Category Archives: Editor’s Picks

Popular Coffee Cream Brulee by Country and The Way It Is Served

10/22/2014 Shem MD Leave a comment

Coffee has been known as favorite beverage since many years ago. In many countries, coffee is served in different ways. In Indonesia, for instance, coffee is most commonly served in black with the addition of white sugar. In some countries, coffee is served with cream or milk. If you are a coffee lover, you need to know many kinds of coffee served in some countries. If you want to have a trip someday, you can try each famous popular coffee in some countries. You will be able to experience the fantastic taste of coffee from many countries.

Coffee Served in Some Countries

Coffee is a good option to accompany you while sitting at the back patio after work. However, the way it is served in your country may be different from it is in another country. The following are some example:

Shangri-La serving up high tea the way the Brits intended

… the “Coco”, with a delicate coconut biscuit, kalamansi lime curd, topped with ginger and coriander-infused pineapple; and the “Café au Lait”, with vanilla mascarpone cream, a coffee cream brulee centre, white chocolate flakes and coffee soaked sponge.

The United States
In the United States, coffee cream brulee is the most famous one. It was first made by Chef Ramsay, a famous celebrity chef from America. This coffee is made from black coffee and cream. The cream is the quarter of the black coffee. Then it is shaken until thicken. After that, yolk and vanilla are added on top of it. Then it is heated using blowtorch until you see crust on the cup. This coffee is perfect for those who like to experience the new taste of coffee. You can eat the crust first and then drink the coffee inside.

Spain
The famous coffee in Spain is called Cafe Bombon. It is made from the combination of espresso and milk. It is modified version of the coffee from many countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

Italy
Italy is famous for its cafe latte. This coffee is made from espresso and cream. The cream is the half of the espresso. Besides in Italy, the coffee is also famous in many countries around the world. Moreover, it has always been in the list of favorite beverages in exclusive coffee shops around the world.

Ireland
Ireland has been known for its Irish coffee. Actually, it is more like cocktail than coffee. This is a combination of thick black coffee, whiskey, cream, and brown sugar. This coffee is usually served with cinnamon and whipping cream and frequently served in cocktail glass because it is more like cocktail and ideal for cocktail party. The recipe is found by Joseph Sheridan, the head of chefs in one of famous restaurants in Ireland.

Indonesia
In Indonesia, there are many kinds of coffee, such as Sumatra coffee, Java coffee, Bali coffee, and Sulawesi coffee. Each coffee has its own unique flavor. Mostly, coffee in Indonesia is served in black with the addition of white sugar. Some are served with milk. Coffee in Indonesia has been famous and is exported to Japan and USA.

There are still many more coffees around the world. Coffee is not only about the beverage, but also about the culture of the people. You can learn the culture of a country by means of coffee drinking habit. Coffee has been a companion. Some people drink coffee because of personal preference, some other because of coffee drinking culture to socialize with others, and some others because of lifestyle.

Popular Food Festivals to Visit around the World

10/20/2014 Shem MD 1 Comment

Are you a kind of person who likes culinary world? Having a taste of many different kinds of meals is a fun. You will be able to notice the difference of every meal in each state or country. If you want to travel and taste the country’s food, it is better if you go to food festival. By having a direction to this kind of event, you can get the traditional food of each country easily.

Food Festivals around the World

There are many popular food festivals around the world. When visiting one of these countries, the culinary visit can be an interesting part of your travel package. The following are some of them:

The Taste
The Taste takes place in Paramount Studios. It is a three-day festival, sponsored by Los Angeles Times. You can eat any foods and any drinks for only $65. You will see local restaurants, bakeries, wineries, and many other culinary stalls here.

Hokikita Wildfoods festival
This food festival takes place in New Zealand’s South Island and usually takes place in March. The festival celebrates the weird side of food. For those who like to taste weird foods, this festival is a perfect option. You can taste the snails, worm milkshakes, flower wine and more.

