Spiritual Feng Shui By Lillian Too (Part 2)

October 15, 2013, 9:30 am

≫ Next: Eating Roasted Duck At Prachak Pet Yang

≪ Previous: The Bridges Of Putrajaya (Part 4)

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Continued from Part 1

According to feng shui expert and world's best selling feng shui writer Lillian Too, there are 3 dimensions to feng shui. They are, as mentioned in Part 1, the Space dimension, the Time dimension and the Spiritual dimension.

Spiritual Feng Shui is all about engaging the beings of the cosmic realms. Who and what are these beings? This is what we are going to delve into in this post.

Basically, there are SIX different realms of existence. We are in the HUMAN realm. We are somewhere in the middle as there are higher and lower realms than us.

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The Upper Realms are made up of the God realm and The Asura realm. These consists mostly of the Protectors and Guardians like Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and wisdom beings.

The Lower Realms are made up of the Ghost realm, the Animal realm and the Hell realm.

Within the spirits realm, they have their own different levels and hierarchies. Even the Protectors and Guardians have different ranks of their own. Those of the lower levels are afraid of those from the higher levels, or to put it more nicely, the lower level beings respect those that are of higher levels than them.

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According to Lillian Too, the HUMAN realm is the best realm to be born in. It is only in the human realm that one can have the potential to achieve enlightenment, meaning a state where you can truly understand everything about the true nature of your existence, so that there is no more learning.

Also, in the human realm, one can appease and control the spirits, which makes one's life smoother and happier.

It will be most unfortunate if you were to be born into the Animal realm as animals do not have the intellect to understand such profound wisdoms or to achieve enlightenment. And even worse, is to descend into the Hell realm, for you will be one of those hungry ghosts that are only allowed to roam the earth during the Hungry Ghost month!

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A hungry ghost image source

As such, the Human realm is seen to be very precious. Lillian therefore advised us against taking our own lives. She even said that people who harm themselves are stupid beyond words! The message here is to take good care of our lives for as humans, for we are indeed very precious and at an advantage compared to the others.

Now there are billions and billions of spirit beings! And they are not just of this world, but of other worlds too, in fact, the whole Universe. So who really are these ghosts and spirits?

According to Lillian, ghosts and spirits are beings that are trapped in theBARDO. What is the Bardo? The Bardo is the in-between world between realms!

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This is how it works. When we die, we spend 49 days in the Bardo. That's exactly 7 weeks! This is also why the Buddhists and Taoists pray for 49 days for people who have passed away.

3 things can happen when you are in the Bardo ...

1) You get reborn (either into human, animal or hell realm)
2) You stay trapped in the Bardo
3) You become enlightened and go on to the higher realms

Most spirits get reborn, but some get trapped in the Bardo. How does one get trapped in the Bardo?

Well, when you are too attached to life on earth, you will get trapped in the Bardo. When everyone cries and mourns your death, you may find that you are not able to let go. So it is important to say good bye and not cling to your past life when you die.

If not, you will be a slave to the King of Bardo. But what is worse since you are so attached to life on earth, is that the King of Bardo will tell you to pull in another relative. That's one reason why you notice that sometimes when a person dies, 2 or 3 weeks later, his close relative or family member also dies. This is also why a lot of prayers are needed for the dead so that they do not stay trapped in the Bardo.

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Wandering in the Bardo image source

How did Lillian know about all these? You are probably thinking she invented it all right? Well, according to Lillian, she got all these knowledge through lots of research and by learning from the Tibetan lamas and also from reading the sutras, which are the direct teachings of the Buddha.

Personally, I think it's way more complex than what Lillian explained to us during the seminar. But then, I think she did a great job in simplifying and making it easy to digest for the layman.

Lillian's advice is to live in such a way that when you die, you know HOW to die. But in the meantime, those of us still alive have a life to live. We all want a happy, smoother life and one way to achieve that is to have good feng shui. Besides good feng shui, we also need to have good Spiritual feng shui, in other words, we need to appease the spirits around us.

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The Diamond Sutra image source

Now every space has its own local spirits. They are neither good nor evil. KL has its own local spirits, Mid Valley (Lillian mentioned this since we were having the Spiritual Feng Shui seminar at The Gardens next to Mid Valley mall) has its own local spirits, and your house has its own local spirits too. Lillian said her house is a paradise to her because she always keep her local spirits happy.

In Part 3, I will share with you what kind of harm and obstacles these local spirits can do to you, and how you can actually appease them so that instead of harming you, they turn around to protect you from harm!

Possibly also in Part 3 (if the post is not too long), I will share some of these interesting stories like...
- how Lillian's guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche changed the direction of the fire raging through the forests of California (is it magic?)
- why the Indonesian haze plaguing Malaysia may be spiritually related...
- how Lillian created the rain to wash away the haze! (magic again?) and...
- all about black magic, and which country has the deadliest black magic of them all! Can you guess?

Don't miss all these and more, in Part 3 coming soon! : )

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Eating Roasted Duck At Prachak Pet Yang

October 20, 2013, 8:00 am

≫ Next: Yummy Coconut Sticky Rice With Durian At Boonsap Thai Desserts!

≪ Previous: Spiritual Feng Shui By Lillian Too (Part 2)

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Ok, it's time to resume my Bangkok posts. In case you have forgotten, this was my trip to Bangkok early this year. I had stopped blogging about the trip halfway to complete my Hong Kong posts.

So just to refresh your memory, here are the posts about my Bangkok trip thus far ...

1. Landing At Don Mueang International Airport In Bangkok
2. Bangkok Loft Inn : My Favorite Hotel In Bangkok!
3. My Breakfasts At Bangkok Loft Inn
4. The Erawan Museum In Bangkok (Part 1)
5. The Erawan Museum In Bangkok (Part 2)
6. The Erawan Museum In Bangkok (Part 3)
7. My Lunch At Soi Polo Fried Chicken
8. My Visit To Asiatique The Riverfront In Bangkok

On my 3rd day in Bangkok, my friend and I went separate ways. I had planned to visit Wat Arun which my friend had already visited before so he decided to go elsewhere. Besides, I was also planning to meet up with my Filipino blogger friend Ishmael Ahab, whom I met during my trip in Manila 2 years ago.

I suggested we meet up for breakfast at Prachak Pet Yang, a restaurant selling roasted duck in Bang Rak. Located at 1415, Charoen Krung Road (somewhere across the road from Robinson Bang Rak), this restaurant is more than a century old!

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I think pet yang means duck in the Thai language. This Prachak restaurant is famous for its roasted duck so I wanted to give it a try. Well, you can't go wrong with a restaurant that has been selling ducks since 1909 right?

At the front part of the shop, we could see ducks hanging like in typical Chinese coffee shops.

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Although the restaurant does offer other food like roasted pork, prawn dumplings and noodles, we decided to just order their famous roasted duck. Ishmael ordered a bowl of white rice as well but I did not as I had already eaten breakfast at my hotel earlier.

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The roasted duck was pretty delicious! The sauce was different from what I am used to eat back in Malaysia. It was slightly sweet and spicy but definitely tasty. The duck meat was tender and soft while the skin was still quite crispy despite being soaked in the sauce.

The only downside is the portion, which I thought was rather small. For that portion as shown in the picture above, it costs us 60 baht (US$1.95 / RM6.10) which was quite reasonable.

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The restaurant interior is just like your typical Chinese coffee shop, nothing special. I took a picture of the interior but since it contains Ishamel's face in it, I decided not to post it here since Ishmael requested not to have his face revealed (just like me haha!). Maybe you can have a glimpse of the restaurant interior at his blog HERE : )

After this light breakfast (yes light, because I only ate a few bites of the roasted duck), I proceeded to bring Ishmael to a shop across the street for some lip smacking desserts! Stay tuned : )

Directions to Prachak Pet Yang : From Saphan Taksin BTS Station, walk northbound along Charoen Krung Road towards Robinson Bang Rak. At Robinson, cross the road to the opposite side and find the shop with the number 1415.

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Yummy Coconut Sticky Rice With Durian At Boonsap Thai Desserts!

October 23, 2013, 12:00 am

≫ Next: FRIM Canopy Walkway Revisited

≪ Previous: Eating Roasted Duck At Prachak Pet Yang

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After our breakfast of roasted duck at Prachak Pet Yang, I immediately brought my Filipino friend Ishmael over to Boonsap Thai Desserts.

I had been craving for my favorite Thai dessert, coconut sticky rice with durian and I knew I just had to eat it!

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Located somewhere across the road from Prachak Pet Yang (and same row with Robinson Bangrak), this famous Thai dessert shop has been around since before World War 2. Now run by the young third-generation owners, the shop has been renovated to resemble a small cafe complete with air conditioning and two tables.

I noticed from the outside that they even serve fresh coffee! Didn't remember seeing that last time - either that or I did not pay attention.

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As soon as we stepped into the shop, the first thing I asked was whether they have coconut sticky rice with durians. I saw this pot of coconut cream and already started salivating haha!

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Unfortunately, the lady boss (I think she's the owner) told me that they had ran out of durians. I could choose sticky rice with mangoes instead (highly recommended if you happen to dislike durians).

Or I could go buy some durians from the fruit stall a few shops away, she suggested. So guess what? That's exactly what we did!

Ishmael and I went over to the fruit stall and bought a box of pre-packed durians in styrofoam container for 100 baht (US$3.20 / RM10.20).

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Then we brought it back to Boonsap Thai Desserts where we were immediately served 2 bowls of coconut sticky rice for 25 baht (US$0.80 / RM2.55) a bowl. We placed the durians we had just bought on the table in the middle.

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I know Thai durians are not as aromatic as Malaysian durians but I would not let that bother me LOL!

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So what did we do next?

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After our bowls of sticky rice were slathered and drowned in rich sweet coconut cream, it was time to add in the durians!

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With the use of forks and spoons, we managed to scoop out the yellow durian flesh and placed them onto the sticky rice. My bowl of coconut sticky rice with durian ended up looking like this. LOL!

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I don't think you will be able to buy a bowl of sticky rice with durian anywhere in Bangkok with this generous amount of durians haha!! Anyway, both Ishmael and I totally enjoyed this yummy dessert! The combination of durians, coconut and sticky rice is totally awesome! If you have not eaten it before, do give it a try!

Warning : If you hate durians, you will hate this dessert!! But you can replace the durians with mangoes and it will taste almost as heavenly!

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We did not try other desserts in the shop as we were already quite full. Boonsap has many other varieties of desserts to choose from. I still remember the sticky rice with creamy steamed egg custard that I ate here last year - it was so yummy! But no, I did not touch that this time.

Spotted this dessert and was tempted to try it, but did not.

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There were some cakes and cookies on the shelf.

