These days, I feel like I'm going on some sort of adventure that I had not bargained for. And before I get old, too old for this sort of thing, I'm glad that I have had the time to live it up a little.
Unexpectedly, I lost my job. Or rather, it was expected, just that I had not expected it to be so abrupt. For weeks, I had already been anticipating the changes, so I can say that I was not unprepared. However, it was still a blow, to lose something that has already become familiar to you.
So on that very next day I found myself booking a one-way ticket for the first time. I knew where he was, and I knew we would not have many days together. I guess we needed each other, we needed to cheer each other up.
Then, without much thought, I did what people have been doing for ages, traveling through places. After Penang we went to KL, and now in Melaka for the week. I'm glad I'm here. Melaka always provides me with a deep, good sleep, perhaps it's the air or else the sun zaps my energy and I don't have burdensome thoughts, just walking around happily here.
It was a blessing to my heart that I found kind people who helped me along the way, to lift my spirits. I persuaded Uncle Clay to teach me pottery for a day; despite my wonderful art degree, I had never known how to manage a pottery wheel and fashion a lump of clay into a usable object. It was tougher than it looks and my hands were trembling from the day's work. I made two small seaturtles in memory of our huge sandcastle seaturtle we made on our last trip - we did not bring cameras to the beach, so this will serve as a longer keepsake.
Then, I kept speaking to different people in Melaka. A secondhand bookshop owner pointed me to a place I could paint. A shoemaker pointed me to a papercutter I could learn from. I went to paint. The guy who owns the art cafe gave me a piece of wood, surfboard length and half the width. He also gave me oil paints, to my delight. A Penang Uncle who painted on canvases, learnt that I wanted to paint, and generously brought a blank canvas for me, the next day. I did not need to pay a single cent for all these and I was humbled and touched. The canvas was quite a big size and in Singapore we would need to pay a 3 digit amount for it. Yet, he just gave it to me, not even wanting my gratitude. So, for the first time in my life, I started oil painting. I really like to be creative, only it's so expensive and ... I guess we do not really have the time to find time to do it. I painted in silence for hours, while people ate their lunches, drank with their friends. And I loved every single minute of it. The oil colors just melted into the canvas, and each day I couldn't wait to get up and continue my masterpiece. I'm using tones of blue, teal blue to smurf blue. Feeling the paint on the canvas, blending and painting the oils, I did this for hours and it is the best feeling in the world, which I discovered by chance, and I'm so thankful, for having these people in my life. My hair is frizzled here, my skin is dry and tanned, but I have such lovely toned legs, and when I look at the paint stains on my hands (oil is hard to wash out), a smurf blue, I think that I am glad to be here on a two-week paid vacation (my company paid me out, it lessens the pain), and having such an adventure.
Showing posts with label melaka. Show all posts
Showing posts with label melaka. Show all posts
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Of babies, terrorists on boxing day and our inner poet
Recent happenings...
I got my 20th passport stamp for Malaysia. Means I'm more "pendatang asing" (in a positive connotation please) than any of my... Singaporean counterparts.
On Boxing Day around midnight, Ches and I met a 'terrorist'.
I never knew I could be a singing musical box to a baby.
Actually I think the words to my nursery rhyme tunes are all salah!!! (Or else it JUST doesn't make sense. IE Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder WHAT you are? I mean, it's a star right? I really pondered long moments on that...baffling. Anyways.)
And... well, it's splendid to spend Christmas in Melaka again.
I discovered Baby S looks a lot like... ME! (At the same age...)
At 8 months, she looks like me when I was one year old. Okay I look MORE like a boy but...I really feel she looks like the one year old me.
Here's a photo for comparison.
My arms and thighs are chunkier... but overall I'd say Baby S has the same 'skintone' as me, she is the exact SAME fair shade as me!!! Confirm chop chop. Means she will probably be as fair as me, grown-up, and the thick (red) lips too! Hee. She should go for some baby competition (like ME!) when she turns one because the super-fair, plump look is a sure winner in baby contests!
See, my arms looks like bamboo... and Baby S looks positively thin, compared to me!!!
Yes...I'm surrounded by baby contest prizes. Retro Pampers. Mom told me I got 4th prize out of 5 prizes given out and there were hundreds of babies who took part. So I'm confident Baby S can be a winner too!!!
