Of lion dances, firecrackers and Monkees songs

This morning, as usual my housekeeper brought out a pair of shoes for me to wear to work. When I commented that it was a rather new pair and that I would be going to the mosque later for Friday prayers, he replied to the effect, " It's alright Sir, we are not in Malaysia. Your shoes won't be at risk...!"

Well, what should I say to that!

It's the 5th consecutive sunny, blue-skied day today and I have woken up to beautiful sunrise every morning, a few of which I recorded on camera. It's a pleasant change from the long cold, grey days we have had for a while now.

At this time last year my lawn was already sprouting profusely with crocuses. But the old snow are still on the ground today, I wonder when it will finally melt away so the crocuses will appear.

It has been an unusually free week for me, not a single engagement nor appointment. The last weekend though was tight, starting on Friday night with a visit to an International Tourism Fair followed by a long but pleasant dinner with the Malaysian representatives to the Fair and their local contacts and associates.

The following evening there was a grand Chinese New Year dinner with the Malaysian community and their families and friends in a nice modern Malaysian-Chinese-Japanese fusion restaurant. It was a fun-filled evening with good food, lots of music and dancing (including a fan dance by a Malaysian martial-art master!) and a lot of goodwill. The band played songs from the late 60s and 70s which I particularly enjoyed (a long time since I heard The Monkees 'I'm a Believer' and 'Daydream Believer').

I was welcomed on arrival by a lively lion dance and a long string of firecrackers. Predictably, before the evening ended some people from the building came to complain about the firecrackers, BUT not about the lion dances!!

On Sunday a lunch with another set of Malaysians with their families and friends too, at a scenic Chinese restaurant by a beautiful lake. The atmosphere was more sober and the food was not as good as the previous night but again there was a lot of goodwill and laughter.

It is always good to see how well Malaysians warmly interact overseas as in these too occasions as well at at my own functions. Can we have more of that back home please!

Friday again all too soon. A quiet weekend ahead but I have a whole first season of 'The Tudors' on dvd to watch. It arrived in the mail a few days ago from Amazon.

Have a good weekend all !