Labourless Weekend

May 2, 2009 Leave a comment

I have been absent from my blog for the past 2 weeks. (This morning, Cousin Yei sms me and asked if I was busy). I have been really busy and sick…Not the swine flu – but there was a strange "diarrhoea virus" in my household. It all started with me – I had 3 days of extreme diarrhoea and doctor said it could be the bad Yakult that I drank. There were a lot of bad bateria in my tummy – it was so bad that I went to the loo at least 20 times in one night! Then, this virus hopped around the family – right after me, Felicia and Tracy had the same shit. (Elkan? He is lucky this time!)… I didn’t know diarrhoea can be air-borned.

Finally a long weekend – thanks to "Labourless Day" – I am free to take the family and friends out! (Tracy flew out last night to Taipei for a short weekend holiday!) This morning, I brought Hong Fei and family and Harshad to the Hong Kong Park – to test out our very poisonous photography hobby! (And we bumped into my client, Kenneth!) Later in the afternoon, we went to Megabox (and we bumped into another client, Auntie Sandy!) Haaa.. what an odd coincidence!

Filed under Life in Hong Kong

Men’s Disneyland – China

May 2, 2009 Leave a comment


Photo: Scott’s new Chinese Sport Car.


Photo: The new "High-Flier" Sign.

Filed under Life in Hong Kong

The Other Side of Reality

May 2, 2009 Leave a comment

Last weekend – Scott, Joe and Harshad went to Southern China. I thought it will be another business-cum-drinking joy nights..but it turned out to be a very meaningful trip for me.

Harshad and I stayed over 1 more night in Guangzhou and we were told by a local friend that there is a RMB30/night hotel. It isn’t a love-motel, it was just some local 1-star hotel for those who just sleep and leave. Thus, we decided to explore this option – since it is only RMB30 per night!

It was an eye-opener for me. The stairs are dark, the walls are dirty and the hall stink badly. There is no reception table – just a man sleeping behind a caged room of bars (like a jail cell) – he opened the door and led us to our rooms. When he showed us the room, it reminded me of those kampong houses – cracked floor, decaying ceiling and lizards crawling around the room. No aircon, just a black dusty ceiling fan. I checked the toilet – it was dark and stuffy. It was one of those old untiled squat toilet holes (like those I saw in jail). Next to the hole is the shower area. Yeah, I bet there is no heater too. The bed is old and torn – I bet there must be a zillion bed bugs in there waiting for me! We politely rejected the hotel manager and left the hotel. My god, how could anyone live under such condition!

Later that evening, our friend invited us to her house. It was sad for me. Her house was as bad or if not, worse than the hotel room. It was deep inside the back alley – no street lamps – I have to turn on my iphone so that we have some decent light to lit the path. Her flat was on the 4th floor – the stairs were dark and narrow. This is one place where my imagination will run wild – I felt so unsafe and scared. It looks exactly like the scary movie "Dark Water" or if not "The Ring".

Once she opened her door, Harshad and I saw a couple of rats running across the room! Her room-mate had left the window open – the rats came in to look for food. It was really pathetic! I can’t help but felt so so sad for her. I looked out of the window – everyone in the neighbourhood is living almost in the same condition. It was the norm for them.. but for me – it was as good as staying out on the street (maybe Singapore street is cleaner and brighter too!)

On our way back to Hong Kong, I can’t erase what I saw the night before. It did affected me deeply somehow. It was a different type of world. A world that my grandparents had lived and never want us to revisit. In the harsh reality, there are still many people who are still living under such "norm". It is times like this that made me realise how fortunate I am. According to her, there are much more worse living conditions that we normally don’t get to see. For how many can we help?

For me, it doesn’t matter how many people I can help. I will start with one..and slowly move on to the next. The Guangzhou trip isn’t just a trip where we meet business friends and got drunk-happy. I saw a new chapter in my life – It was hardship that I never get to experience or see as a child. And I do appreciate my life a lot.

Filed under Wahbiang

What is wrong with this world!?

April 19, 2009 Leave a comment

I am surrounded by numerous unreal fake people. People who packaged themselves to look good yet they are rotten deep inside. People who are educated yet possess the lowest class of moral. People who pretend to be friends yet all they wanted are benefits from you. Worst are those who gossip endlessly – they just make you feel negative in life!

There is something terribly wrong with our education. I kept seeing such low-graded human beings everywhere I go. These are people who need to find an scheming excuse to live another day. These are people who need to make someone else look so bad so they feel better about themselves. And there are many people who just can’t stop finding faults. Worst of the kinds – people who are so damn well-versed with laws and policies – they can use their bible to excuse them from their wrongdoings. 

 
What is wrong with these people? There is something wrong about the society that I am living in!

Haaa.. this is not my 1st wake-up call about the "REAL WORLD". What puzzled me is why our society allows us to glorify such indecent souls and many times, we have to silently endured their existence? Where are the good days of old codes of conducts?

The biggest irony is – I found people who are working in the "less glamorised" trades more upright and honest about themselves. And many of them don’t even have a degree!

