A trip to Penang

Hello readers,

I have gone to Penang the past weekend...

My family along with Uncle Das's family (P.S. They are a family friend) went on a trip to Penang...

It was Uncle Das, his wife , Rosemary, and his daughter, Audrey...

It was for our annual pilgrimage to St.Anne's Church....

And so here is how it all began...

It all started on a Friday night, 22nd of July 2011...

My family was packing our stuff pass midnight (when we could have done it earlier >.< )

We were done packing by around 12 - 1 am ...

The next morning, we woke up later than planned, at 6am...

We were suppose to be ready by 5am but because of the alarm we woke up late...

So we quickly got ready and went to meet up with Uncle Das and family at the Seremban rest stop...

And we were off to Ipoh first to meet up with Uncle Das nephew...

My dad asked my to sit in Uncle Das car but I did not wanted to...

And so we were off for a long ride on the road....

I was busy reading my new book "How to stop worrying and start living" by Dale Carnegie.....

An awesome book ^^

Then I decided to take a nap because I was still tired for not getting enough rest the night before...

After 2 hours on the road, we reached our usual stop at the Tapah rest stop to stretch and relax...

Then we headed to Uncle Das nephew's house...

From there, I started sitting on Uncle Das's car..

We just dropped by for awhile and headed off for Bukit Mertajam where St.Anne's Church is...

Sitting at the back with Audrey, I disturbed her quite a lot throughout the journey...

Childhood buddies since I was 3 years old...

Can you imagine???

Anyways it was another long trip to St.Anne.....

I had caught a flu at that time...

It annoyed me throughout the journey as well....

Audrey decided to play her Justin Bieber disc to annoy me....

Halfway on the road, Audrey fell asleep listening to her Justin Bieber music (which was suppose to be a torture for me or so it seems... ) and then I decided to sleep as well because I was tired due to the flu...

After some time we arrived at St.Anne's church...

It was an ever welcoming sight as usual...

We went to get the candles and flower and started by entering the old church building first to offer our prayer...

After that we walked up the stairs to reach the statue at the top for a more powerful prayer...

Halfway up the stairway, we decided to stop and take some photos....

As usual I'm with my camera busy taking photos all around.... (hahaha!!! =D )

After reaching the top, lighting our candles and saying our prayers, we went down to the middle where the statue of Mother Mary is located....

There we usually say a group prayer together, I lead the prayer...

Lighting the candle proved to be difficult as the strong wind of St.Anne blew...

I said "Our prayer has been accepted when the candles were blown off."

After that, we went down to where the waterfall is...

And a Dejavu happened , it rained again like last year when we went to the waterfall... (P.S. It is just a small waterfall not a huge one... )

We went to the toilet and then waited under the shade while the my father and Uncle Das went to get the umbrellas...

When they got back with the umbrellas, we went towards the tap where we could collect the Holy Water...

We drank the water and washed our face...

At that moment, the rain subsided and we closed our umbrella...

After that, we went to offer Mass....

After giving our Mass offering, we went into the new church building...

This might have been the first time I got to take pictures inside the new church building...

We all say yet another prayer there before moving around to check out the inside of the church...

They have a beautiful altar with many wonderful statues around...

Once we were done, we headed out to go to the souvenir shop...

The rain starting pouring again while we were walking towards the souvenir shop...

There was many cool things in the shop...

After buying some souvenirs, we got some ice-cream (even though I had flu)...

After finishing our ice-cream, we were off to Penang island...

We were way ahead of schedule...

We took the ferry to get to the island...

We enjoyed the ride under the hot sun on the ferry and took some beautiful photos...

When we got off the ferry, it took some time for us to get to our apartment...

Before going to our apartment, stopped by a bakery to get something to eat because there was no time to have lunch...

We were going to be late for checking in and might just be late for Mass at the church on Penang Island...

We bought what we wanted and ate in the car while trying to get to our apartment...

The lady arrived and brought us to our apartment room...

We just put our luggage down and quickly drank some hot drinks and ate a little snack...

Those who wanted to shower took a quick shower and we got ready to go for Mass...

Audrey wore her Justin Bieber shirt (which was a gifted to her by someone >.<)

While we were going to be late for Mass, I was on my own car this time and taking a nap because I was exhausted from the flu and having a headache... (The flu really spoiled my day)

While my brothers and I were sleeping, we missed a rare police action...

My mother said that there were some police surrounding a pale man...

She said that he was shot....

Darn it, of all the time for us to fall asleep, we missed all the action :C

Anyways, we arrived at the usual church we go for Mass, the Immaculate Conception...

