It’s a Local Motion – Kluang Rail Coffee Station
Mar/100
‘Tap, tap, tap…’.
Several gentle taps on the half-boiled egg with a spoon, and the warm egg cracked open landing with a splash into a small, orange plastic dish. Adding just a dash of white pepper and soy sauce, it was ready to be eaten.
Accompanying it, I had ordered two slices of kaya toast and bubbly teh tarik. Sinking my teeth greedily into the soft toast, I could taste the thick slice of butter melting away in the mouth.
Tastes excellent!
Even the loud chatter of patrons at the small, unique canteen at the Kluang Rail Coffee Shop (Railway Canteen Kluang as it also known) couldn’t distract me from appreciating this meal.
Thaipusam – A divine Hindu celebration
Feb/100
Ancient mythology has it that, in the month of Thai in the Hindu calendar (January 15 – February 15) at an astronomically significant point of time, namely Pusam, Lord Murugan (also known as Lord Subramaniam) taught his father (Lord Shiva) the meaning of the word Aum.
Aum is a highly potent terminology in Hinduism that signifies the primeval sound of creation. The significance here is based on the moment when a son turned teacher to his father.
A new day, a new year!
Jan/105
Hello everyone,
Happy New Year!
New resolutions? New places to travel? Any interesting places to visit?
Share the adventure with us as we explore more of Malaysia this year.
It is a wonderful year, with more and more people coming to visit the country and explore the many events celebrated throughout Malaysia.
In January, there will be the Royal Langkawi International Regatta (from 8 January to 15 January, 2010). The Royal Langkawi International Regatta has participants coming from various countries across the Asia Pacific region.
Another important event is Thaipusam, celebrated on 30 January. It is an annual annual Hindu festival where devotees perform various rituals and carry ‘kavadis’ or ornate frames as acts of devotion and penance.
The main venue is the world-renowned Batu Caves temple, set within a limestone cave. Do come early if you wish to partake or observe the events, as devotees usually gather here a few days before the big event itself.
The highlight of the month would be the 16th Malaysia Tourism Awards 2008/2009 to be held this Saturday, 9 January 2010. You can watch the live event from 8.00 pm to 11.00 pm (GMT +8 hours) at this link, on the Truly Asia web tv.
http://www.trulyasia.tv/tmtv/indexLIVEevent.aspx
Thank you for visiting and supporting us in 2009, and hope you’ll find more new things in 2010!
Have a great and X-citing year ahead!
Cheers,
Bloggers Tourism Malaysia.
At the edge of the earth
Dec/091
An overwhelming sense of peace came over me as I set foot on the black sandy beaches of Telok Assam. With waves lapping softly at my ankles, I stood rooted there, admiring God’s work. Huge sandstone cliffs rose up from the ground like a solemn cathedral, weather-beaten to reveal fluid lines on its flat iron and rock surface.
Heavy drops of water fell from the high cliff edge to carve pools of clear liquid in the ground on which clingy barnacles made their home. Years of wind and water erosion have hollowed out parts of these cliffs, leaving behind cool cavernous interiors.
Life Lessons in Rural Malaysia
Dec/094
As city dwellers, we are used to demanding for things to be done “yesterday.” We are so used to listening to the scripted customer service dialogue at fast-food counters that we’ve learned to tune it out. We are used to the mass-produced “nutrition” in polystyrene boxes. And no matter how much we “communicate” on our hi-technology gadgets, truthfully, we are actually distancing ourselves socially from more meaningful inter-personal connections.
Seriously, city life has become the bane of our existence. And I, too, have become a sad part of it! But at least I have learned to recognize it and done something about it.
Langkawi, the second time around…
Dec/094
Has Langkawi become an annual pilgrimage destination for me? It seems that way since the past few years, I have never failed to visit the isle of legends at least once a year!
But who can blame me. After all, I think it’s one of the destinations in Malaysia that is perfect for any occasion or anyone. I’ve been to Langkawi for work and for leisure; been there as a single woman and as a married couple (for my honeymoon, in fact), and have also enjoyed it as a mom with extended family in tow!
The Mighty Mountain and Me
Dec/092
Before joining Tourism Malaysia, about the only “adventure” I ever had was climbing the corporate ladder in the concrete jungle that was Kuala Lumpur. Nowadays, though, climbing actual mountains has become part of the job in promoting Malaysia.
One of the first peaks I attempted to scale was Gunung Stong (Mount Stong) in Dabong, a small rural village in Kelantan. It is believed that the word stong is a Malaysianised – or specifically, Kelantan-ised (if there is such a term) – version of the English word, “stone.” If you have been to Kelantan, you will know that they will turn any word that ends with the “n” sound into a nasal “ng” sound. And so the story goes…
A tale of the raging Kampar River
Dec/094
White Water Rafting in Kampar River, Gopeng, Perak
Gopeng, a small town about 90 kilometres from Kuala Lumpur, has many pre-war shop houses. This quiet and unassuming place is the gateway to some of the most adventurous outdoor activities in Peninsular Malaysia.
The most popular adrenaline pumping fun is white water rafting in the Kampar River. The scenic waterway is created by the merging of three rivers, Geruntum River, Geroh River and Pacat River in Perak. Rated as a Grade I to III river, it offers a great combination of water ranging from gentle flows to challenging and technical whitewater. It is also perfect for beginners.
Mengkak Longhouse, Batang Ai
Nov/093
Sarawakian’s rich cultures and customs, unique traditional rituals, dances, foods, and costumes are among the things that continue to intrigue and fascinate visitors and researchers from around the world. Their warm hospitality and simple ways of life are also some of the traits that many visitors find endearing.
I guess, the fascination for this exotic destination also stems from interesting stories about the headhunters of Borneo. Images from National Geographic or Discovery Channel showing small dark people with tattooed bodies donning fancy headdresses of exotic bird feathers must have also fuelled the curiosity of our foreign visitors.
If nature and multi-ethnic cultural experiences are your cup of tea, then Sarawak has plenty of them to fascinate you.
Our main destination this time was Batang Ai, to visit the Iban community at the Mengkak Longhouse located at the mouth of Sungai Engkari.
Pantai Suri Village ( Kampung Nelayan Suri)
Nov/092
Ever wondered what a homestay experience at Pantai Suri, in Kelantan would be like? It certainly is an interesting discovery!
The journey to the small island of Kampung Pantai Suri is a 20 minutes’ boat ride. The village sits at the estuary of the Kelantan River near Tumpat, and is near the South China Sea.
Greeted by a dozen ducks, quacking a cacophonic welcome, is a pleasant surprise as one sets foot on dry land at Pantai Suri Village.