Air Itam Dam, Penang, Malaysia

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A beautiful water reserve, at Air Itam in Penang.

The small island of Penang that lies on the northwest coast of the Peninsula of Malaysia, is best explored on scooters or by car. These modes of transport are readily available at the airport or booking arrangements can also be made via some hotels when you get there.

Traffic in Penang is languid and very much kampong or ‘village’ style where modern roads are their markings are there as a suggestion rather than a rule. I’ve witnessed motorcycles ride against the main flow of traffic on expressways, and cars carrying along merrily despite a red stop light. What was more amazing was that everybody expected it and no accidents occurred. Continue reading “Air Itam Dam, Penang, Malaysia” →

Christmas tranquil in Gothenburg, Sweden

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In the middle of the city of Gothenburg, which was once a fortress, you’ll find the quiet waters of the old harbour, casting a scenic glow through the city.

Almost every year, the local Swedish newspapers report how Swedes feel absolutely stressed during the year-end festive season. But for someone who’s just back from the all too humid bustle of Southeast-Asia, I couldn’t help but feel an inner serenity when looking at the dim twilight glow of the Gothenburg sky coupled with the chilly breeze of the winter air in the northern hemisphere. Continue reading “Christmas tranquil in Gothenburg, Sweden” →

Kuriya Japanese restaurant, Singapore

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The dramatic entrance to Kuriya, an established Japanese restaurant at Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Road, #B1-06/07, Singapore.

It was unexpected that we ended up at Kuriya at Raffles City shopping centre (located next to Raffles Hotel in Singapore), since I had in mind something local food and a more casual setting for a Friday evening dinner with some girl friends.

As with most group meetings, a designated time and meeting place were chosen. But after having decided upon a time and place, in keeping with the Singapore tradition of meeting-up, nobody turned up on time, or at the designated meeting place. A quick call via the mobile phone, and I found the others happily shopping in the mall, as was I. We mapped ourselves terrestrially within the mall in an instant, and they found me a few minutes later, in the Aldo shoe store browsing for a festively sexy stiletto. Continue reading “Kuriya Japanese restaurant, Singapore” →

PS Café along Harding Road, Singapore

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About to bite into a chocolate fudge cake at PS Café.

One of the coziest spots in Singapore to have a languid Sunday brunch is at PS Café, situated along Harding Road. The café is not difficult to find if you’re familiar with the cluster of eateries that mushroomed amidst the tropical rainforest at Dempsey Road, including Samy’s Curry.

A wooden planked path leads right to the doors of the sprawling PS Café.

The grounds of PS Café is sprawling and large. A wooden planked path leads to the entrance of the café and everything about its design suggests a cozy private house with a well kept garden, where one can sit at the patio for hours, refilling that cup of tea. I felt all at once welcomed, and delighted at the thought of spending a few hours there, eating and socializing with close friends on the patio.

The spacious and green interior design of PS Café makes you feel like you’re dining outdoors, even when sitting in.

The café had both indoor and outdoor seating, though the high ceilings and glass walls of the café gave the impression of dining outdoors, even when seated indoors. Two large golden shower orchid plants greeted us as we entered and I couldn’t help but feel like settling into a soft sofa before perusing the menu. As I found out, the menu contained a varied selection of frosted drinks for the often warm days in equatorial Singapore. Continue reading “PS Café along Harding Road, Singapore” →

At home in the tropics: the banana tree

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An idyllic spot in the tropics of Singapore allowed this banana tree to grow this beautiful bunch of bananas.

The banana tree is native to the region of Southeast-Asia, growing quite freely in the wilderness of Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia. In the suburbs of Singapore, where concrete has replaced most of the secondary forests here, the banana tree is something of a tropical idyll to have in one’s private garden. The tree doesn’t grow too tall and its broad lush leaves provide shady relief from the mid-day sun.

Banana trees in the morning sunlight.

The ease at which the banana tree grows in this region has made it a popular choice of ingredient when cooking local food. The leaves for example, are not only used to serve food as with the Indian tradition, but it is also used in traditional Malay desserts such as Kueh Lopes and the Chinese dessert, Banana Hoon Kueh, made with green bean flour and sliced bananas. Continue reading “At home in the tropics: the banana tree” →

Visiting Singapore – A banana leaf meal in the middle of the rainforest

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A meal served on a banana leaf at Samy’s Curry at Dempsey Road, Singapore. They serve traditional south Indian food.

The Singapore scene is one that is constantly changing. In a short span of a year, new roads and buildings have appeared, with new eating places that support the vibrant food culture of this place.

