APRIL 2015 IT'S GETTING COOL WITH THE RAIN FALLING AND THE TREES GREENING YET IT'S WARM OUT THERE ....

I am sure all of us who read and hear perfectly realize what's happening in the country. As if the monsoon, the flood , the immigrants, the illegal entries, the IS and the corruptions plus the GTS have not dislodged  us from our positions, now the political awakening of the RULING GOVERNMENT with show of supports to the chief help to shake further the stability of the country.

The question and answer sessions in the newspaper and the electronic media continue relentlessly. Years ago you may expect replies to come days later but now it is directly there soon after one is uttered or published. Never mind who said what, there will always be a prompt answer.

We look on and declare that with such going on, will the people have peace and calm. Remembering that the country's security itself is on hold will the discourse over 1MDB, jet plane, Pak Najib, Tok Tun M and IM4U declaration etc continuing beyond its boundary will bring us OUT successfully?

The 2 bye-elections due in May 2015 will surely be something to focus on if speakers or candidates dare to speak and reveal all.

I am sure many of my blogger friends may have been at least dislodged from their favorite outings with the current news headlines in all the media. Stability is an issue.

Salam to all.  Two pictures taken recently while in Dubai UAE help to state the feelings we may feel at the moment. 

Falling with magnificence and setting sun with its closure of the day and what will it be tomorrow?

A MUCH OVERDUE RETURN VISIT

The signage already indicates where we are and of course several bowls of mutton soup were quickly dispatched to the table. The island still serves hot piping dishes which has been famous for years. With energy charged we headed to Changi to see several airport terminals which is the hub of the island

Greenery continues into the interior

Views of the passengers' Lounge at Changi new Terminal 3 representing a pleasant designed lay-out

Awesome yet captivating ceiling with reflectors which throw lights onto the open spaced hall



An airport displays some creative works of its talented people. Crafts and artworks may form a distinct introduction to the country's past and future.

These three couples our hosts and my wife amidst the flowery arrangement

that greets visitors and flyers at the airport. Shopping arcades and displays form part of the major attractions at airports all over the world.

A few days back I wrote of inaction at least on my part; the lack luster of January. Now that would not be true when past midnight in the early hours of 30^th day of the month with a full moon in the night sky, we were scouting around Singapore two new airports, seeing Terminal 2 and 3 with friends after a highly nourishing bowls of 'Sup Kambing'. Together with Terminal 1 which is under renovation, that section of Changi Singapore now has three main terminals. That would place the city in a very competitive position to steal the airline transport industry in the region. Just look at the photos, you will see that the republic has gone in a big way to welcome as well as provide the best facilities to the passengers and the international airlines that make Singapore their port of call.

A leisurely drive from Putrajaya, minus the normal heavy traffic on the North – South Highway a day earlier saw us arriving at Hj. Ibrahim's house along the Pasir Gudang Highway after a nonstop three hour drive.

It has been several years since we were last in Singapore. A working visit to Putrajaya saw us making way south to Johore Baharu to visit several friends which has long been overdue and naturally saw us crossing the causeway and into the island republic. It happened that the three friends and their wives were Singaporean though they have homes in Johore as well. It was a reciprocal gesture since they have been expecting us to call since their last visit to Titi Gajah in 2008. A planned stay at a hotel has to be abandoned upon insistence from our hosts.

Right now, I am at Hj Ismail's home in the Woodland's suburb. Malaysians of yesteryear may remember Woodlands as a halting place for Malaysian shoppers. Trust me, don't expect it to retain a semblance of its past. Like other parts of Singapore there has been a big change topographically. Ismail's home is like a HBA apartment, giving us the chance to see the much talked Singapore forward building industry especially for its residents. This is a golden opportunity indeed. For once, we observed that space and design do not compromised with aesthetic and profit. The designers have their say and the property owners gained from facilities and amenities thrown in.

This Singapore visit is unlike others that preceded it. No visiting for shopping and direction towards Orchard Road in particular. With help from our Singapore friends we moved to see new growth and development in the City State and learned much from them. Sometimes as you travelled you appreciate what you see and expect such trends are implemented in your own country. You ask and wish some directions are taken for the good of the community. Singapore shows its distinction of caring its habitats; throwing landscaping for the benefits of the people and controlling its rivers and sea frontiers. Many of its rivers have been re engineered, rehabilitated and pleasantly alive with thriving trees and shrubs. Significantly they attract birds to find their homes among the foliage.

