Swimming

I have been swimming regularly since 2009, when I was diagnosed with spondylosis and ceased all jogging and high-impact exercises. Although I miss jogging, I found new aspects that I love in swimming.

Exercise-wise, I used to swim breaststroke and freestyle in the ratio 3:1. But the physiotherapist told me not to swim breaststroke at all, because the leg movements may jolt and injure my lower back. It was tough swimming only freestyle at first, but after some time I got used to it. Now I can swim many laps in freestyle without really feeling too tired.

However, what I really discovered was that swimming helps me to relax. As my friends and colleagues know, I am always in a rush - because I know what I am going to do next, and I do not want to waste any time, especially during the traveling process. By traveling, I am not referring to overseas traveling but rather, commuting or just taking a train down to town. I walked so fast that a colleague, who was chasing after me, was actually panting heavily when she reached me. 

But when I am overseas, I slow down significantly, because part of what I intend to do is to enjoy the scenery, the new sights and smells. 

When swimming, my mind settles, and I finally have time to stop and think. While some of these thoughts are admittedly on what stuff I am going to do next, I also think about different things. And the sense of serenity I get is priceless.

Portfolio top up

With the recent market correction, I took the opportunity to top up my unit trust portfolio again. Due to the commodities crash in the past 2 weeks, my unit trust in commodities was down by around 9%, so I topped it up by a small amount.

One of my emerging markets unit trusts was also down by quite a bit, so I took the chance to top it up at a cheaper price.

Invested into Russia for the first time, as the Russia market is now extremely cheap (PB ratio 1.02x as at 26 May 2011), and also topped up into High Yield. My supplementary portfolio is getting bigger!

Bali (May 2011)

Went on a 4D3N trip to Bali last Saturday with my gf. On the whole, it was a pretty low cost trip - around $630 per person, inclusive of everything (flight, accommodation, tours, food, shopping).

Day 1

The flight was uneventful. Got a cab from the airport for 60,000 rupiah (S$8.80). 3 men then brought us to the cab and offered to help us carry our luggage. Thinking that they were part of the cab company, we obliged - and were asked for payment. Just for pulling our 2 little pieces of luggage which we were perfectly capable of doing ourselves for 15 seconds.

There was no point arguing, so we decided to just give them a small tip. While digging through our wallet, they kept on trying to peer into the wallet and said "the blue note! the blue note!", hoping that in our confusion, we will pay them the "wrong" amount. What the hell; that was 50,000 rupiah (S$7.34). I will be damned if I pay that. In the end, I gave them 10,000 rupiah (S$1.47). They looked obviously disappointed and left. 

I know that they don't earn much and that they depend on tourism to earn money, but their behaviour really disgusted me.

Lesson 1: At Bali, don't let anyone carry your luggage. And be wary of locals who offer you help.

The hotel, Harris Riverview Hotel, looked pretty decent. No fanciful facilities, but at least the room was reasonably spacious and clean, albeit a bit dusty. 

The bedroom was well lit, but the sunlight also heated the room up considerably

A small television and a narrow desk

The shower (which has no warm water!)

Took a cab to Discovery Shopping Mall - or rather, what the cab driver thought was Discovery Shopping Mall. I dunno where he dropped us, but it was at some pathetic shopping centre which had practically nothing to shop. 

Lesson 2: Don't assume that the cab drivers know where to go. Bring a map along with you.

We passed by McDonald's and shared a meal just to see if there were any significant differences with Singapore's. Ordered a Double Cheeseburger meal along with a kiwi sundae. The burger was pretty okay, the fries sucked, and the kiwi sundae was something new but tasted a bit artificial. Oh and interestingly, some of their meals come with rice. 

KFC was better - the chicken tasted pretty much like Singapore's. And the meal we shared came with rice too. Both fast food meals cost almost the same as in Singapore.

Day 2

Signed up for a full day tour for Day 2 at US$30 per person. It was pretty worth it, because we had the whole van to ourselves, and lunch was also provided. 

Tohpati

Tohpati was known for their Batik traditional paintings. I wasn't really interested in such stuff, so it didn't leave any impression on me. Besides, we weren't allowed to take any pictures.

Quote from the gf, "Did he just say he was going to bring us to see a dog party?"

