Has it been a month already? Oh my, what have I been doing? All work and no play makes Ellie a dull girl.
Let's see, I've been to Singapore again for work and have found a fab little boutique hotel to stay in called the Naumi. I finally ate chili crab in Singapore too. They are large crabs which are called mud crabs and look a bit like Dungeness crabs and taste delicious. You can eat the backfin and they typically are served in a chili sauce or black pepper sauce. I think everyone was a bit surprised at my crab eating prowess.
My biggest social excursion is now the Kopitiam Yut Kee on Sunday afternoons. What a fascinating way to spend Sunday afternoon. The Yut Kee is over 70 years old and has been owned by the same Chinese family the whole time. It is a hang out for people to sit and drink coffee or beer and eat yummy food. I have now been invited to join a group of men there who sit and chat on Sunday afternoons discussing everything from A to Z. It is really fun. A couple of the men are retired civil servants and one is a lawyer. That is really all I know. I am the token mat salleh of the group which is otherwise a mix of Malaysians of Chinese, Indian, and Orang Asli descent. They are really funny and I get to laugh and take in some real culture...LOVE IT!
I've been doing this detox diet in preparation for my Bail trip and today is day 3. It is pretty severe but the drinking TONs and TONs of water and having ZERO alcohol has definitely made a difference. At the moment I have a splitting headache and have decided the no caffeine bit is not for me. Anyway, it is only a four day thing and today is day 3 so I will finish it and feel detoxed...I'm sure. I know I must have gone to the loo at least 20 times yesterday so something is sure getting flushed out.
Pictures posted include more of Singapore, KL bird park (battery died early on), and Istana Budaya (concert hall in KL). The Bird Park is very interesting. It is in a huge netted area so you can walk around with the birds. There are tons of gorgeous big and little birds. I really love the aqua blue parrots of some sort. They were so cute. The same bird was also yellow and salmon coloured. Very cool. I went to the concert hall to see the national symphony perform. It was very nice, there was a violin and soprano soloist. They had a nice variety of pieces they played as well.
http://picasaweb.google.com/hellokittyinlondon
Two more days and I am off to Bali. YIPPEE!!! I am very excited! I'll be spending 2 days in Legian, the north end of Kuta beach, one of the most famous surfer beaches in the world, 5 days in Ubud at a yoga retreat, and the last two days in Candidasa on the east coast.
Namaste!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Terangganu and Lang Tengah
Travels to the NE islands of Malaysia.
Well, I've been fallen off the blog a bit the last few weeks and not because of a lack of desire to write. It has been a very busy few weeks with lots of work and fun.
On Monday June 30, the darling KW arrived from Dubai. She is lovely young Welsh lady who lives in London and preceded her visit with me by a visit to Dubai. Our plans to meet up at my apartment went smoothly and as I predicted. Taxi cabs do not understand where my building is but managed to get her across the street where we met up without a problem.
Wed afternoon we took off for Kuala Terangganu, a small city in the NE state of Terangganu. A gorgeous brand new airport, a nearly empty plane, and less than an hour from KL and we were there. We had a funky hotel in the center of town right across from the Masjid. Terannanu sits on a large estuary leading out to the south China sea. KW and I took off around town and found a lovely old Buddhist temple and a fairly large Chinatown. Of course, never lacking in the need to eat, we wandered around the waterfront and landed at a simple cafe where a roti chennai with chicken curry was 90 sent...yes, that is 15p or 30 cents. We also saw lots of Durian for sale.
After our wander I decided to go to see the Masjid. A really lovely Masjid with colonial style architecture. I was dressed very conservatively and had a large scarf to cover my head and decided to wander on in. Just as I entered, the evening prayers began with the muezzin starting the call to prayer. At first I felt a bit as if I was intruding but no one seemed to take notice, and luckily I was in the women's prayer area and decided to observe. The muezzin had quite a long call and it was really lovely to listen to within the Masjid. All the women were head to toe in white with some kneeling in prayer and others simply reading the Koran. A very beautiful and peaceful setting.
Thursday morning we were off to Lang Tengah, a small island just next to Redang (or Radang as it is also spelled) and across from the Perhentian Islands. We met the boat at the Merang jetty where there was quite a festive atmosphere and lots of folks getting on different boats to head out to the islands. Merang is one of three jetties that have boats heading out to NE islands. The ride out to Redang first was lovely if not a bit imposing due to the stormy looking skies. We arrived in Redang harbour and saw lots of gorgeous and colourful wooden boats. These boats are a huge part of the history and culture of Terangganu.
Our approach to Lang Tengah was frankly a bit like something out of Robinison Crusoe as the island is very small and very lush. One of the guys on the boat hit on KW on the way over as well. Always fun to have the estrogen laden maiden in tow, it attracts LOTS of attention. We later learned that there are only four resorts on the island, one is closed for renovation, one is brand new, Lang Sari (where we stayed), and Redang Land which appeared to be the main divers resort. We settled into our basic room and went out to explore the surroundings. Thick jungle all around and amazing fine white sand on the beaches. In fact, I don't know that I have ever seen such fine white sand which is a result of the coral being pounded into sand instead of rocks being worn down. We soon sat down to a lovely simple lunch of fresh fish, rice, veggies, and beef curry.
Later that evening a huge storm hit the island. It was a little scary actually as we could see it approaching and sky became so dark and the wind picked up to the point of having the windchimes go sideways. The rain didn't hit for awhile but when it did it came down in buckets. KW and I were both hopeful that it would clear out overnight. The music of the storm kept going all night and poor KW didn't sleep too well. KW had also started what ended up being a weekend of bites. The mosquitoes LOVE her!!! We had a bit of an oddity with the room in that there was only one bed although I had expressly asked for 2 beds. So when it came time to sleep, I simply went into the room next to us and crashed. We asked the owner for another bed and never heard another word about it so I went and found my own bed.
