flowering....happens only when you travel

Malacca - Portuguese & Dutch Remnants Pt 4

2016-02-07T12:21:00.002+08:00

3 - 6 June 2015

Well, a visit to Malacca city is not complete without stopping at the Red Square aka Dutch Square; obviously named because of the number of buildings painted red around the square. It seems the Dutch buildings were originally white but the British had them painted red.

Clock tower built by a Chinese Kapitan during British rule

The Red Square, built in 1650, was the administrative capital of the Dutch. It housed the then city hall of the Dutch, called the Stadthuys (pronounced as 'stat-highs' meaning town hall). The Stadthuys was the office of the Dutch Governors and then followed by British Governors for almost 300 years and apparently it is the oldest remaining Dutch building in Asia. The Malacca government has converted the Stadthuys into a museum which now houses Malacca's most important historical journey and ethnography artifacts.

That is a fountain named after Queen Victoria in front of the Stadthuys

The Christ Church built in 1753 by the Dutch still stands here. It is said to be the oldest Protestant church in Malaysia.

History tells us that the Stadthuys was built on the ruins of the Portuguse fort. As you climb up the St Paul Hill, you will see a Dutch graveyard. The British later used it as a burial ground for its army officers and spouses.

As for the Portuguese, the only traces that remain is the A Famosa fort and that too, only a small gate.
The Portuguese stayed in this fortress for 130 years. There are also some ruins (which was accidentally uncovered in 2006) of the Portuguese fortress on the banks of Malacca River.

Porta de Santioga - the only remaining gate of the Portuguese fort - the rest was demolished by the British

View from St Paul's hill

For most Malaysians, we do not have any idea of Portuguese or Dutch rule in Malacca. All that history books tell us is that they came, conquered, ruled, were either defeated or left. How was Malacca like during their rule, we do not know. These buildings, I am sure, have seen history happen, and they remain an important link to that era. The other proof of their existence are the descendants of the Portuguese for which there is a Portuguese settlement in Malacca but none of the Dutch. Besides that, there is the use of Portuguese and Dutch words in the Malay language,

Malacca's Submarine Museum Pt 3

2016-02-06T22:08:00.000+08:00

3- 6 June 2015

On our last day in Malacca, we decided to stop at Klebang, to see Malaysia's one and only submarine museum. The museum was opened to public in Dec 2011. The decommissioned SMD Quessant from France stands proud on Klebang beach.

This is a must see especially if you go with children. Entering a submarine, checking out the gadgets and mind-boggling machines can be fun and educational. Unfortunately, there was no guided tour to explain the equipment or the workings of a submarine. But beneath the submarine, there is a video show of the setting up of the museum in Klebang. There is an exhibition of all Malaysian submarines too. Visitors are provided chairs to sit and view the video. Sitting under the submarine with cooling fans around while watching the video was cool.

the entrance point

No,this is not a ghost although he comes close - this is a replica of the crew in the dining area inside the submarine

For my children, this was the highlight of the visit to Malacca.

Malacca - Not all is Lost Pt 2

2016-01-30T11:17:00.001+08:00

3 - 6 June 2015

Well, having given a first impression account of how I saw Malacca in Part 1, let me take you to our stay and the things that we did there.

We checked in at Mahkota Hotel Melaka on a weekday. This hotel is located on the waterfront in the heart of historical Melaka overlooking the Straits of Malacca. By the way, the hotel is a part of a land waterfront reclamation project. The hotel overlooks what is called the Pulau Melaka, a man-made island with a bridge linking it to the mainland. A new mosque, with a lighthouse-like minaret, sits right in the middle.

Malacca River Cruise

On our first night in Malacca city, we went on the river cruise. Just so that you know, tickets are priced higher during school break. MYR10 for adult and MYR5 for children - for Malaysians. For foreigners it is MYR15 per adult and MYR 7 per child. The boat was a comfortable 40 seater. An audio recording of the history and places we passed by was played for visitors.

photo source :melakarivercruise.com

There are pathways for people to walk along the banks of the river. If you don't want to do the cruise, walking along the riverbank and making one full circle would do too. There are small cafes selling snacks and beer along the riverbank.

Malacca Sultanate Palace - a replica

The next day we visited the Malacca Sultanate palace, a replica actually. I like this Malay old-style architecture. The wooden replica was cooling inside and felt cosy. History tells us that Malacca Sultanate ruled for 110 years until defeated by the Portuguese in 1511. Admission ticket is MYR2 for adult and MYR1 for children.

Foreign traders announcing their visit to the Sultan of Malacca

Malacca Museum of History & Ethnography

We could not give the Museum a miss so we bought the tickets and went in. Ticket price is MYR5 for adult and MYR3 for children. There was a lot to absorb here. One of the staff at the museum gave us a free talk on the town and fortress of Malacca. He said that although the British demolished the fort, there are still many layers of underground tunnels beneath the fort. This is something that we will never get from Malaysian history textbooks. In fact generations of Malaysian children have grown up not knowing how Malacca was like under Portuguese or Dutch rule especially the latter.

The town and fortress of Malacca or what the Dutch called the Stadthuys (Wikipedia)

The museum staff spoke good English. The Museum should tap on his skills and allow him to engage visitors more.

European colonials in Malacca

Malacca Governor's Museum

We also visited the Governor's house. The Malacca Governor no longer stays here. By the way, Malacca is one of the states without a Sultan in Malaysia. The royals fled to Johore, a neighbouring state when the Portuguese attacked and conquered Malacca in 1511 after which they just disappeared from history. This was the former official residence of Dutch governors and British governors of Malacca during their respective rule. Built by the Dutch in the 17th century, it continued to be the residence of 5 Malacca state governors up till 1996. It is now gazetted as a museum that displays artifacts and personal collections of past and present governors. Some say that the original palace of the Malacca Sultan was located here, at the St Paul's Hill.

I hate to say this but we actually saw a yellow alien inside (see pix below).

The yellow alien - a collection of a past Governor of Malacca?

The Governors' Museum

Malacca Independence Declaration Memorial

Then, we also paid a visit to the Independence Declaration Memorial which was formerly the Malacca Club which was used by the British upper class as a place for social activities. Built in 1912 by the Dutch, this colonial mansion now houses exhibits on Malaysia's journey to independence. There used to be a huge field in front where Malaysia's first Prime Minister proclaimed independence. The field was called Padang Pahlawan but now what you see is Dataran Pahlawan, a megamall. The field has given way to a megamall.

Malacca was declared a UNESCO Heritage Site in 2008 because of its rich cultural heritage. Malacca's history is very colourful, it has passed through many periods of history under different rulers:-

*The Portuguese ruled Malacca for 130 years.

*The Dutch ruled for 183 years.

*The British ruled for 155 years.
*The Japanese ruled Malacca for 4 years.

*Prior to foreign rule, the Malacca Sultanate from Parameswara's lineage ruled for over a 100 years.

What brought the foreign traders to Malacca was its location on the strategic shipping lanes of the Malacca Strait. A place to wait out the monsoon season. Sadly thre is very little left of the Portuguese era. Most part of the Portuguese Fort was destroyed by the British leaving only the main entrance to the fort. The British did this to kill Malacca as a trading port. They wanted traders to stop in Penang and not Malacca as Penang was the port city of British during that time.

Malacca Trishaw

By the way, we did check out the beca-ride (trishaw) but it was too pricey, so gave it a skip.

Malacca Chitti settlement

We also went to the Chitti settlement to get a feel of the life of the Hindu Peranakan of Malacca. They are descendants of Tamil traders who settled in Malacca 500 years ago. What is unique among them is that they are Hindus but follow Malay culture and tradition and speak Malay following inter-marriage to Malay women. They have a temple in their village and there is a museum.

But alas, at the time we arrived there, the museum was closed. A sad sight because the village is sandwiched by development at all corners. Not sure how long the community would hold on to their heritage without some sort of recognition by the state government.

Angaloo Parameswari temple

Malacca's Bukit Cina cemetery
Our next stop was the historical Bukit Cina or Chinese Hill.

"According to the local tradition, in the mid-15th century, Hang Li Po was sent to be married to the sultan of Malacca, Sultan Mansor Shah, to seal relations between the two countries. The hill, Bukit Cina, a gift from the sultan, was established as their residence." (Wikipedia)

After the death of the princess, she was buried on the hill together with her entourage. Admiral Zheng He (the leader of the entourage from Ming Dynasty) is also believed to be resting here. Following that, the local Chinese used the hill as a burial ground. Today, is stands as a piece of history and tourist attraction. It is also used as a recreational park by the locals for jogging and trekking up the hill.

"Bukit China became a Chinese cemetery in 1685 when Lee Wei King, the then “Kapitan China” of Malacca, bought the three hills from the Dutch and renamed them as “San Pao Shan” (Three Gems Hill or Three Protections Hill). He placed it under the trust of the Cheng Hoon Teng temple. Reputedly, it is the oldest remaining traditional Chinese burial ground in the world with 12,500 graves." (the STAR - 16 Aug 2013)

Malacca's Jonker Street

On one of the nights in Malacca, we went to the famous Jonker Street just to check out the scene and have dinner. Jonker Street is very happening on weekends (Friday and Saturday nights), It is

Malacca's very own Chinatown. Some roads are closed for night traders. It is best if you just walked to the night market. The whole place was lighted up with red lanterns. Many varieties of food can be found here as well as souvenir items.

