The Meowing Muse

Ian has been learning some new skills in Art. After a shaky start, he has found quite a bit of success recently.

Here, we see him sketching out a Dragon Fruit for homework.

Ian approached me for some help to pick out a few fruit or vegetables for him to draw.

I helped him pick items with interesting color and texture.

Mochi was definitely curious, but ultimately she just wanted to play with the pencils.

In addition to the Dragonfruit, Ian drew Starfruit, Endive, and Red Swiss chard.

We think Mochi approves!

~ Shien

Brownie Time

While I was in Hatyai, Monica and Aria baked a batch of moist, chewy brownies!

Aria has been volunteering around the kitchen, and so got to help mommy make up the treats.

The brownies must have been good--there were none left when I returned! :)


~ Shien

Hatyai--Dim Sum Farewell

I left my drapes open, so I woke up way before the 7am wake up call.

I had already found out from the owner that the dim sum stall was open at 6:30am. Nevertheless, I took my time to get there. The air was still cool, and I picked a table with a fresh breeze over my shoulder.

She explained that some of the dishes were ordered a la carte, and the dim sum was all brought to the table--you reject what you don't want immediately.

I ordered the highly recommended Yam Congee with Century Egg (which came with fried doughballs like Yu Tiao), a Chinese Tea (Oolong) and accepted what looked like tiny Siew Mai and a Purple dumpling that looked like Har Kao.

Then I spotted it--a massive joint of braised pig trotters. The owner was gloved and pushing off chunks of meat and gelatinous skin, and piling it on a little platter followed by a small heap of salted vegetables. I finally scored my serving!

It was prefectly balanced--salty, earthy, briny, tangy with textures of moist succulent flesh with bits of gooey skin and crunchy preserved vegetable. A tap of fiesty, garlic chili-sauce scoured the rich gumminess in your mouth. Then wash it all down with almost acrid amber-colored tea.

Next came the up-sell. A helper who spoke no English brought a plate of fried squat cylinders. Smiling broadly, she said the one Thai Word that I needed to hear: "Aroy!" (delicious!). They were on a perfect run, so I accepted it. Why not?

The cylinders tasted like Pla Tod, she called them Ngoh Roi. No idea what that meant, or if I had even heard her correctly. She stood there while I bit into the steaming pucks and insisted that I dipped one into the chili-sauce. She was right on!

Finally, the proprietor asked if I had room for her fried yam cake (char kuih kak equivalent). I told her this was the last thing I dare eat. so she brought it out!

The bill was double what I had anticipated! A princely sum of Bt220 (US$7). An issue only because I was down to Bt180. She graciously said that she would share the bill with me, but I asked her if she would take Malaysian Ringgit. She said: "Sure!"

Now I had just enough Thai Baht to buy a massive bottle of water to accompany my ride back to Penang. The van back was a Petrol (Gasoline) Powered Toyota converted to use Compressed Natural Gas. A total of 3 Massive cylinders were under each row of seats. The van looked nice, but had a very harsh ride that caused nausea. Still, I found out that the conversion cost RM9,000 (US$3,000) and allowed the van to run at 1/2 the cost of diesel. Which, by my calculation would pay off in about 20 round-trips to Hatyai and Penang. That's not even a month to re-coup!

Cleaner, Greener, Penang--I was so happy to cross the bridge and see the green hills again!

~ Shien

Hatyai--Kim Yong Market and Temple

I waited until the sun dipped behind the tall buildings before entering Kim Yong Market. I was glad.

The approach was like many other markets that sprawled along the streets. Outside, vendors sold mostly fruit and the ubiquitous street food.

Inside the main complex, the market was claustrophobic. In the cool, it was fascinating, confusing, an impressive. I cannot imagine pushing through the throng in the heat of the day!

Imagine a narrow sidewalk between sheer buildings 3 storeys high packed full of stalls no more than 5 feet wide, rising straight up. Then add shopkeepers, customers and curious tourists who just get in the way (that's me).

It took effort to remember where I was by constantly referencing where my exit is as I wandered through this shopping catacomb. The prices confirmed the advice given by my van mates that the product here is about the same price as Malaysia.

As I exited the market, I chanced on a few cages of song birds hung over parked scooters.

 

 

I was also drawn by the lovely sight and smells of this flower stall.

I continued walking and exploring, and chanced upon the temple complex next.

This massive construction looked like it was being funded by rows of food stalls set up to raise money for the completion of the building.

