And here is me giving them an open-book examination:
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Being a teacher...
This is me being a teacher to several engineers in a power station. Here we are, conducting a practical session in the workshop:
And here is me giving them an open-book examination:
And here is me giving them an open-book examination:
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Cola causes paralysis
So, the Telegraph newspaper said. Drinking large amounts of cola every day can cause muscle problems, an irregular heartbeat and even paralysis, doctors have warned.
For more info, please visit: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/science/sciencenews/5350530/Drinking-large-amounts-of-cola-can-cause-paralysis-doctors-warn.html
For more info, please visit: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/science/sciencenews/5350530/Drinking-large-amounts-of-cola-can-cause-paralysis-doctors-warn.html
Friday at home
It's the Friday weekend again. Have been travelling around Syria almost every Friday for the past couple of weeks. But decided to spend this Friday at home instead. Gave the driver an off-day to bring his family for holiday at Latakia.
Tried my best to wake up as late as possible as I know I will have nothing to do for the whole day. Tried as I would, I woke up at 7.30AM. Tried to continue sleeping but 9.30AM was the max I could go. Got up, prepared some breakfast, surfed the internet and watched the TV.
By noon, I found out the "Perak Sandiwara" - the court declared that Zambry is still the "MB". I guess everyone knows who will win the elections should one be called now. I'm no legal expert, but power grabbing definitely doesn't endear the government to its rakyat. And by the look of things, UMNO is writing its own political obituary. But then again, Malaysians can be quite forgetful come next elections! I even read one blog that UMNO would dissolve the DUN soon. God knows what will happen. Malaysian politics is becoming pure crap by the day.
Well... watched Simpsons on Fox TV (They actually screened few episodes in a row... the series took up the whole afternoon). Watched old re-runs of Friends on MBC4. News on Al Jazeera, Patch Adams (Here and there) on MBC2. And as I'm typing this I'm watching the Americal Idol finale result show. In between all those I catch MTV Arabia which screens some nice MTV (English & Arabic).
Yeah.... you got my point... all there is to do is watch TV, TV, TV and more TV. That's how a weekend would be spent in Jisr Al-Shoghour!
Tried my best to wake up as late as possible as I know I will have nothing to do for the whole day. Tried as I would, I woke up at 7.30AM. Tried to continue sleeping but 9.30AM was the max I could go. Got up, prepared some breakfast, surfed the internet and watched the TV.
By noon, I found out the "Perak Sandiwara" - the court declared that Zambry is still the "MB". I guess everyone knows who will win the elections should one be called now. I'm no legal expert, but power grabbing definitely doesn't endear the government to its rakyat. And by the look of things, UMNO is writing its own political obituary. But then again, Malaysians can be quite forgetful come next elections! I even read one blog that UMNO would dissolve the DUN soon. God knows what will happen. Malaysian politics is becoming pure crap by the day.
Well... watched Simpsons on Fox TV (They actually screened few episodes in a row... the series took up the whole afternoon). Watched old re-runs of Friends on MBC4. News on Al Jazeera, Patch Adams (Here and there) on MBC2. And as I'm typing this I'm watching the Americal Idol finale result show. In between all those I catch MTV Arabia which screens some nice MTV (English & Arabic).
Yeah.... you got my point... all there is to do is watch TV, TV, TV and more TV. That's how a weekend would be spent in Jisr Al-Shoghour!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Trivia on Eiffel Tower
Did you know...
- Eiffel Tower was supposed to be a temporary structure in Paris for some kind of celebration. They wanted to erect a tower which would eventually be easy to dismantle.
- The construction of the tower was met with much disgust by Parisians who felt that it was an eye sore stucking up in the air compared to the other buildings with beautiful architecture.
- The designer claimed that the only place you can't see the eye sore of Paris is inside the eyesore itself.
- During World War 2, the Eiffel Tower was used to detect communication signals of the attacking Germans
Just some trivial information I got watching CCTV 9 last night. Actually, as I remembered it the Eiffel Tower did not look as grand as the pictures show. It was kinda short. But then again it was worth the climb because the view from the top was simply magnificent. Overall Paris was a nice and charming city. Only bad thing - Paris was actually a very dirty city with rubbish strewn all over the place and the stench of piss. Yes, Parisians like to piss in the open!
Meanwhile, back to Syria. The French were here before. But as usual the French did not bring much good to any country they've been to. Just look at Vietnam! The French definitely did little to contribute to the wellbeing of the citizens of the countries they colonize. As some say it.... the French only know how to make love.
