14 GE14 : Election Rush

Although more than a month has passed since Malaysia's 14th General election, the day is still fresh in my mind. Hubs and I woke up early and was at the polling centre by 7.30am. There were tents along the road with people passing out tissue to voters.

It was a cheerful occasion. We made top 10 in the queue. I walked into the classroom and everyone was so smiley. Yup, ours was in a school. "Good morning!" we greeted one another. I stood back as my name and IC was read. My fingers were checked for nail polish. Moving on to the next person, I dipped my finger into the indelible ink, tissuing it dry moments after. Then, I was handed a slip of ballot paper. I marked it in secrecy behind a booth, folded it and put it into the box in the middle of the room. It was over in minutes.

Malaysia GE14 Queue

I had updated my address directly at the SPR office in Kepong over a decade ago so I needn't fly back to my hometown to vote. If I hadn't, I'd be one of those rushing to purchase flight tickets home, keeping my fingers crossed that it'd be cheap and there'd be seats available. Could have easily been a boo-hoo sob-sob situation for me in many ways.

Anyway, I'm glad I did as the election scene in Kuala Lumpur is pretty exciting. There were many eateries offering free breakfast and drinks to voters. Some gave discounts. There are even shops offering free services for the day. So many incentives to do our duty but really, wanting a better Malaysia should be motivation enough.

We were blessed with a free packet of nasi lemak and a cup of teh tarik when we popped into Plan B, Publika for breakfast. Not really expecting anything, we had already ordered bagel and eggs. So it was a pleasant surprise when they placed it on our table seeing that we had already voted - our inked finger being the proof.

Plan B - Nasi Lemak for GE14

Plan B - Bagel and Eggs

That night, we stayed up late to catch the results. We weren't alone. Friends and family whatsapped my phone with continuous updates but then it slowed to almost nothing all of a sudden. The results stopped coming in and it frustrated many Malaysians - we knew that something not bersih  was going on!

It was a historical moment for us as news spread that the opposition had pulled off a shocking election win.

Many were glued to the TV the next day awaiting the swearing in of a new Prime Minister, with as many discussing how to remove the indelible ink from their finger online. The ink started out light purple for us and was almost a dark dirty brown by the time we reached home. My friend Kathy had the answer - clorox.

Stained Index Finger - Indelible Ink GE14

Patriotism demands the ability to feel shame as much as to feel pride.

We should be proud of our country when we have done something to be proud of,

when we have lived up to our own standards.

But the flip side of genuine pride is being able to recognize when we have fallen short,

and to hold ourselves to account.

~ Anne-Marie Slaughter

19 Melaka : Chop Chung Wah Hainanese Chicken Rice Ball

It was the longest queue I'd ever seen outside a kopitiam ; that made me curious. I crossed the triangular traffic island at Jonker Street to get a peek inside. Hainan Chicken Rice was written on the signboard.

"They're lining up for chicken rice balls!" I told my partner, rolling my eyes in disbelief. And that was that or so I thought.

We were up and about Jonker Walk early next morning looking for food. The skies were gloomy and it started to drizzle. Under the cover of a newly purchased tourist-priced umbrella, we scoured the quiet streets of quaint historical buildings for something to eat. We could tell we were in the wrong corner of town when it came to breakfast. Deciding to walk back, we passed Kedai Kopi Chung Wah again and this time, there wasn't a queue.

Chop Chung Wah, Melaka

It was 8am-ish. The shop had just opened. The rain was getting heavier so hubs and I made a dash for it, both agreeing that it was best to wait it out here. Only four tables were occupied with customers. We were welcomed in with a lovely smile and our order was taken - which was simply us showing a V sign with our fingers indicating we wanted food for two persons.

Whilst waiting, we watched an adorable child of not more than four years, possibly a relative of the shop owner, ambling up and down within the confines of the small building, greeting people she knew.