Lots of wildlife on the island including huge monitor lizards, red squirrels, big grasshoppers with pink wings and a whole pile of baby hawkersbill turtles that the owner was keeping until they were big enough to let go without getting eaten. They were 6 days old when we arrived on the island and they expected to release them in 2 weeks. The whole idea is keep them until the shell gets quite hard so they are not easy prey.
Luckily the next morning the weather cleared and ended up being a gorgeous day. We went snorkelling right off the beach and what an underwater playground of activity. We saw a baby shark (about 1 meter in length) and tons of gorgeous colourful fish. Nemo and Dori were everywhere!!! The little nemo fish are so cute as they hide in the moving coral and jump in and out all the time. My favourite thing we saw that day was the huge leopard eel hiding under a big coral overhang. He was so pretty with big spots just like a leopard. Thinking about getting a little underwater compact for future snorkelling adventures.
The next day we were able to go to a few additional snorkelling spots by boat and saw a ton more colourful fish. The variety of colours and the depth of colour was really something to behold. So many variations of blue, turquoise, pink, orange, greens, and every colour of the rainbow. While travelling around the island we saw sea eagles and those parts of the water near the island that appear to be fluorescent. So gorgeous!!! I really think we were in what has to be one of the most beautiful places in the whole world. We were very sad to leave.
One more day in Setiu prior to returning to KL where we have the pleasure of staying at the The Aryani resort. This was my little suprise for KW and we both had lovely rooms in the middle of a little jungle santuary where we had a lovely dinner and superb Malay style massage in the spa area. There were lots of kitties around the resort of all colours and mostly very tiny and with the curled short tail. We had a very nice dinner in the restaurant and had the Nasa Doreng (sp?) for breakfast which is a regional specialty in Terangganu. It is made with tuna and some very interesting and unusual spices and served with the typical rice, fried egg, and cucumber. Delicious!
KW had a whirlwind last 2 days in KL and covered lots of sites, several that I haven't seen yet. She left last night to return to London. We had a great time and I am honoured to have had the time to spend with her. Safe travels KW!!!
My 4th of July was spent watching the sunset from Lang Tengah on the south China sea with my Welsh friend from London. Now that is pretty global!!!
Cheers!
http://picasaweb.google.com/kathwilsey/KathEllieKLTerengganu/
http://picasaweb.google.com/hellokittyinlondon/TerangganuAndLangTengah
Well, I've been fallen off the blog a bit the last few weeks and not because of a lack of desire to write. It has been a very busy few weeks with lots of work and fun.
On Monday June 30, the darling KW arrived from Dubai. She is lovely young Welsh lady who lives in London and preceded her visit with me by a visit to Dubai. Our plans to meet up at my apartment went smoothly and as I predicted. Taxi cabs do not understand where my building is but managed to get her across the street where we met up without a problem.
Wed afternoon we took off for Kuala Terangganu, a small city in the NE state of Terangganu. A gorgeous brand new airport, a nearly empty plane, and less than an hour from KL and we were there. We had a funky hotel in the center of town right across from the Masjid. Terannanu sits on a large estuary leading out to the south China sea. KW and I took off around town and found a lovely old Buddhist temple and a fairly large Chinatown. Of course, never lacking in the need to eat, we wandered around the waterfront and landed at a simple cafe where a roti chennai with chicken curry was 90 sent...yes, that is 15p or 30 cents. We also saw lots of Durian for sale.
After our wander I decided to go to see the Masjid. A really lovely Masjid with colonial style architecture. I was dressed very conservatively and had a large scarf to cover my head and decided to wander on in. Just as I entered, the evening prayers began with the muezzin starting the call to prayer. At first I felt a bit as if I was intruding but no one seemed to take notice, and luckily I was in the women's prayer area and decided to observe. The muezzin had quite a long call and it was really lovely to listen to within the Masjid. All the women were head to toe in white with some kneeling in prayer and others simply reading the Koran. A very beautiful and peaceful setting.
Thursday morning we were off to Lang Tengah, a small island just next to Redang (or Radang as it is also spelled) and across from the Perhentian Islands. We met the boat at the Merang jetty where there was quite a festive atmosphere and lots of folks getting on different boats to head out to the islands. Merang is one of three jetties that have boats heading out to NE islands. The ride out to Redang first was lovely if not a bit imposing due to the stormy looking skies. We arrived in Redang harbour and saw lots of gorgeous and colourful wooden boats. These boats are a huge part of the history and culture of Terangganu.
Our approach to Lang Tengah was frankly a bit like something out of Robinison Crusoe as the island is very small and very lush. One of the guys on the boat hit on KW on the way over as well. Always fun to have the estrogen laden maiden in tow, it attracts LOTS of attention. We later learned that there are only four resorts on the island, one is closed for renovation, one is brand new, Lang Sari (where we stayed), and Redang Land which appeared to be the main divers resort. We settled into our basic room and went out to explore the surroundings. Thick jungle all around and amazing fine white sand on the beaches. In fact, I don't know that I have ever seen such fine white sand which is a result of the coral being pounded into sand instead of rocks being worn down. We soon sat down to a lovely simple lunch of fresh fish, rice, veggies, and beef curry.
Later that evening a huge storm hit the island. It was a little scary actually as we could see it approaching and sky became so dark and the wind picked up to the point of having the windchimes go sideways. The rain didn't hit for awhile but when it did it came down in buckets. KW and I were both hopeful that it would clear out overnight. The music of the storm kept going all night and poor KW didn't sleep too well. KW had also started what ended up being a weekend of bites. The mosquitoes LOVE her!!! We had a bit of an oddity with the room in that there was only one bed although I had expressly asked for 2 beds. So when it came time to sleep, I simply went into the room next to us and crashed. We asked the owner for another bed and never heard another word about it so I went and found my own bed.
