Penang July 2019

Whilst I haven’t posted for awhile , in fact a very very long time I’ve just discovered that there’s an app for my phone that even an oldie like myself can use ..
a blog is a great idea to share ideas Musings and thoughts about what you experience in your travels ,
I arrived in Penang 3 days ago , Monday morning and it’s been such a change compared to the cold weather  I left behind in Melbourne .
As I’m writing I’m sitting on the 101 bus that pretty much circles the island. I caught it in Batu  Ferenghi the beachside holiday resort of this island . I first came to Penang ver 40 years ago when it was a Kampong ( Village) where locals came on the weekend to splash in the waves and eat at the small roadside and seaside restaurant s where local fare was simple , cooked on coals in front of you and tasted of the sea
These days it’s the Miami of Malaysia! Mile after mile of high density high rise condos , most air BnB, very few people actually live full time here . The winding mountainside road has changed little over 40 years , yet the traffic has increased  to what is almost a full blown traffic jam , the 8km journey can take up to an hour in peak times .. whilst at others little more than 10 minutes.
Im heading back to Chulia street , a place I visited in a blog I posted several years ago, this time I’m
Not heading to historical mansions, Nonya homes , temples or places of listed on the UNESCO heritage site.. I’m heading in to see the real Penang at work ! It’s a Monday and most Penangites as they’re called are at school or work , and only the tourists and under employed are hanging around the streets in the middle of the day .

So I’m on the 101 bus , and it’s full , half with locals and the other obviously tourists with their red faces and pale skin , some burnt to a crisp for lack of foresight in applying sun screen or insect repellent in this humid , tropical island . As we get closer to town , the bus gets fuller ,swelling like a state school on the first day of term ! The Muslim lady sitting next to me on the bus , after initially being chatty and making the usual pleasant enquiries as to where I’m from and what did I think of Penang  has drawn her headscarf across her face and nodded off to sleep  in the heat, as have quite a few other passengers who were lucky enough to acquire seats . I was one of those , having gotten in the bus back at it’s first few stops , but now it’s packed as we head into the very heart of the city and it’s commercial center.

 I’m getting off in Chulia street mainly for nostalgic reasons , having spent many a holiday staying at the Banana 6 backpackers , and enjoying the delights of the many hawker food stalls in the vicinity, historical sights , and large shopping centres .. this trip is different , I’ve come to relax and enjoy the Malay ambiance before heading off tomorrow night to Sarawak and this years Rainforest world music festival . Penang never fails to deliver the amazing foodie and cultural experiences that have become the norm of this island. When  Malaysians from other part of the country come here just to eat, you know you've hit a culinary high.

Station 59

Station 59 , 59 Church Street Richmond.3121 Victoria Australia.

Not so long ago, station 59 was an empty shell , a run down  inner city pub, which looked like it  had last been renovated last, at least 40 or 50 years .Once the unofficial "Office" of the Fire station next door, recently acquired by the  Meza family and in particular managed and run by Jose the younger., it is now in good hands for a bright future.

He may have a baby face, but this man has run some of the best Kitchens in Melbourne. Starting his early years as an apprentice chef, he is the new and current owner of this fine establishment.

Once known for its pool comp , trivia nights, and raunchy barmaids,  Station 59 has re invented itself as a Fine old lady, brought back to her prime with an extensive make over, both décor, entertainment and food. The Front bars décor is tasteful and historic, but with touches of Hipster cool to keep the look on trend.

From the moment you enter, everyone is friendly and inviting. from the doorman on the main bar door, to the young lady serving the food, there are smiles all around.
Several moths  ago I heard a "rumor" that my friends had "acquired" an establishment somewhere in the Richmond area.
Things were quite on the rumor front until suddenly pics started appearing on face book . 

Jose the Younger, & Jose the Elder a formidable duo.

But not only that, this establishment has also opened Melbourne's Latest offering to Latin Cuisine, "El Tumi "restaurant.

