Ako ay Pilipino (I am Filipino)

I have waited for this month to write a blog about my nationality/race. The title says it all. No fancy words nor catchy phrases. I don't want to use the cliche term "proud to be...". I find that it sounds arrogant and boastful. I guess the best way of putting it is "I am BLESSED to be a Filipino". Why? Let me tell you a few reasons in the form of stories. Hopefully it wouldn't bore you or make you fall asleep but enlighten you about us folks.

A couple of years ago, I had the privilege of studying and working (part-time) in a foreign land. My cousin and I have both enrolled in a college that offered a course in health & social care. I can still remember filling out their student forms and I frowned at the options as there was no "Filipino/Pilipino" or even my home country on the list. We had to write under "Others, please specify" instead. But when the instructor learned that we were Filipinos, she beamed at us and smiled. She obviously has met a lot of carers and students who are like us.

My aunt and her colleagues (all Pinoys) always tell us about how "proud" they are of how we work. In terms of enduring all types of stress and even managing to do part-time odd jobs like babysitting, house cleaning and even selling food in their offices, you bet we can turn night into day or day into night (depending on what work shift you're on). Everyone kept encouraging us that once we get into the routine, it'll be easy peasy.

Me and my cousin worked for a domiciliary care home about 30 minutes away from where my aunt lives. At first it is difficult to absorb every information they are trying to teach you but after 2 weeks, we were surprised we are close to making it a habit. Our bosses (a couple who have worked as carers before) were very appreciative and kind to us. They noticed we learned quickly the daily routine of the clients and have commended us for our dedication in the field. The idea of working hard and earning your keep was instilled in me by my family and even by how our nation viewed "having a job" which I believe helped me in focusing on what makes your boss happy and doing well. As a child, pinoys are taught, among a lot of other things, to trust in God and grow in your faith, respect the elderly, and study hard so you'll have a bright future ahead. This I have embraced and have also seen amongst a lot of Filipinos living abroad.

Life is tough and if you don't 'pull your finger out', you'll starve to death. This is another mindset that we have been brought up to believe in. That's why if you ask a child what he/she would like to be when he/she grows up, a quick reply would probably be somewhere along the lines of, "I want to be an engineer or a doctor or a nurse or a scientist". When asked why, they would simply answer back, "Because I want to help other people or I want to help my family rise up from poverty." While I was in that first world country, a teenager answered these same questions very differently. The girl said, "I want to be a hairdresser so I can color my hair." I couldn't believe what I just heard. Rich countries, I noticed, have all the means to support everyone - the senior citizens, the disabled/sick, the single parents with little to no monthly wages, and even the unemployed. It's like having a fall back in case you don't get any joy from working and you get bored you decided to quit. But for the unfortunate ones in my nation, the government cannot do anything to help alleviate their poor state. So everyone has to work and do something to earn money whether working odd jobs or selling food in the streets. And when given the opportunity (as most of us would love to work and live in a greener pasture), we grab it and do our best to keep on going to provide for our loved ones across the other end of the globe.

Respect is not just for parents or the governing authorities, we were raised to give due respect and be polite to everyone we meet. This trait I am so proud to see in the Filipino families abroad. They have made their children (even in a foreign land) to adapt this cultural heritage from old. I was surprised that the children would "bless" even to me and my cousin (considering we are just in our late 20's back then). The term "bless" is what we use to denote "kissing of the elderly's hand" or "placing the back of the elderly's hand on our foreheads". This has been taught from every generation to the succeeding generation and in the west wherein there is no more obvious respect for the geriatrics or even their own kin, I commend all the Filipino moms and dads who have raised their children as how they were raised by their own parents. Children in the Filipino community would even use "po" and "opo" - two words we add to every sentence and even to phrases when speaking to someone older than you no matter what age they may be.

With regards to faith, our country has embraced the religion imparted by the Spanish when they colonized the Philippines. And in a way, I am grateful because it became the means of placing our lives in a loving and gracious God. This I believe made Filipinos view life in a positive way. That in every trial, God is there. He will never leave you nor forsake you and that He will see you through in every problem you may encounter. I've learned that in western countries, people view depression as a form of illness. They take medications and see specialists to help them cope. On a lighter note, in my country, depression is cured once and for all, as what my alcoholic colleagues would recommend, by beer. After a drinking session with your beer buddies (as what they claim to do), you move on and do things right and forget about it. For the non-alcoholics, you cry, you vent out every painful memory and then get over it. In troubled times, your family and friends would be there to help you out. One for all and all for one, as the three musketeers would say.

