Hari Raya Open House

The Subang Jaya Municipal Council organized an Open House for all during the Hari Raya celebration. This is one of the singers performing for the evening get-together.

Magic Mirror

We went to a musical play called Magic Mirror in the Genting Highlands on Thursday nite. It was an impressive performance, from the quality of music, vocal, costumes, backdrop, lighting......I was bowled over! I have not been to many traditional costumes play. This one will have a lasting impression on my memory! For more of my photos taken during the play, please visit: USJ.com Photography thread.

For more information of this play, please go to:

• Portraying a deity
• Catch the Magic Mirror on the hill
• Magic Mirror - The Musical
• Magic Mirror - Synopsis of the Play is available here.

I have also recorded a video of two playful characters in this play. You can view them introducing themselves and their roles here.

Sky Watch Friday - Sunset at Seri Wawasan Bridge

Finally I reached the Seri Wawasan Bridge!!! I have seen this bridge from the Putra Mosque and decided to drive to it. I drove around Putrajaya but couldn't find my way to the bridge. I could see if from afar but I just couldn't find the direction to reach it. The fact that some of the road in Putrajaya is for one-way traffic, made my search far more difficult!

When I almost gave up as my camera battery was indicating low power, I met a kind security guard. He gave me some directions on how to reach the bridge and even explained to me the different names of the beautiful bridges in Putrajaya. I only managed to find 2 bridges on this trip. Can't remember the name of the other bridge that I had posted the photo yesterday. And I hope to find Gemilang Bridge on my next trip!

So, I proudly present to all of you the Sunset at Seri Wawasan Bridge! I wonder what is the little round light with red tinge on the upper right hand of the photo. Would someone be able to tell me?

Happy SkyWatch Friday to all!! Wish you a lovely weekend ahead. Please visit Sky Watch Portal hosted by Old Tom Wigley to view skies around the world.

Bridge Leading to PICC

There are several bridges in Putrajaya. Each with its own unique design. This is one of them. It leads to the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC). PICC is the the building in the background that looks like spaceship on top of a hill. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the name of this bridge. Will find it out on my next trip to Putrajaya.

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Added on 15 Jan 2009: This bridge is called Seri Gemilang Bridge.

According to Malaysia Travel Guide, the Seri Gemilang Bridge is ornate in design, it evokes a feeling of grandeur. It consists of a 120-metre main span and two 60-metre end spans, making a total length of 240 metres.

The balusters are fabricated from pre-cast stone and towers are topped with a crescent moon with a star. Lamp posts that are gracefully forked at its end punctuate the central divider of this dual three-lane carriageway. There are also those of other designs to break the monotony of the former.

ABC Wednesday - 'S' is for School

This is the school that I went to for my primary education. It is now known as Sacred Heart Cannossian Convent. When I was a student there, it was simply known as Sacred Heart Convent. This school is located close to A'Farmosa Fort, i.e. in Jalan Bandar Hilir, Melaka. As you can see from the date on this photo, the school is already 52 years old.

After I finished my primary school here, I continued to further my secondary education in Sacred Heart Convent Secondary School that is located quite a distance from here, in the Portuguese Settlement in Ujung Pasir.

How is the letter 'S' interpreted by members of the ABC Wednesday community? Check it out HERE!

My World Tuesday - Children in the Park

I met these 4 little children at the Subang Ria Park yesterday. It is already school holiday and these children were enjoying the evening playing by the lake while their moms watched out for them. The little boy even told me that he just had a swim in the fountain pool at the KLCC park. They are so friendly and when I offered to capture their photos, without hesitant, the young boy arranged his cousins for a formal pose. I took his address and promised to print their photos and mail to them. Hope the photos will bring some joy to these little ones! :o)

How are the other's world like? Find out at My World Tuesday's Portal.

Monochrome Monday - Patterned Shadow

Near the mosque in Putrajaya, I saw this shadow from the patterns of the building and I think it would make a lovely photo.

I have de-saturated the original coloured photo into black and white to be shared with all at Monochrome Monday community.

