Snapshots: Food, Glorious Food

We are indeed fortunate to live in a country that boasts a variety of food, both local and international. In fact we import not only ingredients for food, but also chefs & franchises. In fact some say, the people of our nation live to eat and not the other way round! On and off, I have taken photos of our food, glorious food. Let me share some of them with you.

Nasi lemak and teh tarik at Taman Keramat (CNB 2010)
My favourite Sunday breakfast whenever I am in KL.

Nasi kerabu at a kenduri kahwin (wedding feast) in MU (CNB 2010)
I just love the blue colour of the rice.

Nasi kandar Kampung Melayu, our Pulau Pinang breakfast staple
(WHMN 2011)

Udang panjat at a kenduri kahwin in Sabak Bernam (CNB 2011)
Oops! Someone has already eaten some! Ok, I confess. It was not me.

BBQ mentarang (shells) at a roadside stall somewhere between Klang &
Sabak Bernam (CNB 2011) I tried some there and then. It was quite yummy.
This batch had just come in, so they were fresh from the sea, I mean, mud.

Vada and salad from my kitchen at SA (CNB 2011)
I made these (the vada, not the salad) from some instant vada mix I
found at a Tesco store. The taste? Not bad, but I have tasted better.

Bread and butter pudding from Aseana Cafe, KLCC (CNB 2011)
One of my favourite foods. The best I have had was at the Carousel
Restaurant of the Palace of the Golden Horses.

Ais kacang with ice cream at Glenmarie Golf & Country Club (CNB 2011)
I had this at a TKC reunion with our astrophysicist friend from the UN.

Golden caviar from Iran (CNB 2011)
M brought this for B, but she prefers the black. Me? Whatever...

Fettucini and salad from Italiannies Restaurant, The Curve (CNB 2011)
Quite the best Italian food served here.

Australian barramundi fish at the Garden Restaurant, The Curve (CNB 2011) 

Japanese at Concorde Hotel, Shah Alam (CNB 2010)
Usually it is Sushi King for Japanese, but this was a birthday treat.

Quesadillas from Las Carretas, Ampang (CNB 2010)
B discovered this Mexican Restaurant, and it was our New Year treat.

BBQ ribs at Tony Roma's, The Curve (CNB 2010)
I am not big on meats, but others in the family are carnivores, roar!!

My Brunei

Water taxis skimming over the waters with the Kampung Ayer as
backdrop - the scene most representative of Brunei (CNB 2003) 

With my daughters B & A, I went to Brunei Darussalam for the first time in May 2003 during the SARS scare. We remember so many cancelled flights at both the KLIA and Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB) Airport. But we pressed on to get to Brunei because it was already planned, and we wanted an overseas holiday together. We wanted to travel to have memories to share and stories to tell. (The Conference I was supposed to attend at the same time was postponed to October because of the SARS epidemic).

We had a great time in BSB, where we stayed at the Hotel Brunei. We walked all around town and stopped to admire and take photos of the various landmarks in Bandar (as BSB is affectionately by the locals); the majestic Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (SHHB) Complex, the regal Lapau Di Raja adjoining the Dewn Majlis (Parliament), Royal Regalia building, and Istana Nurul Iman. We visited the Brunei Museum, and the Malay Technology Museum. But the most memorable was the Kampung Ayer (Water Village), of course.

The 'Royal Barge'  & Sir Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque (CNB 2003)

The girls and I had a walkabout at the Kampung Ayer, where we were greeted warmly by the locals, especially the children. We also had a very exciting time on a very speedy and efficient water taxi on a tour of  the Kampung's labyrinthine waterways of the Brunei River. We knew that there are now more than 30,000 inhabitants in this more than 600 year old settlement. It is amazingly served by floating schools, petrol stations, fire station, in fact all facilities a town would need! We were on the river for about an hour, the girls excitedly screaming (but I was pucat lesi and white knuckled) when the boat seemed to fly over the water. Then at dusk, the magic happened. The whole area turned golden by the rays of the setting sun. It was the most beautiful sight, taking our breaths away. But dang!  The camera's battery had conked out on me, so you will just have to take my word for it. Or you can check with the girls as well, though they were not into sunsets then.

B, A & girls from the floating school behind them (CNB 2003)

B on the wooden walkway into the Kg Ayer settlement (CNB 2003)

Water taxis awaiting customers (CNB 2003)

We also acquired the services of a local tour guide to go beyond Bandar. We visited the fantastic building to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Sultan's reign, the Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque or Kiarong Mosque, a few kilometres from Bandar.

With Nur at the Masjid Jame' Asr (BB 2003)

On the steps of the Jame' Asr Mosque (Nur 2003)

We went to Jerudong, to the very posh Empire Hotel & Country Club, and the Jerudong Park for its musical/dancing fountains. Despite the beautiful display of the fountains and the numerous fun rides in the park, we seemed to be the only people there that particular night. I guess the Bruneians have all 'been there, done that'.

