Birthday Feast Nyonya Style

Once I start writing about food, I can't stop! Especially when I've just returned from Penang - the gastronomic capital of the world.

Last weekend, we celebrated my mum's birthday. Dad was in charge of celebrations and came up with the idea of having home-cooked Nyonya food. He found the restaurant in the papers, made the booking, invited the family and even arranged a cake - BRAVO! (perhaps it was to make up for not remembering their wedding anniversary 3 weeks before...ahem...)

A family that eats together stays together!

The Nyonya Baba Cuisine restaurant is located in a beautiful pre-war shophouse, complete with ornate doors, colourful tiles and an antique collection. It felt as if we were going to grandma's for dinner - especially since my grandma was a Nyonya. The food was very authentic and absolutely delicious. Here's what we ordered:

• Pai Tee (Top Hat) - cooked turnip in pastry cases. The chilli was divine!
• Lam Mee - is a must-have for birthdays in Peranakan families (first time I'd heard of it) Luckily for me, Swee Eng (the owner & chef) volunteered to cook us her specialty
• Kari Kapitan - spicy curry chicken
• Choon Peah - deep-fried spring rolls with pork & vegetable fillings
• Hong Bak - pork rendang (sort of!)
• Ju Hu Char - fried turnip with dried squid
• Kiam Chye Th'ng - salted vegetable soup with pork ribs
• Sambal Udang- this was by far the best prawn sambal I had ever tasted - 5 stars!
  
  
  

Aunty Jo-Jo with Khoo Swee Eng, the chef & owner of the Nyonya Baba restaurant

The service deserves special mention because Swee Eng is a gem! She obviously takes great pride in the quality and authenticity of her Nyonya food. She also anticipated all our needs before we even asked. For example, she dished out an extra serving of lam mee + soup in a large bowl for my dad. He was in the seventh heaven of delight!

So if you're ever in Penang, this restaurant comes highly recommended by the Yeoh family:

Nyonya Baba Cuisine

(formerly Dragon King est 1976)

44, Nagore Road

10050 Penang

Tel: +604 227 8035

Email:nyonya_baba_cuisine@yahoo.com

Owner: Khoo Swee Eng

Penang's best-kept secret

The best hawker food is found in Penang, and very few Malaysians would dispute that. However, once you arrive in Penang - where exactly can you find that elusive pot of gold?

The most famous spot for tourists is probably Gurney Drive, and while the food is reasonably good, it is undoubtedly a tourist trap. Hawkers there tend to charge a premium to those who have "foreign" accents - woe to the Mandarin-speaking Singaporeans and Cantonese-speaking KL-ites.

Another popular spot is New Lane, which has also recently become known to tourists - and hence - a bane for local Penangites.

Where do Penangites go when they want a dose of their favourite curry laksa, char koay teow, pasembur, koay teow thn'g or popiah?

My father is a true-blue Penangite (who counts many a hawker among his family and friends), and he considers this hawker centre to be the best in Penang - in taste and value. I will probably get into trouble with locals for revealing its secret location, but food this good just cannot remain anonymous any longer.

My family's favourite hawker haunt in Penang is at....(drum rolls please)...Cecil Street Market or "Chit Teow Lor" (or 7th Street in Hokkien)

This is the list of delights that I tuck into every time I'm back in Penang:

• Curry mee - with tau pok, cockles and chicken. The sambal and curry sauce is to die for!
• Koay teow thn'g - with duck meat and fishballs is very tasty so don't be fooled by its bland appearance
• Char koay teow - this version is the best I've ever had. The hawker only starts his stall at 1pm (on the furthest end of the food court) and he still uses the old-fashioned charcoal stove with a hand-cranked propeller fan. Ask for the duck egg version...yummmyyy....
• Pasembur or "cheh hu" - is the Chinese version of the mamak rojak which has prawn fritters, coconut fritters, taufu and lots of veges - topped with a delicious red sauce
• Popiah - sold at this market is done in true blue Penang fashion and doused with some turnip gravy
• Nyonya kueh - many varieties are sold here and some of my favourites to "tah pau" home include kuih talam, pulut tai tai, onde-onde, ang ku and bengka ubi

So to those of you who're always asking me where to find the best hawker food in Penang - you have your answer so...

