Bentong- Cameron Higlands-Ipoh : Christmas day 2011

MERRY X'MAS!! 
I'd always dreamed of private jetting to Paris for lunch and perhaps Rome for dinner within a day. Errr....living the lifestyle of the rich & famous...haven't you thought of it before? Com'on..be honest! You did, didn't you? Well, too much influence from reading too many romantic novels in school and perhaps a super overdose of western movies. But this Christmas, I did just that!! I dined at 4 different venues in 600kms of solid riding in what I would call almost a perfect riding day except for a short spell of rain towards the 3rd leg of our journey.

The early birds -(from left Sam, Alex & Rocker57)

The group meeting point

Group gathering at NKVE. We embarked on our first leg to Bentong for brekkie at 7.42am. By 8.14am, we arrived at Restoran Big House for our breakfast. Each ordered & paid for their own meals, mine was paid for :)   Today, I decided to be a free loader and let Rocker57 pay for all the meals!

Ready to Vrroooom!!

Riders were Alex, Sam, Vincent & son, Tong, A Peng, A Yat and Jim. An enthusiastic rider, Jim joined for breakfast and then he had to rushed back to KL for Xmas shopping with his girlfriend. Now, that's PASSION to ride in huge capital lettering!! Jim, you are truly a die-hard rider, undeniable! And yes, a pleasure to meet your acquaintance.
Vrooom, Vrooom and we are ready to ride to Cameron Highlands via Raub, Sg Koyan, Ringlet, Tanah Rata. It was a ride that Rocker57 and I took during the recent Hari Raya holidays on our return trip. It was scenic & a truly cool ride. All the riders enjoyed the ride as the road conditions were good and the view, breath-taking! Oh, I almost forgot. Eric & his young son, joined us at Raub.

Brekkie at Big House.

Complimentary snapshots from Sam for the ride from Sg Koyan to Camerons (below)

enroute to Ringlet.

Glorious sky, beautiful winding roads

Happy riders!!

 

 

 

Regrouping at Ringlet (lone riders started to trickle in & regroup 5 mins before noon!) The ride from Sg Koyan to Ringlet was long, winding and perfect for bikers to enjoy their "Rossi's twists & bends" and "Lorenzo sprints". What saddened me was I saw several deforestation, hopefully it is for vegetation expansion and not illegal logging! 
I simply loved the greenery and fresh air. But alas, as we left Ringlet, we were caught in the frenzy of vacationers! Although, I think the vegetables, flowers and strawberries welcomed the carbon monoxide, the homo-sapiens are choked with the excess of it! Phew...all I could breathe in was burnt tyres and fumes from the exhaust! Lucky we decided to eat in Tanah Rata. The ride from Tanah Rata to Brinchang was arduous and horrendous as the bikers had to weave and maneuver carefully alongside hundreds of vehicles lined along both sides of the single lane roads in Cameron Highlands.

Delighted bikers waiting to dig in - Lunchtime!!

Regrouping at Ringlet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eric left on a different route while the rest trekked their way down to Ipoh via Simpang Pulai exit. A Yat and A Peng was no where to be seen...their Lorenzo sprints turned out to be a marathon between them both to Klang!! Vincent & son also left the group after refueling at the petrol kiosk near Simpang Pulai. They rejoined Eric & son at Sungkai (to soak in the hot springs) while the remaining bikers Tong, Alex, Sam and us turned into Ipoh to savour some coffee and bread on toast. A short break, and off we go again...on the road H.O.M.E!!! We rode together until Ulu Bernam R&R. Then, each went on their separate ways & individual speed. VROOOOoooOOOM.... 

After the drizzle - welcome sunshine!

 

 

By 6.15pm, we arrived home. After a good ride & a long journey, Rocker57 and I ended a great Christmas ride with Japanese cuisine after unpacking & a quick shower. We were famished! Its hardwork for both rider and pillion, you know. I know, because I was there. So, when will you be joining us?

Kuala Gula?? 18 Dec 2011

Bugged by the riding 'illness', we embarked on a ride to nowhere with organiser Sam and another rider KS. Started our journey at 7.44am & arrived at Ipoh for breakfast by 9.14am. I had chicken hor fun while the guys shared a huge portion of kueh-mueh ( crullers, yam cakes, vegy dumplings & banana fritters) and each had our own cuppa. Apology, no pictures taken as I was very hungry ( grinning...aint I always the hungry one?)
A quick check, and off we went to join Vincent & his wife at Bukit Merah Laketown. When we reached the traffic light heading into the resort, we were 'escorted' & directed to a special parking lot. Boy oh boy...it was a bike week at Bukit Merah Laketown Resort! Very happening with loud music and the emcee welcoming new riders coming in every few minutes. This time, the focus was more for the Goldwings - the huge Honda big bikes that is very comfy & expensive type. The last I checked, it ranges from RM140K and above! There were Harleys, and tiny cute bikes which I learned was FJR or JFK of FJK or something to the tone of it...duh, I pillion rider only okay not a genuine biker ya! Among all, I was attracted to the Indian...massive bike in striking blue..awesomely handsome. I was told it's priced about RM300-400K!! Oh my gosh!

Goldwings - frontal view

Rear View - lady inclusive!!

