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Away to PLKN (Day 2): Borrowed PLKN 2010 First Batch DVD from Jocelyn

First time being away from home for so long and some more it’s a camp. I regretted why high school I didn’t join scouts or related-cadet which has camping, so I would be well-prepared for now. You guys in high school should join more camp, it’s fun.

I Google-ed over the Internet about National Service (PLKN), camping and many related stuff. Luckily, they film out the program for Kumpulan 1 Siri 7 2010 of Kem PLKN White Resort, which is the camp that I am at. Kumpulan 1 means first batch, I am batch 2, so when I am out, there’s DVD for us too, but need to pay money to buy it.

One set of DVDs consist of 3 discs and it’s RM30. They have good mind of making money. Gonna thank Jocelyn from first batch for lending me the disc.

Doing homework.

It’s good to see what they do and how’s life in the camp. And I’ve asked a lot of information from my friends who had just came back from the camp too. I am ready, not-ready also must ready because I am there already! Yo!

March 29, 2010
Chin Lai’s Farewell Gathering at Town Steamboat House

Chin Lai called up for a steamboat dinner as a last gathering and farewell because he was going to National Service. I don’t know why always go that Town Steamboat House, my many gatherings also were held at there. Last November and December, I went there for like 3-4 times.

Anyway, since I long time few months didn’t go already, moreover I go to NS too, same place was no big deal. It’s a all-boys and one girl gathering, Chin Lai, Tee Jin, Arron, Chien Chern, Yan Duan, Chen Yuen and Yiphing, but I forgot to take Yiphing’s photo, she went back early. OMG.

As the Chinese said, 有说有笑 (you3 shuo1 you3 xiao4), means there’s laughter and chattering. That’s what we did, with additional of photo taking by me and eat. =D

Since it’s weekday night, there’s not many people at the restaurant, it’s not very hot. Else on weekend, where there’s many people, it’s very very hot, and sweating all along while grilling and steamboating. This place is fun because it’s eat all you can, price is RM19.90. Not bad.

Although not sweaty, but when going home, the body sure smells oily and BBQ. Woo.

See you guys back in June! I will be back.

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
7 minus 1 Temples Re-visit After Getting SPM Result

We are believers and such, we went to pray before SPM examination, and so we need to pay back another visit as thanksgiving to god. Last week, we went back to the temples we had visited before SPM examination last year, there’s 7 temples and there’s 11 of us from 5SA1 class of 2009.

Sadly, there’s seven people turned up only, Shi Jie is in UK, Hock Sheng was busy with his driving lesson, Yan Duan was busy with his driving lesson, Jun Ge was busy with don’t know what and Young Hean was busy with work. This is what happened after high school where people are always busy with their own stuff, and can’t stick together like in a classroom.

So I always, high school is the best, appreciate and enjoy it to the fullest! Anyway, I miss you guys a lot.

We missed a temple and also Juan Shong was in a hurry so we went to six temples only, Guleng Hood, Penang Buddhist Association, Wat Buppharam, Siamese temple (Wat Chaiyamangkalaram), Dhammikarama Burmese temple and lastly, Guan Yin Temple.

It was a hot hot day, we gathered in school in the morning, in the mean time, I went to certified my certificates copy at the school office while waiting for them. Then we started our temples journey in two cars.

Going back to the same place and taking photos again at the same spot was fun and sad too because there’s only 7 of us, include extra of Jin Sheng’s girlfriend, Doreen. Hope one day where everyone come home and can go out again.

Went back to the same pond with the spinning bowl where people throw coins into it for good luck. They brought a lot of coins because not satisfied with last performance before SPM examination, this time they wanted to throw in as much as they can. Haha.

I got two coins and I missed. Oops.

Chee Pherng.

Lastly, bought flowers and went to pray Confucius, Wen Chang Gong and Goddess of Mercy.

Why so many beggars outside the temple?

Life move on.

March 23, 2010
The Day Before SPM Result Day

11th March was SPM Result Day, it was a very gan cheong (nervous), fun-filled, scary day, but the day before was even more gan cheong. This day, I woke up very early in the morning, it was like 5am and I was so blur and sleepy that time. I needed to send daddy and mommy to the airport so I had to wake up so early.

