Melaka: Itinerant vendors of my childhood days

Melaka: Itinerant vendors of my childhood days

By Wan Chwee Seng


The long, lonesome crow of a rooster that lingered in the early morning air was drowned by the drawn-out calls of tofuuuu…. as a bean curd vendor pedalled his way along a hard-beaten dirt track leading to a village. The village of Batu Berendam where our family stayed in the mid 1950s was located about eight kilometres from Melaka Town. With inadequate transportation and only two small grocer shops to provide the villagers with their household needs and other necessities, the villagers had to rely on the itinerant vendors to purchase household items that were not available in the provision shops. Like the tofu vendor, the few itinerant vendors who plied their trade in the village had become an integral part of the community life,

Mat, the fowl seller

As the first ray of the morning sun appeared above the line of tree tops, the women folks were already gathered at the village well to do their daily washing. In a bare, barren compound an elderly lady was diligently sweeping  dried leaves and dumping them onto a rubbish heap where a mother hen and its clutch of chickens were busy foraging for food. Amidst the bustle of the morning chores, came the squeak of pedals and the crunch of wheels. The women folks did not pause from their work or unduly perturbed by the sudden intrusion as they were familiar with the sounds. They knew it was Mat, the fowl seller who had  come to the village to sell or purchase chickens from the villagers.

An itinerant haberdasher (kelengtong man)

The tranquility of the late morning air was broken by the steady drumming of a woodpecker seeking for insects on a hollow branch of a mango tree. Somewhere in the distance came another louder, staccato, and rapid drumming . The sound heralded the arrival of the itinerant haberdasher or kelentong man. I remember the haberdasher was always dressed immaculately in white with a matching white Chinese pith hat on his head. In one hand he held a small Chinese rattle drum and as his deft wrist twirled the rattle drum, the sound sent housewives strolling out of the houses to purchase his wares. 

A Chinese rattle drum

A wooden cabinet with a set of drawers was secured to the rear carrier of his bicycle. Inside the drawers he stored his needles, threads, ribbons, buttons, zippers and other sewing accessories. Neatly rolled -up bundles of colourful cloth were tightly secured to the bicycle's carrier for the  customers to purchase or order. 

In the Malay language the word kelentong or mengelentong means to tell an untrue story with intent to deceive. Perhaps, the word originated from the itinerant haberdasher or kelentong man whose charm and propensity for smooth talk often led his customers to purchase things that were really unnecessary.  

An ice-cream vendor

Photo credit: alamy stock photo

As the sun rose higher in the sky, the silence of the somnolent air was shattered by the strident chimes of an ice-cream vendor's bell, redolent of cow bells heard a long time ago. The eagerly awaited sounds sent barefoot, smiling children scurrying across a pebble-strewn compound towards the ice-cream vendor who had stationed himself under the shade of a stately mango tree.  The ice-cream came in long rectangular block and whenever we ordered the five cents or ten cents ice-cream the vendor would use a knife to cut the ice-cream according to our order. On one side of his ice box was a circular board with a pointer. Whenever we ordered the ten cents ice-cream we were allowed a lucky spin and if the pointer fell on the right spot we were given an extra piece of ice-cream,.

An itinerant satay vendor

As dusk descended over the village, from a rubbish heap, piled high with dried leaves and coconut husks, wisp of white smoke spiralled lazily skyward towards a darkening cloudless sky. In the gathering darkness, a lone murky figure with a long bamboo pole slung across a shoulder and wooden chests attached to each end of the pole , walked with springy steps toward our house. We knew Wak, the Javanese satay vendor had arrived to tempt us with his irresistible satay.  Sitting on low, wooden stools, we watched him grilled the skewered meat over a coal burning grill. Occasionally, with the aid of a stick of lemon grass, he would sprinkle the satay with oil. The glowing coal would burst into flame, sizzle the meat and send plume of white smoke with tantalizing aroma into the late evening sky. We would dip the grilled satay into a common container of savoury, peanut sauce , oblivious to its hygiene. As dusk slipped into night we were able to sit outside and enjoy the satay without being bothered by mosquitoes as the smoke from the coconut husks kept the pesky insects at bay.

Sometimes we would hear the steady purr of a motor bike and the occasional honking of a rubber bulb horn as the Indian bread vendor made his weekly visit. The side cart of his bike was loaded with a wide variety of bread and assortments of buns such as coconut buns, butter buns and kaya buns. There were also prawn crackers, fish crackers and other snacks to tempt the village kids. I found out he lived alone and led an austere life as he had to support his family in India. Rain or shine, he would make his weekly round and one late night I caught sight of him pushing his stalled bike in a heavy downpour. 

