Country Living (7)

It was his birthday, but we didn't know about it; we were told merely to go up to his place to have a barbecue. We went to his orchard at about 4.30 pm; and there was already some food ready for us: curry farm chicken, fried mee hoon and mee, and of course plenty of fresh coconut palm wine that is to be mixed with Guinness or Royal Stout.

Setting up the music system at the half-completed gazebo so we could have music for the night

Beside the gazebo is an almost completed pond for kaloi. Beside it is the half-completed all important toilet

The open kitchen and dining area

Doing the pavement leading to the gazebo

The completed barbecue area

The birthday boy and some of his family members

His son slicing banana leaves for wrapping seafood in for grilling

Stingray meat, a popular fish for barbecue

Skewers for those who prefer to grill their seafood

The essential item, chili paste for grilling seafood wrapped in banana leaves and aluminium foil

Preparing prawns for the barbecue

Savoury prawns in chili paste

Preparing fresh water crabs

Cooked crabs

Cray fish, 'selar' fish, hot dogs, meat balls and sweet corn (not in the picture)

A leg of roasted lamb, bought from somewhere

Sliced lamb with black pepper sauce

It was altogether an enjoyable evening with plenty of seafood, coconut wine and Black Label whiskey to wash down all that seafood and mutton. And fresh air.