And we are off to China!
Monday 21 October 2013
Cendol, chendol, bánh lọt, lot chong or whatever you want to call it...
...we've seen this around many times before but this time we dove right in and tried it. Was not sure what it was, and still do not. But gave it a try anyway. I mean look at it, not appetizing at all!
This my friends is a very popular dessert and while walking around Georgetown, we stumbled upon one of the oldest establishments of all. This particular cart (although upgraded), or should I say this family business, has been in Georgetown since the 1930s-1940s. There are many carts or restaurants that serve this, but we have never seen such pandemonium for one before!
This cart sits down an "alley" just off Jalan Penang and you cannot miss the line up! So of course you need to walk up to see what the fuss is about. We looked and we did not understand. So we looked some more. The milky liquid, the green pasta looking things, the red beans? Then someone eating a bowl with his family saw us and told me that I had to try. So I jumped in line, ordered something as I had no idea what it was called, and they give me a bowl of this for 2.10RM or about $0.70 CAD.
Ok, here goes! I dove right into the bowl with a heaping scoop as Jason looked on. Pure shock on my face as it lit up from how wonderful this tasted and Jason starts to laugh at my surprise. Not what I expected, and so good! Then I give Jason a go, and hey, he loves it too!
It is coconut milk, ice, jelly noodle made green from pandan leaf, red beans, a light syrup, and sometimes other bits. It is cool and refreshing. The noodles just slide down your throat, the coconut milk is light and creamy, and all with just a hint of sweetness. So delicious! When in doubt follow the line, sometimes there is something to it, and it's worth it! This time I was the brave one to dive in head first on this one, and boy, we are so glad!
~ Christine
The Famous Teochew Chendol
Teochew Chendol
This cart sits down an "alley" just off Jalan Penang and you cannot miss the line up! So of course you need to walk up to see what the fuss is about. We looked and we did not understand. So we looked some more. The milky liquid, the green pasta looking things, the red beans? Then someone eating a bowl with his family saw us and told me that I had to try. So I jumped in line, ordered something as I had no idea what it was called, and they give me a bowl of this for 2.10RM or about $0.70 CAD.
Ok, here goes! I dove right into the bowl with a heaping scoop as Jason looked on. Pure shock on my face as it lit up from how wonderful this tasted and Jason starts to laugh at my surprise. Not what I expected, and so good! Then I give Jason a go, and hey, he loves it too!
Do I trust Christine's review?
Yum, she's right!
~ Christine
Frogger aka manoeuvring through Malaysian traffic as a pedestrian
You are constantly on your toes here. Sidewalks can be narrow, broken or non-existent. This is not just in Malaysia, but common in many parts of Asia. I do not know how some people can wear heels around here! And it is not as bad here, but if you are tall, like Jason, keep an eye out for hanging extension cords, low hanging lights/umbrellas, or anything else that might get you in the head! Look up and look down! Just always pay attention to your surroundings!
Crossing the street in Malaysia can be a chore. Pedestrians do not have the right-of-way. It is an art to dodge the vehicles and motorcycles. You would think going to an intersection with a pedestrian crossing to cross would be easier but that is not the case. Press the button and wait, does the light even work you ask as you stand there staring at the blank crossing signal or the little red stop light? Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes they only seem to operate at certain times of the day! How confusing is that? As such, pedestrians will ignore the traffic signals and jay-walk. We will walk part way through a street and stand in the middle waiting for the vehicle to pass or we will just run right across (well mainly those of us new to this run!). Vehicles will push through as you jay-walk (or walk with the crossing signal when it works) right to the point of "whoa, that's a little close"!
Most vehicles will obey the traffic lights but there are some that ignore them. The biggest culprit of this are motorcycles who will ignore red lights, and walking pedestrian signs. Even if you are on a one-way street, you MUST look both way, as motorcycles will drive any where and in any direction. They will drive down sidewalks, opposite direction on a one-way street, and in between cars where ever they will fit. It truly is like playing Frogger every time we have to cross the street. And after a few weeks of this, we are getting the hang of it and almost, but not quite, we can almost cross the street like a local. This is good practice for our next destination....China!
~ Christine
Crossing the street in Malaysia can be a chore. Pedestrians do not have the right-of-way. It is an art to dodge the vehicles and motorcycles. You would think going to an intersection with a pedestrian crossing to cross would be easier but that is not the case. Press the button and wait, does the light even work you ask as you stand there staring at the blank crossing signal or the little red stop light? Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes they only seem to operate at certain times of the day! How confusing is that? As such, pedestrians will ignore the traffic signals and jay-walk. We will walk part way through a street and stand in the middle waiting for the vehicle to pass or we will just run right across (well mainly those of us new to this run!). Vehicles will push through as you jay-walk (or walk with the crossing signal when it works) right to the point of "whoa, that's a little close"!
Most vehicles will obey the traffic lights but there are some that ignore them. The biggest culprit of this are motorcycles who will ignore red lights, and walking pedestrian signs. Even if you are on a one-way street, you MUST look both way, as motorcycles will drive any where and in any direction. They will drive down sidewalks, opposite direction on a one-way street, and in between cars where ever they will fit. It truly is like playing Frogger every time we have to cross the street. And after a few weeks of this, we are getting the hang of it and almost, but not quite, we can almost cross the street like a local. This is good practice for our next destination....China!
