Lonely is the nights

I have no problem being alone or staying alone at home because that is how my life is back in KL. But here..now that is really testing my 'braveness'..hahaha

The moment my hubby told me that he had to go for ship inspection in Paris, I just got the feeling that I won't be going along. Normally, when he went travelling to inspect his ship..well his company's ship by right but since he is the one in charge of building it from scratch, the ship is literally 'his'.hehehe...Anyway, if he go for ship inspection elsewhere, I normally tag along. That was how I end up in Germany & Holland last year. This is it's PARIS! I really want to go but it was just a one night trip so he decided that I shouldn't tag along because he be on board the ship until midnight. And there is a high possibility that he might sleep on board together with the crew. So...errr...ok, I rather be sleeping in my own bed.

So, few days before he fly to Paris, I am also so anxious and nervous. My mind just can't stop thinking, how am I going to survive this. Very stressful event  indeed.hahaha...

Well, you guys need to understand that all my life, I have always live in a house with gate, grills all over the doors & windows (even our toilet window have grills ok..) and dogs as well. My parent's place in the country side (kpg) have 10 dogs!!! Or when I am in KL, I have 4 security guards to watch over my place when I am asleep. But this place...I have none of that!!! It's like an open air market...hahaha...Man..I keep thinking, how can I sleep in peace without all four majors of security aspects??? Tapi, being me...I berlagak macho...buat donno & tell myself..come down..I'll be ok. My only consolation is that my sister in Texas also have to be alone almost all the time when her hubby's travel. She's ok so I must be ok.:)...menenangkan jiwa katakan

So, the first night, I make sure all the windows & doors are lock and that including my bedroom window. Have the torchlight with me, all my phones inside the room, my laptop, ipod and some 'weapon'. Took my travelling pill, which literally knocked me to sleep within the next 2hrs. Hahaha..I slept listening to Suria FM. I found that the house is too quiet for my liking so a little bit of music will be just nice. 

Woke up at 2am because the bedside lamp light is still on & I can't sleep with light on. So, turn it off. Found that I am a bit sweaty due to no air circulation but I don't care. Not going to look outside the window while I am opening it. Little bit of sweat is healthy right?? Hheheh...

Finally, I slept soundly and woke up at 650am. Am I relieved the I survive the night alone & looking forward for hubby to come home. Just when I am excited thinking about not spending the night alone again, I received a phone call that I just hate to receive. He told me that he is stuck at Paris's airport because Amsterdam's airport had to be temporary shutdown due to some 'bomb' incident. DAMN! Just what I need! Somehow, I got the feeling that this will happen. Damn it!

But since I am writing this, glad to say, I also survived the second night. I did what I did on the first night, took a sleeping pill! Hahhaha...I know I will be ok the next time I'll be alone here (not too soon I hope). I just have to get use to it, just like I am use to be alone in our condo in KL. 

The end.

Cucur ikan bilis

Suddenly yesterday I was craving for cucur ikan bilis or cucur pusuk (in S'wak language). So as I woke up this morning, I took out the flour, ikan bilis/pusuk, baking powder, spring onions, shallots and of course salt & pepper. Now, I have not made this for a very long time but it's not a nuclear science formula. Anyone who are bodied abled should be able to do this without recipe.

You just literally throw everything in a bowl & add hot water & you're ready to roll! So, there I was frying my anchovies fritters (translate from Malay to BI)..ehhehe...I came out with 7 pieces. So, made myself a hot pot of coffee (in this house, there are no instant coffee so making coffee is always by the pot)..:) Had my breakfast with cucur ikan bilis & hot coffee with milk & sugar. And of course, while I am doing my thesis & chatting at the same time. Talk about multi-tasking!

I saw a picture of checker board cake from a friend's blog while I was eating this. So, I decide to try bake it this weekend & invited my in law for coffee. I plan to get the checker board bake pan if this cake work wonder this weekend. Hehhehe...hopefully it will because I ain't gonna eat all of it! Someone has to..

I will update you guys on the cake ....if I make it though coz it all depend on my mood.:)

Danish summer

It seem that this year are going to be a wet summer in Denmark. There are more rainy days than sunny days this summer. The sun was high up at 5am until 930pm for the past 3wks and I really enjoy it. But it mess up my sleep because as soon as the room is bright, my eyes cant seem to sleep anymore. For the past few days after I arrived here, I constantly woke up just before 6am because out bedroom is so bright when it's not even 6am! This is the down side of having a total blackout curtain in my room in KL. The room remain dark even when it is 12 noon!

