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  • London: The Breakfast Club

    London: The Breakfast Club

    London: The Breakfast Club – Have been looking for a good breakfast in London lately and I found this on a recommendation by a friend – The Breakfast Club. I went for a brunch last Saturday and it was a crazily long and cold 45 minutes queue for it. I guess, the food is really good, or the premise is very small.

    After spending almost an hour outdoor in the cold air, the lady came out and told us that our table is ready. Indeed, the place is rather small. Hungry and cold, I quickly placed my order and ordered the first thing on the menu, a Full Monty Breakfast @ £9.70, which I guess is one of their best one since it’s the first Club Classic section. It’s a typical English breakfast set which consiss of bacon, sausage, black pudding, eggs, home-style fried potatoes, mushrooms, beans, grilled tomato and toasted multigrain bloomer.

    I don’t know whether is it my oriental taste bud is not suiting the English food, or what, I find it not that interesting. Black pudding is the least interesting of all, so do the salty sausage. Overall, it’s somewhat similar to other English Breakfast that I’ve had before, except the potatoes was quite nice. I don’t like the portion of the mushroom was that less. Try the All American pancakes for your first visit, it seems to be a better choice as my friend told me.

    Click here for the list of outlets for The Breakfast Club. The one I went to was at Camden Passage, out Angel Station.

  • London’s Chinatown During Chinese New Year

    London’s Chinatown During Chinese New Year

    London’s Chinatown During Chinese New Year – London’s Chinatown has one of the biggest Chinese New Year celebration out of Asia, read again, it’s not the ‘the biggest’, but one of the biggest, so there’s still other great CNY celebration places like Sydney, Vancouver, NYC, Los Angeles, San Francisco and more.

    Although Newcastle has a Chinatown, it’s rather quiet during normal days and during CNY too. So, I’ve travelled down to London to experience the Chinese festive season and to see how great the celebration was. The celebration venues cover the Trafalgar Square and Chinatown where the square has a main stage for performance and Chinatown is the end point for the parade. Sounds interesting?

    Unfortunately, I woke up late due to a party I had the night before and only got to Chinatown at noon! The sound of Chinese drums ‘dong dong qiang’ can be heard from far where the sign of lion dance could not be seen in any near distance. The most craziest thing was the packed crowds, where you can hardly move a bit and the worst, you can’t even see what’s ahead of the crowds. I’ve no idea where were the crowds heading to. It’s like an open-day for Chinatown, people just visit the place, for fun. Seriously, there’s not much to see in Chinatown at that time, it’s just maybe, a few Lion Dance, and that’s it. Why would people wanted to visit the Chinatown so badly during CNY but not normal days?! It’d made me so difficult to walk and look for food at that time. I wanted to have a good lunch at Chinatown, but the ended abandoning the place and head over to Covent Garden for food.

    So, Chinatown during Chinese New Year was really crowded, but honestly, it’s not as fun as I thought. Yes, there’s  the festive feeling, many people, there’s Lion Dance, and lanterns (that were not light up), but that’s it. Come at night, it would be better when the crowd dispersed, or very early in the morning, but not noon time. Now, I want to try other places’ Chinatown like NYC, SF, Sydney and Vancouver which I’ve read that it’s very happenings during Chinese New Year.

  • How I Celebrated Chinese New Year In The UK

    How I Celebrated Chinese New Year In The UK

    How I Celebrated Chinese New Year In The UK – ‘There’s no such thing as Chinese New Year here in the UK’, some said to me; but the beautiful festive just went on as usual with good food, gambling & friends, minus the receiving of Ang Bao and the reunion with family & friends back in hometown. The feeling before Chinese New Year was quite depressing, especially a few days before, when you see people posting status about heading back hometown, posting photos of CNY decorations and the preparation for this festive.

    However, the festive feeling turned on when I changed up a set of clothing, and went for a good meal with a bunch of Malaysian-friends who were in the same situation of not getting to celebrate Chinese New Year. The family back in the hometown got to eat a good meal, so do we, far away from home. The most important thing is get-together, since it’s a tradition festive, getting-together for a little bit of time is good, it’s not just just spending the whole day at work and being alone.

    I shut myself from working on assignments, I stopped thinking about budget during the past CNY weekends and had a good time eating some really good meal. There’s the first ‘reunion’ dinner at a Malaysian restaurant then a KTV session on the CNY’s eve. Then I attended a Chinese New Year dinner organised by my university’s Malaysian Society and spend the night with many Malaysian on Chor 1. The celebration shifted from Newcastle to London where I had a good steamboat and drunk night, with again friends from Malaysia, but specifically, Penang. Lastly, a visit to the super-crowded Chinatown in London on Chor 3 had gave me a strong feel of the Chinese New Year atmosphere in a foreign land. A great weekend I had, and it’s time to get back to work. Happy Chinese New Year to all!

