So after some doubtful hunting across the bridge back in the mainland, we found Sungai Dua. Apparently the best thing to eat here is the mee udang (prawn noodles), and people make large detours to come here just for it. You need to drive cause it's pretty deep in rural area. You'll pass by mee udang stalls every few seconds or so, but I heard Selera Sri Tambang near an old floating bridge was one of the best. So that was where we went. They charge by the weight of the prawn. The coconuts were good too.
This is a three person serving, so they say. But we wolf it down easy, and ask for a two-person serving. The gravy is delicious.
For some inexplicable reason the two-person serving is larger than the three-person serving. It was equally delicious but we left with one prawn still in the bowl. :(
At night to appease my mother I tried to find some halal/kosher char kuey teow for her. She was pretty down because all the kuey teow places that were good were Chinese and non-halal, and good Malay kuey teow is for some reason mysteriously elusive. I heard of one in Tanjung Bungah so we went on a blind hunt. We picked this guy:
He was in a foodcourt in Tanjung Bungah, near a Happy Mart. Apparently his competitor in the stall in front cooks mean Western dishes and was a former chef at the Hilton, but we didn't try the Western this time around. I didn't take any photos of the kuey teow but it was good. I tried some but I was still unbelievably full from the prawn noodles. Ordered an omelette instead.
It was gorgeously crispy, packed with squids and prawns.My mother had laksa on the last day before we headed back, near Fort Cornwallis. She said it was okay. For some reason during the whole three day foodtrip, I got strangely addicted to iced Horlicks. Yummy. The 30 laps in the hotel swimming pool weren't any help after all. Plus we had Baskin Robbins on the highway back home. Fail.
We drove here yesterday and if you're wondering what's in Pulau Pinang (more commonly known as Penang), here's the answer in the form of our lunch just as we arrived:
Lots and lots of food. People don't really do much in Penang except go to the beach (sometimes) and just eat, all day, all kinds of food that taste so much better than in Kuala Lumpur. The picture above is the uber-famous Nasi Kandar Line Clear on Argyll Road. That 2 kilo pile on my plate cost under MYR10. Line Clear is a 24hour mamak stall well-known in and out of Penang, despite the fact that it's hidden in an alley on the left where Jalan Penang meets Jalan Chulia.
It's probably one of the coziest alleys I've been to in awhile. There are people cooking even before you enter the alley and get stuck in the ridiculous queue. There are other mamaks established right outside Line Clear who try to trick you into their stalls because they're in such close proximity. Do not be fooled!
More photos:
Now we're off to hunt for Mee Udang in Sungai Dua, Seberang Prai. More translations/explanations when I get back!
I can't say that five times. But I do wish it for you and everyone you know. Go eat and be merry!
I couldn't embed because it was disabled, but you MUST listen to this lovely Christmas song from a girl in Malaysia. She wrote it herself and has a great singing voice.
I'm back home, but still gathering. There is so much on my proverbial plate (but not my literal). If you by any chance miss me, here's some reading material for you to come to your senses.
if our little country's history and coverups weren't as fun as soap operas before, they should be now after the yellow rally aftermath. therefore, this should be the must read link right now.
Nothing like a good book warehouse sale! In this case Penguin, mixed with my persistent geekery, culminates in booksex supreme.
To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from the sale, since it started on the 16th and ends tomorrow. I showed up basically a few hours ago on Day Five, after sobbing at all the gems other bloggers had found (excessive stalking) and thinking, well, if I walk out of this with even three books I'd be happy.
After less than 45 minutes of rummaging, this was the final (agonizing) shortlist:
They were all RM10-12 each, which translates to 3-4 USD, but I didn't have enough to buy them all (a slow month financially). I settled for 13 books, which sets me back quite a bit (RM146) but JUST LOOK AT THE BOOKS don't tell me that wasn't worth it!I'm madly thankful to Ili for catching my SOS signal on Facebook and coming by to pick me up and rescuing my day from pointless oblivion. I didn't think I'd find the time to pick at the warehouse sale with my piling assignments and murderous short semester, but I'm glad I did.
Now, I just need to find space for them in my chewing gum packet of a room.
The most pleasant surprise: Albert Camus's Caligula & Other Plays
The thankgod-this-is-at-a-sale-cause-I've-read-it-but-not-owned-it-yet: Middlesex by Eugenides
The gift for someone else: Rough Guide To Superheroes for killerwhale
The ocrap-i-lost-this-now-i-can-own-it-again: Book Of Bunny Suicides by Riley
The one I want to read first: The Undercover Economist by Harford
The small-enough-to-carry-around: Vibrator by Akasaka (cheeky!)
