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Thursday, January 31, 2008

The Sweetest Face

Happy belated New Year or a happy upcoming Chinese New Year! This is the year of the rat according to the Chinese Zodiac. The Chinese zodiac revolves around twelve animals with each animal representing a year. The rat is actually the beginning of the zodiac’s twelve-year cycle. My little boy was born in the year of the sheep which means in 8 years or year 2016, he will turn 12.

Our family spent the last month of 2007 together in a tropical paradise called Sandakan, Malaysia. The temperature hovers around 85 to 90 degrees and it occasionally cools down when the north wind passes. This is a place where you can rest your mind and put it on vegetative mode. You literally don’t need to think when you are resting at this place. I actually feel dumber after spending sometime here.

If resting is the thing to do here then surely we took full advantage of this place. In another word, we spent time sleeping. We slept in beds, on the sofa, on the couch, in chairs, on benches, in cars and sometimes even on the floor. Some may think what a waste of time it is to spend time sleeping while in tropical paradise. Errr…I have to admit tropical paradise is quite a stretch even though this is my hometown. Yes, there are plenty of coconut trees, but the problem is the coconuts are still on the trees. There aren’t any attractive servants with a monkey climbing up the coconut tree to fetch you coconuts. Yes, it is tropical temperature but the beaches are not for people but rather for the locals to dry their rotten fish. These fish are called “Salted Fish” (Hum Yu) and is a rather tasty gourmet served along with porridge.

We did see sunsets and ate cheap but great food. A dinner for three would cost less than $10.00 US dollar and real meat will be served. We did try to stay away from the salted fish we saw being dried on the beaches since there were other NATURALLY preserved “delicacies” that were being dried among the fishes. These NATURAL delicacies weren’t put there by the ones who dried the fish. They sort of just drifted and eventually settle as part of the fish.

The night scenes were quite dramatic and spectacular. With a cool light breeze behind and the gentle coconut leaves waving at you as a welcome gesture, you could peacefully stroll through the downtown streets with shorts and sandals. As we strolled along, you might see shadowy fleshes running from one spot to another. At first glance, you may think these are just some lost but cute and fury house cats trying to find their way home. A closer look would yield the finding of a lifetime. These are no cats! They are RATS! This tropical paradise is also a haven for these rats. In this paradise, cats do not chase after rats but rather the other way around.

Inspired by the upcoming New James Bond movie set to be released later this year (Quantum of Solace), we did find solace during our stay in paradise. Both of us enjoyed very much watching our little boy sleeps. It was an indescribable peace as if nothing in this world or no matter what else happens could wake or disturb him from his sleep. It is paradise enough for us to simply ….watch him sleep. Sleep like a baby sleep zzzzzzzz.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

How funny!

What a great face. Love it!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you need a vacation from your vacation but those faces are sure as heck funny!

Anonymous said...

Simply adorable. Sandakan sounds like a place I might want to go visit along with my big CAT!

Anonymous said...

It IS a sweet face. Cute baby :)

Larry Rivera said...

I have 2 daughters , congrates ugh then they start talking lols

Zura said...

This post was so inviting to me. Such a different culture from mine. You baby is adorable. I can see why you'd spend hours watching him sleep.

Zura said...

This post was so inviting to me. Such a different culture from mine. You baby is adorable. I can see why you'd spend hours watching him sleep.

Zura said...

This post was so inviting to me. Such a different culture from mine. You baby is adorable. I can see why you'd spend hours watching him sleep.

Zura said...

This post was so inviting to me. Such a different culture from mine. You baby is adorable. I can see why you'd spend hours watching him sleep.

Julie said...

Yes, that is the sweetest face!

fwidman said...

Yep, a very cute face :)

Anonymous said...

Where exactly is Sandakan this paradise? It sounds intriguing and I love sleeping. I am not too big on coconuts unless it's serve to my mouth.

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful blog you have and love how you put words together to paint a portrait. I am a fan!

Anonymous said...

I wish I could be in paradise as well even with Rats running around.

I got one with the same face as well and I am NOT in paradise!

Unknown said...

Hey Milton, where have you been? We've missed you! ;)

Alex

Anonymous said...

Rats! wow...Sure is paradise? I do love coconuts and the faces are so cute.

Nisreen M said...

What I would say your blog is very entertaining and well followed.
I like this post with the baby faces.
I will visit your blog again as it contain many post that I want to review

Anonymous said...

so adorable face! I sure miss 85-90 degree. I went home before Christmas, I don't know why I didn't do that more often :)

Anonymous said...

I find mine most adorable when he cries. He's got the saddest most cuttest sad puppy dog look in the world every time when he cries and it just melts your heart.

Anonymous said...

That's what my mama told me until I grew up. Now she is telling me to shut up and get up.

I guess I am not as cute as before. I am 18 now and in college. :(

Trading forex said...

wow very funny and cute baby...