An Afternoon Chillout At Citrus, Miri

We just had our morning breakfast at Sin Yakin and dropped by at a home deco shop for a quick check on items CLEARANCE SALE after had seen earlier on our way passing by, a huge banner hanging on the front of the shop announcing of its items up for grab with discount up to 70 percent off the original price.

It was a good grab nevertheless for some small deco items for someone who's into western style home or cozy western themed living room.

Friendship and love's portrait at Citrus.

At lunch, my friend suggested that we should try out the new eating establishment located somewhere along Jalan Sylvia. I won't refuse when it comes to food as trying out new eating establishments at places I'm traveling to is part of traveling places' excitement in itself although Miri is not new to me, but I've missed out many new eating establishments over the one and a half year in Miri before moving to Sibu.

We headed there after a walk at Bintang Plaza shopping mall. A waitress welcomed us with a warm smile, greeted us hospitably as the restaurant glass door was pulled open for us. The cozy restaurant serves mostly western cuisine you can order from western burgers to all kinds of appetisers, snacks and all like 'ah moh' savories available to try.

Catch up with friends.

The smell of cheese in beef baked rice covered in cream sauce and melted cheese tempts me for the craving of cheesy-cheese's sake. I ordered my afternoon dish filled with cheesy cheese, had a piece of cheese cake and...

It was an afternoon with, say 'cheese' smile on our faces :)

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Blocked Out .... !

My weekend was spent chilling with friends in Miri. After that heavy dinner and had good time catching up with old friends whom I've not met for a long time. I am contented. I spent the Sunday afternoon listening to the sound of the falling rain....

Checking who's online.

Telling me what a fool I've been.... I came back online this morning to what I thought I shouldn't have to encounter with anymore, I swear! with those apologies, I guess by now it's really proven that they meant nothing good at all! I found a guy nicknamed himself Kazuo Kiriyama's message on my msn, addressed me using my Chinese name **, "How's it feel... ? I know you enjoy it..." obviously he was directing it to his shooting with vulgar and defaming insults at me the other day before. It took me a while to figure out who it was with his new 'name' and why after all defaming insults he's thrown at me and here I am trying to make peace with apologies which I know he doesn't even care what more to say care enough to render but I do? His qualms and his anger that he never even care who he's shooting at. And yet I have to admit on my own willingness that I was wrong only to be ridiculed by him? Sigh~~~~~~~~ wtf?

If you want to know "how's it feel?...and if I have really enjoyed all your defaming insults" I'm telling you, I am feeling MENTALLY DEMENTED, psychotic if that would make you a happy man.

You know, I should not have tried too hard to save what's already beyond help. Maybe it has never meant anything at all to you in the first place. I don't know. Even given a beginner's luck, knowing you is bad luck enough. Blocked out....

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I love Miri.... It was not long ago when I was in Miri that Danawa Resources Sdn. Bhd. (is the first and only Internet Service Provider in Sarawak to offer ubiquitous Wireless Internet connectivity in the resort city of Miri) launched their DeConnexion WiFi service. And now with Wi-Fi "Hotzones" throughout the city centre in the first phase of its rollout plan most Mirians can enjoy free internet.

I got to surf internet on deConnexion at Krokop area and it's free of charge until Dec 31st 2008 only.

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Love Binds Them Together

Love brought them together, joined them together and love binds them together.

This is the third wedding matrimony and reception I've attended this month.

The Saturday evening's wedding reception at Eastwood Palace Ballroom saw guests, many friends and family members of both newly wed from all over Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei came and filled the 50+ tables ballroom at Eastwood Palace, Miri.

It rained in the morning.
That afternoon, the sun shone down brightly and accompanied by drizzles at the garden wedding party. In the evening the rain poured down in torrent.

Nevertheless, the exchanging of marriage vows' ceremony at the garden party that afternoon was wonderful and attended by about 100 family members and close friends.

I had one fruit tart at the party :)

Look like Eastwood Valley is fast becoming famous and an ideal place for wedding party and wedding reception in Miri lately.

The weekend was great, mostly because I met friends I've not seen for a long time at the wedding and I had Miri's kolok mee, Miri's laksa at Yakin Cafe and went for a little drive and shopping at Parkson :) *I accidentally deleted the previous post entry on Citrus.

