Happy Malaysia Day, from Malaysia

When the Prime Minister announced Movement Control Order  (MCO) on 16th March 2020, that Malaysia will shut its borders on 18th March 2020, I scrambled my things and head into Singapore. I had 2 major projects in April and August. Like thousands of Malaysians, there was a mad rush into the Republic on 17th March, and many hadn't come home since. There are still many that are still stuck (including my brother), between a rock and a hard place. 

I consider myself fortunate, and after completing my projects, I decided to come back. The flip-flops in immigration policies did not help. Those who have work permits could do home quarantine (PCA and RGL), while those who lost their jobs / do not have work permits need to serve compulsory 14-day hotel quarantine. Paying RM 2100 (hotel stay) + RM 150 (swap test) + RM 30 (Blood test) was the ticket to go home. 

The barrage of online reviews of not very appetizing meals and not very clean rooms (no housekeeping for 14 days) set the expectations right. I told myself to treat this like a camping trip, and had packed some snacks and food myself. In hindsight, to quarantine is for the benefit of the people around us. The last thing we want is to go home and infect our loved ones. 

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It was a cloudy Saturday morning and I left my place around 9.15am. I quickly cleared Singapore customs. 

Crossing the Causeway for JB, while a crow flies towards Singapore

For the Causeway, which is probably the world's busiest international land-border crossing (some 250,000 people cross daily), it has been a quiet 6 months. Built by British Malaya and opened in 1923, this historical causeway has been the most important travel mode between both countries. 

In 1942, the Japanese Imperial Army had crossed into Singapore in 1942 via the Causeway, after taking Malaya. 

Got shoved into the bus, and took the last seat (only 21 person per bus)

By 9.45am (in just 30 minutes after leaving Jurong West), I was already standing at JB Customs

Little did I know, it would be until 9pm before I check-in my hotel. I wasn't in a hurry, and prepared for the long haul. As usual, the system was not the most efficient, and we had lots of waiting, which was expected. I estimate that there were around 130 people who crossed the border. I was at no. 86. 

Venice - The city of canals and bridges

In December 2018, we were in Italy for a week for a family holiday. Italy has to be the choice, being the 'hottest' country in Europe in December. We are from the equator.  

The Swiss Alps - Quite magnificent 

Flying in from London via Ryan Air on a midday flight, we were treated to some spectacular bird's eye views. 

After the alpine planes (far upper left) I knew we were in Italy

Venice is probably the top tourist destination in Europe, but I was more attracted to the history and tradition. Venice was Europe's center of commerce, trade, arts, literature, architecture. In short, Venice was the richest city in Europe (and probably the world) in the 13th century. I would never forget my history text books, where I studied the Renaissance Period. Venice, was the at the heart of the Renaissance. 

Anyway, I was also aware that horrible floods will render the city inaccessible. There are no cars or taxis. But you would have guessed - there are water taxis. 

There was a horrible flood in November 2019:

https://www.malaymail.com/news/life/2019/11/16/st-marks-closed-after-fresh-flood-hits-venice/1810372

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I booked AirBnb on the mainland, near the Venezia-Mestre Railway station. Venice central (old town) is a host of islands, and lagoons, with cobbled streets. It was not ideal to drag luggage bags and was not the easiest place to navigate. The simplest way is to stay on the mainland, and take a bus across the Ponte della Liberta into Venice for the day. The bus ride was pleasant, and we got off the bus at Roma Main Terminal on the island. 

The perks of visiting during off-season can never be understated, and is something I prefer. 

Winter in Venice, though having shorter day-time, you still get blue skies

The City of Shenzhen

In July 2019, I was working in Guangzhou, or Dongguan to be exact. During the weekend, I visited Shenzhen, the city at the door of Hong Kong. 

Shenzhen used to be a sleepy town, as compared to Hong Kong, the Pearl of the Orient. 

