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Project: Reflect 52 #39 - It's nice to be nice :)



It's nice to be nice. Agree? I really do.

I believe in an eye for an eye. In the same context, I truly believe if I'm nice to others, they will be nice to me too. Although I can't expect others to be nice to me all the time, I can always do my part to be nice to them.

A few days ago, I was on the level of low positive energy for quite some time. I was trying to find out why certain people can be so nasty. So I kept on reminding myself not to be as nasty. In the back of my mind, I believe in the end of the day, nastiness doesn't get you anywhere. People remember, especially all the nasty stuff you did and the nasty words you said.

Come to think of it, is there any difference between 'don't be nasty' and 'be nice'? Maybe yes, maybe no. Either way, I think it gets me nowhere if I keep on trying to find ways to reciprocate others' nastiness or get even or something towards that extent.

I will learn to shift my focus from 'don't be nasty' to 'just be nice' as much as I can! From now onwards, I'm gonna practice "it's nice to be nice!" It can be as simple as a polite nod or smile or just plain ol' "Thank you!"

:D


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Road trip 3: A stretch of beaches

This is the final post of our Kuala Terengganu (KT) - Kota Bharu (KB) trip.

You can read my previous posts here. :)



As we drove along the coastal road from Kota Bharu to Kuala Terengganu, there are a few notable beaches - Pantai Penarik, Pantai Merang, Pantai Bukit Chalok, and Pantai Rhu Sepuluh.



 This is Pantai Bukit Chalok, where we had humongous fried squid for late noon snack.





This is Pantai Rhu Sepuluh, where fishermen haul up their fresh catch for sale. If you want fresh seafood, come here!
 






I like this photo very much. See the airplane? Whenever I see an airplane flying above me, I always like to watch until it becomes one tiny dot in the air and vanishes not long after that. The feeling is... nostalgic.

 

If you feel lucky and want some freshwater mussels, find a way to stop by the roadside (doing so is actually quite precarious) and get yourself some good deals!


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Fill in the Blank Friday - Firsts


I found out about Lauren, author of The Little Things We Do from her blog post about her birth story.

I'm very impressed with her spirit and positivity, especially the part where she said, "My one suggestion for having a natural birth? The power of positive thinking." This is a very strong conviction and encouragement for me as I prepare myself for my first pregnancy early next year. :)

Then, I found out about her fill in the blank friday series. So, here I am! This is my first post of the series, of which I will submit my link here.

Quoting Lauren, "Hope you make some more "firsts" over your weekend!"

My "firsts"
  1. My first memory was about being a naughty little girl who "dumped" an entire bottle of baby powder all over my baby sister just because I wanted to smell how nice she would be. My mom was horrified. :D

  2. My first love was my husband. We were married three months ago. :) Spending time with him every day is the best investment I have ever made in my life.

  3. My very first favorite color was and still is, yellow - the color of sunshine, sunflower, happiness, and bliss!

  4. The first time I really felt like a "grown-up" was when my husband, then boyfriend, proposed to me during Christmas last year. I was like: Okay, so we are getting married, next thing in line would be parenthood. So yeah, that's kinda force me to "grow up" with a real purpose in life.

  5. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is check my mobile phone to know what time it is and whether I can still nap for a few more minutes before I head to the bathroom.

  6. The first CD (cassette tape, record, etc...) I ever bought was a Hong Kong singer, Faye Wong's cassette tape. However, I have given all her tapes away when I was studying in the university many years ago.

  7. My first car was and still is, a Malaysian Proton Saga 1.3L (M-line), of which I affectionately called WUQkie. Why? Here's the post.


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Road trip 3: Buah jering and local fruits at Pasar Besar Siti Khadijah, Kota Bharu

Malaysia, especially the east-coast states - Terengganu and Kelantan - is a haven for exotic fruits of bizarre shapes and colors.

During our road trip to Kota Bharu, we visited Pasar Besar Siti Khadijah, where you can find a lot of exotic raw stuff that you won't usually see in Kuala Lumpur.



Boiled buah jering 

Most petai lovers will love buah jering too. Both types have distinctive strong smell; eating them is an acquired taste.

Buah jering is a type of legume known for its medicinal benefits, including reducing blood sugar level and improving digestive system. However, there are studies showing if they are taken raw in large amounts and with low fluid intake, one may suffer from acute kidney failure.



Buah jering is commonly prepared as a snack (boiled for 14 hours) and eaten with coconut floss in the east-coast states. That's how I like it too! You should try it too but do eat in moderation.



Buah nona

Buah nona is also known as custard apple or sugar apple.



A ripe buah nona is soft to the touch and it breaks open easily, showing pulpy segments with black seeds.

The texture of its flesh is soft and sweet like custard and it has a flavor likened to that of a cross between a banana and a pineapple. Buah nona is very high in Vitamin C and fructose.



 Buah ciku madu

Who don't know buah ciku, right? The ripe fruits are super sweet. I like this description: The fruit has an exceptionally sweet, malty flavor. The flavor bears a striking resemblance to caramel or a pear candied with brown sugar.

But beware of the unripe fruits, you won't like the feeling of numbness on your tongue.



Buah keranji  

Buah keranji is a small, oval-shaped fruit covered with black soft skin. Each fruit has a hard seed in the middle. The edible part is the thin layer of flesh covering the seed. The flesh tastes sour upon biting but it leaves a subtle, pleasant sweetness at the end.


  
Buah madu manis

I'm actually not quite sure what this is.



Buah pauh ringan

Buah pauh ringan are small, green unripe mangoes. They are usually used to make jeruk or shredded for kerabu mangga.



Buah salak

Buah salak is a peculiar fruit covered with scaly, dark brown skin. It is easily peeled off by hand and its cream-colored flesh is crunchy with a very distinct flavor. Eating buah salak is also an acquired taste.



Buah salak madu

 Buah salak madu is the cousin of buah salak. I assume its flesh is sweeter. :P

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You can read about our previous road trips and upcoming posts about our Kuala Terengganu (KT) - Kota Bharu (KB) trip here.

:)


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Road trip 3: Colek Buah @ Wakaf Che Yeh, Kota Bharu


Colek Buah is a traditional dish similar to rojak buah. It is a popular snack among locals because it is light, tasty, and best eaten while spending time with friends and family.

 

A good pack of colek buah contains a few types of cut fruits. For this stall nearby the famous night market at Wakaf Che Yeh, Kota Bharu, the lady seller uses local fruits and preserved fruits from Thailand.
 


 Local fruits include pineapples, mangoes, guavas, young mangoes, buah kedondong, and buah katak puru (the brown-skinned fruits that resemble potatoes in the photo above).

 

Preserved fruits from Thailand include preserved mangoes and mini white grapes that are super duper sour.
 


There are nine types of fruits mixed with dark, sweet and salty sauce in the colek buah combo that I bought.

 

You can see tiny dried shrimps in the sauce too!

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You can read about our previous road trips and upcoming posts about our Kuala Terengganu (KT) - Kota Bharu (KB) trip here.

:)
 
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Road trip 3: Chengmai Thai Food Restaurant @ Kampung Kulim, Kelantan


Chengmai Thai Food Restaurant (清迈餐厅) is very popular among the locals and they will strongly recommend this restaurant to visitors from out of town.

Do set the following address in your GPS device if you intend to drive to the restaurant - No. 107, Kampung Kulim, Wakaf Bharu, Tumpat, 16250 Kelantan - because it is located in a residential area that seems to be in the middle of a jungle.



Prawn Curry

This is one of the best dishes of the night. I keep "digging" in the gravy for bamboo shoots. :P



Thai-style Steamed Grouper (Siakap)


This is my favorite dish of the night. The sauce simmers slowly in the steel plate the whole night over charcoal, thus keeping the fish moist and tender. Highly recommended; you must remember to order this dish.



Roasted Pork Knuckles

Satiate your hunger for porky goodness with this huge chunk of roasted pork knuckles. Definitely a must-have for pork lovers!



Sweet and Sour Chicken

A compulsory addition to our food fiesta.



Stir-fried Kangkung with Garlic

The only vegetables dish for the night.



Fried Calamari Strips with Garlic

Fragrant, yummy, and crunchy! It's finger licking good!

