Jason's Travelogue

Prague, Czech Republic (1)

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 13:30:00 +0000

Destination #15: Prague, Czech Republic.

Year of visit: June 2008

My first photoblog entry of 2010 brings you to the colourful and exciting capital of Central Europe, Prague! We spent almost a week in this city alone, much longer than other visitors would stay but thankfully everything turned out awesome and we had such a great time in this beautiful city that it brings back many sweet memories.

On our first couple of days of our visit, we marched straight into the heart of the city, the Old Town (Staré Město) of Prague where all the fancy restaurants and historical buildings are. We were lucky to be upgraded to a 4 star hotel a few tram stops away from the site of the Velvet Revolution, Wenceslas Square.

Our first encounter when walking into the old town was this interesting "Brick Project" whereby passersby can buy a brick for CZK 100 and paint whatever they likes on the brick and the proceeds will then go to aiding people with mental impairment. What a noble idea innit?

Spot Malaysia! :D

Some generous Malaysians must have been there just before us.

The most memorable encounter of all has to be the premiere of the Chronicles Narnia of Narnia: Prince Caspian in Prague! Hey I've seen Narnia in the cinema but it has never crossed my mind that I will ever meet the actors and actresses.

Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes) and the Pevensie siblings from Narnia.

The old town square of Prague was bustling with activities and very touristy at the same time. There was a Euro 2008 event going on right in the middle of the square, horse rides for tourists, giant German/Czech sausages for sale, cheap beer, fancy restaurants and thousands of tourists admiring the ancient Astronomical clock and the 14th century Gothic cathedral, Church of Our Lady before Týn which dominates the Prague skyline.

The famed Astronomical Clock.

I'm impressed with the intricate details of this ancient clock and it is worth waiting for the animated figures to appear each hour.

Just outside the old town centre is sits the National Museum and Wenceslas Square.

It will not be of any significance to those who have not heard of the Velvet Revolution but hear me out first you shoppers and those looking for some fun. This strip of boulevard is part of the shopping district of Prague and is home to a 7-storey Bata shoe shop, biggest I have ever seen! It is also home to many grand old hotels, strip clubs and fast food joints.

Back to the vicinity of the old town centre are some vintage cars for rent.

I meant for sightseeing, I don't think they'll let you go behind the wheel.

We heard that Prague will soon have its first Hard Rock Cafe but we didn't know it was opened for business for the first time ever in Prague when we ventured into this place. Had a word with the friendly American chap brought Hard Rock Cafe to Prague and I bought a shot glass with the classic "Hard Rock Cafe, Prague" on it only to lose it on the London Tube later on but it was eventually recovered.

Hard Rock Cafe, Prague.

We were there on the first day of its opening and probably the first 20 customers?!

This is the great Gothic Church of Our Lady before Týn of ~1400 A.D.

This is the interior of an Orthodox Church next to the Old Town Square.

A synagogue at the Jewish Quarters.

You will see more of the Jewish Quarters in the subsequent post.

The girls - still so jovial and carefree in their university days :D

North-South-East-West - places of attractions in Prague.

Yeo Seak Yeong, who will do all things possible to capture a good shot.

One of the many bizarre museums in Prague - the sex machines' museum

Timeless beauty - this photo could easily pass of as one taken in 1950!

Fancy restaurant? There is more than meets the eye.

Coming up next, another one of those bizarre museums.

Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments.

Our mode of transport in Prague, the good old school tram. Love em'.

The girls at the fountain in front of the National Museum.

That was the closest we got to the museum.

We would rather pose for hundreds of photos like this.....

Stuff ourselves crazy with Czech sausages.....

Wait forever for tram 18 to come........

Go on a tour of the 7-storey Bata store.....

.........than visit the museum!

Russian dolls from Czech Republic -_-

Absinthe - it is banned in many countries but not in Prague :)

Cannabis Vodka

Photos are worth a thousand words.

Enjoy the rest of our snap shots of the Old Town (Staré Město) of Prague.

#1

#2
#3
#4
#5
Tram 18 - the nostalgic tram

#6

#7
#8
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#10
#11
#12
#13
#14
#15
#16
#17
ToiToi means toilet in Czech. Such a cute sounding word for toilet.

#18

Strawberry fondue - Irresistable

#19

A synagogue in the Jewish Quarters

#20

#21

They both love Prague.

One loves Prague so much she must also take a snapshot of the walkway in Prague.

The other one loves Prague so much she couldn't resist giving the lampost in Prague a kiss.

#22
#23

#24

#25
Yeo reading the map opposite.

#26

Lost in Prague.

#27

Stay tuned for more snapshots of this cultural capital of Central Europe in the Prague series.

Florence, Italy

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 08:29:00 +0000

Destination #14: Florence, Italy

Year of Visit: December 2007

Florence is one of the most beautiful cities I have visited and one of my favourite cities in Europe. It is the capital city of the Tuscany region in Italy 230km north of Rome. I'm glad we made it to Florence despite the Italian trip being very poorly organized. Italy was the first country I visited in Continental Europe.

We spent the nights in Rome and made a handful of day trips out of Rome to other parts of Italy over 10 days. To make things worst, the days are shorter in winter! Fret not, we managed to jump on the inter-city train to Santa Maria Novella Station in Florence just before sunrise and arrived there just in time for breakfast!

1. The girls at Santa Maria Novella station in Florence.

We had brioche with double shot espressos to keep ourselves warm before we set foot out of the station. "Veni, vidi, vici! - I came, I saw, I conquer!". With a map in hand, we were determined to conquer Florence!

2. Good morning, Florence!

This was our very first sight of this beautiful city from the main entrance of Santa Maria Novella Station.

3. Like other European cities, Florence is a pedestrian-centric city easy to navigate through its narrow alleys and side walks. Florence was the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance hence the influence of art and architecture from the Renaissance period have a profound impact on the existing churches, piazzas, museums, parks, gardens and other buildings.

4. An alley in the historic centre of Florence.

5. The main street leading to the architectural landmark of Florence, The Duomo.

6. One of the many historical cathedrals in Florence. See how the pedestrians were dwarfed by the size of the building and its wooden door.

I remember the girls were then busy selecting postcards depicting private parts of the sculptures in Florence, up close! Scroll down towards the end of this entry to see an example of the popular postcards! [warning: 18 sx]

Our first stop in Florence was the Gothic style landmark, the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore otherwise known as The Duomo. The cathedral is so massive that it can be seen from every corner of the city.

7. I was mesmerized by the sheer size of this 15th century cathedral.

The basilica is one of Italy's biggest churches and its dome is the biggest in the world!

8. The cathedral with its bell tower.

9. The cathedral is so huge and the ceiling so high. It looked like they were built for giants.

10. The cathedral with its landmark brick dome.

11. That's the bell tower seen from the side.

I was so impressed with the facade of The Duomo that I couldn't stop clicking my camera even when we were busy searching high and low for an Italian sim card just in case our group split up somewhere in Italy.

The cathedral is opened to public and there will be a long queue at the entrance during peak seasons but when we were there it was winter and Christmas was just around the corner so there weren't many tourists at the various places of attractions in Italy.

12. The nativity scene inside the cathedral in conjunction with the Christmas season.

13. More of the interior.

14. The painting under the dome wasn't completed until 1579.

The Duomo was still the subject of photography way into the evening.

15. A tourist searching for the perfect angle to capture the facade of The Duomo onto his camera lens while the other paused to admire this magnificent structure.

We left The Duomo in search of the famed Arno River which passes below the Ponte Vecchio and the Santa Trìnita bridge. However, we arrived at the entrance of the Uffizi Gallery, one of the oldest and best art museums in the world before we reached the Arno River bank.

Sadly, due to time constraint we had to give Uffizi a miss and spent the rest of the evening exploring other parts of Florence. One of us voted to take a detour to a nearby designer brand outlet mall outside Florence to shop while the rest of continued exploring this beautiful city.

16. Finally, the Arno River!

17. Arno River and the Santa Trìnita bridge in the background.

It's a shame we didn't make it to Piazzale Michelangelo across the bridge for a magnificent panoramic view of Florence. If you are visiting Florence please don't miss it for our sake! The view is to-die-for!

18. My travel buddies for the 2007 Italian trip. Miss you guys!

19. And now this is the bridge that you should be interested in.

It's called the Ponte Vecchio, a medieval bridge with shops built on it! It's amazing how this seemingly ancient bridge can withstand the weight of all those shops and people on it.

20. If you see more than two such scooters you know you're in Italy.

21. Locals doing their last minute Christmas shopping next to the Ponte Vecchio bridge.

22. Scooters zooming in and out of the narrow alleys of Florence.

23. Sunset fast approaching.

24. This was the gelato parlour where we had our first gelati.

The ones we found later on were much better though!

25. An Italian bakery selling brioche, pizza, panini and other Italian pastries.

26. G-E-L-A-T-O parlour!

27. Hmm, I don't remember taking this photo but seems like another bakery to me.

28. Yet another gelato parlour.

29. One of the many shopping streets in Florence.

From what I saw, Florence is a nice place to shop!

30. Christmas decorations along the streets.

31. Piazza della Signoria at sunset. Piazza is the Italian term for square.

32. Fountain of Neptune @ Piazza della Signoria at sunset.

33. Palazzo Vecchio, the town hall of Florence.

Today, most parts of the building have been converted into a museum.

34. A replica of Michelangelo's David at the entrance of Palazzo Vecchio.

35. This is my favourite statue among all the statues I have seen.

This sculpture is the work of a Flemish artist Jean de Boulogne known as The Rape of the Sabine Women. This marble and bronze group has been placed at its current site since 1583.

