End Of A Feasting Month

At the time I post this blog, the holy month of Ramadhan this year is coming to an end. Muslims all over the world will be celebrating the Eid ul Fitr. It mark the end of the compulsory fasting month when every Muslim have to abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk.

Ramadhan in Malaysia has become some sort of food fest with Pasar Ramadhan being set up in many places especially nearby communities to sell variety of food. kuih and drinks. During this month sonetimes we can find cakes (kuih) that were rarely found at other times. Varities of food is choiceless and people will find it difficult to make out their mind at all those delicuous food and the temptation increases after abstaining from eating the whole day.

Customers are not only Muslims who observing the fasting, but also other races who took the opportunity to saviour Malaysian dishes at their peak. That the specialty of having a multiracial soceity. I overheard a couple ladies whe were at a Pasar Ramadhan in Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur. "This is the beauty of Malaysia".

For tourist, Ramadhan can be identified as some of the better months to visit Malaysia because it is a feasting season. 

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Re Branding This Blog?

It has been quite sometimes that I did not post in this blog. The reason being I did not travel. So not i am thinking of re-branding this blog with a new name to keep its objective of being a travel blog. I am thinking of changing the name to something that still contribute as a traveling blog but not only about my travel experience. Another option is to bled it into my main blog xperienceoflife or the Malay blog catitan alam maya. I am still not decided on this.

Ooo, That Ice Cream Man

If you visit BB Plaza at Bukit Bintang you will not miss this ice cream man. I think he is Turkish and while waiting for him to fill the ice cream cone for your order you will be entertained by some not understandable song. Then when the ice cream is ready he will knock the bell. However you will still not get your ice cream as yet because there is still some stunts performed before handing over the ice cream to you. You can see him at the right corner of the complex facing Jalan Bukit Bintang.

After you get your ice cream, just hang around savouring your ice cream and you might get more free entertainment from him whenever he has customers ordering his ice cream.

Bolehkah Grafitti Mengindahkan Kuala Lumpur?

Mengikut ensaiklopedia dalam talian Wikipedia..... is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property. Graffiti is any type of public markings that may appear in the forms of simple written words to elaborate wall paintings. Graffiti has existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire^[1]. In modern times, spray paint, normal paint and markers have become the most commonly used materials. In most countries, defacing property with graffiti without the property owner's consent is considered vandalism, which is punishable by law. Sometimes graffiti is employed to communicate social and political messages.

Secara mudahnya graffitti ini adalah perbuatan yang berunsur vandalisme kerana menconteng ditempat-tempat awam atau harta benda orang lain tanpa kebenaran. Adakah grafitti ini sebenarnya merosakkan atau sebaliknya. 

Kementerian Belia dan Sukan telah menganjurkan kursus grafitti dan ini menunjukkan bahawa seni contengan yang dianggap vandalisme ini boleh dimunafaatkan. Ini merupakan satu penghargaan yang diberikan kepada pelukis grafitti bahawa seni mereka bukan selalunya merosakkan pemandangan. Dengan mengawal penglibatan mereka maka ia akan juga dapat mengawal mereka dari merosakkan harta benda awam dengan lukisan mereka.   Jika kita lihat pada grafitti yang dibuat pada dinding-dinding, ianya adalah cantik dan bukan calang-calang orang boleh melukis sebegitu. Respect la.... Jadi langkah Kementerian Belia dan Sukan adalah satu usaha yang baik untuk menukarkan seni yang dianggap merosakkan kepada seni yang boleh dihargai oleh masyarakat. Sekurang-kurangnya nilai seni yang ada pada seseorang itu dapat dipergunakan secara bermanfaat. Sekurang-kurangnya golongan seniman ini tidak merasakan mereka diadaikan masyarakat. 

Berikut saya muatkan foto grafitti yang saya rakam di dinding di tebing Sungai Kelang berhampiran dengan Stesen LRT Pasar Seni beberapa ketika dahulu. Jika anda lihat pada lukisan yang dipaparkan itu, apakah tanggapan anda? Mencacatkan pemandangan atau menampakkan kecantikan pada permukaan yang pada asalnya 'boring'. 

Pada pertengahan tahun 2008 pula Telekom Malaysia telah mengambil konsep grafitti ini untuk mengiklankan produk mereka di Stesen LRT bawah tanah Mesjid Jamek. Berikut gambar yang saya rakam pada masa itu. Maaf kerana gambar tidak begitu jelas kerana menggunakan kamera handphone.

Persoalannya sekarang, adakah grafitti mencacatkan? 

Di tengah-tengah bandaraya Kuala Lumpur, kita dapat lihat banyak tiang-tiang LRT dan sebahagian tiang monorail serta dinding yang kosong dan nampak 'dull' . Mengapa tidak DBKL misalnya menggunakan pelukis-pelukis grafitti dan meminta mereka melukis grafitti pada tiang-tiang itu dengan menggunakan tema-tema yang positif dan menyampaikan mesej-mesej positif kepada orang ramai. Sekurang-kurangnya apabila ada lukisan itu, dapat menghalang daripada Along atau pengiklan tanpa lesen melekatkan poster-poster mereka. Ia dapat menjadikan tiang-tiang kosong itu lebih berseri dan menukar Kuala Lumpur kepada suasana yang lebih berwarna-warni. Tiang-tiang monorail sepanjang Jalan Sultan Ismail telah dipergunakan sepenuhnya untuk meletakkan iklan dan ia nampak lebih ceria berbandingkan tiang kosong tanpa cat itu. 

