The Malacca trip..

Woke up very early on Sat morning to catch the 8am bus to Malacca. Met Pz and Mar at Lavendar.Bus departed at 8am sharp but when it reached Tuas, there was a massive jam :( The bus was just inching and inching towards the checkpoint...to make matters worse, when we were nearly there,apparently the bus was at the wrong lane and had to U turn and join the queue halfway,my god,we nearly fainted...another round of waiting.Finally we reached the checkpoint,there were not that many people around and we just don't understand what's with the massive jam. Anyway by the time we cleared customs in SIN, it was already close to 1030am and the time we arrived in Malacca-2pm.6 hours, we can jolly well go up to KL within that time man.

Mid way break-stopping for some makan and toilet break

After buying the tickets back on Sunday(11am, wanted later departure time but no more),we proceeded to get a cab. This is what I hate most in Malaysia-the no meter system. We told them our destination and they quoted us a price which was above what we were adviced by our friend. There was no way we can get a lower rate as all the taxi drivers kinda belong to a 'syndicate '. Fed up-if you all have read Xiaxue's post on her trip to KL, you would understand what I mean also :P Anyway,we were hungry and wanted to get to the hotel so we took the cab.Stupid system. Why install meter in the cab when you don't use it at all.

My first impression of Malacca was as if I was in Dubai. Because the weather is very HOT and there were not many buildings around the bus terminal. Kinda like just a few rows of shophouses. Guess the main reason was because there weren't many trees also. Just got the impression that I was back in Dubai again...

We reached the Hotel Puri after passing through Jonker Street. The hotel is very nice. The whole deco and atmosphere is very yes, penarankan..as that's the whole motive of staying there.
Here are some photos of the hotel:

THE LOBBY/RECEPTION

We went to Nancy's Kitchen as recommended by Harvey for lunch. Friendly boss,reasonable price and nice food. :)

After that we walked around Jonker Street, going through the rows of shophouses and looking at what the stores were selling.There were many makan places-chicken rice (which I was told it can be skipped), chendol,wanton mee etc etc. There were shops selling antiques, kebayas, souvenirs etc.

We walked to 'Red Houses'-the Famous church and the old Dutch governement place I think..After which it was off to Mahkota Parade for some shopping :). We really needed the air con. Stayed there till 7plus before we walked back to the hotel to put down our loot. After which, we headed for the pasar malam which was just 2 mins walk from our hotel.

On the way back to the hotel,we saw this jie tou mai yi guy-selling his medicated oil..doing stunts and eating/blowing fire and using his finger to break a coconut. Didn't see the coconut act as he kept on yakking and yakking and haven't got down to doing it. (He's the shortest guy in the pic,too bad didn't get a better shot)

We ate dinner and walked around the pasar malam-the whole atmosphere is very Singapore in the 60s/70s. Hawkers selling food on the street,people selling toys(masak),local food stuff,shoes,very local....

Above-Children playing games on the corridor-a scene which we will never get to see in Singapore Haizs..

We went back to the hotel around 10plus...so tired by then.......zzzzzz

The next day, we woke up at 8am as our coach will depart at 11am. Ate breakfast at the courtyard...I like the place..very balinese.After breakfast,we wander around the hotel.They have a history room and it was only then we found out that the hotel used to be the ancesteral home of Tan Kim Seng!

This phone still works!

One of the many Huey Guans in Malacca

Overall, it was a good trip-minus the coach ride up. But on the way back, it was quite fast. The culture is very strong in Malacca-preserving the Pernarankan heritage,which is very good. You can really feel the "Wu Jiao Ji" atmosphere here. My grandma used to live in Chinatown and back in the early 80s, it was like that,but not now anymore. The Chinatown now is so touristy :(

I won't mind going back again.

PS: Thanks a lot to Harvey for providing us with all the info about Malacca. :)

Sha: I think you would like that place! Esp your family are nonyas...

Last Friday...

This weekend has been fun!

Met wq and dl on friday at Marina for dinner. We went to this Suki Yuki place-the one with the Jap buffet cum steamboat (soup and tepanyaki) but is more famous for the DIY icecream. We didn't order that coz we were so full from the main dishes. Actually we ate very little,lugi for us to eat buffet :P



After that we went over to Conrad for drinks and did some chatting up. It's always nice to catch up with old friends.

Tired.....

Yesterday thingy ended at 9pm..so tired today..:( Guess what,I met Neelam yesterday at the preview. She had already signed up for one of the programme with us but could not make up her mind so she came to look at yesterday's one also...didn't know she left the company also....I think after this year end,a number of my ex colleagues will be leaving also. Hope they will get new jobs soon!

There's another preview tomorrow-then will be meeting wq and dl for dinner on friday before MALACCA! Can't wait.......

1 more week.....

Malacca in 4 days

Yeah, I am going to Malacca with Mar and Pz this weekend! Finally this trip has materialise. Its been ages since we talked about going on another trip together. The last time,which was also our first trip out of SIN was 2 years ago;June 2003, to BKK where we shopped like crazy haha. We wanted to go on fri,but PZ cant go..she gota go back to school for some stuff..so its a 2d1n trip. The last time I was in Malacca was 15 years ago...mar also..our pri 6 school trip and we have not been back since....Kinda looking forward.We booked this boutique hotel online,heard its not bad :) Hotel Puri...

