TRAVELDADDY - THE JOURNEY NEVER ENDS

I WENT TO PENANG FOR A WEDDING & JALAN, JALAN CARI MAKAN

2011-12-20T16:25:00.010+08:00

I was in Penang from 9-13 December to attend a wedding of my wife's relative and also to walk about and look for food to eat. Sorry, I can't post photos of the wedding as I forgot my camera when I went to the E & O Hotel, Penang's oldest, for the dinner. So, I will just share some of my impressions below from that trip skewed more to Penang fare. I am not gluttonous per se but anyone worth his salt, food-wise, must want to know about Penang food which is very famous. In addition to the types of fare shown, we also went to Anandas' in Butterworth for what we crudely call "pukul mati" - South Indian rice and food served on banana leaf and eaten with hands, if you are so disposed.

As an aside to the trip, my wife also found out that she is related to Ms Nicol Ann David, (titled "Datuk" by the Malaysian King) currently ranked World No 1 for squash, who is her niece. There was also an opportunity for two of her uncles to meet a third one (bro no. 10) one of whom has not seen him for the last 50 years. What a re-union that was!

I must also add something about driving in Penang. Vehicular traffic has grown by leaps and bounds. One factor is the public transportation system and the other is the relatively low cost of running a car. For around 6k RM, one can buy a small 10 plus year old car. Petrol is comparatively cheap as the Malaysian government continues to subsidise it considerably. It's not uncommon to see 3 cars parked in many houses. In view of such a demand, the Penang Bridge has been extended to 3 lanes. Notwithstanding this, getting into and out of Penang by car is difficult especially in the mornings and evenings, and even more so, if it rains. Many people live on the mainland and commute daily to Penang to work. It works the other way too - for those living in Penang and working in the mainland. The government has responded to this by building a second bridge which is slated to come into service in about 2 years' time. That may ease the traffic flow considerably. The bridge is augmented by a car- ferry service which pre-dates it. The cost to enter Penang by bridge or car-ferry is around 7 RM.

Enjoy as you go along........!!

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Everyone who has been to Penang to taste its food will know about this Air (Ayer) Itam Penang Laksa stall, below the Khek Lok Si Temple. It's been around for yonks and still draws in the crowds everyday. The stall is actually perched on one side of a drain around a market. Marvellous. A bowl of laksa cost 3.30 RM. How about that? Mati mati must try!!

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Another view of the famous stall.

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On the way back to our Kulim accommodation, we could opt to stop for cendol here at the stall under a tree. Ingredients are cendol, coconut milk, gula Melaka, nice and soft red beans and pulut (glutinuous rice) as an option. One bowl - 1.60 RM! The seller owns two terrace houses next to his stall under the tree. Why work so hard, man? Go and sell cendol.

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Penang food we had for lunch on our arrival there. Highlight is the pork trotter - succulent and packed with collagen!

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McAlister Road, Penang. We were brought to New Lane off the said road to have Penang fare. New Lane is just one of many options for good food. Although Gurney Drive is famous, locals normally don't go there cos they complain that its food is not delicious yet very pricey. We had our fair share of the normal fare but not Penang laksa so we made a special trip to Air Itam just for that.

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Two members of our group tucking away herbal duck mee suah while others went to hunt for food or were awaiting theirs.

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Fresh seafood waiting to be BBQd.

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Stalls selling Chee Cheong Fun and others in New Lane off McAlister Road

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Penang char kway teow served in banana leaf. RM 3 - shiok!

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Durian lovers will know about Penang durians called "Lin Qing Hsia', "Ang Heh", D14, "Hor Lor", etc. When we stopped at this Kulim stall, the seller said that the current rave is "Or Chi" or black thorns as shown. We picked up two durians weighing 6 kg for RM 120. My sources tell me that per kilo, the same fruit goes for RM 36 in Genting Highlands and RM 35 in JB. So, was it a steal? Look at the following pic and then decide!!

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A sneak preview of the orange-coloured flesh which is thick and creamy like ice cream.

