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Category: Penang

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
1st Avenue, The Name Is Up

Today passed by 1st Avenue, new shopping mall in town, and I saw the name is up. Seems like it’s getting ready very soon. It’s expected to open in August 2010, but a bit too late already! I will be going to Kuala Lumpur in end of July. OMG. Hopefully after I come out from NS and before I go to KL, it’s done and let me go in walk walk.

March 25, 2010
Kek Lok Si During Chinese New Year #2

During the 15 days period of Chinese New Year, Penang most famous pagoda temple lighted up with lots of bulb and LED. It’s a good place to visit during Chinese New Year and a good spot of photography for amateur and pro. Well, I went there twice during CNY because the first time was not really in the mood, it’s just walkaround and simply shoot.

Then I decided to go again with Alvin for a serious shoot. I don’t want so many people to shoot together because shooting need to be relax, I feel stress when people is around, unless, they don’t mind waiting for me to wait for the shutter. Hehe.

It’s a nice place and super nice when the lights are on at night, but sadly, it’s only on during some Chinese occasion. Not on normal days though, this suck a bit. It was like day 13 of CNY, people has already got back to work but there’s still many people coming up there.

Luckily I was early, no traffic jam and found a nice parking spot. If we were to go up like at 8pm, then it’s bad already, it will be a long line on the winding road.

My purpose of going there was to shoot, sorry for didn’t really pray. =)

Since it’s early, we wait and wait and wait till 7.30pm like that, it’s lights on. Everything became different. Pagoda and surrounding changed from beautiful to more beautiful.

So there’s me and Alvin, two amateur, shooting here and there. He shoot his and I shoot mine. Met some nice pro photographer too who gave us some nice advice. Looking around, there’s like so many people have a DSLR nowadays. Last time, I was like the first who own a DSLR among my friends and now it’s not something special anymore, everyone can afford one, and everyone loves photography.

So many lights, so pretty!

We paid for the return trip of the lift this time. It’s RM4 for return and last time was RM2 for one way. Last time it was late, we only get to go up and not down. This time we were early, so it’s up and down. It’s even much nicer up there with the very huge giant Kuan Yin statue.

There’s like a little garden there too, this place is more crowded than below. It’s people everywhere! And with the nice windy surrounding, it doesn’t feel so warm up there. Temperature nowadays are so high in Penang! Mother Earth is dying?

Happy that I get to go as close as the Kuan Yin statue this time. Last tie was because that we were late and lights off, so nothing to see up there.

There’s like bowl surrounding the Kuan Yin statue and devotees and exchange RM11 into coins and put the coins into each bowl to wish for a good luck in everything. Interesting, all the money donated goes to the building fund of the Kuan Yin statue. This Kuan Yin statue has been in renovation and building for don’t know how many years already and till now, it’s still not done yet. No idea why. But something I know is that it’s almost done.

Super happening at there.

Sorry, it’s not for 56K. 512kbps broadband also is a problem for now I think. Hehe. Please wait slowly. Too many photos already.

Found a nice big wall at the back of the statue. Very cool, no idea what’s that wall means. It sure symbolize or have some kind of art message, but I don’t know. I just think it’s cool

Last photo before going home, it’s 1030pm that time. Yeah!

March 19, 2010
Sunrise at Queensbay

That day, a few days ago, I woke up very the early to fetch mom and dad to the airport. Then I was alone that time, no idea where to go, it’s so early and remembered that the tripod for my camera was in the car, so I went to Queensbay to take some photos and let the wind blow.

Maybe it rained a bit during midnight, it’s so chilly and windy that morning. Cold… and I like!

It’s very quiet early in the morning. The sun hasn’t got up yet and it’s only a little brightness from far. Forgotten that I was only in a short pants and t-shirt, waiting the sun come up to warm me up.

No people at Queensbay, only like 6-7 people, one people sweep the floor and some were like me letting the wind blow and got people go morning walk too!

