see their neon lit signboard across the road...but do make a reservation...tel:2575 2236 and reserve their signature dish,,catfish congee..otherwise it maybe sold out....prices mof dishes are very reasonable and even for live fishes and prawns...they show it to you to confirm the weigh and freshness. 5 dishes with the fish will not be more than HK$600.
After dinner you can go down to Causeway Bay...if you like steamed milk then head for Yishun which is on the lane behind Sogo..opposite the taxi stand.
A morning visit to the dried seafood street at Western District on Des Voex Road, West would be very interesting and you can take the tram from Central or outside Admiralty station..tram that head for Kenny Town or Whitty Street..get down once you see the rows of shops selling dried seafood. Prices eg dried scallops are much cheaper.
For lunch go over to North Point..take the tram..fare is a flat HK$2..headed for North Point (final stop after passing through the wet market which comes alive in the late afternoon or Sakeiwan (drop off at a stop near the North Point MTR exit)..recommends Phoenix Golden Court Restaurant on 460 King's Road East (tel: 31029288) for their very cheap and sumptious set lunches..eg HK$288 with 5 dishes including a live steamed garoupa!..or take a tim sum set.
After lunch, shopping in North Point is interesting as it is very local and the wet market must not be missed as it comes alive after 3 p.m. Alternatively is to take the tram to Sakeiwan for a local atmosphere.
For dinner go to a very old teahouse, Lin Heung Tea House at 160 - 164 Wellington Street, Central. Do call up and make a reservation (Tel:2544 4556) as it is very popular with locals and also at the same time order the house speciality...stuffed duck. The food is very traditional home cooked variety...bittergourd with pork ribs, steamed minced pork with salted egg, deep fried sliced lotus roots with fish glue etc. Dessert is free and it is red beans soup.
On the way out...pay money down stairs (entrance)..you may want to buy some traditional pasteries for supper....or head down to Mak's Noodle (very popular for the wanton noodles) at 77, Wellington Street.
Having your fill of food, take a walk at Lan Kwai Fong and drop in at one of the numerous pubs for a drink and soak in the atmosphere. If you are still craving for dessert then go to IFC Mall for Honeymoon Desserts (shop no: 3013..3rd floor)...quite crowded after 9 p.m.
Day Five:
Last minute shopping (Uniglo at Miramar Shopping mall???) or have a hearty breakfast before going off to the airport...time flies when you are enjoying the run from one restaurant to the next for your food hunting.
Hope this suggested itinerary fits in with your next Hong Kong trip! And happy food hunting!!!
Day One:
Very important is where to stay in Hong Kong to give you the best of everything and I would suggest Tshimshatsui...obvious lah..all the makan lobangs are there and even late into the night you still can get your supper and it is a very lively area too. All the hotels are located near the MRT entrances (exits).
If you take the morning flight you will arrive in the early afternoon and after check in you can go out for a light meal...dessert shops like Hui Lau Shan (on Haiphong Road) and Sweet Dynasty (on Canton Road..Haiphong Rd junction turn right..) are my favourites and so are those Hong Kong small eateries which serve delicious wanton noodles and best of all is their beef tendons/belly noodles and wash down with their special milk tea..lai char (along Cameron Road, Granville Road, Hankow Road, Haiphong Road etc). These are also open for breakfast and they have western sets too.
Dinner, if you are still exploring Tshimshatsui...drop in at Wu Kong Restaurant on Peking Road...serves great Shanghainese cuisine...lion head as a suggested dish..be careful...the servings are all very large..or walk further down Nathan Road to Shamrock Hotel where they have a restaurtant...serves very traditional Cantonese food and sea food too..or walk another kilometer further to Yau Ma Tei...London Restaurant on Nathan Road and many others. If you are going to Ladies's market at Sai Yeong Choi Kai...there is a good claypot eatery near Stanford Hotel and after that you can cross over to Langham Place for dessert at Honeymoon Desserts...great variety including durian!!
If you have a craving for Teochew food then take a taxi to Kowloon City which is a Teochew and Thai enclave...many Thai restaurants there too. We liked Soon Kee Restaurant for their Teochew food...Teochew owners...located at 41 Nam Kok Road, Kowloon City.
Tired???No?? Then take a walk to the Waterfront Promenade..nearer towards Star Ferry and have a beautiful night view of Hong Kong and the nightly laser show...if Chinese factories abstain from polluting the night sky!
Day Two:
After breakfast take the MTR to Wong Ti Sin Temple (station is Wong Tai Sin) as it is one of Hong Kong's most famous temples and is packed on each of the first and fifteen day of the lunar month. From there continue your journey on MTR to Kowloon Bay for a very delicious and sumptious tim sum lunch at Maxim Palace Restaurant in Telford Plaza...MTR station walk right in and to the right at the end of the shopping complex (shops opens at 11 a.m.). Maxim Palace's tim sum are sold on push carts and so you can check out what you want when each carts arrives at your table. Do try their desserts too especially the green bean soup..with a special kind of seaweed..that helps to cool the body..very popular during the SARS.
Be warned that Maxim is very popular and if you arrive after 12 p.m. you may have to take a queue number...definitely for Saturdays and Sundays but tim sum is still available the whole day except there is a special promotional price between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Bill is about HK$250 for 5 big eaters.
After lunch the suggestion is go to Sai Kung...in the past it was a quaint village but today it is the starting point for walks...many walking trials into the hills...very popular during the weekends and camping sites too...Honeymoon Desserts started their business in Sai Kung and still has a very large shop there.From Kowloon Bay take the MTR to Choi Hung for the mini bus (green) which station is just outside one of the exit..check the exit before getting out. The mini bus is very quick and gets to there in about 15 - 20 minutes and cost HK7.50. Alternativcely you can also take a bus..double decker and sit on top for a panaroma view as the bus climbs up hills and go down valleys into Sai Kung...slower pace too. Take the MTR to Diamond Hill and go up to the bus terminus and look for the bus to Sai Kung. Alternatively, you may want to venture to Lama Island for seafood. Rainbow Seafood Restaurant is one recommended. Do make a reservation as they also provide the ferry service from Central to the jetty next to the restaurant and vice versa.
