Kickin' it Old Skool!

Funny how a lil skin irritation could lead to another trip down
memory lane....

Old Skool style

Yea, i suffered from an allergic reaction to some product
I so "pandai-ly" used on my back and is taking MONTHS to heal (scars mainly)

With the volatile weather these days(extreme hot & humid + thunderstorms),
my rash attempted a re-appearance.

In order to avoid the same mistake ...I decided to try the soft approach first..

I bought me some prickly heat powder from the night market...

the Snake Brand variety.

I couldn't decide on which one to get

I was spoilt for choice...so I bought my fav 3
(it was only RM2.50 for a small 100gm can)

Did I mention I'm a sucker for packaging?

Another bonus was, its cooling effect upon application to the skin.

I love anything mentholated!
(except ciggies, coz I don't smoke)

After purchasing these 3 cans of Prickly heat powders,

I was itching to hunt down all those old local products
that reminds me of the yesteryears...
(not that I'm all THAT old la)

Although many of us did not use this...


But i'm sure it brings back memories of our grandmothers..right?

(kena a bit conned by this Aunty in the market,
Sold it to us at RM3 per box
I saw the same in Mydin for RM1.50 only!)

So I scoured the world wide web for the local products
from the bygone era

I'm sure almost all Malaysians can relate to these products I've found.

A truly Malaysian Icon

ok, i wasn't such a big fan back then but now,
I'd chose Linghams over normal chilli sauces.

Joy Juice!
Now, doesn't that just give u ideas?

Ooo...i loved to suck on those...such a treat!

For Catholics, this feels like having the "holy communion" wafer!
(with a sourish flavour)

That crumbly sandlike feel...

Of course, not forgetting the Ding Dang and TORA with all the toys inside!
Everyone knows no one buys them for the chocs!
I remember my cousin Wendy and I would go
to the sundry shops downstairs to buy all sorts of nonsense.

Eu char koay
+ kopi O =
Very Nommy breakfast!
(note: i didn't say healthy)


Marie biscuit!
Such a simple delight!
+ Milo

I know many of us just nibble the sugary top bit off!


I don't know about u, but i LOVE the taste of this!
Look forward to coughs!


Now, this is really ancient!


Every perm parlor would have a bottle or 2
When I was in primary school (in SP),
I'd go to a sitter's house after school (a schoolmate's family, the Lim's)
Mrs. Lim was a seamstress and a hairdresser
I'd smell that powder everyday!



I can still imagine the distinct smell


Hell, this sure makes u squeaky clean!


The other popular rash/prickly heat powder


I bet all households still have a bottle somewhere


I'm sure everyone remembers these famous cartoons!
I mean really, way back then we only had 3 tv channels to chose from,
so everyone pretty much had to watch the same shows.

My ALL TIME FAV cartoon!
I had the cassette tape album and could sing all the songs!

CARE BEAR STARE!!
(potrudes belly at ya!)

They's so kyoote!!
~My little Pony, my little pony....~

Gummi Bears!
Bouncing here & there & everywhere!!


Don't u just feel like squishing them?

Got some feed back from my girls and they wanted me to add these...


Mero Attack





My friend, HN and I took a lil trip to Upper Penang Road on Sunday (yesterday)
to the Little Penang market
held every last Sunday of the month
(we've never been so we were a bit Jakun)

We loved the lil trinkets, earrings, old photos and watnots
on sale at the market..although we didn't feel the urge to purchase anything.

HN mentioned that this is like a scaled down version of
The Rocks Market in Sydney.

We walked down Penang Road to Chowrasta Market
and
VOILA!
what a Treasure Trove!

We continued further along Penang road until we reached the Famous Cendol stall
and rewarded ourselves with a bowl of Famous Cendol!

Here's what I came home with.

My goodies!

I'm a big fan of weird strong smells!
I LOVES THIS!!


Ok, this is a Thai product but still widely used in Malaysia,
I think...

OMG OMG!! I TOTALLY NOMS THIS!!
* Fish crackers *

Ok la, I'm a JUNK food JUNKIE....
We had this at Sri Ananda Bahwan and since
Dad said it was nice, I went to Little India to get a few packets.

Preserved Nutmeg candy


Now that I might be leaving Malaysia...I come to appreciate the little things that make us Malaysians.

