Mooncake Festivities

Friday was the mooncake festival, and we were invited to a potluck gathering organised by SP's friend. Traffic was bad that night, but we managed to grab a bucket of KFC and still arrived at the gathering pretty early.



Lots of cats at Gold Coast. This fellow wasn't camera shy.

Everyone brought lots of food - KFC, local kuih's, keropok, fried rice, even crab! I didn't try the crab because I didn't like messy food, but I did try a taste from all the food that night.


The decor was very nice. Minimalist, and white theme everywhere. I especially liked the embedded sound system and the LCD TV. It might be a plasma... I can't tell.


Everyone enjoyed meeting up again after the Sabah trip. The DVD SP and I made was a big hit. Lots of laughter, lots of good memories of the trip.

Our life on iLife

SP and I stayed up pretty late last Thursday to prepare the DVD of our trip to Sabah. Apple's iLife suite really simplified most of the work. The only time consuming parts were picking the photos and the music to accompany the slideshow.


We managed to finish the DVD on Friday, just in time for the potluck gathering that night. Our friends who joined us in Sabah were there along with a few friends.

They looked pretty happy with the DVD. I still have a few final touches to add to the DVD, but that shouldn't take too long.

The curious incident of a battery in the car park

I got a call from zin, asking for cmos' phone number. A few minutes later, zin called again asking for another colleague's phone number. If I weren't so sick with the flu, I may have wondered why zin was calling me so many times. But before my weary brain registered curiousity, zin called again. This time, he was asking for me.

Turns out his car battery was flat.

There's nothing more manly that 2 guys, standing next to their cars with the hoods propped up, and peering knowingly into the engine bay. *grunt, grunt*

Oh yeah, click the image for a larger view of the panorama.

We head out to Kota Kinabalu

Saturday - September 23, 2006
Day 1

We had a plane to catch. We had already packed the night before and just as we left our apartment, the heavens opened and it rained... like cats and dogs... it poured... and poured...

Naturally I got a good soaking. It was so bad that I was asked twice, why I was so wet - once by the Airasia personnel at the check-in counter, and another time by the security personnel at boarding terminal. Bleh...


To our surprise, our plane from Penang to Kuala Lumpur, and the connecting flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu was not delayed. Although we did hear (a loud groan from the passengers in the waiting room) that the next flight right after ours was going to be delayed by more than an hour. Thankfully it was not our flight.

We arrived at Kota Kinabalu's Terminal 2 airport. It hardly looked like an airport because it was very small. I later learned that Terminal 2 is still under construction as a Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) for Kota Kinabalu.

Our driver was already waiting for us to bring us to where we'd be staying in Kota Kinabalu for the next 5 days - Trekker's Lodge, right smack in the middle of Kota Kinabalu city.

The place was basic. Basic rooms, basic bathrooms, basic everything. At least it was clean.


Here's how the common area looks at Trekker's Lodge. Click the image for a larger version. We ate our breakfast here for the next few days - 2 slices of toast with butter and jam, a slice of local fruit and all the coffee or tea we can drink. I was actually rather pleased with the breakfast.

Trekker's Lodge is right smack in the middle of the city center so everything we needed was within walking distance. There's a 7-11 right around the corner, literally. There are a few restaurants nearby, less than 5 minutes away on foot. Reload cards, toiletries, medicine, snacks, beers, all just a short walk away.

The people running the place were all very friendly and very helpful. There's even a Travel Advisor, Mike, who hangs around the place and is a source of information for tours or trips around the city or the nearby islands for snorkling or diving.

Strangely we hardly saw many fellow trekkers. Maybe they were busy trekking or exploring the city to actually spend time at the common area. Nah, we didn't spend much time at the common area as well. We had a mountain to climb!

We're back!!!

Five days in Kota Kinabalu... and we're back. It'll take a few days to compile all the photos from everyone in our group.

It's been a blast!

Macro Magic

I read about this macro "hack" for mobile phones from docfiles. Finally found a suitable lens thanks to bigfish who had an extra loupe.

It works pretty good! Here are some examples. The trick is to hold everything steady and guess the focus.

Dome in August

It's the month of August and the Malaysian flag is proudly displayed in most establishments. SP and I are more frequent at Dome, at least when we've collected enough points to redeem a Dome voucher.

