Local scenes in Bandung...

"When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one that has opened for us..." - Alexander Graham Bell 

Bandung, Indonesia
(21 - 24 July 2007)

(Traditional Indonesian pickled fruits and vegetables)

(Figurine characters of Indonesian Folklore traditions)

(Decorative lion statue at the restaurant)

(A popular restaurant in Bandung)

(A display of beautiful fireworks)

(Ceramic Skull Ashtrays) 

(Display of Indonesian dishes)

(Decorative duck figurines made of pine corns)

Indonesia: Bandung Shoppers Paradise...

“Tourists don’t know where they’ve been, travelers don’t know where they’re going...” - Paul Theroux

(Normah, me and Ella...)

Indonesia 2007: Bandung Shopper's Paradise...

(21 - 24 July 2007)

Months back, when Iwan and Ella asked whether I want to join them for a trip to Bandung, I was not really interested. So during the cheap Air Asia air-fare promotion, they have booked tickets for themselves as well as a ticket for Ella’s mother, Normah, who is joining them for the trip.

Later, I decided to book the same flight at the normal price and have forgotten all about it until yesterday when I received a call from my besan, Normah to enquire about the trip and hotel booking! Whole day yesterday, we browsed the internet and tried to make on-line booking but were not successful as most hotels are fully booked at this time of the year. We called several travel agents and late evening we received confirmation on our hotel booking.

I heard that Bandung has so many things to offer - from scenic attractions to traditional culinary. Bandung also has thousands of textile shops and factory outlets and has become main attraction for shoppers…

(My comfortable walking slippers...)

Our flight is very early tomorrow morning and I still have time to change my Rupiah…

My Overseas Travelogue: munmus.blogspot.com

Next Trip: An Italian Train Adventure...

Wonders of the world – Part II

"The seven wonders of the world: To see, to hear, to touch, to taste, to feel, to laugh and to to love..."

(Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey)

In one of the global polls ever conducted, millions of people have voted to name the new Seven Wonders of the World. The winners were chosen from 20 short-listed candidates. The Egyptian pyramids, the only surviving ancient wonders of the world, have been granted the status of ‘honorary’ candidate and exempted from the vote.

Of the 20 candidates for the new Seven Wonders of the World, I have visited nearly half of them…

Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
Colosseum, Italy
Hagia Sophia, Turkey
Kiyomizu Temple, Japan
Petra, Jordan
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Statue of Liberty, USA
Alhambra, Spain
Eiffel Tower, France

My Overseas Travelogue: munmus.blogspot.com

Ancient Wonders of the world...

"Remember the past, plan for the future, but live for today, because yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come..." - Luke

The Original Seven Wonders of the World are:

1. The Colossus of Rhodes
2. The Great Pyramid of Giza
3. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
4. The Lighthouse of Alexandria
5. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
6. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
7. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

Six out of seven Ancient Wonders did not survive to this present day. But of the seven, I have visited two sites, The Great Pyramid of Giza and the site where there used to be the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Both situated in Egypt!

(Three of the majestic pyramids)

The Great Pyramids of Giza (Dec 1998)

It is the one and only Wonder which does not require a description. The pyramid was built by the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu of the Fourth Dynasty around the year 2560 BC to serve as a tomb when he dies. The great pyramid is believed to have been built over a 20 year period. It is the oldest, yet it is the only surviving of the Seven Ancient Wonders.

(Iwan and Ja, fooling around by the waterfront)

The Lighthouse of Alexandria (Dec 1998)

It was situated on the ancient island of Pharos, now a peninsula within the city of Alexandria in Egypt. Of all the seven wonders, except for the pyramid, the old light house was the last to disappear. The final chapter in the history of the Lighthouse came in AD 1480 when the Egyptian Mamelouk Sultan, decided to fortify Alexandria's defense by building a medieval fort on the same spot where the Lighthouse once stood, using the fallen stone and marble.

My Travelogue: munmus.blogspot.com

Ubi Kayu Rebus...

“Some people see the glass half full. Others see it half empty. I see a glass that's twice as big as it needs to be.” - George Carlin

Senator Ubai, Bee and I drove to warong Tanjung Puteri for dinner after we solat Maghrib in U’s hotel room at Pan Pac. I had earlier fetched B from her house. Nik Aminah has to pick someone from the airport so she missed the gathering.

At warong Tanjung Puteri we ordered kuey teow goreng and mihun sup. And of course my favorite ubi kayu rebus to eat with delicious sambal bilis and kelapa. We were famished, the ambiance was cool, with the oldies playing in the background.

When the bill came, we could see the shock on Ubai’s face.

“makan ubi kayu pun sampai RM20. Kalau nak makan, belakang rumah aku pun banyak. Aku bagi free je….”

“He he… We’ll take the offer. Tapi ambiance kena cool macam ni tau… he he…”

Chittagong Local scenes...

"The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything they just make the most of everything that comes along their way..."

Bangladesh Trip 2007

(05 - 08 July 2007)

(The double decker bus in Dhaka)

(Roti Canai, Bangladeshi style)

(A modern fashion for young ladies)

(Cheap advertising in town) 

(Children playing by the roadside)

(A three-wheel auto rickshaw)

(embroidered Saree fabric)

(A wedding procession at night)

Monsoon rendezvous in Dhaka...

“For after all, the best thing one can do when it is raining is let it rain…”- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Bangladesh Trip 2007

(05 - 08 July 2007) 

Yesterday, a short sms from Senator U.

“I’ll be in Le Meridian from 10 to 14 July. Let’s have dinner together…”
“Ok, but I’ll be away in Dhaka from 5 to 9 July. I’ll see u after that, ok…”
“Ooh.. Ok. Ada apa di Dhaka tu ye?..”

As I sit here in my room, looking at the piles in my in-trays, I feel restless again. I need to get away soon. Hubby told me that it has started raining daily there in Dhaka and complained of a slight fever the past few days. By the time I go there, hopefully the weather is nicer to me, or I might be catching the monsoon spell too.

Whatever the weather forecast is, at the very least, I’ll have the opportunity to enjoy the summer collection of colorful handloom materials available in affordable prices. And I heard that the annual mango fair with 14 different types of mango on sales is currently going on at the Kalabagan Club field. I can’t wait to taste all those juicy and fleshy summer fruits…yum..yum..

Tomorrow night I’ll be flying to Dhaka. Hubby has bought bus tickets from Dhaka to Chittagong which is less than 250 Km away. Not that far, but the journey on road will take nearly 6 hours. And, we will be spending our weekend there!

Well... to me it’s not the destination that matters, it’s the journey that counts…

My Travelogue: munmus.blogspot.com

Next Trip: Indonesia 2007: Bandung Shopper's Paradise...