The hop-on bus ready to depart from Melaka Sentral

Old Malacca city center with its clock tower on the left, Christ Church in the middle and Stadhuys on the right

The iconic clock tower

Facade of the Christ Church

But after a 20-30 minutes ride the bus started to enter the older part of town, narrow streets and old buildings start to emerge..  I was relieved. We hopped off the bus right in the center of the historic district, greeted by the beautiful red walls of the Clock Tower, Stadhuys and Christ Church.

Masjid Kampung Keling's white tower

Getting ready for prayer by the pool

Inside the mosque, people praying

The mosque and its tower

Before wandering any further I headed to Kampung Keling Mosque, said to be the oldest mosque in Malacca, to attend Friday prayer. The mosque is located close to Jonker Street, I just followed the sound of the Al-Quran recital from the mosque’s speakers to find it’s location.  While waiting, It was interesting to watch men preparing themselves for prayer by the pool in the complex. It wasn’t a common view for me, because back home we’re used to use tap water, not a communal pool. After prayer I spent a few minutes to take a closer view of the mosque’s architectural details, then went off for lunch.

Famosa Chicken Rice Ball Resto

Rice balls + roast chicken

The local specialty of Malacca must be it’s rice balls, rows of restaurants offer this typical menu. So, I gave them a try. A plate of Chinese style roast chicken, along with rice balls, of course, was served. I wasn’t to keen about the rice balls though, it had the similar texture of ketupat or lontong from back home which I was never a fan of.

Walking the empty streets around Jonker

Baba Nyonya Museum, no pics allowed inside!

print shop

After lunch, we moved on to the Baba-Nyonya Museum (entry 8 RM) where visitors can experience how Chinese immigrants lived way back then. My suggestion is take the guided tour, because you won’t get much information if you explored building on your own!

abandoned shop house

locked doors

A real live watermill!

Fort ruins

After a short while we continued our journey to the ruins of the old Portuguese Fort. All that’s left of the structure was it’s gate and canons, but on top of the hill stood a light house, another church, and some tombs. After a short hike up the stairs we arrived at the highest point of the historical district, where you can get a 360 degrees view of Malacca. The three buildings were great objects to capture on camera, while the view down from the hill was okay.

Light house on top of the hill

Lighthouse & church

Lighthouse & Church from a different angle

Tombstones inside the old church

Beautifully engraved tombstone

Leaving the fort area, we strolled along this awesome arcade of shops just across the main plaza, all painted red! Then found ourselves back in Jonker Street looking for a place to rest our poor feet and quench our thirst. We walked pass unique shop houses, antique stores, took a right turn and found this cool cafe, Limau Limau Cafe. It had an eclectic interior design and felt very homey, with an array of great food and drinks too.

View of Malacca from top of the hill

Narrow street with a row of red shop houses near the city center.. cool!

red arcade….

Why is it that time seems to fly when you’re having fun? It was time for us to get back to KL. Next time I’ll stay a night or two to experience the vibe of it’s weekend night market on Jonker and visit it’s Portuguese community. Until next time!

Antique clock shop on Jonker Street

Beautifully detailed shop houses

Limau Limau Cafe

The cafe's eclectic interior

Mango-orange smoothies.. how refreshing

Banana pancake.. with big fresh slices of bananas, honey & vanilla ice cream... superb!

Before, I’ve never been interested to visit KL. What I had on my mind all this time was, why visit a city that’s just like my home town Jakarta, or maybe worse. Until one day I purchased an Airasia ticket to Krabi, Thailand, where I had to transfer flights in KL. So since I had to pass through there, why not just visit the city in the process? I decided to stay 3 days in KL, but all I had in mind was IKEA & Malacca, not KL itself.

Full shopping cart... Things just get out of control each time we visit Ikea

My views started to change as I arrived at LCCT, where I found things were quite convenient & simple here. For starters there were plenty of immigration counters, so no need for long queues. Everything was in order; the airport terminal was clean & nobody hustled around offering taxi rides or perfumes, shoe shines or other stuff. It was crowded, but not chaotic.

