Month: March 2017

Introducing Nga Nga

Nga Nga is our lonely and bored indoor cat. He holds a special place in our hearts. Eight or nine years ago, my mom saw a tiny kitten trapped and crying in a water logged and deep monsoon drain that he must have fallen into.

Mom summoned me and I jumped in without thinking. The drain was so deep I could not climb back up. Had to walk a mile before finding a way to climb out, with the wet, dirtied and frightened kitten in hand. Nga Nga means baby in Cantonese. Was the name registered at the vet when he was sent for check up and vaccinations.

Nga Nga is seen here wearing a collar that came with one of the bags of cat food donated by Lewyee Ng through Tesco’s online purchase and delivery.

The cats still need food donations. See my recent post entitled “There Is Hope” (http://www.tvsmith.my/eclectic/there-hope) (or PM me for the Tesco link) and info on how you can help Nga Nga and my other cats. Thank you.

Pictures with Asus Zenfone3

Love Her Freckles

On this day in 2015, I met Indonesian Chinese school teacher Lix Xia when she was wandering by herself in Chinatown KL. The then stranger and tourist told me she is from exotic Cirebon and it was my first time hearing of the ancient port city in West Java. At first, I thought she meant Seremban. Haha.

I asked to take pictures of her on the street and she asked why. I told her I like her (mild) freckles. Honesty helps:-) We spoke in a mixture of English, Hokkien (Fujian) and Mandarin.

If you ever go to Cirebon, book a hotel room through me at http://www.mycen.my/agoda/

Search for Cirebon on that page and Agoda will list at least 38 hotels there.

#cirebon #java #indonesia #indonesian #chinese #freckles #tourist #chinatownkl

.

A Suggestion And Explanation

A Suggestion And Explanation.

Many well meaning and kind people wanted to help me by booking rooms through me when they travel. I thank you and appreciate your support greatly. I sometimes get private messages from these good people who asked “What was the link to the hotel booking page again?” I understand it is not easy remembering unless you, scroll back on my posts.

I thought about it and I may have a simple solution for you.

Photoshop users will know making the graphic with text is a pain. Cari makan is not easy, I know.

1. If you messaged me on Facebook, it means you can also view my Facebook. On the profile info you can see my website or blog at www.tvsmith.my

2.Go to the link and you will see a link Book A Room on the top menu on every page there.

3. On the portal MyCen Maps (www.mycen.my) where the booking and hotel search page resides, you will also see a link “Book A Hotel Room” on the sidebar of every page there.

4. On my long standing portal Malaysia Central (mycen.com.my), you can also find a link on the front page or you can also find an Agoda search panel in the hotel category.

5. Finally, bookmark the page in question directly itself, for future use: http://www.mycen.my/agoda/

I don’t mind you asking me any question as it means potential revenue no matter how small. One person asked me a seeming audacious question. The person asked if he or she must use the provided link.

Scary but perfectly understandable as not many people understand the mechanics of commission tracking and the technical aspects at the back end of affiliate marketing. It may be an easy process and it is transparent to the user for a good reason.

I am like an introducer who will get a commission for a deal closed. Agoda wont know I was the referral unless you used the correct link which has my affiliate account number properly referenced.

It is therefore essential you use the correct link, so I get my commission. The commission will not affect your rate as it is absorbed by Agoda and the hotels. Remember also you can use it from anywhere in the world and book a room at anywhere in the world.

Thank you for understanding and support.

Around Bentong

Around Bentong.

Once upon a time, I went to the National Park and took an hour long chartered boat ride. The boatman stopped suddenly upriver and said. “This is it!” I asked what? He said “The waterfall!” I asked where? Another 45 minutes by jungle trek, he explained.

Few months later I want to Bentong to check out famous Kow Po ice cream. The friendly boss’s son recommended I visit Chamang Falls. It was a long winding drive and I finally ended up at Chamang Falls. I can hear the roar from the car park. I got down and there it was , the most beautiful waterfall that was incredibly easy to access. It was a walk in or drive in waterfal like Niagara. Amazing. Only down side is the car park is choked with cars on weekends and on public holidays.

The reason why photographers prefer accessible waterfalls is because we need to carry our heavy tripods to create the silky blurred water effect.

On the way to Chamang waterfalls, I remember seeing a sign to a remote hotel. Good thing, because a few months later I was driving from Negeri Sembilan at night and wanted to use the back way to Cameron Highlands. It was late at night and I decided to put up at this hotel for the night. It was long and torturous drive from Kuala Pilah. The hotel is nice in that there was a convenient Old Town White Coffee Cafe downstairs.

My travel partner thought the room was haunted the next morning, she claimed I kept ending on her side of bed. LOL.The explanation is simple. It was one those shophouse hotels with a window facing the road downstairs. Every time the car alarm goes off, one would instinctively climb up on the bed to look down. Park strategically and hope you get a street view room if your car has valuables.

There are so many things to see, to eat and to do in Bentong. I recommend this hotel since I stayed there and found it satisfactory. Book from link given below:

http://www.mycen.my/tras-mutiara-hotel-bentong/

Hua Mui’s Hainanese Chicken Chop In JB

That Thing They Do.

That famous Malaysian invention: Hainanese chicken chop from Hua Mui. Yumz.

Photography Tip: You can control lens flare without a lens hood or mattebox.

Use one hand to shade the light. In this case, I like the flare from the morning sun as it gives it the ambience.

To control or shade it a little, I can also use my friend Sharon’s iPad Mini as a ‘french flag’ or light cutter.

Hua Mui Restaurant is at 131 Jalan Trus, Johor Bahru and is certified Halal.

Olympus OM-D, ISO 320, f8, 1/200 sec.

#huamui #jb #chickenchop #johor #foodphotography #breakfast