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You can read about our previous road trips and upcoming posts about our Kuala Terengganu (KT) - Kota Bharu (KB) trip here.

:)


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Easy potato salad with KEWPIE mayonnaise


Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes, 1 medium carrot, half Japanese cucumber, 3 eggs, KEWPIE Mayonnaise (mild type), salt and pepper (optional)



Let's cook!
  • Wash and scrub the potatoes. Don't peel. Avoid boiling potatoes without skin to preserve their nutrients.
  • To make hard-boiled eggs, I cook the eggs together with the potatoes for about 15 minutes.

  • Cut carrots and Japanese cucumbers into small cubes. I retain their skin as well.

  • Drain the potatoes and mash them slightly.
  • Peel the eggs and mash them slightly too.
  • Mix potatoes and eggs with carrots and cucumbers in a bowl.
  • Add KEWPIE Mayonnaise as much as you like.

  • Mix everything until you get the look and taste you want. Add salt and pepper (optional).
  • Serve chilled. So easy and hassle free!
  • Eat! :D


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Movie: Dredd (2012)

Judgment is coming

Dredd (2012) is a sci-fi action movie set in America's post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Synopsis from IMDb: The future America is an irradiated waste land. On its East Coast, running from Boston to Washington DC, lies Mega-City One - a vast, violent metropolis where criminals rule the chaotic streets. The only force of order lies with the urban cops called "Judges" who possess the combined powers of judge, jury and instant executioner.

Known and feared throughout the city, Dredd (Karl Urban) is the ultimate Judge, challenged with ridding the city of its latest scourge - a dangerous drug epidemic that has users of "Slo-Mo" experiencing reality at a fraction of its normal speed. During a routine day on the job, Dredd is assigned to train and evaluate Cassandra Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), a rookie with powerful psychic abilities thanks to a genetic mutation.

A heinous crime calls them to a neighborhood where fellow Judges rarely dare to venture - a 200 storey vertical slum controlled by prostitute turned drug lord Ma-Ma (Lena Headey) and her ruthless clan...

Let me tell you three simple facts regarding why you must watch Dredd:

1. Don't mess with the Ma-Ma clan.

Ma-Ma. Remember her name. You will walk away from the cinema remembering her scarred face, haunted look, and ruthless charisma as the city's most fearsome criminal kingpin.


2. Impressive, ruthless key firing sequence.

I tell you, that sequence involving Ma-Ma and her clan in their attempt to kill Dredd and Anderson is jaw-dropping. Awesome! Not only so, there are a lot more action sequences that you should not miss!


3. The dreamy effects of the Slo-Mo narcotics.

Those haunting, hallucinating effects are so colorful and beautiful. But, when people got thrown down from high up, you will shudder at how such beautiful array of colors can be transformed into gore and sheer brutality within seconds. Superb!

Really, go watch Dredd! 

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Road trip 3: All kinds of breakfasts in Kota Bharu


Kopitiam Kita at Dusun Raja, Jalan Pengkalan Chepa is the best one-stop kopitiam for Kelantanese breakfast in Kota Bharu.



The variety of rice dishes is mesmerizing: Nasi Ayam Pedas, Nasi Berlauk Gulai Ikan Kering, Nasi Gulai Ayam Tumpat, Nasi Berlauk Ikan Tumpat, Nasi Gulai Daging, Nasi Ayam Goreng, Nasi Dagang Ayam, etc.

I spend a good 10 minutes deciding which nasi to choose. @_@



This is Nasi Dagang Ayam, the hubby's breakfast.



This is Nasi Berlauk Ikan Tumpat, my breakfast.



This is Nasi Berlauk Gulai Ikan Kering, my mom-in-law's breakfast choice.


Then, we move on to see the famous spread of Nasi Ulam nearby Muzium Kraftangan Kota Bharu.



The amount of raw vegetables trays they have is really awesome!



If you want Chinese brekkie, go to Restoran Sri Cola at Jalan Seri Cemerlang.



You can have good porridge and dim sum at the same time!

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You can read about our previous road trips and upcoming posts about our Kuala Terengganu (KT) - Kota Bharu (KB) trip here.

:)


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