Chinese New Year 2016

Happy New Year everyone! Having a Chinese New Year, Arabian style. Jayden at Justin’s school, GEMS Royal Dubai School

What the heck, I might as well post pictures of our Chinese New Year in Dubai since I’ve already downloaded the lot of photos from our phones and camera. The missus was bugging me to share CNY photos on Facebook (since the entire family in Malaysia, and around, plus their friends, plus the friends of their friends, were doing the same). FB’s done, so now it’s the blog’s turn. Here goes!


The first day of CNY this year happened to also be Justin’s Sports Day at his school. Luckily for us, I have a day off (the advantages of working for a Chinese company, ahem). So we spent a large part of CNY at school!


Now Jayden, you’re too little to compete with the big kids!


Where’s Jayden?


No, you can’t play hide and seek in the lockers!


Caught you!


Gong Xi Fa Cai everybody!


The brothers in red, for CNY


Our reunion dinner, compliments of Anu (…she read my earlier post, oops!)


The first day of CNY this year, 8 Feb, also happens to be our niece Karishma’s birthday. So we had cake to go with our reunion dinner!


Anu in a red-orange gown for CNY. That gown happens to be her pregnancy frock, but what d’ya know? It still fits, and I have no complaints!!!


Last minute CNY shopping at Dragon Mart, Dubai


Our Company CNY Get-Together in Al Mamzar Beach Park, Dubai (another advantage of working for a Chinese company, hehe)


The Vice-President / Head of the Civil and Infrastructure Division, of the company I’m working for, Mr Dong Wei


Some of the action at the Company Get-Together, love the expressions on this photo! The leader of the team (in black at the front) is Mark Wei, a senior member (Deputy GM, if I'm not mistaken) of our Division. The spectator behind, in black, with hands on hips is Hu Kaifeng, another senior member of our Division (no, I have no idea what fancy rank he holds)

On a more serious note, I’ve chickened out of my big toe biopsy (see the last para of my previous post). Since going to the surgeon, and while waiting for insurance to approve the procedure, I’ve researched melanoma of the toenail extensively (that’s what the internet’s for, right?!), and have come to a conclusion that that blasted black spot under my big toenail is likely not a melanoma. So I called the doctor and said I’ll wait it out for 2 months, and if it still doesn’t go away, I’ll head to him pronto, and have the blasted spot removed, obliterated, whatever!

On an even more serious note, I’ve just got devastating news from back home! My mom (stepmom) was diagnosed with cancer of the lung today. What’s worse is that it’s metastasized and spread to the brain and liver. We don’t know where it originated from, nor how long it’s been there, but that’s no longer important. We know that there’s no cure for it. The only help is divine help. So if you’re reading this, please do us a favour and pray for her. Thanks!

Another Busy Valentine's

Couple photo, on a dhow cruise in Dubai Marina, compliments of our niece Karishma, and the company she works for, Tour Dubai. Couple photos are rare nowadays, especially after the kids came out. This one actually has a little bit of Jayden (I cropped him out hehe!)

Looks like it’s gonna be a busy Valentine’s again. Busy not on candlelight dinners and romance, but on work, chores and kids! Hell, it ain’t even on a weekend here this year! Besides, how do people celebrate Valentine’s when one kid is constantly bugging you with questions about everything under the sun, and the other is screaming his head off for attention?

Maybe, if we put them to sleep early? Good idea! …But it’s easier said than done.

Anyway, here’re some rare photos of when we (the adults) managed to squeeze some time off the kids, to bring back memories of more romantic times. Justin is 6, Jayden is like 15 months old. …Hmmm, maybe we can have a nice romantic getaway in another 9 to 10 years’ time. 2026, not too long to go, shite!


Dinner at the Jebel Ali Palm Tree Court – another gift from Karishma and Tour Dubai. (Karishma won a Dinner for 2 gift voucher and gave it to us). But why do they keep this place so friggin dark?!








More pictures of the Jebel Ali Palm Tree Court






Cruising Dubai Marina in a dhow, thanks to Karishma and Tour Dubai. That twisted building on the left is the Cayan Tower. The building where the red string is attached to, is the Princess Tower

On a more serious note, I have a friggin black spot under my big toenail that appeared mysteriously some 2 weeks back. No injury, no rashes, no swelling, no peeling skin, no smell (OK, there IS smell. Whose feet are completely without smell anyway? But the smell is the normal everyday shoe stink, not something extraordinary, like Athlete’s Foot or something like that). Try googling ‘black spot under big toenail’ and you’ll know how scary that is. Went to a dermatologist, and she prescribed some meds for fungal infection, and added that if that doesn’t work in a week or two weeks’ time, go see a surgeon to get a biopsy done. Scary, ain’t it? Now waiting for the surgeon to call back on when insurance approval is obtained, and then I can go for the biopsy. Wish me luck!