Thinking that we were going to be late for Mass, I saw some people walking around and I said "I think Mass not yet start la."

So my mum asked me to check the time for Mass and we were not late...

Mass was at 6.30pm and we were there at 6.10pm ...

After Mass, we relaxed around the church compound for awhile...

Once the adults were done discussing, we decided to have dinner at the same food court we went to last year and meet up with the Sequerah's (some other family friends who were around in Penang)....

After finding a place to park in that crowded food court, we went inside and ordered some food before the Sequerah's arrive because we did not have a proper lunch in the afternoon....

Aunty Ros, my mum and I ordered char kuay teow, one of Penang's delicacies....

The rest ordered claypot chicken rice....

My dad and Uncle Das were drinking beer....

Audrey took my camera to see all the photos that I have taken and then she took some photos at the food court as well....

While we were enjoying our dinner, the Singapore vs Malaysia football match was being broadcast....

Enjoying the game while having our dinner...

It was disappointing though that Malaysia lost...

But it what was awesome was the fact that people shot up firework when Malaysia scored two goals...

Amazing!!!

The Sequerah's did not show up because they went to the wrong place but what does it matter huh??? Hehe >.<

After enjoying dinner for a long time, we headed back for our apartment...

Everyone was tired after the long, long day...

We washed up one by one to get ready for bed...

My dad went straight for bed without washing up because he did not get enough sleep the night before...

The mothers were busy having a chat while me and my brothers waited for our turn to take a shower and get ready for bed...

Audrey was watching Tomb Raider without her eyes barely open...

She was so sleepy...

After awhile Uncle Das headed for bed and so did Audrey....

My brothers and I waited for the mothers to finished their conversation before we could sleep...

We slept at the living room because there were only two bedrooms....

One for my parents and the other for Uncle Das's family....

My brothers and I did not get a really good sleep that night because it was very cold...

The fan was at full blast at speed 5 while the air-cond was with the temperature of 16 degree...

I woke up a several few times and so did my brothers...

I woke up at 3am to go the the toilet and also to slow the fan down...

Again at 5am to increase the temperature to 25 degree...

Throughout the night I could hardly feel my legs and I knocked my head on the chairs so many times...

I was right under the air-cond so I used the mattress which we were suppose to sleep on as a blanket...

Because of that I had to put my pillow under the chair where my head was too of course..

That is why I knocked my head every time I woke up...

The next morning, at 7am....

I woke up and bumped my head yet again on the chair...

I did not wanted to knock my head again so I decided to wake up...

I turned off the air-cond and opened the sliding door so that it would warm up a little...

As I was approaching the cabinet where the water was, I knocked my head on the cabinet instead....

Ouch!! What a head knocking sensation >.<

I still had flu in the morning....

My brothers, my mother and I were the awake already...

I washed up and changed out of my pyjamas....

Because of my sneezing and coughing, I woke Aunty Rose and Uncle Das up...

Aunty Rose asked Uncle Das to get the medicines from their car...

So Uncle Das went down to get it...

I was enjoying a cup of coffee with some biscuits....

When Uncle Das got back up with the medicine, I took three of those yellow tablets and it slowly got better...

Everyone was slowly waking up and getting changed, having breakfast with some hot drinks...

The last to wake up was Audrey...

Once everyone was changed and ready, it was about 9am...

We went out to go see my pick up my grandaunt from her apartment so that she can show us the way to the old folks' home, the Little Sister of the Poor....

My other grandaunt was there....

I was sitting on my own car this time (Wow I keep changing between two cars >.< )

On the way there, I told my dad about the scratch on my camera screen because I had lost my camera casing when I went for the trip to Taylor's College....

I also told my mum that Audrey mentioned that she wanted to go to Tesco the day before...

So my dad decided to stop by Tesco to walk around a little and to get my camera casing....

The casing cost RM100, it was very expensive...

I got scolding from my mum for losing it...

We walked around a little after that...

Then at a point, Aunty Rose gave Audrey RM10 to buy something but she did not buy anything and decided to keep it instead...

She insisted on getting an Angry Birds merchandise but there wasn't any around....

I bought the new Mentos brand which was the Air Action Mentos...

It was to help improve the condition of my flu ( It really did in the end >.< )

And then we left for my grandaunt's apartment...

I sat on Uncle Das's car again and luckily I did...

Even on the way out of Tesco building, we lost my father's car...

Can you imagine??

Why would they put so many way out of a single building... -.-

So we waited beside a construction site and Uncle Das called my dad....

Later we made a U-turn and finally found my father further down the road...

