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Tag: Festival

George Town Festival 2012 Teaser Website

George Town Festival 2012 Teaser Website – George Town Festival is an annual event that happens in Penang to celebrate George Town as a UNESCO World Heritage city ever since the year 2010. The 2011 George Town Festival was a heat in Penang and many came to Penang to enjoy the month long celebration.

The George Town Festival 2012 website is up as a teaser website and the planning for the 2012 festival has already started. You can fill in your name as volunteer, as well as sponsor for the festival. If you have tip and idea to make the festival even greater, you can contribute too!

Check out the teaser website here.

December 3, 2011
Christmas Decoration At Pavilion Shopping Mall, Bukit Bintang

#1. My favourite shopping mall. I don’t really like Sunway Pyramid by the way. HAHA.

Christmas Decoration At Pavilion Shopping Mall, Bukit Bintang – Christmas is around the corner right now and it’s happening in less than a month time. This goes to Chinese New Year as well because the coming Chinese New Year is coming very early in January (normally February). I am so excited for both of the festival as they make me feel very relax and happy.

#2.

I went to KL downtown few weeks back and went to walkaround the famous Pavilion shopping mall. Surprisingly the put up the Christmas decoration early in early November, The decoration is very beautiful with lots of Christmas trees placed around the main atrium.

#3.

Big sweet cake and giant decorative bells and balls are among the decoration too.

#4.

#5.

#6.

Now I am back to Penang, and I’m gonna go check out how’s the malls here are doing with the coming Christmas festival. Woohoo. Happy last month of 2011. If you still have leave, it’s time to clear it up and spend some time with you family and your loved one. Have a nice day!

December 2, 2011
Nine Emperor Gods Festival At Ampang

#1: On the way to Ampang, and saw the city of Kuala Lumpur from the car. The skyline looks quite nice at night.

Nine Emperor Gods Festival At Ampang – Two weeks ago, I went to Ampang with my friends from Penang – Arron and Tee Jin to go check out the Nine Emperor Gods Festival here in Kuala Lumpur and also to pray. In Penang, it’s a very happenings festival which attracts lots of tourist and devotees to join the procession and praying and I would like to see how the festival is celebrated here.

#2: Looks like pasar malam and the temple is ahead.

The location of the temple is at Ampang and it’s the place I know that’s famous for this Nine Emperor Gods Festival in Kuala Lumpur. GPS was our guide to the location it took about half an hour from Kelana Jaya to there. Traffic was pretty smooth that night. Everything went smooth.

#3: Burning ground for burning gold paper for the god.

The temple is located in a Chinese village, and it’s kinda cool that there’s still village located so close to city.

#4: The stall says that he know your surname and your luck, sort of like fortune teller, but after checking out how he did it, it’s actually works like a formula. He shows people a series of card with a number of Chinese’ surname in it, you will be asked with question of whether your surname is in the card or not. After a few times of asking, he will then tell you your surname. Then he will pass you a paper writing your fortune. HAHAHA. RM10 for per “game”.

#5: A Toaist sifu giving a sort of like a talk show, telling people to see some number and stuff, but after 5 minutes of seeing him, I have no idea what he was trying to sell.

#6: Arron on the left. It’s like night market in there, just like a carnival, instead of a festival like in Penang.

Well, upon arriving, I got to say, it looked totally different from the festival in Penang. There’s many people, it’s very happening at there, people kept flocking in, there’s people praying in the temple, but what’s difference is it’s like a night market, there’s many stall selling stuff like DVDs, cloth, street food (vegetarian), toys, collectibles and more! It’s more like a carnival to me.

#7: Selling vegetarian street food.

#8: Mini auction selling collectible, all started from RM5. It’s an eye opening day because I never see this kind of auction before and the seller claim that their collectible worth few hundred bucks which I don’t really believe, I think it’s just another “MIC (Made In China)” stuff.

The night market thingy had been there for nine days and it was the last day. In Penang, you will only see yellow banner vegetarian food stalls for nine days and all the Nine Emperor Gods Temple lighted up for nine days, but you won’t find carnival stalls like this at there.