During the good day, I did a lot of outdoor activity related to the house as this is the only time that most people renovate their house or do some painting or weeding or even gardening. I manage to get myself tanned because even when the sun is right at the top of your head, you just don't feel hot at all. Well, I do sweat but not like when I am in KL. That is the advantage of a hot & dry climate. But the down side is that the next thing you know, you're DARK! Well, nothing much I can do about that now.:)

Soon, the daylight will get shorter & the temperature will drop because autumn will be here. That is the starting of all the gloomy and cold weather, and I expect it to have lots of rain too. This is the time that people started to hibernate in their home including me. But I won't be experiencing the autumn so much this year because I'll be in KL during that time, busy preparing for my pre-viva & thesis submission, and entertaining my friends! The next time I am here, it will be winter. I have no idea how cold the winter will be this year but no matter what this year will be a great winter because my parents & sister, and her kids will be here! YES! At least some part of my family will be here to celebrate Christmas with me.:) NICE!

Back to Herning

This is my first entry since my arrival in Herning. The town is ok but I prefer to be at home.  You see, my hubby has to stay in Herning during the weekday because of our house distance from his work place is quite far. It is very tiring to rive 2.5hrs every morning & 2.5hrs every evening just to go to work. So, he has no choice but to rent a room here. When I am here, I will normally follow him stayed here too. Well, I do not see the point of me flying thousand of miles just to be stuck at the farm all alone & only get to spend time with him on weekend. Lebih baik aku stay kat KL kan...

I am not the merayau person when I am here because stress la jalan2 sine because smua benda pun cam mahal. Since I am still unemployed I prefer to just stay put. So, mesti you guys wonder what the hell do I do in the room the whole day. Well, for those of you who do not know, I am currently trying to complete my phd thesis and trying to produce at least two high quality paper to be send to some respective journal soon. So, basically I write. Yes, almost the whole day. Doing phd is all about lots of reading and writing and thinking. Therefore, I feel this so called current lifestyle do suit me. It very quiet here and I am all alone during the day. I still do my exercise when I am here, at least 2-3x a week.

In the evening when my hubby come home from work, we went to the pedestrian walk just to walk around & go for window shopping, There are two huge mall here so somethings we do our shopping there. I wish this place is near the town centre so I can walk there sometimes but it's ok. Tomorrow we wil go back to the farm so I am looking forward for that.

Now I want to layan Jelangkung, some Indonesian horror movie from the year 2001.

Dinner

Again, today I do not need to cook for dinner. Yes!!

We went to my in law for dinner. They are serving fish fillet & some other fish dish. I was not feeling so well so I just ate very little. Not eating will mean rude so I have to eat something. You see, my in law live nearby, very near actually as you can practically run to their house within less than 20minute. So, we visit each other very often and invite each other for dinner when we're up to it.

We used to stay with them when we were back in Denmark from China because we rented the place to some family who happen to have the least care about taking good care of our house. I don't know what else to write. I knew I supposed to write something but right now, I am not up to it. I guess I am really not feeling well. Not having enough sleep also play some part because although it was raining heavily last night and we did open our window, I felt that the room is hot. I guess I am getting sick.

After coming back from my in law's house, I feel very cold and that is another sign that I am getting sick. Tomorrow we will have a bbq here with my in law as it will be my hubby last day of summer vacation. We will leave to Herning first thing in the morning as he work there and we will live there for the weekdays. It's not so bad because it's just 2.5hrs drive from here compare to taking a flight to China as previously.

OK..I really need to lay down.I will update you guys again tomorrow on what I suppose to write today.:)

Vietnamese Chinese Restaurant

We went our for dinner today. So that is great for me because I have a day off from cooking. Cooking everyday sometimes reaching a point where I have no idea what else to cook. Once in a while, dining out will be great.

Tonight, we want to join the crowd and rush to the newest chinese restaurant in Saeby. The price was not so bad. Introductory price for adult is 99DKK and 45DKK for children below 12 yrs old. Chinese restaurant in Denmark in general love to serve buffet dinner. When we reach the restaurant, it was 530pm & the table are almost full. The opening is from 5pm to 8pm. So, see people here don't normally eat out and if they do, it be until 8pm because during that time, most shops and restaurants are close. Only bar/pubs are open. 

