Welcome to Monument Valley

Utah. Taken by MikyAgo

Leaving the Nest

"These juvenile Stellar Jays seem to be daring one another to be the first to 'fly'." Taken by Terry

Reichswald

"Shot through the windscreen on a business trip last week. This is the German Reichswald ("Country Forest"), located at the border with The Netherlands". Taken by Martin van Duijn

Frigate Bird

"Frigate Bird - Ambergris Caye, Belize". Taken by AJ Baxter

Tea or Coffee?

"Somewhere between Paris and Màlaga". Taken by Fredcan

Working, Working and Working

I guess I should update this thing! Anyways, I did get that hotel job I mentioned in my previous post. Been working there for almost three weeks now. Although, I do not get as many hours as I need to survive yet. Low season is upon us. So, that may not look very promising until next spring when high season begins. The same can be said about the wedding studio job, too. I might need yet another part-time job to tied me over the winter months. I'll look for that soon. Right after I move again.

Yes, I'm moving again. I need a place closer to my work places and closer to the cheap places to eat in the city; that being downtown "Chinatown". I mean, where else can you get a plate of food that is so full that even I cannot finish it for $4.00 (and that INCLUDES the tax already)! I mean, "McD's" combo meals are TWICE that price (PLUS tax) any day!

Let's put this another way, a slice of "all dressed" (meat lovers, meat and veggies, etc.) pizza at the local chain pizza joints that dot this city cost $4.85 (after tax). A 6" cold cuts sub at the local chain sub places cost $4.84 (after tax). There is really something wrong in this country when food is so ridiculously expensive everywhere except Chinatown. I mean let's GET REAL! More food on a plate than I can finish for $4.00 vs a pizza slice, or a tiny sub sandwich that leaves me still starved for more than that! C'mon!

So, I'm moving into an area where, in my youth, I would never have in my wildest dreams thought of living. But, here I go doing exactly that. It's where the cheapest places to eat are located and it would actually cost MORE to cook it myself than to eat out. Trust me on this, I used to cook and it cost a small fortune in this city to do that. If you can make a well balanced meal (simple carbs + meat + complex carbs - read: veggies) for under $4.00, let me know!

Plus, after a long day at work, the last thing I want to do is to be at the mercy of public transit. It used to take me well over an hour to get home after work. That is, until I discovered that it was faster to walk home from the subway station than to wait for a bus that only runs every 26 minutes. The walk only takes about 13 to 15 minutes depending on how energetic (read: fast) I feel like walking after running around at the hotel all day.

Well, that's all the news fit to print for now.

That's So Penang

It was one of those last minute 'Hey-lets-go-somewhere-far-away' weekends. And so, our destination was in Penang island, in which I call 'The Land of Good Food'. Because everything in Penang are DELICIOUS!

On the first night when we arrived at our hotel, my dad thought it was about time that he took us to our first night club where he used to go in his younger days.

Well, my first impression of the night club was that it was really LOUD. Like, someone screaming in your ear loud. It was so loud, I could barely hear myself think and I can feel my clothes flapping away on me when I stood in front of the speakers for a brief second.

We sat at the side of the stage where it was the least loudest, but very loud nonetheless. My dad ordered some drinks for us. For my dad and brother, a pint of beer each. For me, a glass of white wine.
Thank God. Beer isn't my kind of drink.

And so throughout the whole night, we watched the band play all kinds of requests, including a Chinese song requested by my dad. Apparently, he told them that we were from Taiwan wtf...

The band was pretty good, considering that they are able to play any song you want like a live jukebox.

It was a fun night, but honestly, I'm not sure if the night life is my cup of tea. I mean, my dad and bro managed to down about 4 pints of beer throughout the entire night, and me? I only managed to drink about 3/4 glass of wine. I didn't even finish my glass when we left!

I'm not exactly an alcohol person, but it did give me a boost of confidence to put a camera at the band's face later on.

The next day, we happened to stop by Penang hill. It was a last minute decision, but hey! Since we're there why not take a chance?

Look how steep that railway is! If only it were a roller coaster. I bet it'll be a hit!

That's the train we boarded to go up the hill. Still wish it was a roller coaster....

Check out all the people down there!

It was actually a fast ride to the top, unlike the old days. My dad said back when he was a tour manager, it was a pain to bring the tourists to Penang hill because the train was made of wood and it always broke down halfway during the trip. So, everybody has to get down and walk all the way to the top!

A pretty sight, isn't it?

I noticed a lot of people made their mark on that tree stump. Naturally, I too must make my mark.

ANNE WAS HERE 2011! 
Can you see it? If only I brought a marker pen...

You'd have to be an idiot if you couldn't be bothered to take a picture with the picturesque scene up there.

Look! Its the wooden train I was talking about!

Check out the cute little grasshoppers this lady is making! Its made out of coconut leaves.

I used to create such grasshoppers like these before. It was a great tool when it comes to making pranks on other girls. Unfortunately, I forgot how to make them. Its pretty complicated.