 

Classic Peruvian home cooking done at its best,
 

Without any pretentiousness, this Tasty , well presented and generously plated meal was amongst the best Homestyle Latin cooking I've had in a very long time . Unlike other pretentious Peruvian restaurants in Melbourne the meals are. Not "deconstructed " or tamed down to make them totally unrecognisable as the original .

I started with the set menu, three tasty courses with a Pisco Sour cocktail thrown in for the opening nights service.
Starting the meal with Ceviche, a Peruvian classic with a gentle balance between the fish and the acidity of the citrus was great, years of experience most evident in the subtly of this dish Cudos to the chef. Presentation nice, not over the top, and taste..  amongst the best I've eaten anywhere, including Peru.

As the entree looked very large , I opted for a second Entree, Causa Rellena, a type of layered concoction . 

Made with tender prices of gently condimented chicken, layered lasagna style with mashed potatoes and served with a picante Peruvian style salsa. YUMM is all I can say.

I looked across at the size of plate of Tallerines or Peruvian pasta my friend had received I was glad I'd made a second entree choice.

Dessert was Picarones or mashed pumpkin doughnut style fried pastries served with a black sugar sauce , All in all an enjoyable and tasty meal. As we had ordered the set menu we also received a complimentary pisco sour , a Peruvian cocktail made with pisco , lemon and merengue style egg whites. We also enjoyed a a tasty bottle of Argentinean wine between the three of us .

• Was the food authentic Peruvian ? Yes
• Was the food tasty? Yes
• Would I go back again ? Yes
• Would I recommend this restaurant ? YES
• Service was attentive without being intrusive, oh and did I mention that there was live music as well? All in all an enjoyable night out.

                 and then the fun began.

Live music Friday Saturday and Sunday nights, featuring the cream of Melbourne Latin Talent. 

                                            But thats a whole other Blog

Bolivian National Day celebrations 2017

As every year, our un-official Bolivian Ambassador Freddy Gasser and his amazing wife Ada organise, cajole, and push the small but vocal Bolivian community of Melbourne together to celebrateBolivian National Day. This year was no different.

Invitations were sent out , email, text, phone calls, bush telegraph, all means were used to track down the 20 something known Bolivian families living in Melbourne, plus students, tourist, visitors , anyone really who had an affinity with Bolivia to come and celebrate with us.

The Independence Day, also known as Dia de la Patria, is a National holiday in Bolivia. Celebrations are held throughout the country and usually continue for two days. Patriotic marches, military parades, gun salutes, street dances and carnivals, and cultural events reflecting the rich heritage of the country are some common independence celebrations in Bolivia.

A Little History:

What is the historic significance of Independence Day in Bolivia?

The Spanish occupation of Bolivia, previously known as Upper Peru or Charcas, began in 1525, and at the time Bolivia was governed by the viceroy of Lima. During this period Bolivian silver became the mainstay of Spanish wealth. Spanish influence, however, began to decline during the Napoleonic wars, and the nationalist sentiments began growing due to a number of events in Spanish America, but mainly because of the efforts Simon Bolivar (Simon Bolivar was a Venezuelan military and political leader who led numerous wars against Spanish colonial rule in the region then known as Spanish America). Simon Bolivar's companions - Jose de San Martin and Antonio Jose de Sucre - also led many such campaigns.
In theory, Bolivia proclaimed its freedom in 1809, but it took another 16 years of war before Bolivia became a republic. Finally, on August 6, 1825, the efforts of Simon Bolivar were rewarded with the establishment of the Republic of Bolivia. The country came to be called as Bolivia after this legendary hero.And so the invitations went out, SABADO 12 de Agosto de este 2017, the location this year was a community hall in Thornbury, that fortunately had a stage, a large wooden dance floor and most importantly for Bolivians, a kitchen !, bring 

In true community stye, all the women were expected to bring food to share, drinks, and even our own cutlery and plates, so we left little or no waste footprint from this fiesta. Needless to say, the food was amazing, with most of the older Bolivian ladies, making their specialties, like "Lengua" , Fricasse, Saltenas, Pastel de choclo, and many many more favourites. I decided there was no point competing in the cooking stakes with these women, so I just brought along my simple Picante de Pollo, which a dear Bolivian friend Nahir Aranibar, had given me  years ago. Simple to make, and little risk of failure and humiliation.!