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These rambutans were 10 RM per bunch. Flesh sweet and firm.

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A Parit Buntar market.

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This Parit Buntar coffee shop stall-holder sells prawn mee. If you go north of KL and order prawn mee, don't expect big prawns. I once told a stall-holder in P Tikus, Penang, that she was selling prawn mee with "grandchildren" prawns as I had to search for them in the soup. Moreover, they were sliced in halves. But, having said that, the taste of Northern prawn mee is delicious.

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Parit Buntar mee jawa, somewhat akin to our mee rebus but it tasted too sweet. But don't complain as it cost about RM 2.

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About 10 km from Parit Buntar is this restaurant called "Restoran Kolam Ayer", which serves only fresh water fish. Getting to the restaurant from the main road was like getting a free massage in the car. The hut in front is where the food is served; a constant sprinkling of water helps to keep the zinc roof cool. Fish served is bred in many ponds around the restaurant.

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Well, would you believe this is patin - deep fried of course. Tasted coarse and the skin was tough and looking at the portion served, the whole fish must be about the size of a baby shark.

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Patin steamed with sambal. I find that bred patin is not so exciting as the type caught in the wild and doesn't taste as sweet.

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Fried S African fish. Looks like the fish we had in the Mekong Delta in Saigon used to make spring rolls.

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The original St Anne's Church in Mt Bertajam which now serves as a shrine for worshippers.

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St Anne's Church attracts thousands of pilgrims and visitors from many parts of the world on its feast day. This is the new church building (with a nice belfry) replacing the old one which is now a shrine. It sits on sprawling grounds and is very serene in its environment.

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Bt Mertajam mobile bread/snacks vendor. This image from our past is very scarce now.

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Chop Sin Teo Hiang in Bt Mertajam where we went to buy my fave biskut (biscuit) tambun (tau sah piah). Bt Mertajam is known as "Tua Swa Kah" in Hokkien or "Tai San Keok" in Hakka.

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This Bt Mertajam temple is a land owner. It collects rent from stall-holders in its immediate vicinity.

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These are some of the stalls around the temple which pay rental to the temple for space used.

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This is duck egg char kway teow, very famous in Bt Mertajam. Business starts only at 8 pm when the tricycle appears and goes on until 3 am or when food is sold out. This plate had a sunny-side-up egg broken to get the yummy egg yolk. My late father-in-law and his 10 brothers had at some time or other patronised this stall, which location is not far from the temple which collects rent from stall-holders in its vicinity. Cost - 3 RM!

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The most famous dim sum restaurant in Butterworth. Biz is so good that customers must queue to collect their food at serving counters. Apparently grew out of service provided to a group of Cantonese goldsmiths in an earlier time. I won't rave about the taste of food here though.

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Shot of Penang Island from Butterworth.

I WENT TO IVAN'S WEDDING IN VIETNAM

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Standing in the centre of Saigon (Ho Chih Minh) City is this statue of a famous Vietnamese general, Tran Nguyen Han, from a bygone era. I was in Vietnam from 4-10 Nov to attend the wedding of my bro-in-law, Ivan, which was held in Nha Trang. Nha Trang is accessible from Saigon by road, train or air. By air it's about 50 minutes away. Come journey with me in another diamond in our backyard - Vietnam.

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From my hotel room, view of the tallest Saigon building - the Bitexco Financial Tower. This tower is a good navigational landmark when one is exploring Saigon.

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A Saigon market

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5-foot way cafes such as these abound. I wonder how the owners manage as there are no stalls in which drinks and food are displayed. Sometimes bottled drinks are placed on building ledges and nothing shows after the stall closes for business. Attestation to Vietnamese ingenuity, perhaps. May not be easy for SPeans to sit here as the stools and tables are ultra low!

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A floating restaurant along the Saigon River. The water of the river is jet black.

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The Majestic Hotel is one of the oldest hotels in Saigon. It fronts the Saigon River.

