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| Having Western set meal at the New Orleans Barbeque |
I didn’t realize the benefits of being a member of Genting WorldCard since joining in March, 2000 until recently.
As I am celebrating my birthday this month of October, I was given 1 complimentary room (Deluxe) for 1 night’s stay at First World Hotel and also complimentary High-Tea session at The Bakery (2 pieces of cakes or pastry + 1 beverage) and others. I redeemed the so-called Birthday Bash promotion to check in on Friday, October 10, 2014.
I took the advantage to redeem another room (Standard) with deduction of 10GP at First World Hotel and invited my cousin brother Pan Mok Weng to join me as my children or other friends could not join. My high-school classmate Wong Yoke Meng who is a frequent visitor to Genting agreed to follow us but would not stay for the night as he had just stayed 2 nights from Monday till Wednesday.
My wife Soh Ai and I left home at about 10.05am on Friday and we fetched Mok Weng (travelled by bus and LRT) and Yoke Weng (droved and parked his car there) at Gombak LRT station at about 11.00am. It was an enjoyable drive as we chatted all along our journey to Genting Highland.
I drove all the way and parked my car at First World Hotel. Checking in seemed to be very easy as there were not many crowds.
Yoke Meng really knew Genting very well and he took us to Monte Carlo casino using his Silver Card to sponsor three of us, got an agent to obtain vouchers at RM12 each for us to savour Western food at the New Orleans Barbeque inside the casino. This included pork chop (Soh Ai and I took), chicken chop or fish-&-chips, mushroom soup and salad vege, and coffee or tea. The food tasted delicious and the price was really very cheap indeed!
Yoke Meng also met his Gold Card member friend in the casino and borrowed his card to sponsor Soh Ai and I enter a VIP Room where beverage is served free. We also took out 4 small bottles of mineral water for Mok Weng and Yoke Meng as they waited for us outside.
We went for our complimentary High-Tea sessions at The Bakery of Genting Grand Hotel (Mok Weng already enjoyed his last month, and Yoke Meng also celebrated his with me this day). I ordered New York cheese cake, cream pie and a drink to share among us. We really enjoyed chit-chatting and shared stories till near 6.00pm. We parted ways with Yoke Meng as he would follow his friend to go back to KL.
We walked back to First World Hotel and had our dinner at Hou Mei Restaurant. Each bowl of soup noodles (we separately took beef, chicken floss and wantan) costs RM 18 and was delicious.
I did try my luck in the casino but lost about RM 600. We retired to our hotel rooms at about 11.00pm.
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| Yoke Meng (pic left) and Mok Weng |
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| Soh Ai in jovial mood during lunch, thanks to the good companion of my classmate and cousin |
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| My pork chop meal |
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| Side dishes and drink as part of the set meal |
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| An early celebration of my birthday by courtesy of Genting Highland |
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| Soh Ai and I |
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| My cousin brother Pan Mok Weng is instrumental to my awareness of the WorldCard membership benefits |
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| Pan Mok Weng, 2 years my junior |
On Saturday, October 11, 2014, we went to the casino restaurant to have our light breakfast at about 9.15am. Mok Weng and I took Nasi Lemak (RM6 per packet) while Soh Ai took Meehoon (RM6.50). Coffee was free to be taken. After breakfast, I tried my gambling luck again at the nearby table playing roulette and managed to win back exactly RM 100 by 11.00am.
We went back to our rooms to carry our luggage and checked out at 12.00 noon. Before returning to KL, we stopped by Gohtong Jaya to have a reasonably priced and tasty noodle lunch (bill around RM 30+ footed by Mok Weng) at a restaurant called 126.
I sent Mok Weng to KLCC as he still wanted to roam the bookshop there before going back to his home in Puchong. Soh and I returned to our house at about 3.00pm.
I must thank my high-school classmate and cousin brother for providing a great companionship to my wife and I, and making this 2D1N trip to Genting a somewhat remarkable and enjoyable one (I never wrote any account of such trips to Genting in the past). For one thing, they opened my eyes to the many benefits of the WorldCard membership which I never knew how to utilize all this while.
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| My high-school classmate Wong Yoke Meng, a very sociable and talkative buddy of mine |
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| Our hotel room No. 7767 of Tower 1 of First World Hotel, a complimentary stay for my birthday |
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| The view from our hotel room |
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| The resort where the outdoor theme park was used to be is currently under renovation |
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| A pose at First World Hotel ground floor |
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| Restaurant 126 at Gohtong Jaya, a reasonably priced outlet |
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| Our lunch with 2 plates of noodles only |
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| Yee mee |
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| Mok Weng playing host for our lunch |
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| A jovial moment of Soh Ai |
Labels: Travelogue
On the evening of October 9, 2014 (Thursday), I brought my wife Soh Ai to attend the reception in celebration of the 103 anniversary of the national day of the Republic of China (aka Double Ten Day) organized by Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Malaysia at the Mayang Sari Grand Ballroom, JW Marriott Hotel, Bukit Bintang, K.L. I have consistently been invited to attend this annual function since 1999 in my capacity as a newspaper commentator/columnist. I didn’t attend last year.
For the record, I didn't meet any acquaintances this time around other than Katherine Chui and Chan Yan Qin of Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM)'s PRO representing SGM and attending for the first time. I met SGM’s President Koe Teng Hong and General Director Koh Sia Feai attending this reception many years ago. Somehow, a few of my friends who used to attend were not present this evening.
10月9日晚，我与太太出席了驻马来西亚台北经济文化办事处在J W Marriott Hotel, K.L. 主办的中华民国103年周年双十国庆酒会。除了遇见代表马来西亚创价学会出席的公关崔国姗(Katherine Chui) 和陈彦君两位女士，却没碰到其他旧雨。临别时向办事处招待员询问新闻组的赖小姐(Adeline Lai) ，后者从大厅前来会面，并介绍三等秘书杨希杰认识。原来赖小姐也是前新闻组组长周蓓姬女士的面子书友，还见过我 like 如今是台湾外交部交流司司长周女士的面子书贴文。乘兴而去，尽兴而返。去年受邀却缺席，明年若再受邀定当赴会！