My two Beautiful companions for the night, Hanna & Sally

Food had finished and the Entertainment about to begin.

These young Tinku dancers wait in the sidelines for the music to start.

The dance group had driven down from Sydney especially to celebrate with us. The Bolivian Dance group Fraternity Santiago ,from Sydney,had made the gruelling 10 hour drive especially to celebrate with us.

Then followed the Saya, or Caporales dance style..The cosmos ornate and heavily embroiled with jewels and sequins.

No Bolivian fiesta is complete without the Diablada ! The dance about good versus evil.

What does the flag of Bolivia represents?
The national flag of Bolivia was adopted on October 31, 1851. It consists of three horizontal stripes of equal size. The top band is red, the middle is yellow, and the bottom band is green.

The green color symbolizes the lush fertility of the land, yellow epitomizes the natural resources of the country, and red represents the courage of the Bolivian soldiers who fought for the independence and for the preservation of the country.

Entertainment on the night was provided by a variety of people, many musicians, friends and whoever wanted to take the stage:  Cesar Chavez, Ricardo Carvajal, Michel Bestrin y Jose Diaz de Inkamarka, Jorge Santone, Amuru & Ivan,  nuestros amigos del grupo DE LA MANGA, Gustavo y Salvatore .

Singapore 2015 Part 2 China Town & The Raffles

Sue, my sister had been on her first overseas trip to the UK, and was returning via Singapore as she had booked her flights on the Luxurious  Singapore Airlines 

Mum thought that this was a great chance for us to all catch up as a "family" in the land of her birth,, so we, meaning her and I, booked a budget no frills flight on Jetstar !

Sue had been away almost a month and we were going to spend a week together on her last leg home, also the first time we three had ever been away together for more than a night 

Mum was still pretty spritely at this time, and was keen to do a bit of "Shopping " before Sue arrived..so we headed off to China Town to see what we could see.

We jumped into a cab and headed down to New Bridge Road, alighting at Pogoda street, where the Indian temple complex is the first thing you see when you get out of the car.

Pagoda Street was named after the pagoda-like gopuram of Sri Mariana Temple, the largest and oldest Hindu temple in Singapore, located on the South Bridge Road end of the street.

The present structure was erected in 1843 and has been altered and renovated several times since.

In the early days, Pagoda Street was known for its opium smoking dens. This street was probably one of the stations of the coolie trade between the 1850s and the 1880s.

By the 1950s, the shophouses here were mainly involved in retail trade and services, These days restaurants and $2 dollar/ souvenir type shops line the block.

On several occasions there has been fortune tellers sitting outside the temple gates with a large Parrot and a ray of :scrolls" or "fortunes". You pay the elderly Indian Parrot Keeper and the Parrot then reads your "fortune" for you.

Sth Bridge Road is also famous for many old Chinese Herbalist shops and Gold & Jewellery retailers. Mum was most insistent that she wanted to go and see the old family jeweller, Mr Au, who's family had had a shop there since her childhood in the 1930's.His son, Mr Au. junior , who was in his 70's was now the proprietor, and remembered mum ( who was in her 80's) from previous visits with Dad, back in the 70's 80's and 90's when they used to visit Singapore on a regular basis. Mum never really bought a lot of things from him, ( we were not a moneyed, wealthy ,family, just your average middle class Aussies.. but I think Mr Au liked mums visits and her chats about the old days and all her many family members who had been constant visitors since the turn of the last century until now.

Many wealthy Singaporeans have a relationship with their jewellers much like that of their Doctor or Dentist. Mr Au was that man for the Ellison family !

My sister and I having little interest in gold,jewellery,diamonds or other such trifles and were very unwilling to make this visit, (boring to those who are not involved) and advised her that she could go alone if she wished, but we'd be hunting bargains much more affordable in Chinatown proper.