Walk around the town and go for the desserts at Honeymoon, then along the waterfront...you see boats selling seafood and many locals buy from them and take home for dinner but you can also buy from them and then take the seafood to a restaurant of your choice..they will charge you a cooking fee and you can also order the vegetable and noodles dishes from the restaurants.
If you have time to kill then take one of the numerous boats for a ride to the offshore island which is popular with campers and then back for dinner.
Day Three:
Morning after breakfast take a taxi to Kowloon City...about HK$50 (but if you are more adventurous then take a bus..number 1A from Star Ferry bus terminus or along Nathan Road, Tshimshatsui and get off at the bus stop in front of the old Kai Tak airport...ask the bus driver to inform you when he reaches the destination) and explore the area...must do is the wet market and the shops fronting it...very cheap dried seafood like dried scallops, salted fish, fish maw, sharkfins etc.. and mushrooms (another place is of course the famous dried seafood street in Western District on Des Veoux Road West on Hong Kong Island...take a tram...Kennedy Town direction). In the market there are lots of Teochew foodstuff like preserved olives, salted small craps and shellfish etc. Also do visit Wo Kee Loong on 7 Tak Ku Ling Road, a very traditional Teochew pastry shop..yummy.
For lunch head for Sham Tseng...for Hong Kong's most popular roasted goose (the original place was a poultry farming village and some owners of the farms decided to roast their goose to sell which became very popular and Chan Kee and Yuen Kee grew in popularity as well). Suggest Chan Kee which is on the main road..Castle Peak Road..a taxi ride from Kowloon City costs about HK$100 or you can take the MTR to Tsuen Wan station and then get down to the mini bus station and take the bus that passes by Sham Tseng..driver will alert you if you let him know in advance). In the evenings especially weekends it is very crowded with locals..don't see many tourist...except the stray ones..
Afternoon go to Mongkok for shopping...taxi from Sham Tseng costs HK$100 if you drop in front of Langham Place Hotel...ha..dessert at Honeymoon on Langham Place...
Dinner you can cross over to Hong Kong on MTR to Wanchai and get out at exit A2 to head for Sang Kee Seafood restaurant...1/F Hip Seng Building, 107 Hennessy Road..you can see their neon lit signboard across the road...but do make a reservation...tel:2575 2236 and reserve their signature dish,,catfish congee..otherwise it maybe sold out....prices mof dishes are very reasonable and even for live fishes and prawns...they show it to you to confirm the weigh and freshness. 5 dishes with the fish will not be more than HK$600.
After dinner you can go down to Causeway Bay...if you like steamed milk then head for Yishun which is on the lane behind Sogo..opposite the taxi stand.
Day Four:
A morning visit to the dried seafood street at Western District on Des Voex Road, West would be very interesting and you can take the tram from Central or outside Admiralty station..tram that head for Kenny Town or Whitty Street..get down once you see the rows of shops selling dried seafood. Prices eg dried scallops are much cheaper.
For lunch go over to North Point..take the tram..fare is a flat HK$2..headed for North Point (final stop after passing through the wet market which comes alive in the late afternoon or Sakeiwan (drop off at a stop near the North Point MTR exit)..recommends Phoenix Golden Court Restaurant on 460 King's Road East (tel: 31029288) for their very cheap and sumptious set lunches..eg HK$288 with 5 dishes including a live steamed garoupa!..or take a tim sum set.
After lunch, shopping in North Point is interesting as it is very local and the wet market must not be missed as it comes alive after 3 p.m. Alternatively is to take the tram to Sakeiwan for a local atmosphere.
For dinner go to a very old teahouse, Lin Heung Tea House at 160 - 164 Wellington Street, Central. Do call up and make a reservation (Tel:2544 4556) as it is very popular with locals and also at the same time order the house speciality...stuffed duck. The food is very traditional home cooked variety...bittergourd with pork ribs, steamed minced pork with salted egg, deep fried sliced lotus roots with fish glue etc. Dessert is free and it is red beans soup.
On the way out...pay money down stairs (entrance)..you may want to buy some traditional pasteries for supper....or head down to Mak's Noodle (very popular for the wanton noodles) at 77, Wellington Street.
Having your fill of food, take a walk at Lan Kwai Fong and drop in at one of the numerous pubs for a drink and soak in the atmosphere. If you are still craving for dessert then go to IFC Mall for Honeymoon Desserts (shop no: 3013..3rd floor)...quite crowded after 9 p.m.
Day Five:
Last minute shopping (Uniglo at Miramar Shopping mall???) or have a hearty breakfast before going off to the airport...time flies when you are enjoying the run from one restaurant to the next for your food hunting.
Hope this suggested itinerary fits in with your next Hong Kong trip! And happy food hunting!!!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Went on a 5 days Hong Kong odyssey early this week.....food hunting the principal objective!!!
HONG KONG, the Fragrant Harbour...fragrant??? the guy who gave it the name must have had a major nose problem or he was a Lotus Eater (Alfred Tennyson) or maybe in those days the huge consumption of jasmine tea could be the reason...whatever..it is definitely far, far from fragrant unless when you walk along the esplanade and pass by a "kwai lo" woman...provided she wears perfume......ha! ha!!...otherwise.....