Jonker Street - photo source : wonderfulmalaysia.com

Malacca - Don't mess with her? - Part 1

2016-01-02T13:31:00.001+08:00

3 - 6 June 2015, Malacca

I know it has been some time since I last visited Malacca, may be 10 years ago, but what greeted me on this visit to Malacca was shocking, to say the least. I am talking about the signage or the slogan that is placed at just about everywhere in Malacca. It reads “Don’t Mess with Melaka.”

the offensive signage

Hello? Which genius came up with this sign-lah? For a moment, as I glared at the signage, I thought it was a tourist promotional thingy. Then I thought it could be Malacca’s idea of welcoming visitors. Only to realise much later that it means, don’t litter! Who would have guessed?

the welcome signboard - also carries the slogan

Seriously, I think Malacca state government should just remove that offensive signage. It is like being greeted by thugs which is not the image that outsiders have of Malaysians. It is not polite to greet people this way and the message that it is supposed to carry - do not litter - does not really come across. Why can't the state keep it simple like "Keep Malacca Clean and Green." That awful slogan is totally out of place.

Anyway, back to Malacca trip. Many many disappointments. Let me list them so that I can get to the point straight on.

One - Malacca is supposed to be a historical city but history is being kind of re-written here. There is heavy UMNO-presence everywhere as though the state government wants to make a statement here that Malacca belongs to UMNO and the Malays. (Note: UMNO is the dominant party that rules the Barisan Nasional , the party that rules Malaysia currently).

the Malacca River/Canal - nightview

Two - The lifeline of Malacca in its early years was the Malacca River but the Malacca River is no longer a river but a canal. The river that was the centre of activity throughout its long history now functions as a tourist attraction spot. The main activity is the river cruise. Although the state has done a massive job of cleaning up the dirty and polluted waters of the river which is good, I cannot help feeling that a piece of history has been lost here.

the Dutch remnants - graveyard

Three - The Portuguese settlement of Sg Ujong has been neglected badly. The fishing activity that was traditionally carried out has been hampered by waterfront development projects. I don't think anyone can fish in this coastal area anymore. What still remains is a small group of terrace houses called the Portuguese village. The occupants are mainly elderly retired people.

newly set up hotels - on reclamation land

Four - The Indian Peranakan people of Malacca known as the Chitti community has also been neglected. Their settlement is a small village that is surrounded by development at all corners. I am not sure how long the community can survive this way. Many youngsters have moved away to other cities once again leaving the old folks at home. The Chitti temple still stands and there is a small museum at the entrance of the village which by the way was closed when we were there. That is the Chitti settlement for you.

land reclamation work

e Five - The continuous land reclamation work along Malacca's coastline. The coastal town of Malacca is no longer coastal due to this massive reclamation that is going on in order to build new townships. The scenic coastal driveway from Jalan Tengkera to Tanjung Bidara beach which was lined with pre-war mansions and bungalows is now obstructed by land reclamation project.

view from our hotel - new island created thru land reclamation

Six - There are more budget hotels than visitors in Malacca town! Seriously! We went during the school break and this is what I saw. Perhaps the development came about the time Malacca city was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site back in 2008. But what has happened is that there are way too many hotels than tourists and visitors!

Seven - I also noticed too many supermarkets and hypermarkets in Malacca town. Tesco, Giant, Jaya Jusco, Parkson, Bintang, The Store, etc. One mall that we entered was so huge with only a handful of people inside. Who are they catering to? The food court that we visited in the mall did not represent all segments of the population of Malacca.

Eight - The famous Jonker Street at the heart of Malacca's Baba Nyonya heritage site has turned into a regular pasar malam. You can still find Baba Nyonya delicacies and eateries here but the numbers are few. They are far outnumbered by other traders and immigrant owned/manned stalls.

Nine - If you drive around Malacca city, you will not get the feeling of being in an ancient colonial and historical city that was once the centre of attraction for Chinese, Indian, Portuguese, Dutch, Arab and other foreign traders. Many old shop houses have been demolished for new housing projects thus changing the entire landscape of the city.

Ten - The other thing I noticed is that the Baba Nyonya shops are kind of dead and abandoned. They seem to exist as showpiece only. Herreen Street, where most antique shops, galleries and residential properties are located, exist but minus the thriving activities.

malay warriors

i Eleven - The town does not feel cosmo anymore. For a city that thrived on its multi-racial traders, what you get now is the dominance of one race. There is a building dedicated to the history of UMNO right in the middle of the Dutch Square. I mean where is the relevance of UMNO history in Malacca's ancient and colonial past. There was also an exhibition on the Islamic history right smack in the middle of Red Square. Again, I really did not see the relevance of that exhibition displayed at the Red Square. The state government is obviously attempting to drive home the point that the Malay race and the Islamic faith are the two most dominant themes of Malacca history.

hang tuah

Twelve - The other funny thing I noticed was the fascination the locals had with the word 'Hang'. The local Malays take pride in the legendary 'Hang Tuah' blood lineage, I think, and they are very proud of this Hang Tuah heritage of their state. The word ‘Hang’ is used everywhere, shops, people, buildings, road names and even food items!

k Thirteen - In the Malacca Sultanate palace (the replica), there is a section that depicts the arrival of traders from many foreign lands. Surprisingly, there was not one that depicted the arrival of Indian traders. Instead, they had a section that portrayed the arrival of Gujerati traders. History, if studied will tell you that Indian traders were a major force in the Malacca maritime trade of those days. Most of Parameswara's right hand men were Indians. But somehow this part has been omitted.

Fourteen - Bukit China, the burial site of the so-called Princess Hang Li Po and her followers, is a forgotten site. The hill has shrunk a little due to development all around it. It is surrounded by busy roads and strangely right across the road, there is now a Malay burial site. The only visitors to the hill are those from China as I saw the arrival of tourists buses bringing in Chinese tourists.

bukit china

So there you have it. Malacca has lost its soul. Development in historical cities should be checked.
Having said this, I do have a wishlist for Malacca. Would it not be great if some semblance of Malacca's history is brought alive, based on factual records available? Here is my wishlist:

- A replica of 14^th century Malacca fishing village

- A replica of Malacca port – where merchants waited out monsoon

- The story of Sultan of Malacca having to abandon his palace

- Remnants of Portuguese rule in Malacca

- Remnants of Dutch rule in Malacca

- Remnants of British rule in Malacca

- A thriving presence of the Baba-Nyonya community that existed for over 500 years in Malacca

- A thriving presence of the Chitti community that existed for over 500 years in Malacca

- A thriving presence of the Portuguese community that existed for over 500 years in Malacca

By the way, where is Parameswara’s life story, the founder of Malacca in the 14th century? And his burial site (does anyone know)? The only mention of Parameswara outside the museum is one road name, and that was it.

Yogjakarta Pt 4 - Breathtaking Prambanan

2015-12-13T13:48:00.001+08:00

1 Dec 2014

On the afternoon of 1 Dec 2014, we headed to the Prambanan World Heritage site. We spent almost 4 hours at the temple site as we were amazed by its structure and grandness. Simply awesome. I think I will just let the pictures tell the story.

Information board

The location map and temple complex

Entrance point

The remaining candis

Beautiful deco

The ruins

Inside one of the candis - each has its own deity

One of the candis

A salutation to the gods

The size itself is awesome

Ruins after the earthquake

The stone carvings depict strories of Ramayana

This is a must see for all.

Yogjakarta Pt 3 - Jeep-ride to Mount Merapi

2015-12-13T13:21:00.001+08:00

1 Dec 2014

On the same day, 1 Dec 2014, we decided to head to Mt Merapi village to see the damage done by the Oct 2010 volcanic eruption, When we were heading towards the place, it started to rain. And so, we almost changed our mind about the jeep-ride as our driver told us that the mountain may not be visible on a cloudy day. We waited out the rain for a while at the foot of the hill where the jeep service is located. But the boys were already excited after seeing the jeep. So we decided to go up the moment the rain turned to drizzle.

At the jeep station

The ride

The price for the hiring of the jeep was Rp300,000 which is about MYR90 for a 2-hour ride. The jeep is open hooded so the driver encouraged the boys to stand for a better view. They enjoyed it especially when the jeep got more and more bumpier. It was very cold all the way because of the drizzle but we asked the driver to keep the hood open.

At the village museum

Local villagers sell souvenir stones at the museum

The first stop was the village museum where a collection of
household items and many other stuff that were destroyed by the volcanic ash are displayed. It seems about 350 people who lived on the slopes of the mountain in villages died during the eruption.

Displayed at the museum - the actual photo when the volcano erupted

Somebody's motorbike after the disaster

The many stones in the area

The next stop was the final stop where you supposedly get the best view of Mt Merapi. Unfortunately, due to the rain that morning, the whole area was cloudy and misty. We could hardly see the outline of the mountain. But we spent some time there just looking at the soil and stones. The boys collected a little black sand in a bottle for memory and a few odd-shaped stones too. After that we had our lunch at the food stall - instant noodles. It tasted so good up there as the soup was hot and spicy just what we needed on a cold day.

