The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over The Lazy Dog

Day 247: Volubilis, Ancient Rome Empire

2010-12-17T11:39:00.003+08:00

6 May 2009

A short trip out of town to visit Volubilis.

First, its a walk to the bus station for a bus ride. Passed by these flats and cant help but be amazed by the number of satellite dishes they have.

Woman carrying things on her head.

Then upon arrival, its a long walk to Volubilis. Pictures taken along the way.

Isn't this poppy flowers? The opium flowers?

Volubilis (Arabic: وليلي‎ Walili) is an archaeological site in Morocco situated near Meknes between Fez and Rabat along the N13 road. The nearest town is Moulay Idriss. Volubilis features the best preserved Roman ruins in this part of northern Africa. In 1997 the site was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In antiquity, Volubilis was an important Roman town situated near the westernmost border of Roman conquests. It was built on the site of a previous Carthaginian settlement from (at the latest) the third century BC, but that settlement overlies an earlier neolithic habitation.

Volubilis was the administrative center of the province in Roman Africa called Mauretania Tingitana. The fertile lands of the province produced many commodities such as grain and olive oil, which were exported to Rome, contributing to the province's wealth and prosperity. Archaeology has documented the presence of a Jewish community in the Roman period.

Is this the bird that delivers babies to homes?

The Romans evacuated most of Morocco at the end of the 3rd century AD but, unlike some other Roman cities, Volubilis was not abandoned. However, it appears to have been destroyed by an earthquake in the late fourth century AD. It was reoccupied in the sixth century, when a small group of tombstones written in Latin shows the existence of a community that still dated its foundation by the year of the Roman province. Coins show that it was occupied under the Abbasids: a number of these simply bear the name Walila.

The texts referring to the arrival of Idris I in 788 show that the town was at that point in the control of the Awraba tribe, who welcomed the descendant of Ali, and declared him imam shortly thereafter. Within three years he had consolidated his hold on much of the area, founded the first settlement at Fez, and started minting coins. He died in 791, leaving a pregnant Awraba wife, Kenza, and his faithful slave, Rashid, who acted as regent until the majority of Idris II. At this point the court departed for Fez, leaving the Awraba in control of the town.

The local Latin language survived for centuries, and was not replaced before the Arabs conquered North Africa in the late 7th century.

People continued to live in Volubilis for more than 1,000 years more. Volubilis was first abandoned in the 18th century -- when it was demolished in order to provide for building materials for the construction of the palaces of Moulay Ismail in nearby Meknes. If that demolishing had not arrived, Volubilis could have become one of the best preserved Roman sites anywhere.

Volubilis' structures were damaged by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, while in the 18th century part of the marble was taken for constructions in nearby Meknes.

In 1915, archaeological excavation was begun there by the French and it continued through into the 1920s. Extensive remains of the Roman town have been uncovered. From 2000 excavations carried out by University College London and the Moroccan Institut National des Sciences de l’Archéologie et du Patrimoine under the direction of Elizabeth Fentress, Gaetano Palumbo and Hassan Limane revealed what should probably be interpreted as the headquarters of Idris I just below the walls of the Roman town to the west. Excavations within the walls also revealed a section of the early medieval town. Today, a high percentage of artifacts found at Volubilis are on display in the Rabat Archaeological Museum.

Woh.. will these not drop?

The most interesting thing I saw here is this. It was found in the house of dog.

I do not know why it was here and what meaning it has got to the Romans but it was indeed huge!

So I decided to have some fun with it. HAHA...

By the end of the day, I was hot and sticky and so I decided to use another item I have gotten from the Singapore Day in London.

Since we like to reserve seats using tissue papers so they might as well do this for us. CHOPE!!! So lovely.

Nice little creature landed on me.

Back in Meknes, as I was walking back to my hotel, I saw a group of guys sitting very quietly paying full attention to something. What are they looking at?

Oh!!! Soccer.. what else.. hahaha...

I shall call it a day.

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Day 245 & 246: Meknes

2010-10-16T11:56:00.002+08:00

Day 245
Date: 4 May 2009

Spent the whole day travelling from Chefchaouen to Meknes because there are no direct bus and I had to go back to Fes for a connecting bus. Back in Fes, I met up with Adelynn(the Singaporean girl) and we decided to travel together.

Day 246
Date: 5 May 2009

I cant help but notice that the door knob on my room's door is at the center of the door and that it does not turn!!

Wanted to grab some snacks but even though these looks tempting, those bees deterred me.

Meknes (Arabic: مكناس‎, Berber: Meknas or Ameknas, French: Meknès, Spanish: Mequinez) is a city in northern Morocco, located 130 kilometres from the capital Rabat and 60 kilometres (37 mi) from Fes. It was the capital of Morocco under the reign of Moulay Ismail (1672–1727), before it was relocated to Marrakesh.

It is not as impressive and massive as Fes and Marrakesh, and it is very managenable. Since it's relatively ignored by most tourists, it's also free of the usual hassles (touts, faux guides, etc) that plague the other tourist centers.

The prices in Meknes are among the most reasonable in Morocco and the people are much more polite and nicer than in the other cities. Lets take a walk through the back lanes have have a look at the local lifestyle.

Their gaming center.

Local made ice cream.

Beautiful neighbourhood.

Back on the streets

Another places of interest.

Beautiful tiles.

A walk in the bazzar.

Didnt know that people in muslim country can dress like this.

Fancy an icecream?

Or a CD from a vendor pushing his cart around with a loud speaker?

These are not for rowing boats. They are for baking breads!!

More stuffs

Moroccan McDonalds!!

Pizza Hut in Arabic

Well.... I thought this is one of the best shot of the day.

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Day 244: Chefchaouen

2010-10-07T11:23:00.003+08:00

Date: 3 May 2009

Woke up early to take the morning bus to Chefchaouen. Grab a quick bite at the bus station. It read 5 dirham per baggage on my bus ticket but the guy demanded 20 dirham instead. It was really very frustrating to meet this kinda people as they keep raising the prices as and when they like. This is one thing I hate while traveling in developing countries. Tourist prices vs Local prices. You gotta bargain, beware and be aware. It can be quite tiring..... Early early morning.... don't wanna quarrel... Nah... just gave it to him la.... :(

Upon arrival, I checked into my hostel....

and went straight to the square for a Moroccan Mint Tea while people watching...

The square

Since I was traveling on a typical classic route around Morocco, I tend to bump into many others who were doing the same. As such, I kept seeing familiar faces wherever I went. For example, them.

One interesting thing about traveling is to see the locals.

Chefchaouen (شفشاون, also Chaouen, Chawen or Xaouen) is a gorgeous mountain city in northeastern Morocco. It's no wonder that tourists flock here — this humble town is the embodiment of almost every Moroccan cliché. The picturesque medina, set against the dramatic backdrop of the Rif Mountains, is filled with white-washed homes with distinctive, powder-blue accents, and the call to prayer rings out of several mosques around the town in chorus. If you've got a few days to relax from the rigors of travel, this is a good place to do it.

Tourism in Chaouen is also driven by its reputation as centre of the marijuana plantations region in North Morocco. Drugs are widespread and somehow tolerated, but touts trying to sell to tourists are also very annoying.

Spanish is the foreign language mostly spoken by the population, while French is the language of higher education.

I call it, the city of blue and white.

How can you not find cactus in Africa?

This goat sure know how to look high and low for food.

Edge of the village,

I made my way up to a higher point to have an overview of the area.

The top

The view

I wasn't the only one enjoying the view, there were many others.

Making my way down, I passed by a waterfall which is the common gathering place for the local.

Back into the blue and white.

I saw a boy playing yoyo on the streets. He offered his yoyo to play with me. After a few tries (too long never play), I drop his yoyo and it cracked. Tears started flowing... oh shit......

Luckily I remembered that I brought along toys and gifts taken from the Singapore Day and I immediately gave him a toy in return. That claimed him down. Phew....

It was then back to the square for dinner where I saw more familiar faces.

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Day 242 & 243: Fes

2010-09-20T23:33:00.012+08:00

Day 242
Date: 1 May 2009

This is the guy whom I went out with for a drink last night.

Hop on a train and I was on my way to Fes. And then it was a long walk from the train station to the old city of Fes. I could have taken the public transport but in order to save money, I decided to walk instead.

The walk was long and the scorching heat made it more difficult. After A good 20-30mins, I saw some city wall. I must be here already and so I thought.

But I was wrong. So I kept walking until I found a huge map on the street. I was delighted. But........

damn... what kinda map is this? Nope, it was of no help. And so I kept walking....

and walking.... and finally I arrived.

Checked into a hostel. It was full but I still managed to check in. (Tell you why later) and I took a rest under the hot sun on the roof top while enjoying the city "skyline".

