What's in a (Business) Name? More Malaysia

Travel? I'm in.

It doesn't matter where, as long as I know what to wear and when we're going.

Spotted in Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA2).

For more amusing business names, please visit Go Random.

Thank You 2016

Grateful for...

• still enjoying my job—the sole source of travel funds for nine years and counting.
• my manager for approving my leaves and not rescinding it when there was an urgent project.
• my teammates for taking over while I was away.
• God for keeping me safe and in good health while on the road, especially those times I traveled solo.
• having the will to research, create itineraries, and book accommodations, despite being a procrastinator.
• enjoying my own company. Solo travel can be a bore to some people, but I find that I am okay with having myself as company.
• a body clock that's set to wake up really early—a great advantage especially when I wanted to arrive on or before wherever opened. My body clock also served me well when I had forgotten to revert my mobile from silent mode and I had to catch the early morning train to Busan.
• a travel buddy who would try any type of food even when he is already about to pop his shirt buttons. For our three days in Penang, I think we consumed food that's good for five days!
• travel buddies who are up for anything—food, cultural, historical, artsy, or even just aimless sightseeing trips.
• the boatman for taking us to another snorkeling area in Moalboal when the waves were too strong to go to Pescador Island and for the waves for, later on, calming down a teeny bit so we could go see the sardines.
• the habalhabal driver for expertly navigating the rollercoaster-ish road to Mt Hambubuyog in Ginatilan.
• finding Inambakan Falls in Ginatilan almost deserted.
• the jeepney driver who agreed to take us to Sirao Garden for only Php 50 per person.
• my officemate's father for trusting me to drive their car around Bohol.
• our odd–numbered group when we went to Abatan River for the firefly watching tour: it meant I partnered with the guide who did all the paddling. Haha!
• beautiful Dumaluan Beach.
• dolphins for showing up on our way to Balicasag Island.
• finding our way (after a few wrong turns!) to the top of Lanigid in Liloan.
• finally seeing the waterfalls of Samboan: Dau, Aguinid, and Hidden Falls.
• my aunt for preparing lunch for us when we visited her before going to Langub Beach in Sipalay.
• finding Langub Beach still as calm and as uncrowded as my first visit almost 9 years ago.
• a third (but first solo) visit to South Korea. This time to less touristy places.
• Kani of Kam Guesthouse in Seoul for waking up early to let me in after my very long flight delay.
• GaYeong for taking me to Jeongdong Oberservatory and Oh Hyang Jokbal, places I never would have discovered on my own.
• MinJun for treating me to Nanta! and gopchang dinner.
• GaEun for meeting while I was in Seoul. I hadn't seen her in four years! It was nice catching up with her over a bossam lunch.
• Yong for the tonkatsu dinner and for a night drive around Busan despite his busy schedule.
• Yong and JungIn for showing me around Nampo in Busan so late at night. Very cold night but very good times!
• Hyoja Bakery in Seoul for giving out free samples to waiting customers and their friendly staff for talking to me (the only foreigner in the long long line).
• the old lady in the bus for asking another lady to accompany me to Haeinsa Temple. Truly grateful as the way from the main road to the temple wasn't clearly marked.
• the lady who accompanied me to Haeinsa Temple who was very patient while I took my time walking uphill.
• finding my name in Masan in Changwon City.
• my two friendly Taiwanese roomies in Sum Guesthouse in Busan for inviting me to dinner (it was late and I still haven't had dinner and was very hungry!).
• Brennan, the blogger behind Baktin Corporation, for bugging me to join him to Dinagat Islands.
• my officemates for a fun Canso X hike.
• my good friend from highschool for taking me to the province of Rizal for a day of art and to Pampanga for a day of history.
• my friend's friend for acting as tour guide in Angono.
• Ka Lui in Puerto Princesa for accepting reservations through email. (I must eat here every time I am in Puerto Princesa!)
• Ma'am Julie Divinagracia of Divinagracia Cottages in Port Barton, San Vicente, Palawan for helping me find a group to join for the island hopping tour.
• Ma'am Myrna Laurente of Myrla's Garden and Cottages in San Vicente, Palawan for preparing delicious food (and not charging too much!) during the two days I stayed there and for contacting a tricycle to take me around San Vicente.
• the tricycle driver in San Vicente for charging so little a fee and not accepting anything more.
• the vans in Port Barton and San Vicente that include drop off and pick up services at no extra charge.
• the van driver from San Vicente to Port Barton for charging me just Php250, probably mistaking me for a local. I read in blogs that the fare is Php300.
• finally gathering enough people to go to South Sandbar.
• a memorable 9-day solo journey around the Kansai Region of Japan.
• finding myself in out of town and less touristy spots in Kansai.
• the staff at Koyasan Guesthouse Kokuu for giving me tips on what to see and where to eat in Koyasan.
• finding walking tours around Naramachi in Nara and Gion in Kyoto.
• the cheap laundry fee and the free hair dryer at Guesthouse Wind Villa in Kyoto—pretty useful when I had to dry my shoes and wash my clothes after a day out in the rain.
• the random oldies in Koyasan (Wakayama) and Ikaruga Town (Nara) who have stopped in their tracks or whatever it was they were doing or wherever it was they were going to to talk to me...in Japanese!
• finding Hiloki Hostel, a clean, new, and affordable hostel located near Nara Station, just a few weeks before the trip. 
• the bus driver in Ikaruga Town (Nara) who, despite not knowing how to speak English, gave me directions on how to find the right bus.
• having a day to spend in Arashiyama.
• visiting one of my favorite spots in Kyoto again: Higashiyama.
• the will to get up and find dinner at Dotonbori after a long tiring day.
• Flytpack for keeping me connected for the entire duration of my Kansai sojourn.
• a second visit to Bohol for the year (and before the year ended!)—this time to visit Puntaas and Pamilacan Island.
• the driver we hired to take us to Puntaas for not falling asleep on the road even if it clearly showed in his eyes that he seriously lacked sleep.
• the army truck driver for letting me hitch a ride from the pier to Cebu IT Park.
• all the readers of this blog. This time-consuming, unprofitable blog is still up and running (albeit slow) because of you!

