Paris is Just A Stone Throw Away from London (Almost!)

Frankly speaking, I haven’t been to London or Paris before. But I have always been dreaming to visit these two places. To me, it would be a dream come true if I were to wander around the city of London and lazing under the blue sky of Paris.

Busy street in London City (Photo credit : Dimitry B)

Beautiful London at Night (Photo credit : Dimitry B)

London is always known as a busy city with breath-taking sceneries of building sculptures and architecture. If I were to be there, I am sure that my 2GB memory card would indicate “FULL” very quickly. I guess I’ll just have to grab a few more cards along just for the travel there.

A Fast Moving Double-Decker (Photo credit : E01)

I would not want to miss the red double-decker buses which have been the unofficial ‘mascot’ of London. Actually what I know is that some double-deckers are specially designated for tourists to hop in and bring them around the beautiful city and some famous attractions, similar to the ‘Hop-On Hop-Off’ buses in KL. That would be easy for first timers like me.

Big Ben (Photo credit : E01)

Another place I would love to drop by in London is the Royal Albert Hall. This is the place where my favourite Malaysian singer, Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza held her concert back in 2004. I would like to come here and sit down at a corner with my eyes closed, imagining myself in the concert while enjoying the performance on stage. Isn’t that great?!

Royal Albert Hall at Night (Photo credit : yisris)

The Entrance to Royal Albert Hall (Photo credit : Roberat)

With modern transportation nowadays, London and Paris are just 2 hours 15 minutes away from each other. Thanks to Eurostar! Grab a seat in the train and you’ll be in Paris, the city of art, fashion and romance in no time.

A Busy Eurostar Terminal (Photo credit : Jason Cartwright)

2hrs 15 mins from London to Paris with Eurostar Train (Photo credit : Jason Cartwright)

I’ve always dreamt of having a cup of ice-cream with my lovely wife at the peak of Eiffel Tower. Wouldn’t it be marvellous if only I could fulfill my dream? Other than that, I would not miss the Arc de Triomphe. It carries history from the World War I and is still proudly standing in Paris in remembrance of the fighters and warriors who had fought through the war.

Night View of Paris (Photo credit : Dimitry B)

The Ever Famous, Eiffel Tower (Photo credit : Al Ianni)

Paris is such a photogenic place that I am sure photography lovers, like me, would not stop taking photos of anything everywhere! Another 2GB is still not enough, and that’s for sure! This place is full of beautiful churches, chapels, monuments, arches, museums and other modern buildings which can easily take your breath away.

Arc de Triomphe (Photo credit : Dimitry B)

Inside a Mesmerizing Chapel (Photo credit : Dimitry B)

Well, dream no more. I’ve found out some interesting packages about London which are reasonable and affordable. Check them out yourself!

Siem Reap has the Soupy, but Not-So-Plain…

After a visit to my doctor, I was advised to give a break to my regular intake of curries, chilies, anything and everything fried. Instead, I was to consume only food that is soupy, plain, and light. Oh great! All because of a seasonal flu, I was subjected to this strict diet.

Soup for me.

The old saying of ‘feed the cold and starve a fever’ is just an old saying. No way I’m going to eat light. But soupy food? Bring it. Being a Cantonese girl, I grew up with soups. And even though Cambodia isn’t exactly a food haven, it does have something good to offer somewhere, in some corner, tucked away. You just have to follow your nose, and look for the crowd.

Fishes to make praho- fish paste/ some call it Khmer cheese!

Cambodian food is a cross balance between Thai and Vietnamese food. Soupy like the Vietnamese, spiced up a little like the Thai, but not as spicy. Following the reign of Khmer regime, the local palate is famously noted for using praho (fermented fish paste) and kapi (fermented prawn paste). The flavours of these fermented paste is distinctive and has a pungent smell to it. It is definitely an acquired taste for any first-timers. Coconut milk is also generously used for most of the curry cuisine.

The humble simple noodle soup

One of the local favourites is the noodle soup. It is a simple dish that I’m often picky with as it takes the freshest ingredients and no stinginess to make this dish. The broth has to be prepared with enough essence base for the soup to taste good. Addictives added will just put me off as it only enhances the taste artificially. Here, springy fish ball and tender chicken shreds are used, with a nice sprinkle of green onions on top for colour. I’m sure I’ll have my doctor’s approval for this dish. Soupy, but not plain like the Malaysian kind, it has a nice hint of lime and spicy herbs for that added point for this Cambodian noodle soup.