We sat near a group of Swedish family and my gosh, the place is full of kids that make lots and lots of noise!! People always said that Asian like to breed, well, what do you know, so is Danish! Some, even have 4 kids! In current situation, 3 kids is already considered to be too much! Besides, the noises, the foods they serve is OK. Well, nothing compare to Malaysian chinese foods but it's bearable for Danish standard. Not that they know the different between a modified and an original taste of chinese foods anyway. 

I had little bit of here and there..some fried rice, fried noodle, chicken wings, spare rib (which I honestly think, mine is way better!), beef stew, spring roll (very obvious that it's  the frozen one), fried squid and mix vege with shrimp. And I had ice cream too as the dessert. I am not actually a person that someone should bring to a buffet dinner because I don't actually eat a lot. But I do like to take bits and pieces from different kind of dish, just to taste how it is.

The waiter/co-owner was speaking Vietnamese with me as she clear the table, which I am not surprise because in Denmark, the Vietnamese is the largest group of Asia migrated here years and years ago. I just wish they serve authentic Vietnamese cuisine because besides Thai foods, Vietnamese food is my next favorite foods to eat.

Well, overall, it was not so bad though I wish it can be better. One thing that I want to see here in Saeby is Chinese groceries store that sell authentic Chinese ingredients. I am yet to found one. If there is one, then it be easier for me to find Asian ingredient the next time I plan to cook Asian for myself & my hubby or when I invite my in law to come for dinner because they also love Asian food. So, far they have taste the authentic one since yours truly is the one who cook it.:)

Let see, whether I can dine at the Thai restaurant I saw in Fredrikshavn.:) See whether they really serve real Thai food or the modification Thai food to suit the local taste bud.

Pulling grass

My back and finger are damn painful because practically the whole day I spend..ok..half a day, I spend with pulling grass in from of my house. I wish I can used any kind of machine to do it but I am talking about this grass that grow in between the stone. My hubby don't like to do it, and so am I but if we like the front yard to look spotless, one of us have to do it. Unfortunately, that task fall to me.

We did try use vinegar as my father in law said, vinegar will kill the grass but I don't see it working so much. Some do die but most still standing tall and green! The best time to do it is now, when the day is long and the weather is hot enough to allow you to wear short pants and singlet. It will be so uncomfortable if you have to use layer and layer of cloths pulling grass! 

Armed with my ipod, I practically chat with my friends on YM, listen to my favourite gospel singer from Indonesia and pulling grass! Talk about multi-tasking! Hahaha...Since we live in a farm house, I have the privilege to sing my heart out in the middle of the yard without anyone looking our from their window and started to call the psychiatric personnel.Hheheh...So I sing and sing, and pull and pull. 

Glad to say, almost half is done now. Really love to see the stone is clear and no stump of grasses come out from it. Glad I decide to do it because now, I dont even want to see the grass.

Raya

Raya is approaching soon and I bet most of my Muslim friends are busy baking biscuit and cake and making sure that they get new cloths. Some even already having their holiday starting this week. I always like Raya since I was small because the idea of visiting my parents' Muslim friends is very exciting knowing they will serve various types of dishes, biscuits, cakes & tidbits. And they serve in abundance too!

Not to mention, there will be a lot of nice Malay movie show on tv. This is the time to catch up some local movie that I think not worth it to pay for. As years go by, Raya is more to spending time at home for me. I go out with my friends, whoever that stay in KL and not going anywhere. We will hangout at the mall, and mind you, the mall is always full of people during festive season. That is life in the big city. Movement don't just stop just because it's Raya or CNY because business has to open as usual.

This Raya, I will be missing the fun and missing the Raya music..Raya sales..Raya movie..hell, I already missing the Pasar Ramadhan. Something that I always look forward to because I love to try old and new foods available there. When my parents are staying with me in KL, my dad & I will make it a point to go down to Pasar Ramadan & shop for food. As usual we always end up buying too much.hahaha..

Since Raya will be coming soon, in fact, it is this weekend, so I think I decided to do some Raya cooking & invite my in law to join me. It at least make me feel that I am not left behind. Now I need to find my menu for Raya! I will update my Raya feast soon!