What's in a (Business) Name? Malaysia Again

Bread  and batter is their bread and butter.

Spotted in Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA2).

For more amusing business names, please visit Go Random.

What's in a (Business) Name? Malaysia

I love you, too!

Oh wait, that's not a typo.

You don't love me, you're just selling the Taiwanese breakfast!

Spotted in Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA2).

For more amusing business names, please visit Go Random.

Explore Georgetown in Penang

Malaysia's Pulau Penang (Penang Island) lies about 350 kilometers northwest of the capital, Kuala Lumpur. The island is home to Georgetown, one of the two World Heritage Cities in Malaysia as declared by UNESCO (the other one being Melaka, 148 kilometers southeast of Kuala Lumpur).

Go
From Kuala Lumpur, there are three ways to get to Pulau Penang:

• By bus. It takes 5 hours by bus from Pudu Sentral (Puduraya) Bus Station in Kuala Lumpur to Sungai Nebong Bus Station in Pulau Penang. Fare is about RM40.
• By train and ferry. It takes 2.5 hours by high-speed train from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth Station on the mainland (train fare is about RM60). From the mainland, it takes 15 minutes by ferry (RM1.20) to the island of Penang.
• By plane. There are numerous flights daily between Kuala Lumpur and Pulau Penang. One way fare starts at RM60. From the airport to the city centre, it costs about RM45 for a taxi (book a taxi through the taxi counter at the airport); about RM25 for Uber.

Sleep

There are many accommodations in Georgetown, but we chose to stay in Ryokan Muntri Boutique Hostel. A dorm bed costs RM30 to RM50 depending on the type of room (plus local government tax of RM1/bed/night); private rooms for two persons start at RM 118 (plus local government tax of RM2/room/night). We booked beds in the Loft Room (RM50/bed), which has its own toilet and shower; other dorm rooms have a shared toilet and shower. Room rates already include breakfast of noodles, eggs, sausages, mashed potatoes, paratha, coffee, tea.

