I'm a big fan of massages and lovely masseusses, so you'd think I'd love the proliferation of these shops in Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.
However, the workers of these many shops have to fight for customers, so they stick their brochures in your face as you, your family or friends stroll down this street in the heart of the city's Golden Triangle.
You can't enjoy the scenery, observe city life or simply WALK as these workers make your life hell. Imagine, you have to run the gauntlet of dozens of these workers in this street.
If Malaysia wants to impress tourists, it must get rid of these shops and workers and move them to an unobtrusive location.
Today's New Straits Times newspaper includes a story about representatives from 'charity homes' harassing visitors to the 'Eye on Malaysia' at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa for funds. Why can't these people stop bugging others and leave them in peace?
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007
Is that Minnie Mouse in a cheongsam?
It was adorable to see Minnie Mouse dressed in a cheongsam (Chinese dress). It was just too bad I couldn't get a picture with her and Mickey Mouse when I was at the Hong Kong Disneyland earlier this month.
I was last in HK in 1998 when I got the chance to dine at posh restaurants during the HK Food Festival. I had never seen so many Mercedes cars and high-rise buildings in such a small place.
The electrifying feeling then is still alive. But first, let me tell you what led me to dine on delicious mango dessert and dim sum in this part of the world.
A bunch of us decided to attend the HK Salsa Congress. I bought AirAsia tickets from Kuala Lumpur to Macau in December (475 ringgit, or US$135). The four-hour flight was smooth but sleeping in AirAsia's planes is a pain in your shoulder. I couldn't sleep at all and my friend is still suffering from pain in her shoulder due to its "ergonomic" leather seats.
We landed in Macau to clear blue skies. A taxi into town will cost you about HK$45, and along the way of your walk to the magnificent St Paul Ruins, you can enjoy the colouful buildings and buzz of excitement in this former Portuguese colony.
You have to pay HK$280 (135 ringgit) for the round-trip air-conditioned ferry ride to Hong Kong. The ferry lands in a terminal which is connected to the Special Administrative Republic's train system. I bought a HK$150 Octopus MRT pass, which includes a HK$50 refundable deposit.
This pass is a delight to use but it's also painful to the wallet as transportation here costs a bomb. In fact, practically everything here will laden tourists with debt. A South China Morning Post newspaper costs HK$7 (3.50 ringgit), compared withthe price of newspaper in Malaysia (1.20 ringgit). However, I enjoyed reading it due to its catchy headlines, for example, "Cellar's market" (about wine tax in HK); "Join the club" and "Called to the Bar" (about new entertainment outlets); and "New Yorkers getting weary of walking in a winter wonderland" (about snow storms in New York).
We stayed in Newton Hotel, a comfortable hotel near the Fortress Hill train station.
During the first night, we went to Causeway Bay, a mecca of shopping with its dazzling boutiques, flashy lights and women dressed in boots.
The next day awaited us with expectancy. It took us about 45 minutes on train to get to HK Disneyland (HK$295 or 131 ringgit entrance fee on a Friday, HK$350 on a Saturday). Don't let the entrance fee frighten you as you will spend a lot more on souvenirs (HK$430) and food (HK$60).
I must say that I was pretty excited getting to the resort but the excitement wasn't what I expected as I had grown up on a steady diet of Walt Disney cartoons and movies featuring the resorts in the US. The place was downright clean and a sense of euphoria and happiness permeated it.
If you come here, make it a point to attend the Lion King musical (three times a day). We spent a few hours in oblivious bliss, running from one place to another, only stopping for an expensive lunch. The queue for the Winnie the Pooh train ride wasn't worth it as the ride took a measly two to three minutes while you'd probably wait in line staring at the back of someone's head for 30 minutes, if you're lucky.
We made sure we got back in time as we were going to attend the HK Salsa Congress. The congress, now in its sixth edition, featured an amateur and open salsa competition on the first night. We were eager to hit the dance floor but we had to cut short our fun before 1am, and those who wanted to continue dancing at a club had to pay HK$120.