The weird formation

One of the strangest formation that followed the disaster. The shape of a human face with tears flowing. The driver said the stone is 'keramat' meaning sacred.

The photo shoot

Part of the package is a photo-shoot with the mountain as background. To jump with a pole. The above is without a visible mountain but still, Harish posted for the shoot.

The not visible mountain

A village house after the eruption

TIPS:
If you are with children, go for the Jeep Lava Tour - the ride is fun!!!

Yogjakarta Pt 2 - Amazing Borobudur

2015-01-11T20:43:00.001+08:00

1 December 2014

On 1 December 2014, we visited the world famous Buddhist monument, Borobudur. This was part of our one-day itinerary which also included visit to Mount Merapi and Prambanan Temple. I have done a separate post for each of these places.

One of many stupas

Signage

Earlier on, the day before to be exact, after checking rates for hiring of car and driver at our hotel, we decided to opt for the contact person recommended by our shuttle van driver. The hotel staff was helpful enough to call the person and act as our negotiator. In the end, we settled for Rp350,000 for a 10- hour tour. The hotel has its own drivers but the rate quoted by the hotel was higher at Rp450,000.

Borobudur monument lay-out map

Buddha seated atop the hill

The driver picked us up at our hotel at 8am. We had our breakfast at the hotel before going on that long drive to Borobudur. Borobudur temple is located in Magelang some 42km from Yogja city. It took us an hour to reach the site.

The boys at the stone carvings that depicts Buddha's life story

We then proceeded to the International Counter to purchase the entrance tickets. We bought the combo package for Borobudur + Prambanan for Rp 1,080,000. A million rupiah! which is about MYR300 for 2 adults and 2 children. It's half-rate for children. You need to show your passports when buying the tickets.

The entrance fee for international visitors, only for Borobudur as at 1st Dec 2014

Stone sculptures

Borobudur was built 300 years before Cambodia's Angkor Wat, between AD 750 to 842 by the Sailendra dynasty. The temple complex was built on several levels around a hill like a pyramid.

The many stupas

An explanation on one of the reliefs in Bahasa Indonesia

While the lower levels tell us stories on the life of Buddha sculpted on the stones, the upper levels contain the stupa. Each level represent the progression of the soul, as you ascend, you are supposed to leave behind layers of ego, desire and materialistic thoughts. Well this was what our guide told us - guide fee Rp100000 (MYR28).

Think we found a secret underground passage

Stairways leading up to the stupas

How would I describe Borobudur? Simply amazing, this is must see for all.

TIPS:

1) Try to go in the morning - it is cooler and you can avoid the afternoon sun

2) Go for the combo package (Borobudur & Prambanan) as it is cost-saving. Ticker per person for an adult is about MYR75-MYR80. It has been increasing every year.

3) The guide service will only be useful if you come prepared with many questions

4) Expect to spend at least half a day here - keep the other half for Prambanan. Rushing through in 2-3 hours will not do the place justice.

5) The package includes visit to the museum.

6) Be prepared to do lots of stair-climbing. Those with weak knees may find the climb difficult but there are railings to hold on.

Yogjakarta Pt 1 - Malioboro Street

2015-01-05T22:41:00.001+08:00

On 30 Nov 2014, we reached Yogjakarta in Central Java at about 10.00 am after an overnight bus journey from Bali. The bus dropped us at its company office located in a shoplot in town. As soon as we got off the bus, many passengers rushed to the toilet at the office including us as the last toilet stop was the previous night, 10.00 pm. Though there was a toilet inside the bus, I never once saw anyone actually using it. Anyway getting off the bus was a relief.

Busy Malioboro Street - vehicles, horse carts, trishaws, bikes etc

Horse cart on street - a tourist attraction

While waiting for the shuttle pick up to our hotel, we had coffee at a food stall nearby. We instantly noted the difference in prices between Yogja and Bali. If we had had that same coffee in Bali, it would have been double or triple the price. Most of the food items were priced cheaper. Soon we were hurdled into a shuttle van together with our bags and headed straight to our hotel. While chatting with the van driver, we got a contact for van for hire. The van driver called his contact via his mobile and got us a quote for a one day tour to Borobudur and Prambanan. We kept the contact number but did not commit to the tour just yet.

Yogja-styled bus stop - covered room and elevated for easy boarding

Malioboro's landmark - the railway track that runs across the town

We reached our hotel, located just 15 minutes walk away from the famous Malioboro Street. We could not check in as we were early but the hotel staff allowed us to store our bags in their office. This suited us fine and so, we went for a walk in town to look for food.

The trishaw guys - happy that we gave them some business

Fried tofu with spicy sambal - one of the items we had during our Yogja stay

Food was plenty but I couldn't risk the kids eating street food at open food stalls along the walkway, at least not right away. So while N had his food at a street food stall, the kids and I headed straight to McDonalds in Malioboro Street. The McD outlet was located in a shopping mall, can't remember the name of the mall.

The 'lesehan' restaurant that we patronised

Dining Yogja style

Malioboro Street reminded me of Chow Kit Road in KL. Petty traders, food stalls, budget hotels, street bazaars, busy streets etc. There was plenty of food to suit our budget. We were amazed at the night scene in Malioboro Street as the horse carts, trishaw rides and 'lesehan' dining become more visible and alive. Lesehan is a unique way of dining where locals sit on matted floor with short legged-tables in the middle. We tried it and it was not too bad.

Night scene - Malioboro

We tried Yogja's famous nasi gudeg, rice served with chicken, lamb and mashed jackfruit. While eating, we were entertained by street singers including a ladybog with the most mesmerising voice. People can donate money to these singers if they want to.

Nasi gudeg - the orange stuff is mashed jackfruit

Nasi lemak Yogja-style - quail eggs in sambal morning breakfast at the hotel

Yogja is the place to be if you want to buy shorts, t-shirts, souvenirs, sarong, etc as prices can be bargained. Definitely cheaper than KL. On our last night in Yogja, we took the horse cart ride.

Bali Pt 7 - Bali to Yogja by Bus

2015-01-04T20:57:00.003+08:00

From Bali to Yogja by Bus

On 29th Nov 2014, we took the overnight bus from Bali's Ubung Bus Terminal in Denpasar to Yogjakarta, Central Java. It was a 19 hours journey that began at 3.00pm in Denpasar and ended at 10.00am in Yogja, Java the next morning.

To give a background, we had actually booked the bus tickets in advance (3 days earlier) in Kuta town. We asked our driver if he could take us to the ticket counter of the bus company we had in mind. Our driver stopped us at an agent office of the bus company, and so we did the booking and paid in full. We also got to select our seats. The bus fare included the following :-

(1) bus tickets

(2) two meals
(3) one blanket and pillow each

(4) ferry crossing

(5) shuttle service from Yogja town to our hotel

The bus we travelled in was an air-conditioned Executive Class coach with ample leg space. To be exact there were 28 seats in total, two drivers, one toilet (only for pissing), one blanket, one pillow and reading light.

We reached Gilimanuk within 5 hours and it took some time for the bus to board the ferry. The moment the bus boarded and stopped, people got off the bus to climb up to the deck above. Here you can either sit and watch the sea, or have a hot drink with instant noodles. You can also use the toilets here, quite decent, which was the first thing we did as the bus never stopped once until now. I am talking about 5 hours of non-stop travel from Bali to Gilimanuk. It was about 8.00pm when we reached the ferry terminal.

The crossing took about 40mins. It was raining that day so the crossing was slow, I think. It was foggy all around that we could barely see the other ferries that were also crossing. But we could see their spotlights. Most of the seats were wet with rain water.

As for the meals provided by the bus company, the first meal was a pre-packed box of one doughnut, peanuts, water and sweets. They distributed this before the start of the journey, that is once we were seated in the bus. The second meal was dinner proper where we got down at a rest stop and ate rice , gravy, vegetables, fish and chicken with ginger tea. You have to show your bus tickets to the waiter before collecting your food. So, remember to keep your tickets. You can also use the toilets for free. The dinner was late, at about 10.00pm, it took about 2 hours from the ferry exit in East Java to this rest stop.

Bali Pt 6 - Mode of Travel

2015-01-04T20:33:00.001+08:00

We arrived in Bali from Kuala Lumpur via AirAsia flight at 12.00 midnight.

KLIA2 boarding gate

KLIA2

Denpasar International Airport

The plan was to take the airport taxi to our hotel. When we enquired at the airport taxi counter, we were told that the fare from the airport to Kuta is Rp100 000 (MYR28). We noticed many taxi and private car owners standing around to get customers. So upon talking to one guy, then another, we realised that the rate quoted by them is the same as the airport taxi. In the end, we just followed one of the private taxi guys to Kuta town. He helped with our luggage and dropped us at the entrance of the hotel.

Silverbird taxi

We used the Silverbird taxi when we moved hotel, this is a metered taxi.

