Travel Norm Aotearoa

China Tour

2011-11-02T22:13:00.001+08:00

China main land is so big a lot places for you to go.... even for local Chinese, is taking long time for them to visit all those attraction....listed below as places i been....

Gui Lin- Yang Shuo 桂林阳朔
Yang Shuo - Yu Long He 阳朔遇龙河
Yang Shuo Li Jiang 阳朔漓江
Gui Lin City 桂林两江四湖
Long Sheng Long Ji Paddy Terraces 龙胜龙脊梯田

Travel Indonesia

2011-10-28T21:33:00.000+08:00

Indonesia is neighbor of Malaysia... Travelling there is good that we can speck Malay, although is not totally same... And the low ticket price even we want to book ticket at last minutes.

Link below as places visited at Indonesia for references.

Bali: Ubud > Pura Ayun
Bali: Beratan Lake > Tanah Lot > Bebek > Spa
Bali: Kintamani > Pura Tirta Empul > Tegallala > Ibu Oka
Bali: Sukawati > Kuta
Bali: Kuta
Bali: GWK, Uluwatu, Blue Point
Lake Toba: Somasir Cottage, Tomok
Lake Toba: Samosir Island, Tuk Tuk, Ambarita, Panguruan

Lake Toba, Samosir Cottage, Tomok

2011-10-28T21:19:00.002+08:00

3rd day at Lake Toba, I wake up at 6am to witness dusky view... just a step out from my room, i can see this from lake side and slowly setup my tripod...

No more fried rice, this morning we have English breakfast... and coffee... we just realize that hotel didn't offer free breakfast to everyone... maybe we got special offer during booking...

Potato egg.. and banana bread...

We drive to Tomok, morning market for local people, and jetty for ferry from Parapat.... a lot stall selling souvenir, but we didn't buy any... we stop by here... no idea what place is this... but this building attracted me...

We continue drive to Tanjungan, another scenic route, is not that far compared to yesterday... We stop at here for a scenery view...

After this, we realize that should be end of our check point for this trip... before noon, so we turn back to Ambaritta again... go to Stone chair again, buy some drink and food from convenient stall, and having our local lunch.

A lot of corn field here....

That guy is monitoring paddy field, make noise when birds approaching.... i feel that paddy field here is very alive, cause of how farmer here take care the field...

We go back to Samosir cottage, having our easy day, enjoy the sound from lake, reading, sleep...

A lot of fish... i try to put my leg in, and they come to me... like a free natural fish spa...

So why don't i jump in...

View from my room... while reading...

My room...

Lake side, where we lay down to count star... and shooting star...

Free pool for us to practice... and ping pong beside this room...

Before returning our bike, we drive around Tuk Tuk, go to others hotel, and stay that mentioned in others blog. All the stay here really have their own beach... just the matter of how they decorate it...

What to eat at Lake Toba, yes, we always eat fried rice, BBQ or grilled fish is also not bad... and also recommending fruit juice, fresh and worth....

On 4th day morning, we check out from Samosir cottage, leaving this peaceful place, with transportation of ferry, car and airplane...

Our initial plan to go shopping at Medan, to hunt for some souvenir, but our rude car driver drive banging a motorcyclist, so we stop for 2 hours in car.. watching how their handling this accident.... We ask other passenger in same car, they are saying "sedang diurus"... one of the lady so nervous that she need to catch a flight to Jarkata, 3 hours before my departure.

Come to their police station for urusan... come' on!! time is tickling... then i see this banner,
"Kami memang belum sempurna, tapi kami selalu berusaha" What do you think?

At the end, we arrive airport, that lady arrive at the time flight take off... hopefully that flight get delayed... poor girl... Luckily i still manage to catch my flight, but not able to go shopping... so grab some souvenir food at airport and hand gift...

[This part of Indonesia Travelling]

New Zealand Working Holiday

2011-10-26T09:10:00.001+08:00

What is working holiday? Is an holiday with not only travel, but working at desire location, and experiencing practical culture at your destination, experience that you can not gain from traveling. I put travel into 2 category, 1st is travel with $$, but no time, taking package with planned itinerary and destination, taking fastest logistic in order to go as much as location with limited time...

2nd is travel with time, but no money, with self planning, risk taking, and time consuming, i will say you need to have right expectation. Imperfection equal to adventure, is not a bad thing, that could be the one enlighten your memory or experience that no one else have.

I join New Zealand Working Holiday, or NZWH, apply visa offering anyone between 18-31 an opportunity to work legally at New Zealand, experiencing kiwi's life... and funding yourself for travelling during holiday.

List below with my sharing on all destination and experience...

Intro and Preparation

Internet Survey, Preparation

Farewell and wishes...

