Kyoto..Kyoto...京都。。。

Kyoto is a wonderful and mesmerizing city. I am not saying this purposely as I am currently studying here, but I am sure that there were million others who agreed with me. Not only special to Japan, Kyoto is nevertheless special to the world. Like the city of Paris in Europe, which being spared by Hitler's bomb, Kyoto is actually the 'preferred target' during the WWII but being saved by the passion of a man towards this lovely city [M. Coslett, Kansai Scene].

Hiroshima was tragically bombed by the US air raid on the morning of August the 6th, 1945. But until 21st July 1945, Kyoto is actually the city targeted for the atomic bombing. The US Target committee's requirements for the city to be bombed is that the bombing should cause the greatest psychological impact and that its intellectual residents would be able to appreciate the significance of the weapon. However, Stimson who was back then the Secretary of War objected by stating "..long history as cultural centre of Japan...and great many reasons." One of the reasons is that Stimson himself had known and admired Kyoto since his honeymoon here several decades earlier. I am sure that US may have bigger reasonable arguments towards not to bomb Kyoto but what I wish to emphasized here is that Kyoto will always leaved a sweet marking in the heart of whoever visited her. Japanese also testified that they mourned the bombing of Hiroshima, but they were glad that something as beautiful as Kyoto survived the war.

I woke up late this morning noticing heavy snow outside. Cycling to the lab is nice in this chilly weather but have to take extra precautions due to poor visibility. Kyoto...a nice city to be visited but not so nice to be lived in. Reasons>>Summer is really really dry and hot, winter is really really cold..but the bonus is that it also offers the best place for viewing Sakura in the spring and Momiji (Maple) leaves during the autumn...Feel free to come and experience it by yourself..seeing is believing...

Stress management...

Since I came to Japan on April last year, I haven't seen something scarier than last week incidence. This incidence happened at the Shugakuin Station, an electric tram line running up from Demachiyanagi to Yase-Eizanguchi and Kurama. We (Me, Firdaus, Omak, Mc, Nuru, Cik Sal, Muji) were on our way back from Abg Amir & Kak Mar's house after a New Year Party cum Kenduri Maal Hijrah at that time.

A Japanese guy with a backpack wearing MP3 earphones was sitting at the terminal when we arrived. He is not so fat but above average in size. This guy sings to himself what seems to be a song that he is currently hearing. Omak who loves to speak his mind suddenly said in his renowned dialect utagha, 'tu bukannya betoi tue..satgi entah-entah dia p terjun bunuh dighi' (Northern part of Malaysia's dialect meaning 'That guy is suspicious..Looks like he wish to commit suicide'). I didn't fully agreed with him and asked him not to judge people at first sight. But later, the guy walks along the terminal and passing us by with a cynical stare but did nothing. He walked to the edge of the station and stands there about 5 metre from us. While we were busy chatting, we could hear the sound of the nearby road-crossing alarm as a sign that the tram is arriving. While preparing our things, we could already see the tram from far and shockingly in a split second, the guy jumped onto the rail, tried to touch something at the barrier and pretended that he didn't noticed that the tram is coming. At that time, the girls were already screaming but none of us did anything accept looking away from the scene not to see this tragic incidence with our eyes. Lucky for that guy that the tram managed to stop before hitting him and a terminal inspector ran out of nowhere in a sudden to pull him up and took him to the office. I guessed he will be surrendered to the police or mental institution afterwards.

This is the first suicide mission I have ever seen with my own eyes in my life. Something important to be learned from this incidence is that we have to try to manage our stress wisely. Suicide is not the answer for unsolved problems. When life gives you a lemon, make a lemonade. When you feel like everything is this world turns it back on you, don't ever try to quit life but try to make it better. If you can't solved it by yourself..try God..try family..try friends.. If you have none of that, search for one..at least that could make you forget your problems for a while...

