Last week end indeed was wonderful...
An escape to the kampong proof a refreshing experience.
DAY 1
Meeting point is West Mall Burger King... When I reach there at around 10:35am, JJ and Richardson already there... Then follow by Jude and Callista. We set off after breakfast on JJ car.
The journey is uneventful less the sudden downpour while we are on the road. The road condition wasn't that bad.
Reach Pontian- its still drizzling.
First stop, we went to a noodle house "Heng Heng". Wow, the noodle there is fantastic- hand made freshly from the kitchen. The rest got one ball of noodle, I and Rich got two balls... Don't see Rich so skinny can eat two balls wor... Ha ha Rich says its compulsory to stop here for noodle whenever he comes back.
After the lunch, we went to the local Giant supermarket to buy some fruits for Rich's Auntie. We bought some oranges and grapes. Then we head for Auntie house...
His Auntie is a very warm and hospitable lady- retired hairdresser, Uncle is also a very chatty and friendly gentleman- retired teacher. Both are enjoying their retirement with kids all grown up... Hope in future I can also be like that, enjoy life at the country side after retirement Ha ha...
We stay at Auntie house for the whole duration of our stay in Pontian. On the first day, we have fun plucking the mangos in the front yard of the house. Jude even climb up to the tree, all of us had lotsa fun. Most of all hearing some childhood stories of Rich was also very entertaining... ;-)
Pontian is a place where a lot of old folks staying... All the children grown up and moved to JB or KL. Not a place for young people, the pace of life is really slow and relaxing. People know each other very well and they love to have friends to come over for visit. I really enjoy myself there, seeing the place where my good friend Rich grown up in. Its a place you can find solace and peace from the busy city life. Its not a place for shopping, not much places of interests... Basically you come here to relax- eating and sleeping and eating and sleeping (you know what I mean).
Dinner was great, we went to a place call Ahgogo Ba Ku Teh- to the dismay of JJ initially. Cause she is halal( joking)- she don't eat pork. We had Thai style chicken, mixed vegetables, steam fish, hotplate tofu and some prawns. Callista showed us the way to eat the tofu- mixing it with rice. Can see uncle and auntie quite popular- anent knows the boss and uncle knows the family next table.
After dinner, we went back to the house. We get ourselves refreshed, play Big twos and heart attack untill 2:30 am before retiring to bed.
DAY 2
We all woke up art 9 -10 am, had breakfast (Auntie bought some mee siam, Curry Puffs, laksi lemak and kueis). Coffee was great!!! Uncle and me have a common addiction- kopi O, can't do without everyday.
Around noon, we set off for lunch- kukup. Kukup is a fishing village at the outskirts of Johore. Its about 30 mins ride from Pontian. We had chilli shellfish, pepper crabs, steam fish, cereal prawns, man tou and a sambal kangkong that never turns up. It was so crowded there, we observe that more than half were Singaporeans.
After the wonderful lunch, we went for a boat ride. First stop is the kukup island- sort of a natural reserve. At the end of the trail is a tall tower about five, six storey high- where u can get a bird-eye-view of the whole island. The view was great and the air is really fresh. Can hear birds chirping and rustle of leaves, serenity and peace was felt. If there's a small cafe up there it will be perfect! Before we leave we try the suspension bridge, its a shaky experience.
After the tour around the island, the boat took us to a kelong. We see a lot of jelly fishes around the kelong, they got baby sharks and giant turtle. Real cool, the kelong guy even catch a shark up for us to feel. Poor sharkie dunno kana molested by how many people today, especially on a holiday like this, how much humilations can the king of the fishes gonna get? After that, we visit the Pontian Hotel. A very new hotel built quite recently located near the beach. We had a scroll down the beach enjoying the horizon view and the sea breeze. Its a good spot for bbq and kite flying.
We went back to the house for a break and bath.
