48 hours in Singapore

"A metropolis with a "lil" something for everyone." Anita Rushkin sums the best of them all.

Day One

GET STARTED
Singapore's efficient and user friendly public transport makes traveling around this island a breeze. Before you set off, purchase an EZ-Link Card from any Passenger Service Center in MRT stations or Transit link Ticket offices for SGD$15, which has a travel value of SGD$7 and refundable deposit of SGD$3. This saves you the hassle of always having to keep small change all the time for rides. This card is good to go on MRT's and busses.

SHOP
With everything from upscale boutiques and departmental malls to SGD$1 dollar shops and open air jumble markets, shoppers are spoilt for choice in Singapore. Head over to every shopperholics heaven: Orchard Road for the biggest names in fashion. Ion Orchard, a new mega store there that specializes in "superbrands" guarantees some serious retail therapy.

Lose yourself in Bugis "the largest open air market" in Singapore. Browse through the 300 odd stalls that sells souvenirs, watches, fake eyelashes and even the SGD$10 dollar t-shirts that you want to give away as souvenirs.

CULTURE
There is always something musically artistic brewing at Singapore's Esplanade. Grab a drink at one of the outside cafe's and if you are lucky you can catch live bands performing at the outdoor space just beside the Esplanade. Check out whats showing and catch a concert at the Theatres on the Bay.

Soak in the scenery as the majestic Merlion stands directly infront of you, with the neo-classical former General Post Office, The Fullerton Hotel just behind it. For something a little off the beaten track, head over to Singapore's former Parliament House, now The Arts House. The best time to experience Marina Bay is either during the morning or in the evening, when the environment is considerably cooler.

ART
Take a stroll and shop for quirky wardrobe additions along Arab Street and Haji Lane. It's narrow lanes houses some of the best small time boutiques on the island. The small artful ambience makes shopping in these lanes a very memorable one.

We simply love the colourful decos of each individual building, which gives the street more life. Squashed in between these shoplots are nice middle eastern and indian food stalls. Order a plate of roti prata with curry and rejuvenate with a cup of hot ginger tea (teh halia). Another specialty they have is the flavoured shisha pipes.

WINE & DINE
Head over to Clarke Quay during the evening for when the sun sets, the banks of the Singapore river lights up like New Year in Chinatown! Clarke Quay transforms alive with top notch bars and pubs playing live bands on the side walks, restaurants parading their fresh catch out on open ice tables and a colourful array of renovated prewar buildings turned tourist shops.

Dine on some of the islands freshest seafood, cooked to perfection by 5 star cooks. Jumbo Seafood is a good place to start and you can always skip from one restaurant to another till you find something you fancy. There are abundant restaurants in the vicinity. Finish the evening off with a nice romantic bottle of champagne at any of the many exclusive pubs at Clarke Quay.

DAY TWO

MUST RIDE one of the bumboats that regularly plys the Singapore River. The river tour is the best way to take snapshots, of both the facinating old and new Singapore. Along the way you will pass through 11 of Singapore's bridges, namely Robertson and Cavanagh bridge, pass towering skyscrappers of Raffles Place and the colourful shophouses of Boat Quay. There are a few operators running cruise services along the river, including the Singapore River Cruise.

Don't forget also to visit the Merlion near the Fullerton Hotel, Asian Civilisations Museum and the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall.
Cost: SGD$12, adult / SGD$6, child for half hour bumboat tours, and SGD$15 / SGD$8 for the 45 minute bumboat tour.

HISTORY
Head over to the Singapore Art Museum, which has a collection of over 7000 Singapore and Southeast Asian Modern and contemporary artworks. To date it is the custodian of the worlds largest public collection of modern and contemporary Southeast Asian art. The museum also houses significant pieces from regional artists like Affandi, Hendra Gunawan, Le Pho and Bui Xuan Phai. All of these works are stored in 18 exhibition galleries with full climate control. Visit the museums website for more info: www.museum.org.sg/sam
Admission is SGD$3 for adult / SGD$1.50 for child.

KOPI O TIME
Grab a cuppa of local brew and munch on some Signature Otah Otah Toast, Singapore's favourite tea time snack. Ok, we just made that up!

When food is a national obsession, its hard to pin point exactly what's favourite and what's not. But this combination is truly a yummy treat. A great place to do this is at any of the Toast Box coffee joints. Other specialties to try are the soft boiled eggs, Nasi Lemak, Laksa and not forgetting the rich local brew - Kopi O.

