Dc jan feb 2017 lr

DREAM CATCHER TURNING YOUR DREAMS INTO REALITY

dreamcatchermagazine.com

YOUR LIFESTYLE GUIDE TO TRAVEL JAN/FEB 2017

SANDAKAN IT's wild GLOBE TROTTER LAOS & THE LAND OF THE MONKS Culture Vulture ARGENTINA Retail Therapy MELINDA LOOI MALAYSIA MYR12

KDN NO. PP 17600/11/2012 (031129)

pg01-96 DC010-11.indd 2

9/2/14 12:48 AM

CONTENTS

cover story

travel news

islander

6 Sandakan

24

34 YOS Dive Lembeh

Sandakan, just two-hour’s

Expedia.com.my® released the results of the 2016 Expedia® Hotel Etiquette Poll that looks into guests’ behavior and preferences when staying at a hotel.

from the state capital of travellers who want to get close to nature.

Exepedia

YOS Dive Lembeh Eco Beach Resort is a charming, ten-room beachfront dive resort situated at the end of a small, local village. All rooms are within a few steps of the main dining area and camera deck, with a stunning view of beautiful Lembeh Strait.

adventurer 40 Xi’an Xi’an, in north-east China, is indeed an amazing unique place: the muslim quarter. I consider the muslim quarter of Xi’an, or hui min jie (Muslim street) a must-do activity as it is one of the most interesting areas in town.

culture vulture 56 Argentina Marlene Dietrich was Argentinians are an extremely passionate hot blooded bunch with their own unique style of Spanish, spoken with a strong Italian like charisma.

1

DREAM CATCHER

DREAM CATCHER TURNING YOUR DREAMS INTO REALITY

dreamcatchermagazine.com

YOUR LIFESTYLE GUIDE TO TRAVEL JAN/FEB 2017

TURNING YOUR DREAMS INTO REALITY

dreamcatchermagazine.com

YOUR LIFESTYLE GUIDE TO TRAVEL

JAN/FEB 2017

EDITOR Lionel Morais lionel@dreamcatchermagazine.com

MANAGING DIRECTOR Suren Kandiah suren@dreamcatchermagazine.com

DIRECTOR Jonn Wong jonnwong@dreamcatchermagazine.com

DIRECTOR/ STRATEGIC ADVISOR Zarina Jaffar zarina@dreamcatchermagazine.com

STRATEGIC PARTNER Abdul Halim Ahmad halim7878@gmail.com

WRITER & CONSULTANT Shalizahanim Shukor hanim@dreamcatchermagazine.com

ART DIRECTOR Gabriel Ooi gabe_ooi@yahoo.com

SANDAKAN IT's wild GLOBE TROTTER LAOS & THE LAND OF THE MONKS Culture Vulture ARGENTINA Retail Therapy MELINDA LOOI MALAYSIA MYR12

KDN NO. PP 17600/11/2012 (031129)

Sunway Damansara Technology Park, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Tel : +603-7805 1716 / 7805 3714 Fax : +603-7805 3713

CONTRIBUTORS Noel Lau Amizura Hanadi Mohd David Bowden Pac Dome Charlie Thet Tun Ooi Meleena Bowers Clark Norton Mike Smith Nomadic Boys Graham D. Stephenson Thomas Gennaro Ying Tey DREAMCATCHER magazine is published every two months by GLOBAL TRAILS COMMUNICATIONS SDN. BHD. (950585-A) 35-2, Jalan PJU 8/5A, Damansara Perdana, 47820 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Tel : +603-4050 2368 Fax : +603-2726 2771

PRINTER Percetakan Osacar Sdn Bhd Lot 37659, No. 11, Jalan 4/37 A, Taman Bukit Maluri Industrial Area, Kepong, 52100 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel : +603-6276 1474 Fax : +603-6274 1899

DISTRIBUTION (424536-M) MMS-Media Marketing Sdn. Bhd. No 1, Jalan PJU 3/45,

KDN NO. PP 17600/11/2012 (031129)

© All rights reserved by GLOBAL TRAILS COMMUNICATIONS SDN. BHD. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without prior permission in writing from the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions and/or for any consequences of reliance upon information in this publication. The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher or editor. Advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertisers.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscription enquiries: suren@dreamcatchermagazine.com / Mobile: 012-238 3958

ADVERTISING Advertising enquiries: suren@dreamcatchermagazine.com / Mobile: 012-238 3958

2

destination

epicurean

photography

health tourism

64 Turkey

78 The Good Co.

80 84 Composing Subang Jaya Texture In Still Life Medical Centre

Covered Bazaar or Istanbul’s most intriguing

opened healthy fast-food cafe with a twist, serving what it calls “honest

potted plant placed at one corner of my porch attracted my attention.

vaulted roofed winding streets and domed buildings evolved over a period of 250 years.

prides itself with an aim to improve one’s quality of life through mindful and healthy eating.

and curve, adding dramatic element to the composition. I circled the potted plant, choosing a favourable angle...

Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC), a multidiscipline tertiary care facility launched their fourth tower block, known as Mediplex to expand their services as a multidisciplinary tertiary hospital.

retail theraphy 88 Melinda Looi Looking for the perfect event venue, Melinda came across 8 Conlay, an upcoming hotel, characterised by branded serviced residence and high-end shopping destination at prestigious address.

3

Editor’s Note

PING!! YOU’VE GOT MAIL!!

KEEP CALM & CARRY ON!

W

e open this issue with Chinese New Year greetings, and all wishes of good fortune and prosperity.

Featured in this offering are an array of experiences ranging from exploring the adventurous face of Sandakan, Borneo’s third largest island, nosing into hotel guests’ behaviour patterns, scouring a night market in Marrakech to finding out what exactly “honest food” is.

Borneo is home to the two East Malaysian states of Sabah (where Sandakan is) and Sarawak, Indonesian Kalimantan and the oil rich sultanate of Brunei.

Sandakan, which offers its visitors up close with nature experiences, is just a two hour flight from Kuala Lumpur or a 40-minute hop from Sabah’s capital state, Kota Kinabalu.

Its city centre is still worth a visit, despite many of its historical buildings being destroyed towards the end of the Second World War.

by GfK Custom Research amongst those aged 18 and above who have stayed overnight in a hotel, including those in Malaysia.

Colour, culture, (shopping) chaos and ancient civilisations are the themes of our take on a night market in Marrakech, to mysterious and beautiful stone jars which have withstood the devastation of war in Laos. In all things epicurean, we look at how The Good Co., a newly opened healthy fastfood cafe, prides itself in wanting to improve one’s quality of life through mindful and healthy eating. The launch of the Melinda Looi CRUISE 2016/2017 collection and preview of the designer’s SPRING SUMMER 2017 line involved four days of specially curated events which included scrumptious eats, fine beverages, pampering treats and fashion ideas which were presented in plush surroundings with comfort, wellness and style all rolled into one.

Let’s ring in the new lunar year of the Rooster with much joy and success to all!

After the war, Sandakan ceased to be the state capital which was moved to what was then called Jesselton (and now known as Kota Kinabalu or KK).

The city of Sandakan lends itself as the perfect base for regional wildlife excursions to various natural areas.

Seeing Orang Utans at the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre on the outskirts of the city is the most accessible attraction while the more adventurous may wish to set out in search of more remote areas.

Expedia.com.my® released the results of its 2016 Expedia® Hotel Etiquette Poll, which looks into guests’ behavior and preferences when staying at a hotel.

