My Thoughts

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Hifi rejuvenated

My turntable has been lying idle for a few years because the cartridge has a broken stylus and the turntable belt is slack. So my LPs are collecting dust in the cupboard.

My biggest harvest for this Hong Kong trip is being able to source a replacement belt and also bought a new cartridge ( SHURE M97xE ) in Apliu Street, the famous flea market in HK.

Wow ! look at the secondhand hifi sets offered for sale there, really air liuh meleleh ............

Back home , now my hifi set never sound so good before. The Shure cartridge (RM360) is a higher grade unit than the Ortofon VMS30 I had. Furthermore I am using a better amp and speakers now.

see, no 'needle'! slack & hardened belt

I wanted very much to visit this place. Finally I was there.

My spanking new cartridge

Enjoy !!! Let the music flow !

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Day 4 _ Hong Kong here I come

After checking out from the Hotel in Shenzen, we walk towards the Immigration checkpoint in Lo Hu.

Passport stamped ' exit China' , we took the Hong Kong MTR to Mongkok East station,
then switched train to Mongkok.

Searched north south east west to locate the hostel that we have booked.

Finally found it. Actually we were very near it already. Just too bad walked in the opposite direction

The place is quite ok, a unit on the 8th floor of a highrise in busy Mongkok. Our room is
a 8'x10' twin private ensuite, a double bed, a small TV and a small bathroom. Daily charge is HKD 280(RM140).

Location is very strategic. Walk a few steps we can access these places

Wow, "people mountain people sea" ( aka a lot of people la!)

Street musician in action.

This girl is very 'chu bi' ( interesting).

She stands still like a statue, with a card on the floor written: Don't give any money ,or else I WILL SING!

Being curious, I put in 1 dollar, the lady starts shaking and sings for about 30 seconds. Another guy put in 2 dollars, she sings about double the time. See , how much entertainment you get depends on the 'investment'. But hor, I think I can sing better than her.

At night we went to Temple Street.

If I walk into one of these tents, I may be told when will I strike KTM, or when will I get 4 for my PTK. But I didn't. No gut mah.

Toured 43 countries_ 2

Actually hor, I used this passport,

and this "Visa"

to tour here

You see, the world is under my feet

when I was up here

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Current Issue In China ( March 2009)

One of the hot issues in China at the moment is counterfeit money. You can hear about it in the news nearly everyday. People has been advised not to accept notes bearing serial no. CE or CH because they are counterfeits.

When you pay for your purchase or food with big bills ( say 100 yuans notes) , the cashier or waitress will read out the serial nos to you and you have to nod your head to acknowledge.

This routine is to prevent you from denying they are yours if the notes turn out to be fakes.

The crooks try all sorts of way to circulate the fakes. They go to the extend to join half a fake note to half a genuine one. Then they deposit it into the bank's cash deposit machine. The machine can't detect its fake because it has half real one. After that they withdraw the same amount in good money from ATM. Smart ler!