For the sake of a post

Lord Krishna using a hill as an umbrella - seen at one of the hundreds of temples in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh state, India

This new job is killing. I've switched from having about an hour or more of internet surfing, to err... about 2 minutes per day, and that is if the friggin internet is working. The rest of the day is just work. The most hardworking I've been since the first job after graduation, I think.

OK, I've decided to leave some photos of Mathura / Vrindavan taken donkey years ago in conjunction with Janmashtami, Krishna's Birthday which'll fall on the 1st or 2nd of Sept this year. Mathura is the birth place of the Hindu god Krishna, and the Mathura-Vrindavan area is where he spent his childhood frolicking with the milk maids (he's quite a lady-killer as a boy) and performing his early miracles.


The Birla Temple dedicated to the Bhagavad Gita, Hinduism's holy scripture, on the outskirts of Mathura






Birla Temple, Mathura


The Pagal Baba (Mad Papa) Temple, Vrindavan


The Hare Krishna Movement Temple in Vrindavan

In Loving Memory - My Grandma (March 1917 - June 2010)

Christmas 2007

Ma,

Thank you for never giving up on me.

Thank you for staying so long to make sure we’re all OK before you go, although that means you have to suffer the indignity of not being able to walk, and to do things yourself, which you’ve always worried about, from before.

Thank you for showing me what love really is, some thing immeasurable, unilateral, without expecting anything back in return. I believe love like that doesn’t work in real life anymore. But you showed me what it means. You showed me the meaning of patience, of kindness, of perseverance.

Ma, I’ve been selfish. I’ve more than often taken advantage of my status as your favourite. Everything you’ve asked of me, is for my good, never for yours. That I give up my wild partying ways, quit smoking, quit drinking till I’m drunk, settle down and have a family, and be close to my parents and family, they’re all for my good. Thank you Ma, for loving me as I am.

Thinking back on the times I was with you, I’ve never heard you say, that you wanted to be with your friends, or to visit places you like. All you’ve ever wanted was for your family to be close, and for your loved ones to visit you once in a while. You’ve dedicated your life to your family. But never have you expected us to give up our lives to be with you. You are one great and unselfish Grandma. I understand your message now, Ma.

You rest well. You’ve definitely earned your peace. I love you Ma. Bye-bye. God bless you. And thanks God, for giving me such a wonderful person in my life.


Christmas 2007


Granny's Birthday 2008


Chinese New Year 2010

Prelude to the Freedom Flotilla

The Mavi Marmara, at the Bosporus, Istanbul - what d'ya know, we caught the thing on camera but didn't know it, thanks to Anu's trigger happy habit with the camera.


Another shot of the ship with Istanbul's Topkapi Palace in the background


Sultanahmet, Istanbul - this must be a recruitment drive or a publicity stunt for the Freedom Flotilla (and I thought they were having some sort of a Palestinian Trade Fair at the time, I had a brochure but threw it away). The mosque behind is the famed Blue Mosque.


Anu, with a view of one of the Bosporus Bridges connecting Asia with Europe


Baby on the Bosporus Cruise


A family shot in Eminonu, Istanbul, Turkey

The Many Faces of Justin

My parents always make fun of me... :(


Justin 4.75 months - genie style


How do I get rid of the fish?


No luck, still stuck


Justin 5 months - rocker style


Justin happy


Justin happier


What's going on?


Don't push your luck


Carry me! Carry me!

Little Terrorist in Dubai

Here're more pictures of the little terrorizer...


Rare post-pregnancy, post-shingles family picture - Justin at 2 months old, China State Construction (Middle East) Annual Dinner, Grand Hyatt Dubai


Justin 3 months old - In front of Ski Dubai, Mall of the Emirates










4.5 months old - Starbucks at Debenhams, Mall of the Emirates


Justin 5 months old - Mirdif City Centre

Justin's Indian Adventure

Our house in Silchar, Assam

Looks like everything’s revolving around the little monster now. So, here’re photos of Justin’s adventure in India. This was an unplanned trip. We went home to see my Grandma in Malaysia because she was gravely ill. Not long after we got back, Grandma became somewhat better and was allowed to go home from the hospital. Since my Company’s asked me to take more leave as there’s little work to do in Dubai, we decided to skip over to India on our way back to Dubai. All in, that journey took 6 flights, on 5 different airlines, through 6 different airports (9 if you count the different terminals). Fun, but extremely tiring.


Justin with his grandmother, Anu's mom, in Fulertal, Assam


Indian baby with aunt Amrita in Fulertal


With his cousin, Sweety, in front of our house in Silchar, Assam


In our front yard, Silchar house


Justin on our bed


Living room, Silchar house


Salt Lake City Centre, Kolkata

When in China, do as the Chinese do

Double-headed lobster, China Sea Restaurant, Deira, Dubai

Yes, that’s what it feels like if you work for China State Construction. Although, strictly speaking, this is Dubai, we’ve not felt as much Arabian culture as we have felt Chinese culture. It’s like going back to my roots. I speak Mandarin (forced to) as a significant number of the staff in the Company speak ONLY Mandarin, OK, I admit it’s broken Mandarin, but as long as I can be understood… it serves the purpose right? I can type in Chinese (with a lot of guidance), I can read in Chinese more than what I used to be able to, my Indian wife can use the chopsticks very comfortably now, even for eating rice from a PLATE, all thanks to China State. So naturally when it comes to a celebration for our son, we chose to celebrate his 100-day old birthday (like what the mainland Chinese do) rather than his one-month old birthday (like how Malaysian Chinese do). It actually makes sense, as baby then would be calmer than when he was 1-month old, his mommy would be slimmer than right after birth, and his daddy would have recovered, slightly, from his acute sleep-deprived state right after birth.


Double-headed crab (actually everything is doubled because we reduced the number of tables from 2 to 1, but can't reduce the seafood already ordered, hehehe)


Some of the guests, from left - Kok Wah, Lynn, Ngo, James, Foo and Andrew


Justin slept through most of his birthday do.


A selection of the food ordered

The Butterworth Side of the Family

With Dad, Mom, Granddad, Grandmom and Auntie Doreen


Mom's eldest brother and wife, with Granddad, Grandmom and our little monster


The other brothers and their wives


Hazel and her cousins


More cousins


This is a family of connoisseurs - see! salmon & squid sashimi (OK Dad, I've corrected it like you pointed out - it's not tuna of course!)


Fud-thiu-cheong (Buddha jumps wall) - an exotic (and expensive) soup made with all seafood imaginable - allegedly so good that the Buddha jumped over the wall to have it - and I thought the Buddha was vegetarian (blasphemy's the last thing on a Chinese's mind by the way)


A roasted suckling pig - poor piggy


Abalone, mushrooms, foo-phey (I think) and broccoli


Having a feast of a time