New year, new place

New place

Finally I moved to a new place, to welcome the year of 2008 :)

As compare to old place, this is much more new design, from the entrance to the apt, until the house interior design. I like this place very much, although the room is smaller, but I will enjoy more space as compare to last time. The living room is spacious, kitchen design is modern, dinning area is nice. So, I wouldn't be always just stay at my room like last time, I feel much more like a house here now. I would say this is a worth value for the rental.

If really want to tell what's the bad side about this place, hmm... so far can think of two:
1. Not easy to get food around. There is no food shop in this residential area, have to go out by public transport to get food. Unless I cook myself :p

2. No way to walk to office from here. Well, if still want to walk, it would take > 1 hr for 1 way. And have to walk along a big road, which is very dusty. So, have to take bus from now on. And while coming back from work, if it's too late, then have to take taxi, bcoz the last bus is around 8 pm - 8.30 pm

Anyway, I am happy to move here. Those 2 negative factors is just minor as compare to what I feel with the old apt living quality

Wish you all a happy new year!

Just for comparison - the old place

Fung can't ski!!

安波温泉滑雪场

Yes.. I went to ski last Sunday. Thanks to a friend, she invite me to join her family member and manager for this trip.

We went to a place name 'AnBo' 安波, it took 2 hours drive from the place I stay.
It's a man made ski park, and near by the park, 2000 meter, there is hot spring water also. I always wonder how come spring water can be appear together with snow. 1 is hot, 1 is cold...how come can be at the same place ??! Hmmm.... could be all fake one :p

So, we arrived the ski park around 2 pm, and leave at 5 pm. 3 hours is very short, got an instructor show me and my frend's nephew how to ski.
But... my progress was tooooo slow, until the instructor finally give up with me, ask me to stay at the shortest beginner place to learn how to make the 'A' shape. In mandarin, the instructor always said 内八字, and have to make both legs put force at the same time.

Me? Always senget one... And I keep looking down to my legs while skiing, instructor ask me to 'relax.... look up... just take it easy'....
Sigh... who dun know have to relax, but I cannot feel the control mah, I worry the 内八字 gone, then I fall down like hell :D

I did enjoy the trip, I wish it can be ski for longer time. We should go earlier next time...

The whole trip, entrance + transport cost us each 270 RMB. Not too expensive for a day trip I think. And the most important, it's my first time to try ski ;)

Take this 'elevator' to begin my lesson

Map - how to get there

Business hours and entrance fee

钱

一直把钱看得很重，不到必要时，都不会把钱花掉。
或许对某些人来说，我的程度已经不只是节省，而是吝啬。倒不是很在意别人的看法，因为我的生活他们管不了，我有财务问题时，他们也帮不了。

直到最近，面对了些问题，挣扎了很久，还是硬着头皮去面对了。或许我的想法太简单直接了，这问题比我想象中难以解决, 所提出的解决方案不被接受。没办法，最后我只好提出对自己最不利的打算，就是用更多的钱解决。原来比起正面冲突，我还是比较胆小的，别人没说什么，都会先把自己放在最不利的地方，即使会损失金钱，只要不骂我，不对我脸臭就行了。

有时在想，会不会是我有什么童年阴影，导致我重来都不敢和别人正面冲突，即使我其实更有理由。
你看，这只猪，有时候像老鼠吧？ :D

你可以想象我的心痛吗？对一个‘吝啬’的人来说，花一笔不少的钱，还是照理说不必要的钱，真的会心痛得失眠的。

不过我想，用好的心态来看待，能用钱解决的，总比继续让心理不舒服好吧？钱可以再找，如果郁闷了太久，导致心理不平衡，更难搞了，对不对？ :D

(期待天会掉下金钱雨，早点睡觉做梦去 :p)

Big Mac index??

Just check that 1 McD big mac. here cost RMB 11.50, if meal set then cost RMB 17.50.

So, anybody can tell is this city a high living cost city?

How about if compare to MY?

Snowing..下雪了...

As promise...here are the photos.
And I want to correct my comments last night. When I walk to work this morning, it is really beautiful. The scenery where snow cover the trees, building, the leaf shape on the road because of it's 'stick' on the road last night, and been clean up by this morning.. these are really beautiful...
And today no snow liao woh...now I know that the snow not necessary always continue once it get start...

This afternoon, snowing liao...snow start at 3-4 pm I think. When go home about 6.15 pm, it's already 2 inch thick. Trees, cars, building, land...all covered by snow, it's white..

So, how do I feel?
Surprisingly, I didn't feel much excited, this is the first time walk under snow, I though I will feel exciting when I first see snow..it is my first experience mah... but.. doesn't as what I though.

