A graceful touch of old town charm and mini France in Hanoi

27th March 2009

  

I’ve got the Air Asia 0 fare ticket to Hanoi sometime ago, it’s a real great deal as my return ticket only cost RM 250+… Unlike going to Europe, this time my packing list is way simpler… a small briefcase full of my daily clothes, toiletries, make up kit… and a bag pack with my laptop for the convenience to on msn with BB at night, maps I prepared earlier

Got up really early in the morning and start to travel to KL Sentral and taking a bus to LCCT…. Sooooo sleepy and slept in bus. Check in and now Air Asia has change its policy of free seating, they’ll allot seats for you when you check in. Me and mum book the ticket separately, so we seat separately. LCCT has done extension for its international departure hall. Unlike the cramped departure hall last time, its now has extended for a larger one with proper duty free shops and a few more shops and unlimited WIFI supply…  Waiting for departure is always the hardest to pass your time, especially with hungry stomach….

Our flight departed at 6.30am… I was allotted a window seats with besides me 2 Vietnamese man returning to their homeland after working in Malaysia… Is the no foreign worker policy really force them to go back?? There’s really a lot of them… maybe half the air craft are Vietnamese….. Being extremely tired wake up too early, what’s better than taking a good nap on flight… until its eating time…. An advice, should pre booked your meal if you are taking Air Asia flight as you’ll be drooling seeing other started to eat and you still have to starve yourself waiting for the stewards or stewardess to start from the first row, preparing, chatting, money changing, blah blah blah… until it reach to you!!!

 

With nothing better to do, i take a shot of the skies just pass dawn

With no one beside to talk to you, and the flight are noisy with returning Vietnamese, uncle aunties going for tour and speak loudly in Hokkien in front of you, people seating beside you goes to lavatory 1000 times in a 3 hrs flight, crew pushing food cart, souvenir cart, collecting rubbish on and off beside you, its impossible to sleep….  And pray that it reach Hanoi faster… When we are about reaching… there is this unforgettable scene, once it touched the ground, and still running fast on the run way… all Vietnamese in the flight remove their seat belt and stand up on the running air craft and cheers in Vietnamese… WHAT HAPPEN HERE???? And they all did a sequence action all together…. They switch on their Malaysia Phone and trying to make call!!!!!! At this point, the plane has not even stop!!!! I was really amazed by this!! And worse still, they rush you off your seat and start to take out their hand carry luggage and pass around…. I was stuck in the middle of the narrow walkway with luggage being pass around on my left and right……

Immigration officers at Noi Bai Airport is surprisingly fierce looking…. When you pass them your passport, they’ll stareeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee at you till you feel guilty!!! And they scream at people trying to wait for their friend at the immigration counter.

Just walked out from the arrival hall, me immediately saw my chauffeur to pick us to the hotel. But I requested to change my money first. It’s advised to bring USD to change to Vietnam Dong in Vietnam. $1 is equal to 17,700VND… me suddenly turns to a millionaire…. Hahahahaha

We were led to a Toyota Innova and the non-English speaking chauffeur start to drive to our destination. The first glimpse of Hanoi is of course there are many paddy fields… in unorganized town planning order, beside the highway, beside a shopping mall, beside a global co factory, beside houses… And one thing that could be quite annoying is they honk at everything… At first I really don’t get use to the honking because its very rude to honk people in Malaysia, but here in Hanoi, their honking meaning give ways when you are slow, honk to give you alert, honk to cut into the next lane, honk because of nothing… Just honk because everybody is doing it.

 

Paddy field along the highways

They still carry this kind of old fashion briefcase

After about 30 mins drive of non stop honking and the dusty road… we turn into the district of old quarters… Hanoi’s houses is so narrow.. Does that explain why no fat people in Hanoi??

 

Narrow houses in Hanoi

The hotel we pre booked is Hanoi Golden Plaza hotel, its really good deal, I think each person per nite is only RM37 inclusive of breakfast. Though you can always get cheaper rates in other hotel, but I definitely do not want to risk myself running around in foreign town looking for a shelter… And proven my choice for Hanoi Golden Plaza Hotel is not wrong, it’s provide me the friendliest and most helpful staff I ever met even compare to a 5 star class hotel.

