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Snorkeling Spot Right Outside Paya Beach Resort @ Tioman Island [Malaysia]

November 11, 2013, 2:41 am
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There was seriously no need for us to pay extra money for a snorkeling package at the neighbouring islands in Tioman; not when we found an even better spot right outside the Paya Beach resort!

Remember this place? I mentioned in a blog posting last month that "the channel between the above island and the mainland is one of the best we ever have". Today's the day when we travel there pictorially to have a closer look.

Depending on the tide, you might be able to make use of the sandbank to walk across to the island without wetting your pants. This would not pose a problem for snorkelers who will be wet anyway but for people like my mom who just wants to hide herself under the brolly decked in summer dress, suntan lotion and sunglasses; it can be a big issue!

A simple act of vandalism can add so much character to the numerous boulders surrounding the island although i don't cordon such behaviour! The funny thing was that i could not even comprehend the pronunciation and meaning for the two Chinese characters.

From the alfresco dining area of Paya Beach Resort, it was quite an okay walk of around 400-500 meters and took us roughly ten minutes. To be totally honest, the trek there can be quite tiring (walking on sand was seriously no fun) even though it was with a curious mindset that first got us checking out the area.

In the very beginning, i was careful and didn't dare venture far from the shore. The view underneath was more a devastating scene showcasing the aftermath of a volcanic eruption; white, powdery and devoid of any live activity.

As in life some times, we do have to push ourselves a little bit out of our comfort zone. Not too much as we never know what lurks beyond the unknown!

Never let down your guard as i did while enjoying myself tremendously in the water! I didn't realise the rock was right above me and before i knew it, i had to nurse a bleeding gash on my head! Thank god it wasn't serious!

More pictures of the amazing submerged world!

Alex taking a breather from all the snorkeling; if i remember correctly, our record for snorkeling was more than two hours! That's the reason why i am forever grateful to the inventor of life jacket! Imagine having to stay afloat continuously in the water without help for two hours!

Damn! I think i took way too many pictures. Oh well, maybe just to highlight again that we have two underwater cameras with us on this trip; one Olympus and the other Canon.

Found RM 5 on the surface! Not sure who it belonged to since we were the only two persons in the water.

These photographs were taken over two days; hence the significantly higher number of shots versus those i took on the snorkeling trip.

Croc shoes; an essential item to bring for snorkeling! For those who are clueless on what to bring on a vacation where snorkeling is a must-do, click here! Click here also on the bread bottle!

The amount of fishes increased with their variety as we swam out to the open sea; i even managed to see quite a number of anemones and elusive clownfish! I should not procrastinate any further to sign up for an open water diving certificate!

Me in the water! Given the strong affection both Alex and i have towards snorkeling, we thought it would make better sense (including hygienic reason) to purchase our very own snorkel mask set!

Last set of photos!

To conclude, i totally enjoyed my time in this little spot that was still quite isolated (guess the walk put some people off) with crystal clear water, boasted a good variety of fish and corals and commanded a depth that didn't result in me getting cold feet.

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Location Map
As above.

Additional Information
I heard you can snorkel right in front of Paya Beach resort but i didn't try it for two reasons; one, the rocks underneath the water would likely cut your feet. Second, the area is quite near to the busy jetty!

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Ear Wax Vacuum Cleaner - Cannot Beat the Conventional Ear Cleaner! @ Deals.com.sg

November 12, 2013, 7:30 am
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Like any normal human, i have the occasional urge to dig my nose and both my ears to ensure that they stay clear of any obstruction that could result in discomfort or embarrassment.

I have always been using the cheap metal digger to do the job despite the higher risk of injury. So when i saw this deal on deals.com.sg on a ear wax vacuum cleaner that proposed a SAFE, GENTLE and EFFECTIVE way to clear the debris; my heart told me to go for it!!

It didn't take long for the package to be delivered to my house (i paid an extra S$4.90 for courier service) and i must say i actually resisted from digging my ears during this waiting period as i wanted to try out the effectiveness of this new toy. 

For hygienic purposes, it came packaged with eight reusable silicone tips that you can distribute to the rest of your family members and a cleaning brush.

One useful function of the ear cleaner was the inclusion of a light that can be shone into the ear channel. Of course, this means you need someone to help you which in my opinion was a total waste of time unless you need to check it out for a child or just want to laugh at someone for having too much shit in their ears. 

The device was entirely wireless and operated by just two AA-sized batteries. There are two safety measures (the soft silicone tip and the safety guard) which would prevent you from entering too far into the ear channel. 

Think of this like using a light duty vacuum cleaner where everything is sucked into a compartment that required to be cleared at the end of each cleaning session. 

After having this for almost two weeks, i have to admit i wasn't satisfied with its capability. The vacuum power was simply too weak to create a strong enough suction to pull out my ear wax! If not, i guess i must have pretty stubborn ear wax that must be cleared by force! 

Conclusion
Nothing can beat the conventional ear digger.
And it only cost me S$1.

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Price
Ear Wax Vacuum Cleaner -S$9.90
Courier - Extra S$4.90

Purchase From
Deals.com.sg


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Lau Phua Chay Char Siew (老半齋燒臘) - Second Only to Kay Lee! @ Alexandra Village Hawker Centre

November 13, 2013, 7:19 am
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Now, it's well known among my friends that i am incredibly fussy when it comes to char siew and the one sentence that i frequently said is "this is not even comparable to the epic Kay Lee char siew"! 

Hence, you can imagine my skepticism when two colleagues recommended this char siew stall in Alexandra Village food centre that was known to be so popular; it often pulled down its shutter much earlier than the stipulated closing hour of 7pm.

I had the fortune to get my hands on a plate one hot afternoon (with great thanks to the Lau sisters) and the first thought that came to mind was "wow, this actually looked very delicious"!

Before i start with the caramelised pork, let's talk about an important condiment that some Singaporeans cannot live without; chilli. As you could probably guess from the high concentration of chilli seeds, this was way too spicy for my liking! 

The special black gravy drenching the char siew and white rice was an amazingly unique concoction that featured an unconventional texture and a light sweetness that came attached with a delectable aroma! 

Similar to the old saying, it's the clothes that make a man; i have to agree that in this instance, the sauce was the addictive, deciding factor for me to re-patronise the stall. 

The cuts used were sadly lean meat (healthier according to some) which lacked the fattening juiciness that Kay Lee char siew was famed for! Nonetheless, they were still pretty tender for such a lean cut.

Another item worth noting was the salted vegetables soup; i have never had salted vegetables of such soft texture! Give me a second bowl anytime! 

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Location
Block 120, Bukit Merah Lane 1, 
#01-20 (Alexandra Village Hawker Centre)

Price
S$3.50 a plate
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Kusu Island Pilgrimage in 2013

November 14, 2013, 7:16 am
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A post on Kusu Island was heavily featured last year in this blog when i paid the "tortoise" island a visit after a hiatus of over twenty years! 

I am back again this year with my parents for the annual pilgrimage and since nothing much has changed, i hope you would just enjoy the many photos below, taken in a chronological order. 

For more information, i would still suggest you check out my original post located HERE.

Location: Booth in the inaccessible Marina South Pier.
Purpose: Buy ferry tickets to Kusu Island.

Time: An ungodly 7.30am on a Saturday.
Mood: Super sleepy.

The ferry sending us to the island. Although it was the last day for the pilgrimage, the terminal wasn't packed at all. Guess it was also a matter of time; not many people would wake up so early on a Saturday!

Mom was annoyed over the increase in the ticket price; from S$14 last year to S$16 this year! I could not help wondering if this could also be one of the contributing factors for the island's dwindling visitors.  