You must be thinking that I was the only crazy guy to take a rest under the hot African heat! But you are wrong. I wasnt alone. There were others.

Its time for lunch.

I was amazed by how fast time flies by. I wanted to explore the old town abit but I had met so many travellers that I spent 7-8 hours chatting to different traveller who came in and out from this stall where I was having my lunch!!

It is also a good place to people watch. Do drop by if you are in Fes. Besides, they served really good food. Thats the owner and me.

Of all I met, there was this aussie author who spent every alternate half yearly in Morocco and the other in Aust. He taught me alot of things about publishing a book. And guess what? I also met a fellow Singaporean! She was travelling alone and this Moroccan guy followed him for 3-4 hours! She then used me to get rid of him!

Warning! To all solo female travellers in Morocco. Beware! They can be really sticky and touchy! She told me her many encounter and my jaws drop......

Thats my new found friend.

I have read about these stories online but now that I personally met someone who encountered it, I truly believe it. After hearing all these stories, I walked her to a place where she could get a cab back to the other end of the old town where she is putting up.

I am so glad I am male.

Day 243
Date: 2 May 2009

Wanna know why I still managed to check in even though all the rooms are full? cause I slept on the terrace.

Which was very uncomfortable. All the noise from the street and the bright sunlight at 6am. Oh my... ofcourse I didnt sleep well.

Well, life still goes on. Breakfast!

First stop, ruins on a small hill near the old town. I love morning walks.

Oh my... They sure know how to find business.

Its time to explore the old town.

Fes or Fez is the third largest city in Morocco —after Casablanca and Rabat— with a population of just over one million. It is the capital of the Fès-Boulemane region. Fes el Bali is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its medina, the larger of the two medinas of Fes, is believed to be the world's largest contiguous car-free urban area. The University of Al-Karaouine, founded in AD 859, is the oldest continuously functioning university in the world.

With more than 9000 over alleys, it was really difficult not to get lost.

Once again, poor donkey!

Oh my... Will this peacock have the same fate as these rooster? If not why is it here? hmm.. beats me...

Took a rest back in my hostel.

Can you find Singapore?

Then it was lunch/dinner in a restaurant where I tired the camel burger!!

My Singaporean friend joined me and told me more of her today's encounter. She said that while she was marking her map against the wall this afternoon, someone ran his finger up her ass crack. She turned around in anger wanted to scream at the person but to her surprise, it was a small boy as young as 10 years old. She stood there stunted, not knowing to scold or not. The boy was so proud of what he has done that he walked away smiling.

Oh my... They start young here dont they?

(She still has more encounters in the following days.... shit!!!)

Back to this restaurant, I think the toilet is worth mentioning. They use Incense Paper as Wall Paper!! It was all over the wall!! OMG!!! I almost fainted!

To save money, I did not get a room but slept on the floor again. The only difference is, I chose to sleep along the corridor instead.

Before I say good night, here is one must see thing in Fes which I missed out. Got these photos from a fellow traveller. Its the dyeing scene. Very famous here.

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My Life has Just Begun: The Land of Beaches: Phuket holiday (19-23 Aug 10)

2010-09-06T16:10:00.005+08:00

Phuket Holiday

19-23 August 2010
Sawatdee Ka!
(Hello - *Ka for female/ Karp for male)

It was my first trip to Phuket.
The sun, the sand and the sea, we were all excited to make our first voyage to Phuket, an island on the South of Thailand. An island hit by the devastating Tsunami wave in December 2004, I was curious to find out what the place has become and how the people are coping. Also, I need a break away from work!!
Beach would do me good, I thought. And it sure did.

Arriving at Phuket International Airport, we were met with touting taxis at the entrance.
We asians are probably not the target of these boisterous lot, you will not fail to notice Caucasians making up the majority of tourists landing on this island. We disregarded the taxis, which would cost almost 700Bt. We boarded a shared 12-seater mini van instead, which will take you to any beaches you're staying at - for a mere 180Bt/pax.

It was a 45 mins drive to our guesthouse, Jinta Andaman. Be informed that the driver shall make a stopover at one of the travel agencies where they would try to sell you hotel/day tour packages. There is no obligation and you could simply say no and the driver would be on the road again. No fuss.

Jinta Andaman
A beautiful boutique hotel built on a redevelopment site between Kata and Karon Beach, we love this place.There were still new projects under construction - new public pool, new condominium, new residences, I would think the Tsunami played a part in these new ventures, and new road sign like the below.

The room had a zen touch to its furnishing - black and white, and clean.
Every room has a different picture displayed on the wall, and I like ours.
And there were interesting quotes in the toilet too...

Although it is situated further away from the bustling night streets of Patong Beach, we prefer a separate place for quiet rest and Jinta fits the bill.
Know what, and the room here is soooo sooooo soooo cheap!
For just 600Bt/room, it cost less than S$30/night! It feels almost like a standard hotel, of cos, without the pool. But who needs the pool when you can have the big blue sea a distance away?
Friendly owner, helpful assistant, Recommended.

Phuket is an easy place to manoeuvre.
Ignore all the touting drivers persuading you to take their ride, if you can ride a motorbike. It is sooo cheap! - 150Bt/day rental. That's not even S$10!

Take time to visit the Big Buddha, a sight you can see from afar. It was a steep ride up the mountains. The Buddha structure was built tile by tile. Amazing work.

They were still constructing though, the lotus flower which Buddha sits on was covered with scaffolding and the place was calling for donations to the tile pieces in order to complete the statue.

We visited Ton Sai Waterfall in the North of Phuket. Nothing like the Negara Falls (duh!), but this natural waterfall was a charming sight we Singaporeans hardly get to see, apart from the largest man-made waterfall at Jurong Birdpark. We took a quiet stroll in the park and Wen snapped some really great pictures of the waterfall.

The main attraction in Phuket - The Beaches!!
Main beaches from the south: Kata Beach, Karon Beach, Patong Beach
Take a ride on a motorbike along the beaches, the feeling was amazing! We googled for 'chances of thunderstorm' which dampened our mood, but were pleased that luck was on our side and the sky was clear and breezy!

One of the not so good days saw the red flag with the no-swimming sign up at Kata beach, which signalled strong waves. But, you'll still see people swimming in the danger waters, caucasians mostly.

The best view of the sea however, is not during daytime, but at sunset.

AT SUNSET
View from Karon beach

View from Karon View Point

Head down South to Prompthep Cape (southernmost point) to catch one of the best sunset view!

Sky lanterns, also known as Kongming Lantern are airborne paper lanterns traditionally used in warfares in ancient china. It is now popular for celebrating festivals in Asian cultures, especially so in Thailand. Known as khom loi (floating lantern) or khom fai (fire lantern), the Loy Kratong festival in which couples gather on the riverbanks to float flowers and candles, launch fireworks and release sky lanterns together. It is considered good luck to release a sky lantern, and many Thais believe they are symbolic of problems and worries floating away. We were lucky to be able to spot this at Patong Beach, by the tourists nonetheless.

@Patong Beach
It's a love and hate affair at Patong Beach.

It is the most popular tourist beach and the place is filled with shopping bazaars, malls and people. If you plan to stay here, be prepared for the noisy and bustling night life. Famous for the A-go-go shows at Bangla St, Patong, the night pubs and clubs came to live with lots and lots of people.
The parking lot for motorbike becomes a nightmare at night. Bikes were parked so close together that you'll need lots of luck in searching for yours. People actually moved your bike just to squeeze theirs in!

Day Tour to Phi Phi Island!
We haven't gotten enough of beaches and decided to take up a one-day tour to Phi Phi Island!
A 90 min ferry ride from Phuket, take time to admire the stunning rock formations.

Jellyfishes!!

Phi Phi Island Shore

Phi Phi island became popular when it was chosen as the island backdrop for 'The Beach' starring Leonardo di Caprio. The water was clear blue and beautiful!

I was thrilled when the guide took us out on another smaller boat to tour around Phi Phi island (Maya Bay, Monkey Beach). This cave housed many bird's nest which collectors have built wooden ladders to harvest them.

We were then told to get ready for snorkelling!!
It was my first trip down underwater!

I was totally lost for words when I looked down into the water with my huge goggles.
Fishes were swimming by my side, clown-fishes, schools of fishes, sea urchins, corals!
This was the most memorable moment of my trip!

Finding food was never a problem in Phuket, you can choose from the high end restaurants (which you'll find mostly caucasians - and alas, the local companions) to the low end hawker stalls which can feed us with 2 bowls of noodles, 1 bowl of chicken rice, and 2 Fantas for less than S$10 bucks! The many sauces and garnishes on the table to complement your dish, every food we tried was tasty!

Time Out Gelato Bar @ Patong
Refreshing low fat ice cream, just the thing you need in such a hot sunny weather.
Must-try - pineapple! really really nice!! The mango wasn't as good.

