ISA

Father Paulino was picked up by police during a candlelight rally against the I.S.A.
Please pray for him.

Please place this on your blog so others may also pray for him.

Gua Batu Maloi

As soon as we arrived at Gua Batu Maloi, Aurelius jumped up of the car and immediately started cutting bamboo with his brand new parang like the consumate parang junkie that he is..." why you need such a long parang" a voice is heard a stone throw away. It is the voice of Mr. Nazri, our guide for the day.

He immediately explains our journey...

1)The cave is part of a living natural world.So if the weather changes,the river in the cave would quickly swell.Should that happen, he would need to evacuate us fast so do try to remain atentive and keep safe.

2)The caves are about a kilometer long and some parts of the caves dip down as far as 25 feet (about 2 storeys underground).

3)Believe it or not, these caves are occasionally the dwelling of orang bunians or orang halus(jungle spirit) and once we did lost a trekker. It took 70 policemen a few days to find her when she was just right there all along. Everyone believes that she was in another dimension.She claimed she had tea with some short people. So please keep respectful and aware.With that...on we go with our journey.There were three trekkers with us. Two of them were form four students on a school break but as Mr. Nazri assured us, they been trained by Jabatan perhutanan. The three trekkers would serve the following purpose. A leader to show us the way. A sweeper to ensure nobody gets left behind. A watchout above(Mr.Nazri himself) to ensure should any weather change occur he will signal for an evacuation.

Knowing there was such precautionary measures in place, I just set out to have fun...and straight upon the first stream...I jumped straight in immersing myself entirely...we are going to get wet anyway so might as well be wet from the start.There was a small jungle trek to start off the journey.It was quite a fun trek and wasn't a flat out walk. We had to negotiate terrain where we were required to jump in small pools, climb up on roots, hang alongside a root system on the side of a rockwall,cross sand pits which we took the opportuinity to wrestle and 'sand' each other, climb up slanted rocks, slide down slanted rocks. Within minutes, I realised my slippers were useless as they kept getting caught in rocks so I did the barefoot thingy. I advice anyone to do this trail barefoot. our blonde ai ling pole dancing....

The terrain consist of mostly sand and pretty well rounded rock that if anything prove to be a nice reflexology and free to boot.As we negotiate boulders after boulder...we suddenly became enveloped by darkness and that's where our cave journey began.Gua Batu Maloi is not so much a cave as in a carved out tavern in a monolith or mountain with thousand year old stalagmites but more like boulders falling on top of a river system that created this passage where you had to climb, duck,crawl and at some bit swim to cross. The water was cold and fresh. At some points we had really small crevices to squeeze through which gave us loads of hamster like fun while other pints small waterfall formation that stirred the water into natural jacuzzi formations that were just so nice to sit and relax or indulge in the real hobby of the trekking group - cam whoring.The group this time comprises of perpetually happy faces like eddie, legally blonde ai ling =P , the damsel in occasional distress audrey (who made us more experienced trekkers feel a little macho trying to help her) the sturdily built chow pinn, the lady li chiang and her man maxx, ken and chelsina our good organisers, aurelius our camwhoring kungfu panda wannabe, crazy cave vixen valerie, dennis our order shouting commando wannabe, myself the crazy loud frog, yet another dennis, moon, boyfriend and the rest of the gang.

After we finished the cave and everyone feeling fresh and elated...Gua batu Maloi had one more thing to please...a big rock...the batu maloi...it was fun as some of the more adventurous raced one another scaling up the rockface clinging to wines and roots...

But alas...it was finally time to go back...

Here's the sour note...As we started on the walk back,I actually asked the group to pick up any rubbish that they see on the way out... It was sad to say that while I was sweeping behind the whole group, there were still rubbish...and I actually saw some members of our party just conveniently walked pass it as if too good to clean up our jungle... one of them was dennis khing. I felt so sad as I thought more of him as a friend. Sorry dennis, you sorely disappointed and pissed me off...I actually had to call him to pick it up...What pride is there not to pick up rubbish and have things dirty....How shameful if we have the nerve to dirty but not the grace to pick up rubbish... malaysians and our damn third world mentality.

In the Presence of a Master

When I was young, a man who died a good seven years before i was even born was a great influence to me...

His believe in the potential of each of us, the importance of self expression and of non conformity....

He changed the American stereotype that the chinese man was a meek man in a thin moustache saying in a high pitched voice 'you want fortune cookie?'

He had a million people lining the streets when his movie came out...

His film is still a cult bestseller in video stores today

He has a video game, a biography movie about his life and countless book after his name

and his call will echoes through time....as what you'd say when delivering a good kick...

He was my inspiration...to always live my dreams.

His name was Bruce Lee.

