Congratulations on Anwar Ibrahim's victory at the by-election. I'm a little lazy with posting up new posts, plus I'm leaving to Russia already tomorrow afternoon, but before that, let me leave you with this clip-

A New Revolutionary Way at Bowling, clip shot at Ipoh, Perak, while I was out Bowling with Benny and Bernard

Disclaimer: Some of my friends would probably KILL me for posting some of these pictures... But where is the fun in life if you don't get death threats every now and then right? Heehee!

The latest season of Malaysia's Manly Next Top Model sees the final 4 contestants battling it out, catching shots after shots in the beautiful, historical town of Malacca.

The Portfolio
1. The final 4 contestant shooting for the cover for backstreet boys' latest album.

2. Yours truly was eliminated first owing to his premature receding hairline issues (not depicted here thanks to the fedora hat).

3. The final 3 now goes head to head to win the prestigious title.

4. An attempt to recreate the Spanish Steps, albeit the shorter version.

5. Blooper- A duck flew by just as this shot was taken.

6. Bernard the Boring was eliminated next. Judges commented on how his poses were as stony and flat as the stone slabs behind him. Muahahha!

7. Ming attempts the 'Blue Steel' pose.

8. Benny tries 'Magnum' the look that saved the life of Malaysian Prime Minister in Zoolander.

9. Ming refuses to back down, flexing his manly mounds.

10. Benny double backs and uses the smiling-guy-next-door approach.

11. In one final attempt, Ming channeled the spirit of Bruce Lee.

At the end, 2 persons stand in front of me, but I only have one picture in my hands. This picture represents the one who will become Malaysia's Manly Next Top Model.

And the winner is...

Ming

~No trees or ducks were harmed during the photoshoot~

Malacca is a town located 2.5 hours away from Kuala Lumpur. It is known as the historical state of Malaysia, being the place where essentially the sultanate of Malaysia began. As one point in time, it was one of the busiest port in this region, connecting the east with the west, not unlike how Singapore and Hong Kong is at the moment. Having being colonized by Dutch and Portugese, and been visited by the Chinese in the olden days, the buildings in Malacca can be seen as having influenced by all these different cultures.

Anyway, we supposedly should have left by early morning, supposedly 8am. But by the time we woke up, dilly-dallied around, showered and left, the clock pointed 10am.

The journey took 2.5 hours. Having skipped breakfast, upon arrival, we immediately dashed to this infamous restaurant. Ask around and everyone will tell you-

The infamous A' Famosa Chicken Rice Balls Restaurant

Anyway, we have friends studying with us over there in Kursk who has told us of this dish before. And having never really seen it with my own eyes, there were many a heated discussion on whether it should really be named as 'Chicken Rice Balls' or 'Chicken Ball Rice'. Because in both of this instances, they can mean different things. Chicken Rice ball would imply that you'll be served with rice balls together with chicken. Whilst Chicken ball rice means that you'll have rice served with Chicken balls (whatever that means?!?!).


Alas it seems the former holds true. You're served rice balls with chicken. We ordered the original rice balls and glutinous rice balls, just to try it out. Everyone visiting Malacca should give it a try.

Next up, we took out time walking along Jonker street, this area in Malacca known for its well preserved shop houses.
A richshaw ching-a-chinging by
If it weren't for the Malaysian flags, would you have mistaken this sight for just another canal somewhere in Amsterdam?

As of July this year, Malacca has been listed as a prominent World Heritage Site of UNESCO.

Some of the highlights of Malacca include-
A row of shophouses famously knowned as Hung Uk, or 'Red Houses'

St Paul's Church, from where you can catch a bird's eye view of the Malacca city

Studhuys Square with a fountain

Christ Church, Malacca, constructed in the 1700's

Church of St Francis Xavier

And A' Famosa fort, built hundreds of years ago by the Portugese. Now it's a site that's visited by millions of travellers.

If you do visit Malacca, there's another delicacy you must try. Cendols are popular in Malaysia. They are basically a dessert consisting of shaved ice served with boiled red beans, green starched noodles, enjoyed together with flavourings like coconut milk and palm sugar. In Malacca, though, you can enjoy a different variety of cendol, aptly named 'Durian' cendol, it is served with Durian flavouring.
Many people have commented on how strong and pungent Durian smells, to the point where it is overbearing. However, true to the saying a man's trash is another's treasure, true-blooded Malaysians like me can't live without it.

We had our durian cendol at this shop, which emits this old-school feel. And the most special thing about this is the tables used are actually parts of an old sewing machine.

