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places > malaysia/singapore/thailand
2002 |
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Saturday, 19 October 2002 (Day 1)Montréal (- Washington) - New York |
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As usual, what was supposed to be an early and quiet night before my trip turned into a not-so-early-and-quiet one sharing a couple of bottles of wine with Rogério, Wiana and JP, after which - of course - I had to pack. Nothing unusual, I hear you say, and so another tradition was alas not broken! Which of course meant a rude awakening when the alarm went off before 7:00 this morning. At least the excitement of the trip ahead helped drag me out of bed and soon I was ready and in a cab to Dorval. The fact that it was a very wet autumn's day in Montréal somehow made the thought of Malaysia even sweeter although I did hope the rain did not extend as far south as Washington and New York.
The security procedure for flying into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (can they come up with a longer name?!) was nothing like I had ever experienced before and I can only guess it is up to El Al standards. All checked and hand luggage was thoroughly hand-searched, my laptop scanned with a special tool (not your simple "turn it on/turn it off" here) and everybody was body searched as well as passing through metal detectors at two different points. On top of this, I believe there were two armed marshals on board although I didn't bother searching them out. Moreover, once on board, nobody was allowed to stand up during the last 30 minutes of the flight (for those of you who are unfamiliar with Washington's airports, the flight path to National - the city's "downtown" airport - takes you right past the White House, Capitol Hill and VERY close to the Washington Monument).
Had a few hours to kill in Washington so met up with Beth, went for brunch at Kramer Books & Afterwords and then joined Loren for coffee(s) before heading back to the airport for a Shuttle flight to New York. Once in the Big Apple I headed to Christine's apartment (thanks, Christine!) and then met up with Alessandro for drinks. Of course we ended up chatting to the Italian manager of Zanzibar and managed to get ourselves some (very good) free Martinis! |
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Sunday/Monday, 20/21 October 2002 (Days 2/3)New York - Penang |
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Another early start as I try to make it from Christine's apartment on 49th Street down to Penn Station (thankfully only two Subway stops away) to catch the train to Newark airport; remarkably, Americans are waking up to the convenience of public transport to airports and this new service is actually pretty good, with a painless (not to mention considerably cheaper than taking a cab) journey from Manhattan to Newark of about 20 minutes.
I have a
long flight ahead of me so after an easy check-in (and a "difficult" security
screening), I kill some time in
Northwest's WorldClub lounge where I have a
very New York breakfast of bagels and cream cheese. We board
We take off
at exactly noon New York time and catch up with the afternoon and soon evening
flying eastbound across the Atlantic. Flying southeast off the coast of
Nova Scotia, some six hours later we reach the shores of Europe, crossing over
Portugal and into Spain around midnight local time, continuing east over the Mediterranean, across Sardinia and over
Naples. Into Greek airspace, we cross Zakynthos and the Peloponnese,
then fly south of Athens over the Aegean, straight over Milos and Rhodes.
My heart is now beating faster as I
can see the coast of Cyprus in the distance. There she is, in all her
miniature majesty! It is 4:30am now in Cyprus but I can still clearly make out Paphos from the right-hand-side of the plane as we fly over Akamas. I
barely have time to gather my thoughts and there's Limassol; I dash back to my
left-hand-side seat to greet Nicosia. Before you know it,
we are flying over Ayia Napa and Cape Greco and bid Cyprus farewell but not
before getting a clear view of Famagusta and her bay. It is dawn as we fly
over Jordan and getting brighter by the minute over the Saudi desert. Just
over 12 hours after we left New York, at 8:10 Monday morning local time, we touch down in Dubai
for a brief stop.
Back on board, we take off at 9:30 for Kuala Lumpur. Having just crossed the Arabian Sea, I am now very tired as we fly over India on a straight-line, south-easterly course, entering just north of Goa and exiting north of Chennai; the AirShow monitor in front of me is telling me to be patient as we still have over 3:30 hours to go as we cross the Bay of Bengal and then head down the Andaman Sea towards Malaysia.
Once in Kuala Lumpur I make my way to the domestic terminal and grudgingly wait the two hours before my 40-minute flight to Penang. I finally reach Penang at 23:00 Monday night and very tired, take a taxi to Georgetown. Upon reaching the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion where I will be staying for the next couple of days, I am immediately reassured my decision to ditch the Sheraton was the right one... |
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Tuesday, 22 October 2002 (Day 4)Penang |
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I am definitely staying in one of the most beautiful places in Georgetown (Penang's capital), indeed one of the most atmospheric places I have ever stayed at. Built by the Chinese businessman whose name it bears more than 110 years ago, this is only one of three surviving mansions in this style, the other two being in Manila and Sumatra.
After being fully restored to its former glory, the
mansion was declared a state monument and has won both
Whilst it is not easy to leave the mansion, my curiosity takes the better of me and after a breakfast of fresh tropical fruit and cereal I head off to explore Georgetown. My first stop on the Heritage Trail takes me to the Penang State Museum, where a beautifully put-together collection recounts the history of Penang based around the different people who came to settle here over the centuries. Both before and after Penang was established as a British trading outpost for the East India Company by Sir Francis Light in 1786, the island's strategic position at the entrance to the straights of Malacca was discovered by the neighbouring Burmese and Thais but also the Chinese, Japanese, Indians and even Armenians and Arabs. Some of these communities established trading businesses of their own whereas others (notably the Indians and second-migration Chinese) either came or were brought in by the British as labour.
