happy christmas to one and all

santa is not the reason for the season

jesus IS reason for the season

on a clear day you can see all the way to genting

view of the ambank camel from luna bar

i seldom venture into the city proper. i could probably count the times when i've been driven there since coming back to the valley. oh, and there was that one time when i drove there all by myself one early sunday morning for the nike 101010 challenge - on 10th of October this year. (gettit?, gettit?? :)) hence, you will get a blank look from me if you mention roads like jalan tunku abdul rahman etc. and all the other traffic congested thoroughfares that most ppl are familiar with. i'm quite happy sticking to congested thoroughfares like nkve, jln university, especially since they are not likely to flood when during one of those monsoon downpours.

given that we live at low altitudes and just above the equator, the skies are seldom 'not cloudy all day'. add to that the general pollution created in the valley and the ash clouds from our pyromaniac neighbors - it is not often that we have clear night skies. on the night that i took this picture with my iphone (hence the poor resolution) we were atop a building called menara pan global at a hip rooftop hangout spot called luna bar for an event to celebrate the achievements of several young men who had been awarded the honor of being first among equals by a men's magazine called clive. phew. what a chock-load of information in one sentence. :)

so there we were, partying with other beautiful hip young people of the valley. as we were sipping our drinks and drinking in the gorgeous view, i noticed a ring of light in the horizon that was so otherworldly and mesmerizing that it held my attention for a whole 10 seconds. or something like that. then, turning to lilian who was standing next to me, i pointed it out to her and we both stood there trying to figure out what it was. in the end, we both agreed that it had to be a spaceship. what else could be so exquisite. ...?

ring of light just above the city skyline

twin towers side view

paradise in our backyard

at the end of october, we went on a mini-getaway to the banjaran - a 'wellness' resort in ipoh's backyard, literally. once there, you feel as though you've been transported to another world. there's something quite enchanting and about banjaran. like a lost paradise, but with every creature comfort. part of the reason it's so tranquil and quiet is because it's very exclusive (only 25 villas - and adult only) which makes it the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of city life.

each villa has it's own plunge pool and jacuzzi so there's no need to leave its privacy to enjoy the hotsprings since it's water is pumped directly to each jacuzzi - but there's so much to explore outside. the resort, beyond the villa is a playground fashioned entirely of elements natural to the site - the hotsprings and limestone caves. if you like water, like me, you'll absolutely fall in love with this place. we spent hours going from cave to hotspring to icy cold tub to naturally heated pool, to cave, to keiko fish pond, to cave, well ... you get the idea. the caves were transformed from their original states into a meditation cave, a crystal cave, a sauna cave, wine cellar, etc. yet detailed sensitively so that they appear 'natural'.

for our stay, we took advantage of the malaysian international gourmet festival pacakge - which included a spa/massage treatment and 6 course dinner w/ wine pairing. stay and dine packages are great because there's no need to drive home after the meal so you can eat and drink to heart's content. and what a superb meal that was. everything consumable is organic as are the spa products and many of the vegetables and herbs are grown on the resort itself. hope that pomelo offers a similar migf package again next year. it was a truly memorable getaway. :D

what have u been up to lately?

at what point does one cease to be able to claim they returned to the country 'recently'? i still tell people i recently repatriated. well, we have crossed the 7 month mark which means we've been back for more than 1/2 a year already. imagine that!:)

running

2 weekends ago we took part in our 2nd half marathon, PBIM. which we'd signed up for even before we returned to the country. i never would've thought that i would be a runner in my mid thirties - and yet, here i am about to run another half marathon in s'pore this weekend. it's been said that people are now turning to running and other such fitness crazes to get through their mid life crisis (instead of buying a ferrari ...). well, i can't deny that running is a rather crazy sport. and certainly, many things about the PBIM run were insane - such as the starting time (3am), the fact that it rained heavily during the run; and yet it has got to be the most enjoyable, exhilarating races i've taken part this year. i ran across the PENANG BRIDGE and BACK damnit! hmm. have lost count of how many runs i've taken part in exactly - a glance in the t-shirt drawer says probably half a dozen or so. klang pacers, new balance 11k, nike 101010, kl stanchart, new balance 15k ...

(this pic was taken after the KL stanchart - back in june - couldn't find any good pics from recent runs)