Thursday, September 29, 2005

Halcyon days

Just touched down in KLIA and decided to hang around for a while to surf and check my emails. I just spent the last 5 days in KB with my mom and Patches and with nary a worry in my mind! It was amazing. I've not felt such freedom for a long time. The last time I remember feeling such was when I was waiting to go to Perth, before I tore my back ligament washing my jeans.

Two of my cousins came back from the UK - one for a break, one back for good - and I managed to spend some time with them. My uncle invited me and mom over for chilli crabs (which he cooked) and wine and a 1993 Dom Perignon which he was saving for a special occassion. He popped it opened and toasted his daughters and me. It was a very nice dinner as the wine mellowed us and the 'discussion' went from quiet enjoyment of the crabs to crazy laughter.

Then the next night, my auntie and all of use made KaoJam (the name in Hokkien), this green rice with veggies and fish rice dish that is a favourite among Kelantanese. It has Budu in it and makes it absolutely scrumptious. Eating was fun, but preparing it wasn't as it is LOADS of hard work of just washing, cutting, pounding, shredding and cooking the whole thing. It's a mixture of different local veggies that resembles weeds growing by the side of the tali air than a local dish that has been around for ages. After you've mixed the 7 types of veggies in, strips of pineapple and cucumber and taugeh, you scoup in a liberal amount of Budu, which by the way is fermented fish; the liquid is brown and the smell is extremely pungent which is why airlines do not allow these babies on board. After that, you have to mix all this with your hands as it is the only way to eat and enjoy the dish, you also crumple in pieces of fish crackers to make the meal all the more gastronomic. I had two helpings of the KaoJam and some more crabs, roast beef, indian chicken curry and balanced it all out with a couple of glasses of reds and whites. It is indeed a good life.

The next day, I ran some errands - see dentist, visit doctor, got my glasses fixed and checked my eyes - then I went shopping. Heehee... I went shopping for silver earrings at the local silversmith. Almost went crazy in there. The silver is 92.5% silver and it's selling for less then RM20 per set! Plus I love the designs! I got a couple or more and there is one I really love, it's the shape of the Sireh Leaf and it dangles. It was orginally a stud earring, but I had them change it. The silversmith then fired up his blow torch and made it into a dangly earring, right there before my eyes! Very cool tool that blow torch... =P

So now I'm back in KL and I'm leaving for Perhentian tonight. I know, I know. Should have gone from KB but I didn't think about that when I booked my ticket and I didn't pack as required. All my things are in KL. Sheesh... talk about D-U-H!

Anyway, see ya peeps. Better go catch my Express train now and head home. I think I'll go paint my nails orange so that the fishes will be attracted to my winggling fingers and come nearer to me. Or maybe the trigger fish might mistake it for good food and chomp off a digit. Better not then... =P

No comments: