Thursday, June 21, 2007

Cycling

Went cycling again at East Coast Park last Sunday with a group of friends. Good thing it was a gloomy, cloudy day or my fair tender skin will get burnt. I'm in need of a workout to burn some fat off me, but no burnt skin please!

Biker Gang


On our route is the Cable Ski Park where skiers are towed by overhead cable and pulleys system. Look like fun, but don't think I can do it.

Cable towed water ski

Some of the skiers upon seeing us taking pic, do some stunts when they passed our spot. Hey guys, girls are watching... do your stunts. Haha...

Trying to impress? =P

Me think one of our guys get carried away watching those stunts. LOL!

"I can do better than that!" =P

Next on our route is the long Bedok Jetty out to sea. Lots of folks fishing there. When I was there, the fishes seem to be getting hooked left, right & center.

Fishermen line the jetty.

Every angler gets hits after hits on their lines. Many small fishes & a few medium ones. Seem like fun. Maybe I shall try my hand in fishing next time.

"I got one!" "Me too!" "Me three!"

Catch of the day

When these pic of people fishing at the jetty were been taken, I overheard some anglers asked us whether are we putting their pic up on the internet. I replied yes & they went... "Good! Faster put me & my fish pic up on the web!" Recalling some stupid forumers commented about putting people's pic up on the web will get them in trouble. They made it sound like those people who have their pic up on the web will be beaten up mysteriously by others. How stupid can they be?!? Now that I put up lots of strangers pic on the web, are they gonna get into trouble? Chey! Idiotic, immature & cowardly keyboard warriors talking irrational logics!

And now a pic of my friend & me at the jetty. Anyone wanna come beat us up? Any of you behind-the-monitor hero wanna try it? Make my day, punk!

I'm the only one in white =P

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Katong Laksa

Had a craving for Nonya dumplings last evening. Heard the 'zhangs' at Katong is good. Off I went to East Coast Road, the stretch with lots of food outlets. I also love Laksa. When I saw a stall proclaiming Famous Katong Laksa, couldn't help, but ordered a bowl.

Laksa with Lime Juice

Delicious! I clean out the whole bowl... =P


I'd been to Katong a few time. Noticed that there're a quite a number of laksa stalls all proclaiming they are the famous Katong Laksa. All those laksa stalls have newspaper or magazine clippings pasted on their stall to support their claim. My question is, which one is the REAL Katong Laksa? So far, at Katong, I ate only from this stall...

328 Katong Laksa


Across a small lane, opposite 328, is another laksa stall, the 49 Katong Laksa operating inside Hock Tong Eating House.

Another Famous Katong Laksa


Just two shops away from 328, is another laksa stall, the 59 Katong Laksa. Further down that stretch, near Joo Chiat Road is yet another laksa stall...

59 Katong Laksa & a small one near Joo Chiat Road


Walked toward Still Road & saw one more Katong Laksa stall across the road, near Still Road junction. Another 328 Katong Laksa, maybe operate by the same owner as the one I ate eariler.

Another 328 Katong Laksa


So, in Katong alone, there're five Katong Laksa stalls. I knew of a few more scattered around in other places. One such is a small stall in a kopi shop opposite Bugis Junction. Will the REAL Katong Laksa please stand up?

Next, I'm going to try the famous Sungei Road Laksa. Heard it's much better than the Katong one. This one no need to guess. I have a friend who knew the real one despite many self-proclaimed stalls along Jalan Besar. =P

Oh ya, my Katong 'zhangs'... for supper, I bought back two, a nonya & a salted egg 'zhang' & some nonya kuei plus a small tub of 'ornee' ~ Yam paste.

My 'Zhang' supper =P

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

An Eventful Weekend

Went through a weekend of steak, confrontation, rojak, KTV, dragon, pork-ribs & donuts... in that particular order.

