You are currently browsing the monthly archive for April, 2008.
The Charcoal Factory Kuala Sepetang is an attraction to visit for those who are in the vicinity of Taiping, north Malaysia. Why? It’s interesting to see this kind of manual work is still in full process and even in demand. Kuala Sepetang is probably the best choice to see this whole process.
I went to Mr. Chuah’s family business in Matang, just outside Kuala Sepetang. Here, right in the middle of the beautiful mangrove forest, a reason alone to visit Taiping and Kuala Sepetang, te process of making charcoal can be followed with great explanations of Mr. Chuah. Highly recommended
Plain of jarsa and Phonsavan in North Laos is a must see when traveling here. Unfortunately it’s a little dead end street, so to say. You need an extra 3 days at least to visit the valley. Phonsavan is the administrative center of this part of Laos. Highly recommended.
Books about Malaysian literature, cuisine, and travel guide books
Great deals about Books about Malaysian literature, travel guide, cuisine. Essential reading and much more. Check here for your books about Pangkor and Malaysia. Check it out:
Talk about a nice area in China, Xishuangbanna certainly fits the description of another travelers gem. It’s not too much visited because for a lot of people it’s just too far from the main travel areas Dali, Lijiang etc. But it’s worth to visit. Very different from other areas in China, Xishuangbanna offers raw jungle and minorities all along the Lao and Burmese borders. Check it out: South Yunnan Xishuangbanna
Isn’t it amazing, Thailand is a great country for cycling but most cyclist seem to prefer the north. The south is “too hot”. Nonsense, if you ask me. The south is fine to cycle, as long as you don’t go further east then Hat Yai and Yala.
Alex from krabi-beach-lover.com invited me to write an article for his website. Alex is in the process of creating an excellent website about Krabi and everything around it. As I have been cycling the distance from Surat Thani to Satun, in between you will find Krabi, a few times, writing a page about cycling to and from Krabi wasn’t too difficult.
And cycling in that part of Thailand is a pleasure, so I hope you will enjoy reading.
Gurney Drive is probably one of the best examples in Penang where modern western life and Asian culture go hand in hand. Modern hotels and apartments with brilliant sea view stand almost next door with centuries old temples. No wonder Gurney Drive is popular. Here is a more detailed page about what Gurney Drive has to offer.
Gurney Drive and the Burmese Temple
Langkawi is, as many other destinations not famous for it’s cycling options. Still, it’s a great island to use your bicycle to go around, if you can handle the heat. Langkawi has good options to travel to different parts of the Malaysian peninsula and to Thailand. But lets see what Langkawi has to offer
For many years Penang is a major Malaysian tourist destination. It’s not for nothing. Penang is more then any other place in Malaysia a melting pot of cultures. The mix of culture and modern life are in few cities so explicit available as in Penang. Take for example Gurney Drive with the Burmese Temple and next door the Thai Wat Chaiya Mangkalaram. And almost next door of both temples there are modern skyscrapers with shopping malls and all the modern facilities you can wish for.
If the heart of Georgetown is the center for culture, Gurney Drive and Tanjung Bungah with The Cove Beach Condominium are modern living areas. If a retirement in Penang is what you are looking for, these two areas plus The Village in Batu Ferrenghi and The Sanctuary on the east coast of Penang are areas to look out for.
April 4 was the day the Chinese worldwide consider as the main day for Ching Ming, one of their most important days in the year. Some call it a festival, celebration is probably a better word. The Chinese families go to the graveyard where parents and other family members are buried. Ching Ming is the day to clean up the grave, offer and pray for those who are no longer amongst us. Fake money is burned so the dead have their own money on the other side.
Although I am living for years in Malaysia, and lived in China, every year I find this a touching festival. People clean up graves, pray for people who are for dozens of years dead, sometimes don’t even know them. The dead are maybe gone, but they are certainly not forgotten.
Last week I visited Penang for the … uhmmm… forgot how many times ….. This time I was finally in the opportunity to visit the more then 200 years old Burmese Buddhist temple. The outside architecture is not the most spectacular, but inside… wow! Especially the temple with the standing Buddha and the 16 smaller Buddhas is an impressive place of peace and tranquility. Check it out for your self, click here to see more