Mungkin jika pihak berkuasa memberi penghargaan kepada pelukis grafitti ini dengan mendapatkan khidmat mereka untuk membantu menceriakan bandaraya KL, akan mengubah tabiat mereka daripada melukis di   tempat awam tanpa faedah kepada memberi sumbangan dan mendapat penghargaan. Mereka ini sebenarnya memerlukan 'media' untuk meluahkan ilham. Jadi mengapa tidak kita berikan kepada mereka secara 'halal'.

Mana tahu satu hari nanti Kuala Lumpur mendapat identiti baru dan bukan sahaja dikenali sebagai Truly Malaysia, tetapi mungkin juga mendapat gelaran the The City of Grafitti - Come to Kuala Lumpur to appreciate it. Sebelum orang lain buat biar kita buat dahulu. Just angan-angan saya saja....... 

National Sports Complex FREE Facilities

Who says there is no free lunch these days?

Do you know that you can have access to International Sports facilities for FREE? Yes! I repeat F-R-E-E. And I repeat it, International standard sports facilities.

Not many KLites know that they can play for FREE at National Sports Complex (KSN) on every Friday beginning at 8.00 a.m to 7.00 p.m.

This FREE use of facilities is in conjunction with Kompleks Sukan Negara's Open Day on every Fridays. This offer was mooted and extended during the days when Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said was the Youth and Sports Minister.

I knew that the training swimming pool is free on every Friday since I take my son to swim there after his evening religious class and today I saw the poster at the National Aquatic Complex about other facilities within KSN's  administration that are also free to use too on Fridays.

Following are the venues:

National Stadium - Jogging

National Aquatic Centre - Swimming

National Squash Centre - Squash

Putra Stadium - Badminton & Sepak Takraw

National Hockey Stadium - Hockey

Family Park - Football, Beach Volleyball, Basketball,Sepak Takraw, Netball, Jogging Track and other suitable activities

Commonwealth Hill - Jogging

Juara Stadium (Bkt Kiara) - Netball

National Lawn Bowl Centre (Bkt Kiara) - Lawn Bowls

For further details you can contact KSN at 03-89944660/1/2.

How To Go? See Map below or HERE

Sunset From In Flight

I am not sure when this was taken. Opportunity to see the sunset from the window of an aeroplane is quite scarce. One has to take a window seat and facing West and on an evening flight. I am not sure which flight I was on but base on the date I think it was on an MAS flight from Labuan to Kuala Lumpur and I was on starboard seat.

A Place To Hang Out

Whats in a name. Well even though names is just are presentation of things but when used correctly and in tandem with the actual activity it means more than just words. I saw this kiosk when doing my walk around in Tawau town. de'leepaq kiosk. It means that to hang out. So when in Tawau is this the place to hang out? The people of Tawau can give the answer. I am not sure on which street this kiosk is situated but I found this on the was to the Tawau mosque on a Friday.

R & R In The Garden

The Bukit Gantang Tropical Fruits Village

It was my trip back from Permatang Pauh and vere rarely I drive all the way to Kuala Lumpur on the PLUS Highway because I disagree with the toll imposed. My trip was usually a mixed of trunk road and highways and my toll budget from Kuala Lumpur to Alor Setar is not more than RM 20.00 one way.

Fruits stalls selling tropical fruits were well planned.

This time I decided to take the highway because I wanted to write something about the Bukit Gantang R&R which is very different from other R&R along the North South Highway. I like to dub it as R&R In a Garden. It really look look like a garden with trees giving the area a cool green look. When I say garden it doesn't mean full of flowering trees but with lots of tropical trees. This area was recently upgraded from the barren tropical fruit stalls to a R&R in the Forest as now.

The pathway leading to a restaurant. However what irked me is that the price of a packet of nasi lemak is sold at RM 1.20 whereby at other R&R along the highway it us just RM 1.00. PLUS should check this.

When the PLUS Highway was opened all along the highways from the present R&R up until the Bukit Berapit slopes, there are farmers selling tropical fruits in make shift stalls on both sides. Even though its is a cheap option (?) for travelers to buy fresh tropical fruits, it create a danger because cars can stop abruptly when they wanted to buy the fruits and can cause accidents. The area especially North bound is going down the slope and vehicles travel at a high speed. Now with the setting up of the R&R, views along the stretch looks nicer and risk of accidents was minimizes. Now it is an offense to sell fruits along the stretch and offenders can be fined RM 300.

The Garden located centrally

On my normal trip from Kuala Lumpur to Alor Setar and back, I will usually miss this R&R because I will be using the trunk road from Taiping Utara exit and reenter the highway at Kuala Kangsar. But this time I cam claim from my employer, the government. Therefore its the government who pay for my toll and thats why I trael up to Kuala Lumpur using it.

The wakaf built at one of the end R&R is a good resting place for tired traveler to rest before continuing the journey.

Going To Sibu

My next trip will be Sibu. This is my I don't remember how many times I have been ti Sibu. I am looking forward to fish something new to post in my blog. I missed my last trip which I planned to go up the Rajang to Kapit due to missed flight. I have been to Kapit once but it was years back. Hope this time I'll be able to travel up to Kapit again and write something about it. Read at the side bar about my date to Sibu.

Angsa Is Not International

While waiting for the driver to come and pick me up, I notice this signboard outside Gate 8 KLIA. The signboard is supposed to tell visitors that this the way to International Arrivals. I first saw this back in 2007 and it seems that nobody care about the signboard especially Malaysia Airports who manages KLIA. Maybe because it is facing a large pillar and they take it for granted that no visitor will notice. The sign also faces away from oncoming traffic and nobody will care for it.

It is just a small matter but it show how reckless the management of the airport is. Actually the letter 'b' is hidden by a small pole holding another sign on it.