7 Feb 2012 – SIN-KCH-SIN

Appreciations and gratitude to Lawrence and family, Leonard, Chuan & family for their consideration, kindness, hospitality and helping to make this tiring and stressful trip to an enjoyable one…

Sat: Happy Bday Lawrence. Arr KCH late morning. App 55km from KCH is the border town Serikin/Bau, not known to the tourists. There are over 200 stalls of both fresh produce and stuff where the traders cross into Sarawak from Indonesia to sell their goods. Was there 25 Mar 2010 and bought some beautiful material. This time round, just to look and what a hot hot hot afternoon…

Bday dinner@the Sarawak Club.

Sun: started with the market at 0730hrs, the varieties of fresh produce, cooked food in bamboo and palm leaf are just amazing. The Orchid Garden in the late morning, lunch@Imperial Duck***ending the day with a delicious homecooked dinner@Mr & Mrs Sia/seniors with their families.

The grandchildren had a blast with the fireworks. Got a taste of Tuak, wine brewed from glutinous rice, excellent taste, and what an honour to be included in this very memorable family dinner.

Mon: Mohammad’s Bday, thus a public holiday in Malaysia. Drove towards NW to the sea-town Sematan near Lundu/app 100km from KCH via the car-ferry (with a lorry full of palm-nuts en route to the Felda refinery, one of Malaysia largest palm oil refinery) one way, stopping to buy fresh crabs. Fresh seafood lunch@Sim Chai Seafood ****Returning by the main highway bypassing the ferry homeward bound.

Lion Dance at the club was a wonderful way to end this CNY festivals on this last day of CNY celebrations.

Tue: an EGM to liquidate the company where the family holds major shares. Thanks to nephew Larry for a job well-done by chairing the meeting and wrapping it up by 12noon. Hopefully the final stage will sail along as smoothly as today and business done by 1 Apr so that I can head towards Norway and the USA!

An excellent lunch@the.Dyak****serving authentic Iban (indigenous) cuisine that claims of a MSG free kitchen and it really is true! Otherwise would have been thirsty all afternoon which was not the case.

https://www.facebook.com/the.Dyak

Well done is better than well said – Benjamin Franklin

3 Feb 2012 – LAM Heritage

Above pix of 5 Temenggong Rd/SIN, late 1940s my birth place and where I lived the first 15yrs. Unfortunately the house has been demolished and the property taken by the state! Overgrown jungle is now in it’s place!

Returning to SIN for a niece’s wedding and one thing lead to another the past 12yrs. Stayed on working for H&H, Netball SIN, The SIN Shawl + volunteering in the Irish Graduates in SIN and Orchid Society in SEA have provided experiences as to how to survive also in this part of the world. In between jobs, there were enough time for social and networking. But the main reason to be back in this part of the world was and still is to find out more about the family heritage!

Somehow there were conflicts with info and also have not been totally happy as to how this should be done. Time and finance are not on my side. Traveled to China, Borneo and Malaysia over the past years to explore the possibilities and to feel some insight. Have finally come to the conclusion what was in mind has to be scrapped.

Will be slowly organising LAM Tin Yue’s (father) branch to cover names in Roman and Chinese, DOB & DOD, with pix from various decades after a short intro of how the family business started and pix of the ancestral hall and houses in China. Only a rough over view of the others in a chart as it is not within the capacity to do the rest. If the other branches do their parts for their own branch, we can all one day combine and have a full picture.

Tomorrow will be flying to KCH/Sarawak, Malaysia to liquidate the company owned by my siblings and the final chapter where this is concerned. After tying this loose end, will then proceed to Norway to tie the other loose end ie selling Piggsoppgrenda 6.

Previous family chart/tree is not to satisfaction. The new family chart/tree is done is a post-it note form so that changes can be easily edited when additional members pop into this world 🙂

I haven’t found anywhere in the world where I want to be all the time. The best of my life is the moving. I look forward to going – Sean Connery

1 Feb 2012 – Hello Feb…

The Descendants****Matt King is a lawyer and the sole trustee of a family trust that controls 25,000 acres of pristine land on the island of Kauai. Just before family members are ready to formally endorse the deal, which Matt favors, a boating accident renders Matt’s wife, Elizabeth, comatose.

The event leads to a reconciliation with his two daughters, while Matt wrestles with a decision to sell the family’s land. Under different pressure from various factions, Matt then finds out that his wife was having an affair…

George Clooney did an excellent job playing Matt, enjoyed the scenes from Hawaii. This movie’s genre is considered to be a comedy but it’s really both comedy & drama!

The irony is that we (all the siblings) have recently sold the last of the family land and liquidating the company next week. Hopefully this can be wrapped up tying all loose ends before the month is over! Would like to be back in Norway and USA to visit with the grandchildren as soon as this is settled!