GO FORTH AND GORGE!

China - First Impressions

For many years, I've described myself as a "banana" i.e. someone who looks Chinese on the outside, but behaves like a Westerner or Caucasian on the inside. This is possibly a result of growing up in a country which often glorified the virtues of her colonial masters. Everything I'd ever read about China was written in English and told from a Western perspective.

And so I was really excited about making my first business trip to China in early December. I had the opportunity to meet some team members in Suzhou and run a leadership course in Shanghai. I went with an open heart and mind, and came home with a sense of awe and renewed respect for the country and its 5000 years of history.

Aunty Jo-Jo enjoying the famous Zhuo Zheng Yuen or Humble Administrator's Garden in Suzhou

Suzhou is famous for its private classical gardens and I spent the morning wandering through the Humble Administrator's Garden. Upon entering the grounds, I was completely dumbstruck by the Chinese classical vistas. The central pond was inspiring and majestic, and yet there were other little nooks and crannies that were simple, sweet and comfortable. I'm told that these lotus ponds are a must-see in the summer months. This Ming Dynasty garden was built by Wang Xian Cheng in 1509AD after his retirement from political life.

Suzhou is also famous for its water townships and I visited Shantang Road right in the heart of the city. Walking along the ancient streets and canals, I felt as if I was in the middle of a film set for a historical TVB epic. The streets were filled with tourist attractions, food stalls and handicraft shops. My colleague Sandy and I had lunch at a delightful little shop that was frequented by locals. The food was exactly what we needed on a cold winter's day - hot, simple and home-cooked.

Aunty Jo-Jo admiring the new Peace Tower (left) and old colonial buildings (right) along the Bund in Shanghai

In contrast, Shanghai is a bustling, in-your-face metropolis that just takes your breath away (literally!). The first thing that struck me was the heavy smog that blanketed the city. Yet, I soon lost myself in the dynamism and energy of the city. It's growing at an incredible pace and the young Chinese are hungry to acquire knowledge and business skills.

I'm looking forward to spending more time discovering and learning about China.

Seasons' Greetings from Joanna (2007)

Dearest Family & Friends,

I trust you have had a wonderful year! As I think back on 2007, two words perfectly reflect my state of mind - GRATEFUL and BLESSED. It is a simple statement of God’s goodness, for which I have done so little to deserve.

Many of you who know me well will understand that change is a constant in my life. This year has been no different. In September, I accepted a new job at AMD with responsibility for the Asian region and am now based in Singapore.

Here are just some of the many blessings that I’m grateful for in 2007:-

• Starting the year with a BANG when the roof of my hotel room came crashing down on the spot I was standing just 3 minutes before!
• Blogging my way to fame on 2 of my favourite topics: BBGS (back2bbgs.blogspot.com) and travelling (aunty-jo-jo.blogspot.com)
• Re-claiming my musical skills by signing up for Play By Ear piano lessons. My repertoire has been steadily increasing and I was practicing so feverishly that my neighbour thought I was a piano teacher :-)
• Spending a weekend in Belgium with Martin, Claudia & their 3 kids. It was the first time the little ones had ever met a real-life Asian so I felt like a natural history exhibit! I enjoyed their company and my first visit to Brussels’ La Grande Place, Mannekin Pis, European HQ and Galeries St Hubert – the world’s first shopping mall built in 1847
• Experiencing the spring floral paradise that is Keukenhof Gardens (Holland). The thrill of walking into a park filled with thousands of tulips, lilies and flowers of all kinds was a dream come true
• Discovering inspirational Dutch painters from the Golden Era like Vermeer (whose painting “Girl with the Pearl Earring” is now one of my all-time favourites), Gerard ter Boch and Jan Steen
• Celebrating my 37th birthday in New York City with my sister Julie and dearest friends, Isabel & Andrew. Their boys are gorgeous and the accommodation …sigh…how does one describe a house with views of Manhattan & the Statue of Liberty?
• Soaking in the quintessential NYC delights like “Spelling Bee”- this season’s Broadway hit, the Warhols and Mondrians on display at the Museum of Modern Art, strolling through Central Park, Gray’s Papaya hotdogs and massive pastrami sandwiches from Carnegie Deli
• Puzzling over the “weird”ness of Austin, the capital of Texas – which isn’t really like Texas at all! I just couldn’t get enough of the Tex-Mex food especially the breakfast burritos
• Visiting China for the first time, after my ancestors left four generations ago. I’m amazed at how fast the country is developing, how hungry the people are for knowledge and business skills and how proud they are of their historical heritage. The ancient classical gardens of Suzhou are pristinely beautiful, while Shanghai is BUSY, with a capital ‘B’

Here’s wishing all of you a Happy New Year and

a Fantastic 2008!

