Chub Cheeva Cafe & Restaurant

When my family and I was dropped off at Naebkehadt Road in Hua Hin by our taxi driver, Wirut, we were really in a daze as what was there in a street like this. When our taxi driver, Wirut told us to get our lunch at a rather weird looking place and I looked at him quizzically but Wirut had assured me that he had dropped me off at the right place. He kept smiling and pointed his finger at the quint looking place which I thought looked weird and like any other unfamiliar neighbourhood.

In my usual questioning mode, I looked around and noted some sparsely parked m/cars along the road and I was thinking to myself if Wirut, my taxi driver , was nuts due to the blistering heat. Anyway, we were greeted by a real pleasant staff who immediately ushered us into a building on the left which was presumably the cafe and we hesitantly went in despite having our reservation if there would be any food left. Our fears and uneasiness were immediately quashed by the pleasantries exchanged and the great calming gesture of the staff in the cafe. There was 2 women and one guy in the cafe. The staff immediately brought us the menu and we were quite in a bind as communication was quite confusing.

The staff tried her best to tell us of their best dishes and so on but we were like chicken and duck talk though but I love her patience and her efforts in us. Then Q , the owner, came to our rescue and subsequently took our orders for lunch. He spoke very good English and his knowledge of the food was impeccable. It was such a relief and we ordered 3 dishes namely Thai Green Curry, Bacon & Sausage Fried Rice and Basil Pork rice. 

While waiting for the dishes to arrive , we had a chat with Q and I must say that I am very impressed with the passion and heart of this young man and his staff. It is definitely not easy to survive out there in Hua Hin town despite not having much exposure of the cafe - Chub Cheeva Cafe but with the exposure in social media such as Trip Advisor, Face book and a few others, this cafe came alive.

I guess, this is the type of cafe that comes our way by the word of mouth. After a few minutes speaking with Q, he would struck you as a suave talker but in all honesty, he is a very sincere cafe owner. His aspirations, his passion for his cafe to succeed and the ideas for the town of Hua Hin to progress further are truly applaudable. I believe, the honesty of a cafe owner is through his food fare.  I told Q that I would give his cafe a fair review once I have finished my meals and when I get back home. Now, I am doing that review of Chub Cheeva Cafe.

Chub Cheeva Cafe is truly a rustic and fun place interiorly. The olden times cushion ( yellow/blue colored sofa and black sofa set )  adorned the front section of the cafe atop lacquered timber boards flooring making one feel as though they are part of one of the early days TV sitcom .

The ceiling is nicely fitted with lovely lamp shades and there are also the lovely kettle light fittings. The brick walls are eloquently lacquered and painted with yellow and black paint at one side. The walls are filled with assortment of paraphernalia from the pass and the reverence portrait of the King is also noted at the shelves on the walls. The seats and glass tables in the cafe were also lovely and comfortable. The place permeates the atmosphere of  peace and tranquility.  I honestly like the feel of the cafe. That rebel yet rustic and challenging modern feel. I like the playfulness of the interior decor. There is a bar counter top on the right side and the bar is white in color. The cafe is playfully enriched with the checkered black and white vinyl tiles and very thoughtfully designed out.
The food arrived and moment of truth about the food.

The Thai Green Curry was heavenly! I really love the richness and the lovely spices including the amalgamation of fresh coconut milk taste to the dish. The small but crunchy aubergines, the lovely pork pieces, basil and freshly cut red chillies made this dish a truly wonderful dish indeed. The taste was very good and I strongly recommend that one should order this dish when in Chub Cheeva Cafe. To accompany this dish, we had the Bacon & Sausage Fried Rice which was very lovely in taste and the grains of rice were evenly coated with the velvetry egg white and yolk companion.

Thai Green Curry - Chub Cheeva Cafe style

The taste of bacon or rather the oil from the bacon usually overpowers the rest of the ingredients but this fried rice is not too overpowering in bacon taste but just blended nicely with the sausages and the egg. I believe that the fried rice was cooked over a very steady fire before being cranked up to high heat to ensure that the evenly coating of the egg and retaining the fragrance of the egg before plating up.  Then came the Basil Pork Rice. SLing and Syuen enjoyed this dish very much. They told me that the spices and the basil taste exuberates through the minced pork making it such a lovely dish. I tasted the dish and I believe they are right. It is really a refreshing dish and the minced pork tasted awesome. If you are ever in Chub Cheeva Cafe, you better not miss these three dishes!