Coming in to land at the international airport gives you some trepidation....looking out of the window (by the way ask for the window seat "A" so you get a good view of Hong Kong and coming back ask for "K" so you can see Disneyland....if you are lucky that is...with the weather...or more so... the "generosity" of the factories on the Chinese southern province..) you see not the sky line of Hong Kong but the grey and intimidating water of the sea and the thick blanket of dark grey haze blanketing the sky...so where is the sky where the sea??...hopefully you have a very competent captain pilotting or the autopilot works...trust SIA!...make you unconsciously cross your fingers!
Travelling to Hong Kong on a group of five is very very economical....food wise and transportation wise...take the taxi from the airport to the hotel in Tsimshatsui, it cost all in about HK$250....the new taxi fare benefits long distance travelling...after HK$84.60 (breakeven) your fare goes cheaper...meter starts at HK$18..(likewise from Tsimshatsui to airport the metered fare was HK$192.60...so much cheaper than taking the airport express or the bus...major hassle if you have luggages. Same goes for travelling in HK especially if you venture to the New Territories for lunch or dinner. Taxis in HK do not have very complicated fare structures or confusing surcharges. It is simple and plain...just pay meter fare! We met a very enterprising...aren't all Hong Kongers???..taxi driver by the name of Daniel Ko who gave us his name card (handphone number: 852 96556069)...for his taxi service...he's a Teochew so "Ka Ki Nang".. but in actual fact he probably is the head of a group of "taxi friends"...we checked out his service and it was excellent...beats our taxi call centres hands down...he has 4 handphones on his taxi's dashboard and answers the calls immediately..hands free of course..we were in Kowloon City..a very Teochew enclave plus lots of Teochew and Thai restaurants (we found Soon Kee Restaurant at 41 Nam Kok Road to be good), Teochew food specialities like preserved olives, little clams, wedding pastries (Wo Kee Loong at 7 Tak Ku Ling Road which is a very old traditional Teochew cake and pastry shop which I have patronised since the 80s) etc...and wanted to go to Sham Tseng...called him...no problem ...5 minutes later and his friend called back to announce his arrival at our pick up point...at Sham Tseng to Mongkok...8 minutes and another of his taxi friend arrived outside the restaurant...all the fares (metered) are about HK$100...so cheap if you are 5!!!...and of course we arranged for Daniel to pick us up for the journey to the airport...including tips it was HK$250...i.e HK$50 per person...cheapo man!!!
Hong Kong transportation is superby efficient needless to say and gives a variety of modes...at different prices and affordability...today the most popular for the locals is the tram...a flat fare of HK$2 per ride...albeit it inches away at 20 kph...and packed like sardines during peak hours...so are the MTR, buses and mini buses (where you are assured of a seat as it has a no standing rule)...except taxis which are waiting in long queues at taxi stands...drivers reading the newspapers waiting for a fare to hop in...too expensive for short journeys. The fun in taking public transport like buses and trams is you get to hear alot of gossips and the locals are very vocal....bluntly LOUD!.. in their conversations....so don't want to listen also have to, no choice (kaypoh mah)...free entertainment and it is better than listening to your iPod...anyway you won't be able to hear your music from the iPod!! You also get to hear a lot of colourful spoken Cantonese (language) in the buses and trams... and in all the local restaurants too...very common and comes out very naturally from the locals is the Cantonese explicit expletive.."throw your mother's smelly shoe"...or starting and ending a sentence with "throw your mother"...Ha! Ha! please translate yourself into Cantonese...sorry if you can't..maybe ask a more imaginative friend...from HK???...good luck and enjoy using it in HK..causes no offends if spoken with your friends..and practice makes perfect!!!...except switch it off when you are back home otherwise your mother or mother-in-law will disown you!!!...mother-in-law ok lah!
Today Hong Kongers are a very friendly lot and helpful too although there are still some black sheeps...why black sheep huh??..must be a racialist guy who came out with this label....like Darkie Toothpaste???...around especially in the service sector (one thing great is that they don't use China Chinese labour!! otherwise you will have to curse and say "throw your mother's smelly shoes")...like we were nearly conned by the hotel male receptionist when we were checking in...he asked if we would like to upgrade our rooms for an additional HK$200 per night plus taxes 10 percent surcharge..to a better room with internet and improved facilities et al...so we agreed but then changed our mind...we don't need room internet access...holiday what..then he quickly offered to only charge one room but auto upgrade the other free....hmmm...should have smelt a rat lah..(no rats found but the room's toilet bowl don't drain off)...and being dumb and jaded after the flight and journey to the hotel we again agreed...until I noticed that he was merely switching the rooms already allocated to me to my friends and vice versa. I questioned him and he said the rooms were preassigned by the computer (isn't that the case for all reservations made prior to arrival...???) and when we check in he has to manually downgrade unless we agree to pay the surcharge...what bullshit...not first time checking into a HK hotel...and so I questioned him on the practice and got agitated with his answers which were rubbish...so wanted to see the duty manager...he immediately changed track and said since he has wasted our time he will leave it as per allocated...bullshitter..otherwise we will be HK$1,760 poorer and foolisher...hey this is at Holiday Inn Golden Mile in Tsimshatsui leh not some shoddy shaddy hotel in Kowloon and the audacity of the guy....I am sure the hotel management must have instructed him to do so...wonder how many guests at that hotel were and will be conned into this unprofessional gimmick...so be careful with such gimmicks/tricks when you check in...I wonder is this a common practice amongst hotels in HK now that time is bad..I hope the HKTA is aware and puts a stop otherwise HK's reputation goes into the gutter.
