Two weeks and counting.....

... and goodbye SBS & SMRT.

Wong Tai Sin & Central

A quick meal to break our fast on day 2.


What's the deal with instant noodle?

It wasn't fantastic but unique loh. hehe.

We headed straight to Wong Tai Sin. It's kinda my idea to break away from the routine of non-stop shopping for a couple of hours.



It wasn't that big a deal really. It's not superbly grand or huge. But still considered a landmark.

And to play safe:



Central-Mid-Levels Escalator

The longest chain of escalator in Asia. It brings you from the bottom of Central, past Stanley Street(which we gave a miss), Lan Kwai Fong, all the way to some ulu alley high up upon some hill.



I read that the escalator is 800m but it sure feels much much longer than that to me.



It also passed by this landmark building. Used to be HK Central police station.



We opted to take a small bus back down. The escalator only goes up and stairway's down.



I like the small bus. It's quick and frequent. That's the importance of public transport isn't it.

HK has small bus, Singapore has price hikes.

If you like branded stuff, Central the place for you too. Or Shenzhen ;)

You have a giant LV boutique



Right opposite an equally humongous Armani



And how could you ever complete HK without hoping onto their tram.



And check this out. Vintage lifts!



And how can I go through a day without....



... my double milk.. *slurpz*

OOoooo. This is so HK Drama..



The Peak

The view says it all...



To be continued...

Tsim Sha Tsui

"The mighty wind was slapping us in all directions..."



It was typhoon signal number 3. It was supposedly heading to signal 8(the next tier) and that means everyone indoor. Fortunately luck is on us.



This is so Hong Kong right.



Space Musuem but we didn't enter. Tell me that is a shopping mall, I may consider. haha

Via the underground tunnels, we made our way to New World Centre & Sogo. Avenue of Stars is right behind the former.



We risked our dry clothes to bring you these photos.



This is my new wallpaper for now.



Based on Silly Celly's recommendations, we made our way to Lai Chi Kok. It's located on Castle Peak Road. Take a cab. The MTR station is bit far to walk.



We went in close to 7pm and spent most time at the Adidas factory outlet. Bought myself a pair of street soccer boots at HK$180!! And no, I didn't steal the signboard.

Dinner was at Jordan Road. We had the world's saltiest wanton noodle. Their oyster sauce there must be damn cheap. HK$18 each. I ordered this fried fish skin side dish. Know about it from some HK series.



I love these vintage bottles.

We proceeded to Temple Street next. It's a famous night market, a must-go.



Da Pai Dang. Too bad we missed it.



The people there sure loves their mahjong



Too bad can't locate Pan Jin Lian street. :p



You just can't stop eating when you are in Hong Kong. Desert was next. I had this milky thing... every single day. Not cheap though. About HK$20. Cost more than our Wanton Mee.



This is nearby Ladies Street. At one of the centre, there's this Esprit factory outlet. They carry out of season collection. I got a pants at HK$119~!



I think we bought enough to open our own Espirit factory outlet.

To be continued...

I miss Hong Kong

"...and with a heavy heart, we set upon the runway of Changi International Airport."

Hehe. So novel right. But I do miss Hong Kong very much.

The last time I was there was 2001. I didn't really enjoy it back then. The food was so-so and the people really have attitude problem. The weather didn't help either.



The entire ride took about 4 ass-numbing hours. My first on Cathay Pacific but still prefers SQ and their on-board nintendo.



For all first-time visitors, you MUST try this cafe Xu Liu Shan. You won't miss it. It's everywhere. Their mango inspired drinks and deserts are simply delicious. But not cheap. This drink cost about HK$20 (That's about S$4.)

Not much pics on our transit to the hotel as it was raining with an impending Typhoon headed our way.

But the first highlight of the trip goes to ...... (drum rolls)



Our five star hotel!

Royal Plaza Hotel situated near to the north of Nathan Road and right beside Mong Kok KCR.

We got lucky and received free upgrades to Executive Suites on the 18th and 19th floor. Woo Hoo~!



It even has free broadband! But I don't have a laptop. :(



We didn't spend much time in our room before heading out to roam the streets. Luckily they have a super long overhead bridge that sheltered us for most of our walking.



We were here for our breakfast on the 3rd day.



Their small buses. No wonder their public transportation reign over ours. More buses than people.



On recommendation, we bought the multi-purpose Octopus card. You can use it to take buses, trains and even buy stuffs from 7-11.



I'm quite amazed by some initiatives by the HK authorities. There's one meant for this Octupus card. To encourage people to walk more, they station rebate booths at places like mid-level escalators and our hotel, places which requires a fair bit of walking to reach.

You sure won't see these from money-minded SMRT.



First stop.... ->



To be continued...

World Cup rules to all women

LIST OF RULES

1. From 9th June to 9th July 2006, you should read the sports section of the newspaper so that you are aware of what is going on regarding the World Cup, and that way you will be able to join in the conversations. If you fail to do this, then you will be looked at in a bad way, or you will be totally ignored. DO NOT complain about not receiving any attention.


