Kuala Muda, Kedah ... FISHY STORY > Let's Talk Fish! Let's Buy Fish! Lets Eat Fish! PART 4

I knew before that people bought freshly landed fishes from the fishing boat at Kuala Muda.

But, I did not know how.
The ideas was there, but I didn't get details to prolong my imaginations.


I thought it just like we bought fishes on the sandy beaches (if there was no river's mouth).
Just like what I've seen on TV in documentary slots.
I've seen it in Kuala Ibai, Marang, Dungun, Kemaman in Terengganu somewhere in early 1990's.
(I lived in Terengganu for 10 years!
... and I used to speak in pure Terengganu's dialect very well)

We were about to close the car's doors.
Suddenly we saw many people drove their cars to the other side... they led to end of the road. Everybody was carrying big plastic bag.
mind heart body soul

"Tak boleh jadi ni... what so special that drives people to rush to that end of the road?"

'What are they hiding from me? Why I'm not exposed?"



I drove my car to the end of the road.
Asked the parking man there about my curiosity... he told me that at that time 12.00 mid day onwards the fishing boats were returning from open seas... and they came with catch.




I started to panic!
I wanted to return home with fishes in my car's boot.
I did not have any plastic bag!
I did not know the method of buying.
How I wanted to bring along my small kids to the busy crowd.
And of course at the same time I wanted to shoot some photos...
How would I do that?
Macam mana? Macam mana? Macam mana?

I must not fail. I hate failure in my personal mission.
I must complete my mission.
Show me the way!



Calm down dear.
You knew you were a strategist.


First, park your car like others did.
Pay the parking fees like others did,

"Berapa bang?" "Seringgit ja..." "Depa beli ikan macam mana ni? Saya tak berapa biasa nih... " "Haaa, kak pi tengok macam mana depa beli, lepaih tu kak taw lah nak beli macam mana"

I looked for signs of plastic bag. I took my garbage bag from car's boot.
Luckily at the end I found used plastic bag left from the buyers before.


I noticed, no kids there... except my two kids. I felt everybody was staring at me.
Why?
Because while others kept busying bargaining the price
(the method, you have to whisper secretly to the seller's ear)
... while others kept busying telling the price they ready to pay secretly,
I was still frozen, standing in the middle of hustle and bustle,
holding a camera.... with 2 kids holding my left and right legs...


*** Sampai aku tak sempat adjust photo mode...
sebab ini kira high speed, aku patut adjust to sports mode kan?
Sebab tu lah gambar blur cenggini.
Ni ikan senangin dan gelama papan,
korang sanggup bayar berapa untuk sebakul gini ? ***

.... he,he,he... beli tidak, asik petik gambar ajer ...
moga-moga orang tak bengang ngan aku kot, sebab aku kelihatan macam pelancong,
( macam pelanconglah konon... )
orang lain pakai T-Shirt dengan jeans, aku siap pakai midi dress dengan khaki pants dengan black leather front covered loafers siap pakai perfume lagi.

Kira silap masuk event lah tuh...

Nak bagi orang tak marah aku, aku tak practiselah cakap slang Kedah aku tuh.
Mudah-mudahan kiranya orang pahamlah kot ini sesuatu yg baru bagiku.

*** Nyum, nyum, nyum ... Mr. Crabby...
I really, really wanted to bought this full basket of crabs.
But I felt pity when I remembered that my babah is still sick (hypertension, diabetes),
how would I turned to be so cruel to eat all of this in front of him?
I do not have a heart to make him so sad...***

***From top - mixed fishes in terms of species and sizes,
middle; ikan tenggiri @ mackeral , bottom; Encik Ketam Bunga... flower crab?
Fresh from the sea, just landed from the fishing boat, not touched by ice yet***

I bet that was the best time to buy the crabs... can you tell me why?
Very worthy! Worth it!
Deep inside my heart I really wanted to buy a full baskets of crabs.
I saw and I knew the tide was rising high. Higher than average, signs of full moon.
Full moon = fuller crab meats inside the shell.


*** Huih, buat assam pedas pun sodap nih!
Taruk daun kesum, bunga kantan, fuiiiyoh! Meletup!
(Dah lama aku tak makan asam pedas, nak dekat 2 tahun dah, tak minat, tapi kalau kena gaya aku hirup kuah sampai licin)***


*** Yang ini aku recommend buat gulai kari ikan campur nenas,
style Utara, gerenti tak bleh lupa punya...
kalau ikut style Utara, apa2 seafood macam Encik Ketam & Encik Udang juga Encik Ikan Kering, regu dia adalah hirisan nenas.... masak gulai kari Utara...
perghh... bila asid jus nenas bersatu dengan lemak-lemak manis seafood nih ***

** Opposite side; Kuala Muda, Kedah Fishing Dock across the river***


My observation that day at Kuala Muda, (Penang side) Fishing Dock;
customers 40% Chinese, 60% Malay.
This included fishmonger and individual customers
(for their restaurant business or in-house consumption)

*** Taken from staircase by the river's bank, the waves was running wilder, rising higher ***

mind heart body soul