#9: Another auction stall at there. This one started at RM2 with smaller item and I think there’s people of them hiding themselves among the public to try to raise the price. We did try to raise our hand for fun with the maximum bid of RM10 for 3 of us. And we actually bought ourselves a mini Fu Lu Shou. HAHA.

#10: There’s cute cartoon balloons too!

#11: Penang’s Muar Chee. It’s good to see the word “Penang” at there which makes me think about home.

#12: You can even find bubble tea there too!

We traveled through the seas of people to check out what’s there. Quite many street food in vegetarian style, there’s toys, there’s pirated DVD, there’s fortune teller, there’s clothing, there’s Chinese opera, and there’s lots of people.

#13: There’s a performing stage for Chinese Opera.

#14: The three Penangites – Tee Jin, Me and Arron wandering around the temple in Ampang, Selangor.

#15: Somewhere within the temple. Two beautiful pagodas can be seen here. Lighted up too.

After checking out the “pasar malam”, we went to the temple area to pray. We was actually waiting for procession but I wondered where could the procession goes. Normally, at this time of time, about 10pm, in Penang, there would be a procession of sending the Nine Emperor Gods back to the sea, but at this place, Ampang, sea is so far away.

#16: It’s quite warm at here because of the burning, but luckily it rained before we came so the temperature around wasn’t that warm at there.

So we asked the people around and found out that there’s no sending the god back to the sea, but there’s actually sending the god back, at about midnight 3am, which we didn’t really get to see.

#17: One of the pagoda.

#18: Ceiling in the temple. Filled with beautiful Chinese ornaments and decoration. It reflects the grandness of the god with the blend of golden and red colour.

#19: In the temple, it’s very crowded and smoky with all the smoke of the joss stick filling the air. It’s quite irritating for eyes.

We bought the set of joss stick and candles and we prayed. It was really crowded, the smoke was really very heavy, it’s not easy to walk around the temple, it’s best to wear a goggles around.

#20: The sifus working out at the altar area.

#21: Lighting up the joss stick for praying and serving to the Nine Emperor Gods.

#22: The luck paper.

#23: Praying.

#24: More people lighting up the joss sticks.

#25: More praying.

#26: More praying.

#27: Photo at the road sign before we went home.

After praying, we went back. I’ve got to say, the festival of Nine Emperor Gods in Ampang and Penang are totally two different thing. At Ampang, you stuck on one place, you only buy and pray, whereas in Penang, you follow the procession, you snap photograph, you see the Chinese-style Thaipusam and you walk. You should check out my post on the Penang’s one and you will see the difference. Weeeeee.

October 15, 2011
Nine Emperor Gods Festival And Temple Location

Nine Emperor Gods Festival And Temple Location – Since I’ll be visiting the Nine Emperor Gods Festival at the Nine Emperor Gods Temple in Ampang, so I would like to share with you the location of the temple in Ampang so you can visit it too! It’s my first time going there, so I don’t really know the way, GPS will be my guide that night. I will also share with you the location in Penang where you can check out the happenings Nine Emperors (Kau Ong Yah) Festival too!

Ampang / Kuala Lumpur (Selangor)

[googlemaps https://maps.google.com.my/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Nine+Emperor+God+Temple+Jalan+Merdeka+Kampung+Baru+Ampang+Ampang,+Selangor&aq=1&sll=4.109495,109.101269&sspn=29.94179,20.170898&vpsrc=6&ie=UTF8&hq=Nine+Emperor+God+Temple&hnear=Jalan+Merdeka,+Ampang+New+Village,+Ampang,+Selangor&t=h&cid=14613028377567853560&ll=3.141228,101.765024&spn=0.001286,0.001717&z=19&iwloc=A&output=embed&w=640&h=480]

Address: Nine Emperor Gods Temple, Jalan Merdeka, Ampang New Village, 68000 Ampang, Selangor, Malaysia.

