Cleffairy's Blog, page 114

A Retreat at Eco Murai Rimba, Batang Kali

In the fever and agitation of modern life, the need of escapism and physical repose impresses itself on tired souls who desire to have a short retreat and get back to nature. The purpose of a short retreat, is to temporarily leave behind the usual distractions we all face for a time long enough to allow relaxation and spiritual rejuvenation to happen. Unfortunately for us all, especially for those who lives in the city, does not exactly have the luxury to get away from daily routine or work commitment long enough to travel to exotic places for some undisturbed R&R. One way to solve this issue is to travel domestically or in your own residential state and go to nearby places for an undisturbed retreat.

To be honest, I didn’t exactly know much places that I can go for a short retreat with my family, that’s in the vicinity of my home state, but I recently discovered that Selangor have plenty of hidden paradise. One of it is Eco Murai Rimba. Here’s sharing with you my family’s 2D1N experience in Eco Murai Rimba with friends from Tourism Malaysia Selangor.

Eco Murai Rimba is a secluded Bed & Breakfast place located somewhere by the riverside in Batang Kali, Selangor. It takes about just 45 minutes drive from Kuala Lumpur.

My son AlienGoTravel and I were particularly impressed when we were greeted with this beautiful view upon arrival. The feeling can be likened to walking into the lush forest and stumbling upon a beautiful white cottage in the midst of it. As a romance novelist, I would fairly describe it as stepping straight into an intimate world of undiscovered romance.

Stepping beyond the white picket fence, we were treated to this beautiful view of colourful cottage. If my memory serves me right, have a total of 9 rooms here. Each of the room is named Murai 1-9 respectively. Each of these Murai rooms could comfortably accommodate 2 person.

Here is where my family and I stayed for a night last month. Our room was Murai 6, the one with sky blue door. The sight of it is very homey and cozy. There is even a pair of small rattan chair in front of the room for lazing purpose. Couples, lovers and even honeymooners would ubdoubtly appreciate this. I know my husband and I did.

Our room was pretty much basic and clean. True to it’s eco retreat theme, the room does not come with any entertainment unit, which I greatly appreciate. It would definitely spoil the mood for a complete R&R if there was an idiot box in there.

Our room comes with a cozy Queen sized bed. The additional mattress was prepared upon request to accommodate my son AlienGoTravel. There was no bathroom ensuite. The bathroom and restroom is located outside and is public sharing.

Apart from the Murai rooms, there’s this small cottage that could accommodate 4-8 person in it. Very beautiful and romantic sight, don’t you think? A small cottage with white picket fence and pretty hanging flower plants in a pot at the front door.

Back view of the cottage shows that there is even a small balcony facing the riverside attached to it.

View from the small balcony

Here is the interior to the cottage. Perfect for a night stay with your family.

Refreshments were prepared for us upon arrival just right outside of our rooms.

Traditional cakes and Eco Murai’s special welcome drink was served.

This is Eco Murai Rimba’s specialty drink that’s usually served to guests. It’s known as Murai Rimba drink, a refreshing concoction of drinks in ocean blue.

Settling down for teatime

Enjoying our snacks and refreshments.

Our host also prepared some BBQ for for dinner, and since it’s still long time to go before dinner, it’s free and easy chillax time. Some of us decided to go for a swim in the river while some decided to just relax at the common area.

There is a common lazing area with comfortable bean bags for you to lay on. The best part of it, it is facing the riverside and you could be easily lulled with the sound of the river.

It wasn’t long before we flocked the common area.

Being city people, I guess we couldn’t resist clinging to our smartphones.

But I’m glad to report, we found other modes of entertainment besides going online, and not before long, the place was filled with singing and the sound of music.

Lazing around

Night fall at Eco Murai Rimba

If I thought it was very cozy and welcoming during the day, then the nights in Eco Murai Rimba is romantically beautiful.

Our table, with candlelight and all.

Yes. This is a picture of a romantic place.

BBQ dinner being prepared

And it’s time to dig in. One thing about Eco Murai Rimba is that it doesn’t have a planned activities for you, so you will have to come out with your own program or games to keep yourselves entertained throughout your stay here. We didn’t have much to do, but luckily for us, our friends from Tourism Malaysia Selangor are a creative bunch. And during our 2D1N stay there, they came out with plenty of games and things to do.There were lucky draws, best costumes and singing session that night.

And guess what? They asked me to sing. Yes. Of all the things, they asked me to sing! Gosh. Really not my forte, and I believe I actually croaked than sing but my performance earned me a standing ovation that night. Well, sort of.:P It was not because I sang well and astounded everyone present but because I was really unprepared for a public performance and panicked. The only song I could remember at that moment was Malaysia’s national anthem, ‘Negaraku’. And so, I sang that and everyone had to stand up and sing along with me out of respect for our beloved country.

We chilled out together that night and had a long session of singing and playing the guitar before retiring for the night. I usually have troubles sleeping at night but apparently, just for the night, Eco Murai Rimba cured me of my insomnia and I slept like a baby. Perhaps, it was the nature factor that lulled me to slumber and morning arrived way too soon.