On board the comfortable Aerobus, Transfering us from LCCT to KL Sentral

KL Sentral, the city's main train station

Colorful ticket gates @ KL Sentral

The Monorail arriving @ Bukit Bintang Station

Inside the KLIA Transit taking us to Putra Jaya

Long line of buses entering Pudu Raya Terminal

So next I hopped on a shuttle bus (Aerobus, RM 8, the ticket booth is located just before the arrival terminal exit) taking me straight to KL Sentral, the hub for KL’s rail system. From there I easily transferred to a Monorail to Bukit Bintang, the area where my hostel was located. The monorail station was just across KL Sentral, but I had to walk around a bit due to construction in the complex, seems that the station will soon be connected to KL Sentral after the upgrade.

The twin towers peeking from behind the trees

Fountain that changes color, in front of The Pavilion, now it's green

A minute later it's red! Pavilion is a major shopping mall @ BUkit Bintang

KL Tower, an old icon of KL's city skyline

Besides taking a shuttle bus, The KLIA Express Train is also ready to transport passengers from KLIA (now available for passengers arriving from LCCT too!) to KL Sentral. Not far from Bukit Bintang Monorail Station A Hop On – Hop Off bus greets visitors who want to see the city, stopping at every major attractions (RM 38, ticket valid for 24 hours). For visitors leaving KL by bus, The Pudu Raya Bus Terminal caters passengers from KL to domestic & non-domestic destinations efficiently. So far, from public transportation stand point, KL is quite convenient for independent travelers. But I can’t say the same for its taxi services though; this area needs a lot of improvement!

Nasi lemak @ Old Town Resto, located in LCCT & Putra Jaya

Curry mee @ Old Town Resto, must try!

Ipoh chicken noodle @ Old Town Resto

Busy Saturday night @ Jalan Alor

Quiet morning along Jalan Alor

Old shop house on Jalan ALor

As I strolled along the busy shopping district of Bukit Bintang on my way to the hostel, I passed through many restaurants offering a wide variety of cuisines: Western, Indian, Chinese, Iranian, Malay, you name it! No need to worry about getting hungry in the middle of the night, because most of the eateries open for 24 hours. If you’re in to Chinese food, a visit to Jalan Alor at night will surely satisfy your taste buds.

SK Restoran Corner, my fave joint @ Jalan Tengkat Tong Shin

A wide selection of curries, chicken, beef, mutton, fish.. you name it!

Nasi briyani with beef curry & veggies

teh tarik = pulled milk tea

Close up of roti boom... thumbs up!!

Facade of Sao Nam Resto @ Jalan Tengkat Tong Shin

Appetizer: vegetable spring rolls

Delicious rice noodles with beef & lemongrass @ Sao Nam

As for me, a curry enthusiast, I thought I’ve died & gone to curry heaven. Nasi Kandar & Nasi Briyani is a must! Choose an endless range of curries to accompany them. For dessert, don’t forget to order Roti Boom for its sweet & buttery delight! A glass of teh tarik ice or teh o ice or teh o kosong ice is the perfect refreshment to quench your thirst.

Our hostel, The Red Palm

Red guest book @ Red Palm Hostel

Red Palm Hostel's comfy common area

The hostel's cat taking a nap

Transformed shop houses across our hostel

Old building @ the corner of Jalan Tengkat Tong Shin near our hostel

An original shop house @ Jalan Tengkat TOng Shin

Finally I arrived at Red Palm Hostel on Jalan Tengkat Tong Shin, a quieter street behind the hustle and bustle of Bukit Bintang with a row of renovated old shop houses nesting hostels (check out Number 8 Guesthouse), small hotels (the new YY38 Hotel looked interesting), & restos (SK Corner, Sao Nam Vietnamese Cuisine, Tg Nasi Kandar). The Red Palm Hostel itself is an old shop house transformed into a small but very comfy hostel, serving a maximum of 14 guests. Sofie, Mac & Siti really run the place well. No wonder this place has been awarded ‘The Best Backpacker’s Hostel’ several times. So, when in town and looking for a home away from home, keep this place in mind!

Arriving @ Putrajaya

View of the dam @ Putrajaya

Posing with Putrajaya's main bridge

The PM's office @ Putrajaya

Nice building @ Putrajaya

Cool vista @ Putrajaya

Overall my short stay in KL was a pleasant one, and no doubt I would come back for another visit in the future. Seronok lah!

On my last post I included an itinerary to my next travel destination. Now that I’ve walked the streets of KL, tasted the historical vibe of Malaka, and awed by the magnificent beauty of Krabi & Phi Phi, I’d like to share how far did my home made travel itinerary actually go in practice. Note that any modifications are typed in red!