2. During the World Cup, the television is mine, at all times, without any exceptions. If you even take a glimpse of the remote control, you will lose it (your eye).


3. If you have to pass by in front of the TV during a game, I don't mind, as long as you do it crawling on the floor and without distracting me. If you decide to stand nude in front of the TV, make sure you put clothes on right after because if you catch a cold, I wont have time to take you to the doctor or look after you during the World Cup month.


4. During the games I will be blind, deaf and mute, unless I require a refill of my drink or something to eat. You are out of your mind if you expect me to listen to you, open the door, answer the telephone, or pick up the baby that just fell from the second floor... it wont happen.


5. It would be a good idea for you to keep at least 2 six packs in the fridge at all times, as well as plenty of things to nibble on, and please do not make any funny faces to my friends when they come over to watch the games. In return, you will be allowed to use the TV between 12am and 6am, unless they replay a good game that I missed during the day.


6. Please, please, please!! if you see me upset because one of my teams is losing, DO NOT say "get over it, its only a game", or "don't worry, they'll win next time". If you say these things, you will only make me angrier and I will love you less.


7. Remember, you will never ever know more about football than me and your so called "words of encouragement" will only lead to a break up or divorce.


8. You are welcome to sit with me to watch one game and you can talk to me during halftime but only when the commercials are on, and only if the halftime score is pleasing me. In addition, please note I am saying "one" game, hence do not use the World Cup as a nice cheesy excuse to "spend time together".


9. The replays of the goals are very important. I don't care if I have seen them or I haven't seen them, I want to see them again. Many times.


10. Tell your friends NOT to have any babies, or any other child related parties or gatherings that requires my attendance because:
1. I will not go,
1. I will not go, and
1. I will not go.
11. But, if a friend of mine invites us to his house on a Sunday to watch a game, we will be there in a flash.


12. The daily World Cup highlights show on TV every night is just as important as the games themselves. Do not even think about saying "but you have already seen this...why don't you change the channel to something we can all watch??", the reply will be: "Refer to Rule #2 of this list".


13. And finally, please save your expressions such as "Thank God the World Cup is only every 4 years". I am immune to these words, because after this comes the Champions League, Premier League, Italian League, Spanish League, etc etc.


14. Thank you for your co-operation.

Regards,

Men of the World

There is something not quite right.....

..about the shape of these urinals. Awfully familiar but just can't put my finger on it. Hmmmmmm.....

Pity us... We are very poor

And they want us to pay more for the World Cup channels.

StarHub Q1 net profit doubles

SINGAPORE - Singapore's second-largest telecoms firm, StarHub Ltd, said on Wednesday its quarterly net profit doubled, buoyed by rising mobile usage and the bundling of its broadband Internet and cable TV services.

StarHub, also Singapore's sole cable television provider, reported a net profit of $61.4 million (US$39.26 million) for the three months ended March.

This compares with net earnings of $30.4 million in the year-earlier period and $73.3 million in the December quarter.

The result was below a $69 million net profit forecast from Citigroup Research.

StarHub, also Singapore's second-biggest mobile phone operator, competes with market leader Singapore Telecommunications Ltd and third-ranked MobileOne Ltd in a saturated domestic market where at least nine in 10 people have a handset. -- REUTERS

Did I marry the right person?

From an email:

During one of our seminars, a woman asked a common question. She said, "How do I know if I married the right person?"

I noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so I said, "It depends. Is that your husband?"

In all seriousness, she answered "How do you know?"

Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's weighing
on your mind.

Here's the answer.

EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with your spouse. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked their idiosyncrasies.

Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love... because it's happening TO YOU.

People in love sometimes say, "I was swept of my feet." Think about the imagery of that expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU.

Falling is love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience.

But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria of love fades. It's the natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not
always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts.

The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much
duller or even angry subsequent stage.

At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, "Did I marry the right person?" And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire
that experience with someone else. This is when marriages breakdown. People blame their spouse for their unhappiness and look outside their marriage for fulfillment.

Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is the most obvious. But sometimes people turn to work, church, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive
substances.

But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage. It lies within it.

I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You could. And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later. Because (listen carefully to
this):

THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.

SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll NEVER just happen to you. You can't "find" LASTING love. You have to "make" it day in and day out. That's why we have the
expression "the labor of love."

Because it takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it takes WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work.

Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your spouse) to succeed with your marriage.

Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships. Just as the right diet and exercise program makes you physically stronger, certain
habits in your relationship WILL make your marriage stronger. It's a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable... you can "make" love.

Love in marriage is indeed a "decision"... not just a feeling.

All hail to the King of....

... DILDO~~!

Hello tag board

Oh.. So I can ACTUALLY delete the spammed postings from my tag board.

Bye Bye tag board

If anyone's wondering, I'm removing my tag board for good. Got another bout of hack by tag board spammers, leaving behind nonsensical sentences that means nuts to me.

Commenting is still available.

No Sex Tonight

This is a real cracker

I never quite figured out why the sexual urge of men and women differ so much, and I never have figured out the whole Venus and Mars thing.

