I used to travel a lot but now I'm a homebody with a lot of side hustles.
Author: Liau Yun Qing
Yun Qing is a writer, improviser and curious person. She loves finding little adventures in life. In 2013, she went on a 130-day round-the-world trip. She wrote a book "Your Big Break" to help those who also want to go on a career break.
My parents and I went for a ride during our trip to Penang. We planned to take the bus back on the bridge but we couldn’t find the bus so we took the boat back again. Ferry and cars
Blue ferry
From Georgetown, there is no fee for passengers.
But it was about RM1.20 on the way back. No fishing
Passengers share the upper deck with cars. There are only a few seats by the side of the ferry and these are usually taken up if you do not run fast enough. Inside the ferry with the cars
Inside the ferry with passengersLife jackets on ferryChild’s life jacket
Vehicle catcher
Since I do not take water transport much, I really liked the ferry ride to and from Georgetown. Ferry
How about this angle?
For those who are too lazy to plan things to do in Penang, consider taking the boat. The scenery might be better at night when the city sparkles.
My parents and I stopped by a Taiwanese breakfast place when we were in Taipei in 2010. Traditional Taiwanese breakfast
The shop was divided into two sections. In front, the shopowners cooked while the back was reserved for customers to sit. The customer sector was warm from the cooking in front which was good because we were caught in a drizzle before that.
I requested for shuijianbao (水煎包) which were pan fried small meat buns. I had loved meat too much to forgo it even for breakfast.
Here’s a breakdown of the meal:
Savory soy milk
Salty soy milk
Instead of the sweet warm soy milk that I had been used to, I was served salty warm soy milk. It even tasted slightly burnt which didn’t help a lot with the taste.
水煎包 Shuijianbao
Pan fried mini meat buns 水煎包
Even though eating something as oil as mini pan fried meat buns wasn’t good for the stomach early in the morning, I had to have some of them before I start the day.
The buns were tasty and had vegetable filling. Compared to xiaolongbao, shuijiabbao is less soupy and has a thicker flour skin.
烧饼油条 Shaobing Youtiao
Fried dough wrapped in fried dough
Before that meal, I had never seen the shaobing youtiao combo in real life. I was used to eating the two twin fried doughsticks called youtiao but I’ve not tried it as a pair.
It was rather unusual, eating fried dough wrapped in fried dough. I think I left most of the shaobing youtiao for the parents.
After the meal, I concluded that I was more used to the traditional breakfast found in Singapore and Malaysia.
For those who are not well versed in internet speak, here is a definition of “selfie” from urbandictionary.com:
A picture taken of yourself that is planned to be uploaded to Facebook, Myspace or any other sort of social networking website.
You can usually see the person’s arm holding out the camera in which case you can clearly tell that this person does not have any friends to take pictures of them…
I like taking photos when travelling but I do not have a lot of photos of myself.
In fact, I checked my Hoi An albums and found that out of the 440 photos I took, I was in 5 of them.
The reason I do not have as much photos of myself when travelling solo is that I am easily embarrassed and I do not ask strangers to take photos of me.
While I’ve not taken many photos of myself, I’ve devised a few ways to take a selfie when travelling:
1. Arm stretching
Basic level of taking a selfie is holding your camera at arm’s length. Make sure that not too much double chin appears.
2. Mirror mirror
Another basic level of taking a selfie is taking a photo of your reflection. This works best in museums with reflective surfaces or glass doors.
It’s best to crop the photo before you share it on the Internet or print it out:
The key to a good reflection selfie is to look at the camera lens or you will look distracted.
Take care to take photos of a smooth reflective surface, or you will end up looking like something else.
3. Balance it on things
An intermediate level way of taking a selfie is settling your camera on a surface and pose from a distance. This way, there is less chance of your double chin being exposed as it does in Tip 1.
Taking a photo this way requires an empty area, with no one to gawk at the poor tourist smiling at a camera on a timer or to steal your camera.
