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Still
on top and having fun The Irish phenomena
launched their fourth album - a move, they admit, that many thought
would prove to be their swansong. However, the fact that they recently
signed a contract with BMG music for five new albums, at a reported
£20million, suggests that the boy band will be around for
some time to come. The five Westlife
stars - Nicky Byrne, 24, Shane Filan, 23, Bryan McFadden, 22, Kian
Egan, 22, and Mark Feehily, 22 - are currently preparing to embark
on a new world tour next spring. In the meantime, they got a taste
of the adulation that invariably greets their live appearance with
a whirlwind visit to Kuala Lumpur. Here they celebrated the Asian
launch of their album, Unbreakable - The Greatest Hits Vol. 1, which
contains all their hits as well as six new songs. Over just a
few days in the Malaysian capital, Westlife managed to pack in a
concert for tens of thousands of fans, a charity game of football,
a score of interviews, a spot of indoor 'skydiving', and a couple
of rounds of golf. One of the
many entertainments laid on for the Irish visitors was indoor 'skydiving',
which imitates the thrilling sensation of free falling through the
sky - but in a giant wind tunnel, with no need for a parachute.
Brave Bryan was the first Westlife member to volunteer for the experience
at the Gentling - City of Entertainment complex, which is around
50 kilometres outside of Kuala Lumpur. However, even
more thrilling for some of the band members was when they donned
football jerseys to take on Malaysian Rockers United, a team comprising
local rock artistes, in a charity soccer match at the country's
National Stadium. The boys had already performed seven of their
songs for the thousands of fans at the event, which was billed as
the Westlife Showcase and Soccer Extravaganza. Nicky, especially,
relished the opportunity to show off his football skills. Before
joining Westlife, the Dubliner had played for Leeds United, but
his dreams of becoming a professional were shattered when he was
told he was too short. At 5ft 10in, he stands six inches shorter
than England keeper David Seaman. Although he
quickly found fame with his other passion, music, Nicky clearly
hasn't lost his love of the sport. "It was just amazing,"
he says of the soccer match in Malaysia. "Manchester United
had played at the National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur too, a few weeks
previously, and there we were in the large stadium I've ever seen,
singing, and then playing football." Thousands of smitten girls
turned out to cheer on the Westlife boys at the match - despite
the fact that only two of the band members, Kark and Kian, are currently
single. While marriage
rumours for Shane and Gillian have been in the air for some time,
the couple are not yet officially engaged. So dramatic
has Westlife's success been that the stars, who are all multimillionaires,
need never do another day's work in their lives. However, it's clear
the lads love their job. Authentic
German cuisine from the German Restaurant In English,
this would be Pork and Beef Fillets on Baked Potatoes and Mixed
Vegetables, Mixed Grill in Bavarian style, Half of a fried chicken
Vienna, French fries, Chicken a la Kiev, baked potatoes and salad
and desserts such as Chocolate Mousse and Apple Strudel. The German
Restaurant, which is one of the oldest and most popular restaurants,
was the first restaurant to offer authentic German cuisine in Colombo.
The restaurant, which is located in Galle Face court, has its own
special ambience with dim lights, and unique tables made out of
mara wood. This is complemented by an authentic German menu, which
has survived the test of time by retaining the quality, and the
very generous potions that has been the cornerstone to the success
of this cosy and quaint restaurant in the heart of Colombo. "We have
a Theme night every Thursday," said Mr. Carlo Murcott, the
General Manager of the German Restaurant who has been in the industry
for over 28 years. "The band in attendance is Misty and one
is guaranteed of good food and quality entertainment always." The German
Restaurant is also renowned for their wide selection of a variety
of beers, adds Mr. Murcott. "We have over twenty different
kinds of beer thus making us very popular with our loyal customers." However, the
German Restaurant does not only serve authentic German food. "We
introduced vegetarian meals and seafood meals, so as to serve a
larger clientele. Our sea-food specialities range from foods such
as Grilled Seer with Bearnaise Sauce, Crumb Fried Medallion Seer
Fish with Tyrolienne sauce, sauted vegetables in cream and roast
potatoes and Lobster Thermidor." The vegetarian
menu consists of foods such Eggplant Moussaka served with Buttered
Spaghetti, fancy cut grilled vegetables with tomato Concasse, served
with sauted rice and Cauliflower Mornay served with Homemade Noodles,
he elaborated. The German
Restaurant is also famous for the Oktoberfest they have every year.
"Oktoberfest is all about three days of fun, and would be a
celebration of German food and beer. "One would definitely
get the feeling that they were in Bavaria!" explains Mr. Murcott. Having celebrated their twentieth anniversary last year, the German restaurant plans to 'officially celebrate' this year. "We will ask all our customers to come in, and we will serve our usual menu but a pleasant surprise will await them." They will only have to pay the price they had to pay when we originally launched our restaurant. It would be our way of thanking our customers for patronizing us for over a period of twenty years."
Lankan teen represents Australia on world stage In awarding
the School Medal for 2002, the Principal of Erskine Park High School
said "This year's awardee has brought great honour to Erskine
Park High School and is a proud member of our community. Strong
academically, with outstanding leadership skills, he has always
become involved in every aspect of school life. The same commitment
has extended to the community by extensive involvement in activities
to make the community a better place for young people." "Further,
the recipient has a social conscience well beyond his years. He
has shown great concern for people less fortunate than himself.
He has publicly expressed his concerns to all young people at many
schools everywhere he has been invited to address." "He has,
this year, brought great credit to himself, his family and the school.
He won the Minister's Award for Excellence for Outstanding Achievement
in years 11 and 12 and has had his skills in public speaking and
awareness of the contemporary world recognised by his selection
as an Australian Delegate to the Hague International Model United
Nations Conference." He has also
been the proud recipient of Minister's Award in Excellence, which
is the top award in N.S.W. for education and all round activities,
Leadership Medal, Dux Medal and Erskine Park School Medal. Erskine Park
High School history teacher Bob Treasure said the delegates to the
United Nations Youth Conference (UNYC) were themselves drawn from
State Conferences that drew more than 1000 young people from various
schools - public, private, selective and comprehensive - from around
the country Australia." Mr Treasure
said that delegates were selected for THIMUN on the basis of their
outstanding public speaking, negotiating, diplomacy and research
skills as well as their knowledge of the UN and global issues, social
skills and enthusiasm. Chaturanga
Banadaranayake is a son of Yasas and Nadeera Bandaranayake of St.
Clair, N.S.W. who are domiciled in Australia since 1991. Both of
them are old students of Science College, Matale. |
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Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
Ltd. All rights reserved. |