Let's ask our experts on their take on the Durian cendol
(Benny takes a mouthful)
Hrm... Not bad at all, not bad at all...
Ming was more generous with the review- thumbs up!

While asking for directions, we had an interesting encounter with this lady at the petrol station there. Before we knew it, we had converse with her for the past hour about all things including our studies in Russia, our career choices, her life as a mother, et cetera et cetera.

One thing about Malacca though, having being enlisted as a city in the UNESCO list, I would have thought that the locals would be a little more... polite? A little more tourist-friendly, maybe? As I was about to cross this road towards the Studhuys square, as there were no pedestrian traffic light, I was waiting for the streams of cars to stop before crossing over. When I saw what seemed like a good chance for me to cross, not knowing much, I took my time walking across. Suddenly from about a few miles off I can see a car coming. It was speeding, speeding and before I know it, I had to leap across in order not to be knocked down. And the driver was what seemed like a middle aged woman! Would it have been that difficult to slow down your car to let a tourist cross the road?

But anyway, all too soon, it was time to ciao. All and all I felt it was a worthwhile travel. After all being a short distance away from Kuala Lumpur, I would recommend a trip to those planning to visit Malaysia.

The journey back.

Disclaimer: Anyone who knows me know one of the biggest passion (if not THE single biggest passion) in my life is travelling. And while others splurge and indulge in theirs, I do mine a little unorthodoxly. Granted I squeeze every penny's worth, I still try to maximize fun everyway I can.
This is the series of adventure during my trip around Peninsular Malaysia during this past 3rd- 13th August. Enjoy, woo-hoo!

All right, for those of you who do not live in Malaysia and do not speak Malay, the word 'meliwat' means sodomizing, which is actually a play on the word melawat, which means visiting or touring. Seeing the state in which my beloved country is in at the moment (what's with the politics and the sex scandals and et cetera...) I deem it fit to name my 10 days journey 'Tahun Meliwat Malaysia 2008'.

DAY 1

The first picture I captured using my newly bought Sony Cyber Shot digital camera.

The crowd at PC Fair, KLCC

The greatest sales tactic known to mankind- have chicks distribute flyers for your company in revealing clothes, push-up bra and heavily made-up face. You'll fall for it every time.
In front of the Petronas Twin Towers, our national monument.


Us Malaysians and our 'yam cha' habit
Benny
Ming and Bernard having a hearty chat

As we were doing our shopping around Mid-Valley, there was this ruckus and what seems like a crowd of little children.
It was some promotional works done for the High School Musical Ice Tour here in Malaysia.
I don't know if other people see it the same way as I do, but franchises such as High School Musical, Hannah Montana and others are really just capitalizing, and using children as fodder for profit. Not really the best people to reap a profit from.
Having said that, me and Ming left the shopping mall that night, all the while humming to the tunes of 'What time is it? Summertime. Anticipation!' Damn those catchy High School Musical tunes!


Flaming Platter from Manhattan Fish Market for dinner
Liar liar pants on fire!


We ended the night at Halo Cafe, Sunway branch
Met up with Kazakh friends, Shopan and her boyfriend, Ira, with whom we chatted in Russian with.

This is a sign I came accross in Auschwitz, Poland, at the etrance of the concentration camp of Auschwitz I, translated literally into: "work shall set you free/will free you".

No doubt, this is a paradox, since almost none of the people who saw and read this sign were ever freed.

(This is the first part of a another 2 part picture series, Part 2 of my 'glass' photohunt theme can be found here)

I seem to have a knack for being one of the last ones when it comes to Photohunt assignments... But anyway, people say that it's always better late than never, right?

This week, for 'glass' theme, I pay homage to the millions of lives who fell victim to the Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. As you read in my previous posts (here and here) you'll have realized that I visited Cambodia last year in August during my summer holiday. What was supposed to be relaxing holiday turned out to be an eye-opening experience for me. Cambodia as a country is rich with culture and history and the people there are as courteous as they are kind.

Of course, in order to really understand a country you need to dwelve into the country's history, including the past.

As you all know, in the not to distant history, Cambodia was under a communistic regime held by the world famous dictator, Pol Pot, who estimated to have killed at least 13 Million lives, including Cambodians and foreigners alike.

This is a picture taken in the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. What used to be a school, was transformed overnight into this disgusting prison surrounded by barbed wires. This here is a classroom, now lined up with rows of rows of nameless faces, the victims of Khmer Rouge. All that remains now are these pictures of them, behind these glass frames.








As I left the museum that day, I said a silent prayer to those people and prayed that never again will these events occur.