Monster cake

Baking is always been my passion. I love to bake. I search for reason to bake cakes/biscuits especially the one that I never bake before. So, today I bake a chocolate cake with vanilla butter cream icing, and I made a monster face on it. Well..I don't really see the monster but the 'owner' of the cake is satisfied so I guess it's ok.:) Since she herself draft the monster face on the cake before I do the frosting according to her design. I told her to use fondant to do the design and that fondant is also my lining for the monster.

Ok..all my ingredient is ready. My Kenwood is out & I am ready to bake! I love to use my Kenwood Kitchen helper because it really is a helper! I do not have to worry thinking about the batter flying here & there when I use the normal hand mixer. But I have to admit, when the batter is not so much, hand mixer is the best.

 I always use brown sugar instead of white so that my cake won't be so sweet. I try to make sure that my cake is 'reasonably sweet'. Main reason why my brother only like me to bake cake for him.

 And I seldom use cocoa powder unless I can find Hershey brand. So almost all my chocolate cake are either using real chocolate that you & I normally eat (dark or milk chocolate) or I use baking cake. So, my chocolate cake really have the real chocolaty taste to it.

 My baking tray is all doll up.:)...I have lots of these, thanks to my MIL who always buy it for me when it's on sales because she know I love to bake. I am yet to have a square baking tray. I think I need to put that in my birthday or Christmas list this year.:p

 This I bought in KL and brought here. Luckily I did that because it is very hard to find here in Denmark & even if I find it, it is damn expensive. This is because most cake here used marzipan, which is abundance and cheaper. But not everyone like the taste of marzipan/almond paste.

Now my batter is in the oven. The whole kitchen now smell like chocolate cake. Yummy! Love that when I cook, the smell of something baking.

 I cut it into a square shape & place it on aluminum foil on top of a plate. So, it be easier for me to transfer it later.

 I used my hand mixer for the icing because I won't be making so much of it. Easier to use this.

Here it is! Ok..nothing like sesame st. character but the 'owner' of the cake is very happy & satisfied because does look like the monster that she want. And she approve that it will be the best cake tomorrow in school!

BBQ

Today was a good day. The weather was nice. Sunny all the way until 8pm. Now the sun has started to set in. We invited our in law to join us for bbq dinner at our backyard. We always have bbq when it is summer because that is basically the only time when sitting outside until 8pm won't make you froze to death.

I received a package from my sister in Texas today. She send me some mexican chilies so I thought I will blend it dry and marinated my meat with it. She said the chilies is very spicy so I am so excited to try it. I have a high tolerance with spicy food and I love to try anything that people claimed to be very spicy. But it was not so spicy as I expected it to be. Probably I didn't put enough chili to make it hellish hot! 

But it's ok. I enjoy my meat anyway & we finish the dinner with strawberry & coffee. Because I am lactose intolerance I can't really drink milk or anything dairy directly but I really love to mix the cream with the strawberry. So, I mix it anyway & as expected less than 30min, nature call!! Hahhaha....

Ok..got to go now, I want to watch some tv. Today I work very hard cleaning all the window! Man...that was hard because my house literally have many window. Tomorrow, I have a baking project to do. My first every monster cake. So, now I need some rest.:)

I'll update you guys with the process of making a monster cake.

Fondant 2 tier cake

My husband just celebrated his 40th birthday. Months before the birthday approaching, he already talked about it that he need to have some celebration and invite few close friends and relatives. Reaching 40th years old is some kind of a milestone age, well at least from where he comes from. Because I know, from where I come from, 40 or 50 or 30 years old, doesn't mean anything. It's just another age.

So, as the day approaching I decided to do a special cake for him. I never tried my hand on using fondant when making cake before. So, I would like to try this time. And I also never make a 2 tier cake photo cake. So, I bought some of the ingredient from M'sia and brought it all the way to Denmark. Thank God I bought the fondant in M'sia because it is so damn expensive in Denmark.

On the day before his party, I woke up early in the morning & start doing my thing. I decided to do 2 tier rainbow cake with edible picture and frost it using fondant. Since it is his 40th birthday, I think it will be a memorable if I commemorate his life in a cake.

 I wont show how the batter were made as I assume everyone know how it was made. This is just a normal butter cake. The only different is the variety of colour involved.

 Actually the cake is not so thick, it's very think. So, 7 layer of cakes is not actually as high as I imagine it will be.