Two plates of rice balls and chopped kampung chicken was placed in front of us minutes later. I couldn't wait to tuck in! The chicken was tender enough and it was tasty. I almost asked for seconds but stopped myself from getting carried away.

Chop Chung Wah Kampung Chicken Rice Ball

Hubs and I enjoyed our meal in our own thoughts blissfully unaffected by the brisk activity around us that comes with the typical kopitiam style ambiance. It was cosy with us watching raindrops fall gently from the edge of the roof through an old side door that had been barred with a metal railing. The shop wasn't full so we sat awhile and enjoyed our drink.

Chop Chung Wah, Melaka

We left when the rain slowed to a drizzle. It was a yummy meal and a wonderful start to the day. We had a satisfied grin on our faces, plus a warm fuzzy feeling about the whole experience. It is another memory to be cherished.

This is what the whole place looks like coming in from the entrance.

Chop Chung Wah, Melaka

Below are photos I snapped whilst looking for a place to eat. The streets of Melaka on a chilly Monday morning.

A Morning Walk Around Jonker Street

Chop Chung Wah is located across from this traffic island.

Jonker Walk, Melaka

The 'Don't Mess With Melaka' slogan is meant to be a stern reminder for people to keep Melaka clean. We saw these banners all around Melaka's tourist spots.

Don't Mess With Melaka

Chop Chung Wah
Address : 18, Jalan Hang Jebat, 75200 Melaka.
Phone: 06-286 0121

17 Aquaria KLCC : Ok-lah!

The 'Spotted Garden Eel' is just one of the fascinating creatures you can see in Aquaria KLCC. It sways like grass against soft winds, except that this is underwater. It can live up to 20 years!

I paid RM46 for an admission ticket. It's my second visit. The first being with hubs and now, with a relative. We walked in. It was noisy with schoolchildren. I found the area too small to be accommodating large numbers of persons visiting at the same time. The place could have been better designed if it was intended for buses of people. Just saying.

My two cents out of the way, I was excited to be blessed with the opportunity see underwater creatures up close.

LionFish

We walked through a passageway lined with aquariums housing various small fish.

Aquariums Along The Corridor

The oceanarium is a glass tube tunnel with a travelator. We saw sharks, sting rays and many large sea animals swimming by. This, to me, was the best part of Aquaria.

The Oceanarium

Below are some of the other underwater creatures I saw along the way.

This Looks Like An Eel

Pot bellied seahorse?  Noooo.. what an unflattering name.

Pot Bellied Seahorse

Is anyone thinking of having Lobster Thermidor for dinner after seeing this?

Lobster

Moon Jellies

We were surprised to see a virtual piano close to the exit. My cousin, who's a musician/singer, couldn't resist trying it out. I didn't bother looking for information as to what it was for but now I wish I had! That's the thing with delayed curiosity.

Fish in a Vertical Aquarium (left), Virtual Piano (right)

There was also a little corner dedicated to plants.

Plants at the Eco Lab

I should mention that Aquaria KLCC has the bestest staff stationed around every corner. They were down-to-earth friendly and proactively helpful. Can't fault a nice smile and a good hello. 

That ends my day out with my lovely cousin. That said, where are you most likely to take visiting relatives?

14 Sekinchan : Paddy Fields Of Green

Sekinchan. A small fishing village that's a major rice producer and is famous for its scenic paddy fields.

Amazing photos of this village started appearing weeks ago through various social media sites I was subscribed to. A large expanse of green against the horizon made it seem like paradise on earth. It was magical, to me at least. As weeks flew by, the urge to visit the place soon became an itch that couldn't be ignored.

Sekinchan Paddy Fields

"Can we go? Huh, can we? Too late-lorrr ...it will be fields of mud by then." That's the gist of me trying to convince my other half that we should go before the rice plants reached harvesting stage.

A decision was made and we were off the next morning.

