Down to Memory Lane II

Previously from HERE

We continue to Maritime Museum is housed in a replica of the Flor de la Mar, a Portuguese vessel that sank off the coast of Melaka. Admittance fee only RM3 + charge which i don't remember exactly if you want to bring a camera with and you will be given a plastic bag to storage your shoes since no shoes is allowed when entering the museum.

Flor de la Mar ship

Inside the museum not merrier mostly a models of ships, maps and old iron chests so the only interesting about this museum is the ship itself. The replica is quite awesome with the details and if you walk-in inside you might feel like be in a real ship minus the sea and the pirate. If you stand on the deck you will feel the wind blowing from Melaka river that located only beside this ship. The museum has pictorial displays of the history of Melaka, beginning from the Sultanate of Melaka in the 14th century to pre-independence era. 

The golden old guy with the gun is supposed to be Alfonso d'Albuquerque

Cross the road is a market, this is the place you can buy local souvenirs and local foods with a good price and plus the people here is very friendly and always smiling, it's like a warm welcoming you there. I buy a beautiful hat for only for RM8.00, that is very good deal!

its 35°C on that day, wearing a hat is relevant

Down to Memory Lane I

Last November I went to Malacca or Melaka in local, the UNESCO world heritage city with appeal in over 608 years after Parameswara found the old Malay entrepot. Together with my family we drive 2-hour or 144km from Kuala Lumpur and upon arrived we check-in at Renaissance Hotel, Jalan Bendahara and then  straight we went to Bandar Hilir-main area attraction with mostly statue, food and history in town.

First stop: Taming Sari Tower located in Jalan Merdeka a 360 degrees view of Bandar Hilir built 110m high, the name and design of this tower inspired by the Taming Sari dagger, the legendary weapon owned by Malay warrior, Hang Tuah. It’s simply slowly spin and climbed while the passenger enjoying the view. Ticket is RM20 but if showing mycard only has to pay half from the fee. In front the ticket booth is Melaka tourism centre, so any info and maps can be obtain from there. Walking nearby is shopping complex Mahkota Parade and Dataran Pahlawan Megamall. From Pahlawan Square just walking the course of the road we spotted old transportation showroom like KTM locomotive, BOMBA fire-drift, replica of kereta lembu and airplane.

Tower and the view from cabin 

Parking in Melaka is disturbingly annoying ‘cause One: on Sunday you still have to pay for park. Two: still practice coupon ticket because they don’t have a parking machine and for the coupon booklet you have to scratch the parking date/time on the purchased booklet but if you scratched it wrong you still get summon in that case happen to us, so that’s mean even you paid for parking fees but still you get summon-not for did not paid for parking but for wrongly scratch the booklet coupon! 

2mins walk to Jalan Istana is Porta De Santiago or A’Famosa the prominent landmark in Melaka, built in 1511 by the Portugese admiral Alfonso d’Albuqerque. This fortress was badly damaged during the Dutch invasion but be saved what remains from the damages by British official.

Inside the A’famosa is only empty fort with several artist displayed their paint and sketched paint. Then we climbed the stairs to St.Paul’s Church who once been called Nosa Senhora Chapel by Portuguese, then St. Paul's Church by the Dutch, and ended the service on the hand of British, who make the church a store for gunpowder, the old structure on the top of St. Paul Hill witnessed the rise and fall of many rulers of Melaka.

St. Paul's Church

At the foot of A’famosa is Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum, a wooden replica of 15th century Sultan Mansur Shah's palace which architecture with no single nail was used to build the building! That one of awesome facts I learned on that day. The museum was built based on descriptions provided in the Malay Annals.  

Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum

Always cycling in this area is the famously Melaka Beca or trishaw so colorful decorated. Per lapse price is RM40 negotiable depends on how you bargain the price. The one i rode not only filled with blooming flowers but also play a hindustan music-a fancy beca and yet the uncle is more fancy than his beca itself because through the ride the uncle give a tour speech- speaking in english with local accent and adjusting his word for everything we say and anything he saw while cycling beca and that's so hilarious, we laughing until the tears came out lol. I guess that his charm after 22years cycling in business.