Anyways, it was all hyped up with loud music, stalls selling trinkets, apparels & bike stuffs. Lots of bikers. Some even have team shirts as they are club members coming as a club instead on individuals. Having no rights to their photo and lest being sued for no authorization to publish their pictures, I refrained from taking their pictures. Just to be safe from legal pursuits. Despite how the small bikes looks, please don't be deceived by the looks. Yours truly can hardly tip-toe on them...yes...you are so right, am really that short. Hey, I'm not even at eye level OK...happy now!?!?!

the FJR, JFK or whatever!!

guests checking them out

We hung around for about an hour, then we went to see people fishing at the river just about a kilometer from the resort. While resting, we ate fried jack fruit which was delectable, hot and fleshy. RM1 for 6 seeds - 100% cheaper than in Klang Valley. Then it was decision time to find a place for lunch. Think-think-think. KS suggested Kuala Kurau, so out came our GPS. It was 39.2km away..well, nothing is too far when the biking 'illness' attacks. So, off we went. It will be our very first visit to Kuala Kurau - both Rocker57 & I.
Well...what do you know? They don't serve seafood for lunch! The restaurant people were nice enough to direct us to the nearest town about 7km away - Kuala Gula. Into the wilderness we rode...no village or township in sight and out of the blue, there were two rows of shophouses on both sides. Our leader (interchangeably as we rode) brought us to a fishing village nearby a Chinese temple. We then headed back to the first corner shop on the right along the main road of Kuala Gula just before turning into the temple .
The shop is called Tee Kee Seafood. Couldn't take a picture as the signage was old & discolored. 
As we waited for our food, we noticed that along the river/water canal just a stone throwaway from our restaurant, the locals were resting with their cuppa and a group was playing mahjong in mid noon! With shades & trees, the ambient seemed conducive for the locals to 'chill out' after a hard day's work.

That's me digging in. Vincent & Mrs. Rocker57 being blocked by me.

 We had curry fish, vegy and crabs fried with vermicelli. The fish is as fresh as one can get, it was sweet, fleshy and fresh - of course! Hmmm...you must be thinking why cook in curry instead of steam, right? See...I knew what you were thinking....well, we have to be considerate when traveling in a group, right? Two of the bikers will eat some if only the fish doesn't reek of fish smell...so with curry, we get the best of both worlds. Plenty smart eh?
The crab vermicelli was the best I've tasted so far. The crabs though small in size was so so sweet, fleshy and super fresh. The tasty vermicelli complement the crab, a house specialty. (Pix of lunch complimentary from Sam) Again, yours truly forgot to take one for the blog....yes...am hungry mah!!! Top with a big bottle of mineral water and 3 glasses of kedondong drink. The damage? Only RM96 i.e. RM16 per person. Truly satisfying - both tummy & pocket.
After a hearty lunch, its a dread to travel over 300km as one will get sleepy on a full stomach. Case in point. Mrs Vincent who rides on a Honda Valkyrie (akin to a Goldwing) actually admitted she dozed off between Kuala Gula and Simpang Pulai! Imagine that!!! So risky and dangerous. Lucky nothing untoward happened. On the ride home, we faced rain, sun, drizzle, sun, rain...but everyone arrived home safely. 
It was the craziest ride I've been on, almost 700km in 11 hours of riding (pit stops inclusive). On hindsight, it was worth the ride, because I would not have seen Kuala Kurau, Bukit Merah or Kuala Gula if not for the spontaneity.

SiR eLToN J0hN CONCERT 22.nOv.2011

Eventhough, both rocker57 and I love his songs very much, the steep ticket prices made us rethink it over and over again. Finally, we decided not to attend the legendary Sir Elton John's (EJ) concert @ the Arena of Stars in Genting Highlands
Cost analysis - 2 Elton John tickets (RM480 each for so-so seats OK?!?!), if I were to add another RM830, that's the total cost of our tour to Da Nang, Vietnam in Jan 2012 for two persons on a 4D/3N stay inclusive of return flight, accommodation & reserved seating!! So, we opted not to attend with a heavy heart. 
Lo and behold...our lucky stars and the EJ angels were eaves dropping and answered our woes. At the 11th hour, Rocker57's niece gave us two complimentary tickets! We were thrilled to bits with the free tickets. And was in cloud nine when we found that it was center position and quite near the stage! WOWZA, how good can this get?

Complimentary tickets!!

On the event day, Rocker57 clocked off promptly from work. We were stuck in traffic on the way to the Resort but managed to arrive an hour before the show, just sufficient time to grab a quick bite before the show starts.
Ushered in & comfortably seated, we waited for the legend to appear. A duet electric cellists from Croatia kicked start the show with a bang. I've never heard such beautiful sounds from a cello before and I'd always had the impression that cellist are a bore due to the huge and restrictive movement of the cello. Boy was I WRONG! If I were 2 decades younger, I would be scrambling to be their fans. These young men were simply electrifying!! The quick pace of music and the passion they displayed was mesmerizing and addictive. I was SOLD!!


At 8.30pm, in walks the legend. At 64, I expected things to be mellow but boy was I wrong again for the second time within 30minutes. Ian Gillian from Deep Purple was a far cry from our legend. EJ merely had seeps of water after every two songs, but Ian was drinking half a glass! I SALUTE you, Sir Elton John! 