People may belittle my race, scrutinize our ancestral lineage or think we're just a mix of different blood lines by mistake, but we are special and we have made our mark and will continue to show everyone (not in a boastful way) that we will set a good example of what a real person should be. I know we are still far from being one of the richest countries but we will get there eventually, by God's grace I know we will. A few years ago, a christian believer helped design and conceptualize the new peso bills. And on these paper bills he stood his ground in putting this verse (written in our native language) from the bible which says, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." ~ Psalm 33:12. This is the promise that I hold on to. That my beloved homeland will be so blessed that we will be a blessing not only in our neighbouring countries in Asia but to every single one around the world.

I am thankful that God made me a Filipino. I am not ashamed to say I am Filipino and even if I had to explain where exactly the Philippines is in the map up to the point where I had to tell stories of our history. I feel honored to share and encourage people to come and visit the 7,100+ islands. I remember the conversation I had with my workmates in the care home about my controversial country of origin. One of the guys said to me, "The first time I saw you, I thought you were Chinese. But when we heard you speak, we thought you were American." So I told him, "I'm neither. I am Filipino." And from then on they got curious as to what our country is like because they saw in me a glimpse of what to expect when working and being with a person from that unknown land somewhere in Asia.

Praise God for another year of being able to celebrate and commemorate our independence as a nation. I will continue to intercede for our nation and bless it not curse it. Blessing means speaking good things for ourselves, the government and the country as a whole. Cursing means degrading (or uttering bad and negative things) every single aspect of your homeland. A lot of famous (and unnamed) heroes have fought bravely to set us free from the tyranny of the conquerors of old. They believed that one day, though they wouldn't be able to see it, we will enjoy the freedom - from oppression, from poverty and all things that held them back from living a fully enjoyable life. And what they all believed in came true! The blood that they shed have paid for the liberty they have longed for and what we are sometimes neglecting now. I honestly believe the only thing we Pinoys can do is to love this country and continue to uphold the values we have been known for as Filipinos. It is what makes us genuinely unique from others.

As requested by a dear friend, here is the song entitled "Ako ay Pilipino" sung by Kuh Ledesma, one of the best singers of our country. It tells us what being a true Filipino is all about. To serve your homeland and put to good use the knowledge and God-given skills we all have.

Ako ay Pilipino
Ang dugo'y maharlika
Likas sa aking puso
Adhikaing kay ganda
Sa Pilipinas na aking bayan
Lantay na Perlas ng Silanganan
Wari'y natipon ang kayamanan ng Maykapal

Bigay sa 'king talino
Sa mabuti lang laan
Sa aki'y katutubo
Ang maging mapagmahal

CHORUS:
Ako ay Pilipino,
Ako ay Pilipino
Isang bansa isang diwa
Ang minimithi ko
Sa Bayan ko't Bandila
Laan Buhay ko't Diwa
Ako ay Pilipino,
Pilipinong totoo
Ako ay Pilipino,
Ako ay Pilipino
Taas noo kahit kanino
Ang Pilipino ay Ako!

The Avengers have assembled!

MARVEL Comics - The Avengers

A month ago, my husband and I went for a short trip to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia and have decided to watch a movie - The Avengers in 3D. I wouldn't consider myself as a huge fan of The Avengers although I have seen Iron Man 2 on cable channel a year ago. I am more of an X-Men fanatic, being able to follow religiously the cartoon TV series in the early 90's which they stopped airing for unknown reasons, and so I have no idea what the storyline would be. This movie was shown (worldwide I guess) a month before our holiday trip. I have read the reviews and have seen the trailers online and I got curious so I was the one who insisted we watch the film although not intentionally on 3D. The film was a huge hit in the Philippines. I'm pretty sure it topped every box office in every part of the globe as well.

Some facts that I have learned about The Avengers - both movie and the comics:
* Edward Norton was supposed to reprise his role as Bruce Banner/The Hulk. There were some problems with negotiations and so on so he was replaced by Mark Ruffalo. - I was taken aback at casting him not because he isn't fit for the part but because I've always watched him in Romcom films like 13 going 30 and Just Like Heaven.

