Categories
Tourism Malaysia

Beware the pickpockets

At many tourist spots in Paris like theLourve, tourists are at risk of beingpickpocketed.At many tourist spots in Paris like the
Lourve, tourists are at risk of being
pickpocketed.

The City of Love now has a dubious reputation of ‘loving hands’ that rip off tourists.              

TOURISTS in Paris are reminded to be on guard against increasingly brazen and aggressive pickpockets after staff at the Louvre walked out in April to protest against violent working conditions.

Saying they’re fed up with dealing with gangs of thugs and being spat at, insulted, threatened and even struck, 200 workers at one of the most famous museums in the world – the Louvre receives about 10 million visits a year – staged a walkout, disappointing a long line of tourists.

The museum reopened the next day with increased police presence, but tourists visiting crowded places should remain vigilant. In the centre of Paris, thieves often work in groups of up to 30, and usually include children from eastern Europe.

It’s the latest event to tarnish the city’s reputation in the eyes of the world. In March, a group of Chinese tourists were targeted by a gang of pickpockets, an attack that made headlines around the world.

Meanwhile, the US Embassy in France offers visitors a host of tips and suggestions on how to avoid being the victim of a predatory pickpockets – tips which can also be applied to travel around the world.

Here are a few highlights:

Keep only what is essential in your wallet. For example, one credit card, one piece of ID, and no more than ?50 (RM260). Make copies of your passport, and other ID cards.

Women are advised to carry bags with a zipper enclosure, and to carry it tightly under their arm, slightly in front of them. Swing your backpack around so that it’s slightly in front of you. Men can protect themselves by placing a rubber band around their wallet and putting it in their front pocket, something that will make it difficult for thieves to extract the wallet smoothly.

Be extra vigilant around major tourist sites like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Champs-Élysées. Metros are also major target areas. If you are pickpocketed, start yelling for police immediately. The embassy advises against chasing down the perpetrators, as the wallet has most likely already been handed off to someone else within the group.

The Notre-Dame Cathedral is another sitewhere tourists are advised to be on the alert for pickpockets and other pettycriminals.The Notre-Dame Cathedral is another site
where tourists are advised to be on the alert for pickpockets and other petty
criminals.

If there are no security guards or police around, you should go to the local police station (commissariat) and file a complaint.

Know what you’re up against:

The most popular tactic on the metro is the crush-and-grab; You will be swarmed by several people, and in the chaos, as you’re being pushed, you will be pickpocketed.

Another tip: try to avoid sitting or standing right by the doors. Because another trick they use is to grab the purse or smartphone, just as the train doors open and dash away. Wherever you end up in the train, try to minimise access to your pockets and purses.

The age-old distraction method involves the pretext of asking for directions, or attempts to sell you trinkets. During the distraction, someone will try to pick your pockets.

Another rather unpleasant technique: Someone will throw or spill something on you like water or ice cream. You will be approached by people who feign to help you, and in the chaos, you will be pickpocketed.

ATM scams: If the machine eats your card, go into the bank immediately as it’s likely the machine’s been tampered with. Use only ATMs from major banks. Refrain from talking to anyone during the transaction, as it’s likely part of an attempt to scam you.

As always, cover the keypad as you enter your pin code. – AFP RelaxNews

Categories
Wonderful Malaysia

Top 10 daytrips around Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is vast – there is just so much to see, do and explore. Take a day trip around the bustling city of Kuala Lumpur to see a unique mesh of historical heritage sites and modern architectural structures and to discover the various enchanting cultures in Malaysia.

Petronas Twin Towers

petronas twin towers by night

Standing at 452 m tall, the Petronas Twin Towers are among the tallest buildings in the world. The twin towers can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. The most prestigious shopping centre in the country, Suria KLCC, is located at the foot of the towers. More about the Petronas Twin Towers

Menara KL Tower

view from lot10 roof top

The KL Tower also holds a record of its own, ranking as the 4th tallest telecommunications towers in the world at 421 m tall. Dine in the clouds while enjoying a magnificent view of the entire city at the revolving restaurant located at Level Two of the Tower Head.