New resolutions? It’s gonna be twenty twelve

Feel like years since my 3 months hiatus to update this blog – busy – me trying to catch up with time and wow it’s 2012 already! well on today’s date 25th January mentioning about New Year it’s pretty damn late but yeah still, Happy New Year everyone. Prior 2011 is cold year for me, very bad until I can only remember the unhappy parts, so in new year cross my finger and looking forward for my luck to change, hopefully!

The Secret Life of Nora - Extended show 22Oct

I went to last night The Secret Life of Nora final show, eventhough its final there is nothing special arrangement. The show is bilingual and come with subtitle screen. The tickets is really selling fast, my younger sister last minute decision want to tag along can forget her wish since the ticket is already sold out on Friday. Maxis promotion buy 1 free 1 is really help the ticket booze, even it’s limited to Maxis customer but  it'seem anyone can also redeem the promo since no verification is needed.     

Last theatre I saw was Natrah – a very heartwarming show, I think it was superb, comparing Natrah - the  Secret Life of Nora is a bit boring, I don’t enjoying that much. Second part is doom than the first one and I think some part of the scenes will be interesting if it can be elaborate more. 

Tagline; every fairytale have happy ending and so the ending is too klise owh well~. The vocal is strong, great musical; each casts give energetic performance and I love the songs arrangement. But I think the dance choreographer is perky maybe to adjust with the sissy theme? Adibah Noor and Aznil are very entertaining, some of their playing parts is really hilarious. One time when the scene had explosion, Aznil is fall off from the stage – ouch and applause to spontaneous Adibah Noor ad-lib.

The talented cast

Garden Lifestyle Cafe

Want to feel like dining in the cozy garden? So go to Garden Cafe, beautiful gardening concept restaurant – green and calm environment (even though all the plants is plastic but still it feel green and calming). Last time we dine at their newly open outlet at Viva Home Jln Loke Yew.

Visitor will be entertain with live performance

 

They got swing on table, how cute is that

Collections at the restaurant wall

I have bad experience dine-in at Viva outlet, the food sucks, service sucks and waiting period is too long. We order Calamari i.e supposed to be entrée but in the end serve last as dessert and its burn! Also it’s takes 35mins for our main course to be served, luckily I bring the camera and we killing the time by photo taking. 

Usually my favorite pick would be Seafood noddle but unfortunately after the revised menu starting from 2011, they get rid my favored Seafood noodle (+__+) so frustrating. Recommended at Garden is their signature drink Soda, either lavender soda or soda mint and i found it compatible to eat with their fresh oyster. 

Soda mint and Oyster

Left: Gong Bao Chicken with Shanghai Noodle definitely not recommended even they stated as chef recommendation in menu, i found it too dry and too plain to eat. 

Right: Grilled Prime Aged Rib Eye Steak (200gm) which i order for medium rare but they give me rare steak and plus the salad is unsatisfying.

Burn Calamari

The concept of this restaurant is really suitable for family gathering, dating or simply friends chit-chatting. Mostly Garden Cafe branches at the main shopping complex like One Utama, The Curve etcs. It's really calming having their flower teas after tired of shopping. The flower tea has a great aroma and beneficial for good skin.

Same old eyes, in new world

I remember one of  Henry Miller quote - One's destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things, i could agreed more for him.

What i see in Medan?

Traffic in Medan is absolutely Traffic! "Me first" rule all the way road, beat the red lights, everyone cut everybody and for foreign pedestrian like me, crossing the road in Medan is absolutely dangerous and life threatening! honking is common sight - they just love to honk for everything or anything in seconds frequencies also the public transport - it's more worst. One time i take Angkutan and seat behind the driver and that's really not good for my heart. Seeing drivers in Medan always make me think: Why they such in hurry anyway? 

Rural countryside small city and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture. Buffalo is many like cats and dogs. Children going to school barefoot and if they riding Angkutan, they really fully utilized the capacity because few of them will be hang on van door or just simply seat on the van roof. I think that was amazing...the road condition is hills and sloppy but they really can hang onto.