Today's Penang reflects this heritage very vividly.
Despite the catastrophic demolition of many of the older buildings to make
space for ugly, high-rise apartment buildings and hotels, Georgetown still
maintains a large and colourful variety of characterful houses, mansions and
places of worship. Upon leaving the museum, I walk along Jalan Masjid
Kapitan Keling (Kapitan Keling Mosque road) and first pass the Anglican church
of St. George.
A few minutes later I run into the Buddhist Goddess of
Mercy temple where the air is filled by the smell of burning incense. A
left turn into Lebuh Pasar (Market street) brings me into Little India, full of
Indian shops selling everything from saris to Indian music to delicacies like
samosas and chapatis. It is also very close to the Deepavali festival so
flowers are abundant. In Little India I pass the Mahamariamman temple,
Penang's oldest Hindu temple dating from 1800, with it's beautifully sculptured
entrance.
More historical buildings await me as I walk along Lebuh Armenian and Lebuh Aceh before reaching Lebuh Cannon where I come to the entrance of one of Penang's most famous monuments, the Khoo Kongsi. A kongsi is a Chinese clan house and this - the most elaborate and best preserved konsgi in Penang - was built in 1898. It has recently been fully restored to its full beauty and today serves as a monument and museum to the Khoo clan.
Leaving the Khoo Kongsi I headed towards the seafront,
where I caught up with some of the local girls (see photo
After an afternoon nap (alas, jetlag has caught up with
me) I head to the very centre of Georgetown for dinner and a walk along and
around Lebuh Chulia afterwards, where I run into quite a few Europeans (mostly
Brits but also Swedes) and Australians mostly drinking in bars or eating at the
touristy restaurants of which this area has many... |
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Wednesday, 23 October 2002 (Day 5)Penang |
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On the way back, we visit the local market for some
lunch, where everybody seems to be staring at the "stupid foreigner" trying to
guess whether I can take the food (which was actually quite delicious, if indeed
a bit spicy). After drying back at the Mansion, I spend the afternoon
visiting the shopping areas of central Georgetown. For dinner I try a
restaurant serving local Nyonya cuisine which is extremely tasty and
flavoursome. |
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Thursday, 24 October 2002 (Day 6)Penang - Kota Bharu |
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I am up early today to catch the 9 o' clock bus to Kota Bharu, across the Peninsula on the East Coast. The bus is surprisingly comfortable and apart from a young Dutch couple, I am the only westerner on board.
The east-west highway was opened in 1982 after an
11-year construction period and runs roughly along Malaysia's
After a seven hour journey (including a brief stop for lunch), we arrive in Kota Bharu (KB). The capital of the state of Kelantan, KB is another world from Penang! Kelantan is one of two Islamic-ruled states in Malaysia and it shows. Arriving in KB reminds me more of arriving in Cairo than in Kuala Lumpur, with people everywhere, noise, colours and confusion. |
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Friday, 25 October 2002 (Day 7)Kota Bharu - Kuala Besut |
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My first impressions of Kota Bharu turned out to be not far removed from reality. I spend the morning today walking around town, getting a feel of Peninsular Malaysia's most conservative city, which even KL-ites think of as being a world away.
Today is Friday, which means the weekend in the Muslim
Kelantan state and so as I walk around most shops are
Out of the market I breathe some fresh air and walk
towards Kota Bharu's collection of istanas (palaces), all of which seem
to be gathered around Pandang Merdeka (Independence Square). The palaces
are architecturally interesting, if not spectacular but more interesting is to
see the square and surrounding area emptying as people head towards the State
Mosque for Friday
Seeing as I have seen most of what I wanted to see in Kota Bharu and remembering there might be a chance to catch a 16:00 boat from Kuala Besut to Perhentian Island, I decide to head straight there. The usual haggle with taxi drivers ensues but soon I am on my way, having negotiated a fare of RM24 for the one-hour trip to Kuala Besut.
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Saturday, 26 October 2002 (Day 8)Kuala Besut - Pulau Perhentian Kecil |
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Pulau Perhentian is described to me as one of those few
remaining (relatively) unspoiled paradises - you know the
Almost all accommodation on the islands consists of
basic bungalows which are booked on an on-arrival basis and so as soon as we
arrive I head to Matahari Chalet and book my room for the night for the princely
sum of RM30! Then it's straight to the beach! The islands are indeed
beautiful, like two emeralds in a sapphire sea.
The feeling is one of remoteness, despite the other people on the beach but the
lack of modern hotels with all the associated paraphernalia is a blessing.
After a good swim in the clear waters, I take a walk along the beach and find a
secluded spot
Eating on the island comes in the form of three almost identical restaurants on the beach, all serving some variation of barbecued meat and fish (today's catch). I meet up with Emma and Nita for a wonderful dinner of fresh kingfish and then more of us gather around a table where Abbas is playing his guitar and we all (try to) sing along. It's past one o'clock when we make our way to our bungalows, totally happy and content with life!