RIDE THE GREEN WAVES
Architecturaly astounding, is the Henderson Waves, Singapore's highest pedestrian bridge. This bridge connects Mt. Faber (one of Singapore's oldest parks) to Telok Blangah Hill Park and also Hortpark and Kent Ridge. This bridge literally twists and twirls pass surrounding vegetation blending in with the scenery. This place certainly gets 2 green thumbs up!

GO CRAZY WHILE THE NIGHT IS STILL YOUNG
Start off with the Ultimate Sling Shot ride, as you get catapulted 60 metres in the the air on the G-Max Reverse Bungy @ Clarke Quay (we strongly suggest, not to spend too much on dinner, since most of it is coming out). After having enough adrenaline rush, its time to hit the pubs.

With more than 5000 restaurants, 400bars and clubs, this city certainly packs a punch when it comes to having a good time. Head over to Clarke Quay where some of the most happening clubs/pubs are (Attica, The Pump Room and The Clinic are clubs to try). Other places to check out are: the restored convent of Chijmes, Mohammed Sultan Road, St. James Power station near Pasir Panjang and if you are looking for girly bars, check out Orchard Towers along Orchard Road.

An interview with the Singapore Sling

Having heard and tasted some of its many dilluted versions, we went on an escapade to hunt down the original. Finally catching up with this exclusive drink, we sat down for a chit chat:

Are you originally Singaporean?
Yes, i was perfected and born at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel, Singapore after many hours of hard labour. Mr Ngiam Tong Boon was the bartender responsible for me, sometime between 1910 and 1915.

Wow, does that make you feel old?
Never. I'm always fresh to have.

You are quite expensive compared to the rest of your friends, even for duty free. Care to ellaborate?
I'm only for sale at selected outlets, which makes me very rare to find. (Unless you are planning to DIY at home). With the varied ingredients needed to make me, I'd say my price is still far from being over priced.

A Singapore Sling @ Long Bar, Raffles Hotel costs ~ $ 25.90.
You can also get it at Clark Quay (near the Pump Room). There is a Singapore Sling specialty shop there. Also sold on Singapore Airlines, Kris Shop for $36 SGD for two 40ml glass bottles.

Singapore Sling Recipe:
1 1/2 oz Gin
1/2 oz Cherry Hering Brandy
1/4 oz Cointreau
1/4 ox Benedictine
4 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/3 oz Grenedine
A dash of Angostura bitters

Serve straight up without ice. Garnish with cherry or pineapple.
*Mixing the pineapple juice with orange juice, also tastes nice.

You are great company. Promise me you wont get me drunk when we go out drinking.
Hard to say. Most is, I'll get you pinkish. Unless you're not going to appreciate my company and start abusing me.
*alcohol content of a Singapore Sling is ~ 6.8%

Besides duty free, bars and clubs, is there any chance we will be able to meet again?
Yes, I'm a frequent flyer on all Singapore Airlines flights. Chances are, you will see me on any of it's flights. You won't have to pay for me up there. I'm free of charge.
*Singapore Slings are served on all Singapore Airline flights for free.

For more info browse >> Singapore Sling

High Quality DVD for 1USD!

Piracy is "second nature" here in Asia, especially in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Phillipines, Cambodia, Vietnam except maybe its harder in Singapore as the law enforcement there is much stricter there. This culture roots from the poor economic situation in Asia, where Asians hardly have enough money for entertainment, let alone buy original DVD/VCDs that are so expensive.(compared to fakes) This has thus caused them to search for other cheaper alternatives. Voila!

Pirate Dvd's and Cd's! Each Cd/ Dvd costs as low as 1 USD each, and you even get a discount if you buy 10 and above. Most of these Dvds and Cds have now reached such a sophisticated level that it is 99% as clear as the originals, complete with surround audio effects! So weather its Golodok in Jakarta, Silom in Bangkok or Petaling Street in KL, we have to face the facts that piracy is a deep rooted social-illness that needs serious addressing by the governments. These are just the wellknown places, and most of the time, this crime is so rampant with even a makeshift pushcart selling it outside your local 7-11 for your convenience. (24 hour convenience stall)

Theres a few MO's (modus operandi) nowadays that the dealers use, the most famous is the one where they will approach you with a small call card, small enough to be covered by the palm saying "DVD/CD" and if you say yes, he will lead you to his shop. The other one is to be handed a thin flip file with DVD/CD covers, from which you will choose the genre, and the guy will radio another guy, and within 5 minutes, your DVD/CD is delivered to you. Of course the one thats most uncommon now is where they display all their goods in the open (which risks getting caught).