Ryokan Muntri Boutique Hostel

62 Muntri Street, 10200 Georgetown, Penang
(Zoom in on the map below and find the yellow pin)

Tel: (+604) 250 0287

Email: enquiries@ryokanmuntri.com

Ryokan Muntri Boutique Hostel

Common area (left) and the Loft dorm room (right)

Photo from Ryokan Muntri Boutique Hostel

Eat

One of the things we look forward to whenever we are in Malaysia is the food! Here are the places we ate at (and recommend) in Georgetown (see red pins on map below):

• Red Garden Food Paradise - Indeed a food paradise (hawker centre) that will make you go crazy with the plethora of choices.
• Esplanade Park Food Court - Another hawker centre with a lot of food choices.
• Gurney Drive Hawker Centre - And another hawker centre...but this is a bit far from the city center. To go to Gurney Drive Hawker Centre, one has to take a taxi or Uber (cheaper than a taxi) or the Rapid Penang Bus 304 (cheaper than Uber).
• Restoran Nasi Padang Minang - A self-service eatery that offers a wide array of food that I don't know the names of but are absolutely mouthwatering.

Left to right: Red Garden Food Paradise, Gurney Drive Hawker Centre,
and the overwhelming spread at Restoran Nasi Padang Minang

• Wai Kei Cafe - Try their char siu (roasted pork) rice.
• Wan Tan Mee - Try their wan tan mee (wanton noodle soup).
• Passion Heart - Try their lemon poppyseed cake a la mode.
• China House - Try all their cakes! (And check out the art space on the second floor, too!)

Left to right: Char siu at Wai Kei Cafe, lemon poppy seed cake a la mode from Passion Heart,
and the cake spread at China House

• Teochew Chendul Stall - A famous roadside stall selling cendol or chendol or chendul, however you want to spell it. What is cendol? Cendol is to Malaysia as halo-halo is to the Philippines.
• Lok lok Stall - Pick any of the skewered stuff on display, place it in the boiling pot to cook, and once cooked, put some sauce on it (you will be given a saucer so no worries about double dipping) and enjoy. Don't throw away the sticks, the stall owner will let you know your total bill by counting the sticks (the sticks are color coded; price is from RM0.60 to RM1.80 per stick). This Lok lok stall is across the street from Wan Tan Mee. 

Cendol from Teochew Chendul Stall (left) and the Lok lok Stall (right)

I noticed that most of the eateries in Georgetown do not allow you to bring drinks from outside (not even water), thus you have two choices: take a drink after you leave the eatery or hawker centre, or buy from the drink sellers (except for the cafes, drink sellers are usually separate from the food sellers).

Admire
Art

Go on a treasure hunt for street art and wrought-iron caricatures by walking or by biking (rent a bike for about RM20/day) around Georgetown. Don't just snap photos of the 52 wrought-iron installations scattered around the city, read it. The installations have anecdotes about the street they are installed in. You can download the Street Art Map from the Tourism Penang website or download the Penang Street Art app (thanks for the tip Mariane!) or do it the old school way—get a Penang Street Art Map from your hotel/hostel.

Wrought-iron caricatures

Street art everywhere (Photo by CM Adlawan)

Architecture

I don't know anything about architecture but I do know a pretty (and colorful) building when I see one.

Aside from admiring buildings from the outside, you can admire two from the inside (see blue pins on map below):

• Cheong Fatt Tze (The Blue Mansion) - There are daily English guided tours at 11AM / 2PM / 330PM. Admission fee is RM17. Since the Blue Mansion is currently a hotel, the tour is limited to just the main house and does not include the two side wings. Nevertheless, I recommend joining this tour to hear the interesting story about the owner of the mansion.
• Pinang Peranakan Mansion - Tours should be booked ahead through email rmhbaba@gmail.com or through their facebook page. Tours can be conducted any time between 930AM to 5PM. Admission fee is RM20.

Cheong Fatt Tze

Visit

Take a break from walking under the heat of the sun by cooling yourself inside these museums (see green pins on map below).

• The Camera Museum - A treat for photography enthusiasts! I was most fascinated with the Pinhole Room and the Obscura Room. The Camera Museum is open daily from 930AM to 630PM. Admission fee is RM20. Guided tours are available every hour from 10AM to 6PM.
• Upside Down Museum - Defy gravity! (And don't forget to bring your camera to record this milestone!) The Upside Down Museum is open daily from 845AM to 630PM (730PM on weekends). Admission fee is RM27.
• Penang State Museum and Art Gallery - A museum that will give you a glimpse of the old Penang through artifacts, photographs, and paintings. The Penang State Museum and Art Gallery is open from 9AM to 5PM Saturday to Thursday. Admission fee is RM1 only.
• Chocolate Museum - The Chocolate Museum is open from 9AM to 6PM daily. Admission is free. Of course! Because the museum, which is a little room that tells you how chocolate is made, will eventually lead you to the Chocolate Shop where you can taste almost all of the products for free and would be too tempted (or too embarrassed!) to leave without buying anything.