The commercial hub of modern China in a glance

Taking the renowned High-speed rail, I travelled from Dongguan Station to Shenzhen Station in 50 minutes. The distance is around 100km. This means, the average speed was around 200km/hr. We haven't considered the stops and deceleration along the way. 

Comfortable and orderly - My only comment is that some English signs could help

I suppose you don't find English signs in France too. 

Checked-in to a hotel called Idea Jar (青年锦囊) Hotel, which was full of books

With a China Simcard, you could register to become a member via WeChat, and your room price gets deducted from RMB 206 (USD 30) to RMB 170 (USD 24) per night. It was a small windowless room, with a bed, and PC (with a huge monitor and an expensive looking headphone). I reckon young people may rent a room to play computer games the whole night, without being monitored by their parents. Anyway, I stopped planning computer games since I went to college. I felt that there are more interesting out there. 

If you plan to travel around China, having a China simcard is truly useful, and yields lots of discounts. However, a foreigner can only purchase a 'tourist' simcard at the airport. Normal phone shops won't sell you a simcard if you are a foreigner. The downside is, you can't access all banned applications (e.g. Whatsapp) and websites (e.g. Gmail, Facebook). You could use these apps or websites if you are on data roaming. 

Visiting Bangalore, India

India was on my wishlist for a very long time. I jumped on the opportunity for a working trip in May 2019. It's true that visiting India in the middle of summer is an adventure itself. 

Flew through Chennai - The plains were flat and you could feel the heat

Bangalore is the capital of Karnataka state, in South India. It is famed for being a techie, young and vibrant cosmopolitan. Known as the Silicon Valley of India, it is at an elevation of 900m above sea-level. As I spoke to a few local staffs at the hotel balcony, they explained the implications of development. The weather has changed due to deforestation and global warming. Anyway, Bangalore is still one of the greenest, and has one of the mildest climate in South India. This was where the British first made camp and chose as a summer vacation spot.

 Today, it attracts people from all over the country

MNCs set up their headquarters in 'campuses' 

Xiamen Family Home-coming Trip (Part 2 of 2)

In Part 1, we visited the ancestorial village of Zhan Chu, and met up with our relatives:
https://weesertan.blogspot.com/2020/07/xiamen-family-home-coming-trip-part-1.html

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We continued our vacation by visiting one of the (must see) major tourist attraction in Xiamen - the romantic, classical and car-less island of Gulangyu (鼓浪屿). It was Day 3, we left early and took the ferry, with 美珍表姐, one of my cousins who took a day's off to be our local guide.

Studying the map on the ferry

Gulangyu is a UNESCO World Culture Heritage site since 2017 with strong western influence. Xiamen became a treaty port after the First Opium War in the 1800s. The international settlers came - British, French, Dutch, Japanese... Today Gulangyu, and has several nicknames - such as piano island, island of music, and has one of the 'cleanest air index' in China.

                                         Highest point on the island - 日光岩 (Sunlight Rock)

View of downtown Xiamen from Gulangyu's 日光岩 (Sunlight Rock)

A former mansion of a tycoon

To be back in your birthplace definitely motivates

Back on land, we visited the Nan Pu Tuo Temple (南普陀寺) and Xiamen University. Xiamen University though, is no longer free to the public, as it was back in 2012. I think it became too touristy and security was a concern.

Famous landmarks of Xiamen

Nothing better to end a long/tiring day with steamboat - Haidilao (海底捞) of course

Haidilao is arguably the most famous steamboat / hotpot of our time

Supper was 月华沙茶面 (literally means 'satay noodle') - A favourite of mine

Xiamen's main shopping street - Zhongsan Road (中山路)