Bacon & Sausage Fried Rice

Basil Pork Rice

The Bar Counter and the playful checkered vinyl tiles

To top of our lunch, I had a slice of chocolate brownie with whipped green and Americano coffee. I couldn't have asked for more as it was my birthday that day.  I am truly blessed by the experience and the hospitality extended to me and my family at this cafe by Q and his staff. I truly loved the experience at the cafe and the thoughtfulness extended to me and my family.

The coffee is freshly brewed, satisfying and truly aromatic. I love the bitter end bit which I get after having a sip. Great coffee, indeed. I am particular about sour bit in my coffee but I did not find this in the Americano served to me. Truly enjoyed the coffee.As for the chocolate brownie, it was lovely and I get to taste the rich chocolate  in it. Truly lovely - no other words to add.

All in all, my family and I truly love our experience at Chub Cheeva Cafe despite our initial hesitation but once service starts and the food is rolled out, this is truly a good and honest cafe.

Many times patrons of cafe are made to look like idiots paying over priced menus and drinks and getting a sticky end of the bargain. I truly believed that Chub Cheeva Cafe serves fusion of authentic Thai and Western food out there. I love Thai food and I know a good one when I taste one. I truly like the service, attitude and the hospitality shown by Q and his staff which are essential in the food industry and it shows in their food, table service and attention to clients needs. So, BRAVO to Chub Cheeva Cafe for putting up with us that day and it was a real pleasure having the opportunity to enjoy your food.

Like I said to Q, I am not writing this for their leverage or to boost up their ratings or whatsoever.  I just wanna give a fair and just review. This man and his staff had worked hard to make it in the competitive food industry. I believe the cafe do deserve the credits that are due to them. I can only write honestly about my experience which I have done many times. BTW, if you are ever wondering if I get any "special privilege" , I want to put your mind at rest that there is no free food from the cafe for me to write this either. I paid for my meals in full just like any other patrons/client to this cafe,ok?

Like I said, a good cafe deserves their share  of getting people to know. Now you know that you have a great cafe to go to when you are in Hua Hin.

To Q and his two lovely ladies that day, THANK YOU so much for the food and the hospitality shown and THANK YOU for making a 52 year old man a very happy bloke!

KAP KHUN KA, Chub Cheeva Cafe!

Sawadeekap, Bangkok!

I could pinch myself each time I board a plane to go off for a holiday as it is sometimes very difficult to do despite everyone telling you that it is not a hard thing to do. With tons of work and responsibilities on your shoulder including massive demands & unnecessary pressure from clients and your Management, you would often reflect if it is worth lying slumped forward on your work desk lifeless at the end of the day. No sireeeee, I chose life and not dying on my work table/cubicle like that.  No employer nor your boss is ever gonna be weeping and balling their eyes out with tears for your premature change of address out of this world! Probably a few forced nice words to your widow and some white envelope containing some "solace" money, you are off to your 6'X4', right? It is as simple as that and it is reality. I prefer to choose reality! 

Nope, I ain't being negative or any of that sort but just telling it as it is, actually. So, I decided to take a break and head  north bound for Bangkok, Thailand. Guess, being who I am, I have made plans so much earlier while anticipating the required break for my sanity and own good. I am glad I did that and I am able to share some quality time with SLing and SYuen. Prior to my journey, good family friends gave words of encouragement and support so that we could have a great holiday together as a family. I guess, taking required breaks and rest are important as it does give you your life back and just for a brief moment, a slice of your sanity is laid to rest for a while. With today's work demands of your limbs, head, sanity and your own morality, one really need to stay focus on doing the right thing. 

Anyway, maybe, I am just an old man rambling my thoughts away while I am supposed to be writing about my holiday fun. Maybe I have fallen off my sanity stand after being thoroughly "bashed up" and fighting losing battles each day but "Tom Yam Koong", here I come! Come to papa! What was special about this trip was that I am able to travel with my daughter, SYuen this time. It was good to see her up and running while enjoying herself. It was quite an experience and I know how it felt - especially first time experience of flying overseas. 