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Sunday, 27 October 2002 (Day 9)Pulau Perhentian Kecil - Kota Bharu (- Malacca) |
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All good things come to an end as they say and
unfortunately this good thing has to come to an end sooner than I expected.
After a leisurely breakfast and short lie on the beach I get ready for the noon
boat back to Kuala Besut. On the boat I meet Ajda and Christiane and
Chiara who - like myself - want to get to Kota Bharu upon arrival in Kuala
Besut. The four of us jump in a taxi after negotiating a fare of RM28 (why
this is higher than what I paid just the previous day for the exact same trip in
the opposite direction beats me). Ajda and Christiane are from northern
Germany (although Ajda is Kurdish and grew up in Turkish Kurdistan) and are
making their way down to Singapore from Thailand where they have just spent
almost four weeks. Chiara is from Padova in northern Italy and has been
travelling around Malaysia also for almost four weeks and is making her way to
Penang - exactly the opposite of what I had done.
Once in Kota Bharu we all set out to arrange our onward transportation plans and then meet up for an early dinner in the Old Market. We dine at a stall with rice and various accompanying dishes, including stuffed calamari and a spicy beef dish with red chillies which are delicious but would have been even better had they been warm.
After dinner I make my way to Wakaf Bharu (5km outside KB) where the railway station is located for the overnight train to Malacca. Everything else is sold out and so I buy myself a second-class upper berth ticket. The train is not bad at all, except they keep the (bright fluorescent) lights on all night, which is kind of annoying when you expect to get some sleep on an overnight journey. |
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Monday, 28 October 2002 (Day 10)Malacca |
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The Malaysian railway system is quite peculiar, as on many occasions train stations seem to be located outside major cities, which makes reaching your intended destination rather tricky. Such was the case in Kota Bharu (the station is in Wakaf Bharu, 5km outside the city) and such is the case in Malacca too. The train arrives at Tampin (some 35km away!) and at 5 o'clock in the morning no less, which leaves you with two options to get to Malacca. One is to take a taxi, the other is to wait until 6:15 for the first public bus into town. Which really only leaves me with one option but at least I manage to bargain the taxi driver down to half of what he was originally asking for. Thankfully, the hotel in Malacca has some rooms available and so I can check in really early, at 6 o'clock and catch another two hours sleep before heading into town.
I start my walk around the picturesque Dutch square,
surrounded by the Stadthuys and Christ Church buildings, both painted a bright
terracotta red and the best examples of the city's Dutch heritage. Walking southeastward I come across St. Paul's hill where I climb to find the ruins of
St.
Back towards Dutch square I cross the river and head towards the old Chinatown, with house upon beautiful old Chinese-Straits house, most of them now converted to antiques shops although one (which I visit) restored to its former glory as the Baba-Nyonya Heritage Museum. In Chinatown I also visit Wah Aik's shoemaker shop which is special as it is the only remaining shop of its kind in the world (or so the owner claims) that still produces tiny shoes for women with bound feet - a practice that was widely used in China amongst the elite as it was supposed to add to a woman's sensuality despite the pain but was outlawed in 1912.
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Tuesday, 29 October 2002 (Day 11)Malacca (- Singapore) - Bangkok |
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Check out soon after an early breakfast and then it's a short walk to the bus station for the 9 o'clock bus to Singapore. The bus itself is very comfortable, with reclining seats and lots of legroom. In fact, since bus travel is one of the most common means of getting around in Malaysia, the industry is highly developed and there seems to be so much competition amongst bus companies (at least on certain key routes) that the standards of service are quite high.
Driving south towards Singapore, I notice that the western part of the peninsula is decisively different than the eastern part with the mountainous jungle being replaced by seemingly endless rolling hills of palm forest (Malaysia produces some 65% of the world's palm oil). After a brief stop at Johor Bharu, we reach the border where we first pass through Malaysian and then Singaporean immigration. The system is highly developed with modern immigration stations on both sides, with all passengers having to disembark, pass through airport-style immigration and customs booths and then re-board the bus on the other side.
Four hours after leaving Malacca, we reach our destination in Singapore which is not exactly central, nor a bus station of any sort but rather a hotel slightly outside the centre but where the Malaysia Airlines shuttle bus (back to) Johor Bharu airport leaves from (many people prefer to use JB's airport across the border in Malaysia, especially when flying to Kuala Lumpur as it is cheaper than flying directly from Singapore itself).
My first impressions of Singapore confirm what most people said: it is a prosperous, modern, orderly place with little (visual) resemblance to its neighbour, at least at first glance. I take a taxi to the nearest MRT (metro) station where the MRT system confirms my impressions. This is a world class metropolis, with superb facilities and infrastructure. Since I only have a few hours in Singapore before my flight to Bangkok, and since I am carrying all my luggage with me, I decide to take the MRT all the way to Changi airport and leave my bag at the left-luggage counter. On arrival there (apart from my excitement of course at finally making it to famous Changi) I discover I can actually check in early (eight hours early to be precise) and check-in I do and so get rid of my bag and gain some time in the evening.