Wish you all a lovely week ahead and Happy Monday!

Beautiful Dome of Putra Mosque

A beautiful dome with intricate design belonging to the Putra Mosque in Putra Jaya.

Putra Mosque & Six Random Things About Me

Today I was at our country's administrative township, Putrajaya. So I decided to visit the Putra Mosque, located at Precint 1. I didn't realize that Putrajaya has been turned into a tourist spot. There were many tourists from China, Taiwan and Middle-East visiting the Selera Putra viewing platform. One can get a nice view of the lake in front of the mosque from this location.

The sky was very gloomy and it seemed like a heavy downpour would follow. I prayed hard that the rain wouldn't come as I hardly have opportunity like today to take photo there. Amazingly, my prayer was answered. The dark, rain clouds moved on and the sun was out again. I was able to drive to another popular spot, i.e. the Seri Wawasan Bridge and the Istana Kehakiman to capture some more shots.

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I have been tagged by Richard Lawry of An Archie Musings to complete this meme. The rules of this meme are:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.

2. Post the rules on your blog.

3. Write six random things about yourself.

4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.

5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.

6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Here are six random things about me:

1. I enjoy posting some of the photos here in our USJ community forum under the nickname of RolyPoly.

2. Cooking is something I love doing. I wish I would be able to run my own restaurant some day! :o)

3. Being a sentimental person, I keep all the personal letters and postcards that I received from friends. I have quite a huge collection now.

4. I am an ardent fridge magnet collector. I will try to get a fridge magnet from every city/country that I visit.

5. I feel blessed to have many close friends. Friends are one thing that I do not lack. With friends, I mean those whom I can count on in times of needs, not mere acquaintances. That's one of the greatest blessings that I have!

6. I have loud laughter! When I laugh, I immerse myself in that moment. I can forget about people around me! People always tell me that my laughter is contagious. Even my neighbours said so.

How about you:

1. Alice's Singapore Daily Photo
2. New York Portraits
3. A Yankee in Belgrade
4. Ramsey Daily Photo
5. Bogor Daily Photo
6. Bangalore Daily Photo

Hope all the six of you would also take part in this meme! Have a lovely weekend ahead!

Sky Watch Fri - Sunrise Over A'Farmosa

The sun was rising over the a'Farmosa fort in Melaka. When I looked through the big gap (assume it was a big window) and saw some tree branches and leaves blocking the rays of the moon, the silhoutte was beautiful. I didn't realize there was a packet of drink with a straw left by the gap. It was only when I reviewed my photo that I noticed it. Someone has left his mark behind.

The second photo shows how the fort looks like. This fort was one of the remains from the Portuguese colonial that arrived in Melaka in year 1511. The structure of the fort is still very sturdy till today. It has a beautiful view of the Straits of Melaka. It must have been a strategic site in those days, where the Portuguese could easily see any possible attacks from the sea or the land as this fort is build high up on the St. Paul Hill.

These days many tourists visit a'Farmosa fort as part of the Melaka tour. As for us locals, we prefer to walk up the many flights of stairs up to the hill as an exercise in the early hour of the morning.

Happy SkyWatch Friday to all!! Wish you a lovely weekend ahead. Please visit Sky Watch Portal hosted by Old Tom Wigley to view skies around the world.

A Mess for Your Meal

Nearing Diwali celebration, I visited Lebuh Ampang, KL's Little India, searching for the Prasad Mess that I read about in The Star paper. According to the writer, Sam Cheong:

To the first-timer, locating this eatery would be an interesting trip. But before we delve deeper, here’s the low-down: a worker’s mess is a no-frills eatery where people come and go with the intention of filling up. There’s no room for small talk as the outlet is, literally, small.

Having heard about it from S. Panirselvam, an old friend, I decided to check it out.

“Eh, Sam, if you want to get to know Southern Indian food, you'd better locate the mess and, I tell you, this is a place which is managed strictly by Indian nationals that are hairy and burly,” Panirselvam joked.