We decided to check one of the "open" stalls out,(those that parade out the goods) and see the selection and also how they operate. No photos are allowed, Seriously! which really caused us alot of hassle to take these shots. Pretending to be tourists, i hung my camera ( a DSLR with a telescopic lens doesnt help) on my neck, and pretended to choose DVDs with the other tourists, while i snapped unsuspiciously trying to get a good shot. The only problem came when i was walking away and one of the guys at the shop argued that he heard "clicking" sound from my camera. Questioned me if i took shots. Well i pretended i was a japanese and didnt speak english. He let me go with a warning. Do take note that if they catch you, most likely your camera will be trashed and you will be lucky not to get kicked or beaten up. So dont try this at home!

8 Startling facts we found:

1. DVD/VCD/CD stalls are manned by a minimum of 2 persons.
2. Their getaway vehicle is a real shitty car! (so if the police do catch and compound the car, its no problem)
3. Theres a great selection of DVDs and CDs!With the latest seasons of tv series shows!
4. When the cops come, their clearing up plus running away time is clocked at under 3 minutes!
5. The Illegal "goods" are wrapped in black plastic bags to avoid detection. (But it really creates a stereotype that all Illegal DVDs and Cds must come in black plastic bags!
6. DVD qualities now, play crystal clear on normal DVD/VCD players
7. Pirated discs play on all cheap players but not on all expensive (branded) players.
8. To pass time, the vendors play chess and some bring their girlfriends along to keep them company. (most abusively ask the girlfriends to check on stock and give them a massage!)

Beware. The government in Malaysia is now tired of catching the vendors and are now after the customers. Its said, that police has been seen stopping vehicles and confisicating the pirated goods from the car, and even conducting random spot checks in the houses. So if you are a loyal supporter of Pirated DvDs and Cds, do take note of this, as if they do catch you, you will be slapped with a heavy fine. So like what the government says" Buy only originals" but if you are stubborn, just make sure you dont get caught.

Pinang Peranakan Mansion Penang

You would learn along the way that Penang is one tough cookie, when it comes to deciding which Heritage building worth visiting if you are in a time constraint, and especially when Penang Tourism Board lists everything and anything that looks old in the heritage "to see"map! 

A only a few of these Heritage Buildings would give you a full run for your money/time (surf our more to see page).

The apple green mansion or The Peranakan Mansion as listed in most tourism maps, gives a complete and satisfying tour of the well restored Peranakan or Baba and Nyonya mansion. Former home to Kapitan Chung Keng Kwee, the Kapitan was infamously known as the head honcho of the secret society called the Hai San Kongsi (Hai San - Sea Mountain). The mansion restored to its former"heyday", displays one of the best things about this mansion, which is each room has a single theme to show you every aspect surrounding the Baba and Nyonyas life.

For opening times and location, check out the heritage 101 page.

Best of Georgetown under RM40

Join me as I rip apart inner Georgetown of its heritage treasures, nibble at some of its hawker delights, jump in to a Wesak Procession, and finally relax with a cup of hot ginger teh tarik.

Penang, obnoxiously famous for its good food. Tasted, judged and scrutinized by Penangites who seem to have super taste buds for only accepting the best food especially hawkers food. Having burnt up the "chicken roll" served last night on my flight to Penang. I decided to check out the "best roti canai" in town along transfer road. (Roti canai is a type of slightly fried bread, served with a selection of curry and meat). The specialty here is, the roti's are fried longer in oil, making the outside crispy yet the inside soft and chewy. The other thing here is the spicy mutton and beef curry. Mouth burning spicy and I was half drenched with sweat. But as they say in Asia, "if you ain’t sweating, you ain’t eating!"
Money spent: A serving of 2 roti’s, a piece of mutton and a nice strong cup of local coffee to smoothen it all down for only RM 4.30. If you are travelling within the inner city of Georgetown, take advantage of the free shuttle service operated by Rapid Penang. It bears the “Hop On Free”. Central Area Transit Sign on the bus.