I take the MRT back into town and get off at one of the
stops on Orchard Road, the main shopping street.
Walking around after lunch I come across Emerald Hill Road, one of the few
remaining testaments to Singapore's
I must say I find it a bit funny that my first ever flight with Scandinavian Airlines had to be between Singapore and Bangkok, i.e. nowhere near Europe much less Scandinavia. Practically everything about the two-hour flight (and I am sure the continuing leg to Copenhagen) is very stylish, in true Scandinavian style. In fact, SAS have caught up with the global love for all things Nordic (you can thank IKEA for that) that their new slogan is simply "It's Scandinavian".
Landed in Bangkok at 23:30 local time (Thailand is one hour behind Malaysia and Singapore) and it's a taxi straight to the hotel. I have decided to splash out a bit in Bangkok and am staying at the Marriott Resort & Spa, which is a truly beautiful hotel on the west bank of the Chao Phraya river where one can apparently escape it all - even Bangkok itself (more later). |
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Wednesday, 30 October 2002 (Day 12)Bangkok |
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Bangkok is one of those cities (like New York, Paris, Sydney...) the mere mention of whose name stirs up emotions and brings to mind pictures, positive or negative. In fact, the overall feeling one has (or certainly I had) about Bangkok before visiting for the first time is a mixture of both good and bad emotions, a careful blend made up of horror stories about the traffic jams, urban chaos and pollution, images of young call-girls supporting the infamous sex industry, but also of abounding bargains to be found in the night and weekend markets as well as of the graceful and charming Thai people. Having recently read a couple of articles about the subtle renaissance Bangkok is apparently currently undergoing (following the economic collapse of 1997) and bearing in mind that I love the buzz of big cities, I was very excited about finally visiting Bangkok and couldn't wait to explore it.
Bearing all this in mind, and knowing I
could easily get distracted by shopping and delicious food,
I decide to be
The Grand Palace and Temple are dazzling - and I mean
that in the truest sense of the word. The first thing you want to do when
you enter the courtyard in the blazing sunshine is sit down, make sure you have
your sunglasses on (the reflection of the sun on all that gold and shiny
mirrored decorations makes the sight almost blinding) and
take it all in. The next thing (after you've taken tens of pictures already) is wait for your free guided tour to start. The guides are very knowledgeable about the place and its history and can be of great help in truly appreciating what you see in front of you around the large grounds.
The tour takes us past building upon building of
immense beauty, detail and significance with the guides explaining
Most important amongst the buildings is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, which houses the holiest Buddha statue in Thailand (although at 66cm tall you wouldn't guess it, especially considering the gigantic Buddha statues found elsewhere in Thailand). The Emerald Buddha wears one of three golden outfits, one for each season (hot, rainy, cool) with the King changing the outfit at the beginning of each season in a grand ceremony.
Beyond the collection of older buildings but still in
palace grounds are several other buildings, most of them built
My next stop after the Grand Palace - although at this point I doubt whether anything will make an impression on me - is Wat Pho temple which is a short walk away. Again a sum of many buildings, Wat Pho is said to have the largest collection of Buddha statues in Thailand, as well as house the country's longest reclining Buddha statue. Once again I am impressed both by the huge statue but also by the intricately decorated temples all around me.
Completely exhausted from walking around in the heat, I decide on no more sightseeing and opt for a Thai massage instead. I slip on the silk pyjamas and let myself completely in the hands of the small Thai lady who for one-and-a-half hours and 330 Baht "beats" and bends me this way and that in ways I have never thought possible. It hurts at times, of course, but not more than my whole body hurt as I walked in and by the end I am exhausted but without a strained muscle in my body!
After a quick pit stop by the hotel, I take the Skytrain to Silom Road and mingle with the crowds, stopping at a restaurant for wonderfully delicious (and hot!) Thai food. After dinner I walk around Patpong night market and make my first purchase (did I bargain right? did I get a large enough discount? was I ripped off? does it matter since it was so cheap anyway?). |
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Thursday, 31 October 2002 (Day 13)Bangkok |
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Feeling good about having done my cultural bit yesterday, I decide to spend today exploring the shops along Sukhumvit Road and The Emporium shopping centre in particular. Looking at a map of Bangkok and contemplating what it would take to get from A to B by taxi in the congested city roads, makes one realise just how much of a blessing the Skytrain is. It takes less than half an hour to get to The Emporium and the trip is painless in the air-conditioned luxury of the Skytrain. The Emporium is a proof of Bangkok's newfound coolness, with stylish shops, cafes and restaurants and even more stylish people, although nothing about the place has the pretentiousness you might find in other parts of the world. I basically spend my whole day there, shopping (I particularly liked Jaspal, a local store with modern clothes you could find in New York or London but with a Thai twist), eating (great food at the Greyhound Cafe) and even having my hair cut!
