Ching Ming 2008 Part 1

Offerings for my Pertenal Grand Parents

at the Po Tay Temple

Last week on Sunday, It's was off to the various places for the family annual ching ming do. First we were at the Beow Hiang Lim Temple in Ayer Itam and then to the Christian Cemetery at Western Road and then Lastly to the Po Tay Temple at Bagan Jamal.

For the Story and last year visit go here.

Fruits Stall

This year we actually when for cheng ming 2 days after the actual day. but being sunday the crowd were still around. We manage to do the shopping earlier, for fruits, and the joss items leaving just the food stuffs and flowers for the last moment.

This resulted in a pretty full car boot, after a container of water and the vegetarian food stuffs. At the 2 chinese temples we provided prayers and offerings.

Burning Paper "Money", "Cloths" and " shoes"

Prayer table at the Beow Hiang Lim Temple.

It's getting harder to go for Ching Ming, 3 Kids to handle and 2 of them are young ones, but we still have to do it. Big Brother took us to Corner Club for their Tim Sum, Pretty good, Located at Gurney Drive.

Queensbay Mall, Penang

My last visit to this place was around april 07, when it was still being open. After much bugging by my wife, I decided to ignore the Silly Season on going, and pop in just after 5pm, yesterday, a Monday. .

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Picture taken while going in

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Picture taken while going out!

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. It was a Good Choice for us, its was very quite day here, and I decided to park at the open air carpark near the south entrance. As such after paying the RM1, fee for per entry we entered the complex from the south side. The Main concourse was still has the Chinese New Year Decorations.

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Well after all this months, more shops have came in, and as such we were window shopping from one end to the other end, which is quite taxing to our feet. There must be more seats for us to rest.

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Jaya Jusco, the anchor have some interesting items under its Jusco Selection brand, I hope to try out some of their items to see it they are of restaurant quality.

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We went back too the same Pizza Hut that we had dinner last time to try out their special, but that the next post. Well Queensbay Mall is improving and I am beginning to like Jusco.

Nice Family Dinner @ Tanjong Bungah, Sing Pin Restaurant

Fancy a good Malaysian Chinese Seafood meal at affordable price? .

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Location : Near Tanjong Bungah Market Opening Hours ; Lunch and Dinner Time only Food type : Chinese Seafood Meal .

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Siang Pin Restaurant is located right next to the Tanjong Bungah Market, it’s a pretty small restaurant with out frills, no air con and the tables are located along the five foot way of adjacent shops, but the food is superb.

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My brother in Law was in town, after spending 6 months in Singapore as a cook, as such it was mandatory for us to pay a visit at Batu Ferringhi. Pop in Law said “let have dinner together” as such it was decided that we should pay a visit to Siang Pin Restaurant, which is the nearest place for affordable price and decent food. .

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There were 8 adults, 4 child and one baby. Total Damage, RM100 with change. What good there were the Mantis Prawns with Dry Chillie Stout Flavored Fried Chicken, you can feel the Kick of the Stout in this dish Fish Head Curry And the piece de resistance of this night were the Braised Pork Belly

Registering a Birth

Well with my new baby, I have to go to the National Registration Department at the Federal Building Penang to get my baby registered to get her birthcert and her MYKID. Having some experience here I did not anticipate a long wait.

Well I was right, all it took me was just 35min to register and to get the birthcert, the MYKID will take about a month. Very Polite Staff, nice place to wait, well lay out.

I must say that the National Registration Department, must be one of the most efficient and customer orientated government department we have. Must be due to the two 100% change over of Identity Card we have gone through.

Well Thank to the Nurse at the Hospital in briefing me on what i must take along as well in how to fill in the form (provided at the hospital ward), the Neonatal Book, My IC and my Wife IC, my marriage cert, it was a breeze. The only grip about it is at the Building lobby, there were no one to guide a person who is not familiar with the building or which department to go to for which job.

Announcement

Announcing the arrival of my 3rd child, a cute girl, weighing in at 3.5kg by normal delivery , on the 9th September 2007, at 4.06am at the Seberang Jaya General Hospital. Mother and Child have been discharge and are resting at Home.

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As with all babies, there are sign of Jaundice, at the test taken at the local clinic, results were slightly on the high side. we were advice to return for further test in two days time. Hope it does not get worst, Daughter number 2, have to be warded for quad phototherapy for one week.

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I have taken a few days off to do the running around especially for all the paperwork and the marketing

Lemongrass Thai Restaurant

Name of Restaurant : 51 Lemongrass Restaurant

Location: Jalan Sungai Kelian, Tanjung Bungah, Turn left at the Crown Prince Hotel traffic light, go straight, and turn left, climb hill, restaurant on the right (semi detach single story house) around 100+ meters.

Type of Food : Thai Food

Category: Restaurant

Price : $$$

Parking : road side parking

Time : Lunch and Dinner

Non Halal

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In my earlier post Number One Daughter Birthday I mention that we celebrated my eldest daughter 9th birthday at the Lemongrass restaurant.