Left to right: Cameras on display at the Camera Museum,
defying gravity at the Upside Down Museum, and a display in the Penang State Museum

There are many other places to see in Georgetown, but those listed above are what we could squeeze in (except for the Pinang Peranakan Mansion which we missed) in our leisurely three-day stay.

This article is now available as a mobile app. Go to GPSmyCity to download the app for GPS-assisted travel directions to the attractions featured in this article.

Eats Recommended at Suria KLCC

There were two places in Suria KLCC that came highly recommended that we just had to try them.

The receptionist of Orange Pekoe Guesthouse excitedly told us to have lunch at Madam Kwan's for some authentic Malaysian fare, and my officemate, who visited Kuala Lumpur months before me, droolingly and envyingly suggested to try the mille crepes of Humble Beginnings.

Madam Kwan's

Level 4, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur

Several branches in Malaysia and one in Singapore

When we arrived at Madam Kwan's it was peak lunch hour, almost all the seats were taken, and, if my observation was right, almost all the customers were locals. This must be a really good place then.

I ordered Nasi Bojari™ (MYR 24.90) because of the trademark and the "Madam" in the description: Madam's tri–colored rice with assam prawns, beef rendang, and deep fried chicken drumstick. I was disappointed with my almost Php 275 equivalent (not including tax and service fee!) Nasi Bojari — it was only a dollop of rendang, two pieces of assam (tamarind) prawns, and the fried chicken was, well, like any other fried chicken.

Good thing we had ordered other dishes from their "From the 'Wok'" menu: claypot seafood beancurd (MYR 25.90) and Hong Kong Kailan with garlic (MYR 18.90). Without knowing it, we had partly taken heed the advice printed in their "From the 'Wok'" menu: "When in doubt, order at least two veggie dishes and a meat dish." Good advice.

Humble Beginnings Mille Crepe

Signature Food Court, Level 2, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur

Two branches in Penang and one in Singapore

French vanilla (left) and Nutella banana (right)

Humble Beginnings has 18 flavors of mille crepe to choose from but after our lunch at Madam Kwan's we only had space for two slices. We chose French vanilla (their bestseller) and Nutella banana (because I am nuts for Nutella) for MYR 10.90 each.

Humble Beginnings' mille crepe contains not a thousand ("mille") layers but just 20 layers with cream and vanilla in between. Which was just as well—it would have been difficult to eat a thousand layers. The top of the French vanilla mille crepe had a thin caramelized coating. The Nutella banana had two layers with bananas and Nutella and the top was dusted with chocolate. Humble Beginnings' mille crepes weren't as lovely and their crepe layers weren't as thin as the mille crepes from Nadeje in Melaka, but Humble Beginnings' mille crepes satisfied our mille crepe cravings (besides, pretty food still turns into mush inside the stomach).

Orange Pekoe Guesthouse

The second time we were in Kuala Lumpur, we let our stomachs decide where we would eat sleep. It picked Orange Pekoe Guesthouse because...it's a fruit! Plus—and this is a big plus—it's just a 5–minute walk from the delicious smells of Jalan Alor, the food street.

Orange Pekoe Guesthouse

1-1, Jalan Angsoka, 50200 Kuala Lumpur

+603 2110 2000

info@orangepekoe.com.my

Family room (169 MYR, can accommodate 4 persons) with ensuite toilet and bath

Pantry

We patted our stomachs for a great job of choosing Orange Pekoe Guesthouse:

