Thursday, December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas

Would like to wish Merry Christmas to all my friends especially for those who celebrate it. Hope all of you will have a great day besides wonderful holidays since it is a long holiday.
There are some Christmas view and decoration that I snap, would like to share with you. Enjoy it my dear friends.

Sunway Piramid shopping mall decoration

Sunway Piramid shopping mall decoration


Pavillion shopping mall decoration







Discovery Mall Bali shopping decoration








Sunday, December 21, 2008

Three things that keep Malacca alive and kicking


















Last week I have been to Malacca the historical City, as I have been invited to teach the MLVK (Majlis Latihan Vokasional Kebangsaan) student at Kolej Unikop Malacca branch Bukit Cheng, 10 minutes from Bandar Hilir. I have been there for 6 days 5 nights and I spend my time effectively. A week runaway from office, I find it worth being at Malacca. I am not alone there as I have my other two colleagues (Liza and Fazana) that coming together from KL. In my opinion things that keep Malacca alive are.
  1. Historical Place

There are many museums in Malacca, just a walk away around Bandar Hillir it was nice do an evening walk from Stadthuys Square to Fort A Famosa and climb up the hill then when to modern shopping mall Dataran Pahlawan. Walking at the old shop road also will not disappoint you. As you will feel like being on the other place with the narrow road and old building architecture. I do suggest you walking at night as the environment is beautiful will red lighting effect. Besides there is Jonker Street where they sell many kind of merchandise that 50% different from Up Town Kuala Lumpur but the merchandise have similarity with what I saw when I was in Bali. “Look like we have loose our identity as most of the merchandise sell is import either from China or Indonesia” The pure one is just Kebaya Nonya and it is sold at RM200 without bargain. Dumb expensive. 2. Food
Malacca is famous with it Asam Pedas, so make sure when you are here try it. You can choose any fish for this Asam Pedas and I try “ikan pari”. We having it at Kota Laksamana it just a walk away from Bandar Hilir and near to Eye On Malaysia. Then I would like to suggest you go to Umbai to eat “Ikan Bakar” barbecue fish with air asam. Wow, the taste is marvelous. There may be no sign to Umbai from Bandar Hilir, just follow the Muar sign and it will lead you to Umbai. It takes about 20 minutes from Bandar Hilir to Umbai. There is a new place for Ikan Bakar lover The Floating Restaurant where there are several ikan bakar stall inside it, I would like to suggest you to go on day time around 5pm as it is anupper view point where you can enjoy the swamp and fishing village view. This place is just near the place I having my ikan bakar. Then don’t forget to drink a cendol(sweet drink with ais) in front of Jam Besar. The view will not disappointing you besides you will have an opportunity to view the entire tourist that come. Most of the tourist is Singaporean and few of western people.
3. Beach, I really fall in love with the beach, there are many beach at Melaka like Pantai Klebang (Under construction as they are building a highway to get faster access to beach area), Pantai Puteri, Pengkalan Balak. I do enjoy the evening walk at the beach to burn up my fat besides hear the wave sounds and endless view of ocean (Straits Of Malacca Ocean). It is really peace and calm. When I was walking along the beach I do saw an aged Malay couple that walk at the beach (really surprise), that is a good therapy to make the relationship stronger. You must practice it with your partner, change the habit of window shopping at Shopping Mall instead goes to the beach. It will be more romantic, belief it. Come and visit Malacca, the government is putting an effort to attract more tourist to come to Malacca as there are new attraction like Menara Taming Sari, River boat cruise and Eye on Malaysia at Malacca. However more effort must be make to attract more tourists to visit Malacca by make a bus trip from KL Sentral to Malacca so it will be an easy access. (Just my opinion). For local it is a good place to spend your weekend.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

10 things that make Bali your preferred place for holiday.


1.The currency exchange. Our currency Ringgit Malaysia (RM) is more higher and strong compare to Rupiah that RM1= 3O2Rp which is 3 time high.
2. Low ticket price from Air Asia. I only pay RM300+++ for my two way ticket. There are many airlines now which fly to Bali. Choice is yours.




3.Language similarity. The local people can speak Bahasa fluently even English and some foreign language. It will be easy to communicate and understand. You can bargain the price for goods that you buy.
4.The people are friendly and helpful. That is true as a faith Hindu follower there practice a good value in life. 80% of Bali population is Hindu. It hard to differentiate Muslim and Hindu, that why some Malaysian take this advantage


5.Convenient city. We stay at Ayu Beach INN, Poppies Lane 1, Kuta-Bali. This is the central city where it not dies at night, a walk away to Kuta Beach within 10 minutes. Also near to Legian Road (Clubbing Area) and Seminyak (Many shop lot that offer souvenir).
            6.Culture and heritage. Bali is full of Heritage and Culture we can see from the performance of Kecak dance and Barongan (Epic Ramayana) besides the building’s design and the pura (temple). We have been too many temple but a must visit temple is Uluwatu and Tanah Lot
          7.Fabulous panorama. The sea view and high hill view. I fall in love with Bali view especially at the Blue Point or Tanjung Benoa. The sea is deep and blue, the wind blow is hard besides the sound that it makes when it hit the rock. There is no endless when we see the Hindi Ocean.




            8.Shopping for art craft and world brand. There is modern shopping complex here like Centrol and traditional market. The choice is yours, large retail like Carrefour also exits but I would like to recommend you to go to retail shop at Denpasar, “Erlangga”. I do find the price of souvenir is cheap compare to the road site stall.




          9.Water Sport and entertainment. Besides heritage and culture you can do many things in Bali. It offer all kind of water sport just name it at Benoa like surfng, jet ski, scuba, snorkling or just have a boat ride. Entertainment spot is at Legian road and capital city Denpasar.

          10.Inspiration of life, holiday to Bali leaves good memory for me. Within 5 days 4 nights stay at Bali I learn about other culture, heritage, people point of view, standard of living in Indonesia, tourist style, friendship, adapt to foreign place by being flexible. Bali is perfect place for couple as you will spend most of your time together besides understand your partner, it is really romantic place and leave an unforgettable memory.

          It was a lovely holiday, thanks to my friend Mr.Adam as he seem to be a good planner for my vacation at Bali and make me feel at home and safe. "i'm home sick"