SPOT THE ERROR - SAUDI 2

Another one from Saudi Arabia, courtesy of my friend who was there during his short stay.

One grammar error and one spelling error.

I have warned you, grammar policeman is everywhere.

Thanks Mr. Ridwan Wahid for the feed.

MY VERY FIRST FRESH FIG

An ex-classmate has his own fig orchard and when he came visiting, I tasted my very first fresh fig. All this while, I just had the preserved ones.

As advised by my friend, the small fruit was cut into half. Then, using a spoon, the red, juicy flesh was scooped out and eaten. It was sweet and succulent, and it would be best if you mix it with vanilla ice cream.

an overripe fig

Even the locally grown figs are quite expensive, a kilogramme of this exotic fruit could be approximately RM100. There are more people planting fig trees in Malaysia these days, and hopefully I could get one for my house too.

Visit SAFA FIG GARDEN Facebook page if you want to get more information.

THREE SMKTUN EX-STUDENTS CAME VISITING

Three ex-students of SMKTUN were in SDJ today but they were here to conduct a briefing and a short workshop with the students. The talk had to do with something about the opportunities to pursue education after SPM and then they had a session where students had to work using Arduino.

and I got some goodies too

Thanks for coming, Mr. Amar Faiz Zainal Abidin (SPM batch 2002) now attached with Universiti Teknikal Melaka, Mr. Mohd. Hafiz Othman (SPM batch 2002) of TATi University College, Kemaman and Pn. Nadhira Johari Halim Shah (SPM batch 2004) now lecturing at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn, Pagoh. Sorry I could not sit and entertain all of you as I had classes and there were also other urgent matters in hand. School is actually not the best place to have a reunion especially during working hours.

MY HOMETOWN GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURE - FRIED BANANA RESTAURANT IN TAMAN UNIVERSITI

Sometimes you need the craving to eat hot and steamy fried banana but there is no proper eating place for that. The stalls by the roadside are always hot or not hygienic enough. However, worry no more. There is this one restaurant in Taman Universiti which serves mostly fried bananas and everything hot from the pan - like sweet potato, yam, fish fritters, and even spinach.

The eating place is convenient enough, clean and equipped with fans so people could sit down and enjoy the food longer.

with Mr. Sabri Salleh, ex-colleague of SMKTUN

Don't we all enjoy having light (local) food once in a while for tea. You should try this restaurant with a big sign board :"GORENG PISANG NURUL FAQAR" located at Jalan Kebangsaan Taman Universiti, near the Al-Ikhsan Sports Shop. 

SPOT THE ERROR - SAUDI 1

A friend went to Madinah/Mekah and sent me this.

I guess grammar policeman is everywhere.

Thanks Mr. Ridwan Wahid for the feed.

MOVIE REVIEW - "BLACK PANTHER"

I am not excited to watch any superhero movie but when someone asked to watch together, I would always agreed. I was quite pessimist of another Marvel superhero movie as I was expecting a lot of violence and mass destruction to the planet. Surprisingly I enjoyed the movie "Black Panther" as the heroes originated from a fictitious country in Africa named Wakanda. For once, the movie had a very African theme - especially for the costumes and the songs.

I am quite sure "Black Panther" is going to appear in the Avengers series soon.

Thanks Mr. Solihin for the suggestion. The show was very interesting indeed. So what is the next movie in line?

MY HOMETOWN GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURE - COFFEE BEAN & TEA LEAF AT KSL

18th FEBRUARY 2018 ~ After the Korean lunch, we proceeded to Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf located at KSL City Mall, just opposite Holiday Villa. The reasons: we wanted coffee and at the same time, a birthday cake to celebrate Ms. Nashuha's birthday. (When celebrating a birthday, a birthday cake is compulsory).

The irony of it all, the birthday girl did not like cake (WHAT?) so we had to eat the cake for her. A point to note, the Blackforest Cake here was very delicious - better than the ones I used to eat at other places I used to go for coffee.

an instant birthday present

That should wrap up my activities on the third day of the Chinese Lunar New Year school break.

Cheat day big time!

READ PART ONE HERE.

MY HOMETOWN GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURE - KFRY URBAN KOREAN RESTAURANT AT HOLIDAY VILLA

18th FEBRUARY 2018 ~ The 3rd day of the Chinese New Year was spent for a gastronomic adventure with two SMKTUN's ex-students of SPM batch 2006, Ms. Khaulah Abd. Rahim and Miss Noorulnashuha Atan, at Kfry Urban Korean Restaurant. This eating place is located at Holiday Villa Hotel. It opened at 12.00 p.m. (until 12 midnight) and when I arrived, there was already a large crowd waiting to enter the dining area. You are advised to book a place before coming or else you will have to wait.

I just ate whatever the girls ordered. My first time going Korean locally. I ate (real) Korean food when I was in Jeju Island a few years back.

everything Korean

the chicken pieces were wrapped in front of us 

fat crispy fries

chicken in thick melted cheese

making the rice balls

before...

... and after

Bingsu? it looked more like a fruit bowl
with one type of fruit only

MY VERDICT:

Everything was so Korean. Definitely a place I would not go on my own. And not a good place to hang out on weekends as there were people waiting for their turn outside the dining area. A must-go for adventurous people who want to try Korean food.

to be continued....

WHAT BETTER WAY TO SPEND THE CNY BREAK?

17th FEBRUARY 2018 ~ Lucky enough, someone asked me to meet up on the second day of CNY break, or else I would just spend my afternoon sleeping at home. Mr. Solihin Ramli, an ex-student of Asrama Semai Bakti Felda (SPM batch 2015) who is now studying in UTM is the only one who is still keeping in touch with me, whereas the rest have just disappeared.

So we met at AEON Bukit Indah, which should be convenient for us both. We had an early dinner at VIVO and there still many people at the mall. (I was at the same place the day before) Then, we waited for the movie session at 9.00 p.m.

I met an ex-student of SMKTUN (batch 2012), Miss Assafinas Abd. Manap, who was on (a replacement) duty at one of the shops there. Just had too much time before the movie started so we posed for the camera.

Guess it was another day beneficially spent for the CNY break. I must thank Mr. Solihin for initiating the meeting and hopefully we will do this again some other time.

NEW YEAR IS THE TIME TO GET REUNITED

The first reunion meeting was with Mr. Ng Cheng Khai, ex-SMKTUN of SPM batch 2013. This should be some sort of our annual gathering in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration. We met at KFC Taman Universiti for less than an hour but that should be good enough to catch up lost time.

Next, I made a house visit to see another ex-student of SMKTUN, Miss Ng Lee Lan of SPM batch 2003. The last time I saw her was many years ago when she gave me a dinner treat, with another teacher friend. She is staying in Taman Universiti with both her parents, and too bad her other sisters who are also my ex-students were not at home.

The last gathering was more of early dinner kind of thing with Mr. Haiqal Johari (SMKTUN SPM batch 2016) who were back for the long weekends break. We settled for pizza at AEON Bukit Indah. There were actually a lot of people at the mall. Shouldn't this people be staying at home with their family members on the first day of new year?

So that was how I spent the first day of the Chinese New Year. It was much better (and more meaningful) than sleeping at home in the afternoon. :)

TO THE GARDEN - GETTING THE FOOD FOR THE SOUL

13th FEBRUARY 2018 ~ We were gathered here yet again at Seoul Garden, Plaza Angsana, for the regular eat-your-heart-out session. Nothing new but the food was good and the company of friends made it better. Now we have another regular gossiper joining in the group - the more the merrier.

I wonder when are we going to try ANOTHER place for the meeting.