Pumped up the music in the car to make me awake, I went to shoot the sunrise at Queensbay there for fun, it was really for fun because I was alone and no plan for that day.

Then I went to meet Arron at his house. We then go for breakfast at Jalan Tengah, Bayan Lepas for the nice roti canai.

The day was quiet, no idea where to go and keep thinking the day after it. It’s SPM you know. I didn’t dare to expect what I would get in SPM because I am not very good, and I am not very bad, I am always stuck in the middle. Lousy sia.

It was only me, Arron and Liang Sun at first. Yiphing and Chien Chern came to meet us later on.

After breakfast, we spontaneously went to cybercafe for game. It had been many years I didn’t go play LAN game already, really many years. It’s just so spontaneous as we didn’t know where to go already and it’s early. Was wanting to play Left 4 Dead but we were noob and have no idea how to start a game, end up playing Counter Strike for two hours. Haha.

Then everyone went back to their home respective.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sLG0owba0E&w=500&h=307]

Had a afternoon rest and evening, we went to watch From Paris With Love. Nice action packed movie and I like it. Then it’s supper time at mamak stall. Chien Chern came over to my place for beer and movie. I actually planned to sleep early, but because of my afternoon nap, I hardly sleep at night, really shit.

By the way, got LOMO feel or not?

March 22, 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
Visit to Friends’ Place on Day 6 of Tiger Chinese New Year

Woo, I still have many to talk about the recent Chinese New Tiger Year. It’s fun, it’s shiok and it’s nice! On the sixth day of Chinese New Year, brother went back to Singapore already, I am back to being alone again, always look for friend. So on this day, I went to visit to my friend’s house, or also call bai nian where people visit to others’ house give orange and take ang bao.

First stop of the day, after dropping brother at the airport, I went to Alvin‘s place, a friend that I knew like 5 years back. He was just awake when I was there and looked stim stim, but cute.

Yiphing.

Then, me and Alvin went to visit Yiphing, spent like an hour at there, talking and I played the piano. I am so noob, someone please teach me how to play.

Yong Chieh and Wei Chung.

Next stop was to Jin Jie’s place near Yiphing’s place. It’s his new home but it’s only open during Chinese New Year. Pretty nice place, though no idea why his family doesn’t want to move it. I saw a lot of my high school mate there, very happy to see them, especially my 5SA1 friend, Hock Sheng, Yong Chieh and Beng Tian.

Gambled and won. Really happy. ^^ And I found pop-pop fire crackers at there, it’s like so long that I didn’t play this kind of thing already, let me see, it would be like 6 years already.

Beng Tian! Still so funny.

Beng Tian behind bars.

Jin Jie.

Thanks Jin Jie for inviting me over. So miss my high school friends now. So-so-so much. Last time, we were in a classroom all the time, everyday also get to meet, but now, no chance already. Everyone always busy with their own thing. I guess we need more gathering.

Good job, Caiqian!

So after Jin Jie house, it’s some break time. I actually went to the camera shop to get some gear, then meal at Prangin Mall only then go to the last house of the day and it’s Jen’s house. The Leo Club friends had a BBQ dinner at Jen’s place and I went there with Alvin. So basically, Alvin was with me the whole day.

Chin Keong with the stick.

We were there late and luckily food were BBQ-ed and I need not to spend time in front of the fire. ^^

Victor, why you laugh like that?

Lester, me and Victor.

Eat, eat, eat. There’s chicken wings, satay, chicken pie, potato, lots of soft drinks, and marshmallow!

Pei Chia.

Wan Pei vs Kooi Jin.

The last part was funny, it’s seeing Kooi Jin making jokes in Jen’s room and Wan Pei pillow fight with Kooi Jin. HAHA!

March 15, 2010
My Open House during Tiger Chinese New Year

New Year, New Year, I am still talking about new year because there’s nothing much to talk already, my long holiday is coming to an end. That’s sad. I will be going to National Service on 28th March 2010, so please do miss me and don’t stop visiting my blog. ^^

Chinese New Year is always fun and is the best part of the year. It’s about food, money, gambling, friends, talking, traveling, and holidaying. Only dislike thing is, it’s traffic jam everywhere! Especially my place, near to a shopping mall and the sea. That sucks for me.

Met Phei Qin at Gurney.

