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May

WEEKEND MORNING AT CHOWRASTA ROAD, GEORGE TOWN, PENANG

Almost every weekend here in Penang, I usually go to pasar (Bahasa Melayu for market, marché, mercado, palengke) in Bagan Ajam; that’s only a 5-minute-1-bus-ride away from where we live in Butterworth. My usual Saturday or Sunday starts when I hop on the Rapid Penang bus at around 6:30AM and finish buying everything that our budget allows at less than an hour. I go to the public market alone and purchase the ingredients we need that would be good enough to last about one to a week and a half of consumption. Tina’s wifely weekend duties begin after I arrived home as she lords our kitchen when she washes, slices, marinates and prepares everything that I bought.

And just so you know, located in front of our building’s apartment is a row of shops that includes a few mini-pasar (mini-mart) where we also source some of our needs whenever our pantry runs out.

Because of the proximity of the Bagan Ajam public market from our home and the availability of mini-mart downstairs, we rarely go to other pasar particularly in the island (Butterworth’s located in mainland Penang). But last weekend was exceptional. I killed the curiosity in me after finally discovering the charm of the public market at the heart of George Town. I liked most things I saw in the stalls of Chowrasta and Kuala Kangsar Roads.

After riding the bus and the ferry from Butterworth to George Town, I walked unhurriedly after hopping off the Rapid Penang Bus #202 at Jalan Penang to Jalan Chowrasta. I arrived in the famous Pasar Chowrasta situated right at the center of Penang’s UNESCO World Heritage Site early at 7:30AM, still with less crowd and blessed with a fine weather.

“Uncle, can I take a photo of you?” I asked the old Chinese-Malaysian old man who seems to have mastered the art and skill of spring roll skin making through his years. With a quick glance at me and a smile, he nodded. Correct me if I’m wrong, but he must be one of those they called, Living Heritage of Penang.

Funny to recall that during our first few days of living in Penang, we didn’t even know where to buy spring roll skin or what we call in the Philippines, “balat ng lumpia”. Apparently, the stalls in Pasar Chowrasta that overflows to Chowrasta and Kuala Kangsar Roads have more to offer than spring roll skin. From fresh produce to dry goods, the possibilities of going home with an empty pocket is highly.

If you come to Pasar Chowrasta with an empty stomach, worry not and remind yourself that you are in Penang – Malaysia’s gastronomic paradise! Having a growling stomach isn’t an issue here because even with only one ringgit, there’s a Nasi Lemak bungkus that could be satisfying. The problem always lies on difficulty of choosing from the wide variety. Almost every corner has stalls and eateries that offer ready cooked and freshly-prepared tummy fillers good for either dine-in (as they say here, “having-here!”) or takeaway. Surely, there’s something for everyone even for those with most discriminating taste.

That dish at the center, bitter gourd! Or in Tagalog, ampalaya!

I didn’t go inside the building of Chowrasta Market itself and was content with everything along Jalan Chowrasta and Jalan Kuala Kangsar. The scene and the sight brought me back to my days in the Philippines where I used to frequent the streets and stalls of Ongpin, Binondo, Divisoria (our country’s versions of Chinatown and huge public market) and Quiapo located at the heart of Manila.

Isn’t that a doll patterned after the image of Psy?

I should’ve brought reusable shopping bags and extra money with me. Perhaps, next time. My aim was actually to capture what this market is all about and I went back to Pasar Bagan Ajam the following day as usual.

Those tiger prawns looked fresh! And everything else appeared so inviting to be sampled.

Textiles, shirts, undergarments, potted plants, cut flowers are sold side by side with chicken and pork and even frogs (not in photo).

When frying, who needs metal thongs if you have giant wooden chopsticks?

For 80 cents a piece, this fried roti (bread) looks a must-try next time.

However you call it, we love Nangka, Langka or Jackfruit! I bought 2 packs and brought them home.

The sight of Oriental charms amidst Chinese-Malaysians made me feel I’m in Ongpin and Binondo -Manila Chinatown.

Thos tiger prawns again, packed biscuits and crackers and a lot more…

Dumplings made on the spot. Must be delicious!

I looked at my wrist watch and it said 9AM. Time to eat my breakfast. I’m very predictable. Throw me a plate of Char Koay Teow and a cup of coffee and I am a happy man!

At 3 ringgit per plate of Char Koay Teow and 1.20 ringgit of hot coffee with condensed milk, how could you complain?

In less than 5 minutes, I’m done eating. But I wanted more! I’m craving for something. So I walked back to Jalan Chowrasta and went to a parking-lot-looking eatery that’s strategically tucked along the road. The stall that sells potted leafy and flowering plants greeted me.

What to eat? What to eat? I’m craving for….hmmmm. *light bulb on!* DIM SUM!

I asked the lady who sells dim sum if they’re open on Sunday; she said yes but they usually stop business at 12PM, so just like the one in Bagan Ajam, the public market here also closes at lunch time.

Meanwhile, here’s my Saturday breakfast #2 :

For less than 10 ringgit, I savored these delightful dim sums plus another cup of hot coffee! Oh yes, like my wife, I’m addicted to caffeine! I didn’t finish all the dim sums though, so I had a few of them as takeaway and purchased some more for Tina and Gabby.

The dim sums I bought as takeaway for my wife and kid included Hong Kong Chee Chong Fun. We used to eat it in Manila when we go to our favorite Chinese food kiosk selling Shrimp Cheong Fan. This one had Char Siew Chicken and generous shrimps as filling; wrapped and topped with roasted garlic. Served with chilli sauce and soy sauce. Yummy!

Before the clock hits 11 in the moring, I’m already home. With so much excitement, I showed Tina my photos and told her how interesting the market at Chowrasta and Kuala Kangsar Roads is!

Truly, one may learn a lot about the lifestyle, culture and people of one’s place by a simple stroll in its public market. Pasar, mercado, palengke or market absolutely defines a community!

I dare say one has never been to George Town, Penang without exploring her public market, particularly this in Jalan Chowrasta and Jalan Kuala Kangsar.

I shall come back!

Mar

OUR FAMILY WEEKEND INDULGENCE AT EASTIN HOTEL PENANG

By docgelo 12 Comments

Categories: FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO, MALAYSIA and TRAVEL
Tags: bayan lepas, blog review, buffet, buffets in malaysia, buffets in penang, crab tempura, doc gelo, docgelo, eastin, eastin deluxe, eastin deluxe suite, eastin hotel, eastin hotel penang, Eat all you can, Eat all you want, ebi tempura, expat, expatriate in malaysia, expatriate in penang, family, family blog, food, food blog, foodie, halal food, hi tea, high tea, hotel accomodation, hotel buffets, hotels in penang, hotels in penang malaysia, hotels in penang near the airport, Japanese food, kani tempura, Life, lifestyle, lifestyle blog, lifestyle blogger, malaysia, malls in penang, must eat in penang, must see in penang malaysia, okonomiyaki, penang, prawn tempura, queensbay mall, queensbay mall penang, review of eastin hotel, sashimi, seafood, soft shelled crab, staycation, suite, suite room, sukiyaki, sushi, swez brasserie, swez brasserie at eastin hotel penang, tea time, tempura, the lounge, TRAVEL, travel blog, travel blogger, travelling, vacation, weekend

A priceless scenic ocean view, a fantastic glimpse of Penang Bridge by the window and the warmest greetings on the nicest card welcomed my family and I last Saturday, 23rd March 2013, when we were invited to spend a usual weekend turned extraordinary one in Eastin Hotel Penang.

One of the sweetest greeting cards I’ve ever received.

Accessibility is one of the best selling points of Eastin Hotel Penang. Whether you are coming from Penang International Airport, Penang Mainland or Seberang Prai via the iconic Penang Bridge, or one of Malaysia’s World Heritage Sites, George Town, Eastin Hotel Penang is just located a few minutes away either by public and tourist buses, private cars or ferry. Best, the hotel’s a stone throw away from hawker food stalls where the foodie in you can sample cheap and authentic local dishes from Malay, Indian and Chinese cuisines (although you can also savor them from the hotel’s F&B outlets’ menu), and adjacently located with one of the island’s most visited and largest malls, Queensbay Mall!

With almost 3 years of working and living in Penang, it was only last weekend that we set foot in Eastin Hotel; I thought it was never too late to discover another gem in this side of Malaysia. We appreciate the invitation given by Eastin Hotel Penang for us to experience what makes them different and special from the rest.

From the hotel lobby, we were ushered by the most accomodating & friendliest staffs at the 11th floor and while on the lift, I had to ask them if all elevator units in the hotel are dimly lit. I got a positive response making me wish for a brighter lifts. Othe than that, excitement heightened.

It was a love at first sight!

We loved EASTIN DELUXE SUITE!!! Our 8-year-old-son, Gabby’s the happiest!

Jump for joy upon the sight of Eastin Deluxe Suite!

Now that blissful expression was taken before he opened the gifts from Eastin Hotel Penang. This defined how thoughtful and sweet the people behind this hotel are! Thank you very much!

First adjective that popped out upon the sight of our 56-square-meter, one bedroom suite : Minimalist.

First impression : Wow! (I wished I invented post-its! Running joke between Tina & I from the movie, Romy & Michelle High School Reunion, lol!) The room surely will appeal to businessmen and leisure travelers. But did it meet our family’s expectations? Read on.

While I do not deny the fact that seeing something whimsical or edgy is sometimes fascinating, having only what you need in the cleanest lines and tasteful interiors (without clutter and yes, without any plastic plants and floral curtains) is always fresh and rejuvenating.

We certainly had one of our restful sleeps in Eastin Deluxe Suite’s comfortable king-size-bed. I liked the bed so much however, I wished the pillows are a bit firmer. But Tina & Gabby had no qualms about the feathery pillows; it must be me! hahaha!

With free and fast wifi access, apparently, Eastin Deluxe Suite is perfect for businessmen, honeymooners, a bunch of friends and yes, even family with kids! It certainly provides no-frill-comfort and convenience.

The very spacious suite is equipped with a luxurious living area with a sofa that’s big enough to fit the hyperextended-me, a wardrobe that keeps a flat iron & an ironing board, a safe and a shoe rack; the room also has an LCD TV with cable channels (another unit is generously installed in the bedroom), and a complimentary bar.

The room’s huge enough to offer a separate powder room where Tina reigned for two days, a full length mirror, a toilet, shower & bath that’s even the most discerning ones would give a thumbs-up.

I didn’t feel short with the bath tub. The size of the tub effortlessly accomodated the 5’7 1/2″ in me (don’t forget the half inch in height! i reckon! lol); I had slept 30 minutes in the tub, almost fully soaked in lukewarm water. It was so relaxing it nearly melted all my worries away!

Go ahead, ask our son if he enjoyed the tub!

I also liked this little business corner at the living room. If only they have installed more than two sockets and a few more gadget plugs, it could’ve been better, nonetheless, it doesn’t disappoint.

Actually, the nook became more impressive at night when Gabby lorded it like a boss!

And just so you know, this one’s candid. Tee hee!

At few minutes past 5PM, we went to the lobby to meet again the Marketing & Communications people of Eastin Hotel Penang, Selene & Joanne. They exclusively toured my family and I for few minutes to some of Eastin Hotel Penang’s rooms and facilities. I must state, we enjoyed it as it doesn’t come on a daily basis!

Far from being boring, the hallways display vibrant visual attractions via abstract paintings that are continuously echoed in various rooms at Eastin Hotel Penang.

Our first stop : The Deluxe Rooms with Hillview (and the other Deluxe Room with Seaview). These well appointed rooms apparently were designed to provide both function and ease to either businessmen, leisure travelers or families. With such contemporary style and amenities, one’s definite of a comfortable and delightful stay.

Eastin Hotel Penang also has Friendly Suite Room, called as such because it’s built to cater to the needs of elderly and physically-challenged guests. Another room that’s remarkable with Eastin’s their Family Suite Room which at the time of our visit was occupied. Good to know, I told our hosts. Then there’s that Soho Duplex Room that has few similarities to Family Suite Room. Probably it’s unique in most, if not all premier hotels here in Penang. Let the succeeding photos defined how Soho Duplex Room looks like.

Beautiful, isn’t it? (My family and the Soho Duplex Room!)

Expectedly, Eastin Hotel Penang also has a fitness center, a spa (not in photo) and a swimming pool.

Located at the third level of the hotel, the swimming pool gives everyone a sweeping view of the skyline, roads leading to Penang International Airport and yes, Queensbay Mall! Did we take a dip? Negative. Not because we didn’t feel like it but Gabby preferred to savor our suite the next morning after the buffet breakfast; told you it was that relaxing! But the swimming pool looks really inviting!

Passing through hallways of Eastin Hotel Penang, we saw some guests interviewing applicants for jobs, proving that Eastin caters to businessmen and the like. We also peeked at its function rooms and ballrooms where special events and momentous occasions are usually celebrated.

After that brief hotel tour, we trooped to the Executive Lounge which is only accessible by hotel guests who upgrade their packages. With more soothing ambiance, wonderful view of the ocean, contemporary and minimalist interiors, and a shelf with reading materials from travel & fashion magazines to broadsheets can be savored over a free flowing cups of coffee or tea, sodas or wine and some cheese, English scones, sushi, bite-size pizza, cold cuts and more! Here’s a peek at our late afternoon tea time!

Yum, yum, yum!

The High Tea at the Executive Lounge is a great prelude to the delicious dinner buffet we had! Did I already mention that this spot also serves breakfast? Courteous & efficient staff, quick and attentive service. Delicious bites. Awesome, isn’t it?

No captions needed; the smiles said it all!

JAPANESE DINNER BUFFET @ SWEZ BRASSERIE, EASTIN HOTEL PENANG

One of the highlights of our staycation at Eastin Hotel Penang was the Japanese Dinner Buffet hosted by none other than, Swez Brasserie’s Senior Sous Chef, Daniel Tan. Chef Daniel heads the Swez Brasserie where he and his team offer a wide variety of international and local favorites. It was a pleasure meeting him as Gabby desires to become a chef someday. Talking to the main man responsible for the sumptuous spread was such a nice opportunity. While Tina and Gabby were busy filling their dinner plates, Chef Daniel casually informed me that everything in the buffet is Halal making me more impressed as I somehow knew how challenging Japanese cuisine to be done with no pork or its derivatives (Read : No Pork Tonkatsu!). I told Chef Daniel that despite I’m far from being a food critic and a no authority in Japanese cuisine, my palates have tasted authentic Japanese dishes during my 14-day-trip in Tokyo back in 2005. The dinner buffet, to simply put it, was satisfyingly good! My family and I were pleased with what he and his team prepared. Bravo, Chef Daniel!

Freshest sashimi! Yummy!!!

Sharkfin’s soup, sushi, sashimi and more!

How could you not be impressed with this Japanese themed eat-all-you-want dinner being offered every Saturdays in Swez Brasserie at Eastin Hotel Penang with OKONOMIYAKI (the so-called Japanese pizza), SOFT SHELLED CRABS that aren’t usual in other hotel buffets and so much more? Other than a variety of sushi and sashimi, they also have one of my ulitmate favorites, that sweet and salty beefy (they have chicken too) SUKIYAKI!!! Not to forget, Chef Daniel offered to do a platter of kani, ebi and veggie tempura for all of us after learning Gabby likes it!

Oishii!!!

Shameless display of one of my plates! Sukiyaki, Okonomiyaki, Unagi, Baked Oysters, Salmon, and those Skewered Grilled Beef – so tasteful and very tender!

Desserts were Japanese themed too! There were mochi and some jelly balls of some sorts! Interestingly good!

We didn’t miss the opportunity to have a photo-op with Chef Daniel, a couple of friendly staffs of Swez Brasserie and the ladies behind the MarCom of Eastin Hotel Penang, Selene and Joanne. Thank you so much!

THE LOBBY LOUNGE @ EASTIN HOTEL PENANG

Just when we thought the day was over, Selene and Joanne led us to the opposite end of the lobby where The Lobby Lounge is located. We met the manager of the bar, had some drinks from their menu (Mojito, Singapore Sling, Strawberry Ice Cream Blend and Kiwi mixed Shake), watched and met the Filipina singer after their set and absorbed all in and capped the night!

BREAKFAST BUFFET @ SWEZ BRASSERIE, EASTIN HOTEL PENANG

We woke up with excitement to sample the breakfast offering! Good Sunday morning, Eastin!

I was silently jumping for joy seeing two choices of congee (plain & seafood congee filled with shrimps and scallops) with several choices of toppings. Too perfect to warm my tummy!

Char siew pao, prawn dumplings, and other dim sums, beef bacon strips, (and another favorite of Tina and me; drum roll please) smoked salmon, assorted fresh fruit slices, strawberry and mixed berries yoghurt, DIY-salad were some of the offerings on the spread we enjoyed. Gabby had fresh juices while the coffee addicts in Tina and I were truly satisfied.

One of the best tasting Congee!

So many food, so little time!

HIGH TEA | SUNDAY LUNCH BUFFET @ SWEZ BRASSERIE, EASTIN HOTEL PENANG

Our overnight staycation at Eastin Hotel Penang was nothing but pleasant accomodation and nearly non-stop gastronomic feasts! What a blessing! Few hours after a very heavy breakfast came lunch time! The 3 of us avoided rice intentionally to sample a little bit of almost everything from the High Tea spread.

There were many local dishes featured in Swez Brasserie’s Sunday High Tea - Rendang, Curry, Nasi Lemak, Sotong & Udang Dishes, but my eyes were attracted to this Mixed Veggies while my palates loved their version of Chicken Satay that blended so well with its Peanut Sauce (some satay I’ve previously tasted had overpowering gingery taste; this one’s from Eastin tasted just fine). The Roasted Duck & Chicken were also must-sample! However, the Chicken Shawarma was a let down according to Tina.

Plates for the three of us-self-proclaimed foodies!

Bow!

The Children’s Corner at Swez Brasserie’s High Tea | Lunch Buffet last Sunday was something commendable! Our kiddo’s happy with the “treasures” he found on that spread!

Bubur Gandum (Wheat Sweet Porridge)-Malaysian equivalent to Philippine’s Guinataang Mais. LIKE!!!

I’m already so full but I wanted to sample their version of another popular Malaysian dessert – Ais Kacang (reminds me so much of the Filipino, Halo-halo). When I went to its station, the Assistant Sous Chef suggested to his junior to make a colorful Ais Kacang, something that will look extra pleasing to the cam. As per his instruction, my bowl of Ais Kacang was made of all the sweet ingredients on the table, and instead of having them under the dome of shaved ice, mine had everything as toppings! Beautiful!

Tina and I ended our unforgettable digestive feasts with a cup of coffee but I made mine more sinful. I tried to marry the coffee and ice cream stations and made an affogato instead of the usual dose of caffeine!

The people of Eastin Hotel were super generous, they even allowed us to avail of a late-check-out at 2PM!

Despite our very short stay at Eastin Hotel Penang, our family felt so at ease with their hospitable and courteous service, comfortable and spacious room, guest-friendly amenities and very wide variety of delicious treats! Who says Eastin Hotel Penang is only for businessmen? It’s so family-friendly too!

Thank you very much, Eastin Hotel Penang!

We’re more than grateful with the experience!

My family and I can proudly say that we highly recommend Eastin Hotel Penang!

EASTIN HOTEL PENANG | 1 Solok Bayan Indah, Queensbay 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia | www.eastinhotel-penang.com

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*While this is a sponsored post, all words and opinions on this blog aren’t influenced and remain 100% my own.

Special thanks goes to Criz Lai of www.crizfood.com

Mar

TORBRECK VERTICAL WINE DINNER AT MACALISTER MANSION, PENANG

By docgelo 12 Comments

My entire experience that evening at the Macalister Mansion, Penang could be summarized into one word. Engaging. The evening was defined not only by epicurean indulgence and luxurious wines but casual and fun interactions with fascinating people who became an instant personal inspiration.

I was honored and pleased to be invited as the only blogger by the sophisticated and incredibly charming lifestyle destination in George Town, Penang, the Macalister Mansion. The event’s invitation came perfect to end a tiring week at work, as receiving it on a Friday afternoon surprisingly made me look forward to a Monday! How often do you wish for Monday to come soon? Despite the short notice, I gave it a nod with a bright green light; it was that irresistible! Anticipating for Monday had never been that thrilling!

The Torbreck Vertical Wine Dinner last 18th March 2013 was hosted by one of the finest exports from Australia, Torbreck Wines and Macalister Mansion, the newest boutique hotel in Pulau Pinang that’s intricately restored to maintain its rich heritage of being an English Mansion, fused with contemporary designs that transformed it into a stylish food & beverage outlets within an 8-room-hotel.

If you must know, back in the last month of 2012, my family and I initially fell in love with Macalister Mansion and chose it to be the venue where our family portraits were taken (blog posts here & here). Not long after, it felt so special just to experience this tasteful elegance again.

First priority when I arrived at Macalister Mansion that Monday night : to know where to go and who to go with. I was told the guests were having cocktails at the Bagan Bar.

Amidst sleek interiors and low lights, it didn’t take a minute for me to recognize few familiar faces -there’s a chef from Czech Republic whom my family and I met recently. I was so flattered while he was showing my blog via his iphone to his friends (what an introduction!), and of course, I was glad to see again the one who did our family portraits last year whom I considered as one of the most brilliant young Malaysian photographers in Penang, Sunny Tan! He generously shared one of his precious captures that night; Thank you, Sunny!

*With Director & Owners of Macalister Mansion, Dato’ Sean H’ng (far left) and his wife, Datin Karen H’ng. With us is Australian Export Director of Torbreck Wines, Andrew Tierney. Photo taken by by Sunny Tan.

After those Bagan Bar-moments, everyone was ushered to Macalister Mansion’s Dining Room.

Its immaculate and almost poetic interiors is an absolute visual treat! It’s stunningly beautiful!

It wasn’t my first time to see the Dining Room but it was difficult not to marvel in awe once more! Unbelievably, such quaint place exists in Penang!

*The fantastic dinner was opened by AsiaEuro Regional Sales Manager, William Chong and brief but interesting talk about Torbreck Wines and its history was done by Andrew Tierney; both sat on the same table I was assigned.

The 6 Torbreck wines. The 6 gourmet courses creatively prepared by Macalister Mansion’s very own, Chef Lance. The new friends I’ve met. The fun filled talks about wines, food, travels and whatnot in my table. Every minute, delightful!

*Amuse Bouche paired with Torbreck Woodcutter’s Semillon 2010.

What a crisp and refreshing start! I was in Nirvana in a heart beat!

*Bergamot Smoked Salmon, Beetroot Dye, Thai Cucumber Pickle, Avruga Caviar & Olive Soil paired with Torbreck Woodcutter’s Semillon 2010.

Given the fact that I’m a huge fanatic of anything-salmon, plus this appetizer was prepared smoked, and wrapped with thin strips of pickled cucumber; I almost forgot my name, baby! Then it was paired with the very fruity and subtle Torbreck Woodcutter’s Semillon 2010. A match made in heaven!

*Know more about Australia’s Torbreck Wines via www.torbreck.com.

Wine and food pairing was brought to a higher level when the next plate was served. Drum roll, please!

*Torchon of Foie Gras, Crumble, Gastrique Pearls paired with Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles 2011.

This plate of foie gras was too gorgeous to eat, it took me several minutes after staring aimlessly, to start savoring its rich flavor. Beautiful!

Perhaps, the only little disappointment on the menu according to my palates was THIS.

*Veloute of Spinach Soup, Hay Smoked Black Lip Mussel, Creme Fraiche, Pommes Brunoise and White Truffle Oil paired with Torbreck Cuvee Jeveniles 2011.

So much drama was put to the presentation of this seafood-spinach soup but unfortunately, fell flat on my tastebuds. I’m not that familiar with French cuisine and I truly appreciated Chef Lance’s efforts but I can only imagine if instead of spinach, a creamy and velvety pumpkin soup was poured on my bowl instead. Or probably, I’m just partial to my wishful thinking.

The time to cleanse the palate came.

*Sorbet. We’re guessing that night if it’s cranberry. One can tell easily.

Have I told you the service at the Macalister Mansion’s impeccable? The multicultural wait staff had a ready smile that night; everyone’s quick and efficient. Good job! After finishing my sorbet, I was asked by one of them of the main dish I prefer. It was choice between :

*Pan Seared Halibut, Savoy Cabbage, Gold Miso and Cauliflower Floret.

and

*Chargrilled Wagyu Oyster Blade, Creme Fraiche Polenta, Carrot Puree, Grilled Cauliflower and Perigueux Syrup.

I had the beef instead of the fish not because the former’s better than the latter; as a matter of fact, guests were raving for the fish plate! However, I had a nice salmon-appetizer already, so I thought it’s but logical to try the meat dish which, in my opinion complemented the Torbreck wines effortlessly! Tender, nicely grilled, flavorful Wagyu. I loved it!

Torbreck ‘The Struie’ 2010.

Torbreck Descendant 2008.

Torbreck Run Rig 2007.

I’m no wine connoisseur but I know my palates so well. Between Torbreck ‘The Struie’ 2010 and Torbreck Descendant 2008 which are Shiraz, I like the Descendant more. While Torbreck Run Rig, despite it’s only 6 years to date and a suggestion to the wine maker, Andrew was raised by my tablemates, that with 2 more years, Run Rig will be so much better tasting, it’s the most aromatic and dense among the wines served that night.