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There were many more desserts I did not take photos of. Right outside the shop, there was a stall selling  all the various types of desserts.

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I think I must really visit Boonsap Thai Desserts again the next time I go Bangkok and try all their traditional Thai desserts!

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Directions to Boonsap Thai Desserts : From Saphan Taksin BTS Station, walk northbound along Charoen Krung Road. After passing Robinson Bang Rak on your left, continue to walk straight and you will find Boonsap Thai Desserts amongst the shops on your left.

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FRIM Canopy Walkway Revisited

October 29, 2013, 1:30 am

≫ Next: My Take On Gravity

≪ Previous: Yummy Coconut Sticky Rice With Durian At Boonsap Thai Desserts!

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I first walked the Canopy Walkway at FRIM (Forest Research Institute Malaysia) in Kepong back in March 2009.

At that time I had acrophobia. I still have acrophobia, though I think it's not as bad as last time. In case you do not know what acrophobia is, that's the term for a fear of heights.

The Canopy Walkway at FRIM is actually a suspended bridge about 30 metres above ground. I first attempted to walk this canopy back in 2009 to cure my fear of heights.

Read all about my experience in the two links below...
My Very First Canopy Walk At FRIM (Part 1)
My Very First Canopy Walk At FRIM (Part 2)

Although it did not totally cure my acrophobia, I must say it did help me manage it better.

Last Thursday, I decided to make a second visit to this Canopy Walkway. It's been more than 4 years now - how time flies! The ticket for the Canopy Walkway was RM5, exactly the same price 4 years ago. I'm glad they did not raise the price!

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Just like my first attempt in 2009, I was doing this alone. No one wanted to join me. Maybe because it was a working day. Or maybe most of my friends have acrophobia like me, and they did not think walking on a suspended bridge is fun.

I drove to FRIM around 10am in the morning. Since FRIM is not a public recreational park, but a R&D institution that opens its campus door to the public, a fee must be paid at the guard house to enter. Cars without stickers are charged RM5 - that's the amount I needed to pay. (Do not confuse this RM5 entry charge with the RM5 canopy walkway ticket in the photo above).

Oh, found an empty parking space between 2 cars! Perfect!

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After parking my car, I walked over to the FRIM's One Stop Centre (which is also where souvenirs are sold) to purchase the ticket for the Canopy Walk. Remember, you need to buy tickets before proceeding to the Canopy Walkway or you won't be allowed access.

For a group of 10 persons or more, advanced bookings are required. Refer to the email and contact number at the bottom of this post.

There's a signboard showing you direction to the Canopy Walkway. Just follow it!

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After passing a mosque on my left, I reached the starting point of the Rover Track. This is a track mainly for joggers.

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I used to jog here last time, but I have since stopped doing so as FRIM was a little bit too far from my place. But walking or jogging in the parks and forests is a must for me as I found it to be relaxing and rejuvenating. That's why I never run on treadmills in the gym - those machines are only useful if it's raining outdoors!

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I did not bring my camera with me - I thought it was too much trouble! So I took all the photos here with my iPhone 3Gs, hence the not so good quality photos.

This time, I did not run but just stroll leisurely to enjoy the forests and the fresh air. After walking on the Rover Track for about half an hour, I reached the base of the Canopy Walkway.

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From here, it's mostly uphill climb all the way. If you are not fit, you might find it quite challenging as some terrains were quite steep. Make sure you are wearing suitable sports or hiking shoes. A walking stick may be useful to those who experience physical difficulty.

Walking up this forest trail also reminded me of a similar but longer climb I made in Cambodia to visit Kbal Spean - the River of a Thousand Lingas. Read about it HERE.

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That morning, the grounds were quite wet as it had rained the night before. So it was somewhat a bit slippery at certain parts. One thing good was there was no leeches at all unlike the forests walk I experienced at Belum Rainforest.

Read More >My Trip To Belum Rainforest

After climbing for about 500 metres, I reached the Canopy Walkway. Here, there's a person that will check your ticket before allowing you to walk the Canopy Walkway.

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This time around, there was a group of students walking the suspended bridge ahead of me. Luckily, they did not linger long because I wanted the whole bridge to myself haha!!

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I was quite surprised that I did not experience any fear of heights even though I was high above the ground and the bridge seemed a bit wobbly when I walked on it. I guess the netting that reached above my waist on both sides of the canopy walkway made me feel safe.

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I even managed to take a short video while standing among the tree tops at the middle of the canopy walkway. Watch my Instagram video HERE.

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There were altogether 3 platforms along the 150 metres Canopy Walkway. The first platform could only accommodate a maximum of 4 persons.

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At this platform, I took a photo of the tree above me. See those wooden blocks around the tree trunk? I wonder if they were meant to protect the tree?

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I continued to walk the suspended bridge towards the second platform. Do take your time to observe your surroundings when you are on the bridge (that is, is you are not too pre-occupied with your fear of heights!). If you are lucky, you may just be able to spot birds and small reptiles.

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I soon reached the second platform. Unlike the first platform, the second platform could accommodate up to a maximum of 8 persons. Here, the view was pretty nice!

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I took a similar photo back in 2009 and that photo created some kind of interest due to the image of a ghost on the tree trunk. Let me repost back that photo. Here it is - Can you see the image of a female ghost in dark glasses in the old photo below?

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I have to say this is another reason I revisited FRIM Canopy Walkway - to check out the ghost LOL! Anyway, there was no ghostly image in the photo I took last week. I believe the old photo is just a lighting trick. What do you think?

But look at the the two photos above again. Can you see that the older photo was more beautiful? And it was taken with my old Sony Ericsson mobile phone. How come it was better than the recent photo taken using my iPhone 3Gs?!

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Besides the stunning view, I also took photos of the wooden plank that I walked on. So this is how it was done. Without the wooden plank, you would probably be walking on just the net - that would make your walk very unstable!

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The ropes and ladders of the Canopy Walkway are all tied to and supported by trees. So the health of the trees are very important as the Canopy Walkway totally depends on the trees.

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Perhaps that is why I saw these blocks of wood surrounding the tree trunk to protect the tree from the stress created by the ropes tied around it.

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I spent some time on the second platform before moving on to the third and last platform.

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Do you dare to walk this bridge if there is no netting on both sides? I will never dare attempt it! LOL!

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Another amazing view from the middle of this last leg of the Canopy Walkway but I am afraid my photo could not do it justice. Oh well.....

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I actually crouched down to take this photo below. That's why you can see the netting on both sides so much higher. Luckily I was the only person on the bridge and was not blocking anyone haha!

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My adventure on the Canopy Walkway came to an end with the third platform. This third platform could accommodate up to 4 persons like the first platform. No photos here, but I took a short video of the third platform leading to the stairs to exit the Canopy Walkway. Watch my Instagram video of the final platform HERE.

If you are interested to visit FRIM Canopy Walkway, do take note that its operating hours are from 9.30am - 2.30pm everyday except Mondays and Fridays. It's also closed during rain and stormy weather.

For enquiries or bookings, contact FRIM's One Stop Centre.
Tel : 603-6279 7575
Email : FRIM_Enquiry@frim.gov.my
Website : http://www.frim.gov.my

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My Take On Gravity

November 1, 2013, 11:00 am

≫ Next: My Visit To Wat Arun (Part 1)

≪ Previous: FRIM Canopy Walkway Revisited

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Last week, I watched the Alfonso Cuaron movie Gravity at TGV in 1Utama.

Initially, I was not sure I wanted to watch it, especially since I heard that there are only 2 actors in the whole movie. How good can a movie be with just 2 actors in it right? But the reviews were mostly good and the movie had been sitting on top of the US Box Office for 3 straight weeks, so I decided to give it a go.

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Turned out, it was the best decision I made. I have to say it's one of the best, if not the best movie of 2013!

I watched Gravity in IMAX 3D and boy, was it spectacular or what! If you plan to watch this movie, make sure you watch it in IMAX 3D. I would even go so far as saying that Gravity is probably the one movie that fully optimize the IMAX 3D medium to date.

If you have not watched the movie yet, here's the trailer to entice you.



Although Gravity is a sci-fi thriller movie, it is in fact more about survival and the human spirit. Basically, the story is about 2 astronauts on a mission to repair the Hubble Telescope.

Dr Ryan Stone (played by Sandra Bullock) is a medical engineer who recently lost her daughter and she's on her first shuttle mission. Lt Matt Kowalsky (played by George Clooney) is a veteran astronaut, who is commanding his final expedition.

By the way, don't you think Ryan sounds more like a man's name?

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SPOILER ALERT!!

Everything seems fine until a warning comes from NASA that debris from an exploded Russian satellite is hurtling towards them. They have to get out of the way, but too late! The debris hit their space shuttle Explorer and Stone is flung into space.

The scene where Stone was tumbling helplessly in space all alone was pretty scary to me. Imagine floating endlessly in space with no one around to save you. Even worse, Stone loses all contact with Kowalsky and her oxygen supply is dropping.

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Luckily for Stone, Kowalsky manages to locate her and bring her back to the Explorer only to find the shuttle badly damaged and all the crew dead. With the help of Kowalsky's thruster pack, they make their way to the International Space Station (ISS) which is about 100 km away. The problem is they only have 90 minutes before the debris completes an orbit and threatens them again.

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I enjoyed watching the part where Stone and Kowalsky are making their way to the ISS. Many may find this part of the movie boring as both Stone and Kowalsky are having conversations about their private lives. But I like that during their conversation, the radio Kowalsky is listening to is blaring some nice country music - I do not know how to describe it, but I just find that scene mesmerizing.

Remember I said I almost gave this movie a pass because it features only 2 actors? Well, guess what? At the ISS, tragedy struck and to cut the long story short, Kowalsky becomes a hero by sacrificing himself so that Stone has a chance to survive. So for the rest of the movie, we are left with only 1 actor! Gasp!!

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What happens after that is no less intense and gripping. Sandra Bullock managed to carry the rest of the film on her own perfectly well. She really gave an outstanding performance. We see how her character Stone overcomes challenges after challenges in order to survive and make it back to earth.

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And I like that scene where she gave up hope and was prepared to die in the Soyuz when Clooney's Kowalsky made a surprise return. My first thought was, What?! He did not die after all? It was quite unbelievable until, we soon realized that it's not real but all part of Stone's dream while she was unconscious.

Kowalsky's return to motivate Stone is a nice touch in the movie. I love it! Because of him, Stone finds new strength and eventually succeeds to return to earth alive. I would like to think that Kowalsky's spirit did really visit Stone and strengthen her will to live.

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For one and a half hour, I was transported into space. It was as if I was there with both Stone and Kowalsky. The cinematography was excellent. The storyline was engaging. The acting was superb.