Met Chen Yuen with Sher Reen. ^^

To make Chinese New Year even more fun, more happenings, friends came visit to my place. Obviously was to get ang bao from my beloved parents, but nevermind, it’s Chinese New Year, everyone’s happy. Hehe.

Ok, the two photos above were not about open house. It’s before open house where I went to Gurney Plaza for a walk, it’s too bored at home, lazy to go onto the Internet also and met some friends.

The first visit by friend wasn’t really open house, it’s just visit, but I’ll considered it as open house, because my house was open for visit and they came. Thanks all, the first visit was by the Leo Club juniors, shit, should not say junior because it makes me sound so old, they are all my Leo Club friends, the younger one. ^^ Check list, there’s Kenny, Kelvin, Amanda and Corrinne.

Kenny.

Corrinne, gambling queen. Look at the card, no point. LOL.

Kelvin Seow.

Kelvin with Amanda’s pose.

Cool brother, Yikhung.

Actually visits during Chinese New Year do simple thing only, gambling and talking.

Only a little attention paid on what’s showing on the television. It’s always, blackjack, blackjack, 7 point, 8 point. Chinese loves to gamble during CNY. I like winning money. XD

The next visit was on the next day. It’s very last minute where I asked my friend whether want to come over to my place or not. Parents had a real open house, with lots of food, drinks, beer and their friend.

These adults gamble very powerful, it’s tens and hundreds whereas us were like, cents and bucks.

The Chinese style of party. I don’t really know how to organize a party, the main reason is because I don’t really know how a party goes on, dance? food? talk? shout? scream? games? I am not that kind of person who think, but in my mind, I love party, I would like to go to and see how it’s like if there’s a chance. You see like in those American teenager film, their party is like so cool, so happenings.

It was Whitney’s birthday that day. Whitney is the daughter of my mom’s friend. They brought cake to our place, unfortunately, there’s no candle.

With Ker Ying and Sheue Yen.

Alvin Yang.

Alvin, Ker Ying, Sheue Yen, Wei Chung, Yong Chieh and Zheng Feng came over to my place late at night. Thanks people. Played cards again and won some money on the last round. Pretty fun!

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Log on to Channel X now!

March 9, 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
Visit Friends on Day 3 of Tiger Chinese New Year

Spent day zero, day one, and day two with my lovely family and there’s no more family day on the 3rd day. Everyone at home seems like have nothing to do and for me, I went out early morning to Air Itam to meet up Fang Juinn who came back from Singapore, Chin Tatt and Hua Ken who came back from National Service for a short period during Chinese New Year. It had been a long time didn’t see them already.

Hua Ken and Yong Chieh.

Woke up early and went to meet up with them at a kopitiam at Air Itam, talked to them but ate nothing because have got no idea what to eat at there. No feel.

Wuan Xin and her uncle.

OMG. Fang Juinn is getting taller!

Met a new friend, Wuan Xin, a friend of friends’. She brought us to her grandma house and her grandma was very friendly and chit chat a lot with us. She talked about her young and even showed us her traveling photos and photos when she was young. Real friendly old lady, can talk whatever with us, youngsters. I spent like whole morning at there, later on to another friend, Yong Seng’s house for a Chinese New Year visit.

Boys rape.

Dick shaped candy.

Noob fencing-kia.

Uncle’s Chicken are always yummy!

Yong Seng.

Kenny and Victor.

They’re all my junior in Leo Club. A year younger than me, we eat, we play, we gamble. Chinese New Year is always about gambling, but I lose that day. Damn. Bad luck, Kenny won the most. After losing so many, we decided to stop. They went else where and I went to Gurney Plaza to walk around because I didn’t feel like going home yet.

Min Xun and Jueqi.

Met people there. Walkaround and afternoon tea at there for a couple hour. Then it’s already evening already, went to another friend’s house again.

It’s Chen Yuen’s house at Perak Road. So nice that he was at home and I received ang bao again. It’s the last stop of friend’s house visiting of the day. Me, Ammerlynn and Chen Yuen was actually at there waiting other friends to come back to Penang so we could had dinner together. After dinner, I went to the cinema with my brother to watch Percy Jackson. It’s really tiring afterall, run here and run there, but then it’s fun and filled!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicholas-chan/4374707687/in/set-72157623477759372/

March 4, 2010

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