Johor Baru Rocks!

This weekend, I joined the legions of Singaporeans who make a pilgrimage to Johor Baru (JB) in search of cheap food, massages, manicures, food, DVDs, hair styling and...err..did I mention food? I seem to have eaten so much in the last 24 hours!

Firstly, let me say a big THANK YOU to Kon, Julius and Lucinda for being such wonderful hosts. Kon very graciously invited some of us "girls" to spend the weekend in JB with her family. Corrine, Stef & I needed no convincing the moment we heard the words "massage", "manicure" and "shopping".

(L to R) Kon, Stef, Aunty Jo-Jo, Lucinda & Corrine enjoying a Malaysian breakfast

The day started with a delicious breakfast of roti canai, nasi lemak, lontong, mee hoon goreng, and lots of teh tarik. The eating place was just a 5-minute drive from Chateau Kon, a gorgeous palatial home that is filled with bric-a-brac from the family's travels. We were especially impressed by the beautiful photos of Venice taken by Julius.

Four girls who obviously love their pedicures too much!

The girls happily traipsed off to the nail salon for their pedicures. We were all very grateful for the professional services of Lucinda, our pint-sized nail consultant, who helped us to choose exactly the right colour of nail polish to match our personalities.

The pampering continued with a massage session that was ....aaaaahhhhhhh...exactly what we needed to de-stress. Although we had been taught never to let anyone walk all over us, it felt good - very good. Thanks for the treat Kon, you're an angel!

Lunch at Ah Koong's Fishball Noodles

More food followed at Johor Baru's best fishball noodles joint. It was the springiest, tastiest fishballs I've had in a long time. And the lime juice was a perfect complement to the meal. Thanks for the recommendation, Julius!

Lucinda with the find of the day - ice cream toast

After still more pampering at a hair salon and some intense shopping (someone even tried on 15 pairs of jeans!), we headed wearily to Old Town Kopitiam for a Ipoh white coffee treat. Of course when we got there, we ended up having more than coffee. Lucinda ordered the house specialty of ice cream toast which looked so good that all the adults felt compelled (wink...wink) to help her finish it. Thanks for being so generous, Lucinda. You're a star!

Joanna, Corrine & Julius at Danga Bay

The perfect ending to the day came when we strolled along the boardwalk of Danga Bay admiring the beautiful sunset, a loving bride & groom and and a enormous chicken...enough said :-)

Of course we couldn't leave JB without one more dose of food, so off we went to one of the best Chinese restaurants in JB. The menu consisted of specialty tofu, deep-fried red snapper, stewed yam & pork, sambal potato leaves, broccoli, garlic prawns and salted vegetable soup.

I wonder why I'm feeling so full...

Settling in Singapore

Aunty Jo Jo with her gorgeous friend Li Ki admiring Christmas lights @ Orchard Road, Singapore

Last September, I re-located back to Singapore after almost 10 years. The transition has been very easy because so many of my friends have also made the move. However, I did ensure that my new job requires 50% travel to avoid the "cabin fever syndrome", which is quick to take hold in an island nation.

Some things I really enjoy about Singapore...

• Friends from Malaysia, Australia, Switzerland and UK who have all re-located to Singapore
• Singaporeans seem to have become friendlier, funnier and much more tolerable - or maybe I've mellowed and become more tolerant :-)
• The business climate is exciting and challenging
• International cuisine, arts & theatre is more interesting than KL
• Living only 15 minutes away from the airport
• Err...dare I say it...earning Sing dollars is so liberating

Other things I'm not so fond of...