36. The Loggia dei Lanzi, also called the Loggia della Signoria, is a building on the corner of Piazza della Signoria adjoining the Uffizi Gallery. Many artworks and sculptures are housed in this building.

37. A nicely decorated taxi with the driver and steward in costumes!

38. Another street near The Duomo all lit up for Christmas.

39. I believe this belongs to Michelangelo's David (a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture)!

It was depicted on a postcard btw! HAHA!

Pray that I get to update my blog at least once a month after I start working!

Merry Christmas, my dear readers!

Brussels, Belgium

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:32:00 +0000

Destination#13: Brussels, Belgium

Year of Visit: 2008

Belgium, a nation synonymous with chocolates and its waffles! It is a relatively small nation in Western Europe sandwiched between France and The Netherlands. Both French and Dutch are widely spoken in Belgium and both languages are the official languages of Belgium.

The capital city of Belgium is none other than Brussels. There is a good mix of classical architecture such as those in the old town square and modern office towers and structures such as the Espace Léopold European parliament complex in Brussels.

I was there in Brussels for a night after our 10 days Western Europe tour.

The weather was overcast and gloomy throughout my stay in Brussels. The sidewalks were relatively deserted in most parts of Brussels save for the city centre. Office workers were seen rushing back to their offices after lunch time at Rue de la Loi. Further down the road, in the inner cities of Brussels, immigrants from Africa and the Middle East seem to outnumber the local community.

The Royal Palace of Brussels

Most are traders in make shift stalls selling jeans for €5 a piece and many other items to make a living. That part of Brussels looked dodgy with a lot of trash strewn all over the streets and graffiti decorating the walls. Cars and trucks owned by these traders were parked indiscriminately along the narrow streets causing unnecessary traffic congestion.

All that gave an unpleasant first impression of Brussels to most of us first time visitors but I'm sure every city has her fair share of bad areas. We headed down to the city centre and walked around a little. The old town square of Brussels is quite imposing and tourist oriented. There were busloads of Asian tourists in this area.

There were at least six chocolate boutiques at the Grand' Place-Grote Markt historic centre (central square of Brussels) and its vicinity for chocolate lovers, the most obvious ones being Godiva Chocolatier and Leonidas Fresh Belgian Chocolates. Make sure you buy some Belgian chocolates before you leave Brussels!

Guildhalls at the Grand' Place-Grote Markt. The central square is surrounded by imposing pre 19th century buildings, the very few that are still standing in Brussels. Most of the old town were destroyed to make way for development.

Brussels Town Hall

Architectural style: Gothic

Year completed: 1420 A.D
Grand' Place-Grote Mark a.k.a The Grand Place in English, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Seven guildhouses at the Grand Place which have been subsumed within one grand facade whose symmetries are set off by a curved pediment and narrow pilasters, sporting nineteen busts of the dukes of Brabant.

One of the many chocolate boutiques near the Grand Place.

The chocolate products here are very nicely packed but the price is comparable to that of Godiva Chocolatier, expensive stuff but we don't want to leave Brussels empty handed. Hence, we got a box of Godiva chocolates for ourselves and a few boxes of Belgian chocolates for our loved ones at home.

A stone's throw away from the chocolate boutique is the Manneken Pis, a small bronze statue of a boy peeing. The Mannekan Pis has been around since 1619 and the significance of it is associated with many different local legends.

The Manneken Pis

The Manneken Pis is dressed in costume several times a week. It has been dressed in hundreds of costumes representing the national dress of nations whose citizens come to Brussels as tourists, uniforms of assorted trades, professions, associations and branches of the civil and military services.

The author at Grand' Place-Grote Markt, Brussels.

One of the buildings at the Grand Place.

Besides Belgian's famous chocolates the mouth-watering Belgian waffles deserves a mention!

These are arguably the best waffle I have ever eaten.

It's not difficult to find them. The waffles are often displayed in front of the waffle joints near the Grand Place, often alongside other souvenir shops or chocolate boutiques. You will see a sea of tourists crowding the waffle joints just like tourists crowding the Gelato joints in Italy.

After a couple of hours wandering around the Grand Place and its vicinity we were ushered back to the tour bus as the rain got heavier. The tour bus took us to the Automium which is supposedly one of the attractions of Brussels for a photo stop. It serves as an exposition centre and observation centre but I have no interest in this modern structure.

The Automium

After the photo stop we were taken around the various European Union (EU) administrative buildings around Brussels that earned Brussels the title, 'the administrative capital of Europe'.

The Brussels Expo

I don't remember what it was.

These photos were taken from the bus as the rain poured outside.

Royal Palace of Brussels

After the day tour, our bus dropped us back at our hotel and we were free to venture out on our own but the rain did not stop. We stayed in until the next morning whereby we took the Eurostar and voila London, here we come!

I caught this interesting message on climate change by the World Wildlife Fund (I'm guessing from the logo of the panda) on camera in Brussels. Yes, let us stop climate change before it changes you!

Hard Rock Hotel & Cafe Penang Now Open!

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 03:49:00 +0000

by Hard Rock Hotel Penang

Hard Rock Hotel Penang is a luxury resort situated along the famous beaches of Batu Ferringhi.

Located in the Pearl of Orient, Hard Rock Hotel Penang is iconic, bringing the multicultural Penang to new heights with its authentic Hard Rock experience. This hip and trendy resort in Penang is suitable for families, couples and singles for their relaxing accommodation in Penang.

credits: Shen Ren Lee Photography

With a total of 250 guestrooms, there is nowhere more luxurious than Hard Rock Hotel Penang to spend your holiday. With a contemporary feel, all rooms are well-designed with guests in mind. With Wi-Fi connections, iPod docking stations and 32-inch LCD screen TVs, you can stay connected with your loved ones and be entertained 24 hours.

For wine and dine in Penang, Hard Rock is synonymous with music, good fun and entertainment …… and Hard Rock Hotel Penang offers a plethora of options to entertain all and to have fun!

Anything from intimate private meetings in Penang to spectacular banquets for up to 300 guests, meeting planners will receive extreme Rock Star service and an event everyone will be talking about.

The walls in the Hard Rock Hotel Penang are adorned with images, memorabilia and icons reflecting the revolution that changed the face of music, fashion and arts. It's a celebration of popular culture from the 50's through the new millennium. Its fun atmosphere and clean, modern lines make this the ultimate ROCK RETREAT for all!

Come to Hard Rock Hotel Penang and feel like a star! It is all about the experience.

Bath, Stonehenge and Lacock

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 07:52:00 +0000

Destination # 12: Bath, Somerset, England.

(My first post after the long break!)

Year of visit: 2008

Bath is a breathtaking city located in the south-west of England with its very own distinct character compared to other English cities. One such example is the honey-coloured buildings in the city centre of Bath.

Among the well known places of interests in Bath are the centuries-old Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths. The city of Bath is situated about 21km from the city of Bristol and it is conveniently accessible from the city of Bristol by public buses operated by First Group.

Bath Abbey

The Bath Abbey is an Anglican church founded in the 7th century, rebuilt in the 12th and 16th century. It is a fine example of the English Gothic architecture just like many other English cathedrals.

Inside the Bath Abbey

I have seen cathedrals more impressive than the Bath Abbey across England and Europe but few can blend in so nicely with the city and buildings around it like the Bath Abbey.

Roman Baths

Britain was once invaded and occupied by the Romans long before it became the great British Empire which conquered a quarter of the world in its glorious years. The Roman Baths in Bath is one of the remaining signs of Roman occupation. The Roman Baths complex was used for public bathing back in the days of the Roman occupation of Britain and it is said to have been destroyed in the 6th century until major redevelopments were carried out in the 12th and 19th century.

Today's Roman Baths complex is a museum and visitors are restricted from entering the water.
I thought I'll be able to take a dip in the mysterious green waters of the hot spring in the cold British weather but nope we're not allowed to do that. The water is not green because there are herbs or other medicinal elements added to cure diseases but it is green in colour because it is infested with algaes and thousands and millions of protozoa!

The warmth from standing next to the hot spring was quite comforting in the chilly cold temperature. Brr. I remember it was snowing in Manchester when we were in Bath and winter has long passed! It was April!

The city centre of Bath isn't too big. We took a stroll along the high street, window-shopped, looked at some Roman-themed souvenirs, visited a dry local market selling all sorts of unimaginable items commonly found in Asian night markets, took a peek at a local mall filled with expensive restaurants, found some bizarre-looking inner part of a pig displayed at the butcher and spent the rest of the morning admiring the coherently honey-coloured buildings.

You might also want to add the Royal Cresent to the list of interesting buildings to see in Bath. The Royal Cresent is a row of 30 beautiful Georgian-styled residential houses built in the 18th century laid out in a crescent. We had to skip this one because we ran out of time.

You wouldn't want to miss one of the world's most famous prehistoric wonders located in the English county of Wiltshire, not far from the city of Bath. We booked a guided tour from Bath which included a visit to the Stonehenge, a tour of Salisbury and a short stop at the village of Lacock.

A van picked us up from Bath and traveled far out from the city into the English countryside.

I have always wanted to see these popular slabs of stones. The Stonehenge is found right in the middle of no where. It is surrounded by miles and miles of flat lands and hills. There are no signs of habitation anywhere near this monument until today. The Stonehenge is as bizarre as the Egyptian pyramids. How did the humans in the prehistoric age construct these monuments?

Erected circa 2500 B.C

UNESCO World Heritage Site

I remember it was dead cold I couldn't wait to run back to the van.

The strong winds at the plains made it worst.

