Thursday Challenge - Technology

A TV promotion going on at Mid Valley Megamall in May 2010, months before the FIFA World Cup. Many homes and restaurant owners upgrade their TV sets to better enjoy the football matches.

Technology is advancing so fast, I find difficult to keep up, even in the case of home appliances like TV screens. I am confused with LED, Plastma, Flat Screen, 3D TV, etc.

What kind of TV are you using at home?

This is my entry for Thursday Challenge, the Photo Theme this week is  "TECHNOLOGY" (Machines, Gears, Engines, Mobile Phones, Laptops, Wires, Toy Robots). To view what others have for today, click here.

Grand Kampar Hotel

Today is ABC Wednesday

K is for .....

Kampar!

Kampar is is a former tin mining town situated in Kampar district, Kinta Valley in the state of Ipoh, Perak. It is about 50 min. drive by car from Ipoh.

Kampar's name originate from the Cantonese words, "kam pou" which means 'precious gold", referring to the rich tin deposits in the town.

The Grand Kampar Hotel is located in Kampar New Town or Taman Bandar Baru Kampar. It is a 3-star hotel with 155 rooms. The hotel building is constructed with Spanish architecture. The website of Grand Kampar Hotel is here.

Kampar town is famous for Kampar chicken biscuit and Kampar fishball noodle.

ABC Wednesday, Round 7 hosted by Mrs. Denise Nesbitt and the ABC Team of Denise, Roger, Jay, Troy, Barb, Gattina, Sylvia, Annelie, Linda and Helen. To participate and view what others have in mind, please log on to this site.

Giant Joss Sticks For Goddess Birthday Celebrations

Joss sticks are also know as incense sticks. We light joss sticks as an indication to the gods that we are starting to pray and we have prepared some offerings. We usually use small joss sticks the size of chop sticks for prayers at home. Good joss sticks are made of sandalwood powder while inferior ones from sawdust.

The giant joss sticks in the picture above are contributed by the devotees of the Ho Sin Ku Chinese Temple in Tronoh during the Goddess birthday. This one on display has designs of the lotus flower at the base, a dragon coiled around it and the statues of the 8 Immortals flanking the sides near the top. At night, it is lighted with electrical bulbs and water can be seen gushing out of the dragon's mouth. Later the joss sticks will be lighted up with a flame at an auspicious hour and burnt off.

Joss sticks are mostly machine made nowadays. However, there is still a handful of traditional masters who can make them by hand. To know more, you can read, "Penang's Traditional Joss Sticks Maker" at Penang State Tourism Official Website.

This is my entry for That's My World Tuesday Season 2 Episode 51. To view what others have in their world, please visit here.

A Traditional Malay Kampung House

This is a replica of a traditional Malay kampung house at Gunung Lang Recreational Park, Ipoh.

This is my entry for this week's The Weekend In Black And White. My grateful thanks to Dragonstar for hosting this wonderful site. To participate or view the world in monochrome, please click here.

Entrance to Gunung Lang Recreational Park, Ipoh

This is the entrance to the Gunung Lang Recreational Park, Ipoh.

This is my entry for the fun and wonderful weekly meme, Scenic Sunday #115. To participate or view other pictures around the world, click on the icon above.

Reflections at Gunung Lang Recreational Park

The Gunung Lang Recreational Park is situated off Kuala Kangsar Road, about 5km to the north of Ipoh and near to the North-South Expressway (PLUS) Interchange.

This recreational park surrounded by magnificient limestone hills, Gunung Lang and Gunung Bilike. It was developed and maintained by Ipoh City Hall with eco-tourism in mind and opened its doors to the public in 1999.  It occupies a land area of 30.35 hectares and another 14.16 hectars from 3 man-made lakes reclaimed from disused mining pools. Some of the attractions are:

• cascading waterfall atop a limestone hill
• unexplored rainforest jungle
• 2km boardwalk along the swamps
• lookout towers, children playground, campsites, rest areas with pavillions and gazebos
• a ferry service and amenities like washroom, prayer room
• lake filled with fresh water fishes
• a garden with exotic floral (heliconia, bougainvillea, canna, ornamental bananas)
• fishing, canoeing, caving, jungle tracking, camping 
• in future to include extreme sports such as mountain climbing   

This is my entry for Weekend Reflections #53. To participate or view what others have posted for Weekend Reflections, please visit here.

