Charmed by the people of Kuala Trengganu

Kuala Trengganu was a day trip for us from Paka. We did the very necessary - visiting Pasar Payang (officially Pasar Besar Kedai Payang) to buy 'made in Trengganu'. The market was busy as ever, and with the start of the school holidays, even more so. I love markets, and the more chaotic the better!

Pantai Batu Burok, sotong bakar, nasi ayam lunch

An elegant host to a sumptuous tea

Again, very much in progress, what can I say?

The Pasar Besar and a Sweet Surprise in Dungun

Dungun

Pasar Besar

The sweet surprise

Very much in progress, ces't la vie!

To Market, to Market at Pulau Tikus

The Pulau Tikus Market

(Very much in progress! More pictures and description later. After 'technical problems' sorted out. Please bear with me...)

Bears Galore;1600 in All

A whole army of 1600 black and white bears has invaded the Publika, Solaris Dutamas. They came on the 13th January and will only leave on the 25th. But not to worry because they are really cute little pandas made of papier-mache. They are currently in Malaysia on their world tour program begun in 2008 with the cooperation of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Since 21 December 2014, they have already 'visited' some 14 iconic locations including Dataran Merdeka, Taiping Lake Gardens, Red Square Melaka, Cheong Fatt Tze Pulau Pinang, Dataran Menara Condong Teluk Intan, etc. They are travelling the world to remind you and me about animal welfare and environmental conservation.

Note: The panda sculptures are by Frenchman Paulo Grangeon, who reportedly used recycled paper to create the 1600 pandas, this number being the symbolic representation of pandas left in the wild.

Memorial to MH370 & MH17

We were at Subang Parade today and saw this appropriately beautiful memorial to the tragedies of flights MH370 & MH17. It is a reminder that our time on earth is not permanent.

A Tropical Forest in a Mall

It was serendipity. Recently I found myself at the One Utama in Damansara. Since I was waiting for A there, I whiled my time looking for boots. Though there were nice ones, I did not find any suitable for me. But I found something better - a forest! I had heard of this rooftop forest before but never 'experienced' it because somehow OU is not my regular cup of tea - its seems too far from where I live. I'm glad I came across this fascinating oasis of green in the midst of so many levels of consumerism in the mall.

It is 'cool' that not only do we have a tropical forest in an airport (KLIA) but we also have one in a shopping centre. Now where else can we grow a forest?

10 January 2014

French Sole at KLCC

"A girl can never have too many shoes" - Anon.  Recently B and I went to the French Sole launch of their Autumn Winter collection at the store in KLCC. My poor old feet can no longer tolerate shoes with heels, so (ballet) flats are the best for some comfort. I have 'kicked off my heels' for some time already, what with a persistant plantar wart aggravating the situation.

Here's some 'sole' history: British shoe designer Jane Winkworth loved ballet since childhood and a holiday encounter (with colourful ballet flats) in the South of France in the 1960s sowed the seed of her decision to design and sell her own range. "The Queen of Ballet Flats" founded French Sole in 1989 in London. "From the humble beginnings of a 'tabletop' business selling only through charity fairs, Jane then started a mail order company from her Chelsea home and then followed the four central London based French Sole stores ... the rest is history ... "

There was a 10% discount on everything in the store at KLCC that day, but I did not really find anything I liked sole-wise to add to my very meagre collection of shoes which includes only one pair of brown FS ballet flats. (Nevertheless the tea and cakes were good, thank you very much!)

Blogs to check out: 1. www.janewinkworth.com  2. www.frenchsole.com
28 September 2013 

A Little Slice of Tokyo

Pretty pastel Mochi, Tokyo Street (CNB 2013)

Tokyo Street in the Pavilion Mall is a little slice of Tokyo in Malaysia. The family and our friend Negin walked around there for some Japanese vibes (after our TWG Tea rendezvous).

With Negin & M at Tokyo Street (BB 2013)

Giant paper cranes (CNB 2013)

A, B, M, N (Negin 2013)

18 August 2013 (In progress)

A Classic Building, a New Mall

'A Paragon of shopping paradise' (CNB 2013)

We checked out the newest mall in Pulau Pinang during our recent island (Eid) holiday and found it half interesting. The interesting half is the heritage building of St Joseph Novitiate, restored and now housing cafes and such. The other half is the new modern mall with some outlets yet to open. The Gurney Paragon* fronts Gurney Drive, Jalan Kelawai being the other/back approach.

