Moon Me

Sunday was hazy and hot. Mum and I were supposed to go to Jejak Purnama in the evening, so we gave the malls a miss. Hopped over to Origins Cafe for a simple lunch thanks to their B1F1 promo on Entertainer App. My first time there although its so close to my church. A no frills cafe that seems to have its regulars. The whole time we were there, a guy was giving chemistry tuition to a couple of teenagers at the adjacent table. It helps that they use canteen-like tables. Both the chicken chop and cajun pasta were decent in terms of taste and portion. But the flat white was weak.



At around 5 PM, mum and I left home and headed for KLSCAH. Jejak Purnama is a cultural event in conjunction with the Mid-autumn Festival. According to the schedule, there would be a lantern procession from KLSCAH to the Guan Di Temple at Petaling Street. The rest of the cultural performances would take place there. Mum and I were among the earliest to arrive.



Thought that we would have to do the lantern procession in the haze, but we were lucky to have better air quality in the evening. As it got closer to 6 PM, more people started milling around the entrance. Local and foreign journalists were also there. Fairies started making an appearance, but you could tell of their earthly origin by the sneakers they wore. The poor ladies had to put up with the heat and going to the toilet in such a cumbersome costume. Free lanterns were distributed together with tea lights. They tried to glue the tea lights to the bottom but they really prepared the wrong adhesive for that. Mum and I came prepared with our own LED lights and cellophane tape.



The procession was made up of the fairy ladies, various dance performers, a dragon dance troupe, and three giant effigies of local historic personalities. The effigies of Tunku Abdul Rahman, Yap Ah Loy, and an unidentified Indian personality were made from woven bamboo strips and papier mache. With our lanterns, we made our way across Jalan Maharajalela to Chen She Shu Yuen Clan Ancestral Hall. The route went through Jalan Petaling to the famous Chinatown gate, and then banked left to Jalan Sultan, and ending in front of Guan Di Temple where they had set up a stage.





The cultural performances started right after a brief opening ceremony by YB Fong Kui Loon, the MP of Bukit Bintang. The organizers wanted to showcase a little bit of everything, but there wasn't enough time. The classical Indian dance and Wayang Kulit from Kelantan were impressive, but ran a little too long. As usual, cultural activist, and emcee for the night, Chong Keat Aun prepared a weird, and arty performance. Combining haunting vocals with Chinese flute and dance, the 'moon adoration ceremony' created many puzzled looks that night. Halfway through, bumped into a familiar face, J from Kuching.





At around 9 PM, we left the venue to have a late dinner at ETC Cafe. Tsundere Tim had just finished his shift as I walked in. He had the same tsundere look, and was wearing the same oversized striped T I last saw him in. Mum and I shared a plate of omu thick toast, a slice of burnt cheesecake, and a hojicha latte. Really hit the spot. When it was time to leave, the haze was back with a vengeance. The event had not ended, but that was our cue to go home.