Ringgg! Next stop - Penang Museum! I decided to visit the State Museum to give me a general feel of what i was going to be up against later. For RM 1, the museum was air conditioned, and gave a detailed walk thru of the history of Penang, its rich culture and harmonious mix of all races. It was certainly a bang for my buck! Or should I say Ringgit.
Money spent: A detailed walk through the historical museum was air conditioned for RM1.

Coming out of the museum, I decided to do a walk thru of what Penang's downtown had to offer. Church Of Assumption- The oldest Anglican Church in the country was on the right. (From the museum - to get to Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, just turn left and walk about 400m) Further down, on the right was Kuan Yin Teng, (Goddess of Mercy Temple). This temple of Taoist background had incense spewing out from its ornate windows. Brightly colored handcrafted joss sticks stood outside-offerings to the gods in the heavens. Built in the 19th century this temple comes to life on Kuan Yin's birthday with Chinese theatric shows playing outside, and is the best time to visit this temple.

Oh and i saw this really long queue of people waiting for free food. Meals on Wheels by the Hare Krina group gives out free food to the needy. My tummy being needy and me being on a budget, joined in the queue. And no, I’m not pathetic, taking food from the needy! I was just hungry! Food comes with simple 2-3 dishes and rice. Yummz!

I just stood outside snapping some shots of Kapitan Keling Mosque which was just down the road on the left. Like all places of worship, proper dressing is required if you want to enter. To the left, the pumping Bollywood music and fragrant concoction of spice and flowers seemed too lively to ignore. Welcome to Penang's Little India. The mix of pushcarts selling Indian sweets, samosa's, and stalls selling an array of brightly coloured sari's (traditional dress for women), spices line the entire area. Magnificent temples dot little India, adding to its rich culture. Don’t forget to try the yummy Indian samosas! Select from egg, mutton, chicken or potatoes for RM 1 a pop.
Money spent: Yummy Indian samosas! Select from egg, mutton, chicken or potatoes for RM 1 a pop.

Walking thru Queens Street, the towering gopuram of Sri Maha Mariamman Temple seemed to reach for the heavens. I was lucky that the temple was still opened. Temple's normal opening times are 8am-12pm, 4pm-9pm. Rushing in, I not only managed to grab a shot of the main shrine but also a short blessing from the Sami (abode of the temple) there. The temple is not only the oldest Indian temple in Penang but also houses the priceless statue of Lord Subramaniam showered with gold, silver, diamonds, emeralds and semi precious gems. The statue figures prominently in the annual Thaipusam festival when it is borne on a silver chariot though the city streets to the temple.

Pulling out from Queens Street, directly opposite is the Teochew temple (or known as Han Jiang Ancestral Temple). An interesting fact is, the Han Jiang Ancestral Temple has the tallest main door among the Chinese temples in Penang. The door guardians stand at 4.1 meters tall. The significance of each feature of this temple is elaborately explained on the wall posters in the temple. Turning to the left from the temple, and on to the junction of Kapitan Keling Mosque. (marked by the cobbled stone road) I hailed a free shuttle bus and took it to the Fort Cornwallis Stop. Getting off, I walked in to the opposite road (Penang Street) until I reached the second junction (Church Street). Turning left, there is a lime green mansion with big gold coloured doors and windows on the left. This is the Pinang Peranakan Mansion. (Why the hassle of walking all the way here, and paying RM 10 for entry, you might ask).
Answer: A detailed, worthwhile, guided tour- A to Z introduction to the Baba and Nyonya
Money spent: RM10 (entrance and guided tour).

Once home to Kapitan Chung Keng Kwee - a wealthy Baba, this home is the perfect example of a rich Baba and Nyonya family's life, that incorporates both its original Peranakan culture and western influences. Its building structure is 95% similar to the heritage buildings along Armenian Street (namely its handcrafted doors, high ceilings and air wells to cool the house). The mansion was huge and every nook was filled with cultural and historic wealth that was explained elaborately by my guide. RM 10 well spent. Take note, the Mansion opens from Monday to Saturday 9am-5pm.

Getting out from the mansion, I grabbed a bus ( all busses head to Komtar) and headed to Komtar - the tallest building on the island. It used to be a hip and happening spot to shop and hang out, but now with its run down shape, its upper floors are only in use as governmental offices.

