Malaysia
Angin & Air
Drive into any petrol station in Malaysia and you’re bound to see a sign “Angin Dan Air”. This sign really confused me when I was new in Malaysia and knew very little Malay. You see, angin [ah-ngin] means ‘air’ while air [ayh] means ‘water’. The sign, of course, means ‘air and water’ but my brain, … Continue reading
Mid-Autumn Festival
Today, Malaysia joins China, Hongkong, Taiwan and Korea in celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival. The festival falls on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, when the moon is at its maximum brightness for the entire year. The festival also came to be known as ‘Mooncake Festival’ due to the consumption … Continue reading
Twilight At Port Dickson
Port Dickson is a small town some 40 minutes away by car from Kuala Lumpur. Its beaches are beautiful, its sand soft and fine, its sunsets awe-inspiring. DH, the kids and I went there again last June, together with some friends from London. We didn’t stay the night though. While DH herded the kids into … Continue reading
On ‘Minum’ & ‘Inom’
When I was new in Malaysia, I was shocked to hear people asking each other out for a drink, even in the morning. “Jom, I belanja you minum!” (Come, I’ll buy you a drink!) It’s quite common to go into an office at 10 am or so and find that person nowhere to be found. … Continue reading
Pulasan
When I first came to Malaysia, I was introduced to a plethora of exotic new foods. One of them is the strange-looking fruit called pulasan (scientific name: Nephelium mutabile). From a distance, the fruit’s overall look reminds you of the rambutan but instead of being hairy, it’s kinda spongy and the colour is deeper, more … Continue reading
