Trip to Hong Kong - Day 1

The next morning after my last exam, I left for the Pear of the East-Hong Kong. For the first time, I didn't get much sleep on the flight. I was probably too tired to even shut my eyes, and anticipated for the upcoming days in HK! I was woken up by the passenger who was sitting beside me, saying "I'm dizzy, I'm dizzy..." just before she lost her consciousness. After making sure that I wasn't in my dream, I quickly rang the bell for assistance from the air stewardess. Luckily, she was alright after getting attention from a doctor on board. In the end, I had only about 4 to 5 hours of rest in two days...

Hooray! Here I am in HK, a place I wanted to visit since my first year of University. Hey, I'm back to civilization (those of you in Freddy, you know what I mean)! Without a visitor's visa, I'm allowed to stay in HK for 90 days! Carrying a backpack, a laptop, a purse, and dragging a suitcase, I got myself some HK dollars at the airport (not advisable because they often offer a lower rate than in the city), since I needed some cash for my bus fare to the city centre. Here is what I've got - an Octopus card - which only cash purchase is accepted.


"As a tourist, you will find Octopus indispensable for getting around Hong Kong's sights and shops as you won't need to buy individual tickets for different transport systems or carry coins either.

Octopus is also widely accepted at retail outlets including fast food chains, cake, bakery and convenience stores, supermarkets, personal care stores, vending machines, photobooths, pay phones, cinemas and leisure facilities. Just buy a Sold Octopus and look for the Octopus sign, and you can enjoy the convenience of "touch and go" payment during your stay in Hong Kong."

-- Image and text adapted from http://www.octopuscards.com/consumer/help/tourists/en/index.jsp

Almost everyone in HK owns an Octopus card. The serial number printed behind the card is an identification code. Some schools even rely on the card to monitor attendance. How smart! Anyway, I got one for HK$150 (a value of HK$100 and HK$50 for deposit). There is also a Refund Handling Fee of HK$7 if you return within 3 months from the date of issue.

I took the express bus to Tsim Sha Tsui, where my hostel is located. With a decent bus fare of HKD 33, I was offered an approximately 45-minute bus ride in a comfy air-conditioned bus. I'm so glad to be back to Asia! I had to walk pass a few blocks of buildings before I found my hostel. It was quite a challenge because of my heavy suitcase. Anyway, the "best" has yet to come. As I was going to check-in my dorm room which I've reserved awhile go, I was told that there was no lockers available!! What? No locker in the room, where am I going to place my valuables? "There is a single room available, it comes with attached bathroom, phone, internet access, TV, air-conditioner. You can have the room all to yourself, and it's only HKD350 (CAD 46) a night," said the lady at the reception. The HKD 350 offer was given after I explained that I'm a student on a budget trip and can't afford to spend too much on accommodation. That was more than double of what I expected to pay for my dorm room!! Oh well, I didn't want to lose any of my valuables by leaving them out while I explore the city, I reluctantly accepted the offer. I'll have to keep in mind that not all hostels offer lockers!

Here is the building which I'm at, even though I tried to avoid staying in this building because of its "not so peaceful" reputation acknowledged by the locals. It turned out that this hostel owner runs a few hostels at various locations, and the single room happens to be in this building......

The Chung King Mansions on Nathan Road.

My lovely room. Attached bathroom with hot shower, desk, TV, phone, and power outlet which doesn't require a converter, amazing...(oh well, I use the converter for my battery charger to prove that a converter comes in handy, lol). I'm exhausted and can smile no more...

Busy traffic on Nathan Road, with Jackie Chan on the huge poster. This building reminds me of the Empire State Building in NYC (or perhaps I'm imagining?)

Despite my tiredness, I was so pumped that I wanted to explore the city as soon as possible! I walked to the Avenue of Stars for the spectacular "A Symphony of Lights". The Avenue of Stars offers Hong Kong's famous scenes of Victoria Harbour. This is a hot spot for film shooting, which we often see it on drama series or movies: a loving couple holding hands in a breezy night, overlooking the harbour (just as I did, so romantic...)

A stunning "Symphony of Lights" performance at 8 p.m. every evening.

