Malacca welcomes you
The city council apparently hangs 50,000 lanterns of all sizes in the old town of Malacca. The shop with the yellow sign is the famous chicken riceball shop of Malacca. It is over priced, according to the locals but good for targeting the tourists. Hmm. I ate there once.
My uncle's wife used to make those chicken riceballs when we visited our late grandparents. As a kid, I had not seen a riceball before and thought was funny to eat rice in a ball. I even wondered then if my cousins' weird behavior was the direct result of an over consumption of those rice balls.
Right across Kampung Kling's Mosque
Right across the Kampung Kling mosque is the Kuan-Yin Temple. As kids, we used to visit the temple when we visited our grandparents. The temple then was very run down and had a huge pond with turtles. It was rather spooky. But since the explosion of tourist industry in the late 80s and 90s, Malacca has boomed and lots of funding for the refurbishment of the ancient temple.
The Kuan Yin temple now has fully restored to its old grandeur and attracted many visitors during the Chinese New Year. The turtle pond has since been removed. In its place are new chambers for dieties signifying bravery.
When the Imam coughed...
Walking down the street of chinese shops selling funeral necessities and tourist paintings and T-shirts, lie the Kampung Kling mosque. It is a white washed building with a Moorish design built during the Dutch occupation. Its tower has been facing right into my late grandparents' house, which is located at the right where a beige Unser emerged.
According to my mom, when they were small and still living in the old house, the old imam would cough in between his line of evening prayers. His cough got broadcasted right into the hall of the shop where my mom and her siblings were having dinner. My cheeky uncle claimed that the cough bacteria would be magnified hundred times and shot right out through the loudspeaker and hit him flat on his nose.
End of celebration, a beginning for the next harvest
Oranges thrown, cookies digested, fireworks enjoyed – end of 15 days of Chinese New Year Celebration. Time to roll up our sleeves and off we go into the pady field with bags of new seeds for the next harvest. May smiley Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse will bring good luck and cheerful spirit to everyone all year round.
When they are not taking things for granted...
I interruped my usual homey blog with what touched me in a recent debate between Hillary and Obama at the University of Texas. It was a long debate that covers a wide areas from healthcare, to the war. Towards the end, the anchor posed one last question to both candidates "Describe the moment when you were tested the most", which I thought "ya right...sounds like a school council election.
Obama answered first with story about his difficult childhood and how his father left him when he was very young. Then it was Hillary's turn. "Everyone knows that I have gone through a number of crisis in life" to which the aundience burst out in cheers of agreement. She then went on to share a personal experience of a center for injured soldiers which she recently visited. While I was wondering what that was about, she went on in a low and yet resolved tone,"The hits I have taken in my life are nothing compared to what many are going through in their life. I resolved at a very young age that I have been blessed and that I was called by my faith and upbringing to do what I could to give others the same opportunities and blessings that I took for granted. That is what gets me up in the morning and that is what motivates me ......"
No Hillary you have not taken things for granted. In fact, you are fighting to make a difference to others. This reminds me of a 74 yro old lady named Sue whom I met in a recent training for us trainers. She was there to learn how to become a better trainer. Sue runs a support group for Carer of the Mentally ill in Ipoh. A divorcee and a retired English teacher, she has a mentally ill son herself whom she has been caring for many years. Over the years, Sue has single handedly brought up her two children, and yet maintained her job as an English teacher for the O-level students. Her daughter, YL is a friend of mine, who runs a very successful outdoor training firm. The experience of Sue being a carer herself made her realize how little support carers in Malaysia, compared to countries like US and Australia.
Hence she decided, at age 73, to start a support group, running courses and support group activities for carers themselves. She even enrolled another friend of her daughter who is a drum teacher to conduct drum circle for the carers as a recreational activity once every month. With drums and percussion, the carers have fun making music and connecting with each other. When asked why she is doing all this when she should be retiring. She smiled and replied "Well, I am still healthy and able... I have no ambition for a big carer association....in fact I even asked the lawyer to put a clause in the association's charter to limit my carers' club size ....all I wish to do is bring the carers together so that they will have someone to go to when they need help." A lady, whose compassion and grace , shone through her eyes, right from her heart. No one in the class expected that she was already 74.
So Hillary, way to go. If I am an American, she will get my vote. To Sue, and to my mom, your zest for life and quest for what lies beyond, continue to inspire me.
Dino, the stunt dog
Dino loves to play catch. His sole purpose in life is to ambush both the postman and the garbage men. He stands at the front gate, sticks his head out and barks at them. He simulates Jackie Chan stunt moves each time a motorbiker passes by, dashing at lightning speed behind the enclosed wall. When my dad shows up with a cane in his hand, Dino will swiftly sit down and offer his left front leg as a gesture for handshake.
Don't worry, this is just a special EFX.
A dog-loving friend of mine, Pauli-two-shoes, suspected Dino could have Sepherd or Retriever in him. Well…er…..may be ….but then his rice and tofu set dinner does not indicate any trace of these two fine breeds.
Dino, the standing dog
I stand, I stand, I love to stand.
I stand in front of the car,
I stand at the side gate,
Now you see me,
Now you don’t !
Dino, no longer a puppy
Introducing Dino, short form for dinosaur. Don’t ask, is my dad’s dog and the name is his idea. Dad picked him from a family of 12 puppies when he was just 3 weeks old. Now he is the loyal bodyguard for my parents and for his big sister Blacky, though I know Blacky would hate me for saying this.
Huat ah 2008!
"Huat ah!" the Singaporean cheer !
Devilish Curry Chicken
Spicy, kicking and exotic - the theme for this year's CNY menu. My mouth still waters each time I look at the picture.
The Reunion Dinner
Introducing my Mom's new addition to the reunion dinner selection - double boiled ham -scallop and oyster stew on the left. Roast duck, dad's favourite, was missing from this picture because it was still on the chopping board. The mixed plate was heavenly especially the Thai-styled baby oyster courtesy of Sister J. The pineapple chili shrimp will make a perfect highlight for a nasi-lemak breakfast but at this moment, it sure gave the traditional CNY menu a spicy twist. The large sambal chini prawns were as usual, finger-lickin' good!
The Year of Rat
While all the cutting and cooking were going on in the kitchen, Your Majesty His/Her Highness the Neighbour's Cat was dreaming of a sumptuous supply of rat meat all year round.
CNY Mouth Ulcer Index
It is not chinese new year until we stand in front of mirror applying watermelon frost on our mouth ulcers. The MUI index, short for mouth-ulcers index, is the most reliable indicator for how much fun we have pigging out on from pineapple tarts to crunchy egg rolls, from kidney-numbing high sugar soft drinks, to hilariously red cuttle fish strips, kuih lapis to fried "nien kao"...ahh this, is Gong Xi Gong Xi. Here is just a segment of the stocks. The orange Miranda is the favourite of sister S....is not even new year yet and is already half a bottle gone!
The city council apparently hangs 50,000 lanterns of all sizes in the old town of Malacca. The shop with the yellow sign is the famous chicken riceball shop of Malacca. It is over priced, according to the locals but good for targeting the tourists. Hmm. I ate there once.