* There were a number of other Avengers who were not included due to legal (copyright) issues. Marvel is hoping to get the rights to the licensed properties in the future. - Hopefully they would as I have learned that there are X-Men characters who joined the Avengers in the comics.

* To prepare for his role as Hawkeye, Jeremy Renner was trained by Olympic archers. - How cool is that? It paid off eventually and he played the part very well too.

* Dr Selvig refers to Clint Barton as the Hawk. In the comics, Clint Barton's superhero alias is Hawkeye. - Probably more fitting to call him Hawkeye than Hawk in my opinion.

(source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0848228/)

The Avengers movie has made everyone, comic book fan or not, ecstatic when they released the teaser trailer of the film which is what it did to me. They are a little bit different from the X-Men because their powers didn't come from their genes (in short they didn't have powers when they were born) hence why the X-Men are called mutants, their genes were a product of mutation. And some of the members of the Avengers - Hawkeye, Black Widow and Nick Fury are ordinary people who have been trained well in combat. What I loved about this film is that they started off as being "recruited" in a way that they don't know why they had to be working together. This was the bulk of the first 30-45 minutes of the film I guess. Although I must say it was a bit of the boring part to wait for the action scenes to come up. I did understand that this helps introduce the members of the team to the viewers one by one. I admire the scriptwriter for that. Also, the costumes were not tacky looking (or costume-y) as they were "modernized" to fit the 21st century. Take Hawkeye for example, his "suit" in the film is plain all black and his bow and arrow are "high-tech" as compared to his comic book outfit. Another praise goes to the creative group who did the Hulk. They actually used the actor (Mark Ruffalo) to portray the Hulk in virtual-camera motion-capture not as CGI so the Hulk is actually him. The whole movie would be too serious if not for the comedy punchlines of Iron Man/Tony Stark. I like how Robert Downey Jr. portrayed Iron Man as a funny guy. I think he was the one who left a striking mark on me among all the characters and the actors.

Speaking of actors, Chris Evans as Capt. America was okay although I can still remember him as the Human Torch in the two previous Fantastic Four franchise. I was wondering who will play that part now he is Captain America? Scarlett Johansson's portrayal of Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff was flawless. She spoke as if she is actually a German spy! Good job girl! I'm starting to like Jeremy Renner. Although his name is not that familiar to me, he did play the part very well. Robert Downey Jr., he already IS Iron Man. I don't think I'd be able to think of anyone who could play that part better than him. Chris Hemsworth reinvented Thor. He looks exactly like him. I can still picture out the cartoon series way back in the late 80's I think or early 90's and it does look like him in the flesh. Last but definitely not the least was Mark Ruffalo who gave me mixed feelings whether he can "be" the Hulk or he'd be an epic fail. Good job he gave a different take on Bruce Banner. A lot of actors have portrayed this comic book character and sadly none of them measured up to the actual person in the comics (in my opinion). I almost forgot, Samuel Jackson as Nick Fury. I am not familiar with this comic book character but I can tell from how Mr Jackson played this bit, he is awesome. He acted as if he is just in the same age range with the other Avengers. They couldn't have chosen anyone better than him. I am hoping the next sequel to the Avengers would surpass the first one and I'm hoping to see Wolverine (Hugh Jackman please!) and Spiderman (Tobey Maguire perhaps?) and other villains as well.

IMHO, this movie is best watched on the big screen (not to mention in 3D too!). The special effects are great. The story makes perfect sense in introducing everyone before the big battle scene although my husband was a bit bored in the first part because he said there was not a lot of action going on.  Choosing the actors for their roles were superb. I am definitely watching the next one. Over all, I'd give this movie a 9/10.

