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Category: Festival

Went To Pray And Met Frank, Edwin and Kin You on Wesak Day

I woke up kinda late on this year’s Wesak Day and it was almost noon when I woke up. I didn’t join mom to go do the Wesak Day prayer at Phor Tay High School in the morning because I was sleeping, forgotten what I was doing the night before which made me wake up so late. Instead I went to the temple myself, alone. The praying, the bathing of little Buddha statue during Wesak Day is a standard thing to do for Buddhist.

Although I am not a very religious person, but seems I am free and it’s nothing bad to believe in God, so why not? Before prayer, I went to Qing Huang Tea House to meet up with school mate and also friends from the National Service. Two of them have already knew them before and Frank Ooi is a new friend. The two person was Kin You and Edwin.

Frank Ooi.

Edwin aka Chin Lai.

Kin You.

I didn’t want to spend my afternoon at home so I went to meet up with them, joined them for lunch and talk. Else it would be pretty boring a bit. Everyone was at home that day because it’s Wesak Day and people scared of traffic jam as there’s a Wesak Day prossesion and parade at night in town.

Me, Edwin and Frank would be there at the Wesak Day procession too. So after lunch and talk cock, we went home to rest. I was thinking about going to the Wesak Day place to do my prayer so it would be 2 in one stuff, I no need go here and there, but I thought about it, since I still have time, might as well just go to the temple to do it first and at night to enjoy the procession together. =D

It’s the same place every year, in the Buddha hall in Phor Tay High School, near to my house. The different was that I went there alone. Phor Tay High School is a Buddhism centered school, so there’s temple inside in case you guys wondered.

Joss stick symbolized holy. And no idea why need to bath the little Buddha. Enlighten me please. I only know it’s something people do during Wesak Day.

Wesak Day, what did you do? =)

June 16, 2010
Away to PLKN (Day 43): Pai Ti Kong, Pray Sky God At Weld Quay

It’s the yearly Pai Ti Kong festival again, but this happened like in February. Long time ago already, sorry but nevermind, I am posting my photos up again. This is 3rd years going to Weld Quay to take photos. Every year also go there, won’t boring one meh? I feel not.

I think it’s fun with many people around, fireworks and friends, but I don’t like to take photo of the same thing again. Very boring and I feel stress as I’ve no idea what to shoot. I always try my best to shoot the best thing, the best shot to share with you guys and here are they.

So during the ninth day of Chinese New Year, I went there with Alvin, Kooi Jin, Min Xiang and Kok Sheng to shoot photos. Very fun because there’s friend. Last two years, there’s mama, papa and me only.

Photographers and DSLR users are getting more and more. So many people go there, arming with a DSLR, shoot here and shoot there. I didn’t want to join them again because I’ve went there before. I brought tripod for the first time so I tried slow shutter that day.

Pork rocks!

One thing, I am still not good at flash. I still prefer natural lighting.

Now Miku also got LED, very high tech already.

At first, there’s me only. Later then found Kooi Jin, Alvin, Min Xiang and Kok Sheng. Kooi Jin, my junior had became my assistant and helped me carrying my tripod because he wanted me to fetch him home. Haha, but thank you a lot.

This year was different a bit for me, because I went there on my own, I could stay longer and shoot anything I want, I even go further intor Chew Jetty where I did not last time. Interesting!

The wooden house on the water are so cool, there’s people staying at there and some houses were open for visit at that time. Pretty nice man.

It’s people mountain people sea, that’s a Chinese idiom saying people here and there, very happenings, very crowded. Want to move around also hard.

I waited for fireworks, then I waited for the arrival of beloved Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Kooi Jin on the left.

CM came to pray.

I went to close to CM Lim Guan Eng just to take photos of him. He is favourite of everyone. Everyone like him here in Penang. Yeah! Rocks. He came to give some speech, lou sang and go away already. This is what they call, give face.

After CM lou sang, the people there join in to lou for fun.