We also experienced another attempted "cheating" at a local restaurant...the bill amount was too large for the food we consumed...wanton noddles, mixed dumpling soups and milk teas and holicks....came upto HK$245...we asked the lady to itemise and she refused and so we did it ourselves and it came to HK$211....she backed off and said her mind is not a calculator...and another bullshitter..probably they eat too much of beef and beef tendons noddles..hey, we know you know that we are foreigners but don't try to cheat us...like everyone else times are bad and every cents also count...heard this is becoming also a common practice at local restaurants...so don't rush for the bill but check the items and price...if it is lump sum ask for it to be itemised...kena con otherwise...fragrant harbour indeed!!..."throw your mother" lah!!
Hong Kong is acknowledged as a glutton's paradise and if eating is your passion....just the place for you...but do get out of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon...go into the New Territories especially the old villages where unfortunately modernisation had won the day and now new highrise spouts into the sky but old restaurants still exist...like in Sham Tseng where the HK roast goose originated and the original restaurants (Chan Kee now on the main Road and Yung Kee) are still there, patronised largely by locals and prices are much cheaper than that at Central...Sai Kong...seafood...(prefers Cheun Kee Seafood....the inner one along the sea front) prices are cheaper than Lei Yue Mun and Lama Island...however a 5 day trip is definitely not enough for food hunting (we didn't have much time for shopping...but we did go into the wet markets...should not miss making such a trip (do go to the one either in Wanchai, Causewaybay or Kowloon City, which has more Teochew stuffs...very interesting and totally different from ours and also the back lane markets (like pasar malam but during the day) which are all very colourful...as we were hopping from one eatery to another at distances apart) and to satisfy your cravings...and desserts are oh! so heavenly!..the varieties...wow...every dessert also want to try but...wide eyes ,tight stomach as the Cantonese saying...popular outlets are the Huai Lau Shans...for birdnest in young coconuts and bidnest with snow frog's...you know what lah huh don't ask so much...and Honeymoon Dessert....love their chinchow with red beans soup with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and walnut cream soup....etc...hmmmm....luckily all the walking burnt out all the calories...5 meals a day.....arrrh I don't want to go to our hawkers for at least a week!!!.....actually I am already hungry so have to caoi...
HONG KONG, the Fragrant Harbour...fragrant??? the guy who gave it the name must have had a major nose problem or he was a Lotus Eater (Alfred Tennyson) or maybe in those days the huge consumption of jasmine tea could be the reason...whatever..it is definitely far, far from fragrant unless when you walk along the esplanade and pass by a "kwai lo" woman...provided she wears perfume......ha! ha!!...otherwise.....
Coming in to land at the international airport gives you some trepidation....looking out of the window (by the way ask for the window seat "A" so you get a good view of Hong Kong and coming back ask for "K" so you can see Disneyland....if you are lucky that is...with the weather...or more so... the "generosity" of the factories on the Chinese southern province..) you see not the sky line of Hong Kong but the grey and intimidating water of the sea and the thick blanket of dark grey haze blanketing the sky...so where is the sky where the sea??...hopefully you have a very competent captain pilotting or the autopilot works...trust SIA!...make you unconsciously cross your fingers!
Travelling to Hong Kong on a group of five is very very economical....food wise and transportation wise...take the taxi from the airport to the hotel in Tsimshatsui, it cost all in about HK$250....the new taxi fare benefits long distance travelling...after HK$84.60 (breakeven) your fare goes cheaper...meter starts at HK$18..(likewise from Tsimshatsui to airport the metered fare was HK$192.60...so much cheaper than taking the airport express or the bus...major hassle if you have luggages. Same goes for travelling in HK especially if you venture to the New Territories for lunch or dinner. Taxis in HK do not have very complicated fare structures or confusing surcharges. It is simple and plain...just pay meter fare! We met a very enterprising...aren't all Hong Kongers???..taxi driver by the name of Daniel Ko who gave us his name card (handphone number: 852 96556069)...for his taxi service...he's a Teochew so "Ka Ki Nang".. but in actual fact he probably is the head of a group of "taxi friends"...we checked out his service and it was excellent...beats our taxi call centres hands down...he has 4 handphones on his taxi's dashboard and answers the calls immediately..hands free of course..we were in Kowloon City..a very Teochew enclave plus lots of Teochew and Thai restaurants (we found Soon Kee Restaurant at 41 Nam Kok Road to be good), Teochew food specialities like preserved olives, little clams, wedding pastries (Wo Kee Loong at 7 Tak Ku Ling Road which is a very old traditional Teochew cake and pastry shop which I have patronised since the 80s) etc...and wanted to go to Sham Tseng...called him...no problem ...5 minutes later and his friend called back to announce his arrival at our pick up point...at Sham Tseng to Mongkok...8 minutes and another of his taxi friend arrived outside the restaurant...all the fares (metered) are about HK$100...so cheap if you are 5!!!...and of course we arranged for Daniel to pick us up for the journey to the airport...including tips it was HK$250...i.e HK$50 per person...cheapo man!!!
Hong Kong transportation is superby efficient needless to say and gives a variety of modes...at different prices and affordability...today the most popular for the locals is the tram...a flat fare of HK$2 per ride...albeit it inches away at 20 kph...and packed like sardines during peak hours...so are the MTR, buses and mini buses (where you are assured of a seat as it has a no standing rule)...except taxis which are waiting in long queues at taxi stands...drivers reading the newspapers waiting for a fare to hop in...too expensive for short journeys. The fun in taking public transport like buses and trams is you get to hear alot of gossips and the locals are very vocal....bluntly LOUD!.. in their conversations....so don't want to listen also have to, no choice (kaypoh mah)...free entertainment and it is better than listening to your iPod...anyway you won't be able to hear your music from the iPod!! You also get to hear a lot of colourful spoken Cantonese (language) in the buses and trams... and in all the local restaurants too...very common and comes out very naturally from the locals is the Cantonese explicit expletive.."throw your mother's smelly shoe"...or starting and ending a sentence with "throw your mother"...Ha! Ha! please translate yourself into Cantonese...sorry if you can't..maybe ask a more imaginative friend...from HK???...good luck and enjoy using it in HK..causes no offends if spoken with your friends..and practice makes perfect!!!...except switch it off when you are back home otherwise your mother or mother-in-law will disown you!!!...mother-in-law ok lah!