We went out for dinner afterward to a restaurant Uncle recommend- got wild boar and curry fish head. Though we didn't have the two recommended dishes as they ran out of wild boar(or the wild boar ran out) and Callista was experiencing a bad sore throat so cannot take too spicy food(Lucky for the fish- gotta keep its head for another day). Well the sting ray and sotong wasn't that lucky- we had them bbq. It was terrific! And we have the usual fish and prawns and everything- wish you were here huh.. ;-)
After the Great meal- it was truly great. We hadn't had enough- Ha ha or should say I haven't had enough. Cause someone promised me beer and satay right?(refer to pior entry) Beer is out as "Ps Jude" is around, but Ha ha the satay chao beh siam. We go to a local night eating place- the mamatangs. We bought 60 sticks of satay(20 pork and 40 chicken) back. While waiting all of us have a bowl of desert. It was a fantastic- one satay is only 40 cents ringgit.
Last DAY- sighz
We had to get up early around 8-9 am as uncle and auntie leaving for KL. So we leave the place around 9:30am and go to a coffee shop(little bamboo) for breakfast. Its next to a toy shop where Rich had lotsa childhood memories buying ti-kam and everything- it was not open much to Rich's disappointment. We went to jalan jalan around as we plan to visit Rich's cousin's jewelry factory at the outskirts of the town. She won't be around until 11 plus.
So we visit the jewelry factory. Its interesting looking at the process of how the jewelry was being made. Callista bought a basket ball pendant- funny thing that they have such item( was joking with her before going to the factory) its the exact thing she wants. JJ bought a fat cross and Rich also bought a cross too. Well for me- I get to know a good place to shop for jewelry in future ;-) Ha ha...
Lunch we went back to Pontian. Shangri-La restaurant- the only decent restaurant for wedding banquets in town. Lunch we have the usual things except for one special dish this time- we have shark fins! COOL!
After lunch, we went shopping again. And the toy shop finally was open to Rich's delight- he bought a paper plane. What a big boy. We shouldn't lose our child-likeness horz...
And after all that is Baleh Kampong to Singapore!
An escape to the kampong proof a refreshing experience.
DAY 1
Meeting point is West Mall Burger King... When I reach there at around 10:35am, JJ and Richardson already there... Then follow by Jude and Callista. We set off after breakfast on JJ car.
The journey is uneventful less the sudden downpour while we are on the road. The road condition wasn't that bad.
Reach Pontian- its still drizzling.
First stop, we went to a noodle house "Heng Heng". Wow, the noodle there is fantastic- hand made freshly from the kitchen. The rest got one ball of noodle, I and Rich got two balls... Don't see Rich so skinny can eat two balls wor... Ha ha Rich says its compulsory to stop here for noodle whenever he comes back.
After the lunch, we went to the local Giant supermarket to buy some fruits for Rich's Auntie. We bought some oranges and grapes. Then we head for Auntie house...
His Auntie is a very warm and hospitable lady- retired hairdresser, Uncle is also a very chatty and friendly gentleman- retired teacher. Both are enjoying their retirement with kids all grown up... Hope in future I can also be like that, enjoy life at the country side after retirement Ha ha...
We stay at Auntie house for the whole duration of our stay in Pontian. On the first day, we have fun plucking the mangos in the front yard of the house. Jude even climb up to the tree, all of us had lotsa fun. Most of all hearing some childhood stories of Rich was also very entertaining... ;-)
Pontian is a place where a lot of old folks staying... All the children grown up and moved to JB or KL. Not a place for young people, the pace of life is really slow and relaxing. People know each other very well and they love to have friends to come over for visit. I really enjoy myself there, seeing the place where my good friend Rich grown up in. Its a place you can find solace and peace from the busy city life. Its not a place for shopping, not much places of interests... Basically you come here to relax- eating and sleeping and eating and sleeping (you know what I mean).
