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| Syl at 5 AM outside casita writing blog |
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| Bob and Syl each created a batik masterpiece |
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| The masterpieces. (Also we found this chair interesting.) |
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| We celebrated and drank to your health. Anyone who honors us by reading this blog |
Friday, March 23, 2012
FORGOT TO TELL
KUALA LUMPUR
KUALA LUMPUR March 23
To get here we took our 6th airplane since leaving Astor Street. Bob had prepared 6 x 9 inch bright iridescent sticky labels to put on each of our 4 ship-thru suitcases for each flight: the destination airport codes and “priority handling” was printed on each one. They usually come out first and are easy to spot.
The Westin upgraded us to a large suite, the finest in this luxury hotel.
We have a dining alcove with surrounding windows, fully equipped kitchen alcove, 2 office spaces, LARGE living room, bedroom and bathroom.
The breakfast buffet is so large that there is a map showing where each type of food (Indian, Chinese, Western, smoothies, Malaysian, etc) can be found.
This city amazes us. In some areas it feels like New York -
Lights Action Energy High class stores Crowds Hotels Restaurants
Night life Office buildings Tall buildings
Last night when we walked back to our Hotel after dinner we passed a different kind of very busy area - all in the street - food cooking, crowded
tables, bright signs, bombarding color, noise, movement, smells, bumping.
Today we will hire a guide.
3:00 PM Good guide, good driver .....Bob took lots of pictures .
We are surprised by the large number of tall buildings, good architecture.
The Petronas Twin Towers are positioned by Feng Shuei to face an important bank.
Good highways.
We saw Muslim temples. Since today is Friday it is the holiday of the week. Major prayer time. Only men can go into the mosque to pray on Friday. At a large mosque there were so many cars and motor cycles
that the police allow extra parking on the street.
Went into a Buddhist temple. So beautifully ornate. Much park land and rain forrest in the city.
A huge bird sanctuary covered by a huge net.
Weather is HOT AND HUMID. Came back and took a needed nap.
To get here we took our 6th airplane since leaving Astor Street. Bob had prepared 6 x 9 inch bright iridescent sticky labels to put on each of our 4 ship-thru suitcases for each flight: the destination airport codes and “priority handling” was printed on each one. They usually come out first and are easy to spot.
The Westin upgraded us to a large suite, the finest in this luxury hotel.
We have a dining alcove with surrounding windows, fully equipped kitchen alcove, 2 office spaces, LARGE living room, bedroom and bathroom.
The breakfast buffet is so large that there is a map showing where each type of food (Indian, Chinese, Western, smoothies, Malaysian, etc) can be found.
This city amazes us. In some areas it feels like New York -
Lights Action Energy High class stores Crowds Hotels Restaurants
Night life Office buildings Tall buildings
Last night when we walked back to our Hotel after dinner we passed a different kind of very busy area - all in the street - food cooking, crowded
tables, bright signs, bombarding color, noise, movement, smells, bumping.
Today we will hire a guide.
3:00 PM Good guide, good driver .....Bob took lots of pictures .
We are surprised by the large number of tall buildings, good architecture.
The Petronas Twin Towers are positioned by Feng Shuei to face an important bank.
Good highways.
We saw Muslim temples. Since today is Friday it is the holiday of the week. Major prayer time. Only men can go into the mosque to pray on Friday. At a large mosque there were so many cars and motor cycles
that the police allow extra parking on the street.
Went into a Buddhist temple. So beautifully ornate. Much park land and rain forrest in the city.
A huge bird sanctuary covered by a huge net.
Weather is HOT AND HUMID. Came back and took a needed nap.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
LANGKAWI BEACH EXPERIENCE
MARCH 21 EQUINOX LANGKAWI 5 AM
Sitting on veranda of our “Beach Front Villa” (Fancy name for a minimal concrete box)
in a complex of many such boxes.