Some more got boat pass by! By the way, the sea at Queensbay is so much nicer than Gurney Plaza, there’s no ugly muddy seaside. Gurney Drive is so geli (ugly) during low tide.

Got aeroplane also! Flights are always early. Check out my dust spot on my camera sensor, so cool.

Waited for like 45 minutes, the sun has got up in the end, it’s time to pack up and go home.

March 15, 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
More About My Previous Part-Time for DiGi at Queensbay Mall

I am going to talk about my recent part-time job at Queensbay Mall few weeks back again. I know working part-time is very normal and common thing, but I am a little bit crazy, took photos and like talking very big about my job. Actually it’s just for a little memories of mine, at least I did go to work during this long 3-4 months holidays. There will be a part-time for me again this weekend, not at Queensbay Mall but at Gurney Plaza.

My job was promoter and assistant event organizer, I was not dealer, people can’t sign line through me, I only promote and bring them to the dealer. So basically my job was standing and giving out flyers and taking care of the customer service counter. Very interesting thing is that Maxis, the rival’s booth was not far away.

On these 3 days of work, I met many friends, and also made new friends at work. To be honest, time passes very slow but yet, it’s already passed. =) Money money come.

Lunch break and dinner break was always the 3 same place, Ultimaxx Cafe, Chopper Board and Breeks Cafe. RM4-7 per meal. There’s a rule that I can’t go for break in pairs, but luckily for the 3 days, I found friends at the mall to eat together with.

Working there burns calories because I stand a lot, standing, standing and keep standing, for more than 9 hours. Morning till night. Not that bad afterall, at night still got Chinese oldies played from speaker of central zone as part of Chinese New Year celebration.

Very fast, 3 days passed and it’s fun.

Last day working, after work, I took photos before going home. Yay. Thanks for everyone who came by to visit and support DiGi.

And for the 3 nights while we were going home, we always stuck in the jam for like 5-10 minutes. It’s the car of all who works at Queensbay Mall, not shoppers. Wow.

One tip for working at Queensbay Mall, parking at the open site car park is only RM1.50 as per entry.

February 24, 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
Hiking to Moon Gate with Friends

The initial plan was Chien Chern come to my house to fetch me go to Penang Hill Tram Station to fetch Arron, Chen Yuen, Yiphing and Sher Reen to Botanical Garden, then hike up to Penang Hill and eat some ice kacang, then take the tram down and sit Arron’s car back to Botanical Garden for Chien Chern’s car. But FAILED because the tram service was down for repair work. So sad man.

While at the tram station, while waiting for Arron them to come, Chien Chern and I got no place to go and simply drove around the area and found a temple. So we went in to take a look and I prayed.

The temple was pretty cool and it’s quiet in the morning. I saw monks at there.

In the end, all two car drove to Youth Park and hike up to Moon Gate and come back down. It’s still exercise afterall but we were quite late at that time, it’s almost mid-morning already.

Moon Gate is a stop at the hill for resting. The trail up to the place where I always go hiking with my mom. It’s pretty fun and sometime can see monkey at there.

I did check how long the trail was before, it’s about 2km and it’s not very tall, around 230m above sea level and took us like half and hour. Wonder how long will it takes for us to climb the Mount. Kinabalu tallest in South East Asia.

Sher Reen, Yiphing.

I have got no food up there and at that kind of time, there’s no water service too, so I drank tap water up there, hopefully it’s clean. =) Feeling a little bit of hungry, Arron gave me a bite of his prepared sandwich. Thank you.

Chien Chern.

Spent like 30 minutes up there, crapping and shouting after other people went down, so at a moment, it’s only us up there. Very not quiet but a bit creepy. But soon, there’s hiker came up again and we turned our voice down. If you go hiking during the evening, there’s nice kopi-o to drink, music and many people up there, quite happenings.

Stim look with Arron.

There’s my respectful Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s photo. Rocks.

We wanted to go Penang Hill still, but no luck connecting it to there. There’s still a route at the back of Moon Gate, but no sure where it leads to. A little bit scary. Haha.