On Saturday, we Malaysians invaded the Ladies Market (equivalent to Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur) to shop. I bought T-shirts, souveniers and a classy lined-suit worth HK$250, or 111 ringgit). Bargaining with the vendors is wee bit difficult and requires hard skin. It's a legend that these vendors are a tough and rude lot, so be prepared to have your counter-offers rebuffed. As a rule, cut two-thirds off their price.
One thing I have deep respect for Hong Kongers is the cleanliness of their place; even the back lanes are clean.
The second night of the salsa congress was truly inspring as we got to see performances by World Salsa Championship winners Oliver and Luda from Australia (you can see more of their performances on YouTube), Jaime Jesus and Little Liz from Sydney and Pablo and Diana from Colombia and Argentina. Jaime's brother, by the way, won the open competition the night before with his partner.
Malaysia's Gavin Chan kept the flag flying with an African-flavoured performance.
As with the first night, those who wanted to continue dancing after just an hour at the HK CEC had to go to a club, which was packed and whose flooring was not conducive to salsa dancing. Even though it was free, it was no place to enjoy salsaing.
On Sunday, we had dim sum at a restuarant known for this food but even the best get it wrong; it forgot part of our order for 20 minutes. We later visited the Avenue of the Stars near the Peninsula Hotel. The promenade offers a fantastic view of high-rise buildings epitomising unbridled capitalism on Hong Kong island. Shoppers looking for crafts can browse at a few stalls that open on Sundays.
The closing night of the salsa congress once again brought great performances, but after the thank yous, you just had 30 minutes to dance till 12.30am before you adjourned elsewhere to continue dancing.
The congress here was inspiring for its shows but was a great letdown for its dancing. Many people paid a tonne of money to watch the shows and to dance (HK$750 for the last three nights of shows and dancing) but they got a lot of the first part and hardly anything of the second. The thrill of attending congresses is to dance with others, but if you didn't get your fill of that, what good would it be to attend it?
Some of us got up at 5am the next day to catch out flight back. We left the hotel at 6am to take the ferry to Macau at 7am and the AirAsia plane back home at 10.45.
I was last in HK in 1998 when I got the chance to dine at posh restaurants during the HK Food Festival. I had never seen so many Mercedes cars and high-rise buildings in such a small place.
The electrifying feeling then is still alive. But first, let me tell you what led me to dine on delicious mango dessert and dim sum in this part of the world.
A bunch of us decided to attend the HK Salsa Congress. I bought AirAsia tickets from Kuala Lumpur to Macau in December (475 ringgit, or US$135). The four-hour flight was smooth but sleeping in AirAsia's planes is a pain in your shoulder. I couldn't sleep at all and my friend is still suffering from pain in her shoulder due to its "ergonomic" leather seats.
We landed in Macau to clear blue skies. A taxi into town will cost you about HK$45, and along the way of your walk to the magnificent St Paul Ruins, you can enjoy the colouful buildings and buzz of excitement in this former Portuguese colony.
You have to pay HK$280 (135 ringgit) for the round-trip air-conditioned ferry ride to Hong Kong. The ferry lands in a terminal which is connected to the Special Administrative Republic's train system. I bought a HK$150 Octopus MRT pass, which includes a HK$50 refundable deposit.
This pass is a delight to use but it's also painful to the wallet as transportation here costs a bomb. In fact, practically everything here will laden tourists with debt. A South China Morning Post newspaper costs HK$7 (3.50 ringgit), compared withthe price of newspaper in Malaysia (1.20 ringgit). However, I enjoyed reading it due to its catchy headlines, for example, "Cellar's market" (about wine tax in HK); "Join the club" and "Called to the Bar" (about new entertainment outlets); and "New Yorkers getting weary of walking in a winter wonderland" (about snow storms in New York).
We stayed in Newton Hotel, a comfortable hotel near the Fortress Hill train station.
During the first night, we went to Causeway Bay, a mecca of shopping with its dazzling boutiques, flashy lights and women dressed in boots.
