JUST TO SHARE (Lau Tai Onn): CNY 2022 CELEBRATION IN RANTAU PANJANG, SELAMA, PERAK

On Sunday, 30/1/2022, Soh Ai, Wai Kei and I left home at 1.50am to travel to my mother-in-law (Ah Ma)’s house in Rantau Panjang, Selama, Perak (distance by car about 340km) to celebrate CNY - Year of the Tiger.

I drove from home to R&R Tapah and Wai Kei took the wheel from there to Rantau Panjang. The traffic condition along the N-S Highway was smooth. We reached Ah Ma’s house at about 5.30pm.

My brother-in-law Sze Teong and his wife Kitty Wan went there since Thursday, 27/1/2022. Kitty was the main cook for all our CNY meals and together with Teong had properly planned out in great details all the delicious dishes and posted on two pieces of paper as reminders on the door of the fridge.

On Monday, 31/1/2022 (CNY’s eve), after taking lunch at noon, we went to Pusat Perniagaan Ixdra, Selama to do some shopping at Mr. DIY and Jimat-Jimat Fresh & Frozen.

At Mr. DIY, I bought a new pair of slippers (RM19.50) as the sole of the slippers I had torn off. Also bought were Voniko AA and AAA batteries (RM3.90 for 4 pcs each). At Jimat-Jimat Fresh & Frozen, I bought 2 bottles each of VIDA C Lemon and Orange drinks (325ml) for RM2.40 each. Very tasty drinks and Teong told me those drinks cost more in K.L.

My other b.i.l Sze Hean and his family comprising wife Yean Li, daughters Xinyi, Leyi and son Jia-wei came from BM at 1.00pm for eunion lunch with Ah Ma. They left later in the afternoon.

As usual, CNY’s eve dinner was relatively simple and attended by Ah Ma, Teong and my family members who were present. It is only bustling on the 2^nd day of CNY when all my wife’s siblings would be back for steamboat dinner.

Monday morning at Rantau Panjang

Pasar Pagi along Jalan Besar

A glance of Ah Ma and Teong and Kitty busy preparing food

Meal preparation schedule planned by Kitty Wan

Offerings for Ng's Ancestors

CNY 's eve lunch (mostly prepared by Kitty)

Pusat Perniagaan Ixora, Selama

Sze Hean & family with Ah Ma during CNY's eve lunch

Our CNY's eve reunion dinner

Night scene of Jln. Besar, Rantau Panjang

Lanterns hung from one side of the main road only

On Tuesday morning of Day 1 of CNY, Soh Ai and I went to Selama town for breakfast of curry noodle and coffee at the only-opened Chinese coffee shop.

At about 4.15pm, Soh Ai and I again went to 99 Speed Mart along the road from Selama to Rantau Panjang which was understood to be opened for business only one week ago. One carton (24+4 cans) of 100 Plus costs only RM23.88 (about RM0.85/can), really cheap. I also bought 4 bottle-pack each of Bundaberg Passion Fruit and Apple Cider (Australian sparkling drink, 375ml each) respectively for RM18.80 each pack (RM4.70/bottle), which Teong said cost around RM5.00/bottle in K.L. Just surprised why things are cheaper in a small town like Selama?

Hean and family came again in the late afternoon. 10-year old Jia-wei was very talkative and his chat with us was very eloquent, witty and laughable. They left after dinner and chit-chat time around 8.00pm.

At 9.30pm, Ah Ma, Teong, Kitty, Soh Ai, Wai Kei and I shared “Lou Sang” bought by Teong from Tai Thong Restaurant. The ingredients included papaya slice, China cucumber slice, white ginger slice, red ginger slice, dry lime slice, pickled leek slice, Bo Cui cracker, pistachio, almond slice, sunflower seed, raisin, cashew nut, pumpkin seed, grinded ground nuts, coarse sesame, ready mixed sauce, pepper powder and herb slice powder. Without raw fish. Very delicious!

1st day of CNY at Rantau Panjang

Wai Kei taking his breakfast which we bought from Selama town

Black vinegar pork trotters prepared by Teong

Luohanzhai (stewed mixed vegetables) for Ah Ma who eats on CNY Day 1

A view of the food for our lunch

Screenshots of Wai Yu calling from Taiwan for a brief greeting chat with Ah Ma

Jia-Wei chatting with Kitty and others, making laughter for everyone

Our CNY Day 1 dinner

Lou Sang ("tossing of the prosperity salad") ingredients

Ready for tossing

The package of "Lou Sang"

On Wednesday morning of Day 2 of CNY, Soh Ai and I again went to Selama town for breakfast at the same coffee shop we went to yesterday.

Soh Ai’s eldest sister Sock Kim and hubby KH Chooi came at about 2.00pm and their daughter Ji-An and son-in-law Ruben arrived later at about 5.00pm. So did Hean and family around that time.

We had a very sumptuous steamboat dinner with lots of seafood including big prawns (all ordered by Teong) and others. The party was over around 9.00pm before they progressively left.

Later at about 10.00pm, I joined Soh Ai and Teong to pay a visit to their uncle living next door and chit-chatted with Ah Wei, Ah Girl and her hubby had a can of Guinness Stout beer before adjourning early.

Our lunch for CNY Day 2

Pic from left: Jia-Wei, Kitty, LeYi and the blogger

LeYi and her brother Jia-Wei

Hean and eldest daughter Xin-Yi

Ready for steamboat dinner

Some ingredients of the steamboat dinner

Jia-Wei

Buffet style steamboat dinner

Chit-chat time after dinner

A drink at Ah Wei's house

On Thursday morning of Day 3 of CNY, Teong, Kitty, Soh Ai and I went to “Aaron Coffee House” (威威咖啡屋) operated by her primary school classmate Ah Boon and his family for breakfast.

Teong and us bid Ah Ma farewell at about 9.30am concluding our CNY stay in Rantau Panjang.

I drove from Rantau Panjang to R&R Tapah before letting Wai Kei to continue driving to home.

We stopped at R&R Sg. Perak at 11.15am for refreshment (I took coffee only) and R&R Tapah at 1.00pm for Baskin Robbins ice-cream.

The homeward-bound traffic was quite smooth and we reached home at 3.30pm.