What to do in the Evening & Chucks & Attap

[HIDDEN]

That may be true, but crikey Mrs C, you're more of a cheapskate than me - RM 5 each - buy TWO plates 

[HIDDEN]

That may be true, but crikey Mrs C, you're more of a cheapskate than me - RM 5 each - buy TWO plates 

  Can't agree more with Papaya. Aiyah, cheapskate you hah. Buy two plates. Only Aussie $3.50 maybe. Even Sydney toll cost more, and you can't even taste it. 

[HIDDEN]

hi, cupert

Scott, is it ok to do a big whinge in this thread too? 

If it's kept on Chit-Chat there's no problem. You're welcome to whine away.

Misery is always optional, even on this site, as long as it's kept in Chit-Chat.   

[HIDDEN]

No! No! No! I am not a cheap skate, not when it comes to food. 

RM5.00 is fantastic but I would rather they serve a bigger portion and charge more. Truly, honestly, cross my heart and hope to die - that kind of thing. LOL!

[HIDDEN]

Don't think I am going to be able to do much this evening after stuffing myself with rojak and chendol! 

This is after walking from hotel to Burmah Rd, cutting across to McCallister Rd and ending up in New Lane. The rojak seller knows me well by now and kindly informed me that he is having a day off tomorrow. We chatted about his relatives who have moved over to Australia and his son who is studying in the States. These guys worked so hard to send their offspring o/s to further their education. It kind of makes me feel guilty about thinking of early retirement...........well just a little bit! 

Looks like attap hut and chooks are not going to be on the card, unless I want to move to Bukit Mertajam. 

Back to day dreaming about attap, chooks and swaying palm trees.

[HIDDEN]

Have you been to Jalan Alor, Bukit Bintang in the evening? I have been there several times but last evening takes the cake! 

We were literally dragged into one of the kopitiam but the person who did the dragging was pretty disgusted because we didn't want to order sea-food type dishes. To add insult to injury we were asked to move to another table. End result, we left.

Morale of the tale is when in KL do not bother going to Jalan Alor to dine. 

[HIDDEN]

  Avoid KL if you must. My partner and I went to Chinatown last year. We stopped over in KL for one night, on way to Penang. This was a rare occasion. We usually take a connecting flight to Penang, and avoid stopping over in KL. But we did anyway. We both found Chinatown changed a lot, ie the night market, since we were there in the early 90s. Most of the traders were foreigners (ie Bangladeshi, Pakistani, etc) I was told. It seems the local Chinese were worse, quite fierce and that they were competing with each other, or working for each other and split the profit. I don't mind pushy, but fierce and aggressive at the same time is definitely not my kind of night market shopping. We ended up feeling so stress, bought nothing, and left. I will never step there again.

Batu Ferringhi night market shopping is more fun, and less painful. 

[HIDDEN]

Not sure about you but I nearly always have to do battle not only with the locals but Mr and Ms C as well! 

They think I am too cheap because I want to haggle all the time.  How do you say to them, hey this is the land of haggling! It is an insult not to haggle. They can't get over the price here so they think if you get a slight discount it is ok.

Hubby wants to buy something to clean his camera lens. Advertised price in one shop RM59 and the other RM99. I was offered RM45 by the first shop and ended up paying RM23 at the second shop. I could probably have got it for less if I really do some serious bargaining. This is just two, perhaps three minutes of bargaining, at the most. He was shocked but do you think he would learn from that. No way! Told me I am wasting time and time is money..................but darling, I said "what's the rush!" Time is money, so true, which is why if you invested a bit of time, you saved plenty. Perhaps I am still carry the 'chink' genes which is incorruptible by western living. LOL!

You know how middle eastern folks make their women walk 10 paces behind them. Well, whenever we shop, Mr C either walk a few paces ahead or behind. Same with Ms C. Infact, she is worse than Mr C. At least I got Mr C well trained. 

[HIDDEN]

  That is so funny, Cupert!

Mine is certainly well trained when it comes to bargaining. He actually bargain better than me! Penang people loves a good bargain. And, very tight with their wallet. That is probably why there are lots of rich people on the island.

