How To Enjoy Stress-Free Shopping

I remembered the first time I used the ATM (automated teller machine) for banking transactions. I was fearful because I do not know how to use it and added to it, I have been hearing many stories of how our money could be siphoned off in a blink of an eye if we are not careful. I do not know about you but that was how I felt before I learnt to use the ATM. That fear has since been removed.

After the ATM, I have also overcome fear of online banking and online shopping. Looking back, I can pat myself on the back for coming this far. No longer do I avoid online banking or online shopping. In fact, I find it very convenient, time-saving and cost-saving too. No dressing up, no driving to save on petrol and parking fee. No going from shop to shop looking for the products and trying to get the best price for the products. No getting caught in traffic jam during peak hours or rushing to the shops before they close.

Recently, I happened to chance upon a website and it says "Welcome to iPrice Your One-Stop Shopping Destination". Here, we can sign up to subscribe to iPrice exclusive offers through e-mails. Just to satisfy my curiosity, I continued to browse and my interest is awakened. iPrice is currently available to 7 countries, including Malaysia. 

Through iPrice, online shoppers like you and me can enjoy the latest and highest quality deals or promotion codes for the most prestigious and well-known shops and brands all over Malaysia such as Zalora, Lazada, Jacob Time, Expedia, etc. The whole website is user friendly and the products and offers are organized by stores and categories, making it easy for shoppers to look for products and for best price available. We can check out on the right side of the page to find their most popular coupons and also the offering of everyday coupons, discounts or vouchers.

With all the talks about further price increase in our nation and I, being a retiree, I need to be frugal in my spending. I now need to be extra careful and seek to get the best deal for whatever products I would want to buy. As iPrice has claimed and promised to be the best source for coupons in Asia, I would certainly sign up for its newsletter to keep me updated on the best offer deals. It is also a relief to know that iPrice only post free coupons and free vouchers and do not require any membership.

When they had all had enough to eat, He said to His disciples,

"Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted."

So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets

with the pieces of the five barley loaves

left over by those who had eatern.

(John 6:12-13, NIV)

Appreciating And Enjoying Ipoh's Sky View In Perak, Malaysia

I have always enjoy watching the night sky especially when the sky is filled with stars. I remembered when I was young, between 7 to 9 years of age, I was staying with my aunt in the village. After dinner, the adults will be sitting under the open sky in front of the house. Those days, there was no television and every night after dinner, the neighbouring adults will bring their chairs to gather around, with straw fans in their hands to fan themselves and also to ward off mosquitoes as they sat and chat with their neighbours. We, the young ones will be playing near the adults and listening to the adults' stories.

There was no high rise building at that time, so we are able to get a wide view of the sky. Very often we get to see shooting stars and I remembered we used to make a wish before the shooting stars disappeared from our sight. Since then, every time I look up the sky at night, it always bring back memories of those days in the village.

Now, every time with my hubby at the steering wheel, I would take out my mobile phone and take snapshots of the sky and clouds. Armed with only a humble mobile phone camera, I could only take day pictures of the sky.

I really enjoyed taking these snapshots and I hope you would enjoy and appreciate these beautiful work of nature by our Creator too. I will start with the morning and end with the evening sky view.

07 Jan 2015, 07:28:38 am

10 Jan 2015, 07:14:58 am

14 Jan 2015, 07:17:28 am

14 Jan 2015, 07:39:47 am

06 Jan 2015, 08:07:05 am

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19 Jan 2015, 08:12:50 am

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08 Jan 2015, 09:30:28 am

10 Jan 2015, 01:55:38 pm

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22 Jan 2015, 06:31:30 pm

Linking to Skywatch Friday.

He replied, "When evening comes, you say,

'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' and in the morning,

'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.'

You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky,

but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

(Matthew 16:2-3, New International Version-NIV)

Gopeng's Mini Lakeview Garden, Jalan Tasik, Gopeng, Perak

This is a continuation of yesterday's post - "In Search For Authentic Kopisan Lai Fun (rice noodle) in Gopeng.

After we have finished our breakfast, my hubby drove through Kopisan village where he once stayed for a few years before his family shifted to another part of Gopeng. He had many fond memories of his school days. Even though we have been passing through this place many times, he never fails to share his school days stories with me. He would point out to me the school he had attended and his friend's house, etc.

This is part of Kopisan village where we drove past. A very quiet and peaceful place. The time was about 8.40 am.

As we came to Gopeng town, my hubby pointed out to me the school he had studied in. It was National Type Primary School Gopeng (Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Gopeng). He took a left turning from the main road to look at the school building. The school is no longer there and we noticed that the building is now occupied by GiatMara Gopeng, a training centre. Hubby was driving on Jalan Tasik and we passed by the Welfare Association for the Disabled Gopeng (Persatuan Kebajikan Untuk Orang Cacat Gopeng).

After the Welfare Association building, there is a 90 degrees turning to the right. I saw this scene on my left and I told hubby that I wanted to take a look at this place. I remember reading an article some time ago, highlighting this mini project but have never check it out even though we have been to Gopeng many times.