There this photographer from Oriental Daily. He complained me of having a big lens which block him from taking photograph. WTH.

CM Lim Guan Eng shake hand with everyone.

I love Ti Kong! But I am not Hokkien so I was not involve in the praying process. =)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CHAN YIK HUNG, MY BROTHER!

=========WORLD CUP FEVER=========

FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010 is getting so so so closer, counting down still got 33 days. Are you ready for it? I am so supporting England for now, don’t know why, no idea, the feeling, the support. Woo. The world cup is heating up, I can feel the heat here in Malaysia, everywhere. Shopping mall got world cup discount somemore.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NDTxaxdp48&w=500&h=350]

Celcom even have Blue Bear for World Cup, very cute and very cool. They’re blue and they’re bear. Haha. [ADV] World Cup fever mascot in Malaysia. Woo! Check out some free downloads of Bearigamy, ringtones, wallpaper, online games and promotion at Celcom VS. It’s once in a four year only, those promotion are tempting, faster go go go check it out!

May 9, 2010
Away to PLKN (Day 41): Lion Dance at Tiger CNY Miao Hui

I got a little bit crazy already and is bad at managing my content. Suddenly I jump out a post about the Miao Hui that happened during Chinese New Year in February, a long time ago. Do you mind or not? Mind also I have to post it up already, who call me to be in NS right now and I’ve no content to write. WTF.

Anyway, let’s cut the crap and going into something interesting. So this year’s Miao Hui was unlike last year, this year, I sat down with Alvin at the Lion Dance area to see the Lion Dance show from start to end. I didn’t know why last time didn’t go check it out.

It seems like very interesting because there’s so many people standing by to wait for the performance. Alvin is a fan of Lion Dance, me is not. We got a good spot in front of everyone, most photographers like us where there too!

Something wrong with the schedule that day. It’s 15 minutes behind schedule, only then it started.

They were great, they can jump up and down so steadily without any mistake. I wish I could too!

Some Chinese said touching the Lion head bring good luck and prosperity. After the dance, the Lion heads were placed on the ground and everyone went to touch it. Me too! Good luck for me. Haha.

May 7, 2010
Away to PLKN (Day 9): Penang Tiger CNY Miao Hui Until At Night

Chinese New Year Penang Celebration Miao Hui 庙会 post is back again. This time I’ll show about what happened at night. I’ll let the photos speak more because I am in NS and I lazy to write more. So sorry people.

Some people stay there until 11am because there’s fireworks, I went home at around 1030pm already because I was too tired. I was there from 4pm till 10pm, it’s quite long for me, moreover I’ve been there before, so I didn’t want to stay until everything ended.

My aim was to visit every corner of the Miao Hui and finally we did, only that we did not see the fireworks. At night was prettier because there’s the lantern and light. Ideal for photoshooting.

Andy Ooi.

Taking photos with the God of Wealth. Haha.

Wearing Kooi Jin’s uniform.

Lou Sang!

Janice was part of GBBM too.

Then I went to look for Kooi Jin who was the helper for GBBM which organized part of the event near Han Chiang’s Temple. Their theme was 忠 (zhong), literally means honest.

Taking a break at mamak stall.

Then we went to eat dinner at a mamak stall, the same stall I ate the year before.

Squeezing the balloon to BOOMS.

There’s fashion show too! Best part.

There’s also band performance at the temple.

Walk around, shoot shoot, and played Chinese calligraphy and I admit my calligraphy skill sucks, since high school.

I wrote 天天快乐 which means happy everyday.

Chinese Opera.

Bubble tea rocks!

Met Jocelyn Yew. =D She’s helping at there too.

Went home! Really tired and interesting photoshoot. I was satisfied with what’ve got in my camera. Didn’t really meet a lot of people there but it’s still fun.