Saturday: Went Astons Specialties with a few friends. The shop serves western dishes at a very reasonable price. The last time I was there, it was damn bloody hot & crowded due to limited space. Now they had taken over a space next door & it wasn't so hot anymore. The company was agreeable & my rib-eyes steak was delicious.

Friends

My Yummy Rib-Eye!


Other than for the tasty food, I'm there for another matter. An ugly matter. Was waiting for a group of forumers to show up. Within that group is a guy who falsely accused me of doing something which I had no part of. He went around telling people I had exposed him... expose as in putting up his pic in a forum. Without any evidence, he claimed that a clone of mine put up a pic of him. Clone is a forum term used to indicted a nick or an account registered by a known member to mask his/her original identity. Most of these clones are registered to make mischief. Most times, clones are used by cowardly members who are afraid to use their original account to flame or slander others. That fellow jumped to instant conclusion that the clone was me due to another matter. He thought I was holding grudges against him & using clones to irritate him. Hahaha... that's crazy! Firstly, I am not that childish. Secondly, I had already left that matter behind. What for make such a big fuss over small matters in forum? After he saw the thread with his pic, without finding out more or even bother to contact me for explanation, he childishly declared war against me. Said want to feed my own medicine back to me & he went around speculating about me. Next thing I knew when I visited that forum, my blog, Friendster links & video were all over the place! I didn't know what happened till much later I found the thread in which he declared war against me. In there, I posted that the clone wasn't me. I also told him his own pic with some personal info is in his blog. Anyone can grab it what. I mean, wth... you done yourself in. No one point a gun at you threatening you to upload all that & now you screamed about people exposing you? Note: I search the web for him only after he start those accusations. He said I lurked so long, watching the fun, now then come & declare my innocence. Look, I have a life, unlike many who lurk all day in forum. He refused to accept my explanation saying that I'm collecting forumers' pic for flaming others. Haiz... another unfounded accusation coz as forum records show, I don't engage in flame war. Complete waste of time & totally immature. Then he posted about wanting a showdown with me. I was like... huh? Wth? You come bash me w/o any provocation & went speculating about me. Now want a showdown with a me, a girl? What kind of guy is this? Many forumers thought they can get away with slandering others coz they are safely hidden behind their monitor. Many also have the misconception that they cannot be held accounted for whatever they stupidly posted on the net. Lots of kids done it... ok, juveniles behaviors, but hey, that guy is not a kid, you know? He's legally an adult! Didn't he know that making false accusations or slandering people even on the web is illegal? So I accepted his challenge. That was when he said he believe me & wanna back out, but by then, I'm so pissed with his nonsense. So, I was at Katong waiting to confront him. Oh ya, I was with a group of friends. I'm just a small size girl. Need some sort of protection what. How can I predict what that crazy guy gonna do, right?

When they arrived, one of my guy friends went up to confront that fellow. When my friend called out to him, that coward... yep, I label him a coward coz he wanna pull my friend away somewhere else to talk. My friend asked him, Why? Can't we talk in front of other forumers? What dark secrets you have to hide from them? If you are so sure of yourself & do no wrong, why have to talk where no one can hear? As he mentioned in forum before "Let others judge." Now, in front of others in real, he wanna talk where no one can hear. You can state anything you want among your friends & will be believed by default coz the other party was not around to defend. When the other party confront you in real, you are afraid to get caught out by your own lies? Now you wanna back off when you openly issued a challenge in forum? You only dare issue that challenge coz you knew I'm just a little girl? Bully tactics? When face with another adult guy, you are frighten? Is not that an act of cowardice or dishonesty? Too late... why didn't, as an adult, think before you went around spreading speculations? A question that fellow asked my friend just sounded plain ridiculous. "Are you a gentleman?" What a lame question coming from someone who didn't behave like one! What an idiot! After my friend gave that idiot a piece of his mind, told him that slandering is illegal & will take action if his nonsense continue, walk off... that idiot said " Thanks for coming" & tried to escorted us off... Hahaha... WTF? My friend told him that we don't need his thanks & no need to escort us off coz we ain't small kids. I mean, what the heck? That idiot trying to made it appear like as though nothing had happened? How lame can that be? Trying to shoo us away? I shouted at him, why should we go away? I mean, it's a public place, you know? What rights have anyone to tell us to go away? Some people gonna raise the issue of gatecrashing. What gatecrash? It's a public place. We have every right to be there as much as the next person! After that fellow left to join his friends, one of his friends came up & asked what happened. Told us that he's representing his friend. My friend then told him the whole matter in short & we will take legal actions if he continues his nonsense. His friend said that's fair enough & promised to talk to his friend about his actions.