The final list:
Get the word out.
http://www.malaysia-today.net/nuc2006/report07.php?itemid=158 - a mad comments page
http://www.jeffooi.com/2007/11/clean_up.php - with comparisons of local vs. international coverage
http://englishsection.com/
http://www.malaysiatoday.com/No doubt that today will be reported in local newspapers and television as senseless chaos. But there is a great neatness in today's events, something that isn't just simply arranged, and doesn't just happen. Things have to be wrong for a terribly long time for thousands of people to fall into such a sensible structure.
Even today, a peaceful march were surprised by a sudden burst of gas and chemical water cannons, a hasty move by the police. These people had to flee to mosques for cover. Those in the crowd agitating others to start violence turned out to be police moles themselves. Eventually the police resorted to direct violence, even attacking a Swedish journalist with their shields.
I wish I could have been there today, even though I'm too young to vote. This tiny post is all I can do to make up for it.
Malaysian authorities have denied permission to hold the rally saying that it would "jeopardise public order" and they have vowed to arrest anyone who turns up.
Well I think it is a fabulous display of public order.
To Malaysians and the world watching, take a look at the words and faces of the people in the government as they express their anger & disappointment at how well their people come together. They are the laughing stock of the world, and their own people are less inclined to believe their crap. Unity Band be damned, they'll bite at their words for sure, so pay attention, because I think they are terrified. Or at least annoyed, that a fair lot of us still try.
Extra reading:
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/11/09/malays17297_txt.htm
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/09/asia/AS-GEN-Malaysia-Election-Rally.php
http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Politics/?id=1.0.1534584258
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/11/10/malaysia.protests/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7088877.stm
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200711101864.htm
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/139691.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/10/2087437.htm
http://10nov.himpunan.info/ (thanks ili!)
http://tragedibatuburok.blogspot.com/Addendum:
Jeff Ooi's entry on that day (he was there) and also more first-hand coverage at Melvin Mah's. Thank you Nina and Melissa for the kudos. There is a complete media blackout (at least in the English mainstream media) on behest of the Ministry Of Information, funnily enough, so only those privileged with Internet access and curiosity will be able to see the truth in yesterday's events. The rest will probably just conclude that 40,000 irresponsible people caused public mayhem and traffic jams just to stir up some meaningless fuss. Note the last-minute fluff piece right after the rally's coverage in Star on what a good mother the PM's wife is. It looks like a rush job, with an old badly scissored photo taking up half the page.
I fear so hard sometimes, fear so strongly that I snap from skyscraper to twig. Billy Collins can say all he want in his Kevin Spacey like voice, soothing, indifferent. It cannot be this pretty.
So I went onstage last night in some sick version of an American Idol poetry face-off, and... I'm going to Singapore!!
I know it's for the Charlie Dark workshop and the Singapore Writers Festival but the biggest personal treat for me is that I get to see my Natigruh again and Singapore's gorgeous National Library for freeeeeeee.
Whoaa I won. I wasn't sure how many winners there would be, I thought one at first, and then there were three. Which is great, three's not a crowd in this case. I appreciate the votes and the judges' decision, even though I was so insanely nervous (and secretly glad that the journalists broadcasted my stage fright across the nation in print) that when I took a piece of paper out of my pocket for the second poem it shook like a leaf with my left hand. And that was why I wanted to memorize my pieces beforehand.
I also appreciate those who didn't vote because they admitted to being biased & wanted a sincere tally for me.
Last night was madness, the poets were great and the guest performances were infinitely entertaining. I think if the six of us were pitted up against them there was no way any one of us could've won. Shinji (FigureOfSpeech) from The Works gave a performance that hit everyone with words like rapid fire. I loved how the scope of his material got broader and broader, echoing perfectly what he was saying about religion abused as a stepping stool by politicians and extremists. Everyone roared with applause at his politically-charged big-picture portrayal and he even had to apologize for not doing an encore. ("And who was the hip-hop poet? I want him for my readings later on!" - Sharon Bakar)
I accidentally blurted out to Zalila Lee that she failed. Her guest poet slot turned out to be two songs with an acoustic guitar but her voice and guitar skills were so mind-blowing that I tried to find her after the event. Turns out she found me first and before I could say anything she said "I remember you at this one open mic, I love your stuff."
I said, "Crap, I've been trying to find you all night and now you're telling me exactly what I wanted to say to you. Do you have an album? A website?"
"No, I don't--" "What!? You fail!"
At that point I realized I failed more, but she was laughing. And we compromised by exchanging email addresses so I can see her live again.
I won't even mention Fahmi Fadzil and Ciplak's collaboration. It was so ridiculous and so preprosterously amazing... you, you just had to be there. I hope a video surfaces online. I love Ciplak.
I think I had a face-palm moment when Ami uncovered the article photo online, but I have to say that actually that article was continued on another page, and you should definitely read that too: (link) and not just because there's more of me in it. Even I've had enough. For now.
Thank you everyone for coming!