North Island

Halensville and Macadamia Work Exchange

Tepuke- World Capital of Kiwi Fruit

Tepuke- Diary

Tepuke- Working and Salary

Tepuke- Friendship Around the World

Tepuke- Farewell

Rotorua- Geyser Village

Rotorua - City with Geyser

Waikato River and Taupo Lake

Tongariro National Park

Cafe, Lodge, Living Hall at Tongariro

Palmerston North

Willington - Victoria Walk

Willington City

New Zealand Library 图书馆

Stand In Black

Arahura- Path to South Island

South Island

Picton - Adventures Tramp

Hitch Hiking

Havelock

Port Ligar - Working Exchange

Port Ligar - Saturday Night

Port Ligar - Shand Family

Port Ligar - Opossum

Port Ligar - Cowboy

Port Ligar - Timbering

Port Ligar - Hunting or Hunted?

Port Ligar - Trained Dog

Port Ligar - Green Shell Mussel

Port Ligar - Mail Boat

Nelson - Helper, Cleaner

Center of New Zealand

Rent car at Picton and drive to Kaikora

Kaikora- Mountain Meet Ocean

Arthur Pass - Mountain, Rock, Snow

West Coast Greymouth

Franz Josef - Icewalk

Southern Alps

Queenstown - Skiing

Milford Sound - World Heritage

Invercargil - World Southern Most

Dunedin - Europe Style

Oamaru - Penguin Encounter

Tekapo - Romantic Lake

Christchurch

New Brighton Pier

Christchurch Departure, NZ Departure

Lake Toba, Samosir Island, Tuk Tuk, Ambarita, Panguruan

2011-10-24T22:12:00.000+08:00

Day 1:
Penang, Malaysia to Medan, Indonesia - Air Asia, 1 hour
Medan to Parapat, Lake Toba - Share Taxi, using Toyata Innova, local name it Kijang.5 hours drive, that taxi company is doing delivery as well, and he turn to few places before our destination at Parapat, and luckily we manage to arrive before last ferry depart at 6pm.... Before depart, we purchase return ticket, and having our dinner, fried rice is most secured order to meet our expectation, our have lunch in taxi, with some cookies that brought from Penang.

Parapat to Tuk Tuk, Somasir Island - Ferry, we book our stay at Samosir cottage, they can drop you at place that you stay, just need to tell when you pay for ticket fee...

Tuk Tuk is where all tourist found all the accommodation, all the hotel is located at the lake side, and they have their own mini jetty for ferry to drop passenger.

After arriving at Samosir Cottage, relaxing at restaurant with a cup of banana hot milk, completed our long day with transportation on sky, land and lake....

Day 2:

Having our free breakfast at cottage, fried rice again... after that we get a map from counter, and rent a bike to start our day...
We pass by Ambarita, suppose to look for stone chair, but we didn't see it from any road sign, so we keep moving...

Simanindo
First attraction to visit here is Museum of the Batak People.

Motorbike
One good thing about driving motorbike is not moving so fast, experiencing country life, paddy field and i can stop or turn to any place i want.... Samosir Island is an island inside Toba Lake... and about the size of Singapore island...

Gift of god that every place is a scenic view as long as you see it...

Panguruan
Administrative center of the Samosir Island, we arrive here at 11am... so we have our lunch at one the stall here... after a long hour drive with bike... Nasi Goreng again...

Hot spring
Here there are several private swimming pools, we walk up to the hill, to see the source of the hot spring....

Tele
After a long drive on no man, windy hill road at the valley, we arrive to peak of hill, where there is a tower, we climb up to the tower, for panoramic views of Lake Toba and Samosir Island.... Entrance fee is required... Scene here remind me on the scene from Port Ligar....

Leaving Tele, we are short of petrol... luckily we still manage driving back to Panguruan, go to the only Petrol station on island... other than this station, you still can find people selling that along the road side, in a small bottle... Is another few hours drive again, experiencing serious numb on our leg, butt and sun burnt...we drive to finish whole tank of petrol... not sure how many litter...

Along the way, we stop by Vegan cafe for a break... enjoy home made ice cream...

Ambarita
We pass by Ambarita again, and this time we ask people and we found Stone Chairs, where King Held Conferences and beheaded criminals. There is a lot souvenir stall beside the place with stone chairs... Only 2 place with market selling souvenir and here is one of that...

We go back to Tuk Tuk on evening, yet to sunset... so we drive to another side of Tuk Tuk, and stop by a restaurant, and having our dinner there... Satay, BBQ fish, and fried rice again...

[This part of Indonesia Travelling]

Taiping Lake Landscape Photography

2011-10-18T21:19:00.001+08:00

Taiping lake located at Perak, Malaysia, to go there, you can follow North South Plus Highway, turn out at Taiping Zoo exit, this lake is just beside zoo, this is a place famous with man-made lake, which used to be site for tin mining... Breathtaking scene that granting local a nice place for relaxing, morning walk, and photography....

Nice lake and landscape...

Branch and sunlight

Special trees along the road... and lakeside...

nice walking path...

more peaceful view with mirror lake...