April 5, 2010
Went to Khoo Kongsi on Tiger CNY Miao Hui

Every year will go the same place during the Miao Hui a.k.a. Penang Chinese New Year Celebration and Open House. It’s the Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi, every year will go in take photos and come out again. This is the 3rd year already, I didn’t find it boring yet because there’s friend with me together.

This year’s Miao Hui, the entrance of Khoo Kongsi were decorated by ATEC Art School’s students. I could see a lot of handmand Chinese thing at there. Pretty interesting.

Nothing much though, went in a while and come out already.

Saw something special that’s eyes cleaning. I don’t know how it works, the person clean your eye lids I assume and he said that you will see more clearly after the cleaning. Real or not I don’t really know but it’s my first time knowing that there’s such thing. Cool.

Well at the back lane going out of Khoo Kongsi, it’s the same lane again. Photographers stood there and point their camera up again. I didn’t want to do that already, because I’ve did it before. Haha. Shooting up got so interesting meh?

=========S.O.X. All-Stars Drum & Dance=========

S.O.X. All-Stars is back with Drum & Dance this year, with more fun, more excitement and more prizes! If you dance, if you drum, if you march, faster join it now and bring glory to your school! For your little information, from what I’ve heard, this year’s would be bigger and the heats are coming to all the regions in Malaysia. So, do check it out and get into the fun with everyone!

Got X, Got Drum, Got Dance! Faster join now!

March 27, 2010
Tiger Chinese New Year Celebration in Penang, Miao Hui 2010

This year is Tiger year for the Chinese, very cute because many Chinese will use Tiger as their mascot or buy Tiger bear for fun, or even drink more Tiger beer. So every year in Penang, my hometown, there’s Chinese New Year Celebration and Open House for everyone to visit, play, eat and drink in town area, which is known as Miao Hui 庙会.

Every year also has that many people come to this place, somewhere around Armenian Street and Pitt Street. They set up stages, lots of booth and everywhere at there are well-decorated with Chinese New Year feel.

This year would be my third visit already. I was there in 2008 and also in 2009. Actually every year go there also is take photos only, and go for fun to join the crowds, since there’s so many people. This year was different a bit because I shoot with a different lens, the Tamron f/2.8 17-50mm. Hehe. No idea whether I will be there or not next year. If I got a new lens or a new body, maybe I’ll go again.

Actually nothing much one, it’s the same every year. Cultural booths, game booths, food stalls, lion dance, fashion show and many Chinese-related thing. There’s youth doing treasure hunt and found me because I had a “Tiger” tooth that they were looking for. I guess joining the hunt is funner than photo shooting.

Cultural dancer.

Something not very comfortable was that this year’s weather went crazy. It’s very hot. Alvin, Andy and me were there at around 5pm, it’s almost sunset already, but still very hot. Luckily I had just t-shirt and shorts.

Andy Ooi.

Starbucks Coffee had a booth there too! Java Chips Frapuccino!

Compare to last year, I feel last year has got more people, there’s people like sardine cramming on the street, but this year didn’t have.

Met Cai Qian.

Met Chin Keong, Kelvin, Kok Sheng and more.

Met friends but not many. The Magnificent SIX was not there, they went to a movie and there’s only me from the SIX was there. But I saw a lot of Leo Club friends. ROAR.

What was Kok Sheng doing there?

I like happenings place. If there’s place in Penang that’s always so happenings then it will be nice and cool. I don’t like to see a dead city or dead town, it’s not fun. I know some people like to be alone, but do go out some times to take a look what’s happening and go back again. Me, myself is a weird person, I like quiet but I also like happenings, weird right. Haha.

Found Spongebob hanging somewhere. ^^

Happy faces for CNY!

There’s cultural dances on the stage but every year, I didn’t bother what happen on the stage. Feel bad for all the performance, I know their tiredness and effort in performing and I am talking cock. Haha, but anyway, if got chance, I will check the stage performance again.

