SEBANA GOLF & MARINA RESORT

Danny Boy came home for 3 weeks hols...just after receiving his results..Mumsie would have planned for 1 or 2 weeks oversea hols. with him but was not informed earlier (cos Danny Boy was not confident that he could pass all his pappers just in case he gotta re-sit) so with short notice Mumsie managed to get Uncle Harris to come & cover a short week-end..So we took off to Sebana for a few days...

Happy happy happy mumsie...@ the beach with monkeys everywhere... This resort is located at the shouthern - most tip of Malaysia, it boasts that this Resort is the international gateway to what is now commonly known as the "Carribean of the East" , an area encompassing the islands and waters of the South China Sea and the Southern Malay Archipelago.

Dadda stumpled upon this place in the internet. A very very remote place for golf golf golf..(no spa) and some sports & reacreation...like river cruises, canoeing, fishing, Mangrove Dining, Mountain Bikes, Jungle trekking/ Nature walk Fireflies Cruise Fruit Farm and Ostrich Farm Tours.

Wonder if Danny Boy is enjoying this????

The marina has facillities for boats (up to 60 meters) / Mega Yachts (up to 80 meters) to 'park' In fact on the morning in the Gym mumsie met a couple from Switzerland...who had parked their boat here and is on their 2nd months' stay (according to them they are staying here for 6 months!!!!)

Sebana is set in the riverine of the Sebana and Santi Rivers. And is about 30 - 45 min drive from Desaru...so whilst Daddy and Danny were golfing mumsie drove to one of Desaru's hotel for spa....

The week we were there happened to be school holidays for Malaysia and S'pore.. Believe it or not all its 84 rooms and suites and 24 -2 bed-room Apartment were fully booked by S'poreans...This resort is only about 45 mins ferry ride from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal , S'pore and it only cost S$24/ It took us about 3 hrs from JB town ( it should be 2 hours - 145 km if we did not get lost 1/2 way)

Quite a clean and well kept place

This is the 'Boat House Tavern' a casual all-day-dining restuarant overlooking the scenic marina and swimming pool, offering authenic local and international favourites. (Live performances on Saturdays)

Seating capacity 150

Big swimming pool...

Sungei Rengit (noted for its fresh and cheap sea food) is about 9 km 10 mins drive from Sebana so we had dinner in one of the restaurants. So we drove to the 'Lucky Restaurant'...recommended by Channel 8 of S'pore Media Corp TV for dinner...the above is fresh oyster omlet....NOT BAD

Highly recommended fried lobster dish..

These are the hotel rooms

Quite scenic -like postcard pictures...

Mumsie is not bad with her camera...

We stayed in one of these apt...yah up stairs

There are 24 of these and fully booked!!!

The next day 's lunch we drove back to Sungei Rengit and tried the other restaurant the 'Jade Garden ' recommended by Chanel U (S'pore TV) Lobester again but half eaten...forgot to take the photo before eating

Daddy insisted that mumsie should take a photo with the "Chanel U STARS"

THE CATHEDRAL CELEBRATES

Twenty-five years ago on February 19. 1982 the Cathedral was dedicated. So this year the on 19th Febrauay 2007 the parishioners of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Johor Bahru as well as neighbouring parishes, celebrated the Cathedral's 25th anniversary of Dedication . As the event also fell on the first day of the Chineses Lunar New Year, the parishioners from, far amd near came decked in festive colours. The turn-out was more than expected (about 1,500) . The event also marked the conclusion fo the first official visit of the Apostolic Delegate to the Diocese. Five other Italian priests were also present.

Bags like the above were printed and distributed to commemorate this day....each parishioner was given a bag with oranges and an angpow... Tradition, tradition.

This tent is where the bishops and priests distributed the goodie bags and boy! What a 'crowd' and grandma chu with mumsie and Jane (the Philipino maid) 's support survive it all and got her goodie bag and angpow....

Wonder if mumsie's little ones remember Father Ignatius Huan who was one of the earlier parish priest..He came back to celebrate with us... Years ago when Linny was '?small' he came to visit us and when he was met at the door Linny exclaimed.....'Jesus' is here!!!....remember????

Managed to catch the warden dressed in Chinese cheongsam

and RED!!! TRADITION tradition !!!

