Penang - Makan makan

ic Well, I 've heard a lot about Balik Pulau in Penang, especially the durians from Balik Pulau. When i was there a while ago, my friends pointed out to me the durian trees which are planted in almost every steep hill slopes in this still not so develope area of Penang ( no Starbucks here). But all i see then were bunch of trees in the forest, being a city boy, I can't really tell a durian tree from a rambutan tree so just say oh ya!!!.
But this time, since I have about a day free in this island, we thought of going to Balik Pulau for some laksa, yes laksa, Balik Pulau Laksa to be precise. We had tried the Laksa at the Balik Pulau marketplace, quite okay-la.But this time, some friends mention about another place, off the beaten track literally as you can see from the photo, it is not near to the Balik Pulau main road but about 30 minutes away without getting lost. And we know about this place thru word of mouth with only general directions. But the Penagites has thick skins, so no problem in stopping the people to ask for directions.
So when we finally reached the place, it was a village very near to the sea, you can tell when their longkang has sampans in it. At least the fish is fresh.Again you need to ask the locals for the place as it does not have any signboard and the shop/house is located away from the road. This place sells Laksa and Hokkien Mee. The Hokkien Mee looks delicious, but soldout, so we tried Laksa with bee hoon. Delicious with fresh ingredient but you have to endure the direct heat coming from the hot tin roof.
They only open twice a week as the notice says.

Along the way, now, its durian season, actually the start of the durian seasons. At Balik Pulau, 'the hills are alive with the smell of durians...'and they are everywhere, up on the tree, not so ripe yet maybe another 2 weeks. So we stop by a road side, at a durian collection point where some ah pek will come on their Honda cub with a load full of durians. We ask for some durians, and the ah pek ask, you want the normal or special ones, so we try the special ones, wallop 5 delicious yellowish, slightly bitter ones. Dunno the names la Dxxx , then we went to the back area, there was a number of durian trees with lots of durians and also rambutan trees with still green rambutan fruits. Something to really looks forward to next 2 weeks when i am back for more durians and maybe rambutans too.


Now Balik Pulau is full of durian trees with the fruits already close to full size, so can see the kampung people here already preparing the little shacks at the roadside for their customers with anticipation in their eyes for a boutiful harvest this year. In the next 4 weeks, the durians from the place can be found all over Penang and even in KL. This is the famous Balik Pulau durians, so try to make a point to be at the center to truly enjoy the king of fruits.




-SC

Over 40% of M’sians have hypertension

Thats right, thats what it said.
Check it out here http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/5/20/nation/17766092&sec=nation
'
That means 4 out of 10 people you know has it. Well, its an oldman disease or 'going to be old' man disease, so anyone still in puberty need not read further.
The thing is, this stuff don't get into our health radar scope until probably when you are in your fifthies (our fathers time) then fourthies (my generation), now the paper says thirties ( you who believe you are still 18)

Its a silent killer, meaning no warning sort of creeps up on you. Its the beginning of the rollercoaster ride going downhill, after this your heart has problem la... other spareparts also got problem la...
So if possible, try to get a health check la... I discovered i have hypertension, when i went to the doctor for a mild headache complain. Doc took my blood pressure, then she retake again for a second reading. oh-uh not a good sign. Thats how i know i am now part of the 40%.


Got to start popping pill daily, eat healthy and exercise ( which lazy fella like me cant seems to get off the couch).

Oh ya, once you have it.. you cant lose it... you can only control it. If you know how to lose it, congratulations for you have found the way to reverse the aging process.

Good Luck

Stevie

Heart Sick (7)

I came face to face with my surgeon, finally. Dr KK Pau turned out to be a friendly and very experienced heart surgeon. I later googled and found him with many accolades and lead quite a few "first’s" achievements during his 10-year plus stay with the Heart Institute.

Funny thing was when I was first introduced to him by the cardiologist, he was always referred to as ‘Mr’ Pau; I had to double-check his name tag on his door to make sure he’s a real doctor! I was told later that surgeons are always referred to as Mr. Why? I have no idea.

During the half-hour consultation, I was again told that an open heart surgery was my best option. He was confident I would make it, although my risks are generally higher due to my heart failure condition. He went through about how he would cut through this and that, take this out and put that in here and there…. All I could hear was, ironically, my own heartbeats… When he finally stopped and looked at me in the eyes, and I presumed he had just asked me, “so how? Are you game?” I just said, “Ok. When can we do this?”

The doc opened his appointment book, and every page was filled with different patients’ names! He looked at me and said, “Earliest for a confirmed booking will be in 2 months’ time” I couldn’t possibly wait for another week! Not that I was too trilled to get into the operating theatre but the anxiety would kill me first! Probably my facial expression gave me away, he then suggested I checked into the hospital in 2 weeks’ time and he’d get me prepped and I would wait and on ‘stand-by’; anytime a patient not coming (whatever that means!!) or they found an empty OT they would slot me in. He assured me I would not need to wait too long this way.