The journey from Kuala Lumpur took one and a half hours by car, passing several small towns. We stomached a couple of char siew baos that we had purchased along the way for breakfast. It was a fun drive with music from the 80s blasting from the radio. Google Maps navigation led us directly to the the spot. Aah ..GPS has made domestic traveling such a breeze! Soon our little car was chugging along a small road lined with rice plants left and right. There was an old kampung charm about the place.

Although I knew through several blogs that Sekinchan had much to offer in terms of sightseeing, I chose to dedicate the day to just the fields. It was a view that deserved no rushing.

A Paddy Field

Pictured below is PLS Group's paddy processing factory. It is open to public daily. Rice and other food stuff can be purchased on the spot.

Paddy Processing Factory

After a bit of photo-taking with the paddy field as my backdrop, we paid RM5 in entrance fees to get into the gallery which was located a floor up. The receipt came with a small packet of rice. Win-win, in my opinion. I saw a couple of workers packing rice through the glass window. There was a guide on hand to explain the history and process of rice planting. We opted to explore the gallery on our own.

Me, at the Paddy Field and Factory

Scarecrows and paddy harvesting equipment were some of the things displayed. It included olden day household items. The gallery was a short walk from one end to the other.

I remember using a similar straw broom in my younger days!

We exited down the stairs into a shop crowded with tourists. The tour buses left soon after and the place was quiet again. This was when I did my bit of shopping.

Souvenir Shopping

 The factory also offers a buggy ride around the area in a vintage designed open car. It's RM5 for a ticket.

Buggy Ride

This is a real factory, mind you. A paddy tractor rolled in for weighing.

Paddy Tractor

I saw this building at the back of the factory across the field. It was neat against the green. I couldn't help but feel the serenity of working here.

Paddy Factory

Sekinchan Paddy Factory

Below is a close-up of the flowering rice plant. This is what it looks like before it ripens (turns yellow) for harvesting.

A Paddy Plant At The Flowering Stage

Finally, these are all of my purchases from this outing. See that packet of rice crunch on the left? I'm addicted to it! It was made fresh in front of me; so hot off the wok that they couldn't seal the pack for me. They told us to wait until it was cool before closing it with the twist tie they gave us. 

Rice and Snacks

That ends my day trip to Sekinchan. We'll be back for 'the other stuff'.

16 Seremban : Cultural Arts Centre

We road-tripped from KL to Seremban last Sunday, in what I can now label as my 'old junk'. Yup, my small car is more than a decade old, sun-faded and has been through and been to quite a lot. Have wheels, can travel-bah !

Some people say - Seremban? Nothing to see one!  I beg to differ. There is always something to see for those who can find the beauty in every experience. So, here I am at the Seremban Cultural Arts Centre (also state museum) looking and behaving very much like a tourist. Laughably clicking away at the phone camera at every this-one-is-good-for-memories opportunity!

There were several travel reviews that gave this place a 'negative'. Oddly, I enjoyed the visit tremendously. Sure, there was a thin layer of dust here and there. Neither did it contain a large collection of historical artifacts, but it did carry the heart and soul of Negeri Sembilan, which is the the unique style of Minangkabau architecture of pointy roofs that is identifiable by most Malaysians.

Seremban Cultural Arts Centre

Seremban Cultural Arts Centre

This building, pictured below, is called 'Teratak Perpatih'. The roof resembles the buffalo horn. It is a museum of sorts with local crafts and artifacts being exhibited. There is a hall dedicated to the postal service.

Teratak Perpatih

My mother worked in the Post Office all her life. It was an era where people were proud of their jobs, got along easily with others and were just happy with anything they got out of life. I was most excited about the stamp exhibition because I used to collect it. It was a time I diligently wrote letters to penpals on perfumed paper and mailed them off with stamps I had carefully selected.

Inside Teratak Perpatih

Next to the main building is Istana Ampang Tinggi , a royal residence relocated to its current location in 1980. It is said that this royal residence was built without using nails. The building beside it is a sample of a traditional Negeri Sembilan home.