At the Empire Hotel & Country Club (Nur 2003)

The Jerudong Park (CNB 2003)

The only 'ride' open in Jerudong Park when we were there (Nur 2003)

We also went to Belait and Seria, to see the 'nodding donkeys', the Billionth Barrel Monument and the OGDC (Oil & Gas Discovery Centre). You have to see these to appreciate why Brunei is a very oil rich kingdom.

The Billionth Barrel Monument (CNB 2003)

Do you see 2 or 4 'nodding donkeys'? (Nur 2003)

A tea break at the OGDC, Seria (2003)

Food in Brunei does not differ much from ours - there is the staple rice, satay, noodles, roasted chicken, grilled fish, etc. But then there is ambuyat, the traditional Bruneian dish made of sago and accompanied by various condiments. We tried this dish in a restaurant in Kiulap, and found it interesting enough for our palate (for some people its 'edible glue'). It is also eaten with a special kind of bamboo chopsticks. As a souvenir of Brunei, we bought some of these unique chopsticks at the Tamu (Market) Kianggeh, situated on the banks of the Kianggeh River. We also found other good bargains at the Tamu - handicraft including tudung dulang (food covers), and local herbs and delicacies (e.g. kueh cincin, jala, etc.)

Enjoying our ambuyat lunch at a restaurant in Kiulap (2003)

With Hajjah Rapeah, her husband and daughter at the
Tamu Kianggeh (AB 2003)

During this first visit I fell sick on the second day, and we were most anxious that I had inadvertantly brought in SARS into this kingdom! I would have made medical history in Brunei if I had, but then again I just had the ordinary flu and was up and about the next day! In all, the girls and I did have a great time and we did indeed  make a lot of memories and have this story to tell.

Saying farewell to Nur at the Airport. Note the many cancelled
 flights (2003)

I visited Brunei another three times after this. I returned in October 2003 to attend CONSAL (Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians) at the International Convention Centre at Berakas. Then twice again in 2006 to attend the Meetings of the AUNILO (ASEAN Universities Network Inter-Library Online) at the University of Brunei Darussalam. During these visits, there was not much sightseeing time, but I did visit the night market and new mall at Gadong, revisited the historic Kampung Ayer and did some (not much) bargain shopping at the Yayasan for imported cloths (read Korean silks). Our Bruneian hosts were very good to us and showed us great hospitality always.

With CONSAL 'brains': Ch'ng, Khoo, Ho, Zawiah & Rama (2003)

At the AUNILO Meeting in Universiti Brunei Darussalam (2006)

May & October 2003, September 2006

My Philippines

The Philippine Archipelago has 7,107 islands and I have only been to one - Luzon. Twice I have been to Luzon, the first time in September 2002 (during habagat, the South-West monsoon) and the second in March 2006 (during amihan, the North-East monsoon). Both times I went on official business.

The oldest ASEAN universities (USM included) were establishing a network of library co-operation and the 2002 inaugral meeting was held in Manila, the capital of Philippines. I was privileged to represent the Chief Librarian then. Apart from the meetings, I had time also to see a bit of Manila. Our very hospitable Filipino hosts arranged for us to experience their busy city. It did rain a lot and the streets were often flooded. But the people seemed pretty resilient, although poverty was obvious in some places.

One of the best things I did on my first visit was to buy a few Filipiniana books at the De La Salle University: A History of the Philippines by Samuel K Tan, The Great Malayan by Carlos Quirino, The Loves of Rizal and Other Essays on Philippine History, Art and Public Policy by Pablo S Trillana III, The Reign of Greed (El Filibusterismo) by Jose Rizal, The Social Cancer (Noli Me Tangere) by Jose Rizal, and The Moro Conflict: Landlessness and Misdirected State Policies by Eric Gutierrez & Saturnino Borras, Jr.

My stack of Filipiniana books (CNB 2010)

We visited the Rizal Park (Luneta) where the monument of Philippine national hero Jose Rizal is, and where he was executed by the Spanish authority. But alas, my camera conked out on me, and a colleague who took photos promised to pass them to me. But of course to this day, I have yet to see them!! (Lesson learnt: Rely only on your own camera.)

The second visit was in 2006 to attend the CONSAL XIII - Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians, and deliver a paper. The paper was about a survey entitled 'Information Literacy Programs in the ASEAN University Network Libraries; an Overview of the Methodology & Achievement'.

