Back home

I came back to KL from Shanghai last Saturday (26 May). Touched down at KLIA earlier because there was a tail wind which enable the plane to fly faster. Checking out of the airport, I took an airport taxi and reached home about 10.00 p.m.

Once I stepped into the house, I felt like Santa Claus. Why? Because I was unloading all the "stuff" that I have bought from Shanghai. The "stuff" include food stuff (preserved fruits, cookie and drinks) and DVDs. I managed to bring back over 100 DVDs which were mainly from the box sets of my daughters' and my favorite TV series like Heroes Season 1, Project Runway Season 1-3, Prison Break Season 1 and 2 and Nip/Tuck Seasons 1 to 4. I was lucky enough that the Customs Officer was not able to detect the DVDs or else it would be confiscated.

After a good night sleep, my wife and I went over to see the widow of the late Lim Chee Keong to convey our condolences and at the same time check out how we can help her during this mourning stage. She lives quite near my house which is about 10 minutes drive. We could feel her sadness in the demise of her husband and the depression that she is going through.

On Monday, I was back to my office and back to my Malaysian work routine.

Well it's good to be back home!!

Alphaville - Big In Japan Live

One of my favourite songs from Alphaville

Japanese Spa Prank

Deepest & Heartfelt Condolences to the family of the late Lim Chee Keong

Last Friday (11 May 2007) I got a call from my former colleagues that a friend and former colleague of mine tragically passed away in a car accident. I was shocked upon receiving the information. Later on, I received a few more calls of the same news from other former colleagues.

I first met the late Lim Chee Keong when he first joined the bank. Our friendship grew as the years goes by and I was fortunate to be invited to attend his wedding. His wife was also a former staff of the bank but later on resigned to pursue her career else where. I know both of them well and and some business dealings with his wife. Both of them are close friends of mine and I feel that I need to put in this posting as a remembrance of him.

Lim Chee Keong leaves behind his parents, wife, and three daughters.

I would like to extend my deepest and heartfelt condolences to the family of the late Lim Chee Keong.

The condolence message that appeared in Obituaries page of The Star on 21 May 2007

Funny news around China

While browsing through the newspaper, I could not help to notice some of these interesting news:

Son advise parents to get a divorce

A husband and wife from Dalian, Liaoning, got something of a shock when their son, a high school student, on Monday persuaded them to get divorced for the sake of their individual happiness.

Although the pair had feigned being happy for the sake of their son and his studies, their regular quarrels and dad's extramarital activities were just too much for the youngster who told them he would rather they parted than live such unhappy lives.

Police officer woos crooks online

A policeman from Shenyang, Liaoning, was praised on Tuesday, for his skill at catching criminals online.

In the past year, Han Shenwen has caught six escaped suspects by pretending to be a woman and luring them into an online chat and then arranging to meet them later.

Sometimes, he got his wife to show her face on his Webcam to convince suspicious suspects who asked to see him.

Fujian woman steals a robber's heart

A thief's ardor led to his capture in Quanzhou, Fujian, after he asked one of his victim for a date.

On Monday, the robber, a man surnamed Chen, stole a woman's mobile phone at knifepoint. Enchanted by the beautiful photo of the victim saved in the phone, Chen decided to ask her for out on a date when she called asking her phone to e returned. The woman agreed to meet him the following day, as did police officer who arrested Chen on the spot.

Man arrested after stolen TV hits cop on head

A thief in Fujian Province was arrested on Monday after he accidentally hit a patrolling policemen on the head with a color television set he had just stolen.

The man surnamed Zhang decided to steal a new color TV from a restaurant on the upper floor of a building. He tied it to a rope and lowered it to the pavement. However, while in the process, the TV hit a police man patrolling below on the head. The policeman waited to see who would pick up the TV, unfortunately it was Zhang, who was arrested on the spot.

Who is taller now?

At the park I also took a shot at the Jin Mao Tower and the World Financial Center (WFC) Tower which under construction. These two buildings are now the same height. But the WFC Tower's height will surpass the height of Jin Mao Tower when it is completed by next year.

The two towers side by side. On the right is the World Financial Center and on the left of Jin Mao

This is the artist impression of the two towers when WFC is completed next year (2008)

The designs of the WFC. The actual design upon completion would be number 3.

Lujiazui

I was looking out of the office windows to the park and saw a long white limousine making its way into the car park. I could also see a lady in bridal gown and his groom. Since it was lunch time, I decided to go to the park and have a look at what is going on.

At the car park leading to the park, there were 6 cars that were decorated for wedding ceremony. The brides and grooms came to the park for a photography session. I wipe out my phone camera and snap some shots of the limousine.

