CNY: Borneo

An entire year has passed since Frunty and I took the bus to Cameron Highlands to celebrate Chinese New Year, 2010. This year we are so fortunate to have Nonna and Nonno with us on our family trip to Borneo which we are now enjoying together! The nonni, Pit and I decided to spend a few days before Papa and Frunty arrive by visiting Tawau on the southeast coast of Sabah, Borneo. We are staying in the small, non-touristy town of Tawau because it is near the Cocoa Plantation which we will visit today.

We asked Pit what he would like to do with his extra days with the nonni and gave him some choices. Pit, a self-professed Belgian-Canadian, said he wished to visit a cocoa plantation. In Belgium, we visited the cocoa museums in Brugges and in the center of Brussels and Pit sampled trays of fine chocolate while watching a movie on the origin of this delectable treat. He even shook a dried cocoa pod. Now we will see the process from start to finish but not on a movie screen, but for reals!

The following pictures include the nonni with Pit at the airport in Singapore, a picture of Nonno reading the Borneo Times at our "bird" hotel, the Sarangnova, in Kota Kinabalu, several islands from the air as we fly near Tawau, the beautiful, lush scenery from the Tawau airport to our hotel Emas and a picture of Pit at reception, holding a cocoa pod. But guess what!? That cocoa pod is not a dry one. It is fresh. And guess what else! The hotel sells, of course, chocolate in so many different forms! Last night we tried a delicious, homemade chocolate mint bar. We won't leave this hotel empty handed when we check-out tomorrow to take our transfer to Mabul Island to snorkel/scuba at the famou, NatGeo, Sipadan site! Until then, off to the plantation we go to learn more about chocolate and enjoy some more samples! C'est si bon!!!

A special message to Papa and Frunty: have a safe flight tonight and see you tomorrow at the Tawau airport where we'll meet to take our transfer to Mabul Island! Hope your Borneo Beach House will be fun tonight! Can't wait to see you! Love, Mama and Piteau