The Stonehenge is over 5000 years old! It is indeed the most unique and mysterious monument on earth. After the audio tour around the Stonehenge and posing with the stones we hit the road again.

Medieval houses still standing today.

This is a canal seen not far from the Stonehenge. It must be the Kennet and Avon Canal. How do I know? Look up Wikipedia when you didn't pay attention to what your tour guide said! Hehe. It was built in the 18th-19th century. The surroundings were so quaint and I am quite certain I didn't see much of an activity in the canal. Apparently some folks live in those narrow boats in the canal.

Another medieval structure, looks like a castle to me. A perfect film set for horror films.

After miles of maneuvering through narrow and sometimes untarred roads we arrived at this forsaken village, Lacock. The population of this village must be in the mere hundreds. Tourists seem to outnumber the villagers here and the village post office closed down just weeks after we visited Lacock.

A beautiful cafe surrounded by shady trees and flowers in the backyard of an old brick house.

Like the village there was no sign of life.

The only local pub in sight. The village is fairly small and can be explored by foot. It is very well preserved. No wonder it is widely used as a film and television set despite its isolated location and meager population. Some of the well known films and television series filmed in Lacock are Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone , The Other Boleyn Girl and Pride & Prejudice (the original series by BBC).

Church of St Cyriac, Lacock - built in the 15th century and like many other churches in England it was restored in the Victorian age about two centuries ago.

Lacock is dotted with many historical buildings dating back to the 13th century. Most cottages here are said to be constructed in the 18th century or earlier. It was as if I was transported back to the 18th century minus the villagers walking around this quaint village.

'Harry Potter's home' in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

18th century cottages in Lacock.

The day tour of Bath, Stonehenge and the village of Lacock ended just before nightfall, in time for us to catch the next bus back to Bristol.

Closed Until July

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:59:00 +0000

Kindly note that no new entries will be added on this blog until mid July as the author is busy preparing for his post graduate legal qualifying examination. At the meantime please entertain yourself with my old posts which are accessible from the 'categories' sidebar on your right, travel related blogs and websites on my blogroll or you might want to check out my personal blog.

Whatever it is, don't forget Jason's Travelogue! Check back in July!

Until then, keep me in your prayers! :D Cheers.

Fraser's Hill, Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 06:41:00 +0000

Destination #11: Fraser's Hill, Malaysia

Year of Visit: 2007

Fraser's Hill is a hilltop resort located in the state of Pahang in Malaysia.

It was discovered in the early 20th century by a group of British clergymen during the colonial era and it was developed into a hill station by the British to escape from the heat of the lowlands.

Today, Fraser's Hill is a popular getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city especially among city folks from nearby Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Fraser's Hill is located approximately 100km from Kuala Lumpur.

I first set foot on Fraser's Hill in 2006, fell in love with it immediately and I went back again in 2007. Fraser's Hill is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque hill resorts in Malaysia with plenty of greenery, chiefly British architectures and a cool high altitude temperature.

Many beautiful colonial-styled bungalows are privately owned by certain individuals, companies and organisations. It is quite unfortunate that those who are not affiliated to any of those organisations, companies or individuals who own some of the bungalows at Fraser's Hill will have to get a room in one of the hotels in town depriving them of the opportunity to enjoy the luxuries and comforts of living in one of these British bungalows.

These bungalows have a cosy feel to it and many of them have a very large lawns. Large enough for a diverse range of flowers and plants to grow which went on to attract the birds and the bees.
The bungalow that has brought us many good memories.

From the side.

I realised that these bungalows in fact have a striking resemblance to the country houses I have seen in Britain. It is as if these bungalows were transplanted 10,000 over km from the UK to Malaysia.

Vegetables planted by the locals for their own consumption.

The backyard.

Another nicely refurbished bungalow - in case you can't ~~read~~ see, the signboard reads Richmond Bungalow. You guys should seriously consider taking the trail up to the cluster of private bungalows but be careful not to wander too far into their compound. I was accused of trespassing by the housekeeper of the Singapore House for merely admiring the flowers in his compound. He even threatened to sue me for trespass!

Our meals were prepared by the housekeepers throughout our stay there. The housekeepers can really cook! They've been there for decades, I won't be surprised if they were trained by their predecessors who have served the British back in the colonial days.

The famed clock tower of Fraser's Hill.

The lush greenery on Fraser's Hill.

After spending a day in the comforts of the lovely bungalow we set out for some outdoor activities - first pit stop - horse riding.

Trees at the riding range.

2nd pit stop - bungalow hopping. I wish I have a holiday home up here one day.

I will dream harder.

Pit stop #3 - boat paddling at a nearby lake. Yes there's a lake on Fraser's Hill and it's large enough for you to paddle deep into the jungles and never be seen from the station.

It was very misty that morning that within seconds the mist had enveloped the lake and parents were screaming hysterically for their children to come back fearing that they would paddle deep into the jungle and run away from their controlling parents.

The mist later enveloped the hill which made driving dangerous so we went back to the bungalow and curled around the fireplace playing cards and sipping English tea.

Dory fish and mash for breakfast. Heavenly.

We head down to town again later in the afternoon to hunt for souvenirs.

The picturesque clock tower and post office.

We then drove out of town again in search of a mini waterfall.

There was a trail which led us along a flowing stream, it was such a serene sight, only birds chirping and the sound of water hitting the rocks as it flows through the stream.

We followed the flowing stream, walk through narrow paths, some ascending, some descending until we saw what we all have been looking for.

The mini waterfall. The water near the waterfall was shallow hence the kids had alot of fun.

We then continued with our tour around Fraser's Hill in the car and we came to this old English bungalow cum hotel. I highly recommend this place if you love unconventional and distinctively unique hotels.
Before we left, a special occurrence took place which was later reported as a solar phenomenon. I reckon it was the high altitude which made it so visible to the eyes.

The Fraser's Hill ranks among my top three most favourite holiday destination in Malaysia.

It is undeniably one the most perfect family getaways from city life in exchange for a quiet and laid back lifestyle.

AirAsia X to fly no frills from London to Kuala Lumpur

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 04:05:00 +0000

The first low cost long-haul route connecting Asia and UK has launched, easing the pockets of backpackers, holidaymakers and businessmen alike.As most airlines are tightening their belts and increasing prices, Air Asia X, an associate of Air Asia, has launched a cheap London Stansted-Kuala Lumpur flight allowing travellers to access Asia without paying premium prices.

Initially operating five flights a week the airline aims to connect the UK with the whole of Asia and the route is already popular amongst travellers taking the ‘Kangaroo route’ between Australia and Europe.

AirAsia X Chief Executive Officer, Azran Osman-Rani, said, “Stansted connects practically all of Europe to AirAsia X, allowing us to open up an amazing range of exotic, tropical, cultural and cosmopolitan destinations across Asia Pacific to suit everyone’s pocket.”

Using Kuala Lumpur as a hub passengers can then access a further 64 destinations such as Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and Bali for as little as £10, and on to Australia for under £100.

Commercial & Development director BAA Stansted, Nick Barton said: “Advance bookings on this new non-stop service prove how popular it is set to be, particularly with business and leisure passengers seeking affordable long-haul travel options.”

The economy promotional fare of £99 sold out within 48 hours and regular fares at £149 and £199 one way have been selling fast. Business class seats start at £699.

Source: Daily Mail

Read More

Reminder to travel enthusiasts in Malaysia

Matta Fair KL

Venue: Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Kuala Lumpur

13 March 2009 until 15 March 2009

Matta Fair Penang

3 July 2009 until 5 July 2009

Venue: Penang International Sports Arena (PISA), Relau

Mount Titlis, Switzerland

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:47:00 +0000

Destination #10: Mount Titlis, Switzerland

Year of Visit: Summer 2008

The Titlis (3,238 m) is a mountain in the Urner Alps of Switzerland. It is located on the border between the cantons of Obwalden and Berne in Switzerland, overlooking Engelberg (Obwalden) and is famous as the site of the world's first revolving cable car. The cable car system connects Engelberg to the summit of Klein Titlis (3,028 m) through the three stages of Gerschnialp (1,262 m), Trübsee (1,796 m) and Stand (2,428 m) - wikipedia

How to get there:

Drive or take the public transport from Lucerne via Stans to Engelberg, ascend the summit of Mt.Titlis by aerial cable-car.

When I flew from London to Rome in December 2007, I looked out of the window and saw snow covered mountains of the Swiss Alps and questioned myself if I was making the most sensible decision to travel to Italy in winter instead of signing up for a ski trip to Les Arcs, French Resort.

I had a wonderful time in Italy and about 7 months later I'm at the Swiss Alps.

No skiing over summer of course so technically skiing remains something I would love to try out in future. The snow on Mount Titlis didn't melt off completely over summer, definitely not at the peak.

The cable car system connects Engelberg to the summit of Klein Titlis (3,028 m) through three stages - Gerschnialp (1,262 m), Trübsee (1,796 m) and Stand (2,428 m).

The picturesque town of Engelberg from the cable car.

Another view of the Engelberg town. Mount Titlis is a proven attraction amongst Asian tourists. Chinese nationals, Indian nationals, Hong Kongers, Indonesians and of course Malaysians. Being Asians, more often than not we join a guided tour for the sake of convenience.

The ascend to the third stage of Stand (2,428 m).

The visible greeneries over summer is simply magnificent.

From Stand (2,428 m), we switched over to the world's first revolving cable car to get to the summit of Klein Titlis (3,028 m).

Voila! We're at the summit of Mount Titlis.

Sky blue and white. The only two visible colours at the summit.

There is this part of the mountain at Mount Titlis that look like a statue of Buddha from a distance. It was discovered by a Chinese adventurer back in 1996.