For our tour of Bali, our driver used a Suzuki APV van.

For our onward journey to Jawa, we took the sleeper bus which departed from Ubung bus terminal in Denpasar. We booked the the ticket 3 days in advance, from a bus company agent in Kuta town. We just mentioned the name of the bus company, and he took us to its agent.

Overnight bus at Ubung Terminal, Denpasar

Bali Pt 5 - Exotic Statues & Sculptures

2014-12-31T22:29:00.001+08:00

During our stay in Bali, I captured many pictures of Bali's exotic statues and sculptures. Some depicting characters from the Ramayana and Mahabharata epics whilst the others' were Hindu gods, Buddha and Bali's own mystical gods.

Bali Pt 4 - Northern Bali

2014-12-29T23:17:00.001+08:00

28th November 2014

On Friday, 28th Nov 2014, the third and final day of our tour, we started late as we came back late the previous day. Its just a matter of arranging with the driver.

We visited the following places :-

(1) Royal Ayun Temple /Palace

Also known as ;Garden Temple in the Water;, it was built in 1634 by a king from the Mengwi dynasty. We noted a big garden with many courtyards and a lake in the middle. There were many mythological gods housed in a museum-like building.

(2) Ulun Danu Bratan Temple/Lake

This lakeside temple is surrounded by hills on all sides giving it a cool ambience. It is a major Shaivite temple in Bali. At the time we reached Bedugul where the temple is located, it started to drizzle. You need not worry about umbrellas, the moment it rains, you will find

traders offering umbrellas for rent. Rent we did, for Rp10000.

Lake Beratan

The hills are hidden by mist and clouds

The entrance ticket is Rp30000 per adult and Rp15000 per child, so there you go, it is not that cheap.

Lake and river goddess

A park for children within the temple ground

(3)Lunch stop

By the time we finished Ulun Danu, it was past 3pm. We suggested to our driver to take us for some chicken rice. He took us to a warung selling Ayam Betutu, which is Balinese chicken rice. Steamed chicken cut into pieces and mixed with coconut, bean sprout and peanuts. Not too bad.

(4) Tanah Lot

Our final stop was Tanah Lot, pilgrimage temple and popular tourist destination. The temple sits on a large rock which has been shaped again and again by the ocean tide. This is one of the seven sea temples in Bali.

Looking at the beautiful rock, you will feel like you have been transported into another world. This is must-see for all.

The entrance ticket is Rp30000 per adult and Rp15000 per child.

People queing for blessing, notice priests sitting guard at the side, for a small donation we were allowed to climb up the steps

Pendita blessing Harish - applying wet rice paste on forehead

We waited to see the sunset but it was a cloudy day

Bali Pt 3 - Central Bali

2014-12-28T18:45:00.004+08:00

27th November 2014

On Thursday, 27th Nov 2014, once again we made our own breakfast in the apartment and quickly left at 8.00am for the start of our second day tour of Central Bali.

We covered the following :-

(1) Barong Dance

In Bali, each region of the island has its own protective spirit for its forests and lands. This protective spirit is called the Barong which is the symbol of a good spirit. Different regions in Bali have different animals as its barong. The lion is the barong for the Gianyar region in Ubud where we watched our first barong dance ritual.

I am not sure why the character of barong appears so gory maybe because these are spirits from another realm. The evil spirit was characterised as Rangda, another gory creature. In contrast there was one segment where two pretty girls did a traditional dance which was captivating especially the head movement. Overall the message was good wins over evil.

The dance, Rangda the evil spirit in the middle

The ticket per person for the show is Rp 100,000 (MYR 28). It lasts for an hour and at the end of it, there is an opportunity for photo-session with the dancers for free.

Harish with two of the actors during photo-session

(2) Ubud Monkey Forest

Located in the village of Padangtegal, this is a sacred nature reserve which houses a temple complex. It is also home to 300 -600 Macaque long-tailed monkeys. The monkeys stay in groups and are watchful of visitors especially their belongings. So, to be safe, walk in only with the barest of minimum of items in your hands and body. At times, the line between who came to see who gets blurred as they (the monkeys) too watch us the visitors intensely.

In the forest you will see the Holy Spring bathing temple sheltered by a huge tree

Only one untoward incident happened to us. Harish (10 year-old) accidentally stepped on one of the kid monkey's tail. The monkey got angry and bit into his slipper so hard that it refused to let it go. Harish tried to pull his slipper away from the monkey but the monkey wouldn't let go. Finally it did. So watch your step, the monkeys are just about everywhere, roaming freely. After all, the forest is THEIR sanctuary, its us who are in their home.

A lion-head statue used as a resting place by a group of monkeys

Komodo dragon in Monkey Forest? Yup, we saw not one, but two.

The entrance ticket is Rp30000 (MYR9) for adult and Rp15000 (MYR4.50) for children. Parking fee is Rp.10000 (MYR3).

Today there seems to be a record number of visitors taking my picture, would you all just hurry up...crazy humans.

(3) Tegalalang Rice Terrace

Situated 600m above sea levels, this is the most visited rice terrace in Ubud region. Tegalalang is the name of the village where the rice terrace is located. The rice is grown on cliff banks using a traditional irrigation system passed down through generations. According to Balinese history, the subak irrigation knowledge was actually passed down by ancient Rsi Markandeya in the 8th century.

Rice field in various shades of green

The view is simply stunning and one of the main highlights of the Kintamani tour. If you are adventurous you can take a walk along the terrace and talk to the farmers.

A close-up shot of paddy

(4) Kintamani Volcano/Mount Batur

Mount Batur is an active volcano. The last eruption was in 1968 and till today, the lava field is visible when viewed from Kintamani. Our trip here was to enjoy a buffet lunch in full view of Mount Batur, and so we did. We were lucky that day because soon after we had enjoyed the scenic view and lunch, the mist enveloped the entire mountain blocking all view of the volcano.

The boys having lunch with a full view of the volcano

We were told that many tourists trek to the summit of the central crater in the wee hours of the morning (3am). This is allowed only with a guide.

Mount Batur

There are a few restaurants that you can choose from to get the best view, check with your driver. The price per head for the buffet lunch is Rp100 000. The menu was extensive but we didn't really enjoy the food as there were many flies in the restaurant, a common scene when during wet season. What we did enjoy was the view, for that it was totally worth it.

(5) Luwak Coffee Plantation

We made a short stop here as it started to rain. The children wanted to see the much-talked about civets (musang in Malay) that eat the seeds of coffee berries then defecate them only to be picked up (the poo) to be made coffee beans. This is what they call as Luwak Coffee, one of the most expensive coffee in the world, retails at USD20 per kilo.

We only got to see civets kept in cages as these were old and inactive. We did however see the process of roasting the beans.

Roasting of the coffee beans

Included in the demo was a display of various spices and their respectives names, followed by a tea-tasting session. I thought we came to a coffee plantation. Anyway this is part of the package tourists are offered and since everything was free, we went along. By the way, I must mention that we were never at any time compelled by the demo-girl to buy anything, and this is very important to us as only in Bali you can find this type of behaviour.

Display of the coffee beans before and after processing as well as many types of spices

Tea-tasting session - seven flavours including ginger, lemon grass, mint,chocolate etc

(6)Tirtha Empul Holy Spring Temple

This is a very interesting temple in Bali. In all other temples that we visited, we always wondered what exactly do Balinese pray to and how do they do the prayers. In here, we got to see Balinese doing their prayers followed by the act of purifying themselves by immersing in the waters from the holy spring.

The signage

Devotees were dressed in their traditional garments and entered one by one into the pool or holy spring standing under each spring while reciting their prayers.

The holy spring

The entrance ticket is Rp15000 per adult Rp5000 for children. Parking fee is Rp5000. The sarongs (wrap-arounds) are available at the entrance free of charge, just don't forget to return them. They even tie the sarong for you.

The magical pond

As we walked around the templex complex, we came across a strange pond with clear water. It looked like a spring as water was gushing out from under the earth. This pond looks very magical.

The prayers headed by a pendita (priest) at the foot of the spring

(7) Elephant Cave/Goa Gajah

Built in the 9th century, this cave appears very dark and mysterious. I couldn't tell what it stood for, a cave that was used as a temple maybe, or a bathing temple for some rituals perhaps? There is also a broken Buddha head statue due to earthquake and a meditation hill.

The entrance

The entrance fee is Rp10000 for adult and Rp5000 for children.

The mouth of the cave, inside the cave you can find Linga and Ganesha

A demo of how devotees meditated here hundreds of years ago

A collection of ruins of what I can't tell

That was the end of our second day tour. It was a very long day, we stopped for jagung bakar along the way (grilled corn) but not this was not as tasty as that sold on Jimbaran beach.

Bali Pt 2 - Southern Bali

2014-12-27T14:55:00.003+08:00

26th November 2014

On Wed the 26th Nov, 2014, we made our own breakfast of toasted bread and tea in our apartment. Our driver was supposed to meet us at the lobby at 10.00 am, He arrived on time.

Below are the places covered on our first day of Southern Bali tour.

