Categories
Tourism Malaysia

Karnival Sukan Pantai (KSP) Port Dickson 2015

Karnival Sukan Pantai (KSP) Port Dickson 2015

http://www.ksp.com.my/

Malaysia’s biggest beach sports’ competition that cater the sports junkie with sports such as triathlon, beach soccer and volleyball. With various entertainments, such as cultural shows, a meet and greet celebrities’ session, fireworks and waterpark for an adventurous and fun. A chance to meet your favorite artist performing during the carnival.

 

Date: 29th Mei – 1 Jun 2015

Venue: Pantai Batu 1, Port Dickson

Organizer: Nisa Event

Phone: +603 5524 2210

Email: sales.nisaevents@gmail.com

Categories
Travel to Melaka

Cendol & Rojak Bukit Tinggi @ Bukit Tinggi, Klang


After our windows shopping at AEON Bukit Tinggi, we having a try for the Cendol and Rojak at Bukit Tinggi. The Cendol just located at the road side of busy Bukit Tinggi Business Centre. Due to limited seats available as they operate with a Van and most people over here will choose to take away instead of dine in.
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Here is the Cendol of “Cendol Rojak Bukit Tinggi”, you can taste the rich and sweetness of Gula Melaka and the thickness of the coconut milk, of course, the self made Pandan flavour Green Jelly! I feel taste delicious and the Green Jelly is like instant melted at your mouth, recommended!
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While, the rojak of Cendol Rojak Bukit Tinggi might ordinary, but if you choose to dine on the spot, you might will taste the crunchy of the kuih, while the shrimp is taste average.
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Cendol Rojak Bandar Bukit Tinggi
Address : Lorong Batu Nilam 5, 41200 Klang, Selangor Darul Ehsan
Business Time : 11am – 6pm (Monday – Sunday)
GPS Coordinates : N03.00827 E101.437161

Categories
Travel to Melaka

Hinz Kitchen @ Cyberjaya


Cyberjaya now is not more can describe again as ‘Ghost Town’, now you can obtained many choices of foods, from Malay cuisine, Chinese cuisine, Mamak cuisine to Arabian cuisine easily. While, the most I used to pay my visit is the Hinz Kitchen where located opposite to IBM, HSBC and Shell.
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Since there are many MNC nearby, so there will little packed during lunch hours, however the serving time is quite fast even there are many customers.

Our first serving is the Chinese Herb Chicken Drumstick, basically the serving is quite plain for the ingredients where is missing Chinese Herbs such Gou Zi, Hong Zao where normally we can found in the other place when we take for Chinese Herb Chicken Drumstick, overall the taste is quite tasty.
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Next will be the Yam Ring served with Squid Gong Pou, the Yam Ring is quite crispy, however the Gong Pou is little sweet, will more tasty if more spicy for the Gong Pou.
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Finally is the Yam Ring served with sweet and sour pork, same as the above, the Yam Ring is crispy, but they do little better with sweet and sour pork, taste average.
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Hinz Kitchen
Address : Jalan Teknokrat 3, Cyber 4, 63000, Cyberjaya, Malaysia
Business Hours : Monday – Friday (10:00am – 10:00pm)
GPS Coordinates : N2.924334, E101.655885

Categories
Tourism Malaysia

KL in 24 Hours

Whether it’s a stopover en route to another part of the world, or a long weekend getaway, Kuala Lumpur has a lot in store for you. There’s plenty to see and do, even if you’re here for only a day or two.

Here’s our guide to making the most of your time in KL.

Morning

Breakfast at a Kopitiam
Skip the hotel breakfast and start off your day with some hearty, local favourites at a kopitiam. Kopitiams are traditional coffee shops that serve Chinese hawker food. There are many kopitiams around town, each with their own specialties such as beef noodles, wan tan mee, Hainanese pork chop and kaya toast. Some kopitiam chains are also halal-certified, such as Old Town and Pappa Rich.

(Image source: www.timeout.com)

Batu Caves

Batu Caves

(Image source: www.tourism.gov.my)

Get to know more about the Indian culture at Batu Caves, the site of a Hindu temple and shrine, and also home of the second tallest statue of Lord Murugan, a Hindu deity. Take a climb up 272 steps to get a stunning view of the city centre – it’s tiring, but certainly worth the climb! If you’re feeling adventurous, it’s also a great place for rock climbing enthusiasts.

