The Body Sends a Memo

Please click the photo above to play the daily videoA sunny start to the day, and the morning round went smoothly — patients sorted out in good time, the list closing neatly rather than fraying at the edges. There's a quiet satisfaction in finishing on schedule, in walking away from a morning that asked for nothing more than what you'd planned to give. A weekend round done well leaves the rest of the day feeling earned.

Which was just as well, because the rest of the day was largely given over to repairs. I drove out to Kota Damansara for physio — the right shoulder has been playing up this past month, and it has now reached the stage where ignoring it is no longer a credible strategy. It was sore enough to warrant acupuncture, that curious business of being made to feel better by means of small needles and quiet faith. I won't pretend to understand entirely how it works, only that the shoulder and I have reached an arrangement, and the shoulder, frankly, has the upper hand at present. The body, having served without complaint for a good while, has begun sending the occasional memo. One reads them whether one wants to or not.

After that, a late lunch at Johnny's in Alpha Angle — the sort of unfussy, familiar place that asks nothing of you but your appetite. There's comfort in a meal that requires no decisions, no occasion, just sitting down somewhere you've sat a hundred times before and letting it be exactly what it always is.

And perhaps it was the familiarity of the place, or the slowness of a sore Saturday, but we fell to reminiscing — back to the Gombak years, when we lived out that way and the boys were still small. Funny how those days arrive unbidden, summoned by nothing in particular. They were not, at the time, days we thought we'd one day miss. They were just the days we were in — busy, ordinary, faintly exhausting in the way that small children make everything. And now they have that warm, burnished quality that ordinary things acquire only once they're safely behind you. We didn't dwell on it. You don't need to. A few minutes of "do you remember" is enough to acknowledge the thing and move on, which is probably the healthiest way to handle the past.

A quick stop at the pasar malam in Melawati on the way back — that reliable parade of light and smoke and noise, the smell of grilled things hanging in the evening air. I didn't buy much. Sometimes the walking-through is the point, more than the buying.

Then home, and an early night, the shoulder insisting on it more firmly than I'd have chosen myself. There's no arguing with a sore body once it's made up its mind. It had been a good day, in its quiet, slightly creaky way — a morning done right, an afternoon spent mending, and a brief, unsentimental visit to a version of us from twenty years ago. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday. The shoulder may disagree. It usually does.

Back to KL

It was a smooth drive home. We set off just after noon after the boys had their late breakfast. No drama on the way down and it took me around 90 minutes to reach Gombak.

We were starving when we finally reached KL. We went straight to Sakura Kristal and had our late lunch. Tired, heading home next toned it all the photos and videos.

Back to Melawati

Its a tradition for us. Every year, our local Pasar Ramadhan would be the one at Taman Melawati. Over the years it had gone through plenary of changes, in terms of location and appearance. It used to be in a large car park, four rows of shops, well spaced out. Plenty of stalls and food to choose from. A real go to spot when it came to shopping for berbuka.

For the last three years, the venue had changed and with that, the charm had disappeared. Many good stalls had decided to go elsewhere. My favourite drink joint was nowhere to be seen. What was left were pretty basic while some were downright mediocre.

I only went there because I was curious. Definitely not there because I wanted the food. And don't get me started about the traffic.

The new Pasar Ramadhan spot was located along one of the back row, on a smaller car park. Three rows of shops and parking meant leaving your car by the roadside of a busy main road. It was both a nightmare manouvering in and out of the place. Avenue you were late, forget it. You might end up in your car longer than the actual shopping.

I was there on the second day of Ramadhan. Definitely not a fan but if you must look for food for Berbuka, you may not have much of a choice.

Pasar Ramadan is Back

Yesterday was the first day of Ramadan for this year. And as usual, it also marked the return of food stalls at Pasar Ramadan. A quick fix that not just the Malays would enjoy.

We broke our fast - or as my more Arabinised friends wold call it performed iftar - at my in-law's place. And with that, Anita and I went out on a rampage at the local Pasar Ramadan at Melawati! Anita even collected her small change into her handbag for the occasion.

A drink with a twist ....They changed the layout of the market this time making it more compact, turning one of the carpark into 3 rows of stalls. I reckoned there were about 70 stalls all together, with great variety of food this time compared to the last.

We bought all the usual suspects, mostly from the same stall we had frequented over the years. But, the disappointing thing was our usual drinks vendor was not there. In fact, he wasn't there since last year. Another vendor which was missing was my favourite cucur udang stall. The alternatives - although plenty - were not as good.

After filling up both my hands with carry bags - should have brought with us a couple of shopping bags with us - we decided to call it the afternoon, although if she had had her way, there would be more!

Surprisingly, we finished most of the food yesterday, if not during berbuka, the left overs were gone by sahur. Idlan however asked for Nando's chicken for his breaking fast, so we had to stop by the mall to get that for him. Irfan wanted chicken rice. That was easy enough.

So, for the second day, we planned to eat out as the boys wanted chicken teriyaki for their berbuka. Plotting being done as we speak ....

Food Truck

It was not something we usually get to see here in Malaysia. A food truck. Quite literally one. Not one of those small van where the vendors stuffed their wears to a pasar malam before laying them in the open under a tent.

This was a purpose built kitchen truck, where they cook and prepare food, complete with benches like I saw on the Food Network on TV. To see them in the flesh worth a second glance, and in Anita's case, worth a sample.

We were at Melawati to pick up some washings when we stopped at a cafe. At the entrance parked this truck opened for business that evening, selling burgers. Gourmet ones.

Reasonably priced and the burgers - all prepared from fresh ingredients with home made patties - were something else.

Google www.burgergilerpower.com for more info. Apparently. they would be parked at Melawati - in front of Espressolab, opposite the Police Station - three nights a week, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Will definitely give it another go.