The Uncle in Bangkok welcomes the Year of the Rabbit in his native Kuching

Hello everyone, 恭喜发财！

The Chinese New Year festivities have not ended, but I am already back in Bangkok and has worked like a donkey for a week, nonetheless, I will not forget wish everyone a healthy and prosperous Year of the Rabbit.

First and foremost, I think many friends, old or new, might not actually realise that the Stranger in Bangkok is not from Singapore. Yes, I was born and bred there, and my brain has been washed by PAP(not entirely though), but my blood is well and truly Sarawakian (Sarawak is a province of Malaysia located on the island of Borneo).

Actually, the biggest attraction of Kuching has always been its food, especially the Kompia, Sarawak Laksa, Kolo Mee, Kampua Mee, Oyster Omelette.... I could go on all day. I would usually plan where and what I wanted to eat before I even make my way to Kuching, but not during CNY man. My favourite stalls were already closed on the eve of CNY and refused to open until the 5th day, when I have already left. For a week, I did not eat anything from any of my favourite stalls and restaurants, how sad!

However, there's always light at the end of the tunnel. There's of course another reason to visit Kuching, family! And how times have changed. Within 12 short months, the Yii family has enlarged to 7 people from 5, that's quite an alarming rate I have to say:

5 in 2010 (I was taking the picture), ok, 5.5 bcause my SIL was pregnant

To 7 in 2011! Newbie 1 on the far left and Newbie 2 on my dad

Presenting Newbie 1, Li Li, became an Yii officially in September 2010, married to the Uncle in Bangkok, and immediately became the Auntie to newbie 2, Rene Yii, born in September 2010 18 days after my wedding in Singapore. The smiles on my parents' faces this year were bright and sunny this time round, who can blame them?

Being based permanently in Bangkok for the foreseeable future, it was such a precious opportunity to spend some time with my niece. I could potentially only see her once a year, and I will miss most of her growth process. She's cute and lovely, mostly smiley and sometimes chatty with her elongated ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhs.

She enjoys spending time with her Yeye and Popo

But we finally found out her favourite activity....

Sleeping with Uncle in Bangkok!

She really brings out the Uncle in me...............