And we are off again....

When we reached there, I got off the car to see my grandaunt...

She wanted to treat us to breakfast but we told her that we have eaten already...

And so we left for the Little Sisters of the Poor...

After some time, we got there....

It was a beautiful place, simply marvelous...

It was almost like paradise for this old folks' ....

As we walked towards the building, my brothers, Audrey and I saw a cage with a parrot in it...

This was our first encounter with a real parrot and so we played with it...

I always that what we see on television is fake but I was amazed at what the parrot could do...

We tried saying "Hello" and the parrot replied "Hello" back to us...

We even tried many other lines and sounds but he did not do all of it...

Later, we decided to get into the building with our parents and so we said "Bye" and it replied "Bye" back to us...

It was really cool how it was able to speak just like us...

So awesome!!!

The moment we walked in, I was astonished by the inner beauty of the building...

It was so refreshing and nice...

I took a photo of the dining hall but then I was told that I cannot take pictures without permission so I stopped....

And then my grandaunt took us up to see my other grandaunt...

We went on the elevator up to the second floor....

Yet another beautiful sight...

We walked around a little and soon after we saw our grandaunt who was staying there...

The moment she saw us she started shedding tears of joy and asked my brothers and I , "Where is your mummy?? "

And we told her she is around...

Soon after, my mum came and she hugged her...

They both were crying...

My mother was so happy to see her...

And then we entered the chapel....

It was so beautiful I almost couldn't believe it...

The crucifix was so detailed with the blood marks and all...
It was so peaceful in the chapel...

I wanted to take a photo but my dad told me not to...

Later I went out to where Uncle Das and his family was...

I saw them talking to one of the nuns which was actually the Mother Superior (or so my grandaunt says), which is the head of all the nuns there....

I greeted her "Good morning" and she was telling us about the place...

Later she decided to show us around the place...

We asked for permission to take photos and she said "Certainly"

So I quickly went in a took just one picture of the chapel...

The first place sister showed us was the living room where the senior citizens gather to have a sing-along or watch television...

She then showed us the one of the folks' room ....

She told us "You see one then you've seen them all"

Next, was the place where volunteers have their break....

After that, was the kitchen where I could see some of the senior citizens helping out along with the nuns...

The laundry was the next place...

There she explained how they wash the clothes of 63 old folks' ...

She even showed us this machine that helps to iron the clothes and another machine to iron the bed sheets....

She showed us the mortuary as well...

I thought it was going to be scary to go in but then I only saw holy statues...

She told us a story about a Hindu man who died with no relatives...

His final wishes was that they prayed the Catholic prayer for him...

A wonderful story that sister told us....

The mortuary was a simple place though...

After that, we saw the multi-purpose hall...

In here they hold a lot of events...

Like bowling, the men and women challenged each other in darts, performances....

They even have sound systems and a LCD projector to let them watch movie...

Wow, what a life don't you think??

And to think I said it was a boring place...

Just outside of the hall, we saw a lady playing the piano...

Is amazing how such an old lady can play the piano so well, without GLASSES!!

Then there was this board where coloured pictures was put up...

Sister explained to us that a session for colouring is held once a week...

Through the colours used to colour their pictures, the sisters would know how the folks' are feeling....

Then, she took us out the back way...

There was a beautiful park like place there and the old building was there as well...

We passed a workshop where all repairs and everything were done...

We arrived at a small building...

There was a statue of St.Joseph...

She told us that they gather at that statue to pray for the conversion of those who were non-Catholic there...

She then told us that the small building there was actually the original building of the Little Sisters of the Poor, Penang...

She told us a story about how the place came to be...

A non-Catholic man one day was amazed at the work of the Little Sisters of the Poor at Kuala Lumpur so he asked the sisters to open one at Penang...

He donated the land and the building itself...

Its a wonder how kind he was to donate the land despite not being a Catholic...

God bless this man...

She told us then that everything in the place is donated....

Then sister asked whether we want to see the gymnasium...

We were shocked to hear that there is a gymnasium in an old folks' home...

So we were excited to see it...

We went back into the building and she showed us the way to the gymnasium...

I as usual was taking photos all around....

I even took one photo of a hallway which looked almost the one in the movie Exorcism of Emily Rose...

When I got back and saw that picture, there was a light image of a couple standing there...

It spooked me when my mum and dad told me about it...

Eeee.....

Anyways, sister showed us the doctor room next...

There I saw a beautiful picture of Jesus and St.John...

I took a photo of it...

Next we walked to a hallway with three room covered by a glass mirror and door...

The first one was a reading room or a library to be precise...

