These pictures are from earlier this year when Lio's mom, Marie-Claire came to visit in July! :-) (I know, I know... these are super late!) These are just the one's from KL... I'll post the Cambodia ones soon! We loved having her here! Enjoy!
Monday, December 6, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Northbound to Georgetown (Penang that is...)
Here is a slideshow of our latest vacation... Lio and I took a long weekend and drove north to the island of Georgetown about 3.5 hours away from KL. We had a great time! Enjoy! ;-)
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Redshirts, Temples and Cabbages - A Weekend in Bangkok
A little over a month ago Lio and I headed to Bangkok, Thailand to celebrate our 1st year wedding anniversary. Lio is such a wonderful husband and surprised me a week before with flowers, plane tickets and hotel reservations! (shameless plug...) ;-)
You might say... hmmmm, Bangkok? Isn't that where those people wearing red have been protesting? Yes, the first confrontation and deaths between the red shirts and the army happened the weekend right after Lio bought the tickets (the weekend before we were going to be there)... so we took a chance going, but judging from CNN and their constant coverage, the tensions had seemed to ease a bit during the week after the chaos. So off we went!
We stayed in the heart of the shopping district that was unfortunately shut down due to the protesters. We actually had a really hard time getting a taxi from the airport to even take us near the hotel... the street it was on was within in area that the protesters had closed off. S o we finally convinced a cabbie to take us (after he commandeered my phone and talked to the hotel staff for 10 mins) and one of the hotel staff picked us up on a non-closed down street and walked us through a little alleyway to the hotel.
Alley between the hotel and non-closed street.
Overall the tensions weren't too high... here are a couple of pictures from the taxi ride and the skytrain above the roadblock:
Note all the cars parked on the left side of the road... they all have a bit of red on them. The protesters were using them to block traffic.
The protesters were waving and cheesing for the camera -- Only in Thailand!! I can't imagine any other country's protesters smiling and waving as foreigners snap pictures of them!
I really hope they resolve all of their political issues soon... it's a great place to visit. I wish we had another couple of days to explore the city!
Have I mentioned that the food there is incredible?!?! One of the fun (and albeit touristy) restaurants that we went to was Cabbages and Condoms. It was set up by a Thai philanthroper focusing on sex education. So the whole place is covered in condom paraphernalia and they even have mannequins 'dressed' in condoms. And the food was actually really good!!
Lio's favorite... the sign says 'Just do it Tiger'
Lio being a good Lafarge employee. (Notice the inappropriate stick figures on the sign...)
We also stopped by the Night Bazaar... you wouldn't believe how big this market was! We were actually quite excited to see that along with the blocks and blocks of shops they also had 50 different food stalls in a beer garden like area with a retractable roof.
I have to confess my love for Thai green papaya salad... it is my new obsession... fresh, spicy and crunchy - YUM!
Here are a few more pictures of our trip... including taking a ferry on the river, visiting the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, swinging by Chinatown for lunch and making our way over to the Weekend Market (Jatujuk or JJ Market).
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Best Sisters Ever!
Happy 20th Birthday to Cari and Christi -- the best sisters ever! ;-)I know this is a little belated (ok, in Jan!)... but since I put up a post for Doug's birthday -- I wanted to make sure that you got your beautiful faces on the blog!! Love you and Miss you!!
Best Brother Ever!
Happy 21st Birthday to Douglas, my favorite and only brother!! I hope you had a great day!! Love you & Miss you!! Wish Lio and I could be there to celebrate! Your sister, Rachael & Your brother-in-law, Lionel ;-) haha
Monday, March 15, 2010
New Favorite Magazine!
So I just wanted to say that my new favorite magazine is Lonny! (ok, my fav home/lifestyle mag, I can't leave out Real Simple, Martha, Bon Appetit, Elle, W, and all the others!)
I mourned the loss of Domino (thanks you Em for turning me on to it!) and now have just found this one thanks to a blog called Nola West and In(side) the Loop! PS --They are wonderful blogs... you have to check them out!