Lots of wildlife on the island including huge monitor lizards, red squirrels, big grasshoppers with pink wings and a whole pile of baby hawkersbill turtles that the owner was keeping until they were big enough to let go without getting eaten. They were 6 days old when we arrived on the island and they expected to release them in 2 weeks. The whole idea is keep them until the shell gets quite hard so they are not easy prey.
Luckily the next morning the weather cleared and ended up being a gorgeous day. We went snorkelling right off the beach and what an underwater playground of activity. We saw a baby shark (about 1 meter in length) and tons of gorgeous colourful fish. Nemo and Dori were everywhere!!! The little nemo fish are so cute as they hide in the moving coral and jump in and out all the time. My favourite thing we saw that day was the huge leopard eel hiding under a big coral overhang. He was so pretty with big spots just like a leopard. Thinking about getting a little underwater compact for future snorkelling adventures.
The next day we were able to go to a few additional snorkelling spots by boat and saw a ton more colourful fish. The variety of colours and the depth of colour was really something to behold. So many variations of blue, turquoise, pink, orange, greens, and every colour of the rainbow. While travelling around the island we saw sea eagles and those parts of the water near the island that appear to be fluorescent. So gorgeous!!! I really think we were in what has to be one of the most beautiful places in the whole world. We were very sad to leave.
One more day in Setiu prior to returning to KL where we have the pleasure of staying at the The Aryani resort. This was my little suprise for KW and we both had lovely rooms in the middle of a little jungle santuary where we had a lovely dinner and superb Malay style massage in the spa area. There were lots of kitties around the resort of all colours and mostly very tiny and with the curled short tail. We had a very nice dinner in the restaurant and had the Nasa Doreng (sp?) for breakfast which is a regional specialty in Terangganu. It is made with tuna and some very interesting and unusual spices and served with the typical rice, fried egg, and cucumber. Delicious!
KW had a whirlwind last 2 days in KL and covered lots of sites, several that I haven't seen yet. She left last night to return to London. We had a great time and I am honoured to have had the time to spend with her. Safe travels KW!!!
My 4th of July was spent watching the sunset from Lang Tengah on the south China sea with my Welsh friend from London. Now that is pretty global!!!
Cheers!
http://picasaweb.google.com/kathwilsey/KathEllieKLTerengganu/
http://picasaweb.google.com/hellokittyinlondon/TerangganuAndLangTengah
Saturday, June 21, 2008
HKKL#8
I've spent the whole week in Singapore and was very focused on work but had the good fortune to be able to wander around the city a bit. Singapore is really interesting and has a very different feel than KL and Malaysia in general. I had a couple very funny experiences while there including questioning the very busy nightclub across the street from the Hilton. According to BL, the club is a haven for ladies of the night. Silly me, I thought that stuff only went on in the red light district of Singapore.
Singapore is very orderly and I find it fascinating that no one crosses the street unless the green ped light is on. In fact, my jaywalking tendencies could get me a Sing$500 fine as could drinking or eating on the MRT, littering, or chewing gum. Everyone has heard about the chewing gum thing but I am not certain that is really that big of a deal, just don't litter with your gum and don't expect to see it in the shops.
Singaporeans are 70% Chinese and sightings of the tudong are noticeably fewer than in Malaysia. To the opposite in fact where much of the style is quite minimalist with lots of hyper short miniskirts and tiny spaghetti strap tops. It is certainly a contrast from KL where at least half of the women are wearing karu barong and tudong.
Only a little over a week until my first visitor arrives and I am so looking forward to it. KW and I worked together on the project in London. We are going to be in the state of Terangganu for a few days including a trip to one or several of the islands. I certainly hope to have some amazing pics as the islands are supposed to be one of the most beautiful places in the world.
I was very happy to return KL on Friday and found that the buzz of the week had left me quite exhausted. It was so nice to swim in my pool on Saturday and have a relaxing afternoon. The weather is a bit fickle at the moment with unusual thunderstorms in the morning and gorgeous clear afternoons that are not very hot. Then it can get very stuffy again late in the evening. There doesn't really seem to be any pattern so always a wise idea to be prepared for anything.
I would really like to open my windows but have concerns about the dust and there is plenty of that in KL. If my flat is cool in the evening, I tend to shut the air cond off at night which seems to be working pretty good.
Pics of the week, Singapore and henna hands....check them out!!!
CM, one of my coworkers based in Singapore did my hands. Are they awesome or what? I am certainly no hand model but just love the henna. I am going to do my own feet next. It was such a lovely experience having it done as well, almost a sort of meditation watching CM work with the henna. It dries into a bit of mud like paste and when the mud crumbles off, the lovely reddish stain is left. It is not customary in India to henna the whole body but I think it would be amazing!
Happy Soltice!!!
http://picasaweb.google.com/hellokittyinlondon/HennaHands
http://picasaweb.google.com/hellokittyinlondon/SingaporeJune08
Singapore is very orderly and I find it fascinating that no one crosses the street unless the green ped light is on. In fact, my jaywalking tendencies could get me a Sing$500 fine as could drinking or eating on the MRT, littering, or chewing gum. Everyone has heard about the chewing gum thing but I am not certain that is really that big of a deal, just don't litter with your gum and don't expect to see it in the shops.
Singaporeans are 70% Chinese and sightings of the tudong are noticeably fewer than in Malaysia. To the opposite in fact where much of the style is quite minimalist with lots of hyper short miniskirts and tiny spaghetti strap tops. It is certainly a contrast from KL where at least half of the women are wearing karu barong and tudong.
