Last weekend was an interesting one for me and my family. It was the weekend where one of my relatives got married. He is actually the son of my cousin which would make him my nephew. The irony is that he is my nephew and he is getting married before me. Well.... from where he come from, it might not be that uncommon for people to marry early. That is because he is from my father's hometown which is a small place in Johor. It is a fishing village where most people go by their days as fishing and tending to their farms. Time slows down at small villages like this as it has not been ravage by the effects of modernisation.

The weekend started with a short drive in to Johor through the second link and then straight up to the town called pontian. It is famous for its noodle which has made a name for itself in Singapore. The seafood is also particularly cheap and many Singaporeans would head up there to have a nice cheap meal. Therefore, this occasion serve as a nice chance for us to enjoy the good food there. The first stop was to my uncle's place at the heart of the town. It is nice to be back at his place as it was a long time since I last visited him. The place still looks the same since the first time I went there some 15 years ago. It is a small place but cosy located at one of the main intersection in the town.

The next stop was to the beachside house where the wedding dinner would take place. It is quite different from what I expected because a wedding dinner is usually held at a restaurant. Nevertheless, all the relatives gathered there for the buffet dinner to celebrate the big day of this newly wedded couple. It was a pleasant experience because it has been a while since I last had a chance to visit a small town like pontian. It is soothing and the walk to the beachside house was refreshing with the seabreeze gushing.

As we waited for night to fall and dinner to be served. I had some time to catch up and get to know some of my cousins, nieces and nephews. The kids there are much more simple than those here in Singapore. They are not as demanding and are more approachable. We caught on pretty quickly and soon I was playing with them. But kids being kids, they are always mischievious and looking for fun. We came up with plans to catch some fishes. As it was low tide, some fishes are stuck in puddles of water on the beach. We put baits into styrofoam cups and teethered them by a fisihing line. The cup is then lower onto the puddle and we waited for an unsuspecting fish. The idea was simple and effective. We manage to catch some fish after a few try!

As dinner was served, people started eating and chit chatting while some sang along to the music being played on the Karaoke system. It was a vibrant atmosphere as people celebrated with the couple. As we were eating, a shower of fireworks caught our attention and added to the jubilant atmosphere. All good things must come to an end and eventually we had to part with the party and head home. The journey back was nothing but smooth because of the notorious traffic at the Johor-Singapore customs. We finally reached home past mid night.