Pasar Malam (Night Market), Kuantan

On almost any given night of the week, somewhere in Kuantan, there is a pasar malam which starts in late afternoon with stalls being set up in a parking lot, or on the edge of a quiet street. This one takes place on Sundays at our park, Taman Gelora, by the seaside. There is very little parking and traffic slows to a crawl as you try to get close enough to leave your car and check out the wares. There is everything from fresh fruit and veggies, fish, to cooked supper items (rice or noodle dishes, stir-fry, steamboat, pancakes, fresh juice, etc.), to clothing, toys, souvenirs, you name it! At the end of the night, everything is packed up and put into cars/trucks to be hauled to the next location the next evening. The streets then return to normal and you would never know there had been a market there! Below are pictures of one I went to with Jen while she was visiting during the winter of 2007. Enjoy!




The latest version of "Veg-o-matic"?
















Crepe-like pancakes with peanuts...yummy!



















Steamboat: choose your own veggies/meat/fish to cook in boiling broth for your supper!





















Don't ask, but it's all good! Rice or spicy fish wrapped and cooked in banana leaves, noodles in bags, etc.














Various types of satay or grilled meat/fish balls













Fresh veggies: cukes, red onions, round eggplants, small pumpkins, leeks and various types of greens for soup












Mangoes anyone? Prices are per kilo 3/RM10.00 would be about $3.35CAD for three kg mangoes!













Shopping at the night market is an adventure in sights, smells and good food! It is crowded and hot and the hawkers take great delight in catching your attention to sell you whatever takes your fancy! It's also cheaper than the grocery stores and probably a lot fresher! Parking...well, that's another matter...
Jumpa lagi...

Melacca, Malaysia February 3-5, 2007

This was our second trip to Melacca on the west coast of Malaysia, south of Kuala Lumpur. This time we took Jen and Ben with us, as they began their 5-month trek around SE Asia. We spent a morning at a furniture shop, choosing pieces for a bedroom set that we would like to have made to bring back home with us at the end of our stay here. Then we toured the city, by foot, trishaw and riverboat! Note the colourful decorated trishaws waiting for customers in the Town Square near the Stadthuys (Town Hall)!























The ruins of St. Paul's Church, remains of the Portuguese presence between 1509-1641, when the Dutch claimed victory after an eight-month siege. They ruled Melacca for 150 years and their influence is seen in the red-coloured buildings above in the main square. This was the site of the original Portuguese fort of A'Famosa.

































Excavation underway near the riverboat jetty...more ruins being found near Town Square
















Ruins of the Porta de Santiago
















Proclamation of Independence Memorial
















View of the city from the Hotel Equatorial

















New mosque build on reclaimed land at the mouth of the Sungai Melaka (Melaka River) which flows into the Strait of Melaka.

We happened to be visiting two weeks before Chinese New Year so were able to take in some of the action along Jonker Street, which has a famous Pasar Malam (night market) on weekends. We saw a lion dance, enjoyed some local pineapple tarts and popiahs (Malaysian vegetarian fresh spring rolls) and checked out the stalls selling just about everything! On the second night, we went to eat at a Portuguese seafood restaurant which was quite good, although we were the only ones there! We'll be back again so we can finalize our furniture order...jumpa lagi!

Steph's Grad from Auburn University, December 16, 2006

Commencement day dawned sunny and clear with graduates up early and dressed in cap and gown for pictures to be taken all over campus. The ceremony took place at 2 p.m. in the Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum...you will see Steph sitting in the back, left-hand side!

Receiving the "empty" envelope...

Ahh...the "real" degrees: BA in Psychology and BSc in Biomedical Sciences, both Summa Cum Laude!

Jen's present to Steph-a new lab coat for those long lab assignments at LSU Medical School, New Orleans, starting in August, 2007! Congratulations, Steph! We are so very proud of you!