The next day awaited us with expectancy. It took us about 45 minutes on train to get to HK Disneyland (HK$295 or 131 ringgit entrance fee on a Friday, HK$350 on a Saturday). Don't let the entrance fee frighten you as you will spend a lot more on souvenirs (HK$430) and food (HK$60).
I must say that I was pretty excited getting to the resort but the excitement wasn't what I expected as I had grown up on a steady diet of Walt Disney cartoons and movies featuring the resorts in the US. The place was downright clean and a sense of euphoria and happiness permeated it.
If you come here, make it a point to attend the Lion King musical (three times a day). We spent a few hours in oblivious bliss, running from one place to another, only stopping for an expensive lunch. The queue for the Winnie the Pooh train ride wasn't worth it as the ride took a measly two to three minutes while you'd probably wait in line staring at the back of someone's head for 30 minutes, if you're lucky.
We made sure we got back in time as we were going to attend the HK Salsa Congress. The congress, now in its sixth edition, featured an amateur and open salsa competition on the first night. We were eager to hit the dance floor but we had to cut short our fun before 1am, and those who wanted to continue dancing at a club had to pay HK$120.
On Saturday, we Malaysians invaded the Ladies Market (equivalent to Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur) to shop. I bought T-shirts, souveniers and a classy lined-suit worth HK$250, or 111 ringgit). Bargaining with the vendors is wee bit difficult and requires hard skin. It's a legend that these vendors are a tough and rude lot, so be prepared to have your counter-offers rebuffed. As a rule, cut two-thirds off their price.
One thing I have deep respect for Hong Kongers is the cleanliness of their place; even the back lanes are clean.
The second night of the salsa congress was truly inspring as we got to see performances by World Salsa Championship winners Oliver and Luda from Australia (you can see more of their performances on YouTube), Jaime Jesus and Little Liz from Sydney and Pablo and Diana from Colombia and Argentina. Jaime's brother, by the way, won the open competition the night before with his partner.
Malaysia's Gavin Chan kept the flag flying with an African-flavoured performance.
As with the first night, those who wanted to continue dancing after just an hour at the HK CEC had to go to a club, which was packed and whose flooring was not conducive to salsa dancing. Even though it was free, it was no place to enjoy salsaing.
On Sunday, we had dim sum at a restuarant known for this food but even the best get it wrong; it forgot part of our order for 20 minutes. We later visited the Avenue of the Stars near the Peninsula Hotel. The promenade offers a fantastic view of high-rise buildings epitomising unbridled capitalism on Hong Kong island. Shoppers looking for crafts can browse at a few stalls that open on Sundays.
The closing night of the salsa congress once again brought great performances, but after the thank yous, you just had 30 minutes to dance till 12.30am before you adjourned elsewhere to continue dancing.
The congress here was inspiring for its shows but was a great letdown for its dancing. Many people paid a tonne of money to watch the shows and to dance (HK$750 for the last three nights of shows and dancing) but they got a lot of the first part and hardly anything of the second. The thrill of attending congresses is to dance with others, but if you didn't get your fill of that, what good would it be to attend it?
Some of us got up at 5am the next day to catch out flight back. We left the hotel at 6am to take the ferry to Macau at 7am and the AirAsia plane back home at 10.45.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Hitting the right 'accent' in salsa
Man, I had a great time learning how to "hit" the accents in salsa dance. My On2 instructor talked non-stop for 80 minutes and, at the end of it, I was overwhelmed with information. I've learned many routines and shines from him in classses since July 2005 and I admire his interpretation of salsa dance.
To interepret accents in salsa, he said, I should listen to as many songs as possible or anticipate them. He said most salsa songs repeated themselves, so it was possible to hear accents for the first time in a song and then anticipate and react to them later in the song.
How do I hit an accent? I could use shines or I could free style.
The instructor showed how I could use a set of shines differently, depending on the mood of the music.
BTW, the class cost me 170 ringgit (US$48) and I enjoyed every minute of it.
To interepret accents in salsa, he said, I should listen to as many songs as possible or anticipate them. He said most salsa songs repeated themselves, so it was possible to hear accents for the first time in a song and then anticipate and react to them later in the song.
