New Apartment

I've finally got the key to my new apartment. The bad news is: the apartment which is supposed to be cleaned before handing over to me is not clean at all. After filing numerous complaints but still can't see any progress, I decided to clean the house by myself. In fact, already started cleaning part of the house since late evening & will take tomorrow off to complete the rest (the floor is the tough part with hundreds of aged foot prints).

Get a colleague's help to buy furnitures from IKEA & transport them to the new apartment (bed, dining table, chairs, lamps, cooking utensils etc). I'm glad that he has a big car. And glass top table can be really, and I mean really heavy! Never appreciate lift so much before >o<

Another friend helped out on purchasing the cleaning agent (I'm not sure what to buy when the description is 'encrypted' in Danish & they look almost the same from the outside) and also part of the cleaning. I'm truly grateful for these kind people's help, wouldn't know what to do without them in a foreign country, alone.

Hopefully I can finish the house cleaning (now I realize I can be very fussy about dirts/uncleaned spots) by tomorrow so I can proceed to furniture assemble over the weekend. Then I'll have to consider Internet package & TV package & change of address & buying household items (on top of the basics that I bought)........so many things to be done for a move. Wish me luck!

UK_Graduation

My friend, CS's convocation ceremony is held in Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral. Skipped the relatively boring ceremony to catch more sleep instead (after all, I slept late due to late karaoke activities the night before) & only showed up for photo shooting session. The rest of the afternoon is just taking pictures & more pictures & more pictures...

Set up a dinner with CS to celebrate his graduation at a French restaurant with mutual agreement to dress up (or at least dress nicer) for the dinner. My feet is aching in my 3inch high heel but look is more important than anything, so I must persist, lol...

The celebration followed by another round of karaoke (in another karaoke house). So I've been to karaoke twice within 3 days in Liverpool! The session dragged till late night about 3 am. One of my friend performed 'magic' tricks, it was quite impressive :) We had great time singing, 'dancing', laughing & eating (yes, we ate again because dinner was a little early). And I tasted duck's tongue for the first time, maybe the last time as well; it's not bad, but it's just not good either :s

Can barely open my eyes when we reach home. Knocked out immediately when I touch the pillow. The next day (which is also a big day), is another story, another blog...

The Dark Knight

Watched the Dark Knight in Coventry. I don't like typical comic-oriented movies (maybe except Hellboy) so didn't expect much from the movie even though the preview is stunning. Nevertheless, even the lousiest movie has stunning preview, I'm sure we have all been 'cheated' at certain point. Went for it because we're late to catch Wall-E & at the end of the show, I'm actually glad that we're late.

Cool gadgets/technology (eg: the new 'Batman phone'), one or two (not much) thrilling moves & ultimately the mad-crazy Heath Ledger played joker makes the ticket valued for money. Solid story line, maybe a little too much information to put into a single movie but it was nicely plotted & executed (two-faced is 'borned' in the film).

Batman (Christian Bale) struggles to be the hero that Gotham city needs, undergo the risk of his true identity being revealed & portriats more human side of a superhero (which is much better than Peter Parker's struggling in Spiderman) while battling with the Joker who doesn't play by the rule & has no rules himself.

I'd say it's worth watching if you haven't do so but don't set the expectation bar too high, else you might be dissapointed by your own expectations ;)

UK_Liverpool

Liverpool has changed so much since I left. Surprise to find the new Liverpool One shopping arcade (really big one) which operates until 8pm on weekdays & also open on weekend (back then, shops closes at 5pm); 1 superlamb banana grow into hundreds of different design lamb banana (will share more about this in another blog, I included 2 lamb banana in picture below); so many new chinese restaurants+karaoke & old street buildings turned into fancy new buildings with new shops/restaurants. I can barely recognize the new section of Liverpool & feel lost in it.



I told my colleagues in Denmark that I MUST eat a lot of real chinese food when I'm in UK (and trust me, Chinese food in UK can be really good). When I first landed, I express my 'desire' to eat proper chinese food (aside from shopping) & was brought to eat 'dim sum' the next day morning as brunch. Being a totally satisfied customer, I must share what I ate:-

Went to Albert Dock (the Liverpool harbour) for a walk & view the tall-ships which are stopping at the harbour over the weekend for exhibition from far. The weather is not cold but the strong wind brings down the temperature & can really 'blow me off my feet'. Had to stop for a hot coffee to gain back some warmth.