The great advantage of living in a large family is that early lesson of life’s essential unfairness – Nancy Mitford

Feb’s specials dates:

2 Feb – Happy Bdays Cathrine HALD & Garry ROGERS/60th

4 Feb – Happy Bday Lawrence LAM

14 Feb –  ♥ ♥ ♥ Happy Valentine’s Day ♥ ♥ ♥ 

15 Feb – Happy Bday Guri STENSETH

16 Feb – Happy Bday Mike FREED/AT Trail name LOON

18 Feb – Happy Bday Henry LIM

20 Feb – Happy Bday YEO YatSoon

31 Jan 2012 – Crossing paths with an Angel…

Today was another interesting day. Promised Geno to help her with getting all 164 marketing kit out. This is twice within the last 4 days on the bus and MRT to this area. This time round, changing to the Bukit Panjang LRT System to connect. Being the first experience on the LRT made it into another adventure. The address provided is Senja Link, assuming that the stop would be Senja. Could not find Senja Link on the map@the stop, but Senja Road was well-marked. Followed the main road but just to be sure, stopped to ask for directions.

Usually will have a street directory when visiting unfamiliar areas, but forgot it. And by asking for directions, this young gentleman really made my day. Not only did he bring me all the way to the correct address, he also insisted to buy me breakfast. Ming? is originally from China and he & his family have made SIN their home since early 1990s. If only SIN could have more people like him making their homes here, it would be quite a lovely place to live. Ming, if you are reading this, please contact me. Tkx.

So by helping Geno, the returns were far far beyond any expectations. Geno led me to the correct station (Jelapang) after we were done and seemingly got off one station too early this morning! Thus crossing paths with an angel. Glad for getting off at the wrong station, forgetting street directory and not calling Geno for directions! MRT gives a nice feeling of space during off peak hours 🙂

Appreciations to Geno and to her family for their hospitality with yummy home-cooked food. Good luck Geno for your project!

Mon: lunched@Changi Airport, meeting with Angelina, Kurt and baby Kiefer (50 days young) who is as cute as a button, They were on transit from KCH/Sarawak returning to BRU/Belgium. Safe journeys and all the best.

The longest journey of any person is the journey inward – Dag Hammarskjold

30 Jan 2012 – From the South China Post/SCMP (28 Jan 2012)

A brilliant pix beyond words… London tower rises as fortunes sink…

conceived in boom times as a symbol of city’s status in the world, the Shard nears completion with financial district on the edge of recession…

Repeat from posting: 11 Aug 2011 – What to say to a World in Turmoil…

♥ Peace ♥ Vrede ♥ Paqe ♥ سلام ♥ Свет ♥ Мир ♥ Pau ♥ 平和 ♥ Mir ♥ Fred ♥ Vrede ♥ Rahu ♥ Kapayapaan ♥ Rauha ♥ Paix ♥ Paz ♥ Frieden ♥ Ειρήνη ♥ Lapè ♥ שלום  ♥ शांति ♥ Béke ♥ Friður ♥ Perdamaian ♥ Síochána ♥ Pace ♥ 평화 ♥ Miers ♥ Taikos ♥ Мир ♥ Keamanan ♥ Paċi ♥ صلح ♥ Pokój ♥ Amani ♥ ความ สงบสุข ♥  Barış ♥ Світ ♥ Hòa bình ♥  Heddwch ♥ פרידן ♥
http://translate.reference.com/

Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today…

Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace…

You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world…

You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one – John Lennon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNKhIJfB510

Hopefully the Dragon will puff some sense in this World to understand that spending on education instead of defense is the only way peace can move forward. May PEACE be with you all in this life’s journey!

29 Jan 2012 – Life’s journey is not about just one path!

Today is the 7th day of the CNY also known as 人日( literally translated=people’s day), the common man’s Bday, the day when everyone grows one year older. So Happy Bday to everyone!

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths – Walt Disney

A natural well-trodden path on the AT accessible only by foot (taken in 2005 during the thru-hike) and the rest of the man-made paths below have been uploaded. Thanks to Denise for sharing.

No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path – Buddha

Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence – Henry David Thoreau

In charting our course to the future, we are mindful of our path from the past – Brad Henry

It’s one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it’s another to think yours is the only path – Paulo Coelho

Every path serves a purpose – Gene Oliver

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail – Ralph Waldo Emerso

28 Jan 2012 – after nearly 2hrs!

Sat: what an adventure and a lovely way to spend an afternoon. Appreciations to niece JenLeng for gathering her branch of the family (2nd bro’s Kwok Kiong) for a delicious lunch. It has been some years ago since the last visit. Left the flat 1120hrs with bus#135 connecting to E-W Line@Paya Lebar MRT passing 16 stations to change@Jurong East N-S Line 5 stations to Kranji. Then 4 stops on#160 bus.

All those buses & MRT for under S$1/senior fares! It was such a pleasure to be able to walk a green path. Enjoyed the neighbourhood gardens and park.