Day 3 - Hurry up and Wait

Day 3 in Kota Kinabalu

Hubby didn't get up early on our last day in Malaysia. He was still fast asleep after I had taken a shower and was still snoring even after I've packed my stuff away in my backpack. When he woke up, he told me he wants to stay longer and bragged about how comfy the bed was that he wanted to take it home to the Philippines. We got out of the hotel about 10-ish and both agreed to have breakfast at Burger King before we head to the airport. Unfortunately I have already packed the camera in my rucksack which I left in the room and forgot to take it with us so no meal pics today. I remember somebody telling me that in every country, a fast food franchise (in this case, Burger King) offers different types of burgers (and sauces or dressing) as opposed to their original variety from whichever country they came from. In Malaysia, they don't serve mayo with your ketchup as condiments when you order a burger, they have chilli sauce! We both had Chick N Crispy Burger with a choice of 3 different sauces - they are black pepper, salsa and barbecue. Vic picked black pepper and I opted for salsa because I thought it wouldn't be too spicy. Wrong! At first I was wondering why, when I am almost halfway through my sandwich, I haven't tasted any tomatoes or onions yet. Then I decided to open the burger and realized it is just chili sauce-flavored salsa or vice versa I guess. Vic noticed that the black pepper sauce is very strong. Good thing about their BK is they offer free refills for any drink which is great especially if your meal is really spicy.

We got back to the hotel to tidy up and chill for a bit prior to checking out a few minutes before 12pm. We crossed the street where there are taxis parked in an open lot and their drivers sitting idly by a shaded waiting area trying to cool themselves off from the hot sun. We asked beforehand how much it costs to go to the airport, their standard fee I guess is 30RM. We got to the airport around 12:30 and found us two seats by the lounge facing the check-in counters. This airport is really small just like DMIA but it is considered an international airport too.

Kota Kinabalu International Airport - Check-in counters

KK International Airport with the 2nd floor in view

We really don't have anywhere else to go, so hubby and I decided to just stay put inside the airport as the check-in counters don't open until 1:30 pm or so. There were a handful of souvenir shops - chocolates, perfumes, T-shirts and corals/shell-like decors (with "Sabah" or "Kota Kinabalu" hand painted on them) at the ground floor. Food shops/stalls, a restaurant offering traditional and modern Malaysian cuisine and a KFC dine-in is on the second floor. We had KFC for our lunch which fits the budget as we are on our way home anyway. I've noticed on this airport that the security from the outside as well as inside is not that tight. I'm not sure if there are CCTV cameras hidden but I have seen a lax in security personnel. There is only a rope and a 3 foot high metal barrier (which you can actually duck down and go in and out of and nobody will mind you) between the check-in counters and from where all the people sat. After they have scanned your luggage and placed a sticker that says "security scanned/checked", you can now line up at the check-in counter. As soon as you've checked-in, they scan your stuff again and you can now get into the pre-departure area which is totally crowded because everyone else has checked in and all are waiting for their planes to land on the tarmac. There are still some shops within that area but (just like every airport) more costly.

The queue of Air Asia passengers waiting to board a flight to Kuala Lumpur

Hubby got really bored waiting for our flight. He said it is longer to wait before checking in, queue at the check-in and then wait again to board the plane than the actual travel time from point A to point B. That's the way it goes. Unless you're the pilot or the cabin crew, you don't need to queue and wait. So I suggested that next time, he should bring something to read or just listen to my mp3 player.

We boarded the SEAir airbus earlier than we've expected. The flight coming to Kota Kinabalu was a bit delayed but thank goodness going back to Clark isn't. Unlike many "pasaway" (naughty/rule-breaking) passengers, I didn't dare ask my hubby to pose on cam so I can take a pic of him with the aircraft in the background. The camera-happy folks were told off by the ground staff for taking pics while walking towards the plane. We did however get to have our pic taken before taking off courtesy of the kind cabin crew who saw me taking a pic of Vic and volunteered to take our pic afterwards.

We encountered a very strong turbulence before landing in DMIA. Vic was scared to death. Lightning flashed over and over across the night sky outside the window. It was a call to keep calm and pray on. Vic was going on about whether it was really just a turbulence or something worse has happened to the old aircraft and we might crash in the water. I told him, "Hun, don't freak out. Have you tried praying perhaps?" But praise God we landed safe and sound and our plane in one piece. Time check was 7:30 pm thereabouts. There was a mad rush to the immigration so everyone can get their passports stamped, pick up their bags from the baggage carousel and go home. There were two immigration windows open that night, one is for Philippine passport holders and one is for Foreign passport holders but they were both empty! I think we were the only ones (the SEAir flight which came from KK) that arrived which is good. Vic got his passport stamped for another year with the Balikbayan Visa which is applicable to all spouses of Filipino citizens. We did not have any checked-in luggage so we just went straight out and bought bus tickets from Philtranco Bus Liner going to SM Megamall and headed home. Thanking God for a short but sweet summer holiday.

