Wah 2nd Dan

im back to my house today... packing and getting ready for my travel to Gold Coast tomorrow...

Haha.. din know my bro holds a 2nd Dan now.. instructor somemore :p

What car is this??

Came across from Vince's blog...

60 minutes without lights, tv, air-cond & computer

Overslept in the afternoon.... but im still able to get ready with the food in time before 8.30pm the lights in the house need to be off... to support this meaningful Earth Hour campaign...

Appetizer - Brown Mushrooms


Main Course - Bake Salmon with veggie and potato..


Getting Ready


A romantic candlelit dinner with salmon steak and wine :)


After dinner we just lie on the sofa to have a quiet and nice chat.. everything feels so relaxed in this 60 minutes...


Should do this more often... not just becoz of this campaign.. it also save alot of money having candlelit dinner at home... :p

Gold Coast Here I Come!!!

hehehe.. travel again... this round to Gold Coast Australia to attend a Travel Workshop "Queensland on Stage Asia".

I just got the full itinerary today.. besides the workshop, Tourism Queensland is also very generous to arrange a comprehensive itinerary during our stay covers almost every key attractions of Gold Coast such as Movie World, Sea World, Balunjali Kayak, Tangalooma, Australian Outback Spectacular, Catch-A-Crab, QDeck, Tall Ship Sunset Cruise, Dreamworld...

And our stay for Malaysian Deligates is the 5* Luxury Resort - Q1 Resort & Spa..

Wooooooo.... really excited and cant wait to be there!!!!

Earth Hour - What you gonna do?

What's your plan during the 1hr without light?

Im planning for a romantic candlelit dinner at home with my love once :)

Face Palette

Well cant think of any title which more suitable than this... :p

Just bought myself a not-so-cheap lipstick



and found myself a set of eye shadow that i quite like the colour combination and the glitter effect that made my eyes speak.. hehehe...

Currently Reading ~ Chasing Harry Winston

Three best friends. Two resolutions.
One year to pull it off

Emmy is newly single. Having always dreamed of wedding plans, she's now buying take-out for one.

Adriana is about to turn thirty. Are her days as a party girl running out?

Leigh has a gorgeous boyfriend and a great job. So why isn't she more excited about her perfect life?

The three best friends make a pact over raspberry mojitos one night - this year everything is going to change. Emmy is going to find a man on every continent for some no-strings fun. Adriana vows she'll secure a five-carat Harry Winston diamond on her fourth finger. And Leigh can't think of what she needs to change - until literary bad boy Jesse Chapman starts to get under her skin.......

Earth Hour 2009

Turn off your lights for one hour
8.30pm Saturday 28th March 2009
Vote for Earth Hour!! Say No to Global Warming!!!

Cruise Inspection - Costa Allegra

Costa Cruise Line, an Italian-base cruise company, with a total of 14 fleets, (1 more "Costa Lunimosa" coming soon), covering more than 100 port of calls worldwide...

Alot of people in our country has yet heard about this cruise liner, but for your info Costa Cruise Liner has been here for years and is awarded the No1 cruise liner in Europe. And 19 Mar 2009, is their first time to stop at Port Klang for shore excursion.... :p

well.. i was kinda honored to be invited onboard together with another 28 travel reps for a short cruise inspection at Costa Allegra, one of the fleets that serves Asia Route for these few months, besides Costa Classica... Both are among the smallest fleets of Costa...

Around 10.30am we arrived Star Cruise Terminal Port Klang accompanied by 2 Costa Sales Rep in KL... we need to wait till most of the passengers get out from the cruise for excursion when the cruise is almost empty for our inspection session.... apparently we waited for quite some time and was wondering how come there's nobody getting out yet.. finally the officer told us that we still need to wait coz there is an "accident" out there... wow sounds serious...




1hr plus later.. finally most of the passengers stepped out and its out turn to get in....
Costa Allegra

Facts
Built in: 1992
Refurbished in: 2006
Passenger Capacity: 784
Number of Crew: 466
Total Cabin: 410
Tonnage: 28,597t
Length: 616 feet
Beam: 84 feet
Deck: 9 (8 for Guests Use)
Max Speed: 22 knots
Cruise SpeedL 20.5 knots

Their "Lobby" but not at the entrance of the cruise




Usually cruises have 4 major type or cabins.. Inside Cabin (cheapest one), Outside Cabin with window or porthole, Deluxe with Balcony & Suite... dont expect much about size of the cabins especially "Inside Cabins"... trust me it sometimes is smaller than rooms in Genting First World Hotel.. :p



Casinos, spa & sauna, fitness centre, salon and beauty centre, pools and the basic facilities... So not really gonna touch much about that...


