Freeestyle #4 – 2022 Summary and The Lucifer Series

           Yes, we are already in the second month of 2023. I was supposed to post this up in the last week of December, but then I got busy. So, here it is. I know, it kinda feels pointless now to post this up, but heck, why not? Right?

            Time waits for no man (or woman, if you wanna play by the gender-equality card), and it feels even more so now. To me, it seemed like it was just recently that I’ve decided to leave the (un)comfortable working environment that I had known for a decade and a half, and finally worked up the courage to try something new. When I made that decision at the time, many have said that I was crazy – that I have lost it – for taking such a risk, at this stage of my life. By most convention, I am at the age where I should already be in a stable career, with a stable income, and have a family of my own with a kid or two running around the house, living the Malaysian Dream, if you will.

I had none of those… unfortunately.

            2022 was supposed to be MY year – it was supposed to be a year that promised The World! It was supposed to be a self-discovering year. 2022 was supposed to be a year of new beginnings, new hope, and a step towards something bigger. It took me a whole lot to have gathered enough courage to make that leap of faith, especially after consuming way too many (probably?) of those self-help and motivational books. Tony Robbins, Napoleon Hill, Robert Kiyosaki and many, many more have said that instead of fearing failure, and allow those thoughts to constantly plague my mind, I should instead instil that notion, that, what if I were to succeed? What if, after taking those risks, instead of failing, I would succeed instead, and be a step closer than ever towards my dream?

            I was pumping on all cylinders, ladies and gentlemen, and I started 2022 with a resolve that I had never found in me, ever. I was determined to make 2022 MY year.

            Little that I know, as the year marched towards Christmas, that house of cards began to crumble. I lost almost everything I had from the year before – my savings, my relationship, and my career (even though it was never fulfilling) – everything disintegrated. Life handed me one of the worst beat-downs ever, and I almost caved in, and lost. My lifelong mantra of NEVER GIVE UP was taken to the ultimate limit – I was broken, beaten up, and scarred, and I have the bruises to show. I was angry, and disappointed at the powers-that-be, that seemed to have forgotten that I existed, yet even more so than that, I was angry with myself! I felt utterly useless, hopeless, and it seemed that the world was out to get me, and almost everyone chose to desert me. 2022 turned out to be such a catastrophe, and in end, it seemed to be a pointless year, that represented the lowest point of my life. There were those who I thought were my friends, and yet chose to ignore me when I needed their support the most, and trust me, it had nothing to do with financial assistance at all.

At this juncture, I would like extend my heartfelt gratitude to those who chose to stay with me, and was there with me through my worst patch ever – you know who you guys are. You fellas are the people that I always turn to to let off some steam, and confide in. You guys are the ones, who would be able to sense that something was wrong with me, and would choose to approach me, and check if I was okay. Some of you would call me up for a yumcha (that’s another term for tea break or supper) session when you sense that I needed it; some of you would set aside their time to accommodate me with a yumcha or karaoke session when I initiated it, cuz I needed it; some would be there to lend me some listening ears, for me to air my rants and grouses; and more… Like I said, you guys know who you are when you read this, and it was thanks to all of you, that I am still here breathing, still being able to write this piece. I am forever indebted to you fellas, more than you will ever know. You fellas were there for me, along with my sister, when I was lost. So to that, I salute to all of you.

Thank you.

Now, up to this point, I know how gloom and doom this piece looks like, and believe me, that is not the point of this piece, and it will not end that way. However, for a large part of 2022, that was exactly how it felt like to me.

Sometime in mid-November, I was exposed to a Netflix series called Lucifer, via another Netflix series called Sandman, which are based on a comic title created by Neil Gaiman. Now I have always been interested in biblical and celestial stories, even though I am a Buddhist, and I am even BIGGER comic book fan to boot. So for me to like Lucifer and Sandman seems to make a lot of sense. Sandman came out first, and I think it was back in September? Or was it October? It was a great show – a visual spectacle with substance. One of the characters in the show, which appeared in only one episode, yet made a monumental impact on the series, was Lucifer, played by a Game of Throne alumni, Gwendoline Christie. Her portrayal of The Devil a.k.a The King of Hell was fantastic. However, when I read the reviews online, I was surprise to hear some minor grouses and complaints as to why Tom Ellis and Matt Ryan were not called to reprise their respective characters Lucifer and John Constantine. John Constantine the TV series, I definitely know. I love that short-lived TV series and I think that Matt Ryan portrayed the character very, very well… with suave, if you may. I just wished that the series would have been continued and I would have liked to see how the story of Astra unfolded. Anyways, that is a discussion for another time.

As for Tom Ellis, I had no idea of who he was, and what was so great about his portrayal of Lucifer. Up to that point, my favourite portrayal of Lucifer had been from Keanu Reeves’s Constantine film, by one Peter Stormare. His portrayal was perfect for me, and despite the short screen time, he managed to make the audience hate that character, and fell in love with his demeanour.

At the time, although I have heard of the Sandman comic series, I didn’t know much about the details, and I surely didn’t know that the Lucifer comic series was a spinoff of that series. There were those who said that Tom Ellis should have reprised the role, just as how him and Matt reprised their respective roles in the Crisis on Infinite Earths, instead of Gwendoline. But Gwendoline was absolutely wonderful in that role! I loved her portrayal! And yet people were complaining!

And I wanted to know why!

