A weekend getaway that leads to Pulau Pangkor, Perak Darul Ridzwan, Malaysia!

Hi all! This is my first ever trip to go on an island around Peninsular Malaysia, hence I will start off with Pangkor, an island that was once a famous getaway for Singaporeans in the 1990s. However, my story will be based on chronological events, hence, please bear with me to uncover the secrets of Pangkor, which I discover in just a day!

Friday, 10 April 2015

Probably, there's nothing much to narrate for this day, just that I am going for an island trip to Pangkor, and I take a bus from Keypoint, Beach Road (Singapore) to Lumut, the closest jetty to Pangkor Island. So, here's the snippet of the bus, courtesy from Golden Coach!

Saturday, 11 April 2015

After enduring a long journey of almost nine hours (9h) from Singapore to Lumut for a price of S$38, finally I arrive here. Some pictures of Lumut and also the jetty are available here. Once arrive at Lumut, the place was so beautiful, there's a mosque, a temple and also a complete waterfront surrounded with gift shops and the most important part of the trip, none other else than the jetty itself, the common gateway to Pangkor Island.

Hopping on board to the ferry for a two-way ride, can easily costs RM10. The best part is, once you buy the ticket, the return day is from the same day of board or even a few days after that. Here's the internal part of the ferry and also the pictures taken from the ferry!

This is when my foot just steps in to Pangkor Island, and here's the picture from the jetty itself.

Once after clearing the jetty, I decided to tour around Pangkor Town, or in Malay, known as Pekan Pangkor. The fascinating point or part that I would like to bring up here is that, on the town itself, there's a tourist centre, fire brigade station, a Buddhist building, which eventually had its own classes like Mathematics for the locals, there's also a post office, and a library as well. But, life just goes on normally for the locals, whereby there's a market, vegetable and also a minimart concept!

The last picture is where I decided to go back to jetty, and here are the denominations of different fixed price to trips within Pangkor Island. What I can highlight here is that to tour around Pangkor Island, it only costs RM70! However, I would like to tell a short story of what really happens at Pangkor.

I was wandering around the taxi area at the jetty. I walked straight to the tourist centre, before a person by the name of Mr Albert, approached me. By the way, beside taxi, you can also hop on a rented motorcycle for those who want to enjoy something different, and you wanted to try on your own. Back to Mr Albert, initially I was reluctant, as I mention that I was from Singapore, and I did not have any motorcycle licence at all. Alas, he still wanted me to ride on the motor, as he know that I was alone. Hence, I start trying to ride on my own, but the adrenaline rush was just there, in another words, even how he teach me by using the correct technique plus the coordination, I could not execute it very well. I was asking him at first, how much for the ride until tomorrow morning, he mention at RM40. Initially, I wanted to give him RM50, so that there's change, however, since he mentioned that he doesn't have change at all, I have to give him RM37. At last, when he really realize that I cannot handle to use the motorcycle, he send me off to the beach resort.

The hotel that I stay is at Puteri Bayu Beach Resort. So, these are the pictures upon arrival at the hotel before eating at the coffee house for lunch and dinner.

In this hotel, you can check-in early/late, vice-versa also for the check-out. For my part, I check in at 1200h, before check out tomorrow morning by 0715h. Here's my lunch set for that day. After lunch, I decided to walk along the beach near Pasir Bogak area before returning back to hotel for some private time at the swimming pool.

So, I start my tour around Pangkor Island in the taxi by starting my first destination at the Dutch Fort.

Then, the driver bring me to the Pangkor Gallery, whereby at the end of the visit, lies ahead the fisherman village and also the vicinity of Sungei Pinang area.

Then, the driver brings me to a temple that has a replicate of mini 'Great Wall of China', and there's a lot of tortoise as well.

Along the way, the roads encountered on Pangkor Island, were like a tipsy-turfy road, as there were hills in the island, so sometimes need to swerve up and down the hill. There's also an airport runaway at the island, run by SAS Air!

