Monthly Archives: May 2013

Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur

Travel, , , ,

Batu caves is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India, dedicated to Lord Murugan. It is the focal point of Hindu festival of Thaipusam in Malaysia. To reach the caves you must climb 272 concrete steps up the limestone formation that make up this site.

photo of the stairway to Batu Caves entrance

The stairway to Batu Caves.

The caves are in Kuala Lumpor (technically a bit north of the city) but reachable by commuter train, Komuter train Batu Caves-Port Klang Route. The cost is 2 MYR (less than $UD 1).

photo inside Batu Caves

Inside Batu Caves. The cave is partially covered with several large opening on top.

The video shows a view of the caves. The water is from water seeping down from the ceiling (it hadn’t rained that day). There are also several large openings letting in light from above. The main area with the temples has very high ceilings.

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Big Bad Wolf Book Sale in JB, May 24th to June 2nd

Johor Bahru, Living, , ,

The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale in JB, May 24th to June 2nd and Danga City Mall in Johor Bahru. They offer the most books I have ever seen at the periodic books sales that take place in JB. Probably 2 or 3 times the number of English titles I have every seen here before. This sale has only English language books.

The majority of books are novels of various sorts but also children’s books and books on business, history, photography, science… They are largely popular thrillers and the like but include a few classics and some science fiction (I wish there was more science fiction).

photo of 8 book covers from my Big Bag Wolf haul.

The photo shows 8 of the 21 books I got yesterday. Books include 2 travel books (China and Malaysia), Competition (a business/economics book), The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Homer and Langley by E. L. Doctorow, The Holcroft Covenant by Robert Ludlum, The Devil’s Elixir by Raymond Khoury and Our Friends from Frolix 8 by Philip Dick.

Philip Dick is the author of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (made into the film Blade Runner) and Minority Report (film of the same name) and many other science fiction books.

They are nearly all priced at 8 or 10 MYR (essentially $US 3) though there are some at 5 MYR and some fancy picture books and the like at 20 or 25 MYR. The Big Bad Wolf book sales are offered around Malaysia recently (KL, Penang…).

Does this count as a haul blog post?

Those interested in English language books in JB should definitely check this sale out. Also visit my favorite book store in JB: Treasures and Books Store (Permas Jaya). When you do try the bakery next sore it is great – I’ll add a post on it soon.

Related: Galleria Mall @ Kotayara – Johor Bahru CBD – Mee Bandung at JB Station Kopitiam – Arulmigu Sri Raja Kallamman Indian Hindu Glass Temple which is nearby the Danga City Mall

Village Countryside Cuisine

food, Johor Bahru, Living, , , ,
photo of inside of the restaraunt

Village Countryside Cuisine

Village Countryside Cuisine is an extension of the Village Briyani Cafe which is located a few doors away. Both are excellent.

photo of buffet at Village Countryside Cuisine

Village Countryside Cuisine buffet

On the weekends they have an excellent vegetarian buffet (15 MYR). I have enjoyed the egg thosai and fish masala and really like the weekend buffet. You get a selection of dishes and it seems to me they rotate the dishes quite a bit so you get to try new dishes each time.

photo of Aloo Ghobi Carrot Dry and Vegetable Doloha

Aloo Ghobi Carrot Dry and Vegetable Doloha

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Arts and Culture Carnival in Pasir Gudang, May 11th and 12th

arts, Johor Bahru, , , ,

Sun arts and culture carnival is taking place at Bukit Layang-Layang, Pasir Gudang, Johor from the 11th to 12th May 2013 from 10am to 7pm. This free admission event, Karnival Seni Kreatif Kita, is organised by My Performing Arts Agency in collaboration with the National Department for Culture and Arts.

As their webcast says it is suitable for ages 1-109 with 300 artists giving 30 performances.

Performers include: Najwa Latif

Azmyl Yunor and The Siggarettes

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Penang Clan Jetties – World Heritage Site

Housing, Penang, Travel, , , , , , ,

enterance to jetty with hand painted World Heritage sign

There are 6 clan jetties in Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia. The historic sites include housing built over the water, which continue to be lived in today. Old town Georgetown, including the clan jetties was designated an UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008 (along with Melacca).

When the jetties were established in the mid-19th century everybody who lived on the same jetty had the same surname because they all came from the same fishing village in China’s Fujian Province. When they arrived they did not have money to buy land and so decided to build their own villages: the jetties. The families were used to living close to the water and most men who lived on the jetties worked as fishermen or as coolies in the port.
…
The UNESCO World Heritage status saved the jetties from planned demolition. The fact that the jetties now have heritage status guarantees that they will stay.

– Francine Linssen, Passage magazine, Friends of the Museums of Singapore, Jan/Feb 2012

View from Penang Clan Jetty with modern highrises in the background

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