Istana Ampang Tinggi (left), Rumah Tradisional Negeri Sembilan (right)

I climbed up the wooden staircase of the Istana (Palace) to have a look inside. The worn wooden planks creaked under my weight. It was a long hall with many curtained windows and a private resting area at the back.

Istana Ampang Tinggi

Istana Ampang Tinggi

There are various interesting pieces of historical items being displayed around the neat compound of the Cultural Arts Centre. A replica of the megalithic stones of Pengkalan Kempas stands in the middle, an old locomotive can be found near the office and in the far corner, traditional wooden boats are housed in an open  roofed-structure.

Replica of the Megalithic Stones of Pengkalan Kempas

Old Locomotive

Olden day Wooden Boats

What to expect: A small town kind of museum. Does not contain an extensive collection of historical pieces, nor an in depth description.

Still a good place to go, especially to see the royal residence up close - it's the real deal!

Location : Jalan Sungai Ujong, Lebuhraya Seremban - Bukit Nenas (Near Plaza Tol Seremban A)
Telephone:+60 6-763 1149

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14 Putrajaya : Sightseeing

Millennium Monument

The Millennium Monument is an interesting structure. It is the first national monument to be built in Putrajaya.

Some of the things that make this place special:

- Our former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir, buried a time capsule at the base of this tower. It will be unearthed in year 2020.

- The structure is designed to look like Malaysia's national flower, the hibiscus, when viewed from the top.

- It acts like a lighthouse at night. Sweeping light across the area, it serves as a guide for cruise boats as well.

- The glass panel along the railing is engraved with a little of our history.

Putra Mosque

Putra Mosque is a sight to behold. The minaret is one of the highest in the district with five tiers, a representation of the Five Pillars of Islam.

There are many beautiful buildings in Putrajaya. The mosque is just one of it.

Marina Putrajaya

We made a stop at Marina Putrajaya out of curiosity. Marina Putrajaya is a water-sports facility. There's waterskiing, wakeboarding, yachting, a swimming pool and even 'Flyboard-ing'. Until recent, I've never heard of a 'Flyboard'. It's something for thrill seekers, I soon found out. 

More photos of what I saw from this spot:

Marina Putrajaya Stadium

Ministry Buildings at Dataran Gemilang

From left: Attorney General Chambers,
Ministry of Rural and Regional Development,
Ministry of Communication and Multimedia,
Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government,
Ministry of Women, Family and Community

Fresh hanging flowers along the floating dock

Driving around Putrajaya is always peaceful. There aren't many cars on the road. The streets are quiet on weekends. Here's another beautiful building we saw - the Putrajaya International Convention Centre.

In 2012, it won the award for Best Congress & Convention Centre in Asia - Business Destinations (Travel Awards).

A little about the number one in front of the flag poles. This is the symbol of the 1Malaysia slogan, which is often blasted on our radio and TV. It is an initiative by our current Prime Minister calling for national unity and efficient governance.

Putrajaya International Convention Centre

Moving on, Putrajaya has many beautiful bridges. I blogged about it here. This is the Seri Wawasan Bridge.

Seri Wawasan Bridge

If you have noticed, many of Putrajaya's iconic buildings and scenic spots surround a huge lake. It is very well maintained. There are several parks in the area. There are also little huts, like the one below, and benches for people to sit and enjoy the view.

Every time I see this photo, I envision myself sitting on a red-checkered picnic mat, weaved basket beside, sandwich in hand, wearing a wide hat, book, fluffy pillow...nah, that's not even possible until late evening, not even under this hut! Hot and humid weather it is until rain clouds appear. If it were cool and sunny here, I'd be hanging outdoors all day. How nice that would be.

I found a picnic spot!

Well, that's just a small taste of Putrajaya. I have yet to visit the botanical garden, the wetland park, agriculture park, empangan park.... phew! That many!