Christmas eve dinner

My second xmas in France.
Fortunately I got a French friend who helped me in getting idea of what to make for festive dinner!
I went to a shop called "Picard" and I chose some package which seemed delicious to me. Anne-Charlotte told me that "Magret de canard" would be ideal for 2 persons. So for our Xmas eve dinner, we had the following as menu:

Entrée:
Foie gras with bread.

Main dish:
Duck filet with chestnut and mushroom

Dessert:
Buchette de framboise et de mangue, macarons et la Truffe with caramel.

We had the dinner with orange juice and of course: the Champange!!

Since I was drunk after a glass of champagne, I fell asleep early and I only opened my gift this morning. Mmmmmmmmmuakkkk, thank you so much mon chéri!!

Willy Waller 2006

Tetes à claques

Jeux flash : Chat amoureux

想揍眼科医生一顿

为了换眼镜，不得已去看了在附近的眼科医生。那位秘书小姐竟然告诉我：没有我的预约！真难以置信！还说可能是我搞错了。岂有此理！就因为之前的日期落在我上课的时间内，我还清晰记得我打了通电话给这诊所。竟然他们没有记录下来！

秘书小姐说：我去问医生看看。三分钟后，医生来了。他用手指示我往里边走，然后叫我把东西挪在椅子上。我在想：我又不是哑巴，干吗用手语？

在他的一番指示下，酷刑终于完结了。临走前，我问了一个关於我的视觉问题，岂知他竟然以讽刺的语气说：我弟弟／哥哥是律师，你想入庭告我吗？！气煞！我还理智的说：我只想了解我的眼睛而已！他还得意地调侃一番。

待我的新眼睛得手后，说不定我也真的寄一封投诉信到医生工会，到是看你是否还如此欺人太甚！

Grève Paris

I don't really want to complain. I think nothing is going to change. But I have to throw out my frustration.
Arrived in the class at 9h 10, happily thought I was the earliest one being there. 20 mins later, the prof came, and we were silent for about 10 mins, then our master's "responsable" entered the room and surprisedly said that there was only one student (which is me)! THen two of them started to speak about the difficulties staying in Paris if one is married with kids.
Logically, the couple would need a car if they have kids, Paris included. However, the parking fees in the city center is too high, if one has to pay the rentals or home load installment, tha's like nothing much left behind. And there are worse problem: not enough parking space! You could easily turn around 2 hrs to hunt for one. People rather pay the fine sometimes. THe police are busy handing over the summon. The car owners here are the best I have ever seen this far: the distance between the cars in front and behind one's car could be as small as 5cm!! THis truly impressed me!
Fed up with cars? One can ride a motorbike. THey can turn any direction they want, even riding on the pedestrian path. The Prof this morning said that she once saw a motorcyclist caused an elderly lady to fall on the ground with all her stuffs, including bottles of wines, spreading all over the path, the red liquid quickly stained the path and scaring everyone as nobody could tell if it was blood or wine! Greatest thing is, the culprit just ran away.
Well one can still choose other means of transportation, bicycle for example. Ecologically friendly. During these 2 days of strike, everyone seemed to grab the bikes ASAP. If you are lucky, youll find the last one at the parking. The show doesn't end here. You might be spending half an hour around your destination to find a bike parking. If ur taking the public bike, be prepared to pay more for nothing.
So I opted for the safest mode of transport: Walking. I put on the thickest clothes I have before stepping out of the apartment. And yet, the chill is tearing me apart. Coming from a sunny land, I don't stand the cold as well as others. How far could I possibly walk?
Great life in Paris!! You love me so much by the way you torture me.

My Novatux

HOw is this cartoon whose name is Tux? Hahha.. he is my new toy.
I bought a new computer and I chose this pic as my background.
www.novatux.com to find more details if you like it too!!

