Ipoh, 14-19 Dec. 2007

About 16 adults and 7 children by 5 cars we drove to Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.

We departed at 8.00am and stopped by at 2 resting place along the way (Ayer Keroh and Sungei Buloh Jejantas Restaurant) for lunch and restroom. We reached Ipoh about 5 pm.

Ipoh is known as "Mountain city", because its city is surrounding by the mountains. And, a lot of caves, but most of them already taken and use for religious purpose (both Chinese or Indian).

We stayed at Mee Ying's parents' house at Kuala Kuang Village, Chepor, Ipoh. Nearby there is a small river that the water flow from the spring on the mountain. The water is cold and clear. We really had a good time there... The place still original and nature. Only available one small eating place, simple toilet and changing place. This place is known as Ulu Chepor, Tambun.

Each one of us (except Bagio, who is the photographer) deep into the water and play happily.

We plan to come back here again, if there is any chance.
The cost to play in this place, if you drive is only RM 1.00 per car per entry, otherwise just walk in and dip into the water.
We celebrated Patrick birthday on 15 Dec with candle stick on durians... (as we forgotton to buy cake for him).

15 Dec 2007

After breakfast Yam Cha, we proceed to Gua Tempurung (means "Coconut Shell Cave"), located at Gopeng, Ipoh, near Kampar, about 30 minutes drive from Ipoh city.

Gua Tempurung is quite a large cave with beautiful stalagmites and stalactites.It is located inside Gunung Tempurung (Tempurung Mountain), which it is named after. The marble and limestone mountain is crossed completely by the 1.6-2 kilometer main passage with its cave river.

The cave was once used by the communist as a hideout between 1950 and 1960. They offer 4 different types of tours, both dry or wet adventures. All tour will be accompanied with tour guide, who will explain and shows us different type of formation, such as elephant, boar, car, long hair lady, Osama bin Laden, etc.

We joint the second tour, Top of the World, which is the highest point of the main passage. Here at platform five the developed part of the cave ends. The tour guide told me, why they called this part "TOP OF THE WORLD" is because in this place we can reach the ceiling of the cave (for those with enough height and at certain point only). We are at the highest point of the cave, before we turned back. The journey will take about 1.5 hours go and return, depend on how fast we walk and how many times we stopped for rest, as we need to climb the stair case that quite high.

Is worth to visit this place.

For those who understand Malay/Bahasa Indonesia, can get more story from this blog... http://www.geocities.com/dethate/guatempurung.htm

More information in English with the tour/ticket price can be seen from http://www.cuti.com.my/outdoor/caves/tempurung_rate.

17 December 2007
Morning we went to try Ipoh White coffee... is really nice! Also tried the curry cing jong fun (sometimes like horfun), very unique and nice. After that we proceed to Sitiawan/Manjung to visit the saints there..
In Sitiawan we had seafood lunch and try the famous es chendol. Look at the way the seller dressed...

The chendol very nice, only RM 1.00 per bowl... The location is near Indian's temple in Manjung.

The Ipoh food that you have to try, at least:

1. Chicken Bread at Restaurant Yau Kee ("Roti Ayam") at Kampar.

Available in 2 sizes and 2 flavour: curry and herbs. Both very nice. The price Small RM 25.00, Big RM43.00.
They also sell other dishes and chicken biscuits which are very famous snacks from Ipoh.


2. Ipoh horfun/kweetiau with taoge chicken at Restauran Ong Kee (Tauge ayam), Jl. Dato Tahwil Azar, Ipoh

The atmosphere is nice, dine on the road side with open sky (as long as no raining). At walking distance from this place you can find 'pasar malam' (night market), but you have to come after 8pm, as the night market is starts late.

3. Yam Cha at Ming Court Hongkong Tim Sum Sdn. Bhd.

They are serving small size of assorted Dim Sum. If we come with few people, we can try more varieties of dim sum. Remember to come early, otherwise has to wait very long and nothing left... as people of Ipoh like to come here to have breakfast and brunch.. especially on Weekend and public holiday.
The price per serving is about RM 2.00-RM6.00

4. White coffee at Old Town White Coffee, Jalan Persiaran Bijeh Timah

In this area, Old Town Ipoh, you can find many "kedai kopi" (coffee shop). They not only selling the famous white coffee, but also other snacks and dishes. We tried the Yong To Fu, Curry horfun, toast bread.

