The Irony of Censorship

Here I am writing about censorship again. Censorship is one form to control a society. In many countries, especially in Asian countries, censorship is vital to safeguard and uphold the morality of its society mainly from being influenced by foreign cultures; Western culture. Hence censorship can be witnessed in films, dramas, books, music, and other forms of media. Though generally there is a universal acceptance on what's right and wrong amongst Asians, censorship is rather subjective. It is no black or white matter. What is considered as "inappropriate" to one, may be "appropriate" to another. This is due to the demographics of the people consuming the media, even when we are all clustered as Asians. 

The problem with censorship that I see in our country is beyond this factor. Our problem is that censorship is done irrationally at times. Let's take music as an example. In Beyonce's If I Were a Boy, the word beer was censored. In Rihanna's Cheers (Drink to That), the word bastard was censored. There are many other ridiculous censoring done in music which annoys listeners. It's not because I'm assent to words such as bastards or any other foul words, it's just that censorship should be rational. It should be done beyond the literal meaning of the word itself. It should be done by analysing into the context of the song too. 

Though we are not native English speakers, in this nation, most listeners who listen to English songs are well versed in the language. Our vocabulary is beyond a beginner's level. Hence, we can read what's in between the lines. Sadly, those who censors the media for us either underestimate our knowledge of the language or worse, are not well versed in the language themselves. As a result, innocent words like shit and sex are censored for the fear of so-called Western influence, but songs like Akon's Smack That, or many of Pitbull's that sometimes contains detailed lewdness (according to Asian standard) are aired freely without censorship. So, what's there to censor, really?

A Superficial World Indeed

Today I read that apparently humans like to be praised even if we know that the praise is insincere or even smell a tad of sarcasm. The research revealed that though outwardly we may not show the appropriate reaction to praises that are deceitful, indirectly, without us realising, we are psychologically inclined to it. Doesn't this show we are pathetic? 

Then I read another article. A research conducted by Harvard University revealed that when men look at beautiful faces, they feel the same as taking in cocaine. Could that be a euphoric sensation? Now, there's a solution to drug addicts!Thumbs up beautiful women! But, what happens to average looking women? 

Though both of these articles are based on research findings, I come to a sad conclusion: We live in a superficial world. 

Artificial Field and Imports

So the Malaysian football team lost to Singapore just now. Yet, I don't really feel bad. Of course, we've played better games prior to this, but yet a 5-3 lost is not something I'd feel devastated for several reasons.

Firstly, our team consist of pure, original, born-and-bred-Malaysian. Singapore's players on the other hand just look...foreign. Well, they, like many other "Singaporean athletes", are imports or shall I say foreigners with Singaporean citizenship. Which makes our team, a better team than theirs.

Secondly, I feel it was acceptable to lose since our players were not used to play in an artificial field, where the ball speed is faster and slippery. After all, our Malaysian team is used to play in real grass field. So, to the Malaysian football team, let's show what real football is when the Singaporean team play on our real grass field this coming Thursday.

Malaysia Boleh!

Dear Obama, Osama's Down...What's Next?

The world's Most Wanted has fallen. Al Qaeda leader killed. I couldn't believe my eyes when I first read it. I read it again and again. Thumbs up USA! Then I watched the speech by Obama. A speech though brief, yet will go down as one of the most important speeches in history. Of course, not to forget, a speech that could change Obama's fate this coming election.

Finally, the man has fallen. The irony is why does it take a great nation, the United States of America nearly ten years after the September 11 attacks to finally put a closure? Shouldn't Uncle Sam with all her renowned technological advancement have gotten hold of this 50-plus-old man with ragged top and lives on mountainous terrains a long time ago? 

So, what's next for the USA? What will happen to the Uniting and Providing America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (PATRIOT Act)? After all, one of the reason this act was established was due to the September 11 attacks. Will the act which will expire end of this May be renewed, amended or abolished?