Batubulan village

This was to see their traditional Barong and Kris dance, which I found incredibly boring. 

One of the followers of Barong stabs the Rangda! Rawrr! Yawn.

Celuk

Celuk is a smithy for gold and silver, but the tour was only one minute, where they told us how they process the gold and silver (I understood less than half of that as the guide's English was quite incomprehensible). After that, we were led to a shop selling silverware which we had totally no interest in. 

I wish I could use this on monkeys.

House visit

We were then brought for a house visit at a villager's home. It was an eye opener as our guide explained to us several aspects of their lifestyle - where the elders stay, every home has its own shrine, how they cook their food, and so on. It was obvious that they were very poor, and relied on tourists' money from such home visits for most of their income.

They sell coffee powder and tea, and gave us generous samples - Bali coffee (this was good), ginger coffee, cappuccino, ginseng coffee (no ginseng taste at all though), lemon tea (very strong taste of lemon), ginger tea, vanilla coffee, and chocolate coffee (too bland).

They even sell kopi luwak (civet coffee), but we had to pay 20,000 rupiah (S$2.93) just to taste it. This was already considered extremely cheap, but I decided to just buy one small bottle of it. Their asking price was 300,000 rupiah (S$44.02) but I managed to bargain it down to 180,000 rupiah (S$26.41). I could have bargained it down even more, but after seeing how poor they were, I just decided to pay.

The coffee and tea samples

Batuan

Batuan was described on the tour brochure as "the home of painters". Now, this was really an eye-opener. The paintings were incredibly beautiful, vibrant, lush, and rich. We were captivated by many of the paintings, especially one of apples with water droplets - the water droplets looked so real that I studied each drop carefully to see how they achieved that effect. 

We weren't allowed to take pictures here too, but were able to snap some pics of their painters in action.

The picture below was still unfinished; some sand-like mixture was added to make it a beach.

Tegenungan

A village famous for its waterfall. We were a bit disappointed that we were not closer to the waterfall - it was so far that the impact was lost.

Taken after quite a bit of zooming in.

Kintamani Volcano

We had our lunch here on a mountain. The food was nothing special, but the view and fresh air more than made up for it. This is definitely a place to go if you visit Bali.

Kintamani Volcano. Observe the small green 'island' at the bottom right. It was probably left unscathed from the lava due to its height

Lake Batur on the right of the volcano

Tegallalang

We came here for 'the best rice terrace view', but were told that the rice has just been harvested, so.... it was basically a waste of time.

Rice terrace with no rice

Wanara wana Monkey Forest

This was actually a temple, so we had to wear a sarong before we could enter. There was nothing much about this place, even more because it was full of monkeys. I dislike monkeys.

Day 3

Signed up for another tour at US$35 per person. 

Fly fish

This was not included in the package; we purchased it separately at the water sports centre. Fly fish is a relatively new water sport which seemed like a cross between a banana boat and parasailing. At the water sports centre, they quoted us a price of 300,000 rupiah (S$44.02) per person, and assured us that this was the 'local package' - which was cheaper than the 'foreigner package', which charges in USD. This was already ridiculously expensive, and in the end we managed to get it down to half the price. I still found it quite expensive though. 

It was a fun experience, although it ended too soon. The two rounds were over in less than 10 minutes, so it was really easy money for them. Bah.

Snorkeling

This was a complete waste of time. We were simply dropped off somewhere in the ocean for snorkeling but there was absolutely nothing to be seen. I didn't even see a single fish because the water was too murky. After 5 minutes, we decided to stop looking at dirty water and continued with the tour.

Turtle Island

This was the star attraction of the day. Contrary to the name, there were other animals (refer to pictures below). We were allowed to be up close with them and to take pictures, so it was really a great experience!

I dunno what kind of snake this is. Its mouth was tied up, btw

The turtle is heavier than it looks

The iguana's hide feels leathery, like a handbag

The eagle is young but looks proud and majestic nevertheless

Bats aren't as gross or dirty as they look

I wouldn't want to be pecked by those beaks.

Dreamland Beach

The description of this beach as one with "crystal clear sea water" was a gross overstatement. While it was not as filthy as our own beaches, it was nowhere near 'crystal clear' as well. This beach was full of ang mohs, and several of them were surfing.

