What a Christmas! 25 Dec 2010

For this year Christmas we have a white Christmas tree with little blue twinkling tiny light bulbs!

It was really a surprise from Daddy. We have been set up the Christmas tree for few days already.

Then on the Christmas eve, after both Issac and Annabelle slept on their beds, we sneaked out from the home quietly.

Daddy quickly and quietly took the Christmas presents from his car parked outside, brought in to home and placed it underneath the Christmas tree.

It was a surprise to both of them, when they waked up in the morning on the Christmas day and found 2 nicely wrapped Christmas presents underneath the Christmas tree.

They were laughing and screaming joyfully, “There are Christmas presents from Santa!”

Both Daddy and me just smiling and pretended our surprise and happy face too!

They were eagerly unwrapped the presents. Issac got a big foot monster truck with remote controller and Annabelle had a train set.

Annabelle quickly asked Daddy’s help to assemble the railways and the train up so that she could play.

Santa Clause got me a Nike sports T-shirt.

We went out early on this Christmas Day too after unwrapped the Christmas presents.

Our family have a Christmas lunch with Brother Andrew and family at Grand Dorsett Hotel at Subang Jaya.

We decided to go to Digital Mall USJ19 have a walk and see the mall Christmas decorations first before we went to the Grand Dorsett.

Both Issac and Annabelle were having fun at the mall, after which we departed for our Christmas lunch.

We were wondering around the hotel while waiting for Brother Andrew and family.

The hotel is really nice and we enjoyed the time there with each other presence.

The buffet lunch is nice too but unfortunately I did not take photographs of our meal there.

There were so many delicious food ranged from Malaysian cuisine, Japanese, Indian, Western cuisine. So many types of desserts and cakes and the children favorite ice creams!

Anyway is a enjoyable day after all.

      

      

Hard Rock Hotel Penang 15 – 17 Dec 2010

We had checked in Hard Rock Hotel Penang for our trip this round. Actually is pre-booked and arranged by Brother Andrew.

We stayed at a Seaview Deluxe Suite. The room is so awesome, it have a King Bed. It features an opened or closed bathroom wall, this is the first time that I have came a crossed this type of design.

The publish rates should be between RM600++ if the breakfast included. But due to just newly opened, there is promotions but I do not sure how much will it be. This is the first time that we stayed in a 4 stars hotel ^^.

Beside that, we do enjoy a full range of modern amenities in the rooms, such as the minibar, complimentary tea or coffee making, especially Annabelle love the snacks very much. She was eyeing on the tidbits since the moments she found her new discoveries while enjoying her TV shows.

The bed sheets itself have its own Hard Rock theme of design and we do sleep like a Rock and rise in the morning to an unprecedented view of the sea and the largest free-form swimming pool in Penang, just outside at our private balcony.

Hard Rock Hotel Penang 15 - 17 Dec 2010 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

The largest free-form pool in Penang, totaling 2,400 square meters, replete with sand islands, water slides and luxurious poolside cabanas. Of course, there is the private beech just along the coastal line.

Another thing I love about this hotel is the ‘green planet theme’ that they are promoted all year long, everything presented the messages is hidden inside there, including their laundry bag, their room service dining, all the toiletries, etc. So Hard Rock spirit! ^^

The walls in the Hard Rock Hotel Penang are adorned with images, memorabilia and icons reflecting the revolution that changed the face of music, fashion and arts. It's a celebration of popular culture from the 50's through the new millennium.

Its fun atmosphere and clean, modern lines make this the ultimate rock retreat for all! I especially love the Beetles mosaic wall and the rest rooms at the ground floor too.

When the night comes, the lightings at the entrance of the lobby, will glows and shown out the Hard Rock signature logo and changing the colours times to time.

During our first night there, actually is the arrival of the R&B icon white sculpture – Michael Jackson, which after that, placed at the entrance of the Hard Rock Café. There is a giant guitar at the entrance of the parking area.

There is also a Lil' Rock Kids Club, a full-service luxury spa, a well-equipped gym and two Hard Rock merchandise stores. Other services and facilities include Teens Club, wireless Internet access, foosball table, pool tables and a variety of electronic game stations.

It is iconic, bringing the multicultural Penang to new heights with its authentic Hard Rock experience. This hip and trendy resort in Penang is suitable for families, couples and singles for their relaxing in Penang.