GPS Coordinates: N3 08.493 E101 45.888

Penang Island (Penang)

[googlemaps https://maps.google.com.my/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=carnavon+street+penang&aq=&sll=5.440307,100.388335&sspn=0.007124,0.004925&vpsrc=6&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Lebuh+Carnarvon,+George+Town,+Penang&t=h&ll=5.416061,100.335227&spn=0.005127,0.006866&z=17&iwloc=A&output=embed&w=640&h=480]

Location: Carnavon Street

GPS Coordinates: N5 24.863 E100 20.034 (Famous Koay Teow Thng shop, but it’s just right in front of it)

Raja Uda, Butterworth (Penang)

[googlemaps https://maps.google.com.my/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=nine+emperor+god+raja+uda&aq=&sll=3.140982,101.765&sspn=0.003701,0.002462&vpsrc=6&ie=UTF8&hq=nine+emperor+god+raja+uda&hnear=&radius=15000&t=h&cid=16840676952222818449&ll=5.440723,100.387584&spn=0.005127,0.006866&z=17&iwloc=A&output=embed&w=640&h=480]

Location: Tow Boo Kong, Jalan Raja Uda, 12300 Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia.

GPS Coordinates: N 5 44.125 E100 38.552

October 4, 2011
Nine Emperors God Festival 2011 Is Coming

Nine Emperors God Festival in 2009 at Carnavon Street, Penang.

Nine Emperors God Festival 2011 Is Coming – The yearly Taoist’s festival, the Nine Emperors God Festival (九皇爺) is coming soon and the real parade of sending the god falls on this Wednesday till midnight which is also the ninth day of the ninth lunar month.

Madras Lane, the vegetarian food stalls.

You can find bubble tea too!

Every year, at this time of the year, devotees will turn on their vegetarian mood, which most sincere one eating vegetarian for nine days, and some will eat on the ninth day itself. It is believed that the Nine Emperors God will bring good luck and blessing to them.

End of Madras Lane where you meet the intersection of Burma Road. Opposite is a Kuan Yin Temple and the Nine Emperor Gods Temple.

To simplify, it’s another religious and happenings festival in Malaysia for the believer of Nine Emperor Gods. I missed the festival last year but I think I will not be missing it again this year as I would like to see how’s the festival is at here in Kuala Lumpur. In Penang, it is a very happenings night on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month where thousands will gather to send the gods in the procession. I have been to the procession in Penang in 2008 and 2009.

Devotees praying for blessing on the Nine Emperor Gods Festival.

In Kuala Lumpur, the procession is located in Ampang and I am planning to visit the temple. In order to visit the procession, I have to eat vegetarian on the day itself.

A plate of vegetarian bee hoon costs RM1.50.

In Penang, you will see lots of yellow flags hanging around which is actually telling you that the festival is going on and don’t be surprise to see many temporary set up stalls by the roadside selling vegetarian food. It’s pretty interesting to eat the vegetarian food, they are cheap in price, and some are quite delicious.

Vegetarian Pizza.

Chinese tangyuan.

Lobak in vegetarian version, which means they’re halal.

Not to forget, they have lots of variety too. You can even find lots of local delicacies like laksa, hokkien prawn mee, curry mee in vegetarian version, as well as western food like pizza, burger and more in vegetarian.

Fish burger ala vegetarian style.

Even the not-halal bak kut teh has a vegetarian version.

You should visit Madras Lane if you are in Penang because there are a row of food stalls selling vegetarian. If you are interested in checking out the event, you can visit Hong Kong Street / Carnavon Street in Penang Island on Wednesday night and Tou Bu Kong at Raja Uda. Do respect the god by eating vegetarian before you come.

October 2, 2011
Awesome Hindu’s Thaipusam Festival At Batu Caves

Jam at MRR2 near to Batu Caves.

Thaipusam o Thaipusam. Last time, friends always invited me to go photoshoot at Thaipusam but I always didn’t go with them. Last year, I got to see a little part of Thaipusam happened at Dato Keramat of Penang where people throw coconut for praying and I got to join in with my friend Arron and Chien Chern.

When I was back in Penang few weeks ago, I thought “OMG, I am gonna miss Thaipusam this year because I will not be in Penang at that time”. Then I thought again, “I can celebrate and check it out in KL!”.

Parking by the roadside like 2KM before Batu Caves. Really crazy man. Clap for us as we parked close. Hehe.