Lake Gardens FRIM

fun at frim canopy walk

The jungle is not all concrete in Kuala Lumpur; there is a peaceful haven of 91.6 hectares of parks and gardens for a relaxing day among nature. The KL Lake Gardens incorporate the National Monument, Carcosa Seri Negara, a deer park, a butterfly park, a bird park, an orchid garden, a hibiscus garden and the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) which is a forest reserve and research institute (has an amazing canopy walkway). More about the Lake Gardens and FRIM

Batu Caves

thaipusam crowds at the batu caves

13 km north of Kuala Lumpur stands Batu Caves, a massive limestone outcrop home to Hindu deities. Consisting of three main caves and a number of smaller ones, the magnificent sacred place for Hindus in Malaysia is situated atop 272 steps of stairs along which visitors can see and feed a lot of long-tailed macaque monkeys. More about the Batu Caves

Putrajaya

putrajaya square

A visit to Putrajaya must not be missed. It is the new capital city and administrative centre of the Malaysian government, located 25 km south of Kuala Lumpur. The model garden city features a beautiful blend of modern and cultural architectural structures of buildings and bridges, lush greenery and carefully cultivated botanical gardens.

Istana Negara

istana negara kings palace kuala lumpur

The majestic King’s Palace or Istana Negara is the residence for the Yang diPertuan Agong, the King of Malaysia. The area is fenced up with two guard posts at the front of the gate where members of the Royal Calvary stand guard. Witness the changing of guard ceremony, similar to that of Buckingham Palace in London. Although the palace is not opened to the public, visitors can capture memorable photographs of their visit to the Istana at the front entrance.

Dataran Merdeka

merdeka square kuala lumpur

Situated at the heart of the city is the Independence Square or Dataran Merdeka where the Malayan flag was hoisted for the first time in the country’s history on August 31, 1957, signifying the independence of the country from British rule. As a remembrance of this event, a 100 m high flagpole, which is the world’s tallest, was erected at the very same spot. Every year on the anniversary of the Independence Day, a parade is held here where march pasts of various uniformed bodies take place in their full regalia.

National Mosque

national mosque kuala lumpur 2

The National Mosque, which is reputed to be one of the most beautiful mosques in Southeast Asia, stands opposite the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station. This uniquely designed mosque embodies a contemporary expression of traditional Islamic art, calligraphy and ornamentation. Its most striking features are the umbrella-shaped dome, with 18 points representing the 13 states of Malaysia and the five pillars of Islam, and a sleek minaret which stands 73 m tall.

Central Market

central market kuala lumpur

Central Market, also known as Pasar Seni, is a well-renowned heritage site which serves as the Centre for Malaysian Culture, Arts and Handicrafts. It houses numerous stalls that retail traditional goods and an Annex Gallery where local contemporary arts are exhibited. Colorful Malaysian traditional cultural and arts events as well as cultural performances also take place at the Central Market’s outdoor stage on weekends. More about the Central Market

Petaling Street

petaling street market chinatown kuala lumpur

Last but not least is another popular tourist attraction, Petaling Street, which is located just a few minutes away from Central Market. Petaling Street is Kuala Lumpur’s very own Chinatown. With its distinctly oriental atmosphere, Chinatown is the central place for great bargains, scrumptious food and the soaking up of all things Oriental in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

Suggestions?

Got any good tips to share with us? Did we miss any great daytrip tips in Kuala Lumpur? Let us know by leaving a reply below!

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Categories
Tourism Malaysia

Si Putih and the 7 Makciks

December 18, 2011 at 2:00 pm

Everyone knows the tale of a beautiful young girl with hair as black as ebony, lips as red as blood and skin as white as snow, who had a stepmother who grew envious of her stepdaughter’s beauty. She summoned her hunter to kill the daughter and bring back her heart as proof. Faced with such innocence, the guard could not bring himself to do the evil deed and helped this fair maiden escape into the woods, where she stumbled upon a cottage own by seven colourful characters.

When the stepmother found out that this fair maiden was very much alive, she took it upon herself to get the task of killing her done. Three attempts were made to take this girl’s life, and all but the third attempt failed to do so. Many a girls may have sighed and wished for their own version of Prince Charming when he showed up just in time to save the fair maiden, and vanquished the evil stepmother.

The seven ‘beautiful’ makciks

From today until 23rd December 2011, The Actors Studio presents an adaptation of one of our all time favourite fairy tale Snow White and the 7 Dwarves. Entitled Si Putih and the 7 Makciks, this funny tale is set in two kampong kingdoms where an envious Queen plans to kill her beautiful and fair stepdaughter named Si Putih. Does Sergeant Sutera, the queen’s henchmen, kill Si Putih as ordered or will she be saved by the 7 Makciks, keepers of secrets from another kampong? Come and watch this pantomime with singing and dancing and an all male cast with a surprise ending. Tickets are priced at RM 40 and RM 50 for all night shows and normal matinee shows. The showtime is as follows:-

14th till 23rd December at 8.00 pm AND 17th 18th December at 3.00 pm.

For more information, please call The Actors Studio @ Lot 10 at 03 2142 2009 / 2143 2009 OR klpac @ Sentul Park at 03 4047 9000 or log on to their website here.

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