And, what so special about snow?
Nothing much, except have to walk carefully, it is very slippery. It is slippery until you can fall down easily. Imagine your fridge, in the ice keeping box, there is some place where it is not snow, but smooth surface, that is very slippery. And.. I did 'pok gai' while walking home. Wearing leather shoes is sucks in this kind of weather. Especially have to make sure the shoes doesn't has any hole under it, else your toes will get too cold when get wet by the ice water, it hurt!

Will post some photos captured tonight later..it's so late now.. got to go sleep, it's night view, but i think can still see the snow effect..

Snow 'stack up' at my window

Can you see the snow under the light?? Hmm... difficult huh?
The morning after snowWhen I just arrived on 5th Oct 07

冬天。。。

冬天。。。有好有坏
好的：在冰冰凉凉的天气里，不用但心汗流狹背，基本上汗没流出来，就已经被冷风吹干了。。。所以请记得搽些moisturiser, 不然你的皮肤会感觉干干的，痒痒的，紧紧的，不太好受
坏的：出门前，准备功夫多了好多，搽这搽那，搞个大半天，没在家那么干脆容易了，刷牙洗脸冲凉上机车，至少我是那样的。我知道，我本不是‘正常’的女孩 :)

好的：巧克力不用放冰箱也不怕它溶，硬度刚好。其实在家，不太喜欢巧克力放在冰箱后拿来吃，太硬了，味道都硬的没了
坏的：吃太多巧克力，肯定会发胖。还好我不太喜欢零食，包括巧克力，不然回去的时候，会变成‘老叮当’那么胖胖矮矮的 :D

好的：如果你不喜欢冲凉，或不太会冒汗的话，你可以两天一澡, 我想绝对有可能很多人都是这样。我也变得不天天换衣了，就穿几天才洗，当然不包括里面的的啦 :D
坏的：如果你和别人分租，就要学会把握时间。因为，那热水器，一个人冲了之后，要等它再热。至少一个小时，我就是等得快要发疯了，才来发神经，胡说一通。真他妈的不爽，冲个凉还真麻烦!!

我想还是老家好啦，都没这些麻烦东西。。

Leaving Amsterdam

Time flies... this is the day I will leave Amsterdam, and go back to Dalian.
What has different the 1st day and the last day while I am here as a part-time visitor? The trees is something obvious

All leaf gone on the day I leave

Trees on the day I came

So, I hope nobody head will like those trees, dropping all their hairs :D

The flight is very late, 21:25 PM, I checked-out at 12:00 PM, leave my luggage in the hotel, and have last walk to the city center again.

This time, I tried their local special fast food shop, Febo, where selling burger, fries, and kroket. Kroket is kind of snack that is special in Holland, which can be filled by cheese(nice), beef(nice), 'young' beef(nice), chicken(dun like this, meat too hard for me), rice(so so) and etc. Oh, btw, nasi in Holland is actually our nasi goreng. It's a self service concept shop, just put in coin, and grab your kroket from the 'wall'. Most kroket cost 1.20 euro, burger is 2++ euro

The Febo shop

Kroket selling on a 'wall'

Then finally, go to airport much earlier, arrive there by 18:00 PM, because want to refund my purchase here. If you buy something cost > 50 euro at 1 day in 1 shop, you can ask them to issue you the global refund cheque, and refund your money before check in. Although mine only can refund few euro, but it's still money right :p

The airport is decorated nicely with the X'mas trees and light, just shoot some, in fact only 2 :D

脑袋很累。。。

今天很累
累得想一眠不起了。。。

左脑说：我只做这，其他的不管
右脑说：你那根本就是不和神经中躯合作，找死吗？
左脑说：你是老几啊？还不是另一个笨脑，要我听你的，门都没。。
右脑说：神经中躯, 我不管了，你让左脑跟着办，我不理了
神经中躯说：我可不可以不要我的左右脑啊？反正都是笨脑，有跟没是没差别的！
左右脑说：现在是我们叫你做东西，几时轮到你说要不要啊？
神经中躯说：感谢天，他们也会有统一意见的时候。。。amen..

Madurodam - Holland in Miniature

Again, another college has bring me together with his kids to visit the Madurodam, where you can see the whole Holland in a mini park. If you had went ShenZhen 'Windows of the World' 世界之窗, this of course is so small as compare to that.
It's a bad weather day, shower by the rain, cold wind. But I do enjoy it very much also, they make it so real, and I even able to 'visit' the tulips garden although it's not the season now (fake one lah) :p

Click this to see all photos in Amsterdam

Becareful!! A spy is shooting our photo!!