Roadside BBQ stall at Kata
This was our supper on one of those late nights when wen rode past a simple road side stall BBQ-ing pork and chicken drumstick. The smell of the BBQ was hard to resist and the glaze on the meat was too tempting! We bought back to our hotel and savoured the dish with Chang beer. The meat was really tender and good! Looked just as good as the pictures!

@Night Market
The visit to the night market at Phuket was also an interesting one. You'll hear about night markets from touting drivers who couldn't wait to bring you to one or chanced upon one as there were many around.
Never seen such big peas! I probably tried it in one of my meals in chopped slices.

These BBQ sausages look like beads!!

6 Restaurant @Patong
An inexpensive and tasty restaurant, much better than any other food places and there's normally a queue in the evening (from the couple of nights we were there.)

Highly recommended by Wen, try their Cha Yan (Iced Milk Tea) - concocted with their local brand carnation milk, this orange milk tea has a unique taste and fragrance.
Nicer than Koi, very much cheaper too!

Black Canyon Coffee Place
Similar to TCC in Singapore, the presentation of the coffee and furnishing here were unique. Of course, at a much cheaper price too. I ordered their popular Black Canyon Ice Coffee and it was rich and aromatic. I thought the picture of the coffee in boots was interesting too, but it's black coffee, not my cup.

Two Chef Restaurant
We saw advertisement for this restaurant everywhere in phuket. On tourist pamphlets, Tuk Tuks (mini bus) and at 3 different locations in Phuket, we decided to try when a caucasian saw us flipping through the menu at the entrance claimed that we should, "food is really good" he said.

I ordered the non-alcoholic Phuket sunrise (in orange) and Wen ordered the alcoholic Phuket sunset (in blue). So pretty! And the little dish was a complimentary appetiser - duck meat. Tasted really good with their special sauce.

Our main dish came...
Wen ordered this beef cubes dish, served with a unique side dish which from one look, we thought it was rice! Even from a closer look, we wouldn't have guessed that it was actually potatoes!

Wen liked this potato gratin which was served piping hot and you could still see the sizzle on the melted cheese! Nice!

Mine was a BBQ chicken fillet which was tender and sweet.

We liked the ambiance and service was impeccable. Even the toilet at the restaurant was of high class standard, complete with face towels.
All these food and service caused us both only 980Bt!!! Approx. S$42!

We spent our last day at a massage parlour just beside our hotel.
There were so many parlours to choose from, I chose one that looked clean and less dodgy (no heavily make up/scantily dressed ladies).
For just 200Bt, you can have a full body Thai massage for an hour!!
Cheapppp!! And good too!

Robinsons, Big C, Central Festival mall, these are some of the big malls you'll find in Phuket.
We caught a Thai movie at CFM - a romantic comedy, it was hilarious!!
Oh yes, another thing about watching movie in Thailand. Do not get all comfortable on your seat yet while watching the sneak previews/adverts, you will need to stand at attention as they play a video to pay tribute to the King before the movie starts!!
Here's the trailer for the movie - Kuan Muen Ho (Hello Stranger) - A+++ recommended!!

(Extracted from hallofus-c.blogspot.com)

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My Life has Just Begun: Malacca, Gastronomical Adventure yet again! (27-28 Mar10)

2010-09-06T16:00:00.006+08:00

It is once again back to Malacca!

Difference this time was a drive-in on Baby Blue, which Dad himself couldn't believe that it could make it (that far), but it did!!
Watching it cruised through the rain, alongside fellow motor-mates and under the scorching sun, it made us proud by clocking in almost 500km in total without making a single bit of fuss!
The ride was accompanied by a mini karaoke session, munching on snacks and enjoying the beautiful scenic view of mountains and forests.

We reached Malacca by evening and besides having "fill Baby Blue to the brim" on our must-do list, "fill our tummies" was top on that list. We parked Baby Blue along the side streets and headed straight to our first stop.

Dinner @Capitol Satay
A similar form to the 'Luk Luk' (or Steamboat on Skewers), commonly found in Malaysia, Hong Kong and other parts of S.E.A., except of course, the dip is in satay sauce.
As one of the recommendations on his fave book, Lonely Planet, we knew we had to give this place a try when there was already a long queue at past 5pm when we got there (P.S. the place is opened at 5pm). Fortunately, the queue moved rather quickly and we were ushered to our seats after a half an hour wait. A decent selection of food items on satay sticks were displayed at their chiller - 0.80RM/stick, but that was not what got me fascinated. It was the thick pot of satay sauce that the waitress brought to our table. It was a full pot of satay sauce, compared to the tiny bowls of satay sauce that comes with your satays in SG! She then carried a ladle-full of crushed peanuts and stired it into the sauce - added texture and taste!
Watching her stir the mixture was enough to make me salivate.
Despite the crowd, we were thankful that we had a big table (probably able to take 6pax) to ourselves and we did not have to share the satay dip with others. Also, the waitresses would make frequent visits to your table to help stir the thick mixture and ensuring that you get the peanuts that had settled to the bottom. Good service!

Breakfast @ Cyclamen Cottage
This beautiful cottage preserved the 1937 colonial architecture, thanks to a great owner who is a fervent collector of antiques, particularly of the Peranakan culture. Clean and well equipped with basic facilities, this place started operation only a few month ago, a rather good deal for a budget hostel stay.
One down-side, it is a distance away (30mins walk) from the main city centre, most people who stayed here drove. The front yard was transformed into a car garage by the time we reached the place, we were lucky to find a slot for Baby Blue despite having full occupancy for the night - all SG cars, we were surprised.

Breakfast was provided just like any homestay, pretty decent.
There were coffee/tea, toasts and butter/kaya, sausages, eggs, nasi lemak and nyonya kuehs. We loved the kaya.
I adore the rustic design of the dining area. We took our time for breakfast, enjoying the homey and pleasant atmosphere that we could hardly find in the city nowadays.
After breakfast, the friendly owner offered to give us a tour of his home that houses all his collection. It was actually one of the 3 units of the Cottage that he owns. His collection was impressive and it was almost as good as walking into a mini Peranakan museum.
He explained that Peranakans or Straits Chinese had a very rich and intriguing culture, which he had spent almost 30years researching and collecting. Being able to assimilate into the native culture, Peranakans carry a combination of Malay and Chinese influence in their attire and possessions.
They were a fairly rich group in the 19th century and early 20th century, and were fond of silver and ivory.

Chewing on betel nuts folded in betel leaves was a favourite past-time for Peranakans, especially the women (Nyonyas). It was also ceremonially used in weddings as well.

Peranakans are good cooks, not surprising that even stacked tins for packing dishes had intricate designs.
Certainly a treat to both the eye and the palette.

Congkak, a traditional Malay game

Know what this is? It's a baby's feeding bottle!

Lunch @ Jonker 88
Yes, I've blogged about this place before!
But being in Malacca, how could I missed not having my beloved Chendol!
We also decided to try their 2 popular kinds of Laksa - Nyonya Assam Laksa (sour and spicy broth with added chunks of tuna fish) and the Baba Laksa (spicy broth with coconut milk). Both laksas were good, but the Baba Laksa was no different from the laksa you can find in Singapore. Nyonya Assam Laksa wins. We teared and sniffed while sipping every bit of it.

2nd Lunch @ Hoe Kee Chicken Rice
It was 4pm and we just caught a movie at Dataran mall. There was still time, we thought,and without giving our stomach a chance to respond, we headed down to Jonker Street again to see what we can find.
We chanced upon this stall at the entrance of Jonker and thought we should just give this a try. It was only after doing a google search now that I realised this place is one of the more popular stall for good chicken rice! We loved the succulent chicken and riceballs that were not too mashed or sticky. Compared to Chung Wah (the stall we had before), Hoe Kee wins.

Dinner @JB
We just had lunch but it was 8pm and we were hungry again after the long drive.
Before checking out at Tuas checkpoint, we had our final meal for the day at a foodstall closeby. It was a place where most Singaporeans spent their last ringgits before heading home. We shared a Nasi Goreng Pattaya (fried rice folded in fried eggs) and teh-tariks. The wait at this particular stall was almost 45mins and just as we were about to get frustrated with the lady at the stall for taking their time (they cooked 1 serving at a time!), she held the big wok upside down to get the rice-filled egg nicely on the serving plate without breaking it and I thought that was amusing! You'll never see this in Singapore, hawkers would normally scoop the folded egg, never lifting the entire huge wok upside down! The large serving and tasty Nasi Goreng Pattaya well compensated for our lost time.
Tummies filled, Baby Blue filled, we had a great weekend.
Malacca is a charming little town and is generally safe compared to other states in Malaysia.

(Extracted from hallofus-c.blogspot.com)

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My Life Has Just Begun....

