Explore the unique maritime cultural heritage of islanders off the coast of Johor in my latest article. Check out their island inspired food using locally sourced seeds, fruits and plants, cultural performances and traditional art including Zapin Pulau performances that mimic the movements of marine life, with costumes inspired by the colours of the sea…
Category: South East Asia
‘Notre Dame in the Jungle’
Read all about the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church (est. 1895) in the village of Pagar Tras on Penang’s mainland, the significant role it played in the growth and transformation of Hakka migrants, the contribution of French MEP priests to the community, and the reason this magnificient structure fell into ruins in later years.
Ipoh Padang: Then and Now
What a view! A bird’s eye view of the beautiful city of Ipoh, built in the late 1800s to sustain the tin mining industry in surrounding towns.in Kinta Valley. This capital city of the state of Perak has a well planned layout and is surrounded by lush green hills. Fun fact – it was the…
Golden Glow: Cintra Street
The golden glow of yellow lanterns illuminates this five-foot way of century old shop houses on Lebuh Cintra, George Town, Penang. This street was once home to the Japanese ‘Karayuki-san’ or women of the night who left their homeland to escape extreme hardship. Many were sold off by their families and ended up as domestic…
Gloomy Days: George Town
The city of George Town in Penang, on a gloomy afternoon – just before rain. The old quarter of town is visible right up to Swettenham pier, where two cruse ships are docked for the day. The gantry cranes of Penang port along Penang Strait are in the background, and further behind, mainland Seberang Prai…
Night Walk: Gurney Bay
Quite a hot and humid February in Penang this time, so a night walk made more sense. This time around, we explored Gurney Bay – a waterfront park along Gurney drive. It was a nice quiet spot – likely because it was a week night, with small groups or friends and people fishing along the…
Tranquility: Tioman Island
One misty monsoon morning… #tranquility #serenity #misty #mountains #tioman #island #pahang #malaysia #malaysiatrulyasiahttps://www.instagram.com/p/C1r-hm4pvqd/?igsh=MXRyanVmdGNlZ3BqMA==
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…
Food Trail: Bangkok
One of the hardest places to stick to a diet plan would be Bangkok. I never had a bad meal over the few days we were there in early February 2023. It was good to have family members and friends based in Bangkok take us around and introduce us to a wide variety of Thai…
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
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 