We were first great by Peter, the manager. On our arrival, which is before the check in time, we were served a welcome drink, this lime juice is soooo nice… but it does make me feel hungrier…

 

Our Hotel

My welcome drinks

Peter explained briefly places of interest in Hanoi to us and give us a map. He did not get upset too when we told him we’ve already signed up for tour packages with other tour agency. They even help us to contact the tour agency the next morning when they came late…

We were given a room to store our luggage as the other room is not yet ready… no prob… we just need a place to keep our things cause we are exploring the town soon….

The first thing we wanna do is to EAT!!! We are so hungry!!! There are food every where at every street…  So, we had our first Pho at a shop just in front of our hotel.

Our hotel is just located 2 streets away from the biggest landmark in the French quarter.

The St Joseph Cathedral

 

The gothic St Joseph Cathedral

St Joseph Cathedral is one of the oldest buildings in Hanoi French quarter. The French built it in the nineteenth centuries. It is still running masses and it’s the largest congregation in Hanoi. However, it seems like close for public and I’ve had enough view of this kind of gothic church in Europe…  But it really carries similarity like churches I saw in Paris…. During the nighttime, there are tons of people gathering at a shop next to it for bia hoy… more like our mamak stall, but this is a lot more merrier….

We walk pass a very noisy place… have a peek inside, it’s a school…. Their school is sooooooo noisy… and one day evening we pass through it when it’s a finish school time, unlike our Malaysian spoilt babe, parents have to carry their school bags for them, fetch them by luxury cars within the shortest walking distance possible, the kids here mostly goes home walking or cycling by themselves, and nobody give a damn of them… I even saw teacher watching them playing football on the street… (I guess he’s a teacher)

 

The noisy school

We follow the map I printed from Reid on travel earlier… the map provided by the hotel isn’t something very useful for us cause most of the street name and destinations are in Vietnamese…. Our next destination is to walk to the Hoan Kiem Lake. It wasn’t far… just a 5 minutes walk from St Joseph Cathedral

 

Hoan Kiem Lake

Tortoise tower in the middle of the lake

Big Tree along the lake

Ngoc Son Temple andHuc Bridge

A creative girl doing this in the after noon, i can't stop taking a photo of her

The contrast red Huc bridge with the greenish Hoan Kiem Lake

Hoan Kiem lake in Vietnamese meaning Lake of the restored sword, I learn from the water puppet show, there’s a legend behind it. The emperor handed a magic sword from the heaven, which bought him to victory in a revolt to the golden turtle god. There’s a tortoise tower in the middle of the lake believe to worship the God of turtle. 

The Hoan Kiem Lake is one of the major scenic spot in the city and a favorite focal point for the local for their leisure activity. With the green calm water, big shaggy trees along the side, it’s the best spot for dating with your loves one…

Many F & B owner has chosen to set their business near to the Hoan Kiem Lake selling the idea of fantastic view and fantastic Vietnamese food, like Hapro Café and Restaurant and Bobby Chinn.

We decided to wander around the French quarter first; we first stop at Governor of Tonkin’s residence.

 

Governor of Tonkin's residence

To the right a block is the gorgeous ultra French neoclassical Metropole Hotel where all the world class branded outlet has been set up here.. it is one of the most high class hotel in Hanoi. Cross over the busiest and messiest junction, is the Opera House. This is where highbrow performances are staged to bejeweled audience.

The Hanoi Metropole Hotel

All branded shops gather at their arcade

 

The Opera house and the messy traffict with cars and motorbike coming from all directions

We stop by a shops to purchase some mineral water… here they are selling at more expensive price.. 10,000D for a bottle. We bought Vietnam souvenir t-shirt for kids at only 15,000D, which converted to RM3. In Hanoi, the only knowledge you need to know about shopping is to bargain, bargain and bargain…. Always bargain at least 50% of the price quoted and ask to pay in Vietnam Dong, it’ll be cheaper…

There’s also a store selling replica Lonely planet books here… I saw a Lonely Planet for Italy and the seller quote me 150K dong for it… a bit too expensive… I heard in Cambodia you can actually get it at around 5USD with better photocopy quality.