Prior to our travel, we prayed for journey mercy and a good trip to Bangkok. Family friends held a small birthday celebrations for me before we hit the sack. What a nice mini party and thoughtful people! ( Dinesh, Abby, Jessica, Errol, Edwin, Lorna, Lara, Dave, Caleb, Josephine and Jocelyn - Thank you all! ) We traveled early morning to KLIA 2 airport and it was really fun to be able to fly again. We have some food and drinks at McD before checking in for our flight to Don Mueng International Airport, Bangkok. Flight was about 2 hours and it was such a smooth flight.

It was exciting reaching the airport and SLing immediately took over the duties of Bangkok guide. We were off in a partially yellow & green cab who was rather slow in driving his car and used the lower road rather than the highway. Probably, he wanted to get more mileage which will result in higher cab charges! We reached our hotel, Centre Point Pratunam Hotel and we were lucky to be able to check in as there was room available to us. We were glad that everything went on smoothly. The rooms was spacious , clean and definitely cosy. I love the hotel room a lot. The air-conditioning was good and in working order. Service was also very good. It was then off to some nearby sight seeing before hitting the sack for the day.

Our chartered driver, Mr.Wirut Suttijan met us bright and early next morning for our trip to Hua Hin the following day. It was a 3 hours ride and we stopped for some food before heading towards Hua Hin town. Wirut is a nice man and typical Thai. Like all Thai, he did not have much command of English but he could communicate with us. I am grateful and appreciative of Mr.Wirut as each time we are back from an activity, there would be chilled mineral water bottle waiting for us. That made the day for us, actually. He is well mannered and always with a smile. Our very first stop was Santorini Park. An Italian theme park with loads of fun. The Ferris wheel ride is the main attraction together with some other Santorini styled houses and decorations. Make no mistake that it is a tourist attraction and therefore, shops selling branded stuff are aplenty at the park. It was just blast for us. Then, it was off to Swiss Sheep Farm and then to The Venetian which is a letdown. The Venetian entrance fees was quite expensive and there was nothing much to offer. Even the gondola ride wasn't going to cheer me up simply because there isn't much of an attraction here AND the entrance fees are exorbitant!

Lunch at Chubb Cheva Cafe was good and the host - simply want to be named as "Q" was truly a good host. His recommendation on food was spot on and really good.  I am surprised that it was just a laid back place and I certainly loved the ambiance. I owe him a review which I am going to write later. Yup, I always keep my promises when it comes to food review if I am asked to give one. Yeah, no free food but just simple honest review. The Thai green curry was very good while the bacon & sausage fried rice was fantastic. As for the Basil Pork rice - one word - lovely!  To top it off, SLing & Syuen celebrated my birthday there with a chocolate brownie and a cup of Americano! Love the place but gotta go then to the old market Plearn Wan.

No entrance frees this time but nothing much to shout about either. It is just a rustic old market with Thais trying to re-live the olden eras and with some souvenir shops. Not very successful , I guess. There is this really great rustic photography shot which will take a picture of you with some olden days replicas and old stuff. That to me was quite good. Other than that, another money making endeavor for the Thais from tourists. Hey, I've gotta be honest, right? Then , our very last stop was to Hua Hin Railway station which is a historical building itself. I just love the track woods which were made into seat for the train boarders.

It was very rustic and I really love the creativity. The punctured holes, worn out look and old feel doubled with great shellac finishing made it all such a great piece. There is a replica of an old train and we were fortunate to see the train from Surat Thani heading towards Bangkok stopping at Hua Hin Station. The royal waiting building was also a great classic indeed. Love the architecture of it all.

The following day, we went to Maeklong Market whereby every time the train passes by, the vendors would have to fold up their business and allow the train to pass by before resuming their business. It was good there while I really enjoyed the 15 baht kuey chap noodles! We also went to Damnoen Saduak floating market and I must say the fees of 2,500baht is truly exorbitant! Yeah, I felt short changed a little bit coz the water ways are someone's back yard and quite murky.

I especially did not like being treated like a money bag to be squeezed by the vendor along the river ways. I felt somehow that the boat driver wasn't happy as we dd not buy anything from the river vendors. I must say that I do not want to be conned as I know that their prices and 3 times higher than what we could get from Bangkok city itself. I want to be fair to say that I will want to support their livelihood but I will not be cajoled into getting conned with such prices. Would I take the boat ride again the next time? Well, the answer is "NO". I would rather use the money to see the Grand Palace than the river experience. In fact, eventhough, it was 1,500baht for the 3 of us for the entrance to the Grand Palace, it was more worthwhile that the river cruise.