From Komtar, grab a Rapid Penang bus number 101 to Burma Lane. Head over to either Wat Chayamangkalaram or Dharmikarama Temple.

Checking my watch, it was 6pm. I still had time to grab a quick dinner before the Wesak Celebration. (Wesak is celebrated by Buddhists worldwide, to mark 3 significant events of Lord Buddha, which is The Birth, Enlightenment and Passing Away of Lord Buddha)

I spotted some hawker stalls around the corner (Pulau Tikus market). Spoilt for choice as usual, I decided on some fried noodles and iced barley.
Money spent: Seafood Char Koay Teow at RM3.50, Iced Barley for RM1

6.30pm, and the streets were already filling up fast. I made my way into Wat Chaya Mangkalaram, which housed the apparent 3rd longest reclining Buddha in the world. I’m not sure if it was the thousands of oil lamps illuminating the shrine, the hundreds of people in solemn prayer or was it just Wesak! I felt a sense of holiness and calm. A feeling, I could not explain in writing. All I can say was I felt good.

Squeezing in a position was real sweaty. A tip, is to smile and say Sadhu! three times (which meant like a greeting among Buddhists), which evidently landed me on a strategic spot under the street light with Dharmikarama Temple as the background. I stood there waiting for the procession to start. At 7.10pm, one by one the brightly coloured floats accompanied by an army of flag waving devotees marched in front of the temple, stopped to pay respects and continued enroute to the next temple. Happy with my snap shots of the procession, I decided to join in the walk. I weaved in precision avoiding the wave of photographers, passersby and devotees to secure a spot behind a bunch of singing children carrying lotus candles in their hand. The golden words - Mahindarama Buddhist Temple, was ensigned on the banner of the troupe I joined. Fragrant floral water was sprayed around, and bits of flowers were showered on to devotees as they passed the floats for blessings. The happiness and cheerfulness of the devotees was contagious. It seemed to radiate out to the crowds which joined in the sing-along and were certainly smiling from ear to ear. At Island Hospital, I decided to jump out and experience a different side of Georgetown - Upper Penang Road, famous for its night life and happening pubs. I walked out from the jammed roads on to Macallister Road, jumped on the bus, and was on my way to Upper Penang Road.

The booming beats from the nearby clubs marked the finale of my Amazing race Penang. Clocking in at 9.10pm, I was already claiming my prize, a hot cup of ginger teh tarik (tea with condensed milk, pulled with two cups till it’s creamy and frothy, RM 1.20). I sat down admiring my shots I took on my DSLR, smiling at each event of the day. I made it! I managed to get a glimpse of Downtown Georgetown’s Best in under RM 40 (RM 36.50 to be exact), with the Wesak procession thrown in as an added bonus.
Money spent: My hot tea RM 1.20

Wesak Day

Happy Wesak! Buddhist's around the globe celebrate this auspicious day which symbolizes the Birth, Enlightenment and Passing of Gautama Buddha.

The exact date varies according to various lunar calendars. In Theravada Buddhism (one of the main groups of Buddhism), which follows a Buddhist calendar, Wesak falls on the Full moon Uposatha Day (5th , 6th Lunar Month). During this time, temples are extensively decorated and on the eve of Vesak, devotees will visit temples to pay their respect to Lord Buddha offering flowers, incense and candles.

Devotees will amass to listen to dharma talks (Buddhist sermons) by the monks and participate in Chanting sessions. Together they will chant sacred verses from the tipitaka (Buddhist texts) and one of the chants is the Dhamachakrapada that signifies "turning of the wheel", which is the first sermon delivered by Lord Buddha.

Devout devotees will meditate, throughout the night, as they believe the spiritual energy on this night is strong, just as Lord Buddha gained enlightenment around the same time. Buddhists will try to uphold the minimum 5 precepts during this time as well.

On Vesak morning, devotees throng the temples for prayers. There’s also fun fairs held at certain temples to make the celebrations more joyous.

Towards the evening, it is a night of processions. Hundreds of devotees, some dressed in uniforms from various temples and associations will march the streets of Penang. Accompanied by dozens of colourful and floral floats some motorized and some pulled the entire journey by devotees using rope, the Vesak parade comes to life with Buddhist hymns playing out, monks giving mass blessings, and where everyone is simply having a fun time to meet and gather.