Perhaps the only problem I find with the movie is the seemingly ease of hopping from one space shuttle or space station to another. Is that even possible in real life? I thought the Hubble Telescope and the ISS are at different orbits! And also, we should not be able to hear those explosions in space right?

I was also quite amused that Stone is able to drive the Shenzhou capsule towards the end of the movie when all the control buttons are in Chinese. The fact that she did a eenie-meenie-minee-moe on those buttons and somehow hit the right ones were laughable.

Oh well, there are probably many more scientific flaws with this movie but I guess, movies are made to entertain and as long as they are entertaining, I don't mind overlooking those factual errors. Whatever it is, do not miss Gravity - undeniably one of the best movies this year!

Storyline 7/10
Suspense 8/10
Acting 9/10
Special Effects 9/10
Cinematography 9/10

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My Visit To Wat Arun (Part 1)

November 4, 2013, 8:00 am

≫ Next: My Visit To Wat Arun (Part 2)

≪ Previous: My Take On Gravity

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On my 3rd day in Bangkok, I visited the famous Wat Arun temple with my Filipino blogger friend, Ishmael Ahab.

After our delicious breakfast of roasted duck at Prachak Pet Yang and yummy sticky rice with durian dessert at Boonsap Thai Desserts, we walked to the nearby Sathorn Pier to take a boat ride to Wat Arun.

Along the way, we passed by Shangri-La Hotel. Look at those red cabs lining up outside the hotel!

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The hotel is just next to the Saphan Taksin BTS Station. And the Sathorn Pier is just behind the BTS Station. So if you plan to take a boat ride along Chao Phraya River to tourist landmarks like Wat Arun, Chinatown, or Grand Palace, all you need to do is to alight at the Saphan Taksin BTS station and walk a short distance to the Sathorn Pier.

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This is the first thing you see at Sathorn Pier. It is more for the Shangri-la Hotel's guests or anyone seeking information on tourist attractions in Bangkok. For everyone else, turn left instead.

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There was a signboard with detailed information on the various boat rides. I have already blogged about my boat ride on the Chao Phraya River before, so I will not be blogging about it this time.

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If you like to read about my boat ride to Wat Pho back in 2012, or you want a simple guide to the boat services at Sathorn Pier, read HERE.

As usual, there was quite a long queue waiting for the boats. But we did not need to wait very long.

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Soon, we were on board the boat. The fare was a flat 15 baht (USD0.50)  - definitely the cheapest mode of transport in Bangkok!

To get to Wat Arun, we needed to alight at N8 or Tha Tien Pier. If you are a first timer taking the boat ride, you may accidentally miss your destination, so listen to the lady conductor (who collects the fare) as she will shout out the name of the pier and also the name of the tourist attractions (eg. Wat Arun) as the boat approaches the pier.

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Or if you see this famous landmark of Wat Arun, then you know you have reached the Tha Tien Pier. Wat Arun is directly opposite the Tha Tien Pier right across the river.

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Once you alighted, you need to buy a ticket for the boat ride to go across the river to Wat Arun. The ticket costs 3 baht.

While queuing up for the boat, I took some photos of the jetty.

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There are restaurants at the jetty for those who are hungry. Also some souvenir shops although we did not bother to check them out.

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Soon, our boat arrived.

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It was just a short ride across the river to the other side.

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Could not help admiring those colorful paraphernalia hanging at the front end of this boat passing us.

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Docking at the jetty in front of Wat Arun temple.

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The grand front entrance to Wat Arun, with two huge guardians greeting us.

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Before entering, Ishmael and I walked around the outside garden area.

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I thought this statue below looks like a vampire!

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This one too! They were probably garudas - mythical bird-like creatures that appear in Hindu and Buddhist mythology.

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A statue of a soldier standing on a pillar.

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Another soldier standing on the pillar at the corner.

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A closer shot of the soldier statue.

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Red lanterns adorned the lamp posts around the garden.

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Near the banks of Chao Phraya River is the monument of King Rama II, who was responsible in the restoration of Wat Arun.

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A close shot of King Rama II statue.

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Having visited the garden and the monument, it's time to enter the temple proper.

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Everyone who enters via the main entrance will pass by two huge yakshas or demonic guardians.

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The white guardian on the right is known as Sahassa Deja. 

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The green guardian on the left is known as Thotsakan.

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These two guardians are the villains in the Ramakien drama, the Thai version of the Hindu Ramayana epic.

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The roof of the main entrance was beautiful with intricate carvings.

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There was a row of Chinese lions outside the entrance.

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As we stepped into the main entrance structure, I saw some beautiful murals painted on the door like this one below.

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Some old carvings on the wall.

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On the other side of the main entrance, in the courtyard.

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Took another shot of the roof with intricate carvings of lotus flowers. Beautiful!

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A tall totem pole-like structure inside the courtyard.

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Look closely and you will see a dragon circling the pole all the way to the top.

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This courtyard was serene and quiet. The noise from the river could no longer be heard here.

We then entered an inner courtyard. I saw a long row of Buddha statues here. They were lining the walls of the Ubosot or the Ordination Hall.

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These statues were cast during the reign of King Rama II. Remains of the deceased are kept in the cubicles below the statues.

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Saw an elephant in this courtyard.

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In fact, there were two of them. LOL!

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There was a stupa-like structure with statue of deities inside each compartment.

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Close shot of some of the statues.

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There were many more statues in this courtyard.

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A row of statues lining the courtyard.

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A row of lion statues lining outside the Ubosot.

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You are required to take off your shoes before entering the Ubosot.

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The outer porcelain walls of the Ubosot was beautifully decorated with gilded borders at the top and bottom.

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The door frames were beautifully decorated in 'gold'.

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Even the ceiling was decorated in exquisite red and gold design!

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Took a close shot of the intricate gilded borders at the bottom part of the wall. Don't they look beautiful?

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Inside the Ubosot, I saw a group of people praying with the monk sitting on a platform.

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There is a big golden Buddha statue here.

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But what impressed me was the murals behind the Buddha statue. The mural paintings lined the whole wall from top to bottom.

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We did not venture into the Prayer Hall next to the Ubosot. Outside the Ubosot, I saw some beautiful lotus flowers and took a shot.

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We walked around the courtyard a little bit more, snapping more photos of Buddha statues and deities.

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Another door entrance flanked by a pair of elephants.

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Then we came across these temple bells.

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Do you know what this lady is doing? Is this for the 'Bathing the Buddha' ceremony? Anyone knows?

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We soon reached the famous tall structure of Wat Arun called prang. It's time for some adventure, that is, to climb up that tall prang.

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To be continued .....

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My Visit To Wat Arun (Part 2)

November 10, 2013, 9:00 am

≫ Next: Double Dogs Tea Room In Bangkok's Chinatown

≪ Previous: My Visit To Wat Arun (Part 1)

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Continued from Part 1

Located on the west bank of Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Wat Arun also known as Temple Of Dawn, is a major tourist attraction in Thailand.

During my 3rd day in Bangkok, I visited Wat Arun for the first time with my Filipino blogger friend, Ishmael Ahab. The best time to visit Wat Arun is during dawn when the early morning sunlight reflects off the surface of the temple. The temple is also said to be quite beautiful during sunset. However, when we were there, the sun was already high up in the sky.

Our timing was not perfect, but I still enjoyed Wat Arun!

Having visited the Ubosot or the Ordination Hall and the courtyard, we continued with the major attraction at Wat Arun - the tall spire called prang.

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The entrance fee to the Wat Arun prang is 50 baht (US$1.60 / RM5).

I was quite amused by what was written at the back of the ticket. Do not dangle any doll? LOL!

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I saw a pair of deities standing guard at the entrance.

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Wat Arun is actually made up of a main central tall prang which is flanked by 4 smaller prangs at the corners.

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The prangs are beautifully decorated with seashells and porcelain which made them glow in the sun. Demon figures are seen lifting up the central prang.

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Below the demons are a row of carved figures. This is one of them.

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The central prang is a Khmer-style tower which represents Mount Meru, the center of the world in Hindu cosmology.

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A close shot of a demon sculpture holding up the tower.

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The base of the tower actually looks quite colorful with its multi colored ceramic tiles and porcelain which had previously been used as ballast by boats from China.

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Did we climb up this tall prang estimated to be at least over 70 metres high? You bet we did!

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Look at this Chinese porcelain bowl decorated as a flower. Isn't it beautiful?

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I thought the view from here was rather dramatic! I felt like I was hiding from that evil eagle soaring above the skies scouring the earth searching for me. LOL!

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This must be one of the most beautiful temple in Thailand! Just look at those amazing and intricate mosaic covering every part of the tower!

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As we climbed up the stairs of the main prang, we could see one of the four smaller prangs. If not mistaken, I think it holds the statues of Phra Phai, the God of Wind.

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The steps up were rather steep and narrow, but luckily there were railings to hold on to. If someone above the stairs were to fall, it would be like a domino effect, with everyone below rolling down as well. A frightening thought indeed!

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An enlarged shot of the Phra Phai, God Of Wind riding on a horse. There were four of them, each facing the four major directions.

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I have a fear of height, so climbing up the steep stairs was quite scary, but manageable.

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I said manageable because it was nothing compared to my experience of climbing THIS temple in Cambodia back in 2010!

More sculptures halfway at the top.

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We only managed to climb up to the 2nd level of the prang. The higher level was blocked maybe because it was too dangerous? But it was good enough for me.

I took a picture of this right above my head. Amazing view.

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I thought the 'eagle' flying above the tower was pretty cool. If only I could fly....

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Luckily, there were not that many tourists that day. The walking area at the the 2nd level was pretty narrow and could get quite crowded if there were more people.

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I leaned out to take a photo of this man at the top of the staircase taking a photo. LOL!

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Another shot of the Phra Phai inside the smaller prang.

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When I noticed no one was blocking the stairs, I quickly took a shot. It's not easy to go back down as you can't simply walk down. The steps were too steep and narrow! You have to go down the same way you climb up, that is facing the steps and holding the railings for support.

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Walking round the narrow walkway, I looked up and was a little shocked to see a black face. Looking up higher, I also noticed what looked like three elephants' tusks.

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An enlarged snapshot of the black face.

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The three elephants' tusks were way too high up for me to take a proper photo. It's actually a statue of the Hindu God Indra sitting on a three-headed elephant or Erawan.

Read more about the three-headed elephant at my post The Erawan Museum In Bangkok.

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The view from up here overlooking the Chao Phraya River was pretty awesome.

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The gardens below.

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The view of the Chao Phraya River.

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One of the four smaller prangs seen here with the river in the background.