So, sometime in November, I thought I’d give the Lucifer series a try, thinking that I might watch only the pilot episode, and then, that’s it. I watched it, and I immediately understood why fans fell in love with the character, and the show. Hence, from that point onwards, I started to binge watch the series, and about one month later, I finished the entire six seasons, which amounted to 93 episodes. It was a satisfying watch. The series had the right amount of drama, gore, romance, mystery, plot twists, and of course, humour. The chemistry between the actors and characters were wonderful.

Anyway, as I progressed through the episodes, I begin to see some similarities between me and the titular character. Excluding the character’s origin, and dysfunctional family scenario, both of us were tortured souls – we were both looking to find a purpose and meaning to our existences; for at least the first three seasons of the series, Lucifer had wanted a companion in life that he cannot get; and for the baggage that we carry, it made us feel alone. Both of us felt trapped in our jobs that doesn’t bring us any joy or meaning – we underachieve in our careers. Both of us had to keep a lot to ourselves, because no one would care, or no one would be able to understand about it, even if we say it out, so in the end, we choose to keep everything to ourselves. We bottled ourselves up, until we reach a breaking point.

Lucifer Morningstar, throughout the entire series, was literally trying to discover his true calling in life, and to realize what mattered to him the most. His journey – his transformation, although it was just a work of fiction, was quite inspirational. In my mind, I was thinking, if The Devil can changed his life, surely, little ol’ me can do the same, right? I mean, I have to believe that I can, right? The series finale kind of hit it home for me, especially the final ending theme song – My Chemical Romance’s WELCOME TO THE BLACK PARADE. You see, I have an unspoken tradition at any karaoke parlours, and I kind of credit this to a friend of mine, who loves this song so much, and every single time that we go karaoke-ing together, this song would definitely be in the song list, and more often than not, the final song of the night. Now, recently after I failed horribly to see any financial results from my misadventure in property sales, I had to make my way back to my previous career path, just to frigging survive and cover my commitments and expenses, and just so happened, I got the new job offer back in my hometown. So, before I finally make my way back to my hometown, I thought of enjoying my time with my friends one last time – one of them being karaoke-ing. As I watched the finale of Lucifer, with MCR’s song blaring, just merely 4 to 5 hours prior, I just sang that exact song with my karaoke friends, in my last karaoke session in KL for now. So, the coincidence kind of hit me hard.

So after a decade in the big city, having forged bonds with so many people that now mean a lot to me, I kind of have a heavy heart going back home. On one hand, I’m quite glad that I could finally go back home, and get to finally stay in the comfort of my own home, rather than staying cooped up in a small room, that’s not exactly cheap to rent. On the other hand, it also means that I have to leave all of my friends, and the bonds that I have made with them behind, and back to a place where I have almost lost all faith to some of the people there. So yeah, I am feeling a little bit conflicted, and I am scared of the loneliness that I would be facing. I am already feeling lonely as it is, because of the person whom I thought would be walking beside me to the end of the line left me when I needed her the most, and it was my other bonds that I forged that kept me going, and now, I was going to lose them as well. So, what does that leave me with? Make no mistake, I have gotten over her, rather quicker than I thought I would have, but that doesn’t mean that the loneliness is not there. That crack is still there, and it was filled with those friendship and bonds. So, what now, especially that I am going home?

However, having watched Lucifer, especially the last three episodes, it kind of made me look back at my 2022. Was it really bad as I made it seem to be? Looking back, as far as sales conversion is concerned, I suck, no doubt about that. But in terms of sales numbers, I actually did pretty darn good – for a beginner that is. It kind of proved to me that I CAN actually do sales, it’s just that most of these people weren’t honest enough to actually come clean about their financial profile etc, which in turn became a major cause of why they were unable to secure bank loans. As such, even though I had put in a lot of hard work and efforts into my work, I was unable to see any results, and any significant financial gains. Still, my eight months venture into property sales have somewhat given me an insight on how the business works, and kind of given me an idea on how to continue earning money from the business as a side hustle. Hopefully, this could work out the way I hope it would.

Another thing that I kind of realized in 2022 is that I can actually make a pretty darn good councillor. So many have approached me and sought for my advice on various issues, and ironically, most of them being issues relating to relationships. I’d say “ironic” because, as my record in romantic relationships isn’t exactly “admirable” – I failed on both accounts, for crying out loud. Yet, there I was giving advice on something that has eluded me for so long. Still, my counselling actually worked, and managed to save quite a number of relationships – and I am happy with myself because of that.

2023 will be a year of new beginnings for me. It will be a year that I will try to undo all the damages that had occurred in 2022, nursing all the wounds and scars. As I said earlier, we are already on the 2^nd month into 2023, I just hope that things could somehow work out for me, and hopefully, I could finally heal my soul, and go on to make 2023 my year.

Freestyle #3 – CHANGE

            There are times when I feel like writing something expressive – just something – and yet I just have absolutely no idea at all on what to write about. Sometimes, I just start typing, just let my fingers sail across the computer keyboard, and just vomit out whatever that is that comes to mind. Here I am stuck at home, thanks to Covid-19 for finally catching up with me. For 2 years plus, since the start of the pandemic, I have been able to weave through the intricate webs of Covid-19 infections – and after so many close contacts and close calls, if you would have it, I have finally fallen. Probably thanks to the 3 vaccination doses that I’ve received, the symptoms have been quite mild, to be honest. Having to deal with only sore throats, coughs, and flu, with a little bit of fatigue along the way, I’d say that I’m quite lucky, as compared to some other people I know. And thanks to the modern inter-connected world that we live in right now, we can do work anywhere around the world, as long as there is mobile service, or more specifically – internet connections.