With fellow delegates of UM, Assoc. Prof. Diljit Singh &
Havinder Kaur, at CONSAL Manila (2006)

Again our hosts arranged for a social programme so that delegates may experience some Filipino culture. The most memorable was to the more than 400 year old walled city of Intramuros, the centre of the Spanish empire in Asia then.  Here within these walls, Philippine history comes to life. Manila during the Spanish period was Intramuros. The Spanish colonized the Philippines for 300 years before the Americans annexed it in 1898 for another 50 years. (I bought a book, Ciudad Murada; a Walk through Historic Intramuros by Jose Victor V Torres as a memento). Intramuros contains several old Spanish churches and landmarks, and serendipitously, I was privileged to witness two weddings at two churches - the Manila Cathedral and San Augustin Church. These churches are as grandiose as their medieval European counterparts - they transport you back to Spain!

Me and my Malayan hero, Jose Rizal (2006)

We all know Jose Rizal as the Philippine national hero. He was born in 1861 and christened Jose Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda.  He was one of the ablest patriots, with his character and achievements gaining the highest esteem of his countrymen. He was more reformist than revolutionary but he was tried for sedition and shot to death on the Luneta, outside the ramparts of Intramuros in 1896.

With some of the Conference delegates at Fort Santiago, Intramuros
(2006)

Me and Jose Rizal at the Plaza de Armas, Fort Santiago, Intramuros.
Behind is the Rizal Shrine. (2006)

Dr Jose Rizal was a very accomplished man; he was a physician, he spoke many languages, he painted, he wrote poetry; and two famous novels, El Filibusterismo (The Reign of Greed) and Noli Me Tangere (The Social Cancer), which reinforced Spanish official opinion that he was a dangerous person.

Handwritten manuscript of Noli Me Tangere at the National Library
(CNB 2006)

As usual I like to visit the National Libraries of countries visited. With the other delegates, we were given a tour of the National Library of the Philippines. We were also treated to a play by some young library patrons.

With delegates and 'actors' at the National Library (2006)

Sunsets at Manila Bay are supposed to be great, but everytime we passed by Roxas Boulevard, it was raining so no sunset photos could be taken. Neither could we stroll along the Baywalk. So we did the next best thing - go indoors. Once while other colleagues dined at the old Manila Hotel, I chose to go with my good friend to Makati and experience the busy, bustling area.

Manila Bay on a rainy day (CNB 2006)

Our hosts also introduced us to the Greenhills Shopping Centre in Ortigas Avenue, essentially for ... shopping, of course! Other than electronic goods, this SC is popular for their cut-priced freshwater pearls. Pearls from the Philippines are quite well known and believe me, here in Greenhills, there were stalls upon stalls of pearls in every colour you can think of. They are ready-stringed or you can choose to have them custom-stringed especially for you in no time at all! For more Pinoy-made goodies, specialty from the provinces - handicrafts, local clothing & wood-carved souvenirs, the Balikbayan Handicrafts outlets are a must-visit. I was taken by our hosts to the Pasay City outlet, and I did spend a fair bit there.

One of the very many pearl and jewelry stalls at Greenhills, Manila
(CNB 2006)

Moro lady at her Pearls & Baubles stall, Greenhills, Manila
(CNB 2006)

By the way, I'm sure you know that "The Filipino is both genetically and geographically a member of the widespread Malay world ... Basically, therefore, the inhabitants of modern Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaya are blood brothers" (Keith Lightfoot, The Philippines; Nation of the Modern World, 1973). So if you are Malay and go to the Philippines, you know you are among your own people.

2002 & 2006

A Library at SA,SA

"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested". Bacon, Of Studies

I have, over the years, collected books of all the above types. Let me take you on a journey through the bookshelves of our library. In all we only have about 2,000 books and a fair number of magazines. I would love to have more, but our little terraced home really has no space to accomodate anything anymore. (Time for weeding out!). Actually there are already bookshelves in all the rooms in the house. The books are not classified according to any library system (e.g. the Dewey Decimal) although I was a librarian for a long time. I prefer to classify our books according to OUR system (get my drift?)

The main bookshelves in the Library cum Guest room carries the books on Biography, Food & Cookery, Graphic art/Cartoon, Health & Wellbeing, Interior decoration (ID), Malaysiana, Philosophy & Religion, and the oversized books on everything. (Some oversized books have also spilled out onto chairs and tables in the lounge). The children's book collection here consist of B & A's picture books from their childhood years, all Roald Dahl's books, and some of Judy Blume's. The main fiction collection is also here. Magazines here are of the National Geographic and The Naturalist (Malaysian Nature Society)



The Library downstairs (CNB 2011)

The family lounge library upstairs also incorporate our CD/DVD movie collection. The books are on Botany & Gardening, Criminology (don't ask me why), Iraniana, Language & Literature, Self-help, Travel (plus History & Geography), and more fiction (including the classics). The magazines here are mostly on ID (Anjung Seri, Homes & Gardens, Homes & Living, House & Garden, Impiana, Vogue Living), Travel (Going places, Lonely Planet, Traverama) and Women's affairs (Cosmopolitan, Glam, Her World, Jelita).