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Having seen enough, it's time to descend the tower and go for lunch! What did we eat for lunch? That's for you to find out in my post coming up next!

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Double Dogs Tea Room In Bangkok's Chinatown

November 14, 2013, 8:00 am

≫ Next: An Evening Stroll Along Yaowarat Road In Bangkok's Chinatown

≪ Previous: My Visit To Wat Arun (Part 2)

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It was my first time visiting Yaowarat Road famously known as Bangkok's Chinatown.

My Filipino blogger friend Ishmael Ahab and I had been searching for this place called Double Dogs Tea Room along Yaowarat Road. What a relief when we finally found it!

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We were hungry and thirsty after climbing up that amazing Wat Arun prang earlier in the morning. My initial plan was to have our lunch at an eatery called Ree Ree Khaosan nearby Wat Arun. But we ended up having our lunch at Double Dogs in Bangkok's Chinatown instead.

So what made us changed our plan? Read on...

From Wat Arun, we walked to locate Ree Ree Khaosan. This is the small lane behind Wat Arun we passed through on the way.

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After walking a short distance, we reached this area.

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I spotted the Ree Ree Khaosan signboard in front and was excited!

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Unfortunately, to my greatest disappointment, the eatery was closed! NO!!!!

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Not closed down, but just closed for the day. Or perhaps closed during that hour, although that would be weird as it was lunch time.  Well, what to do? We were not aware of any other eateries around there, so we got back to the jetty in front of Wat Arun, took the boat and crossed the river to the Tha Tien Pier opposite.

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On the Tha Tien Pier opposite. Good bye, Wat Arun! 

At the Tha Tien Pier, we took the orange flag boat to Ratchawong Pier or N5. From the pier, we walked up Ratchawong Road and turned right into Yaowarat Road.

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Yaowarat Road is actually a very long road in the heart of Bangkok's Chinatown. It's a very busy road indeed with shops and stalls lining up at both sides.

If you are uncertain of your whereabouts, the fruit stalls and the red lanterns are sure signs that you have arrived at Bangkok's Chinatown!

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We walked quite some time along Yaowarat Road searching for the Double Dogs Tea Room. There were many people and it was quite hot.

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And then we saw it! YES!!!

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Hungry and thirsty, the sight of this air-conditioned cafe or tea room as they called it, was a huge welcome!

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Stepping inside, I immediately felt the respite from the heat and noise outside. The place was clean, and quite cosy.

I took a look at the list of beverages behind the counter. A cup of hot coffee for only 55 baht (US$1.75)? That's very reasonable!

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Despite priding themselves with serving fine selections of tea from China, Japan and Sri Lanka, the Double Dogs Tea Room also offers fruit juice, soda and beer.

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The simple, long wooden tables and bench reminded me of some kind of organic food restaurant setting back in Malaysia.  Sorry cannot show a photo of the long table and bench because Ishmael is in it and like me, he values his privacy : )

Ishmael and I made ourselves comfortable sitting at the table near the glass door so we could watch the world outside go by.

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I also noticed what looked like a small book shop at a corner of the shop here.

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I went to check out the books and found them to be mostly inspiring books about Buddhism, about life and even about happiness. They were in Thai and English languages and some in Mandarin.

Look at a book I picked up. See the title? Talk about Double Dogs! LOL!!

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OK, enough about the tea room. Let's talk about what did we eat and drink. We flipped through the Double Dogs menu booklet.

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What? They sell moon cakes? It's not even Moon Cake Festival at that time!

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Anyway, these were what we ordered.

First, a glass of cold Bloodhound Beer for each of us. I guess we were just not in the mood for tea.

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85 baht (US$2.70 / RM8.60)

The menu stated this beer as "our beer-mixed that you find nowhere". Honestly, I did not find anything unique about this beer. It's just like any other beer out there. Perhaps I should try their tea next time. Having said that, the Bloodhound Beer was refreshing and provided me much comfort from the heat outside.

Next, we each ordered the Egg Noodle with shrimp wonton and barbecued pork.

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55 baht (US$1.75 / RM5.60)

The egg noodle was not bad, but certainly not the best that I have tasted.

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With the main meal taken care of, it's time for some desserts! I was well aware that we just had sticky rice with durian at Boonsap Thai Desserts that morning but it was afternoon then and well, we needed to satisfy our sweet tooth haha!

So we shared a home-made cake and a home-made Kulfi ice cream.

The cake is actually a lemon tart by the name of tarte au citron.

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85 baht (US$2.70 / RM8.60)

It was yummy! Maybe I should have ordered the whole tart for myself LOL!

I have to say however, that the home-made Kulfi ice cream was the best thing I had at Double Dogs! Made from fresh fruit, it had a very unique taste (I do not know how to describe it) and was very delicious!!

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85 baht (US$2.70 / RM8.60)

There were actually 3 flavors to choose from - Tradition (ten spices and scent of Orient), Dance Of Orient (spices and 23 years aged Guatemala rhum), and Mixed Fruit. Both Dance Of Orient and Mixed Fruit contain alcohol. We chose Tradition.

If I ever return here in future, I will definitely order this Kulfi ice cream again! And it will be all mine, definitely no sharing allowed! LOL!

Ishmael and I spent some time here relaxing and chit chatting before deciding our next move, which was to walk around Chinatown. There was a handy map of Chinatown on the wall just next to our table, so I went to have a look. Can you see the location of Double Dogs?

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Our total bill came to 450 baht (US$14.25 / RM45.70) which was pretty reasonable.

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I have not been to enough cafes in Bangkok to say this, but I really think Double Dogs Tea Room is definitely one of the best! If you need a place to relax in the midst of the bustling street of Bangkok's Chinatown, Double Dogs Tea Room is your best bet!

Double Dogs Tea Room
406, Yaowarat Road, Bangkok
Tel : (086) 329 3075
Email : doubledogstearoom@gmail.com
Opens daily 11am -10pm, except Mondays

Directions : From Ratchawong Pier (N5), walk along Ratchawong Road, until you reach Yaowarat Road, turn right and walk for about 200 metres. Double Dogs Tea Room will be on your right.

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An Evening Stroll Along Yaowarat Road In Bangkok's Chinatown

November 17, 2013, 5:30 am

≫ Next: R & L Seafood Restaurant At Soi Texas

≪ Previous: Double Dogs Tea Room In Bangkok's Chinatown

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After our late lunch at Double Dogs Tea Room, my Filipino blogger friend Ishmael and I went for a leisure stroll along Yaowarat Road.

I think it was about 5pm when we left Double Dogs, so we were also thinking of looking for a good place for dinner.

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Yaowarat Road is part of Bangkok's Chinatown that covers a wide area including Charoen Krung Road, Songsawat Road, Mungkorn Road and more.

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Yaowarat Road is very long and has the shape of a curvy dragon, thus it is not surprising that many Thai-Chinese businessmen set up shops here due to the good feng shui.

It is well known for its wide variety of food and turns into a large food street at night, attracting locals and tourists alike.

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We walked past this China Town Scala Restaurant which specializes in sharks fin. No, we did not go in. I can just imagine people throwing hate comments at me if I were to blog about eating sharks fin LOL!

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Next to Scala Restaurant is the Shanghai Mansion hotel and the Cotton Jazz Bar which I heard is pretty popular during the night. Maybe I will visit this jazz bar next time I return to Yaowarat.

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We also walked past this China Town Hotel with its unique roof.

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Fancy staying in this hotel? Perhaps it's a good hotel to stay in if all you wanna do in Bangkok is to enjoy the gastronomic feast in Chinatown from morning till night. In fact, staying in a hotel in Chinatown is a wise decision if you plan to eat till wee hours of the morning!

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Although we walked mainly along Yaowarat Road, sometimes we would veer off to other smaller roads or lanes. Can't remember which lane this was, but I think we were here trying to search for a shop selling khao moo daeng or red pork with rice.

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Unfortunately, we were unable to find it. Anyone knows a good eatery selling red pork rice in Bangkok's Chinatown? Do let me know please.

Instead, we came across this shop selling Chinese decorations and lucky charms. Now that's very characteristic of Chinatown!

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We did not have time to visit the famous Sam Peng Market but I will most likely do that the next time.

We passed by a stall selling fresh pomegranate juice and I just had to get one bottle!

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Still remember I drank the pomegranate juice when I got back to my hotel later that night. So delicious and refreshing! Should have bought two bottles instead. LOL.

Read More>Drinking Mandarin Orange Juice On The Streets Of Bangkok

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We also passed by this corner restaurant which is very famous in Yaowarat. It's known as T & K Seafood Restaurant.

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Notice all the workers here wear green shirts? They are sometimes known as "The Green Shirts". The restaurant is several floors high and I noticed that the workers actually use a pulley system to deliver the food instead of walking up and down the stairs!

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At first, I thought of eating my dinner here but then I later changed my mind and decided to go to their rival "The Red Shirts" which is just opposite! Did I make the right decision?

I'm not sure, but don't miss my post about my dinner at the R & L Seafood coming up next! : )

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R & L Seafood Restaurant At Soi Texas

November 19, 2013, 7:00 am

≫ Next: Waraporn Salapao At Robinson Bangrak

≪ Previous: An Evening Stroll Along Yaowarat Road In Bangkok's Chinatown

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After searching around Yaowarat Road in Bangkok's Chinatown for our dinner, Ishmael and I settled on R & L Seafood Restaurant located at Soi Texas (also known as Soi Phadung Dao).

I have no idea why they called it Soi Texas, but the interesting thing is on one side of Soi Texas is the Red Shirts while on the other (directly opposite) is the Green Shirts. Yes, two rival seafood restaurants battling it out - T & K Seafood (Green Shirts) vs R & L Seafood (Red Shirts).

Both restaurants were crowded with people. So which to choose? We chose Red Shirts. No particular reason. I just felt more comfortable with red color. LOL!

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Although there were air conditioning inside the restaurant, we chose to sit outside al fresco style by the street side. As you can see, the waiters all wear red colored shirts, hence the name Red Shirts.

The menu is tourist-friendly as it comes in both Thai and English language with pictures of the food, so choosing what to eat here poses no problem at all.

As there were only two of us, we could not order too many dishes. This is one reason why I prefer to go in a big group for dinner. (but only for dinner, or lunch - definitely not for sightseeing). In this way, we can order more and try all the different dishes.

Anyway, we ordered these grilled prawns.

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Grilled Prawns (4 pieces) - 150 baht (US$4.75 / RM15)

The prawns were big and the meat were so fresh and springy! We dipped the meat into the two different sauces provided. Simply lip smacking!

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We also ordered a bowl of rice each and the tom yum goong mix.

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Tom yum goong mix - 200 baht (US$6.30 / RM20.10)

The tom yum goong was delicious with squids, prawns, fish and other seafood inside what looked like a steamboat.