==
I had an unexpected cheery meetup with Ches on boxing-night. He was always away for Christmas but thanks to J's due diligence, we managed to meet on the last night I was in Melaka.
To me it's awesome to have that kind of friendship we have, to sit in utter silence and read books together and go on long midnight car drives on long windy roads. Sounds boring to most but the serenity and the company goes a long way in keeping me sane. So after we disbanded from the group we went on a nice long car ride. Ches seems different in Melaka, a not so melancholy-and -serious version. He even cracked jokes, spouted poetry (!!!!!) and ran to open the car door for me! Buay tahan. Yes it's true! He suddenly said Larry King's words which was a poem written, something like a tribute for/to those wives left behind by dead husbands. In the car, he suddenly said... 'your tears build a staircase into heaven where we will meet again something something'... literally took my breath away... it's like totally unexpected coming from the serious Ches I've known all these years. I managed to find the entire poem when I got back yesterday. Hee.
And I thought I had already been driven to all parts of Melakatown but he somehow managed to bring me to some Taman I had never seen before and a place like botanic gardens, it had black-and-white colonial houses in huge grounds and presumbably lived-in by the ministers of state or some important person.
On our way back to Baby S's place, we had to U-turn at the junction where the traffic lights had a really long wait. The road was deserted as all the cars were waiting at the lights behind the u-turn...so it was only our one car. We can't believe what we saw next! In the MIDDLE of the road, a man was standing there, dressed all in black and carrying a BIG black bag and he was waving his arms at us... unheeded, we just drove on... but, he FLUNG himself in front of our bumper to stop us! I think at that moment it was just...sheer panic, you can't imagine our horror! Ches quickly locked the doors and the terrorist/drunk/madman wanted to try to open the doors... we reversed to where we had U-turned, and he just bounded towards us! Seeing a terrorist-looking man and the crazed look on his face, running towards you is NO JOKE... we both turned pale and quiet (or at least me) and waited along the side of the road until the cars at the traffic light were ready to go. We saw a few motorbikes being accosted by the man too, and he also flung himself at them, almost swerving one... We just waited for a car to drive parallel with us, in that sense both cars were protecting each other. Whew... I'm just thankful we were both okay because in my morbid mind I can just imagine the man flinging his bag, breaking the windows and 'Shards of glass and shrapnel of unknown matter were found in the victims phalanges' ala Bones style... he was really only inches from our faces and his crazed face still burns in my memory! I can still remember me blabbering 'What's he trying to do? What's he trying to do?' And Ches blabbering, 'Make sure the doors are all locked...wait for the cars...go together...GO TOGETHER!' in panic...
We are also blessed that night that Ches took his solid black SUV car out rather than the jangly, springy kelisa which I'm sure could not reverse in such a quick way and also the door could be easily pried open... so, yes, it was a scary incident, I hope a one-off thing.
I got my 20th passport stamp for Malaysia. Means I'm more "pendatang asing" (in a positive connotation please) than any of my... Singaporean counterparts.
On Boxing Day around midnight, Ches and I met a 'terrorist'.
I never knew I could be a singing musical box to a baby.
Actually I think the words to my nursery rhyme tunes are all salah!!! (Or else it JUST doesn't make sense. IE Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder WHAT you are? I mean, it's a star right? I really pondered long moments on that...baffling. Anyways.)
And... well, it's splendid to spend Christmas in Melaka again.
I discovered Baby S looks a lot like... ME! (At the same age...)
At 8 months, she looks like me when I was one year old. Okay I look MORE like a boy but...I really feel she looks like the one year old me.
Here's a photo for comparison.
My arms and thighs are chunkier... but overall I'd say Baby S has the same 'skintone' as me, she is the exact SAME fair shade as me!!! Confirm chop chop. Means she will probably be as fair as me, grown-up, and the thick (red) lips too! Hee. She should go for some baby competition (like ME!) when she turns one because the super-fair, plump look is a sure winner in baby contests!See, my arms looks like bamboo... and Baby S looks positively thin, compared to me!!!
Yes...I'm surrounded by baby contest prizes. Retro Pampers. Mom told me I got 4th prize out of 5 prizes given out and there were hundreds of babies who took part. So I'm confident Baby S can be a winner too!!!