Obama cleverly mentioned in his speech that America is not fighting with Islam. So, with Obama saying that Osama's down, and the world a better place, can Muslims now feel safe in the USA? Will there not be any form of human rights violation intrude upon the Muslims after this? Will there not be anymore so-called "random security checks" on Ali, Ahmad and Muhammad surnames? 

Obama has indeed done an excellent job. Definitely better than his oaf predecessor Bush. The Muslim world have not forgotten his speech in Cairo back in 2009. However, he has a long way to go to show that he is indeed a man of his words. Especially to the Muslims, and in particular the American Muslims.

How Much of Media Censorship is Appropriate?

To censor..or not to censor? It's a gray area and a tricky decision. What is viewed as inappropriate to one, may be subtle or not a big deal to another, especially in a heterogeneous society. Asian media have tighter guidelines on censorship as compared to Western media. However, censorship varies even within the Asian media itself, as some countries are lenient while others strict. 

Media censorship does not take away society's right to freedom of information, instead it helps to draw the line between what's morally right and what's immoral. It helps to influence the morality of a society. I believe that media censorship is also necessary in accordance to the society's conformity. I also believe that the person who has the accountability to censor what is viewed or heard by the whole nation must be well versed in the job. They cannot merely handle the task based on ethical guidelines given on a piece of paper. Instead, they have to be able to analyse critically what their job entails before making the cut.

Sadly, I see discrepancies in our media censorship. For instance, some parts of Beyonce's If I Were a Boy was censored simply because the lyrics said "Drink beer with the guys" (The word beer was censored). Same goes for the song Hey Soul Sister by Train where the word virgin was cut. My question is, what's wrong with the word beer and virgin? Virginity is a taboo topic in many Asian cultures, but what is taboo within a society does not necessarily be vulgar, does it? If words such as beer and virgin is inappropriate, how come the famous Smack That song by Akon is not? After all, if one were to analyse the lyrics, one would find a lot of vulgarities well described. The song of course got through simply because there was no taboo words in it. Or perhaps because the Smart Aleck does not understand the song at all!

This brings me to a new incident - movies. Just a few weeks back I went to watch Black Swan at the cinema, not knowing what it was all about prior to watching it. Today, I went to watch The King's Speech. Now both these movies are world's apart, but what connects them is that both contained scenes which are deemed inappropriate (to the Asian perspective). However, if they were to censor these scenes, audience wouldn't understand the story. Thus, I assume that's why these scenes were maintained. Good job! 

My next question is, if scenes of a person touching herself (in Black Swan) and another about a king swearing every vulgar word you can think of can be released without censoring, why does a scene of an innocent kiss in the classic movie Sound of Music censored? 

There are many more of similar incidents in our media. It is annoying when censorship is done without rationality. Where exactly do we draw the line between what's appropriate and what's not?

My Top 5 Favourite Countries

1. Egypt
Type of travel: Tour
Name of tour company: POTO Travels (Malaysia) and MISR Asia Travels (Egypt)
My fav place: Cairo.

I can write endlessly about this bustling city with its friendly and warm people, ancient architecture, and of course their mad driving! Refer to my previous post entitled Marvelous Egypt.

2. New Zealand:

Type of travel: Backpacking
My fav place: WellingtonWellington is beautiful and extremely windy, thus being ranked as one of the windiest city in the world. I remember being pushed by the strong wind while walking near Jervois Quay one windy morning. I also like Wellington Zoo, spent half a day there as the zoo is large with many interesting and some peculiar animals. The local bus from the city centre to the zoo is NZD3 one way (if my memory serves me right!) and entrance fee:to the zoo is NZD14. There are also places to visit from LOTR's scene, but be prepared to pay a few hundred NZ dollars. I only managed to visit the WETA Cave, a mini studio where I got to see some props, displays, BTS footages of LOTR and even met one person who were part of thousands of LOTR crew members.