A Story of Monkeys

Whoa! Is this the entrance to a Haunted House in a Carnival? Nope, it’s actually the entrance to the Golden Temple of Dambulla, in Sri Lanka

It’s gonna be the Monkey Year in exactly a week's time! Excited!! For reunion dinner, we’ll probably have a lovely home-cooked meal of rice, curry chicken or mutton (hope it ain’t fish), some fabulous sambal, maybe steamed eggs Chinese-style, some green vegetables, etc …just like any other day of the year! (What? It ain’t even a holiday here in the UAE, OK?) We’ll dig up some new clothes to wear (I’m sure we have some hidden away somewhere), or we’ll find some clothes we’ve not worn for ages and pretend they’re new clothes. I’ll pack some money into red packets to give to the kids. (I think I still have some red packets left over from the Year of the Horse! Who’ll care? Justin doesn’t even know what animal year it is! Besides, it’ll be thrown away as soon as he gets his hands into that cash…)

OK kidding aside, the missus and I are thinking of catching a movie in the cinemas, minus Justin (he’ll be schooling hehe!) Me? Well, that’s the beauty of working for a Chinese Company! I think (judging from past year practices) our Company will give us at least one day off, despite it being a working day in the entire friggin Middle East, and the regions beyond. That’s the only time we can catch an 18/adult-rated movie, but …with Jayden around now, I doubt we’ll have that liberty… (yeah, the cinemas here apply movie ratings to even infants whose only knowledge are the teats of their mommy!) And that’s our CNY plan! Nice huh?


Dambulla Cave Temple, Sri Lanka

For the blog, I’ve decided to do a story on monkeys (it’s the Monkey Year after all). Here are pictures of Dambulla, in Sri Lanka. Dambulla is the site of a famous Buddhist cave temple. The pictures are from my second visit with Anu and Justin. On my first visit in 2004, this place was teeming with monkeys. On that particular visit, I, my brother and my friend, Wai Yen had the total of 2 days and a night to see the entire friggin country of Sri Lanka. It was a stopover for their return flight to Malaysia from India via SriLankan Airlines. They had visited me in India. I decided to join them for a visit to Sri Lanka (heck, I was single, and ready to see any country on a whim!)

Anyway, to cut the story short, we hired a car from Bandaranaike Airport (Colombo’s International Airport) to take us to as many places as possible within that limited time. We arrived at the airport at 4 friggin am, and Jason and Wai Yen had to fly out to Malaysia on the next evening. (I had an extra night in Colombo). The driver we engaged through a tourist booth at the airport was an ‘expert’ tourist guide. Expert or not, he also happened to be the only driver around at that time. Hell, what choice do you think we have, at 4am? (OK, there may be more if you wait, and visit a few more tourist booths with bleary-eyed staff). Sri Lanka was still technically at war, so it felt like the soldiers with machine guns outnumber tourist arrivals.

Our first stop in our whirlwind tour was Dambulla. A few hours after we started, our expert driver suddenly stopped at a road side by a hill and said, “there up that staircase”. Huh? “Yeah that staircase, and no shoes!” So we kept our shoes in the car, and started walking barefoot up the stone steps. It was a really peaceful walk, through rocks and trees, and stepping on sharp bloody stones and twigs, and monkey poo, (must have been that, coz monkeys were all over the place). Didn’t strike us strange that we were about the only ones on the steps. Not long after, we reached a clearing and there it was, the temple. Now, here were a lot more people than we thought there’d be, and they had shoes on! (It turned out that our ‘expert’ driver dropped us at a side entrance). The main entrance is a much shorter walk, and shoes could be worn right up to the entrance of the temple area! (Maybe the driver did that to save us the entrance fee… Was there an entrance fee?? …Honestly, you think I’d remember?) And we had to walk all the way down again!! But it sure saved us some money (in the form of reduced tips for our brilliant driver).

One of the most memorable things of our 2004 visit, was the antics of two monkeys in the courtyard in front of the main temple. We and a lot of visitors – families, kids, old folks, camera-toting tourists, etc were hanging around, in front of a fish pond, when two amorous monkeys went at it, doggy-style, with full expression and sound, in the middle of the friggin courtyard. The adults laughed (most of us anyway), the kids just looked on and wondered what the heck the monkeys were doing. The male monkey looked at us, bared his teeth and shrieked while banging his partner for the world to see. What a sight!


