Mooncakes, anyone?

Today is the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese calendar. So the moon is at its brightest and roundest - the harvest moon in mid-autumn. The Chinese everywhere celebrate this day as the moon or mid-autumn festival. In our part of the world it is also called the mooncake or lantern festival.

I remember eating my first mooncakes as a child eons ago. Our neighbour in Pulau Pinang was a Chinese Muslim convert and she used to ply us with the mooncakes then. I think they were 'simpler' and more 'basic' before, but now mooncakes have become an (commercial) art - some so beautiful not only in the cakes themselves but the wrapping and the boxes they come in. Just check these out at the special stalls that have sprouted around in the malls and shopping centres since the beginning of August. Even the hotels and restaurants are cashing in on this celebration, their bakery producing nicely packaged mooncakes.



Pretty mooncakes (Photo taken from brochure of Eastin Hotel 2011)


This year I had some mooncakes to savour with Chinese tea, of course. For the uninitiated, the ingredients that make these traditional cakes are the pastry (oil, flour, eggs, water, salt) and the filling (usually lotus seeds, maltose syrup/sugar, mung/red beans plus permitted flavouring and colouring). Although the cakes I had were very sweet, they were 'delish'! But I have yet to try the one with the salted egg (whole yolk - to represent the moon) in the filling. Or the very contemporary ones - chocolate and jelly mooncakes.



The mooncake I ate (CNB 2011)


As for the tanglung (lanterns), when we were living in Alor Star, my father used to buy them for us when we were children. Only, we were not supposed to light them up, because nincompoops among us were bound to set the house on fire. So we had to be content with just parading around the house and the neighbourhood with these colourful 'accordian' and 'animal' lanterns - mine usually a red rabbit. Coincidentally, in the Chinese zodiac, I am a rabbit! Care for some carrot mooncake?



A Rabbit lantern reminiscent of my childhood 
(Picture from an ad in a local newspaper 2011)

 

Forays in the UK

Being both a student in London and first time visitor to London/the UK/Europe was most challenging. I had to study (and pass, of course) and at the same time I wanted to see as much of the city/country/continent as possible. All in the period of one year (1974/5)!

London proved to be an easy city to manoeuvre in. The buses and underground/tube (or subway, ok?) took you to wherever you wanted to go. We lived near the Angel tube station and that was helpful to enable us to visit the museums, monuments, theatres, and weekend flea markets.


At Marble Arch, London (note my Afro wig) (1974)

Forays out of London were fascilitated by the British Rail and the British Council (BC). So it was that I managed to visit the sights, not only of England, but Wales and Scotland as well. (Somehow I never made it to Ireland). Some trips I made with my Malaysian friends, some with the other library course participants. Many trips, at minimal cost, were organised by the BC for foreign students. It was also a great opportunity to meet other foreign students in the London area. The BC also organised 'foster parent' programmes with the local Rotarians and this enabled glimpses into the British way of life.

With a Rotary family, England (1975)

At Boxhill, overlooking Dorking, with Brian & Barbara of the
Purley Rotary Club (1975)

A London Stint

In October 1974, some would-be librarians left Malaysia for the United Kingdom to pursue their librarianship and information studies. I was one of them, headed for the Polytechnic of North London (PNL) to follow an intensive postgraduate diploma course.

Leaving for London from Subang International Airport.
Check out our platform shoes! (1974)

The one-year stint as a student in London was something I had really looked forward to, having missed my chance to go overseas for my first degree. And indeed it was a very hectic year, juggling between being a student and a tourist (?). In the beginning, the foreign students had to undergo an orientation programme, at the end of which we sat for an examination to be gauged on our IQ and our grasp of the English language. Apart from me, there were three other Malaysians (RJ, WM and Ruby), a Sudanese Fatma, a Syrian Hana M, a Singaporean SY, a Rhodesian Usha, Paul from an African nation I can't remember which (Kenya?), and a couple others whose names/countries I can't recall. Tsk! Tsk! I thought my long term memory should be better than this.

Anyway I do remember that on arrival in London we (the Malaysian students) did not receive our measly monthly stipend of 80 pounds sterling for about two months or was it three? Some of us ran out of the money we came with and so had to live quite frugally! Lucky for me I had an uncle and his family in London to scrounge off, when really necessary (i.e. should I be dying of hunger!)

