Continuing from the previuos post on our Batam trip for Christmas 2012.
Rodman and i practice gift exchange over occasion such as birthday, christmas and anniversary. However, we do not splurge on monthsary unless we found silly excuses to do so.
While considering a present for Clarinda, i had been toying the idea of finding things that is more lasting to represent her tough-as-nut, strong minded but articulate characteristics. I begin to fancy buying a charm bracelet to represent every year of our friendship and eventually Clar agreed she has liken the idea as much. However, as we are only starting this year, (after compromising about at least 7 years of knowing each other), she has only one charm on her bracelet to date - a horse shoe chosen by Rodman & i to wish her luck as she sets off to do more stuff that alot of us cant - that is to live abroad, find a man she love from another land and living a brand new life, i am truly happy for her.
I guess a large part of this period influence Rodman to decide on getting me troll beads for Christmas. While ransacking his bedroom one evening, i found a catalogue on Pandora beads and immediately jump and ran out to the living room shouting out to his Mum that i have uncovered his new surprise. He played it off pretty well asking me to stop my wishful thinking and not assume too much for fear of getting disappointment when X'mas draw near. Eventually i did, replacing the thoughts with other more fanciful stuff (#girls...)
As it turns out, on the night before Christmas Eve (yes very kan chiong spider my boyfriend -.-") He could no longer contain his excitement and ask permission to hand me my present - of course i agreed!
It was troll bead - not Pandora - but much much prettier !!~ Rodman went on to explain why he had chosen Troll beads over Pandora, that the jewellery beads was first introduce to the world by Troll beads back in 1976 - with 37years to back their theory, there should be no mistake about it i guess.
Afterall, Troll bead did come at a price, it was pricier than Pandora, and has not inkling whatsoever on every glass beads of bracelet to indicate their branding. The staff explain this was because they had not done so years back, thus there was no need to do so then on, it was up to others to believe. i am impressed by their persistence not to fought harder to prove their originality, and was keen to know more.
resting on the bed at midnight, crossing over to Christmas Eve... with his weird hair now flatten into the shape of a helmet..
happily chatting away, about our past, future before we both fall asleep... (actually no not really, i have problem with insonmia for the longest time so Rodman snore his way into the night, while i flick the remote for all channels available on TV./..
Christmas Eve
The guy who enjoys hotel breakfast, basically he is fascinated by any food with variety really... So he order a scramble egg for us each AND a sunny side up... digging-egg lovers..
Next plate full of breakfast..... i didnt eat much this time, i have grown used to cereal every morning that every other foods only appeals from lunch onwards...
My platter with fruits, doughnuts & a Indo Congee...
That afternoon we check out the shopping Mall (there are basically only 2 megamall in Batam worth mentioning - namely Batam Centre & Nagoya Hill) , swim in the pool, caught some movies (at least 3 if i recall )... then seek on hailing a cab to grab dinner... This time it was the famous "Golden Prawn"... yippey ( i hear lobster calling.. )
Our cabbie driver took us into 555 Golden Prawn instead of 933, but it is ok since both are now owned by the same owner....
if you are staying in Harmoni One, the cab fare will set you back at about S$16 ? (cant really remember, but this include the cabbie driver waiting for you while you grab your meal.. which was pretty essential as it was hard to hail a cab at Golden prawn and the restaurant is located off the main road)
We begin by ordering how we want our seafood to be cook (steam with garlie, fry with chilli, BBQ.. etc).. then proceeded to choose the seafood =))
finally satisfying the Lobster craving... this one weighs about 700gram.. (steam with garlic)
also picked out a fish, recommended by their staff, though i am not sure what it's called... (BBQ)
Some other table order a much larger lobster.... wow..
Both Rodman & the staff chose the fish small enuff for just us two..
another variety of fish we didnt order.
crayfish , shell fishes for your selection, main reason why i love eating seafood at Batam..... the price is relatively cheaper and you get to order so many.. !!~
i was very intrigued by this shell fish... it took me a while to figure how it can be eaten... we didnt order this..
after we were done choosing the lobster, Rodman challenge me to hold on to the lobster - so i did! it struggle a little, pretty hard to keep my calm.. haha
There! looking much confidant!
how to tell a lobster from crayfish.... think i have problem doing so for years....
we quickly got back to our seat and await the dishes... i also order a coconut to go along and it was HUGE..... could barely finish half of the drink...
see the size of the coconut?