Everybody has its own special ways on how to manage stress..As for me, I am flexible to many options and in this chilling winter, I choose to go for a casual shopping while it still in the season of winter sale. Surveying presents is a good stress-reliever too cause when you make other people happy, you will feel happier. What catch me in the eye is that, shopping bags in Japan is always designed to attract customers or if not, to ease you in certain situation (Please refer to the pic, paper bags were wrapped with a thin plastic as outside is raining and the other is designed like a sling bag). Don't get too stress out of life and don't be afraid to ask if you have any doubts. The fall semester is coming to an end so I wish the best of luck to all in the upcoming exam. He who asks a question may be a fool for five minutes, but he who never asks a question remains a fool forever....

New Year! New Experience!

Happy New Year (Gregorian Calendar)!!! Salam Maal Hijrah 1429 too (Muslim Calendar)!! 明けましておめでとうございます！！For the whole week of new year holiday last week, I have spent it at Nagano, experiencing snow and also snowboarding for the first time in my entire 23 years of life!!! This definitely will be among the most memorable New Year although I do really miss to celebrate it in Malaysia with Shikin and bbq poker night at Alan's Place with budak koleq.

The place where I and another 31 participants of this MSAJ Kansai snowboarding trip went is called Hakuba Iwatake Ski Resort. I have asked the permission from my sensei to join this trip several weeks earlier in a bounenkai (new year's end party). At that time, he said jokingly that I have to be very careful...not about my safety..but be careful towards cute girls..Seems that sensei still possess a little sense of humour left out of his daily hectic schedule and strict personality. At the party, I also had my first experience in eating blow fish fugu- ikan buntal cooked by qualified licensed chef as per explained by my assoc prof and enjoying myself from amusing speech and memorabilia from newcomers in our lab, Natthanong, Pramila and Asmadi.

According to my assoc prof, there were three most expensive food in Japan. In the third place is fugu, followed by kani (crab-big red one with juicy flesh) in the second place. The champion is shockingly something very exotic which is the right hand of a bear!!kuma no migi te!! The right one is more expensive then the left as it is the one being used by the bear to reach for the honey...Certainly it is a rare information but I did not dare to eat a bear's hand...The right hand may be used to reach for the honey but might as well being used to slap a poacher's face to death..plus it's not really good to eat endangered species. ;) (the reason why I don't eat cheap and easily available whale's meat here).

Snowboarding is not an easy task for a first timer but after various of falling styles, I begin to catch up the most important aspects which is sliding with balance and nevertheless, you should kick out the fear of heights and speed and just let the adrenaline flows and the fun of it will follow next. After 2 days, amazingly that I have successfully managed to maneuver the board well and even simultaneously did the S-turn and switch from front to back as I wish. Thanks to Omaq, Nadzrul, Cik Sal for basic coaching and the amateurs team (Firdaus, Madi, Mc, Nuru) for a wonderful experience. Experienced snowboarders like Aca, Meri, Joto n Najmi said that this group is the most hayaii-quick learner among all and for me, that is a compliment. We also managed to make a snowman-yuki daruma courtesy of Potato, Carrot and Capsicum that Madi brought all the way from Kyoto, ate pricy unagi don-rice in a bowl with eel set and play poker on the second night onwards (everybody slept in ache on the first night). There is also a Hindustan movie screening, Om Shanti Om organised by Shawn and Dejj but I fell asleep exhaustively before the end of it.

While writing this, I got a visit from Aca, Najmi, Antu, Meri and Pdot all the way from Osaka for a short night trip to Kyoto. At 2 am, nothing that I could offer apart from jokes, stories, strawberry and peach juice. Hereby with this post, I do attached some of the photos during my trip. In life, you should try what you want while you have the opportunity to do it. Or else, when you carry a heavy responsbility as a father or head of the family later, you might regret that you did not live your bachelor's life to the fullest of it. To all, be good and be bold...It's a beginning of a new chapter again this year so make sure it will be a great one...