The poll was conducted globally on behalf of brand Expedia

4

Lionel Morais Editor lionel@dreamcatchermagazine.com

Sandakan TOURISM MALAYSIA EAST COAST ESCAPE

Text & Images By David Bowden

ITS WILD

T

he world’s third largest island of Borneo has an exotic and adventurous image with its impenetrable rainforests supporting a multitude of amazing plants and animals. Borneo is home to the two East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, Indonesian Kalimantan and the oil rich sultanate of Brunei. Sandakan, just two-hour’s flight from Kuala Lumpur or forty minutes flight from the state capital of Kota Kinabalu, appeals to travellers who want to get close to nature. Visitors can’t do this in Sandakan itself but the city is the base for regional wildlife excursions to various natural areas. Seeing Orang Utans at Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre on the outskirts of the city is the most accessible attraction while the dedicated will want to explore more remote areas.

6

TOURISM MALAYSIA SANDAKAN

Visiting Sandakan’s city centre is worth visiting despite many of its historic buildings being destroyed by Allied bombers near the end of World War 11. After the war, Sandakan ceased to be the state capital and it moved to what was then called Jesselton but now Kota Kinabalu. Another grim reminder of the war is the Sandakan Memorial Park situated on the former Tamba Rimba Prisoner of War Camp on the outskirts of the city. The notorious camp is infamously known as the place where the ‘Death March’ commenced.

This cruel exercise ended in Ranau with just six survivors from 2,434 prisoners who were forced by the Japanese through the jungle until few remained. Tucked away in the hills surrounding the port city is the home of one of the colony’s best known authors, Agnes Keith. It was here that she who wrote the book, Land below the Wind. Also located in the lofty heights of Trig Hill are several of the city’s leading tourist attractions. Puu Jih Shih Buddhist Temple on the summit above Tanah Merah shines in the early morning light. Built in 1987, it’s a dazzling red and gold structure adorned with threatening dragons and swastikas.

7

TOURISM MALAYSIA SANDAKAN

From the comfort of small boats, visitors enter the monkeys’ habitat and, if lucky, observe them swinging from branch to branch.

Found only on Borneo, the Proboscis Monkey is easily identifiable by its distinctive large red nose. The river is also a haven for monkeys, macaques, gibbons, crocodiles, civet cats, otters and an extensive bird list including hornbills.

8

Sandakan Central Market is one of Malaysia’s most colourful markets due to the presence of many local ethnic groups as well as itinerant Filipino and Indonesian workers.

Some of these people live in one of several water villages that extend into Sandakan Bay. The city’s main attraction is the Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre located in virgin forest at Sepilok on the outskirts of Sandakan. It was established in 1964 to rehabilitate once captive or orphaned Orang Utans and viewing platforms provide an excellent location observe and photograph the animals in their natural setting. Visitors need to appreciate that Sepilok has been

established to save and rehabilitate animals and that it is not a zoo. Three kilometres away, the Rainforest Discovery Centre is another area that is attracts visitors especially for its elevated rainforest canopy walkway high above the forest floor. Sighting animals is always difficult in the rainforest for many reasons but mostly because many animals are small and camouflaged. Sepilok’s forests are home to many bird species and if the canopy signage is any indication, it is birds that you will mostly see here. However, you need to be very patient and, if possible, seek assistance through using binoculars. Many birds are most active at dawn and dusk so unless you

TOURISM MALAYSIA SANDAKAN

can organise your visit at similar times, do not be too disappointed if you just see distant movement.

Keen birdwatchers from around the globe flock to Borneo to get a glimpse of some 54 endemic species that call Borneo home.

Further afield, it is possible to visit Turtle Island National Park and get close to turtles laying eggs. Back on land, the Kinabatangan River, centred on the village of Sukau, is two hours’ drive from Sandakan.

The land adjoining the river supports Malaysia’s largest forest-covered floodplain with most nature tours being focused on cruising along the Menanggol River. The brown waters of the Menang-

gol are only 30 metres wide and surrounded by a dense canopy of emergent trees and vines. Travelling up the river is like passing through a tunnel deep within the forest. Wildlife concentration here is probably one of the highest in Malaysia with the main attraction being Proboscis Monkeys who live in the riverine trees. From the comfort of small boats, visitors enter the monkeys’ habitat and, if lucky, observe them swinging from branch to branch.

Found only on Borneo, the Proboscis Monkey is easily identifiable by its distinctive large red nose. The river is also a haven for monkeys, macaques, gibbons, crocodiles, civet cats, otters and an extensive bird list including hornbills.

9

TOURISM MALAYSIA SANDAKAN

10

TOURISM MALAYSIA SANDAKAN

There are two dining options here - inside or under a garden gazebo overlooking a croquet green. Bermuda grass, the stuff you want to roll across, has been laid for the croquet green – yes, this is truly one of the last outposts of the Empire.

Staying After a journey into the jungles there’s no better place to stay than Four Points by Sheraton, Sandakan’s premier hotel. Four Points by Sheraton Sandakan is a relatively new property overlooking Sandakan Harbour. Its services and facilities are remarkably grand with an infinity pool on the 13th floor. Adjoining this is The Eatery where a sustaining breakfast buffet is served and in the evening some enticing Western and local favourites complemented by a creditable wine and beer list are available.

Eating Sandakan’s English Tea House and Restaurant could easily be the setting for a Somerset Maugham novel as diners can reminisce about the colonial past while dining on superb food and good wines in a magical setting. There are two dining options here - inside or under a garden gazebo overlooking a croquet green. Bermuda grass, the stuff you want to roll across, has been laid for the croquet green – yes, this is truly one of the last outposts of the Empire. Not surprisingly, English dishes dominate the house specialties - Shepherd’s pie, roast beef and, bangers and mash. For those who crave local cuisine, try the Borneo chicken curry and Tea House tandoori. The restaurant specialises in deliciously and unashamedly fresh scones, clotted cream and jam for morning or afternoon tea.

11

ADVENTURER PHI PHI ISLANDS

Phi Phi Islands Early Bird Text & Images By Thomas Gennaro

ADVENTURER RANG YAI

26

ADVENTURER PHI PHI ISLANDS

T

he dream of visiting the Phi Phi Islands, in the South Thailand province of Krabi, is one that most keep in the drawer for a while. The day finally comes, you travel to Krabi, settle in your hotel, you are ready to book a tour. But how do you fight the prospect of having to share your dream destination with hundreds of other tourists who have the same dream and come on hordes of speedboats, longtail boats and diving boats, claiming a share of the longawaited sandy beaches and shores?

Easy: chose the Phi Phi Islands Early Bird Tour with Siam Adventure World.

This company was chosen for its extra advantage of leaving early to avoid many of the crowds and experience more time around the Phi Phi Islands.

This was in line with my preferred way to experience Krabi paradise islands.

Set inside the Noppharat Thara/Phi Phi National Park, the Phi Phi Islands archipelago is simply stunning. There are white sandy beaches, rugged towering limestone cliffs, crystal clear waters and magnificent hidden coves sheltered from the outside world. It was with these great images in mind that I ventured out of my hotel at 7am to wait for my minivan pick up. At the Noppharat Thara pier I boarded the speedboat and made introductions to my fellow travelers; Captain Bao started the engines and we were soon on the way. James, the chocolate-skinned tour guide, made introductions and the multilingual guide gave us an account of the program of the day.