This was where the monkeys went at it in 2004 – Courtyard in front of the Dambulla Cave Temple. Here’s a view of the pond by the courtyard.

But I liked the temple on the whole. That’s why I brought Anu and Justin here. There were a lot less monkeys in 2013, and none inside the temple compound. 9 years, and the end of war meant a lot of difference I guess, or the temple officials must’ve finally gotten enough of the daily X-rated drama unfolding at their doorsteps!


Anu, on the frangipani-lined stone path / steps leading up to the cave temple


Another view of the Golden Temple’s entrance


The Golden Buddha at the temple


Monks (or more like statues of monks) lining up to pay homage to the Buddha


A small stupa in the temple. And here's a view of a golden stupa in Dambulla






Pictures of the cave temple interior, Dambulla, Sri Lanka

Happy New Year everyone! Gong Xi Fa Cai! Koung Hey Faat Choi! Have a blast!!!

The Passing of a Generation

My step grandma, the mother of my stepmom passed away in Butterworth early this month. She was 88. She had been suffering from cancer, since it relapsed about Feb last year. Now there’s no more suffering, and she can join grandpa again. RIP.

Things can change pretty fast in this world. Just last year on New Year’s Day 2015, we celebrated step grandpa’s birthday with the whole family, in Penang, in one of our cousin’s café. Four generations in the gathering, what a blessing! (See this post for a picture of it). Two months or so later, grandpa suddenly had a heart attack and left us. The saddest thing at that time was that grandma was in Penang for a doctor’s consultation. She had some problems and had to be at the hospital in Penang (it later turned out to be due to the relapse of her cancer). By the time she reached Butterworth, grandpa was already gone, and she wasn’t able to be with him at that crucial time. She was devastated, having spent most of their lives together. Since then, she’s gotten weaker and weaker, and her body was so weak that the doctors couldn’t administer the needed cancer therapy on her. The past few months before she passed away, my parents told me that it’s like she’s lost her will to live.

Now, she needn’t have to suffer or struggle anymore. Bye-bye grandma. Bye-bye grandpa. Although I might not have known you very well, and you wouldn’t have known me well I guess, (I met them for the first time when I was in my late teens. I and my siblings didn’t stay in Butterworth, and would only meet the grandparents when we visited our parents on our holidays from school or work), I am greatly indebted to you for accepting us as your grandchildren, and for helping my dad finance us to further our studies overseas. May God bless your souls. May both of you be at peace now.

Here’re a couple of pictures of our family gathering with the grannies last New Year in Penang, Malaysia




Grandpa’s Birthday / New Year’s Day, 2015

Here’s a link to another picture in an earlier post.

What’s So Great about the Palace?

Since, we’re talking Abu Dhabi, I might as well throw these in – pictures of the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi (the sprawling brown buildings in front). Here's a view of the hotel from the beach.

I don’t think I’ll be visiting this place personally, so what the heck, I’ll just put in some photos of it that were taken during Anu’s visit in 2009 with some of our work colleagues. It’s not like I didn’t try to visit, hell, I tried 3 friggin times!!! And failed, all 3 times! The first try was on our first visit to Abu Dhabi in 2008 – it was a weekend, and we were told that we could only visit on a weekday! Second try was when Kim visited in 2013 – we drove up to the gate, and the guard told us we were dressed too casually! (What? I thought my bermuda shorts were pretty decent, and our flip-flops (Kim and I) weren’t too bad looking). Third try was with Dad, Mom and Hazel on a Saturday in December 2013 – was told again that this was a weekend, …and I thought weekends were Fridays only, shit! I give up! What’s so great about the place anyway? It’s just a hotel like any other hotel right?

OK, OK, OK, call it a case of sour grapes… but I’m still NOT gonna visit, unless… Unless I have to again bring someone for a tour of Abu Dhabi, I think.




The fountain at the Emirates Palace Hotel


The gold coloured interior of the hotel


Anu, at the Emirates Palace Hotel, 2009

One Night in Abu Dhabi

At Al Fanar Restaurant, Abu Dhabi, waiting for food. Al Fanar is a restaurant specializing in Emirati food. Unfortunately for us, the only food still available was some gravy / curry-type dishes and rice dishes. No more friggin grilled stuff (what d’ya expect when you visit at ...err 10.20pm? 10 minutes before closing time?)

Decided to take the easy way out (again) and post photos of a mini family gathering with Kim’s family in Abu Dhabi. This is a follow up to our one night meet up in Munich earlier (see this post). Kim and family had an overnight stopover in Abu Dhabi, on their way back to New Zealand, from their trip to Germany. Somehow or other, our meet ups always end up like one night stands!! Not good, definitely not good, will have to make an effort to meet longer the next time.