I like to the coffee taste from Sin Yuan Foong... very nice .. If you want to buy the coffee powder, buy the black one, not the three in one coffee. 600 gr will cost you RM 16.00, more expensive than the 3-in-1 package.
But somehow, when you do yourself at home, the taste will not be the same with if you drink it there...... any secret recipe????

5. Different types of Chinese Food
We tried: East Ocean Seafood Restaurant, Tuck Kee, Anika Selera (Dong Gu Ting), and some kopitiam and traditional market.

Happy New Year 2008

Wow.. time is flies.......
Now we are at 2008 already.

December 2007 was our good month and very enjoyable as we went for holiday to Ipoh and went back to Indonesia.....

I will write more about our experience with some pictures.....

For all of you there......... WISH YOU THE BEST FOR THE NEW YEAR 2008
MAY GOD THE ALMIGHTY BLESS EACH ONE OF US ACCORDING TO HIS MEASURE.

Robert & Katherine

Last week (27 Nov - 5 Dec) we got visitors from Surabaya, Robert & Katherine (Hernanto's sister) accompanied by Melani. They came to Singapore to seek a second opinion from the doctors here as Robert was diagnose with nasopharynx cancer (aka Nose cancer) stadium 4.
We all very shocked when we heard about this news as last October they just came to Singapore for some short holiday and everything was alright. The symptoms were only appear on 2 November and in the beginning the doctor was suspect it just a sinus problem.
After 2 weeks, suddenly his right eye's motoric was effected and can not move accordingly (deviation of the eyes) and his hearing also got problem. He went for MRI and the doctor vonnis him with Stadium 4 of Nasopharynx cancer. Further information about the cancer symptoms can be found here
The results from the doctor in Singapore also confirmed the results from Surabaya's doctor.

This case made me realize how life is really unpredictable. The life style also can cause a lot of problems if we are not careful.

I just wish the best for Robert and Katherine. May God blessing and guiding you to choose the best treatment to be healed.

Just for fun... Hady's family as Elfs..

Just found new software for fun... Enjoy it!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9550994090

Visiting from Overseas...

10 October 2007
Andreani Liem Wan Ming came to Singapore for training. We met at the lobby Grand Central Hotel for about 1 hour. Wan Ming was my boarding house mate when we were studying in UKSW, Salatiga (1983-1985). Now she is living in Surabaya, my hometown.



13-19 October 2007
Hernanto & Melani from Surabaya came to visit their daughter who is studying in Singapre, Stella.
They stayed with us while in Singapore.
I went to Vietnam, 14-17 Oct with them.

24 October 2007
Marian de Souza from Melbourne was here to visit her family. We went out for dinner with Richard & Chen2 at Toa Payoh. Unfortunately, forgot to take pictures.


1-5 November 2007
Two church friends from Davao, Phillippines (Sis. Perla and Sis. Consuelo) came to Singapore and stayed with us. Their group was 49 peoples and stayed in different houses. Others than Sis. Perla and Sis. Consuelo, Elena and John Chang (Korean but live in Manila) stayed in Bukit Gombak also.
Saturday, 3 November 2007, I brought them to Orchard for shopping and East Coast Park.




Then we went to Harvey Ave for the meeting.

Sunday, 4 November 2007, after church meeting, we brought 4 of them to Bugis for shopping, and continue with West Mall for last minute shopping and dinner at Sakei Sushi.




They flew back to Phillippines on Monday Morning, 5 Nov. 07. Bye... hope to meet up with u all again.!
God bless His Recovery.

7-10 November 2007

Fransisca from Jakarta is my bisnis partner and friend that always support me.

She came here for a short holiday and break.

I just brought her to Sentosa and VivoCity on 8 November 2007.

Vietnamese Food

My Tho and Minh Long

Monday, 15 Oct 2007
After breakfast, with Araki's car we went out to hunting for plants, but nothing much we can find. Then, we decided to go to Son Be, another district of Ho Chi Minh City, about 30 minutes from City Area, to visit the show room of Minh Long Ceramic. For those who like to collect figurines, small items, bowl, plates, cup, etc.. you can come here and get it cheaper. But.. please remember your baggage allowance..