Governor of Penang, Abdul Rahman bin Haji Abbas was there too! For like less than 15 minutes. He came here to “hi and bye”. So high post and high class people, at least must come and “hi and bye” for a while to give face.

Cool CM.

My favourite Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng stayed a little while longer than the Govenor for media interview. Hehe.

Boss! a.k.a. Lion Alan Thoo, my Leo Club’s District Chairperson. Rocks!

I like to call him Doctor Yew. I.T. support man for Digi.

My employer did actually ask me whether want to work on that day or not because Digi was a major sponsor for the event, but somehow, I decided to go for photoshooting rather than promoting. =)

Pinky.

Met colleagues a.k.a. friends that I’ve work before with.

Met Amanda the blogger.

Sometime I feel headache when I’ve taken so many photos, I don’t know want to put it up, obviously I have a bad mind in presenting it to you all. So I am splitting the post up. Stay tune for more about this Chinese New Year celebration evening, Miao Hui.

March 25, 2010
Kek Lok Si During Chinese New Year #1

Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang most famous pagoda temple, also very famous with big big Kuan Yin statue in South East Asia, perhaps Asia. During the past 15 days of Chinese New Year, the temple was lighted up with lamps and LED at night. The only problem is that they only light it up during the Chinese New Year and not during normal day, no idea why and don’t like not lighting up during normal days.

Road towards Kek Lok Si temple was jam with cars going up to the temple every day for the past 2 weeks. I wanted to go there to take photos for a long time already, and I have got chance. Why Visit Number 1 because that I went up twice, this was my first time, with the Leo Club people and I was there late, so didn’t take many photos.

Stupid traffic jam made me stuck in the car for almost an hour. It’s really that crazy, the road is so narrow and we were hanging there. Reached the temple at around 10pm and it’s late already. Didn’t really have the mood to shoot and there’s too many people, I don’t like people without camera waiting me to take photos, because they will be just standing there looking at me with the tripod. So, I thought of going there the other day.

More over, due to time constrain, I can’t shoot the whole Kek Lok Si, every corner of it.

KOKahKOK, user of Canon EOS 400D.

Alvin Yang, user of Nikon D90.

Him Keat, no camera.

Lion Ong Lai, user of Canon EOS 500D.

Wallace, no camera.

Kenny, user of Canon EOS 400D, most powerful with 17-40 F4/L Lens.

The Leo Club people was Lion Ong Lai, Kok Sheng, Tze Yang, Tee Jin, Him Keat, Kenny and Wallace. Some were there early already, so they get to shoot more, and for me, who were late, only get to shoot a little.

We took the lift up to the Kuan Yin statue there, unfortunately, it’s late and we only get to go up but not down. Paid RM2 for it and met a long-time-no-see friend, Ah Leng.

Got up but didn’t get the chance to go near to the foot of Kuan Yin statue and when I wanted go up, they closed the lights already. OMG, that’s why, I planned to go there again on the other.

Although lights closed, we took some group shot before walking down to the car park, in the dark! Stay tune for the post of my next visit. =)

March 5, 2010
Happy Chinese Tiger New Year 2010

Wow, I am back. When I am not studying right now, I am so so busy with the Chinese New Year celebration and preparation. Finally, at this moment, I get some time off to login to my blog and write something up. So here’s the main point, I want to wish everyone, Chinese or not-Chinese, a Happy and Lovely and Funny and Shioks and Bombastic and Wonderful Chinese New Year! =) All the best, good luck always, healthy and wealthy always. Rocks!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-HbcXOwYio&w=500&h=307]

February 15, 2010
Throw Coconut on Thaipusam Day at Datuk Keramat

Oh hello, I am back again and now I am going to talk about the Indian’s big Thaipusam Day that happened two weeks ago. I am so lucky to be in one of the states that has big celebration for this big Indian/Tamil/Hindu festival. As far as I know, Penang and Kuala Lumpur are the two places here in Malaysia that have it big.