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There is no casino per se in Vietnam but two casinos operate within hotels. One of them is at the Majestic Hotel and this sign shows what types of games are available within.

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Vietnamese coffee is supposed to be the 2nd best in the world after Brazil. A Ben Thanh stall sells many types as shown.

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Ben Thanh market stall selling lacquer ware.

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Lee sisters and Mum enjoying cendol and other refreshments in Ben Thanh Market.

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Ben Thanh Market facing the round-about in Saigon City centre. The market is a maze of stalls selling all sorts of goods and food and it's a must-try place. To get things at a bargain, one has to be an expert at bargaining. Also advisable to be wary of one's belongings here as the human traffic is very intense. The money changer who offers the best rates is found here too!

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Saigon Centre is one place that the women folk will love. It's something akin to our People's Park. The goods here may be perceived to be a tad above the Ben Tanh ones but a good bargain maybe about 25% below the quoted price.

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A shot from our hotel of the round-about in Saigon city centre where the traffic seems to flow perennially. All roads lead to this round-about like arteries to the heart and crossing it is an adventure by itself.

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Our first meal in Saigon was at a restaurant called "Pho for the President" aka Pho 2000 where then President Bill and daughter Chelsea Clinton dined in the year 2,000 when they visited Vietnam. What we had here was Vietnamese noodles (kway teow). I took a pic of the VIPs from a photo on one of the walls.

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The Unification Palace Museum re-built with American aid. In 1975, the original palace, built by the French, was badly damaged when the Vietcong using Soviet-built tanks crashed thru the gates and blew a big hole in the building. The American puppet regime in Saigon capitulated and Ho Chih Minh united the two Vietnams.

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Soviet-built tanks such as these crashed thru the Palace gates in 1975 which signalled the end of the American puppet regime in S Vietnam.

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A shot of one of the Soviet-built tanks with my Macik, two sisters and their Mum. Only one person is looking at my camera!

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Cabinet conference room.

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Mural of Vietnamese warriors from its warring era.

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A sample of Vietnamese lacquer art for which Vietnam was famous in its ancient history.

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Heli-pad with a Huey chopper which the President would use to fly to/fro the palace during crisis periods.

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The President would have his naps here during the crisis periods.

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A photo of one of the Soviet-made tanks that crashed thru the gates of the Saigon Palace in 1975.

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Saigon Cathedral.

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The Post Office HQ.

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On our way to the Mekong River Delta, we made a pit stop and I shot this. The fruit on the right is from the Nipah or Attap palms which grow in the Mekong Delta.

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The My Tho City ferry point from which we took a boat to one of the islands to visit a coconut- candy making facility, ride in row boats and horse carts and also have lunch.

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Fishing boats line the shore as it is a fishing port.

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It must have been due to my power of persuasion that the Lee sisters, their Mum and our guide, Tan, are all smiles as we headed to one of the islands in the Mekong River Delta from the city of My Tho. There are four islands there named Dragon, Phoenix, Tortoise and Unicorn.

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Many fish farms like this are found in the Mekong River Delta. The produce is sold mostly to restaurants in the cities. Downstream from here the sea is 50 km away while upstream the Tongle Sap in Cambodia is some 250 km away.

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One of the processes in the manufacture of coconut candy which is a thriving cottage business in the Mekong River Delta.

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Two of the Lee sisters in a horse cart which is another transportation mode on the island. The old horse has a poo tube attached so that it doesn't defecate on the road as it trots along.

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Boatmen waiting for business. Row boats are the principal mode of transportation in Mekong River tributaries. The plants seen are Attap or Nipah palms from which "attap-chee" is derived.

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Jeanne getting off the boat assisted by Tan. The boatman is an epitome of the general shape of Vietnamese women.

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This tongkang-like vessel is used for transportation of goods and fuel to the villages found along tributaries of the Mekong River.

