Here's Meli and Rich jump-starting their shopping expedition! (Unfortunately, they got really uncomfortable with adjusting to the time difference and the large amounts of food they're being fed! Haha!)
Our first gathering was at Po-po's place. We ordered the famous Peel Road Satay and Popo made mushroom egg-noodles. Of course, Uncle Johnathan have to have Durians!!!
And the initial plan was to have a light dinner and snack at the night market which opens every Saturday (Pasar Malam). So much for 'light'!
1st Sunday - MARCO POLO Restaurant Gathering
A special gathering organised by the Browns, we had a wonderful brunch at one of our favourite dim-sum restaurants in the city centre. There were lots to eat, sashimi, dimsum and a huge spread of chinese and local delicacies. I can still hear Shen-ni's excitement when the 'crispy pork' was brought out and everyone (including my mom) ran for it!
It was so exciting and hilarious at the same time!
Thanks to Johnathan, we have our share of the much coveted crispy pork.
It was so exciting and hilarious at the same time!
Thanks to Johnathan, we have our share of the much coveted crispy pork.
A few photos of our day at Marco Polo.
Our Trip - Up North to the Southern Borders of Thailand : HAADYAI
Looking forward to our trip to Haadyai where we will be staying for 2 nights at Novotel Central ( I personally recommend this hotel to anyone interested in a trip up North - Very clean, centralised location and fantastic food!) in two cars we started our journey at 4.30am and reached Ipoh for breakfast at around 6.30am. Richard was shocked that restaurants here are open and buzzing with business already! Like I've said before, Malaysians actually have only one meal a day and it begins early in the morning and ends late at night.
At the border between Malaysia and Thailand. It was like more than ten years ago when we lastvisited Haadyai. We parked at Changlun and rented a van that took us across the border for less than RM120 (plus fill up the necessary forms). Haadyai town is approximately 45 minutes from the Bukit Hitam immigration office.
View from our Hotel room. Haadyai feels like a small cowboy town. Streets are lined with hawker stalls of all sorts. Mangoes and exotic fruits are found in abundance here. We all looked forward to the dessert where mangoes are served on a bed of glutinous rice and drenched with thick coconut cream.
Surprisingly Haadyai was breezy and walking in the streets was pleasant. Many shops have changed, although we still spotted the shops we use to eat in and Robinsons is still as happening.
Toot-Toot is the way to travel in Haadyai. For RM1.50 per pax you can travel around town in this cute little vannete and stop anywhere you want. No system here. AND Nigel loves the ride! It's Richard's first time too.
We all had to try the food at Novotel Central (for poor Richard's sake), a tummy ache will ruin the holidays. No regrets though, the buffet was only for RM18++ per person and the spread was fantastic. They even have a Pasta kichennete set up (much to Nigel's delight!), a good hearty selection of western food such as beef steak, chicken maryland with banana fritters, local malaysian food, authentic thai noodles with an array of condiments and fresh herbs and a wonderful selection of Thai desserts.
Yumm... Mom is already planning her next Haadyai trip. Must come back on a Wednesday!
One of the markets we visited. Big halls filled with stalls selling shoes, clothes, dried shrimp, food and a bazaar of odds and ends. Here, mom bought a load of peelers with special shredders attached. A lot of bargaining and the smells are just an assault to the senses.
This little piggy ended up on our dinner plate!
I know it's cruel, but you can't deny it makes for a good meal. Like George Clooney said of its pet pig, "It's a walking earthquake crisis first aid kit!"
We stayed in Haadyai for two nights and started our journey to Penang.
Lone Pine was the only available hotel in Ferringhi Beach during the approaching school holidays. The location is perfect if you like old charm hotels with a good stretch of clean sandy beach and the best nightime market that opens from 7pm onwards. You can find good deals here. (Psst..the DVDs here sell for only RM4!)
Who says my dad don't do holidays?! Looks like he's enjoying his book.
Look who visited us! That's my cousin's youngest son (Mao-Ru : I'm not sure whether I spelt that right??) and he's enjoying Nasi Lemak. Yep, this boy can eat hot stuff!!!
And here's Kathleen, (Mao-Ru's elder sister). Isn't she just adorable!
Nigel sure has got loads of guts! He's had close encounters with snakes, orangutans, monkeys, iguanas and tigers and he's fearless.
Dinner at Bali Hai Seafood Restaurant, Penang. Their tagline..."If it swims, We have it here!" Lots of creepy crawlees in the aquarium, all sorts of seafood imaginable!
A very rare photo of all (almost) of us, this is my father's eldest brother's family. We visited them when we were on our way home.