Open air seat

Furthermore children barefoot in road tar on the sunny day that i can see a distance mirage but still they can walk barefoot comfortably - awesome.

how to wear sandals: in the arms not foot

Medanese is really know how find a money, i think nothing free in Medan. At the moment at the jetty to Samosir Island a bunch of kids swimming and screaming for thrown money, not until you throwing the money they will climb on the boat and keep clingy. Be careful also if they offer you a service because they will charge you, like help carry the luggage, push you a trolly, fill up your imigression form or help you pay the airport tax and what pissed me off, at the airport when i request the shop owner to post me a stamp-ready-postcard on behalf she want me to pay Rp5,000 *sigh* so it's true-nothing free here.

Kids in jetty

What's Cookin in Medan?

While on the way to Toba, I can’t remember the place but along the road there are many stalls that sell Lemang and Rambutan. Even though Lemang is so familiar in Malaysia but what make it difference from here because they dip with Kaya(coconut jam) instead of Rendang - it’s edible and delicious. Drinks we had Passion fruits juice blended fresh – pink and sweet iced cool. 

For 1 serve Lemang and 3 passion fruits juice it's cost Rp48,000.

Lemang and homemade kaya.

This is my favorite food while i'm in Medan: Sate Padang!

Final night in Medan, we have dinner at Kg. baru that is famously known for its Sate Padang. Served in banana leaf bowl – sate is mixed together with sauce and lontong (ketupat). The sauce is look like curry but it’s not a curry, creamy and definitely prelibato deliziosa! 

Price: Rp14,000

How to get here, we simply take Angkutan Rp2,000. I don't know if Beca will be appropriate transport because it's quit far if you're from town.

Sate Padang

Singapore ~ Final Day

From Day 2

Final Day.

Actually I have been to Singapore like hundred times but this trip should be my debut as tourist. After very exhausting playtime from the day before and because we're so lazy to be crowded in MRT we just get tour guide for today sightseeing, but it ended up the guide is a jerk – better for ourselves alone rather than with him. He is Malaysian but working with travel agent at Singapore, that’s make him the plastic hypocrite, while he keep bragging how good Singapore is and always condemning Malaysia, he started to look so pathetic and I feel sorry for him – I’m proud Malaysian OK, no matter how outstanding the others, I just love my country and I’m proud of my nationality, period. So if someone is trash talking about my proud (worse case he is Malaysian!) he is a douche bag! 

Continue to my last @Singapore

First we stopped at The Civic District walk by Esplanade Park later to Merlion Park and then to Orchard Road.

We had lunch at the famous Indian Muslim restaurant Singapore Zam Zam located at purple shophouse at the corner of Arab Street. They served very nice food with huge portion, 1 plate is equivalent of 2person with cheap price. For a plate Briayani Rice and Chicken Murtabak it only cost $12. 

After lunch we stop at Mustaffa (famous retailer like Mydin) to shop souvenirs. Later we continue to Sentosa Island by Cable Car. Sentosa is one of my favorite top spot, last year we spent 3 whole days but still I missed Underwaterworld and Song of Sea, so this time I just gonna through this both.

Cable Car 1 way ticket $24.

From cable car to Underwaterworld

-By bus: Free shuttle Blue & Red line

-By Monorail: from Vivo station - Beach station, from beach station take tram-Blue line 

huge king crab, it can grow to 7-8 square feet!

Underwaterworld entrance fees $25.90

Open daily 9am to 9pm – last admission 8.30pm

Dolphin show: 2.30pm & 5.00pm

Going back to Beach station to catch up song of sea show at 8.00pm. It's a mesmerizing show with live cast and effects like water jets, lasers, special computer imaging, flaming burst and captivating music. Ticket price only $10. You can get $3 off for Segway drive if showing song of the sea ticket after 6.30pm.

Recommend in Sentosa - Siloso Beach is the best. You can rent a bike to island explorer, skyline luge, the flying trapeze and try to surf at wave house or leisure riding a segway.  If you plan to play at Sentosa better buy their pass Day pass ($63.90) or Noon pass ($37.90) but for the whole day better buy the Premium pass ($65.90) it’s more savings. Others attraction is 4D Magix, tiger sky tower, cineblast and don’t forget to try desperados games. 

Finally i can finish this post *proud self*