Alor Setar, capital of Kedah

Hi all,

I just came back from a short trip to Alor Setar (7-9 July 2017), a town located in northern Malaysia. I was actually there for work but decided to extend my stay and explore this town. At the same time, it is also a good time to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city.

Basically Alor Setar is a small town, accessible by foot unless you want to visit Gunung Keriang (Keriang Mountain). The city is located one hour from Penang as well as Bukit Kayu Hitam, the Malaysia- Thailand border.

Now let’s go

The first attraction I visited was the birthplace of Malaysia’s 4^th Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad (Rumah Kelahiran Mahathir Mohammad). The house was designated as a heritage site back in the 90s and entrance is free! It is located at Lorong Kilang Ais, Off Jalan Pengawai Seberang Perak with several entrances available but the main entrance is located near the Michelin tyre shop. If you are walking from Aman Central, it takes about 30 minutes. Opening times are 10am- 5pm (Tuesday- Sunday) and 10am- 12pm, 3pm- 5pm (Friday). Closed on Mondays.

Main Entrance

Inside there are a number of memorabilia such as documents on the childhood of our 4^th Prime Minister such as his numerous newspaper articles, kitchen utensils as well as wedding photos. No photo taking is allowed inside the house.

Tun Mahathir's favourite bicycle

Nearby this heritage site is the Gemilang Burger stall (just opposite), a hangout place for the locals. It starts at 5 pm and I reckoned that if you are traveling by foot, you can visit the above- said place in the late afternoon and head to the burger stall after it closes in order to save time. The stall operates until the wee hours in the morning I think.

Burger stall at Medan Kota

Now, there are several types of food available but I chose what I believed was their signature dish, the Double Plate, a plate with a piece of chicken patty (beef also available), sausage, lettuce, salad, egg and fries. It costs only RM 6 which is affordable in my opinion.

On the 2^nd day, I head out to SK Kim Restaurant located beside of Sentosa Plaza to try its famous SK Kim Hokkien Noodles (It is actually Prawn Noodles) for breakfast, there were patrons already there and it opens from 7 am till 11 am so, be early. At RM 4.50 for a large bowl, it is cheap considering the identical amount will cost me almost RM 7 to RM 8 in Kuala Lumpur.

Notice the SK Kim Restaurant ?

Also do not forget that there is a famous Kaya Puff sold in Alor Setar and it is usually available in coffee shops including this SK Kim Restaurant when someone will be approaching you in case you are interested with this snack. Don’t miss it.

Having filled my stomach, I then decided to head to another historical site in Alor Setar, the house where Malaysia’s 1^st Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman resided, called Rumah Merdeka or Independence Home. This place is a little secluded from the city centre but located not far from the restaurant stated above (Approximately 10- 15 minutes, depending on your pace).  Entrance is free (Yes!) and operation hours are 10am-5pm (Saturday- Thursday) and 10am-12pm, 3pm-5pm (Friday). Closed on Mondays and as usual no photography is allowed inside.

Rumah Merdeka is located beside of the Hotel Royale (notice the signboard ?)

Rumah Merdeka

Compared to the birthplace home of Mahathir Mohammad, this house is larger and more comfortable with air condition, cushions as well as a private reading room for Tunku. Apparently, there was another house in his garden back in the day, used as a police quarter but it has since been demolished.

After absorbing some historical facts, I then headed to the Gallery of Sultan Abdul Halim, the only Sultan in Malaysia that became Malaysia’s King (Agong) twice in history (as of 2017). Inside, lies a plethora of memorabilia related to the Sultan including his personal collections, attires, watches, cell phones as well as photos with foreign dignitaries. Entrance is free by the way and it opens from 10 am- 5 pm daily except on Fridays. Since this is an exhibition, I have no idea how long this will last so it is best that you visit it as soon as possible before they close it.

After lunch, I decided to head back to the hotel to rest and utilise the swimming pool until night. Then after enough exercising, it is time for dinner which is a plate of Wan Tan Noodles costing me RM 4.50 (again, cheap). Also there is a night market at the base of the Alor Setar Tower.

