Retrospect
I actually thought I’d post an entry in July. But I did not.
I actually thought, hey since I’d already given July a miss, why don’t I just prolong this hiatus till September? Hmm…
Today’s August 31st aka Malaysia’s Independence Day. To be frank, I actually feel ashamed should I celebrate it, especially when racism has advanced to the stage of militancy in this country, what’s more perpetrated by our own educators ~ a profession so holy and dignified, and ones that should uphold the spirit of love and serve as a role model for our younger generations! Now even schools have become a breeding ground for this poisonous ideology. Our so-called racial harmony and mutual tolerance are just a masquerade of a national spirit that’s begun to crumble piece by piece, block by block since the Brits left our country half a century ago. All things we used to take pride in turned out to be superficial with absolutely no substance.
So Malaysians, are we celebrating our 53 years of nationhood – or more aptly put – 53 years of pathetichood? The land is still beautiful ~ bountiful resources with year-round sunshine, mouth-watering street food, myriads of colours and smiles. But is that all? The extreme ugliness of some factions of the society has single-handedly destroyed all that’s wonderful in this country.
Celebrating? Pass me a hanky instead. I’d rather weep.
Anyway, it’s a national holiday. I think I’ll spend some time dusting off the cobwebs on this blog. So here’s a lil’ recap on some notable events in my life within these 2 months…
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the magnificent 9th-century Borobudur is the world’s largest Buddhist stupa and Indonesia’s single-most visited tourist attraction. It only takes about an hour of bus ride to reach from Yogyakarta and is situated next to the town of Magelang in the fertile volcanic plains of Central Java, Indonesia.
July 1st: Reached Kuala Lumpur from Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Loved the trip sooooo much! Forwent my air tix back to my hometown as I’d decided to stay in KL for a few days in order to attend the ARCHIDEX 2010 at KLCC.
Revisiting KL after a year…
July 9th: Moved in to my newly-rented room outside my school campus. After staying in dorms for 3 whole years, I’d decided to take on a whole new living environment.
July 12th: A brand new semester at school! The beginning of my 2nd chapter of varsity life.
July 17th: I turned 23! Thanks to my dear friends for making this day a memorable one. :)
August 5th: I graduated! A short reunion with friends, many of whom have now stepped into the working world. As for me, 2 more torturous years to go through till I graduate again for my 2nd degree. Am graduating twice! Even I couldn’t believe it myself! Haha…
Spot me in this picture!
August 6th: Luck was on my side! I won a BlackBerry Bold 9700 in DiGi’s Hari Hari BlackBerry Mari lucky draw, which I’ll get in October! Thank goodness I’m a DiGi broadband subscriber. I’d never been so lucky in contests like these! :D
Mari, mari, mari! (Come, come, come!)
There you go… Some updates on my pretty mundane life. Till then! ;)
c a t e g o r y | juz bloggin' . life as a student
f l u f f e r p u f f | ramblings . society . university life
11 sOleiLians
Another month, another trip
So it’s been nearly a month since my last blog entry. My blogging frequency has dropped so drastically that I’m starting to wonder whether I can be rightfully considered as a blogger. You know, there are those times when you feel like blogging, but once you’re at your blog’s dashboard, you back off. In your mind, surfing random websites or updating your status on Facebook suddenly appeals more to you. No more zeal and passion in keeping up with the routine that you once loved so much. And you’re always finding excuses to get away from it. That pretty much explains why this lousy blogger has remained absent for so long, even though he’s told himself to make a comeback with more updates.
Remember this entry? See… I told ya! It was a failed mission, even from the start! I expected myself to finish my ancient North Sulawesi tales, but what do we have now? Only one freakin’ entry on that since then! Don’t be shocked if I tell you that there are still 6 or 7 entries on Sulut waiting to be cleared off my pile. And Krabi. And Cameron Highlands. And my trip to Java later this evening. :O
Not gonna bore you guys with my rants. So here’s a happier note. Still remember the interview that I sat for the second part of my studies? What d’ya know… I got it, I got it! :D And to the confused minds after reading my old blog’s latest entry, this is what I actually meant. ;)
So gonna sleep now. Gotta wake up in 3 hours to catch my morning flight to KL-LCCT. Gosh!
c a t e g o r y | juz bloggin'
f l u f f e r p u f f | ramblings
11 sOleiLians
The lakes of Sulut: Danau Tondano and Linow
Errr… Anyone still reading my blog?
