Nyonyas Dancing at Mid-Autumn Festival

The nyonyas were invited to dance at the Mid-Autumn Festival Charity Concert 2011 that was held at the old Town Hall (where my dad used to work many, many years ago) on 10 September 2011.

Dancing to the song Ikan Kikik

Lanterns were the right prop for the occasion

Our second dance was a Fan Dance, which we danced 
to the music of a Chinese song.

The ending of the Fan Dance

Cat People

Some people are like cats. They always land on their feet.

They are never stumped, even when asked questions which they don't have the answers to. Somehow they are always able to come up with a convincing and "correct", albeit unconventional answer.

Daughter-in-Law vs Daughter

Congratulating a friend after her son and daughter got married within a month of each other, a woman asked, "What kind of boy did your daughter marry?"

"Oh, he's wonderful," gushed the mother. "He lets her sleep late, wants her to go to the beauty parlour regularly, and insists on taking her out to dinner every night."

"That's sounds lovely," said the woman. "What about your son?"

"I'm not so happy about that," the mother sighed. "His wife sleeps late, spends all her time in the beauty parlour, and makes them eat take-out meals!"

We laugh but this is not funny when it happens to you.
 
This illustration posted on Pastor Albert Kang's blog clearly shows the marked difference in perspective between a woman's view of her daughter-in-law and the same woman's attitude towards her daughter. Unfortunately, in many cases, such double standards are a sad but accurate depiction of female relational dynamics in family life.

 

They Told Me

...that when your daughter marries you gain a son. I wish it was true 'cos it sure doesn't feel like it.

Sorry

This reminds me of the look our Princess would adopt whenever she is guilty.

 

I'm sorry

Nyonyas in Guangzhou

Baby Sis, Niece and I were part of the Penang contigent participating in the China (Guangzhou) International Tourism Industry Expo from 1-5 September. 

It felt like a homecoming of sorts because our grandfather came from the Pun Yue district of Kwangtung. If only my dad was still alive, I could imagine his excitement over our trip.

SEPTEMBER 1

 

 Upon arrival at Guangzhou airport

The bus was on the other side of the road. We had to walk down the whole length of the airport, take a lift up in order to cross via the overhead bridge and then take another lift down to get to our bus.

We stayed at the Kairong Du International Hotel, a 3-star hotel about 15 minutes away from the expo site. We were delighted that the room was spacious and clean and we had a double-bed each! The only complaint we had was the leaking bath-tub that flooded one side of our bathroom.

The room I shared with Ms Coffee Lee

 First excursion was to Shangxiajiu Road that literally means 

Up Down Nine Road. I believe there must be an intriguing story 

behind its strange name.

 Bright lights and lots of people all over the place

 Strange offerings like those you find in Taiwan

SEPTEMBER 2

That's me beside one of twin towers decorating 

Malaysia/Penang's booth at the CITIE 2011

The Chief Minister of Penang Lim Guan Eng 
officiated at the opening ceremony

 Nyonyas dancing to Ikan Kikik music. There were no pictures 
of our second dance with the fans.

 Nyonyas posing with dancers from Jabatan Kebudayaan

At Beijing Road

 Plaque with the name of the road on it

Waited a long time for the right colour combinations 
to appear on the roof-top of the tunnel 
leading to a shopping center

Strange-looking pair of shoes on sale

 His momma tried to sell us the commando toys 
crawling on the floor but...

we were more interested in the kiddo. 
Unfortunately he was not for sale.

 Since it is a pedestrian street there were shops 
on the road itself

Glass panels on the road gives a view of actual roads 
from the Tang, Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties

SEPTEMBER 3

Posing for pictures with the crowd

I was an international singing star!

 Nyonyas doing the joget. Apa pun boleh!

Our beading attracted many curious passerbys. 
That's when I used up all the mandarin and 
cantonese in my vocabulary 

 Went for a night Pearl River cruise on the "Lam Hoi San"

This bridge looks like our Penang Bridge

Guangzhou Tower in the distance

 Another beautiful bridge

The stadium with panels that show pictures. I think they show 
the match when one is being played on the field

SEPTEMBER 4

Showing off our beading 

Posing with the Kebudayaan dancers




A world famous photographer (in the middle),
whose name we don't know, took photos of us beading so, 
in return, we requested to take a photo with him



Very tired at the Tee Mall 'cos we wasted time 
at the cloth warehouse that was hot 
and full of cigarette smoke

SEPTEMBER 5

In the morning we did some last minute shopping at the Living Mall, the nearest shopping center to our hotel before the bus took us to the airport for the trip home.