Only a little over a week until my first visitor arrives and I am so looking forward to it. KW and I worked together on the project in London. We are going to be in the state of Terangganu for a few days including a trip to one or several of the islands. I certainly hope to have some amazing pics as the islands are supposed to be one of the most beautiful places in the world.
I was very happy to return KL on Friday and found that the buzz of the week had left me quite exhausted. It was so nice to swim in my pool on Saturday and have a relaxing afternoon. The weather is a bit fickle at the moment with unusual thunderstorms in the morning and gorgeous clear afternoons that are not very hot. Then it can get very stuffy again late in the evening. There doesn't really seem to be any pattern so always a wise idea to be prepared for anything.
I would really like to open my windows but have concerns about the dust and there is plenty of that in KL. If my flat is cool in the evening, I tend to shut the air cond off at night which seems to be working pretty good.
Pics of the week, Singapore and henna hands....check them out!!!
CM, one of my coworkers based in Singapore did my hands. Are they awesome or what? I am certainly no hand model but just love the henna. I am going to do my own feet next. It was such a lovely experience having it done as well, almost a sort of meditation watching CM work with the henna. It dries into a bit of mud like paste and when the mud crumbles off, the lovely reddish stain is left. It is not customary in India to henna the whole body but I think it would be amazing!
Happy Soltice!!!
http://picasaweb.google.com/hellokittyinlondon/HennaHands
http://picasaweb.google.com/hellokittyinlondon/SingaporeJune08
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Bukit Nanas and Brazil...:)
Should you write your blog late on a Sunday night? Why yes, of course you should.
Have I mentioned the bathrooms in Malayasia? Well no, I don't believe I have. The squat toilet is big here. I figure it is another chance to increase quad muscle tone, what the hey. Interesting that the squat toilets seem to be actual toilets where there is a flushing, not a hole in the groud like I experienced in Turkey in the 80's. So the other ubiquitious feature of the toilets is the hose, like a garden hose along side the toilet. I've realised this is not just for intimate cleansing but for washing of hands and feet for Muslim prayers. What a great idea! I've found various alternative uses for the hose in the bathroom. OK, get the mind out the gutter, I was talking about washing down the toilet bowl.
Bukit Nanas park, see pics. What the hey? This morning I was looking out my window and saw monkeys playing in the treetops of the nearby park. I hoped to see some while walking through the park but did not. What I did see was lots of interesting birds, lizards, and some squirrel like marmot type animals. I couldn't get pics as I was not fast enough. See amazing pics of "city in the jungle" landscape anyway.
What else? mmmmm....I sometimes don't understand things I see. Nothing new there, I don't understand lots of things and for those of you that might have one sided views of a Muslim country, let me correct you...or encourage you to look over your shoulder. In general, I find devout Muslims to be much more mainstream than most right wing Christian groups in the US. I recall wearing a veil to church as a child, so to me, the tudung means nothing but another symbol. It is also a huge opportunity for marketing as there must be a million headscarves for sale in KL. Sometimes I think there is something quite reverant about wearing it, especially when it is by free will and not because you are supposed to wear it.
Amazing breakfast at Yut Kee, a famous Chinese spot steps from my house. The best Kopitian yet and the most amazing Roti Babi, a sort of donut filled with pork, onions and spices and served with cucumber, tomato, and lettuce. How's that for breakfast?
I also had the opp to go to Bangsar this weekend. Why I went there in a moment but suffice to say this is old time expat KL. It kinda feels like Islington with all the outdoor restaurants on the sidewalks and lots of English style pubs. Tons of interesting boutiques and other shops. I saw my first full on Malaysian Hello Kitty store, unforunately it was closed as it was a holiday. I also found an amazing linen store where it took me two hours but I left with several full outfits made out of gorgeous 100% linen for a reasonable price.
Why I went to Bangsar? I went to Strip...the famous Singapore waxing chain...and yes, I did it....the Brazilian. Fantastic!!! GO FOR IT!!!
Cheers,
Ellie
Have I mentioned the bathrooms in Malayasia? Well no, I don't believe I have. The squat toilet is big here. I figure it is another chance to increase quad muscle tone, what the hey. Interesting that the squat toilets seem to be actual toilets where there is a flushing, not a hole in the groud like I experienced in Turkey in the 80's. So the other ubiquitious feature of the toilets is the hose, like a garden hose along side the toilet. I've realised this is not just for intimate cleansing but for washing of hands and feet for Muslim prayers. What a great idea! I've found various alternative uses for the hose in the bathroom. OK, get the mind out the gutter, I was talking about washing down the toilet bowl.
Bukit Nanas park, see pics. What the hey? This morning I was looking out my window and saw monkeys playing in the treetops of the nearby park. I hoped to see some while walking through the park but did not. What I did see was lots of interesting birds, lizards, and some squirrel like marmot type animals. I couldn't get pics as I was not fast enough. See amazing pics of "city in the jungle" landscape anyway.
What else? mmmmm....I sometimes don't understand things I see. Nothing new there, I don't understand lots of things and for those of you that might have one sided views of a Muslim country, let me correct you...or encourage you to look over your shoulder. In general, I find devout Muslims to be much more mainstream than most right wing Christian groups in the US. I recall wearing a veil to church as a child, so to me, the tudung means nothing but another symbol. It is also a huge opportunity for marketing as there must be a million headscarves for sale in KL. Sometimes I think there is something quite reverant about wearing it, especially when it is by free will and not because you are supposed to wear it.
Amazing breakfast at Yut Kee, a famous Chinese spot steps from my house. The best Kopitian yet and the most amazing Roti Babi, a sort of donut filled with pork, onions and spices and served with cucumber, tomato, and lettuce. How's that for breakfast?