The sea was quite rough, with huge waves challenging experienced Bao who rode with no fear, jumping on the waves and following their line as the

boat rocked and jumped, but without a worry on his face. Arrival time at Maya Bay was 8,30 am, and we were glad to have woken up early as we were amongst the first visitors of the day to step on a nearly empty world famous beach. This is truly a magnificent place: a sheltered cove protected by two 100 meter tall jagged cliffs with a narrow entrance from the outside ocean. The sand is pure white, and there were a number of picturesque traditional longtail boats anchored along the shoreline.

James went to settle the National Park fee, included in the price of our Phi Phi tour, and we were given time at ease.

The guide made the way inside the tropical rainforest which serves as the background of this great bay, completing the postcard picture.

15

ADVENTURER PHI PHI ISLANDS

16

ADVENTURER PHI PHI ISLANDS

We passed the National Park headquarters and the rangers bungalows, and soon reached the back of Loh Samah bay. The whole area is populated by dozen of amazing pandanus trees with prop roots emerging from their stem.

The day was glorious, the sun intensified the palette of greens, blues and turquoises so typical of the Andaman sea, with the forests perched on the vertical walls of the giant limestone rocks reflecting on the waters. By the time our boat left Maya Bay, one hour later, the place had

17

ADVENTURER PHI PHI ISLANDS

Viking Cave gets its unusual name from some of the 70 ancient cave paintings found there depicting long boats that resemble those of the Viking people. But the real reason Viking Cave is famous for is that it is home to Swiftlets birds that make the bird’s nests so famous in asian culture for their healing and health properties.

already started to fill up. Next destination was Pileh Bay lagoon, which is everyone’s favorite stop on a tour to Koh Phi Phi. This breathtaking emerald green lagoon is surrounded by towering cliffs and it is only accessible during high tide. Captain Bao cruised the speedboat slowly into the lagoon, while James assisted us in the choosing and fitting of fins and masks. The area is well sheltered from the open sea, hence it is the ideal snorkeling spot. We swam and snorkeled for a good 20 minutes, then returned to the boat where the guides were sharing anecdotes and knowledge of the area.

All islands and locations have Malayu names, from the sea-gypsies original inhabitants of these places. The name Phi Phi refers to the original Malay name Api-Api, the Fiery Grey Mangrove which is found throughout the island. Pileh means room, since seafarers used this enclosed lagoon for protection in case of a storm.

Viking Cave, just 1 km north of Pileh Bay, is so called as legend tells that pirates used to shelter there. Viking

18

Cave gets its unusual name from some of the 70 ancient cave paintings found there depicting long boats that resemble those of the Viking people. But the real reason Viking Cave is famous for is that it is home to Swiftlets birds that make the bird’s nests so famous in asian culture for their healing and health properties. The caves are guarded and it is forbidden to go inside, so we took a few pictures from the boat and continued on to Loh Dalum Bay, where we were given three options: trek to the famous Phi Phi Don view point, relax at the beach or take a walk through the Phi Phi Village. As most of us chose the trek to the viewpoint, the guides got set and led the strenuous march up 321 steps along a forest cleared at some points, thick and green at others. A sweaty exercise on this humid day, one that rewarded us with a spectacular view over the island, its bays and the surrounding sea.

ADVENTURER PHI PHI ISLANDS

The high tide forbade our mooring at Monkey Beach, so instead Bao cruised to Bamboo Island where the crew served us a fresh lunch brought over by the company speedboat from Phuket, confirming once more the logistic perfection of these tours. The super beach lunch buffet is delicious and it has something for everyone; special requests like vegetarian or vegan will be catered for but should be mentioned at the time of booking. Bamboo Island is famous for its powdery soft sand and warm inviting waters. After coffee, some of us snorkeled in the bay, while others went for a swim, strolled along the long beach or relaxed on the sand.

We were given 2 hours to spend

on Bamboo Island, which is quite enough, considering that after one hour the number of boats and consequently of people easily tripled. The last stop of the tour was at Hin Pae, an underwater reef featuring crystal-clear water, lots of fish and colourful coral; James jumped in the water with us, pointing us to the best spots and having fun with the group.

During the return journey, we had a good sight of Taleh Wae, which thanks to the receding tide it joined the islands of Koh Poda and Chicken. The sun went slowly down and the waves continued rocking the boat when we arrived at Noppharat Thara at about 16,40 - where the minivan awaited to deliver us back to our hotels.

19

TRAVEL NEWS LOCAL USHER

BE A TOURIST IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY Discover Malaysia like never before with LocalUsher

J

ust in time for the year-end holidays, try out this online platform helping Malaysian urbanites discover unique experiences around them; categorising all experiences into different personalities to help customers find the perfect experience Malaysia is a nation rich with rugged mountains, tropical rainforests, cool highlands and warm beaches, resulting in the country being deemed an ultimate travel destination for many. However, many Malaysians, especially the urbanites, are unfamiliar of the various travel treasures available within the country.

To accommodate in exploring these fun experiences, LocalUsher assists individuals or groups to discover and book various fun travel packages across Malaysia within a click of a button. LocalUsher is the ultimate source for Malaysians to find the best travel experiences in the country that is suited to them. Consumers would just need to simply search for

20

their preferred experience via the search box or browse by the personalities or locations available. The experiences are packaged according to different personalities such as “The Slacker”, for those who prefer to relax and unwind, “The Luxe”, for those who want a sophisticated vacation, “The Team Builder”, for those who travel in groups and many others. “To know a country, is to explore everything a country has to offer. However, we realised that many have not been to or are even aware of tourists’ hotspots close to home. We then decided to source and collect all the amazing local experiences and make it available for booking on our platform, enabling consumers to enjoy their leisure time differently. Whether you are an adventurer, a slacker, or a foodie, we have the right packages for you. We categorise all our experiences into different personalities to help you find the perfect one that suits you,” said Sabrina Cheng, Co-Founder of LocalUsher.

TRAVEL NEWS LOCAL USHER

Cheng and fellow co-founder Ng Hui Lin are avid globetrotters who teamed up to further fuel their passion of travelling by creating the largest online platform in Malaysia for locals to discover and experience fun activities in the country. As its name suggests, LocalUsher ushers customers to many local travel packages, enabling them to select and enjoy everything there is to offer in the country. In May 2016, LocalUsher was announced as one of the winning teams of Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd’s first Accelerate programme which awarded them with a total of RM100,000 in seed funding. Following this milestone, LocalUsher continued the expansion of their offerings with the recently introduced personality category, “For the Family Focused”, which encompasses various family-oriented travel packages.

ences provide families the opportunity to travel to new places and try new things together,” shared Ng. Below are the Top 10 picks of what to see, do and experience in Malaysia via LocalUsher:

“The new addition to LocalUsher’s packages allows consumers to explore different activities with their families, from sleeping over in a mini zoo to learning how to be a farmer for a day.

Additionally, these carefully curated experi-

Additionally, those who have businesses that provide unique experiences in Malaysia are also encouraged to list their experiences on LocalUsher, which can serve as a promotional platform for them.

LocalUsher’s Top 10 Popular Packages 1. Camping Re-defined: GLAMPING! 2. Treehouse Project: Genie in the Tree 3. Learn How To Ride a Horse 4. Warm & Cozy Eco Farm Retreat 5. Spend a Night Atop of a Fish Farm 6. Time Capsule in Taman Negara 7. Sleepover in a Mini Zoo 8. Stay at a Mush-Room Farm 9. Eye-Closing Experience: Explore Darkness 10. Butterfly and Rafflesia Trek

21

TRAVEL NEWS LOCAL USHER

TRAVEL NEWS LOCAL USHER

Malaysians - Frequent and Ethical Hotel Guests Expedia.com.my® 2016 Hotel Etiquette Poll discovers that a majority of surveyed Malaysians stay in a hotel each year and do not break hotel rules.

