Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2005

Went to have nice dumplings again today and came home to find a lot of european looking people in military outfit performing on TV along some heart warming familiar tunes. What a refreshment! Some 3D features at last, after all these months of flat, wide, big, pale looking skulls.



I've heard of the grand Military Tattoo before but I've never been to one. So I was thankful they are showing on the Phoenix Channel and it's absolutely breathtakingly grand, outstanding and awesome. It's the performance of the highest standard combined with great endurance, strength, passion, freedom and hope all in the shadow of death.

The 2005 Tattoo celebrated the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of the Trafalgar, during the Napoleonic Wars, which saved England's ass from the French and Spanish, which gave us the 170-foot tall Nelson's column in Trafalgar Sq. (London), in the company of over 200 Royal Marine Bandsmen. It saw the largest gathering of pipes and drums in the event's history!

There were only a few memorable tv broadcasts that really stirred and touched me in the past. There was the wedding of Princess Diana in her fairy tale gown, and ironically her funeral where Elton John sang "Candle in the Wind" that made a hit instantly. Then there was the surreal TV war of 1991 Gulf War against Iraq, in which, a war was presented to the rest of the world LIVE that drove our French philosoper Baudrillard into concluding that it did not take place at all. Then came 9-11 with the Hollywood styled collapse of the twin towers, and, oh, don't forget the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics game opening and yes, of course the last performance of Freddie Mercury singing 'Barcelona' with Montserrat Caballé (how sad...). Now, the 2005 Tatto may not have such a great impact but heck, it was one of the finest gathering of world class soldiers who are also highly trained musicians I've ever seen in my life. Over 100 million people watch this event on their tv set, you know!

Well, the recent walk of millions in the streets of Taipei trying to persuade the thick skinned president to step down was also quite impressive. Gosh, I just don't know what's wrong with this Mr Chen Shui-Bian or Water Flat guy. Is he insane or what? Has he got no shame? Notice how sane and shame rhyme. You know I look up the meaning of FLAT from the dictionary, one of the meanings is having no depth or thickness. Right, that explains a lot, I guess. But seriously, I have no doubt in believing he's got the thickest facial skin a human being could possibily have that even bullets can't go through. The Guiness World Records should really take note.

Enough of the punk.

The Edinburgh Military Tattoo has a great site: http://www.edinburgh-tattoo.co.uk/tattoo-experience/castle.html

Their DVDs will make the best Christmas gifts, ever. I promise your friend/family will be thrilled. But, please must buy the 2005 one.

Acupressure

I tried seed acupressure today. I asked a local PHD student to do it for me to regulate my liver and stomach coz I wasn't feeling too good after gotten drunk the other day.



I think it's kind of stylish to have little squarish stickers stuck on your ear!



It's quite tender and soring if you ask me. And yes, that's a playboy ear-ring.

Thumbs up for Yeng

The International Education College, which is the body governing us Hong Kong, Taiwanese, Korean and all Chinese oversea students not from Ang Moh countries, are throwing us a Mooncake Festival Dinner Gathering.

Wow, me so excited. There will be FOOD! And, of course, the incessant supply of alcohol, my friend. No Shandong party is complete without all the people getting drunk. Seriously. No alcohol, no face.





Well, freaking number of dishes is well expected.



I started off quite decent. I know I shouldn't drink with an empty stomach and damn it I forgot to stuff my stomach with evening primrose oil and all the wonderful alcohol resistence things that I know.



People were eating away, but Yeng was crazily drinking away. She was too excited with all the free beer.



Somehow, I still remember the dish I liked the most for the night. It's all the things you can find in a pig. Blood, ear, instestine and etc. It's hot and spicy. It works just so well with the beer.



Well, half way through, we were asked to perform on stage.



It was junior's, Sammy, birthday. She's a Malaysian, so the rest of the Malaysians were asked to sing her birthday song and so we did in Cantonese coz it's exotic to our Mountain East friends.