I woke up at about 8am and was absolutely famished. So I went down with the rest to the dining area where our breakfast awaits while my husband and son slept in awhile longer.

Here’s the kitchen area where meals are prepared for the guests.

Our breakfast was the all time Malaysian favourite; Nasi Lemak and condiments and tumeric fried chicken as the side dish. There were also sliced baguette and butter for those who prefers light meal for breakfast. Sorry. No picture of my breakfast. I was too hungry to even remember to snap a picture of it. Surprisingly, that’s a first too. There is really something about this place that makes you want to just sit back and connect with nature instead of clinging to technology.

Mr. Libra of Tourism Malaysia Selangor, chilling out with us at breakfast.

After awhile, one of the owner of Eco Murai Rimba, Mr. Charles Arphutam joined us for breakfast and told us all about Eco Murai Rimba. It would be too long of a story for me to share here, but at the end of the conversation, he offered me and my family a free stay on our next visit so that he could bring us to explore the place more. Well, a promise is a promise and I told him that I’ll take a raincheque and I fully intend to take him up on that one. One night stay in Eco Murai Rimba is definitely not enough. At least to me it is not enough.

My view, from the dining area.

This is, my kind of paradise.

I was obviously enjoying my breakfast and breathtaking view before me, but my cheeky friends decided to start swimming in the river without me.

Will you just look at that cheeky face. Being a foodie and quite a glutton, I was naturally planning on a second helping of Nasi Lemak but they keep tempting me to join them.

I had no choice but to quickly finish off my meal and drag my husband and son with me to the river and join in the fun. The food will have to wait.

Warning sign spotted. Swim at your own risk.

And so, my husband, my son and I went down to the river and here’s our trademark feet picture. No shoes on since we were at the riverbed.

The river stream was practically a natural jacuzzi and I decided up give my legs a soothing hydro massage for a lil bit.

And I could see that I wasn’t the only one who utilizes the natural jacuzzi to the fullest. These guys apparently were enjoying it themselves and had their back massaged by the soothing water.

After awhile, I decided to join the ladies and we had some spa session done. Girls will always be girls and beauty regime is never forgotten, even you’re in the middle of nowhere or in the jungle.

We scrubbed our bodies with the sand from the riverbed and guess what? Our skin became much smoother than before when we washed it off. I kid you not. Thinking back, I ought to have bring back a jar or two of the sand.

Like mother, like son. AlienGoTravel scrubbed his body with the sand too.

The pebbles here are all so lovely and I was tempted to bring some home, but my husband told me not to. According to him, we’re not supposed to bring anything back from the river, in case there is a spirit in it. Quite ridiculous to me, but I wasn’t going to argue. The notion of bringing ‘weird things’ back does not appeal much.

One moment in peace at the river before water fight ensues.

Splashing around in the river

But it doesn’t last long, as everyone started to feel cold and were absolutely famished.

But we did not have enough of the river, so we decided to have a picnic by the riverside with half our bodies still in the water.

Nothing gourmet.

Just some bread with canned chicken curries and canned sardines. They are instant food that I usually will not touch unless under emergency circumstances, but at that moment, it was the best thing ever.

Enjoying our picnic by the riverside.

Time was envious and it’s finally time to get back to reality and say goodbye. So we gathered at the common area for one last time.

Tourism Malaysia Selangor Director Mr. Libra Lee Hanif giving farewell speech

Announcement of the winner for the contest held the night before was made. Token of appreciation in the form of merchandizes as well of certificates were handed to all who were present.

Our host, Charles and Shaun saying goodbye to us.

And here’s one for the album.

Eco Murai Rimba is much more than just a secluded Bed & Breakfast but a hidden paradise.The place is family friendly and it is a must visit place if you are looking for a short eco retreat with your loved ones. Would be great for adventurous honeymooners too.

One room for two with breakfast costs RM150 per night. Charges for extra mattress in the room applies.

For current promotions, room bookings and reservations, please refer to the information below:

Eco Murai Rimba

B66, Jalan Lama Genting,

Sungai Pinang,

44300 Batang Kali,

Selangor.

Telephone:012-2505507 & 014-6355081

Email:ecomurairimba@gmail.com

Facebook: https://facebook.com/EcoMuraiRimba

Discover Top-Rated Malaysian Cuisines in Ten Years Restaurant

Malaysia is well-known as a food haven, with famous culinary destinations all over the country. From the Char Kuey Teow of Pulau Pinang to Tawau’s Nasi Kuning, Malaysia’s flavours span across various states and cultures, a treasure trove for foodies and critics. To enjoy the best of Malaysian cuisine under one roof, the Ten Years Restaurant welcomes diners of all ages to savour the nation’s most famous fares.

Steeped in history, Malaysian cuisine is a mix of cultures including Malay, Peranakan, Chinese and Indian specialties. With a passion to protect the street flavours that have emerged from this mix, seven friends came together to establish an avenue to house the best of these diverse and decades long favourite tastes – allowing all Malaysians, young and old, to share their culinary adventures,

hence the name, Ten Years.