On the way back to my hotel, I took a picture of this bored, flamboyant man who was searing a suckling pig.

You don't see it in the final shot, but he was posing with the pig charging at the camera in previous blurry takes since the flash was not cycling properly.

My appetite had not returned, and it was getting late, so I decided to try dessert. It worked. Mango with Sticky Rice and Coconut Milk definitely did the trick.

I returned to the Nam Prik seller and somehow managed to point, and order Nam Prik Kabae with Plat Tu for the rest of dinner.

It's not pretty, but healthy with lots of jungle greens, boiled flowers and raw herbs.






~ Shien

Hatyai--Gracious People

I was finally dropped off at about 12:30pm. I checked in as quickly as I could. The receptionist was very sweet and nervous that she could hardly speak English. I smiled patiently and eventually helped her find my reservation. I chucked out a clumsy "Kup kum Krup", clapped praying hands together and nodded. The receptionist gasped a wide-eyed grin and acknowledged "Ka!".

I snapped a few pictures of the hotel and then made my way for a Ancient Thai Massage. Having had a few in Phuket, I knew I did NOT want to have one with a full belly!

I had done my research and knew that the going rate for a massage was Bt240 for 90 minutes. The hotel lobby looked like they were giving wimpy versions for about Bt500.

I made my way to the Lee Garden Plaza 7th Floor. There, I selected a 2 hour Massage for Bt300 (about RM30 or US$10).

What followed felt much more like a Physical Therapy Session. It did not hurt except on a few pressure points, but it did not feel nice either. It felt more like a workout. After kneading an area of my body, the masseuse would drive an elbow, then a knee into your muscle to grind out the knots. Finally, she finishes with limb stretching using leverage from stepping and leaning off your body! My masseuse politely mentioned again, that I was "big-sized" not to offend, but to apologize for not performing as she prefers. I assured her that she was plenty strong enough!

I offered her a well-earned tip of Bt100 after. She looked ready to go home!

I was very good and ate Kway Teow Thng after to rinse my body internally. The first bowl at a coffeeshop opposite my hotel was Bt45. It had a good broth and a nice assortment of meatballs. I left feeling a bit peckish and followed my gut to the next stop. This coffeeshop was quaint, and the proprietor very gregarious. She immediately welcomed me into her coffeeshop even though it was clearly close to closing time.

She told me to take my time as I ate. I really enjoyed the looks of this "dive" and brought back fond memories of my childhood.

Soon, the husband returned and reached over auntie to drop various ingredients into my bowl as she cooked.

She asked if I wanted a regular bowl or "gelai" which was her super. I had asked her how much for the super bowl. She said Bt40. Here is what she delivered!

A separate bowl of dry Kway Teow containing Char Siu, Fish Cake, Green Onion and Crunchy Fried Garlic bits, and a steaming bowl of broth with 2 fish balls, 2 meatballs, wanton, sesame marinated pork slice, crispy roasted pork slice, and melt in your mouth pork-ribs.

The uncle and auntie sat down with me to ask how I liked the food, and how it compared with what I ate in Penang. I told them there was no comparison in styles, but the price here was similar if not better.

I made sure to thank them profusely and take lots of reference pictures to find this place again as I left.

I walked on and passed by this jewel. The lady said she closed at 3pm. sadly, I was full and it was not wisdom to eat any more. :( I asked if anyone served goose in Hatyai. She said that most people including herself only had duck.

I was disappointed until I saw the tub of braised Pig Trotters...

I made a note to self to score some before I left. And I did later.

A bit further down the street on my trot around the block, I was strangely drawn to this ramshackle salon.

It looked nothing like the Lee Garden Hotel set up which was swanky in comparison. But something compelled me to enter, and I was wanting my feet rubbed.

This cheery woman scrubbed my feet in soapy water, then inspected my toenails and exclaimed: "Wah, so long!" Then she said cheerfully: "I cut?!" Clips of Angela Johnson and the Vietnamese Nail Salon ran through my head as I realized that this lady just up-sold me from a relatively pricey Reflexology (Bt250) to add a Pedicure for Bt150.

The woman paused and called in reinforcements. Soon, I had two women applying torture... one grinding my feet it a blunt but very hard stick and the other cutting my nails to the nub and filing them. Then she nipped away the dry skin. Once again, both the pedicure and manicure (for no additional charge) and the reflexology did not hurt (happy to say I was well since it usually hurts when something is wrong) but neither was fun. It felt like having a dentist clean my teeth.

