1) As Chinese New Year rolls by and I complete my first two weeks of the new semester, one thing is apparent - my blogs can no longer be as frequent as I used to write them. Given the opportunity, I would make blog posts every single day, but given the circumstances, that is simply not feasible.
2) Therefore, if I have to sacrifice on quantity, I'll make sure I don't sacrifice on quality. In this edition of the blog, I celebrate Chinese New Year 2019 at home - my first in three years. We visit temples to pray, and have our customary reunion dinner and CNY Buffet! The rest of the break I spend trying to adapt to the new semester - it's a lot more self-directed than it was before - something that I need to adapt to quickly.
3) As I type this, I'm back in Penang, awaiting my orthopedics rotation in Seberang Jaya Hospital. That means waking up really early (around 6.00am) to walk to school, then carpool to hospital for lessons and clerking patients. The afternoon is reserved for lectures back in the main campus, before rounding it off with MPU subjects. Our group has two more weeks of surgery and orthopedics, before we move on to medicine and then public health.
4) Coming back to Penang means having to readjust to a different lifestyle. History taking in a different language is definitely one of them. In Dublin, every Tom, Dick, and Harry spoke proper English (perhaps with an accent) but here in Penang, finding an English speaking patient is more difficult. That requires a change in method of talking to patients - either speak Malay, or trying a dialect like Hokkien (which I have absolutely no knowledge of) or Cantonese (although it is less commonly spoken in Penang).
5) Either way, it's an interesting experience seeing and examining real patients, and it really helps put a face to the cases that we see, as opposed to reading about a fictional patient in a textbook, with fictional symptoms and fictional problems. As Sir William Osler said - medicine is learnt by the bedside and not the classroom. And on that note, I'll end my blog post for today. Thanks so much as always for reading, and have a great week ahead.
P.S. Scroll down for a tonne of nice pics. Cheers! :D
Happy Chinese New Year reunion at Sun Marpoh Restaurant, Ipoh :)
(My first in three years :')
Chinese New Year Buffet at Tower Regency Hotel ^^
Mum's treat tonight at Sushi King :))
Same shirt with my dad!
This shop in Aeon used to be "Famous Amos" - now it's been replaced with another selling charcoal ice cream
Very intricate pattern haha
Finally got a chance to try the dry curry mee at "Chu Bee" Restaurant :)
Having dinner at the food complex just behind "The Store" - which used to be called "Ocean" Shopping Complex
My mom made tuna sandwiches with eggs and beans for breakfast!
Mum decided to prepare a home-cooked lunch (my first in three years! XD)
All smiles for mum's cooking!
Mum also made "longan" agar for dessert <3 <3 <3
I've always loved the chicken and meat dishes at "Hadramaut Paradise" - a restaurant serving Yemeni cuisine in Ipoh :)
The rice looks so colourful!
Accompanied with the chicken leg and curry - amazing :)
We tried their baba ganoush - a Levantine or Greater Syrian dish of mashed cooked eggplant mixed with tahini, olive oil and other seasonings
Chor Yat - the first day of Chinese New Year - and my mom prepared vegetarian noodles
and tong sui for us!
Visiting the temples is one of the traditions we have during Chinese New Year
- this is Sam Poh Tong (or "Sam Poh" Temple)
Reunited after so many years :')
I still remember taking a photo here when I was really, really little
The God of Prosperity
Ling Sen Tong (Ling Sen Temple)
Kek Look Tong (Kek Look Temple)
Statue of Confucius :)
Everything feels so peaceful and tranquil here
The Eighteen Arhats (or Luohan) (十八羅漢) are depicted in Mahayana Buddhism as the original followers of Gautama Buddha who have followed the Noble Eightfold Path and attained the four stages of enlightenment.
"Kalika"- one of the 18 Arhats
Statue of Guanyin - The Goddess of Mercy
Nasi briyani and vadai for lunch :)
CNY Dinner starts with Prosperity Yee Sang - a prosperity toss that symbolises prosperity, success, and happiness!
Can't play the video but just imagine everyone tossing the dish with their chopsticks really high up! ^^
Time to dig in :)
Tilapia in soy sauce
Sun Marpoh's food has always been a cut above - that explains why it's packed to the brim every single time we come XD
Tofu with baby bak choi and crab meat filling
So many dishes, all so good
With the Chan family and Hor family in Ipoh - an annual tradition on New Year's Day
Second Day of New Year and we're at Jack and Grills - just opposite "Sushi East"
Uncle Tuck ordered this mouth-watering lamb shank
I ordered this - the mushroom chicken chop :)
Fancy cups for fancy occasions :)
Tower Regency Hotel for Buffet :)
Group photo with the Cheah Family :) - another New Year tradition
With my cousins Eo and Pei Ying :D
My family ^^
Nasi Lemak at Marrybrown, Parkson Grand
Food outing with my good friend Steve (from Tenby days :)
Having bento and sushi at Dozo Restaurant in DeGarden
The "sushi moriawase" was a sort of sampler - one of everything! :)
Afters at the Inside Scoop - a fine selection of ice cream
(this is Valrhona chocolate ice cream :)
Thanks very much for the treat, Steve!
And all the best for your future undertakings :)
You tiao wrapped with chee cheong fun - sorry there's too many words to translate, but to keep it short - bloody delicious :)
(I have really fond memories of having breakfast here on Sundays before going for calligraphy lessons and Japanese language lessons)
Last day in Ipoh before returning to Penang - this bowl of curry chee cheong fun in front of Beacon Point brings back a flood of memories - my dad and I used to come here for lunch, before heading over to the internet cafe (I didn't have internet at home those days XD) on Saturday, right after band practice in Anderson High School
Dinner with Denise at James Foo Western Food @ All Seasons
Waited for food for an hour XD
At Kapitan with Melvin and Melissa, enjoying "mee kuah" and teh tarik :)
Their "Cheesy Cheez Naan" is a must try - loaded with cheese and perfect with the sweet mint sauce and daal curry :)
Trying fried fish at the Sepoy Cafe today
(the fish with stuffed with sambal - makes for one helluva kick :)
Fireworks tonight
(taken from my bedroom window)