Me, marcus and my brother were avid fan of his...and not just of his martial arts but his philosophy as well. Not many of you would think of Bruce Lee more than a kicking killing machine...but the man is wiser than his macho outlook. Here are a few sample of his quotes...

on love
Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable.

on learning
Absorb what is useful, Discard what is not, Add what is uniquely your own

“A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.”

and of course...on kicks
I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.

so as I walked through the cemetery, it was like a homage of sort...and when I sat there...reverence.

All the time I was there...cars come and go to take picture with the grave...there were Filipinos, Japanese, English, Americans...all coming and going one after another...one Japanese remarked...he's glad he's made it after 30 years and clicked so many photos...now 35 years after his passing... this attest to the height of his popularity. The cemetery even prepared a map for any tourist at the gate.

After an hour...I stood up...cleaned the grave with my hands...as I stupidly didn't have a cloth....i scratched off candle wax...and brush off some debris...I wished he gave me some profound revelation...but there was none...

I just looked at the grave and thought...I didn't feel his presence...I didn't cry...I was just staring at a grave...silent...unmoving...peering at the man....but then I smile....I guess the man has one thing to teach me yet...that in death we may be revered...but life is what matters and I should make the most of mine...

The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering...

With that I bowed...and walked off...

NOTE: Bruce Lee Grave is situated in Lakeview Cemetery Seattle. about 20 mins from downtown Seattle or take bus no.10

SEQUOIA

I used to think really proudly that we have really big trees in malaysia...so when my tour guide said that we are going to see the sequoia and it was one of the biggest trees I'll ever see...my ignorant and arrogant 'malaysian kiasu' side was like yeah rite...it be nothing next to one of our big MALAYSIAN rainforest trees...

Then as we arrive and I jumped down from the van I was like okay...so these trees are pretty big and tall....

Then my tour guide brought me to see this monster...and I was like awe-struck....

yes, I ate my words....And that tree wasn't the sole tree in the park that size....there were many other gigantic trees in the park and there were some that even had a hole cut in the middle of it that you can walk through and it is still surviving....

Some of the facts of the trees were dumbfounding...

Some of the trees are 3000 years old, they were here before the pyramids, the birth of christ and before the mayans.

One single gigantic sequioa equates to as much lumber as an acre of oak....luckilly for the sequoia, it is very fragile and undurable wood...the wood can only be used for things like pencils and minor stuff.

The tree has a 1 foot thick bark that can withstand forest fires.

Yeah...it's a awesome sight to behold....so if you have the opportunity to travel and feel like seeing some awesome trees...look up the sequoia at yosemite national park.

SHAMU SHAMU

I was initially hesitant to go to Seaworld because at USD 71 for a day pass including an backstage tour...it was a tad pricey after our 3.3 currency conversion which brings it up to RM234. I think you'll agree it's a tad dear especially for us poor Malaysian traveller...however in terms of USD, I think it's a reasonable price. So off I go to Seaworld. Off to see SHAMU!

Shamu is actually the original whale that performed at Seaworld until she died in August 1971 however Seaworld maintained the name Shamu as a stage name for all performing orcas. As I stepped into Seaworld, I rushed immediately to the Shamu show. Yes, I came all the way to see the killer whales.

The show was called 'Believe' and for me that word was a very powerful word that encapsulate passions and dreams. This show better be good. So as I sat down in anticipation...I could only expect to be moved...

I am very happy to say that the people at Seaworld really know how to put on a show...with a combination of storytelling, animal training, music and showmanship...the show Believe was in short, 'awe-inspiring'. They cleverly showed a video of conservation effort with uplifting music and that totally set the mood while bringing out the theme of the rest of the show which was about the meeting and the bonding of two worlds...that of the animal kingdom and us.

And maybe I have a soft spot for animals but i really think that it is beautiful almost miraculous
show with a good underlying message of bond between two worlds... What was being presented was a combination of skill, hard-work and incredible music/whale/performer coordination. More importantly, it was also a testament to how moving it is emotionally when you see the height of greatness passion and love can go...

It was a great reminder...to always be passionate and follow your dreams and as in the title of the show...believe...

Fu*king at the Zoo

When I was about eight years old,I really love animals(I still do)...but I never had a glossy picture book of animals. I lived in Kuching, Sarawak and back then in 1988, we had only small bookshops with not much variety of choices, much less good animal books. So when a canadian uncle on holiday gave me a catalog book of the san diego zoo...I kept it as a treasured prize and often looked into it and drew pictures from it and trying my best to read it...