A cute vendor stall with "Avenue of Stars" on it, Beijing Olympics posters along the harbour, and guess what I found? Andy Lau's handprint!

Okie, I'm on a tight budget now, after having to pay so much for accommodation. What should I have for supper? Chinese bakeries sound wonderful, I haven't had them for ages... As I was strolling along Nathan Road, I found a Chinese bakery store and got myself a Mexican bun, a polo bun, and a cocktail bun (a.k.a. gei mei bao in cantonese), yumm... *Sniff sniff* something smells delicious as I continued walking along the road. There is a line up in front of a stall, what's that all about? Ohh... the little chicken egg waffles (a.k.a. gei dan zai in cantonese)! I've heard so much about it but never gotten a chance to try it. Here is my chance :)

Hong Kong is a city that never sleeps. Karaoke bars, pubs, and clubs are luring the passersby with their unique, striking neon signs. It was close to midnight and stores were still open for business, including a luggage store that's besides my building. Night shopping, or rather, midnight shopping, how neat!

The night life in Hong Kong.

Anyway, I was extremely exhausted by the end of the day and can't wait getting to the bed after a nice shower...

Gei Dan Zai

Gei Dan Zai (a.k.a. little chicken egg waffles) are best served when piping hot! Having to line up for these waffle balls, I observed the interesting process of preparing them. They are baked on low heat for 5 minutes using a waffle maker. These Gei Dan Zai are crispy on one side and soft on the other. I got them for HKD 10, if I remembered correctly.

This stall also sells curry fish balls that smothered with shrimp paste and tumeric, which I didn't get a chance to try. Check out this stall in Hong Kong. It's a must try!





Lee Ken
78 Nathan Road, Jordan, Hong Kong

Opening hours: 7 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Directions: Jordan MTR Station

Visiting Boston without a Visa?

Yeah, celebrated the last day of exam at the Boston Pizza! Visiting Boston for pizza without having to carry an U.S. Visa. How cool is that?

Presented here are the Jambalaya fettucini and Thai chicken pizza. The pasta is served with a generous amount of shrimp, Italian sausages, chicken breast in cubes, and not to forget, crushed tomatoes and green onions! The garlic bread was delicious too. Nevertheless, it'd be better with a little more sauce :) I personally prefer the saucy type of pasta.

Thai chicken pizza is served with satay sauce, instead of pizza sauce! Cool eh? The taste of chow mein reminds me of yee sang that's commonly served during the Chinese New Year. Hmm...when will I get to taste yee sang again, I wonder...

Where are the CoLOuRS from?

You've seen it every fall, how the colour of leaves changes. I'm not sure about you, but I was absolutely amazed by God's creation! I made an effort to observe the change in colour of those maple trees that I walked pass everyday on campus.

As shown below, the change in colour of a maple tree (from left to right):

I started searching for an answer, HOW and WHY does the colour of leaves change?! I finally got a satisfactory answer from my first year Biology lab professor. The different pigments in leaves are doing the tricks!

“During growing season (spring and summer), chlorophyll is continually being produced and broken down and leaves appear green. As night length increases in the fall, chlorophyll production slows down and then ceases. All the chlorophyll is destroyed eventually. The carotenoids and anthocyanins that are present in the leaf are then unmasked and show their colours.”

However, bear in mind that not all trees go through the similar phase of colour change. Some will actually turn into bright red, and look as if they're on fire!

A close view of the leaves:

Enjoying the scenic view on campus:


I like this the best so far:


Strolling along the trail, while appreciating the Mother Nature's recipe for the spectacular season, and.....

...this has led us to the majestic view of Saint John river across the walking bridge:

What do you think? Are you tempted to pay Freddy a visit yet?

Happy Birthday...

Being away from home for the first time on a birthday (Oct. 7th, 2003), this was what I got! A very sweet thought of everyone and thanks again, for the wonderful birthday plan (steamboat dinner)! You've brighten the very special day of mine.

Taro Cake

Taro cake (a.k.a. woo tao koh) is a Cantonese delicacy normally eaten for breakfast or afternoon tea. Since it's impossible to get it from a stall here, unlike in Malaysia; it can be easily found at the wet markets and coffee shops.

