MY Penang & KL trip (19-27 April'08)

My Penang trip (19-22 April)

I went to KL ( or West Malaysia) from 18-27 April for leisure trip. In the meantime I also brought Viviana along as she’ll be enrolled to Inti College Subang soon in early May. Her parents are sort of immobile, so they need someone they can trust to bring her over to further her studies. So since I’m going there, might as well give a hand and help them out.

It’s the 1^st time that I travelled to KL late at nite (8.50pm flgiht). Reached my brother’s place some time past 12am. We had supper, McD! Didn’t realise that I’ll be having fast food that soon. Had Big Mac with my bro and other frens, good fellowship, lasted till 3.30am! Gila. Some more need to wake up at 6am to rush to Pudu Raya to get the bus to Penang. My brother was so excited!! I’m excited too, but not as much as him, hahahah. His GF there bah, understand la.

19/4

The bus ride took us about almost 5 hrs to reach, so we had some time to take long naps and recover our sleep deprivation! As soon as we reached, Siew May was there at the bus station waiting for us. Glad to have a driver to bring us around, and also free accommodations!! There’s no better way to travel and enjoy food in Penang!!

In the bus

Main finger pula


Relaxing

Brooke and Diana (my sister) were in Penang coincidentally. They reached Penang the night before, stayed in YMCA hostel and they rented a CAR!! They were really daring to rent and drive in an unknown place, even though having a road map. I wouldn’t have the courage to drive like this, unless a local fren directs us. But I have the chance to drive thecar around (since I’m a better driver, hehehe). 1^st stop, New Wold Park. We were so hungry, waited for the girls till 4pm then can go out makan. This new establishment is quite famous now. Let the pictures give you the explanations.

New Wold Park

The food court is quite big and not air-conditioned. I don’t mind the air-cond, coz the food was nice. Most of the food courts in Penang serves non-halal food, mainly due to the Chinese population is more than the bumis. So I get to eat PORK!!!! Hahaha.

So many people!!

Penang famous char kuey teow


Hokkien mee (aka prawn mee in Labuan)


Mix fried stuff with special dipping sauces


There some stalls selling various stuff

Next stop, Plaza Prangin. The place is sort of KL version of Sungei Wang. The place sells almost everything, especially woman clothings & accessories. Walked around the place, see see look look, nothing much to buy, but we had that ice cream that they bragged about. Green tea ice cream. It was good, forgot to take pictures of the ice cream, hehehe.

Another view

Then we drove around the place, noticed some part of the city they still have those very old shops, and also BECA, hahahaha.

Another view of the old town


Beca ahead!!

As nite coming, we headed off to a seafood restaurant, which my brother been talking and bragging bout. Delicious, nice spot and cheap. So I took his word for it and go. I also invited an old fren along, living in Butterworth, a bridge away, whom I known since my college days. Been 5 years since we last met. Happy to meet my fren and we talked lots of stuff to update ourselves. Dinner was good.....

Siakap fish


Crabs


Forgot wat's the name of this sea shell.

After that, me and my old fren headed off to Gurney area, just to show me the place, coz I think I have never been there yet. We walked a bit at the Gurney drive before ended up in Starbucks at the Gurney Place for some quick refreshment and more chit chatting. Penang is not a simple place, quite developed, a lot of people, both young and old going out enjoying themselves with all sort of food, local or fast foods, until the late hrs. My perception on Penang changed ever since, hahahaha. As I was thinking bout my gf, she called! I was so happy and we talked for a while. Made my nite, hahahahahha.

Then later join my bro to Cyber café to play some games. I don’t play DOTA, so I just surf the Net, reading emails and news till about 2am then go home, gila man, so tiring!!!!! Next day have to wake up at 8am for breakfast and send my sis and Brooke to the bus station.

20/4

So that morning, we had quite a heavy and hearty meal. The Chinese’s all time favorites, DIM SUM!!! The place was almost packed! The Air-cond room was full, so we have to settle with the open area outside, which I don’t mind, considering the various delicious dim sums they serve.

Steam sections, the pau's

Many food on the table, we shared around, can't finish alone ler.......