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We visited the village of Cu Chi (loosely pronounced as "Gucci") where there is an elaborate tunnel network used by the Vietcong during the War of Liberation from the American forces. No one actually knows how such a network originated. The schematic shows a cross-section of one of the tunnels. There could be many layers like 4 shown here. If a bomb were to destroy the first layer, the soldiers could evacuate to another lower down. There is an escape route out to the Saigon River (extreme right). The kitchen has compartments in which smoke is relayed until it eventually comes out around 100 m away and merges with the mist or fog. Even if a grenade were to be lobbed in thru that exit, no harm would come to the kitchen and its occupants. Interesting to note that there is a bottleneck which prevents American soldiers to crawl thru for their sheer size. Many lessons to be learnt from the "Vietcong University" indeed!

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A crater made by an B52 bomb.

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A mannequin in Vietcong fatigues on a hammock. The sandals e.g. are made from used tyres and the threads on them were reversed so as to could confuse the enemy as to the direction in which the wearer was going.

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A hidden tunnel door, usually camouflaged with dried leaves. Around an open entrance, many such hidden doors are dug. If American soldiers were to discover an entrance, they might congregate around it to throw grenades, poison gas or even poisonous snakes into the tunnel. Vietcong soldiers could spring up from the many hidden doors and surprise the enemies by firing on them.

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Some devises re-worked from American armament and used to booby-trap American soldiers. The tips of the sharp objects were coated with dried dung which served as a form of poison.

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Carcass of an American tank.

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Mannequins used to show how an American bomb is being re-worked.

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Vy and Ivan - a wonder they still look fresh!

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Taking a breather after duck-walking in the tunnel.

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A kitchen in which food was prepared.

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Weddings in Vietnam are done in style. Ivan and Vy pose in front of the Hummer stretch limo used as their bridal car.

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The cathedral in Nha Trang where the wedding was solemnised. It's one of the principal attractions in the city.

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The bride and groom with entourage walking to church to solemnise their marriage.

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Stained glass in the cathedral portraying Jesus and Saints.

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Bride and groom thanking Our Lady for her intercessions for their big day.

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Rev Father Peter presides over the signing of the wedding register.

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After the wedding in church, we adjourned to a restaurant for lunch and some observances. Tea is being prepared for the tea ceremony.

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Vy's Uncle introducing the gifts from Ivan's family. Jewelry presented to the bride were put on her by the givers - a Vietnamese custom.

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Mr & Mrs Lee - Ivan & Vy - beaming away during the dinner. On the right is Vy's father. The dinner was a like a concert with many relatives and friends singing away and young dancers showing off their skills.

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The co-ordinator for the event belting out a number.

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Vy's mother singing for the audience.

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A young couple dancing away during the dinner.

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A cafe shot from my hotel window. It's at such a cafe as this that many men sit and drink coffee and watch the world go by.

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Many Caucasians especially Russians throng to Nha Trang cos it has the most beautiful beach in Vietnam. The airport in Cam Ranh Bay which serves Nha Trang, although domestic, has international flights arriving from many Russian cities. The row of huts is used by tourists for beach activities, massage or body hair removal.

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Crossing roads is not as stressful as in Saigon.

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This may be a way of life for men here - gathering to yarn the day away, playing board games or drinking coffee in cafes.

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I like the way these trees along the beach front were trimmed.

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A fishing boat unloading its nets in the Cai River.

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Nha Trang fishmongers.

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Dam (pronounced "Dum") Market in Nha Trang is one of the attractions there. It occupies a big space around a ring road in which motor-cyclists share with shoppers.

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Champa Island - a reminder of the glory of the Cham Kingdom in central Vietnam in earlier times.

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18 pillars leading to the Cham temple.

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Cham musicians and supporters.

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Cham dancers doing a dance balancing earthern pots.

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Adorning the rear of one of four towers, this image seems to me to be that of Uma or Padvathi as the early religion of the Champa Kingdom was Hinduism.

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Thap Ba Ponagar was a Cham temple when the Champa kingdom flourished. After they were defeated and expelled from Vietnam, the Vietnamese took it over and installed their own goddess there. Today, Champa is referred to as a kingdom lost in transition.