To be caught in a crossfire

Our path in life is not a straight road where things go as you want them to.
There's cross roads where you have to start making major decisions which changes everything.
Certain cross roads are easily handled. Some are so unexpected where you may not even make it out alive.

I hate it when you're caught up in the middle and worse, in a crossfire where you have no control over the situation.
You become the messenger, who needs to dodge bullets coming from left and right.
Sometimes unexpectedly from the front knocking out a few teeth.

Hopefully I'll make it out alive and a stronger person.

Who thinks that little things doesn't matter?

You'll be surprised how little things which started off as just an annoyance can occur one after another and their accumulative effect can be so great that it just mounts up to the tipping point.

It's scary but I think I understand how anger and despair pushes someone to kill.

Penang Part 2

Finally, continuing from where I left off, trip to Penang Part 2. Lots of pictures of food ahead.

As we took the pedestrian bridge, crossing the main roads circling Komtar complex, we walked past the lazy shop houses which remained closed despite being almost afternoon. People in Penang do have good lives. They start their businesses after 12pm.

The famous Penang Laksa on Penang road which was just walking distance from my grandfather's shop house. My dad looked too big in those seats. 

 Laksa is a tradisional Malay dish where noodles made from rice is served in hot broth made of fish, pineapple and mint.

My mum ordered Char Kuay Teow (Stir fried rice sticks) which had clams and oysters in it. I think it's the slightly burnt flavour which makes it so tantalizing.

Second round of breakfast:

We walked to Campbell road where this famous cafe lies hidden in one of the small alleys. I felt like stepping into another dimension as I made myself towards the table. We ordered the famous coffee served in teacups more than 50 years old and the famous roti bakar (toast), toasted with charcoal just beneath the boiling water. As the heat came from such a low level, the waiter had to squat down to toast the bread.

Super duper delicious! It was so crunchy on the outside and soft inside with melted kaya and butter. I am so going to gain weight if I'm staying in Penang. I'm not a big fan of coffee but I can say that this coffee was even better than any Starbucks or San Francisco Coffee franchise. Plus, this set came up to less than RM3.

Next to the Laksa stall, there is this famous Teo Chew Cendol dessert just by the roadside. One thing unique in Penang is that you can see motorcyclist having their meals, on their motorbikes with their engines still switched on in front of these small stalls. The best part of this sweet dessert was the juicy and fat red beans and the taste of Gula Melaka. Sweet.

Second round of dessert from the roadside stall on the lane just next to my grandfather's shop on our way back. It's sweet peanut dessert which was really delicious as the peanuts were so soft that it melts in your mouth. Must be from hours of boiling.

For afternoon tea, we had egg tarts from Adventist Hospital's bakery which is famous for its healthy selection of pastries.

Dinner:

We went to Perut Rumah (Stomach of the House) for Penang's Nyonya cuisine.

I loved the atmosphere in the restaurant. It used to be an old Mansion, now converted into a restaurant that serves Nyonya food. If any of those antiques broke, I would be so sad as each carries years of history.

The food was delicious!!!!! That's all I can say. It's not only very unique fusion of Chinese and Malay, it uses fresh traditional ingredients. I would have ordered more but my stomach protested.

I think you can only find this in Penang. This small temple used to be a salon with the old name of the shop still carved on the pillars.

My team is active again tomorrow till Wednesday, which means we're accepting every new admission for trauma orthopaedics. So scared. Wish me luck. I better continue my hibernation tonight.

Burst out laughing

when I saw my reflection in the lift as my eyebrows were knitted so closely that they almost met and the end of my hair had curled as much as gravity allowed. Hahahahahaha.

No wonder my chief resident asked how long will I be handling the team alone. I looked so stressed.

I look forward to the day I retire from medicine.

I'm still working on

the art of appearing to listen but actually not listening. lalalalalalalala

New Team

Switched over to the trauma orthopaedics team today with 24 patients on the list to be managed alone. Not only was I unfamiliar with the patients, there was only a 5 minutes pass over from the previous house officer.

Was I stressed? Maybe. I can't remember thanks to selective forgetfulness. Luckily the MOs and lecturer are nice.

Oncall again this Thursday. Haih.....

Unprofessional

Was told off by a lecturer for not recording down what was discussed in front of the lift about one patient that was jointly managed by both our teams. Can I record what was said and play it back?