• I repeat: Jalan Alor, where all the delicious food is, is just a 5–minute walk away.
• Raja Chulan Station is also just a 5–minute walk away.
• From the airport, there are different options to get to the guesthouse:
• Take the Airport Coach/Bus (10 MYR, 1 hour) to KL Sentral Station. From KL Sentral Station, take the monorail to Raja Chulan Station (2.10 MYR, 20 minutes), and then walk about 5 minutes to the guesthouse.
• Take the KLIA Ekspres Train (35 MYR, 30 minutes) to KL Sentral Station. From KL Sentral Station, take the monorail to Raja Chulan Station (2.10 MYR, 20 minutes), and then walk about 5 minutes to the guesthouse.
• Take the Airport Coach/Bus or KLIA Ekspres Tain to KL Sentral Station. From KL Sentral Station, take a taxi (about 15 MYR, 15 minutes) to the guesthouse.
• Take a taxi (105 MYR, 1 hour and 15 minutes) straight to the guesthouse.
• The guesthouse is clean and cozy.
• The staff are friendly and helpful. They can assist in getting a taxi, suggest places to see, and restaurants to try.
• There's complimentary breakfast of cereals, bread and butter or jam, coffee, and tea.
• There's WiFi.
• They allowed us to leave our bags at the reception area when we had to checkout at noon but didn't have to go to the airport until late night.
• There are restaurants, bars, and convenience stores nearby.
• There is a GoKL bus stop 300 meters (5 minutes by foot) from Orange Pekoe Guesthouse. GoKL is a free bus service to the central business district of Kuala Lumpur. Some lines pass by tourist spots like Dataran Merdeka or Merdeka Square, Petronas Twin Towers, and KL Tower.

One Day in Kuala Lumpur for Two Years

Been to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, twice, but, regrettably, only spent a day for each visit.

In 2014, we managed to do three things:

1. Take a mandatory tourist photo of the Petronas Twin Towers. We were too stingy to spend MYR 85 (about Php 1000) to go up to the observatory. How to go to Petronas Twin Towers: Take the LRT to KLCC Station.
2. Window shop at Central Market. Stingy still for shopping, so it was just window shopping for me. I would rather spend my money on food (see next item). How to go to Central Market: Take the LRT to Pasar Seni Station. Central Market is a 5–minute (400 m) walk from the station.
3. Eat in Jalan Alor, a food street in Bukit Bintang. How to go to Jalan Alor: Take the monorail to Bukit Bintang Station. Jalan Alor is a 5–minute (400 m) walk from the station.

Petronas Twin Towers

What it says above the entrance

Jalan Alor

In 2015, our one day in Kuala Lumpur was spent sightseeing:

1. Masjid Jamek, a mosque built in 1907 and is the oldest mosque in Kuala Lumpur. It was a scorching day and we were in clothes appropriate for the beach and not for a mosque. Thus we could not step foot inside and just took a quick snap from the gate. How to go to Masjid Jamek: Take the LRT to Masjid Jamek Station.
2. Merdeka Square (aka Dataran Merdeka), where we took pictures of buildings (Sultan Abdul Samad Building and the Royal Selangor Club) and went in the Kuala Lumpur City Gallery. For just MYR 5, we saw an awesome 3D mapping of the metropolis (called the Spectacular City Model Show) in the KL City Gallery and had a snack, too (the admission ticket could be used to purchase anything from the gift shop and cafe inside the gallery).  How to go to Merdeka Square: Take the LRT to Masjid Jamek Station. Merdeka Square is a 6–minute (450 m) walk from the station.

Masjid Jamek... as seen from the gate

Merdeka Square

Sultan Abdul Samad Building

Inside the Kuala Lumpur City Gallery

Should I attempt a third one–day visit in 2016? Maybe not. But, if and when I do find myself in Kuala Lumpur again, I would be sure to spend more than just a day in this metropolis.

Capsule by Container Hotel at Gateway@KLIA2

Mustachio and friends had eight hours to kill at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) and they had three options:

Option 1 Escape KLIA2 by going to Kuala Lumpur city center, an hour away, to go on a food trip at Jalan Alor.

Option 2 Go to Gateway@KLIA2, the mall within the airport, to shop (some shops are open 24 hours, some up to midnight) or to eat, eat, and eat (most restaurants are open 24 hours).

Option 3 Get some sleep on an airport bench (free) or a proper bed (not free). There are three accommodation options in KLIA2: Sama-Sama Express, Plaza Premium Lounge, and Capsule by Container Hotel. Sama-Sama Express is located in the International Departure area (no need to clear immigration) and is only for guests on transit to another international flight. Plaza Premium Lounge and Capsule by Container Hotel are located at Gateway@KLIA2.