Obviously, you would have read by now, the press write ups about the concert. But the press did not tell you that EJ climbed up the Yamaha grand piano and jumped off it. I was so afraid he may injure himself and not be able to perform his next concert...I mean with his weight and slow reflexes and all...errr...at 64, I wouldn't do it! But hey...he's THE legend, so who am I to comment, eh?
Its obvious EJ can't have much showmanship if he keeps hammering at the piano, right? DUH! But he took the effort to walk to both ends of the stage to send flying kisses to his beloved audience who paid huge sums just to watch him sing. He was adorable. 
He also made many elated when he touched and shake the hands of the VVIP and VIP audience. I envy those who had the opportunity. But I felt blessed that I had the opportunity to be in the same place with the legend for 2.5hours of continuous melodious songs from EJ.

Clearly, he was singing "Candle in the Wind"

Although EJ did not take my breath away, but his concert was memorable and simply awesome. He did mentioned that he would like to bring his son back to visit Malaysia someday...hope he does for Malaysia is truly Asia.

Guess what? Elton came back for a 20mins ENCORE!! Told you he was adorable. To me, it was an electrifying and 'Eltonic' night! The PA system was bombastic, the acoustic clear and the lead guitarist - awesome. 

FYI, the drummer has been with EJ since 1969 when he first started while the lead guitarist joined in 1971. These two goes way way back with EJ. Although half the time, EJ and band played something from the past and something from the present which I've not heard of, but his rendition of a remix of 'ROCKET MAN' was superb!

Well...what can I say? The legend made 22.Nov, a heavenly night, for me that is.

BETONG, THAILAND 5 & 6 NOV 2011

It's our first trip on bike to Betong, Thailand (border between Northern Malaysia & Thailand). We started our journey from home at 5.30am as we were scheduled to leave from McD's situated at the Subang-Damansara Petrol station along the NKVE. The group started to trail in one by one; introductions made, breakfast taken and soon we were ready to embark on our longest journey to-date. There were 7 of us in total with another 3 meeting us at the border. (namely - Alex, Ryan, Sam, Tong, Kai Seng & Eric)
At 7am, we began our long journey ahead. Next stop was Rawang to meet another 3 bikers who were also going to Thailand but on different destination. We traveled together until Kuala Kangsar where we bid our goodbyes to the 3 younger riders from Klang. Refueling & stretching out was at Tapah for about 15mins. By 10.30am, we were having our second breakfast at Kuala Kangsar after refueling in town! 
The strangest thing happened. After whetting our appetite for the second time in under 4 hours, Rocker57 remembered he had forgotten his passport!! Imagine that! Oh gosh!! 
AHA, me to the rescue... obviously I brought it with me - DUH!! Sigh, what would Rocker57 do without me? (snickering)

Breakfast at a curry house restaurant along the main road to the border.

Half an hour later, we were at the Immigration where we met the rest of the bikers. It was chaotic as there was no system nor signage to guide you. Lucky for us, the seasoned riders guided us through without a hitch giving us step by step instructions - Thanks! It seems that the vehicle declaration form is very important. If one forgets to return the form upon return, the same vehicle is disallowed to re-enter Thailand in future. So definitely, I kept the forms safe and sound.
Bikers being a spontaneous lot, no accommodations were made before hand. They love to scout around before settling down. Errrr...something Rocker57 & I aren't used to at all. But the 'kapala" (bikers slang for head of team) managed to secure accommodations for all bikers - RM80 per night per room. At that price, I seriously knew what to expect and I was not wrong. Complimentary toilet rolls were provided as tissue paper, so you can know what to expect, right? No pictures taken, didn't want to be reminded.
We went in search for lunch after being given half an hour to refresh. The gang then walked about 20mins then settled in at the seasoned bikers' preferred choice for good food at reasonable price al fresco restaurant.

Betong was an improvement from my recent trip to Yangon, Myanmar in late February. It is a small township, I think you can walk about town in under an hour. Motorbikes are aplenty and apparently helmets were required only on certain days or specified hours only, odd but true. Safety doesn't seem that important here as roads are small and vehicles can't really move fast around here. 

During the day, you can see a lot of police officers around town at their makeshift booths or walking/bicycling around. Well, at least a lot lot more police officers than I can see in Betong than in USJ where I reside!! In the night, more army personnel join in the routine. So, one tend to feel safe here. Is it safe? I wouldn't know.

Yes! They serve bak kut teh here! (pork ribs boiled in Chinese herbal soup). Apparently a lot of Malaysians trade or have settled down here. So these traders understand Mandarin, Bahasa Malaysia, Cantonese and Hokkien! Therefore, communication is not an issue :)   Understandably, in the 50-60s a huge community of Malaysian communists evading arrest in Malaysia have called this "home". So their descendants are now naturalized Thais, I presume. Verdict of our Bak Kut Teh? Even the Klangnites swears it is as good as it gets!!! So there!
After a short walk about town, Alex, Kai Seng and us headed back to the hotel to rest while a large group of them went on to explore the communist camp. Rocker57 and I have just seen the ones in Ho Chi Minh City, it is quite similar, hence we did not join the group. Luckily, we did not follow as they were caught in the rain on the way back - all 30km!!