• Not having a car! (I hope to remedy that soon)
• Trying to catch a cab on rainy days
• Ludicrous rental for condos and apartments
• Crowds along Orchard Road and Vivo City

Weird Austin

Aunty Jo-Jo @ the Texas State Capitol

I've just returned from the headquarters of AMD, my new employer, which is based in Austin. Being my first trip to Texas, I expected to see dusty cowboys in boots & ten-gallon hats riding through town on saddled horses. But thankfully, Austinites have kept their city delightfully "weird" and I found a pleasant green city with a fantastic music scene instead.

View of Lake Travis from the balcony of my hotel room

I spent almost a week attending a Leadership Workshop at a hotel on Lake Travis. While we were locked in windowless rooms most of the time, the scenery that surrounded us was beautiful. We went out on a dinner cruise one night and had lots of Shiner Bock (great Texas beer!) and Mexican food. Some of the mansions that dot the shores of Lake Travis belong to famous Austinites such as Michael Dell, Sandra Bullock and Andy Roddick.

Aunty Jo-Jo having fun with her new friends, Richard & Kim

I met some really funny & smart people on this trip. And I'm looking forward to working with them. It's amazing how beer always plays a major part in any bonding experience :-)

Aunty Jo-Jo with her Texas-sized mint chocolate ice-cream pie...yummy!

However, the one thing that Texas delivered on was the FOOD. I absolutely love Tex-Mex cuisine. Breakfast tacos, salsa & chips, enchilada, re-fried beans, queso catfish were some of the delights that have become my new favourites.

Now you know the *real* reason I'm looking forward to my next trip to corporate headquarters!

Turning 37 in the Big Apple

I turned 37 last week, and it happened in one of my favourite places: New York City.

This birthday was extra special because I celebrated it with my sister Julie and some good friends, Andrew & Isabel. I'll remember this for a long time.

Isabel & Joanna @ the Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway to watch "Spelling Bee"

Isabel surprised me with a real treat- tickets to "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee", Broadway's No. 1 hit this season. The production was a laugh-a-minute, and thoroughly enjoyable. Although it appeared innocent and playful on the surface, the 6 elementary school characters managed to address some serious issues. I could identify with Marcie Park- an overachieving Asian schoolgirl who's petrified about not living up to expectations, and wanting to break free. The other characters were equally loveable, despite their idiosyncracies.

Julie & Joanna @ Carnegie Deli, Seventh Avenue at 55th St

Food is always on my agenda, and this trip was no different. We ate the biggest pastrami sandwich in New York at Carnegie Deli. It's called the "Woody Allen" and had lotsa corned beef and lotsa pastrami, just like it said on the menu. Despite sharing, we had an uphill battle to finish the sandwich. But we managed, with the help of lotsa pickles and sauerkraut. Needless to say, we didn't bother with birthday cake after that :-)

The Carnegie Deli is described as a quintessential Jewish kosher style deli, but our waiters were from Bangladesh, Thailand and China. Huh?

Aunty Jo-Jo @ MOMA beside Van Gogh's "Starry Night"

I capped off the day with a trip to New York's Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) because that's where Van Gogh's "Starry Night" is displayed. Hmmm...I must admit being a little disappointed because it wasn't as large or vibrant in real life. My favourite Van Gogh is still an image of a patch of grass in the asylum at St Remy, which is on display at the London Art Gallery.

Still all was not lost because I discovered a host of other wonderful modern works by Mondrian, Picasso and Warhol.

Aunty Jo-Jo @ MOMA admiring Andy Warhol's "Campbell Soup" series

This painting surprised me. I've heard of Andy Warhol but always thought his work was too pop and modern for my taste. And yet when I stood in front of his famous "Campbell Soup" series, I got it. It felt playful and homey, and yet was as meticulously executed as a Monet or Rembrandt.

This MOMA collection has definitely piqued my interest in modern art.

Garden of Europe

Gardens have been cultivated since 1500 BC in Egypt, and have served as a backdrop for many a love story as well as inspiration for generations of artists, musicians and poets.

I too am on a perennial quest for inspiration, and seek out these botanical wonders every chance I get.

