Jumping with Joy in the Scenic YANGSHUO, Guilin

 Anastasia & I just came back from Guilin, China. We loved it there! The place was amazingly beautiful! Plus, it fed the starving landscape photographer in me!

We loved it! We loved it! We loved it!

I've heard about the beauty of Guilin for so many times... I've yearned of visiting the place for so long...



I was definitely jumping with joy when I was finally there! I love that place!

We originally planned for 4 days holiday in Guilin. But thanks to Air Asia for changing its flight schedule, we ended up having to stay for 6 days there. We originally booked the 'Yangshuo Outside' inn, but due to an unfortunate incident at the inn, we ended up staying at the 'Yangshuo Magnolia' hotel. One thing we learned from our trip this time was that there IS such a thing as a blessing in disguise and we're very thankful for it!

Alhamdulillah!

As per our usual traveling habits, we only booked for accommodation and airport transfers. All the tours we arranged with the hotel once we're there and the staff very very helpful. They speak good English, so no problem at all. The driver that picked & sent us to/from hotel/airport was a kind man. Didn't talk much.

There was something about this place that made us generous tippers :) Must be all that beauty, serenity, freshness & overall satisfaction... but the guides were all nice & friendly people!

And again, I was told that I look like Chinese people... that's it! I gotta admit! I've got Chinese look! :P

I'm gonna share with you the wonderful scenery of the places that we visited and the activities that we did while we were there. Enjoy! Let's see if my joy can be contagious :)

This entry is a long read... but, you don't want a miss a thing!

The view from the room we stayed in... lovely... relaxing...

Around Yangshuo Town:

If you think that this place was like some old China town... opppssss!!!! You're wrong! We were wrong! In fact, a few other tourist admitted that they underestimated Yangshuo and that was a mistake! This place is such a tourist town that the West End street reminds me of 'Bintang Walk' in KL! Except that this town was surrounded by hills. So many shops, so many cafes, so many restaurants and surprisingly, so many clubs... which is not to my preference. All the loud noise in such beautiful, serene place, it just doesn't match.

And the nights were alive.

The thing that I admire about the development about this town is that, they didn't cut down the hills for development. They developed around it. Which is very nice, very unique and very caring for the nature. I like!

 

From my observation, there was no useful land left unused in this part of the world... impressive!

Liu San Jie Light Show:

OMG! The show was brilliant. With all the coordination of people, music, lights and the lovely singing. The director, Zhang Yimou is also the person responsible with Beijing 2008 Olympics opening ceremony. I don't know how to express the feeling when I saw the show. You have to be there to experience the awe. It was impressive.

Perhaps a little peek here? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ukofI9FrS4

By the way, just FYI... I love those songs! 

My only sharp photo during the show... taking photo under low lights... challenging...

LongJi Rice Terraces:

OMG! The place is breathtaking! The green hills, the fresh air, the amazing view, all that nature, the nice & friendly people, the good feeling! Priceless!

LongJi Rice Terraces is located in Longsheng, about 3-4 hours drive from Yangshuo. We didn't mind the long ride because we were so excited and happily enjoying the view on the ride there. Once we arrived at Longsheng, we have to change to a coaster, a smaller bus because the road up the hills was quite narrow and winding. The view of the hills? Mesmerizinggg... I can still see the image in my head.




At the village, we watched a show on the life and culture of the ethnic there... do you know that over there the women is the head of the family and they are the ones responsible to 'bring home the meatloaf'? Or in their case, the rice? Do you also know that over there, if a woman likes a man, they'll pinch the man's butt? Hahahahaaaa... I found that is so cute although that is totally inappropriate in my culture :)

And over there, the ladies... they have a very long hair... almost the same as their height. Their hair was so black & shiny even the grandmothers'! I was so jealous of them! Their hair were so healthy & thick... no white or red hair whatsoever!

Their secret? They wash their hair using the water that they wash the rice! Those rice they plant at the terraces must be ultimately organic!

It rained when we were about to climb up to see the rice terraces from an 'aerial' view. But, we climbed up nevertheless :) It was really foggy & misty... not to forget tiring. All the panting and sweating despite the cold weather... we reached the top to see white clouds and no view of the rice terrace what so ever... heheheeee... see see... despite the disappointment and the tiredness, I'm still laughing... lalalalaaaaa...