  • Happy Horse-picious Chinese New Year & Gong Hei Fatt Choi

    Happy Horse-picious Chinese New Year & Gong Hei Fatt Choi

    CNY14 // Happy Horse-picious Chinese New Year & Gong Hei Fatt Choi – First time in my life, I don’t get to eat a sumptuous reunion dinner with my family. I am going to miss some of the least seen faces of the distance relatives, the ang baos are either being ignored or being kept in mom’s ‘pocket’ and will miss out tons of gathering, food and a mind out of anything. I am in the UK, an ang mo country, and there’s no such thing as Chinese New Year. I am just so proud of being a Malaysian that I celebrate festivity of multiple ethnicity.

    Of course, I do miss home, looking at the CNY ads on Youtube, and listening to the CNY songs will some times roll some tears in my eyes, the tear of missing home. But hey, I chose to come here to study for a year, means I’m prepared to experience the CNY away from home. It’s a tough one and I am grateful that I am here for only a year, so the distance of heading back home is not far away. Nevertheless, CNY is still ON for me, reunion dinner is off but a big feast with Malaysian is on! A visit to London’s Chinese New Year’s festival is also on and of course, the tune of CNY songs will be blasting out my speakers throughout the 15 days of the celebration in my dorm room. Dong dong qiang!
    Happy Chinese New Year to all of you. Stay healthy, stay wealthy, and have a horse-picious Chinese New Year!
  • Macau: Inside Macau Galaxy Resort Hotel

    Macau: Inside Macau Galaxy Resort Hotel

    Macau: Inside Macau Galaxy Resort Hotel – My Taipei trip didn’t end there as my trip continued on to Macau. The Macau Galaxy Resort Hotel was the place I stayed for 2 nights. Well, it does looks very grand and luxurious with all the glittering and shinny decoration as well as the very friendly service from their beautiful staffs.
    Service was really good, and too the atmosphere and the scent that smells good in the hotel. Casino is bright and fresh, and there’s a variety of food and retail outlets to kill your boredom. Talking about food right, after arriving at Macau, the taste buds got turn on again, as I myself still prefer Macau-Hong Kong food rather than Taiwanese food!
    Speaking back to the Galaxy Resort Hotel and a very simple wrap up of the place, the hotel room is quite small when comparing to the other Macau’s hotel – The Venetian Macau, and the interior of The Venetian has more of the European feeling which I more personally prefer. If you are heading in group, like a family, spend the night at The Venetian rather than the Galaxy for bigger room. But after all, the place is real cool! It just depends on whether you like a bright place to gamble or a dim and romantic place to place your bet. =D
    Took the red one (TurboJet) from Hong Kong International Airport to Macau. During my visit to Macau back in 2008, I took the Cotai Water Jet before.
    Heading to heaven.
    Galaxy here I come!
    Dropping of at the lobby. Something interesting I found about in Macau’s hotel is that whenever you alight or board a taxi, the concierge will pass you a ticket, which states the time you get in or off the taxi and the taxi number. I believe this is very useful whenever you have drop anything in the cab, so you can contact the cab company easily.
    Long LIMO!
    Giant Dimaond In Dancing Fountain. Besides being a welcoming piece, I know it’s definitely set up based on feng shui. Come on, this is China.
    Welcome to Galaxy Hotel.
    Inside Galaxy Hotel.
    Reception Area.
    A standard hotel room of Galaxy Macau. Looks very standard, and nothing special.
    Another view of the hotel room.
    Hotel corridor.
    Overlooking Banyan Tree Macau, swimming pool and man-made beach. Although there’s a man-made beach, don’t expect that much, it’s really very small!
    A group of model posing at the lobby. No idea what for, just posing and they looks like Thai’s ladyboy. HAHAHA.
    Ladyboy-alike 1.
    Ladyboy-alike 2.
    Wishing crystals at the Crystals Hall. I know, I know, it’s feng shui again!
    Say hi, to Nick Chan.
  • Taipei: Bopiliao Old Street