The breathtaking view from the summit of Mount Titlis (3,028 m). Awesome!

The author lying down on the ice with the Swiss Alps as the backdrop.

This looks like an ideal slope for skiing.

It wasn't easy hiking up the slope with shoes though, watch your steps or you will roll down fast!

Another view of the snow-clad mountains in summer. Stunning!

I guess it will be all white during winter.

The Ice Flyer descending to another level.

I went up the slope, slid down all the way on purpose and ended up with a wet butt.

I couldn't ski nor do any snowboarding so I did a butt-slide.

If you noticed I only wore a thin long sleeved roundneck shirt.

It certainly felt like 10-15 degrees Celcius though I doubt it was 10-15 otherwise how could the snow not melt away. It was definitely way colder in Britain even though we didn't get much snow over the year.

The ice grotto is also an attraction at the Mount Titlis summit.

It was much colder in the ice grotto. Probably a dozen degrees Celcius lower than outside!

The last bits of the snow capped Mount Titlis before descending in the revolving cable car.

Mid level - The snow melts away very quickly in summer.

The rest of the massive Swiss Alps.

Engelberg and the Swiss Alps - how picturesque, doesn't it look like one of those Mild Seven advertisements in the 1990s?

More on Mt. Titlis

Ryanair considers charging passengers to pee

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 07:03:00 +0000

Source: CNN

LONDON, England (CNN) -- The ever budget-conscious boss of Ryanair has suggested the discount airline may start charging passengers for using the toilet on board its flights.

Michael O'Leary said the airline had revived inquiries into whether the airline could install coin-operated toilets on its fleet.

"People might actually have to spend a pound to spend a penny in future," he said in a BBC interview, adding "We're always in Ryanair looking at the ways of constantly lowering the costs of air travel and making it more affordable and easier for passengers to fly with us."

Asked by the incredulous presenter what passengers would do if they found themselves without money mid-flight, O'Leary replied: "I don't think there is anybody in history that has got on board a Ryanair aircraft with less than a pound."

The Irish airline is renowned for its cheap flights and regularly advertises competition-crushing deals to boost capacity on its short-haul routes.

The company has made no secret of its quest to boost revenue by any means possible. It already charges for food and each bag checked into the hold is subject to a fee.

Read More

Beijing, China (II)

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:24:00 +0000

Destination #9: Beijing, China (II) [Quick Facts]

Year of Visit: 2006 (Before Beijing Olympic Games 2008)

In this second edition of my Beijing post, another historical marvel awaits.

On our third day in Beijing, we visited a jade factory in the outskirts of Beijing. As usual we were given a bilingual introductory briefing about jades and the various types of jades available in the market. We were then treated to a guided tour of the factory to witness for ourselves how jades are polished, treated and cut into shapes. Then of course, they will unveil to you the final product gleemingly displayed under the spot light and try to talk you into buying one.

After the jade factory, the bus took us further out from Beijing to the magnificent Great Wall of China (长城), the Badaling section. The walls were first built in circa 202 BC by the first Emperor of China Qin Shi Huang Ti.

It was used by the Chinese to protect their land, this section of the wall has had many guards to defend China’s capital Beijing. Made of stone and bricks from the hills, this portion of the Great Wall is 7.8 meters (25.6 ft) high and 5 meters (16.4 ft) wide.

The Great Wall was overflowing with tourists!

There were so many local Chinese tourists who came from all parts of China.

On our way up the wall, we came across this little corner off the Great Wall offering pony and camel rides, not up the Great Wall but within that encirclement.

The Great Wall of China that stretches over 6,400 km beyond sight.

If I remember correctly you will receive a certificate if you managed to walk on the Great Wall for a few kilometres to a checkpoint. Don't despair if you can't make it, you can always purchase the certificates at the souvenir shops at the foot of the hill.

The autumn wind was so strong and chilly especially when we you are at the Great Wall so I felt compelled to purchase a 'Great Wall of China' windbreaker for a bargain only to discover later that the pockets were filled with holes!

Boy meets girl, Oriental style.

and the dogs fell in love with one another first.

Modern China - another Starbucks Coffee seen at the vicinity of the Great Wall of China.

The buildings near the Great Wall were nicely refurbished.

There was a sense of accomplishment to have set foot on one of the most magnificent structures ever built by mankind. We then traveled back into the city centre for lunch. On our way back we passed by an eye-catching structure which looked like a Disneyland themepark sitting abandoned. Never mind for Beijing folks, they now have the Shijingshan Amusement Park.

Lunch in Beijing.

Be warned: Chinese dishes in China are generally more oily and salty compared to Chinese cuisine served outside China. You may instruct them to put less oil and salt or soy sauce in your food.

After lunch we proceeded to visit the Beijing Wax Museum of Ming Dynasty.

Apparently they now charge a fee for photo-taking. I don't remember paying a fee for photo-taking back in 2006. Anyway, here are some of the photos from the wax museum depicting some of the major events that happened during the Ming Dynasty.

An attack by a certain chieftain on Shanxi Province in the 1400s.

The palace guards look intimidating as if unhappy that their photos were taken.

A depiction of a banquet organised by the emperor to welcome a Mongolian tribe leader.

Just before sunset we were on our way to the Ming Tombs. It is a tomb cluster of the Ming Dynasty(明十三陵) (1368-1644), including thirteen emperor's mausoleums, seven tombs for concubines and one grave for eunuchs. 13 great Emperors of China were buried here. It is also a World Heritage Site. By now I have lost count of the number of World Heritage Sites in Beijing.

The carvings on the outer wall.

One of the Imperial China shoes worn by the Empress of China.

My great grandmother wore a similar miniature shoe just before she left China for Singapore.

A breathtaking view of the mountains visible from the Ming Tombs.

I thank God for the lovely autumn weather.

The day ended with a good dinner at this restaurant

The restaurants we go to only get better each time!

Watch this space for the third post of Beijing!

Related post: Beijing, China(I)

14 Romantic Destinations Around the World

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 06:00:00 +0000

CNN International/Travel

Images from Wikipedia.

With Valentine's Day around the corner those of you who have extra cash to spare might have started looking high and low for a romantic getaway. Here are 14 romantic destinations around the world compiled by CNN Travel.

1. Iguazu Falls - Argentina-Brazil

Iguazu Falls extend over 2,700 metres in a semi-circular shape and are made up of 275 individual falls. This is one destination sure to get pulses racing.

2. Bali - Indonesia

The island of Bali offers the perfect combination of romantic surroundings topped with beautiful and luxurious resorts.

3. Venice - Italy

Venice is Italy's city on water.

Enjoy a gondola ride which takes you through its narrow waterways and if you are there on Valentine's Day, you'll catch the spectacular Venice carnival.

4. Bora-Bora - French Polynesia

Ranked third on the list of the New Seven Wonders Islands.

A perfect romantic getaway if you're looking to spend some quality time on a bed of cobalt blue sea.

5. The Alps - Switzerland

Fondly known as 'Honeymooners' Paradise', Switzerland offers the seduction of a picturesque country and a splendor of the magnificent Alps.

6. New York City - U.S.A

A walk in the Central Park on summer's day, kissing your loved on in Time Square, or simply watching the world go by from atop the Empire State building - there's something for everyone in New York City.

7. Santorini - Greece

It has been said that the sunsets in Santorini are the best in the world.

The breathtaking view of the island against the sunset make Santorini a favourite with couples looking for an ideal romantic getaway.

8. Huanglong Cave - China

Huanglong is Asia's largest cave.

The valley is surrounded by snow-capped peaks, waterfalls and hot springs and has a population of endangered species, including the giant panda

9. Dalmatia - Croatia

Dalmatia is the coastal region of Croatia.

The turquoise blue waters are surrounded by little islands and mountains., making a stay in Dalmatia a scenic adventure.

10. Udaipur - India

Udaipur is also known as the city of lakes.

Set amidst the Aravalli Ranges in Rajastan, the high mountains and serene lakes provides a beautiful backdrop for romance.

11. St. Lucia - Caribbean

St. Lucia is a very destination among honeymooners and those planning a Caribbean wedding.

The natural beauty of the tropical island makes it a magnet for the amorous.

12. Niagara Falls - Canada-US

The world-famous waterfalls have been a favourite attraction for decades.

To make your time there more memorable, you can take an elevator to the foot of the falls and visit the cave behind the falling water.

13. Ring of Kerry - Ireland

Ireland offers breaktaking scenery, the serene life of the country side, and the buzz of larger cities. Pictured above are the ocean cliffs in Portmagee, County Kerry.

14. Paris - France

No list on romantic cities would be complete without the perennial favourite, Paris.

Every year the city attracts thousands drawn to its beauty and grandeur.

Related Entry: Veligandu Island, Maldives

Beijing, China (I)

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:19:00 +0000

Destination #9: Beijing, China (I) [Quick Facts]

Year of Visit: 2006 (Before Beijing Olympic Games 2008)

My family and I have not gone for a family holiday for a decade since our trip to Australia in 1996. As my grandparents were getting older and a travel fair in town, my mom proposed that we sign up for a trip to China and bring my grandparents along. They are first generation Malaysian Chinese but i reckoned they would love to have glimpse of their parents' motherland.

As for me, travelling makes me happy!

If I were to go back to my ancestors' roots of origin, i will make a trip to Fujian and Fuzhou Province. That can wait. I have to brush up on my Mandarin and Foo Chow dialect first.

Anyway, we signed up for a 10 days guided tour to Beijing, Tianjin and Chengde!

I didn't know what to expect from my paternal grandparents' country of origin. I only heard unpleasant and moving tales from my late great grandmother and other older relatives about life in this massive nation.