Of course, things don't come for free. You have to pay to get what you wished and hoped for. To curtail vehicle movement or traffic, varieties of charges are levied. If you wish to drive, then be ready to pay. Then again we found out, you could still enjoy driving at minimum cost if you used a red-plated Singapore number plate paying a small road tax fee permitting you to use your vehicle from dusk to dawn only.

The island's link with Johore Baharu appears continuous as Singaporean and Malaysians cross each other's borders throughout the twenty-four hours. It is to be hoped that facilities at both check-points of the Johore Singapore Strait would improve with a redesigned crossing facilities, temporarily halted for reasons only the authorities know.

We are privileged to have friends across the Strait and discover their styles and comforts. Their cohesion amongst their colleagues, support for each other and families are a binding traits for all communities irrespective of position or locations; characteristics of human adoration for one another irrespective where you are. This cordial visit is unlike other visitation when you crossed the border.

We would not have discovered this corner of Singapore if we were traveling on ourselves. At Pantai Ris we had time to feel the sea breeze besides cycling along the routes of the theme park

Here amidst mature trees that form part of the landscaping of Pantai Ris a man exercised on his roller skates. Such opened space designed with care and control provides the much needed breathing area


At Marina Bay you will be clicking your shutters because the scenes are there. Here through the designed monument you catch an extraordinary building under construction heralding the very source of Singapore's growth i.e its harbor and shipping.

Rivers and drains are sources of water. A large catchment area in the Singapore Bay forms the up to date reservoir

An HBA home with a garden landscape above the carpark. Some of the apartment owners found time and space to grow a vegetable plot.

It would not be a completed tour if we have not visited the Sultan Mosque. Tourists naturally found this sector of Singapore attractive. The mosque's dome is pictured here plus a band below. We are told when the mosque was being built the populace around the area collected bottles and these formed the band as you see above zoomed with the tele lens. .

VISITING A FOREIGN COUNTRY IS NO PIECE OF CAKE ''' STILL IT'S WORTHWHILE

A 'ryokan' named " KIKOKUSO" at Kyoto was our home for a night. Here we experienced Japanese traditional home stay on its tatami mat floor with sliding doors etc. Not to mention dressed in 'Yukata' before going to the family hot bath

At Nara forty minutes by train from Osaka, we caught this scene of family resting by the scenic landscaped pool with early autumn cool pleasant weather in the air.Thousand of visitors were here on Saturday as Nara is one historic city with legends of its own



Inside our room at Ryokan Kikokuso with the 'futon' laid out for the guests comfort. The beds are folded away and stored during day time. I guess we were used to this in James Bond film before and it becomes a reality now.



It was an appreciation indeed. I have longed instructed my children and grand children to arrange their shoes in order before entering the home. Here the emphasis is more. For shoes meant for use inside the home they are placed pointed in. For those used outside they are placed facing out. We should adopt this. Take a warning!


A toilet in a public garden designed alongside the landscaped compound



They care. Even the tree trunk deserved such treatment allowing it to grow on.

The train station at Kyoto. For JY 540 it takes you from here to Osaka within 50 minutes. It is a hive of activity and you have to learn how to buy tickets from the vending machine besides looking for the platform etc. All notices in Japanese though you hear announcement in English



Another great care for vegetation as well as the hard rock too


The picture taken in early morning. Ryokan charges per person for accommodation and not room and includes breakfast. Generally it's a little higher than hotel rate. This is truly home- stay, cared and entertained by the family. According to the owner there is heavy demand by foreigners making 70% of clients. A reverse of what it was before, This ryokan has been functioning as far back as 180 years ago. It is run by the son and his family members who took over from his father almost forty years ago.


At Nara the extensive park sees hundreds of deer roaming freely.


Need to explain? We are at fish- market of course.

'Jeruk berbagai jenis'. Pickled vegetables of all types for your choice.

Fresh vegetables for sale.

Crabs, giant size too plus all manner of fish you want to pick for the kitchen.

