Happy New Year 2013...

Happy New Year folks from both of us in Ampang Jaya, Malaysia.

May we all continue to have peace and with that enjoy prosperity together. 

Have a nice day.

A Simple yet Elegant Wedding reception...

It was a beautiful Saturday on the last week of December 2012. A friend had invited us to a reception of their son's wedding at TTDI.  To avoid the traffic jam at Ampang Jaya which happened on every Friday and Saturday we decided to leave early. The invitation was from 12 - to 4 PM. TTDI a housing estate is on the other side of the city. Without the traffic jam the fastest we could get there would be half an hour. It might take longer since we did not really know the location of the reception. So without much ado I drove the Honda and got into the MRR2 and then took the DUKE Highway toward Damansara, the route that I normally take to get to Ikea. I had Google the route and found that without the traffic jam I could easily locate the place where this reception is held. With Asmah acting as my navigator and using the GPS we soon arrived in the vicinity of TTDI. As usual in an unfamiliar territory one has to start looking for the right approach to the place. We overpassed the junction and make a U turn. Soon we were on the right road and eventually arrived at the Community Hall of TTDI where this Wedding reception is been held. I ask some folks at the entrance and was told that it is indeed the right reception that I had been invited. There are occasion where one get to a wedding reception and found it been held by someone else that you do not know. 

Happy with the almost smooth drive I parked my car and then went into the hall and met the host and other friends. They had decided to group those of us who had served in the state of Sarawak together at a table reserved for BERKESAN. BERKESAN is an association of officers from Peninsular Malaysia [Malaya] serving in the state of Sarawak. We were sort of an expatriate officers serving in the eastern Malaysian state. We made ourselves comfortable at the table and chat with friends who soon arrived. It was a buffet and there laid on the table are array of sumptuous dishes to accompany the Biayni, one of my favourite. We went to take our food and sit to enjoy it. Soon the Bride and Bridegroom arrived and went up to the dais to enjoy their food as well. 

The interior decoration was well done and I like the concept. Later on I found out that the whole interior decoration in the hall was the creative works of Khaty [ the lady in blue in the image on the left] a spouse of one of our friends who served together with us in the state of Sarawak. It seems she did catering for food too. Today's sumptuous food was organised by her with a special cook brought from the southern state of Johor which is famous for its Biayni. 

Soon more of our friends arrived and we continue to chat like old times. Well folks it is in an occasion like this that we get to meet old friends from time to time and we are happy to get to meet them this time. On the left in the blue traditional Malay dress is the host Taufik.

Images in this posting shows Khaty's cool concept of the wedding hall's Deco, befitting that of the culture of the young couple Haneef and Nor Liyana who had tied their knot on this auspicious day December 29.  2012. 

Have a nice day.

My Saturday Photography - The Dinning-table...

Just sharing my photography of the day. Enjoy it folks as much as  I had enjoyed taking it. 

Have a nice day.

The Binary code...

It the school holiday; our eldest grandson [16 years] is redecorating his room. He had painted the room and decorating the wall his way. I went to have a look and he shows me what he has painted on one of the wall. I was surprised seeing it for the first time. It takes lots of planning and ingenuity to get that binary code on the wall. Above is what I saw on his wall. I ask him to translate that binary code onto a language that I could understand. He smile and said that it is his name. He then explains of what each line mean. Yes from the age of 2 years he has been interested in computer and its technology and now every time I get stuck with my computer I would turn to him for help. I am glad that at least one of our own is going into studying the IT [Information Technology]. The IT industry is in its infancy and there are move developments to come. It would be great to see this generation of Malaysian get involved in the invention and innovation of new IT products in the not too distance future.  

Have a nice day.

KLCC to Bukit Bintang - Aircon Tunnel/Walkway...

Friends say that the new Walkway is worth a try if one wants to get to and fro KLCC - Pavilion - KLCC. It was open to the public since January 2012. I had planned to try it since it is easy to get to the Pavilion Mall without driving to the mall. I could just park my car at the KLCC parking area as I usually does and take a walk using this Walkway. KLCC is my favourite mall. It is just a five minutes’ drive from my home in Ampang Jaya. I spend lots of time there shopping or just whiling my time enjoys my golden years my way. I decided that I must make a point to go and see for myself this new Tunnel/Walkway that link the KLCC to the Bukit Bintang area of the city. 