La Tomatina
La Tomatina, which is held in Spain, is the biggest food fight in the world. Here, you are free to throw tomatoes to everyone. This is good to refresh your mind and relieve yourself from the stressful day. This event is usually on August.

Maine Lobster Fest
This food festival is held in New England town of Rockland. You can enjoy many variations of lobster served for meal. While eating lobster, you can also enjoy live music and carnival rides.

Melbourne Food and Wine Festival
In this festival, you will be able to taste many different kinds of food. In addition, you can meet celebrities and watch cooking demonstration directly.

Gilory Garlic Festival
This food festival is held in the United States, exactly California. This festival celebrates the garlic harvest. There are many kinds of foods made of garlic, including garlic ice cream, garlic pop corn, and garlic mussels.

Cayman Cookout
This is the biggest Caribbean culinary event. Located in Grand Cayman Island, this festival celebrates all fantastic flavors of meals in this island. You will see cooking demonstration outside. This is the best festival to enjoy great taste of Caribbeans food. While in this place, you can also have culinary tours of the island. It is going to be an amazing tour.

JFFF( Jakarta Fashion and Food Festival)
Located in Jakarta Indonesia, this festival is usually held in May to June. It will bring you the best foods from all over Indonesia. While enjoying the food, you can also enjoy the latest fashion trend performed on the runway. Some signature events are Kampoeng Tempo Doeloe, Wine and Cheese Expo, Jakarta Wine and Cheese Run, and Eat and Win.

There are still many more festivals, which you can visit around the world. You can choose to visit them based on your taste. The taste from all over the world will introduce you to the diversity of the culture and tastes.

BALINALE: The Ultimate Sense of Asia’s Film Industry

10/11/2014 Shem MD Leave a comment

Bali is a great place to enjoy the vacation. Bali offers many beautiful beaches and temple. Bali also offers great variety of water sports. For you who like adventure, Bali is a perfect place to visit. It is not only the beauty of the land offered in Bali. Bali is also famous for its BALINALE, the abbreviation of Bali International Film Festival. You can have a vacation while seeing the great film in this event.

The film festival event becomes another tourism attraction in the Land of God. It is a good way to promote the tourisms of Bali to the world. Bali has become the setting of a Hollywood movie that involves famous stars like Julia Roberts, and BINALE is another way to attract the attention of world’s class filmmakers.

Balinale: History and Concept

This annual event is held at the Beachwalk Mall, Kuta Beach, Bali from 12th to 18th October 2014. It was first held in 2007 by Bali Taksu Indonesia Foundation to appreciate the film workers. The films given award are from all genres: fiction, documentary, feature, and others. This year’s event focuses on “Women in Film” to give appreciation to women who contribute much in filmmaking process, including filmmakers, writers, producers, directors, and actors.

This event is not only representing film, but also representing some activities, such as Free Open Air Cinema, Daily Film Screenings, Demonstrations, Film Industry Forums, Opening Night Premiere, Awards Presentation, Children’s Charity Program and a series of Educational Workshops dedicated to improve the skills of young independent Indonesian filmmakers. The event also included seminars or workshop; so new comers in filming industry can ask for some advice from the seniors.

Participants are not only from Indonesia, but also from Oscar, BAFTA, and Cannes award winning filmmakers. It will help BALINALE to achieve its mission for global creativity. This is evident from the fact that the event has been affiliated with some awarding events like Motion Picture Association. Besides going to this event, you can also taste the delicious food of Bali. There are many choices of food, which you can have in Bali.

The 2014 Balinale Event and Indonesia’s Film Industry

The 2014 event of BALINALE will involve 59 films, which come from 18 countries from around the world. However, most of them are Asian films, since the event involved 23 Asian countries, 2 international movies and 3 world premieres. This shows a significant increase in the number of films, which are nominated for awards. Last year, the film-awarding event involved only 37 films. In the event, you will be able to watch new release movies.