As bikers are spontaneous people, we were caught unaware of the agenda (none really! Apart from when we start, pit breaks along the way to Betong, there was NO agenda when one is in Betong). We waited for over half an hour for the group at dinner time, none appeared. Except for the one 'lost soul' from the touring group who joined us, the rest were MIA (missing in action, doing god knows what? Shopping/massage perhaps) After our meal (delectable and cheap), we walked around town, had our cuppa before calling it a day. ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

The journey home the next day was uneventful as only 3 riders headed home in the wee hours of the morning while the rest were still snoozing.

Seremban Chinese Rojak, Mambau Khek Yong Tau Foo - 1ST SEPT 2011

Started our journey later today as both destinations were nearby. Decided to eat breakfast at Seremban Central Market, Rocker57's favourite Loh Si Fun Kon-Lor (aka mouse tail noodles dried version). This renowned outlet has made their bucks, they were closed while others were having brisk business....sigh.
We ordered our favourite Hakka Mee. This stall's noodles are more springy and tastier than his brother's stall which is adjacent to Maybank. Will blog more of the noodle when I next visit this stall. We waited for closed to 25 mins, yet our meals were not served while the table next to ours was served- FYI orders taken at the same time!! We downed our black coffee and went in search for alternative. Wanted to savor the Sotong mee hoon but they were sold out at 9+am!! Hmmm...these owners need to re-think of their demand vs supply strategy :)
We ended up with this :

The Rojak Stall

ROJAK!! As the name denotes, a plate of mixed ingredients. In this instance, this plate of rojak has two/three kinds of some form of fried fritters made from flour & etc, blanched beansprouts, fresh dose of Julienne turnips, small pieces of tofu and a generous spread of sweet and sour peanut gravy. You can also order it with noodles - yellow noodle/Mee. 
Having traveled across entire East & West Malaysia (most major towns in all 14 states and almost all of southern region), I have yet to taste anything similar to that I've tasted in Seremban. It's unique blend of peanut sweet and sour gravy is simply appetizing & addictive!! After an initial bite, you'll dig in wanting more!!! Believe me.... ;)

Sumptuous plate of Rojak

Prior to the trip, Rocker57 has fore-warned me to eat small portions as we were on an eating spree. So off we went towards Port Dickson (PD). Instead of the highway, we took the trunk road via Mambau/Sendayan/Lukut/PD. We couldn't resist stopping by the MAMBAU KHEK YONG TAU FU stall which is located on the left just after you pass the roundabout. You can't miss it, the signage alone will stop you on your tracks!!

MAMBAU KHEK YONG TAU FU

It has been more than 9 years since we last ate here after we've moved to USJ. I find that the taste is not the same and then realised that the proprietors are not the same! This bunch is younger!! The fillings are lesser, less meaty (in case you didn't know, apparently Hakka/Khek Yong Tau Fu has pork meat inside as opposed to the other kinds of YTF which I was told by a Hakka YTF seller some years ago). Anyways, the soup was light but not much of a flavor. If you should notice by now, again this mindless blogger forgot to take pictures for the blog until reminded by Rocker57...sigh...pretty soon I'll be blogging with bones or left-overs!
The ride to PD was pretty smooth. Along the main road to PD, in Lukut town; Rocker57 showed me where he & his bikers gang had Bak Kut Teh on their recent Sunday ride. We will eat there in our next trip as we've had two meals and it was before NOON!!
The stretched from PD town to Eagle Ranch was arduous. Heavy traffic with loads of vacationers. Rode to PD on few weekends but THIS was the first time we witnessed PD coming ALIVE!!! Sadly, apart from the beach, there isn't any other attractions in PD and has been the same since I was young, apart from the mushrooming of resorts & condos, i.e. 

Eagle Ranch Resort Reception

We checked out Eagle Ranch Resort - more so for my gals night out with former school-mates this coming December. I visited Eagle Ranch back in mid 2000 when they first started. A lot has changed since. They have added more facilities and are always fully booked on weekends for company/institutional functions as well as vacationers. Aiyaaaa...this place not appropriate for 'young gals' who's main intention is to chat, eat, chat and yak all day....next destination please....

For the 2 hours or so we were there, I felt transported into the cowboys & red indians days...,,,Yeee Haaa...bang, bang....& 'one more shot of whiskey pluz'....and you know what? I think I can still hear the ivory keys playing....oops, that's in my mind...hehehhe... Oh...I think I hear Clint Eastwood's boots and spurs...and I think I caught a glimpse of Lone Ranger's horse doing a high 5 at Eagle Ranch. And if you focus deeper...you can actually hear the last Mohicans shouting... "GERONIMO" .......
HEY you...stop playing with my mind!!  "BANG- BANG"

MELAKA - 30TH AUGUST 2011

With the new side carriages, it makes traveling much easier. It was the first day of Hari Raya Aidil Fitri / Eid Mubarak. The sky was gloomy, so  we packed our rain gears - just in case. We headed south at 7.15am. Stopped at our favourite laksa shop in Senawang, Seremban - Restoran Asia Laksa. The place was packed with vacationers as well as locals alike. It was chaotic as some weren't aware that orders had to placed in writing as opposed to previously whereby we just place our orders with the cook. Our orders came more than half hour later, likewise, order of drinks had to be reminded (twice) before we could get our cuppa.