Skywatch at Gunung Lang Recreational Park

This is a skywatch view of the natural limestone vertical jungle at Gunung Lang (Mt Lang) Recreational Park along Jalan Kuala Kangsar, Ipoh.

Do you think Tarzan or George of the Jungle will like it here?

For more Skywatch Friday Season 4 Episode 11 pictures and to participate, please visit the Skywatch site.

Mid Autumn Festival 2010

The theme this month is Old Shanghai during the Mid Autumn Festival. All the stalls are having mooncake promotions. My "FUN" part was when I discovered that mooncakes at going at a discount of 30% here!

This year, I bought the traditional single and double egg-yolk mooncakes, and also snow skin mooncakes with rasberry-blueberry filling and another with yam filling. When the season is over, I have eaten enough mooncakes to last until the next year!

Mid Autumn Festival is also known as Mooncake Festival, Lantern Festival and The Festival of Reunion. Yesterday night, I attended a lantern party and lantern walkabout near my home. A pair of dancing lions lead the way. People from other races also join in the celebration.

This is my entry for Thursday Challenge, the Photo Theme this week is  "FUN" (Festival, Fair, Carnival, Party, Playground, Dancing, Laughing,...). To view what others have for today, click here.

Japanese Garden Exhibit at Floria 2010

A contemporary Japanese Garden based on traditional Zen dry garden with bamboo fence designed by Koji Ninomiya.

Today is ABC Wednesday

J is for .....

Japanese Garden

ABC Wednesday, Round 7 hosted by Mrs. Denise Nesbitt and the ABC Team of Denise, Roger, Jay, Troy, Barb, Gattina, Sylvia, Annelie, Linda and Helen. To participate and view what others have in mind, please log on to this site.

Chinese Opera at Ho Sin Ku Temple Tronoh

A Cantonese opera performance at the Ho Sin Ku temple in Tronoh.

Every year on the 4th day of the 8th lunar month is the birthday of Ho Sin Ku,  (or He Siang Ku 何仙姑). She is known as Immortal Woman He and a member of the Eight Immortals. Ho Sin Ku temple is know as "Ho Sin Ku Miu" among the locals in Tronoh.

Cantonese opera originated from Southern China's cantonese culture. It is popular in Guandong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia and Singapore. This traditional Chinese artform involves music, singing, martial arts, acrobatics and acting. The costumes are elaborate and traditional musical instruments like the erhu, gaohu, yehu, yangqin, pipa, dizi, and houguan, drums and cymbals. Stories are based on Chinese history, famous Chinese classics and myths depicting the culture and philosophies of the Chinese people.

This is my entry for That's My World Tuesday Season 2 Episode 50. To view what others have in their world, please visit here.

Scenic Limestone Hills of Ipoh in Monochrome

Looking down at the valley where Ipoh city is built upon from the peak of Perak Cave Temple.

This is my entry for this week's The Weekend In Black And White. My grateful thanks to Dragonstar for hosting this wonderful site. To participate or view the world in monochrome, please click here.

Entrance to the Lost World of Tambun, Ipoh

During the weekend of the Hari Raya Holidays on 12th Sept 2010, this theme park were thronged with visitors.

The Lost World of Tambun is a water and theme park with the following attractions:

• Water Park
• Amusement Park
• Petting Zoo
• Tiger Valley - with daily tiger feeding shows
• Nature Wonders Needle of Tambun - 400 million year old limestone cliffs that surrounds the park.
• Nature Wonders Kempura Caves
• Tambun Hot Springs

A place where time stands still. The Lost World of Tambun at Sunway City Ipoh is a theme park in a land as old as time.

Opening Hours

Monday - Friday 11 am - 6 pm
Saturday & Sunday 10 am - 6 pm
School & Public Holidays 10 am - 6 pm
Park CLOSED every Tuesday except during Malaysian school and public holidays.

