Gurney

Assalamualaikum and a very good day to all.

I'm typing this in a hotel room in Penang. Yes, I am in Penang Island now, which is one of my favourite places in Malaysia. :)

I'm staying at ## floor, and our room is blessed with the spectacular view of the sea, and also a large colonial mansion on our left side view. 

Actually, I was quite surprised upon discovering the existence of that particular colonial mansion. Because I've been writing about a family living in an old mansion in Penang, and the descriptions somehow 90% fit that mansion. A coincidence, huh? 

My father had to attend a meeting, and so my mom, my siblings and I walked along the seaside road to go to Gurney Plaza, halfway realizing that Gurney Plaza is actually quite far when going there by foot. We turned back to our hotel room as the clock was ticking towards 7.

This is the first time I came to Penang AFTER reading Tan Twan Eng's 'The Gift of Rain', which is the one historical fiction that I have been looking for all this time. Before I found his novel, I was looking for a novel that depicts the lives of people living in Malaya during the British colonization, and how their lives had changed when the Japanese Army came to invade Malaya. And so, I was feeling rather overwhelmed, amazed and quite sad throughout reading the book. The whole story is spectacular! I have found the book that I've always wanted to read! I rated it 5 stars. :D 

So, after reading the book, I began to look at Penang in a whole different perspective. Whenever I looked at a road or a house, I would try my best to imagine what was actually there in the past? I wish I have the power to see what actually happened in the past. I really wanted to go to the past and come back to the future whenever I wanted to.  I am weird, I know. This would never happen, sadly. Well, I would get scared if I was stuck at the past forever! NOO!!! 

So, upon returning to our hotel room, the phone in the room was ringing. I picked it up 

Me: Hello?

The caller: Heeelllllooooo *whispering in a ghost-like voice of a male ghost*

Me: Hello?

The caller: Hellloooooo *whispering in a ghost-like voice of a male ghost*

Me: *hung up*

Being the dramatic me, I was quite scared. What if it's really a ghost? What if there's a hidden camera in the bathroom? LOL. I'm so paranoid. 

I have finished watching JIN and JIN 2 which are the 2nd best Japanese drama I have ever watched! 'Nobuta wo Produce' will always be the number one drama in my heart. 

JIN tells about Minakata Jin, a modern-day neurosurgeon who was accidentally transported to the past, specifically at the 1862 Edo period of Japan. So, he had to treat people and perform surgeries using whatever tools they have at that time. It is quite cliche, actually. Not exactly and original idea like 'Nobuta wo Produce', thus why I rated it as being the 2nd best. 

But the actors had performed excellently! The music and the whole historical stuffs, the ENDING! The ENDING is simply the best! I must not give you any spoiler, but I could surmise the whole story in just one word, And that is 'Bittersweet'. 

JIN (2009)

Awards won:

63rd Television Drama Academy Awards

-Best Drama

-Best Actor :Osawa Takao 

-Best Supporting Actor: Uchino Masaaki

-Best Supporting Actress :Ayase Haruka

-Best Director: Hirakawa Yuichiro, Yamamuro Daisuke, Kawahsima Ryutaro 

-Best Scriptwriter: Morishita Yoshiko

-Best Theme Song: 'Aitakute Ima' by MISIA 

and other Tokyo Drama Awards

JIN 2 (2011)

69th Television Drama Academy Awards

-Best Drama

-Best Actor :Osawa Takao 

-Best Supporting Actor: Uchino Masaaki

-Best Supporting Actress :Ayase Haruka

-Best Director: Hirakawa Yuichiro, Yamamuro Daisuke, Kawahsima Ryutaro

-Best Scriptwriter: Morishita Yoshiko

and other Tokyo Drama Awards

SO, THIS DRAMA SERIES IS A MUST WATCH!!!! :P

Okay, adieu to you and you and you!