I also had the opp to go to Bangsar this weekend. Why I went there in a moment but suffice to say this is old time expat KL. It kinda feels like Islington with all the outdoor restaurants on the sidewalks and lots of English style pubs. Tons of interesting boutiques and other shops. I saw my first full on Malaysian Hello Kitty store, unforunately it was closed as it was a holiday. I also found an amazing linen store where it took me two hours but I left with several full outfits made out of gorgeous 100% linen for a reasonable price.
Why I went to Bangsar? I went to Strip...the famous Singapore waxing chain...and yes, I did it....the Brazilian. Fantastic!!! GO FOR IT!!!
Cheers,
Ellie
Sunday, May 25, 2008
HKKL#6
Malay weddings and fascinating food!
I had distinct pleasure of attending a traditional Malay wedding on Saturday. Well, not totally traditional as it was at the Putra World Trade Center and not in a kampung (traditional Malay village). It was about 500 people and lots of glitz and glamour. See pics to be posted later.
The traditional Malay weddings last about a week with different events including separate events for the family of the bride and the groom. The traditional dress is really lovely and in this case the colours were pink, white, and red. The groom was also wearing pink. Both bride and groom wear white for the marriage vows and then have other costumes for additional celebration events.
I wore a traditional baju kurung. The array of colours of the guests was awesome! Many women were also wearing the kebaya, which is another traditional form of dress associated with all of Malaysia but especially Melaka and Panang.
Got a new camera and it is great! Based on some research I did and the helpful advice of a photographer friend in UK (thanks LR), I opted for the DMC TZ5 or TZ15 (as it is known in Asia). It is a Panasonic with a Leica lens and is known for the best zoom in the compact camera arena. I thought about going for the DSLR but decided they are too heavy and complicated. I just wanted something simple that would take better pics than my other compact.
Yesterday I ventured to the Pasar Bukit Bintang also known as the Imbi Wet Market. I can't say I have ever seen anything quite like this and I have seen LOTS of interesting markets in my travels. It is a HUGE maze of stalls with piles of meats, vegetables and fruit. Tons of fresh fish, chicken, pork, and all the "parts" including gigantic piles of chicken feet. OK, seeing the live chickens right next to the cut up ones is part of eating meat, right? If you are going to eat it, you should know where it comes from and be willing to see it in all stages. I was really too overwhelmed to take pictures but will definitely do so the next time I go.
The market is a never ending maze of tight tables and once I had filled my trusty trolley (brought along from the UK), I headed back home to get all my goods put away. Among my purchases, a kilo of prawns for 18 RM (that's 3 pounds or 6 USD). Not only were these prawns superbly fresh, they had also been cleaned but left with the heads attached. Perfect! I made a big pot of shrimp broth from the heads and some left over veggies in my fridge. I also bought something that looked like clams but after cooking for some time, I could not get the shells to open. I am not sure if I did something wrong or what...anyway, I made some seafood broth from them so it's all good. Bought a bunch of interesting greens, chilis, and some a few other staples. Can you believe it? I'm cooking again and really enjoying it.
I was asked if I have had any food I didn't like. Well, I am getting braver all the time but there are a few things that are pretty scary. One day in the food court area of the building where our office is, I was walking around with SR to see what she was going to eat. At one of the stalls there was a curry with black chunks in it. SR was explaining all the other curries to me and told me that one was cow lungs...no thanks. I am not into organ meats, must be the nurse thing. If you know what some organs do, why would ever want to eat them?
Another untoward food event happened on Saturday while out and about in the little India market. I saw the little balls on a stick and I was expecting the banana fritters but it turned out to be some kind of chicken ball and tasted like lunch meat to me. I gave it to a little dog hanging out by a temple on the back streets of Little India. He seemed to appreciate it. Luckily this was balanced by finding a new delicious treat. After ditching the chicken balls I went to another very crowded stand and asked if the balls were banana and she said, "no, coconut"...and so I got 5 of them for 3 RM. Turns out they were these lucious little balls like donuts with a pile of spicy coconut inside. Delicious!!!
Big work week ahead with lots of activities related to a sales opportunity in Singapore, some consulting activities in KL, and ending the week with a team building event over the weekend in Melaka.
Cheers!
I had distinct pleasure of attending a traditional Malay wedding on Saturday. Well, not totally traditional as it was at the Putra World Trade Center and not in a kampung (traditional Malay village). It was about 500 people and lots of glitz and glamour. See pics to be posted later.
The traditional Malay weddings last about a week with different events including separate events for the family of the bride and the groom. The traditional dress is really lovely and in this case the colours were pink, white, and red. The groom was also wearing pink. Both bride and groom wear white for the marriage vows and then have other costumes for additional celebration events.
I wore a traditional baju kurung. The array of colours of the guests was awesome! Many women were also wearing the kebaya, which is another traditional form of dress associated with all of Malaysia but especially Melaka and Panang.
Got a new camera and it is great! Based on some research I did and the helpful advice of a photographer friend in UK (thanks LR), I opted for the DMC TZ5 or TZ15 (as it is known in Asia). It is a Panasonic with a Leica lens and is known for the best zoom in the compact camera arena. I thought about going for the DSLR but decided they are too heavy and complicated. I just wanted something simple that would take better pics than my other compact.
Yesterday I ventured to the Pasar Bukit Bintang also known as the Imbi Wet Market. I can't say I have ever seen anything quite like this and I have seen LOTS of interesting markets in my travels. It is a HUGE maze of stalls with piles of meats, vegetables and fruit. Tons of fresh fish, chicken, pork, and all the "parts" including gigantic piles of chicken feet. OK, seeing the live chickens right next to the cut up ones is part of eating meat, right? If you are going to eat it, you should know where it comes from and be willing to see it in all stages. I was really too overwhelmed to take pictures but will definitely do so the next time I go.