Nestled amongst lush rainforest trees along Dempsey Road is Samy’s Curry, that serves up south Indian cuisine on a banana leaf.

Samy’s Curry at Depmsey Road is comfortably nestled amongst a thicket of rainforest trees. The lush leaves cool the atmosphere, even on a hot tropical day.

Eating on a banana leaf was a more common sight in Singapore about twenty years ago. These days, only specific Indian eateries and restaurants serve their meal on a banana leaf, one of them being Samy’s Curry. Their waiters walk around carrying tins of spicy looking concoctions that smell as delicious as they looked! Their mission is to re-fill the banana leaves on tables that threaten to go almost empty of these side dishes.

Indian cuisine in Singapore is characterised by the use of spices such as cardamon, cinnamon, fennel, cloves and nutmeg. Coconut milk is often used in curries and plain yoghurt is also used in their cooking. Indian food can also be largely vegetarian, so one can find the most delectable vegetarian dishes in this restaurant, alongside barbequed chicken, squid and fish. Curried gourds, aubergine, ladies fingers and lentils are a staple in vegetarian dishes. Potatoes find their way into curries quite comfortably too, giving the curry a thicker texture.
Continue reading “Visiting Singapore – A banana leaf meal in the middle of the rainforest” →

Christmas light-up in Singapore, 2008

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A Christmas Tree stands in front of Tanglin Mall, at the end of Orchard Road.

It’s been a rainy past few days in Singapore, which is typical weather for the monsoon season in this part of the world, in Southeast-Asia.

Despite the undercurrents of the world financial crisis, the Christmas spirit is nonetheless present here in the Lion City and Orchard Road, which is its main shopping district, is once again lit in an array of designs and colours to mark this Christmas season.

Large flowered chandeliers and a cascade of stringed lights can be found in the circular foyer of Tanglin Mall, which stands at the end of Orcahrd Road, next to Traders Hotel.

It isn’t only the streets that become decked with lights for this festive season but the insides of shopping malls blossom in deep reds and greens. Continue reading “Christmas light-up in Singapore, 2008” →

Swedish apples in late autumn

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Apple picking in late autumn.

The end of autumn brings about all things Apple, because it is during the late autumn that Swedish apples ripen. Walking in an apple tree garden that is ripe for the picking is so dreamy that one can’t help but spontaneously pull out all old family recipes of apple pies, apple cakes and apple buns you got.

As it happened a neighbour of ours had an unexpected abundant crop of Gravenstein this year invited us over to basically help ourselves to as much as we wanted. It sounded like too much fun to miss out on, so we of course brought home as many apples that we felt we could possibly use over the winter.

Gravenstein apples ripe for the picking.

The Gravenstein variety of apples has been around in Sweden for about 300 years. It has a wonderfully round personality, being fantastically fragrant, very juicy and of a size that fits generously into the palm of your hand. The Swedes consider this the Rolls Royce of Swedish apples and is ideal for cider but works well for pretty much anything you can do with apples.

Continue reading “Swedish apples in late autumn” →

Into the heart of the St. Peter’s Basilica – The Vatican City and its treasures in Rome

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Small treasures on this trip to the Holy See – fresh summer fruits and some time away from the mid-day sun. This particular café served a good range of lunches from pizzas to fresh fruit and ice-cream.

We parked our car in Rome and then in all of about 300 meters, it seemed we were standing right in the middle of a different state; the Vatican City.

The Vatican state and its structures, to me, seemed to blend seamlessly with everything else Roman. Large, majestic looking sculptures, passageways and corridors that seem almost too large for any efficient or practical use of space, making one feel almost insignificant when walking about. I can imagine the purpose of the imposing structures from ancient times, that people needed to feel the power of the ruling, for the masses to feel at once diminished, yet safe. The structures work to the very same purpose today, except with a different flavour.

As a tourist, it’s splendid with so much space to conquer during your visit. And the Vatican state allows you these conquests as it invites hoards of visitors into its arms, into its heart which is St. Peter’s Basilica and into its treasure filled museum wings. The high arches and open spaces aid in dispensing with the overly crowded feel; a feel that Venice for example, could not overcome.

A curious feature: an Egyptian obelisk stands in front of St. Peter’s church.

Though small as a state, by foot, the grounds of St. Peter’s Basilica are still vast, with an intriguing sight of an Egyptian obelisk in the middle. Its slightly skewed alignment to Michelangelo’s building is said to have been compensated by Maderno’s nave inside the Basilica. Continue reading “Into the heart of the St. Peter’s Basilica – The Vatican City and its treasures in Rome” →