Kusu Island sighted!

The journey was approximately twenty minutes; a far cry from the old days even though i still prefer the rustic feel of having the wind hitting against my face on a wooden bumboat over artificial air-conditioning in a modern ferry. 

We arrived. Enough said.

First stop - Chinese temple where mom would do her sincere praying while i walked around the place taking tonnes of pictures that would eventually be pared down.

What were they looking at?!

Fishes in the pond?! This was absolutely nothing compared to what you can see in places renowned for snorkeling and diving like Tioman Island, Redang island etc. 

Main hall of the temple which originally looked out to the sea, not pond. Dad in the picture; this man had not stepped foot onto the island since 1993! 

Tortoise is the auspicious mascot for Kusu Island and you could of course find many of them housed in three different areas on the island.

Counter where you buy your offerings. In the past, i think people would bring along their own incense sticks and the temple was so smoky; it brought literally tears of irritation to anyone who dared to step in. 

Situation was way better in recent years; there was a limit on the number of sticks and manpower was on standby to clear the incense altars when they got too full. It does beget the question; if you are going to clear them right at the beginning, why bother lighting up?

I don't think this was to honour anything. 

Statues of the Chinese god of fortune - it was ingrained in a Chinese mindset that prosperity and fortune go hand in hand with a blessed life and the god of fortune has a very strong religious following in most Chinese communities. 

The parents in front of the iconic three-tortoise statue. 

It was at this point that i slipped and hit a wall! Thankfully my spectacles broke the fall and the only injury i suffered was a bloody gash on my nose bridge! The best thing? No one noticed!!!!!

Anyway, here's the tree that can supposedly help childless couples who wish to have a kid.

Market was relatively empty as the pilgrimage was running its end and many vendors have already started packing up their stock. According to reports, sales have reduced dramatically over the years. 

Food Centre for the souls who need their caffeine fix to perk up the morning. 

Our order - a cup of teh O, a cup of kopi O, a plate of vegetarian bee hoon and a pack of muah chee! The vegetarian beehoon was a letdown with hardly any flavour to excite my taste buds while the muah chee was surprisingly not too bad.

Variety was quite wide for such a small setup but i was dead set on saving my stomach for mouthwatering hawker fare on mainland Singapore after our visit. 

Alfresco space for diners. 

Climbing up the steps to Datok Gong [拿督公] where the three sacred Muslim shrines (known as keramats) resided. 

It started drizzling shortly after i took this picture! No prize for guessing correctly what mom was checking out. For those who are still unaware, she was looking at the four-digit numbers scribbled on the yellow stained stones!

A closer look of the stones.

The shrines; mom didn't make any offering here as she wasn't aware on what the practices are and decided not to take the risk of offending the deities. 

Despite the light drizzle, the two of them continued to wait patiently for me to finish my photo-taking. Sometimes, we really take our parents for granted without realising they often show their love using very subtle actions.

Tortoise Sanctuary! I still could not find the highly elusive huge tortoise that was supposed to live in this very sanctuary. Click here for more details of the enclosure. 

Mom with the Chinese temple as the backdrop. 

A customary shot of the main hall of the temple; doubt any temple in Singapore can claim to have such an exclusive site next to the water. 

Back of the temple which faces Lazarus Island.

Making our way to the jetty for our ferry back to the mainland! 

Parents taking a parting shot. Frankly, i wanted to explore the island a bit more since the cranky Jovyn was not with us this time. However, the parents did not want to wait another hour for the next ferry. :(

Lucky us! The ferry this time offered a non-conditioned area on the second level where we can enjoy the sea breeze! For me, i am more prone to seasickness if i am stuck in the air-conditioned compartment. 

Private yacht near the shore of Seringat Island; unbeknownst to many, reclamation has now merged Lazarus with Seringat and there was even a link bridge to St John's Island. Maybe the Gang of Four should organise their virgin trip to these Southern islands!

A lonely shelter surrounded by wilderness on Seringat Island.

Ferry to Batam zipping past the highly coveted district in Singapore; Sentosa Cove! 

Cloudy skyline of Singapore's Downtown with the tallest observation wheel in the world which would likely have its title taken away in a few years time. Other landmarks spotted in this photograph include Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay

Cargo ship, the traditional lifeline of Singapore, and the backdrop of Singapore new financial hub! My elder sister worked in one of the buildings and her view was spectacular!

Love this picture of the imposing vessel casting a threatening shadow on the water!

Is this an escape vessel?! Do you know that piracy in the waters surrounding Singapore was so bad that the three countries (Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia) have to conduct coordinated patrols!?

You wouldn't believe where i spotted this beautiful angel fish!!

At the base of the permanently stationed riverboat! With high ship traffic contributing to water pollution, i am amazed that the corals seemed to be thriving very well! Now, who was the one who commented that no coral can survive in Singapore?!

The end - taking the free shuttle to Marina Bay Cruise Centre where my car was parked. This arrangement was applicable only on weekends of the pilgrimage as the car park lots in Marina South Pier were limited. 

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For an alternative reading of Kusu Island that would provide more detail, check out my original post located HERE.

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Mad for Garlic Italian Wine Bistro @ Suntec City Mall [Singapore]

November 16, 2013, 8:20 am
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The great dislike for garlic by many friends makes me wonder how this Korean originated restaurant would be able to gain a strong stronghold in Singapore's competitive food industry. 

Let's admit it; you have the haters who would pick minute bits of garlic out from a plate of vegetables and those who would not hesitate to pop a raw clover or two after a wedding dinner. I take a neutral stand on garlic but i am a strong believer of its health benefits. 

With over forty garlic-based dishes, i guess this would also be the perfect sanctuary to be at in a vampire attack. Anyway, this was once again another great recommendation by the Kon-Tan couple although you may wish to visit during the weekdays when you pay only a fraction of the cost for a reduced portion. 

To quote an example, the seven of us still managed to incur over S$320 for our meal even though we made full use of card promotions (like one above for DBS card holders)! Exorbitant? Here's a sample of what we have (note that this doesn't include all the dishes).

Garlic Bread Tower
For a simple loaf of bread, i cannot fathom why was there so much effort put in to present this dish! The impressive knife strokes by the waiter took our breath away and i was half expecting the man to throw the bread tower in the air before swiping a few more additional strokes.

Presentation aside, this was not fantastic. I love garlic bread and found the garlic puree in this bread tower to have too bland a flavour. To its benefit, the bread came warm and tasted as if it came straight out from the oven. 

Sauteed Fresh Mussels
Not too bad with the garlic cream sauce contributing the main bulk of the flavour. Comparatively speaking though, i would have enjoyed sambal mussels better. 

Garlic Snowing Pizza
Honestly, i doubt i would have ordered this garlic snowing pizza on my own, knowing very well that garlic has a spicy pungency that i assumed would not sit well in a pizza.

I was so bloody wrong! Decked in pieces of shrimps, dices of juicy pineapples, slices of deep fried garlic on a layer of deliciously sweet garlic paste, it was the tastiest pizza i had in the longest time!

Teriyaki Chicken and Pasta Combo
Pasta was too dry for my liking. The teriyaki chicken did better but do take note that the taste had steered away from the traditional Japanese version and might be less enjoyable for diners seeking the authentic taste.

Iberico Pork and Rice Combo
With an appearance that didn't excite me, i was caught off guard by the delightful traces of natural meat juice that seeped in between my teeth as i slowly chewed through the pork! Yummy! Don't overlook the rice too which was like a serving of super moist fried rice generously peppered with tiny bits of fragrant garlic! 