Expedia.com.my® released the results of the 2016 Expedia® Hotel Etiquette Poll that looks into guests’ behavior and preferences when staying at a hotel. The poll was conducted globally on behalf of brand Expedia

by GfK Custom Research amongst those aged 18+ who have stayed overnight in a hotel. In Malaysia, the survey was distributed throughout all the states of Malaysia.

Whether it is for a vacation with loved ones or business, a whopping 79 percent of Malaysians have stayed in a hotel overnight at least once in the last 12 months. The preference for staying at a hotel could be associated with the fact that Malaysians enjoy the finer things in life as over 90 percent voted room service as a somewhat or very important amenity in their chosen hotel. In fact, over 80 percent Malaysians deem room service as a necessity rather than a luxury.

The only factors that came up higher than room service on the list of priorities, were the price at 97.8 percent and the ability to self control the room temperature at 93.6 percent, while the end-all, must-have amenity that superseded all others was, not surprisingly, the Wi-Fi at 99 percent. While a majority of Malaysians does expect a complimentary Wi-Fi in their hotel, should they need to, majority, at 36 percent, are not willing to pay for Wi-Fi more than USD$10 per day. Simon Fiquet, General Manager for Southeast Asia and India, Expedia group said: “We at Expedia are all about making the travel more convenient, reliable and enjoyable for our customers. In this spirit, we undertake a number of surveys each year in order to improve the total experience our travelers get. We believe that this particular study will allow hoteliers a thorough insight into what could

be improved to make their visitors’ stay even more meaningful.”

Dream guests Malaysians might expect a top-notch treatment when it comes to room service and complimentary Wi-Fi but they are also a treat to host, as majority never breaks the hotel rules. Only around 10 percent of respondents allowed multiple people sleep in their room without notifying the hotel or stated the hoarding of toiletries to take home, as some of their favorite holiday past times.

Similarly, only 3 percent admitted to having smoked in a non-smoking room, while a mere 1.1 percent checked in under a fake name or snuck in a pet without notifying the hotel.

Silence Please!

Interestingly, the study revealed that over 57 percent of respondents stay in a hotel for leisure. Whether it is to spend time with loved ones or to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and just have some “me time”, nothing annoys Malaysians more than the Hallway Hellraisers. A total of 64 percent voted that noisemakers outside of the hotel room as the most annoying and offensive type of hotel guests.

Some other high-ranking pet-peeves of hotel guests that Malaysians are not keen of include: t 5IF *OBUUFOUJWF 1BSFOU o UIF IPUFM HVFTU who let their children misbehave. t 5IF $PNQMBJOFST o UIF IPUFM HVFTU XIP harass hotel staff over minor inconveniences. t 5IF -PVE 4QFBLFS o UIF IPUFM HVFTU XIP speaks loudly on their mobile in the hotel common areas. t 5IF #BS #PP[FS o UIF IPUFM HVFTU XIP HFUT sloshed in the hotel bar. t 5IF )PU 5VC 1PPM $BOPPEMFST o BNPSPVT couples in the hotel hot tub or pool.

25

24

Scooter tour of Bolaven Plateau

by Andrea Viani

25

I

f you are thinking of taking a trip to Laos, you should definitely plan a few days itinerary of the Bolaven Plateau. This lush plateau south of the country, extending from the Mekong River up to near the border with Vietnam, offers truly unique landscapes and encounters. Our experience begins when we rent scooters in the city of Paksè, and from there we head east towards our first stop: Paksong. After only a few kilometers, we get thrown into a charming rural environment: the road is a succession of small villages, bazaars and Buddhist temples.

At the first major intersection (National Road 13 with National Road 20) after a drive of several kilometers, we stop for a break alongside some stalls. There we taste exquisite, colorful and fresh fruit; it is here that I eat for the first time

26

Jackfruit, the largest fruit in the world, a must try. The road now begins to climb gently and after a few kilometers we are attracted by a large sign that invites a detour to visit the Tad Yuang waterfalls. The whole of Laos is rich in fastflowing streams, but it is here, on the Bolaven Plateau, where you can find the most spectacular ones. A hike, even if a short one, is a must; after visiting the waterfalls, be enchanted by the local bazaars where you can admire the beautiful silk fabrics of the local population. Finally we arrive at Paksong shortly before lunch, and here we make one of the most interesting encounter of the whole tour. In a small guest house on the main road we get to know Cana, an American girl who, together with other people, pursues an interesting volunteering project aimed at

the local coffee producers, gathering them in a cooperative. I really invite you to linger in this magical and welcoming atmosphere.

While you enjoy their different types of coffee prepared with art, make sure Cana tells you the story and the reasons of their program. You’ll be impressed. Personally, it was from her tales that I started to understand the tragedy of the Vietnam War for this country. In nine years, the United States poured on Laos more than 270 million tons of the notorious cluster bombs.

Once the conflict ended, the civil population discovered at their own expense and tragically that many of these still unexploded ordnance continue to claim innocent victims, many of which children. We left Paksong and started the most adventurous part of our tour. Driving

east, the road becomes less and less busy. We are catapulted in an environment quite different from those seen so far. The road continues to rise to around 1300 mt above sea level, at times looking more like an alpine environment than an Asian one, were it not for the endless coffee plantations. There are forests of pines and conifers on both sides of the road, very few isolated houses and even fewer cars on the road.

We arrive to our final destination almost at dusk, after driving more than 100km. The Tayicseua area is outside of the classic tours organized on the Bolaven Plateau and perhaps thanks to this it is still one of its most wild and unexplored.

We take a dirt road of a stunning red clay through bamboo reeds and isolated villages from which some children peep at us, intrigued

15

ADVENTURER RANG YAI

26

ADVENTURER PHIL PHIL

by our passage. The view is breathtaking, there are forests everywhere, and in the distance the sound of a river anticipates next day trekking.

We arrive at a guest house, the main wooden building located at the center of a few bamboo huts. The place is mystical. We are welcomed by a nice lady hailing from Vientiane (Laos capital) who, in excellent English, tells us the story and philosophy related to her choice of life in a place so isolated. There are only a few guests: some lie on colorful carpets and read, helped only by the light of a gas lamp; other practice meditation and yoga. All around, a wonderful feeling of tranquility, interrupted only by the sounds of the forest. It is already dark when we finish the excellent dinner, and we retire to our cozy hut for the night.

The next morning we leave early for what will be the most adventurous part of our tour on the Bolaven Plateau. We trek down through an easy path that leads towards the roar of a river. The walk that starts there and continues alongside the river offers breathtaking scenery: waterfalls that flow down for dozens of meters until their next stretch, through gorges that offer no end in sight. We are surrounded by forests and large patches of bamboo, with alternating views of the underlying falls. A well-deserved stop allows us to enjoy a cold but invigorating bath in these waters. After several hours of walking, we decide to take the path back, sadly aware of having left behind at least another fifteen spectacular waterfalls.