(1) Nusa Dua Beach

We started with a short visit to Nusa Dua. This is a newly developed township, something like Putrajaya, with lots of convention centres where international meets take place. The beach is clean with white sand and the water a clear blue.

Panoramic view of Nusa Dua beach

Another angle

(2) Tanjung Benoa

A place for various water sports.

(3) Krisna Ole Ole Souvenir Market

For those who want to do a quick shopping for souvenirs (ole ole) to take home, this is a good place to stop. My only complaint is that it was not air-conditioned.

A statue of Lord Krishna at the front entrance

(4) Lunch Stop - Lamb Sate

Our driver recommended this place. Food was good, mutton soup, mutton sate, chicken sate, rice and to wash it down, just order the fruit juices from the warung outside. Give this a try, not bad at all.

Lamb sate - tender and tasty

The whole meal for 4pax

(5) Pandawa Beach

I am guessing this is a new as I saw roadwork still going on. The statues of the Pandawa brothers/princes (from Mahabharata epic) have been carved and placed into the rockhill. Note that there is entrance fee as well as parking fee here.

The beach, clean and blue - note the rocks scattered

The boys were more interested in the paragliders jumping off the cliff

Nakula, one of the Pandawa brothers/princes, carved into the hill

(6) Uluwatu Temple

This place was the climax of our first day and this is where we spent most of our time. There is a lot of walking involved here, so come prepared with proper walking shoes or just wear slippers as we did. We waited to catch the sunset and it was worth the wait, simply awesome. Beware of monkeys, they are not in the least bit scared of humans. I saw some run away with visitors' camera, handphone and even glasses.

The picturesque Uluwatu cliff

I think this means don't stand too near to the edge of the cliff

The sunset

The steps leading up to the the cliff temple (note the temple)

You think they are looking at the cliff, no, they are watching the monkeys

(7) Jimbaran Buffet Dinner

This was our last stop. We had our beachside dinner at Ganesha Cafe facing the sea. The food was good and as expected expensive but since we liked the setting so much, we didn't mind. But what I liked best was the grilled corn that we bought from a mobile vendor on the beach - simply delicious, especially the spicey corns. This is a must try - I mean the corn.

Dinner on the beach - dim lights, Balinese dance on stage, breeze from sea, view of planes flying into Denpasar..

Not the best photo...this is the grilled corn

Well, that was the end of our first day. By the time we reached our apartment it was 10pm.

Bali Pt 1 - The Land of Many Wonders

2014-12-22T22:52:00.002+08:00

6 Days 5 Nights in Bali

24th - 29th November 2014

It's been three weeks since I got back from Bali but the memories are still fresh. Its as though Bali is beckoning me back already. Bali, in a nutshell, was totally not what I expected. What I expected was an island full of villages and small towns with lots of poor locals working hard to meet their daily needs. I even thought that I can do an around-the- island-tour in just a day. Was I wrong! Following is a list of my impression of Bali.

Nusa Dua beach

One, Bali is big. It is five times bigger that Penang that is Penang island and mainland put together. Once you get this right, then you can plan your itinerary. Though we booked a 3-day tour package, we only managed to cover 30 percent of Bali, well this estimate is according to our driver.

Two, Bali is developed. It's not like KL where you see unfinished construction work almost everywhere. KL is developing into a modern 21st century city whilst Bali's development is centred in retaining its cultural and natural appeal. You won't find high rise buildings in Bali, well none that I saw anyway. But developed enough to sustain itself. And the development of its tourism industry is throughout the island. I saw villages that can easily classify as small towns in Malaysia but with a different look and feel.

Sunset at Uluwatu

Three, Bali preserves most of nature's blessings, the very things that we in Malaysia take for granted, such as age old buildings, temples, houses, trees, jungles, hills, and just about everything that Mother Earth provides. Drive anywhere in Bali and you will quickly appreciate its natural beauty but here in Malaysia, if you drive from KL to Penang, what greets you on both sides of the highway are rows and rows of oil palm trees. As much as I can appreciate that oil palm brings in revenue for Malaysia's economic growth, I do wonder, have we gone overboard? Did we really have to clear so much of our forests for oil palm? The Balinese, on the other hand, have found a way to blend the ancient with the modern in the most beautiful way.

Tegalalang rice terrace

Four, Bali is green The kind of green that you don't see here in KL. Maybe its the volcanic soil, I don't know, but watching the green fields of paddy fields is so soothing to the spirit.

Five, Bali is warm and welcoming. There is no hostility towards anyone who is of a different race, colour. religion or background. The Balinese people are very easily accepting of people from different parts of the world who visit their island. The slogan about the smiling people of Bali is so true.

Tirtha Empul temple

Six, Bali is synonymous to ceremonies. Balinese people take their ceremonies seriously and are proud to partake and uphold their ceremonies. Their women immerse themselves in the daily chore of preparing for ceremonies. They have developed their own community systems to govern the ceremonies. They even have volunteer community and traffic police.

Seven, Bali is where you can find people from many parts of the world. I remember being in Monkey Forest and listening to many different languages being spoken, from Italian, French, English, Russian, Korean. Japanese. Indonesian, Mandarin, etc.

Prayer session with offerings (pix taken with permission)

Eight, Bali has lots of character. Every building is unique in its architecture especially in Ubud. You don't see rows and rows of terrace houses as you do here in Malaysia.

Nine, there is no rush to do anything in Bali. The people seem laidback and not stressed out over life. This include people working in the paddy fields.

Ancient sage ready with blessings

Ten, Bali is the land where the epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana are kept alive. The heroes and heroines of these epics are sculpted and showcased at many round-a-bouts and road dividers and junctions. Some of these scupltures are very dramatic in their expressions.

Eleven, Bali the land where the lingering smell of frangipani flowers is ever present in the air. Look out for these trees and colourful blooms. Also used in prayers.

*** ***

Now that I have summed up the good impressions that I had of Bali, let me list some stuff that I didn't quite enjoy.

One, the entrance fees. For first timers in Bali, please be warned that you need to set aside a few hundred ringgits just to cover main tourist spots. Asians pay the same rate as Westerners. I think there should be a separate counter for people from ASEAN countries with a much lower rate.

Tanah Lot temple -entrance fee is Rp 30000 per adult

Two, the food. Somehow I was disappointed. As a Malaysian, I am so used to getting a quick fix of roti canai, tosai, nasi lemak, fried noodles just about anywhere. Here, their main dish is rice. The breakfast is also a meal of rice. Bread is available in mini-marts but I couldn't find butter or margarine. We as a family really missed Malaysian food. The other thing is price. The price of food is that of KL. In fact after crossing over to Jawa island, we realised that the price of food in Bali is 3 times higher than that in Yogjakarta.

Three, the problem with flies. The first thing we noticed during meal times is the presence of flies, as in houseflies. Our driver said it is due to the rainy season. They are just about everywhere, especially around food.

Dog on Jimbaran beach

Four, dogs. As much as I respect animals' right to life, and Balinese style of co-existing with the dogs, it scared the hell out of me when I see strays in the middle of the road, pavement, beach etc. Most were docile but you can't help noticing the huge number of dogs that roam the streets. Some of them don't look healthy. Having said that, we didn't encounter any bad incidents, we kept our distance and avoided eye contact.

In the following postings, I shall give updates of the places we visited, and many other happenings that caught my interest. Stay posted!

Monkey King Temple, Port Dickson – Part 5

2013-11-11T10:07:00.002+08:00

12 till 14 October 2013

On our last morning in PD, 14 Oct 2013, after checking out of our hotel, we decided to stop at the Wan Loong Temple otherwise known as the Monkey King Temple. Wan Loong means 'dragon in the clouds'.

indeed, dragon in the clouds!

We had earlier in our trip passed by the temple twice and was tempted to pay a visit as it looked so majestic, sitting like a well-gardened colourful fortress on a small hill. The temple is located along the 7th mile, PD coastal road.

the archway to the main altar

This is what we saw....an interesting Chinese epic told in sculptures and statues.

monkey king

goddess kuan yin standing on a lotus right above the fish pond

Since everything was written in Chinese, we had no clue what it all meant. We explored, stayed awhile at the fish pond long enough for the children to throw coins and make a wish, walked along its surrounding Great Wall (mini Great Wall of China), admired the Monkey King and all other deities, paid our respects at the main altar and left.

It was very serene and peaceful in there.

view of the coastal road from inside the temple

Upon returning home, I found out the story behind the Monkey King. Thanks to a fellow blogger and with permission, I am sharing the story here...

....extracted from (http://mymalaysiadailyphoto.blogspot.com/2010/02/monkey-king.html) the blog post titled "The Monkey King" by Autumn Belle of My Malaysia Daily Photo Blog.....

Sun Wukong, also known as The Monkey King is one of the main characters in the Tang Dynasty Chinese epic, Journey To The West. Born out of a mythical stone, he has the following capabilities:

a) immense strength - can lift 8,100 kg of weight with ease
b) speed - can travel 54,000km in one somersault
c) can perform 72 different transformations into animals, objects and human forms
d) skilled fighter
e) can clone into multiples of himself using his body hairs
f) knows various spells to command the wind, part water, form protective circles against demons and freeze humans, demons and even gods
g) his eyes has special powers to see demons hiding inside the human body

Just like Hanuman, the Monkey God in Hinduism, Sun Wukong is also worshipped as a deity by Taoists as The Monkey God.