You can join in the parade, by just finding a spot anywhere along the procession. Crowd gathers around 6-7pm at Chinese Recreation Club field Penang.

Welcome Aboard Thai Airways - Royal Orchid Service at its best

Flight TG 236 - from Hadyai bound for Bangkok
Soft purple carpet with yellow, red and blue polka dots blankets the gangway. A warm smile, a gentle salute with palms folded and a friendly "Sawadee Ka" greets each passenger. This is the true Thai experience. The gentle melodic thai tunes and the additional space of the Airbus proved useful, as it seemed to coax the passengers into their seats with less hassle.

The Airbus A300-600 with a 2, 4, 2 seating formation was used on this flight. Two thumbs up for the quality of service and eight hands up for the beautiful and presentable air stewards and stewardess alike. 8 mins into take off, the cabin crew was swift in handling out the tiny colorful boxes of light frills. Comes with a small slab of chocolate marble cake that was semi dry, a pre-pack of orange juice, and a selection of "cafe" or tea. A fresh brew must be ready. The smell of fresh coffee was permeating thru the cabin.One whiff of it was sensually stimulating. It was certainly an experience i would want to come back to. Kudos to Thai Airways, keep up the good work.

Return flight on Thai Airways - To all you alchoholics, yes they do serve wine on International Flights! Enjoy.

Public transport

Moto-sike, tuk tuk, jeepney, sawngthaew, bemo, "langchia" - the familiar names for local transport around South East Asia. Notoriously the fastest way, through brainless traffic,and definately not the safest. Most of them are noisy (due to the extra turbo they illegally installed, or the crowing chicken the farmer is taking to the market), bumpy and jam packed with people hopping on and off the ride.

There isnt a designated stop, and to get on or off, simply shout or wave to attract the drivers attention. Some of the sawngthaew's, and jeepneys have bells which makes getting off easier. These local transports are mostly shared taxis, to cut costs. However you can still charter them for a price. And like everything else in Asia, remember to get the fare first.

Extra precautions needed when travelling alone or at night.

Sanctums of the isle

Penang Island: a harmonious mix of religion and culture, all squeezed into a tiny island.

From the city's skyline, Churches, Temples and Mosques can be seen just a stone throw away from each other. The key to this harmony is respect, respect for each others religion and beliefs.

Moghul-styled domes, crescents and stars bathed in sunlight, as the sun sets creating a picturesque view of the Kapitan Keling Mosque. Envisioned by Cauder Mydin Merican, the Kapitan of the indian muslim community in Penang, this mosque was built in the 1800's. This mosque is one of the few mosques used for prayers five times a day, seven days a week.
Visiting hours: 1pm-5pm (Sat to Thursday) & 3pm to 5pm (Friday).
Admission is free. Proper dressing: shirts and long pants required.

Amazing Dravidian architecture with three dimensional deities, sacred creatures and mythical beings guard these sacred temples 24/7 with magical weapons. Most of these temples were built by the South Indians particularly Tamils, from contributions of the early community seeking spiritual refuge and protection in the new foreign land. Hindu's believe in different manifestations of their gods, and usually temples you see are dedicated to a primary deity along with associated subordinate deities though some commemorate multiple deities. Visiting temples is not obligatory, and most Hindus visit temples for blessings or only during religious festivals.
Most temples open from 8am to 12pm, and 4pm to 9pm. Admission is free.

St George's Church is the oldest Anglican Church in South East Asia.
The church was designed in the Georgian Palladian style - that's a combination of the Georgian style, named after the reigns of King George I and IV, 1714-1830; and the Palladian style, named after the Grecian architecture of a Roman called Palladius.
Services are held every Sunday 8.30am & 10.30am. Admission is free.

Golden stupas, Buddha statues and celestial deities carved in intricate wood and masonry ornate the these temple structures. Buddhist temples are easily identified with a stupa (dome like structure) or a buddha statue erected around it. Temples are used as meditation grounds, a place to listen to dharma talks (teachings of the Buddha), and also to perform various meritorious deeds like alms giving. Buddha Statues are venerated in these holy shrines. It's often to bump into meditators deep in concentration, some overwhelmed by peace others by drowsiness. While you are here, might as well get some blessing from the monks.
Dharmikarama Temple Penang is open from 6am-10pm daily. Admission is free.

Sonkran 2009 Bangkok - Wild wild wet

Entire Silom Rd was jammed by thousands of revellers!