Trang Tien street is the main street in the French quarter with decent restaurant, boutiques, Trang Tien Shopping mall and also another 5 star hotel, the Sofitel Hanoi. We found this award winning ice cream stall where many people queue up for it… though I do not under stand, but with this posters and the crowd… its not hard to guess..  it cost 5000D for this cooling and refreshing coconut flavor ice sticks…

 

Mummy with the award winning ice cream

We decide to walk back to the northeast side of Hoan Kiem lake, on the way back, we pass by King Ly Thai To Statue. King Ly Thai To is the founder of Ly dynasty and moved the capital of Vietnam to Thang Long, which is the Hanoi city now.

 

King Ly Thai To statue

The dragon made of leaves and flower

Hoa Phuong is a standalone tower on the east bank of Hoan Kiem Lake. It marks the entrance of the former Bao An Pagoda that was demolished by the French in 1890s.

 

This is Hoa Phuong

We did not go to the Ngoc Son temple and Huc Bridge cause its in our itinerary for tomorrow’s Hanoi city tour. We walk to the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre to buy tickets for tonight’s water puppet show. Exploring the French quarter has cause us to be extremely exhausted… at the Thang Long theatre, we decide to take a cyclo ride for 40,000D to the Dong Xuan Market.I didn’t bargain too much with the cyclo rider as I think its pity for a skinny him to ride both of us to so far distance.

 

The Hanoi old quarter street at a glance from our cyclo

My skinny cyclo peddler and me

We first go and hunt for food again once we reached the old quarter… there are many street foods here… some is just a mobile seller who set up her stall with only tiny chairs at the roadside… Its so impossible for us to hold a hot steaming bowl of Pho with bare hand to eat… So, we look for a more proper one… as in this one…. This a squatting eateries… We have to fit 4 of us in this tiny table and chairs mean for midget for our whole meal…

We have to squat at tiny table and chair for food

This is how they tapao their food

This is consider a more decent makan corner for the locals

 

This is the mobile seller stall...

After this filling lunch, we walked to the market nearby… I think it’s at the back part of Dong Xuan Market. Here, there are a lot of stalls selling the same thing, mainly is tidbits and confectioneries, dried seafood products and we stop by at this stall selling grocery… we bargain hard for the famous Trung Ngu Yen coffee here… I bought a packet of 500g Trung Ngu Yen coffee powder and a filter for about RM10, and the sachet of black coffee (15 sachet in a box) for 12,000D (RM2.40) as souvenir… They later commented that the sachet pack is not as good as the filtered coffee.

All kind of preserve fruit and tidbits

XXXL size dried shrimp

All sizes dried shrimp

Poisonous cobra wine

CLOSE UP - got scorpion also

Dong Xuan Market is the largest and oldest indoor market at Hanoi… and air-conditioned. It has a total of 3 levels. The ground floor is selling all kind of goods, clothing, souvenirs, shoes, toys, beauty products etc… The 2^nd floor is selling garments… and the 3^rd is fabric. One thing about them.. They are selling things in bulk for the locals, and most probably they will not entertain you if you try to bargain… so, for me, this is not a good place for shopping…

 

Dong Xuan Market

We got a bit lost when trying to walk back to the hotel for a bath, Hanoi is soooo hot and walking in the dusty street has cause our body being coated with a layer of dust… cars here are dirty too… I bet you’ll be bankrupt if you trying to run a car wash center here… no one need it.

 

Rusa alike car... see how dirty is their car,,,,,,,

We took a short rest and me trying to check if any there’s any reply from BB, still no news yet…

We go out again at 7pm planning to take some light food before our water puppet show.. I bought my Ao Zai (Prounounce as Ao Dai, Vietnamese women costume) at the shop next to Thang Long water puppet theatre. Me after bargaining so hard, at last I got this elegance piece at USD15. Other shops in Hang Gai is selling cheapest at USD 25.