Great food, vivid wines, wonderful ambience, commendable service and most specially, fascinating people. Excellent combination.

*Torbreck Run Rig 2007.

Just when I thought I might be feel alienated by going to this event solo, serendipitously, I was assigned to sit beside this pleasant German lady, Evelyn.

“I’m sorry, Gelo but WHAT IS A BLOG?” Evelyn asked me. Then she burst into infectious laughter and from then on the great food, vivid wines, wonderful ambience, commendable service and most specially, fascinating people, those excellent combination was made livelier with my fun-filled chat with Evelyn.

Who would have thought that I’d meet a German woman who came with her equally friendly husband, Klaus, who’d tell me that they lived in my country, the Philippines for 8 years since 1963? Evelyn spoke how she and Klaus miss their lives in the Philippines. In between Torbreck wines and Chef Lance’s masterpiece plates, I’ve listened to Evelyn when she shared a bit of their interesting stories about Martial Law in my country duing those times, and on a lighter note, they professed how they miss Philippine mangoes and pineapples and how they enjoyed their home in San Lorenzo Village in Makati and their holidays in Cebu. Who would have thought that two souls from this awesome event could speak so much about the country where I am from? Amazing!

Must have desserts.
Ladies and gentlemen, here’s the most uniquely delicious jam I’ve tasted. No, it’s not Durian!

*Brie, Jackfruit Jam and Sable Breton.

Don’t be fooled with the simplicity of the plate. The tug of war between the saltiness of the cheese with that sublime sweetness of Jackfruit jam was one of the many reasons why this event’s memorable!

While I enjoyed Brie, Jackfruit Jam and Sable Breton, the next dessert plate was even better!

*Salted Caramel Ice Cream, Bitter Chocolate Ganache and Praline paired with Torbreck ‘The Bothie’ 2011.

The sweet and chilled, bitter and salted and textured flavors simply overwhelmed my palates. I loved it!!!

*Petit Four.

Simple and sweet ending that brought me back to my senses. I wasn’t in heaven, yet. Not yet.

*Special thanks to Macalister Mansion for the invitation. I am eternally grateful.

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Macalister Mansion

228 Macalister Road, 10400 Penang, Malaysia | website : www.macalistermansion.com

>><<

Mar

MORE THAN A PLATEFUL OF CHAR KOAY TEOW

By docgelo 16 Comments

As life has been teaching me, inspiration and motivation usually spring not (only) from those famous and authoritative people but (even) from those ordinary individuals with outstanding or at least, remarkable characters. It also holds true when it comes to my perception about places. I try my best not to underestimate places that look modest and cheap as it may be rewarding than expected.

Case in point, this hawker stall in front of a common-looking-eatery in Penang called, Kafe Heng Huat located at Lorong Selamat, one of the laterals of Jalan Macalister in George Town, Penang. If you must know, every hawker stall in this part of Southeast Asia appears almost the same. Apparently, they differ in the goods they offer. It turned out that my initial sampling of my ultimate favorite Malaysian dish, Char Koay Teow from Kafe Heng Huat didn’t only sustain me and satisfied my craving for that noodle dish but taught me some essential that money certainly can’t buy.

PASSION. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I personally saw untiring love for what she does that ~~probably~~ clearly makes every plate of CKT she prepares arguably the BEST in the entire Pulau Pinang.

Meet Soon Chuan Choo that according to the broadsheet article posted on the wall of this restaurant, has been cooking CKT for 45 years (the feature in Bangkok newspaper written in English was dated 2012). For someone who continuously does the same routine on a daily basis over those decades without boredom and fatigue, it must because of pure passion and love for it.

Penang, you’re very luck to have Aunty Soon Chuan Choo! She must be a living Heritage for cooking this Malaysian noodle dish for more than 4 decades and counting!

Look at my lunch freshly cooked as per order. Take note of the size of those prawns! A plateful of CKT from Aunty Soon is definitely worth it at 10 ringgit!

Because every plate is only prepared upon order, it took around 10 minutes of waiting before I savored this version of CKT recommended to me by Malaysian-blogger and friend, Emily of www.millymin.com and incidentally, by our colleague and friend who’s now back in the Philippines with his family, Doc Noel. According to his previous observations that he shared on the comment-thread of my CKT-photo on fb, he remembers this lady to be somewhat in unpleasant mood while cooking; perhaps, because she doesn’t want to be disturbed of the long queue with many orders; she remains so focused on cooking Char Koay Teow then and now. Aunty Soon may not offer anyone a smile and obviously has an attitude towards work but that’s how she delivers a perfect plate. If people go to Kafe Heng Huat for her Char Koay Teow over the past 4 decades, I think it confirms that she’s doing it right.

The view from where I sat. Packed with hungry diners, mostly locals who know what’s best in their area.

Waiting wasn’t an issue to me as I saw this signage when I went to my table.

So I gave in and ordered one of Malaysian popular desserts.

At only around 3 ringgit, I managed to go against the scorching sunny weather with Ais Kacang (pronounced as ice ka-chang) which is made of finely shaved ice, milk, sweet corn, jelly strips, nata de coco and red beans topped with a scoop of ice cream. Sedap! Sarap! Reminds me of our very own smilar dessert in the Philippines, Halo-halo. So perfect for summer!

In my 3 years of working in Penang, I oftenly go to Gurney Drive when I crave for a tasteful Char Koay Teow. Here’s a capture of that CKT :

But suggestions from friends proved that there are other far better options. This Malaysian dish of fried flat noodles, mixed with chili sauce, tofu, egg, sprouts, cockles, Chinese chorizo or pork sausage and larger prawns can give that CKT from the hawker stall in Gurney Drive a tough competition on my list.

It was a pleasure eating Aunty Soon’s specialty :

Edited : Doc Noel added on his comment on fb that Aunty Soon was noted to be strict on schedule, as he saw a nice family with kids came 5 minutes past closing time, and Aunty did not give in. I understand her being strict but a little consideration and a smile would not hurt.

Somehow, I see myself in Aunty Soon’s character. People easily judged me to have an attitude, ridiculously an anti-social but that’s how they define not my character but theirs. Like her, I am also particular with schedules, I rarely come late on appointments as I value time and punctuality. I am strict and stick with rules particularly my own. I always try to give everything in what I do.

For as long as we’re here in Penang, I’ll surely return to Kafe Heng Huat for another serving of Aunty Soon’s Char Koay Teow. Each plate is inspiring!

>><<

*This post with all of its photos is my entry to Weekly Photo Challenge : Lunchtime

Mar

2013 MINISTRY OF TOURISM MALAYSIA BEST EXPAT BLOG AWARD!

By docgelo 32 Comments

2013 March 6th, Wednesday.

2013 Malaysia International Tourism Conference & Blog Awards | MITBCA

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

Beyond Toxicity @ docgelo.com is named

2013 Best Expat-Malaysia-My-Second-Home-Blog Award Winner!

Awarding the trophy was the honorable Tourism Malaysia Minister Dato’ Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen

The scene was surreal. Almost deja vu of what happened last year…

2012 MITBCA blog post HERE!!!

It’s truly an honor to receive another recognition for this personal passion, particularly of which 80% came from public voting. I cannot be grateful enough to all those who follow and read this site since I started this virtual home back in 2007 in the Philippines, to those who remain loyal readers and commenters after we have moved to Penang, Malaysia to work and of course, thank you to those who voted for my blog to win last year and this year’s MITBCA! Your support is absolutely priceless!

Terima Kasih to Ministry of Tourism Malaysia and all the people behind MITBCA for appreciating and lifting the spirits of movers of Tourism and bloggers in Malaysia in general. Awards like this is certainly inspiring and motivating! Maraming Salamat po at Mabuhay po kayo!

Similar to last year’s event, MITBCA offered two-day-bloggers conference for free, but because I chose to limit my absences from work in Penang, I decided to attend the awards night and skipped the meeting of the like-minds and international movers in social media including a bunch of fellow Filipino bloggers. That was a wrong move from me. I could’ve learned so much from them but to regret is futile. Nonetheless, I met them in the Gala Dinner & Awards Night that was far better than last year’s. Proof that collective efforts have been put just to nail this year’s success of MITBCA! Kudos to everyone involved! The ceremony was nothing short of fantastic!

The venue was bigger and more sophisticated. The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, no less!

I arrived of course, with TEAM DOCGELO; who else but my loving wife, Tina & our bundle of joy and pride, Gabby!

We’re so happy to meet again Ms. Emila Yusof of emilayusof.com, two-time-winner of Best Tourism Lifestyle Blog Award from MITBCA and who happens to be the Malaysian Illustrator and Children’s Book Author who custom-made my very own blog header! I am one of his huge fans and she remains an inspiration!

After the cocktail, came the Gala Dinner & Awards Night proper. The mood inside the venue was festive!

The view from where we sat.

Drum roll, please! Let the show begin!

The honorable people behind the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Social Media Chamber and MITBCA shared engaging and powerful words about the reasons of our gathering.

Beautiful and talented Malaysian performers lorded the stage!

While local entertainers were doing their great parts on stage, we were busy dunking our forks and scooping our spoons to the delightful dinner they prepared. There were visual and gastronomic treats! It was a complete sensory feast!

Speakers in the Bloggers’ Conference were awarded by plaques; I wished I captured them all.
Here’s Malaysian Celebrity Chef (second from left of the photo below), Nik Michael Imran…

And the speakers from where I came from, the Philippines! Here’s Vince Golangco (second from left on the photo below) of www.wheninmanila.com.

Blogie Robillo (second from left of the photo below) of www.robilloblog.com

Tonyo Cruz (second from left of the photo below) of tonyocruz.com

It was flattering when one of my fellow Filipino Bloggers shouted, MABUHAY! when my name was called as one of the winners, even overwhelming when Tonyo Cruz himself, told me, “kinikilabutan kami to see someone in Barong on stage” (kindly seek Google Translate, thank you!)

Blogger-winners included Best Tourism Travel Blogger, Squall Chin of www.wretch.cc/blog/squallczk whom I first met in Singapore Blog Awards last 2012.

And again, Ms. Emila Yusof of emilayusof.com, winner once more of Best Tourism Lifestyle Blog Award. Bravo!

For complete list of winners, visit www.mitbca.com.

More than the awards and recognition, I thank the Lord for my loving and supportive family!

They’re my LIFE! I love you, honey! I love you, Gabby!

After the wonderful awards night, we walked a few steps to pay homage again to Malaysia’s magnificence, what else but the Petronas Twin Towers. En route, we dropped by Aquaria…

And just before midnight, our eyes set on those incredibly stunning twins again!

Malaysia, Thank you very much for everything!

To God be the Glory!

>><<

Feb

CHASING LIONS & DRAGONS IN GEORGE TOWN, PENANG 2013

By docgelo 10 Comments

Categories: ILOVEPHOTOS, MALAYSIA and TRAVEL
Tags: backpackers' paradise, celebration, celebrations in malaysia, chinahouse, chinahouse penang, chinese arts, chinese drum performance, chinese god of wealth, chinese heritage, chinese new year, chinese new year 2013, clay molding, cny, cultural and heritage chinese new year celebration penang, culture, doc gelo, docgelo, dragon dance, drums, expatriate in malaysia, expats in malaysia, family, festivals, fun, george town penang, heritage, heritage trail penang malaysia, life in malaysia, lifestyle, lifestyle blogger, lion dance, malaysia, murals, must do in george town penang, must do in malaysia, must see in penang, must visit in george town penang, ofw, ofw in penang, penang, penang malaysia, prosperity, southeast asia, street arts, street arts in george town penang, street photography, TRAVEL, travel blog, travel blogger, trishaw, year of the snake

If I have to narrow down the reasons to be thankful, for living and working in Penang for almost 3 years now, being personally exposed and immersed to diversities in this UNESCO’s World Heritage Site will absolutely be on the top of my list. It’s always amazing how spending few hours in this quaint area of Pulau Pinang, either in an ordinary sunny day or during a very auspicious occasion, can be utterly enriching! Every experience exceeds expectation. Each visit has been a sensory feast! And this year’s Chinese New Year Cultural and Heritage Celebration in George Town, Penang wasn’t an exception!

*The tremedously beautiful, Khoo Kongsi is one of the clan houses in George Town worthy of visit.

I’m sure my wife, Tina (who had to stay again in our apartment during our visit for CNY to the island, for her to do the usual chores and get enough weekend rest), is also grateful for the countless times that our 8-year-old-son, Gabby has been discovering Malaysian tradition and cultures beyond books.

*Street art @ Armenian Street and the rest of GT rocks!

How could you not enjoy entering an art gallery for FREE?

*Metal sculptures Gabby and I really liked.

*Sitting on a trishaw, like a boss!

Because I knew our afternoon will be packed, a bladder break was a must! So before we continued our CNY-merriment in the streets, I invited Gabby to walk towards Chinahouse restaurant just to have a decent minutes in toilet.

The streets of George Town were filled with murals and new steel-rod- art installations that are great addition to the existing ones. Those whimsical caricatures on most walls mention a bit of something from this town’s past and present lifestyles and whatnot. It’s certainly a refreshing and innovative approach in bringing art, history and culture readily accessible to both local and foreign tourists. They easily appeal even to kids like Gabby!

*Our very own wandering wonder boy!

*Theater was brought again in the streets! Bravo!

*Talents and skills were overwhelming!

On the spot demonstrations of Chinese arts of sculpting, painting, weaving and even clay-molding were definitely crowd-drawing!

*Gabby and I loved those clay masterpieces! And you?

Needless to say, it was effortless for me to further enhance our son’s appreciation to the arts and someone else’s culture and tradition and more so, the need to value and constantly hone one’s skills and talents for self-improvement, forever and ever, Amen! LOL!

*Infectious smiles!

How often do you see a volume of men dressed as Chinese God of Wealth?

*What a sweet welcome to the year of the snake!
Regardless of our ethnicity and belief, we all wish this year to be more prosperous one!

*Rub those golden nuggets, Gabby! And our kid didn’t forget to get some candies!

No CNY celebration would be complete in any Chinatown without those traditional dragon and lion dances. And this year, Gabby and I were happy to witness an incredibly different performances in Kapitan Keling Mosque street.

It was a pleasure watching the performers from the time they prepared their acts, even happier of the fact that we savored everything in a very strategic spot. Despite my captures were so amateurish, the event was so momentous!

Vibrant colors, dynamic and synchronized moves are common to dragon and lion dances, but performing them on top of stilts or tables (one group had steel tables, the other was more daring dancing on wooden ones) made it more thrilling to watch!

I wish I had better shots! Everything was so awesome!

Can anyone confirm if these yellow and colorful creatures are what they called, Pi Xiu? Excitement heightened with their performance!

Enter the Dragonsssssssssssss!

*Twice the fortune, double the fun!

Photographers and other people with camera (like me!) tried to obstruct our best view of the event, thus I had more difficulty in documenting the scenes. I cannot blame them, it was really exciting!

*Culture in motion!

Happy to take this shot….

*Fantastic!

The celebration continued with a 68-drum-performance from an all-girl-group! Amazing!

*By their stance and synchronicity, you can tell that these are not your ordinary girls!

They’re beaming with passion!

Definitely stunning!

“Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!”

I kept on shouting with the crowd behind us and for a while, Gabby kept clapping his hands too! It was truly an outstanding performance!

No matter how imperfect the photo was and the dusk was upon us, I just had to snap my camera with one of those wonderful drummers and Gabby.

*Gabby’s ear-to-ear smile says it all!

And just before we thought we’ve seen everything, a live performance of Chinese Opera was on stage along Chulia Street.

Because the roads in these areas were temporarily closed to traffic, public buses and cars were rerouted making us walk and enjoyed some more minutes in George Town. Our feet brought us to Chinahouse again and this time not only to void but to grab some bites before hopping on the ferry and bus to go home to Butterworth.

*Chinahouse’s Tiramisu which has been a personal favorite plus Gabby’s choice of Chocolate Cake and tic tac toe really made sense!

It was another happy day in George Town! We cannot be grateful enough!

How was your Chinese New Year celebration?

>><<

Feb

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE : FORWARD

By docgelo 21 Comments

*Must step FORWARD to usher a more prosperous Chinese New Year!

Here’s a teaser to my next blog post about the very festive Cultural and Heritage Chinese New Year Celebration in George Town, Penang. More photos and blog post soon! This also serves as my entry to the Weekly Photo Challenge : Forward

Jan

OUR 9TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

By docgelo 28 Comments

Categories: EVENTS and FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO
Tags: celebration, doc gelo, docgelo, expatriate, expats, family, family photos, filipinos in malaysia, love, love for family, malaysia, penang malaysia, photos, wedding anniversary

8th January 2013.

Tuesday.

Cristina and I are not celebrating our 9th Wedding Anniversary with wine and sweet words

but simply with Gabby and togetherness.

Happy 9th Anniversary, ’ney! I love you and Gabby!

Family_041

*All photos on this post were taken by ace Malaysian photographer, Sunny Tan at the Macalister Mansion, George Town, Penang, Malaysia last December 1st, 2012. Tina, Gabby and I commissioned the ever easy-to-work-with & friendly, Sunny to do our portraits and we’re so grateful for his expertise. Thank you very much, Sunny!

Visit Sunny Tan’s websites at www.sunnysan.com | Happy Family By Sunnysan | sunnysanphotography .

*Our wedding photos, love story, etcetera, etcetera, click HERE!

>><<

Jan

‘TWAS THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS 2012

By docgelo 19 Comments

Categories: FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO, FOOD & MORE FOOD!, ILOVEPHOTOS, MALAYSIA and TRAVEL
Tags: 2012, bukit bintang kuala lumpur, bukit nanas, catholic church in kuala lumpur, catholic church in malaysia, christmas, christmas 2012, christmas decors, christmas lantern, christmas tree, cocktails, doc gelo, docgelo, expat, expatriate in malaysia, family and living, family blog, family geteaway, feast village, feast village in starhill gallery, food blog, food blogger, foodie, holiday, indian food, jw mariott hotel kuala lumpur, kuala lumpur malaysia, lifestyle, lifestyle blog, malaysia, malls in kuala lumpur, malls in malaysia, mojito, must see places in malaysia, must visit in kuala lumpur, ocw, ocw in malaysia, ofw, ofw in malaysia, parol, pavilion mall, pucca, sangeetha, st john cathedral kuala lumpur, starhill gallery, tourism malaysia, travel blog, travel blog malaysia, travel blogger, village bar, yuletide

Christmas 2012 Blog Series includes :

>><<

Happy 2013! I hope everyone had a blast in your holiday celebrations as much as we did. I just came home last December 30th from my very first (hopefully not the last as per permission from Tina) solo backpacking trip in Chiang Mai and enjoyed 4D3N of awesome Thai-adventure! But prior to that, my family and I left our work and current home base in Penang and went to Kuala Lumpur from December 22nd-25th, last year (still feel quite weird saying that “last year” phrase!).

24 December 2012. Leboh Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. Immediately after we checked out from our budget hotel accomodation in Hotel 1915 and left our luggage and bags in its concierge, we strolled our way to a nearby Gereja Katolik (Bahasa Malaysia for Catholic Church) called St. John Cathedral located approximately 5 minute-walk from Leboh Ampang or the so-called, Little India in KL and around 10-15 minute-walk from Masjid Jamek LRT station. I learned about St. John Cathedral via what else but googling and thankfully, it’s located so close to where we stayed for our first 2 nights.

Despite there was no scheduled Holy Mass that high noon, we entered the church, said our prayers and words of gratitude. There was an atmosphere of Christmas-in-the-Philippines somehow in this part of Malaysia with the sight of parol at the facade (Christmas lantern that symbolizes the star in Bethlehem that guided the wise men and shepherds to the Infant Jesus) and a belen or a Nativity scene beside the main altar.

St John Cathedral | No. 5 Jalan Bukit Nanas 50250 Kuala Lumpur | www.stjohnkl.net

Then we headed back to Leboh Ampang for that necessary lunch. We were thinking of getting our bags first from Hotel 1915 and tranfer to JW Mariott where we decided to spend our Christmas eve but we opted to fill in our almost empty tummies before anything else. Glad it was on the top of our priorities; Abraham Maslow would agree!

Another happy problem rose and that was where to eat? The area boasts of common fastfood joints -from McDonald’s, Burger King and Chatime and some local restaurants and hawker food stalls. It wasn’t difficult for Tina and I to convince Gabby for us to have an Indian-Malaysian lunch because our wonder boy himself loves to put his hand on some Cheese Naan and dips it to dahl or some spicy sauce before savoring it in his discriminating mouth. Soon enough, we found ourselves seated inside the airconditioned Indian Restaurant in Leboh Ampang called Sangeetha.

Lunch @ Sangeetha, an Indian Vegetarian Restaurant

Seriously checking the menu…

Tina and Gabby had baskets filled with Cheese and Garlic Naan with cheesy dip for their light lunch. It’s a family favorite!

While the big-eater-in-me sampled one of the restaurant’s most frequently ordered items from their menu. It’s called Sangeetha Special Thali and this is how lovely it looks like :

Sangeetha Restaurant is a vegetarian restaurant so it offers less guilt on the diet (for those diet-consicous).

Sangeetha Special Thali was served beautifully first with vegetarian-orange-colored soup that’s thick and hot and flavorful! Then it came with a visually stunning set of cup of rice, a piece of chapathi, papadom and dried salty chili. Those carbo-rich items placed at the center of the entire set were complemented by Indian saucy dishes- kootu, potato masala, rassam, veggies that reminded me of lumpia, dahl, yoghurt and sweet and yellow dessert. A scoop of berry-flavored ice cream was also served as part of that Sangeetha Special Thali set. And did I tell you already that those dishes and even the rice were refillable? I didn’t challenge my appetite to ask for another serving. Everything was satisfyingly good and I highly recommend it when you find yourself in this part of KL but my palates are still biased with Restoran Kapitan in the heart of Lebuh Chulia in Pulau Pinang.

Detail shot of that impressive Sangeetha Special Thali…

Then we became busier of course! Nom nom nom…

Smiling while something is in your mouth wasn’t easy, lol

Done with lunch!

We collected our luggage and bags from Hotel 1915, hailed a cab (we could’ve taken the LRT as we used to when we were there if not for our heavy loads) and trooped to Bukit Bintang.

Checking in at JW Mariott was a breeze. Detailed review of our stay deserves a separate blog post.

After quick freshening up, I was excited to bring my family to Feast Village at the basement of Starhill Gallery which is located exactly adjacent to JW Mariott -we didn’t even have to go out of the building of the hotel (everything mentioned is owned by YTL).

When I was invited to an exclusive food-tasting-tour last November, Feast Village at Starhill Gallery generously gave me a 100-ringgit-voucher to be spent either at Fisherman’s Cove or Village Bar.

Look at how Gabby’s amazed with the live lobsters and fish-ready-to-be-cooked-upon-order at Firsherman’s Cove.

Tina and I must bring this kid to a bigger aquarium when we get a chance. He’s so fascinated with Science as he gets a load of info not only from his school but from watching NatGeo Wild on TV.

A decision was made by the two. We sampled Village Bar for free and passed up Fisherman’s Cove.

ANS_3952

Once again, I was in awe with this ultimately quaint bar located at the basement of Starhill Gallery. I’m glad my family loved it too! We all admire those vibrantly colored and fascinating lamps; Tina and I wished that we would have a lanai one day with all of them dropping from our very own ceiling. Lovely, isn’t it?

With a 100-ringgit-free-voucher at hand, we ordered Mojito, Cosmopolitan and Vanilla Madagascar from a Filipino bar tender in Village Bar. I had the Mojito, Cosmopolitan for Tina and of course, Vanilla Madagascar which is non-alcoholic for our kiddo. A serving of assorted nuts was offered free.

I like these next shots. Look how Gabby enjoyed his drink from Village Bar…

Blurry, I know but I love this photo taken at the mall in Starhill Gallery. It certainly spells the holiday we savored!

After those drinks at Village Bar in Feast Village, we went to Pavilion Mall which is located just across Starhill Gallery and Mariott. It was a fine afternoon filled with Christmas spirit and a very blissful atmosphere amidst the holiday rush.

Festive mood in front of Starhill Gallery and JW Mariott Hotel…

Crossed the street to Pavilion Mall and we’re greeted with more gold, green and red colors of the season…

In my opinion, Pavilion’s holiday decors and ornaments topped that of Suria-KLCC-Shopping Complex’s this year. Pavilion’s nothing but magnificent! One Christmas tree was absolutely not enough! lol

We had no game plan in mind but to buy something for our Noche Buena that we planned to celebrate inside our room and for Gabby to buy a Lego toy. Inside Parkson’s Department Store, Tina’s excitement was so apparent after seeing Pucca dolls. I was somewhat left out because I don’t know anything about Pucca! I did nothing but to capture the moment! …Picture!

We grabbed what we wanted for our Christmas Eve dinner from Mercato grocery and Lavander Bake Shop inside Pavilion and went out of the said mall. It was already dusk and Jalan Bukit Bintang was indeed living up to its name (Bukit Bintang means star hill); everything was lit up! Bikit Bintang was screaming Christmas!!!

