Visit to the Chimelong International Circus, Guangzhou

Last March 2013, I had the opportunity to visit the world's biggest circus in Pangyu, Guangzhou, China. The travel time from the city to Pangyu is about one hour. Pangyu is located to the south of Guangzhou, at the edge of the city, near the mountains.

We went there with a chartered van driven by 29-year old man by the name of Mr. Lee. When we reached the area, it is already 7.00 pm. Lee just left us at the gate of the Chimelong International Circus. We walked across the road and started queuing at the entrance gate. There were many people, thousands of them waiting outside. I guess, it is Saturday night, many parents bring their children with them.

We took our time and took pictures of the area, their sign boards and the patrons. The entrance fee to the show alone cost us RMB270 per pax. By 7.20 pm, we were already inside the hall. This hall can accommodate easily 7000 people at the a time. I looked around the hall and saw 3/4 is occupied.

We took our seat at the centre of the gallery overlooking the big stage. The large stage is separated by a water body (a canal ) from the audience. The ceiling is high with glittering lights all over. The circus is using the high tech with big screen at strategic places.

The trapeze, acrobat and other performers comes from all over the world. The animals are also introduced and make performance : horses, chimpanzees, tigers, lions, ducks, birds, elephants, pigs, dogs etc.

Among the highlights are the trapeze swinging at high ropes and had triple somersault; bikers in a cage (racing in the circular cage without knocking each other); women riding horses in various ways; acts of balancing on a moving wheel; performance of clowns playing tricks; parading  of animals on stage including the ducks in the waterway.

One impressing moment to me, was a flock of white birds coming from one upper right window entered the hall, making their noises and exit through other left window and a chimpanzee playing guitar and had gangnam style dance.

The  1.5 hour show (7.30 pm-9.00pm) is not boring at all. It entertains us very well. Later, Lee picked us up at 10.00pm at the spot where he dropped us and brought us back to the hotel.

If you wish to visit this circus, it is recommended, you book the ticket first.

Happy travelling.

Mosque and halal food in Bangkok

There are many mosques and halal restaurants in Bangkok. For Muslim travelers, you do not have to worry about this. Just find a mosque, you will get information where to get halal food.

Darul Aman Mosque (A) is close to BTS Ratchadewi.

For those from the Middle East, lots of halal outlets along Sukhumvit Road. For those who like Malay or Thai food, you can visit Darul Aman Mosque area where there are many halal restaurants. To go there, you can either take a taxi or sky train ( the nearest sky train station is Ratchadewi near Asia Hotel).

If you take sky train, stop at Ratchadewi station and walk across Thanon Petchaburi towards the mosque. There are  many Muslim restaurants that serves Malay-Thai halal food at affordable price. You can speak Malay here.

There is another cluster of Muslim restaurants around Pratunam  (clothing shopping area), which serve Middle East and Indo-Pakistani cuisine. The price is reasonable. If you take sky train, stop at Ratchadewi, and walk towards Baiyoke Sky Hotel, the tallest hotel around, then you will reach Pratunam.

Happy travelling.

Halal Food in Hong Kong

I travelled to Hong Kong from Shenzhen by train. The train ride from Lo Wu station to Hung Hom station in Kowloon is very smooth stopping at various station along the way. It only takes 45 minutes.

While in Hong Kong, I found halal eateries centred around Nathan Road in Kowloon especially the Indo Pakistani cuisine such as garlic nans, chicken curries, biryani, fried rice etc. It is just around Chungking Mansions and inside that mansion there are lots of small eatery outlets. This mansion is actually a shopping area and lots of budget hotels. It is a walking distant from the Kowloon Mosque.

Chungking Mansion at Nathan Road

Chungking Mansions at Nathan Road, Kowloon.

Islamic Centre, Ammar Mosque, Wan Chai.

Tasty dim sum being served at level 4, Ammar Mosque. The canteen opens at 10.00 am.

On the island side, I found the canteen at Ammar Mosque (Masjid Ammar and Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic centre)  in Wan Chai serves halal food too. Its dim sum is tasty and nice. You can take MTR train to Causeway Bay station and take a walk to Russel Road and Bowrington Road towards Wan Chai, you will notice a mosque green in color.

There are many other outlets but I recommend you try these two. Happy travelling.

Halal Food in Guangzhou

Recently I visited Guangzhou, China. This time I ventured Guangzhou on foot, train, bus and Metro. It was quite hectic but I am satisfied as I learned more.

I found a few restaurants near Xiaobei, one stop from Guangzhou Metro station (line 5). The restaurants are Hydramayt Restaurant (serving Arabian, Indo Pakistani dishes); Al Jazeera (serving Arabian Middle East cuisine); Bukhara Restaurant and Salam restaurant serving halal Chinese dishes, and Uncle Cafe (serving Beriani rice, curry and nan ). The first four are located near the station i.e. Huanshi Road Middle while Uncle Cafe is located 400 meter away. Salam Restaurant is located on the first floor of Donfranc Hotel, Baohanzhi Road).The price relatively higher than the normal Chinese restaurants as the food served is based on your order (no ready made).

Toothpic beef, fried prawn etc are served at Salam and Bukhara Restaurants.

Al Jazeera Restaurant, opposite the Hydramayt Restaurant.

Nan and breads are sold at road side at Baohanzhi Street near the wet market.

Hydramayt restaurant on the second floor of this building.

Road side stall, Baohanshi Street.

Located at Xiatang road west

The nan is crispy and the curry is ok. Uncle cafe served a delicious Chicken Beriani rice. Hydramayt and AlJazeera serves many kinds of food to your taste where you have many choice to choose.