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This restaurant which has open around one year ago is a single story semi detach house in the Hillside area of Tanjung Bungah, and is one of the many restaurants that has mushroom up in the area serving Hillside, Concord, Azuria Apartments, and the Boon Siew Flats and New Housing Estate area in the past few years. Patron consits mainly of the locals, as well as customers from the 5 International Hotel along the Main Tg Bungah Road, and the Tunku Abdul Rahman College.

This restaurant has a nicely laid out garden and decoration, think survivor / bali look and you will get the picture.

The food was spicy in general, and adequate, not exceptional and to me pricey, however I could have miss out their specialties or it was the Chef off day. We had the Thai appetizer, Crispy pork knuckle, seafood otak otak, among others. Pictures did not turn out too well, as it was quite dim in the restaurant. Below are the adequate photos. There were around 20 other customer in 3 other tables that night. This Restaurant have limited seating capacity.

Thai Appetizer

Crispy Pork Knuckles

Total Damage for Food and Drinks RM300 nt

Ghost Festival 2007

The Ghost Festival is a traditional Chinese Festival which is celebrated by the Chinese in this country and is usually celebrated on the 7th Month of the Chinese calendar (usually around August / September) which is considered the ghost month, where business drop for the Restaurants. This is due to the fact that Chinese do not like to leave their house after night falls unless for urgent business as the Spirits may be mischievous and cause trouble or havoc to those who do so. This year alone there have been a sprat of Express Bus accidents with multiple death as well as fires during this time. On the 14th Day onwards there will be “shows” held at various localities for the entertainment of the ghost, spirits as well as other Night Life as to appease them.

This shows are usually at temples but not necessary so and there will be various offerings and joss stick burning during the entire time the festival is on at the location.

This Shows were usually Chinese (Teow Chew Style) Opera, but in this Modern age, new type of shows have creep in due to three main factors. Firstly there are lesser Chinese Opera troops, Secondly there are more localities having this festival, thus increasing demand on the existing troops. Thirdly, the living spectators which has been brought up on Modern Entertainment demand lead to Modern shows which features usually Scantily dressed Female Performers (increasingly foreign) singing through the night which are available. (Around Twenty years back, TV’s were set up and video of tape Chinese opera was played.) .

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I usually do not go to observe or participate in this type of festivals, mainly due to the locality I stay as well as the inclination of my family. However this year I have the privilege of staying in a housing estate that celebrate this festival a mere 100 meter from my rented house. .

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At this place, this festival have became the “Highlight” and the “Night Life” of the Locality, Three temporary large sheds were set up, one of the Food, one for the offerings and one as the stage, with a place for the Joss Sticks.

The Stage, As you can see, there is a large crowd of spectators, The Show going on is the the traditional Chinese opera performance. The K750i camera is swarmed by the light condition, as such the show cannot be seen.

The Offerings , Various prayers with various offering which may included Roast Suckling Pigs, Beers, Rice and others, note the giant “Emperor of Hell” figure at the end of the shed.

The Food Stalls

What a festival with out the food? After walking and looking around, we stop at the food shed. In fact the place have the atmosphere of a small pasar malam which various stalls selling food and other stuffs. .

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We had the Loh Bak, which is basically various snack type food stuffs deep fried cut up and serve with two types of dip one which is a spicy dip.

See Kor Th’ng a combination dessert drink, the char koey teow, which was surprising palatable.

We also pack to take home the Ba Chang Koey a type of Chinese peanut pancake. It is prepared in a big pan, and is folded in half and cut in to pieces.

As well as the Sotong Bakar, Dry Grilled Squid which have been Stretch and pulled, Chewy but fragrant.

The End Product, ready to eat with chillies, pounded peanuts. good with Beer as a snack

The Starting Product, Dry Squid with Squid being grilled at the background

The device to stretch out, the squid, previously the squid was pounded with a hammer.

Goddess of Mercy Temple in Penang

My wife requested me to bring her to the Goddess of Mercy Temple at Pitt Street, George Town, Penang for her to perform some prayers. So this fine Monday after breakfast at Tanjung Bungah Market we drove to George Town to drop by at the Temple for prayers.

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The Roof of the Temple, click to enlarge and zoom in to see details of the roof ornaments.

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"Now for a bit of history. Goddess of Mercy Temple Also called the Kwan Yin Teng, it is one of the oldest Chinese temples in Penang. Built in 1801 by early immigrant settlers from China, the building is decorated with intricately crafted dragons and a pair of stone sculptured lions which are said to be its guardians. "

Source Intenet web sites.....

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"Undoubtedly the most popular Chinese temple in Penang, the Kuan Yin Teng, is flocked by pilgrims and followers all year round, particularly on the first and fifteenth day of each lunar month. There is a lovely square where puppet shows and Chinese operas are staged on the Goddess of Mercy's feast days. The square is always a centre of bustling activity, and there is an octagonal well in one corner, which was once a public well for the Chinese community."

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Source Internet website.

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My wife perform the Prayers with me taking care of our Number 2 daughter. I took the opportunity to take a few snapshots of the Temple, however it is a bit difficult in taking photos while taking care of a 2 year old.

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Offerings to the Goddess, Lotus Shape Candles .

The Main Altar

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On this same street as the temple there is a church, a mosque, and a temple, all located in George Town, Penang, This temple is one of the Main Tourist Site in Penang Island.