Apart from all the politics and power struggles we face with,
(and i don't care for it, hence i don't bother reading the newspapers)

I love how we embrace and enjoy the distinct daily household items,
even if it originated from a different race or religion.

Most of these things have been Malaysianised to a great degree
and I know that
although I might find some of these products sold in other countries,
it would not be the same as enjoying them here in Penang.

Next stop...

LITTLE INDIA!!

Who's coming?

*

Reminiscing

About my life in Europe…

Come, take a walk with me down memory lane...

The best 3 years of my life...

(ok most of the scenary pictures aren't mine,

they're borrowed off the internet)

2001-2002

Bristol, England

As I was doing a 2+1 Transfer programme at HELP Institute, KL

I had to continue the final year of my law degree in UWE, Bristol,

(University of the West of England)

So off I went to a different continent…thousands of miles from home

After 9 hours on the plane…I was ready to parachute out of the plane!!

It was a 11 hr flight from Singapore.

Dun get me wrong..I love flying…

When we arrived in Bristol

After a 45 min train ride from London

Bristol Meads Train Station

We were escorted to my campus

By a really nice old chap called David (a volunteer for BISC from Uni of Bristol!)

I lived at Carroll Court on Frenchay Campus

With more than a dozen other Malaysians

We would have house parties, slumber parties, cook-ins, bbqs

And “sometimes” hang out at one of the 2 bars on campus.

Hell, Uni life was A LOT of FUN!!

Besides the hours of studying my brains out

Stressing over assignments and exams…

Shopping has always been a great stress reliever.

Life in Bristol

-------------------

The 3 most frequented grocery outlets

Bristol City Centre

-----------------------

The Watershed

IMAX @ Bristol

Park Street, Bristol

Cribbs Causeway, The Mall

My transport to everywhere!

First Bus Service

Some weekends, I'd hop on the National Express to nearby towns

Like the beautiful, quaint city of Bath (45 mins away)

I'd go to a quiet, relaxing park...and just watch the world go by

or to London...which was about 2.5hrs away.

I also joined the BISC (Bristol International Student Council)

And met heaps of international students

so many AMAZING people

Some of which I’m still in touch with.

Celebrating my 22nd Birthday

@ Windsor castle...no, i was not going any closer to the Royal Guard.

Stonehenge

On our first winter holiday,

A couple of us took a 12 hour coach to Amsterdam!

And from there made our way to France and Belgium.

We ushered in the new year 2002 under the Eiffel Tower

And had an “incident” with some over friendly French boys.

but that's another story.

After passing all my final exams,

I embarked on an experience of a lifetime around Europe

With Contiki…and made so many friends for life!

Venice, Italy & Mykonos, Greece

Rome, Corfu & Mykonos (Greece)

Parasailing in Corfu and White Water Rafting in Tyrol, Austria

with a new friend who rescued me while i was trying to Ski

at Jungfrau, Switzerland.

Venice & Greece again

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2002-2003

PARIS, FRANCE

Yea, I was very blessed to be able to spend a year in Paris!

Learning French and soaking in all this beautiful country had to offer!

I lived above a commercial centre (a huge mall)

Called Italie 2.

Façade of Italie 2

This is Tour Beryl

The reddish tower behind was where i stayed (Tour Ruby)

above Italie 2

Along Avenue d'Italie

Avenue d'Italie

Surrounding shops & Cafes

We were just a street away from the Chinatown of Paris

I had classes in the morning

So I’d catch the metro from Place d’Italie (line 6 - light green)

all the way to

the end of the line at Charles De Gaulle-Etoile station

The Paris Metro Map!

and switch to line 2 (blue) to Victor Hugo station

Where my language school – Ecole France Langue was.

(No. 2 rue de Sfax)

(yea, thats me on the main page - in green)

with my first American-Jewish friend Liat

with 2 adorable girls from Russia

After learning the language for 7 mths,

I took the DELF 1 and 2 exams

(Diplome d'Etudes en Langue Francais)

Yes, I passed with flying colours...

which is of no use now, as I've nearly forgotten how to speak it.

After class, I’d be meandering the streets of Paris

Window-shopping, checking out the sights

Wandering around Italie 2…making all the shop assistants highly suspicious!

HAHAH!

I practically “lived” in this perfume shop called Sephora.

