Wonderful food at the Ramadan Bazaar in Kuala Lumpur

Posted on August 20, 2013 by skisoo

The month of Ramadan just finished. In Kuala Lumpur, nearly three-quarters of the populationwas fasting during the day and in some parts of the city big food markets, called Ramadan Bazaar, were selling many delicious local dishes where people come to buy food to break fast after sunset.

Kampung Baru Ramadan Market

Few weeks ago I went to the Kampung Baru market, a small residential area not far from the Petronas Towers. The market was pretty long, 200 meters along the road and offers plenty of amazing things. I took a little bit of everything, especially sweet stuffs. It was really amazing.

Stall at the Kampung Baru Ramadan Market

Malay food at the Kampung Baru Ramadan Market

Sweet Malay food at the Kampung Baru Ramadan Market

What we bought at the Ramadan Market

i-City, the city of Digital lights

Posted on July 29, 2013 by skisoo

i-City, a new high-tech theme park in Malaysia throws us into a new universe colourfully illuminated by thousands of lights.

Trees and trees and trees

By day, the park looks quite ordinary, artificial trees everywhere, various attractions, a Ferris wheel, arcade games, a water park, a snow walk… But at night the park turns into a fantastic landscape illuminated by thousands of LED. Each tree takes a particular colour, each animal wear illuminated garments, each element changes its colour and starts glowing at night. The bright decorations evolve during the year and follow the seasons and local festivals.

Colorful peacock

Located in Shah Alam, the capital of the state of Selangor in Malaysia, i-City is more than a theme park, it also hosts a technology campus and a big shopping area.

a Little train going around the top of the trees

When I went there, the place was great with the default being relatively recent, many beautiful light decorations: trees, animals, the big wheel … but the rest was pretty empty, many commercial premises not yet occupied (we struggled to find a place to eat in the evening, just a few basic restaurants, all crowded) and construction sites all around. A water park has recently opened and an interactive wax museum will open in August 2013.

A green LED lighted tree

What to do in Singapore during Summer and Autumn 2013

Posted on July 22, 2013 by skisoo

You are currently in Singapore but you do not have any ideas for activities or events or you would like to discover other interesting things? I have compiled a small list of festivals and other important events that will happen in the coming months.

Singapore National Day

The National day of Singapore is on August 9th and is a major element in the development of local patriotism. A large military march and a parade will take place on the floating stage in Marina Bay. Unfortunately you have to be Singaporean and lucky to get a seat on the stands, places are randomly given each year (and the same person cannot attend the parade on two successive years). But the fireworks spectacle from Marina Bay is visible from many places in the city.

Singapore Night Festival 2013

Spread over two weekends at the end of August, 23, 24, 30, 31 August 2013, the Singapore Night Festival 2013 is a festival of lights Singaporean Version. The Singapore Art Museum and Singapore National Museum will have their facade illuminated by thousands of colors and will be free of charge during the evening and night. In and around the museums, in the district of Bras Basah, many animations and art installations will be visible. Chinese shadows puppet show, parkour demonstration, outdoor cinema, dance performances gave life to the 2012 edition.

F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2013

Whether you’re a fan of car racing or not, you can not escape the F1 Grand Prix of Singapore. The famous race takes place at night at the foot of the Ferris wheel on the weekend of September 20th. The roaring of the cars will be heard throughout all the city! The Grand Prix hosts its own concert to close the weekend but another international scale music concert will take place at the same time at Marina Barrage : 1 World Music Festival 2013. Main headliners will be Moby, Snopp Dogg, Far East Movement…

Mid Autumn Festival 2013

One of the most important festivals of the Chinese culture, the Mid Autumn Festival will transform Chinatown with a magical atmosphere. The main streets will be lit by thousands of lanterns of all sizes and all colors. Local markets, dragons dances, mooncakes, street performances will be here to give life to the festival.

Singapore Biennale 2013

Singapore Biennale, the first exhibition of contemporary art in the city, is back for its fourth year on the theme “If The World Changed” on 26th October 2013 to 16th February 2014 in the historic precinct of Bras Basah – Bugis. This edition focuses on the rapidly changing societies of South East Asia and offers artists the occasion to explore the world in which they want to live.

Deepavali 2013

Deepavali or “row of lights” in English is one of the most important festivals of the Indian community. Throughout the weekend of November 2 and 3, Little India neighborhood is cleverly decorated and illuminated arches of lights span over Serangoon road. The area hosts as well many traditional and religious ceremony and bazaars and traditional handicrafts.

Phi Phi Islands

Posted on July 16, 2013 by skisoo

The classic thing to do during a visit to Phuket : a tour by speed boat to the island of Ko Phi Phi. Ko means island in Thai, so we should say in fact : Phi Phi Islands or just Ko Phi Phi. Ko Phi Phi is actually two islands, Ko Phi Phi Don, which has some hotels and Ko Phi Phi Leh, the small uninhabited (except for a small camper site) one that was made famous by the movie ‘the Beach’ with its beautiful bay.