 The last stop that the driver took me is at Lin Je Kong temple near to the sea, the prominent feature about this temple is the Disney's characters replicate!

Then, it's time to go back to the hotel, I was lucky that there was a heavy downpour afterwards, but I manage to eat my dinner there.

Sunday, 12 April 2015

Sadly, I have to go back immediately. Hence, to sum it all up, here are my photos. The good thing about this hotel is that, they even pack for me breakfast (which was actually included), well, that was an initiative by them. So, till next month on another island, probably wait for it then!

Signing off!

Bidding farewell to the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew!

Sunday, 29 March 2015

As the sky pours down, marks the cry of the passing of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, and as I ponder on the television screen, there were 'cheers' that I began to feel, is it the social norm nowadays to break the tradition of giving a moment of silence, or saluting in silence to the dead?

In my opinion, giving a salute, giving the moment of silence and also clapping in good spirits to bid farewell to this remarkable, honourable respected man is the best, instead of cheering and turning to a situation that is more like of 'a political frenzy'.

However, this is NOT my purpose of writing it. My main purpose was to honour him: as what was quotes from these National Day songs.

Excerpts from 'We Are Singapore'

Mr Lee Kuan Yew has built a nation strong and free, reaching out together for peace and harmony!

Excerpts from 'Count on me Singapore'

Mr Lee Kuan Yew has a vision for tomorrow (and the future years), and he believes it.
Mr Lee Kuan Yew had to bold for Singapore, and he achieves it.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew has done his part, stand together heart to heart,
Mr Lee Kuan Yew had built a better life for all Singapore, and he believes, he achieves it!

Thank you, Mr Lee Kuan Yew! May you rest in peace!

Memperingati seseorang yang amat disayangi semua warga dunia termasuk Singapura, mendiang Encik Lee Kuan Yew!

Tiada kata-kata yang dapat menggambarkan tentang seseorang yang telah membentuk Singapura ke tahap yang dikenali jagat ini!

Mendiang telah mengambil langkah-langkah yang sangat berani, mendedikasikan jiwa dan raganya terhadap Singapura melebihi dirinya sendiri.

Terima kasih, Encik Lee Kuan Yew! Jasamu dikenang.

Singapore's really really free market..... something that makes me wonder.....

Hi all! This post relates my activity on Saturday, 7 March 2015.

Actually, to start off, my friend was the one that initiates the movement of this event, that was to come to this place and expect a crowd.



I got to know this via Facebook, here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/srrfm?fref=ts

Hence, I tell myself, why don't I try it out by going there!

So, upon arrival to Former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, of course, I feel a little bit nostalgic, as that was where I did my trip with my poly friends to JB, via the latter. I don't like to elaborate much, I let the pictures do the talking instead. So roughly, this is really what happened when I came at about 1650h to 1700h.

So, as you can see, quite a number of them come down to this place, to see whatever things that is available to bring back home. As for myself, I stop at the Malay books section and took two books home, And for the rest of the day, I enjoy the moments that I have by displaying it here.

Hence, that is how I enjoy my first weekend of March.

That's all folks!

The Amazing Race Season 26 (Couples edition) episode 2

Hi all! This is the second episode for the new season of The Amazing Race. Enjoy!

Leg 2 (Japan)

Airdate: February 27, 2015

• Minato (Shinagawa Station) or Chiyoda (Akihabara Station) to Nagano (Nagano Station)
• Nagano (Matsushiro Castle (Japanese))
• Nagano (Nishi-guchi Zenkō-ji)
• Nagano (Japanese) or M-Wave)
• Nagano (Patio Daimon (Japanese))

The leg began with teams taking a bullet train to Nagano. Upon reaching Nagano, they went to Matsushiro Castle for their next clue. That clue was a Roadblock asking, "Who can think outside of the box?". One team member had to solve a traditional Japanese puzzle box known as yosegi that contained a password they would need to say to the guards to enter and receive their next clue. One of the clue envelopes contained a "Date Night" reward to be used while at the Pit Stop; that prize was found by Harley & Jonathan.