Rotorua Lake, New Zealand

My fav place: Rotorua

Do not be put off by the pungent smell of rotten egg while you walk around this peaceful town. The smell is actually sulphur, a common element around volcanic area such as Rotorua. This tiny, serene city is very relaxing. Sometimes while walking around the area, you get to see puffs of white steam protruding from the ground - interesting sight indeed. Also, due to  its unique geographical area many hostels offer free saunas. Make a trip to Wai O Tapu, and The Mud Lake and watch the famous Lady Knox Geiser. These places are at the outskirts of Rotorua town, so it's better to book a tour from your backpackers hostel which gives you discounted rates. After all that go-sees, the Rotorua lake is a perfect place to relax and have fish and chips. Though it cost NZD 12,  it was the best fish and chips I've ever tasted. Fresh and juicy fish and mussels!

3. United Kingdom
Type of travel: Backpacking
My fav place: Scotland and Lake District

Interesting places to visit in Scotland: Inverness, Falkirk, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Stirling. Inverness is the highest town towards the north peak of the UK. It's cold but beautiful especially by the riverside with daffodils and tulips blooming during the spring. I also enjoyed walking around Stirling Castle and admiring the greens from atop. This place is a must for those who admires William of Wallace's fight for freedom or those who have seen the movie Braveheart. Edinburgh is also an interesting city which has its own unique features. I've enjoyed all my three visits (once in an extremely late autumn and twice in spring) to Edinburgh and would like to revisit it someday.

My fav place: Lake District
It borders England and Scotland. Beautiful lakes surrounding the area. I stayed at  a B&B in Lake Windermere and it was awesome. My two friends and I also took the local bus to see more of the country side and it was worth the trip. The only thing was we had to wait for an hour for the bus, as there was only one bus in the country side. Keswick, a town nearby is also interesting.

4. Switzerland
Type of travel: Backpacking

Old city of Geneva, Switzerland

My fav place: Geneva city.
There are many things to see and visit.  I visited Switzerland 3 times, twice in Geneva because I like the city very much. The city is like many other metropolitan cities, but not as busy and congested as London and Paris. There's a guided tour within the UN building for CHF10 (or more, I've forgotten). Behind the UN, there is a beautiful botanical garden (about 5 minutes walk from the UN).

Also, there are many other UN affiliates around the area. Lastly, visit the historical old city of Geneva and enjoy a cup of tea outside of the shops within the area. For souveniers, some items are cheaper if you buy at COOP City, a supermarket at the town centre rather than at the popular touristy areas.

Besides Geneva, I also recommend visiting Lake Como which borders with Italy. It's a beautiful town but only go for a brief visit...unless you have loads of cash because this town is extremely expensive! When I went there, I could see many luxurious cars parked along the streets. Not a place for me for sure!

5. Italy
Type of travel: Tour
Name of tour company: Cosmos Tourama (UK)

I think Italy is an expensive place to visit as compared to Germany, France or several other European countries I've been. There are many beautiful sceneries in Italy not to forget many good looking and beautiful people on the streets too! 

My fav place: Florence
Florence is known for its leather. There are many leather factories around the city with tours available. You can also buy leather goods in these factories. However, there are also cheaper leather goods available by the roadside where you can bargain. Also, take a break and observe passersby at Piazza della Signoria while having delicious gelato for EUR3 per cone.

My fav place: Venice.
Venice is classic, lovely and unique. When in Venice, don't miss taking the gondola ride and enjoy live songs serenaded by Venetian boatmen don in their classic striped T-shirt. You'll ride under arches of bridges and get to see the ruining and sinking of old Venetian buildings. I've forgotten how much it cost, but through all its ruins, Venice is simply - romantic! Visit Venice before it sinks!

Should Respect be Mutual or Privilege?

Relatives...can't live with them, can't live without them. Some are fun to be with, some can be a real nightmare. Having a good bond with relatives is a requirement within the Eastern culture. Unlike Westerners who focus on individualism, we Easterners emphasize on getting accepted and acknowledged by the group we live in and most importantly by our relatives.

