How are you and Gabby? It’s been only 2 days since I left home to be in my work site again here in Penang but homesickness has began to kick in again. I guess it’s really part of being away from family. Anyway, I know in 2 to 3 months time, God willing, you and Gabby will join me here for good; or at least until we finish our respective contracts. Aren’t you excited to work as an Operating Room Nurse in Penang Adventist Hospital soon? Let’s pray that your registration paper will be release immediately after they’ve received all your requirements from local offices there in Pinas.
Our trip en route to Penang was eventful; truly one for the books. You know for a fact that it was (Doc)Ronnie who thought of going to Kota Kinabalu prior to Penang for a quick tour of the city and I decided to tag along with him. It was also him who told me to inquire about where to go and what to do on a limited time from one of our (best) PreMed students, Dante who hails from Sabah. So when I did, it led to a wonderful experience we never expected to happen.
From Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark, Pampanga, Ronnie and I boarded a 4PM flight to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
Just after I turned on my cellphone by the time we reached Sabah few minutes before 6PM, I received a text message from Dante’s Dad, Sir Paul that he’s already waiting at the airport to fetch us. *we didn’t think we’d received such warm hospitality*
We were brought to a floating seafood restaurant that features cultural show…
The huge seafood place is built on stilts in a man-made lagoon. We were told it’s frequented by tourists and locals particularly on weekends and holidays but even on a Monday evening, we saw a number of people dining and enjoying the show.
It was our gracious and generous host, Sir Paul who ordered from the stalls of fresh veggies and live seafoods…
Our sumptuous feast in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah….
Grouper or popularly known in Pinoys as Lapu-lapu.
Soft-shelled crabs were divine! Sarap!
Udang is the Malaysian term for shrimps or prawns… It’s Ronnie’s favorite.
Clams in thick and creamy sauce…
Riped mangoes from the Philippines as our dessert…
Some more dances from the show…we found so many similarities with our own not only in the costumes but also in their moves. They also have Tinikling-like dance; a proof that we came from one root. On the right photo were the 2 doctors who made Sabah their pit stop before reporting back to work and their gracious host, Sir Paul. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir! Thank you for everything!
Free photo-op with the performers after their show…
After our dinner, he drove us up to a hilly part overlooking the city, then just when I thought that he’ll only drop us off to our hotel lobby, we were pleased that he even stayed longer with us after we’ve checked in.
He offered to accompany us to the airpot the next day so we’re even more delighted.
We woke up at 6AM, checked out an hour after and met him at the lobby. He brought us to a simple place where eateries and stores are located; he treated us again for breakfast. It was another indulgence! We cannot thank him enough…
He ordered white coffee (with condensed milk instead of sugar, sarap!) for Ronnie and I; 3 plates of soyed noodles, and four bowls of tasteful soups –pork, beef, fish and shrimps… It was overwhelming!
He even bought a couple of local papers for us to browse…
And just before bringing us to the airport, he managed to show us one of Kota Kinabalu’s beaches…
It added to a lot of reasons to go back to Sabah. 
At the terminal, Sir Paul even carried our luggages to queue for check in; offered us hot milo drink at the lounge while waiting for our boarding time. His hospitality was really beyond our expectations. We’re so grateful to have met him.
We learned that Sir Paul with our student, Dante and the rest of their family already visited Manila 2 years ago. He even had good recall of the places they’ve been to. Sir Paul mentioned he was impressed with Manila Cathedral, San Agustin Church and Tagaytay City.
From Kota Kinabalu, we flew back to Kuala Lumpur then headed to Penang via another flight on Air Asia. There’s a direct flight from Sabah to Penang but we purchased our tickets from KL-Penang online long before we decided to go to Kota Kinabalu. Nonetheless, the entire experience of hopping from one terminal to another was amazing.
Someday, I hope to visit Sabah again with you and Gabby; and I and Ronnie also wish to return the favor to Sir Paul and his family whenever they’ll have a chance to visit Manila again.
