Tuesday 7 June 2016

Last two weeks before home - Old haunts, KL, Singapost and Thailand

After our epic Highlights of China we went back to our old haunts for a bit of a rest! It was lovely to see old friends in KL and Sing, although it did seem much hotter that it used to when we lived out here - is it age?? It saw 37 - 38C each day - a bit hot and sticky to be honest!

Malcolm enjoying our first Roti Canai for breakfast even before we left the airport!!
 A walk down memory lane to our house on Jalan Hitam Manis (Beautiful Black St!)


 Then on the No 42 bus to the university to see Malcolm's old department of Building, and surprising Zainon!
 The walk to work hasn't changed!

 And Nexus has a sister school in Singapore so perhaps Rhian can visit sometime when she is working in the one in KL? It is very near Han and Sam's apartment!

All change in Singapore, a lovely stay with Han - the treetop walkway is awesome and Gilman Heights has long gone and been replaced by something innovative (but still a leaky building!!)



 

 Then a well deserved cake and surprisingly good flat white!

 
 Across to Sentosa for Ice Kuckang and Chendol - more lovely taste memories


The 'Trees' in the bay are still spectacular and the flowers and plants have grown in the last 2 years!



Lucky Malcolm - 2 birthday cakes both shared with lovely friends.


 Amsha heading of for his stint in the police - it was his 21st the other day too!
 Cake 2 - shared with Han and Sam - such kind friends.

Back to KL, to do a bit of detective work! - A look at the school Rhian will be working at! We stayed at our friend Te Hua's 'hotel' - very kind of him.
 First to Bangsar, where Rhian will probably be living - an upmarket, expat suburb near the city centre.


 Then courtesy of Te Hua a look round the school - it seemed very positive and up beat, all the kids and even the teacher were smiling at the end of the day! This place will suit Rhian!



 A quick and VERY hot trip to Malacca



If you go to Malacca try an amazing Nonya dish called chicken with black nuts black-nut-ayam-buah
100% delicious!

Shanghai and the gardens

Out final flight was to Shanghai where we visited Tongli a water village then to Suzhou to see the Humble Administrators famous gardens.

Shanghai is another VAST city with heavy pollution so the tallest buildings cannot be seen anymore. It felt very impersonal, materialistic and showy. The villages and gardens were lovely but so touristy and packed that it was not easy to really enjoy them.


This is Tongli the water village


 All the activities like the cormorant fishing were just tourist shows for money!
 And this is the garden in Suzhou
 


 
A few other thoughts on China - So many Chinese came up to have photos with us that Lewis decided to start photobombing the Chinese tourist groups!
 Another useful sign in Chinglish!
 The Shanghai museum was really worth a visit.
 Sooooo much wealth and ruthless materialism, it was not somehow what we expected to see in a communist country?


A great group and a great trip - thanks guys! (and to Waall for taking the photo!)