 There goes, five colours is ready. Now getting ready to do the frosting.I just used the usual vanilla butter cream icing. It is easy to do and it's good as  a 'glue' for the fondant. The fondant was very hard! Man..if I have to rolled it everyday, for sure my arm is way muscular! Hahaha...so, I have to ask the birthday boy to help me.

This is the top layer. It look so smooth! I love using fondant except the rolling part. But I wish I have the fondant levelling tool. Then I believe it look more sharp and smooth. But for now, this is good enough.

 Ok.I didn't take picture for the 1st tier. So, here the almost finish 2 tier rainbow cake with edible picture. As you can see, there is a picture of my hubby when he was just a little baby. I got all the picture from my MIL. She gave me these pictures years ago so I get to see how my hubby look when he was a young boy.

 There was a picture of my in law too, it was taken during their trip to Sarawak. There is his picture with his favourite dog.

 I don't like to do piping because it involve too much icing & most of the time, the icing is wasted. So, luck for me, I have this edible chocolate lettering. Luckily I have enough alphabet for all the wording I need.

 Yes, our wedding picture also included & my favourite picture of him, the one on the left, using the bell bottom pants.:D

 Some picture of him taken in China when we visited the terracotta warrior site and also when he first came to the longhouse.

 Brought the candle from KL, just in case I have no time to search for it here. And that is the whole cake, the finishing touch. I am so happy with the outcome & I received huge compliment for the presentation. It took me almost 12hrs to finish all of it. Man that is tough! hahha..but for my husband, I'll do it again.

This is how it look like, rainbow cake. Ok..not exactly the actually rainbow colour but it will do.I realised that the colouring here is not as strong as we have in M'sia. Talk about healthy conscious.

Choices

Everyone has to make a choice in their life & I do believe everyone has a choice regardless what are the choices. Not making decision and just follow the flow is a choice in itself. I was having a conversation with a friend one day and we happen to have a topic of choice.

Now this person think that kids are not given any choice when it comes to making choices but I do believe that they actually do have a choice. Now I am not talking about anyone below 11 years old here but beyond that age. From my years of observation, kids are not all innocent and stupid but they are rather smart and can be very manipulative at times. I do not give any excused nor will I make any excuses for bad behaviour because God has provide us with a sound mind to think. Well, unless you are mentally retard than I think you can have a little credit for that or what I would say, close one eye.

Research shown that children grew up with a depress or alcoholic's parents are tend to be depress or becoming alcoholic themselves when they grow up but it also can be the other way around. They are prone to such living style but it is not genetically connected, which means they do have a choice. This is not like having a Huntington disease where it is transferable genetically. I have quite a number of friends that I know personally, who grew up in a broken family or parents who are alcoholic but they turn out just fine, in fact, even better than their own parents has ever been. These group of friends told me once, they made a choice not to succumb to the same way of living, which they hate so much and vow to be different. And they did, superbly.

You see, we have a choice whether we want to admit it or not. Unless you were born with some sort of genetic diseases that will be different story all together. But nowadays, there are some medical technology that enable parents to avoid the birth of a genetically sick child but that is a matter of their personal choice. Again...choices are available. Regardless good or not, ethical or not, right or wrong...it still is a choice.

Conclusively, I am a firm believer that everyone has a choice. There is no such thing as no choice.

Longhouse (Iban) wedding

Today is the day that I have been waiting for. I have never witness an Iban wedding in my life ..EVER! So, I am so excited to witness one today. My auntie woke up quite early as I can hear the pots and pans making sound downstairs. Me & my brother slept in an air conditioning room while the rest sleep outside...yeah ..yeah..we're cheating. But I can't sleep if it's too hot and that is normally the case in a typical longhouse in the month of June.

I woke up & help a bit. Nothing much actually because my aunt only cooked two type of dish. According to the programme that was passed to everyone, the bride's entourage will arrived at our longhouse at 3pm. But you know what, they only arrived at 645pm! I have no idea which planet does their time following but on earth that is like almost 4hrs delay! We waited and waited until we no longer eager to see them arrive anymore. Everyone is fed up because they are all tired. Delay in arrival will mean that all the programme are pushed behind schedule. As their van stop at the side entrance of the longhouse, guess what...there are 25 people coming out from the van! Serious shit! Hahahha....I don't even want to imagine how on earth they can fit inside that van and it was an old van! Probably that's why it took them 4hrs because they were overloaded so the van can'r go very fast!hhahaha...