Ten Years was established with the aim to preserve Malaysian cuisine for the later generations, and protect these recipes that may otherwise disappear after the owner retires or passes on, especially if their children does not want to take over their business. No doubt there are many versions of these delicacies, the ‘1st generation’ taste is lost. Ten Years aims to preserve and promote this original and ‘1st generation’ taste and are themed around evoking memories – a link to the past eras such at the 70’s, the 80’s and the 90’s through our restaurant décor which combines the old and new at once, in a comfortable setting.

The restaurants are designed to appeal to everyone, regardless of age, background and ethnicity. Operating on a unique business concept, Ten Years caters to the needs of franchisees recipe owners.

Among the specialty unique Malaysian dishes served at Ten Years includes ‘Nancy Nyonya Laksa’ from Melaka, ‘T&T Prawn Mee’ and ‘Tiger Char Koey Teow’ from Pulau Pinang and ‘Nasi Dagang Kak Pah’ from Terengganu. Ten Years also have their own specialties, called FUSION, that are inspired by traditional dishes from all over Malaysia – For example, ‘Lamb Masak Merah with 3 Colour Rice’ is based off Johor style merah, while ‘Grilled Chicken Percik Sauce’ is a twist from Kelantan’s popular dish. Servings start at a reasonable rate of RM12.90.

Pulau Pinang: T&T Prawn Mee

Regarded as one of the best prawn mee in Pulau Pinang, which is always sold out by the early morning, the stall on Jalan Cheong Fatt Sze has 50 long years of history behind it, being the heir and second generation to the T&T prawn mee on Lorong Selamat. It specialises in traditional tastes, with a broth boiled for hours, which complements the other ingredients. 

Pulau Pinang: Tiger Char Koay Teow

Char Koay Teow is a mainstay of Pulau Pinang, but this popular char koay teow stall, which has been in business for over 60 years, is highly rated by visitors and Penangites alike for its unique soy sauce mixture, which gives it a memorable taste.

Kuala Terengganu: Nasi Dagang Kak Pah

With twenty years of experience behind this popular stall, Nasi Dagang Kak Pah is one of the most famous food operators in Kuala Terengganu. Often selling out within three hours, the stall which is only open in the mornings provides excellent side dishes that complement the fluffy rice steamed in coconut milk.

Selangor: Petaling Jaya Jalan 223 Nasi Lemak Panas Yati

The much acclaimed nasi lemak at Selera Jaya 223 is adored by Nasi Lemak fans in Malaysia, especially those that are willing to travel. With a unique sambal paste blending spiciness and sweetness perfectly, the demand for Nasi Lemak Panas Yati 223 Nasi Lemak often outstrips the supply, with customers easily consuming 150kg of rice a day.  To ensure top quality and tastes, the dish is always served ‘panas’ or fresh whether for dine-in or takeaway.

Sabah: Nasi Kuning Kak Tum

A traditionally Indonesian dish, Nasi Kuning Tawau is a dish that is rarely replicated in other parts of Malaysia. Pasar Besar Tawau serves the yellow-coloured rice with a piece of fish deep-fried in dried chilli sauce on a banana leaf – which both improves the aesthetics of the meal and enhances the taste.

The Ten Years concept features dining areas for different eras, in line with a ‘through the ages’ theme, with inspired settings that seamlessly meld cultures and history. With the various spaces available, Ten Years offers a venue for a variety of events, ranging from private functions to corporate gatherings. For convenience, Ten Years also offers various services such as in-house projectors, WIFI internet and television to complement top-rated Malaysian cuisine. The restaurant also offers packages for business talks, presentations, celebrations and other occasions.

Each restaurant is designed to be an attractive food hub, with the management sourcing the best recipe owners in each category. Training programmes and extensive Standard Operating Procedures work towards recreating the same standards faithfully, with little hassle to both license and recipe owners.

Ten Years plans to open 40 outlets in Malaysia by 2017. In the long term, Ten Years aspires to expand overseas, with branches across all ASEAN Countries as well as targeting to establish 200 outlets in China by 2020.

Address:

No 1, Jalan Radin Bagus 6,

Bandar Baru Sri Petaling,

57000 Kuala Lumpur

03 – 9054 9688

Isetan Kuala Lumpur Celebrates 25 Years Anniversary in Malaysia

In true Japanese fashion, ISETAN Kuala Lumpur is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a host of festivities and initiatives for customers, as well as to give back to the community.

The initiatives include Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) campaigns in partnership with HOPE worldwide Malaysia in support of underprivileged children in Malaysia.

In a recent event to mark the special occasion, guests and members of the media and bloggers were treated to Wadaiko Syo, a traditional Japanese drum performance, followed by a birthday cake-cutting ceremony with management and staff of ISETAN Kuala Lumpur.