Tuesday, 16 Oct 2007

We joint one of the local tour agent, Saigon Tourist to My Tho (read as "Mee Toh"). This town is about 2 hours drive from Ho Chi Minh City.

The town of My Tho is lies on the left side of Mekong River. We enjoyed a cruise on Mekong River, then ride on a hand-rowed sampan under a green canopy of water-coconut trees. Stopped at few places to enjoy the seasonal fruits, honey tea, and lunch of country delicacies. For adult, the price is USD40.00 for full day tour (08.00 - 17.00).

Saigon, 14-17 Oct 07 - City Area

Sunday, 14 Oct 2007, by Jet Star 07.25-08.25 AM, flew from Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, alone. Bagio could not go with me because of his works. My 2 friends, Hung & Lan, flew with Tiger Airways in the afternoon. I did not take Tiger Airways, because the price is higher compare with Jet Star (different about S$100.00 and the timing, I prefer Jet Star).
I took airport taxi to downtown (cost U$5.00 plus toll VND5,000-equal to S$0.50 at the time I exchanged money).
We stayed at Inge Araki's house (Lan's sister) at Vietnam Golf & Country Club, about 30 minutes from HCM City.

From Saigon Centre, you can take a walk to see:

1. Reunification Palace (admission VND15,000/U$1.00).

Design as the home of former president Ngo Dinh Diem, the US-backed leader of Vietnam until his assassination in 1962. This building is the most notable for its symbolic role in the fall of Saigon in April 1975 when its gates were breached by North Vietnamese tanks.
2. Notre Dame Cathedral

The cathedral is closed to visitors except during Sunday services.

This neo-Romanesque cathedral was built between 1877-1883. The Romanesque towers is about 60m with a large white statue of the Virgin Mary. Located nearby the General/Municipal Post Office

3. Municipal Post Office (Buu Dien)

From outside and the view inside the post office. Sunday also open!!! Not only for tourist, but also open for postal business.
In the rear of the building, you can see the huge portrait of Uncle Ho (Chi Minh).

4. City Hall

Originally was a French Hotel constructed between 1902 and 1908. Is not open for public.

5. Ben Thanh Market

Ben Thanh Market was opened first in 1914. Crowded, narrow aisles and many pickpockets!

Selling T-Shirt, handicraft, aluminium wares, silk, bamboo, and lacquer. Also fresh and cooked local food. Surounding the markets, open air stalls will start the business when dawn. One of the best place to try the authentic local cuisine. Also can continue with your shopping for the souveniers in the night bazaar.

6. City Museums (Entrance fee: NVD15,000/U$1.00)

Display of Nature and Archaeology, Revolutionary struggle, The Economy, Ethnics, The Culture, and the history of foundation and development of the Country.

From one place to another, you can walk slowly while enjoying the traffic that terrible scary and nice old building. Also, do not forget to check the electricty wires along the road...

Further from Saigon Centre, you can go to Chinatown and visit Ben Thay Market, by taxi or try the ricksaw.

Selamat Hari Raya

Untuk yang merayakannya, kami berdua mengucapkan

SELAMAT HARI RAYA

MOHON MAAF LAHIR & BATIN

Bagi-bagi ketupatnya dong...........!

Wedding Chok/Nancy

Saturday, 29 September 2007

Our friends, Chok&Nancy, married last Saturday, 22 September 2007 in Hua Lian, Taiwan (Nancy is a Taiwanese). And they had a wedding testimony meeting in Singapore on 29 September 2007 at CSC Farrer Park.

They asked me to help with the flowers arrangement including the hand bouquet and corsages. With a little faith and hestitation, I asked my teacher to help me to prepare the flowers. Here are the results:

May God bless both of you and let Him be the HEAD of your family.

Singapore Lantern Festival 2007

Last Saturday, 22 September 2007 we went to Chinese Garden to see the Lantern Festival 2007. The ticket is S$12.00 for adult and S$8.00 for children 3-12 years old. If you come at about 5.30 pm, you will receive free mooncake, and everybody can get free lantern.

We purposely came earlier before the day dawn, so we can see the lantern clearly and compare it with when the lanterns already light up.

Happy Lantern Festival and Moon Cake Festival...

Mouse injury.....