We arrived at the spanking new Terminal of Beijing International Airport. Beijing was a lot more developed than the China i had depicted from my late great grandmother's tales. Clearly, China has transformed over these years. Only if my great grandma could see it for herself.

The wide roads in Beijing were dominated by cars these days instead of bicycles although there were still a significant number of bicycles on the bicycle lane. Yes, now they have bicycle lanes for bicycles!

And there are so many cars in Beijing that they have to stack up their cars like this at the car park!

Our first destination was none other than the famous

Tiananmen Square (天安门广场/Tiān'ānmén Guǎngchǎng)

It was supposed to be the beginning of autumn when we were there but the northern Siberian wind blew into Beijing bringing the temperature down to around 10 degrees Celcius. I wasn't properly attired thus i had to endure the chilly wind. brrr.

The Tiananmen Square is the largest open urban square in the world.

It is also infamous as the site for the 1989 Tiananmen Square Protest.

Modern Beijing.

Everything here is massive, that includes the public buses.

A stone's throw away from the square is the Forbidden City

It is the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dinasty. Built in the 15 century, it is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This is the gate leading into the Forbidden City.

That's Chairman Mao on the portrait.

I find this officer of the People's Liberation Army quite amusing.

Only North Korea and China have such uniforms nowadays i think. Somehow their uniforms seem to suggest that they are from a communist country. I know it makes no sense. Ignore me.

Inside the massive Forbidden City.

I was impressed by the size of this palace! I'm a fan of ancient China's history and all its dynasties. I was ecstatic to be able to walk around the Chinese imperial palace.

We walked from one gate to another, and another. It's huge!

The mythical creatures on the eaves represent the social ranking of the building occupant in ancient China. Twenty-four emperors lived in and ruled China from the Forbidden City over nearly 500 years.

Parts of the Forbidden City were closed for the Olympic Games refurbishment during my time of visit. Nevertheless, there were plenty to see in the imperial palace. From the throne of the emperor to the Hall of the Supreme Harmony.

There are a few beautiful gardens in the Forbidden City as well.

What do you see? Use your imagination.

After a few hour's walk around the Forbidden City, we arrived at the last gate of the imperial palace. From this gate I saw this beautiful structure sitting on top of the hill. Not sure what it is though.

The modern city of Beijing.

You must visit the giant pandas if you are in China. They are like Kangaroos to Australia.

The giant panda and another endangered animal in some small zoo in the Beijing suburb.

Next, the Summer Palace (颐和园, Yíhé Yuán)

The summer palace dates back to the 16-17 century and served as a summer resort for members of the royalty.

A statue of a dragon at Summer Palace.

The natural landscape of the hill and the lake together with the palaces, bridges and temples give this place an outstanding aesthetic value as the UNESCO puts it when it was declared a World Heritage Site in 1998.

I have no doubts as to the truth of that statement.

I let you judge from the photos.

After the trip to Summer Palace, we headed back down town for a sumptuous Chinese cuisine and then back to our hotel. Hotels were mushrooming everywhere in Beijing when we were there, in anticipation of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Beijing traffic jam, just as bad as in Kuala Lumpur.

Our hotel.

Beijing is massive so I am going to have to put up several entries on Beijing alone.

Watch this space for more of Beijing, Tianjin and Chengde.

Penang, Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 03:36:00 +0000

Destination: Penang, Malaysia

Special Entry

Penang or Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
also known as the Prince of Wales Island and the 'Pearl of the Orient'.

Founder: Captain Francis Light, 1786
Capital: Georgetown - Named after King George III of Great Britain.

A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE since 26 July 2008

Penang, the inner city of Georgetown in particular is a cultural and religious melting pot with a unique colonial heritage which will transport you two centuries back. As you step out of the inner city you will see modern Penang with skyscrapers reaching the sky, nice beaches and hills. And not forgetting Penang's renowned street food! Penang has it all!

*Click on the links provided for more information.

Penang Tourism Information Centre

Before you start exploring Penang proper, head to the Penang State Museum at Farquhar Street to learn more about Penang and her history.

Opening hours :
9.00am to 5.00pm - Saturday to Thursday
Closed: Friday

Admission Fees: RM1.00 (Adult)

So far, I have brought two foreign visitors around Penang and played host to my friends from outstation and at the same time read alot of travel blogs written by foreign visitors to Penang.

Most foreign backpackers were clearly not very well-informed about Penang thus they found Penang to be boring and lack places of interest. They ended up sitting around their budget hotels in Chulia Street drinking beer and chatting with other backpackers.

As a proud Penangite, I would love to play my part in promoting Penang to the world.

Bried Facts

1. State with highest population density in Malaysia.
2. Only state in Malaysia where ethnic Chinese are the majority.
3. State with third largest economy in Malaysia after Selangor and Johor.
4. Home to multinational corporations such as Intel, Dell, AMD, Seagate and Motorola.
5. Cyber-city status and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
6. 9th most liveable city in Asia - ECA International Location Ranking Survey
7. Has the best street food in Asia - TIME Asia

When is the best time to visit?

Check the events calendar at the Penang Tourism website.

Annual events to look out for:
Penang International Dragon Boat Race
Penang International Floral Festival
Wesak Day Procession
Bon Odori Festival
St. Anne's Festival
Chingay Procession
Hungry Ghost Festival
Nine Emperor Gods Festival

Getting around.

Getting around Penang can be hard work, as buses (has since improved - check out RapidPenang [check the routes on the website]) tend to be infrequent and taxis uniformly refuse to use the meter. Always haggle with the taxi driver and agree on a price before jumping into a taxi. Avoid driving during the rush hours between 7.30 a.m. - 9.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. -7.30 p.m. Motorcyle riders can be undisciplined and tourists should be extra vigilant of them. One of the best ways to sightsee is to walk around Georgetown; but wear light clothes, start early in the morning, and put on plenty of sun-block during the daytime. When crossing the roads, remember to look both ways, even on a one-way street! (motorcycles/scooters/mopeds)

[source - wikitravel]

clockwise from top left: Penang trishaw, Penang ferry, Rapid Penang bus, Penang Hill tram.

The main hub for RapidPenang buses in Georgetown is at Komtar and the secondary hub is at the ferry terminal.

Express/long-distance bus terminal is located at Sungai Nibong, south of the island.

Accommodation - Try here & here

There are plenty of options ranging from budget ones along Chulia Street & Love Lane to highly exclusive hotels and resorts such as the Eastern & Oriental Hotel and Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa.

Places of interests:

clockwise from top left: Queen Victoria Clocktower, Fort Cornwallis, Church Street Pier, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion.

clockwise from top left: Penang city hall, Penang town hall, Penang legislative assembly, prewar shophouses.

photo taken from photojerk.com - Homestead Mansion along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah.

Georgetown Inner City which includes many heritage sites and historical buildings such as:
(click on the links!)

Dr. Sun Yat Sen's Penang Base
The 1886 Building
ABN-UMRO Bank (Royal Bank of Scotland at present)
Ban Hin Lee Bank building
Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
Church Street Pier
City Hall Buildings
Eastern & Oriental Hotel
Fort Cornwallis
Francis Light's Tomb
The Garage,
Ghee Hiang biscuits
House of Yap Chor Ee (The Sire Museum Restaurant)
Hu Yew Seah
India House
Jewish Cemetery
King Edward VII Memorial Hospital Building
Limburg (KFC Larut Road)
Logan Memorial
Loke Mansion
Malayan Railway Building
Penang Supreme Court
Queen Victoria Clocktower
Standard Chartered Bank Building
State Assembly Building
Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Centre
Penang Town Hall
Woodville Mansion
Penang HSBC Building
Homestead
Clan Jetties & Chew Jetty Weld Quay
Pinang Peranakan Mansion
KOMTAR Tower

Places of Worships

Clockwise from top left: Khoo Kongsi Clan House, Kapitan Keling Mosque, Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, Church of Assumption.

Clockwise from top left: Kek Lok Si Temple, St. George's Anglican Church, Hindu Temple, Floating Mosque.

Clan House/Clan Temples

Chinese Temples

Hindu Temples

Sri Mahamariamman Temple
Sri Aruloli Thirumurugan Temple, Penang Hill

Churches

Church of the Assumption
Wesley Methodist Church
St. George's Anglican Church
St. Anne Church, Bukit Mertajam (mainland)

Mosques

Thai Buddhist Temple

Inner city tour - Try the three-wheeled trishaw for a pleasant experience of an inner city tour. Some of the trishaw peddlers are pretty knowledgeable when you ask them about Georgetown and its history. Take the Penang ferry as well from the island to the mainland and back for the unique experience. It is the oldest ferry service in Malaysia.

Colonial era schools

Penang Free School, est. 1816 - The first English-medium secondary school in South East Asia.

Gurney Drive promenade at night.

Gurney Drive

Penang's centre for entertainment, food and shopping where locals and tourists alike throng the promenade after the sunset to eat their favourite Penang hawker food, stock up on pirated DVDs, young couples dating along the promenade, kids running around, shoppers walk in and out of Penang's premier shopping mall, Gurney Plaza, youngsters sipping Cappuccino in trendy cafés or teh tarik in nearby mamak stalls, some getting ready to party in nearby clubs and lounge, ambitious young men gazing at the expensive condominiums along Gurney Drive, luxury cars and sports cars zooming into hotel lobbies....this is the centre of Penang!

Beaches

Batu Ferringhi (North Coast)

There are also many hotels and resorts such as the Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Golden Sands Resort and the upcoming Hard Rock Hotel are located.

If you fancy water sports activities make sure you make a trip up to Batu Ferringhi!