How Mustachio and Friends Killed Eight Hours:

Because their next flight, an international flight, was at 655AM, they decided to spend their time at Gateway@KLIA2 and do Mustachio's two most favorite things: eat and sleep.  (The last train out of KLIA2 was at 1255AM, and the first train leaving KL Sentral going to KLIA2 was at 5AM.)

They ate dinner at Nando's, and bought a tub of yogurt and some fruits from Jaya Grocer. Then checked in at Capsule by Container Hotel, which Mustachio was pretty excited about—it was his first time to stay in a capsule hotel.

Mustachio and friends booked Capsule ahead via the hotel's website: MYR 5 cheaper than the walk-in rate. There are three options: 3 hours (MYR 50), 6 hours (MYR 75), and 12 hours (95 MYR).

Upon check in, they were given a bag (which they could keep) with a towel (to be returned), a key card to access the sleeping area, and a locker key.

They excitedly stored their bag in the locker, went into the sleeping area to see their assigned capsule, inspected the toilet and shower area, then hung out at the lounge or common area.

The capsule was clean and comfortable (might be scary for the claustrophobic). It had two pillows, a blanket, a comfy single mattress, a reading light, a phone (don't forget to request a wake up call!), a small table that folds into the capsule's wall, a secret compartment, an outlet, a shoe compartment, and a roller shade for privacy.

Sleeping Area

Common Area/Lounge

The toilets and shower rooms were clean. Shampoo and soap were provided. The common area or lounge interiors looked really cool with benches made of crates.

Their 6–hour stay at Capsule was pleasant and quickly became a favorite that they stayed there again on their layover at the end of their journey.

Thank You 2014

Grateful for...

• having a steady source of travel funds...aka a job.
• my two legs for taking me places; they tire and complain but it's mostly the footwear's fault.
• maps and strangers who helped me find my way when I lost my sense of direction.
• pig out sessions with Babe for Food and Baktin Corporation.
• Babe for Food for picking me as her sidekick to Lubu Filipino and Seafood Cuisine, Isla Sugbo Seafood City, Kuya J Restaurant, and 10 Dove Street.
• free adventures in gastronomy and otherwise at Canso X, J Park Island Resort and Waterpark Cebu, Brique, Texas Creamery, Planet Grapes, and Cebu Cardinal Bakeshop.
• Anang Balay Turista for dumping us in El Nido...and throwing us into Jhanna's Inn which turned out to be a better place to stay in.
• being in awe of some of my country's gems like Snake Island, Tinago Falls, Limunsudan Falls.
• the persons who took charge of the El Nido and Batangas trips. All I had to do was show up with my pocket money.
• the people behind WAT 3.0 for letting me chase waterfalls with them.
• Iligan Bloggers Society, the 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion of Iligan, all the WAT 3.0 sponsors, and the Higaonon Tribe for the unforgettable trip to Limunsudan.
• tour guides who love their job:
• Neil of Rizal Memorial Library and Museum for his enthusiasm and for answering all our questions, including stupid ones.
• Ka Bino for the funny impromptu stint from SM City Cebu to J Park Island Resort and Waterpark Cebu.
• the lady in Seokguram Grotto in Gyeongju, South Korea for patiently explaining to two little Filipinos the significance of the grotto.
• wrong ice cream flavor choices of friends at Bohol Bee Farm...I got to finish their ice cream! Thank you also to my bottomless pit!
• Fred of The Exaggerated Zeal and Zhequia of FTW! Food, Travel & Whatevs for contributing to my Business Name collection.
• Mr Teban for saving this stranger from melting under the scorching sun by letting this stranger hitch a ride.
• Chang of Klick–Klock Homestay for inadvertently leading us to a gastronomic treasure hunt around Melaka by telling us about the must–not–miss eats.
• a never–give–up attitude during the Melaka gastronomic treasure hunt—we found Tanjung Mee Goreng!
• my pants not falling to my knees when we raced through NAIA 3 to catch our plane to Taipei.
• Taiwan travel buddy who couldn't live without getting connected...her smartphone and data plan became our savior when we weren't too smart to find our way in Taipei.
• the kind Korean manager of Fun Taipei Backpackers for letting us kill time at the hostel, letting us use the shower and toilet at the dorm, and helping us get a cab.
• on–time flights.
• finding the cookset that got stolen by a dog in the nighttime when we were camping in Burot Beach.
• Taal town's travel–back–in–time feel, thanks to their effort in preserving old, beautiful, historical houses.
• the muscle power of two friends who dragged a sack of rice (aka Mustachio) over boulders in Buhisan.
• the person who answered my AirAsia facebook message for changing my ticket back to the original route when their phone customer service agent would not do a thing.
• the ability to laugh at myself especially during stupid times.
• magical communication skills even without having a common language.
• the man who was on smoke break who took the time to search for the address on his mobile map when we we could not find the airbnb house that we booked.
• hope in the form of free WiFi on the street when we were about to give up looking for the airbnb house.
• GaEun for telling me about the KTX to Gyeongju—switching plans from bus to train cut our travel time in half but doubled our expense. A welcome splurge nevertheless.
• arriving in Gyeongju Express Bus Terminal just in time to catch the bus to Busan.
• SangCheol for clearing his weekend to show me around his city, Busan.
• my Busan friends. How can I ever repay your kindness and hospitality?
• Ji In for paying for our subway fare. She insisted!
• being reunited with my favorite island. So good to be back.
• the two people in Malapascua who remembered my face.
• the Cebu Happy World Museum receptionist for the discount.
• everyone I crossed paths with this 2014.
• and always, always, to everyone who has taken the time to read this blog.