Tiramisu Cake
As always, this wasn't my cup of tea and i am reserving my personal comment on it. Maybe i should defer the review to the rest of my companions and the verdict was; they loved it! 

Garlic Berry and Ice Cream
Initially, i thought the ice cream tasted really smooth, creamy and complemented perfectly with the berry sauce surrounding it, with the exception of one factor; where was the god damn garlic?! It was later that i realised garlic jelly was actually hidden within! Thankfully, they were sweet and didn't have that spiciness which would have otherwise destroyed this dessert.

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Location
No 3, Temasek Boulevard,
#02-300 / 301, Suntec City Mall

Normal Pricing
Garlic Bread Tower - S$12.50
Sauteed Fresh Mussels - S$32.50
Garlic Snowing Pizza - S$22.50
Teriyaki Chicken and Pasta Combo - S$21.40
Iberico Pork and Rice Combo - S$26.40
Tiramisu Cake - S$8.90
Garlic Berry and Ice Cream - $8.90
[Subject to GST and Service Charge]

Food Menu
As above.

Additional Information
As part of the DBS card promotion, we got a few glasses of signature ade. My personal favourite was the yujaade with its strong hint of yuzu flavouring and gassy fizziness!   
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Jovyn and Her Last Week in Talent Plus Playgroup

November 17, 2013, 5:47 am
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A piece of sad news for everyone who could not get enough of Jovyn in this blog; starting from next year, she would reside in her parent's place at Sengkang which means my interaction with the spoiled brat would be tremendously reduced. 

As she would also exit from her current playgroup in Yishun, my mom "arrowed" me on my precious one-day leave to accompany Jovyn to her playgroup and take some photos. Here goes:

In the lift and likely wondering if she should attempt pressing all the buttons to irritate her grandma who was already flustered that Jovyn would be once again late for classes. 

You think she cares? 
Hell no!

Going to miss her mischievous look! Honestly, since she started staying with us after the expiry of my sister's maternity leave, she has always been a bundle of joy and often brings us lots and lots of laughter. 

The negative aspect is that i often have to sacrifice my blogging time to play with her. Not to mention she loves to come to my room where she can lie on my bed and watch "doraemon" without having to compete with my parents for Channel 8 programmes.

Watching the cartoon quietly would the best scenario for me to concentrate on blogging but she has a short attention span and deems it necessary to disturb me every few minutes with "jiu jiu" (Chinese for Uncle). 

This coming week would be her last week with Talent Plus Playgroup which was located conveniently near Yishun MRT station and only about ten minutes walk from our house. 

Since there was some delay to the start of classes on that day, i decided to make full use of the time (and my leave) to take more pictures of Jovyn and my mom. 

Anyone still remember the post i did on Jovyn's resistance to attend playgroup? The situation has improved markedly and there is one person my mom is very grateful to. 

Teacher Yani who was terribly patient yet firm with Jovyn from the very beginning! As mom was the main caregiver, it was a blessing that Yani can speak Mandarin and hence, was able to advise my mom whenever the need arises. 

Anyway, the threat of HFMD (hand foot mouth disease) remained to be on high alert and all toddlers were screened (temperature, checking of spots / rashes on hands etc) thoroughly before they were allowed into the facility. 

Awwwwww.... this reminded me so much of my kindergarten days when we would compare with fellow school mates on whose school bag was nicer! Can't really quite recall what was the "in" character then but it could likely be He-man or transformers. 

Considering that the playgroup session was only two hours long, the smaller space didn't appear to pose a problem for the kids. It did seem spacious; thanks to the full length mirrors. 

I personally think it is important for kids to start socialising from young; the way adults interact can never be on the same level as compared to children of roughly the same age. 

Furthermore, peer pressure is necessary in the learning process. Back at home, she was the rogue princess who can have her way so long she cries. In a playgroup, she can see many small people like her who behave and hence, would likely follow. 

The different languages we used at home can also be confusing for the kid; English, Mandarin and even Hokkien! In the playgroup, as with other educational institutions, English is the medium of instruction. Full stop. 

Another advantage of this playgroup was that my mom's friend operates the karaoke lounge right next door (which is connected via the wooden door) and hence, would periodically check if Jovyn is behaving or not. Jovyn was fully aware of this and would knock on the door for "auntie" whenever she threw the occasional tantrum.

She came over to keep me company and must have wondered what i am doing here when even grandma was prohibited into the room during playgroup time. 

I chased her away (contrary to the misleading picture, i didn't push her)! Damn, i can play with her all i want at home and i don't cordon wasting money if all she does was to stick to me during the session! Her playgroup cost my sister S$165 a month okay! 

Great, she started playing with Lego bricks which we didn't have at home. Hm.... maybe i should buy her a Lego set for Christmas. At least Lego bricks are better than the colourful balls that Alex bought for her! 

Sadly, her attention waned within minutes and she switched to playing with her fellow playmates. 

The other kids were not accustomed to see a stranger in the class, especially an adult male, although having a big ass camera did help to pique their curiousity. 

An individual portrait for Jovyn. 

More pictures as i am running out of words to fully describe the intricacies of operating a playgroup, which was obviously beyond my capability! 

Teacher Yani and her colleague helping to assemble the kids for a class photo! A session was actually scheduled on Thursday this week but i am unable to attend. Therefore, i am extremely thankful for their help to make this happen. 

A full class strength was sixteen kids but quite a number didn't turn up. This should be quite common since it was a Monday and kids, like adults, have the tendencies to indulge over the weekend. I think.

Last picture of Jovyn smiling in a most cheeky manner before i left the class. 

I was back an hour later to pick her up with a heavy heart. Think about it, once she moves over to Sengkang, it would be less likely for me to pick her up from school (i think i would be too lazy to drive all the way there). 

Oh well, i guess i would have more time for blogging then. 
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Taste Bug's Restaurant and Cafe @ Taman Bukit Indah [Johor Bahru]

November 18, 2013, 6:09 am
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When my colleague's car stopped right in front of a restaurant known as Taste Bug's, i was under the impression she must have an adventurous streak just like me; the weird tendency to ingest insects and bugs.

A pity it was only a cheeky play of word for "buds" and what i found on the menu was a range of Western cuisines including Italian, Spanish, American, Mediterranean, just to name a few. There were no crunchy grasshoppers, no saccharine bees, no black ants and no evil scorpions.

Oh well, it was supposed to be quite popular among diners in the Bukit Indah area which was overcrowded with far too many restaurants; many with equally quirky names and nice ambiance! 

Dragon Fruit w Honey
Thick and naturally luscious with that strong hint of luxurious honey sweetness, this was a glass of dragon fruit juice at its best form! Yummy!

Steak and Chicken Chop
To be frank, the presentation was similar to one found in a higher end food establishment in Singapore but as far as i am concerned, the "look" is only secondary to its taste. 

Despite confirming with me twice that the above was beef, i eventually found out he had mistakenly served me lamb. No apology from the supervisor when i commented about it. It's alright; i can actually live with bad service so long food is good. 

Chicken chop was more a chicken cutlet in my opinion and i thought it was nothing to scream about. Guess i had been too pampered with fried chicken from Popeye, Texas Chicken, Arnolds etc. 

The steak actually tasted pretty good and featured a moist pinkish middle that said a lot about the skills of the chef. However, the chef seemed to be too generous with his secret blend of spiced salt! I think i am getting older and could no longer manage overly salty food! 

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Location
No.2 Jalan Indah15/1, Taman Bukit Indah, 
81200 Johor Bahru, Johor 81200 Johor Bahru

Price
Dragon Fruit w Honey - RM 9.00
Steak and Chicken Chop - RM 45.00
[I guess the above is subject to the usual Malaysian taxes of Govt tax and service charge]

Website
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Pulau Tioman - My 3 Days 2 Nights Trip via Discovery Tours & Travel @ Pahang State [Malaysia]

November 20, 2013, 7:28 am
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I am never known to be extremely diligent when it comes to posting my itinerary for overseas trips as i believe that nice surprises have that opportunity to pop out in a loosely planned free and easy tour.

It really depends on individuals; some would prefer to have tightly packed attractions typical of tour packages sold by travel agencies whereas others (like myself) love the freedom to slowly relax and absorb the local culture of that place i was travelling to. 

Day One
Anyway, much has been said and i shall now begin with a pretty detailed itinerary of my most recent Tioman island trip. It all started from 6.40am on 12 October 2013 when i was in a half dead mode to board the coach (CEO Classic Coach Cruiser) from Galleria (DFS) entrance in Orchard. 

By 7.20pm, we were already crossing the causeway to the Malaysian checkpoint. With Second Link being favoured by coaches traversing the Singapore-Malaysia route, i realised it has been a long time since i last took this route via a travel coach. 

Within an hour, we were brought to this coffeeshop for breakfast! 

Don't ask me its location which was way beyond my comprehension (only remember it was slightly further than AEON Tebrau City). I can recall the RM 5 wanton noodles though (duh right); not very sweet yet won my heart with its tastefully made savoury sauce and generous serving of tender minced pork!

Our next stop was to Tanjung Gemok ferry terminal; one of two gateways to Tioman Island. More on that later but i thought i should just highlight that the time taken to reach the terminal from the coffeeshop was roughly 150 minutes and the coach didn't come with entertainment like movies or even games! :(

It started pouring halfway through the journey and i was superbly worried that this might result the boat ride later on. You can't blame me as i have heard stories of very rocky conditions along the route and news reports on capsized ferries were not exactly uncommon. 

Weather was not as bad when we reached the terminal. Ferry tickets were issued as part of the full board package i bought from Discovery Tours. 

By the way, please be prepared for RM 5 conservation charge for entering the marine park. Money collected would be used to support their conservation and heritage programmes. 

Health advisory tips! 

Besides Tanjung Gemok ferry terminal, there was another terminal that used to be the only gateway to Tioman; Mersing ferry terminal. According to the locals i spoke to, Mersing is slightly nearer to Singapore but it has a problem; when the tide is low, no boats can enter and this can be problematic when ferry delays are so frequent! 

No-frill ferry to our destination; frankly, no difference at all from the ferries we took to the Indonesian islands of Batam and Bintan. Oh, there's one key difference.

How the hell is anyone supposed to shit in this small hole?!

The uneventful journey took us approximately 105 minutes to reach the first stop; Kampung Genting.

I was more in awe of those weirdly shaped mountains that provided a scenic backdrop to the village. At certain angles, it did appear to be a turtle with its snout facing the sky. 

Divers-to-be in training! Would i be one of them in a year's time!?

In less than ten minutes, we arrived in Kampung Paya where we were supposed to stay for the next two nights! In all, the journey from Singapore to the village took us six and a half hours; comfortable compared to the ten over hours ride i had to endure to Pulau Redang! 

After checking in and dumping our barang barang, we started to check with Paya Beach Resort's activities counter for our half day snorkeling trip that came with our package. 

Wandered around the small village and marvelled at trees with very smooth bark. For my post on Kampung Paya and its nearby surroundings, click here. 

Water was still relatively chopping when we first arrived. 

Conditions improved by around 4pm and we decided to go for snorkeling at a hidden spot just a short distance away from the resort. Given the love Alex and I have for snorkeling, we figured it would be better for us to get our very own snorkeling mask set at RM 90 each! 

For the location of the hidden spot and pictures of the underwater scene, click here. As you can see, i had donned a life jacket which was rented from the resort. 

We were famished after all that kicking under the water! Time for a buffet dinner provisioned in the full board package. To know how the food was, please refer to the following link here. 

Day Two
Rise and shine for a beautiful day two! We managed to secure enough people for a full day snorkeling trip instead even though there was a top up of roughly RM 70 each. 

The sea was much calmer compared to the day before and i can see many people sunbathing and snorkeling right outside the resort!

Waited quite some time for the speedboat and we only departed 45 minutes later. Damn, how come i get the feeling that i was being short-changed?!?!

Had so much time that i started taking more and more pictures; like the one above.

Finally leaving for our trip. For more information on the full day snorkeling package (RM 110 or RM 120 and came with a packaged lunch), you may click the links in accordance to the places we were brought to; Tulai Island, Kampung Salang, Marine Park and Renggis Island. 

That package ended at around 3pm; bloody hell, 4 hours would be considered as half day, not bloody full day! Anyway, it was insufficient to satisfy us and we went back to the hidden spot for an additional two more hours of fascinating snorkeling! 

Ended the night by having a fabulous cultural exchange session with a group of new friends we made on the full day snorkeling package. I was supposed to sleep early but before we knew it; it was already midnight! Must meet up with them soon! 

Day Three
After another restless night and a boring breakfast, we proceeded to return the rented life jackets and settle our bills. For my review on Paya Beach Resort, click here. 

Proceeded to the jetty after a filling lunch at Pantai Paya seafood restaurant.

A sea-facing cafe that appeared to be very popular! It was actually quite empty in the first two days i was there so i am unsure what has resulted in its spike on the popularity chart. 

Mid-day sun was just too torturing for leaving visitors who would prefer to jump into the inviting water yet couldn't because the ferry crew would likely bar them from boarding! 

Last look of Paya Beach Resort! 

More photographs as the ferry was late!!!!!!! 

Arrived almost 40 minutes late! I was more relieved than angry to see it arriving! Would not want a situation when i reached Singapore only at midnight and have to wake up early the next day for work. 

Going to Kampung Genting again to pick up passengers. The jetty stops were pretty straightforward; from Tanjung Gemok, it would be Genting followed by Paya, Tekek and then Salang and then the ferry made a U-turn for passengers who are going back to Tanjung Gemok from Tioman island. 

Biding a final goodbye to the tortoise island.
I would be back!

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My package was purchased via Discovery Tours and you may book your package via their official website at http://www.discoverytours.com.sg/tioman.html. 

Price of Package
S$376 for two persons which included the following:

2-way coach from Singapore to Tanjung Gemok 
2-way ferry transfers to Tioman 
2-night stay at Paya Beach Resort (standard chalet) 
2 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 2 dinners 
Snorkeling Excursion to Renggis Island & Marine Park 

Additional Information
Am appending some photographs taken on the coach from Tanjung Gemok back to Singapore via the Causeway. The one above was a cemetery! 

This was a bird house where bird's nest can be harvested! I counted no less than twelve such houses on the way back.

Want to guess where this was? Mersing!

Oops, yet another cemetery. Remember, i have always been fascinated with the land of the dead. Check out this link if you share the same interest. 

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Seoul Garden Hotpot (SGHotpot) - Premium Seafood Hotpot @ IMM Mall [Jurong East]

November 21, 2013, 5:48 am
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Seoul Garden was actually the pioneer to introduce Korean barbecue to Singaporean and mind you, that was way before the unstoppable K-wave starting from year 2000! 

Sadly, there was a period of time that the quality of food suffered in the face of intense competition from businesses keen to tag onto the K-wave; even i stopped patronising (my last visit should be more than eight years ago). 

A glimmer of hope came in the form of Seoul Garden Hotpot! For those hoping to find unlimited servings at a fixed price, be disappointed as the menu was purely À la carte! 

Please find above on what to expect from the menu which centered on mainly bibimbap and hotpot plus a limited selection of barbecue. You may top up S$5 during dinner for sides, pickle of the day and white fungus sweet soup; an option i regretted not making! 

At S$15.90, i thought my order of the chef-recommended premium seafood was quite pricey for supposedly quality ingredients like scallops, clams and mock abalone! 

My skepticism was thrown out when i drank a scoopful of the soup; the kimchi based broth sure had a hearty flavourfulness to it and its spiciness can be summed up using two words: super shiok!!

All the ingredients were devoured by me without any hesitation and i must say i love everything from the fresh clams to the crunchy kimchi! It has been ages since i last had such a nice bowl of Korean soup!

Satisfied!

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Location
2 Jurong East Street 21 
#01-112 (IMM Mall)

Price
Premium Seafood Hotpot - S$15.90
[Subject to GST and Service Charge]
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Kafe Roost - The Eco Friendly Concept @ Johor Bahru [Malaysia]

November 22, 2013, 7:07 am
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I am apprehensive when it comes to driving to Malaysia and has only ever driven once to our closest neighbour! Therefore, the food i had had were always limited to places at or near the tourist areas! 

Thanks to my new NUS colleague, i was brought to this cool cafe known as Kafe Roost in Johor Bahru. It may not look much in the above picture but all you need is to step in and walk up the stairs for a better look. 

In addition to the open area where smokers congregate, there was an air-conditioned section filled with so many unconventional furniture; it should rightfully be a unique feature for the cafe.

Almost everything appeared to be made of recyclable materials! 

Sofa made of cardboards; they were actually very sturdy! 

Key attraction was mainly on the appearance and not so much on comfortability for the users; this chair was a literal pain in the ass! 

Items as simple as a cutlery holder were made from reused materials you and i can easily identified with. It's a pity that nowadays, we are offered much cheaper alternatives and this has unfortunately stifled the creativity we used to have. 

Bloody; even the hanging lights had that cool, ingenious vibe to them!! 

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Location
Not sure where exactly although it was supposed to be an heritage area quite close to the old Malaysian checkpoint. 

According to my checks, the google map coordinates should be 1.45730,103.76411


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Ramen Champion Great World City - The Third Outlet [A Media Invitation]

November 23, 2013, 12:19 am
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A media invite in my mailbox? 

In normal circumstances, i would have nicely replied to say that i am uninterested and wish the establishment all the best in their new venture / offerings. 

However, a friend got wind of this Ramen Champion invitation and persuaded me to bring her along! I wasn't very willing but eventually relented. p.s. to that person, you owe me big big! 

Anyway, the purpose was for a food-tasting session attended by invited bloggers at Ramen Champion's newest outlet at Great World City, where four competitors would also enter the arena to trash it out in order to win the coveted championship in 2013! 

Without further ado, I would start with the food now:

Bishamon Zero

Sapporo Miso Special Ramen
An existing competitor in this heated contest, Bishamon Zero offered Sapporo style ramen that had a broth cooked for a minimum of seven hours daily.

I didn't find anything exceptional about the broth (a tad too much spring onions though) although i must admit i am a great fan of thin noodles! The one thing i particularly enjoyed was its chashu; texture was incredibly soft with a sinful juiciness that any cardiologist would frown upon! 

Tonkotsu Itto 

Special Tonkotsu Ramen
Featuring Hakata style ramen (not that the style matters to me as i am not really one to go for authenticity), it was started by a Chef Sakamoto who has helmed a ramen stall that was ranked number one in the Japanese capital after merely three years. 

The noodles were even better this time round even though you might wish to note that Hakata ramen is known for their rich and savoury pork broth! I, for one, didn't like the strong porky taste. 

Miyamoto 

Pork and Vegetable Ramen 
A new entrant to the competition, the media write up i received only mentioned it originated from Tokyo and had received awards like 2012 Gurutto Chiba Most Impressive Ramen!

Similar to the thick ban mian noodles locals are accustomed to, this did not sit well with me. For a person who is forever trying to lose weight, the entire bowl looked too carbohydrate-heavy and i disliked it when the chashu was shredded into bits that greatly reduced the satisfaction of eating it whole! 

Having said that, the broth was the healthiest-tasting and i actually quite liked the inter-mingling textures of soft noodles and the generous serving of crunchy beansprouts! 

Butaou 
Another new competitor; Butaou differentiates itself by introducing a sukiyaki ramen! Sukiyaki lovers should try this and decide for themselves if this is better than the traditionally savoury broth in authentic ramen. 

Spicy Chicken
To be honest, there were other sides placed on our tables but i didn't take any pictures! My bad. Anyway, with regards to these spicy chicken wings, the texture was not as crispy as you would expect it to be from the pictures. I would go with 4fingers anytime although my friend absolutely adored its spicy yet flavourful juiciness!

Special Sukiyaki Ramen 
Among the four ramen i tried that day, this was the best of the lot. Yes, it wasn't your orthodox kind of ramen and boasted a soup that was obviously more sukiyaki rather than pork-bone rich flavoured. 

Nonetheless, the mee was damn nice due to its immersion in the broth's sweetness! There's one other item that caught me by surprise; the addition of fattening, thinly sliced pork that was comparatively better than Chashu as far as taste was concerned! 

On second thought, wouldn't it be more worth my money to order a typical sukiyaki set from Japanese restaurants? 

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Location
1, Kim Seng Promenade, 
#01-22, Great World City

Map
As above 

Opening Hours
11.30am to 10.30pm [Daily]

Pricing
Sapporo Miso Special Ramen - S$14.80
Special Tonkotsu Ramen - S$16.50
Pork and Vegetable Ramen - S$16.00
Spicy Chicken - S$5 (3 pieces)
Special Sukiyaki Ramen - S$16.00
[Subject to GST, i think]

Additional Information
Despite my resistance to attending media invited events, there are definitely some benefits in addition to the complimentary food tasting; for example, i got the above card-sized thumbdrive! 

And i didn't have to feel embarrassed for holding other people up as everyone would be taking pictures for their own blog! But ask me to attend another media event and the chance is i would still turn down the invitation. 

I honestly feel that i am socially awkward when it comes to such stuff! 
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Pat's Schoolhouse Graduation Musical 2013 - Jerald Has Graduated from Preschool!

November 23, 2013, 11:33 pm
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Jerald has finally graduated from preschool and shall be advancing to his next level of education in 2014! As his beloved uncle, i am thankful to be given the opportunity to attend his graduation musical yesterday. 

Location was at the 126 years old grand dame of Singapore: 
Raffles Hotel's Jubilee Hall!

In addition to the musical "Land of Oz", there was also individual class skit (known collectively as "Magic of Love") performed by the six graduating classes from both Mount Emily and Serangoon branch. 

I was late!!! Luckily my seat was at the back and my arrival created no disturbance. Actually, back seats were the best as they were elevated; making it much easier for me to take pictures. 

Jerald's class skit was the fourth and talked about a terrorizing monster snake that had created much havoc in a small village. 

As expected, many parents in the audience were taking videos and photographs to record these precious moments. Everyone was reminded to be considerate towards the people sitting at the back and that there should not be any flash. 

Coming back to the story, a Taoist priest was eventually engaged to chase away the snake (i initially thought the priest was Jerald) after much discussion among the simple villagers! 

Jerald starred as one of the many adorable villagers! 