Hope we will come again in the near future…

Energetic Morning at Batu Ferringhi Beach 17 Dec 2010

		Energetic Morning at Batu Ferringhi Beach 17 Dec 2010 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Most activities are centered around Batu Ferringhi, where most of the popular beach resorts are located. Their facilities include waterskiing, sailing, windsurfing, water scooters, and waterskiing. This prime stretch of beach is always a hive of activity with elite nightspots and restaurants which come to life in the evening.

We had tried out some of those activities before we took off and checked out from the hotel, i.e. pony or horse riding, windsurfing, etc.

What a Night at Batu Ferringhi ^^ 16 Dec 2010

After both Issac and Annabelle, together with Mummy have a good rest ^^ in the afternoon, actually we had a good nap, waiting for Daddy came back from the Georgetown, we went out from the hotel and walked towards the sidewalk bazaar along the street. We actually would like to do it yesterday night, eventually we were so tired and slept early. It was really exhausted as the day before we were travelling in the car early in the morning.

While we were walking down the coast of Batu Ferringhi, we can see Malay and Chinese  fishing villages. The cafes, restaurants, sidewalk stalls and single-story shops that line Batu Ferringhi road, are run by people of different races, all sharing in the wealth that tourism brings in to Batu Ferringhi. And although the sidewalk bazaar in Batu Ferringhi has a noticeably larger number of Chinese entrepreneurs, there are a few stalls selling speciality items that are run by entrepreneurs of different races.

The roadside of Batu Ferringhi's beach hotels transforms into a bazaar after the sunset, in a tribute to free enterprise, traders from all over the island set up their stalls under colourful canopies all along the stretch. And, this is the Batu Ferringhi Night Market. A typical Malaysian pasar malam (night market), the one at Batu Ferringhi is simply huge with more than 1,000 stalls lining the main road.

The exciting sidewalk bazaar that takes place every day from around 6pm until past midnight. This night bazaar is a busy and enjoyable shopping experience for visitors, and plenty of haggling can be heard along the stretch of individual stalls. Traders and buyers negotiating in good humour for the best price for the variety of items on sale – from imitation designer T-shirts to silver jewellery, colourful plastic buoys to fragile exotic curios.

Daddy bought a pair of Spiderman sandals and a Ben 10 T-shirt for Issac, whereby Belle is the toys. It was around 7.00pm when we received Andrew’s call and asked us go for dinner at one of the famous restaurant.

After we have done with our shopping and we were too tired to walk back to our hotel, we just hailed one of the many trishaw that ply in front of Holiday Inn.

We again, drove our car to the Golden Thai Restaurant for our dinner. It is a seafood market which offers seafood cuisine in Thai theme decorations. We saw varieties of fresh and live seafood in the big aquariums: Alaskan Spider Crab, Emperor Crab, Snow Crab, Australian Lobster, Rainbow Lobster, Pearl Lobster, Giant Mantis Prawn, Geoduck, Eels and other fish.

All the kids except Issac and Annabelle went up to the stage to join the dances at the show. Followed by playing at the beach area just behind the restaurant.

A really entertaining and enjoyable dinner we had…

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This would be our first experience too, tasting the original fresh water Alaskan Spider Crab! Really tasted differently and delicious. We can never forget this meals as it costs nearly RM3,000 and the Crab itself is around RM1,500! Besides the tasty cuisine, there is a cultural show as well, dancers were performing all races of cultural dances Malay, India and Chinese too.

Tropical Spice Garden Penang 16 Dec 2010

x After our visit at Penang Butterfly Farm at the morning, we went to Tropical Spice Garden during our way back to the hotel, as we had planned earlier. And it is just 3km from Batu Feringghi where we stayed, it is within a jungle valley that is both educational and enlightening."

The Tropical Spice Garden is a privately-funded agro-tourism project endorsed by the Penang state government. It is open to the public since November 27th 2003, the garden is landscaped on original jungle terrain covering roughly 8 acres.

Actually from so many attractions and activities in the Garden, we just managed to walk thru the Garden Trails, and managed to explore one of the 3 designated trails only -  Spice Trail. Others are the Jungle Trail and Ornamental Trail. We had spend about a nearly 45 minute walk. It is approximately 500 varieties of tropical flora specially selected from all over the world landscaped on natural jungle terrain.