            The keyword here – the very essence that enabled us to do whatever it is that we are doing right now, to do work wherever we are, which most people, as recent as only 20 plus years ago won’t be able to – is CHANGE.

            CHANGE – to many, this is a very, very scary word, but it is unavoidable, or to quote a certain huge-chinned, bald-headed, purple-coloured would-be saviour (read: conqueror) from Titan – “It’s inevitable!”

            We all know change is necessary. We know that in order to progress into the future, change is quite essential for that to happen. Human civilizations have gone through so many phases of change throughout history – it is the only constant thing, although the speed differs depending on the time and age. There were the Industrial Revolutions, the Information Age, the Digital Age, and if we go further back into human history, there were the Renaissance Period, the Bronze Age; and if we go even further down to our cosmic past, there were the formation of our own planet, the Solar System, our Milky Way Galaxy, or The Big Bang even – CHANGE is constant.

            Thanks to Covid-19, our world has changed quite drastically for the past 3 years or so. Inflations are at an all-time high; so many companies have folded –even some major ones, not just in Malaysia, but even global international companies; and amidst all of these, as if things couldn’t be worse enough, we even have wars waging in the Baltic region (could you believe it that this is happening in this modern times?).

            Signs of the end of days? Maybe, but that’s a discussion for another day and time. 

            The thing is, we know CHANGE is important. In fact, CHANGE should not be something that we only preach about verbally or in written forms, but we must actually embrace it ourselves. There are some of those, who kept preaching others to embrace change, yet they themselves are resisting CHANGE. They wanted everyone else to change, but themselves.

            Let me tell you a short story.

            Not long ago, I was in a certain organization. The so-called “leader” preached to everyone constantly to embrace CHANGE, moving forward with the organization. He wanted people to do more for the organization, to pick up news skills, and keep ourselves up-to-date with technology, and apply them in our daily lives and tasks. Now, in all honesty, those were very good messages that he was preaching. In fact, there was nothing wrong with it to be honest, if he actually practice what he preaches. He wanted people to do more, give more, to improve, and yet the organization itself failed to embrace CHANGE. It kept on practicing archaic ways of management of the olden days. Instead of finding ways on how to motivate the staffs, they were finding ways and excuses on how to not give the staffs what they deserve. If that’s not archaic ways, I don’t know what is. Fast forward, it may seems that so many of the old-timers have continued to stick with the organization, for one reason or another, but as far as the youngsters go, so many have left, the main reason being that the youngsters do not see that there are any growth opportunity with the organization. So what’s left of the organization, is a line-up of soon-to-retire folks (or should have retired) – or youths that has blood-ties with the “leaders”.

            Another good example is story of a major mobile phone company, who was at one point, a giant in the mobile phone industry from the end-of-the-90s, all the way towards the end of the Noughties. Just like how owning a certain mobile phone brand nowadays is a social statement, so was owning that phone, back then. However, its refusal to jump onto the technological bandwagon, and evolve with the rest of the world have proven to be the source of its own downfall. Nowadays, if you mentioned that brand to anybody on the streets, chances are those below 30 years of age would not know that the brand used to be a major mobile phone brand. Only those above 30 years of age, would probably recognize the name, and remember them fondly – due to nostalgia factors (yours truly is guilty here).

            The fact is, if their leaders have had the vision and ability to embrace CHANGE, the brand would still be around, and I myself would probably be one of their loyal customers.

            Personally, I admit, I’m not as successful as I wish I could have been. In fact, I would be the first to admit that I am still so far, far away from it. In fact I am still searching for a path – a path that would and could lead me to a desirable destination. I took a bold move this year, to try our new things, not knowing whether or not I will be successful at it. The path that I took is still full with uncertainties, and if I was to be perfectly honest, I have no idea if it will eventually works out. Right now, I’m just taking one step at a time, giving my all in attempting to change the trajectory of my life, God-knows if it’s for better or for worse – I could lose it all, or I could achieve something bigger, or something more meaningful in life.

Some of you would probably argue that, if I had known that the stakes are high, why for heaven’s sake did I decide to initiate CHANGE now, without a concrete plan or strategy. Or better still, why didn’t I do it earlier, when I was younger? Well, I’m not going to reveal everything here, but it suffice to say that if I could, I would. I may not have a concrete plan or strategy, but I do know that if I didn’t take that bold step, I would still be unhappy with not just my life, but in my career as well. I was dying a slow and painful death emotionally and mentally, that I’m unable to describe to you exactly how it felt, unless you were in my shoes. Imagine that you’ve given your blood, sweat, and tears for the organization, sacrificed your youth and life for them, for them to not only fail to recognize your efforts, to rub salt on wound, ridicule for whatever you have done!

How would you feel, and how would you react? Would you have stayed on, suck it up and keep going through life like a walking-dead, or would you try on something else, to see if it works out?

It took me a long time to finally make my decision and chose option number two. I’m not saying that I’m better off right now, but at least I know that at least, I have a fighting chance.

A fighting CHANCE is a CHANCE nonetheless. CHANCE and CHANGE – the only difference is ONE letter.

Why Travel

Hey there folks,

First of all, my humble apologies to all my readers for my very lengthy absence. Yes, due to other commitments, as well as other emerging priorities, they have somehow managed to distract me from the Travel Journals, for way too long.