Park Rates
Adult RM 38.00 per person
Children (below 12 years old) RM 32.00 per person
Children below 90cm in height Free of Charge

This is my entry for the fun and wonderful weekly meme, Scenic Sunday #114. To participate or view other pictures around the world, click on the icon above.

Reflections at the Lost World of Tambun, Ipoh

Reflections at the glass windows of Tambun Baazar, a souvenir shop at the Lost World of Tambun, Ipoh.

This is my entry for Weekend Reflections #52. To participate or view what others have posted for Weekend Reflections, please visit here.

Clear Skies in Kuala Lumpur

It is blue and clear skies along the road leading to Lake Gardens, Kuala Lumpur.

For more Skywatch Friday Season 4 Episode 10 pictures and to participate, please visit the Skywatch site.

Sports Practise At Primary School

It is recess time and these primary school children are having a rehersal for their school sports day. They are going to practise the Tug-Of-War.

I hope this picture bring back some fond memories of your school days.

What do you usually do during recess time while in primary school?

This is my entry for Thursday Challenge, the Photo Theme this week is  "SCHOOL" (Buildings, Children, Uniforms, Buses, Bicycles, Books, Pens and Pencils,..). To view what others have for today, click here.

Iced Cool Roselle Drink at Nyonya Colors AEON Bukit Tinggi Klang



Nothing beats a glass of INVIGORATING ICED cool roselle juice after a day out under the INTENSE heat. After a sip, one feels refreshingly revitalised. This roselle drink is available at Nyonya Colors eatery at AEON Bandar Bukit Tinggi shopping centre, Klang and also the 1-Utama shopping complex.

Roselle juice is filled with Vitamin C and minerals. It tastes like cranberry juice and it also has the same colour.

This drink is made from the dark red sepals of the roselle flower (Hibiscus sabdariffa). Many people have mistaken the sepals to be the flower itself.

The same dried sepals are used to make an INFUSION called Hibiscus Tea.

Now, are you INSPIRED to try our Malaysian styled roselle juice?

Today is ABC Wednesday!

I if for .....

ICE Cool Drink.

ABC Wednesday, Round 7 hosted by Mrs. Denise Nesbitt and the ABC Team of Denise, Roger, Jay, Troy, Barb, Gattina, Sylvia, Annelie, Linda and Helen. To participate and view what others have in mind, please log on to this site.

Lemang Stall During Hari Raya Season

During Hari Raya season, you can find many lemang stalls by the roadside everywhere you go. The picture of this roadside stall is taken at a housing estate in Ipoh on the Sept 12th, the third day of Hari Raya.

Lemang is a choiced delicacy during the Hari Raya and Hari Raya Haji festivals. Some lemang stalls open during the fasting month of Ramadan and last for 1 month after the dawn of Syawal. Other stalls open only during the first few days of raya. Lemang is made from glutinuous rice and coconut milk poured into hollow bamboo sticks lined with banana leaves and cooked over a slow wood fire. It takes about 4 hours to cook the lemang. By then, the bamboo sticks would have turned from green to yellow. It costs about RM 8.00 to RM 10.00 (USD 3.00) per stick.The seller will break open the bamboo stick with a knife and slice the roll of lemang into smaller portions before packing the food to be taken away.

Lemang is usually eaten with Rendang, a meat curry cooked in spices. The ingredients used are coconut milk, grated coconut flesh, lemon grass, chilli, pepper, ginger, lengkuas, tumeric root, tumeric/kaffir lime leaves. The meat can be chicken, beef or mutton.

If you are in Malaysia, do try this delicacy. It is not easy to find lemang after the season is over but rendang is still available in many Malay restaurants. Rendang also goes well with Nasi Lemak (rice cooked with cocunut milk, ginger and pandan leaves).

This is my entry for That's My World Tuesday Season 2 Episode 49. To view what others have in their world, please visit here.

Ipoh Outskirts in Monochrome

"I roamed the countryside searching for answers to things I did not understand.