I think I was pretty tipsy by then because for the life of me I cannot recall what we did afterward.



When we got down, it's more Gan Bei.



And more. Well, I was pretty drunk by now, because my face was bloated and sat laughing on my seat.



Tipsy classmates went on stage and sang more KTV.

I couldn't really walk on my way back.



Half way, my classmate called for help and a bunch of people turned up to carry me back. And I only wanted to sleep on the roadside.

When I got back to my room, the world is literally spinning around me and I threw up at least 3 times by now.

Beautiful Pearl, my Taiwanese friend, and ClockFullMoon, my other Taiwanese friend, gave me acupressure on my hand and feet that corresponds to my stomach and liver. Senior pastor PHD candidate friend brewed Pu Er tea for me. GlorifyYourAnchestor, my classmate, gave me acupuncture on one of my foot. When they all left, senior classmate stayed and running up and down putting on a hot towel and changing it frequently for 2 hours. My god, what nice hospitality!

Amazingly, I regained my sanity at 1 a.m.

The next morning, I remember I was constanly being slapped at while lying on my bed. And that I found a bite mark on my right shoulder. I don't know who carried me home. Whatever happened man?

That's it. No more alcohol for me.

Strong Shandong Han

One of our dorm's mates is moving to a nearby apartment today. They've got the place, with 3 bedrooms, for 1300 yuan a month. Bloody cheap compared to my single room paying at 1200 yuan.

You've got to give an award to the movers here.



They are believably strong. They can carry a washing machine up to 6th floor, I mean, one man, on his back. And they use this amazing strong cloth to wrap as many things as they can and hoooosh! all the way up!




I know you can't really tell from the picture below, but he's attempting to carry 3 bloody huge suitcases.



Money doesn't come easy, my friend. You should be glad you don't have to earn your money this hard way.

-----------------------------------
Saw these cakes on display. I know it's all full of fat, but they are still americanly beautiful.

Advancing in Sneaking Tech

I've told you before that we are only allowed 8 departments to explore during the course of our duration here. But the chinese are a weird bunch. They have this "saving face" value which is basically the stern foundation automatically imprinted in the DNA of EVERY single newly born in China that SAVING FACE is the 1st thing they learn before they know how to eat.

The Chinese will double every process with all the papers and writings and signatures you could ever think of. Even for a seemingly mundane things like paying for your purchase at a supermarket, which I'm just too lazy to explain. Despite of the paperworks and rules that say you should do this and that, you could however, not do what it told you to. If you request for some changes, they will tell you the rules and contracts stay the same, however, you are allowed to do whatever to your liking. Just so they have face. Are you following me?



For instance, though they say I can only go to a specific department at the designated month, the Aquarius in me couldn't care less and explore every bit of the hospital. And as long as you don't tell anyone about it, the university will quietly grant permission for you to do so. I followed my Taiwanese friend to the electrocardiogram (ECG) department and talked my way in "Hello, I'm from Malaysia and I wish to learn in this amazing department." and yes, foreigners are extraordinarily well received in Mountain East so I usually manage to barge in. :-)



I wonder how many of you know how a normal ECG should look like. Look at the graphs above.




This is an ECG of a crying baby. It's almost impossible get a good reading coz the action of applying all those electrodes on your chest feels really invading. So I understand why they have to cry so loud. But I always feel pityful for the younger ones for they are too young to be suffering from diseases. They should be busy enjoying their childhood. May all children be well and free of sickness.

If you wish to know more about how ECG reviews your heart condition read this.

Keeping a blog

I am using StatCounter to get a good idea of who's reading my blog (so that I know how popular I'm...lol)

Here's my network of readers.



Pretty good, I think. And I can tell my siblings haven't visited my blog for quite a while or else they would have contributed 1 more little dots in Europe. And, ya, thanks for your support, my beloved bros and sis! :-/

It's fun to check up on the length of visit and how often a certain reader comes back. The most concentrated no. of readers comes from, of course, Kuala Lumpur. And specifically, my fellow colleagues. Cheers to you lot! :-)

There's a persistent reader from Canada, who is a fish, and one from Melbourne, who's a fan, and one from Taipei, who's as lovely as an angel, and one from Klang, who's a bean. It's been a great pleasure sharing my humble knowledge with you guys.