I like their Macchiato. If I remember correctly, that's 2 shots of espresso and milk. I pass on the sugar packets. Delicious with biscotti.

Spotted: Adidas kampung

These are quite possibly the elusive Adidas kampung shoes that Mount Kinabalu porters use when climbing up the steep slippery slopes every day.

The whole shoe is made from moulded rubber. The amount of detail is pretty good for a RM5 shoe. There's no fancy shock absorbing midsole, or special rubber compound on the sole. Initial impressions were that the shoe was comfortable, flexible and has good grip. Since it's made of rubber, the whole shoe is waterproof.

SP will be donning these Adidas kampung when we make our trip to Mount Kinabalu this Sunday.

The alley that time forgot

I don't know where's this place... it's a medan selera in the area where there are lots of banks. And it's a medan selera that has WiFi. Very modern. But right next to it is a passage way, an alley, that time forgot.

The alley is right behind these doors, and inside is a cool, almost quiet alley with long tables and chairs where old timers and a few young executives, take a break from the maddening crowd.

IIII or IV?

I thought the Ikea clock in our home was unique since its Roman numeral for 4 is IIII instead of IV. Then I found out it's normal! There are many theories why clocks with Roman numerals use IIII to represent 4... except the most famous clock, Big Ben that uses IV.

The theories range from reasons of symmetry, reference to Roman gods, kings, balance, etc. This site is an interesting read about why 4 is IIII and not IV, on clocks with Roman numerals, that is.

Waiting

The last hike...

before we head for Mount Kinabalu. shutterjam and bigfish were supposed to join us for this hike but they backed out at the last moment. Tsk... tsk...

We joined SP's friends at the hiking trail entrance in Botanical Garden. I've been to this trail before - a long steep flight of stairs is what hikers would encounter. The last time I was there, a few people had to stop midway to catch their breath. However, this time we were all confident after surviving the 6 hour hike at the longest forest trail in Penang. No problems going up that flight of stairs. Quite an achievement considering I was the oldest member of the group.

I was hiking with my brand new shoes after my old pair fell apart during the last hike. These are Bata shoes and they're cheap at RM60 a pair. They're a little light on padding and the sole is quite soft, but I think they should be enough to get me up Mount Kinabalu.


We ended the hike at the 84 rest stop. No one was there except monkeys. Click on the image for a better view. A quick break and we headed back down and had a satisfying dimsum breakfast at a popular spot in town.

The next hike... Mount Kinabalu.

Hammer Bay

It was Friday, and also the worst traffic congestion along the coastal road in a very long time. SP suggested we try the ikan bakar restaurant near Gold Coast. I've seen lights and cars from a distance, but I never ventured to check the place out.

It was almost 8pm when we arrived at the ikan bakar restaurant - Hammer Bay. There weren't many people. Maybe they were still stuck in the jam. There was ample parking, but watch out for indiscriminate parking by people who don't know better.

Venture deeper into the restaurant and we saw several cozy huts beside the sea - for those who want a more private and personal dining experience. Then there are the canteen-styled tables and benches for those who want to savour the gastronomic delights without being distracted by delicate decor or fancy tableware.


We ordered ikan pari, fried sotong and belacan kangkong. The ikan pari was pretty good. Cooked over a charcoal pit, the chef managed to keep the ikan pari moist and the sauce was very tasty and generously lathered over the slices of ikan pari. But best of all, I could detect the mild taste and aroma of the banana leaves that were used to wrap the ikan pari. For me, that's the purpose of wrapping fish or any other ingredients in banana leaves.

The fried sotong and belacan kangkong were merely side dishes.

I'm hoping we'll revisit Hammer Bay, but next time we'll bring more people. That's the best way to enjoy ikan bakar dishes.

Big Tree Foot or 大树脚

shutterjam, bigfish and I headed to town during our lunch break for a very special rendezvous - bigfish's first VR glass!

But first, we got to fill our tummies. So shutterjam suggested a new place to us. It's literally called Big Tree Foot in Chinese. It's near the ferry and near the Customs building. I'm not sure if I can find the place again, but look for the interesting designs on the sidewalk. Then you'll find a place with a huge tree growing right in the middle (and through) the entrance.

