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Almost Diplomatic

in Asia, Malaysia, Penang, Travel

Travel + Photos: Purrfect Cat Cafe (Penang)

October 28, 2014

Penang’s 1st and only cat cafe can be found in Jalan Muntri, a street connected to the famous Love Lane (Lorong Love), George Town.

The last stop of yesterday’s walking tour of Penang’s capital, George Town was Purrfect Cat Cafe along Jalan Muntri. I’m putting this one up first so I can link to it once I do the full walking tour post. Oh, and because the cats deserve a post of their own. Don’t you think? I’ve always loved animals, sometimes more than most people. If you watch the news on a regular basis, you’ll probably get me why I feel like this.

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in Asia, Malaysia, Penang, Travel

Travel+ Food + Photos: Getting to Penang, Penang Hill, and some Food Worship

October 26, 2014

Hello from Penang! 🙂 It seems we haven’t been spending a lot of time at home in our condo in KL. When my husband told me that he’s got a conference to attend on this island and that he’ll pay for my fare if I wanted to tag along, I was actually having second thoughts about going.

Yes, really! Carol, with the crazy levels of wanderlust and the constant travel whims! I guess after going to Sabah then to Langkawi (we even have a scheduled weekend trip to Singapore a couple of weeks from now!) in just a span of weeks then attending events in between, I just felt like we were never home anymore (and I am honestly in love with how cosy our condo is) and I know I have a ton of posts to write (all the traveling has given me quite a backlog). I honestly felt that I wanted to just stay still for a bit – preferably on our couch, watching  Gossip Girl re-runs or baking.

But hey, I couldn’t pass on the chance of seeing Penang with my husband. I knew I would be jealous if I was left at home. And though I’m missing the ASEAN Ladies’ Circle Coffee Morning this week (one of the events I’ve been looking forward to for a while!), I’m glad I went with him. Penang is just so beautiful! From the moment we spotted the island from the air, I knew I’d have a special relationship with this place.

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in Asia, Travel

Travel: Langkawi Island Pt. 2 (Oriental Village + Cable Car)

October 21, 2014

Here’s a quick post while I wait for my homemade cheesecake to chill. 😉 Still from our anniversary weekend, I wanted to share with you a couple of photos from the Oriental Village and the Cable Car ride to the highest point in the island.

Short side story first: When I first told one of the people I knew back in college that my husband was going to be posted in Malaysia, her first reaction was “Aww. But there’s nothing to see there!” While I told her that my husband’s gonna be going out of the country for work and not just sightseeing (and Malaysia, a neighbour country, is a great assignment where my husband will be trained extensively by the amount and importance of work here and his extremely smart bosses), I could also have told her of all the islands we could visit here but I didn’t waste my time anymore because I knew was talking to a girl who wore heels for a sight seeing/shopping trip in Hong Kong and Taiwan so she was clearly an inexperienced traveller and not that well-read. 😉

So. One of the islands to visit in Malaysia is of course, Langkawi. To all my Filipino friends, it’s like their version of Coron+Boracay. Beaches, rivers, and a long list of attractions.

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in Asia, Travel

Travel: Langkawi Island Pt. 1 (Getting to the Island + Sunset Dinner Cruise)

October 16, 2014

I’m still on an anniversary high despite the worst possible kind of flu I had to live with the past couple of days. I was at my worst last Tuesday but the good news is I’ve been feeling a lot better since yesterday due to my husband’s care. Still coughing and sneezing though.

So. Langkawi island. One of the top tourist spots here in Malaysia. My husband kept our anniversary weekend getaway a secret for weeks until the night we had to leave.

We had dinner at home, exchanged gifts, and left for the Puduraya Bus Station at 10:30pm. Our bus left at almost midnight (It was originally scheduled to leave at 11). My husband booked our tickets in advance through Easybook.

The journey via the Sri Maju bus was rather pleasant. It’s an executive coach that costs RM 90 (Php1235, EUR21.73, USD27.55) for two people to the Kuala Perlis Jetty. The seats were roomy and my legs did not feel tired at all because of the leg and foot rests the seats were equipped with. However, if you plan to take the same bus, do remember to bring a jacket as it can be very cold.

We arrived in Kuala Perlis a little past 7 in the morning and boarded a ferry to Langkawi at 8:15. The ferry ride took about hour and 15 minutes and we arrived in the Langkawi Jetty. It was pretty crowded despite October being part of their low-season.

The side entrance to Jetty is lined up with private cars and cabs that can be hired to take you to your hotel.

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in Asia, Travel

Travel: Sunday walking tour in Kota Kinabalu

October 5, 2014

Hello from KL! We are finally back from our two-week stay in Sabah for the consular mission that my husband led. The past two weeks were so hectic and enlightening. Aside from the consular mission, we were also able to get to know undocumented Filipino kids who only have access to education through alternative learning centres.

But I’ll write about those things next time.

For now, I wanted to share with you photos of our walking tour of Kota Kinabalu’s (KK) main district which we did on a Sunday – our only break during the mission. We couldn’t go far even though I was dying to see the fireflies at the Kinabalu National Park because the following day was expected to be hectic.