On the final day, I decided to take it easy and had a final swim before checking out. After doing so, it was lunchtime and I went to arguably the most well-known restaurant in Alor Setar, Nasi Lemak Ong. It is located just opposite of Sentosa Plaza and opens from morning until 3.30pm daily.

The food is actually not cheap and it costs me RM 11 for two side dishes. Anyway, the taste is decent and it is recommended one patronise this shop at least once during their visit to Alor Setar.

After filling up my stomach, I head to Wat Nikrodharam, a Buddhist Temple with Siamese features and architectures in it. Being historically a part of the Siamese kingdom before being ceded to the British back in the early 20^th Century, it is not a surprise to see some Siam heritage surviving in the northern states of Malaysia till today. The temple complex is actually not huge and it comprises of a few buildings. If one is staunch Buddhist, you can come here and offer your prayers.

Finally, in the evening, I went to the hawker centre in Jalan Pintu Sepuluh to buy some cheap and delicious food such as the Beijing Chee Cheong Fun as well as some Wan Tan Noodles. The Chee Cheong Fun is notably good with dry shrimps in it and the sauce has a sweet taste in it. Price is also decent with RM 4.00 per box. I hurriedly made my purchase before heading to the airport to catch my flight home. By cab, it takes about 15-20 minutes to the airport.

Verdict: Overall, Alor Setar is a suitable place if you want to escape from the hectic city life. In terms of affordability, I can say it is a cheap town as I only spent a mere RM 138.10 including a single night accommodation plus all the delicious and sumptuous meal (excluding air ticket and cab fare). In terms of accessibility, you can travel to most of the destinations by foot without even depending on a public bus as it is mostly congregated in the city centre.

 

 

Spring in China

Hi all, this is my first post in this blog and it will be about the places I have travelled. Hopefully, you can get some useful information in it. For your information, I visited China back in April with my mother and we visited Hangzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou and Shanghai to experience spring in the Middle Kingdom.  

Lets go!

Hangzhou

We visited the West Lake (西湖) which is an inland lake in Hangzhou and despite being massive, it is beautiful with numerous landmarks surrounding it. The Temple of Yue Fei (岳王庙)is also located nearby and it is a must visit spot if you like to know about the heroics and the betrayal of Qin Hui during the Southern Song Dynasty. The street we stayed was an ancient street ’Southern Song Imperial Street’ used only by the emperor in the past and it has been beautified with a stream with no foul stench. What’s more amazing is that being a tourist spot, trash strewn around should be expected.

Southern Song Imperial Street

Also we went to Song City (宋城), a theme park modeled after the Song Dynasty and watched the show ‘Romance of the Song Dynasty’ one of the top 3 shows in the world. The ticket however is not cheap at 300 CNY but at least it is still worth it in my opinion.

Northern entrance to the Song City, if you are arriving by public bus from town and vice-versa, this is the gate you will be getting off

Theater number 1

The famous 清明上河图 albeit a moving version

We also visited the Lingyin Temple (灵隐寺) and it is actually a park consisting of several famous temple within. The entrance ticket to the park cost about 45 CNY per person but in order to enter the Lingyin Temple itself, you are required to purchase a separate ticket costing 30 CNY. The Taoguang Temple is located high up the hills, up there is a famous pool where it gathers water flowing from the top, feels cool and refreshing.

The bus fare in Hangzhou is 2 CNY per trip instead of depending the distance you are going to. Also there is no change if you pay with a larger amount of bank note, so having the exact amount is vital. I had to forfeit twice due to the lack of small change.

Hangzhou was extremely hot around 28-29 degrees but it starts to cool down in the night. However, the city is flooded by tourist and we were unable to get onto the bus for almost 2 hours due to overcrowding near the West Lake. We had to take another bus to half way before proceeding on foot and finally the subway back to the hotel.

