Merdeka 曖昧

There’s a recreation park nearby the village, Whytecliff Park, about 30 mins away if you, like me, travel on foot. Not only the view in the park, but all along the way leading there, is wonderfully superb by any standard. Whytecliff Park is situated at the tip of a small peninsular squeezed between two fjords. It was about 3-ish in the afternoon when I went there, and 4-ish when I left, around sunset.

More stories will follow soon, stay tuned. For now, click more for more pics

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Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver is one of my most favorite destination. Serenely located by the fjord named Howe Sound, it’s one of the main terminal of BC Ferries, connecting Nanaimo in Vancouver Island across the Georgia Strait, Bowen Island in the Howe Sound as well as Sunshine Coast to the Lower Mainland. The village consisted of mainly eateries, fancy ones as well as affordable ones. I have been here the first time on January 21, 2006, Saturday, but without a camera. So I revisited it on Jan 30, 2006, Monday, just to grab more pics for you guys.

More stories will follow soon, stay tuned. For now, click more for more pics

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I found this little sandwich joint, at the junction in the middle of Deep Cove’s two blocks of town center, it’s 1-ish in the afternoon, a cloudy 3°C afternoon, January 23, 2006, Canada’s federal election day.

Most shops were closed. Those opened were like, hair saloon, or fashion boutique.

A punk stood in front of this sandwich place, trying to light his ciggie, but apparently without much success, so he resorted to create some sparks by a tool which is used to light up torches. I talked to him, asked how does the food in this place taste. This is the only decent makan place here in Deep Cove, I realised.

“Very good, I like their sandwiches especially.”

Welcome to Deep Cove, in the District of West Vencouver. I came here by transfering 2 buses. First time from 407 to 98 B Line in Richmond Centre, and from 98 B Line to 411 in Burrand Station, downtown Vancouver. It took me like, maybe an hour an a half, passing through the Second Narrows Bridge (or Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Bridge).

Of course. What else could you like. They serve no burgers or fish and chips, only sandwiches.

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Among all the air stewardesses, there’s only one that matched my expectation, a cute meimei jiejie with short hair and seductive full lips by the name of Yen Ching. At times, the thought of acquiring her email addie or cell phone number did come across my mind, but, think about the troubles that might drawn me alive, I decided against it with a heavy heart.

Two meals were served throughout the 9 hour jonrney, dinner and breakfast the next day. Thinking of I chose roasted pork rice over some noodles, while for breakfast, it was omlette instead of porridge for me.

What about my new neighbour ? She had exactly the opposite for both dinner and breakfast.

Seems like she’s over powered by the personality trait of quiet I supposed, never bother to talk for most of the journey. I asked if she wanna some magazines, she just shook her head.

She fell asleep. Since the seat was too narrow to be comfy, I advised her to lift the handle between her seat and the empty seat, so she could enjoy a wider space.

Before long, she woke up and started reading her manga in darkness, as after dinner, lights were off thus cabin was pitch dark. For the studious type like this blogger, an overhead reading light was turned on. I told her to switch on her reading light, she again shook her head.

I tried to sketch a portrait of her. But she couldn’t stay in the same pose for more than 90 seconds. Every time she changes her pose, I’d have to fill in the blanks with my imagination. I could somehow sensed that she’s a bit uneasy being sketched without I first asking for consent.

The warcraft aircraft began to descend. I was thinking,

“Beef noodle, 80 bucks NT$. Potstickers x 5, 20 bucks NT$. Missing the chance to talk to this sweet girl, priceless…”

Therefore…

(to be continued…)

Today is the longest day in my life. I would take off in Taipei at 14:10 of January 15, 2006, and after a flight of 9 hours plus, land in Vancouver at 08:30, again of January 15, 2006.

But first, I must have my breakfast.

To their credit, the hotel did provide breakfast. And it tasted lovely too. But I was not going to leave Taiwan with my yummylicious beef noodle and fried dumplings alone in wilderness.

