Visitors from Denver, USA

Bro. Stuart, Heidy and Warren Tay coming for holiday and visit their relatives in Singapore/Malaysia. This family was staying in Singapore for about 7-8 years before they decided to go back to United States in the year 2002.

Thursday, 14 Feb 2008 is our turn to meet up with them. To save their time, a few family of us came together and had dinner with them at Lao Beijing, Novena Square. Thoo Jiang & Sao Lin, Richard & Evonne + Jonathan, Peter Tan & Kathy, Bagio & Susana, so total 5 family, 12 persons.

We really had great time during the meals, like big family reunion (since still in the mood of Chinese New Year celebration).
At about 10.30 we left Novena Square (as the restaurant need to be closed soon..) and since Heidy & Stuart enjoy eating durian, we went to Geylang to buy some durians and brought back to Richard/Evonne house at Palm Lodge to enjoy the durian.
After midnight, we have to say goodbye to them with hope that one day we will meet again, either we go there or they come again...........
God be with you...!

Happy Valentine Day, 14 February 2008

Jurong Bird Park, Singapore

Singapore, 9 Feb 2008

Morning we sent Antonius (Pipie's son) to airport, Changi airport Terminal 3 on his way to Tokyo.

From airport, we went straight to Jurong Bird Park.
The ticket is S$18.00 per adult without monorail, or add $4.00 for the monorail ride.
We enjoy almost all the shows that available that day. To make the ticket worth, we spent 7 hours in JBD.. More information about Jurong Bird Park, click Bird Park . Is advisable to come as early as 9AM (when the park is open) to avoid the hot sun.

Enjoy the photo....

Sentosa Flowers 2008

Just for your viewing........ the photo that I took yesterday at Sentosa Flowers 2008.. Enjoy it!

Lunar New Year - 7 Feb 2008

Lunar New Year Eve, Wednesday 6 February 2008

We went Sakura Restaurant (at Orchard Shopping Centre) with Duncan's family and Patrick/Grace for buffeet. The food is not bad.. quite wide spread, from Local food, Chinese food, Japanese Food, Western Food, Thai Food ...

After dinner, we went to Chinatown to see the situation. Since not yet very late (we arrived Chinatown about 8pm), the crowd is not that bad.. still can move. If you need last minute chinese new year goodies, you can go to Chinatown to grab some at cheaper price.. the nearer to 12.00pm the cheaper the price will go ...

Thursday, 7 February 2008

At about 9.00AM with Br. Jimmy Lee & Sis. Joanie we went to Sentosa to see Sentosa Flowers 2008: Tales of Spring. Usher in the Year of the Rat and celebrate Spring, Sentosa flowers displays milllion blooms of flowers. For this year, the blooms will be on display until 17 Feb 2008. You just need to buy the island admission ticket (i.e. S$2.00) and the admission to the event is FREE.

The display is very nice.. do not forget to bring your camera... or if you forgotton your camera, just ask the available photographer to take your photo with your love ones...My advise is.. come as early as possible (the opening hours is 9AM - 10PM), or late afternoon to avoid the hot sun.

Language of Love.. Traveller's Garden, Learning Journey, Floral Display... also some photo points are available for the visitors..

Happy Lunar New Year... may this year of Rat bring us more prosperous, healthy and happy living..........

Something new...........

Saturday, 2 Feb 2008

From today onward, something new is added into me...

Guess what?????????

Like it or not, I have to admit that I am getting older.... so I need help to see you clearly..............

Yeah............. new spectacles is now sitting quietly on my nose.

Good Bye, Pak Harto...

Sunday, 27 January 2008, Former Indonesian President Suharto Dead at 86, died in a Jakarta hospital Sunday after more than three weeks in critical condition.

