All Roads Lead to Lake Toba, Berastagi and Medan (Part 1)

This is my graduation trip though quite old to claim that. HAHAHAHA

But I don't bother, I just want to give beautiful ends to the wonderful years we've spend together. Have a look!

The flight was very short! 40 minutes, which was inadequate to take a nap and toilet break.

Discovering Malaysia food brands e.g Rotiboy, coffee beans and tea leaf could be found in Medan

The Medan tour agency I used had arranged a driver, Mr. Alil to pick us at the Kualanamu Airport. 

Such big car are more than enough for us 

The better way adapting to the Medan foods is eat like the locals. Heeding this mantra, we opted for heavy Medanese breakfast: nasi ayam penyet Cinde Laras, 22,000 IDR.  

Tempeh i.e fermented soybean had the crispy outer layers, well-seasoned. The meat of marinated fried chicken is juicy and tender. I liked both as absolutely lip-smacking.

After that, we drove nearly 5 hours from Medan to Lake Toba, most visited natural attractions in North Sumatera.

Lake Toba is also the largest lake in Indonesia and volcanic lake in the world.

Having coconut drinks at the Cicitiara roadside hawker stall. Limes, syrup, sweet soy sauce were provided to balance the tastes.

Paten who sells Teng Teng, Ting Ting, Tang Tang, Tong Tong, Tung Tung, Pang Pang, Ping Ping 

In fact, they're dodol, muachi and bee pang in Malaysia. To me, they all tastes average and nothing to shout about. 

❤❤❤

"Parapat"

Lunch time at Parapat town. It is on the edge of Lake Toba and link to the Samosir Island by using ferry. 

 Javanese cuisine of Pak Kumis. All dishes are less sugars but more chilies. 

❤❤❤

President Sukarno’s historical house. From there, a peek of Lake Toba. 

It’s worth to drive for hours, where I breathe the lake deep into my lungs. Lake Toba, you never fail to take my breath away. 

Everywhere, everytime it's so beautiful

The lake is super huge and brighter than I expected; the turquoise and shimmering blues. 

The lake likes a mirror, reflecting and converting clouds and sun above to the beautiful image. All are free for looking, suitable for me as kiam-siap queen. 

Sure, the image changes by times, and that make it more precious. I can walk here every day and always have both different and the same.  

Javanese cuisine of Nikmat. It’s freaking delicious.

Feasting and gathering together

The first meal I reached home; both my favorites: dry wantan and fried Bee Hoon with canned stewed pork. 

Jiu Jiu’s fried Bee Hoon with canned stewed pork always tastes better.  The tastes cannot be replicated even by the good chefs in the five stars hotels.

Ahhhhh. This is the food that has accompanied in the chapter of my life.

This kid was allowed by his parents to visit us. I swear, I never ever get the kid to pose for a photo.

 Running CNY errands to get more snacks and cookies so that enjoy with the sisters.

 Everyone looks good in the photo. Jiu Jiu was so shy to the camera. 

Afternoon tea time: Kampua noodles and fish ball tang hun soup.

Kampua noodles, less than RM 3 are generally cheaper compare to Peninsular Malaysia foods RM 5-6 per plate. 

Pan Borneo highway workers stopped our car and gave a goodie pack to celebrate CNY 2018.

Besides that, I found Pan Borneo highway offer THREE rest & recreation stations. Ki Siao!!! Ki Siao!!! Ki Siao!!! Ki Siao!!!

Impossible for the big land like Sarawak.

"Isn’t Pan Borneo highway train the drivers and passengers reducing the washrooms trips?"

 Mama’s most addictive CNY snacks-Sarawak Cantonese Gansa. 

  What’s wrong with the sisters? They find themselves hungry again soon after the meals. 

 Hugo is the solely reason I have no change my watsapp profile picture. Sadly, it doesn’t recognize me as well as afraid near to me. 

It’s not in the perfect condition-too shy, sensitive and introvert. What can I do for you, Hugo?

Do we all have the same smile? These pictures warm my heart.

CNY breaks are really great for me. It enables me to spend times with my family, joking and talking with sisters to no end, receiving parents’ ang pow blessings.

I’m so happy. 