The best Indonesian movies will also take part in the film festivals. They include 12 Menit: Kemenangan Untuk Selamanya, Bajaj Bajuri The Movie, and Slank Nggak Ada Matinya. More interestingly, some Indonesian films will also be listed in the Free Open Air Cinema. They include Onomastika, Garuda Superhero, Volcanic Rock Breakers of Batur, and Perjalanan. The board of jury has carefully selected the best movies throughout Asia and related movies based on the pre-specified standards without discriminating the origin of the movie.

The annual event will be a place to see the bets movies from various categories, like documentary film, short films, or event full movie. In addition, special review screening will be offered to introduce new movies for the public.

Cultural and Historical Heritage, Editor's Picks, Festivals, Indonesia

Pekalongan Batik Week for the Real Feel of Indonesia

10/09/2014 Shem MD Leave a comment

Batik is very famous around the world. Since it is stated as a cultural heritage from Indonesia, batik has been promoted in many events. Many clothing items and fashion accessories now are made from batik, such as clothes, trousers, skirt, dress, some crafts, and bag. Batik provides you with ethnical look of Indonesia. Now, Batik is not only a fabric pattern worn by the Javanese royal families. Instead, it has been a national intangible asset. Various batik motives are now available in many areas in Indonesia, from Java to Bali, Sumatra, and even Borneo Island.

Pekalongan Batik Week

If you are a batik lover, you can go to Pekalongan Batik Week, in which batik is displayed in an outstanding way. The objective of this event is to preserve Indonesia’s precious art of batik. Located in Pekalongan City, Central Java, the event is held at Jetayu Cultural Area and displaying various batik motives from different areas in Indonesia. This event was started on August 8th and it will finish on October 12th 2014.

The activities held in Pekalongan Batik Week included Indonesia Culinary Festival, Welcome Dinner, Nusantara Archipelago Batik Exhibition, Pekalongan Batik Carnival, Batik’s Motifs for Public Officials’ Uniforms Competition, Batik Lanterns Festival, Fashion Show, Batik on The Street Theatrical Performance, Pekalongan Great Sale, Art and Cultural Performances, National Batik Gathering, Exhibition Booths competition, and more.

You will see for about 140 booths at Jatayu Sport Center. Provincial government, cities and regencies, state owned enterprises and various private sectors participate in this event. It is a good event to visit for those who want to know the wealth of batik crafting in Indonesia or for those who are looking for the best and limited batik motives. If you like to have a business or want to run a garment store with Batik clothing and accessory items, this event can be a start to seek for a business partner.

Pekalongan Batik Week is not only about the exhibition of batik, but also culinary event. You will find delicious food the regencies around Central Java. The taste of Java will blow you away. You will taste sweet, spicy, and crunchy foods here.

How is Batik Pekalongan Different?

Pekalongan has been known as the centre of Batik. Batik pekalongan is famous for Batik Pesisir or Coastal Batik motif. It is different from Royal Batik of Solo and Yogyakarta. The Coastal Batik is mostly dominated by brown, yellow, black, and blue colors. This batik has a great chance to be explored more because it has unique features. so, what make Batik Pekalongan different? Batik Pekalongan got the influence of China and Netherland in colonial times. Even though it is more like batik Yogya or Solo batik, batik Pekalongan has more combination and variation of colors. Batik making skill has been an integral part of the community economic life in this regency.

Many people from other cities buy batik here to be sold again. You will find many accessories that go well with batik here. The shape is so unique so you can buy it as a gift to your family. Visiting a country means learning the culture. You will find many beautiful traditions in Pekalongan. Pekalongan Batik Week will give you experience that you will never forget. Get the feel of batik by going to this event in Indonesia. Your stay will be welcomed by many friendly people from Indonesia.

Editor's Picks, Indonesia, Theme and Amusement Park

Themed Park in Indonesia To Spend Your Long Weekend Holiday

09/25/2014 Shem MD 2 Comments

Holiday is something to wait for many people in Indonesia. Daily routine creates boredom of mind which needs to be refreshed. By being a working mom or working dad, there will be less family time. So, holiday is the way reunite the family and make the relation closer. When it comes to holiday, people will flood the city with cars, motorcycles and other vehicles to go to places they want. Even a traffic jam does not stop people to go to their destination. It is worth to do because long holiday does not come up often. Usually, people in Indonesia get long weekend holiday on Ied Mubarak, Christmas, and school holiday. It is always fun to have a vacation.