With RJ on the doorstep of the PNL (1974)

Our accomodation was at 44 Duncan Terrace, a short bus ride from the Poly. I shared a room there with a succesion of girls from Nigeria, South Africa and also Malaysia. The place was managed by nuns and these Sisters provided board (breakfast only) and lodging. Breakfasts were very early in the day and if late, there was none for you. The Sisters were also strict about what you had. There was coffee & tea, cereal with milk, and toast daily, but you had to choose between an egg or a fruit! Some girls who insisted on having both would do all sorts of tricks to get them. But they had to get past Sister Margaret and it was never easy.

Christmas at 44 Duncan Terrace (1974)

My room at 44 DT (1974)

Of the lecturers I remember Ms Claire Jessop, very prim and proper;  Mr Shaughnessy (not sure of the spelling, but I remember him as most good looking with his jambang/sideburns!);  Mr John Strickland, also my supervisor, though I sat as far as possible from him, especially if sessions were scheduled after lunch (remember this is London and pubs abound!). There was also Mr Weber whose lectures were delivered to the ceiling above instead of to us students below. The Poly's small library on librarianship was great because you just walk in and take whatever book/serial you needed and do a self checkout, or not, if you are in a hurry. Just bring them back, it was all based on trust.

Other than lectures and tutorials, we had practical stints at libraries in London. I did a stint at a public library in Charing Cross and another at a college library at Elephant & Castle. At the end of our course at the Poly we sat for the exams and having passed, earned our University of London postgraduate diploma in Library and Information Studies. (PNL was affiliated with this Uni.)

As indicated earlier it was not all study, study, study. The British Council was most helpful to foreign students who wanted to discover the UK. They often organised trips around the British Isles and I took every opportunity to join these, sometimes missing some classes/tutorials (oops! did I really say that I missed classes/tutorials to go gallivanting like a tourist?)

At Hampstead Heath, with library course mates, Fatma, Ruby,
RJ and Hana. Photo taken by another course mate WM (1975)

My Thailand

The 'Land of Smiles' has never failed to attract many tourists from all over the world, despite periods of unrest (coups, strikes, etc.). Being Malaysia's northern neighbour, trips into Thailand may be easily made by all modes of transport - trains, cars, buses, boats/ships and planes.

I have made six trips altogether (in 1974, 1976, 1994, 1999, 2003, 2004), two of them officially. The first trip was with my brother MN, his wife SM and young son, my younger siblings AG and AW and SM's cousin. My brother drove us across the border into Thailand, to Sadao. But I cannot recall anything else of this first trip (not even the food! Oh, alright, I remember the delicious tom yam goong) because the only two photos taken were at the border milestone. I guess photography was not my thing then. The second trip in 1976 was again with my brother and wife, and this time I remember we went to Hatyai. There I bought two pieces of Thai silk (white cherry blossoms on yellow and little black elephants on red) which was only tailored later in 1982 as maternity dresses! (So now you know I got hitched in between these two dates.)

At the Thai border (MN 1974)

Tuk tuks at Hatyai (CNB 1976)

The 1994 trip was official. It was organised by the Registrar's Office of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) for about 30 officers of the Uni to learn and share administrative information and skills with our Thai academic counterparts. We went by bus from Pulau Pinang to Songkhla, then Hatyai, and from here to Bangkok by the overnight train. As always train trips never fail to fascinate me and this was no exception. It was interesting that our day seat easily became our night bed! They were both comfortable. But I remember being quite sad to see the slums by the rail tracks as we approached this capital city.

(PIC)

The 65th International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) Council & General Conference 1999 was held in Bangkok, and I was privileged to present a paper there. (My paper was entitled 'Malaysian Serials; Issues and Problems'). Other than visiting libraries, the delegates were also taken to historical/cultural sites. I went to the Vimanmek teak mansion, a beautiful building indeed.