Today Hong Kongers are a very friendly lot and helpful too although there are still some black sheeps...why black sheep huh??..must be a racialist guy who came out with this label....like Darkie Toothpaste???...around especially in the service sector (one thing great is that they don't use China Chinese labour!! otherwise you will have to curse and say "throw your mother's smelly shoes")...like we were nearly conned by the hotel male receptionist when we were checking in...he asked if we would like to upgrade our rooms for an additional HK$200 per night plus taxes 10 percent surcharge..to a better room with internet and improved facilities et al...so we agreed but then changed our mind...we don't need room internet access...holiday what..then he quickly offered to only charge one room but auto upgrade the other free....hmmm...should have smelt a rat lah..(no rats found but the room's toilet bowl don't drain off)...and being dumb and jaded after the flight and journey to the hotel we again agreed...until I noticed that he was merely switching the rooms already allocated to me to my friends and vice versa. I questioned him and he said the rooms were preassigned by the computer (isn't that the case for all reservations made prior to arrival...???) and when we check in he has to manually downgrade unless we agree to pay the surcharge...what bullshit...not first time checking into a HK hotel...and so I questioned him on the practice and got agitated with his answers which were rubbish...so wanted to see the duty manager...he immediately changed track and said since he has wasted our time he will leave it as per allocated...bullshitter..otherwise we will be HK$1,760 poorer and foolisher...hey this is at Holiday Inn Golden Mile in Tsimshatsui leh not some shoddy shaddy hotel in Kowloon and the audacity of the guy....I am sure the hotel management must have instructed him to do so...wonder how many guests at that hotel were and will be conned into this unprofessional gimmick...so be careful with such gimmicks/tricks when you check in...I wonder is this a common practice amongst hotels in HK now that time is bad..I hope the HKTA is aware and puts a stop otherwise HK's reputation goes into the gutter.
We also experienced another attempted "cheating" at a local restaurant...the bill amount was too large for the food we consumed...wanton noddles, mixed dumpling soups and milk teas and holicks....came upto HK$245...we asked the lady to itemise and she refused and so we did it ourselves and it came to HK$211....she backed off and said her mind is not a calculator...and another bullshitter..probably they eat too much of beef and beef tendons noddles..hey, we know you know that we are foreigners but don't try to cheat us...like everyone else times are bad and every cents also count...heard this is becoming also a common practice at local restaurants...so don't rush for the bill but check the items and price...if it is lump sum ask for it to be itemised...kena con otherwise...fragrant harbour indeed!!..."throw your mother" lah!!
Hong Kong is acknowledged as a glutton's paradise and if eating is your passion....just the place for you...but do get out of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon...go into the New Territories especially the old villages where unfortunately modernisation had won the day and now new highrise spouts into the sky but old restaurants still exist...like in Sham Tseng where the HK roast goose originated and the original restaurants (Chan Kee now on the main Road and Yung Kee) are still there, patronised largely by locals and prices are much cheaper than that at Central...Sai Kong...seafood...(prefers Cheun Kee Seafood....the inner one along the sea front) prices are cheaper than Lei Yue Mun and Lama Island...however a 5 day trip is definitely not enough for food hunting (we didn't have much time for shopping...but we did go into the wet markets...should not miss making such a trip (do go to the one either in Wanchai, Causewaybay or Kowloon City, which has more Teochew stuffs...very interesting and totally different from ours and also the back lane markets (like pasar malam but during the day) which are all very colourful...as we were hopping from one eatery to another at distances apart) and to satisfy your cravings...and desserts are oh! so heavenly!..the varieties...wow...every dessert also want to try but...wide eyes ,tight stomach as the Cantonese saying...popular outlets are the Huai Lau Shans...for birdnest in young coconuts and bidnest with snow frog's...you know what lah huh don't ask so much...and Honeymoon Dessert....love their chinchow with red beans soup with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and walnut cream soup....etc...hmmmm....luckily all the walking burnt out all the calories...5 meals a day.....arrrh I don't want to go to our hawkers for at least a week!!!.....actually I am already hungry so have to caoi...
Friday, March 6, 2009
Went to see my TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) physician today for acupuncture...got a frozen shoulder from too much of household chores especially having to wrestle with the wok, the mop. the iron (hey...iron clothes lah!), the dog and etc...etc...etc...everyday.
Interestingly the discussion went into the topics of cholesterol and hypertension...2 very common diseases in all of us gluttons and kan cheong people (aiyah rushing from food court to foodcourt when there is so much publicity on what and where to eat... and kiasu mentality..everything much try and then must give expert comments to friends...shows one upmanship mah..pressure lah).
Cholesterol is very natural in all of us who live to eat and not eat to live and the gluttony in us does not believe in the word "dieting"....sinful lah. Take medication? Got side effects mah....not healthy. What to do?....die, die much eat what....favourites like bak kut teh, rendang, pork knuckles, spare parts, soup kambing (mutton lah not goat!), nasi byrani are yummy, yummy.
