A breather 稍息

Folks, I am taking a breather. Will be back soon .... when my "wind" ups again!
我在稍息一会，等我的“风头”来了，再继续！

Home sweet home 家的温暖

While we were holidaying in Sabah, our two little doggy were having a whale of a time in the Farm under the care of Andrew.

They were well fed ( besides normal dry food, they had egg, meat..) and plenty of space to run.

As our holidays had ended, so were theirs too. This evening, we went down to Farm to "fetch" them.

The chili plants in the Farm were so very beautiful....

We enjoyed the beautiful twin light along the country road!


当我们在沙巴度假的时候，我们的两只小狗也在FARM享受假期的生活，收到Andrew 的热情款待。

他们吃得好（除了每天都干粮外，还加蛋和肉），还有宽阔的空间奔走游玩。

我们的假期结束了，它们的假期也同样的结束。今天傍晚，我们把它们带了回来。

Farm 的辣椒正盛开。。。

在回家的路上，我们见到了美丽的落日余辉！

Passion fruit
爱情果

KK holidays 13 假期结束

We arrived home at 10:30 pm.

Pauline and I left KK for home on an evening flight. Adeline and Elizabeth stayed back for three more days to complete their diving course.

It was a wonderful family holiday.

As we parted company, we know that such family holiday will not happen again at least for the next two to three years.

Each of us would be living individual busy life at different corners of the world, the fond memory of the holidays - beautiful places, laughter, food, jokes, small talks of childhood will sustain our tie and bond as a family.

Tomorrow is another new beginning, we surrender to God to lead us in our lives, "let it be" and " what will be will be".

God bless all families.

我们在今晚十时半抵达家门。

他哦和太太乘达马航傍晚的班机离开亚庇，两个女儿则在亚庇多逗留三天，以便完成她们的潜水课程。

这是一个美妙的家庭假期。

我们这次的假期完成后，都知道在未来的两三年里，不会全家再次的同游了。

家庭的每个成员将各分东西，回到个别的忙碌生活里，但这次同游的美丽回忆 - 美丽的风景，美味的食物，欢笑，倾谈和回忆童年的各种乐趣，将会继续的把我们团结一起，凝聚的力量。

明天将是另一个新的开始，我们都交托到天主的手中，由他引领吧。

祈求天主降福所以的家庭。

KK holidays 12

Most of the restaurants in Kota Kinabalu are crowded during weekends.

Tonight we went to try out the most famous (crowded) Bak Kut Teh in KK for dinner. The serving bowl was small. In general, the prices of food in KK is 20% higher than West Malaysia(Klang Valley).

This is the third time I am eating Bak Kut Teh this year, which I considered too much already.

RM 90.00 for 5 persons (+ 2 plates of vege)


A friendly cute baby sitting next to out table.

Lest we forget

I have visited the Australian Sandakan-Ranau Death March War Memorial at Ranau and Sandakan. A striking sign at the entrance gate: Lest We Forget them.

So lest we forget the death of Teoh Beng Hock, a bright young man who died mysteriously under the detention of MACC (Malaysia Anti Corruption Commission).

The decision of the Government to set up a Royal Commission to investigate the procedure and tactics of investigation of MACC is just a strategy of distraction and deception.

Remember The Royal Commission To Enhance The Operation And Management of The Royal Malaysia Police? The Royal Commission on Lingam's tape? Do you see any action? Does the government accept the findings and recommendations? No, but just a bull shit show!

The police is investigating the death of Teoh under the custody of MACC. The people have no confidence in the police because list of deaths under its detention too.

The real cause of Teoh's death will most probably never be known.

It is a matter of lacking confidence and trust on BN government, whether it is headed by Abdullah or Najib.

But we must have the confidence on ourselves - WE, The People. The changes in the country so far, inclusive of the setting up of the Royal Commission after Teoh's death, are the result of the people's power!

Najib is doing quite well because he knows the strengh and heeds the voices of the people. But sadly, there are still many government officers, agencies and "little Napoleons" thinking the people are still "bloody fool".

Lest we forget Beng Hock's death,
Lest we forget we, the people, can make changes,
Lest we forget March 8 2008 is the beginning of the changes,
Lest we forget, we must be united to continue the changes!

p/s : more on Beng Hock - justiceforbenghock.blogspot.com; and join Facebook group too.

KK holidays 11

In pictures:

Jonathan & friends conquered Mt. Kinabalu 3 weeks ago

Our road trip

Signboards of churches, big or small, can be seen in all byways and highways in Sabah. Most probably we will never see this happens in West Malaysia, but hope that this right will never be taken away from the East Malaysians.

KK holidays 10

We woke up to a beautiful day - bright sunshine and clear mountain view.
我们今早起来，天气晴朗，艳阳告照，美丽的寡妇山，清晰可见。

We had breakfast at our rooms (plenty of leftover biscuits, tarts and cakes and local Tenom coffee). At about 10:00 am, we left Kundasang for Kota Kinabalu. We stopped at local produce stalls to buy our favourite fruits : pineapples and Buah Salak.

我们在房间用了早餐（许多剩余的糕饼和蛋闼及香浓的本地丹南咖啡）。在十点左右，我们就离开了昆达山，启程回亚庇了。途中我们在小摊档购买了我们喜爱的水果－黄梨和蛇皮果。



After dinner, we paid a visit to Agnes and Paul Yap, and their daughter Jenny, the brave girl who was injured in a serious accident 2 years ago. (see old blog A brave girl)

在晚餐后，我们去探访叶保禄和惠琼夫妇及女儿俐雯。俐雯两年前，一启意外中严重受伤，但现在已经康复了相当的良好。她是一位勇敢的女孩。（参看旧帖子一个勇敢的女孩 及 天下的妈妈都是一样的）

She is always in our hearts， and prayers.
她常常都在我们的祈祷及思念中。

Currently she is pursueing her degree (second year) in UNITAR Kota Kinabalu. We wished her all the best in her study and recovery. God bless her and family.

