White Chinese New Year

February 14th, 2010

I am gonna have a white and cold chinese new year…
it just feels…….. nothing. :D

Ya, i felt no chinese new year what sort of excitement…

So i try to create some….
i had my friend couriered me some chinese new year cookies, and i shared it with my colleagues…
i signed up myself to the chinese new year party in Zurich, organised by Malaysian Swiss Association…
i planned to dress in my chinese silk shirt on Monday to work….

Perhaps this chinese new year might be uneventful…
but i am sure this will go down the Zbjernak’s Records Book, as the first time I spent my chinese new year without my family and usual friends……

Oh…. to further decrease my Chinese New Year mood… i will be on duty as call-centre for the whole next week… Yippie!!!

Well, WISHING YOU A PROSPEROUS AND HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR

Winter

January 31st, 2010

Have you seen a snow globe before? The one decorative sphere when you shake it physically, the “snow” particles floats around the water-filled sphere…

Now, i had a feeling that i am living in a snow globe…

nooo…not that i feel dizzy or what, is just that it is winter now in switzerland… and for the past few days, it has been snowing now and then and at times the whole day.

Sitting inside the office… or my apartment, looking out from the huge gigantic windows, the snows were falling… flying around and then it stopped without any notice. After a while, or a few hours, then it started to snow again.

It is as if someone shake the snow globe, put it down, and watch the snow flakes flying around… and when all flakes settled, then pick up the snow globe and shake it again.

I know this sounds stupid… and childish…
but for someone like me who grew up near the Equator,
snow has always been magical :D

snow covered cars, snow covered road, snow covered roofs, snow covered trees…. these are all just too beautiful

What seems like a normal street, a normal tree, a normal garden, a normal city, they were all transformed into something magical in just a matter of few hours.

Here i shared with you some of the shots i made….

Pilatus

Pilatus


Luzern

Luzern

Swan

Swan

Home sweet home

January 9th, 2010

I am currently writing this post from the comfort of my room, in Malaysia.

Well, time flies, and soon i will flying back to CH again….
5 weeks…. it sounds quite a long holiday, but in reality, is just a blink and is all gone now :(

2009 was a very eventful year for me…. I started my new life in a new country and i enjoyed it a lot.
As much as i enjoyed it, i had my lowest moment of the year too… well i would say that, till now, i m still having kind of a trauma… nightmare, and i still remember every details of it.

2010, the 1st decade of the 2nd millenium, I shall try to enjoy my life…to have a fruitful year…
and most important, is to lead a healthy and happy life….

I, hereby, also wishing you, yes, you, my dearest friends… a fruitful, healthy, and a happy new year in this 2nd millenium.

Winter

December 6th, 2009

It finally snows this week….
for the whole day and it was so beautiful…
everything is covered in snow..
the field, the tree, the cars, the roads, the plants, the mountain, the bridge, the roof….

it was kind of magical… still magical, although this is not the first time i see fresh snow from the sky…

but the sigh of fluffy white stuff falling from the sky…. as if raining… tht just simply fascinates me

Well… tht is the case if i am not outside…
the aftermath of snow is simply irritating…
it is almost impossible to stay dry while walking back home.
i hate the mushy, wet, soggy feet feeling :S

Nevertheless, the view of the mountains surrounding Luzern across the lake is just simply breathtaking…. on a clear day.

We always have foggy day during the winter… or so i was told… so it is a gift from heaven, like today, when the sky is clear and the view is superb!!!

I had fun shopping today…. buying some chocolates and small souvenir for family and friends….

yes… and i will soon be making my first trip back to Malaysia…

time flies, and as usual, that scares me…

the good part is that, i will be having a long long long holiday… and i am really looking forward to it :D

You are dying? I am sorry but we are full today

November 21st, 2009

“I injured my back, can i see the doctor now?”, if this is your question, most probably the answer would be, “I am sorry, but we are full today!”

For me, this is one of the most bizarre differentiations between Malaysia and here.