Dreamland Beach is hardly my kind of dream beach.

We forgot to bring any towels, so to suntan, we had to buy a towel/sarong. The locals there, however, wanted to charge an exorbitant 80,000 rupiah (S$11.74) per towel/sarong. I only managed to bargain it down to 50,000 rupiah (S$7.34), and the damn local refused to go down any further since we had no other choices.

Lesson 3: If you are going to beaches, bring a towel. Or expect to get ripped off.

Uluwatu Temple

Uluwatu Temple perches on the edge of a steep cliff 250 metres above the Indian Ocean, so it offers a wonderful sunset view.

I wish I could toss a monkey down this cliff.

OK, this isn't really a sunset, but it's still a great view

However, this magnificent view comes with monkeys. Our driver warned me to be careful with my spectacles, as the monkeys may steal it. But if I don't wear my specs, how am I going to see a damn thing? So I left it on, and an accursed monkey pounced onto my shoulder, grabbed my specs, and sped off.

A local quickly offered the monkey some fruit in exchange for the specs. A second after I gave him my thanks, he stuck out his hands and demanded for money. When we offered him a small sum, he looked unhappy and kept on saying "两万".

Gar, 20,000 rupiah (S$2.93) just for this? It didn't help that we were running low on cash as well. We insisted that it was enough, but he refused to accept it, so we just walked away. I hurriedly kept my iPhone (I was using it as a camera) into my bag. I was still holding my specs in my hand, and while thinking of where I can store it without crushing it, another damn monkey snatched it away from behind.

My imagination started working in overdrive as I pictured myself grabbing a monkey by its tail, swinging it around a few times and throwing it off the cliff into the sunset. I used to dislike monkeys. Now I loathe them.

Another local (thankfully a different one!) then 'rescued' my spectacles again with a fruit and again, demanded payment of "两万"! This time I offered him more - 14,000 rupiah (S$2.05). He was still unhappy but took it grudgingly and left.

These locals sure know how to exploit opportunities (aka tourists). Maybe they were the ones who encouraged the monkeys to steal from tourists!

Lesson 4: If you are visiting Uluwatu Temple, wear contact lenses. Or secure your spectacles with some rubber bands.

I wonder if the monkeys have seen knives before. I would love to carry a penknife and let a monkey snatch it away from me.

Jimbaran Bay

The last stop of our tour was at Jimbaran Bay for a barbeque seafood dinner by the beach, facing the sunset. The view was still all right, but the food portions were rather small and not fantastic either.

After dinner, we told the driver to drop us at the Bali Galleria, a bigger and newer shopping mall. There wasn't much to shop except for some food and spices at the hypermart.


Day 4

Checked out and went to the real Discovery Shopping Mall. This was also a big shopping mall, and we grabbed a quick bite at A&W. They had run out of curly fries though, damn it!

Chilled out at Black Canyon Coffee until it was time to go to the airport. On the plane, my stomach started churning - no doubt due to the avocado + black coffee + rum drink I had at Black Canyon Coffee. Once we reached Singapore, I went to the toilet and spent a good 20 minutes inside.

A nice way to end a holiday.

Wisdom tooth extraction

During a dental follow-up, I was told that my upper left wisdom tooth had to be removed as well, because it was growing out too much. I guess that without the lower left wisdom tooth as its 'support' too, it will probably get worse. It was only an extraction, not a surgery, so it wasn't a big deal. I went to get it removed it yesterday.

It was over in minutes. The first few jabs stung a bit, but after that I felt nothing and was considerably surprised to find that the tooth was already out. 

Now I know why a wisdom tooth surgery requires 5 days of MC while an extraction only warrants 1 day. Just a few hours later, I was practically eating like normal, unlike the 1-2 weeks of discomfort after the surgery. 

My lower right wisdom tooth is fine, so it is remaining where it is. The upper one is still buried inside my gum, and I hope it stays that way.

Double standards

During the elections, Singaporeans complained that the Government has focused so much on GDP and economic growth, but has done relatively nothing for the poorer people. This is obvious from the meager public assistance monthly handouts to the poor - $260 in 2007, and $400 in 2011. While one may argue that the handouts have increased by more than 50% these 4 years (I can actually imagine Vivian Balakrishnan using this point as defence!), the absolute amount shows the true story.