Day 2 - Out and About

Day 2 in Kota Kinabalu

Hubby and I woke up around 8-ish in the morning, got out of the hotel an hour later and decided to take a stroll to look for somewhere to have our brunch. It is quite hard to find a restaurant or a place to eat which would suit both our taste buds (not to mention our very tight budget). We walked for about 10 minutes and found a Chinese "canteen-type" or "turo-turo"  kind of cafeteria. The cafe is called Five Star Hainanese Chicken Rice and BBQ Pork. A Chinese man (probably around his 40's) was by the entrance and he smiled at us. He was trying to tell me something in Chinese (Bahasa Malaysia or Mandarin perhaps). He probably thought I am Chinese which a lot of foreign people think I am from the very first moment they see me. I just smiled back at him as he showed us to our seats. I told Vic this one would probably be a lot better than the last restaurant we ate dinner at. One is because it's Chinese and their cuisine is 80% similar to what Filipinos cook and eat back home. Second is I am more familiar (well both of us are) with Chinese food. Their menu, like any other simple cafeteria, is posted on the walls. Some have pictures so you know what you're ordering, I guess they are the best sellers of the bunch. Vic decided to go with Roasted Duck with Rice and I opted for something called Claypot Yee Mee. I asked the Chinese guy (he was also waiting tables and cooking and preparing the dishes) if this is similar to congee and he nodded. There were a variety of drinks to choose from. Fruit juices and teas aplenty but we chose black jelly with milk on ice. It took about 10-15 minutes for the food to be served. It is hot and you can even see them prepare the food in front of you, so you know it is not something that they just re-heated. I also believe the owner is the same man who greeted us, sat us down and waited on our table plus prepared our food. I was telling this to my husband as most Chinese business owners are like that. They want to be hands on with everything so they know that all goes well. I must say I loved the dish! Although I thought mine would be like rice porridge (congee) with meatballs and egg on top but it was actually quick fried noodles which was very tasty and very filling. I must say I would eat that again if I go back there. Vic liked his too and it was a surprise to see him eat rice like at 10 am in the morning. So brunch was good and it was value for money since they didn't charge us any service charge or government tax unlike the last restaurant we ate at. It probably is included in the price declared on their menu board.

My brunch is called Claypot Yee Mee and we ordered black jelly with milk for our drinks

Vic's brunch - Roasted duck with rice and free soup

We both decided to continue our stroll around the city centre which is where our hotel is. We made our way to the KK Esplanade. It's a nice place overlooking the sea. There were loads of people there the previous night, all were taking pictures of themselves by the dolphin statue. There was a nice breeze that morning but the weather is just as warm as back in the Philippines.

On our way to the KK Esplanade

Fishing boats

I absolutely adore this dolphin

Oops... thought they were a bit more disciplined than that

Hubby found this keychain by the edge of the walkway

Upon reaching the other side of the walkway of the KK Esplanade, we found ourselves standing in front of the mall. Upon entering I saw this sign below.

No pork. Aww...

This shop tickled me LOL

Brand new clothes on display as oppose to the shop's name

 Hubby and I were tired after our long walk so we decided to go and have a drink at the food court and we loved the view from the top.

Cooling off outside the food court overlooking the port area

A police ferry boat

 The mall's entrance

After roaming around the mall, which was surprisingly not as crowded as the malls in the Philippines, we decided to go and have some of our pesos changed to ringgit. We asked the hotel staff if there is a nearby beach resort around the city centre and they just shook their heads. Most beaches are out in the nearby islands. Sadly we really can't afford to go island hopping so we thought of watching a movie instead. The same mall has eight floors apparently and we missed the higher floors, we thought they just had 5 floors. So we went straight to the 8th floor where the cinemas are and bought tickets to watch The Avengers movie in 3D. We haven't had lunch yet so we scouted the mall for somewhere to have a decent meal at. Vic asked the lady by the "pay toilet" (you have to pay 30 sen to use the mall's loo) where the best restaurant is in the mall. She told us to go on the ground floor and find UpperStar. Upon entering this cool bistro, we were mesmerized by the brilliantly decorated walls. There were loads and loads of frames with paintings and also the ceiling. One wall (by the right side of Vic) had a very cool wall decor with the famous painting called "The Creation of Adam". They also had desktops in some of the tables where you can surf the internet for free while enjoying your food. We ordered pasta - hubby has chosen pasta carbonara and mine was penne with chicken in tomato sauce. It was one of the best we ever ate! The penne was tender and though the chicken was chopped (not minced/ground) it was delish! Not only is the food great and the ambiance amazing, the service was flawless too. The waiters were polite and they are always there to attend to your requests. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to everyone who will visit Kota Kinabalu.

