Hold me tight

As you feel the heat
That runs through my meat
Gettin' a rush from the aroma so sweet
That sweeps you off your feet

Drop me not
I know I am hot
Give it a shot
Hold my tight bod

My body quivers
Your carresesing of my arm sends shivers
I spill out my precious juices
You took it all in your kisses

Your daily dose of morning tea
Or the aroma of freshly brewed coffee
Wanna get to know me?

Just a small, tiny cup - that's me!

>> this poem is about a cup, now what did you think we were talkin about?

Malaysia 50+1

Malaysia 50+1

Tempat jatuh lagi dikenang, inikan lagi tempat bermain
(The place you fall you never forget, what more the place you played)

How can we not forget the place we were born and brought up!

Here are some reasons why Malaysia rocks!

1) Peaceful, mostly... ;-) hehe..

2) Even the tongue gets bitten by the teeth (sedangkan lidah lagi tergigit), meaning even good friends or family sometimes squabble, but Malaysia is generally tolerant and understanding folks... aren't we?


3) Tropical Malaysia! Sunny all year round...


4) Natural beauty...let's not take for granted...our God-given sun-kissed beaches, virgin ancient rainforests teeming with wildlife, luxuriant waterfalls, breathtaking mountains, etc!


5) Food...needs no further elaboration, huh?


6) because it's home... :-)



Btw, this Malaysia 50+1 book is one you gotta check out! At a time when Malaysian sentiments are not at ourl time high, there's this wonderfully produced book laboured with love to REMIND us of the MALAYSIA we love!

Be ready to be absorbed by the beautiful photos and real stories by real Malaysians, all inside.. Check out Malaysia 50+1!

Gyeongbokgung, an ancient palace

"Welcome to Seoul"

A relic from the Joseon dynasty (1392 - 1910) in Seoul, South Korea, the palace was first built in 1395. Subsequently fires ravaged the palace when the Japanese invaded in 1592. It was reconstructed again in 1868 and today there are some 330 buildings in the palatial complex.

Stepping into the palace grounds, one senses a feeling of ancient grandeur, of riches and a mighty empire, of subtle grace and grand ornamentation hand in hand. The entire complex can take hours to stroll through, and the more important buildings such as the Throne Halls can be visited. Some though have closed doors and the carved wooden panels with the traditional Korean bamboo paper-like materials, and one wonders what lie inside.


Much of the palace is built from timber with grey terracotta tiles. They remind me somewhat of Chinese architecture, to an untrained eye like mine. Korean traditions tell of past Chinese influence. And until recently, I heard a Korean girl telling me, that they used to learn Chinese script along with the native alphabetic system of Hangul script in school.

The Throne Hall, where state affairs were once conducted

The palace is an architectural wonder and the gardens awesome (especially during spring and summer). No longer the residence of the kings and queens of the Joseon dynasty, it is now one of the more popular palaces teeming with Koreans and foreign tourists alike. if only walls could speak, imagine the tales of yore that would spout out from this imperial palace.

Here are more shots from Gyeongbokgung, Seoul.

Wonder what flowers are these? Peonies?

The Koreans, like the Chinese, also regard the phoenix as a symbol of happiness and grace.

Korean kids getting a history lesson from their teacher

Do I see?

How can I not smell the fresh dew?
That awaits me with each morning sun
Since day one a faithful one it has been
By my sill each day is a given one

Does the sun cease to rise
Just because my windows are shut?

Does water from the waterfall
Not take its gorgeous dip
Because I take a nap?

Do I see now that in each moment
For eternity
As has always
And as will be
Are signs of love everywhere

I shall enjoy the face behind the mask
Of the squirrels in the morning
And the ever changing sky

Manchester (United!)

Manchester city is a vibrant, cool city with an ancient past stretching from the Roman times. The mix of old and new side-by-side results in a striking blend unlike some places where it can get quite haphazard; here, its historic buildings co-exist beautifully with glass and steel structures; the Wheel of Manchester located within a dog's bark away from old English pubs, cathedrals, etc.



The people in Manchester are to my observation: warm, fun-loving, football/soccer-crazy, and have a more laid back persona than their brethren in London. Oh yeah, and beer-loving people..




The highlight of any trip to Manchester, however, without doubt, fan or no-fan of soccer, you've gotta admit is Old Trafford. The great thing about it is that it's not too far away from the city centre, you could reach there by taking a tram (Metrolink) or bus just a couple of stops from the city.

Old Trafford, the famous soccer stadium or the home ground for the Manchester United Team. The best way to learn all about the pitch and the magnificent stadium which can fit 76,000 excited fans is to take the tour. Of course, the best way to enjoy the stadium is to buy a ticket to watch one of the live matches watching your favourite team! But for the rest of us, a visit to the stadium is quite a consolation!

Some general info of the tour:
- Lasts approximately an hour
- Costs 10 Pounds per person
- A guide (ours was a seriously charming; or rather charmingly serious yet hilarious guy called Stuart or Stewart?) will take you in and out Old Trafford and relish you with bits and pieces of behind the scene tales, history, etc
- Of course, get your cameras ready!
- Some spare change for souvenirs from jerseys to mugs to key chains


I shall not divulge any further info for fear of spoiling the fun of what you get to see inside and enjoy. A final note to my readers is that on the way there, I noticed a couple of sign boards prohibiting drinking. Alcohol + over enthusiastic soccer fans = a potential brew of trouble?

Old Trafford, definitely one of the highlights when you come to Manchester, especially to you guys M.U. fans!!! Stepping into the same walls where the big names have scored triumphs and slugged it all out is an experience to remember!

A Street of Harmony

A mosque, an Indian temple and a Chinese temple? All on the same road?

Not many places, perhaps. Welcome to the Street of Harmony in Malacca, where the Sri Poyatha Venayaga Moorthi temple, Kampong Kling mosque, and Cheng Hoon Teng temple, all dating from the 17th - 18th century, are nestled along the same stretch of road (along Goldsmith Street and Temple Street).

I believe that town planning in the past was partly the reason of this unique situation. I also feel it tells of a time when people were more tolerant and accepting of each other. It speaks to us of how despite a different festival or ritual that we all go through, we are all creatures of God. Our expressions are different, some bow down, kneel and pray, some burn fragrant joss sticks and some offer musical songs and chants from different tongues into the air.

The places we go to pray and seek blessings and forgiveness from Him may be a world of difference, but in Malacca, they are just a few steps away.

A wait 10 years long

I remember in the year 1996, a teacher, an essay, and a dream.

As a child years before that sometime 1987 or 88, I had been awed by the tall and striking skycrapers. The city was clean, and even has lush greenery in the midst of brick, glass and steel. We had seen the peacocks displaying their colourful fan-like tails at the Jurong Bird Park, taken a cable car ride to Sentosa Island, and visited one of the busiest airports, Changi International! Singapore was my real first memory of travel "abroad" as a family. In my childhood eyes, Singapore was such a beautiful place, so modern, different from the relative quietness and familiar Malacca.

Back in 1996, I had penned where I would see myself in 10 years time ahead. It was something my whole class had written, each teen with his own dreams penned down. One of my dreams - to work in Singapore, the place that caught my childhood mind.

God not forgetting my hopes; in 2005, I have been blessed and am still working in Singapore. And here I am, as I write this post :)

Dreams do come true..