 Slaving myself up in the kitchen preparing vegetarian meals for Mama. 

The next day, Mama took over the preparation, cooking and cleaning process after we complain 

 This is my childhood food memories. 

 “Aiya, why don’t you try mee dawai?”

“Mmmmm, this is satisfying and textually rewarding”

The mee dawai is the star here, offering crunchy tastes, rounded off by the tomato sauces. This is the simple dish but done very well. 

CNY 2018 open houses with array of foods.

Day out in Sibu, Bintangor & Sarikei

**26 February 2018**

Visiting Mama’s old friend. Her homemade cakes: chocolate cheese, kek lumut, coffee cheese, kek durian (from left)

Double calories but so worth it.

It’s hard to believe this is Wisma Sanyan’s lunar new year decorations. No lunar new year ambience-little decorations, no vibrant colors, no songs to welcome the dog of year.

Local shoppers, are you feel the same way?

Many retail outlets were shut down and lack of patrons. Wisma Sanyan is moving to the dying process. Nothing in the world is permanent and lasts forever. It’s the fact of business and life as well. On the unrelated side, 

“To Mama, everywhere is her daughters: Me, Rosamond, JoJo, Naruto & Mickey”

1)    While Rosamond said a Japan pot is good at cooking, she searched it in the kitchen utensils section at Parkson of Wisma Sanyan.

2)    Checking the prices and thinking when to buy Tropicana Twister because all of us loves to drink

3)    Purchasing my talcum powders though in home still has bulks.

4)    Looking at the colorful wines for the moment. She then whispers “They’re Naruto’s classic drink”. 

5)    Noticing 2 young men took 2 fish dolls to the payment counter and realized the fish dolls is Mickey’s favorite.

Out from the beauty centre for eyebrow plucking, RM 8.

When comes to shopping mall, fast foods like KFC is always our main meal choice.

It’s necessary to wait 15 minutes for original fried chickens, contrasting Peninsular Malaysia whereby spicy fried chickens are the best seller.

汪汪年2018, Star Mega Mall/Daesco

Lucky draw box vending machine?!?

“RM 10 wins big prizes e.g., washing machine, Iphone, television, camera” My advice: If your luck is good, you can try. If not, hold on yaa.

Afternoon tea time-tau fu fah.

Chicken rice as dinner. Questioning Mama why this restaurant. Her firm answer is “Cheap, Rm3.00”. Our relatives all know this restaurant, Millylai chicken rice at the back of the Star Mega Mall”

Simple but satisfying chicken rice-slices of cucumbers, steam chickens, generous amount of light soy sauces and ginger garlic chilly sauces.

Cute or not? Sarikei honeybee bakery’s kaya bun.

**28 February 2018**

Dropping parents to Hee Bin Leau restaurants, Bintagor for wedding party purpose.

My homecoming is incomplete if not comes to Sugarbun.The latest menu: swinger combo: swinger burger, swinger fries and cola

Additionally, I have Kano meal with pedas sauce. I found the yellow rice with raisins are so yummy-fragrance and fluffy.

Similarly, the fried chickens go well with the pedas sauce. JoJo could have extra bowl of rice if both of us has ample times at Sugarbun.

Swinger fries are similar with wedges. The difference is swinger fries have no cheeses.

In the similar vein, swinger burger replicates KFC Zinger burger. However, the burger patty contains less fat and oils, considering healthier.

1 March 2018

Our new lunch venue in Sarikei, mommy corner 老妈子. This is the recommendation of locals’ Facebook.

It offers 1 nutrition soup at the menu every day. The nutrition soups are herbal chicken soup, winter melon soup, mushroom soup, seaweed soup, black bean pork rib soup, Ginseng chicken soup.

All are distinct flavors that are attractive to the customers.

Hot red bean soup and salted citrus. Both of them are in the big cups and the prices is reasonable too (RM 2.50 each).

Braised pork rice.

Sweet & sour pork ribs with 2 assorted vegetables.

Herbal chicken soup with 2 assorted vegetables. The soup has 2 pieces of chickens which gives deep flavors to the herbal chicken soup. The best words to describe the soup-tasty and healthy.

This place is worth to check out if you prefer home style cooking and soups.