Yesterday morning, suddenly I felt that my right arm were pain if turned to certain angle. I asked Bagio to give a light massage and once he massaged me, he gave comments that I got the injury because of using the mouse's computer too long (hihihi... sok tau ah!!!, but). I admit that last Saturday I was sitting in front of my computer for a couple of hours to do some photo project...
Yesterday afternoon/evening, my right arm getting swollen (in the photo the right arm is the one with bracelet), and the numbness is there..
This is my second time I got it... Few years ago I got it and much2 serious than this time. At that time, not even can hold a spoon on my own because the pain was very severe.... Have to see mr. doctor to get the pain killer, and could not work for a few days. This time not that serious (see.. now I still can typing this posting...!), maybe because of the bracelet that wear also, the magnetic bracelet.. Maybe???
Anyway... for you who is using computer a lot and longer time.. pls follow the following advise from the expert, that I copy from the internet (http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/cumousetips.html).

Or.. any other advise that you can share with me and others, so this thing will not happen to me again!!!!!!!!

Cornell University Ergonomics Web
10 Tips for Using a Computer Mouse
The following tips should help you avoid a mouse-related musculoskeletal injury. The same posture principles apply to other input devices (e.g. trackball, touchpad, pen, digitizing puck etc.). Postural variation is a key factor for good ergonomics. Try to regularly vary your posture when you work with a mouse, and in this way you will help to minimize the risk of ergonomic problems. remember, the best ergonomic mice are designed to allow you to vary your posture while working with the mouse.
Mouse Grip - don't throttle your mouse (it's already dead)! Hold the mouse gently to move it over a mousing surface.
Mouse from the Elbow - don't skate or flick the mouse with your wrist. Make controlled mouse movements using your elbow as the pivot point and keep your wrist straight and neutral.
Optimal Mouse position- sit back in your chair, relax your arms then lift your mousing hand up, pivoting at the elbow, until your hand is just above elbow level. Your mouse should be positioned somewhere around this point. Don't use a mouse by stretching to the desk or out to the side of a keyboard. With a flat mouse platform, position this 1-2" above the keyboard and over the numeric keypad if you are right handed - you can easily move it out of the way if you need to access these keys. With a downward sloping mouse platform, position this close to the side of the keyboard so that you can use the mouse in a neutral wrist position. Position adjustable mouse platforms are commercially available (e.g. Humanscale, Proformix, Flexrest, 3M etc.)
Protect your wrist - if you look at the anatomy of the wrist it is curved away from any contact surface (you can easily see this by resting your hand/arm on a flat surface - you'll see light under the wrist and can probably even pass a thin pen under this). The forearm is shaped liked this for the wrist to remain free of surface pressure contact.
Avoid restricting circulation - For may people there are exposed blood vessels near the skin at the wrist, which is where the pulse is often taken. Any pressure in this region will disrupt circulation into the hand and this will increase the risks of injury.
Don't use a Wrist Rest - research has shown that using a wrist rest doubles the pressure inside the carpal tunnel, because the floor of the tunnel is a more flexible ligament that transmits external pressure changes directly into the carpal tunnel (the roof of the tunnel is bone so the pressure doesn't get transmitted on through the hand). Indeed, one test for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), know as Tinel's sign, simply involves tapping on the palmar surface of the wrist, which is enough to cause tingling and numbness in someone developing CTS.
Avoid Restricting Arm Movement - with a softly padded wrist rest, especially one that is rounded, or a soft chair arm rest the forearm becomes "locked" into position and this encourages people to make mouse movements by flicking the wrist, which also increases intracarpal pressure.
Keep the Mouse Free Moving - The base of the palm of the hand is the part of the body designed to support the hand when resting on a surface. For keyboard use a broad palm support is best. However, mouse use is different from keyboard use. With a keyboard the best posture is for users to float their hands over the keyboard when typing and then to rest on the palm support in microbreaks between typing bursts. You can use rest-breaking software (e.g. Magnitude ErgoManager, Break reminder etc) to help track and advise on your mouse use. With mousing this doesn't happen. A mouse is used by moving its position over a surface, and resting usually occurs when mouse movements stop but with the mouse still being held in the hand. Mouse movements should be made using the elbow as the pivot point, not the wrist. Anything that impairs free movement of the forearm/hand and mouse will increase injury risks.
Mouse shape - choose a mouse design that fits your hand but is as flat as possible to reduce wrist extension. Don't use a curved mouse. Use a symmetrically shaped mouse. Consider a larger mouse and there are several new interesting products on the market , such as the Whale mouse or the Perfit mouse, that encourage arm rather than wrist movements or that encouirage postural variety and one or two-handed use. Pen-based mice designs also allow a more comfortable grip.
Load sharing - if you want to load share between your right and left hands, that is using the mouse for some of the time with each hand. For this you need to choose a mouse platform that can easily be configured to the left or/and right, and a symmetrical shaped mouse that can be used by either hand.



