Light On!

This is the music video to David Cook's latest single, Light On. It's the lead single from his self-titled major label debut CD that is due out Nov 18th. Enjoy!

Light On

Never really said too much
Afraid it wouldn't be enough
Just try to keep my spirits up
When there's no point in grieving
Doesn't matter anyway
Words could never make me stay
Words will never take my place
When you know I'm leaving

(Chorus)
Try to leave a light on when I'm gone
Something I rely on to get home
One I can feel at night
A naked light, a fire to keep me warm
Try to leave a light on when I'm gone
Even in the daylight, shine on
And when it's late at night you can look inside
You won't feel so alone

You know we've been down that road
What seems a thousand times before
My back to a closing door and my eyes to the seasons
That roll out underneath my heels
And you don't know how bad it feels
To leave the only one that I have ever believed in

[Chorus]

Sometimes it feels like we've run out of luck
When the signal keeps on breaking up
When the wires cross in my brain
You'll start my heart again
When I come along

Manila Part 1: The non-halal entry

Last Merdeka weekend, I got talked into going for a short holiday in the capital city of the Phillipines, Manila. To be honest, I had little or no expectations about this place and from what I heard about it, it was no Bangkok in terms of things to do or places to see.

What Manila did have in common with BKK tho, was the abundance of roast pork. EVERYWHERE.

And they had it in all shapes, sizes and flavours. And cheap too. Imagine, a whole slab of succulent roast pork for only RM3.50 or US$1!!!!

They roased the meat the traditional way, over a huge vat of charcoal to lock in that smoky flavour.... my mouth waters at the thought of it. :p

The best (or worst, depending on how you view it) part of it was the thick fatty portion of the meat left intact thus rendering my diet non-existant.

And if you weren't porkily inclined, there's also the roast chicken. Kinda reminds me of 'ayam golek' back home.

Served in a banana leaf wrapper, the freshly roasted pork was, in a word, heavenly. Especially when dipped in the special barbacue sauce on the side.

What better way to celebrate my first evening in Manila than a leisurely stroll along the breezy and picturesque Manila Bay esplanade while munching on cholesterol laden, artery clogging, succulent and utterly delicious roast pork. :p

Bangkok 2008: Tale of Two Temples or How We Got Taken For A Ride

Between The Grand Palace and Wat Pho (just next door) we got talked into taking a tuk-tuk on a two hour tour of the 'other' temples in Bangkok as Wat Pho was 'closed' for the afternoon due to a religious ceremony taking place that day.

So there we were being hustled through the narrow streets of downtown Bangkok, almost getting into collisions with other tuk tuks and cars and buses and even bicycles, till we arrived at the Marble Temple or Wat Benchamabopit.

Constructed by King Chulalongkorn in 1901, it is made of Italian white marble and is adorned with European accents such as stained glass windows and Roman architecture. Being one of the lesser known temples, it was almost deserted, which was a welcome respite for us.

The main hall was quite small by Bangkok temples standards, but no less beautiful in a trippy sort of way with its huge golden Buddha statue, incense burning and monks chanting away in the corner. Legend has it that the ashes of King Chulalongkorn is buried underneath the statue.

Surrounding the central courtyard was a collection of life-sized bronze Buddha statues, collected from various locations throughout Thailand, Indochina and other Buddhist kingdoms.


The one I found most unforgettable was this statue of the Emaciated Buddha, symbolising an aging deity who has just undergone months of fasting and uninterrupted meditation.

There was a scenic moat around the temple, complete with a very red bridge and the 'three gabled water pavillion'.

OK, back to the main businiess at hand. After being literally taken for a ride, we arrived back at the front gates of Wat Pho, only to discover that there wasn't any 'special religious ceremony' going on that day and the temple was open all day long.

Wat Pho is the oldest and largest wat / temple in Bangkok and is home to more than 1000 Buddha images and statues, and also to a few not so Buddha statues.

Wat Pho is also home to the largest reclining Buddha statue in the world! It's so huge, my camera couldn't take it all in one shot!

