Japanese food in egypt

It is my 3rd day in this strange country. Today my Hubby bring to to the Maadi Grand Mall. Yes it is older looking than the City star shopping mall, but it have very nice looking heels and bags there. Hubby bought a pair heels for me which I like very much. After shopping there, we come across a Japanese restaurant. I suddenly have an urge to eat sashimi... though I know the fish might not be very fresh, but I'm willing to try.

The restaurant name and menu, we are able to take this home and call them for home delivery.

If you are dinning in the restaurant you need to spend at least 25LE per person.

I like the Al fresco dinning style of the restaurant.

Me ordering the food.

Hubby looking so relax and handsome!!!

Hubby and Me. I feel so happy to see him again.

My fav photo for the day. Taken by Hubby..

Finally the food is here!!! And to my surprise the fish taste good and it is not smoked salmon. Better than I excepted.

The teriyaki eel handroll taste very good. Overall the food taste good and it is abit expensive total it cost us 120LE. Well seafood in Cairo is expensive.

City Star

Yesterday, we went to City Star, the mega shopping mall at Nasr City.

I bought a hand phone and subscribed a new phone line for bb.

After, we had our dinner at the Rain Forest Restaurant. bb was very impressed with the service of one of the waiter.

Indeed it was a pretty good trip, we also managed to get the phone line without much hassle.

BB at Rain Forest Restaurant, very happy and pretty :)

The monkey at the Rain Forest, keep staring at us while we were having our meal.

noob?

bb,
Am I a noob when come to computer networking?

I went to TEdata with Hesham to collect the router but si beh tulan the guy said the name of my ADSL account is under Isabella (company admin who helped to apply for the line). I must ask her to collect personally.

Then why the hell you guys sent me an email to ask me to collect it? What a mess up country.

At first Hesham was lorlorlam in Arabic with the TEdata staff, I knew something is going to screw up already. So I proceed to talk to the guy and asked him how if I buy the router myself, just give me the network account and password.

Surprisingly, he agreed to it. I am not sure what is the logic behind this. You refused to let me collect the router (even though I brought the email print out there), but you let me have the account details? Hmmm...better not to think too much!

This might not be a very good decision. Anyway, I proceed to collect the account details.

I went to buy the router but couldn't find any splitter at the main pc shops. So I asked around and finally got one near our apartment for 5LE.

I went home happily thinking that finally we can have our own Internet connection at home.

Well, the fact is that I bought the wrong router (no build it ADSL modem), and also I need an extra phone line. So I went out to get them. Then I tried to connect to the network with many trial and errors but failed. There's no instruction or any manual given by TEdata at all, and this is the first time I try to hook up the network consisting of phone + splitter + modem + router.

I suspect this might not due to my noobness, there's something wrong with the voice line (phone line), because there's no dial tone at all. I can call the number but the phone doesn't ring. It has been like this since few weeks ago, but I do not suspect anything as I thought this is normal after the splitting/activation of ADSL.

Oh well, very frustrating. I think if I can survive here for another 2 years, I will be pretty much immunised to any amount of nonsense.

While I am writing this, the cleaner who is supposed to clean our house for one last time before you arrive just broke our marble lining of the kitchen table. Arrhhh!!!! I checked the situation and can't really blame him because the way the marble attached to the table is not very firm. But still, I cannot stand the way they work, I have been using this marble top for 4 months and nothing happens. He must have rested his whole body weight on it, and yes, he is twice as fat compared to me.

I called the contractor again, so today I will be expecting 3 contractors late evening. 1 from the telecoms and another 2 from maintenance (remember? They always come in pair!).

I just try to make everything sui sui before you come, but those people has totally made it worst lor. I sad sad also now...... :p

Hopefully they can do a better job this evening. INSAH-ALLAH!

-VINcE

Update: Today is almost a history, and none of the contractor turn out! I think there's a good business opportunity to setup a service company (especially building maintenance and telecommunication). Give proper customer service training to your front line employee, make sure all your employees are competent and provide on time delivery of service. I think many customers woud not mind paying a premium to exhange for excellent and hassle free service.
A training centre would be another altenative.

Today bb sad sad like rocky :(

Finally, after 2 months and persistence follow up on this week, ISP TEdata told me the ADSL is ready. They only "split"the phone line to voice and data. I need to setup the rest. WTF, getting so used to all in one service in Singapore already.

I went to buy router. But I can't find a splitter for phone and ADSL so scrap the plan. Tomorrow I am going to ask Hesham to fix it. Probably will rent the hardware from the ISP, and get them to setup everything.