It is starting to get much warmer now in Syria. It has breached the 30degC mark couple of days back and for the first time I had to start switching ON the A/C in the office and also back at home. Wonder how long will it take the weather to reach 40 degC? Shit.... I do hate summer.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
A castle and a lake
It was yet another Friday weekend in Syria. This week’s target was to visit the Castle of Saladin. We started off from Jisr Shoughor at about 9.45am and started our ascent to the mountains of Slunfeh. There was not many signboards towards Saladin except for one or two in Arabic. A few times we had to stop and ask a villager for direction as the road suddenly reaches a fork without any directions. The road becomes steep and winding as we approach the castle. The inhabitants of the castle had probably intentionally made it very difficult for visitors to come.
The area around the castle was said to be quite strategic since the Phoenicians controlled in the 1st millennium BC. It fell to the Crusaders before it was finally captured by Saladin in 1188. Much of the present ruins date back to Saladin’s time. There used to be a drawbridge to the castle. Although the bridge is now gone, you can still see a lone standing rock (like a needle) that used to support the bridge.
The castle is definitely meant for visitors who have difficulty with their limbs. There are lots of climbing, some places steep and without much hand rail support. (Safety is definitely not top of their minds!) Becareful, that you do not slip off at the edge of the castle!
The castle compound is huge but most of the towers and buildings have fallen into ruins. Definitely not as well preserved as Krak des Chaveliers. Nevertheless it is really magnificent to have such a castle sitting atop a steep and treacherous mountain overlooking the valleys beneath it.
There are a few crusader towers, citadels, baths, a tower of leadership, defensive walls, the palace as well as a mosque which was added by the Muslims.
After a long walk around the castle (it was good exercise in the summer heat), we descended the castle and headed for lunch. Our driver proposed a lunch by a lake called Mashqita. Obviously he did not really know the way as we took a long way south to Latakia city before heading north again to Mashqita. Nevertheless, it was a nice place for lunch, overlooking a huge large which has been dammed. We had “samak”, i.e. fish which is quite a rarity in Syria. After a heavy lunch, we headed back to Jisr Al Shoghour.
On the way, there was a police checkpoint manned by two policemen in plain clothes holding some old rifles. As usual they were curious to see a few foreigners in the car. But after finding out that we were Malaysians working a power station, they smiled and greeted us with a warm welcome! That’s a privilege for Malaysians traveling in the Middle East! We continued our journey and reached home around 4.30pm. It was a long 150km road trip!
The area around the castle was said to be quite strategic since the Phoenicians controlled in the 1st millennium BC. It fell to the Crusaders before it was finally captured by Saladin in 1188. Much of the present ruins date back to Saladin’s time. There used to be a drawbridge to the castle. Although the bridge is now gone, you can still see a lone standing rock (like a needle) that used to support the bridge.
The castle is definitely meant for visitors who have difficulty with their limbs. There are lots of climbing, some places steep and without much hand rail support. (Safety is definitely not top of their minds!) Becareful, that you do not slip off at the edge of the castle!
The castle compound is huge but most of the towers and buildings have fallen into ruins. Definitely not as well preserved as Krak des Chaveliers. Nevertheless it is really magnificent to have such a castle sitting atop a steep and treacherous mountain overlooking the valleys beneath it.
There are a few crusader towers, citadels, baths, a tower of leadership, defensive walls, the palace as well as a mosque which was added by the Muslims.
After a long walk around the castle (it was good exercise in the summer heat), we descended the castle and headed for lunch. Our driver proposed a lunch by a lake called Mashqita. Obviously he did not really know the way as we took a long way south to Latakia city before heading north again to Mashqita. Nevertheless, it was a nice place for lunch, overlooking a huge large which has been dammed. We had “samak”, i.e. fish which is quite a rarity in Syria. After a heavy lunch, we headed back to Jisr Al Shoghour.
On the way, there was a police checkpoint manned by two policemen in plain clothes holding some old rifles. As usual they were curious to see a few foreigners in the car. But after finding out that we were Malaysians working a power station, they smiled and greeted us with a warm welcome! That’s a privilege for Malaysians traveling in the Middle East! We continued our journey and reached home around 4.30pm. It was a long 150km road trip!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Power Cuts and More Power Cuts
The season of power cuts is now back in Syria. When I first arrived, there was a series of power cuts as it was winter with all the heaters running at full blast. It was practically impossible for any power station outage then due to the shortfall of supply. There was daily power cut lasting anything from 1 to 3 hours each day. It seems that they take turns to cut off supply to different parts of the provinces.
Then all was okay as it entered spring as we no longer need to use the heaters. But now, summer is starting (actually it still feels cold where I'm staying) and maybe some areas are becoming warm. So again, there is a shortfall of energy as more people are turning ON their A/Cs. Looks like I'll have to bear with the power cuts for some time to come.
