THE HILLMAN 2013 ASIAN ADVENTURE
Section I: Singapore/Malaysia
Page 10
www.hillmanweb.com/asia/malaysia10.html
Photos by Bill and Sue-On
(click to see full size)
Captions by Sue-On
(expanded from our FaceBook pages)

JOHOR BAHRU and SINGAPORE II

PREVIEW

 
It's the 13-hour marathon of Singapore with my "sister" Karen Lee
and "new sister Ang Lai Nguang. 
As we only had one day in S'Pore, 
they`d organized 3 days worth of activities and food into one day! 
Today. we are travelling in Lai`s new car as 
she has more `free access days`to S`Pore left on her card than Karen.
Kerry and Edah had been here several times, 
so they stayed in Johor Bahru to visit with Edah`s niece and family.
Karen and Lai took us 
to their favourite dim sum restaurant 
for Chinese breakfast - Yum Chai!
So many varieties!
I don`t think the girls were hungry 
but they wanted us to try everything. 
The chicken feet were especially good - ALL for me! 
There was stuffed bitter melon, 
stuffed Chinese cabbage, 
crispy taro puffs, stuffed tofu, pork ribs, siu mai, 
2 kinds of pork buns...etc!
This was a favourite -
the crispy taro puff
Bill samples char siu baos and pork and veg baos.
The Hillmans are also getting `stuffed`! 
The restaurants (or restorans as called here) 
are all open to the street. 
These steamers are right by the sidewalk - 
much cooler for the patrons crowded inside. 
Look at all those goodies!!! 
Karen and Lai made sure their elder sister 
had energy to tackle the activity-filled day ;-)
After breakfast, we headed for the causeway to Singapore. 
I didn`t know that photography 
wasn`t allowed at the customs - of course not! 
But here we are enroute to the Malaysian check point.
Here, we had filled out immigration cards, 
showed our passports, and scrutinized; -)    Onward...
To the Singapore checkpoint. 
They stamped our passports and 
made Karen open her designer purse to check inside.
She looked guilty ;-) 
As we approached the checkpoint, 
we saw a digital display board 
that showed the license plates 
and the number of people in that car 
- to prevent smugggling of people!
The city is very modern and clean. 
So many tall apartment and office buildings.
Non-resident vehicles are limited by the access cards. 
No vehicles over 10 years old are allowed.
Residents going into Malaysia must have 
a mostly-full gas tank upon entering Malaysia 
to protect gas sales in S`Pore. 
Everything is cheaper in Malaysia 
but there are bargains in S`Pore if you look.
Many new buildings. 
These are well maintained as are the streets
- no litter, no rotting garbage anywhere.
First stop was a shopping mall full of...Chinese stores! 
This is a display of all the different ways (calligraphy) 
of writing the word dragon.
Lai is happily leading us to all the special shops :-)
Close to Kerry ad Edah's home, we saw many concrete buildings 
specifically built for the swallows
that produce the ingredients for bird's nest soup. 
Here, you can buy the product, 
along with gingsen and other expensive herbs.
From the parkade, 
we can look down onto a Hindu temple.
These temples are very elaborate. 
Repainting and gilding must be a constant job 
because of the high humidity.
Karen and Lai lead the way to the Chinese temple
as I promised my friends 
I'd light incense for them while here.
The outside wall around the temple compound.
One of the many sculptures inside the temple compound.
This is the most famous Chinese Temple. 
Karen says people come to pray here 
because prayers are always answered.
Here I am, with my lit joss sticks, 
ready to approach the interior of the temple.
This is for my friends back in Canada
who requested I burn incense for them.
No photography is allowed inside the temple.
Bill was able to get a photo of me just inside 
- find the tangerine capris!
A bit of the history onthe temple.
Vendors selling flowers and incense for
the worshipers to the Hindu temple 
next door to the Chinese temple.
After our temple visit, we walked along the street, 
and WHOA!!! Golden happy Buddha :-) 
No wonder he's smiling with the three of us rubbing his belly ;-) 
I don't think he smiled as widely 
when Bill rubbed his belly tho'


BACK TO MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE

Hundreds of Photos with Captions

CHINA
MALAYSIA / SINGAPORE
Singapore ~ Malaysia


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WebMaster: Bill Hillman
Bill and Sue-On Hillman Eclectic Studio
hillmanweb.com
Brandon, Manitoba, Canada