There is a real need for these people/operators to stop bleeding tourist cash and trap the tourist with such unwarranted prices. It is embarrassing, really. I believe, when word gets around, there won't be any more tourist doing the river cruise if the operator continue to do this. This, I can be sure of. Word will get around. Charge reasonably and don't milk the tourists like money cow. You will lose the crowd someday. This is my honest opinion.

I guess, the highlight of our trip was the trip to the Grand Palace in Bangkok. We risked our lives by taking the tuk-tuk there. Our driver, Mr. Lar is one burly , muscled man and we just couldn't resist jumping into his tuk-tuk. He is one helluva driver and I wished I had thought deeply before boarding his tuk-tuk but yunno what, he gets us to where we want to go in time and with great precision. He showed us the way to walk to the Grand Palace entrance and get our tickets. It was just our luck that there was a special prayers for the late King and I sincerely marveled at the Thai reverence of their dearly departed King. I am really in awe of their dedication to their late King and the respect they show for their King.

Like I said, the Grand Palace was really and truly amazing for me. I truly enjoyed the golden building, the grandeur and the majestically built buildings. Lovely architecture, culture and so much history. I really loved the murals on the walls and I was so captivated by it all. There is even a replica of Angkor Wat there in the Grand Place. We enjoyed taking pictures and all that but in the midst of all the enjoyment, I do agitated by the presence of the loud, rude and inconsiderate China tourist. I mince no words by saying that there are the worst tourist ever walked on this Earth! Even my taxi driver, Wirut can't stand them ! I guess, they are good for the economy but lousy for the ears and sanity! Yeah, I almost lost my sanity because of their horrendous behaviour.

It is bad enough to deal with the blistering hot sun and big crowds, then you have to contend with a bunch of clowns, idiotic behaviour and truly uncouth ways. I really really pity the tour guides who would explain over an over again the need to be quiet, civil and even behave properly lest they be kicked out of the Grand Palace.

 I have seen tour guides asking the tourist to repeat saying what had been told to them and yet, it all goes to the drain and some funny clown would be detained or moved aside for some violation some how.  These China tourist talked so loud and so uncouth that probably other tourists just moved away from them. AND they like to photo bomb your picture taking occasion. Had a couple of shot with some idiotic people in my photos! Aaarrrrrrggggghhhhhhhhh! I do hope ,we , Malaysians are not like that! Are we? Hmmmnnnnn....that is the question, isn't it? But of course, Singaporeans are the idiotic ones too, right? With their pompous little ass ways and all that. It is no wonder that we get the flak from the people who thinks we are Singaporeans or worst still, China tourist! What ass luck we are having! Yup, taking a swipe at Singaporeans too! Hahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....

On the way back to our hotel from the Grand Palace, we boarded the pink color taxi. Again, I wished I had made better decision coz this fella, the driver, blasted some traditional Thai sob songs from the radio and then had a sing-along session with the Thai songs. Every 5 minutes, he would change the radio station and at the end of the day, I was just telling myself, " What did I do wrong, God?" Anyway, I felt so relieved arriving safely at the hotel and I could almost kiss the ground for being safe! After cleaning up and a good rest, we hit the nearby open market and malls. I guess, I enjoyed my time in the hotel where I can get some peace and quiet.

It was a good holiday for me and the family. As I looked out my window , overlooking the malls and the road, I guess, our driver, Wirut was right - " No jam, no Bangkok" That is what that makes Bangkok special and just like any other metropolitan city. You just can't help the sights, sound, pollution, good and bad of a city. You either love it or hate it.

For me, I love Bangkok and I shall return.....someday... soon.

Mersing Escapade.....

Nice cool breeze, blue and crystal clear waters, nice shades and a light fishing rod in hand was all I needed for an island getaway holidays. What was even more spectacular was spending those moments with family and friends whom I have regarded as family. Such it wasn’t easy to make travel arrangements and all that for a group but all thanks to Sis.Lorna, we made it to our getaway place.