Looks deceiving plain but it's bursting with flavours.

A second soupy dish is the Khmer hot and sour soup. This is a nice change from normal plain chicken soup or the off-my-list curry soup. Doctor said no curries for me. He did not mentioned hot and sour. It is a soup after all and it has healthy vegetables, mushrooms, lotus roots and some nice whole chilies added for the kick. It is a fish based soup using prahok. This soup will sure help with my sinus congestion.

A bowl of hearty stew- Caw

Third soup which I want to introduce is actually a stew. It’s counted as a soup too because it’s soupy! It is called Caw. It is made with either chicken or pork with whole eggs simmered together for hours. Take small savouring spoonful and taste the caramelized palm sugar. It is definitely a hearty soup and makes a good snack for the in between meals.

Beer is cheaper than Coke

Last but not least, I heard beer is good for cooling the body down. It helps with fever. Angkor beer is sweet and cheaper than a can of Coke in Siem Reap. Even though I’m not a big fan of beer, but what the heck, it’s cheap.

A great place to check out popular local cuisine, Siem Reap's Old Market is where you should go. Let me know what other good food you managed find at Siem Reap. But first, check out the flights and accommodation at Siem Reap here.


*photo courtesy from BorneoBoy, Karen at RamblingSpoon...

One of A Kind Experience in Chiang Mai

Talking about Thailand, I thought of Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai is a fast developing city with heavy traditional and cultural elements withhold in it. Like some other parts of Thailand, you would be able to find loads of tuktuks and temples around you. Isn’t that interesting? Well, simply because more 'tuktuks' means more convenience to travel about. More temples means more places to visit… And more beautiful photos to take!

The latest attraction in Chiang Mai is the Wat Rong Khun (The White Temple). As its name suggested, this temple is purely in white with amazing architecture and sculptures on every surface of it. Even the walk ways and surroundings are decorated with meaningful sculptures and monuments. For a slight preview, enjoy the pictures below. (Photo credit : Honou)

Next, let’s dash into the jungle and get ready for some extreme action! I’m sure you won’t get this kind of experience every where. Take the Elephant Safari Tour which you can get yourself nearer to nature. Sit on the back of Dumbo and gang while they show you around their ‘home’. After the unusual encounter with Dumbo, get wet in the next adventure – water rafting! Well, I told you it’s gonna be extreme, didn’t I? (Photo credit : fantomdesigns)

What’s for dinner? Dine in Khantoke Palace for dinner while being entertained with their famous cultural dance and performance. You’ll be served with the Northern-style cuisine like tom yam, curry and rice on low tables while sitting on the matted floor. Traditional dances like Thai finger dance, sword dance and candle dance would be performed in front of the visitors and guests, enriched with Thailand’s traditional music. (Photo credit : fantomdesigns)

After dinner, do not miss the Night Bazaar as it usually operates until late night. Clothes, batiks, household items, food, drinks, snacks and many other things can be found here! It’s indeed a shopping haven for tourists but always remember to bargain as I think it should be the ‘local culture’ here. The operators of these long stretches of stalls are always ready for the ‘bargaining’ battle. Don’t leave your calculators at home. It’s time to make them into good use! (Photo credit : avlxyz)

Well, I guess you guys are thinking of flying over to Chiang Mai already, right? PYO Travel.com has got your itinerary lined up for you. All you need to do is just book your travel packages and pack your bags. See you guys there!

Dabble in the True Colours of Jogjakarta City

Known as the gateway to Central Java, this city located at the smallest province of Indonesia is also proudly recognized as the City of Art and Culture not only by the locals, but also internationally. With the testimony of seeing several passing reigns of ancient kingdoms, Jogjakarta City had absorbed the rich variety of cultures left by each these kingdom, making it the place to truly immerse oneself in learning about olden civilization, traditions, heritage, ethnicity, customs, ceremonies, and the ways of life in a totally new dimension.

Mystical temples at Borobudur

So when one visits this colourful vibrant city of culture, it is simply a not a choice to avoid seeing magnificent temples, palace ruins, crumbling monasteries, and other unique architecture of the past. There’s the Borobudur, Sewu Temple, Prambanam Temple, and the list goes on. Just head on to a tourism centre and grab a map; it’ll lead you on a time-traveling journey into the past of the ancient kingdoms at these places.