Contractor also came to change out the light bulbs, but did not install the filter. I am going to made more pesky call every single day hor!

As usual, the worker kuku as hell and came in pair again. They counted the light bulbs but missed out one. They went to buy light bulbs but came back forgot to fix 2 of them. While they were scratching their head wondering why they still have 2 extra fucking bulbs, I have to offer my consultation service to them again. I was sitting at the couch and just wait for something to happen. No choice, they never ceased to amaze me.

Wouldn't it be less blood boiling if I fix it myself? The reasons why I don't:
-I don't have a ladder and I don't feel like buying one
-No need to buy the bulbs myself
-I don't want to mess with the already very mess up electrical system...safety first!
-I am lazy

Oh yeah, they fixed a super big light bulb at the bathroom...much bigger than the original one. Damn.

-VINcE
ps: bb if you read this, please remember to bring your receipt for Visa....can claim. Bring fish oil also.
pps: Please don't feel too sad. When you sad sad, you are very forgetful and you will trip and fall down easily. Later you forget to board the plane how?

Medical Checkup

I went to medical check up today. The whole process was a breeze, my colleague told me I was lucky.

I am not sure whether it's the techique or the needle is too big, my blood drain out and stain my clothes. :( But I am ok, I have no blood phobia.

Today I am going to get the contractor over to fix some lights and install water filter at our apartment.

Countdown to Eve's arrival. Happy ^^!

-VINcE

Update on nabeh II : My colleague told me the guy has paid the fine. Now only he realised that he has to pay the fine plus no body want to buy his car!? His maths failed big time! Bugger, now you want to sell to me again? USD4000 is what I am going to pay (I am very relunctant to buy even at this price, because I hate to deal with person with no integrity, but Eve said should consider...eventhough the color is so shitty)

Update on potential buy

I came back from viewing another car. It's an Isuzu SUV V6 3.5L engine. Not a very common SUV brand around Asia region but their trucks are not rare.

I had a short test drive and.....so weird! This is a left handed driving car and I am so used to right handed driving already. The acceralator and brake paddle are in the same location but now I have to use my right hand to do gear shifting. This made my legs confused abit on the paddle stepping choice. Don't laugh.

The wiper and signal level switched side also. I was trying to turn on the signal lights but instead I turned on the wiper. Lucky no body see me :p.

It looks welly maintained internally and externally, even te engine compartment looks surprisingly clean. The only thing that's not very new is the front tyres. Richard (the aussie seller who has lived here for 6 years and moving to Qatar) told me you can get a second hand tyre at 100LE. My old Aprillia bike tyre was 400++LE for a new one, so what the heck, small problem.

It has a nice automatic sun-roof, milage is good:40k for an 6 years old car. Heh, my Vios has 50k milage in 1.5 years.

Dear, I think you will like this car more than the previous one. Maybe you can get your licence here and drive me around ok! :)

-VINcE

Update: The nabeh guy just called, changed his mind now? Nabeh, Chinese guy can be bastard sometime also ok, I didn't even bother to answer! *evil laugh*

Car

I am not a real car fanatic. I am not able to explain the mechanics in details like those horse power shit or 6 pistons engine vs whatever else. I am a engineer but I am not into engines...maybe because I am a Leo?

I won't get my hands dirty doing all those mods on the car also.

My only mod attempt with a vehicle was on my retired Aprilia RS125 Racer . This Italian bike was considered as a bad boy or high end Ah Beng racing bike back in its glory days. It was made famous by Valentino Rossi. He is a multiple times world champion riding the Aprilia in 125cc and 250cc. I can still remember the huge admiration I have on the stack up twin exhaust of the 250cc.

So, what I did to my RS125? I jack up the back seat with a modified single suspension, bored up the fuel intake in the engine block, remove the filter in the air box, removed the original and installed a racer's Arrow exhaust pipe. The result was a devilish and loud silver cat.

My old bike at workshop...few months prior to selling it away. COE expiring soon back then, probably should have extent for another 10years. Spent 10k on it.

My Aprilia left me many good memories and a few scary ones. I only have one minor accident riding it (with bruised wrist), when I banged into the vehicle at the cross junction. I do have a few close calls when I almost lose balance when I e-brake (the high suspension and hence gravity contributed partially to it).

My top speed with the bike is 150km/h, not ultra fast but I did it on Singapore Expressway. Heh, those were the crazy "young punk" days...and spending whole night polishing every metal part of the bike at void deck with AUTOSOL with my friends.