Wadaiko Syo, a traditional Japanese drum performance

Birthday cake-cutting ceremony

Drawing inspiration from the Japanese traditional wishing doll, Daruma by Isetan features a collection of five specially designed coin canisters. Symbolising perseverance, these cultural good luck charms encourage goal-setting and the achievement of personal aspirations. Mr Nobuharu Yutani , Managing Director of ISETAN of Japan Sdn Bhd, showcasing the Daruma coin box, a specially designed coin canister for Isetan Kuala Lumpur’s CSR project.

Customers will receive a certificate of appreciation when they return a full Daruma to Customer Service for contribution to the fund collection box. They may thereafter keep the Daruma as a memento for their act of goodwill. Daruma is available for sale at  i-Club Isetan KLCC, The Gardens and 1 Utama at RM15 each.

As part of the ongoing celebrations, 12 months of in-store promotions and activities are taking place from January until December 2015. Three upcoming major sales events comprise the Pre-sale (2 October), Birthday Sale (10 October) and Customer Appreciation Night (11 December) with exclusive discounts and promotion vouchers for members. There will also be designer collaborations with Anna Sui, Gillian Hung X Cultivation, and Naraya featuring limited edition merchandise, premium gifts, ladies wear and homeware.

The ISETAN KL Birthday Run will take place on Saturday, 8 November 2015 at Taman Botani Perdana, Kuala Lumpur.  Participants may compete in any of four categories, after contribution of a nomimal participation fee. The categories include Men and Women’s 7 km open (RM50 each), Family 3 km dash (RM80 for 4 people), and Kids 1 km dash (free). Each participant will receive a race kit consisting of a goodie bag, a Le Coq Sportif dry fit shirt and a race bib.  Finishers will receive a medal and e-certificate.

Activities following the run will include mascot appearances, children inflatables, candy floss and popcorn, and a lucky draw. More information about the run can be obtained by visiting www.isetanklbirthdayrun.com or by calling +6011 2801 4481 or like IsetanKLBirthdayRun on Facebook.

MaTic Street Art Festival 2015

Malaysia’s biggest and best street arts festival is coming to you in full force to MaTic this coming November 2015. Performers from all around Malaysia will invade MaTic in Jalan Ampang and, turning them into stages to amuse, astound and amaze.

The MaTic Street Arts Festival 2015 will showcase the world of busking, street arts like grafitti and many more, from 7-8 November 2015 so save the date and be involved in the action and witness first class acts right on your doorstep.

The Malaysia Tourism Centre (MaTiC) is located within a building in Kuala Lumpur, which is both an architectural and historical landmark.

Here’s the address to MaTiC:

Malaysia Tourism Centre (MaTiC)

109, Jalan Ampang,

50450, Kuala Lumpur,

Malaysia.

Tel: 03- 9235 4848 / 9235 4800

Fax: 03- 2162 1149

Email: webmaster@matic.gov.my

Website: http://www.matic.gov.my

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PPMMaTiC



Operation Hours (Mon-Fri):

7.30 am – 5.30 pm

Tourist Information Counter:

8.00 am – 10.00 pm

Melaka Art and Performance Festival (MAPFest) 2015

The world’s largest and only site-specific art and performance festival on a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Melaka Art and Performance Festival (MAPFest), returns to Melaka for its seventh instalment from 27 to 29 November 2015.

More than 35 local and international artists will muster around the vicinity of St. Paul’s Hill and transform the heritage city into a piece of art.

Over the years, the festival has attracted tens of thousands of foreign and local festival-goers to the historical site.  This year, artists from Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, France, Poland, Singapore and Russia collaborates to present international quality performances from various practices of arts including dance, performing art, visual arts installation, film and music.

Over the years, MAPFest grew into a world-renowned brand amongst the global art community.

MAPFest 2015 keeps it fresh with specialty components such as Cerita Pendik (Short Works) Visual Arts Installation, film screening as well as forums and workshops. Other highlights include collaborative performance – ‘Eulogy for The Living’, MAPPING programme, fine and contemporary arts display at local galleries around Melaka City, and a Children’s Art Festival at SMK Canossa Convent Malacca. 

Artist performing at the ruin of St.Paul

An art scene at the ruin of St.Paul

A scene that will intrigue many

Rather ghostly, don’t you think?

 The festival remains free for all and this gives the artists a freer range of expression. This was what made the festival unique. Artists freely collaborate, learn and experiment in the fundamental creative spirit. We have contemporary dancers, musicians, visual and new media artists alongside shamans from rural Java. The profundity of themes and artistic relationships have grown, given birth to many further collaborations, networks and exchanges.

 

MAPFest 2015 is produced by Arts & Performance Festival Melaka Sdn Bhd, initiated by E-Plus Entertainment Productions, and supported by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Visit Malaysia Year 2015, Jabatan Warisan Negara, Majlis Bandaraya Melaka Bersejarah (MBMB), Bandar Warisan Malaysia, Tony Yap Company, Perbadanan Muzium Melaka (PERZIM), the Australian High Commission, the Kedutaan Besar Republik Indonesia, the Embassy of France, Alliance Français de Kuala Lumpur, Estadia by Hatten and Institut Français.