So I came home with the countdown started immediately. It was quite an agonizing 2-week wait; the thought of lying on the operating room table was enough to knock me off. What if I don’t wake up after the surgery? What if something goes wrong during the surgery? I worried for my family if I were gone; I have not washed my cars for the past months; I have not updated my iPOD for ages; I’m still yet to get back my Kompressor; I have not even switched on my phone for sometimes; I have bank loans to pay for my car and house… then again I remembered Woody Allen once said, “The key is not to think of death as an end, but as a very effective way to cut down on your expenses”.

Yeah I felt better already.


-HS

Visit Malaysia Year 2007

Our Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, who claimed that bloggers are liars when his ministry was criticized over a Visit Malaysia Year promo recently, was again “left red in his face” recently when he was told right on his face that “Overcharging by taxi drivers and traders, stinking cabs and poor knowledge by unsmiling frontliners have marred Malaysia’s image among Arab tourists”.

So our friend here didn’t do his homework before leaving for an “18-day tour of West Asian countries to promote Visit Malaysia 2007”? Sounds to me he doesn’t even know what’s happening right under his nose?!

What is so new about smelly cabs? Try any of the (so called) “Limo” taxi from KLIA, dirty Mercedes; ‘personalized’ cabin with stickers on the windows; smelly seats; rude drivers and the list goes on. City cabs? Just try flagging one from Puduraya to find out.

You want more, Mr Minister? Smelly toilets, over-charged toilets in the city malls, potholes everywhere in the city, pointless road signs, empty police booths, etc etc.

Perhaps take a little time off from sitting in your big office, acting bossy, making funny remarks at press conferences, making excuses “that’s not my fault!”, and go downtown without the usual entourage, Amani suit that screams “Make way! I’m a VIP! Show me only good news”!

It’s hard work I know, but you do get paid, don’t you?

BTW, know who paid you?


-HS



This is a basic toilet with standard cleaniness (no gold-plated stuff here) in Plaza Low Yat in KL. It cost me RM1 because I couldn't find any others!

This is a road sign meant for motorists... how slow should I drive to figure it out where's where?

Good money was spent on this welcom arch... but how slow do I need to drive to know where am I?

Saving your heart

Stem cell heart cure to be tested

Sixteen-year-old Dimitri Bonnville had already been accidentally shot in the heart with a nail gun while doing home repair, undergone open-heart surgery and suffered a massive heart attack, when doctors told his parents he needed a heart transplant.
The doctors did offer an alternative: Bonnville could become the first human to receive experimental stem-cell therapy to revive his damaged heart tissue. They went ahead with the procedure, the results of which could turn the stem-cell debate on its head.
Doctors at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, used a procedure that, if successful, could eliminate some of the controversy surrounding the medical use of embryonic stem cells, as well as the practice of therapeutic cloning.
"We're very excited because we think that there's already been substantial recovery of cardiac function," said William O'Neill, Beaumont's chief of cardiology, regarding Bonnville's progress.
The teenager's therapy began Feb. 17 with a four-day regimen of a drug that stimulated the production of stem cells in his blood. On Feb. 21, doctors harvested Bonnville's stem cells. Using a heart catheter, they transplanted the stem cells into the artery that supplies blood to the front of the heart.
He was discharged about a week later and is now recuperating at home. His doctors say they have never seen a recovery like his.

This event was shown on NatGeo last nite. It also tell about another guy, 41 who had a heart attack and with stem cells injected into his heart, was able to help the heart recover much more.

-SC

Astro Fees (2)

Astro to raise subscription fees.
KUALA LUMPUR: Astro will raise monthly subscription fees from June for existing customers due to rising costs.
But Astro said it will give more package options.
The Star, 4 May 2007.

Well dun say didnt warn you....
Maybe i just be friendly with the neigbour and go over to their house to watch Astro... just like back in the kampung....

-SC

SMART Project (2)

Few months back the opening of the SMART Tunnel was one of the hot topics amongst the politicians; looks like it's gonna be a success story so who can blame them for riding on it and gain some mileage?

So some told the newspaper it's going to open by April 7, and I even remember April 30 was mentioned too. Toll rates is another good thing to make some pages. 'Hey let's organize a Tunnel Run'!, Free Trial, and all that craps...

Today's May 2, 2007. The tunnel is yet to be opened (doesn't even look to me it'll be opening in the next 2 weeks). It looks the same to me as it was in February: the potholes on top of the tunnel project are still there; pools of water are still there after an earlier rain; the traffic lights are still as moody when they are needed most during peak hours.

Everyone seems to be extremely quiet these day! Everyone just conveniently forgets about what has been said earlier! Never mind, take your time I'd suggest. Judging from the 'standard' of the road surfaces on top of this multi-billion $$ project, a delay is just another day's job.

No need to rush-lah.


-HS