~ Christine
Friday 18 October 2013
Applying for a China Tourist Visa as a Foreigner in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
There is a lot of very confusing and
conflicting information available on how to successfully apply and
receive a tourist visa for China. We will share what we believe to be
a typical experience, as always your experience may vary.
TIMELINE:
Allow yourself at least two days to prepare the necessary documents to take to the Embassy to request your visa. To be detailed below.
Allow yourself at least two days to prepare the necessary documents to take to the Embassy to request your visa. To be detailed below.
There is a 4-business day processing period, so apply on a Monday and avoid adding the weekend days to the total if you can. We found out we would be without passports for 6 days because we applied on a Thursday. Keep in mind they will hold on to your actual passport during the processing/application period. This will very much limit your mobility in KL/Malaysia as your passport is needed for hotels, cell phone service (SIM card), etc.
By law, all foreigners are required to carry their passports at all times in Malaysia. Keep a photocopy of the photo page and the entry stamp into Malaysia of your passport. You will get an official document/receipt from the Chinese Embassy to show authorities but it feels like a grey area to me. We did see police checking foreigners for passports near our hotel but appeared to be looking for illegal workers, not tourists, but nonetheless keep this in mind.
On the China Embassy website they note
a “rush” option where you can pay a fee for
same-day service, however as we found out the hard way this is not available
to foreigners, only to Malaysians. We
scrambled to change our plans as we had scheduled to leave the next day
to Georgetown, Malaysia before leaving for China. We cancelled the hotel we had
booked in Georgetown and extended our stay in KL at the hotel we were
already checked into as we couldn’t check into a new hotel without
our passports. Luckily the room was available.
Keep this timeline in mind as you will
have to prebook your China flights and hotels which may be
non-refundable. Give yourself some leeway with your travel timeline.
DOCUMENT PREPARATION:
As they decide whether or not you can enter their country they can ask for just about any information they want, such as proof of income, bank statements, background checks, etc. and all these are listed as things that may be required. Based on our research and personal experience applying for and receiving the China tourist visa, the following will typically suffice:
DOCUMENT PREPARATION:
As they decide whether or not you can enter their country they can ask for just about any information they want, such as proof of income, bank statements, background checks, etc. and all these are listed as things that may be required. Based on our research and personal experience applying for and receiving the China tourist visa, the following will typically suffice:
Photocopies of your passport -
Two
photocopies each of your passport photo page and entry stamp into
Malaysia (one copy of each is for yourself as you will be without your
passport)
Visa Application form - Fill out the forms from the China Embassy site, in full, if something is N/A mark it N/A. This will
take you less than 1 hour. We did not have to supply our proof of
employment, bank records, anything unreasonable or difficult.
This is the online form, type it out,
review it, print it and sign/date it:
Remember leave no question unanswered,
put N/A if it's N/A.
Flight Itinerary - Provide photocopies/printouts of
your receipts for flights in and out of China. Most airlines will
send you a web itinerary to your email, look for a link that lets you
print out a receipt. It's a
subtle difference but we have read they may differentiate between the two.
Hotels - Provide photocopies/printouts of your
receipts for your hotels in China.
Most sites like hotels.com will send
you a web itinerary to your email, look for a link that lets you
print out a receipt. It is a
subtle difference but we have read they may differentiate between the two.
We were not asked for receipts for
flights or trains between cities within
China.
Passport Photo - Bring passport/visa photos to give them
(1 photo per applicant). There are detailed specs on the China visa
site about the sizing.
This sizing is impossible to find in
KL, the camera/photography shops will say yes they can provide those
specs but will give you some thing similar but not the same. We tried
twice, once at a high end mall and another time at a Kodak centre catering to many
internationals but even they just gave us something sort of close. We
gave up searching and hoped for the best. It turns out it was not a
problem at all. In fact we brought the two different sizes and they
said we could use either. Still I would not risk it, get as close to
the requirements as you can as your experience may vary. Get some
glue at 7/Eleven to affix your photo to your application.
Fee: You will need to bring cash 158 RM per
person (not sure about children). This will be required when you pick up your passport on the third visit.
THE PROCESS:
Where you go to apply! This can be just as confusing as there are 2 or 3 different addresses mentioned on the internet. In fact you will visit two locations over three visits. They are very close to each other. Once your application is ready...
Note: both (locations) the Hampshire Office building and Bank of China (Plaza OSK) building are within walking distance of the KLCC train station/Petronas towers. Both buildings are on Jalan Mayard Sari but at opposite ends of the street and opposite sides (about 7-10 min apart walking). If you are on Jalan Ampang, you will see the Bank of China building first.
Where you go to apply! This can be just as confusing as there are 2 or 3 different addresses mentioned on the internet. In fact you will visit two locations over three visits. They are very close to each other. Once your application is ready...
Note: both (locations) the Hampshire Office building and Bank of China (Plaza OSK) building are within walking distance of the KLCC train station/Petronas towers. Both buildings are on Jalan Mayard Sari but at opposite ends of the street and opposite sides (about 7-10 min apart walking). If you are on Jalan Ampang, you will see the Bank of China building first.