Yeah, KL, Kuala Lumpur is one of the place that celebrate Thaipusam too, besides Penang. So on the day itself, I didn’t go there as early as those photography enthusiast does, I went there after lunch in the afternoon with Arron again, but this time not Chien Chern, instead is a girl, Carmen from Penang too! Both of them residing far at Sepang and only get to come down to town during holidays and went to check out the Thaipusam festival at Batu Caves.

At first we thought of not going there because was afraid of traffic congestion and hard to find parking but after checking through the net about the traffic, it was just all clear only until near to Batu Caves. Really surprise that the traffic was super duper smooth all the way from Bandar Sunway to MRR2 near Batu Caves, there’s not even a little jam, really weird. LDP is an expressway that is always jam or slow but that day was just an exception.

While our vehicle getting close to Batu Caves, there’s already vehicle parking by the roadside as far as 2KM from Batu Caves. We didn’t want to park there as it was hot and we kept on believe that there will be parking space for us at a nearer spot.

There’s even illegal parking collector collecting a fee of RM10. Being a stingy person, we didn’t want to park there and we got moving and we found a nice place, just less than 500m from Batu Caves, according to the GPS. Haha.

Me, Arron and Carmen. All Penang-kia.

We should have take the KTM to Batu Caves as the station was just right beside it. But one thing, KTM sucks! Slow and dirty.

Yay, we reached Batu Caves safely and I was pretty excited because I got to take photos. I should have bring my DSLR with me but then this trip to Batu Caves was quite spontaneous as we didn’t really plan the trip. Luckily I have my Panasonic with me and it served me well all the time.

The weather was pretty hot and sunny. Perhaps it’s Thaipusam. Anyway, since we were here, so it’s nothing good of hiding under the shade, so we just keep walking where everyone was walking to, the cave, the Batu Caves.

Well, Tzu-Chi went there to remind people not to throw rubbish on the floor but…

In case you don’t know, Thaipusam is a religious festival of the Hindu. According to Wikipedia, Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (January/February).

Rocks is that Malaysia is a multi-racial country where I can join the fun too! =)

Outside the famous Sri Subramaniar Swamy temple.

Frankly, I felt I was in Indian when I was there. Haha. It’s Indian anywhere! And they are friendly too. =)

Your current Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib. Haha. He is real big.

I say peace as it’s awesome. =)

Red Air Asia clowns. Cute.

Saw many sponsor booths at there and one of which is Air Asia which attracted me as the booth had the most crowds. Though, I didn’t get close because I didn’t know what was speaking on the speaker, it’s all tamil and I knew nothing, except “nan-de-ri” or something which means thank you.

Slums of Batu Caves.

Well, what you see is Malaysia, not India. It’s just not good with the trash management where trash are everywhere. I was actually keen to see Indian poking mouths and body but instead, I only saw them carrying the heavy kawadee up hill to the cave. As for poking stuff, I saw it in Penang last time.

Us before going out and was trying to capture the statue behind but failed.

Well, I have no idea what the people standing by the rail were looking at, it sounds as if we were supe
rstar, just without the red carpet.

Awesome art craft.

The cave wasn’t very tall or high after all, like about 5-6 storeys high but then the stairs up there was very steep. I really salute the people who carry the kawadee up, and kawadee is the thing that they carry on the back with their god statue on it.

Here we go. Up and down.

Another thing I saw was, the Indian devotees went up the stairs barefooted! It was a hot day and they walked barefooted. Really power.

Since there’s so many people on the stairs, we walked slowly and carefully, about 15 minutes, we reached the top. Many medical helpers were on standby there as some were almost fainted due to the heat.

Beautiful huge cave. I like it.

It was my first time being a nature cave and it is pretty. I love caves now. It’s not just a hole in the hill but it’s really a big caves which can house many people in there and there’s also a hole on top overlooking the sky. It would be creepy during full moon where moon shines in and a werewolf or vampire turned up. Haha.

Monkeys!

Smiling Indian kid.

Can you see the crowds? They just keep flowing in the cave.

