gain and lost

真的对不起浏览这篇部落格的朋友, 好不容易才能找到机会上网. 让我一次过细数这三个月走访过的地方. 首先是盛产古龙水的科隆

然后是严谨的瑞士, 美丽的少女峰.

接下来是少了烽火的直布罗陀.

漂浮在海上的卡迪CADIZ

SHERRY葡萄酒的故乡JEREZ

寻找热闹的舍维尔SEVILLE

街头艺人逗留的山城GRANADA, 静卧山中的ALHAMBRA皇宫

阳光海岸的MALAGA

这一段路并不是一帆风顺, 我在路上掉了手机, 临时改变留宿地点....

这只有一个教训, 目标清楚, 就不要太在意一路的波折. 真希望我在最后几个月的生活能安稳过去. 不再有太多是非怨言.

Slough Canal Festival

This is another local activity held by local government. Is is a pity that there is not much food stall(maybe discourage people from littering). The whole programme was still quite ok. Ferrets race, exhibitions, old pump motor, live band, martial arts, lion dance, boat trip, funfair and etc were held. They were not all looked very attractive but still gave people some idea about maintaining a clean environment while providing some sort of entertainment.

eligible to vote in UK?

I received a letter last night saying that I need to return the elector information form with updated details of occupier of my current rented property. Then I realise as a citizen of a Commonwealth Country. I have the RIGHT to vote in UK! Sounds unbelievable but that is true. I have missed last election in Malaysia due to the fact that I was not 21 by end of the registration date. But over here I have a chance to vote as I am over 17 and have to right nationality. I do not know whether that is a blessing or not. But frankly speaking I am more concerned with the coming election in Malaysia because that affect me and my family members more. I think if we could not get the right people into the government, the public works in Malaysia will fail. Then this country will become less safe and more diificult for people to lead a good life on. In the end, I may have no home to return to in future. So the opportunity in UK maybe a good lesson for me. Though the reason for me to register myself and my housemate is to avoid being fined £1000.

New Specs

I broke my plastic spectacle frame while I was playing tennis few days ago. A ball just bounced onto my glass and split the frame. Leaving a scar on my eyelid. So I was hunting for a repalcement along the shops in Slough high street. But none of them said they have one. They only told me to get a new sets for everything because a new frame with old lens will not give me a good eye focus. But I think they may just want to make ££. Anyway, I thought I can walk away with something below £70(the cheapest is £35). But all the cheap frame are too round and big. With high power lens, this whole thing may be too heavy for my nose. But then I chose soemthing at £85. The design is just ok on my face and does not block my eye sight. The index of lens became another big issue to me due to my poor eyesight. A standard lens cost me nothing more but quite heavy to me as explained by store keeper. So in the end I bought a frame with 1.74 index at £150 with another frame(same design!!) with normal lens as the storekeeper told me that frame is buy one get one free(I don't need extra one at all). I still have my work time use spec. So basically waste money in UK. I could probably spend a little bit less in Singapore or Malaysia.

Just now, I looked at the price of contact lens and I realised they are in fact cheaper if I only do a eye checkup and new prescription every 2 years. Maybe there is relly a big market all over the world to drive the cost down. So those in UK are in fact same price or slightly cheaper than those in Singapore. But too bad, my eyes just could not have anything stick to them.

Photos from my cell phone

I managed to buy a bluetooth adapter from SimLim Sq last Monday. Therefore, I can transfer quite a number of nice scene from my handphone to my computer. Quite a lot of them are discovered on the way of doing something else. I think there are really beauties hidden around our daily lives.

Flowers in February. Still very cold at that time. Searching for house

Trees near SaraLee. Around February as well. Flowers were blossoming but leaves are yet to grow

Rainbow on a rainy day. Caught it after work. It is very difficult to see full arc of rainbow in Malaysia.

Another spring flowers along lower cippenham lane.