It was a lovely night for my family. Will definitely share what we think of JW Mariott, what it needs to improve and provide to clients, our Noche Buena and Media Noche soon on the concluding post of this Christmas 2012 Blog Series.

From my family to yours, Happy 2013, everyone and may we all have a healthier, happier new year!

Cheers to more family bonding, food and fun adventures!

>><<

Dec

THE 2012 OF BEYOND TOXICITY @ DOCGELO.COM

By docgelo 27 Comments

Categories: EVENTS, FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO, FOOD & MORE FOOD!, HEADLINES, HONG KONG, ILOVEPHOTOS, MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE, THAILAND and TRAVEL
Tags: 2012, amari watergate hotel bangkok, asian food, bangkok, best bars in kuala lumpur, best bars in malaysia, blessings, blog review, blogger, blogging, challenges, chatuchak bangkok, chatuchak market bangkok, christmas, counting blessings, disneyland, doc gelo, docgelo, expat blog, expat life, expatriate in malaysia, expatriate in penang, feast village, festivities, filipino abroad, food, food blog, food blogger, foodie, grand palace bangkok, hilton hotel, hilton hotel kuala lumpur, holidays, Hong Kong Disneyland, hongkong disneyland, hotels in bangkok, hotels in malaysia, hotels in penang, japanese, Japanese food, johor bahru, Legoland, Legoland Malaysia, Life, life abroad, lifestyle blog, malaysia, marina bay sands singapore, my 2012 in pictures, mystic place bangkok, mystic place rooms in bangkok, new year, overseas blogger, penang malaysia, postaday, reclining buddha in bangkok, sakae sushi, sentosa singapore, singapore, singapore travel blog, skybar, starhill gallery, starhill gallery kuala lumpur, starhill tea salon, sushi, thailand, traders hotel, traders hotel kuala lumpur, travel blog asia, travel blog bangkok, travel blog in asia, travel blog in southeast asia, travel blog malaysia, travel blog penang, travel blog singapore, traveling, travelling, tuk tuk, vacation, village bar, wat pho, weekly photo challenge, what to see in bangkok thailand, year ender, year ender review

THANK YOU, 2012!

It’s only mid-December and the BEST SEASON, the BEST CELEBRATIONS are yet to come.

Despite all problems, challenges and daily hassles, counting blessings makes life more meaningful.

Words are not enough to express my gratitude for everything that happened to this personal passion called blogging.

Allow me to press the replay button, and sentimentally share with you once more

the vibrant and happy colors that made our family’s 2012 a kaleidoscope!

>>><<<

May 2012 : BEST EXPAT BLOG AWARDS from MINISTRY OF TOURISM MALAYSIA

blog post : http://docgelo.com/2012/05/09/2012-ministry-of-tourism-malaysia-best-expat-blog/

January 2012 : BATU CAVES, KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA

blog post : http://docgelo.com/2012/01/27/caves-and-bears/

January 2012 : PETRONAS TWIN TOWERS SKYBRIDGE VISIT

blog post : http://docgelo.com/2012/01/21/our-fun-homage-to-malaysias-magnificence/

February 2012 : HONG KONG DISNEYLAND THEME PARK & HOTEL SPONSORED TRIP

blog posts :

http://docgelo.com/2012/02/23/our-hong-kong-disneyland-trip-2012-arrival-lunch/

http://docgelo.com/2012/02/27/our-hong-kong-disnyeland-trip-2012-spectacular-burst-of-colors/

http://docgelo.com/2012/03/01/our-hong-kong-disneyland-trip-2012-timeless-magic/

May 2012 : HAVING MY OWN DOMAIN + BLOG HEADER

blog post : http://docgelo.com/2012/05/25/happy-blogging/

May 2012 : AN INVITATION from @ SAKAE SUSHI, GEORGE TOWN, PENANG

blog post : http://docgelo.com/2012/05/28/love-affair-with-japanese-food-continues/

May 2012 : INVITATION to PENANG SPICE TRAIL from MINISTRY OF TOURISM MALAYSIA PENANG BRANCH

blog post : http://docgelo.com/2012/05/22/penang-spice-trail-enticing-sensory-experience/

June 2012 : SHOWCASING GEORGE TOWN, PENANG

June 2012 GT Penang

blog post : http://docgelo.com/2012/06/24/how-i-introduced-george-town-penang/

July 2012 : PHOTO PUBLISHED ON LONELY PLANET ASIA MAGAZINE

blog post : http://docgelo.com/2012/07/17/surreal/

July 2012 : INVITATION from SINGAPORE BLOG AWARDS | FAR EAST HOSPITALITY HOTELS -

OASIA HOTEL SPONSORED 3D2N ACCOMODATION

INVITATION from MARINA BAY SANDS SKYPARK | HARRY POTTER EXHIBITION -

ANDY WARHOL EXHIBITION

blog posts :

http://docgelo.com/2012/07/25/oasia-my-oasis-in-singapore-2012/

http://docgelo.com/2012/07/28/marina-bay-sands-my-awesome-experience/

http://docgelo.com/2012/08/08/infinite-dose-of-spring-gardens-by-the-bay/

http://docgelo.com/2012/08/05/singapore-on-greater-heights/

http://docgelo.com/2012/07/27/a-bloggers-weekend-in-singapore-lah/

July 2012 : HARD ROCK HOTEL PENANG SPONSORED 3D2N ACCOMODATION

blog posts :

http://docgelo.com/2012/08/01/glorious-food-porn-hard-rock-hotel-penang/

http://docgelo.com/2012/07/31/our-rock-roll-family-weekend-hard-rock-hotel-penang/

August 2012 : BANGKOK, THAILAND

blog posts :

http://docgelo.com/2012/08/20/bangkok-series-2012-grand-palace/

http://docgelo.com/2012/09/01/bangkok-2012-series-golden-reclining-buddha/

http://docgelo.com/2012/08/23/bangkok-2012-series-we-highly-recommend-mystic-place/

http://docgelo.com/2012/08/25/bangkok-2012-series-chatuchak-weekend-market/

http://docgelo.com/2012/09/04/bangkok-2012-series-heichinrou/

http://docgelo.com/2012/08/28/bangkok-2012-series-penang-bangkok-penang-via-bus/

September 2012 : INVITATION from LEGOLAND MALAYSIA

blog post : http://docgelo.com/2012/09/22/our-legoland-malaysia-experience-2012/

September 2012 : SINGAPORE ONCE MORE WITH TINA & GABBY

blog post : http://docgelo.com/2012/09/29/a-saturday-in-singapore/

October 2012 : FINALIST in PHOTO CONTEST @ CHINAHOUSE,

GEORGE TOWN, PENANG, MALAYSIA

blog post : http://docgelo.com/2012/11/11/we-got-free-brunch-chinahouse/

November 2012 : EXCLUSIVE INVITATION to FOOD TASTING @ FEAST VILLAGE,

STARHILL GALLERY.

SKYBAR @ TRADERS HOTEL | CHYNNA @ HILTON HOTEL | 7ATENINE @ ASCOTT

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA

petronas twin towers ANS_1392

blog posts :

http://docgelo.com/2012/11/17/village-bar-an-underground-fantasy/

http://docgelo.com/2012/11/20/my-delicious-afternoon-at-feast-village-starhill-gallery/

http://docgelo.com/2012/11/14/intoxicating-views/

http://docgelo.com/2012/11/24/7atenine/

http://docgelo.com/2012/11/23/dining-chinese/

November 2012 : SPONSORED AIRLINE FOOD REVIEW

blog post : http://docgelo.com/2012/11/26/malaysian-dishes-on-air-an-airline-food-review/

December 2012 : PHOTOSHOOT for FAMILY PORTRAIT @ MACALISTER MANSION, PENANG

blog post : http://docgelo.com/2012/12/02/weekend-at-macalister-mansion/

We commissioned one of the brilliant Malaysian photographers from Penang to do our family photos on the first day of December for an hour of unlimited shots at a very reasonable cost and a week after, he posted these two teaser-proofs on his facebook account. The rest of the photos will be delivered in weeks time.

As of this blogging, I’m also waiting for the result of ExpatBlogs.Com Best Expat Blog Awards

of which my site is nominated and currently 3rd among 13 expat blogs in Malaysia

(blog post : http://docgelo.com/support-docgelo/).

I’m also excited to share my interview and blog feature on InterNations.Org based in Germany soon!

On a more serious note,

Thank you to those people who lifted our spirits during our lowest moments this year.

Thank you to those generous souls who helped us in so many ways during those trying times.

Thank you to my blog readers, followers and fellow bloggers who have been a constant inspiration.

Advance Happy Holidays! A Blessed Christmas And A More Prosperous New Year to all of us!

THANK YOU SO MUCH, LORD ALMIGHTY!

All Glory and Honor is Yours, Now and Forever!

>>><<<

This is also my entry to Weekly Photo Challenge : My 2012 In Pictures

Dec

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE : REFLECTIONS

By docgelo 30 Comments

Categories: ILOVEPHOTOS and MALAYSIA
Tags: doc gelo, docgelo, kuala lumpur, malaysia, petronas twin towers, postaday, reflections, weekly photo challenge

I took the theme this week literally. Apparently, the iconic symbol of Malaysia’s magnificence was reflected on the waters of the fountain at its foot when I took this shot on a whim. The towers were actually upside down fronting me; I just flipped the photo over et voila! They’re twins (plural) so I believe their reflections (plural) qualify for this week’s theme! Ho Ho Ho!

This is my entry to Weekly Photo Challenge : Reflections

Nov

MALAYSIAN DISHES ON AIR : AN AIRLINE FOOD REVIEW

By docgelo 11 Comments

I don’t usually eat on board particularly if it’s only a short flight as I usually ingest something either at home or in a coffee shop at the terminal few hours prior boarding. Thus, I rarely have history of reviewing inflight meals. And the few times I’ve eaten during flights can be easily counted with fingers on one hand. Those were during our direct flight via Philippine Airlines from Manila to LAX back in 2000; then if my memory serves me right, my wife and I also munched on something on board Lufthansa Airlines from Manila to Bangkok for our honeymoon in 2004; it was followed by our trip from Manila-Bendar Seri Begawan-Brisbane-Auckland in New Zealand for our 7 week break in 2005 via Royal Brunei Airlines and during my solo-trip to Tokyo from Manila via Philippine Airlines in 2010. Limited history, easy to recall.

When an opportunity to review airline food for SKYSCANNER as I was generously recommended by a fellow blogger and friend, Gael of ThePinaySoloBackpacker.com (THANK YOU!), I became thrilled! All the stars in the universe were aligned as chance paved the way for me to particpate as one of the 1,500 travellers from 53 countries who joined this airline food review. Destiny it was as it coincided with my planned trip from Penang to Kuala Lumpur to apply for a renewal of my passport at the Philippine Embassy. I took a 4-hour-bus-ride en route to Malaysia’s capital, stayed there for 3D2N and boarded the morning flight of Air Asia from KL-LCCT to Penang a couple of weekends ago.

It was the very first time for me to eat on board Air Asia. It was my first time to enjoy local Malaysian dishes at 24,000 feet!

What did I choose? Despite the volume of choices Air Asia has, it’s easy to spot what to order online because their menu has my favorites! Well, except for Char Koay Teow! LOL!

Chicken Satay Combo

My review with ratings based on scale 1-10; 10 being the highest :

Value for money : 9.

With 5 sticks well-seasoned, skewered and grilled chicken meat completely served with ketupat or rice cakes, slivers of onions and delicious peanut sauce, Air Asia’s Chicken Satay Combo is reasonably priced at RM12 or USD 3.90. The price and quality are incomparable to those sold in ordinary hawker stalls. Its cost is really affordable, even the most keen on budget will agree! Satisfying the craving of this favorite Malaysian dish because of its availability at 24,000 feet makes everything worth it!

Taste : 10

What can I say but I love its taste! I have sampled this dish a multiple times from hawker stalls to five-star hotels in Penang & Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and in Singapore too, but Air Asia’s version is a sure delight to the palate; it became one of my favorite versions officially! The grilled chicken meat’s so tender with no overpowering taste, its peanut sauce isn’t irritatingly spicy and compliments the chicken meat and ketupat best. This combo is satisfyingly good! I will definitely order it again next time!

Presentation : 8

The packaging is neat and clean but could have been better if the entire set is in microwavable and the peanut sauce is tightly capped in plastic container rather than sealed with foil and thick paper. As Chicken Satay Combo came with plastic spoon and fork in vibrant red Air Asia color and tissue all packed inside transparent plastic, it certainly provides an easy and no-mess-eating!

Menu Choices : 10

Impressive variety and volume of choices –both the must-try-local-dishes and some of the favorite Western eats. The downside is difficulty in choosing. Need I say more?

Overall Rating : 9.25 out of 10, with 10 being the highest. I’m a happy diner on sky! (Oops, but I had everything as takeaway!)

Then I thought, I would be happier if I’ll have two to sample. The more the merrier, right? *snickers*

Chicken Tandoori Wrap

Ratings based on scale 1-10; 10 being the highest :

Value for money : 9.

With only RM 9 or USD 2.93, this impressive inflight meal offers a lot than one could imagine. It reinvented our family’s favorite, Chicken Tandoori (that we usually eat with Cheese Garlic Naan) as a Chicken Tandoori Wrap. I will pay 9 ringgit any time to this snack that’s not commonly found in our kitchen. Innovative and creative bites on air!

Taste : 9

The classic taste of Tandoori is there which I really like. The deliciously seasoned and shredded Chicken Tandoori meat complimented the tortilla and the thinly sliced cucumber and greens. I wished they also served Mango Lassi that will make the Indian-Malaysian dining experience complete!

Presentation : 10

The two piece-Chicken Tandoori Wrap is properly packed in recyclable carton complete with labels, list of ingredients, nutritional facts, storage instruction and allergy information that aren’t commonly found.

Menu Choices : 10

Same reasons as mentioned above.

Overall Ratings : 9.5 out of 10 with 10 being the highest.

I asked the flight crew to provide me something to pack the meals I ordered as I had them as takeaway. I brought it home to Tina and Gabby but they’re stuffed during the time of my arrival at home, so I ended up really wolfing down those two Malaysian favorite dishes alone. Delicious!!!

*This is a sponsored post. THANK YOU very much to SkyScanner | http://www.skyscanner.com.ph/

_________________________

Nov

DINING CHINESE

By docgelo 13 Comments

Greetings from Shanghai, China!

Did those Chinese silk lanterns, crimson red velvet lounge seats and chairs and gorgeous porcelain fool you? The greetings’ too ambitious, I know. But who knows? Day will come that I’ll get to bring my feet and my family to China too. Time will tell. Meanwhile, I’m sharing here my honest review of my Chinese lunch at Chynna restaurant in Hilton Hotel Kuala Lumpur. I hope they won’t ban me from dining there again after this post! *cue prayers here* This post isn’t a rant but a constructive criticism and a challenge to improve.

How to get there? I took a cab from Bukit Bintang to KL Sentral where Hilton Hotel is located. When I was already inside the taxi driven by a friendly Malaysian-lady-driver who thankfully, used her taxi meter on our route (fyi, it’s unspoken rule in Kuala Lumpur that taking taxi cabs isn’t always metered by those opportunitistic divers), it popped in my mind that I could have taken the monorail from Bukit Bintang directly to KL Sentral which costs much cheaper of course (around 2 ringgit only instead of the metered taxi ride of RM15). It was useless to entertain regret so I took the monorail for my return to Bukit Bintang after my lunch; however it’s a-15-minute-walk from KL Sentral to the monorail station, nonetheless worth it.

What did I sample? I’m a dim sum monster so it got to be dim sum of course!!!

Because I was attending an exclusive food tasting tour at Feast Village, Starhill Gallery at 3PM that day, I chose to eat light. And that’s how I defined a light meal *snickers* ~Four Season Platter, Siew Mai (or for us Filipinos, siomai!) and the biggest Chicken pao I’ve eaten! I could have ordered hot tea but I was disappointed after I learned that Chynna’s Tea Master was on his day off. If you’ve noticed my photo of their dim sum open kitchen above, the tea pot with a long nose is eye-catching, isn’t it? Since their Tea Master’s out that day, I missed out his Kung Fu moves when serving hot Chinese tea. Thus, I washed everything down with chilled fresh Orange juice (not in photo).

AMBIANCE vs SUBSTANCE

Did Chynna impress me? As I wanted to indulge something extraordinary other than the usual fastfood and hawker meals, I opted to try this Chinese restaurant initially to experience its beautiful ambiance. I was immediately drawn onto its interiors the very moment I saw it on Hilton’s website. And true enough, it’s more pleasing to the eyes up close! The mood inside Chynna restaurant exudes extreme elegance. The cost of the food on the menu’s another affordable luxury; highly competitive with the common restaurants outside hotels. The staff’s friendly, quick and efficient.

Everything’s at its finest even the food presentation but not its taste.

Disappointed without witnessing the Kung Fu moves of their Tea Master, I felt the same too when Chynna’s dim sums tasted stuffed with extenders! I may be wrong and Chynna may deny it but what I ordered tasted all bland! Sure, they provided two sauces to go with them but a delicious dim sum is delicious sans anything. I know my palate so well. I know how authentic dim sum tastes like. As mentioned in my previous posts, despite I’ve never been to China yet, I think eating dim sums from hawker food stalls and five-star-hotel restaurants in all our trips to Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand (we even had dim sum buffet in Bangkok recently) and even in Manila Chinatown and in Penang and in Kuala Lumpur itself makes me no-authority but at least my gustatory sense has been familiar with quality dim sums. Admittedly, I only sampled a few dim sum from Chynna in Hilton-KL however, it really didn’t hit the mark! Perhaps, noodles, soups and fish, chicken and meat dishes from their menu are all wonderful but remain to be tasted. That’s a good reason to try Chynna again next time.

Although it means nothing to me because I’m a non-smoker, you might be interested that Chynna has private dining rooms where smoking is permitted.

CHYNNA | 5th Level Hilton Hotel Kuala Lumpur | www.hilton.com

*This is not a sponsored post.

*This Luxurious Kuala Lumpur Blog Series includes :

*GOOD NEWS : To those who read & follow my blog, I’ll appreciate if you could drop a line or two about my blogging via ths link :http://www.expatsblog.com/blogs/1157/beyond-toxicity; this is in line with the BEST EXPAT BLOG AWARDS run by ExpatsBlog.com. Maraming salamat po!

Nov

INTOXICATING VIEWS

By docgelo 7 Comments

How can you say no to a skyline like this?

Resistance is futile. I am seduced once more by its beauty effortlessly.

And I went here alone, without my family, with no one but my feet and my camera. So sue me.

Truth is, I brewed everything for this. Call me anything you want for all I care but I had to secure a green light from my loving wife, Tina. I couldn’t be grateful enough when she agreed. I was silently jumping for joy actually!

You need to continue reading, I tell you!

When I started planning to revisit Malaysia’s capital to renew my passport at the Philippine Embassy, I thought of visiting a few premier places that partly provide logic to the fact that Kuala Lumpur is this country’s metropolis. I could not believe everything because while doing a little online research, I received an invitation via email from a luxurious food and beverage outlet group for an exclusive food tasting tour of not one but four of their restaurants -some of them where the food places where celebrities Michael Bolton and Tiger Woods dined separately this year. That will be featured on this blog NEXT!

Go on, keep reading!

Then a fellow and recognized blogger endorsed my name to an agency in Singapore whose main office is in Scotland, for me to be one of their airline food survey participants. The task is to do an airline food review in any of the flights of airlines on their list before November 24, 2012; rate the airline food, blog and tweet about it and get paid in USD! The amount isn’t HUGE but sure worth it. Thus, I decided to fly back from Kuala Lumpur to Penang for this opportunity.

There’s more news!

A real-life-couple-travel bloggers invited me for a meet-up in Kuala Lumpur where they’re based for more than a year now. We met up, dined and chat the day I arrived in KL. It was fun. Will blog it soon!

I digress.

Because I only have limited budget and worse, with only 3 days and 2 nights, my choices of trendiest, the most sophisticated and stylish chill out spots have been narrowed down to a handful.

Let this LUXURIOUS KUALA LUMPUR BLOG Series begin with SKYBAR, located at the 33rd level of Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur manned no less than Shangri La Hotels.

I made reservation via email for one of the cabanas with the best view of the incredibly iconic,

Petronas Twin Towers

and the wonderful KLCC Park that’s filled with lush greens underneath.

I had to see and use the tandas. Good thing it’s almost spotless.

I also liked the fact that SkyBar thought of even the tiniest detail that some people tend to overlooked. Because the cabanas are enclosed with comfortable lounges where one can fully extend and relax the tired and aching legs, there are foot stools for the guest to use to step up. Signs and floating lights in immaculate white and powder blue colors on the pool were placed to serve as guides so nobody slips over. Now being drunk and trying to dive like an olympian on the pool is another issue! LOL!

Just before I ordered for snack and drinks, I saw some swimmers. There was a little girl frolicking on the pool…

Then, there’s grandpa…

One of the reasons why I chose to visit SkyBar was to experience not only viewing my favorite structure in Malaysia differently this time, but to know how it feels like to go to a bar with a swimming pool at the middle. It’s bizarre but looks amazingly unique to me!

Isn’t the view intoxicating?

Try to spot the sweetest couple of the night…

Then marveled like a kid at the dancing fountains seen from the park.

Now, here’s what I ordered from SkyBar’s menu.

Patnubay ng Magulang ay Kailangan. Google Translate that if you wish and you may read this blog’s DISCLAIMER, thank you!

I asked Lynn, who happens to be the friendliest staff of SkyBar, of their bestsellers. The young and beautiful lady deserves a raise and a promotion in my opinion for recommending the Selangor Sling and Buffalo Wings for me to sample. Of course anyone would find the menu’s prices steeper when compared to food in hawkers! Toinks!. I say, you never get these view, this service, this ambiance, this experience anywhere else.

Selangor Sling. Tanqueray 10 gin and cherry brandy liqueur shaken with pressed pineapple juice, fresh lemon juice and a touch of angostura bitters strained over ice in a sling glass topped with soda and benedictine d.o.m. garnished with lemon and maraschino cherry. RM42++.

The sunset in Malaysia comes around 7:30PM or so, hence I ordered another drink while waiting for dusk.

Take two : Patnubay ng Magulang ay Kailangan. Google Translate that if you wish and you may read this blog’s DISCLAIMER, thank you!

My last order at SkyBar was that pint of beer for 20 ringgit. I thought it’s appropriate to drink in a bar rather than fresh milk. *wink*

Now I know why SkyBar is ranked mostly by foreigners as one of the most must-visit-chill-out-places in KL.

*Stay tuned to this blog series!

SKYBAR | Level 33 Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur City Center, 50088 Malaysia | www.skybar.com.my

*This is not a sponsored post.

*This Luxurious Kuala Lumpur Blog Series includes :

__________

Nov

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE : RENEWAL

By docgelo 11 Comments

Categories: ILOVEPHOTOS, MALAYSIA, TOKYO and TRAVEL
Tags: cheah kongsi, doc gelo, docgelo, george town penang, kuala lumpur, lifestyle blog, malaysia, medeka square kuala lumpur, penang, photography, photos, postaday, renewal, shinto wedding, TOKYO, TRAVEL, travel blog, traveling, weekly photo challenge

A Shinto Wedding, Meiji Temple, Tokyo. April 2010.

Immaculate blooms at Merdeka Square, Kuala Lumpur, May 2012.

Offerings at the Temple, Cheah Kongsi, George Town, Penang, June 2012.

These photos to me mean renewal of self, life and faith.

This post is my entry to Weekly Photo Challenge : Renewal

Nov

SEE YOU SOON AGAIN

By docgelo 20 Comments

Despite I’ve seen them for a few times already, getting an opportunity to leave my current work place here in Penang temporarily to revisit these iconic towers in Kuala Lumpur still gives me the thrill. I’ll go to Malaysia’s capital again on mid November to run an errand and to attend to an exclusive invitation that’s blog-worthy. I cannot wait.

Oct

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE : SILHOUETTE

By docgelo 10 Comments

Categories: ILOVEPHOTOS, MALAYSIA and TRAVEL
Tags: doc gelo, docgelo, kuala lumpur, malaysia, photos, postaday, weekly photo challenge

Photo taken on my way to Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur on board a taxi cab. As I tried to capture the road and the Twin Towers itself inside the moving cab, the driver’s head in half was caught in silhouette.

It’s a tough theme this week but here goes my entry to WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE : SILHOUETTE

Sep

WHAT MELTS OUR WORRIES AWAY

By docgelo 6 Comments

Categories: FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO, FOOD & MORE FOOD! and MALAYSIA
Tags: baskin robbins, doc gelo, docgelo, Ice cream, malaysia, penang

Keeping an indomitable spirit amidst uncertainties has been tougher than I imagined. The challenge to maintain high hopes together as a family has always been magnified to a greater extent that imposes requirement to keep the faith alive and burning.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.” ~ Isaiah 43:2

In our most trying times, uttering prayers and remembering happy memories are the best efforts to melt our worries away.

HAPPY THOUGHTS… HAPPY THOUGHTS… HAPPY THOUGHTS…

Would you not be in bliss despite troubles, when you recall that once upon a time, you enjoyed Baskin Robbins at 31% off with your family?

And when the most important people in your life become happier than usual, nothing else matters.

