Shanghai: The Bund

Back in year 2009, I visited Shanghai just before the World Expo the following year. As the whole Shanghai was under major "renovation" preparing for the World Expo, the waterfront at the Bund of Puxi (浦西) was closed.

I was trying my luck walking along the barriers to find a spot where I could get a view of Pudong (浦东) but I came to total disappointment when I talked to one of the construction workers. He told me that there was no chance that I could get on to the waterfront as the whole stretch of it was under reconstruction.

The only consolation was that I got a rare chance to photograph the "unfinished" Bund whereas others would have the same photos of the completed waterfront. I asked around again on how to get across the river and was told that the fastest was to take the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel of which I was told it's a waste of money before I went on this trip. As I wanted to get across to Pudong (浦东) as fast a possible as the day was getting dark, I had no other option but to spend RMB40.00 on the "light tunnel" ride.

I was still considered lucky that I managed to get on the waterfront of Pudong (浦东) to catch the twilight hour of Puxi (浦西). The weather was freezing cold in December that touching the tripod was like holding ice in my hands. When the sun had set, it got colder!

When the sky was turning darker and became uninteresting, I turned around and photographed the Oriental Pearl TV Tower (东方明珠广播电视塔). Once I was done with it, my mobile phone rang and it was my friend calling for dinner, so I called it an end for my first day of roaming around Shanghai.

Rotiboy and Beard Papa's

Rotiboy is a Malaysian brand that has marked its name overseas as well in Indonesia, Thailand, Korea and Saudi Arabia. The signature product is of course the bun that carries the same name, with coffee topping and butter filling. I had the original Rotiboy several times already during my previous trips to K.L., and during my recent trip, I decided to try the recommended item, Buttermilkboy.

The Buttermilkboy comes with vanilla topping and buttermilk filling, as the name suggests. Similar to the original Rotiboy, it has a crispy crust and a fluffy and thicker inner lining. The buttermilk filling is very creamy with sweetness that is just right. If you are in K.L., do try some of the Rotiboy pastries. You won't regret.

Beard Papa's on the other hand is a chain cream puff stores with its root in Japan. I tasted Beard Papa's cream puffs in Singapore many years back and they have become my top-of-the-list dessert item. I seldom miss it if I am in Singapore.

Beard Papa's cream puffs are crispy pastry shells filled with whipped cream custard. There are many flavours for the filling, but I prefer the original vanilla flavour to the others. The cream puffs are something to check out if you are on a gastronomic adventure in Singapore.