Read somewhere that you laugh many times more as a kid than as an adult. How sad! Guess I should stay a kid for as long as I can…. the time slot is closing quickly.. just look at Nic… he’s working now! Don’t play play ah..!!!

The 2010 Australian Election resulted in almost a 50-50 result – currently none of the major parties have secured a 76th seat… guess they’ll be busy trying to capture the independents…

Jian Wei has been creating lots’a categories for posting!!!

Nic and Ying Wei will know their fate tomorrow! Examination results will be out kkekekeke… all the best~

Have been “fighting” for my ENGG2800 grade to be changed from a 5 to 7. Sure appreciate my mom’s effort to lobby and what not for previous instances, having gone through a similar experience.

Wonder how is Irna enjoying the Youth Olympics in Singapore.

Wonder when was the last time I did something crazy . Feel that everyone becomes more square as they age. :S

Been so long since I touched my DSLR. Thinking of getting a sturdy tripod for the river fire event.

Need a jump start to my academic life. No drive so far :S.

Looking forward to my Melbourne trip this mid semester break. Starting 25th of September.

Graffiti everywhere.

But if one just tilt his/her head a little higher, and squint the eyes a little, one could see the exact opposite: grandiose buildings with ornate decorations from the baroque era imposing their weight around the surging forces of modernity and chaos. These charming old boutiques have stood witness to atrocities that would make a person shudder – the massive massacre of the Jews, the torture rampage of the Soviets – these buildings speak tales of destruction and birth once more.

The Grand Opera House: It’ll be coming here tomorrow for a show! =)

It is said that the Hungarians are a rebellious lot. History has casted them as the sacrificial lambs of greater human powers. Budapest has been sacked, rebuilt, sacked again, and rebuilt once more. Each time its fate faced the cruelties of different oppressors: the Hamburgs from Austria, the Ottomans from Turkey, the forced Partition after World War 1 that gave rise to countries like Romania etc., the unspeakable genocide of Hitler to the brutalities of the Soviet Union. But each time Hungary was beaten down, it fought back – bursting back to life like a flaming phoenix, refashioned with a new but more durable soul.

A Moment of Their Own

It is in Budapest that the first McDonalds opened beyond the Iron Curtain – the hallmark of Western capitalism – after the fall of the Soviet Union. It was here that Margaret Thatcher gave her famous speech about the open society that sent the hymns of freedom reverberating through the chords of the once-oppressed. Now the Soviets are no more; tourists flocking the streets ogling at the remnants of Budapest’s yesteryears; couples parading beside the river – basking in their love.

Refashioning one’s identity is a messy process. It doesn’t come without a steep price. Each time one adopts a new adaptable mask, though the probability of survival increases, he/she gives up a part of their pasts. And if done too often, one starts to forget between the real and the facade.

Sunset in Budapest.

Budapest had taken many hits and lived to tell the tale. Now it just has to look itself in the mirror, and ask whether it could still recognize the reflection that is staring back at them.

Don’t let the sun set on what you have so long stood for: your identity.

Anyway this time round, I decided to ask Pei Yi, Jessica, Ee Leen and Brian to join in for the Pork Burger quest!

Cristang is located in a fairly quiet area called 8th Avenue near Hilton PJ. If you ask me, I actually thought 8th Avenue was rather dead, since many shops are still not opened there yet, the last time I visited the place in June the place looked the same! For an awesome place that houses awesome PORK dishes to be located in 8th Avenue, to be honest if not for Aaron Kee and some blog recommendations, I wouldn’t have known of the place back then.

For specific directions to Cristang, kindly click here!

If you scout around the blogs, they will surely recommend the P1-P7 Pork burgers served here. Of course now they’ve added P8 and P9 to the menu, which are tandoori and korean kimchi flavour. P7, dubbed the Urban Legend is the so called best pork burger there, but it might differ according to personal preference, because that one has petai in it!

Brian and I went for P3, which has bacon, cheese and PORK chili con carne as the fillings. The girls, perhaps abit not so adventurous, chose P2, which has only bacon and cheese.

The P3 Pork Burger. RM23.80

The potato wedges that came with it, are not side dishes added just for decorations. The owner of Cristang actually gave them some great marinating and baking perhaps. They were DELICIOUS! Perfect add-on to the mouth watering burgers I would say.