Other input devices - whether you choose a different mouse design, a trackball, a joystick, a pen, a touchpad, a multitouch pad or some other input device, make sure that your position this comfortably, and that your wrist is in a neutral position when using the device.



Summary recommendations for mouse position:
If you are using your mouse on a surface then:
Best arrangement for a mouse is a platform over the number keypad and just above the keyboard.
Good arrangement is a pad on an angled platform to the side of the keyboard.
Poor arrangement is a flat surface to the side of the keyboard
Worst arrangement is on the desk out to the side of the keyboard.
Other input options that don't cover the numeric keypad



If you needs to frequently use the numeric keypad consider the following:
an angled mousepad close to the side of the keyboard (e.g. Humanscale platform; Flexrest platform) a keyboard that has a touchpad built into the keyboard (e.g. Crystal vision; Cirque smooth cat) a minikeyboard with either a built-in pointing device or an adjacent mouse and a separate keypad
More information on our Mouse research studies.
NOTE: Inclusion of links to manufacturer and product web sites is provided for user convenience and does not constitute endorsement of these products by Cornell University.
Send comments or suggestions to Professor Alan Hedge.

Note that all materials on this page and web site are copyright and may only be copied or distributed for nonprofit educational purposes without permission.
© Professor Alan Hedge, Cornell University, content last updated February 09, 2006 *taken from http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/cumousetips.html*

Malezzzzz

Belum sempat ngapdet, karena

Last days in Victoria (3-5 Sep 07)

Monday, 3 Sep 07
Many people talks about Krispy Kreme... what is that?? Some friends asked me to try, even I received a sms from a friend to buy a dozen doughnuts for her... Woah.......
Last year, during our trip to Sydney, my cousin bought these doughnuts and said very famous at that time in Sydney. As far as I remember, I did not have a great impression of its tastes. Since so many people asked me to buy and try it again, my boss' wife brought me to Chadstone to get it and bring back to Singapore.
The variations quite many... the price is very expensive compared with the price in Singapore or Indonesia. Original cost me A$2.25, with topping A$2.50, and if with filling A$2.75. But.............. if you really like doughnuts, you can buy 1 dozen and the price is slaughtered into half.. yes.. HALF. One dozen of original only A$13.95, Assorted A$16.95 (gila gak tuh!!!).
For the sake of friends... I bought back 4 dozens......
(ooppsss.. before forget, now in Victoria, you can get it from Turramarine airport also, no need to go to city to buy it).

From Chadstone, on the way back to Hoppers Crossing, we stopped by at Altona, Cherry Lake and Williamstown to enjoy the scenery and sunset as pictures below.

Tuesday, 4 September 2007

In the morning, by train I went to Melbourne city to meet up with my new friend, Mutiara at her office. I am so glad to find a new friend again... Blog is really wonderful..... Since she needs to work and I also need to go QVM, we only met for only about 15 min. But... we'll meet again next time.. either in Singapore or Melbourne... Nice to know you, Mutiara..

From Mutiara's office, I noticed that on the roadmany people carry cabin luggage with the hair like in the court in the movies... According to Mutiara, around her office many courts hall, from County Court until Supreme Court. So, those people actually are barister or Queen Counsel in the courts. Their jobs are to represent their clients, either the defendant or plaintiff. I believe, they are so lazy to take out the attributes when go out or go in the court room, and just walk like that on the street with their white wig.... New view for me! (the above info I got from Mutiara...)

Taking tram (no. 55 from Elizabeth St) I went to Queen Victoria Market to get some souveniers and cream... More story about QVM can be read from here.