First set your camera’s timer (10 seconds is more than enough). Find a flat area to balance your camera. Look into the view finder/screen to guess where you should stand. Press the button to get the timer running. Run to the place to take a photo.
4. Hang it on things
Another intermediate level selfie. While I do not recommend hanging a DSLR from a skinny twig, it is possible to hang light snap and shoot on its strap and set the timer.
While waiting for the shot to take, pray hard that the camera doesn’t turn to the other direction or it will take a photo of the opposite direction.
5. Take photo of shadow
This is the most boring of selfies. A photo of your shadow isn’t the most exciting but at least there is a part of you in the picture.
It works best if you have a unique headshape or weird shaped clothes.
Do you have any selfie-taking tips for solo travellers?
I didn’t plan for my third day in Paris to be full of death.
In the morning, I visited the Catacombs. When I was doing my travel research, one guidebook or another recommended Montparnasse cemetery where among the dead laid Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre.
I do not know much about de Beauvoir, apart from her being a famous feminist and a on-and-off partner of Sartre. I learned fake existentialism from a French-teaching armadillo on the University of Austin Texas’s Web site.
I do not remember how I got to the cemetery. I might have taken the train to Rapsail stop, since Google Maps is telling me that it’s a 1.5km walk from the exit of the Catacombs.
Following my trusty portable map and some road signs, I reached the Montparnasse cemetery area. There was a high wall separating the dead and the living. I wish it was a short gate so I could have jumped over it and get finished with my itinerary. Secret door of Montparnasse cemetery
There was a high wall separating the dead and the living. I wish it was a short gate so I could have jumped over it and get finished with my itinerary.
I walked the a long stretch of road to the gates. For someone who do not know what is behind the walls, the vine-covered bricks might mean a private garden lay behind. A garden of the dead. Plaque about Cemetiere de Montparnasse
When I did reach the gates, I studied the map of the cemetery. The map was too high up for me to take a good picture to use as a walking guide. Instead, I studied where de Beauvoir and Sartre laid and mentally mapped my way there. Map of Montparnasse cemetery
Looking for de Beauvoir
It wasn’t that easy finding their graves. I was expecting something grand with wreaths decoration which was why I missed out the grave when I walked past it a few times.
The tombsone was a pale marble, hidden among the other gray grave markers. Craved on the tombstone in gold were the names of de Beauvoir and Sartre and their birth year and death year. (Is there such a thing as a “deathday”?) Grave of Simone de Beauvoir and Jean Paul Sartre
The tombstone was small, I had expected something flashier given how big they were when they were alive. There were a lot of souvenirs on the tombstone. If it weren’t for the seriousness of being in a graveyard, I might have laughed out loud at the gifts. Souvenirs from fans of Simone de Beauvoir and Jean Paul Sartre Souvenirs from fans of Simone de Beauvoir and Jean Paul Sartre Love the family portrait
I particularly like the drawing of de Beauvoir and Sartre. A few lines from a de Beauvoir admire were scribbled on a piece of paper, probably torn out of a journal bought especially for the trip to Paris. A train ticket stub. A withering flower.
I regret not buying a bunch of flowers near the gates of the catacombs although it’s a little silly since the dead would not be able to smell them.
I didn’t expect de Beauvoir and Sarte to share one grave, like they aresharing an apartment. I thought that they each had their own plot of land, instead, they laid next to (or even on top) of each other.
Knowing what had passed between them during their final years, I wonder if the people who buried them were too romantic and decided that they must be together even in death.
While looking at the grave, I was overcome by sadness and wiped a few tears. What does it mean to live and be famous when in the end, we all would die and end up buried in the ground.
A walk in the park
Road sign in the middle of Montparnasse cemetery
After contemplating life at the grave of de Beauvoir, I decided to walk about in the graveyard. Cross in the sky
The graveyard was shady, and very much like a park or a garden. I sat down at one of the benches and regretted not buying a picnic. Come to think of it, I might have lost my journal in the graveyard. I guess that’s much more poetic than losing it in the public toilet.