Me in Ao Zai

At 8pm, we go into the Thang Long Water Puppet theatre for our show, Our 1^st class ticket cost 60k dong each. First class means seating at the front row. The water puppet show is a must go to complete your trip to Hanoi, though the scripts is all in Vietnamese, but the skills of the puppeteers simply amazed you to bits…  Unlike conventional puppets, every each part of this puppets move freely and surreally.

The programme are as follows:

1)      Raising of the Festival Flag

2)      Chu Teu ot the Narrator

3)      Dragon Dance

4)      On a buffalo with a flute

5)      Agriculture

6)      Catching Frogs

7)      Rearing duckling and catching foxes

8 )      Fishing

9)      Harvest Festival, Returning to the native land after college graduation.

10)  Lion Dance

11)  Phoenix dance

12)  Legend of the restored sword, This resemble the legend of Hoan Kiem Lake

13)  Children playing in water

14)  Boat racing

15)  Unicorn play with ball

16)  Fairy dance

17)  Dance of four holy animal

The performer will come out to greet the audience at the end of the show.

The show last for one hour and I seriously do not recommend you to get a first class ticket because being sandwiched by big size Caucasian will definitely block yr view for the shows. Especially if you are a small size Asian.

Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

The stage

Some scene of the shows

The puppeteers will greet you by end of the show

Display water puppets

It was quite late and we decide to walk back to nearby to our hotel to look for food… We only found a road side stall selling grill seafood… walk further and we have no choice but to go for noodle again…. Only me choose the yellow noodle and the rest of them go for chicken porridge.

Were too exhausted after a full day walk in the city… I quickly check email and still no reply from BB…

How to tell if he really loves you

If he really loves you, you see him laugh and cheer happily when you are happy

If he really loves you, he feels angrier than you when someone bullies you

If he really loves you, he rather takes all the pain to himself than hurting a little bit of you

If he really loves you, he tells you he loves you many times in a day and he really mean it

If he really loves you, he wants to listen to your voice all the time

If he really loves you, he did crazy things when you are lost in contact because he is so worry!

If he really loves you, he let you be yourself and he loves the way you are

If he really loves you, he tries all his effort to make you feel happy

If he really loves you, he will transform to a little baby and beg for more and more of your love

If he really loves you, he cries when both of you had a fight

If he really loves you, he tells you he hated being in cold war with you

If he really loves you, he wont spoon fed you and will bring you through problems

If he really loves you, he sings you a love song everyday

If he really loves you, he tease your make up and dressing but still love it to bits

If he really loves you, he hugs you when you are cold

If he really loves you, he takes cares of you and your everything

If he really loves you, he still does things he is shy of because you demand it

If he really loves you, he encourages you when you fail, praise you when you have little success.

If he really loves you, his heart melt immediately when you blaming him for scolding you..

If he really loves you, he wants to show the most macho side of himself to you but he doesn’t mind doing silly things for you

If he really loves you, he share his feeling to you

If he really loves you, you see yourself in his eyes

And most importantly

If he really loves you, you’ll feel it and knew it by your heart.

Kuantan Beach-y- Experience

My BB and me went for a breakaway at Kuantan Beaches recently. The experience was definitely indescribable by only words as going to anywhere with your loves one is a heaven, not only that, we had a great relaxing time and great dining. Albeit this is not the best hotel we ever stayed, not the greatest meal we ever had… though it’s still a good and memorable experience worth a talk here.

We chosen Swiss Garden Resort and Spa Kuantan for our trip’s accommodation as we do not want to spend lavishly for this trip. Though it’s not as high standard as the Hyatt or the Cherating’s resorts… Its still way above average with warmth hospitality, friendly and helpful staff (Mostly), great scenery, comfortable suite rooms equip with amenities. Swiss Garden Resort and Spa is located on the Balok Beach which is about 11 meters from the town center. How can I be so accurate? It’s a reading from a GPS!!! Hahahahaha

The place we are going to spend our lovely days

The hotel lobby surrounded by pool of water.