So Lonny is a mag that is part interior design, lifestyle and overall wonderful!! Though it is an online mag -- which requires reading it online -- but means you don't have to pay for it! (though I would if they were printed!) Enjoy!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
In A Trance - Thaipusam
So if you read below (which is the initial posting), I run through what Thaipusam is all about but don't really get into what Lio and I loved about it and what we experienced... so I'm adding that part in another color! (this color actually!)
A couple of months ago, Lio and I had the chance to experience the Indian Hindu festival of Thaipusam at the Batu Caves. Malaysia happens to have one of the largest places outside of India that Hindus make pilgrimage to during the 3 day festival. Just a little background... the Batu Caves is a limestone outcrop with a series of caves, where the largest is a Hindu temple to Lord Muruga. It is located about 30 minutes outside of Kuala Lumpur.
To be honest, I was just so happy to have Lio home and to be able to share these memories with him... Many of the things that I do here, I do by myself or with my friends since Lio is off travelling for work most of the time.
Man climbing the stairs with milk pot and a piercing through both cheeks.
View of Batu Caves
During Thaipusam the pilgrims perform rituals for penance and thanksgiving to Lord Muruga. The rituals take place up to a week before and during the event. Over the course of the event around 1 million people come to take part and/or witness the rituals.
The people taking part in the rituals start at the river (Sungei Batu) to pray and wash themselves. They then make the procession to the Batu Caves where then they will climb the 272 steps leading to the temple for Lord Muruga.
Down by the river... (insert Chris Farley voice here!)
The penance for children is usually to shave their heads and put white powder which, from my research, can be either burnt cow dung or made from dried turmeric and lime. The children then will usually carry a ‘Pal Kudem’ or a milk pot up the steps to the shrine.
I wish I would have worn an orange or yellow sari!! All the women looked so beaultiful with their ornate gold jewerly and flowers in their hair! (They make saris here in KL -- I've vowed to get at least one made before we leave!)
The penance for men includes also shaving their heads and beards but they can either carry a milk pot or they can also carry a 'kavadis' which is an ornate frame supported by metal spikes and hooks inserted into their bodies.
YES -- Piercings... crazy!
The hooks and spikes are inserted while the person is in a semi-trance state and there is no blood let from the piercing... the men will also usually fast the week before performing the penance. They will then make the procession with a group of people drumming and chanting -- I'm sure to cheer him on! (See video at the bottom! -- Thanks Mom and Dad for the Flip!)
I forgot to mention this before... while the pilgrims are doing the procession, most of the ones carrying the kavadis are still in a trance! It's actually kind of unnerving -- they weave around taking shaky steps and make their helpers (they all have helpers that give them water, etc.) catch them and put them back on the right path towards the temple. While some others dance around and let their eyes roll back into their heads while sticking out their tongue that is stained blood red.
But after seeing it a couple of times it wasn't so weird and everyone else seemed fine with it... so I'm sure it was just me being a Westerner! :-) Also, you could hear the sound of bells with every step they took... some had them attached to their ankles and some were all over their backs in the form of piercings. So you knew when they were coming! :-)
The flower wreath I am wearing is also a kavadis that many wear to give as an offering at the temple -- you can see many of the people wearing them in other pictures.
The colors were so rich and vibrant, I couldn't help myself and bought one to decorate the house for the next week. It was a wonderful reminder of what a unique experience it really was!
A couple of months ago, Lio and I had the chance to experience the Indian Hindu festival of Thaipusam at the Batu Caves. Malaysia happens to have one of the largest places outside of India that Hindus make pilgrimage to during the 3 day festival. Just a little background... the Batu Caves is a limestone outcrop with a series of caves, where the largest is a Hindu temple to Lord Muruga. It is located about 30 minutes outside of Kuala Lumpur.
To be honest, I was just so happy to have Lio home and to be able to share these memories with him... Many of the things that I do here, I do by myself or with my friends since Lio is off travelling for work most of the time.
Man climbing the stairs with milk pot and a piercing through both cheeks.
View of Batu Caves
During Thaipusam the pilgrims perform rituals for penance and thanksgiving to Lord Muruga. The rituals take place up to a week before and during the event. Over the course of the event around 1 million people come to take part and/or witness the rituals.
