THE REUNION THAT TOOK PLACE OVER BUFFET DINNER

66th SEPTEMBER 2022  ~ This should be my third reunion gathering that took place in Kuching. This time it was with an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti, Mr. Aster Smith. Aster was a Sarawakian and luckily he was on his semester break. He quickly responded to the check-in post I did on Facebook.

The restaurant chosen was Haartz Chicken is Sarawak Plaza. Our dinner this time was everything related to chicken, mostly.

The restaurant offered buffet dinner eat-in session. This was interesting as you could eat everything for RM30 per person. This should a heaven for chicken lovers as the were varieties of chicken meat that you could not eat anymore. Besides that, there were also other food available, as well as dessert and coffee.

It was a pleasure to meet an ex-student especially when I taught him English when he was in form 1 and 2. Apart from that, he was also an active member of Kadet Bomba and Angklung group of SMK Taman Universiti. I think the last time we met was before he left school to further his studies in UiTM Pasir Gudang.

We ate all we could and decided it would be a good time to walk to burn some calories and fat before going home.

ROAMING AROUND MARGHERITA FORT LATE IN THE AFTERNOON

 6TH SEPTEMBER 2022  ~ It was late in the afternoon and the driver cum tour planner decided to make a short stop at Margaritha Fort. This should be another historical landmark of Kuching. The bright and white building be seen across Sarawak River from Kuching Waterfront.

As you can see, renovation work was still going on.

Please read the interesting history of this place as seen carved on the stone signage.

We were among the few people who were still there but that should be good as we could avoid having people in all the pictures.

I have a feeling the place had been redesigned and reconstructed for visitors and tourists. The white building was a museum and we planned to come back and get inside later, but that was another story.

ADMIRING TWO GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS IN KUCHING

6th SEPTEMBER 2022 ~ There were two huge buildings that we used to dive past during our stay in Kuching and we decided to stop for a short while so we could admire them closer.

The first one could be "Dewan Undangan Negeri Building".

And the second one was Sarawak State Government Office Building.

I might be wrong in my attempt to label the building so do tell me if that is the case.

There was also a huge square at the lower ground opposite both buildings. Unfortunately the place was not taken care of.

We saw quite a number of majestic and huge buildings with beautiful architecture around Kuching when we were there. Wish we had more time to stop by at each and every building, or perhaps I should make a return trip some other time.

VISITING A FRIEND FOR DEEPAVALI LUNCH

24TH OCTOBER 2022 ~ A friend of UPM TESL class of 1993, Puan Aishah Aboo Bakar, was in Johor Bahru will her family members to celebrate Deepavali with her husband's family this year. And I was invited for lunch at their house in Mutiara Rini.

The house was full of joy and laughter of family members and friends. I wanted to take photos but they were just too many strangers in the house and I was a bit shy to do that.

The food cooked by Puan Aishah was delicious and festive environment had brightened up the day. Thanks my friend for inviting me to join in the fun and I wonder when will this happen again.

PLAYING TOURIST GUIDE AT SULTAN IBRAHIM STADIUM

23RD OCTOBER 2022 ~ This was an unplanned trip to the stadium which has become an icon of the city. And this should be my very first time to step foot in the compound of the stadium and try to play tourist guide to my friend and her sons from Penang.

There were actually many people who were also taking photos at the stadium but we were lucky to get the opportunity not to have other wandering around in the background. The stadium has now become a tourist attraction already.

We just posed at the front facade of the building. As for me, I am yet to explore what the stadium has to offer. There should be a souvenir shop for the football team JDT Southern Tiger. And I could see Woodfire Restaurant at the entrance so that should be a valid reason to come back.

Perhaps I should make it a point to watch a football match there at least once before I die. The best thing is that now I know where to take my visitors when they come to Johor Bahru.