Taiwanese delicacy

Yesterday, me and hubby went to Hongkong again, of course to "chop" my passport! We had our meal at the Taiwainese restaurant again. Yummy, yummy!

Minced pork rice...

Milk tea with "pearl"

Minced pork rice with salted fried chicken..

"Interesting" matter at the hospital..

The other day, i company a friend to see doctor at "Ren Min Hospital" in our neighbourhood. There is no so called "private polyclinic" here, so whenever we get sick, we have to go to the hospital. Even if there is, do u dare to try??? Hehehe...

Of course this is not the 1st time i go to the hospital, but there are some situations still seem to be "unbelievable" to me and which i would like to share because i think not everyone has the chance to "visit" the local hospital, unless you are staying there or you are "very sick" during your travel (touch wood!!!).

Situation 1:
The doctor here likes to ask the patient "dripping" and people here are very used to it. Therefore, you could see lots of patient standing or sitting like normal having a "dropper" with them at the rest area, no matter how old they are. I am so shocked to see many babies in mother's arm are with "dropper". To us, that's very pathetic but very normal to them. Usually, back in Malaysia, only serious patient or those admitted to hospital will be giving "dropper". However, here, normal illness like fever or flu or sore throat also will be ask for "dripping". Patient will be able to leave as normal after finish dripping.

I remember last time hubby got flu and sore throat, the doctor said need to "diao zhen" which we thought is injection, so we agreed. Who knows it was "dripping" in fact. Of course, we can always refused, but we misinterpreted at that time. We spend around an hour there for dripping. Hehehe...

Situation 2:
There is no "polyclinic" in the hospital where a doctor will treats various types of common diseases and injuries. They are all specialist clinic. Therefore, if you have flu and sore throat, you will be ask to go to the respiratory specialist. Then, you will see an interesting situation where there is a crowd outside the respiratory clinic waiting for treatment. But no patient at all at the neurologist clinic located next door. Since flu and sore throat is very common, and there is only one specialist doctor, the patient will have to wait quite long for diagnoses.

Situation 3:
If MC is needed, tell the doctor upon treatment. Then go back to the doctor's clinic to collect after making payment at the payment counter and taking medicine from the pharmacal counter. Seem normal, but the problem is the patient need to walk back and forth twice. Don't mentioned that the patient is sick and tired, there is long distance between the places because it is a hospital.

Like my friend's case, the clinic is located at 6th floor, he has to go up and down twice for the MC. I am not sure why the doctor can't give the MC upon diagnoses. Probably as my friend said, they afraid the patient left only with the MC without paying and taking the medicine.

Situation 4: The Best!!
Usually, there is no numbers given to patients to take turn to see the doctor. If there is nurse on the floor, she will help to organise. But if there is no, that will have to see how good the patient is when fighting the turn to see the doctor. How to fight? Depend how fast the patient could get in the room and sit beside the doctor and wait for diagnoses! Therefore, the diagnoses is not "private" where only the patient and doctor. But, it is "public", meaning there will be few patients with their family together in the room "witnessing". Besides, most of the time, the room's door will be wide open, everyone could look inside. Well, even there is a nurse, it's still the same. The following patient with family will be waited inside the room "witnessing", the only point is the patients no need to fight for turn!

I am not sure about how other hospital's situation at other part of this country, i am just writing what i have seen in the hospital at my neighborhood. Perhaps this is their culture or maybe this only happen here. I have no mean of criticizing. I just would like to share, since all these seem so different from our country-Malaysia.

Shopping online!

Recently, me and hubby been busy with online shopping. This started when a friend ask me to give an eye while she buy a pair of shoes online. She told me that she been buying things online and so do her friends because the things is always cheaper than those in shops. According to the friend, its kind of safe to buy at the famous shopping site here. It has a very thorough payment system which safeguard both the buyer and seller.

Before this, i know hubby been browsing through those sites to look for latest electrical products especially computer accessories. But he never purchased them directly online because afraid to be cheated. After i told hubby about my friend's experience, we start browsing and get familiar with the buying process. Then, hubby started to act. Before i managed to select item i wanted to buy, he already ordered a few items from the site in just a day. Faint!!!

When he starts receiving those items with satisfaction, he is pretty confident with buying online and there he goes, continue browsing and buying. I told hubby, these two days, i been busy with receiving parcels and i think our condo's security guard also tired of informing me there is parcel for us! Hehehhe...

Talking about shopping online, its very common nowadays especially at US and European countries. But i never thought that there is such a famous site with thorough payment system in China. Of course we still have to bear the risk of not getting correct item or its out of expectation and the disadvantage of unable to feel the product before buying, but our payment is always safeguarded until we received the product as purchased within time frame. Hopefully, Malaysia also have such shopping sites.

Price rising...

Me and hubby went to "Yi Fan Noodle" for dinner last night. We used to go there for dinner, at least once a week. It's a shop selling fair price "Ramen" and some Japanese style snacks. The foods are not bad and the price is still fair although it has increased its price last month.

However, yesterday, we found out it has again revised its pricing. Most of the main dish like "Ramen" or rice has increased at least RMB 3-5. Besides, the foods also seem to be shrunken. The new pricing make us feel that it's no longer worth to dine there anymore. Also, it made us thought of the dinner we had at the cafe restaurant during hubby's birthday (refer to my previous post "A money worthy dinner"). I mean, if the price is more or less the same, why not we spend at a better restaurant in terms of service and environment?