Went for karaoke in the evening. I feel like living my Penang life in Liverpool. Even the waiters greet us in Hokkien (Penang dialect) / Mandarin because they know my friends & we get special treatment / discount, from the morning dim sum restaurant to the evening karaoke house. After all, it's a small Chinese community, guess everyone just know everyone else.

The food picture taken in karaoke is the result of 10 patience & accommodating people who waited for the last dish to come (despite they're actually hungry) so I can take a complete picture of all the dishes. I know I'm an embarassing crazy girl who always snap pictures of food but I just feel that if the food are nice & I can't share it to others (at least the picture), it'll be a waste. Weird huh?

Anyway, introduction to the food (only in Chinese, sorry), starting from 3o'clock position, clockwise: 白灼明虾，肉丁四季豆，溜鱼片香菇芥兰，凉拌海蜇(not so nice though)，凉拌火鸭，XO酱海鲜乌冬，风塘软壳蟹，香辣鸡翅 (yum yum) & 咸鱼砂煲豆腐.

My UK trip is already worthwhile at this point with shopping, my favourite singing activity, lots of nice food & most importantly meeting up so many friends. More to come...

I'm so lucky

I went out to the convenient shop right opposite my friend's house with him to get some ice-cream. We ended up with ice-cream, potato chips, pork salami, milk & some crackers.

The problem is: we are 2 pounds short from the total bill. While we're in the midst of struggling which item to 'sacrifice' (I was actually thinking of taking out the pork salami) or to run back & grab cash, a lady in the queue right behind me told the cashier that she'll pay for the rest.

Feeling absolutely touched & grateful, I thanked her more than a dozen times. She said I mustn't go back without my 'peperami'. Isn't the world wonderful with kind people like this? This is the first time (and most probably the only time) that I am caught in such situation & meet one of the kindest person in the world who makes my day :)

Pic: The peperami(s) that are saved by the kind lady

Moral of the story: never go out without cell phones/enough cash unless you're as lucky as me :)

**********

Just recall that I have been lucky in Denmark under similar circumstances as well. Parked in a car park which only accept 20DKK coins / a Danish ATM card and was stucked because I don't have either of them. Then a kind lady helped to slot in a 20DKK coin & rescue me out from the carpark :D --added 1-Aug-08

Victory

The result of 2 hours shopping (until the shop closes) on my first day in Liverpool:-


I'd call this round 1...& will resume round 2 on Monday, wahaha...so glad to know that Liverpool is on sales. The magic word 'SALES', and the price is really low (especially compare to the expensive Copenhagen)!!

Kylie, if you're reading this, the red straps tiny dress is for Elvi :)

Arrival....UK

Well, as mentioned in previous blog: I'm going to UK to attend a graduation & an engagement ceremony. When I was asked my purpose of the trip at the passport control counter, I said the same thing. Then the control personnel asked: how do know they're graduating & engaging? I almost fainted on the spot...of course I'd know these info ahead before planning my trip right? Wonder what will happen if I tell him I had a hunch that they'll be graduating & getting engage, lol...

'Staying or leaving' is the first sentence I was asked after entering UK. It was thrown by a friendly cashier but he has to repeat 3 times before my mind figures out he's actually asking if I'd like to have my drink+food in the cafe or take away...that's the first time I heard such variation of 'having here or take away'.

Anyway, I'm totally glad to set my feet my on once I knew very well place - Liverpool (again). Welcome drink (latte) served by a friend who's currently working part time in Costa Coffee, who's also graduating from his Masters study (congrats, CS!)

Pic: CS preparing my medium latte (on him), haha...

Away....UK

Will be going to UK for a week holiday (actually main purpose is to attend 2 very important friends' 'ceremony' - a convocation & an engagement).

It's been 2 years since I left UK, after study. Wonder what I'll feel when I step my feet in Liverpool streets again. Will find out but I guess I'll feel pretty good understanding what people around me is talking about ;)

Perhaps I can buy a few books before traveling back to Denmark (it's not so common to find English books & the selection is limited).

Might not have frequent Internet access during that period but I'll definitely update the blog when I'm back. Stay tune.

0 - 15

My Danish language class will only starts in September. So I get my colleague's help to teach me basic numbering as interim 'lessons'. Now I can count from 0 - 15 (only) in Danish (nothing to shout about but a funny story to share).

I was telling another colleague about my Danish language progress - as in I can count from '0 - 15'. And then he (who happens to have great sense of humour) said: "0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F??"