There was a grave marker in Chinese but I do not know the history of the two people who laid inside. Chinese grave
There was another lady in the graveyard that day. She was refilling her bottle at one of the taps. I was worried that she might be drinking non-potable water.
The cemetery ground was large. I didn’t find other famous people’s graves even though there are supposed to be more.
I did find some lovely graves.
Tombstones in MontparnasseFamilles Daniel Meyer et Ernest SAMUEL
Graves in Montparnasse
Yes, really large. Cordoned tower
Family grave at Montparnasse cemeteryGrave with leavesStatue of sad lovers at Montparnasse cemeteryObelisk at Montparnasse cemeteryFresh flowers at Montparnasse cemeteryTombstones at Montparnasse cemetery
I was surprised to see an apartment next to the graveyard. Being raised in a Chinese culture, any accommodation next to a graveyard means “bad things will happen”.
But Montparnasse didn’t look that much like a graveyard, so I suppose not much bad things will happen. Bad feng shui?
Have you eaten yet? Sorry for keeping you hungry with this late #FoodFri post.
I was watching Rurouni Kenshin (good show by the way) and returned home late. I also had a cupcake before I writing this post so that took up another 5 minutes.
Let’s get the show started.
Today’s #FoodFri is the famous chicken rice from Chatterbox. It’s not your regular hawker center chicken rice, but a S$28 set served in beautiful ceramic (I can’t tell my plates) on a Japanese lacquer wood-like tray.
Featuring a spread of local heritage cuisines, Chatterbox was the first hotel restaurant that made local food famous both locally and worldwide. Feast on the legendary Mandarin Chicken Rice, which has become a household name around the world and remains as one of the most desired Singaporean dish among celebrities, ministers and connoisseurs for 40 years.
Chatterbox chicken rice
While the dish was too pricey, the drumstick which I ordered was smooth and tender. It was like biting into soft boiled chicken (not the tough breast meat).
The bowl which the chicken was served in was deep and the yummy soy sauce was left down the bowl. I had to set the chicken aside before I could scoop the soy sauce to go with the rice.
The soup wasn’t the regular clear water with a drop of sesame oil and some scallion. Instead, it tasted faintly of peanut.
The rice wasn’t very fluffy and felt like it was slightly undercooked. Despite these little faults (aggravated by my high expectations), I finished every thing in my plate except the raw cucumbers. Eek.
Well, now that I’ve tried the world famous Chatterbox chicken rice and ticked an item off my bucket list, I don’t think I will return to have it for a second round. I do prefer having 10 plates of $2.50 chicken rice to this one set.
Disclosure: I had this meal during a business lunch. I try not to take photos of the food served at business lunches but this was just too good not to miss.
What do you do when you are planning a trip to a place where you’ve been to with Person A but now you need to Person B to the same place.
That was the question I had to answer when I was planning my parents’ trip to Penang. Previously, I went to the Pearl of the Orient once with L. I didn’t really want to visit sites which I’ve visited because it would be a waste of time for me.
However, I made an exception for the Pinang Peranakan Museum.
Background of Pinang Peranakan Museum
Pinang Peranakan Museum’s facade
The museum was previously the house of a rich Peranakan family.
Even though the mansion is big, it doesn’t seem be to big enough for a family with 3 generations, including the multiple concubines and their kids. Perhaps the lower ranking people lived in the compound and not the main house. Pinang Peranakan Museum’s interior
The museum is divided into two levels. The lower level is the place where guests visit. It includes a gigantic dining table, a room for card games and loads of antique.
Many of the wooden panels or carvings were decorated with a layer of gold (probably only paint) which made the whole floor look a little like the showfloor for houses targeted at the nouveau riche.
Deco of Pinang Peranakan Museum
The upper floor is similarly packed with antiques but is more “personal”.
