The World of Tai Tai

Speaking of food, I have a conservative streak in my makeup.  I don't easily accept anything beyond my sphere of familiarity. In Beijing, however, I found myself highly adaptable to Northern Chinese food, which was so much different from Malaysian Chinese food. As far as breakfast was concerned, we only ate out once throughout our ten-day stay. The restaurant, Jing Ding Xuan, a few streets off Aunt Magdalene's home, served foods all over China.  Once ensconced at our reserved table,  Aunt Magdalene's driver helped us to order some Cantonese dim-sum and a few Sichuanese delicacies for good measure.  The dim-sum was passable, not as exquisite as that in Hong Kong and Gwanzhou but better than those in my hometown Miri. The one that stood out was the phoenix claws(chicken feet). I was surprised by how delicious they were. Bigger than the average ones at Malaysian restaurants, their gelatinous tissues, springy and well-infused with the zing of preserved beans, ...

A feeling of thankfulness typified my travels in Beijing. I was there with my mother and brother. The first place we visited was the Forbidden City, which stood out with majestic aloofness from among the other structures. The front portion of the palace, with the giant oil portrait of Chairman Mao atop the entrance, exuded the spirit of communism. Impressed by the grand architecture, we went from one hall to another. Although each hall represented a different realm, it was essentially characterised by an arched roof upon both ends, perched figurines of different fortune animals ranging from bats to qilins, an emperor’s seat, tall poles patterned with elaborate fretwork, and a courtyard garden with quaint landscaping. Every now and then, at the gates, roamed soldiers dressed in Qing uniforms, giving the palace an anachronistic touch.  The Forbidden City was truly a sight to behold—a must-visit if you come to Beijing. Heavy snow had fallen the day before our ...

Throughout my ten-day stay in Beiing, I had been to many shopping malls with my mother and brother.  But since they were generally the same as those back in Malaysia, I have decided not to mention them here.  The third place we visited was Tiangtang, the Temple of Heaven, which clonsisted of three prominent architectures across a spacious square: The Hall of  Prayer, the Imperial Vault of Heaven and the Circular Mound Altar. The Imperial Vault of Heaven was easily noticeable at the centre with its unique rotund hulk, bedizened with a circular engraving-covered wall that dazzled the eyes with its multiple colours. Its three-tiered roof , according to Dominic, resembled the crown of an emperor.  In the interior one could see several tablets and incense urns, each elaborately made and looking grand. There was something worth-mentioning about the wall too - it could transmit sounds over large distances.  Dominic made a lot of funny voices, and he att...

A feeling of thankfulness typified my travels in Beijing. I was there with my mother and brother. The first place we visited was the Forbidden City, which stood out  among other structures with majestic aloofness. The front portion of the palace, with the giant oil portrait of Chairman Mao atop the entrance, exuded the core spirit of communism. We went from one hall to another, impressed by the grand architecture.  Each hall represented a different realm, but basically it was characterized by an arched roof upon both ends perched figurines of different fortune animals ranging from bats to qilins, an emperor's seat, tall poles patterned with elaborate fretwork, and a courtyard garden with quaint landscaping.  Every now and then, at the gates, roamed soldiers dressed in Qing uniforms, giving the palace an anachronistic touch.  The Forbidden City was truly a sight to behold, a must-visit if you come to Beijing.  Heavy snow had fallen a day before our v...

My article on Hunan was published in New Sarawak Tribune on 30th November 2015.  It was the first time my writing was published and I thank the newspaper editor, Grace Balan Law, for giving me that opportunity. The publication has no doubt inspired me to write more. My Trip to Hunan

The Jitters Onboard the Flight to Beijing The six-hour flight to Beijing filled me with a type of jitteriness I had never known. Ten to fifteen minutes prior to boarding the plane, Mother, a Bruneian, had spent a protracted time in a long queue, waiting to have her passport scrutinised at the customs checkpoint for foreigners. As locals, the passport scrutiny was easy for my brother, Dominic, and I because it was done through self-service. Had we not rushed to the departure lounge after her passport was stamped, we would have missed the flight. The plane took off from KLIA2 at 7.10 p.m., and the passengers spent the first two hours dining and chatting. Mother and Dominic found a row of unoccupied seats at the back and moved over there to enjoy the luxury of more space and privacy. I was left with a Beijing girl who, sitting towards the front, had borne my nervousness-induced trips to the toilet well with her good-natured patience. The moment I s...