Two things i need to highlight about Costa Cruise...
1) all chefs onboard are from Italy.. you are able to taste the typical Italian Gourmet even you are outside of Italy :p




And unlike other cruises, they use EURO onboard


If you board on SuperStar Virgo before you might get abit disappointed as Costa Allegra is just 2/3 of Virgo... and it's relatively OLD....


Remember i did mention about the "accident" happened that cause the delay of our inspection??
As i highlighted this Costa Allegra is the first time to Port Klang.... and..... it hit the jetty....
-_-"



=====================================

For me.. board on a cruise is always an economic way to travel... why?
1) what you have paid is all included (accommodation, 5 meals a day, evening shows, balls, gym, spa and pool facilities, relevant port tax), besides the tipping (standard around USD10 per day) and optional shore excursion...
2) time saving, it's like a floating hotel, on the next day when you wake up you are at the next destination and ready for shore excursion....
3) so relaxing and romantic... you are at the middle of the sea and nobody else could interrupt you :p
4) when you join international cruise liner like Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruise and Costa, you get to know people all around the world :)

Im actually planning a 6 days cruise vacation next year's January, on Royal Caribbean (The Best Cruise Operator) from Singapore, to Phuket, Langkawi, Port Klang then back to Singapore... the cheapest rate is at USD 359 (approx RM 1370) per person.... anybody interested??

Memper"siasueh"kan Malaysia Travel Industry

This kind of people really memper"siasueh"kan Malaysia Travel Industry

DAMN YOU!!!

Where Should I be living??

just took a quiz at FB....
and the result really suit my thought... :p

You are tired of living in a crowded place where there's too much concrete and not enough green. You want to live out in the country, preferably somewhere with a barn, a river and lots of wide open spaces where you can unwind and enjoy the quiet.

and i should be living at THE COUNTRY

What do you think....

.... of this place???
hehe

Alike?

Are they really look alike?
hahaha....

Dying

Life's dying..
i know clearly about my hobby and my target ...
working hard and afford myself a fast car...
so that i can enjoy my touge fun...
but.. donno if i can make it...
life is just simply so miserable.......................

MITF (MATTA International Travel Fair) 13 - 15 March 2009

Remember to look for this booth when u come to MIFT this coming weekend (13 - 15 March 2009)..

Location:
Hall 1, PWTC

My Display Cabinet

Hey.. din realize i got so many "collections" in my display cabinet...

"rotary engine" key chain from Mid Valley (one of the RC shop)


Golden Mickey Candy box from Hong Kong


Glass Puffer fish from Koh Samui


Glow-in-the-dark bear from Taiwan.. & Strawberry soap from Melbourne


Phillip Island GP Circuit Tequila Glass from Australia


Handmade Lavendar Soap from Mornington Peninsula Victoria Australia


Wooden Statue from Chiangmai


Mini Coke Can from Japan


Polar bear Coke Can from Korea


BMW William F1 7-up Can (is this Montoya?)


Hope u still remember Fido-Dido :p


Well this is just a small part of my collections :p

Speaking of Athens

Stories by SONJA MUSTAFFA

Ninety-eight percent of the population in Greece is orthodox Christian with a small number being Muslim.

Five million people call Athens home, making land scarce, so they build upwards, but no taller than seven or nine storeys.

We could learn from their public transport system. A ‚1 ticket allows you to use metro buses and trains for 1½ hours. The yellow taxis have two meters so that they can take two passengers from and to two destinations. Minimum fare: €1.20.

Traffic congestion in the city is reduced through a number plate system. The police can tell whether you are in the right place at the right time by your number plate.

The people are free with their smiles and greetings (wishing you kalime’ra in the morning or yia’sou for hello/goodbye), but a puzzled frown appeared in response to the Malaysian way of haggling. Although some of us succeeded in haggling in shops with fixed prices, this is not the norm.



There were shops having winter sales with discounts on clothes, bags and leather boots up to 60%. I even spotted a shop selling shoes for only €15 each. The souvenir must-have for Malaysians is a T-shirt from Hard Rock Cafe, which is on Filellinon Street near Syntagma Square. Boutiques like Louis Vuitton are on Voukourestiou Street and in Kolonaki Square. Plaka, where most of the tavernas are, is also a good place for buying souvenirs.

I appreciated the Greek cuisine, although some of my travel mates didn’t really fancy it. They resorted to the Malaysian staple Maggi Mee to satiate their hunger pangs.

Salad dressed with olive oil and sometimes served with feta cheese (a salty goat cheese) is a staple at every meal. I had delicious poached fish at a taverna in Plaka (an old part of Athens), exceptional vegetable soup in Kalambaka (central Greece), amazing roast lamb in Olympia and fried anchovies in Mycenea (Peloponnese), as well as voluptuous Greek yogurt with honey in Delphi (southern Greece).