Mr. Suharto's eldest daughter, Siti Hardiyanti [aka mbak Tutut], was emotionally spoken to the news media, said that the family asks for forgiveness for any of Mr. Suharto's faults, and appealed for all of his mistakes to be absolved.
For the past decade, Mr. Suharto and his family have been embroiled in legal investigations over charges of human rights abuses and corruption during his 32-year rule.
The former leader had lived in seclusion in central Jakarta for nearly ten years after stepping down during widespread unrest.
Regardless of what he done during his time as a President, many Indonesians remember him as a leader who developed the nation, built its economy, and ensured stability and life was easier during his reign. Some says when Mr. Suharto was president, the people were well off. He adds that the poor people, such as bicycle taxi drivers, were all happy.

The former general's rule was marked by rapid economic growth and political stability, but marred by massacres, human rights abuses and endemic corruption.
Suharto came to power after an abortive coup on September 30, 1965, that was officially blamed on the communist party. Up to 500,000 people were killed in an anti-communist purge in the months that followed.

He was forced to step down in 1998 as the Asian financial crisis sparked economic and social chaos, leading to calls for greater democracy.

But some Indonesians look back with nostalgia to the Suharto era, when Indonesia was one of Asia's tiger economies, and refer to him fondly as the "father of development''.

Selamat Jalan, pak Harto... Bapak pembangunan Indonesia.

*pictures and news was taken from many sources*

Chinese New Year is coming.....

Chinese new year is arriving soon........ the spring is here........

According to Chinese Calendar, the year 2008 is the Year of the Rat, which is fall on 7 February 2008.

Like the years before...... its means that Bagio will often go home late, as his company dealt with plants, many people, especially those who celebrate Chinese New Year, will like to buy to decorate their house to welcome the Spring.

Some people believe that certain plants will bring good luck to those who have it..... believe it or not...?

Flowers hold a special significance at Chinese New Year. They are believed to be symbols of wealth and high positions in one's career.

And the price is either start or end with "8" which sound like 'fa' means "Luck".

I just want to write about certain plants that you will easily find during Chinese New Year, and why people like to buy it:

1. "Assorted orange or Kumquat"...... small - medium - big - very big fruits. The bigger the plants the more expensive the price. Oranges in Canton is "KAM". The sound of 'Kam' and the colour of orange is similar like 'gold'. So.. with the orange tree at home.. the gold will come too........

2. "Lucky bamboo".. actually is dracaena plants... with many type of model and arrangements. I believe, in the beginning, some creative people braid the stems something like pineapple.. and people associated it like pineapple, which is 'wang li', meaning good luck will come.....

3. "Pussy Willow” or “Yin Liu” in Mandarin. Is it because the pronounciation is something like 'the silver flow"..? Olden days, people is using silver as money, right?

4. "Chinese Jade Plant/Money Tree (Crassula sp.)". The leaves is resembles coin, money. Everything that associated with money or luck is saleable during Chinese New Year.

5. "Cockscomb/Plumos (Celosia argentea)", especially the red and yellow colour. For Chinese, the colour red is a auspicious colour and it is used for decoration during Chinese new year. Yellow is symbol of Gold...

Also all types of plants with beautiful flowers, such as Chrysanthemum, Zinnia, Orchids and others will also be brought back to the home for decorations and celebrations.


Want to know more about Chinese New Year with all its meaning, history and so on.. please click All about Chinese New Year

新年快乐 Xīn nián kuài lè,
"Happy new year"
恭喜发财 Gōng xi fā cái ,
"Congratulations and be prosperous".

January's Happiness

January...... the birthday month for my beloved husband, my sisters, my friends....

1 January............ Shirley - my sister

6 January ........... May Leong, ex colleague

9 January............ Anna - my cousin

18 January ........ Bagio - my husband

20 January ........ Richard, ex colleague

23 January ........ Sam, ex colleague

Happy birthday to you all......... Many happy return of your days.

On 4 January 2008, May Leong and I went in JB for lunch (a treat from May's boss for Amy), so Richard and I happy go lucky to tag along...... We went to TGIF (Thank God It's Friday) in JB.