Hypertension (high blood pressure) results...surprisingly...more from our lack of sleep! Yah what...nowadays got to check very frequently e-mails (can't do without the blackberry..why black huh?), facebooks...many friends..don't know how come (must kay poh to see what your friends are doing and the photos they post for you to see especially the travel ones, so that you also say...I want to go there...pok kai like that and so blood pressure goes up and up...! money not enough), and like me also do blogging...which means my novels that I have bought to read for relaxation are now neglected....also starring too much on the PC screen can result in eye tension (starting from strain...don't buy notebooks)...so hypertension results when all are added up. But for some, I learnt from my TCM physician is worst, especially the ladies who are hopelessly hooked on watching non-stop their Korean dramas (very in-thing now...no more the HK ones..passe already, the aunties must be super fluent in Korean...which language school huh?) on VCD...wah auntie ah...want to dream about the Korean hunks ah? (in fact one auntie came for acupunture because she got a partial frozen face (minor stroke)...reason? sleeps about 2 hours nightly as she spent her time on Korean dramas....more thrilling and exciting.....uncle where were you and what happened???....uncle must be computering huh?? Ahah! Uncle also got hypertension, says he has giddy spells...hmmm....too much computering...sure or not?
So TCM physician says we must have at least 7 hours of sleep nightly and on weekends go for total chill-out.... how to in this hot and humid weather????...and now with this bad economic situation, every night also see your boss's face in your dreams....nightmare man....so how to have a restful sleep?
TCM physician says....don't play, play..cholesterol plus hypertension equals...STROKE!
So what to do?? go dieting and be goodie, goodie..sleep early....early to bed, early to rise..makes a healthy man???...I think he is also trying to help increase world population!
OK got to go for early sleep...7 hours at least....hope don't meet my ex-boss half way during my sleep!!
Interestingly the discussion went into the topics of cholesterol and hypertension...2 very common diseases in all of us gluttons and kan cheong people (aiyah rushing from food court to foodcourt when there is so much publicity on what and where to eat... and kiasu mentality..everything much try and then must give expert comments to friends...shows one upmanship mah..pressure lah).
Cholesterol is very natural in all of us who live to eat and not eat to live and the gluttony in us does not believe in the word "dieting"....sinful lah. Take medication? Got side effects mah....not healthy. What to do?....die, die much eat what....favourites like bak kut teh, rendang, pork knuckles, spare parts, soup kambing (mutton lah not goat!), nasi byrani are yummy, yummy.
Hypertension (high blood pressure) results...surprisingly...more from our lack of sleep! Yah what...nowadays got to check very frequently e-mails (can't do without the blackberry..why black huh?), facebooks...many friends..don't know how come (must kay poh to see what your friends are doing and the photos they post for you to see especially the travel ones, so that you also say...I want to go there...pok kai like that and so blood pressure goes up and up...! money not enough), and like me also do blogging...which means my novels that I have bought to read for relaxation are now neglected....also starring too much on the PC screen can result in eye tension (starting from strain...don't buy notebooks)...so hypertension results when all are added up. But for some, I learnt from my TCM physician is worst, especially the ladies who are hopelessly hooked on watching non-stop their Korean dramas (very in-thing now...no more the HK ones..passe already, the aunties must be super fluent in Korean...which language school huh?) on VCD...wah auntie ah...want to dream about the Korean hunks ah? (in fact one auntie came for acupunture because she got a partial frozen face (minor stroke)...reason? sleeps about 2 hours nightly as she spent her time on Korean dramas....more thrilling and exciting.....uncle where were you and what happened???....uncle must be computering huh?? Ahah! Uncle also got hypertension, says he has giddy spells...hmmm....too much computering...sure or not?
So TCM physician says we must have at least 7 hours of sleep nightly and on weekends go for total chill-out.... how to in this hot and humid weather????...and now with this bad economic situation, every night also see your boss's face in your dreams....nightmare man....so how to have a restful sleep?
TCM physician says....don't play, play..cholesterol plus hypertension equals...STROKE!
So what to do?? go dieting and be goodie, goodie..sleep early....early to bed, early to rise..makes a healthy man???...I think he is also trying to help increase world population!
OK got to go for early sleep...7 hours at least....hope don't meet my ex-boss half way during my sleep!!
Monday, March 2, 2009
My doggy has a sadistic streak in her. She gets perverse satisfaction of making my life miserable especially now that she got wind of my unemployment...seeing me at home daily and taking full advantage of that!
I thought that since I do not need to wake early for work now that I don't have to go to work I I'll have the luxury of a little sleep-in. So I have stored away my alarm clock which had kept faith with me over the years but doggy has decided otherwise...hearing the silence every morning she appoints herself to be the official alarm clock...and without fail, she barks her head off every morning at an unearthly hour to make sure that I get up...urrrgh!! and if not the neighbours will step in....already got complain man (must remember to tie up her mouth tonight! hmmmm). Not only that. She now makes it a point that she is to be served breakfast before everyone else or else another round of mayhem from her...showing temper or what ...where did she get such a vocal cord???? Must blame the mother! Doggy also insists that she reads the newspapers first and after she has gone through there is not much news left....sigh.., spare the advertisements (can't afford 2 copies so have to go on-line...and I am having eyestrain trying to speed read before she finds out I have some leisure time...wah lau this is worse that a maid's life man..must not let her mix with the neigbourhood dogs...too much gossips).
When she is fully satisfied that she has given me a full dose of stress (wah working life also not so stressful ah) she goes to my favourite armchair to curl up...and giving me that silly classical doggy grin...feels like smacking it off her face!. Ah now, thinking to myself, I will have some peace and quiet, so time to read my novel and put my legs up before I start with the daily household chores...but no! seeing me sitting down on another chair she wants to engage me in a game of play catch ball with her or play catch me....me trying to catch her and she my legs..darn I am no longer a young sprinter! Results??? a few torn pants...wifey refuses to patch them up...too much work and me...embarassing to bring them to the tailor...hey also cost money must economise!