A decent meal in Greece costs more or less €3-€10 i. e. subway sarnie with cold cut, spinach and cheese pie or fish. For a snack or brekkie on the go, try koulouria — it is inexpensive (30 cents-60 cents), shaped like a ring and tastes like a sesame-flavoured cross between bread and biscuit. It is sold by vendors on every street corner.

A place that loves its animals and treats them well is my kind of place. Greeks have a very humane system for homeless animals. They are vaccinated and spayed, but remain on the streets and get fed by caring people. They have a place in the sun! Kindness shown to them makes them gentle. This is something we can learn from the Greeks.

Courtasy The Star Online

A holiday in ruins

Stories by SONJA MUSTAFFA

Many temples sit high on the hills because this is where the sky meets the earth and therefore believed to be the holy perch of the gods. To climb the hundreds of steps, you need a good pair of walking shoes and boundless energy.

Delphi, in the Parnassos mountains, is not only a ski resort but also the site of the ruins of the Temple of Apollo, where dwelled the oracle, an aged priestess who predicted the future.

Women were chosen for this role because Greeks believed women represented fertility and reproduction, so naturally they could predict the future.

According to legend, the navel of the earth, omphalos, is also located near here, in the Sacred Precinct. It was pinpointed by two eagles sent out by Zeus to circle the globe and find the centre of the world.

Many treasuries (vaults containing statues, carvings etc, from rich Greek cities) were built in the Sacred Precinct, and its contents are on display in the museum next door.

Amongst the exhibits are the Charioteer, a bronze sculpture with extraordinary detail, the winged Sphinx of the Naxians (a grave ornament from Egypt) and carved friezes.

It was here that we learnt that nakedness to the ancient Greeks represented heroism, which explains male nudity in paintings, carvings etc. This was material for ribald jokes on the bus — I should’ve packed earplugs.

Delphi has a small population of 300 families, all involved in tourism. The quaint town looks out onto olive groves and the Corinthian Bay.

Olympia in Peloponnese (southern Greece) is where the Olympic Games originated in 776BC. It is also still where the Olympic flame is ignited in an ancient ritual before it is taken to the different venues every four years.

For a long time, this site that contained the Temples of Zeus and Hera, ancient sports facilities and a 200m track stadium was concealed by the rivers Alpheus and Kladeos. The Germans discovered the site in the 19th century when the rivers changed course.

Only recently, through radar technology, a hippodrome under the river was discovered. Archeological work should begin soon, with funding likely coming from the Greek government, United Nations and rich benefactors.

The Olympiads were a male-only preserve and athletes competed naked (a sign of devotion). The only women allowed in were the priestesses who ignited the Olympic flame; the others had to watch from Kronos Hill, where the competitors would have looked like ants.

The archeological museum contains pediments from the Temple of Zeus, a scale model of a large gold and ivory statue of Zeus (one of the seven ancient wonders of the world) and a marble carving of Hermes (the messenger of the gods) and the infant Dionysus (the god of wine). The realism kept me transfixed.

Every diva dreams of singing at the ancient Theatre of Epidauros, a World Heritage Site and part of a sanctuary dedicated to Asklepieion, the God of Healing. She would not need a microphone because of the amazing acoustics. Classical drama performances are a mainstay. The tickets are hot-sellers, even to non-Greek speakers.

Famous Greek bard/poet, Homer, wrote about Mycenea — “a city rich in gold” — even before he knew it existed. But German archeologist, Heinrich Schliemann, was convinced that the kingdom of Agamemnon (Greek mythology) did exist.

His instincts were proven right in 1874 when he unearthed more than 14kg of gold artefacts (now on display at the National Archeological Museum in Athens).

In the Citadel of Mycenea, Schliemann discovered a gravesite containing corpses whose faces were covered with golden masks and bodies in gold leaf.

He was convinced, and even managed to convince the world, that King Agamemnon was buried here.

But some dates don’t tally. Unless new information comes to light, the world will continue believing that this is the king’s final resting place. Of particular interest here is the beehive tomb or Treasury of Atreus.

On our way back to Athens, we crossed the Corinth Canal. Although not a ruin, it is historical no less. About 7km long, it saves small ships a 300km-400km journey around Peloponnese.

Work to sever a narrow strip of land (isthmus) between Peloponnese and the mainland started in Roman times during the reign of Emperor Nero (54AD-68AD). He broke the ground with a silver shovel and left the hard work to Jewish slaves. He died shortly afterwards and the digging stopped. The project was revived in 1870.