For those who look for cheaper halal food, you can stroll along Baohanzhi Road nearby where you can find small halal eating shops and street mobile stalls.

If you come in a large group certainly, those restaurants can accommodate all of you. Happy travelling.

The changing skyline of Makkah

Makkah, the world's spiritual city of the Muslims is changing its skyline. Old building around the Grand Mosque are slowly disappearing, giving way to tall new buildings. These buildings become the shopping malls and hotels.

The Grand Mosque too, is under renovation, expanding its capacity to house more pilgrims and visitors.

The site is being prepared for new buildings. Two years ago, this site was full of hotels. This area is just 50 metres behind Hilton Hotel.

Changing skyline of Makkah. The board tells us the mosque is under a massive renovation.

The cranes are everywhere.

Makkah at night.

Once the renovation is completed, it can accommodate more people (jamaah) inside it.
For the tall buildings, new hotels are mushrooming within 100 metres radius of the Grand Mosque. At the moment, more hotels are found around Ajyad Road. Room rates  differ from hotel to hotel based on location and services provided. Certainly, hotels close to the Grand Mosque are more expansive.

The next time you visit this city, you will notice more tall buildings and train stations within the city.
Happy travelling.

Visit to Imam Bukhari Complex, Samarkand

Recently, I visited Imam Bukhari Complex, 30 km north of Samarkand in Uzbekistan. It was Friday and there were many people. I had the opportunity to do Friday prayer here.

This complex has 3 main components : Mosque, Mausoleum and Museum (3M). On  arrival, we were led to a long wide footpath which finally lead to the complex. The so called boulevard has road side trees, and upon reaching the gate there is a big fountain. This complex is maintained by the authority.

At the entrance, you need to pay if you bring camera in. Inside, besides the 3M, there is a big court yard, where century-old big tree were kept and preserved.

Our group posing in front of the mausoleum.

I was told that this complex was built in 1998 by the authority on the occasion of commemorating the 1225 birthday of Imam Bukhari. He was born in 810 in  Bukhara (i.e. 178 years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad saw) but died in 870 in this village at the age of 60. He had compiled more than 600,000 hadis (the phophet's saying) and was a renowned scholar in his years.His contribution to Islamic knowledge is really superb.

The mable slab with Quranic verses being inscribed on it. Underneath is the real tomb of Imam Bukhari.

The waiting area or holding area for the ladies while the men went for Friday prayer. On the left standing is the guide, Farruh from Abask Travel. The far end is the museum.

The mosque which can accommodate 500 people or more at a time.

The wide footpath leading to the complex. View from the gate of the complex.

My group was large enough comprise of 20. Since the visit was on Friday, the men had to pray Jumaat prayer first. While the ladies had to wait in one of the corners in the complex. The mosque is big enough to accommodate at least 500 people at a time.

After the prayer, all of us was ushered to the mausoleum of Imam. The mausoleum comes in good shape and design. It has a tower which has turquoise dome on top of it  with beautifully designed wall tiles mostly in geometric. The upper grave looks grand with marble slabs with Quranic verses engraved on it. While the real grave is at the bottom. We were lucky that day, the caretaker allowed us to go underneath via small staircases to view the real grave. We spent sometime here. There were other visitors too especially from other regions.

Lastly, we visited the museum on the right corner. This museum seems very new as there are few collections there. This includes Quran that were presented by the world Islamic leaders who happen to visit this complex. I saw Quran that were presented by the Prime Minister of Malaysia and the President of Indonesia.

By 3.00pm, we left this complex to make way to the city centre.The travel time to the city took 40 minutes.

If you wish to visit this complex, it is open daily from 10.00 am to 5.00pm.

Happy travelling.

From Bukhara to Samarkand by SHARQ Train

Recently I had the experience of riding a train from Bukhara to Samarkand in Uzbekistan. The train called Sharq (means East). It took 3 hours to reach Samarkand. The train fare is around USD55 (SV), USD35 (1 class) and USD25 (2nd class).

Going through the Bukhara Station, you must go through 3 screenings. First at the gate to the building,next when you enter the terminal and third when you go into the waiting hall. This indicates the level of security and the need to step up security.

The train comes with 10 coaches and each coach has 56 seats. Each coach has a canteen where you can order drinks. Its turquoise color on the exterior looks pleasant while the metal seat with soft cushion in grey provides some comfort. Each coach has a mini television hang over the ceiling where over 3 hour period, passengers are fed with film shows.

The train "SHARQ" at the Bukhara Station platform

View from the train.

Inside the train....my friends are at the back..

We started our journey at 8.05 am. My group was scattered in three different coaches. However, majority of us is the coach no.2. Travelling by train gives us some flexibility in our movement. We can move around the coach and speak to other fellow travelers. I found many businessman travel in this train.They are going to Tashkent.

For us, it is an excitement as we see the outside panorama looks picturesque: the barren landscape, the green agriculture area, desert plants, barren mountain, industrial area, farmers toiling the land in the hot sun, rural houses, grazing land with herds of cattle, goats and sheep, barrier trees, cotton trees, olive trees etc. All these are rural landscape of Uzbekistan.

On the train, we occupy our time with reading, talking, sleeping, watching films on TV, drinking lemon tea (buy from the canteen) and eating.

Afrosiyob Fast Train at Samarkand Station.

We reached Samarkand Station at 11.10am. Once on the platform, some of us were busy taking pictures. I saw Afrosiyob train at the station.It looks like the bullet trains in Tokyo.....

The next time you are in Uzbekistan, try taking the train instead of the shared taxi....

Happy travelling.