And so ended our PD trip.

Final stop was lunch in Lukut town, the much talked about Chicken Curry Bun.

No doubt, it was delicious. My only grouse is that at RM28 for a large bun, I think it is overpriced. The name of restaurant is Restaurant Lucky, Lukut town.

On Top A Lighthouse, Port Dickson – Part 4

2013-11-11T10:07:00.001+08:00

12 till 14 October 2013

In the 16th century, the Portuguese built the Cape Rachardo Lighthouse to guide ships to the port of Melaka. The lighthouse is still operational today (source : malaysiafactbook).

However, entry inside the light house is not allowed. This we found out after hiking through a jungle trek in Tanjung Tuan's Recreational Forest.

On the morning of 13 Oct 2013 (Sun), we took a drive to Tanjung Tuan which lies at the southern tip of PD's coastline.

the border between the two states - Negeri Sembilan (where PD is) and Melaka

we stopped at the Pantai Cermin behind Blue Lagoon to check out the orange hue sand

Tanjung Tuan is actually in Melaka so you will be crossing the border from Negeri Sembilan to Melaka to get to the famous Cape Rachardo Lighthouse, also known as Rumah Api Tanjung Tuan.

The hilly cape is a gazetted forest reserve and wildlife sanctuary (source : wikitravel).

Tanjung Tuan Forest Reserve

The entrance to Tanjung Tuan Recreational Forest

Our plan was to trek through the jungle to the light house. For those who do not want to use the jungle trek, you have the option of using the paved road.

ticket counter

The entrance fee is RM 1 per person, children below 12 get to enter free.

Ok Rishi, you think we are lost? I can't see the trek, you know.

The jungle trek

PD was originally famous for charcoal

another species marked

part of the jungle trekking pathway

The jungle trek took about 40 mins as we went slow. There were obstacles along the way created by nature (fallen trees) and gazebos for rest. The climb is steep as it goes uphill but not difficult. Some of the jungle trails lead to hidden beaches, which the children ventured into.

The lighthouse entrance - the lighthouse is visible on top of the hill - a drink stall can be seen and no, you can't bring vehicles up, that car belongs to a staff

details of the lighthouse

When we finally reached the end of the road, we found ourselves at the foothill of the lighthouse. Alas, access inside the lighthouse was denied. But that did not stop us.

not sure if this is allowed, but it was an easy climb

looking at the Straits of Malacca and watching out for passing vessels

the view from the top - heard that Sumatra can be seen on a clear day

finally, spotted a vessel

So, the only thing we could do was to go around the light house and sit at a spot where we got a good view of the Straits of Malacca.

Communist Tunnel in Port Dickson – Part 3

2013-11-11T10:07:00.000+08:00

12 till 14 October 2013

On 13 Oct 2013 (Sun), we visited the biggest war memorial museum in Malaysia. You may wonder what has PD, a beach resort, to do with a war memorial. Well, PD is an army town. It was officially declared such way back in 2009. Seems PD is home to many army camps, almost 10,439 (as of Mar 2012) officers and servicemen live here.

The place is called "Muzium Tentera Darat Port Dickson" or Port Dickson Army Museum

PD's history is kind of complicated....it was first a simple charcoal town until a British Officer by the name of Sir Frederick Dickson 'found' it, and British then decided to use it as a port but this plan did not quite work out. British later turned it to a colonial beach resort. And just 4 years ago PD was turned into an army town.

Saw this on the wall of the Musuem - a wood carving of Malay folk heros

The Museum is huge, so be prepared to spend at least half a day here. The entrance is free.

This military cargo plane can be seen at the entrance - it was in use once

Hey, there are cats sleeping in here..cats napping in an armoured vehicle?

The best part is visitors can enter some of the army vehicles and take pictures.

steamlocomotive - visitors can access the engine room

What's this? Harish inside the engine room

Time to explore

Simmha and Arvin - trying to figure out which way it rotates

Time capsule

There were many exhibits on different eras of Malaysian history right from the time of the Melaka Sultanate till Malaysia's independence.

Replica of a Malacca ship

Replica of a Portuguese ship

Malacca palace utensils

The guns used by the Portuguese & namelist of Portuguese rulers in Malacca

The uniform of Dutch soldiers

The communist tunnel is a major attraction and it displays replicas of soldiers in jungle warfare. Unfortunately, my camera battery ran out and so I could not snap pictures. We spent most of our time here trying to understand life in an underground tunnel as lived by the communist fighters.

At the entrance to the communist tunnel

(source : http://www.fantasticmalaysia.com)

There was also a canopy walk built by the army for visitors, children would love this.

on the rope bridge

At the centre of all exhibits sits a memorial with a long list of names of fallen soldiers. Seeing these names makes the dying real and there were so many names, including names of British officers and their Gurkhas.

The museum is open daily from 9.30am - 6pm. It is located at the 5th Mile in the Sirusa district, about 7km from PD town.

Cool Breeze in Port Dickson – Part 2

2013-11-11T10:06:00.001+08:00

12 - 14 October 2013

On 12 Oct 2013, at 3pm, we checked into our one-bedroom apartment in 8 1/2 Mile, PD. It was an oceanfront apartment. The living room and the bedroom each came with its own balcony.

Living room balcony offered us both seaview and gardenview

seaview from the bedroom balcony-note the campsite

Our room was at the 5th floor. The moment we opened the sliding doors to the balcony, we were greeted by a strong ocean breeze. It was so strong that it swayed the heavy curtains off the floor.

fairly clean beach

The beach was just a walking distance, less than 7mins. There were many Malay food stalls at the beach.

the kitchen

kitchen welcoming basket, note the mini dishwashing sponge and liquid

signages in the kitchen

Parking was a problem as there were very few covered parking lots for guests and so, we had to park at the open car park. But it was still within reach of the lifts.

sandy beach

We had late lunch by the seaside watching families enjoying themselves. Soon, the boys changed and dashed for the waters.

a lifeguard station at the beach - manned by Defence Ministry personnel

I wouldn't say the beach where we were was dirty, actually it looked pretty decent. The beach was sandy, there were toilets and shower rooms and even camp area for overnight rent.

As for the water, it wasn't blue, but murky white and extremely salty.

the waters

the boys imprinted their names on the beach

arvin

still haven't got enough of the waters

That night, at about 9pm, we headed to PD town for dinner but surprise oh surprise..the town was kind of dead. I didn't know PD had gotten this quiet. Many shops were closed and there were hardly people around. So we settled for Indian food, and this restaurant too was almost closing.

crab holes on the beach

With nothing else to do, we went for a stroll on the beach, it was windy and cool. We noticed many incoming airplanes readying for touchdown at KLIA.

that's our apartment and look how the coconut trees sway.. can you feel the wind..

At about 5am, I was jolted awake to the sound of gushing wind. As I stood at the balcony, I felt the strong chill wind and watched the campers below struggling to hold down their tents and utensils from being blown away.

Drive to Port Dickson – Part 1

2013-11-11T10:06:00.000+08:00

12 till 14 October 2013

On 12 October 2013 (Sat), six of us (2 adults, 4 boys) went on a short holiday to Port Dickson, Kuala Lumpur’s nearest sea resort. Port Dickson, better known as PD, is located in the state of Negeri Sembilan in a district called Telok Kemang.

We left KL at 1.30pm and reached PD at about 3pm. A total of 1 ½ hours drive, distance covered 90km.

We took the North-South Highway heading south towards Seremban and turned off at the Port Dickson exit. This led to the Seremban-PD Highway which took us straight to PD town. From PD town, we headed to our resort via the coastal road to the Telok Kemang beaches. The toll for the Seremban-PD Highway is RM3.20.

PD's coastline stretches 18km, and you need to familiarise with the miles associated with the hotels as how the locals do. For example, if you ask anyone for direction to your hotel, they will tell you it's at the 8th or 9th mile.

Port Dickson & Pollution, what’s the status?

2013-11-11T10:05:00.000+08:00

Port Dickson or PD was once a popular beach resort for many Malaysians and foreigners. Today it is no longer the case. Thanks to over-development and pollution of its beaches and sea water, PD lost its shine. But, in recent years, PD is slowly trying to recover its lost glory.

For locals, PD is still a holiday retreat as it’s the nearest beach resort from KL and it is well connected by roads. Locals also know which hotels/resorts to stay in to experience the better beaches in PD.

These days one simply cannot avoid the first question that people ask when they hear someone had been to PD. The question is "How is the water, is it clean, can you swim in it?"

As all other Malaysians, I have also heard and read many horror stories about PD's beaches and water pollution.

Among them are ………

"The Straits of Malacca is among the busiest waterways and many ships and tankers do their cleaning at the sea; This oil contaminated wastewater is brought up to the beach during high tide.” (Note : PD lies is the west of Peninsular Malaysia, facing the Straits of Malacca)

“Survey findings show the presence of fecal indicators due to the existence of many sewage outfalls along the beaches, which carries effluent from domestic dwellings and hotels.”

