“Far from the madding crowd’s ignoble strife
Their sober wishes never learn’d to stray;
Along the cool sequester’d vale of life
They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.”
-From Thomas Gray’s poem Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, from which Thomas Hardy derived the name for his novel, Far From the Madding Crowd–
I have been reading a lot lately thanks to a power surge (due to a loose neutral point) that destroyed our home entertainment system, and whilst I bemoan the effect on our pockets, I am delighted with the extra time that has been forced upon me. Nothing pleases me more (and I wish I had the willpower to do more things that please me than to sit Jabba-like on the couch with a remote control) than jumping into bed with a book in my hand, the air-conditioning turned down to its coldest and the feeling of a warm duvet pulled up to my chest, with a hint of the scent of blissful templetree with my every movement.
The washing machine is also fried, but there is nothing romantic about smelly clothes.
“If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things in nature have a message you understand, Rejoice, for your soul is alive.”
-Eleanora Duse-
Shhhhh!
It is not silent here. Motorcyclists use the bridge to cross over to the other side. Our laughter fills the air, barely, fighting hard with the vehicles of modernisation.
Shhhhh!
Remember the oath of secrecy. Reveal the location on your blog and suffer the wrath of one particularly angry Cordon Bleu Chef’s Mother.
The fresh steamed fish with onions and salted soybean sauce is good, but this is not the reason for our drive to Nibong Tebal in Penang.
We pre-ordered this dish to ensure that the large prawns are available. Cooked in a thick curry, it goes marvelously with the Roti Benggali – thick cut bread that is excellent for dipping. The curry is addictive and whets the appetite, and the prawns are fresh, cooked in their shells, the heads oozing with roe. We see young chaps walking in intermittently carrying plastic bags holding treasures within – live prawns from the river that flows beside this shack. One plate isn’t enough. We order another and mop up everything.
Shhhh! The football team secretly trains here.
Also check out What2See’s blog.
Thank you, Aunty.
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For more about the Nirvana Bus Tour, read about it here:
The Nirvana Bus Tour Part 1 – click HERE
The Nirvana Bus Tour Part 2, Prologue and A Nirvana Tribute – click HERE
The Nirvana Bus Tour Part 3, The Tanjung Tualang Chapter – click HERE
The Nirvana Bus Tour Part 4, Street Food in Pulau Tikus, Penang – click HERE
The Nirvana Bus Tour Part 5, Sai Lam Coffee Shop – click HERE
Shhh… Jabba’s sleeping.
Your sentiments are as soothing as your blog is beautiful. Thank you.
well im glad i caught up with some reading too, nothing like lying down and dozing off with a book when you have a massive hangover.
Shhhhh… u sed too much! ..erm, but ur pictures are not too much at all.. they are lovely:D
yay.. more installments to come:D
the garlic steamed prawns here are nice too!
my, yr pics made the place looks like Nirvana..whn it was actually quite a kampung.. ;p
ALilFatMonkey: Shhh…Jabba’s gonna get ya.
Sortachef: Thanks for your kind words.
lotsofcravings: Must have been quite a hangover you had there, Joe!
cumidanciki: Yes, I said too much. 🙂 Yeah, catching up on old posts.
thenomadGourmand: Really? I guess we should try that the next time we’re there. Kampungs can be Nirvana too, no? 🙂
Yum, I want that curry porn.
I mean curry prawns. 🙂
I am sooo glad to be coming home soon…to feast!
When’s the next tour? Can I enlist 😉
that’s in nibong tebal ?
good stuff are normally found in kampung… example the ma cho kai 🙂
I’m secretly planning a trip up north from KL at the moment
I missed those curry prawns…especially the custardy mushy roes. Thanks for bringing back those ‘delicious’ memories of this place 🙂
chaokar: hehe. freudian slip, eh?
Precious Sista: Looking forward to seeing you soon over a crab feast!
Yin: You certainly can, young lady!
Genova: Shhhhh! Not so loud. 🙂
thule aka leo: It’s no longer a secret now. 😀
ck lam: Hehe….I miss them too! Next time, I’m calling you! 🙂
Yes, another year, another 365 days of potential gluttons’ getaway! Let’s hope I got some Parit Buntar/Taiping places for work. Then I can hop over to Nibong Tebal for those damn sinful prawns.
Wait … oath of secrecy?! I’ll pry those information from yer grasp soon …… 😉
makes me wanna go on a road trip!
J2Kfm: Hahaha…pry away! My fists are clasped tight!
babe_kl: Road trips are always fun, aren’t they?
Oh, that roti bengali and curry looks so divine. I am *so* looking forward to eating in Penang come CNY!
So what’s the secret password to get into this secret location? 🙂
Me reckons you already have disclosed the secret location 😉 *off with her head* Hahahah….
Here’s to a brand new year of eating, writing and getting smashed by the pool *hugs*
kam siah, aunty! ;D
and kam siah to aunty’s cordon bleu chef son, of course. ;D
Oh Wow! Look at those prawns and that bread… wish I had some now…
Hope you all come again!