Bubur, not as nice as I expected.


Syioknya my bro makan


The char siew pau were nice, very nice


Buuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrppppp

After that we went to a place where they sell all kinds of local products, especially the dragon ball. The smell in that shop, really mind-boggling. Herb, nuts, honey, fresh baked biscuits, jeruks, and more!! All that smell combine, really something else….hahaha.

Next stop, Queensbay Mall. The mall is huge! Almost the same size as the Megamall in KL. The place is less than 5 mins drive from Siew May’s house, very convenient indeed. Went there just walked around for a bit, coz Diana and Brooke were rushing for the 1pm bus back to KL.

At the top floor, near the cinema, there’s a restaurant that I heard about before. Toilet seat restaurant. You sit on a toilet bowl, drink soup from a toilet bowl, eat noodle from a toilet bowl, eat ice cream from a toilet bowl, everything in a toilet bowl, small size toilet bowl to be in fact,…hahahaha.

View of the restaurant

After dropping the 2 girls at the bus station (thank God they made the bus, despite few mins late, hahaha) we headed off to PISA complex, where they were having PC fair. Since we’re a bit free, might as well go and have a look. But I sort of regretted being there after that. The place was PACKED with people!!!!! Barely can move, so many ppl, like ants all around. See the pics below, lazy to explain. Hahaha.

See how packed the place was


Aiyoyo!!

After that we went back to New World Park for some fruits, we need fruits for the digestion and to keep us bit healthy, coz already having all sorts of heaty food since early morning. Not only we had fruit, I ordered pasembur, Kl version of mee rojak, where we picked all sort of fried stuff and sausages, etc, and pour the peanut sauce on top, it tasted really good, hahahah. Can’t get away from the temptation. Sayang din take pictures of it, really nice la.

Then we headed off home for quick rest and washing up. The dinner my bro planned was the steamboat buffet. The place is called Golden steamboat, very near to New World Park. It has steamboat in the middle and hot plate at the side for bbq. The food was fresh and nice. A bit pricey though, about RM20 per pax. My fren join me for the dinner too, nice……… The food I liked most is, stewed chicken feet! Hahahahah. No joke, really nice. The meat/skin literally almost melt in my mouth as I chew them. Not much hassle in trying to take the bones out too. Really that GOOD!!!! No regret eating there man. They even have this mini chocolate fondue where u dip fruits and slowly savoring the sweetness and acidic from the fruits, haahah.

The pot


Why my hand looked bloated?


Yum! Sorry for not taking proper pics of the dinner, got carried away, hahahaha

After that I left the place with my friend and to meet another fren (actually we were my classmates during college days) and we went to “Old Town” coffee house. When they saw me, they commented that my look don’t change a bit. Actually they also didn’t change much, just lesser of the acne & pimples. They do look good and energetic. A particular fren who was more quiet in the past, suddenly can really talk, really really talk!!! I’m surprised, and also impressed that she changed, all through the experience of the REAL life, that is the working life la, what else. Most people will change as they go through the working life. College life is nothing, just study and enjoy. Now they really became more matured, talking bout the facts of life and how the MINDSET of a person could work and affect someone’s lifestyle, etc etc. That’s when I think about my gf the most la. Well, handling relationship is always not easy if you’re not willing to change and have a positive MINDSET that you can believe it will work out. Well, don’t worry, I’m working on it, need to trust in The Lord to change my mindset and me to be a better person. (praying)

21/4

Ok, back to my trip. Next morning, from my sleep, suddenly I heard voices of a small child. Slowly getting louder and louder. Since I woke up already, might as well find out what happen. Met this young boy in the living room. Very friendly la him. Siew May intro to me. His name is Sannie. Siew May’s mom baby-sitting him, as his parents are working during the daytime. He’s only 2 yrs old!!!! Oh my, quite a big size and can really talk a lot too. He’s not fat, but he’s tall, considering his age. He can get along with me just fine, not afraid of me at all, amazing. Most people always comment that I have this angry or fierce face when they 1^st met me, hahaha.

Meet Sannie!!!