BB picked me in the late morning and we drove down to Kuantan… The drive took us about 3 hrs. Being excited over our getaway… I’m like a curious kid looking left and right for new interesting things, asking dumb questions as I always did, have a great chat with BB on everything…. You know what, I truly think a couple needs no hide between each other and should talk about anything… Our car drove from my familiar KL riding into the highways with no special scenery… We stop by at R & R station at half way…. Oh!!!! I forgot the place!! I’m just not a long distance driver!!!! Bought mineral water… I got tons of mumbling when I only bought a 500ml of mineral water for both of us earlier at the petrol kiosk…  After a short rest, we continue our journey again….

About an hour later, we drove out of the boring highways and ventures into Kuantan… I guess, I don’t exactly know where are we… Just out of the Highway lah…. Following all the instruction from GPS to get to our destination… Passing fields, Kampong houses, palm tree farms, turn out from a single tricky junction and we are at the town area… amazing!!!! One things need to share about is the soil in Kuantan are red! Tanah Merah!!! Its many times darker than what we see in KL in construction sites..

We turned at the junction heading to our resort, The pristine shoreline is just along the right side of the road… me trying hard to catch a good shot of the scenery but fail miserably… at last, me cam whoring for self entertainment!!

Reached the Resort at about 3pm… The carpark is so packed and full with rich man’s car start with alphabet W & B on their car plate…. We soon got to know that Petronas has booked this Resort for their function!! We have to check in at another room as ours is the prepaid internet booking.. We were served a welcome drink while waiting for the checking in procedure. No bellboy send us to our room, we went there by ourselves!!!!! Our sea view deluxe room is on the highest floor. The 4^th floor… There are 3 types of rooms here. Garden view (Car park view actually), sea view (Swimming pool view actually) and the suite (ah ha…. This one is really sea view)… Our room wasn’t bad at all… with a small balcony overlooking the pool and a little of beach far away~!!!! Bathroom are adequate, with bathtub… a king size bed good enough for both of us and most importantly, with WIFI in room FOC…

 

Seaview from my room balcony

Zoomed in to the beach.. The beautiful sight of the Balok Beach

The actual -more- to- pool- view

Candid shot 1  

  Candid shot 2

It’s neither here nor there for lunch or dinner… so we decide to have our lunch this way at the balcony!

After a rest, we go out to explore the resort.. The  garden terrace restaurant is doing some setting up for the dinner function for the Petronas team at the poolside. We walk pass the noisy swimming pool to the beach. Arrays of water sport activities are available here too…   a romantic walk on the beach feeling the sandy beach under your feet and enjoying the refreshing sea breeze is a must, there are kite surfing, windsurfing, jet skiing, banana boats and also a paint ball field!!!

We toke a short walk on the sandy beach, drown ourselves in the beauty of the natures… watching little crabs sneaking from one to another little holes… so fun!! I love this kind of relaxing feeling where all trouble is temporary thrown away… we can laugh at each other for doing silly things…

 

Beach heaven

Me self-entertaining at beach while bb walking around surveying water sports.

soft sandy beach

BB, I wanna play this also!!!!

We can bear our hunger no more and decide to go for seafood. A recommendation from my sis is the Pak Su seafood Restaurant. It’s not far from our hotel and it’s just located next to the shore. Good food and nice view… we’ll definitely give it a try.

Pak Su Restaurant - It looks nice environment, but it cause bad stomach for my BB

The time is still too early for dinner, thus the restaurant is very empty, there’s only one table besides us. We ordered the signature dish, the stuff crab, oysters, deep fried squid ring, venison, Kam Heong spice crab and a fried vegetable. That’s a lot for 2 person’s portion!!! And we almost finish it. The food tastes ok, but there are a lot of unwanted guest hoping to share a piece of our food! Flies!!! Big fat flies with shinning black body!!!! Ewwwwwww!!!! End up my BB got diarrhea for the whole night!!! We will definitely not going back there anymore!!!!