So it was kind of a homecoming for me today...when I was walking up the pavement to the sign that says...SAN DIEGO ZOO....I was smilling so so wide...And the zoo didn't disappoint....for the first time in my life...within inches of my face I saw a polar bear....it was beautiful...I felt so much like a kid again
I hate narrow minded people(who don't even like animals) that criticize petkeeping and zoological gardens.I mean...I am against irresponsible petkeeping and our very own zoo negara at home in kuala lumpur; but a well managed zoo is a beautiful place and plays an important role in educating the public as well as conservation.

and to anyone who thinks a zoo is uncondusive environment and are hell for animals should tell these two....they are obviously not suffering...but enjoying their leisurely afternoon mating, fornicating,copulating,pro-creating,having sex fu*king at the zoo...

Teotihuacan : Mexico Part 1

This blog entry dates back about two weeks because when you are traveling around little towns in mexico and internet connection is haphazard at best and expensive to boot you do not try to resize images and write blogs etc but anyway here it is...

And so here I am here in Teotihuacan, 30 miles north of Mexico city or about an hour's drive. Teotihuacan is an Aztech word to mean a Place of Gods or A City of God and it has long been a pilgrimage destination for the faithful and merchants who want to prey on them.

Well...anyway as I arrive on the bumpy roads and I can see the pyramids in the distance I was eagerly jumping about like a puppy! To be in the presence of such an archeological site was simply wow....but as soon as you entered the gates and walking towards the pyramids the first thing you'll seen is a massive long queue stretching from close to the entrance all the pyramid. The queue was due to an imposed restriction on how many people can be on the pyramid at one time which was reasonable as the steps were rather steep and to not have an organised system with a quota would be rather dangerous.

It took about 45 minutes to an hour in the queue, before I made it to the steps. Then on... at every level there is still a small queue to the next level. However, the view from atop was spectacular and well worth the queue. To see the remains of an entire civilization that dates back to the times before christ.

At the top of the pyramid, everyone crowds around the centre trying their very best to put their finger in a little silver circle supposedly the center of the entire pyramid and the pinnacle of all it's power...I had to push my way in too...and I felt the power all right...my finger was suddenly warm and then I felt a sudden pressure...then my body shook to the left and the right...

But the power wasn't from the pyramid but the crazy crowd that shove me and their finger fighting mine for that little space in the center...from the look in their eyes, some of them really believed in the power of the center...I was just being the camwhoring tourist....


Anyway...after getting to the summit of the sun pyramid and descending it...there is still the pyramid of the moon a distance away...I had to rush there as I was running out of time traveling with a tour group...

I had about 3 hours at the pyramid...I wished I had more...because I wished I had more time to just be there just take it all in...but as is I had just enough to ascend the two pyramids, walk around at a quick pace, take a couple of pictures and pop by the tourist information centre and that's about it. But still it was quite an awesome place to be...even though I'd say it's very touristy...but a note to my friend aurelious(kung fu panda)..."wei...you could get cool picture here..."

Froggie in mexico!!!

Mexico is so awesome and I am so awestruck by it...it´s not a small village with sand, cactus, samberos and donkeys....itçs so so so so awesome...culturally,modern,life,food,history,beach

...wow wow wow sorry, wanted to upload loads of photos here but the little cybercafe I am at the beachside...I am topless in swimming gear typing this... doesn´t permit me doing so...as it is way too slow so I am just doing a hello...but will upload as soon as I can...until then...here´s wishing you well from wonderful mexico...

=o)

King Lear

King Lear is the huge dog at my first host family's home...a lovable Mastiff who drools everywhere.King Lear is ruler of Britain. He is a patriarchal figure whose misjudgment of his daughters brings about his downfall. Shakespeare's masterwork...

but lets forget royalty and talk about this big puppy...

here he is lovingly mauling me...
see his paw size in relation to my hand?
and if you think he's big....see these pictures of other mastiffs...

http://www.brumax.com/neapolitan_mastiff_dog_2.htm www.purerock96.com/.../karen/mastiff.jpg

I'd like to have a Mastiff someday...here's how big he is...I've bent down to show you what's his size in relation to myself....


and here he is sleeping...but then again...maybe I should think twice...his fart is a killer....

Just a little bird that taught us how to fly...

Sorry I missed blogging for abit...life has been hectic as I preparing to leave my work to my poor partner in crime genius in the making and take one month and twenty days off work...and fly away...among the destinations...Mexico(the jungles) San Diego(heard about the zoo since I was young) Seattle(paying respect to one of my great heroes Bruce Lee's grave) Yosmite National Park and Grand Canyon(Testimonial to God's greatness!)

The flight from K.L. to Newark(New York) took 22 hours and bypass Afghanistan. Here...there was great amount of sand and mountainscapes to be seen from the sky...and where man has began agriculture you see interesting cubic formations in otherwise formless sand.It made an interesting sight. I also kept peering out of the window for two other reason...

1) I wondered if there is a way to water and greenify the area...it'll make an awesome jungle if trees could grow...

2)Trying to see if I can spot Osama Bin Laden as the reward the US offered for him now stand at USD26million.