A bread vendor

Most of the itinerant vendors of my childhood days have disappeared from the local scene, but their sights and sounds still live on in my memory.

  

Melaka: Memories of a peranakan shop house at Tranquerah Road

A typical Peranakan shop house in Melaka

Melaka: Memories of a Peranakan shop house at Tranquerah Road

By Wan Chwee Seng

The late evening air is filled with the tantalising aroma of putu piring which wafts from an array of steamers covered with cone-shaped lids. My wife and our friends have joined a few early customers to purchase the delectable snacks ( kuih ) at the popular putu piring shop located along Jalan Tengkera. 

The proprietor steaming the putu piring

While they are busy watching the proprietor preparing the putu piring , I let my gaze travel back and forth along the length of the shop houses on the opposite side of the road. I remember, one of the shop houses used to be the residence of my eldest auntie or Makko Seh. She had graciously provided temporary accommodation to my sister, Janet and I , as we had already being enrolled at the Methodist Girls' School and Malacca High School, while we waited for other family members to join us after father's retirement. 

I remember our auntie's house was a typical two-storied Peranakan shop house. When the Dutch ruled Malacca in the 17th century deeds were issued to the house owners and taxes were levied according to the width of the house frontage. Although the house frontage was relatively narrow, it was compensated by the length of the house which usually extends to about sixty feet. 

The ground floor had a centrally placed wooden door with rectangular windows on both sides of the door.  The main door led to a richly furnished reception hall (thia beseh). The faint light that streamed through the windows revealed ornately carved rosewood tables and chairs lining both sides of the hall while a round marble top table ( tok bulat) occupied the centre of the hall. A portrait of my paternal grandfather, painted by my cousin, Akuh Dol, and mounted on an ornate metal frame adorned one side of the wall. 

After the reception hall was a fairly small, dimly lit hall ( thia kechik or thia gelap) with a flight of wooden steps that led to the hall and bedrooms on the first floor. As the young nyonya were forbidden to be seen in public, they would peep at the visiting guests from the dark recesses of the hall. 

Father told us there was a peep hole on the wooden floor board of the master bedroom and so one fine day  we made a search for it and discovered the coin-sized peep hole located directly above the round table in the reception hall. The strategically placed peep hole allowed the marriageable nyonya to have a glimpse of their prospective suitors and other guests. Father also told us in his days the young nyonya had to be transported in a sedan chair when they wanted to go from one house to another. The sedan chair was a simple contraption which consisted of a chair secured to a long pole and borne on the shoulders of two male bearers. A large piece of cloth was used to shield the nyonya from prying eyes. We were told the nyonya had to hold tightly to the pole to keep them from falling off from the swaying chair.    

A simple sedan chair

After the thia kechik was a courtyard( chim chae ) with a disused well and a bathroom equipped with tap water. On one side of the courtyard was a covered corridor which led to an adjoining kitchen. A wooden couch was sited under the covered way and it was here that my makko and my cousin tachi Geok Eng would spend most part of the day, talking in low whispers, as they while away the hours. 

The courtyard and the adjoining kitchen, we were told, were the heart of the Peranakan household in the old days. It was here the bibik and nyonya would congregate and over cups (changkay) of Chinese tea, regularly topped up from a porcelain teapot (teko), they would chat and gossip until it was time to prepare lunch or dinner.

Peranakan porcelain teapot and tea cups

In its halcyon days, on festive occasion, the place would be a hive of activity as the hired cook ( chong po) assisted by the bibik and nyonya worked at feverish pace to whip up delectable Peranakan dishes such as pongteh, ayam buah keluak, itik tim, sek bak, chap chai and other mouth-watering dishes. The dishes would be laid out meticulously on a long table (tok Panjang); a feast for the eyes and palate.

In my mind's eyes I can picture the place echoing to the rhythmic pounding of pestles on mortars ( lesong batu) which blended with the grating sound of stone grinders ( batu giling) as ingredients and spices were pounded or ground into fine paste. 