One thing I liked about the temple was that because the statue was so bigass big, the hall that housed the Buddha had to be even bigass bigger. And as a result the temple was very airy, shady and cool, perfect for people like me who sweat buckets at the mere suggestion of the sun!

A row of big bronze urns lined the temple walls. Worshippers purchase a certain amount of beads and drop the beads one by one into the urns as they chant their prayers around the statue.

Outside the main temple stood many stupas and chedis that look like pyramids but with really long and pointy pinnacles.

Beauty is definitely in the detail when it comes to Thai temple architecture. If I wasn't already all 'templed out', I'd use my Tamron zoom lens to take shot after shot of the intricate desings and motifs that adorn every square inch of the temple walls, pillars and roofs.

And finally, what better way to end the day than with a much deserved traditional Thai massage complete with herbal steam bath? Plus, the massage hall was airconditioned as well! Phhwoar!

Bangkok 2008: The Royal Palace

The first place we visited was of course the first on every tourist's list: The Grand Palace. This complex of buildings was the hub of Royal and government activity way back in the 18th and 19th century and is also the site of the Wat Phra Kaew which houses the Emerald Buddha.

The palace was built during the reign of King Rama I along the eastern banks of the Chao Phraya river and is enclosed on its inland sides by canals, making it technically an island.

As we entered the Emerald Temple, we were greeted by this 15-foot bronze statue of a Hindu hermit who is credited with inventing Yoga.

It must have been a special religious day, as there were throngs of Buddhist worshippers burning joss sticks and kneeling in prayer everywhere in the temple complex.

Its quite easy to feel a bit overwhelmed by all the gaudy towers that attack your senses with their golden walls and intricate designs especially on the red tiled roofs and domes that rise high up to pierce the blue sky.

It was a very sunny day... a bit too sunny for my liking. So we were only too glad to seek shelter in this cool corridor that seemed deserted for all of five minutes before a group of really loud Chinese tourists decided they too had enough of the Bangkok sun and happily muscled their way in.


All throughout the temple are statues that depict various Hindu, Buddhist and Chinese deities, emplyed to either ward off evil, scare off would-be enemies and protect the monks as well as the Royal family.

Perhaps the most eye-popping temple is the Phra Sri Ratana Chedi which is completely covered in gold mirrored tiles. According to the guide, this temple houses a piece of the Buddha's breastbone.

There were so many shrines built, all so beautifully crafted in gold, it was like bathing in a sea of yellow everywhere I looked.

Here's a familiar sight - a miniature replica of the Angkor Wat. Actually Angkor Wat sits on land once part of the Siam empire until it fell into Khmer hands. In fact, Siem Reap, the town beside the Angkor temples means 'Siamese Defeat'.

This five headed serpent is the Siamese version of the Naga, employed to guard the entrance of the temple...

...as were these 'demons', or yaksas which are more Hindu than Buddhist, but nonetheless adds an otherworldly charm to an already exotic landscape.

This is a kinnorn (kinnari) which is a mythological creature that is half human and half bird (and all babe!) that is derived from Buddhist and Hindu mythology and mentioned in various ancient texts like the Mahabhrata and Lotus Sutra.

I think these people were all crowded in the main temple area as much for the prayers as for the cool shade. Bangkok sun is brutal and the fact that it had rained a little earlier on made it even more stiflingly humid.

The Royal Pantheon houses life-sized statues of the Chakri kings, which is unfortunately only open one day a year to visitors , on Chakri Day, April 6th. And since my watch showed it wasn't April 6th, I had to be satisfied with just gawking at the multicoloured walls and contrasting red and green tiles that make up the gigantic roof structure.

Ah... there's nothing like a brief respite in a shady courtyard with the majestic multihued chedis as a backdrop. Why, the monotone of the monks' chants almost lulled me to sleep.

Then I found out it wasn't the monks but groups of schoolgirls, taking turns to recite from a prayer book!


Alas, it was time to head out from whence we came. But not before bidding adieu to a pair of dedicated Royal guards who were all gallant and yet stern whilst performing the changing of the guards ceremony.

Brain Pattern

Just something i picked up while reading a friend's blog today. Try it.... it was quite true for me.

