Sunday, December 27, 2009

Au revoir, Basil

Basil, Basil. Just got the text from Erwin regarding tomorrow's futsal. Never thought it would affect me so much but it has brought me here, to reminiscence on the times we had together.

Always known as a quiet, cool, Edison Chen look-a-like, Basil is blessed with admirable athletic ability.

We have played futsal and football together, win tournaments, train and run for the school. Those were good times, and one of the best times I've had so far, I assure you that.

Happy happy times :).

Remember to K.I.T.(keep in touch) like how Thian Hong would like to put it :). Take care my friend and all the best in your future undertakings at Switzerland.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Penang & Hatyai with the Lums

Firstly, I would like to welcome back all my friends who have returned home to Malaysia recently for the year-end break. Looking forward to end my last paper for my final examination tomorrow to catch up with you guys. In the midst of my Year 1 Semester 3's finals, I've a week break before I sit for my English for Management paper. Simultaneously my family will be having a trip up north to Penang and Hatyai, Thailand. This trip would be synonymous to a lot of eating and shopping x).

I've always love going vacation, with my family especially. So I'm not missing this chance. My dad drove up north and picked me up from Kampar so that I can tag along for this trip. However, Pui Cheng didn't tag along because she has better things to do. Meet her long time idol personally - Jiro Wang =_=.

You chubby-round-face-youngster.

Our next destination would be Jawi(near Butterworth). My father would be meeting his friend, Mr. Ho who was a fish breeder and bird nest trader. He was the same man who supplied my dad fresh scrumptious mantis shrimps and other seafood.

As soon as we reached, he brought us to a restaurant by the river mouth that is famous for their curry crabs and prawns.

THIS IS DAMN GOOD. Those prawns are personally picked by my dad's friend. Tender meat and has eggs! Extremely fresh! We even have bread to dip the yummy curry sauce.

Did I mention the prawns are huge?

The crab's "treasure" :D. I'm dying for moreeee. Ironically, I would die if I eat more regularly. High cholesterol :(.

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After that, Mr. Ho brought us around the place and showed us his friend's fish breeding place.

Jetty for small fishing boats.

Mr. Ho telling us stories of this place in a nutshell. Crocodiles are actually common around the river banks :O.

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At this place, they have many interesting spectacle that we city boy city girls don't usually see. For instance,

#1. Macho young fishermen.

#2. Many fishes waiting to be sent to the market for selling.


#3. REJECT ITEMS I. (see stingrays and baby sharks?)


#4. REJECT ITEMS II. (crabs, fishes, puffer fish, shrimps) Spot the cat there? That's one happy cat :D.

#5. Small innocent young man 'shooting' wherever he wishes.

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Then we got up to a fishing boat to be sent to the fish farm which is located around 20 minutes boat ride from the jetty.

Pretty mummy. She found her new Facebook profile picture =_=.

Mummy liking the boat ride.

Ah Wai enjoying the sea breeze.

Foong and I :).

The fish farm literally floating in the middle of the sea.

Excited youngsters upon reaching the fish farm!

The biggest fish they have around - a whooping 90kg Garoupa fish.

A worker is seen mixing the fish food(resembles almonds) to be fed to the fishes.

The following are workers harvesting the fishes.

These workers stay on the floating farm, literally sleep, eat, shit. They can pick any fish they wish to eat from the farm when they're hungry. But after some time, they must be sick of fishes :p.

Walking around and checking out fishes.

Mr. Ho, Foong and my dad checking out the workers harvesting the grown fishes.

More big fishes! Do you know this 'box' of netting contains the amount of fishes that can be sold up to a staggering amount of RM20,000?

A half dead medium-sized Garoupa.

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After the interesting visit, we continued our journey up north and finally reached Penang Island.
We stayed at Berjaya Georgetown Hotel, like we always do throughout the years :).

Even on vacation, my brother has not given up hope on the love of his life - STUDY.