 Not the entire entourage but these are the group that fit inside an old rugged van that normally can fit only 12 people. There are 25 of them! Can you imagine!!

 Miring ceremony was performed as the guests arrived to honor the 'petara' or God, spirit and ancestors.

 The welcoming committee.Hehehhe...

Everyone is waiting outside their room now to see the entourage. The whole group will go from one unit to another, from one end to another and every unit will serve them either with soda drink or tuak. This is the time for the us to see who are our guest. For those who are single, this is the time to search for available partner.Hehhehe...

 The first person to lead the entourage is normally representatives from the welcoming longhouse.

 One of the welcoming party with Iban traditional vest and head gear. The pants is the modern part of the outfit though....hehhehe

 Of course the 'chief' have to be part of the welcoming comittee.:)

 This is the groom's mom.

 This little girl is always used as the young 'mascot' each time there is a ceremony in the longhouse. I have no idea to whom this girl belong to but can't deny that she does look pretty here.

 This is the boy band. Actually I was wondering how the boy band look like. I thought that it be like those boy band that make live performance in a hotel/lounge.

 Tipah tertipu!! hahaha...that how I feel when I saw these 3 boys playing the traditional instrument.

 Now everyone gather at the groom's ruai and of course everyone bring their dishes to be share by many.

Eating time! This is what most people been waiting for the whole day. The time for feast!

 After the gathering at the groom's ruai & listening to some introduction of the guest and whatever announcement that follow, everyone go back to their own bilik and it's time to place the food outside for everyone to eat. This probably the largest and longest buffet you can ever found! Hahaha...

 The buffet table is stretching from the first bilik to the last one. So, you basically can go as far as you want in search of your favorite dish or in search for new dish that you haven't try yet.:)

 This is our table. We share with two other bilik. It's all traditional Iban dishes but of course there are some individual who want to add a new twist to the all Iban food so it won't be too traditional.

 Finally, I get to see the wedding cake. Can't even fit the whole longhouse.....hehehe

 Finally, at almost 12midnight the bride & groom came out. Man! That was long, in fact, this is the longest wedding ever in terms of the waiting time. The waiting started from the first step of the programme, which is the arrival of the bride's entourage. Gosh..talk about timing!

After like 15min, I just left & went to sleep. Can't wait any longer to go to bed. It was a nice experience to witness the wedding but I hate the waiting.

Gawai continue

So here I am again, after my stomach is fill and the dish are wash & I manage to take a walk, at least 1.5km. I try to take a walk everyday for at least 2km because I am terrified that when I am back to KL, my friend will say the unwanted comment...you gain weigh? Don't we all hate those remark cum question.

Anyway, here my Gawai story. As we reach the longhouse, it's rather quiet for a Gawai celebration. My auntie was entertaining some guests when our car reach the front 'porch' or ruai as it called in Iban. We were asking our auntie why it's so quiet. She said...

"Orang dah lelak bergawai maya orang kawin tok tadi. Pagilak bisi gak org kawin. Nyak meh saritok org diau dirik ajok." (People already started the party two days before Gawai because there was a wedding. Tomorrow there will be another wedding so today everyone just want to relax).

You see, when you held a wedding at a longhouse, everyone is involve. I literally mean EVERYONE! Every unit in the longhouse will cook some dishes, which will be serve to the bride/groom entourage during the feast. Therefore, the bride/groom's family from our longhouse will not be burden with the task of cooking for numerous of people. This amount sometimes can go to more than 100 guest and that's not including the people living in the welcoming party's longhouse. So, you can imagine how much one have to cook if it was only  one party cooking. Guest also can go inside any unit or bilik in Iban, in the longhouse and of course as a good host, you need to have foods and drinks.

As you can see, wedding in a longhouse involve a lot of cooking and entertaining and it really is a community work as everyone, young or old, will have a task on that day. In my case, there are two wedding at my dad's longhouse within a close gap. So, it is no wonder that they prefer to sleep in & just watch tv instead of go visiting on Gawai itself. Nevertheless, my brother and I start our visiting 'journey' at 6pm. Just right after dinner and we manage to go to at least five bilik. Man..my stomach was full and it's difficult to walk after.hahahah..

But before we both left for our makan journey, suddenly the Gawai group came to our bilik & there goes our plan. We have to stay for a while because it is rude for the host not to entertain the guests.

 Yes, the group fill up our living room and some of them are already drunk.Hahha..