In the evening I give another one of new, improved Bangkok's places a try. I dine superbly at "Eat Me" which classifies itself as an Art Restaurant, meaning it is attached to and displays works from a gallery by local artists. The evening is warm, the place is beautiful, there's a band playing live jazz, the food is great (OK, especially the lemongrass and green tea ice cream)... ah, la dolce vita! |
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Friday, 1 November 2002 (Day 14)Bangkok |
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After yesterday's indulgence, it's time for some more culture and so I hop on the Chao Phraya Express once again bound for Dusit, where some more Rama V royal buildings are located. Getting to Dusit is tricky and requires a boat ride on the Chao Phraya express, followed by a short hop on a Bangkok bus.
The Dusit complex is a real oasis of peace,
tranquillity and spaciousness from the busy surrounding streets. The
Apart from wondering in the gardens, the two most
important buildings here are the Abhisek Throne Hall and the Vimanmek Team
Mansion. More than any other building in Bangkok, the Abhisek Throne Hall
exemplifies King Chulalongkorn's (Rama V) inspiration from his journey.
The building's architecture is a blend of Thai, Victorian and Moorish styles and
rather than being set in crampted surroundings, opens out to a stretch of lawn
and flowerbeds, just like any important building in
The other important building in Dusit, is the beautiful Vimanmek Teak Mansion, which King Chulalongkorn had seen in the Gulf of Thailand where it stood since 1868, and had dismantled, transported and reassembled at Dusit, to house his extended family. Once again, this is now a museum of sorts, giving visitors and insight into how Thai royals lived at the turn of the last century.
As part of the entrance fee into Dusit, visitors are
invited to attend a show of traditional Thai dancing, where
For dinner, I decide on yet another of the city's new and hip restaurants, Mango Tree, in the Silom district. The place is beautiful, nice ambience, tables outside, beautiful young people sipping cocktails and having a good time, and live music. I order a fiery spicy prawn salad dish to start with, which leaves my mouth in flames. I decide to follow with the cottonfish which was recommended to me, but unfortunately, it takes an eternity to arrive and when it does, is not even that good. Moreover, I am late for my appointment with Christine and have no way of contacting her in this city!
Thankfully, when I arrive back at the hotel, Christine is not there yet, as she had also been held up somewhere. We are both too tired to go out and so we decide to have a drink at the hotel bar, have a laugh about the incredibleness of meeting in Bangkok of all places and plan tomorrow's attack on Chatuchak! |
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Saturday, 2 November 2002 (Day 15)Bangkok - Singapore |
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It's my final day in Bangkok and there is only one thing to do: the Chatuchak weekend market. I meet Christine for breakfast at her hotel and then we're off to the market, again made so much more accessible by the Skytrain.
Chatuchak is big, very big. Over
7,000 stalls selling everything from Buddha statues to plants, from clothes to
handicrafts, from pets to fresh food fight for our business with their wares out
for the world to see. Since I have
Worried that I might miss my flight back to Singapore, I leave Christine sorting out the details in Mandarin (!) for shipping some gorgeous wooden wall carvings to the US and rush to get a taxi. Back to the hotel it is impossible to fit everything in my suitcase and so carrying what seems like half of Bangkok on my shoulders I head for the airport.
All's well that ends well as they say and I have an excellent flight (got upgraded to Business Class, hehehe) and arrive in civilised Singapore and the gorgeous Conrad (no, I cannot afford it... I used HHonors points!) by late evening. |
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Sunday, 3 November 2002 (Day 16)Singapore |
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Separated by only a small causeway from its northern neighbour, Singapore is a world away from Malaysia. In fact, Singapore reminds me of Switzerland in many ways. A small country with an affluent and fiercely proud population, it is very clean and orderly and everything runs smoothly. It is also - like Switzerland - multilingual, with English being the predominant language together with Mandarin, but with Malay and Tamil also national languages and as such represented on signs, currency notes etc. Again like Switzerland, Singapore is a regional financial centre although it is much more than that; Singapore is a large commercial hub for the entire region, as well as the world's busiest port. There are of course other differences, the weather clearly being one of them as Singapore is hot even during the cooler months, as well as the history of the two countries and their people. Still, travelling to Singapore feels like being both a world away from Asia but also at the heart of it.
Many people claim that in its quest for modernisation and success in the last thirty-odd years, Singapore has lost its soul by literally tearing down its past to make space for the future. It is easy to see where this view comes from. Most of the old Chinese houses have been replaced by skyscrapers, rickshaws by taxis, hawker stalls by food courts and street markets by modern shopping centres, the number and size of which seems disproportionately large for such a small country. Apparently, the Singaporean government realised this sometime in the late 1980s/early 1990s (better late than never as the saying goes) and initiated a conservation programme to restore, maintain and promote those buildings and landmarks which had somehow survived till then. And so, my quest for today was to find the charm behind Singapore's glass facade, the soul behind the cold iron and glass armoury. Even so, I could not resist starting the day with a hearty meal in one of the food courts which admittedly are some of the best ones I have seen anywhere in the world in both variety and quality.
Walking just around the corner from my
hotel (with a view of the "giant durians", Singapore's newest entertainment
Back on the street, I turn the corner into Stamford
Road, where at the foot of Fort Canning Park hill, I find another collection of
finely restored buildings, housing the
Singapore History Museum and
Asian Civilisations Museum.