We ordered the laksa and the dried version - me the latter (cutting down on the coconut milk/santan plus I haven't tasted the dried version for awhile now). My noodles, "Loh Si Fun" literally translated from the Cantonese dialect - "mouse noodles' as the noodles resembles the mouse's tail (fatter version i.e.) was cooked just right. The noodle was springy, soft yet full of flavor (dark soy sauce & ample dose of curry). Simply delicious! The stewed slices of pork meat was sweet, tasty and goes well with the generous portion of minced stewed pork. Ahhhh...just blogging about it makes me salivate...

Left : dry version, right : Asia Laksa

The sambal chili sauce complements the entire two versions very well. I like the laksa here as the laksa is aromatic, full texture and creamy, unlike those in klang valley that are diluted or lack of flavors. The laksa comes with half portion of a hard boiled egg, fried dried tofu puffs which is soft and full of laksa flavor as the tofu is left floating & soaking in laksa gravy before it's dished out to be served. It is served together with beansprouts, chicken curry is optional.

Next, we vroom-vroom to Melaka. It was only 10am, so we visited the famous Hang Li Po well. For me, been there numerous times but first for Rocker57. A sad sight, as the signage was vandalised and left on the ground. There were many tourists when we were there. Slight drizzle of rain sent us riding to Mahkota Parade for shelter.

Hang Li Poh Well in Melaka (next to Bukit China)

We met up with my former colleague and her family for a cuppa & chat at Starbucks. Later, they came to check out ZacBoy :)   The two teenagers were in awe with the mean machine.
We proceeded to Nadeje in Melaka Raya for my favourite and best tasting mille crepe cake I've tasted so far. Again, have eaten this a few times but first for Rocker57. The place was sardine-packed. Due to the crowd, only our cake arrived minus the cuppa & water. 

Nadeje double chocolate crepe cake - mouth watering tasty!!

So, we paid for the cake - RM9.50 for this piece which costs RM10.50 in Empire Gallery Subang. If you have tried both, you will know which tastes better ;) but then again, one man's meat is another man's poison, so you go figure. Original Mille Crepe cake retails at RM9, just so you are kept in the loop. Comes in various flavors - mango, mocha, tiramisu, etc.
We left to savour the famous Jonker Walk ABC aka Air Batu Campur (literally translated from Bahasa Melayu "water stone mix!!) Incidentally, the same dessert is named Ice Kacang in Penang! So now you know, ya. But it's simply a concoction of our local dessert of shaved ice with jelly, peanuts, red beans, cendol, attap chee, green & red grenadine & santan. However, it was not meant to be, the crowd was lined all the way to the main road!! Thanks to Lonely Planet, internet and Google...now everybody knows where to 'pig out'
So, we headed to a less crowded venue. Our favourite Taiwan Noodles! Home made noodles (shaped like fettuccine) served with deep fried pork ribs. The gravy is the family's guarded secret. The mother (she's a Taiwanese married to a local hence the name, get it??) has since stopped cooking and handed her renowned recipe & cooking to her two sons. We were fortunate to get seats as it was also crowded. Despite the crowd, service was prompt. The fried pork was crispy, lightly coated and well marinated. Serving is small but priced at Klang Valley standard. For two cans of 100 plus and two small bowls of pork ribs noodles, we paid RM12. 

Seriously, worth every bite simply because I've yet to taste anything similar to this anywhere else in Malaysia. If you readers have suggestions or know of any place to eat crepe cakes, Asia laksa or Taiwan noodle, please drop your comment. I'll make an attempt to drop by these venues.
For the record, the weather was remarkable! Cloudy entire day - superb for bikers!

JULY 22, IPOH (2D/1N) TRIP ON ZACBOY

This blog is not so much of our ride to Ipoh. I had forgotten to blog about it upon our return but I seriously wanted to write about it, more so because of the hotel that we stayed in when we were there. Most of the time, Rocker57 will booked us at Heritage Hotel, but this time as we will be meeting his biking 'kakis' in the evening, so we decided to stay at the same hotel where these bikers used to stay - Ritz Garden Hotel, a frisbee/ boomerang throw away from the police station! Psst...if you wish to stay here, stay at the new block...check below to find out why. We were unfortunately placed at the older block which again, will be our first and last time.
I met for the first time Rocker57's biking mates - Mervyn, Kumar and Karuna. Meryn rides a tracker (similar to a dirt /mountain bike but this has dual purpose, both on the road & mountain). Kumar vrooms on a Vulcan (NOooo...not the one from Star Trek...this is a motorbike, duh!!) while Karuna speeds on a Kawasaki Versys. I don't fancy this bike because it is naked!! (NOooo...not literally obviously), but because it doesn't have a fairing...ahem, fairing I've learned is the covering that embodies the bike... I love bikes with fairing...makes them looked 'dressed' and has the "you complete me' look :)   FYI, I also do not fancy the tracker....looks like a toy, to me!! Doesn't give me the Vroooooom power look.
We met at 6pm for dinner, gathered at the lobby (Rocker57, Mervyn, Kumar & I) while we waited for local biker Karuna to join us. We decided to eat at the famous LOU WONG chicken & beansprout restaurant which was a mere 15 mins walk from the hotel. It's actually ten minutes, but because of my short stretch (you do know that I'm vertically challenged, don't you?) all the guys had to back tracked just so I could stay intact with the group!! Hehehehe....chivalry is still ALIVE!!!

Bowl of noodles, chicken & beansprout

I like Ipoh beans sprouts. They look just like me!! Short, crunchy & succulent!! (the former is akin to me, the rest...well, you'll have to kill & cook me first to find out if I'm crunchy & succulent!). The chicken was steamed cooked just right with a generous splash of soy sauce, a few good sprinkle of pulverized pepper, a few dashes of sesame oil & dressed with spring onions & slice red chilli for decor. The noodle soup is simple yet tasty to the last drop. The noodles are smooth, soft yet springy to the bite. It is rumoured that the spring waters in Ipoh makes the beansprouts and noodles tastier than others. Hmmmm....and the gals in Ipoh have great complexion too, haven't you noticed already??? If not, please go check them out!!! Don't say I didn't tell you, ya.

After dinner, we adjourned to Euro pub (same owner with Ritz Gdn) for a pint each. Then, we went back to the new Ritz Garden apartment block for our second pint. It was here that I saw the stark difference, the old vs the new. The new block has a pool with a bar, a snooker table & a miniature cinema!! Yes, a cinema that can seat about 30 pax, I think. Cool isn't it? I thought it is and even took pix for you as proof, hehehehe...

Pool table. Cinema door is btwn posters in the middle!

Who would have thought a hotel in Ipoh to incorporate this inside its hotel. Genius. To enter? Simple, just scan your room card & it is FREE!!!

I also took a pix of the gang for this blog. And yes, I had permission to post it. Until the next blog, stay happy and live life full!

From  Left : Mervyn, Karuna, Rocker57 & Kumar

               

Ritz Gdn Cinema!!

PENANG & CAMERON HIGHLANDS (PART 4)

Up and about early in the morning. At 6am, breakfast wasn't ready to be served, but the hotel staff gave us bread, coffee & cereals. As we were ready to leave, the mee goreng was served. We had a small serving (shared), it was tasty. Unfortunately, we were already stuffed with bread, jam & butter.
We took an 'uncharted route' home. We heard that a lot of bikers used this trek that leads to Raub, Pahang. Head towards Tanah Rata then turn left at the Shell petrol station. And you are off to a long and quiet road towards Kpg Kolok ( I think). This stretch is very secluded, long and scarily lonely. It is half hour or so before one can see any vehicle...sort of reminded me of my drive from Davenport to Bicheno in Tasmania earlier this year. I like the ride, so quiet you can hear yourself think. It was secondary jungle/rain forest all the way. And then, all of a sudden...I saw this :

Awesome....clouds beneath me

To stand there to witness it..priceless

 It was surreal to witness this awesome panoramic view. Never thought I could sight something so beautiful here in Peninsular Malaysia. We stopped for a while to soak in the sight, the fresh air and the dead silence of the place except for the insects' noises. It was enchanting! Despite the long, scary & lonely ride, this site makes the entire trip worth every Ringgit! 
And then, we continued the journey. It seems to me like we'll not see civilization for a long time yet...it was almost an hour of ride and all of a sudden....I see palm trees...ahhh!! YAAAAY!!! Alas, it was a short lived YAY!...Another 20mins of ride alongside oil palm plantation before we reach a kampong/village!! Phew! My heart started to beat again, finally!! All along the long stretch, I could only pray that ZacBoy doesn't get a nail or fail on us, else....
And then....OMG, another 26km to Raub!!(If I remember correctly) Boy, makes one wonder, "hey, when can I really, really reach home?". We stopped at the famous curry fish head restaurant in Raub for our 2nd breakfast. We had 2 plain roti canai and two black coffee. 
Raub brings back special memories to Rocker57 and I. Rocker57 was to have been transferred here end of 1984. It was also a decision for us to get 'hitched' so that we can live legitimately as hubby & wife (back in those days, tongues will wag if couples lived together without being married). So, Raub sealed our fate...and the rest they say is history.....
Incidentally, if you must know (for I know....curiosity kills the cat...now, don't go on a suicide act, please don't!!....) I will tell you, I will tell you and bare all....After we got registered, we weren't transferred. There was a resignation and Rocker7 was asked to remain status quo in Seremban! Now, that resignation saved our day and changed the course of our history. Or else...perhaps, I would have made Raub my home....who knows....who knows.....NAH!!! I don't think sooooo.....ehhehehehhe...                                 

PENANG & CAMERON HIGHLANDS (PART 3)

6.15am, we were up & about getting ready to leave for Cameron Highlands, our 2nd trip in 12 months but on two different bikes. Since the hotel did not provide breakfast & we were early birds, we decided to stop at the first mamak we sighted - Pelita (very popular mamak in northern Malaysia and has since spread their wings to Klang Valley). Here's me at the wee hours of the morning in Penang with the green mean machine.

