Just A Simple Update

My Ukrainian Graduation Day was held on the 25th June 2010. The Malaysian one is yet to come - 1st August 2010 in PutraJaya. My sister had "climbed the mountains and dive the sea", just to get a visa to attend my convocation here in Ukraine, Simferopol. Fortunately, everything went well.

So here I am writing this just to inform my few faithful readers that I am on a journey with my sister in Ukraine. We have managed to squeezed in Yalta, Sevastopol and Evpatoria while we were in Crimea. Then we "trained" to Odessa. I am currently in Kiev---the last destination here for my sister this time. She will then fly off to Moscow on the 4th July, whereas I will be continuing my trip to Germany and Netherland.

Things has been interesting. We argued, laughed, experienced some unforgettable moments. And despite my "multiple arrivals" in Kiev, I still managed to get both of us lost today :( Therefore, we are now totally exhausted. Not only due to the walking, but also due to the scorching sun of summer, and the "cramped" journey.

Although many would have thought that Ukraine has nothing much to offer, I wouldn't want to agree with that statement. Many of my friends' parents applied visa to Ukraine. But straight after the convocation, many have left for Euro-trip the next day. I do agree that Europe has a lot to offer for travel. But Ukraine is not a place to offer nothing. I am sad to say that I couldn't manage to fit in the schedule for my sister these few places --- Lviv, Chernivtsi, Sudak, TarKhanKut, Kamyanets-Podilsky, Bakhchisaray etc. I know that many people thinks that a lot of these places may not be as interesting as the Colosseum in Rome, or the Familia Sagrada in Spain, or even the Eiffel Tower in Paris etc, but after going through all the red tapes getting a visa to Ukraine, I don't think leaving without visiting some of the places in Ukraine is worth it. Besides, it has a lot to offer, the beautiful Black Sea, the nature that is unpolluted/destroyed, the culture and people that is different ... ...

How many people have ever really thought of visiting Ukraine when one plans for a trip? How many would have had the opportunity to visit while having someone close (family members/children/friends) being able to be a "tour guide" (though I may be the lousy one hahaha)? How many then would have had a guide who speaks Russian (Russian as broken as mine is also counted hehehe)?

Hmm, too much of emo-ing here. Don't know why this place suddenly seems so beautiful especially when I will be leaving in 19 days :( Guess, human beings only start to appreciate something when time is not much left :) By the way, will update you guys about my trip, not only for my memory, but also for those "lost travellers" who have a hard time finding information about Ukraine, my friends who are interested in reading and also my uni-mates/future CSMU students who will be travelling in Ukraine/Europe. Hope I will be able to write everything down :)

Till the next post, wish me luck :D

No Water Day

This is a long post. So drink water, prepare your popcorns. Nothing important, nothing special, just something simple. :P

This month I have so many things / topics that are good to blog about, more for my personal memory though, LOL. My birthday celebration---last time in Ukraine, because in the future most probably will be only in Malaysia (unless, of course, if I go traveling, hahaha), my camping experience in Crimea, my last day of class in Simferopol, my city without water...ARGH!!! Yet, time is so little, especially when exams around the corner.

But I must write this blog. Ok, not must but --- I wanted to, of course. It is a no-water-day, Simferopol have no water supply. Precisely, on 12.05.2010, a Wednesday night, I saw this "no water supply from 13/5, 5am to 14/5, 3pm" on the undeniably influential and powerful FaceBook post, by dear DP. DIE!!! When my class ended on 7th May 2010, I am nearly 24-hours in hostel room. No water, is like a living hell, especially the toilet + no bathing !!! *Sob Sob* Luckily, my period is not coming yet *blush*

Then some of us boringly talked about 13/5's dinner, of course, I will be taking the easy way out --- Eat Out!!! Then here is an interesting phone conversation :

Me : So you wanna join me eating out or not?
DP : Huh?! Eat out when there is no water???
Me : Then when? Eat out when there is water supply?
DP : That maybe dirty! They may not even wash the meat and fish.
Me : So you think they'll wash the meat and fish properly when there is water supply???
DP : Hmm, true though.

Ok, ok! I guess I know what you think. They do clean their products when there is water supply??? I don't know. However, I do have confidence in the kitchen staffs' etiquette :P But under these circumstances, I would say that as long as I don't see it, I think it is fine.

And I was told by WeiMin and SyihYing that 1/3 of Simferopol has no water supply because the Lake that supply this region is under cleaning process. WHAT??? Cleaning and you need to cut off our water supply??? Is this logical? Do you suck out every drops of the lake water and store it in a huge gigantic tank and then clean the bottom of the lake??? Does it make any sense? Why are they making our life miserable?

On 9th May, the hostel has no water because the pipe in front of our hostel burst, then now this! Every year (for 6 freaking years) there will be such incidentssss (not once but FREQUENTLY, especially spring/summer when we sweat and stink) ARGH!!! Why can't they just make a good quality pipe??? Can't they see that the cost of using Cheaplak Pipe is higher in the long run??? Somemore, no hot water supply in Summer, more precisely around end May-June. They think their cold water is like Malaysia's. But, hell NO. It's ICE cold water!!! Ah, nevermind, I get used to it (Hmm, have I really???)