Lesong batu

Batu giling

Photo courtesy of Peter Yong

The cacophony of sounds that mingled with the incessant chatters and friendly banters of the bibik and  the spontaneous outpouring of incomprehensible words from an elderly bibik who was prone to melatah added further merriment to the festive air. Amidst the culinary activities a scream of "Eh, ada banyak kechuak dalam chiwan" wafted from a nearby bathroom. It was just a Peranakan saying "Eh, there are plenty of cockroaches in the bathroom," in the Baba patois.

The kitchen adjoined the rear kitchen of another small house whose front overlooked a white, sandy beach and the open sea. The house was occupied by Girlie and her mum, a Portuguese family, who always kept their house spick and span. To reach the beach, we had to walk through their house and although the friendly couple welcomed us to use their house we felt a sense of guilt after our walk as we would inevitably leave grains of sand on their well-swept floor. Occasionally, we would follow our makko to the beach whenever she wanted to buy fresh fish from the fishermen. We would wait on the beach for the fishermen to bring in their day's catch. As soon as the boat berthed at the water's edge, our makko would hurry to purchase the fresh ikan parang, ikan bulu ayam or other fish, while we watched from afar. Using their culinary skills our makko and tachi Geok Eng would prepare savoury Peranakan dishes whose flavour still tingle my taste buds after all these years.

A Monday morning in the mid 1950s found me walking along Tranquerah Road, with a tinge of apprehension, as I headed towards Bandar Hilir for my first day at Malacca High School. Other boys and girls too could be seen walking or cycling to their respective schools, all easily identifiable by the colour of their school uniforms. 

 I soon reached Heeren Street , flanked mostly with Peranakan shop houses.

Houses along Heeren Street ( Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock)

Peranakan shop houses along Heeren Street

 Glowing red lanterns adorned the front porch of some houses and the faint light and fragrance of lighted joss sticks that filtered through the fissures of wooden doors and windows were clear indication that the residents were already up and about. The tranquility of the morning was broken by the click of hooves and squeak of wheels and ahead of me the dawn light revealed a cart drawn by a lone buffalo and laden with sawn timber plodding languidly along a road virtually free of traffic. 

A buffalo cart that used to ply Tranquerah Road

Photo credit KK

The sight triggered a memory; memory of a story father told us about his school days when he had to walk bare foot all the way from Bukit Rambai to St. Francis Institution at Bandar Hilir ( a distance of about eleven kilometers)

After school, when the day was hot and humid, my sister and I would make our way to an ice vendor whose push cart was stationed a short distance from the Tranquerah police station. We would usually buy ice ball which was shaved ice pressed into the shape of a ball and generously doused with red syrup and condensed milk. 

An iceball ( air batu kepal)

Photo courtesy of Peter Yong

We would hold the ice ball in the palm of one hand and suck at the icy treat until the palm was numb with cold and then transfer it to the other palm. When we had drained the sweet content of the ice ball, we would stealthily slip the remain of the plain ice into an open drain.

A vendor selling shaved ice ball

The late afternoon air would echo to the sound of 'tock, tock' as the assistant to a wonton mee seller beat a rhythmic note on two short sticks to announce the arrival of the mee seller who followed behind with a  cart. 

A wan tan mee vendor

Photo courtesy of Peter Yong

As dusk slipped into night a solitary figure carrying a Chinese stringed instrument and a dimly-lit lamp could be seen walking along the road in the gathering darkness. We heard he was a strolling minstrel who would reveal his client's fortune through his song. 

At night the main door which was usually left unlatched throughout the day would finally be bolted and we would study or do our homework in the silence of the reception hall, oblivious to the ongoing outside the house.

My wife and friends have already purchased their putu piring and more customers are queueing up in front of the brightly-lit shop. However, on the opposite side of the road, darkness is slowly enveloping the shop houses, but there is still no sign of my makko's house.

Customers waiting to purchase putu piring

Where a stately Peranakan house once stood and white, sandy beach stretched to the open sea, all that remain now are the nostalgic memories of a retiree.  

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Bukit Baru Primary English School, Melaka: A headmaster's recollections

Bukit Baru Primary English School, Melaka : A headmaster's recollections

As recounted by Mr. Chin Yik Kuen ( headmaster of BBPES from 1961 to1969)

"Good morning, children". The early morning greetings still ring clear in a headmaster's mind and bring back a flood of nostalgic memories.



The School staff

"Good morning, children,"  _ that is how I used to greet the school at its assembly every morning. That was back in 1961 when the Bukit Baru Primary English School was first established. Today, after more than fifty years, the school which was fondly known as BBPES has blossomed beyond recognition, From its humble beginning as a rural school it has achieved its place as one of the best schools in  Melaka and I am proud to be associated with it.