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I even filled my bowl of rice with the tom yum soup and its ingredients! So yummy!!

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I had wanted to order those tasty grilled prawns again but I decided not to as I felt pretty full already.  Besides we also ordered a dessert each in the form of bird nest - gingko in coconut.

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Since the coconut itself was filled with bird nest and gingko, the extra coconut water was placed in a separate glass. This dessert was delicious!

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Bird nest - gingko in coconut - 250 baht (US$7.90 / RM25.15)

I had no regrets eating here. The food were fresh and of high quality and the price was reasonable. By the way, R & L actually stands for Rut & Lek.

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I will definitely return here in future to try their other dishes and to re-order that grilled prawns!! Oh wait … maybe I should cross over to the Green Shirts next time! Then at least I can make a comparison right? Now who wants to join me? : )

R & L Seafood
Soi Phadung Dao,
Yaowarat Road, Bangkok

Directions : From Ratchawong Pier (N5), walk along Ratchawong Road, until you reach Yaowarat Road, turn right and walk for about 10 minutes. R&L Seafood (and rival T&K Seafood) is located on your left, at a street corner intersection of Soi Phadung Dao (Soi Texas) and the main Yaowarat Road.

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Waraporn Salapao At Robinson Bangrak

November 26, 2013, 9:00 am

≫ Next: Happy Birthday 2013

≪ Previous: R & L Seafood Restaurant At Soi Texas

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During my holidays in Bangkok last January, I chanced upon a small shop by the name of Waraporn Salapao at Robinson Bangrak.

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This Robinson shopping mall is a famous landmark along the Charoen Krung Road in Bangrak. Near this mall are good eateries like Prachak Pet Yang, Boonsap Thai Desserts and Volcanic Fried Mussel And Oyster.

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Waraporn Salapao sells mainly Chinese dim sum food like pao (buns), siew mai (also pronounced as shumai in Thailand)  and bak zhang (sticky rice wrapped in leaves).

Oh look! Some of the letters came off! Or was it done on purpose?

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This is how the menu looks like.

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The first time I came upon this shop, I bought some buns to take-away so that I could have them as supper in my hotel room.

This is a black bean bun (left) and roast barbecued pork bun (right).

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The black bean bun was quite yummy with generous black bean fillings.

The roast barbecued pork bun was equally delicious with chunks of pork meat and eggs. I like!

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Each bun costs 22 baht (US$0.70 / RM2.20).

The buns were good enough for me to make a second visit. On my second round, I bought a cream bun (marked with an orange dot) and another black bean bun.

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Also priced at 22 baht, the cream bun was delicious! Look at the fillings. Yummy!

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I also tried their bak zhang.

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This is how the bak zhang looks like after I unwrapped the leaves. The taste was really quite good, comparable to the bak zhang I ate in Malaysia.

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The bak zhang costs 55 baht (US$1.70 / RM5.50). Slightly expensive, but it was pretty filling. Not a very good food to eat for supper as it requires a lot of digestive power!

If you ever go to Bangkok, do give Waraporn Salapao a try!

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Happy Birthday 2013

December 2, 2013, 1:00 am

≫ Next: The Rabbit Card And Mall Hopping In Bangkok

≪ Previous: Waraporn Salapao At Robinson Bangrak

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Yesterday was 1st of December. It was a special day as far as I am concerned because it was my birthday!

So if you have not wished me Happy Birthday on Facebook or Twitter, it's not too late to wish me now. I do accept belated birthday greetings. Haha! Anyway, let's sing the birthday song, shall we? (just replace the word me with you)

Happy Birthday to me,
Happy Birthday to me,
Happy Birthday to Panda,
Happy Birthday to me.

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I spent a big part of the day singing at RedBox Karaoke with 2 friends. It's like an annual ritual thing for me as Redbox offers the birthday boy or girl free karaoke with free hi tea or dinner buffet thrown in. But only if you are a member of course. It's free to sign up as member, so why not? : )

As the birthday boy, my friends let me sing more songs. So which songs did I sing repeatedly? Well, these were the 5 songs I chose that I kept singing again and again till I was totally satisfied. LOL!

1. Clarity by Zedd
2. Wake Me Up by Avicii
3. I Need Your Love by Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding
4. Story Of My Life by One Direction
5. Walk Like Rihanna by The Wanted

Out of the 5, the hardest to sing was Wake Me Up by Avicii. In fact, I could only sing like 20% of that song haha! I wanted to sing Demons by Imagine Dragons, but Redbox did not have that song! What a pity!

After karaoke, I had dinner at Chili's, my favorite Western restaurant. It had been some time since I last had Monterey Chicken so I decided to choose just that last night.

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It was still yummy although the picture above did not look very presentable. LOL!

I think Chili's has a very nice environment. There's music being played which is not too loud until it drowns your conversation. There are TVs showing football matches in case you are bored with talking. And the lights are neither too bright nor too dim to create a very comfortable dining experience.

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Of course as the birthday boy, I suggested the bottomless tostada chips. This is a MUST if you plan to stay long in the restaurant. Nothing beats snacking on endless supply of tostada chips dipped in salsa sauce while chit chatting! Trust me.

My friends told Chili's about my birthday and the staff at Chili's surprised me with a birthday cake and a Happy Birthday song. I saw that coming of course, but still got to act surprise, no? :D

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OK, it's not really a birthday cake, but much better. It's actually brownie topped with ice cream and nuts! Heavenly! I liked the ice cream and nuts part, but when I reached the brownie at the bottom, I found it too sweet! Oh well, it's a sweet birthday so I am not complaining! LOL!

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The Chili staff also snapped a picture of me and my friends with my brownie ice cream cake, and insert the photo inside this lovely birthday card. Wonderful!

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I'm not showing the photo of course - that's for my eyes only haha! It was a nice birthday celebration - nothing too special or extravagant, which is just the way I like it - and I enjoyed it while it lasted. Looking forward to next year's 1st December! : )

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The Rabbit Card And Mall Hopping In Bangkok

December 4, 2013, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Goodbye Bangkok Once Again!

≪ Previous: Happy Birthday 2013

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My 4th day in Bangkok was rather uneventful and unadventurous. That's because I was not feeling too well. Don't you just hate it when you get sick during your holidays?

I even skipped my breakfast as I woke up late. I did not feel like eating anything which was really a pity in a food paradise like Bangkok. Anyway, my friend and I decided to go shopping. We planned to go mall hopping the whole day. LOL!

Most of Bangkok's major malls are connected by the MRT (subway) and BTS Skytrain, so it's very convenient to go mall hopping. But maybe you want to get the Rabbit Card first!

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The Rabbit Card is a rechargeable contact-less stored value smart card used for the BTS Skytrain in Bangkok and may be extended for the MRT and BRT (bus rapid transit) in the near future. It's something like Singapore's EZ-Link card, Hong Kong's Octopus card and Malaysia's MyRapid card.

The Rabbit Card can also be used in some retail outlets like the following but I think it's more suited for locals since they can earn reward points. As a tourist, I did not really bother about it. Why pay with the card when you can pay with cash right?

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The card comes with a loyalty reward program, whereby you can redeem coupons by converting your rabbit points. There are kiosks for you to redeem those coupons, but again, it's more for the locals, so as a tourist I did not bother.

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Since it was my first time getting the Rabbit Card, I was required to pay 50 baht issuing fee, 50 baht card deposit fee (refundable) and minimum 100 baht travel value. Total 200 baht (US$6.20 / RM20).

Once the card value drops to 15 baht, you will need to top up with another minimum 100 baht. During my 5 days in Bangkok, I had been using the card and found it very convenient while traveling on the BTS Skytrain. Now if only I could use it on the MRT as well, then it would be super convenient!

If you plan to get the card (and I highly recommend it for hassle-free traveling), do take note that the card expires 5 years from the date of issue and the stored value expires after 2 years. So if you visit Bangkok every year, or every 2 years, you can continue using the stored value when you return.

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The first shopping mall we went to was Amarin Plaza. To be honest, it was my first time entering this mall.

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Look at those cute mascots at the main entrance although I was not sure what they were!

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Amarin Plaza is a five-storey shopping mall. It's not as happening as say, Siam Paragon or as crowded as MBK, but you might be interested in the quality Thai handicrafts sold on the third floor.

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OK, I have to admit I did not take a lot of photos during my mall hopping. I think I just managed to take two photos of Gaysorn Shopping Centre.

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Nothing that I could buy here as the mall consists of mainly branded retail shops like Louis Vuitton, Salvatore Ferragamo, Prada and the likes.

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We passed by Erawan Bangkok boutique shopping mall but we did not enter.

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Nearby the Erawan boutique mall is the famous Erawan Shrine.

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You can read more about Erawan Shrine HERE.

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We headed over to CentralWorld which is walking distance away from the Erawan Shrine and Gaysorn Shopping Centre.

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Oh look at the three cute elephants by the fountain!

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Took another shot. LOL!

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The entrance into CentralWorld shopping mall from the bridge.

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It was actually quite a large shopping mall probably as huge as Siam Paragon. We did some shopping here, although prices were still not attractive enough for a non-shopper like me.

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The view of CentralWorld as we left the mall.

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Next, we went over to Silom Road to visit Silom Complex. It is a office building cum shopping centre.   In fact, I think it's the only shopping mall along Silom Road - don't remember seeing any other malls there.

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Nothing much of interest at Silom Complex, so we headed to Terminal 21.

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I have blogged about Terminal 21 before, especially their special toilets - read about it HERE. This was my second visit, so not many photos to show.

This is Charing Cross in Terminal 21, not London. LOL!

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The view of Terminal 21 from the BTS Skytrain Station.

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We also visited Siam Paragon but skipped MBK and Platinum Shopping Mall due to lack of time. So did you count how many shopping malls we went to in that one day in Bangkok? I was actually quite surprised at myself for mall hopping the whole day despite not feeling that well! Did I just graduate from a non-shopper to a shopper? LOL!

Both my friend and I managed to get ourselves some clothes, food and some souvenirs, so I would say it had been quite a productive day. Haha!

I bought this passion fruit juice from a supermarket. (forgot which mall!)

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It was incredibly delicious! Yum!! Wished I had bought a few more bottles!

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Also bought a few boxes of Siam's Crispy Durian and Crispy Mangosteen.

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It was the first time I came across Crispy Mangosteen. Used to buy only Crispy Durian last time I visited Bangkok. I did not really like the mangosteen but the durian was good as usual.

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This is how the Crispy Durians look like. Sweet and full of durian flavor! Do give them a try when you visit Bangkok.

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But do take note that only the Siam brand is good - avoid other brands!