No time for the beach either (insert sad-faced emoji here) so we decided to just explore the city and not go too far – make do with what little time we have there. KK’s main district is filled with budget hotels/hostels and restaurants that offer great food at very low prices. My husband and I actually gained weight there from all the eating we did.

It’s great for those who wish to go backpacking. When visiting KK, I suggest you make sure your visit falls on a weekend. That is, if you want to see and experience how Southeast Asian locals get their shopping on.

Gaya street on its busiest day – Sunday.

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in Expat Life, KL Where to Go

KL Adventures: Colourful Brickfields (Little India)

August 26, 2014

Right in the centre of Kuala Lumpur is its own Little India. The husband and I were able to walk around its main street during one of our weekend afternoons which we usually spend either sightseeing within the city or furniture shopping.

Brickfields is a neighbourhood near KL Sentral station. It’s easily accessible and is a place known for good bargains (from food, grocery items, to accessories) and a good mix of modern meets traditional architecture.

Just wanted to do a quick post on this neighbourhood (which we visited after our trip to the Planetarium) and share some photos taken along the area’s main street, Jalan Tun Sambanthan:

The KL Sentral side of Brickfields is filled with modern architecture.

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in Asia, Expat Life, KL Where to Go, Kuala Lumpur, Travel

KL Adventures: Islamic architecture in Putrajaya

August 15, 2014

Putrajaya on a holiday.

The husband and I are suckers for beautiful architecture – be it modern or more on the classical side. I’ve fallen in love with several European and Asian cities because of their skylines and the feeling I get when I walk around the city, surrounded by stunning buildings. They just add so much character (some even add to the city’s history) to a certain place.

So it’s no wonder that I enjoyed our short afternoon trip to Putrajaya, Malaysia’s seat of government, a couple of weeks back. We went with 3 of Alvin’s colleagues who were nice enough to drive us around.

It’s quite easy to get to Putrajaya from Kuala Lumpur – you can take the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Transit (don’t take the express train as it won’t stop at Putrajaya station and will go straight to the airport!) or you can take a Rapid KL bus marked ‘E1’. It will pick up passengers in the Pasar Seni and KL Sentral train stations. However, once you actually get to Putrajaya, it’s quite hard to navigate without your own car. So some tourists opt to hire a taxi within the city and agree on a fixed price with the driver who will also act as your tour guide.

Fast facts:

  • Though Putrajaya is now the seat of government, Kuala Lumpur remains to be Malaysia’s national capital and the seat of the King.
  • Malaysia only shifted their seat of government in the late 90s to avoid congestion in the capital.
  • Almost all of the ministries are now in Putrajaya except for the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, and the Ministry of Works which are still in KL.
  • A 650-hectare, man-mad lake is found in the middle of the city. The Malaysian government has said before that the main reason (aside from the obvious aesthetics and recreation opportunities it can bring) the lake was made was to act as a “natural cooling system” for the city. And man, do they need it. Putrajaya is way more hot and humid than KL. I couldn’t stand not having a roof over my head for 2 minutes. I cannot possibly imagine how hot it would be without that lake.

Okay, enough yapping. Let me show you the breathtaking view from the elevated Putrajaya International Convention Centre:

I feel like I was looking at a real-life post card. Though I had to cut the sight seeing from here. PICC is on top of a hill and MUCH closer to the sun. I had to get back into the car right away.

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in Expat Life, KL What to Do, KL Where to Go

KL Adventures: History in the heart of the City

July 21, 2014

Ah, so touristy of us! But you see, here’s my travel philosophy: Do the touristy stuff first, then do what locals do. Don’t you dare leave the country without doing both or else, the experience would be somehow half-baked. You see, I believe that touristy places are ‘touristy’ for a reason. (Read: When I say touristy, I don’t mean tourist traps!) They’re popular because they’re worth a visit. I’m a sucker for museums, national parks, and monuments as they are great places to learn more about the country’s history and people.

So – for my husband and I’s first free weekend here in KL, we went to Merdeka Square, the KL City Gallery, and the Central Market. Along the way, we were able to pass by beautiful vintage architecture as well as Masjid Jamek (This was around 3 weekends ago so I’m kinda late in posting this! So sorry about that – been rather busy). I haven’t been to Malaysia before and though my husband has been here a couple of times, he has never set foot in most of Malaysia’s historically important places. IMHO, going to KL just for shopping and not really appreciating the place is a complete waste of time and funds. The city is so rich with culture and diversity – it’s a must to get out there to learn and experience everything first hand!

Well, the husband does admit that his travels prior to meeting me were complete brouhahas and now, getting to visit new (and even old places) are more fun cos he now has better company. We’re cheesy like that. 😉

Where was I? Ah, our little field trip right smack in the middle of the city. We left the house at around 11 in the morning. The sun rises and sets pretty late here in KL this time of year so it wasn’t that hot yet but I still opted to bring a water bottle and stash it in my bag as we will be gone the whole day and I knew there will be lots of walking involved so I dressed for comfort.