Kuala Lumpur – Krabi 2009 8D/7N Itinerary (+$400/pax)

Day 1 (Wednesday 28/10)

• Depart from Jakarta 06.25. Arrive @ KL 09.25 (Airasia $25)
• Transfer LCCT – KL Sentral (Aerobus RM 14 – 2 way), KL Sentral – Bkt. Bintang (Monorail RM 2.10)
• Check into Red Palm Hostel (RM 35/pax/night, by Bookhostels)
• Putrajaya Tour (monorail to Bukit Bintang – KL Sentral RM2.10 – train ticket return KL Sentral – Putrajaya RM15, KLIA Transit RM 34 return .- taxi RM30.- per hour, rented a car RM 7 x 4 hours + RM 10 for gasoline) (total trip $15 $20)

Day 2 (Thursday 29/10)

• Depart  from KL 06.30. Arrive @ Malaka 8.30 ($8 roundtrip by bus)
• Malaka sightseeing: Jonker Street, Baba-Nyonya Museum, Christ Church, Stadhuis, Kp. Hulu Mosque, etc
• Depart  from Malaka KL 20.00. Arrive @ KL 22.00
• IKEA shopping trip (monorail Bkt Bintang – KL Sentral RM2.1/way – Kelana Jy LRT RM 15 return RM2.1/way – IKEA shuttle bus, taxi RM15/way, because waiting for the shuttle was just too long )
• Sightseeing around KL: Petronas Towers, KLCC, Petaling, etc

Day 3 (Friday 30/10)

• Sightseeing around KL: Petronas Towers, KLCC, Petaling, etc
• Jum’at prayer
• IKEA shopping trip (monorail Bkt Bintang – KL Sentral RM2.1 – Kelana Jy LRT RM 15 return – IKEA shuttle bus)

• Depart  from KL 06.30 9.30. Arrive @ Malaka 8.30 11.30($8 roundtrip RM 12.2/ way by bus)
• Malaka sightseeing:  Christ Church & Stadhuis
• Friday prayer @ Masjid Kampung Keling
• Malaka sightseeing: Jonker Street, Baba-Nyonya Museum (RM8/pax), Old Fort
  
• Depart  from Malaka KL 20.00 18.00. Arrive @ KL 22.00 20.00
• Dinner @ Sao Nam Fine Vietnamese Cuisine

Day 4 (Saturday 31/10)

• Lockers @ LCCT RM20/day x 5 = RM100
• Depart  from KL 13.30 14.00. Arrive @ Krabi 13.45 14.15 due to a little delay (Airasia $67)
• Krabi Airport – Aonang Grand Inn (airport shuttle bus 150BHT)
• Check into Aonang Grand Inn ($15, by Hostelbookers)
• Spend the day @ Aonang/ Railay beach (boat 80-100BHT/pax) not enough time!
• Sunset @ Railay beach (boat 80-100BHT/pax)

Day 5 (Sunday 01/11)

• Take 4 island tour (450 – 1200BHT, actually took speed boat trip for 900BHT/pax, or 700BHT/pax by long tail boat) The ‘Four Islands’ – a popular trip from Ao Nang, this day tour takes in Ko Poda, Ko Gai (Chicken Island) and Ko Tub, with its sweeping sandbar, plus the beautiful Phra Nang Bay on Railay peninsula. This beach, inaccessible by road, is considered to be one of the most beautiful strips of sand in the world.There’s also stops at excellent snorkelling sites near Ko Yawasam and Ko See, rocky outcrops with abundant coral reefs and marine life.

Day 6 (Monday 02/11)

• Depart to Phi Phi Don 09.00. Arrive @ Phi Phi Don 10.30 ($18 450 BHT/pax by ferry)
• Check into Phi Phi Palmtree Resort ($100 = 3500BHT/ night, by Asiaweb Direct)
• Spend the day @ the beach
• Go to viewpoint
• Snorkeling trip to Koh Phi Phi Lei 15.00-1800, 450BHT/pax by long tail boat

Day 7 (Tuesday 03/11)

• Go to Phi Phi Lei & surrounding islands (1200THB)
• Go to viewpoint
• 1/2 day snorkeling trip to Bamboo Island & Phi Phi Lei Island 11.00-18.30, 600BHT/pax by long tail boat
  