There are many tourism spots that you can find in Indonesia. There are beach, mountain, lake, themed park, waterfall, cave, and many more. One spot which is often visited by families is themed park. It gives one stop entertainment fun. With all the facilities included, people can have a pleasure time with their family. Besides, kids will love it so much with the theme given.

There are some famous themed park that you can visit in Indonesia for your upcoming holiday. They are:

1.Jungleland Bogor

It is said to be the biggest themed park in Indonesia. Located in Sentul City, Bogor, it covers an area of 35 ha. You can find 31 rides here for any age with their uniqueness. The location is strategic with vast parking area. It can take in 1000 cars, 3000 motorcycles, and 300 buses.
There is also a package for students, so they can get discount. For individual or group, there will be different price. So, you had better go there in group to get discount. But going individually is fine too since the price is reasonable.You can enjoy a great adventure here.

2.Dreamland Ancol

It is an amusement park located in capital city of Indonesia, Jakarta. It is a great amusement park for many people in Indonesia. You can see Sea World, Atlantis Water Adventure and Marina Beach and Fantasy World. So, for you who like to play in the water, this is the perfect place. Not only that, you can buy beautiful souveneers here.
There is Art Market inside Ancol which sells paintings, handicraft, key chains and other souveneer products. You can find something antique here. Moreover, you can see the artists in their work. You can enjoy an artist who does painting, wood-carvers who makes the sculpture, and many more. For you who like a play, you can enjoy theater performance in a local dialect. Dreamland Ancol is open from Monday to Saturday, from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

3.Bandung Trans Studio

Bandung Trans Studio is the biggest indoor themed park in Indonesia. It is located in Bandung, West Java and covers 4ha area. It has 20 exciting rides which are divided into three different zones: Studio Central Zone, The Lost City Zone, and Magic Corner Zone. Every zone has its own uniqueness. In the center of the place, you can see costume parade of characters in Hollywood. It is always fun to see.
One place that you should not miss when visiting Bandung Trans Studio is “Dunia Lain” or another world. It will give thrilling experience with many ghosts coming from the dark along the way.

There are still many more places that you can visit in Indonesia. While themed park is family best choice, you can have it for your long holiday. Choose one suits to you and your family!

Editor's Picks, Food, Indonesia, Street Food Guide

Special Food in Bandung To Blow Your You Away

09/18/2014 Shem MD 2 Comments

Bandung City in West Java, Indonesia is a great destination for tourists to visit. The city is known as flower city because of its many flowers park alongside the road of the city. People can enjoy fresh air as well as the historical view of the city. Bandung is also known for its distro clothing. There are many shops selling fine clothing, mostly for young people. You can also buy shoes, belt, and more accessories here.

One thing you should not forget about Bandung is its unique food. Make sure you taste it when you visit Bandung because you will not find any food, the same as here.

Food in Bandung has been known for years and you can find it easily along the way. Some special food that you can find in Bandung is:

1.Spicy Fried Meatball
People in Bandung call it as Basreng, stands for Bakso Goreng, which means fried meatball. This is served spicy. Unlike usual meatball which has broth, this food is served alone with spice. The seller will slice the meatball and then deep fried it. Then the spice seasoning is added together. The crunchy meatball with delicious seasoning will blow you away.

2.Chocolate banana
It is a combination of chocolate and banana wrapped in a spring roll paper. Then it is fried. The combination of banana and melting chocolate will make you want it more.

3.Fried Tofu
This in not the usual fried tofu. It is cut dice, mixed with seasoned flour then fried. It is best served hot. Many young people in Bandung like it.

4.Colenak
Colenak stands for di Cocol Enak which means delicious to thrust
This food is made of roasted tape (food from cassava) with red sauce made of grated coconut and palm sugar. This food is sweet and soft.

