Prep for traditional Kerala Kathakali performance. Stage make-up session starts one hour before the performance. It involves the application of several layers – base and colours made out of crushed natural coloured stones mixed in coconut oil. The performer applied his own make up first and is later aided by another artist. Before the performance…
Tag: mariadasstheworld
Rail Adventure: London – Inverness
Train journeys are a great way to just take a back seat and enjoy the scenery as you watch the world go by. I’d usually peek into the homes, towns & villages along the line (not in a creepy stalker kind of way 😄), and wonder about the stories and lives of the people who…
Our Fading Heritage: Jerejak Island
My next read! Waiting to dive into the pages to find out more about our very own Ellis Island here in Penang, Malaysia. Sadly, the spot where more than a million migrants to Malaya landed between 1877 and 1957 is earmarked for development of a theme park and resort. Heritage groups are fighting to preserve…
Serenity Path
Khareyana Spa – One of my favourite spots in the town (now a city) I practically grew up in – Petaling Jaya. I’ve been visiting this old residential bungalow that was converted into a spa sanctuary since 2003. The proprietor Puan Azam – a retired civil servant has always been very warm and welcoming since…
Hidden gem: Gua Musang’s 15th century temple
‘Tokong Swee Nyet’ in Kampug Pulai, Gua Musang, Kelantan has been a place of worship for Chinese settlers who moved to the area about 600-years ago. These settlers (mainly from the Hakka clan) were in search of fortune from gold deposits found in Sungai (river) Galas. Their descendants, who have over the centuries intermarried with…
Drive Thru: Central Spine Rd
One of my favourite drives – low traffic and amazing scenery! The partially opened Central Spine Road that will link Kuala Lipis in Pahang to Kuala Krai in Kelantan once it is completed. It currently terminates just outside Gua Musang town.
Xin Nian Kuai Le!
Wishing my Chinese friends, family and followers a Happy & Prosperous New Year! A special shout out to those born in the year of the pig. To everyone else in Malaysia and around this region – enjoy the holidays! Guan Yin temple, Raub, Pahang, Malaysia.
Shades of Syria in Victoria
I bought my first Syrian carpet in 2001, while on assignment in Aleppo. The burst of colourful textiles caught my eye as I was wandering around the rustic and historic neighbourhood of Al-Jdeida. Each carpet features different designs and colours which I was told represents the regions it is produced in. The ones in Damascus…
Andorra La Where?
Andorra La Vella? Andorra? Sounds familiar but where is it? That was the question we got from most people when we told them of our visit to our three night stop at this tiny nation of just over 78,000 people in the Pyrenees mountains. Andorra was off our radar. Like most people I had heard…
Centuries Old Stopover
Apartmentos Abat Marcet (Cel.les Abat Marcet) has been housing pilgrims visiting Montserrat for centuries. It was refurbished in the 1960s and named Apartmentos Abat Marcet after the Abbot of Montserrat – Abbot Marcet (1912-1946). It is a simply furnished apartment with a kitchenette (including a fridge, stove, microwave and cutlery), bath and toilet, hall cum…
Evening Walk: Blackburn VIC
Blackburn is a quaint neighbourhoods about 20kms outside Melbourne. I believe it is a place that city folk seek solace away from the bustling capital of the state of Victoria. It was a pleasant walk through the quaint neighbourhood along and around Bindi Street where our family spent the recent holidays in a rented home….
Sunrise from Montserrat (Video)
Good morning Montserrat! Who would have though a random purchase of Dan Brown’s ‘Origin’ by the other half would lead to a memorable stay at the Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey in Catalonia, Spain? The view of a beautiful sunrise on a crisp morning over the Llobregat Valley is a great start to the day…
Maria Dass the World 