When I was small (Yes, I once was…a long, long time ago! LOL!!!), there was this man that we called Ah John. He would push his canvas-covered trishaw along the road, squeezing his rubber horn.
In those days, it was nothing like today…with the I-want culture where children would demand for this and that! On days when my mother decided to buy some fruit rojak, we would be really excited and tag along…hoping and praying and keeping our fingers crossed that she would buy this for me and my brother…
This is what we call kantong, which is actually just shaved ice with syrup added to it…and only 10 cents each at the time. Of course, ours looked nothing like that. Ah John would squeeze it into a ball and add some sweet orange-coloured syrup…and pass it to us. There we would go, each with our own kantong…sucking the delicious syrup out of the ice as it melted…and we had to pass it from one hand to the other all the time as it was really very COLD!
These days, they push it into a glass with a spoon stuck in it…so when they pull it out, it has that popsicle shape…and they add syrup of all colours to it…
The sucking is still the same…
…though Clare did it a bit more elegantly than us – in our younger days.
She and Alvin were supposed to meet me upon my arrival in Kuching at Kim Joo Coffee Shop for a kolo mee lunch…but the two were held up and by the time they arrived, all of us had left. So they had their noodles on their own before going to the hotel to see me. It was a really very hot afternoon…so when they suggested going for kantong, I was delighted as it would be something like a walk down memory lane – or yesterday once more, so to speak.
I didn’t have kantong though… LOL!!!
DISCLAIMER:
Any connotation of any manner in this post is purely unintentional…so wipe that cheeky grin off your face, TOC!!! LOL!!!
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
PHIEW!!! I was expecting worse… 😛
Why? I’m such a respectable old man – decent and discreet!!! Bwahahahahaha!!!
Question: Guess what I’ll have for lunch?!
Answer: The last 2 pieces of the kompia you brought stuffed with bak gua and cheese, baked to the crisp!
Last 2?…Well, let’s hope I’ll be going to Kuching again soon…and I’ll bring a lot more. I did not check in my luggage that day…travelling light!
Ooh…. Clare really enjoy her kantongs. Where did you guys go for that? Never invite me wan…. hahah.
They say Lumba Kuda…not really sure where as I’m not so familiar with that part!
I’m just curious. Did this Ah John use his naked hands to make those iced balls? Then again, kids then were so resilient they could eat anything deemed to be germ-infested, no?
Yes…but he had a pail of water on his trishaw in which he will wash his hands, his pineapples etc etc etc… See! No need to worry so much! Look at how strong and sturdy we’ve all grown up to become…unlike young people today!!! LOL!!!
Hmm.. does Sibu has Kantongs?
I dunno! You young people should know better! Maybe at the Sibu Central Market at the upper floor makan stalls?
That is something new to me. Never try that before. Only available in Kuching?
Gosh! These deprived young people! Or maybe you people today more into the sophisticated stuff with McDs, Pizza Hut and what not. Life was simple then… It’s nothing actually – just shaved ice and syrup but look at the immense pleasure we got from sucking the balls…oops! Hahahahahaha!!!
I don’t really like Kantong.. very hard to eat ler or should I say difficult to suck *LOL*
Hahahahaha!!! This is really contagious!!! Clare seems pretty good at it! ROTFLMAO!!!
I used to have this when I was young. It’s about 20sen and it comes in a ball! There’s no stick like this for us to hold. So we have to hold the ice ball in our hands and suck. Can you imagine the coldness?!! Gosh… this sounds a bit too obscene.
Ha! My time, only 10 sen… Lucky thing you specified “ice”, otherwise the imagination of some people will run haywire! Oops…too late! Somebody already picked that up and chose to ignore the word “ice”… Some dangerous people we’ve got here! Hahahahahaha!!!
Hmmmm… Kantongs…
Clare…. you seem to be quite an expert in sucking kantong……………………
there.. I didn’t grin while typing that statement.. 😛
The statement oozes with undertones…!! LOL!!!
here’s something of interest that we might consider checking out… KNB… interested?
its the New Atelier Cafe, located at what used to be the Atelier House.. on top of the Hill opposite the amphitheater
sorry STP for advertising someone else’s blog in YOUR blog.. but I’m sure the foodies here will love to check this place out… I myself have yet to check it out..
http://thegreatmagnetpull.blogspot.com/search/label/atelier%20cafe
Tell them they’ll have to pay for advertising space…or I can go there and eat free on my next trip!! LOL!!
with clare licking a huge “batang” and eiling sucking “ball”, it doesn’t get saucier than this…
the comments are getting better than the content; you’re losing your grip, stp.