These decorations were hanging outside a Herbalist on New South bridge road.

Standing outside one of the many Souvenir shops in Pagoda Street

You can buy anything from Food, A dodgy $2 plastic watch, hundreds of souvenirs made in China, India, Korea , and anywhere else except Singapore. which has little or NO manufacturing base.

Chinese temple located in the China town Precinct ,Mum & Sister Sue 

 Next Stop was the famous Raffles Hotel at 1 Beach Road. The Raffles, as its affectionately known by locals, is one of the most famous hotels in the Far East. In the 1920' and 30's The Raffles was at its peak,a fine example of the  Colonial British Empire's and of all things British.In 1887 The Sarkies Brothers leased the property with the intention of turning it into a high-end hotel. Just a few months later, on December 1, 1887, the ten-room Raffles Hotel opened. Its proximity to the beach, and its reputation for high standards in services and accommodations made the hotel popular with wealthy clientele.Within the hotel's first decade, three new buildings were added on to the original beach house. First, a pair of two-story wings were completed in 1890, each containing 22 guest suites. Soon afterward,the Sarkies Brothers leased a neighboring building at No. 3 Beach Road, renovated it, and in 

1894, the Palm Court Wing was completed. The new additions brought the hotel's total guest rooms to 75.

The hotel continued to expand over the years with the addition of wings, a veranda, a ballroom, a bar, a billiards room, as well as other buildings and rooms. The Great Depression spelled trouble for Raffles Hotel and, in 1931, the Sarkies Brothers declared bankruptcy. In 1933, the financial troubles were resolved, and a public company called Raffles Hotel Ltd. was established.

In 1933 my mother was 4 years old, and grew up as part of this Colonial Colony called Singapore.In the colonial Singapore of my mothers youth, it was a place to go for Sunday TIFFIN,a type of brunch served on courses, popular in British Singapore, Malaysia and India at the time,  the  place for her mother Rebecca Ellison on a Saturday night to celebrate the win of one of her horses at the Bukit Timah Race Course.  

My Great Grandfather Isaac Ellison, won the first Singapore Cup, and Horse Racing  was a passion that was passed down to the next generation, his daughter and my grandmother Rebecca Ellison. My Great Grandfather Isaac  also owned Iky's Bar near Raffles Place,  a joint were expats, and gentleman could gather for a drink and entertainment.( Iky was my great grandfather's nickname.).Rumor has it that the cup was buried it in the basement of the family home, by my great grandmother Flora,  during the Japanese Occupation of the second world war, and a layer of concrete poured over the top to camouflage the hiding place. After the war, it was dug up and the gold melted down to give the family money to begin rebuilding their lives.

Whilst visiting the Raffles, we decided we jut had to try the Singapore Sling, which was first created in 1915 by bartender Tong Boon. Primarily a gin-based cocktail, the Singapore Sling also contains pineapple juice as the main ingredient, along with grenadine, lime juice and Dom Benedictine.We only had one , because at $30 a pop the 3 person round with taxes came to over $100.!

 Internal view from the Courtyard

After our afternoon drink at the Raffles headed back to our hotel around the corner, on Victoria street, from the Raffles. Not as grand, but more than adequate for our needs as tourists, shoppers and amateur historians.

Breakfast Kuching style ( July 2017)

So we woke the Tuesday morning after the Weekend  of the Rainforest world music festival 2017 to a cloudy 26degrees. The "Sistas" were not all that happy about the forecast for the day, but for a person who had just arrived from mid winter artic blasts of Melbourne Australia, 26 was just fine.!

Now for us Aussies, breakfast and the idea of going out for Breakfast/ brunch very much entails a selection of Coffee / Tea, a "fry up "of bacon eggs, sausages, toast, beans  in any combination , or  the  some what ubiquitous "Avocado and fetta cheese on sour dough" served throughout Australia as pretty standard breakfast fare.