Day 8 (Wednesday 04/11)

• Depart from Phi Phi Don by ferry 10.00 10.30. Arrive @ Krabi 11.30 12.00 ($18 300BHT)
• Taxi ride from Krabi pier to airport 400BHT
• Depart form Krabi 14.10. Arrive @ KL 16.25
• Depart from KL 20.50. Arrive @ Jakarta 21.45

Well, little changes here & there… no problem! We still had a blast! Also check out my travel pic albums:

Part I: KL, Melaka, Krabi

Part II: Krabi, Phi Phi

When building an itinerary, it’s not necessary to fill in the hour to hour details of your trip. What I do is make a list of the main events of the day, and leave lots of room for improvisation. The important things are: departure times, hotel check-ins and main activities of the day. Don’t forget to write in the cost of each activity to keep track of your budget.

Before making an itinerary do a little research about your travel destination on the internet. Find out costs and schedules of airline, ferry, bus tickets or other transportation modes. Also check the travel times, especially when you have to transfer using different modes of transport. Look for the best deal for your sleeping arrangements. Check for entry fees and operation hours of places you plan to visit. Now that all the crucial data are gathered, it’s time to compose, combine, mix & match all the above into your own personal travel itinerary.

One more important step before you pack your bags an leave, always recheck and reconfirm all schedules and bookings to make sure everything is on track. Do this at least a week before you depart, because delays and cancellations are really mood killers when travelling. Have fun!

Here’s an example of the itinerary I made for my next trip:

Kuala Lumpur – Krabi 2009 8D/7N Itinerary (+$400/pax)

Day 1 (Wednesday 28/10)

• Depart from Jakarta 06.25. Arrive @ KL 09.25 (Airasia $25)
• Transfer LCCT – KL Sentral (Aerobus RM 14 – 2 way), KL Sentral – Bkt. Bintang (Monorail RM 2.10)
• Check into Red Palm Hostel (RM 35/pax/night, by Bookhostels)
• Putrajaya Tour (monorail RM2.10 – train ticket return RM15.- taxi RM30.- per hour) (total trip $15)

Day 2 (Thursday 29/10)

• Depart  from KL 06.30. Arrive @ Malaka 8.30 ($8 roundtrip by bus)
• Malaka sightseeing: Jonker Street, Baba-Nyonya Museum, Christ Church, Stadhuis, Kp. Hulu Mosque, etc
• Depart  from Malaka KL 20.00. Arrive @ KL 22.00

Day 3 (Friday 30/10)

• Sightseeing around KL: Petronas Towers, KLCC, Petaling, etc
• Jum’at prayer
• IKEA shopping trip (monorail Bkt Bintang – KL Sentral RM2.1 – Kelana Jy LRT RM 15 return – IKEA shuttle bus)

Day 4 (Saturday 31/10)

• Lockers @ LCCT RM20/day x 5 = RM100
• Depart  from KL 13.30. Arrive @ Krabi 13.45 (Airasia $67)
• Krabi Airport – Aonang Grand Inn (airport shuttle bus 150BHT)
• Check into Aonang Grand Inn ($15, by Hostelbookers)
• Spend the day @ Aonang/ Railay beach (boat 80-100BHT/pax)
• Sunset @ Railay beach (boat 80-100BHT/pax)

Day 5 (Sunday 01/11)

• Take 4 island tour (450 – 1200BHT) The ‘Four Islands’ – a popular trip from Ao Nang, this day tour takes in Ko Poda, Ko Gai (Chicken Island) and Ko Tub, with its sweeping sandbar, plus the beautiful Phra Nang Bay on Railay peninsula. This beach, inaccessible by road, is considered to be one of the most beautiful strips of sand in the world.There’s also stops at excellent snorkelling sites near Ko Yawasam and Ko See, rocky outcrops with abundant coral reefs and marine life.

