Bobby’s girl…

Well, Bobby’s wife is Carole…and they have a little girl, Anika and also a little boy, Zachary, pictured here doing the traditional Kiwi Haka…

Bobby’s Vietnamese and Carole’s Filipino-Chinese and Melissa’s friends got acquainted with them via their church activities while they were all studying here in Wellington, New Zealand and throughout their two years here, 2010 and 2011, the wonderful couple had been so nice, inviting them to their house for dinner and things like that.

So when they heard that they all would be coming back for their convocation, they quickly extended their invitation to dinner on one of the days when we would be here and we, the parents of one of the girls, were invited as well…

*Bobby’s photo*

We had Vietnamese spring rolls…

*Bobby’s photo*

…and they were so very nice, so different from what I had when I was in KL sometime ago. This was Bobby’s photo actually – I was so excited and anxious to sink my teeth into those yummy rolls that taking photographs of them completely slipped my mind. The rice paper skin was completely different – this one was so flexible that I could stretch it and it would not tear. They kept telling me it would and I should make small rolls but it did not and I managed to rolled some really huge ones which went really great with the awesome  sambal (dip) that Bobby made. I can’t remember exactly  how many I had – six, perhaps? Yum! Yum!

For dessert, we had the nien kao that Leng Leng made…

Leng Leng is Bobby & Carole’s friend and she came from Penang…and nien kao is that sweet sticky brown-coloured cake that some people offer to the Kitchen God during Chinese New Year (which I never liked) – if I’m not mistaken, it is called kuih bakul (basket cake) except that Leng Leng’s was baked, not steamed and it was not as sticky (and rubbery and unchewable) and the best part was it wasn’t as sweet. I had many slices of that and I must say that I prefer it to the cheesecake which I think she made as well…

…or Carole’s tiramisu. Oops!!! Sorry, Carole! You can blame the Asian in me for somehow, I do seem to prefer Asian desserts (or for that matter, most everything else, food-wise) to the rest.

And after everyone had had their fill, somebody just HAD to sing…

*Bobby’s photo*

…and made everybody throw up all that they had eaten. Muahahahahahaha!!!!!!

I got to meet a couple from Johore at the gathering too – K.C. and his missus and Carole’s sister as well.

*Bobby’s photo*

It certainly was great making the acquaintance with all you very nice people. I do hope that someday, we may get to meet again – if not here in Wellington, in Malaysia perhaps? We will most warmly welcome all of you!