Petronas Twin Towers KLCC

Petronas Twin Towers

(Image source: www.tourism.gov.my)

Want an easier way to catch the city skyline? Get a majestic view from the skybridge and observation deck of the Petronas Twin Towers. Tickets can be purchased in advance from their website, or you can get the tickets from the ticketing counter on the day of your visit. At the base of the towers is the shopping haven, the Suria KLCC shopping mall. If you have kids (or the young at heart), there’s also the Petrosains Science Discovery Centre and Aquaria KLCC located in KLCC to keep them entertained.

 

Afternoon

Little India, Brickfields

Little India, Brickfields

(Image source: www.tourism.gov.my)

Head over to Little India for a satisfying lunch of banana leaf rice. (Take a look at our guide to banana leaf rice if you don’t know what it is!) There are many restaurants there for you to take your pick from, and with KL Sentral nearby, it’s easily accessible too. Besides that, the KLIA Express train stops at KL Sentral, so you can even have your fix just before you leave the city! You can also shop for traditional Indian goods such as saris, flower garlands, spices and jewellery in Little India.

Islamic Arts Museum

Get to know more about Islam and its culture at the Islamic Arts Museum. It houses more than seven thousand artifacts as well as an exceptional library of Islamic art books. The art objects on display range from the tiniest pieces of jewellery to one of the world’s largest scale models of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. The National Mosque, located just beside the museum is also worth a visit.

Dataran Merdeka

Sultan Abdul Samad Building

(Image source: www.tourism.gov.my)

It was here in Dataran Merdeka (or Independence Square), the Malayan flag was hoisted for the first time and independence was declared on 31st August 1957. Just opposite the square are the iconic Sultan Abdul Samad Building and other colonial buildings that make perfect backdrops for photos.

 

Bukit Bintang

Pavillion KL

(Image Source: www.tourism.gov.my)

Shop till you drop in Bukit Bintang. It’s a shopper’s paradise with more than five malls in a stretch. You’ll be spoilt for choice with the huge selection of local and international brands. If you’re feeling peckish, the Lot 10 Hutong food court is a great place to refuel your energy. The stalls are a collection of some of the best hawkers around the country, so you won’t have to travel far to savour the best of Malaysian food!

Chinatown, Petaling Street

Petaling Street

(Image source: www.tourism.gov.my)

If you’re up for some bargain hunting, head over to Petaling Street. Here, you can shop for anything from gems and incense to toys and t-shirts. It’s best to come in the evening, as the street vendors open shop at 3pm. Besides shopping, Petaling Street is also famous for its food where you can savour the taste that has withstood the test of time. Most restaurants and stalls here have been passed down for generations, each with its own specialty. From hokkien mee to chicken rice and even traditional mua chee, there’s plenty for you to try.

 

 KL Tower

KL Tower

(Image Source: www.klia2.info)

Standing at 421 meters and 94 meters above sea level, you’ll be able to enjoy a panaromic view of the city at the KL Tower. Check it out at night to see the city lighted up. You can even enjoy a meal at the revolving restaurant while you enjoy the sights.

Pasar Malam

Pasar Malam

(Image source: ccc-ukm.blogspot.com)

Visit a pasar malam (night market) for a unique, cultural experience. It’s a great way to observe and take part in the lifestyle of the local community by sampling different street foods and snacks and shopping at the various stalls.

Late Night

Jalan Alor

jalanalor

(Image Source: asianstreetfood.wordpress.com)

Located in the heart of KL, Jalan Alor is one of Malaysia’s most popular food destinations. During the day, only a few eateries are open, but when the sun sets, the whole street is filled with stalls on the left and right. The stalls are open till late, so it’s great for a late night food hunt. Don’t forget to bring your appetite!

Clubbing

(Image Source: www.edmdroid.com)

For those looking for a night of partying, KL won’t disappoint. From swanky rooftop bars to chic nightclubs, there is no shortage of nightlife in KL. For a start, head over to Changkat Bukit Bintang and let yourself loose at one of the city’s most happening boulevards.