With the red shirt-anti government protesters out battling skirmishes with the military over the last few days and the abrupt cancelation of Sonkran by the government,it was like the streets were going to be empty over the week. Surprisingly it was a whole different picture all together. After the state of emergency was cancelled and thursday and friday being issued a public holiday by the government, it was as if the whole of Siam was out to party. Silom was ground zero, where street battles were fought but this time the crowd was armed with m16 water guns, water boms and pails filled with wheat powder to shampoo from the next door saloon.

Traffic was at a stand still last nite, with cars and trucks modified as mobile boom boxes.Laser lights streaked out of these disco trucks with scores of crowds exchanging water blasters, water bombs been thrown from tops of LRT-BTS stations bombarding the helpless crowd below.

7-11's along the street were flooded with water, powder and crowds trying to escape the ongoing water battles outside. Packets of powder are sold at THB 10, and cold water for THB 15. Cold water was exceptionaly a useful weapon to send chills and shreiks down your opponent. I used cold beer. Patpong was just crazy. Ladyboys happily street dancing with bitchy swimming costumes as towering 6feet speakers blasted out loud booming thai songs. Mobile bands - bands playing on makeshift platforms atop moving trucks, drove the crowds nuts.Main Silom Street normally famous for its night shopping seemed to be only selling 3 things the crowd needed most. Water, food, and slippers.

With the amount of lost flip flops and shoes on the road,we would make a living collecting them.

Other places to go for Songkran includes Khao San Road in Bangkok, Hatyai, Chiang Mai and walking street in Pattaya.

So arm your self with a pail and plenty of water and embrace yourself for a wet and wild new year.

Suggestive armory

1. Plastic bag tied up with your valuables inside.
2. Water blaster with enough water and blasting distance (or if your cheap as us, a big big bucket will do)
3. Goggles or light coloured sunnies to protect those 2 dear eyes of yours from powder attack

 

Go go gigolo's

One night in Bangkok - satisfying every man, woman and bisexuals needs.

The strip of bars and massage centers along Patpong, Bangkok is split into two sides, where its girls to the right, gays and men to the left and those who dont want anything can go back home. Pushy "papasans" and "mamasans" desprately shoving coloured pictures of naked women and men at you, trying to get you into their neon lit clubs. "Come come nice lady, men, guarantee good!". Musky scent of sweat, sex and cheap perfume permeates through the air conditioned air as you enter. Chest height podiums with skimpy girls/or boys flaunting nothing less more than g string's gyrating to local beats.Welcome to the land of a gogo girls, and dream boys of Thailand!

The sex and dance scene here caters to both local and international crowds seeking either entertainment, companionship or to quench their thirst for sex.

I decided to go in and do a little expose on the whole sex scene.Eyes were fixed like spotlights on me the moment i entered. Like a magnet, 3 girls clung hard on me persuading me to buy them drinks. I could have swore one grabbed my private part, and another trying to climb up my back. (Yes, you get the same amount of attention at the boy clubs). After a few drinks and about 3 rounds of telling them i didnt want a girl, the "mamasan" explained that,most Asian girls prefer tall muscular men, and that mostly their customers are Thai, Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Americans. From my point of view, any tom dick and harry with money to spend, will be treated like kings.

In a conversation with them, the "sex workers" believe that men and women should have equal rights to seek companionship. To them, these one night stands allows their customers to seek companionship, affection and sexual satifaction minus the relationship complications. In wake of the rampant cases of HIV in Thailand,we questioned them about it, and the reply we got was that most of the "sex workers" here get tested for STD often- but how often, i dont know.

They earn their money when the customers, buy them drinks, where a certain commission is given to them. For example a ladies drink costs about THB 300, and which THB 100 goes to them. If you do purchase a basket of ping pong balls to throw at the ladies, you'd want to know that each ball they catch brings them money too. Normally you would need to pay a bar charge, THB 500 to bring the lady/man out, and what you pay after depends on you and the lady / man.

The growing number of "sex workers" especially in their teens, is alarming and the number keeps increasing due to the recent economic situation. Many people flock Thailand to indulge in this unhealthy lifestyle mainly because of the openess and cheap price they pay.Taking them back to the hotel costs THB 1000 and above. "Its a bang for your baht", some say. We say: "Wander with care and what ever it is, safety first!"