Batam Getaway - Part 3

Continuation...

http://gforce-guru.blogspot.sg/2014/10/batam-getaway-part-1.html

We had to get up earlier as we could not find a table to sit for breakfast on the second day and some food choices were not replenished so some folks must have been overeating?

Where we were seated we could see through a glass panel. A little Caucasian girl was the only other person who was observing them and she was trying to communicate with us through the glass panel. I did not come all the way here to watch cats but it was here that I saw the playfulness of kittens and their cat family and their little story unfolded. A family no matter what differences must stay together. On a larger scale, so too a country.

The little brown one was the most playful.

It chewed on tails and climbed onto chairs.

The we saw a big brown cat that came in from the bush. Maybe it was the father we thought. But then we saw the mother's ear (behind the pillar) pricked up and her hind legs were ready to pounce as she watched intently. 

Then suddenly without warning, she ran over and chase the big brown cat away. A mother's love and instinct to protect its young.

Then from the other side another brown cat came. This was surely the father. As the family welcomed him back. This is the year of the Cat:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqZc7ZQURMs

We went cycling around...

And to be nearer the sea.

Where young man could ponder their future.

And old man could reflect. Sometimes you can hear voices: "What are you going to do with your life?''

Now that I have come here, where do I go from here? Which path should I take? Pause if you must but we need to go forward. More importantly, go in the right direction.

The moon controls the tide but who controls the moon?

Even wild plants find their way.

Sometimes they leave a crowded place to go on their own. Or at least they do not follow the herd.

It's about time to leave.

As we are about to leave, some others have come.

Kids will love it here.

One last shot before I go.

Happy memories are made of these.

Big hugs for everyone!

Remember that wherever you go, you must bless people. Whenever you spend money, you are blessing people. You buy Dough nuts, you bless the workers.

You buy keuh lapis you bless others. You take a taxi you bless the man and his family.

The driver took us to this shop to buy what he called the freshest kueh lapis.

On the way home at Waterfront ferry terminal, a Singaporean woman created a commotion. I heard her shouted: "Stop stepping on me". The older lady maybe around 60 muttered softly and the woman shouted again "the least you can do is say sorry". The older woman must have been the anxious type and kept bumping and stepping on the foot of the woman in front. Maybe she said never mind its okay, just a small thing.

The ferocious woman have not gotten enough and shouted: "This is final warning. If you dare step on me one more time!" At this point, another woman, maybe the old lady's friend of sister came between them in the queue. I felt the Batam immigration should send here back because at immigration you get sent back if you talks let alone shout. Her warning to the old woman was silly and childish. What happens if the old lady step on her again? Beat her up? You look stupid either way if you do something or you did not. I realised she is the wife of the man who scolded security officers in Singapore on the trip there. What happens when she grows old someday and became like that older woman?  They came with a few families in a big group. Neither her husband nor the friends said anything when all these happened. How were her children's thoughts and what have they learnt from their parents?  

Soon after I returned home, I made another trip to another part of Batam. It was a day trip.

In this ferry, you can't smoke - upside down.

I needed an update on the logistics here.

Saw an industrial park. It was a very hot day!

There was a lot of beer offered even from the morning and in the car, at the yard or office. I got to use a lot of the toilet. I saw the warning notice.

Soon it was lunch. Some were eyeing the lobsters. They were making the lobsters nervous.

There were lots of coconuts here.

They are huge.

I was beginning  to like this place.

Its say Tiger time but we were having plenty of Bintang.

It was a sprawling space and looked pretty clean. 

Very quickly, the food arrived starting with these chilli "tua tau"clams. I like tua tau and they must be spicy. These were good.

And then the smaller lala, tender and sweet.

The crabs were not big but the meat were quite good but I found that they added peanut into the gravy.

Finally, the greedy moment we have been waiting for, the grand finale - black pepper lobsters. Excellent.

The fruits were sweet and I found the mangoes surprising good. This restaurant is much better than what I had when I came to another restaurant the other time.

We had lots of beer Bintang. When I set up to take this picture, I was trying to shoot just the glass of beer to send back home to friends to let them know what I was doing. As I was about to shoot, the waitress came from behind and started pouring and it was captured. I thought this is a very beautiful shot good enough for any beer advertisement as I later found out there was a man in a state of total bliss at the other end.

More kueh lapis this time from "Layers

A friend told me this is the best from Batam.

Special thanks to all my friends who helped make this possible. It was not over till the fat lady sings as they used to say. So more beers in Singapore. Cheers!

My next trip to Batam will be for golf!