Am now resting in my village Kampong Ah Piew, and my hometown Alor Star...
It has been raining almost everyday, otherwise, it is cloudy....
The air is cool and we like it...
We had the so-called 100th day memorial for my mother the other day...
It seems that the people around Tokai (the one-street town about 2 kilometers from my village) got together to collectively secure a burial plot in Bukit Pinang...
So, it is like, 'together forever... dead or alive' for folks around Tokai area...
The highlight of the memorial was the invitation by the Taoist monk for mother to rest at the ancestral altar in my youngest brother's house...
Which means to say, my mother is now reunited with my father and all the ancestors...
We did not plan to do any scuba diving this trip...
For a change, we spend our time relaxing, and soaking in the views of the green-carpeted paddy fields, the fresh air in the village, and the songs of the little birds that congregate day and night at the fruit trees at my brother's house...
We also did something that we had not really done before...
That is, meeting up with old friends... schoolmates from secondary school...
I have not met some of them since 1975, which is like thirty five years ago...
In KL, one friend was too kind to set up a get-together at the roof-top of a condo, with sweeping views of the KL skyline and Genting Highlands...
Another was too gracious to bring my missus and I out for a night at a Lebanese restaurant...
In Alor Star, a friend met and chatted with us for hours over coffee and toast...
The same evening, yet another friend entertained us at a Thai restaurant in Jitra...
The following morning brought our friend and us together at a popular tosai joint where we met another old classmate by accident...
It was a joy catching up with him and I was too happy to accept his missus' invitation to visit them on Christmas day...
As if this is not enough for us, we are set to meet up with a bunch of old buddies and our teachers on 26th December...
We are due to fly to KL on 28th morning to connect to a late night flight to Osaka...
We are equally thrilled that a friend is organizing a lunch get-together on that day...
Wooh... how lucky can we get with these friends of ours?
Gardening, photography, food, fishing, traveling, scuba diving, life in Japan, plus of course, news and views of being away from home...
Welcome back again Sir,
ReplyDeleteKampong Ah Piew?Interesting name.
Just curious,what airline do you always use?Mas?
So it must be MH52 back to Kansai?
Hope you enjoyed all the foods in A/S again.Watch out for the cholesterol contain.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
Ah Piew was my grand father's name... he apparently opened up this large area of land and turned it into padi fields...
ReplyDeleteWe normally book ANA... they codeshare with MH, so we are flying MH most of the time... yeap, MH52 back to Kansai it is...
You said it... everytime we return to Japan, we have to eat porridge and vegetables to revert back to our weight...
Hi sir!
ReplyDeleteBeen reading this blog still, since I stumbled upon it. It's just that I've been keeping to myself off late.
It broke my heart to hear the news from you regarding your mother sir. I couldn't bring myself to post any comments even when the entry moved me (especially all the moments you've cherished with her till her last breath).I shed my tears while reading those.
I know sir, after this onwards...the feeling of coming back to Malaysia will not be the same as before. But the memories will remain and you've framed a picture of your mother in your heart.
Hope you and your wife will enjoy coming back to Malaysia again.
p/s:Really would like to meet you and your wife in person as I am already staying in KL.
lrong!!! hey, isn't it always nice to b back to the place where u grow up and suck in the fresh air + atmosphere? meery xmas and happy new year to u dude!!!! hv a good time with the remainder of yr hols.
ReplyDeleteibunoor... thank you very much for your comments and your feelings... I appreciate it very much... yes, coming back to Msia will be somewhat different... it is a mixed feeling... thank you for your statement about meeting up... it will be our (my missus and I) pleasure and an honor to do so...
ReplyDeletektx... yes, the joy of returning to the old surroundings... heavenly, it is...
You ate so much and then come back to eat seaweed, so you'll live to a 100!
ReplyDelete(Alice)
I find that I'm closest to the friends I made in high school as well. Always a riot when we hang out together :) Safe flight home Lrong Sinseh!
ReplyDeletealice... aiming for 100, yes... if can hit 90, it will be an A...
ReplyDeleteunka... thanks for your wishes...