jalan-jalan cuci mata

I was contemplating on where to eat for breakfast today last night (talk about planning..)and was sorely tempted to find that TOmYam place again in Sinsuran. I thought about the jam and the difficulty in finding a parking space and what other sane reason to go to that neck of the woods other than just to sample the TomYam one more time.. and slept on it.
This morning I woke up nearly 8 and immediately thought of the TomYam. That's it, I thought! I had drifted off into sleep last night thinking of doing my credit card pay-ups today via on foot. How? Park at one spot and walk around KK!
Ok. So I drove off to KK.. around 9-ish I was already around the SInsuran blocks, doing my first round for parking search. I have this thing about parking and going to a particular place..if I'm meant to go and have a looksee at a place, parking would find me. If not, then i should go find at somewhere else. So, if i was meant to eat TomYam today, a car would vacate a parking spot for me. Which..on the 2nd try.. a car did. Great!
I had my Tomyam..and thought..the one in Beverly HIlls is spicier, had more ingredients in it..much bigger bowl.. but this one was just right.

Noted the 'Mongolian chicken' stall in the same kedai and made a mental note to get a tapau from there when I got back.
After breakfast, I walked. Walked past the Bank Negara. Walked across the streets to the Aussie Monument. Walked pass the Menumbok/Beaufort Bus Station. Walked across the streets again towards the DBKK building. Then walked the length of the blocks of building at Gaya St. and went to do my business with all the banks that my wallet is painfully attached to. And walked some more.. and finally finished my monthly errands at Standard Chartered.
And then scooted over to the new shopping centre. Suria. So not crowded I could rollerblade inside there and be the happy gilmore. I spotted this signboard that spelled out TIMES BOOKSTORE and my heart gave a leap! Oh yea... promising! and went over to the escalators. I could smell the glue and new books(really now..) from the moment i stepped off the moving stairs. The staff were uniformly in black Tee-s and pants. I was in black Tee-s too..hey..
So, i walked two steps into heaven, i mean, the store and paused and surveyed my surroundings. hmm... might recall that heaven bit for a while.. Ok laarr ( i opined)... and noticed this section next to the counter. I can't recall what the books there were housed under.. but I of course zeroed in on the ones within eye level. Lo and behold!... there..right there.. was the book i'd been looking for for so long. I'd already read it... but didn't buy it then for reasons i can't quite fathom.. There... Ken Follet's Pillars of the Earth. Such an epic of a novel it is. Reading it is comparable (at least to me) to having this sumptuous feast of all the delicacies that satisfy the five senses..and burping(oh i beg your pardon) with the gratitude of being sated afterwards. But of course I must have the book now. Called up Yus to ask if she managed to find the book 'cuz much as i love the book, having two would be most unacceptable. Bought it I did. Yess... And yea.. chatted with the boy ( i feel so ancient that i must call this boy a boy) who was manning the counter. Asked him where the local writer section was, perchance the other book i was looking for would be around. He was like this shy puppy hesitant to please the master as he pointed towards where I might find books by local writers. If i didn't gently ask for the balance money for the book i bought, he'd've ushered me to the said shelves. The book, in addition to the membership fee (Yes, i'm a store member now.. can get discounts next visit) cost RM43.63. So I gave the cute puppy RM53.60. All the while I was making small chitchats with him. He punched in the numbers and took out a few notes...which i noticed weren't supposed to be that much given back to me.. He looked a bit lost and was about to push back the slot when I interrupted his thoughts... 'just 10 ringgit'. He wavered a bit.. i smiled and counted the maths with him... i think he punched in the wrong numbers..and he gave an embarrassed smile and said 'sorry, bingung-bingung ni..'. aluuu...
After paying, he did show me the shelves where the supposed books of local writers can be had. Hmm... extensive not at all. oh well, got what i wanted. and went out of the bookstore and out of the building.
And walked across the street towards Wisma Sabah. Went into that tunnel-like corridor and walked on. Now I think i've passed through this corridor a few times before but i've never until then noticed this small shop where local traditional ethnic costumes were displayed and sold(apparently). This being a curious day, I followed my curiousity and walked in. I was greeted by this very friendly lady whom i later found out was named Lina Angkat. Very forthcoming with her conversation and information. Found out a lot of things today from her.
And so...(being long-winded today), I walked into Wisma Merdeka, went into this jewellry store, found out the girl behind the counter was a former student, got myself another hematite ring, bought some unripe slices of mangos and thought that was that.
I resumed my walk back to Sinsuran and back to my car. It was nearly 1pm. Just before going to my car, I returned to that restaurant where I had my TomYam breakfast and tapau-ed a chicken rice for lunch. Went to my car, and went home.
Interesting day today. I just might make this a monthly affair.