Fresh Lemonade. RM6.80

I was being generous today, so I decided to order something different. I saw that they serve lemonade on the menu, hence decided to give it a try. This lemonade, WOW! Definitely not your ordinary lemonade which tasted like soft drink mixed with lemon. The lemonade here is so KAO, I actually love it. Though Brian said it tasted like ENO, after feeling ‘conned’ into ordering it, since he never saw the price.

Perhaps only one thing I wish to clarify in this blog post, if you happen to stumble upon this post seeking information about Cristang, the 20% discount every wednesday on all Pork Burgers have been discontinued!! The blog posts that show up on your google search probably didn’t update that piece of information.

Discount or not, I believe Cristang pork burgers are worth giving a try, if you’re a pork lover like me.

Man, they should pay me for this! Haha!

From Istanbul Europe looking at Istanbul Asia.

My body wasn’t enjoying the visible layer of sweat that has formed on the surface of my skin. After 2 days, the scorching heat had finally gotten to me, making me a very snappish person. Despite the teases from the clear blue sky and calls echoing from Istanbul Asia, the visual picture of me tucked nicely behind my velvet duvet in Magdalen College, University of Oxford, without the irritation of an unusually hot summer proved to be overwhelming. The multiple collisions with tourists and locals along our way to the Galata Bridge didn’t make the walk any easier.

Fishing on the Galata Bridge!

But fortunes started to change as we reached the bridge that we had to cross to Istanbul Asia or the New District of Istanbul. The Galata Bridge was busy; cars and heavy vehicles make their way on this bridge from both directions, emancipating the hustle and bustle feel of the bridge. However, this pursuit of economic gains failed to overshadow the throng of people fishing by the walkways of the bridge. I was always intrigued by fishing; though behind the simplicity of this activity lies a wealth of knowledge that is beyond my comprehension, the thing that has always puzzled was the level of patience that goes into this past time. I could NEVER have mustered the necessary amount of patience to be this idle. Fishing for hours beside a busy bridge under the scorching heat?

I prefer women in bikinis.

***

The New District proved very much unlike its predecessor, the Old Town. It neither had the historic baggage seeped into the facades of its buildings, nor did it bother hiding the fact that most of its buildings are modern, plain and similar. Huge white columns filled the steep hills, occasionally punctured by a building or two that bothered to put a little more effort than its counterparts. On top of that, there was another peculiar sight: satellite dishes certainly sprouted like mushrooms. I reckoned that most of the Turks stayed here as opposed to the Old Town.

Hilly paths and ubiquitous satellite dishes.

The hilly path exerted an early fatigue to an already grumpy person. I have always been a skeptic on splurging any money on running up any ‘sky-scrapper.’ Hailing from Kuala Lumpur, if even the KL Tower could hardly impress me, then I doubt any other of its peers could. Panoramic view had its perks, but its akin to a short fuse that fizzles out after a few minutes. A place is famed or revered because of its nuances – the micro-quirks that couldn’t be found in any other surface of the planet. The view from a sky scrapper smoothens these charms away; making the uniquely quaint distinctions of a space miniscule compared to the endless spread of the blue sky with its platoons of clouds.

But I went up anyway.

Because despite my grudging disapproval of these expenditures, there is just something thrilling to the sight of endless span of things. An excitement that is accentuated as we make a 360 degrees walk around the platform, with all of human’s inventions within the trappings of our visual cage. The heavy puffs of strong winds added further hype to moment.

We feel so big. We feel so powerful.

We are the masters of our universe.

]]> http://ourcoffeestops.com/2010/08/istanbul-day-3-to-heaven-and-back-again/feed/ 2 http://ourcoffeestops.com/2010/08/signed/ http://ourcoffeestops.com/2010/08/signed/#comments Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:26:23 +0000 Nicholas http://ourcoffeestops.com/?p=5373

A brief update.

A new phase of life will begin next Monday. Hopefully I am done with studies once and for all

For starters, I really hope I am still able to update this little column of mine in Coffeestops, its been a bittersweet journey with all the authors with only lovely memories to be remembered.

This week being the last week I can live my life as a… hmm, student? It sure did made me reminisced on the past. However, that being said, I’m absolutely looking forward to working life. Not so much so of having my own income, but more of another step forward to independence.

The bird that used to be so small has started to spread its wings and ready to leave its nest. More challenges will come, definitely, but I’ll learn to place my focus on God, as He is the only one that can bring me through anything in life.

Joshua 1:9 – Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

With this, a new chapter in life unfolds.

The Blue Mosque at Night.