ZacBoy & I outside Pelita Restaurant

Two roti telor and two black coffees later, we are off on the road again. We exited after Ipoh (Simpang Pulai toll exit) as this is the new route to Cameron Highlands. The roads are wider and less winding. The air was fresh and clean. We passed by the aborigines settlement, vegetation enclave and some small villages along the way up. The scene was captivating, what with the rainforest as backdrop....back to nature. Along the way, we saw aborigines set up stalls to sell their crops - petai, durian, chempedak & bamboo shoots.
We then checked into Rosa Pasadena hotel. A hotel we were staying for the very first and most likely the last time. Anyways, we actually stopped at our favourite joint at GOOD TASTE (grd floor of Hotel Titiwangsa at Brinchang) to have our cuppa, lunch & our favourite tarts. Again we ordered strawberry, blueberry cheese and pineapple tarts. We concur that the latter is the best taste of all eventhough all are mouth-watering tasty. And please do order the garlic bread. It is rich with butter and garlic toasted just right. I ate to the last crumb!! For info on this outlet, check out previous blog for contact number. The business must be good as the owner now has 2 foreign helpers. Way to go, GOOD TASTE!
We rested as we couldn't go for a ride to Tanah Rata for it had started to rain. We sat at a coffee shop nearby our hotel to watch the world in front of us go by. When the rain subsided, we decided to have an early dinner. Where else but the Ole Smokehouse, of course!!  

Time stood still here- old smokehouse

SmokeHouse garden               

 

 

 

    It was as if time stood still here since the colonial days. It brought back memories of how the English used to live back then by just wondering into each room which has different settings. I took a handful of pictures but not enough space to place them all here, sadly.
We were ushered to be seated here at the lobby/lounge (picture below) and took our time to place our order as we were 45 mins ahead of their opening time! At the Smokehouse, patrons will be seated at the dinning table only when food is ready to be served. Meantime, you are free to wonder around their premises to snapped some photos or just to while away one's time or get a cuppa or drinks while waiting. Some house guests were seen reading. The Smokehouse is lit with warm white lights which apparently are good for the eyes particularly when reading as it doesn't emit a strong glare which is said to be bad for reading. This I heard from a few of my expats clients ;)

Lounge/waiting area@Smoke House

Rocker57 ordered Chicken ala King while I had grilled Salmon and we shared the Caesar Salad.    

Caesar Salad comes FRESH!

Our meal came with soft tasty buns and lightly salted butter.  
Incidentally, I forgot to mentioned that we visited GOOD TASTE again at 4pm for tea and also for the free WIFI. Hence the early dinner was seriously a BAD choice as I was not able to finish my fish and had to eat very very very slowly to savor each bite as well as not to waste food.
Too excited to try the HUGE salmon, I forgot to take a picture of my meal until Rocker57's food arrived and he reminded me of my blog....hmmmm...senior (in age) bloggers like me can really be forgetful. Particularly when it comes to FOOD...I'm lost in the world of taste, smell & self indulgence.

Rocker57's Chicken ala King

Generous serving of Grilled Salmon

The generous serving of Salmon was worth its price of RM58. The fish was fresh, juicy & sweet. The chips were fried just nice and the veggies were lightly salted and blanched. Hence it retains its sweetness and crunchiness. Rocker57 thoroughly relish his meal. He cleaned the entire plate except for some rice which was tasty but again too full to finish it due to the short break between tea and dinner. By the way mealtimes are B : 7.30-11am. L: 11.30am -2.30pm and D : 6.30-9.30pm but teas are served all day.

Next, remember to catch my final blog for this trip on our adventurous trek home on a new 'uncharted' road home....

PENANG & CAMERON HIGHLANDS (PART 2)

Lorong Selamat Char Kueh Teow

 Ahhhh...Sttttrrreettchh....after a good nap, Rocker57 and I went in search for lunch. Not sure where the locals eat but the popular tourist eateries are at Gurney Drive, Lorong Selamat, Lorong Baru - Off Jalan Macalister (Along the stretch of road just outside Sunway Hotel) and perhaps Lorong Swatow. Not forgetting the base of Kek Lok Si for the famous Penang Assam Laksa. I chose Lorong Selamat because it was nearby our hotel and I do know for sure they serve lunch. While Gurney Drive, & Lorong Baru opens only at night, not sure of Swatow, though.
The hawker that sells the famous Char Kueh Teow has since moved from the roadside into Heng Huat coffee shop. YES, she still has her signature red chef cap on and yes, she's still grouchy. She still uses the traditional charcoal to cook her delicious Char Kueh Teow. Please note that she still serve it with THREE(3) big prawns! The one shown here is complimentary from Rocker57, so please don't ask her how come yours has 3 and mine 6, OK? 
Seriously, I don't blame her for being grouchy. What with cooking under the scorching sun, non stop frying and the heat of the charcoal can really get to one's nerves. I guess the better the business, the grouchier she is....hehehe, my guess...my bad. Perhaps, she is a nice lady but the entire time I was there, she did not smile. Come to think of it, I've never seen her smile and I have frequent her stall more than 10 times if you must know ;)

The price of this plate - RM7.50! Pricey, for a such a small serving but good to the very last bite. The prawns are succulent, the bean sprouts cooked just right (still crunchy) and the Kueh Teow has the right texture and a hint of charcoal-cooked aroma...splendid. Haven't been to the Sisters at Macalister for many years, not sure if the price is the same. If it is, then the Sisters are cheaper because a sprinkle of crabmeat adorns the top of the pile while this one in Lorong Selamat does not have it. The former would be value for money, in this instance if you were to ask me.