Museum Plein

The place name itself told that, this is an area where the museums are located. Among them, the Van Gogh museum is the most famous (Van Gogh is a Dutch, but he get famous in Paris), and the other one - Rijksmuseum, I think this is their national museum. I didn't visit any of them, bcoz the entrance fee is expensive, and I am not really know how to appreciate art as well. Walking in the park near by is much better choice for me ;)
Oh ya.... there is a Diamond museum there which is free entrance, so, I walk in to have a look. Nothing much, just a crown and 'tongkat', I dunno what is this call in English. You can buy diamond from them directly, they have private room upstairs to serve you.

The Van Gogh museum

The Rijksmuseum museum

The park near by, with a group of girls jumping on a 'plate' that will make sound 'ding ding ding'

Rijksmuseum view from the park

Central area in Amsterdam - Day vs Night

When a place is decorate probably with light, night view always look much better than day view.
I was impress at the first time when go to the center area again at night, it is beautiful!

Night view

Day view

The DeBiJenkorf department store. In London it is Harrod, in Amsterdam, it is DeBiJenkorf

Inside a street

A 'far' view for the street

Although my shooting skill increase a lot, but I think it's still too far from professional shooting level, especially for the night view :D

Wind mill 'show'

I shall be grateful that the colleagues here are very friendly and easy going.
When I asked them where I can see some wind mill, I have a surprising response: "Let me bring you there, the biggest in the town!".

So, I went to this place - Zaanse Schans. There are wind mills, cheese making shop, the clog (wooden shoes) house, the Dutch traditional house, which look far 'shorter' than and smaller as compare to now.

Just show some photo here first.. more story to be tell later..it is late now.. I shall be going home...

Just some wind mill

A view from a bridge

A typical Dutch town opposite of wind mill area

A traditional house, 小桥流水人家

One day, when I am in the lift...

How come they never 'share' the height with me??

When Dutch say 'Next Saturday' in English to you

An interesting with this phase - Next Saturday.
For us, it is next week Saturday.

But for some Dutch, 'Next Saturday' = 'Coming Saturday'. For e.g.,
On Wednesday, if they told you 'Let's meet next Saturday', this actually means it is 3 days later, the coming Saturday.

My college told this was due to their Dutch language has no direct translation to 'coming Saturday', and they knew it is different from what the rest of worlds means by 'Next Saturday'.

The Dutch guy that though 'Next Saturday' = 'Coming Saturday' wasn't realize about that different. We almost make a 'date' on wrong day :p

So, next time if you met a Dutch people, and have any appointment on 'Next Saturday', just ask to confirm the date.

It is always good to be double verify :p. I learn this recently in many incidence happen to me.

Now I really realize in Amsterdam

First night while coming back from office, was get lost to the way back to the hotel. I always block by the river that make me cannot simply make a turn to the direction I want!
Imagine a night, raining, strong wind, and lost in a strange city... although I get a lengzai ask for the direction, but he also doesn't point me the right way at first time. Anyway, finally I able to figured out that I have to find a 'bridge' to cross that river, and this 'brige' = metro station itself :p.
Attached a drawing I made, see if you can understand my route while try to get back home that night :D

Lost on way back to hotel

Central area in Amsterdam

Went to the city central area, to get the monthly pass, and a local SIM card, and an IDD call card. The IDD is very cheap here, using landline, 12.50 Euro can call back to MY landline phone up to 1300 minutes, which is 20++ hours!

I like this city very much, other than the busy city center, the other place is very nice.
Imagine a place that not is never very crowded, can hear the tree and river 'moving' sound when the wind is blowing, sometimes the bird or duck sound, no big engine and hon sound along the road, people cycling pass-by you... I just feel this make me very calm and relax...

A view from my room

The trees are now 'yellowing', it is now just start it's Winter season 2/3 weeks ago

Had capture some photo, please visit the photo album with 'Amsterdam' tag if you would like to

Oh ya... I found in China Town, both in London and Amsterdam, also has that DragonInn Restaurant. I suspect there is DragonInn in PetalingStreet as well, dun know is it the same boss for all these DragonInn, if it is, sure kaya!

Dragon-Inn restaurant, and behind it, is Wau Restaurant, Malaysian food!!

Landed at Amsterdam @ 2007.11.03 - Sat, Winter - Clear

I had landed safely in the Amsterdam on Saturday local time, and this city already in Winter season.

Weather?
- About the same like Dalian, 12-15 degree if not mistaken

Timezone
- GMT + 01:00, it's 7 hours 'slower' than Malaysia

I will be here for 4 weeks, will be back to Dalian on 2nd Dec 2007. I feel it's a little bit too short for me, I only have 3 weekends to explore the city...and since the sky get dark early, at 17:30 pm, means I have to go out early morning in order to have more time -> cannot sleep too much during weekend then :p

It take exactly 10 hrs flight from Beijing to Amsterdam.