The facade of the St Joseph Novitiate (CNB 2013)

The 1925 Novitiate (quarters for novices) was part of the St Joseph's Training College founded by the De  La Salle Brothers (a Roman Catholic religious teaching order). In the early 80s the site was taken over by the Uplands International School. Then in 2004 the land was bought by Hunza Properties to build a high rise retail and residential project - the Gurney Paragon.

The back of the novitiate adjoining the shopping complex 

The novitiate approach into the shopping complex

The shops/outlets in this mall are just like in any other. The H & M store had newly opened, so guess who made a beeline for it? The clue? Not me, but someone with a distinct blue handbag.

Some shops at the Gurney Paragon (BB 2013)

* model of excellence or perfection of a kind (The Free Dictionary)
7 Aug 2013

Pasar Ramadhan Shah Alam

Nasi ambeng at the Pasar Ramadhan SA (CNB 2013)

The Pasar Ramadhan in Shah Alam (Section 13) is a real feast for the eyes. Despite my resolution to not visit any Ramadhan bazaar/market this year, I still made a visit there on a recent Sunday at 4.30 pm, to err ... take photos! (Yeah, right!?). We thought we were early, but there were already so many people jostling to buy food for iftar/buka puasa and also dinner.

We observed that there were many stalls selling the various states' fare. There are several Nasi ambeng stalls - not surprising because you are in Selangor after all. Then there are the obvious Kelantan attractions of blue Nasi kerabu, golden Ayam percik, Laksam, and desserts such as Lompat tikam, Puteri mandi, Akok, etc.; Trengganu associated food - Nasi dagang, and Sata; Pulau Pinang-mari fare of Laksa Penang, Murtabak, Char kway teow; Negri Sembilan Gulai kawah, etc., etc. Of course international fare abound too - kebabs, colourful puddings, Chinese dumplings, all sorts of cakes, etc., etc. (Like Yul Bryner, the "King of Siam", I too love my 'etcetra, etcetra'.)                

Gulai kawah and Nasi ambeng in one stall (CNB 2013)

We got Nasi ambeng from this stall at RM6 (CNB 2013)

Blue Nasi Kerabu stall (CNB 2013)

Ayam golek - contributing to air pollution? (CNB 2013)

Of course when there is food, there must be drink. The drinks come in all colours and hues, of which 'blue lemon' proved outstanding. The Smurfs must be happy, but then we settled for the very safe colour of soya bean.

Blue lemon, yellow oren & brown mata kucing (CNB 2013)

B at the soya bean stall (CNB 2013)

Despite telling ourselves that we must resist buying too much, we still did. (And I thought I only went for the snapshots, ha ha!). We bought Kueh lopis, Lompat tikam, Dim sum, Nasi ambeng, Pulut udang, Sata, Ayam goreng Uncle Bob, and soya bean drink. Hello, indigestion!

Selamat berbuka puasa ... (CNB 2013)

14 July 2013

Tamu Kianggeh, Bandar Seri Begawan

I was looking through our photo albums of the Brunei trips made in 2003 and 2006 and remember the local produce market, the Tamu Kianggeh in Bandar Seri Begawan. Situated at the Jalan Sungai Kianggeh by the river bank, this tamu started in the early 60s, when the area was the convenient landing place for Kampung Ayer (water village) folks to come to town. I read in an article in The Brunei Times (Sojourn at Tamu Kianggeh, 20/2/11) that  "... Tamu Kianggeh still looks and feels very much like what it did in the olden days. ...". For me, markets (more than museums?) are the best places to start when visiting a new country.

A Big Breakfast at Gelugor

Pasar dan Balai Rakyat Gelugor (CNB 2013)

We used to live in Gelugor (Pulau Pinang) for nearly twenty years during my working stint at USM and A & B's growing up/schooling years. Gelugor Market at Taman Tun Sardon was a very convenient place to go for our food needs. Marketing early in the morning there called for breakfasts at the adjacent Astaka's gerai-gerai makanan (food stalls).

During our recent weekend trip back to the Pulau, we could not help but revisit this market and Astaka. This time around, we started on the other side of the road, at the apom manis/telur (sweet pancake) push cart run by Indra. She has been in this business for nearly three decades and makes the most delicious pancakes. We bought ten pancakes, of which six were eaten hot and fresh from the earthen cookware! Next was Pak Arshad's nasi dalca 'bawah pokok', to eat and also to take away (for 'sleeping beauty', you may know who).