Ice Kacang in Heng Huat

We had Ice Kacang to quench our thirst. For RM3.50 per bowl, personally, it IS again over-priced. Apart from the ice cream, the Ice Kacang tastes a lot of syrup, coloring & Gula Melaka (aka coconut sugar). I still prefer the one that was nearer to where this Char Kueh Teow lady used to cook. The Ice Kacang there is tastier and has more stuff inside like chincau, chendol, attap chee, etc. Then again, one man's meat is another man's poison, so don't take my word for it, ya.
We went to Plaza Gurney for dinner as we wanted to eat at Chili's. It was a 7 minutes ride from our hotel but would have been faster if not for the one-way streets in Penang. Unfortunately, the mall is not superbike-friendly. We couldn't enter via the motorbike parking as the pathway was too narrow to enter. We had no alternative but to enter from the car entrance and find our way to park at the bikers section. If the CCTV captured our act, hey....you left us no choice OK...we don't mind paying but your premises is NOT superbike friendly OK! In any case, at the bikers parking lot, there were lots of slimy, gluey yellowish thing that looks like it will drop from the ceiling anytime soon. So we had to park somewhere where there were none...limited spaces as expected. In any case, the gluey thing stayed stucked...thank gawd!!
To end the day, we failed to eat at Chili's as waiting period for a seat was over half an hour. So we ended at Paddington's Pancake as Rocker wanted to eat the pancakes. Strangely, we ended with salad and a small serving of Oreo pancakes served with ice cream. Later, we found out that we ordered dessert instead of main meal....hehehe...but we were satiated as we were quite full...as one grows older...I guess the stomach shrinks, as we tend to eat lesser....hmmmm...then how come I'm not losing weight??? Then again, that's another story to be told...perhaps later on??? Let's see how...
Catch my next blog on what we ate in Cameron Highlands, ya. See ya!

PENANG & CAMERON HIGHLANDS (Part 1)

On 11 Aug, ZacBoy, Rocker57 & I embarked on our first long distance journey to Penang & Cameron Highlands on a 3 days & 2 nights trip.
We started at 7am. Stopped for breakfast at the R&R in Tapah. We made an impromptu stop at Ipoh. Rocker57 wanted me to savor the popular Ipoh curry mee (the one a stone's throw away from the police station). By ten, we were in Ipoh but couldn't locate the place, so Rocker57 inevitably had to ask his staff to guide us there as she had brought him there on few occasions. We had to wait almost 10mins before we could place our orders and another half hour for our food to arrive. By the way, in case you are there, they will come to the table to take order, so don't place your order at the entrance where cooking is done. The cooks (3 of them focusing on each's specialty) will not have time to entertain you. Was it worth the wait, well...the place was full to the brim, with streams of people waiting in line to be seated...you tell me, is the food good?
I had expected a bowl of curry noodle (mine - mee hoon aka vermicelli) to be full of curry with santan. Alas and behold, it was totally not to be!! See pix to know how my curry mee hoon looks like in this outlet. 

Ipoh Curry Mee Hoon

The curry was light with no trace of santan. With loads of Ipoh crunchy bean sprouts, a twig of mint leaves and a squeeze of calamansi/lime juice for the sour flavor and a portion of curry oil, VIOLA - that's my curry noodle! To me, the end effect was nothing to shout about. BUUUUT....the condiments and the dipping sauce compliments the entire noodle set! Which in the end, was truly worth the wait!
A bowl of mixed roasted pork meat, BBQ pork meat, deep fried pig's skin which was stewed to make it soft and chewy and another dose of Ipoh famous bean sprouts/taugeh and some mixture of sauce in the content makes the main dish so delectable. My personal favourite was the dipping sauce.

Main dish - roasted & BBQ pork & pig skin hidden beneath.     

My personal fav - the dipping sauce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sauce was awesome. lots of condiments with the most palatable taste being the garlic and chopped Chinese parsley which I don't normally eat but as a 'package' it was very tasty. Despite having breakfast an hour earlier, I cleaned my share without much fuss at all. I was the brunt of the joke as prior to that, I told Rocker57 that we should share as I was still quite full but oh no...I had to had a bowl of noodles to my name. No worries, servings are small. We shared, hence so many bowls but if you order individually, the meats are served on top of the noodle, so perhaps then the taste would be different. That would be on my list the next time I go there again.
Satiated to the brim, we started for Penang. The entire trip was pleasant as weather was good. Found our hotel which was at the tail end of Gurney drive and walking distance to Lorongg Swatow (another popular eatery place), we gladly checked into Royal Hotel Penang, a four star hotel. The room is comfy and clean and pleasant service from the staff. 

comfy beds but soft pillows

study table aka our biking wardrobe!

Ample parking lots for bikes but unfortunately none allocated for big bikes. However, we managed to park along side the other bikes but out of the 'confine' area. A refreshing change to the hot & humid weather while we were traveling so we each took our well deserved shower & a short nap to re-energize ourselves. At 2.30pm, we left the hotel in search of Penang food. Read my next blog on what we ate for lunch & dinner :)

Nice bathroom with amenities

If you happen to stay at Royal Hotel Penang and forgot some items, fret not. They have cotton buds, shower cap, disposable comb, shampoo, body lotion and foam bath not forgetting the ever useful sewing kit just in case u 'pop out' a button after being a glutton in Penang...hahehehehaheahhee. And hey, guess what? Rocker57 forgot his tooth brush...and YES, you have guessed it, it was ready packed together with toothpaste....simple thoughts like these makes our stay so pleasant....Aaahhhh...