==
I had an unexpected cheery meetup with Ches on boxing-night. He was always away for Christmas but thanks to J's due diligence, we managed to meet on the last night I was in Melaka.
To me it's awesome to have that kind of friendship we have, to sit in utter silence and read books together and go on long midnight car drives on long windy roads. Sounds boring to most but the serenity and the company goes a long way in keeping me sane. So after we disbanded from the group we went on a nice long car ride. Ches seems different in Melaka, a not so melancholy-and -serious version. He even cracked jokes, spouted poetry (!!!!!) and ran to open the car door for me! Buay tahan. Yes it's true! He suddenly said Larry King's words which was a poem written, something like a tribute for/to those wives left behind by dead husbands. In the car, he suddenly said... 'your tears build a staircase into heaven where we will meet again something something'... literally took my breath away... it's like totally unexpected coming from the serious Ches I've known all these years. I managed to find the entire poem when I got back yesterday. Hee.
And I thought I had already been driven to all parts of Melakatown but he somehow managed to bring me to some Taman I had never seen before and a place like botanic gardens, it had black-and-white colonial houses in huge grounds and presumbably lived-in by the ministers of state or some important person.
On our way back to Baby S's place, we had to U-turn at the junction where the traffic lights had a really long wait. The road was deserted as all the cars were waiting at the lights behind the u-turn...so it was only our one car. We can't believe what we saw next! In the MIDDLE of the road, a man was standing there, dressed all in black and carrying a BIG black bag and he was waving his arms at us... unheeded, we just drove on... but, he FLUNG himself in front of our bumper to stop us! I think at that moment it was just...sheer panic, you can't imagine our horror! Ches quickly locked the doors and the terrorist/drunk/madman wanted to try to open the doors... we reversed to where we had U-turned, and he just bounded towards us! Seeing a terrorist-looking man and the crazed look on his face, running towards you is NO JOKE... we both turned pale and quiet (or at least me) and waited along the side of the road until the cars at the traffic light were ready to go. We saw a few motorbikes being accosted by the man too, and he also flung himself at them, almost swerving one... We just waited for a car to drive parallel with us, in that sense both cars were protecting each other. Whew... I'm just thankful we were both okay because in my morbid mind I can just imagine the man flinging his bag, breaking the windows and 'Shards of glass and shrapnel of unknown matter were found in the victims phalanges' ala Bones style... he was really only inches from our faces and his crazed face still burns in my memory! I can still remember me blabbering 'What's he trying to do? What's he trying to do?' And Ches blabbering, 'Make sure the doors are all locked...wait for the cars...go together...GO TOGETHER!' in panic...
We are also blessed that night that Ches took his solid black SUV car out rather than the jangly, springy kelisa which I'm sure could not reverse in such a quick way and also the door could be easily pried open... so, yes, it was a scary incident, I hope a one-off thing.
If tears could build a stairway,
and memories a lane.
I would walk right up to Heaven
and bring you back again.
No farewell words were spoken,
No time to say "Goodbye".
You were gone before I knew it,
and only God knows why.
My heart still aches with sadness,
and secret tears still flow.
What it meant to love you -
No one can ever know.
But now I know you want me
to mourn for you no more;
To remember all the happy times
life still has much in store.
Since you'll never be forgotten,
I pledge to you today~
A hollowed place within my heart
is where you'll always stay.
and memories a lane.
I would walk right up to Heaven
and bring you back again.
No farewell words were spoken,
No time to say "Goodbye".
You were gone before I knew it,
and only God knows why.
My heart still aches with sadness,
and secret tears still flow.
What it meant to love you -
No one can ever know.
But now I know you want me
to mourn for you no more;
To remember all the happy times
life still has much in store.
Since you'll never be forgotten,
I pledge to you today~
A hollowed place within my heart
is where you'll always stay.
Monday, February 02, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Melaka...
Melaka...
Is where, on top Bukit China, just a short walk away from the Peranakan shophouse where I stay in Chinatown, you can see the best sunset, overlooking the city. The hill has olden chinese graves built into it, but doesn't have the creepy feel. Some guys asked me in chinese as I was traisping upwards, "ni bu pa ma?" - aren't you afraid? To which I just snorted at them - not being impolite, but too breathless. Ahhh...