West Lake with Leifeng Pagoda 

Also calling for a cab on the road in Hangzhou is virtually impossible as mosts of the cabs have been booked. We arrived at the Hangzhou East Railway station (杭州东站) to catch our morning train and the building itself was massive and new, serving as the perfect symbol of China’s ambition in the 21st century.

Massive interior of the East Railway Station

Nanjing

We took the High Speed Railway to Nanjing where it costs about 100 CNY per person and the journey was about 1.5 hours with the speed running up to 310 km per hour in certain stretches! Despite being only a second class, it is comfortable and basic amenities such as hot water was even provided at the water dispensary for passengers wanting to consume their mee cups.

The Gate of China (中华门) is a massive gate guarding the city in the past and it contains several smaller gates aimed at trapping the enemy once they burst through the main gate. Also the Ming Dynasty Wall is connected and here you can see the best preserved section of the wall guarding the city in the past. Tickets costs 50 CNY and free guides are available at certain hours.

A section of the Gate of China

The Presidential Palace ( 总统府 ) was the residence of Sun Yat-sen and Chiang Kai-shek during the Republican China era. It was also the residence of the King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (太平天囯), Hong Xiuquan during the rebellion in the 19th century. Inside the complex lies a treasure trove of information regarding that era not available in books. The office of Chiang Kai Shek is also located here and here you can have the opportunity to have a picture taken wearing a costume from that era for 60 CNY. To avoid the crowd, it is best to visit early in the morning to beat the crowd. Tickets are also at an affordable 40 CNY.

The famous Nanjing Presidential Palace, headquarters of the Republican Government back in the days of the ROC, the wierd thing is that this place is not mentioned much in many travel guides

Entrance ticket that also functions as a post card

Did you know that people were pushing and shoving and then resorted to punches just to buy tickets? I have never seen such a chaotic manner of buying tickets. It seems once the door is open, those at the back of the line do not bother to queue anymore, they just pushed and shoved those in front. Finally, the management decided to open a few more counters actually allocated for tour groups and people with special needs to purchase the general ticket. You can also rent an audio guide for 20 CNY with a deposit of 200 CNY for 2.5 hours or hire a tour guide around 100 CNY.

We also visited the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Museum (南京大屠杀遇难同胞纪念馆)which coincide the 80th anniversary of this terrible tragedy. The mass grave of 10,000 corpses was also located and after excavation, the government decided to leave some sections of the graves undisturbed to respect the victims. At the same time, every year during Qing Ming, the descendants of the victims will apply from the management to perform rituals for their ancestors brutally murdered during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Entrance to the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Museum 

Peace Statue

We also explored the Confucius Temple (南京夫子廟) which is a famous tourist attraction with shopping streets around. There are also trishaw services available for 40 CNY per ride. I recommend that you come here at night to see the lights turned on as it is much more worth it. However, the area itself is too commercialised in my opinion.

Outside of the Confucius Temple

On the last day, we explored the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum (明孝陵), tomb of the first Ming Dynasty emperor; we arrived there at 6.45am and had to pay 70 CNY for each person. The nearest entrance from the subway station by foot is Gate 4. Anyway the mausoleum is a must see in my opinion as it has several specialties such as the Sacred Way with animals and then officials in pairs along the path. Everyone was taking photos with the camel pair after the elephants. The tomb itself is huge and the mount containing the body of the emperor remained unopened.

Camels

Officials

After that we proceeded to Meiling Palace (美龄宫), the house of Soong Meiling, spouse of Chiang Kai-shek during the Republican era to experience her personal life such as bedroom, kitchen utensils as well as videos on her life. The nearest exit from Ming Xiaoling Tomb to the Meiling Palace is through Gate 5.