In the meantime, its work first :( 2 previews this week-Tue and Thur..Cant wait for it to end..then malacca then kiat will be back next wed :)

Went ktv w hx they all on fri...hmm its ok,though I prefer party world still kekeke but the rate on fri is cheap!

Pz does not sing at ktv..still she went along with us..:) so nice of her hahaha...she doesn't listen to chinese songs and so we made her sing english ones..:P..the pro is of coz the ktv queen hx,(not in pic)....great voice!

Watched Harry Potter on sat night,not bad but its not very detailed...i still like it...the actors/actress have all grown up..:P

Yesterday was spent at my aunt's place-celebrating my cousin's 11th bdae..

Food was prepared by my aunt and mum.....chicken wings,fishball,yong tau foo,glutinous rice,fried bee hoon, fried wanton,curry,dessert etc..wow...I was saying my cousin so lucky...... too bad i din take more pics....

1 day down..4 more to go...

Lalalala

Finally TGIF tmr...and I am going ktv after work...yipee! Will be meeting mar pz and hx. Hx has been jioing us for ages and finally we has set the date to tmr :P If only Sat no event,hiazs..well,no choice,still must work...kinda looking forward to Harry Potter but after reading Xiaxue's blog,quite disappointed as she describe the movie to be so cmi haizs...well well,still, I am going to see for myself!

Yesterday I had a good gathering with my ex colleagues. Always nice to meet up with old friends and catch up. Too bad we did not take any pictures,otherwise I can post some here...

Sunday is my cousin 11th birthday party.Guess this weekend is going to be quite packed....

Counting down to Nov 30.........

Midweek soon....

Tomorrow is already Wed..mid week..I like coz Friday is nearing but this Sat we have an event so gota work 1-5pm..after that I am going to watch Harry Potter and the Globet of Fire with Mar and Pz. We have booked the tickets already :) Cant wait for the show.We have seen the previous 3 and have already read the latest book..call ourselves Harry Potter's fans hehehe...

Next weekend we should be going to Malacca,have not booked though keke...there is an event again next sat at work but I don't think I need to attend ..fingers crossed!!!!

Nothing interesting happened..been work work work....

But tomorrow we are having a dinner with my m1 batchmates :)

I am going to be a runspirator :P

Another week...

Its Monday again..:( the only good thing is that duty week is over but Monday blues is here..haizs...

Stupid comp is down yesterday,can't update blog at home..reformated the hard disk and all my stuff are gone so sad :( :( :(

Anyway,nua at home the whole day yesterday,watch tv,zzzz...was watching the Golden Horse award live on ch 49......Shu Qi looks great and she won as expected, too bad her co actor-Zhang Zheng, did not win,he looks like Daniel Wu :) Aaron Kowk won for best actor...


My fav Jin Cheng Wu was there too :P

Taken after landing at Taipei,the suit he wore at awards was cool...

Fri after work,we went to Newton for dinner....they have this temp set up there as the hawker centre is undergoing renovation. On Sat, met Sam and Gene after work for dinner in town. Wow,Orchard road is already lit up for Christmas and there were people singing christmas carols,I was like thot Christmas still not so soon but Sam mentioned now its already Mid Nov..I though we just entered the month of Nov not long ago??...Gosh....

Counting down to Nov 30...!

Monday Blues...(pics added)

I think I am suffering from Monday blues..no mood to work today hehe...anyway this week is my duty week..yah again..seems like 6 weeks passes by in a flash..well time really flies...esp so when you are working...now its already nov and in a mth's time..dec...sayonara 2005..welcome 2006..gosh!

And I have not been updating my blog haizs...ok..where were we...suntec exhibition..yah thur-sun was the exhibition at Suntec..nothing much.....


Last week was great coz there were 2 public hols! Deepavali and Hari Raya :) Went to zouk on wed with sam and gang..my god,the amt of people that were there..those queues were horrible..of coz we did not really q kekeke..met pauline there as well...supposed to meet rena sonny and marcel bu the latter 2 left upon seeing the queues..rena was queuing with her bf and gang at the mambo q,saw her outside but didn get to see her after that...sonny posted some pics outside zouk..can see at stealth sunlight blog :P

Stayed home on thursday and out for steamboat dinner with the party gang on fri...

Sat we went to town and off to pz place for her sista surprise party planned by her bf..so sweet right....pz's parents also prepared lotsa food and I had the best bbq chicken which her dad peng for us (chicken wings prepared by ml-pj's bf)..its so brown n yummy ,no cha tau skin at all...yumss....and pz being the nice sista bought her this $130 haggen daz icecream cake..$130 bucks..wow i dun think I will spend the money hmm...


Mar the "art director" decorating the function room
The $130 cake.

As usual,since we were at pz/pj place=rabs again


Will post up the pics soon..something wrong w my infrared thingy..*Pics posted*

its back to work work this week....

btw, sha, nice pics from your blog,i thot u got it from the net by on 2nd look,they were not!