Smile!!!

Almost lunch time, so we headed off to Gelugor to have Nasi Kandar. Alfie recommended me this place for nasi kandar. A food lover he is, so I took his word and hunt this place down. Went to the exact place, exact description. But, no stalls are opening. I thought by 11.30am can get an early nasi kandar lunch, but not one stall opened yet. Called Alfie back, he said it’s in the evening, potong steam la. Hahahha. So we have to postpone the meal to dinner.

The 24hr convinient store, 8 pagi, as what Alfie described. The stall is opposite that shop, by the roadside, near the big drain.


Aiya, belum buka la


Should be around there.

So Siew May brought us to a famous Char Siew, Sau Nyuk Kai Fan. (roasted pork and chicken rice). The place is in an old fashion building, but the interior is surprisingly clean. We ordered a plate each of chicken, roasted pork, roasted pork rib and roasted duck. The food was great!!!! They served with soup, and the soup was great. There’s a bit sourness due to the salted veggie and bit of herbs, very nice indeed, sparked our appetite very well.

Outside view of the shop

inside view


The soup, extremely nice!!

Gila sedap!!

After that we headed of to Queensbay mall again, coz the previous day we din have much time to scroll around. Bought 2 pairs of jeans (finally have my size, wahahhaah) and 2 pairs of T-shirts. After some shopping, My bro wanted to watch a movie “The Forbidden Kingdom”. Since we have the time, so ok la. We watched the 4.45pm movie.

Before that we still have bit of time, went to nearby shops and buy some snack to eat, Baoz, seen this brand in the email I received from a fren, should be the same brand. So I bought 5 pcs, salted egg yolk cream, nonya sambal, black pepper chic, char siew chic, and kaya I think, and share 3 of us. Tasted ok, but I still prefer typical Chinese style pau.


The Baoz stall


The package


The inside

The movies was ok la, not really entertaining, predictable. So it was 7pm when the show ended. What else to do after that? MAKAN la. Where? Back to Nasi Kandar spot!! When we reach there, finally we spotted the stall, it’s called Shariff Nasi Kandar Isimewa. At 1^st there’s quite a long queue about 6-7 ppl ahead of us, in the early dinner hrs. The smell of the food was awesome! Hahahaha. And surprisingly it’s not expensive!! Mine costed RM5.20 only, see my plate then you know. If I had this much in Deen’s in FP, it would easily costs you whopping RM8-9. Thumbs up for the nasi kandar, really good food.

The stall, issit the rite one, Alfie?

Big portion!!!

Yum,....dig in!!!

Then went home for quick rest and wash up. Try to call my gf, been missing her, but the call didn’t ended up well, so I’m stuck, dunno wat to do, so just let it be for the moment and pray and assure myself it’ll be ok. Back to my food story, craving for durian grows as in the day time we saw lots durians selling by the roadside. So we headed off again for more food. But disappointedly, none is selling, dunno y. So we stop for a bit for some fruits.

The street where we bought some fruits, sice no durian was selling, sigh

Then we went to Gurney drive again, to the food court, hoping to find durians, tapi takde la, so sad. We ended up drinking coconut water. We thought the coconut was from the Thailand type, but it was not, but still it was ok, with tender white flesh in the inside. After lepak for a bit, head home to sleep, catching early bus back to KL.

The view of the Gurney food stall corner

Another view, different camera setting, hahahh

KL TRIP

22/4

Before leaving, Siew May was kind enough to bring us tapau some simple breakfast. Bun with bagua + rou shui. It has this bbq mince pork plus dried pork floss. Very nice oh!! Hahahahah. Thinking of it made me drool for a while, haha.

Took the 8am bus, the more luxury bus, costed us RM38 each. With personal TV and headphone, where you can listen to music, watch movies and play simple interactive games. I tried to watch a movie, Alexander, but after a while my head got a bit dizzy, probably due to the bus moving left and right, so I ended up taking a rest and listen to music instead. Very relaxing, coz the seat have to space to adjust your position to almost horizontal (sleeping mode). Cool experience.