In January 1961, BBPES started with three standards ( standard one to three) and was set up essentially to cater to the educational needs of children residing in Bukit Baru area. Besides providing  primary education, the school took in a class of boys from the town schools who wanted a second attempt at the Standard Six Entrance Examination for promotion to a secondary school. These boys did very well and the school managed to achieve more than the 50 percent pass target, Mention must be made of the pioneers of the school. Mrs. S. Murugesan, a Kirkby-trained teacher , was the senior assistant and she did much to bring up the standard of the school with her firm, but caring and protective attitude. There were four young men on the staff who were very enthusiastic and thorough in their work _ Mr. Gan Lin Chye stood out as the first sports secretary of the school and the other three were Day Training Centre trainees who were undergoing their practical teaching practice in the persons of Mr. Ho Swee Kin, Mr. Lam Kok Leong and Mr. Chong Kim Soon. Another Kirkby-trained teacher attached to the school was Mr. M.C. Ruthrapathy who took great pains to get the Standard Six pupils get through the promotion examination. And there were Miss Ann Sequerah, Miss Toh Gek Leng and Mrs, Vincent Lai who were 'school mums' of the highest calibre.  There was also a very quiet religious teacher, Encik Abdul Rahim Ahmad who went about his way in raising the Islamic knowledge of the Muslim pupils. To keep the school neat and tidy, there was no better person than Encik Sharif Budin in those good old days. So the few of us started BBPES with a sense of trepidation, but with a positive outlook.

The teachers played a prominent role in organising the various functions _ the annual picnic, the inter-school teachers' games, after sports buffets, the annual end-of-year dinner and the satay parties for festive occasions. I shall always savour the magic moments of those moon-lit nights when we would gather at the school padang to share the simple yet delectable fare of bubur cacar and goreng pisang. The close camaraderie that existed among the teachers and headmaster is one which I will always treasure.  

Another remarkable milestone in the history of the school was the establishment of deaf education classes. On the 3rd of September, 1962 the first two classes for the deaf was started with twenty two pupils under the charge of  Mr. Francis Chai and Encik Abdul Hamid bin Jaafar.  The two classes were specially equipped with equipment such as audio meters, hearing aids and other electrical appliances. There was a clamour for more places as only twenty two pupils were selected among the 200 applicants. The following year another special class was opened with the assistance of the Malacca Rotary Club which raised enough funds for the purchase of equipment. Besides the formal teaching, the teachers made extra efforts to organise trips to the various places of interests in Malacca and the other states. There was a year when the pupils made a trip to Singapore to meet their counterparts. Credit must be given to the untiring efforts of the teachers for the deaf in the persons of Cik Saadiah bt Ahmad, Miss Doris Chan, Mr. See Seng Teck and Mr. John Daniel.

Indeed, mention must be made of the full co-operation rendered by the Board of Managers headed by Mr. Loong Lekk Boo who was the chairman throughout my tenure as headmaster of the school. Added to this the school's P.T.A. was a dynamic force that assisted the school in its many projects throughout the year.   

BBPES Staff 1961

(Sitting L to R ) Mrs.S. Murugesan, Miss Ann Sequerah, Mr. Chin Yik Kuen(headmaster), Miss Toh Gek Leng, Mrs. Vincent Lai. (Standing L to R) Mr. Ho Swee Kim, Mr. Chong Kim Soon, Mr. Gan Lim Chye, Mr. M.C. Ruthrapathy, En. A. Rahim bin Ahmad, Mr. Lam Kok Leong

BBPES Staff  ( Ex SDHS Staff Mr Jee Kim Joon and Mr Teo Boon Khoo in the group photo)

Photo courtesy of K C Low

MWTC trinee teachers with BBPES staff 1961

The school buildings and facilities


As for the school itself, BBPES is located on a small hill which provided a commanding view of its surroundings. The school started with three main blocks _ two blocks consisted of twelve classrooms and one block known as the administrative block, housed the headmaster's office, clerk's office, the staff room, library and a store room. But within the next two years, the school added another block of six classrooms and a hall-cum-tuckshop. After Merlimau English School, BBPES was the second Government school to acquire a hall-cum-tuckshop. BBPES can be considered as the last of the six primary English schools to be established in Malacca after World War II. The Jasin  English School, the Alor Gajah English School, the Durian Daun Girls' School, the Masjid Tanah English School and the Merlimau English School,  all established in the 1950s , preceded the Bukit Baru Primary English School. It was a great day when the Chief Minister of Malacca, Y.A.B. Encik Abdul Ghafar bin Baba officially declared the school open on 15th June 1962 and it was also the day when the school held its first annual sports meet.

