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victor chan Archives - juesatta (CJ Photography)

Aug 09

Teochew porridge, Luo Han Kuo, durian

By Beautiful Melaka, Photography
From right: Wee-Peng, Murphy and Ann at the durian stall

From right: Wee-Peng, Murphy and Ann at the durian stall

It was the Sunday of the week before, when Victor Chan’s partner, Sook-Kwan came to Melaka to pay Victor’s family a visit. After picking her up from the bus station, we went for a breakfast in Malim Jaya. Even though I had only met Soon-Kwan during Victor’s funeral, we became good friends since then. Time and tears really helped comfort us the loss of a good friend, we but cherished his memory, the memory which became a treasure to all of us who know Victor.

After a wonderful breakfast with Sook-Kwan and sending her to Victor’s house, Murphy and his partner, Ann, Wee-Peng and I met up for brunch. Wee-Peng suggested to go for something he did not have for some time, which then came to his mind, Teochew porridge. The four of us just love Teochew porridge and our favorite eating place for it would be the Teochew porridge restaurant in Kampung Jawa however it is close on every Sunday. We had to go for the second option which was the other Teochew porridge restaurant in Bukit Cina.

Teochew porridge is a full meal made up of many cooked side-dishes such as pickled lettuce, salted duck egg, salt fish, braised tofu and many more, served with a Teochew style rice porridge. We loved it not because the dishes are strong in flavours, also as the dishes served in small amount, we could pick many different delectable dishes to go with the porridge. Though I was full after meal with Sook-Kwan, I could not resist having some of it.

After brunch, Murphy gave us the suggestion of going to Bunga Raya for Luo Han Kuo dessert. It isn’t far from Bukit Cina, 3 minutes drive from Teochew porridge restaurant. It is a pushcart at the street adjacent to Bunga Raya Road, selling Luo Han Kuo for decades and well-known among the locals. I had it so much and loving it, since I was brought up in Bunga Raya.

Luo Han Kuo (or Luo Han Guo for pronunciation in Chinese) refers to Siraitia grosvenori, a sweet fruit used as sugar substitute and medicinal herb for treating cough and sore throat. The fruit is usually used by the Chinese in making dessert served with ice, seeing that it is so refreshing for us who live in this extreme weather of Malaysia. And Murphy’s craving could explain its taste as he had 3 bowls of the Luo Han Kuo dessert in few minutes.

While wandering where to go next by sitting at the old street of Bunga Raya, Murphy again proposed to go for durian to help in our digestion, although we knew it was irrelevant. Our stomach was filled with watery porridge and dessert. However, speaking of durian none of us would say no. We then traveled to Klebang to look for durian stalls.

During the durian season every year, there are many fruit stalls offer durian in Melaka. And the long stretch of road along the Klebang beach is one of these places to look for durian. There is no telling of which sells better durian, but the word of mouth. We gambled our luck on this durian stall at the roadside, which then turned out to be dissatisfaction of the durian’s quality at the price the stall offered.

We are surely looking for an alternative place for durian soon. May all beings be happy. Share some shots I took:

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Feb 11

活在我们的记忆中的刘妈妈和Victor Chan

By Compassion, Wisdom
永远怀念的Victor（右边上排第三个穿Siemens白衣的）与朋友们在05年农历新年的聚餐

永远怀念的Victor（右边上排第三个穿Siemens白衣的）与朋友们在05年农历新年的聚餐

今天中午，我收到了两个震撼人心的消息：我的好友，Ah Too的母亲（刘妈妈）和我的好友Victor Chan去世了。在短短的一个小时内，这两个消息来得太突然了，令人难以置信。

几个星期前我见到了刘妈妈。当时她还很健康，还是一样的情切待人。在我的记忆中，刘妈妈一直都是一位好母亲，顾家的人，待人都是和蔼可亲的。没有想到的是，再次见到她，已经是躺在病床上了。自从刘妈妈中风送入医院，开刀动手术，之后一直昏迷到今天离开了大家，一切都像转眼间的事情。对我们来说，失去刘妈妈就像失去了一个好母亲，像失去了自己的母亲。