There are plenty of restaurants in this area and a night market selling souvenirs and all sorts of paraphernalia.

Nature Sites

Only if you have time to spare:

Chinatown - Roughly bordered by King Street, Stewart Street, Muntri Street, and Campbell Street.

Little India - Market Street, King Street, Queen Street and Penang Street - all now form the heart of Little India.

FOOD PARADISE

We Penangites have a passion for eating and Penang's food is known all over the world.

It has been featured in many international magazines and TV channels such as the Discovery Travel & Living. Don't travel all the way to Penang for a BigMac or KFC for goodness' sake. Venture out and explore Penang's exotic and spectacular food, just follow the local crowd!

Penang's Famous Hawker Food
[Click on the link to discover some of them]

Penang Peranakan Cuisine

BBQ Steamboat
Golden BBQ Steamboat, Nagore Place
Jolly BBQ Steamboat, 8-Row

Check out the following blogs with extensive reviews of Penang food.
Shiok or Not
Lingzie
PenangTuaPui

My very own Penang food directory
-not the most updated one because i've been away for quite a while

Night Life
- definitely not as good as KL's but it's definitely picking up!

Upper Penang Road & Leith Street
Gurney Drive belt (includes G-Hotel, Gurney Plaza & Gurney Hotel)
Batu Ferringhi
Belissa Row
New World Park

E-Gate
QE II

Shopping

Queensbay Mall
Gurney Plaza I & II
AEON Seberang Perai
Prangin Mall
Island Plaza
Sunway Carnival Mall
One Stop Midlands Mall
Bukit Jambul Complex
Penang Times Square - opening soon

....[for more check out this website]

I hope all the above information will be helpful.

Please utilise the links given

CREDITS: Links mainly from http://penang-traveltips.com

Photos: Kazuo Lim @ PBase Galleries, Jiann Fa, TYW & Victor of skyscrapercity.com

Gong Xi Fa Chai

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 15:31:00 +0000

Happy Chinese New Year to all my Chinese readers!

Gong Xi Fa Chai!

For those of you travelling back to your hometown, have a safe journey back and i wish you will have a wonderful time with your family and loved ones.

I will be right back next weekend!

Monaco

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Destination #8: Monaco

Year of Visit: 2008

Monaco or some call it the tax haven and playground for the rich is a sovereign city-state located south of France on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Monaco is also the world's most densely populated country and it is a constitutional monarchy, with Prince Albert II from the Grimaldi family ruling since 1297.

It was a summer trip cum high school reunion for the three of us.

Monaco is only 20 minutes by train from Nice, France which was our first destination.

Buying train tickets from the ticket dispensing machines was quite challenging because all the instructions were in French! No attendants from the train station were in sight to help us like in Italy. However, some common sense should do i guess. Somehow we managed to get the correct tickets to Monte Carlo, Monaco :D

My first impression of Monaco - luxury, up-market, high-end

They have those automatic walking belts in air-conditioned tunnels to connect you to certain parts of Monaco instead of walking on the sidewalks. The moment I stepped out into street level, I was greeted by the exotic cars that grace the streets of Monaco.

Some narrow street in Monaco.

Pretty eh? Some of the buildings are similar to France's.

A miniature tourist train called the 'Azur Express' brings tourists around Monaco.

I still prefer exploring Monaco by foot.

The author, with a nice panoramic view of Monaco's skyline and Port of Hercules, La Condamine. All the residential buildings looked like they cost millions and normally you can see a swimming pool or a helipad on top.

Port Hercules, where most of the privately-owned expensive boats are docked.

We're talking about millionaires and billionaires here!

Insanely luxurious boats!

A house near a small park in Avenue Saint-Martin after you walk pass the Monaco Cathedral.

Lovely.

An ideal location for love birds :D

Avenue Saint-Martin coast.

If you walk along the trail of Avenue Saint-Martin, you will arrive here.

From here you can see albatross gliding in the air and helicopters flying in and out of Monaco.

The Prince's Palace of Monaco.

This is the official residence of the Prince of Monaco.

There are guided tours of the palace each day.

Along your walk (If you walk) you should come across this giant photo frame with Port Hercules as the backdrop. Monaco's Mediterranean climate was so lovely it felt like i was in a tropical country.

Or you can do some crazy stunt from the edge of the hill, at your own risk!

We went down to Port Hercules to check out some of the luxury boats owned by the super rich!

Ahhhh, wish she was mine. I just need to change her name and retain Georgetown. Haha!

You should really check out these mega luxury boats, some as huge as a cruise ship!

You will also get to see the Formula One race track from various angles!

Remember that tunnel from Monaco Grand Prix? There it is!

One of Monaco's exclusive hotels' entrance.

Name me the expensive cars you see. Quick!

The famed Monte-Carlo Grand Casino!

With a passport in hand, entry fees from €30 onwards and dressed in coats and tie you will get to gamble alongside the rich and famous. We gave it a miss because of the exorbitant fees and the inconvenience of having to pack an extra set of formal wear but we managed to walk into the foyer which has spectacular designs, paintings, stained glass and sculptures :D

Monaco is a heaven for car enthusiasts like me.

There are plenty of Ferrari F50s in Monaco that you can sometimes see two F50s one after another.

Among other exotic cars spotted during the day trip were:

Ferrari 550
Ferrari 612
Ferrari 360
Lamborghini Murcielago
Lamborghini Gallardo
Aston Martin DB9
Bentley Flying Spur
Bentley Continental
Maserati Quattroporte
Rolls-Royce Phantom
Porsche Cayenne
Porsche 997
Mercedes SLR

Hotel de Paris, an exclusive hotel next to the Monte Carlo Grand Casino.

You might want to gawk at all the expensive and exotic cars parked outside. If you are lucky, you might be able to see some millionaire, billionaire or famous guests walking in and out of the hotel. When we were there some French celebrities stayed there and we actually saw them walking out with photographers clicking away in their cameras.

Guest arriving in a Rolls Royce Phantom.

Monaco is a small city-state and it didn't more than a day to explore this city.

However, if you want to indulge in the lifestyle of the rich and famous one day is too short!

p/s: Make sure you know when is the last train back to Nice if you're doing a day trip. Also check whether there are any rail strikes! Rail strikes are common in France!

Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Premiere

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:36:00 +0000

Destination: Prague, Czech Republic

Year of Visit: 2008

Special Edition.

I travelled to Central Europe in the summer of 2008, not knowing what to expect from this former Soviet state with history dating back to her glorious days in the Kingdom of Bohemia.

Upon arrival, we checked into our hotel, washed up and out we went to explore Prague, the capital city of Czech Republic. Our hotel was strategically located in the heart of Prague, just a stone's throw away from Wenceslas Square which is also within the New Town (Nové město).

As we were walking down along the shopping district of Prague, we saw a swelling crowd next to a building which looked like a cinema. So many cameramen had gathered behind the barricades.

We had no idea what and who were they anticipating as everyone spoke Czech.

Not until one of us noticed movie posters which looked like the one above (but in Czech), displayed everywhere near the tent.

'OMG, this must be the Czech Republic leg of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Premiere!'

Source: http://blog.beliefnet.com

We had expected to see the cast of Narnia arriving in a similar fashion, like in the picture above.

And so we waited patiently in the front row, right behind the barricades.

After 15 minutes or so, the cast of Narnia arrived one after the other drawing high pitch screams from Czech teenage girls and other female fans who were present. All of them went hysterical especially when it comes to this guy - Prince Caspian himself! (Ben Barnes)

We were this close to him! Haha!

He only signed some autographs and entertained those who were standing near the car that dropped him off and he was quickly ushered in because the female crowd had threatened to push over the barricades to propose to him, kiss him, touch him? He was that popular!

Then comes the Pevensie sister. Susan Pevensie (Anna Popplewell).

She was very friendly with the crowd and even had a few words with us briefly.

She asked us where we came from and stuff.

We managed to take some photos with her, though they weren't the best shots.

Then there's Peter Pevensie (William Moseley).

He was very down-to-earth and friendly as well.

We've got some photos with him also.

And Lucy Pevensie (Georgie Henley).

I'm sure you remember this young adorable Pevensie.

At one point, she even spoke to the crowd about the dress and shoe she was wearing.

And she posed for our camera!

We love you Lucy or Georgie, whichever you prefer! Haha!

Our close encounter with the cast of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.

Star-struck of course, all of us!

We don't always run into things like that when on a holiday do we?

That was just the beginning of our fascinating 10 days trip to Prague, Czech Republic.

Vatican City

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 10:39:00 +0000

Destination #7: Vatican City

Year of Visit: 2007

Vatican City is a sovereign city state located within the city of Rome, Italy.

It is also the smallest state in the world and home to the Papal seat.

I was there over the winter of 2007.

Located on the west of the Tiber river, it wasn't all that difficult to get there.

We traveled around Rome in the reliable public bus system so likewise we took a bus from Rome's Termini railway station to get to Vatican City. The Termini railway station is also the main terminal for buses and there is a tourist information centre at the bus hub with signs indicating which number to take to get to the various tourist spots.

How do you know where to get down?

Always have a map in hand, look out for road names or make sure you can recognise some important landmarks just in case none of them on the bus can speak English.

Tech savvy nun with one hand on the wheel and another holding on to her mobile phone.

This is the St. Peter's Square with dozens of taxis.

We only allocated one full day for Vatican City so we had to choose between the St. Peter's Basilica or the Vatican Museum. There was a long queue to enter St. Peter's Basilica and we wouldn't know how long it will take us to enter the so called 'greatest of all churches of Christendom' so we opted for the Vatican Museum which also has a reputation as one of the greatest museums in the world.