2010-08-30T09:51:00.007+08:00

I can't believe you're here with me,
And now it seems my world's complete.
I close my eyes and still I see,
My dreams became reality.

I finally found someone who knocks me off my feet,
I finally found someone who makes me feel complete.

My life has just begun,
I finally found someone....

Footprints Around The Globe.

(Click on the links below to see the photos)

1. Malacca Adventure (27-29 Nov 09)

2. Malacca, Gastronomical Adventure yet again! (27-28 Mar 10)

3. The land of Beaches, Phuket holiday (19-23 Aug 10)

and still counting......

My Life has Just Begun: Malacca Adventure - 27-29 Nov 09

2010-08-30T09:36:00.009+08:00

It was an impromptu trip after a casual remark that Friday was a Public Holiday and we would be having a long weekend. After making reservation at a guesthouse, we were ready to head up to Malacca on Friday!

Here's our travel route to Malacca:
Head down to Kranji MRT > Bus 170 to Woodlands check point > continue on Bus 170 to Larkin Terminal > Purchase coach ticket from booth counters to Malacca City Centre. Malacca, the historical state of Malaysia, has strong influence of the Peranakan culture, and European touches from the Portuguese & Dutch colonisation eras. A good place for cultural finds and food!

We stayed at Discovery Guesthouse, a conspicuous yellow building at the City Center. Despite being a budget bunking place, the room was relatively clean and the beds were comfortable. I would recommend this place for the less fussy and adventurous travellers.

Flavours of History
Story has it that the founder of Malacca, Parameswara- Prince of Palembang, was hunting when a mousedeer appeared and kicked his hunting dog who fell on its back into the river. Impressed by the courage of the mousedeer, he named the place 'Malacca' from the Tamil word 'mallakka' which means upside down and build a city on this land.

Remnants of a fort

Christ Church Melaka
Built in 1753 by the Dutch, the oldest functioning Protestant Church in Malaysia.

Malacca houses many clans/associations, you will be able to find gold plated signboards like these along the streets.
BABA HOUSE & HAINANESE CLAN

TEOCHEW CLAN & HOKKIEN CLAN

The heavily decorated rickshaws roamed the streets of Malacca with loud music
It was really noisy when one comes along, but sometimes, you do hear nice songs. =)

The buzzling Jonker Street (Chinatown look-alike)
By Day

By Night

Portuguese Egg Tart
Not as good as the ones in Macau, this tart has a sweeter filling and I thought it wasn't baked enough for the crusty outer crunch.

Jonker Dessert 88
This is a must-visit stall as they serve very good Nyonya Laksa and Chendol!!
Beautiful interior architecture too.

Nyonya Laksa - Thick round noodles with a sour spicy base, goes well with Cinchalok*
*fermented shrimp/krill

I love the Chendol* here the most!
Couldn't help but packet it on my last day for a second bowl! =p
*As a dessert, basic ingredients consist of coconut milk, noodles with green food colouring, and the local famous gula melaka (palm sugar)

Chung Wah Chicken Rice Ball
There are many stalls claiming to be selling the popular local dish - Hainanese Chicken Rice balls. My friend who frequents the place recommended this stall as one of the best around. Just check out the queue in the morning and you wont be in doubt. We were there around 10plus and were lucky to be queuing for only a short while. Queue runs when it reaches noon.

Besides the Mahkota Parade Shopping Mall, Malacca has another megamall built close to it - the Dataran Pahlawan. We were there for two movies (Ninja Assassin & Twilight - not even out in SG yet!) at the two malls as tickets were cheap, RM10! In comparison, Mahkota has a smaller theatre. Dataran's has a GV feel to it.

I love watching sunsets and Malacca has few high rise, giving you a wide sky view of the horizon and we managed to capture many beautiful moments...

Swallows are everywhere in Malacca, nestings are common in sight... heee...
First thought: Bird's Nest! *Slurp!*

Souvenirs
Long ago, this packet of poppers were played by kids during Chinese New Year. Just throw it on the ground and one tiny bag lets out a POP! We went around throwing on the ground as we walk along the Malacca streets! Who cares if we looked childish!
And yes, I believe you can hardly find this in Singapore.

Very pretty hand fan, I like the details on it. Comes in handy when weather becomes really hot!

Peranakan souvenirs.

It was a short 3 day trip that felt like a week!
Another great getaway!

(Extracted from hallofus-c.blogspot.com)

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12d) England part four, 18.04.2009 - 26.04.2009 (9 Days)

2010-08-27T12:51:00.002+08:00

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Day 229: York, England

Day 230 - 235: Last Days in Manchester

Day 236: Singapore Day in London 2009

Day 237: Interesting Marathon in London

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20) Scotland, 14.04.2009 - 17.04.2009 (4 Days)

2010-08-27T12:27:00.003+08:00

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Day 225: Fairytale Edinburgh

Day 226: Da VinCi Code Hunt - Rosslyn Chapel

Day 227 & 228: The Loch Ness Monster and the Horny Cow of Highland Scotland

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Day 241: Casablanca

2010-08-18T13:10:00.003+08:00

Date: 30 April 2009

Casablanca (Arabic: الدار البيضاء "ad-Dār al-Bayḍāʼ", original name in Amazigh: Anfa) is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.

With a population of over 5,500,000, Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It's also the biggest city in the Maghreb. Casablanca is considered the economic and business center of Morocco, while the political capital city of Morocco is Rabat.

For those who relate casablanca to a movie and find it familiar, yes you are not wrong. Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid, and featuring Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre. Set during World War II, it focuses on a man torn between, in the words of one character, love and virtue. He must choose between his love for a woman and helping her and her Czech Resistance leader husband escape from the Vichy-controlled Moroccan city of Casablanca to continue his fight against the Nazis.

Casablanca won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Its characters, dialogue, and music have become iconic, and Casablanca has grown in popularity to the point that it now consistently ranks near the top of lists of the greatest films of all time.

My hostel.

A walk down Rue Anfa in the morning.

I find this place unit very intertesting. It was as if I had walked into a black and white world with the exception of the door.

Morning activities.

Interesting Dentist Clinic!

BREAKFAST!!

I made my way to Hussan II Mosque after filling my stomach. Pictures taken along the way.

The Hassan II Mosque (Arabic: مسجد الحسن الثاني‎), located in Casablanca is the largest mosque in Morocco and the third largest mosque in the world after the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) of Mecca and the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) in Medina. Designed by the French architect Michel Pinseau and built by Bouygues. It stands on a promontory looking out to the Atlantic, which can be seen through a gigantic glass floor with room for 25,000 worshippers. A further 80,000 can be accommodated in the mosque's adjoining grounds for a total of 105,000 worshippers present at any given time at the Hassan II mosque. Its minaret is the world's tallest at 210m.

Built on reclaimed land, almost half of the surface of the mosque lies over the Atlantic water. This was inspired by the verse of the Qur'an that states "the throne of God was built on water." Part of the floor of this facility is glass so worshippers can kneel directly over the sea; above, spotlights shine at night from the top of the minaret toward Mecca. These features were specifically requested by King Hassan II, who declared, "I want to build this mosque on the water, because God's throne is on the water. Therefore, the faithful who go there to pray, to praise the Creator on firm soil, can contemplate God's sky and ocean."

It also includes a number of modern touches: it was built to withstand earthquakes and has a heated floor, electric doors, and a sliding roof.

The mosque displays strong Moorish influence and the architecture of the building is similar to that of the Alhambra and the Great Mosque of Cordoba in Spain. This and the old Tin Mal Mosque are the only mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslims. Non-Muslims may view the interior on hour-long guided tours that depart several times daily.

Work on the mosque was commenced on 12 July 1986, and was intended to be completed for the 60th birthday of the former Moroccan king, Hassan II, in 1989. However, the building was not inaugurated until 30 August 1993. It took 2,500 construction workers and 10,000 artists and craftsman to build the mosque.

All of the granite, plaster, marble, wood, and other materials used in its construction were taken from around Morocco, with the sole exceptions of some white granite columns and the glass chandeliers, both of which come from Italy. Six thousand traditional Moroccan artisans worked for five years to turn these raw materials into abundant and incredibly beautiful mosaics, stone and marble floors and columns, sculpted plaster moldings, and carved and painted wood ceilings.

The roof of the mosque is retractable and it is usually closed. I cant remember why but I was luckily enough to see it open today!!

Check out this video.

And with the sunlight, this place looks different.

One thing that you will normally find the a mosque is speakers but you cant find any here because they are all embedded in the pillars.

Overlooking the Alantic Ocean.

More pictures

A place for Muslim to cleanse themselves before praying.

Extrior of the mosque.

Sound of Islam.

Made my way back to the old town, along the way I saw this and once again I wish I am on a bike.

I realise that people here are generally friendlier and more genuine than in Marrakesh. They talk to you because they want to, not because of money.

Interesting buildings.