Bus(to Amsterdam) in Eurotunnel train. The train design is very nice but quite dull.

I love my homeland

This morning my brother told me that my house got broken into again. I felt quite upset about it. Yet there is nothing I can do until I fly back home. As I could see from the news online. Robberies, thefts, rape... crime are everywhere. People there have expressed their anxieties and dissatisfaction to local government. Why nothing is improved? Police there is unable to bring down the crime rate. Their attitude is kept complained by people. What has gone wrong in the first place. I wonder what has gone wrong in the first place. Are we too ignorant of what happened when our neighbours were complaining about the safety? Were we ignorant about whatever kind of anti-social behaviour? Were we too busy in taking care ourselves? Where did those 'bad' people come from? How they become'bad'? These 'bad' people are also part of us. But how could they act in the way other people will not do? I felt I should not blame anyone, any party? I just could not understand, if anyone can gain anything easily by harming other person, what does that different from being a terrorist(or terrorising anarchist?)

Salzburg

Salzburg-- is fderived rom the name 'salt city'. It rose because of salt mines nearby. It is a hometown of W.A.Mozart and the place mentioned in 'Sound of Music'. It is well maintained and very tourist friendly. Located at the west of Austria, its history is linked to Austrian, Vatican and German.

HohenSalzburg Fortress

Salzburg... full of tram

Salt mine...salty water

Salt column

Salzburg at night

Mozart's piano?

a tough foot path on Unterberg(mountain)Bosna -- local sausage

Salzburg from Untersberg

beautiful dolls and puppets

Summer...home

Sorry to those who read my blog. I have not been updating this site for long because I am too lazy. Most of the evening I either spent time in watching video or playing tennis/ other sports. Probably due to good weather for the past few weeks. I just can't stay at home to wrtie a blog or pack my luggage to anywhere. Well, this period I have been to Salzburg, Leeds, York and Southampton. I have also watched a live performance of Lion King in London and spent a few afternoon and night for picnic in windsor. I will try to upload the picture where possible. But I will be back home this coming Saturday BA0011, estimated arrival at changi airport 17:55. So maybe that will be a good time to some blog as well(better than keep eating delicacy in hometown).

Amsterdam and Zaan Sach

museumplan
Van Gogh Museum
Canals
guan ying temple

That was a very tiring bus trip....

from London victoria -- Ashford International-- bus ride onto train of Eurotunnel -- Calais--Belgium--- Einhoven(Netherlands)-- Amsterdam

Back Amsterdam--Den Haag--Rotterdam--Antwerp--Calais---bus onto Ferry-- Dover(UK seaport, not the Singapore one) --Canterbury-- London Victoria

Amsterdam-- a place where smoking Cannabis(大麻) and eating Magic mushroom are legal. Don't ask me about how well they taste. I dare not even one to try. But the city centre especially red light district is full of bad smell (can't describe). It is also a place where urinating in open space is possible(There are plentiful of 'phone post' along the street in Amsterdam).

Zaan Sach is a place to see working windmill. There is one that used for squeezing oil. I am gl;ad to see chinese brochures in many attraction points in Netherlands. Maybe chinese culture and language are well respected and treated here. People there speak English well too. Not like UK....

windmill

oil grinding workshop in windmill

which one is the real animal? Those who guess it first time right will get the sweets from there.

village house, wide at the front but actually like normal triangular roof at the back

My silly photo in Heineken Brewery, I got another stupid video in city as well.

Verona(slovenia itlay trip)

Location: north of Italy

famous of: granite

any attractions: Arena, underground remains of Roman city

well known of : Romeo and Juliet(Guilleta in Italian) well that's just a fiction, although there is a tomb and house belong to Juliet.

But this story is so well known, thanks to English man William Shakespeare, even the crest of the province is like this:

Over Juliet house, I saw people showing their love with graffiti, see...