We slowly walked down... the houses on the hill looks classical... other than a few cafes and shops, the place looked untouched by modernization. I loved the peacefulness there... We stopped at a souvenir shop where we bought some beautiful table cloths... happy happy happy!

The fogs dissappered once we arrived at the entrance of the village... I was so thrilled to see the vastness of the rice terrace. The place was amazing!

Huangyao Ancient Village:

A trip worthwhile... enough said :)

Have you ever watched the movie 'The Painted Veil', starring Edward Norton and Naomi Watts ? I watched it, I loved that movie... most importantly I loved the scenery!

I insisted of going to Huangyao once I knew that the movie was shot here. The ancient village was well preserved and you can feel like you're walking in a truly old Chinese environment.

You'll admire the old buildings and the landscaping of the village.. and the people was friendly too!

They were doing their 'business'. I shouldn't have disturbed them but I couldn't resist those cute faces!

Cycling around Yangshuo countryside:

My favorite activity! The countryside was amazingly beautiful! The ride was not smooth because of the puddles of mud, but it was really exciting.

From my experience from cycling in the town of Yangshuo... it was not dangerous at all. The other vehicles will not simply knock you down. They didn't even honk when we were slow & blocking their way. They would just slow down as well. But if you're blocking the road, please be kind enough to get out of the way :) The only danger when cycling is if you don't know how to handle the bicycle.

So in conclusion, the possible danger of cycling in the town of Yangshuo is you yourself :)

We cycled from the town to the countryside, then took the bamboo raft, then to the Moon Cave. But on the way back, we took a bus coz our bottoms were already sore... eiikssss...

Bamboo Rafting along Yulong River:

Mmmm... not my favourite activity coz the trip was slow and long (45 mins) and mostly because the nice view along the river were blocked by stalls on the river.

But, if you were here, don't skip this activity please... There were a couple of very nice areas along the river... if you were lucky, then maybe you get to shoot some nice photos as well.



I was pretty pleased with some of the photos I took. Of course I edited them a little bit before I uploaded them here, but the original photos were just as great :)

There are a few not too small waterfalls along this river... the drops were not deep, but it's enough to give us the suspense... hihihiiii... I enjoyed the waterfalls. It was fun!

Underground River @ the Moon Cave:

We loved this activity as well! Despite the tiredness, the sweating, the panting because of all the climbing and ducking etc... we got to see an amazing cave system and an underground river which was very clear and cold!

In the cave you can also enjoy a mud bath & hot spring... but we skipped both of that... 



We explored the cave wearing slippers! I gave myself a pat on both shoulders! Well done! Hahahaaaa...

We loved this activity! Plus, we got to meet a lovely couple from Ecuador where we shared a lot of laughs! They were really nice!

At the exit of the cave, we were presented by a mass of paddy fields! So green, so peaceful... so worth it!

andddd... Shopping! Yeehaaaaa...

silk scarves, table cloths, clothing, paintings, etc etc... just don't go crazy ok :)

Halal food? No problem!

Although this is the only Muslim restaurant in Yangshuo which food I truly enjoyed during my 5 dinners. Yummy yummy! They were friendly too!



 





Sooooo... how do you feel? Feeling like going to Guilin & Yangshuo or not? Ngeeeee... the place so beautiful, the memories so sweet and wonderful and amazing... I can say that, I'll be back! Definitely!

OMG OMG... I want to go there again!

Note: The challenge of this entry was choosing photos to share... there are so many that I want to show you... but I can't possibly upload them all here...

Eid Mubarak 1431H

It's Eidul Fitri today... a day of celebration... yummy foods, thirst quenching drinks, sweet sweet cookies (lots of them), fashion show day, happy day... got to meet relatives and friends that we hardly meet throughout the year... heheheeeee...

Today is going to be my very busy day!

However, my post today will be dedicated to both of my very good friends... Ipin & Dr. W... who lost their beloved sisters during Ramadhan.

Ipin's sister passed away on Friday, 1st week of Ramadhan...
Dr. W's sister passed away, just yesterday...

I can't imagine how they are feeling right now... losing a dearly beloved is never easy...

I'm not very good at expressing condolences... because I know there is nothing I can say to ease their sadness... plus, I know my friends... both Ipin & Dr. W are two people with deep faith... so I know they'll be ok... it might take a while for the sadness to go away, but they'll be ok.