FNAC comes a close second!

People of all ages would sit on the floor reading BDs (bande dessine) – Comics

I’d check out all kinds of travel, language, novels, magazines, music, movies and everything this glorious “book shop” had to offer…it was HEAVEN!

I love Bookstores....

I'd go into ANY bookstore i stumble upon...

and also take the metro and bus to any bookstore i'd happen to hear of.

I’d do the grocery shopping at Champion (basement of Italie 2)

And sneak the shopping cart right up to my studio!

Of course I’d take it right back after unloading my goodies!

Oh, did I mention there’s also a cinema in Italie 2?

But of course I can be found mainly on the Champs Elysees,

L'arc de Triomphe

Having my baguette walking along the Seine,

Notre Dame de Paris

And checking out all the little shops along St Michel-Notre Dame,

Boulevard St Michel

Another fav bookstore, Gibert Jeune

Hanging out at the Quartier Latin

Hopping off the bus at Pont Neuf and walking across..

Checking out the sales at Les Halles,

Les Halles by night

the Louvre,

Galleries La Fayette,

the interior of Galleries La Fayette

Printemps,

Opera

Sacré-Coeur

Montmarte

Le Moulin Rouge

Place de la Concorde

Paris is the most romantic city I’ve been to!

On weekends, we’d go up on the Hot-Air Balloon

In summer, at the country side

Ok, inflating the balloon was no joke…

And wrapping things up as the sun goes down was something else too!

We once had a minor mishap with the tip of some pine trees

At the end of the woods…

A few scrapes and tumbles, but we survived!

Popping the champagne at sunset after a successful flight was simply French!

I once went on a glider (a small plane without an engine)

Oh, I didn’t have to wear a parachute..

They said the parachute would go down before I did…

I was too light apparently – 36kgs.

Don’t worry, I went with a pilot…

We were A-okay!

On weekdays, I’d never miss an episode of Sous Le Soleil!

Yes, I loved that soap!

Ahh..the south of France…

We holidayed in Naples, drove down to Rome and the south of Italy.

It was a whole different rich culture…

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2003-2004

BRISTOL, ENGLAND

(again)

This time I came back to do my Bar Vocational Course (BVC)

At UWE again!

Reunited with the few friends who decided to take the year off as well…

And met so many other new friends…

My American Footballer housemates, Raphael Cadoux (French)

and Derek Fox (Canadian)

As there were less Malaysians this time round,

I was glad to be able to get to know my fellow

English, Maldivian, South American, Cyprian, Singaporean, Bangladeshi, Pakistani students

We even had the sweetest gentleman from the British Virgin Islands

(unfortunately, I learnt he was shot back at the BVI a couple of years ago)

With our Group facilitator Tim Felton (he claims he was a farmer before)

Me, Tim, Louise & Joanna

Malaysian Girls at BVC dinner 2004

At Gray's Inn

Group 1 girls

Group 1 - BVC 2003/3004

After BVC dinner party at Fuschia

Visit to London (Chinatown)

BBQ at Jenny's

Scrumptious Lamb Kebabs after partying along the watershed

Going for a 3-D movie at the WaterShed

Most of my free time was spent with my French friends I met at BISC

(mostly at Globe Cafe, just behind my house)

with 2 of the loveliest people, Charmaine & Irwin

I'm so glad they finally got married!

Alex, Me & Kristy (China) - at one of the many BISC Globe Cafe gatherings

Farewell BBQ - BISC

Yes, some French people are quite amusing...

I hosted my fair share of house parties and bbqs and dinners.

Always one to throw all my groups of friends together into the mélange

Serene & My joint B'day Party/BBQ

Alexandra Houssaye & My joint Bday BBQ

Alex with the Frenchies, German and God know what else hahha!

Me & the Germans

The gang I hang out with...

the 2 Helene's.

Julie & Me

LAKSA party at my house...for the life of me, i can't remember who cooked the laksa..coz i'm pretty sure it wasn't me...

Ok, now who's house was this at?

Malaysian Night, Dinner with Irwin.

Posing at FUSHIA

My holidays would be spent mainly back in Paris.

Ah...I loved my 3 years in Europe...

Even if I could go back in time….I would not change a thing!

My only regret is not taking as many pictures as I would have loved to.

*