15

26

Back to the guest house, we say goodbye to the affable manager and we ride our bike for the return journey. It is after a few hundred meters that I am left behind by our little group of bikers. From the forest suddenly rises a gentle yet noisy wind that completely runs through me. It is not cold at all, but it makes me shiver. I feel as if this magical place is waiving goodbye to me, and in return I make a promise that I will be back. On the way back we stop for a visit to a nice community of daggers and knives makers, most of whom willingly and proudly show us how they work the iron on a coal forge. We arrive in Pakse at sunset, and after crossing a long bridge over the Mekong river, almost accidentally we enter a road which leads to the top of a hill. There, a huge Buddha statue overlooks the city; behind the statue, the call of the evening prayer come from a temple. It is a worthy ending of an exciting tour.

15

YOS Dive Lembeh

34

Eco Beach Resort A Place for Extraordinary Divers

ISLANDER YOS DIVE LEMBEH

text & Images by alan lim

Y Photos Taken With OLYMPUS TG4 and ANO Lights

OS Dive Lembeh Eco Beach Resort is a charming, tenroom beachfront dive resort situated at the end of a small, local village. All rooms are within a few steps of the main dining area and camera deck, with a stunning view of beautiful Lembeh Strait. The rooms have a clean, light, contemporary design and are spacious for two queen sized beds attached with an open-air bathroom.

Photographers are specifically in mind with the room design, with plenty of working space and electric sockets. Missing your adaptor, no worries‌ there are ample of universal adaptors available for use. For photographers, this place is heaven.

A certified dive company with more than 26 years’ experience in the marine business in the Indonesian archipelago. They are always ready to assist you with tailor-made dive trips, dive packages, dive safaris and SSI or PADI dive courses.

The dive center includes a well-maintained compressor, Nitrox, four dive boats and a ratio of just two guests per dive guide to give you the very best Lembeh experience. Photgraphers can their own time carefully composing and capturing the best moment underwater while the dive guide continues his search for other illusive critters nearby!

35

ISLANDER YOS DIVE LEMBEH

Diving here is the ultimate experience for photographers in search of the unusual and unseen. It is often referred to as muck divers paradise as most of the sites are either sandy areas or small reefs inhabited by many exotic underwater.

36

ISLANDER YOS DIVE LEMBEH

YOUR HOME AT YOS LEMBEH Once again, we returned to our favourite Eco Beach Resort owned

by Pak Yos, a veteran in dive resort operations. Eco Beach is a homely resort, regularly occupied by repeat guests. You will always find new friends and never a stranger at YOS Lembeh! Pak Yos also believe in sustainable tourism; minimising environmental destructions during construction, utilising local talents & resources and creating job opportunities for the local people. The rooms and furnitures are built from local produce and invigorated with bamboos found in that area. The dedicated crew members came from nearby villages. They are friendly, helpful and capable of multi-tasking. Even Pak Yos has had a hand in fabricating his own furnitures. Meals are cooked to order. If you are an early person, you can even join the

cooks to select your foods, fresh from the market! Miss your homecooked food? Why not share your recipe and put your culinary skills to work in the kitchen?

DIVING IN THE LEMBEH STRAIT Lembeh Straits is known as the muck diving capital of the world.

Expect to find extraordinary critter found nowhere else in the world.

Lembeh Strait offers a variety of diving, including some coral reefs and wrecks; however it is best known for the small and ‘difficult to find’ creatures that inhabit the world of muck. Lembeh Strait is well known as Muck Diving Paradise. The channel/strait is protected by main island and Lembeh Island, a paradise for macro underwater photography as the water is rich with plankton. Considered as the diving Mecca for critters and macro marine life this area

Considered as the diving Mecca for critters and macro marine life this area has rapidly gained popularity amongst macro photographers.

The extremely diverse marine habitat in this stretch of water offers a plethora of macro species, many of which can found nowhere else on the planet.

37

ISLANDER YOS DIVE LEMBEH

has rapidly gained popularity amongst macro photographers.

The extremely diverse marine habitat in this stretch of water offers a plethora of macro species, many of which can found nowhere else on the planet. Diving here is the ultimate experience for photographers in search of the unusual and unseen.

It is often referred to as muck divers paradise as most of the sites are either sandy areas or small reefs inhabited by many exotic underwater. With over 30 dive sites to choose from and even a WWII wreck all within a short boat ride over calm waters from the resort it is no surprise that the Lembeh Strait is a world class dive destination. The dive sites are situated within 15 minutes boat ride. Our dive guide is superb when it comes to finding those tiny macro sea creatures. It is never a dull moment with so much possibilities of a great shot! We are sure to miss the hot ginger tea everytime we surfaced from a dive. One should never miss out the sunset and night dives as they offer a different aspects of the underwater world.

Mandarin fish and other nocturnal creatures actively roam the seabed at nighfall.

GETTING TO YOS DIVE LEMBEH – ECO BEACH RESORT Lembeh is good to dive all year but the conditions do vary from month to month. January to June sees variable (but still fine) conditions and fewer divers. August sees the poorest visibility but the richest numbers of critters and September to October are probably the best two months overall. YOS Dive Lembeh – Eco Beach Resort is located on the coast of North

38

Sulawesi, 90 minutes drive from Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado. There are frequent air service from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bali. Airport-toresort transfers are included in all dive packages. Once your arrived Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado, their staff will be there to meet and greet you. It will take about 1hr 40mins to reach the resort by car from the airport. The resort is designed and built by divers for divers and we understand the need for a fuss-free diving vacation.

PACIFIC DOME TRAVEL NETWORK : PACDOME PacDome has been serving the scuba diving community for 16 years and offers a wide range of exotic dive destinations, partnering with exclusive dive resorts and operators from Sipadan, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Maldives, Palau, Tonga and many more. Guided eco tours; nature, adventure, cultural and visits to heritage sites in Malaysia driven by our fleet of wellmaintained vehicles and trained drivers. 4x4 off-road driving, river rafting, caving, bird watching, jungle trekking, camping and other exciting activities are available. PacDome is also a distributor for Hele-i-Waho dive & beach apparel from Japan, AUDAXPRO Back Inflation BCD from Italy, ANO LED Dive Lights and other outdoor gears. Reseller, dealers and agents are welcome to sign up. Visit our website at www.pacdome. com to plan your next trip. For assistance and booking, contact your favourite local travel agency or send us an email at: mail@pacdome.com

THE ULTIMATE HAMMERHEAD THE ULTIMATE SHARK HAMMERHEAD EXPERIENCE SHARK Discover Hammerhead EXPERIENCE

Sharks at Layang Layang Discover Hammerhead Island, Sabah, Malaysia.

Sharks at Layang Layang Island, Sabah, Malaysia.

W www.layanglayang.com E res@layanglayang.com W www.layanglayang.com OR E res@layanglayang.com

Contact your favorite agent at OR W www.pacdome.com Contact your favorite agent at E mail@pacdome.com W www.pacdome.com E mail@pacdome.com

GLOBE TROTTER XI’AN

Text & Images by Noel Lau 40

GLOBE TROTTER XI’AN

The Muslim quarter of Xi’an Text & Images by Thomas Gennaro Xi’an, in north-east China, is indeed an amazing city where you can find a unique place: the muslim quarter. I consider the muslim quarter of Xi’an, or hui min jie (Muslim street) a must-do activity as it is one of the most interesting areas in town. And what makes it so exceptional? The food! And since I love trying different foods where I travel, the Muslim quarter of Xi’an was indeed a must go place in town.