The place is surprisingly cool, a stark contrast to the weather outside. I guess the water that's running along the rooftops helped to cool things down. There is quite a spread of seafood, vegetables, even some western looking bits, all very fresh and very tempting.

shutterjam ordered for us some soft-shelled crabs, vegetables, sweet and sour fish and fried squid. Marvellous! And cheap too. Before the food arrived, we were given appetizers that looked like pappadums. These came with some curry. They were ok, but the main dishes were the highlight of the meal.


Big Tree Foot. Highly recommended for it's unique name and delicious food.

Home cooked meal

We do quite a bit of cooking at home. Normally I'd avoid vegetables, but not when SP prepares them. She knows the kind of vegetables that I like, and I don't even know their names!

Recently I got cravings for sweet corn. Maybe we'll steam a few tonight. Yum...

The longest forest trail in Penang

6 hours later... we made it to the end of the "longest forest trail in Penang".

The 6 hour hike

The highlight of September will be our hike to Mount Kinabalu at the end of the month. SP has been training hard for months in preparation for the hike, while I subscribed to the "sink or swim" philosophy - either I make it to the peak in a blaze of glory, or I collapse midway with barely a whimper.

SP's friends decided to have a pre-Mount Kinabalu climb to gauge their fitness level. "OK," I thought, "I've climbed Mount Kinabalu before, and I've lived to tell others about it. How hard can it be?"

We were told it was a three hour hike. That didn't sound so bad. I did a little research based on what little information that was given to us and found this from the Tourism Penang website:

Penang Hill Forest Challenge
(11.3 kilometres, 8 hours, 10 station stops
between Recreational Forest and Penang Hill) - Trail 5


This forest trail, called the Penang Hill Forest Challenge, is developed by the State Forestry Department. It starts at the Forest Park, winds through eight stops before reaching Bukit Laksmana and the permanent forest reserve. After reaching Western Hill, you continue your hike on a tarred jeep track until you reach the Upper Railway Station. From there you can use the jeep track to descend to the Botanical Gardens or Air Itam town (via Hye Keat). If you are too tired to walk down, you can always use the funicular railway. Apparently there are two ways of tackling this challenging trail. One is the tough version, which starts from the Forest Park and involves an uphill climb all the way. The other is the easier version, which starts from Western Hill and goes downhill until you reach the Forest Park. The distance between the Forest Park and the Penang Hill Top Station is approximately 11 kilometres.

Hmm... the website says the trail takes 8 hours. Something doesn't add up. That was the first warning sign that I missed.

So yesterday we met up with the rest and I had my first look at the organiser. He had calves like tree trunks. That's when warning alarms rang in my head. This wasn't going to be a simple 3 hour hike. I was already there, and I couldn't chicken out. There's male pride involved. There's my reputation as the guy who's been to Mount Kinabalu at stake. It's sink or swim time.

The first two hours of so was a gruelling uphill hike. It didn't seem to end! I didn't fare too badly. I could still joke around and keep up with the rest, at least past the first station.

There's a strange blue thingamajig sticking out of the ground. Don't know why it's labelled "14" because we didn't see any more after "11".

Then it started to rain. I didn't bother taking out my raincoat because I was already soaked in sweat. It rained, and rained for another 2 hours. The trail was a little more forgiving. Some downhill trails were very steep, and the rain made it all the more slippery and muddier. My clothes were soaked, rain was pelting my glasses and that was very distracting and uncomfortable.

Several times I felt like giving up. Sure I was tired, but not so tired until I couldn't continue. It was the rain, my wet clothes, my aching back (the cause of which I'm still uncertain) and no clear indication of our progress. Every hour we walked, we'd pass a signboard showing the distance to our destination and everytime we passed one, the distance never seemed to diminish. An hour's hike, and the signboard would indicated we'd only hiked a few hundred meters. It was very discouraging for me.

SP was quite the trooper. She didn't look tired and was the source of motivation for me to keep hiking. One last uphill hike and we finally reached Penang Hill! But the hike wasn't over. We still had to walk to the Upper Railway Station to take the funicular down to where we parked the cars. Fortunately the rain had stopped. 30 minutes later and we rested at the food court near the Upper Railway Station.

