Where and how are you? KK! Day 2 (Part 3)

If you’ve read some of my previous posts, by now, you would have known that I love the travel show Biyahe ni Drew. So for this trip, I watched his KK travel video to get some ideas.  

Maybe next time

One of the things he did was, instead of having breakfast at his hotel, he went to Kedai Kopi Yee Fung Restaurant to have their famous Yee Fung Laksa. I really don’t like Laksa. My reaction to its smell is similar to my reaction to Durian. I actually avoided routes where I could smell Laksa.  But for this trip, I challenged myself.  The Laksa from this place has been getting great reviews.  Unfortunately, it was closed when I got there.  I went back the following day, it was still closed. Laksa and I are not meant to be. (Post Script:  When I got back to the PH, I ordered Laksa from a stall in a mall.  I got sick after. Not meant to be.)

Atkinson Clock Tower

As mentioned in my earlier post, I was still full from dinner so I decided to skip breakfast when I found out that Kedai Kopi Yee Fung was closed. I instead headed to the Atkinson Clock Tower. But I first had to determine how to get there.  I asked a local and she pointed me to an arch heading up the mountains.  With that advice, I started my trek.  However, after a few meters, I’ve noticed that I was the only one walking and all I can see on the road up were cars.  Well, it was time to check my trusty Google Maps. As it turned out, all I needed to do was cross the bypass road where I was initially standing and I would see the flight of stairs leading to the clock tower.  The local I asked earlier gave me the right direction but that was the tougher route. You use it if you also want to trek to the Signal Hill Observatory.

I was the only person at the tower. But I enjoyed every bit of it.  Being a culture and heritage buff, being there was awesome.  Built in 1905, the Atkinson Clock Tower is the oldest standing structure in all of Sabah that survived the town’s destruction during World War II. For a time, it was a point of reference for ships calling port at the wharf.  Until the 1950’s it was illuminated at night to serve as landmark for the ships on voyage.  #pasokkuyakim

Time to hit the Gaya Street Sunday Market!

I love weekend markets!

They have all stuff you can think of, from garments, to food, plants, animals, souvenirs, etc. I think I spent more than an hour just checking out what the market had to offer. From this exercise, I chose most of the items I brought home to family and friends. After an hour or so of canvassing, I was able to buy some pasalubongs. And it was worth all the walking and haggling.  Most shops sell souvenir shirts between MYR18-MYR40.  However, I chanced upon this stall with shirts on sale. I may not be wearing my glasses but my eyes are trained when it comes to seeing the word “SALE”! They also gave me an additional discount because I was buying in bulk (ok, that’s just OA of me, about 5 pcs). So I got the white shirts for MYR5 each while the colored ones went for MYR8. Spell bargain! I also bought some coffee and tea at less than MYR1-MYR2 of their regular prices.

Colorful textiles

I also got Donya and myself a local blouse and dress, respectively.  The stall owner said the dress will not fit me. But I bought it just the same. In case it wouldn’t fit, Donya can have it.  Eat your heart out Manang Tindera, the dress seemed to be tailored for me! Oh and Donya liked her blouse. She was so arte and kept on saying, “I like! I like!”

I went back to the hotel to drop-off my haul. Did an inventory of the shirts against my list of nieces and nephews, and noted that I still lacked a few more.  So I went back to the same stall. A member of the #titasofmanila, indeed.

What's not to love

Still full of energy, I headed to the Waterfront. I just kept on walking around enjoying the sights and people watching (in a good way). I was observing how the locals were celebrating Hari Raya. I was almost tempted to go to Burger King for the heck of it. #thekingandi

The coconut nut is a giant nut but this delicious nut is not a nut

By lunchtime, the sun was already scorching hot and continuing my walkathon was no longer advisable. So I decided to get lunch instead. Uh-oh! I guess no matter where you are, Sunday lunch is an event.  Most of the restaurants were full and there were even customers waiting to be seated.  The one place where there were lots of people but where I could easily be served was The Royal Coconut. But I couldn’t have it right away because I still have not eaten anything solid since that morning. I just ordered one Pandan Coconut Pudding to go. Even the restaurants near the hotel were full including my go to place, Wong Kok. Same as the previous day, I ordered take away and had lunch at the hotel. For Sunday lunch, I ordered Char Siu and Chicken Rice with Kit Chai.