I also know the all wonderful and wise Tay is dropping off once in a while. My neighbour who's living opposite me is following my impish adventure. There's also 3 to 4 TCM classmates of mine who's reading intriquingly as to how I managed to relate and illustrate all the chinese stuff into English. And not to forget, my 2 special K.L friends: Anna and Mr Dragon Ball.

If you read my blog and I don't know who you are please do leave your comment together with your name. Nothing more I'd like to do than to make virtual friends over the net, especially one who appreciates my wicked sense of humour. :-)

I also find out that a lot of new visitors came through google search; through search of mostly chinese medicine related terms. My blog is listed at top of the list most of the time. So I'm glad to know that my effort is somehow worth it's while in the promotion and education of Chinese Medicine to the English world.

I came no.1 in "cordiceps bullshit" google search. Great.



And also on top of the list for 'bawang shampoo "jackie chan"' search. I should get endorsed for this. Seriously.



And I'm no.2 in "weak lung kidney meridien"



Other includes:
Summer grass, cordyceps "tong ren tang", INFLAMATION REMEDY CHI GONG LUNGS, and sheer magnitude+中

Well, that means, if you ever happen to forget my URL, there is always Google.com. :-)

A word of advise...

...for vegetarians. Or rather... those Asian vegetarians.

I mean it in the sweetest and nicest way possible. Vegetarians should really try to learn to adapt to how the world is eating and what is REALLY healthy and what is not.


A vegetarian restaurant that serves no garlic, onion and chives

After my trip here in Shandong, I was exposed to a weird culture that's going on among our youngsters: being a vegetarian that does not eat all the plants and veggies. That is to say they refrain from the consumption of egg, onion, garlic and chives because they are considered to be the same as consuming meat.


Menu with all the wonderful chinese
names but have not a clue what they are

I'm an Aquarius at heart, meaning the most open minded horoscope that care the least about other people's business, but she's a great humanitarian as well, and having observed the pathetic hermitic lifes our young and innocent Chinese Buddhist boys are leading, I feel the need to express my views.

When you don't eat garlic or onion or chives or egg, you are automatically making life difficult for all the people around you. Unless your family members are doing the same as you are, you are basically shutting yourself off from the world.

First off, no one can invite you to their gatherings that involve eating. And then, when they do want to dine with you, they all have to go to a place that is suitable for you but not what they like to eat. And then, if they want to cook for you, they have to cook something else for you that they won't be eating. Think of cooking for a pet or a maid. And then, if you are lucky enough to get a girl-friend despite all the fussiness in your eating habit, she has to convert to your eating style as well.


The ONLY nice food in the
restaurant: caramelised mushroom

I have much respect for vegetarians. But I think you've got to be flexible in holding your beliefs. Making life difficult for people around you is not really the main point of being a vegetarian. And eating meat is not really a sinful thing. Please be wise and conduct a more thorough research on food, how to eat, basic physiology and what it means being around people before commiting yourself to something that's based entirely on what other people told you to be good. Jesus Christ, Prophet Mohammed and Buddha were not vegetarians, at least I believe they are not. Do you want to know who's the FAMOUS vegetarian? It's Adolf Hitler. Ok, I think I'm over-doing it now. But you know my point.

Shutting yourself off from the world at the age of 20+ is the most absurd and pitiable thing in the world to do. I noticed that these guys don't have any friends. They don't know what's going on in the world. And if they do, they hate what's going on in the world. They don't know how to socialise and do not know how to deal with everyday's life issues that involves human beings. They think all the rest of the people are unsuperior. They hope everyone is kind, pretty, honest and a vegetarian. They are basically living in delusion. They don't have the correct view of the world! Do you think you can find happiness at all? On the contrary, you will get disappointed all the time because you are holding to a erroneous Utopia.

