Simpol the Garden of Love.

Mon 3 Feb 2020.

Just to get that date - 2.02.2020 - Timah's daughter got to postpone the wedding reception of her daughter (Timah's granddaughter) to yesterday, Sunday, of that particular calendar date. The aqad nikah was last month !

I was invited, by sms. I took it in good spirits. What to do, this is how the youngsters behave nowadays. I pulled Idah along, although she complained of aches in her legs. As Calit later remarked "they don't even bother to wear all these songket-songket stuff nowadays." In fact the couple looked comfortable in their plain Malay costume and plain gown.

We left Seremban at 9, although the reception was scheduled for 12, because I had no idea where this "Simpol the Garden of Love" was in Rawang, and I didn't want to lose time caught in the jam looking for it "..off Taman Tun Teja, Kampong Sg. Samak" sounded mysterious and forboding. I set the Waze on and drove one-handed, holding the 'phone with my left hand from the point after the Sg. Buloh Jejantas rest area. It turned out the danged place was just after Templer Park, if I had taken the old Federal road to Ipoh. So at half-past 10 we were the very first guests to arrive, so early in fact, the groom was still in his pyjamas  and no one else was around !  One of Timah's daughters later said "uncle arrived first, must leave last !"

If this Simpol ("knot") is anywhere near Seremban, I'd recommend it to all my friends. The entry off the Taman Tun Teja, a housing estate, is so inconspicuos that I missed it the first time, and Waze asked me to turn around after another 800 meters, and the second time I saw the sign "Simpol" - just one word. Entering the very small, half-hidden dirt road, I saw a large rubbish dump, and a pot-holed track up the hill. Only when I reached the top did we see the buildings. Entering the compound, I was astonished by the venue. It's a very nice place for this lovely purpose. No wonder they call it the Garden of Love. It's hardly an exaggeration. If only we have a cooler climate, it would truly be heavenly, if I'm allowed an exaggeration. 

Apparently Timah & family wanted a smallish reception, of about 500 only. So only my family, the Yunus clan, was invited other than Timah daughter's friends. Padir, Acam, Dekma and Calit came. Karim, despite staying in Gombak, missed the turn and ended up in Rawang town, where he used to stay, before turning back. Dekma was returning from Penang.

I don't know much of Timah's daughters' families. Mahmud was a close first cousin. I felt his loss when talking about him to his son-in-law. Peah, Mahmud's younger sister is having some psychological problems. The surviving sisters, including the 2 half-sisters, I have met a long time ago, but they,too, are not in the best of health, I'm told. But Calit seemed to know Timah's sons-in-law - I noticed them chatting away like old chums.

Calit was supposed to come with me, but he had to be in KL Saturday, and he moved from Gombak on Sunday. He came with Karim. Padir came later from Antara Gapi with Umi, who came bare-headed, and I asked "where's your tudung?"

We stopped at Padir's house in Antara Gapi afterwards. I had meehun goreng and black coffee. Idah got a plant to take home and replant. I saw Umi passing some cash to Idah, and held out me hand for a share. She motioned to Padir, but he "make donno" only.

We took the Batu Caves route home, and ended, unintentionally, on the Lekas highway. I only realized it as we were passing the Taman Midah MRT station. It was already 6 p.m. and Idah wanted to stop 

for some food at Man Tomyam, on the Pantai-Jelebu road, and who did we meet there if not Dekna and brood ! I had wanted Idah to use the money Umi gave for Man Tomyam. Instead it was Haniff who picked the tab ! So that was a good 10 hours, but time well-spent, I guess.

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