Purple's Diary: CNY 2013

Documenting my super hectic CNY trip this year. Procrastination is word. I love blogging, but I just couldn't sustain the energy to keep up with my blog. Well, stop complaining while I must quickly catch up with life! Time has been ticking too fast, keep going, keep going.

Honestly, CNY is not my cup of tea. I have been complaining about it for many years. Fortunately, I don't have much cycle to wind this time, as time has been moving fast!

The afternoon - heading to the East

Starbuck's Christmas craze still haunting. A dragon CNY tumbler was in my wishlist last year, while I was traveling on business trip to Bangkok. But I didn't had one. Instead, this year I bought myself a CNY Starbucks card.

CNY angpao for my ownself

Some may agree with me - why do we need to go temple on the eve of CNY? Don't ask me, believe the Chinese don't have other means to do on the eve after a reunion dinner. Unlike Christmas, family will stay by together on the eve of Christmas, chit chating with glasses of wine, gather together for Christmas carol. Perhaps some Chinese family do have great gathering around - gambling. Well, its a mean of get-together though.

Temple visiting on the eve-CNY

Being a routine runner for CNY, house visiting to a particular station had been a norm (except for previous year). The routine had burned my appetite / hunger for the festive season, thank you to smart phone as it had been my greatest company after all.

Home visiting on CNY day 1

Day 1 schedule was rather pack, as it involved several road trips. Including a transit back to my REAL home, stepped stepped on my door step, roll roll on my own bed. Such blessing to enjoy CNY on own home, the one I had build for years till now.

Stay home moment didn't last long, as my journey hit the next destination - the home which raised me up~!

We were 1st on the plane!

The following pics document its next 6 days of CNY back on my origin home. Childhood memory were all captured - the feel, the noise of lion dances, fire crackers, laughters... I still miss the get-together of CNY eve we had together with cousins when we were young. Building blocks with cushions, mahjong playing, ketam pulo, junk foods sharing, sharkfin soup (though its not encouraged, but heck, it had been our tradition to have it since young, perhaps the soup contained more crab meats).

1st lion dance that woke me up from my afternoon nap

One of the reason I didn't quite like traveling back home during CNY - limited food choice in the restaurant. On the other hand, its much better to enjoy home cooked food. Mom had the idea of steamboat for dinner, with the traditional charcoal steamer, it was long wait for our food, but isn't there too much time to spare over the stretched holiday?

Traditional Charcoal Steamboat @ home

We were lucky, on the 3rd day of CNY, the usual Medan Selera ABC was available. Just nice to chill under the hot hot weather.

Medan ABC & Cendol

On a nite my aunt invited for dinner at her place, there went an idea went along to hang out at Dorsett Hotel, according to the locals there was a good live band available. It was unfortunate that night, no live band available :( Instead, we went to another pub. I didn't like it. Place was not crowded but looks fishy.

A pub in the island

There were many colors of lion dance found in the island this year. Pink was a striking one, there were orange, blue and so forth. Captured a few from my window, mostly while I was lazying on my bed.

Pink lion dance

On the 4th day, it was traveling day. We supposed to travel over to Kota Kinabalu on the morning ferry, but.... some 'brilliant' mechanics were not able to complete their mission in servicing our Isuzu Trooper. Slight change to the original plan, instead we went on the night ferry. Pleasant feel traveling at night - breeze was superb, fireworks everywhere, avoiding the super sun shine. We reached the hotel mid-night!

Ferry ride at night

Middle of the sea - Digi reception was good

We had a dinner stop at Menumbok. The Nasi Goreng and Mee Goreng was great. Sorry no picture.
We checked in to a hotel, dad booked through Agoda.com (internet savy dad) at Lintas Square. Supper continued, were we explored the pork noddle. KK famous dried noodle, famous for the dark soy sauce. It was good, and I finally recalled the taste as it seems familiar. Though, I still prefer my regular Imbi Road pork noodle, this serve with a different taste and flavor. It reminded me of the memory I had over my high school days (6th form only) here.

Pork Noodle

Lintas is a place with many food shop to explore. Some bun shops for a light breakfast. Thought I would get my regular Polo Bun (Pineapple bun) from the shop, but ended up with an empty butter bun.

Why called Polo Bun when its Butter Bun?

My thoughts came by, can't wait to grab some polo bun from Gaya street that day.

Polo bun filled with Pineapple jam

Our trip to KK this time was rather aimless. Last minute pinged some friends, unfortunately none could make it. :( Had a slurp at nearby dessert place at Lintas - ZenQ, here I come after hearing you for a long time. Came to know about this Taiwan dessert chain store from a friend, last introduced was at Sunway Pyramid. I didn't get the chance to try, as the shop went closed just not long after the intro. I then stumbled into a young blogger cum entrepreneur's blog, he's the owner of ZenQ in KK. There from, I decided to try them here. Probably it went on with an 'expectation', the dessert wasn't as good as I expected. The bowl of dessert was huge, but it wasn't tasty. My drink was rather too sweet. Perhaps I prefer less-sweet cum 'healthy' dessert - Ice Bowl is still my choice, with its soya milk base.

ZenQ dessert & drink

We headed back to Labuan via a morning local bus trip from KK to Menumbok, 630AM on Saturday morning. Took a speed boat ride, ~25min from mainland back to my home island. Interesting ride, while I never try this. The feel was just like boating on a dive boat, but it was covered.

Soto Daging is a must

Sunday was the flight back to the reality KL.

MAS flight from Labuan 745AM

Clear sky that morning. Apparently, there are many small little islands owned by Indonesia is situated in between the South China Sea of Malaysia. Interestingly seen, they are untouched and should be a great dive site if anyone able to penetrate into that market there. Beautiful mother nature.

Islands of South China Sea

My CNY marathon didn't end that morning. I needed to prepare pot luck dish that evening, as it was to be a grand CNY gathering for the Hokkiens. I had a simple vege pumpkin curry, but it didn't turn out good - too muddy :(