With blinded encouragement from the priest, all the villagers were persuaded to join in the crusade to expel the snake from their village.

They failed because of the incompetent priest! Nevertheless, the little priest has had to save his "face" and suggested to the villagers that a human sacrifice would be necessary to stop the snake from creating more harm. 

Pink girl volunteered despite the objections from her parents but instead of resigning to her fate, she battled the nefarious creature and won victory over the great evil!

End of drama.

For a production involving kids no more than seven years old, i was taken aback by the quality of these skits! Bloody, i don't even remember having all my classmates performing such stuff when i was in kindergarten! 

Granted the dialogue was dubbed in Mandarin, the preschoolers displayed utmost confidence in presenting themselves to a big audience, even if they were masquerading roles way beyond their tender age.

Of all six dramas, i particularly enjoyed the one on Hua Mulan; a legendary lady warrior in ancient China who decided to take her father's place when he was called up by the imperial court to be conscripted in the army.

The battle scene was impressive! 

And came prepared with violence that was unusually endorsed by the many parents seated in the audience who yelled "fight" and clapped with laughter when the kids finally did. Tsk tsk. 

Of course, our dear Hua Mulan returned to her hometown after twelve years in the battlefield and was betrothed to a general by the emperor. 

After all six skits, the actors and actresses came together to perform a dance item for the audience; if i recollect correctly, it was something about love, harmony and stuff.

Conclusion of the first segment for the night.

Reception for all guests while the kids prepared for the next heavyweight item of the night; Land of Oz!! 

Cute Jovyn grabbing a bite of the delicious cake! She couldn't stand the darkness in the hall and was super pleased to be out. Plus, she totally love cakes! Oh, and sweets! Sighs...

Now a bit about the charming Jubilee Hall (i could not resist not talking about this as many of you are aware i really like old, heritage stuff) - it was designed in the Victorian style and was built as an extension of Raffles Hotel in the 60s or 70s. 

While everyone is using energy saving lighting, the bulbs in Jubilee Hall were still the filament type! I don't know what the eco activists would say but i thought the filament bulbs are more appropriate to create that classy Victorian ambiance.

The foyer outside the Hall, where the reception was held. I cannot imagine how much the rental would cost although we must keep in mind that Raffles Hotel is Singapore's oldest (and likely most expensive) hotel! 

Back to the show; Land of the Oz. 

Jerald again! 

The staged drama was divided into different acts with each class performing each act. That means we would see a few Dorothy, a few heartless tin men, a few cowardly lions and a few brainless scarecrows! 

Love this little actress for her evil portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West! She was so full of vile; i was prepared to step onto the stage to banish her to the underworld! 

Banking on the strong love the group of four had cultivated during the journey, the sixth Dorothy finally managed to destroy the wicked witch! 

The Tin Man, Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion had their wish to come true. 

Wizard of Oz didn't have any power to speak of (i bet he must have gotten his degree from a magic university not endorsed by the Singapore government) to help Dorothy to get home although his cuteness still managed to shine! 

He offered a hot-air balloon but as we are all aware of the storyline, it took off without Dorothy on board. Anyway, she got home via the magical shoes she had been wearing all along. 

Grand finale where all the performers congregated!

The last picture included all the dedicated teachers who were involved in the extravaganza! It's never easy to teach young children and to be able to get all of them to work together for such spectacular performances; i am incredibly impressed!

Woah, the school really treats their charge like stars! We were all requested to leave a passage for the performers to parade from the theatre! Kaoz, star-like treatment that only lacked a red carpet! 

Photographs of our big boy who has grown (not just in waist size). It was barely a few years ago when i held him in my arms and to think he is already going to primary school next year. Damn, i do feel old. 

Okay lah, a few photographs of the brat who is still living in my house. 

For our dear Jerald, i am wishing you all the best in your next journey and to enjoy your childhood like every child deserves to! 

"Education is not about competing with your peers on who is ranked top and comparing who is better than the other. 
It is about learning who you want to be and to enjoy that complicated yet simple process without the pressure piled on by many parents" 
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Cheng Mun Chee Kee Pig Organ Soup (正文志記豬什湯大王) - Truly The King @ Foch Road (Near Lavender Food Square)

November 25, 2013, 6:10 am
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I am not a fan of pig organ soup, otherwise known as zhu zha tang or 猪杂汤 since i don't enjoy eating any kind of internal organs except for foie gras!

But when the Great Kon proposed having a light supper in a very notable stall at Lavender selling (in his opinion) the best pig organ soup in Singapore, i got very curious. 

Because i have never heard about it despite its close proximity to Lavender Food Square, which i often frequent. 

Taking up quite a number of shops in the traditional shophouse buildings in that area, cheng mun chee kee offered only two stalls; one for drinks and the other for pig organs soup. This kind of strategy would never be sustainable in the long run if the food is not of a high standard.

The above was the supper for four of us! I think the word "light" is used very liberally in Kon's dictionary! How am i supposed to get my weight to below 60 kilograms if light refers to having such a heavy meal!?!!?!?

Luo Han Zai
南乳罗汉斋
My only comparison with this was the canned based luohan zai that my mom always buys from the supermarkets for the days she takes only vegetarian. The one above came sweet, crunchy without that disgusting chemical taste and pungency i often get from the canned version. Still not my cup of tea though. 

Meat w Chestnuts n Salted Fish
马蹄咸鱼蒸肉饼
Are you one of those food wasters who love pork buns but would ruthlessly throw away the edible bun and attack only the moist and juicy meat? 

I guarantee you would like the above steamed meat with chestnuts and salted fish! Notwithstanding the weird combination and the harder texture, it was as delicious as a good meat bun should be, without the sinful guilt i regularly get from ingesting too much fattening pork! 

Loving it is an understatement although i do have to caution you readers that you would have to prepare for that unfortunate scenario of biting into a piece of salted fish! Maybe i should not generalise; the above message is specifically for those who dislike salted fish. Like me.

Pork Balls Soup 
肉丸子汤
In the past, when i was almost a 0% vegetable eater, the kind of soups i drank must be meat based. One of them happened to be the pork balls soup. Normally, the taste would not deviate much from one stall to another. 

This was just different; the noticeably salted vegetables based broth was masterly boiled to have a light consistency that was not overly salty! The above revelation might disappoint absolute meat eaters who are looking forward to a robust, porky bowl of soup. 

However, nothing's lost yet. 

Not when you throw these terrific meat balls into your mouth! They were so amazing; they put all other meat balls sold in other places to shame! Till now, i could not fathom how the meatballs can be so soft, so tender, so q, so juicy and yet so good! 

To put it crudely, they are simply the balls of perfect satisfaction! 

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Location
24 Foch Road

Map
As above

Operating Hours
9am to 5am
Closed on Mondays

p.s. the website listed (www.chengmuncheekee.com) is no longer available

Price
Luo Han Zai - S$3
Meat w Chestnuts n Salted Fish - S$3
Pork Balls Soup - S$6

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Tan's Tu Tu Coconut Cake [陈家"嘟嘟"糕] @ Block 449, Clementi Avenue 3

November 26, 2013, 3:40 am
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I shall spare all of you the torture of reading a long history of the origins for tutu cake in Singapore as i thought the above information sheet has aptly summarised the important points.

The process of making tutu cakes might seem simple for amateurs; maybe a bit of repetitions but didn't appear to have the complications required to cook, for example, a plate of chilli crab.

If only things are indeed that easy - imagine having to do hundreds or maybe thousands of them every day by hand and keeping in mind that you must strike a balance of that initial scoop of rice flour on the mould; not too much (this would reduce the proportion of fillings) and not too little (the tiny cake, once steamed, would break apart even with a light touch).