Used to have a red bridge here... which make the scene more contrast...

Trees....

Famous "S" walking path...

Shoot of the day... with trees, hill, sky, and lake...

Long Sheng Long Ji Rice Terraces 龙胜龙脊梯田

2011-09-16T11:48:00.001+08:00

Today we going for day tour to visit LongJi rice terraces Long Sheng, 龙胜龙脊梯田, few hours drive from Gui Lin, we took tour package from tourism agent at Gui Lin, we survey few agent, compare on itinerary price, we choose the one optional to watch cultural performance at cultural village, long hair village, 瑶族长发表演, but even though we didn't watch that performance, that bus still stop at that village, and we need to wait whole bus of people, as we are the only one didn't join... we hang around the village, and visit those resident, is open for visit... not bad though, to experience their life... off course have to be caught by some sourvenior salesman, forgot if we bought any....

Different with Bali, you need to walk for some distance to reach viewing point, some photographer stay here few day to capture fantastic view... bit tough walk for some senior citizen, and there is service provide to carry people up, with man power...

We need to walk through a farmer village, and a lot is transform to restaurant, and hostel... we stop by this place for our lunch.... Famous local food is rice and chicken cooked in bamboo 龙脊竹筒饭, 土鸡... taste good... original....

Finally come to highlight of the day.... bird view on rice terraces.... All the mountain and river seem so far for pass few day is gift of god... natural scenic... but this view is effort of men... used to be the one who try to avoid from wars that always happen at flat landscape... Less competition at the mountain become a heaven for those who love peace.... but they need more effort to turn these challenges into their opportunity... Determination and passion that we should learn... nothing is impossible...

A lot name for many spot... i didn't name all... In order to ensure attractiveness for tourism, government is subsiding and controlling harvesting timing of those paddy... especially during golden holiday of China, during first week of Oct, cause color of paddy that time suppose to be brown, or gold color... and right time for harvesting....

We go back to Gui Lin at evening, this will be last night for this trip, as farewell to Guilin, we choose this luxury restaurant for our dinner, at Ah Gan restaurant that we always walk pass for few days... order some new taste and food that we like at Gui Lin... Gui Lin is inland which far from sea... fish that we eat for few days is from river or lake... and the "structure" of bone is so special in Y shape.. need extra careful while eating... wonder if this is same issue for local chinese....

After dinner... we go for some walk... i back to City in garden, garden in city, to snap photo on this glass made bridge... with different lighting effect...

This should be the best shoot... a lot photographer is beside me that time....

Art underneath a bridge... with some cultural and historic introduction... this city is planned well....

[This is part of China Tour]

Gui Lin City 桂林两江四湖

2011-09-07T23:23:00.003+08:00

Today, we start our day from Gui Lin city, having breakfast at nearby Yong He 永和, we order soy milk and yiu tiao 豆浆油条, they have sour soy milk... and i order that to try... hehe... we like this place, and we come back here again next day....

Early morning, i took quick walk around hostel 九龙别墅酒店, near 中山中路，南门桥旁, well planned city, clean, and modern, yet, is identical... People here live in healthy and relax way... Maintaining unique way of traditional....

We visit Qing Wang Castle... 靖江王城, castle of one of the royal family... Once you enter here, with ticket, there will be tour guide to tour you around.... no photography allowed inside the building....

Behind the castle is a hill, which believed to be secure base, according to Feng Sui, source of the dynasty is inside this hole, only the one who rule the country will know exact location of "source".

We hike up to that mountain, according to feng sui, here is south of China, and believe that tail of dragon located here, Gui Lin city is inside the valley, and at the middle got one hill, that the reason emperor that time send his prince to build castle here...

After walk out from castle, we heading toward modern part of Gui Lin city, there is a nice walking street... and we walk around here for shopping and window shopping...

We stop by somewhere for lunch, those char siew really big... guilin really famous for guilin bihun 桂林米粉

In order to make this city clean, less carbon, less noise... only electric motorcycles allowed in this city... so you can see this station every where...

This booth is promoting package for wedding photography... see clearly... that is one the trend at Gui Lin now....

Beside modern building, Gui Lin city is a city in garden, 2 river and 4 lake decorating this city nicely.... 两江四湖... Twin pagoda is main attraction in this garden... 双塔映月... Nice garden for day and night view....

We have our dinner at one seafood restaurant... we request taxi driver send us to food street... and they bring us here... this shop is so called one of the food street... feel a bit cheated... but just try la... but not really recommended this... hehe... after that only know place we want to go is 西街美食街。。。

After that, we go back to garden again, to watch the performance of man made water fall.... 漓江大瀑布饭店观赏九天银河...

[This is part of China Tour]

Yang Shuo Li Jiang 阳朔漓江

2011-09-04T22:08:00.000+08:00

Early morning, we come to West Street again, not much tourist yet, we found a place for breakfast, is in front store where we have our lunch at first day... you char guai, soya milk, xiao long bao... not much local people come to eat here...