It was so hot that I need an ice cream to cool down.

I then took a rest at a cafe. Met this american pilot and decided to have dinner together. And in that restuarant, their tissue paper is literally PAPER!!

Went back to my hostel to rest after dinner. Was reading my book in my room. Then came the housekeeper.

Housekeeper: " What are you doing?"

Me: "I am reading my book."

Housekeeper: "GO read in the common area."

And he just off the lights in my room and walk off.

-.-|||

Pissed, I went out for a drink with an Aussie.

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Day 240: Marrakesh to Casablanca

2010-08-03T10:12:00.004+08:00

Date: 29 April 2009

The guy whom I shared a room with is heading in a different direction today.

Had this for breakfast.... does it not look like prata? Taste like it too! but got no curry to go with. They have it like a plain pancake.

Spring in africa is DAMN HOT!! I cant imgaine how it will be like in summer. It has been months since I last sweat!

Paid a visit to the Saadian Tombs.

The Saadian tombs in Marrakech date back from the time of the sultan Ahmad al-Mansur (1578-1603). The tombs were only recently discovered (in 1917) and were restored by the Beaux-arts service. The tombs have, because of the beauty of their decoration, been a major attraction for visitors of Marrakech.

The mausoleum comprises the corpses of about sixty members of the Saadi Dynasty that originated in the valley of the Draa River. Among the graves are those of Ahmad al-Mansur and his family. The building is composed of three rooms. The most famous is the room with the twelve columns. This room contains the grave of the son of the sultan's son Ahmad al-Mansur. The stele is in finely worked cedar wood and stucco work. The monuments are made of Italian Carrara marble.

Outside the building is a garden and the graves of soldiers and servants.

Back on the streets.

This is a tradition Morrocian wear. I was joking with fellow travellers. Does it not looks like KKK? hahaha.... oops.... hopefully I did not offend anyone.

Dont know what is KKK? See this.... heehee...

Up next, Bahia Palace.

The Bahia Palace is a palace and a set of gardens located in Marrakech, Morocco. It was built in the late 19th century, intended to be the greatest palace of its time. The name means 'brilliance'. As in other buildings of the period in other countries, it was intended to capture the essence of the Islamic and Moroccan style. There is a 2 acre (8,000 m²) garden with rooms opening onto courtyards.

Set up at the end of XIXth century by Si Moussa, grand vizier of the sultan, for his personal use, this palace would bear the name of one of his wives. Here, the harem, which includes a vast court decorated with a central basin and surrounded by rooms intended for the concubines. As the black slave Abu Ahmed rose to power and wealth towards the end of the 19th century, he had the Bahia palace built by bringing in craftsmen from Fez. The structures tell a lot about the taste of the nouveau-riche of its time, and can appear vulgar to modern tastes. It was intended to become the greatest palace of its time, but it is really dominated by hasty planning as well as uninspired detail work. This doesn't make the palace less worth visiting, it is a monument of its time, and served even as the residence of the French resident general, Lyautey.

It was really very hot here.

I think this donkey is getting heat stroke soon!! Somebody save him!!!

Enough of old Marrakesh. Its time to show you the modern side of it.

A park just for internet.

I am taking the train from the new train station to Casablanca today.

Tried my luck and YES, they have got wifi here!! So there I was, sitting on the stairs blogging.

Here comes my train....

Vast plains with lots of cactus!!

I missed taking trains though I must say that the trains here arre not as advance as compared with europe, I still enjoying meeting people. Got hungry along the way and managed to dug out a packet of this from my bag.

No announcement was made whenever we pulled into a station. Good thing was that I was in the same cabin as the train conductor!! Otherwise I would not know where to alight.

After getting off the train, I stood by the road side to wait for a local bus number 30.

Sonn after, I arrived at the old town of Casablanca.

Found a hostel to stay. (Missed staying in hostel where I can meet lots of other travellers) After dropping off my stuff, I went to the back lanes of the old town snapping away!!

Impression of old town Casablanca = A very toned down version of old town Marrakesh.

Wanted to find a pub to relax. Took a very long time to find a decent one. As gussed, only foreigners were there.

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18) Netherlands, 02.04.2009 - 12.04.2009 (11 Days)

2010-07-23T16:03:00.001+08:00

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Day 213 & 214: Red Light District, Amsterdam

Day 215 & 216: I Tried Drugs

Day 217: Keukenhof

Day 218 & 219: Jackie Chan's Building in Rotterdam

Day 220 & 221: Windmills

Day 222 & 223: Delft

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Day 239: A network of maze!

2010-07-23T11:03:00.001+08:00

Date: 28 April 2009

Woke up in the morning......

Had breakfast on the rooftop.

and off I went exploring this Unesco old town!!

Either staying too long in nice and easy Europe had made me lost my ability to navigate or this place is simply too difficult to find the right direction!! I had not face much problem in finding my way across china, no problems in wondering around Kazakhstan and Krygyzstan but when it comes to the streets of Marrakech central medina, I am lost. It doesn't help even if i have a map. I dont know where I am going. It is a spiderweb of lanes... It is a maze!!!!

There are help ofcourse. And these help came without me needing to find it. Everytime I pulled out a map looking for something, and even before I can open my mouth to ask, tons of people flocked to me asking where I wanna go. They even lead me to my destination. Thats good yeah? HAHA!!! NO!!!! everything seems good until they start asking u for money. Everyone will bug u till u feel very irritated. To the extend that I did gave this guy some money because he was pestering me for a long time but it was not as much as he wants So he scolded me " You no good!!" What the hell!!! I give him money and he still scold me.....

So like I said... be prepared for lots of harassement... lots of "hello sir"... and be prepared to get lost.....

But getting lost isnt a bad thing afterall. In the process I discover lots of charming parts of the town. Friendly Morrocans who are not after your money do exist too. I shall not let the bad experience spoilt my day.

Other than getting lost most of the time, I went to the Ali Ben Youssef Medersa, the Ali Ben Youssef Museum, Koubba Ba Adiyn, I saw some Fondouqs, the Mouassine Fountain, some mosques, etc etc....

Lunch...Dont even know what I ordered... and when the food came, I also dont know what is it mixed with. Taste ok....

Me with a local head dress for the desert.

As I wondered around the spiderweb lanes, I chanced upon the houses of the local...

Back on the main streets... Can you find me?

The weather here in Africa is so hot that even this donkey cant take it. I reckon that it was kept standing here for hours!!! Poor thing...

Some Fondouqs......

Back on the streets again...

Then it was back on the Djemma El-Fna to see the interesting snake charmers, potion sellers, story tellers, acrobats, musicians, fortune-tellers and dancers....

I then went back to my "hotel" to take a rest.

Saw this in a book!!! SO interesting!!! GIANT PENIS!!!!! haha.. Must see it for myself someday in Japan...

Had Tajine for dinner and once again was amazed by the night scene at Djemma El-Fna.

OH ya... I get lots of " Japan?" "china?" "Korea?" on the streets. When I tell then singapore they will go "SINGAPORE??? hmm.... in china?" Hahaha.. They never seems to know where singapore is. but I had a new name today... Some funny... Other than all these countries name who they refered me to, people started calling me Jackie Chan!!!! *Faint*

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Belgium part 1, 26.03.2009 - 29.03.2009 (4 Days)

2010-07-19T09:58:00.001+08:00

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Day 206: Brussels

Day 207: Bruges

Day 208: Atomiun

Day 209: Sunday Fun

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Ireland, 10.03.2009 - 18.03.2009 (9 Days)

2010-07-09T17:28:00.001+08:00

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Day 190: Introduction to Dublin

Day 191 & 192: Sightsee Dublin

Day 193: Guinness

Day 194: Treasure Hunt

Day 195: The Big Carnival

Day 196: Paddy's Day's Eve

Day 197: St Partick's Day

Day 198: Pub Crawl

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England part two, 14.02.2009 - 09.03.2009 (24 Days)

2010-07-09T16:27:00.001+08:00

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Day 166 - 174: Best Job In The World.

Day 175 - 181: Manchester United

Day 182: Sightsee Manchester

Day 183 - 189: I Am Not Selected

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Switzerland part two, 12.02.2009 - 13.02.2009 (2 Days)

2010-07-09T16:02:00.003+08:00

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Day 164: Glacier Express

Day 165: Geneva

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Switzerland part one, 08.02.2009 - 10.02.2009 (3 Days)

2010-07-06T10:12:00.001+08:00

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Day 160 & 161: Back to Snow

Day 162: Largest Waterfall in Europe

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England part one, 28.01.2009 - 07.02.2009 (10 Days)

2010-06-18T14:41:00.003+08:00

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Day 149 & 150: Liverpool

Day 151 - 153: Liverpool 2

Day 154 - 159: Manchester Travel Base

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Roadtrip Sweden, Finland, Norway 13.01.2009 - 19.01.2009 (7 Days)

2010-06-18T14:21:00.002+08:00

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Day 134 - 136: Northern Lights!!