Again my humble apologies to all. However, this page is pretty much still alive, and I don’t really intend to cease its operations in any foreseeable future. In fact, when the moment is right, I plan to resurrect this page and provide all of you with more travelling tips and recommendation.

Now that that’s out of the way, it is so obvious now that the we are currently living under a totally unprecedented circumstance now. The Corona Virus/ Covid 19, or whatever this disease is called in your native countries, have heavily affected our lives. But at the end of the day, the human race will make a comeback, as it has always done so in the past, and everything will eventually be back to normal, albeit a “NEW NORMAL”. Things won’t be the same after this. Our lifestyle will have to change, and a lot of “resurrecting” have to be done. Businesses have taken a huge hit, and among the most highly affected industry is tourism or travel. However, be that as it may, this industry will eventually make a comeback, and people will start to travel again. The only questions remain are when, and how?

Travelling is a big part of our modern lifestyles nowadays. The tourism industry have been booming in recent years and so many have jumped onto the bandwagon. Why do people go travelling in the first place? Some people travel to shop; some to learn and experience foreign cultures that are native only to the places that they are going to; some travel for food; some just hopped onto a flight to the Mauritius, just to relax in the comfort of their resorts and hotel rooms, with a good book in one hand, and a glass of whisky in the other; or basking under the beautiful sun on the beach or the poolside.

When travelling to other places, you get to experience new things that you would probably never get to experience back in the boring confines of your own town. In Thailand for example, there is a place called Maeklung Market or Maeklung Railway Station. It is the only place on Earth where a market is actually situated on the railway itself! When the train arrives, the sellers and shoppers would quickly shift their goods to the side, and removed whatever canopies over the railway, to give way to the train to pass by.

In Bangkok, if you are bold enough, you can challenge yourself and try out some of the exotic delicacies such as grasshoppers, centipedes, scorpions etc. In Istanbul, you could experience the exotic and unique culture that is only available there – it is a melting pot of Asian and European cultures, and the assimilation of Islamic lifestyle and Christianity; buildings that are thousands of years old that stands strong even until today such as the Ayasofyia and the Blue Mosque; shop at the biggest roofed bazaar in the world in the form of The Grand Bazaar and many more.

Ayasofya a.k.a. Hagia Sophia

You should go experience things that you otherwise wouldn’t have the courage to do such as kayaking, camping, go on a roller-coaster ride at a Disneyland somewhere. You don’t have to spend a lot to travel, there are so many affordable options nowadays for you to do so, such as getting the best lodging deals on Airbnb; go for a backpacking trip; or have a simple road trip with your loved ones. Everyone can travel – it doesn’t have to be far, you can even do so locally! How many can say that they have tried to climb Mount Kinabalu before, or visited the historical Kellie’s Castle in Batu Gajah? Malaysia has so many tourist attractions out there as well!

Travelling opens up your eyes to new and exciting things; new experiences; new relationships and more, and in most cases, these are something that even money can’t buy (although it does help a lot). The world is your oyster. So, try to find the means to travel – go and take a selfie standing in front of the Sphinx or the Pyramids of Giza; attend Comic Con at the US; try eating the stinkiest chees in Italy. Go out and see the world.

Go travel!

You might want to catch the followings videos:

1. Maeklong Railway Station (here)
2. Eating Sago Maggot (here)
3. Eating bugs at Asiatique, Bangkok (here)
4. Eating more bugs at Bangkok (here)
5. Eating Grubs bought from London, England (here)

Journal (Food): The Dyak, Kuching, Sarawak

the.Dyak

Hey there folks,

Welcome to another edition of Food Journal, and today we pay a visit to one of the most unique restaurant in Kuching called The Dyak (or stylized as the.Dyak). The name “Dyak” refers to the native of Sarawak, for which the Ibans and Murut are a part of of. As such, the.Dyak is known for its traditional Dyak cuisine and other Asian fusion dishes.

Environment:

The interior is well air-conditioned, well lit and is very comfortable. It is decorated with numerous traditional Dyak artifacts.

Service:

The service is very good and prompt, and I really like how friendly everyone is.

Menu:

Now this is my favorite part. There are so many dishes to choose from, and I can only taste this much. The grill pork is wonderfully done. The meat is moist, tender and full of flavor, just like how grill meat should taste like.

The traditional chicken soup has that rich flavor that is very enticing.

The vegetable dish cooked with pumpkin is also a must try.

To eat with all of these, you will be served with a type of fragrant rice, that is really, really good.

And finally, to wash it all down, you can try the Tauk Stambak Ulu (Full-Bodied Table Wine).

*Remark: Please take note that the food served here are non-halal.

Conclusion:

I have to admit, I don’t really know what to expect, as I have never tasted traditional Dyak cuisines prior to this, and I have to say, I was astounded.

This restaurant is definitely a must try if you’re here in Kuching — definitely not to be missed.

the.Dyak 

Sub-lot 29, Ground Floor,

Panovel Commercial Complex,

Jalan Simpang Tiga, Kuching, Sarawak

Telephone: +6082-234068

 

 

Journal (Travel): Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia (Spotlight)

A Replica of a Traditional House, situated at the Kuching International Airport

Hi there Planeters and Journalists,

Welcome back to another edition of Travel Journal. This may be a long time coming, but as they say, better late than never. The Planet’s Journal had the opportunity to pay a visit to the wonderful city of Kuching – the capital city of Sarawak.

Historically, Sarawak was once part of the Bruneian Empire, and Kuching served as the third capital of Sarawak. When James Brooke gain control of Sarawak after helping the Bruneian empire, Kuching was established as the administration center of the what would later become the Brooke Dynasty.