As we reach KL and took and bus back to Subang, a group of frens, waiting for us to have lunch in Pyramid. We had Carl’s Jr, The big burgers for big appetite people, especially me, hahahah. The fries were so generous, when all of us combine and share our fries, the tray really filled up and almost overflow! I had Jalapeno Single burger, nice and spicy. The chilli fries was good too, altough a bit more pricey, but I think it’s worth it. Gracy can really eat a whole buger, amazing. Vui Theng and Viviana shared a burger but can’t even finish it. Adui……hahahah. After that we walked around and I did some shopping, bought 2 pairs of working long-sleeves shirt from Mark&Spencer. I got a free RM100 vouchers, my 1^st birthday gift from the young Labuanites in FCC, never expected that, so touching, really made my day man, thanks a lot you guys!

See how much the fries!! There's more actually haven't added onto the tray.


Enjoy or not oh?


Big mouth man


Smiling stars,....hahaha


Chilli fries, something new, tastes good too, recommended, but bit pricey though


My burger

Eating so politely, hahahahaha.

Later in the evening went to a cozy place for a simple drink, not that expensive though, and my fren ordered Sheesha, it’s sort of a smoke puffing the middle eastern style. I tried a bit, hahahaha, just for the fun of it. Not really those cigarette type, no smell of the smoke, only the grape taste, cool…..

23/4

Went up to Genting with my brother, just lepak and have some fresh air. Ivan never been to the casino before, and since he’s 22 this yr, already above the legal age, might as well bring him in to see see look look. I booked a room earlier in March for RM38.88 for 2 person, including breakfast BUFFET!! Very worth it rite? When I went with Nellie 2 years ago also din have this good package. (wish she was with me though)

Genting still looks the same, nothing much interesting around as I’ve been here before, 2 yrs ago. So just walk around, drink some coffee outside “open air” just for the fun of it, and sit outside and talk to my bro etc etc, good time with my bro to catch up things too.

Oh yea, on the way out to the main road planing to get a bus, Shuk Ling suddenly appeared!! hahahha. She kindly gave us a ride to Kelana Jaya LRT so that we can go KL Sentral to take the bus straight to Genting. So nice of her, won't forget you, hahahaha. Wat a coincident.


Genting bus station

Monkeys!!!! (not my relatives ah!!!)


Taiwan food for lunch, regret eating there, so expensive, should have gone for fast food.

Good MORNING!!!


So misty in the outside

24/4

After “heavy” breakfast and good sleep, time to check out at 12pm and back to the city. Bro suggest to go Sungei Wang for a walk and see leng lui, hahahhaa, I gladly agreed. But not much to see, was a weekday, so not that crowded, but still ok, still got my eyes bit cleaner though, wahahahah. Went to Pavilion for some JCO Donuts, and then go back to Subang.

Had late dinner, around 10pm coz my bro have this share group, sort of like CG, but different method. I joined them since their group that day were small and I know all of them. Really starting to feel at home and cozy in Subang, feels like I was a college student again,…..hahahaha…..hmmmmmmm…

Keropok lekor...

25/4

Wake up quite late, about 11.30pm like that, hahahahha….become pig liaw. Supposedly to meet up my sis Florence and my niece, but tak jadi coz my niece was not feeling well, so have to call it off, sigh, a bit disappointed, but there’s always next time ler. So we went to MidValley jln jln, bringing along Viviana coz she never been there yet. Met up Brooke Anne for lunch. Lionel Yeo was there for a moment and met up with him, but he gotta go rush his 6pm flight back to Labuan. Went to this Yoshinoya Japanese fast food. The food was good. Worth to visit. I had beef & chicken, my bro had beef & salmon with rice and miso soup.

Beef+chicken


Beef+salmon

Then walk around, to the Pet Wonderland, see all the animals. I like the dog section the most, got a few young cute puppies!! Golden retriever, Chihuahua (dunno spell correctly or not), Rotweilers, and more.

Later in the evening went search for Big Apple donut but for a moment can’t find, but for certain there is one, coz been seeing some ppl carrying around the “take-aways”. Finally after sometime and asked the information counter, we found the spot and bought ½ doz of donuts for me, bro and Viviana. Siok bah Viviana makan, you can see her blog at my friend’s blog list.