The reflexology included more arm and back rubbing, which I wanted as well.

I padded off content (and a tad sore) that I had a 3 hour spa treatment for Bt800 (US$27). I was thirsty, so I downed a few liters of water as I explored the immediate area more thoroughly. I ended up walking for about 4 hours with a short rest in my hotel room.

~ Shien

Hatyai--Ugly City

At about 8:30am, we arrived at the Malaysia-Thai Border. We stopped at the "truck stop" for a comfort break and to change money. As I returned, auntie and uncle beckoned me over excitedly. She revealed what she had and insisted I try as I sat down dutifully.

"My best friend make one!" she said in Mandarin. I barely remembered my manners and invited her to eat before attacking this wonderfully pliable, moist pocket of mung bean paste. The skin was supple but not greasy, squishy but not gummy. I remarked that her friend hand made the skin. Auntie nodded gravely and acknowledged my observation. Then the filling was hand-mashed with coarse and fine bits. So simple, so well-executed. Nothing finicky in there!

Then auntie confided that her friend's husband is a doctor, and she has trained in many culinary schools. But she refuses to open a business, and only makes her confections to raise money.

Back in the van, the sun was now glaring from the right side. There was a thick fishing line running the length of the van against the windows and now I saw it in action. The passengers pulled out blue plastic sheets cut out for the windows and slipped them against the windows!

We sped past rubber plantations in various stages of growth.

Soon, we arrived at the Malaysian check point.

We burned more time as some of the passengers bought duty-free for their time in Thailand.

Finally, we crossed the border, and I ventured to ask, at about 10:30am, how much further to Hatyai? At least an hour!

Auntie and Uncle were visibly annoyed, but remained tempered.

Not everyone was in such a hurry...

Eventually, we pulled into the bustle of Hatyai. The city looked dilapidated and grimy. My first impression of the city was not positive.

~ Shien

Hatyai--Pre-Dawn Departure

5:40am. The air is thick with humidity and cool at dew point. Bats zoom into view as they pass under streetlights. I trot down the hill to meet my van en route to Hatyai.

At 5:45am the van approached the bus stop where I sat, flashed it's high-beams to acknowledge my presence. Relief washed over me as I realized I understood the awkward conversation in Mandarin to arrange this meeting point. I climbed in and rode to meet our first traveling companion.

I liked them immediately. He was always waiting on her, helping her in and out of the van. They lived in a nice house with an ornate gate. It was clear that they were wealthy.

In contrast, we went to a high density local apartment complex next. Many of the flats had their windows open and I could see that the rooms appeared to be small and spartan. Yet, satellite TV dishes and A/C outside units lined many of the apartments.

A group of about 8 retired couples waited for us, led by a very raucous woman who seemed to believe that she had to project operatically each time she had a thought to broadcast. She sat in the far back corner of the van and chit-chatted with the van driver. My sweet newly met friend ducked her head and plugged her ears, giggling politely.

We drove through the pre-dawn darkness and crossed the Penang Bridge with little traffic competing for the 2 lanes each way.We reached a 4th pick up point. There, the driver called for the passenger no less than 3 times, then honked the horn. Finally, lights came on, the drapes upstairs were yanked open, and a flustered man announced that he will be right down. Our driver scolded him snappily in Hokkien, pulled hard on his cigarette, and stabbed it into the wall. Breakfast time!

The driver invited us to breakfast courtesy of the late man, who turned out to be our tour leader! I ordered 3 pieces of steamed yam cake. This example was coarsely mashed with chunks of yam intact! It was immensely flavorful without being fussy and complicated. I ordered thick coffee that drank like silty ink. See how it stained my cup!

90 minutes late, we pulled on the highway and blasted past vast expanses of flooded rice fields. You could market the rice as fragrant long grain rice in either Diesel or Petrol varieties.

The van was a Mercedes Diesel with a very long wheel base. My newly met couple had insisted that I take the single middle seat to the since it was the most spacious and I was "big sized". It was not a put-down. Just a gently stated fact to justify giving me the best seat in the van.

I was grateful my iPod and the "skull-candy" type earbuds to drown out the cackling from the woman behind. My friends chuckled knowingly.

~ Shien

Meet the "Byrd Hunter"

After watching numerous back episodes of Croc Hunter, the Byrd Hunter takes aim at the kitchen window...

~ Shien

Eagles Overhead

 A strong thunderstorm blew in.

A majestic eagle took flight to ride the updrafts.

The peaceful hours after.

~ Shien