Phu Quoc

12-14 September 2012
Recent work trip to Phu Quoc Island to check on the progress of the airport i'm working on.


Hue cuisine dinner at Dong Pho, in District 3 of Ho Chi Minh City, after a day of meetings with the client.


Banh Beo - my current favourite vietnamese rice cake dish.


i forgot the name of this one but it was just as yummy.


Hue Salad sampler


Bun Thit Nuong - marinated grilled pork slices and vermicelli


It was straight to Site with our luggage the moment we got off our 8am flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc and it wasn't until 6.30pm that we arrived at our hotel to check in. Nevertheless, this view of the sea from the reception lobby cheered our tired bodies a bit.

Then the next morning, it was up early again to Site for an 8.30am meeting with the M&E contractors. I love the view of the mountains as we approach the airport site.

Surrounding mountains and landside view of New Phu Quoc International Airport, scheduled to open on 12.12.12 - i'm excited!

Jeannie and me outside the Site Office with a vietnamese sign that reads Consultant's Room, i think.

Don't be deceived by the following pictures, we only had like half an hour to spare between returning from Site on friday morning and checking out at 12pm before heading to the airport. The sea was so inviting we just had to get our feet (and more) wet at least, as proof of having been to the beach on Phu Quoc Island.










View of the delta as the plane approaches Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City.

The weekend and a bit in Penang

The BFF and her baby went back to mommy's hometown for a month, and i thought it'll be fun to meet them there at the halfway mark last weekend. Thing is after i'd booked my ticket, i found out i had to be in Yangon for work that very week. So in less than 12 hours upon arriving back from Yangon on a Friday night, i hopped onto another silkair plane bound for Penang on a Saturday morning.

*disclaimer: this isn't really a Penang travel journal so pardon the overdose of baby Luke's pictures!

Saturday 25 August


Woke up next to a cute one today :)


Clapping hands in glee cos Auntie Su is here to see LittleLuke? hahaha...


The mozzies in Penang are evil and won't spare little babies.


All smiles nevertheless.


The reason i came to Penang :)


Um, I mean, the reasons i came to Penang ;)


Lai Yeow and Luke


Bedtime stories


Mummy's kisses


So poor thing... can see can smell but cannot eat... hahaha!


Took a little walk after breakfast at the Pulau Tikus market.


With Luke's grandpa and grandma


Along the five-foot-ways outside chinese provision shops


Putting Luke's senses to the test. Noisy, dusty and hot...


Curious Penang boy.

Sunday 26 August


Lai Yeow's brother took us to the Georgetown Heritage area in the afternoon while Lai Yeow's mom took care of Luke. This is with Lina, his wife and son, Kai En.

Below is a series of charming street art by Ernest Zacharevic. I thought it's kinda funny that on the plane to Penang i was reading the Straits Times and there was an article about the artwork being vandalised and a picture showed some yellow goo on the bicycle artwork. Then on the plane back from Penang the Straits Times featured an article and photo of a brother and sister cleaning up the mess made by the vandals.


Peeping Toms ;)


Late for school


How to catch a dinosaur


Posing with the charming street art


The girl who got too big for her bed. This one was a little scary i thought.


I love the colours and proportions.


Gorgeous floor tiles.


Chanced upon a nondescript cafe shopfront but the inside was gorgeous. This was China House, a cafe cum art gallery. It's super long and spans between Victoria Street and Beach Street in Georgetown.


It was very popular!


The Library adjoining the cafe and the courtyard


Love the random pots of plants


Potted plants at entrance to courtyard from the cafe


Courtyard behind


Art Gallery upstairs


Airwell


Retrolicious bench. I want!


Peering down at diners from the airwell above.


All-day breakfast set that i shared with Lai Yeow was absolutely delicious.


Feeding time for baby...


Dinner with the family at another neighbourhood that looked a bit like Singapore later at night.

Monday 27 August


Accompanied Lai Yeow's mom to the wet market this morning.


Then brought Luke to Kai En's kindergarten.


"Blearghh is that what school is like?"


Mesmerized by kids rehearsing dragon dance performance.


Um not for long...


Looking forlornly at Auntie Su's plate of char kway teow.


See you soon baby!