I was so thirsty. We really didn't bring enough water for the hike - a 3 hour hike that turned into a 6 hour hike. I downed a can of 100+, a cup of iced Milo, a bowl of Ais Kacang and a can of Coke, all in that order. *burp*

Before we boarded the funicular, I stopped to capture a pretty clear view of Penang. Click the image for a larger version.


I'm still tired from yesterday's hike, and I'm still taking lots of fluids. SP seems to have recovered from the hike. She's been busy cooking and I've been busy eating. Ah...

The difference between a boy and a girl

Pumpkin flowers aren't created equal. There's a girl flower (see the bulge?),


and a boy flower.


The pumpkin comes from the girl flower. The bulge slowly grows larger and finally forms the fruit.

Highland kittens

These kittens made their home in Genting.

They were very playful and their mom kept a close eye on them. You can't see her in the photo, but she's hiding in the shadows.

Happy Birthday Pa!

The whole family was in Genting on 31 August to celebrate, not our National Day, but something even more important and dear in our hearts - our dad's birthday.

There's something very refreshing and revitalising being home with family. Then there's the cool and fresh weather at our little sanctuary, far far away from the madness that is modern living.

My dad's got a green thumb. Anything he grows will flourish. - pumpkins, dragon fruits, roses, etc. I think my sister's got a little green thumb as well. Me? I'm all thumbs and none of them are remotely green.

Maybe I'll get a taste of the pumpkin on my next visit.

Planet TT

Maybe I'm heaping too many praises to Telok Tempoyak, but it was the only panorama image I had that could be used to create... Planet TT!

Make your own pano world from this link. And check out the impressive examples there. This may be a new twist to panorama photographs.

Here's lookin' at you, kid

Partings are such sweet sorrow. I got to experience what my dad feels when he's cruising around in his Coupe, even if it was only for two weeks.

TT:2

shutterjam came to my cube around 6pm. Zin was preoccupied with work in the opposite cube. We didn't have much to say. It was another quiet evening in the office, the day slowly dwindling down, the prospect of ending another day just like any other day.

I don't remember who broke the silence first, but it didn't matter. We rounded up cmos and the four of us were heading to Telok Tempoyak for the second time - TT:2.

The place is looking good. The tide was low, the seas were calm. Click the image below for a larger version.


Our Independence Day is just around the corner and the "scenic bridge" at Telok Tempoyak is adorned with the Malaysian flag.

shutterjam had the honour of selecting our meal for the evening. He chose a large siakap, 8 large prawns, a plate of fried squid and a crab for himself. The last time we were there, we complained that the sambal wasn't enough. This time, they gave us a bowl of sambal. Spicy and yummy!

Can you guess which plate is whose? I asked SP if she could guess which plate was mine. To my surprise, she guessed the right one!

Hint: it's the plate that's the odd one out.

Little Shanghai

My parents dropped by during the weekend and we had a great time! On their last night in Penang, we visited a steamboat restaurant in a area called Little Shanghai. We arrived early so the crowd was still thin.

It was a buffet BBQ steamboat affair, although I felt more food was meant for BBQ. Normally SP would use very little oil or butter when cooking, so I watched with amusement as SP and my parents apply gobs after gobs of butter for the BBQ. It was delicious.

Typical of alfresco streamboat dinners, expect to sweat... a lot. We were fortunate to sit at a corner, next to a large fan so we were outside the main crowd where it's the hottest.

The area is a fine example of how to refresh colonial shoplots into trendy and modern establishments without losing their historical heritage. This is a good start and if the momentum continues, I look forward to the future in the heart of Georgetown.

More butter!

Balloon doggy

I saw some great videos of doc demonstrating how he makes balloon animals. So I decided give it a try.

I got the balloons from Tesco, and when I got back, I realised that it is humanly impossible to blow up the balloon without a pump. Then I remembered I have a bicycle pump!

It took both of us, SP and myself, to tie the end of the balloon. Then it took me two more tries before I got the balloon doggy below. Success!

Eighteen

We're fortunate to live near several trendy restaurants. One particular restaurant is Eighteen. If I may take a moment to digress - what's Penang's obsession of naming restaurants with numbers? There's 68, 32 and now 18?