Why thunder lasts longer than that which causes it,

and why immediately on its creation the lightning becomes visible to the eye

while thunder requires time to travel. How”

..... Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)

This is my entry for this week's The Weekend In Black And White. My grateful thanks to Dragonstar for hosting this wonderful site. To participate or view the world in monochrome, please click here.

Queen Mother of the West, Xi Wangmu at Genting Highlands

 A statue of the Queen Mother of the West (西王母 - Xi Wangmu)

Xi Wangmu is the Chinese, Taoist goddess of immortality and she personifies the feminine element of Yin. Many who play the Dynasty Warriors game would have heard about her.

According to legend:
She lives in the 9 storeys Palace of Jade which lies in the mythical Kun-lun mountains, near the Lake of Jewels. It is surrounded by a wall of over a thousand miles long made of pure gold. The male immortals reside in the right wing and the female immortals reside in the left wing of this palace. In her garden she cultivates the peach of immortality. This peach tree forms only one peach every three thousand years, which then takes another three thousand years to ripen. When it is ripe, Hsi Wang-mu invites the immortals to a feast to celebrate their birthday and to partake ot the miraculous peach which bestows another lease of immortality.
She is portrayed as a beautiful Queen wearing a royal gown, sometimes riding a peacock. He favorite animal is Feng-huang (Phoenix), the symbol of immortality.

Source: Encyclopaedia Mythica, link here.

This is my entry for the fun and wonderful weekly meme, Scenic Sunday #113. To participate or view other pictures around the world, click on the icon above.

Taman Tasik Titiwangsa Reflections

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.”

..... Reinhold Niebuhr quotes (American theologian, 1892-1971)

This is my entry for Weekend Reflections #51. To participate or view what others have posted for Weekend Reflections, please visit here.

Sunset Over Federal Highway

For more Skywatch Friday Season 4 Episode 9 pictures and to participate, please visit the Skywatch site.

Of Karaokes and Weddings

In Malaysia, it is common for a wedding dinner party to include a Karaoke singing session as part of the entertainment and merrymaking. Here, the guests are having fun dancing and singing. Sometimes, the groom will go to the stage to sing a song and usually it will be a romantic or sentimental number specially dedicated to the newly weds.

Is it common to have karaoke sessions during a wedding party in your world?

If you are choosing a song to sing for the bride and groom, will you select happy songs and avoid tragic tunes for such a happy occassion?

This is my entry for Thursday Challenge, the Photo Theme this week is "MUSIC" (Singing, Dancing, Playing, Instruments, iPods, Concerts). To view what others have for today, click here.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri 2010

Today is ABC Wednesday

H is for .....

Hari Raya!

Muslims around the world will celebrate the completion of 1 month of fasting during the holy month of Ramadhan. In Malaysia this festival is know as Hari Raya Puasa or Hari Raya Aidil Fitri. It is also known as Eid ul-Fitr in arabic. The actual date of Hari Raya will be either 9th or 10th Sept 2010 depending on whether the new moon will be sighted on Sept 8th.

I would like to wish all muslims,

"SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDIL FITRI"

Do have a safe and smooth journey home!

On today, Sept 8th, 2010, the sighting of the Syawal new moon will be held at 20 places nationwide to determine the date for Hari Raya.

The Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal will announce the date over radio and television tonight.

The places for the sighting are Menara Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya International Convention Centre, Menara Universiti Malaysia Sabah (Labuan), Kuala Sungai Baru (Perlis), Kampung Pulau Sayak, Pemandangan Indah in Langkawi and Menara Alor Setar (Kedah), Pantai Pasir Panjang (Perak), Pantai Aceh (Penang), Pontian Kecil (Johor), Kompleks Falak Al-Khawarizmi in Tanjung Bidara (Malacca), Teluk Kemang (Negri Sembilan), Bukit Melawati, Pulau Angsa and Bukit Jugra (Selangor), Tanjong Lubang, Teluk Bandung and Tanjung Batu (Sarawak), Al-Biruni observatory in Putatan (Sabah), Bukit Besar, Bukit Kemuning, Pulau Perhentian and Balai Cerap Kusza (Terengganu), Bukit Peraksi, Pasir Puteh, Bukit Kampung Tembeling, Kuala Krai and Menara Bangunan SEDC (Kelantan), Bukit Tanjong Batu, Gunung Brincang and Bukit Pelindong (Pahang). — Source: Bernama

Update: It has been announced tonight that the first day of Hari Raya in Malaysia shall fall on 10th Sept, 2010.

