Sunday, March 12, 2006

Wedding, Beansprouts and Friends

Over the weekend, we drove up to Ipoh for a friend's wedding. It was a simple affair in a local restaurant. The bride, Liew, did not even wear a gown for her wedding, but just a simple dress. Daddy said, "Which is perfectly fine". I said, "But you only get to be a bride once in a life time, I would at least want a gown." But then, Liew is a simple, down to earth person; which is why Daddy is very fond of her, and which is also why he didn't mind driving all the way up for her wedding.

Zara was cranky the whole night. Probably because she only napped for 1hr the whole day. Daddy and I had to take turns to bring her out for walks. Not that there's much to walk about or see, but she was happier than being seated for a long 4hrs.

Clockwise : The bride and groom; Zara finally fulfilled her wish, sitting on a motorbike; Zara didn't want to sit on Daddy's lap (see Daddy's frown?); Jesse, my friend's 8mth old, sat through the dinner without a single whine

We spent the night in Ipoh, and the following morning after breakfast in the hotel, we went to town for a walkabout. Both Daddy and I always like visiting local markets, so when we saw a building with a sign reading Pasar Besar Ipoh (Malay: Ipoh Big Market), we quickly parked our car and headed there.

I just love markets, not the filth, but it's always interesting to look at the local produce. We saw a fish monger selling about 10 different types of prawns (very reasonably priced), we would have bought some if we had a big ice box. We bought a bell shaped pumpkin which we do not get in KL (not the imported butter squash, but locally grown). And then the sight of a lady selling beansprout really caught my interest (I actually walked back to the car to get the camera to take the below shots).
Ipoh is famous for beansprouts, and it's no wonder you get 'specialists' only selling beansprouts in the market. Big plastic barrels used to sprout the beans (they looked like huge alfafa sprouts) were next to the stall. I didn't see how they were harvested but I saw the stall owner washed the sprout in a cement cylinder (I don't know what that thing is called) and scooped up the amount customers wanted into bags. She was a good sport, and told me I was welcome to take her photos.

What is a visit to Ipoh without meeting up with the local bloggers? King's Wife even drove up with Seng Kor for a day trip to join the fun. It was a small and intimate meeting. We had lunch with Helen and Hubby, Samm and Gordon, followed by coffee.

With a smaller crowd, and so much time, you get to have a more decent conversation, and able get to know each other better. I'm not supposed to review too much here, but I must say they do live up to the personalities they portray in their blogs. *grin* (Note : Seng Kor did go to the toilet, but I'm not sure if it was to do what Helen mentioned here)

Again, Zara fussed a lot, while sweet little Gordon, spent the whole time seated and amusing himself with tissues and toothpicks. *Sigh*

Clockwise : Daddy keeping an eye on Zara in a local coffee place while I ran back to the market to photograph the beansprout lady; Walking in the town centre; Zara couldn't sit still, while Gordon didn't even fuss throughout.

22 comments:

  1. You terror-lah..come back from trip still got energy to blog. I would've already crashed!!

    Gordon is very, very cute!! I think Zara's restless-ness may have something to do with her birth sign. My son, also a monkey, cannot sit still for long. My daughter, who's a rabbit, was an angel whom I could take to a dinner show with no problems at all. That's why if hubs doesn't go to dinner with me, I don't want to go!

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  2. Children who are travelling often fuss more. Its normal. They are out of their 'comfort zone'. Thats why I cannot go travelling with both girls. I will go mad.

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  3. How come took you 4 hrs to reach Ipoh? You cycled there ah? LOL

    How come didn't post group picture of you all? Haih.........Cheh!

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  4. gosh... the sea of beadsprouts!!!!

    your Zara remind me of my Annabelle, hardly sit still when having meal.

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  5. My gawd, so fast and pics are up already. But dont forget to email the rest over, hah.

    And Kat, thx for the compliments. At least Gordon didnt fuss the entire time..... *secret..... give him tons of tissues to shred*, lol.

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  6. Wow, so much beansprouts! Had never seen this in K.L!

    Haha, Zara was restless during meal time? Normal lah, monkey girl how to sit still. :P My girl used to fuss a lot too during meal time and wanted to climb up to the dining table. Now she is getting better.

    Why no photos of the bloggers, Helen and Samm? If don't want to show face, can show the body only mah! :D

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  7. oh..beansprout!! erm...im lucky enuff... my uncle who had a beansprout factory... so i can see how actually beansprout grow and every step... very interesting!!

    and also what chemical they use to make the beansprout grow fat...

    i always go there.... but daddy not allow me to take any picture... maybe is not suitable to reweal the process of beansprout..!! hehehe...

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  8. wahh..wedding weekend, me too..but mine was in KL, with a church hehe...

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  9. Me too, miss the ngar choy kai & sar hor fun!!

    eh, did the beadsprouts auntie asked u why u took her pic or not?? :P

    Lyon too cannot sit still through out any wedding dinner, hv to get thing to occupy her! *sigh*

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  10. wah! drive up to Ipoh for a wedding dinner ah... cool!
    I think the weather and new environment is why Zara is fussy gua :)

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  11. May,
    And I didn't have any nga choy guy and sar hor fun while I was there! *sigh*
    Helen brought us to this tai-chao, and we had sambal low-shu-fun, quite unique!
    Cannot show the photos, signed an agreement with them liao, but if you are meeting this Thursday, I'll show you in my camera. :P

    LB,
    Yeah man.. what an honoured to meet up with the 2 of them.
    I didn't read Helen's perfume post, or else I would have sniffed her top down. LOL!

    Kat,
    You are right.. must be the monkey characteristic (if not, then it would be upbringing/training, which I don't want to admit). Yeah, going out with the kids alone can die! No need to eat, just chase around them will do.