I was laughing uncontrollably in office...nearly roll on the floor. He meant 'hex code' (if you're not sure what's hex code, google will help *wink)...how creative is that =.=

Hancock...continue

Movie starts at 9.15pm so we had Indian buffet dinner in town. Delicious food plus my all time favourite mango lassi, the dinner tasted like 'home'...it was nice.

Then, because someone has a Tivoli gold pass that can bring 5 guests in without paying entrance fee, we walked through Tivoli to get ice cream before catching the train back to cinema at Fisketorvet. I practiced my first Danish words - 'det samme' (which means 'the same') at the ice-cream parlour & the cashier actually understands it....I'm so happy. Good start, haha!

The cinema lobby looks more like hotel lobby to me (pictures are taken from 1.3M phone camera, so please lower the quality expectation). Being used to caramel popcorn back home, I'm surprised to know that only salty popcorn is sold here. Skipped it (don't taste so nice to me) & get a 'large' (actually it's regular to the locals) coke zero instead. Popcorn & drinks are available in gigantic size (a 'bucket' of popcorn & a 'barrel' of drink)...don't understand how can anyone finish such portion.

Now about 'Hancock': In the beginning the story looks promising & it's funny (I like the 'Norway homo' joke) but somehow the story line just went down for second half of the movie. Even as charming as Will Smith can't lift it up much. And why would ordinary, 'retarded', humiliated criminals ever think they could strike back at the invincible Hancock? Maybe some 'stronger' bad guys would have helped... the villains are too 'weak' but still nearly succeed & I find it rather lame.

Anyway, I enjoyed the movie, mainly because of Will Smith (also because of the company, the big screen + very comfortable seats) despite getting a little bored towards the end. The movie costs DKK80. I was wondering if I only enjoyed 70% of the time, can I get the 30% refund?? just kidding... Here's 6 ticket stabs as 'remembrance'

Hancock

Will be going to a movie - "Hancock" premiere with my 'remaining' colleagues (half of the office is empty during Summer holidays) tomorrow, 9.15pm. Target location: Imperial Bio, one of the most well reputed big screen cinema that's still operating well.

The plan is to have dinner together before movie (perhaps even a drink or something). I can't wait for tomorrow evening to come. After all, it's been almost 2 months since I last watched a movie in cinema. Ticket price is about 4 times more expensive but it'll be my first experience watching movie in Denmark (big screen), really looking forward to it.

After all the picnic + BBQ + sight seeing activities, finally, this is one of the things that I used to do frequently back home. Somehow feeling emotional all of a sudden...such simple activity can make me happy for the whole day & looking forward to it so much. It used to be one of the most boring routine activities I have back home. Sigh...

Anyway, "Hancock", I'm coming!!!

Tivoli

150year old Tivoli http://www.tivoli.dk/ (which means funfair/amusement park in Danish) is the pride of most Danes (if not all), definitely on their top 5 'Must Visit' list if asked. DKK85 is charged per entrance & a multi-ride ticket costed DKK200 on top of entrance fee. I'm lucky to go in free because my boss (more like friend though, haha) has a Gold Pass where he can bring 5 guests on top of him into the park.

Pic: To remind myself how much Tivoli rides costed me...sob, sob...

He 'assembled' a group of 3 kids & 3 adults (his wife, 2 kids + me & another visiting girl from Germany) to make full use of his Gold Pass, which makes 3 adult+kid pairs. We had great time playing roller coasters (& laughed at our pictures snapped with funny expressions after the rides), Odin express, boat trip, the Demon rides, the Carousel etc etc...(except the Star Flyer (which seems to scary for me & 2 of the kids can't meet the height requirement).

On top of the rides, we also had fun at the parlour games (which cost extra money...typically DKK10-20 per game). David was so excited that he beat me in one of the games & won himself a toy gun. Apparently realize fun & technology is not necessarily proportional. Our favourite activity is one of the parlour game with racing horses & the classic roller coaster ride (can you believe the kids talked us into taking the ride 4 times? lol) instead of the high tech space shot.

Ice cream parlours, ballon stalls & candy shops can be seen everywhere, and I really mean everywhere. With 3 kids around, there's no chance we can skip the candy shop. So the end result is each one of kids have a big lollipop & the adults have large ice-creams. I'm just glad that I'm not the one paying :)

Our lunch was a quick one with hapsdog & sandwiches + soda drinks. As for dinner, our initial intention is to have it at a Pirate ship but the restaurant was fulled, so we revert to a Viking restaurant, munching spare ribs & having burgers with big glass of drinks. The kids got free ballons & eye shades from the pirate ship restaurant (because we were waiting for so long) & Viking hats from the Viking restaurant.