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Weddings In Miri

I feel like it's been ages since I left Miri. Arrived late in the afternoon, Miri was like... , I have been missing the seahorse little city so much mainly for the fellowship of friends, missing also were the fellowship of 'pukat' (net fishing) at Luak Bay, Sunday fellowships of friendly volleyball matches at Airport Road and the fellowship of BBQ at Jeffrey's at weekends.

Those were, although years before my last return to Miri... the memory of the fellowships are still so much alive in me and I've been yearning for the revive of the fellowships since. Nevertheless, whenever we meet at functions such as one of our friends' wedding, we would talk about those days back then.

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Saturday, I attended two friends' wedding matrimony both on the same day. I'd never felt so much exhausted yet so much joy to see friends that finally joined together in matrimony celebrated the day with family members and friends all around.

In the morning, we took a cab to Canada Hill where the matrimony was to be held in a church. A morning that brought a little drizzle then followed by warm sunny afternoon when we left Canada Hill for Krokop for another friend's wedding after the lunch at the church compound.

Both friends' wedding saw a large group of friends and family members from everywhere, they came in their most elegant and the best of the day.

The Slideshow of both weddings by Picasa Web album.

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Family members and old folks from Belaga filled the church hall at the wedding in the afternoon.

The beautiful atmosphere of, 'this is the day', I was so enthralled by the beauty of the bride and the serenity of both wedding services. Two weddings and we had two wedding receptions to attend in the evening that follows. I attended the friend's wedding reception at Eastwood Palace, Eastwood Valley.

At the banquet ballroom, my heart was again so enthralled, I was filled with wonder and delight at the atmosphere of the night. It was so beautiful and the whole event ran smoothly without a hitch.

I love the banquet ballroom decorations and the elegance of the night. I love weddings :) The night started off with the native traditional dancers marched in on their traditional Sape music followed by the newly wed couple and the applause from over 300 guests inside the banquet ballroom.

He in his two-tone grey-purple suit and she in her elegant purple evening gown, the astounding dress enhanced the beauty of the bride. Her simple beauty had a modest, angelic charm and the imperceptible smile which always hovered about her lips seemed to be a reflection of her heart of the joyous moment of her life.

The meal was excellent, the table settings were delightful.

The little girl staring in awe at the beauty of the bride.

We had a fabulous night :)

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Education Award Dinner

I attended Rurum Kelabit Sarawak (Education Award Cum Dinner) the yearly event organised by the Rurum Kelabit Sarawak or Persatuan Kelabit Sarawak (in Bahasa) to appreciate Kelabit children excellence achievements in their public examinations.

As usual, the evening comes with few presentations of cultural dances by the community members and other culture as well.

Lian from Bario performing Kelabit's warrior dance.

That evening function had a special guest, Managing Director of Malaysia Airlines System (MAS) and CEO Datuk Seri Idris Jala a member of the Kelabit tribe from the Bario to give an encouraging speech on his formula to success.

I was touched by his testimony in his speech to the Kelabit community on his strive to save MAS from near bankruptcy when he took over the post as MAS Managing Director. It hasn't been a smooth ride especially with many challengers and eyes focus on him right from the first day he assumes duties as new MAS Managing Director to 'rescue' MAS ('sick patient' as he described MAS in his speech last night at the dinner that can't be helped with only taking Panadols but a surgery is needed) He mentioned on how he was called names such as MAS stands for 'Mati Anak Sarawak' by certain people defaming him to that he answered them back MAS stands for 'Masalah Akan Selesai' and in withing 18 months the Kelabit from Bario (indigenous tribe of Sarawak) delivered the results.....

The recovery of Malaysia Airlines from near bankruptcy to profitability in less than 18 months is an object lesson in hope for struggling carriers. Idris Jala, the former oil industry executive who has become the Kuala Lumpur flag carrier’s white knight, explained to TOM BALLANTYNE how he has achieved the near impossible. It may not be pretty, but Malaysia Airlines (MAS) managing director Idris Jala’s style is damned effective. MAS was on the ropes after losing a record RM1.3 billion (US$377.9 million) in 2005 when he was headhunted to perform miracles and turn the airline around. Read more>>

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Miri's Seahorse and Airport Road Outcrop

It was April Fool's day yesterday.