Day 137: Colour of the Sky

Day 138: The Most Beautiful That I Have Ever Drove On

Day 139 & 140: Ice Hotel

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Sweden part one, 07.01.2009 - 12.01.2009 (6 Days)

2010-06-18T14:13:00.003+08:00

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Day 128 & 129: Stunning Views

Day 130 & 131: Stockholm City

Day 132 & 133: Stockholm STOCKHOLM!!

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Finland 22.12.2008 - 07.01.2009 (16 Days)

2010-06-18T14:07:00.001+08:00

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Day 112: Helsinki

Day 113: The Greatest Trust Ever

Day 114: Santa Claus Village

Day 115 & 116: Resident Evil

Day 117: Snowmobile, Ski, Snowboard, Igloo

Day 118: Ice Fishing

Day 119 & 120: Sleeping in the Igloo

Day 121 & 122: Happy New Year

Day 123 & 124: Drunk, Puke and Loss of Memory

Day 125 - 127: Turku

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Estonia 17.12.2008 - 22.12.2008 (4 Days)

2010-06-18T13:58:00.001+08:00

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Day 108: Old Town Tallinn

Day 109: Santa Claus is Asian!!

Day 110 & 111: Ice Skating

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Latvia 14.12.2008 - 17.12.2008 (3 Days)

2010-06-18T13:55:00.000+08:00

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Day 105: Riga

Day 106 & 107: Gauja National Park & Sigulda

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Lithuania 08.12.2008 - 14.12.2008 (7 Days)

2010-06-18T13:51:00.001+08:00

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Day 98 & 99: Vilnius

Day 100: Trakai Peninsula Castle

Day 101 & 102: Klaipeda, Kretinga, Orvydu, Sodyba & Palanga

Day 103: Curonion Spit

Day 104: Hill of Crosses, Lithuania

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Poland 26.11.2008 - 08.12.2008 (12 Days)

2010-06-18T13:43:00.001+08:00

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Day 86: Uncivilized Westerners

Day 87: Largest Medieval Town Square In Europe

Day 88: Should I Be Gay?

Day 89 & 90: America Pie Came Alive

Day 91 & 92: The City of Drawfs

Day 93 & 94: First Hitch Hiking!

Day 95: Warsaw

Day 96: Santa's Name's Day

Day 97: Santa on Motorcycles!

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Ukraine 06.11.2008 - 26.11.2008 (20 Days)

2010-06-18T13:36:00.001+08:00

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Day 66: Kiev Via Moscow

Day 67: Amazing Crosses

Day 68: Christianity

Day 69: Last Day in Kiev, Not

Day 70: Drunk

Day 71 & 72: Vodka Again

Day 73: Let's Go Clubbing!

Day 74 & 75: Crimean Tatar History

Day 76: Sevatopol and Balaklava

Day 77 & 78: Anastasia

Day 79: Genoese Fortness, Sudak

Day 80: FU*KING COPS!!!

Day 81: The Other Side Of Kharkiv

Day 82: Chernobyl

Day 83: My First SnowBoarding

Day 84 & 85 : Lychakivske Cemetery

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Krygyzstan 20.10.2008 - 06.11.2008 (17 Days)

2010-06-18T13:12:00.002+08:00

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Day 49: Border Crossing

Day 50 & 51: Bishkek

Day 52 & 53: Cholpon Ata

Day 54: Cholpon Ata to Karakol

Day 55: Animal Market

Day 56: The Beauty Of Altyn Arashan

Day 57: Back to Karakol

Day 58: Karakol

Day 59: Eagles

Day 60: Bokonbayevo

Day 61 & 62: At Chabysh, The Krygyz Horse Festival***

Day 63 - 65: Bishkek and Its Vicinity.

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Kazakhstan 07.10.2008 - 20.10.2008 (13 Days)

2010-06-18T13:03:00.003+08:00

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Day 36: Unfairness

Day 37: Great Hospitality

Day 38: Friendly Kazakhs

Day 39: I Got Beaten Up Today

Day 40 & 41: Turkistan, The Holiest Place In Kazakhstan

Day 42: Aral Sea

Day 43: Life Is Like A Train Ride

Day 44: Almaty Again

Day 45: Fate

Day 46: Immigration Problem

Day 47: Back On The Saddles

Day 48: Fellow Singaporeans

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China 02.09.2008 - 07.10.2008 (35 Days)

2010-06-18T12:31:00.006+08:00

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Day 1: Cantonese China

Day 2 & 3: Motorcycle?

Day 4 & 5: Orientation

Day 6: Detian Waterfall

Day 7: Minorities Lifestyles

Day 8: Bad Luck Part 1

Day 9: Bad Luck Part 2

Day 10: The Bai Minority

Day 11: Dali or Lijiang?

Day 12: Into the World of The Tibetians

Day 13: Shangri-La

Day 14 & 15: It Is Not The Destination That Matters

Day 16: Tibetians Tibetians TIBETIANS

Day 17 & 18: The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday

Day 19 & 20: Boys in Blue and Green

Day 21: Birthday Collision

Day 22: Labrang Monastery

Day 23: QingHai Lake

Day 24: Cold and COLDER

Day 25: Its SNOWING!!!

Day 26: The Silk Road Begins

Day 27: The Suspending Great Wall of China

Day 28: Defense In Depth

Day 29: Desert

Day 30: Silk Road Treasures

Day 31: The chinese Muslim World

Day 32: The Second Lowest Depression In The World

Day 33: The Uighurs Culture

Day 34: The Furthest Place Away On Earth From An Ocean

Day 35: Hanging Around

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Day 238: Africa for the first time.

2010-05-27T14:52:00.001+08:00

Date: 27 April 2009

Due to the heavy drinking last night and the lack of sleep, I was very tired. I dragged myself up from bed in the wee hours and took a bus down to town. It will take 2 different buses before I get to the Victoria Station where I will have to take a airport bus. However, the 2nd bus came late and I ended up taking cab in order to be in time for my airport bus. It was so expensive to take cab in London.

The flight was alright and within a few hours, I arrived at Morocco, Africa!

I learnt that it was almost impossible to get Moroccan Dirham (Morocco currency) other than in Morocco and so the first thing I did when I got to the airport was to look for a money changer. Not too difficult, there were a handful of them.

However, I faced another problem. You see, there were 2 different kinds of british pound. One print by England, the other printed by the Bank of Scotland. Both were being recognised in UK but the main problem here is that the people here had never seen a british pound printed by the bank of scotland and I so happen to have lots of them as I was in Scotland not too long ago. I got a bit upset when noone takes my Scottish pounds. I cant really remember what happen in the end but I managed to get hold of euros or USD and then I used that to get Moroccan Dirham.

From the airport, I took a bus to the old town of Marrakesh and in the bus, I met an Austrian Guy. I asked if he wants to share a room to cut cost and he agreed.

After dropping our bags in room, we went out to explore the old town, Djemaa el Fna.

Check out this video.

Having tea by the road side. They love Mint tea and I love mint. GREAT FOR ME!! but it was alittle too sweet.

Then it was Cous Cous for lunch.

Morocco used to be ruled by the French and so there is a strong French influence.

Like I said, I was lacking of sleep and so I went back to my room to sleep through the whole afternoon and only went back out again at night to explore the world famous night of Dejemma El-Fna.

Djemaa el Fna (Arabic: جامع الفناء jâmiʻ al-fanâʼ) is a square and market place in Marrakesh's medina quarter (old city). The origin of its name remains unknown: it means Assembly of the dead in Arabic, but as the word djemaa also means mosque in Arabic, it could also mean Place of the Vanished Mosque, in reference to a destroyed Almoravid mosque, or it could mean The Mosque of Eternity or The Mosque of Anihilation or perhaps The Mosque at the End of the World.

The place remains the main square of Marrakesh, used equally by locals and tourists. During the day it is predominantly occupied by orange juice stalls, youths with chained Barbary apes, water sellers in colourful costumes with traditional leather water-bags and brass cups, and snake charmers who will pose for photographs for tourists. As the day progresses the entertainments on offer change: the snake charmers depart, and in the afternoon and evening the square becomes more crowded, with Chleuh dancing-boys (it would be against custom for girls to provide such an entertainment), story-tellers (telling their tales in Berber or Arabic, to an audience of appreciative locals), magicians, and peddlers of traditional medicines. As dark descends the square fills with dozens of food-stalls, and the crowds are at their height.

The square is edged along one side by the Marrakesh souk, the traditional North African markets which service both the common daily needs of the people of the city, and the tourist trade. On other sides are cafe terraces to escape from the noise and confusion down in the square, and on yet other sides are hotels and gardens. Narrow streets lead into the alleys of the medina quarter, the old city.