Stockholm, Sweden. Land that gave us IKEA.This is my third transit in Sweden without ever stepping foot out of the airport...but staring out of the window, sweden looks like a beautiful country with many greens, sparsely placed cottage style houses with much desirable landspace all around surrounded by many river estuaries which shimmered in the sun. I had a penpal in sweden when I was young...here name was terese blomquist...wondered where she is now...

By the time I reached my first destination New York...I was already feeling a little dizzy and having a slight temperature...for one used to running around crazy...flying and being confined to a chair and the length of the aisle in a metal tube for 22 hours is not easy at all.But the one thing I really really really love about about flying...is peering out of the window...and being in the presence of all the wonder and sights. Everything from the sky is so small...cars becomes dots moving slowly, humans barely visible. Sometimes you just feel how insignificant things sometimes really are...though without this broad sight...life sometimes seem overwhelming...

As we landed...things began to become bigger and those dots gradually had more detail...first a dot, then a sunglass, two flourecent batton ...and then a person doing traffic control at the airport...without him I wouldn't have been able to fly...it was then I realised again what I already knew...as small as we really are, we are part of the broad tapestry that is humanity...I marvelled how we are all part of a great design...knowing I am the one significant dot that makes the whole...made me smile.

This journey will really severe my bank account...goodbye savings...but it's all worth it... I love to travel...it's the one luxury I wish for all of us...to wander God's great Earth...being breathless in all it's awesomeness...and also being swept by how little wonders pepper our lives and make it all count....


as we were approaching the terminal building...a little bird landed on the wing of the massive wing of the plane, a sweet end to the sights and thoughts I had during my flight....it said to me wonderfully...

"...it was afterall...just a little bird that taught us how to fly..." =)

60 Leech Bites and Blood at Jeram Perlus

Jeram Perlus, Ulu Langat Area, 1 hour drive from K.L
This is Jeram Perlus...HOO-HAA...it is an awesome waterfall as you can see...use me at the right side middle part of the picture to gauge the size of the falls...but what I didn't like about this waterfall is the foliage around it...the folliage were more like weeds than beautiful native plants...and I am not sure but I think the water is also not pristine water as the algae growing were brownish while life and growth in the pool right beneath wasn't lush...as you swam around... it just didn't give you that sense of wow... breakfast and bonding...or friendly funny bitching....
As usual,the trail tracker team started out with a customary team breakfast and hello for the day...i was the joke of the day unfortunately...but hell, we all get our turns....just you wait dumb spider and kungfu panda!
The trail started on a farm where there was a pet porcupine...and being the crazed animal lover me and dennis was...we immediately jumped into its enclosure. I so wanted to pat the guy...and even took my bread for lunch out to attract him close to me but as hard as I tried...I didn't dare at the end...because i don't want to get bitten or worst become a prickly pear before the start of a trail...

So...with kungfu panda, his spanky new GPS(this is the second trip with the device,the first being banana falls) and off into the jungle we go...honestly, we were expecting a long 2 hour arduous trek for this one from prior research but hey we are suckers for pain...It wasn't really a hard trail...pretty clear path...slopes did make it a little bit of an uphill test of endurance but so far so good. We had to chop through and jump through some fallen trees but hey...that's the territory...

and then the little blood sucking slinkies leeches are of course expected in the jungle...one or two bites are not uncommon and I let them bite me usually too...come on, you're guess in their home...you should bring a courtesy fruit basket(in this case blood). So while the rest of the group pick off leeches I always allow the leeches free reign on my legs...but on this trip it got ridiculous...

very ridiculous...my feet looked like that of an abuse victim!!! suddenly...aurelius wearing leech socks wasn't sissie anymore...but on this trek even I felt I could use them...Everyone were bleeding, complaining and the leeches seemed to come from everywhere...and even got deep inside shoes and socks...it was crazy...our walks were punctuated with stops to remove leeches which seemed to come from no where...but were everywhere....

Getting to the waterfall though...we had a slight reprieve

but there was still the trip back out...which was just as arduous filled with leeches...but this time after an hour walk, it rained moderately heavy...and the steep slopes that were were ascending just now became very slippery slides that were not that easy to negotiate at all...we were skating our way out for almost a good one hour... before it rained ascending was not a problem but when it rained...this turned into quite a slippery slope to descent.
To everyone credit...though we were tired and uncomfortable...and everyone(me included) sweared at the leeches...and the hoo- haa at the end was reduced almost to a drab...hoo haa...everyone did have a look of content and smiles were still shared...smiles and lots of swearing at the leeches...

oh yeah...and on a count...I had about 60 leech bites on my legs...most of the others with shoes and leech socks averaged 20 to 30. Fortunately for me...I bleed but leech bites just dissapear after a day of two with almost no ill effect...unfortunate for some it brings on an allergic reaction with a swollen foot with oozing puss...