Our Boat

The day-long speed boat ride with snorkeling in a beautiful water on the side of a cliff. Many coloured fishes. Unfortunately, I forgot my GoPro charger and the battery was dead, so no underwater pictures… Then the tour continues with a monkey beach (quite violent compared to less touristy places), just to make some photos for the tourists who are not used and a bay without beach in the middle of high cliffs. we jumped into the water directly from the roof of the boat! Nice little thing, there was a swing above the water hanging from a tree there.

The snorkeling spot

The Bay inside high cliffs

Then finally, Maya Bay, the Bay of Ko Phi Phi Leh, beautiful and completely crowded. We cannot see it on the pictures but there was like 20 boats equivalent to ours inside the bay and a cruise ship of medium size.

Maya Bay on Ko Phi Phi Leh

Rest the tour: lunch with buffet on another island, sunbathing in the afternoon on yet another island and return to port and the the hotel.

The small fish harbor

Fantasea, the Phuket cultural night show

Posted on July 10, 2013 by skisoo

Night show internationally renowned, Phuket Fantasea is a great local performance to see.

Entrance of the park

What to do at night in Phuket, when you’re not busy scouring the bars of Patong? Take a ticket to the theme park on the island and watch the show Fantasea! I had booked the tickets directly from the hotel the night before. On the exact day, a shuttle come pick us up and takes us to Fantasea. The complex is divided into three parts, a theme park for children, the theater and the restaurant (buffet before or after the show depending on the time of the representation chosen).

Theme park at Fantasea

Jewelry very focused on elephants

The theme park is a bit kitsch but is ok to wait until the show begins, there are games and rides for children, a shop trinkets and elephants who are expecting a hug.

Elephants waiting for a hug or a ride

30 minutes before the hour, the doors of the hall open, phones and cameras are deposited at the entrance (not allowed to take pictures during the show)and we sit nicely in our assigned seats. Let’s go for 75 minutes of show. The show is great, impressive sound and light effects, acrobatics, fireworks, a little bit of magic and a lot of tricks with animals including many elephants. The story traces the history of Thailand between myths, ancient wars and everyday life. 1900 Bath per person for the show and buffet.

Theater for the Fantasea spectacle

Phuket Island for the week end

Posted on July 5, 2013 by skisoo

I recently spent a weekend in Phuket, at a resort on Nai Yang Beach. Usually I stay in backpackers or cheap hotels but for once I had some points to use with Agoda and a friend had advised me the beach in the north, Nai Yang beach for a weekend getaway. So I booked two nights at The The Imperial Adamas Beach Resort, a 5 star resort on the beach, away from the bustle of the island. The hotel is really nice, large room with huge bed, swimming pool going around all the rooms (with direct access to those at ground floor), swimming pool with infinity edge next to the beach, and the vast beach of Nai Yang. I know some will say that this is not the real Thailand but hey, it’s good to rest.

View from the Room at the Imperial Adamas Beach Resort

Swimming pool of the resort

Program of the weekend: Nai Yang Beach and its nice restaurants (and very cheap), the classic thing: a tour combining snorkeling and Ko Phi Phi (the famous beach of the film ‘The Beach’) , Fantasea, a show on the history of Thailand involving animals including elephants and of-course the famous beach of Patong.

Nai Yang Beach

From the hotel, a 10 minute walk on the beach (or 5 minutes by taxi at night) leads to the beach of Nai Yang. In comparison with Patong, Nai Yang is super quiet and relaxing, the beach is hosting small restaurants every dozen meters with excellent food. Accompanied with a super fresh fruit juice, it’s paradise. The street from the beach is a happy organized mess, electric and phone wire loose, tourist shops, restaurants, backpackers, groceries shops but surprisingly little traffic. When I was there, a pair of Australians who seemed to live there for a long time were busy helping locals to set up a bakery.

The road along Nai Yang Beach

I then went to Patong with the shuttle provided by the hotel. Big differences with Nai Yang! Large shopping centers, crowded (and dirty) beach and plenty of tourists everywhere… Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I was only there during the day, I did not had the chance to see the famous Bangla Road with its hostess bar mixing young Thai lady boys and pretty girls with alcohol flowing abundantly where many tourists have adventures worthy of the movie The Hangover. But nothing by day except the strong smell of lust in the atmosphere.

Patong Beach

Phuket, 1 hour 30 minutes away by plane from Singapore (or Kuala Lumpur) is a nice island escape for a few days (a weekend of 3-4 days) that combines natural beauty (invaded by tourists): Ko Phi Phi, the James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan in The Man with the Golden Gun) and the ideal place for a bachelor party !