So on a beautiful Saturday morning December 8, at just past eleven thirty I drove the Honda to the KLCC parking lot, park the car there and went up to the mall. I then took the tunnel and take my time and enjoy the walk. I ask a few guards as to the direction and continue walking among the lunch time crowds. I have used this part of the tunnel before to visit the Aquaria, an aquarium attached to the KLCC complex. That was a long time ago. As I walk I notice the tunnel look different. It has since been renovated and new space added along the way. As I approach the Aquaria I notice there is a food court there throng with people enjoying their meals. I was indeed surprise that there is a food court there. I then ask a guard for direction again and was told just to move forward. I continue my walk while enjoying the scene of advertisement and decoration that had been painted on the roof and on the wall all the way. It does add colour to the environment of the tunnel and I like it. It creates a feeling of happiness as one walk. On the left is an image of the painting on the roof near the Aquaria. I passed the Aquaria and move on and eventually got to the front of the Convention Centre. A few steps outside the centre a stair let to the Walkway. I walk up to the Walkway and continue my walk. 

I later found that the tunnel is 563 metre long. That meant I had walked more than half a kilometre already.  I continue walking on the Walkway and soon found there are many exits where one could take to get to their destination along the way. There are stairway, escalator and lift to make walking and going up and down a pleasure. I believe the Lift is for those wheelchair people to get to another level. My destination was the Pavilion so I continue walking at my own pace and at time stop to take picture of the scenery along the way.

In less than 20 minutes I am already at the Pavilion. The side where there are many Cafe and Bistro. I went to order coffee and a snack at Starbucks and sat there to enjoy my drink. With the free WiFi I surf the net using my Samsung Galaxy. I posted a picture of myself on Facebook and soon got respond from friends. I while my time on Facebook while enjoying the coffee and the sandwich. That area of the Pavilion is sort of a walkway with eateries on both sides. Thus there are many people passing by to and fro Bukit Bintang area to the KLCC. I then went inside the Pavilion Mall and window-shop all the way to the front. Amazing with this short-cut I could be here any time I am at KLCC without having to drive all the way to the Pavilion like I used to do before. 

I love to walk and this is one place where I could walk in the cool comfort. The whole tunnel and walkway is air-condition making the walk a cool comfort all the way. There is an exit to the KLCC Park outside not that far away from the Aquaria. It would be great to walk in the park as well in a cool morning and then get to the Pavilion for a drink and snack. The distance one way KLCC to the Pavilion is 1.173 Kilometre; so a walk both way would be 3.346 Kilometre. Nice distances for a healthy walk. Well folks I did enjoy my little adventure that morning and would surely do it again. 

Have a nice day.

Using the Public Transport in Kuala Lumpur...

I had to attend a meeting on Sunday December 2, a very important one at the IOI Mall at Puchong. The mall is on the other side of the world as far as I am concerned. To get there either I drive using the MRR2 and then the Subang Jaya Highway or take the public transport. I check the route on Google and found it just a straightforward drive but knowing KL traffic and with the raining season I thought it is best that I find an alternative way to get there. I then call a Blogger friend Lily Fu who to me is an expert in getting around the city using the Public transport system. She say she has not been there but advise me to check the Rapid KL portal where according to her give detail information of how to get around the city and its suburbs with ease and cheaper too. I check the site MyRapid and found wealth of information there so after thinking over it I decided to go to the meeting using the LRT and the Rapid bus. I told my spouse that I am not driving to that place since I would get depressed if there is a traffic jam. Moreover I am not that familiar with the place and it would be a nightmare.

