S'pore-Zoo

The Singapore Zoo is a renowned zoo famous for its open-zoo concept and boy, it is huge. Wiki says it is 28 hectares.















We are pretty lucky to reach just in time for the animal shows, although it sort of a let down for me, because the animals shown and their tricks are limited. Or maybe its just me not so amused with them anymore as when I was a thrilled kid.















They seemed amazingly obedient and capable. No doubt they are. One lady who sat beside me kept exclaiming: "Oh my gosh! How did they do that?" . Repeatedly and sorta irritating in a way. The fact is that they are well-trained through a process known as conditioning. They are rewarded for their behaviors, most commonly by food.

Apart from that, we got around and saw some intriguing animals. Here are some of them:
















Orang Utans while in feeding session.





















A stunned (or isit poser-happy, not sure) ostrich




















Baboons in show-who-has-the-reddest-ass-off competition.




















A really shy exotic cheetah avoiding all the paparazzi cameras and coaxing
















A slumber snake. In fact, all of them are just like that. Just different in postures.
















Now a slumber and lazy lion. Unfortunately, alot of the animalposes like that. Probably the hot weather and irritating "demands" for nice postures.
















This is the White Tiger. According to their description, they are not albinos, just some gene defects. Apparently, they look pretty much better than normal ones. Gene defect huh? By the way, they are also now infamous for the suicidal guy jump into the enclosure incident.





















Polar bears are my favourite. Too bad no upclose pics...blame it on my cam-phone. XD


















The pin-sized vulnerable-looking Kancils. No wonder a certain type of car is named after them.

The famous Ah Meng the Orang Utan sadly passed away around this time last year. So, no chance to post with it anymore. I remembered the last time I had pics with him.

So ended the tour for Zoo of Singapore.

Sidetrack: Singapore

Personal observation of Singapore:

1. Singapore escalators compliments with the kiasuism culture. They are way faster than the slumber ones in Malaysia

2. Motorcycles are luxuries. There is no such thing as Honda EX5 types or even scooters. Almost all are superbikes and its like everywhere.

















3. Singaporeans take this real seriously. Like way too seriously.

4. Pedestrian crossings are 250% safer to use in Singapore than in Malaysia. No matter what, they will definitely stop for manusia to cross.















5. The usage of the word "hub" is an overkill





















6. There is this boxes at traffic lights junctions which I don't quite understand the logic of it. Anybody care to explain?






























7. Instead of graffiti, they have art galleries along a tunnel. Very got "culture".

8. Sometimes, you might wonder whether you are in China or Singapore. They really have tons of Orang Teong Kok there with their tongue-wriggling and throat-suffocating accent.


















9. Tress are everywhere. Sometimes they just block off my photo view. A lil' bit irritating there.

10. General knowledge that is much appreciated by Malaysians when in Singapore: Public transports are systematic and way on time.

S'pore- Prologue and Downtown Core

The last visit to Singapore was like 10 years ago. I had vague memories about it. Nevertheless, here I am again.

The bus trip was tedious from Penang, 11 hours to be exact. I tried to maximize all the entertainment utilities abroad, from books to laptops, TVs and the comfy-enough-to-sleep chair. Unfortunately the latter two broke down, of all things. Gah. Otherwise the trip was pretty smooth.

Arrived at the Golden Mile Complex around 7.30pm after going through the kastam checkpoints of both sides. Although definitely not expecting a "Sir, can you step aside please? We have some question for you" treatment, it's kinda cool to go through inspections like a potential terrorist.

Picked up by my aunt, we eventually headed to Ang Mo Kio apartments, where my uncle cum tour-guide-for-the-next-days was waiting. After settling in, we had our supper at a nearby food court. There is a big day ahead of us tomorrow.



































The oh-so-clean corridor of our flats.





















Planning ahead

We, or rather, my uncle, decided to bring us to tour the Singapore City itself on the first day. Illustration speaks for the journey.
















Breakfast. Food is ok if you are not comparing.





















Ang Mo Kio residence sky-line. You won't believe that these flats are around 20-30 years old if you are a Malaysian. At least I don't initially.





















Approaching Bugis Street, supposingly the S'pore version of Lorong Kulit.
















Some dork

















The upcoming casinos building in full speed




















The obvious symbol of Singapore- the Merlion
















The Humongous Durian: Esplanade- Theaters on the Bay
















Art in the Boat Quay area





















Passageway on one of the streets facing Downtown Core





















The Victoria Theater
















Downtown Core city skyline
















Views along the river





















Sir Raffles overlooking
















The Durian upclose
















The various shows that would be performed in the theater.
















The magnificant Fullerton Hotel

















Singapore from above...er...on a lift.
