Beautiful and delicious memories numb me and maintain my sanity.

Once upon a time, we chanced upon Baskin Robbins 31% discount offered every 31st day of the month in Queensbay Mall, Penang and availed a quart and a pint that we savored for more or less an hour. It’s ice cream overload, I know. The indulgence and its memories make me smile ear to ear in the middle of a family crisis that’s beyond our control. Gabby and Tina chose a handpacked quart of Cotton Candy in pink and purple swirls and Cheesecake flavors while I was delighted with handpacked pint of Very Berry Strawberry and Mint Chocolate Chip flavors and washed everything down with just water.

Sweet memories!

Jul

GEORGE TOWN FESTIVAL 2012 : JUST GOT BETTER

By docgelo 20 Comments

Categories: EVENTS, ILOVEPHOTOS, MALAYSIA and TRAVEL
Tags: 14 living story, 14 living story penang, acheh street, armenian street, art, arts, cannon street, cheah kongsi, chicken cheese kebab, chinese culture, chinese money plant, chulia street, culture, doc gelo, docgelo, ernest zacharevic, expat in malaysia, expat in penang malaysia, festival, fiesta, george town festival 2012, george town penang, george town penang festival, heritage, http://docgelo.com/, indian culture, indian dishes, indian traditional dances, kapitan keling street, kebab, lebuh acheh, lebuh chulia, life abroad, lifestyle, malaysia, malaysia tourism, malaysian culture, naan, paavani, paintings, penang, penang tourism, photography, restoran kapitan, roti, roti cheese, street photography, tourism, tradition, traditional dances, TRAVEL, travel blog, traveling, travelling, unesco, UNESCO world heritage sites

I anticipated grandiosity in this year’s celebration. I also set no less than great expectations of the pageantry of events. I thought there’s no way that the 4th anniversary of inscription of George Town, Penang as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites could get worse but otherwise. No one can blame me as I experienced George Town Festival 2011 : Tapestry of Cultures last year. I saw, heard, felt, smelt and tasted it as beyond spectacular! A flamboyant display of rich diversities that this cultural melting pot in Southeast Asia is known for. I was simply blown away by that 2011 holiday and I believe this year, it just got better! I haven’t traveled the world but where else can you find streets showcasing arts, heritage, culture, traditions, food, religions, performances and whatnot, mostly for FREE and readily accessible to public all at the same time?

July 7th is the gazetted public holiday for the George Town Festival but people behind it planned and prepared an entire month of merrymaking! This year, it extends from June 15th to July 15th. And if that doesn’t sound grand fiesta to you, I rest my case.

With only my mom in tow, as my wife and our 7-year-old son decided to stay at home to do some chores and rest after, I arrived in George Town from our place in Butterworth on the afternoon of Saturday, July 7th. My mom and I did some necessary errands first, then headed to Plaza Gurney Mall and back to the laterals of Lebuh Chulia.

If you’ve been following this blog, you’ve probably known that the Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic‘s murals are all over the key streets of George Town. I assumed the muralist who did those fantastic and whimsical reflections of bits and pieces of life in Penang using mostly children and children’s imagination as his subjects, was commissioned specially for the GTF2012. I showed my mom one of his works located in Lebuh Ah Quee as we began our personal GTF2012 walking tour that weekend.

This Zacharevic’s art installation in Lebuh Ah Quee is an updated version that we saw on our visit last June 23, 2012; before it became more animated, it was firstly presented as ruggedly, rustic and restless looking street painting then…

His masterpieces at one of Penang’s waterfront settlement protected by UNESCO, Chew Jetty …

Armenian Street which is my favorite…

and other streets of George Town are always admired by local and foreign tourists.

I regret the fact that I failed to come to Ernest Zacharevic and Gabija’s invitation via facebook and missed their exhibit called Rescube which was a collaboration with few more Malaysian artists.

What I like most of George Town, Penang other than its multi-racial diversities that are so apparent in their flavorful gastronomic delights, colorful and vibrant cultures and varied and inspiring religions, is the fact that this island boasts of creativity in almost every corner.

Another wonderful treat for the public present in this year’s GTF2012 was witnessing Malaysian artists creating their on-the-spot-watercolor paintings. My mom and I were very fortunate to chanced upon these artistic and skillful hands immortalizing parts of Cheah Kongsi and its nearby shophouses along Armenian Street. For few minutes, I was left in awe!

Still in Armenian Street, I walked my mom through a souvenir shop called, 14 Living Story which in my humble opinion, is one of the most quaint stores that sells interesting pieces that represent George Town and a few more things about Pulau Pinang. However, since it’s my nth time inside that souvenir shop and I somehow became familiar with what they could offer, I was more fascinated with one of their ornaments –a Chinese money plant! I like this plant and I want money, LOL!!!

Spotted this street performer at the junction of Armenian and Kapitan Keling Streets who’s throwing his unusual neon yoyo up in the air while grooving over an imaginary sound. He drew crowd expectedly.

Then we continued our aimless strolling and walked towards Cannon Street. Et voila, another Ernest Zacharevic’s mural!

I saw him when he did this last June 23, 2012…

The other side of the wall has pink pin wheels to send lovely vibes…

Meanwhile, at the tail end of Cannon Street comes Lebuh Acheh…

How do you like sweet smiles as a welcoming party?

Whenever I fill out forms or converse with Malaysians and tell them that we, Filipinos came from Malay race, I usually get quirky stares because most of them haven’t heard of it yet. One need not google or read history books, there’s proof in things that are common among us. Traditional music with gongs, for one, is shared by two countries.

There were also live demonstrations of other forms of arts and handicrafts from henna tattooing, batik making and basket weaving.

Past half hour that we’re roaming George Town streets, my mom and I trooped back to Armenian Street and went inside Cheah Kongsi.

We were in Cheah Kongsi to witness one of a kind expression of Lion Dance. To most of us, Filipinos living in Manila, we usually enjoy such Oriental street performance in Manila Chinatown every Chinese New Year. We might be familiar with Lion and Dragon dances performed on the road with so much ease, but Penangites do it on stilts! The GTF2012 map and guide had Lion Dances on stilts at 6PM and Dragon Dance at 7 in the evening for that day. As soon as we got inside the Cheah Kongsi compound, I let my mom watched over my backpack and reusable shopping bags and thankfully found a nice spot that’s high enough for me to capture the impressive performance.

Yeah, right, I was on stilts too! LOL! No, of course not! I stood up the concrete fence with my stance secured and took extra efforts not to fall and break anything important while capturing this feature. So here’s a few of my photos of that amazing Lion Dance on stilts…

One of the breathtaking stunts they did was this…

And these were the two young men who moved the lion on stilts with ease and expertise…

This Lion Dance was tremendously done; absolutely entertaining!

There was an hour gap between the Lion dance on stilts and the Dragon dance thus, my mom and I opted to grab some eats from our favorite food place in Lebuh Chulia (photos just before the end of this post) and headed back to Cheah Kongsi before 7PM.

Just a few steps from Yap Kongsi and Yap Temple is a Southern Indian decorative design made of colored grains. Where else can you experience Hindu, Chinese and Malays co-existing harmoniously? Pardon me but I really I have to state this : Indeed, “Malaysia, Truly Asia!”

We left Lebuh Armenian and headed to Lebuh Acheh where Indian, Thai and Sri Lankan dances will be performed at 8PM. Days before this event, I was personally invited by Ms. Pavaani, the classical Indian dancer whom I met last June 23rd before she performed then. Her email noted that I can capture a few shots of the girls just before their show.

Local and foreign audience in the street including my mom and myself were treated to fascinating cultural dances. First to perform were the very energetic and passionate, Punjabi dancers…

Each group as I understood it, prepared two dances. Each step was engaging; all eyes were glued to the steps of the performers.

I was surpised myself to see Thai and Sri Lankan dancers. I’m not sure if they’re from George Town too or must have been invited to grace the event. Either way, they made the night even more vivid and alive!

After the amusing Thai dances, the group of Ms. Paavani continued presenting ”Dancing Feet”, a wonderfully choreographed various styles of Classical Indian dances, much to delight the audience.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the beautiful lady in yellow is Ms. Pavaani… I believe she leads the group.

It was almost 9PM when we decided to leave and didn’t wait for the Sri Lankan dancers to perform; we saw they have real swords and spear-looking weapons as props. Not because we chicken-out of their performance, but we’re almost dead-tired. We saw they even needed a long table to put all those props in place prior to their performance. We missed their dances but nonetheless, my mom and I were happy with what we experienced. The shows were modestly done in streets yet so exuberant and lavish!

This blog entry would not be complete without food post of course! For our early dinner that Saturday, just before we came to watch the Dragon dance in Cheah Kongsi, I brought my mom to our family favorite, Restoran Kapitan where we indulged in simple but tasteful Indian dishes.

We love Indian dishes from Kapitan however we prefer it less spicy (or for my family –non-spicy at all). We’re glad they have food choices to cater for the taste buds like ours. I ordered Chicken Cheese Kebab with Cheese Naan. It comes with flavorful dips which I like very much. That tangy tamarid, green mango and chili mix is one of the tastes that I usually crave for! It’s perfect to dip the Cheese Naan or Roti Cheese.

Chicken Butter Boneless is the bomb for me! It’s the first time I’ve tasted this and so glad my mom opted for anything without chili. It might be red in color but only because it’s tomato based. Creamy and buttery with hint of tomato sauce with Indian herbs (and spices), it’s another great dip for those Indian breads. I found another favorite in this dish! Can’t wait till Tina and Gabby sample this.

My mom loves Kapitan’s Mango Lassi which I also like. Lassi’s different from the usual and plain juice or fruit shake because it’s yoghurt based. We all washed down our Indian meal with thirst-quenching Mango Lassi…

This post was only about a few hours of a month-long celebration of George Town Festival 2012. It’s not even tip of the iceberg, so to speak. There’s a long line of programs that includes performers from other neighboring countries. So there were Sri Lankan and Thai dancers whom we saw in this D-I-Y-day tour but there are performers from Cambodia, Australia to name a few; not to forget, no less than my country’s pride, The Philippine Madrigal Singers also threw a 2-night concert that regretfully we missed (due to financial limits). More activities are in store for the remaining days of the festivities.

I remain grateful for being an expatriate here in Penang for almost 2 years now. Because of my work here, I and my family get to engaged ourselves in decent revelries like this. Most tourists and travelers would take efforts just to visit this UNESCO’s World Heritage Site but as mentioned, I consider it a blessing to be based in Penang and to experience George Town almost every weekend. This island’s diversities, heritage and gastronomic offerings are its strongest charms that lure tourists from near and beyond. In my opinion, those are the main reasons why George Town Festival should be celebrated by more generations to come.

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Jul

DEFYING STRESS : YET ANOTHER FOOD PORN

By docgelo 18 Comments

Categories: FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO, FOOD & MORE FOOD!, ILOVEPHOTOS and MALAYSIA
Tags: adele, autocity penang, buffet, docgelo, docgelo.com, Eat all you can, expat in malaysia, expatriate, family, filipino abroad, filipino expat, food, food blog, food blog review, food blogger, food in penang malaysia, food photography, foodie, fun, http://docgelo.com/, Ice cream, international blogger, japanese cuisine, japanese dishes, Japanese food, jimmy choo, love for food, malaysia, night life in penang malaysia, ocw, ofw, penang, penang malaysia, photography, photos, restaurant in penang malaysia, restaurants in penang malaysia, roast beef sandwich, sashimi, scallops, someone like you, Starbucks coffee, subway, subway melt, subway sandwiches, sushi, tao, tao authentic asian cuisine restaurant, tao japanese cuisine, tao japanese restaurant, tao restaurant, temaki, travel blogger, whitney houston

We defy stress from a weeklong work and some bizaare challenges that come with living in another country by spending quality time together, either simply being lazy at home or going out on weekends. It breaks the monotony of our seemingly routinary lives here in Penang on weekdays (home-school-home for Gabby and home-work-home for Tina and me). Needless to say, we enjoy our togetherness longer every Friday night, Saturday, Sunday and during holidays, thus, we usually have efforts to make the most out of it (In Tagalog, SULIT!).

And whenever my family finds extra time and budget to go out, gastronomic adventures have been integral part of the fun! Frankly speaking, savoring good food has been therapeutic and a delightful measure to combat all the hassles away. Of course, the choice of food places and menu should always be unanimous among us!

Subway never fails to unleash the sandwich and cookie monsters in us. My family and I always opt to make our Subway sandwiches into a meal so that we get a cup of drink plus 2 cookies per sandwich, which we favor over a bag of Lays potato chips. Tina and Gabby love Chocolate and Double Chocolate cookies. While I also like their choices, I frequently go for Macadamia cookies; it’s deliciously good! Admittedly, Subway has been a favorite of the family. At reasonable and affordable cost, we get to savor freshness in every bite!

Before the clock hits 7PM when we watched Upin & Ipin, Live! at a carnival in AutoCity, Juru, Penang one Saturday, our tummies were filled by early dinner-cum-late-afternoon snack at Subway. Gabby had Roast Chicken-no veggies, just mayonnaise (I know, he should eat greens and he usually does at home but not in Subway), Tina had Roast Beef while I chose Subway Melt and both of our sandwiches contained everything except Jalapeno and olives.

Dinner came at past 9PM. We had eat-all-you-want and this time we went Japanese! But because we only had reservation on the same day at around half hour past 5PM, the Japanese food place was already packed hence, we were assigned to a table at their open-air-area. It turned out to be a better option because Tina, Gabby and I got to watch a live band show plus Gabby experienced dining while his legs crossed.

Because we became preoccupied looking at the menu, we failed to note the name of the band. Toinks! However, Tina and I had a strong hint that the two lady lead singers are voices from the Philippines. We might be wrong of course, but the English accent that landed on our ears when they sang their repertoire almost confirmed it; we just failed and was too shy to ask. Nonetheless, they threw a remarkable performance of a variety of songs mostly from classic hits of Whitney Houston (Indaaaaaaay, will always love youuuuuuuhuhuuuuuu!) to the very now, Adele (Someone Like You) and so much more!

Tao Restaurant’s Japanese buffet specializes in ala-carte-eat-all-you-can. Simply put, food is only delivered on the table upon order. In a way, we liked it because it assures the freshness of the dishes compared to the ones found on a spread. We already experienced it once in Manila when we dined at Chef Laudico’s Bistro Filipino in Bonifacio Global City several years back.

These were the dishes from Tao that earned thumbs up from the 3 of us.

Temaki : Hand rolled Soft Shell Crab (2 orders), California and Smoked Salmon. They’re satisfyingly good, a visual treat too! This is why I love Japanese food -they’re both art and sustenance.

Ebi tempura : Gabby’s default choice. I didn’t sample it but by mere looking, the prawns had too much batter nonetheless, our son munched it happily!

Sushi Moriawase : Took me to heaven!

Sashimi Moriawase : Fresh cuts! …Salmon and tuna sashimi are happiness!

Fried Crabmeat with Cheese : The cheese lover in Gabby liked this.

Tina ordered Ika Spicy Age : A fried and crunchy-spicy squid dish. Just okay.

I think this is called Beef Bacon Skewer : We liked it too! :D

Salmon Teriyaki’s another just fine.

And if there’s one dish that’s worthy of visiting Tao again and again, it’s this Scallop thingy-I-forgot-its-name but never its taste! Toink-Toinks!

It’s creamy, sweet and spicy; what more can you ask for? WE LOVED IT! Tina and I consumed 3 plates!!! There you go!

And these were the ones that FAILED to stimulate our palates…

A bigger scallop-let-down-dish-so-unremarkable-i-didn’t-bother-to-note-its-name. Glass noodles and scallops fusion wasn’t good on this plate.

Pickled Papaya Salmon. #ayokonito.

Cheese-something. #anotherforgettable. Gabby, Tina and I are fond of cheese but this one didn’t hit the mark.

Beef Ribs that looked like pork chops had nothing to rave about. Sorry.

Ebi Fried Kani Mayo. I so love prawns, crabs and mayonnaise but the combination didn’t worked on this dish. #soggy #supersaturated

Tina ordered this Mushroom dish but I so believe my very own home cooked buttered garlic mushrooms is far better than this variety.

Lobster sandwich. I ordered this when I thought I was not struggling on satiation yet. The end point : I didn’t even taste it. #whatawaste!

My bad comments on several dishes from the menu of Tao impose a challenge for enhancement. I’ve to be honest and far from being biased on my review. On a positive note, we loved Tao’s bottomless drinks (we only had iced tea, but Tiger beer was also free-flowing), and dessert included in the rates. The cost of the buffet for the three of us was reasonable; in fact, was only equivalent to half of an adult-rate in a hotel buffet in Manila. Another plus point of Tao was the courtesy of the wait staff. Prompt and friendly service without being pushy makes every dining experience commendable.

The raspberry flavored ice cream was such a wonderful ending to this meal! Tina and I loved it but Gabby passed it up.

I had an arrangement with our usual taxi cab driver to pick us up at around 11:30PM so while waiting, we had to give in to Gabby’s request for him to have his share of dessert. We left Tao before 11PM and walked few steps towards Starbucks Coffee.

Since Tina and I were so full, it was only Gabby who enjoyed his Chocolate Chip Frappuccino and Chocolate Marble Cheesecake.

For few minutes while waiting for our cab to take us home, I chanced upon this magazine inside the coffee shop that featured one of Malaysia’s pride, Penang-born-world-renowned-luxury handmade shoemaker, Prof. Dato’ Jimmy Choo. I’d like to end this lengthy family-food-fun blog post on one of Jimmy Choo’s quotes from that featured article…

Until our next stress-busting-family bonding!

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Jul

GABBY IN UPIN & IPIN, LIVE!

By docgelo 16 Comments

When I was in the Philippines some 2 years back, my descriptions of Malaysia only revolved in three phrases. Their country’s very effective Tourism tag line, “Malaysia, Truly Asia!” that’s so compelling to make you feel the urgency to fly to Kuala Lumpur in a blink. Next was the incredibly iconic, Petronas Twin Towers that never fail to mesmerize me at dusk until now; they’re magnificently stunning! And lastly, the most popular animated characters from Malaysia, Upin and Ipin. Our 7-year-old son, Gabby has been into Upin and Ipin even long before coming to Malaysia. He has been watching the show religiously on Disney Channel and made it as one of his favorites. Believe it or not, our kiddo had suggested for the two Malaysian cartoon characters be included in the parade in Hong Kong Disneyland when he was asked by one of the staff during our last visit to the theme park early this year. It’s how big Gabby’s admiration to these duo. And as for me apparently, after I became an expatriate here in Penang, my perceptions about Malaysia have been improved but I still associate the identity of the country with those few phrases, specially Upin and Ipin!

30 June 2012, Saturday. Imagine our joy that night when we saw Upin and Ipin, Live at AutoCity, Juru, Penang! What’s even happier was to see Gabby performed an impromptu dance with Malaysia’s famous cartoon characters on stage with the other children (my wife, captured the stint on video at the last part of this post). Despite the weather didn’t allow us not to perspire, excitement was upon us!

We were lucky to be accomodated warmly by Farhan and Daniel, two of the many men behind this seemingly modest yet fun-filled carnival who gave us a VIP access that allowed us, particularly Gabby, to enjoy the rides for free! They even gave us a nod to have a special photo-op with the two mascots after the show but we had to bid goodbye for buffet dinner (blogging next!).

First and only ride we tried as dad-and-son was the bump cars. Admittedly, I had fun more than Gabby! He was a bit surprised on how speedy those cars could go on a single step. He swore he’ll never ride bump cars again but I bet his spur-of-the-moment-decision would change once years are added to his age.

After a few carnival rides, we trooped to the venue of the show and while Upin and Ipin were still out of sight, Tina and I were delighted to take turns in capturing the kids who pre-enlisted to join the Upin and Ipin Coloring contest.

Then the much-awaited stars of the show arrived and strolled their way to the stage…

One thing that’s definite about Malaysia : almost the entire country, if not all, love Chicken Dance! It was one of the dances that our company introduced to us during a few-day-workshop years ago; even Gabby instantly learned it when we attended the 2012 MITBCA Blog Awards where no less than the Minister of Tourism led the audience to groove to Chicken Dance! Its popularity to Malaysians perhaps, properly equate to the love for Upin and Ipin.

Now here’s a run down of how Gabby and other children savored that minute on stage dancing Chicken Dance with Upin and Ipin! No rehearsals needed! No kidding!

Fastforward Play : Now, please yourself for a minute or so and watch Gabby and the other children’s on-the-spot-performance of Malaysians’ favorite, CHICKEN DANCE with Upin and Ipin on stage!

The children’s happiness was infectious! They cheered and danced with Upin and Ipin tirelessly! What a worry-free night it was!

If you’re in Penang, Malaysia (also in time for George Town Festival 2012) or nearby states, and would like to experience “World of Fun with Upin & Ipin”, catch the shows and the carnival that runs from June 30 to August 6, 2012 at 6PM-12MN daily at AutoCity, Juru, Penang. Admission rates are only 4 ringgit for adult and 2 ringgit for kanak-kanak or children. Tokens are sold at 2 ringgit each. *Special thanks goes to “World of Fun with Upin & Ipin” particularly to Farhan and Daniel for everything!

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Jun

HOW I INTRODUCED GEORGE TOWN, PENANG

By docgelo 26 Comments

Categories: FOOD & MORE FOOD!, ILOVEPHOTOS, MALAYSIA and TRAVEL
Tags: a guide to tourists in penang, ais kachang, armenian project, armenian street, armenian street george town penang, buddhism, buddhist temples, cendol, chicken rice, doc gelo, docgelo, durian, ernest zacharevic, food, food blog, food in penang, george town festival, george town festival 2012, george town penang, george town penang malaysia, goddess of mercy temple, indian, indian malaysian, joe sidek, kapitan keling mosque, life in malaysia, lifestyle blog, malaysia, malaysian cuisines, malaysian food, murals in george town penang, muslim mosque, must visit places in penang, nasi lemak, old town, pavaani thannimalai, penang, penang assam laksa, penang malaysia, photography, photos, pulau pinang, purefoods corned beef, religions, Sasana Vamsa Shima Shrine Hall & International Standing Buddhas, sleeping buddha penang, standing buddha temple penang, temple of reclining buddha penang, tourism malaysia, tourist attractions in george town, tourist attractions in penang, travel blog, traveling, travelling, trishaw, trishaw in penang, unesco world heritage site, wat chaiyamangalaram, water lily

23 June 2012, Saturday. How do you introduce a place that needs no elaborate introduction? As one of the Filipino expatriates in Penang, Malaysia for almost two years now, I oftenly state that I still consider myself a traveler and a tourist despite I frequent George Town almost every weekend for the reason that this island has so much to offer. Every visit to this cultural melting pot in Southeast Asia is such a SENSORY FEAST!

I had a first-time opportunity to casually showcase George Town, Penang to two fellow Filipino bloggers when I accompanied them in touring a few must-visit-sites in Pulau Pinang as they arrived from Kuala Lumpur via bus. The challenge : They’ll only spend several hours in Penang and head back to Malaysia’s capital city after.

Without any hardcore plans in mind, I brought 2 of the Philippines’ youngest bloggers, Lloyd (of his travel blog, The Lost Boy) and Dan (of his travel blog,The Wandering Wonder ) in tow to Penang Island after meeting them in Penang Sentral bus station in Butterworth and together we explored George Town via ferry, Rapid Penang buses, taxi cabs and of course by foot. I personally define this utterly quaint island in three words : DIVERSITIES, HERITAGE and FOOD, hence my few-hour-introductory-tour of this UNESCO’s World Heritage Site to my Filipino blog buddies simply revolved on those.

*All photos on this blog entry are captured on June 23, 2012 therefore I have not published them yet prior to this posting. However, some subjects were already featured on this site thus, I intently inserted URLs of my previous blog posts for your reference. ENJOY!

D I V E R S I T I E S

Lorong Burma or Burma Lane, accessible via Rapid Penang Buses # 101 or 103 from Pengkalan Weld (or Weld Quay/Jetty in George Town) or by cars and taxi cabs, features two Buddhist temples. Firstly, the Thai Buddhist Temple or Wat Chaiyamangalaram; the shrine of the Reclining Buddha (also known as Sleeping Buddha). This shrine to me, provides a feel of somehow being in Thailand and Malaysia at the same time.

And just across the street is the equally stunning, Burmese Buddhist Temple, the Sasana Vamsa Shima Shrine Hall & International Standing Buddhas. Burma and Malaysia conquered by few steps! How’s that?

I never feel tired of going back to these temples, not only because they’re picturesque but the atmosphere’s always serene and tranquil. Every visit calms and recharges my mind.

Due to limited time of my guests, I opted to highlight only two Buddhist Temples that are located across each other. As I wanted to maximize the ticking of the clock, I suggested for us to take a taxi cab instead of riding the bus in going back to the laterals of Lebuh Chulia. In that busy Chulia street where foreign backpackers spring everyday like mushrooms, tangible proofs of religious diversities in this Northwestern Malaysian state can be found. Harmony among religions reign supreme in different places of worships that are only a stone’s throw away from each other. Conflicts don’t exist or if there are, at least discreetly. Few steps from Goddess of Mercy Temple are the mostly flocked by tourists, Kapitan Keling Mosque for Muslims and a Hindu temple of the Indian-Malaysian community (View previous blog HERE).