Good grief! I’ve said this earlier – I’m a respectable old man, decent and discreet…and that’s why I put the disclaimer! Anything rising…oops, I mean arising as a result of this post is purely unintentional! Hahahahahahaha!!!!
one must not forget ah John’s squeezing his rubber horn and STP passing the ball from one hand to the other hand.. muahahahaha
…and I did not mention the liquid flowing through our fingers and down the back of our hands and we had to lick it up quickly… Hahahahahaha!!!!
I was expecting someone to comment on the rubber horn and STP passing the ball from one hand to the other, and there he is!
I just took off for one morning…and great heavens! Over 30 comments already!!! Looks like some people having a BALL of a time! Hahahahaha!!!
TOC: Where is Atelier Cafe?
Should be somewhere around Reservoir Park…I think, from the way he puts it.
Confirm you all need to use klorox to cuci ur kepala otak!
You’re not much better, I’m sure… Birds of the same feather flock together! LOL!!!
wait wait. opening line.
u mean when you were young and small? hahaha
to be honest, i’ve never had a kantong before
such sad childhood i had
Yalor, so pathetic all you deprived kids today!…I can imagine to clinically-clean parents today horrified at the thought that their kids are sucking on ice! Eee…tap water, not boiled etc etc etc….and all that sugar in the syrup!!!
P.S. Yes, I was young and small once…but don’t you love me “just the way you are…”? LOL!!!
Last time I saw this was in The Philippines(1st and @nd pictures only)
The balls type were actually called Gantung. ..and thr ones with no stick to hold on to…I don’t know.
It probably was Gantung once…but the name eventually changed to Kantong. Reminds me of somebody’s joke that night at dinner about the pen*s growing on the forehead and C4STP put everyone to shame. She was the only one who could answer the question… LOL!!!
Kpenyu: Picture number three not available in the Philippines? buahahahah.
This one really kantoi eating kantung. (i think its gantung, as mentioned by Kpenyu. But add in the foochow twang and it becomes kantung.) hehhhehe
Ya…I guessed as much. Won’t be surprised if this is the case!
The town kids would know Ah Hua better for the kantong and the rojak as Ah Jon served the kampung area. Of course he shaped the kantong with his bare hands. Sophia’s mum said Ah Jon’s ‘pelay’ kurap, Ah Jon ‘tatong'(super enlarged balls)to put us off buying from him but it did not work.
Hahahahahaha!!! Trust her to say all those things!!! Now we know where all that distorted thinking came from… It’s in the blood…
Clare, where is this kantong place? Lumba Kuda? The padang there kah?
Yup…ample parking spaces when we went, some circular building in the middle…and one stall sells belacan mihun which looks and smells as bad as the Penang laksa at some places…and yet, it’s so popular!
omg…. what kurap??!!!! hahahahahhaah. STP gonna bring out his scissors… snip snip!
Never mind! Let them play…but I wonder why everybody enjoys doing it here…instead of going to play in Clare’s playground? Only 4 or 5 comments per post, so kesian! Bwahahahahahahaha!!!!
gundot: Neh, I got mention in my blog post also. Ya, Lumba Kuda there.
Hahahahaha…they only know how to come to my blog! LOL!!!
Alamak… as long as its not “gidang gidang” HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Clare.. Atelier is where the Atelier Society HQ house is.. u know the house on top of the hill near the amphitheater.. opposite civic center..
Somewhere between the museum and Sarawak Club… Are you lost already? LOL!!!
gundot: Oh! Ah Hua! Is it the one at Bukit Assek one? If it’s him then I thin I’ve eaten kantung before but didn’t know what it’s called lor. Hahahahahah!!!
The stall at the bridge that is no longer there…..around the present Sibu Gateway area? They said it was Ah John’s family…after they moved away from their house (near mine) at Race Course Road…
now we know what’s your preference, extra large!!!
there used to be at the end of jalan mendu the last lane before you curve left to springs. the corner stall opposite lau-yiah-kiang (carpenter st.) used to sell it as well.
ah hua is now on top of sibu’s central market. he might still make them upon request.