Your Brain's Pattern

You have a tempered, reasonable way of thinking. You tend to take every new idea in, and meld it with your world view. For you, everything is always changing. Each moment is different. Your thinking process tends to be very natural - with no beginnings or endings.

What Pattern Is Your Brain?

Bangkok 2008

This past Merdeka hols, I decided to spend our great nation's 51st Independance Day in Bangkok, Thailand.

There was lots of huffing, puffing and sweating.... from all that spicy Thai food like Pad Thai, Kuay Teow, Green Curry.... and also some not so Thai food from the good people at Sizzlers... Pork Ribs....mmmmmmm :p

I think we will need to go on a severe diet after chowing down on this deliciously aromatic herb-infused fried chicken.

The most memorable thing about BKK this time around was definitely the mango + sticky rice combo. It cost us 50 Baht (RM5) at Chatuchak which we thought was a bit pricy, but the moment we took a bite of it.... it was heaven at first taste.

Oh, and of course there were the temples. How could we forget the temples? It's BKK's raison d'etre! More to come!

Stop Hoping

Continuing my love affair with this Indonesian pop star's brand of old-school R&B, here's Marcell Siahaan's latest single, Berhenti Berharap (Stop Hoping). Here's hoping that you will like it as well.



Dulu Ku Tak Pernah Percayakan Cinta
Yang Tak Harus Memiliki
Pernah Ku Paksakan Walau Tak Sejalan
Meski Ku Tahu Ku Salah

Dan Ku Coba Melupakanmu
Karena Ku Tahu Kau Bukan Milikku
Dan Ku Berhenti Berharap
Akan Cinta Mu Yg Dulu Ada Di Hati
Dan Ku Coba Tuk Bertahan
Walau Berat Kini Ku Berhenti
Berharap...

Kini Ku Akui Hatiku Tak Bisa
Selalu Miliki Dirimu
Pernah Ku Paksakan Walau Tak Sejalan
Meski Ku Tahu Ku Salah

Dan Ku Coba Melupakanmu
Karena Ku Tahu Kau Bukan Milikku
Dan Ku Berhenti Berharap
Akan Cinta Mu Yg Dulu Ada Di Hati
Dan Ku Coba Tuk Bertahan
Walau Berat Kini Ku Berhenti
Berharap...

Around Labuan Part 2

On my final day in Labuan, I visited the Labuan War Cemetary.

This is a Commonwealth World War II cemetary where soldiers from India, Australian, New Zealand and Great Britain who died while defending Borneo (including Labuan) from the Japanese Invasion were laid to rest.

There are a total of 3908 graves here, arranged in long neat rows bearing plaques of the Commonwealth Army.


Most of them are identified and bear the names of the deceased soldier, but those that are not, are but "known to God".

A pavilion erected in the centre of the field housed pillars of red brick. On each pillar is a list of the soldiers who died defending this land.

Every year on the first Sunday of November, a special memorial service is held in honour of the war heroes buried here, attended by friends and families who make the pilgrimage from all corners of globe.

Later, we went to visit the infamous water villages of Patau-Patau which looked like a squatter village at the edge of the sea.

The village is inhabited mainly by Brunei Malays, which is a loose collection of peoples from Brunei and coastal regions of northern Sarawak and Sabah.

They are mostly of the Muslim faith and speak a type of Malay language that is phonetically distinct from the Peninsular Malay.

It was low tide when we visited the place so the water village was, in effect, a mud village.

On our way back to town, we stopped by another water village, Saguking.

According to Mark, most households in the water villages own boats instead of cars.

Saguking looked a lot less 'prosperous' than Patau-patau but was no less colourful. The people here was perhaps a lot more friendly and waved happily at me at I took a picture of them.

Some of these dilapidated houses are also hideouts for illegal immigrants from Indonesia and the Phillipines. The leftovers stilts on the edge of the village is proof of governmental efforts to force them off the island but they just keep coming back and build new houses next to the old ones.

Before I knew it, my short visit to Labuan was over and I headed to Labuan's spanking new airport to head back to KL. And as expected, my Airasia flight was an hour late!