KOMTAR JOHOR BAHRU EXTREME MAKEOVER - PART ONE

Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak (KOMTAR) is one of the earliest shopping malls in Johor Bahru. A few years back, the mall was demolished and replaced by a brand new one which was opened last year. I finally managed to step foot into the place on the 22nd of February. Surprise! Surprise! It was totally different from what we used to have long time ago.

There are more high-end outlets and when I was there, I felt as if I was in Suria KLCC - the place where the rich shop and the not-so-rich only window shop. Even the restaurants look like expensive places for me to go. 

I guess the targeted customers would be foreigners (READ: Singaporeans) who should have higher power of purchasing because of the high currency rate. Anyway, there is one extra place for me to take friends who come visiting Johor Bahru in the future.

TO BE CONTINUED...

MOVIE REVIEW - "DRAGON BLADE"

In conjunctions with the Chinese New Year celebration, I went to watch a Chinese movie with Jackie Chan in it as suggested by someone. When was the last time I watched a Chinese film? It was a very long time ago and Jackie Chan was also starring and it had to do with Shaolin Temple and stuff like that.

How was it? It was a very entertaining, with a lot of fighting scenes (what do you expect?) and I loved the soundtrack very much.

Another movie which tried to instill moral values but it is rated for adults 18 years old and above. Apart from the scenes of people killing each other, which I believe you have seen worse, it is still OK for teenagers to watch. At least, there are no swear words - unless the characters swore in Chinese and I did not understand.

Madame Tussaud, Bangkok

THE LAST DAY OF THE CNY BREAK

MONDAY, 23rd FEBRUARY 2015 ~ It was the last day of the 6-day Chinese New Yea break. I should be staying at home doing some school work but never ever reject an offer for an outing which included a movie matinee and a lunch date. It was a short meeting with Mr. Mohd. Asyraf Shuisma [SPM  batch 2008] at AEON Bukit Indah before he flew back to Kuwait but we managed to get ourselves updated with the latest gossips in town.

His younger sister, Miss Nur Nasrin Shuisma from SPM batch 2014(hope I got your name right), who is also an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti, was also tagging along. However she wanted to watch another movie which her brother and I had watched before so she asked her MOTHER to accompany her.

It is good to get to see people  whom you know to catch up lost time. I am glad that I could have a few series of get together during the CNY break. Why did the holiday have to end so quickly? *sigh*

DATES OF THE DAY: A SARAWAKIAN AND A KOREAN

Sunday, 15th February 2015 ~ My CNY break was filled with dates with ex-students this time which also involved eating non-stop. The next person on the list to meet on the second last day of the holiday was Mr. Mohd. Ariff Mohd. Nizam who was about to get back to Kuching two days after. Lucky enough, we had the chance to meet up or else we would have to wait for the coming Eid in July. We had my favourite "Mee Rebus Johor" at Plaza Kotaraya and then we walked to the new KOMTAR which was given a facelift. There will be a special entry for that later.

Then, later in the evening, I went to meet another ex-student, Miss Sakinah Omar and her fiancee, Mr. Muhd. Syafiq Idris (READ: taken) at one of the cafes in UTM. I got to know Mr.Syafiq during my trip to Ho Chi Minh last December. Miss Sakinah is also on her semester break and will be going back to South Korea early next month.

And this was not yet the end of meet-the-ex-students session yet.

To be continued...

FRIDAY IS MEET-THE-EX-STUDENTS DAY

Friday, 20th February 2015 ~ As I could not meet an ex-student from SPM batch 2013, Mr. Ng Ching Khai, for our annual well-wishing and gifts-giving session for Chinese New Year, so we set a date to meet on the second day of the festive season. It was kind enough of his father to drive him all the way to Aeon Tebrau City. The mall was full of people and most of the eating outlets were fully occupied so we had to settle for Secret Recipe and managed to secure a table for two.

full house

It was a short meeting over (honey lemon) tea and we had to bid our goodbyes. Good luck Ching Kai in your new college in Kuala Lumpur. Hope to see you again when you come back for your semester breaks.

Then a surprise awaited for me as I was descending down the escalator. Two ex-students who are siblings were working as part-time promoters at a booth on the ground floor. It was a small world after all. Thanks Ms. Sakinah and Ms.Ainaraihan for the extra special offer given for the coffee packets bought as well as the extra coffee sachets to bring home. :)

And the last date of the day was with Mr.Syazwan who came back for the polytechnic's mid-term break. To avoid the crowd like what I had encountered earlier in the afternoon, we just met at Kenny Roger's Roasters in Tesco Tebrau and we were the last two people eating in the restaurant.

  

That was how I spent the third day of the CNY break. And I am not complaining.

And more people to see after this...

SATURDAY IS ATTENDING-WEDDING-RECEPTIONS DAY

Saturday, 21st February ~ Many people were holding wedding receptions during the long Chinese New Year weekends and I had four to attend in one day. I am quite sure I am fatter by now and here are some highlight of the events attended.

WEDDING #1

The wedding of Ms. Safia Ebi Shahrin & Mr. Mohd. Fareez b. Mohd. Yusoff,

an ex-student from SPM batch 2006 and the daughter of a colleague, Puan Zakiah Abdullah

venue: Pusat Latihan UTM

with the parents of the bride

the younger brothers of the bride

a colleague with her family

WEDDING #2

The wedding of  Mr. Mohd.Nuramin Mohd. Said & Ms. Nurul Zanariah Abd. Rahman

the son of a colleague, Puan Hjh. Ruhanah Md. Som

venue: Taman Sri Pulai

there was "roti jala"served

a colleague and her family

two ex-students, siblings

with the Principal of SMK Kangkar Pulai

people from SMK Taman Universiti

with the parents, wearing blue

the younger sisters of the bridegroom

WEDDING #3

The wedding of Mr. Mohamad Shafiq Suhaimi & Ms. Nor Liyana Mohammad Khan

an ex-student whom I only taught English in a tuition class in SMK Kempas when he was in form 3 in the year 2002

but we are still keeping in touch and had travelled to Hong Kong together in 2012.

venue: TNB Hall, Kempas

Congratulations to all the brides and bridegrooms. I am sure there will be more invitations from all the three families in the future, if they still remember me.