Christmas 2006 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

We spent our Christmas holidays together in Cabo San Lucas at the base of the Baja Peninsula and rented a lovely villa in The Pedregal overlooking the town and the Gulf of California. We were joined this year by Terry, Pat's brother from Edmonton, and Lou Harris, Steph's beau from Auburn University. Everyday was sunny, hot and very dry although the water in our pool was cold as were the Gulf and the Pacific Ocean! You don't necessarily come to Cabo over Christmas to swim! We enjoyed fabulous Mexican food in various restaurants in town on several occasions. At other times, we cooked up a storm at the villa, using the BBQ provided on our patio. One morning, the villa's maid came to cook Huevos Rancheros for us-what a treat!


















The stunning view from our patio! Most mornings a cruise ship came into the bay and passengers went into town by tender boat.

















Christmas Eve margaritas at Mi Casa Restaurant! Jen, Steph, Terry and Kathie




















Steph on Christmas morning sporting new pearls from Kuantan and opening a new purse!














Jen also has new pearls from Kuantan on Christmas Day!














The "Lou Bus" carrying Steph, who sprained her ankle on the villa's stone stairs.














No "Happy Knees" for Steph and Jen in Mexico, only in South Africa! :(
















Sunset over the Pacific Ocean.
















Steph went diving twice with Pat but they deemed it to be not as nice as in the South China Sea!














































Pat and Terry went deep-sea fishing one day

Below are pictures of our New Year's Eve celebration on the beach at "The Office", which put on a great party: all-you-can-drink "native" drinks until 10 p.m., a set menu, bands playing, dancing and fireworks to mark 2007! What a way to end our holiday!
















Rambo came by with Tequila and Sprite "down the hatch"!















Kathie, Jen and Steph with more great margaritas!
















The Happy Gang": Kathie, Lou and Steph being silly! Happy New Year 2007 everyone!

Pictures from The Maldives March 28-April 2, 2007

At long last and only four months past due, here are some scenes from our beautiful holiday in the Maldives! Below is the city of Male, the capital, as taken from our seaplane. Not much room for expansion, is there?

















The Maldives look like this (minus the seaplane prop on the right). There are about 1200 small, low-lying coral islands and uncountable reefs that form the 26 atolls. these stretch out across the Indian Ocean in a vertical strip about 850 km long and 130 km wide. Less than 0.3% of the country is actually dry land! There are no hills or rivers and none of the islands rises more than about 3m above sea level. Only about 202 of the 1200 islands are inhabited, and naturally the biggest industry is tourism.



































A Maldivian "sofa" at the seaplane terminal...according to Pat, actually quite comfortable!


















The entrance to the reception at Mirihi in the Ari Atoll. Yes, the sand really WAS this white and therefore not hot to walk on at all!

The view from the front door of our water villa (30 in all) looking back towards the tiny island.

Sunrise on the first morning! The stairs from our deck led right into the water for easy access to snorkelling and swimming in the warm, clear water.

Pat (in green with a hat on) at the bar for lunch.























The ocean is encroaching on the island right outside the bar. Note the water villas in the background.




















Walkways/paths both inside and outside were of the same soft sand as found on the beach. They were raked and smoothed out daily. The only time we wore our sandals was to walk along the hot dock to our water villas!




















Even the main dining room had a sand floor...don't drop your food! Buffet breakfast was included in our room rate and what a spread it entailed from fresh fruit and juices, to baked goods made fresh daily, to an omelet station, and various Asian specialities. One night we dined on the beach under a full moon and another found us at the A la Carte restaurant on the jetty over the water for a special wine-tasting menu!

Besides total R&R, sun, sand, spa and great food, people come here for the diving. Pat enjoyed three days while I snorkelled around the island, spotting several of the hawksbill turtles that are "in residence" on the very first trip! More of sealife in the Indian Ocean below:



















The highlight was, of course, the spotting of a whale shark one afternoon from the diving boat...after everyone had removed their gear! They had just enough time to don snorkels and masks and jump into the water to take a look! He was huge.

Below are Oriental Sweetlips-they made me think of jailbirds in their stripes!






























A Clown triggerfish...can he add any more patterns to his body?

Plans are underway to play "Robinson Crusoe" again next year...anyone want to join us?!? Jumpa lagi...