Macau-Zhu Hai-Shen Zhen, 12-16 August 2008 (III)

Shen Zhen, 14-16 August 2008

We stayed at Days Inn Hotel located at Luo Hu, near Dong Men [东门], East Gate, about 3 minutes walk. After the hand full with shopping bags, we went back to the hotel to unload and rest, then go out again....... :). It is really fun to shop here.. everything seems like very cheap. I enjoyed shop at two dollar shops.. everything is RMB2.00 .. Just choose and pick then pay.. no need to do the calculation to know how much in SGD. During our stayed for 3 days... we only visited Window of the World on 15 Aug .. other than that we just spent our times at DongMen for shop and shop..... On the last day, after checked-out, again we just linger at Dong Men area. Amy did the facial (RMB38.00), tattoo her eyebrow (RMB350.00), massage (RMB30.00 for 1 hour) and wash her hair (RMB 10.00). I wash/cut/blow my hair for RMB25.00 and massage. I not encourage you to do the massage in this place, as the masseur was not proffessional and not systematic at all...

Dong Men is a shopping district consisting of department stores, supermarkets, shops and stalls. It is centred on two parallel pedestrian streets with several smaller streets and alleys traversing it, creating a labyrinth in which every available space is used to sell something. Shops range from holes-in-the-wall to retail chains like Baleno, Giordano and the odd foreign brand shop, such as Addidas. Fashion wear, sports wear, jewellery, shoes, handbags, toys, CDs, DVDs, video games, traditional medicine...the list goes on and on. Touts guide punters to massage houses, nail salons and tattoo parlours. Except for retail chain stores with prices clearly displayed, bargaining will be required, for at least 40-60% cheaper.

If you do nothing else in Shenzhen, just visit Dong Men for shopping. It’s a wonderfully vibrant area to explore and a lot of the city’s young go there to stroll around, hang out and eat from its snack stalls and restaurants. It can be crowded at any time of the week but on weekends and holidays it seems like the whole population of the city is trying to squeeze into a few small streets.

How to get there
This area can be reached by bus no 102, 113,103, and 203. Head down one of the pedestrian streets that run perpendicular to Dong Men Zhong Lu (Dong Men Central Road) near the Dong Men footbridge. (There are more shops on the opposite side of Dong Men Zhong Lu). From there just wander and follow the crowd. By Metro, get off at Lao Jie station and leave from exit A. Turn left and you’ll soon be in the thick of it. This information is from here.

Macau-Zhu Hai-ShenZhen, 12-16 August 2008 (II)

Zhu Hai, 13-14 August 2008

After breakfast.. we checked out and by taxi proceed direct to the border of Macau - Zhu Hai. Many people on queue in the Immigration counter... From Macau to Zhu Hai just a short walk only, less than 5 minutes walk (not included the queue time in the both immigration counter) and all the way in the building area, not open space.After left Zhu Hai (China) Immigration, we arrived at the big underground shopping area.. Gong Bei Port Plaza. No wonder many people just walk (is W.A.L.K.) or just drive the car to crossing Macau - Zhu Hai.

We took taxi to hotel first (because very troublesome to shop with all the luggage hanging on us). After checked in (thank God that we could check in early!), we went back to Gong Bei Port Plaza for lunch then get ready to go around the shopping area for shop!!! This shopping place caters mainly for clothings, shoes, bags, and accessories. Of course you can find some other things also, such as DVD/CD, watches, cosmetics, mobile phone, games and foods.

After tired, we back to hotel to try the spa and massage.. Our hotel in Zhuhai is Chinese Medicine Valley [in Chinese: 中药谷], a place to stay and soak ourselves in many pools (indoors and outdoors) with different herbs such as Green Tea, Vinegar, Aloe Vera, Peppermint, Rose, and many others.. The outdoor pools are located among the trees, bushes, or inside a cave. It says the cold-water spa with milk, flowers, aroma or vinegar can help people to relax, and the hot/warm herbal spa with different traditional Chinese medicine ingredients will help activate blood circulation and dissipate blood stasis, remove the heat from the liver and improve eyesight, eliminate toxins and beautify the skin, as well as shape the body and keep fitness. There are also VIP rooms and wooden barrel baths for tailored customer services. This place also provide body massage, foot massage and beauty care.

This hotel is located next to New Yuanming Palace and Lost City Water Park off Jiuzhou Avenue in Lanpu. Other than taxi, also can take the bus no. 1, 13, 25, 30, 40, 60 or 99 to the Lanpu Bus Stop.

Need more information about Zhu Hai? Click Zhu Hai. We did not have time for sightseeing at all, we spent our time for shopping and spa/massage only.

Click here to get more information about Chinese Medicine Valley or check their website here to get more information about the pools (unfortunately all are in Chinese!).