“The garbage disposals located on the beach”

“Port Dickson beaches are not safe for human activities with body contact such as swimming.”

Worrisome, right? Hold on, all is not bad.. I also came across some good news…….

(News report 1)

13 November 2011 –“Our federal government is concerned about Port Dickson and the preservation of its environment. Two modern centralised mechanical plants and sewerage pipe systems have been built in Sunggala and Port Dickson at the cost of RM200 million and currently, they are almost complete. The plants are maintained by IWK, a company wholly owned by the government,” said YB Dato’ Ismail bin Taib, State Health, Science, Technology and Innovation Action Committee Chairman.

(News report 2)

Jan 22, 2013 -To tackle the sea water pollution problem, plans to develop a centralised wastewater management system to treat pollutants in the seawater is in the pipeline. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan added that the issue of waste water ending up in the sea had to be resolved once and for all.“We will give all operators of premises here enough time to connect to the centralised system. Hopefully within the next two to three years, the system will be fully connected.“When that happens, there will be no more issues of drains and pipes that lead directly to the open sea,” he said.

What! The next two to three years? Like in 2015? Sorry all, I really don't know what's the current status.

If anyone out there has the latest info on the pollution and water rehabilitation status of PD, please feel free to share. Thank you.

Secluded Johor Bharu - Part 2

2013-11-11T10:03:00.000+08:00

9 - 12 Dec 2012

The place we stayed

We stayed at the Mutiara Bay, Johor Bharu. The hotel is not in the JB city centre but located nearby, a 5-mins drive away.

The Mutiara Bay JB

We were dismayed as the road (Jalan Dato Sulaiman) leading up to the hotel was congested and chaotic on a Sunday afternoon. Just when we wanted to end the journey, we had to wait long at traffic junctions.

The road leading up to the hotel - shopping centre on your right

The area around the hotel was surrounded by terrace houses and shopping malls and so the whole place looked very cluttered.

The toiletries in the bath - replenished daily

The check-in was supposed to be at 3pm but our room was not ready. We didn’t want to waste time waiting so we walked out to find food. There is a host of eateries to select from here mostly Chinese food. In fact I would say that 95% of the shops were Chinese. So we settled for Chinese mixed rice. All four of us came down with mild food poisoning the next day.

The balcony

Finally at about 4pm, we entered our room and to our relief it was large. The room had a good view of JB suburbs.

Happy to have finally checked in

Rows and rows of shops, houses and businesses scattered everywhere. There is also a railway track nearby.

All photos are copyrighted. Do tell if you need to use them. I can be reached at sivakay2009@gmail.com.

Part 6 Charming Phuket

2013-11-11T10:01:00.003+08:00

15 Mar 2012 – Cruising the Island

At 8.00am, our driver cum tour guide (he also runs his own travel agency) arrived at our lobby to take us on an island cruise. He suggested we make it free and easy so that we don’t end up rushing to see too many things and get stressed by it. Instead his idea was to point out interesting places as he drove and if we are interested to see further, he would then stop. He actually suggested many things – shooting range, go-kart drive, elephant ride, pearl factory, sea shell museum, T-shirt factory outlet, massage and even a Tiger Show. Seems licenced tour guides get special rates.

Finally we settled for :-

(1) Thalang National Museum

(2) The Heroine’s Monument

(3) T-Shirt Factory outlet

(4) Phuket Pearl Factory

(5) Cashew Nut Factory

(6) Wang Talang Duty Free Shop

(7) Wat Cha Long temple

(8) Promthep Cape

(9) Kata, Karon and Patong Beach

Thalang National Museum

Thalang National Museum

The reason I chose Thalang Museum was I wanted very much to see the 9th century statue of the Hindu deity Vishnu. The museum was also located on the way to Phuket town. But alas, we were not happy about the entrance fee. It was 100baht per person, which is about RM10. The entrance fee to KL National Museum is RM1.

The statue of Lord Vishnu

Anyway, to my surprise, what I came to see stood right in front of my eyes. It occupied the centre of the entrance hall and it was a huge structure so I could see it clearly. There stood Lord Vishnu’s statue and next to him was another idol whose face was missing. It was uncovered from a jungle in Kapong, Phang Nga.

There was also a showcase of many prehistoric artifacts that were unearthed along the shore of Andaman sea which shows Thailand’s prehistoric relations with India, and explains the early Indian influence on Thai culture. Of course when we chatted with the museum staff they were not able to explain anything as they can’t speak English.

Sculpture of the dead and its spirit

Tsunami wreckage

Outside of the museum, in its compound, there was a tin-mining machinery used by the Chinese tin-miners. We also saw two strange sculptures - one of a dead person and another of the spirit leaving his body. The latest addition I suppose must be the tsunami section where we saw all kinds of wreckages caused by the 2004 tsunami.

The Heroine’s Monument

This is a symbolic statue of two sisters which stands in the middle of a round-a-bout in Thalang city. They are remembered every year during the anniversary of the Thalang War. As it so happenend, we were there just two days after they had the celebration, so we could see all kind of fresh flowers and garlands placed at the foot of the two heroines. They are revered for their bravery in tricking the invading Burmese army.

T-Shirt Factory Outlet

Going by what our guide told us, this was supposedly the cheapest place to get quality Tshirts. We did buy some T-shirts and for that, our guide got a free shirt – a pink floral shirt. That’s his commission, well deserved.

Phuket Pearl Factory

Pearl harvest demo

I am not really into pearl or any type of accessories but what I was interested was to see the demo on how pearls are farmed. We were shown sea and river pearls, how pearls are cultured, and moulds placed on their shells so that pearls have a form. We saw a huge pearl that is said to be worth 1.5million baht.

Pearls before and after

Cashew Nut Factory

The cashew nut factory

At the Sri Bhurapa Orchid, we got to see how cashew nuts are removed, cleaned and processed. Surprisingly, the kernel or fruit seed is not contained in the fruit but outside. Of course the main aim of the factory was sale so we were assigned to one salesgirl who even helps you carry the basket for your purchase. Available were many flavours of cashew nuts including tom yam flavoured.

Cashew nut cutting machine

Processing cashew nuts

The cashew nut is the dark one

Cashew nut juice

Wang Talang Duty Free Shop

This is supposedly the biggest jewelry, souvenir and gift shop in Phuket town. Those who are into gemstones should visit as I saw a large display of rubies, sapphires, emeralds, pearls etc.

Phuket's Duty Free Shop

Lord Shiva and Ganesha at the entrance

I saw a whole load of mini-vans cum taxis stationed in their carpark area. These are taxis for customers who wish to visit the store. All you need to do is call and free transportation will be provided.

Seems that the Thai government is urging more businesspeople to set up duty-free shops to attract tourists to Phuket.

And I found out later that all tour operators include this shop and the pearl factory in their listing. If you purchase something, their commission is 50%.

We didn’t buy anything. Instead, while I was browsing, N and the boys tried a game of dart at the taxi drivers’ waiting area.

Cameras are not allowed inside the shop.

For lunch, our guide took us to a Narong restaurant serving his hometown food. We had salted fish curry with rice. Again, need I say it, it was delicious.

The temple adorned in gold

From the entrance to the architecture and design, it is just beautiful and well maintained. There were a few shrines but the main one has Buddha’s relic kept in a glass case. The atmosphere is quiet as I noticed visitors showed respect by being silent and not touching the Buddha statues. The walls are painted with murals depicting the story of Buddha’s life.

Reclining Buddha

In the main hall, there are many Buddha statues, in various meditative poses. As you go up the stairs and to the topmost floor, you will see a small bone of Buddha guarded by four monks (statues). The relic was brought from Sri Lanka.

The relic inside the glass case

future buddhas..

Amidst the silence, suddenly we heard the sound of firecrackers. I found out that some locals and foreigners set them off to ask for lucky lottery numbers. Must be Asian tourists. There is a special stack where they light up these firecrackers.

We entered another shrine and got caught up with some activities in front of the main altar. Some locals would come in, kneel, say a prayer, then pick up a can of bamboo sticks with numbers on them, and start shaking them till just one piece drops out. This is fortune-telling. The fortune for that number is kept in an open wooden shelf written on a piece of paper. Interesting, ya?

the entrance

We tried and hurried to read our fortunes, but it was in Thai. We got our guide to read it for us, as luck would have it, mine was not good. I had to tie up the piece of paper on a tree before I left. Bringing it home is like bringing home the bad luck. Lucky me, seems the fortune is valid only for a month.

The revered monk in the prayer hall

Wat Chalong

Then, we visited the prayer hall. We were surprised to see 3 monks seated inside. Rishi actually thought one of them was real until he noticed that he didn’t blink. These are the 2 revered monks of Phuket. Surprisingly, during my visit, we didn’t see any real monks. Where are they?

Promthep Cape

The southern tip and Andaman Sea

I have read many times about sunset at the cape.

The 3 main southern beaches can be seen from Promthep Cape - the longest is Karon, second longest is Kata and the smallest is Kata Noi

But we didn’t stay that long here. But from the viewpoint we could see some of Phuket’s popular southern beaches; Kata Noi, Kata and Karon.