Since the church was packed and as usual the 'Chus' arrived just 'in time'...we couldn't get to sit together...so Ko ko pop in here to prove that he too is in the clelebrations.. Being the 1st day of CNY mumsie traditonally will bring her whole family to church...(Girls mumsie misses you)

The 'offerings' brought in during the offertory of the mass....symbolic items such palm oil (representing the economic produce of Johor) Gula Melaka (representing Melaka) oranges, pineapples, (God's abundant blessings on his children) the eight treasures candy, nien kau, bread and wine (humankind's harvest from the earth ) And every year during CNY mass the lion comes..This year they added the 'baby lions' performed by the Chinese community of the cathedral

The lion paying respect @ the altar...

And then it danced around the altar

And the lion 'teaser'...is that what this fella is called???

And the 'musician' The Cathedral has 12 of this drums...Each

named after the appostles...12 appostles so 12 drums

This corner is for the deaf...they follow the mass via 'hand/sign language'

Wonder Linny and Jie-jie remember this lady Shirely How....the retired Convent Teacher...she was called to make a speech cos she is the Parish Pastoral Counsel Chairperson ......

. Many many priests celebrate mass that day...

And many many bishops..never before did mumsie attended a mass with so many VIPs...

More wardens in red cheongsams

This is Archbishop Salvatore from Rome. The theme of the clelbration was How lovely is your Dwelling Place.

See Daddy is there paying attention and not 'nodding'

And Danny Boy with Jane amongst the other 'aunties'

Grandma Chu...@ the 'oldie corner'

This must be the first time mumsie attended mass with so many celebrants

After mass all was invited for lunch but mumsie and family had to rush off...Daddy gotta go for work.

7th DAY OF THE CHINESE NEW YEAR

Should have posted this blog much much earlier but because mumsie's computer 'kong out' for quite some time..and when mumsie's new (birthday present from daddy) computer came..mumsie was too busy figuring how to use it and and and many excuses......so they will be more 'post dated blogs' comming soon in the near future.....(mumsie hope)
Supposedly the 7th day of the CNY is the birthday of all mankind...so on this day traditionally mumsie's mummy will always make sure that the whole family will eat noodles .However in the modern day Malaysia, the popular food to eat on this day is "Yee Sang" which signifies that business is easy to grow. Everyone should participate in tossing the 'Yee Sang" . This indicates success in all your business activities. So for the past few years traditionly mumsie will buy a dish of 'Halal Yee Sang' to 'lou' with CSM's staff.
Mumsie always make sure that the plate for the 'Yee Sang' is 'halal' too which means each year gotta get a new plate.....with disposable chopsticks...Toss the 'Yee Sang' high....the higher the better!!!!

AND must finish it...must not leave any thing on the plate...!!!

So mumsie this year got Azlan the driver to get the 'Yee Sang' from Holiday Inn....cost $100/-

Get ready ! Get Set! AND LOU, LOU, LOU!!

This year's 7th Day fell on Saturday so not many staff on duty...

Yum yum yum... SEDAP!

Every year we used disposable cups to eat our 'Yee Sang'

See we all enjoyed the dish!!! Well Done CSM

If mumsie remembers correctly the ritual for this day also includes bathing with flowers..Yes mumsie's mum used to put flowers in the bathroom tub and the whole family bathe with it..after which we will find our bodies stuck with flower petals (No we don't jump into the tub we dish out the water on to our bodies....wonder if mumsie's mum still does that???)

As this year the '7th Day fell on Saturday KFC (mumsie's brother) and family came to 'LOU

Sand' with us too...So we had our dinner in ' Jade Palace'

Grandma and Yee Poh with Jane

Danny boy was not around..cos he gotta to rush back to Malacca to 'mug'......for his final term exams!!!!

The entrance to Jade palace

Mumsie with their 'Yee Sang' table...all the restuarant tradionally will put up this 'decor' at thier entrance..dunno why???

And now the tradition 'TOSS' the higher the better

This is before the 'attack' with chopsitcks. This is the starter dish....Well mumsie is tooooo bz eating after this so forgot to take pictures of the rest of the dishes....any way the rest of the dishes are yummy that's why mumsie return a few days later with 'another gang' to LOU again

Girls , mumsie misses you...Mitchelle too is not here cos she too is 'mugging' for her exams.....(Important year for her....especially if she wants to score 10As for her 'O' LEVEL this year)

NOT only the food taste good their service is first class too!!

The 'CHUS - minus the girls and the LEONG - minus their girl too) Any way hope to get everbody in NEXT year!!!

This is how the dish looks like before they add the 'crackers' (golden nuggets in catonese) and the raw fish!!

Hopefully mumsie will be able to post more of the CNY'S happenings the next few days....