And throughout the Garden are different themed Garden Rooms featuring special plant collections such as Spices and Herbs Terrace (plants valued for medicinal and culinary uses), Water Garden (marginal and aquatic plants), Bamboos Garden (clump-forming plants), Crotons Wall (plants with attractive foliage and inconspicuous flowers), Cycad Room (palm-like plants up to 280 million years old), Ferns Walk (non-flowering plants with spores up to 400 million years old), Gingers Walk (plants with stunningly beautiful flowers), Banana / Heliconias Bank (plants with large leaves and colourful flower bracts), Jungle Trails (tropical rainforest plants), Ornamental Valley (flowering plants, trees, shrubs and herbs) and Sugar Terrace (sugar-producing palm trees), with educational signage displaying the names and uses for each plant.

Transition points in between the Garden Rooms are created in the form of numerous child-friendly Garden Features such as stream crossings, doorways, hammocks, gazebos and pergolas.

The Garden was designed in such a way that one should be able to hear the relaxing sounds of running water at almost any vista. The stream that runs through the core of the gardens is based on perfect feng shui principles - the water flows from top to bottom to the sea and the mountain is at the back.

Water features provide the relaxing sound of running water at waterfalls, ponds and streams, providing a cooling and soothing sensation. The use of waterways provides an alternative habitat for a more diversified ecosystem and also serves as an irrigation network.

Pavilions, gazebos, gateways, bridges, benches, steps, sign posts and decking have been constructed out of a variety of Malaysian seasoned and mature hardwoods including chengal batu, meranti and teak, salvaged and recycled for use from demolished warehouses and pre-war houses in Penang.

Benches built with more than generous proportions and deep seating are strategically positioned throughout the Garden for visitors to relax and fully take in the sights and sounds.

We did not go to the Visitor Centre which is located in a picturesque Straits Colonial holiday bungalow - Lone Crag Villa - overlooking the sea, with a built-up area of about 5,500 square feet. As we did not know it it is located at the hill top. It corporate a Cooking School which accommodate kitchen and cooking class facilities, dining facilities. Visitors can do a booking to learn the Malaysian recipes.

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Besides that, Three Monkey Restaurant which set on top of Lone Crag, offers an unparalleled panoramic view of Teluk Bahang bay. Dine alfresco enveloped by jungle trees or find shelter under the double tiered 'alang alang' roof whilst you enjoy a fresh serving of the best Thai-Asian delights or simply enjoy a cool lime soda after a walk through the garden. We did see the signage but did not go up, we thought that was just another ‘expensive restaurant’…

There are a Gift Shop and a Garden Shop too, which we did not go as well. Actually, by end of the trip to the Garden, all of us are very exhausted already, and hungry too. Two consecutive  Farm and Garden in a row. Mummy can feels that Annabelle is tired already. But never the less, great outing for both.

Resources: http://www.tropicalspicegarden.com

Penang Butterfly Farm 16 Dec 2010

The first thing that we did at the morning is going to The Penang Butterfly Farm. It is not difficult to look for. It is the first tropical butterfly farm ever set up in the world, was founded in 1986. It is located in Telok Bahang, a fishing village located north of the island.

Penang Butterfly Farm is sanctuary to an average flying population of 4,000 Malaysian butterflies from 120 different species, including some very rare and famous ones, like the Indian Leaf (Kallima paralekta), the endangered Yellow Birdwing (Troides helena) and the Rajah Brooke's Birdwing, arguably Malaysia's most well-known insect.

		Penang Butterfly Farm 16 Dec 2010 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

There are a lot of attractive ‘living stations’ here, such as

• Egg & Caterpillar Station
• Butterfly Pupae Station
• Ixora Corner
• Giant Millipede Station
• Giant Scorpion Station
• Soft-shell Turtle & Alligator Snapper Station
• Orchid Corner
• Malaysian Snake Station
• Iguana Station
• Stick Insect Corner
• Leaf Insect Station
• Nepenthes (Carnivorous Plant) Corner
• Malaysian Lizard Station
• Tropical Fish Pond
• Water Lily Pond
• Water Monitor Lizard Station
• Oriental Water Dragon Station
• Mandarin Duck Station
• Horseshoe Crab Station
• Tortoise & Terrapin Station
• Insectarium
• Insect Museum

Other than the above, there is an Auditorium which incorporated a AV Room for show time; an Art Gallery and Artifacts & Tribal Art Gallery, Souvenir Outlet, Leppidio Insect Gift, Fruit Stall and Café.

The children enjoy the farm, seeing all those interesting insects and butterflies. It is quite an educational trip for them.