Furthermore, the steamer was set to a high temperature that would definitely leave a few marks on a newbie's hands! And for an impatient person like me, the haste to churn out as many tutu cakes as possible would likely mean a high chance of screwing things up big time! 

I admit it would not be the job for me. That's why i am always thankful for the existence of decades-old hawkers with numerous awards and accolades who continue to offer us good food using traditional recipe; like the Tan's Family Tu Tu Coconut Cake!

With a history of over eighty long years, i am not sure how traditional or modern this has become. As i mentioned many times in this blog, authenticity is nothing if you don't like it at first bite!

But, i absolutely ADORE these little bundles of delightful kueh! 

The perfectly steamed cakes came in two types of fillings; the crushed peanuts which were traditionally used although i would prefer them better in pancakes (mian jian kueh). Nonetheless, take a bite, compare it with their competitors and you would realise the peanuts were not as sweet and tasted surprisingly light. 

Coconut filling is the one that makes my knees go weak! Instead of frying the coconut shreds with plain sugar like many stalls nowadays, the tan's family maintained having theirs stir-fried with gula melaka! And boy were they lavish with the yummy coconut shreds! 

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Location
Block 449, #01-211, 
Clementi Avenue 3

Price
S$3 for 5 pieces

Opening Hours
3pm to 9.30pm
Any enquiry can be directed to tans.tutu@gmail.com or 9737-2469


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A Trip to Ipoh, Cameron Highlands & Kuala Lumpur!

November 26, 2013, 6:00 pm
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By the time this was published, i should have arrived in Ipoh after enduring a coach ride of over ten hours and in the midst of seeking out good food for breakfast in this supposedly gastronomic city in Malaysia!  

Two nights stay in the capital of Perak and i would be on the way to the nearby highlands to breath in cool, crisp air untainted by urban pollution. Be assured; i have covered so much on cameron highlands that i am not expecting many posts to be generated because of this trip.

A night stay in Brinchang (a small town in Cameron Highlands) and off we go to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia where the tallest twin towers in the world dazzle visitors over and over again! 

As with my other overseas trips, posts have been scheduled to be published in this blog and you can look forward to new blog entries in the few days that i am away.

Enjoy and take care!! 
^_^

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Albert Centre Fried Carrot Cake (源记正宗菜头粿) - Black and White @Bugis [Singapore]

November 26, 2013, 4:22 am
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Our intention was simple; have the famous bak png (meat rice) and off we go to our next round of makan!

Simple yet without the bloody luck to have our way; the stall was closed! 

We chose the next best alternative based on the length of queue - fried carrot cake! p.s the basis may not be the most accurate given that individual taste buds differ. 

Again, I'm just not a white carrot cake person! My aim was only to attack the eggs and nothing else! 

The Great Kon made the correct decision by asking for extra black sauce as that delectable sweetness was obvious from the very first bite. 

Pity there's nothing that's as good beside that saccharine-ness. The sweetness was a bit overwhelming without the wok hei presence and the Gang of Four kinda ignored the dish after a few mouthfuls. 

:(

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Location
270, Queen Street, Stall #01-59,
Albert Centre Market And Food Centre 
(near to Bugis Village and the famous Guanyin temple)

Price
S$3 each
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iPhone 5 Charging Cable Is Not Working?

November 29, 2013, 1:04 am
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Like many iPhone users, i shunned original cables due to their exorbitant pricing and opted for third party charging cables which came in many lengths, numerous colours at dirt cheap prices (put it this way, cheap enough for me to buy five or six in one online purchase).

In recent months however, i would get the above error message on my desktop whenever i plug in the lightning cable to my iPhone 5 and this would only happen after a few successful uses. I was confused and thought this had something to do with that particular batch i bought. 

Sadly, this was not the case. 

Apple, the big brother, has managed to render third party charging cables useless via a software update for iPhone devices (not sure if this is the case with ipod and ipads)! You might be able to utilise the cables for a longer period of time via power socket charging (don't plug it to your computer for charging or data sync) but remember to keep your fingers crossed.

It was frustrating for me as my original cable was spoilt and i depended heavily on my mobile for work, personal and entertainment. I don't have a choice but to do exactly what the Apple executives would like me to do; buy the original cable.

This original piece cost me S$28! 
I could buy more than ten of this online! 

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Ipoh - Cameron Highlands - Kuala Lumpur [5 Days 4 Nights Trip] - Summarised Itinerary

December 2, 2013, 5:55 am
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I am back from my hols! 

As part of the agreement with a very dear friend (yes Kon, that's you), i would post a summarised itinerary of this trip before diving into the details, which would likely take months! I would link this post accordingly once i am done with the individual entries. 

Day One 
- Singapore to Ipoh
[10.00 pm the previous day] 
Took the crappy coach from Golden Mile Complex.

[5.00 am]
Reached Ipoh at an ungodly, inhumane hour; i slept for at most two hours! Loitered a while in the Amanjaya Bus Terminal before deciding to take the RM30 cab to the hotel. As expected, hotel would not allow THAT early a check-in.

[6.50 am]
Proceeded to have dim sum in the nearby Ming Court and walked to Nam Heong for white coffee. Toured the Old Town area, including the historical Ipoh Railway Station.

[12.00 noon] 
We finally checked in to the cozy French Hotel! Had a great rest for three hours before a shopping / dinner session in Ipoh Parade shopping centre.

[6.00 pm] 
Went back to the boutique hotel; mom was mesmerised with the Taiwanese dramas spoken in Hokkien.

Day Two 
- Ipoh
[6.00 am] 
Time to wake up! Not willingly though. Had dim sum at another highly acclaimed restaurant; Foh San.

[8.30 am] 
Start of our 8-hour day tour that brought us to the haunted Kellie's Castle, five impressive cave-temples that included Sam Poh Tong (Cavern of Triple Gems), Kek Lok Tong (Cavern of Ultimate Bliss), Ling Sen Tong (Cavern of the Immortals), Nan Tian Tong (Cavern of the Southern Heaven) and Kwan Yin Tong (Cavern of Guanyin).

The tour contained food elements, as usual, which are considered as main draws for the small city. Lunch was at a famous roast duck restaurant (Sun Yeong Wai) and there were visits to the super nice Funny Mountain (for the soya milk and beancurd) and Sin Eng Heong (kaya puffs).

[6.00 pm]
Dinner at the well-known Lou Wang for their signature beansprouts and steamed chicken! 

[8.00 pm] 
Chilled out with the parents in Jose & Deli Eatery (located in French Hotel).

Day Three 
- Ipoh to Cameron Highlands
[7.30 am] 
Out of the hotel. Breakfast was at Sin Yoon Loong for a serving of toast and a cup of unsatisfying white coffee.

[10.00 am] 
Departed Ipoh via a private transport to Cameron Highlands!

[12.00 noon] 
Reached Brinchang and proceeded to check in to Rosa Passadena Hotel, successfully. A simple lunch followed by a self visit to Big Red Strawberry Farm.

[2.30 pm] 
Left for our Agro Delight Tour where we were brought to a number of farms like watercress, vegetables, cactus, hydroponics and even chrysanthemums! The screw-loose guide from Titiwangsa Tours even took us to a restricted area with a spectacular view of the town! A Halal steamboat dinner concluded the tour.

[8.00 pm] 
Visited Brinchang's bustling night market before retiring for the night.

Day Four 
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur
[6.00 am] 
Woke up early for the hotel buffet breakfast! It was okay but i thought it would be more relaxing to have a serving of hot roti canai from the roadside restaurant in that cool highland weather.