Currently stay at a hotel that does not provide internet access for free, that's the reason I couldn't update the blog on time. And this means I only able do this blogging in office, and it's not good to do it during office hour :p. Anyway, when there is a wish, there will be a way.

I will try to keep the blog updates. Nothing much can be tell today.. till next time, will have more story and photos!

A 'war' with iron stain! Manuasia Boleh!!!

Amazing leh...

The 'disaster' had over now, and the human proofed that they always has way to solve a problem :D

So, what you need to clean the strain at the iron, that caused by burned cloth, or maybe just dirty after used for long time?

'Weapon':
1. Wax = candle, white color is better I think
2. Cloth, a useless cloth, and preferable 'rough' cloth
3. Vinegar
4. Something hard that used to scratch the stain - ONLY if the stain is very 'strong' -> thick and stick tight to the iron

Vinegar, a shirt, candle, and a key which is not in the picture

Steps:
1. Warm up iron, between 2-3 as state in the iron
2. Use the wax, rub on the stain
3. Iron on that rough cloth.

-> 'Weak' strain should be able to remove by this

4. If it's not removed, use something else to scratch it. Scratch with just enough strength, else, the iron might spoiled also

5. After all, use vinegar to clean the surface again. This to clean the wax on it

Iron with the unused cloth for few times, just to make sure all wax are gone.
While doing this, please be very careful with the iron heat, dun get burn yourself with it

Iron is clean now, but how about this brand new t-shirt??

How to remove this iron stain?? Tolong ah...

Argh.... An article told removing iron stain has to be patient, so, I had tried again with wax, and use a key to scrub it, and it finally CLEAN!! I am too tired now, will post the details tomorrow...thanks for those help :)

Bad luck doesn't only happen once sometime, I am really on a bad luck 'trend' nowadays...
Wanted to iron cloth nicely, who know just before everything done, accidentally put that iron on the iron board, and within 1 sec. the iron board cover was burned, and the iron was stick with stain that look like a flower..
I tried wax, and vinegar with this, but both failed. Geram betul!!
So, any idea how to remove this?? You can say just buy a new one, but this really my last choice... money not much nowadays lah...please help...

Dirty iron

How do you show number with finger??

I am not sure you have the same way to tell number with finger like me, but I found this interesting different between China people and me today.

1. Number 7

I tell 7 in this way

And... surprisingly, my China team mate all look confuse when I told 7, and show my finger to them. They said, that is means Number 8 to them!! So, here is how they show Number 7

Dalian people tell 7 in this way, I assume this the local Chinese way

2. Number 8

Look familiar? Of course, I used to show it as 7 mah :D

3. Number 9

Number 9, like the way I said 'dead'

4. Number 10

Number 10, I use the same way also

And, for those bigger than 10, they told will not use finger to tell anymore, just say the number loud!

Beijing Roasted Duck - 全聚德烤鸭

Duck duck duck... I like duck very much... duck as food OK, dun think too much :D

Taste this roasted duck will be the thing I must do if I am in Beijing, this is what I have in mind since heard about it's story. And finally today I am going to taste it...so excited about this :p

I ordered the smallest portion, which is half of the duck. And again, I did a mistake for this meal, it's quite an expensive lesson for me, later you will see.

Waited for 25 mins, the meal is served.

Half set of roasted duck

The 'main course'

The duck's part, head, tung, and dunno what is the other one

Get the 'phobia kulit', duck to 'dim' source, 'sapu' on the 'kulit', put on some 'chong', and ready to wrap!

Wrapped nicely, it's time to taste it! Yummy Yummy!!!

It was too full after I finished the meal, a bit 'zai' for the last few bite actually. If 2 person, will be just nice.

So, how's the taste? For me, it is very delicious, especially the oily skin part, taste very crispy, sweet, and 'wangi'. I really have very limited vocabulary when telling story in English...sorry for this :p.
Anyway, conclusion is, this is the best roasted duck I had in my life so far, I think the price is worth for it. You might not agree with me, but please let me know where is the restaurant you think it is better than this, I would like to give it a try also :)

Finally, time to pay bill, charges as follow:
1. Half set of roasted duck - RMB 84
2. PuEr tea 1 pot 普洱茶 - RMB 50
3. Service charge 10% - RMB 17 [Rounded figure]

Total; RMB 147!

So, you see my mistake?? It's a big mistake! I shouldn't order the tea!! It cost almost like the half set of duck!!! Some more the price is per pot, no matter you are drinking it 1 person, or 10 person.
Order a beer is much much cheaper than a tea, it could be only RMB 10. I only realize about the tea price when I read carefully the menu after order... fainted when first see the figure...