We manage to catch the sun set during the dinner and decided to go to the Berjaya Mall for a walk. We initially wanted to watch a movie together, but Kuantan cinema is only showing limited choices of movie, and 3 out of 5 is malay movie~~~~~ Berjaya Mall is small… something like our IOI mall… with a Parkson departmental store, a rows of box karaoke, amusement center for the kids and teen, and shops… The way heading to the carparks are really curvy, we have to turn and turn and turn till you drowsy before you reach the carpark… We at last went to shop for some alcohols at Cold storage. We bought a bottle of rose wine.. While choosing the rose wine, BB has already paying attention bottles without wine cock while me only busy seeing countries of origin for the wines… me dumb dumb!!! As we didn’t manage to get only the cuttlefish tentacles, we went to 7 11 to buy all the Ken Ken cuttlefish…

 

Have a look at this… I have been laughing non-stop for the funny packaging of this cuttlefish… “Chewing gum of the Orientals????”  The Chinese wording meaning shredded cuttlefish, but its in a piece and there are more funny terms at the back…. Hahahahaha… We bought 10 packet of this and BB finish it all by himself that night.

BB was complaining he is having a bad stomach and we have to get back to the hotel. BB is having diarrhea the whole night because of the unclean food from Pak Su and also the big fat flies… Thanks to them for ruining our first day of Honeymoon. My Baby is just so pity!!! And tonight I learned than tea can cure bad stomach….  Me while waiting for BB has fallen asleep and with a super bad stomach, he finishes all the 10 packets of cuttlefish… How can you do that huh??? When I wake up in the mid night, he is putting the last piece of cuttlefish into his mouth, without even wanna share with me…L

We both lazy pigs of course miss the sunrise the next morning… after some loitering, we went to the Terrace restaurant for buffet breakfast. Variety of food is very less here and replenishment is very very slow. Also short of a lot of cutlery… The scenario here makes me few like a whole bunch of refugee is grabbing for food!!!! Terrible!!!! And, here also a lot of flies!!!!! Every meal we had here we have to share it with the flies!!!!

We go for a short walk again at the beach for some morning refreshing sea breeze… Me keep on bugging BB to buy a kite and play with me!!! 

The sand made PENYU has been there everytime we go to the beach.

After the walk we went out to the town again… We have a mission.. We have to buy the cuttlefish tentacles and a kite!!!! Yay!!! Not too far after going out from hotel, we saw a shops selling salted fish… we went there and manage to get our cuttlefish tentacles…. The whole packet is only the sotong head and their tentacles… I love it… I tried to chew the cuttlefish and drinks kiwi juice at the same time.. it feels really yucky!!! Don’t try that ok….  But I still love the cuttlefish.

Oh… I spotted an attention catching things here… There’s a Warong here called the Mumbai Tom Yam, best in Kuantan!! What is Mumbai gotta do with Tom Yam huh?

After we got all the dried and salted foods, we then drove to Telok Chempedak… Telok Chempedak is a nice beach and the Grand Hyatt resort is located here… A big piece of painting like scenery with light blue skies, shinning bluish sea and white sandy beach is just in front of our eyesight… We did romantic things here… we bought ice cream to eat and walk along the beaches… But romantic things come out the other way round in reality with my messy melting and dripping Mcdonald ice-cream and the “slurp slurp” sound I made licking on it!!!! Hahahahahah

We also walk along the pathway at the end of the beach for some greenery scene.. walk in a small jungle, seeing trees, rocks, little fishes…. You know, either me and BB are not this kind of nature trekking person who can walk under the hot sun and sweat like pig for seeing sea and trees… But we did it together this time… Thanks BB!!! The experience is real good.

Wow..... so beautiful beach

 My bb took this photo for me!!!