5.Seblak Basah
It is from sago flour which is made into crackers. Then it is fried again with seasoning and little water. The taste is delicious and chrunchy.

6.Cimol
Cimol is like a meatball but it is made from strach flour and seasoning then it is fried. On top of it is put the spicy powder. It is so crunchy and yummy and better served hot.

7.Siomay
Siomay is a kind of food made by steam it. It is famous not only in Bandung but also in many places in Indonesia. Some are even produced mass and exported to another country.

8.Tahu Lembang
It is a tofu made of cow milk. It is fried with the flour and the taste is delicious, soft inside and crunchy outside.

9.Cilok
Cilok is like a meatball, made of scratch flour. Usually it is filled with egg or meat. After boil it, you can eat it with dipping it in a tomato sauce. For this food, you can find it not only in Bandung, but als in many places in Indonesia. School boys and girls love it so much.

Eating food in Bandung is always fun. The special food of the city accompanied by the fresh air and the humble of the people make eating more fun.

Asia, Editor's Picks, Theme and Amusement Park

Singapore’s sensational Sentosa

09/09/2014 Len Rutledge 1 Comment

Words: Len Rutledge Pictures: Phensri Rutledge

Sentosa is a very popular island just south of the main Singapore island. It is visited by some five million people a year. It was first developed about 40 years ago but was often a disappointment to visitors. Now it is coming into its own and I suggest that it is a ‘must-visit’ place to see for all Singapore visitors. There are now sufficient offerings of interest to adults and children to keep everyone amused for a day or two.

Sentosa Express

There are basically four ways to reach Sentosa Island, the cable car from Mount Faber or Harbourside, the Sentosa Express light rail from VivoCity, the footbridge from near VivoCity, or a taxi from anywhere within Singapore.

The Sentosa Express light rail station is on the 3rd floor of the VivoCity shopping mall beside the large food court. You need to buy a ticket which currently costs S$4 round trip. The train operates every 5-8 minutes from 7 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. daily. Once on the island you can walk to many of the attractions but there are also three bus routes and one beach tram route to help you reach some of the more distant attractions.

Sentosa cable car

The cable car is the most exciting way to reach Sentosa. It begins at The Jewel Box on Mount Faber which houses a retail shop, the cable car station and five different restaurants and bars. This was constructed with the cable car in 1974. There is also a cable car station in HarbourFront Tower 2 near VivoCity. The current cable car cost is $26 (Adult) and $15 (Child) and while this seems high there is no disputing the fabulous view you get on the ride across to the island.

Beaches

Beach Station is the end of the Sentosa Express light rail system and is a transfer hub for the bus and beach tram services. The beach stretches both east and west from here and you can walk in either direction.

Tanjong Beach and Palawan Beach are to the east. Tanjong Beach is popular for its tranquillity and solitude. The sand is clear, the water at times less so. The Tanjong Beach Club offers seafood from around the globe, tropical fruit cocktails, beach volleyball, a pool and entertainment at night.

Family-friendly Palawan Beach has good sand and interesting shops and eateries. There are wading pools and water fountains for kids to cool off in, an aviary and the Animal & Bird Encounters show. A suspension bridge links to the Southernmost Point of Continental Asia, a small islet with a viewing deck at the top of the towers which are located there.

Long Siloso Beach stretches to the west of Beach Station. This is claimed to be Singapore’s hippest beach, and on weekends it is alive with people day and night. There are bars, several shopping options, and bistros and restaurants.

This is also where you can access the 450 metre Zip-line which travels 75 metres above ground level at speeds of up to 60 km/h, across the jungle, the beach, and the sea.

Merlion Plaza

Merlion Plaza has the Imbiah Sentosa Express station and the centre-point here is a 37-metre tall replica of the Merlion complete with viewing galleries and a souvenir shop. An admission fee applies. This forms a north-south axis through the island. The northern end leads to the Festive Terrace while in the south a winding walkway leads to the beach.

Escalators connect to the Imbiah Lookout area where there are several food outlets including Starbucks, The Arches, and Tastes of Singapore.