Xi’an large muslim community serves up street food in a labyrinth of narrow interconnected streets that develop away from the main road. I went on a Saturday early afternoon and it was acceptably crowded. As I entered the food area, I notices straight away its authenticity: lots of signs, amazing colours, strong smells, unique people, the Muslim quarter of Xi’an definitely has it all, and has probably not changed much since its inception over 1000 years ago, when Xi’an was the starting point of the ancient Silk Road. In those times, a number of merchants and overseas students from Persia and other Arabic countries, called Hui by the local population, traveled to Xi’an for business and stud, settling down on present Muslim street.

41

GLOBE TROTTER XI’AN

Text & Images by Noel Lau 42

GLOBE TROTTER XI’AN

I did my walk going with the flow, getting lost in the maze of small, smelly streets bustling with lots of hungry locals doing their normal shopping, and no tourists at all, since winter is the low tourist season in Xi’an.

The Muslim quarter of Xi’an is a postcard every turn of your head, so I took lots of pictures while I tasted lots of delicious traditional food, snacking, juggling food and the camera with both hands, and walking my way from stall to stall. The chaotic ambiance was made even worse by the constant stream of bikes, scooters and carts trying to force their way through the crowd along block after block of some of the greatest street food. A massive cauldron of deliciousness, a whirlwind of cooking, baking, sizzling, where most of the cooking is done on small coal-fired stoves or griddles. The list of dishes available is endless. I started in an area where stalls and shops offered dumpling soups with beef, bowls of noodles with meaty broth poured over, different types of breads, filled pancakes, spicy chilli peanuts, chickens roasting on rapidly turning spits.

There was a guy pulling noodles, and ladies

with tiny carts with a griddle on top making a tofu dish with chilli and scallion. I then stumbled upon the meat area, where locals women haggled with butchers for discounts.

There were stalls offering meat-stuffed flat biscuits, cumin lamb skewers, lamb pastrami and more. Next I found a street where dried fruits, candies, spices, homemade yogurt, date cakes and honey were sold. Lots of shops offered crispy Uyghur flatbread cooked on the inside of smoking cylindrical ovens. A real mix of Chinese and Arabic cuisine! The streets are many and tend to repeat themselves after a while, but there are locals playing cards or traditional Mahjong game, and shops selling local crafts to distract you from all that food, as well as some ancient architectural buildings to put your eyes on. A visit of 3 hours will do, though you can surely spend much more time there. I left at 5pm, but I am told that after 6pm the market really gets crowded, getting crazier as the night wears on.

The Muslim quarter of Xi’an is an amazing place and a wonderful way to experience a culture within a culture. Not to be missed!

43

Text & Images By Graham Stephenson

LAOS & THE LAND OF THE MONKS

I

ts 6.00 AM in the morning, still dark and lightly raining. I am standing in Sakkarine Road, Luang Prabang in Northern Laos waiting for the centuries old ritual of the Buddhist Monks to arrive and collect their morning Alms. It’s a strange experience, but my Aussie tour leader assures me it is worth the wait.

They remove the polished silver lid - which is also a plate, to accept each food donation. Sticky rice (the staple diet in Laos), noodles, green vegetables or fruit seems to be the norm, but there are no smiles, no acknowledgements or words of thanks from them, just a faraway look as the line files steadily past.

Every morning, the local monks arrive to receive their daily donations of food from dozens of people lining the route - and its really only for their two main meals of the day, breakfast and lunch. Then they appear, not just one or two, but around 400 in a long single line. They emerge from around 7 or so gilded Buddhist temples close by, however there are around 30 glittering temples throughout Luang Prabang and this is just one of the locations where this morning ritual takes place.

The donors bow in respect with each offering, for to become a Monk in Laos, even for a very short period of time is very proud expectation of each family. Every Lao Buddhist male can study to become a monk from the time he finishes school (around 12 years of age). The stay may be as short as three months, or an entire lifetime, and apart from learning the teachings of Buddha, the educational advantages to them are wonderful. I see a mixture of both, from the very young to the almost ancient. Sitting at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan River, our group all agree that Luang Prabang is a serene and gentle city, and being the ancient capital of Laos it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in

Dressed in beautiful orange robes and with bare feet, their faces appear sad and expressionless. Each carries an ornate container from an embroidered shoulder strap.

44

GLOBE TROTTER LAOS

1997. Many of the well preserved houses show typical traces of the French Colonial rule from the 1800’s. We visit two of the larger temples or Wats as they are known, Wat Xieng Thong and Wat Mai. Both are remarkable.

Xieng Thong (the temple of the Golden City) is part of a huge Buddhist area. The main temple was built around 1560 and has one of the best-known artworks in all of Laos. The ‘Tree of Life’ on the rear of the temple is embedded with tiny pieces of coloured glass and artistically tells just that, with regards to Loas - it’s beautiful. Close by, the Red Chapel has similar mosaics which depict Lao life and history, and of course inside the temples are breathtaking, including a 10 metre high Royal Funeral Carriage. Later we visit Wat

Mai, the largest and most richly decorated of all the temples in Luang Prabang with its five-tiered roof - once again just remarkable.

But there is so much more to be discovered than just temples and Buddhist Monks in Luang Prabang. The former Royal Palace (now the Ancient National Museum) built in 1904 is no exception.

Filled with a large collection of antiques from the 15th & 16th century, and the walls and ceiling of the Throne Room are a ‘must see’.

We visit a small park to take part in game of Petanque – which is very similar to Bocce in Italy (or Boulle in France). The competition is fierce but friendly, for one thing that stands out in Laos is just

that, the people are very friendly but at the same time shy and timid. At no time throughout our 16 day tour of the country did we ever detect any aggravation whatsoever.

The handicraft night market was a typical example. As colorful as I have ever seen and stretching around a kilometre along Kitsalath Road, Chao Fa Ngum and Sisavangvong Roads, the beautifully laid out market tents were an absolute magnet. The materials and silks, the clothing, shoes and beautiful handbags were of high quality but incredibly cheap.

My partner was straining at the leach, and we both loved the wall hangings and the huge assortment of colourful paper lights, but there was no high pressure, no chasing customers or yelling “you bye, you

45

GLOBE TROTTER LAOS

46

GLOBE TROTTER LAOS

bye – same, same but different”.

The following morning we visit Mount Phousi, right in the center of town. It’s a holy mountain and best tackled early morning or (late evening) before it gets too hot. The 328 steps to the top and the Golden Chomsi Stupa can be tiring, but the 360-degree views are inspiring. Then it was on to the Kuang-Si Waterfalls.

Just 36 km out of town, the walking track to the magnificent waterfall at the head of the path was the culmination a gentle stroll following the crystal clear waters cascading down over the multi-leveled turquoise pools - a photographer’s delight, and all under the cool shade of the surrounding jungle.

Those who bought their bathers were not disappointed as they swam in this charming location. An evening cooking class at the Tamarind (a taste of Laos) restaurant was just as fantastic. A hands-on experience in a stunning lakeside open air pavilion, we were taught how to prepare and cook the most beautiful Loa dishes including of course sticky rice which is used

as a utensil for eating food. Then varieties of ‘jeow’ (such as an eggplant dip), lemongrass stuffed with chicken, fish steamed in banana leaves, orlarm (a special local stew) and a dessert. Yum – but everyone’s favorite was Mok Pa – the fish steamed in banana leaves.

The Lao cuisine is all fresh. The meats and fish are grilled or steamed and they use heaps of green vegetables and herbs.