Among the maze of humble abodes, sat a boy on the open-air patio with the light from his Macbook dispelling the thick web of darkness away. From the patio he saw the Blue Mosque flashed its prowess and for a moment he forgotten about the uncomfortableness of his body. Perspiration from the hot and humid air gave way to the strong gushes of wind that brought with it band-aids of relieve.

There was hardly anything stirring the silence, except for the few drunken idiots who created a momentary ruckus when they knocked down a metal trash can. It was said that one could listen with their eyes. There was no need for any auditory extravaganza – not for a moment like this. Just an open heart, and an awed soul were enough to bring out the strands of melodies that swelled through the space, blocking out everything else except the adored object and the observer.

In this world, even silence is music.

]]> http://ourcoffeestops.com/2010/08/istanbul-at-night/feed/ 2 http://ourcoffeestops.com/2010/08/istanbul-putting-a-face-to-the-past/ http://ourcoffeestops.com/2010/08/istanbul-putting-a-face-to-the-past/#comments Sun, 08 Aug 2010 23:05:45 +0000 Jian Wei http://ourcoffeestops.com/?p=5352 “It’s 32 degrees Celsius, just to let you know.” said Zhi Wei in a groggy tone that masked the excitement that he had. “Oh god,” I muttered under my breath. It has been 2 years since I last been under such warmth – the blazing heat from home seems so foreign to me right now; and I guess that worked pretty much to my disadvantage in Istanbul. The view from the plane’s window was enough to start me perspiring – long barren air strip with metallic glass infrastructures casted against a bright yellow backdrop.

But our transition into Istanbul was smooth. The people were very friendly here – sometimes too friendly for our liking. The train operator literally pinched my cheeks, while muttering some Turkish words in a tone that could only spell one thing: CUTE. But on a large scale, it really does make me wonder how society has shaped me. Both Zhi Wei and I were raised in an environment where generous gestures from strangers were viewed with immense suspicion; hinging on the solemn premise that there is no possible way in which someone could be so nice without having any perverse motives. It’s sad really – where the chords of our souls are tuned to view the worst in people and the only banner we have to hide behind is that of prudence: better be safe than sorry. Sometimes it really makes me wonder how many kind souls I have missed out in my life just because I was too caught up in the fictitious pursuit of my self-defense.

But in Istanbul, though still with immense reservations, we try to fathom the fact that there are such things as kind gestures: some people just strike up random conversations because they are genuinely interested in where we come from and are determined to make us feel welcomed in their motherland; some vendors would literally walk up to us when they sensed we were struggling with map that contained the labyrinth of roads, and they helped us: with only a smile and handshake in return.

Sure there are bad apples, but I rather put my faith in people than to hide away in the shadows of humanity.

“I can help you if you want!” muttered a local as we were fiddling with the ticketing machine at the train station. “You heading to Sultanahmed?” she enquired. “We are at the wrong side of the station!” as she gestured us to follow her. Well, we literally crossed the tracks to the other side of the station – a definite first for the both of us! The public transportation here is amazing: clean, and properly air-conditioned: something which the London Tube can learn from.

The modern tram snaked through the city – a jarring contrast if you asked me: an injection of modernity amidst a city that goes back all the way to the Roman Empire. As we approached the city center, Istanbul began to reveal its majesty. There is a thick scent of history in the air – a city that is well conscious of its status in the eyes of the world. Amidst the organic growth of rather modest homes, a few mammoth-like architecture that are well designed to SHOCK AND AWE stood out.

The majestic Hagia Sofia.

On the first day [we decided to take it easy], we decided to visit the first: Hagia Sofia. Constructed initially as a church by the Roman Emperor Justinian circa 500 A.D ++, it has been converted into a mosque when it fell into the hands of the Ottoman Empire somewhere circa 1500 A.D ++. As a result, the architecture paints remnants of a seamless convergence between Mohammedan and Christian cultures – a tacit reminder to the world today on what heights we could scale if only we start learning from one another, rather than trying to tear each other apart.

The entrance to Hagia Sofia.

In its own right, Hagia Sofia – whether as a church or as a mosque, was the greatest of its kind. It’s of no wonder that the construction of this magnificent icon nearly bankrupted both civilizations. Upon entering the Nave – the crux of the place, both Zhi Wei and I were just speechless.

The Nave – the bomb of the place! =)

In the midst of all the huge domes, there chandeliers that hang from the ceiling like the lamp of light dangled from heaven. The air buzzed with conversations of excited tourists. There were kids running around; mothers propping themselves against the huge marble pillars that support the upper floor; and there were just locals who sit down without any clear purpose or plan….just soaking it in. The space was so huge that there was enough space for everyone, irrespective of one’s intentions.