However, today I’m not going to go on a long-winded story telling session with you on the historical tales of 16th and 17th centuries Javanese empire of Mataram, the 8th-10th centuries era of ancient Mataram Kingdom, nor the Sultanate Ngayogyokarto from the mid of 18th Century until now. We’re skipping this cultural aspect of these famous landmarks, and explore one of the true colours that made Jogjakarta City known as the City of Art and Culture- Batik.

Traditional Handmade Batik -by Peter Loud

The beautiful batik prints has captivated me since long ago. From my own understanding, batik has a long history in recording the art style of one culture, interpreting and incorporating these elements into beautiful patterns, creating a whole new plane in the art culture. Batik is created by painting on plain fabrics such as cotton or silk, using paraffin. Several techniques can be used to create these fine-looking cloth pieces such as handwrite, stamping, painting, or a combination of these techniques.

Traditional 'becak' (rickshaws) at Malioboro Street

If you just want to buy one or more of these fabrics as a souveniers, Malioboro Street is just the place to go with rows and batik shops and stalls filled with neat stacks of these fabrics. Just remember that they are priced to be bargained. However, to see how batik is traditionally made, Taman Sari Complex will be your destination.

The stacks of mass-produced batik prints

It is an amazing experience as you study how these works of art are made. Batik painters do not really make a very good living as many of them have to struggle to pay for the expensive fabric and paraffin (the good quality ones). But the ones who are left at Taman Sari Complex, preserves the skilled craft of handmade batik rather than the factory mass-produced ones. A batik painter would first sketch out the design in pencil, then trace over the lines by using hot paraffin. Natural colour dye would then be filled into the design to form the colourful picture. When everything is dried, the washing process will follow to melt away the paraffin on the cloth. Many of these batik painters have proof of their experience shown on their permanently dyed hands, showing you how real traditional batik is suppose to be made.

Jogja Batik Designs

Seeing how Batik is made can get more interesting and hands-on as quite a few shops at Taman Sari offer Batik making lessons. You can choose to learn the classical batik designs or apply some of your own art ideas to create modern batik through batik painting. It will be an unforgettable experience as nothing can beat the creative thrill of art creation combining your own ideas using traditional art applications. And at the end of it, you would get an authentic piece of handmade souvenir to take home to show off. Have fun and do share your work of art with us when you’ve done it!

Canting drawing technique using melted paraffin

To book your trip to this City of Art and Culture and experience Batik making, check out the deals here.

Poor Response in Penang Matta Fair...

We are now at the 3rd and final day of Penang Matta Fair ground, as of this writing, we are approaching the final 2 hours of fair before it closes.

This year the traffic drops atleast 70% and most travelers postponed their travel to October till December.

We do expect a slow in business volume, but none of us expected this bad turn out. I overheard there are other agents even score Zero for the past 2 days...that's how bad it is.

We hope that the fear of travel will be slowly subside when the H1N1 situations approve...see for yourself...

Empty booth..

Quite corridor...

Update more later...
Ciao

Love is in the Air of Taipei...

Calling all newly weds! Cracking your head thinking where to go for honeymoon? Well, I may suggest T-A-I-P-E-I! I know there’s a special package by PYO Travel.com designated for lovey dovey newly wed couples.
Now, you must be thinking what can you do in Taiwan for honeymoon? Easy, think HOTSPRING! But don’t only think one, but NINE!!! Yes, there are 9 different hotspring baths with different functions and effects for your health. It’s all in Beitou, the hot spot (real hot!) of hotsprings. I am sure your partner would love to try out all the different hotsprings here with you. You may even book the private hotspring room for privacy. Isn't that a memorable way to start your life after marriage?
What else should two love birds do in Taipei? Imagine yourself, sitting in a huge Ferris Wheel, embracing your beloved partner, enjoying the scenic view of Taipei’s skyline. It is something like the Eyes on Malaysia EXCEPT this one is attached to the roof top of a shopping mall! Sounds interesting? Yes, I know. It’s the Miramar Entertainment Park Ferris Wheel. So, besides the Ferris Wheel, it's also a shopping haven to shop 'til you drop!

When you’re in Taipei, you would never want to miss Taipei 101, the previous tallest building in the world. Admire its structure and may I suggest a mini game for you both? Try to find as many ‘fengshui’ features around or on the building. I am sure you can easily spot abundant of them! Another thing I like about this building is its whole building structure. It was constructed according to the concept of a bamboo plant. It’s a way to avoid the building from collapsed during earthquake and typhoon. Very creative and innovative!