Today we come water rafting at Li Jiang, 漓江竹筏漂流, mountain here is near to river, and bigger... compare with yesterday, mountain is far from river and less... Is another half day rafting...
If you don't know how to appreciate these scene... try to imagine those mountain is look like something...
三分神似，七分想象。。。

One of the scene here is taken as design of RMB20 notes...

Li Jiang is the best place for scenic view of hill, mountain and river... And these remind my trip to Milford Sound....

After 5 hours rafting... no more 农家饭, we request driver to bring us try Gui Lin bi hun... we come to this shop... Chain shop serving traditional Gui Lin Bihun... fair price, clean and a lot local people eat here... recommend to try...

After lunch, we suppose depart to Gui Lin city, we stop by this place for 1.5hour visit... 世外桃源

Basically is another commercial place for tourism spot... If want to choose only one cultural village to visit, i recommended this one, at least more effort done here...

Nice building and courtyard....

Great invention of China to start printing technology... and winery...

Nice view from 世外桃源, i think in English called Shangri La....

[This is part of China Tour]

Yang Shuo 阳朔遇龙河

2011-09-03T21:34:00.005+08:00

Typical breakfast, porridge with meat, sweet and sour....

遇龙河漂流 water rafting at Yu Long He... to enjoy scenic view of mountain and river...

Flow is not so aggressive that suitable to bring your parent there...

Except this one... when you can not control, you trust your driver....

Traditional way of fishing... that bird can not swallow fish directly, you can it's neck is tighten by that guy...

Right after water rafting for whole morning... having lunch at riverside... a lot farmer here running restaurant with local farmer food, name as 农家饭 you can see every where, good for experience but don't expect good price, is even more expensive than lunch we have at West Street...

图腾古道, cultural village, but i don't think is original.... very commercial... i think we come out with an hour...

大榕树, giant rong shu which become tourism spot... entrance fee required... there is some cultural exhibition for visit as well...

Beside here is place where famous country song singer stay... Liu San Jie... 刘三姐故居.. first time to walk across the river, that suppose to be dam plus bridge...

Place famous with mountain must have a nice cave... and this is one of the best i ever visit.. Ying Zi Yuan. 银子岩, one of the biggest and newest to be discovered, which mean is less polluted or sabotage...

Art of god... Art of nature...

Art which take years to complete...

Can you see mountain with half moon? 月亮山, you can see this with just a turn out from main road... no ticket required, but someone is decorating stages to charge for photography... i didn't take that...

Our dinner is 谢大姐啤酒鱼, beer fish... at a very nice restaurant... our most expensive dinner for this trip... Again, is good to try... Never taste it here...

After dinner, we go to West Street to shopping again... 夜游西街。。。

[This is part of China Tour]

Gui Lin - Yang Shuo 桂林阳朔

2011-09-03T17:20:00.002+08:00

Lee Shia initiated a family trip to Guilin, a place famous with nice landscape of mountain and river....
We did transportation arrangement with Mr Ma from 沙鸥居客栈.

Upon arriving, driver is there to wait for us, and our transport for coming few days is this mini van, they call it 面包车。。。桂林山水甲天下，阳朔山水甲桂林, so we are heading to Yang Shuo directly...

Having our first lunch at Yang Shuo, Lao Jia Xiang Earthenware Pot Food... so many 田螺to eat... very common here... Located at walking street near our hostel.

Raining while we check in at 沙鸥居客栈, we walk to 西街步行街。。。

Walk from end of the street to beginning of street. Not much people at day time, and raining...

Scene of mountain and river from walking street... this is yet the best...

First activity is going to watch performance, "Imagine Liu Shan Jie" 印象刘三姐. 160RMB per person, including transportation...

Stage of performance... Natural mountain and river... Same director who compose opening ceremony of BeiJing 2008.

One of the best cultural performance i ever watch... worth for money... please don't buy 山寨版 ticket, you will not feel impressed is view from wrong direction... My 17-50mm lens not able to take much photo in low light condition... so i just... enjoy the show... not much photo to show on this and end our 1st day of trip....

[This is part of China Tour]

Tasik Beris Vineyard at Sik, Kedah

2011-05-17T14:48:00.001+08:00

During labor day, we went to Vineyard at Tasik Beris, Kedah... before that i saw my aunty try to grow grape at her garden, which i doubt about that... until i manage to find more info about vineyard available at Malaysia.... Malaysia Boleh...

How to go Vineyard at Tasik Beris? Tasik Beris is 1.5 hours from Alor Setar, from exit of Gurun on PLUS highway, heading Sik and just go straight for around 45minutes. Vineyard is just before bridge of Tasik Beris... Jambatan Tasik Beris. 1.5 hours driving might be boring for kid if didnt sleep... but when wake up... they will cry....