One of the ways to achieve this is through respect. This is of course again different from the Western culture where one must work to earn respect. In the Eastern culture, respect is a right. You are  granted respect automatically if you are older than another person. Thus, we Easterners are required to be respectful to our parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, elder cousins, our elder neighbours, the old man across the street and a tiresome list of just about anyone else who are elder than us. When we were in school, we were taught to never question their moves what more to correct their mistakes. If we have to correct them, we have to put our words wisely so that they would not feel offended.

I am not against this norm. Being an Asian myself, I am fully accustomed with this. I believe we have better values than the West when it comes to respecting elders but at the same time, I'm not criticizing the Western way. They have their plus points too. 

However, what bothers me is that some people take this right for granted. Just because they are older, does that give them the right to speak and act bluntly without any care to the feelings of the younger ones? Is it right for our older relatives to expect  to be respected simply because of their position in the family? Simply because they are our aunts, or uncles or elder cousins?  This got me thinking, in addition to this cultural norm, shouldn't respect be a mutual process? After all, religion simply teaches us to have respect for others. Period.

Politicians say the darnest thing

Here are some of the darnest things said by politicians:

George W. Bush-Ex President of the USA

To those of you who received honours, awards and distinctions, I say well done. And to the C students, I say you too may one day be President of the United States.

and

You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.

Not bad coming from someone who thought that Wales is a country of its own somewhere in Europe.

Silvio Berlusconi-Italian Prime Minister

President Hosni Mubarak, who is in the West, above all in the US, is considered the wisest of men, and a precise reference point.

Of course coming from a leader who happens to be one of Italy's richest man, dominates more than 60 percent of the media industry and has quite a number of criminal allegations from corruption, bribery to several sexual allegations.

Joe Biden-current Vice President of the USA

Asked if Mubarak is a dictator-Mubarak has been an ally of ours in a number of things. And he's been very responsible on, relative to geopolitical interest in the region, the Middle East peace efforts; the actions Egypt has taken relative to normalizing relationship with - with Israel. ... I would not refer to him as a dictator. 

Is it me, or did he sound stupid? 

Hosni Mubarak-Egypt's outgoing President

I am fed up but if I leave now, there'll be chaos

Yeah, you are definitely right. Egypt is going just fine now. Protests are part of Egyptians' hobby.

Why do?

Why do:

• we see some Malaysian engineers put their safety construction hats on the rear dashboard of the car, but not on the empty seats?
• we see some Malaysian motorcyclists wear their jackets front to back?
• we see some Malaysian motorcyclists wear their ponchos without buttoning up, thus getting wet? What's  the purpose of wearing it in the first place?
• some Malaysians greet their friend by saying "makan" when we meet at the restaurant when clearly the person is eating?
• some married ladies make it an obligation to match-make singletons?
• some married people have affairs yet they are curious why some people remain single?
• some married people have affairs yet they tell single people "Getting married is the best thing in my life". Really?
• we have to put up with morons at work?
• we have weirdos at work?
• we have to put up with annoying relatives?
• they say forgive and forget. Forgiving is fine, but if you forget about it, are you not bound to make the same mistake in the future?
• we celebrate birthdays yet dread the fact that we are getting older by the year?
• they censor words like "beer" on the Malaysian radio and TV, but put "arak" as the subtitle?
• people say newborns are cute, when all newborns look the same?

Marvellous Egypt

The land that is full of mystery, full of ancient artifacts. Once the most powerful, prosperous and civilized nation in the world has a myriad to offer. There are immeasurable words to describe the Arab Republic of Egypt. Above all, the sense of warmth by the Egyptians makes this place the best of all 12 countries I've been across Europe to Australasia. I am full of adoration to this African nation. Sadly, as I can't take longer annual leave, my visit to Egypt was just a week's stint to two main cities - Cairo and Alexandria. Here, I shall pen on what's within my favourite city - Cairo.