The people taking part in the rituals start at the river (Sungei Batu) to pray and wash themselves. They then make the procession to the Batu Caves where then they will climb the 272 steps leading to the temple for Lord Muruga.
Down by the river... (insert Chris Farley voice here!)
The penance for children is usually to shave their heads and put white powder which, from my research, can be either burnt cow dung or made from dried turmeric and lime. The children then will usually carry a ‘Pal Kudem’ or a milk pot up the steps to the shrine.
I wish I would have worn an orange or yellow sari!! All the women looked so beaultiful with their ornate gold jewerly and flowers in their hair! (They make saris here in KL -- I've vowed to get at least one made before we leave!)
The penance for men includes also shaving their heads and beards but they can either carry a milk pot or they can also carry a 'kavadis' which is an ornate frame supported by metal spikes and hooks inserted into their bodies.
YES -- Piercings... crazy!
The hooks and spikes are inserted while the person is in a semi-trance state and there is no blood let from the piercing... the men will also usually fast the week before performing the penance. They will then make the procession with a group of people drumming and chanting -- I'm sure to cheer him on! (See video at the bottom! -- Thanks Mom and Dad for the Flip!)
I forgot to mention this before... while the pilgrims are doing the procession, most of the ones carrying the kavadis are still in a trance! It's actually kind of unnerving -- they weave around taking shaky steps and make their helpers (they all have helpers that give them water, etc.) catch them and put them back on the right path towards the temple. While some others dance around and let their eyes roll back into their heads while sticking out their tongue that is stained blood red.
But after seeing it a couple of times it wasn't so weird and everyone else seemed fine with it... so I'm sure it was just me being a Westerner! :-) Also, you could hear the sound of bells with every step they took... some had them attached to their ankles and some were all over their backs in the form of piercings. So you knew when they were coming! :-)
The flower wreath I am wearing is also a kavadis that many wear to give as an offering at the temple -- you can see many of the people wearing them in other pictures.
The colors were so rich and vibrant, I couldn't help myself and bought one to decorate the house for the next week. It was a wonderful reminder of what a unique experience it really was!
**The procession is actually quite interesting because in order to get from the river to the caves, they have to walk up a cloverleaf on a raised highway. Gotta love Malaysia blocking their original route by putting a highway there. (see video above taken on the overpass)**
Click on any of the pictures to see more on our Picasa web album.
Batu Caves - Gombak district, Selangor, Malaysia (13km north of KL)
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
A Hop, Skip and A Jump to Vietnam
Recently, Lio and I had the chance to visit Vietnam for the weekend. The city is a fast paced one with more motor scooters than cars and where crossing the street involves trusting the scooters not to hit you as you walk through the sea of moving bikes. (just don't make eye contact and keep moving once you get out there!) Here is a good example...
As you can see, the city was decorated for Tet (or the Vietnamese version of Chinese New Year) and at night it was beautiful to see all of the red, yellow and gold lanterns and lights decorating the city.
We had a couple of favorite things we discovered while we were there...
The first being the iced Vietnamese coffee (ca phe sua da) which is served using an individual coffee press over a cup with a little condensed milk at the bottom. Once the coffee has seeped through the device (which takes about 5 to 10 minutes -- a long time, but so worth it!) you stir the coffee and milk together and pour over ice. It's a nice reprieve after dodging scooters all morning and listening to the constant din made by the cars and motor bikes alike with their habitual honking. It is also always served with jasmine tea, I assume to give you something a little bit less rich to sip on!
And our second favorite thing being the Pho Bo, which is a hot rice noodle soup with thinly sliced beef. Like many Vietnamese dishes it is served with basil, lime, bean sprouts and peppers on the side to use as you like. So our first night in the city we headed out to a well-recommended restaurant called Quan An Ngon to try the Pho Bo and some other 'must try' Vietnamese dishes. Out of the 4 dishes we initially ordered from their 25-page menu -- they were out of 3! We had a great dinner anyways and now know for next time to come early (not at 7pm) to make sure to get first choice of all their yummy treats!
Quan An Ngon - The food stalls that line the outside of the restaurant.