Once a bus station, the place was closed to traffic in the early 2000s. The authorities are well aware of its importance to the tourist trade, and a strong but discreet police presence ensures the safety of visitors.

This place is so lively. I will explore more of it tomorrow. As for now, it a dark walk back to my acommodation.

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Day 237: Interesting Marathon in London

2010-05-21T13:14:00.003+08:00

Date: 26 April 2009

I was soundly asleep before I was awaken by the blast of loud music and the cheering of the crowd. It was then I realised that a marathon was on going right at my door step. What interest me more was that people dress up and ran for the marathon to send a message. Be it love the animals, care for the environment etc etc... I even saw people dressing up as superheros and cartoon characters. Whatever the purpose was, it was fun watching....

How the hell do you run in these attire????

Super Heros.....

Team effort running.....

Soldiers took the chance to do a route march.... Interesting....

Fireman too....

All these, happening from the Flora Marathon in London.

Enough of the marathon.... Its time to enjoy a great breakfast prepared by my host.... And its FREE.......

NOT......

Nothing in the world comes free... After breakfast, I helped out by doing a mass house cleaning.... I worked for my food and accomdation ok??? I am not a free loader.... :)

More washing??

Well... Whats after washing?? Its time for a BBQ dinner... and oh.. if you are wondering, yes... that washing took one whole day....

I got all these free gifts from the Singapore Day Event yesterday and I am now sorting them out and I will give them out to kids in Africa!!! Thats right... I am going to AFRICA tomorrow!!! So EXCITED!!!!!! One month in africa.....

We then ended the day by intoxicating ourselves while playing the game "Indian Poker". It was fun introducing this game to fellow mates whom had never played it before. They too, enjoyed.

After spending almost half a year touring around Europe, I am finally moving onto another continent tomorrow. AFRICA awaits....... Stay tune fellows..... :)

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Day 236: Singapore Day in London 2009

2010-05-06T12:05:00.001+08:00

Date: 25 April 2009

Whats the first thing that many missed most when being away from home?? FOOD ofcourse. It is so difficult to get the food which you grew up loving. So once I got to know that Singapore Day is going to be in London, I made my way there.

Singapore Day is held annually in different countries each year to bring overseas Singaporeans together, get updates, feel at home and ofcourse, how can we missed out the good food? All I have to do is to register with my NIRC, print out a ticket and thats it. I get free performances, free food and tons of lah lor leh... why not??

So, I met up with another Singaporean who is going to host me in London (she works in London) and together we made our way there.

There were signs and all along the way leading to the Event.

And the entrance is a hilarious ERP granty!!!!! Hahaha... So singapore!!! Oh no... I never bring my cash card leh.. how har?? :P

First thing first, FOOD!! OMG SO YUMMY!!! But before I get to the food I have to do something first.... Singaporean favourite past time, QUEUE!!

Other than food, there were also signs which made me feel at home.

Food Balloon.

Balloon showing things that will contribute to fines if done.

There were also lots of malaysians around. Since our food were pretty similiar, I guess they dont want to missed out as well. But ofcourse they have to be brought in by Singaporeans as guest. And of all places, I bump into a few of my army mates in London!!!

Singaporeans love free stuff... So how can we missed out on the goodies bag???

Some updates on Singapore for overseas Singaporean.

Army stuff......

Hey look!!! We are wearing the same pair of boots.. Heehee..

Hmmm... I know that guy in black suit.....

It is only when you are away from home, then you will feel the good of home.....

Look at my Tshirt!! I want my teh tarik, laksa, nasi lemak, chicken rice, prata now!!!

Lots of people came for this event and there were great performance by our very local grown artists!! I am sure you know them....

Feel so good to hear singlish, hokkiean, cantonese etc.....

Everyone singing and enjoying national songs like never did when back at home. The feeling was great!

Soon, night falls and since we were in Asian mood, we went for some Japanese food.

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Day 230 - 235: Last Days in Manchester

2010-04-16T11:26:00.002+08:00

Date: 19 - 24 April 2009

My last few days in Manchester. I will be leaving this travel base for London. It was really kind for Clayton to let me use his place as my travel base. I hope I was not much of a hassle for him and his housemates over the past few months. I had a great time here especially those times where we cooked together. They will be having their final exams soon and I shall not disturb them anymore. Good Luck and see ya guys back in Singapore one day. :)

This was what I did before I depart Manchester.

Haggis and IRNBRU, Scottish stuff. Bought it back from Scotland for them to try.

I rather you not know what Haggis is made of. Heehee...

Leo treated me to a farewell lunch at his Uni. I learn lots about cooking from him during my stay.

I had a farewell dinner with Clayton and gang one of these nights and after which we headed out for some ShiSha.

Clayton did not join in for the puffing session. Why? Firstly, he hates smokey places. Secondly, he went back to STUDY!!! No Joke.

Another gathering with Clay and his friends.

Well, its time to pack. Here is something unique I had with me. This was in the display set when I had my stand by bed during my BMT days. Kept it for nearly 7 years. Then I decided to bring it out and use it on my trip (save money, every cent counts). I think it has done its job well and its time for it to rest. Off to the bin it goes...

So long my friends.... See you all back in the lion city, Sillypore... Oops.. I mean Singapore!! Hahaha....

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Day 229: York, England.

2010-04-13T11:10:00.002+08:00

Date: 18 April 2009

According to Clayton and Leonard, York is a beautiful place and it is definitely worth a visit. Even the website of york states that:

"Visit York and be enriched in one of Europe's most inspiring cities...

If you are looking for a cultural getaway or a romantic weekend break then visit York and be inspired. Renowned for its exquisite architecture, tangle of quaint cobbled streets and the iconic York Minster, York is fast developing a flourishing, cutting-edge scene. Delve into the city's vibrant cafe culture, take time out to enjoy some of the country's most talented street entertainers or simply watch the world go by while sipping a drink by the river.

A city of contrasts and exciting discoveries, York is a place where the old encompasses the new and the commonplace meets with the unexpected. Broaden your mind with a visit to world class museums or a variety of festivals held throughout the year catering for all ages and interests."

Well, York is indeed a very charming town. However, departing Edinburgh and arriving York kills the excitement. If you say york is a very charming town, then Edinburgh is a super charming town. Because Edinburgh is so much bigger than York, it seems like a downgrade now. If I had visited these 2 towns in a different order, the feeling would be much better. Unless of course you find smaller cities much easier to handle, than York is a better choice. But then again, everything is so well labeled here in UK, be it Edinburgh or York, you will never get lost.

York Minster, the second largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe, stands at the city's centre. York's centre is enclosed by the city's medieval walls, which are a popular walk. The entire circuit is about 3 miles (5 km), including a part where walls never existed, because the Norman moat of York Castle, formed by damming the River Foss, also created a lake which acted as a city defence. This lake was later called the King's Fishpond, as the rights to fish belonged to the Crown.

Clifford's Tower, a stone quatrefoil keep built on top of a Norman motte, was the site of a massacre in 1190 when the small Jewish community of York sought protection in the tower on the feast of Shabbat ha-Gadol. Many Jews took their own lives rather than face a violent mob in an event regarded as one of the most notorious examples of antisemitism in medieval England.

A feature of central York is the Snickelways, narrow pedestrian routes, many of which led towards the former market-places in Pavement and Sampson Square. The Shambles is a narrow medieval street, lined with shops, boutiques and tea rooms. Most of these premises were once butchers' shops, and the hooks from which carcasses were hung and the shelves on which meat was laid out can still be seen outside some of them. The street also contains the Shrine of Margaret Clitherow, although it is not located in the house where she lived. Goodramgate has many medieval houses including the 14th century Lady's Row built to finance a Chantry, at the edge of the churchyard of Holy Trinity church.

The city has many museums, including the Castle Museum, Yorkshire Museum and Museum Gardens, JORVIK Viking Centre, the York Art Gallery, Richard III Museum, the Merchant Adventurers' Hall, the medieval house Barley Hall owned by the York Archaeological Trust, Fairfax House owned by the York Civic Trust and the Treasurer's House owned by the National Trust. The National Railway Museum is situated just beyond the station, and is home to a vast range of transport material and the largest collection of railway locomotives in the world. Included in this collection are the world's fastest steam locomotive LNER 4468 Mallard and the world famous 4472 Flying Scotsman, which is being overhauled in the Museum.

York is noted for its numerous churches and pubs. Most of the remaining churches in York are from the medieval period. St William's College behind the Minster, and Bedern Hall, off Goodramgate, are former dwelling places of the canons of the Minster.

Enough said. Its time to depict them.

