Street Food

Bangkok street food. I like them

Grilled banana

My favorite - mango and sticky rice. I have this at Suvarnabhum all the time - even during transit. Yummy!

You can find this scene almost everywhere in Bangkok - or rather in Thailand . The Thais are one of the most enterprising people I have ever met.

Steamed

Happy Haloween

Spotted this at Publika. I squeezed 20 minutes before a meeting to check out an outdoor shop. Major disappointment. I prefer to pay a bit more and get good quality stuff. I don't trust Made in China

4 Corners

Would love to ride my motorbike around Peninsula Malaysia. Take a few days off with 4 or 5 rider s. That would be fun.

In the list.

I tried to escape from the insects outside my tent. The didn't seem to go away even insect repellant was applied. Decided to stay in my tent and read my book. I saw this one crawling on my tent. 

Its out side. Its small. This is a blowup.

Bye bye BKK

Almost a week in Thailand - company trip. 2 nights in Pattaya (yuck!) and 3 nights in Bangkok (I like!). The name of this airport is pronounced with silent "I".

Get it right!

My dream car

My dream car - I will get it.

Sup Tulang

I prefer to stem the potatoes separately.

Onion, ginger, garlic. I prefer more garlic. I love garlic

Don't just buy any meat / cuts. I personally prefer ribs. Personally selected from my favorite butcher in TTDI market

My sister thought me - all meat, poultry included need to be soaked in salt water first - for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Tumis

Cook the meat until it becomes brown (jus a bit) to seal the chunks.

Brown ike this ;-)

Slow cook for 3 hours

Squeeze some lime when you serve it. I forgot where I put the presentation photo. Damn it!

Alia Bastamam

Up and coming Malaysian designer. I like her design. Very simple almost minimalist yet still very elegance. An she herself has a very nice personality. A bubbly girl with lots of potential.

Venue: Frangipani

Bawang

overstayed in my fridge.

Ramadhan Kareem Pasta

I have stopped going to hotel buffet for buka puasa for years. Not only the quality of food, in some hotels, are not that great. They are overpriced. Besides, how much can you eat in one sitting? 

Instead I cooked my own pasta. Its a fusion because I add some cili padi while sautéing the garlic. The result: Just a tinge of spiciness from the oil.

The chicken is marinated with some salt and garlic before frying. Add some capsicum of different color for a little bit of taste and presentation. 

Once the pasta is ready just mixed the pasta and the sauteed garlic and cili padi in a big pot (no hear required) and ready to be served.

Sprinkle some parmesan cheese when serve.

Ingredients:

Pasta

Olive oil

Garlic

Salt and Pepper

Chicken

Cili padi

Capsicum (red and green)

Parmesan cheese

Bon appetit!

Ramadhan Kareem

I am not really a big fan of Pasar Ramadhan. I like the festive nature of it. However, in terms of food quality, I prefer my regular joints / restaurant.

First day of puasa I decided to to cook. I remember the salad Dean made for me for our birthdays (yup, we share the same birthdate).

Pretty simple. 

cucumber

tomatoes

olive oil

squeeze half a lemon for juice

mixed herbs: dill and thyme

salt and pepper

I added some feta cheese - coz I love feta.

Yummy.

Loyal Buddies

They have been with me for a long time. Still give me good climb (the restored white USPS) and sweet lively ride (the Merckx).

Soon, they are going to be a classic.

If I were to buy another bicycle, it would be an Italian custom, steel.

There is still honesty

I paid RM51 for a RM2 parking fees today.

The notes are confusing, and I was in a hurry.

The parking boy knocked at my door and return the RM50.

Such an honest Indian boy.

It feels good to realize there are still honest people around.

Brondong's Bling

It's senget a bit, but F@#& it!

Gunung Nuang (Again)

Oh great! 

Brilliant idea - lets hike Nuang this weekend.

We did.

The last quarter of the climb, which is also the first quarter on descent, is the hardest, technical part of the climb. And the fact that it rained quite heavily the night before - didn't help. The trail was wet,and very dangerous especially on the way down.

HOWEVER

The air was so fresh.

The water was cool, crystal clear.

The birds and monkey were out.

Quite a cheerful morning.

I love the series of waterfalls we have to cross. They are pristine and beautiful.

Damn, we actually walked for more than 15km.

Pak Sako

During my recent trip to Kuantan, I stumbled upon some old books at Hameed Brothers bookstore. This is probably the oldest book store in Kuantan.

They were getting rid of some old books which attracted my attention. I purchased, among others 2 copies of each of Pak Sako's books.

The owner wanted me to come back. She said, I called her Mrs Hameed, there are more upstairs in the attic.

That will be my mission during my next trip to Kuantan - ransacking Hameeds for old books.

It is going to be fun!

Back to Pak Sako books.

I just completed both books.

Catatan Pengalaman Pak Sako - Scribbles / notes of Pak Sako Experience.

Its about his experience being one of the tens of thousands prisoners of the Queen, arrested for political reason, without trial I think. The origin of ISA.

