I-su-ra-mu

Had a tea party with my Science Technology Japanese teacher Nishina Sensei 仁科先生　after the course final exam. All her 6 students gathered in her room and we had cakes, tea and strawberry. Yeap, good life!

One of the topic we brought out was about the Islam religion practice in Japan. One of the student is Indonesian and she told us about her difficulties in practicing Islam prayers in Japan. For example, her experience of getting stone early in the morning 5am outside her balcony by Japanese kids because they thought they saw ghost in a long white hood, or how she had difficulties in praying when she was in Shinjuku during prayer time, where she couldnt find a suitable spot for prayers.

Sensei said, in Japan, there's a law saying that everyone has the freedom to choose their religion, but officially, it is not allowed to practice it anywhere especially schools or government building. However, considering Muslim student, surau are set up for them to do their prayers. And so, some may argue, if Islam are allowed, why doesnt allow the Christian to do the same, or the Buddhism in school? They called it cult if you try to convey religious message in school/campus ground, heavy punishment might occur. Same case in Turkey, they are arguing whether to allow headscarf in a government building or universities. Currently, it's not allowed.

After further conversation, we found out that her parents are actually Christian, her grandparents are Catholics. She embraces Islam after she found peace by practicing prayers with her nanny. And that, in Indonesia, there are no rules saying that students are required to wear headscarf in primary school or secondary school.

This got me thinking.

The way Muslim practice Islam in Malaysia are way more stricter than Indonesia. They are rules in school whereby Muslim girls have to wear headscarf, what more government building, even the women in police force have to wear headscarf along with a hat. and yet, the Indonesian girl made me speechless by telling me that she came to KL, and she saw girl with headscarf kissing another guy in a shopping mall, and then, Nishina Seisei told me she went to Malaysia for a conference, she was surprised for the relatively long prayer before the conference. So I said, Islam is the national religion of Malaysia, no question about it. Every Muslim are born Islam in Malaysia, there's no freedom for them to convert or choose their own religion either. I dont find anything wrong with this statement, but it made them so surprised.

The conversation continued till the extend I was questioned why I aint wearing headscarf, what religion am I. I say no religion, but I have a set of believes:

I believe Maxwell equations are the root of evil in making me constipate, I still hate Newton and the apple, damn Einstein for E=mcc! And the Hindi conversation in Slumdog Millionaire are making me addicted in perfecting my head shaking technique when I speak and spoken to.

I think I am definitely burning in hell.


There's probably no god, now stop worrying and enjoy your life.
::Atheists in London promoting their new slogan in London city busses. ::

Chinese New Year 2009

I had never been through such a lonely Chinese New Year my entire life. Last year, I lost my grandpa, so we were not celebrating Chinese New Year, it was lonely but I had my family with me and this year, I am not celebrating either because I am stuck in Japan preparing for exams.


Penang Kek Lok Si Temple

It gets most lonely when you look at home country news and everywhere is showing the CNY decoration at home. How Midvalley, KLCC and Pavillion are competing in turning their main lobby into huge giant lantern or plum flowers. How Jenjarom Dongzen temple Flower Festival for the ox year gonna be like, a glimpse of the giant ox with happy monk and laughing children infront. As though they are laughing nincompoop like me who couldnt celebrate CNY this year.


Midvalley Kuala Lumpur, decorations for 2009. Photo by SooHK, Flickr

I decided not to call home during the reunion dinner. I dont want to hear the gathering knowing that they are having delicious home cook cuisine and I am not there.

Side story, I had my Japanese presentation for my Japanese Science Technology class. I presented about basic antenna and electromagnetic wave. Nothing fancy, just about how wavelength related to antenna length. I did the whole presentation in Japanese, it took me more than 1 day to prepare the slides, and script. (Nope, I cant present impromptu without script). In the end, i forgot most of the script and speak like a layman beginner. Kore wa antenna desu. (This is antenna). Sore wa tokyo tower desu. (That is tokyo tower). I felt myself such a failure after almost 1 year, I still couldnt speak Japanese like I should have.

