Memories in Hong Kong

What would you think of while mentioning Hong Kong?

Egg tart? Disneyland? Ocean park? SHOPPING? Or Lei Kar Sheng?!

Well, for me, Hong Kong is not really impressive... maybe the super hot temperature is part of the reasons... it's summer now with 34 degree celcius, super hot!! No boots no jacket, everybode wear sleeveless short pants and sport shoes everywhere, and still, you sweat one second after you step out from air-conditioned room.

Ocean Park doesn't really impressed me as well since I have to walk around and play under the hot sun!! Argh.... but well well, to be honest the deep sea creatures are quite impressive, the hammerhead shark, stingray, dolphin, and of course the famous sea lion Wai Wai which had been starring in quite a lot of Hong Kong drama series.

Anyhow, the night scene view from Victoria's Peak is superb!! Besides the luxury bungalows on the peak, the enchanted night scenery from the peak is breathtaking as well!! But then, the price of the dinner in every single restaurant of the peak is sky-high... :| luckily we found a Burger King in one of the floors :D otherwise.... sob sob, we'll have to go down from the peak with an empty stomach. ;(

So, if you ask me, what would be the most impressive memory for me in Hong Kong? I will say, airport. Despite of the great location of the airport (It's surrounded by the sea :D), the point is....... I've been caught for bringing illegal WEAPON!!!

I've been traveling around without awaring that I'm bringing a pepper spray in my handbag... I mean I've been bringing this with me to at least 4 countries.... and stupid me, I never know that it's an illegal weapon in Hong Kong. When we passed through the custom, an officer stopped me and checked my handbag, I was still quite calm since I "KNOW" I am not a cocaine smuggler... but then, the officer become tense as he saw a pepper spray in my bag... I was still wondering, so what the heck? Just throw away lah I don't care. But then he ANNOUNCE my crime seriously that:" Siu Je, now we are suspecting you bringing illegal weapon in Hong Kong, we'll call the police now and they might accuse you blah blah blah."

I was like... WHAT?!!!! ACCUSE?! No no no, I'm no a Hong Kong citizen and I don't know about that, and omg, would you put me in jail or something? The officer was soooo fierce and he just took me to a security checking corner with lotsa people looking at me like I am bringing a bomb.... later on, a girl officer came and scolded the guy:"Hey, you don't scare her can ah? She is just a visitor and you just don't scare her, k?" Another office came and comfort me:" Don't worry, we understand that, actually many tourists made the mistake, normally if you never did anything wrong in Hong Kong then they will just give you a warning, nothing one, don't worry." Ohhh, I really appreciate the comfort and greatest help from both of them.

Sooner, 6 policemen came (?!) for investigation... aiks. But out of my expectation, all of them are soooo friendly and nice, one of them talked to me:" Miss, can you speak cantonese?" Oh ya ya, I can. He looked soooo released knowing that I can speak cantonese:" Wah, hou hou, ng sai geng ahhh.... mou si gehh.... jeng hai procedure jeh." Phew.... they asked me about my occupation, checked my record in Hong Kong blah blah, and they finished everything within 15 minutes, ya, some more they can grab the time to chat with me to make me relax:" Wah, lei ge gong tong wah ng co ohhh.... lek lui wohh." "Ok lah, hang dak lah, bye bye lahhh,gei dak ha ci ng hou dai lah." As what I know, if i'm ever bring the pepper spray with me again in Hong Kong, I'll be charged.... phew....

What should I say? I think it's better to blame myself for being stupid and also, I think I'm really impressed with the professionalism and high efficiency of officer and policemen in Hong Kong, you guys are great lah.... since I'm still able to catch up my flight.

Good bye Hong Kong, really good bye, coz I don't think I'll go back there again, ciao.

深圳走一趟

从越南回到马来西亚3个星期，因为新的电讯技术关系，我又飞到了公司的总部接受培训，所以，深圳，我来了！！

打从以前就听说过深圳的治安是多么地差，什么老千啦、光天化日的劫匪啦，它可说是个龙蛇混杂的地方，不过能够有机会到公司宏伟的基地走走，还是挺新鲜的，再说深圳可说是出了名的冒牌货天地，几可乱真的冒牌的名牌包包随手可得。

中国人口众多，赚钱也很难，许多中国人都怀着一颗淘金的梦，从偏僻的农村来到深圳赚钱，也就造就了龙蛇混杂的环境，还有凶悍的售货员！！在讨价还价和浏览商品的时候，我可被凶悍的她们吓呆了。。。这是所谓的customer service吗？还有，千万千万记得要一半，再一半的砍价，她们出价都出的离谱的高，尤其是在罗湖这一个冒牌货天堂，千万不要被骗了。