To Ipin & Dr. W... La Tahzan. Innallaha ma'ana. Sama- samalah kita berdoa semoga roh mereka ditempatkan bersama orang- orang yang beriman dan sentiasa dibawah peliharaan & kasih sayang Allah. Al- Fatihah.

To all my dear friends & acquaintances & fellow Muslims... Happy Eidul Fitri! But, in the midst of celebration, please don't forget to pray for others that are not so lucky... I'm really sad about the flood victims in Pakistan. I hope the little donations that we passed to them will worth every cent and that they will have the patience & strength to get through this challenge.

Happy Eidul Fitri everyone! Please don't overly celebrate this day... go easy on the foods *wink*

SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI! MAAF ZAHIR BATIN!

Men vs Wild

I love this show!

Even though I have no confident whatsoever that I'm gonna be able to do what Bear Grylls does in this survivor show.

Bear Grylls has really got me to reconsider my dreams of becoming Indiana Jones.

You know, when Mr. Jones did it, it was cool, smart, fun & funny.

But when Bear Grylls did it, it was yucks, ouch, eewwwww, phewwwww, aaarrrrghhhhhh and a lot of sweating and panting...

I'm telling you... Mr. Grylls is insane... :)

Just look at him hanging on the tree like a koala!

But Mr. Grylls is also so cool and calm! You can throw him anywhere and I bet he'll be able to make it out of there alive and kicking and smiling.

If you watched this show, you'll realize that throughout the entire seasons (now already in Season 5), Bear Grylls never lose his temper. He always keep it cool and calm, stay positive and hardly lose that smile on his face. Even a hammock made of a bamboo and a roof covered with leaves was considered 'snug' by him.

So as all of us already know... it's all in the ATTITUDE!

If he was grumpy and complaining and whining and blaming his crew for not helping him, do you think this show is possible? Or even if it is, would it be entertaining and educational?

I don't think so... and I believe, neither do you :)

Complainer and whiner is never really likable... lesson learnt.

But then, in the terms of survival, like what Bear Grylls is showing us... being able to survive doesn't rely only on your attitude. You have got to have a physical that can support that attitude.

I'm imagining... I'm attempting an adventure... walking across snow covered Alaska in the winter... I'm 10-20kg overweight (this is half fiction :p), with very little lean muscles around my body, the only exercise I get is a 30 minutes walk in the park on Sundays (if I really do exercise)... food & water are scarce... stamina is really low, muscles are very weak. I keep on telling myself, "I can do this!"

Can I really? Yeah, with the right attitude, everything is possible. Slowly, take it one step at a time... it might not be as easy as compared to Bear Grylls. Probably with more difficulties... He's out of there in what? 1 week? Me? hmmmm...

But, Bear Grylls himself said that ... it's important to have a positive mind because it will push yourself to go on even though your body already wants to quit.

So, I guess I'm on the right track. Even though I really really need to... Exercise!!!!"

I think with the right attitude and physics, we can all be Bear Grylls if we want to. But don't forget, we must have his kind of stomach as well... did you see what this guy put in his mouth, in the name of survival? Yikessss... snakes (almost all kinds including rattlesnake), rodents, bats, frogs, scorpions, raw deer, some kind of lizard if I'm not mistaken, worms, bugs... ewwwwwww... but some of those things are considered delicacies in some part of the world... that's right :)

Every time he's about to put the 'food' inside his mouth, I'll go "Don't do it Bear! Don't do it!!!" hahahaaaa... 

This is why Indiana Jones seems like a better option.

Coz, you know... Mr. Jones is a movie... Mr. Grylls is real life... :P

But if Indiana Jones vs Bear Grylls... I'll choose Bear Grylls everytime!

Bear Grylls, you're truly an INSPIRATION! Stomach aside *wink*

Seriously... Bear Grylls really inspired me!

 My favourite episode. So funny!

Okay... The Sometimes Speechless is jumping off the bed and off to the kitchen... that's as much of an adventure that I'm gonna get for today... hahahaaaaa....

Good byeeeeeeeeee... see ya laterrrrrrr...

Isabella... I found it!

Finally, it's on book rack at the bookstore! Isabella by Muhammad Saeed Dehlvi. You better go get it! You better read it! It's so gooood!