Interesting signboard, Napa Valley Vineyard is 13479km away, and Beris Lake Vineyard is 4 meters aways... Vineyard at Napa Valley is free to access, but Beris Lake need RM3...

Is not a big vineyard here, and there is grape!! is red or black grape?

and green color, my father is so excited to try that... not allowed to pick that, so he just kiss that... that's the reason why mom always clean the grape before we can eat...

For children, they will wonder why some many mini green balls hang around in this farm....

As i know, vineyard gone through 4 season for fall, prunning, growing, blossom and harvesting, and that cycle is once a year... Understanding from those on duty at Malaysia, after harvesting, they need to remove the leaf manually and prunning for accellerate growing of new branch, which will increase productivity of grapes.... Ohya, vineyard here is inside green house... to control the temperature and for same vine, harvesting happen twice a year... which suppose to sound good...

Before leaving, is not just the farm that you can visit if you come here, you can shop for the grapes as well. I try it… it is very freshie sweet, price paid at that time is RM15 per packet. They have the fresh grapes and also grape juices drink. Anyway... Mum said that is much expensive than pasar, but really taste fresh....

After leaving, Tasik Beris of Sik, we stop by at Glass Bottles Temple (Wat Charok Padang), located at Kampung Charok Padang, a lot of places here named in Thai, as this place close with borders to Thailand...

And FYI, Kedah is state, which having most Thai...

This temple is unique from other Wat, as the building is decorated with glass bottle, and there is a giant "glass bottle", which using glass bottle instead of tile or paint on the surface of construction....

Statistic

2010-07-30T23:27:00.001+08:00

Analysis after a year of tracking...

Top 10 Content from total off 100!!!
0. Home: 1788 pageviews.
Off course, home domain is always top content... As it always updated with latest content, i don't put this as top one.
1. My Route Of New Zealand: 1025 pageviews
2. Land with Wide Sky: 525 pageviews
3. Salary and money talk in Tepuke: 363 pageviews
4. California Experience: 355 pageviews
5. days in HK and Macau: 260 pageviews
6. Phuket Stay at Patong Beach: 256 pageviews
7. NZ WHM application at SG: 255 pageviews
8. Tepuke, world capital of Kiwi Fruit: 246 pageviews
9. Short Pan at Auckland: 230 pageviews
10. My photo album of NZ: 209 pageviews

Topic related to New Zealand seem to be main attraction.....

Top 10 Visitor Country from total of 58!!!
1. Malaysia - 2639
2. Singapore- 399
3. United States- 388
4. New Zealand- 244
5. Australia- 46
6. Hong Kong- 40
7. United Kingdom- 39
8. Japan- 28
9. Brazil- 19
10. Thailand- 17

Don't talk about Malaysia as blogger located here... Singapore seem to have close relation with Malaysia with similiar interest on web surfing...
Glad to see a lot visitor from NZ and Aus.
Ohya... i just find out recently.... China have no access to blogspot....

Top 10 Visitor City from total of 369!!!
1. Kuala Lumpur- 863
2. Petaling Jaya- 581
3. Georgetown- 447
4. Singapore- 356
5. Prai- 108
6. Kulim- 104
7. Johor Bahru- 94
8. Auckland- 86
8. Santa Clara- 86
9. Tauranga- 61
10. Butterworth- 56

Maybe visitor to my sharing is propotional to city population in Malaysia with internet access....

[This is part of the New Zealand Working Holiday]

Bali: GWK> Uluwatu > Blue Point

2010-07-29T21:43:00.000+08:00

For 2nd half of the day, we leave Kuta, heading south for tourism spot....

Somewhere some way, i realize how is those surfer carry surf board and travel to different beach....

My first destination is GWK.... a huge project that yet to complete... I think they plan to build a giant statue... and this is part of the project.... and enterence fee is most expensive....

Here another part, god is on top of this in progress statue... Seem Bali is famous for craft, should be make sense that they plan for this giant art...

Craft art is everywhere in Bali.....

Pura Uluwatu, pura at cliff....

Another view of Pura Uluwatu.... here got a lot monkey... and they seem to be interested to grap your spectacle...

Wood stair case at Blue Point beach.... lead you to better view of BLUE....

Ini dia.... that's reason here name as Blue Point... there is some famous resort that have better view and access to this amazing beach....

A shoot from Blue Point beach.... and this our last visit point as well... after that we leave and heading airport directly... Is not so far but traffic jam almost cause us miss out check in time... hehe... Thanks to Mr Badra again....

[This part of Indonesia Travelling]

Bali: Kuta

2010-07-28T19:24:00.000+08:00

Plan for last day is hanging around Kuta for first half by walking. Mr Badra only come to fetch us for 2nd half of the day and send us to airport directly...

Hence, this is an easy morning, this is the earliest couple appear at this happening swimming poor... and waiting for breakfast....

Mix fruit again with pan cake or bread, good culture of Bali... Lets try to practice this every morning before go to work...