    Taipei: Bopiliao Old Street

    Taipei: Bopiliao Old Street – The day before leaving Taipei was a free-and-easy day which that day itself has nothing to do, or place to go. The itinerary of that day was just random walk, shopping, eat and rest before heading to the next destination – Macau. So, I went to ask the hotel receptionist is there is any places to see around Ximending, and she recommended me to go to this Bopiliao Old Street for a little walk.
    Bopiliao Old Street is located along Lane 173, Kangding Road, south of Laosong Elementary School in Taipei’s Wanhua District. At this Bopiliao Historic District, visitors can see well-preserved streets and traditional shop homes from the Qing period, as well as buildings from the Japanese occupation and early post-war periods.
    Well, it’s very history, well-preserved, but it’s quite empty as well and nothing much to do. This place is more like a film setup, or a place for portraiture photography. But hey, if you have nothing to do, so a visit to here can kill time too.
    Spotted this old shoplots along Kangding Road.
    Capturing the crossing.
    The entrance to Bopiliao.
    Just a street, very clean, and very well-restored and preserved.
    Wedding photography on going.
    Several houses were housing some art exhibition.
    A light installation.
    Another view of Bopiliao.
    Nick Chan.
  • Taipei: Famous Shihlin Night Market

    Taipei: Famous Shihlin Night Market

    Taipei: Famous Shihlin Night Market – How can you not visit the famous Shihlin Night Market if you are in Taipei? Although there’s friend claiming that it’s too touristy, there’s some better one like Raohe, or Shida, or Keelung, or blablabla whatever it is, yet it’s still the most famous and one of the best in my opinion! And very sad, I found the same pants that I’ve bought at Wufenpu, was selling cheaper here at Shihlin! So, the one who says Shihlin is touristy and expensive is just not true.
    Yes, it’s touristy, but then there’s still many locals visiting the night market. You can bargain with the stall owner on the price. You can find almost all Taiwanese street food here and the best part for that night, the temperature drop to 18 celcius after so many days of warmness. Oh yeah!
    On the way to Shihlin after alighting at Shihlin Subway Station.
    Funny and cool, the a dedicated pedestrian way on the road instead of bicycle lane of something else.
    Taiwanese at Shihlin.
    Shopping on-going.
    Little vendor selling mobile phone case.
    More Taiwanese.
    Mu Gua Niu Nai, papaya milk shake, good for getting bigger boobs.
    Jelly on a stick.
    The jelly stick.
    Game stall, a thing that you won’t find in Malaysian’s night market. Cute.
    Ji Lie Ge. I didn’t find this stall in the must-eat of Shihlin, but I’ve to tell you after trying it, it’s a must-eat!
    It’s just deep fried chicken cutlet which mixed with various sauces like garlic, cheese and soy sauce. The sauce is the bomb!
    Grilled scallops on a stick.
    There’s a same stall in Gurney Plaza, Penang, and I guess this is the original one in Taiwan. As usual, awesome, but not cheap.
    More Taiwanese!
    More game stall. =D
    Bang.
    Bang bang.
    Shihlin used to have food stalls by the roadside of the night market, but few years ago, the government built an underground space to accommodate all the food stalls to create a food section, underground. Many complains about it, but I find it fine.
    As crowded and happenings as on the ground, the food choices are superb.
    Bitter-gourd juice is my super favourite.
    Tried the sesame pork kidney here. Exotic and delicious!
    Pork Kidney with spring onion in sesame soy sauce.
    Another street food to try – Da Chang Bao Xiao Chang, or literally means small sausage wrapped in big sausage.
    Sausage in making.
    The outer layer is actually rice sausage and the inner sausage is the real sausage. Sweet and yummy! Must try!
  • Taipei: Evening Walk At Tamsui (Dan Shui) & Fisherman Wharf

