Went back to my beloved hometown for chinese new year. An 10 hours car ride plus the stops to visit old friends and to look at our old town. The driving was good. Driving up to Cameron Highland/Gua Musang interchange via Simpang pulai, certainly do train my driving skills especially my main weakness at taking corner at a not so turtle speed. the only down side to it is I lose my okley sunglass bag, while stopping at one of the R&R.
Our first stop was Kuala Krai. For those who doesn't know, I was born and brought up here, until I was 10 and moved to Bangsar. Yes, there are still lots of fond memories, and no I have not forgotten, this is where I came from. Maybe its true that most of my growing up years I spend in the 90210 of Malaysia, but at heart, I am still the boy from this small town. It is not as develop as SP, no we don't have 2 tesco, heck, its even more remote than Kangar. But no, we don't stay in houses on stick. But bare in mind that our GDP is higher than the country. The main economy here is timber, and now the town is turned into a bird nest town with lots of empty shop lots are converted to nest the swallow. But the special thing for me is always the people. There is a eating place. nothing special really about the food, but you see, in this shop, the malay do the cooking, and the chinese makes the drink. and the customer? are from both races. It is certainly different from the people here in the city. Taking example of the open house in Klang. The chinese host, serve Bak Kut Teh, and the host invite some muslim guests. Of course there are some halal food like curry fish and rice etc.. but with the Bak Kut Teh, even if its at 2 different table, it just show no respect to the guests. To me thats the sickening part of the people here in the city, lack of sensitivity.
At Kuala Krai, I get a ride on my uncle's hilux. and we went to the timber mill. for the first time I saw the vehicle the logger called 'san tai wong'. it is used to pull down trees. its huge and powerful.
We drive up to the capital, Kota Baru, where my grandma is. Sometimes its a bit confusing when people ask me where is my hometown/where am I from. Sometimes I say Bangsar, Kuala Krai, Kota Bahru and now Klang. Every year for the past say 6-5 years, the Chinese New Year end after the first day ends. I mean after the first day, there is no more big ang pau to collect rite? and all the places are already visited, as both my parents place are just about 10-15 min drive away. So our relatives are literally nearby.
Chinese New Year for me personally is about family. All my life during CNY I am back here. No, I don't celebrate it with my friends, because none of them in Kelantan and with the exception for university, majority of my friends are either Malay or Indian.
And yes, the main ingredient of my trip back to Kelantan is always is, and always will be the FOOD. mostly are Kelantanese food, its pointless to eat chinese food here because there are so many variety of chinese food which are better and at a much more reasonable price in KL.
the menu:
BREAKFAST
Curry rice with deep fried quail and ayam kampung
yes, thats the Legend..wait for it DARY.. legendary goat head curry.
LUNCH
ayam percik available everyday! yes everyday! not only during ramadan
various curry
Nasi Sumatera. its so big, they need a nail to wrap it as rubber band will snap thus its also known as 'Nasi Paku'
TEA
Sup Tulang/Gear Box
will choose this over bak kut teh anytime
DESSERT
Variety of kuih if u have a sweet tooth
DINNER
SUPPER
There are plenty of store like this, beng is actually 'peng' in chinese and translate into ice
The main highlight this new year is the addition to the family. We have 2 new addition as 2 of my cousin welcome a boy and a girl each to their respective family. Thus, everyone naik pangkat
Grandma with grand daughter and great grandson
The girl
The boy surprisingly did not cry with me around
checking out the new institution after mmu
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