As the sky turns dark, Tivoli is all lit and it feels so different. It's like Tivoli has 'transformed' from a fun filled park with kids & families into a romantic & musical environment for adults. With open jazz concert, it's just perfect environment for a romantic summer day out. Couples making out can be easily spotted.

Tivoli is a fun place to be but what makes the day special is the company. I wouldn't recommend Tivoli if you're traveling alone (unless you don't mind feeling alone in the crowd, playing all the rides/games alone & want to try out their wide selection of uniquely decorated restaurants which also includes a Michellin star restaurant) but if you have companies, Tivoli is a MUST.

At the end of the day, around 10.30pm, I feel sad leaving Tivoli after spending a fun filled 10hrs+ in the park. I'm really greatful that I'm invited to have great time in 'experiencing' Tivoli & it is surely a memorable one :)

Run...CH...Run

My company has the tradition of participating in one of the biggest relay event of its kind in Denmark - DHL Stafet (DHL Relay), this year is no exception. A team of 5 will be formed to complete 5x5km relay in Fælledparken.

Pic: Aerial photo from a previous year

My colleagues are excitingly discussing names for their team this year. I didn't aware that I'll be part of the 'contributor' so wasn't keen in discussion until I was asked for my desired T-shirt size. Anyway, they've fixed the name to be "4 Beasts & a Beauty" but I'm one of the beast, ouchh...how sad...They were considering team name "Thin Legs" but then realize I belong to category 'short leg', so have to abort the proposal.

Why am I suddenly in the team? Actually, I think it all begins when I was commenting & laughing on how funny my colleagues looked in previous years' runs. Coincidentally, a guy left our department right after I joined, it seems so convenient to make me his replacement in the Relay competition & so... Didn't expect my karma to come so soon.

Basically there's nothing wrong with joining the competition except....I haven't been exercising for years!!! I hope I won't break the record of finishing 5km in 50minutes. The 50minutes record was set by a participant who met an unfortunate accident with bicycle during the run & have to walk to complete the race (very sporting). It'll be too embarrasing to break his record.

Well, I still have some time for intensive training before 1-Sept. Will start with 2km run, tmr (hopefully), lol...

Another driving experience

Another driving experience, yesterday evening, this time is with Audi A3 (shiny metallic black, cool). Still manual gear, took me 10minutes to figure out how the reverse gear works (apparently I have to press the gear 'stick' down to go into R).

A3 is cool (even though I'd prefer A4 but any Audi is perfectly fine to me). The air-conditioning control for front seats are separately controlled, so you can have 18degree for the driver & say 20degree for the passenger.

I like driving in Audi A3 more than Peugot 407, it's smaller but also with 2.0L engine ;) Unfortunately, having a nicer car doesn't reduce my clumsiness & improve my skills. Nearly had an accident. I made a right turn, after looking back on the right shoulder for potential cyclist, I turn right out forgetting to look for cars on my left. Luckily the road is broad so the fast approaching car manage to avoid me. Got big honk for that. Absolutely my fault.

Danish drivers are a little inpatient too...I verify with my colleagues & 100% of them agree with my statement, haha... I was stopping at a junction, about to make a turn as the traffic clears & the car behind me was already honking me to move. I got nervous & my car went dead (due to bad synchronization between clutch & gas control). So the poor driver behind me has to wait longer for me to restart the car & move on.

Good thing is: after my 10km driving session, me, the car & other road users are all safe! I didn't crash the car / 'murder' anyone by accident :)

We were talking about my 'dangerous' driving experience over lunch today & Anders said that I can borrow one of my colleague's car for driving practices because his car has the most extensive insurance coverage. In other words, I'm a lousy driver...that's a very creative way of putting it, lol...

Perhaps I should feedback to the company that they must rent automatic car to cater for the 'less capable' drivers `¤´ Anyway, the driving thrill will only last till July.

