Our next trip down memory lane is PCB or Pantai Cinta Berahi or Beach of Passionate Love the name of which proved to be too steamy and sexy and so it was changed to the tamer "Beach of the Shimmery Moon" or Pantai Cahaya Bulan. To us, it will, and always will be, Beach of Passionate Love, No Less, ok.
Sitting on the steps of PCB Resort.
After visiting the palace square and the royal bridge, we came back to find out that lots of stalls have sprung up for business. We realised that we have parked at a pasar malam site!
The woman trader pointed to a big sign that said " no parking from 3 to 11 because trading for night business will start from 4 p.m." but we said we did not notice the sign, and pleaded ignorance since we are from Kuala Lumpur. Anyway, we drove off after apologies were in order and we headed for our next adventure by the beach.
We are going to the beach that we strolled along so many years ago, with the wind at our back, the breeze in our faces, and hope rising in our chests.
It is situated at the South China Sea, unspoilt with crystal clear waters, shimmering sand and azure sea, this is after all, a beach of the east coast of Malaysia.
But, but, but, times have change, Something called Progress. Cars have increased. There is now a jam and road congestion.
Stalls are everywhere, and people milled about.
The people!!!!! It's a crowd!
We could not park, so I hopped down to the beach to take selfie. what do you know? Concrete steps on powdery white sands, as incongruous as chalk to cheese.
The beach now
The beach then. And ME, then, hahaha!!!
And this is the him, then, !!!!!
Here we are now,
time has been kind to us
and we are as healthy and vibrant as before.
We walked back to Kg Semut Api, the only place where we were able to park. And we left PCB behind. PCB is not the PCB that was before. We are also not the "we" that were before.
We drove to Kota Bharu China town and it was also not like before. We could not find the roads that we had been accustomed to in 1982.
New shops offered a variety of food, so we settled down for dinner.
Then we walked around and it was bustling, busy and noisy.
" I can't find my usual road, my favourite haunt, and my regular aunty's shop," he laments.
Never mind, I sat by the roadside savouring durians, that's the seat the seller (a foreigner)gave up for me.
Then we went back to our Tune Hotel, and there's a mall, and parking lots and roadside stalls and everything looked so happening and so "in".
Fast food available everywhere, so are Pokestops!
After showering we came down for shopping and hanging out for a bit so as to be in the thick of the action. Tomorrow we will be preparing for our epic journey from the east coast to the west!!
