That grin again

Yoshi, my brother...

Happy Birthday!

YL is super busy these days jet-setting as if he's trying to live the fantasy of being a corporate high flyer, and will be away on Sophie's 5th birthday, so we had an early celebration for her at her school today.

I decided cupcakes will be a nice deviation from the usual butter/flour/ice-cream cakes, and ordered some in an animal theme. The Cantonese have a saying, "hou tai, mm hou sik" (nice to see, not nice to eat), so I didn't expect much from this batch. It turned out pretty decent. Or maybe I was just famish from skipping breakfast & lunch. I hid in a corner of the school and gobble one up when the kids were done and had gone off to their next activity.

Baba, who also did not have breakfast or lunch, literally shoved one down his throat in less time it took my camera to fire up to take a shot of him doing it. [Yes, I didn't get the shot in time.]

Aah...life in hectic sunny Singapore...

Getting ready for the birthday song

She reminded me in the morning, to "remember to bring Didi" to her party. It's perplexing how she loves to show him off in public, but avoids him at home.

Sophie giving out the activity book to her classmates.

Sophie often brings home goodie bags from birthday parties at school filled with sweets and junk food which goes straight to the bin, because, firstly, one have no choice but to be selective with food these days, and secondly, Sophie has inherited her father's discerning taste buds so she actually doesn't eat them.

So we wanted to make things as simple as possible - cakes for all, an organic lolly each, a packet of Milo/Vitasoy, a mini Cornetto, an activity book each, and a short, sweet birthday song to top it all off. What more can a 5-year old ask for??

Standing

His fat little legs are beginning to bear his weight better, so he's been performing his latest trick - standing unassisted - a bit more these days.

Swinging Siblings

Ju at 9 months in Damansara

Sophie at 7 months in London

The Singapore Zoo (again)

A couple of years ago, we visited the Singapore Zoo so frequently as if it was in our backyard. And we didn't even own a car at that time. Today, after a hiatus of over a year, we finally returned, this time with Popo and Ju in tow.

First stop was the Rainforest Kidzworld, a water play area. (Sophie made sure we remembered that this is our ultimate goal)

When she was satisfied with that, we went to watch the feeding of the polar bears.

Look, Baba! BEAR!
Quick shot against the reservoir

Giraffes in the background

Summer in Hong Kong

YL and I spent a week in Hong Kong earlier this month during the peak of its summer season. It was baking hot and humid, but we were fortunate that we were not incapacitated by any of the typhoons or floods that plagued the area in the weeks leading up to our visit.

There are few photos worth showing from this visit, partly because we hardly visited any of the usual tourist sites, save for The Peak (only for a brisk, cool morning walk) and the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront for a view of the famous Hong Kong night skyline (appropriately impressive) and the much-touted Symphony of Lights show (a disappointment).

Actually, we did visit a couple of other attractions but they are off-the-well-trodden tourist track: the Sam Tung Uk (Three Pillar House), a refurbished 18th century Hakka walled village in the New Territories (highlight of the visit was the screening of a documentary made in the 70's of the fast disappearing Hakka crafts, cuisine and culture) and the Museum of History (worth a visit if you enjoy history).

We spent the rest of our time meeting up with friends and relatives, checking out the local eateries, shopping (me) and working (YL). It was an unexpectedly tiring trip for me, and I was not able to indulge in the massage that I have been fantasizing about, nor catch the movie that I have been hoping to watch. Ah well, at least it was an adult holiday sans the kids, where we could eat when we wanted to eat, where we wanted to eat without having to worry about the availability of clean boiled water or air-conditioning, or the suitability of the food; where we could run to catch a tram without lugging 5 bags and a stroller; where we could sleep an extra hour in the morning without the incessant "Mamma, Mamma,....Baba, Baba!!" intruding into our disippating dreams.

A brisk morning walk and a birds' eye view of the CBD at the Victoria Peak

The highlight of our culinary adventures was this private kitchen, Si Jie on Lockhart Road in Wan Chai which served up Szechuan dishes. Private kitchens are great examples of the entrepreneurial Hong Kongers' way of tackling the problem of high shop rentals in prime areas. They rent flats and convert them into "restaurants". It felt strange going up to a typical residential building, ringing on the doorbell, and entering into someone's flat. The difference is finding 8 large round tables in the living/dining room area.

Most of our 6 dishes were oily and ...what else...fiery hot. Very soon after the first dish came - the cold spicy noodles - we had to slow down to give some rest to our numb, assaulted mouths. Other dishes were saliva chicken (spicy), French beans (spicy), fish fillet in chilli peppers (*#@#$% spicy), salt & pepper prawns (thank god not spicy) and stir fried vegetables (much needed respite).

Fish fillet in chilli pepper oil (or maybe it was the other way around)


Yue Kee Roast Goose in Shum Tseng (Deep Well), near the airport. Thanks, Patrick! Yummy, but a little fat for our taste.
Morning cuppa, typical Hong Kong thick toast & polo bun at the local wet market near the hospital where YL is visiting

Famous Mak's wanton noodles. Apparently even Anthony Boudain visited this place. The wanton were tightly packed with shrimp & pork meat, and the soup was tasty. But I dare say we can find similar quality in Malaysia.... :P Malaysia boleh!