Despite the heat, I decide to venture into the park and climb up the hill, in
the hope for some fresher air and views over the city. The hill's history
is the one of Singapore itself. It was a sacred hill to the Malays, with
the ruins of a palace dating from the early 14th century, which was abandoned
later on during the Thai and Javanese invasions. Much later, when Raffles
landed in Singapore in 1819, he would refuse to accompany the British up the
hill for fear of Malay spirits! Today, the park
Walking down from the hill, I walk towards and then
along the Singapore River, from where one can really see the contrast between
the old and new Singapore. On the opposite bank of the river, one can
clearly see Boat Quay, a row of beautifully restored old Chinese houses, over
what used to be a
Walking further along I come to Raffles' landing place, where a statue of him proudly overlooks the prized possession he had once claimed for the British Crown. Here, I find a nice place to stop for a drink and some rest for my tired feet, overlooking the serenity of the river and at the same time feeling the hustle and bustle of Singapore, Inc. working hard in the skyscrapers across.
Turning the corner into Old Parliament Lane, I stand admiring a score of grand colonial buildings, now used by the government of Singapore. There's the Parliament House and Old Parliament House, Empress Place and just behind them, the Supreme Court and City Hall. Walking further along the Padang, where a rugby match between Singapore and South Africa is in action, affords me further fine views of the Singapore skyline.
Back at CHIJMES for dinner, I find the place packed with people enjoying the warm evening and the bands playing live jazz in the courtyard, which - in true Singapore style - is instantly relayed in all the restaurants and bars in the complex, as well as on giant screens throughout. The atmosphere is magical; it's a warm, starry, Singapore night, and as I dig into a beautiful dinner and a glass of red wine, I suddenly feel very content and realise I have enjoyed Singapore much more than I anticipated. |
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Monday, 4 November 2002 (Day 17)Singapore - Kuala Lumpur |
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An early morning MRT ride to Changi airport where I buy my shuttle ticket to Kuala Lumpur and am soon onboard a Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 (!) for the 35-minute flight to Kuala Lumpur. I arrive back at KLIA by 9:15 and take the new KLIA Ekspres train to KL Sentral station, another gleaming landmark of the new Malaysia and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's "Vision 2020". In any case, the train is a far cry from the 1+ hour taxi ride it used to take to travel between the airport and KL city centre. At the station I meet Foong Wai who has herself arrived only late last night from New Zealand.
After a quick stop at Pudu Raya bus
station where I buy my ticket to Lumut for tomorrow, and a stop by the house
After lunch Foong Wai had to drop by the office and so
I was left to explore Bukit Bintang, KL's happening "Star Hill" street lined
with shopping centres as well as cafes and restaurants (incl. of course the
ubiquitous Starbucks). From there we went to Suria KLCC, the beautiful new
shopping centre at the Petronas Twin-Towers complex where we spent a few more
hours walking through beautiful Asian arts shops and more.
A nice highlight of the day was to see May Kaye again, with whom I also shared a flat at Butler's Wharf in London. We are all shocked to discover it has been seven years since that year was over and this was the first time I saw May Kaye since. We all had a really nice dinner and enjoyed catching up with each other's news. |
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Tuesday, 5 November 2002 (Day 18)Kuala Lumpur - Pangkor |
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I have decided to spend my last few days in Malaysia simply relaxing on a tropical island beach, for which I have chosen Pangkor Island, more or less half way between Kuala Lumpur and Penang, where I need to be on Thursday to catch my flight back home. So, bright and early this morning, I get on the bus to Lumut, the ferry stop on the mainland for Pangkor. The journey takes about three hours or so, and once again I am pleasantly surprised by Malaysian buses.
Once in Lumut, I make my way to the jetty
where I am met by the hotel crew who - thankfully - relieve me from
In the evening, I head for the resort's restaurant by the beach, where I enjoy a sumptuous - if a little on the pricy side - buffet dinner. |
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Wednesday, 6 November 2002 (Day 19)Pangkor |
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I spend this entire day doing absolutely nothing but lie on the beach enjoying the sunshine of my last carefree day in Malaysia.
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Thursday, 7 November 2002 (Day 20)Pangkor (-Penang) - Kuala Lumpur (- New York) |
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This is my last day in Malaysia, and I
realise once again how quickly time flies when you're having fun. The next
From the pier in Penang, I take a taxi and it's straight to the airport (via an unsuccessful stop at Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion in an attempt to recover a lost jumper). At the airport, seeing as I am a bit early, I manage to get on an earlier flight to Kuala Lumpur, which gives me a bit more time for my onward connection to New York, not to mention some extra time in Malaysia Airlines' absolutely fantastic Golden Lounge at KLIA, one of the best in the world - in my humble opinion.
