A Walk by the Channel

The trees have shown some signs of green...an army green.

Flowers (the crocus) have sprouted out but not yet in full bloom. By the waters, they look right at home.

Up close, they look like fans waving against the wind. Their stripes of dark violet make it intriguing.

In reality the crocuses are quite tiny. Blink a little, and then it's gone. Yet it is nice to know they are there if you know where to look.

Basil Flowers and Home Made Pizza

I had received some basil seeds and a pot for my birthday last year from hubby's friend. Maybe one would think what a strange birthday present! I have since got used to it, because the Dutch love anything to do with plants and flowers. For birthdays, celebrations and funerals, the best gift to get if you are not sure what to get are flowers. Nothing can go wrong with flowers.

After a few months of receiving the seeds, then only I planted it. Could say that I was lazy and not very interested. Yet today, the plant has blossomed into a very healthy herb plant and has even sprouted out flowers. I had no idea that basils had flowers in the first place. I now use the basil for pasta, pizza and nearly all types of Western food as it tastes good.





On Thursday for lunch, for the first time I went completely out of my diet. I went out with a group of Malaysian expats to what was supposedly the best Japanese restaurant in the Netherlands serving authentic cuisine. It was an hours drive away from Alkmaar just to go there to eat and back, but being Malaysians, we are hunters of the best food. The serving of ramen with roast pork was huge but mouth-watering. First I thought of eating just a teeny-weeny bit of noodles to keep up with the diet. But I just couldn't resist and ended up finishing the whole bowl and left with only very little soup. Although I drank most of the soup, I did not feel thirsty afterwards. No ajinomoto I would say.

On Thursday for dinner, I stir-fried some kidney beans, long beans, bell pepper, corn and onion.

Then I put tomato paste on the pizza base. Nope, I did not make the base from scratch. I bought it pre-made at the grocery store.

Then I added the medley of vegetables on top of the pizza.

As if it was not enough (for I am a very hungry person!), I added more tomato paste on top of the vegetables although it was not necessary at all.

Finally I put the pizza in the oven for 10 minutes at 225'C.

Home-made pizza tastes the best, I believe! Or maybe because I made it myself...

Beach Vacation (Part 2)

This is a continuance of my earlier post with the same title. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

 

-Sea corals scattered just outside our villa-

 - Low tide and watches a school of fish swam by (ie. the grey shadows)-

 -Hundreds of star fishes lying around our villa-

 - Saw countless sea turtles swam around our villa as well. It was the most amazing experience to watch them so up-close. It reminded me the beauty of God's creation-

-We went ocean kayaking for the 1st time. It was all just too amazing for words-

Next day, we took a speedboat & went to a nearby island by the name of Mabul. It is a fishing village & it was a humbling experience for me as i watched how the locals spent their time on a Sunday noon.

 -We spotted a man climbing up the coconut tree & our guide asked us if we would like some fresh coconut?-

 -Only RM2.00 for a huge fresh coconut, the size of a basketball to cool down the heat-

 - A group of girls, as young as below 10 years old walking to the shore with clothes filled in a basin for washing, i guess?- 

 - Dear hubby admiring this shady maple tree-

-3 young girls playing rope skipping, i wonder if the city kids appreciate this healthy past-time?-

The trip to Mabul Island reminded me to be grateful and to cut the complains on little things in life.

Life can be tough at birth for many but they may have lesser complains than us or

maybe even happier than us.  The irony of life, maybe?

I will post some of our adventures in Tawau next... ;-))

Till then, have a fabulous week-end (it's nearing already)!

Our Beach Vacation

Hubby and i try to keep to our annual beach vacation. We love the blue sea which never stop to amaze us. We also love to get away from the city and to just relax and do nothing for a few days. Well, we are back from our annual beach vacation and it's the most amazing beach vacation we've ever had thus far. To begin with, we've not been to that many beach vacation actually. ;-p To date, we've only been to Aryani Resort, Terengganu, Bubu Resort in Pulau Perhentian, & Legend Water Chalets in Port Dickson.