We live within the City Centre otherwise known as KLCC and it’s pretty easy to get to our destination via the LRT (Kelana Jaya Line). For tourists, this is also the best way to get around the capital as traffic here can be pretty heavy. The best station to get off from is Masjid Jamek which is only 3 stations away from KLCC and 2 from KL Sentral (where a lot of the hotels are). The train ride costs RM1.60 (Php21.91, US0.50, EUR0.37) per person, one way. It’s a bit of a walk from the station to Merdeka Square which is our major destination but it’s the farthest thing from boring.

One of the fist things you will see after getting off the station is Masjid Jamek (Jamek Mosque) which is also known as the Friday Mosque. Yes, the train station is named after it so it’s easy enough to remember! 🙂

Masjid Jamek. One of capital’s oldest Mosques.

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in Diplomatic Incidents, Personal Musings

Adjustments

July 9, 2014

Now I don’t really remember anyone saying that moving to a different country and starting a new life (read: from scratch) was easy. That’s because though it’s fun and exciting, it’s no walk in the park.

It’s been 13 days since we arrived in KL. We have finally moved into our new apartment – a two bedroom, three bathroom unit with its own storage room. It’s huge for just Alvin and I and I feel like it’s empty most of the time. And that’s because it is still quite that – empty. We’re taking it slow when it comes to buying furniture as we want the condo to look exactly the way we’ve been planning without breaking the bank.

So far, we’ve purchased the essentials and we’re predicting my decorating plans will take about 3 months to fully materialise. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed that I stick to my deadline and that I am able to have everything running by then as guests ranging from family and friends will be arriving in just a couple of months.

We were told by most of the people from the Embassy that KL is a post where you would definitely be getting lots of visitors due to its proximity to Manila. No complaints there, I say. As most of my friends and our family (even the ones in the Western part of the world) are already making plans to come over and it would be nice to show them around.

Speaking of visitors, the Ambassador recently hosted the son of one of the DFA Undersecretaries who was on a short trip to KL with his friend. We had dinner with them that night and shared lots of great stories over food. I had the pleasure of getting to know the Undersecretary back when I was part of the media, covering the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) back home. The Undersecretary’s son is fun and smart – just like his dad. My husband and I had fun pointing out their similarities as he seemed like the exact (only younger) replica of his father.

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in Uncategorized

Hello from Kuala Lumpur!

June 26, 2014

Hello from Kuala Lumpur!

We arrived in Malaysia on Wednesday afternoon and I am loving Kuala Lumpur so far!

We’ve only been here for over 24 hours and we’ve already reserved a condominium unit where we’ll be staying for the next couple of years – all thanks to Alvin’s new colleagues at the Embassy. They’re all so nice and welcoming which basically completes the package. We’ve been discussing how lucky he is to be selected for this post (and his first posting at that!) as it’s one of the Philippines’ most important. The relations are multi-faceted, our Ambassador is a very intelligent and hardworking man, the city is beautiful, everything here is just so convenient, and the cost of living is actually lower than other posts.

So basically, he will be learning a lot from his new boss and colleagues while enjoying the perks the city has to offer. He will be very busy though because he will be swinging between the embassy’s political and economic sections, handling important issues. But that only makes him more excited due to all the things he will learn and the training he will undergo by working with some of our country’s top diplomats. I’m so happy for him!

As for me, I’ll be very busy in the coming days, making our place liveable. This weekend, we’ll be going out to buy our first batch of furniture. We’ll be renting an unfurnished apartment so I will be able to go crazy on furniture and decor shopping.

To be honest, prior to our move to KL, I have already set my sights on a couple of prints we’ll be hanging in the living room. I saw the prints online, fell in love with them, and was just too happy when I found out that the shop that makes them is right here in KL. I don’t need to have them shipped anymore, costing me less money! Yay! We even received beautiful photographs from a friend’s photographer boyfriend which I will have framed in the coming days – I will be using them to decorate the guest’s room and dining area. I’m just too excited that I’m already blabbing about my domesticated plans.

Kuala Lumpur’s City Centre is basically a huge shopping complex. Not really a shopaholic but it’s nice to know that they have 3 major sales here annually where malls go crazy when it comes to dropping their prices. The next one is this July and I’m already seeing signs that say “Sale”. Great! Just in time for our furniture buying spree! I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled and my fingers crossed for beautiful, discounted pieces. 😀

But first things first. We’ll have to submit papers, photos and other requirements for the stay, open bank accounts, get local phone connections – and do other errands that will make living here in KL official. Everybody at the embassy’s been so helpful, Rommel from the political section and his wife Grace who works at the cultural section even showed us around a bit today. We all had lunch at Din Tai Fung and Pavilion where I over-ate and then we had dinner at one of Alvin’s bosses’ house – Ms. Tonette. KL is like food heaven and we are being fed like crazy (Filipinos bond over food!) so I really need to find a yoga studio soon or start running at KLCC park as soon as our running shoes get unpacked.

More later,
Carol

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