Jonker Street Music Festival

Took my new dslr for a spin at this festival which was held in Jonker Street this weekend.

Held in the ever popular tourist trap, Jonker Walk, it had all the credentials of being a good Saturday night out; however; in my personal opinion it fell a little flat because:

1. Drinks & beers were very difficult to get hold of. One had to leave the music, to buy drinks from the surrounding shops. Mark, maybe next year you could arrange for Carlsberg to organize some promoters to act as waitresses for the nearby shops?
2. The crowd did not understand the music.

3. As the event clashed with the San Pedro Festival in Portuguese Square; the music loving portuguese community was ill represented in Jonker Street.

4. It was HOT! HOT! HOT!

5. The Straits Meridian Logo was obscured by the band.

       Mark Ruffin; organizer of the festival.              Ser Heng & Christine

Me

Have just been sent this link to Mark's videos of the event. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/user/jonkerwalkfest

A long day

A couple of pictures of our tour members catching fifty winks through our long first day which started in Malacca on the previous day.

South China Trip - End of the First Day

After the shopping detour (more like a pre-dinner stop-over) we the went over to the Sun Yet Sen Memorial Hall. This is an architectural masterpiece; built between 1929 and 1931; octagonal in shape with a 71m column-less span. An interesting aside in the building is the remarkable resemblance between or tour organizer Mr. Wong Chan Wah and a bust of Dr. Sun Yet Sen.

Next it was off to dinner at the same hotel that we had lunch at. Nothing remarkable to comment on except that the tour company informed us that this dinner was sponsored by the tour company, as we were expensing the meals budget too quickly.  

After dinner we went on a river cruise on the Pearl River. Lots of pretty lights. A good peaceful end to a long day.

Where's Vijay?

Where's Vijay? He's not on Star Sports coverage of Wimbledon!!
He's not in the new Bond film is he?!

Oh!! He's just made an appearance...

I've just realised that we've not seen much of Vijay because of the fine weather.
They're just showing the live tennis. Just shows you that sometimes we do miss the bantter of the pundits.

Baths in China

This one's for Mr Koh

Sung to the tune of Mr. Sandman

Glug.... glug... glug... glug... (2x8)

Mr Bath-plug run me a bath
Kindly ensure that this one will drain
Unlike the one in the White Swan which was a pain
Mr Bath-plug don't leave a ring.

Freezing Cold

Monkeys in Sapporo keeping warm in hot springs

I received an email the other day from Emiko, a Japanese friend who I met at the English teaching course at the British Council.

I had seeked her advise about visiting Japan in December. 

She had pointed out that it might be best to avoid Hokkaido during winter as it     was "freezing cold".

Now, that description has stayed in my mind, for although it would be considered inelegant: reiteration, I believe is the technical term: doesn't it just gets it's meaning across with rapier sharpness? How very Emiko, although not technically correct, once again she manages to communicate her meaning across with elegant sharpness. One of the best communicators/ teachers out there.    

Pimms' Anyone?

It's that time of year again...Time for Strawberries & Cream, Cucumber Sandwiches, Pimms' and Rain Delays. Yes it's time when the English dust off their wooden rackets and take to the courts once again. A time when a tiara at court-side is not unusual.

 

It's Wimbledon!

Did anyone see Andy Murray play Fabrice Santoro just now? Wasn't it fun? Watching this little French-man feint and chop his way through the match? So much so, he had Andy Murray doing it as well.

Anyway... what is Clay? It's the stuff you grow GRASS on!

Street Food and the Sith Lord.

The Sith Lord doing what come naturally: coaxing the sinful stuff to the innocents.

Despite being in a shopping haven, the only interest our group showed was in the food so readily available in the street and hawker centres. True to his calling, the Sith Lord was at the center of the feeding frenzy. 

The "Sith Lord in Training" watching his master at work, offering sinful morsals to innocents.

A true favorite was a snack a little like Yakitori, squid, chicken etc, grilled and served on sticks; not to mention the pork stew with all the bits; which normally would not be eaten; in it. 

Shanxiajiu Shopping, Guangzhau

Shanxiajiu Shopping District is a Pedestrian High Street (i.e. It wasn't a mall). It reminded me a little like Bromley High Street. Another surprising aspect was that there wasn't that many people around. I was expecting alot more considering that it was a Saturday afternoon in China. 

