It’s A Hokkien Thing

When my mom is lazy, she cooks Tua Chye Perng or Chinese green mustards rice. 大菜饭 The same vege 大菜 is used to make pickled kiam chye or salted vegetable. It was a recipe handed to her by her mother or my late grandmother. It was humble food popular with the poor people of Fujian, China. It is a cost saving meal as no separate dishes are required.

It is similar to yam, pumpkin, long bean, carrots, mushroom, potato and cabbage rice. Collectively, they are known as “kiam perng” or salty / savoury rice. 咸饭Some call it Chinese Rice Casserole when meat such as boneless chicken and sausage are used.

I used to hate tua chye when I was a kid. The mustards smelled terrible when it was cooked. Now it seems worse, I always panic thinking I smelled a whiff of leaking cooking gas. To make it more palatable, pre cooked heh bee or tiny dried shrimps, pork and sauces are added before going into the rice cooker.

Although I still dislike it, I eat it because I respect tradition and think fondly of my late granny.

#rice #tradition #fujian #hokkien

An Old Relic Of The American Road Trip Is Disappearing

Love this article which traces the history of the roadside motels in America. The traditional mom and pop motels – once ubiquitous are slipping away without much notice, People bypass the old roads.

Fascinating read: http://www.businessinsider.com/american-road-trip-hotel-2017-6/?IR=T

Crushing realities: The early travelers were Depression-era migrants who’d been pushed off their land by failing crops, relentless dust and heartless banks.

Struggling to find some sense of home on the road, these environmental and economic refugees searched for hope against a backdrop of unfathomable loss. They were heading to California, the land of hope. Along the way, cheap motels popped up to cater to the new wave of travelers across America,

After the war, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, frustrated by the difficulty of moving military tanks across the country, promoted a plan that mimicked the German autobahn: the Federal Interstate Highway System. But the first of these four-lane highways would take over a decade to build.

In America, the new highways bypassed many classic motels, diners and gas stations such as those found on Route 66. I think another reason is the decline of the roadtrip culture sue escalating costs of gas, tolls and vehicle maintenance.

Our nation built highways because our truck roads were narrow,winding and sloping, Many lives were lost in horrific crashes.

The story in America in many ways mirrored our history. The NSE bypassed many small towns that led to its decline. The only exception I think is Bidor town which was once a popular rest stop due to Pun Chun restaurant. They are fortunate because the toll plaza is located near town. Today it is still bustling. Other popular stopover towns were Tanjung Malim, Kajang, Seremban, Gemas, Ayer Hitam. Batu Pahat and more.

Many family owned hotels known as Runah Tumpangan faded away without record or people documenting it.

The picture used in the article is the historic motel chain Wigwam which uses concrete tipi or teepee tents as rooms.

You can book one of three the surviving ones in San Bernardino, California here:

https://www.agoda.com/partners/partnersearch.aspx?cid=1775757&pcs=1&hid=173118

Pic by Agods. Remember, American friends, you can book a hotel anywhere in the USA via MyCen Hotels

#roadtrip #nse #highway #motels #wigwam #history #freeway #expressway #mycenhotels

A Park With Good Customer Service Is Important

One more from Selar. See previous post on Endau Rompin National Park. Sunrise at Endau Rompin. The Johor Parks management is doing all the right things such as operating an office at Bekok town to provide assistance to visitors. I wrote at the time.

It is opened seven days a week and a very helpful Ms Nurul there provided me with important support by furnishing updated info, maps, GPS coordinates and radio communications frequencies. Tell me. How many government servants would volunteer their personal mobile phone number so as to be reachable in case of an emergency, after office hours?

#nationalpark #selar #endaurompin #johor #pahang #rfc #camping #outdoors #rainforest.#bekok #nature ##adventure #sunrise #nycenhotels #nationalpark

Endau Rompin National Park

The Selar part of the Endau Rompin National Park is beautiful and remote as few visitors approach it from the western entrance through Bekok town. This is where tigers and elephants roam. Many waterfalls too. You will also meet the Jakun tribe here.

You need to research in advance if a permit and fees are payable. It is a long way to turn back. A 4WD vehicle is mandatory. There is a guard post in which they hired a native orang asli as guard. That’s commendable. I stayed at the nearby town of Segamat or you can also stay at Labis too.

Hotels in Segamat: https://www.agoda.com/partners/partnersearch.aspx?cid=1775757&pcs=1&city=162117

There are chalets and rudimentary accommodation inside but you need to book through Johor National Park Corporation.

When I started the expedition, I stayed at Kluang and drove eastwards to Mersing,

Hotels in Kluang: https://www.agoda.com/partners/partnersearch.aspx?cid=1775757&pcs=1&city=106063

Between Kahang and Jemaluang, I saw an elephant crossing sign. If you are entering from the eastern side in Pahang, you may want to stay in Mersing. Wherever you plan to stay, I suggest you bring full camping gear, food and water. The park is huge and vast. Mobile phones may not always have coverage all the time.

Hotels in Mersing: https://www.agoda.com/partners/partnersearch.aspx?cid=1775757&pcs=1&city=106026

#nationalpark #selar #endaurompin #johor #pahang #rfc #camping #rainforest #segamat #mersing #kluang #kahang #adventure #mycenhotels

When You Need Solid Help

Wen Dee was saying there should be drive-through ATMs. I remember seeing it in tiny Bekok town where motorcyclists withdrew money without dismounting. In searching for the pic, I found this pic from the 2009 Rainfoerst Challenge at the Selai National Park, part of the Endau Rompin National Park in Johor, it is a beautiful and rarely seen view of the park.

Bekok is the frontier town and western entrance. Participants from the various counties drive out of the rainforest during their “break days” to get supplies. The Chinese medicine shop was like a convenience shop. I wrote this:

The nearest town is sleepy Bekok, about 27 km from the entry to the park. It is the ‘frontier town’ and the only place nearby to look for the fabled Chi Kit pills when you have acute diarrhea. The popular local medicine is so effective than an overdose may lead to weeks of constipation. It must be a truly once-in-a lifetime and bizarre experience for the local grocers to have a Siberian./ Russian pulling up suddenly in a Russian-registered vehicle looking for Pil Chi Kit Teck Aun.

#rfc #johor #bekok #nationalpark #segamat #pilchikit #chinese #medicineshop