My tribute - Uncle Phua

Uncle Phua & me at Beserah 268 Restaurant

My family trip to Kuantan this year was indeed a really good one. I was very happy to have Errol, Jessica and their two wonderful teenage children,Josephine and Jocelyn joined us for the trip. Though it was planned quite on a short notice but we managed to book the hotel , planned for some places to go to for our food and visit some interesting places. I am grateful to SLing and SYuen for making sure everything was ready for our trip as I was at work most of the time. SLing did the booking of the hotel and we were looking forward to a great holiday getaway. It was really good when you have great families along for your trip and Errol's family was just a delight. They are easy going, non-fussy about food & all that plus they are a barrel of fun too. 

Me, Uncle Phua & Errol at Alor Akar Restaurant

This year, we were particularly honored to have Uncle Phua, Abby's dad to accompany us in the evening. Uncle Phua is truly a delightful character. I first met him at Abby & Din's place a couple of years ago and his stern impression stuck with me for years if I may say so. A hardcore-die hard Hainanese like me and I could understand the stern look at times. Uncle Phua and Auntie (Abby's mom) had been good to me since we met and even when I was in Kuantan for work, they had never failed to make sure I have proper meal to eat in the evening especially bringing me to great food places whenever I am down in Kuantan.

Our families with Uncle Phua at Desserts...

Uncle Phua is in his eighties now and he still is a towering figure and doesn't look frail at all. He is sharp, a man of few chosen words but spoke enthusiastically about the Sg.Lembing mining days. This makes him a really interesting figure indeed. He is very warm-hearted, very generous and always a great host. This time, he was no different by bringing us to sample the best of what Kuantan could offer in terms of good seafood meal and plenty of fun. I have come to respect this man for his stand on certain point of view. He can be a very hard man to please so as to speak when it comes to hard matters but he is generally easy going and soft spoken in many many ways. I like Uncle Phua a lot. He reminded me so much of my grandfather who was like that too. Stern, nonchalant at times but always a good heart and a good cheer.

Our families and Uncle Phua at Desserts

I am particularly impressed by his clarity of the subject matter - Sg.Lembing mines. Only one who had been there would be able to tell us in such details of the intensity of the mines. Sure, it is just a mine to some but to him, it was the mine that fed his dad and his family too, I guess. He spoke fondly of his father being an indenture who traveled here looking to start a brand new life. He also spoke of how his dad ended up in the mines and making him an important person in communication between the miners and their British employer. That's why I could see the very passion, the sparkle in his eyes and the ever wily smile when talking of the mines. He spoke at length of the mines and the life that was in it. It was not only rich with history which I like but the mesmeric details were inspiring. When he spoke to us about the mines, he was the one who told us that there was a mine at every 100 feet below ( vertical and horizontal plus they are inter-connecting ) and there were 14 mine holes at Sg.Lembing mines. Some were aired nicely while the lower ones are stuffy and lack of air at times making mining operation such a chore to some and easier for others. 

Uncle & Auntie withe the families at Jess Cafe...

As we talked over dinners and desserts, I find Uncle Phua to be really a man who was concerned for the well being of this family. A hard man to please, you can say but it is only natural for one who had seen so much struggle in life. He spoke of the good ol'days while the stroll along Kuantan river pathway was a welcomed sight especially at night. Sure, he spoke of a better Kuantan life in the future with better protection of safety and environment, but he spoke in all honesty of what ought to be done in the city. A safer place for the people and a call for end of corruption and corrupt practises. I can relate to that. His concerns and fears are indeed confounded. He also spoke fondly on his grandchildren in Dave, Caleb, Elliot and Caitlyn. I could see his heart and I could see the very stand of a man with much pride, proudness and integrity. You just cannot fault with Uncle Phua for being what he is as this was a man who had really struggled much in his life. I am always respectful of such stature of a man and I am respectful that he is one wise old Hainanese man.

SLing, Auntie, Uncle Phua and me at Jess Cafe...

What impressed me a lot was his nature in ensuring that we have enough to eat and we really had our stomach filled to the brim with the best of the food. Uncle Phua's treat of meal to us was more than luxury as we are used to simple meals but he had insisted that he ordered the very best for us and we are eternally grateful for his thoughtfulness. Equipped with this, we tried to give Uncle Phua the slip as he paid for our sumptuous meals every time we are with him and we felt "malu" big time as the restaurant proprietors would not take our payment everytime Uncle Phua treats us dinner. But trying to slip away from him was to no avail as Uncle Phua would always insist that we had meals with him. We are eternally grateful to Uncle Phua for the lovely treats plus ordering some of the best dishes we had sampled for the past two days. Sweet sour crabs, prawns - butterflied prawns and fried prawns, fried kurau fish, garoupa in Assam , roasted duck, pork ribs, vegetables, beggar's chicken and three layer dessert were nice food fares indeed.