For more information and updates about MAPFest 2015, please visit:

Website :www.melakafestival.com

Barakaff Exclusive Batik

The tradition of making batik is found in various countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka and Philippines.

Batik culture is pretty much famous in Malaysia, and you can commonly see the batik clothing in boutiques or shopping malls. And if you have been following my blog, you would also realize that batik painting demo can also be spotted in most local event that I went too.

Kelantan and Terengganu is most famous for producing batik clothings in Malaysia, but if you are living in Klang Valley or is visiting Selangor, there is one place where you can shop for exclusively designed batik; Barakaff Exclusive.

Barakaff Exclusive.The boutique is located somewhere in a residential area around Jalan Gombak, Selangor and selling exclusively designed batik clothings. All clothings sold in this boutique is exclusively designed. The batik prints is hand drawn and painted individually, so if you’re to buy any clothing from Barakaff Exclusive and wear it to any events, you won’t have to worry about accidentally wearing the same clothing as someone else.

Batik dresses in pastels for women

Batik shirts for men

Pretty, aren’t they?

Modern dress with batik prints on it. Certainly look like something you would see on the runway. Needless to say, I bought a pair of dress for myself and a shirt for my husband. I just couldn’t resist those sweet pastel designs. It is not something I usually see elsewhere ; where the batik prints are usually in daring and bright colours. The designs from Barakaff Exclusive is definitely a refreshing addition to our wardrobe.

Barakaff Exclusive have plenty of modern and traditional clothing for you to choose from, and during my visit to this boutique, I was told that all the clothing here are made in house, and they have a workshop at the back of the boutique to produce the batiks that’s being sold in the outlet.

The workshop where batik are printed with blocks or exclusively hand painted.

Batik cloth in the making. The process is definitely long and tedious one. Batik is a technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to whole cloth, or cloth made using this technique. Batik is made either by drawing dots and lines of the resist with a spouted tool called a canting, or by printing the resist with a copper stamp called a cap. The applied wax resists dyes and therefore allows the artisan to colour selectively by soaking the cloth in one colour, removing the wax with boiling water, and repeating if multiple colours are desired.

Semi finished batik produce being hung up to dry.

We were also given a chance go try our hands at batik painting.

But obviously, I’m no artist and mine came out pretty weird. But well, it is a wonderful experience regardless, to be able to visit the workshop and try my hands at batik painting.

Below is the information to Barakaff Exclusive should you are interested in getting yourselves some exclusively designed batik clothings.

Address:

Barakaff Exclusive

Lot 2095, Batu 9,

Jalan Gombak,

53000 Selangor.

Email: barakaff@yahoo.com

Facebook: Barakaff Batik

Contact: Syed Ahmad: 013-6666322

Sungei Wang Plaza Thousand Lanterns Parade Mid Autumn 2015

It was a warm and sparkly night to remember at Sungei Wang Plaza this Mid-Autumn Eve with all the colourful lanterns around the entire mall. The signature event of Sungei Wang Plaza this Mid-Autumn Festival- “Sungei Wang Plaza Thousand Lanterns Parade” was a big success.

With the auspicious wish of “A Thousand Lanterns, A Thousand Blessings” to all valued shoppers this festive season, more than thousand participants, be it tourists or the local community, joined this meaningful “reunion” and it was definitely a good platform to promote Malaysian Chinese culture and also at the same time, to promote racial harmony through this celebration.

No registration fees were needed for this parade, and more than 500 Magnum lanterns were given-away before the event commenced for shoppers to join in the meaningful parade. The event was broadcasted live by MELODY FM Radio Station and the crowd was entertained by the special appearances of MELODY FM announcers Wan Wai Fun and Dragon Loong. The Lantern Parade was flagged off by YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri bin Abdul Aziz, Minister of Tourism and Culture Malaysia. The parade began from the Sungei Wang Plaza Main Entrance, circulating Sungei Wang Plaza together with the attractive performances by Lion & Dragon Dance troupe.

Lion Dance

Dragon Dance

To further evoke the spirit of togetherness during shoppers’ experience at Sungei Wang Plaza, shoppers were also entertained by a 3-day Thousand Lanterns Carnival at the concourse level of Sungei Wang Plaza from 25th September (Friday) to 27th September 2015 (Sunday). The programme included Chinese Cultural Performances, DIY Lantern Workshop, Culture Art DIY Paper Cutting by Master Chua Kim Long, ONFM VJ Meet & Greet, Mid-Autumn Story Telling Session by Little Giraffe Club, Kidz Creative Drawing Workshop, 3D Colouring Workshop, ONFM Mid-Autumn Festival Artistes Showcase and more. The artistes who performed during the Showcase were pH (pINK x Haoren), Ribbon, Zen, Athena, P-High, Amoi-Amoi and ONFM VJ’s.

This Thousand Lanterns Carnival was proudly presented by Sungei Wang Plaza with Magnum as the main sponsor and jointly organised with Mega Ultimate and HCR Event Solutions. Other sponsor was Mr D.I.Y and ON FM, as the official Online Media Partner.