First you will go to:
Address: HAMPSHIRE PLACE OFFICE
Level 5, 157 Hampshire Place on Jalan Mayang Sari, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Level 5, 157 Hampshire Place on Jalan Mayang Sari, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Jalan Mayang Sari intersects with Jalan Ampang
(you will notice this by the Bank of China aka. Plaza OSK building on the corner)
NOTE: Jalan Mayang Sari is 2 blocks EAST of Jalan Mayang
We visited on a Thursday morning, and was in-and-out
in about 20-30 minutes. Everyone was incredibly helpful, professional and pleasant. Once you are on the 5th floor, go to the desk immediately in front of you, they do a quick paper check and give you a number. Once your number is called (see wall display), go the appropriate counter and the clerk will take your
documents, passport, photos, etc., and check them over to ensure everything is in
order. He allowed us to change our mark from “rush” to the
regular 4 day option and initial it. I was worried they would
wholesale reject the application on the smallest error but this was
not the case at all.
You will get a receipt (do not loose this as it is required to pick up your passport), and be advised when your passport will be ready along with the time of your in-person interview for the next day at “10am”.
You will get a receipt (do not loose this as it is required to pick up your passport), and be advised when your passport will be ready along with the time of your in-person interview for the next day at “10am”.
Step Two:
Address: Plaza OSK aka Bank of China building
Address: Plaza OSK aka Bank of China building
First floor, 114-116 Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Corner of Jalan Ampang and Jalan Mayang Sari
This sounds like an appointment at
10am but it is not really, it is when they start interviewing people. Take the elevator to the first floor. Show the security guard the receipt you got the day before when you dropped off your application, and he will provide you with a number. We arrived at 9:30 am which put us 4th in
line. Go up to the window when your number is shown on the display, we were
called at about 10:10am. The interview is very simple, and again they
were professional and pleasant to deal with. They asked us if we had been to China before, where you
are going in China, and why. So for us that was Chengdu to see
Pandas, Xi'an for Terracotta Warriors, etc... No need to break it
down to detail. They double check you have flights and hotels and
send you on your way. The interview took about 7 minutes if that. She reminded us to come back on Wednesday to the 6th floor of the Hampshire building to pick up our passports and our visa will be pasted inside. We thanked her and were on our way. The
lady was so kind she called us back as we were leaving to make
sure we got a map of China to take with us.
We had the interview on a Friday and
picked up our passports with visas first thing Wednesday morning.
Step Three:
Return to the first building you went to apply at:
Address: HAMPSHIRE PLACE OFFICEReturn to the first building you went to apply at:
Level 6, 157 Hampshire Place on Jalan Mayang Sari, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Exit the elevator on the 6th floor, and head to the desk ahead. Show your receipt to the clerk/security guard, and they will give you a number. Wait for your number to be called on the display, then proceed to the appropriate wicket. It is now time to pay the 158RM per visa. Cash only. Then the clerk gives you a proof of payment slip and advises you of another wicket to visit. Head over there with your receipt, where the clerk will get you your passport(s). This took all of 10 min.
Congratulations you now have your passport back and your visa to China.
Congratulations you now have your passport back and your visa to China.
It sounds complicated but for as complicated as it sounds it was actually not a bad experience, the Chinese embassy was very organized and pleasant to deal with.
Your Mileage May Vary!
- Jason and Christine
Please comment on your experience or ask us questions below!
Thursday 17 October 2013
Visiting the Laundrette in Kuala Lumpur
People are often amazed with how much (how little) we pack when we vacation. For a three-week vacation or our current journey, we packed about the same amount of clothes and do laundry along the way. Most of the time we wash things ourselves by hand, or use washing machines if available. But if you are in SE Asia, laundry services are fairly inexpensive.
While exploring our Brickfields neighborhood in KL, we found a wonderful little launderette at the local YMCA (yes, right next door to the barbershop!). It is named Silent World and it is owned and run by the Deaf. They do an excellent job and are very appreciative of your business. Both the locals and travelers use their service. They also accept clothing donations (which they wash and sell in the store), and offer some convenience store amenities for purchase (toothpaste, toilet paper, candy, pop, etc).
The Process: They charge by the weight to do your laundry, 4RM ($1.31 CAD) per kg . Bring your dirty clothes in, and place it in the bin on the scale next to the counter. Someone will come check the weight and calculate the price. On the counter is a sign that says TODAY or TOMORROW, advise the person when you would like your clothes back by pointing to the word. This is written on a receipt with the time your clothes will be ready along with the price. You must prepay at this point and write your name on the receipt. Do not loose the receipt as it is required for you to pick up your clothes. And there you have it! Clean clothes!
It was very hard not to want to talk them and thank them for providing you with a service, but thankfully, my niece and nephew were taught baby sign language (and I paid attention), so I knew how to sign thank you :)
So if you are in the area in KL, and need some laundry done (or toothpaste, pop, etc.), please think about supporting Silent World.
~ Christine
Laundrette
While exploring our Brickfields neighborhood in KL, we found a wonderful little launderette at the local YMCA (yes, right next door to the barbershop!). It is named Silent World and it is owned and run by the Deaf. They do an excellent job and are very appreciative of your business. Both the locals and travelers use their service. They also accept clothing donations (which they wash and sell in the store), and offer some convenience store amenities for purchase (toothpaste, toilet paper, candy, pop, etc).