Although I am not a car fanatic but I do have my own preference. My taste for car is a reflection of my Aprilia : Badass looking, especially those big badass muscle car.

Look at these cars, they are not only visually intimidating but the engines also packs alot of punch. MUSCLES! I prefer these American cars over those more "posh" automobiles like the Subaru Impreza and Honda Integra.

A Ford Mustang...what a name for a badass car!

Dodge Charger, cool colours, lots of attitude.

Vintage Charger. What a beauty and nice shape! I want it!

SUV is always my type of car that I I think it represent my attitude towards life in a bold way. I am not a luxurious sedan fan and MPV gives me a good family man feels....yeah, I don't like to be labelled as a "good" family man....I prefer people to call me a good "wild" family man.

Okay, I know I drive a Vios now, but that's for economical reasons: Money not enough ah! Heck, I will be driving a V6 Ford Explorer soon in Egypt if everything go smooth. Pray hard and dun pray pray.

I always wanted a 7-seater SUV (I like BIG badass, remember?). In the current market, my favourite of all is Toyota Fortuner:

Drools.....A Fortuner, a nice facelift to Hylux truck

...and the Ultimate badass SUV: HUMMER. Not very practical unless it's for showing off:

Commercialised US military truck... HUMMER H2 SUV

Did I just tell you I am crazy over SUV? I even have a price list I made myself to keep track of the price and fuel consumption of various model available in Singapore now:

I just found out today that Daihatsu has launched a 7-seater Terios! At S$67,000 only! It is equipped with a 1.5liter engine, so it will not have as much power as desired for a SUV, but it is still pretty attractive for it's build and seating capacity. Anyway, who want a power car in the ever populated roads in Singapore? *Sour Grapes*

It is truely a very budgeted SUV with very affordable price. Pictures shown below are the Terios sister car, 7-Seater Toyota Rush. Pretty much everything is the same including the body and engine. However Toyota demands a higher price tag due to it's branding.

I hope they can upgrade the engine to 1.8liter....and definitely it's now on top of my SUV hunting list!

-VINcE

OH no!!! Rocky ate my 七仔

I know Rocky very glutton, but it is very rare that he will want to swallow a small soft toy.

七仔 in Rocky's mouth!!!!

Rescue of 七仔 from Rocky's mouth!!!

POOR 七仔!!!, I quickly bathed him!!

This is a present from my Godsister but he is almost eaten by Rocky.

My trip to Taiwan part 14 (8th-May-2008)

Today is my last day of my trip, I might not have been to many countries. Nothing can compare to Taiwan。 Every time, I leave I will cry, because I can't bear to leave. I remember Jackl told me this, 宜蘭﹐ 好山好水﹐ 好無聊。But I dun think so, it should be 宜蘭﹐ 好山好水,好風景 好優美。

Yilan have so many things, you want hot spring it have, cold spring it have also. It is surrounded by mountains and ocean, how can it be boring? Compare to Singapore or even Malaysia it is so much better.

Leaving my hometown... dun know when I will come back...but definitely not 12 yrs later.

Morning my mummy and Godmum is very busy giving away our wedding禮餅。

This is very tasty, It have 3 types of fillings, porkfloss, mua chee and either yam or red bean paste. Yummy!!!



It should be 宜蘭﹐ 好山好水,好風景 好優美 好多東西吃!!!!!

Andy last photo with my 大哥second son:

My Trip to Taiwan Part 13 (7th-May-2008)

Today we wake up early getting ready to go to Taipei, 1st stop is 龍山寺 and 九份 by ourselves. But二哥 insisted to send us there, he purposely take leave to bring us around. He is respected my mummy a lot, and he feel that he have the duty to bring us around. This shows my mummy is very well-like among all my relatives.

Andy is very happy to go out with us:



Daddy ask Andy to look cool:



This is my 二哥:
this photo is not clear, taken by Andy.


He is very good at cracking jokes, his jokes are very deep.

And is the lady that wake up every morning 5-6am to prepare breakfast for the whole family, my 大舅母:

This is not clear also taken by Andy.



But before we go Taipei, 二哥 bring us to buy 宜蘭茗產 - 蜜餞 at 冬山鄉, we go there because mummy wanted to buy and here is cheaper and better, even thought need to travel a bit far, but it is worth it as I had an Ice-cream that I really loved.
Ice-cream po piah with honey peanuts candy. I first time ate it and loved it very much.

I saw this biscuits look very much like BB's Malaysia hometown biscuits, in fact the ingredients is the same.