Images of Singapore

I think Images of Singapore is one of the better attractions in this area. It is an historical museum with exhibits showing the history of Singapore using multi-media displays, multi-screen theatre presentations and wax models. There are numerous exhibitions covering Malay rule, the British period, the Japanese occupation, and early independence under Singapore’s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

Madame Tussauds Singapore will open late 2014 and will include a boat ride known as ‘The Spirit of Singapore’, featuring iconic local landmarks. The ride will connect the new wax museum to the existing ‘Images of Singapore’ attraction in the same building.

Resorts World Singapore

Resorts World Sentosa has added a number of further attractions to the island. Marine Life Park is claimed to be the world’s largest oceanarium. It consists of several major attractions: S.E.A. Aquarium, the innovative Maritime Experiential Museum where you can experience Singapore’s past as a trading port, Dolphin Island, and Adventure Cove Waterpark.

Then there is the Trick Eye Museum which refers to an art technique that turns two-dimensional paintings into three-dimensional images through the use of optical illusions.

There are two free shows that you should see. Lake of Dreams is a spectacular choreographed display of fire, water and light with a musical score. It is presented every night at 9.30 p.m. at Festive Walk. Crane Dance is produced each night at 9.00 p.m. at the Waterfront.

Universal Studios Singapore

This has become sensational Sentosa biggest attraction. There are seven zones around a lagoon all with roller coasters or other movie-themed attractions. You can purchase your day passes online and save time queuing when you arrive at the park. A one day pass costs S$74 for adults and S$54 for children.

On weekends the park can get quite crowded so arriving early is a smart move. Normal operating hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. but they do vary throughout the year.

Other attractions

There is much more to Sentosa. Some of the other attractions are Underwater World and Dolphin Lagoon, Fort Siloso, Wavehouse Sentosa, The Tiger Sky Tower, The Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom, Sentosa Nature Discovery and Nature Walk, Sentosa 4D Adventureland, Skyline Luge Sentosa, and iFly.

Wings of Time features dancing water fountains, enhanced pyrotechnic effects, and a live cast. You view the performance from a large open-air viewing gallery. The 25-minute show runs twice nightly every evening at a cost of S$18.

Len Rutledge is the author of Experience Singapore, an ebook available from Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NBJD2XY

Asia, Destinations, Editor's Picks, Theme and Amusement Park

Wizarding World of Harry Potter in USS Osaka Japan

09/04/2014 Shem MD Leave a comment

Many and many people being a fan of J.K Rowling for her adventure series of Harry Potter. The great imagination of her has lived up the characters with all the environment on it. Having all the books in a movie, people adore the work and feel Harry Potter as alive. They want to be in an adventure in a movie. Since, Universal Studio created a place, alike to the movie, so that many people will feel the adventure. One out of four Universal Studios was built in Osaka Japan.

What is it look like?
Opened on June 18th 2010, the studio offers dark ride in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It is a themed park taking the environments from J.K. Rowling’s book, Harry Potter. It gives the magical exciting feeling for people to see it. Hogwart castle, the famous building in Harry Potter was built here.

Feeling for living in Hogwart castle will not complete without riding a scenic dark ride. It uses KUKA robocoaster technology. Riding it will take you to flight around Hogwart castle. It will take you spin around and turn to see Quidditch match, Dementors, and Whomping Willow. Do not be afraid of the safety since it is completely safe.

To enter it, you have to queue first and then enter the back door. As in the movie, Hogwart castle is full of fun magical items. You can see it here, like Mirror of Erised, sorting hat and talking portraits. You can also see classes like you see in the movie. For instance, the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, the Griffindor room, and Ravenclaw room. You can also see Dumbledore’s office and some characters in Harry Potter showing tricks.