Since May and Richard born in the month of January, we asked the restauran the birthday cake to celebrate their birthday........

Mudik Surabaya/Salatiga, 20-31 Dec 2007

20 December 2007, we took Silk Air flew back to Surabaya. At about 09.00AM we reached Surabaya and Shirley's family already there waited for us (*20 Dec is a public holiday both in Singapore & Indonesia, that is why they could come & picked us up*). From airport, we direct went to Claket for a break. Evening we went back to Surabaya.

21 - 22 December, just went to visit our grandma (seen here in the photo, she already 98 years old, but still very healthy & alert), aunt/uncle, and also went out with Hernanto/Melani. They brough us to try RUJAK SOTO, specialities from Banyuwangi.. It is really rujak petis mixed with Soto Babat.. can't imagine it, just try it. If you want to know where u can get it in Surabaya, just let me know.. I have their namecard (but I am not their marketing people ...)
Other than rujak soto, they also sell other dishes, but I still prefer this Rujak Soto.



23-25 December 2007
After Hadi finished work, at about 2 pm we departed to Semarang/Salatiga to visit Bagio's family. We went via North Road, but due to the many rain recently, the roads not so smooth, and we drove slowly.. We reached Semarang about 8pm, direct looking for NASI AYAM somewhere in Jalan MT Haryono. If you want to try Nasi Ayam, dont come after 8pm, most of them already finished and ready to pack... They start business at 6pm..!
Since, too tired, we just stay overnight at Hadi's brother at Tanah Mas.
The next morning, we proceeded to Salatiga, to visit Bagio's family.
We went to Kopeng and Coffee farm. Night time, we met Amin & family after so many years never met. We chatted until late.

Sen-sen & Ling-Ling brought us for 'lesehan' dinner at Mina Restaurang. The food is nice... Tks Sen/Ling.





Monday, 24 December 2007, Hermawan's family arrived from Jakarta after long hours drove.

Tuesday, 25 December 2007 we drove to Bandungan and then Semarang to have our lunch there. We ate at Koh Liem, traditional chinese food. Also bought pecel kangkung..

And.. of course we went to our house at Dliko Indah to harvest the mango that planted by my mother...
Every year, when we back to Salatiga, the mango is always there waiting for us....

26 December 2007

After breakfast, we proceed direct to Surabaya via Solo/Sragen.

On the half way to Sragen, we could not go on because of the flood. In the end, we had to make many turn back to avoid the flood until about 4 hours.

Is really thank God that we did not delay our trip back to Surabaya. Otherwise we could not back that day, because only about 2 or 3 hours later, many roads were block and impossible to pass it by vehicle, unless by boat.. :)

We reached Claket (Pacet) almost 10.30 pm after taken dinner on the way.

27-29 December 2007
Today we prepared simple feast to celebrate Theo's 7th years birthday (actual date is on 26th December, but since he wanted to celebrate it in Claket, then we celebrated on this day).

Everybody was busy, except the guys... haha... Since the kitchen is small, we prepared the food while sitting in the garden outside the kitchen. Very fun.. Our menu is: Sate, Corn Soup, Tahu, Mie Goreng, and of course birthday cake (the cake was bought lah, not bake ourselves).

Happy Birthday, our dear Theo..
God bless and leading you always in your future.. Amen.


Our photo in Claket and the foods that we ate there... hmmmmmm...........











30-31 December 2007

After church, we went to visit my god-sister, who is also my cousin, Vonny. She just give birth twin girls, Jennifer and Jessica, last 1st May 2007. Very cute nieces...

After that we went to some last minute shopping and lastly visit my 3rd uncle/aunt.

31 December afternoon we flew back to Singapore.
We reached our home at 10.00pm..

Happy New Year 2008............
After cleanse ourselves, we went to the dreamland with sweet memory from Indonesia.