We then bough a small colorful kite here for us to play later…  After that we pass through an unattended golf course and the hotel staff actually recommended this place for golf… next to it is the Mini Zoo of Kuantan… I wanna go see animal~~ oh!!! Got bears at the sign board! I wanna see bears… I wanna see bears!!!! BB of course tolerate with my unreasonable request to visit the zoo!!! Its my BB first time going to Zoo and my second time after the first time picnic with my family at Zoo Negara when I aged 3!!! There is this stray monkey running around, untied in the zoo…. So scary, what if it attacks me?? Grab my stuff??? You better stay away from me far, Boo Boo (Nick name I use for monkey since I was a kid)…. My camera and Gucci bag both worth more than a thousand!!!

No bears here… disappointed… There’s only Ostrich.. Very big one… an otter that turn around non stop like a clock, lazy python, gibbons, peacocks and wood pecker…the weather is sooooo hot we can’t stand it… its not that we are from a colder place or what.. but me, the only moment I normally spend under the sun is only crossing road.. The rest of the time I’m either in car, home, office or shopping, all air condition environments!!!

 

The busy otter

Dunno what bird, so fierce looking

Ostriches

 Pity looking Gibbons... dun look at me like that.... i can't rescue you out!

We then drove to the East Coast Mall… a newly open and largest mall in Kuantan… This mall is not too bad, with a Carrefour and most international brands outlet here… There’s a MNG outlet here… so far I only know 2, 1 in Genting First World shopping arcade and the other one is here… MNG clothing here is at least 50% cheaper.. but of course its not new arrival products… Why can’t they have one in KL???? I can guarantee good business if they have it in KL…………….

We then stop at Sushi King for lunch… ordered some sushi, shishamo, grill ika… all not nice!!!!! Then have a leisure walk in the mall… Before leaving, BB decided to have a caffeine drinks at Black Canyon Coffee…. He had a coffee while I am too full for any dairy drinks… I order a lemon juice instead.. And we share a fried chicken wing…And in this big mall, we can’t even find a single shop selling cigarettes… my bb stock is running out!!!!

We then drove back to the hotel and rest till evening and we go out again for our kite surfing session… It’s very windy and almost going to rain… The wind is just too strong to play a kite and we only manage to fly it awhile… even the string break!!! BB so pity, have to chase the kite back for me…. Me just like a small kid…

Since we can’t play the kite, we stop at the Parrot Bar for a chill out… Parrot Bar is under the canopy of the lush tree providing you a very cozy yet close to nature environment. The beachboy bar tender told us it signalize rain’s coming when the sea is turning to grayish.. when good weather, its blue sea…. We drink beer and chat with the beachboy, over looking people enjoying their sea sport, sheltering at the tents when rain comes, when the strong wind blow and rang the chime… its sounds a really fantastic melody….

We enjoy our drink at the Parrot bar

Grey skies and grey sea signalize rain's coming

The wind blowing on the chime hang on Parrot Bar Ceiling

We walk back to the room and eat our cuttlefish and watching tv

I made a little special surprise for BB tonight… I prepare a romantic rose petal bubble bath for him… but before he even get a chance to enjoy my brilliant romantic idea, I cam whoring with it first!!!

 

My naughty idea preparation

We get dressed up for dinner; we at last chose to dine at The Blossom Chinese Restaurant at the resort. The restaurant is full house and we need to wait till the next guest leave, but the receptionist is helpful enough she informed us immediately when there’s table available. The Blossom do served steamboat dinner and buffet dinner for only RM39++ per person… I am not so sure how the buffet is served, should be order from the menu and they serve it for you… and a lot of variety also… We go for the ala Carte menu… I leave the decision for bb and he get us a lavish dinner for the night!!!

He ordered a bowl of shark fins for our sharing, abalone cook in oyster sauce, roast duck and my favorite, Fried asparagus!!! We both had a wonderful meal here of the tasty food, the warmth hospitality of this particular waitress, I didn’t get her name, but she’s the only Chinese woman working there… It seems like she is the only one working, running in and out taking orders, checking if the customers are alright, replenishing teas, socializing, but the rest just staring at the entrance… She is really helpful and frankly speaking, I think kudos should be given for her care and passion in her work…

Drooling seeing our lavish dinner????