In the middle there was a saloon where the folks' hair would be able to cut their hair once a week...

On the other side was a convenience store where those folks' who are unable to go out of the place can get what they want...

After passing all that, we reached the gymnasium which was empty at that moment...

It was amazing for an old folks' home to have such a well equipped gym...

I immediately started talking photos of each equipment as it was amazing...

Its specially built for old people...

The only common gym equipment was the treadmill...

The rest were specially made...

For example one was like a paddle for hands to help strengthen the arm muscles....

Then there was another that looked like a ladder to help them stimulate their leg muscles...

One for training them to raise their legs up when walking...

Then there was a scanner and so much more equipment there....

Sister allowed us to try out some of it and she explained about each one of it...

After that, she took us further down the hallway to show us another room...

On the way we saw an arts and craft room...

There was so many nice things done by the old folks' there that were for sale...

She told us that there was even a place for them to make rosaries with beads...

Then there was this craft that was made out of ice-cream sticks...

A man had made it out of creativity...

On the way to that same room, I saw a dark room with a computer in it...

She said it was a computer room.. (Wow!! Can you imagine that old people also enjoy using the computer >.< )

Finally we reached the room...

It was a room with a huge plasma tv...

She said that the room was for a more personal gathering....

There was a carved decoration in that room that was donated and been there for 70 over years...

Amazing don't you think??

It was a nice room for personal gatherings....

She showed us a round many places (some which I do not really remember) and told us many story about the place...

And that gathering room was the last room before we wanted to leave...

On the way out, outside of the reading room, there was a man sitting there...

We greeted him earlier, his name is Lawrence (I think that's how its spelled)

Sister then told us a tale about him saving the old folks' home during the time they were still using the old building...

The damp broke down and everyone was sleeping...

Lawrence was the one who woke all the nuns up and saved everyone there...

Its cool how a there is a living hero there ^^

Everyone was truly blest to have this man..

We greeted him goodbye and promised to keep him in our prayers...

After that long tour, we asked sister to take a group photo with us...

We had to take to split group photos because the counter lady did not wanted to help us take the picture...

First I was taking the picture then later my dad...

Sister was standing next to Audrey and she said that she would be a future nun...

Uncle Das even mentioned me to sister and she said she would pray for me (Awesome in a way but I don't think I really wanna be a priest XP )

After that, I took a photo of my mum with both of my grandaunts...

While the adults continue talking with sister and my mum talked with my grandaunts, my brothers, Audrey and I went to disturb the parrot again...

Uncle Das came in for a while and at that time the parrot showed us some stunts...

It was just too bad I did not catch a video of him doing it..

It was awesome...

He first slowly opened up his wings and all...

And then he did a spin around the stick and started making this weird screeching sound...

Later when Uncle Das had left, my dad came by...

He taught the parrot some other words and the parrot did say it...

Too bad the mums did not get to see this...

After some time, it was time to leave...

The last photo I took there was the electrical belt on top of the building...

And then we bid farewell and left as the old folks' have their lunch...

After leaving the Little Sisters of the Poor, we were suppose to send my grandaunt home but she wanted to treat us to lunch and so we stopped by that food court near her apartment...

The adults were sitted on while table while we the children was sitted on another...

We ordered our food and drinks...

When the char kuay teow arrived, Audrey asked whether there was oyster in it and she said that she was allergic to seafood...

So she put the seafood aside and slowly ate it...

One my eldest brother, Nicholas, and I was done eating, we decided to walk around outside to look for that Muar Chee shop we usually go to...

The way they make it is awesome and it is very tasty so we really wanted to find this shop...

So we took a stroll outside...

We walked around and then we saw this shop with a lot of Angry Birds merchandise which we wanted to show Audrey one she is done eating...

And then we found that very same Muar Chee shop...

We went to look for our dad to get some money and then we took my other brother, Kevin, and Audrey with us...

We took Audrey to the shop with the Angry Birds stuff first and let her have a look around...

She was so excited to buy the merchandise but she only had RM10 with her (which she got while we were in Tesco, lucky she did not use it >.< )

So in the end she got a pencil box worth RM5 and two keychains (the pig and the yellow bird) which cost RM2.50 each...

She was happy but she could not get the bag worth RM38 which she really wanted...

Another good thing was we told her to get what she want first before we return to our parents because we might not be able to come back to that shop...

And guess what?? It really did happen like that >.<

After that, we went to get our Muar Chee and we returned back to our parents...

Later, we sent my grandaunt back....

We were suppose to return to our apartment actually but then my dad decided to go get the famous Tambun biscuits first before returning to our apartment to pack up and check out...