Is where I met my first Swedish cyclist who cycled (!!!) from BKK to SG.
We spent Valentine's of '07 together. I was there to meet Ches, but he had a last-min call to his ship.
So I was there alone, but not really alone. And yes, we were both single at the time.
And nothing else happened BY THE WAY! Although he did come to my guesthouse the next morning to wave goodbye, this was the morning after. And, this was all he carried along with him.
Is where I met my first New Caledonian, in fact, I've always wanted to visit New Caledonia. It will be such an adventure!
He runs a B&B and this is the directions to his place.
Is where I get my 'secret recipe' craving of black pepper lamb pie and cheesecakes galore. At half-price, this is a good way to have lunch!
Is where the peacefulness of the surroundings allow me to meditate and have conversations with God. When I am alone, and have nothing to do, I usually find myself talking to Him, which I did, in ChristChurch, for about 2 hours one afternoon.
Is where Ches lives. My escape to, when I am depressed from the noisy traffic sound and daily life woes.
Is where this baby lives, too. Hello Ethan. I bet you are unaware I am plagiarizing this photo, hoho...
Melaka...
...Is where I'm heading to! Yay!
Is where, on top Bukit China, just a short walk away from the Peranakan shophouse where I stay in Chinatown, you can see the best sunset, overlooking the city. The hill has olden chinese graves built into it, but doesn't have the creepy feel. Some guys asked me in chinese as I was traisping upwards, "ni bu pa ma?" - aren't you afraid? To which I just snorted at them - not being impolite, but too breathless. Ahhh...
Is where I met my first Swedish cyclist who cycled (!!!) from BKK to SG.
We spent Valentine's of '07 together. I was there to meet Ches, but he had a last-min call to his ship.
So I was there alone, but not really alone. And yes, we were both single at the time.
And nothing else happened BY THE WAY! Although he did come to my guesthouse the next morning to wave goodbye, this was the morning after. And, this was all he carried along with him.
Is where I met my first New Caledonian, in fact, I've always wanted to visit New Caledonia. It will be such an adventure!
He runs a B&B and this is the directions to his place.
Is where I get my 'secret recipe' craving of black pepper lamb pie and cheesecakes galore. At half-price, this is a good way to have lunch!
Is where the peacefulness of the surroundings allow me to meditate and have conversations with God. When I am alone, and have nothing to do, I usually find myself talking to Him, which I did, in ChristChurch, for about 2 hours one afternoon.
Is where Ches lives. My escape to, when I am depressed from the noisy traffic sound and daily life woes.
Is where this baby lives, too. Hello Ethan. I bet you are unaware I am plagiarizing this photo, hoho...
Melaka...
...Is where I'm heading to! Yay!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
stills, melaka
Some stills from the video I was shooting in Melaka...yeah was filming for a few hours. Can't wait for the video to be edited!
Whee.
Whee.
the ability to do nothing
Sometimes the complexity of this world - my world, the world I live in - just scares me. I wish it all could be a little easier, a little cleaner.
My ideal world is one where I can wake up to the morning sun on my face and the sounds of birds chirping and just feel really rested at night. Not having headaches ever! ( I am having one today) and just somewhere where I can take a walk, at any hour, in peace, without having to worry about anything.
I guess the reason why I love Melaka so much is because it offers all these, and more... my respite from the hectic lifestyle here. It's also the nearest place that I can go to to find my rest, to find - my self. I feel as though I'm cluttering up my life with too many unwanted and unasked for thoughts, and decisions I don't really have/want to make - being away in Melaka just simplifies stuff and you can actually hear yourself thinking deep thoughts. Sublime. Yet, after the weekend I seem to settle all-too-easily into the busy everyday life. Argh. I miss Melaka, and all the other nice places where I can find respite for my soul.
Captain Zero mentioned, that with some people, when you are with them, 'it feels like coming home', and I'm glad that somehow I feel like that when I go to Melaka, though it was never my home... somehow, the whole place calls to me. Haha! My next goal is to buy a house (next to Chestnut's) there. His current place is really lovely, it has all the retro features like metal toilet door, mosaic kitchen floor, high ceiling, shuttered windows, small front porch, curlicue design gate and large bedrooms... I WANT!
I am promising myself not to get too drained by the life here and have a respite one weekend in the month to do nothing. It really makes a difference!