My apology for the longggggggggg procrastination on my travel updates. Somehow it makes absolutely no sense to still linger on my yesteryear’s vacation stories, hah! By the way, did you guys know that AirAsia has suspended its flights to Manado, North Sulawesi since February? Seems like I made the right choice for going there last December! :D So those of you (Malaysians) planning to go there this year, you better change your travel itinerary! But if you really do insist on going there, you’ll have to cross the border to Singapore and get on board SilkAir, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines. I gotta warn you though, it’s EXPENSIVE.
Ok, back to my North Sulawesi tales…
Sulut (North Sulawesi’s alternative name), a place so foreign and wild to many, will not only thrill the most adventurous travellers with its majestic volcanoes and amazing scuba diving experience, but is also capable of satisfying the ordinary visitors with its relaxing atmosphere and friendly people. After days of soaking in the heat of Manado and Bunaken, we escaped into the pleasant climate of the Minahasa Highlands, famed for its refreshing cool air and some of the region’s most beautiful danau, the Indonesian word for lake.
A village church spotted on our way to Danau Tondano
One of the many caves used by the Japanese Army during WWII as a storage for supplies. You can see these alongside a stretch of road on the way to the lake.
Somehow this reminds me of Malacca. Does it not?
Horse-drawn carts were everywhere in North Sulawesi!
A memorial of the Dutch colonial masters who once controlled the region
Paddy fields were a common sight in the highlands
Located 600m above sea level, Danau Tondano is basically a caldera of a large extinct volcano from the prehistoric Quaternary Period. It’s the largest lake in the province and it hosts a number of fishing villages along its shore. When we finally reached our destination, it was time for lunch. There was this lovely restaurant by the lake built in timber and raised on bamboo stilts, and I loved the place so much! The cool breeze was so soothing that it never stopped caressing my face. Nice… And oh, the views! Boy, I must say they were truly breathtaking! Trust me… I could really sit there all day long just for the amazing scenery. :)
The kolintang, a traditional Minahasan xylophone-like musical instrument greeted us at the restaurant’s hallway
Beautiful Danau Tondano. I wish I could have a home here…
Ain’t this just picturesque? Just like somewhere from the Swiss countryside! :)
A giant Christmas tree on the lake!
A closer look at the bamboo masterpiece
The restaurant and its koi farm
Some aquatic plants… Water hyacinth?
Quaint bamboo gate
Row, row, row your boat…
Another famous lake in North Sulawesi is Danau Linow, a relatively small lake with high sulfur content. And because of that, the colours of the lake are constantly changing depending on the light and viewing perspective. Entry to the lake requires a fee (which IMO was quite expensive) and that includes a serving of coffee at the lakeside coffeehouse.
On our way there: Jubilant teens in santa hats were out in the streets for the forthcoming Christmas celebrations
The lake with its intensely green hues
Clouds in the sky? They were mostly hot vapours and steam from the surrounding hot springs and volcanic zones!
A canoe on the banks of the lake
A grasshopper ~ one of my favourite shots
I really thought that the lake waters were boiling hot, as was told by various guides. But curiosity got the better of me, and I actually went to feel it. Nope, it was cold! Perhaps I ‘touched’ the wrong side of the lake… LOL!
Love this! Another favourite shot of mine.
A path leading to the coffeehouse
A relaxing place for meetups and gatherings
Can you see the colours changing? :D
One of the treats that we had at the coffeehouse, hah!
Compilation of MANADO & NORTH SULAWESI TRIP 2009
- PART I : The forgotten frontiers: Tales from Manado and North Sulawesi
- PART II : Great churches of Manado
- PART III: In the shadows of volcanoes: Manado Bay and its harbour
- PART IV : Off to Bunaken
- PART V : Livin’ la vida Bunaken’s way
- PART VI : Bunaken’s blue, blue seas
- PART VII: Christ Blessing and the Waruga
c a t e g o r y | passport to nowhere
f l u f f e r p u f f | churches & cathedrals . indonesia . lakes . sulawesi . travel . volcanoes
20 sOleiLians