We had a great dine that night even though I keep on interrupting BB when he wanted to eat to snap these make you drooling pictures. Sorry BB!!! We then spend our full night drinking our wines and alcohol at the balcony and had a very very heartful chat… I was drunk that night and I am still curious about what did I do to you that night BB!! Cause you’ve been smiling to me mysteriously for many days…..

The next morning, we wake up reluctantly for our breakfast at The Garden Terrace again… and worst still is there are more refugees grabbing for food… as we saw a big 2 buses carrying students from Singapore for their school holiday trips and too we spotted a rows of BMW’s superbike park right outside the entrance of the hotel last night… They must be a gang of them having some functions here….

We then have to make a full stop to our trip at Kuantan and pack our luggage to leave the hotels… Of course we do understand we have to back to reality after a few days in heaven… just reluctant lah!!!

There is this signboard at the lift lobby, no durians and mangoesteen… but why mangosteen is prohibited???

There are a lot of 7 11 in Kuantan… we at least see more than 20 of them in different location during our 3 days here…. and a lot of pharmacies tooo

The feeling of going back home is of course less the excitement and anxiety and after a while, I fell asleep… BB says my head swing left and right when I sleep!!! Hahahaha…

BB bring me to Karak town for a nice lunch… We drove to the Yik Kee Restaurant in Karak New Village…

Yik Kee is a family maintained restaurant… the ambience for this restaurant is so antique… remember when we were kids… They sell sweets at the cashier counter in bottle?? And the goldfish brand kopitiam chair… so miss my childhood time!!!!

BB ordered a big prawn noodle for both of us… this noodle is sooooo tasty…

 

This is my BB's portion

and my naughty BB did this….

Lovey prawns for the lovely couple….

  

This is Ah Meng… my BB’s friend!!! They are so close till I nearly believe they are school friends.

BB, thanks for this lovely trips…. I enjoy it so much and I hope you do feel the same….

LETS HOPE OUR NEXT ONE WILL COME SOON!!!! HAHAHAHA

Admiral Cove

I gotta know from a friend of this wonderful place worth a share..
The Avillion Admiral Cove is located at the integrated marina development at Port Dickson. A 110km drive from Kuala Lumpur.

Unlike beach resort that gives you the views of sandy white beach and the endless shoreline, this splendor and vibrant resorrt will create another unique experience for you with view from an expanse of marina with sparkling luxury yatch.
This colonial heritage building offer rooms depicts the concept of a wind hotel yet furnished with the most comtemporary amenities.. The best viewed straight studio room only start from RM265++. What a splendid stealth for your dream breakaway!!!

Enjoying a night at a veranda overlooking the serenity of marina would sure make a memorable remark in your travel diary...
So, are you ready for a whole new dramatic experience???

My First travelogue

Me at last finish writting my UK and Paris blog 2 weeks ago.... its been a delay for 5 months...

Its definitely not easy to write 11 days travelogue.... especially after so many months time... luckily i sapu what ever travel brochure for places i have been....

hmmmmm.... a lot more coming up for me to write about, My Kuantan trip, and the Hanoi trip i just back from Yesterday!!! Maybe a back date Bangkok trip i went somewhere in March last year too!

Craving for Frog Porridge!!!

I suddenly feel so craving for a bowl of steaming hot frog porridge...

Actually has been wanting to eat it since Last year Christmas, didn't have a chance to eat it in Singapore cause my other friend doesn't like it.... And trying few times at Sunway Damansara kopitiam also cannot get.....

The best frog porridge i ever tasted is the Singapore China town frog porridge, first time i was brought by Juliana there, It was a smooth white porridge served with a claypot frog cook in black sauce.. (ala kung poh)... So delicious... The last time me having it was with BB after our drinking session at Clark Quay, we took a cab there in the mid night for supper.... My BB loves it too!!!!!


Drooling!!!!

Short note: BB says his tireness after a hectic day eased after talking to me. So lum!