Anyway, learnt some Japanese related to EM waves:

Frequency 周波数　 しゅうはすう　 syuuhasuu
Frequency Band 周波数帯　しゅうはすうたい　syuuhasuutai
Wavelength　 波長　 はちょう hacyou　
Speed of light 光速　 こうそく　 kousoku

以上です！

Akihabara Yodobashi Camera Song

I just got back from Yodobashi Camera Akihabara, walked inside the shop with this song constantly playing. After coming home, the song is still playing flamboyantly in my head.

Now I am gonna poison you too. WITH LYRICS!! Muahahah!! CLICK CLICK!




ま～るい緑の山の手線
ma ~ rui midori no yamanote sen
真ん中通るは中央線
mannaka touru wa chuuousen
新宿西口駅前と
shinjuku nishi guchi eki mae to
秋葉のヨドバシカメラ
akiba no yodobashi kamera

つくばと繋がる秋葉原
tsukubato tsunaga ru akihabara
ますます便利なお買い物
masumasu benri nao kaimono
ＩＴ何でもそろってる
IT nande mosorotteru
秋葉のヨドバシカメラ
akiba no yodobashi kamera

良いパパ良いママ、良い家族
yoi papa yoi mama , yoi kazoku
みんなが集まる秋葉原
minnaga atsumaru akihabara
安くて何でもそろってる
yasuku te nande mosorotteru
秋葉のヨドバシカメラ
akiba no yodobashi kamera

つくばエクスプレスも走ってる
tsukuba ekusupuresu mo hashitte ru
買い物便利な秋葉原
kaimono benri na akihabara
大きな売り場と品揃え
ooki na uriba to shinazoroe
秋葉のヨドバシカメラ
akiba no yodobashi kamera

みんなが集まる秋葉には
minnaga atsumaru akiba niha
ＩＴ何でもそろってる
IT nande mosorotteru
世界中の注目だ
sekaijuu no chuumoku da
秋葉のヨドバシカメラ
akiba no yodobashi kamera

Fuji-Q

During the stay of Kim Ean in Japan, I was trying my best to bring her to as many places as we could visit, mainly because she is paying I wanna make her Japan trip one of the best travel experience for her. *cough cough!*

So, one of the places we went, was Fuji-Q. 富士急ハイランド

Snowy when leaving.

It's not famous because it has a magnificient view of the Fuji-san, but the coasters in Fuji-Q are some of the top 10 coaster in the world.

Like Fujiyama below, it held the record as both the tallest and tallest drop coaster during year 1996. Drag you up to whoopy 79m above ground and swing you upright downward from 70m above ground. It's one of the longest ride (2045m) I ever ride on too, you scream and scream and get tired and rest your throat a bit..... and continue screamming also not yet reach the end.


Fujiyama coaster.

However, the scariest ride of all, was this ---> Eejanaika!

DAMMIT! You felt yourself swinging on air when the coaster turn you 360 degree. Its scariest when departing, coz its moving backward. So, not only you cant see where is the track going, you just knew that you are going up and up and up.. and you are preparing for the drop... still not yet drop.. then suddenly it goes, it drop you like you are jumping down from 10 floors building with your butt still stick to your chair.


Eejanaika


Image source :BBC News

I wasnt screamming the first time, because I was too scared to even scream. And I kept my eyes close most of the ride. We took the ride for the 2nd time. And this time, I was opening my eyes and screaming like a mad cow.


You can look at me and Ahmet, but the main objective of this picture is the Eejainaka track on the background. :)

One other ride was very worth the experience was Dodonba. Held speed record of 172km/hr as the fastest coaster during year 2001.

Then, it's this ghost hospital.