In the local Malay language, the term “Kuching” is literally translated as “Cat”, as such the city is also widely known as “Cat City”. There are many theories on how Kuching got its name, i.e. translated from the Malay word namesake; inspired by the Indian Port “Cochin”; named from a fruit called “Mata Kuching”; the Chinese word “古井“ (Gu Jing) that literally means “Old Well”. Regardless of how Kuching got its name, it is the most populous in Sarawak, serving not only as its administration capital, it is also a business center, food destination, as well as tourist destination.

Kuching, or Sarawak for that matter, is home to various ethics groups consisting of the Ibans, Dayaks o Dyaks, Malays, Chinese, Indian, Bidayuh, Melanau, Orang Ulu etc. It’s a melting pot of cultural diversity where everyone lives in harmony.

Fort Margherita

There are several places of interests that are definitely a must-go in Kuching. Fort Margherita — built in 1879 by the second White Rajah Charles Brooke, and named after his young bride Ranee Margaret. Situated on top of a hill near the Sarawak River, it serves as a lookout point, as well as the capital’s first line of defense. The fort was later converted into a Police Museum.

A Miniature Model of Fort Margherita

Apart from the Fort Margherita, the Astana and the Dewan Undangan Negeri buildings also serves as major landmarks in the area.

A granite tombstone dedicated to the wives of J.Brooke — Annie and Julia Caroline

Dewan Undangan Negeri Building

A view of the Astana from the other site of Sarawak River

Another favorite tourist spot is the Waterfront, which houses some of the most historical spots in Kuching, as well as home to the Main Bazaar. The Square Tower once served as a sentry point to complement the Fort Margherita on the opposite site of the Sarawak River. The Square Tower is distinct for its shape. Despite its defensive purposes historically, the building now serves as a cafe.

Square Tower

Not far from the Square Tower is the Old Courthouse. The building stands on the ground of what was once a Christian mission. Constructed in 1874, the courthouse served as the main administration complex for the White Rajah government. Currently, the building serves as a Sarawak Tourism Board Complex, as well as a small museum to honor famous women of Sarawak, restaurants and cafe.

Old Courthouse

Charles Brooke Monument

The Clock Tower and the Charles Brooke Monument were also constructed within the vicinity in 1883 and 1924 respectively.

Chinese Chamber of Commerce Building

The Old Chinese Court building, or also known as the Chinese Chamber of Commerce Building, was built in 1912 to serve as a center for the local Chinese community to manage their own affairs. Currently, the building serves as the Chinese History Museum.

  

 

Tua Pek Kong Temple – Up-close

Not far from the Old Chinese Court building stands the oldest Chinese temple in Kuching — the Tua Pek Kong temple or Siew San Teng. The temple has been around since 1770. It is believed that the temple ensures good feng shui to its devotees.

Kueh Seng Onn Temple

The Kueh Seng Onn Temple is also another iconic temple along the Waterfront, and is only a stone’s throw away from the Tua Pek Kong temple. Legend has it that during the Great Fire of 1884, the local Chinese had visions of a child waving a black flag to put out the fire. There were also sightings of a child that fitted the same descriptions bathing and playing with water at a local well reported. As a response, the local Hokkien community built the temple in 1895, complete with an “Entertainment” stage on the opposite site of the road, normally used to celebrate the deity’s birthday on the second day of the second lunar month annually.

Temple Cafe/ The Stage for Kueh Seng Onn Temple

The stage serves as a cafe on normal days, also known as the Temple Cafe.

A predominant mural at the Waterfront Main Bazaar

Borneo Magic Souvenir Shop

The Waterfront, apart historical and religious sites, also a place to go to to shop for souvenirs, as well as local products. The Kuching Waterfront Bazaar and the Borneo Magic are only 2 of the many shops here that offers a variety of souvenirs to chose from.

Kuching Waterfront Bazaar

The Waterfront is also a lively place at night, graced with various street performances and food stalls.

Some of the street performances at night, at the Waterfront

A monument at the Waterfront

As you may have noticed from above, Kuching also houses a variety of museums. Other museums include Sarawak Museum, the Cat Museum and many more. The Sarawak Museum, built by Charles Vyner Brooke in 1891 and designed by his French aide based on the Normandy Town Hall in France, exhibit a variety of handicrafts, made by the indigenous people of Sarawak, as to introduce the various wildlife of Sarawak.

Sarawak Museum

Cat Museum

The Cat Museum, situated at the Kuching North City Hall in Petra Jaya, is the World’s first museum devoted to all things feline. It consists of 4 galleries, which showcases feline statues, preserved specimens, photos, souvenirs, replicas and many more.

  

You name them, they got them. The best part is entrance is free, but you’d need to pay a small fee to bring in either a camera and video-cam.

Sarawak Cultural Village

Since we’re on the subject of museums, there is yet another location that is a must-visit place nearby. It’s not exactly in Kuching — Damai Central, Satubong to be exact, which an approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour drive from Kuching city center.

A Bidayuh Baruk, or the Bidayuh Head House

Officially opened in 1991, it is an internationally-recognized tourist attraction, which boast more than 70,000 visitors annually! Often called “The Living Museum”, the SCV exhibits actual traditional houses and longhouses, accurately recreated, and is also where the staffs and performers actually live, marry and raise their family.