So on that beautiful Sunday morning at about eleven in the morning I  decided to drive to the KLCC car park and park my car there then take the LRT from there. Just as I was about to drive out of the garage my daughter Lin arrived at the house. I then ask her whether she could send me to the nearest LRT station. She says yes. I re parked my car in the garage and after a while she sends me to the Datuk Keramat LRT station. I board the train there and try to find a seat. Then a youth stood up and I sat down making myself comfortable on that long stretch of ride. I took my cellphone and snap a few shots of the scene as the train move toward the inner city. On the left is a scene I snap from the moving train as it passes the Elevated Express-way. I look at the youth who was sitting near me and he told me that his leg is broken after a fall. I believe he start talking about his leg because he felt guilty sitting on a bench reserved for senior citizens. We continue to talk as the train move. He told me that he is a pilot in the Air Force and was training using the Russian Jet Fighter and did a few jumps from another plane and in one jump he broke his leg. We chat on various subjects and I ask him why he did not want to further his study but as usual he has his reasons. Since my train stop at the last station I did not worry of missing my stop and kept on chatting with this youth until he left when the train stop at his destination. Then I talk to another young man who introduce himself as from Acheh, Indonesia and is going to work at Kelana Jaya. In the conversation he told me that it is easy to make money here as well to acquire knowledge and skill especially in the construction industries. He wanted to learn as much skill before going back to Acheh to work there. We parted when the train reach the Kelana Jaya station.

I then when out of the station and look for a transport to get me to the IOI Mall at Puchong. I saw some taxi and ask. The driver says that it cost RM25.00 to take me to the Mall and that he would pay the toll as well. I decided to try another taxi but to no avail. So I decided to just take the bus as suggested by the Rapid KL portal.  I ask for information from a person in uniform and he told me just to wait pointing to a waiting area for the relevant bus which has yet to arrive. The arrival of buses is shown on the electronic board nearby. I have check at the portal as to the number of the bus [Bus Number U43] and wait there and in less than a minute the bus arrived. After the passengers had descended I went to ask the driver if the bus stop at the IOI Mall. He says yes and I boarded it and ask him the cost of the ticket. He says it is RM1.00. I then give him the money and move to take a sit but he say to hold on and take a receipt. I thank him and ask him to let me know when I reach my destination and then I took my sit and enjoy the trip. The bus was air-condition and comfortable just like the couch that ply cities all over the country. I have not been to this part of the city before and take my time to enjoy the scenery along the road. The road was not that busy since it was just before noon on a Sunday. I saw many new buildings and new construction in progress. In less than ten minutes the bus stop at my destination as indicated by the driver. He told me that the IOI Mall is on the other side of the road. I took a slow walk and ask a few youth of how to get there. Taking the overhead-bridge I got across to the other side and then walk to the front of the Mall at the Starbucks store. As I was walking I got an SMS from Maznah telling me that she is in the vicinity too. I replied saying that I am at the Starbucks.  Then Col.Yap the chairman of the Owner association of the resort arrives and we move in to find a place to sit and ordered some refreshment. As we sat to chat Maznah and another committee member Nizam came in and took their sit and later on Jeff arrived too. I ask everyone to give a ride back to the Kelana Jaya LRT station after the meeting and because most want to go back early I settled for Jeff to take me there since he had plenty of time to go for lunch with Col. Yap and me.  By 2PM the complex were crowded with folks shopping and even parking became difficult. I am glad that I did not drive for it save me getting into that Sunday nightmare at such a big shopping complex. With that I was able to move around freely and enjoy myself with friends here. Jeff gives me a lift in his Mercedes to the Kelana Jaya LRT station around 3.45PM. I then took the LRT to the Jelatek Station.

I am glad that I check the Rapid KL portal as suggested by my friend Lily Fu. With the information I got it makes it easy to get from one place to another without getting cheated like by the taxi I tried to get at the station. I would not take a taxi to anywhere when the driver did not want to use the Meter. I always give a tip to the taxi driver when I arrived at my destination but not this kind of daylight robbery. Had I not done my homework of how to get from point A to B I would not been able to have an enjoyable trip there. In this case the ride both on the LRT and the Bus was great. I got to my destination in good time and learn that the public transport system in Kuala Lumpur and its vicinity is as good as that in other countries. It was raining and had I drive it would be a depressing trip all the way. The ride on the LRT helps to get me to and fro my destination with ease and in good-time. I end my journey at the Jelatek station, the nearest station to get home. I then took a taxi that used the meter for the last part of my journey home. On arrival at my home in Ampang Jaya the meter read RM6.50. I give the driver RM10.00 and told him to keep the change. I am happy and I believe so is that driver. It does make my day; a colourful day indeed.

Have a nice day.