H E R I T A G E

Besides Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion also known as the Blue Mansion (View previous blog post HERE), another personal favorite heritage site is the Pinang Peranakan Mansion (View previous blog post HERE). Because of the unique charm of this magnificent mansion-turned-museum, it’s one of the most preferred venues for prenuptial photoshoots. We chanced upon one and I captured the next photo on a whim ala-paparazzo. Lovely, is it not?

I like Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion and truly enjoyed my tour there with my family before but its restriction on taking photos inside its beautifully restored heritage house makes it second best in my humble opinion to Pinang Peranakan Mansion where unlimited photo-opportunity awaits.

We strolled our way from the site of Pinang Peranakan Mansion in Lebuh Gereja or Church Street to Kapitan Keling Street and headed straight to Armenian and Cannon Streets.

The majestic Khoo Kongsi should never be missed when visiting George Town, Penang (Visit my previous blog post HERE). I have toured this gorgeous clan house with temple, stage for Chinese opera and other performances and its very own museum a few times too including during the 2012 Chinese New Year celebration (View previous blog post HERE). Every visit is an unforgettable experience!

One need not google Wikipedia for George Town heritage and history anymore for it is gloriously illustrated in its streets and alleys. I so appreciate how creatively executed the bits and pieces of this place’s character and colorful past with art installations that are difficult to ignore. Case in point are the many murals and wrought-iron caricatures plastered on walls of shophouses scattered in various streets of George Town. They’re absolutely informative and fantastic! Where else can you find heritage data that are never boring and so creatively done that could enticed ages across the life span? I wish this could also be possible in the streets of Manila or some provinces in the Philippines.

As we reached Armenian Street by foot, we spent few minutes inside a souvenir shop called, 14 Living Story (View previous blog post HERE). It’s located immediatley beside Cheah Kongsi and a hole-in-the-wall-favorite-restaurant by tourists, Amelie Cafe (View previous blog post HERE). Inside 14 Living Story, was a Chinese-Malaysian man who played an interestingly uncommon musical instrument.

We then trooped to the tail end of Armenian Street that’s Pengakalan Weld and headed directly to another must-visit-UNESCO’s World Heritage Site in this part of Malaysia. I brought my-2-first-time-Penang-visitors to one of the waterfront settlements of Chinese clans, The Chew Jetty (View previous post HERE).

The sights in Chew Jetty when I visited it for the second time made me miss my family instantly (who chose to stay in our Butterworth appartment). How I wish I could bring Gabby and Tina here one day and spend a lazy afternoon like what the families in photos did.

Durian, anyone?

Confession : Tina and I have not yet tasted durian in our almost 36 years of existence. It’s something we should do soon before durian season in Penang ends.

Still at Chew Jetty, I was silently jumping for joy like a kid when I saw another Ernest Zacharevic‘s mural masterpiece…

Must have detail shot…

Ernest Zacharevic is a Lithuanian artist commissioned to do these murals on the streets of George Town just in time for 2012 festival. His works depict the seemingly ordinary but joyous lifestyle of children living in Penang. Most people describe his paintings realistic but larger than life. I myself got hooked to follow his masterpieces one after the other after I saw his very first in Armenian Street (View previous blog HERE).

Like many people who stop by for a photo-op with Ernest’s murals, Filipino travel bloggers, Lloyd and Dan also tried capturing these street art pieces on photos. You can’t blame them; the paintings are really awesome!

Another Ernest Zacharevic mural is installed in Ah Quee Street. How do you like this?

Rugged, rustic and restless…

Despite I got hold of Armenian Project schedule for that day as part of GTF2012 celebration, I didn’t expect to catch the main man behind these wonderful murals in action working on his current art work a few steps from the gates of Khoo Kongsi in Cannon Street. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Ernest Zacharevic…

Everything’s a part of George Town Festival 2012 that runs June 15 – July 15, 2012. The main holiday and celebration of entire Penang for the anniversary of the inscription of George Town as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites is on July 7, 2012. Now, that’s a reason to pack your bags and visit Pulau Pinang!

And because of Armenian Project that day, a lot of enticing programs were there to stimulate the interest of everyone. I randomly met, Joe Sidek, one of the men behind these festivities; however my one-shot-photo with him was too blurred hence I chose not to post here. I introduced myself and then he asked me why I know his name and he smiled when I told him, “Of course, Sir, who doesn’t know you? You’re famous for this GTF!”

A little while later, I met Pavaani Thannimalai, the Indian solo-dancer of the night. She graciously agreed to be photographed just before she strut her stint so passionately right in front of the Yap Kongsi…

After that exotic and dramatic performance that was well received by everyone, we entered the Handmade Bazaar held inside Yap Konsgi. Everything being sold was handicrafted of course, so prices were expectedly a bit steep. Nevertheless, these are the few things that caught my eyes…

I could have bought Tina and my mom a bouquet of lemon grass for 2 ringgit each but thought I’ll just bring them to this street on the 7th of July for the GTF2012 grand celebration.

I smiled when I saw thsese baby girls’ shoes and suddenly hoped that Tina and I could give Gabby a baby sister whenever God allows.

The mood in the streets and inside the bazaar was festive and happy; the crowd was well controlled definitely.

F O O D

A trip to Penang is never complete without sampling the local dishes that this Malaysian gastronomic paradise is known for. Here’s a run down of what we savored…

Lunch was at Old Town, First Avenue Mall. Barbecue Chicken Rice, Crusty Fried Chicken, Nasi Lemak (the Malaysian staple food served with sotong or squid and not with the usual chicken), and Penang Assam Laksa, 2012 CNN Go’s Top 7 Most Delicious Food in the World (Visit previous blog post HERE).

For dinner, I suggested to Lloyd and Dan early on that I would bring them to one of the most frequented Penang hawkers; the hawkers in Gurney Drive and I’m glad they liked it. We feasted on Chicken Rice, Oyster Omelette, Claypot Chicken Rice, Char Koay Teow and Cendol and Ais Kacang for desserts.

I had to profess my LOVE for Char Koay Teow and needed to infect my blogger-friends. Here’s my plate of Nirvana!

Before that CKT reached our table, I had to wait on a long queue while Lloyd and Dan scouted for other foods that satisfied our cravings. It was no hassle for me to fall in line for this heavenly noodle dish; long queue certainly affirmed that this CKT is perhaps, the best in this side of Penang. Here’s the process how my favorite Char Koay Teow was prepared. Sublime digestive goodness for only 5 ringgit (USD 1.56).

Et voila! Here’s a memento of that evening feast of 3 Filipino bloggers in Penang… Tadaaaaaaaaa Delicious! Sarap! Sedap!

And to perfectly cap that Penangite dinner, we enjoyed Malaysian desserts, Cendol and Ais Kacang at 2.50 ringgit each.

From lunch time to half hour past 8 in the evening, I tried my best to feature the places where I mostly spend my weekends after a tiring and productive week at work. I know my efforts were not enough as I did not keep a plan in mind on where to bring my guests; nonetheless luck was on my side because we witnessed some parts of the celebration of the 2012 George Town Festival. I believe it’s already an amazing treat for all of us!

And at the end of a tiring but FUN-filled day, GRATITUDE remains PRICELESS.

This blog is the recipient of 2012 BEST EXPAT BLOG AWARD by MINISTRY OF TOURISM MALAYSIA

PS : Maraming salamat, Lloyd and Dan sa pasalubong niyo na anim na lata ng Purefoods Corned Beef na pinakapaborito kong carne norte sa balat ng lupa! Naway naging masaya ang inyong pagbisita dito sa Pulau Pinang!

Jun

FROM SELANGOR TO KUALA LUMPUR

By docgelo 3 Comments

What do you do in a place that’s new and unfamiliar to you?

How do you kill boredom of waiting and how do you deal with anxiety on a trip?

I shoot photos.

Here are some captures I took aimlessly when I went on a whirlwind trip to Selangor.

Apparently, I chose to ride the KTM commuter train from Serdang, Selangor to KL Sentral in Kuala Lumpur. The first and the last I rode this train was when we went to Batu Caves last Chinese New Year holiday with my family. It only took me less than 2 ringgit (<PhP 28) and around 20 minutes to get to my destination. The waiting time was less than half an hour however, since I was not with Tina and Gabby, it seemed like forever. I while away time by shooting photos on a whim.

Thankfully, things went smoothly despite everything’s on a rush. From KL Sentral, I rode a cab to Pudu Sentral to buy bus ticket for my return to Penang. It was almost 3PM when I reached the counter and booked a seat on the bus ride at 5PM that same day. I had not have any lunch yet at 3PM, but I needed to run an errand for my mom in Chinatown, KL. After doing so, I finally grabbed a bite on my sandwich for lunch inside the taxi cab en route to Petronas Twin Towers. I did not wish to waste my time waiting for 5PM bus ride to Penang at Pudu Raya, hence I had to give in to relax and cool down a bit by spending time inside Suria-KLCC Shopping Complex. I went inside boutiques I like – Zara Men, Uniqlo and Marks and Spencer. There was an on going sale at the latter and it’s my favorite brand ever since. I so like their non-iron and easy care long sleeve shirts and I honestly have a collection of M&S silk ties which I brought to Malaysia from home. The purchase was a sweet and reasonable reward that compensated my fatigue.

With only short of an hour stay inside Suria-KLCC Shopping Complex, I headed back to Pudu Sentral to catch my bus to Penang. Lady luck was on my side when I reached the terminal around 4:45PM despite heavy traffic on the streets of Malaysia’s capital.

During this trip, I vividly remember one foreigner who learned that I do medical lectures for a living, asked me randomly, “Do you consider yourself popular?” I was astonished with his query and instantly replied with a smile, “I think it’s inappropriate and unethical to consider myself popular to students because I am really not, however, I’d like to be considered as an effective lecturer rather than famous.”

Jun

AN EPISODE OF HYPERGLYCEMIA

By docgelo 26 Comments

Categories: FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO, FOOD & MORE FOOD!, ILOVEPHOTOS and MALAYSIA
Tags: amateur photography, baskin robbins, beyond toxicity, blog review, blogger in asia, blogger in malaysia, blogger in southeast asia, buffet, cakes, chocoholics, chocolate, chocolate bars, chocolate buffet, chocolate fondue, desserts, dining, doc gelo, docgelo, docgelo.com, Eat all you can, Eat all you want, expat, expat in malaysia, filipino expat in malaysia, filipino expat in penang, fondue, food, food blog, food photography, foodie, fruits, g hotel, g hotel malaysia, g hotel penang, gastronomic adventures, gurney drive penang, gurney drive penang malaysia, hotels, hotels in malaysia, hotels in penang, http://docgelo.com/, ice cream flavors, indulgence, Life, life abroad, life is good, lifestyle blog, malaysia, mint chocolate ice cream, must do in penang, must try in penang, nikon, nikon D7000, penang malaysia, photography, photos taken using nikon D7000, restaurant review, restraurants in malaysia, sinful, soy restaurant, soy sesame restaurant, TRAVEL, travel blog

No, I am not diabetic yet, neither I have pancreatic insufficiency. Don’t fret; continue reading! Either you’ll learn a bit from the next few phrases or you’ll find this post ~~visually~~ gastromically stimulating. To simply put, hyperglycemia is descibed as elevated sugar level that occurs whenever we have excess carbohydrate intake, or when the hormone, insulin secreted by the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans of the endocrine pancreas becomes inadequate to catabolize carbohydrates into glucose for it to be deposited in the cells of the liver and muscles as glycogen that may be transformed into glucose again in times of stress and as the need arises. Persistence of uncontrolled hyperglycemia leads to diabetes. Enough of the rambling, you might be having epistaxis (nosebleeding); kidding! This post is all about the CHOCOLATE BUFFET at Soy Restaurant in G Hotel, the most stylish luxurious hotel in Gurney Drive, Penang, Malaysia.

Let’s begin this sinful but delicious blog entry with Baskin Robbins’ Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream…

One of the strongest reasons why anyone interested from Penang should troop to this chocolate buffet is the bottomless scoops of luscious Baskin Robbins Ice Cream. That alone made this sweet dining experience heavenly; its cost so sulit (value for money). I consider it a steal and extraordinary for we don’t have Baskin Robbins experience on a daily basis.

The chocolate buffet isn’t complete without a fondue. And having both white and dark chocolate fountains provides sufficient logic when one isn’t enough…

Of course, I tried dipping some mallows and tropical fruits from the spread onto these chocolatey goodness but in between indulgence, I had savored these fibrous fruits in their purest forms; they aid well in digestion.

At one point, this Soy’s Chocolate Buffet is deliciously challenging. Resistance to be overwhelmed is a must.

Another commendable thing is their provision of free-flowing tea in different variants (I opted for Jasmine Green Tea) to make every intake nice and easy. Thank God for Lipton!

One soothing sip and you’re on your toes again towards the spread.

Yes, it’s Chocolate Buffet so everything in there are chocolates, chocolates and more chocolates!

When I was asked to fill out the comment card by the wait staff, I cannot agree but to tick “excellent” in service, ambience, cleanliness, etc. However, those glorious cakes could have been presented better on top of handsome cake stands. Other than that, Soy’s Chocolate Buffet earns my two-thumbs-up!

Soy’s Chocolate Buffet is such a reason to head to this G Hotel. As they claim to have the most stylish adress in Penang; I cannot agree more.

Meanwhile, here’s a proof that my family and I are such a chocoholics. Tina and Gabby whipped up another no-bake-chocolate cake at home.

Tina’s not only a lovely wife and a caring mom, she also has this love affair with her gadget that she wanted to document some of Gabby’s wonderful antics. If I am into blogging, Tina enjoys capturing special fun moments on video. WATCH THIS chipmunkie-ala-charlie-chaplin-short-film on how the Chef Gabby made that moist cake… ENJOY! Let me know what you think.

Do you think our son has future in becoming a chef, a hotelier and a restaurateur? Only time will tell.

—————–

Enjoy Penang’s only all you can eat chocolate buffet of various delectable offerings of scrumptious chocolate desserts. Available every Saturday,8pm-12am, priced at RM45++ per person (USD 14++ or PhP 612++) at Soy Restaurant, G Hotel, Gurney Drive, Penang, Malaysia.

*Although the blogger and his blog are open for advertisements, sponsorships, invitations and blog reviews, this isn’t a sponsored post.

May

TEDDY FOR A CAUSE

By docgelo 4 Comments

No, these photos were not taken from a toy museum nor a toy shop but a garden-themed restaurant in Batu Ferringhi, Penang. The second floor (or as they call it here in Malaysia– the first level) of the restaurant was transformed into a venue for a FREE exhibit where handmade teddy bears were featured; most were sold, some were only for display. The proceeds of the sale went to a charity, caring for the children of Penang. With the few pieces I’ve seen as labeled, tag prices ranged from 75 ringgit to 880 ringgit. In as much as I understood the cause of the event, unfortunately, my budget didn’t allow me to contribute and just captured the event for posterity.

Helen Lee’s Handmade Bear Exhibition was presented last April 15- May 2, 2012, 6PM-11PM by Ferringhi Garden Restaurant as a charity event for the benefit of Children’s Protection Society of Penang.

The name Teddy Bear comes from former United States President Theodore Roosevelt, whose nickname was “Teddy”. The name originated from an incident on a bear hunting trip in Mississippi in November 1902, to which Roosevelt was invited by Mississippi Governor Andrew H. Longino. There were several other hunters competing, and most of them had already killed an animal. A suite of Roosevelt’s attendants, led by Holt Collier, cornered, clubbed, and tied an American Black Bear to a willow tree after a long exhausting chase with hounds. They called Roosevelt to the site and suggested that he should shoot it. He refused to shoot the bear himself, deeming this unsportsmanlike, but instructed that the bear be killed to put it out of its misery, and it became the topic of a political cartoon by Clifford Berryman in The Washington Post on November 16, 1902. While the initial cartoon of an adult black bear lassoed by a handler and a disgusted Roosevelt had symbolic overtones, later issues of that and other Berryman cartoons made the bear smaller and cuter. -Sourced via Wiki

May

ARMENIAN STREET, GEORGE TOWN, PENANG

By docgelo 29 Comments

The initial weekend plan was for my wife, Tina to relax and stay at home while our son, Gabby, my mom and I head to the island to run some errands. Then, they all decided to just enjoy the Saturday without leaving home so it ended that I went alone for a half day of buying some things we need for the coming week. There’s nothing to complain because it gave me the chance to go back to that unassuming but uniquely appealing street in George Town, Pulau Pinang en route to destination.

I already lost count on how many times I’ve walked through Armenian Street. It’s one of those frequently visited laterals of George Town, particularly by tourists who exactly know what to experience in a place inscribed as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. The most memorable ones were when I took a stroll with my camera during George Town Day, celebrated every July 7th, for the past 2 consecutive years and I think the latest was when Gabby and I sampled the quaint little hole-in-a-wall-restaurant, AMELIE CAFE December of 2011. Then there were those random visits last year on way to other places in the island.

The chance presented itself for me to personally devote several minutes of my lazy weekend to admire and capture the most recent mural cum street art installation fantastically done by the artist, Ernest Zacharevic (visit his website here –> http://www.zachas.com/artwork/walls/). I even waited for some tourists and passers by to complete their photo-ops before I savored mine. It’s such a joy to see this pleasant work of art!

Must have that detail shot

Doesn’t it look so alive yet whimsical?

Moving on… Armenian Street also houses one of the kongsis or clanhouses of migrant Chinese families who lived an opulent and illustrious era in this side of Malaysia. Just beside Amelie Cafe is Cheah Kongsi that I also got to visit last year. Will try to do a separate post about Cheah Kongsi soon.

Immediately after Cheah Kongsi is a garage-looking-area-turned into a very extraordinary souvenir bazaar called 14 LIVING STORY (their facebook account here –> https://www.facebook.com/14livingstory?ref=ts). I have dropped by their shop several times already and in every visit, I always hold on to my pocket and try my best to resist buying their beautiful paintings. The problem lies on the limited budget against a big temptation. I don’t think I’d be happy with just one frame, that’s why.

More murals along Armenian Street. These older ones were made of wrought iron creatively depicting Penangite tradition via caricatures and cartoons. The style and technique are so effective that even the young generations, such as, ehem, I am, could relate and be fascinated too.

At the junction where Armenian Street meets Kapitan Keling Street, there’s this yellow painted building with mural too.

I told you, tourists usually flock here for the same reasons I have.

Still on the same building, another wrought iron caricature that’s not only entertaining but informative too.

The stretch of Armenian street is still long but I had to walk through Kapitan Keling Street to wait for the bus to Komtar to go to Prangin and First Avenue Malls.

The walk from jetty in Weld Quay to half of Armenian Street wasn’t that tiring because of countless reasons to indulge your sense of vision into.

Apr

METAMORPHOSIS : PENANG BUTTERFLY FARM

By docgelo 20 Comments

For almost two years of living and working in Malaysia, most of our weekends are spent either enjoying the comforts of the 11th-floor-seaview appartment that we’re renting in Butterworth, our so-called-second home or exploring what Pulau Pinang has to offer. We’ve been to a few heritage sites, clan houses, public beach, various shrines of worship, shopping malls and groceries of course, have dined in local restaurants, some hotels and street hawkers, have gone to some of those must-see-tourist-spots in this island; yet, there’s actually so much more places to visit that are reserved for our Saturdays and Sundays.

Last weekend was no exception. With my 7-year-old son in tow, we celebrated another Saturday the best way we know how (read : family bonding) and finally set foot in The Tropical World’s First Live Butterfly and Insect Sanctuary, Penang Butterfly Farm.

Because my wife, Tina had to attend to a weekend medical community service required at work and my mom wasn’t feeling well to leave home, last Saturday, 04/21/2012 was another day of father-and-son-bonding. Incidentally, it was a day prior to Earth Day 2012 so I thought it was so appropriate and timely for Gabby and I to visit a nature’s theme park and passed up killing time on a weekend inside the mall. We’re happy to learn some things about nature and inevitably, ourselves too.

UNEXPECTEDLY, ALMOST IN PANIC

Had I not brought Gabby to this butterfly sanctuary, I would not know that he’s not that comfortable with delicately winged creatures randomly landing on his body. It was unbelievable because Gabby was even more excited than I am to go there and he himself labeled the day as our “Adventure Day” so I was very surprised that he almost panic when butteflies flew over him. I asked him to calm down and assured him that we’re safe with the butterflies and that it cannot harm us. He told me remarkably that he’s more at ease to see reptiles (Me: “What?!!! I usually freak out with the mere sight of snakes!). A couple of hours after, he’s already at home with the butterflies. I thought he was just overwhelmed as it was his first time to experience such. Nonetheless, he learned to appreciate those colorful day-flying insects before we ended our visit.

It was almost 12 noon when Gabby and I arrived at the front office of the Penang Butterfly Farm located in Teluk Bahang, near the tail end of the famous Penang coastline-beaches, Batu Ferringhi.

FREEBIES, DISCOUNTS AND MORE BLESSINGS!

When I was about to pay the entrance fees for me and Gabby, the male Front Office staff at the window-counter inquired if I am a tourist or a Malaysian (because of different Admission rates), I told him that I am a Filipino expat working as a Medical Lecturer since 2010 in Penang. He then asked for some IDs but I didn’t bring my company ID nor my passport with me. While I was flipping my card holder….

Staff : “It’s OK, I saw you have Malaysian cards (referring to my credit cards and rewards-discount cards). Here you go… (He handed me two entrance tickets, 2 souvenir-notebooks, actually they’re DIY-Butterfly-garden-notebooks with a pair of tiny envelopes each containing something you put into the soil of flowering plants for it to bloom and attract butterflies, and 2 butterfly-shaped brochures).”

He only charged us 18 ringgit for me and 10 ringgit for Gabby instead of the usual rates (RM 27 per adult and RM 15 per kid).

Me : ” Wow, thank you for the discount and freebies! Sir, can i shoot some photos inside? I’ll post photos in my blog and feature our experience here.”
Staff : “Sure, no problem! Great! What’s your blog’s URL?” (he got a pen and a sheet of paper and was ready to write)
Me : “Go check out, docgelo.wordpress.com, Sir. Thank you!
Me : “And by the way, my blog is nominated in the Malaysia International Tourism Bloggers Awards. You may want to vote too, haha! What’s your name, Sir?”
Staff : “Edzil. Enjoy, pare! (*insert English translation of ‘pare’ here*)“
Me : “Alright, Thank you!”

After we stayed for 3 hours inside the butterfly sanctuary, Gabby and I headed to the food kiosks just before the exit and ordered Chicken and Cheese sandwich, a bottle of cold distilled water, 2 cups of Mango juice.

Edzil : “Doc, I’ve checked out your blog, you take good photos, man!”
Me : “Hahaha! Thank you for your viewing my blog! What’s your name again, Sir?”
Edzil : “Wait, I’ll get my business card.”

Sir Edzil happens to be Penang Butterfly Farm’s Front Office Assistant Manager.

Edzil : “Doc, your food is on us! Don’t bother to pay them.”
Me : “C’mmon?!!! Allow me to pay for this, please!”
Edzil : “No, it’s on the house, if he (referring to the staff at the food kiosk) asks you to pay, then you pay, but surely he won’t, haha!”
Me : “Wow, thank you so much!”

With few minutes of chit chat; I learned that he’s actually a Filipino but raised in Malaysia and according to him, there are a few more Pinoys working as tour guides (yes, Penang Butterfly Farm provides informative, amusing and educational tour guiding but I opted to wander around with only Gabby as I took photos). We’re very grateful for his generous gestures.

CHILDREN, COCCOON ISN’T PART OF THE BUTTERFLY’S LIFE CYCLE.

It’s always amazing to learn beyond books and outside the four corners of a classroom. It’s even more wonderful when one practically acquires knowledge hands on. You actually get that learning set-up in Penang Butterfly Farm. The actual Science that speaks about the life cycle of these flying insects happens right before your eyes!

So the life cycle only includes EGG (those tiny yellow ones in the next photo) –> CATERPILLAR –> PUPA (not coccoon but CHRYSTALIS / NYMPHA) –> ADULT BUTTERFLY (or IMAGO). The caterpillar normally thrives in fruity plants like passion fruit and the like, otherwise, it dies and would not metamorphose into pupa and imago.

But as soon as these chrystalis become adult butterflies,

some of its species ONLY LIVE FOR ONE WEEK.

It made me wonder, how would you spend your life meaningfully if you only have one whole week to live?

Back in the Philippines, I remember going to Orchidarium in Rizal Park in Luneta where a small Butterfly garden is tucked. They usually feed the butterflies back home with bananas, here in Penang, pineapples are their favorite lunch!

One of my favorite spots in Penang Butterfly Farm is this Oriental gazebo adorned with everything Chinese and an interesting concrete bridge.

Gabby talking on the phone with Tina who attended a medical community service required at work.

Would you not be fascinated if you see authentic porcelain sauce dish, cups, plates and even pitcher were embedded as decors in the bridge?

A couple of Mandarin ducks basking under the bridge

BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL

I must admit, the sun was scorchingly hot during our visit (at least we didn’t have a downpour) so the little airconditioned theater that incessantly shows short films about insects was really inviting; Gabby liked the movies we watched for few minutes.