Hmmmmm....maybe I should record down what's been discussed at the cafeteria next time.

Can I not get the coffee?

Picture this:

After doing the balancing act of carrying at least 10 cups of coffee from Secret Recipe on the ground floor, squeeze into the crowded lift while guarding the coffee with your life up to the 9th floor, used one foot to kick the conference door open as no one is gentleman enough to get up from their seats to hold the door, felt the great relieve that balancing on one foot with 10 coffees in hand is still possible, the tachycardia and adrenaline rush immediately resolve as the coffee hit the table just in time for the pre-op discussion.

Now, not even having the chance to breath the sigh of relieve, got told off straight away by the secretary that the Prof will only take Latte so remember to get a cup for the next meeting while she conveniently just sits there.

I went to 5 years of medical school so that I could get the whole team coffee single-handedly once a week. I want to use my cert to wrap Nasi Lemak already.

Secretaries are just too posh or wearing heels too high to be carrying coffees around. I miss those days where consultants show appreciation by treating us to coffee and not waste human talents like this.

Penang Day 1

I know this is a super duper delayed post. Been in orthopaedics for almost 2 months and am still trying to adjust myself. There's more free time but the work is intense in the sense that if my consultant wants something done, we have to get it done right this moment. Stressed out in another sense.

Lets start my photo blog on my last trip to Penang during my long awaited break after I finished my Paediatrics rotation.

Just about 2 hours journey, we turned into Tanjung Malim to try its famous Pau. The shop's name is Yik Mun and it's visible from the main road.

There are other selections from the menu too but since we were there for morning coffee, I ordered the famous Pau and coffee.

There's chicken, beef and vegetarian filling for the pau. The dough was really soft and melts in your mouth. The filling had strong curry powder taste and smell but was not that special. The pau is also available at outlets in Midvalley and a few other shopping complexes but at a higher price. I think I only paid RM 1.40 for the pau and RM 1.60 for the coffee.

Durians!!!! Found at one of the rest-stops on the highway. I didn't get to eat any till just recently. Missed having it so much. I recently tried the Mau San Wong (King of Cat Mountain - well, I didn't name the durian that) species and it was soooo creamy like butter. That one single durian cost RM 40. So expensive but worth it.

There were so many types of local fruits sold. I was shocked at the size of the buah jambu. It was almost the size of my palm.

More colourful fruits.

Finally, we reached Nibong Tebal, which was another hour away from Penang.

The famous seafood restaurant, Law Chiang Kee. We had to wait for almost an hour before there were seats for 4 of us.

So hungry!!!! We were given sample of Dau Sa Pia, a type of biscuit and it was not bad. The tomato ketchup was mixed with crushed peanuts. A different twist to the usual pure tomato ketchup.

Dishes that we ordered. I loved the steamed fish with mushrooms the most. Very fresh and the sauce really complimented it well. The squid was very succulent and juicy but the best squid that I've tasted in my life was still the one in Greece. How I wish to go back there again.

I let my dad take over the wheel just before we reached Penang Island due to the extreme skills required to maneuver the car along narrow roads while avoiding motorcyclists coming from every direction. Hehehe.

My aunt's babysitter made the best otak-otak (Fish cakes) that I've eaten so far. The curry wasn't too empowering and there were big chunks of fish in it.

Supper:

Bak Chang - steamed glutinous rice with mushroom, pork and dried prawns. The food around Pulau Tikus area is so much more expensive. I think it's the location.

More stories to the food trail in Penang in Part 2.

Chap Goh Mei celebration

This is such a delayed entry. This gathering was organised by my dad's Old Boy's association on the last day of Chinese New Year, which is the Chap Goh Mei festival.

Our tickets to free entertainment and food.

My first live Lion dance performance in Malaysia in ages! So funny how the lion looked at the poor old lady hungrily. Hehehehe.

I was just standing there taking photo and this Lion cam up so close to me!

All sorts of food was served that night, I liked the fried Nian Gau (Year cake), the sesame balls with red beans inside, and the Chao Kuay Teow (stir fried flat noodles). There were also many types of kuih to choose from!

Entertainment for the night was live performances of oldies which only my parents enjoyed. Hehehe.

Next up: Trip to Penang