long Chinese New Year weekend

Was away for CNY and just got home today. I spend every CNY at my gran's place in Benut. Benut is a small town in southern state Johor. It's a really small kampung in the middle of nowhere. My gran is so old [she's 94 this year] that she doesn't even seem to recognise me anymore. Well sometimes she does. As usual, we'd spend the first 2 days in Johor then head down to Singapore where all my other relatives are. My dad comes from a large family and everyone moved to Singapore except my dad, who for some reason decided to move up north to KL. My uncle and family still lives in Benut with my gran.

This is the old house where my gran used to live till several years ago.

It was good to see my cousins again cos I don't get to see them often. Only once a year during CNY. But as my gran's health is progressively deteriorating, we try to make extra trips down to visit her.

I arrived in Singapore late Friday evening. Benut is a 90 min drive to Singapore but this time around I went with my uncle and the rest of my relos and my uncle decided to detour a couple of times to pick up groceries and why did he choose to travel via the Woodlands link? Traffic was so bad the journey took almost 4 hours!

I had planned to shop for a new camera in Singapore but as it turned out prices isn't cheaper there. What a total disappointment! Looks like I need to head down to Sg Wang/Low Yat this weekend. I did however pick up Ashin's new Japan photo travelguide book at Kino. It even came with the pre-order gift - a rather cool lanyard with a luggage tag. The book is so beautifully put together with loads of amazing pics. Now if only I could read the text! LOL

Escape to Japan book on sale in Kino.

The human traffic in Singapore never fails to amaze me. There are soooooo many people everywhere - particularly in Orchard Rd and Bugis. I'm not sure if it's the CNY crowd but as far as I can remember, those areas are always very crowded. Even the MRT trains were so packed. I can't stand the disinfectant smell on board those trains and when it's crowded it gets worse cos you get so many sweaty smelly people who stand soooo close to you it makes you feel like wanna throw up.

Food in Singapore is bad. I have said this once and many times before. This CNY I actually had KFC and western fare twice! Come to think of it, I had pork chop for lunch at Riblee's in Desa Sri Hartamas on CNY eve.. it was so yummy.

A couple of blocks from where I was staying in Singapore is a "coffee shop" and there's a Botak Jones western cuisine stall there selling what they claim as "authentic American food" and their tagline reads "Damn Good Food At A Damn Good Price" Yeah my foot! I had the rosemary lamb chop and it tasted nowhere even near damn good. I paid about $12 for that plate. Not exactly "a damn good price" considering that I was dining at a "coffee shop". Even the lamb chop at IMM Mall's food court is cheaper and tastier plus it's air-conditioned there. That's gonna be my first and last time dining at Botak Jones.

Rosemary lamb chop at Botak Jones

My cousin from Benut tagged along to Singapore so we had to babysit him for 2 days. The little rascal is quite a specimen.. he actually eats more than me, sleeps less than me and he's only 7! He drinks too! LOL. Well since I had to babysit him for 2 days, I figured giving him a couple bottles of beer might just put him out but guess I was wrong...

What ya looking at mate? Ain't never seen a kid drink?