A fun weekend with Ally

Ally is the children's cousin. She's embarking on her first solo trip and she chose to balik kampung! Of course she has to stay with us for the weekend.

What are the fun we had? Eat, play, talking, taking photos, FB'ing. Loads of food and noise :)

First we went for dinner at Kulim Forest Restaurant with their grandparents. The rickety road leading to this place is near to the rickety one we took to "bridge to nowhere" Pulau Bunting Bridge :) See the pebbles-type road with the restaurant sign, it's this way for a few minutes. Seems like eateries with gimmicks like fish-farming is popular, but it doesn't look like they rear the fishes at this place. I could be mistaken :P

Outside Kulim Forest Restaurant

We had durian before dinner, it was kind of forced on us. They brought out kampung durian and Green Skin durian. I had one pcs, 姐姐 had 3 pcs, 弟弟 tried one bite and said yucky again, the rest finished up by Ally and 爸爸. I couldn't take more as most of the stuff are just lumpy unlike the ones 爸爸 bought. Even 姐姐 say she likes durian, but she didn't finish the lumpy parts, and majority are polished off by 爸爸. Both Ally and 姐姐 prefer sweet-tasting durians. Whoa, the durian aftertaste really kills. And the durian smell afterwards too, as they just threw the skin and seeds at a box by our table. Food is really mediore, everything just tasted too sweet. 爸爸 ordered steamed catfish, assorted beans type veggie (supposed to be spicy but just tasted sweet), pork with salted fish, hot-plate tofu (lots of minced pork), sweet and sour pork, stir-fried veggie. Maybe he just didn't know how to order. Nice ambient but please don't ask me to go there anymore!

As soon as it gets dark, the mozzies start attacking Ally, the children and I (it is in the "forest" after all, so slather on mozzie repellant if anyone's still going to try this place. On our way back, we saw a few fireflies, though pales in comparison to the Nibong Tebal firefly watching trip.

Inside Kulim Forest Restaurant

Ally stayed the night with us and the children bugged her like mad :) The children told us the next day they stayed up really late :P

The next day, we went for lunch at Traders The Islander after 姐姐's Maths class. Unfortunately no western soup that day and I match the nice bread with coffee only. Strange that many tables are full of senior citizens :P I guess that's why they had "kiam chai ark" soup. Well, at least put out the regular mushroom soup. The children loved the desserts and ice cream as usual.

These photos taken by Ally

Ice cream at The Islander and durian display at Penang Times Square

We passed by Penang Times Square and I asked to for a photo of the durian display, to remember the durians we had yesterday but didn't take any shots as we got our hands messy (and ehem, smelly). See the blue sky in the durian display photo? The haze was bad last week, just clearing up during the weekend after a few drizzles. 姐姐 had music class replacement later, Ally and 弟弟 stayed home.

The play part comes next, even though they play at home. The children bugged us to go to playground, and I think they kind of remember where it is when they passed it. No photos there as they were running around so much and pity Ally as they pulled her arms to go here and there, screaming her name. Probably the whole playground knows her name already :) Then, window-shopping at Gurney Plaza since she hasn't been there quite some time.

Ally said 弟弟 took this photo :P

Of course after such a heavy lunch, we bring Ally for "lighter" dinner, the seafood noodle/porridge place at Sungai Tiram called Joo Leong Cafe. I had mee sua, 姐姐 and Ally had maggi noodles, 弟弟 had vermicelli (bee hoon), then there's the popular toast and satay to share upon 弟弟's request.

Taken by Ally again

Back home at night, the children bugged her to play again, and I think they all fell asleep trying to sing "12 Days Of Christmas" in the dark.

As it was 五月初五 端午节 (Duanwu Festival, 5th day of the 5th month in Chinese calendar), her mission is to lug back rice dumplings (she helped to make these) and Him Heang biscuits to Klang. Only 爸爸 eats rice dumplings at our home so she got a big pack :D 姐姐 hate fatty pork meat, and I hate five spice powder. Somehow 弟弟 haven't taken any liking for it despite being meat eater.

She made it back home safe and sound! Successful solo trip for a girl going into adulthood :)
See Ally's own encounter for her trip, didn't know she took so many photos with the children :P