After watching insect-inspired short films, we walked through the next hallway where Gabby enjoyed another interesting part of Penang Butterfly Farn called, Biodiversity. Here, kids get to stamp their notepads with the park’s mascot prints, play and learn with the interactive touch-screens that feature educational inputs about the environment as a whole. There’s also a part where reptiles and spiders are on display en route to exit towards the souvenir shops.

We went back to the garden where a myriad of butterflies await.

If you must know, I took up BS Biology prior to Medicine and one specimen in Botany that’s hard to forget is the Pitcher Plant. There’s a spot in Penang Butterfly Farm that’s devoted to Pitcher Plant. It’s quite unique for it can trap mosquitoes and other minute insects in its “mouth”, it has somewhat like a prey-trapping mechanism; interesting, is it not?

Then I guess I was lucky enough to be accompanied by two winged friends during our time in the garden. Lucky or stinky already *yikes!*, I do like how Gabby snapped this shot.

Spread your wings and soar!

Just before we had our “free snack” courtesy of Sir Edzil at the food kiosk near the exit gates, we savored Magnum bar (which we paid for, haha!).

never fails to ease up a hot summer day

Nature tripping at Penang Butterfly Farm + Family Bonding + Magnum ice cream bar = simply perfect to end the day. It was another day for family.food & fun!

Penang Butterfly Farm exceeded our expectations! We had a chance to commune with nature. It was where I forgot life’s hassles, worries and stress. Four hours spent there were indeed worthwhile; we had fun!

—————————–

Penang Butterfly Farm. No. 830 Jalan Teluk Bahang 11050 Penang, Malaysia. Tel # +604-885 1253. (It’s accessible by car, taxi cab or by Rapid Penang Bus # 101 from George Town, Penang).

Apr

PATCHI GOODNESS!

By docgelo 15 Comments

It’s incredibly wonderful when something pleasant happens to you in the least expected times. Who would have thought that exactly a day after we evacuated our 11th floor-seaside-appartment for a night, in response to Tsunami Alert issued by Malaysian Meteorological Department after that 8.9 magnitude earthquake on the richter scale and a strong aftershock with epicenter in Aceh, Indonesia and were immensely felt here in Penang, a courier man would be standing in front of our door at lunch time bearing a gift…

The Lord is truly the greatest and indeed the sweetest! After He has saved us and spared our location from unthinkable complications of that calamity, He continuously showed His extraordinary LOVE with a box of PATCHI chocolates from Abu Dhabi in UAE –it was a gift from Ms. Jo, of the blog, WITSANDNUTS who visited her cousin in Penang Island a few weeks back. However, unfortunately we failed to have a meet-up because as I learned from her email, she (and her family) only stayed over the Holy Week-Weekend and left Pulau Pinang on Easter Sunday. Despite the short notice, I so appreciated the thoughtfulness of her email.

It was a day of PAGOD, PUYAT, then PATCHI!!!

See, Gabby’s smiling ear to ear….

The chocholates featured postcard-perfect photos of Abu Dhabi’s scenic spots in every wrapper. What a charming and unique gift!

And even if @PatchiOfficial followed me on Twitter and RTed my tweet about this prior to this blog post which I acknowledged, allow me to mimic one of the usual lines I read from other fellow bloggers’ sites,

“This is NOT a sponsored post!” hahaha! *pun intended*

However, if someone from Patchi would read this and would send gifts over, I’ll be more than willing to feature their uber yummy chocolates in this humble site again! Seriously, sponsored or not, my family and I welcome blessings –big and small so bring it on!

Thanks again, Jo! My family and I hope to meet you when we get a chance. ;)

Follow her blog at http://witsandnuts.com/

And to God, YOU’RE the SWEETEST!

—————————-

Our unforgettable evacuation experience due that 8.9 magnitude earthquake posted here –> http://docgelo.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/the-day-gabby-learned-about-earthquake/

Apr

DAYBREAK AT PENANG HILL

By docgelo 41 Comments

Categories: FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO, ILOVEPHOTOS, MALAYSIA and TRAVEL
Tags: arts, bellevue hotel penang hill, beyond toxicity, breathtaking, bukit bendera, churches, colors, crafts, david brown's restaurant in penang hill, directions how to get to penang hill, doc gelo, doc gelo blog, docgelo, dr. gelo, family, family bonding, flowers, foliage, funicular train, funicular train in penang hill, Life, life of an expat, malaysia, museum, must see in penang, must visit in penang, nikon D7000, penang hill, penang malaysia, penang state museum, photography, photos taken using nikon D7000, rates of train ride penang hill, round trip funicular train fares penang hill, the owl museum, the owl museum in penang hill, train in penang hill, TRAVEL, traveling, travelling, view at penang hill, visit penang, weekend, weekend getaway

Years ago, my only concept of Penang Hill was one of those restaurants that my family and our good old friends sampled at the 5th level of Shangri La Plaza Mall back home. I was completely clueless of Penang back then, more so about the entire Malaysia. I never thought I could bring myself and my family on top of the real Penang Hill one day. It wasn’t really a big deal climbing the Penang Hill via its 73 Million Ringgit newly renovated funicular train however, that Saturday morning when we went up there was one of our best in Penang! We were overwhelmed.

Penang Hill at 6:45AM, Saturday, 31 March 2012.

The longest bridge in Malaysia at 13.5km, Penang Bridge connects Pulau Pinang or Penang Island with the Seberang Perai or Penang main land; it's more stunning at 833 meters above sea level!

Can you spot Komtar, the tallest and cylindrical building in George Town, Penang? With its 232 meter-height, this 65-storey tower remains to be iconic in the island.

A little while later…

Cloudy, according to the online weather forecast that day and it was accurate. At least, it didn't rain. God was great!

still hazy and cloudy at a few minutes past 7AM.

The memories of our little family trips to Antipolo, Tagaytay and Baguio Cities in the Philippines during my wonder years resurfaced as I was stunned at the breathtaking view 833 meters above sea level. Penang Hill has an absolutely cooler climate than its lowlands in this tropical Malaysian State. With its 16 to 21 degree Celsius weather, it’s enough for any tourists, locals and expats to be enticed to go up once in a while.

I arrived in Penang, Malaysia some 20 months ago and have been working as a medical lecturer since then. I immediately learned that Penang Hill was closed for much needed renovation of its system and track and replacement of its 87-year-old coaches. The wait for it to be fully operational again took almost a year but Tina, Gabby and I didn’t try to experience the ride and the hill itself last April 2011. Tina felt and still believed that 30 ringgit per pax round trip fare on the train up to Penang Hill wasn’t cheap (current rates for Non-Malaysians and Malaysian tourists are noted at the end of this post). I constantly tell her, family bonding is always memorable and priceless.

“Gelo, Huwag kayong aalis ng Penang nang hindi nagpupunta sa Penang Hill, ang ganda!” (“Gelo, Don’t leave Penang unless you have gone to Penang Hill, it’s beautiful!”) …These were the words directly told to me by one of the colleagues who already resigned from our work last year and went back home to the Philippines with his entire family. He was definitely right. Penang Hill is really something. It’s one of the must-visit sites when traveling to Penang, Malaysia.

The game plan: I initially thought of reserving an overnight accomodation in a 3-bed-family-room at Bellevue Hotel (which has a rate of RM242 nett or USD 79.45 inclusive of breakfast), the hotel located exactly in Bukit Bendera or Penang Hill boasts of its simple aviary and garden, that offers great views of breathtaking sunset and sunrise. The suggestion was vetoed by my ever loving and practical wife. I easily accepted, supported and succumbed to her decision, despite the fact that I already communicated with the hotel staff via emails, because I felt her excitement and her want to experience Penang Hill too with our family. That was enough for me.

The second best option I had in mind which I brought up to Tina and my mom was to go up to Penang Hill on the first trip of funicular train at exactly 6:30 in the morning, so we could reach the summit at still dusk and witness the daybreak after. I was silently jumping for joy when they both agreed to prepare, wake up and be at the ticketing area prior to the first trip!

I laid her all the possibilities and means on how we could get there at few minutes before 6:30AM. We all thought taking a pre-arranged cab from our place in Butterworth, Penang at 5:30AM and head directly to Bukit Bendera was the finest choice over taking the bus-ferry-bus-route. And we’re grateful that we’re not wrong.

Our roundtrip tickets to Penang Hill, punched with holes just before our descent at lunch time, Saturday, 31March2012.

We left our place in Butterworth before 5:30AM and arrived in Bukit Bendera when the gates were still closed. We waited for several minutes until it officially opened at around 6:15AM. Have I told you that punctuality freely flows in our bloodstream? haha!

After purchasing our round trip tickets for the 6:30AM first funicular trip for the day, we finally saw that blue-air conditioned Swiss made coach! She was so gorgeous!

And the fingers in two hands are more than the volume of passengers on that trip, there were only 2 passengers and 2 train staff plus the four of us. We occupied the first cabin next to the train captain to get the greatest view of the ascent, I think it’s a must if one gets a chance (The train can be filled with 80 passengers when some would ride it standing). The smooth inclined ride via the 2,220 meter track length was definitely exciting!

There’s no way but to go up!

After more or less 5 minutes (there were no stops during our ride that morning), we arrived at the summit.

The passage through the white tunnel is a sign that passengers need to alight few seconds after.

It was still darkness when we arrived in Penang Hill. We strolled and I tried to find a best spot to capture the stillness of the dawn. My mom first saw a concrete stairs guarded by an opened wooden gate; we didn’t read its signage that it’s the David Brown’s English Restaurant and Tea House at the Strawberry Hill (yes, the signage reads Strawberry Hill!). No one was there yet, so we went in. Tina and Gabby followed.

My wife began taking photos and videos using her ipod and mobile phone. I further went up the concrete stairs until I reached the restaurant and garden proper of David Brown’s.

I didn’t expect we would experience how colorful Penang Hill is.

These are the viewing telescopes located in front of the huge signage of Bukit Bendera at the foot of David Brown’s Restaurant.

Take a closer peek at George Town for 1 ringgit (USD 0.32 or PhP 14).

The flora and foliage of Penang Hill that we found in David Brown’s English Garden and Restaurant

At this point, I wished I have a lens and skills for macro photography.

If you must know, the five petaled brilliant red Hibiscus Rosa Sinensis or to us Filipinos, gumamela, is the National flower of Malaysia.

This is David Brown’s Restaurant and English Garden at Penang Hill. I just wished we were not tresspassing as there were no people when we went here. We didn’t touch anything but only took photos however, tons of it.

L = LOVE!

My beautiful mom at almost 60! ...Strike a pose, mother! hehe!

Gabby : “Daddy, piktyuran mo ako!” (“Daddy, take my pictures!”)

Me : “OK!”

Then the kid ran a few meters away from us then ran forward and took a jump on air. He attempted for a “jump shot” several times and his mom and his grandmother and I we’re all giggling because Gabby’s too chubby to float higher on air.

levitation? haha!

It was almost 8:30AM and the sun was already up so we left that part of Penang Hill and went on to explore the others. We needed to take a bladder break and we’re glad to see a few steps down the David Brown’s Restaurant a simple tandas or toilet that’s well kept and clean with tissues and liquid soap.

After another stroll, we found a swing.

The swing is located at the facade of the newly opened, The Owl Museum at Penang Hill. It’s an owl-swing actually! hehe!

Lola Tessie and Gabby bonding!

Before we headed to to the museum, we needed to chow down first. Good thing that the newly built museum has multi-leveled eateries, drink, desserts and souvenir stations where one gets to fill his/her tummy with the best view in Penang.

fresh air, spacious clean dining areas, fantastic ambience, great tasting and affordable Malaysian foods, drinks and desserts, what more can you ask for?

To me, one has never been to Malaysia when he/she has not yet tasted the country’s National dish or staple food…

Tina and I once again, sampled NASI LEMAK for our breakfast in Penang Hill! Sarap! We liked the dilis so much that it made us crave for more (so the following day, I went to market to buy more dilis!) Good thing was, the sambal (spicy red sauce) wasn't mixed with the dish so we somehow tapered to taste.

One of the best tasting Fried Rice we've tasted! The smokey flavor makes it so delicious!

After our simple breakfast, we trooped down the stairs and went to the very first museum in Southeast Asia that pays tribute to and promotes awareness about that nocturnal bird, THE OWL MUSEUM in PENANG HILL. To our surprise, we were greeted by two staff at its entrace who informed us with a smile, that the fees were waived for the reason that they just opened few days back. How lucky can we get? Indeed, best things in life are free!

What to see in The Owl Museum? Over a thousand Owl-inspired arts and crafts as masterpieces of creative artists from different parts of the globe.

I liked this paper-cut-out-chandelier; it made me think if it’s owl-inspired too. Perhaps, patterned after the eyes of the owl? Is it? It must be.

The museum is made of a thousand and counting collection of owl in various materials-metals, wood, paper, plastic, porcelain, semi-precious stones and a lot more that came from different countries, however, Tina found out from one of the staff that they’ve yet to acquire something made from the Philippines. There are also paintings and other art works that are owl-inspired. Here are some of those that caught my eyes…

For coffee lovers like Tina and me…

I like this for obvious reasons…

I perceived this owl-metallic art as a knight in shining feather, hehe!

I saw this at the souvenir shop. I was almost tempted to buy as it winked at me, haha! but I held on to my very thin budget and it was a success! I just captured him on photo (what a better and more practical option!).

Even the tiniest of the stuffs are oh-so-charming…

Their colors are vivid and bright, the details are eye-candy!

United Colors of Benetton, Owl edition?

One display window has these owls from London, England with title, “Nature’s Gift”. These figurines are made of feathers, straws, twigs, bark and seeds.

Pardon my shadow, these were “flown” from Paris, France…

Owls made of metallic materials and crystals are very interesting too…

Even the flower pot is owl-inspired. This museum is really “owl-some!”

Owl-kites…

Ladies would be delighted with these owl-themed accessories. I asked Tina to mimic how fashion-celebrity-bloggers whom we’ve met in our HKDL trip recently do it on their sites, hehe!

Modelo na ang asawa ko ng mga kwago! *She'll kill me for this!*

More Owl-accessories…

I could have bought a few if these were fridge magnets but they are rings for the girls who are edgy.

Now, children, meet The Royal Owl…

I swear, it’s really called The Royal Owl! It does look regal!

There’s this corner so called The Artist’s Station where one can sit for photo-op like what Gabby did…

He's working on his materpiece to be on display soon in The Owl Museum in Penang Hill, hehe!

But this one’s for real : When Gabby saw a chalk and board (he even asked his grandmother to request for an extra chalk from the staff), his world stopped for several minutes as nothing else mattered but finishing his own masterpiece!

Et voila…

Will he become a chef, a hotelier, a restaurateur or an artist? Que sera, sera!

Then our seemingly like never-ending photo-ops continued! We’re picture-addicts apparently!

We had fun inside The Owl Museum. Moving on, we walked our way to the other attractions in Penang Hill.

OK, now, kids, say “Taman Kanak-Kanak!”

Taman Kanak-Kanak

Taman Kanak-kanak in Bahasa Melayu (Malaysian language) simply means Children’s Playground (apparently on the photo, right? hehe!). Most communities in Penang (I don’t know in other Malaysian states) have this colorful playground even at 833 meters above sea level! Penang Hill even have its own POS or Postal Office at the hill itself. Impressive, isn’t it?

What’s even more amazing is the presence of PEACE among the diversities here. Imagine this : Masjid Bukit Bendera (Penang Hill Mosque) lies a stone throw away from the Murugan Temple (Hindu Temple); they’re almost located side-by-side and the only structure in between these two different religious shrines is this Taman Kanak-kanak. There’s no obvious tension, neither conflicts between them.

One of the Deity-altars outside the Murugan Temple in Penang Hill.

Ladies and gentlemen, this was one of the 87-year-old coaches that used to run up the hills of Bukit Bendera..

I already rode such wooden tram in San Francisco ages ago but it's not inclined as Penang's. Now with the very STEEP train track in Bukit Bendera / Penang Hill, I would think a thousand times first before hopping in if the funicular train remained the same as this in photo and wasn't renovated. Thank God for technology and innovation!

And then the time came for us to bid goodbye to Penang Hill. It was a memorable weekend morning!

Another funicular train just arrived in Penang Hill. It's the same train we rode downhill.

Tina recorded a video of our descent using her Samsung mobile…CLICK THIS!

Time when we hopped off the funicular. Bye, bye Penang Hill! Till our next visit!

I believe the best time to go up to this tourist spot is either daybreak like what we did or a few hours just before sunset. It becomes too crowded on a weekend, particularly hours past 8AM. Whether Penang Hill is a great tourist spot in this side of Malaysia or not, I know perception of beauty is so subjective but in my humble opinion, anything that’s breakthtaking is beautiful!

After that morning in Penang Hill, I think my family and I look at Penang in more different light. And I have to take back my statement mentioned earlier, it is a big deal to go to Penang Hill. It’s a must-visit place when you’re in this side of Malaysia! :D

—————————————————————

Directions to get to Penang Hill -One can take his car directly to Bukit Bendera or preferrably take a 45-minute bus ride from George Town, Penang via Rapid Penang Bus # 204 and hop off the gates of Penang Hill funicular station or take a taxi cab from any areas in George Town which will be more costly of course. One may also take a 3-hour trek from the foot of the hill at Penang Botanical Garden or drive/ride a 4×4.

Round trip funicular fare for Non-Malaysian tourists : 30 ringgit or RM30 (USD 9.78 or PhP 421) and RM15 for children aged seven to 12. For Malaysians, the fare for a round trip ticket is RM8 per adult and RM4 per child aged between three and 12. Senior citizens and students will enjoy cheaper fares at RM4 per person. Train Schedule : 6:30AM to 9PM daily unless notified.

The Owl Museum, Open Daily 9AM-6PM. Admission Rates : RM10 per entry, RM 5 for Senior Citizen, FREE Entry for Children below 12 years old (as mentioned, we had no entrance fees because according to the staff at its gate, they just opened few days prior to our visit).

Mar

LOOKING AT THE BRIGHTER SIDE

By docgelo 26 Comments

“A cloud does not know why it moves in just such a direction and in such a speed…It feels an impulsion…this is the place to go now. But the sky knows the reasons and the patterns behind the clouds, and you will know, too, when you lift yourself high enough to see beyond the horizons.” ~Richard Bach

*The photos were taken from the tiny porch of our 10th floor appartment in Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia overlooking George Town in Penang Island. I frequently look at the sky immediately after arriving home from work and wait for dusk. There I see abundance of priceless blessings!

Feb

THE COLORS OF CNY 2012 IN GEORGE TOWN, PENANG

By docgelo 27 Comments

Road closure is inevitable when there’s either a repair or an important event. More than a week ago, the streets of George Town, Penang were not accessible to traffic because of the Chinese New Year Heritage and Cultural Celebration.

Kapitan Keling Street along Lebuh Chulia : Closed for the festivities

Everyone’s feet were on the go to welcome the Lunar Year of the Dragon!

Every spot and almost every laterals of Lebuh Chulia rendered a festive mood. Even Penang’s famous trishaws were dressed to the nines for the occasions!

Do you have any idea in mind about the next photo? Have you seen similar dry runs before?

They're rehearsing LION DANCE ON STILTS; Yup! LION DANCES ON AIR are observed in this part of Southeast Asia! Roads are not enough to dance to the beat of the drums! ....Too bad the shows were scheduled 7 and 9 that evening and I had to go home early.

As I marveled at the various preparations to make the event lavish and merry, I followed a few groups of people walking down the red carpet.

Walking on Red Carpet

Youngsters who rule the drums came in troops…

Drum roll, please!

Their thunderous drum rolls led me to the Opera Stage of Khoo Kongsi Temple…

The Opera Stage had these kids in traditional Chinese costumes prancing in lively tunes…

I only spent few minutes inside the Cannon Square of Khoo Kongsi because “something happened” to me (don’t ask what for now, will post it one day. Let’s just say, it happened all for the love of this hobby called photography). Moving on…

I exited the compound of Khoo Kongsi and went back to one of the streets of George Town…

Buddhist temples and clan mansions at this side of Malaysia are located left and right!

As I turned my back, another visual feast greeted my eyes : Chinese Opera Rehearsal…

The artists were stunningly beautiful in their costumes despite sans make up! I think this is because they proudly wear their culture on their skin.

Then, my feet brought me to this corner where kids were practicing what I assumed as yo-yo.

I wonder what they call this uniquely looking yo-yo. These kids are amazing! They're practicing the skill in sync

One more temple facade and I found myself back in Armenian Street.

In one of the souvenir stalls there, my eyes caught these pieces, won my heart and made me smile…

I know Tina would love these paintings as she appreciates art too. If only I have an extra budget for pretty but unnecessary things, I would have brought a frame or two for her. Perhaps, next time…

Do they appeal to you?

I’m sorry I failed to get the name of the artist, most of the artworks weren’t signed too so there’s no way for me to credit them.

CNY 2012 is being observed in Penang from 23rd January to 15 days after. A lot more streets will surely witness dragon and lion dances in the remaining days of the event; either on the grounds or on top of the stilts!

I know red is considered to be the most auspicious of all the colors. Does black attracts good fortune too? I guess so. It’s not a black cat anyway, it’s a lion! LOL! hehehe

And among the volume of inspiring sights I’ve seen, this one’s most enticing…*wink*

Jan

CAVES AND BEARS

By docgelo 25 Comments

Hindu God, Murugan at the entrance of Batu Caves

SATURDAY MORNING : JANUARY 21, 2012

Our Day 2 of our Kuala Lumpur trip was devoted to explore caves and experience the sight of bears but definitely NOT in one location. We left our budget hotel in Chinatown at few minutes after 8 in the morning and headed to KL Sentral via taxi cab. At the KTM Komuter train station, we paid one-way-fare of RM 1 (PhP 14) each for adults (Mamy, Tina and me) and 50 sen or RM0.50 (PhP 7) for kids (Gabby); cheap for an almost 40 minute ride en route to Batu Caves.

The KTM Komuter train apparently looks old but still functional nonetheless, and resembles like our local MRT / LRT back home. After 4 to 5 stations, we finally arrived in Batu Caves.

Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur is probably the largest Hindu temple outside of India. It is expected to be packed every Thaipusam, the counterpart of Holy Week amongst us, Catholics. Thaipusam this year is scheduled on the 7th of February, a public holiday in Malaysia; thus expected to have thousands of people particularly from the Tamil community to flock to Batu Caves to venerate.

It is wise to visit this Hindu temple early in the morning; we’re happy to reached it few minutes past 9AM. The sun then was not that scorching hot yet.

Indian shrines like Buddhists’ that are frequently vivid in colors and covered with gold are always a visual feast!

Must have that detail shot…

Our noses led us to these leis for offerings…

Leis made up mainly of Jasmin or Sampaguita (Jasminum sambac) to us Filipinos are also common offerings to the Hindu Gods.

Mamy Tessie who loves and adores flowers so much was delighted to see those leis. I love my mom’s energy during travels; she never ceases to pose for photo-ops as if she doesn’t feel arthralgia (read: pain in the joints! -she might kill me for this!

My mom was overjoyed and gamely posed even with those pigeons! She so liked it! I know even without telling us, she's imagining she's in Italy or somewhere in Europe, haha!

Must have that souvenir shot…

doing the tourists' thing!

That was our last photo before we ALL conquered the 272 steps of Batu Caves. Yes, even Gabby who was quite hesitant to climb and afraid of heights (who doesn’t?) successfully made it to the top and back down the grounds! He had no choice but to come with us (with no coercion or force, mind you! haha!), otherwise, he’ll be left alone and wait for us (which Tina and I would not do of course).

The facade before the flight of stairs has this fascinating icons…

Then we met our challenge.

The 272 steps!

Here we go.

The steps fell short for my feet.

I wish they constructed the stairs with consideration to those with big foot.

On way up, we saw more interesting sights…

Their faith is inspiring!

…And finally we reached the caves!

Like other tourist spots, vendors of various souvenir items are found present even in a temple like Batu Caves. At least these stalls are far from what’s considered as Holy grounds for the Hindus where they walk barefooted.

I'm no seasoned traveler and not fond of trekking (yet) either; I believe it's my first encounter with stalactites.

If you will look closely at the next photo, you’ll notice another flight of stairs on the left side that takes visitors and faithfuls to the a shrine at the center of the Batu Caves. I died seeing another challenge! I almost yelled “No way! Not again!” while catching my breath.

*panting! gasping!*

Needless to say, we went down few minutes after. Among the four of us, it was Gabby who was so relieved when we got off the caves. He never liked the experience of climbing Batu Caves, neither did I. It was damn too tiring for all of us! I salute and bow to those who go up with religious loads like this…

or this…

I always find myself clueless each time my son asks questions about other religions. Like, how will you deal when your own kid inquires about this Hindu creature?

Often, I tell Gabby, each religion has their own belief. Safe answer, huh?! I know he’ll understand it more when he grows older. For now, we’re just grateful that he’s exposed to a lot of diversities around him.

Young Devotion

Reaching the grounds again, we saw lots of fresh coconuts being sold at RM4.00 each (PhP 56) too perfect as refreshments after a tiring climb. However, none of us did sample those coconuts, haha! Guess what we did immediately after going down the caves? We had BUFFET of Indian breakfast (to be posted on a separate entry at the end of this series)!