We started out on a bright and sunny sunshine in Melaka and headed south towards our destination. As usual, there is always some place to drop by for breakfast and this time, it was Kluang Station coffee and breads. Boy, there was such a crowd there but it seemed that everyone was quite civil and patient waiting for places to sit and have breakfast. I guess, with that much travelling on the road in the early morning, one could get “cranky & mentally disturbed” in many ways at the way some drivers are driving but what the heck! We are on holidays, right?  After wolfing down our toasted kaya buns and drowning our black gold of coffee into our ever accommodating tummies, we were off to our destination, Pulau Besar or formerly known as Pulau Babi Besar.

 

For opulent reasoning, the name Pulau Babi Besar doesn’t sound that “good” for obvious reasons and thereby, it had to be re-named, Pulau Besar. What’s in the name, you may ask but then again, Big Hog Island does sounds a bit of an annoyance, isn’t it? But then again, EVERYTHING is an annoyance nowadays lest someone makes a police report about it ….again. Don’t wanna be on the wrong side of the law or sensitive people or else – who knows….people get offended again and again and again….. Well, fact is fact but some people just love twisting the facts like our History lessons too……

Anyway, the older folks on the island still love the name of the island and not an offence to them but like I said one man’s meat is another man’s poison lar! Anyway, it is always good to be back to an island. I love the islands but nowadays, it could be an expensive affair for Malaysians to travel to our own islands. Guess, foreign dollars have been blinding the eyes of the resort operators who could be quite “money gluttons” these days. I was really hoping that our operator would not be like that and I am extremely pleased to say that our operator wasn’t like that. In fact, he is one of the best I’ve ever experienced in my life. Yeah, I have gone to a few islands in my lifetime and I have been extremely blessed with great resort operators. This one was no exception. English speaking Malay man with a heart for his guest and truly a gentleman in many ways. My hats off to this Malay resort operator!

His humbled abode is nothing to shout about but it is homely, welcoming and rustic as far as I was concerned. I am not unduly concern about modern facilities and all the modern fanfare. What I like most is that it is simple, clean and honest place. I love the beach front and I love the rich blueish sky and lovely clear green waters. The corals surrounding it is nice and alive. Sure, it is hot but to me, it is the very reason why we need to be in the shades and places to enjoy the breeze. Yeah, I was suntanned through and through but I love it. I love the sights, the smell and the burns ( getting tanned )! 

The cool breeze and the evening setting atmosphere was really good and lovely. Sure, I did walked around the family and friends to the nearby resorts and though, I find them to be really nice with the right facilities and all that but the prices are really a real shocker eventhough they are fully booked over the weekend. It often make me wonder if people have gone bonkers paying such exorbitant prices for such resorts. Maybe, it is just me. I am getting too old for such price war. I guess, I am from the old school where good places should be kept as pristine as possible so that we can come back to it from time to time and not let someone else or foreigners take over our resorts and charged us through our nose and be a pain in our asses! 

I agree that resort operators want to maximize profits while tour operators want to earn more money but stifling the guests ain’t the answer. In years to come, our future generation of children and children’s children would not be able to step foot on the islands lest spend a few nights there when operators over run us with hefty prices and charges. 

I guess, in many ways resort operators are sandwiched between making a profit and dealing with the rising cost in essentials like food and human resource. 

To me, there is a real need to strike the right balance and to look into ways to get a good profit and yet ensuring that the guests are happy and the environment is sustained in its natural condition. With so much sun around, probably it would be good for resort owners to turn to sustainable solar energy powered resorts. These are very doable options provided some unscrupulous people don’t hike the price of solar panels and fixing works. Then it is back to square one! Well, just my thought on the matter.

Yeah, when I was younger, I really wished someone had offered me a job to take care of a small resort. I would welcome that challenge even though it would be 8 months of work due to the monsoon season around the islands. I believe that getting simple things done correctly such as repairs to roofing, repairs to facilities and providing clean and honest rooms are the ways to go. Good PR and anticipating the needs of guests are important too. Like I said, just a thought from me.

Coming back to my trip, Capt. Edwin took the young ladies and guys to snorkelling around the island while a few other including myself sauntered at the jetty deck; enjoying the nice breeze and looking for the bonus for our dinner. Lunch was simple fried rice and fried mee while dinner usually made up of nicely cooked vegetables, eggs, sweet sour chicken and assam pedas fish. Really love the simple cooked food and the fellowship.