Hang around few Poppies Lane... for some shopping and generate first sales of the day, which they trully believe with....

Early morning at Kuta beach, beach boy just wake up and start to prepare for their day....

Bali is famous place for surfing... and Kuta beach is a right place for this activities...

Having lunch at Kopi Pot as recommend by one the blogger for nice coffee... but i not really coffee lover, we order satay, really suprise me to see this... come with this cray for charcoal...

I like this satay, smell and taste nice... lemon grass used as stick and this really make it different from other satay that i tried before.

Although never order any coffee, this lunch still delighting me, nasi campur of Bali concluded as my greatest main course finding of the trip... maybe some spice that make it different.

On the way back to hotel... we go back to Bamboo Corner again, mango juice again... to go...

Balinese scalf and sari hunting...

Hunting again... while waiting for our driver to fetch us for 2nd half the day....

[This part of Indonesia Travelling]

Bali: Sukawati > Kuta

2010-07-22T20:53:00.003+08:00

After having our babi pangan lunch... is time for some exercise....

Stop a while at Tegenungan Waterfall, not exercise but sight seeing here.... a water fall from far.... guess what, enterence is required to arrive this view point....

Bought this from Ubud pasar... raining causing our sport shoe totally wet.....

Here is where we exercise.... Shopping!!! Prepare to bargain all you can...

there is many pasar seni at Sukawati... Mr Badra bring to this original one according to him.... so we are not sure with market at other location... we bought most thing from here...

Pasar at Malaysia always have "na to gong"... here also have pura.... I want to keep my camera already... to carry shopping item..

Satay ayam... but i think satay babi here taste better....

After done with Sukawati... moving to Kuta... City with traffic jam... hehe... Bali is famous for craft art... is reasonable to see this kind of big statue anywhere... We walk in to Fatty Yogi and get a night of accomodation...

Many people from Cari.forum recommending Bamboo Corner... so i also here to try recommended Avocado Juice... order only one as we not really can accept flavor of Avocado... anyway... we are delight with mango juice... is fresh and kao kao... food here is fair price at this location at Poppies Lane 2.

After settling down.. let's review on our shopping effort today from Sukawati... shoe, pants, colourfull bamboo box, sari, sabun organic, keychain, nuts, shirt,and magnet....

[This part of Indonesia Travelling]

Bali: Kintamani > Pura Tirta Empul > Tegallala > Ibu Oka

2010-07-21T22:43:00.000+08:00

Day started with breakfast, today is banana pan cake, plus fruit mix again, i like this...

Today we are leaving Narasoma, we check out on morning, and put our luggage with Mr Badra... Here is the room that i said as definite Balinese style... at 3rd or top floor, no air con, but now is raining season that not so hot....

First destination today is Kintamani, to Mount Batur, a valcona in Bali, black area in picture is lava from elapse few years ago... Intelligent effort is make use of this gift from god to develop agriculture and construction... that's why you can see a lot building and even sand is in black colour, those are treasure from deep deep earth... Is cloudy when we are there... but not so bad that not raining... A lot people is having buffet at restaurant with nice view to Mt Batur... but i don't go for that... those buffet really cost you for nice view, not delicious food... haha...

After that is raining and we come to Pura Tirta Empul.... is cold, but that doesn't resist passion of Hindu prayer....

Air suci, holy water, which make your mind clear and peace....

Terrace rice is another amazing man made scene in Bali at few location, the one we visit is at Tegalala...

This is right after harvesting season, and raining season, thus you can see only wet soil terrace.... Paddy normally planted at wide flat land, but farmer who started this many many years ago is caused by limited flat land and after by group who concur those limited flat land....

From Tegallala to Ubud, is a long street with a lot craft art for sales, a lot distributor come here to find treasure for their business... i can see few foreigner go around with motorbike, together with forwarder service to ship their item..

We back to Ubud for this.. Ibu Oka, is near to junction at the end of Jalan Monkey Forest, the photo shared on Ubud.

People come Ibu Oka for grill pork meal... taste nice... maybe grill pork is not really common in Malaysia...

Shoot this aunty at road side... ladies here normally use their head to carry goods.....

[This part of Indonesia Travelling]

Bali: Beratan Lake > Tanah Lot > Bebek > Spa

2010-07-19T22:42:00.001+08:00

From Taman Ayun, Mr Badra or our driver bring us to one the strawberry farm for lunch... price is fair enough as per our request, we didn't visit that strawberry farm, cause we been to Cameroon Highland before....

After lunch, we come to Lake Beratan which located at highland and surrounded by hills, a pura is built with lake surrounding... is cloudy day when we are there.. is a great scenic location...

A lot craft art in black colour, i thought is painted black, but is actually made from lava or rock from valcano...

Pura and flowers...

Destination after Beratan is Tanah Lot, with Pura beside ocean...

Again with black craft....

Many prayer walking toward Pura... and a lot tourism taking photo around that.... i plan to take photo of sunset.. but that day is raining day....