Then just before lunch time, we hopped in at KTM Komuter train again heading back to KL Sentral.

From KL Sentral, we took a cab and for the first time, we met a taxi driver in KL who offered a metered trip. Usually, we pay RM10-20 (PhP 140-280) for a 5-less than 10 minute cab ride. Thankfully with an honest driver, it only took RM5 (PhP 70) to get to this shopping paradise…

The 147 United Buddy Bears on exhibit at Pavilion Mall in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON : January 21, 2012

Pavilion Mall wasn’t included in the itinerary that my mom prepared for this KL trip but I insisted we have to pay a visit. Not to burn cash on shopping (we had less budget than you think!) or anything but just to experience the “Rodeo Drive” and “Shibuya or Ginza” of Malaysia.

Upon getting off the cab, I heard wows, sighs and amazement from Tina, Gabby and Mamy. All of us were in awe at the sight of the upscale shopping district in Kuala Lumpur.

Adding to our heightened excitement was an astonishingly beautiful, one-of-a-kind, ongoing exhibit of United Buddy Bears just in front of the Bukit Bintang entrance of Pavilion Mall. We felt so lucky and happy to see them all!

We were only expecting to see dragon and lions because of the Chinese New Year celebration but we got more than that! Pavilion Mall in Bukit Bintang is currently the venue of the first exhibition in Southeast Asia of the 147 United Buddy Bears. They are so adorable!

After a quick glance at Wiki, I found this -

“United Buddy Bears – Worldtour

On 6 November 2002, the bears were moved to new locations, including their respective countries embassies in Berlin, or back to country that they were based on. Some of the bears were auctioned off to raise money for UNICEF.

After the circle of “United Buddy Bears” had been such an overwhelming success in 2002, a new circle was created in 2003. The idea was to send the circle on a global tour.

On their global tour, the “United Buddy Bears” promote peace, love, tolerance and international understanding. The circle changes every time it reaches a new city. This is not only due to the local conditions, but also to their constantly changing order, as the bears are always set up in alphabetic order, following the local language of the host country. This always leads to new and sometimes politically very interesting proximities” (sourced via Wiki)

So these bears promote peace, love, tolerance and international understanding. We all need that, don’t we?

happiness!

Kidding around the Philippines Bear featuring the Philippine Eagle by Artist, Pierre F. Patricio, sponsored by the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Berlin.

Bear Love!

We can’t get enough of these bears!

Don't you wish to bring home at least one bear? hahaha!

Our fatigue from exploring Batu Caves was gone in a heart beat; thanks to these incredibly FUNtastic United Buddy Bears!

These colorful larger than life buddy bears have gone to countries like Germany, Austria, Hong Kong, Turkey, Japan, Korea, Australia, Egypt, Israel, Poland, Argentina, Uruguay, Kazakshtan, Bulgaria and as mentioned, first in Southeast Asia : Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia!

Now, when will these bears visit 168 Mall in Divisoria, Manila? LOL!

On right photo is the bear from Malaysia!

The quote on the bear states, “Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.” –Albert Einstein

Walk Like An Egyptian!

Tina, my mom and I were all happy to see Gabby enjoying these bears!

sexy back

Fun to look at with messages that cut through you…

Stay tuned for more posts about our fun moments at KL.

*This blog series includes : Petronas Twin Towers Skybridge Visit

Oct

MY 2 HOURS AT PINANG PERANAKAN MANSION

By docgelo 46 Comments

*Please make sure you view the ENTIRE post; it’s a visual feast! Thank you!*

Heritage.

Opulence.

Grandeur.

Heritage…Opulence…Grandeur –all in one roof.
Pinang Peranakan Mansion is impressively stunning!
With just an entrance fee cheaper than a venti of Starbucks Coffee, ten ringgit actually (RM10 =PhP 140 or USD 3.16), I took the chance to spend a couple of hours inside this fantastic place with Chinese carved wooden panels, English floor tiles and Scottish ironworks and a thousand and more fascinating pieces. I freely wandered and marveled inside Pinang Peranakan Mansion at my own pace, without time limit. In an instant, my senses were brought back to the bygone era when the Peranakans, also known as Babas and Nyonyas, reigned as a community of acculturated Chinese unique to this part of the world.

Tucked in the heart of George Town, in Church Street or Lebuh Gereja, the mansion in mint green was beautifully restored to its glory meant to be enjoyed by the present and future generations.

The mansion’s second floor boasts of the Bridal Chamber, Family Hall, Glass room and an enormous display of finest porcelains.
But before your steps take you to these lifestyle galleries, must comply….

An ornately decorated bedroom is transformed into a bridal gallery.

Continue reading ‘MY 2 HOURS AT PINANG PERANAKAN MANSION’

Aug

MY FAVORITE PHOTOS TO DATE

By docgelo 33 Comments

Categories: FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO, HEADLINES, ILOVEPHOTOS, MALAYSIA and TRAVEL
Tags: arts, asia, blogging, boats, culture, doc gelo, docgelo, family, family and living, family life, george town penang malaysia, georgetown penang, hari raya, hari raya aidilfitri, heritage, hobby, india, indians, Life, malay, malaysia, nikon D7000, passion, past time, penang, penang malaysia, photoblogging, photographer, photography, photos, pictures, tradition, tropical spice garden, vacation

And so the weeklong break has come. We’re up to enjoy the Hari Raya (end of Ramadan) vacation from work (for Tina and I) and school (for Gabby) beginning today, 27th August until 4th September. I will take my wife & kid on Tuesday next week to a short trip in a neighboring Asian country for the very perstaym, but since it’s too early to pack our luggage and bags, we’re just happy to spend more time together for more than a week (repeat : no work, no school, yahoo!) and do things we’d like to do.

De-stressing at home : As Tina’s busy preparing our meals, she also finds more time to play her favorite computer games. Gabby’s doing a cartoon marathon on TV (making me miss to watch one of the series I follow, The Amazing Race but that’s OK of course) while I go online to do a little research on our itinerary next week, making last-minute reservations and bookings (akala ko ba de-stressing?) and blogging and blog hopping in between.

I’m happy that a popular Filipino website called spot.ph featured few of my blog pictures of the Japanese restaurant back home called, Zensho, with, permission, proper credit and link to my post (back in 2009), I was inspired to browse my photo files once more.

I chose to repost my favorite photos taken after I purchased my Nikon D7000 early this year. They may be far from your standards, but I’d like to share them again to you as my favorites to date as these captures simply make me smile when I browse them in files. Comments for improvements, particularly free tips on this hobby called photography (I consider it a big word for I am a neophyte with still so much to learn –blame my laziness to read the few photography books and magazines I acquired) will be appreciated.

And of course, my main reason for owning a camera is to capture moments with them with their precious smiles…

I don’t know of the technical aspects of photography yet but I like these pictures not only because of the subjects but the memories that come with them.

PS: I agree with what I have read before that “owning a DSLR doesn’t make you an instant blogger more so a photographer”. My 2-cents-worth: It’s not really the camera that matters for it’s only a tool; it takes passion, talent and the will to learn new things for you to love and improve on these hobbies.

May

KOTA BHARU, KELANTAN SERIES : WAU BULAN, THE MOON KITES

By docgelo 40 Comments

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: colorful kites, doc gelo, docgelo, kelantan, kites, kota bharu, malaysia, malaysian airlines, moon kites, TRAVEL, traveling, travelling, vacation, wau, wau bulan

Beyond fascination, I was effortlessly seduced by its intricate designs after I saw its beauty on photos from pages of a book while killing time in a bookstore one lazy afternoon. I surrendered to the desire that I and my family have to see it up close.

Perhaps, I felt the need for another breather from our usual mall ratting-house-bumming routine every weekend. After all, it’s a long weekend in Malaysia since May 1, 2011 fell on a Sunday, the next day was posted as a holiday.

One of my senior colleagues even commented that I might be having regression. I laughed at his candid opinion about our unusual family getaway and reviewed myself if I’m really having such! I had few times of flying boka-boka (our local paper kites) and some fancy and commercially bought plastic kites before but for the record, I never had a chance to fly nor see kite this gorgeous.

It became more interesting after I learned from online readings that the logo of the flag carrier of Malaysia and our fifty sen (cents) coin here carry its image…

I promised myself that I will bring my wife and our kid to where it’s made for us to experience appreciation first hand. The plan in mind was to go to Kota Bharu, Kelantan during this year’s Hari Raya (or Eid, that marks the end of Ramadan) that will come by the last week of August.

And so, after little researches done on the web and picking pieces of advice from our student and colleagues who hail from the said town, the date previously preferred were found to be not the best days of travel because most people will be coming home from various places to celebrate the holidays with their family (read : traffic jam, packed town!).

Luck was on my side when Tina agreed to go with me and Gabby to Kelantan earlier than I initially thought of. I hurriedly browsed the web (the ever reliable, Tripadvisor) for hotel reviews from tourists who had visited the place and decided to reserve a room in the only 5-star-hotel in Kota Bharu (which deserves a separate post). Soon after, I found myself buying tickets for the 3 of us in Penang Sentral, the bus station in Butterworth (Adult fare RM 35 or PhP 490 = USD 12.25+; child fare RM 25 or PhP 350 = USD 8.75+)). The excitement was heightened.

I have arranged a meet-up with one of our PreMed-scholar student, Ain who’s going home to Kelantan earlier than our trip. She volunteered to get us return bus tickets from her town which I paid just before she left. Everything was instantly organized -from our transportation, hotel accomodation, to our itineraries. A tour was born in a jiffy!

Amazingly crafted with at least 3 layers of colored paper framed on bamboo sticks; some are made to fly, others serve as decors

We left Penang Sentral at 10PM, Saturday after a day-long training at work (yes, I attended a camp-facilitators’ workshop before hopping on the bus); thank God we managed to doze off during our 6 hour trip. From Kota Bharu bus station, we hired a taxi cab that took us to our hotel (RM 20 =PhP 280 or USD 7+). The hotel staff was so nice that they had allowed us to have early check in at 5AM without extra fees (supposed to pay half-day rate because early check in is defined at 7AM while regular time for check in is at 2PM). Before getting additional hours of sleep, I asked the front desk staff to look for a cab for us with an English-speaking driver who can serve as tour guide for 2 days; the hotel shuttle and cars (which apparently are more costly) were fully booked.

Mr. Safee, 53 year old Kelantanese-Malay who has been making wau bulan masterpieces both for flying and decors for more than 30 years

In a matter of few minutes from our first two destinations (which will be posted soon on this series) as we left the hotel before lunch time, we reached Kampong Badang in Kelantan, which is a few meters away from Pantai Cahaya Bulan. We stepped foot in a nondescript, almost nipa-hut looking house that stands in sand. My heart beat faster than I could imagine.

With Tina and Gabby are Mr. Kamal, our friendly-English speaking taxi driver-tour guide on Day1 and Mr. Safee, one of the wau bulan expert makers.

To witness how one wau bulan is made was more than wonderful! It’s totally unique experience! We learned that bamboo poles are first soaked in water for a day to make them sturdier before they’re cut into sticks for the frame of the kite. The sizes of the sticks should be equal and precise particularly if it’s intended to fly. Once ready, it only takes an expert moon kite maker like, Safee to complete a masterpiece for one whole day.The designs are usually floral with burst of colors!

Obviously, thrilled :

The next day, Mr. Kamel’s car broke down but he didn’t fail us with the tour by recommending another great taxi driver-tour guide by name of Mr. Nasri. He brought us to so many tourist spots and to another wau bulan maker.

This is the gallery where we bought an authentic wau bulan for wall decor on our second day tour in Kota Bharu.

This one has similar colors to what we brought home as souvenir; on a smaller scale of approximately 2 meters, we bought our wau bulan for RM 45 (PhP 630 or USD 15.75+). We’re excited to display it on the wall of our living room as we move to a new condo-appartment on the 3rd week of July.

not your usual school boy's toy, a wau bulan is creatively made up of its parts : a head, a spine, a waist, a wing and a tail; it has pompoms/tassels too! the tail looks like a crescent moon when flown in the air, hence called moon kite

“The Malay kite takes many shapes of which the most popular is the moon kite or wau bulan. There are also bird-kites, peacock-kites, hawk kites, cat-kites, frog-kites, quail-kites, fish-kites, woman kites and fairy godmother kites” -Virtual Malaysia.

The owner of the shop generously gave Gabby a freebie!

Apparently, it’s uncommon for most families to be interested in arts, culture and tradition but I am glad and proud that my family’s happy too with our wau bulan experience.

The most beautiful wau bulan in my eyes (leafy green design) was not for sale; it's a commissioned work by the museum to safee for RM 500 (PhP 7K+). I maybe disappointed in failing to but this design but the memory of our trip was nonetheless a good substitute.

*International Wau Festival is scheduled on June 2 to 6, 2011 at Pantai Irama, Bachok, Kelantan.

The other part of this blog series : Back from Kota Bharu, Kelantan

Suggested reading about Wau bulan -> Virtual Malaysia

Here’s a link to a youtube video of wau bulan making : wau bulan

————————————————————-<@

Special thanks to our friends whom we met on the road and made our Kelantan trip more than amazing :

Mr. Nik Mat Kamal -our taxi cab driver-tour guide on our 1st day; you may reach him at +60129909538 and +60199735439.

Mr. Mohd Nasri Mohd Nawi -our taxi cab driver-tour guide on our 2nd day; you may reach him at +60139425241.

Mr. Muhammad Dain bin Othman (Pak Dain) -the owner and expert maker of Wayang kulit (Shadow Puppet which I will blog soon); his gallery is located at Simpang 3, Morak, Palekbang 16040, Kelantan; website : WayangPakDain

to Gula Kapas who responded to my query by emailing me a google map of the location of wau bulan makers in kelantan.

and to our student, Ain and her dad for welcoming us in their hometown.

————————————————————-<@

More of Kelantan and its culture and colors soon….

Jan

AMANDA

By docgelo 45 Comments

“It is never too late to begin. Remember that you always wanted to play the piano, paint, write poetry, start a journal, read that challenging book, begin stargazing, learn a little Spanish, take up yoga or qigong, build something special. There will never be a better day to begin than today. Just do it.” –Jonathan Lockwood Huie

At 34, I know it’s never that late to learn new things and pursue other fields of fascination.

I never thought that homesickness and boredom out of living and working abroad would lead me to do things I wanted to do since God knows when.

This beautiful sunny Sunday morning, I went to Jalan Raja Uda in Butterworth, a 5-minute-bus-ride and a 10-minute walk from our place in Taman Robina.

The Chinese owner of the music school and her receptionist were both amazed that I came on the dot at 9AM as I have committed over the phone yesterday.

I cannot hide my excitement to meet her; that’s why! I cannot wait to take her home! My wife, Tina already gave her nod for me to have an affair with my new love.

Meet Amanda, my new love…

Isn’t she gorgeous? I just hope she’ll love me back! *wink*

She’s brand new; they ordered for me from their supplier and did not come from their display…

I scouted a music store in a mall yesterday and also google the web to compare prices, the cost is still cheaper and more affordable in music school.

I will join 3 other MD-lecturer-colleagues in a beginner class for violin on 09 February when the music school reopens after the long Chinese New Year holiday here in Penang (CNY celebration starts Feb 3-4-5-6) and every Wednesdays at 6:30PM (after our office hours end at 5PM) thereafter. Our class is scheduled an hour per week; 30-min theoretical, 30-min practicals.

Like a kid who wanted to explore and try new things, I am extremely excited to learn the basics of violin. Little by little, I believe I can pull it off, who knows, after few months time, I’ll be able to play The Corrs’ Runaway and other beautiful music that Amanda and I will enjoy.

I’ll keep you posted.

Do you know how to play any musical instrument?

For anyone who knows how to play this string instrument, would you mind giving me some tips and pieces of advice about its care, and whatnot? Do you have any songs to suggest for me to play ~~someday~~ soon? *naks!*

Enjoy your new week, everyone!

—————————————–o

AKADEMI MUZIC NEE. 13 Tkt Mawar, Taman Mawar, Jalan Raja Uda, 12300 Butterworth, Seberang Prai, Pulau Pinang, West Malaysia. It’s only right across my senior colleagues’ place, Kondominium Cassia Their website here –> CLICK!

PS : I’m planning to enrol my son, Gabby to play+learn any musical instrument of his choice after he arrives here in Penang on late March with his mom. It’s nice if we can play the violin together but when I asked him on Skype last week, he prefers piano at this early. We’ll see.

Dec

LOOKING BACK AT 2010, LOOKING FORWARD TO 2011

By docgelo 14 Comments

Categories: Attitude, EVENTS, FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO, FOOD & MORE FOOD!, TOKYO, TRAVEL and WORK
Tags: 2010, 2011, asakusa, disneyland, doc gelo, docgelo, ginza, gotanda, harajuku, kuala lumpur, malaysia, new year, new year's wishes, penang, shinagawa, star cruise pisces, star cruises, TOKYO, tokyo disneysea, TRAVEL, trip

The outgoing year has given me a lot of humbling experiences. Only my family and truest friends can attest that 2010 has been a tough year for me, financial-wise. I have been under the weather but nevertheless, I am so grateful to our good Lord for providing His blessings in critical times when I needed the most.

Huge decisions ranging from dropping a job early this year in the name of principles, to accepting new offers to continue to seek personal and professional growths and making vital sacrifices for my family and myself form part of my 2010. Despite my on-going struggle to become stable, there were countless remarkable memories from this year to cherish.

I reckon being in two Asian countries for more than 2 weeks (and counting) as a great privilege for me. I’ve experienced varied cultures, beliefs and religions, was exposed to amazing gastronomic flavors, have been to wonderful sights that provided opportunities to learn new things and at times, to unwind and be stress-free.

Looking back, I never planned nor thought of being in these places to wintess the turn of events happen before my very eyes. Indeed, God’s love works in mysterious ways.

Experiencing Tokyo (for 2 week-all-expense-paid trip) was truly one for the books. I swear, I’ll revisit that most expensive city with my family someday.

The stylish and luxurious street of Marunouchi was definitely unforgettable…

Like other tourists, I also fell in love with the street Ginza…

Tasting authentic Japanese foods which are among my favorites really heightened my appreciation of Tokyo…

Places like Akihabara Electric Town…

Harajuku, Shinagawa, Gotanda, Shibuya, Shinjuku and Asakusa are worthy of recall…

Who would not enjoy Tokyo Disneyland…

and Tokyo Disneysea…

While the second part of the year gave me a chance to work in Penang. Thank you, God!

I was impressed with one of UNESCO’S World Heritage Cities, Georgetown…

I became part of a small community of 24 Filipino MD-lecturers amongst multicultural faculty of an international medical university, all proving our worth not to anyone else but primarily to our families…

I got to experienced an overnight sailing via Star Cruise Pisces with my friends/colleagues.

I have embraced the fact that my work site is absolutely rich in diversities…

Everything has been overwhelming.

But the sweetest thing that happened to me this year was when I had a chance to bring my family over to Penang after 5 months of homesickness and solitude… Our reunion that brought us to Penang Island, Genting Highlands Resort and the city of Kuala Lumpur that also gave Tina that 1-year renewable contract as an Operating Room Nurse in a Joint Committee Accredited Hospital in Penang Island (she’ll start working after her registration with Malaysian Nursing Council is released that we hope to happen 1 – 3 months from now) has been truly rewarding.

I pray for abundance, health and safety for my family, friends and myself.

I wish I can perform my job beyond my employer’s expectations and more importantly, I want to continue being an inspiration to others, particularly my former and present students.

I hope for more travels and learning opportunities to come our way.

I’ll try my very best to save, save and save and to establish my family abroad in God’s will.

I pray to become a better person and a blessing to others.

With challenges and graces from 2010, I pray that I can carry on to 2011 with so much hope, optimism and faith.

So help me, God.

Have a prosperous, healthy and happy 2011, everyone!

—————————————————————————————

this post also serves an entry to (for tina to win the prize from) jeanny’s blog contest.

Visit her blog Starting A New Life.

Dec

TRAIN RIDE, HOTEL AND TWIN TOWERS

By docgelo 10 Comments

Categories: EVENTS, FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO and TRAVEL
Tags: asia, christmas, doc gelo, docgelo, holiday, KL, kuala lumpur, legend hotel and appartments, legend hotel kuala lumpur, legend hotel\, malaysia, penang, petronas, petronas twin towers, southeast asia, TRAVEL, trip, twin towers, vacation

From Butterworth, Penang, we hopped on to train to Hogwarts…

OK, so Rubeus Hagrid wasn’t there that midnight to meet us and we didn’t wait for the train at platform 9 3/4 but platform 2 from Butterworth to Kuala Lumpur.

The train ride (RM 34 per adult or USD 11 or PhP 473 and RM 21 for kids) which we chose over buses was way cheaper compared to taking the low cost carrier (Air Asia) but of course there’s its downside. While Air Asia can take its passengers from Penang International Airport to Kuala Lumpur in less than an hour, the train we rode took us to KL not in a blink but in 9 freaking long hours! …At least we can state that we already experienced it and was worth it anyway for its price.

The train also has beds but we should have brought the tickets earlier because it sell like hotcakes.

We didn’t expect it’ll be chilling cold inside (without exaggeration, it felt like we’re in a freezer!) and we hated its old and poorly maintained tandas or toilets (of all things, for Heaven’s sake!).

Syempre, we still flashed our smiles despite those hassles not to forget an hour delay because the train from Singapore arrived in Penang late. Sometimes, it’s good to just go with the flow and let time takes its course, like what one of our friend-colleagues (the one with maroon head cap covering his face) did at the beginning of the trip–he immediately slept with no care whether we’re clicking our cams for posterity… haha

And did I tell you already that we reached KL sitting on our seats with the train moving backwards? Now that’s another unique experience we had.

It was already 9AM when we arrived in KL Sentral where trains, buses and taxi cabs are stationed. From there, we decided to take 2 teksi to our hotel and forget about taking the cheaper monorail. Good choice because for only RM 13 (USD 4.20 or PhP 182) we’re already at the lobby in less than 15 minutes.

The Legend Hotel and Appartments in KL became our home for 2D-1N. We booked for a Superior Room that can house all 6 of us (Drs. Ronnie, Alvin, Carlo and me with Tina and Gabby) with 2 single beds large enough to accomodate 2 and we requested for an extra bed. We thought it would cut the cost of our expenses if we would do it that way; and so it did.

We’re checked in at the 19th floor…

This boy has started to entertain his fetish for nice and comfy hotels; tsk. tsk…

*gastos iyan, tatay-doc!*

And if we’re disappointed in tandas of the train that took us to KL from Penang, check out the comfort room of our room in Legend Hotel…simply divine.

The view from our window..

After we hurriedly took showers, we parted ways to explore the city. The boys went to a building filled with nothing but tech-gadgets with affordable prizes while I took Tina and Gabby to Suria-KLCC Shopping Complex at the foot of one of the most famous landmarks in Southeast Asia.

Five months of homesickness faded out in a heart beat.

Suria-KLCC Mall was dazzlingly decorated to the occasion but what strucked us the most were those iconic Twin Towers…

It’s my 3rd time to ~~see~~ experience Petronas but it never fails to impress me.

It was my first time to spend Noche Buena with friends.

It was my first time to bring my family to KL.

It was indeed a memorable Christmas for us.

How was yours?

Enjoy the holidays, everyone!

————————————————————-

Dec

OUR DAYS IN GENTING : PART TWO

By docgelo 20 Comments

Categories: FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO and TRAVEL
Tags: asia, doc gelo, docgelo, genting, genting highlands, genting highlands resort, indoor theme park, malaysia, rides, theme parks, tourist spot in malaysia, TRAVEL, traveling, travelling

OUR DAYS IN GENTING : PART ONE

Disneyland meets Las Vegas on a smaller scale… that’s how they described Genting Highlands Resort on most online sites I’ve browsed when I was still planning to bring my family over to Malaysia.

During one of my Small Group Discussion sessions with our students, they’ve warned me that I might be disappointed with Genting since I’ve been to those two themed places once upon a time. Despite their word, I was never skeptical with my game plan. Tina, Gabby and I have to experience the coolest place (literally and figuratively) in this side of Asia.

I got a package tour from one of the travel agencies in Georgetown, Penang last November, then started counting the days until the big day.

Genting Highlands has a number of hotels to choose from (Genting Hotel, First World, Resort Hotel, Theme Park Hotel) with casinos, retail shops, restaurants, fast foods and kiosks; has 2 theme parks : indoor, which is located at the second level of First World Hotel where we checked in, and outdoor theme park where ‘life-threatening’ or as my blogmate, chyng puts it -”buwis-buhay“) extreme rides can be enjoyed by those daredevils.

After our hearty dinner buffet at Coffee Terrace in Genting Hotel, we went down to First World Plaza Indoor theme park.

If you’re a kid or kid at heart, this can be your paradise. If you like shopping branded items on a 50-70% off, Genting can be your nirvana.

Gabby had fun making snow balls and throwing them up in the air inside Snow World. Cameras were not allowed inside but we had 4 souvenir shots at 8R and 5R sizes taken by their official photographers, which I purchased for RM 60 (USD 20 or PhP 840); quite pricey but I considered that memories can’t be brought back and it should be taken as priceless. *i must scan those photos soon*

Miniature of famous landmarks around the globe are found in the indoor theme park. There are NYC’s statue of Liberty and Times Square, Hollywood’s Oscars trophy, gondola ride in Venice, Big Ben in UK, Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Eiffel Tower in Paris and of course, Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia.

