Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2011 (Part 1)

Hi friends! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2011!

Too late? Well, they say that it's better late than never! Amen?

Unlike previous years when I made New Year Resolutions on Dec 31, this year I don't make any! What I intend to do, I just do it on January 1 and hopefully the rest of the year too. Less talk, more work, they say.

Besides, resolutions are not easy to keep. So here I am, back on my blog, writing again on New Year's Day. Wish me luck.

Notice that I call this Part 1. This is because once I start writing I can hardly stop. So by calling it Part 1, at least I know when to stop.

Since this is about both Christmas and New Year, Part 1 deals only with my Christmas. So what did I do for Christmas? Or where did I go for my Christmas Eve Mass?

You may not believe it. It's an unlikely place.

For the second year running now, I have been going to Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort at the scenic Dalit beach in Tuaran, my home district. Hometown Tamparuli is under the jurisdiction of the Tuaran district.

But a Mass in a hotel? Yes, some of the top brass of the resort are Catholics or Christians and they made special arrangement for a priest to say Mass for their Catholic staff, family members and hotel guests. Very thoughtful of them, isn't it?. Thank you Shangri-La.

As expected, most of the Catholic hotel guests who attended the Mass were tourists from overseas. They too were pleasantly surprised.

"My family and I certainly did not expect the convenience of being able to attend a Christmas Eve Mass right here in the hotel. Very thoughtful of Shangri-La," said Mr Brendan Lyne from New Zealand.

He and his family (picture) were on a first-time visit to Sabah and looked forward to returning.