The long Lincoln stretched limousine used by one of the wedding couples

I managed to snap a shot of one of the wedding couple at the park

Upside down biological clock

For the past 48 hours my biological clock has been turned upside down. I have been working on the graveyard shift from night till morning instead of my usual working hours from 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. WHY?

There was an upgrade of the banking system and I was assigned on the graveyard shift to support the exercise. I am not much of a day sleeper and was awake at most hours of the day. When it was my turn to take over my shift I have to stay awake from the late hours of the night to the early hours of the day. The worst hours are from 4.00 a.m. to 5.00 a.m. where I can feel my eyes closing but I have to stay awake.

In Shanghai, the skies turn bright by 5.15 a.m.. From the window of my office I could see people walking on the streets and also waiting at the nearby bus stop. It was an interesting sight to see what the people does in wee hours of the morning.

When my shift ends, I would head back to my hotel and toss myself into bed to take my nap. I would be awake in the late afternoon. That's when my stomach start growling for food. I am too lazy to get out for food and would take my lunch and dinner together.

The changes in my working hours coupled with my changes in meal hours have impacted my biological clock.

Hopefully, everything will get back into order when my working hours is shifted back to normal.

P/S The changes in my working hours also have impacted my postings in my blog.

Mind Your Language 6

The Shanghai Composite Index has been shooting higher and higher for the past 2 months. Yesterday (9 May), it broke the psychological barrier of 4,000 points to close at 4,013.09. I was interested to know how the index was doing today. I decided to take a visit to the Stock Exchange building which is very near to my office in Shanghai.

I was amazed, the Index went up again by another 40 points for the morning session. By the time I came back to my hotel, the news said that the Index was up by another 0.9% to 4,049.70. That make it the 4th straight record breaking day for the stock exchange.

While walking back to my office, I noticed the signs that were written at the car park entrance of the stock exchange building .

The sign read "ENTER WITH CARDS. CARDS CANTBE LENT"

The sign read "NO PARKING TO THE OUTSIDE'

Thousands of Mexicans strip for photo shoot

A record 18,000 people took off their clothes to pose for US photographic artist Spencer Tunick on Sunday in Mexico City's Zocalo square, the heart of the ancient Aztec empire.

Tunick, who has raised eyebrows by staging mass nude photo shoots in cities from Dusseldorf in Germany to Caracas in Venezuela, smashed his previous record of 7,000 volunteers set in 2003 in Barcelona, Spain.

Directing with a megaphone, Tunick shot a series of pictures with his Mexican models simultaneously raising their arms, then lying on their backs in the square, as well as another scene on a side street with volunteers arranged in the shape of an arrow.

Hundreds of police kept nosy onlookers away during the nippy early-morning shoot, and a no-fly zone was declared above the plaza.

One of the world's biggest and most imposing squares, the Zocalo is framed by a cathedral, city hall and the National Palace official seat of government, which is adorned with murals by Diego Rivera.

A ruined temple next to it was once the centre of the Aztec civilisation and was used for worship and human sacrifice. Spanish conquistadors used bricks from the temple to help build their own capital.

Some participants said the massive turnout showed that Mexicans, at least in the capital, were becoming less prudish.

Mexicans are not used to showing skin. Most men wear shorts only while on vacation, and women tend not to put on miniskirts because of unwanted whistles and stares.

"This event proves that really we're not such a conservative society anymore. We're freeing ourselves of taboos," said Fabiola Herrera, a 30-year-old university professor who volunteered to strip, along with her boyfriend.

The capital of the world's second-biggest Catholic nation, where tough-guy masculinity and family loyalty are held dear, has recently challenged some important traditions.

Last month, Mexico City legislators legalised abortion in defiance of criticism from church officials.

Also, gay couples are getting hitched in civil ceremonies thanks to recently passed laws in the capital, and lawmakers plan to debate whether to legalise euthanasia.

Not all Mexicans were impressed by the spectacle staged by Tunick, who was refused permission to hold his nude photo at the famed Teotihuacan pyramids outside the capital.

"They're losing dignity as men and women," said 63-year-old Armando Pineda, leaning against the cathedral and watching the now-dressed models leave the plaza. "It's an offence against the church."

The Mexico City metropolitan area is home to about 18 million people.

Reuters

A lovely day in Shanghai

The weather today in Shanghai reached a high of 30 degree celcius and it was a lovely day with the sun shining brightly. I decided to take a stroll to Nanjing Road and back.

Pudong Avenue, just outside my hotel

As usual, Nanjing Road is packed with people plying up and down the shops. There was even a concert in the centre of Nanjing Road. Here are some shots taken during my short stroll of a lovely day in Shanghai.