This bustling, populous city is filled with colours of life. There are numerous activities at corners of the streets, from bullock carts pulled by donkeys to jalopies congesting the busy traffic. Indeed it's a chaotic city with honks 24/7 yet its vibrancy is unique as compared to cities like Paris and London which are also hectic and congested. As an avid photographer, I find myself capturing shots after shots here. I remember having almost similar experience while backpacking in New Zealand back in 2009, but New Zealand offers abundance of beautiful nature, whereas Egypt, especially Cairo offers a combination of many facets - its ancient history and architecture, the diversity of its people, the atmosphere and just about everything else surrounding it.

My favourite places of interests

1. Khan el Khalili - a place not to be missed

One of the most interesting places to visit is Khan el Khalili. You could get a sense of what medieval times would be like by walking along this traditional bazaar. There is ample on offer from the traditional Egyptian clothing Galabya (i hope I'm spelling this right), scarves, water pipes (Shisha), glassware and brass ware to spices. The bazaar is huge that I  think you'll probably need a whole day to cover most of the parts. The layout of this market resembles a huge maze with many narrow alleys to walk on. Hence, while shopping, you'll have to remember a landmark otherwise you might get lost.

Besides walking along these labyrinth narrow alleys, the next thrill is bargaining with cheeky, tricky but friendly sellers. Any bargaining skills will come in handy here as prices are not fixed from one shop to another. It's interesting to see how some of the shop owners lure you to buy one thing after another - they can be very persuasive! Personally, I enjoyed capturing shots of this medieval bazaar and watching sellers lure customers with their unique talents. The hustling and bustling of the place with abundance to offer even to non-avid shoppers makes this bazaar a place not to be missed. 

2. Giza and its pyramids
 

Touring Egypt would not be complete without a visit to the majestic and mysterious pyramids with its formidable Sphinx located at the Valley of Giza. Pyramids were built as tombs dedicated to Kings and Queens of ancient times. I stood feeling small in front of these enormous and magnificent creations, and it made me admire the skills that ancient Egyptians had to built such creations. Indeed their knowledge was well ahead of their civilisation. Entrance fee is 60 L.E

3. Egyptian museum
 

Another must destination. In fact, in my opinion, it's better to start your journey here before heading towards the pyramids as it'll give you a better picture of the history behind it. It will also make you appreciate more of what this ancient historical land has to offer. A guided tour is also available within this enormous museum. The museum is divided into various sections, such as a section dedicated to Tutankhamen's treasures as well as what else - mummies! You will get to learn how mummification was done and how colours were produced. The Egyptians were the first people to produce colour technology that last eternally - and it's proven all over the museum! No doubt, the ancient Egyptians were really gifted with many skills and highly intelligent people. Entrance fee is 60 L.E

4. Mohamed Ali Mosque and Citadel of Salah Al-Din

Cairo is known as a city with a thousand minarets. Call for prayers can be heard almost everywhere (even in the shopping mall!). Many of these are historical mosques built during various Islamic reigns. The most striking to me is the Mohamed Ali Mosque which is located within the area of Saladin's Citadel. The mosque is strategically located on high land.

The mosque is even more stunning from inside. I like the cool, marble foyer and the beautiful arches with antique lamps hung from above. The dome is huge and is supported by four main pillars each with names of the four renowned Caliphs. There is also a lavish, brightly lit chandelier in the middle and many small windows surrounding it. The grandeur of this mosque can be felt from afar even at night as it stood lighted majestically high above. Entrance fee is 50 L.E

What you should try


1. Mingling with the locals

In the beginning I thought language would be a barrier, but the Egyptians proved me wrong. They are friendly, tricky (some), cheeky, helpful but above all warm. One thing I notice is that the locals, be it female or male, like to strike conversations on anything. I befriended one in the city centre after asking for a favour and we end up talking for an hour about many things from places of interest to differences in our country's education system. I even got a tip on how to cross the road like the locals. (Till now I'm amazed at how daring they can be when crossing the busy roads.)