Mamak

mamak

(Image Source: business.malaysia.my)

Feeling hungry in the middle of the night? Head on over to a mamak stall. Mamak stalls are affordable eateries opened by Indian Muslims, and with some mamak stalls open 24 hours a day, it’s perfect for filling yourself up after a night of partying or for a late night snack. Feast on different types of rotis, nasi lemak and curries; or just savour a cup of delicious teh tarik for a satisfying end to your day.

Get to know more about Malaysia at www.tourism.gov.my

Need souvenir ideas? Here are some unconventional gifts to bring back from Malaysia!

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Tourism Malaysia

Thaipusam: Carrying A Common Burden

“I am a chain smoker,” says the Kavadi maker. “Every day one packet.”

I am standing amidst piles of plywood and steel fittings, power tools on the floor and sawdust in the air, under the front porch awning of a simple terrace house on the outskirts of Banting, 45 minutes from Kuala Lumpur. Outside, in the hot afternoon sun, half completed Kavadis stand on the asphalt, some mere skeletons of steel rods and plywood, unrecognisable. This is where Kavadis—a physical burden carried by Hindus as an act of penance during the festival of Thaipusam—are made. I survey the scene before me. I had expected it to be somewhat less industrial, more mystical – perhaps an ascetic hand-crafting his creations, amid swirls of camphor smoke. But cigarette smoking is the conversation at hand. “I’m a chain smoker, but since the month of Thai began, not a single stick.”

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Bala working on a Kavadi

Bala, the Kavadi maker, is referring to the Hindu month of Thai, from which the Hindu festival Thaipusam derives its name. On the day I meet him, he has not had a smoke for three weeks. Along with other Hindu devotees, Bala undergoes fasting for 48 days (the duration of a month in the Hindu calendar), abstaining from entertainment and luxury before the day-long procession that is the face of Thaipusam. Bala proudly shows me an album of newspaper clippings, where every photo or mention of his Kavadis in the press has been lovingly laminated and bound. It is a labour of love. “It’s not really about the money,” he says in a thick Tamil accent, “I help people to do their pilgrimage.”

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Putting the finishing touches on a Kavadi and testing it out

A pilgrimage with different paths

I meet one of Bala’s customers during the course of my visit. K. Anuharan has come to check on the progress of his Kavadi. Wearing a thick, silver-speckled beard and a malar (sort of a Hindu rosary) around his neck, he surprises me by speaking perfect English. His Kavadi is relatively modest by current standards, but still measures over five feet in height and width, and weighs around 30 kg. Balance is the hallmark of a well-crafted Kavadi, and Anuharan is here to make sure that the Kavadi’s heft is evenly distributed across his shoulders. “As far back as I can remember, I have been joining the Thaipusam procession at Batu Caves every year.” At my disbelief, he strains to recall if he has ever missed one. “No,” he finally says. “Even now that I am staying in Australia, I will fly back every Thaipusam.”

Selva is another Hindu devotee who will carry the Kavadi this year. An engineer at an airline company based in KL and an avid marathon runner, he too has joined the procession every year since childhood. Even when he was working in Singapore during his younger days, he joined the procession in Singapore.

The Kavadi that Selva will carry is completely different from Anuharan’s. He shows me a photo of it on his phone. It is a simple wood pole, modestly embellished, which will be balanced across his shoulders. At both ends of the pole, he will hang a jar of milk, which devotees bring to the temple as an offering. While the larger Kavadis and the spectacular Vel Kavadis (which are attached to bearers partly through steel spikes pierced into the bearers’ skin) are the ones that grab the attention of photographers and the public, it is Selva’s understated Kavadi that is closer to the traditional form. “The traditional Kavadi is merely a pole with an arch over it, that rests on the bearer’s shoulder,” explains Kandasamy Velayuthan, Deputy President of the Malaysian Hindu Sangam, the body that oversees Thaipusam celebrations in Malaysia. “It should only be decorated with palm branches, peacock feathers and fruits that are used for prayers.” Over the years, Kavadis grew bigger and more elaborate. Kandasamy admits that this could be partly fuelled by one-upmanship among devotees, but is also due to the different vows made by different devotees. Perhaps each man has his own burden to carry.

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Anuharan offering prayers before the big day

Diverging beliefs

Both Anuharan and Selva agree to me following them during the Thaipusam procession. Knowing that I have no prior experience, they describe to me a typical Thaipusam procession.

