2026: Visiting the KL Cousins

Описание: It having been over ten years since I’ve seen my cousins, I’m so happy to feel we left off exactly as we were. Nor, Noreen and their spouses Xavi and Sufiz have always been easy to connect with with their genuine warmth and big senses of humour. The first night, they brought all seven children. I had only ever met Micah, the oldest, as a baby. Living in Petaling Jaya, the effort to come to Central KL means a nearly hour-long drive into town. I was very glad they did.

Having been fasting all day, they arrived at Uncle Mike’s place famished. The kids were all sweetly natured - just like their very loving parents. My mother has a deep affection for her siblings and has also been particularly close to Uncle Mike, and I could see how she still functions as his big sister.

Perhaps one of my favourite moments happened on the first night. Saying goodbye to the kids, Amaya came up to me and said, “Can you squeeze me as hard as you can?” And she held on for an extra long time. Adorable!

The second night, they left the kids at home, giving us all fewer distractions. We ate at the Concord Hotel buffet which had been recommended to Uncle Mike by his friend, Tuanku Abdullah, the Sultan of Pahang. Sufiz had been up all night, acting as a food stylist for a photoshoot and I was very glad he could join. We all caught up in our brief time, enjoyed the music and were in good moods. Because of Ramadan, no one drank!

We talked about our past adventures and fun thing we did when they were kids. We also shared a little of our life stresses in a candid way, that I know if we were the same part of the world, we’d be hanging out frequently.

There was a variety of cuisines available at the buffet, but I stuck with entirely Malaysian food. There was a band strolling and performing Malay and Indo songs at various tables, and so I took the opportunity to use some diagetic music.

Though I’m mixed on buffets in general, the spread of local food was really good. There were many dishes with which I wasn’t familiar and some were specific to Raya, and I enjoyed them all. I wish I were able to enjoy this food more frequently than I am able. More importantly, I wish I could keep the company of these dear people far more often. Seeing Uncle Mike, my cousins and their spouses was a joyful experience. I’m so privileged to have people I love located around the world who fit into my life with ease, brightening my eyes, and filling my heart. Beyond Hamilton and Toronto, I have Chicago, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and now, Dubai.

How lucky am I.