The nice wall decor inspired by the painting The Creation of Adam

Posh and Victorian-like look of the interior of the restaurant behind me

Look at the very nice painting on the ceiling. Lovely innit?

UpperStar's Pasta Carbonara and Chicken Penne

We left there as very satisfied customers and our tummies full. The elevator took us straight to the movie theatre again. The cinema was pretty clean and there weren't a lot of people who watched our chosen flick. Maybe it's because it's already been almost a month since it was released into theatres worldwide. Dolby was the provider of their 3D movies. To be quite truthful it was of good quality, I mean the 3D effect was really cool. The seats of the cinema was very comfy that Vic even fell asleep during the first bit. As for the movie, a review will be made after I have finished blogging our escapades in Malaysia.

About one hour was spent to chillax in our hotel room after watching The Avengers. We thought it's best to stretch our legs out first before thinking about where to have dinner. I suggested that we eat at either Burger King or KFC since they are both cheaper and we don't need to wait that long to eat our meal. As we were about to go out of the hotel, it started to rain. So that made us rethink again where to dine in. Luckily there's an attractive looking joint called Rainforest Restaurant about a 5 minute walk away from the hotel on covered paths. So we sat ourselves in and decided to choose what to have.

Enjoying the ambiance of the resto

Posing beside the tree trunk

After poring over the menu and making inquiries about which is which and what is what, we decided to both have Tom Yum soup and Lemon Fried Chicken with Rice and Shepherd's Pie.

He's going to sneeze! Not really... It's because the soup is very spicy

My dinner which is Lemon Fried Chicken with Rice

Vic had their own version of Shepherd's pie

Tom Yum soup was delicious although it is very hot and spicy! As you can see the evidence in Vic's face, it looked as if he's going to breathe fire. I managed to eat all the meat and veggies in the soup but I gave up on half of the broth. My main entree was Lemon Chicken with Rice. It was nice but it lacked salt. We had to wait for quite some time for his main to be served. I was almost finished when they gave him his meal. He was just curious that's why he ordered their own take on Shepherd's Pie. Vic said the meat is chunky not minced/ground and they probably used some spices because the sauce is a bit red. The mashed potatoes according to him were okay but he doesn't understand why there are a few slices of olives on top of the cheese. It was served in a deep bowl as you can see in the picture above but it only filled half of the dish (not even half I think). Service wise, they are good. The servers are polite and very apologetic for the delay in Vic's meal.

On our way out, Vic overheard loud music being played next to the restaurant. We found this bar with a DJ playing modern dance hits so we sat down and listened while I ordered for a dessert. I tried their mango pudding which is quite nice actually and surprisingly not too sweet. Vic loves disco music and this one was similar to what he digs. We didn't stay that long because we need to hit the sack not later than midnight as we have a long day tomorrow. For party goers/bar hoppers or even the disco fanatics, this one is spot on for you. They don't just serve alcoholic drinks, they have a wide variety of meals and finger food to choose from when one is hungry and just wanted to listen to some dance tunes.

 Walking towards our hotel, I spotted something bright and glowing by the roundabout. I pointed it to Vic and I quickly grabbed my camera to take a picture of it. We thought we lost it as it turned right but then it went back and we were shocked that he was coming towards us. I'm talking about a bicycle glammed up with different types of lights that you cannot miss at night. See picture below for further details. I couldn't help but stop him in his tracks and asked him to please have his photo taken (along with his cool bike) with Vic. Hubby said it reminded him of the double bicycle in MIB 2.