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Day 227 & 228: The Loch Ness Monster and the Horny Cow of Highland Scotland

2010-03-29T10:46:00.003+08:00

Date: 16 April 2009

16 April 2009, the 227th day of my travel was a "take it easy" day. Took a stroll in the old town in the morning. Oh.. I forgot to mention this. Do you know why some of these streets were named as close? It is because in the old times, these streets will be closed between certain times at night, thus the name Close. For example.

I guess we have got lots of influence from the British here in Singapore. We do have close, do ofcourse they wont be close at night.

Other than taking a stroll, I spent most of my time relaxing at my host place.

When night falls, my host brought me and another traveller whom he is also host out for a dinner with his friends. We tried the Haggis!!! A very Scottish dish.

Then it was back to his place for more chilling out.

Date: 17 April 2009

How can I have come to Scotland and not go to the Highlands and to the famous Loch Ness to look for that creepy Loch Ness Monster? And so I made a day trip out of Edinburgh.

The first highlander I met is known as the highland cow.

I was told that the word "horny", which is use to describe man when they feel the urge to satisfy their sexual needs, comes the horn of this Scottish Highland cow. Reason being, the horn is super hard and strong, just like the reaction a man has with this "little bro". Is it true or is it a joke? Its up to you to believe it or not. :)

I fell in love with the highlands the moment I saw it and I told myself that I will come back here one day and explore it on a motorcycle!!! These nice mountains at above 3000ft have Arctic conditions due to several factors.

In the highland, I also saw the site where the show Brave Heart was filmed. So was the site of Harry Porter where the Howard Express is.

Heard so much about the British Elite Special Forces? Now its time to salute them.

After half a day of travel, I finally reached Loch Ness.

Let the search for the monster begins!! Befriended with a Canadian traveller who was also on the same day tour as me.

Just as the guy was trying to explain the equipments and sensors used to detect and track down the Loch Ness Monster.....

I looked out of the window and caught a glimps of it!!!! OMG!!!!! Did I just see the Loch Ness Monster??

I love being back in the nature.

Did you see who's driving? hahahah!!! OMG!!!! Nah, its on tow... but still.. it's hilarious....

This is the bridge which inspired the guy to build the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Fact or friction? I dont know.

I got back to Edinburgh in the evening. And since it was my last night in Scotland, my host took me out for more drinks. Chill out at the usual Citizen Smith.

I will definitely be back on wheels for more actions in the Highlands. Till then, Keep travelling. Its back to my travel base, England, tomorrow and I will do a pit stop in York before getting to Manchester. Stay tune.

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Day 226: Da Vinci Code Hunt - Rosslyn Chapel

2010-03-16T11:33:00.008+08:00

Date: 15 April 2009

The first interesting sight I saw as I marched through this beautiful old town was a Scottish man in his Scottish wear, playing his Scottish instrument.

As I am already in my 226 days of my travel, things are starting to getting a little bit boring. So, to spice up life a little, I have decided to pay a visit to all the sites featured in the show Da Vinci Code! Well, since I love that show, I would love to "solve" the mystery myself. Here we go, first stop, THE ROSSLYN CHAPEL.

Rosslyn Chapel, properly named the Collegiate Chapel of St Matthew, was founded on a small hill above Roslin Glen as a Roman Catholic collegiate church (with between 4 and 6 ordained canons and two boy choristers) in the mid-15th century. Rosslyn Chapel and the nearby Roslin Castle are located at the village of Roslin, Midlothian, Scotland.

The chapel was founded by William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness (also spelled "Sainteclaire/Saintclair/Sinclair/St. Clair") of the Sinclair family, a noble family descended from Norman knights, using the standard designs the medieval architects made available to him. Rosslyn Chapel is the third Sinclair place of worship at Roslin - the first being in Roslin Castle and the second (whose crumbling buttresses can still be seen today) in what is now Roslin Cemetery.

The purpose of the college was to celebrate the Divine Office throughout the day and night and also to celebrate Holy Mass for all the faithful departed, including the deceased members of the Sinclair family. During this period the rich heritage of plainsong (a single melodic line) or polyphony (vocal harmony) would be used to enrich the singing of the liturgy. An endowment was made that would pay for the upkeep of the priests and choristers in perpetuity and they also had parochial responsibilities.

After the Scottish Reformation (1560) Roman Catholic worship in the Chapel was brought to an end, although the Sinclair family continued to be Roman Catholics until the early 18th century. From that time the Chapel was closed to public worship until 1861 when it was opened again as a place of worship according to the rites of the Scottish Episcopal Church.

In later years the Chapel has featured in speculative theories regarding Freemasonry and the Knights Templar.

The Chapel has also acted as a burial place for several generations of the Sinclairs — a crypt was once reachable from a descending stair at the rear of the chapel. This crypt has for many years been sealed shut, which may explain the recurrent legends that it is merely a front to a more extensive subterranean vault containing (variously) the mummified head of Jesus Christ, the Holy Grail, the treasure of the Templars, or the original crown jewels of Scotland. In 1837 when the 2nd Earl of Rosslyn died, his wish was to be buried in the original vault; exhaustive searches over the period of a week were made, but no entrance to the original vault was found and he was buried beside his wife in the Lady Chapel.

The Chapel also has many other interesting things like those shown in the following pictures.

The Chapel was undergoing a major maintenance project at the time of my visit. As a result, I could not see the exterior of the Chapel as a whole. However, it was also with this project that scaffolds were built and we were allow to climb up to see the roof, the sculptures and all on the exterior up close. Is this what they mean by when you lose something, you will gain some other things? Life's fair.

A really beautiful spiderweb.

Another notable feature of Rosslyn's architecture is the presence of 'Green Men'. These are carvings of human faces with greenery all around them, often growing out of their mouths. They are commonly thought to be a symbol of rebirth or fertility, pre-Christian in origin. In Rosslyn they are found in all areas of the chapel, with one excellent example in the Lady Chapel, between the two middle altars of the east wall. The green men in Rosslyn symbolise the months of the year in progression from East to West in the Chapel. Young faces are seen in the East symbolising Spring and as we progress towards the setting sun in the west the carvings age as in autumn of man's years. There are in excess of 110 carvings of Green men in and around the Chapel.

Too bad no phototaking were allowed inside the Chapel. It was really interesting. Lots of unsolved mystery till date. I came here because of Da Vinci Code but I fell in love with this Chapel. Would love to came back here again when the maintenance is over. Really very interesting place. The free guided tour fed me with lots of interesting facts. Not to be missed.

Rossyln Town.

Back to Edinburgh City Center.

I went on a free walking tour and found out more interesting facts about little things around the city. Some of which I still remember, some of which I forgot. Here goes.

Someone is buried under this parking lot number 23

Mass killing happened outside this church.

All Scottish spits at this heart on the floor and avoid stepping on it at all means.

Sorry, dont remember the rest.

This has got something to do with witchcraft.

My free walking tour guide.

As night fell, I went for yet another not to be missed thing to do in Edinburgh - The Ghost Tour. There were many company conducting it, but I was really glad with the one I went with. Really good.

For many years, people living in the old town of Edinburgh did not know that there are actually numerous streets underground. Meaning to say, there is another city underground!! People living above the ground do not know about the people living underground and people living underground never get to see the sunlight! Why is it so? how come it is like that? Interesting isnt it?

This Ghost Tour takes me to this underground city and at the same time explains the horrors happening.

Here's a short video taken during this tour which depicts one of the many tortures.

With the cold at night, people deserted the streets and together with the mist, it made it more spooky.

After the tour, I went for a drink with a fellow traveller at one of the famous pubs for one of the famous drinks.

Then it was back to the chill out place which my host brought me to last night before heading back for a good rest. Had a long day.

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Day 225: Fairytale Edinburgh

2010-03-02T12:39:00.003+08:00

Date: 14 April 2009

Edinburgh oh Edinburgh.... Fell in love with it at first sight. There are so many interesting things all over and every corners have their own stories to tell. I love it here. I really love it. It is far more interesting than London and Dublin.

What's the first thing that comes to your mind when Scotland was mentioned? Man in skirt ofcourse!!

Wtih all these old buildings, parks, flowers and castle, I cant find a reason not to like Edinburgh.

Interesting bench!!! So touching...

The Edinburgh Castle!!!!

Scottish Church.

A walk down the ROyal Mile, the road leading to the castle. Lots of interesting stuff to see.

There are lots of ghost tour in Edinbrugh. I am so going for one of them.

What else is Scotland famous for? Scotch Whisky!!!

More interesting things along the Royal Mile.

The Scotish Parliament. Very unique building.

I realised that in UK, their busstop's glass is built at the front instead of at the back, unlike what we have back home. Wonder what is the purpose? The block the strong wind? A protection in case of a crash?

Another thing I like about Edinburgh is that nature is never too far away. I ended my day with a hike up Arthur's Seat, a hill within walking distance from town.

Have you fell in love with Edinburgh too?

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