MARCH 19 When we arrived, the room was HOT. No windows but there is a sliding front door which looks out to the ocean No screens
Got the air conditioning and fan going .....
too hot or too cold
“Better to drink water from bottle than tap.
We charge for bottles.”
Sign: BEWARE OF JELLYFISH Went swimming in the ocean..... too warm
“Let’s try the pool”
Dinner only one other table occupied.
Oh, oh .......first MISTAKE.. of this trip ??
What are we doing here????
*********************
MARCH 20 I love it here!!!!!!! Low key .. few people ... lot’s of privacy got the temp adjusted
!!!!!!!!! A SYLVIA BEACH !!!!!!............... Long............... clean, ..............firm (cars can drive on it)
Figured out how to use the wi fi at the bar looking out to the ocean
....The Fragnipagni (this resort) has a net in the ocean to keep the jelly fish out of this area
Overcast weather One hour of impressive torrential rain and wind ( Bob stood out and enjoyed it )
Since I lost all our sunscreen we welcomed this weather.
Hired a driver to explore the island. A marina with a plethora of sail boats. Wild monkeys and water buffalo.
Rice growing A main street with a myriad of tiny shops all selling the same stuff .............. but not selling.
Little outdoor mini restaurants (food stalls ?)
What do the Masada in Israel and the cable car and impressive bridge in Langkawi have in common????
Both are closed one day a year .........when Babbins come to experience them.
Dinner at Casa del Mar, an up-scale resort. I had tried to book it in January but they were full.
Fantasy experience.
All the tables on the beach, very separate from each other. Dramatic sunset.
Lights from lanterns on each table
flaming lanterns on poles
Waves sounding on the shoreline.. Martinis and fine food. We ordered Lankawi Sampler.
No desert for us, thank you .....
oh oh
Anniversary Cake with our name on it
Walked thru town one mile to our casita. Nice day
Sitting on veranda of our “Beach Front Villa” (Fancy name for a minimal concrete box)
in a complex of many such boxes.
MARCH 19 When we arrived, the room was HOT. No windows but there is a sliding front door which looks out to the ocean No screens
Got the air conditioning and fan going .....
too hot or too cold
“Better to drink water from bottle than tap.
We charge for bottles.”
Sign: BEWARE OF JELLYFISH Went swimming in the ocean..... too warm
“Let’s try the pool”
Dinner only one other table occupied.
Oh, oh .......first MISTAKE.. of this trip ??
What are we doing here????
*********************
MARCH 20 I love it here!!!!!!! Low key .. few people ... lot’s of privacy got the temp adjusted
!!!!!!!!! A SYLVIA BEACH !!!!!!............... Long............... clean, ..............firm (cars can drive on it)
Figured out how to use the wi fi at the bar looking out to the ocean
....The Fragnipagni (this resort) has a net in the ocean to keep the jelly fish out of this area
Overcast weather One hour of impressive torrential rain and wind ( Bob stood out and enjoyed it )
Since I lost all our sunscreen we welcomed this weather.
Hired a driver to explore the island. A marina with a plethora of sail boats. Wild monkeys and water buffalo.
Rice growing A main street with a myriad of tiny shops all selling the same stuff .............. but not selling.
Little outdoor mini restaurants (food stalls ?)
What do the Masada in Israel and the cable car and impressive bridge in Langkawi have in common????
Both are closed one day a year .........when Babbins come to experience them.
Dinner at Casa del Mar, an up-scale resort. I had tried to book it in January but they were full.
Fantasy experience.
All the tables on the beach, very separate from each other. Dramatic sunset.
Lights from lanterns on each table
flaming lanterns on poles
Waves sounding on the shoreline.. Martinis and fine food. We ordered Lankawi Sampler.