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Goodbye Bangkok Once Again!

December 8, 2013, 6:30 am

≫ Next: Feng Shui 2014 According To Lillian Too (Part 1)

≪ Previous: The Rabbit Card And Mall Hopping In Bangkok

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Yes, it's Goodbye Bangkok once again! Why once again? Because this is my 5th time saying goodbye to Bangkok. And I'm pretty sure it won't be my last.

So finally …. this is my last post on my Bangkok trip back in January 2013. Gosh! I took almost a year to blog about it! LOL!

I have to say Bangkok is the place I visited most outside of Malaysia. Why do I keep returning to this city time and time again? There are several reasons. Mainly, I think it's near to my home country - did I mention before that I hate sitting inside a plane for long hours?

Another reason is that Bangkok is pretty affordable. Hotel and food in Bangkok never really make a dent in my wallet. Add to that the friendly Thai people, the yummy Thai food, those good satisfying massages and the addictive Thai TV dramas and music videos, you can see why I just love Bangkok so much!

Anyway on my last day in Bangkok, I ate this porridge with you tiao (chinese crullers) for breakfast at my hotel before checking out. It was yummy!

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I did eat a lot of unhealthy stuffs during my stay in Bangkok like this McDonald's Samurai Pork Burger and Ham & Egg Pie.

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Didn't really like the pie ... but the Samurai pork burger was yummy!

And I even bought Mama Shrimp Tom Yum instant noodles to eat as supper in my hotel room.

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Very unhealthy I know, but this Mama instant noodle brand was really, really good! And so convenient too - just pour hot boiling water into the cup …

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….and your instant noodles could be eaten straight away. The tom yum flavor was excellent!

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We arrived at the Don Mueang International Airport early. It's a pity AirAsia now only lands at Don Mueang - I really missed Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Maybe I should consider other airlines besides AirAsia in future!

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However, the good thing about this airport is that it's not crowded, so that's a plus point. But then again, there's not many shops around.

Look at Ronald doing the wai  : )

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My friend and I did our rounds of duty free shopping but came out empty handed LOL!

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Oh they have 'rooms' for you to stay overnight! : )

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Left with nothing much to do while waiting for our flight, we took pictures of planes. Haha!

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Do you know that last time I did not realize that planes cannot reverse themselves? I mean, the pilot cannot move the plane backwards, so you need a vehicle in front to push it.

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Oh, our AirAsia plane has landed! It's time to go!!

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Good bye Bangkok!! Hope to see you again!

If you miss some of my Bangkok 2013 posts, here is the complete list in chronological order…

1. Landing At Don Mueang International Airport
2. Bangkok Loft Inn : My Favorite Hotel In Bangkok!
3. My Breakfasts At Bangkok Loft Inn
4. The Erawan Museum In Bangkok (Part 1)
5. The Erawan Museum In Bangkok (Part 2)
6. The Erawan Museum In Bangkok (Part 3)
7. My Lunch At Soi Polo Fried Chicken
8. My Visit To Asiatique The Riverfront In Bangkok
9. Eating Roasted Duck At Prachak Pet Yang
10. Yummy Coconut Sticky Rice With Durian At Boonsap Thai Desserts!
11. My Visit To Wat Arun (Part 1)
12. My Visit To Wat Arun (Part 2)
13. Double Dogs Tea Room In Bangkok's Chinatown
14. An Evening Stroll Along Yaowarat Road In Bangkok's Chinatown
15. R & L Seafood Restaurant At Soi Texas
16. Waraporn Salapao At Robinson Bangrak
17. The Rabbit Card And Mall Hopping In Bangkok

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Feng Shui 2014 According To Lillian Too (Part 1)

December 12, 2013, 10:00 am

≫ Next: Feng Shui 2014 According To Lillian Too (Part 2)

≪ Previous: Goodbye Bangkok Once Again!

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On December 8th, I attended Lillian Too's 2014 Feng Shui Extravaganza at Hotel Istana KL.  The date of this talk actually caught me by surprise as she always hold her talks in January every year. This time, it was one month too early, but I guess it's not a bad thing to have the talk early.

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I was so engrossed looking through her range of feng shui products displayed outside the hall especially the Feng Shui Keychains that I did not notice the talk had already started. So yes, I was a little late but luckily, I did not think I miss much.

If you do not already know, 2014 is the Year of the Wood Horse. As such, Lillian suggested that we honor the horse by displaying the images of the horse in our homes.

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Lillian then filled us in on what to expect for the coming year. To do that, she presented the 2014 Bazi Chart. Don't know what a Bazi Chart is? Click HERE for Bazi 101.

To know how to read the Bazi Chart, you must first understand the basics of the 5 Elements and their relationships with each other. Click HERE for a quick rundown on the 5 Elements.


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Image courtesy of fengshui-doctrine.com

Lillian revealed that this time, she had analyzed the Bazi Chart with the help of Hong Kong's most famous master feng shui practitioner, Choi Park-lai, who was a feng shui consultant to property tycoon Li Ka-shing. Sounds impressive!

Based on the 2014 Bazi Chart, there is simply too much fire. Can you see there are 4 Fires in the chart? 2 in the Day Pillar, 1 in the Month Pillar and 1 in the Year Pillar. It is an unbalanced chart with Earth and Water missing!

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Bazi Chart 2014 image taken from Lillian Too's Fortune & Feng Shui 2014 book

When Fire is too strong, you must use Earth to exhaust it. (refer to the 5 Elements cycle). You may be wondering - why not use Water? Well, Water will completely put out the fire and you don't want that! You still want some fire burning right? Also, Water strengthens Wood, which in turn strengthens an already strong Fire. Since Earth is missing in the Chart, Lillian suggested placing more Earth element objects (eg. crystal balls) to control the fire.

Read More >Spiritual Feng Shui by Lillian Too (Part 1)

Another remedy is the Taoist cure using the 5 element yin water glasses.

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Designed to soak up the angry energies of the year, these glasses are most suitably placed in the West, Southwest and Northeast. Put stones inside each glass and fill up with water. Yin water (inactive, stagnant water) is most suitable to control the fire as it is not strong enough (unlike yang, moving water) to put out the yang fire. By adding the stones (Earth element), you have one of the perfect Feng Shui Cures for the strong yang fire energy of the year.

An unbalanced Bazi Chart signifies an unbalanced year. However, since the Year Pillar shows Wood producing Fire, the year is likely to bring beneficial energy. There will be growth and money making opportunities especially in the first half of the year. The second half of the year will not fare as good with over-burning of fire energy in the Day Pillar. By the last quarter, Metal (wealth) destroys Wood (resource) in the Hour Pillar, indicating the source of wealth will have been over-exploited.

With so much fire in the Chart, the business environment will be very competitive in 2014. Competition will be fierce and people will tend to play dirty. International relations will suffer as there is lack of intelligence (missing Earth) coupled with lack of diplomatic skills. This is confirmed by the presence of 6 conflict stars in the chart.

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2 horses in the Bazi Chart bring the Star of Aggressive Swords. This means existing wars around the world will not have an easy solution and may even escalate. Demonstrations, protests and mass revolts are likely to happen. To protect against the Aggressive Swords Star, Lillian recommends that we wear the Tibetan Dzi Beads.

The 2 horses in the chart also creates what is known in feng shui as the 'Self Penalty' formation, which suggests negative outcomes for all new meetings and relationships. What does this mean? It means that after February 4th 2014 (the official date when The Year Of the Horse starts), if you happen to meet someone and fall in love, that love will be doomed!

Meeting and forming new business partners after February 4th 2014 will also have a negative ending. In fact, all relationships whether business or personal will not have a good outcome, so if you must fall in love, or are looking for business partners, do so before February 4th!

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The Feng Shui 2014 Extravaganza booklet

Lillian warned that there will be one very BIG disaster in the Year of the Horse involving fire. She referred to it as "The Big One" and hinted that it could possibly be a volcano eruption. She warned that just because we in Malaysia do not have volcanoes, that does not mean this disaster will not affect us. She said if Mount Krakatoa in Indonesia were to have a major eruption, Malaysians would most likely feel the effects.

However, later during the talk, Lillian again said that one very BIG disaster will happen in 2014, but I was not sure if she was referring to the volcano eruption mentioned above. She said it could be a natural or man-made disaster (obviously volcano eruption is not man-made), and it will happen towards the end of the year, most likely after the month of September. So do take note.

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Image courtesy of TheStar.com

Metal indicates prosperity and since there is only 1 Metal element in the Chart and no hidden Metal, money making opportunities and investment capitals are harder to find in 2014. Big deals are difficult to close so it's best to focus on the smaller deals.

Those who dabble in the stock market are advised to get out of the market by end of July. The market will go out of control in August and by December, it could crash!

Since Earth element which represents Intelligence is missing from the Chart, this indicates a lack of innovation and new ideas in all areas, especially in the technology sector. Does this mean all those new smart phones coming out in 2014 will be boring?

Read More >Spiritual Feng Shui by Lillian Too (Part 2)

Water element which represents power is also missing from the Chart indicating lack of direct power of world leaders. But there are 2 hidden Water elements in the Chart and this means real power is held by those behind the scenes. Lillian jokingly went on to say this - "In Malaysia, we know who is powerful, but we also know who is more powerful behind." This brought out some roaring laughter from the audience.

The Peach Blossom Star brought by the Rabbit in the Hour Pillar indicates a good year to get married. However, the appearance of the External Flower of Romance Star indicates infidelity. However, affairs outside of marriage will not last long.

The Star of Great Popularity makes an appearance in the Chart. This suggests that many new stars and celebrities will emerge in 2014. I wonder who will become famous next?

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Anti-burglary scarf offers protection against burglars. This item and more can be found on this online Feng Shui Store

Finally, how will the different industries perform in 2014? According to Lillian, the fire industries will do well, although with so much fire, it could get very competitive. Fire element industries are lighting, restaurants, entertainment and the stock market. Be prudent on investments especially during the second half of the year.

Earth industries are affected due to the missing Earth element. Real estate and property development suffer. Creative marketing strategies are needed to give growth a boost. Earth element industries are property, real estate, construction, and hotels.

In the Metal industries, mining and jewellery industries are stable. Lack of innovation will affect the mobile and telecommunications industry. Technology and IT market will slow down. Metal element industries are mining, jewelry, computers, and airlines.

The Wood industries will be affected by the lack of water. Agricultural industry will be hit by bad weather. Caution is advised when making large investment in heavy equipment. Wood element industries are plantation, agriculture, publishing, flowers and plants.

Water industries will face obstacles due to the lack of water element in the chart. Large fund injections are hard to secure, so focus on smaller deals. Finance and banking will face challenges, although Lillian said she's bullish on the banking industry. Water element industry are banking, shipping, transport and fishing.