That Pope will normally appear from the balcony in the middle to address the people on Christmas day. There were preparations for the occasion when we were there but unfortunately our trip to Italy didn't coincide with Christmas day. Instead, we had such a bad Christmas in London which we will not forget. haha!

source: Wikipedia - The interior of the St. Peter's Basilica.

You must visit the St. Peter's Basilica if you have time!

The Swiss Guards whose history dates back to the 15th century.

They are well known for they loyalty and courage. They are responsible for the safety of the pope and the security of the various entrance and access to the Vatican City.

There are several criteria to fulfill to become a Swiss guard.

Catholic.
Single male.
Swiss citizen.
Completed basic training with Swiss military.
Between 19 and 30 years of age.
At least 174 cm tall.

Take a 10 minutes walk from St. Peter's Square and you will come to the entrance of the Vatican Museum or Musei Vaticani which houses century old collections. Mind you, on the last Sunday of each month, the Vatican Museum is open to the public for free. Avoid the last Sunday of each month unless you are prepared to wait in the queue for hours.

According to the museum, as of 2007, they were visited by 4,310,083 people.

My friends and I included.

The ~~entrance~~ exit.

The entrance looked a little more chaotic.

The Vatican Museum is definitely one of the best museums i have ever visited. It is huge and it will take you hours to explore and to appreciate the collections and various art works. A visit to the Vatican Museum includes the famous Sistine Chapel.

Collections from Egypt?

Among the architecture marvels in the museum.

Some historic carving.

The Gallery of Maps. It's not the 16th century map paintings on the walls which caught my attention but the paintings on the ceiling! haha!

So beautiful isn't it?

Looks like somebody from the Roman Empire era to me, but without pants?!

Some of the sculptures had their penis stolen or maybe dropped off over the years.

Another painting, i see Jesus, The Trinity, Virgin Mary and the Pope.

I can't remember if this painting was taken in the Sistine Chapel.

The staircase of the Vatican Museum. Even the staircase is itself an art!

The Courtyard.

Some of the Pope mobiles or transporters used by the Pope.

More information of the Vatican Museum here.

If you're a student, you will get a discount for your ticket.

Last but not least, a Christmas themed Coca-Cola can for Coca-Cola can and bottle collectors!

Bala, North Wales

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Destination #6: Bala, North Wales, United Kingdom.

Year of visit: 2008

Bala is a scenic town of about 2000 people located within the boundaries of the Snowdonia National Park in North Wales. The Bala lake is the largest natural lake in Wales and it was frozen solid in severe winters of 1947 and 1963. The Bala lake is also home to a rare fish with origins dating back to the Ice Age, 10,000 years ago.

Bala is 1 and a half hours from Manchester and about an hour's drive from Mid Wales.

It's best to rent a car with GPS and drive through the coast of Wales to get to Bala.

I was there for a Christian Union camp and we chartered a coach to bring us there.

Wales is blessed with many natural wonders and would easily place itself among the most beautiful places on earth. No exaggeration. Google for images of Wales and you'll see it. Our journey up north was a slow but pleasant one through the various Welsh landscapes with lots of natural wonders to see.

Here's another one taken from the bus.

A typically British bungalow just a stone's throw away from the famous Bala lake.

It was also our accommodation for the weekend.

From the living room of the bungalow.

The backyard of the bungalow. So serene.

Winter was approaching when we were there so we had a campfire by the lake to warm ourselves and let off some fireworks into the pitch dark sky, partially lighting up the surface of the Bala lake.

The 'High Street' (British equivalent of Main Street) of Bala where most of the shops are located.

The medieval English Chapel along the 'High Street'.

The garden lawn in front of the bungalow.

Morning dew on grasses under the sunlight.

Autumn leaves at Bala.

English meal #1 - Baked potatoes with cheese, tuna and some beans.

English meal #2 - Braised turkey meat with apple sause.

The scenic hill near the lake.

The Bala lake - the largest natural lake in Wales.

The highest mountain in Wales, Snowdonia (1085 metres) can be seen on a clear day.

The picturesque lake - it was so surreal to me when i first saw it.

The Bala Lake of Snowdonia National Park from a distance.

Wales is a must go destination if you're really into natural wonders.

I have made a pledge to myself to return to Wales in the future, on a road trip!

Be Right Back

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 17:06:00 +0000

Destination: Penang, Malaysia

The author is back in his home sweet home and will be busy catching up with family, friends and food over the holiday season.

He will be right back after the holidays!

In the meantime, if you're coming over to Penang for holidays and you need a tip or two, please drop him a mail.

Happy New Year and happy holidays!

Drive safely.

Pulau Payar, Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:47:00 +0000

Destination #5: Pulau Payar, Malaysia

Year of Visit: 2007

Pulau Payar is one of the hidden snorkeling and diving gems of the west coast of Malaysia.

Situated in the northern part of the Straits of Malacca, Pulau Payar can be assessed from Pulau Langkawi, Penang and Kuala Kedah on the mainland.

Image courtesy of http://www.malaysiasite.nl/payar.htm

There are no accommodations on this island but if you wish to live the semi-castaway life of Robinson Crusoe you may request for a permission from the Fisheries Department in Alor Setar, Kedah to camp on the island. The marine life at the Pulau Payar Marine Park is very much alive and kicking but be please be reminded that fishing is strictly prohibited.

Most tourists make a day trip to the Pulau Payar Marine Park from Pulau Langkawi, Kuala Kedah (approximately 30 minutes ferry ride) and Penang (approx. 1 hour).

I, for instance, took a day trip from Swettenham Pier, Penang.

This is how the Pulau Payar Marine Park looks like. The ferry will first drop you off on a large Langkawi Coral floating platform. That's where you leave your belongings behind, put on your snorkeling or diving attires, apply your lotion, listen to instructions, get your shower and off you jump into the water.

The turqoise water and corals beneath.

When we were there we brought along with us loaves of bread to feed the fishes.

I'm not sure if it's still permitted though. Ask the operators when you make your reservation.

Feeding the marine fishes was really exciting and plenty of good fun. Hundreds of them will swim to you so quickly as if they have not eaten for years and it's also the best time to prank your friend by throwing bread at him. The fishes will nibble him all over thinking that he's a giant piece of bread.

For those who don't dive, you can marvel at the spectacular sights below the surface from the observation chamber at the floating platform.

A barracuda and a diver close by.

You can also dive near the observation chamber to have your photo taken - like this!

The Langkawi Coral floating platform.

Just before the buffet lunch, you will be transported to the beach in a glass bottom boat for a walk on the sandy beach and also to witness a shark feeding session.

Shark feeding session.

The black-tip baby shark, similar to the one in Maldives!

You don't have to go to Maldives to see it, haha!

Remember to bring your camera with you when you're transported from the floating platform to the island! You won't wanna miss out on the shark feeding photos!!

The school of fishes and baby sharks was a very pretty sight.

The giant floating platform and the corals of Pulau Payar Marine Park.

A group photo taken from the observation chamber on the floating platform.

For more information of the Pulau Payar Marine Park, log on to:

Nice, France

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 08:54:00 +0000

Destination #4: Nice, France

Year of visit: 2008
Nice [nis] is a city in Southern France located on the picturesque Mediterranean coast. It is also a leading tourist centre and resort on the French Riviera (Côte d'Azur) alongside Cannes and Antibes with an enjoyable mild Mediterranean climate.

I flew into Nice from London in my favourite low-frills airline, Easyjet. Upon arrival, we could feel the immediate change in climate from London's so-called summer where the temperature hovers around 12 ^oC compared to Nice's 20 ^oC. Now this is summer!

From Nice's Côte d'Azur Airport, you can catch a public bus to the city centre - the most affordable and convenient option!

This was my first trip with an absolutely minimal planing. We didn't make prior reservation at any hostel, hotel or apartment despite it being summer! It was so spontaneous. The only thing i had in hand was a £2 mini-map from the post office.

No worries, Nice has an excellent tourist information centre not far from the Le Meridian hotel and McDonald's. You can get as many brochures about Nice from there and also get your accommodations settled over the counter if you're looking for a mid-range or high-end accommodation.

If you're looking for a budget accommodation, i suggest you make an earlier reservation or spend at least half an hour looking for one around town. Well, we split up, walked under the scorching sun around the high-streets and found one! Also a very good excuse for some Gelati.

Nice high street

I love the French architecture most in Europe.

All the old buildings look so classy after refurbishment.

That playful pussycat at our apartment's balcony. She's really cute! She knocks on our door whenever we're back at our apartment.

A square (Place in French) a stone's throw away from our apartment, with many 'grand' hotels lined up next to it namely the Grand Hotel Aston.

The coolest looking tram and tramway tracks i have seen in Europe!!!!

Take a walk along the narrow alleys and stairways for an insight of life in Nice's old town (Vieux Nice) - picturesque and colourful houses, boutiques and sidewalk cafés.

To us, the most impressive discovery of all in this old town is the food.

The beach is a walking distance from the old town. It has the feeling of Miami in United States with a whole lot of activity going on there - cycling, dog walking, jogging, skate-boarding, roller-blading, mini-trains, sun bathing, para-sailing, boat rides etc. except for the beach which is not sandy but covered with flat-stones.

If you're looking for nice sandy beaches, head on to Villefranche-sur-Mer, Antibes or Cannes.

Villefranche-sur-Mer isn't very far from Nice by bus.

Other than the old town, Place Masséna and its vicinity has many restaurants, boutiques and cafés. Be careful not to stray into the tramway though shopping in this district might cause an adrenaline rush.

Don't you agree that France sets the benchmark for high-street shopping, restaurants and cafés?

