It's been quite some years since the family went for a short holiday together and it's the first holiday together for Amber and Yuen Wen cheh cheh .
We started the day early, left home at 6.15am (yes, that early!!) because I planned to stopover at Ipoh at breakfast. BIL2 stays in Cheras and we met at Sg Buloh R&R and continued our journey together. We used the DUKE highway and it took us an easy 20 minutes to reach Sg Buloh R&R.
I've been asking Barb & Claire for the best place to eat in Ipoh. I even emailed famous Ipoh food blogger - Ipoh Motormouth for ideas! You see, things I'll do for a good kopi ping + yummy food. They gave me so many ideas and I was in a dilemma!! We were there only for b'fast and I want to try everything and anything. I was asking hubs and BIL1 where they want to go ? Nam Chau ? Sin Yin Loong, Nam Heong, Kong Heng ??? Aiyoyoyo ! So many choices ! Curry laksa, Ipoh hor fun, white coffee .. we just could not decide. We were still debating until almost reaching Ipoh, then decided to go Sin Yin Loong. I had my GPS as a guide but smart alec me decided to be my own guide.
GPS told me to exit Simpang Pulai but we went further up north. I panicked when I realised we missed the exit and might not get to Ipoh old town. Then I called my trusty Ipoh-rean friend, Barb , who assured me I can get to old town from Ipoh exit. Thanks Barb ! As I approach Ipoh town, I followed GPS again and found Sin Yin Loong with ease.
Aitelyu! Ipoh breakfast is the best. I had 2 kopi-ping (the best I've ever had), 1 egg caramel, 1 bowl of hor fun soup with fishballs and chee cheong fun (shared by all of us). Sei mou ??? We planned to go Penang for food but we got ourselves stuffed up like yong tau foos at Ipoh.
and guess what ??
I didn't bring my camera !! Yikess. kek sei ler.. we parked our car about 5 minutes away from Sin Yin Loong and I didn't want to leave my food to get the camera, just in case it's all gone when I get back . lol !!!
After breakfast, we went to 'Yee Hup', the famous heong peah from Ipoh. Barb gave me some and I had to get more. Luckily I brought along a 'sample' wrapper to make sure it was the same fragrant Yee Hup heong peah. So, we went shopping, 'big time' at Yee Hup. MIL and I bought the most and we had our car stuffed with biscuits when we finally left for Penang.
Penang has changed quite a bit since my last visit 10 years ago. I see lots more condos and bigger shopping centers. Traffic is still bad as usual, when we arrived at the island, it took us 3o minutes to reach our hotel, Berjaya Georgetown.
Then, I fished out my camera..
While we waited to check in, the girls got hooked on a wishing well at the hotel lobby. You place coins at the lever above a big bowl, the coins will roll in circles and glide in to the hole. It's an innovative way to collect donations and the girls keep pestering for coins whenever we passed the hotel lobby.
Look at the girls.. almost falling in to the wishing well.
The whole family had to cough out coins for the girls. By the time we checked out, we didn't have a single coin left !
We had lunch at McDonalds at Midlands Plaza. Bad choice in an island full of hawkers food but it was almost 2pm and most coffee shops are closed.
Hubs, Amber and I made a visit to my second sister's PIL who lives in Penang. Their home is only a short distance from our hotel and we found their house with ease. I have not seen them for years and it feels good to catch up. They are too old to travel anywhere far or even to KL and I am glad to make a trip to Penang just to say hello ..
Then we headed back to hotel, the girls, hubs & BILs went for a swim at the kiddies pool. I just chilled out and relaxed by the pool, let the guys do the work. Amber felt chilly after 30 mins and we had to leave. MIL warned me to bring Amber back to room, otherwise her lungs may catch a chill. I didn't listen and let her play a while more (hubs idea, not mine) , true enough she felt ill on Monday. :(
We went to Gurney Drive for dinner (must go, cannot miss !). The view from our car park. Oh ya, we're lucky to find a parking. GD is packed, lots of people, lots of cars and I don't see many car parks.
The girls enjoying the beautiful view and 'smelly' sea breeze. Apart from a nice view, Gurney Drive 'stinks'
Then, hawkers food galore.. we had char kuey tiaw, chinese rojak, apam balik, assam laksa and or chien !
This is what 6 of us had. Fantastic hor ?
Amber couldn't take any of the spicy food except apam balik but she enjoyed durians ! Yuen Wen hates durian and surprised to see Mei-Mei enjoying the disgusting fruit.
Thumbs up and she wants some more...
Next stop : A day of visiting temples !
Next stop : A day of visiting temples !