2. F&B

Before I visited Egypt, I read that when it comes to food, the country is known for its bread. They have many types of bread and let's just say I enjoyed having it. As for other food, personally, I find it a tad dry, but then food is a pretty subjective matter isn't it?

However, the best pomegranate juice I had was at one of the stalls in the city centre. It cost EGP3.50 per cup which is reasonable considering that it was fully concentrated and simply delicious!

Next is the chocolate ice cream cone I bought at a very congested bakery somewhere in the city centre. It cost EGP3.00 and it' was yummy. Another was at the lower ground of a mall called Stars Centre (if I'm not mistaken and if I heard the tour guide correctly, it's in Nasr City) - anyway, the ice cream parlour is called Gelateria Roma (perhaps it's an Italian franchise?) Everything offered looked delicious, so fickle minded-Beware! The price is slightly more, something like Baskin Robbins or Haagen Dazs' standard but worth a try.

This trip is a little different from my usual travels as I usually backpack. However, touring with two local tour guides (from MISR Asia Travel) who were both pleasant, understanding and patient (especially with  an inexperienced Malaysian tour guide (from POTO Travels) and all the whims of some of the rest)  made the journey more interesting and memorable. Having said that, I think Egypt with all that she has to offer, will make a worthwhile travel even for backpackers...which got me thinking...I might revisit to see other historical places such as Abu Simbel, Karnak and many more in the future. Egypt, with God's Will I shall be back!

*On the whole, POTO Travels is a reasonably-priced tour agency that offers many interesting places. It was my first time taking this agency and I have heard many good comments prior to it. Unfortunately, I guess I was just unlucky to get an inexperienced tour guide this time. Having said that, I will still recommend people who are interested to go with this agency...but perhaps you have to do a check on the specific POTO's tour guide as I heard other guides are okay.    

Er...Zine al Abidine Ben Ali - Is it That Difficult to Pronounce?

There are many ways we learn. We learn from our teachers, friends, counterparts, through experience and we learn through media. Media is an influential medium of education besides functioning in many other ways. Media helps to link one society with another through common issues. Media spreads and inculcate values upon us - Western values upon Eastern nations, moral and ethics, materialism, individualism and the list continues. Next media entertains us through various means of communication and to corners of the globe. Media also acts as surveillance.

What is the surveillance function of the media? It means media provides news and information to the society. Thus, one can learn a lot from media. People who work in the media industry must be aware that their role is vital towards a society. They must be aware of the functions of the media otherwise the media would not function to its fullest. 

 

Sadly some of our local English radio stations do not play the surveillance role. Firstly, it's the annoying way some of the announcers speak as they try to emulate American accent. Next is the fact that they can't even pronounce certain common words correctly. Once I heard a DJ mispronounce "eyebrow". A ridiculous mistake from an English-language radio station. Just a few days earlier, there was a bigger mistake. This time by a news announcer who was at her best to sound American, but was struggling to pronounce Tunisia's ousted leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali's name. Next was about Hariri and Lebanon. I was perplexed that she can't even pronounce Lebanon correctly. You'd think that these news announcers would have done their homework before going on air! If she can't even pronounce a simple country like Lebanon, I wonder if she can pronounce places like Krygyzstan and Tbilisi.

Something needs to be done to overcome this. We rely on the media to educate us with vast amount of information. The question is how can the media act on its role as instrumental surveillance to the public when the people within the industry are not credible enough to provide?

Is it Right to be Magnanimous?

Aristotle, one of the greatest philosophers once said that to become a better person, we need to have magnanimity - to rise above pettiness, to forgive and forget people who have wronged us in the past. Without forgiveness, people say things would linger.