'The Embarassing Star Award'

Well, being clumsy, blur and forgetful, I always have embarassing moments (actually I don't really feel embarrased anyway since I'm about to publish one of my silly act, lol). Here it is:-

venue: company cafeteria

time: lunch break @ 12pm

main characters: me & lots of other 'stranger colleagues'

story line:
intro - normally we'll pick up tray with plate & utensils before Q-ing at the starter/hot food/salad bar buffet line to get our lunch.
Today, I was overwhelmed with the 'make yourself burger' menu & was rushing to the buffet counter after collected the tray & utensils. I was mummuring what shall I pick & one of my colleague said: "Perhaps you should start with getting yourself a plate." I stare at my tray & to my greatest embarrasment, I realize I forget about the plate. Again, I manage to collect a lot of laughters from the crowd (I was laughing at myself too)...

First there was the photo taking session that scares the cook in cafeteria, then being hit by a 'stranger' tourist & fell down in public, now there's this plate incident...within 5 weeks (not including smaller embarrasing happenings where nobody notice)...hmm, I think I'm on my best way to get 'The Embarassing Star Award' =.=!

Glass House

Imagine having a glass house with outdoor seating like this one: in summer, you can sit in & shower in sunlight with open glass doors+roof; in winter, you can still sit 'outdoor', in the glass house, well protected from the cold, wouldn't it be nice? Wonder if such glass house will fit into Malaysia's context (considering the hot weather).

I was telling my colleague how much I envy his hosue & my desire to have a glass house as his but unfortunately I'll be renting a small apartment which cannot accommodate the glass house. Then he told me to put up a small glass house at my 10msq balcony & inform the landlord that I'm adding value to his property, lol...

His house is so nice, I must benchmark it...every piece of tile & stone in the garden is done by him (I won't benchmark this & build a garden all by myself though), amazing! I think he'll kill me if he finds out that I 'publish' his house's picture 'publicly' in my blog. Fingers cross that he won't >.<

Luna

Received feedback that my blogs are all about food....well, I like food, what to do? sob, sob...So, to make some changes, I now introduce my new found friend -- Luna.

She has curly white hair, a little chubby, short legged, now 3 years old -- a cute dog that my colleague owns. She doesn't take command 'attack' but loves to chase after birds...only small size birds though. When big birds appeared, she'll pretend as if she doesn't see them. If dogs of bigger size (than her, of course, but she's small, so..) showed up, she's smart enough to stay away from 'trouble' as well. ;)


Knowing her characters well, she was 'degraded' from guard dog to family pet dog that doesn't bite. Well, to certain extend, she's still a guard dog... 'food-guard dog'. I was having dinner at my colleagues house & she's stay near the dining table, guarding for potential 'accidentally fall down' food. Until she's sure that there's no more 'hope', she'll revert back to her dog food.

Luna knows basic mathematics as well, she can count from 1 to 3. My colleague's wife will bring her to short walks 3 times daily. Luna will wait & look at her 'walk-mate' pitifully if she has 1 less walk than she's supposed to.

Luna is so cute, somehow 'trigger' me to have the desire to own a dog...but it might not be wise since I'm staying alone (which means I need to take care of everything alone abroad). I'll visit Luna more instead :)

Cheese & Crackers

It's been 4 days since I last published a blog...been busy with trip planning + new apartment rental + work. Went to picnic with my boss & his family at a park near Viking Musuem yesterday. I can't recall do 'picnic in a park' in Penang, never; but it was such nice & relaxing experience yesterday.

We had various cheese with different types of crackers+biscuits, Danish strawberries, fresh green peas (I don't like them in Penang but it tastes so sweet, eating fresh & raw here, don't understand, perhaps different 'species') and red wine :)

We walked over to the Viking museum (it's closed, pretty pricy DKK95 to go in anyway) across the park after picnic. Happen to catch a historic motor sport event where all the 'antique' cars & bikes lovers gathered with their precious 'antique' vehicles. Some aged more than 50yrs (my boss told me from the car plate) & still in good shape (or at least it looks good). Perhaps the cars can be driven for an hour & have to be maintained or kept in garage for the rest of the year. I don't want to be the only stupid 'tourist' snapping pictures, so, sorry...no pictures to be shared.

After that, it's my favourite moment...soft ice-cream. This time, I go for super soft (2 scoops of soft ice-cream with a cream ball coated in chocolate on top, DKK35). Yummy yummy!!

I think I'll go back to M'sia fat & tan. The cheese & soft ice-cream here are so delicious & it is so nice to stay under the sun... but the (down)side effect, hmm....better don't think about it yet. After all, there's slimming centre & fair skin products ~.~