'A trip to remember': Veteran actor Lim Yu-Beng brings 88-year-old father on family trip to hometown of Penang

A trip to Penang with loved ones usually means one is on vacation.

But for local actress Lim Shi-An's grandfather, it was something more of a homecoming.

The 88-year-old former lawyer and judge hails from Penang, but has lived and worked in Singapore since he was a young man.

Recently, Shi-An and her veteran actor father Lim Yu-Beng took him on a trip back to his hometown, and Shi-An posted a roughly two-minute TikTok clip of their Penang adventure.

It was their first overseas trip together.

@shiiiannn0 Gong gong and Kway Teow Thng - a love story. This was really a trip to remember. Gonna make a Penang food video too hehehe #penang #travel ♬ Storytelling - Adriel

Much of what was in their Penang itinerary happened to be food-related. After all, Penang is known for its vibrant food scene.

The trio spent plenty of time catching up with relatives living in Penang. It was very much a case of good food and good company as everyone was excited over the family reunion.

Shi-An mentioned that some of their relatives had not met her grandfather in almost 10 years.

Top of the priority list during their food hunts was kway teow thng, a staple dish available in most coffee shops throughout Penang island.

Kway teow thng consists of a clear broth served with flat rice noodles and other ingredients like fishballs, duck meat and vegetables. 

During their short stint in Penang, Shi-An's grandfather had three rounds of kway teow thng.

It was clear he was enjoying himself and must have been thankful that Shi-An and Yu-Beng convinced him to tag along.

"This was really a trip to remember," Shi-An said in the caption.

Family bonds

While this was their first trip together to Penang, Yu-Beng travels to the island quite often.

Shi-An feels like her dad has an "intrinsic sense of duty" when it comes to maintaining close family ties.

During these solo trips to Penang, Yu-Beng will get his grandparents' graves cleaned up and also checks in on the relatives.

Being the only grandchild on her father's side, this is something Shi-An hopes to continue in the years to come.

In the comments section, netizens noted how they enjoyed the wholesome nature of Shi-An's video.

Shi-An noted how she's more aware of growing older, and that those around her are getting older too. 

She wants her loved ones to feel cared for and that their happiness is important to her.

"I think we really achieved that with my grandfather," she said.

AsiaOne has reached out to Shi-An for more information.

ALSO READ: 'She was the mother we never had': Singaporean sisters bring helper of 20 years on vacation to Seoul

amierul@asiaone.com

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