Well, no matter what, this is still a cute place to visit. See what I got by getting a souvenir in train station:

Well I did not ask to wrap it like this but the shopkeeper think that's for someone.... you know someone. So whom suppose I give it to?

see, so many candidates from so many political parties

Tag answer

你们的问题是:1) 遇到心仪的对象, 你会主动去接近他, 还是等待机会让他接近你?2) 遇到你讨厌的人, 而他也看见了你, 你会......?3) 如果让你有机会当明星一天, 你会选择当......?4) 与男/女朋友分手, 而先提出分手的是对方, 再见还是朋友吗?5) 最奢侈的一次是?个位, 辛苦啦......不要怪我......
Answers:
1)I will take my initiative (provided has opportunity).
2)smile...(song by Lilly Allen)
3)singer
4)a bit hard to be friend anymore
5)watch wimbledon(actually got full refund due to rain)

I have no one else to tag to...sian

future and current--- thought for life, movie: fightclub

Saturday, a day for me to rest. But instead of resting I choose to return work. Although I was not assigned any much work(a bit pointless to return), I still did so. As this is a promise to my colleague. After a headache machine jam, things go quite well so I can leave for town. I spent quite a bit of money on so called 'quality' product in waistbag. That's due to my horrendous experience in Amsterdam central train station. My coins, all £, just rolled out of my money belt and fell onto rail. So I think for something to hold more precious stuff. A good product really make a bit difference. Well then the money I got to fork out is definitely much more.





I could only reach home at 17:00. So there was a very short hours for preparing curry chicken and duration of cooking really matters in cooking curry. Luckily, all my effort did not go waste. I still manage to present it at friends' home in time. They all love what I did except the size of chicken parts(well, what do you all expect, girls? I asked the butcher to chopped the chicken down for me already).





After having a sumptuous meal, we had a lot of talk on our future plant in Singapore, our future job upon finishing of training here and possibility to stay back. Then it became obvious that girls want to go back ASAP whereas guy will want to stay on and work in this country. Does it mean girls have more sentimental like to home town or there is something in this country that deters them from staying? Well for guy, the lifestyle and pay are definitely the determining factors. during the discussion, I mentioned about the surrender singapore permanent residency if I stay back. Then I was told there is a possibility of getting a British residency. So I just wonder what did that matter to me? Maybe I do have a little bit of ties back in singapore. But the basic reason is if I need to return to Johor Bahru, what can I do next? The relevant job opportunities to me are only available in Singapore. anyway that is a good discussion me to sort out my mind in future. There is a need to look at long term effect for this kind of decision.





Back home, I had a chance to watch this thrilling and mind cracking movie, Fightclub. I think if I was to watch it back in my hometown, I would think that was nothing but a crap. But that kind of violent, cult movie could hardly pass the regulatory bodies back there. It was indeed a split personality(played by Brad Pitt) of the main protagonist(Edward Norton) that wrecking havoc to others lives in the movie. But what did it show in the society of the whole movie plot? a lot of underachiever, people indulge in buying things(consumerism), overpent on credit card and a lot of children grow up in broken families. These more or less reflect some fundamental problems that exist throughout the history of US. But the crazy idea of resorting to terrorism and anarchism which was again something that was shocking me. Not because I did not accept the idea but rather due to the fact that once people sink into some sort of problems like those in the movie, a terrorist way of solvin g those problem was seems perfect to most people (but not resorting to that due to conscience). But there is one thing I could not understand, how can a person attract a group of followers by hitting himself in the beginning. How do those follower know if he is himself or the alter ego? I think that could no longer be that important. But from what I have seen in the situation back in Malaysia. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX==deleted

Venice

Nothing much to say about this place because that was no fun at all. Moreover, everything inside is expensive. Too hot and crowded are the major problem. However, it is a non sleeping city where people can always find something or somewhere to chill out at night. It is not an easy life in the central of this place. Many Asians are working hard to earn money here. So does the scenery, quite like Asian city in many ways. Locals, however, prefer to live in their own way to make money. So most choose to stay in remote islands around the Lagoon of Venizia.
left:Square, right: pontoon in the canal