The few days in Xiamen was really pleasant, and packed with action. I hope the kinship will continue for generations to come. My grandparents would be proud. It's a shame Grandma didn't see me become who I am today. I think she'd be proud of me.

~~~

For the second leg of the vacation, I planned the itinerary to include Guangzhou (the capital of Guangdong province), a 5-hour high-speed train away. My maternal grandmother was from Guangdong province, so I suppose mom would also be happy to go to somewhere Cantonese-speaking. I split the 8-day trip into half. I reckon taking the high-speed rail would also be an interesting experience for everyone.

Off to Guangzhou

My work saw me going to Guangzhou, or more famously known as Canton three times in the past 2 years. Guangzhou airport has direct flight to Senai, an airport 20 minutes from home, so it was a convenient destination for the family.

Ah Feng, 姑姑 's grandson is currently based in Guangzhou. His mom (姑姑 's eldest daughter) and dad were there to help him manage his Alibaba online business

We had a pleasant stroll around Guangzhou city center. The city lived up to it's reputation as one of the trading capitals of the world. The skyline was quite spectacular. Guangzhou has always been the center of trade for China, having close proximity to Hong Kong. Politically, it was also the base for Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and revolutions were initiated there.

It was pleasant evening. The weather was perfect

Ah Feng has started making his mark, as compared to 8 years ago when I first met him. Like millions of Chinese youths, he rides the internet wave, and conducts online business/trading on clothes and apparels, leveraging on Alibaba's platform. It's a a potential rag-to-riches story in the making.

Today he rents this studio in the middle of town - We enjoyed the view

I was really pleased. He once told me his dream of traveling outside China. Hopefully, he will get his chance.

Guangzhou is nevertheless famed for its cuisine. Cantonese cuisine has influenced generations of chefs globally, especially in South East Asia. In fact, Cantonese is the official working language in the biggest Chinese restaurants kitchens in Malaysia. China is basically culturally divided into the North and South, with the Yang Tze (长江）as the marker. Cantonese normally embodies the best of Southern Chinese cuisine.

吴财记 Wantan noodles - One of the best I tasted

Unlike eating in Hong Kong, where there is a sense of urgency and stress to free up your seats for the next customer, we could enjoy our meals in Guangzhou.

A shop that sells herbal-chicken (We found chicken rather expensive in the city)

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I think the most meaningful trips are the ones with the family. As the parents age, and the children become more occupied with work / their own lives, times like these make life meaningful.

Looking at some 'printed' paintings (more of taking a rest)

COVID-19 will likely change the world of travel forever. I am not sure how many airlines could survice, with AirAsia 'qualified' as a PN17 status company. I am glad we made those wonderful trips. I suppose, when you feel like doing something, you should just do it, before it's too late. 

It's good to count our blessings, especially during trying times. 

PS: 3rd Great-uncle (小叔公), grandfather's youngest brother passed away a few days ago in Melaka, at a great age of 100. Ever since I could remember, without fail, we would visit him during Chinese New Year at his house in Bukit Baru, and then (in recent years) Malim Jaya. Being really fit, sharp and healthy even into his 90's, he would brew tea and treat us homemade cookies everytime we came. This year though, was different, as he fell ill and was bedridden. His demise marks an end of an era filled with history and tradition. It feels like the final chapter of this group of forefathers that left warring China for Malaya, in search of a better life. There isn't many who had witnessed WW2 and seen how the world has changed in the last century. It must have been a tiring yet fascinating adventure, having overcame all the hardships and struggles. He was a testament of the good/simple old days, and represented no-nonsense family values, hard work and frugality. I will always remember his nonchalant look, oozing class and confidence. 

Xiamen Family Home-coming Trip (Part 1 of 2)

In October 2019, we chose our ancestral home - Xiamen (厦门), China for a family holiday.

It's been too long since we had a full family holiday. I think the last time was Taiwan trip in Dec 2015. Our parents though, had multiple holidays and outings for the past 5 years, at least 2 annual oversea trips, as we took turns to bring them out. They can be considered frequent flyers.

~~~

We departed from KL to Xiamen Gaoqi airport via an evening flight. The morning before the flight, I arrived back in KL from London. Anyway, this was not the first time I took back-to-back flights in a day, but I don't expect this kind of travel to happen in the near future.