How do I hit an accent? I could use shines or I could free style.
The instructor showed how I could use a set of shines differently, depending on the mood of the music.
BTW, the class cost me 170 ringgit (US$48) and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Monday, February 5, 2007
EPF declares 5.15% dividend. Should we party?
Malaysia's Employees' Providend Fund today announced a 5.15% dividend for last year, up from 2005's 5%. The New Straits Times on Feb 4 said the EPF may announce a 5.3% dividend.
The NST quoted an "official" who said contributors should not complain as the dividend was still higher than the average of 3.6% interest on a 12-month fixed deposit.
I'm grateful for whatever dividends I and my fellow contributors get. Thank you (100x). But I can't get this niggling feeling out of my head. My company's co-operative usually gives a 6% dividend every year. My two unit trust funds have a combined return of investment of 21.1% as of December 2006. One has an annualised growth of 16.2% and the other, 11.8%.
I appreciate that the EPF invests in fixed deposits and less-risky investments and I appreciate that the fund's automated system of contributions make sure that people put money aside for their retirement. But is 5.15% sufficient in a climate of rising cost? Can the EPF do better? Should contributors give it the green light to invest abroad and in riskier investments?
The NST quoted an "official" who said contributors should not complain as the dividend was still higher than the average of 3.6% interest on a 12-month fixed deposit.
I'm grateful for whatever dividends I and my fellow contributors get. Thank you (100x). But I can't get this niggling feeling out of my head. My company's co-operative usually gives a 6% dividend every year. My two unit trust funds have a combined return of investment of 21.1% as of December 2006. One has an annualised growth of 16.2% and the other, 11.8%.
I appreciate that the EPF invests in fixed deposits and less-risky investments and I appreciate that the fund's automated system of contributions make sure that people put money aside for their retirement. But is 5.15% sufficient in a climate of rising cost? Can the EPF do better? Should contributors give it the green light to invest abroad and in riskier investments?
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Man Utd's fantastic four
Gary Neville's hand-pumping after the end of the game said it all: Man Utd is tightening its grip on the English Premiership trophy.
The team had demolished Watford 4-0 at home and continued its rich vein of form with the thrashing of Tottenham Hotspurs by a similar scoreline on Feb 4. "Whitewash at White Hart Lane" blared the headlines from the New Straits Times newspaper, Malaysia.
People (Jose Mourinho of Chelsea) had expected the Red Devils to stumble in this tricky trip to London but Utd came through with flying colours, reflected by the verve, speed and occasional stumble of Ronaldo.
The game was tight in the first half as neither side made headway. Patrice Evra kept the lid on Aaron Lennon and the latter was inconspicuous throughout the game, while Dimitar Berbatov spurned a chance in the first half and two after the break.
Once Nemanja Vidic scored Utd's second, it was one-way traffic for the visiting team. It could even afford to play a midfielder in goal for the last 10 minutes, and enjoy the 'goalkeeper's' save.
Could this be Utd's year? Could it kiss the trophy again after three barren years? I'm beginning to believe so.
The team had demolished Watford 4-0 at home and continued its rich vein of form with the thrashing of Tottenham Hotspurs by a similar scoreline on Feb 4. "Whitewash at White Hart Lane" blared the headlines from the New Straits Times newspaper, Malaysia.
People (Jose Mourinho of Chelsea) had expected the Red Devils to stumble in this tricky trip to London but Utd came through with flying colours, reflected by the verve, speed and occasional stumble of Ronaldo.
The game was tight in the first half as neither side made headway. Patrice Evra kept the lid on Aaron Lennon and the latter was inconspicuous throughout the game, while Dimitar Berbatov spurned a chance in the first half and two after the break.
Once Nemanja Vidic scored Utd's second, it was one-way traffic for the visiting team. It could even afford to play a midfielder in goal for the last 10 minutes, and enjoy the 'goalkeeper's' save.
Could this be Utd's year? Could it kiss the trophy again after three barren years? I'm beginning to believe so.
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