Tour of South China II

                  Lounge by the Pearl River

   The 4 Ladies at the Atrium of the White Sw

an

After lunch on the 1st day, we checked into our hotel, the "White Swan".  A very nice hotel it is to. A sophisticated 5 star hotel full of amenities and facilities, so much so that a member of our party did not know how to work the drain plug on the bath!!

After a shower and a quick rest, we were taken to shopping in Shanxiajiu shopping s

treet.

Some of the unusual items displayed on the street. 

Are You Smarter then an American TV Producer?

      Anne Robinson                                                                                                                            Jeff Foxworthy

Whilst watching the American quiz show, "Are You Smarter then a 5th Grader" it occurred to me that a comparison with the British quiz show "The Weakest Link" might make interesting reading.

So here's my thoughts on the comparison between the two shows.

1. Prize money

The top prize on "5th Grader" is $1,000,000; on "The Weakest Link" £10,000. Yes... count the zeros. 

2. The constants - qualities required

"5th Grader" - the ability to whoop and act like a drunk, high on speed. A claque of whooping supporters would also help a lot.

"The Weakest Link" - the ability to not get severely pissed off by the bullying and humiliating barbs thrown by Anne Robinson.

3.The Quiz Masters

"5th Grader" 

Jeff Foxworthy  - a supportive and throughly pleasant chap.

"The Weakest Link" 

Anne Robinson - totally unsympathetic, rude and throughly unpleasant bitch. Nicknamed "The Queen of Mean"

4. The Questions (the easy ones)

"5th Grader" - All of them!!

"The Weakest Link" - What "B" is the fluid that carries the vital nutrients in the body. Try answering that when you are stressed by time pressure with the spot-light on you!

5. So why are they so successful in their own countries?

"5th Grader" - Don't you feel empathy with the contestants when you know the answers most of the questions? The size of prize money also adds to the excitement and viewing experience. Frankly the whooping pisses me off.

"The Weakest Link" - In a country where one of its most successful men (Max Mosely) pays expensive prostitutes to beat and humiliate him. Need you ask?

Tiger Tiger in the Loot

Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods

The more he suffers the better he shoots

It's just a pain in his foot

Once more he gathers all the loot

Look out her comes the Tiger Woods

Sung to the theme song of Spider-man

Ronaldo the Dodo

Christino Ronaldo, the boy from Madeira

Is now seeking the lira

He wants to join Madrid

I believe that MU should rid

Themselves of this pesky kid

And coerse a mighty Real bid 

Ronaldo stretching for the Chop

My wish list from the Real bid:

1. Karim Benzema

2. Micha Richards

3. David Bentley

The Battle of the Bulge

It was billed as the battle between the babe and the tank

However during the trophy presentation, when they both stood next to the Belgian franc

that it became obvious, both Ana and Safina

are built like Serena!!

Serena showing some bulges

Hogging the Menu

 For all the odd stuff that we ate on this China trip, the one item which was always on the menu was the old roast pig. I believe that the count was 5 hogs to 0.

We were well stuffed with pork in all it's forms

One dish which I could not keep down was the "Home Style Soup Noodle"; with a mutton stock base. God it was gamy!! It smelt and tasted like a wet yak after a shag. Yuk! 

Your Sweet Attention

The penchant of the Chinese Language for flowery adjectives produces some interesting mistranslations. Below are some memorable examples seen in China.

Sweet Attention : Kindly note

Weak People: Disabled Persons

Fragrant Ruthless Chicken Wings : Fragrant Spicy Chicken Wings

The Benign Medicine Shop : ????????

Tour of South China

0.1 The Appetizer

To kick the tour off, we decided to start at Elcardo in Changkat Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur.

With our flight leaving at 5am in the morning, some idiot (i.e. me) suggested we start the holiday by driving up to KL the previous evening and have a slap-up meal before begining the tour. Unfortunately some other idiots AGREED!! So off we went, and the first boar was downed before the actual tour kicked off.

                           Andreas of Elcardo chopping up the boar with a side plate. (1st Boar of the trip)

1.1 Ghuangzhaou "The first meal"

After an uneventful flight, we were immediately brought to the first meal of our trip. 

This was in a "small" local restaurant. Small indeed! It had a sitting capacity for at least 100 and at least 3 private rooms! 

 Specialties sampled included pineapple beer, the local rice wine and

 the "low yee" (fish). An "Entry Level" start to the trip. 

The pineapple beer being sampled in Pepsi cups.

1.2 Ghuangzhou (City of Smog and Elevated Highways)

I'll just let the pictures do the talking. Please note the highway over the cables of the cable-car in the last photograph.

 

to be continued.......