Day 3 - 2nd June 2008
The morning saw us packing our stuff in preparation to leave KL and the Nova hotel. Checking out was fast - much faster than the checking in anyway - and Gordon took us back to Chinatown for breakfast. We thought it best if we skipped the hotel breakfast and saved our stomachs for something more substantial (not to mention appetising!). Uncle Bob had fulfiled two of his cravings - the Hokkien Noodles and the Bak Kut Teh - but still had one more item on his list to scratch off: Yong Tau Foo, local delight style.
Gordon took us into Chinatown - the entire place looked so different in the day: the streets were relatively empty; the multitude of carts peddling pirated and imitatation goods that lined the entire road the night before when we were there were all gone. It was surreal to think that just the night before we were pushing past people, squeezing through holes in the crowd while scrupulously guarding our valuables as we made our way to the restuarant for dinner.
Uncle Bob led the way confidently, through loops of alleyways - all dark; all dirty. There was a lingering smell of fish and rubbish as we traversed the streets of KL's Chinatown; it was like I had been transported into one of those AD&D stories I loved to read - the labyrinth of tunnels that had no end and we were adventurers seeking untold treasure in its murky depths.
It was treasure of a different kind though - the questers found their quarry in the form of a small noodle stall under the shadows cast by the morning sun beating on the rusted roof of poorly joined metal 'scales'. Sadly, Uncle Bob's quest was in vain - his favourite stall was closed for business that day. Monday.
Fortunately for us, the noodle stall that sold Laksa and Fishball noodles served up an excellent meal. I told myself I had to control my appettite this time - I could NOT afford to overeat again: the feeling was really awful. I had my fill of a bowl of noodles. It was to be a nice buffer between the roads of KL to Melaka.
I hate long journeys by car - I frequently had travel sickness when I was younger. I still have this problem every now and then. Lucky for me, Uncle Bob and Gordon were excellent company and they kept me occupied enough that I didn't think too much of the journey. Along the way to Melaka, Gordon remembered my craving for ROOT BEER off the tap and made a pit stop at the R&R between KL to Melaka.
Seriously - the Rootbeer from A&W is simply the BEST. There's just no comparison for me. I had a nice mug of Rootbeer; it certainly satiated my thirst and curbed my craving - at least until the next time we were in town... heh. It was like releasing a spring within - bloody refreshing!
We reached Melaka in record speed - Gordon's lead foot made all the difference on the accelerator. From the toll gate, we made our way to Uncle Dominic's ('Uncle' being used as a preffix for all the seniors on this trip) home. I wonder if someday someone might refer to me as 'uncle'. :OP
Uncle Dominic was every bit as warm as Uncle Fee Loong. No quarter was given - his hospitality was the mark of a true gentleman. I had a great time. He also showed us a ton of his magic props and stuff, all of which he made himself. After he entertained some Indonesian guests, we headed out for - you guessed it - lunch!
Melaka is supposedly famous for its Chicken Rice Balls. Uncle Dominic brought us to a nearby place where they served pretty good Chicken Rice Balls - Christianed ping pong balls by us because they REALLY REALLY looked like bite sized ping pong balls.
You can see Bob on the left and Dominic on the right each brandishing a ball of rice.
Then check out the entire plate of rice balls. They look like golf balls! Each costs 15cents!
Though I felt the rice balls were a little over rated, I found the Chicken superb - it was really tender and tasty; unlike the ones we get in Singapore, somehow the chicken in Malaysia tastes so much better!
After a great lunch, we went to the hotel, leading the way was Uncle Dominic on his scooter - truly a sight to behold. He would weave about in traffic and sometimes we'd lose him because we would get held up by the red lights. We eventually checked into the hotel Mimosa in the late afternoon. It was a very nice hotel and the air conditioning was damn cold - just the way I like it!
Bob called Andrew, one of the local talents in Melaka who has apparently marketed some magic online. He came by at about 5:30pm or so, a little while after we've settled into the comfort of the room that the Mimosa Hotel provided. Gordon and I left to try and buy some drinks and munchies while Uncle Bob entertained Andrew. Actually we just needed some fresh air. LOL.
After walking around blindly for ages, we finally found a coffee shop worthy of Gordon Po's standards and purchased 4 hot drinks to go. He was going to buy some springrolls to go as well, but changed his mind after seeing the swooning flies over the ingredients. Fussy; fussy! But at times like these, I was glad he was: much better to be fussily deprived than stuffed and sufferring.
We arrived back at the room and were greeted by a usual sight - Bob Chua has done it again: a flummoxed Andrew's facial expression said it all. The session lasted until Uncle Dominic arrived to take us to a Nonya Dinner. More food - I wasn't sure then if I would last the night. If the food weren't so good, I'd have an easier time controlling myself!
Suffice to say Day 2 ended with a fantastic dinner and coffee by the road!
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