俐雯目前在亚庇的一间私人大学攻读第二年的课程。我们祝福她学业进步，康复也顺利。祈愿天主降幅她及家人。

Agnes is away in Tenom to visit her aged mother.
惠琼姐刚巧回家乡丹南探访年长的母亲。

Seated: Jenny & father
坐：俐雯和父亲。

KK holidays 9

A beautiful evening

My wish made more than 10 years ago finally being realised ... half of it!

I loved Sabah because of its beautiful mountains, rivers, and friends. More than 10 years ago, I told my wife, one day, our family would make a road trip by driving ourselves from Kota Kinabalu, to Sandakan, to Tawau, to see the beautiful natural scenery of the Land Below The Wind.

Although we are still short of the Sandakan-Tawau leg, and I don't think the children wanted to do it because of another grilling 6 hours journey, I have to give thanks and praise to Heavenly Father of His Graces and Blessings showered on my family.


This morning, we went to a market in Sandakan to have "Fried pork spring mee " as breakfast. We bought some Egg Tart (the best in Sandakan) for our journey.

We left Sandakan at noon and arrived at Ranau, a small town 15 km before Kundasang at about 3:30 pm to have our lunch. The 'fu yong dan"(fried egg) and "shu zai choi" were very delicious.

The day ended with a beautiful view of Mt. Kinabalu in front of us!




The popular food of Sandakan-
"Fried pork spring mee"
山打跟的炸肉彈弓麵

KK holidays 8

Family holidays also means eating together, a lot!

Family prays together stays together; family eats together jells together! (who says? Me!)

Our second day in Sandakan basically spent on eating. One of Jonathan's colleagues had prepared a long list of " must eat & must see " for him.

So starting with our breakfast, we went to Jetty 7 at the water village to eat fish balls, "peidan gao"( century egg dumplings).










After breakfast, we went up to Pu Ji Temple which is situated at a hill top to have a panoramic view of Sandakan water front.


Later, we went over to St. Mary's Cathedral for a brief visit.

Agnes Keith's house is a piece of conservation masterpiece. She is the author of "The Land below the wind".

After all the morning activities, time for the famous Sandakan Bak Kut Teh - pork and fish.

Before & after - embarrassing scene

After lunch, we dropped by our friend Peter Lee's shop to say hello and have the best Madras tea/coffee in town...or among places I have visited. Later, we visited the cleanest market we have ever seen - the Sandakan market.

The cleanest market - hardly can see a fly even at the salted fish, ikan bilis stall

One of the "must" items listed is "the best coffee in Sandakan" at Equator Cafe. We took a break at this cosy cafe to have another round of latte and cappuchino.


We returned to hotel to wash up for the dinner appointment with some Sandakan friends - Jerome and wife Grace, Monica, Mary and Paul.

We had steamboat at the Trig Hill sea food restaurant at about 6:30 pm. It was on a hill top overlooking the Sandakan port.



In order to complete the "must" list, we went out again at about 10:00pm to a restaurant 918 to try out the Tan Gong Mee (spring mee). Jonathan loved it very much!

It is a long day and long list of ea....t......ing!

"spring mee" - a slightly harder (springy) mee, fried pork, dumplings, few pieces of yao Za kui

KK holidays 7

We are on holiday, do not disturb !

KK Holidays 6

The journey from Kundasan, Ranau to Sandakan took us more than 3 hours (227 Kms).

The road to Sandakan are winding and narrow (like from KL to Johor Baru more than 20 years ago). We reached Sandakan at about 2:30 pm. and immediately visited the Sipilok Orang Hutan conservatory and Lubok Bay Procbasis monkeys sanctuary.

At night, we have sea food dinner...again!

















The road to Sandakan

KK holidays 5

It was quite cold in Kundasang due to the rain in the evening.

This morning, we got up early to enjoy the full view of Mt. Kinabalu.

After breakfast, we visited the Australian War Memoral nearby. It was set up to remember the infamous Sandakan death march in 1945. More than 2000 Australian POWs were ordered by the Japanese occupiers to march from Sandakan to Ranau, a journey of more than 220 km. Due to shortage of food, only six were survived.

At noon, we left Kundasang for Sandakan, which was about 230 Km away.


"I was there..!" Jonathan reached the summit 3 weeks ago.

Australian War Memorial

KK holidays 4

The famous Tamparuli bridge which inspired the beautiful Kadazan love song of the same title

We arrived at the Mt. Kinabalu Heritage Resort & Spa at Kundasang at about 3:00pm.

Through Jonathan's colleage, we were able to get a good rate for chalet at this resort. However, we needed to cross a suspension bridge, many flights of stairways, to reach the top of a hill - our chalet. We had the full view of Mt. Kinabalu right in front of us.

It was worth all the "leg strength".

We will stay a night here. We will leave for Sandakan tomorrow but will stay another night on our return trip from Sandakan which is about 3 hours car drive from Kundasang.

KK holidays 3

After breakfast, Gaya street market, it was well after 2 pm. We decided to go for a little bit of sight seeing and coconut pudding.

We stopped at the Kak Tini stall for the authentic, local Malay styled coconut pudding.

Family getting together, besides thanking God and counting our blessings (spiritual dimension), food is also an important element. So we decided to have Italian food.
































After a long day, Pauline is relaxing at Jonathan's apartment. We are going up stay at Mount Kota kinabalu resort tonight.