After seeing the rooms and the classrooms, you can go on to the ride.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juG18_VahLc

Ride in Hogwart Castle

You will be welcomed by Hermione Granger who asks you to say “Observatory”. It is supposed to transport you into your desire location. The ride will take you to Floo Network, Astronomy Tower, and then go to Observatory. Then the ride will take you up to see Quidditch match. Hagrid will appear as you travel under the bridge, asking whether you see the dragon. You will find the thrilling adventure when the dragon pursuits you and when you get down, as if falling out in the bridge floor, the dragon will breathe fire to you. Of course, it is a false fire.

The ride does not stop here. It will take you to Forbidden Forest. Then it goes to the Quidditch pitch. As the rides goes, the thrilling music will come up accompanying the thrilling adventure. When the Dementors come, the ride will take you to Chamber of Secrets through a hole. Dementors will be gone by the spell of “Patronus” from Harry Potter and you can go back to your place.

Are You interested?
For its all excitment, it can be your choice to spend your holiday. Besides, the weather and food in Osaka is great. If you are a fan of Harry Potter, this will be an unforgetable experience for you. For its all excitment, it is a regret to miss. Besides, the weather and food in Osaka is great. But before entering The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, you need to choose the seat as the requirement is minimum 120 cm tall. For you who have large size of body, do not need to worry because there is a modified seat for larger size. So, are you ready entering the world of magic in Osaka Japan?

Asia, Editor's Picks

Exploring Muscat

08/19/2014 Len Rutledge Leave a comment

It is hot outside. Very hot! I have never experienced 48 degrees Celsius before and I don’t like it. My wife and I are in Muscat the capital of Oman, an Arab state on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Despite the heat we are out and about sightseeing because the weather forecast is for this weather to last another two or three months.

Muscat is a spread-out city of mainly low-level white buildings. The port-district with its waterfront road and harbour forms the north-eastern periphery of the city. This is probably the most interesting area for visitors although most of the better accommodation is elsewhere. It is where you find most of the following attractions.

Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace

The Qasr Al Alam Palace is the ceremonial palace of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, ruler of Oman. It was built by Imam Sultan bin Ahmed over 200 years ago and the current Sultan is a direct descendent. The gold and blue palace was rebuilt as a royal residence in 1972. Visitors are not allowed inside even though the Sultan normally lives elsewhere in Oman but you are allowed to take photographs from the outside. The Palace is used for official functions and receiving distinguished visitors.

Fort al-Jalal

This is a fort in the harbor of the old city. It was built by the Portuguese in the 1580’s to protect the harbor after Muscat had twice been sacked by foreign forces. Until the 1970s it was used as Oman’s main prison, then was restored in 1983 and converted into a private museum of Omani cultural history, that is accessible only to dignitaries. The fort consists of two towers connected by a wall punctuated by holes for cannons. The building is completely isolated and cannot be accessed from its rocky façade; instead there is a small bridge and stairway

Al-Mirani Fort

This was built at the same time as Al-Jalali Fort. Looking down over Muscat’s Old Town from its cliff top perch, it is one of Oman’s most striking landmarks, guarding the entrance to Muscat Bay. Unfortunately it is not open to the public but at night the spotlighted citadel appears like a fairy-tale castle. It can be reached by climbing a flight of stairs carved into the rock. There are two circular towers at the ends of the fort and another tower, almost semi-circular in shape, which rises above the rest of the fort and dominates the surrounding landscape.

Mutrah Fort

Overlooking the town is this imposing fort which merges into the cliff on which it sits. The fort was built by the Portuguese during their occupation in the 1580’s.If you are adventurous it is possible to scale the steps that wind up the side of the cliff edge and from the top there are some great views.

Mutrah Corniche

With its promenade, markets, cafés and restaurants, this is one of the highlights of the city. The Corniche stretches for three kilometres overlooking the port and clear blue sea. There are gardens and fountains along its length, while at the western end there is a fruit and vegetable market, a fish market and a fishing dhow port.

Towards the east you can see the Mutrah Fort raised high upon the rocks, explore a maze of narrow streets and traditional souks, or visit the Bait Al Baranda Museum.

Fish market

The main fish hall is full of traders in traditional dress selling everything from shell fish to gigantic tuna. The sellers are very friendly and happy to answer questions and they generally allow photos if you ask first. You can see the boats coming in, the fish spread out on benches and in tubs, and people buying fish for their families.