Let me introduce to you:- Kapalai Island Resort, the best in my book so far and many years to come, i think.

Last Friday,we embarked our journey at 4am as we took the earliest flight from Kuala Lumpur to Tawau. Upon reaching Tawau, we travelled some 100km to Semporna jetty via trunk road to take a speedboat to Kapalai Island. After many hours of travelling, we were greeted warmly by the locals there, also the staffs in Kapalai Island Resort. ;-)) This is the beginning of our fabulous weekend.

This picture looks familiar to me. I don't know about you. It looks like the Mild Seven poster i've seen when i was small. I thought such scenery don't exist. Well, i know for sure now, they do exist. U just have to keep looking...

Us walking towards our villa...*PEACE* 

Dear automatically occupied one of the lazy chair...

I on the other hand preparing for a soak in our bath tub....

Stay tune for more pictures & updates!

Love is in Blijdorp Zoo, Rotterdam

Hubby and I went to the Blijdorp Zoo in Rotterdam today. This is exactly one week after our trip to the Burgers Zoo in Arnhem. This zoo is also interesting in its own way. Lots of utilization of materials from nature as design into the sidewalk barriers and benches. Tree trunks were used as sidewalk barriers and poles of bamboo were used to make benches. 

If asked which zoo I liked better, I think it would be the Blijdorp. We saw lots of exotic animals and I found love to be in the air in its surroundings. 

LOVE is an elusive thing. Now you see it, and now you don't. Impress your partner with your special skills like this seal who is blowing bubbles in the icy cold water!

LOVE is approaching you for the first time. Like this lone seagull, he swims towards a gaggle of penguins on the rocks, making his first move!

LOVE is having all eyes for you only. Like this blue fish, he has eyes only for the frog fish perched on the rock.

LOVE is making me glow brightly like a star; radiating with happiness whenever you are here. Like this jellyfish who glows in the dark waters.

LOVE makes my world go round. Like the shoals of fish here swimming round and round towards the sunlight - full of hope, full of life.

LOVE is respecting you. Like this seahorse, by bowing its beautiful head low, he garners more respect in return.

LOVE is making you laugh. Like this cow nose sting ray, he laughs till the cows come home. No joke, this sting ray really is called the cow nose sting ray!

LOVE is waiting for you to come home for dinner. Like this prairie dog, standing on the rocks, looking out in the distance, waiting for his special someone to burrow into the hills.

LOVE is standing tall with you. Like these bamboo growing tall and strong even in winter.

LOVE is making a good impression. Like this pheasant, he is colourful so that he can attract a female mate.

LOVE is keeping on the lookout with you. Like these two lion cubs, watching silently as prey (ducks, in fact!) move by.

LOVE is looking the same direction with you. Like these two kangaroos, both looking at something which caught their eye.

LOVE is eating healthily so that I will forever be there to take care of you. Like this monkey whose diet consists only of broccoli and lettuce.

LOVE is being at peace with myself. Like the Japanese garden with its flowing waters, I am calm and serene.


On an end note, we had a wonderful day at the Blijdorp! On our way home, we dropped by KFC to have dinner. This is also where my good old pal Michelle and her husband Kaie dined with us when they were in Holland. As we have indulged then, here too we have indulged, forgoing our diet for just this time. It was well worth it because we had worked hard for the past 2 weeks in keeping up with the regiment!

Hash Browns from IKEA

Hubby and I went to IKEA Haarlem this evening. We never fail to buy the hash browns each time we are here. We like the minced potato - onion - broccoli taste. We had it for dinner tonight along with chicken balls and lasagna; also from IKEA frozen food.

Vegetarian Carbonara Pasta

Hubby made this pasta for lunch today. We are now trying variations to our diet because we wanted something tastier, and this was indeed so as hubby also added sambal into the pasta. It gave the pasta an extra "oomph" factor.