The market is a never ending maze of tight tables and once I had filled my trusty trolley (brought along from the UK), I headed back home to get all my goods put away. Among my purchases, a kilo of prawns for 18 RM (that's 3 pounds or 6 USD). Not only were these prawns superbly fresh, they had also been cleaned but left with the heads attached. Perfect! I made a big pot of shrimp broth from the heads and some left over veggies in my fridge. I also bought something that looked like clams but after cooking for some time, I could not get the shells to open. I am not sure if I did something wrong or what...anyway, I made some seafood broth from them so it's all good. Bought a bunch of interesting greens, chilis, and some a few other staples. Can you believe it? I'm cooking again and really enjoying it.
I was asked if I have had any food I didn't like. Well, I am getting braver all the time but there are a few things that are pretty scary. One day in the food court area of the building where our office is, I was walking around with SR to see what she was going to eat. At one of the stalls there was a curry with black chunks in it. SR was explaining all the other curries to me and told me that one was cow lungs...no thanks. I am not into organ meats, must be the nurse thing. If you know what some organs do, why would ever want to eat them?
Another untoward food event happened on Saturday while out and about in the little India market. I saw the little balls on a stick and I was expecting the banana fritters but it turned out to be some kind of chicken ball and tasted like lunch meat to me. I gave it to a little dog hanging out by a temple on the back streets of Little India. He seemed to appreciate it. Luckily this was balanced by finding a new delicious treat. After ditching the chicken balls I went to another very crowded stand and asked if the balls were banana and she said, "no, coconut"...and so I got 5 of them for 3 RM. Turns out they were these lucious little balls like donuts with a pile of spicy coconut inside. Delicious!!!
Big work week ahead with lots of activities related to a sales opportunity in Singapore, some consulting activities in KL, and ending the week with a team building event over the weekend in Melaka.
Cheers!
Monday, May 19, 2008
Monkeys, monks, massages and mayhem
Monkeys, monks, massages and mayhem!!!
Seemed like the right name for the blog this week. What a ride!!!
It all started with my idea to rent a car to drive to Johor Bahru for work last week. I knew it would be a quite a long drive but figured I could capitalise on the opportunity and have a car for some weekend exploring.
The nearly four hour drive to JB was actually very easy. The freeways in MY are excellent and they should be as there as lots of tolls along the way. Not too far out of KL there are lots of winding hills and soon you are among a mixture of rainforest and palm plantations.
Getting to the hospital on Thursday was not quite as easy as it was the week before when I took a taxi (teksi in Bahasa). Luckily I didn't go too far out of the way before realising something was not right. I took a very interesting detour through suburbia in MY. I finally made it to my destination and had a good day although left a bit later than I had planned.
I had a reservation in Melaka at a little boutique hotel I read about in one of my books. So hear I am imagining Melaka as some sleepy little port town. Well...not so much. Due to my leaving JB a bit late it was quite dark when I reached Melaka. It is quite a big town and all streets are one way. I saw a whole area of British looking pubs, another area I read about but I was not in a mood for a pub and just wanted to find my hotel. A very nice concierge at the Holiday Inn was kind enough to let me follow him to my hotel in Jonker Walk area. This is the VERY old part of Melaka and is full of history.
When I went outside in the morning, I almost felt like I was in China. Lots and lots of Chinese culture and history in this area. I spent hours looking through the shops including lots of antique shops with amazing old furniture, dishes, chandeliers, and about everything else you can imagine.
Lunch at a typical rice ball shop included delicious sliced BBQ'd pork with glutinous rice balls, broth, and a pile of green sauteed veggies. A small bowl of chilies and garlic is served on the side. YUM!!! Cheapest beer I've had in MY so far. After lunch I went to the history museum and art museum. This area of the world has tons of history with the Dutch, Portuguese, British, and Chinese all playing a role and wanting control of the Straits of Malacca (named by the Portuguese...I think).
It was VERY hot and the history museum was huge and not air conditioned so I decided to head back towards my hotel. I found a lovely little pub on the river and decided to sit outside and have a beer. While sitting there enjoying my beer, I thought I was looking at scene that I could have seen in many places...but wait...not quite. Here comes a river cruise boat and it is filled with monks...all in their bright orange robes. One of the monks waves and give me a big smile. A few minutes later a see a large brown thing in the river. I thought perhaps it was trash but on closer observation, it is a HUGE lizard of some sort. It was easily 3 or 4 feet long and he was just cruising around checking things out. OK, I am DEFINITELY in a different part of the world.
Saturday morning I set off for Port Dickson, a beach town about an hour and a half from KL. I decided to take the back way...yes, I know what some of you are thinking...I survived with only a few more grey hairs. Some of the little roads I was on were just as you would imagine. Nothing for miles but forest and twisty, turning craziness. Every once in awhile I would take another little side road find a gorgeous bungalow tucked away in the forest. At times I know I was quite close to the ocean as well. It was somewhere around this time that I realised the air conditioner had stopped working and it was VERY hot. So there I was rambling along the countryside with the windows all the wayt down and suddenly I see something moving on the side of road. Monkeys!!! Not just one, a whole dang family and they wanted to cross the road and the Mom was literally screaming at me. It was as if she just dropped out of the trees right along the road in front of me. I stopped and watched while Mom and four baby monkeys crossed the road. OMG!!! How cool is that?