Shilin Night Market equals to non-stop shopping and eating! The long stretch of food and goods stalls starts their busy day around 4.00pm until late midnight daily. I don’t know what the reason is, but the fresh fruits here just taste super sweet! There are also limitless choices of local delicacies and snacks for us to savour.

Don’t hesitate any longer. Bring your other half here and launch your love journey and spread your love in the air of TAIPEI...!

A Sensory Load in Saigon’s Ben Thanh Market

From a bird’s eye view, lush green stretches of endless rice paddy fields can be seen dancing gracefully along where the wind blows. The presence of scrawny scarecrow breaks the rhythmic dance routine in every few kilometers. It is a sight to behold. As my destination draw closer, I see the Saigon River bends smoothly around a lively cityscape. There sits Vietnam’s largest metropolis, Ho Chi Minh City. (or Saigon, still popularly known in the hearts of the city folks)

Ben Thanh Market

Though Hanoi reins as the capital of governance, it is Ho Chi Minh City which thumps the economic heartbeat of the country. Do not be deceived by the peaceful sight of the countryside fields. In this city, it is bursting with activities and traffic; the atmosphere can only be spelled one way- Chaos. As a curious pedestrian taking in all the sights in this city, you’d have to remember to watch out for the streams of motorbikes cruising speedily across every direction on the traffic-clogged roads. Even the small alleyways and sidewalks are sometimes not spared. If you are one for adventure, hopped onto a xe om (motorbike taxi) and it will bring you on a eye-opening spin around the city.

Streets at Ben Thanh Market

As for me, I like to take it nice and slow and fill all my sensory to the brim of what makes Saigon, Saigon. There is no better place than the city’s oldest market -Ben Thanh Market, to get a taste of what the common Saigonese eats daily and live their lives. Build since the early 19th century, Ben Thanh Market is a square building with four gates that look onto Quách Thị Trang Plaza, Phan Bội Châu, Phan Chu Trinh, and Lê Thánh Tôn Streets. With more than 3000 stalls at this place, you can find everything from food, clothing, household items, hardware, pets, manicure and pedicure services, facial do’s and the list goes on. It is certainly a place where one can spend hours in, just exploring the nooks and corners and be amused with the things people do in their normal lifestyle.

Exploring this market is not for the faint-hearted. It is structured in an open-air concept where flies are an inevitable sight. Everyone in Saigon live their life on the streets, sidewalk, and pathways. And no, they’re not homeless; it’s just where they do their activities, with a good reason that it’s nice to catch some breeze outside. The same goes in this market.

There's no fresher fish than this!

Food being fresh is what makes Vietnamese cuisine taste so good. At the market, you can just point to a fish alive and swimming in the many plastic storage boxes and have it slaughtered and gutted out skillfully by the seller. The innards of the animals are for sale too. You can see the liver, intestines, kidneys, stomach, tongue, ears, and even the brains lined up accordingly in its metal pans.

Colourful patchwork of grains

When the stench of raw meat gets over-powering, it’s time to head towards the dry produce section. I like it here because you can find grains and beans in every kind; colourful candies, tidbits, snacks arrange in rows of clear plastic container, piecing together an art piece of flavours. Talking about flavours, coffee lovers should not miss out on getting a pound or two of weasel coffee beans. Harvested from the droppings of weasels, these coffee beans guarantee an unforgettable aroma and taste that awarded it the most expensive coffee in the world.

Coffee lovers' corner

It an amusing sight to see ladies on tiny stool having their toe nails done in shades of brightly-coloured nail polish. Beside this beauty services corner, sat an old lady having a full face threading done. For ladies, if you want to have a go at this ancient form of hair removal, it’s relatively painless and really cheap. It’s definitely worth a try to get a smooth hairless complexion doing it the Saigonese way.

Weasel droppings?

What is a holiday trip without souveniers? At Ben Thanh Market, you get a wide selection of every imaginable item. From the tacky mass-produced tourist junk to unique handcrafted wood pieces, the choices are never-ending.

Where's the conical hats? Dig deeper

Now picking a tour package is definitely easier than the huge array of trinkets where you can find at Ben Thanh Market. Check out the attractive tour offers to Ho Chi Minh City from PYO Travel.