In Kota Kinabalu 在亚庇

Dim Sum breakfast with friends 点心早餐

I am attending the 25th anniversary of Legion of Mary Curia in Kota Kinabalu (KK), Sabah from Aug 28 to September 1. I have to give the Bersih 4.0 peaceful demonstration in Kuala Lumpur from Aug 29 to 30.

Bersih 4 gathering is to protest against the recent 1MDB scandal involving the Prime Minister Najib over billions of Ringgit loses of people's money and the RM 2.6 billion in his personal accountg.

I flew to KK on Aug 28 afternoon. The anniversary celebrations included Holy Hour of prayer, workshop and talks, Thanksgiving Mass and anniversary dinner on September 1.

Yesterday, Aug 30, being a free day, my friend Raymond brought me to Kokol hill resort area which is about an hour's drive from the city.

Later in the evening, I attended yet another celebration of 20th anniversary of the Catholic Charismatic Prayer group in Holy Family Church, Telipok, which is about 20 minutes from Kokol hill resorts.

( see pictures in Facebook)

我在八月二十八日，飞到沙巴州的亚庇市，参加该地圣母军区团的25周年庆典。庆典与八月二十八日至九月一日举行，包括了多项节目 -  守圣时祈祷、讲座及九月一日举行的感恩弥撒及宴会。

对我来说，我必须放弃参加八月29日至30日在吉隆坡举行的净选盟和平示威。这些活动是针对目前我国的局势而举行。一个马来西亚发展基金（1MDB)舞弊丑闻、首相26亿马币进入个人户口的不合理解说、经济倒退，马币大贬值等课题，使到人民非常的失望及愤怒，而只好上街游行，表示抗议。

昨天为星期天，乘着空档，在参加了主日弥撒后，朋友Raymond 带我到离开市区大约一个小时车程，到一个名为Kokol Hill 的山上度假地区游览。

过后，我们在傍晚时分，到不远处的打里扑圣家教堂参加该堂区圣神祈祷会的20周年庆祝。

（观看照片Facebook）

 

August 21~23

This weekend, my wife and I, together with 2 children, we went down  South to Johor Baru to celebrate 88th birthday of my father-in-law.

It was a simple but joyful celebration.

It is Teochew's custom to eat eggs and Measua (noodle) in syrup as part of the celebrations.

My father-in-law is still enjoying good health at 88.

（See pictures in Facebook ）

八月21～23日

这个周末，我与太太及两位孩子，南下新山，与岳父共庆88岁生日。

这是一个简单但快乐的庆祝。

追随潮州人的习俗，生日必定要吃糖水煮鸡蛋加面线！

我的岳父虽然高龄88，但身体仍然还健康。

（观看照片 Facebook）

Trumpet tree 号角树

This year, Trumpet trees bloomed late and scarce.

Last year in March, we enjoyed beautiful blooms of Trumpet trees in March in many areas around Kajang. (Click to see last year's pictures)

While driving home from shopping with my wife, we  were surprised to see a few blooming Trumpet trees .. very beautiful. (See more pictures in Facebook)

今年，号角树的花开迟了，也稀少。

去年的三月，到处都可以看到满开的号角树，非常的美丽。（可观看去年的照片Facebook）

今天下午，我和太太出去购物回途中，惊喜的看到几棵盛开的号角树，非常的美丽。
（看照片 Facebook）

Rhino 犀牛

 

Visited Ol Pejeta Conservatory specially to see the Rhinos. 

(See pictures on Facebook)

Cycling 骑单车

My 2-door away neighbour Pak Yusop (Retired Colonel) invited me to Club Tasik Putrajaya for a bicycle ride, thence to club restaurant for a delicious brunch. The lakeside club offers great view of Pink Mosque and PM office.
 
(More pictures in Facebook) 

(Short Video on Youtube)

我的隔两家邻居尤索夫（退休军官）邀请我到布城湖畔俱乐部骑轿车，过后到俱乐部用餐。俱乐部环境优美，可观看到对面的粉红清真寺及首相办公室。

(更多照片 Facebook)

(简短录像 Youtube)

Monks and tea 隐修士与茶

On the way back to Nairobi from Masai Mara National Reserve, we put up a night at the St. Benedictine Monastery.

We reached the monastery at about 8 pm after a grilling 6 hours drive from Masai Mara.