Nice view from some part of the hill.

We then went down under the hot sun. Very surprise and now only I know there’s still people go hiking almost noon. It’s like peopl
e go there at anytime of the day, don’t know night got or not.

February 6, 2010
My 2010 New Year Eve in Penang

Some friend must be thinking, “isn’t my new year’s eves are always in Penang (my hometown)?” Pretty wrong, last year I spent my New Year’s Eve at a cold and people-not-enjoying-new-years-eve place and that’s Guangzhou.

People at there don’t really interest in New Year or New Year eve, Chinese there are more to Chinese New Year, but so New Year Day is still a national public holiday. Still remember that I spent my day touring Guangzhou and at night counting down in the hotel room, watching Hong Kong’s great fireworks from the idiot box. It’s still fun though, because I was traveling. =D

Same thing as Christmas Eve’s morning, I woke up then went for dim sum at the same dim sum house. I don’t know whose idea it was, it’s just “IT’S DIM SUM AGAIN!”.

They as in Yiphing, Chai Wei, Chien Chern and Chen Yuen went back to their places and would be meet in the afternoon. As for me, I went for college hunting to ask info about studies. Went to The One, Disted and Equator and still I’ve got no decision in my mind. I am going to wait for my result in March already. I think I’ll go to a college whichever needed to pay the less.

Then went to meet Anthony, my tuition teacher at his new place, big renovation was going on because he wanted to remove all the wall in his new house. Seems interesting and just stayed there for a while and listen to his ideas on the interior design.

After college hunting, I actually got no place to go. I was supposed to go meet my friends at her house and I was in the middle of her house and my house, thinking should I go home for a rest or not. After thinking for a little bit, decided to spend the whole day out and only go back home at midnight. Save petrol by not going back and out. Hehe.

Very lame, we were suppose to think what to do and where to go at Yiphing’s house but in the end, we spent the whole afternoon at her house, crapping mostly and eat instant noodle. Thank you Yiphing for the instant noodle. At one time, I don’t know what we were screaming and shouting until the neighbour came complain, it means seriously that the place need better noise insulation. =D

Shit, act gay.

6pm came and in one car, I was the driver, we went to Queensbay Mall to check out the countdown concert. Unfortunately, there’s no Yiphing here, it’s only me, Chien Chern, Chen Yuen and Chai Wei. Mom keep telling me that it would be very jam around the area but what I saw was smooth traffic, just like the Chinese always says One Road Smooth Wind, which means move smoothly all the way.

The concert was starting at 8 and it was like 6.30pm when we arrived. It seems like there’s no crazy fans waiting at the front line, since there’s nothing to see yet, we went into Queensbay Mall and roam around, without sense of direction and shops to go or things to buy.

My favourite thing to do is standing in front of any of the Mac, iMac biggest screen 27″ preferably, turn on Photo Booth program and make fun, then bluetooth all the photo for self-storage. =D Very lame right? It’s a form of my entertainment when I found Apple’s computer at the store. We spent like half an hour at there and took quite many photos. Hopefully no one were laughing at us and the Apple people didn’t even want to bother us.

Accidentally bumped up with Mxdoing Min Xiang and his friend Sammy, they were going for a movie instead.

Very sad that after playing so long at the Photo Booth and walking the whole mall, the concert still not yet started. The MC were just interacting with the people. I don’t have the Rock’s Zone ticket, so I didn’t bother to go in early.

Very lame, we went into the mall again. I went to get my camera batteries because I was scared that my camera will run die if I keep on shooting useless stuff.

It’s dinner time after that. Almost all restaurant in Queensbay Mall are not very low priced, so we went out of Queensbay Mall and found Mommy Wang at the opposite. Not very low priced too, but do serves not-bad Taiwanese food.

After dinner for sure would be the concert time! Since we have got no ticket, we stand pretty far from the stage and only can see from the screen. I didn’t have a zoom lens, so not thinking of photo shooting that time. Just enjoying the crowds and music.

