My 1st Prawn Fishing

S'pore is really too small, unless some rich and kind-hearted souls would have the entrepreneurship in him/her to open up more entertainment areas for us poor souls!
I was being influenced by OB's mention of her prawn fishing experienc the other day, that I decided to check out the places where we could do some prawn activity!
I was attracted by the bottle-trees at this fishing village near Nee Shun MRT station (hope I didn't spell wrongly. It's one stop before Yishun station), that I got OB, Ms Cor and Est down with me.

Luckily, it wasn't a hot day to start with. The wind was blowing the heat from us as we walked to our destination from the station.

Entrance of Bottle Tree Park. The HQ is at Sembawang area, but more of a seafood restaurant tingy. I had dinner with PIG and his family once there. It's not bad.

The fishing ponds were already crowded with families; many... many of them and KIDS!

You pay SGD10 for catching whatever small fishes (most likely guppies) in this pond meant for kids in 1hr?

We paid around SGD 30 for 3hrs each. It includes bait - pieces of raw cockles and fishing rod.

OB went ahead to lead with the catch.

After 2hrs, we still didn't catch any! Ms Cor was getting bored and dejected over the likelihood of $$$ down the drain.

I got bored and wandered around the village.

I saw only these in HK tv dramas. I don't think anyone will be so romantic enough to do that kinda stuff, right??

They decided a change of place would mayb increase the possibility of a catch?!

We managed to caught some at the last hour! But one net which was full of prawns actually belonged to another customer, who left w/o taking. We got lucky!

Haha... Ms Cor smiling at last.

It was cruel but we had to poke the satay stick into the still alive prawns through their tails and upwards.

OB and Ms Cor started BBQing the live prawns.

Don't be mistaken! The crabs are no part of the fishing. There's a seafood 'market' within and some customers bought them to be eaten on the spot.

They looked tempting to eat! And the smell of bbq...

Ms Cor and Est tucking in. They must be very hungry.

See the circled prawn roe?! This must be a female prawn.

We were in awe. Unfortunately, they were rather tasteless. I still feel weird having that in mouth.

We did a prawn heads display dish. Yes we were that 'Bo Liao' !

This's a smaller version of bottle tree.

A vegetable farm! We were looking for the vegetable stall so that I could get some fresh leaves for MH. But no where in sight.

Maize??

I had to leave them abruptly as PIG called to say we need to visit his grandpa at the hospice.

Later that night...

After we've seen his grandpa, PIG, his mama and I headed down to the famous Loyang Temple to pray before the Lunar Chinese New Year arrive.

I hadn't visit the new temple before. The old one was situated nearer to the sea and had to be pulled down. Many came here to pray for protection, good health, or luck and etc.

I came to seek protection for my family and PIG.

It was enormous and grand. And was pretty full of people as usual at this time of the night.

A majestic sight!

I couldn't help taking more pics of it.

Much much later...

We sent PIG's mama home 1st before we headed to Bishan Junction to catch a movie.

PIG eating a Mac choc sundae prior to showtime. He's the opposite; he likes only choc.

Chinese New Year '08 - Steamboat at last and many more!

CNY '08 is a more favorable one than all previous CNY.

I had 2 steamboats this time, compared to empty promises made in the past and I even had Yu Sheng twice this year too!

I like having steamboat during CNY, compare to having 5 dishes on the table and not being able to finish it. And in the end, I've to finish the leftovers for lunch or even dinner the next day! +__+ Yes, I'm the rubbish incinerator in the family...

You'll see from the bottom, pics of my family's CNY steamboat, follow by one with my fellow piggies then an unusual yu sheng at the office.

It's a simple steamboat affair this year, with the basic ingredients suck as pork liver, pork slices, tang-O (a must-have vegetable during CNY), prawns, fish slices and etc. In the past, MH would even include a chicken or roast duck and even Abalone with spinach and oyster sauce on top of the steamboat.

My bro-in-law brought these Japanese prawns from a Japan seafood wholesaler. The prawns were half-boiled, so that you can suck the juices from the prawn head.

A second steamboat with my girlfriends. This is a more luxury one.

Abalone soup base was used. Ingredients included fishballs, mini abalone, enoki mushrooms, salmon and etc.

We love this steamboat because it was our first and a rare chance for us to gather.

My sector is made up with young co-workers and more fun to have a yu sheng with in the office.

It's convenient to buy this pre-packed yu sheng ingredients at the supermarket. But you've to shred your own white carrots.

The sales person suggested I use shredded green apples instead as it'll give you a more crunchy and an unusual taste. It's very true, and a delightful one too.

Everyone was emersed in the yu sheng, and no one felt otherwise of the combo.