NOT in Kuching ! Breakfast is an affair to delight the Culinary senses.

A variety of soups, influenced from the Chinese immigrants to Borneo several hundred years ago , Laksa's, Colo Mee, or other varieties of rich broth with a selection of noodles, rice, egg, flat, thin, thick. with some fresh vegetables, chicken, seafood or a typical Malay breakfast of Nasi Goreng,( fried rice with an egg on top) Nasi Campur( a selection of small dishes around a serving of rice , and with a runny fried egg on top to tie it all together.

This was the selection offered up to us at our first stop. My friends were complaining that the prices had risen sharply over the past few months due to some internal politics over the introduction of the GST to goods and services, As you can see not one of the soups were priced over 7 Ringgit.( Local currency)

With the current Australian exchange rate for the ringgit being about 3.4 ringgit to one Aussie dollar , I felt rich, and for once in my life was able to say, " Breakfast is on Me ! " Something I'm not always able to do, considering my current financial circumstances.

Going out to eat in Malaysia is taken very seriously. A restaurant or eating stall is not judged on appearances. Flavour and reputation is everything, as some  of these little restaurant stalls have been making the one and only dish on their menu for up to 40 or 50 years. I kid you not.

This has given them due diligence to be able to perfect that recipe. The one family, grandfather, son and grand son often work side by side in the food outlet, proud to be able to say, "we  have the 'Best" so and so meal in that district, or that city, who by way of reputation are hunted out and found by the local populous. You can be sitting at one of these laminex table outdoor eating places, and look to the left and notice an Important politician, or famous celebrity sitting enjoying the same meal as you are. Food is the great leveller in Asia.

People are obsessed with food and where to get the "best" or " most flavoursome" or the most " healthy" meals. Chinese culture is based on healthy foods and combinations of such, as well as flavour and smell etc.

Just deciding on this place took us several phone conversations, text messages going back and forth, and even after we arrived at the location, a quick walk around other restaurants to see what they had on offer before sitting down and committing to this one.

The sisters left to right:      Angela, Sunita, Steph, and Anita.

This was my breakfast, A Laksa ( or spicy soup)  with Shredded Chicken, Prawns,  and shredded/ finely sliced  omelette heaped onto  a soup base made of chicken/ fish stock broth , bean sprouts, tofu ,lemongrass, turmeric, ginger, and a rich coconut milk

Eating is a serious business In Malaysia

Singapore gardens by the bay 2015

Singapore 2015

My first trip to Singapore was when I was 18 years old, Mum was going back to visit some family members and asked me if I wanted to come too, "Of course" I said, and my career as a "Traveller" commenced then and there. Singapore in 1979 was a very different place to Singapore 2017. Forty years of development, building, demolition , land reclamation and development of its Human resources has left Singapore with a very different profile from then. 

(And thats a whole other BLOG ! )

Sue my sister had been on her first overseas trip to the UK, and was returning via Singapore as she had booked her flights on the Luxurious  Singpore Airlines Mum Thought that this was a great chance for us to all catch up as a "family" in the land of her birth, so We, meaning her and I, booked a budget no frills flight on Jetstar ! Sue had been away almost a month and we were going to spend a week together on her last leg home, also the first time we three had ever been away together for more than a night 

Let me start by telling you a little of Gardens by the Bay. An integral part of Singapore's "City in a Garden" vision, Gardens by the Bay spans a total of 101 hectares of prime land at the heart of Singapore's  Marina Bay. Comprising three waterfront gardens - Bay South, Bay East and Bay Central - Gardens by the Bay is a showcase of horticulture and garden artistry. Gardens by the Bay is part of a strategy by the Singapore government to transform Singapore from a "Garden City" to a "City in a Garden". The stated aim is to raise the quality of life by enhancing greenery and flora in the city.

We started off by taking the "Tour" which consisted of an extra long Golf cart, with about 6 carriages that started at the Gift shop and main entrance and proceeded through the outside section of the garden precinct.

