Abdullah School Kuantan 1957...

Above is a group photo of the students of  Abdullah School in Kuantan, Pahang;  the English School that I went to study in 1948 from Primary to Secondary school except for the last six month in form V.  In the mid of 1957 the Form V students were move to a new Secondary school call Abu Bakar School. This new school is at Alor Akar and very far away from my home in Tanah Putih. So it was a daily ritual of cycling to and fro from the house to the school. In a way it was a new experience as before that the Abdullah School is near to my house and I just walk to school. It was at the Abu Bakar School that I sat for the Cambridge School Certificate as well the new Malayan School Certificate examination. I start schooling in a Malay School at Jalan Gambut when the school was open in 1946 after the war. Well folks that is part of the history of my life. 

Have a nice day.

You Made My Day...

Paying bills has been a monthly ritual. As soon as all the bills arrived I would go and pay it manually either at the Telecom shop or the Post office. To date I have not learned to pay bills Online. The reason I decided not to pay my bills Online and do it manually is that I would have to go out, drive and walk, window shop and meet people rather than just staying at home. At this age that is the best thing to do and it does keep me healthy too. In the past I would pay all the bills at the Telecom Point at Ampang Point but with effect from January this year the Telecom Point no longer accept Water and Astro bills but the Post Office accept all the bills. So from now henceforth I would pay all my bills at the Post Office. Just before 3pm this Tuesday afternoon I went to the Ampang Point Post Office to pay the bills. First I went to the basement to park my car and found it full with people waiting to find a vacant lot. I just decide to just move on and without much ado found one vacant space that no one seem to want to take. In fact there was a car waiting for another car to move out and does not care for the vacant lot nearby. I drive on and park my car at that vacant lot then went up the mall and walk straight to the Post Office on the first floor. Entering the Post Office I saw a large crowd but since I had the time I went to take a number. The number slip shows that I had to wait for at least half an hour before my number is called. I thought it all right since I had all the times in the world to wait and went to look for a seat to wait. But before I could do that a stranger hand me a number slip that show an earlier number as the one I got. I took it and thank him; I then give my number slip to another stranger and then wait. Just as I was about to take a seat my number was call. I went to the counter and paid all the bills. It looks like this is indeed my day. Everything went so smooth, from getting the parking space with ease and been offered an earlier number by a total stranger to pay the bills. Had it not been for all the happening during that last few minutes it would have taken me hours before getting all the bills paid. Instead all [parking and paying the bills] was done in record time of less than 15 minutes; a wonderful happening indeed. 

Have a nice day.

Malay foods @ Simple Restaurant in Kuantan...

Last August I was in Kuantan. It was lunch time and we decided to go to Wak Sufiah restaurant in town. On arrival there we found the shop closed. It seems it has been closed since the Eid Fitri holiday a week before. Our nephew who was driving the Nissan decided to take us to another place but before that we decided to stop at a Dry Fish shop at Jalan Besar. After buying what we need at the shop I went out and saw one of the workers brought a plate of rice filled with dishes and I ask him where he had that. He replies that next door.

I went to have a look and sure enough there is a simple restaurant there. Nothing fancy. I went in to have a look and saw many people enjoying their lunch. I then look at the spreads and saw some very tempting dishes; simple home-cooked like. It does wet my appetite. I then told my spouse and my nephew why not we just have lunch here. They agreed. We select a table and then served ourselves on the buffet spreads.

I just selected a simple grilled fish and some sauce together with a bowl of Siput Sedup [Fresh water snails- Cerithidea obtusa]] cooked in coconut milk which I had not taken for such a long time since it difficult to get such dish in Kuala Lumpur. Without much ado I sat down to enjoy my lunch. It was a sumptuous meal indeed. After the meal I had a talk with the owner and soon found that this restaurant is a Ma and Pa business.

The name of the restaurant is R and R. I thought the R and R mean Rest and Recreation but soon found that it the the first alphabet of their names. Both of them was working in Kuala Lumpur and had retired. After retirement they decided to open a restaurant. Since she was from Kuantan she decided to open one in her home town. She managed to rent a shop at the Main Street [Jalan Besar] and open the restaurant. Here are some images of the spreads served at the restaurant.

 

Have a nice day.