We both got down from our car. As I looked up, I do not know what to expect until we reach the top of the top. Hubby has already gone up the flight of steps and hidden by one of the trees. I was taking my own sweet time following behind.

On my right, I saw 2 structures. There was no one there, only hubby and I.

On closer look, we noticed that the slide has been burnt (circled in red). Someone must have vandalized this children's equipment. The whole place does not look neglected because we can see that the grass has been cut and the place quite clean even though deserted.

First sight of the lake. Isn't this beautiful? I didn't know there is a lake here, no wonder the road is named "Jalan Tasik" (meaning Lake Road). Is this nature's gift or was it a used mining pond turned into a lake? The time was about 8.50 am.

I love the reflection on the lake, reminded me of Taiping Lake but not as beautiful. So serene and quiet and can hear the birds chirping around me.

I can imagine coming here in the early morning or evening, settling down on one of the benches with a book. I can even bring some of my plants to brighten and beautify the place. What a nice place it will be for picnic gatherings with ice-breakers and games for both young and old to enjoy. Hmm...it was just my wishful thinking.....

There is a pebbles track for feet massage. Bared feet walking on the pebbles to massaged the feet to encourage blood circulation for the body.

This view is taken from where I was standing, looking down Jalan Tasik before me.

Right side view of Jalan Tasik after coming down the steps from the Mini Lake Garden. We do not know who initiated and continue to maintain the garden but we appreciate their good deeds in maintaining and keeping the garden in good condition. We do hope the public will also appreciate this place, even though a simple one and not vandalize it.

In the same way, good deeds are obvious,

and even those that are not cannot be hidden.

(1 Timothy 5:25, New International Version-NIV)

In Search Of The Authentic Kopisan Lai Fun (Rice Noodle) In Gopeng

This morning after 3 rounds of morning walk, my hubby decided to stop instead of our usual 4 rounds of walking. He told me that we are going to Gopeng for our breakfast and we have to start early to be able to reach there by 8 am before the place gets too crowded.

During the Chinese New Year holidays, we met up with our Gopeng friend who never fails to get a taste of his favourite hometown Lai Fun (rice noodle) in Kopisan, Gopeng whenever he is back in Gopeng. According to this friend, the best noodle is the one in Kopisan village. After that conversation, my hubby decided to go back to Kopisan village to try out the noodle there. He wanted to taste and see if there is any great difference between the noodle in Kopisan and those sold in Ipoh's outlets.

Whenever we talked about Lai Fun with our Gopeng friend, Kopisan Lai Fun will always come to his mind. There are a few places selling this rice noodles in Gopeng - in Gopeng town itself and also in the food stalls near the market, in Gopeng Garden, in Lawan Kuda village and in Kopisan village. My Gopeng friend always vouch for and praises the noodle sold in Kopisan village above the others.

My hubby and I used to travel all the way back to Gopeng just for the Lai Fun (rice noodle) whenever there is a yearning for it. That was a few years back. Now that we have so many outlets in Ipoh selling Kopisan Lai Fun, we need not have to go to Gopeng to satisfy our yearning.

We reached there by 8 am. We drove passed the back entrance which is facing the Idris Shah Secondary School (S.M. Idris Shah), Kopisan, Gopeng.

Students participating in their uniformed activities in the school field.

From the back we came to the front of the shop, parked our car and walked a short distance to the shop.

The tables were all arranged outside the shop. It looked like we were early and the place not crowded.

There were already some customers picking their choices of the stuffed ingredients to go with the noodles. We have not been to this new place. I remembered there was on a few shops away. If it is the same one, then they could have shifted from the previous shop to here.

As we entered the shop, the inside was already packed with customers. We took a small table at the side.

From the front to the back of the shop, almost every table was occupied. These villagers are early risers, it was only 8 am.

These pink bowls are for the customers to place whatever ingredients they have picked. There were plenty to choose from - crispy fried fish crackers, crispy fried bean curd sheets, fried tofu, stuffed tofu, bitter gourd, eggplant, fish balls, meat balls, etc, etc.

Varieties of stuffed tofu, etc.

While waiting for our food, I busied myself taking pictures.

Some of the outside tables are now occupied.

Customers waiting to pack and take away the food.

Here is where they cook the noodle and the raw ingredients.
Workers helping to get the food ready.

We didn't have to wait long for our food.

These are fried ingredients. Here I would like to share our personal opinion. We found these fried ingredient a bit hard and we needed to soak them in the soup to soften them before biting. The ones we have in Ipoh are slightly softer.

These are fish balls, meat balls, fish cake, plain tofu and stuffed tofu.

Rice noodle - the soup here is more concentrated and tastier.

Special chili sauce or spicy sauce to go with the noodle and ingredients.

Overall we like the food and if I happened to be in Gopeng again, we wouldn't mind coming again for the food. The place is clean, comfortable and service is good.

But solid food is for the mature,
who by constant use have trained themselves
to distinguish good from evil.
(Hebrews 5:14, New International Version-NIV)