Back in New Jersey

It is 7.08 a.m. and I am already up and about. Rather early by my standard but I think I have slept enough. Adrian & I arrived at Newark Liberty Airport on Saturday evening, December 30th. 2006. Just in time for Dick Clark's Rocking Eve '07 and the traditional ball drop at Times Square. 2006 came and went in a flash. Now it's 2007.

After 2.5 months away from NJ, I am slowly easing back to life here. Adrian & I are trying to beat the jet-lag. The time difference of 13 hours is screwing up our sleep time. However, I'm glad to say that we're getting better day-by-day. I think it's not too bad for Adrian since he's only been away for 19 days. But he has to go back to work on January 2nd. so I don't envy him at all.

We had a close-call at KLIA (Sepang Airport) on our way back to NJ. The plane in Kuching had arrived an hour late so we landed at KLIA 30 minutes before MH90 was due to leave for Newark. Luckily, the lady in Kuching had sent a fax to inform them that they were 4 passengers who might be arriving late. A MAS ground staff took us to the international terminal and we made it in a nick of time.

There were a few moronic incidents though:

#1. KLIA security check for all US-bound flights
My tooth paste and mouth wash of less the 3 fl. oz. (which is within TSA requirements) were thrown out by the M'sian security personnel who clearly wasn't sure what is allowed and not allowed. The funny thing is that I had brought the same thing through US/Newark TSA and they cleared it with no qualms. Don't they have a memo on what is ok and not ok to bring into the plane??? Typical M'sian public service. Duh...!

To make matters worse, we saw one lady with 5 water bottles in her bag when we transited at Arlanda Airport in Stockholm. How the heck did she slip pass the M'sian side?!! Oh yes, now I remember. At about 10 mins. before take-off time, we over-heard some of the M'sian security personnel scrambling to go back since their bus had arrived to bring them home! So they had left some passengers unchecked. What the #@^%!

#2. Repetitive security checks at Arlanda Airport, Stockholm
I think the Swedish authorities have too much money and time on their hands. After we landed, transit passengers were subjected to 2 similar security checks. The first check was conducted as soon as we got off the plane. We proceeded down some small spiral staircase and joined the new passengers from the Sweden to New York sector for a second check. What the $#@^%! Are we considered the more "dangerous" sector passengers? Talk about racial profiling?!!

But I have to hand it back to the Swedish personnel for courtesy. They were very patient even with some moronic lady with 5 water bottles. She gave them up reluctantly with a "whatever" attitude which was so sickening that I felt so embarrassed being a fellow M'sian. Obviously, she knew nothing about the liquid ban enforced by the U.S. since September 26th. 2006.

Oh well, so much for my early morning rant. I have much to update on my blog but I will take my time.

Celebrating birthdays in December...

Last night we girls had a pasta night at Nupat's house.

It was also Nupat's birthday but the gals decided to do an early one for me as well. Thank you ladies for the lovely birthday cake and pressies!

Bert was there even earlier than us so she & Nupat set the table first. Very nice and professionally done!

Mildred picked me up at 5 p.m. and we started cooking as soon as we got to Nupat's place. This was what everyone came up with.

Prawn cocktail & celery and carrot dip

Tossed salad

Tuna pasta


Creamy mushroom & herb sauce and fruit salad


A bottle of red


What's a party without some local fruits from Nupat's garden - mini bananas & langsat!


And, our ice-cream cake from the gals - Bert, Mildred & Claire.
Thank you. Simply delicious!

P/S. Ladies, do check your e-mail (soon) for more photos. My t-shirt was spotted with dish-washing liquid so it's not "blog friendly". Rather embarrassing since I looked more like a merry maid than a birthday girl. Arrgh! I heard someone mentioned that the eating photo had some very "dewy faces" so I have kept that one out too. Before y'all kill me for putting up unflattering photos. Ha! ha!

Oh Tannenbaum, Oh tannenbaum, wie treu sind deine Blätter...

I love everything about X'mas; both religious and non-religious. I love my X'mas tree. There's something about the little decorations and sparkling lights that gets to me. I love how the light reflects on the ornaments...ahhhh!

I outgrew presents long time ago; even before I completed high school (sadness!) To make myself happy, I used to put fake presents underneath the tree but now I think it's cheesy.


My X'mas Tree Make-over...

BEFORE

AFTER

Kelab Golf Sarawak (Sarawak Golf Club)



I met up with my former co-worker from Trienekens yesterday. It has been 3 1/2 years since I left the waste management a.k.a. "trash" business. To say that we talked trash over lunch is both metaphoric and literal in this case.

Anyway, it was nice to catch with Elvin amidst the peaceful and green surroundings of Kelab Golf Sarawak (KGS).


Lots of greens....a welcome respite to the "hustle and bussle" of City life. Yet it's only a few kilometres away from Kuching.