Now, if being a vegetarian doesn't make you any happier or wiser, I strongly recommend you to think twice the value in doing so. Having a 'clean' body but head's not levelled, that's just making things worse. That's exactly what you get while visiting all the ancient tourist spots in China, you are just looking at something that the Chinese think are great treasures but do not know what they really mean in actual.

Do not get me wrong. Being a vegetarian does have it bright sides. But you've got to be all educated to do so and it's pattern differentiated, wholy dependant on your body build and how well you are able to come up with the all healthy and suitable comsumption everyday. My main point being: do whatever you want but make sure it's beneficial in a wider scope and that you have a full understanding of it. Nothing gets on my nerves more than those that shut their own windows to the wonderful world of morning sunshine.

Again, I mean to express my views in the nicest and kindest way possible.



p/s There's another drawback on being a vegetarian: NO MORE CAKES. And that's unbearable.

Cooked today

I cooked lunch today. It has been quite a while since I cook for people. Being one of the rare Hakka species around I bet a lot of people haven't tried the Hakka steamed aubergine/eggplant topped with minced meat fried with fermented yellow bean, so I conjured up such dish. :-p

For your info, most people here are either Hokkien or Montain Eastor, so... you know how special I am. And everytime I run into a historian here, they will start to illustrate enthusiatically that the Hakka were the original Chinese people. And that he/she is proud to know one... i.e. me. I'm like... there are lots of them in the South, my friend!!!! I have not an idea how original I am, but I know I'm special. :-)



Anyone misses my cooking? Oh boy, I think I long to be a chef. Or at least it's a good outlet for me to fullfil the artistic need to use my hand to create things.

Quite a nice day

Went in for clinical practice in the morning. There was a patient with
多囊卵巢综合征（polycystic ovary syndrome, PCOS；Stein-Leventhal Syndrome；sclerocystic ovary disease）. Well, I'm not sure what is it exactly in english, but you get the idea. Basically, it's about female patients with high testosterone levels which, besides stimulate more hair body growth, acne, mood swings, it affects menstrual period. So, after years of medication, this young lady, aged 20 decided to stop all oral medication and give acupuncture a try. According to my physician, it can work. So I'd like to stick around and see the result.



Later off in the afternoon, one of the famous surgeons of the hospital bought me lunch. And he invited all his disciples. Hell, I'm so honoured.



And am I glad to tell you that, of all these lads there, so-called Shandong men, I managed to GAN BEI to everyone and not even in a single bit drunk. These guys are all dizzy fizzy after the meal. They were like "Yo, girls that are trained in London are really strong drinker! I surrender!"

Gee... you've got to be proud of your Malaysian friend here!!!!!

Later half of the afternoon I hang out with my Taiwanese buddies. We played baseball. It's fun. :-)



Later off, I took a little walk around the campus. There were a lot of people playing basketball. And the court is so BIG. There were more than 12 courts. And you keep hearing balls bouncing off the floor.



And this is the bit my friend. The talk of the day. DID YOU KNOW? Local students don't have bathroom of their own. They have to go to the public bathroom. And it's NOT open everyday.

It's only open 2 bloody days. It's not even the WHOLE day, it's only from 4:30 pm tp 7:00pm. Yes, that's your only chance to clean your filthy body.



No wonder I always find that they smell a bit funny. I thought I was being prejudice, but, my god, they only take bath 2 times a week. Even during Summer time! At bloody 42 degree C. I'm so glad I have the MONEY to enjoy as many bath as I like everyday. Cherish, my friend. Cherish what you have now.

What they keep in their rooms...

is really out of the world.

I've been hearing bird chirping away everynow and then for a couple of days already but I couldn't be sure how's that possible.

So I knocked on my next door neighbour and yes, he's got 2 parots in his room!

How cute.