In spring this year, I was thrilled to be given a tour of the Garden of Europe, otherwise known as Keukenhof by my new friend, Erik Maitimo. The gardens are situated just outside the town of Lisse, South Holland.

Aunty Jo-Jo enjoying spring blooms @ Keukenhof Gardens, Holland

I can hardly describe the thrill at entering those gardens. Although the tulip season was largely over, the setting was so beautiful. The blue sky, fresh air, gorgeous flowers and tranquil park lent a dreamlike quality to our morning stroll. We spent 2 leisurely hours strolling through the different pavilions, and even stopped for a coffee. There was a indoor pavilion filled with some of my favourite flowers - tropical lilies - in every colour! The heady scent of the blooms was almost too much to bear.





These flowers are part of the annual exhibit that allows growers from all over the Netherlands and Europe to show off their hybrids. Netherlands is the world's largest exporter of flowers.

In fact, did you know that the first stock market crash was caused by tulips? In the early 17th century, tulips could cost up to 1000 Dutch florins and were exchanged for land, livestock and houses. However in 1637, tulip traders could no longer get the inflated prices for the bulbs and the bubble burst.

From that day onwards, the pattern has been repeated with junk bonds, dot-coms and sub-prime mortgages ;-)

Food glorious food (Part 2)

"The history of the world is on a plate" - Anthony Bourdain

And if this ascerbic-witted food writer is right, then my stomach has certainly made history. I've eaten my way through quite a few countries and encountered some very unique flavours.

Aunty Jo-Jo trying Dutch raw herring

Earlier this year I visited Marken, a picturesque Dutch fishing village and was persuaded to try Hollandse Nieuwe, or raw herring. It is typically served with raw onions and available only in spring. While I had heard the "horror stories" and seen the shudders of the non-Dutch when raw herring is mentioned, it tasted just like sashimi - only saltier and more fishy-smelling.


Aunty Jo-Jo helping to cook an authentic Spanish paella

One of the highlights of my travels last year took place in a backyard in Geelong, Australia. Luis Alonso, an Australian of Spanish descent, taught me how to cook an authentic Spanish paella. It's a beautiful rice dish that's cooked in a large flat pan with lots of chicken, prawns and mussels thrown in for good measure. But the most important ingredient that gives paella its distinctive colour is saffron. This spice is insanely expensive - US$600 - US$2000 per pound. And that's why Luis only allowed us to use 2 dabs from his precious thimble.



And last but not least, let's come back to Malaysian shores and talk about the durian. This king of fruit has been given so much bad press in the foreign media but let me assure you, it's the best thing in the world. The sweet rich custardy texture that springs from the thorny shell is poetry on the palate. In my humble opinion, the best durians originate from Balik Pulau in Penang, where my parents live. And the most divine durian of all is the "ang her" (loosely translated as "red prawn") . Don't just take my word for it - go try it for yourself!

Food glorious food (Part 1)

One of the biggest pleasures I derive from travel is the opportunity to sample wonderful world cuisines. In all my travels, I have yet to meet someone who's not proud of his national cuisine, and asking a person what they're eating is a great way to start a conversation. Some dishes are delightful from the first bite, but others take some getting used to.

Here are a sample of dishes that appear regularly on "Fear Factor" ;-)

Balut is a fertilized duck egg with a nearly-developed embryo inside that is boiled and eaten in the shell. The first time I tried this was in the Philippines in 2006. And the only thing I can say is "It looks worse than it tastes". The anticipation of peeling the egg - and seeing the beak, feathers and webbed feet was really fascinating. When I finally popped it into my mouth, it just tasted like egg yolk - very rich egg yolk!

Beondegi is a street snack that I tried at the Namdaemun night market in Seoul, Korea. I was visiting the market with a client, and in the spirit of "exceeding client expectations", I popped these 3 cm brown sacs into my mouth. When the sacs revealed bits of squidgy legs and antennae, I realised this was not a simple popcorn snack - they were boiled silkworm pupae!

Stinky tofu is basically fermented beancurd. Being Chinese, I've eaten tofu from infancy, but nothing prepared me for this delicacy. I tried this for the first time at a night market in Mailiao, Taiwan. Firstly, it takes a lot of courage to even approach the stall because of serious pong (much like the smell of full garbage trucks in a tropical climate). The taste is just like tofu that's gone off. However, the pickled cabbage that is served together with this does help offset the "strange"ness of the flavours.