These include galangal, lime juice, lemongrass, kaffir lime, local basil varieties, coriander, garlic, ginger and of course Padaek (fish sauce).

We all had fun, especially using the traditional cooking and steaming utensils such as a funnel shaped bamboo basket and of course a wooden ‘mortar and pestle’.

There is one other place I must mention however, the Pak Ou Caves, about 25km further north up the Mekong River by a slow moving longboat. The caves are revered throughout Laos, and here you will see some 4000 statues and statuettes of Buddha throughout the caves. We found it a very peaceful and humbling experience.

47

GLOBE TROTTER STONE JARS

48

GLOBE TROTTER STONE JARS

The Mysterious Stone Jars of Laos Text & Images By Graham Stephenson

L

aos is a land of beautiful, friendly and genteel people including thousands of Buddhist Monks, young and old. It is a land almost forgotten in time and visitors are privileged to glimpse part of its very complex history covering thousands of years.

There were Kings and Kingdoms divided, invasions

by Siam (Thailand), rule by the French in the late 1800’s (the colonial architecture still very apparent) and independence. WW2 bought a brief Japanese rule, followed by the Pathet Lao Marxist regime and then the disastrous Indochina war where the neutrality of Laos through the Geneva Agreements was brutally and savagely encroached by the secret invasion (from the air) by the USA. Laos became the most heavily bombed country on the face of the earth – even to this day. The American “Secret War” in conjunction with the CIA dropped over two million tons of bombs over 580,944 sorties (flights) from 1964 to 1973 - nine years non-stop. Every minute of every day, 12 metric tons of bombs were dropped for every square kilometre of land (or half a tone for every person in the country at the time).

This was most devastating for this beautiful country – and all because of the USA’s attempt to stop the flow of North Vietnamese forces down the Ho Chi Minh Trail to the south of Vietnam. As history teaches us, the bombings achieved nothing – the Americans were defeated, but one of the areas most devastated was the historic Xieng Khouang province, which contains the famous “Plain of Jars”.

So, how can one explain fields full of huge stone jars? Well the jars are thought to be around 2000 years old, and a noted French archaeologist who conducted a three year study of them in the 1930’s concluded, that they may have been funerary earns, but there were never any bones or remains found associated with them to prove that.

49

GLOBE TROTTER STONE JARS

I must admit, that the way the Jars are grouped together really gave me the impression of a cemetery and I did note, the small figure of a person carved into the only huge lid that I found at one of the sites.

There is another theory however, and that is associated with the stuff of legends which relates to the 6th century where the jars were constructed for the fermentation of rice wine. Having seen the fermentation process in action, and tasted the local hooch in many of the smaller Laotian villages, I could well understand why they would have required such huge and heavy stone casks to store it – the pure white alcohol is explosive to say the least!

Either way, the construction of the Jars is a mystery. They are carved out of solid stone, averaging around 1.5 metres high.

They are mainly Sandstone but there are a few also made from granite, which is extremely hard. Even with today’s modern technology and lathes, we would still have a challenge tying to spin them and hollow them out as was done thousands of years ago.

50

GLOBE TROTTER STONE JARS

There are three sites on the main tourist trail south of the fairly unattractive provincial capital, Phonsavan.

Site 1 (Thong Hai Hin) is 15 km southwest of the city and contains the most number of these incredible monoliths.

There are 250 jars here, most weighing between 600 to 1000kg, but one massive jar tops six tones.

Site 2 (Hai Hin Phu Salato) is about another 15 km further on and features 90 jars spread across a couple of hillsides.

At the third site, (Hai Hin Lat Khai) 10km further on again there are 150 jars beautifully spread over a picturesque hillside.

Finally, when viewing the Jars, it is imperative that you stay within the well

marked boundaries of the sites because up to 30% of the bombs dropped in Laos did not detonate, especially the cluster bomb Units (CBUs). When released, these scatted 600 – 800 tennis balls sized bombs, which in turn contained around 250 small steel pellets. All this unexploded ordinance (UXO) still contaminates the ground effecting a quarter of all villages in Laos. People and children are killed or maimed daily while simply preparing the fields for crops or, as is very dangerous, trying to locate the bombs to get the metal to make a living by selling for scrap.

Either way, the construction of the Jars is a mystery.

They are carved out of solid stone, averaging around 1.5 metres high.

They are mainly Sandstone but there are a few also made from granite, which is extremely hard.

51

GLOBE TROTTER CHENGDU

Panda-Monium in Chengdu Text & Images By Graham Stephenson

I

t 9.00 am in the morning and Panda - Monium has begun – but not with the beautiful layback Panda animals we have come to see and learn about, but with the crowds flocking to the early morning opening of this large and very amazing conservation park. The Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Foundation area is not a zoo, but a beautiful preservation and research park area which was established as a public offering foundation and aimed at sponsoring conservation, breeding and research into the endangered and rare species of Giant Pandas – and it’s not all black and white! An early morning visit here is a must see as the Pandas are thriving and breakfast for them is as usual raw bamboo - so its chew chew chew and posing for photographs before the mid–morning / mid-day / afternoon relax and sleep period. Founded in 1987 with just six pandas, the park covers an area of around 40 hectares with 20 different areas for you to explore, starting with a magnifi-

52

cent entrance and tourist service centre and the Giant Panda Museum it’s a must see on your next visit to China. There is a Research Area, a Panda Story Cinema, a Giant Panda Nursery Facility, a Giant Panda Cub Enclosure, a Sub Adult Panda Enclosure, an Adult Panda Enclosure and so much more including two Red Panda Enclosures (which we aussies had no idea of such animals). The real beauty of walking to each of these well laid out areas is the huge amount of picturesque tall bamboo growing along side and overhanging the wide paved paths.

GLOBE TROTTER CHENGDU

We also learnt such a lot about these very different animals and for example, giant pandas of less than one year old are called yearlings, just like human infants who grow into toddlers. At this age the pandas are full of vigour and energy and experience several important changes. One or two weeks after birth their black markings start to appear and within a month they will have black ears, eye patches, legs and shoulder band.

Around six to eight weeks their eyes will open and around three months old their first

An early morning visit to a beautiful conservation area in China is a must see on your bucket list said Graham Stephenson

53

GLOBE TROTTER CHENGDU

“Around 100 days old their limbs will support their body weight and they begin to crawl. After four to six months they grow stronger and more active and during all this time their average daily weight gain is about 100 grams. At around one year of age they will start to eat bamboo as all the teeth have grown.�

54

GLOBE TROTTER CHENGDU

baby teeth will appear – and just like humans they have two sets of teeth.

Their diet is primarily breast milk (or formulated milk from the keepers at the centre). Around 100 days old their limbs will support their body weight and they begin to crawl. After four to six months they grow stronger and more active and during all this time their average daily weight gain is about 100 grams. At around one year of age they will start to eat bamboo as all the teeth have grown. This is where the fun starts and we were able to view many of the enclosures, such as the small sub-adults sleeping to larger cubs playing together and climbing over their adult. parents (or climbing trees). The biggest surprise was the Red Pandas which look more like a giant fox with a huge long fluffy red tail.

Our final visit was to the magnificent lake known as “Swan Lake” where black swans rule the waters below a lakeside restaurant.

55

CULTURE VULTURE ARGENTINA

Marlene Dietrich was definitely on point. The Argentinians are an extremely passionate hot blooded bunch with their own unique style of Spanish, spoken with a strong Italianlike charisma. They will instantly embrace you into their lives and in return you will no doubt quickly fall in love with them. We sure did and after spending 2 months with them, here’s our 10 interesting facts about .