I thought of bringing a bicycle home especially to use as shown here

At the Osaka Castle, you will notice elderly ladies enjoying the pleasures of sketching and painting scenes of the castle, a much enjoyable past time. They have taken a shaded corner to labour their hobby.


Believe me this is the apartment that sheltered us for the days we were at Osaka. It had almost everything for comfort

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Visiting another country outside yours is looked forward to by many. H1N1 situation and the current economic world standing are two valid reasons that may put off excursions of such nature for the present. Putting those aside we somehow managed to do so, specifically since we secured two free return seating from Malaysian Airline System sufficient to take us to India, China, Japan etc. We chose to head for the 'Land of the Rising Sun'. This of course came through the 'Enrich Program' by virtue of points accumulated. Not using them would mean they would be forfeited. Then again, we never like to travel on a conducted tour always preferable to be on our own with our programs and schedules. That mean as a start to make sure you have a valid passport and to obtain a visa from the Japanese Embassy or its Consulate at Penang. The Embassy secures your visa within two working days if you satisfy all requests including an indicator that you have sufficient fund. No doubt, Japan is also unduly worried over visitors who entered but remained in the country; failing to make their exits for reasons of their own. Other planning has to be executed before you depart. Only you have to become your own tourism planner.

Japan is the choice but then where to stay, what to see and visit? JAPAN, a publication by Lonely Planet became an introductory choice while information from the world-wide net added a wealth of information before we departed. Choice of accommodation is freely available from hotels, 'ryokan' of varied categories what more with advices or comments from guests who had stayed there before. Pictures and maps helped to make your choice easier and of course the price offered with the various services available. Of course a free Internet service would be a great factor. Availability and reservation is immediate too. Even directions and choice of transportation's are available. Indeed when you arrived, you are already prepared to expect convenience, hopefully.

Osaka and specifically Kansai Airport is six hours away eastward from KLIA. Departing at 11.45 pm meant that we arrived at 7.00 am Japan time: a pleasant and untiring journey that put you at ease to face a new experience.

We made a satisfactory choice by registering at Weekly Mansion Osaka at Otemae for the duration of our six day/5 night stay. It's a new concept stay in an apartment type home with all the facilities of your home: spacious living room, bedroom and all conveniences. Kitchen facilities, free internet, TV and video on hire plus bicycles for rent are all available. Above all at JY52, 600 for the stay, an average of RM 390.00 per night for two persons is a hard price to beat. English speaking desk personnel were of great help when you could only come forth with " ohayo gozaimas", "damo arigato gazaimas" and "konnichiwa" amongst the phrases. Still we found everyone we met helpful.

Our Mr. Ohta the volunteer guide whom we met gave us an excellent introduction to Osaka and especially its train networks. Paying for only JY 200 by train you would be paying JY750 instead by taxi. Still as an old departed friend once said "Your arithmetic is wrong, when you grapple over price etc when you choose to have the best". Indeed he said if you want to have a car then don't ruffle about the mileage and the liter price of petrol'.

Why Osaka? Why not Tokyo? Osaka in the Kansai Prefecture gives you two other cities worthy of visiting: Kyoto and Nara. In fact you have Kobe, Hiroshima and Nagasaki all nearby if your itinerary favors: all familiar names dating back to the Second World War period. Then again autumn would be finer here. Should you wish to see bustling Tokyo, it is only a sixty minutes trip by plane from Osaka Itami at JY22,600 or by the 'Shinkansen' the bullet train from Kyoto at JY13,200 and taking 2 hours 42 minutes. Rail passes available are helpful in many ways.

At the point of writing we have just returned from visiting Nara and Kyoto; two ancient cities with treasures of Japan and more interestingly with a new experience. We chose to spend a night at Kyoto after visiting Nara earlier and significantly stayed in an old Japanese Inn or 'Ryokan'. It's an experience not to be forgotten and more so unbelievably make you wonder or regret to say the least why we do not promote a proper stay in a Malay kampong house? Visiting foreign places are great assets as it opened a new avenue, clicking the mind of new ideas and helping to widen our world view.