Recently, a good friend told me that after returning to Singapore from Taiwan for 2 years, she still sees many elderly Singaporeans selling tissue paper at food courts or hawker centers. And she doesn't understand why Singaporeans refuse to help them despite complaining so much that the Government is not doing enough for the poor.

It's strange that we are so averse to helping these elderly people, when as a whole, we donate a significant amount to charity. In 2009, donations to charitable organizations (from individuals only) were S$687 million, up from $381 million in 2001. So why this aversion? These people are not begging - they are selling something. As my friend said rightly, they have pride too.

I must admit that I am one of those who do not buy tissue paper from these people, and I can't explain why either. But what made me guilty was when I lunched with a Vietnamese friend. He saw this old man on the floor selling tissue paper, and without hesitation, gave him $10 and took only 2 packets of tissue.

In this sense, it's so ironic that a foreigner, whom we are generally blaming for stealing our jobs, is more generous than most of us.

iPad 2 is here!

My iPad 2 has arrived! It was a pleasant surprise, considering that I expected it to only arrive on 18th May (that's next Wednesday, or also known as Eternity). 

In a matter of minutes, I have set up my iPad 2 and installed the standard apps - Dropbox, Evernote, Bloomberg, FSM Mobile, and BreezeHD. I also transferred some paid iPad apps in - Dungeon Hunter HD and Star Walk. 

Next is to transfer some photos and videos in, but I think I will wait till tomorrow.

In Memory of an Angel (6 May 2011)

Venue: Esplanade Concert Hall

Conductor: Okko Kamu

Violinist: Viviane Hagner

Programme:

Richard Strauss - Death and Transfiguration, Op.24

Alban Berg - Violin Concerto

Johannes Brahms - Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op.68

It was my first time listening to Death and Transfiguration, and I found it quite enjoyable. My feelings are a big contrast to an ang moh lady sitting beside me though - she frequently sat up and waved her hands with an expression of rapture, as if she was also conducting the orchestra. And I thought to myself, "uhh, is it really that good?" 

The second piece was performed by Munich-born Viviane Hagner. I find that I should comment on this piece in two categories - the music itself, and the violinist's performance. Firstly, the piece.

The first 8 notes dampened my mood considerably - 4 notes ascending in perfect 5th intervals, followed by another 4 notes descending in perfect 5th intervals again. It sounded as if she was tuning her violin, and once I heard it, I knew that this was "one of those pieces" again. Berg composed it in such a way that consonance and dissonance is strong, and this is the kind of music I dislike, though it was nowhere near Yuan Peiying's Through Bifocals for Orchestra in the previous concert I attended. I even checked what era Berg was from; he lived from 1885 to 1935. I half expected him to be still alive, as this kind of music is more frequently from modern composers! Contrast this with Richard Strauss (1864 - 1949). They sounded like they lived at least half a century apart.

According to the concert introduction, Berg composed this piece as a "heart-wrenching response to the death of the 18 year old Manon Gropius, whose mother was his mentor Mahler's widow". Somehow, I can't feel this at all.

Secondly, on Viviane Hagner's performance. I must say that she managed to salvage the piece somewhat - her confidence and control of the violin was astounding. It was a pity that she was performing this piece; if it had been a more 'normal' piece I would have enjoyed it. In fact, she played a piece by Bach for her encore, and it was so much better!

Finally, Brahms Symphony No.1 in C minor. I loved the opening for the first movement, Un poco sostenuto - Allegro, especially the steady beats from the timpani. The strings were impressive, but the woodwind brought them down somewhat as they were occasionally uncoordinated and messy.

For the final movement, Adagio - Piu andante - Allegro non troppo ma con brio - there was a tendency for the strings to rush, but this was always quickly kept under control by Okko. The pizzicatos were impressively neat, but the trombone trio was, more often than out, out of sync with each other. This was especially obvious when they were playing "A E E F ... F G F F E F" (all in the same octave from C). I cringed at the first note as they came in half a second off.

Other than the woodwinds, I must say that overall, this symphony was well performed. While there were minor mistakes, these were kept to a minimum. Most importantly, the mood was there, especially when the symphony reached its powerful conclusion.