It was suppose to be a maze, and it took us 50 mins to get out even with arrows and direction guiding you. 50 mins was also mainly because the instruction giving was about 10 mins, the initial ghost video watching to instil fear in you was about another 5 mins. During the lining up, we saw everyone screamming out from the exit. We promised ourselves to be cool. But me and Kim Ean broke the promise. oppsss..

The props were good. The "human-ghost" in doctor uniforms were good too. Most of them had burgers in a hurry before their ghost shift because they spilled ketchup all over their uniform. Ahmet was walking in front, me in the middle, Kim Ean clinging behind. Bad choice for Kim Ean, because normally the ghost will chase you from behind. Hahaha!!!

Some other rides include this one.. Pizza La something...


and dunno you believe or not, I think I never ride on Merry-go-round before this.



It was exhilarating! *wink*

Home sweet home for Kim Ean

7th January 2009. Narita Airport.

I have to forget that you are gone so I gulped down two cans of beer and isolate myself in my bathtub for the fear to face the hollow empty room, afterwards it still didnt help me forget so I have to eliminate all the remaining of your shadow by swallowing maggie cup - tom yam flavor, curry flavor ,with a sprinkle of Ayam Brand Sardine that you brought all in one-go.

Send me somemore maggie mee once you see this. :D ::crave crave::

Man-eater, literally!

Full Article

I know GuangZhou people eat everything under the sun. For the saying," Everything under the sun, with 4 legs, could be eaten, except the table". That's why GuangZhou has so no stray cats and dogs, coz all ended up in their tummy. But eating babies?! wtF!!!

I just lost my appetite for lunch.

Universal Studio Osaka, Japan

The entrance to Universal Studio is 5800 yen. With this, you could enter the park and ride unlimited number of times for all the rides.

Problem is, the crowds in Universal Studio is massively huge. Merely to get the entrance ticket, although more than 20 ticket booths are open, we still had to line up for ++30mins.

I am not sure it's because that day was a Sunday? or because it's a year end holiday? Most probably both.



Below is I guess their most exciting coaster. Called the Hollywood Dream - The Ride. Me and Kim Ean, we waited for around 90 mins for this ride. Yeap. just for the 30seconds of adrenaline rush...


The whole place was decorated so western style. All the hollywood characters, however, all of them speak Japanese. A bit odd combination.


Abby Cadabby the character from Sesame Street. Nope, she didnt turn me into a frog.


Met sexy Betty Boop.


Shrek and Princess Fiona


Elmo dancing with Abby and a crew of santarina and snowman.



Except the queue, Universal Studio is definitely a happy place to go. We were only able to get on 2 more rides except the coaster, which are the Animation Celebration and The Shrek 4D Adventure. Both rides are equally refreshing.

Himeji, Kyoto

Himeji Castle 姫路城, Himeji


Kinkakuji Temple 金閣寺,Kyoto




Fushimi Inari Shrine 伏見稲荷大社, Kyoto


Kiyomizu Temple　清水寺, Kyoto

Happy New Year !! Happy 2009!

The last hours of 2008, we decided to sardine pack with few other millions people in Zozoji Temple for the countdown. Although few millions people, they were actually only two types of people.

One type: To be the first few to enter the temple and make new year wishes once the midnight clock strike, and also to release more than thousands of ballons to the sky with their wishes tied to it.

Second type: People who wanna make use of the 24hours train operating hours to be in somewhere pack with people and finally get drunk.

3 of us, we were there, frankly because of the ballons. Free ballons!!! who dunwan?!



The tokyo tower was there making the best backdrop. Half an hour before midnite, tokyo tower swith off its light.


Then turned into this.... tadah!!!




See the amount of people here, but it was still freagin cold!!! This is the first countdown ever I am shivering among a sea of human beings! CNN was doing a coverage of this event. "This is CNN, Tokyo!" the announcer was standing right beside us. Maybe we were on TV too. :D


Happy 2009 everyone! New Year resolution! I wanna be America's Next Top Model! Oppss!! I mean, I wanna study hard and earn my qualifications! BAHHH!!!!