With the notion of good food and efficient service in mind, it didn’t take long for me to make my way up a narrow and dimly lit footpath at the far end of Lebuh Ampang.

Called Prasad Chetti Naadu Mess, it’s on the first floor of a pre-war shop lot. Now, this makan place has fewer than a dozen tables with banana leaves and metallic goblets laid neatly in anticipation of walk-in patrons.

It’s also a place where they don’t take reservations. What’s interesting is the speed and efficiency of the workers who serve customers.

At RM6 a helping, one cannot complain. There’s a generous serving of white rice, dhal gravy, vegetables and a small plate of curried mutton to go with it, while the papadum crackers were served as a literally bottomless helping.

This is the place to be to practise eating banana leaf rice with your hands.

K. R. Ganesan, a mess regular, said he has been eating there for more than 25 years. The retiree travels from his home in Ampang Jaya to Lebuh Ampang on a daily basis and one of his unbreakable routines is having lunch at Prasad’s.

“Ah, young man, you must observe closely. Slowly mix the meat and vegetables in small portions and you’ll get to enjoy life’s little pleasures,” the 67-year-old said.

His skill was a sight to behold as I tried to emulate the moves. At the worker’s mess, different dishes are offered on a daily basis and this includes turkey curry on Wednesdays.

Ganesan recommends the weekly specials such as Kudal mutton on Saturdays and Chicken Briyani on Sundays.

Unfortunately, I just had my lunch. Thus, I didn't have the chance to savour the Head Mutton or Crab Soup that are served on that day, i.e. Tuesday!
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I just got this message in my mailbox. It's a funny one but also a good reminder note to all of us of the gloomy global economic situation facing us in the coming new year. The message from my banker friend, says:

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Christmas song is not spared.

Wishing all the best and looking forward for a brighter 2009.

And always remember to pray… pray hard for all the good of ourselves, family, friends, relatives, neighbors, nation and everyone surrounding us, past, present and future.

P/S: Our God may be more busy lately and running on thin bandwidth due to more prayers and requests. Response may also be delayed in correspondence to overwhelming requests. We shall continue to upgrade to support your today and future. Therefore, pray more to get the attentions, don’t give up.

Latest Christmas carol for 2008 for you.

Sing to the music of Santa Claus is Coming To Town:

You'd better watch out
You'd better not cry
You'd better keep cash
I'm telling you why:
Recession is coming to town.

It's hitting you once,
It's hitting you twice
It doesn't care if you've been careful and wise
Recession is coming to town

It's worthless if you've got shares
It's worthless if you've got bonds
It's safe when you've got cash in hand
So keep cash for goodness sake, HEY

You'd better watch out
You'd better not cry
You'd better keep cash
I'm telling you why:
Recession is coming to town!

Finance products are confusing
Finance products are so vague
The banks make you bear the cost of risk
So keep out for goodness sake, OH

You'd better watch out
You'd better not cry
You'd better keep cash
I'm telling you why:
Recession is coming to town.

ABC Wednesday - 'R' is for Rain

'R' is for Rain!!! It has been raining frequently these days. I always welcome the rain because it makes my garden grows well. However, it also bring along mosquitoes. The collected rain water helps mosquitoes to breed. So during rainy season, we have more mosquitoes. :o(

For other postings of ABC Wednesday, do visit the ABC Wednesday Round 3 portal hosted by Mr. Linky.

My World Tues - Across the Tracks

I was visiting New York Portrait's blog and saw a posting entitled Across the Track. That reminded me that I have a similar photo and so here's mine!

This photo was taken at the Subang Jaya's Komuter train platform. I don't always take the train but when I do, I always enjoy taking photos of the train station and my favourite are photos of the passengers.

Find out about the world by clicking here!

Art Theraphy in Youth Camp

Last weekend I spent my time usefully by helping out at a Youth Camp in the Maha Karuna Buddhist Association in Subang 2. A friend who organized this camp has invited me to share with the students on public speaking (where I am active in).