The procession itself is a raucous epic. Over a million devotees take the two-kilometre procession to Batu Caves, many carrying Kavadis of all sizes, the air rattling with the frantic drumbeats of traditional music troupes. Though the rituals practised might differ, the itinerary is largely similar: The procession starts on the banks of the Batu River, where devotees wash themselves as a symbolic form of cleansing, Hindu priests offer prayers, and the devotees take up their Kavadis. At this point, all the abstinence and fasting and meditation of the previous 48 days come to a head. Many Kavadi bearers will enter into a trance. Anuharan describes the experience: “The energy of a deity is channeled into you, and it’s as if you lose control of your body. You are aware of your surroundings, but it’s as if another energy is controlling your body, giving you the endurance and focus to finish the procession. Sometimes you even lose consciousness completely, so you have no recollection of events during the trance. You enter into a trance at the river bank, and wake up at Batu Caves!”

The intensity of the trance depends very much on the devotee’s preparations ahead of the big day. “Sometimes you get a good trance, sometimes you get a weak trance,” says Anuharan. “If you didn’t prepare with the right spirit – fast properly or spend time meditating – you will get a weak trance, and this means you might not have the strength to complete the procession. It is said that the piercings would hurt too,” he continues, referring to the common practice of piercing one’s self with metal skewers or hooks, as an accompanying act of penance.

Piercings have become a point of contention. Some, like Anuharan, disagree with the practice. “Hinduism never asks me to hurt myself,” he says. “It is a form of penance for some, they make a vow to do it, and so they must fulfill that vow. But for me, I don’t do it.” Selva, though, has had piercings before, and offers his counterpoint. “I have heard that when a skewer is pierced through the tip of the tongue, it touches a nerve on the tongue that helps the brain to focus and keep it in a meditative state during the procession.”

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A priest tying a Kappu on Anuharan’s hand and blessing him and his family

The home stretch

Three days before Thaipusam, devotees who plan to participate in the procession visit a temple to offer special prayers. Anuharan, whose pilgrimage began in Australia, offers his prayers at the Ayappan temple near Batu Caves. A priest affixes a piece of turmeric on a string, sprinkles it with red Kunkum powder, and ties it to Anuharan’s hand. It is called a Kappu. It is a sign that its bearer has made a vow, and is currently serving out his penance. For the next three days, Anuharan will stay at the temple, sleeping on the floor at night, meditating and avoiding worldly distractions.

Selva, no stranger to tests of endurance, is hitting the home stretch too. His vows of abstinence will grow more severe, and he too will meditate more. Bala, the Kavadi maker, has much more to do. He has set up a tent near the Batu River, which will serve as his base of operations. Last-minute requests from customers leave him busy. At the same time, he too needs to observe all his vows. By day he scrambles to complete Kavadis, by night he and his wife sleep at nearby temples. On Thaipusam day, Bala will perform the procession over and over again. He or members of his team need to walk with the devotees who rent his Kavadi all the way to the Batu Caves temple, and retrieve the Kavadi in time for the next rental. Anuharan, Selva, and Bala are just three of an estimated 1.5 million people who will throng Batu Caves this year. Each will approach Batu Caves with different vows, bearing different burdens, having walked different paths. This is the final buildup of spirituality, for all of them.

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Anuharan trying out the Kavadi

A common burden

Why do you do it? I ask. Though Anuharan and Selva differ in their practice of Thaipusam, they both offer the same answers – thanksgiving and tradition. “I carry a big Kavadi because I once made a request, and it was answered miraculously. In return, I vowed to carry a big Kavadi every year, so this is a fulfillment of that vow,” explains Anuharan. Selva has never made a specific vow, but he, too, sees the Thaipusam procession as an act of thanksgiving.

“It is a way of expressing my gratitude for the blessings in my life, and at the same time, to request for the blessings to continue.” Selva adds, “It is part of my identity as a Hindu. My family has always participated in the Thaipusam procession, and when the time comes I will pass this on to my children.” Anuharan concurs. “Every year, ever since I can remember, my family has taken this pilgrimage. It is a tradition worth keeping.”

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Journey with us, as we go on a pilgrimage to Batu Caves in the second part of this series: A Walk Among Gods

Want to know more about Thaipusam and other festivals and events in Malaysia? Visit www.tourism.gov.my for more information.

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