PERFECT SPECIMEN: Ashraf Sinclair

Pretty boy.


Ashraf is a well-known telly personality in Malaysia. He is more famous for his role in a hit series Gol & Gincu. Ashraf was born in 1979 to a British father and a Malay mother.






Eurasians are the hottest people on Earth.

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PERFECT SPECIMEN: Nat Myria Benedetti

Certified Dance Diva.

Myria Benedetti is a Thai-Swiss-Italian model/actor/pop star in Thailand. She is more famously known by her nickname "Nat". Nat was born on 6 Feb 1975 in Switzerland to a Thai mother (Jinda Tengmeesri) and a Swiss-Italian father.

Nat is one of the few Leuk Kreung superstars who has maintained popular status since the 90s.


More photos of Nat here...




Eurasians are the hottest people on Earth.

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DUDE! YOU'RE BLOCKING MY VIEW!

This is a public announcement.

To the dude who owns this red scooter (on photo) and keeps parking next to my slot -- please park somewhere else.

I suggest you do your parking next to a Toyota or a Subaru or something. You are blocking my view, dude. Thank you.

This announcement is posted here because I know the whole building, especially the occupants at 15-34th floors, are reading my blog for some time now (I was told).

If any of you knows who own that dang red scooter, please tell him to MOOOOOVE it!

Thank you.


Your loving neighbor up the penthouse,

Pisanu =)

TOP 10 SURF SITES IN THE PHILIPPINES

*2nd of the series of the Top 10 Surf Sites in Southeast Asia.

There are 27 surf sites in the Philippines known to the surfing circuit – 18 in the North & Southeast (of Luzon Island) and 9 in the Southeast (off Mindanao coast). The best and the most famous of which are in the latter.

As the Philippines is a relatively new surfing destination, surf shops are quite rare. It is imperative that you bring your own provisions. One thing you have to know, waves in the Philippines are fickle and almost absolutely dependent on typhoons.

This list is subject to 25 seasoned surfers surveyed exclusively for BISEAN. Actual visits from 02 May to 25 July 2008. Total surf sites visited: 27. Here are the Best 10 Surf Sites the Philippines has to offer:


1. Rock Island (off Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte) Right reef-rocky. Come August to November and you'll know why this is the Philippine's No.1. For Kamikaze surfers only; meaning surfers looking for "scenic backdrops" should go somewhere else. This list is about surfing.

2. Cloud 9 (Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte) This site is mostly on top of everyone else's list especially the capitalists of the island. The "too-much-trying" crowd pulls it down a notch for the BISEANers.

3. The Majestics @ Puraran Bay (Baras, Catanduanes) Awesome long-barrel waves. September is the prime month. Crystal clear waters. If the Puraranese would hire PR people, they can easily be on the Top 1.

4. D-Land (Labo, Ilocos Norte) Also known as the Labo Surf Spot. Right reef-coral. 150-300m waves on a good day. Experienced surfers only. 6 hours bus ride from Manila.

5. The Boneyards (Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte) Beach-break, left & right. You have to find the surf sites your self. No local tourist assistance. Find Blue Lagoon. Ask other surfing dudes at the bus terminal. It's quite hard to make directions on this blog. Smile and ask. Period.

6. Crystal Beach Break (Zambales) Standard waves left & right, beach-break. 300-500m long with 5m swells on a good day. Crystal Beach Resort +63.47.913.4309 Cool and friendly people! 3 hours drive from Manila.

7. Twin Rocks (Catanduanes Island, Luzon) Reef-coral, left & right, 50-150m waves with 3-4m swells. What makes this on the list is the frequency of waves.

8. Sabang (Cabugao, Ilocos Sur) Reef-Rocky, right. 100-150m waves with 5m swells. Experienced surfers only.

9. Paradise (Siargao Island) Reef-coral, left & right. Power, power, power! This site can be all to yourself on certain days meaning; No hyenas chuckling when you fall off.

10. Daku Island (Siargao Island) Right & Left, reef-rocky. Very long waves! For experienced surfers only. Siargao Island is your best bet. 9 surf sites of the Philippine's 27 are located here.

Beginners should try San Juan (La Union), Urbiztondo Beach or Llorente. All in the North.

Happy Surfing and Mabuhay!


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Related Post: Top 10 Surf Sites in Indonesia

LONGEST TUNNELS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Road Tunnels are engineering marvels that never fails to amaze (and amuse!) me. I always make sure I am wide awake entering it, holding my breath while passing it and let a sigh of relief as soon as I get out of it. I’m sure you do too. The ultimate claustrobhobia-inducing nightmare for some =)

These are the 10 Longest (Navigable) Tunnels in Southeast Asia. The list includes all type of tunnels -- Sub-aqueous road tunnels, rock, shield and immersed tubes –but excludes the subway systems of Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.


1. Hai Van Pass Tunnel, Vietnam. At 6280 m (6.28 km) long it is the longest navigable tunnel in the whole of Southeast Asia. It was opened on 05 June 2005. The tunnel has a cross sectional area of 73 sq.m. and carries daily traffic from the Port City of Danang to Hue.

2. CTE II, 3.7 km (highway), Singapore

3. SMART Tunnel, 3.3 km (highway); 9.7km (floodway), Malaysia

4. CTE, 2.4 km (highway), Singapore

5. CTE I, 1.7 km (highway) , Singapore

6. Khun Tan Tunnel, 1.4 km, Thailand (rail tunnel in Lampang and Lamphun provinces)

7. Phra Phutthachai Tunnel, 1.2 km, Thailand (rail tunnel in Saraburi province)

8. Genting Sempah Tunnel, 900 m (highway), Malaysia

9. Menora Tunnel, 800 m (highway), Malaysia

10. Penchala Tunnel, 700 m (highway), Malaysia

If bridges are out of the question, dig tunnels.

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IT'S TIME TO PEG OUR CURRENCIES TO THE SINGAPORE DOLLAR

My father and I had a little discussion earlier on the phone about the future of our region's economy.

I was soooo grown up talking about world economics, Southeast Asian investment forecasts, which stocks to buy before 2009 and which ones to dispose before the end of this month. Our relationship pretty much revolve around these subjects before we meet in December (annually) and hand him his share of the loot, I mean...profits.

Our conversation ended abruptly while in the middle of brainstorming the possibility of pegging Southeast Asian currencies to the Singapore dollar.

Yeah, that's a good idea.


C'mon! Aren't we all so sick and tired of all the dramas in America?

Every time they got some sort of an economic dilemma [which NOBODY really know if it's true or not] and considering their major bloopers and blunders in the past decade...do we really have to shake, rattle and roll over helplessly?

Let's peg our currencies to the strongest moolah in the region.

It is NOT impossible. I'll back this up with hard stats on our coming posts.

What do you think, young citizens of AEC?

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FORBES' 10 NEXT GREAT CITIES OF THE WORLD

Here's something for global investors and Real Estate moonies like me...


Forbes Magazine compiled a list of the World's 10 Next Great Cities a few days ago. And guess who made it?

Pffft! Not a clue? --

This list won't make it to BISEAN if at least one of our SEA Cities aren't mentioned!

Ok, ok, let's spill it...

Kuala Lumpur is at No.4 and Bangkok is at No. 9.

There. Take that!

While traditional World cities are suffering from economic slowdown, these 10 cities are blossoming and fast becoming to be the World's most important cities.

Read the full story here or view Forbes' slideshow here.

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***Thanks to TAO for pointing this out =)