Decided to spend Sunday and Monday in the highlands. I didn't have the energy for lots more driving so ended up in the Genting Highlands which are only about an hour from KL. The hotel was a bit odd as it was a French themed thing that seemed was in need of updates. The amazing thing was there is this Japanese themed botanical garden and spa that are absolutely lovely. I booked this special internet deal to get a suite, dinner, breakfast, and massage package for about 150 GBP ($300). The area is up in the rainforest and the cool air felt great. My massage package started with a lovely foot bath and scrub, followed by onsen shower, and finally a wonderful massage. One of the best massages I have ever had and my skin was so smooth from the onsen shower. My adorable therapist starting crying when I gave her a tip. Just check out the pics...
I also stumbled upon a lovely little village full of yummy Chinese restaurants where I had some great Kway teow which is rice noodles which in this case were stir fried with veggies, pork, and prawns, then mixed in with eggs and broth. Kind of like a big yummy bowl of soupy pad thai...YUM!! Again, served with bowls of chilies and garlic on the side. A huge bowl kway teow, a side of green veggies, and some iced jasmine tea set me back 8 ringgit.
The mayhem stems from some of crazy driving experiences throughout the weekend. No air conditioning, trying to read a map and drive, wrong exits, going around in circles, and few other things. None the worse for wear, I have learned lots and had a fantastic time doing it. As I sit here looking up at the KL Tower with the glow of the full moon just beside it, I know I am very lucky indeed.
Happy Wesak Day!
Pics for the week:
http://picasaweb.google.com/hellokittyinlondon/GentingHighlands_MY08
http://picasaweb.google.com/hellokittyinlondon/MY_Melaka
Seemed like the right name for the blog this week. What a ride!!!
It all started with my idea to rent a car to drive to Johor Bahru for work last week. I knew it would be a quite a long drive but figured I could capitalise on the opportunity and have a car for some weekend exploring.
The nearly four hour drive to JB was actually very easy. The freeways in MY are excellent and they should be as there as lots of tolls along the way. Not too far out of KL there are lots of winding hills and soon you are among a mixture of rainforest and palm plantations.
Getting to the hospital on Thursday was not quite as easy as it was the week before when I took a taxi (teksi in Bahasa). Luckily I didn't go too far out of the way before realising something was not right. I took a very interesting detour through suburbia in MY. I finally made it to my destination and had a good day although left a bit later than I had planned.
I had a reservation in Melaka at a little boutique hotel I read about in one of my books. So hear I am imagining Melaka as some sleepy little port town. Well...not so much. Due to my leaving JB a bit late it was quite dark when I reached Melaka. It is quite a big town and all streets are one way. I saw a whole area of British looking pubs, another area I read about but I was not in a mood for a pub and just wanted to find my hotel. A very nice concierge at the Holiday Inn was kind enough to let me follow him to my hotel in Jonker Walk area. This is the VERY old part of Melaka and is full of history.
When I went outside in the morning, I almost felt like I was in China. Lots and lots of Chinese culture and history in this area. I spent hours looking through the shops including lots of antique shops with amazing old furniture, dishes, chandeliers, and about everything else you can imagine.
Lunch at a typical rice ball shop included delicious sliced BBQ'd pork with glutinous rice balls, broth, and a pile of green sauteed veggies. A small bowl of chilies and garlic is served on the side. YUM!!! Cheapest beer I've had in MY so far. After lunch I went to the history museum and art museum. This area of the world has tons of history with the Dutch, Portuguese, British, and Chinese all playing a role and wanting control of the Straits of Malacca (named by the Portuguese...I think).
It was VERY hot and the history museum was huge and not air conditioned so I decided to head back towards my hotel. I found a lovely little pub on the river and decided to sit outside and have a beer. While sitting there enjoying my beer, I thought I was looking at scene that I could have seen in many places...but wait...not quite. Here comes a river cruise boat and it is filled with monks...all in their bright orange robes. One of the monks waves and give me a big smile. A few minutes later a see a large brown thing in the river. I thought perhaps it was trash but on closer observation, it is a HUGE lizard of some sort. It was easily 3 or 4 feet long and he was just cruising around checking things out. OK, I am DEFINITELY in a different part of the world.
Saturday morning I set off for Port Dickson, a beach town about an hour and a half from KL. I decided to take the back way...yes, I know what some of you are thinking...I survived with only a few more grey hairs. Some of the little roads I was on were just as you would imagine. Nothing for miles but forest and twisty, turning craziness. Every once in awhile I would take another little side road find a gorgeous bungalow tucked away in the forest. At times I know I was quite close to the ocean as well. It was somewhere around this time that I realised the air conditioner had stopped working and it was VERY hot. So there I was rambling along the countryside with the windows all the wayt down and suddenly I see something moving on the side of road. Monkeys!!! Not just one, a whole dang family and they wanted to cross the road and the Mom was literally screaming at me. It was as if she just dropped out of the trees right along the road in front of me. I stopped and watched while Mom and four baby monkeys crossed the road. OMG!!! How cool is that?
Decided to spend Sunday and Monday in the highlands. I didn't have the energy for lots more driving so ended up in the Genting Highlands which are only about an hour from KL. The hotel was a bit odd as it was a French themed thing that seemed was in need of updates. The amazing thing was there is this Japanese themed botanical garden and spa that are absolutely lovely. I booked this special internet deal to get a suite, dinner, breakfast, and massage package for about 150 GBP ($300). The area is up in the rainforest and the cool air felt great. My massage package started with a lovely foot bath and scrub, followed by onsen shower, and finally a wonderful massage. One of the best massages I have ever had and my skin was so smooth from the onsen shower. My adorable therapist starting crying when I gave her a tip. Just check out the pics...
I also stumbled upon a lovely little village full of yummy Chinese restaurants where I had some great Kway teow which is rice noodles which in this case were stir fried with veggies, pork, and prawns, then mixed in with eggs and broth. Kind of like a big yummy bowl of soupy pad thai...YUM!! Again, served with bowls of chilies and garlic on the side. A huge bowl kway teow, a side of green veggies, and some iced jasmine tea set me back 8 ringgit.