Shoppers who spend a minimum of RM80 in a single receipt from the mall outlets or RM30 in a single receipt from Mid-Autumn Promotion Fair are also entitled to participate in the “Guess & Win” Contest by guessing the total numbers of lanterns in Sungei Wang Plaza, where the correct answer or the closest answer gets to win weekly prizes worth up to RM150. The entry form can be obtained from the Concierge located at LG Floor.

Last but not least, Sungei Wang Plaza is the best place for all kinds of everything this festive season. We boast a vibrant mix of goods and merchandises from retailers & fashion designers, latest mobile phone & IT gadgets, home products, beauty & accessories and also a wide spectrum of mouth-watering foods & beverages. The public can visit Sungei Wang Plaza to shop and also to have a delightful meal with family & friends, or simply to spend this festive moment with your loved ones!

Events are subject to change without prior notice.

For more information on the events and promotions at Sungei Wang Plaza, kindly visit: http://www.sungeiwang.com or Sungei Wang Plaza Facebook at www.facebook.com/sungeiwangplaza. For All Kinds of Everything!

Klang Parade Celebrates 1st Refurbishment Anniversary

Last week, during the eve of Mid Autumn Festival, Klang Parade kicked off their two-month-long celebration for their first year anniversary .

The event kicked start with performance by local Hokkien group Chen Xiao Fei (陈小菲) . I’m quite Banana, but if you’re a fan of Astro Hokkien Channel, you’ll probably recognize them as Chen Wei Zi, Xiao Feng Feng and Phoebe Yap.

This trio makes up the band and they perform 2 songs from their album. There is one in particular, #BOJIO that I find pretty upbeat and catchy. During the event, there was a game session and audiences were invited to sing on stage.

After the games session, it was time for anniversary cake cutting ceremony and Klang Parade ‘s top management joined in as well.

The event ended with a meet and greet and autograph session with Chen Xiao Fei (陈小菲).

Anyway, here’s a bit of juicy things for all of you shoppers out there. From 26th September till 30th November 2015, shoppers at Klang Parade who speny more than RM50 (max combo of 2 separate receipts) are entitled to participate in a daily special two-tier lucky draw! On the first draw, shoppers can “Spin & Win” on the spot for prizes. After which, all shoppers will entered into a lucky draw pool and get the opportunity to win a Perodua Axia and other items such as ipad Minis, mobile phones, LED TVs, massage chairs and more! So, what are you waiting for? Hop over to Klang Parade and start shopping til you drop!

For more information, visit http://www.klang.parade.com.my/

 

Bagasta Bougainvillae Homestay

Malaysia is undeniably well known for the fact that it is a country that is rich with cultural diversity. But each time ‘Malaysians’ is mentioned, more often than not, only the 3 major ethnicity, which is Malay, Chinese and Indians will be duly noted in general. This is quite sad as Malaysia is made up from far beyond that and each of other existing ethnics are equally beautiful and they too contributes to the nation building as well. The country’s demographic is made of much more than just Malay, Chinese and Indians. There are the aborigines, and then there are plenty of different ethnics whose home residence is in Sabah and Sarawak.

During my most recent trip with friends from Tourism Malaysia Selangor a couple of weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to get to know the people from the Mandailing ethnicity. They are running a homestay known as Bagasta Bougainvillea Homestay, located in Kampung Sungai Kertas, Selangor. The homestay that they are running is certainly a unique one as they are offering guests and visitors a glimpse of the Mandailing culture and by staying there, you’ll get to experience how it is like to live in a Mandailing community first hand.

So what exactly is Mandailing? If you are a Malaysian, I’m sure you are familiar with the three major ethnicities in Malaysia but I bet the term Mandailing is pretty much foreign. Well, allow me to elaborate a little bit.

Mandailing is a traditional cultural group in Southeast Asia. They are found mainly in the northern section of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. They came under the influence of Kaum Padri who ruled the Minangkabau of Tanah Datar. As a result, the Mandailing were influenced by Muslim culture and converted to Islam.There are also a group of Mandailing in Malaysia, especially in the states of Selangor and Perak.They converted to Islam and intermarried with Minangkabau and the Malays. Mandailing society is patriarchal, employing family names, or marga,. The well-known marga(s) in Mandailing clan are: Lubis, Nasution, Siregar, Hasibuan, Harahap, Dalimunthe (originally from Munthe), Matondang, Rangkuti, Parinduri, Pulungan, Rambe, Daulae(y), Pohan, Batubara Barus and Hutajulu.

Bagasta Bougainvillae Homestay, Kg Sungai Kertas.

Bagasta Bouganvillae Homestay is located strategically between the forests of Ulu Yam and the well famed Batu Caves limestone temple.

Bagasta Bouganvillae Homestay is particularly unique in it’s offering as they aim to allow guests experience their culture first hand. We were really fortunate as we get to experience what they have to offer that day. Truly a fascinating thing.

Upon arrival at the homestay, we were welcomed with Sambutan Ulos, a cultural ceremony by the Mandailing to people with higher status in a community.

Intricately woven shawl is draped on the shoulder of the guests of honour.