While we reserved our second and last day in Genting to explore the outdoor theme park…

What’s a children’s paradise without that grand carousel?

There’s this Beryl’s Chocolate Factory where colorful chocolate processing simply bursts before your eyes…

Gabby had two days of happiness in Genting but more than that, it was Tina and I who were overjoyed having fun with him.

Happy New Year, everyone!

—————————————————–o

Dec

HARRODS CAFE : CELEBRATORY INDULGENCE IN KUALA LUMPUR

By docgelo 30 Comments

Because it’s Christmas and everyone’s busy being generous and nice, by the time you read this post, we’re probably heading to the Kuala Lumpur-LCT airport to catch a flight back to Pinas or already enjoying the comforts of being home.

Few hours before Noche Buena, I brought my family to a special restaurant inside Suria-KLCC Shopping Complex to grab quick bites of what this London-based food place has to offer.

Since I cannot afford to take my family and travel to Europe yet, experiencing a taste of it with Tina and Gabby is the second best thing for me.

Tucked within its gift shop, Harrods Cafe is a serene and relaxing food place (noxious on the pocket though but its excellent food and impeccable service made our dining experience all worth it –*pikit-mata sa budget*)

Everything inside was fascinating. The English ambiance that I and Tina only experience in few movies and literatures, to the little details of its interiors, table setting and foods that were served were truly note-worthy.

Tina gave me the freedom to order for the 3 of us to share. Our set included…

Complimentary pieces of bread served with (herbed) butter.

Potato and herbs soup : Although thick and creamy, our tastebuds were quite alienated to it for I think we’re all biased to pumpkin.

I reckon Fish and Chips as a classic that one can never go wrong with. And so does Harrods’ version… Never greasy, no foul-fishy taste; served with long and chunky potato fries and freshest green salad tossed in vinaigrette. *sarap!*

A day in Gelo and Tina’s lives isn’t complete without a dose of caffeine. We shared a cup of cappuccino; foamy as usual, the difference lies on its taste and presentation.

Sugar cubes or brown sugar? Gabby smiled his widest when he tried the tongs…

Tina was delighted too with those sugar cubes!

I’m happy to share the table again with my family.

Nothing really beats being with your love ones.

Happy holidays, everyone!

——————————————————–o

PS : I wish to bring my family to Europe one day and compare how does KL branch fares with the original.

*wishful thinking* …malay nyo lang, this year KL, next Christmas Europe na, LOL!

Dec

OUR DAYS IN GENTING : PART ONE

By docgelo 24 Comments

Saturday, 18 Dec 2010. Around 3PM at the First World Hotel Tourist Package Counter,

docgelo : Hello Miss.

(hands in the reservation voucher and the number he secured from the lobby)

hotel staff : Sir, you have to wait for your number to be called.

docgelo : Can you please check me in now; my son needs to rest.

*sumistema kasi 100 tourists pa ang nauna sa kanila (God, forgive me! hehe)*

hotel staff : (talks to her manager; after few seconds, she hands in the key).

docgelo : Thank you!

docgelo to Tina : Tara na, bilisan mo ang lakad. I have the key already!

—————————————————–

We felt relieved after we finally saw our deluxe room at First World Hotel, Genting Highlands Resort. Despite the fact that we took an executive tourist bus from Georgetown, Penang with minimal capacity and so much leg-room per seat that provided enough comfort, the 7 hour trip (with an hour lunch break at the bus stop) was quite tiring.

I initially booked an overnight stay at Resort Hotel, but I was told by the travel agent only last Saturday morning at their office and bus pick up point that the said hotel did not confirm and they had to book us to another (First World Hotel). Good thing, they gave me refund of RM 56 (USD 17.8 or PhP 790) from the tour package I got from them last November.

I set no expectations but for me and my family to have fun. I tried my best not to compare Genting Highlands Resort to some similar theme parks I’ve been to (Disneyland in Anaheim, Hong Kong and Tokyo and themed hotels in Las Vegas).

The view from one of the hotels was breathtaking…

“Founded in 1965, Genting Highlands Resort or popularly known as “Genting-City of Entertainment” is situated at 6,000 feet above sea level, set amidst cool misty mountains of Pahang, Malaysia. The Chinese acronym for Genting, pronounced as Yun Ding carries the literal meaning of on top of the clouds.” (–sourced from genting rewards gallery).

The package I got included 2D-1N hotel accomodation, roundtrip bus transfers, and unlimited all-day pass to both indoor and outdoor theme parks for one day. It was nice that we’re checked in at First World Hotel where the indoor them park was located at its 2nd level.

After we left our luggage in our room, we immediately explored Genting.

Tina (and I) wanted to try the dinner buffet in one of the hotels so we asked for directions and headed few levels up to Coffee Terrace located at the Genting Hotel (hotels are interconnected via escalators and monorails).

Meals were not included in the package but there are many food options available; from fast foods (KFC, McDonald’s, Burger King, MarryBrown etc), food kiosks (skewered fish balls, sushi, pastries, sandwiches, local favorites and more) to high-end restaurants and hotel cafe.

I like the spontaneity of use of recycled plastic bottles made into Christmas decors…

Dinner buffet at Coffee Terrace is offered at 5-9PM and is charged at RM 60+/adult (USD 19. 13 or PhP 850) and RM 39+/child (USD 12.44 or PhP 552). Pikit-mata na lang sa gastos, na-miss ko magbuffet kasama ng pamilya ko! Ito lang bisyo namin, remember?

FOOD PORN !

Some plates we shared…

DESSERT OVERLOAD!

For Tina’s and my own palate, hotel buffets in Pinas are way so much better but nonetheless, our Coffee Terrace experience wasn’t that bad at all. We’ve savored again what we love to do best.

What about Gabby? Did he enjoy the buffet particularly the Durian-flavored ice cream he had? His smile said so.

Other than he liked the sweets, he’s too excited for the indoor and outdoor theme parks of course.

To be continued…

—————————————————————

Dec

LAST FRIDAY AT GEORGETOWN

By docgelo 17 Comments

Friday night was a blast, at least for my family and I. It was the eve of our trip to Genting Highlands Resort, the so-called mini-Las Vegas-mini-Disneyland of Malaysia. Excitement ruled as I brought my wife and kid for an overnight stay in a budget-friendly hotel in Georgetown, Penang Island.

“Wow, sosyal!” exclaimed Gabby soon after he tapped the card-key and opened the door of our room. Tina and I were smiling ears to ears with Gabby’s astonishment. It’s nice to see our kid happy and knows how to appreciate simple things.

There’s nothing grandiose but Tune hotels is still consistently clean, fresh and a real value-for-money.

It was already my second time to spend a night at Tune in that same branch and for only RM 88 per room (USD 27.9 or PhP 1240), one can have a restful sleep and worry nothing about catching a flight, or in our case, a bus trip to Genting the following morning.

I highly recommend Tune Hotels for those financially-conscious but won’t sacrifice quality of service and cleanliness. *do i get a discount for this, Tune?*

After few minutes, we walked through one of my favorite eating places in this part of Penang. We had dinner at a nearby restaurant called Santorini…

I wanted Tina and Gabby to experience what I and my colleagues/friends have been enjoying here in Penang. So I ordered my usual-Santorini meal for Tina; it’s Combo plate of various seafoods tossed in a delightful sauce with veggies.

I’m not surprised she liked it. I know her taste of course.

After filling our tummies, we strolled a few more steps from Santorini and found ourselves looking at aquarium tanks with fresh and salt-water fishes, dogs, cats and other domesticated animals in a 3-floor-pet shop. It was just too bad that cameras are not allowed in the store but nonetheless, Gabby was content seeing large kois in a pond and all those feathered and haired and scaled friendly creatures for free!

We left that airconditioned pet shop at its closing time at few minutes before 10PM and walked to Komtar, the tallest building and famous landmark in Georgetown. We dropped by at Prangin mall and marvelled at their holiday decors.

I honestly never expected a Muslim-predominated country will also dressed its establishments to a Christian-inspired festivity such as Christmas. We like it so much! Don’t you?

prangin mall, georgetown, pulau pinang

Their smiles = my bliss!

It’s truly almost Christmas even in this part of Malaysia!

Up next : Our Genting Highlands Adventures!

Dec

FAMILY’S FIRST FEAST in PENANG : DRAGON-i

By docgelo 9 Comments

Categories: FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO, FOOD & MORE FOOD! and TRAVEL
Tags: asian dishes, asian food, chinese food, doc gelo, docgelo, food, food blog, food in malaysia, foodie, malaysia, penang, penang malaysia, queensbay, queensbay mall, shanghainese, shanghainese food

It was already 11AM last Saturday when we arrived at our penthouse from Penang Airport. We only dropped off my wife and kid’s luggage and bags, took shower and off we went to my favorite mall in this part of Malaysia; where else but Queensbay Mall.

Since it was already more than 2 hours past noon time, the priority in our agenda on Tina and Gabby’s first day in Penang was to seek gastronomic indulgence.

I took them at a Shanghainese restaurant called DRAGON-i.

The casual and non-intimidating food place is located at the centermost portion of the mall on its 2nd floor, overlooking the glorious bay and that 42-km magnificence, Penang bridge.

Boiled peanuts for appetizer…

Hand-pulled noodles mixed with flavorful soy sauce and seafoods; delicious!

Fried rice with fried pork chops. This pair didn’t satisfy Tina, perhaps because it wasn’t that crispy or was a bit oily for her.

Gabby and I were amused with this dimsum filled with red mung bean. Aren’t they too cute for words?

He also ordered soup-filled steamed crab and seafood dumpling, XiaoLongBao.
(Xiaolong = small steaming basket)

Shrimp siomai, anyone?

Whether enjoying street foods (at hawkers in Gurney Drive, Penang) or dining somewhere with more relaxed ambiance, or simply eating meals at the comfort of your own dining tables, what matters most is spending time with your loved ones. Agree?

———————————————–o

Dec

KIDS WILL BE KIDS

By docgelo 16 Comments

Categories: FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO
Tags: children, doc gelo, docgelo, faculty room, family, family life, fatherhood, kids, malaysia, parenthood, penang

Five months have been my longest physical absence from my family. Apparently, I missed Gabby a lot since I left him and her mom for work here in Penang last 29th July. So when the two of them arrived here last Saturday, every second has been truly momentous.

I was so excited to see him again, so thrilled to check how he has grown with only her mom on his side. I remember seeing him first on video-call via skype with only one front tooth then but now, he has 2 already. He remains to be my boy wonder. I should give all the credits and praises to her lovely mom, Tina. *thanks, honey!*

On their 3rd day here in Penang, I brought Gabby to work because Tina has to attend to her appointment in a medical institution here.

It’s very flattering to hear comments from my fellows here that Gabby’s good looking and seems to be a nice boy. *ehem, blame it on genetics!*

And since the medical university-college where I am working (with 23 other brilliant Filipino MD-lecturers) has yet to put up a Day Care Center soon for all employees’ children as part of our benefits, I took Gabby first at our faculty room. He lorded my work station and played with another kid, the son of my colleague.

Look how kulit they were so early on a Monday morning at my work desk…

I had to relocate to a vacant table of a colleague who’s currently in Manila just for my place to accomodate these 2 kids.
My laptop, daily morning papers and whatnot needed to be transfered too.

I have to take extra care of him everytime we ride Rapid Penang bus.
I have to prepare his food, snacks and drinks.
I have to accompany him to the toilet whenever needed.

I had to convinced him to doze off in the afternoon even on a couch beside our photocopying machine.

And because Tina was requested to report back to her appointment on Thursday, I’ll take Gabby again with me to work on that day.
I’m not complaining.
I so missed this thing called fatherhood.

————————————————————-

Dec

REUNITED

By docgelo 17 Comments

Categories: EVENTS and FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO
Tags: being abroad, doc gelo, docgelo, filipino abroad, filipino in malaysia, homesickness, life of an OFW, loneliness, malaysia, ocw, ofw, penang, pinoy abroad, pinoy in penang

and it feels so good!

Once upon a time, I and my wife thought of working abroad for obvious reasons. But despite the fact that we’re both kids of OFW-parents, it never crossed our minds how difficult it is to be away from each other. Or perhaps, either we less know what to actually expect or we’re in denial that we’re not that tough to withstand distance.

As they say, “everything has its sweet ending.”

Those days of homesickness and loneliness for almost 5 months (read : not even half a year yet!) came to a close as Tina and Gabby arrived from Pinas to Penang (via KL) last Saturday morning, 11th December.

Breakfast treat by a colleague at McDonald's, Penang Airport. Sweet!

It was good for my family that they boarded the flight via Cebu Pacific with a fellow Filipino who’s a cousin of my colleague here. They only met at NAIA 3 and accompanied each other all throughout their waiting period at Kuala Lumpur-LCCT to Penang Airport via another budget-friendly carrier, Air Asia..

Teksi (bahasa melayu’s term for taxi) rides here in Penang can cost you a fortune (read : kuripot me), so we’re used to riding the wifi-ready Rapid Penang buses…

Gabby's first Rapid Penang Bus ride.

We went home directly to our appartment and they’ve finally met 2 of my 4 housemates/friends/colleagues. We took shower and freshen up and never wasted time by starting to explore what Penang has to offer…

Pulau Pinang Bound : Gabby on the ferry from jetty in Butterworth to Georgetown

From our place in Butterworth, we rode a bus again, reached the jetty where ferries that take passenger to and from Penang Island are waiting. Good thing that Tina tolerated the ferry ride despite the fact that she lacked sleep, worse has occasional vertigo.

Doc Anna with Tina and Gabby on board the ferry from Jetty in Butterworth to jetty in Georgetown

Apparently happy…

We’re hitting the roads the sea and even the clouds in this part of Malaysia on the following days.
Till then…

Dec

TILL NEXT WEEK

By docgelo 10 Comments

Categories: Attitude and EVENTS
Tags: doc gelo, docgelo, family, malaysia, penang

Dear blogger-friends and readers,

This week has been crazy and the following days will be eventful.

I had to reformat and reinstall an Operating System to my laptop after my Windows had shut down improperly and left me with no internet, no computer-use for 2 long days (yesterday was even a holiday here in Penang). *kung nasa Pinas lang ako, ang dali pumunta sa Gilmore or Greenhills to seek help* I felt so futile without my laptop, worse to be dissociated from the world wide web. Yes, admittedly, I am net-dependent but know less of these things.
After my colleague lent me his installer, Thank God, I am online again!
However, I never thought that the process of rebooting, reinstalling, uploading what needs to be uploaded again will be so tedious for I’ve never done any of these before. Admittedly, Tina is more tech-savvy than me. I have little patience when things have complexities and hassles in between.
Anyway, while I’m still befriending my new system, I promise to visit your sites early next week and to update this blog on those dates. I’ll definitely share to you my reunion with my family as I’ll fetch them from Penang Airport this Saturday morning and the many things to happen thereafter.

I’ll appreciate if you can pray for their safe trip from Manila to Penang this Friday-PM-Saturday-AM.
Till then…
Thanks!

Nov

MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH JAPANESE

By docgelo 11 Comments

Categories: FOOD & MORE FOOD!
Tags: doc gelo, docgelo, food blog, gurney drive, japan, Japanese food, malaysia, ocw, ofw, omakase, penang, penang malaysia, plaza gurney, sakae sushi, sukiyaki, TOKYO, umu, umu dusit thani, zensho

Before my wife raises her eyebrow, I’m talking about food.

Japanese food, baby.

When I was in Tokyo last summer, I had an affair with one of my favorite soups. I savored it then more frequently than I can imagine. The most authentic and the best Sukiyaki set that I’ve ever tasted was from a restaurant that I missed out to recall located in Yurakucho.

Other than its thinly marbled and juicy beef slices submerged in very tasteful broth, I liked it so much because I had it for free. My Japanese acquaintances treated me for lunch and didn’t ask me to pay Y1000 (PhP 500) for that set.

Then again, there were days in Gotanda that I settled for its cheaper yet satiating version from Yoshinoya, Y500 (PhP 250).

Whenever my wife, our kid and I dine out in Japanese restaurants back home, I never fail to sample Sukiyaki of course.

From Umu at Dusit Thani Manila, the best Sukiyaki in town, in my opinion.

From Omakase at Il Terrazo (and Libis), Quezon City

From Zensho, Tomas Morato, Quezon City …

Enough with my drooling for Sukiyaki.

Last Saturday, my 2 housemate-friends brought me to SAKAE SUSHI to sample Japanese yummies from its branch at Plaza Gurney, Gurney Drive, Penang.

Ambience is casual dining, non-intimidating.

The most interesting part in this food place is the mini conveyor belt where you can simply grab your sushi cravings from.

Everything looks oishi!

Prices at Ringgit (RM1=PhP 14)…

We got some red plates…

Delicious sushi covered with generous serving of roe with cucumber slices and soft shelled crab filling. Sarap!

As I browsed their menu, I knew what I wanted.

If Sukiyaki won my heart over Miso soup, my favorite Temaki is Soft Shelled Crab! It’s the best, I tell you!

Another goody from the conveyor belt : Soft Shelled Crab (can’t get enough!) with cheesy chili sauce on vermicelli.

Tempura Ramen for doc Ronnie…

doc Alvin chose to enjoy Chicken Katsu Don + Mochi balls…

But his ultimately divine dessert was chocolate and vanilla ice cream waffle called Chocholate Yaki…

You might thought I’d leave Sakae Sushi without sampling their Sukiyaki ? Hell, no! hehehe..

Sweet and salty. It wasn’t the best for me, but was good enough to satisfy my craving.

Sakae Sushi got branches all over Penang and 2 in Pinas too!

Tina loves Japanese also, so does Gabby. He likes Kani and Ebi tempura.

Bottom line of this post, it made me hungry and yes, I’m eager to bring my family to Japanese restaurants here in Penang.

We’ve got to wait until the 11th of December for that much awaited reunion.

Till then.

Burp!

Nov

SIGNS

By docgelo 16 Comments

Categories: EVENTS
Tags: harry potter, harry potter 7, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, malaysia, marathon, ocw, ofw, pbim, penang, penang bridge international marathon, pinoy md, run

Do you believe in signs?

I’m not superstitious but I know there’s truth to things that are being governed by forces of nature.

Last night, 7 of my friends and colleagues and I enjoyed our Saturday afternoon at Queensbay Mall in the Island (yes, it has been our usual place where we spend our lazy weekend to unwind). We watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; which for a movie-goer like me who hasn’t read its book version fell a little less in terms of visuals compared to the other parts of the series. Can’t blame the production people for apparently, the story and the movie should be dark to begin with. Nonetheless, I’m still looking forward how it’ll end on its final part next year.

After the movie at around 8:30PM, we had quick bites for our dinner then headed to the bus stop. There we saw huge number of High School students who came in their respective bas sekolah (school buses) already geared and dressed for the Penang Bridge International Marathon 2010. I personally thought that these kids and their schools were both crazy in choosing to spend the night at the vicinity of the mall where starting line is and wait for 7AM. (Whole-Bridge 42K run starts 2AM). But I was wrong.

docRonnie and I registered for the PIBM and thought of going to the Island (by bus, ferry and bus again) from our place at around 5AM to reach the starting line before 7AM.

There were more than 23,500 runners from 13 years old and up who enlisted to join.

4 days ago, we claimed our marathon’s pack that came with the registration fee of RM15 (PhP 210) that includes an official Fun Run T-shirt, runner’s guide book and some freebies from their sponsors (liniment and gel in sachets, 30% discount coupon from New Balance shoes etc) in a non-woven bag.

I even bought a new pair of Nike shoes.

But did we run?

NO.

Why ?

I guess, some things are really not meant to be.

These are the few signs…

1. We initially intended to participate the 10K competitive race (despite my lack of practice in jogging and being a supposedly first-time runner) but Ronnie and I were late in the registration. Because we only go to Queensbay mostly on weekends or when we’re off at work, the only open division when we paid our registration fee was the 10K FUN RUN, nevertheless, we decided to join.

2. When I woke up at 4 this morning and knocked at docRonnie’s door to wake him up, it was raining. It’s unhealthy to run and sweat in the rain, is it not ?

Inspite of the rain, we got up, geared up for the event and hit the streets to the bus stop; thinking that it might not be raining at the route of the race.

3. We were at the bus stop at exactly 5:30AM. We’ve waited until after an hour but to no avail. There was no sight of buses going to Penang Sentral/jetty except for the private company buses.

Teksi (taxi cabs) are scarce here in Penang unless you’re at the terminal or you phone them for a fare not less than RM12 (PhP 168).

We could have earlier thought to spend the night before the run in a hotel at Georgetown or somewhere nearby the race’s starting line.

At 6:30AM, my mosquito-bitten thighs and legs succumbed to docRonnie’s suggestion that we go home and continue our Sunday rest.

I hit the shower again and had my first marathon in my dreams.

ZzzzzZZZZzzzZZZZZ…………………….

——————————————————————-o

Nov

AGONY OF AN OFW DADDY

By docgelo 9 Comments

Categories: Attitude and FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO
Tags: childhood sickness, dengue, dengue hemorrhagic fever, doc gelo, docgelo, doctor, fatherhood, malaysia, ocw, ofw, parenthood, penang

I never felt so helpless in my 34 years of existence until the past 48 hours.

While my 6-year-old son was having episodes of vomiting after meals, loose bowel movements on top of intermittent fever ranging from 38′C to 40′C + and was complaining that his head hurts, I was only on skype to monitor him. How pathetic was that?

I feel so sorry that I am not beside him to assess what’s wrong with him; was not there to give him medicine, was physically absent to feed him and cannot personally bring him to hospital for laboratory check up, neither I can even comfort him to say the least.

My wife, Tina who was with Gabby the whole time he was sick, had difficulty in dealing with the situation alone despite being a nurse herself. We both broke down to tears while we’re on skype; my experience was more painful, worse I felt futile because I cannot do anything but pray.

As early as Monday afternoon, she brought our son to a private hospital where blood tests revealed lymphocytosis (an elevated volume of specific white blood cells) which could mean presence viral infection; thankfully his platelet count was within normal count ruling out Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever.

With prayers, love and support from family members, relatives, friends and even anonymous blog and facebook buddies and intake of prescribed antipyretic and increase volume of fluids and much needed rest, ~~Gabby’s feeling better now.~~ Update : he became febrile again this Thursday morning and will be brought back to the hospital for follow up consult and repeat blood tests.

In those moments, I know I was only helpless but certainly not hopeless for I know God is with us.

I wish I will have the means next year to bring my family here in Penang not only for a vacation but for them to stay with me here for good as I continue with my work. This will all happen if Tina can find work here after I have applied dependent/calling visas for the 2 of them and only if we can afford sending Gabby to an International School here.

My wife and I can only wish and plan things out for the best, but still, we’re both submissive to His will.

————————————————————o

Nov

DAYS IN THE CLOUDS

By docgelo 13 Comments

Categories: EVENTS and Uncategorized
Tags: acms, allianze college of medical sciences, doc gelo, docgelo, filipino doctors in penang, gunung jerai, jerai hill resort, jerai resort, malaysia, ocw, ofw, penang, pinoy md, strategic meeting, strategic planning, team building, the regency jerai hill resort

Last month, we temporarily left our work desks, classrooms and conference rooms as we attended to our medical university-college’s annual Strategic Meeting…

The venue was impressive; we spent 3D2N at The Regency, Jerai Hill Resort on top of the hills of Gunung Jerai in Penang.

We’re literally cloud-kissed when we’re there; ang ginaw all through out our stay and we heard that the climate is consistent all through out the year.

We’re assigned to different villas, around 3 – 4 per room. I was with 3 other Pinoy colleagues.

Just like our very own Summer Capital, Baguio City, “no-air-conditioning” needed here…

The rooms were equipped with essentials we need; however our toilet’s water heater failed 2x, one of us had to report it to the concierge; it was fixed immediately.

Team building games, bonding activities, motivational talks lorded our first day…

No, I didn’t sing or did an intermission number, ha ha! I just helped out people of our Library department present our collective suggestions and recommendations…

Dinner time …

The buffet spread had nothing to rave about. To be honest, it made me missed more the hotel dishes back home…Nonetheless, tummies were filled and warmed after a long and tiring day and hey, I’m not complaining for it’s free!

There were singing, dancing for two nights every after dinner. No colors, races, religions kept us away from enjoying those nights.

My Filipino ~~colleagues~~ family in Penang : Doctors All! So proud to be working with all of these brilliant medical educators.

Admittedly, the entire activity was so ~~tiring~~ exhausting but I honestly appreciate the efforts (and the massive expenses!) of the company just to seek improvements not only on individual’s work performances but more so in bringing all of us together to gear toward its common goals and vision.

On a lighter note, I brought home 2 prizes, a nice rice cooker with steamer and a 30cm-Meyer non-stick frying cookware from being awarded 2x as one those staffs who had early accomplished the form of “getting to know my colleagues” (we’re instructed to interact and get the names, age, bday, birthplace, marital status, # of kids and hobbies from each other–and attendees were close to 180+!)

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