River ride through mangrove forests in the southern Malaysian state of Johor.
Category: Malaysia
Colours of George Town: Heritage Tiles
There is always something new and fascinating to discover every time I walk along the streets and alleys of George Town in Penang Island. I often walk down the lanes of this UNESCO listed city at night. A night walk has its appeal, the cooler climate, the quiet streets, the glow of ornamental lanterns, the…
Down Memory Lane: University of Malaya
A quest to find a book that I have been searching for over the last two years brought me back to my Alma Mater – the University of Malaya where I laid the foundation for a career in journalism, and where my interest in history and heritage were honed. It was a 35 degree Celsius…
Mom’s Day Staycation Ideas
Give your mother that much-needed getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city sometime this month. Tourism Selangor recommends 6 spots suitable for the whole family to come together and celebrate the matriarchs of their family on Mother’s Day or anytime this month. Villa Sajuri in Kuala Selangor A Moroccan-themed villa, near Remis Beach…
The Blue Mansion, Penang (Video Tour)
The Cheong Fatt Tze mansion in George Town, Penang Island is truly an attention seeker – with its colourful porcelain shard work and brilliant indigo blue walls, which earned it the moniker – the ‘Blue Mansion’. Featured in prestigious travel magazines, TV series, popular movies like ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ and even on London buses, this…
Weekend Sugar Rush
Nothing beats good food and company after a long week. A much needed sugar boost to fuel a long overdue catch up friends was definitely a welcome bonus! Venue: Nutmeg, Bangsar Village II The food and service at Nutmeg was impeccable the few times I’ve been there. This is however the first time I had…
A Blessed Eid!
Wishing all Muslims a Blessed Eid and Selamat Hari Raya Maaf Zahir Batin to my fellow Malaysians!
Food Trail: Penang Esplanade
In high demand always: Hameed Pata Mee Goreng, Penang Esplanade.
Thai Treats @ The Golden Triangle, Juru
No one thinks of Thai food as a meal option – not when in Penang, thought it is one of the closest states to our northern neighbour Thailand. Also … @selandspice.wordpress.com would not stop raving on and on about this place in Juru Auto City (Penang mainland). So we decided to give it a go….
Food Wars and Cultural Listings: How a Small Island State Pulled the Rug from Under Its Larger Neighbours
My first article for the year in the Vibes.com 😊 Unesco listings: A means of cultural appropriation? https://www.thevibes.com/articles/culture/13632/unesco-listings-a-means-for-cultural-appropriation
Flying Retro ✈️
My paternal uncle bought a house in SS14 Subang Jaya in the 1980s. At that time this neighbourhood was the Hounslow of Malaysia – and a hub for airport and airline staff. It’s proximity to then Subang International Airport meant that planes would be flying over your house every hour or less. That put off…
Breaking The Pattern
Sign of the times – boxes and lines on the beautiful tiles of the late 19th century Cheong Fatt Tze (Blue) Mansion. The beautiful geometric patterns of the tiles imported from Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, England have been marked with black tape to remind visitors to maintain social distancing as they visit the popular Heritage house,…
Maria Dass the World 