Let me tell you the story of me and this book. I first saw this book at a warehouse book sale near my home about 20 years ago. That time the price was only MYR8.00. The first time I read the synopsis, it was really intriguing. I want it, I want it! But still I didn't buy it. Then, school holiday was over and I had to go off to school. Somehow, this book kept lingering on my mind. I can't get it off of me. So, I called my best friend, Ms. F & asked her to help me buy it. I don't think she even remembers that she helped to buy this book for me... heheheeee...

I read this book at least 5 times end to end (at least) if I remember correctly. If I hadn't lost my copy, I could have read it even more. I didn't actually lost it. I lent it to someone and that someone still haven't returned it to me. The problem is, I don't remember who was that someone! Arrrgggghhhhh... I love the old copy even though it was really worn out, the paper was already so soft and the cover was almost torn out. This book is the type of book that I would keep under my pillow, to keep me company.

Ever since I lost this book, I tried high & low to find a new copy. Everywhere I go, every bookstore I've been to... I couldn't find it. I found a copy online, but it is not the same... I just have to have the hardcopy!

But now... I'm a happy blogger! I've found a new copy of my beloved read... *skipping*

A little bit of book review:
Isabella is a daughter of a high Catholic priest in Spain. This book is the story of her struggle in finding Islam. In this book, there are a lot of religious debate between Muslims & Christians scholars, discussions and arguments about the differences of the two religions.

*****

This book is a really interesting book for me because I learned quite a lot about Islam & Christian from it. My advice to all who wants to read this book, please keep an open mind. The information that we gathered from this book, is for us to check, confirm and verify. Finding the truth is never easy.

To those who are already in love with Saifuddin a.k.a Laksamana Sunan, you're going to love Umar Lahmi. He's not a tough warrior like Laksamana Sunan, but he is a scholar and he is very smart. There's a saying that 'a pen is mightier than a sword'. So... they are both equally attractive... heheheeee...

Oit... stop drooling :P

Isabella by Maulana Muhammad Saeed Dehlvi --> original cover

Please forgive me, but I truly truly hate a book cover with a photo of someone on it... why on earth does the publisher designed this kind of cover?

That is not Isabella! Arrrggghhhhh....

There's a gift inside... a bookmark. Same design as the book cover...

To further torture me... I guess...

The cover tortured me... it's messing with my imagination. Plus, I've read this book so many times... The Isabella that I have in my mind is totally different. She has soft eyes, Spanish looking, a face full of thoughts, she looks very smart, has a slender body... her walk is graceful...

The drawing on the cover of the lost copy, really reflect how Isabella looks like... I miss that book *sigh*

I just had to improvise the book cover...
So, tadaaaaaaa....

Isabella by Maulana Muhammad Saeed Dehlvi --> cover edited by me :)

Lalalalaaaaa.... no more picture to mess with my imagination.

I even fashioned my own bookmark from the cut out :)

So, quickly go to the bookstore and grab this book before it is out of stock. This is no ordinary story book... you really can learn a lot of things from here... it is only MYR22.00...

The truth is out there :)

The happy Speechless wishing 'Selamat Berbuka Puasa!

p/s: Not gonna lend this book to anyone... I've learned my lesson :)

What is Ramadhan...

...all about?

Like a blink of an eye, Ramadhan is swooshing past me. Feels like it started just yesterday, and today it is already in the third week. Soon, it will be over and we all have to wait for another year for it to come and visit us again.

How do you feel about Ramadhan? I'm sure the feelings are different for all of us for we are all different people in heart, in mind, in education, in beliefs, in religion, in faith... What if you & I are in the same religion? Would we feel the same about Ramadhan? Maybe... maybe not. Maybe our faith is different even though we are in the same religion right? Different level of faith :)

This year, Ramadhan revealed its meaning to me... Something that I think I should have known long time ago since I've been a loyal member of Ramadhan for about more than 2 decades. Even though I should have, I haven't... until this year's month of Ramadhan.

Before I go to what I learn this year, maybe I should briefly explain about what is Ramadhan?

Yes? No? Yes? Ok.... heheheeee...