I had the chance to meet another fellow trainer, Sis. Mee Yuen, who introduced the students to art theraphy. It was a very enlightening session. Through the art activity, one gets to learn more about one's characters and qualities. It was a very wonderful opportunity for me to be exposed to such session. And working with the youth was really fun and inspiring.

In the future, I hope there would be more opportunities like this for me to work with youths. The youths whom I met last weekend were very competitive, fun-loving and musically inclined students. Hope they would grow to be responsible and wonderful adults.

Above are photos taken during the art theraphy session.

Wear It Pink Walk

Launching the Wear It Pink Walk
(Rene'e Ahmad, 2nd from left, was the honourable guest for this event.)

Participants doing a warming-up exercise before the walk began.


Participants walking along Jalan Pantai Baharu.
Looming behind them is the Telekom Malaysia's Headquarter.

Again we are up early today for another Breast Cancer awareness walk. This time it's the Wear It Pink Walk organized by Pantai Medical Centre. It was held at Tenaga Nasional Berhad's (TNB) Kilat Club, just across the medical centre. The walk was not well publicises. We got to know about it only on Thurs. The crowd that turned up majority were from the Pantai Nursing School (over 200 of them). It's a waste to put efforts to organize an event but yet didn't do enough on its publicity to get more participants. More so when it's an effort to create awareness on breast cancer, one of the major cancer for women in Malaysia.

We had the pleasure to meet with Rene'e Ahmad (the lady in pink cap & blue pants in the first photo), a breast cancer survivor. She conquered Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in 2005 and Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina in 2007 after her recovery. She proved that there is life after breast cancer!!

I have a friend in Singapore who has just went through a mastectomy and now undergoing chemotheraphy. She is feeling very angry and upset over her current condition. I choose to share the victory of Rene'e Ahmad with her, hoping she knows that there is a life after breast cancer. Don't give up, my friend! Calm down and may peace of mind comes to you as you work on your recovery! My prayers are always with you.

STATISTICS ABOUT BREAST CANCER
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Did you know that breast cancer afflicts an estimated figure of more than ONE MILLION women in the world each year and is the 2nd leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide, second to lung cancer? Did you know that of the ONE MILLION afflicted women, almost 45% of those women live in developing countries? Did you know that of the new cases of female breast cancer reported in Malaysia in 2003, 64% of these cases were women between the ages of 40 to 60 years old?Did you know that Chinese women seemed to be at greatest risk, with an incidence of 59.7 per 100,000; followed by Indian women (55.8 per 100,000) and Malay women (33.9 per 100,000)?Did you know that early detection and getting appropriate medical attention can help save lives? So it is unfortunate in Malaysia that nearly 40% of the new cases identified each year were already in the very advanced stages of the disease.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the world, affecting one in 19 women in Malaysia. As with most cancers, the earlier breast cancer is detected and diagnosed, the better the chances of successful treatment.

One of the best ways of ensuring that breast cancer is for you to be breast aware, that is understanding and knowing how your breast look and feel like under normal circumstances, so that you are able to seek early medical advice if there are any changes in either breast.

Find out as much as you can about the subject so you can make an informed choice about your treatment options. Do not be afraid to ask questions from medical practitioners.

Be positive and lead a normal life after breast cancer treatment. Take good care of your mind, body and soul.
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Other postings on Breast Cancer Awareness Walk:

• Breast Cancer Awareness Walk

SkyWatch Friday - Eye On Malaysia in Melaka

The Eye On Malaysia that was previously located in Lake Titiwangsa has been moved down to my hometown, Melaka. It was launched on last Friday evening. I went down to the site to take some photos of sunrise on Sunday morning. Glad to share them here with all of you for Sky Watch Friday. The new location for Eye On Malaysia is in Kota Laksamana, Melaka. The site is not completed yet. There is a plan to build a marina just next to it. It would be a beautiful tourist spot as many new tourist attractions are added here to make it more convenient to reach the location.

I am truly proud of the efforts that Malaccan Tourism department is putting into making my small hometown more attractive for tourists.