 My dad gave a glass of tuak to the 'chief' or Penghulu after his lovely speech.:)

 The funny thing is, his wife decided to wear a wig! Hahhaha

 My brother posing with the 'chief' 's wife. The next time we saw that wig, it was at someone else head! hahaha...

That night we visited our relatives (basically almost everyone is related in a longhouse either through blood or marriage) and go home with a really full belly. I don't normally go visiting alone when we're in the longhouse because I don't really know anyone and they also don't really know me. I am the least from my sibling to visit the longhouse so I am not surprise no one really know me & vice versa.:)

Gawai 2012

Gawai is here again. This year, I decided to go back to Kuching and take a break from KL for 2weeks. This year, we decided to celebrate Gawai at two places, Taee & Engkudu. First, we go to Taee in Serian, my mum's hometown. Originally, my brother and I plan to join the village folks to celebrate Gawai eve at the community hall but due to unfortunate event, we can't go. But we still go back to Taee anyway because we plan to depart for Saratok from there. Cut the journey by 1hr.:)

The weather was hot in June and as usual, when there is celebration, there is water disruption. I swear that these people purposely disrupt it because it can't be coincident if it happen every year right? So, my bro and me decided, it's time to pay the river a visit! Heheh...well..well..what do you know, even the river has no water!!!! Whattt???? So, we just have to satisfied with rain water that my parents collect in the huge water drum. Sigh...after taking shower me, my bro, mom & dad when to my grandma's house to have Gawai eve dinner. WE ate our hear out & decided to take a look at the show at the community hall that we miss.

OK..we didn't miss much. It's kindda boring. So, we went back to the farm house early that day because we have a long journey the next morning. We left Taee at 9am. With so many people on the road, we can't go faster, therefore, we take our own sweet time. We reach Engkudu to my aunt surprise on 1st June, 2012 at 330pm. She though we will come the next day.hahaha...my bro purposely don't call her so we can surprise her & she was surprised indeed.

I need to cook dinner for now, I will share with you what happen in Engkudu during our 3 nights stay.

Friends for life

There this time in your life where you will meet someone or a bunch of people that will be a huge part of your life even years after the first time you met. I have truly blessed to have met these kind of people who until today, still bless me with their loyal friendship & kind gesture. When I need a shoulder to cry on, they are there...when I need people to listen to my bitching...they will support me although they might found that I am on the wrong side of the fence....hahahahha...when I am down & needed cheering up, these bunch of friends will gladly cheer me up & make me forget that I am suppose to feel down.

We all met in high school where most of us are boarders back in 1991 until 1995. Those years were one of the best years of my life. I have a set of family that I myself chose to be with and they are still my family until today and years to come. Gosh..there are a lot that we been through together, the good and the bad time and yet here we are. I not only get to know them but also their family, their husband and their kids. We basically know each other so well that even my parents don't need to ask me anymore with whom I go out or who will I invite to my party whenever I am back in Kuching because there is no other people that I rather hangout with but these bunch!

Every year when I am back in Kuching, that is the time we will meet up. Mostly, it will be at my parent's house but sometimes, we meet up elsewhere. Our normal agenda is EATING! Hahahha....each person will bring different thing & suddenly, the whole table is full of FOODS!

This is not the whole bunch of course as some might we busy that night. Because of these faces that make me miss Kuching all the time...of course besides my own family. 

This is the latest picture I have of our annual gathering in Kuching. This was taken when I went back to Kuching for Gawai. Some of us are not there because they were down with flu.

This is almost the whole group picture..hehehe...I can't wait to go back to Kuching again next year. This year quota is already finish so I have to wait for next year to meet these bunch of great people again!

A little bit on the bore side..

Lately, I feel so bored despite having few writing to do. This is always the case when I submitted my thesis for proof reading. I feel that some part of me is missing if I am not busy doing my writing, reading, argument and thinking all at once. My research has become a huge and important part of my life for the past 3 years. I have a hate and love relationship with my work. Well the hate goes to a other part of the process actually, which I believe is not appropriate to be discuss here.:)

When I am back in KL, during this so called grace period, I will normally held a gathering with my gf since I have lots of time for preparing the menu, cooking & decoration. Or I can always visit my best friend, MIDVALLEY! Gosh...I miss that place. I considered it as my second beloved home.:p

When I am bored, it is hard to get the momentum of idea flowing thus, I just have to find a way to make  this moment of waiting as least boring as possible or else my paper will not see the light of day! I know..probably some horror movie or ghost movie will do me some good. Hmm...that will be it but I need to figure out how to connect the laptop with the tv so I can see the movie on a bigger screen. Unfortunate for me, I have no access to anything pirated here...another thing I miss about KL.hahaha..