Although, we know that inflation has caused things to be expensive and since many things has risen the price, many eatery will increase the price sooner or later too. But adjusting the price within month still seem to be over do. So, me and hubby decided stop going there...for time being....Hehehe....

A money worthy dinner

Me and hubby had dinner at a cafe restaurant near our neighbourhood on his birthday. It's quite a romantic restaurant. We ordered 2 set dinner. Each set include a main dish, a coffee, a soup and a fruit salads. My main dish is a "spaghetti in white sauce with bacon" and his is "seafood fried rice".

When the main dishes are served, both of us was shocked! It is a huge dish. The diameter of the plate is about 30cm! (see the photos). A dish itself is more than enough for 2 person. So how could we finished both since we ordered 2 sets? We end up "ta bao" the remaining as our dinner for the next day....hehehehe....

table crowd by dishes.

Guess how much does it cost??? only at 58RMB for each set. Money worthy, huh?? The most important is the foods are delicious plus the enviroment is comfortable. Service also not bad.

Hubby's Birthday!

Hubby with the cutie "Little Bee" cake...

An unforgetable trip at Scotland

Another photomovie recording the happy hour we spend at Scotland 5 years ago. It was really unforgettable. We had lots of marvelous experience during the trip which i think we will never had it again in the rest of our life. We stayed overnight in the car, cleaning oursleves or bathing in public washrooms, having sandwiches as meal, going places we never been to and finding ways by refering to roadmaps etc etc.....A wonderful trip...

Memorable period at Liverpool

I had a memorable period at Liverpool. It stays an important part of my life. It has been 5 years but it still seems to be yesterday. It was the first time i took airplane and go far away from home. I have made friends with a group of nice people and have lots of marveleous experience there with them (you know who you are). If i did not take the chance to study there, i won't be today's "Mrs Lee". :)

A photomovie specially dedicated to friends i made "there". Enjoy...!

Happy Birthday, Honey!!

Ha-ppy birth---day to---- you ,

Ha-ppy birth---day to---- you ,

Ha-ppy birth------day----- to----- you-----,

Ha---ppy birth-----day to----you.

Wishing my beloved hubby,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

HAPPY ALWAYS.......

Steamed Banana Cake

A friend gave me this recipe the other day. I have try it out. Its simple, easy and nice.

Ingredients:-

1 ripped banana

1 egg

100g flour (nearly 1 cup)

1/4 cup icing sugar

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon oil

2 teaspoon water

some chocolate chips or raisins (optional)

Steps:-

Smashed the banana in a small mixing bowl.

Placed all ingredients into the mixing bowl, mix well until blended.

Boiled water in the steamer.

Steamed the cake for 15 mins or until a tester (can use chopstick) inserted in the center of cake come out clean.

Removed from steamer and let it cool.

Loosen the cake with knife and pop it out.

Its ready to serve!

Simple?Easy?A cake is made in less than 30mins.

PS: May use tablespoon for water if the mixture feel dry.

Korea (18/12/04-25/12/04)

The first trip i had with Honey..The first time playing with snow and learn skiing...The first time celebrating birthday overseas and with "strangers"....The first time celebrating Christmas at other country....

Killing "dengue"...

Received a shocked and sad news. Hubby's friend passed away last week due to "dengue". We weren't being informed until yesterday. None of hubby's group of friends know. Till one of them received a forwarded mail regarding the matter which she thought was a mischief, she called and being informed by his sister through his Hp. A really sad news...

The last time we saw him was on our wedding day year ago. He is one of the groomsman. Though i barely know him and only met him a few times, my impression, he is a nice and friendly guy. Sigh...

We was told he been feeling uncomfortable after eating "ikan bakar". Based on the symptoms, the doctor diagnosed him as food poisoning. But he didn't get well after visiting the doctor a few times. There is no detail checked-up done until the day he left. It was the day he got into hospital and was found he has "dengue" at a very serious stage. According to the hospital, the symptoms he is having (fever, vomiting, diarrhoea), are the most serious symptoms of "dengue" and are different from muscle-ache and chilling which we commonly know.

I am not sure whose carelessness to be blamed. But i believe the doctor takes the major responsibility of advising the patient to do detail check-up if the patient is not getting well after few days and few times of treatment. Anyhow, they are the professional who should have whole awareness.

Since this has happen, nothing much we can do. But take his story as experience, he could be cure if it was found earlier. All my friends who are reading this, please bear in mind, ""visit another doctor and take detail check-up if you are not getting well from your illness after few days of treatment or you are in doubt of the diagnosis. No matter what the symptoms is. Don't ever trust the only doctor!"" Remind your loves one the same.

Lastly, a deep condolence to his family and may he rest in peace. It is a great loss for all of us as friends.

depreciating Hongkong currency...

Hongkong currency been depreciating. To travellers, this might be good if they visit Hongkong, but not to us, expatriates who are earning HKD. I remember when hubby first come to work at SZ about 2-3 years ago, the currency is RM100=48HKD*. Now, it has depreciated till 41HKD**. That's really a big loss for converting money back to Malaysia. Even yearly increment of salary also cannot covered the loss. Besides, China currency is getting stronger. Our expenses increased because we need to pay more by using HKD.

Previously, hubby's intention to leave far away from home and work here is to earn more. It is really worth working here, taken the currency into consideration when he come. But now, it seems to be unworthy. Perhaps, we should consider back to Malaysia. After all, that is our home and we could earn the same amount if both of us working. No point leaving home so far when the original intention no longer attainable.

Amendments:-
*should be 100HKD=RM48
**should be RM41