Entrance to the imposing Buddha Tooth Temple. The temple is air-conditioned by the way




















Inside the ground floor of the temple. Yes, it is multi-leveled and even consist a garden on the rooftop.

Besides, we also had a quick tour to Raffles Hotel (now a national monument), Chinatown (for food and cheap stuff) and various hotspots in Raffles Place like the Supreme Court, the Parliament House and the City Halls. However, due to my short-life battery of my phone, I was unable to capture those pictures.

Downtown Singapore is an exalted place to explore itself, with its tall imposing commercial buildings and various superb key districts that holds some of the identity of Singapore.

Up next, the zoo.

Time Out

It is still in a midst of Chinese New Year and of course, the holidays. So to "maximize" my leisure time, I indulged myself in tons of movies and series.

As it is the period of hiatus, the much-hyped series are on hold. So, I decided to endorse in lesser-known series. Here are some of them worth watching:

1. Leverage














Modern Robin-Hood-styled series. After all, their tag is: "Sometimes bad guys make the best good guys." Coupled with witty humour and character building plots, it provides adequate entertainment that makes stealing and scams seemed fun.

2. Lie To Me








Focusing on a group of people who act as walking lie-detectors. Through facial expressions and bodily gestures, they are able to tell you whether you are lying or not. It is convincing and fascinating due to its evidence-based, scientific and psychological story lines.

3. Eleventh Hour














The never ending expansions of the FBI departments, this time focusing on a special science adviser. Together with his protecting agent, they uncover the exploit of science in a badass way and save innocent civilians from it. Basically, its pretty much like X-Files with the absence of the supernatural course.

4. The Mentalist














Similar to Lie To Me, The Mentalist is yet another detective/crime solving show (I think I'm pretty much obsessed with cop shows, if you just noticed). Patrick Jane (Baker) is an consultant with a talent of extreme observation skills helping the cops to detect criminals and sometimes manipulate them into admitting their crimes. A very different approach in crime solving which is appealing and intriguing at the same time.

5. Mad Men












A multi-award drama series depicting the US society in the 1960s, focusing more on an advertising talent, Don Draper. A wholly different atmosphere from other series and a satisfying eye-opener of a not-so-distant-past.

Alright, here ends the promos. While the popular series are slowly reemerging from their hibernation, it is always gratifying to get out of the hype box once in a while and mollycoddle in the less-explored.

Back

Hiatus ends here. Harlo people.

It's Chinese "niu" year! Well, almost. After a taxing exam period, I finally found the mood to realize that CNY is coming. Not that the world doesn't remind me (the convenience shops had the CNY songs booming through their loudspeakers everyday when we passed through to dinner place), not surprisingly it is just the stress and expectations that inhibits the celebration mood. However, glad that those are over and I am ready for receiving ang paus in a gleeful mood. XD

It now comes to the end of yet another semester in college. Oh wait. It is not just yet another sem...its now my last sem in col. And the previous two weeks, I am already doing statements of what will be the last time to do this and that. I will miss college life (in fact, already did), no matter the good, the bad or the ugly.

No matter how much I love to travel, it seems that everything is expensive to ever to be given a thought of. Sigh. Work is definetely needed then. No excuse. Sometimes, I just had to apologize for my involuntary decline for all those graduation trips.

That's it for now. Once again, Happy Chinese New Year! Ang pau banyak mari!

Prior to Hiatus

Just killing time. It is time to have a hiatus. Before that, some small notes here.

It will be my one final exam in TARC (god bless it be the last anyway). Already starting to miss college. Remembered my first preparations for exams, yeap, the green-walled fan-squeaking-like kena-rape study room in the hostel. So lively, with all the people from KMG. Priceless memories.

Two subject it is. But it ain't helped by the fact that we have a dumbasssohaifatbeeyatch who just don't know how the hell to give instructions or tips to us Tarcians. I'm not going into a full rant here. It would be one whole webpage long. And I'm deprived on energy to do that. And one more thing, just because I slack big time in class and looks like some junkie from the street doesn't mean I gave you the right to underestimate me. You will see, beeyatch.

And speaking of energy, I am so going to ruin my body for this one week plus. Will be charging up my caffeine dosage intensively. And lots of junkies. I can shape back later. I am blessed (or cursed) with a very fluctuational body.

My head was buried 6 feet under the notes and I need to get it out for a while. So I decided to go shopping tomorrow. Fresh air needed. And yes my double prosperity burger. Finally they got the chicken version.

Right now, the only series still entertaining me are Leverage, 30 Rock and Star Wars animation. That shows how sad the hiatus period can be.

Alright, this blog will RIP for a while now. Happy CNY people, just in case. And good luck to those going for exams and FYPs and thesis.