OK..let the search for ghost story/ horror movie online start NOW!

Short tour of Philippines's history

Good morning! Now I am fresh & ready to tell you guys about my tour of the city. Since it was given for free by the organising committee so I won't complaint that it was short & I want some more. Hehheh..

We left the university ground slightly after 1pm when we all finish our lunch & get our certificate of participation. I sat with Dr.Orkana from Thailand. She is such a pretty & soft lady...just as what I expect from her being Thai.:)

 Our first stop is at the Manila Cathedral.

 But 1st before we came in, we were briefly told about the tour and what we will see, and of course a quick story of the history of Manila. We have a fabulous and funny and informative and creative tour guide. If I were to tour Philippines again, I would love to hired him. And you know what, few months after I left Manila, I saw him on History Channel!

We went inside the church. My partner left me behind because I was slow as I have to read few things about the church right in front the main entrance. Therefore, I end up with this bunch of guys. They are form Cambodia & Vietnam. But as they get noisier, I decided I better leave them & be on my own. It's a church for goodness sake, dont they know they need to be quiet to respect the people who are in there for personal moment with HIm. Gosh...

 Then our next stop is the famous Intramuros. This is the behind gate.

Now we're inside the wall. Intramuros is Spanish for 'within the wall'. Intramuros was the seat of government during the Spanish Colonial Period. It is the oldest district and the core district of Manila. It is a huge wall and there are entrance from West, South, North & East and each entrance are for different uses. The city outside the wall is called extramuros which literally mean 'outside the wall'. The wall is a remembrance of Manila past history. Some part of within the wall has been converted to a golf course though.Hehhehe..

 The wall look like from the outside.

You still found a lot of horse carriage such as thing around the wall that offer you an opportunity to tour the wall. Yup, that basically mean you need to be watchful of horse's shit. Unlike a place that I visited in Turkey, they dont collect their own horse's shit. Hehehhe...

 Our next stop is St.Augustine Church, the oldest church in the Philippines that still remain standing and in use until today. The church was within the wall of Intramuros. Our guide told us that this is the most famous place to be married and way advance booking is require because it seem, wedding is happening everyday here.:) WEll, who doesn't want to be married in the oldest church in the country since it's so pretty and grandeur looking.

 See...there are two wedding happening in the church that day. I can see that these couples come from a prominent Filipino's family. Check out the wedding car...

 So, due to the wedding, we can't enter the church. Now that was the downside of the tour.:(

I have no idea what brand is this car. All I know, it look cute.Hehhehe

 I cant remember what the guide told us about this.Hahhaha...

 This is the middle courtyard of the church. Since we can't go inside the church due to the wedding ceremony, so we went into the back of the church. The courtyard us very peaceful.

 View from above.

There we all go, following our tour guide. And where he brought us...

 Into a room where it is full or urn! I feel so creepy in that room so I decided to go out for 'fresh air'. I do not wish to be inside a room full of dead people's ashes!

Then after, we go to the top part of the church to have a glimpse of the interior part of St.Augustine. The wedding is so beautiful. It look so grand! It is no surprise everyone want to get married here. I would!Hahaha..

 The church's organ pipe.

Our last destination is Casa Manila. This is a 'pet' project of the former first lady of Philippines, Imelda Marcos. It is a reconstruction of Spanish colonial home in the 19th century.

 There is a restaurant where you can experience an authentic Spanish and Filipino cuisine.

We were all very tired and really glad that it was our last stop.

 Casa Manila from the outside. Unfortunately, we can't take photo of the interior part of the house. Don't ask me why.

 So, everyone just have to be satisfied with pictures outside the building.hehhehe

 We just finish the inside tour and...

 I just have to take my last picture in Manila at Casa Manila..

On our way back to the bus. Overall, I had a very good time and also fun time both in the conference and also during our short tour of the city. We had a great tour guide and I made lots of new friends from all over the world during my 3 days conference which I still keep in touch until today. I would love to go to the Philippines again if I have the chance but this time, it will be all fun & game! Mabuhay Philippines!