Dinner was great, we went to a place call Ahgogo Ba Ku Teh- to the dismay of JJ initially. Cause she is halal( joking)- she don't eat pork. We had Thai style chicken, mixed vegetables, steam fish, hotplate tofu and some prawns. Callista showed us the way to eat the tofu- mixing it with rice. Can see uncle and auntie quite popular- anent knows the boss and uncle knows the family next table.
After dinner, we went back to the house. We get ourselves refreshed, play Big twos and heart attack untill 2:30 am before retiring to bed.
DAY 2
We all woke up art 9 -10 am, had breakfast (Auntie bought some mee siam, Curry Puffs, laksi lemak and kueis). Coffee was great!!! Uncle and me have a common addiction- kopi O, can't do without everyday.
Around noon, we set off for lunch- kukup. Kukup is a fishing village at the outskirts of Johore. Its about 30 mins ride from Pontian. We had chilli shellfish, pepper crabs, steam fish, cereal prawns, man tou and a sambal kangkong that never turns up. It was so crowded there, we observe that more than half were Singaporeans.
After the wonderful lunch, we went for a boat ride. First stop is the kukup island- sort of a natural reserve. At the end of the trail is a tall tower about five, six storey high- where u can get a bird-eye-view of the whole island. The view was great and the air is really fresh. Can hear birds chirping and rustle of leaves, serenity and peace was felt. If there's a small cafe up there it will be perfect! Before we leave we try the suspension bridge, its a shaky experience.
After the tour around the island, the boat took us to a kelong. We see a lot of jelly fishes around the kelong, they got baby sharks and giant turtle. Real cool, the kelong guy even catch a shark up for us to feel. Poor sharkie dunno kana molested by how many people today, especially on a holiday like this, how much humilations can the king of the fishes gonna get? After that, we visit the Pontian Hotel. A very new hotel built quite recently located near the beach. We had a scroll down the beach enjoying the horizon view and the sea breeze. Its a good spot for bbq and kite flying.
We went back to the house for a break and bath.
We went out for dinner afterward to a restaurant Uncle recommend- got wild boar and curry fish head. Though we didn't have the two recommended dishes as they ran out of wild boar(or the wild boar ran out) and Callista was experiencing a bad sore throat so cannot take too spicy food(Lucky for the fish- gotta keep its head for another day). Well the sting ray and sotong wasn't that lucky- we had them bbq. It was terrific! And we have the usual fish and prawns and everything- wish you were here huh.. ;-)
After the Great meal- it was truly great. We hadn't had enough- Ha ha or should say I haven't had enough. Cause someone promised me beer and satay right?(refer to pior entry) Beer is out as "Ps Jude" is around, but Ha ha the satay chao beh siam. We go to a local night eating place- the mamatangs. We bought 60 sticks of satay(20 pork and 40 chicken) back. While waiting all of us have a bowl of desert. It was a fantastic- one satay is only 40 cents ringgit.
Last DAY- sighz
We had to get up early around 8-9 am as uncle and auntie leaving for KL. So we leave the place around 9:30am and go to a coffee shop(little bamboo) for breakfast. Its next to a toy shop where Rich had lotsa childhood memories buying ti-kam and everything- it was not open much to Rich's disappointment. We went to jalan jalan around as we plan to visit Rich's cousin's jewelry factory at the outskirts of the town. She won't be around until 11 plus.
So we visit the jewelry factory. Its interesting looking at the process of how the jewelry was being made. Callista bought a basket ball pendant- funny thing that they have such item( was joking with her before going to the factory) its the exact thing she wants. JJ bought a fat cross and Rich also bought a cross too. Well for me- I get to know a good place to shop for jewelry in future ;-) Ha ha...
Lunch we went back to Pontian. Shangri-La restaurant- the only decent restaurant for wedding banquets in town. Lunch we have the usual things except for one special dish this time- we have shark fins! COOL!
After lunch, we went shopping again. And the toy shop finally was open to Rich's delight- he bought a paper plane. What a big boy. We shouldn't lose our child-likeness horz...
And after all that is Baleh Kampong to Singapore!
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