Beware of motor bike drivers in KL. I was warned before to watch out and be careful while walking in the evening on the streets. However, I prefer to be careless and do not think of any dangers. I don't like the feeling insecure when you always have to think of possible scenarios of what can happen to you and how you should be careful. If you are in this alert mode and you always think of bad things they will happen. I am following my own positivity mode where I trust people and want to feel safe in the environment. The case we had yesterday made me realize that you should be very careful here in KL streets, day and night. Yesterday we were walking from KLC to Jalan Alor and in one of the streets full of restaurants a motor bike driver tried to steal handbag of my friend. She was walking on the sidewalk with her handbag on the shoulder and another minute I see her falling down on a street and motorbike dragging her bag... I didn't realise what's happening. Luckily the story has a happy ending, the driver lost the bag and my friend got back all her belongings. All this ended up only with couple of bruises on the arm, and of course it could have been much worse.
To all ladies in KL, be careful with your handbags!
Real music you feel from within. When you breath in the piano and guitar cords, when deep sax sound makes goosebumps on your skin. It's been a long time since I felt that way, but here I have discoverd a magic place with such pure sounds of music that wraps you in warm blanket and touches your soul, when you eyes are out of control and you can feel tears going down your cheek, and when your lips are simply curled with natural smile only because the music can get into you, really into you. The surrounding makes it perfect, small stage, little tables, candels, good wine and perfect musicians who plays from the heart to the hearts. This all together makes a great difference for the music. This Monday there was Rendra & Dr. Wan with bands that made the evening perfect, when all the people there were just sitting and listening with admiration of how music can find the way to the heart. Nodoby spoke. It's time with yourself and music. Loved my Monday. Will make my all Mondays lovely with good music.
After several frustrating calls to customer service, reading the online FAQ and visit to ATM to register for TAC number just to be able to make international money transfer I was struck by news I found out that I CAN NOT make online international transfer for a very simple reason – there is no choice of Lithuania in countries drop -down menu. I though to my self is it possible? Malaysia is developed country and in many ways much more advanced than Lithuania, but banking I suppose is a weaker link in the development. Once I arrived to the bank and explained my problem, they were surprised that there is no choice of mu country. They opened their system and showed me that Lithuania is on the list. Of course it was THEIR system! Me being frustrated I had to prove that if they have it in THEIR system doesn't mean I can do it transfer on line. So I logged in my online banking and wanted to demonstrate that I cannot proceed with the transfer because I cannot choose my country. But I got another surprise – online banking has working hours for international transfer and it's possible to do it only between 9:30 am till 5:30pm! And of course I was in bank at 8:45! So I had to wait till 9:30 when online banking will start working and showed that there is no Lithuania on the list. And the lady said: 'hmm... really there is no such country, strange... that meansyou have to make transfer here in the bank' – as simple as that. Every time I want to make transfer I have to come to the bank, which in other words means slow, very slow service, which means spending hours in the bank! In fact just to make it clear your country most likely is also discriminated, because Malaysian bank offers you to transfer your fundsonly to 20 countries and if you are lucky enough to be from the 'other' country list you will waste your time in the queue!
*doesn't like being discriminated by the whole system!
Few lessons learnt while visiting Islamic Art Museum are worth sharing!
First is relevant just because I love sheesha (huqqah) and because our lovely adorable neighbours gave as sheesha set as house warming present! We truly enjoy it! So here is some background where actually sheesha has originated from. While living in Dubai, Arabs were proud that sheesha belongs to Middle East, of course it belong to Middle East, but was it invented there? NO. Here goes the explanation from the museum:
'The huqqah water pipe is known by many different names, most of which originate in Islamic lands. The earliest representation of huqqah is Iranian and Indian paintings, during the first half of 17th century show a device of extreme simplicity. Primitive and rugged in design. It was usually made from a coconut shell base. When the huqqah reached Turkey, about 500 years ago there was a surge of popularity among the higher echelons of society.As the fashion for this purifying and cooling style of smoking developed, the design and materials changed."
Another lesson was a surprise to me. Now I can seem as truly uneducated, but how many of you know that Taj Mahal in India is build as and Islamic mosque?
Yet the biggest surprise was to find out that currently I am living in 15th century AH.
Believe it or not but this is true :)
Greetings from 15th century in Malaysia!
Yours more educated Audra
*truly lovely Sunday afternoon was followed by chai latte on the street café observing strangers and reading a book.
That is essential question that has been asked a million of times of men who are lost in space of feminine mind; of women who are looking for something and most of the times for somebody but are not sure of what; there is a movie that tries to answer this question, however there is no one answer, and it cannot be because each of us, women, we are unique individual who desires and aims for different things and have different values that they build their dreams on.
Let me get back to one of the post where I have quoted (I have to highlight QUOTED) the title of article of the local newspaper in Malaysia, that '...Malaysians are not hot in bed'.
Obviously this is a bold statement (media knows how to trigger reader!) and if I were a male from Malaysia would get pissed of of such generalization. Anyhow, let's get back to the comment that I have received from a Malay who asked 'what is it I want that I cannot get?'
Really what is IT that I cannot get? Yes, there was generation of women who waiting for a prince that would ride on a white horse, my generation believes in Mr. Big concept, that HE, (VYRAS), Mr. Big is out there somewhere. If you are lucky the destiny will bring you together, if not that lucky, you have to put an effort to raise Mr Big out of an any ordinary guy, and live with a lie pretending that he is the one Mr. Big.
Anyway, I have to tell this evening happening that triggered me to think of what do we want and do we put extra energy to have it?