Hours of business
The Process: They charge by the weight to do your laundry, 4RM ($1.31 CAD) per kg . Bring your dirty clothes in, and place it in the bin on the scale next to the counter. Someone will come check the weight and calculate the price. On the counter is a sign that says TODAY or TOMORROW, advise the person when you would like your clothes back by pointing to the word. This is written on a receipt with the time your clothes will be ready along with the price. You must prepay at this point and write your name on the receipt. Do not loose the receipt as it is required for you to pick up your clothes. And there you have it! Clean clothes!
Picking up our clothes
So if you are in the area in KL, and need some laundry done (or toothpaste, pop, etc.), please think about supporting Silent World.
~ Christine
Tuesday 15 October 2013
UPDATE: 2 Broke Girls Experience
The episode of 2 Broke Girls that we attended the live taping for on Sept 17th at Warner Brother's studio, will air on Monday Oct 21st, 2013! Check your local listing for the episode titled "2 Broke Girls and the Cronut"!
Soooo cooooool!
Promo trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKhgi9wQ5N0&feature=youtube_gdata
Here is our original post:
http://qatuqatsi.blogspot.ca/2013/09/the-2-broke-girls-experience.html
Enjoy!
~Christine
Soooo cooooool!
Promo trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKhgi9wQ5N0&feature=youtube_gdata
Here is our original post:
http://qatuqatsi.blogspot.ca/2013/09/the-2-broke-girls-experience.html
Enjoy!
~Christine
Monday 14 October 2013
Visiting the Batu Caves, KL
The main cave of the Batu Caves is a very important Hindu shrine. Whether you visit only the main cave, or tour the series of caves, it is worth a visit.
The climb up the stairs is made extra special because of the friends along the way...
And when we were done, we needed to eat! Oh my, vegetarian Indian food! Have you ever tried vegetarian lamb or chicken? We have never tasted anything like this! If you had not of told us, we almost would have believed it was lamb and chicken. It looked, and tasted the part. Texture and all. Incredible!
~ Christine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batu_Caves
~ Jason
You can get to the Batu caves taking the "Komuter" LRT train, it's just a handful of stops from the KL Sentral station. Do not take one of those massive tour buses to this, it's far too easy to get to by taking public transit! When you get of at the Batu Caves train station you walk out of the station and blam! you are at the Batu Caves, it's that easy!
And as someone that thrives mainly on beer and animal protein I can confirm, this vegetarian "meat" was incredibly convincing. You could easily pass it off very effectively as processed chicken. It was impressive and tasty!
We had to climb 276 steps (to the left of Murugan,
which by the way is the world's tallest statue)
At the top of the stairs, the entrance to the cave
Inside the limestone cave
Standing at the top of the stairs
before my descent
The climb up the stairs is made extra special because of the friends along the way...
And when we were done, we needed to eat! Oh my, vegetarian Indian food! Have you ever tried vegetarian lamb or chicken? We have never tasted anything like this! If you had not of told us, we almost would have believed it was lamb and chicken. It looked, and tasted the part. Texture and all. Incredible!
Vegetarian lamb
Vegetarian chicken
~ Christine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batu_Caves
~ Jason
You can get to the Batu caves taking the "Komuter" LRT train, it's just a handful of stops from the KL Sentral station. Do not take one of those massive tour buses to this, it's far too easy to get to by taking public transit! When you get of at the Batu Caves train station you walk out of the station and blam! you are at the Batu Caves, it's that easy!
And as someone that thrives mainly on beer and animal protein I can confirm, this vegetarian "meat" was incredibly convincing. You could easily pass it off very effectively as processed chicken. It was impressive and tasty!
Sunday 13 October 2013
Brickfields and the Blind
When we moved to our new neighbourhood,
Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur, we were puzzled to see a very significant
amount of blind people here. These weren't the destitute poor and
blind people from “Slumdog Millionaire”. These are seemingly
happy, healthy people going on about their lives with the exception
that they were blind.
It turns out that Brickfields is home
to the headquarters of the Malaysian Association for the Blind.
Brickfields also employs these tactile
guided pathways extensively.
The raised lines guide you along the
sidewalk avoiding obstacles and the edge. Some walk on them and some
just use their cane to follow them.
And the dot like bumps tell you when to
stop! The stop lights uses audio signals to let them know when to
cross (like many other places in the world).
These guided pathways can been found
throughout Kuala Lumpur (well done Malaysia!) but they don't seem to
be as complete/extensive as they are in Brickfields.
Sometimes you will see the blind hold
on to each others shoulders, no it's not the blind leading the blind,
it appears as though it's just so they can travel together easily as
a small group and chat just like everyone else. It's truly
heartwarming to see this kind of support for them. You will find many of the locals more than willing to lend a helping hand as well! What a great neighborhood!
Brickfields is also next to the major train station here (KL Sentral) so it's great for access to anywhere in KL! The street food is amazing too!
-Jason
Thursday 10 October 2013
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
We arrived in Malaysia by train from
Singapore. When we got off the train it was morning so we were blurry
eyed. We went upstairs to what I would describe as a very old-school
ethnic food fair. It had this felling like we were in Vietnam or Cuba
in a sense, it did not feel modern. Not that this is bad, we love Cuba and
Vietnam but we were expecting a modern city.