Beijing... day two

Well, this is the 2nd day and also the last day in Beijing because we needed to head back to Jinan so that I don't miss work on Monday.

Our train is scheduled at 10p.m so we have plenty of time to hang around town. We had a horrible breakfast at the hotel. It was worse than my youngest brother's first attempt to cook. All the roti canai looking things are cold and hard, the rest of the stuff were either too salty or tasteless. Don't even mention colours or texture. I wouldn't even call them food.

On the other hand, Guo Yi Tang bought us a terrific lunch later on. One which I would refer to the BEST so far I've ever tried in China. And DAMN IT, my phone memory was full! I thought I've taken all the wonderful pictures of those unbelievably delicious and good looking food, later which I came home to find that I didn't have any single fxxking one saved! Do you know how much food they ordered for the 6 of us? It's 20 over dishes and EACH and EVERYONE of them was so amazingly delicious and delicate. Why didn't I bring my extra memory card???????

After the amazing treat of food, someone suggested we go to Yong He Gong 雍和宫, which is near where we were.



Well, that's the only picture of me for the day. And obviously someone doesn't want to be seen. So I have to fade him away and no, I don't look like Chan Miu Ying. Thank You!



So what is this Yong He Gong place? To tell you the truth, I don't really care and not in the slightest interested. If you ever want to visit China my friend, I suggest you go places that are more of a natural reserves or that is not a tourist attraction. Everything is so commercialised and hence soul-less in China now. You will just be paying to see some empty buildings with so-called nice architecture. I feel exasperated.

But if you really want to find out what Yong He Gong is, click on the photo below.



I have not a clue what this object is, but I guess it's an imitation of heaven or some sort. It's kind of beautiful so I thought I'll take a pic of it.



Yong He Gong claims with pride that they have the biggest carving of the Future Buddha using one big White Sandal Wood tree. It's pretty amazing though, if you ask me. One whole tree woh!



It's listed in the Guinness World Record standing at 26 metre.



And this is the buddha. It's obviously too high for me to even have a proper look at his upper abdominal. He's like a giant and I felt like hugging him. :-) He's the only thing in BJ I saw that's remotely touched my heart.



There were a lot of tourists and I wonder if they feel the same as I do about the whole China without a soul and being so empty kind of feeling. I feel sad for a country that was once one of the cradles of civilisation.



While I waited for my fellow companions, I notice there were a couple of old Ginkgo trees around and were all filled with cute vanilla coloured Gingko. How I wish I could steal some and have a try. So much for the legendary fruit and its leaf.



We went shopping for the later part of the day. My god, each shopping complex is so big I will never ever be able to browse through everything!

Everyone felt tired after the brief but exasperating shopping experience. Basically, it's hard to find anything fashionable unless your definition of fashion includes bad taste in colour scheme and mix-matching the jack union in everything in an attempt to make things look westernised.

Well, I, however, managed to buy myself a pair of girly suede boots.



Of all the colours, I chose pink. That's so unlike me, but I feel young and pretty now so I am going to do all the pink stuff I've missed when young. :-p hehe. Oh, it's only RMB180 by the way! What a bargain! That should keep me warm during the winter.



We went back to Wang Fu Jing to search for food. And came across a signage that says FOOD STREET. And there's nothing more Yeng/Jamie likes more than the word FOOD.



Again, there were so many choices that I had to make 2-3 rounds checking on everything single stall just to make sure I will be picking the best. I ended up having Korean Seafood Pancake but the Yun Nan Bamboo Rice is looking good.



After my satisfying meal. We took the public bus to got to the train station, which is near Wang Fu Jing. I'm thrilled because I get to sleep on one of those cool beds. There were 3 levels and we've all got the 2nd level.



The journey was about 6 hours and as cool and exciting as it looked, I couldn't sleep the whole night and was basically nerve breaking because there was this bloody fellow below me that snored so hard like a pig that he could have snored the whole China up. What karma do I owe him to deserve this?

That's it, I'm gonna take the plane next time.