Suzhou, CHINA

April 8, 2010

Suzhou is about 2 hours bus ride from Shanghai. It is known for its many canals and waterways and thus dubbed as the Oriental Venice. It is also famous for its silks and gardens. The city was founded in 514 B.C.

Suzhou's only mosque, Tai Ping Fang Mosque. No Muslim tour to China is complete without a visit to a mosque.

Lion Grove Garden. It belonged to a rich family but taken over by the communist government. It is one of the four most famous gardens of ancient classical style in Suzhou. It survived from the end of Yuan Dynasty. It is a combination of Chinese architecture, rock and plant garden.

Anas in the Garden

Me in Circle

One for the album. At a canal in Qili Shantang River town.

One of Suzhou's many canals

Snowy Sea Hotel, our hotel in Suzhou. It was like a commune hotel.

Suzhou No.1 Silk Factory. It is a one stop centre for silk complete with fashion show to showcase silk clothings. The models were a bit over the age limit. Ton went on a shopping spree assisted by the local guide Amy. She bought silk beddings that were supposed to be good for rheumatism and arthritis. They came with heavy price tags but Amy kept reminding the group that in KLCC one bed cover alone costs RM752. We blew a few thousands Yuans.

We left for Hangzhou after lunch.

Chenghuangmiao, Shanghai, CHINA

April 7, 2010

It was 6.35am when we reached Pudong Airport, 5 hours flight from KLIA. We were met by our local guide, Bob, a pleasant young man.

Bob and the bus that ferried us around the places during our tour.

Chenghuangmiao was the first on our tour itinerary. It is Shanghai Old Town. Actually, the place is made up of new buildings of old Chinese architecture. It was cold and the place was crowded with tourists.

Starbuck, Chinese style. It was a bit too cold outside. We went in for a cuppa. A typical latte cost RMB24.

The family in Old Shanghai.

It was meal time. The lunch, as with the rest of the meals during the trip, was a sumptuous affair, with eight to ten courses. It was quite a feast and the meals were halal, good and plentiful. It was really something that I looked forward to and enjoyed very much.

The Trains Are Coming, Port Klang

April 2, 2010

Our company was given the task of bringing several coaches from Busan, Korea to Batu Gajah, Perak. Zack, Shahrul and I witnessed the unloading of the coaches from the ship at Port Klang.

The Ship

UpUpAnd Away

Putting on the truck

Ready to be taken to the railways.

Hash Walk, Penang

March 26 - 27, 2010

I drove to Penang to join a big group of walkers participating in a hash walk organised by General (R) Datuk LC Soon. Botak Chin, Margaret and Han joined me for the drive. We stayed at Air Itam Training Centre (AITC), near Kek Lok Si Temple. It was a basic hostel accommodation. For RM170, we got 3 nights stay at the hostel and 2 days breakfast and packed lunches. Not bad.

We planned to walk from Teluk Bahang in the north to the base camp in Air Itam and continued all the way south to Gertak Sanggul the next day.

The Group photo before the start of the walk. There were over 70 walkers from all over. I counted only another Malay guy, Adnan in the group. Adnan was the guy who cycled to Beijing before the Olympic.

Ready to Go. We were flagged off by a local politician.

Rest stop with BH Tan. He was struggling so I had to leave him and went on my way alone.

I came across this lady with the umbrella inside the jungle shade. Her husband also carried umbrella. Interesting couple.

One peak conquered, a few to go

Shirley climbing a steep slope with her husband.

We started the walk in high spirit. After hours of gruelling walk, it began to take tolls. I separated from my walking partner and room mate, BH Tan as he was having some pains. I continued the walk with no one in sight in front or back of me. I just prayed that I did not get lost. I was following the paper trail.

I stopped for lunch by a stream just after the farm and before going into the jungle again.

Pitcher Plant

The walk took us through hills, farm lands and jungle. There was steep climb and descend. I came across some beautiful flowers, water falls and abandoned old colonial buildings. I walked under the canopies of Bunga Kantan trees of which flowers are used in the assam laksa that Penang is famous for. I had a field day taking photos.

Towards the end of the walk, I regrouped with Wu, Collin, a New Zealander and Shirley.

Air Itam Dam. Having walked since 8.40am I was glad to see the dam. It meant that I was close to the AITC, the hostel where we stayed. At exactly 4pm, I reached the drink wagon marking the end of my day's walk. It has been 7 hours 20 minutes of walking, climbing and going down steep hill slopes. My legs started to wobble and become rubbery.

After dinner, I retired early. I decided not to continue walking the next day and instead joined my family at Holiday Inn, Batu Feringhi. I felt bad of not completing the mission but glad to be with my family again. I believe half of us decided not to continue on the second day.

Back to the 5-star comfort of Holiday Inn. This was a far cry from the hostel at Air Itam Training Centre where I stayed during the Hash Walk. Still wearing the Hash Walk shirt.

We went to look for the famous Line Clear Nasi Kandar near Lebuh Maxwell. Unfortunately, it was closed for renovation. I managed to snap a photo of this colourful old building around the area.

Sunset in Batu Feringhi Beach, Holiday Inn

Anas strolling on the beach

Nina & Anas dozing off on the way back to KL

MAYBANK MALAYSIAN OPEN 2010

March 4 - 7, 2010

This year, the Malaysian Open was hosted by Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club. Immediately after my Chap Goh Meh Tournament at Staffield GCC, I headed there. It was the final day. I had to park my car very far from the entrance and walked a few kilometers to the club. It was almost 4pm and nobody bothered to check for entrance tickets.

I made my way to the 18th green hoping to catch the last few flights which normally consisted of those on the leader board. I was lucky. I was in time for the last three flights.

The crowd Action on the 18th. green

Asia's No.1 player, Thongchai Jaidee failed to deliver on the last day.

Noh Seung-Yul, 18 year old from Korea won the 2010 Malaysian Open beating compatriot K.J. Choi by one stroke

Noh Seung-Yul and K.J. Choi with the officials before the presentation ceremony.

VVIPs included the PM, Sports Minister, MGA Chairman and Maybank's senior bankers. The weather was super hot and dry averaging above 37 degrees Celcius. These guys had jackets on. Wow!

Final Scoreboard

Sunsets in Langkawi, MALAYSIA

Langkawi Island, MALAYSIA

February 26 - 28, 2010

It was Ton's birthday. We decided to leave our kids behind and flew to Langkawi for the weekend escapade. It also happened to be a long weekend due to Prophet Muhammad's Birthday. We booked a room with 70% view of the sea at Berjaya Beach Resort. It was full with European tourists and some Arabs. It looked liked we were the only Malaysians at the place making us strangers in our own country.

The Chalet over water comes with hefty price tag

Berjaya Beach Resort

Parn Thai Restaurant provided perfect setting for dinner against sunset backdrop

The accommodation nestled between the sea and the jungle

Table for Two at Parn Thai Restaurant.

Fish Farm. Part of the Eagle Feeding TourInteresting Rock Formation at the Geoforest Park. This one had the shape of a Red Indian head Kilim Geoforest Park where we went to watch eagle feedings

Cable Car up Gunung Macincang

Suspension Bridge

View From the top of Gunung Machincang

Dinner at Pantai Chenang on our last night

We wanted to stay at my favourite place in Langkawi called Tanjung Sanctuary Resort but the price had gone up 4 times more since the last visit. Like many other 5 star resort hotels in Langkawi, they are mostly priced out of the average Malaysian budget. It would be cheaper for Malaysians to spend their holidays in Bangkok or Jakarta than in Langkawi and still have some shopping money left.