St Mark Square
Square in Burano Island. Museum of Lace is the building at right

New plant in Singapore

Just Have a meeting with Operation Director and QC director of singapore plant. It was good to know that everything on setting up goes well. However, there was nothing much about the job offer. So far as I could find out is their schedule of when to make job offer and what kind of benefit in terms of transport could be possible. So everything will be out of midst from November 07 onwards. There is a possibility to go back for work earlier but will not be more than a month before my training ends. Everything sounds promosing as the director said( that's always diplomatic). The only disadvantage for me and peers in slough is the size of group that will not gain any upper hand when there is a conflict with US trainees in the new plant. But that's exactly how working environment will be, never a good place to make friends and go easy.

There was a hue and cry about the stipend difference between ours and next batch of trainees(the STRECH). So an appeal will be written upon every trainee's consent. Personally I do not think the sponsor going to raise the stipend anymore as the contract was fixed last year(there is only an option to take it or leave it). So despise all the differences in exchange rate and living costs over US and UK. Both side was paid sufficient money for survival. It was always enough if that meant for survival only. So I do not think we should appeal. Hoever once again, to fulfill the desire of most trainees. I have to give this a nod even though it is quite impossible. So I compromise once again...

From Dumpling to Nyonya Kuih

These are the dumpling I made last week out of fun(to celebrate Duan Wu Festive). Managed to won several praises from friends(well I hope they did not see how I make it). The proportions were not too right in the beginning. Too much meat prepared, the ratio of fat and lean meat was not 1:2 as well. Too much chest nut but not enough dried mushrooms. Too much rice but leaves and pots are too small. There were several failed attempt on the leaf wraps(then ended up in a bin or my stomach). No dry shrimp(but still taste ok. Maybe is the water and bamboo leaves)

So this time round, once I returned from a very tiring Holland short trip. I decided to clear of all the leftover stuff(meat was consumed previous week during lunch and dinner). Chest nut and mushroom to match up with Maggie mee(don't ask me why, just too tired to prepare any food on the day I returned from Amsterdam). Then today is the canned coconut milk with glutinous rice(although I tried to make like the green-white nyonya kuih). It turned out to be like this. Ok, still very sweet(extra sugar) but a bit browny,very soft. Somehow looks like a yam cake. Maybe that's the different to use a oven instead of steamer. I hope it will taste better tomorrow.

Trieste

This is the 4th day of my trip. I was really lack of sleep. But in order to catch an early morning bus to this city, I have to wake up before 6am. I am glad to have many advices from some people I met in the hostel. I could get on the bus without worrying too much. It was an old bus without toilet. But the chair can bend down. The driver was so kind(maybe?) to let me bring my luggage up without charging extra for using luggage carrier(maybe I should have bought a cheap rucksack, 65L for 20euro in Bled)There was not many people boarding the bus as well(most will prefer to go by train at 4pm in the afternoon, I suppose). This was really a tough journey as it pass through many hilly areas eg. Postojna. So no matter how good is the seat, I just have to be extra careful not to fall down.

After passing through a very easy checkpoint(don't even need to get down for passport check), here come the Trieste, a city built at the foot of coastal hill. However, my good luck does not last long. Without a proper map, I had a very hard time in locating the lodging(which is hidden at the level 3 of an apartment. The whole place sounds very quiet and a bit dodgy(but everything is perfectly alright.

Trieste - view from port

Piazalle d' Italia

There is a very special mansion built by Austrian Duke about 200 years ago. It is called'Miramare Castle'. It is standing at a coastal cliff. To go there one must find a way to alight at its jungle like garden. Then, one has to walk across a small hill before seeing that building. The interior is quite cosy. It is like a ship sailing on the sea - rugged outside but very warm inside.castle Miramare

inside castle

view from the castle