On a more personal note, I have always wanted to visit Istanbul. It stretches way back to the years of my high school when most of my peers would dread even the sight of our history textbook, what more the chapters were devoted to the rise of the Islamic Empire. But I’ve always taken a liking for those chapters – my heart starts to flutter a little with excitement as I started imagining the grand buildings and technological prowess of that empire. After all, weren’t they the civilization that invented algebra, ruled over seas, and made massive improvements to almost all facets of our lives?This fascination followed me all the way till the University of Michigan where I had always wanted to pick up Arabic. Alas, somethings had to give for other greater things to pass. If it weren’t for my stint in the University of Oxford, I would have been in the American University of Cairo, Egypt studying Arabic.

And till now I couldn’t believe that I am in Istanbul – the heart of the Ottoman Empire.

Once upon a time, Islamic calligraphy can exists side by side Christian influences.

It seems tragic to me as I witness the unfolding of antagonism between the West and Islam in general. 9/11 had altered the tunes of harmony to a pitch that grates the global community as a whole. Coming here keeps me grounded to my believes and adds credo to my stand that once upon a time there was a moment where cultures could blend so harmoniously – we learnt from each other and thus became stronger than we could ever have been if were just alone.

We would have to relearn the lessons of the past.

How easy we forget.

So it’s right smack in the middle of winter and guess who decided to hit the beach. Me… and a group of Malaysians and the ever i-don’t-care-if-its-freezing-cold-i-want-to-get-a-sun-tan locals. This time around, UQMSA (credits to the organisers, thank you ) organised a Whale Watching trip. Members paid only AUD 60 which is a deal, considering that transport was also provided! Gathering point was at the UQ bus stop and Malaysian timing got the best of us.. hahaha (okay, most of us came on time!) Organising committee gave us a curry puff, juice box and a pill for seasickness each. “Take your pill 1/2 hour before going on the boat!”. Ah yes, I was screaming… “PILSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS”, just like the guys in L4D. Classic game. Loved it lots

Okay, we got on the bus and before we knew it, we were already there. Quickly received our boarding passes and off we went! The “ushers” constantly invited us to proceed to the boat. Wonder why? We were not even late at all. Geez. (Guess they just want everybody on board the boat ASAP). Just like in L4D, I didn’t take my pills. Reason being I don’t know for sure whether I suffer from seasickness and wanted to test it out. Board the boat and greeted the personnel “pirately” and got a “pirate” reply.. hahahha. Bla-bla-bla, yada-yada, we were out to the vast ocean, hopeful to catch some whale action. Ah, I never expected anything fantastic today as the longest focal length I was a pathetic 70mm (x1.6 crop factor) – similar to your eye. T’was this guy with a 300mm F2.8L IS USM with a 1.4x extender.. holy cow!

A first for whale watching, it was almost my first time having a polarizer attached to my lens. I noticed dust on my sensor (looking at the pictures) and tried to “clean” it. Whatever I did didn’t do anything. Got fed up and didn’t bother about it. Photoshop to the rescue!! So, the boat runs on a combustion engine (DUH). Fumes from the engine just messed up my head. I got a headache after taking a whiff … wait, make that 100000 whiffs. So I can’t conclude 100% whether I am immune to seasickness or not. Though I can say that the first 30 minutes of the boat ride I was feeling great. I so need a military grade biological mask. Ah yes, the waves were moderate today and everyone was treated to a roller coaster ride. Those at the “front” (okay, I don’t know terms for boats!) had “fun” with water splashing on em…

Woopiee yai yay, we did see some whales but unfortunately they “were not on drugs”. All we could see was just a tiny part of the whale on the surface to exchange air. Only once did a whale make a big splash. I missed it. Was more interested with covering my nose with my sweater. Remember the fumes? Ugh. Gave up on trying to take pictures and just enjoyed myself. That was certainly much better. Heh. Was glad to set foot on shore again .. because I DIDN’T HAVE TO INHALE THE TOXIC FUMES ANYMORE! After the “exciting” whale watching expedition, we rode the bus to Surfer’s Paradise for “free time”. Everyone went their own ways. I took a walk along the beach with my buddy. Oh no, they weren’t any topless women.

Reached UQ at 6.00 PM or so.