Greeted by a Bidayuh warrior and maiden

A demonstration of turning a tree bark into a clothing material by Mr. Christopher Anak Ngayub – a Bidayuh elder.

It boasts houses and longhouses of all the ethnic groups — all of 7 of them, with each of them are manned by members of their respective communities, and are always ready to explain to you anything concerning their traditional cultures, should you ask.

Orang Ulu Longhouse

Iban Longhouse

Melanau Tall House

Apart from exhibitions, there are also cultural performances to enjoy, and delicious local cuisines to savor.

Traditional Cuisines from all ethnic groups at Sarawak Cultural Village

They also offer packages that allows you to stay overnight in those house, and actually experience how it was like living traditionally. (Be sure to stay tuned to The Planet’s Journal, as we will have an article solely for the Sarawak Cultural Village coming soon).

Traditional performances

  

If you’re lucky, you’ll be part of the performances, such as this pretty young lass from Korea

The SCV is also home to the Rainforest World Music Festival exhibit, to commemorate SCV’s active participation in the aforementioned festival, as well as the many international recognition that it has amassed.

  

Remember, you will need at least 1 whole day to really enjoy the visit here.

Medan Niaga Satok

  

Another significant landmark here in Kuching is the Medan Niaga Satok, or the Satok Market. It is basically a day wet and dry market, apart from offering conventional products and produces, also offers many villages produces and jungle products, to which natives from deep forest or villages would come and sell their stuffs.

Kuching Lim Fah San Guanyin Temple

Apart from the earlier mentioned temples, there is also another significant temple — the Kuching Lim Fah San Guanyin Tang (古晋林华山观音堂). The temple houses one of the largest Goddess of Mercy statues, if not the largest in Sarawak. Legend has it that some time in the 70s or 80s, during a prayers dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy during Her birthday, the Goddess Herself actually appeared in the form of a glimmering light, right in front of the altar dedicated to Her, in the middle of the hall, and witnessed by the many praying devotees there. Since then, the temple has been regarded as one of the most sacred temples in Kuching.

The Dyak

A vacation to Kuching (or anywhere for that matter), is never complete if you don’t try out some of the many delicious traditional foods and cuisines there. One of the best place to start off is a traditional ethnic restaurant called “The Dyak”.

The dinner at The Dyak

As the name suggest, it is a restaurant that serves most Dayak’s cuisine. It is absolutely delicious, and my dinner there was one of the most pleasant ones in recent memories.

“Tuak” or Palm Wine from The Dyak

Remember, no traditional dinner is complete without a good serving of “Tuak” or palm wine — a traditional drink made from sap of a palm tree.

Kueh Chap

Kampua

For breakfast or lunch, you could also pay a visit to some of of the many traditional cafes there such as The Old Rex Cafe and Jit Yang Cafe. There’s nothing like a good serving of either Mee Kampua, Mee Kolok, Kueh Chap or the Sarawak Laksa to start off your day.

Mee Kolok

  

For tea breaks, there is nothing like a good serving of layer cakes — a signature product of Sarawak — to pamper your sweet tooth. Granted, there are so many shops and stalls selling layer cakes all over town, but the key is to find a shop that has a wide variety, value for money, and most importantly, actually allows buyers to actually taste the products before you actually buy it! The Mira Cake House, situated in Petra Jaya, by the Sarawak River riverbanks, offers just that.

Mira Cake House

The variety of layer cakes offered would probably your mind! From tradional layer cakes, to unconventional ones such as chocolate, oreo and Michael Jackson (Yeah, you heard me right, I ain’t kidding). You want to buy layer cakes to bring back home? This is the place that you go to, period.

Michael Jackson – A layer cake flavor …. You thought I was kidding?!

Your sweet tooth still craves for more? You can try out the Gula Apong Ice-cream. Gula Apong (literally means Float Sugar) is the traditional name for palm sugar, and the best place to enjoy this dessert — RG Aiskrim Bergula Apong. There are two flavors to choose from, i.e. corn flakes and peanuts.

RG Aiskrim Bergula Apong

Peanut Flavor

Cornflakes Flavor

Kuching is really a wonderful place to visit. The people are friendly; the food is wonderful; so many things to see; and generally a really nice place to stay. Even when compared with the rest of Malaysia, Sarawak in general truly embodies the true meaning of religious and racial tolerance. Where else in Malaysia, where you can see stalls selling both halal and non-halal food, side-by-side to each other, under one roof! If fact, where else in Malaysia, where you can have both halal and non-halal food, served on the same table where both Muslims and non-Muslims are seated together, and no one’s complaining!!! I am very, very impressed.

A landmark Cat Monument in Kuching City Center

Coming soon to The Planet’s Journal, there will be some upcoming articles dedicated to some of the sites mentioned above, which will contained more detailed information. So stay tuned and thanks for reading.

 

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Journal (Travel): Adeline’s Villa, Gopeng, Perak

Adeline’s Villa

Hello there Planeters!

Welcome back to another edition of Travel Journal. After our previous adventures in Taipei, Taipei, we are back in our lovely country Malaysia. This time, we pay a visit to the small town of Gopeng, where adventure awaits!

Gopeng is a small town located approximately 20 km from the south of Ipoh, the capitol city of the state of Perak Darul Ridzuan, and is famous for its limestone caves — the most famous being the Tempurung Cave or Gua Tempurung.

Chalet in the Morning

Within this small quiet town, there exist an unlikely heaven for those love outdoor activities, and getting in touch with nature. Today, The Planet’s Journal visits Adeline’s Villa.