We back to Ubud for dinner, at Bebek Bengil, or Dirty Duck in english.... we order a set of Bebek Bengil, and nasi campur... nice taste to try... from their menu, you can read about story of this Dirty Duck....

Balinese Spa is something you must try.... Badra bring us to Umacarik Spa... Transportation is free to Tampaksiring, somewhere 15minutes from our stay.... Spa start with massage, i feel that is softer compared to Thai massage... Balinese massage also emphasize more on aromatherapy, follow by scrubing and spa.... a special activity to try....

[This part of Indonesia Travelling]

Bali: Ubud > Pura Ayun

2010-07-19T00:11:00.001+08:00

We sketch itinenary of our Bali trip and hire a driver to bring us around.... First time for us to go for travelling with such convinience on transportation....

My flight arrive Denpasar on 6.50pm, that is dark evening compare to Malaysia.. We reserve our driver through internet and he fetch us to Ubud directly to Narasoma Homestay... after having dinner that is not so special but expensive... We take early rest to prepare for tomorrow.....

Go around Narasoma Homestay... found a strong identity that convince you are at Bali... Breakfast included... Delight with various local fruit at food to begin our day...

Before start our driver arrive, we walk around Ubud....at Jalan Monkey Forest toward North of Narasoma and we come to this junction... and found a lot bike is heading right....

Infront of pasar with a parkir for bike....

Ubud pasar pagi is here... not much tourism is here for shopping... maybe is too early.... but heard that price here is not best deal yet....

Timbang....

Ubud Palace infront of Pasar Pagi...

Our first point is Taman Ayun or Pura Ayun... Pura for Indonesian mean temple... Is a bit raining here when we are here... Wall surround Pura Ayun is not too high which is good for photography... but here not allow wedding photography....

Hindu prayer who believe... and i notice that item for praying is very organic... bamboo leaf as carrier... flower as main....

[This part of Indonesia Travelling]

SF: San Francisco City

2010-03-14T00:00:00.001+08:00

San Francisco is a leasure city... A lot building but not too compact, well plan and organize... this is a city of lifestyle...

Exploratorium, museum of science...

A lot movie took here....

A tour around city of San Francisco... Here remind me Willington...

Moden building of San Francisco... Moscon Center is really suprices me.... i went there from Semicon fair... Beside technologies on semiconductor, also got a lot booth on solar technologies, then only i realize this technologies is so popular now.... at US...

City Hall and some goverment building here.... Lincoln statue also here....

One of this building is Museum of Asia....

i like this city... unique building and lifestyle...

[This is part of California Experience]

SF: China Town

2010-03-05T17:28:00.001+08:00

China Town in San Francisco is biggest china town outside of Asian, that's the reason why you can see a lot chinese at San Francisco, as well, that is a lot of direct flight from East Asia to San Francisco....

Enterence to China Town, is a long distance along Grant Avenue...

Building with both western and chinese culture...

Chinese Pagoda... so called "trademark"...

Lantern...

Culture is borderless...

Along Grant Ave...

and i turn back for another shot...

Citibank of China town really make me feel like been to China...

What i do at China town?
1. Buying souvenir: a lot of item for tourist to buy with good deal, either on China Town or San Francisco, or Pier 39....
2. Buy gin seng: I don't know where exactly, but gin seng of USA is good... and should be cheaper to buy here... i always goto the one opposite hospital at 850, Jackson Street...
3. Chinese Food: Egg tart from Golden Gate Bakery is nice, but please expect for queuing... I tried oriental set lunch with 3 main course for 4 person, not too bad if 3 or 4 of you look for meal...

[This is part of California Experience]

SF: Pier 39 and Piers....

2010-02-28T18:23:00.002+08:00

San Francisco Bay having a lot pier for different marine activities... Pier 39 is most famous with a lot shops, and attaction....

At entrence of Pier 39, you can see a crab sculpture with flowers, flag... and Hard Rock San Francisco... At night, most of the people is leaving, but you can catch nice night view from pier to city

Yatch, fruit stall, candy shop, chocolate shop, live circus show, live band, and sea lions... you can see all these from Pier 39... I remember that performer not to record his show and put into youtube, but i hope he don't mind for me to blog him... Ohya... can you see Alcatraz is behind me? A lot movie like The Rock and X-men was shooting here....

Fisherman Whalf is right behind Pier 39, a lot seafood restaurant, street show, souvenir shop and parking lot here... Bear with this famous tourism spot.... I had a clam chowder with bread from pedestral stall, not really nice, but if you want to try, don't get bread, cause i can not finish that bread...

Few miles south of Pier 39 is another nice spot to go, not that much tourism but there is a lot nice landmark though...

Pier 39 is wooden mostly, but this pier is concrete... looks grand... here is also Port of San Francisco, for ferry from different place, including Sausalito....

