Ruminations

Belated Remarks on Halloween

I was stressed.

No. Not because of my econometrics assignment. And not because of that soon-to-be-due-but-I-have-done-zilch paper on China's domestic debt market reform either.

It's Halloween. In fact it's my first real, authentic Halloween in America. And I don't know what to wear to the school's Halloween party.

I could sense an impending crisis.

Some of my uni-mates tried to be helpful.

"Oh, you can go as Evo Morales. You've got a similar (read: ugly) haircut and I've seen you in an ugly sweater before. Just wear that ugly sweater and carry a chop that says "Property of Bolivia" and you are set."

I was stumped. But isn't Halloween supposed to be about ghosts and witches and monsters? Aren't you supposed to go as something scary?

Like a true international affairs specialist well-trained in the ways of the neo-cons, he retorted: "You think a raving jingoist like Evo Morales as the president of Bolivia is not scary?"

(Political) Party-ing

The e-mail simply said, "XXXXX  invite you to their ELECTION NIGHT PARTY to discuss, debate, analyze, and watch the midterm election returns and cast your vote as to how you think the House, Senate and Governor's offices will look after the votes are counted!"

This sounded too tempting to resist. I don't foresee myself doing much in terms of "debate" and "analysis" - after all what the heck do I know about American politics? - but I can definitely "watch", not to mention gorge on the free food and imbibe the free drinks.

Second Spring

It was a short drive. One minute we were in downtown DC and before we knew it, we were already at Anglers' Inn, one of the points of entry into the Billy Goat Trail - a hiking trail which, in the words of a DC resident fellow hiker, is a DC institution. (Though if the number of obscenely obese people I've seen in Washington is any indication, a hiking trail - and hiking in general - cannot be that strong an institution in this part of the world.)

The trail is also apparently connected to downtown DC by the C&O Canal which apparently leads to Ohio. A trek that I might consider after graduation. Not.

It was a gloriously sunny day, but it was cold. I wore three layers including my winter jacket - a big mistake as I was later to find out; I was swimming in sweat not even half way into the hike. Apart from the need to navigate through clusters and clusters of boulders, it was a relatively easy hike. It had to be. I survived.

The hike consisted mainly hiking along the Potomac River, good conversation, photo taking and occasional pauses to absorb the colours of autumn. Albert Camus was right: L'automne est un deuxième printemps où chaque feuille est une fleur. Autumn is indeed a second Spring; when every leaf is a flower. It occasionally struck me that parts of the scenery presumably have not changed since pre-Columbian times.

Sigh. America, America. So tame and man-made and contrived. And yet so wild. I might still come to love this country yet.

Penyengat I

Di mana tempat mentari jatuh?
Di balik Penyengat, di hujung laut,
Di mana tempat bahasa tumbuh?
Di hujung kalam, di tubir mulut.

Where do the rays of the sun perish?
Behind Penyengat, in the seas westward,
Where would our tongue fruitfully flourish?
At the tip of the pen; in the spoken word.

***

The man was persistent. I tried to fend him off by trying to seem like I knew my way around and that I had done this a thousand times before. Inwardly, I cursed myself for not sticking to my usual practice of trying to blend in with the locals. Wearing a tight T-shirt, a pair of calf-length denim shorts together with leather-looking sandals and wielding a shiny digital camera, I stood out like a sore thumb in a crowd of school children, fishermen and village housewives coming back from their weekly grocery shopping. I might as well have carried a gigantic placard saying “I am a tourist. Please come and rip me off.”

Leaving and Arriving

Detroit International Airport

There is a certain sensation that often hits me whenever I queue up to board for international flights. The feeling is particularly palpable when the majority of the passengers in the queue are citizens of the country of destination.

The US of A

A colleague of mine warned me that I might get strip-searched - like what happened to a friend of hers a month back - when I pass through immigration in the US. Reasons? I'm male and my last name starts with a "bin".

Bintan: Memories

I will tell you a story, as I heard it from my father, and he from his. I will tell it to you, lest the lore of our people be forgotten and the memories of our ancestors be in vain.

Remembering Kataha: A Pilgrimage to Lembah Bujang

The ancient ruins of the Bujang Valley lie still. Mute and voiceless. And yet, there are those who say that they speak. They whisper of long-forgotten wars and fierce battles. Of the joys and woes of those who once walked in their shadows. Of prosperous merchants from faraway lands. Of bygone glories of an ancient kingdom. They hint at fragmented recollections so old that even the eldest of our elders might disown them.

It was in the hope of seeking these broken memories that I embarked on that lonesome journey to the desolate district of Merbok, in the state of Kedah that fine sunny morning. As I negotiated the unmarked and unfamiliar roads, I mused: will I hear the bricks and stones of the Bujang Valley murmuring their secrets? Will they tell me their story?

Bujang Valley: The Tourist Brochure

Things to do
Ruins of ancient Kedah. The Bujang Valley was once the site of the ancient Kingdom of Kataha, a vibrant trading kingdom between the 5th and 14th century. Ruins of stone buildings from this era are scattered all over the Bujang Valley providing a sprawling and adventurous travelling circuit for history buffs. The average tourist can however have a sample of ancient Kataha by visiting the archaeological complex of the hill of Batu Pahat (Bukit Batu Pahat), located at the foot of Mount Jerai. The complex includes the Archaeological Museum of the Bujang Valley (Admission: Free; Tel.: +6044572005), which provides an excellent background and historical information on the ancient kingdom as well as the discoveries made from excavation works. Visitors unable to handle the heat of the tropical sun can take a dip in the cooling waters of a nearby waterfall, which also provides an excellent spot for picnics and family outings.

Tupah recreational forest. Whether you are physically fit and in need of a physical challenge, or just planning for a mild family outing in the outdoors, the Tupah Recreational Forest is the place for you. Located 5km away from Bukit Batu Pahat, the recreational forest has navigable jungle trails and treks and a waterfall for picnics and bathing. The forest is accessible through the town of Merbok.

Shinjuku Ni-chome

One street. That was all there was. There I stood, reminding myself that over 200 clubs and bars are jam-packed in the buildings that lined the street which could otherwise have passed for any other unmarked street of Tokyo. Is it not ironic that, in the capital of a confident nation like Japan, the topographical testament to the love that dare not speak its name accumulates to only one ordinary-looking and unassuming street?

After having a drink in a small bar that was overflowing with customers and having relished the sight of the beautiful creatures on the street, E and I found a club playing 80s music. We walked in. Cover charge: ¥3,000 (RM75).