Some photos I took, each time I go up I take different, and interesting photos!
Hehe.
Took this photo of my workstation the day I left for Melaka - it's looking somewhat like my areas at home. I'm allowed to do anything even paint the walls... might put up some stickers. I just hooked all my stuff to the walls for now. The giant paper clip is a gift from PS Chua and the toy soldiers are really retro ones, I jokingly tell people 'I am always surrounded by men'.... get it? haha!
On the way to the bus station, from office, in a cab...Heard it rained really heavily last Thursday - here it was just starting to drizzle.
Chestnut's neighbor's dog. Amazed that it posed wonderfully for me later, most animals do actually, it's as if they know they are being photographed. I was kinda scared though as I was really close.
Outside Chestnut's house - retro feel right! Hehe. I love love love the gate.
Old yellow school bus parked along the road to Ches' place.
Me and iguana. Heh. Couldn't resist! RM3. Was kinda scared, as you can see from my wincing expression... It's really scaly and heavy and yucky...
The next top model! Chestnut's not posing for this photo - he hates to take photos so I had to secretly snap it... We were resting in the St Paul's church after climbing many steps to reach it. Chestnut just looks uber cool in every shot, naturally... It's part of the 'silent, strong' masculine factor he has. Woot! I still remember the days where he was skinny like a chopstick and now, due to his work he just has these lovely muscles... Woot!
Nice jesus shirt.
Cool.
Our fave place to have coffee!
Looking at these photos makes me feel happy. =) Shall capture some stills from the video we took soon.
Can't wait to hear the birds chirping in another travelling location soon.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
realize
If you just realized what I just realized
Then we'd be perfect for each other
And we'll never find another
Just realized what I just realized
We'd never have to wonder if
We missed out on each other now. -Colbie Caillat.
Been listening to Colbie Caillat on Jango.com, a social networking radio website where you can listen to other people's fave artists. Basically almost every song is there from the 70s onwards. Dad is addicted to the site.
==
As I grow older, I begin to look forward and really cherish the friends that I want to spend time with. It's a sad but true thing that some of our friends don't have time for us anymore. Inevitably, that's a part of growing up. So instead of otherwise spending my friday evening, I chose to spend it with Chestnut. It was the last day of his exams, so we just walked along the Singapore river and talked about life, love and God. I love talking to him because he provides an insight into life I can understand, and he has the faith too, like me. Chestnut's a really smart and handsome chap, and he's one of those lifetime friends, for me. It's funny because he said sheepishly that his mom keeps asking about me, how was I doing and stuff. Am I on the approved list? Like my parents, his mom leaves 'the decision' to him. Well, I'm the only friend that has come to visit him. Hee. I do like the mom. But I don't love the son... =)
He's going back on Monday and I shall visit him, soon. He makes me homesick for Melaka.
Melaka, miss you...
There are some places in the world that calls you, that has a magic about the place that you can't forget about, and you always wish to go there, in your heart. Chestnut's brother is working in KL and he says the angmohs there always prefer Melaka to KL. The inner angmoh in me agrees with them. Though shopping in KL is quite good, as shopping in any major city is, it gets all the same after a while. I'd rather shop in singapore than KL, HK or any other place. For me, Melaka is one of those places that somehow has the power to hold me, (Japan too!) and call me to come back, again, like the way an old flame has the power to make your heart beat faster (not for me though, maybe only for guys?) Perhaps I've meaningful growing-up experiences there that cannot make me forget my Melaka?
Old flame, I'm coming back, soon.
Then we'd be perfect for each other
And we'll never find another
Just realized what I just realized
We'd never have to wonder if
We missed out on each other now. -Colbie Caillat.
Been listening to Colbie Caillat on Jango.com, a social networking radio website where you can listen to other people's fave artists. Basically almost every song is there from the 70s onwards. Dad is addicted to the site.