I have to share another wonderful experience... we were directed to (of all places!) an obscure Japanese restaurant called Banh Xeo Nhat Ban by one of Lio's colleagues who lived in the city for a few years. It doesn't look like much at all... a small little place with two tables and a hibachi type grill surrounded by stools -- but it was wonderful!! We had dumplings, steak and something else I can only show you a picture of because I can't remember what it was called...
mmmmm.... everything is so much better with bacon!
During the day on Saturday we walked a ton and explored the city's monuments, markets and backstreets. (see the highlights below!) Though we didn't get to visit any other part of the country, we are looking forward to visiting a more relaxing Hanoi and Hoi An (along the east coast) while we are still here in Asia. :-)
Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral, 17 Le Duan Boulevard, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Reunification Palace, 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
A little French architecture showing through the asian facade, reminding me a bit of New Orleans.
Quan An Ngon - A restaurant consisting of many different hawker stalls brought in from the street, 160 Pasteur or 138 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia , District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Pho 24, located all over the Vietnam
Banh Xeo Nhat Ban, Japanese Restaurant, 15 B-11 Le Thanh Ton, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
As you can see, the city was decorated for Tet (or the Vietnamese version of Chinese New Year) and at night it was beautiful to see all of the red, yellow and gold lanterns and lights decorating the city.
We had a couple of favorite things we discovered while we were there...
The first being the iced Vietnamese coffee (ca phe sua da) which is served using an individual coffee press over a cup with a little condensed milk at the bottom. Once the coffee has seeped through the device (which takes about 5 to 10 minutes -- a long time, but so worth it!) you stir the coffee and milk together and pour over ice. It's a nice reprieve after dodging scooters all morning and listening to the constant din made by the cars and motor bikes alike with their habitual honking. It is also always served with jasmine tea, I assume to give you something a little bit less rich to sip on!
And our second favorite thing being the Pho Bo, which is a hot rice noodle soup with thinly sliced beef. Like many Vietnamese dishes it is served with basil, lime, bean sprouts and peppers on the side to use as you like. So our first night in the city we headed out to a well-recommended restaurant called Quan An Ngon to try the Pho Bo and some other 'must try' Vietnamese dishes. Out of the 4 dishes we initially ordered from their 25-page menu -- they were out of 3! We had a great dinner anyways and now know for next time to come early (not at 7pm) to make sure to get first choice of all their yummy treats!
Quan An Ngon - The food stalls that line the outside of the restaurant.
I have to share another wonderful experience... we were directed to (of all places!) an obscure Japanese restaurant called Banh Xeo Nhat Ban by one of Lio's colleagues who lived in the city for a few years. It doesn't look like much at all... a small little place with two tables and a hibachi type grill surrounded by stools -- but it was wonderful!! We had dumplings, steak and something else I can only show you a picture of because I can't remember what it was called...
mmmmm.... everything is so much better with bacon!
During the day on Saturday we walked a ton and explored the city's monuments, markets and backstreets. (see the highlights below!) Though we didn't get to visit any other part of the country, we are looking forward to visiting a more relaxing Hanoi and Hoi An (along the east coast) while we are still here in Asia. :-)
Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral, 17 Le Duan Boulevard, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Reunification Palace, 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
A little French architecture showing through the asian facade, reminding me a bit of New Orleans.
Quan An Ngon - A restaurant consisting of many different hawker stalls brought in from the street, 160 Pasteur or 138 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia , District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Pho 24, located all over the Vietnam
Banh Xeo Nhat Ban, Japanese Restaurant, 15 B-11 Le Thanh Ton, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Getting Back Into the Swing...
So I am kicking myself for letting the blog go so long without a post!
I have so many fun pictures and stories to share... being back in the U.S. for the Christmas holidays, the many festivals that they have celebrated in the last couple of months here in Malaysia and some fun tidbits along the way! Stay posted! (pun intended!)
I have so many fun pictures and stories to share... being back in the U.S. for the Christmas holidays, the many festivals that they have celebrated in the last couple of months here in Malaysia and some fun tidbits along the way! Stay posted! (pun intended!)
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