Spent about 10 minutes in there, walking around and take a little photos then we went back down. It was just too crowded in there and a little bit smelly, no idea what smell was that..

It wasn’t that traffic jam when we was there, it was after we came. Really powerful.

And again, they were standing by the rail and looking at us. Hmm. Superstar?

Yummy juicy coconut!

The weather turned a little bit hotter after we came down and it was just burning all over our skins. How I wish I could get into an air-conditioned place as soon as possible and then we found coconut stalls. Bought a coconut for each of us then we drank, really quenching and the coconut meat was so awesome, young and juicy. Rocks. Only downside was that it’s not cold. It’s warm!

And so, I concluded my trip to Batu Caves and we all said it was real awesome. Another place is visited in Kuala Lumpur, time to go for the next place. =D Any recommendation of place to go in Selangor area?

January 23, 2011
Went To Pray And Met Frank, Edwin and Kin You on Wesak Day

I woke up kinda late on this year’s Wesak Day and it was almost noon when I woke up. I didn’t join mom to go do the Wesak Day prayer at Phor Tay High School in the morning because I was sleeping, forgotten what I was doing the night before which made me wake up so late. Instead I went to the temple myself, alone. The praying, the bathing of little Buddha statue during Wesak Day is a standard thing to do for Buddhist.

Although I am not a very religious person, but seems I am free and it’s nothing bad to believe in God, so why not? Before prayer, I went to Qing Huang Tea House to meet up with school mate and also friends from the National Service. Two of them have already knew them before and Frank Ooi is a new friend. The two person was Kin You and Edwin.

Frank Ooi.

Edwin aka Chin Lai.

Kin You.

I didn’t want to spend my afternoon at home so I went to meet up with them, joined them for lunch and talk. Else it would be pretty boring a bit. Everyone was at home that day because it’s Wesak Day and people scared of traffic jam as there’s a Wesak Day prossesion and parade at night in town.

Me, Edwin and Frank would be there at the Wesak Day procession too. So after lunch and talk cock, we went home to rest. I was thinking about going to the Wesak Day place to do my prayer so it would be 2 in one stuff, I no need go here and there, but I thought about it, since I still have time, might as well just go to the temple to do it first and at night to enjoy the procession together. =D

It’s the same place every year, in the Buddha hall in Phor Tay High School, near to my house. The different was that I went there alone. Phor Tay High School is a Buddhism centered school, so there’s temple inside in case you guys wondered.

Joss stick symbolized holy. And no idea why need to bath the little Buddha. Enlighten me please. I only know it’s something people do during Wesak Day.

Wesak Day, what did you do? =)

June 16, 2010
Away to PLKN (Day 43): Pai Ti Kong, Pray Sky God At Weld Quay

It’s the yearly Pai Ti Kong festival again, but this happened like in February. Long time ago already, sorry but nevermind, I am posting my photos up again. This is 3rd years going to Weld Quay to take photos. Every year also go there, won’t boring one meh? I feel not.

I think it’s fun with many people around, fireworks and friends, but I don’t like to take photo of the same thing again. Very boring and I feel stress as I’ve no idea what to shoot. I always try my best to shoot the best thing, the best shot to share with you guys and here are they.

So during the ninth day of Chinese New Year, I went there with Alvin, Kooi Jin, Min Xiang and Kok Sheng to shoot photos. Very fun because there’s friend. Last two years, there’s mama, papa and me only.

Photographers and DSLR users are getting more and more. So many people go there, arming with a DSLR, shoot here and shoot there. I didn’t want to join them again because I’ve went there before. I brought tripod for the first time so I tried slow shutter that day.

Pork rocks!

One thing, I am still not good at flash. I still prefer natural lighting.

Now Miku also got LED, very high tech already.

At first, there’s me only. Later then found Kooi Jin, Alvin, Min Xiang and Kok Sheng. Kooi Jin, my junior had became my assistant and helped me carrying my tripod because he wanted me to fetch him home. Haha, but thank you a lot.

This year was different a bit for me, because I went there on my own, I could stay longer and shoot anything I want, I even go further intor Chew Jetty where I did not last time. Interesting!