==
As I grow older, I begin to look forward and really cherish the friends that I want to spend time with. It's a sad but true thing that some of our friends don't have time for us anymore. Inevitably, that's a part of growing up. So instead of otherwise spending my friday evening, I chose to spend it with Chestnut. It was the last day of his exams, so we just walked along the Singapore river and talked about life, love and God. I love talking to him because he provides an insight into life I can understand, and he has the faith too, like me. Chestnut's a really smart and handsome chap, and he's one of those lifetime friends, for me. It's funny because he said sheepishly that his mom keeps asking about me, how was I doing and stuff. Am I on the approved list? Like my parents, his mom leaves 'the decision' to him. Well, I'm the only friend that has come to visit him. Hee. I do like the mom. But I don't love the son... =)
He's going back on Monday and I shall visit him, soon. He makes me homesick for Melaka.
Melaka, miss you...
There are some places in the world that calls you, that has a magic about the place that you can't forget about, and you always wish to go there, in your heart. Chestnut's brother is working in KL and he says the angmohs there always prefer Melaka to KL. The inner angmoh in me agrees with them. Though shopping in KL is quite good, as shopping in any major city is, it gets all the same after a while. I'd rather shop in singapore than KL, HK or any other place. For me, Melaka is one of those places that somehow has the power to hold me, (Japan too!) and call me to come back, again, like the way an old flame has the power to make your heart beat faster (not for me though, maybe only for guys?) Perhaps I've meaningful growing-up experiences there that cannot make me forget my Melaka?
Old flame, I'm coming back, soon.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
kuala lumpur, melaka
Travelogue. KL-Melaka, August 2007. 4 days and 3 nights. On assignment, filming a pilot for my new business venture,
Was glad to revisit the places I knew and liked from my first backpacking trip almost 5 years ago. Felt like a black and white mood, so here are some shots of the place, from my perspective. =)
Petronas Twin Towers was once the tallest building in the world. By Argentinian architect Cesar Pelli, it really brightens up the whole city skyline. You have to see it at night, really beautiful and I think Malaysians have every right to be proud of this building.
==
We took the train from Tanjong Pagar Rail Station (S$34 for the normal ticket), directly to KL. Was fun at first because I've never taken a train out of the country before. But the long journey was tiring and I think taking the bus would be a better option.
Almost like a boutique hotel, the Number Eight Guesthouse on Jln Tingkat Tong Shin is such a wonderful respite from the dusty roads and broken pavements of the busy KL city. A night here is just not enough. Love the artsy decor, and the black and white phoots on the wall. Inspired.
Having breakfast at a Roti Canai shop near the guesthouse. I have fond memories of this place as 5 years ago, I was traveling on a shoestring budget, with my best friend, and we sort of under calculated our food and transport budget. So, poor us, we had to eat prata for breakfast every day. This place has the best banana prata. I don't really like banana food thingys but the sweet and juicy, overripe bananas matched with fresh roti canai really makes a mouthwatering breakfast. I wish I had more appetite to try all the food, but was having a horrid throat inflammation. Same roti canai, the way it was 5 years ago. Some things never change, especially in not-so-fast growing cities. That's one of the things I like about Malaysia especially Melaka, there is a sense of familiarity as you visit places you remembered in your childhood. Because they don't just knock down things or change management. And I like that, having a sense of nolstagia in the places you visit. There was a construction site having about 7 storeys already built up when I was last here. Now, it's... ...still a construction site. We saw several uncompleted projects while traversing across KL. We will definitely never have this situation in Singapore.
Reading the Lonely Planet "Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei", current edition. I must say that Lonely Planet is great for travellers to South East Asia. We stayed at two places they listed and it was exactly like it described. I think I will buy the guide to Thailand next...
Nice, CLEAN beds. This is not a 'posed photo', like all my other shots, candid. The glasses were really placed there by Travel Buddy. I thought that this shot was quite interesting.
We had an infestation of bedbugs in the first guesthouse, The Green Hut. Usually, for hotels, if you spot a bedbug, you can scream at the management and they will give you the night free. But our guesthouse was full, though we changed rooms. However the other one had, too. Travel Buddy was seriously bitten all over with more than 20. I however, got only one or two currently (Maybe my reaction time is slow, I'm giving it a few more days.) Most of the time we won't encounter these, but twice in KL is rather unfortunate. Most Singaporeans don't understand my horror when I see bedbugs, it looks like a cute, small, brown critter... But the bites are horrid. Looks and feels like mossies at first, they itch lik crazy for 2 weeks or so and will leave some black marks on your skin that doesn't fade for months. We caught one that 'had its fill', it was round with Travel Buddy's blood. Killed it and the blood just oozed out. I'm not as terrified by leeches or bees but bedbugs are really not good. Worse, when we went to the second guesthouse, we found at least a couple following us. So I'm not sure if we infested the places we went. Bedbug carriers.