Looking Back 2008

2008 AD is pretty much uneventful. Probably because I didn't make any NY resolutions. There are more downs than ups, sadly to say. But a great deal of experience and harsh reality gives me a deeper insight of what life was, is and going to be.

I don't want to sound either a pessimistic or like an over-rated Feng Shui Sifu analyzing a series of events in a year, but a little recap to remind myself that I am still alive and well and should be greatful of that.

I appreciated the fact that I was given the opportunity to work in an comfortable executive-style office for an established human resource company. Everything is great there, the staff, the environment, the job, the pay and the coffee vendor machine. Two things I see first-hand: 1)School don't teach you everything, seriously. 2) Office politics is a dirty place to go into.

And then there is THE election. Was tad late to register. But hey, its a year of dramatic and exciting changes. Obama called for a change in the US of A, but the aura must have swept into Malaysia. And BN got a helluva reality slap from the opposition.

Then I lost my car. Blardy thieves stole it. Still hoping that it was not already in the chop shop.
An optimistic view would be I don't have to pay for hiked prices of petrol. And on a happier note, I got a new HP and lappie.

Personally suffered emo-ness for a while and appreciated the support from my dear friends. And then there is thesis. Mixture of anxiety and adrenaline rush really got me through. Depression is inevitable, but no Major Depression Episode stuff. Thank God.

And oh...its the last day of 2008. I don't think I am going to do a NY resolution.

Happy 2009 people.

Merry Christmas

Just a short note here....cause I am practically stealing people's line to blog. Internet is not working at my home....damn suckmyx again.

Merry Xmas to all people...and a Happy 2009. My Christmas Eve had been the most peaceful ever since I headed to college, just spending time with family at home. No countdown. All my buddies are either not in Penang...OR.....didn't know that I am in Penang. OK...now I announce: gua di Penang liao.

Anyway, hope you guys got a whole lot of presents. So you can share some with me.XD

Once again, Merry Christmas!

*P/s: I just notice this is my centurion blog for this year. Hehee.

Recycle as Need and Deed

If its not for the timing of TM's refusal to serve us for the past 24 hours ( and more), this post would have been here yesterday. Bo huat lo, its better late than never.

So, fellow Tarcians from APR2 and AMS2 is working their asses out for their much-anticipated campaign called Recycled is a Need and a Deed. Yea, I know its some age-old rotten issue that has been bothering our generation since we were young, but really, how much have you contributed to the concept and most importantly, do you know how to recycle? These people is teaching us how....

















The opening ceremony





















The information booths

















The big shots introducing the campaign.




















The campaigners in white.

I do recycle, here is 5 that I've been practicing:
1. Still using clothes that are 7 years old, from outings to pyjamas to wiping tables.
2. Prefer to eat out instead of ta bao
3. Do not use straws in most occasions, especially in McD's or CJr.
4.Magazines as present wrappers
5.Request not to use plastic bags if not required to in convenience stores.

Small tag lar....if you are interested.

Its a tad late to tell you guys to go visit the booths now but to recycle is never too late. So go recycle lar....and for more info, click here.

Aftermath

Sure got aftermath one. The thesis really derailed my life, that getting back on track needs 4 Hulks to get through that. It isn't all bad of course. I did enjoy my life abit. Okay, maybe a little bit more. Okay, okay....too many much more. In fact, academically speaking, it is really a rot as if I already graduate when I'm not.

First, all those beauty sleeps. To pay the sleep debts. And of course a touch of genocide is needed on my volcanic-like-exterior face. Still ongoing, lots of "lencongan kat hadapan" signs here and there.

Then the series. Series ohh series. Added The Mentalist and 30 Rock into my must-watch list. Then yesterday more reinforcement arrived, namely Fringe and Perempuan Gossip. I'll try to just collect and NOT watch.

And then the games. Finish download and currently solely focused on FM 2009. Then my particular dear dear friend has to come my house and put a RA3 DVD on my desk. Really, fulat loh....

On a random note, I think my course is lucky enough to have thesis only. No campaigns or FYP. Baru baru attend a soon-to-be-a-local-best-selling-series-if-ever-made drama telling from a bunch of PR/MS people. Really had no idea so dramatic one. Need stress management? Call 1-800-Shrink-Available-To-Help toll line. XD.

And last note, don't watch The Day Earth Stood Still (or something like that, who cares). Kanasai. Totally pointless.

Bye Bye Thesis, Harlo Life

Finally, the gigantic burden is out of the way. I really owe my body a nice good rest. A hibernation should be good. The continous sleepless life have practically mess up my system.




















Pity there is no rain when I ran to the balcony to do that. Tak cukup dramatic.

So, I am partially free now. Still got assignments and mid-terms. But then have to salvage the moment first.

And pray that my thesis acknowledgment kiss-ass enough to gain some marks....XD

Bye Thesis, Harlo Life.