Ramadhan is the 9th month is Islamic calendar. This month is a fasting month for Muslims. So, we fast from dawn to dusk, refraining ourselves from food, drink, sexual relations & anything that leads to it. Ramadhan is also a month full of blessings and forgiveness. So, during Ramadhan we should chase after those.

Why do we fast? Other than obeying the order of Allah, for me, fasting teaches me patience and strength... mentally, physically, spiritually. When I was muchhhh younger, I used to play catch with my friends at school during fasting month, even though we were fasting, full day. We were mentally, physically & spiritually stronger on those days I suppose. Running around in the field, under the hot sun was nothing... heheheeeee... Nowadays, I only managed a half an hour walk in the evening, followed by another hour of resting while waiting for the breaking fast time. So, I'm not sure which part is becoming weaker... the mind, the body or the spirit... hmmmm...

From health point of view, fasting is a month that gives your body a rest and a good time to flush out toxins. We've been feeding our body with foods for 11 months. So a one month of fasting is enough for the body to rest a little. Provided that we don't overfed ourselves during the break. It defeats the purpose.

I personally love Ramadhan, even more than I love Eidul Fitri. Ramadhan is the most happening month of the year! But seriously, I can't stand the too much of Ramadhan food market or bazaar. Most of the foods don't taste good & they are always so crowded.

Ok so, what is it that I learn from Ramadhan this year?

I learn that Ramadhan is a about SELF CONTROL.

That is what it is all about.

You see... Ramadhan is a month full of blessings and forgiveness. So, during this month there is no devils around to lure us towards temptations. This means, whatever that you do, it is all because of you. You can't blame it on the Satan or the devil. If you choose not to do the right or the kind things... it is all YOU.

Something to ponder upon...

If you are a Muslims and chose to or not to fast (without a valid reason).. it is YOU.
If you chose to tell lies or not... it is YOU.
If you choose to steal or not...it is YOU.
If you choose to cheat or not... it is YOU.
If you choose to be kind or not... it is YOU.

I think you get the idea.

So, in conclusion... Ramadhan is also a month where we can see what kind of person we really are. A month of revelation. This month alone... I read about a lot of crimes in newspaper. That was all them... humans that do not need the devil to lure them into doing crimes. I have my wrong doings as well, which were all ME. I also need to ask for forgiveness and work on improving myself.

Before I end my entry tonight, can I ask for all of us Muslims, to have a better self- control during this holy month? We are all aware of what we can or cannot do, what we should or should not do. But, if you are not sure, then ASK.

If we can't control ourselves in this one month, I can say that the future is 'grey'ish.

So, I'm praying for a fruitful Ramadhan for myself and all my fellow Muslims out there. If this is our last Ramadhan, may it be the best in our lives.

Take care y'all!

Disclaimer: I still need to improve my English when writing in the context of Islam, or any religion. So, please pardon me when my choice of word or sentence is inaccurate or misleading. Do correct me. The last thing I want to do is to misinformed readers who visits my blog.

Hikayat Sang Kancil & Monyet

My favourite cartoon of all times... When I was little, this short cartoon was always shown on tv... a short clip with lots of education and moral values in it. I love this cartoon so much that some of the phrases stuck on my mind until now, a century later *wink*

The phrase that I sometimes use; *In Malay*

• "Jangan monyet, kita tak boleh makan buah tu" --> when I want to stop someone from doing something that they are not suppose to do.
• "Aku tak peduli, aku nak juga" --> when I still want to do something even though I've been told not to do it.

I can be a monyet sometimes *sigh*

These kind of educational cartoons are no longer shown on tv nowadays. When I was little, we were taught of moral values in the most entertaining and colorful ways. I think, this cartoon specifically has taught my generation to work hard, to be kind, honest & sincere... like the Kancil & Kura- kura.

The best lesson is to NOT be stubborn, lazy & mischievous... like the monyet.

Enjoy this short cartoon... other than the lessons behind it, it's also a reminder of what an amazing childhood we had *big grin*

If this is not enough, there are a lot more on YouTube *wink*

Take care y'all!

Once a blue sky in KL

There are times when I feel so tired with my beloved KL. With the sky scrappers everywhere, traffic jam almost all the time, the increasing temperature, the crowded area everywhere...

But, just when I failed to see its beauty, it served me with these...

Clear blue skies... along PUTRA LRT track...

Once a blue sky in KL... it is still a beautiful place to be...