After my dance class I was walking with a friend to the train station and taking the escalator to go up. Down at the traffic light there were many cars, one of the cars windows were down and there were two guys, our eyes met for a while and we exchanged smiles. No Intentions from my side at all, just another 'positive psychology' trick to brighten your day. SMILE. Next minute this is what I see: the driver of the car gets out, and walks our direction, his friend takes over the driver's seat so that he can drive once the traffic light is green. We are getting our tickets at the counter, and suddenly the guy from the car shows up and used the most worn out pick up line: 'excuse me, where are you from'. Me being polite and I have to admit a bit flattered by such gesture reply 'Lithuania'. Poor guy rolls his eyes and tries to sound as if he knows what/where the hell Lithuania is. Anyhow, I refuse to give my number, and refuse his invitation to visit exhibition. It was just a minute before I went for the train. No regret at all, the guy didn't moved any slightest attraction strings, except that it arose some thoughts. Was the guy desperate? Or he is just a person who does something extra to get what he wants? Do I do something extra to get what I want?
Decision is taken: Be more spontaneous! Follow your heart where ever it will take you.
There is a shopping culture in Malaysia for sure. Huge shopping malls are always full of people who come there to shop, spend their past-time, eat, go for a date or even for a exercise. It's a heaven for shopaholics because here you can find all world wide know brands, spend a fortune on it or go cheap cheap lah shopping in China town or any other china town look a like mall.
Size. In one of those there are shops that sell variety of quite nice clothes for a very reasonable or rather cheap price, however they are all one size. And of course that size is not suitable for any random European who have been gifted with height above 160cm, or bigger that A size boobies. So after few attempts to fit in few dresses, gave up and went for more customer friendly shops with more sizes.
Moisturizer. Another challenge I had while looking for a moisturizer. I was running out of my favorite one L'Oreal Happyderm and was absolutely positive when going for shopping that I'm going to get the same. To my big surprise, after visiting L'Oreal stalls/shops I was stunned with the news that this marked doesn't have Happyderm! My derm became very sad!!! OK, when it comes to moisturizer I am very picky, because it took me ages to find the one that I really like. After desperate talks with the shop assistance I realized that there is no way out, I HAVE TO choose something else! That wouldn't be that bad except that it is. It is because most of the moisturizers here have the whitening effect! I start hatting those who are adopting their products to the market. Of course here they have top sales of whitening moisturizers, but what to do for a random white person who on the contrary, desperately trying to enjoy every sunshine and get a tan...
Hair die. Further more, I was planning to highlight my hair color and get one tone darker color. My choice was Ice Latte color which look darker than my color, however after all the procedure I got exactly the same light color I had. Wondering why? Usually I used to buy brownish colors and those were adopted for a light color hair to become darker, so usually my hair would turn out in a darker shade. Here, now it seems obvious that product was adopted to the market where 99% local people hair is black so if they want to become brown they have to lighten it in several tones... So this is what happened to me – wanted to get darker shade and got even lighter that had!
High-heels. Everywhere! When I say everywhere I mean everywhere. Morning, afternoon, shopping, park, street. High-heels. In all shapes and colors. The top was when I saw a women wearing high-heels in the park where you have to climb to the waterfall in the jungle. Where is common sense you may ask? Beauty is a common sense! I was trying to think why would you wear high-heels every day when the climate is really hot and humid. When I think of shoes first thing comes to my mind is flip-flops! I enjoy spending my time sitting in some street café and observing people passing by, and one of those times I realized why almost every women (if she is not tourist) would wear high-heels. Because they are short! That is true, when you enter shoe shop there is bigger choice for high-heel shoes than flat ones. Malaysia, never stop surprising, me and you. I am wearing high-heels every day as well! Not because I am short, but because it is a requirement for office attire. Those who knows me will laugh! All I can say is: I know, I know.... However, being simple and caring the least about my appearance I have to admit that high-heels makes you feel elegant women. And I do admit that you can get used to it and it's not that hard work to wear them every day. I remember when I was commenting on those beauties who would walk miles in high-heels and in the party they would continue with them. I couldn't realize how it;s possible to torture yourself like this. 'I love myself too much to do this' - I used to say. Yes, I USED to say! Now, I have to admit I am one of them, and I didn't stop loving myself.
*Malaysia – truly Asia, never stops surprising me! When I say this, I mean it from all my heart. And this I repeat at least once a day! Never stops surprising!
Wake up at 11 am, be lazy, go out to sit down at the balcony, look at the deserted garden and blue and tempting pool with cool water. Have fresh fruits for breakfast. Continue to be lazy. Consider of going downstairs and swimming in the pool under hot hot sun. Think about it. Put on the swimming suit and go dip yourself into refreshing water! Swim! Enjoy! It's Sunday after all!
Get ready for the afternoon with deafening noise at F1.
Get in the bus, get amazing voice owners sit next to you and sing! The sound that they produce is something that you just saw on TV when talented guys sing with all their passion., And this was not on TV, they were sitting just next to us! I tell you, the voices and talent they have is something wonderful. RESPECT!
Get in to Formula 1 race for free, sit in the seats that cost something close to RM 900, close your ears, and enjoy it! Think of the people at home who would love to be in your place! Think of Lina :).
Get soaked in Malaysian rain! See the race being cancelled because of rain!
Meet another Lithuanian guys in the race! Take a picture with 7 Lithuania's in Malaysia, in F1!
Go for the open air concert! Open air with rain and mud! Open air with fun loving gang! Get wet! Enjoy! Dance on the beat! Dance till the last energy leaves your body! Listen for soft singer's voice to your ear. Melt!