    Taipei: Evening Walk At Tamsui (Dan Shui) & Fisherman Wharf

    Taipei: Evening Walk At Tamsui (Dan Shui) & Fisherman Wharf – Tamsui or Danshui is a sea-side town out of Taipei city-centre where you can enjoy a weekend stroll, eat some nice street food at the Lao Jie, or capture an awesome scenic sunset.
    Tamsui is pretty relaxing, where you can find food, enjoy the breeze and just take your busy mind off for a little while. Tamsui Laojie also has the stall selling very tall ice cream cone! It’s not just one stall, but there’s a few one, the  authentic one is located at the end of Laojie, nearest to the seaside, and there’s a few imitations in between. Tiedan is one hard preserved egg that can be bought as souvenirs, or just eat at there, though I don’t find it delicious. It’s just sweet, preserved and processed egg, looks like century egg but taste differently.
    Buy a ticket to the ferry, hop on and take a short ferry ride to Fisherman Wharf, then cross the Lover’s Bridge, then your trip at Tamsui is completed. Just catch a bus ride back to Tamsui Metro Station then, it’s time to go back to the city! Yeah.
    Human street art statue, real human, fake dog. Good job.
    Tamsui / Danshui Lao Jie.
    Deep Fried Mushroom.
    Fook Chew Fishball!
    More of Tamsui Lao Jie.
    This is not the first and authentic tall ice cream cone stall! I’ve got misled to this one and bought a cone.
    Red Bean Biscuit, something interesting to try also.
    The real and authentic tall jumbo ice cream cone stall.
    Girl with cone!
    Red Bean Biscuit!
    Tamsui Old Street again.
    Red Bean Biscuit again.
    Poodle and kid.
    Relaxing seaside promenade.
    Statue doing breakdance. LOL. or Gymnast.
    Kuanyin Mountain across the Tamsui River.
    A large patch of green field by the riverside.
    No sunset for that day.
    Jin Se Shui An.
    On the ferry, heading out to Fisherman Wharf and met with strong wave.
    Lover’s Bridge.
    The ferry.
    Just a bridge. I feel that bridges at Putrajaya is so much nicer. HAHA.
    This gives tha name of Lover’s Bridge.
  • Taipei: Interesting Visit To Beitou Hotspring Museum & Thermal Valley

    Taipei: Interesting Visit To Beitou Hotspring Museum & Thermal Valley

    Taipei: Interesting Visit To Beitou Hotspring Museum & Thermal Valley – Taipei has various hot spring site, one of which is Xin Beitou where you can find numerous hot spring hotel where you can enjoy a healthy dip in the natural warm water.
    However, the hot sprint is not as open as I thought, I thought of the hot water pool would be set outdoor, or a nicely built indoor bath pool, but then it’s more like a private hotel room with a bath tub of hot spring water. You can book for a room with the hot spring bath tub by hours, or you can just stay overnight, it’s just like a typical hotel. That’s it. If you visit with your partner, then it’s gonna be a good dip. =D
    Nevertheless, even if you don’t plan for a dip, a visit to Xin Beitou is recommended too, you can check out the old Japanese-built Beitou Hotspring Museum, the beautiful Taipei Public Library, and feel the steam and the farting sulphuric hot gas at the Thermal Valley. Not recommended to visit during summer! It was spring when I visited and it’s still very warm!
    Beitou Station where you change to head to Xin Beitou Station.
    Different metro line as this line only goes to Xin Beitou where the hot spring is.
    Taipei Public Library, Beitou Branch. The architecture darn cool right! Ho liao.
    The Beitou Hot Spring Museum.
    Queuing to get in to the museum. FREE OF CHARGE, I LIKE!
    The hall.
    Old movie poster.
    Very small pool.
    Larger bath pool. It’s definitely so much smaller when you compare it with the Turkish bath houses.
    Corridor.
    It may seems close, but it’s really not good walking under the heat!
    The public hot spring, the one and only with outdoor pool!
    Beitou Thermal Valley. Yeah yeah.
    Steam.
    More Steam.
    A small cafe.
  • Taipei: Gorgeous Scenery At Yangmingshan National Park

    Taipei: Gorgeous Scenery At Yangmingshan National Park

    Taipei: Gorgeous Scenery At Yangmingshan National Park – Enough of city walk and it’s time to spend a day out to the gorgeous and beautiful nature attractions of Taipei – Yangmingshan National Park. Not a perfect day out because of the cloudy weather, mix with a little bit of rain occassionally, but the temperature was just a bit cooler than in the city during that time!
    If you have a lot of time, head over there by public transport and tour the place slowly with their free shuttle bus. If you have little time like me, hired a cab driver and fetch you all over the main attractions of Yangmingshan and ciao! Just negotiate nicely with the cab driver, mine charged when we were on the road and he paused the metre when we visit the attractions and each attractions won’t last you long unless you are a photo-whore or nature freak who really stand there, smell the grass, smell the flower, lick the air.
    Since time was limited and a wet rainy day, I can hardly cover everything and only went to the 3 main attractions at Yangmingshan! Xiaoyoukeng, where you can smell natural fart in the air from the sulphur of the post-volcanic site with a superb scenery that I like! Then stop-by at Ju Zi Hu, the Calla Lilly Farm for a while and didn’t really get to get close to the lily because an entrance fee is needed to get close. The sky drizzled and lastly went to the flower clock for a quick photograph then ciao!

    XIAOYOUKENG

    CALLA LILY FARM / JU ZI HU

    CHERRY BLOSSOM

    OTHER FLOWERS THAT I DON’T KNOW

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