Back in Malaysia, you can just walk into any clinics at any town, village, city, on any streets and you will never be rejected. Yes, you need to wait in queue, but no, you will never be rejected. I never give a damn thought about it before but now that i am here, i think it is a luxury being able to walk-in to a clinic.

Here, before you go to a doctor, you are supposed to call in and make an appointment. And do make sure you call in advance to have the bookings made. Walking in to a clinic without prior booking is like walking into the office without wearing pants!

And no, no, you are wrong, it is not free… you have to pay a small fortune to see a doctor.

The argument is pretty simple, if is an emergency and life threatening, you should go to the hospital, if is not, then you are fine and you could wait… like everyone.

So what should i do? It wasn’t life threatening to me, but i am still suffering.

“Is full?? Could you see if is possible to slot me in? I NEED to see a doctor today. I COULD NOT stand and I COULD NOT sit!!!!”. And, mamma mia, the reply was very soothing…

“Come at 11am. Thank you!”……. a one-liner, but nevertheless it calms me down!

see, some how, as strict as it is, they do have some place and slot for “emergency”…..

Now just to be fair, I must say that the service provided by the clinic is world class…. very professional and very informative!

When you are given medication, pills come with the original packaging and unlike in some places, the pills come in lose packaging like M&M’s.

Then the doctor explained to you about the medications, informed you about the compositions, and then the way you should take it.

Unlike some places, you get the pills and a brief instruction from a clerk or receptionist!

Now the fun part, you dont need to pay for it on the spot.
You tell your problem, you get your medications, and the Dr shakes your hand and bid you good bye!!!

Thats it…. Swiss efficiency and quality!

I must say that i like the idea… and also the trust given to the people!

The Dr normally send the bills only at the end of the month, or once after 3-4 months. And from there, you will have 30 days to pay for it.

They say it is the same for the dentist, for furniture or any other purchase.

I used to develop and make photo books from online.
Normally I get the developed, finished photo album delivered to my door, together with a bill and i have 30 days to pay for it.

Autumn, Herbst

November 8th, 2009

It is very beautiful…
It is autumn now, my very first autumn in life…
I like the multi-hued hills, parks, and streets…
I like the morning mist and even the dreadful fog…
I like the smells of roasted chestnuts…
I like the fallen leaves on the sidewalk…
I like the crushing sound of the leaves when i walked on them…
I like the cool weather….
I like the million francs view on a clear day…
the view of the crystal clear lake, bordered by low colourful hills, with the majestic Alps at the background, in every direction…
I like the cool weather…
I like the fact that city is now decorated or in progress of transferring into a magical winter wonderland…
I like the fact that i am going for long holiday soon…
but I also HATE that my camera died…
I hate that it chose to die now….
I hate that i have nothing to capture those items i mentioned…
I hate the fact that there will be no autumn, until next year…

Distracted

October 25th, 2009

Recently, i was distracted from my life in paradise here….
after 7 months, i started to discover… that paradise too is not perfect…. i am awake from my dream now… and i dont like the feeling.

Then, i discovered something that i was escaping subconsciously is back to haunt me… and i could not escape it even by escaping to this paradise

And today, my camera decided to give up and died on me.

I am trying to be optimistic, it could be worse…

London

October 12th, 2009

It was my dream since i knew about England, that i wanted to visit London, at least once in my life.

All my friends know how much i wanted to visit London….

Well, i had my chance and luck that i managed to make a short trip across the channel to London from Switzerland… with a friend of mine with easyjet.

First impression of London : messy, crowded (from my first experience on the Tube)

Subsequent impression of London : beautiful, gigantic, messy, lively, mix ‘n match

Final impression of London : i will be back :D

Having the small-town syndrome and the fact that i have been living in a village for sometime, London seems to be enormous and not to mention messy as well.

The Underground Tube system is very convenience, and with only 7pound, you will be able to get a day ticket for zone 1 and 2, which is more than enough if you have only a few days in London and have no plan to go out of the city.