My previous postings on Eye On Malaysia while it was in its original location, Lake Titiwangsa:

• Serene Dawn for Father & Son


• Reading Theme Continues

Happy SkyWatch Friday to all!! Wish you a lovely weekend ahead. Please visit Sky Watch Portal hosted by Old Tom Wigley to view skies around the world.

Illuminated Display

We were stopping at a traffic light along Jalan Maarof in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur when this shop on my left caught my attention. The dark outdoor and the well-illuminated interior make the window display very attractive! Many bungalows along the main road of Jalan Maarof has been turned into attractive showrooms or retail outlets with nice window displays. I am one who loves to see window displays and find inspiration in them. This is one of them!

ABC Wednesday - 'Q' is for Queue

We were in a queue to pay the toll at the Sprint Highway in Petaling Jaya. It is common of highways in Klang Valley where drivers are required to pay toll to use them. There are several lanes for drivers to pay the toll. One can either choose to pay by Cash (in Malay language, Tunai), or either through the prepaid card mode, Touch n Go, or if you have a detector device with your Touch n Go card slot in, you can use the Smart Tag lane (which most of the time has no queue!).

For other postings of ABC Wednesday, do visit the ABC Wednesday Round 3 portal hosted by Mr. Linky.

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I would like to dedicate this song by Alanis Morissette, "Everything" to my dear Mom. I hardly show my appreciation to you, Mom, I want to thank you for standing by me all the time even though I can sometimes be a rebellious, stubborn child that is hard to handle. Love you always!



Everything
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I can be an asshole of the grandest kind
I can withhold like it's going out of style
I can be the moodiest baby and you've never met anyone
Who is as negative as I am sometimes

I am the wisest woman you've ever met.
I am the kindest soul with whom you've connected.
I have the bravest heart that you've ever seen
And you've never met anyone
Who's as positive as I am sometimes.

You see everything, you see every part
You see all my light and you love my dark
You dig everything of which I'm ashamed
There's not anything to which you can't relate
And you're still here

I blame everyone else, not my own partaking
My passive-aggressiveness can be devastating
I'm terrified and mistrusting
And you've never met anyone as,
As closed down as I am sometimes.

You see everything, you see every part
You see all my light and you love my dark
You dig everything of which I'm ashamed
There's not anything to which you can't relate
And you're still here

What I resist, persists, and speaks louder than I know
What I resist, you love, no matter how low or high I go

I'm the funniest woman that you've ever known
I'm the dullest woman that you've ever known
I'm the most gorgeous woman that you've ever known
And you've never met anyone
Who is as everything as I am sometimes

You see everything (you see everything), you see every part (you see every part )
You see all my light (you see all my light) and you love my dark (and you love my dark )
You dig everything (you dig everything) of which I'm ashamed (of which I'm ashamed)
There's not anything (there's not anything) to which you can't relate (to which you can't relate)
And you're still here

(You see everything, you see every part)
And you're still here
(You see all my light and you love my dark)
And you're still here
(You dig everything of which I'm ashamed)
(There's not anything to which you can't relate)
And you're still here...

Yummy Sushi

This is one of the delicious sushi that I had with my sister. The sushi was delicious...but I found it a bit too expensive. I love my sushi with lotsa wasabi, how about you?

KL Hop-On Hop-Off Bus

Similar to many cities in the world, Kuala Lumpur, the city of Malaysia also has its own Hop-On Hop-Off bus for visitors to this city. It ferries mainly tourists to interesting, popular tourist spots in this city. This is the 1st time I have seen this bus, as I hardly goes downtown. I was waiting at the zebra crossing in Chinatown when this bus past by!

I love the vibrant colour of the bus and most of all the open air seats on the upper deck of the bus! What a fun way to enjoy the beauty of KL! Make sure you get a ride on this when you visit KL!!

I wonder whether anyone else has a photo of the Hop-On Hop-Off tourist bus of your city. If yes, why not post a link here. I would love to check it out! :o)

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Added on 2 Dec 2008.