Thai Crown Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn officiates
at the Conference (CNB 1999)

A 'say cheese' moment with the Cambodian delegates (1999)

At the Vimanmek, with other Conference delegates (1999)

A photo opp with the dancers at Vimanmek (1999)

The best trip was made in March 2003 with seven girlfriends under the guidance of Orasa, a friend of Thai origin. She arranged the itinerary from start to finish and we sometimes veered away from the beaten track, which proved to be truly memorable. We left Butterworth by overnight train to Bangkok on my birthday. (More about this in My Thailand: Bangkok & Beyond)

The last trip made a year later in 2004 was with family - my husband M and our two daughters B and A. This time we flew in and out of Bangkok. One hilarious event was riding the tuk tuk. The daredevil drivers nearly gave me a heart attack but hubby and the girls enjoyed it thoroughly. Apart from the sights of Bangkok, we also made day trips to Damnoen Saduak floating market and Ayuthaya, former capital and Unesco World Heritage site. (More about this in My Thailand in Pictures and Poetry)

Travel Souvenirs of All Kinds

Let's start with a few definitions:
A souvenir is 'something that serves as a reminder, eg. of a person, place, or past event; a memento' (The New Penguin English Dictionary).
'A thing taken, bought or received as a gift, and kept to remind one of a person, place or an event (Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary/OALD).

So really, whatever serves as a reminder of a place visited/traveled to, is a 'souvenir'. And there are all kinds of them - clothes, especially t-shirts; fabrics, books, crafts including dolls, plates/pottery, tea cloths, trinket boxes, frames, etc., etc. The list is endless. Ubiquitous souvenirs in the form of key chains, fridge magnets and snow/water globes abound in most tourist/traveller's collection. Some may be tacky* (read: cheap), some may be kitschy. But certainly they are all fun! So, happy collecting! And contributing to the economy of the place visited, even in this small way.

* Tacky - 'of poor quality or in poor taste; though perhaps bright and colourful' (OALD)


A display of tacky (?) snow/water globes (CNB 2011)

Fridge magnets, oh so colourful and gaudy! (CNB 2011)

'Fishy' fridge magnet souvenirs from Semporna, Sabah (CNB 2011)

Mini Vietnamese dolls from Hanoi (CNB 2011)

Tacky framed photos - our contribution to the local economy?!! (CNB 2011)

P.S. My favourite souvenirs would be tea cloths - useful, sometimes beautiful, and 'historic', reminding you of a place you have once been to.

My Singapura 2

So where else have I been to in Singapore in June 2011? For food, the first place we headed for was Zam Zam Restaurant, for their famous murtabak - chicken, beef or deer/venison. Somehow, I did not enjoy it as much as I did the first time I ate there earlier in February. So, for our last meal there before we left for home, I had fried kwayteow instead. My friends not only ate murtabak again, but also bought some to take home to KL! Between the very red kwayteow and the murtabak, maybe the murtabak wins after all.

My very red kwayteow goreng and a murtabak at Zam Zam (CNB 2011)

We also went to the Lau Pa Sat Hawker Centre for us to savour some satay (I nearly ordered the wrong kind, don't ask me what!), and for me to admire the architectural details there. Lau Pa Sat means 'old market' because it is perhaps the oldest, and it is in the central business district of Singapore. The structure is of Victorian filigree (read lace?) cast iron - quite pretty really.

Note the architecture of LPS behind me (SH 2011)

To me the detailing looks like lace (CNB 2011)

Not forgetting our religious obligations, we visited and prayed in two mosques: the Al-Abrar and the Sultan.
At first we stumbled upon the Nagore Durga Shrine (also the Indian Muslim Heritage Centre now) but were directed to the Al-Abrar nearby.

Nagore Durga Shrine - like a multi-tiered wedding cake (CNB 2011)

The Al-Abrar Mosque in Chinatown (CNB 2011)

Upper floor of the Al-Abrar Mosque (CNB 2011)

Ablution area of the Sultan Mosque, Kg Glam (CNB 2011)

Detail at the Sultan Mosque (CNB 2011)

Other than looking around in Kampong Gelam/Glam and Arab Street nearby, we also visited Geylang Serai, the Malay enclave of Singapore. We were glad to have a hearty brunch of nasi padang at the hawker centre there, above the new market. Markets have always fascinated me, and this was no exception. Other than the hawker centre, there were stalls selling all kinds of clothing upstairs. But downstairs was the wet market, and there were meats, fishes, fruits and vegetables galore.

My nasi padang plateful at GS Food Court (CNB 2011)

The story of Geylang Serai on display at the market (CNB 2011)

On the GS market steps (SH 2011)

Bananas galore! at the GS market (CNB 2011)

At Geylang Serai too is the much maligned Malay Village. When we were there, the Kuda Kepang performance was on, but sadly, there was not much of an audience. It was my first 'real' kuda kepang show up close and I was fascinated, especially with the very elaborate pre-performace rituals.