Black pudding is a blood sausage. It is served as part of a cooked breakfast in England. The first time I had it was in a "greasy spoon" in Barnsley, Yorkshire. It tasted fine -similar to the Chinese liver "lap cheong" or sausage. But I preferred the rest of the English breakfast - sausages, bacon, baked beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, buttered bread - washed down with huge mugs of tea...YUUUUMMMM!

Note: Individual food shots are borrowed from Wikipedia. Only the Aunty Jo-Jo eating balut shot is from my camera

What's the best place you've visited?

...is a question that I often get asked, whenever I share stories about my travels.

It's really difficult to answer this question diplomatically so I usually say something like "Every place is unique" or "I love all the different experiences". But truthfully, if you really must know, it's New Zealand (shhh...please don't tell my Aussie friends).

Aoteroa - the Land of the Long White Cloud is breathtakingly beautiful. The next few pictures speak for themselves.

Aunty Jo- Jo @ Queenstown amongst the gorgeous lupins

The foreshore of Lake Tekapo is a scene I often associate with the words "heaven on earth". The turquoise blue waters and multi-coloured lupins are just so incredibly beautiful. The modest Church of the Good Shepherd situated right next to the lake has one of the most amazing altars of all - no man made stained glass windows - just pure CREATION.

This view of the Remarkables Ranges is what I enjoyed as I floated to the ground following my skydive. My tandem instructor really cracked me up with this phrase - "Welcome to my office! Great view huh?"

There are so many exciting activities for adrenaline junkies in New Zealand. I enjoyed a heli-hike up the Fox Glacier and got to "cuddle up" with Craig, a guide, in an ice cave...heh...heh... enough said.

Conquering Mt Kinabalu

Aunty Jo-Jo @ Laban Rata, Mt Kinabalu in her best "Indiana Jones" pose

After years of seeking adventures abroad, I finally returned to Malaysian shores to experience my own country. And what better place than Mt Kinabalu, in all her glorious splendour. In 2003, Harvey, my long-time travel companion, talked me into attempting the Mt Kinabalu climb. The dare-devil in me agreed but Ms Lazy-Bones soon started protesting when I hauled her to the gym every day, and up 15 flights of stairs twice a week. Training was tough but it had to be done.

We flew to Kota Kinabalu and spent the night at the National Park, before starting out early next morning from the Timpohan Gate. I was persuaded by an Orang Asli to purchase a RM3 walking stick...and it turned out to be a LIFESAVER! There were steps cut out along the trail but they were ginormous! A little five-footer like me had to struggle all the way. The rain didn't help either.

Aunty Jo-Jo and Harvey @ the Laban Rata Rest House enjoying the view of Sabah

Despite the physical strain, I was constantly delighted by the fauna & flora along the way. The foliage transformed from tropical jungles, to bonsai forests to little bushes all within an 8 hour-climb.

It was so embarassing to be overtaken by 50+year old aunties hauling gas tanks up the mountain wearing only Japanese slippers! Sigh..but after a couple of slips and trips, I finally hauled myself into the Laban Rata guest house. What a relief.

The next morning, we started out at 2am and headed for the peak to catch the sunrise. Harvey surged ahead with my camera and several other He-Men we had met the night before. I had to take it slow because I was feeling the effects of altitude sickness. At one point, I had a rather amusing conversation with Erik the guide.

Aunty Jo-Jo: What happens if I make it to the top but can't come down? Can some guides carry me down?

Erik : Sorry Miss, stretcher sudah habis! (We've run out of stretchers!)

At 3200 meters, I started feeling chest pains and developed a ringing sound in my ears (as a result of reduced oxygen to the brain), Erik and I discussed the options. I still had another 800 tough meters to climb, and an even tougher descent the same day.

It was a tough call but I decided to turn back.

Harvey made it to the top, took some photos, and bounced all the way back to the guesthouse, high on adrenaline. He had a look of sheer joy on his face..WELL DONE Ah Boy!