I think doggy is also an exhibitionist apart from a masochist. In the afternoons when the sun is hot she wants to go sunbathing!!!!!huh??? Yes. She has already hijacked my floor mat as her "beach towel" and lie blissfully on it and turning from time to time to sun her belly and back....won't be surprised she will next demands for a pair of shades (better get one from the pasar malam...a Cartier)....and I have to sit besides her (now you know why I am so tanned...chow tar!..) pandering to her needs...when thirsty she just barks and she has to be served quickly by.....now I have realised I am the servant and she's the boss...gosh...what a bossy little......!!!...one of these days I am going to sneak her to the barber and have her hair...oooops furs lah..shorned off then she will have a good time sunbathing without suntan oils....wifey says she will become one little "hot dog"....I think bbqed more like it...wonder what will the neighbourhood dogs ( a gossipy pack of bums pampered by their maids..say about her new look when she goes for her strolls...my satisfaction to take it back on her superior highness!!...me servant she boss huh!!! Wait..next week she will be packed off to the kernels...hee, hee, hee, hee....try to be boss there lah! (owners call such places "pet hotels"...get real!) when wifey, I and friends go for our week holiday....blissful... no more "morning calls" from doggy (must also remember to unhook my hotel room phone!!!).. hmmm..dreaming about it...hey that darned dog is barking again so have too go now...TTFN!
I thought that since I do not need to wake early for work now that I don't have to go to work I I'll have the luxury of a little sleep-in. So I have stored away my alarm clock which had kept faith with me over the years but doggy has decided otherwise...hearing the silence every morning she appoints herself to be the official alarm clock...and without fail, she barks her head off every morning at an unearthly hour to make sure that I get up...urrrgh!! and if not the neighbours will step in....already got complain man (must remember to tie up her mouth tonight! hmmmm). Not only that. She now makes it a point that she is to be served breakfast before everyone else or else another round of mayhem from her...showing temper or what ...where did she get such a vocal cord???? Must blame the mother! Doggy also insists that she reads the newspapers first and after she has gone through there is not much news left....sigh.., spare the advertisements (can't afford 2 copies so have to go on-line...and I am having eyestrain trying to speed read before she finds out I have some leisure time...wah lau this is worse that a maid's life man..must not let her mix with the neigbourhood dogs...too much gossips).
When she is fully satisfied that she has given me a full dose of stress (wah working life also not so stressful ah) she goes to my favourite armchair to curl up...and giving me that silly classical doggy grin...feels like smacking it off her face!. Ah now, thinking to myself, I will have some peace and quiet, so time to read my novel and put my legs up before I start with the daily household chores...but no! seeing me sitting down on another chair she wants to engage me in a game of play catch ball with her or play catch me....me trying to catch her and she my legs..darn I am no longer a young sprinter! Results??? a few torn pants...wifey refuses to patch them up...too much work and me...embarassing to bring them to the tailor...hey also cost money must economise!
I think doggy is also an exhibitionist apart from a masochist. In the afternoons when the sun is hot she wants to go sunbathing!!!!!huh??? Yes. She has already hijacked my floor mat as her "beach towel" and lie blissfully on it and turning from time to time to sun her belly and back....won't be surprised she will next demands for a pair of shades (better get one from the pasar malam...a Cartier)....and I have to sit besides her (now you know why I am so tanned...chow tar!..) pandering to her needs...when thirsty she just barks and she has to be served quickly by.....now I have realised I am the servant and she's the boss...gosh...what a bossy little......!!!...one of these days I am going to sneak her to the barber and have her hair...oooops furs lah..shorned off then she will have a good time sunbathing without suntan oils....wifey says she will become one little "hot dog"....I think bbqed more like it...wonder what will the neighbourhood dogs ( a gossipy pack of bums pampered by their maids..say about her new look when she goes for her strolls...my satisfaction to take it back on her superior highness!!...me servant she boss huh!!! Wait..next week she will be packed off to the kernels...hee, hee, hee, hee....try to be boss there lah! (owners call such places "pet hotels"...get real!) when wifey, I and friends go for our week holiday....blissful... no more "morning calls" from doggy (must also remember to unhook my hotel room phone!!!).. hmmm..dreaming about it...hey that darned dog is barking again so have too go now...TTFN!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Two more colleagues were given the pink slip today as the downsizing continues...and Job Credit.....effective?
As the door closed on them, they walked into a corridor of uncertainty.....when will they be re-employed again? It is not the best of time and the economic environment is deteriorating by the day and every morning the newspapers deliver more bad news...since October 2008 people looking for jobs has increased to 43 percent....DBS Bank predicts that unemployment to hit a 20 year high of 5% (99,000 job lost) by next year.....4,800 people queuing up from 8.30 a.m for 3,000 jobs on offer...banks and corporates are still asking governments for bailout and the sums are in tens of billions....most countries are on the verge of bankruptcy.
So bleak a picture and reinforced daily.
I hope that all these negative news will not get into them. Both have high technical skills and excellent job knowledge which will put them in good stead. But given these difficult times one must also exercise flexibility in looking for alternative jobs, be adaptable, and have strong determination and perserverance ....but also bear in mind that it will also mean taking a longer time to finally get a job.
Good luck to all those who have in the past 4 months lost their jobs and are still searching. Don't feel despaired as a bad storm will always blow away.
As the door closed on them, they walked into a corridor of uncertainty.....when will they be re-employed again? It is not the best of time and the economic environment is deteriorating by the day and every morning the newspapers deliver more bad news...since October 2008 people looking for jobs has increased to 43 percent....DBS Bank predicts that unemployment to hit a 20 year high of 5% (99,000 job lost) by next year.....4,800 people queuing up from 8.30 a.m for 3,000 jobs on offer...banks and corporates are still asking governments for bailout and the sums are in tens of billions....most countries are on the verge of bankruptcy.
