16 Ipoh : Lost World Hotel

Out of Kampar and into the Lost World of Tambun. We purchased a two-night stay at Matta Fair promotional rates. It was around RM300 per night for an Executive Suite at Lost World Hotel , with extra bed inclusive of buffet breakfast for three and entrance to the hotsprings night park. The four-storey hotel faces the exciting Lost World of Tambun theme park with an incredible view of lush ancient limestone hills in the background. Eight of us arrived in the afternoon to wide smiles and heartwarming welcome. As soon as we parked our car, the concierge rolled the luggage carrier over. The hospitality is amazing and check in was quick! This is...

18 Kampar : Chicken Biscuits And Other Stuff

I remember this biscuit very well from my childhood. It was the most delicious thing my teeth sank into. Light, crispy, addictive stuff. There is no way I'd leave Kampar without buying a few packets of 'Chicken Biscuits' home. I never hunted for these cookies in KL although there's a high possibility that it is available here - if you ask me, the feeling's just not the same. That's like buying a fridge magnet of Melaka in Pasar Seni, Kuala Lumpur but never actually visiting the place. Anyway, after a satisfying meal of chicken curry bread at Yau Kee, we drove to CB Red Label to hunt for chicken biscuits and other local snacks.The shop was little...

14 GE14 : Election Rush

Although more than a month has passed since Malaysia's 14th General election, the day is still fresh in my mind. Hubs and I woke up early and was at the polling centre by 7.30am. There were tents along the road with people passing out tissue to voters. It was a cheerful occasion. We made top 10 in the queue. I walked into the classroom and everyone was so smiley. Yup, ours was in a school. "Good morning!" we greeted one another. I stood back as my name and IC was read. My fingers were checked for nail polish. Moving on to the next person, I dipped my finger into the indelible ink, tissuing it dry moments after. Then, I was handed a slip of ballot...

16 Kampar : Yau Kee Restaurant's Chicken Curry Bread

Some call it 'Golden Pillow Bread', some call it 'Jumbo Curry Bun'. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, a chicken curry bun by any other name would taste as delicious. Continuing from my previous post on Kampar, where we quenched our thirst on a refreshing tall iced drink - The six of us decided on light lunch after that huge drink. Just a short distance away, is Yau Kee Restaurant, an eatery famous for their curry chicken buns. My cousin mentioned that they sell mutton curry buns too. I would have loved trying that one but there's only so much that my tummy can fit in. Haha! Surprisingly, jumbo chicken curry buns are a thing in...

21 Happy Dumpling Festival!

Dumpling Day is here and typical me purchased a few to savour. I like joining in the fun! I do the same for Mooncake Day and have my tang yuans on Winter Solstice Festival. I got these rice dumplings from a roadside stall at Restoran DU Cafe, Dataran Sunway. This uncle sells local kuih and cakes but on this particular weekend, his table was loaded with bak changs and nothing else.   Roadside Stall at Restoran DU Cafe, Dataran Sunway There are several varieties of sticky rice dumplings out there ranging from sweet to savoury - my favourite is those with meat filling, like the one pictured below. Sticky Rice Dumpling Rice Dumpling...

12 Kampar : The Very Tall Ice Blended Drinks

It's been a couple of years since mum's passing. My dad, now in his mid-seventies, told me that at first it felt like this loss was his alone. It took awhile but one day it hit him that many people around us have lost their loved ones too. Seeing them pick their lives up gave my dad the strength to keep going. My brother has been encouraging dad to visit his hometown for the longest time. Dad upped and left the sleepy town of Kampar for East Malaysia in his early twenties, got married and stayed put. He hasn't seen our Kampar relatives for many years. Anyway, he hadn't been ready until last month when I asked him if he'd like to join the...