This special dish reminds me of Mom who loves Taro cake a lot ;) She even commented that this picture looks tempting (*blushed*). Haha... no worries, Mom, you can sure have some :)

Here is the recipe adapted from Lily's Wai Sek Hong. Thanks to Lily for sharing her great recipes!

Ingredients:
(A)
250g taro root (a.k.a. yam)
1 tsp five-spice powder
1 cup water

(B)
125g rice flour
20g tapioca flour
1 cup water
150g taro root

(C)
1 tbsp chicken stock granules
1 tsp soya sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
Dash of white pepper

(D)
Dried shrimps (~100)
4 shallots
2 stalks green onions
2 red chillies

(E)
10 red chillies
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp lemon juice/lime juice/white vinegar

(F)
3 tbsp Hoisin sauce, diluted with some water
1 tsp soya sauce
2 tsp sugar
Dash of white pepper

Directions:
1.From (A), coat the diced taro root with five-spice powder.
2. Dice, steam, and mash the taro root from (B). Mix in other ingredients from (B) and sieve.
3. For seasoning, mix together the ingredients from (C).
4. Soak and chop the dried shrimps from (D) coarsely. Cut shallots in slices and deep fry (or microwave with 1tsp oil on high till crispy). Chop the green onions and red chillies from (D). Set them aside for garnishing.
5. To prepare the chilli sauce, chop or blend the red chillies from (E), and mix in with the other ingredients from (E).
6. Mix together ingredients from (F) for sweet sauce.
7. Heat up some oil and saute the dried shrimps from (D) till fragrant. Remove 3/4 and set aside for garnishing.
8. Add some oil and into the wok, stir fry the seasoned taro root. Mix in water from (A) and bring to a boil.
9. Add in (B) and (C), and cook till the batter is fairly thick.
10. Pour thick batter into a well-greased 25cm round tray. Steam till the cake is set and cooked.
11. Garnish the cake and press lightly. Leave aside to cool.
12. Serve taro cake with chilli sauce and sweet sauce!

Yummm... Don't be intimidated by the long recipe. Trust me, it's not hard at all once you get it started! And believe it or not, you'll be tempted to prepare it over and over again ;)

CNY Celebration

How is it possible to have reunion dinner when you're not able to make it home? Well, it turned out to be an awesome meal! Being away from home and missing my first CNY celebration ever, I was tremendously blessed by these authentic Chinese dishes!

Friendship, you need it especially when you've no closed ones to reach out to. Thanks, folks :)

Quick & Easy Pizza

Craving for pizza but don't feel like order one, wanna customize your own instead? Here is a recipe of a quick & easy pizza crust, plus your favourite toppings (anything you like):

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water (~ 110 degrees F)
1 tbsp sugar
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:
1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in the warm water. Add in olive oil and salt.
2. Stir in the flour until well blended. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
3. Preheat oven at 450 degrees F.
4. Pad dough into a pizza pan. Spread pizza sauce. Top with your favourite pizza toppings (i.e. onions, green peppers, carrots, tomatoes, sausages, bacon, hamburger slices etc.). Lastly, top with cheese slices/shredded cheese.
5. Bake pizza for 15-20 minutes. Serve while hot!

ZeST for Life

Who said it's not important when it comes to FOOD? Of course it is! Otherwise, what have you been living on with?!

A gastronomic meal is something that astonishes the senses of smell & sight; a tempting aroma and an eye-appealing sight are just as important as the delightful taste!

Without further ado, present to you snapshots of scrumptious meals (a.k.a. the zest for life) !! Stay tuned for more updates ;)

Onde-onde

Typically, onde-onde is prepared with glutinous rice flour and pandan extract, filled with "gula melaka" and coated with shredded coconut. This modified recipe, however, is using sweet potatoes, glutinous rice flour, and shredded coconut. It is a simpler version of onde-onde :) These sweet potatoes balls taste yummy and many of my Canadian friends love them!