However, isn't it normal for us to feel anger, disgust and even abhorrence to those who had wronged us in the past and left us scarred? So how do we simply forgive those who never repent? What more forget?

Most of us have had deep wounds within us at some point in our lives. It takes time, a great time to heal deep cuts. Some of them take longer than we expect. Yet, when it heals, it imprints a scar on us eternally - for a reason. A scar is the history that we carry with us forever. It reminds us of the pain we went through in the past and the strenuous days and nights we went through to heal that wound. So, why should we simply forget what caused the scar?

Yes, we should not linger but move on. Yet memories have a way to emerge when we least expect it. Perhaps forgiving is the most sensible action but forgetting is not. Part of who we are today is due to our history. Hence, one can never forget history because those who forget it, are doomed to repeat it.

It's Not Me, It's the Nanny

I came across an interesting article in the papers recently. It was pertaining to a book review on parenting written by an 85-years old scholar from a prominent college in the United States. Parenting is not in my list of reading preference but something within the article caught my eye. It says that a baby boy will conjure up being unfaithful to his future partner as acceptable because of his complicated relationship between his nanny and  mother.

Wow! Good news for the guys. Now there is a new excuse to add to your many promiscuous behaviour. Forget "It runs in the genes", "Things just happened" or "Men are born hunters", now you can blame it on your nanny! It makes me wonder if this 85-years old man lives a promiscuous life or is simply...senile. 

The Majestic Station Hotel - Ipoh, Perak (Malaysia)

I accompanied someone to Ipoh, Perak in December for the weekend and stayed over at the Majestic Station Hotel which was built in 1917. The hotel is situated on top of the old Ipoh railway station. It has a classic outlook due to its Moorish architecture with a unique elevator. The hotel has a long stretch of corridor with lamps hung from the ceiling. There are few tables and chairs in front of each two units so that you can enjoy a cuppa with a view of Ipoh in front (the hotel overlooks the Ipoh mosque and a garden) or just have a read, with the wind blowing.

The unit I stayed had twin beds inside, a telly (with no cable channels!) and a tiny cute table with two sofa opposite. The furniture within are also antique and reminds me of P. Ramlee films. The floors are in two-colour checkered patterns but a tad dirty. It would look better if they scrub the floor a bit..but perhaps it's part of the "classic" look. I recommend to whoever that is planning to go, bring your slippers with you. Also, if you are a net junkie, you'll have to bring your own broadband as there's no internet connection within the hotel. 

The hotel food is hmmm...edible (if you are really hungry!) I opted for outside food on the second day there. There's a restaurant just downstairs within the railway station or one can take a 5-minutes drive to a nearby mall for better choices. 

Prices for Majestic Station Hotel starts from RM88++ for deluxe and RM138 for family room. Overall I'd recommend this hotel to those who would like a taste of the olden days. For a classic and antique hotel, the prices are reasonable unless you  enjoy higher end hotels such as E&O in Penang.

It's a New Year and a Revamp of My Old Blog!

I will no longer be blogging on BEING ME anymore. I've decided to make a revamp of my blogging.  This is part of my resolution for 2011. I don't usually make New Year resolutions because sadly only 50 percent of my resolutions work. Probably because I had too many on the list. So, this time around, I'll stick to a few:

1. I shall not skip my weekend gym sessions as much as I had in the past ...and shall cease having the delicious chocolate shake across the gym right after!
2. Increase my Korean-language vocab and understand the language better.
3. I shall not procrastinate on certain matters as in the past.

Now we've only been in the first week of 2011, but so far it's been going quite good.  I just received a promotion two days ago after coming back from a short holiday. Also, bonus is around the corner ... Wohoo! and finally, I've qualified for this optional programme whereby I can take 3 months break starting from 2012. Yippie! Perhaps I should take that programme next year and revisit Egypt. I'll have to buy a good DSLR  camera before that :)

May 2011 be a blast!