Back in the 1960s, much to the envy of the other primary schools in the state,  the school could  boast of a 300 -metre running  track. This was made possible with the co-operation of the Day Training Centre which was located at the site of the present Education Department( which has since been relocated). Back then the Day Training Centre( DTC) and BBPES shared a common entrance. When the DTC decided to erect a hall, it had to acquire part of the roadway leading to the school and in return it let BBPES acquire part of its land for the construction of the 300- metre running track. The entrance to the school was relocated to a vacant, unsold land and until today remains as the main entrance to the school.      

The new entrance to BBPES which replaced the one leading from the DTC entrance

A housing lot was acquired for the construction of the new entrance

Bukit Baru Primary English School Jalan Dato Palembang

Established January 1961

The main block 1961

12 classrooms were added in 1961

Workers' quarters' under construction

Two toilet blocks with water tower and workers' quarters

Workers' quarters

BBPES tuckshop 1961

The school field under construction

School activities


As for school activities, in those days the pupils showed keen interest and participated in the annual school sports and were happy to join the occasional educational trips to other states.  A common feature in the school calendar was the school concerts and Prize-Giving Day and pupils and parents alike look forward to the events with much interest and anticipation.  The school's ethos is to provide healthy activities and a favourable social environment where pupils are able to experience the joy of childhood. For extra-mural activities while the boys participated in the more physical games the girls were taught needlework. 

It would not be out of place to mention that the BBPES soccer team was trounced 10-0 on its first outing, but made amends when it avenged its defeat the following year. Likewise in athletics the school was minced meat in the early years, but in 1968 the school athletics team took top honours in the State. The school relay team made record-breaking runs every time the foursome took to the running track. BBPES was also not lacking in the academic field as it always managed to score more than 65% in the national examination. All in all it was a gratifying experience for both teachers and pupils to see so much being achieved in so short a time. 

Winners of syarahan competition 1965

Below photos of Childrens' Day 1961. 

Musical chairs

Makan time

Ice-cream for all

Conclusion

Pupils and teachers come, and pupils and teachers go, but BBPES stands steadfast. With the country's rapid development, the school too has undergone both physical and social transformation. The school is now known as Sekolah Kebangsaan Jalan Dato Palembang and Malay has replaced English as the medium of instruction. The school is now one of the premier schools in Malacca and besides its academic excellence it is gratifying to see  its remarkable achievements in the field of sports and games. I believe what the school has achieved today is due largely to the commitment and sustained efforts of past and present pupils and teachers . My sincere wish is for the school to grow from strength to strength and with  better things to come.
Good luck!
Chin Yik Kuen ( headmaster 1961 to 1969 )

Acknowledgements: 
A huge thank you to Mr. Chin Yik Kuen for sharing the early history of the school and his personal experience as headmaster of the school  and for the photos which he has kept in immaculate condition all these years. Thanks also to K.C. Low for his invaluable assistance in interviewing Mr. Chin and getting the necessary information and photos.
To all the ex-teachers and pupils of BBPES, I hope this write up will rekindle fond memories of your days at BBPES.

C. S. Wan

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Kirkbyites cruise vacation

 Kirkbyites cruise vacation

By Wan Chwee Seng

Steeped in serene silence and safely ensconced within the comfort of a cruiser’s cabin, I scanned the scene before me. It is six in the morning and my wife, Siew Leng and our son, Andrew, were still in deep slumber. Below us, beyond the balcony,  the sea was a dark blue sheet with ripples that glistened in the pre-dawn light.

My initial apprehension of getting motion sickness was soon dispelled as the only indication that we were on a moving ship was the slight ripple of water in the glass on the bedside table.

“You should consider doing the cruise organised by Emily Yap in Feb next year. You’ll love it!” our friend, Mimi had messaged me earlier. My friends Lean Aing , Jessie and others provided further encourqagement.

I was glad I had taken their kind advice, as I was beginning to enjoy the cruise.

As the first rays of the morning sun lit up the eastern horizon, the distant outline of hills and forests came into view. 