Ice-cream:

You see the big honey peanut candy, there is an tool to shave off the candy. That tool actual us is to smoothen wood surface, but they use it to shave off the candy. Very clever.

After the shave , pour the candy "Dust" on to the Po piah skin then add ice-cream, you can add some veggie, like cucumber. It taste really good.

My First bite:

For me Ice-cream is not enough, I must have 台灣香腸, even though it is not as good as ours home make one, but it is definitely better than those sold in Singapore night market or supermarket.

香腸!香腸!香腸!香腸!

Ok after this lunchtime!!! We have duck for lunch and shark fish for lunch. Good!!! After this need to send my godmother to work. Then we are off to Taipei's 龍山寺。http://www.lungshan.org.tw/

Since 1738 the temple is built,

龍山寺寺內主祀觀音菩薩，並祀奉媽祖，四海龍王、十八羅漢、城堭爺、註生娘娘、山神、土地公等，為典型神佛合一之寺廟。龍山寺建於乾隆三年，五後年落成， 以坐北朝南，分前、後及左右護龍圍繞中殿而成，前殿有銅鑄龍柱乙對，中殿龍柱四對，雕工精細；木雕亦甚精緻巧妙，尤以正殿內藻井及神龕最為出色。

A lot of Japanese tour groups comes to this temple, to pray.

I waited for 20mins to get the shot below, there are so many people I wanted to wait until no one so I can take a clear shot, but damn there is till one person @#$#$%^$^%&, never mind la. It is Wednesday, weekday and there are so many people!!


I know you will like this water feature, very peaceful.



The temple:

The decorations:

I dun know if I tell you before, I dun like the temples in Singapore or Malaysia. Their roof decorations or the temple decoration is very lousy, they just can't bring out the temple feeling.




The main hall is close for visitors, only open during prayers.


Our main objective:

They said this 月老 is very accurate, so must try.


And this 註生娘娘, should be translated to Goddess of Birth, is very accurate also, just look at the flowers the parents give.

Andy looking cool:


Andy caught on camera trying to mimic daddy walking:
On our way to 九份.

九份隸屬台北縣瑞芳鎮，相傳在陸路尚未開通之時，一切物資供給仰賴海路進行，由於村落中只有九戶人家，故對外採買時皆要求備妥「九份」，久而久之，人們便 以此命名。九份之發展過程可謂一段先民採金史，隨採金人潮的湧入而繁華，又隨採金事業的沒落而褪色。約略西元1890年左右，居民在福山宮土地祠距小金瓜 不遠處掘到金脈，這使得原本只有九戶人家的貧窮村落，頓時聚集了三、四千戶的淘金人口，此為九份的第一次繁華。

http://www.9sale.org/aboutus.php

Out of Taipei:

I can see Taipei 101!!!

The road to 九份:

Andy is very sleepy!!
But still want to act cool:


We reached:

The road to 九份, this is taken from website not by me lah.. I wish i have such good skills..

You can see 龜山島 from here!!!

The old streets of 九份:


We are very hungry, so 二哥 said try their famous 紅糟肉圓:





This 紅糟fishball.
I first time ate this 紅糟肉圓 and fishball, make me notice one thing Singapore or even Malaysia is not a food heaven at all. We are so fixed with our food choices, we dare not to be different, we dare not to try new things and be creative. Look at Taiwan, not that I'm trying to brag but really they have many different types of foods and they dare to be different, they dare to try.

Such a wonderful trip, it may be short but at least I'm here before so next time I can come again, if not for my 二哥, I don't think we can travel to all these places in one day. Really appreciate his efforts. At home, my sisters are waiting for us, they are there to bid us farewell.

Kids just bathed and playing on the masterbedroom's bed!!!

The gal standing at the dressing table is 二哥和二嫂的大女兒that is Andy's sister. The guy in the picture is my 大哥和大嫂的二儿子。12yrs ago, they are still small kids like Andy and Yiming, now they are all teenagers.

Yiming's thoughts "I bathed, yeah I'm a good boy"


Yiming's thoughts "Mummy why you ask me to pose like this????, Is it really more handsome??"

Ok after this short gathering, meimei, Weizi and me, we going to go for溫泉 , while my parents and my god mother go look for their old friends to chichat.

http://www.chuang-tang.com.tw/
you can go to the website and see all their spa services, cheap and good.

There are so many types of , lavender, 壇香﹐中藥﹐sake, coffee etc. I tired all, in the end I fall sick till now :( ........ my advice dun stay in the cold room too long.