Therefore, I was in the same shop again. This time the order was taken by a 20 something lady. And I ordered the same stuffs again. Perhaps the noodle and the fried dumplings had already expected my patronage eagerly.

When everything was done, I walked back to the hotel, and the shuttle bus to airport was waiting. I have signed up for this trip too, the one at 10:40 am. Up I went, picked up my luggages and entered the bus.

I must have been smart to check-in the other bag of my straight to Vancouver, and off we left for airport.

There new Terminal 2 of Taipei airport is now open. That’s where my flight will be waiting for me, or vice versa. But the bus would have to drop off passengers going to Terminal 1 first.

When we reached Terminal 1, apart from those destined to board their flights here, a middle-aged fellow female passenger who’s going to Terminal 2 rushed out of the bus…

“I must make sure they don’t remove my bags from the luggage compartment and leave them in Terminal 1…”

Very thoughtful, eh ? And it was this thoughtfulness that triggered a mass exodus of passengers to check if their bags are safe and sound.

I had my seat changed to one next to the aisle at the check-in counter, with no idea who would be sitting next to me. I had been assigned a window seat when I checked in in Kuala Lumpur, but my aunties advised against it. “Else you’d blocked by others when you wanna move around…”

My first-ever boarding onto jumbo Boeing 747-400 was delayed a little bit due to late arrival. Passengers were advised to board at stages, with those with little kiddies first, followed by those taking the First and business classes, who forked out like multiples of what we paid, then those who were given seats at the rear part of Economic Class, and lastly, the rest, yours truly inclusive.

Think it’s a brilliant plan to reduce the congestion in the cabin during boarding ? Think again. It was as jammed as Federal Highway during a downpouring Friday afternoon.

Just when I thought I could have all the three seats between the aisle and window to myself, a little girl with a big guitar turned up… And ended up neighbouring me throughout the flight…

(to be continued…)

As many of you may have realised, I am in overseas at the moment.

I am visiting my uncle in Vancouver, British Columbia (Colombie-Britannique in French), Canada (literally in aboriginal lingo, Village) currently.

Dinner was served onboard at 5 pm. We were given options to have either a spaghetti or ayam percik rice. Have you have ever tried any our traditional Kelatanese ayam percik in the height of 3000 feet in the air ? Well, I do.

Since there’s an absence of direct flights from from Kuala Lumpur, I had to transit in Taipei. And because the connection flight was only available the next day, I was rewarded a complimentary hotel stay for the night in Taoyuan town center, some 20 minutes from airport.

Malaysians are now exempted of visa to visit Taiwan for 30 days every entry.

The hotel was so cheapskate that they didn’t bother to provide dinner as they assumed you have consumed yours in the flight. Yeah, but we funny Malaysians like to dine at 5pm, remember ? Also, I would appreciate their generocity much more had the phone in the hotel room been allowed to make calls, not only room orders.

Thus, I was in the 7-Eleven by the corner (Taiwan being a republic of convenience stores) and procured a phone card. Armed with my 100 bucks phone card, I called my local aunties to say hello from the hotel lobby.

After that, I ventured onto the street again. As you would have guessed correctly, it’s dark and sleepy.

Perhaps all the betel nut chics, the living national treasure of Taiwan, live in the other half of the town.

And all the rhetorics about hospitality !

Anyway, I have found my way to a little potsticker (fried dumplings) shop, which happens to sell beef noodle and hot and sour soup as well. The makciks shouted “Have a seat!” when you pass by its door.

I ordered a beef noodle. “That’s it ?” the makcik who took my order asked. Fine, she’s not about to leave unless I order some potstickers too. Alright, here you go, 5 potstickers.

To be fair, it tasted great. More so after a 3 year hiatus from Taiwanese delicacies. Beef cubes were soft and aplenty, and the soup was neither too salty nor too spicy (which I actually welcome).

And the fried dumplings, supposedly the main course here was, ermm…. tiny. They looked very cute anyway. As cute as our Nore.

Greater adventure awaits ahead. With full of happiness inside my tummy, I think it’s time to call it a day…