Note: Till now, as I'm writing this, that fellow did not apologizes for his actions in forum. Maybe he feel that he is right in doing what he had done. Maybe he still wanna deceive others. He can tell his friends his version of the story. As this is my blog, my memories, it's also within my every rights to write in defence of myself & also as a thanks to my friends who had supported me through this. Maybe some will feel agitated after reading this. Please be restraint with your words online. Remember, what you posted online will be held accountable in the eyes of the law. You can try your nonsense, but I don't think you will like the consequences. I'm a peaceful person till provoked.

And now, to more happy memories...
In the evening we went down to a newly open rojak stall operated by two members of another forum in support of their new venture. We ordered two plates of rojak. Very tasty! Wishing you guys best of luck & have lots of loyal customers queuing for your rojak!

A little guest salivating at yummy fruity rojak =P

Our group with stall owners


After rojak, we went to K-Box. Karaoke... haha... I can't sing for nuts, but I enjoyed listening to those who can. I just joined in certain chorus or went laaaaalalalalalalaaaaaaaa... or make silly noises as and when the occasion called for. Best is watching some of our guys friends singing love duel to each other. Broke Back Mountain! LOL!

Sober songsters before the craziness started

Gayish actions! =P


Sunday: Woke up late, rushed down to Chinasquare Central to pick up the new McFarlane Dragons series 5 which I'd ordered. I just love dragons! By now, I had collected quite a few dragons figures including those McFarlane sets. Series 6 coming up soon! Had a quick browse around the flea market for other figures, but nothing to my taste.

My New Dragons!


Rushed to City Hall MRT to meet my friends at Cafe Cartal. Ordered a late lunch of Hawaiian pork-ribs. Yummy!

My Sunday Lunch


One of my friends ordered two boxes of Dunkin Donuts. We attacked them expecting victory. Stuff ourselves silly. Can never completely annihilate them. They kept coming! We surrendered to the fierce onslaught of donuts.

Army of Donuts =P (Credit: Pic taken by my friend)


Chatted for hours there. Wide ranging topics from good company of food, naughty childhood days, caning from angry parents, kampongs, early days of playing in HDB flats, the sea, fishes, watching dolphins & whales...

Friday, June 08, 2007

Guangzhou Part 8 ~ Ice-Skating

One of my hobbies is ice-skating. I so love to ice-skate! Weird hobby for one living in a country w/o winter. Has been ice-skating since secondary school days mostly at Kallang. In Guangzhou, on our second day, when our host asked what I like to do, I answered "Is there ice-skating rink around here?" He remarked that there's this rink in Grandview Mall which is near our hotel. That time, I wasn't dress for it, but we went to have a look. The ice rink is on the 5th level surrounded by shops above it.

Ice-skating rink in Grandview Mall


I was so thrill when I saw the rink. I make my friend promise to bring me there another day. I must try it! So, the following week, we went ice-skating.

Entrance to the ice-skating rink

Row of coin-slot short movie machines at the entrance


It's just S$10 for 2 hours per adult including skate rental, much cheaper than in Singapore. They don't have ice-hockey skates which I prefer. Didn't bring my own skates there lah. Mad ar? Have to make do with figure skates.