Adeline’s Villa is a place suitable for city dwellers who are seeking to escape from hustle and bustle of city life, and looking to get in touch with nature.

Calm before the storm

The villa offers a variety of outdoor activities such as paintball, wet abseiling, night and day jungle trekking, ATV rides, caving and of course, probably the most adrenaline-pumping activity that they have to offer — white water rafting and body rafting.

Waterfall

For those who are less physically-inclined, there are also light outdoor activities, such as taking a swim in the nearby waterfall, Rafflesia Trek, and Rajah Brook Butterfly Colony Trek.

Rajah Brooke Butterfly Trek

Rajah Brooke

Apart from the caving activity, which takes place in Gua Tempurung, other outdoor activities offered are mostly within walking distance of the villa itself.

Paintball Trainer

ATV Trainer

Wet Abseiling and White Water Rafting Trainer

Before engaging each of these activities, participants will be briefed on safety aspects and the basics to perform them. The trainers are all professionally trained, and some are even familiar faces in their respective activities in the international arena.

Guns

Paintball Bullets

Helmets

In the Paintball activity, participants are required to don all the safety gears, as well as being taught on how to utilize the guns safely, the rules and regulations, and how to recognize the various hand signals by the safety personnel.

Paintball – in Action

White Abseiling Training

The trainer for the wet-abseiling and white water rafting is one of the same, and he and his team are very experienced rafters, and frequently participate in international events and competitions.

Wet Abseiling

The wet-abseiling offered here is suitable for beginners, who are interested to try out the sports. Experienced participants may find it a bit too easy for their liking, but for amateurs, it is just the adrenaline rush that you need.

White Water Rafting

Rapids

If that doesn’t get you, then the white water rafting and body rafting would. The activity takes place at the nearby Sungai Kampar, and are accessible by the villa’s trucks.

Taking a breather

It is not necessary for a participant to know how to swim in order to try out this sport, although knowing how to swim would be an advantage, as well as significantly calm you down, in case of the  boat capsizing. Each participants must wear their respective life jackets and helmets securely, before they are allowed to board.

Safety first!

Here’s a tip, rafters would have different experience rafting during high tides and low tides. Low tides would present rafters with more obstacles, as there are more rocks formations to raft across, with chances of capsizing if you are not careful, but you will end up with a rather shorter trip, though not so significant.

High tides would allow rafters to go further down stream, where you will end up with other sets of obstacles to cross. So, it’s really up to your preferences.

For those who wants to experience the thrill of ATV riding, participants are given the chance to follow the Waterfall Route.

Chalet

Chalet in the Morning

Open-air Cafe

Of course, to truly experience the great outdoors, you will definitely need more than a day to do so. As such, Adeline’s Villa does provide accommodation in the form of chalets. There are various chalets to choose from — there are even those with partial glass walls, so that you may enjoy the night scenery as you fall asleep. Oh, by the way, male and female participants are segregated, and they would be spending the night at two totally different area at the villa.

Of course, after all those heart-pumping activities, what better than to enjoy a wonderful meal. And believe me when I say this, the food here are fabulous!

Highly Recommended Local Dish

 

 

Even from those I know, who frequently dislike hotel foods, they absolutely love it here! The appetizing food, accompanied by the soft music, as well as being close to nature, what more can you ask for!

 

 

And if you are lucky, you might have the owner of the villa herself — Adeline Kuo — cooking for you.

Specially-prepared by by the owner, Ms. Adeline Kuo

Be it dinner, lunch or even breakfast, this establishment never cease to amaze my taste buds!

Private Activity Hall

Adeline’s Villa is definitely suitable for either group of friends to have a weekend outing; or for companies to organize an outdoor function at. Apart from a large dining hall, as well as an open public hall for group activities, the villa also provides indoor activity halls for more privacy.

 

Everyone there are so friendly and very helpful. Adeline’s Villa definitely receives a resounding thumbs up from The Planet’s Journal.

For more info, reservations and bookings, kindly refer to the contacts below.

Adeline’s Villa 

Lot 13302, Mukim Teja,
Kampung Geruntum, Sungai Itik,
31600 Gopeng, Perak, Malaysia.

Adeline’s Villa (Office)

No 5 & 5A Jalan Taman Bertuah,
(off Jalan Sungai Itek),
31600, Gopeng Perak,
Malaysia.

Office No: +605-359 2833
Mobile No: +6010-366 7113
Website: http://www.adelinevilla.com/index.html
Email: admin@rumahrehatadeline.com

 

Journal (Food): Bao Bao Bao (宝饱煲), Shihlin, Taiwan

Hello there fellow Planeters,

Welcome back to The Planet’s Journal, we have finally come to the last leg of our Taipei adventure, and what better way to end this, by paying a visit to an establishment called “Bao Bao Bao” or “宝饱煲”. The name might make no sense at all, but with the magic of Chinese language Phonetics, it makes a world of sense. It literally means: Treasure, Full (stuffed), Pot.

The establishment is situated at what seems like a back-alley – which is somewhat an unlikeliest of places if you ask me. But do not let its location fool you — this restaurant is more than meets the eyes.

Environment:

The establishment occupies 2 floors. The Ground Floor basically accommodates the ordering counters, as well as tables and seats for patrons, and there are more seats and tables on the 1st floor.

The interior lighting are quite bright, which is always good for me.

Service:

Price List

They are very efficient and prompt with the orders. For the seasonings, such as peppers, soy sauce, crushed garlic etc, you will need to get them yourself, according to your taste.