Check out city tour buses in:

• Malaga Spain, Malaga Tour
• Singapore, Hippotours
• Singapore, Duck Tours

Today's Flower - Water Lily

A beautiful blooming water lily found in the garden of Sentul Sri Lanka Temple in Kuala Lumpur.

This photo is posted as my participation in the "Today's Flowers" site ~ which is a virtual flower shop. As said on the site, "It's so hard to find someone who doesn't like flowers. Flowers represent all our best feelings." Hope the photo of this water lily brings some joy to you! Wish you a great Sunday. If you wanna have more joy, do come and visit the virtual flower shop, Today's Flower! Happy Sunday!

Obama's Victory

Obama's groundbreaking victory in the US presidential election mades many of us in Malaysia wonder whether the same sort of change would ever be countenanced here. His victory was splashed all over the front cover of our papers on Thursday.

I read an article that it was his speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention that Americans in general were first introduced to the man who was destined to be their next President. It was The Speech that made him a rock star. In the article written by Pauline Arrillaga in The Star Two dated Nov 6, she wrote that in the speech Obama said, "My presence on this stage is pretty unlikely. I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story ...and that, in no other country on Earth, is my story even possible." It was the speech that launched him.

He had those in the crowd on their feet, cheering wildly, even as many of them wondered: Who is this guy? A "skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too," he told them.

The rock star will be known the world over as Mr. President.

And the skinny kid will take his place in history, proving that unlikely as it may have all been - it was, indeed, possible.

Obama's victory is indeed a very inspiring thing to happen now as the world is facing with an imminent global economic downturn. It brings some optimism and glimmer of hope to many that things would not be that bad after all.

Congratulations, Mr. President and all the very best to you!

Skywatch Friday - Twilight at Sepang Goldcoast

Caught this photo at Sepang Goldcoast during our trip to Tanjung Sepat. We were lucky to be able to catch the last tinge of brightness on the sky. And don't you agree with me that the sky was marvellous looking? I also managed to capture the evening star, or according to Wikipedia that is the planet, Venus.

The bright lights and the buildings on stilts are the Sepang Goldcoast luxurious chalets. The lowest priced one-room unit chalet cost half a million Malaysian Ringgit!!! We didn't manage to view the interior of the showroom as the sales office was already closed when we got there. Wow, wouldn't it be lovely to enjoy the glorious sunset in the luxury of these chalets! Mmmm....how I wish!

I also found something informative and new to me about twilight in Wikipedia. It says, "Twilight is specifically defined as the period before daytime or after nighttime during which it is possible to conduct outdoor activities without the aid of artificial light. Due to the unusual, romantic quality of the ambient light at this time, twilight has long been popular with photographers and painters, who refer to it as the "blue hour", after the French expression l'heure bleue.

Evening civil twilight begins at sunset and ends when the center of the Sun reaches 6° below the horizon (the point of civil dusk). The brightest stars appear during civil twilight, as well as planets, such as Venus, which is known as the 'morning star' and/or 'evening star'. During this period there is enough light from the Sun that artificial sources of light may not be needed to carry on outdoor activities. "

Happy SkyWatch Friday to all!! Wish you a lovely weekend ahead. Please visit Sky Watch Portal hosted by Old Tom Wigley to view skies around the world.

The Purity of Lotus

Today marks the 1st anniversary of Subang Jaya Daily Photo!! Yup, it's ONE year old today!

To mark this auspicious occasion, I am glad to post photos of the Lotus flower that I have in my archive. The lotus carries a symbolic role in Buddhism and comes with a significant teaching.

The lotus is rooted in deep mud and its stem grows through murky water. But the blossom rises above the mud and blooms under the sun, beautifully and with nice fragrant, without any of the mud clinging to it. In addition, even the dirtiest water will not cling to the lotus. Try sprinkling water on a lotus leaf and it will just roll off. Similar to the lotus, a person can rise above with purity even though we are brought up in an ugly surrounding and suffering world and we can help others with the beauty of our pure spirit and mind.

I feel this is a beautiful teaching and glad to share it with all of you.

What is your favourite flower? Does it carries any significance to you?