Day 6 (Monday 02/11)

• Depart to Phi Phi Don 09.00. Arrive @ Phi Phi Don 10.30 ($18 by ferry)
• Check into Phi Phi Palmtree Resort ($100/ night, by Asiaweb Direct)
• Spend the day @ the beach
• Go to viewpoint

Day 7 (Tuesday 03/11)

• Go to Phi Phi Lei & surrounding islands (1200THB)

Day 8 (Wednesday 04/11)

• Depart from Phi Phi Don by ferry 10.00. Arrive @ Krabi 11.30 ($18)
• Depart form Krabi 14.10. Arrive @ KL 16.25
• Depart from KL 20.50. Arrive @ Jakarta 21.45

This is a favorite dish that my family and friends seem to crave for, over and over again. My secret is: make it hot, extra hot! and don’t be shy with those garlic! But this recipe below is a milder version, the amount of crushed chillies and garlic could be added to taste.

Ingredients:

500 grams dry spaghetti

150 grams smoked beef

1 whole garlic

1 tablespoon crushed chillies

4 dried red chillies

4 bay leaves

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon sugar

6 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:

1. Boil some water with salt and cook the spaghetti for 8-10 minutes, or just follow the instructions on the packaging. Please remember to cook it aldente!
2. Crush garlic with the flat side of a knife and take the skin off, no need to slice them. Pour olive oil, garlic and bay leaves  into a pan and cook in low heat, until the garlic turns soft and transparent. This is to infuse the flavor of the garlic into the oil
3. Cut big slices of dried chillies and add them into the pan, cook for around 1 minute then add the crushed chillies and sugar. Turn off the heat when you can smell the fragrant of the fried chillies, don’t let them burn though.
4. Slice up the smoked beef and add them to the pan, mix well.
5. Pour the spaghetti into the pan and do some more mixing, don’t forget to take out the bay leaves…. And voila! You have yourself a delicious spaghetti aglio olio in less than half an hour!

Traveling for me is a great way to get out of my daily routines. Going away leaving my comfort zone, seeing and experiencing new things really helps me replenish my mind with fresh new ideas when I get back to my design studio or kitchen.

Like what Anthony Bourdain always says, “Be a traveler not a tourist”. That statement is true, there’s a wide distinction between the two. As a tourist all you have to do is sit nicely and enjoy the scenery, every single detail of your trip is prearranged, prepacked & ready to serve to you by the tour agency. You miss the excitement of planning and designing your own customized trip, from purchasing plane tickets with the right connecting flights to arranging where to sleep during the trip. Tourists don’t get the opportunity to explore what lies off the beaten track, what hides behind the main streets of the city in the small alleyways, or get to stop for a while to chat or exchange smiles with the locals.

Travel doesn’t always have to be expensive, there are plenty of  ways to travel with a limited budget. Do a little browsing on the net, look for airline ticket promos or book a flight on a budget airline.  When traveling you won’t be spending the whole day in your room, what you need is a decent bed & shower to recharge for the next morning. So stay in a hostel or a budget hotel, there are many to choose from in the internet, full reviews included. Travel around like the locals, take the public transportation when ever possible. Ditch the fancy restaurants & hotel food, don’t hesitate to mingle with the locals at a food stall or hawker center where you will find food with reasonable price & probably the best meal of your life!

Now that we’re ready to travel, drive to the mall and buy yourself  a nice backpack. Leave your suitcase at home, for it will just limit your movement when jumping on and of a bus or boat. Always remember to travel light, just take your basic necessities, no need to pack your whole wardrobe with you. Don’t forget to bring your digicam or DSLR, take pictures… a lot of pictures! For they will be priceless documentation of your travels. Last but not least, leave all your troubles at home, relax and enjoy your trip!

Cooking for me, is like therapy. Each and every step of cooking, from laying out the ingredients on the counter, preparing them, cooking them on the stove, to putting the ready dish on the table seems to have it’s own theraputic value. My senses are enhanced from touching the different textures of the ingredients, smelling the varied ranges of aromas from herbs and spices, and tasting the beautiful flavors on my palette. A calm and peaceful feeling emerges as the endorphin kicks in when I finish cooking a dish.

Cooking is also an instant way to release the creative energy in my body. I love creating and making stuff with my hands, maybe that’s why I became an architect in the first place. Unlike the creative process that could take weeks or even months in my design studio (which is also fun, but sometimes seems like ages!), cooking is like an instant zap of energy that gives somewhat the same satisfaction. A dish is the product of creativity from the person who cooks it, it’s real, it’s 3-D, and most of all it’s edible!

The last and favorite reason why I enjoy cooking so much, is to see the happy and joyful looks on people’s faces when they are delighted eating something that you cooked. That’s indeed the true satisfaction of cooking.