Later we made our way downstairs and
found Mc Donald’s, Starbucks, etc. Still the train station felt a
little drab but the internet was good at Starbucks so we killed time
there until we were ready to leave for our hotel, closer to check-in
time.
Our first hotel was technically a
“serviced apartment”. It was decent, had a kitchen and a living
room with maid service and a pool etc. It was $USD 70 per night,
that's a little bit rich for us to sustain long term. We were in a
diplomatic area with lots of embassies, it was kind of boring and
drab. People here don't smile to strangers (I am pretty sure it's
just a cultural thing) but when you put that together with the drab
boring areas we were in it was kind of disappointing.
To add to all this I kept reading about
the pedestrian robberies and the “crime wave” that was hitting
Kuala Lumpur we were thinking maybe we should move on.
So, we were disappointed.
But if you compare it to the violent crime in the US or even the rougher parts of Canada, it's not bad here. Also I think it's the contrast from Singapore and Japan that threw us off, although we know not to expect anything as safe and clean as those countries anywhere else in the world.
We have since moved hotels and explored
the city and are really starting to love it here. The food is SPECTACULAR, our new neighbourhood is a lot of
fun! We are going to blog more about our neighbourhood specifically.
Also we have explored the main train station quite a bit more (we live near it now) and it's actually pretty modern, with banks, shops, restaurants and all kinds of different trains, LRT, Monorail, Inter-city Rail (like VIA or Amtrak), etc. It was just our odd route through it and out the back initially that gave us the wrong first impression.
The Petronas Towers are stunning, with
a post modern art deco feeling and hues of steam punk, it's a completely
different experience in real life. I was never impressed by them
before in pictures but they are impressive no doubt!
- Jason
Going to the barbershop in Kuala Lumpur (KL)!
Our neighborhood here in KL is great. It has pretty much everything you need within reach. And the other day what Jason needed was a haircut, and so off we went to find a barber. Well, there are plenty of those around us as well! We went to one a block away, and the barber was wonderful! Such a nice person!
Here is the story of Jason getting a haircut in KL...
Opening Scene: Jason opens the door and we are warmly greeted. "Sit down. In the middle." says the Barber. He puts on his white smock, and gets himself ready.
Here is the story of Jason getting a haircut in KL...
Opening Scene: Jason opens the door and we are warmly greeted. "Sit down. In the middle." says the Barber. He puts on his white smock, and gets himself ready.
...then he prepares Jason. "Short", says Jason.
The exchange is brief but the message is clear.
The Barber swiftly starts cutting.
He is very focused.
Once satisfied, he eyes the the squeeze bottle
with the yellow fluid...
At this point I can just picture the words
going through Jason's head, "What the heck?"
The Barber pours this liquid onto his hand
and pats the back of Jason's neck, then proceeds to pour
tons in his hair. It has a cooling sensation, and feels very nice!
It has a very faint citrus smell to it.
It is not gel, and we still have no idea what it was.
tons in his hair. It has a cooling sensation, and feels very nice!
It has a very faint citrus smell to it.
It is not gel, and we still have no idea what it was.
Then to Jason's dismay,
he gets a back massage...he HATES massages!
I am watching this and thinking, "me, me next!"
And finally, once last brushing of the hair.
Closing Scene: Jason asks the Barber how much, to which he replies "12 RM". Jason repeats, "12RM?" as he hands the Barber 15RM and proceeds to thank him.
The haircut Jason just had, with service we have never seen cost $5 CAD...including TIP!
~ Christine
NOTE: this barbershop is located near KL sentral on the ground floor of the YMCA building
Sunday 6 October 2013
Ya Kun Kaya Toast vs. Toast Box
Wherever you get your kaya toast from, it is most likely to be good. The two I have tried are Ya Kun Kaya Toast and Toast Box. Ya Kun started in 1944 while Toast Box began in 2005. Both chains are predominately located in Singapore, but branches to other parts of Asia have been popping up. Now to get this to Canada!
Kaya is coconut jam. It does not sound like something I would like to try even though I love coconut. But when in Singapore, do as the locals do and we tried the traditional breakfast, kaya toast with soft boiled eggs and kopi (coffee) or teh (tea). We LOVE this breakfast!
The eggs come soft boiled, not my choice, but that is the preferred (and I am guessing only way) to eat them. Toast Box gives you the eggs to crack yourself while Ya Kun will crack them for you unless otherwise instructed. The whites are cooked ever so lightly to maintain a runny consistency, while the yolk although perfectly retaining its shape, it is runny as well. Toast Box’s eggs were a little more runny than I would like my eggs (whites were not all white yet), while Ya Kun’s eggs were done to perfection if I have to have my eggs soft boiled. Mix it together, add some white pepper and soya sauce, and there you have it. Perfect eggs. I was surprised by how good they taste this way! Slurp them back or use a spoon like soup. Either way works and both taste wonderful.