Melaka In Between Bites

In between stuffing our faces, we walked off some calories and what I saw I froze through these square frames.

Welcome to Melaka, World Heritage City

 

Down by the Melaka River

Melaka Sultanate Waterwheel

Date night by the river

 

Jonker Walk or Jonker Street or Jalan Hang Jebat

This street becomes a night market on weekends.

 

The writing (and drawing) on the walls

Christ Church

Built by the Dutch in 1753, Christ Church is the oldest Protestant church in Malaysia.

 

 Remains of the Middelburg Bastion of the Melaka Fort

Melaka Maritime Museum (Muzium Samudera)

Jalan Merdeka, Melaka
Monday to  Friday 9AM to 530PM
Saturday and Sunday 9AM to 9PM
Admission Fee for the Maritime Museum Complex: MYR 6
* Ticket can be used to enter the Maritime Museum I, Maritime Museum II,
and the Royal Malaysian Navy Museum (Muzium TLDM).

The museum is housed in a full-scale replica of the Portuguese cargo ship, Flor de la Mar.

The original ship sank off the coast of Melaka in the 16th century.

Royal Malaysian Navy Museum (Muzium TLDM)

Jalan Merdeka (across the Maritime Museum), Melaka
Monday to Thursday 9AM to 5PM
Friday to Sunday 9AM to 830PM
Admission Fee for the Maritime Museum Complex: MYR 6
* Ticket can be used to enter the Maritime Museum I, Maritime Museum II,
and the Royal Malaysian Navy Museum (Muzium TLDM).

Since we visited the Maritime Museum Complex at almost closing time, we went through all three museums of the complex like The Flash. In other words, we didn't learn anything by glancing at the exhibits. Be there early and only visit if you're really interested in maritime stuff. Do NOT follow our example.

 Baba & Nyonya House Museum

 No. 48 & 50 Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock (street parallel to Jonker Street/Jalan Hang Jabat), Melaka

Daily 10AM to 1PM and 2PM to 430PM

Admission Fee: MYR 15 (Adult) / MYR 10 (Children 5-12 yrs old)

No photography allowed inside the museum.

Guided tours at the Baba & Nyonya House Museum are available by schedule. Since we could not wait for the guided tour, we explored the museum by ourselves. We were lent booklets which contained a map of the house and concise information about each section of the house. The museum provided an interesting insight into the Peranakan culture of the 19th century. The visit to Baba & Nyonya House Museum was worth 45 minutes off our food trip.

Malaysia
Malaysia Must–Know
Home in Kuala Lumpur
Like a King in Kuala Lumpur
Klick-Klock Homestay in Melaka
Gluttons in Melaka
Melaka In Between Bites (you're here!)

Gluttons in Melaka

From Klick-Klock Homestay, everywhere became walking–distance because no distance could keep gluttons away from food.