In the evening, after sitting out at the porch area of our ‘house’, I truly enjoyed the conversations and the great fellowship, the coffee and sharing of the goodies. Much laughter and great feeling of being in a family setting helped us be comfortable with one another. I guess, great company oozes great times. I guess, the stillness of the nights does that magic to your brain that will just sent electrical waves of calmness.

As I recollected my thoughts for the day, I can only say that I felt blessed and truly relaxed while on the island. It was truly an amazing feeling. When Ethan Sim, a 6 years old boy said to me ,”  You’re an awesome fisherman, Uncle Ivan!” 

That really made me feel good inside especially the compliment coming from a child. Yup, my days seemed so much brighter and more meaningful….must be doing something right….hahahahahahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…..to gain his favour! Yeah…truly an awesome time……..

As we bade farewell to the resort proprietor, we told him that we would be back soon and he smiled widely. Like always, we never renegade on our promises. Sure, we’ll be back next year and there is no doubt about that.

Ipoh with friends!

Travelling has always been a favourite past time of mine and I am always captivated by old building structures, history and scenic views. I am not a fussy traveller nor extravagant one either. I would prefer a laid back accommodations, plenty to walk, plenty to eat and plenty to see towns.

Interestingly, I must admit that travelling in Malaysia, my own backyard can be quite an expensive affair but Malaysia had so much to offer,actually. Culture, food, lifestyles, sights and sounds are truly unique but like I say, it can be quite an expensive affair. I guess, Mat Salleh dollars always wins hand down in most circumstances and poor Malaysians have to contend of being locals, I guess. I am always perplexed that these “foreign guests” gets so much attention and privileges that sometimes, I often wonder why am I spending my time travelling in my own country lest getting treated unfairly at the other end of the stick. Well, I guess, I am from the old school and die hard fan of Malaysia and Malaysian way of life.

There are still many people in Malaysia who still enjoy “serving” Malaysians and I am glad to have met up with many of them along my littered life of travels. “There is so much to offer in Malaysia” – one traveller quipped to me the other day. I smiled to the young Mat Salleh couple and went onto tell them to get to smaller towns if they really want to know how true Malaysians live. Theirs eyes lit up and egged me to tell them where to go. So, like any true blue Malaysian, I listed to them some of the places they ought to go and avoid getting their throat stuffed with exorbitant prices both in food, services and accommodation. They seemed happy enough and I am happier to share my travel experience with them.

Talking about travelling, about two weeks ago, our “Three Strand Chord” brothers ( Errol, Capt.Edwin and myself )  and our families took a trip down to Ipoh with our own “tau yu” SLing in charge of the itinerary. It was the most enjoyable and great time ever! I guess, when you travel with friends who are easy going and fun, it helps to bring out the best in every one. Travelling in the early morning was fun for the ladies and child as they get to sleep while the men folk labored mercilessly with half–opened eyes in the early morning highway ride. Anyway, a good hearty breakfast in Bidor was our reward for the early morning drive. Though Pun Chun Restaurant in Bidor can be quite an expensive affair ( It is really a place for tourist as locals won’t even be seen in this place! ), trying out the wan tan mee and duck mee can be quite an experience. I do not want to mince my words by saying that the food was nothing to shout about but it was more for the nostalgic feel of going back to the place after our many many years of travel earlier. It was like walking down memory lane this time.

After the meal, it was off to Gopeng Heritage House/Museum. This is a place that holds such a nostalgic feel for me. Rustic, lovely shellac wood panels, doors and walls including the olden feel brought a quick rush of nostalgic feeling to this old heart of mine. I have always loved that oldies feeling and seeing all the old stuff brings so much childhood memories flooding back. With great company in the Gans ( Errol, Jessica, Josephine and Jocelyn ) and Sims ( Edwin, Lorna, Lara & Ethan ) it was truly fun to visit this place and enjoy all their antics of reminiscing the olden days act. Pure classic fun!

