A sojourn to Pekan Kuah Langkawi

This is another backdated post from my trip to Langkawi. I was in Langkawi during the Chap Goh Meh weekend for a work-related workshop. Having arrived via flight, colleagues of mine insisted on going to Kuah town for one very important reason...SHOPPING! Well not quite the only reason, for I also wanted to see the Dataran Lang (Langkawi Eagle Square) and the jetty complex since it was my first visit to Langkawi.

The eagle at Dataran Lang. This statue depicts a Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus intermedius) in a rather aggressive posture perched on a rock.

On their shopping list were chocolates, chocolates, and more chocolates...plus some bags to carry all the chocolates and other stuff back home. So off we go to Kuah town. We were lucky for the fact that one of my colleagues can be considered a 'hard-core' Kuah town shopper, thus we had no problems with getting around Kuah.

An assortment of duty free shops are abound around Kuah town and also at the Jetty Complex. You sort of see the shops over and over again, especially more popular names like Haji Ismail Group, Zeno etc. However, one is advised to check and compare prices, for some items might not be as cheap as it appears to be.

Panorama of View of Pekan Kuah, Langkawi from Kuah Jetty Complex on CleVR.com

One area that we went not once, but twice was the Jalan Pandak Mayah area in Kuah town. There were rows of shophouses with shops like Haji Ismail Group, World of Perfume, Zeno etc. that beckon you to come in and part with your money. Suffice to say, our entourage left the area with the car boot full of stuff, which is not surprising as we have two housewives in our group. And oh, someone even bought a set of Corelle dinnerware.

Around Kuah town...duty free shopping is a curse for shopaholics and aunties (read housewives). Shoppers beware, if you don't have cash, most shops accept credit card. Worst still, you can use your bankcard (ATM card) in some of the shops.

Rows and rows of bags in front of a duty-free shop. A lot of people end up buying bags just to accommodate their purchases in Langkawi.

Nearer to the Kuah Jetty Complex is another shopping area called Langkawi Fair Shopping Mall. However, there were not that many people around the mall and the atmosphere just wasn't right for shopping. We left without buying anything, but the shopaholics in our group did manage to complete a price-compare mission.

Of course one cannot forget the Jetty Point Duty Free Complex that is adjoining to the jetty building. Numerous shops within the complex caters to the last minute shoppers clambering to buy more stuff before leaving the island. There were also cafes and fast food eateries over here if your tummy growls at you after all the shopping done.

Whilst the rest were shopping, I was busy taking shots of the Dataran Lang and the surrounding panorama. At that time, the weather was not ideal to say the least, thus shots turned out rather crappy and dull due to the overcast sky. To sum it up, Kuah is just a place for you to buy, buy and buy, and take photos of man-made attractions such as the Dataran Lang and the Taman Lagenda (Legenda Park - Legend on a Park).

Thean Hou Temple 2013 Chinese New Year Celebration

The usually quiet Thean Hou Temple at Robson Hill, Kuala Lumpur turns into a hive of activity come Chinese New Year. This year is no exception. With various activities and performances lined-up, it is no wonder that locals and tourist throng the temple during Chinese New Year. One of the main attractions during this festive period is the numerous red lanterns and lights that flood the temple with a warm glow at night. Thus the temple becomes especially crowded in the evenings and at night.

The red lanterns bathe the temple yard with its warm glow at dusk. Many come armed with their cameras and tripod to catch the lighting up of the temple.

When we called up the temple regarding parking, we were told to park at Kuen Cheng High School and take the shuttle bus from there. However, the gates were closed and buses were parked inside, so we drove up instead. We did however, see a bus that appears to be the shuttle service from Midah Hotel. There was a queue, and for those driving a manual transmission car, be prepared to show off your clutch control skills as you join the queue up the steep road to the temple. Parking was not an issue and only cost RM3 per entry.

Everyone was busy taking photos of themselves or relatives or the lights.

There was a row of stalls along the road as you approached the temple, selling all sorts from firecrackers and fireworks to hand-held wind-mills, drinks as well as various snacks - the typical temple fair stuff. A sheltered shed nearer to the temple had the typical Chinese arts and craft items on sale like paper-cuts and calligraphy writings.

First thing you see - a temple fair stall area.

If you are running low on your Chinese New Year 'ammunition', you can stock up your supply over here. There's firecrackers, thunder bombs and those lovely multi-shot fireworks. The 188 shot thingy (yellow top) cost RM 350.00 a box!

After going to up to the main shrine hall and taking photos of the lights that hung in the temple courtyard, we went to the air-conditioned auditorium for the free performance. This performance is scheduled at 3 pm and 8 pm every day for the entire 15 days of Chinese New Year, save for the last day where there will be another performance.

Little boy's prayer: Dear Mazu, please bless me so that I grow taller . I cannot reach the joss urn to stick these joss-sticks in. Thank you.

But Mazu was a busy deity that evening, giving out divination sticks inside the main shrine hall, as the line for the divination sticks were never ceasing.

The 1 hour performance is by the Asia-Pacific Circus and Acrobatic Troupe and features the usual Chinese acrobatic stuns like mono-cycle bowl balancing act, acrobatic skating act, hula hoop act, diabolo (Chinese yo-yo) performances and a mask changing performance. At the end of the show, the members of the troupe stand on the stage, and visitors can give them red packets (ang pow) if they wish to do so.

She's an adorable kid - she was being flung about and spun by her co-performer tethered on wires and lines held by neck or teeth!

Thank goodness this was not part of Physical Education syllabus in Malaysia!

Three's a company, four is a crowd...seven is an acrobatic act??

A short clip of the mask-changing performance that is part of the 1 hour show. Keep your eyes trained on his face.

At 9 pm on the open-air stage outdoors, there was another performance of various Shaolin Kung Fu moves. Little kids seems to be attracted to this and the crowd grew quite large around this outdoor stage. As we left around 9.30 pm, there were still visitors who had just arrived at the temple. Most of them were taking photos around the 12 Chinese horoscope animals that were lit up with lights as well.

The God of Wealth floating on a blimp outside the temple. His coins were 'streaming' out of his ride.

Happy Chinese New Year 2013

Happy Chinese New Year to all those who are celebrating this festival. This year it is the year of the Water Snake (癸巳). As I am a little tied up with work etc. here's a picture or two of fireworks going off at the Nine Emperor Gods Temple about 30 minutes past midnight. Will post some videos later.

An explosive start to a new year!

新年快樂, 萬事如意!

PS - Try playing the Google Doodle Snake Game - beware the mushrooms makes your snake go berserk (magic mushroom?),  the tea makes them go faster and the wine slows the snake down (drunk). Bite on the firecrackers and your snake gets stunned. I like the Char Siu Bao and dumplings.