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Published: December 16th 2008
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Sorry everyone, we haven't updated our blog for the past 2 weeks, our Mac gave out. Here is a brief rundown of what we have been doing in Malaysia:
When we think of Malaysia, what immediately comes to mind is FOOD.
Day 54 - December 3, 2008
We landed at Kuala Lumpur (locals call the city "K.L.") and stayed there for the night. We reached KL a few days late as we were stuck in Nepal for a couple of days. We were supposed to take Thai Airways but due the upheaval in Bangkok, the airport was closed for a week, so we decided to get a different route through Delhi.
Day 55 - December 4, 2008
When we reached KL, Amy (Gim's younger sis) and Edmund (Gim's cousin) picked us up. Gim's other cousin, Joseph, gave us a room at the Palace of the Golden Horses Hotel. Next day, we met with more family, cousin Kelly, Uncle Henry (and his son Julian) and Uncle Stanley, who all gave us a tour around KL. We went up the Menara Tower and had a great view of the Petronas Towers, the famous twin towers of Malaysia. We also walked
around Chinatown. Then we drove to Gim's hometown of Malacca, where we will be staying at Uncle Danny and Aunt May's spic and span home once again 😊
Day 56 - December 5, 2008
The next day we did all the laundry and at night went around Jonker Walk. It rained so we called the event "Jonker Run". Jonker Walk is a famous street in Malacca just a few steps away from the famous Dutch Square.
Malacca is very quaint and pretty with all the lights at night highlighting the colonial architecture of the buildings that have been preserved after the place was declared a UNESCO World Heritage in July 2008. Historically, Malacca has been a thriving port in the 1500-1800s and was under Portuguese, Dutch, then British rule. The countryside is very relaxing with its sprawling ricefields, clean air, and traditional "kampong" wooden houses.
Day 57 - December 6, 2008
We had our wedding reception the day after. For the first time, I had shark fin soup (I tried the soup but cannot bear eating the shark fin, I feel so bad for the poor sharks who are being left in the sea to die after
their fins are cut, just to make this soup), and I had abalones (soooo good, highly unlikely that this popular restaurant will be serving the endangered species, so this time, I ate them 😊, and roasted suckling pig (super yummy I can eat the whole piglet). We received tons of red envelopes containing money, part of Chinese tradition. So good to be Chinese!
Day 58 - December 7, 2008
We went around the Dutch Square with Amy the following day and visited Malacca museums. We rode the flowery rickshaws, saw the old Christ Church (1700s), and went to see the remains of St. Joseph Church. We also went to see the "Famosa", the remains of the fortification of the port, also called "Fort Santiago". At night, we again walked around Jonker Street and met other family members along the way. Amy and Gim, knowing that this is their "hood", were reminiscing a lot of their childhood with their aunts and cousins.
Day 59 - December 8, 2008
We had plan to go to Palau Besar today but it rained all day so we decided to stay in and eat more random malaysian foods.
Day 60 - December
9, 2008
The next day we went to the beach, Pulau Besar, which was a disappointment. The online pictures looked so good but is nowhere near reality. We still had fun, Kelly, Amy, and Edmund got more-than-enough sun, while Gim and I napped in the tent, and in-between naps, I kept on reading "Blink" (it was really interesting, thanks to Amy for lending it to me). There is nothing quite like the feeling of being around family. That night we stayed in a really nice and clean hotel in Malacca and headed to Port Dickson the next day for more beach time.
Day 61 - December 10, 2008
Port Dickson is also not as clean as we were hoping it to be, but a beach is a beach, and it always equals fun and good time. Amy and I just lounged around, Gim and Edmund swam some, and we all ate some great Malaysian food after. The food here in Malaysia is just amaaaazing!!! Sadap (Malay for yummy)!
Day 62 - December 11, 2008
We had another dinner for Gim's birthday. More yummy abalones! (and shark fin soup again). Gim was so happy, surrounded by everyone who loves
and adores him.
Day 63 - December 12, 2008
The next day we went to Singapore. Amy went to Hongkong and Mom went back home to NJ. I miss having Amy around. We stayed at Gim's aunt place, while another cousin, Shen Li, showed us around. Singapore is immaculately clean, and highly developed. Restrooms are clean, with tissue and soap!! And finally, Christmas spirit!! Orchard Road is all lit up with giant candies, lollipops, and muffins, and Christmas songs in the background. We luuv Singapore.
Day 64 - December 13, 2008
Still in Singapore, we went to Sentosa Resort with cousins Shen Li and Shu Pa. We rode the Cable Car to get there, then went to Underwater World, where we were allowed to touch stingrays (slimy) and other fishes. We saw sharks, giant groupers, octopus, jellyfish, and our favorite, the leafy and weedy seadragons. They look like seaweeds with eyes. We saw a show by pink dolphins (sooo cute and smart they are), enjoyed the simulated "extreme log ride", and finally, the highlight of our day, the LUGE!!! Coupled with SkyRide, the Luge is definitely worth this trip. On the bus trip back to Malaysia, I finished
reading "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult (I highly recommend this book, thanks again to Amy), and Gim got his daily nap.
Day 65 - December 14, 2008
We decided to stop for the night at Johor Bahru (JB), the Malaysian city closest to Singapore. Gim called another cousin Wilson and his wife Karen, who showed us the mall and treated us to dinner. We had a great time, we had stingray (for the first time), and octopus balls (nope, an octopus doesn't have balls, it's but octopus made into balls 😊. Next day, we took a 2-hour bus trip to Malacca after hanging out again in JB's new Sutera Mall.
Day 66 - December 15, 2008
Back to Malacca. More food! Here's a list of our favorites, so far: Roti Canai, our favorite breakfast. Char Keuy Teow, Gim's favorite noodles. Laksa, my favorite noodles. Cendol, Amy's favorite desert. Satay Celup. everyone's favorite. As Amy says, one doesn't go to Malaysia to shop, one comes here TO EAT. And eat, we did, with gusto.
Day 67 - December 16, 2008
Our last day in Malacca...so sad. At night we went to Portuguese Town in Malacca. The locals
call the Portuguese-descent Malaysians "kristang", and they happen not to speak Portuguese at all, after being in Malaysia for a century. The village was very colorful and bright with Christmas lights and décor, since this is a Christian (“kristangs”, remember?)/Catholic area. We had a delightful dinner of seafoods - chili crab, steamed fish, clams, mussels. Special thanks to Uncle Danny and Aunt May who showed us around and gave us a roof above our heads. We love you.
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Amy lay
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Photographer!
Hey! I took some of those pictures. Its nice to travel with family so you get pics of the both of you or just one of you. I will take care of the Mac and the camera this weekend! Have fun in the Phillipines.