Ice Blended Coconut Shake

When I was in Melaka recently, I took a drive along the road leading to the Klebang beach. Along the way, I saw a long queue at a stall by the roadside, and it caused a bit of a traffic jam. So my curiosity took over, and I decided to see what was going on. It turned out that the stall was selling ice-blended coconut shake. Well, it looked really nice, so I decided to have a try. No regrets...

Sandakan Trip - Photos

I promised to post some photos taken during my recent Sandakan trip. Let me start with what Malaysia is famous for!

This was our Welcoming lunch, hosted by Clarence, one of the graduates of the seminary, who is now a priest at one of the Anglican Churches in the Diocese of Sabah - Seafood bah kut teh. See the amount of food, and we finished them all.

Dinner at Lan Yin's place

Look at the crab! Guess who ate all those crab? Hint: It was not Joel

Off to Sandakan for a Short Break

Within a matter of minutes, together with a group of seminary friends and students (Chee Keat and wife, Desmond, and Joel), we will be boarding Air Asia flight from Kuala Lumpur to Sandakan, a costal city in the east coast of the state of Sabah in East Malaysia. This is will be my long awaited REAL holiday for the year before the madness of 2009 begins.

I hope to have some good rest and, of course, good food in Sandakan.

Swiss Vacation Highlight #5 - Sandwich Technique Rediscovered!

One of key literary features in Mark's gospel is the use of sandwich technique. While in Milan, I suddenly discovered a new meaning of the use of sandwich technique, much to the amusement of my two friends!

What (or rather who) should be the focus of the sandwich technique in this case?

Swiss Vacation Highlight #4 - Meeting up with my Supervisor

Basel

Another highlight of my Swiss vacation is the opportunity to meet up with my PhD supervisor, Bill Campbell and his wife, Kathy Ehrensperger, in Basel. Kathy is originally from Basel, and they were having their Christmas holidays in Kathy's hometown. Both of them have been a real source of encouragement and inspiration for me while I was struggling to complete my PhD thesis.

It was great to catch up with them. I am always amazed by the amount of scholarly publications and research that they are constantly involved in. I just wish that I could have the space, time and resources to do just that.

During our meeting, Kathy presented me with her latest and recently published book, Paul and the Dynamics of Power: Communication and Interaction in the Early Christ Movement, Library of New Testament Studies, London: T & T Clark, 2007.

The description of the book is as follows:

"In this illuminating study Kathy Ehrensperger looks at the question of Paul's use of power and authority as an apostle who understands himself as called to proclaim the Gospel among the gentiles. Ehrensperger examines the broad range of perspectives on how this use of power should be evaluated. These range from the traditional interpretation of unquestioned, taken for granted for a church leader, to a feminist interpretation. She examines whether or not Paul's use of power presents an open or hidden re-inscription of hierarchical structures in what was previously a discipleship of equals. "Paul and the Dynamics of Power" questions whether such hierarchical tendencies are rightly identified within Paul's discourse of power. Furthermore it considers whether these are inherently and necessarily expressions of domination and control and are thus in opposition to a 'discipleship of equals'? In her careful analysis Ehrensperger draws on such wide-ranging figures as Derrida, Michel Foucault and James Scott. This enables fresh insights into Paul's use of authority and power in its first century context."

Thanks, Kathy, for the book, and I look forward to reading it.

On a side note, it is a real honour for me in which Kathy quoted my PhD thesis on several occasions in her book.

Swiss Vacation Highlight #3 - Luther's NT dated 1523

Bern

Sometimes, it pays to do some window shopping, and one can be amazed at what can be discovered.

While walking along the streets in Bern, I came across something very interesting being displayed in a used bookstore selling rare books.

Martin Luther's New Testament, dated 1523!

Of course, I did not dare asking how much it was for sale. Note that no price was displayed, compared to other books next to it. If the price of the books next to Luther's NT is any indication, one can only imagine how much this rare NT is going to be. Obviously, I could not possibly afford it. I think CBD's (Christian Book Distributors) academic closeout remains affordable for me where I could get 10 great books for US$57.00 (made even cheaper with the strengthening of the Ringgit against the Greenback)!

Swiss Vacation Highlight #2

The hotel where we stayed in Grindelwald

One the highlights of my Swiss Christmas vacation is the great opportunity to catch up with close friends. The fellowship we shared particularly over Christmas dinner in the Alps resort in Grindelwald is simply unforgettable.

Christmas Dinner with the Tan family and friends

It was a joy to be able to spend some days with Dr Tan Kang San, the Head of Mission Studies at Redcliffe College, England. Loun Ling, Kang San's wife, also works in Redcliffe and is the person instrumental in putting together a brand new graduate programme, MA in Asian Studies. This new MA will be offered beginning September 2008. My friend who hosted me is also a part-time student at Redcliffe College. So it was really nice to be in the company of missions scholars and student. One can only imagine the kind of conversation that went on around the table occasionally. For a moment, this budding NT scholar felt like a "minority" amongst mission-minded people!

Top of Europe!

On Christmas Day, we went up Jungfraujoch, the Top of Europe. Our good Lord was exceptionally kind to us by blessing us with perfect weather - clear sunny day! It was simply awesome. I'll let the photos do the talking!

Swiss Vacation Highlights

Over the next few days, I will post some of the highlights of my Christmas vacation in Switzerland. I had a fantastic 2-week break in this beautiful country that is rich in the history of Christian reformation. Thanks to a close friend living in Zurich who not only invited me and several other friends over but also generously hosted 5 of us in her apartment, be our knowledgeable guide, efficiently planned our holiday, and gave us (well, at least me) the most memorable Christmas vacation.

I had the opportunity to spend some days in the Alps (minus the skiing part); go on the Swiss Reformation trail; visit some of the most beautiful cities in Switzerland and the border towns of Italy, Germany and France; shop (read: window shopping) at the various Christmas markets; meet up with my PhD supervisor and his newly wedded wife; and discover the grave of Erasmus of Rotterdam along the way! Of course, not to mention the experience of a couple of train cancellations that I was told never happened in Switzerland! More to come over the next few days...