Last week, I joined a friend drinking in China. It was a horrible pub – I saw drunk men in suits grabbing the poor waitresses and molesting them. One of them even put his hands under a waitress’s blouse – the pub managers just stood there and looked! (I dare these fuckers to do that in Singapore!) I chatted with the waitress who served our table – why would she want to work in such environment for that little money?

She said "I know people in our trade don’t get much respect. But it is a decent job for me to pay off debts?"
"No, that is not what I meant… I was saying you can always find another job. It is not worth the mental torture with such small petty tips." I told her.

"I know I have other options. I am just too impatient to clear the funeral debts back home. My dad and grandfather passed away 6 months ago and things changed overnight. My mother is old and sick. I have to come out here to work so she need not to work so hard to pay off the debt." she said.

"How much is the debt?" I asked.

 
"We are in debt of RMB5000." she said. "This job is good. With good tips, I can make about RMB2,000 a month here. Back home, I can only make RMB800 as a factory girl. But don’t worry for me, I should be going home soon with the money… In fact, I am leaving end of April. I want to go home and reunite with my mum and younger brother."

From her eyes, I can sensed that she missed home a lot. She is only 18! How thoughtful and mature she is. She didn’t complain much about her poor life. In fact, she put on the bravest and brightest smile that night. Life is hard for her and her family, yet she is so positive and honest. She has one of the toughest job here, yet she took it well and good. No complain, no gossip – just being hardworking and focused on her task.

When we later chatted about her "trip home", she told me it will take her more than 30 hours to go home as she is taking interstates train. I asked her why don’t she just take a 2-hour flight.

"My money is hard-earned cash. I have lots of free time. I am not rushing anywhere. I can saved RMB500-700 taking train!" She explained.

I was very touched by her words. Before I leave the pub, I passed her RMB500 at the door. To my surprise, she returned me the money.

"Thanks for being such a nice customer. But I do not need your money." she said.

"No…those are the tips for your service tonight, girl." I insisted.

"Sir, please don’t do this. You gave me RMB500 because of the story I told you. I am really fine. You have already gave me a RMB100 tip just now."

"Look, just say it is a treat from me. Please accept it." I insisted again.

She stood there…shaking her head, smiling shyly at me and walked away. No, she didn’t take the money. I kept it in my wallet. I left the pub.

It is time like this when I do feel there is hope in our rotting society. In this small pub, nowhere in Guangzhou, I met a normal girl with that basic sense of grace.

Back to my city life, glamour-job – with beautiful educated people. Sadly, nothing comes close here.

Back at the train station, I overheard a conversation. A boyfriend was shopping for a necklace for his girlfriend.

"Yes, these crystals & silvers are cheap and beautiful. But they are not real. They will turn yellow and rust easily. I know I cannot afford  many real ones but I will still wait for the day when I can buy just one. At least till then, I know that one is real and I get to keep it for a long long time. I don’t need so many fake beautiful things. I only need one real thing to keep forever.." the girl said to her boyfriend.

So simple, so true. This applies on people and relationship.

Trust me, I have no patience and kind words for the masked world. Cos’ I shall reserve my true heart for those who are in need out there.

Filed under Jo's Thoughts

My Daily Bread

April 19, 2009 Leave a comment

Life begins with a box of breakfast. You never know what you are going to get today. Some of the very best "daily bread" by my lovely Chef Bobo. (Exclusive menu for Joe only. Tracy got lucky some days!) Now you know why I cannot slim down.

Filed under Family

Cyber Cousins

April 19, 2009 Leave a comment


(Photo Taken: Another afternoon of cyber-reunion with our family back home in Singapore!)

Filed under Family

Ouch!

April 19, 2009 Leave a comment


(Photo Taken: HK Science Center)

Filed under Life in Hong Kong

The Shutterbugs are here!

April 19, 2009 Leave a comment

2 of Singapore’s best shutterbugs are in town this week! My 53rd & 54th visitors – Ming & Ernest!
(The pros are here… so it is better I keep my DSLR at home this weekend!)

Filed under Life in Hong Kong

Easter Art!

April 13, 2009 Leave a comment

(Photo: This is Elkan’s first art competition attempt in HK and he won 3rd Runner-Up! Today, he and Felicia went to collect his prize Bunnie! Hmm… I only got my 1st art trophy when I was 9 and there is no bunnie. Haaaa… )

Filed under Life in Hong Kong

Historic Macau

April 13, 2009 Leave a comment

It is Easter Holiday. We have a long 4-day weekend. We decided to spend our free time in Zhuhai and Macau on Friday and Saturday. This is my 10th trip to Macau but my 1st at the iconic Ruínas de São Paulo (the ruins of St Paul’s). The shopping streets around it are buzzing! For a moment, I thought I was back to Malacca (cos’ the architecture, the atmosphere and the flavour are so sino-portuguese!) Macau’s historic center is so colourful… there were street performances, beautiful paved-walkways, shophouses selling local snacks and lots of shopping!

Filed under Life in Hong Kong

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