Anyways, Eighteen has been around for a few years now, and everytime we passed the place we'd tell ourselves we'd try the place. We finally got our chance today! It was another long day at work and I was too tired to bother driving to a food court. So we decided to walk to Eighteen.

We were the last customer there. The place was cozy with 80's music playing not so softly. It wasn't deafening, but it certainly wasn't mood music. SP brought my attention to their kitchen - Eighteen had an open kitchen concept where diners can see the chefs prepare their food. It's a good concept because no chance of hanky panky happening behind closed doors.


SP ordered the Lamb Leg in Mint Sauce while I ordered the Grilled John Dory in Lemon Garlic Sauce. The Lamb Leg was a nice change from similar dishes at other restaurants. Eighteen's lamb dish was much more tender and the best parts were the slices where there were thin streaks of fat. I could still enjoy the delicate flavours of the mint sauce together with the robust flavour of lamb and the juicy bits of fat. The lamb cuts were placed on top of slices of potatoes, carrots, asparagus and a generous sprinkle of deep fried strips of potato skin.

My grilled John Dory was prepared in a similar manner. 2 grilled pieces of dory on top of a platform made from potatoes, carrots, asparagus with a generous sprinkle of deep fried strips of potato skin. The lemon garlic sauce melded perfectly with the fish. I was pleased to see that the chef did not drown the fish in the sauce. Instead, the sauce complemented the fish very well. It's been a long time since I've enjoyed such a dish.


Eighteen also has a large selection of pasta dishes that looked very interesting. We are definitely be going back to try them out.

Pre-futsal dinner at the Junction

SP and I hardly ever go to town (read - Komtar area) on weekdays, but yesterday was an exception. We were heading to Kick Cafe where our colleagues were having a futsal competition. But first, we had to have dinner.

We decided on Junction Cafe, a quaint restaurant in a modernised colonial building. More establishments should utilise these colonial buildings instead of tearing these historical buildings down and replacing them with dull drab "modern" buildings.

The menu was quite sparse, but the selection consists of popular dishes. I had the Pineapple Fried Rice, SP had Nyonya Fried Rice and shutterjam had "mee suah tow".

The fried rice dishes were simple. Nothing to see here, move along. But shutterjam's "mee suah tow" looked mighty appetizing.

I liked my Ais Kacang dessert although I didn't fancy the nutmeg. Some people like nutmeg. I'm not one of them. Nutmeg discrimination aside, the Ais Kacang was rather nice. Not too sweet yet still tasty and refreshing.


Junction Cafe was filled with Chinese paintings, sculptures, Chinese calligraphy, all for sale if something catches your eye.


shutterjam and his "mee suah tow" - savouring every mouthful.

Buayas

SP and I were shopping at a popular hypermarket when I saw some familiar looking shoes. I thought they were crocs. Then I saw the price - RM18.

Wha... *rubs eyes*

Turns out, they weren't original crocs. I don't know what they're called, but I'll call them buayas.

The buayas were just as light as the real deal, although the feel of the material may be a little different - a little softer. It even had the heel strap! I'm not sure if these buayas have non-slip soles, so better be careful.

I tried a few but they were a size or two too small for me. Too bad. They do seem comfortable...

Taste of Japan

It was a spur of the moment decision as we headed towards the Aji Nippon Restaurant located at Ideal Avenue. Our original plan was to have dinner at Indiraas, a popular banana leaf rice restaurant. Then SP remembered she had a mild cough so curry was out of the question. So while waiting for the traffic lights to turn at the Bayan Lepas roundabout, we decided to have Japanese.

This was SP's second time at Aji Nippon. She's told me about her previous dining experience and how much she liked the place. I didn't have much expectation when I first saw the place. The exterior decor was very plain compared to the neighbouring restaurant that also served Japanese food.

But I learnt not to judge a book by its cover because the interior was very nice. There is a Japanese theme, but they didn't go overboard. Some Japanese art on the wall, modern Japanese pop music from a small portable radio, a few Japanese inspired wall lamps and dark wood tables and chairs completed the theme.

It was a weekday so there wasn't a crowd. Good for us because we had the first dibs on the private booth. This private booth had a low table with the floor recessed under the table so we don't have to fold our legs when we eat. You know what was the best part? The waitresses had to kneel when they served us. WOW! Talk about being pampered. Aji Nippon's waitresses were very attentive. Our cups of green tea were never empty. They kept coming in, kneeling beside us and filling up our cups.


