Sunday, July 29, 2012

The routine, part 2

The view from my balcony: the old palace, the monorail, the river and the temple
 
Since moving to Brickfields in mid-June, my morning routine has changed a bit. I can wake up half an hour later, which is a significant improvement for me. The neighborhood is Kuala Lumpur's Little India, but there are Malaysian Chinese residents as well.

It is still dark outside when I wake up at 620, but it is light by the time I get out into the street an hour later. In between, the bells of the Hindu temple across the street tell me whether I should hurry up or take my time.

When I step out, I see brown dogs approaching the bare-chested holy men of the temple. A flock of pigeons is almost always waiting for their bread crumbs in front of the other Hindu temple down the road.

In front of the next condo, parents in their Indian tunics and saris wait for the orange Bas Sekolah (school bus) to pick up the children in their blue uniforms every school day and wave them goodbye with big smiles. The vegetarian restaurant around the corner is already open for business. The flower shop across it is accepting the day's deliveries.

Crossing the road, I pass by a row of homes. The ginger cat in front of the fourth house greets me with a meow every time. The sidewalk has bags of uncollected garbage, so I hold my breath every few strides. There's the rice dealer, the coconut dealer, the eateries, and the budget hotel before I get to the 7-11 at the corner. If I pass by in the afternoon, I sometimes hear the sound of the trumpet and basketball being played at back of the YMCA.

On the next street, a crowd is always waiting for the bus to arrive. I wait for the green pedestrian light before crossing the temporary covered walkways to the underbelly of KL Sentral, where I take the coach to LCCT.

My area can be quite dodgy late at night, a den of snatch thieves and prostitutes. Parts of the area are from the 1960s and aren't in the best shape. I'm here only because of the location. The rough facade of the neighborhood keeps me alert and won't make me too soft for Manila. At least that's how I see it, practically speaking. I miss the fresh air and the relative peacefulness of my old place. But I'm a city girl. This is where I thrive.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

A night at the stadium

I'm no sports fan but I wanted to know how it feels like to watch a game in the stadium. When Tony Fernandes offered tickets to Allstars for the Queens Park Rangers Asia Tour, I just had to grab the chance.

The match between QPR of Barclays Premier League and the Red Warriors of the Kelantan Red Warriors of Malaysia's national league at Shah Alam Stadium was just like QPR's previous friendly in Kota Kinabalu against Sabah, 5-0.

QPR vs Kelantan

QPR vs Kelantan

My teammates and I arrived before halftime and started moving out at the 90th minute, so we caught three of the five goals.

QPR vs Kelantan
Lucky mascot: Spark parades with AirAsia FA's at half time

QPR vs KelantanQPR vs KelantanQPR vs Kelantan QPR vs Kelantan

I thought that the turnout of fans wasn't bad considering the distance from Kelantan. It was also cool to see some in QPR's blue-and-white hoops.

QPR vs Kelantan QPR vs Kelantan

What awed me the most is how a wall of sound develops when people react at the same time and the day-bright lighting inside the stadium.

I do hope to watch more football. It wouldn't hurt if the Azkals are playing.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Bits and pieces

My collection of disparate images has been growing. Time to let them out.


IMG_3355
Lantern, Ayala Alabang, Metro Manila, Philippines, December 2011

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A Christmas gift, Antipolo City, Philippines, December 2011

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Seen from above, Teresa, Rizal, Philippines, December 2011

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My notebooks, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 2012

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Tube ice on a truck, Luang Prabang, Laos, April 2012

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Shivz Grill, Bangsar, Malaysia, June 2012

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Mailbox, Temple of Fine Arts, Brickfields, Malaysia, July 2012



Saturday, July 21, 2012

Quotes @ University Cultural Centre + NUS Museum

First visit to the National University of Singapore's University Cultural Centre.

Found various quotations scattered around the building.

NUS Museum

University Cultural Centre

University Cultural Centre

University Cultural Centre

University Cultural Centre

University Cultural Centre

Took a look around NUS Museum.

NUS Museum

NUS Museum

NUS Museum

NUS Museum

NUS Museum

NUS Museum

But what I really went there for was this.