Renewing Malaysian Passport 2014

I arrived really early to KL's premier immigration office. At first I thought the immigration office was at the government complexes at Jalan Duta but oh boy was I wrong! The office was nearby Publika (opposite actually), inside the Kementerian Dalam Negeri Complex. Parking was free and i can park anywhere i want unless it has been designated for government officers. 

 When i arrived around 7.20 there were some people waiting outside. About 7.30 am the officer signalled to us to enter the compound. People gushed through the unlocked door. I guessed the door was already unlocked prior to my arrival but people just waited outside. Perhaps they were told so. 

 These are payments for the passport. If you are a disabled, then the passport is free provided that you have an official card to confirm your status. Well, for me, i would have to pay RM 300 for a passport to last for five years. 

 So i got this number, meaning that i was the twelfth person (categorized as regular) (there would be another set of counter to cater for special people like pregnant ladies, old people, people with babies and disabled). 

I came to the immigration office without filling any forms and bringing any photo. As you can see, each counter is equipped with special device to take your photograph. I just brought my IC and my old passport and of course enough cash. My number was called after about 15 minutes. So i went and gave the officer my passport and my IC, then she told me to look at the device (camera) to take my photo. We did several attempts as I was told that my eyes were not looking directly at the camera lense. The whole process took about 10 minutes. Then I was told to wait for my number to be called again. 

My number was called after about twenty minutes. I had to go to the payment counter to make the payment. I got the receipt as follow and was told that my passport will be ready after an hour. 

 And so i went to get something to eat downstair at a nearby cafe. 

The food was OK. Typical malaysian breakfast. After killing some time, about an hour, i went back to the office and noticed that the earlier number had not been called. So i waited for some time while playing with my iPad. Suddenly there was an announcement saying that they are experiencing some problem with the computer system and now that the passport processing will take more than an hour to be completed. So i continue waiting and playing with my iPad.These are the counters where they will be giving out the completed passport. At about 9.45 am, my number was called and they gave me my new passport and asked me to double check all my particulars and then signed at several places including inside the new passport. At about 9.50 am, I am a free man with my new passport. Now i can go travel!

All in all, in took me about 2.5 hours to get my passport done! Well done and keep it up my beloved government officers!

 

Thirty 8 or 38 restaurant at Grand Hyatt KL

While it cost RM 450 for that small portions at Marini's on 57, comparatively it only cost RM350 for a mouthful of food at the 38 at Grand Hyatt KL. It was my birthday and I was lucky to be treated at such wonderful place. It too has some great view. 

 The appetizer was such a filler to my stomach. 

 Lots of food to finish. 

 When you asked for just water, they will give you this expensive bottle of mineral water, alas i cant recall the price. 

Marini on 57 Kuala Lumpur

It was my fiancee's birthday and i decided to take her to this wonderful place after she took me a grandeous restaurant for my birthday. 

Marini's on 57 lies on the 57th floor of the tower 3 of the Suria KLCC. Yes it is not situated on either of the KLCC twin tower but rather the tower 3 which is accessible from the Suria KLCC shopping centre. The easiest way to get there is by parking your car at KLCC then go the information centre asking for direction. 

If i remembered correctly, you have to get to the 2nd floor by escalator and head to your left and go till the end. You will see a sign somewhat decorated with curtain. There will be some staff of Marini's guarding the entrance and asked whether you have a reservation or not. Luckily, i made a reservation couple days back asking for a window seat for two. She said i would need to spend at least RM 300 to be sitting there. I said yeah it is cool since I know the food is really expensive overthere. 

So we led to the lift which took us straight to level 57. 

The waiters and waitress were super attentive and kind to us. We were seated next to the window as requested. Looking at the menu yes the food were super expensive but the view is just spectacular. 

 

The juices are RM28 each and the water if you requested will be from a mineral bottle which cost you RM28 as well. Then they will give you bunch of bread for free. We ordered a mushroom soup for entree/appetizer which cost RM98. It is really a small portion for that big bucks. 

I got myself full by eating all the breads dip into the mushroom soup or what they called Catagne. Yup it is Italian, since this is indeed an Italian restaurant. Then came the main dish which we decided to share costing us RM188 for a piece of Gobi fish. 

 Yes it does look small and I felt like the masterchef judges eating this delicate piece of meal. 

Once we were done with the meal we were given two other complimentary items i.e. Few chocolate blocks and couple Crossaint to take home. 

 Can you see blocks of chocolate on top of the wooden piece? 

I did some improvement on the Crossaint by adding my own version of the omelette the next morning. 

 

All in all, it was a good experience and view was nice to see KL at the 57th floor. 

Happy Belated New Year 2014

Well before I started on 2014, let me recap some of the major milestone just before I ended 2013.

2013 ended with me getting engaged, not to anyone that I have written earlier in this blog, but some that I met just after celebrating Hari Raya Aidil Fitri. It started a week before I met her, by which I added her through a mutual friend in FB. I ended the Istanbul trip without finding a future wife thus I had to act quickly in finding the one that I want to marry. So I put up the best picture that I took during my trip in Istanbul as my FB profile picture to lure any prospective girl to want me as a bf or even husband. Sound kind of desperate I know but the How I Met Your Mother season is ending and Ted almost find the mother, so the pressure is really on me. I really don't wan to revisit any of my old flames, since that did not work in the past, then why would it work now? So I have to start quick and fresh.

So as you guess, I did not work out with HI. Well, to be honest I did not really have any strong feelings towards her but she was OK in every way until I brought my parents to her house during Hari Raya for ziarah raya or open house visit. To our disbelief and towards my suspicions, HI came from a very poor family, her parents are from Indonesia (wow?), directly, meaning that her dad and her mom migrated to Malaysia before settling down in Malaysia and do odd jobs to support their children. They live in a squatted housing (rumah setinggan) made of perhaps used contenna box? Yup the house is really small and a bit crowded for even four people. Nonetheless, they treat us nicely but maybe a bit too nice (as my father put it as if they have known us for ages). There were so many to eat (i think they cooked a whole chicken just for us four people to eat). They even packed up foods to go. We were reluctant at first to bring home perhaps the only food they have for that night but her mother was such a persistent woman.

My parents did not favor me having a more serious relationship with her. So I began to pull away from her, little by little each day. Since I do not really fancy her that much, it was easier for me than for her. She was somehow devastated wanted to know why I was pulling away. I did not tell her much other than maybe we were not meant to be together. Little by little and at last, we finally stop contacting each other.

I did find someone through FB which I thought her profile picture is cute. We chatted every night and I found her to be quite similar to me in terms of how we think about things. Furthermore, she live quite nearby to me, about just 15 mins drive to her place. So decided, after a week of chatting, we should meet on a friday night after work at an Arabic Restaurant near bulatan Kg Pandan. It was 20th of September that I met this girl that shall be known as FHA. She is vogue and gorgeous, has a clear voice and to be quite independent. Somehow she was hinting that she needed someone to accompany her to her friend's wedding in Batu Pahat as she was the rightest bridesmaid. Having nothing to do on the weekends, and due to her charm, I somehow volunteered to be her escort for the weekends to Batu Pahat.

So the second meeting with her is a weekend get away to a place of 3 hours drive south. We started driving after maghrib as she had some work to do at the office. I was glad that she paid for my meals, for gas and tol. I had great times and enjoyed the experience with her. The only fall back I guess is that she is rather short but its ok i guess. She is not too short, in fact she is the same height as Hayden Panettiere.Well, I am glad, I ended year 2013 to be engaged with a wonderful girl as FHA. Today, we have confirmed on a date to get married. Awesome. The day will be the middle of 2014.HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014