Kuda kepang at the Malay Village (CNB 2011)

Goofing around with Ariff at the Malay Village

We visited the 'durian/microphone/fly eyes' - the Esplanade theatres on the Bay at dusk, but did not find anything in their upcoming programme that would make us return in the near future. Nevertheless the building was quite stunning in the evening light.

Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay at dusk (CNB 2011)

What is travel without some shopping? It was also the 'great Singapore sale' for crying out loud! So not one, but two evenings were spent at the 24-hour Mustafa Centre in Little India. My friends shopped for luggage (to put in all the other shopping) while I settled for a little backpack (to justify being there). Oh, and we got our tacky souvenirs here - key chains, water globes, fridge magnets, orchid brooches. Two afternoons were also spent at Orchard Road upmarket malls. While my friends spent their money on designer stuff, I explored nearby Emerald Hill Road on my own. The Peranakan 'Chinese Baroque' style terrace houses were looking pristine indeed.

Emerald Hill Road (CNB 2011)

Remember the monologue play/monodrama 'Emily of Emerald Hill'? No. 2 Emerald Hill Road (that provided Stella Kon her stories of Emily) is no longer the Peranakan 'showcase' house anymore because its been turned into a 'watering hole'! So the information about it on this signage is no longer relevant and perhaps should be updated.

A dated information board at the Orchard Road end of Emerald Hill Road (CNB 2011)

Anyway I stopped by another 'watering hole', at No. 5 Emerald Hill Road, for a drink of the permissable kind. At least two waiters there were Malaysians, and said they liked working in Singapore for the better pay (and tips).

Me in the ubiquitous 'fine' t-shirt at No.5 EHR (Kind waiter 2011)

When there is a river, there will be river cruises. On the Singapore River the bumboats beckon. This time around I tried to get us do the sunset cruise because I had gone on the daytime cruise often enough, but it was not meant to be. The distraction? 'Hello Kitty', the kitten without a mouth, in a shop mall nearby. After all my friends had female grandchildren to buy for.

Just one/two of a whole store of Hello Kittys (CNB 2011)

Anyway Singapore by night along the river has some interesting sights to behold and what better than the iconic water spitting (some say vomitting) Merlion.

A night time green Merlion (CNB 2011)

The Varsity years

I recall my varsity years at the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur as quite liberating (after the 'confines' of an all-girl boarding school), albeit rather uneventful. All freshies had to stay in residential colleges and mine was the 5th, the furthest from the lecture theatre complex. So 5th collegians learnt how to hitch hike on other more fortunate students' motor cycles, though there were campus buses that seemed to cruise by at the wrong times.

I majored in Chinese studies - which was all about Chinese history, culture, & civilisation, language & literature. Why Chinese studies? Well, I'm not quite sure myself! Chinese language teaching then was at an introductory stage so there was no use of language labs. I don't quite remember the Chinese language/studies lecturers, but two tutors stood out then - Zuraina Majid and Obeidullah. Our Japanese language teacher was a very soft spoken Ms. Kyoko Tanaka. I still have a pretty (but empty) sake bottle as a keepsake from her.

The Chinese Studies class of 71/72 with our Japanese language
lecturer Ms Kyoko Tanaka 

The class with our lecturers 72/73

Aside from the lectures and tutorials, there was also the 'social factor' to life on the campus. 'Ragging' still happened then and one felt the intimidation (though mild) by seniors, both male and female. But I had a very nice senior room mate in Margaret Yuen, whom I remember, used to study all night using her table lamp but shielding the light away from a sleeping moi! I also joined the university cultural troupe, but only in the first year.

The UM Cultural Troupe 1971/72

During the second year I stayed in a rented house in Petaling Jaya (exact location quite forgotten, but within walking distance to the uni) with some working friends of my sister CY. A traumatic experience was when our house was burgled while we slept away. My newly acquired guitar was taken and my housemates lost money and a good vinyl record collection among other things. So in the 3rd year I chose to stay with my sister further away in SEA Park with our uncle YA, his wife AM, son AY and their two maids. I had to commute to classes using the public buses but I enjoyed the security of 'family'.


At the UM Convocation, mid 1974

I was a Kedah state scholar but on graduation with a BA (Hons.) 2nd Class Upper, I was permitted to transfer to the Federal, when accepted to do a postgraduate diploma in librarianship. After a 6 months 'internship' at the Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia (National Library of Malaysia), a batch of us left the country to pursue our studies in the United Kingdom.

1971 - 1974