Our group photo at Al Fanar – no legs thanks to waiter photographer at the restaurant, and grainy quality thanks to our good ol’ phone cameras


It’s way past Jared’s bedtime according to Kim (but how do you keep a schedule, when you’re flying across err… 10 time zones?!!)


A tree in the restaurant! (It’s fake by the way)


A lock-up cell for the children, while the adults eat. All restaurants should have facilities like this. Kidding, it’s a sitting room for eating on the floor, Arabic-style. We wanted a room like that, but they’re not available as the restaurant’s about to close for the night


Outside the restaurant – try spotting these – two men, two babies, and two goats

Happy New Year, with Homework

Happy New Year 2016!!

I’m back! Guess what we did on New Year’s Day. Clean the house (we were away for a week, so the home’s a mess, plus there’re dead cockroaches all over the place, thanks to our homemade cockroach bait that we placed all over the house just before we flew off – it worked!!) Buy groceries (yeah, back to reality, have to stock up for our boring routine lives again). And sit with Justin to make sure he finishes his homework! The homework part took most of the day. Yeah, that’s life nowadays. Your kid’s homework, is also your work now. Don’t ever remember my parents grilling me on homework! So this is new age parenting huh? Being a parent, means responsibilities I guess, if only it could be more interesting…

Anyway, here’re some photos of homework and school. Yeah, I have a whole load of photos of Justin’s school-related stuff. That’s what our lives revolve around nowadays. Don’t even want to imagine the time when Jayden starts schooling!!!


Justin doing his online homework on my laptop. (He’s friggin Standard 1, and has computer homework!) He also has to bring an iPad to school, part of the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Programme that’s being implemented in the international schools here! …Oh, that Malay costume? It’s something his grandparents sent from Malaysia. We let him try it out in preparation for International Day, where all the kids have to wear something to reflect their home country.


Justin at Foundation 2 (FS2) aka Kindergarten


With his FS2 Teacher’s Assistant, Ms Jocelyn. (His class teacher can be seen in this earlier post)


With his classmate Miriam at FS2 (Miriam’s father turned out to be the owner of the apartment we finally chose and bought – and I didn’t know until we were at the land office to sign the transfer papers despite meeting a couple of times. We started chatting while waiting for the land office to prepare the papers and then it dawned on me. We even went to Miriam’s 5th birthday party at Mirdif Park a few months back! Talk about being in a small world!)


An assignment on Italy in FS2. Each class picked a separate country to work on. We had to make something reflecting Italy. He loves Sports Cars, so we ended up making a Lamborghini out of a Nescafe box.


More Italy! At the end of the assignment he (and I) could sing an Italian children’s song!!! – Il Coccodrillo Come Fa. So, it does bring benefits after all.

That’s not all. I’ve had to relearn the Solar System. I know all the planets plus their special characteristics now. (And what the heck, Pluto is no longer a planet!!) I’ve relearnt dinosaurs (I can name most of the common dinosaurs again). I used to know them but it’s been more than 35 friggin years since I was last interested in them. (Do you know that Brontosaurus is no longer a proper dinosaur name now? They should rightly be called Apatosaurus! But personally I prefer Brontosaurus – what sort of name is Apatosaurus??). I’ve also relearnt fairy tales – oh yeah, I know my Cinderella, and Rapunzel, and Rumpelstiltskin, Hansel and Gretel – you name them! And we’ve been catching up on old Disney cartoons!


Justin’s drawing of flags – this was during a school programme supporting some humanitarian effort in Ghana. The kids were told to wear Ghanaian colours or clothes in support of the school. How on earth in Dubai would you find some Ghanaian clothes??! We finally bought a yellow cap and drew a Ghana flag on it


Waking Justin up in the morning for school is sometimes a challenge


The start of his Year 1 (Standard 1) at Royal Dubai School. The names and nationalities of his classmates are stuck on the wall behind


Justin’s Year 1 classroom


Justin at an introduction to musical instruments, a school related event – no, please not the drums. Pick a piano, or violin or heck, even a trumpet, that’d be ok


We had a family outing to the Dubai Musuem to help him with his 'Dubai in the Past' topic at Year 1 (yeah, we have to have family outings for the kids now, part of parenthood I guess…)


Justin and his science project – testing whether plants grow better with water or soda. Never would’ve guessed it’d be soda!!! His mom had to remind him daily to water them and to write down the observations!

Here’s a link to Justin’s Year 1 Class blog for those who want to see more of what happens at the international schools here in Dubai.

Hope your New Year is as ‘interesting’ as ours…