Ayer Itam, Penang

Here is an excellent Asam Laksa stall, must try in Penang, opened from 12 noon... very cheap, RM 2.30 per bowl.... 爽！！



THis fried Poh Piah stall is next to the Laksa stall, crispy and served hot!! Lovely !! RM 1.00 per roll only!! The springroll maker was very kind to tell us beware of the hot fresh poh piah before taking it. Good service!

Jeûne genevois “Genevan fast”

Dominique had brought a few plum tarts yesterday when we had lunch together, but I didn't understand the real meaning of this dessert, till I read this from http://www.24heures.ch/pages/home/24_heures/english_corner/news/news_detail/(contenu)/128570

Called the Jeûne genevois (literally, the “Genevan fast”), the statutory holiday has long been associated with the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre. This event was marked by the mass killing by Catholics of Calvinist protestants, also known as Huguenots, in Paris and other parts of France in 1572.

But city records show that Genevans began the annual fast earlier, in 1567, in solidarity with protestants in Lyon who were also victims of repression. This day for dieting became an annual affair in 1640 and an official holiday - the first Thursday in September - in 1966. Mysteriously, the holiday has become associated with a delicious dessert known as the tarte aux pruneaux (plum tart).

According to Geneva’s chancellor, Robert Hensler, the canton’s top civil servant, the tart became a culinary tradition to allow women and domestic servants to pray and meditate on the fast day, free of worry from such duties as cooking. The tarts were prepared and baked the day before the Jeûne genevois, Hensler writes in an article that appeared this week in Geneva’s official gazette, the Feuille d’Avis Officielle. Using recently harvested plums, they replaced the regular meal on that special day.

What was once the only nourishment for 24 hours has now become a dessert to top off a festive lunch or dinner. It’s a fact that few residents seem to know, judging from a random survey of residents conducted by the Tribune de Genève. The newspaper interviewed eight people only two of whom drew the connection between the holiday and the protestant cause. None of them knew about the tarte aux pruneaux, including a baker and one woman who was nevertheless proud to say she cooks one from scratch every year.

I am lucky enough to pass a special day in Geneva!

vineyard, Geneva (Collonge)

Have invited Dominique and her friend Danise over for lunch yesterday, then we headed off to Collonge by bus, around 20 mins journey.
Behind a sunflower farm, there is a vineyard which is not too big, but full of grapes hanging from the plants. Looks delicious but visitors are not allowed to enter the plantation. Happy enough to see them at a near distance.

Jardin Botanique, Genève (Botanic Garden)

This is a must see in Geneva, really huge.
Due to the transitional period between autumn and summer, the leaves are full of colours!! A lonely cartoon stature sitting quietly under the trees, is he smiling to his visiters?

Second Malaysian I met in Geneva

So I guess fate does play its role.
There is another Malaysian at the hospital in the same unit.
I met her during the morning round. She told my consultant that she was born in Malaysia. EVeryone looked at me as I am Malaysian too standing next to her.
I then visited her after she was transfered out of ICU. Kindly she invited me to join her for best Indian curry in Geneva! Of course, she will be the chef!

She has a beautiful heart, spending her time caring for handicapped people. Yes, our world needs more kind hearts like hers. And put it into action to benefit the unfortunate group.

Sure I will visit you for the best curry!
Make your recovery a speedy one! We will spend more time knowing each other.

The first Malaysian I met in Geneva- at the hospital

I did not expect this could actually happen, but it did. Surprisingly.
While I was having my lunch as usual in the staffs' tearoom, having a chat with a nurse and we went into the discussion of origins of our countries. She told me that her patient is a Malaysian too. I was surprised. In these few months in Geneva, I have not yet met any Malaysian and the first one I was going to meet happened in the hospital!
After having work at hands done, I accelerated my steps to the last chamber of the unit where the "Malaysian" was admitted to. An asian face caught my attention with his nurse at his side whom I was speaking to during the lunch time. She said that I was at the right place. I flipped through his file to get an idea of what he had before approaching him.
He woke up from his sleep, greeting me in French. I waited awhile and asked him for his origin in English, and he said "Malaysia". I answered: me too! He warmly shaked my hand without realizing I was the doctor in the unit. We chatted for a while. He appeared very tired, but he tried his best to speak to me.
What a surprise that life could bring to us!
I was the first Malaysian he met in Geneva in 2.5 years.
None of us expected it could happen in the hospital, the least-wished place where people meet for the first time.
I wish that he would make speedy recovery, and enjoy what he used to do as a life traveler.
And I think he will.