The next day, after breakfast we went back to Gong Bei Port Plaza for another last minute shopping... then by taxi we went to Jiuzhou (九州港) seaport to take ferry to Shenzhen (for Amy and me) and to Hongkong for May & Joelle. The ferry ticket from Zhu Hai to Shen Zhen is RMB90.00. The journey about 1 hour. From Shekou (蛇口)Port to our hotel (Days Inn) at LuoHu area about 45 minutes drive and cost us RMB81.00.

Macau-Zhu Hai-Shen Zhen, 12-16 August 2008 (I)

Macau, 12-13 August 2008

From Johor by Air Asia, Amy and I flew to Macau. The flight was 3.20 hours.

From the airport we went to Sintra Hotel by taxi (about 30 minutes drive, cost MOP80).

Macau is famous for its casino, many people come to this city to visit the casino. Whereever you go, you will find big or small casino, they open 24 hours a day. During our visit, we only went to The Venetian Macao, the largest and latest casino and resort/hotel in Macau. The Venetian Macao is like a small Venice, with the winding canals, authentic gondolas, ached bridges and nice architecture. The Grand Canal Shoppes also will spoil you to spend your Macau Pataca (MOP, Macau currency)... The gondola ride for 15 minutes will cost you about MOP88.00 per person. 1 Gondola maximum for 4 persons.

According to Wikipedia, The Venetian is a 40-story, 10,500,000-square-foot (980,000 m2). Venetian Macao is modeled on its sister casino resort – the The Venetian in Las Vegas – and is the largest single structure hotel building in Asia and the third-largest building in the world.

Other than The Venetian, we only visited the ruin of St. Paul. According to Wikipedia, the ruin of St. Paul is one of Macau's most famous landmarks. In 2005, the Ruins of St. Paul were officially enlisted as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Centre of Macau.

The food in Macau is not fantastic. The taste tends to be too salty and the price is not cheap (average per dish about MOP 35-40 for 1 person serving). I like the buildings.. old and new, most of them very nice. Night shoot will be very nice... as most of the casinos light on with thousands lights...... If I have another chance, I will go Macau again to enjoy the building and ask Bagio to take the photo as many as he can... I hope......! Macau is not a place for shopping...

Upload day buku "Cooking with Love"

Sebagai ungkapan kasih dan persahabatan, juga untuk mengenang Bunda Inong yang telah berpulang 2 tahun yang lalu, terbitlah buku COOKING WITH LOVE yang merupakan hasil kerja keras grup WE R Mommies dan Dapur Bunda.

Buku ini merupakan hasil rangkuman dari resep, puisi dan juga kisah-kisah unik yang dialami dalam kehidupan sehari2 bersama suami dan kedua anaknya. Resep2 khas bunda Inong dalam buku ini sudah diuji coba oleh para sukarelawan sejak beberapa bulan yang lalu. Salut atas kerjakeras para penyusun sampai terbitnya buku ini.

Cooking with Love...... ah judul yang sangat indah.. semoga bisa menjadi inspirasi bagi semuanya. Ternyata untuk menghasilkan masakan yang lezat tidak hanya tergantung pada bahan, bumbu maupun cara memasaknya, tapi juga harus dilengkapi dengan CINTA.... Peluncuran buku ini direncanakan tgl 30 Agustus 2008 di Jakarta sekaligus menjadi ajang kopdar bagi warge We R Mommies dan Dapur Bunda.

Untuk yang belum sempat membeli bukunya, bisa lihat videonya click di Cooking with Love ini.

Berikut ini merupakan cuplikan kata pengantar yang ditulis oleh Bondan Winarno untuk Bunda Inong dalam “Cooking with Love”:

Semua JS-ers Memanggilnya Bunda. Di antara ribuan warga Komunitas Jalansutra – yaitu mereka yang tergabung dalam milis Jalansutra – muncul beberapa orang yang tampil memukau. Mereka-mereka yang menonjol ini adalah pribadi-pribadi unik yang dengan ciri dan cara masing-masing berhasil memenangi hati para warga lainnya.Ada seorang kapten penerbang yang tulisannya halus, lucu, dan akurat tentang makanan dan tempat makan yang “ditinjaunya”. Ada seorang profesional teknologi informasi yang sejak awal sudah ketahuan kepiawaiannya tentang wine. Ada seorang dokter yang tulisan perjalanannya memukau dan selalu rajin menjawab pertanyaan warga lainnya. Ada seorang “spesialis” LSM yang potret dan tulisannya tentang kuliner selalu ditunggu. Ada pula seorang chef yang ahli kopi. Dan ada banyak lagi “bintang-bintang” lain di galaksi Jalansutra. Bunda Inong Haris adalah salah satu dari mereka. “Bintang”-nya pelan-pelan bersinar. Dan seperti juga “bintang-bintang” yang lain, sinarnya redup menyejukkan, bukan sinar cemerlang yang menyilaukan pandangan. Ia termasuk salah seorang yang sangat aktif hadir dalam berbagai kumpulsutra (acara kumpul-kumpul warga Jalansutra). Ia selalu membawa keceriaan dalam setiap kumpulsutra yang ketika itu memang lebih sering kami selenggarakan. Begitu senangnya Bunda Inong Haris ber-kumpulsutra, sampai-sampai beberapa kali pula ia sendirilah yang memprakarsai acara-acara semacam itu. Ia juga aktif berbagi pengetahuan – khususnya dalam hal masak-memasak –di milis. Banyak warga Jalansutra yang kemudian juga bergabung dalam milis Dapur Bunda yang diasuhnya. Semua warga Jalansutra memanggilnya Bunda. Bahkan saya yang jauh lebih tua dari dia pun ikut-ikutan memanggilnya Bunda. Saya tidak pernah mengetahui nama lengkapnya sampai saat kematiannya di Singapura pada 1 September 2006 dinyatakan secara resmi. Ternyata dia bernama Anna Siti Herdiyanti. Saya pun baru mengetahui bahwa ia lulusan Arsitektur Trisakti. Entah kenapa, di Jalansutra ternyata memang agak banyak pribadi-pribadi berlatar belakang arsitektur berkumpul – termasuk saya sendiri. Bunda Inong Haris meninggal? Kami semua tersentak. Kami semua tidak percaya. Tetapi, kami semua kemudian menyadari bahwa kematian memang selalu datang seperti pencuri. Kami tepekur dengan khidmat. Kami kenang seorang teman yang begitu ceria dan begitu ingin berbagai keceriaan dengan semua orang. Barangkali benar apa yang selama ini dikatakan sebagai pemeo. Bahwa orang baik tempatnya di surga. Kami semua percaya bahwa di sanalah – di swargaloka nan indah – Bunda Inong Haris kini berada. Orang baik tidak pernah mati. Ia tetap bersemayam dalam hati orang-orang yang pernah disentuhnya dengan kebaikan.

Bondan Winarno

Kepala Suku Jalansutra

Program Upload Day "Cooking With Love" ini diselenggarakan oleh We R Mommies Indonesia - http://wrm-indonesia.org/" yang bekerja sama dengan Dapur Bunda.

27 Aug - Two Moons??

Received the following news from one of my friend.... Is true or just a hoax??


27th Aug the Whole World is waiting for.............

Planet Mars will be the brightest in the night sky starting August. It will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. This will cultivate on Aug. 27 when Mars comes within 34.65M miles off earth.
Be sure to watch the sky on Aug. 27 12:30 am. It will look like the earth has 2 moons.
The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287.
Share this with your friends as NO ONE ALIVE TODAY will ever see it again.


Please share with me if you really see two moons on 27 August ............
My question is, which year of 27 August we will see 2 moons????

Salam dari Shenzhen

Kamis, 14 Agustus 2008

Aku & Amy barusan nyampe Shenzhen, check-in hotel dan langsung nyewa internet karena urusan email-meng-email. Urusan apdet perjalanan kali ini.. nanti kalo sudah balik ke Singapore aja ya... karena sewa internetnya mahal........... lagian gak bisa aplod foto.

Kemarin malem dapat kabar kalo cik Anna masuk rumah sakit gara-gara tekanan darahnya drop... cuman sempat kirim sms dan berdoa, semoga cik Anna cepet sembuh dan pulih kembali.
Tuhan akan membuka jalan dan memberkati kalian sekeluarga seperti janjiNya... Dia tidak pernah membiarkan anak-anakNya jalan sendirian....
Untuk cik Anna dan Koh Hay, juga Agnes, Otto, Teresa... tetap berdoa ya...
Kami bantu dalam doa juga.

Sampai ketemu di postingan berikutnya...
Salam.

Around Singapore with Friends from Indonesia

13 July 2008, we met my ex-boss at Bukit Batok kopi-tiam. Here is the pictures of their daughter, Meaghan...

13 July 2008 was Meaghan 2 years old birthday...

Happy Birthday, Meaghan.

26-30 July 2008

Li Shia & Hong Jay, Winnie their daughter, and Lina (Li Shia's sis) came for short holiday and health check up. Saturday evening we went to Boat Quay.
Sunday, after church meeting we went to Sentosa until evening.

30 Jul - 4 Aug 08

Melani & Katherine from Surabaya came to help Lan's daughter, Stella, to choose new boarding house. Wednesday night we went to see "Singapore Garden Festival 2008" at Suntec City. Some pictures that we took that night......

Sunday, 3 August we went to Jurong Bird Park and in the evening went to Mount Faber.

31 July 2008, Fransisca and her cousin, Leo was here for 1 night only... We only met for a couple of hours at RE hotel.

5-7 August 2008

Lila (from Bandung) came to attend her son's performance at Esplanade. I accompany her to watch the Raffless Institution's choir performance. Nice performance...

Then this morning (7 Aug), we went to RI to watch Mulia's speech in his class...... about "The Key to Unlock the Success"

When I sat in the classroom, it bring back the memory of our school day. The difference only that the classroom nowadays with Aircond and the presentation is with Laptop... makes life is more comfortable and easier.......