While we waited for our lunch at the patio, we saw some young-ins contemplating some shots on the green.


Some golfers practising on the putting green.


ProShop is a must for any golf club.



If golf isn't for you (like me, I tried and I'm still hopeless!!) then the pool is an alternative.


If you're a book worm or a geek for texts, then there's the library to sit and read.

There's also a gym and a nice golf lounge but I didn't have enough time to see it all...Elvin was on a lunch break schedule so had to send him back to the Depot. Too bad. Maybe next time.

Chit-chat:
Today is Sunday and I am blogging about my Wednesday routine (weird!). Took these photos last Wednesday but couldn't find the time to write about it until now. Crumbs! I know I am on vacation but last week was really crazy with lots to do and dinners to catch up. The downside of procrastinating. I'm trying to meet as many friends as I can before Adrian arrives next Monday. Then we are off to Singapore for a couple of days. It's been 1.5 months since I left him to his own devices...


My Wednesday Routine


Petanak Market by the Sarawak River. This is where we buy fruits every Wednesday morning. My Grandma has been coming to this particular stall for the past 10 years. Now that she is confined to the house after her fall and operation, Mom has taken over "fruit shopping" duty.

There's heaps of fruits to chose from; ranging from local to imported ones.

Imported stuff.........

Cherries - so red & juicy!


These tiny oranges are from China. Apparently, eaten by the Emperor in the past. It resembles a kumquat but it is not of this species.


Californian plums... err, the pesticide markings are rather off-putting.


The locals.....

Dragon fruit -looks nice but not to my liking

Mangoes

Pineapples, the other king of fruits

Papaya & Pomelo

Bananas - from the opposite stall

My routine after fruit shopping - breakfast at the "kopi tiam" (coffee shop).

Sometimes, I have this.

Kolok bee hoon (vermicelli with char siu)

Or...

Kiau (wontons) with char siu & chili sauce

Or...

Black mee (similar to kang pua noodles)

But, I will always have my favorite drink...

Teh si peng (Ice tea with milk)

A morning stroll at the Friendship Park

Took my Grandpa & Mom to the new Friendship Park at Jalan Song near Tabuan Jaya this morning. We left the house at 7.15 a.m. and reached the park 15 minutes later. It was an easy Saturday morning drive.

The Friendship Park was still under construction when I last saw it in 2005. It was officially opened in May 2006. A friend told me that we could have dim sum there from 7.30 a.m. onwards. Added motivation to wake up and take a nice stroll around this serene park.

What's the deal with the Park you might ask? The Chinese Goverment in China has a habit of building gardens/parks in other parts of the world to symbolize their friendship. Not a bad idea at all.

This is what you see when you turn into the drive way to the Park. I call it the "fondling cats" statue.

Main entrance to the Friendship Park of Kunming, Yunnan & Kuching, Sarawak.


Our first stop - feeding the kois, tilapias, etc. With proper fish feed of course! I saw a young girl threw in a whole piece of bread into the pond. Err....maybe she wanted to choke the fish?

Sarawak fountain but no water in sight???


The Tao Ran/Beijing Pavilion


The Kunming Pavilion/Huai Feng Pavilion - a hexagonal pavilion to commemorate the glories of Admiral Zheng He (or rather, "Cheng Ho" as we all knew him in our history text books).


Tranquil surroundings of the park. Nice pond with lots of kois and other varieties of fishes.


Ah Meng (Orang Utan) - our famous furry friend in the State of Sarawak & Panda holding up the garden seat...Hey! Looks like the Orang Utan is thirsty. Care for a soda???


A nice marble carving of our State Bird - the Hornbill.


Since Kuching means cat in Malay and this is Kuching City, I supposed "Kitty" must also be honored/featured with the Panda. Hmmm...!


This is Zheng He's "Godzilla-size" tribute in the Park. Explorer extraordinaire, ultra-smooth diplomat and yet, the most under-rated Admiral of all times. He should have enlisted Chris Columbus "publicist" back then. Born in Yunnan, China c.1371, he undertook the world's biggest naval expedition 100 years earlier than Chris Columbus. Admiral ZH made 7 voyages in 23 years. Chris who-is-it???

Historically speaking, ZH was also responsible for creating the Peranakans (or the Babas and Nyonyas). Whether he was a "noble gentleman" or not, he did escort 500 Chinese maidens from China to Malaysia who eventually married the local men and have descendants like my Grandma.


Soon it was time to have our yum char. So we walked back to the RH Tea House for some dim sum.


Entrance to the tea house. Love the folding doors.


The verandah - not that great on a "gloomy & about-to-rain" morning.



Love these tables and chairs - very "antiquited" look.


Jasmine green tea - yum char!

Dim sum - siew mai, har kau, char siu pau, tau sa (bean) pau, etc.


And three yam puffs. Yummy!

There should be more parks like this one in Kuching.