Sri Lanka Adventure Holiday (21st Jan -26th Jan 2012)

A warm welcome by Mr.Kumar,our driver and guide for the next six days.
An evening out for the elephant ride next to our hotel, Cinnamon Lodge which has a beautiful natural surrounding.
Dabbulla Cave: The history of the caves dates back to the 1st and 2nd century and is listed under the Unesco World Heritage Site. It has some 48 statues of Lord Buddha and some Hindu gods.
Polonnaruwa, The Ancient Kingdom of Reservoirs: It was the former capital of Sri Lanka and is listed under the Unesco World Heritage Site. There are many well preserved ruins of palaces and temples, like the Nissanta Laka Mandaya with the pavilion used for chanting Buddha's teaching and Gal Vihare RockTemple, a group of colossal Buddha statues carved out of a granite boulder.
Sirigiya Rock Fortress: We climbed about 1200 steps from the entrance to reach the top and about 920 steps down. Not recommended for those who are suffering from acrophobia.

The Sigiriya Rock Fortress had been listed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. From afar, the rock looks spectacular. Legend has it that King Kassapa (AD 477 – 495, almost 1600 years old) sought a place where he can fortify himself after overthrowing and murdering his own father to become the rightful heir. It also served as a monastery during the period 3rd century BC and 10th century AD.

The Lion Paws Terrace which is half way to the top.
Kandy: Temple of the Tooth which is believed to house the left upper tooth of the Lord Buddha. Another Unesco World Heritage site. We checked-out from Cinnamon Lodge at 5.30am for Kandy and along the way visited one of the many spice gardens. We almost got coerced into buying the many unnecessary ayuverdic herbs which are highly priced. You got to be careful of what to buy.

From Kandy we traveled to Nuwara Eliya to visit the tea plantations and stopped for lunch at the Rambada Waterfall restaurant with a beautiful scenery. Having bought some tea leaves for souvenir at Labookelle Tea Centre and some free cups of tea, we moved on to Yala. On the way we stopped for rest at the Ramana Water Fall which is equally beautiful. We finally reached Yala and checked in at the hotel at 6.00pm.And that is almost 13 hours of traveling, making it the longest car journey in my life!
Nuwara Eliya: Something like Cameron Highlands but there are some beautiful waterfalls along the way, like this Rawana Ella Waterfall.

Yala Safari Park: We saw many peacocks, some elephants, deers and others but just do not have the luck to see the leopards which the park is famous for.
We came and we saw; dolphins and blue whales swimming right before our eyes! It was sheer joy and ecstasy when the whale dipped its tail in the water. This whale and dolphin watching tour is organized by Mirissa Water Sports. The boat used is bigger as compared with other operators and the staff are professional in guiding the tourists during the tour.

Greeting to all Malaysians !

Happy New Year to all................and I will be off tomorrow to Sri Lanka for my family CNY holiday.

Happy Deepavali to all !

Greeting to all muslimin and muslimat

A Thank You Message No.4

The Sarawakians have woken and they have spoken
For far too long, the rules of govern have been broken
This sheer ignorance raises the people to be emboldened
And now the people have woken, we must ensure that BN be forgotten

Fret not without the two-third majority in the state
It is the parliament seats that are at stake
Come next GE, we must decide for our children sake
A wrong vote will put us behind by another decade

Forests gone, money gone and even human can be explosively gone
When the rule of law seems forlorn, the bankruptcy of the country is a foregone
Promise this, promise that and talk this, talk that but for years, the people have been conned
MCA or MIC, Gerakan or SUPP, they are nothing but to be used as pawn

Umno shouts of threats and racial slurs
What a great way for injustices and unfairness to unfurl
The FD in Sarawak for BN has mature
Putrajaya is in the hands for PR to capture

Malaysia, Oh Malaysia, a land with beauty and plenty
To lead and to guide is everyone's duty
Let us come together to make this country with greater bounty
Before it is too late for us to say sorry

Related posts: here , here , here

US Foreign Interventions: Folly or Bully

During the 60s to the 70s, when the US was involved in the Vietnam War, the phrase 'Make peace,not war' and 'Give peace a chance' were used by the Americans to denounce the government of its involvement in a war that brings no benefits but deaths to the thousands of young American soldiers.

The massive protest in front of the White House by the thousands of Americans, from the students to the ordinary at the height of the Vietnam War, has stunned the government so much that it reciprocated by using force to subdue the protests.

In one of the speeches on TV in 1970, President Nixon put on a brave front and declared:'We will not be humiliated and defeated by the North Vietnamese'. And to the chagrin of the Americans, he even expanded the war into Laos and Cambodia, triggering massive protests.
And hardly had the words settled in the mind of the Americans, the North Vietnamese took over Saigon and the Americans fled South Vietnam to eat humble pie at home.

Th current involvement of the US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan is akin to deja vu of the Vietnam War albeit with a difference: there is oil to fight for. Never mind the thousands of American soldiers who are killed on duty. As far as the US government is concern, it is a price worth paying for.

The military might of the US army is the most powerful in the world and with its strong advocate of democratic values, has make the US as a country for many to either look for protection or guidance. Hence, like a big brother, it further hedges its military might around the world.

The rise of India and China as the new economic power house has make the US government to rethink its policies towards these countries. The economy of China has overtaken Japan and is poised to overtake US as the biggest economy in the world. When China unveiled its ability to build stealth fighter plane, the US like the rest of the world is awed. Maybe there are more technological advances which the world has not seen yet. And together with its military force, the People's Liberation Army, which is the biggest in the world, China is now being view as a new superpower:from economy to military.

The huge trade surpluses of the Chinese economy with the US has being a thorn for the US economy for years. And to shift the balance of trade to its favor, the US has tried to pester China to devalue its currency, blaming it as the main source of the imbalance in trade between the two countries.

Will China kowtow to the Americans?

While China is exploring for greater economic pie through diplomatic ties throughout the world, the US is interfering in world affairs through its military might, with Libya being the latest.

The outcry of the Arab League of the attack by the French,British and the US forces is indeed a cause for concern. Such an attack is being perceived as an attack by the West against the Muslim world.

And such perception, when dangerously played up by the many Osamas, will give rise to further extremist attacks against the West.

What is the cost of human suffering that can be considered justifiable for war?

When diaster struck,let us pray this will not happen in Malaysia

Fireman Ali: We must search for the Malay survivors first.
Fireman Chong: No, no no! We must search for the Chinese first!
Fireman Muthu: Hey! What about the Indians? We must search for the Indians first.