Last year, some friends did invite me to go to the festival to do some photoshooting, but because I couldn’t wake up so early in the morning, so I missed it. This year was different, I didn’t plan to go photo shooting too, but it’s just that on the day before, Thaipusam’s Eve, the procession has already started and I was going no where after the Chung Ling Memorial thing, so Chien Chern, my friend decided to go visit a friend at Datuk Keramat Road whose his dad’s shop is just right in front of the Thaipusam thing.

So what they had that afternoon was the coconut throwing and some procession take place and people pays respect to the Indian god by contributing prayers thing like fruits, candles.

Till now, I still remembered it’s a very hot day, the sun was hanging high in the sky, shinning down, with the heat radiating the ground. I didn’t care because I wanted to shoot the festival and share it up.

The coconuts were bought by people mostly have their business along the road, they throw the coconut on the ground, break it, is to clean the road for procession, as a respect to god, a prayer, for wealth and health. It’s said to be good luck to throw the coconut. I did try before long time ago when I was small, when my dad had a furniture shop at Datuk Keramat Road, it’s now moved to Gottlieb Road though.

Arron and his family.

At the time 2.30pm sharp, “piak piak piak” sound can be heard and coconuts were everywhere on the ground with the juice splashing out. The scene was epic. Try not to stand near to them because the coconut can be rebounded. Hehe, just like a basketball.

Part of the road was block for this thing and people who bought coconut were at the middle of the road while me and other people like me who see for fun and takes photo were on the other side, hoping that did not get hit by the coconut.

These coconuts although are hard, but it’s actually kinda easy to be squashed. At some time, some un-squashed will roll to my place and I will pick it up and join the fun too!

Chien Chern, Me and Arron.

The whole thing was like 15 minutes. The aftermath was cool with a wet coconut juiced road and coconut every where.

The MPPP people were very efficient, when everything stopped, they quickly come and swept the coconut to a side and let the real procession began and don’t want to stuck the road.

The next thing after the coconut throwing was the procession thing, with devotees paying respect and offerings.

They walk with their bare feet and I believed the road is not hot already because it had been juiced.

I don’t really know how to describe this, so I’ll let the photos speak. =)

Happy Thaipusam, super belated!

February 13, 2010
Christmas Eve Potluck at Boon Yan’s Apartment

Thinking back for Christmas’ Eve in 2008, I was having steamboat with Leo Club’s friend and in 2009’s Christmas’ Eve, I went to Boon Yan’s house for potluck dinner and they are also my Leo Club’s friend, with a few extra of my friends followed along and they were Arron, Chien Chern, Zez Chien, Chen Yuan and Ammerlynn. We didn’t know where to go and what to do, and Boon Yan invited me to her place for potluck so I brought them along.

Potluck is where everyone bring some food and eat together. I bought lobak. Forgot to introduce, Boon Yan is the current president for Leo Club of Union High School.

There’s lots of pizza, lots of french fries, lots of lobak, lots of sparkling juice and some snacks. My friend very lame, they brought banana, loaf and potatoes.

Wallace the beatboxer.

Fiona.

The girls.

The whole night was about eating and playing the two Nintendo Wii game, Wii Sports and Bleach. I had the most fun on Bleach because the game is silly, it’s just keep swinging the Wiimote in the air and felt very lame.

Me and friends that I brought along. Arron, Ammerlynn, Tee Jin, Chien Chern, Chen Yuan.

Boney came all the way back from New Zealand.

Lester who got 8As in PMR that day, with Boney and Min Xiang.

Me, Lester, Tict Chyn and Hui Jen.

Then we took photos, we talked, we jokes. Wallace even did a few seconds of beatbox.

Min Xiang and his Sammy.

This look gay. Chien Chern and Zez with the Wiimote.

Boon Yan has got a nice place there, quite spacious with nice view and lots of home entertainment.

This is Boon Yan, the host and organizer.

Thanks for inviting me over! =)

January 2, 2010

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