I’ve never been to the stall at the Sibu Central Market. I think Clare went for the Chartered Bank Teochew noodles… Looks like there are several places in Kuching whereas it seems to have died out in Sibu.
TOC: I cannot make out where. Not familiar with Kuching yet. Hehehe! Paiseh! Is it on the way to St. Joe Cathedral? Opposite panggung udara or something wan?
Ai ka lu kong, lu tu bay chai…ai chua lu khee khua, tu anay hui!!! Hahahahahaha!!! Ask your chipmunk lah! LOL!!!
kongkay: I heard he moved there but don’t know which stall. Hahaha!
Are there that many stalls at the Sibu Central Market? Hmm…maybe it’s high time I go and look-see!
yup.. its there…. if you’re at the roundabout going to st. joe its on your right..
Huh? I’m lost! Hahahahaha!!!! Roundabout? Limkokwing…turn right up the road leading to RTM junction (Openg/Satok)…Reservoir Park on the right along the way. Do they still call it that these days?
I will not like to be in Stp’s company during the Leng Geng ( mata kucing) season.
Why? I’ll take photos of everybody kobek-kobek (making faces)? LOL!!!
Kpenyu… or rambutan season either for that matter.. hahaha
You stuff the whole rambutan in your mouth?
ROTFLMAO!!! I think rambutan will be worse – hairy balls! BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Lord have mercy! She’s gone! Hahahahahaha!!! …..The Chinese calls it ang-mo tan or red hair…and whatever “tan” may be…
eh .. I had those too last time. No stick, but put in plastic bag. small one of course.
clare expert eh …
how bad can it be lah?
How bad, cibol? …You’ll find out soon enough!
cibol…sounded very bad…no stick..put in plastic bag..small again..LOL..joke joke!!!
There, cibol! Didn’t I tell you? Hahahahahaha!!!!
I think I know where Atelier is liao lar. Every week pass by when go church wan. Just didn’t notice. Hahahaha!!!
Chipmunk driving? You are sleeping in the car, I guess…and then get to church and sleep some more! Hahahahaha!!!
Those days everyone is yelling out when selling their goods isn’t it. Like the pulut guy will yell pulut panggang,the roti guy early in the morning cycling on this trishaw with a big cart of all sorts of bread in them yelling ‘loti’,ice cream guy will go ‘pingkiling’! I think some of these people now no longer around already!
I would think that all of them are no longer around…!!! Around the area of my old house, we had somebody selling putu mayam on a big tray on the head – covered with a cerendak…”Reksah” selling kuih bulu (bahulu, that is)…Kate selling panggang came much later…and I can’t remember the name of this Chinese guy selling sweets, local ice cream, balloons, those tubes of “poon kiew” – also on a trishaw and he would ring his bell to get our attention!
Gone as in? Gone case?? Hahahaha!!!
Took you such a long time to reply all the comments eh? Hahaha! And the comments keep ariving (refrain from using the other word. It’s already very bad in here!) Hahahahahah!!! 😛
My head is spinning! Three pages of comments to reply to!!! Well as they say, when the cat is away, the mice will play! LOL!!!
Balls, sticks, sucks.. squeeze.. passing from hand to hand… are we still talking about Kantong? hahahahahaha
I guess so… Don’t ask me, you people are the ones creating havoc! LOL!!!
O.o.. i would love to try out that kantong popsicle, but i don’t think it;s on sale in sibu
I dunno…and hey…what’s with the small i and ;? Too lazy to hit the shift button?
Are you sure any connotation of any manner in your post is purely unintentional? I think it’s intentional lah! haha!
Oh, it’s a hot day today! I wish I can have that kantong too! Over here, I think it’s OK just to settle for an ice cream potong. LOL!
Btw, do drop by my blog and join in the Guess This Song contest : )
Aiyor…how can you say that about this respectable old man? It wasn’t me! Put the blame on the rest of them. Hahahahahaha!!! Ya…I’ve checked out your quiz. Dunno the title! Not into movies and not into instrumental movie themes either.
