Afternoon in Kuala Lumpur

One afternoon in KL. Selvi and I decided to walk around. We stayed in Chinatown region and we could find plenty of culinary delights nearby. Raina was still in Jakarta then, she would arrive around midnight.

I whooped in joy when finding these roasted chestnuts. I bought 10 ringgit worth of it! Selvi is a fan of fruits and she bought a lot. I bought some as well. Then we got this nasi lemak for one ringgit. Noms.

Dinner for one ringgit is pretty awesome, we thought. "Hey, we've saved some money on food!" Then we stumbled into a Starbucks.

We looked at each other. I had no idea who started first. But we both came into the same conclusion. "Um, we've saved enough money for today. Right? Right? Time to indulge. So, shall we?"

We went inside. Bye-bye, ringgit!

Rendezvous in Menara Petronas

Last April, my friends and I made a plan to visit Malaysia then Vietnam. This plan was hatched ages ago, the previous year, IIRC. We've met before, but we mostly interact through social media. (The joy of internet! I cannot praise you enough!)

We vaguely made plans and bought tickets from Kuala Lumpur to Đà Nẵng. Raina and Selvi live in Jakarta and I in Bandung, and we thought when the time was near, we'd book a ticket to KL.

We kept changing plans, and finally we decided that we'd spend a couple of days in KL. That way, we'd have chance to explore and relax before tackling Vietnam.

What to visit in KL? Naturally, we just had to go to Menara Petronas. We took Light Rail Transit (LRT) to a station that was supposed to be located near Menara Petronas. 

And... we still got lost. Ha ha. You'd think that with towers that high it'd be a piece of cake. Not so, apparently, for Raina and yours truly. We asked around and finally... we were there.


Raina and I took some pics, and we found a couple of tourists kind enough to take our pics together. We soon found out that they perhaps had a hidden wish in becoming stylists, and they kept urging us to pose. Raina and I decided to do a fusion pose and they were very thrilled. "Where did you two get the inspiration to do that?" they asked. Raina and I exchanged glances and laughed. 


What else to do in this area? We visited the park and then the nearby mall. It was scorching hot so we did not feel like exploring much. But we did spend some time in Kinokuniya... aiyaa... not good for our pockets!

Disneyland Tokyo, A Dream, Coming True

Disneyland Tokyo. We've always wanted to go there. When I first wrote Kintaholic circa 2006-2007, I envisioned myself being there. I wanted to go there so much that I created it as a setting for my two protagonists, where they are falling in love. Truth to tell I didn't really know which attractions to visit first. I just wanted to go there.

And finally, the dream became reality. Last year, my partner and I went to Disneyland with my best friend, Nina, and her husband, Non. From Maihama station, it was a short walk. You can see the castle and huge attractions from the distance. And the cute Mickey Mouse monorail! Too bad we didn't try that one. Maybe next time. Yes, I'm confident there will be a next time!

First stop: Pirates of the Caribbean! As you can see here, it's pretty empty. We didn't need to wait for a long time (usually, it might take hours) and we were in.

The special effects are grand and I am very impressed with the animated "people" and "animals" inside. They provide a glimpse of the life of pirates based on the movie. I find them hilarious and amusing.

There are at least three Jack Sparrows. I wish we were able to take some pictures. My only complain is that they narration is in Japanese. I wish they'd provide a translation. After this ride, the song "Yo Ho Ho Ho, A Pirate's Life for Me" kind of stuck in my mind.



Here you can see yours truly and my best friend, trying out the hats in a souvenir shop. The souvenirs are well made. If you're a kid or an adult, you're bound to find something interesting here. IIRC, I got the hat for my kid for 2,300 yen.

They're big on themes and all. Meaning, near Pirates of the Caribbean, you'll find pirate-related stuff. Near Pooh Hunny Hunt (my favorite ride!) you'll find items with characters from Winnie the Pooh. Near this ride, you can even smell honey! It made me hungry! If only they sold honey in jars. Honeyed drinks! I bet they'd be a hit.

I soon found out that the visitors love parades. Parades happen several times a day. During clear nights, they even shoot fireworks to complete the festivities. All parades feature Mickey Mouse. Mickey is very, very popular in Disneyland Tokyo. He is treated like a king and many are willing to queue for hours to shake his hand and take pictures with him.

If you're into watching parades, make sure you bring mats and umbrellas. Some prefer to sit near the roads where the parades go. Be sure to mark your sport in advance.

Here you can see Beauty and the Beast, two of my favorite Disney characters, on parade. I adore their outfits!

How should I book the tickets, one might ask, if I want to visit Disneyland/Disneysea Tokyo? Find the information here. PS: if you have enough time, I suggest that you book at least 2-day passport. That way, you will have enough time to explore both Disneyland and Disneysea.

Gudeg

I am a fan of gudeg. Gudeg is famous in Jogjakarta. It's a bit sweet and spicy (you can omit the spicy part if you wish) You eat it with steamed rice and sambal krecek (this is the spicy part). Gudeg is made from young jackfruit, sometimes with eggs or chicken. Many times, both.

I spent a year of my childhood in this city, and gudeg is one of my comfort foods. It reminds me of family, of good times. They're complete--savory, salty, spicy, sweet. I am lucky because my partner loves gudeg, too. So, whenever we're in Jogja, we've been known to eat gudeg three times a day. Sometimes four!

There are many kinds of gudeg. You can go to Jalan Wijilan in Jogjakarta, also known as center of gudeg.Walk around and choose on a whim! You can also buy it as a souvenir, since there's a canned version of this dish.

Some prefer to eat gudeg with tea or orange juice. Me, I love es tape hijau. Yes, I love green, and yes, I love the taste, sweet and fresh after a hot day in Jogjakarta.

Have you tried gudeg? Which ones are your favorite?

Sunset... Pura Batu Bolong

Last February, my best friend and I met in Bali. I departed from Bandung, while she departed from Osaka.

My best friend really loves Tanah Lot, with its majestic structures of stones and crashing waves. There's something peaceful and powerful in this area. Some say it's due to the presence of the sea gods, some believe it's because the place is blessed. I think it's part faith and perhaps superstition. They keep Tanah Lot area sacred and inspiring at the same time.

We stood there for a while, and found a cozy place to sit on. We arrived at about 5 - 5.30 PM and the wait wasn't long. We sat on the steps leading to the beach, and the view was... well, you can see for yourself here. Maybe next time we visit, we should bring a bottle of sparkling grape juice and make a toast or something. Or be philosophical and write endless poems, accompanied by the hues of yellowish-orange sun and grayish white sky and darkish sand. 

Yes. I am a dreamer, and I dig fabulous sights and romantic settings.