Advert

This is an advert. Guess where I found it? Note the brown tiles as the background. No, it's not in some restaurant.

I was in one of the many private colleges mushrooming in K.L. I went to use their washroom. To my suprise, I found this advert.

It was at eye-level when you sit in the 'small room'. The length people would go to advertise their product. Maybe the company was aiming to untap (no pun intended) the unconcious mind during those few precious moment.

The Da Vinci Code

I went to the premier of the Da Vinci Code. I haven't read the book or any other books related to it. But I've watched the documentary on "Gospel of Judas". And with all the publicity surrounding the film, I got some rough idea what the film is about.

My companion have read the book and thinks that the book is much better than the film. Books would almost always be better than films. With books, you paint the characters and the scenes in your mind. You picture them perfectly as you want. However, with films, someone else (the directors etc) paints them for you and will never as perfect as the picture in your mind.

Having said that, some background information is quite important in watching films adapted from books. These kind of films tend to leave some information. Some times you would be lost as to who is who, why it is so. For example, while there were plenty of information on Priory of Sion, none were provided on Opus Dei in the film. Suddenly, the French policeman admitted to his friend that he's an Opus Dei. Another example is why Silas is torturing himself.

The film was ok. But lack the climacks and suspenses. I came out of the cinema marvelling the way how people almost always try to rationalize things that are beyond their comprehension. I have no doubt that Dan Brown did extensive research and then skillfully blends facts and fictions into one.

Read the book or watch the film and digest as if it was total a fiction. If you have the means, research the things that you think are facts. Otherwise, leave it be.

Chow Kit

I passed through this area almost every day. However, it has been a long time since I actually stopped in Chow Kit. It roughly covers the area around Chow Kit Road and a part of Jalan Raja Laut (Raja Laut Road). These two roads were named after two of K.L. founding fathers.

While Petaling Street is well known for fake goods and Chinatown-ambiance, Chow Kit is in a league of its own. Chow Kit isn't exactly a tourist spot. The area is not for high-end souvenir-seeking tourists. There are only a few three-star-and-above hotels in the area. There are, however, a lot of cheap budget-hotels. These hotels are normally housed in buildings that have seen better days. Most of them have the words 'Rumah Tumpangan' plastered on their signboard. Needless to say, most of these hotels have been around since forever.

Chow Kit main draw would probably be the cheap goods available here. You could buy anything from the not-so-fresh fruits to fairly-fresh vegetables at reasonable price. There might not be a lot of branded items to choose from but you could buy reasonably good no-brand clothes and shoes. Chow Kit could probably be among the few places left that caters for low-income city dwellers. Thus, it would not be a suprise to see a lot of migrant workers patronizing the area, so much so, you could some times forgot that you are actually in Malaysia. Plus, there are a lot of busses that pass through the area. There is also a monorail station nearby.

What I soon discover is that Chow Kit has two faces. It was only 8.30 pm. I needed to photocopy some documents. Most of the shops were already closed. I drove through the narrow roads sandwished among the budget-hotels. The roads were eerily dark and deserted. When I finally found a stationary shop (shop selling office supplies), I stopped my car. As I stepped out of the car, I noticed three ladies by the roadside. I hastened my paces and reached the shop, only to be told that their copy machine was out of order.

While walking back to the car, I took note of the three ladies. Two of them are decent-looking women of Indian decents. They could be in their fourties. They carry with them a little handbag. They appear to be waiting for a lift home. The third lady, was sitting by the curb with her back to me. All I could see was her waist-length hair cascading down her back. It is apparent that the third lady was waiting for somebody. She could probably be one of the many flesh-traders that I've heard plying their trade in Chow Kit.

I quickly got into the car and drove away.