Tawau/Semporna (IV) - Day 5 (Pearl Island Resort)

-
On our third day at Pearl Island Resort, we woke up at 8am for breakfast. The dishes were mostly the same as the day before, except the char kueh teow (stir-fried rice noodles) had been replaced with stir-fried noodles, which were unfortunately dry and a bit hard. I couldn't resist ordering my favourite fried egg, and it was just as good as I had expected. The bakso was surprisingly tasty too, with a rich, comforting broth that was a little oily. Besides that, the vermicelli in the soup was cooked just right, soft but not mushy, and it came with hard-boiled eggs and shredded chicken. While eating, I spotted three turtles swimming in the sea, with many more nearby. Every now and then, their heads popped above the water like the targets in a "whack-a-mole" game, and I could hear them gasp loudly for air. It was an unexpected sight, yet one I never get bored with.

After breakfast, my partner went for his snorkeling session with one of the lifeguards, as he had promised to show him a close encounter with the turtles. I stayed behind, relaxing in the dining area. By 9.30am, there were no more turtle sightings. The calm of the morning was shattered by the same guest from Hong Kong, loudly watching movies on his iPad and completely ignoring everyone around him. It was too much to tolerate, so I decided to return to our chalet.

We had lunch at 12.30pm. Since it was the first day of Chinese New Year, festive songs filled the air, creating a cheerful and lively atmosphere. We were the only local guests, as most of the visitors were tourists from Hong Kong or China. It was easy to spot them as they used chopsticks to eat their rice, even though it was served on plates instead of bowls.

Today's lunch menu: Japanese tofu, onion ginger fish, sambal squid, black pepper beef, butter garlic rice, lemongrass chicken, garden salad, spring rolls, sweet corn soup, and Vietnamese salad. The black pepper beef was tender and flavourful, but the broccoli tasted bland. The lemongrass chicken was decent, while the squid was a bit tough, and the fish was similar. The strawberry cake was surprisingly good. It was soft and spongy, despite its slightly artificial colour. In comparison, the chocolate cake was a bit dense. Complimentary ice cream was only served on our third day because the stock had just arrived. Each person was allowed only one serving due to the limited supply. The available flavours were strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, and mint.

The tea break felt special with the serving of nian gao, the sweet, sticky rice cake traditionally enjoyed during Chinese New Year. Although the fried sticky rice cake was slightly oily, it was still delicious. Its sweet, comforting flavour brought back fond memories. I couldn't even remember the last time I had it.

Three days in a row, the sunset was blocked by the clouds. On the bright side, I spotted three turtles swimming in the sea. As usual, dinner was served at 7pm, and it turned out to be quite enjoyable this time. The seafood pasta was perfectly cooked, the beef stew was tender, and the sweet and sour fish was flavourful. Besides that, the squid wasn't rubbery, while the braised sea cucumber was slightly chewy with a hint of saltiness. The prawns were a little bland, but the chilled mandarin oranges were a highlight for me. They were sweet with just a touch of sourness, a nice reminder of the Chinese New Year.

After dinner, we sat on the swing, and I spotted a big eagle ray gliding gracefully through the water. Its dark body was dotted with spots, but it moved so fast that I didn't have time to grab my camera. I also saw plenty of turtles swimming nearby. Back in the chalet, just before taking a bath, a cockroach appeared, and I had no choice but to kill it with a slipper. I didn't want it crawling on me while I slept. I felt sorry for it, but there was really no other option. Later, on the balcony, I saw a few turtles, though only one came up for air at a time, taking roughly four to eight minutes between breaths. It was our last night, and it felt nice to relax and enjoy the view.



