Travelogue around Asia Pacific Part II

Kuala Lumpur - We went to have our dinner at another popular Malaysian restaurant - Restoran Siu Siu - located @ No. 15-11 Lorong Syed Putra Kiri, 50450 Kuala Lumpur.   Their unique dish is the claypot crab rice. Signage of the Restaurant Siu Siu Roasted Pork This roasted pork was delicious and succulent but too sweet. Dragon vegetables Crab Claypot rice with dark special sauce The rice was nicely cooked in the claypot and tasted soft and delicious.  Eaten with the crab it brings out the rich flavour of the rice. clam soup with sliced ginger

Mid Valley - As Deepavali approaches this weekend, floors of many malls and hotels around Kuala Lumpur were decorated with Rangoli;  these are decorative traditional folk art of India and made on floors of living rooms and courtyard during Hindu festivals with coloured rice. decorated with coloured rice

Petaling Jaya - Donny and Edward brought me to a popular restaurant that serves a unique but delicious dish of edible bull frog and eel. signage of the Bullfrog restaurant Claypot Eel The Eel was chopped up very small with some parts of the eel meat still having tiny.  It would have been smoother and much tastier if the tiny bones was removed.  On the whole, it was a nice dish. Claypot bullfrog This was the famous dish from this restaurant and it lived up to its reputation.  The frog meat was tender and delicious garnished with chopped shallots and spring onions.  Diced dried chilli was also thrown in with ginger to spiced up the dish.   Having this claypot bullfrog dish with porridge was delicious. Egg with black fungus Another dish that was unique the Egg with black fungus.

Bangkok - I read rave reviews of this restaurant and decided to have dinner there with Lesley,   The atmosphere of of Quince was contemporary and the restaurant owner had an artistic mind to the interior design. The food is western fusion with great care in the preparation of the meal. complimentary appetiser While waiting for the main course, I walked around the restaurant to admire it's decor. another dinning area sofa near the toilet view from the staircase painting on the wall The salad was unique Ceasar Salad with a twist that the vegetable was not chopped up and dice and had whole boneless fried chicken with slices of cheese and bacon; topped with crispy bread. Caesar Salad Pork chop with potato wedges The Pork chop is huge and grilled to taste and tender; which was shared between Lesley and I. Caramel banana with ice cream

Singapore - Lim Kwee Neo (25/3/1921 - 22/10/2013) was passed away today.  She was my aunty and my mother's eldest sister.  She was Singapore’s first local Matron (1958–1961, SGH) who was also Chief Matron of the Ministry of Health (1961–1971).   As the eldest in the family, all aunties and uncles called her sis, so she became my 'Aunty sis' Her accolades July/Aug 2009 -  OutramNow magazine - first local nurses to be promoted to ward sisters in 1951 Singapore Nurses Association - About Us - "headed by its President Miss Lim Kwee Neo, was formally registered with the Registrar of Societies in 1958". 17 Dec 1960 - Singapore Nurses Association (SNA) - Deputy Principal Matron Lim Kwee Neo speaks at Farewall party of Miss Griffin  - pic of Aunty Sis. NUS Lim Kwee Neo Nursing Bursary  - a NUS bursary in the name of Lim Kwee Neo SGH museum - a recreation of a mannequin of Ms Lim Kwee Neo.   A voice recording of an interview with Lim Kwee Neo...

Seoul - Met with Chae, a good friend for many years and we took the subway to Gyeongdong Market.  It took us about 45 minutes to reach the Gyeongdong market.  This market is one of the largest herbal medicine and ginseng markets of South Korea. We reach around 9:45am and the stores were just opening but you can feel the hustle and buzzing of this marketplace.   Rows and rows of traditional and ginseng for sale. Chae walking ahead small fishes There were many shops selling this small fish which I was told was used for medicinal purposes. another store selling mushrooms Ginseng shop I bought 8 stalks of Ginseng for 9,000 won which would have cost me 3 times at departmental store.  Furthermore, the Ginseng looks so much fresher. stalks of garlic

Seoul - I was brought to a traditional restaurant that serve centuries old traditional Korean dish - Yuhwang Ori - Yuhwang (Sulphur) and Ori (Duck). Sulfur is not toxic, but the chemical compounds formed when sulfur burns can be very toxic. And through centuries, Korean realized that ducks are the only bird that has strong detoxification ability whilst most birds die after breathing the sulphuric gases.  So by feeding those those gases to the ducks, the toxicity disappears and what remains are good components for human consumption.   Ducks has great resistance to diseases with an ability to adapt to their environment. Beautiful duck after being cut open Within the duck were stuffed nutritious and healthy food like beans, pumpkin seeds, brown rice, sweet potato and chestnuts.   It was a filling meal meant for 4 but we had 2 ducks for 6; so we had a fair bit leftover. raw flower crabs Ganjang Gejang (Raw Crabs Marinated in Soy Sauce) - so fresh crabs...

Seoul - For lunch Young Jin brought me to a Korean burger joint - Donni Burger Jr. The burgers were very juicy and delicious. French Fries Donni Burger special Yummy burger The juices were spilling out of my burger, and the meat was very tender and nice soft buns to go with it.

Pulau Ubin, Singapore -  My family took the bum boat ferry to reach Pulau Ubin and cost us $2.50 per trip.  We had to wait for a while as the ferry will only depart when the captain can gather 12 passengers for the trip.    The last time I sat foot on this island was more than 20 years ago and it still has the rustic feel of a bygones era. At some point it can be very dangerous on the bicycle as the downward slope was very steep. It was a 2 hrs workout on the bicycle. Welcome to Pulau Ubin My tandem built for 2 Cycling in circles Pax on blades beautiful sunset when departing