Sweet & sour crab at Beserah 268 Restaurant

Uncle Phua also wasn't old minded as most people would think. For him to bring us to places like The Dessert, a modernised sweet desserts and food joint showed much about him as a person who still like dessert to go along after a sumptuous meal. I was told that this joint was initially opened by a miner from Sg.Lembing and now it was run by the miner's daughter. This was the only place I could pay for the meal as the playful and bubbly proprietor told Uncle Phua to let the guest pay for him for once.  A blend of new and old desserts hit our palate roof this time as we sample some authentic desserts like tau fu fa ( soya bean soft curd with ginger sweets ), peanut soup, honey dew shavings delight ( refreshing & easy ) and a few other desserts concoctions. He also brought is to Jess Cafe, another modern and trendy setting cafe who served one of the biggest looking yongtau fu and nicer curry mee specials. The curry mee was exquisite in a way while the yong tau fu was big and nice plus reasonably priced. Nevertheless, I still like the curry mee at Hoi Yin Restaurant in Teluk Cempedak. It is still my all-time favourite breakfast meal and you could see the real 1Malaysia people having their meal there without fear nor favour. That's what my Malaysia is all about. Not some half past six Chinese convert fool nor some stupid leaders making more untoward remarks about race, color or creed and dividing us as people!

Hoi Yin's curry me...

The one thing we learned was that everyone seemed to know Uncle Phua. He would always be talking to someone who would called out to him or people would greet him. Restaurant owners would be happy to see him and also would decline our payment politely citing Uncle Phua as their VVIP customer and they don't want to offend him lest losing him as their customer. I must say in all honesty, I wasn't comfortable of not paying for the meals as my dad used to remind us to be respectful to the elders and pay for their meals. So, when I could not do it here in Kuantan, Uncle Phua laughed it off and reminded me to give him a treat when he is in Melaka then. The deal is on as far as I am concerned with Uncle Phua and he laughed it off slapping my back and telling me it is alright. 

Curry yong tau fu...Jess Cafe style...

He reminded me that it is okay for him to treat us dinners as he was happy to see us and we can have some decent conversation and spoke in Hainanese as well too. I guess, it is always a delight to meet a fellow Hainanese and speak the language as it is so rare to meet up with Hainanese people these days and speak the language as most can't speak it any more due to marriage and so on. For me, I am glad that Errol and Jessica are Hainanese and we could all speak to Uncle Phua and that makes this trip such a delight, I guess.

As for Auntie, she was out with her friends and former students for a reunion and joined us in the lunch before we left for home. Auntie looked very healthy and fine. Her bubbly ways and talking ways kept us all in stitches with laughters and smiles. She looked much younger and better these days. Though still with a limp from a hip operation, she looked fine and healthy in many ways. Auntie is always the happy rabbit and I am so glad to see her after not seeing her the last few days. It was a welcome sight and seeing the old wise gentleman and woman getting along as usual was a real delight. Uncle Phua with his wisecracks and playful ways that Auntie was talking too much and so on but these are two loving people indeed. For me, it was a great way to end my trip to Kuantan with so much laughter, learning experience and sharing of golden nuggets by Uncle Phua.

Garoupa assam fish at Alor Akar Restaurant

I guess, as Hainanese, Errol, Jessica and myself would never forget the wise saying from Uncle Phua that is " No one would scold us for eating more but being lazy would get scoldings" ( Chiak tuei bo nang mare; duah leh nang mare." This had us in stitches all the time whenever we are at the dining table as we speak to Uncle Phua about  being full to the brim with food. He would always ensure that we have enough food on our plate. I am so touched by his kind gesture indeed. It really did leave me a lasting impression.

So, to Uncle Phua, I could only say  THANK YOU SO MUCH for the hospitality in Kuantan and I do sincerely hope to return that favour when you are down in Melaka. Thank you for touching our lives with more than you could ever imagine. Always indebted to you and Auntie for a great time in Kuantan. One small favour : Any mining tips if we want to go prospecting at Sg.Lembing? I was just joking. It was really a great pleasure and honour to see Uncle Phua and auntie with the families. Thank you again.........