All ready to rock & roll


Not much people there as it was a weekday. The rink is bigger than any in Singapore. Rink is good coz no water on ice unlike those in Singapore.

Rink inside a shopping mall


Had a hard time getting use to the figure skates, but I enjoyed every minute of it. And nope, I didn't fall & skate on my butt. Will ready freeze my ass off with those mini shorts I wore. Oh yes, I'm so happy! *Jump for joy!* I'd done it! Hooray! Me went ice-skating for the first time in a foreign land. Yeah! =P

Inside the rink

Me skating on foreign ice =P

Guangzhou Part 7 ~ Animal Farm

At the outskirts of Guangzhou city, there's this huge wholesale & retail center for plants & animals. The area is called Feng Cun. If you take the metro, alight at Huadiwan station. The building is right in front of the exit. Went there coz my dad asked me to buy a few aquarium pumps. The place is huge! Quite an enjoyable experience roaming there the whole day.

Yue He Plants & Animal World


The wholesale center is divided up into a few sections. After coming out from the underground exit, on the right facing you, are wholesalers of Chinese furniture, wood handiwork & home deco stuffs.

Hardwood, Soft Girl


To the left of that, is the aquarium section. Lots of aquarium, deco accessories & fishes. Not much of interest to me, but there was where I got the pumps.

Fishie Hobby

Realm of seashells, corals & painted hermit crabs


Continue on is the older section of the market where smaller shops are located. On the side, vendors display their wares on the floor like wet market, selling fishes & water plants.

Real & Fake Water Lilies

Fishie Business


Numerous small shops selling aquarium fishes & other aquatic novelties like crabs, lobsters, frogs & salamanders.

Little cute fishies =P

Aquatic Cuties

Meow! So many fishes & so little time!


Some of the shops sell pet oddities like scorpions(Gasp!), spiders(Eeeeeek!), snakes(Shiver...), lizards(Yuck!) & others creepy crawlies.

Creepy Crawlies

An Escapee! "I bet that if I stay still, no one will notice me."

Choosing Little Friends


Off to the side, under zinc shade are lots of vendors selling mostly tortoises. I dunno whether tortoise is the in thing for pets in China or not, but I've never seen so many different kinds of tortoises in one place.

Tortoise Market

Tortoise, tortoise & more tortoise

More Tortoises

My Slow Friends


And here we have painted tortoises! No idea why they paint the shell of those tortoises for. I'd seen shell painted with Chinese zodiac, lucky charms, cute animals, even Pikacu & Hello Kitty! Wth... it's really crazy manz...

Painted Tortoise


Since we are getting loony about tortoise, now for some tortoise humor...

Life of a Tortoise

Tortoise Actions


Across a lane from the tortoise vendors, you will come to a section selling bigger animals. Hamsters, rabbits, cats, dogs & a section for birds.

Cutie cutie black eye-patch rabbits

Friendly doggy & more eye-patch rabbits

Looking for Fine Feathered Friends

Birds of the same feather, caged together

Hello Parrot & Cockatoo


Bird owner warned that parrot & cockatoo bite... as if I dunno meh. He had been ogling me for sometime already. *row eyes* Asked where I'm from. My friend told him, "Singapore" Birdie man goes "Is it? Can't be!" In exasperation, my friend told him I am from Japan. Birdman loudly exclaimed "Of course! She's Japanese! No wonder so fair, cute & pretty!" and he went shouting to his friends nearby that I'm a 'Ka-mui'(Cantonese for Japanese girl) *fainted* Then he insisted on taking a pic with me. Said he wanna make his wife red eyes with jealousy. Ok lor, No problem. After my friend took the pic, Birdman wanted a copy thinking it's Polaroid. Alamak! Mountain tortoise lah! My friend told him it's digital cam & Birdman went off disappointed. Hahaha... stupid!

Me & BirdBrain xD