London could be expensive, or so i heard, read and understand. In terms of accomodation, perhaps i would say they are really expensive! I booked myself a bed in a 2-star hotel… which i surveyed day and night with the help of Google Streetview. The hotel is located in an eccentric neighbourhood of backpackers, fast food outlets, tonnes of souvenir shops, pubs, and various ethnic restaurant. The hotel itself is located on a wide leafy boulevard with rows of beautiful, magnificent, and unmistakeably very british Georgian houses.

But the room itself leaves much to be desired. The room is in the basement next to the kitchen, enough said!

Nevertheless, luckily most sights and landmarks in London are free. The grand Westminster, the unique Tower Bridge, the majestic Buckhingham Palace, the weird Tate Modern, the awesome British Museum, the popular Trafalgar Square, the glamour Leicester Square, the expensive Harrods, the green Hyde Park, the colourful Piccadilly Circus, the gorgeous St Paul’s Cathedral, the noisy Chinatown, i am out of vocabularies and well… i am sure you get what i meant.




So basically, you dont need to spend much to experience the sight.

I had my first nasi lemak after more than 7 months in an authentic Malaysian Restaurant near the National Art Gallery… i gulp it down with a glass or original teh tarik… NICE…. and no… dont ask me the price please.

I also had my first wanton noodles for lunch, and roast duck, kangkung, real tofu, pork for dinner on one of the day.
hehehehe… is more like a trip to indulge in asian food… ya..sounds funny…

I had also the chance to meet a few of my friends, primary school friend, secondary school friend, and also another friend of mine…we went to the same tuition. It was lots of fun, to meet again after so long…

So from London, of course i had my first supposedly original Fish ‘n Chips. Those meals weren’t really expensive…. or at least so i thought.

Shopping in London itself, is worth a whole new post…
but anyway, to sums it up, i bought a crumpler camera bag, one bottle of DKNY perfume, 2 Puma shirts(£11), 1 Everlast shirt(£6), 2 Londonsdale(£16), 3 Hard Rock Cafe London t-shirts and i help my friend to buy an Anya Hindmarch tote bag.

Well…. conclusion, i enjoyed the trip, i enjoyed the company of my friend…. i love the new experiences….
and i am glad… i had one of my dream fulfilled…

though…. one of a dream of mine shattered this week… :(

7th Month

September 23rd, 2009

2 more days, and it will be my 7th months here…
looking back, it was just like last month that i first posted about my First Day.

From all my posts and pictures, there is no prize for guessing that i have been quite comfortably settling down here, except for a few more important events, coming up that will then mark my settling in as complete.

I, for example has live my life the Swiss way, or so i try.
I, for example has discovered that i started to gain back the KG i lost. (not too good)
I, for example know more German words than before.
I, for example found that my English is getting worse.
I, for example found that my Malay almost do not exist now.
I, for example realized that my Mandarin sucks as well.
I, for example made more friends now.
I, for example enjoying to be alone most of the time.
I, for example starting to feel homesick, at times mildly, at some points quite severe.

My Ride

September 20th, 2009

I have been having this thought of getting a ride of my own here…

No… No… Not car… i am planning to get a bike…

I do not know how much bike costs before this…. wel coming from Malaysia, riding a bike was never an option or it never even crossed my mind. The reason is simple, i had one life and not nine! To cycle in Malaysia, i supposed you need nine lives, at least.

So browsing through shop and brochures and online store, i got a shocked of my life, seeing those sky high price for a bike. I mean, i do not know how much it costs in Malaysia, for say something that you could ride on the street, up some hill etc kind of bike.

Here a basic common bike…. normal looking with standard features, cost about say RM3000, anything lesser than it, they dont call it a bike…heheh literally, sort of.

So now here i am, a non-bike enthusiast, have to decide which bike i need and will suits me… and i hate being in this situation where uiknow nuts about any features, except the colour looks good or the size of the rim etc.

The above is the hybrid 7200….

and this is Hybrid 7300,

sigh what is the difference???

anywhere, if these are available, they are 2009 old stocks, then there will be 20% discount.