Gandhi is here... Walking for freedom... From Pier 3, you can have a nice view to Bay Bridge and Downtown San Francisco....

[This is part of California Experience]

Food to eat from Santa Rosa

2010-02-03T19:34:00.002+08:00

Most of the time, i'll cook from where i stay... but "on and off"... i'll try out food around Santa Rosa... Below with my favourate restaurant....

Pho-Vietnam at Stony Point Santa Rosa
A lot Vietnamese food here, i always order combo beef noodle in medium size, and BBQ pork with white rice.... is really great... Penang don't have such good Vietnamese Food...

Fu Zhou Buffet at Downtown Santa Rosa
Located at downtown, oriental style and eat all you can, feel like going back to my home town...

Spud Point Crab Co
Locate at Bodega Bay... Their clam chowder and crab is nice....

In and Out at Rohnert Park
Nice potato chip

Cals Jr
Sandwiches...

Lombardi BBQ Petaluma, near to factory outlet
Baby pork rib, cooking style that you won't find in Penang.

Porter Street Barbeque Rohnert Park
Beef rib sandwich is nice here...

Fu Zhou Chinese Restaurant Rohnert Park
Chinese food...

ABC Chinese Restaurant Santa Rosa
Nearest chinese food at Extended Stay America Fountaingrove Parkway...

MY HA restaurant near to Sonoma County Airport
Vietnamese food and buffet

Jalisco Mexican Food
Nice mexican food at Mendocino Ave, near to college....

Apple Bee
Nice western food

Round Table Pizza
Great Pizza....

Ohana Hawaiian BBQ, near to Costco Santa Rosa
Nice BBQ food...

Cantina at Downtown Santa Rosa
Nice mexican food, with happening environment...

El Capitan Taqueria
Nice mexican food at Mendocino Ave...

[This is part of California Experience]

SF: Twin Peak and Lombard Street

2010-01-31T23:11:00.002+08:00

Twin Peak is a superb location for bird view across city of San Francisco....

This transmission tower is icon of Twin Peak, i use GPS to search this place and drive there....

Evening view from peak....

I can see the horizon....

Here is city of San Francisco... Lovely city...

Another spot you should not miss in San Francisco is a block in Lombard Street....

A lot nice flower here, this is one of the attraction, but is not the main one....

Here is view from that block... but this still not a main attraction...

Leasure home... Pretty.... Happenning...

Bird house....

Drive thru after long queue... and you will know what make this famous....

There you go.... Street with most sharp curves on short distance of hilly road... some website say this is most crookedest street in USA... Cool....

[This is part of California Experience]

SF: Golden Gate

2010-01-21T15:02:00.001+08:00

Golden Gate is a bridge, connecting San Fancisco to North through 101 highway... Last time, here use to be important gateway for US military to defend for any attack from west coast... Now, for me, that is gateway from Sonoma County to San Francisco...

There a lot view point, or vista point for Golden Gate, if you drive from north, just before Golden Gate, you may turn right and drive up along the hill to this location....

Different view of Golden Gate....

Whoever they are... this helichopter is hanging around here....

Nearer view and some flower....

View point toward west of Golden Gate... That is Pacific Ocean....

After Golden Gate Bridge, you may route to Bay Street or Marina Street, and drive along... I stop by at few location....

Sunset via Golden Gate Bridge....

Is looks like bridge crossing a field??

I like blue sky....

Blue blue sky...

Snapshot from fart right under neath bridge at south...

Everything when leaving San Francisco, after Golden Gate at North, there is a nice vista point.... with nice view over the bay... city... bridge...

Evening is cold... and cool....

[This is part of California Experience]

Travel Norm Aotearoa

China Tour

Travel Indonesia

Lake Toba, Samosir Cottage, Tomok

New Zealand Working Holiday

Lake Toba, Samosir Island, Tuk Tuk, Ambarita, Panguruan

Taiping Lake Landscape Photography

Long Sheng Long Ji Rice Terraces 龙胜龙脊梯田

Gui Lin City 桂林 两江四湖

Yang Shuo Li Jiang 阳朔 漓江

Yang Shuo 阳朔 遇龙河

Gui Lin - Yang Shuo 桂林 阳朔

Tasik Beris Vineyard at Sik, Kedah

Statistic

Bali: GWK> Uluwatu > Blue Point

Bali: Kuta

Bali: Sukawati > Kuta

Bali: Kintamani > Pura Tirta Empul > Tegallala > Ibu Oka

Bali: Beratan Lake > Tanah Lot > Bebek > Spa

Bali: Ubud > Pura Ayun

SF: San Francisco City

SF: China Town

SF: Pier 39 and Piers....

Food to eat from Santa Rosa

SF: Twin Peak and Lombard Street

SF: Golden Gate

Gui Lin City 桂林两江四湖

Yang Shuo Li Jiang 阳朔漓江

Yang Shuo 阳朔遇龙河

Gui Lin - Yang Shuo 桂林阳朔