Finally, the late-night flight is called and I measure up my courage (and a bit of enthusiasm) to board this Boeing 777 once again, for the nearly 24-hour flight to Newark (incl. a stop in Dubai). |
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Friday, 8 November 2002 (Day 21)(Kuala Lumpur -) New York - Washington |
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After a very, very long flight, we finally land at Newark, where I soon find out the new name of the airport (Newark "Liberty" International Airport), does not have much to do with reality - not if you are a single, young, male from Cyprus recently arrived from Malaysia anyway. After practically having to justify the existence of my country to the INS officer I had the pleasure of dealing with, I am put through some questioning about my trip into/through the USA and in fact my entire reason of being, that would make Middle-Ages Spanish priests look like Starbucks baristas! Completely shocked and disgusted I contemplate taking the next flight back to Canada and cancelling my trip to Washington, but a phone call to Beth convinces me to stay.
After I somewhat recover from the shock, I realise it is only about 11:00 and apart from having to get myself across from Newark in New Jersey up to La Guardia on Long Island, I have nothing else to do until my flight leaves after 19:00. Meanwhile, I am completely exhausted and all I want to do is lie down and sleep.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, after what seemed like an eternity of me hanging around New York airports, I finally get on a US Airways Shuttle flight and arrive into Washington National shortly after 20:30. Beth meets me at the airport and we head straight to her apartment, where I decline an offer from her and Loren to go out and duly tuck myself into bed after a very satisfying shower. |
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Saturday, 9 - Tuesday 11 November 2002 (Days 22-25)Washington (- Montréal) |
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The day after. Due to my state of exhaustion, I actually wake up at a decent time, despite the 13-hour time difference between Malaysia and the East Coast of the United States. Beth and Loren soon come by to pick me up and we head out to explore/re-discover (for me) Washington, DC.
Finally, on Tuesday, 11 November 2002, after being away for 25 days, I head back to National for my last Air Canada flight on this trip, back to Montreal. The trip has been amazing, so many different experiences and a very, very sweet aftertaste of Asia lingering in my mind as we touch down at Dorval and I set myself for the long, cold Montreal winter ahead.
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the
Having heard so much about
to the beautiful and serene inner courtyards,
everything has been painstakingly restored to its original decor of Chinese
intricacy with European influences. The entire house is built according to
the Feng Shui principle, as 116 Feng Shui experts agreed last year!
Amongst the mansion's more recent glories is the filming of Indochine with
Catherine Deneuve in 1992.
Back on Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling I come across my fourth
religious edifice of the day, the Kapitan Keling Mosque itself, the largest
historic mosque in Penang founded before 1800.
evidence!),
before strolling along the Padang with Fort Cornwallis on one side and Penang's
beautiful town and city halls, both in colonial architectural style.
prayers. Soon, there is practically no-one left in the
streets and I am almost alone walking towards Kampung Kraftangan (Handicraft
Village), which is unfortunately closed.
Alas, upon arrival in Kuala Besut I am informed there
are no more boats today and the next one would be tomorrow at 9:00 so left with
no choice but to spend the night there I check myself into Nan's Guest House.
Kuala Besut is nothing but a typical, small Malaysian fishing village turned in
recent years into a sort of hub to Pulau Perhentian. I take a pleasant
walk on the beach and around the village but there is not much to it so I decide
to have an early night.
for the large island, Nita, Emma and myself head for the small one.
where I take a long nap :-)
Paul's church, itself built by the British on the ruins of the last Malaccan
sultan's palace. From St. Paul's hill I get a great view of Malacca, from
Chinatown to the Porta de Santiago and down to the coast. Walking around
the hill and climbing down on the eastern side I stumble upon Porta de Santiago,
what essentially remains of the grand fort A Famosa, initially built by the
Portuguese in 1511, restored by the Dutch in 1641 and then torn down again by
the British in 1806. Next door to the ruins stands the
Proclamation of Independence Memorial, initially built in 1912 housing the
Malacca Club (the social hub of colonial Malacca) but refurbished after
Malaysian Independence as a museum to Malaysian history leading to
independence.
On the way back to the hotel I stop for a refreshing
Nyonya chendol (shaved ice, coconut milk, red beans etc) and some locally made
pineapple tarts.
Indeed, Orchard Road is
lined with huge shopping centres but I resist and try to make my way to the
Botanic Gardens, some 15 minutes walk away. I am supposed to grab lunch
just outside the gardens but when I finally arrive there, I realise the hawker
centre has been closed down and instead a "area redevelopment plan" is underway.
This is typical of the Singapore government's plan to "sanitise" the
city-state...
In any case, I am by now exhausted by the heat and weight of my rucksack that I
decide I need some lunch more than I need to see the gardens so I head back
towards Orchard Road. Singapore is supposed to be famous for its countless
dining opportunities as well as quality and variety of food. Even though I
am not up for a full meal, I visit a food court (this is the government's answer
to street hawkers) where I grab some very good Hainanese chicken and freshly
squeezed guava juice.
past. Emerald Hill Road is lined with
beautiful Chinese houses, now fully restored and renovated, with some of them
turned into bars and restaurants (especially at the Orchard Road end) but most of
them still functioning as residences. Just before heading back to the
airport, I stop by a branch of Kinokuniya, claiming to be the largest bookstore
in South East Asia and pick up a copy of The Pickup (no pun intended here!),
Nadine Gordimer's latest novel.
the
architecture (some are built in pure Thai style, others have Burmese influences
and others still Cambodian), the purpose of each building and the story behind
it, complete with the legends surrounding Thai royal history, the most important
of which are depicted on large, intricate murals running along the length of the
buildings' walls.
later by King Rama V in the beginning of the 20th century. Rama V was the first Thai
king to have visited Europe and so the buildings erected under his reign have
several European architectural influences.
buildings
here - as indeed the entire complex, complete with beautifully landscaped
gardens - were built in the very early 20th century, after King Rama V returned
from his trip to Europe and Arabia (the first such trip by a Thai monarch) and
are clearly influence by European and Arab architecture.