These man-made mechanical forest consists of 18 supertrees that act as vertical gardens, generating solar power, acting as air venting ducts for nearby conservatories, and collecting rainwater. To generate electricity, 11 of the supertrees are fitted with solar photovoltaic systems that convert sunlight into energy, which provides lighting and aids water technology within the conservatories below.The Supertrees are home to enclaves of unique and exotic ferns, vines, orchids and also a vast collection of bromeliads such as Tillandsia, amongst other plants. They are fitted with environmental technologies that mimic the ecological function of trees – photovoltaic cells that harness solar energy which can be used for some of the functions of the Supertrees, such as lighting, just like how trees photosynthesize; and collection of rainwater for use in irrigation and fountain displays, exactly like how trees absorb rainwater for growth. The Supertrees also serve air intake and exhaust functions as part of the conservatories' cooling systems.

There is an elevated walkway, the OCBC Skyway, between two of the larger Supertrees for visitors to enjoy an aerial view of the Gardens.

These "Super trees" are tree-like structures that dominate the Gardens' landscape with heights that range between 25 meters (82 ft) and 50 metres (160 ft). They are vertical gardens that perform a multitude of functions, which include planting, shading and working as environmental engines for the gardens.

 The large canopies also operate as temperature moderators, absorbing and dispersing heat, as well as providing shelter from the hot temperatures of Singapore's climate to visitors walking beneath.

View actoss to the Casino and triple tower complex

The conservatory complex at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore, comprises two cooled conservatories – the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest situated along the edge of Marina Reservoir.

The conservatories are intended to be an energy efficient showcase of sustainable building technologies and to provide an all-weather edutainment space within the Gardens. Both are very large (around 1 hectare (2.5 acres)) and the Flower Dome is the world's largest column-less glasshouse.

One of the sustainable features of the Flower Dome is that horticultural waste feeds a massive steam turbine and generates the electricity on-site to help maintain the cool temperatures of the biodome.

Checking out some plant names on line ?

The horticultural oasis stands in contrast to the country's extremely dense urban environment, forming part of the government's overall strategy to transform Singapore into a "city in a garden."

  We contemplated the walkway for at least 30 seconds and then said "nah" 

Over 162,900 plants comprising more than 200 species and varieties of bromeliads, orchids, ferns and tropical flowering climbers have been planted on the 18 Supertrees.

A couple of Singaporeans having a picnic in the gardens.

the view from the "buggy train" as we wound our way through the gardens

The obligatory trip to the gift shop for souvenirs.

these trees reminded me of bad haircuts. 

The Aussie garden, kangaroo paw in all colors 

Soon they will need to make a hole in the roof to accommodate these two

The size of some of the trees was just overwhelming.

the

The humidity in the domes, changed from "plant geographical "region to region . Don't know how they micro managed the aircon to that extreme.

This crop of trees housed its own small microclimate.

The perfect Camellia?

The Jungle zone made you feel like you were in the Brazilian rainforest, Venus fly catchers were so large I don't know how they grew that big !

The Supertrees have different planting schemes in various colours ranging from warm tones like reds, browns, orange and yellows, to cooler hues like silver and pink. These are "exploited" by the lighting show that you can see twice a night every night, weather permitting for FREE ! 

 Each Supertree consists of a trunk core made of reinforced concrete wrapped with a steel frame. Planting panels are installed on the trunks for the planting of the living skin. Each canopy is embedded with environmentally sustainable functions, then assembled and hoisted via a hydraulic jack system.

The Garden Rhapsody is a signature light and sound show of the Gardens by the bay. We arrived around 7 pm for the "early show" as we weren't sure mum would make it to the 9:30 pm start of the second show. The light and sound show began punctually as all things Singaporean do ! 

From an eclectic collection of modern popular orchestral music to hard rock, the light show was just amazing.To be viewed at its best, you really needed to lay on the ground and just let your mind go.

Mum looked at me like I was from another planet when I took to laying on my back.. she said and I quote" you look like one of those large beetles thats cant turn over , and you'll be stuck on your back forever ! "