View some of the photos taken at Nara, Kyoto and Osaka. You will agree with me the three cities on our eastward fringe are worthy of visiting. We have always looked at cities in the western region, a fallacy built over many decades. Good that convenience traveling allows us to see others, all helping to make our very own a better one if we so desire to do so and innovate for change where possible.

One exceptional mention would be a big 'take off my hat' to the taxi drivers of Osaka, Nara and Kyoto with whom we had the chance to meet and become passengers in their vehicles. They were polished, dedicated and helpful without any qualm of complaining or sounding disappointing. The taxi would halt, the side door opened by itself and we jumped in on white cloth covered seats into a spacious cabin space. The driver mostly senior person in his smart dress and white gloves greets you. You indicate where you would like to go and almost always not understood. You showed a paper or a map with the address. He would consult his map book or even switched on his GPS to find the where about of your intended address. No he would not stop at that, if unable to find the address. He would get on his hand phone with the number given by you to enquire. All inclusive of the service you would get with humility and kindness. Yes I have yet to experience such service even in a country where you could speak and explain quite clearly where you intended to go. Alas never the same. It was exceptional where we are today. "Sayonara" is another word that saying so also put you wanting to discover the beauty of this great island again while suggesting that many of our youth should face eastward and grasped the 'eastward policy' as practiced by the Malaysian Government.

I would like my children to do so. Fortunately one is coming this way next month as he is in the motor industry and hopefully gained from his visit as we did even for a very brief one.

26 October 2009

MEETING A JAPANESE VOLUNTEER

The welcome digital screen at Kansai Airport greets you on arrival

It seems to be an outing day for schools as elementary and secondary children

made their educational visits to Osaka Castle and its sites.

Not to miss the colorful crysthemum flowers on display at Osaka Castle we had this photo of my wife with Mr.Ohta our volunteer guide.

Autumn is late in arriving at Kansai but the leaves are already changing their hues.

A scene to savour

Mr.Ohta and me at one of the shopping arcades in the city. Bicycles and cycling are popular here as they were in Malaysia fifty years ago.

IT WAS MANY DECADES AGO, that I first saw a Japanese. Of course he and his colleagues were in Malaya during the Second World War. They were soldiers and certainly brought into the country to launch the Japanese Prosperity Plan of conquering Asia, which they did but lasted for a short span. Of course the child's view was clouded by many factors. Today at Osaka in the Kansai prefecture, I met another, several years older than me but in a more congenial atmosphere. No he is not one of the soldiers that cycled the route north from the Kedah – Thai border to the Island of Singapore, but is a Volunteer Tourist Guide who offered his service to visitors to the Japanese cities and in this case being Osaka.

Viewing the internet I came across an Osaka Tenma Yomiuri SGG Club at Osaka that offered guide service to visitors to Japan and especially Osaka in this case. Correspondence through email, guaranteed that we had the service of a guide. Especially in Japan where you hardly know a word of Japanese or able to converse in either Malay or English with the populace, it would be a great asset to meet someone who could help. In this case Mr. Hideaki Ohta had assured that he would meet us at the hotel where we stayed. This morning prompt at 9.30 am, the telephone in the room rang and he was already at the foyer to meet us and take us on a familiarization tour of Osaka City and taking us especially through myriad networks of the underground trains of the city. That by itself would be the last thing any tourist would like to confront with on the first day.

Mr. Ohta belonged to a group of volunteers in Japan who gave their time and service to serve the tourist industries. They are not money oriented but offered their services literally free of charge. I suppose they gain from the interactions with people from all over the world and proud that they have contributed to the community and to the tourism industry and Japan specifically. That they could converse in the language indicated by the visitors is a true virtue of their assistance; that they are as knowledgeable as the professional tourist guides go a long way. Mr. Ohta was with us for the whole day till we parted with good feelings and friendship late in the evening. I must say this is the first tourist volunteer guide I have come across and had the services offered gratis. Yes free of charge excepting that we pay for our tickets as well as his when we travelled on the train or 'undergrounds' . You have to pay for entries of visitation when required. He entered free being an established and recognized Club member. I would not hesitate to use their services whenever I return to Japan again. I would encourage others to contact them. It is a two way winner: the visitor as well as the volunteer guide. Perhaps Malaysia too has to look at this prospect in wanting to improve its tourism potentials.