And then we were beckoned towards them while they sing and chant in Mandailing language. I couldn’t understand what the singing and chanting is all about, but the whole thing certainly have a good vibe and I really like it.

Upbeat drum performance were ongoing throughout this Sambutan Ulos process.

After the elaborated welcoming ceremony, we were told that part of the activities in this homestay is

hands on experience in making sambal tempe. Sambal tempe is a traditional spicy Javanese dish found in almost every Malay food stalls in Malaysia.

The ingredients needed to make Sambal Tempe; Tempe, peanuts, anchovies, chilli paste and shallot paste.

Tempe being sliced accordingly

Trying our hands at tempe frying

The tempe, peanuts and anchovies, all fried up. Not too shabby for first timers like us, I must say.

The final product. The Sambal Tempe. Great to be paired with plain rice or even flavoured rice dish like Nasi Lemak as a side dish. Yes. We get to bring this home and so can you if you decided to stay at the homestay.

Apart from trying our hands at making Sambal Tempe, we were also introduced to Nasi Upah, a popular Mandailing rice dish similar to Nasi Ambeng. (Also known as Nasi Upah-Upah or simply Upah-Upah)

Mandailing ladies in traditional Mandailing dress, with Nasi Upah hidden beneath the intricately woven shawl.

Uncovering the Nasi Upah. Like the famous Javanese Nasi Ambeng, the rice dish is also plated in a huge tray with various side dishes topped on it.

Here is a close up look of the Nasi Upah. The hard boiled eggs in Nasi Upah symbolises unity among the community. Fish brings the meaning of plunge into the hearts of the society while the prawn means pride.

Communal eating with fingers is also emphasized.

But here’s a bit of interesting tidbit about Nasi Upah. Nasi Upah is regarded as a magical rice dish that has healing and rejuvenating properties.

Apart from being served during special occasions like birthdays and weddings, it is also served to people who are recovering from sickness. The Mandailings believes that strength is diminished while one gets sick and the healing spirit is no longer in the body. Hence, they feed the sick person with Nasi Upah while chanting a mantra to summon back the spirit so that they could have a speedy recovery.

The Upah-Upah ritual where a mantra to summon the healing spirit is done.

We had a really interesting and interactive experience in

Bagasta Bougainvillae Homestay during our visit, and I definitely would recommend you and your family to experience this too. The hosts was really friendly and accommodating and my son and I had loads of fun learning about the Mandailing and their culture that day. It is not something you could experience in a luxury hotel, definitely. Package price for the homestay per person is RM120++, inclusive of room, meals and planned activities.

For more information or booking on Bagasta Bougainvillae Homestay, please refer below

Address

Bagasta Bougainvillae Homestay

No 78, Jln KSK 4,

Kg Sungai Kertas,

68100 Batu Caves.

Contact: Tn Hj Ruslan bin Ahmad 016-3920439/ 03-61885515

Email: bouganvillea505@gmail.com

Gua Damai Extreme Park, Batu Caves

I never knew that I could climb mountains; literally climb mountains until I visited Gua Damai Extreme Park. If you are my friend on Facebook or Instagram, you’d probably noticed my updates where I attempted rock climbing a couple of weeks ago along with my friends from Tourism Malaysia Selangor.

Now, while I like to try new things and loves to travel alot, extreme sports is not exactly my forte and I steer away from them as far as I could. I’ll be honest with you. I prefer art and culture stuff over extreme sports, thank you very much, but Gua Damai simply beckons me to make acquaintance with it.

So, where is this Gua Damai Extreme Park? Gua Damai Extreme Park is surprisingly located somewhere near the well famed Batu Caves and is a rock climbing heaven.

Gua Damai extreme Park boasts of over 70 over climbing routes which is a place that still less known among the locals although it is internationally known among extreme sports enthusiasts. The spacious climbing area has spotlight for night climbing, ample parking area, toilet and children playground. It is basically a place for the whole family to chill outdoor.

Gua Damai. If you look closely, there is a cave in this huge chunk of rock. Apart from being a family friendly attraction, Gua Damai Extreme Park is also the first and only place  in Malaysia where base jumpers can jump at the height of 316 feet from the peak of Gua Damai.

To accomodate base jumping, a special platform is built for the professional base jumpers. And guess what? We were quite lucky. Upon arrival of our visit, we were told there were base jumping activity going on, and I practically had my heart in my mouth watching that.

Here’s a base jumper jumping from the top of Gua Damai.

Perfect landing

Base jumpers. I don’t know what went over me. It must have been the adrenaline rush or something. I actually approached them and asked of they could do tandem base jumping ; you know, carry me along when they jump, but unfortunately for me, they lacked proper equipment to do so. According to the base jumper, if I want to do tandem base jump with them, they would have to customize the rope and the clips accordingly to my weight, which wasn’t exactly possible at the moment since I was terribly underweight and their equipments obviously is to accommodate people with normal weight. But yes. If you are wondering if tandem base jumping is possible, the answer is yes. But you would need to inform them and make appointments beforehand.