Not long later, our dishes arrived!!~
*you should know by practice, that in Indonesia, rice are usually served in a huge serving where guest are allowed to scoop to their liking.. it is ok to leave the rest of the rice uneaten, you will only be charged a fair amount for any bit of rice take - or not..
First up ---- Lala!!!~ we order it to be cooked in Sambal Belachan, sadly, it came tad too sweet for our liking.... feels weird eating sambal mixed with sweet sauce, especially for Lala
hot plate egg toufu.... to compliment all the seafood & rice.. this is fairly ok..
Baby Kailan stir fried with Oyster Sauce (again the chef sweeten up the dish to the local delight... we felt it was too sweet to eat with rice.. but fairly acceptable.. )
our fish... BBQ... this is THE thing.... loving every bit of the charred skin & grilled filling.... the fish was quickly wipe out by us both.... the natural taste was force out by the Tamarind powder added.. i really love this dish
yummy, beautiful lobster... steam in garlic.....
sadly, this was suppose to be da'bomb, the only dish we so look forward to since our last trip to Golden Prawn... This time, however, the lobster was steam tooooooooo salty that even the succulent meat tasted salty.... i usually love drinking up the liquid residue from the steam that will contain all essence of the seafood..... but this time, it was too salty i couldnt manage even a mouthful..... mostly handle the meat by chewing each bite & drinking from the coconut... =(
Overall, had it not been for the drop in quality of the food from Golden Prawn (which is one factor many would use to consider their dining place), our experience was overall good.... The view from the table where we set overlooks the small pond where the restaurant was built upon.... by night the lights are up and there were music playing, the staff are also very attentive (thank God for those Bahasa Melayu i've been conversing with Kakak)////
Our bill came to about S$80 for all the dishes, with inclusion of a 700gram Lobster (thou not tasty).. this was a good deal...
After dinner, we notice our cabbie driver had finish his dinner too... we hop onto his car and was fetch back to the hotel... it was now time to count down to christmas..
Harmoni One Hotel's entrance by night..
i enhance the lighting and now it look sway better =)
I got back to our room for a hot soak in the huge bathtub while Rodman lookup the TV channel hoping to catch some soccer matches - much to his disappointment.. haha....
at about 11.45pm we walked down to the hotel Lobby... there was a pianist playing soothing christmas songs, and people were gathered in groups (presumably Church mates on a holiday together), some were hooked onto the network in the lobby, skyping away.. others are prepare to do the countdown..
Then the countdown came.. then Rodman and i received so many text on our iphone that we were busy replying.. haha.. and then the countdown past.... so unromantic hor.....
After that, we go to the security guard that i told them we wanted to light up some fireworks for Christmas... he panick a little and for a moment we wonder if this was legal... then he walk over to the reception counter in the hotel while we both stand outside at where he was station....
Rodman asked if he has misinterpret us and panick... then we saw the same guard brought along a staff of the hotel out... and he calmly tell us "don't worry mam, Sir, our security will escort you to a compound safe for lighting up the fireworks... "
boy am i impressed!!!~ i love every bit of this Hotel !!!~ The security than lead us both to the field at the end of the entrance to Harmoni One hotel, it feels a little awkward since we were in front of the main road, but then we heard youth strumming the guitar and singing X'mas carols and our guts quickly took over!!!~
Mr boyfriend lighting the first of our toy.. a stick that lights up like a light stick when lit
see how it lights up the street.. with just a small spark of fire
a clearer shot
then a really blur one.. hurhurhur..
Next up is this tiny coin looking thing that you are suppose to light with fire before tossing it onto the ground... strangely the "coin" twist and turn itself, going in all sorts of direction and letting out high-pitch screeching.. it is actually pretty amusing..
finally, since we bought very little to try... i had to seize the chance to do a dramatic ending to our "fire performance"... so i took control of the last stick... and strike this pose..... very good exit dont you think =)))))))
The night ended earlier thanks to my insonmia the day before.. i quickly doze off - but not before reprimanding Rodman for falling aslp the night before...
Gladly, he struggled to stay awake to make sure i can sleep first.. and i did him good by dozing off extremely fast.... and that sums up how 2012 christmas went...... silent night..
No comments:
Post a Comment