There is this urban legend that I believe that if you don't say bedbugs and don't talk about it during trips they don't disturb you. Well, Travel Buddy made me talk about bedbugs for the assignment which I really didn't want to talk about it. Bleah. And look at him now, covered with bites. We talked to some European backpackers, none of them had it while in KL. So there.
One of my 'comfort foods' in Malaysia is at Secret Recipe, we saw them in KL at almost every shopping centre and some even had more than one. I have to have the black pepper lamb pie here. Also, the cheesecakes. Cheap? Yeah, RM $5.50 which is less than S$2.50 (our exchange rate is GOOD). We had like 6 slices... Not in a single day, of course.
Pasar Seni or Central Market is also a place to visit in KL. I am happy with the postcards I found there. Yay! Saw this pushcart selling tees with local themes, I found it amusing. Especially, 'Keep Malaysia clean, Throw your rubbish in Singapore.'
Eh, some sort of subliminal propoganda?
Went to Bangsar. Nice watering holes for angmohs there, sort of like a Singapore Holland Village. I love the squarish look effect and gunmetal colored tiles (my current favorite color) of their ladies' loo, and the mirror gives it an additional oomph.
Walking on the way back to the guesthouse, took a fancy to this stone lion and the numbered house along Jln Tingkat Tong Shin. I love old, colonial-esque buildings like these. Always wanted to live in one. Big and airy. Full of old school charm, I like!
In a taxi along Jln Alor, this is a food lane walking distance to our guesthouse; almost any kind of street food available till late, usually chinese style like stir fried sweet potato leaves, cereal prawns, etc. Yeah a lot of savvy Singaporeans know about this place as well.
One of the best parts about this trip for me (Yes, besides the upside down rollercoaster ride in Berjaya Times Square) was going up the Menara Tower. We had a little time before the bus to Melaka, and walked with our backpacks (no easy feat)there. Did not plan to go up initially, but in the end we did! And it was VERY worth it! Can see the skyline view from the windows, spot the outskirts like Cheras, PJ, etc, and all the places we went to earlier.
Enroute to Melaka. A random obscure village.
Melaka has one of the best varieties of food available. Here is nyonya laksa and penang laksa. Yum.
The decor of this cendol place is amazing, and so is the cendol. Along Jonker Street. Cendol is ten times better than the best ones you can find here in sg.
One of my must-visit places, 15th century Dutch church on St Paul's Hill.
At Geographers' Cafe, situated in the heart of Jonker's night bazaar. It's a nice place to cool down after a long days' work.
The start of the night bazaar.
That's all for now.
==
Was glad to revisit the places I knew and liked from my first backpacking trip almost 5 years ago. Felt like a black and white mood, so here are some shots of the place, from my perspective. =)
Petronas Twin Towers was once the tallest building in the world. By Argentinian architect Cesar Pelli, it really brightens up the whole city skyline. You have to see it at night, really beautiful and I think Malaysians have every right to be proud of this building.
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We took the train from Tanjong Pagar Rail Station (S$34 for the normal ticket), directly to KL. Was fun at first because I've never taken a train out of the country before. But the long journey was tiring and I think taking the bus would be a better option.
Almost like a boutique hotel, the Number Eight Guesthouse on Jln Tingkat Tong Shin is such a wonderful respite from the dusty roads and broken pavements of the busy KL city. A night here is just not enough. Love the artsy decor, and the black and white phoots on the wall. Inspired.
Having breakfast at a Roti Canai shop near the guesthouse. I have fond memories of this place as 5 years ago, I was traveling on a shoestring budget, with my best friend, and we sort of under calculated our food and transport budget. So, poor us, we had to eat prata for breakfast every day. This place has the best banana prata. I don't really like banana food thingys but the sweet and juicy, overripe bananas matched with fresh roti canai really makes a mouthwatering breakfast. I wish I had more appetite to try all the food, but was having a horrid throat inflammation. Same roti canai, the way it was 5 years ago. Some things never change, especially in not-so-fast growing cities. That's one of the things I like about Malaysia especially Melaka, there is a sense of familiarity as you visit places you remembered in your childhood. Because they don't just knock down things or change management. And I like that, having a sense of nolstagia in the places you visit. There was a construction site having about 7 storeys already built up when I was last here. Now, it's... ...still a construction site. We saw several uncompleted projects while traversing across KL. We will definitely never have this situation in Singapore.