The post-Roadblock clue instructed teams to travel to Zenkō-ji, the city's largest Buddhist temple, and search the temple grounds for their next clue, a Blind Detour giving teams the choice of Share or Chair. In Share, teams made their way to Takesan Donabe restaurant and had to feed each other a bowl of noodles, using only a pair of chopsticks and while sitting in front of a large fan. Once all the noodles were eaten, a waiter would hand them their next clue. In Chair, teams traveled to M-Wave Olympic Arena. One team member sat on a chair mounted on a sled, while his or her teammate pushed the chair around a speed skating track. After one lap, the teammates switched places. Teams had to finish both laps in a combined time of no more than 3 minutes and 55 seconds in order to receive their next clue. Both Detour clues sent teams to the Pit Stop at Patio Daimon.

The Amazing Race 26 (Couples edition) episode 1

Hi all! For those fans who have been waiting for this new season of the Amazing Race, here is a preview and also the catch-up for the premiere episode of Season 26!

Leg 1 (United States → Japan)

Airdate: February 25, 2015

• Castaic, California, United States (Castaic Lake) (Starting Line)
• Los Angeles (Los Angeles International Airport) to Tokyo, Japan (Narita International Airport)
• Chiyoda (Kanda Shrine)
• Shinjuku (Shinjuku Central Park) or Nakano (Japanese)
• Shinjuku (Japanese)
• Chiyoda (Akihabara UDX Building (Japanese) – Parking Space)

The Amazing Race 26 began at Castaic Lake with 11 teams (6 couples who were already dating, and 10 singles paired on blind dates). Teams were informed the winners of the first leg would win the Express Pass, and that the leg would have a Blind U-Turn. Their first task to get plane tickets to the first destination: Tokyo, Japan, was a mud run obstacle course. The first eight teams to finish received tickets for the first of two planes, while the last three teams would be on the second. After getting their tickets, teams had to drive themselves in a marked Ford Fusion Hybrid to Los Angeles International Airport.

Upon arriving in Tokyo, teams had to head to Kanda Shrine and searched the shrine grounds for their next clue: the Detour, gave them a choice between Syncing Steps and Samurai Sake. In Syncing Steps, teams went to Shinjuku Central Park where they had to perform a series of synchronized dance of "robotic" moves along with members of World Order. When World Order leader Genki Sudo was satisfied with their performance, teams would receive their next clue. In Samurai Sake, teams made their way to Nakano Sakaue Station Tavern. Teams were shown ten bottles of sake (tōkō, nanbubijin, okunomatsu, kanbe, yoshinogawa,michisakari, tsukasabotan, zaou, momokawa, shōchikubai). One team member had to take an order for one brand of sake from a table of "Samurais." Their teammate then had to find the correct bottle from a much larger display of bottles. Once they presented the correct bottle to the Samurais, and took a toast, they received their next clue.

The post-Detour clues instructed teams to travel to Wakaba Higashi Park and the Blind U-Turn board, where they would receive their next clue. Mike & Rochelle chose Jeff & Lyda, while Jeff & Lyda chose Jeff & Jackie, unaware that Jeff & Jackie had already passed the U-Turn. At the U-Turn, teams were sent to theAkihabara district, to search "in the vicinity of" the UDX building for a parking space containing the Pit Stop.

Exploring and promoting local produce food via We Are Singavore month!

Hi all! This post would be my entry of what I did on last week, between 23-28 February 2015.

First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to this special team that made me realize that ,"Hey! It's time that we should start support local produce food instead of the everyday foods that we always consume!"

Introducing to you, We Are Singavore team. This team is currently doing their part in promoting local produce foods that involves the planning and also the partners that was involved in a month long food search of We Are Singavore month that happens on February 2015.

Hence, I am listing down the foods that I have already eaten for the past week. Out of 10 foods locally produce listed for We Are Singavore month, I manage to eat 8 of them. So, here is my verdict. Let me start in a different way.