The donuts!!

After that we balik rumah, relax relax, no dinner, coz we ate a lot at MidValley already. So spent a bit of time missing and thinking bout my gf, can’t help it. When nearing midnite, received few SMS wishing my birthday. Yeah, my birthday coming up 26/4, hahahahhah. I’m sure my gf was pissed at me coz I was't in Labuan and couldn’t spent time with me. But I can’t help it, not often or good chance that I can go to KL and have this holiday, especially with my siblings. So I’ll just leave it at that.

When midnight strike, little as I realise that my bro and his hsemates had a birthday surprise for me. It’s not grand la, simple, but good enough for me, can’t ask more. They bought a small cake for me, hehehehe. Received some sms from frens wishing me, especially also from my gf, felt very happy. Then I made some Vodka cocktails for my bro and his hsemates to drink and celebrate, hehehe. But not excessively ler. It was ok.

The surprise cake, heehehe

26/4

My Birthday!!! Woke up late and went for early lunch with my bro at nearby shop. We had char Siew Chicken rice. Not as nice as wat I had in Penang, but good enough to fill my stomach, hahahaha.

Then later in the afternoon went to Pyramid with Viviana for jln jln a bit, coz my bro had to go FCC for band practice and preparation. So me & Viviana stop at a place, Mr Teppanyaki for lunch. Yeah, I ate again, hahahaha. The food wasn't that good, rice was a bit hard, sigh, wat to do. After that went to buy some stuff, and thinking bout my gf, planned earlier to buy something simple for her as a gift, “oleh oleh” from my KL trip like tat, and also to make peace. Got her a nice bracelet and a pair of earrings. Viviana didn’t choose for me ah, I picked them myself, but dunno for her it’s nice or not, we’ll see, hahahaha.

Time for church, called up Shuk Ling if she can give me a ride to FCC from Pyramid, and thankfully got, heheheh. Went to FCC and meet up quite a number of old fren that I know way back from my college days and some are still there, had a good chat with them before the service start. The new FCC is nice, very nice indeed. Very spacious, and everything are new, cool…..

After service the Labuanites went to Pyramid, of all the places, KFC pula, but for me it’s ok la, hahahahah. Spent them dinner there, coz of my b’day ler, and also to bless the young Labuanites in FCC, encourage them to continue to serve in FCC more and more. After that we all went back to my bro’s place for 2^nd round.

Enjoying KFC

Another view

They all bought cake slices of different kinds from Secret Recipe. Creative and good way too la, can eat many types and can share with everybody, very nice. The cakes were awesome. Forgot what’s the name though. See the pics, maybe you can tell me what were those cakes, hahahhaha.

Then we had Vodka cocktails again, just a bit only, just to warm things up and chit chatting, was good la. Still, I do keep thinking bout my gf, hahahaha. Who doesn’t?

Yum!!

I think it's a black forest

this should be the white chocolate cake. The other one was Choc moose i think.

27/4

The day to go back to Labuan, 6pm flight. Had lunch at Nando’s in Subang Parade, and then walked around for a bit. Went back to my bro’s place for last minute packing and off I go to KL Sentral to take the bus to LCCT.

Peri peri chicken!!

side orders

Reached LCCT and checking in my stuff, and while I still had the time, I went to Coffee Bean to get a ‘Ice Blended Ultimate’ drink. It’s sort of my last drink before I fly off from LCCT, hahahahah.

While drinking my coffee, keep thinking of my gf and I plan to spend bit time with her when I reach Labuan, to sort of make peace with her after a big argument we had almost 3 weeks ago. It was the 1^st time we had this kind of argument. Admit that I got some fault of my own. I’m not a perfect man and I don’t think I ever will be, I’m still learning. Well I didn’t entirely ignore her in that period, still talk a bit a bit just to cool things down. Coz I dunno what to do, but I don’t wanna make things too stressed up though. Let’s see how it goes …….. (while waiting to board the plane, looking at the gifts I got for her, smiling)………