The morning sun lit up the distant horizon

A view of the sea from the cabin's balcony

A voice over the intercom announced our arrival at Phuket and those who were going for the shore excursion were told to congregate at a designated place. Guests had the option of joining a package tour or to make their own arrangement  with the staff at the information counter. Our group, comprising of Hong  Chong, Chee Eng, Chin Chin, Yut Wah, Peng Yoong, Angeline , Siew Leng, Andrew and I opted for the latter as we could choose our itineraries.

A tender boat took us across to Patong,s pier where our tour guide was already waiting for us . 

On board a tender boat heading for Phuket

A view of Phuket's shore line

A walk along the jetty

 After a brief discussion we were guided to a ten-seater van and our English-speaking guide introduced himself. 

Consulting our tour guide

He rambled off his Thai name and said , “ I think it is ‘too short’ for you all to remember, so you can just address me as Charlie’.  Charlie told us his Thai name is relatively short compared to the Thai name for Thailand’s capital, Bangkok. According to Charlie the Guinness Book of World Records named Bangkok as the city with the longest name. Bangkok is a shortened version of the city’s ceremonial name:

 Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit

I think we will just stick to ‘Charlie’ and ‘Bangkok’.

 As the van hummed  and weaved its way through the street of  Patong , which was undergoing cable-laying construction, Charlie drew our attention to the tangled mass of telegraph wires which had necessitated the construction of an underground cables.. 

A tangled mass of telegraph wires

Along the way Charlie  gave us a brief history of Phuket and his  commentary laced with local  humour and witty remarks made the trip more interesting and enjoyable.  

Charlie givng us a brief history of Phuket

A view along the way

 Besides his affable nature, Charlie went out of his way to assist us, and his kind deeds and caring concerns soon won a warm place in our hearts. 

When we thanked him for his assistance, he merely replied,

“One day , I  too will grow old and I may need someone’s help.”

Our first stop was at Wat Chalong, a buddhist temple dedicated to the temple’s abbots  Luang  Pho Chaem (isi1827-1908) and Luang Pho Chuang ( 1875-1945). Luang Pho Chaem is reputed to be endowed with healing prowess and many local Buddhists as well as Malaysian Buddhists go there to pray for good health or seek a cure for their ailments.

At Wat Chalong

Although the temple’s ground was dotted with shady trees they offered little respite from the oppressive heat of the midday sun. Perhaps, aware of the distance, the sweltering heat and the many steps that led to the temple, 

Charlie told us , “ You can just pray from here for good health.”

While Chee Eng, Chin Chin, Siew Leng and Andrew made their way to the Wats, I was content to follow Charlie’s sagacious advice. I just sat there and prayed for the health and safety of my family and friends and especially for those who could not join the trip because of poor health. 

Meanwhile other members of the group had made their way  to a nearby stall  for a drink of fresh coconut water to quench their parched throats and it was not long before we joined them for the thirst-quenching  drink.

Enjoying a drink of fresh coconut water

Refreshed by the cool drink, we were ready for the short drive to a local cashew nut factory. A wide variety of cashew nuts to cater to the different taste buds were on display at the counter. Customers were allowed to try the different flavour; natural, honey-coated, wasabi flavoured, etc before making their purchase.

It was lunch time when we left the factory and Charlie said he would take us to the newly open Central Floresta Phuket for our lunch as the van could drop us right at the main entrance of the mall. The moment we stepped into the Mall, we were greeted by the sound of traditional Thai music .

The sound of Thai traditional music greeted us

 Most of the restaurants were located on the ground floor and one of the most eye-catching features of the place was a man-made canal which   was meant to depict the khlong and floating market in Bangkok. The canal was tastefully adorned with boats which were laden with baskets of succulent mangoes. Perhaps, it was meant to tempt the food connoisseurs  to the nearby stall that sold the traditional Thai dessert of glutinous rice with mangoes and coconut milk.  

A massive sculpture towered over us

After we had our fill of Thai food , we headed for Jungceylon mall  in Patong, as Angeline wanted to try the Thai foot reflexology. We took a leisurely stroll around the mall and then parked ourselves on a circular bench in the mall’s courtyard. 

Taking a leisurely stroll in the courtyard

 Floral decorations 

Taking in the sight and sound of the place

 Hoards of busy shoppers and sightseers were milling around the place. A group of youngsters were performing a hip-hop to the blare of music. We watched, fascinated, as the deft fingers of a balloon vendor magically transformed colourful balloons into various shapes.