The bread is lightly toasted, Ya Kun uses a brown type of bread while Toast Box uses white. All crust is removed from the bread. Once toasted on a grill type device, a slab of chilled butter is place on one side while kaya is spread on the other side. Put the pieces together and you have kaya toast. It is a little sweet with nice butter taste. I find Toast Box to use too much butter for my liking and the kaya they use is quite sweet, but I would never turn this down if offered. In my opinion, Ya Kun uses a reasonable amount of butter and kaya giving the toast a more even flavoring, with a little less sweetness.
The coffee and tea are also very nice. Hot, perfectly brewed with just the right amount of warm milk added to give it a nice creamy, velvety texture. Ahhhh.
Jason started on team Toast Box but after several days of trying the two, I switched him to team Ya Kun Kaya Toast. Yes, Toast Box is fun to say. But honestly, as I write this I am now craving some kaya toast and I think I will have to head down the street to Old Town, White Coffee to try theirs :)
~Christine
...in KL as I write this, there are no Ya Kun Kaya Toast here yet :(
...we have seen Toast Box but it is not nearby :(
...Old Town, White Coffee...here I come!
http://yakun.com.sg/index.aspx
http://www.toastbox.com.sg/index.html
http://www.oldtown.com.my/v1/home.html
Ya Kun Kaya Toast anyone?
Kaya is coconut jam. It does not sound like something I would like to try even though I love coconut. But when in Singapore, do as the locals do and we tried the traditional breakfast, kaya toast with soft boiled eggs and kopi (coffee) or teh (tea). We LOVE this breakfast!
The eggs come soft boiled, not my choice, but that is the preferred (and I am guessing only way) to eat them. Toast Box gives you the eggs to crack yourself while Ya Kun will crack them for you unless otherwise instructed. The whites are cooked ever so lightly to maintain a runny consistency, while the yolk although perfectly retaining its shape, it is runny as well. Toast Box’s eggs were a little more runny than I would like my eggs (whites were not all white yet), while Ya Kun’s eggs were done to perfection if I have to have my eggs soft boiled. Mix it together, add some white pepper and soya sauce, and there you have it. Perfect eggs. I was surprised by how good they taste this way! Slurp them back or use a spoon like soup. Either way works and both taste wonderful.
Top - eggs just cracked
Bottom - eggs mixed with soya sauce and white pepper (trust me, it's really good!)
The bread is lightly toasted, Ya Kun uses a brown type of bread while Toast Box uses white. All crust is removed from the bread. Once toasted on a grill type device, a slab of chilled butter is place on one side while kaya is spread on the other side. Put the pieces together and you have kaya toast. It is a little sweet with nice butter taste. I find Toast Box to use too much butter for my liking and the kaya they use is quite sweet, but I would never turn this down if offered. In my opinion, Ya Kun uses a reasonable amount of butter and kaya giving the toast a more even flavoring, with a little less sweetness.
Traditional kaya toast
The coffee and tea are also very nice. Hot, perfectly brewed with just the right amount of warm milk added to give it a nice creamy, velvety texture. Ahhhh.
How smart is this? I now have a free hand to carry things!
Jason started on team Toast Box but after several days of trying the two, I switched him to team Ya Kun Kaya Toast. Yes, Toast Box is fun to say. But honestly, as I write this I am now craving some kaya toast and I think I will have to head down the street to Old Town, White Coffee to try theirs :)
~Christine
...in KL as I write this, there are no Ya Kun Kaya Toast here yet :(
...we have seen Toast Box but it is not nearby :(
...Old Town, White Coffee...here I come!
http://yakun.com.sg/index.aspx
http://www.toastbox.com.sg/index.html
http://www.oldtown.com.my/v1/home.html
Saturday 5 October 2013
Going to the movies in Asia
As we travel, we are doing a mix of touristy things and regular everyday things. We have gone to visit various attractions, and we have also gone to places the locals visit, grocery shopping, and sent snail mail (who doesn’t love getting something in the mail that isn’t a bill?!).
One of our favorite things to do together is go to the movies. As soon as something of interest is released, we are there! There are some movies I’m really looking forward to seeing, and I was a little worried being overseas and having to wait to see them when we returned. I know, silly concern. But now, a lot of times movies are released overseas before North America, so we may be seeing some movies even earlier!
We have now seen a movie in all three countries we have visited thus far. You would not know you were not at home watching the movies as the process is very similar to home, buy ticket, purchase food at concession stand, watch movie. The only differences that would tell you where you are would be the prices and concession selection! Seats are selected at time of purchase and the venue has many movies showing (several theatres) which are all smaller (less seats) than what we are used to in Canada. Hollywood movies are in English with local language subtitles. There are also a lot of local movies you can see as well but I am not sure if they have english subtitles. The concession has many interesting items to select from and prices are easier to absorb. Mixed popcorn anyone? Sweet or salty, or both?! Satay popcorn? Churros (regular or chocolate), hot dog, burger (with a rice bun), potatoes, etc. Interesting and to Jason's dismay, there is no butter for the popcorn!
Tokyo - The Wolverine 3D
If you do not have your 3D glasses, you will pay approx. $22 CAD per person. A regular popcorn (mixed) with 2 small cokes was about $6.50 CAD.
The movie is very good, Hugh Jackman, need I say more :) Ok, Jason can be more objective on this one and he even agrees this movie was very fun! And extra fun since it took place in Japan!
No one spoke, or looked at their cell phone the entire time. No sticky floors either. Japan is the place to see a movie.