The Library upstairs (CNB 2011)

The main lounge has more children's books, sharing a cupboard with more movie CD/DVDs. The dry kitchen has a shelf of the overflow from the Food & Cookery shelves in the Library. My room has the overflow of the Philosophy & Religion shelves. A's room has all the Law literature, while B's has the overflow of the Language & Literature, including many novels. I think books furnish a room quite well, don't you?

So what are my favourite reads? I love biographies, especially autobiographies, because I am interested to find out how a person has lived his/her life. (Being kaypoh, perhaps?). The most recent I have read are Cliff Richard's My Life, My Way, Sheila Hancock's Just Me, Michael Gill's How Starbucks saved my Life, and a Manga biography of Che Guevara by Chie Shimano & Kiyoshi Konno. I am in the midst of reading The Tom Hanks Enigma by David Gardner, and will embark on Tun Dr Mahathir's A Doctor in the House after this. I know, I know, I should have read it in March when I bought it at the MPH Bookstore in SACC Mall, Shah Alam.



My 'Travel' bookshelf (CNB 2011)

Travel books have a special bookshelf, now quite overflowing onto the floor! (Any librarian would chide me for this; the floor, not the special bookshelf, of course). I mostly read Food & Cookery books, not cook recipes from them! My latest acquisition, Where flavor was Born by Andreas Viestad, is about 'recipes and culinary travels along the Indian Ocean spice route'. I got this (2 in 1) food and travel book for a steal at the Borders bargain bin. Nowadays I mostly get my books from Book Xcess in PJ. But then again, I will buy books anywhere I can find what I like. And like Thomas Jefferson, "I cannot live without books". In future postings, I will share with you the books I love.

"I cannot live without books" on a T-shirt B gave me (CNB 2011)

Taman Pekaka, Gelugor

While working at the Library in USM, Minden, at first we commuted daily from the family house in Ayer Itam. The girls went to the kindergarten in the campus, and later to the school in Minden Heights. It was pretty stressful with the traffic jam all along the way, so we rented a house in Taman Pekaka, a stone's throw away from the campus. Ok, it was less than ten minutes by car, which was very convenient for everyone.

B at the Minden Heights Kindergarten sports day (CNB 1986) 

A at the same kindy sports day (CNB 1986)

We moved to a house next door when the owner was transferred to Sarawak and offered us his house for less than what we were paying. And so we moved. It was at this house that we once had nine cats. Yes, you read right, 9 cats! It started out with B rescuing a little kitten at the back of the house. Now this little kitten, Abie, grew into a big cat and produced another four kittens. So there were five. Then another cat, a stray (we call it Erra) came and brought in her three kittens. We did not invite them, but they made themselves at home anyway. And so there were nine altogether! I had a tough time feeding them and cleaning up the cat litter. Once, Abie got bitten by a dog and so we had to take her to the vet, and later nurse her till her wounds healed. One day when she was all healed and okay, Abie disappeared and till today we don't know what happened to her. Her kittens had grown so we gave them away. Erra went on her way, because after all she was a stray who would never stay. (How do you like all this rhyming so far?) Her kittens also followed suit. And me? Well, I ended up with nasal problems which the Doctor said was caused by all the cat dander (and poo, too!)

When the girls were in primary school in Minden Heights, I had a stint being a committee member of their school PIBG (Parent Teacher Association). It was an eye opener for me, as I did not realise how difficult it was to participate in the running of the school, without really running it. Go figure! You actually end up being peacemaker for both parents and teachers. I did my part for the school library by getting in some book donations and also ran reading competitions for the students. On the whole I think B and A enjoyed their primary school years.

B and A plus friends Aziah and Fadil on A's first day of school
(CNB 1988)

Spot A in her Class photo (1988)

Secondary schooling for B and A was at the St George's Girls' School. The school was in town so they had to take the school bus. They did pretty well in school, both becoming prefects. During the school holidays, when they could, they volunteered at the public library and worked at McDonalds, Pizza Hut, and Baskin Robbins. It was good experience for them. Later they both entered uni and graduated succesfully, B in Linguistics and A in Law. They both have their own stories to tell.

B at her graduation,USM (2005)

M and I celebrate B's graduation (2005)

A at her graduation, UiTM 

In Taman Pekaka, we moved a second time. This time to my sister's house in the next street. She had moved back to the family house in Ayer Itam because her own was being repaired. When it was ready, she was not ready to move back in, so she asked me to stay there instead. And so we moved again! There is a Malay saying Tujuh kali pindah, papa ('Move seven times, you end up a pauper', or something to that effect). I think I have moved more than seven times, so maybe that's why my pocket/bank is nearly empty... such is life!

M and moi in Taman Pekaka (BB 2005)

A studio family photo (1990)

19.. - 2007