Love,
your one and only *baduy!*
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.. seafood galore! the beach looks beautiful. i think kk-pen-kl is a good itinerary if one will visit malaysia for the first time.
you’ll like it there, rob! kaya lang our student is correct in saying that it’s a bit difficult to roam around sabah without a guide from there; public transpo isn’t that many compared to penang and kl.
see you in penang on march?
.. flights booked. see you in march!
…nice! let’s go!
hala, dear Gabby and Tina series na naman.. =(
anyway, gayahin mo si Rob, kahit 250 days pa, nagccount down na! hihi
hhmm Penang, para kay Rob lang muna yan, bukod sa mahal, dpat ko i-budget ang leave ko sa office! ^_^
hi chyng! di naman malungkot post ko ngayon, saya nga e!
basta i’ll wait the day when you and dyan decide to roam around georgetown.
let’s go!
wow, gelo! that’s a very fantastic experience! Sir paul is also very hospitable!
)
magandang pasyalan yan sa Chinese New Year ah!!! hmmm… i loveee the foodssss!!!!!!:-))
sarap-saya dyan, anna!
para lang pinas
huwaw! Now i have good reason to visit sabah, and we really should, not only for the food and the place but of its closest proximity to home…..btw, sabah was philippine territory until 1963…..u weren’t born yet! subject na sa social studies noon LOL!
let’s explore malaysia bit by bit, doc!
1963? i was born 13 years after!
kota kinabalu is beautiful and so its food and WOMEN. *wink*
oh my gulay, this post makes me hungry! what a spread and a great host you had! the mention of “floating” restaurant brings back memories of Silangan Nayon in Pagbilao and restaurants on stilts in Olango Island, Cebu. i’m sure you’re still hung-over from your Manila vacation.:p
here’s wishing you a healthier and richer New Year!
can’t blame you if the food pics made you crave, hehe.
the places you mentioned are i guess, a must-see in pinas.
happy 2011 too!
God bless.
Hey Doc G.
It’s my first time here sa blog mo and I really enjoyed reading po. Kaya lang badtrip po, ginutom ako ng mga pics.
Parang ang yummy nung clams. Oh gawd, I’m salivating. Haha.
Anyway, nasa photo po ba si Sir Paul? I want to meet him… alam mo na, for future purposes. Lol, biro lang po.
Happy 2011 Doc!
welcome to my humble site, poot.
you’re invited to browse my previous post; enjoy the new year!
Of course Doc G. It is such an honor. You’re a legend in the blogosphere.
))
And oh yes, thanks for the welcome
grabe daming food in just 1 day. pero ang sarap sarap. well at least seafood light sa tyan hehehe
lucky day for us who don’t have hypersensitivity to seafoods.
sarap, iana!
i almost drooled upon seeing the mangoes and the shrimps T.T
Isn’t there a lot of Pinoys in Sabah? Your post whets my appetite, I mean my desire, to visit the place.
i think there are a lot of pinoys in sabah compared to penang.
almost quarter of the air bus of air asia were ofws and expats going to kota kinabalu.
such generosity from a stranger – this is the kind of world we like to have our kids see when it’s their time.
welcome back to the real world of work, work, work.
sandali na lang yang hintayin mo b4 your family is there with you.
it was indeed a pleasure for us to meet sir paul and experienced sabah’s hospitality through him. our stay there was short but splendid!
i’m happy with the good news about tina, docgelo! sana things will turn out well for your family!
now get back to work! he he!
…yeah, right grace.. im back to work *sigh*
Doc! Gano katagal ang flight if direct from Kota Kinabalu to Penang? Ahm, wala lang. Hehe
PS: Ang lungkot ni kuya dancer na nasa right side mo doc! Hahahaha!
ang BKI to Pen sa air asia 2.40hour flight. kami kasi we bought KL-Pen airfare first, so when we decided to dropped by Kota, we decided to use the our KL-Pen ticket, so BKI-KL-Pen yung route namin, saya naman maging jet setters hahaha.
baka pagod na yung “kuya” dancer mo kaya sibangot, hehe.
punta kayo penang, go with rob on march, tara! yakagin mo pa si chyng.
everyone is invited to visit me here in penang, basta KKB at may pasalubong na PF corned beef galing pinas! hehehe