Then we crossed over to the market area and the first thing we looked for at the food stalls was the serabai. Most unfortunately the stall was closed. So I settled for another favourite, the roti canai and a teh tarik. B had to have her usual favourite of kwayteow soup and a newly recommended ketam (crab) sandwich. Actually here at the Astaka, there are 101 food/dishes to choose from and they are all delicious.
Note to self: I have to return for the serabai of course, also for the roti jala, capati, nasi lemuni and nasi campur, etc., etc.

Indra making apom manis/telur (CNB 2013)

The ever popular roti canai stall (CNB 2013)

After our hearty breakfast, B and I went into the wet market just for a 'look see, look see', for old times sake. Most of the vendors we used to frequent are still around - at the fruit, fish, egg, vegetable, meat, grocery stalls. Some do still remember us, but some have forgotten. C'est la vie ...

B at the vegetable section of Gelugor Market (CNB 2013)

The egg stalls (CNB 2013)

Mazlan cuts up ikan pari/sting ray (CNB 2013)

26 May 2013

Flea Mart in a Mall

Churchill china 'Indian tree-blue' (CNB 2013)

Flea Markets are fascinating because, like a box of chocolates, you never know what you gonna get. Yesterday after a wedding kenduri at the Singgahsana Hotel in Petaling Jaya, B and I stopped at the nearby Amcorp Mall to browse the weekend flea market there. Though Sundays are more meriah (read: more stalls and rather crowded), on Saturdays one can browse better and hopefully find good bargains.

B and I went around looking at the collections available; old record vinyls, books and magazines, black & white photographs, stamps and first day covers, ceramics, handicrafts, jewelry, etc., etc. So in the end, what did we get? I acquired four of the above Churchill china 'Indian tree-blue' plates to add to my blue and white collection. I paid RM... - a price I think that they are worth (to me at least!). B got a turquoise cocktail ring and a KFC memorabilia of a 2010 ceramic coin box based on KFC's pressure cooker.

B and her KFC memorabilia at the Flea mart (CNB 2013)

Note: If you do not find any bargains at the Flea Market, just go up to the top floor of Amcorp Mall and you will get bargains galore at the Book Xcess bookshop. I assure you, this is a definite!

Kota Belud: The Tamu ... and Looking for the Bajau Horsemen

Kota Belud Tamu* (traditional open market) is held every Sunday and is one of the main weekly tamu in Sabah. An integral part of rural economic life here, as usual for me, markets are a pull factor, so Husin & Penel took us to Kota Belud on Sunday morning. The tamu is usually held from as early as 6 am till midday, so we set out from Kota Kinabalu heading north around 8.30 am. It was a journey of nearly an hour and a half, passing by the town of Tuaran which also has a Sunday tamu.

Archway into the Kota Belud tamu (MB 2013)

At the tamu Penel tells me that more and more, the women here are abandoning their native head wrap styles for the ubiquitous tudung (head-wear). We did spot three older ladies in traditional headgear, two selling dried shrimps and one selling tobacco and sireh. Tobacco at the tamu is rolled into packs or in loose heaps. It is usually smoked in cigarette form, the wrapper a long dried leaf (lopian). Similar to rokok daun that my grandfather used to smoke. The tobacco lady offered me betel nut and lime wrapped in sireh leaf to chew. I obliged but found it to be very pedas (spicy hot). So she offered me a quid of tobacco to hold in the upper lip to soothe my mouth. Yikes! This is reminiscent of my grandmother and her sentil (tobacco quid)!

Tobacco seller at the KB Tamu. Note 3 different headgears
on the ladies here (CNB 2013)

The tamu is fairly busy with all kinds of foodstuff and other items being sold. At the dried food section there were all kinds of fish and seafood. We bought tampoi and pisang rastali at the fresh fruit and vegetable section.

Dried fish at the Tamu (MB 2013)

'Pekasam' fish stalls (CNB 2013)

The crafts section was most  interesting with colourful basketry and woven textiles. I bought a small tudung saji and two trinket boxes as souvenirs.

Rainbow hued basketry (CNB 2013)

In the 50s the roof of these tamu stalls would have been atap
but now corrugated iron is used (MB 2013)

At Kota Belud, I was also hoping to catch a glimpse of the famous Bajau horsemen there, deemed 'Cowboys of the East'. But I only saw their horses tethered near some houses. I guess I may have to return during the annual tamu besar which is said to bring out the best of the culture and heritage of the Kota Belud indigenous community. The Tamu Besar Kota Belud is usually held in October or Novermber.

* Tamu is from the Malay word 'temu' - to meet.
24 March 2013