From number 8, it's.....

JUBILEE NASI LEMAK FROM 7KICKSTART COLD COFFEE

This is a simple, yet staple recipe that most Singaporeans would love to eat during breakfast since the yesteryear, but I have to admit that the chicken was the only source that was produce locally. However, this is still my no. 1 'local food' that I would like to eat.

Going downwards, number 7 would be to.......

SUMMER SPICE LAMB WITH MOFO CHILLI MARINATE FROM EAST EIGHT (CITY HALL)

I love the combination of this lamb, that can be eaten simply by just using your right hand and that's my way to enjoy the dish. The 'limau sambal' that was used, is just simply trying to put it to be local. However, since only the sprout is use as a local product, this would just be a food to enjoy when you have the time to enjoy it.

Number 6 would go to..........

HALOUMI & MUSHROOM FROM ARTICHOKE (MIDDLE ROAD)

Personally, it's a weekend brunch that was truly filling. The bread that was seared with smash avocado, with the mushroom plus also the tomato, makes it a good dish. However, this is not just enough to make it to the top.

Number 5, we have..............

GRILLED BARRAMUNDI WITH BASIL ALMOND PESTO FROM FOOD FOR THOUGHT (NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SINGAPORE)

Personally, I like this dish. The taste that just simply simmer into my mouth upon trying it for the first time, makes it feels so good. However, the presentation that really is more towards Western would not suit at all for the local , even if the fish is produce locally.

Going down to number 4, we have................

NO. 38 BARRAMUNDI FROM THE TUCKSHOP (GUILLEMARD ROAD)

Hard to decide where shall I put this initially. Why? Upon serving the food to me, the first thought that I have was, WOW! This is fusion. Also, the presentation looks local, as it was served with prawn crackers, or simply say 'keropok'. The sambal belacan, which was written on the menu, to me, it tasted more than a normal sambal belacan. This sambal doesn't even taste like sambal belacan, but it's more to sambal 'nasi lemak'. But to those who can't take spicy food at all, this would be a 'no-no' to you. Since only the fish that was locally produce, I have decided to put it here.

Going to top 3 from my choice, second runner-up (3rd place) goes to...............

RAW LASAGNE WITH WALNUT & MACADAMIA NUT CHEESE FROM AFTERGLOW (KEONG SAIK ROAD)

Why I place this dish here? Simple, the ingredients and the taste. The taste is really like a real 'lasagne' whereby, the walnut really taste like a meat, more of a bacon taste. The ingredients that was used here consists of the spinach, tomatoes, and also the swiss brown mushrooms that was locally produce, makes it to be the top three from my selection.

For the runner-up (2nd place), the dish is from................

MUSHROOM MELODY ON EDIBLE SOIL FROM PLONK (SERANGOON GARDEN)

When I first try this dish, nothing comes into my mind, but it was so delicious. Maybe, the ingredients that was used here, like the bamboo shoots & especially, the herbs that was plucked from the garden along Maju Avenue, that makes me to put it at number two, behind another dish, that was a total benefit for all.

And, the winner at 1st place goes to......................

LOCALICIOUS SAMBAL TILAPIA FROM KAKIS BISTRO & BAR (CHANGI VILLAGE)

This is real local produce food. The main ingredient, which is the tilapia, was for the best quality selected from a local agriculture based system that excels in terms of its taste, and also the accompanying ingredients such as the lemongrass & kaffir lime. It would be nice, if this dish can be added with rice, thus making it a complete set of lunch or dinner.

This is my review on how I access each recipe and grading it according to my very best taste and the important factor, which is the portion of local produce food.

To the We Are Singavore team, kudos for having the opportunity to make an option for the locals to eat local produce food, which I believe at the end of the day, the main objective is to make the locals or even anyone to enjoy and appreciate the local farmers for harvesting local produce food.

And, finally we can even say, "Hey! Singapore also has the own source of food that we, Singaporeans can depend on in the years to come."

That's all. Thank you, once again, to We Are Singavore team.