The wedding room is a little ominous with the red lighting which made the room feel like a brothel instead of the suit of a newly wed couple. Pinang Peranakan Museum
After seeing Singapore’s Peranakan Museum, the Pinang Peranakan Museum feels like everything was thrown together in haste for the exhibition. This isn’t a bad thing because it feels more approachable. It’s easier to imagine how the family might have lived..
I’m a star
Peranakan-related movies
Based on the fading movie posters at the entrance, the house was the filming location for multiple period dramas.
A popular Singapore period drama, Little Nyonya, might be filmed here. I’ve never watched the drama but after reading the character bios, I think I might like the show because it doesn’t have a “Happily Ever After” ending.
The parents and I at Pinang Peranakan Museum
The compound of the museum had a few bamboo-like plants. They were decorated with the entrance stickers which were stuck on by tourists. I like that it gave the green tone of the wall and plants a pop of color.
Comparing Pinang Peranakan Museum and Singapore Peranakan Museum
If I must choose between Pinang Peranakan Museum and Singapore Peranakan Museum, I would choose the museum in Penang as my favorite.
The site feels more friendly and human because all the wares are right in front of you.
If you like reading explanations in museums then Penang’s peranakan museum might not suit your taste.
Singapore’s Peranakan Museum is housed in a beautiful building but the content of the exhibition is a little sterile. It played up the peranakan nostalgia to the highest volume.
Visiting information:
Location: 29 Lebuh Gereja George Town, Penang, Malaysia Entrance fee: RM10 Time required to look around: ~1 hour
Hello folks! I’m finally published in a print magazine.
Ta da! It’s Dececember 2012 issue of Jetstar Asia’s magazine (page 111). It’s a short piece on the Blue Mansion in Penang. The house was lovely but we couldn’t take photos inside. :( YQ on Jetstar Asia Magazine
OK, maybe my article is not as glamorous as a full spread photo + text article but it’s a step, isn’t it? (Although a rather small one.)
If you are interested in the competition, here are the details. Jetstar Asia competition
Wait a minute, it seems like I’ve not written much about Penang. I’ll do just that in the following weeks. Stay tuned.
Singapore’s not the most budget friendly destination in Southeast Asia. But it’s one of the most popular transit points so it means that you, as a traveler, might need to spend a bit of time here.
If you want to save money in Singapore so that you can stretch your penny in Thailand/Vietnam/Laos, look no futher. I’ll be featuring a few cheap meals that can save you money while in Singapore.
For today, I recommend the S$2.50 breakfast set from McDonald’s.
McDonald Sausage McMuffin $2.50
The set includes a Sausage McMuffin without the egg and a coffee or tea. If you are eating in, there’s free refill at the corner where they put the sugar.
Whenever I have morning duty which requires me to reach the office around 8am, I usually buy the set. It’s quite filling. The coffee also gives quite a good jolt for the morning.
But beware that the set is only available on weekdays, until the end of breakfast hours which is 11am.
Stay tuned for #FoodFri next week where I feature another cheap breakfast in Singapore
Facade of Platinum Mall
When I was making my plans for my first trip to Bangkok, I asked for travel recommendation from those who have been there. Platinum Mall was high on the recommendation list as the mall had the cheap clothes that would be even cheaper if you buy them wholesale (meanning, more than 2 pieces).
Even though I wasn’t the biggest fan of clothes shopping, I replied that I will see if I can visit. Despite my lack of enthusiasm for shopping, I included it into my itinerary to find out for myself why they say Bangkok is a shopper’s heaven as well as everyone’s strange devotion to the mall.
Plus, Platinum Mall is just a short walk away from Erawan Shrine and I did not have much planned for the day anyway.
Entering Platinum Mall
Store directory of Platinum Mall
I entered the building which was labelled Zone 3 on one the directory and was quite stunned by all the stalls that were there.
The shops were never ending, each packed from floor to ceiling with merchandise.