Reading the Lonely Planet "Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei", current edition. I must say that Lonely Planet is great for travellers to South East Asia. We stayed at two places they listed and it was exactly like it described. I think I will buy the guide to Thailand next...
Nice, CLEAN beds. This is not a 'posed photo', like all my other shots, candid. The glasses were really placed there by Travel Buddy. I thought that this shot was quite interesting.
We had an infestation of bedbugs in the first guesthouse, The Green Hut. Usually, for hotels, if you spot a bedbug, you can scream at the management and they will give you the night free. But our guesthouse was full, though we changed rooms. However the other one had, too. Travel Buddy was seriously bitten all over with more than 20. I however, got only one or two currently (Maybe my reaction time is slow, I'm giving it a few more days.) Most of the time we won't encounter these, but twice in KL is rather unfortunate. Most Singaporeans don't understand my horror when I see bedbugs, it looks like a cute, small, brown critter... But the bites are horrid. Looks and feels like mossies at first, they itch lik crazy for 2 weeks or so and will leave some black marks on your skin that doesn't fade for months. We caught one that 'had its fill', it was round with Travel Buddy's blood. Killed it and the blood just oozed out. I'm not as terrified by leeches or bees but bedbugs are really not good. Worse, when we went to the second guesthouse, we found at least a couple following us. So I'm not sure if we infested the places we went. Bedbug carriers.
There is this urban legend that I believe that if you don't say bedbugs and don't talk about it during trips they don't disturb you. Well, Travel Buddy made me talk about bedbugs for the assignment which I really didn't want to talk about it. Bleah. And look at him now, covered with bites. We talked to some European backpackers, none of them had it while in KL. So there.
One of my 'comfort foods' in Malaysia is at Secret Recipe, we saw them in KL at almost every shopping centre and some even had more than one. I have to have the black pepper lamb pie here. Also, the cheesecakes. Cheap? Yeah, RM $5.50 which is less than S$2.50 (our exchange rate is GOOD). We had like 6 slices... Not in a single day, of course.
Pasar Seni or Central Market is also a place to visit in KL. I am happy with the postcards I found there. Yay! Saw this pushcart selling tees with local themes, I found it amusing. Especially, 'Keep Malaysia clean, Throw your rubbish in Singapore.'
Eh, some sort of subliminal propoganda?
Went to Bangsar. Nice watering holes for angmohs there, sort of like a Singapore Holland Village. I love the squarish look effect and gunmetal colored tiles (my current favorite color) of their ladies' loo, and the mirror gives it an additional oomph.
Walking on the way back to the guesthouse, took a fancy to this stone lion and the numbered house along Jln Tingkat Tong Shin. I love old, colonial-esque buildings like these. Always wanted to live in one. Big and airy. Full of old school charm, I like!
In a taxi along Jln Alor, this is a food lane walking distance to our guesthouse; almost any kind of street food available till late, usually chinese style like stir fried sweet potato leaves, cereal prawns, etc. Yeah a lot of savvy Singaporeans know about this place as well.
One of the best parts about this trip for me (Yes, besides the upside down rollercoaster ride in Berjaya Times Square) was going up the Menara Tower. We had a little time before the bus to Melaka, and walked with our backpacks (no easy feat)there. Did not plan to go up initially, but in the end we did! And it was VERY worth it! Can see the skyline view from the windows, spot the outskirts like Cheras, PJ, etc, and all the places we went to earlier.
Enroute to Melaka. A random obscure village.
Melaka has one of the best varieties of food available. Here is nyonya laksa and penang laksa. Yum.
The decor of this cendol place is amazing, and so is the cendol. Along Jonker Street. Cendol is ten times better than the best ones you can find here in sg.
One of my must-visit places, 15th century Dutch church on St Paul's Hill.
At Geographers' Cafe, situated in the heart of Jonker's night bazaar. It's a nice place to cool down after a long days' work.
The start of the night bazaar.
That's all for now.
==
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