The monastery situated at Limura, a tea growing region in Kenya, which is about 50 kms from Nairobi.

The monks of this monastery rely on agriculture and animals farming to support themselves, such as growing vegetables, tea, and animal farming.

After breakfast the next morning, Bro Sylvester led us in a tour of the monastery compound.

Later we went for a sightseeing of nearby big tea estates. 

（See Facebook pictures）

我们从马赛玛拉野生动物探险之旅后，到圣本笃修院住宿一晚。

从马赛玛拉到修院，大约6个小时的车程，非常的疲劳，抵步时已经是晚上8点了。修院坐落在一个叫Limura 种茶的地区，离开首都奈罗比大约50公里。

修院的修士们以务农来维持生活及费用。他们种茶、茶及饲养动物赚取收入。

隔天早上的早餐后，一位修士带领我们参观了修院的一周，包括菜园、茶园。过后我们往外去参观附近大型的茶园。一山又一山的茶树，马来西亚的金马伦与它相比，可真是小巫见大巫呢！

（参看照片 Facebook）

Happy birthday 生日快乐

This morning, Holy Family Taichi group held a birthday celebration for 3 members who are born in the month of August.

Fr. Surain, our new Parish Priest, was invited to meet the members and gave a special blessing.

Fr. Surain is fluent in English, Indian, Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin.

Today also herald the 28th anniversary of the Taichi group.

今天早上，圣家教堂太极班为三位八月份出生的成员欢庆生日。

堂区新上任苏瑞恩神父受邀共庆，也给太极班团员一个特别降福。

苏瑞恩神父精通英语，淡米尔语，马来西亚语及说的一口流利华语。

今天也标志着太极班成立28周年。

Kenya 4 肯亚

We visited the African Heritage House with a guided tour by its builder and owner Alan Donavan.

It is called the Most Photographed House in Africa. Many commercials, magazine covers were shot here.

The house is filled with arts and artifacts collection from various African nations and periods of time.

I am an art-idiot, but found the collections simply awesome.

(More pictures Facebook)

我们参观了非洲遗产屋。

该屋设计者兼屋主Alan Donavan 亲自带领我们参观了这座四层高，以泥为原料的屋子。整间屋子放满了屋主过去四十年来。收集来自许多非洲国家的艺术品及文物。

这间屋号称为“非洲被拍最多照片的屋”，因为很多广告，国际杂志封面都在这里取景。

我是艺术白痴，但这里的珍藏的确是很丰富，收藏价值高，值得参观。

（更多照片Facebook )


 

Kenya (3) Masai Mara 马赛马拉国家公园

The climax of Kenya tour was the visit to Maasai Mara National Reserve, where our Safari began.

The game park is a very big area stretching across the border of Tanzania where it is called Serengeti National Park. 

It was about 250 kms from Nairobi but took us more than 5 hrs to reach there. More than half of the journey ( about 130 kms) was bumpy and wavy dirt road filled with potholes and loose stones.

Vehicle and man were put to extreme physical and endurance test. Thank God both survived the return journey of more than 500 kms of grilling ride.

Masai Mara Reserve is world renowned game park, where thousands of wild animals roam free. We were able to see many animals in close range.

At the vast grassland, we witnessed the gathering of about 400,000(my estimation) of  Wildebeest and Zebras in preparation for the so called Great Migration (crossing of Mara River).

It was a precious and unforgettable experience of a lifetime.

( Pictures in Facebook)

我们肯亚之旅的高峰，就是到马赛玛拉国家公园观赏野生动物。这个公园非常的大，伸延到邻国坦桑尼亚，名为所沙仁吉迪国家公园。

它离开首都奈罗比大约250公里，但需要费时五个小时方能抵达目的地。这段路程，超过一半，大约130公里，是非常颠簸、满布波浪及窟窿的石土路，泥尘飞扬，把人与车的体能及忍耐都推到极点。庆幸我们都顺利的完成了这个来回五百公里的旅程。

马赛玛拉国家公园是世界闻名的野生动物观赏景点，游客可以在近距离的看到成千上万的各类野生动物，在自然的环境中，悠游的生活。

在广阔的草原里，我们见到大约四十万只的角牛及斑马（依我估计），集合在一起，准备在适当的时候，会同上百万的同类，进行著名的“大迁徙”，度过玛拉河。

这是一个毕生难得、难忘的体验。

（更多照片 Facebook ）