Before the family boarded the Yo-Yo Bus (airport liner) from Johor Bahru, I was already at KLIA killing time.

Xiamen, China is the family's origin. In fact, dad was born there, only to be the last 'kid' to leave the village with grandma in the 60's. Thus, this was also a family reunion trip. Dad's elder sister (姑姑) - Aunty Hua still lives in Xiamen. She was married off by grandpa at like 20, as the 'males' of the family left the village for then Malaya to trade and earn an income. There was no question of feeling self-pity or sadistic. Life was tough, and that was a fact, when the country is mismanaged by an incompetent government.

China had a turbulent modern history, since the end of the 1800's. The country suffered in the hands of the Europeans, who poisoned the population with drugs (opium). China lost badly in multiple opium wars, witnessed horrible scenes during Japanese occupation (WW2), endured a brutal civil war, and years of mismanagement during the early days of communist rule.

Countless families got displaced, and to survive was to do whatever it takes. Overseas Chinese of the early 19th century had nothing to lose. Tin mine coolees, deckhand at ports, farmers, fishermen, petty traders... Any work that puts food on the table, was worth doing. By sheer hard work and ingenuity, some would strike it big in life.

Still, the condition outside then-China was still so much better. Those who left actually had little social status in China, and were mostly from the coastal cities.

~~~

Unsurprisingly, the first destination the next day (Day 1) was to head back to village of Zhan Chu/Zheng Cuo (增厝), in Tong An (同安), nowadays redrawn and named Xiang An (翔安). It's around 2 hours drive from Xiamen city center.

The ancestral home - 2 generations after grandfather left for Melaka

Returning to the Constitution’s Path of Moderation | Shad Saleem Faruqi ...

Every Malaysian should watch this speech, on your rights, heritage and stand.



Hats off to you Prof. 

Traveling America: Washington DC: Part 3 of 3

Previously in Part 2, I visited the Capitol, and Ford's Theater, where President Lincoln was shot: 

https://weesertan.blogspot.com/2020/07/traveling-america-washington-dc-part-2.html

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DC has an NBA team - Washington Wizards. Since there was a game in town, I thought why not.

DC's Capital One Arena was a huge indoor stadium

Not the biggest game on the calendar (USD 22/ticket)

Some impressive play

A fellow traveler at the Hostel from Taiwan - Albert explained that this was an end-season game, and both teams had nothing much to play for. They may even 'lack' the motivation to win, as finishing lower in the table means they have a higher priority to choose rookie (new) players next season. No wonder I felt that the game was quite lackluster at times.

Wizard's Bradley Bill (had to Google for for famous players) only played 2 quarters.

Traveling America: Washington DC: Part 2 of 3

I had a fantastic Day 1 in DC, as spring arrived. Walking in DC was splendid:

https://weesertan.blogspot.com/2020/07/traveling-america-washington-dc-part-1.html

The weather forecast for Day 2 however, was least amazing, so I conveniently planned to stay indoors - visiting the Capitol.

The visitor center was really informative, with helpful and friendly staffs

There were many delightful tours - A full day wasn't sufficient

Chief Washakie (left) and Freedom, who stands on top of the Capitol (right)

Traveling America: Washington DC Part 1 of 3

Previously on Weesertan.blogspot.com, I spent 3 nights at Niagara Falls, and confirmed that the waterfalls did not freeze:
https://weesertan.blogspot.com/2019/06/travelling-america-niagara-falls.html

Today is the second half of 2020, and 4th of July. I thought it's a perfect time to continue writing about the New World.

DC climbed into my top 3 favourite cities (along with Istanbul and Edinburgh) - Very well-planned, neat and so much of tradition and history

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I was glad to bid farewell to freezing Niagara Falls, I took the 12.17pm AMTRAK train to Washington DC. There is no direct trains to DC, so I had to transit at New York Penn Station. Total travel time was 14 hours!

Glad to have a few stops along the way