Ingredients:
Sweet potatoes
Sugar
Glutinous rice flour
Shredded coconut

Directions:
1. Prepare a pot of boiling water. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into cubes (to minimum boiling time coz of smaller sizes).
2. Boil the potato cubes with medium heat for 20-30 minutes till tender.
3. Drain water off and mash the potatoes. Meanwhile, boil a second pot of water.
4. Add sugar (a bit sweeter than what you'd take, coz the next boiling step tends to reduce the sweetness). Pour in glutinous rice flour into the mashed potatoes gradually, to prepare a non-sticky dough.
5. Take a tablespoonful of dough and roll it into a ball-shaped dough. Repeat till dough is used up.
6. Drop them into the boiling water on high heat. Remove them once they appear on the water surface (they're cooked! Aren't they cool?)
7. Cool them for a bit before rolling them on a plateful of shredded coconut.
8. Bon appetit!

My Passion About Cooking & Baking

The kitchen in my apartment is my favourite spot to hang around. I have the opportunity to try out a variety of cooking styles and baking recipes and it has been such a great fulfilment in life ;) Being away from home has not only taught me to be more independent, but has also allowed me to explore new challenges in daily life.

Cooking and baking is my passion. It is my joy to share the stories of dishes I have had prepared. Hope you'd enjoy them as much as I do!!

Err...Kleenex is self-supply by the way. Stay tuned for exciting posts!

Spicing Up LIFE with the SeASOnS

Ever wondering what's the best way to spice up your life? How about a myriad of maple leaves in the fall and scenic view of snow in the winter? It's FUN! Despite the recurrence of complaints about winter (lasts up to six months, and the temperature can drop to -40 degrees Celsius in Freddy), knowing your way around to take pleasure in the beautiful seasons ensures a sweet & memorable experience!!

A Courageous Journey

Okie... it has been ages since I last updated my blog. I'm back!

I was in the midst of clearing/packing my stuff, getting ready to move into a new apartment (first move in four years, amazing eh?) and found this interesting essay that was written a while ago. Here is how it sounds:

Nestled in the heart of South-East Asia is a piece of land endowed with natural beauty and tropical bounty. The abundance of sunshine and rainfall accounts for the lushness of vegetation. It provides habitation to a variety of exotic, rare and protected flora and natural wildlife. It was a breathtaking bird’s eye view at 15,000 feet above sea-level, when I bade farewell to my homeland Malaysia two years ago.

It was on an ordinary sunny day that I began a long journey half-way across the world. The intense heat at 33 degrees Celsius literally attempted to thaw my intention to leave, but to no avail. My mind was engaged in weaving together threads of thought ceaselessly. The eagerness to broaden my existing paradigms defeated my reluctance to leave. I was once told “fulfill your dreams when you are young. Life is short and bears no waiting!”

I was overwhelmed with anxiety and anticipation as minutes passed by. I could imagine myself leaving a comfort zone and immersing into a whole new world. Finally, it was time for me to advance towards the boarding gate. I took steps of great courage after bidding my loved ones goodbye, ready to experience a new phase in my life. The moment I turned away, my vision was blurred as tears streamed down my cheeks uncontrollably. There was no turning back and I just had to keep moving.

As the plane took off, my confidence soared. It was the flight that gave me a new perspective on my dreams. Flights have their own destinations and know their directions well enough that they will go all the way without hesitation. “Why can’t humans be the same?” I thought to myself. We need to visualize our goals and be able to reach out with all our might. It is never an easy task and demands enormous effort. A mountain climber came into picture. He went on a daunting path with no knowledge of what to expect down the road, and it was the self-assurance that drove him all the way up to the peak. He might have been exhausted by the end of the day but the achievement was rewarding by his gaining invaluable experience and improving fitness levels, to be better armored for his upcoming challenges.

Everything seemed to come into place for me. Leaving home and family was part of my growing process. It taught me a good lesson in being independent. It provided me with the courage for fulfilling my dreams and boosted my confidence in striving for a better future.

Thirty-six hours later, I landed in Fredericton, a distant place from home where I chose to pursue my studies. I assimilated into a new lifestyle with a cultural background that I am now familiar with. It was that major step of courage that marked a new milestone in my life, and is responsible for my transformation into the person I am today, as I live on the land of the maple leaf which I have acknowledged as my home away from home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE END ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An interesting and exciting experience of what I shall call "when East meets West".