A shrine with many elephant statues. Note the Light house at the back

Harish at the sunset viewpoint

We visited the light house but everything was in Thai, except the part where they ask for donation to upkeep the lighthouse which was In English.

The Beaches – Kata, Karon and Patong Beach
Karon is the longest and is popular with white travellers. I saw the whole stretch of the beach lined up with deck chairs for lounging. These by the way are not free, it’s for rent, 150-250 baht.

Passing by Karon beach, I couldn’t help think if I had arrived in Little Europe.

Patong beach

By now, the boys were getting restless in the MPV and wanted a swim. And so, we spent a longer time here at Patong. Entering Patong town feels like I was in Penang minus the many bars, massage parlours, night clubs, tattoo shops etc. Patong is definitely more vibrant. The beach looked overcrowded. Rows and rows of deck lounges were lined up for tourists. And there were makeshift huts for full body massages.

Patong beach

I let the boys swim, N stayed with them. I took a leisurely stroll passing many shops, restaurants, boutiques, spas, pedi and mani shops, massage centres, fast food outlets and clothes, shoes and bags.

Along the walkway

The puppy without a mouth at Patong beach

Patong

I saw many Indian and Bangladeshi shopkeepers and tailors.

Ronald McDonald's sawadee

a pretty standard sign at all the beaches

Later, we had a watermelon milk shake for 50baht, steamed fish cakes and chicken balls for 20baht per stick.

hawkeers using long poles to balance their food on sale

Tattoo shop

We left Patong late in the evening. For dinner that night, we took a walk to a food stall that sold soups and noodles. We ordered bee hoon soup with chicken. We also packed banana and chocolate pancake for breakfast the next day.

The chicken noodle soup

Iced water in silver tumblers

A Bangladeshi making the pancake

Banana and chocolate pancake

Some tips :-

1. If you are not into shopping, don’t stop at the Factory Outlet, Pearl Factory and Duty Free Zone. I am not sure if all tour packages include these places, but if they do, let your guide know beforehand. In our case, we had a choice whether to go or not.

2. If you are into nature, I suppose the elephant ride and waterfall will be a better choice.

3. Visit to a pearl farm would be better than seeing a demo in a pearl factory.

4. I wished we had stopped at a Muay Thai training centre just to see them throw some kicks. We saw 2 training centres but were pressed for time. Muay Thai is heavily advertised in Patong.

5. I would have loved to see the night scene in Patong.

All pictures are copyrighted. I can be reached at sivakay2009@gmail.com.

Part 5 Touristy Phuket

2013-11-11T10:01:00.002+08:00

14 Mar 2012 - Island Tour of Khai, Maya and Phi Phi

Apparently, we were in Phuket during the high season. So, that explains the influx of tourists we saw at the southern beaches and pier.

At the entrance of Rassada Pier

It may take some time to figure out this...but you can try

Take bath 50 times to access Wi-Fi?

The island trip we booked was a 9am-5pm day trip. The boat was huge, had 3 floors, the lower deck, the middle deck and the upper deck. The middle deck was quick to fill up. The upper deck was also quick to fill up as this is the open deck where you get to sunbathe – and 95% were Caucasians. In fact, come to think of it, the boat’s passengers were comprised of mainly white foreigners. I saw a handful of Chinese and one Indian couple on honeymoon.

The boat

We took the lower deck as it was air-conditioned but I was the only one who stayed below as N and the boys quickly found a spot on the upper deck.

The upper deck

Imagine sitting up here for an hour ...you get baked

They were least bothered about the heat unlike me.

Khai Island

Approaching Khai

After about 20 mins, we reached Khai Island.

Nobody wastes time, straight to the waters

The waters were clear and greenish blue. As we neared the pier, two long-tailed boats came to pick us up and transfer us to the island. Many times the big-sized passengers almost toppled the boat with their weight. But the crew were quick to position passengers to keep balance.

We had earlier bought bread sold in the big boat to feed the fish.

Feeding the fish

Khai Island

It didn’t take long for everyone to hit the water. Snorkels, masks and life jackets were provided for. The boys had fun feeding the fish. So many came up to feed from their hands. You could just hold on to a small slice of bread under the water and a swarm of fish will just appear and start nibbling it right off your fingers.

The beach stretch with deck chairs for rent

We spent about 20-30 mins mins in Khai Island. It was scorching hot and I could feel the heat piercing my skin. We all climbed into the long-tail boat again which took us back to the big boat. The crew used a hose to wash the sand off our bodies before we returned to our seats. Every now and then the captain announced over the PA system of what’s ahead.

Maya Island

Next was Maya Island.

One of the many limestones we saw as we neared Maya

As the boat approached Maya, those who wanted to snorkel were asked to stay while those who wanted to go to the beach were transported by long tail boats. N stayed on to snorkel while I took the boys to the beach. Getting off the long tail boat was actually jumping into the water and walking yourself to the beach. We had earlier been warned not to carry too many things with us, just essentials.

At Maya

The boys went swimming and they played with the white powdery sand awhile.

Look at the colour of the waters

I took a stroll through a path leading up to the tsunami evacuation centre. You can see tsunami boards at these islands informing people where to head in case of tsunami.

Toilets

Maya

After about 30mins, we were hauled up into the long tail boat again to be transported back to the boat. N said the corals were dead and that the corals he saw in Mabul Island, Sabah was much more beautiful.

The lower deck

Lunch was served buffet style. You can select your food but the serving was done by the crew, to control the portions. There were rice, vegetables, chicken, fried potatoes, fruits, ice water and cold gassy drinks. There was a steady flow of Coke, 7-Up, Sprite, Fanta as we could help ourselves to the vending machine.

Phi Phi Island

From Maya, the ride to Phi Phi took about 1 hour and 20mins.

Viking Cave ..see the ropes and ladders-bird nest collection going on

We passed the Viking Cave where locals collect bird-nests.

Nearing Phi Phi, we were asked to return in an hour. Phi Phi is much bigger than Khai. It is an island by itself.

phi phi

Approaching Phi Phi - the pier

Since it was high season, it was packed with tourists. I saw many young people, singles, couples, local beach boys all hanging out and either strolling at the beach or baking in the sun.

For me, the island was so hot, like being in an oven. We let the boys go for a short swim, then we checked out the many shops selling T-shirts, swimwears, handicrafts, Thai souvenirs, fruits, drinks, food, and surprisingly many Bangladeshis were running the shops. One Bangladeshi guy was selling chicken kebabs at 100baht each. And if you check the price and change your mind, they can get very angry.

I didn’t like it much here, the heat, the crowd and the shouting match with the Bangladeshi guy did it for me. I just wanted to return to the boat – too much of a party scene here.

We sat on the upper deck the whole journey from Phi Phi back to Rassada pier. It did get slightly cooler as time passed. We reached the pier at about 5.30pm.

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That night, we stopped by a Thai Bazaar cum Night Market on our way back to the hotel. The market is open only on Wednesdays. There were plenty of food stalls so we packed rice, steamed fish, grilled fish, mushroom soup, pan cake (coconut and peanut laced apam balik), home made pizza, chicken floss cake, fresh orange juice and some food for our driver.

One satisfying family dinner we shall never forget.

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Some tips :-

1. One would think that buying the tickets for the island tour at the pier would be cheaper. But this may not necessarily be the case. According to our driver/guide, the norm is to book it with the travel agents. I am still blur on how the system works.

2. If you are on an island tour, there is a time limit to how long you can linger at the island.

3. There are no seats allocated in the boat, the first in gets the best seats.

4. The heat is unlike any I have experienced in KL. It really is skin piercing and very hot.

5. The lady who asks to take your picture is actually a souvenir seller. Each framed photo is later sold at 100baht.

All pictures are copyrighted. I can be reached at sivakay2009@gmail.com.

Part 4 Sunny Phuket

2013-11-11T10:01:00.001+08:00

13 Mar 2012 – The Hotel Pool and An Evening in Bang Tao Beach

In the morning, the kids and N went swimming in the hotel pool. The ppol was nice. They played long on the water slides.

At the hotel pool

For lunch, we headed to Phuket town. After a meal of chicken rice, we booked an Island Hopping Trip for the next day and a Phuket Island Tour the following day.

Chicken rice Thai style

We spent the rest of the day at the hotel, used their boat shuttle service to cruise to the nearest beach which is Bang Tao Beach.

the boat shuttle

as the boat cruises

Sunset - my favourite photo with N and the boys obviously having a great time

Sunset

The long stretch of Bang Tao beach - see how clean it is

Harish building his own castle

the many many deckchairs for hire

The children stayed long at the beach and swam till sunset. Not one to resist a good workout, N jogged the whole stretch of the beach.

the floral colourful sundresses

For dinner, we dressed and took the free bus shuttle out to the shops and restaurants.
We had Thai food at the Sunset Restaurant for RM35 for 4 pax. Drinks included. Heavenly food.

Dinner - red chicken curry and asparagus with prawns

All pictures are copyrighted. I can be reached at sivakay2009@gmail.com.