So for all Malaysians.... do not complaint about TNB. At least we do not have to bear with power shortage every day!
Then all was okay as it entered spring as we no longer need to use the heaters. But now, summer is starting (actually it still feels cold where I'm staying) and maybe some areas are becoming warm. So again, there is a shortfall of energy as more people are turning ON their A/Cs. Looks like I'll have to bear with the power cuts for some time to come.
So for all Malaysians.... do not complaint about TNB. At least we do not have to bear with power shortage every day!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Krak des Chaveliers
It was yet another busy Friday weekend as we continued our sightseeing tour of Syria. This time we visited Krak des Chaveliers (Fortress of the Knights) which is near the Lebanese border. This fortress is dubbed "probably the best Crusader castle there is...". And indeed it stands mighty atop a hill overlooking Syria. The locals call it the Citadel of Hosn. The castle looks almost exactly as it did 800 year ago. It guards the only major pass between Antioch (now in modern-day Turkey) and Beirut.
Tiger’s Milk (عرَق)
Fancy drinking “Tiger’s Milk”? This Syrian drink refers to a kind of liquor known as “Arak”. Arak in Syria does not mean all kinds of liquor as it would be in Malay. It refers to a local brew of liquor which is clear in color. It turns white like milk when mixed with ice or water. Hence, the name Tiger’s Milk. Alcohol content is actually quite high at 51%.
Some quick info on Palmyra (تدمر)
Palmyra is ancient city of Syria located in an oasis in the desert, off the road to Baghdad. It is a World Heritage Site. It is known as “Bride of the Desert” and used to a caravan stop for travelers crossing the Syrian desert. It was mentioned in the Old Testament as being fortified by Solomon. It flourished during the Roman times.
There are temple ruins once dedicated to Aramean, Babylonian and Mesopotamian deities.
Palmyra attained prominence in the 3rd century BC when it became a major hub on the main routes of the east-west trade. It was a connection point between the western world and the Orient.
Palmyra was part of the Roman empire during the reign of Tiberius and grew ever more important as a trade route linking Persia, India, China and the Roman empire.
Palmyra was captured by the Muslim Arabs in 634 where a castle was then built atop a hill overlooking the city. This castle is now known as the Arabic Citadel. In 1089, a major earthquake destroyed Palmyra. The ancient city of Palmyra then fell into oblivion and was only rediscovered in 1678 by two English merchants living in Aleppo.
The present day ruins of Palmyra is quite extensive and is testimony to the once grand and flourishing city. Much of the ruins are located around a huge boulevard named the Grand Colonnade. It consists of huge Corinthian columns, monumental arches. Ruins of the agora, senate and a huge theater can still be found. At the end of the Colonnade are the tetrapylon which once served as the main roundabout.
Nearby, one can also visit the Temple of Bel which was dedicated to the supreme God of Gods in those days! There are also some tombs around the site. For those who would like to enjoy a night scene of Palmyra, there are hotels beyond the ruins site.
The nearby modern town of Tadmur is home to about 30,000 residents. You can also find restaurants serving good Arabic food as well as souvenir shops.
Info from Sacred Destinations
There are temple ruins once dedicated to Aramean, Babylonian and Mesopotamian deities.
Palmyra attained prominence in the 3rd century BC when it became a major hub on the main routes of the east-west trade. It was a connection point between the western world and the Orient.
Palmyra was part of the Roman empire during the reign of Tiberius and grew ever more important as a trade route linking Persia, India, China and the Roman empire.
Palmyra was captured by the Muslim Arabs in 634 where a castle was then built atop a hill overlooking the city. This castle is now known as the Arabic Citadel. In 1089, a major earthquake destroyed Palmyra. The ancient city of Palmyra then fell into oblivion and was only rediscovered in 1678 by two English merchants living in Aleppo.
The present day ruins of Palmyra is quite extensive and is testimony to the once grand and flourishing city. Much of the ruins are located around a huge boulevard named the Grand Colonnade. It consists of huge Corinthian columns, monumental arches. Ruins of the agora, senate and a huge theater can still be found. At the end of the Colonnade are the tetrapylon which once served as the main roundabout.
Nearby, one can also visit the Temple of Bel which was dedicated to the supreme God of Gods in those days! There are also some tombs around the site. For those who would like to enjoy a night scene of Palmyra, there are hotels beyond the ruins site.
The nearby modern town of Tadmur is home to about 30,000 residents. You can also find restaurants serving good Arabic food as well as souvenir shops.
Info from Sacred Destinations