But be sensible if you are in places like other part of SEA. I tend to bargain less when I am on holiday at a more poverish country, because the price in our dollar term is dirt cheap. Once I was in Hoi An, and in this tiny 3m x 6m shop - a young mother with her little daughter in one hand. They sell some clothing and fabric (vietnamese). A backpacker tourist was in there at the same time, and was so rude and haggling over a price of probably less than one Aussie dollar! I was so upset and told her if she is not serious about buying, she should just leave. To the backpacker tourist, that extra bit of money is nothing to her, but to the poor shop woman, it can mean extra milk for her baby. That to me, is a pathetic bargaining and immoral to take advantage of the less poverish and less fortunate people than us.

Sorry, that is my 2 cents worth.

[HIDDEN]

Hello! Fully agree with you about being sensible about bargaining.

A long time ago, I did just that. Just got carried away, I guess.  I overheard this trader saying to the other trader that she did mind that I bargained hard but more the fact that she knew I can afford to be more generous.   

Oh! the shame that came over me. From that day on, I made a promise not to do it again.

Many years ago whilst backpacking in Sri Lanka, I met a young kid - he couldn't be more than 8 to 10 years of age. He asked if he can be my guide for the day. I was happy for some company as I had been travelling for more than a year and was glad for some company. At the end of the day, he asked if I could pay him in US$. As I have some US$, I was ok with that and gave him a couple of dollars. Imagined my shock when I later discovered that a tea picker in a tea plantation worked 10 hours a day and was paid the equivalent of one US$.  That was an eye opener.

So, Victor, based on the above experience, I am careful as how hard I bargain. I only do a token bargain when it is at the wet market or at certain places like the street store. 

However, I do get pissed off when these guys try to take advantage because I have a mat salleh hubby! For instance, I ordered a plate of kway teow and I was told RM4. I know that the going price is RM3.50 so I was ok to have to pay the extra 50cents because I forgot my 'lah'. Imagined my indignation when the guy had the audacity to ask for RM5 when he saw Mr C. So, I marched up to the stall and demanded for the RM1. 

[HIDDEN]

However, I do get pissed off when these guys try to take advantage because I have a mat salleh hubby! For instance, I ordered a plate of kway teow and I was told RM4. I know that the going price is RM3.50 so I was ok to have to pay the extra 50cents because I forgot my 'lah'. Imagined my indignation when the guy had the audacity to ask for RM5 when he saw Mr C. So, I marched up to the stall and demanded for the RM1. 

Glad you went back and asked for the money back. Those rascal traders. I wonder what the other MM2Homer and expat think about the double standard? I don't believe it is common in Penang, but only in isolate cases, esp in the more touristic spot. Because my other half is also a Mat Salleh, I have a big issue when the rascal trader try and take advantage of him or us. Unfortunately, this is very common in other part of SEA; like Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and to a lesser extent Laos (because the locals are still pure in their heart and not overcome by the tourist dollar).

[HIDDEN]

This evening, we decided to try the foodhall instead, much cleaner, more variety and less exciting, of course. 

Mr C, worn out by his little adventurous trip to the national museum in the afternoon declined to join us after dinner to stroll amongst the shops. Ms C and I tried on more shoes but this time I resisted buying another pair to add to my collection of shoes in Oz.

Back to the supermarket to buy a tub of Haagen Daz ice cream. One of the few times that it hits me to note how much more expensive one has to pay for imported goods in Malaysia. RM30 for a tub. 

We noticed that designer labelled clothes command the same prices as back in Oz and wandered again how the locals can afford them. As for couture, nice to look but easier to just pass by. 

[HIDDEN]

Cupert - you and Ms C should wait for mid-year or year end sales. That is when you will pick good bargain. Or, go to Bangkok - better there for shopping esp for designer wear.

[HIDDEN]

Or, go to Bangkok - better there for shopping esp for designer wear.

May not be a good idea at the moment unless you want a grenade thrown at you.

[HIDDEN]

Victor

I don't do couture. I don't do elegant whilst on holiday. 

What I did do was having a pedicure with Ms C. Had my nails painted red! LOL!!

Sick of all the brand new malls. Sungai Wang Plaza is the way to go and no, no more shoes. Mr C threatened to take action if we come back with another pair of shoes so I resisted buying another pair today.