A balloon vendor

While others took in the sight and sound of the place, I  took the opportunity to reflect on our cruise on board the Super Gemini.

The morning of 24^th February 2019 found  thirty  seven Kirbyites and a few family members waiting in the vicinity of the Amcorp Mall to board the coach which would take us to Port Klang. 

Waiting to board the bus

Boarding the bus to Port Klang

  Once our luggage were safely stored in the luggage compartment and our ever reliable Hong Chong had made a head counts we started for our destination.

On board the coach , Dato Kandan briefed us on the procedures for embarkation and we were all issued with lanyards with plastic card holders for us to store our Access Cards .

A quick briefing befrore embarkation

Stdying the itinerary

On arrival at the Port Klang jetty we had to wait for immigration and custom clearance before embarking. Luckily, there were ample seats outside the building for us to rest while waiting for the clearance process. 

Waiting for immigration and custom clearance

The immigration and custom clearance process went on smoothly and we soon found ourselves lugging our luggage along the long jetty that led to the ship. 

The wooden benches placed at intervals along the jetty were a welcome sight and they provided me the opportunity to rest my weary legs and take a breather.  Young, happy smiling faces greeted us as we made our way towards the ship and the moment we stepped on board there were more smiling faces to greet us. During the cruise we found out that the staff was friendly and ever ready to lend a helping hand.   

 Once we had checked into our rooms and before the ship departed for Phuket, all the guests had to attend a muster drill, a mandatory emergency exercise to familiarize guests where to assemble in the unlikely event of an emergency and  to provide information on  how to don a life jacket.

Getting ready for the muster drill

At our muster station C2

Once the ship left the port, it was time to indulge in our favourite activities and enjoy the facilities that are available on board.

Guests would not go hungry on board the ship , as breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner and supper are included in the package and they can choose from a selection of dining venues which serve global culinary delights. 

At night guests can head for the Stardust lounge where they can sit back, relax and enjoy a live show or make their way to the nearby Resort and try their luck. For the health conscious and exercise-oriented individuals they can go for a swim or go for a stroll or jog along the ship’s jogging track.  Andrew recalled how he had asked the direction to the jogging track from one of the ship’s staff. The guy beamed him a smile and politely pointed to the deck located  outside the door. The expected jogging track was nowhere to be seen. However, the view of the open sea and the caressed of the sea breeze compensated for the shortcomings.

A view of the ship's deck

Enjoying the sea view

With so many activities to keep us occupied, we only went back to our cabins to catch on our beauty sleeps or for a brief rest.

Dawn, the next day , found us approaching the island of Phuket and as soon as the ship docked, we were ready for a tour of the island. Dusk had set in when we finished our sight seeing and now as we sat on a bench at Jungceylon and waited for Angeline to finish her foot massage, dusk had slipped into night. I remember someone had asked our guide if we would be on time to catch the last boat to the ship. Charlie replied with a smile,

“No problem. If you are late you can swim to Langkawi. Stay the night there and the next morning swim to Penang”.

We all returned safely to the ship and in time for our dinner. 

A glimpse of the Gemini from the tender boat

In time for our dinner

As soon as the ship left Phuket and set sailed for Penang we were ready to resume our favourite nocturnal activities. The next morning at breakfast we were greeted by a buzz of lively chatters as our friends at a table shared their night experiences.

“ I was on a winning streak until that old lady disturbed me”.

“I stayed until  two in the morning to recoup my loss”.

 I am sure there will be something on the cruise which we will remember and cherish: the   excitement of watching a video slot machine spewing virtual coins; watching spell-bound at the dazzling illusions of a magic show; enjoying a relaxing massage to sooth and rejuvenate our aching muscles; savouring the scrumptious fares at the different dining venues; or just relaxing and enjoying the cool breeze at the pool side.

Besides enjoying the facilities on board the ship, what I will  treasure most about the  cruise is the opportunity to meet new friends  and strengthen the bond of existing friends and acquaintances.  

Hopefully, the short cruise is not the end but the beginning of a much longer cruise.




Below is a short video of the cruise

Writer's Notes.
My sincere thanks to Emily Yap, Dato Kandan, Chong Hong Chong, Siti Rohani and others for organizing the memorable cruise.
Thanks also to Hong Chong, Mrs Jagjeet and Joanne for sharing the photos. To all Kirkby cruisers and families , a big thank you for your wonderful company.