We are either still doing it in some way or another or have done it and not wanting to contribute anymore. Celebrating capitalism! That's rite, large corporations cashing in on our sentimental sides and persuading us to part with our hard earned cash on something that would normally cost 1/2 the price. This time I am talking about New Year's Eve celebration. Sadly Valentine's and Xmas has fallen on the same category. Well, i was one of those who decided that i would be celebrating New Year's this year or last year....whatever. In recent times, I usually just hang out some place where I can watch the fireworks for free and without the crowd. Some places to mention are like The Curve/1U, Shah Alam KGSAAS (where you can see KL and PJ's varieties), Bukit Antarabangsa, Gasing Hill, just to name a few. I thought this year, we would go a little higher and ended on Genting Highlands.
I guessed it would be packed but i didnt expect the WHOLE world and their cousins to be there!!!! It was packed....sardined, vacuum, health ministry-approved packed!! The compound outside Genting and Highland Hotels were packed to the point where we couldnt move! And that is one big compound. So there I was with hanging on to my family ensuring that no one got lost and watching the fireworks. We didnt really know when the countdown ended since no one could hear the PA system in the wide open space. Also, I dont know why this is, but those Mat Kutu would scream and shout everytime someone gets on the PA. What is up with that??? It is like, their stupid, pea-sized, single moleculed brain needed to be jumpstarted in the cold and the only way to do it is to scream whenever a stimulus appeared, in this case some voice over the PA.
All said and the done, the weather was perfect with a light mist and temperatures of 13-14 degrees and the fireworks display was awesome. They were shot out of 3 locations around the compound and it there was a lot of variety. Some we havent seen b4. I should have recorded it on my camera but was just enjoying it too much. There isnt much to tell about Genting though there are more restaurants now. There is one place worth mentioning and it is the Chin Swee Temple, which is on the way up to Genting. It has been renovated and it looks really, really nice. One of my favourite is the 10 chambers of Hell according to Buddhist belief. For those of you who dont follow un-worldly events, the Buddhist believe that when a person dies, their soul is taken to hell where judgement is passed. Based on your sins, you will endure different types of punishment in different chambers. After you have gone through your punishment, you will then be reincarnated to some living thing depending on your previous life's sins. So you have been good, you may come back as a wealthy person or Elvis. IF you have been bad, well, you could come back ranging from farm animals to intestinal parasite. Aint it cool??!!! The statues depicted the punishments quite vividly. Definitely not for the faint hearted.
There is also a statue of Lim Goh Tong in the compound and a 60 foot Buddha status. Other than that, Genting is pretty much the same. Too many people and not enough human touch. Every staff is just as unfriendly or made up of people who cant even string a decent sentence in English. Most of them could only speak one language and that is either Malay or Mandarin. Also, not one of them (that i have encountered anyway) has any manners or tact whatsoever. There are no thank-yous, execuse me, may I help you at all. Everything being very mechanical and transactional. But I guess if you are raking in billions, you can afford not to be friendly. You know what will really bug me? When the Resort World opens its resort in Singapore, I can bet you the environment will be a lot more tourist friendly and pleasureable. Looks like we poor backward Malaysians have a lot of catching up to do.
So ends my 2007. I did enjoy it somewhat. Not too bad considering I am normally at the mamak or just at some higher ground. 2008 is open us and already the first week has passed up by. Time flies whether you are enjoying or in total suffering. So I hope you had a good end to the year and my sincere wish to you is for the Best of your yesterdays to be the worst of your tomorrows. Happy New Year!!!
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