A opera singer at the concert in the middle of Nanjing Road

Nanjing Road under the bright sunlight

More photos at my Flickr photo album.

At Shanghai

The flight from KLIA to Shanghai was on board an Airbus A330. This is the first time I have taken a Business class seat on this plane.... I was disappointed. Why? Because the seats were lousy as compared with the seat of the Business class of a Boeing 777. The seats in a 777 is electrically operated where it can be reclined from a sitting, eating and bed positions. In the A330, the only function the seat can do is just a slight recline and a lift from the leg rest.

The plane took off as scheduled at 1.40 a.m. Only one meal was served.. supper. OK, I ordered the supper which was 4 sticks of satay, chicken breast and a cheese cake desert. By the time I finish my meal it was already about 2.30 a.m. After a shut eye, I fell asleep and was awaken at about 5.30 a.m. by the pilot's announcement that we are approaching Pudong Airport and was about 15 minutes ahead of schedule. The plane landed and I was picked by the by the airport bus which transport me to the airport terminal.

After going through the immigration and baggage pick-up, I went out of the arrival hall looking for my taxi pick-up. I was surprised to see that the same taxi driver who picked me up at the airport in my previous trip to Shanghai was already waiting for me.

I reached the hotel about 8.30 a.m. but was unable to check into the hotel because the check-in time is 10.00 a.m. To kill time, I went over to a cafe across the hotel to have breakfast.

I have asked for the same room that I stayed during my last visit but it was not available. I wanted the same room because I was able to get a free wi-fi access. The staff were able to get a room a floor above my previous room and luckily the wi-fi access is still available.

Without finishing my unpacking, I plunged into the bed and fell asleep until I woke up at 2.00 p.m.

Thus time around, the weather in Shanghai was perfect. No more cold weather. It was sunny with cool breeze. The temperature was a cooling 24 degree celsius. Let hope that the temperature stay perfect in this way for the duration of my stay in Shanghai.

More stories to come.

At KLIA

Well I am on way to Shanghai to continue my assignment there. I have arrived at the airport and flying to Shanghai in Business Class gives me the privilege to get access to the MAS Golden Lounge while waiting for my flight. In view of the long Golden Week holiday in China, flights to Shanghai (including Business Class) are all booked up. So, I opt to take the early flight from KL (1.40 a.m.) arriving in Shanghai at 7.00 a.m..

This the first time I have been into the MAS Golden Lounge and I was amazed by the number of people that are sitting and waiting in the lounge. On the airport monitor, I managed to see that there are many flights that leaves KLIA early in the morning which would reach the destination early. Many of these flights are heading to Europe. I can see plane going to Zurich, Rome, London, Frankfurt and Amsterdam. Some flight were to Kansai which is the same direction I am heading too.

Luckily for me, I will arrive in Shanghai on Sunday and it is still a holiday in China on Monday (7 May). So I will have 2 free days in Shanghai before I start work on Tuesday. I have yet to plan what I will do for the 2 days. This time around I did not bring along my DSLR (Nikon D70s). OI brought along by compact Nikon digital camera which is easier to carry around. I think I have done enough photo shoot at Shanghai and the compact camera was brought along just in case there are some exciting scene that I want to capture.

Photo of the lounge after most of the passenger have left to board their planes

OK that's for now, writing this post just to kill time while waiting for my flight.

Spiderman 3

The long awaited Spiderman 3 premiered in Malaysia on 1 May 2007 just in time for the long holidays. Since I came back from Shanghai, my son has been requesting me to bring him to watch the movie. There have been much publicity over the television on this movie and he could not wait to watch it at the movie theater. To avoid the crowd in getting the tickets, I went to the theater to buy the tickets in advance last Thursday to watch the movie today (2 May).



Off we go to the theater, everyone of the family (including my mother-in-law) to catch the 2.00 p.m. show. Luckily we bought our tickets much earlier because we saw the sign informing that all tickets for the day have been sold out.



The show started on time and this Spiderman trilogy is by far the best as compared to the previous two Spiderman movie series. In the movie, Spiderman not only have to battle against one villain but three different villains Green Goblin, Sandman and Venom. The battle with all the three different villains were physical. This time around Peter Parker have to fight a battle to keep Mary Jane Watson as his girlfriend. There is also a battle within Spiderman himself as he was possessed by a strange substance that came from meteorite.



The movie lasted two and a half hours covering all the fight and battle scenes and also the ups and downs of the love life of Peter Parker.

My verdit... don't miss out this show. The story line and action will keep you awake.