[8.00 am] 
A mini van from Kang Tours and Travel picked us up from the hotel where we shall travel to Kuala Lumpur! 

[11.15 am] 
Arrived in the capital of Malaysia! Despite a few hiccups, we managed to check in to Times Square Service Suites. As usual, reviews of the three accommodations i stayed in the past few days would be posted in due course.

[12 noon] 
Stopovers in Kenaga Wholesale City, Petaling Street and Bukit Bintang and finally had a most fantastic hokkien mee in KL.

[10.30 pm] 
Finally done with shopping! 

Day Five 
- Kuala Lumpur to Singapore
[6.00 am] 
Unsurprisingly, i was once again pulled out from bed as both parents were already awake! Filled up our tummies with fish soup for mom and roti canai for dad and myself.

[10.00 pm] 
Checked out from the service suite and we continued our shopping spree while dad took care of the numerous luggage we had.

[12.00 noon] 
Boarded Transtar First Class Solitaire, where i fully expected to be impressed .

[4.10 pm] 
Home sweet home! 

[Interested to find out more? Check out the upcoming posts in this blog]
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Ipoh Dim Sum - Ming Court Hong Kong Tim Sum (明阁香港点心)

December 3, 2013, 7:07 am
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When i asked a fellow colleague who hailed from Ipoh on what i can do at the fourth largest city in Malaysia, he claimed that there's nothing better than to eat!

And eat we did except i could have ingested a lot more if it was purely a Gang of Four overseas outing. My dad is a strong believer of "we eat to live" whereas the Gang's unspoken motto is skewed towards the philosophy of "we live to eat".

Whatever the case, the first thing the parents and i did when we stepped out of the French Hotel was to seek out dim sum! We placed our bet on Ming Court Hong Kong Tim Sum, located along Jalan Leong Sin Nam which is known fondly as the dim sum street! 

Served in metal steamer bowls and plastic plates, this was hardly the authenticity we were looking for although the entire atmosphere at 7am was simply that of a Hong Kong teahouse often shown on dramas / movies.

Food wise in general was pretty good but i did have a slight complaint; the lack of thin and soft steamed rice-flour skins often found in Singapore's dim sum. 

I was honestly expecting a lot more especially with all the rave reviews found online from fellow Singaporeans who could not get enough of food in Ipoh. Maybe i have ordered the wrong things as i often did even in Singapore!

Initially, i found the lor mai kai to have an excessively strong alcoholic taste as a result of Chinese wine being liberally used to soak the rice. The chicken meat was another matter altogether; incredibly tender and emitted a deliciousness helped with a subtle alcohol fragrance! Ignore the rice and whack the meat!

Spring roll was crunchy without being overly oily and i plainly could not resist the sweetness of fresh chives! To think that i absolutely resisted having them in my mouth just a few years ago.

Alex would have rejected this chee cheong fun right away as it was the classic plain type that didn't come with his favourite prawns filling. For me, i was more keen in looking at the bigger picture which included enjoying the addictive shallots and the pleasant taste of light soya sauce concoction. 

There were buns on every table! Trying all types of buns would be a double whammy on my weight and i decided to check with the waiter his personal recommendation for buns. Char siew bun was his answer! 

Three words - i like it! The caramelised meat was shredded, resulting in a more wholesome texture when eaten as a whole with the denser yet soft dough and the taste was also not cloyingly sweet like some places. Yum yum!

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Location
32 – 36, Jalan Leong Sin Nam,
Ipoh, Perak State, Malaysia

Map
As above (with red border). This food map was provided by French Hotel and i relied on it heavily to get to the recommended establishments for meals. Navigation was actually very straightforward and the hotel staff frequently used traffic lights as a marker to direct blur tourists like me.

Price
Including drinks, i think i paid about RM 46 (less than S$20) for the three of us.
Prices were really good and as you can see above, the most expensive dim sum was only about RM 5 which might have been the cheapest equivalent in most, if not all Singapore's dim sum places. 

Additional Information
Dining area did appear small when you enter even though there was a much larger premise connected to the side. Service was quite fast; just relax and wait for the servers to push their carts to you. 

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Ipoh French Hotel - What's So French About It?

December 4, 2013, 7:24 am
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After that memorably bad experience my parents and i had in our last free and easy trip to Cameron Highlands eighteen months ago, i know i must carefully select the choice of overseas accommodation in the most recent trip. 

French Hotel was eventually selected for three reasons; it was voted number two out of thirty nine hotels in Ipoh, the pictures of the rooms looked so inviting and review score on Agoda was a fantastic 8.2! 

Honestly not too bad for a two-star hotel even though i neglected to spot any France-related item in the surroundings! A weird phenomenon when it was named as such.

Oh yes, the above may be considered as remotely French inspired. 

I am going to fast track to the time when i stepped into the Super Deluxe King room; the largest accommodation type in the hotel. The king sized bed was literally luring us to take a good rest and the modern, tidy concept felt more like a home rather than a hotel. 

Most of their room types come with a window view except for Superior King, which also happened to the cheapest of the lot. For me, it's important to have sunlight streaming it, even if i am looking out to a dilapidated, seemingly haunted building. 

Pictures can be deceiving in many cases but i would like to assure you that this would not be the case for French Hotel. Well, at least not at the moment! 

My key concern when i was checking out the online pictures was hoping that the room assigned to my family would not feature the bathroom with translucent glass! How the hell am i supposed to take a bath ?!?!

The opacity was thankfully of a high percentage and there was no issue of seeing anything obscene in my two nights stay in the hotel. Phew..

This was my virgin experience with a rain shower and boy was it therapeutic! No wonder so many of my friends have that intention to install one in their new flats! It must be so relaxing to wash yourself under a "raindrop" canopy after a busy day at work. 

Other amenities in the room included a safebox, a dressing table with hair-dryer, a mini fridge, double glazed windows for extra soundproofing, two universal plugs and a couple of three-pin plugs for the many devices we have in this IT era and free wifi in the room!. 

Complimentary bottles of mineral water, tea and coffee packs were also inclusive. I don't drink from the tap, so i really appreciate it when hotels provide mineral water for their guests! 

Toiletries in the French Hotel - pretty basic although i absolutely love the bottles of shower foam and conditioning shampoo; had to bring them home after my stay! :P

For mom, there was no doubt that a combination of a comfortable bed and a mounted 32-inch LCD TV screening Hokkien dramas would be her version of a perfect enjoyment for an overseas trip. 

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Location
60-62, Jalan Dato Onn Jaafar 

Price
RM 178 a night for Super Deluxe - King with breakfast via the official hotel website. I booked via Agoda and breakfast was not included. Rates would be different for high seasons (weekends i presume) and of course, subject to change on a periodical basis. Check out the following website for rates of other accommodation type. 

Website

Additional Information
Breakfast would be served in the Jose & Deli Eatery although do note that it would not be buffet style. I could not comment much on the food since my booking did not include breakfast. 

There was large board at the lobby where you can find some helpful information on Ipoh and activities to do should you have sufficient time. 

Contrary to many beliefs and assumptions, including among the locals, there are seriously more to just food in Ipoh! You may even consider going for a day trip to the cooling Cameron Highlands or the relaxing Pangkor Island.

Ask the friendly counter staff should you have more questions; every single one i met was more than willing to share! With a big smile to match. The first question i asked was food and before i knew it, the lady whipped out a food map from god knows where and patiently taught me how to navigate.

Now, that's impressive service at 6.30 in the morning. 
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