Later on, we headed off to visit some temples. 

Am I allowed to take pictures of Buddhas in the temple? I hope its not disrespectful...

You know, as I was checking out the statues of Buddhas and other artifacts around, I spotted this couple who were meditating in front of this large Buddha. And then, I saw the man who was sitting calmly at first, started to shake really violently. It was super freaky.

He was shaking all over for about a minute or so and then, he was calm again. But his head was moving about in a slow circle. Was he possessed?

We weren't allowed to enter that temple. It makes me wanna enter all the more!

OK, I know some of you guys might be pretty pissed with me for not taking any foodie pictures. What? It was so delicious, I had to eat it right away before I could even think about taking a photo!

See? That's how good Penang food is.

Peace out yo!

Visitor

"Brown-breasted Flycatcher / Layard's Flycatcher ( Muscicapa muttui). Migratory Bird. Singharaja Rain Forest (UNESCO World Heritage Site)- Pitadeniya Entrance. Sri Lanka". Taken by Sara-D

Number 11

"The house number 11 at Kanonicza Street in Kraków". Taken by bazylek100

G I R L.

"A little girl in a street of Mamallapruram. Tamil Nadu." Taken by Claude Renault

Nice Shoes

Melbourne, Australia. Taken by Man Underground

Mt. Taranaki

"This is Mt. Taranaki, also called Mt. Egmont, on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is still considered an 'active' volcano". Taken by Betty

Lenticular Cloud at Sunset

"A Lenticular Cloud formation has drifted off the top of Mt. Shasta, CA. The New-Agers in town like to think it is a Lemurian space ship visiting the 'inhabitants' of the city of Telos that exists within the mountain. It helps if one 'hears' the tune from Twilight Zone while viewing this weather phenomenon". Taken by Terry

House 26

"An old abandon house in downtown Haifa. Somewhat spooky, somewhat fun." Taken by Roman

Düsseldorf

Taken by shokokoart

Life as a Banana

If you personally knew me well enough by now, you'd probably figure out sooner or later that I'm what people would call a 'Banana'.

Can you spot the Banana?

A Banana refers to a person who is yellow (Asian) on the outside, white on the inside. In other words, a Chinese who can't speak Mandarin, but speaks English.

Its funny that my parents could speak Cantonese fluently, but I've never been taught how to speak the language. Ever since I was a kid, I'd usually hear them argue in Cantonese. So I came up with a conclusion that the only reason why my parents never taught me Cantonese is because they probably didn't want me to understand what their arguments are about.

But I think the reason why I never picked up the language was probably because I wasn't too interested in it.

Believe it or not, I've even gone to several Chinese schools before I studied in a private school. I spoke very little Mandarin because back then, I was extremely shy and I was afraid to talk to people. So I barely had any practice with my Mandarin speaking skills and it was hard to make friends.

However, the only time I ever spoke Mandarin or Cantonese fluently is whenever I order food. Hey, when you're hungry and gotta eat, you gotta speak up; nobody speaks English at a local coffee shop.

But if I have to speak Mandarin and its not about food, there's my problem; either I couldn't understand or I have no confidence in replying. Some people say that I have an accent whenever I speak Mandarin because I sound like a white person who can't pronounce things properly.

Back when I was in private school, I was pretty much normal over there because everything was in English. Now that I'm in government school, it really hits me that I am a Banana among mangoes (yellow on the outside, yellow on the inside, get it?).

On the other hand, at least I can still manage to understand what people are basically saying once in a while so that I can survive. Speak to me in Mandarin though, and things get pretty awkward. Like this one conversation I had had with a little girl:

Translation: Have you seen my mom?

And then I'd think for while and usually say:

Translation: Err... I dunno...

And then she went:

Then a worried looking lady came up to the girl from behind, so I left and I can hear her say:

Translation: Hey, why aren't you talking to me? Oh, hi mom!

Thank God I was right about that woman, otherwise I'll be stuck with that little girl until we find her mom.

Well, that's the hard life living as a banana. I really wish I could speak Mandarin or Cantonese as fluent as any other locals around because I feel really inadequate having being able to speak only English and Malay instead of my mother's tongue.

Its true that being able to speak English means that I can communicate with international people, but sometimes, I wish I could trade the language with Cantonese so that I can finally speak to my dad's side of the family or talk to my grandma.

But for now, I guess I'll just have to accept that I'm a banana. For now.

WE OCCUPY

Taken by BlaisOne

Turkish Wedding

"Turkish Gypsy bride making her entrance to the wedding party outside, Old Ankara, Turkey". Taken by Aine

English Channel

"Looking out from the Dorset coast across the English Channel. Portland's just visible on the lower right hand side". Taken by Pete Gibson

Crammed

Taipei, Taiwan. Taken by Darrell Gallant

Street Seen (sic)

There's more than one way to set the rain alight. Taken in Canada, by saharsh