No desert for us, thank you .....
oh oh
Anniversary Cake with our name on it
Walked thru town one mile to our casita. Nice day
Monday, March 19, 2012
Pictures catching up Singaqpore
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| Marina Sands, us on top at the corner |
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| having a cool drink and marveling at the building and the view |
 | |
| The lovely couple who own this fine restaurant. Alex is the chef and he provided us with the surprise desert. |
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| Overeating ????? Us??????? |
Sunday, March 18, 2012
A FINE RESTAURANT FIND IN SINGAPORE
JUST RETURNED FROM A DELIGHTFUL, DELICIOUS DINNER AT CASA TARTUFO.
The food was creative and nicely presented. The owner, Alex Calabro, was charmingly attentive, suggesting specials that were really special. At one point he apologized for the crying of his 4 month old son who was in a back room. We hadn't noticed until he mentioned it. Soon a lovely young woman came by to ask how everything was. As it turns out, she is Alex's wife and the baby is theirs. Before you know it, we all became friends.
At desert time Alex brought a candle-lit dessert for us to celebrate our anniversary. Alex is from Sicily and often consults with mother about recipes. He is very particular about the quality and freshness of his ingredients. The restaurant has just been nominated for "Best New Restaurant of the Year".
Earlier in the day a guide and driver
Taught us some history including a stop at a museum
Showed us the Raffles Hotel (rooms $800 - $8000) and Raffles Landing
(Raffles was a founder of Singapore in 1819.)
Walked us through the Chinese district and the Indian district
Took us into a Buddhist Temple and a Hindu Temple
Walked with us at the marina. There we saw small old shack-like
spaces that used to be warehouses and are now shops and restaurants.
Behind them stand the tall modern buildings of many different shapes.
Our guide told us that the unusual shapes are the result of Feng Shui requirements.
Before a proposed building gets a permit it is reviewed by a Feng Shui consultant.
The food was creative and nicely presented. The owner, Alex Calabro, was charmingly attentive, suggesting specials that were really special. At one point he apologized for the crying of his 4 month old son who was in a back room. We hadn't noticed until he mentioned it. Soon a lovely young woman came by to ask how everything was. As it turns out, she is Alex's wife and the baby is theirs. Before you know it, we all became friends.
At desert time Alex brought a candle-lit dessert for us to celebrate our anniversary. Alex is from Sicily and often consults with mother about recipes. He is very particular about the quality and freshness of his ingredients. The restaurant has just been nominated for "Best New Restaurant of the Year".
Earlier in the day a guide and driver
Taught us some history including a stop at a museum
Showed us the Raffles Hotel (rooms $800 - $8000) and Raffles Landing
(Raffles was a founder of Singapore in 1819.)
Walked us through the Chinese district and the Indian district
Took us into a Buddhist Temple and a Hindu Temple
Walked with us at the marina. There we saw small old shack-like
spaces that used to be warehouses and are now shops and restaurants.
Behind them stand the tall modern buildings of many different shapes.
Our guide told us that the unusual shapes are the result of Feng Shui requirements.
Before a proposed building gets a permit it is reviewed by a Feng Shui consultant.
More Singapore pictures and hot experiences
Yesterday we roamed around by ourselves.
IT IS HOT HERE
Walked in the shade and underground as much as possible. Underground there is a whole clean city of shops and restaurants along wide pleasant corridors AIR CONDITIONED.
A cold drink on the open air terrace, 57th floor
of Marina Sands Hotel in the large shopping mall. Looked at the infinity swimming pool up there. Pictures of that to follow.
Went to an Art Gallery and saw originals done by Picasso, Dali, Renoir, Matisse and others. Works different than we have seen before.
On to the modern art museum. Interesting exhibits.
Tired out, we tried in vain to get a taxi.
Found the subway, figured how to buy tickets and make the necessary transfer. Very crowded. None of the young people offered us their seats. (That would not have happened in the UAE)
Voila, we made it to the proper stop in a mall.
Now to get a taxi to the hotel. Too tired and hot to walk. Found the long cue and waited like all the other people til our turn to get into the next taxi.
Congratulated ourselves. Successful adventure in a foreign city.
But tomorrow we will hire a guide
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