So refreshing

The TRC Pandan Coconut Pudding was worth the buzz. It was so refreshing.  The pudding was served inside a coconut shell which provided insulation to keep it cool. The Kit Chai was a Malaysia staple for me and my family.  No trip to Malaysia will be complete without it.  

The twist to this lime juice? Kiamoy!

Because I spent around 4-5 hours for my walkathon, my feet hurt! I had to rest again. Ah, the beauty of having a nearby hotel.

Good thing I came a bit early

I took my much needed rest that afternoon. It was also a bed weather kind of day.  It was raining non-stop. Around dinner time, my umbrella and I decided to go hit the seafood market, Seri Selera Kampung Air.

The best way to describe Seri Selera? It’s KK’s version of our Dampa! The perimeter of the covered complex was lined with tanks showcasing a vast variety of seafood. There were also restaurants where you can have your seafood prepared according to your choice or as suggested by food attendants, like in my case. All tables and chairs were grouped in the middle. After checking out the “goods”, that was when I realized that the seating at the tables was family-style and I was just by myself. I must confess that I felt a tinge of loneliness knowing that I was just by myself in the midst of families celebrating an occasion that is the equivalent of our Christmas. It really made me appreciate more the sacrifices of our kababayans who work overseas, away from their families.

Yup, it was a family night

But with kababayans around, you will never be alone. While trying to figure out how I can get a table, I was approached by an attendant.  I said my usual EOP line and he said, “Filipina ka?” And when I answered Yes, I was instantly treated like a VIP. I was ushered to a table for four.  While trying to figure out my order, we were having a chit-chat about where we’re from and our motherland, in general.  It was like catching up with a long-lost relative. “Kuya” who was more like an “Ate” helped me select what to order for dinner – Tiger Prawn in Butter and Cream Sauce, Fishball Soup, Oyster Omelette and the shake version of the Kit Chai.  While waiting for my order, I was approached by a lady holding a cardboard showing selections of satay being offered by a stall at the other side.  Using my sing-language skills (limited to turo-turo), I also ordered five sticks of lamb satay. I heard her say, kambing.

"Kambing" though it was actually lamb

My orders were brought by another Filipino attendant who was quite flamboyant, to say the least.  Chatting with him was a blast.  He was very candid. Since I was not familiar with the ordering and payment process, he did everything for me.

Oyster Omelette 

Naiiyak ako pag naaalala ko ang presyo ;op

Kit Chai Version 2.0

Have I mentioned that servings of my orders were all for sharing? Since dishess were served family-style in the market, I had no choice but to order the sharing sizes. Of course, I did not finish all of them.  Except for the single tiger prawn (na pikit mata ko na binili) and the shake, I just ate portions of the other dishes.  But none of the remaining food went to waste.  I had a plan when I placed my orders.  Remember, the receptionist at my hotel is a Filipina? I had the rest of my orders to go and shared them with her and the hotel's cleaning lady. It was Hari Raya, after all.

Care for some water chestnut juice?

The food attendant did something that really made me feel as if I never left the Philippines.  When I told him that I wanted the rest of my orders to go, he called the attention of another local attendant and started singing, “Balutin mo ako sa liwanag ng iyong pagmamahal….”  Unknown to him, the song was actually a joke between me and my friends whenever we have potluck sessions. Now you know what to do whenever there is still leftover food, either you sing that song or you say, “I-Sharon Cuneta mo na yan!”

Indeed, with Filipinos around, you’re never alone.  You’re always with family.

Day 2 ended with me having a happy tummy and a smile on my face.