Stir-fried noodles


Cocktail sausages


Hash browns


Bacon


Grilled tomatoes with garlic


Baked beans


Salad section


Mixed tropical fruits: honeydew, papaya and watermelon


Corn custard pudding


Sausage buns and chocolate-filled buns


Dragon fruit yogurt


Cereals


Bread


Fried egg


My breakfast


Mee hoon (vermicelli) bakso


Pearl Island Resort


Pearl Island Resort


Pearl Island Resort


Pearl Island Resort


Rice


Butter garlic rice


Lemon grass chicken


Black pepper beef


Sambal squid


Onion-ginger fish


Japanese tofu


Vegetables


Vegetables


Vietnamese salad


Spring roll


Garden salad


Honeydew


Pineapples


Assorted fruits


Chocolate cakes


Strawberry cakes


Dessert, buns and steamed buns


My lunch


Sweet corn soup


Fruits and salad


Complimentary ice cream


Pearl Island Resort


Pearl Island Resort


Tea break


Purple sweet potatoes coated with sugar


Sticky rice cake


My tea break


Sunset at Pearl Island Resort


Sunset at Pearl Island Resort


Sunset at Pearl Island Resort


Sunset at Pearl Island Resort


Sunset at Pearl Island Resort


Pearl Island Resort


Rice


Arrabbiata seafood pasta


Beef stew


Squid


Nestum prawns


Sweet and sour fish


Braised sea cucumber with Chinese mushroom


Vegetables


Vegetables


Garden salad


Potato salad


Watermelon salad


Lamb


Assorted fruits


Honeydew


Mandarin oranges


Puddings


Cakes


Chocolate tarts


My dinner


My dinner


Seafood chowder soup

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Guangzhou/Shenzhen - Day 4/Day 1 (Luohu Commercial City - Dongmen Pedestrian Street - Sun Plaza)

-
Image
We had planned to check out of the hotel at 12pm and board a train to Dongguan at 1pm to meet with one of Ben's potential supplier. However, the plan was cancelled as the supplier was unable to make it and Ben only notified us after we checked out of the hotel at 12pm. In the end, we did nothing for a half day in Guangzhou and missed the opportunity to see his supplier in Dongguan. Our initial plan was to meet with his supplier in Dongguan and then take the train to Shenzhen. Since the plan didn't work out, we purchased a last-minute ticket from  Guangzhou East Railway Station to Shenzhen Station (Price - RM 65.74 per person for first-class seat). We had our lunch together with Ben at  Chuangshan Restaurant, which is located opposite  Guangzhou East Railway Station . I had goose with roasted pork, while my partner had chicken with BBQ pork. Roasted pork is tasty and goose is flavourful but has rubbery skin. Ben's friend joined us for lunch as well. However, we have to lea...
Read more

Guangzhou - Day 2 (Canton Fair Complex - Beijing Road)

-
Image
I woke up early in the morning with a swollen leg, but luckily it is still not that painful when I walk. I couldn't go back to sleep since there's a mosquito that keeps buzzing in my ear. It seems that the pesky insect didn't bother my partner as much as it did me. Anyway, we left our hotel around 10am to look for food. Whenever we travel, I will prepare a list of food itineraries. However, I do not have a complete list this time since I am unable to read Chinese characters. There is very limited information available online in English. There are a few famous restaurants on my list, but I'm not sure if the addresses are correct. So, we asked the hotel front desk about the nearest Guangzhou Restaurant. She is quite helpful in assisting us with the web searches. Basically, the nearest Guangzhou Restaurant is just one station away from our hotel. So we took the metro from Guangzhou East Railway Station to Tianhe Sports Center (¥ 2 per person) exit A to Tiyu Donglu. Since G...
Read more

Taiwan - Day 4 (Dongmen Market - Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall - Guangzhou Street Market - Huaxi Street Night Market - Ximending Night Market)

-
Image
Weather is getting warmer on our 4th day in Taipei and we can just go out without a jacket. Finally we had a good night sleep at  CitizenM Taipei North Gate Hotel . We woke up late around 11.30am and took bus no. 22 (Bus fare - NT$ 15 per person) from Taipei Post Office to Dongmen Station (Xinyi). I might say, this is one of the worst bus ride that we have ever ride. The driver has a rough driving skills. I pity an old lady because she was struggling to balance herself on the moving bus. Then I overheard an elderly who told her friend how she fell and knock her head. She lost her balance as the bus was moving too fast. I felt a little light headed after I stepped down from the bus. This is how bad their driving skill is. Just across Dongmen Station (Xinyi) is Dongmen Market. It's a traditional market for locals to get their groceries in the morning. Do be careful of scooters driving through the market alley. I was looking for this vermicelli soup shop and finally found it at the fa...
Read more