I have never figured out why men think with their head and women with their heart.

FOR EXAMPLE:
One evening last week, my wife and I were getting into bed. Well, the passion starts to heat up, and she eventually says, "I don't feel Like it, I just want you  to hold me."

I said "WHAT??!! What was that?!"

So she says the words that every husband on the planet dreads to hear..."You're just not in touch with my emotional needs as a woman enough for me to satisfy your physical needs as a man." She responded to my puzzled look by saying, "Can't you just love me for who I am and not what I do for you in the bedroom?"

Realizing that nothing was going to happen that night, I went to sleep.

The very next day I opted to take the day off of work to spend time with her.  We went out to a nice lunch and then went shopping at a big, big unnamed department store.  I walked around with her while she tried on several very expensive outfits. She couldn't decide which one to take so I told her we'd just buy them all. She wanted new shoes to  compliment her new clothes, so I said, "Let's get a pair for each outfit."  We went on to the jewelry department where she picked out a pair of diamond earrings.

Let me tell you...she was so excited!  She must have thought I was one wave short of a shipwreck!  I started to think she was testing me because she asked for a tennis bracelet when she doesn't even know how to play tennis.  I think I threw her for a loop when I said, "That's fine, Honey."

She was almost nearing sexual satisfaction from all of the excitement. Smiling with excited anticipation she finally said, "I think this is all dear. Let's go to the cashier."

I could hardly contain myself when I blurted out, "No, honey. I don't feel like it."

Her face just went completely blank as her jaw dropped with a baffled, "WHAT?!"

I then said, "Honey, I just want you to HOLD this stuff for a while. You're just not in touch with my financial means as a man enough for me to satisfy your shopping needs as a woman."  And just when she had this look like she was going to kill me, I added, "Why can't you just love me for who I am and not for the things I buy you?"
.
.
.
.
Apparently I'm not having sex tonight either.

Why upgrading should NOT be important

Just compare the prices of food at those popular hawker centres before and after upgrade...

Excerpts from CNA Forum:

Upgrading if done efficiently and cost-effectively has its advantages and purposes. But it seems that most people think upgrading is a sure plus and good thing to have. That is not necessarily true.

I have seen upgraded estates that has "redunant features" (sitting
corners with no shelter in the open subjected to hot sun and rain),
wasteful changes (rehack cement floor to just put on a new coat) or
superficial facelift (Add a facade to the building front) and overly
lavish landscaping.

Are all upgrading done to merely pushed up property prices of that
estate? What benefits does it has except to make cost of living goes up
- becos the next buyer that comes is also another S'porean. What one's
gain is another's loss. This merely push prices up and make cost of
owning flats upwards and cascade down to the shops/market in the area,
rentals, business cost and food etc....

If upgrading is done properly & have real practical uses, lift
that stops at every floor, covered walkway from bus stops/MRT stations
etc...then it is real value for money and benefit the residents. As
pointed out upgrading is not free, the residents had to co-pay as well.

But sadly to say, most upgradings had been used by PAP as an
election carrot and carried out without putting real effort to maximise
the value, resulting in high wastage (under utilised becos of poor
design) high costs and pushing prices (hawker food, neighbouring shops)
in the end.

Rock On!

The non-elitist, non-scholar, non-doctor, non-CEO point of view about election.

....Fucking hell, every day I on the tv and open the newspaper is only James Gomes Gomes! Gomes! KNNBCCB!!!! I Australia come back until now is got nothing but the cheebye Goneh news.

Why they don't talk about important thing like why my CPF still cut?

Why my father medical bill still so high?

Why Ah Seng still cannot find job?

Why the gahmen allow NKF fuck Singaporean so long?

Why my friend retarded son cannot go school?

Why every year the bus fare the MRT fare the everything get more and more expensive and my pay become less and less?

Why? Tell me fucking chow cheebye why?

Their answer? James Goners is a liar!....

And my favorite part:

That Joo Chiat the Chan Suu Cents is another one. So many year the Joo
Chiat people have to see their estate become another Geylang, he do
nothing. Maybe he dunno got this problem, then one day he do his MP
walkabout there, got China mei mei come to him say "Sian shen ni yao
ahn mo mah?" then he realise Fuck! Joo Chiat really got problem hor!

My maiden attempt

...in adding caption to pictures.

I don't have Photoshop so this is done on Paint.Net.

Anyone can teach me how to put in a speak-out cloud(or whatever you call it?)

We love to queue

I believe Singapore can hold the record for having the most patience and instinct to get involved in any possible queues.

It started from outside the building



It snaked in through one entrance and out the next, going along the perimeter of the next building.



A bit of hint if it's not obvious enough. It ain't ovaltine or horlicks.



That's right! These people are queuing under the 12 o'clock sun for....



FREE CANS OF MILO!!! *gasps!*

And milo sure came prepared.



I'm pretty sure that these batches of milo must have extra super duper actigen vitamins abcbefg, limited suntec editions, free milo mug included. Ah Bo, the queue won't so long right?