Mutrah Souq

One of the oldest markets in Oman, dating back about two hundred years is also one of its most interesting. You don’t get a good impression from the outside, as it is hidden behind other development and stretches from a gate facing the Sea of Oman and Mutrah Corniche, to another gate in the city’s old quarter, but inside it is marvellous.

Mutrah Souq is a modern interpretation of old Eastern markets, with narrow winding roofed alleys and central plazas filled with activity. The souq has many shops selling jewellery, traditional Omani handicrafts, clothes and several cafes selling Omani food at reasonable prices. Some shops accept credit cards.

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

This is the third largest mosque in the world and non-Muslims may visit from 8AM to 11AM every day except Friday. Ladies are expected to keep their heads, ankles and wrists covered while visiting the mosque. This is the only attraction in this post which is not in or near the old city.

The whole complex is stunning. Highlights are the gigantic Swarovski crystal chandelier, the enormous hand-made Persian carpet which took 600 women three years to make, and the marble panelling.

Elsewhere in the city sandy Qurum beach is one of Muscat’s most popular beaches and is a good place for a swim or just to relax under the palm trees on a sun-lounger. It is an open public beach with coffee shops and cafes close by for refreshments.

Lampung Krakatau Festival Will be Held in August 2014

08/04/2014 Shem MD Leave a comment

Mount Krakatau in Indonesia may emit scary images of mighty eruption, but every year, diverse and lively cultural festival is held around the area. Krakatau Festival has been held since 1991, in the spirit of reminiscence about how powerful Krakatau is and how generous it is; thanks to its presence, the soil around the mountain area becomes very fertile and the areas around it have grown ever since. Therefore, Krakatau is an important mount in cultural, economy and social sense.

This year, Krakatau Festival will be held from 24th to 31st August in Lampung Province, and will include various cultural and art performances as well as sport events.

Events in Krakatau Festival 2014

Krakatau Festival events will be held in different areas, and each day will provide different delights and spectacles for the crowds and tourists. Here are the schedules of the entire festival:

Opening ceremony on August 24th. The ceremony will be held in Bandar Lampung, which is the capital city of Lampung province. Held in Enggal Field, the ceremony will consist of mass aerobic, kites and gasing (spinning top) competitions, indie movie festival, triathlon, modern dance competition and Lampung souvenir making competition.
Fine art exhibition from 24th to 28th August. The fine art exhibition will be held at Enggal Art Market, which features artists from entire Lampung area.
Poetry reading from 25th to 26th August at Enggal Art Market.
Bike tour in Bakauheni Lampung from 27th to 28th August. This is a non competitive bike tour with route around Siger Tower and beautiful Rimau Balak Island.
Krakatau Festival Expo, held from 29th to 31st August. Located in Kaliandra, South Lampung, the expo will showcase culinary, art, and culture exhibitions, with participants from government representatives, state owned and private companies, schools, communities, organizations, individual artists and many more.
Krakatau Fun Dive from 29th to 31st August. This is a mass diving and snorkeling event with participants from all over Lampung as well as tourists.
Krakatau Tour, which is the highlight of the event, which invites everyone from ambassadors and guests to general public and tourists to explore the mighty Krakatau and Anak Krakatau, which is the newly emerging, smaller, yet powerful mount that appeared after the great eruption of Krakatau in the 19th century.

Finally, on the last day, the entire event will be closed with gala dinner and traditional music as well as dance performances. The official event closure will be held on August 31st with The Legend and Glories of Lampung Parade, which is a parade that showcases rich history and cultural background of Lampung.

The Importance of Krakatau Festival
Krakatau Festival is held as reminder of the great Krakatau eruption on 26th and 27th August 1883, which was destructive but also important in shaping the current state of Lampung’s culture, history, agriculture and social life. In the end, the festival aims to remind people that Krakatau is a powerful force of nature, but it also helps shaping the social life, history and culture of people around it.

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