Menu:

Menu

Like I’ve said earlier, do not let the location or the size of the establishment fool you. They do serve a variety of food for your dining pleasure.

There are a variety of dishes to choose — beef, muttons, pork, chicken and seafoods, they have almost everything conventional.

Fried Fish

Chicken

Pork

The beef stew is terrific, definitely a must try.

Not to forget the mutton stew – equally recommended.

Mutton Stew

They also have a variety of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

Conclusion:

Bao Bao Bao is definitely a must try. The establishment really blew my mind and literally exceeded my initial expectation.

If you are ever in the vicinity of Shihlin District, you definitely have to drop by this place.

宝饱煲 (Treasure, Full, Pot)

No. 3, Fushou Street,

Shihlin District,

Taipei City, Taiwan 111,

Telephone: +886 2 2831 3481

Opening Hours: 11:30am to 2:00pm; 5:30pm to 8:30pm

Closed on Monday

Journal (Food): Lao Hsiung Beef Noodles (老兄牛肉面), Hsinchu, Taiwan

老兄牛肉面

Welcome back my fellow Planeters,

Today we travel all the way to Hsinchu County, to pay a visit to a place, touted to have one of the best beef noodles in town.

The restaurant is called Lao Hsiung Beef Noodles  (老兄牛肉面), or literally translated to “Big Brother’s Beef Noodles”. This restaurant is very well known for its delicious beef noodles, and have been pampering numerous taste buds for more than 25 years.

So how good is this shop? Come, let’s go in…

Environment:

It’s a simple restaurant/ coffee shops that caters for nearby industrial areas and businesses, so you can expect quite a crowd, especially during lunch hours.

Still, the interiors are cozy and comfortable.

Service:

No worries about the service here, they are very efficient and prompt with the orders.

Of course, for the seasonings, such as peppers, soy sauce, crushed garlic etc, you will need to get them yourself, according to your taste.

Menu:

Although the much-touted beef noodles is the main staples of this shop, there are other side dishes to choose from — most of which are common side dishes that you normally get in any typical restaurants.

One of my favorites is the bamboo shoots. The name Hsinchu, the county, is literally translated as new bamboo, so bamboo shoots are a signature dish in this area. This taste great!

There are other dishes such as anchovies, tofu, long beans etc.

Of course, side dishes aside, it’s the beef noodles that we’re here for, and they are absolutely fantastic!

Aside from those tender and juicy meat, you can also request some tendons to be mixed into your bowl, and trust me, you really have to taste it for yourself.

Conclusion:

Big Bro really lived up to its reputation. It’s probably one of the best beef noodles you ever going to taste, and if you’re ever in the area, you really need to spend some time here and savor it for yourself.

老兄牛肉面 (Lao Hsiung Beef Noodles)

No. 3, Zhongxiao Rd,

Xinfeng Township,

Hsinchu County, Taiwan 304,

Section 1, Chongyang Rd,

Telephone: +886 3 559 9259

Opening Hours: 11:00am to 2:30pm; 5:00pm to 8:30pm

Closed on Sunday

 

 

 

Journal (Food): Shang Qing Mutton Steamboat (尚青ㄟ羊肉炉), Taipei, Taiwan

尚青ㄟ羊肉炉

Welcome to The Planet’s Journal Food Journal. Our Taipei walkabout brings us to another establishment called the Shang Qing Mutton Steamboat.

The steamboat restaurant is famed for its mutton, and only mutton-based dishes. I’ve been to many steamboat restaurants, but this is my first time ever dining in a lamb-exclusive steamboat restaurant.

Environment:

The restaurant has that typical coffee shop feel to it.

Looking around the shop, you’ll see a lot of posters, newspaper cuttings, good fortune ornaments etc.

The lighting ambiance is good.

Service:

Service is very fast and good.

All the prices are clearly stated both on the board wall, which is good for the customers.

Menu:

The Menu

Customers are allowed to choose their type of gravy. There are so many types of vegetables to choose from.

Naturally, there are also many types of mutton to choose from. Just to show you that the meats are fresh, the butcher literally cuts the meat in front of the diners.

Of course, not everything is cooked on the steamboat pot. There are also ready-made dishes that can be ordered, such as the steamed  misua and lamb kidneys showed. Don’t let the looks deceive you, they taste absolutely brilliant.

When eating steamboat, which are normally heaty, than to cool down with a good serving of beer.

Mi Sua

For any of you adventurous eater, there are also many unconventional lamb body parts on the menu, such as brain, kidneys, tongue, heart and many more. Being an adventurous eater such as myself, I managed to try the eyes. This was my first time trying any sort of eyes (except for fish eyes), and I have to say, it has that distinct creamy and buttery flavor, that lingers in your mouth even after you finish your dine — and I love it.

Goat’s Eyes

If you have the opportunity, go forth and explore.

Conclusion:

My dine here was very enjoyable. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to everyone. The food is glorious; the service is good; and the price is reasonable — what more can you ask for?

Go and try it for yourself.

尚青ㄟ羊肉炉 (Shang Qing Mutton Steamboat)

No. 6, Section 1, Chongyang Rd,

Sanchong District,

New Taipei City, Taiwan 241

Telephone: +886 2 8985 3166

Opening Hours: 4:00pm to 2:00am

Happy Chinese New Year 2016

To all our readers, Happy Chinese New Year and have a wonderful holiday, from all of us at The Planet’s Journal… 恭喜发财，万事如意。