We had such a fun time rediscovering Johor Bahru - thanks to Jim & family!

October - the month of great anticipation & joy. While the middle of the year are more likely to be uneventful, not October. October is the lead up to Christmas, my favourite holiday season. October is the start of family fun, warmth & bonding. Because our birthdays fall on October! So the family gathers, celebrates & feasts together. This year, October fun started earlier than expected for us. Because we have new members added to the family! Chloe, our Goddaughter; Ethan, Chloe's spunky brother; Jim & Joanne, Chloe & Ethan's wonderful parents.

This day, the four of them & the two of us packed into a luxurious, reliable Picassa, driven by the ever steady Jim, and crossed over the causeway into Johor Bahru. What else to expect? Fun (x3) and good food!!! Jim & Joanne are foodies so we have absolutely no doubt we would be brought to tried-and-tested makan places!

Here's baby Chloe, in her usual zen-like state. She is the calmest baby you would ever meet! 

Contentment is her first name. Up until, of course, when she needs her feeds & when she soils her diaper! 

Brother Ethan was already amusing himself with his song request of MJ's Black-and-White. You guessed right the amount of energy this boy had, even before the day officially started. 

The men & little guy posing for an all-guys photo.

Jim & Joanne with lovely Chloe, who happened to be catching a wink.

Best breakfast in JB! Ah Koong's kway teow soup, with all the 'liao' inside.

Fishcakes galore!

We couldn't resist trying the oyster in soup. Verdict - good!

The children really added to the fun on the trip!

I love the different expressions of the children in this picture.

Our snack - delicious waffle in different flavours! We tried chocolate & coffee flavour.

Early dinner at Teck Seng Restaurant, famous for paper-wrapped herbal chicken, zi-bao-ji. (Famous food blog ieatishootipost has a fantastic review on this makan place). I've already received the 'Jim-indoctrination' of the yummy taste of this item for quite some time. So I was looking forward to tasting it. The traditional preparation method and the taste of the dishes reminded me of our culinary expedition at Malaysia's Cameron Highlands years ago. Not disappointed at all!

Sumptuous spread at a good bargain, the advantage of dining over at our neighbouring country. 

The tasty chicken, soaked in all goodness. Even the usual tough breast meat tasted tender & melted in the mouth easily.

Clockwise: curry fish head, wild boar meat with spring onions, tapioca leaves, calamari.