It was raining when we got there...

We were all holding umbrellas and walking towards the very same shop we go to every year...

The rain eventually slowed down as we approached the shops...

Along the way, Audrey saw some things that she wanted to buy so she went with her mum to buy something while my mum and dad was busy buying the Tambun biscuits and all...

My brothers, Uncle Das and I were sitting on the chair waiting for them...

The raining started pouring heavily again...

After awhile, they got back and when all was done we walked back towards the car...

We wanted to have the all so famous cendol from the street side shop but we could not as it was raining...

Getting back on the car, we were off back to the apartment...

My dad wanted to stop by the cendol shop so that my mum can have the cendol but there was no place to park so we moved on back to the apartment...

While Uncle Das was trailing my dad back to the apartment, many uncourteous driver keep cutting in between making it difficult to trail my dad's car...

At a point when there was a turning to the left and right, I realise that the number plate of the Proton Saga was not my dad's...

So we stopped and had lost the way...(Its a good thing I sat on Uncle Das's car >.< )

So Uncle Das called my dad and after that we decided to go back to that same road and turn the other way this time...

We stopped by a shop and asked for directions to Batu Ferringhi...

There was two Chinese man who gave a very difficult instruction to get there...

Thank God for this Indian man on a motorcycle who came out of nowhere and decided to show us the way on his motorcycle...

He showed us the way and brought us back on the right track...

My father had told me on the phone to continuously follow the signboard that says Batu Ferringhi but the Indian man had taken us to Pulau Tikus instead...

So in the end we stopped in front of the Pulau Tikus police station for my dad to come and pick us up...

After quite a long wait, my dad came and we trailed him again...

This time my dad called Uncle Das and told him not to be courteous to other driver and keep trailing him right on the back...

And so he did but the uncourteous drivers around did not give in and kept making it difficult to trail my dad...

But its a good thing we have reached the area which I'm familiar with so we got back to the apartment in the end...

This has caused a major delay so we were way off schedule to go back...

When we got back, we quickly went up and packed up...

Uncle Das was taking a quick shower to freshen up...

I was taking pictures of my dad at the balcony with the view of the sea...

At that time, my brothers and Audrey were watching television so I took photos of them and then I joined in and my dad took a picture of us...

Once we were all prepared, we went down to the parking lot and loaded the luggage into the car..

We took a group photo at the parking lot before leaving...

Once we were done, we were off for home...

We stopped by the petrol station first to fuel up before going home...

After that, we stopped by Gurney Drive for awhile to take some photos of the beautiful sea (which did not seem so beautiful anymore)

Then, we left for the ferry...

We waited in the long queue to get onto the ferry...

After some time, we got onto the ferry and I took my last few shots of photos for this trip...

There wasn't anymore after that, its a stop for this trip...

We enjoyed the breeze of the sea on the ferry on that cold day...

Sitted on Uncle Das's car again, we moved out of the ferry first before my father...

My father had specifically said to turn right after the traffic light but Uncle Das made a mistake and went in front...

He stopped and waited for my dad...

Because it was the wrong way, my dad did not appear so I called my father...

We made a U-turn and moved towards the road that we were suppose to take...

After the toll, we saw my dad and we moved on back home...

Throughout the trip home, I was playing with my PSP...

It was very cold in the car due to the rain...

Audrey was listening to her musics and felt asleep half way...

After a long drive, we reached the ever so busy Tapah rest stop...

We bought the guavas there as usual...

We went to the restroom and after that had our dinner there....

The food was good...

After dinner, we were back on the move...

From there on I was suppose to get on my own car already but instead my father told me to follow Uncle Das and get back on once we reach the Seremban toll...

And so I did...

We left the rest stop at 9pm...

Again I was playing my PSP and the sleepy Audrey was sleeping throughout the journey...

At 10pm, I decided to sleep as there was school the next day...

I knew that it would take two hour or so to reach back to Seremban from the Tapah rest stop that is why I knew I could sleep for an hour at least...

When we were approaching the Seremban toll, I woke up and was still sleepy...

My dad was there for some time already..

When we got there, I went out of the car and greeted Uncle Das and family goodnight and goodbye...

And finally we reached home after a long a tiring journey to Penang...

Wow!!!

This must be the longest post I have ever written.... Haha!!!

Well, in short, I had an awesome time with my family and Uncle Das family...

I hope I can enjoy myself like this more often in future...

Well there is another trip with family friends to Port Dickson coming around so I'm looking forward to it...

Till next time readers...

Take care ^^