Later, it was off to Kellie’s Castle – the unfinished and ruined mansion by the Scottish planter, Willie Kellie Smith. It is said that Kellie’s Castle is haunted and spooky but I must say personally that I did not feel anything while at that unfinished mansion. In fact, at certain places of the mansion, it is windy and cool. However, if you are at the roof top and top unprotected area, you would “strangely” have the “draw” to edge to the end and somehow drawn to leap off it ! Ok! Ok! I was just joking. I guess, “stories” are told that the spookiness comes sometime in the evening. Thereby, it is good to steer away from this place in the evening. To me, I find the structure quite interesting. The bare brick walls, the architecture and the whole construction of the building is quite interesting. Even in those times, if this mansion was completed, it would have been a real majestic mansion in a plantation such as this. I truly enjoyed the look and feel of a great mansion. After some lovely photoshoot against the shielded sun rays in the rooms and corners, it was time to move on to our next destination, Qing Xing Ling Cultural Village.

It was quite confusing at first when we reached the other entrance to the cultural village. It was later explained to us that due to the haphazard and indiscriminate parking done by tourists, local residents had complained to the local authorities of such obstruction of traffic and nuisance to the community. Thus, the cultural village was temporarily closed until they could come up with a solution to appease the nearby taman residents. So, the nearby temple parking grounds was the next best option but entrance tickets would have to be obtained from a nearby shophouse so as not to further infuriate the taman residents on its operation. It was such an inconvenience for locals like us whatmore for the foreigners. Anyway, I guess, the park caretaker would have heard these comments countless number of times before us as we saw many frustrated tourists moving away from the parking area. I guess, the cultural village team could have set up a ticketing booth near the temple to enable easier access though. Yeah, just my two sen input so as not to inconvenient the tourists/guests.

What greeted us at the main entrance was such a surprise – tricycles, bicycles , olden days bicycles, carts and olden days vehicles seemed such a pleasant surprise. Riding them are not easy at all especially with our aging bodies! Thank God for my trusty mode of travel, “ MZ 11 “ or also known as the feet! It was fun reminiscing the good old days and enjoy the scenery there.

Then it is off to Ipoh town for some food. After some slick kung fuish moves of getting tables and seats, we had chicken hor fun, char kuey teow, Ipoh custard and “tau fu fah” or soft bean curd. Then it was off to our accommodation at Canning Garden. Quiet, clean and lovely sorta colonial semi-detached house to rest our tired bodies and legs! It was really lovely and with a garden full of jasmine tree adorning the side walls on the right, the jasmine aroma permeates the entire home throughout the day. What a lovely scent indeed!

After some good rest and a good bath, we were off for dinner at Tong Sui Kai in Ipoh town. We were quite early and so the crowd had not gathered yet and we get the chance to “look-see” what we wanted to eat. I ate the recommended beef noodles while the rest had char kuey teow, fish ball mee , fried oysters, prawn crackers and a whole load of goodies. Yippeeeee…..it was great to be back in Ipoh and sampling great food there. Then we decided to go to Jaya Grocer for some shopping of goodies before heading home to sleep for the night. Boy, it was a good good sleep amidst the sweet smelling scent of jasmine.

Bright and early morning the next day, we were off to Ming Court Dim Sum to get a sample of great dim sum fare recommended by the social media and friends. The place was packed jam and again, jostling and with early morning “crazy” faces, we finally got the table we wanted and we immediately tucked into the dim sum fare – har kow, siew mai, fried stuffs, steamed buns, siew long pau, char siew pau and a load of goodies came our way. We were stuffed to the brim with what we ordered and it wasn’t an expensive fare either. We were good and we were off to some Ipoh street art and then it was off to get some tau sar peah and some other biscuits before we left Ipoh and headed to our home.

If you think our makan fest ended while we were on the way back, well, I’ve got news for you. We stopped in Dengkil R&R for Hj Samuri’s Satay Kajang. The beef and chicken satay definitely made our palate day complete. The sweet tasting and succulent beef & chicken pieces does wet our palate most indefinitely.

All in all, it was truly a nice weekend experience to see what our own country ,Malaysia, could offer to its citizen in terms of places of interest, food and people. I must say, this Malaysia of ours still holds a pretty special place in my heart. There is no place like the place we can call home – Malaysia, our home.   

My special thanks to Edwin, Lorna, Lara and Ethan ( The Sims family ), Errol, Jessica, Josphine and Jocelyn ( The Gans family ) and lastly to Soon Ling and Shwu Yuen, my beloved wife, SLing and daughter. Spending time with all of you have been a lovely experience. Thanks for your friendship and thanks for the memories etched in my heart each day with each and everyone of you!~