Gruyère 格呂耶尔

The Gruyère cheese is a very famous cheese in Switzerland and France, however, those cheeses are different in these 2 countries. The Gruyère town in Switzerland is a charming place with its preserved middle aged architectures and breathtaking landscapes, with cows resting on the green grass, ringing the bells on their neck each time they move. Such a dream place! J'adore Gruyère! Magnifique!!

Lausanne 洛桑 - Suisse

Fleur dans l'été

Annecy 安锡

THanks to my colleagues Hélène and Claire-Lise, i visited Annecy for a short afternoon. For this breathtaking view outside the balconi, what more would we ask for? :)))

Geneva 日内瓦 : View from Salève 萨雷布

A sunny afternoon, 30 minutes of bus, 20 minutes of walk while munching sandwich, 3 minutes of cable car, there we are: Salève, a small town at the Swiss France border.

The wide area of grass, mountains at the front of my eyes, as if I had fallen into my old day childhood dreams...

Lake parade- Geneva 07/07/07

A similar event to Gay Pride in Paris last Saturday. Nearly million of Genevois dancing and drinking along the lake Léman.

Cute Latinas, Scottish boy in traditional skirt, colourful costumes... This is a real FESTIVAL in Geneva! With the sunny sky, that's just perfect for a party saturday!
We then had hot dog, saucisse, beer and coke at Jardin Anglais, facing Jet d'eau. A group of people spraying their hair in green, red and white, probably Italians?! The night is young in summer, heading to the late night party would be a flawless plan! But, we chose to go home to rest and have a healthy dinner.
No smoking, liquor for saturday for us. :)

Gay Pride 30 June 2007 - Bastille 巴士底

Cleo Bachelors' Party 2007

Here we are at the Cleo Bachelors' Party 2007! Thanks to Li James who had invited me to join her in this fun party. Good foods, lots of alcohols, bachelors, pretty girls and cool music at Zouk! Oh wow we had actually met some cool people eg DJs and staffs of One-U, really a wonderful gathering.

YAHUUUUUUUUUU!!!! I passed the DALF!!!

WOW I can't believe it myself, I made it through the DALF, the French language test of advanced level for foreigners. Thinking back of it, I had truly worked hard, but I was doing the last minute preparations too. Lucky me, I had made it. My dear one has done the most for me, Superchat: I miao you so much!!!HEHEHE!!! You share the diplome with me :)

Port Grimaud 格理摩港 (South of France)

Super jolie ville, je suis amoureuse d'elle!

Spring is calling!!

Enfin le printemps arrive! Quelle jolie fleur que j'ai vue pour la 1ère fois! Magnifique printemps!

Festival de Chocolat Versoix 2007

Voilà ces animaux sont tous au chocolat! Comment peut-on le resister?? Il parait si délicieux!
Ce qui est bizarre, c'est que la Malaisie comme un pays qui produit le cacao, mais pourquoi le chocolat malaisien n'est pas autant connu?

Carnaval de Genève 2007

Regarde ce monstre! Il a l'air très dégoutant, mais il était l'un des acteurs dans la cortège du Carnaval de Genève et assez attractif, n'est-ce pas?

Genève

陳慶祥 阿牛 MAMAK檔

陳慶祥 阿牛 對面的女孩看過來

Stop à L'exclusion

Superwoman