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Image taken from Feng Shui Extravaganza 2014 booklet

One more interesting thing I need to mention is this. Lillian said that in 2014, men will not have it so good. The luck of wives will be stronger than the luck of husbands. Male leaders will be under threat. Career luck will also favor females, so if you are a male fighting for a promotion, you may lose to a female. Why is this so? That's because of the Five Yellow star which flies into the Northwest in 2014, afflicting the luck of all patriarchs.

But more about this dreaded Five Yellow in the next part, so stay tuned for more. Also in Part 2, I shall share about the 2014 Flying Star Chart, which when combined with the readings from the 2014 Bazi Chart will give a more complete picture of the feng shui energies affecting the Year of the Wood Horse.

To be continued ….

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Feng Shui 2014 According To Lillian Too (Part 2)

December 17, 2013, 10:00 am

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Continued from Part 1

Lillian Too, the world's best selling writer on feng shui, advocates placement of auspicious objects to activate good feng shui energy and symbolic cures to counter bad energy. She even has an online Feng Shui Store where you can shop for the latest feng shui objects and cures.

During the 2014 Feng Shui Extravaganza which was held at Istana Hotel KL recently, Lillian chided a young, popular Malaysian male feng shui expert (she did not mention names but I think we can all guess right?) for criticizing her concept of object placements. In countering him, she said that if you go to China, you will notice that every aspect of the lives of the Chinese people are based on activating with auspicious symbols.

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According to Lillian, good auspicious symbols really do bring good luck, but you need to know where to place them. Her 20-over years experience with these auspicious items had worked well for her and many others.

Having bought some of her products before, I noticed that they are beautifully made, and of high quality, unlike many others sold elsewhere.  But the big difference probably lies in the powerful Tibetan Buddhist mantras that are included in some of her feng shui cures.

In Part 1, I have shared about the 2014 Bazi Chart. In this part, I shall talk about the 2014 Flying Star Chart. This is a very important chart used by many feng shui masters worldwide as the accuracy of this chart is quite stunning.

For the uninitiated, Flying Stars are 9 numbers placed on a Lo Shu Square. Each of the numbers (or stars) represents different things and they rotate on a fixed system and change location every year. This chart deals with the time dimension of feng shui and for this reason, we must update our feng shui every year.

Now let's take a look at the Flying Star Chart for 2014.

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2014 Flying Star Chart image taken from 2014 Feng Shui Extravaganza booklet

The affliction stars are numbers 5 (Five Yellow), 2 (Illness Star), 3 (Quarrelsome Star) and 7 (Robbery Star). These stars need to be subdued.

The auspicious stars are numbers 8 (Wealth Star), 6 (Heavenly Star), 4 (Romantic and Scholastic Star), 1 (Victory Star) and 9 (Multiplying Star of Future Prosperity). These stars need to be activated and enhanced.

IMPORTANT : Before you can use this Flying Star Chart, you need to know how to identify all the 9 sectors in your house. First, stand in the middle of your house and use a good compass to identify North. Then superimpose the Flying Star Chart onto your house plan and you will be able to map out each sector accurately.

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Lillian Too advised us to take care of the afflicted sectors first before attempting to activate the auspicious sectors. Basically, it's all very simple, done in 3 easy steps.

Step 1 : Identify where the afflictive and auspicious numbers are located in your house.
Step 2 : Know exactly what remedies to put in place to suppress the effect of the afflictive numbers.
Step 3 : Energize the sectors that have the auspicious numbers.

Let's look at the affliction stars first. I'm going to put this down in point form for easy reading.

1. Five Yellow
The Five Yellow is the most dreaded of all the affliction stars. It brings financial loss and physical dangers and is usually the main cause of a reversal in fortune. In 2014, it flies into the NorthWest, and as NorthWest represents the luck of the Patriarch, all fathers will be affected. Not just fathers, but men in leadership position will also be affected. Those living in NorthWest-facing houses and in bedrooms located in the NorthWest sector of the house are also afflicted.

To Cure : Place the Vairocana Stupa in the NorthWest sector. Alternatively, place the Heart Sutra Ritual Bell in this sector. Also, carry the Kalachakra Stupa with HUM keychain throughout the year.

Tips : Keep the NorthWest sector quiet and undisturbed. If bedroom is in NorthWest, it is advisable to move to another room especially in the month of June, when the monthly star 5 flies in making it twice as dangerous!

2. Illness Star 2
The Illness Star which flies into the East in 2014 brings debilitating health to the eldest son and those living in East-facing houses or staying in bedrooms located in the East sector of the house.

To Cure : Place the Eight Sugata Medicine Buddha Plaque or the White Tara Longevity Vase in the East sector. Alternatively, place the Golden Wu Lou with Crane and Bamboo Windchimes in this sector.

3. Quarrelsome Star 3
The Quarrelsome Star flies into the SouthEast bringing quarrels, litigation and misunderstandings. It affects the luck of the eldest daughter and those living in SouthEast-facing houses or staying in bedrooms located in the SouthEast.

To Cure : Place the Nine Amulet Cure or The Three Suns with Three Legged Bird in this sector. Also, carry the Peace and Harmony Amulet throughout the year.

Tips : One of the best antidote for the number 3 is to generate fire energy. This can be done by simply painting your wall or door in this sector red!

4. Robbery Star 7
The Robbery Star flies into the the NorthEast in 2014, bringing danger associated with burglary and violence. It affects the youngest son and those staying in bedrooms located in the NorthEast. Houses with main doors facing NorthEast are especially vulnerable.

To Cure : Display the Anti-Burglary Plaque or the Five Rhino and Elephant Yin Water Cure in this sector. Also, carrying the Anti-Burglary Amulet or wearing the Anti-Burglary Scarf will help.

Interestingly, Lillian mentioned that if you were to place these anti-burglary cures in your home, the robbers will not be able to find your house! She also told stories about how people with bad intentions tried to find her house but just could not locate it despite going up and down the road a few times!

*NOTE : Most of the feng shui cures mentioned above can be found in Lillian's online Feng Shui Store.

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Peace and Harmony Amulet (image courtesy of Feng Shui Megamall)

Now that we have taken care of the Affliction Stars, let's take a look at the Auspicious Stars and how to activate them.

1. Romantic and Scholastic Star 4
The Flying Star Chart of 2014 is ruled by the number 4 as it is in the center of the chart! This means it dominates the energies of the home and benefits the entire household. Since the same romantic star also makes an appearance in the 2014 Bazi Chart, this signifies that it is a good year to get married. If you are looking for love, then activating the middle sector of the home is an excellent idea. However, do take note that any new person you meet in the year of the Horse may not have good outcome due to the presence of Aggressive Stars in the Bazi Chart as mentioned in Part 1.

To Activate Romantic Star: Place Double Happiness Lovebirds or Mandarin Ducks sitting on a bed of Peonies in the center of the house.

The number 4 is also for scholastic luck so it is very beneficial for those who want to gain academic achievements. In fact, 2014 is a good year for passing exams!

To Activate Scholastic Star : Place Carp crossing the Dragon Gate in the center of the house.

2. Wealth Star 8
The wealth-bringing number 8 star flies to the South in 2014. Since 8 is an Earth star and it flies into South which is a Fire sector, it gets strengthened considerably. It benefits those living in South-facing houses or in bedrooms located in the South sector.

To Activate : Place the Eight Immortals On A Mountain in the South.

Tips : Not many people know that you can enhance fire with fire! Since South is a Fire sector, enhance it with brightly lit lights. Red light that symbolizes fire also works well.

3. Heavenly Star 6
This Heavenly Star brings divine luck from Heaven and support from powerful mentors. In 2014, it flies into the West and benefits the youngest daughter and those who are living in West-facing houses or occupying West bedrooms.

To Activate : Place the Jade Emperor holding the Sun and Moon Windchime in the West.

4. Victory Star 1
In 2014, the Victory Star flies into the SouthWest, the sector of the Matriarch.  Since the Patriarch in the NorthWest is weakened by the Five Yellow, this could mean a rise in women power. This star also benefits those living in SouthWest-facing houses or in bedrooms located in the SouthWest sector.

To Activate : For men, display the image of General Chao Chao in this sector. For women (especially those in positions of power or have fierce ambition to make it to the top of their professions), display the image of General Hua Mu Lan.

Tips : The best way to energize the Victory Star in the SouthWest is with yang water (moving water). Having a water feature or even a swimming pool in the SouthWest sector is extremely beneficial in 2014.

5. Multiplying Star Of Future Prosperity 9
This star which attracts future prosperity and brings recognition luck flies into the North. It benefits homes which face North and those who have bedrooms located in the North sector.

To Activate : Place the King Gesar Plaque or the Red Glitter Lamp in this sector.

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Now that you know the location of the flying stars, and how to suppress the bad stars and activate the good ones, make sure you put the cures and the activation in place before February 4th, 2014. This is because feng shui calculations are based on the solar calendar (as opposed to the lunar calendar) and as such, the Year Of the Horse officially starts on February 4th, 2014.


Besides the Five Yellow and the other affliction stars which you need to be aware of, there is another two major afflictions in the form of Grand Duke Jupiter (also known as Tai Sui) and Three Killings.

The Grand Duke Jupiter is located at South 2 (172.5 - 187.5 degrees) in 2014. It is vital that you do not confront the Tai Sui which means do not sit facing South 2. However, sitting with the Tai Sui behind you, meaning you sit facing North is good as you have the support of the Tai Sui. Also do not disturb, dig or renovate the South sector of your home. If your main door faces South 2, then it is important to hang the Tai Sui House Amulet Plaque there.

Those born in the year of the Horse, Rat, Rooster and Rabbit are either directly or indirectly confronting the Tai Sui and should carry the Tai Sui Amulet throughout the year.  In Hong Kong, the Tai Sui is greatly respected. Lillian told us that a temple in Kowloon makes US$14 million a year just by selling Tai Sui amulets!

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The Three Killings is located in the North in 2014. It brings three types of losses - loss of good name, loss of wealth and loss of a loved one. It is important that you do not sit with the Three Killings behind you, meaning you must sit facing the Three Killings (facing North). Also, do not disturb, dig or renovate the North sector of your home.

To protect against the ill effects of the Three Killings, it is advisable to display the three celestial protectors - the Chi Lin, Fu Dog and Pi Yao.

During this 2014 Feng Shui Extravaganza, Lillian also introduced to us the Ho Tu combination numbers. I have to admit that this Ho Tu subject is quite new to me so if it's something new to you too, let me explain.