Chang of Klick-Klock brought the group of gluttons to an eatery on Jalan Bunga Raya (street parallel to Jalan Jawa, where Klick-Klock was) that was still open for very late lunch. Although there were about five stalls, only one was still serving food at 3PM. The group chowed down on char siu (roasted pork) with rice (MYR 5), tofu (MYR 1, about 6 pieces per serving), and egg (MYR 1 for one whole egg).

 

 Char siu (left) and eggs and tofu (right)

Barely three hours after that late lunch, they were already lining up outside Capitol Satay (opens at 5PM) on 41 Lorong Bukit Cina, for a taste of just about anything—prawns, squid, chicken, pork, eggs, vegetables, bread, dumplings—cooked in a boiling pot of peanut sauce. Once they were assigned a table, a fresh pot of peanut sauce was set in the middle of the table and the burner turned on to keep the sauce boiling. They picked from a variety of choices in the open chiller, and went back three more times. The next thing they saw, they already had piles of sticks and plates. Skewers were for MYR 1 per stick, and others were priced depending on the color of the plate they were served in (from MYR 3 to MYR 8).

 

 Satay Celup (celup means dip)

The first part of breakfast the next day was at Chop Chung Wah Hainanese Chicken Rice on the corner of Jonker Street and Lorong Hang Jebat. Because this was just the first on the list of food stops that needed to be crossed off by lunch, the group ordered just half a chicken (MYR 21) and three orders (MYR 1.50 per order; five pieces per order) of rice balls. The chicken was tender and the sticky rice balls were savory. Both the chicken and the rice balls were best eaten with the spicy chili sauce.

 

Hainanese chicken, chicken rice balls, and a bottle of spicy chili sauce

The second part of breakfast was Nyonya Asam Laksa (MYR 7), a spicy and sour noodle soup with egg, tofu, and fishcakes, at Jonker 88 along Jonker Street. It was good soup, but it was too spicy that it made their eyes water. To wash away the spices, they decided to get a Baba Chendol (MYR 4), a dessert made of finely shaved ice, pandan jelly (that looked like worms), drenched in coconut milk and sweet palm sugar syrup. The chendol reminded them of halo-halo but with fewer ingredients.

Jonker 88 and menu (click to enlarge)

Nyonya asam laksa (left) and Baba chendol (right)

Walking along Jonker Street, the gluttons found many food stalls and made some room for fried durian balls (MYR 5 for three pieces) from Durian King, and durian and yogurt cream puffs (MYR 5 for three pieces) from Taste Better. The fried durian balls and the durian cream puffs were a hit for the durian lover in the group. For the rest who didn't think durian is king...they put the yogurt cream puffs on a throne.

 

Durian King and Taste Better

Lunch time would be in another two hours and the gluttons crossed the river and proceeded south to find the best mee goreng in the city as tipped by Chang: Tanjung Mee Goreng. They had been walking for almost an hour and a half and had almost given up, when one of them spotted the sign almost at the end of Jalan PM3. Hallelujah! A big platter of chilli mee goreng (MYR 5.90), a big platter of chilli kuey teow (MYR 5.50), and glasses of teh c special (MYR 3.50 per glass). The chilli kuey teow was worth the hunt! If they didn't have one more food stop, they could have eaten another platter.

Click to enlarge menu

 

 Clockwise from top left: chilli mee goreng, teh c special, and chilli kuey teow

The last stop was mille crepe cakes at Nadeje in Mahkota Parade, just a few minutes walk from Tanjung Mee Goreng. The pictures on the menu were mouthwatering, but for MYR 9.90 per slice of mille crepe cake, they could only afford to get one each. Each picked a different flavor and let the plates go around. A "delicious!" was exclaimed for each bite and none of them could decide which flavor was best.

Click to enlarge

Clockwise from top left: strawberry, green tea, tiramisu, and original

This article is now available as a mobile app. Go to GPSmyCity to download the app for GPS-assisted travel directions to the attractions featured in this article.


Malaysia
Malaysia Must–Know
Home in Kuala Lumpur
Like a King in Kuala Lumpur
Klick-Klock Homestay in Melaka
Gluttons in Melaka (you're here!)
Melaka In Between Bites