A Day Trip to Singapore

I visited Singapore many times. This time, my visit is a day trip with a few friends. We took a chartered bus from Johor Bahru. After clearing the immigration, we moved straight to the town centre. With us, is a tourist guide from Singapore. I was told  it is wrong to tour the city without a qualified tourist guide. With that, I made sure we don't break their rule....

Singapore is a clean and with lots of greens. Once you enter Singapore (from Johor Bahru, Malaysia), you can feel that Singapore is really  modern, cool and clean. The transportation is efficient. You can take a MRT, LRT (trains), bus or taxi. All towns are connected with MRT.  I must admit that this is one of world's tropical cities that you must visit.

We toured the city and made a few stops while in Singapore. First, at the Urban Renewal Authority at Maxwell Road, right in the town centre. The centre champions the goodness of urban planning. Many physical models of Singapore are displayed and you can buy planning report of Singapore here. Visiting this centre, you need to budget at least one hour or more  if you want to learn Singapore's planning. We enjoy this visit. That took half a day of our time.

  


  



  

For the next half day, it is time for praying and lunch. For Muslims, you can pray at Masjid Jamik at Mosque Road  nearby.  We performed our prayer at this mosque. Then took our lunch in Geylang. A double storey terrace shop houses Hajjah Maimunah's restaurant. It offers a good food to our liking....

  

The restaurant occupies a terrace double storey shop.

  

After lunch, some of us wish to visit Mustaffa Centre, the so called 'cheap' emporium at  Syed Alwi Road, off Serangoon Road. This emporium is popular among tourists especially from India. The show case Singapore's shopping precinct is really at Orchard Road, 2 km south.

Next visit is the Merlion Park at Fullerton Road near the Nicoll Highway. Strolling around the area brings freshness and happy mood when you see the Esplanade bridge is full of color. The Merlion statue gushes out a strong jet of sea water for the visitors to feel and enjoy. A few tall buildings were seen nearby with  roof top swimming pool....

  

Merlion Park... a must visit.

  

  

  

Late evening we stopped at Masjid Sultan at Arab Street for prayer and had dinner at the adjacent shop. Beriani rice and Murtabak Singapore and syrup were the menu of the day... We ended our trip after dinner passing the town centre and moved back to JB via Tuas, the second crossing on the nort-west before reaching JB at 11.00pm.

Those those who wish to visit Singapore from JB, you have other alternative transport. Take a bus from JB and stop at Queen St. in Singapore. Then walk to to MRT station nearby, there...you are on your own to explore Singapore. You need a good map and a compass or GPS... Happy travelling....

Swiflet Business: A shop in Kota Bharu Malaysia does it well

When I visited Kota Bharu recently, I came across a shop which manufactured swiflet saliva for health drink. They processed bird's saliva into many flavoured drink: longan, lycees, honey and rock sugar. This drink is sought after by many people. The price is not that cheap due to scarcity of the ingredient.

When I entered the shop the owner, Mr.Siong Hwa  greeted  me, briefed me on the products, showed me the mock-up bird nest and showed me how his workers cleaned the saliva and dried them. I was so impressed to know that the processed saliva or bird's nest can be sold as far as RM13,000 per kilogram.

The products.

The mock bird nest and house.

The drink slow cooker.

Cleaning the saliva by the workers using the water.

The drying area.

 

The dried processed bird's saliva.

If you happen to be in Kota Bharu, you can visit Tean Siong Trading, Sabrina Court (Tel 609-7416999), Jalan Padang Garong. It is next to the Pizza Hut  restaurant (It is located on first floor).

Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur: Where the happenings

Bukit Bintang is a place in Kuala Lumpur where there are many hotels, shopping archades (up-markets), eating bazaars, massage services, electronic products etc. You can shop from the cheap items to thousands of dollars.

Enclave in Jalan Bukit Bintang and adjacents areas, this area is famous for many reasons. There are many shopping complexes here and they include Pavilion, Berjaya Times Square, Sungai Wang Plaza, Bukit Bintang Plaza, Low Yat (computer and cameras) etc.

Jalan Bukit Bintang where they are many shops..

Bukit Bintang at night.

Bukit Bintang from the top.

Night market and eating place at Jalan Alor near Bukit Bintang.

Visit at night is more challenging since there any many touts to attract or lure you to their services. This area is serviced by bus, taxis and monorail. Monorail service ends by 11.00pm.

Happy exploring.

Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur where most shoppers do their shopping.

Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman is a long one-way road (formerful known as Batu Road) in Kuala Lumpur. The area where most shoppers go is around Sogo, Pertama Complex, MARA and Maju Junction. Several hotels are found here.

Here most shops are old shops but were  refurbished and becomes textile shops. This road section, you can call textile road as most shops are selling textiles.

Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman at Sogo.

Textile is the trade of the day...

Many bookshops are here.

Shops selling fabrics and textile.

A big emporium formerly known as Globe Silk Store now as Sarah Hughes.

Sogo Supermarket located near here always sell at reasonable price. Occasionally, SOGO gives discount more than 50 percent especially during holiday seasons. I advise, if  there is a sale in SOGO, go and get it. It is cheaper.

To reach this area, you can get LRT (Bandaraya) or Masjid Jamek or buses.

Happy shopping.

Masjid India Kuala Lumpur: A Good Shopping Area

One of the shopping attractions for locals and foreigners in Kuala Lumpur  is around Masjid India. It is located next to Masjid India (mosque) and near the LRT Station Masjid Jamek. Here you can find many small souvenirs ( like bags, perfumes ), textile, accessories, goldsmiths, money changers, 2-3 star hotels, food court selling Malaysian food, supermarket (Mydin), banks, restaurants etc. Some of the products are sold  at a reasonable cost. Until you go and explore the area, you will not regret it.

Masjid India Shopping Area

Covered stalls offer many products price ranging from RM1.00 to over hundreds.

Bags were displayed for shoppers to choose

The famous 3-storey Masjid India, can accommodate many worshipper. Most Fridays, this mosque was packed with people even on the outside road.

The flats or mansions with shopping on the ground floor is unique at Jalan Masjid India.

For those who come from India, Pakistan and Middle East countries, you should visit this area. It is not only a shopping area, it is also a good eating area where you can find Malaysian traditional dish, and Indo- Pakistani dishes as well.

Masjid India Area is actually starts from the the junction of Jalan Melayu until you reach the end of the Masjid India road near Semua House. It is better to visit during the day as at night most shops are closed.

For those who like textile and garment, you can try shops at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, a street away from Jalan Masjid India. You may visit SOGO shopping complex nearby which offers reasonable price for clothes, electrical products, crockery, perfumes, jewelry, household goods, etc and there is a supermarket at the ground floor for those who need to replenish their food stock.Happy shopping.

Malacca River Cruise: Not To Be Missed When You Visit Malacca.

When you visit Malacca, you must not miss this river cruise. The cruise starts at Taman Rempah and moves towards the river mouth and back again to its origin. This will take 45 minutes at a cost of RM10.00 per person.

Many people are attracted to experience this river cruise.

The jetty point.

Ticket counter.

The river at night.

The boats are plenty here and each boat can accommodate 20 persons. While cruising you can see old houses, old village (Kampong Morten), a few overhead bridges, riverside hotels, port etc.

You can take the cruise during the day or night. But at night, it is more interesting as you can see the areas adorned with colorful lights and a bit cooler.

Happy travelling.