Its like a grandfather telling his personal stories to his cucu cicit (grand and great grandchildren). Very humble, yet extremely firm and yet gentle.

There is a deeper meaning to it. I sounds casual but his expression always refer to the greatness of God and also and wisdom in everyday life, in this case in the fight against the British. There were also "negative" thing he mentioned about homosexuality for example is like giving a passing remarks and yet, also to report that it did happen, as a-matter-of-factly.

Its the Malay thing. We are not direct people. We are not confrontational. Very gentle and refine. 

Tertib.

Thats is just us. HOWEVER, don't push as too hard. We will retaliate, demi Agama, Bangsa dan Negara ;-)

I think more people need to read this sort of books. The old ones. About Merdeka. How we actually achieved it. The thousands of people arrested, jailed, killed before 1957. 

Unfortunately, there hardly any records not impression left today. Everything were distroyed totally, as is to erase it from history - like - I didn't happen. One of the detention centres was in Morib - which is now a golf course.

The sad thing is....

"Tetapi, di tepi jalan menuju ke Dewan Buluh Perindu dan terus ke pantai rekreasi Morib, ada satu batu peringatan yang mencatatkan pada sekian hari bulan, pada sekian tahun, pasukan pasukan tentera British telah naik di pantai Morib, ia itu pada akhir peperangan Asia Timur Raya, tidak lama sesudah bala tentera Jepun menyerah kalah."

AWAS - Brondong!

Drove Brondong to the gym today.

AAM (Malaya)

I went for antique hunting today with a friend at Amcorp Mall. As usual, the Sunday gathering of mostly eccentric people who are hunting for various things from old typewriter to LPs and books.

The last time I was here about a couple of years ago. I can tell the prices has gone higher and higher, especially antique book - like the very old malay literature.

I bought something for Brondong.

An old Auto Association of Malaya badge.

Dins Dins

Too lazy to go out but not to lazy to experiment.

Voila!

The New S and 6

I am not really a Merc kind of guy but this new S look very nice.

I am more into this new 6. 

Toplessness!

Jeep TLC

It's snowing in Bandar Utama. 

Huhu

A cuppa

After kenduri doa selamat - near Jalan Damai

Retro

My friend and I went all over town antique hunting.

I am looking for an old, but working typewriter.  This sound merepek but I suddenly have this urge to write using a typewriter. 

Instead we found this wonderful game machine that bring back memories during school days.

This very piece was brought in from England. It's yours for RM7,500. 

Not a bad deal I though but, I don't have a space for this machine.

:-(

Solo 10km Run

I registered for StandChart 10km run - end June. Thats about a month from now. I have to train for this run.

Most are my regular kakis are still on holidays - France, Italy, Spain and Krabi. I am left behind in KL.

I woke up early on Saturday morning and decided - OK lah, I should train for StandChart run and just hit the road solo.

It is school holidays and there were not many runners along my favorite Lake Garden - Kenny Hills route.

It was my personal best 10km.

Yeay!

TLC for Brondong

The brakes jammed up a few times.

I have gently warned the gardener not to wet the wheels when he water the plant. The water causes corrosion to the brake drums hence the jam.

Over the weekend, I wanted to drive Brondong around. However, one of the tires was just flat.

I calle the tire-man to come over, pump all the tires and drive to the workshop near by.

I change all the tire valves - air has been escaping fast. Recommended by a friend, I asked the shop to to fill all the tires with Nitrogen - to reduce loss of air pressure. RM5 per tire.

My drive home after all the tires were fixed was really nice.

Fraser's Ride

The delicious bowl of steaming hot noodle soup, fresh cool air, a good book.

Nice.

Romantic Climb

The climb up Fraser's Hill, by bicycle or motorbike - always romantic.

The now one-way road was built by the British to reach their bungalows up in the mountain to escape the heat in the valley.

Until today, I still prefer Fraser's Hill than Cameron Highlands.

Yesteryears

I am currently reading the novel The Glass Palace by Amitav Gosh. What a brilliant novel. I haven't finished reading it yet, more than half way already.

It inspired me to ride and shoot some old places where we can still see traces of British's past in this country.

Kopitiam in Kuala Kubu baru where nasi lemak bungkus (daun pisang), telur separuh masak and roti bakar + kaya are served. My kind of breakfast.

The iron bridge crossing a river near the trail head of Sungai Chilling Waterfall trail.

A makan place at he entrance of Fraser's Hill town. I was sitting the for about an hour, enjoying the sone, bee hoon soup, a cup of hot Milo and a book.

Nostalgic.

Weekend ride

I just discovered this charming little town in the middle of Pahang. Located between Fraser's Hill, Bentong and Raub, Pahang.

It is so pretty. I just had to stopped and frame my Happy Feet.

Its clean and colorful. They are actually old well maintained shop-lots.

Notice the difference when the shops are not polluted by loud colorful signboards of brands screaming to be noticed.

"Why should India, in the name of freedom, 

come to the defense of this Satanic Empire

which is itself the greatest menace to

 liberty that the world has ever known"

- Mahatma Gandhi