The buidling itself, it was only opened to the public since October 2013

Then we proceeded uphill towards Sun Yat Sen Mausoleum (中山陵) about 30 minutes and pollens where falling from the trees, many including my mother wore a mask to protect from inhaling the pollen. The complex itself was also huge and you have to walk 392 steps up to the building itself. (Entrance is free) Inside lies a statue of Sun Yat-sen with the Kuomintang flag above him and while I wanted to view his sarcophagus, the management closed it since last year which was regrettable. The view from the mausoleum itself is splendid but hot as you can view the city of Nanjing from here. On the way down, there were free photography services and I decided to have one shot with the small photo of myself inserted into a key chain, if you want the larger photo you have to pay around 20 CNY.

Father of Modern China

Suzhou

We went to Suzhou by the normal train and cheapest class. Inside the normal carriage, we saw the true nature of how the locals travelled. They sat at vacant seats despite the seat number printed on their tickets varied.  After arriving, we proceeded to our hostel on foot which was about 15 minutes; it was located at the busiest street in Suzhou filled with shops (观前街).

Temple at 观前街

We then visited the Suzhou museum and some of the rules were somewhat laughable. One of the forbidden items are claymore mines. Why would someone bring a Claymore Mine into a museum anyway, does he want to steal or destroy the artifacts? After that we visited several gardens such as the Humble Administrators Garden (拙政园) and Lion Grove Garden (狮子林园) where rocks were shaped like a lion. Humble Administrators Garden is one of the top 4 gardens in China belonging to an official from the Ming Dynasty who constructed it after returning from his posts. Tickets for the Lion Grove Garden cost 40 CNY.

拙政园

At night we went to Shantang Street (七里山塘), the famous scene of Suzhou with the canal and waterways seen in movies and dramas. The street itself is of course free to explore but there are 7 buildings that required tickets costing 45 CNY in total. Many tourists like to sit the boats to have experience of the past. We waited until night to see the view and it was great. Also there is a famous Chinese Opera that charged 140 CNY for 30 minutes.

Night in Shantang Street

The next day, we went to Tiger Hill ( 虎丘) which has the Leaning Tower of Asia ( 虎丘塔). Tickets cost 80 CNY. It contains a pond where a king in the past buried swords in tradition for respecting his father buried there.  The park itself is huge and beautiful with many ancient relics available. Hanshan Temple was also another destination because it became famous due to a Tang Dynasty poem.  

Leaning Tower of Asia

Steel at Hanshan Temple

The public bus here on the other hand was much cheaper compared to Nanjing and Hangzhou as it charges only 1 CNY per trip instead of the usual 2 CNY for both train and bus. However, taking the tourist bus is a more expensive affair at 3 CNY per ride at least.


Shanghai

We once again took the normal train to Shanghai and the journey from Suzhou to Shanghai was about 1 hour.  Our hotel is located near to the subway station (大世界站) and it was only a 3 minute walk. Unlike the previous cities we have visited, the subway in Shanghai is more expensive at 3 CNY per ride compared to 2 CNY.

We proceeded to a park called Peoples Park (人民公园), every Saturday morning elderly people will gather at this park to place the biodata of their children hoping that they can find a partner as soon as possible. 

Parents hoping to find a partner for their children

In the evening we went to the Nanjing Pedestrian Street (南京路), one of the top pedestrian walkways in the world and it was great with the massive crowd. After taking our dinner, we went to the well-known Bund to see the night view which was pretty but even more crowded compared to the day.

Nanjing Pedestrian Street

The famous Pudong skyline, wedding shots were taken here too 

The Bund, extremely crowded 

The next day we went to the Yuyuan Gardens ( 豫園) and the Old French Concession (上海法租界).

At night we went to a district called Xintiandi (新天地) and it was a district filled with foreigners which I guess is the place where most of them resided in Shanghai. It is a good hangout spot as many pubs and bars are located in this vibrant community.

We initially tried to have our dinner at one of the food courts, but it appears that they only accept payment through WeChat instead of cash. 

The next day we left Shanghai for Pudong International Airport via metro and the price is just 7 CNY per person.

Verdict

In essence, China is filled with everything from modern cities to historical buildings and sites to beautiful mountains. If you are interested in history, China is the place to go !