howwwzattt... of being part of my journey...

Had lunch today with a friend at Vegas Ipoh Garden. Those from Ipoh will definitely know about it, the one besides Hollywood. Those two places frequent by all walk of lives, all races.

There is one lady manning or onwed the drinks stall herself came over and took our order. I didn't pay much attention at first while savouring my nasi dalcha. She was in a conversation with my friend who happens to know some Chinese in Cantonese and a mix of English here and there.

She must have been 55 or 60 now and suddenly I became quite interested in her. At first the familiar face and then how she walks. I knew her I said to myself but just couldn't figure out where just yet but my mind already down those 24 or 25 years back when I'm still with Maxwell Kenion Cowdy and Jones in Ipoh.

To confirm my wild thought, I asked my friend what was her name and she told me it was Mei Ling. Gosh, couldn't it be she was one of the clerk cum pantry lady there.

I asked my friend to ask her if she ever worked in an office before, she came over and my friend asked her about it.

Guess what, the first thing she said was yes, she worked for MKCJ and I was like what a small world and suddenly shrinked myself to the only Malay boy employed there (except for Asmuni Awi, the senior partner, a Perak PAS commissioner now). I was the foot despatch for them during the day and Mat Rempit at night along the Tiger Lane stretch.

She asked my name, introduced myself, they called me Kamal there and mentioned about some of my Indian colleagues at that time also those legal clerks, paralegals and the partners. It was during her time too. She doesn't remember me but must be thinking I'm one of those greenhorn interns going for the Bar then.

A small world it is, even smaller when time flies...

howwwzattt... of those mariachis and those tequilas...

I was in Mexico two months ago doing something for Interjet. Well, Toluca is situated around 9000 feet from the sea level and whatever temperature you have in New Mexico, just deduct it further 10 degrees. Just like our highlands at night.

My last day on site at Centro de Maintenimiento Interjet with this lovely lady.

This is where I stay, Courtyard by Marriott Toluca. No hotels with more than 3 storeys here.

One of the cornfield patches viewed from my room.

Pano-panning with my 5s.

No haze, no smog though it is an industrial city.

My salmon bla3x at Cabo Grill in the mall.

Corn soup with tortilla, feta cheese and dried avocado.

Their sambal tasted similar to us.

Again, one of the meals.

Fruitti de mare or fruit from the sea. It was creamy and delicious.

Food is inexpensive and even I can afford to have daily meals at the hotel's restaurant. I don't know about the tourism there but Toluca is an industrial city. Within the vicinity of the Courtyard Marriott, you can see plenty of factories around. They have Ford, Chevy, Nestle, Pfizer, Bayer and many more, just name it. The railway line runs through the city providing transportation for the goods produced there.

With Remy, my colleague from Toulouse with the mariachis in the background.

Yup, by now you guys must be wondering why the blue T? Simple, I love it but I love you more...

The music was good, live mariachi in every clubs, pubs and bars easily to be found there. Those Tollucans sure know how to party. Didn't taste their tequila though.

And no easy catch, that only appears in blue films...

howwwzattt... of a beautiful mind...

I asked someone about the difference between the Kuning and Merah rally. Without blinking her eyes she said that it was of their education level. Of how the way of thinking and mentality. 

I have to agree with her and felt quite embarrass towards her for she is not a Malay. I do not want to eloborate more, use your brain and give it a thought okay?

I never had the chance of going to the university after finishing my high school. My SPM result was bad which I re-sit again the next year, no tuition or proper guidance but I was determined to prove that I can do it. At the same time I worked as a despatch with a legal firm, Maxwell Kenion Cody and Jones near the Ipoh Padang. I resigned after that because they won't allow me to take leave for my exam. After the exam, I continue to work as a petrol pump attendant. I fared better but still no higher learning for me due to the financial limitation and stuffs like that.

My arwah abah was a simple man, a taxi driver in Ipoh. Sometime he took me to work, people seem to know him. Wherever he goes, they greet him with respect as any other gentlemen should get. Rarely he pays for his breakfast. He spoke Chinese and Indian fluently, with passable Benggali in between. He was a true journeyman I guess.

Not long before he died, he got me a Malay-English-Malay pocket dictionary, if you know the one with the pages that easily be torn off. I read a kamus when I was 8, not treat it as a reference. I read it from cover to cover. When I was 9, you can ask me the meaning of what are inside.

No, I'm not saying my English is good. In fact someone did complain on certain aspect of it. But imagine this, sea of informations are in English and you won't easily get fooled by nonsence.

By the way, I'm not a product of BTN for I never went to the university if you catch my drift and I'm glad for not being there too.

howwwzattt... of honey, i shrunk my 501!!! Pt. 2

Rebel without a cause

Someone took this picture of me in my STF walking inside a cafe yesterday. Kind of like a James Dean's feel with the blurry image which added the artistic and mysterious effect to the image.

Truthfully, I don't have the good look like those denim models...

howwwzattt... of what the hell had happened?

He said he was with the Dang Wangi OCPD negotiating of the chaos at Petaling Street yesterday cause by his Merah minnions. Suddenly he urged the Domestic Trade, Co-Operatives and Consumerism Ministry to take action against the traders in Petaling Street for selling counterfeit goods. Read here if you don't believe me.

I was like huhhh??? What the hell had just happened? So, no longer fighting and upholding maruah Melayu? Now fighting against counterfeit products? While at that, please include those traders at all the Uptowns, Gerbang Malam and pasar malam too.