Aunty Jo-Jo & Harvey @ Bavangazo Longhouse with traditional dancers

In addition to the Kinabalu adventure, Harvey had also arranged a cultural side-trip to a longhouse. We were guests of a headman and his family at the Bavangazo Longhouse. We were served delicious meals of vegetables & chickens from the garden, and entertained all night with traditional dances. And that's where the hospitality ended. While the family retired into their modern air-conditioned longhouse (complete with a satellite dish), Harvey and I were left to battle mosquitoes, wild boars and cockerels all night in our "rustic but authentic" longhouse!

Still, it was one of my best holidays ever...

Australia - Sydney

Aunty Jo-Jo@ Circular Quay, Sydney

Sydney, Australia was my home for over two years.

I fell in love with it at first sight, as countless others have. Once I got over the seduction of the the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, I began to explore other facets of the city. Here's a sample of what I discovered...

• Sydney Olympics 2000 was another dream come true! Living right of the city was the best thing that could have happened. I watched volleyball, badminton, marathon and best of all - I witnessed Cathy Freeman cross the finish line to win the 400m gold medal! That night, I learnt to sing Advance Australia Fair, the national anthem
• Music is alive and well in Sydney. Together with my best friend Trish, I heard some of the best live music ever. I was introduced to the sounds of Van Morrison at the Basement, Kylie Minogue at Sydney Entertainment Centre and even the Harlem Gospel Choir at Angel Theatre
• Food is an art form. I learnt this from some of my friends, Glenn and Pierre, who are professional chefs. Glenn taught me that freshly-squeezed organic orange juice is one of the best things in the world. And Pierre taught me that IKEA knives are a no-no(at least, not if you want to be taken seriously ;-)
• Alternative lifestyles are OK. We are all different and we need to learn how to embrace those differences, while still holding on to our personal values and beliefs

Australia - Dubbo

Where, you ask?

Well, Dubbo is a town in central-west New South Wales, approximately 420kms from Sydney. While it may not feature prominently on the world map, it has a big place in my heart because of the Christmas I spent with the Mawbey family - the warmest, loveliest, down-to-earth people I have ever met.

L to R: Mawbey's Daughters - Michelle, Marie (a.k.a Mum), Lyndal, Tania...and Grant (in orange)

Tania and I worked together in PwC Sydney, and she kindly invited home to spend Christmas with her family in 2001. The Mawbeys welcomed this lonely little Asian into their home with such warmth, they completely won me over! I was introduced to classic Aussie fare such as ham, curried eggs, tuna bake and coconut tart....and I loved it! I even got the recipes off Marie, but unfortunately, have never succeeded in re-producing her masterpieces. It's probably because of the lack of one key ingredient - unconditional family love.

One incident that I remember fondly took place during the Christmas Carol Service at the Dubbo Oval (cricket ground). A reporter from the local newspaper approached us to take photos, and Barry (a.k.a Dad) introduced me as Joanna Mawbey!

Aunty Jo-Jo facing her first bull on the Mawbey family farm...yikes!

Another first for me was a real-life bull rodeo! One of Tania's cousins gallantly offered to ride a bull for me to watch. So off we went to the family farm at Gilgandra and I watched him battle a one-ton bull. WOW...

He later killed a goat and threw it on the barbie just for me - DOUBLE WOW...

Australia - Memories and Images

I have so many memories from the four years I lived in Australia - and even more photos! Here are some images that spring to mind whenever I think of my life Down Under.

Beautiful nightime view of Sydney Harbour Bridge & Opera House, taken from my friend Rene Bommer's apartment in Mc Mahon's Point

And in contrast, a sunrise view of Brisbane's Story Bridge taken from my apartment. I spent countless hours looking at that reflection off the water, contemplating life..

Noosa Beach on the Sunshine Coast was one of my favourite weekend retreats when living in Queensland. Especially one delightful weekend when I discovered the lifeguard training grounds ...heh...heh...

View of the amazing 75-mile Beach on Fraser Island, from a single-engine Cessna plane. I stayed at the Kingfisher Bay Resort gratis, thanks to my pal Jo Cabritit who worked there

Aunty Jo-Jo on her annual pilgrimage to the Floriade in Canberra. The sight of thousands of colourful flowers does indeed make one's heart sing for joy!