For a coward who steer away from extreme sport, I was sorely disappointed, and I sulked for a little bit before heading to the rock climbing area after the base jumping performance.

Gua Damai Extreme Park staff, checking the ropes and getting things ready for rock climbing session.

Part of the equipments needed for rock climbing and abseiling; helmet, shoes, harness, clips and gloves.

The staff, preparing the ropes for rock climbing and abseiling.

Well, girl can’t get tandem base jump, so might as well do the next best thing, which is rock climbing and abseiling. Let me tell you something. I know nothing about rock climbing. I never tried it before in my life, not even those indoor ones in themepark, but I decided to try it nevertheless after giving it a thorough thought. There’s always a first time in everything, and one can’t just stay in their comfort zone, right?

That’s me. Trying to get a grip on the rock.

A little bit at a time. I do look like I was kissing the rock, don’t I?

Getting a grip

Climbing, with the dexterity of a snail.

Seriously, it wasn’t as easy as it looks, and halfway through to the top, I felt like giving up. I kept calling out to my instructor, saying “I can’t do it!”, “There is no more climbing point, “, and “It’s too difficult,”. Thinking back, I’m really ashamed that said all the negative things to demoralize myself despite the fact that I’m a firm believer in the Law of Attraction.

But I was really blessed. My instructor had faith in me and did not give up on me when I nearly gave up on myself. He yelled encouragingly at me when I nearly cried, telling me that I can do it, and that there’s loads of climbing points for me to grip on, and he kept reminding me that I was nearly there on top of the cave, and I was glad that I listened to him.

I managed. Yes. I managed to reach the top although halfway through I didn’t think it was possible. To say that I was ecstatic was an understatement, and to hear my son happily cheer for me from the ground as if I was a superhero was an indescribable feeling. Then, it suddenly occurred to me that I could practically climb mountains with the right push and motivation. The short rock climbing session was perhaps just a shot of adrenaline to most, but to me, it was quite a slap in the face. I come to a realization that I lacked people who will push me into the right direction in my life. I always wanted to do a lot of things in life. Achieve things and challenge myself, but I lack people who inspire me to do things that I want, and lack of people in my circle who will motivate me to be a better person, and perhaps, it is time for me to make some changes in my life instead of just being comfortable going nowhere.

The rock climbing session was not merely a physical thing, but a spiritual enlightenment to me. I’m truly glad that I did try and accomplish it against all odds.

If you haven’t try rock climbing or abseiling, I highly recommend for you and your kids to try it. Yes. They do cater rockclimbing for children too. Forget those indoor themepark rock climbing spots. Get your hands on the real thing here at Gua Damai Extreme Park.

Here’s the package for your reference:

Basic Rock Climbing

Price: RM160 (1 day course)

Module:

-Knowing the equipment

-Tying the knots

-Rules of belaying

-Safety of fundamentals

-Communication

-Basic climbing (top rope)

*Package caters to groups of more than 12 persons with packed lunch, full usage of climbing equipment and experienced guides

Fun climbing

Price: RM70 

Duration: 1/2 a day trip

(morning or afternoon session)

Time: 9.30am- 1pm/ 2pm-5pm

*Accept walk in

Fun abseiling

Price: RM60

Duration: 1/2 a day trip

(morning or afternoon session)

Time: 9.30am- 1pm/ 2pm-5pm

*min 6 persons 

Fun climbing & abseiling

Price: RM100

Duration: 1 day trip

(morning or afternoon session)

Time: 9.30am- 1pm/ 2pm-5pm

Caters to groups of more than 12 persons , includes packed meals, full usage of climbing equipment and experienced guides.

Gua Damai Exploration package:

Price: RM130 

Duration: 1 day trip

-Spot traditional herbs while trekking

-Educational caving

-Glide 250m zip line

-Abseiling

-Spelunking 

*Cater to a groups of 12 persons, includes packed meals, full usage of climbing equipment, experienced guides.

Getting there can be quite tricky if you are not local, though. But below is a guide on how you can get there:

Getting there:

Via KTMB commuter: stops at Batu Caves station and take a taxi to Kg Melayu Wira Damai.

Via Rapidkl: stops at Pniggiran Batu Caves and walks briskly for 20 minutes to the destination.

Via Car: accessible via Jln Kuching or MRR2 from Kepong or from Hulu Kelang. Duke Highway heading for Gombak would take you to Sri Gombak. Once on the flyover of Sri Gombak, drive straight on Lebuh Utama Sri Gombak until you reach Taman Gombak Permai. Turn left into Jalan Gombak Permai 2 and via Jalan Gombak Permai 3 where there will be an open field that welcomes you into the view of gua Damai.

Address:

Sri Subramaniam Temple,

Jalan Zamrud,

Kampung Melayu Wira Damai,

68100 Selangor. 

Contact:

Wira Adventure Consultant

No 3-2, Jalan PGN 1A/1,

Pinggiran Batu Caves,

68100 Batu Caves, Selangor

guadamaixpark@gmail.com

Mustapha: 012-4812005