Around midnight, Rikuku picked me up to watch Avatar at Gurney plaza with his buddies - Ah Beh and Ben.

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The following days we visited several places. Lots of temples. Lots of praying. Lots of smoke :\.

The beautiful Burmese Temple.

Wai, mummy and Foong.

Dad and mum.

Foong at the entrance of the Sleeping Buddha temple.

The majestic Sleeping Buddha.

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For lunch, we have a very famous Mee Goreng Mamak.

This mee goreng is so good - spicy. Truly one flavourful plate of mee goreng. No wonder it's so famous :D.

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A visit to Penang would never be complete without visiting Kek Lok Si :).

Loitering around.

Daddy with the camera and the enhanced Guan Yin Statue in the background.

Mummy the poser

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After that, we went shopping at Gurney Plaza, which is very near our hotel. For your information, my mum loves massage as much as Kit Weng loves football.

At the sight of Gintell chair promotions, being a typical aunty or 'Ah Soh' she walked up to it and totally indulged into the massage chairs.

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Next day, we left the island by ferry.

Dad and Foong on the ferry.

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Upon reaching Bukit Kayu Hitam, Malaysia-Thai border, we stopped by and buy insurance and exchange for Thai Bahts.

Foong filling up the insurance form like a pro.

A step pass this, you'll be in Thailand. The country where tourism is it's top source of income / GDP.

Mummy and Foong killing time at the Thai Immigration.

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At Hatyai, we stayed at Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel which is located at the heart of Hatyai city where all stalls and shopping malls are located. Geographically strategic for shopping :D! Only 1090 Baht per night, it's pretty cheap! They have a very decent room and even free breakfast buffet!

In our hotel room overlooking a small part of Hatyai city.

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Around Hatyai, there are plenty of roadside food vendors.

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At Thailand's Mc Donald, they have Double Big Mac, Triple beef burger, Samurai pork burger, Mc Cafe that serves various lattes and so on. A change of taste :D.

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There, we move around with Tuk-tuk, the 'Thai Taxi' that charges you RM2 per head to bring you around town.


A busy street in Hatyai with plenty of Tuk-tuk available.

Foong getting into the Tuk-Tuk before us.

As we can see here, a group of senior tourists love each other's company so much that they wish to cramp into 1 Tuk-Tuk although they are insufficient space.

At the market, purchasing cashew nuts, almonds, dried food and other snacks.


Hatyai Railway station.

Gift fest at the shopping mall. Vendors and shoppers sell and buy on the floor.

While waiting for my mum to finish her Thai traditional massage, Foong demands to have her own massage as well haha.

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Next, we went to a nearby restaurant to have bird nests :).

This bowl cost 200Baht each. Comes with a cup of complimentary Ginseng tea.

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At Thai's 7 Eleven, as you can see at the bottom this Coke sells for only 10 Baht a bottle which is equivalent to RM1 per bottle. Good stuff for Coke lovers like Li Li (by Jac) :D!

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During dinner, we have

Otak-otak

Kerabu Mango

Stewed Pork Leg

Deep Fried Fish

Prawn Fried with Asparagus

Tom Yam Seafood soup - sour but not spicy enough. The rating of this Tom Yam would just be average.

Cheese Glass Noodle with Prawns

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My sister looks kinda adorable when she sleeps.

Haha that snoring little baby.

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Check this out, Seng Ho Bookstore, the oldest bookstore in Thailand.

It's more a less like MPH in Malaysia.
But they've a distinctive difference. They sell 'naughty' magazines in it :P.

Elephants can be seen at the busy streets around midnight in Hatyai available for feeding of photograph taking :).

At Thailand they call this Lai Ci Kang. Very different from Malaysia's Lin Chee Kang.

My tired siblings after so much shopping haha. Shop till you drop.

At the end of this trip, I came to realize the crazy amount that we've spent and how much we contributed to Thailand's GDP.

That's about it. Goodbye greeting from three of us - Wai, Foong and myself. Till next time ;).