The mysterious author with Notre-Dame de Nice as the backdrop.

The 17th century Nice Cathedral or Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate de Nice in the heart of the old town. It is also the seat of the Bishop of Nice.

Now comes the MUST GO location in Nice - Colline du Chateau

The Colline du Chateau overlooking the Baie des Anges and harbour offers a spectacular panoramic view of the city. There are other things to see at the Chateau amongst them some castle ruins and a Jewish cemetery.

View from the Colline du Chateau.

And make sure you dine in one of those sidewalk restaurants if you have not sampled authentic French cuisine. There are so many restaurants around the old town for you to choose from depending on your budget.

Old town at night.

Finger-food and spices.

Please try the fried anchovies with lime! It was so addictive.

Our €25 three course dinner with complimentary champagne.

For ice-cream/gelato lovers, Fennochio's gelati are mandatory! IMHO, the gelati in Nice are better than those i have tried in Italy and Fennochio has way more variety of flavours.

Fennochio is located right infront of the Nice Cathedral or Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate de Nice.

Last but not least, the five wackos who conquered Nice.

Tourist Submarine, Maldives

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 08:24:00 +0000

How often do we get to sit in a submarine let alone see one?

Here's a chance for a dive in one of the world's only tourists submarines if you visit the Maldives.

According to the Whale Submarine Maldives' website : On board the submarine you will descend to a submerged reef 40 meters beneath the surface. However the first stop is at 25 meters where you will see a colorful display of corals and different types of reef fish. In most of the dives the submarine is greeted by a school of blue or yellow-stripped Snappers. Common Lionfish, Yellow Box Fish and turtles are usually found here. Next stop at 40 meters is yet another type of coral garden and depending on current the submarine will be beached on a sandy spot just close to a big cave. The exterior lights of the submarine will enable you to see the different types of fish taking shelter inside the cave. Occasionally White Tip Reef Sharks and Napoleons are sighted here. If you are lucky you may be able to see one of the biggest Groupers in the Maldives here on this location.

The submarine ride costs U$ 75 for 45 minutes underwater.

I have never been on a submarine so i thought why not, for the experience.

The submarine ride is highly recommended for families with young children and those who are not keen on snorkeling or diving. The website says it's disabled-friendly as well. From my observation, most passengers on the submarine are well-dressed Asians who didn't look like they want to get wet snorkeling or diving.

Inside the submarine.

If your intention of boarding the submarine is to look at the marine lives underwater, i suggest that you snorkel or dive if you are able to. It's Maldives afterall, 99% of Maldives is water! The marine lives we have seen from the glass windows of our submarine were disappointing. It felt exactly like plunging into a giant aquarium with many dead corals and typical marine fishes you always see. Not a pretty sight at all compared to what i have seen snorkeling in the tropical waters of Malaysia and other parts of Maldives. This is what happens when tourism becomes too commercialised - the ecosystem suffers.

The sad looking fish.

The angry looking fish. 'why are you humans trespassing into my territory!!!'

Some fishes inside the underwater cave.

Lionfish and others.

Another type of marine fish. Nothing special.

Oh, the only other good thing about the submarine ride is that you get to photograph and record videos of the marine lives underwater from the submarine IF you don't have a water/underwater proof camera or an underwater protector with you.

Well, for the once-in-a-life-time feel of being on a submarine i shouldn't be complaining so much.

Check out the Whale Submarine Maldives webpage for more information.

Veligandu Island, Maldives

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 03:14:00 +0000

Destination #3: Veligandu Island, Maldives

Year of Visit: 2006
Now this is what Maldives is all about. Seat back, kick those shoes away and enjoy!

The second Maldivian resort of our trip is the Veligandu Island Resort in North Ari atoll.

How to get there?

A 15 minutes ride on the sea plane or the Maldivian water taxi from Hulhule International Airport. That was my first time on a sea plane. I have not even seen a sea plane before.

This is what i have been waiting for. A scenic ride on the sea plane would have cost about U$ 90 for 30 minutes if you are interested. I must thank my host for arranging this 15 minutes scenic sea plane ride to Veligandu Island inclusive of a 2 nights stay at the exclusive resort.

Aerial view of the capital, Malé and Vilingili island.

It was rather noisy and stuffy inside the plane but it was totally worth it!

Look at the beautiful turquoise blue lagoons, reefs and beautiful islands!

They were truly breathtaking beyond imagination. They looked just exactly like what you have seen in travel magazines and one of those photos of Maldives circulated in the email but you just gotta witness this yourself at least once in your lifetime.

So beautiful beyond description. Unbelievable.

The 40 odd seconds video of the aerial view from the seaplane ride.

The 15 minutes ride ended here and now we have landed on this makeshift platform off the resort to catch another boat to the resort.

Welcome to the stunningly beautiful paradise where marine fishes can be seen from above the surface and the sand is white!

The hotel staffs were expecting our arrival at the resort and we were immediately led by the resort manager to the resort guest lounge for the welcoming cocktail and the wet towel. I think it is a common practice that new guests are served cocktails and given a wet towel.

We settled down a little to enjoy some sandwiches and drinks, especially the Fanta orange which was very different from what we have in Malaysia. The buffet dinner with a wide variety of food is worth mentioning too! Everything there is quoted in U$D, from food to scuba diving charges so you can forget about the Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR) when at any of the resorts.

This is a testimony of the crystal clear waters at Veligandu Island - What do you see?

A baby shark chasing a school of fish!

These are the water villas ideal for honeymooners, with a great deal of privacy, facing the vast ocean and also - a romantic site to watch the sun set and to gaze at the gazillion stars that decorate the skies at night. The room rate starts from U$ 290 for a single room.

For those of you with the PADI certificate of scuba instruction this is paradise.

There are night divings as well and boats depart late at night for the night diving. For those of you without a scuba diving license don't despair. You can still go for snorkeling and still see many fishes and marine lives. However, you have to know the designated areas for snorkeling around your resort. There are certain areas which are not suitable for snorkeling and can be dangerous eg. rocks, sting rays etc so please be very careful.

We signed up for the catamaran sailboat adventure as well. It was one helluva experience, almost slipped off into the sea when the catamaran sailed at its maximum speed with sea water constantly hitting right into my face but wow it was awesome!

Life's a beach, surf it up! Haha!

Enough of water activities? Go baby shark sighting! Plenty of them near the beach.

Indoor activities like foosball and pool if you fancy?

Or sit/lie back and relax on the white sunny beach complete with a session at the spa.

Life doesn't get any better than this.

Veligandu Island Resort.

Signing off here. Maldives, the sunny side of my life.

Summer Island, Maldives

noreply@blogger.com (jlshyang) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:59:00 +0000

Destination #2 - Summer Island Resort, North Male Atoll, Maldives

Year of Visit: 2006
After we have recovered from all the traveling from Malaysia to Maldives and completion of island hoping tours between Maldives and the other residential islands we now set out to the first ever Maldivian resort of our trip!

The blue sky and white sandy beach at Vilingili Island before our departure to Summer Island Resort. An American expatriate family was having a good time at the beach.

We depart from the pier in Malé early in the morning for Summer Island which took us about 2 hours in the choppy waters due to a storm. We were in Maldives during the monsoon season so occasional thunderstorms were inevitable.

Downtown Malé where all the commercial and government buildings are located.

When we first set out from Malé, the weather was absolutely fine, with some sunshine.

As we traveled our further into the sea, the boat swerved so hard to the right and to the left like it was doing a drift at sea. Then came the rain and thunder AND THE FLOOD! Yes! The heavy rain poured into the partially covered upper deck like a flowing stream and everyone had to rush down to the lower deck for shelter.

Approaching the paradise as the blue lagoon becomes more visible.

The 2 hours journey felt like forever in the stormy seas.

I thought i was going to die in the heaven on earth.

Crabs moving about Summer Island. They are a common sight in the islands of Maldives just like stray dogs and cats in Malaysia and nobody eats them. The Maldivians don't eat crabs.

The strong winds and the turquoise blue lagoon at Summer Island blew me away!

The reception and guest lounge at Summer Island Resort was filled with white sand. They serve us cocktails and gave us wet towels to clean up upon arrival at the resort.

We spent 2 nights at this 3-star resort, courtesy of my host.

A night's stay at this 3-star resort can cost up to U$ 200.

We spent most of our time eating, chatting, playing ping-pong, foosball and relaxing at this resort because the weather was so bad in that few days that we could not venture out to the sea as often as we want to. We did attempt snorkeling but we almost got swept away by the strong currents.

I should have gone for the traditional massage in that symbolic wooden hut!

Can somebody explain to me what my traveling partner, Yeo was doing?

Later it rained so heavily and the wind was so strong that it gave us a very painful 'massage' at our backs. I have never experienced that sort of hard hitting rain ever in our very own tropical country.

The crystal clear water at Summer Island where you can easily spot a fish or stingray underneath.

This bird is called the 'maakanaa' in the native Dhivehi language. I think it was looking out for fishes. Btw, be warned that your slippers might go missing if you leave it on the beach. Well, i lost mine in just 15 minutes. I don't know if the hotel staff stole it, the wave took it or the bird ate it.

See the white line further out in the sea? That's when the waves hit the reef resulting in a thunderous noise as if a tsunami was approaching. It scared the s*** out of me!

All in all, a pretty relaxing resort dominated by German tourists who weren't very friendly except for this German-speaking Sri Lankan guy who came up to us to tell us how much he admires Dr. Mahathir after he found out we are Malaysians.

Man, our former PM is famous! Even the Kebab guys in Rome and Wales spoke about him!

Stay tuned for review of the next Maldivian resort!