26 Mar 2016 – Teluk Chempedak, Kuantan
Mon: met Pat at T2 and had some time to show her the Butterfly Gardens at T3 which she was unaware of and I was happy to share.
Been awhile since the last on a turboprop engine aircraft on this Firefly flight. A moist piece of banana-bread with a soy-bean drink hit the spot on this pleasant on-time 1hr flight from SIN-KUA.
Met at the airport by Catherine&Lee who are locals there and appreciations to them for taking their time to be our guide.
Lunched on this organic crossed between 2 local veg was delicious and crunchy and is planted in their organic farm. Local red fish was so fresh that I was practically sucking from the bones and fins. To be updated with names!
Local coffee-joint Hei Peng with charming personality and stories made a hot delightful afternoon flew by quickly before we got to the condo.
Amazing sunsets and moonlights from the condo’s balcony and bedroom.
Delicious dinner with C&L’s family was a privilege (clockwise: me, Pat, Catherine, Lee, Derek, Jonathan, Ching, Jing, Thomas, Gordon). Such a nice way to spend the first day of visit with more exciting stories about the people who were cooking for us.
Tue: ladies finger or okra with lovely flowers, mulberries, miracle fruit (see site below), grapes, papayas, belimbing, moringa and grown in C&L garden.
https://healdiseases.wordpress.com/2012/08/08/synsepalum-dulcificum-also-known-as-the-miracle-fruit/
Refreshing veggie lunch at Vege Hut Cafe***where the coconut water is definitely more than ‘good for your daughter’ 🙂 and the flesh is sooo tender that it nearly melts in your mouth.
Grocery shopping was an experience and the first time I see this sign Tidak Halal=non hala at the local pork butcher where good Chinese sausages are made.
Drove to check out the shops near the Hyatt Hotel which is closed for renovations at present. The monkey by KFC were more than I could handle!
Watching the waves hitting the rocks and the clouds is indeed a serene and relaxing way to pass time. The water is as clear as crystal and if you let your imagination run, these rock formations can create different pix in the mind. Life is good!
Wed: app 25km NW from KUA along the Sungei Lembing Rd is Gua Charah, hidden in the hills. Side-tracked into some palm plantation to take pix of this rock in the middle of nowhere on the way to…
the village of Sungai Lembing (app 42km from KUA) but not knowing that Wed is their day of rest most shops were closed. When I am be among these magnificent trees, shops are of no importance!
Best YongTauFoo meal at the market made and served by what looks to be like 3 good-looking brothers 🙂 Baby squids were tender and the stock was out of this world. Yummy local-made noodles. Will just have to use the public toilets!
The second richest tin deposit and the biggest underground tin mine in the world are recorded here.
Nice and cool to walk into these tunnels away from the hot scorching sun at mid-day.
http://sungailembingmines.com.my/
The museum brought back childhood memories –
located on a hill and the porcelain water-filter which was long forgotten!
caught in a slight traffic-jam on the way to the Crystal House. A local Malay movie ‘Borrowed Heart’ was being filmed and was holding up traffic.
The Crystal House has a collection of about 3,000 pieces of beautiful crystalline stones collected over a period of 19 years by an ex-miner Mr Lee from the quarry. The quarry had since also closed because the whole limestone hill have already been flatten but thanks to him we can still see the beautiful stones which ones filled the caves of the hill.
The art of Sungai Lembing noodles making.
Time to head back and did a detour to Gua Charah. Crowded and shoes had to take off to get up the caves. Opted to just head back to KUA. Preferred the earlier view from the palm plantation side!
What a wonderful afternoon and a luxury to be able to soak in the sea-water on this quiet cove. The water felt out of this world and the sand-scrub was good for the skin.
A dip in the pool felt like being in a bath-tub, not refreshing at all. Was told the stuffed-tiger was place there to scared away the monkeys.
Good satay dinner at SatayZul****
Thu: KUA is famous for its Salted Fish (关丹梅香咸鱼) and Chen Hing with the 3rd generation running it is the most reputable store it. A must buy for gifts to family and friends in SIN
Walked around East Coast Mall (owned by SIN CDL). Delighted to stumble into a food-fare with tasting – my favourite kind of shopping.
Thank you for yummy home-cooked lunch at C&L with this lizard feasting on a beautiful butterfly. Interesting Chinese tea tasting but could not drink more than a tiny cup otherwise, forget a goodnight sleep!
Fri: TGIF and a Good Friday to my Christian family & friends. Tasty curry noodles for breakfast at HoiYin***Time to thank my host and guides for their most gracious and kind hospitality and will look very much forward to our next meeting when C&L will be in SIN next month to meet up with Christine&KV who will be visiting from UK.
So long KUA – hello SIN.
Thank you to Catherine for sharing this most beautiful sign for the Chinese character LOVE with such lovely different combinations of delicate strokes to cultures and religions.