不过，此趟最大的收获，是和我最敬爱的前任导师见面。一向来话不多的他只发了个邮件问我：“在哪里培训，我来见见你。”然后就请我吃了丰盛的湖北菜，点了一整桌的菜肴，有糖醋几里、三鲜锅、炖猪骨汤、还有闻名的饺子等等，还不停的把好吃的都夹给我。。。刚刚当上了爸爸的他消瘦了些，他笑呵呵地说因为把好的都给了孩子。。。他一向是个含蓄的人，而且充满智慧，常常教导我做人的道理。您放心，您说的每一句话，我都记在心里。

在深圳待了一个星期，该走啦。。。深圳，再见！！

Nui Ngu Hanh Son (Marble Mountains)

Mountains are everywhere in Danang, and yet, Nui Ngu Hanh Son are a well-known feature of the landscape of Danang and Central Vietnam.

From Wikipedia, Marble Mountain (Vietnamese: Nui Ngu Hanh Son "Five Element Mountains) is a cluster of five marble and limestones hills located in Ngu Hanh Son ward, south of Danang city in Vietnam. The five "mountains" are named under the five elements Kim (metal), Thuy (water), Moc (wood), Hoa (fire) and Tho (earth).





Although I'm not really fond of marble, but yet I have to admit that, the stone sculpture making, stone cutting crafts, marble carving and wood carving are amazing!! Anyhow, they are pricey too where one small marble bowl might cost you few hundred USD, wow!! I'm obsessed with those marble telephone set.... but yet, nice to see, nice to hold... blah blah blah.... no money, better don't touch. End up I bought two littel little little marble fishermen sculpture for 10USD, argh..... *money money money money.... money*

Oh ya, there is a legend about this cluster of mountains, that the sea dragon came onto the shore and laid an egg. After  one thousand days and nights, the egg hatched and out stepped a beautiful young lady. The broken shell fragments grew larger until they were transformed into five separate mounts that was named after each of the essential elements constituting the universe by a king of the Nguyen Dynasty, and here they are, the five elements as mentioned above.

Anyhow, I hope that there won't be huge destruction here.... I hope not to see such a beautiful natural land-form transformed into scattered stones few hundred years later.

Caffe-Sua-Da

Caffe-Sua-Da, means Iced Milk Coffee in Vietnamese.

It is a famous or so-called common drink in Vietnam, and you can find many coffee shops in every single province in Vietnam no matter how rural the province is. There is a wide range of coffee shop as well, from those rows of chairs along the dusty road *ya.. yam cha while yam-ing dust*, or medium-class coffee shop in residential houses, or up to grand coffee house with car-parking service.



Instead of coffee, they serve Cha-Nong (Hot Tea) or Cha Da (Cold Tea) as well, but coffee is an unique thing that you can't find in any other country (maybe) where the "method" that they use to serve you is really different. A small drip filter with coffee powder to be brewed on top of a cup with condensed milk inside. You have to wait until all of the brewed coffee flowing into the cup, then gotta manually remove the filter and then only put ice into the cup to make an icy drink.



I have no comment of the erm... EFFECT of the "method", but well, at least you can curi tulang a bit while having a coffee break on working day. ;p

Had been very busy for these few days, hopefully can take a chance to taste the famous coffee in Vietnam - Weasel Coffee in this few weeks. Waiting waiting, hehe....

Hanoi

Finally, I reached Hanoi - the capital of Vietnam. Once I stepped on this land, I feel peace... ya, it's a peaceful place for me... and it's more or less like a developed version of Cambodia, with the continuous car honks, the incredible traffic where thousands of motorbikes, lotsa pedestrians and some cars move on the road regardless of traffic rules or traffic light.

We're here to settle some urgent issues of operator, and because of that, lotsa Malaysians are being assigned to be here.... and that's great!! We had our luxury dinner at one famous local restaurant which serves great and famous local cuisine. We had the famous spring roll, their specially-made pork, beef, "bon cha" (Mihun soup), and some special prawn roll with mint leaves.... their foods are always decorated or come with mint.... ya, they like mint.

Along the way walking back to hotel, it's considered quite safe, but still have to watch out for some stalker.... not sure what's their motive but just have to keep an eye on them.

Tomorrow I'll be flying to Danang - the 3rd biggest city in Vietnam, hopefully I can find another story there, ciao.