Singapore - We are the Millers
This one was about $6 CAD per person. The concession here also had sweet or salty popcorn! A regular popcorn and pop was $5 CAD!
Why are people so hard on comedies? This was funny, and boy, can Jennifer Aniston rock a pair of khakis! Jason would agree with me! ha ha!
Also a good place to see a movie, no phones or talkers. And oh, this particular theatre had soooo much leg room!
Kuala Lumpur - Gravity 3D
A 3D movie here was only $15 CAD for the two of us! And a large popcorn (mixed) with 2 small cokes less than $5 CAD!
Oh my, GO SEE THIS MOVIE! It MUST be seen in 3D (Ideally IMAX 3D). It is a stunning movie, and Sandra Bullock is AMAZING! (Break your anti-3D movie rule). This is most likely one of the best of the year. We will not say any more, except that I hear an Oscar nod coming!
Malaysia is like North America, plenty of talkers and at least one cell phone texter (mid movie) :(
~Christine y Jason
One of our favorite things to do together is go to the movies. As soon as something of interest is released, we are there! There are some movies I’m really looking forward to seeing, and I was a little worried being overseas and having to wait to see them when we returned. I know, silly concern. But now, a lot of times movies are released overseas before North America, so we may be seeing some movies even earlier!
We have now seen a movie in all three countries we have visited thus far. You would not know you were not at home watching the movies as the process is very similar to home, buy ticket, purchase food at concession stand, watch movie. The only differences that would tell you where you are would be the prices and concession selection! Seats are selected at time of purchase and the venue has many movies showing (several theatres) which are all smaller (less seats) than what we are used to in Canada. Hollywood movies are in English with local language subtitles. There are also a lot of local movies you can see as well but I am not sure if they have english subtitles. The concession has many interesting items to select from and prices are easier to absorb. Mixed popcorn anyone? Sweet or salty, or both?! Satay popcorn? Churros (regular or chocolate), hot dog, burger (with a rice bun), potatoes, etc. Interesting and to Jason's dismay, there is no butter for the popcorn!
Tokyo - The Wolverine 3D
If you do not have your 3D glasses, you will pay approx. $22 CAD per person. A regular popcorn (mixed) with 2 small cokes was about $6.50 CAD.
The movie is very good, Hugh Jackman, need I say more :) Ok, Jason can be more objective on this one and he even agrees this movie was very fun! And extra fun since it took place in Japan!
No one spoke, or looked at their cell phone the entire time. No sticky floors either. Japan is the place to see a movie.
Singapore - We are the Millers
This one was about $6 CAD per person. The concession here also had sweet or salty popcorn! A regular popcorn and pop was $5 CAD!
Why are people so hard on comedies? This was funny, and boy, can Jennifer Aniston rock a pair of khakis! Jason would agree with me! ha ha!
Also a good place to see a movie, no phones or talkers. And oh, this particular theatre had soooo much leg room!
Kuala Lumpur - Gravity 3D
A 3D movie here was only $15 CAD for the two of us! And a large popcorn (mixed) with 2 small cokes less than $5 CAD!
Oh my, GO SEE THIS MOVIE! It MUST be seen in 3D (Ideally IMAX 3D). It is a stunning movie, and Sandra Bullock is AMAZING! (Break your anti-3D movie rule). This is most likely one of the best of the year. We will not say any more, except that I hear an Oscar nod coming!
Malaysia is like North America, plenty of talkers and at least one cell phone texter (mid movie) :(
~Christine y Jason
Singapore to Kuala Lumpur (KL) Malaysia by Train
If you are not traveling overnight (it's about 7 hours) and you are taking the train, you either love trains or are fearful of flying or both.
There are a number of sites out there that list all the different options to travel to KL by train, I am going to just share one option with you. I found all the options confusing, i.e. take the SMRT (LRT), a bus then take the train and then switch train cars....
Buying your train ticket in Singapore will cost you 2.5X as much as buying the ticket online from Malaysia. We bought the highest-end private cabin with private bathroom for $40-USD each. It's not posh in anyway but it was clean and comfortable.
Buy your train ticket online to go from the "JB Sentral" (Johor Bahru) station to "KL Sentral" online from this site (it's atrocious but stick with it, it will work): http://www.ktmb.com.my
You must bring a PRINTED copy of each ticket for all individuals traveling.
JB Sentral is on the Malaysian side of the causeway that connects Singapore to Malaysia.
In Singapore, take the SMRT to the Woodlands SMRT station.
Then take a bus to the Woodlands Checkpoint (also a train station) it's about a 5 minute ride. There is a list of buses there that will take you from Woodlands SMRT station to Woodlands Checkpoint station (the trains are not connected to each other). You can take the 170.
Get off and go through immigration/emigration (Singapore), it's quick-ish.
Go downstairs and behind the stairs you will find the bus 170 (about $1.50 SGD per person), get on it (you may get lucky and re-board the bus you were previously on) then get off at the first stop . You will see buildings with signs that say "Central" and "Sentral" on them.
Go through the Malaysian customs, you will eventually exit and double back to get to the train station, it's a short walk.
There is a mall right across the street, it's modern so if you have time to kill you can shop there but we found enough to satisfy us at the train station (KFC, 7-11, Starbucks, little shops, etc).
