Lunar new year's eve 2015

I'm counting down the last 10 minutes to welcome the new year of the Goat. Except for the unease of sorethroat, it is such a happy and peaceful new year's eve for my family. We had a simple reunion dinner which included vermicelli cooked with pork ribs, bamboo and mushroom and steamed mormodica glutinous rice. My eyes are somehow tearing when i typed those words. We sit in the same 15 year old setting in this dining room since we moved to our home sweet home. I treasure every minute of our family reunion.

There has been a big change in the inner me. My view on life has been calmer. I did  not feel the urge to watch firework this year. The new year is striking. From my sweet room, i can hear the sound of ship whistling and firework exploding.

May my family be filled with good health, joy and peace in the new year of Goat

Kota Kinabalu trip Feb 2015

My 3 day trip to Kota Kinabalu was a prompt decision which serves the main purpose of clearing my residual annual leave of 2014. Picking a hotel took me several neurons and evenings for considerations and finally settled in a rolling eye situation when i saw the hotel confirmation. I overlooked that the price was actually listed in USD. Anyway, following my motto "everything happens for a reason", I deserve to indulge myself in the 4 star Ming Garden hotel.

I arrived in the city airport at 8.30 pm on 31st Jan 2015. After hotel checkin, I started exploring the city by roaming around the central point areas located along the sea. My first dinner was at Lobster King restaurant which I was pretty satisfied with cheap price, well seasoned crabs and fish, tasty apple juice and nice honest staff. I spent the rest of my first night chilling out at Lush bar which spills out on to Waterfront's promenade. A glass of red wine as usual helped me sleep tight that night

On the second day, I visited Mari Mari cultural village. Overall, it was such an awesome, informative and well organized tourist spot which showcased different ethic tribes' lifes, cultures, clothings and customs. Bamboo definitely played a vital role in their daily activities including making house, cooking kit etc. I was very intrigued in their demonstrations of making rice wine, food, "triangle" noodle cake, honey, ginger tea and especially I got a chance to taste their fresh sample. After visiting 5 houses, there was a dance performance which reminds me of some ethic tribes in the mountain areas of Vietnam. While watching them dancing, I was drawn a tattoo on my left hand by an acting ethic boy.

In the afternoon, I took a cab to visit several popular attractions in the town. I was travelling along costal roads which I observed the sea level was pretty high so there was no sea sand at all. The sight of the city mosque could be viewed from very far. I was impressive of the architecture and the structure of the mosque which sits on a lagoon. I paid MYR 3 to rent an appropriate attire to get inside. I felt a bit awkward to take numerous selfies while the muslims were praying so I got out after 5 minutes. 

My next spot was Chinese temple. The name was called by the cab driver. I would not call it Buddist temple as a Buddist temple only worships to Gautama Buddha.