ABC Wednesday, Round 7 hosted by Mrs. Denise Nesbitt and the ABC Team of Denise, Roger, Jay, Troy, Barb, Gattina, Sylvia, Annelie, Linda and Helen. To participate and view what others have in mind, please log on to this site.

Love Lock at Kwan Yin Tong Cave Temple Ipoh

At the Guan Yin Tong (Kwan Yin/Kuan Yin/Goddess of Mercy) Cave Temple, here is a place where couples in love can buy 2 small padlocks, write their names and vows and lock them together on a 30.4m long chain running along the limestone hills behind the temple. The key will be thrown away into a designated pond, never to be found. This will ensure that the couple will be tied together, forever never to be separated.

It is interesting to note that the practise of using love padlocks started way back in the 1980s in Hungary. Since then it has spread to Russia, Latvia, Italy, Guam, Uruguay, China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, China, Germany, Ukrain, Sweden, Spain, Belgium, Czech Republic, UK, France, Netherlands, Slovenia, Denmark and now in Malaysia. Source: Wikipedia, here.

Do you think this is romantic and will you try this method?

This is my entry for That's My World Tuesday Season 2 Episode 48. To view what others have in their world, please visit here.

An Abandoned Kampung House

Don't you think this house is too nice to be abandoned? It still looks good.

This is my entry for this week's The Weekend In Black And White. My grateful thanks to Dragonstar for hosting this wonderful site. To participate or view the world in monochrome, please click here.

Rock Garden at FGS Dong Zen Temple, Jenjarom

A rock garden can be Japanese or Chinese styled rock garden. It usually incorporates the qualities of 'Zen' and/or 'Fengshui'.

Do you intend to turn your home garden into a rock garden?

This is my entry for the fun and wonderful weekly meme, Scenic Sunday #112. To participate or view other pictures around the world, click on the icon above.

Weekend Reflections at Lake Titiwangsa

Looks like a good day to go boating at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa.

This is my entry for Weekend Reflections #50. To participate or view what others have posted for Weekend Reflections, please visit here.

Petronas Twin Towers - A View From KLCC Park

This picture is taken from the Children's Pool at KLCC Park. When you take time to walk around KLCC Park, you will discover many spots where you can take scenic shots of the Petronas Twin Towers.

At KLCC, what is your favourite spot for taking photographs?

For more Skywatch Friday Season 4 Episode 8 pictures and to participate, please visit the Skywatch site.

LEGO Exhibition At 1-Utama Shopping Complex

In June 2010, a LEGO exhibition was held at the 1-Utama Shopping Complex. It attracted a lot of people, children as well as adults.

Are you a fan of LEGO products?

This is my entry for Thursday Challenge, the Photo Theme this week is "TECHNOLOGY" (Machines, Gears, Engines, Mobile Phones, Laptops, Wires, Toy, Robots). To view what others have for today, click here.

CDP Theme Day - September 2010 Open Air Market

Today is CDP Theme Day for September 2010. The theme is "Open Air Market". My picture is taken at the night bazaar at The Curve at Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya.
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Today is also ABC Wednesday!

G is for .....

Goods, Gifts and other merchandise sold at the bazaar

Good quality of the Goods sold

Gourmet food available, Gorgeous decorations and

Great choice of entertainment for your Guests.

So, you'll need to Get there quick!

For it is a Golden opportunity to shop, shop, shop!

ABC Wednesday, Round 7 hosted by Mrs. Denise Nesbitt and the ABC Team of Denise, Roger, Jay, Troy, Barb, Gattina, Sylvia, Annelie, Linda and Helen. To participate and view what others have in mind, please log on to this site.