Nephew JenMun is the eldest, 53yrs of the orange generation (L&M’s generation) and JM son and JL’s son are the eldest/23yrs of the purple generation (grandchildren’s generation). Bro KK passed on in 2000 leaving sis-in-law Geok Siew, niece JL (2 children/KeeYang & QiYing), nephews JM (1 child/SuiChang), JenWee (2 children/Vanessa & Valerie) and JenHong (2 children/YiYan & YiSheng).

So nice to catch up. The purple generation had their own program but since they are all on FB, will be able to keep contact. Wives to JW & JH were busy with their side of the family.

Fri: such a treat to have some quality time with Adeline. Thanks for sharing a salad@Republic Plaza’s basement and tea@TWG Tea Salon & Boutique. What a decadent place to enjoy a pot of tea and a scone in white linen table-cloth and napkins! Great to meet up with the two Lindas from the path of The SIN Shawl days. Thanks for veggie dinner@Fortune Centre and yummy cookies.

One never reaches home, but wherever friendly paths intersect the whole world looks like home for a time – Hermann Hesse

26 Jan 2012 – with a Long-Lost Friend!

Wed: the last time Tony crossed my path was in Dublin/Ireland in the early 1970s. Delighted to see him after all these years. An early morning walk on the East Coast with take-out breakfast and then back to my flat to exchange more news and pix. He has been living and has his own business in Melbourne/Australia since the 1970s. Now visiting his mom (over 90yrs) who lives down the road. Tony is the bro of Kitty who was here recently visiting from Africa and whom I have not seen since 1968!

Later met with cousin Wilki & Patty for mutton soap@Tekka Centre, Little India with the best Indian mutton soup filled with cholesterol 🙂

Was so tried that the eyes could not stay open while waiting for Clem. He was so surprised to have to wake me at a bench for our dinner. Pho Hoa Vietnamese***@Suntec hit the spot for the craving of soup. The snooze was needed to be able to have an enjoyable dinner.

Thu: met up with Grace for lunch@The Food Place/City Hall to hear and check out her pix from her month hike on the AT/for the NH & ME sections. Bought back such lovely memories. Tkx Grace for sharing. We will hike the Park Connectors & Green Corridor in SIN when they are completed…

Carrying info, pix, etc from the ancestral hall and house in China to share with Wilki & Patty@Pearl Bank. Tkx cousin for the crabs and durians, king of fruits! Until our paths cross again, safe trip back to HI/USA.

CNY is about yummy food, catching up with family and friends from here there everywhere… that is what makes CNY so special!

My weaknesses have always been food and men, in that order – Dolly Parton

24 Jan 2012 – Second CNY day…

Today’s visit brought back much memories from the 1950s. Good to see Ken who is visiting from London. Auntie Kwok made the best butter cookies and they were thin enough to practically melt in your mouth. Have not tasted anything like her butter cookies since.

She is now 97yrs and doubtfully even remember that she was once my mother’s closest friend. Our families + the Leungs would meet up every weekend back then!

Kenson & Peggy are the childhood friends from the 1950s and today we try to meet up annually to somewhere that none of us have been. Kenson is also May’s godfather! Now that say something for friends for over half a century 🙂

Auntie Kwok is the only one still alive from the 3 families of her generation. Uncle Vincent & family immigrated to Australia in the mid 1960s. Uncle Vincent, auntie June and my parents are long gone. Kenson’s father and my mother left us in the early and mid 1960s.

Pix postings are from the 1950s and 60s, except the coloured one of auntie Kwok with Kenson.

A double rainbow was sighted a few days ago and in Chinese culture, a double rainbow is considered auspicious and a reason for reflection and meditation… !! 

By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest – Confucius

23 Jan 2012 – Goodbye Rabbit Year

The visits started 1030hrs with 4th auntie Poh Kow. Good to see cousin Wilki & Patty visiting from HI/USA, Jay & Daisy and their 3 sons Josh, Jordan & Jagger (4 generations together). Continued to 10th, 11th and 13th aunties.

Thanks for lunch and wines@Les & Ivy with the siblings and their families. By the time the camera was ready, bro Steven & family had unfortunately left to do their visitings. Grandnephew, Lucas’s new toy to check out everyone’s heart and probably also to make sure that his baby sister will be delivered on time, adding another purple generation in Mar!

The visit continued to a long-lost cousin, Karen! Her parents are visiting from KCH/Malaysia. Met with auntie Ngor and uncle Kuan a couple of years ago. Auntie Ngor is father’s cousin on paternal grandmother, CHAN Swee Ngor side. Not capable of covering this branch. Another cousin, WingKei living in Christchurch/NZ is taking care of this branch. Appreciations to Karen for including me in their lovely condo@Seaview for their delicious spread.

After 12hrs of visiting, it is time to crash. CNY always bring back good childhood memories with the anticipation of new clothes, yummy food, fireworks, games, house filled with joy & laughter together with families & friends and not to forget red packages etc… 🙂

In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future – Alex Haley