So bleak a picture and reinforced daily.
I hope that all these negative news will not get into them. Both have high technical skills and excellent job knowledge which will put them in good stead. But given these difficult times one must also exercise flexibility in looking for alternative jobs, be adaptable, and have strong determination and perserverance ....but also bear in mind that it will also mean taking a longer time to finally get a job.
Good luck to all those who have in the past 4 months lost their jobs and are still searching. Don't feel despaired as a bad storm will always blow away.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
I am one of those PMETs who got downsized end of last year when my Corporate employer went into a restructuring exercise (common practice when a down turn is coming). My initial reaction was "normal"...total disbelieve that I no longer have to go to work daily at the normal hour and struggle 12 hours a day for the last 32 years. First 3 weeks was wonderful as the Chinese New year festivity was in the air and feeling great roaming the streets and buying the goodies...but not crazy to queue at Lim Chee Guan! and going to all my favourite makan places (for once don't have to attend clients' Chinese New year lunches and dinners...21 days of agony). After Chinese New year reality hits home and I start to run around in circles looking for another job and get back into the routine of an ordinary employee. Fat hope! and favourite common comments from the Corporate bigwigs are: "we have a head count freeze" or "we are still downsizing". My head is also freezing and my size is already down ah I want to say. But being a pragmatic person (should be after so many years right?) and having been in an industry which has always been labelled "sun set" there was no chance in getting back a job in a similar industry. What to do? Cannot every day watch Bollywood VCDs and listening to "Om Shanti Om" CD (my neighbours are suspecting I am going nuts and the man in Mustafa is getting a bit familiar with me..Hmmm how ah still need my Bollywood fix or to Jade Cinema..weekdays got discount for ah peks and ah mas), I decided to switch profession.....something that needs minimal retraining and orientation, some skills I already possess....so? I am to become a full time Home Minister I decided 4 weeks ago. Hurray!! I downsized my wife who has been holding this post the last 4 years...Full of great ideas..full of enthusiasm.. I plunged into it with glee notwithstanding the look that wifey has been giving me...thought it was resentment having been downsized the second time.
Now 4 weeks after, signs of regrets have crept in.
Working in a high pressure, high demand, fast paced organisation is one thing...doing all the daily chore of housekeeping and cooking is another....it is more stressful and physically demanding.
Preparing breakfast (oh where's the fresh bread..forgot to buy last night!), cleaning up the house (where did the dust decent from?), feeding the dog which immediately poo on you (gives you a manja grin) and then pipi after you mopped...urghhhh! The dry weather has suddenly turned rainy and the laundry got wet as I was not fast enough to take it in (has to be rewashed again lah so how to save electricity?), what to cook for lunch? and what for dinner....(planning budgets and sales target is much simplier..you get your staff to contribute..in this case wifey just says what she feels like eating and you plan...wah lau), needs to go to the wet market daily to get ingredients fresh...hey Monday market close dah! so had to run off to the supermarket. My goodness gracious, at the wet markets the aunties are so agressive and loud...my boss's cannot match them lah....lesson learnt: wear a smelly T-shirt...but wifey don't want to sit in the car so have to forgo the idea or go alone and carry everything.
At the end of the day (which is usually already late at night) you just want to pop into your favourite armchair....hey that b.....y dog has take over....now I know why my wife give me that certain look every day and you know why I am only able to answer e-mails and update face book late at night. Salute to all the full time wives and maids who should be recognised as professsionals.
I am going to resign from this job soon if I don't get to watch my favourite Bollywood movies and be a bum...should be easier right?
This is the only little luxury I have to write a blog...now is back to starting my preparation for dinner...urghhhhh!!! what to cook?
Now 4 weeks after, signs of regrets have crept in.
Working in a high pressure, high demand, fast paced organisation is one thing...doing all the daily chore of housekeeping and cooking is another....it is more stressful and physically demanding.
Preparing breakfast (oh where's the fresh bread..forgot to buy last night!), cleaning up the house (where did the dust decent from?), feeding the dog which immediately poo on you (gives you a manja grin) and then pipi after you mopped...urghhhh! The dry weather has suddenly turned rainy and the laundry got wet as I was not fast enough to take it in (has to be rewashed again lah so how to save electricity?), what to cook for lunch? and what for dinner....(planning budgets and sales target is much simplier..you get your staff to contribute..in this case wifey just says what she feels like eating and you plan...wah lau), needs to go to the wet market daily to get ingredients fresh...hey Monday market close dah! so had to run off to the supermarket. My goodness gracious, at the wet markets the aunties are so agressive and loud...my boss's cannot match them lah....lesson learnt: wear a smelly T-shirt...but wifey don't want to sit in the car so have to forgo the idea or go alone and carry everything.
At the end of the day (which is usually already late at night) you just want to pop into your favourite armchair....hey that b.....y dog has take over....now I know why my wife give me that certain look every day and you know why I am only able to answer e-mails and update face book late at night. Salute to all the full time wives and maids who should be recognised as professsionals.
I am going to resign from this job soon if I don't get to watch my favourite Bollywood movies and be a bum...should be easier right?
This is the only little luxury I have to write a blog...now is back to starting my preparation for dinner...urghhhhh!!! what to cook?
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Trial
This is the first time I am blogging and I am not sure as to what I want to write about yet...shall it be on my daily activity...boring right...on food....loves eating and food hunting...travels...hah went to USA first time in Dec and got my bag with Passport stolen...USA wah lau, travel so my years to LDCs and never experience this!...photography...great hobby and with digital you can share with everyone...social-economic issues.....like the feeling of being right-sized (ayah retrenched lah)....so many topics and subjects...but waiting must have the mood and time....Cheers for now.
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