Our Apartment Block, Kuantan

I recently took a few pictures of our apartment block on a stunningly hot day here in Kuantan. We have been living here in this unnamed apartment block for the last four and a half years. It may not be beautiful on the eye or impressive in style and structure, but it is located in the most convenient place in Kuantan, nearby every needful thing, food, shops, hospital, malls, hotels, bus terminal, stadium, pharmacy, clinic, hairdressers, all within a 10-minute walk. 

Here is the place we call home:

Spot the lizard!

One of two laundry shops on the same row

Joss sticks hang in a pot outside the hairdressers

The block is guarded by palm trees

The end of the block

View from the east

and from the west

Flowers grow around our apartment block in Bukit Sekilau, Kuantan

The owner of this lot is taking security seriously!

Ugly water pipes like this are found in strange places in Kuantan

This is the small court where we play badminton

A Lovely Lunch

Check out this quick and easy, and terribly delicious lunch I prepared. Bread rolls cut in half, buttered, popped in the microwave oven, sliced tomato placed on top, baked, mayonnaise added according to taste. 

Delicious!

Kenny Rogers Roasters Kuantan

I'm always a little quietly apprehensive when trying out a new diner, and it wasn't any different when we ventured to Kenny Rogers Roasters at Berjaya Megamall in Kuantan recently. We mulled over the menu for a while before deciding to go and give Kenny Rogers Roasters a try.

First impressions are vital, and the most enduring, which is why I guess I came away with no real desire to go back to Kenny Rogers Roasters again.

As we were surfing the menu, a waitress stood right beside me waiting for our order. I was praying she would go away so I could scan the meals in peace, but unfortunately she didn't.

Then after we had just made our order, a poor little boy threw up his Kenny Rogers Roasters all over the floor right next to us. I was appalled to once again, see a mother berate her son for vomiting. The poor little boy was crying and obviously wasn't feeling well, and all he got from his mother was an earful of telling off.

To make matters doubly worse, the Kenny Rogers Roasters staff didn't seem to have the slightest clue what to do with the pile of fresh vomit sitting on the floor whilst guests waited at nearby tables for their food. For a number of minutes the staff just looked at the vomit, wondering if it would clean up by itself. One young man went to the back to get a mop, then left the mop sitting in a bucket doing absolutely nothing. We were sitting in our chairs urging him to take the mop and clean the vomit, but he just abandoned it.

With the mop now on the backburner, the young waiter grabbed some sheets of newspaper and placed them on the floor to cover the vomit, then walked away to somewhere unseen! "This is pathetic! How can you leave fresh vomit on the floor in a restaurant with people waiting to eat!!!???" It was indeed, almost laughable.

Eventually, a FEMALE worker came and removed the newspaper, grabbed the mop, and cleaned up the mess, while two MALE workers just stood there and watched her do it. I could have almost burst out laughing. Only I was waiting for my lunch and all that was on my mind was fresh vomit.

We moved to a quiet corner of the restaurant, away from a missed remnant of vomit right beside my wife's chair. I was training my mind to erase the memory of the vomit. It gladly worked.

The food, when it arrived, was substantial without being memorable. One of the dishes didn't arrive at our table until we had finished everything else, which was kind of annoying.

Enjoy the pictures of our time at Kenny Rogers Roasters:

I had us all tell how much we enjoyed our time at Kenny Rogers Roasters, by making a face for the camera. Here's the results:

Hmm...a little annoyed?

Can't believe what I've seen during this lunch hour!

Lauren had a whale of a time!

Afterwards I took Lauren for a ride on the train:

Coming in January...

A photo marathon depicting the various trees lining the streets and fields of Kuantan. This has been an ongoing project of mine spanning years as I've collected photos of this beautiful place called Kuantan, and its abundant tree life. Watch out for this multi-part series coming soon in January 2011. . . 

Federer Masters His Peers

I know it's a little like 'late news' now, but I've not been online since waking up in the early hours of Monday morning to watch the ATP World Tour Masters final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. That's because I've been down with headaches and an off stomach ever since this disruption of my normal sleep pattern.

But Roger Federer is worth writing about at any time of the day, week, month or year.

His victory over Nadal, and it has to be said, in the end it was an absolute pasting, was long overdue. Federer's 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 win was a highly significant result at the end of a mixed season for the Swiss champion. After stuttering through the summer with injury and poor form, his Australian Open final demolition of Andy "angles" Murray was almost forgotten about. Nadal went on to win the remaining three slams as Federer's career was being written off right, left and centre.

So this fantastic week of dominant tennis is a great reminder to the world that Federer is still only 29, by no means old, and as he brushed aside so comfortably the other 4 players at the top of the rankings alongside himself, he has laid down a marker for the year 2011. I'm sure Federer would have loved the Australian Open to be this week, but we will have to wait a couple of months to see the genius at work again.

The whole week in London was a huge success and a great way to finish the year. Perhaps for me, the greatest thing of all was the magnificence of Federer's backhand. Touted as a weakness, it was anything but, as he used it to marvellous effect as preparation to set up winning forehands, producing sensational winners themselves either up the line or cross-court, and as wonderful deep, defensive shots to get himself back into rallies.

Long may Federer keep hitting the sweet spot on the backhand, and the forehand. He was also masterful on serve, showing magnificent variety and placement.

Now he has renewed confidence to go and, if necessary, beat Nadal all over again on the biggest stage of all - a Grand Slam.