The mayhem stems from some of crazy driving experiences throughout the weekend. No air conditioning, trying to read a map and drive, wrong exits, going around in circles, and few other things. None the worse for wear, I have learned lots and had a fantastic time doing it. As I sit here looking up at the KL Tower with the glow of the full moon just beside it, I know I am very lucky indeed.
Happy Wesak Day!
Pics for the week:
http://picasaweb.google.com/hellokittyinlondon/GentingHighlands_MY08
http://picasaweb.google.com/hellokittyinlondon/MY_Melaka
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
HKKL#4
HKKL#4
So much better to write in the morning. My mind works much better in the morning. I have quite a nice home yoga practice in the morning now as I have not had the time to check out studios yet. Normally when I get up I hear the call to prayer at the mosque...5:30 a.m. It is a lovely time of day.
Last week I went to Johor Bahru, the southernmost city in Malaysia and right across the bridge from Singapore. I had the pleasure of escorting a UK doctor with me who was visiting KL for a conference. We went to visit a hospital which is nearly paperless and is very impressive for all of the work they have done to get their EMR is place. I am loving my job here so far and keep seeing additional opportunity everywhere I look.
OK, enough about work...more about food. Saturday I spent all day walking around Little India smack in the middle of the Saturday market. Oh my goodness, the food!!! The fried bananas that come in all these different forms are delicious. Each stand has subtle little differences. My favourites are the ones that balls and made with cornmeal. The thing is, I can't figure out how to tell the difference and I had one at work one day made with wheat and it was not a good thing. It's a bit like egg noodles and rice noodles. I think I need to start learning some Bahasa, that would be a good thing.
My new routine is get up and swim in my glorious pool on Saturday and Sunday mornings. It is so nice. I am trying to figure out a routine for weekday mornings but haven't gotten the swimming as part of the morning routine during the week. I think once I get everything settled, I will be able to figure out going to a yoga studio class as well more swimming time. Right now, it seems as if I am still running around every evening with trying to get something else for my apartment or eating...again.
Sunday I went to Chinatown. I suppose it is not too dissimilar to other Chinatown's in many big cities around the world. This one has a quite a history as well and of course, is full of great food everywhere you look. I started off with some dim sum (bbq'd pork buns and red bean pancakes) followed by some fried rice noodles with BBQ pork, cucumbers, and other interesting green veggies. They have this celery called Chinese celery that looks like cilantro but tastes like celery. It is really yummy and a nice relief to some of the very spicy chilis used in some of the Chinese sauces.
I ended up spending quite a lot of time in a big book store that had some Chinese books translated to English where you see the characters alongside the English. Learning Chinese characters must be SOOO difficult. Bahasa Malaysia is in Roman letters and I am actually learning a few words by looking at signs and such.
I have now figured out several different ways to walk to work and our client site in KL. Every day I end going a different way and see some other interesting sites. I am fascinated by the mix of extreme luxury and poverty, sometimes on the same block.
BTW...try to watch "Twin Towers of the East"....it is all about the building of the Twin Towers and is an excellent programme.
Cheers!
So much better to write in the morning. My mind works much better in the morning. I have quite a nice home yoga practice in the morning now as I have not had the time to check out studios yet. Normally when I get up I hear the call to prayer at the mosque...5:30 a.m. It is a lovely time of day.
Last week I went to Johor Bahru, the southernmost city in Malaysia and right across the bridge from Singapore. I had the pleasure of escorting a UK doctor with me who was visiting KL for a conference. We went to visit a hospital which is nearly paperless and is very impressive for all of the work they have done to get their EMR is place. I am loving my job here so far and keep seeing additional opportunity everywhere I look.
OK, enough about work...more about food. Saturday I spent all day walking around Little India smack in the middle of the Saturday market. Oh my goodness, the food!!! The fried bananas that come in all these different forms are delicious. Each stand has subtle little differences. My favourites are the ones that balls and made with cornmeal. The thing is, I can't figure out how to tell the difference and I had one at work one day made with wheat and it was not a good thing. It's a bit like egg noodles and rice noodles. I think I need to start learning some Bahasa, that would be a good thing.
My new routine is get up and swim in my glorious pool on Saturday and Sunday mornings. It is so nice. I am trying to figure out a routine for weekday mornings but haven't gotten the swimming as part of the morning routine during the week. I think once I get everything settled, I will be able to figure out going to a yoga studio class as well more swimming time. Right now, it seems as if I am still running around every evening with trying to get something else for my apartment or eating...again.
Sunday I went to Chinatown. I suppose it is not too dissimilar to other Chinatown's in many big cities around the world. This one has a quite a history as well and of course, is full of great food everywhere you look. I started off with some dim sum (bbq'd pork buns and red bean pancakes) followed by some fried rice noodles with BBQ pork, cucumbers, and other interesting green veggies. They have this celery called Chinese celery that looks like cilantro but tastes like celery. It is really yummy and a nice relief to some of the very spicy chilis used in some of the Chinese sauces.
I ended up spending quite a lot of time in a big book store that had some Chinese books translated to English where you see the characters alongside the English. Learning Chinese characters must be SOOO difficult. Bahasa Malaysia is in Roman letters and I am actually learning a few words by looking at signs and such.
I have now figured out several different ways to walk to work and our client site in KL. Every day I end going a different way and see some other interesting sites. I am fascinated by the mix of extreme luxury and poverty, sometimes on the same block.
BTW...try to watch "Twin Towers of the East"....it is all about the building of the Twin Towers and is an excellent programme.
Cheers!
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