Cold and Wet in Tokyo

Tokyo - Landed in the evening and it was cold 3 degress and was raining. It was the wind and wet that was miserably very cold. It took just 1hr for the Limo bus to take me to TCAT and then took a taxi to Hotel East 21. I settled into my new room got the internet access up and running - it's cheap considering it is Tokyo - just US$6 for 2 days. Today, I hanked for sushi..yummy. When outside of the Hotel to a sushi chain and sat at the counter - they had a promotion on tuna 50% discount...hmmm excellent. I had a good meal and also added a plate of shishamo - I love shishamo.

Lighting hit Singapore Merlion

Singapore - The Merlion Statue, which was slightly damaged in a lighting strike yesterday, is only one of many structures hit by the frequent lightnigh storms that zap across Singapore each year.

Singapore has the dubious honours of being one fo the highest rates of lightning activity in the world as its hot tropical weather is ideal for the formation of storm clouds. An average lightning strike carries a current of up to 200,000 amps. In comparison, a 100-watt bulb carries a current of about 0.4 amp.

Between 1982 and last year, the NEA Meteorological Department detected lightnihg on an average of 186 days per year. And lightning hits each sq km of land 12 to 20 times each year. Because of this, lightning rods on buildings have been mandatory since 1979, as they help intercept lightning bolts.

Authentic Taiwanese Food in KL

Kuala Lumpur - We lost track of time in our discussion at the Hilton Petaling Jaya executive club. This is one of best Hitlon Club floor that I have visited. The receptionist and waiters were professional, polite and patient, there was a good spread of food for executive floor guests. I stayed at a normal Hilton floor but as a Gold Hilton member, I am extended the priviledges to enter the Hitlon Club floor.

It was around 9pm, my good friends brought me to dinner at Petaling Jaya, this is the location of the most authentic and famous Malaysian food. This restaurant, new Formosa restaurant serves authentic Taiwanese food located @ 46, Jalan SS2/24, 47300 Petaling Jaya. Contact: 603-7875-1894. The food is really good and tasty and the price is reasonable, just over RM$130 for 3 of us.
Die die must try -
Sour Plum Juice,
Stir-Fry Buttered Eel,
This desert is very unique - Formosa Special Sweet Yam. The yam cubes were first deep fried and coated with a layer of melted caramel with sesame seeds. The cubes were then transferred to a basin of ice water for the caramel to cool and harden. Interestingly, the yam cubes were not wet at all when taken out from the water and they’re still piping hot at the inside. It was very delicious - in Singapore we have similiar but with Banana. I just love it....

Live Octopus...yummy!

Seoul - I have always wanted to try live octopus and so Young Jin and Dr Na brought me to a seafood restaurant which was near his office. For starters, you have the usual Kim Chi and lots of small appetising dishes - then came the interesting part. Live fresh squid sliced up like 'sashimi' - it taste much sweeter and delicious. But the best part was live and very fresh octopus - the Octopus was squirming and moving on the plate.

Dinner with live squid

Live octopus squirming on the plate

That's me with the live octopus going to my mouth...

Brrr...very cold in Seoul -3

Seoul - Landed in Seoul in one of their coldest winter -3 celcius. I had to put on all my winter clothing which was packed into my checked-in luggage, this was not the time to lose my baggage. But the very thought of it, spurred panic as most of the luggage was spewing out of the conveyor 'mouth' but no where in sight of my checked-in luggage. My baggage was checked-in as priority - it got me anxious as some priority members were asking SQ staff where their luggage went. But my panic was relieved when out popped my luggage.

Opened my luggage to put on my thick trench coat - rented a Korean moble phone and booked the Limo bus to Renaissance Seoul Hotel. My last stay at this hotel was 16 Sept 2007 - so it has been a long time and the reason was the devaluation of the Korean Won made this stay reasonably affordable. The Korean Won has depreciated 45.5% against the US dollar. So, it was really nice to be back at this nice Hotel.

I had a nice Korean dinner with Kevin and YJ.

Chinese New Year customs

Singapore - There are many many traditions and customs during Chinese New Year to greatly appreciate the deep Chinese Culture. The following are just the basics:

1. Days before Chinese New Year it is customary to clean your house and keep it spic and span as relatives and guests whom you invited are coming to your house. To many Chinese, it is bad luck to sweep your house during the 2 days of Chinese New Year.

2. Bring along 2 oranges which symbolize 'Gold' - this will be exchange with the host with 2 hands, and greetings of 'Happy New Year' and all the niceties of the seasons...

3. Married couples will give red packets (Hong Pao) to children. Working and married children will give Hong Pao to their parents and to their Grandparents. Children will receive the red packets with 2 hands.

But over the years, I have seen a deteriorating of customs which trivals being Chinese in modern Singapore. You will find married couples without children taking advantage of the long holidays to book holidays out of Singapore to avoid giving money and seeing relatives. You will find reunion dinner turning into obligation of whose turn is it now, some skipping it altogether. Some younger generations wearing all black or all white - like death or ghost (said by many old folks) in such a happy festivities....

Eve of Chinese New Year - Reunion Dinner

Singapore - After 'spring cleaning' my home - we hurried over to my parents place for the Reunion Dinner. This is a yearly event held by every ethnic Chinese around the planet on the Eve of Chinese New Year where members of the family will return to their parents house for dinner.

To the Chinese this is the most important event in the Chinese New Year calendar to start the year in the right footing. The children and married sons will return to their parents house to enjoy the Reunion festivies. It is common to have 'Steam Boat' - ingredients are cooked in a simmering pot of broth (my mum had a mixture of pork, chicken and prawns - yummy). We had slices of pork, beef, chicken, pork liver, fish, prawns, tofu, vegetables, etoki mushrooms and rice.

My parents took the time to prepare this delicious reunion dinner....