The wooden house on the water are so cool, there’s people staying at there and some houses were open for visit at that time. Pretty nice man.

It’s people mountain people sea, that’s a Chinese idiom saying people here and there, very happenings, very crowded. Want to move around also hard.

I waited for fireworks, then I waited for the arrival of beloved Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Kooi Jin on the left.

CM came to pray.

I went to close to CM Lim Guan Eng just to take photos of him. He is favourite of everyone. Everyone like him here in Penang. Yeah! Rocks. He came to give some speech, lou sang and go away already. This is what they call, give face.

After CM lou sang, the people there join in to lou for fun.

There this photographer from Oriental Daily. He complained me of having a big lens which block him from taking photograph. WTH.

CM Lim Guan Eng shake hand with everyone.

I love Ti Kong! But I am not Hokkien so I was not involve in the praying process. =)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CHAN YIK HUNG, MY BROTHER!

=========WORLD CUP FEVER=========

FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010 is getting so so so closer, counting down still got 33 days. Are you ready for it? I am so supporting England for now, don’t know why, no idea, the feeling, the support. Woo. The world cup is heating up, I can feel the heat here in Malaysia, everywhere. Shopping mall got world cup discount somemore.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NDTxaxdp48&w=500&h=350]

Celcom even have Blue Bear for World Cup, very cute and very cool. They’re blue and they’re bear. Haha. [ADV] World Cup fever mascot in Malaysia. Woo! Check out some free downloads of Bearigamy, ringtones, wallpaper, online games and promotion at Celcom VS. It’s once in a four year only, those promotion are tempting, faster go go go check it out!

May 9, 2010
Away to PLKN (Day 41): Lion Dance at Tiger CNY Miao Hui

I got a little bit crazy already and is bad at managing my content. Suddenly I jump out a post about the Miao Hui that happened during Chinese New Year in February, a long time ago. Do you mind or not? Mind also I have to post it up already, who call me to be in NS right now and I’ve no content to write. WTF.

Anyway, let’s cut the crap and going into something interesting. So this year’s Miao Hui was unlike last year, this year, I sat down with Alvin at the Lion Dance area to see the Lion Dance show from start to end. I didn’t know why last time didn’t go check it out.

It seems like very interesting because there’s so many people standing by to wait for the performance. Alvin is a fan of Lion Dance, me is not. We got a good spot in front of everyone, most photographers like us where there too!

Something wrong with the schedule that day. It’s 15 minutes behind schedule, only then it started.

They were great, they can jump up and down so steadily without any mistake. I wish I could too!

Some Chinese said touching the Lion head bring good luck and prosperity. After the dance, the Lion heads were placed on the ground and everyone went to touch it. Me too! Good luck for me. Haha.

May 7, 2010
Went to Khoo Kongsi on Tiger CNY Miao Hui

Every year will go the same place during the Miao Hui a.k.a. Penang Chinese New Year Celebration and Open House. It’s the Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi, every year will go in take photos and come out again. This is the 3rd year already, I didn’t find it boring yet because there’s friend with me together.

This year’s Miao Hui, the entrance of Khoo Kongsi were decorated by ATEC Art School’s students. I could see a lot of handmand Chinese thing at there. Pretty interesting.

Nothing much though, went in a while and come out already.

Saw something special that’s eyes cleaning. I don’t know how it works, the person clean your eye lids I assume and he said that you will see more clearly after the cleaning. Real or not I don’t really know but it’s my first time knowing that there’s such thing. Cool.

Well at the back lane going out of Khoo Kongsi, it’s the same lane again. Photographers stood there and point their camera up again. I didn’t want to do that already, because I’ve did it before. Haha. Shooting up got so interesting meh?

=========S.O.X. All-Stars Drum & Dance=========

S.O.X. All-Stars is back with Drum & Dance this year, with more fun, more excitement and more prizes! If you dance, if you drum, if you march, faster join it now and bring glory to your school! For your little information, from what I’ve heard, this year’s would be bigger and the heats are coming to all the regions in Malaysia. So, do check it out and get into the fun with everyone!

Got X, Got Drum, Got Dance! Faster join now!

March 27, 2010

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