Victor从中学以来都是我的好朋友。我们都是热爱旅游的一群，曾经结伴到槟城、浮罗交怡岛、热浪岛等等去游玩。每次我们和父母提到Victor时，我们都形容他是住在吉里望的赛跑高手。 处次之外，Victor还是个多才好学的人，他时常给与我网站设计和旅游的建议和咨询。几个星期前，我们才通过电话，讨论要一起设计一个网站和分享摄影的兴趣。我们还打算在农历新年期间给对方拜年。Victor就这样突然的离开了，让大家都无法接受。

我傍晚到Ah Too的家。他和他的家人都很好。幸好医生也在几天前就叫他们做好心理准备，让他们也开始面对了。然而，Victor的离开真的很突然，很让人悲伤。我们不知道他的家人，女友和朋友们将会如何面对。我们能做的是为他们祈祷。

刘妈妈和Victor：你们将会一直活在我们的心里。愿你们已到了一个充满爱的世界。

一个有智慧的人曾经告诉我：很肯定的是我们都会死，不肯定的是何时和如何。有些人认为死是必须经过的，每个人都要面对，所以死没有什么大不了的。

这个原理是很好一直到那个人将要面对死亡。世界不同的文化和宗教大致上都说明了死亡不是结束，还有不同的世界。但是现代科学发达的年代，多数人都认为死亡就是结束，什么都没有了。如果我们没有明确与真正对死亡后的了解，我们将会活在一个没有最终目的人生。

那些相信自己在自己离世前还有许多时间准备，到了那一刻还是被遗憾包围着。但那时才察觉，是否太迟了？

据瑞士出身的精神科学家兼On Death and Dying一书的作者Elisabeth Kübler-Ross，只有真正去了解死亡，具有无私的爱，具有智慧，死亡才变得很安宁祥和，人生也会有很大的变化。

Feb 11

In our memory of Mother Low and Victor Chan

By Compassion, Wisdom
Victor Chan (in the center with black t-shirt) and friends at Pulau Redang year 2008

Victor Chan (in the center with black t-shirt) and friends at the Pulau Redang year 2008; Ah Too is in this picture with blue t-shirt.

Today I received two shocking news in an hour: my best friend, Ah Too’s mother (Mother Low) and my best friend Victor Chan passed away. It was really heartbreaking. Most of my friends could not believe when I sent them a text telling them about these two news in a short period of time, even myself when I was told initially.

I met Ah Too’s mother few weeks ago when I went to Ah Too’s house in Melaka. She was always a good mother, a family-loving person, and also a kind and soft-hearted person to us. Few days after I met her, she was admitted to hospital because of the stroke caused by high-blood pressure that she suffered from. That time, brain surgery was necessary and few days after the surgery she remained unconscious until today’s noon when she took her last breath. The sickness came unpredictable but the death was expected as told by the doctor few days ago. It was really sad when we heard about the lost of Mother Low because she was always a second mother to us.

Victor was a good friend of mine since secondary school. We went to a few trips together including Pulau Penang, Pulau Langkawi, and Pulau Redang. When friends spoke to their parents about Victor, we described him as a fast-runner who lived in Klebang, Melaka. He was always a talented guy who kept seeking to learn more. Victor was always helpful and he gave me many advices on web-design and travelling. Few weeks ago, we talked on the phone about designing a website together and shared information about photography. We were planning to meet on Chinese New Year. Today, he left us without any sign and made most of us heartbreaking.

Ah Too and his family were fine when I met them this evening. They were calm and prepared as told by the doctor few days ago. Victor’s death was really a shock to everybody as he passed away on his sleep today. We could not imagine how his family, partner and friends would feel right now. All we can do is to pray for the both of them.

In the memory of Mother Low and Victor Chan: Both of you and your kindness shall always be remembered and missed by all of us. May you be blessed and may you reach the land of divine love.

A wise man once told me: It is absolutely certain that we will die, and it is uncertain when or how we will die. Some people have the thinking of death being natural and it happens to everybody. It has no big deal.

That’s a nice theory until one is dying. Mostly all of the greatest spiritual traditions in this world have told us clearly that death is not the end. However, the majority of this modern society imagines that this life is all that there is. Without any real or authentic faith in an afterlife, most people live lives deprived of any ultimate meaning.

Those who believe they have plenty of time get ready only at the time of death. Then they are ravaged by regret. But isn’t it far too late?

Looking deeply into the way that we care for the dying, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, a Swiss-born psychiatrist and the author of the groundbreaking book On Death and Dying, has shown that with unconditional love, and a more enlightened attitude, dying can be a peaceful, even transformative experience.