Europe. The building now houses an impressive collection of Thai regional
handicraft, supported by Queen Sirikit in an effort to keep traditional
handicraft skills alive in all of Thailand.
traditionally-dressed
dancers perform dances from the different regions of the country.
limited time, Christine and I try to
prioritise and aim for the stalls of what we are most looking to buy.
Needless to say we find ourselves tempted one too many times by things we didn't
really want to buy but are too good not to buy at these prices and so in the
midst of this labyrinth, we find ourselves penniless and head straight for the
bank! Yes, there is an ATM in the middle of the market and the queue is
long enough to make any Brit proud. Twenty minutes later and armed with an
extra couple of thousand Baht, we hit the market again and it is then that we
come across the purchase of the year and the real market frenzy hits us, as I
constrain myself to "only" four sets of wooden table mats/chopsticks/sauce bowls
whereas Christine takes six.
complex, the
other such occasions. I walk around CHIJMES and stumble upon the
preparations for the 7th Annual CHIJMES Jazz Festival, a one-night event, which
- as my luck has it - is scheduled for this evening.
contains a
few walking paths among the ruins, as well as the Battle Box, a recently opened
museum containing the bunker from where General Percival directed the
unsuccessful campaign against the Japanese invaders in 1942. I walk around
a little bit, become even more exhausted by the heat and the climb and am not
exactly rewarded with great views from the top of the hill.
swamp. Right next door, that famous Singapore skyline rises from the river
pointing upwards into the sky, in the only direction modern Singaporeans now
look.
Crossing
the Padang, I head towards the newly built 
instead.
Singaporeans will learn how to enjoy the arts, either they like it or not, and
they will have a brand new, huge art temple to assist them in their quest.
Hence, Esplanade was born. The complex is indeed impressive, very modern
and beautiful in its architecture, although Singaporeans are quick to point out
the incredible likeness of the building to the national fruit, the smelly
durian. Inside the Esplanade, the opening week festivities still hold
strong, with an exhibition featuring all the world's flags made out of human
hair (which is actually far better and more interesting looking than it sounds),
and all sorts of other activities and sold-out shows (I know, since I tried
getting a ticket to just about anything). Seems like yet another
government plan is working well!
Walking
around the Esplanade and towards the river again, I join the crowds of
Singaporeans and tourists alike, enjoying the sunny day, marvelling at the
country's new toy and admiring the view across the bay, before heading back to
the hotel for some relaxation.
to
drop off my bags, we go to a nearby roadside stall for some fresh roti which was
delicious. Back to the house briefly and we're off with Foong Wai's
parents as well as Yoon Hoe (older brother), his wife and two cute young boys
for a "real" brunch of dim-sum. This was one of the best dim-sums I've
ever had; the food was sooo delicious and kept coming (and miraculously, it all
seemed to end up in my plate!).
my luggage,
which I am to see next in my room. The ferry ride is very pleasant and the
view all around is beautiful, if marred by a Malaysian naval base. Upon
arrival on the island itself, we are taken to the hotel/resort by small buses
and shown to our rooms, which are beautifully set along the beach in blocks of a
few rooms each, and not in a high-rise building. After a quick unpacking,
I head straight for the beach.
The beach on Pangkor, if set in a beautiful cove, is
nowhere near as gorgeous and the water as clean as the one on Perhentian.
Moreover, it is much more developed, although this is a private hotel beach and
so developers have been careful enough not to ruin the natural environment and
to keep things as calm and relaxing as possible. I simply let my guards
down and enjoy a few hours of sunshine, followed by a beautiful sunset.
couple of days will basically be consumed with travelling and so straight after
breakfast I am on the ferry back to Lumut and then on the bus to Penang to
complete a full circle of travels around Peninsular Malaysia. Despite the
recently-opened Penang bridge, this bus actually arrived across the bay in
Butterworth and so I have to make my way to the ferry pier. Having to haul
my suitcase around with me aside, the ferry ride to Penang is actually quite a
beautiful experience and a great way to arrive on the island. The ferries
are extremely frequent, the ride is fast and cheap and there's something to be
said about approaching a destination from the water.
I
spend the next few days in great company, walking around a beautiful city
(despite my reservations, I find myself really enjoying Washington), visiting
museums etc and most of all, eating great food and enjoying some really good
wine. Thanks to Beth and Loren who are also foodies, I had gorgeous French
food at Monmartre, in Eastern Market (complete with at least one stuck-up French
waitress, although the rest of the - also mostly French - staff were
delightful!), as well as absolutely fantastic sushi at Sushiko in Georgetown.