Ice Cream potong.. is that a kosher ice cream 😉
I wouldn’t know…but you should! That’s your territory! Hahahahaaha!!!
TOC… in ur case it would be the ice cream that fell off the stick….buahahahah!
Btw.. Britain’s really Got Talent. Last week it was Boyle, now its some kid named Shaheen.
Check it out at the link below:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/article2384902.ece
Gosh…not another one. But I wouldn’t think it will be as touching and will drive anybody to tears!
Yeah, Boyle vs Boyo or something
Seen the video clip yet? Any good?
KNB: ROTFLMSFAO… yes.. very the kosher that..
So says the expert… LOL!!!
What?…ice cream also can potong. Never saw sunat ice cream yet.
I thought it first came from KK. I remember Sophia’s in-laws buying by the boxes – red bean flavour! Hahahahaha!!!!
I always believed that A-Idols fixed for commercial value. After watching the so call new britain got talent sensation..I have no doubt about it liaw…watching just for the heck of it now… So fake and so many whys!!! You watch and tell me
That’s why David Archuleta lost!!! LOL!!!
your hands must have been so sticky after having your kantongs when u were kids
and LOL that kantong on a paddlepop looks v big and difficult to eat
But it was so much fun. Our time, we took delight in all the simple things…probably because we were so deprived then unlike kids today. Hahahaha…well, clare certainly didn’t have a problem handling it! LOL!!!
Not as touching as Susan Boyle. We got over the initial shock already so when this kid tried to surprise everyone with his beautiful singing, there wasn’t much shock left for him anymore. I was like, “So…what’s new?”
Ya…he has a good voice, chose the wrong song…but even though he did ok after the switch, he sang like a robot! There’s no feel at all in the singing…but that’s to be expected with young kids!!!
Clare, agree with you re Shaheen…I was like..blahhh…..
Still rooting for Susan!
Yup, me too! I’m all for Susan too! Plus she’s like the underdog…all things against her and yet, she shone through…and most amazingly at that!
I think that kid (Elliot) from the Good Evans who sang Michael Jackson’s I’ll Be There is better than Shaheen. Search YouTube for the video. Just type “Britain’s Got Talent Good Evans”. The twins are so adorable. Awww….!!!
Don’t really like that group. The boy’s like a clone of Michael Jackson and the rest don’t sing well except maybe for the mum. I read in one comment that the boy’s voice broke already…so they’ve a problem now.
Nah, here’s the link. I love that song! The Jackson 5 – I’ll Be There
Used to like the song until Malaya Kari sang it! Hehehehehehe!!! Foongpc will be fuming when he reads this! ROTFLMAO!!!
Got one season I think the first one, a 6-year-old girl Connie Talbot sang really nicely. Her pitching and all are so controlled.
Somewhere Over The Rainbow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MndLRdPsuJE
I’ll Always Love You: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6n3XHL1uLI&feature=related
She also sang Wonderful World, I Have A Dream, etc. A Charlotte Church in the making. LOL!
Another child wonder…. They’re a dime a dozen and most end up with disastrous lives! Lost childhood! Parents should just let their kids grow up naturally…
Wah, you are good at taking pictures of people eating the kantongs! Ha Ha Ha!
Ooo…you like that photo, don’t you? Hahahahahaha!!!!
…… and i thought it was one of Kpenyu’s giant prawns in the process of being devoured, wahahahahahaha…..
His would be at least 20-30 times bigger than these!
…then need a big mouth lah, hehehehehehehe
Are you implying/insinuating something? Asking for a bashing again,eh? Hahahahahaha!!!! Lucky thing, they normally don’t check out the old posts! U selamat! LOL!!!
u pandai! I knew u would get it, hahaha! cheap thrill saja lah! u so nice to put up with me in yr “house”.
Memang pandai…with almost 60 years of experience! LOL!!! My house – everybody’s welcome! The more the merrier!
This kantung reminds me of the home made ice cream in the past (something like 2 decades ago) 😀
Homemade icicles would be something like what we call icecream potong these days. Your first time here, I see…welcome and do come again. Have seen you a lot in other people’s blogs but can’t really put my finger on which one right now. Will link you in my blogroll…
This post was 7 years ago! WOW!
Time does fly, doesn’t it? 😀