    Jomel,
    I hope it's because of the travelling.. But I think it's also part of her character.. cannot sit still type. *sigh*.
    Yes, I almost went mad in Ipoh.

    Cocka Doodle,
    4hrs is wedding dinner la. Not driving up.
    Cannot show their photos.. or else I'll kena bashed up!

    Maria,
    I see your twins like kuai kuai one.. ??

    Samm,
    Don't want to owe anything.. So quickly put the post up. :P
    Sure.. send you the rest.
    Yeah la.. Gordon such an angel.. so so sin-mou you.. *sigh*.

    Jefferene,
    Yeah. I also never seen so much bean sprout in KL.
    You think so ah? It's monkey girls characteristic? I hope so too la. Bring her out for dinner, really tiring!
    Cannot show leh.. body also cannot. One said after give birth liao can show, one said after diet liao can show.. So have to wait another half year to show their photos. :P

    Potential Mum,
    *covering my ears* I don't want to know I don't want to know I don't want to know.
    As it is, nothing is safe to eat.. I don't want to know bean sprout is another. :(

    Jasmine,
    Wah.. yours romantic romantic one huh? Mine kampung style. :P

    Jesslyn,
    The beansprout auntie never asked. But kept telling me, take la.. take more photos.. I never mind one.
    Maybe she just like to be photographed. :P
    Lyon also monkey hor? hmm.. confirm, Monkey girls cannot sit still (phew, not my 'training' problem).

    Egghead,
    yeah la.. and soon pin meet up with Helen and Samm.
    I think Zara is just fussy.. fullstop. :(

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  12. hehhehe.......

    u cover ur ear doesnt means it will not happen to ur beansprout ar...wahahhaa..... so cute lar u..

    but is safe lar..not those funky funky chemical lar....

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  13. What an interesting weekend you had. Must be quite fun to meet with the other bloggers. I've only been to Ipoh once and that was such a long time ago. Have not much memories of that place now. Incidentally, I've been introducing bean sprouts into Gavin's diet lately. He loves them!

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  15. Wah, what cool weekend you have. You guys are very explorative ah? I almost have ro pursuade my hubby for visiting plces he has not been to.

    Hmm... guess it isn't very comfrotable sitting 4 long hrs on a high chair ler. Not even for us adult on regular chair. :)

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  16. Damien has no problem eating beansprout, in fact he loves it! It's me who needs some coaxing in eating my beansprout..:P

    i bet you have a very fun-packed weekend..:)

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  17. At this age, its hard to get them to sit still esp for a wedding dinner since they have the need to explore around!

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  18. Wah! Driving for 4 hrs in the blistering heat and with a feisty kid to take care of is not easy.

    And yeah, about those beansprouts, I love them. They must be something cos everytime I order beansprouts, the waitress always ask if I want Ipoh or Penang sprouts.

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  19. Waaa terror lar you.. so fast post already ar?? lol Nice pictures u put up wor.... In fact I think the pics do more justice to the place than the place itself!! lol

    Glad you enjoy yourself.... lol

    Zara looks exactly like in her pics.... but daddy hor...... looks much much more hamsen in person. You better start feeding him soya products whenver he goes overseas!! :-P

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  20. Your hubby is realy cool. He let you go back to take photo of the beansprout.

    Travelling is often tiring for kids.. but the outing is of course fun :)

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  21. I love the ya-chai-ji (chicken rice with bean sprouts) in Ipoh (ermmmm... did I get the correct State?). I remember eating nothing but this dish for all the time I was in Ipoh :P

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  22. Potential Mum,
    Thank you.. I'll chomp on my beansprouts now.

    Sesame,
    You have to come to M'sia more often..But the drive up would be a killer though..
    I like holidays, but I hate long drives. Especially with a kid.
    Good that Gavin loves beansprout. I should start Zara on it as well.

    Allyfeel,
    Huh? Go to Ipoh more? No need to have a sence of adventure one.. Anybody also can go. :P
    Yeah, but some kids really can sit for long hours.. Like Samm's Gordon. Really sit throughout.

    Blurblur,
    I know I know.. Damien got lots to teach mummy.. kakaka.. :P

    Contented Mum,
    Haha, Zara also the same.. She'll stand up on the chair to protest.. Trying to tell us, "Don't carry me down.. don't carry me down I stand up la.. see you worry or not". *sigh*

    Hmom,
    You think so? But I heard, it's also part of training..

    Domestic,
    3 hrs I think to get from our plc to Ipoh.. But still a long drive non-the-less.
    You mean you are given a choice in Penang? Do they charge you more if you ask for Ipoh beansprout? Since it's considered "imported"?

    Helen,
    I'm not telling Daddy about what you said.. Or else he'll be super perasan. Kakaka..
    Eh.. John is really such a sweet fella.. And really convince me all the things you said about him in your blog was not fictional. :P

    Geetha,
    He of course complain a bit.. esp need to go back to the car to collect the camera.. But I told him to 'REST' and have a nice cup of 'COFFEE' while I go and do the running around.. So he's ok loh. Haha.
    Yeah.. going for holidays is nice.. but tiring.

    Cocka Doodle,
    You show me your face first.. then I curi curi show you the rest of the lengloi's photos..
    Bartering. :P

    Siao Char Bor,
    Yes fun.. And see if the people are really like how they seem in their blog.
    This Thurs going to meet you ler woh! Haha.

    The Diva,
    You got the town right.. Ipoh is the town, Perak is the state. :P
    Somehow their beansprouts are crunchier and sweeter. Even in KL if I can, I try to buy the ones from Ipoh, but then it'll cost a bit more.

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