So I’ve experienced the MSLS for the first time. I must say, that it was a totally enriching experience! Other than it being boring for a few sessions, the highlights of the event really made it worth attending.

Then again, I wouldn’t be able to make comparisons as I missed the last MSLS, of which I forgot to register for it, but made sure I made it this time round.

For those who have never heard of the MSLS, its a forum organised annually by the UKEC, known as the United Kingdom and Eire Council for Malaysian Students since 2007 when the summit first kicked off. Political leaders/big shots, business leaders, young entrepreneurs are the usual speakers on the list, where students sign up for the forum to come together to discuss national issues or rather, have a better understanding on what issues that are currently facing the nation.

Sounds boring to some of you? Well then, its time you fine tune yourself to have more concern for your beloved country. but well, I guess thats inevitable, I don’t wanna be ‘accused’ of trying to force my ideology on others when all I did was just ask of people to be more concerned for whats going on in their country. *shrugs* Meh.

Anyway, for an event which was free, yes, free. It means you don’t have to pay a single cent to attend, all you need to do is register. So for an event which was free, there were huge loads of freebies that were distributed though. Got a 4GB thumb drive among the freebies too. Hey, I was suppose to make a trip down to the upcoming PC Fair for one, gah I am cheap, sue me.

The 4th MSLS was held in Nikko Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. I think it has been held there for the past 3 years as well. This year’s summit featured some of the nation’s political powerhouses, ie. Tengku Razaleigh, the Deputy PM YAB Muhyiddin Yassin, Tony Pua, Dato Sri Mustapa Mohamed, Ibrahim Ali, Khairy Jamaluddin, Khalid Samad and of course the Home Minister, Dato Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

For those who were following me on Twitter, or even have me as a friend on Facebook would have had a rough idea of what happened throughout the summit.

Probably the main highlight of the event was the topic of whether does politics of ideology trump that of race, which featured a three-way-debate between Ibrahim Ali, whom we heard enough of from all the PERKASA hype, Khairy Jamaluddin, who represent the ruling coalition and also UMNO Youth, and lastly Khalid Samad, being a representative of the opposition Pakatan Rakyat and also of PAS. If you own a Mkini account, its updated there already. If you don’t, you can always view it on the Malaysian Insider.

I was actually planning on just attending the 1st day, since I’ve got photography duties in church on Sunday so I thought might as well skip the 2nd day. It was this session particularly that led to my change of mind on Saturday evening, true enough I was glad I never missed it live.

One of the few things I really like about the MSLS is that, it provides a very good avenue for networking. Not to mention the many intellectual conversations that I really enjoyed having with some of them. One of them even asked me about Coffeestops, haha oh boy was I surprised.

Thanks for reading, if you still do read.

So all in all, now that the 4th MSLS is over, I’ve kinda had nothing much to look forward to.

Oh wait, have I updated you guys that I will most likely start working on the 16th of August? Fellow authors, I’ve (almost) secured a job offer!! Just pending a medical check-up which is due on Tuesday.

You could say I’m looking forward to work for various reasons, but then again its only human nature to say I would be missing the times of bumming around. Hmm, never satisfied with life eh?

I certainly hope I will be available for the 5th MSLS next year though, if the workload allows for such day offs during the weekend, haha. Well till then, I guess now I gotta shift my focus to career building.

Wish me luck, guys.

Well no surprise that I am back in Australia, pursuing the third year of my Electrical Engineering It definitely was just like yesterday I started my first semester of Engineering. I am pretty sure the same applies to all 3rd and 4th year students. My brief holiday in Malaysia was okay although I missed attending the College Camp and the Garden of Eden. The first was due to my examinations date and the latter… well I just had to fly off on that night. Hey, it’s not that I chose my departure date to be on the night of the rally on purpose!

My return flight to Australia wasn’t as agonizing as the flight back to Malaysia. Reason being 1) it was a night flight 2) I was very sleepy (have been depriving myself of sleep). Even so, I only managed to sleep 2 hours before waking up again. Oh well, I was happy to be in my room once again. There’s nothing like “home”! By the way, 3 of my housemates moved out… so I am now living with a Scot, American, Australian and Singaporean.. cheers Looking forward to new experiences!!

Just attended the UQMSA barbecue today an played some Frisbee. I love Frisbee!!! Will be watching some whales next week.. cheers!

There’s much I want to tell the world but unfortunately they are one liners and won’t count as a post.

I believe that life is not about crossing paths, but the amount of footprints you leave in each other’s lives. I would trample all over you !

P/S : I’m fat :S