SP ordered the Wakayama Ramen. It was a huge bowl! I liked the soup and goes well with the thick noodles and several generous slices of pork. The soup spoon was quite unique. It looked more like a ladle, but works surprisingly well.


SP suggested I get the Aji Nippon Special Set. First the raw stuff - thick slices of salmon, tuna and another fish that I couldn't identify, slices of octopus tentacles and a baby octopus. I thought that was it, but then....


the second part of the set - tempura, chawan mushi, miso soup, grilled salmon, rice and some watermelon dessert. WOW!


I was beaming throughout the meal. The meal was very satisfying and very substantial. I'm definitely going back to Aji Nippon. If you decide to try, don't judge the place by its exterior decor. Check out the place and taste their food. I think you'll enjoy it. We certainly did.

A quick google and I found out that the literal translation of the Japanese word Aji is taste. So Aji Nippon would be?

Splish! Splash! I'm takin' a bath!

Aaaah... finally the truck's clean! I've only got myself to blame. I'm just too lazy to do it myself. So after many months of neglect, I decided to send the truck for a wash.

The place is called "SS Car Wash", located on the same row as the "Golden eBay Restaurant". It's quite an efficient establishment. Workers were always busy and cars kept coming in.

I had to wait about 30 minutes before it was my turn, but I was pleased by their attention to detail. Even when I was about to drive off, one guy took a moment to wipe a spot he missed. It was a good experience, and the car wash only costs me RM8.

Argentinean cattle

I've been clicking the Fedex tracker website, every half hour for the past three days. Looks like it's not going to arrive until next week. Sometimes the ability to access too much information can be tiring.

Ikan Bakar at Teluk Tempoyak

When it comes to matters of food, my friends and I are pretty spontaneous. Memories of our last seafood excursion still fresh in our minds, we found ourselves heading to Teluk Tempoyak for a Malay-styled seafood dinner. This transpired after 15 minutes of Zin telling us about the place and us deciding to have seafood dinner there.

The seafood restaurant is in a village, Kampung Teluk Tempoyak, right beside the sea. Upon entering the restaurant, I knew the owner was not pretentious about what he offered - a seafood gastronomic experience. The tables and chairs were sticky, quite possibly from the remnants of many past feasts. I was a little uncomfortable, but at least the floor was clean. And in retrospect, not a fly in sight.

shutterjam and Zin had the honours of picking our dinner. The day's catch was so fresh that some were still alive! Zin chose 9 large prawns, their sizes perhaps only a close second to those my father normally get from the jetty in Kuantan. shutterjam followed closely with a large siakap and 3 crabs.

While waiting for our food to be prepared, we ordered our drinks - a large jug of iced coconut water. It was a refreshing treat after spending a day at work. Then we noticed our neighbouring diner having a strange creamy white drink with a generous ice cream topping. Even before our food arrived, we had already ordered another jug of drink - coconut shake. The drink had coconut milk, shredded coconut flesh, several large scoops of ice cream and maybe coconut water. It was a hearty drink. It reminded me of "ais krim potong". I prefered the fresh coconut water.

My favourite dish had to be the "ikan bakar". The sambal was exquisite, but the portion was much too small. We'll have to remember to ask for extra sambal the next time. The fish was expertly baked with the outer skin charred, but the flesh still moist and tasty. There was no denying the freshness of the fish from the texture of the flesh.

The prawns were splendidly baked over the barbeque pit, the shells slightly charred and their flesh still succulent. The accompanying sauce was tangy and I thought matched very well with the prawns.

I didn't really enjoy the baked crabs. However shutterjam and Zin were almost giggling with glee because the crabs were packed with crab eggs. So much so that there was hardly any meat. I prefer my crabs cooked in a sauce.

The place is run by a En Adnan Bin Hassan. They're closed on Mondays, and only opens for dinner from 5.30pm to 10.30pm. We arrived around 6.30pm and that's probably the best time because not long later, the crowd started pouring in.

According to Zin, there's another village on the opposite road. He said the place is a little pricier and he felt the food wasn't as good. But anyways, perhaps we'll try that restaurant next month.