Coolest bike I've seen so far

Vic and the owner of the MIB 2-looking bicycle

That was a good day. I know we missed the ocean and the beach but there were other things to do aside from swimming. That was the end of our 2nd day in Kota Kinabalu and the last day of our adventure.

Day 1 - Kota Kinabalu

Our flight was delayed last Thursday afternoon but we still arrived on time at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Time of arrival was approximately 5:35 to 5:40 pm. It was just like DMIA except it has a 2nd floor where the food shops are. We weren't given any landing cards to fill in which was a bit odd. The cabin crew told us that they would be provided upon arrival at the immigration area. To our surprise, their immigration system doesn't use paper-printed landing cards, they use biometrics. You just hand your passport, the immigration officer asks what flight you took to get there (or what country you came from) and then you place your two pointy fingers on their scanner and voila! They print a small sticky ticket on your passport and sign it... That's your stamp or arrival time stamp thing.

We made our way out of the busy immigration center and headed towards the exit. I fumbled with my mobile phone as I haven't turned it on yet to activate the roaming feature. I texted my Malaysian friend who was kind enough to book us a hotel under her name. The hotel is called Pantai Inn. They don't have a website so if you want to book a room you may have to try emailing or calling them. Or if you have a Malaysian friend like me, just politely ask them to book it for you. The room has a double bed and costs 84 RM per night. It doesn't include any meals but the good thing about it is that the hotel is located within the city centre. There are lots of food shops and restaurants around the vicinity and all are within walking distance. There is also a nearby grocery by the roundabout on the right side of the hotel. That's where we bought our bottled water from and some crisps and snacks. Oh and I almost forgot, they do have a small restaurant in front of the elevator but we didn't eat there. The telly is rather small and only has 5 or 6 channels I think and just one channel with an English program, the rest are all in Bahasa Malaysia which is the widely spoken language. Bed is comfortable, hubby wanted to take it home with us. The sheets are clean. They also provided complimentary bottled waters for us and bath towels. You can ask for the room to be cleaned while you go sight-seeing around the town. For smokers, there is an ash tray provided in the room. They actually allow smokers to open the windows if they want to have a fag so they don't have to go out of the hotel. The bathroom is okay although it is small. Consists of toilet and shower minus the shower curtain nor is the shower separated from the toilet as you can see on the pic below. Only good thing about that is they have hot/cold water both on the tap and the shower. A tiny soap is also provided. I would strongly suggest you bring your own toiletries. As for the hotel staff, they are all nice considering the fact that they don't really speak that much English at all. Still you can tell they are polite and they smile a lot which makes you feel welcomed.

We didn't have time to unpack, well I didn't, Vic unpacked his stuff while I try to chill a bit. Half an hour after arriving there we decided to scout for a good place to eat dinner. We actually got rained on so we decided to head back to the hotel. We saw this modern-looking restaurant called Sugarbun Cafe. The name itself sounds fancy and western-appealing so we decided to take our seats on their open air restaurant. Their menu has loads of stuff to choose from - western food is definitely well-emphasized as they serve burgers, fish and chips, hotdogs etc. Our only mistake was that we ordered something we are not familiar with. We opted for something called Nasi Goreng classic and Nasi Goreng with Chicken Curry. I ordered the former, hubby ordered the latter. Dinner pictures are shown below.

Nasi Goreng with chicken curry

The dish with 4 slices of cucumber is called Nasi Goreng classic

So what does it taste like? My dinner tasted like shrimp paste (bagoong) with anchovies but sweet. There is half of a boiled egg and a tablespoon of peanuts and 4 slices of cucumber and a scoop of rice in the middle. I really didn't like it. Perhaps I wasn't expecting it to taste like that and I do apologize to my Malaysian friends (and those who will read this). I thought to myself I should've gotten the burger and chips. I ordered lemon iced tea for my drink which surprisingly is real tea! Not the powdered/flavored ones that you buy in grocery stores. This one is real lemon tea, cooled or chilled in the fridge and then two slices of lemon were added on to it. Hubby had iced coffee for his drink. Sugarbun Cafe may have other specialties that are famous on their menu, I guess we just didn't know what they are. 

After having dinner we headed back to our hotel room and decided to hit the sack after watching a movie on TV. We didn't really have any set plans for the following day but we will just go where our feet will take us. And that was day 1 or should I say "half-day" of day 1.