It’s a Chinese concert, organized by local Chinese commercial radio 988, there’s 2 Taiwanese singer (Tank and Power Station) and many local artists and what I was waiting for was the Taiwanese singer only. =D They came out at the very end of the concert for countdown of new year.

Met Alvin there.

Then P1 Wimax were giving out a lot of air banger but it’s lousy, it goes airless after a few bangs.

Cheong Kin were there too!

After Tank came out on stage and sang many many song, I really meant many, maybe he is popular so the whole half and hour was given to him, then we went somewhere near backstage to wait for the fireworks. Power Station took the stage on after that, and they were counting down for it. Found no where to sit, it’s everyone, and since the road was block, we sat on the floor. ^^

5-4-3-2-1. Yoyoyo, happy new year!

Didn’t have a tripod with me so I can’t shoot nice fireworks photo. I took them handheld at a slow speed. The fireworks was not very awesome, it’s like 10 minutes long only.

Amanda the blogger was there too!

And met Lester, Emily and Jameson.

The night had not end yet, the most shitty thing was queuing up to pay parking ticket, the line was half and hour long and after paying, the whole carpark was a massive jam, takes another half and hour to get out. Scary. I was thinking that won’t I have to repay my parking ticket because I exceeded the time limit after paying the parking ticket and not out of the mall, but it’s not a problem already because there’s guard collecting ticket and need not insert into the barrier machine again.

It’s only jam at Queensbay Mall carpark, the road outside was smooth. The night then ended with a supper at Upper Penang Road. Then it’s home everyone. Happy Chinese New Year for now! Haha.

February 3, 2010
Random Photos in Town

This is just a simply crap post writeup. Today is Saturday and I want to wish you all Happy Thaipusam. It’s a very happenings day here in Penang and all the Indian comes out to party on the street. I like festival, I like happenings and I like my hometown, Penang.

Though, traffic jam will be everywhere and I need to take the longest route to go to any place to prevent passing by Jalan Utama and Jalan Dato Keramat where the Thaipusam possession is held.

ITP school of engineering so hidden in Victoria Street. First time knowing that there’s a school here.

Back to crap post, one fine day, I took the Sony T200 out instead of the Canon 400D, it’s tiny and sleek, but the quality is still far not to par with the DSLR, very suck for low light, yet still it’s fun to shoot. I like shooting it in 16:9 format, wide screen is nice. Although I still can crop my photos taken with DSLR to 16:9, but still I kinda lazy some times.

So, the reason of going to town was helping dad to do stuff like cheque deposit and collect stuff from the post office. He drives and I work it out.

I don’t ride motorbike. Do you?

Went to the Poslaju office to collect a parcel for dad, and he thought it’s something important, but turn out to be 4 RM10 Padini voucher, yet still pretty cool, I can go shopping already! It’s some reward scheme by the credit card company.

After that passed by Little India and saw a lot of Indians at there doing their business. If you wind down your window when passing this place, you can hear a lot of free bollywood music. Kinda cool. =D

At this moment, I am sitting in front of the computer, writing blog on one hand, and the TV behind me is playing Leverage latest episode. Do you watch Leverage? =D Enjoy. Gonna plan where to go later already. Chao! Happy Thaipusam once again!

—Xpax Big Freekin’ Sale PROMO—

Image by Channel X.

No bluff you one! Channel X is really having the Xpax Big Freekin’ Sale right now. It’s really very big because there’s many many big deal and big promotion. I know many of you are heavy mobile user, so only I share this big mobile deal with you all. This is for Xpax, U.O.X. and S.O.X. users, but if you are not also nevermind, can just go in any mobile store to sign up one.

50% discount on Channel X downloads all day long, buy-1-free-1 during the happy hours and win hot hot hot prizes! OMG, so tempting, luckily I am a Xpax user too. Faster go check it out, you can enjoy all these until 31st March 2010.

January 30, 2010

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