'Airport Road Outcrop', the formation is made up of sandstones and mudstones from the Miri Formation, deposited in a shallow marine environment some 10-15 million years ago.
View from the outcrop site, the Airport Road housing area.

The Miri Formation is the structural history of the Miri Formation, and provided a good analogue to the oil and gas fields offshore Miri. (The Borneo Post March 23, 2008)
Hmm.. It's a Geological wonder, I guess only the geologists can explain them more in details. I happen to read the article from our local Sunday Post (Borneo Post)
Can see my right foot where I stand on the rock/outcrop.

At a glance, it looks nothing more than just one of the many rock formation. I had never really noticed the geological wonder until I come close about it recently and touched for myself what I actually had missed for the past many years.
Worn out and faded information board of the outcrop at the site.

As a matter of fact, this is the place I was once a regular. At almost every early hours in the morning I'd walk from Brighton (opposite Miri Marriott), through Taman Bumiko and up the hill and back to Brighton again that took me approximately 1.5hrs of walk (to keep fit) every morning for almost three years during those days in Miri. (This is also the hill where we had our 'stamina building', building strength and stamina before our every Mt. Murud trip/climb)
Outcrop from Taman Awam Park.

Amazing! I'd never noticed the outcrop and thought it was just any ordinary rock by the roadside until today.

Crossing over from where the outcrop site is the Taman Awam Miri (Miri public park) that was built around 2000-1 (can't remember which year) and I haven't been there either until just recently.
A place for afternoon walk and family weekend together. This 24.6-acre park offers an opportunity to conquer your fear of walking on a suspension bridge.
A large modern children play structure built here is extremely popular.
In Miri every park you go to, got 'seahorse' ... children at the pool.
There are flora gardens, souvenir center, canteen, an observatory platform, children's playground, stone carving, fountains, pavilions and jogging track..
View from observatory platform at the park. Hilltop Garden, Riam Road housing area.

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Marina Bay Seafood Restaurant

It was sometime around this week that I saw the signboard to Marina Bay has already being put up. Giving the direction to Marina Bay Seafood Restaurant.
I had one Marina Bay Seafood lunch today and came to know the soft opening of the new restaurant. It was actually just open barely a week ago. The waitress that attended to me is from Philippines (most workers are Filipinos) we had a little chat while I check on their menu.
At the entrance to the restaurant, Balinese garden lamps along the way leading visitors to the restaurant. As I mentioned on my previous post, the restaurant has the ambiance of Balinese, the Balinese woods carving on the walls, it's a wooden restaurant house and bamboo roofing.
The double storey restaurant housed seafood restaurant on the upstairs and the coffee house at the ground floor (where live band performs and liquors are allowed).
The entrance to the coffee house with Baliness as their theme.

Before I settle for my lunch, I decided to take a little walk around the restaurant (I was probably one of the most earliest customers to arrive on that day and actually it was not even open for lunch yet.)
However, that gave me plenty of time to enjoy the views by the seaside, while waiting for my food to be served, I sat there looking into the greenish-blue sea, the sea breeze except there is no sand beach, boulders are placed along the beach to prevent beach erosion when sea rush on the shore.
The magnificent sea views.

I guess the most romantic moments is the beautiful skyline at sunset. Sometimes you may catch dolphins swimming by in pairs. It creates a romantic moment.
Fishermen on their boats.
Seahorse lighthouse as seahorse is Miri's most famous landmark.

I'm not sure what are these place (next to the restaurant) for, they don't look like chalet either. Look more likely it's going to be a house of spa or something, or maybe conference or meeting rooms.
The setting in the restaurant, it's the sea views that make it so different from other restaurants in the city. Marina Park is still considered an isolated and quiet place away from hectic city's atmosphere. I like it here, it offers you some privacy, quiet and I guess most importantly you don't inhale traffic exhaust fumes like in the city but all you'll get is the salt sea breeze and airy feeling.

Will bring my date here one of these days :)
The front view facing Miri city, the river is clean sometimes the Maritim (Police Marine) boats can be seen patrolling by.
In the morning, most you can hear when the sea is calm and the atmosphere is really quiet is the birds chipping.
And after 30mins my lunch arrived. Fresh Carrot Juice and bow ties seafood/clam pasta.
The bow ties (for me) look more like cooked in one of the local-style delicacies (lots of chopped chilies, spicy and sour soup) the only thing is they called this dish Seafood Pasta.

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