Have never been big on Halloween parties, preferring to stay in and be a couch potato instead of wading through a sea of ghosts, ghouls and witches. But this year, dinner plans with a friend, who is back home from New York for a few days, saw us bar hopping – Gen X style ……
Tag: Malaysia
The Wishful Dip: Lata Tok Muda
There is nothing better than plunging into the crisp, cool, clean waters of a waterfall with a natural slide to boot … especially after a 20-minute hike on a sweltering hot day. Alas, my colleagues and I just had to contend with dipping our hands into the clear waters of Lata Tok Muda in Kampung…
Lessons from a 50-year-old killer shark
Happy 50th Jaws!
My First Roller-Coaster Ride
I had to explain why this bus was such a big deal, and such a significant part of our daily lives to the Gen Zs and Aplhas in the family recently. A journey on this notorious Bas Mini – through the streets of Kuala Lumpur was sometimes worse than a roller-coaster ride. It was organised…
‘Notre Dame in the Jungle’
Read all about the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church (est. 1895) in the village of Pagar Tras on Penang’s mainland, the significant role it played in the growth and transformation of Hakka migrants, the contribution of French MEP priests to the community, and the reason this magnificient structure fell into ruins in later years.
Ipoh Padang: Then and Now
What a view! A bird’s eye view of the beautiful city of Ipoh, built in the late 1800s to sustain the tin mining industry in surrounding towns.in Kinta Valley. This capital city of the state of Perak has a well planned layout and is surrounded by lush green hills. Fun fact – it was the…
Golden Glow: Cintra Street
The golden glow of yellow lanterns illuminates this five-foot way of century old shop houses on Lebuh Cintra, George Town, Penang. This street was once home to the Japanese ‘Karayuki-san’ or women of the night who left their homeland to escape extreme hardship. Many were sold off by their families and ended up as domestic…
Gloomy Days: George Town
The city of George Town in Penang, on a gloomy afternoon – just before rain. The old quarter of town is visible right up to Swettenham pier, where two cruse ships are docked for the day. The gantry cranes of Penang port along Penang Strait are in the background, and further behind, mainland Seberang Prai…
KL temple procession back after 63-year hiatus
160th Anniversary of Kuala Lumpur’s (KL) oldest temple – the Sin Sze Si Ya temple – was celebrated with the return of the Qi An Da Jiao parade last Sunday after a 63 year hiatus. The procession through the city was held annually for blessings, fortune and protection for the city, and its dwellers. The…
Kristang Style Proposal (Video)
Catch a glimpse of the unique intangible heritage of the Melaka Portuguese community – the arranged marriage proposal (video below). Kristang marriages begin with the ceremony of asking for a hand in marriage. The lady sponsor (kumadri) on the groom’s side visits the bride’s parents and asks in a circuitous way for the bride’s hand…
Winding Down The Week
It was a lovely and busy Saturday spent with family & friends, and we needed to wind down from a day of driving through heavy traffic and long distances. So we decided to make a date night out of getting all dressed up for the day – at a quaint neighbourhood restaurant in Lucky Garden,…
Copper Cup Brews
Rich, creamy & frothy tea and coffee served in shiny copper cups which have apparent health benefits. These special brews are among some of the more recent additions at Central Market Kuala Lumpur – once a tourist hub but nowadays an equally interesting place for locals, with a variety of pop-up stores and new products,…
Maria Dass the World 