The Ho Tu is actually part of the Flying Star compass formula. You already knew there are 9 numbers in the Flying Star Chart, with each number representing different things right? Now what is interesting here is that each of the numbers can combine with each other within a specific compass sector to bring you amazing good fortune or some kind of windfall luck!

One of the most powerful combinations is the Ho Tu combinations which are four sets of number combinations i.e. 1 and 6, 2 and 7, 3 and 8, and 4 and 9. Check out the original Lo Shu Square below.

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Image taken from 2014 Fortune And Feng Shui book by Lillian Too & Jennifer Too

Can you see how those sets of numbers create the image of the Buddhist Swastika? Please don't mistaken this logo with the Nazi Swastika! The diagram below outlines the pair of numbers more clearly.

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Image taken from 2014 Fortune And Feng Shui book by Lillian Too & Jennifer Too

Now if you look at the 2014 Flying Star Chart closely, you can find that it contains all 4 sets of Ho Tu combinations! Can you see 1/6 in the West, 2/7 in the NorthEast, 3/8 in the South and 4/9 in the North?  If your house faces any of the four locations mentioned above, you too can benefit from it.

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Image taken from 2014 Fortune And Feng Shui book by Lillian Too & Jennifer Too

The 1/6 Ho Tu combination in the West brings strong luck associated with learning and knowledge. Those engaging in academic pursuits benefit by activating the 1/6 Ho Tu.
To Activate : Place the 1/6 Ho Tu Mirror in the West corner of your home.
Ideal for : Rooster, Monkey, Dog, Dragon

The 2/7 Ho Tu combination in the NorthEast brings the luck of BIG MONEY and also helps to offset some of the negative stars in this sector.
To Activate : Place the 2/7 Ho Tu Mirror in the NorthEast corner of your home. Or hang a metallic wind chime here.
Ideal for : Tiger, Ox, Rabbit
Tips : The power of 2/7 is enhanced during February and November 2014 when the monthly star 2 flies into the NorthEast sector.

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2/7 Ho Tu mirror for big money

The 3/8 Ho Tu combination in the South brings excellent luck in politics and growth.
To Activate : Place the 3/8 Ho Tu Mirror in the South corner of your home. Or place strong growing plants in this sector.
Ideal for : Horse, Snake, Sheep

The 4/9 Ho Tu combination in the North brings commercial success and good profits.
To Activate : Place the 4/9 Ho Tu Mirror in the North sector of your home. Or place a water feature here.
Ideal for : Rat, Boar, Ox

Note : Even though certain animal signs stand to benefit more from the Ho Tu combinations, everyone can activate all these 4 sets of Ho Tu.

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Lastly, I would like to share with you the concept of the Spring Ox. Every year in the Chinese Almanac (Tung Shing), there is a picture of the Spring Ox. When they say a picture tells a thousand words, this is very true with the Spring Ox. Just by looking at the picture of the Spring Ox, you can tell what kind of year it will be.

Lillian Too showed us the picture of the Spring Ox for 2014.

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From the picture, we could see that the farmer is not wearing a hat - this means it's not going to be very hot. He's wearing shoes which means it's a good year. The sun is shining brightly and the rice fields are growing, indicative of good harvest. Money and wealth luck comes from hard work.

Well, that's it about Feng Shui 2014 according to Lillian Too. Here's wishing you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous Year of the Wood Horse!

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2013 Christmas Decorations In Klang Valley (Part 1)

December 19, 2013, 10:00 am

≫ Next: 2013 Christmas Decorations In Klang Valley (Part 2)

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The Christmas decorations in Klang Valley were pretty disappointing this year. So much so that I did not even feel like taking photos of some of them!

I guess most shopping malls were not willing to spend too much on lavish Christmas decorations due to the weaker economy. Oh well, I hope next year will be better.

So far, I think the Christmas decoration at One Utama was among the best this year. What do you think?

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No doubt it did not feel too Chrismassy with all those hot air balloons. In fact, what do hot air balloons got to do with Christmas? I wonder.

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But then again, I thought it was kind of special. Beautiful even.

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Oh, and I love those hanging wooden horses!

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All the balloons have different Christmas theme designs on them. Nice!

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I like the gingerbread man on this balloon!

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I also like the map on the floor!

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There were real wooden rocking horses for kids to sit on. In fact, there were a few of them, each with different design.  My 1 year old nephew had a great time on these horses, no kidding!

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But not all wooden horses here are for sitting. Like these ones below. They are part of the stall's decoration. LOL!

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Ooh! Look at those two cute little snowmen hiding there! : )

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More horses. Funny, but they kind of remind me that next year is the Year of the Horse!

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So how do you like the Christmas decoration at One Utama?

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Merry Christmas from One Utama!

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Now, just for fun, let's go down memory lane and compare the Christmas decorations at One Utama from previous years. Which year do you like best?

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Christmas decoration 2012

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Christmas decoration 2011

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Christmas decoration  2010

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Christmas decoration 2009

I thought the Christmas decoration in 2012 quite cute and 2010 really beautiful! I did not really like 2011 because I could not connect the underwater theme with Christmas. 2009 was just OK to me, not very outstanding. Overall, I like 2010 the best. What about you?

Don't miss Part 2 where I take you to other shopping malls in the Klang Valley! Merry Christmas everyone!

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2013 Christmas Decorations In Klang Valley (Part 2)

December 22, 2013, 9:30 am

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Continued from Part 1

The Christmas decorations in Klang Valley have been disappointing this year. All the shopping malls were cutting costs resulting in lackluster and uninteresting Christmas decorations.

Pavilion KL still stood out amongst them all, even if its Christmas decorations were not as impressive as previous years. I guess what really caught my attention this year were the display of some famous sticker characters from the mobile platform LINE. 

This huge statue of the LINE character Moon was a great crowd puller at the front entrance of Pavilion shopping mall.

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So cute!

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Inside Pavilion on the 6th floor (same floor as Tokyo Street), there were a few more display of LINE characters. This is Moon again decked in Christmas hat and scarf.

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I did not know who these two people standing next to Cony and Brown were, but I had to take this photo with or without them inside! There were a long line of people queuing up to take photos with these two famous LINE characters and I just did not have the patience to wait. So I just snapped away. - Sorry about that!

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They were quite funny right? I mean the two people posing next to Cony and Brown. And look at Brown - he looked like he's sweating! LOL!

The Christmas decorations inside Pavilion viewed from the 6th floor.

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There were some recycled items from past years, but I guess that's all right. It still looked pretty nice, no?

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Back at the ground floor, there were two bears facing the main entrance. Again lots of people posing here so capturing these bears without anyone standing there would be quite impossible.

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The stairs leading down to the Centre Court was filled with beautiful Christmas decorations.

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From the stairs, the view of the carousel and the tall Christmas tree was quite a sight to behold.

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Some fashion showcase on display at the staircase.

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Tall Christmas trees at the Centre Court.

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It's Winter Wonderland here.

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This white Christmas tree had lights in the shape of snowflakes blinking all over. Quite beautiful from afar but did not look as nice when seen close-up.

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You can view a short video of the blinking snowflakes in my Instagram video HERE.

Some Christmas items on sale at the many stalls here.

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More photos below …

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Now let's go down memory lane and compare the Christmas decorations at Pavilion KL from previous years. Which year do you like best?

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Christmas decorations 2012

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Christmas decorations 2011

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Christmas decorations 2010

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Christmas decorations 2009

I think I still miss the White Christmas decoration outside Pavilion KL back in 2010. This photo below brings back memories for me!

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And how could I forget my first 'snowfall' in Malaysia at Pavilion back in 2009?

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The United Buddy Bears added a nice touch to the Christmas mood at Pavilion back in 2011.

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Aren't these Buddy Bears beautiful?

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In Part 3, I will share with you photos of Christmas decorations at Suria KLCC, Starhill Gallery and Farenheit 88, so stay tuned : )

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2013 Christmas Decorations In Klang Valley (Part 3)

December 27, 2013, 8:00 am

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I must admit that I did not really go all out and take photos of the Christmas decorations this year. Mainly because most of the Christmas decorations were rather boring and uninteresting except for a few notable ones.

In Part 1, I shared with you the 2013 Christmas decorations at One Utama.

In Part 2, it's Pavilion KL.

In this final part, I decided to share the decorations from a few shopping malls. First off, is Avenue K at Jalan Ampang KL.

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Can you believe it was my first time stepping into this mall? And that's just a chance encounter as I was trying out the LRT (after so long never been on it since I drive most of the time!) and alighted at KLCC Station and stumbled onto Avenue K! LOL!

The theme to me is a Nutcracker Christmas which I thought was pretty special with the ballerina and the soldier turning round in circles as if they were inside a music box.

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There were also lots of soldiers parachuting from above.

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One of the soldiers and the parachutes.

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A Lego Santa Claus and a pink Christmas tree.

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Giant dazzling ornaments added to the festive atmosphere.

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Next, is the Christmas decorations at Farenheit 88 in Bukit Bintang.

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There were elves, bears, snowman and Christmas trees.

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I like the elves best.

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Although the bears were pretty cute : )

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There was a bear too at Suria KLCC but it was a super huge Teddy Bear!

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Do you like this cute giant bear?

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Giant candles on the mantel.

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Lastly, I visited Starhill Gallery to take a look at their Christmas decorations.

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Glittering stars hanging all over the place.

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Looks pretty magical to me!

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I did not have the time to visit Sunway Pyramid, Paradigm Mall, Tropicana City Mall and Berjaya Times Square this year, so if you took photos of the Christmas decorations there, do share them with me!

I did however, visit MidValley Megamall but I was so disappointed with the decorations there that I am not planning to share the photos here. Hope it will do better next year!

So which Christmas decorations you like best in 2013?

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Memories Of 2013

December 31, 2013, 3:30 am

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Today is the last day of 2013. Tomorrow is a brand new year. A brand new beginning.

2013 had given me many memories and if there's any good time to reminisce the past 12 months, the time is now. However, they are mostly private memories so I won't be sharing them here.

Thinking about the past 12 months have somehow triggered the musical sense in me and once again, I had composed a new piano song which I shall call "Memories Of 2013". Have a listen yes? : )



Meantime, here's a short poem just for you….

To all my readers and blogger friends from far and near,
There will be no more Santa and no more reindeer,
It's a bit sad as I bid farewell to the Christmas cheer,
But as the year draws to a close I want to make this clear,
Thank you for reading my blog all these years,
Although my travel stories may not be as entertaining as Britney Spears,
And my ghost stories may not make you shiver in fear,
I do appreciate all your comments that appear here,
And so as the sun sets and the end of the year draws near,
I would like to wish every single one of you a Very Happy New Year!

Happy 2014 everyone!! : )

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Clik here to view.Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.Image may be NSFW.
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Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.