The first and second floors were dedicated to Women Fashion Clothes, the third floor was for Bags, the fouth for Leather while the fifth was for Shoes. Clothes stall in Platinum Mall
The stalls take up a small rectangle of space. There was no visible fitting room in them but I suspect they have curtains hung from the ceiling for buyers to change.
The clothes were nice and rather trendy but the quality did not seem very good. Maybe that’s why they are considered fast moving consumer goods (along with shampoos and soapbars).
Bag stalls at Platinum Mall
I almost bought one of the handbags. A sign said they sold at 299 baht each, but after close examination, I realize that they are the types that will easy breakoff after some use.
I also saw the stall selling Naraya knockoffs. The brand is famous among tourists who go to Bangkok. I do not know why they like it since the material of the bags are shiney and look cheap (not the low price type of cheap.)
Toilet break at Platinum Mall
One of the stalls was cordoned off with a sign saying: “Employees go to toilet. Please wait. –Saralee.” I don’t think the customers would have missed anything since the clothes sold there were likely exhibited at other stalls too. Shoe stalls at Platinum Mall
I saw some customers dragging large suitcases which led me to suspect that they buy in bulk to sell back in their home countries. (At the airport, there were a lot of Singaporean dragging large suitcases with them to checkin, perhaps they are the entrepreneurs.)
I visited all the levels in the building, trying to find an excuse to buy something–anything–but nothing caught my fancy.
When I left the building, it felt like I had been walking in the mall for two hours but a check of my photo timestamps showed that it was only a 30 minute visit.
I guess clothes shopping malls are not my cup of tea, I prefer second hands clothes better especially those that look more sturdy than the regular FMCG stuff out there.
Are you a shopper? Have you visited Platinum Mall, how was your experience?
Let me start off this book review with the back cover of Adventures of 2 Girls so I do not need to summarize what happens in the book.
Just kidding, my photo’s too small to be read anyway.
Adventures of 2 Girls is the travel memoir of Singaporean women Pam and Ning who took a career break (and family break) to travel for 9 months.
To put things in context, the two ladies are not ordinary people who decided that they want to cross off many items from their bucket list. They were already famous even before their trip: Pam is a journalist (which she does not stop reminding us of in the book) and Ning is a professional magician.
Still it’s rather rare for people from the region to take career breaks. Legitimate career breaks are things such as furthering your studies so you can climb higher up the career ladder or marrying into a rich family that only requires you to have male babies for them.
As you can see, taking time off to travel is not one of the legitimate options for a career break but Pam and Ning did it (which I applaud). The two ladies put together S$100,000 (the heck, I can’t even save $50,000 if I starve myself for 20 months) and went on a journey to many places, including a stop in Paris where Ning did a Cordon Bleu course.
“Fun read”
adventures of 2 girls cover
The book’s layout is different from the other travel memoirs. Instead of a long continuous story about their journey, the book is divided into independent chapters with standalone stories–similar to how Indonesian blogger/traveller Trinity organizes her The Naked Traveler series).
While the book spices things up by including perspectives from both ladies, I couldn’t really tell who’s who without points of reference, such as “I looked at Pam”, because the editor seem to have turned the two voices into one tone.
Overall, the book is a fun read. It’s fun to see how the two BFFs put up with each other through thick and thin. (I’m pretty sure BFF meant “best female friend” and not “best friend forever” as it seems to be commonly known these days.)
There were a few laugh out loud moments and I give credit to the authors for not lazily stuffing the book full of photos to pass off as a travel memoir.
However, the short chapters weren’t satisfying. Perhaps I am too used to long rambling travel memoirs where the author describes fellow passengers in detail and brings us along every turn of the street.
Another part of Adventures of 2 Girls which I’m not a big fan of are the areas where religion is pushed into my face–it’s a little like how I wished the section about seeking spirituality in India would finish quickly when I read Eat, Pray, Love.
I would recommend borrowing the book from the library because I believe that most of the content are available on their blog.
YQtravelling 