Chinese New Year

February 27, 2007
We were a little underwhelmed about Chinese New Year in Penang. My friend said: "You will not get much sleep because of all the fireworks" .. Well, I didn't see any fireworks at all, and only heard a few firecrackers. Most of our Chinese friends went home to visit their parents on the Malaysian mainland. The stores use it as an opportunity to sell stuff, similar to our Christmas season. And the workers and servants talk it up big in order to get their "Ang Pows" - little red envelopes stuffed with money. The stores are all in colusion because everywhere you go the month before the New Year, they give you the "Ang Pow" envelopes for free, and then the locals are "kind" enough to explain the tradition of giving away money, and then the radio stations have days and days where people call in to say how much to put in the envelopes. However they also give "Ang Pows" to children, so Fernandito and Mati received 3 or 4 envelops each with a few ringet and some yummy oranges, and we did see a Chinese Lion dance. So all in all, it was better than working for those days.

Funny quote of the week: Every few hours, everywhere you go, you can here the Muslim prayers on the loud speakers because there are mosques everywhere in the city. It sounds quite nice and soothing, so as we were driving by a big mosque, I lowered my window to get a better listen. Just then the Imam started a new prayer, and Mati shouted "Tarzan,Tarzan, where is he!?!!"

Bahasa Malay/Spanish word of the week: Grajapo - That's the sugar cane juice (guarapo) sold on the street corners by the stinky guys dripping their sweat (Grajo) into the pot.

We're having fun, the more we're here!

Google Earth Coordinates

February 12, 2007

Our House:
Lattitude: 5°25'16.02"N
Longitude: 100°17'42.54"E

DALAT International School - where Dito & Mati go:
Lattitude 5°28'4.55"N
Longitude: 100°17'24.74"E

Motorola, where we work:
Lattitude: 5°19'34.90"N
Longitude: 100°17'4.07"E

Thaipusam

February 11, 2007
Ayer fue Thaipusam. Con todo lo raro que parece, fue una experienza bien linda. Mi mama fue con Fernando y yo, y le gusto mucho tambien. Esta es un fiesta de los Hindus, donde hacen procesion para 3 millas subiendo la loma. La fiesta dura 3 dias, y tocan musica bien chevere. Las mujeres cargan con ofrendas de leche y cocos, pero hay algunos hombres que se enganchan anzuelos y espadas para acer sacrificios.

Hot Dry Season

February 11, 2007
We're entering the hot/dry season hear in Penang, no rain, but its really not all that hot, reminds me of summer in Miami. Chinese New Year is next week, Feb 18, and is really a big celebration here. There are lights on all the streets, and everything is decorated in Red and Gold (and Pink, the "new" red). This is the year of the Pig, and he is supposed to bring in prosperity so there are these tacky pink piggies with plastic golden coins and dollars signs everywhere. It's really pretty funny.

I was watching the golfers from my balcony. Here the ladies golf in the morning, and have a caddy hold the umbrella to keep the sun off them while they golf. There are no golf carts so everyone walks, except the security guard who rides up and down the golf course on his motorcycle!