The entire process took us under 2 hours, including the 45+ minute SMRT train ride from the Marina Bay station to the Woodlands SMRT station.
You are in Malaysia now, or as I call it "the opposite of Singapore" keep your wits about you! The food is excellent, the Indian food is stunning!
The room on the train:
The toilet paper was mine (used to dry my hands), the room was clean when we arrived :)
Thursday 3 October 2013
Hello, Hello Kitty!
Who doesn’t love Hello Kitty? So much so, that I’ve come across some interesting paraphernalia along our travels...
Donuts and baked goods...
Or how about a cake or cheesecake (bottom shelf)
I wanted to get this toilet paper! How cute!
Or she can help when you have the sniffles!
Maybe you would like to do a cruise!
Or fly with her! This is real my friends!
(This is a Taiwanese Airline)
(This is a Taiwanese Airline)
There is also a Sanrio theme park in Japan that includes Hello Kitty! You can also find credit cards, cafes, high-end merchandise, etc with her on it. I will keep my eyes posted for anything else Hello Kitty!
By the way, she was introduced in Japan in 1974, she's older than me!
~Christine
Singapore
This is Christine's 2nd and my 3rd visit to Singapore.
Singapore is an incredibly rich ($), clean and safe country. So safe it's almost unreal.
When Christine and I landed we had about 4 hours to kill. Unfortunately we had to do this on the boring side of the airport past security as we had to grab our checked bag. We were sitting at a Starbucks when a young (very early 20s) girl from China asked if we had an iPhone charger, I did, so I hooked her phone up to a portable charger I had. She said "thanks!" and left, and didn't come back for over an hour! Christine wondered what would happen if we left, I said we would leave the phone on the table and it would be there for her when she returns. I am not sure I personally would go that far to test the safety there though!
The unemployment rate is almost non-existent and the punishments for theft, etc are so severe that there is just nothing to gain whatsoever from stealing someones iPhone in Singapore.
Singapore has the world's highest percentage of millionaires. One out of every six households has at least one million US dollars in disposable wealth.
Acute poverty is very rare, it's very unlikely you will find homeless and/or beggars on the street.
Lee Kuan Yew, the "Father of Singapore" has done an amazing job here, taking Singapore from 3rd world to 1st world (and beyond if you ask me!). It looks to me as though he has picked the most useful tools and constructs from far right free market capitalism to far left central planning. I will be reading one of his books soon.
It's so incredibly civil here that it makes North America look somewhat uncivilized and dirty and dangerous in comparison. Singapore has the 4th lowest murder rate in the world (2012), the top two have 0 murders. In 2007 There were 8 murders out of about 5 million people and all murders were solved.
It's not perfect, you don't have the free speech you do in NA, but from what I can tell their laws are just a more thorough version of Canada's anti-hate speech laws. And yes some crimes are punishable by caning which will put you in the hospital for weeks!
As with any system there are tradeoffs, I can't help but feel maybe some of those are worth it when I am in Singapore, the net effect is such a comfortable, safe, clean, beautiful and prosperous place to live. Personally I think we would find it a bit too safe after a while though, it has been nicknamed "Singabore" for a reason.
It's definitely worth a couple day stop over at the very least!
Singapore is an incredibly rich ($), clean and safe country. So safe it's almost unreal.
When Christine and I landed we had about 4 hours to kill. Unfortunately we had to do this on the boring side of the airport past security as we had to grab our checked bag. We were sitting at a Starbucks when a young (very early 20s) girl from China asked if we had an iPhone charger, I did, so I hooked her phone up to a portable charger I had. She said "thanks!" and left, and didn't come back for over an hour! Christine wondered what would happen if we left, I said we would leave the phone on the table and it would be there for her when she returns. I am not sure I personally would go that far to test the safety there though!
The unemployment rate is almost non-existent and the punishments for theft, etc are so severe that there is just nothing to gain whatsoever from stealing someones iPhone in Singapore.
Singapore has the world's highest percentage of millionaires. One out of every six households has at least one million US dollars in disposable wealth.
Acute poverty is very rare, it's very unlikely you will find homeless and/or beggars on the street.
Lee Kuan Yew, the "Father of Singapore" has done an amazing job here, taking Singapore from 3rd world to 1st world (and beyond if you ask me!). It looks to me as though he has picked the most useful tools and constructs from far right free market capitalism to far left central planning. I will be reading one of his books soon.
It's so incredibly civil here that it makes North America look somewhat uncivilized and dirty and dangerous in comparison. Singapore has the 4th lowest murder rate in the world (2012), the top two have 0 murders. In 2007 There were 8 murders out of about 5 million people and all murders were solved.
It's not perfect, you don't have the free speech you do in NA, but from what I can tell their laws are just a more thorough version of Canada's anti-hate speech laws. And yes some crimes are punishable by caning which will put you in the hospital for weeks!
As with any system there are tradeoffs, I can't help but feel maybe some of those are worth it when I am in Singapore, the net effect is such a comfortable, safe, clean, beautiful and prosperous place to live. Personally I think we would find it a bit too safe after a while though, it has been nicknamed "Singabore" for a reason.
It's definitely worth a couple day stop over at the very least!
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