But fortunately, the water came at about 6.30am Friday, when I heard the flow of water in the bathroom. What a relief!!! I rushed at the very moment of hearing it, switched off the tap, get back to bed and got up at 7.30am (Just can't wait any longer) to take my refreshing bath...Hmm, so nice!

So now, back to my dinner on Thursday, 13/5 --> I went to "Opex" (English = Nuts, yes that's Russian *wink*) for my dinner with 7 other friends. I have been hearing good comments about it for quite a while. But I think it's a little bit over-rated. The place is actually quite beautiful. Especially the windmill at the entrance is rather captivating. And now that the spring - summer is around the corner, eating open air is just simply sweet. I like the outside decoration of the cafe, especially the ambiance, the drapery curtains, the rattan furniture...

6th Years

Interior

Ying (Top Student) & Min in the windmill

I ordered a Mushroom Cream Soup, Duck with Apple, Boiled Potatoes with Butter and a cup of Chocolate Milkshake, paying a 10%-tax-inclusive uah62.70 (€6.27). Seriously, eating out in Ukraine (if compared to traveling in Europe) is cheap. How can you get less than €10 for a FULL 3-4 course meal with a drink (my friends'), especially for those richer countries using €€€/Pound Sterling? But of course, it's because we are (ok, I am) poor that I have to opt for Ukraine to study. Therefore, eating out constantly is, of course, not a good idea :) Food in Opex I'd give a 70%; but the service is good, I'd put a 85% *Applause*. Just the seats inside the windmill is too too dusty, even to just take a picture :P

When food has not arrived yet

I love this shot! Thank you, SyihYing!

Reading or posing?



Khiu & See Choo

Jackie being "Yeng"

So below will be stretch of picturesssss which I hope will speak for themselves. Prices (if any) are before adding the 10% service tax :D

Creamy Mushroom Soup 14uah

Fish Soup ... " Yxa " 15uah

Shurpa 14uah

Caesar Salad, uah 25

"Okean" Salad, uah28

Mutton, price by weight

Pork Ribs, uah17-18/100g

Pork Roll, by weight

Duck with Apple, uah 25 per plate

Pork, by weight

Fries 6uah

Seafood Rice, 9uah

Dessert --- Ice-Cream uah18

Everyone is busy taking pictures or posing :P

I simply just like this picture, such a coincident to have the same expression on both of them, good shot!


My whole set
A mushroom soup (picture somewhere above) 14uah
Duck with Apple, 25 uah
Boiled potatoes with Butter, 6 uah
Chocolate Milkshake 12 uah

I am that uncivilized, using hands and fingers.

Waiting for the bill :)

Total = uah 591.25

Yan Lee & Izman


Hugging the Top Student

Eat till the night falls

We think he is the owner

~ Tiramisu Charlotte Cake Style ~

For Khiu Fu Lung's birthday party, we (group 628) decided to do cuisines of different nationalities. And we drew lots to decide the "chef" behind the cuisines. So this is the list :

Italian/USA/UK --- Mac and Cheese

Brandon/Kok Hon/Sook Sim


Mexican --- Barbecue Stick & Roll (?)
Brandon/Kok Hon/Sook Sim


Georgian --- Salad
Ann Feng


Cuban --- Mojito (Without Alcohol)
Yan Lee


Irish --- Irish Lamb Shank
Izman


Thai --- TomYam Seafood
Oo & Cyok Noy


German --- Pork Knuckles
Wei Min & Syih Ying


Chinese --- Herbal Duck Soup
Justin & See Yee


Italian --- Tiramisu
Jacklyn

As promised in the previous post, here is the better modified version. As the instructions are already written in the previous post, this would only include some additional instructions/details. Texture for this time is much better, I think. As it is not so soft and "watery" as the last one. At least you can see the "fence" still manage to stand "still" :P

Ingredients :
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream

Coffee syrup (refer previous post)

500g Mascarpone Cheese
3 tablespoon coffee (strong and thick is preferable)

500ml Whipping cream

Lady Finger's biscuits
Cocoa Powder

25g Gelatin
50g hot water

Additional Details :
~ Steps are the same as previous.
~ But after you have fold in the Macarpone mixture and the whipping cream, assemble the lady finger's biscuits (without coffee) at the side of your tray.
~ Then take more lady finger's biscuits and dip them into the coffee mixture to make the first layer for the base of Tiramisu.
~ After this, only start to dissolve the gelatin in 50ml of hot water by double-boiling method.
~ Pour the dissolved Gelatin into your tiramisu cream portion by portion. Don't forget to stir/mix them evenly so that you won't get clumps of Gelatin in your cake later.
~ Then pour the mixture on the first base and proceed with the rest of the steps.
~ Chill the tiramisu for at least 4 hours.

Ingredients used

Left : Yolks + Sugar ~ Pale and frothy
Right : Gelatin + 50ml hot water ~ Double boiling method


Left upper corner: Assembling the cake, coffee-dipped biscuit at the base

--- HaPpY BirThDaY, Fu Lung! ---