At each end of the canal are submersible bridges for vehicles. If a ship needs to cross, these bridges are lowered back into the water.

The canal may only be 21m wide but there’s a long drop. Bungee jumping can be arranged here and tourist boats come by all the time.

Entrance fees: Delphi museum/site, €9; Olympia museum/site, €6; Epidauros, €6; Mycenae, €8.

Courtasy The Star Online

Greece, unearthed

Stories by SONJA MUSTAFFA
Grecian archeological digs and discoveries are ongoing.

Greece is a remarkable holiday destination because of its history, mythology, arts, culture and natural environment. Did you know it is the birthplace of Homer, Plato, medicine and democracy?

Throughout our (travel agents and journalists) exploration, we were accompanied by tour guide Chariklia Contoyannides (Cleo) whose knowledge breathed life into the ruins we visited, (occasionally) Thanasis Prounarous of Tour Greece who good-humouredly put up with the group’s cheeky jokes and driver Vasilis Papatheodosiou (Bill) who was courteous and got us to our stops in one piece.

Nature was kind and gave us mostly blue skies and sunshine. Winters (late November-April) here are normally cold and rainy.

The cheerful chirping of birds and bursts of pink and white cherry and almond blossoms, as well as the purples and yellows of wildflowers, heralded an early spring.



Everywhere we looked there was an olive, lemon and/or orange tree, even on balconies and lining the streets and pathways in Athens. Traditionally, oranges aren’t harvested until Easter when they are enjoyed with a lamb dish.

We had our first close-up of an olive tree on the climb to the Acropolis (150m). The Acropolis is an ancient fortified city inhabited since 3500BC.

It is believed the olive tree was given to Athens by the goddess of wisdom, Athena, in a contest between Poseidon (the god of the sea) and her to decide on the protector of Athens. The people chose the gift of the olive tree over the gift of a salty spring of water by Poseidon because the former symbolised peace.

The contest took place at the Erechtheion Temple (407BC). It is a striking building because of the Caryatids (six female statues) who bear the weight of a portico on their heads. The original statues are in the Acropolis Museum with other artefacts from the site.

A bigger Acropolis Museum, designed by New York-based Bernard Tschumi and Greek Michalis Photiadis, is under construction at the foothills and scheduled to open on June 20.

Opposite the Erechtheion Temple is the optical marvel Parthenon, dedicated to Athena (parthena).

The Parthenon has been rebuilt four times since the first foundation stone was laid in 8th Century BC. Every time it was rebuilt, it was made bigger and more beautiful with marble quarried from nearby Mt Penteli. The final rebuilding was by Pericles (a great statesman) after the Persian invasion in 480BC.



Boundary ropes keep people out of the temple, but you may take pictures outside. Many of the buildings here, managed by an international team of archaeologists, are undergoing restoration using new methods.

Among some of the amazing facts about this marble building are that the columns surrounding it are tapered so that if they were lengthened by 2.5km they would meet to form a pyramid. The columns are spaced unevenly so that they look even from a distance. It was once a colourful building to attract seafaring pilgrims. It was a church during Roman occupation and a mosque during Turkish rule.

A 12m-high gold and ivory statue called Athena Parthenos, once housed in the cella (main room) but looted by the Turks, was unfortunately lost in a fire. A marble replica can be seen in the National Archeological Museum of Athens.

In this fort, whose ruined wall once stretched to the shores of the Saronic Gulf, you will also see the Propylea (the five gates to the heart of the temple) where the great thinker, Plato, held a symposium, and also the Temple of Athena Nike whose friezes depict scenes from the victorious Battle of Marathon (447BC). Across from it is the hill where the apostle Paul (a follower of Jesus) preached Christianity to the Athenians.

Below the fort are even more ruins like the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian’s Arch and an agora (ancient marketplace). The Odeum (theatre) of Herod Atticus (a rich benefactor) which seats 5,000 is still in use in summer (July-mid-September) for the Athens Festival where the likes of Pavarotti and Liza Minnelli have performed.

In the distance you will see the Panathenaic Stadium a.k.a. Marble Stadium, where the Olympic Games were held in 1896. It can seat 69,000 spectators and is used as a theatre.

The modern Olympic stadiums are in Marousi (north-east of Athens). After the 2004 Olympics, the stadiums were opened to public for profit. The buildings are earthquake-proof.

In centuries from now, these too will be venerated.

****The familiarisation tour of Greece was organised and sponsored by Parlo Tours Sdn Bhd (03-2274 7877).

Next week: Piety and the pleasures of life in Greece.

Entrance fees: Acropolis, €12.

Courtasy The Star Online