56

#1 QUEER TANGO Nothing evokes the passionate spirit of the Argentinians better than this very famous sensual and seductive dance. Tango is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Argentina.

At its inception in the 1880s, it was danced between 2 men, but very quickly the concept of same sex tango dancing got lost…. Until 2002 when it became fashionable again with queer tango schools popping up across the country.

This speaks volumes in a country with such strong influence from the Catholic Church. It also shows how incredibly gay friendly it is – Argentina was the first country in Latin America to legalise gay marriage in July 2010 (and the 10th in the world), which included full adoption rights. In addition, the

right to change legal gender has been in place since 2012 and anti discrimination laws are in full force in Rosario and Buenos Aires.

We took a queer tango class in Buenos Aires which was one of our favourite memories from our travels in Argentina. It is not only a romantic way to express the passion and fire with your (same sex) partner, but a true representation of the Argentinian spirit, which is why we love them! #2 FOOTBALL RELIGION MANIA This has nothing to do with the Catholic Church or with the fact that the current Pope is from Buenos Aires. Even stronger than Catholicism is the Argentinians’ love for football. Nothing quite ignites the Argentinian passion, or so

CULTURE VULTURE ARGENTINA

dramatically unites the country than a big soccer match – particularly with big rivals Brazil. The king of all is of course Diego Maradona. Forget the Pope – over here, Maradona IS God. There’s even a Church and a religion set up in his honour. The Iglesia Maradoniana was founded in 1998 by his fans in Rosario and now have over 80,000 members spread across 55 countries. To them, he is their D10S (Dios in Spanish means God and Maradona’s shirt was #10). They also have their own 10 Commandments, which includes naming your first son Diego and making Diego your middle name! #3 DON’T CRY FOR ME MADONNA If you think football gets the Argentinians fired up, wait till you get them onto the subject of their political figures. They are either extremely loved, or hated, with immense passion!

The most well known is of course the one famously depicted by Madonna – Evita Perón. Depending on who you ask (rich/poor, feminist, gay, right/ left wing), the subject of political figures like Evita are sure to ignite quite an enthusiastic response of some sort. Despite what your sentiments may be to Evita, she nonetheless remains a prominent part of Argentinian culture. To mark the 60th anniversary of her death, in 2012, ex President Kirchner unveiled the new 100 pesos banknote, which featured her. Evita thus became the country’s first woman to appear on its banknotes.

#4 MATE MANIA Just when you’ve riled up the passions of the Argentinians over football or Eva Perón, in comes the mate. Mate (pronounced MAHteh) is serious business here. It is deeply ingrained in the culture, the focal point in social gatherings, handed around for everyone to share. Mate is a black herbal tea made from the yerba mate herb, grown in the Northeast provinces of Misiones and Corrientes. The herb is placed in a gourd (the mate pot), hot water added, then served from a metal straw called a bombilla. Preparing the perfect mate is a work of art, one which only a true Argentinian will know. Watch and let us know if you think Sebastien was able to come close to conquering this skill. #5 EL PATO: THE OFFICIAL NATIONAL SPORT Hold up! This is Argentina we’re talking about, land of Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Sergio Agüero etc, surely the national sport is football!? Think again. In 1953, President Juan Perón (Evita’s hubbie) decreed El Pato to be the national sport. Pato has been played in

57

CULTURE VULTURE ARGENTINA

Argentina since the 1600s. It is traditionally a game played by gauchos on horseback, which combines elements of polo and basketball. However, instead of a ball, a basket is used, which historically contained a live duck inside, hence the name. Today a ball is used in place of the duck, but the same rules apply. Bizarre? The Argentinian parliament thought so in 2010 and tried to introduce a bill to elevate football to national sport status and reduce pato to a traditional sport. Defenders of pato argued that despite soccer’s popularity in the country, pato is 100% Argentinian whereas football is a sport imported from England! #6 FOR THE LOVE OF MEAT! Argentinians are passionate about their meat and their steak is world famous. This is largely due to the abundance of cows.

According to the Cattle Network, Argentina is 1 of 5 countries in the world (along with Uruguay, Brazil, New Zealand and Australia), which has more cows than people. The place to enjoy a beautifully prepared steak is at one of the many steakhouses, called parillas (pronounced parisha in the Argentinian dialect). The parilla is the name of the large iron grill in which the meat is barbecued and an asado is the name given to the gathering with a group of family/friends for a large barbecue with plenty of meat, wine and laughter.

58

Eventually the method of herding cows was controlled, so gauchos had to instead work at an estancia (cattle ranch) instead of roaming independently. Today those poncho-clad gauchos are an iconic and emblematic part of Argentina. They have been greatly admired in folklore, legends and romanticised by, er, people like us!

CULTURE VULTURE ARGENTINA

#7 GAUCHOS: THE ARGENTINIAN COWBOYS Those gaucho boys have a lot to answer for. As well as popularising pato, the gauchos were historically the free men of Argentina (and Uruguay) in the 1700s and 1800s, who rode horses and would catch all those many wandering cows. They would take their find to the pulperias (taverns) and trade the cows for leather, alcohol, tobacco, salt and of course, mate.

able. It was so bad that sparkling water in a siphon was commonly served alongside the wine to mix it and mask the flavour. Obviously this is no longer the case today. Bad wine just doesn’t exist in Argentina! However, the culture of mixing soda water with wine prevails, so a siphon will usually be present at your table when dining out.

#10 MEDIALUNAS FOR MERIENDA Eventually the method of herding cows was controlled, so gauchos had to instead work at an estancia (cattle ranch) instead of roaming independently. Today those poncho-clad gauchos are an iconic and emblematic part of Argentina. They have been greatly admired in folklore, legends and romanticised by, er, people like us! #8 UNIQUE WAY OF SPEAKING Argentinian Spanish has a unique pronunciation with a strong Italian influence (think strong hand gestures). The most distinct thing you will notice, particularly in Buenos Aires, is the change of the ll (lye) to a sh sound. So for example, the word for street, calle will instead be pronounced cashe, or if you’re asking someone’s name, you would say “como se shama” #9 SIFÓN SPARKLING WATER…BAD WINE? The words “bad wine” and “Argentina” just don’t belong in the same sentence. Argentinian wine is world famous. The country is the world’s 5th largest producer, with Argentinian Malbec one of the most famous. It’s so important to the country that in 2010, the government declared it the nation’s national liquor.

But historically it wasn’t like that at all. Until methods improved in the 1990s, wine producers were more concerned about quantity over quality, rendering most of the wine produced as unexport-

Our final fond memory and interesting fact about Argentina is how late evening meals are. Dinner doesn’t get going until well after 10pm and goes on till the early hours of the next day. Lunch is around 2pm, so what the heck do people do between lunch time and midnight when stomachs get emptied? Merienda of course! At around 6pm, the Argentinians have merienda, similar to the British tea time. One of the most common snacks for merienda are medialunas (meaning half moon). These are savoury or sweet moon shaped pastries, similar to French croissants and unique to Argentina.

Argentinian Spanish has a unique pronunciation with a strong Italian influence (think strong hand gestures).

The most distinct thing you will notice, particularly in Buenos Aires, is the change of the ll (lye) to a sh sound.

59

CULTURE VULTURE GALAPAGOS

GALAPAGOS EAST ISLANDS ITINERARY ON

T

he Galapagos itineraries are tightly controlled by the Ecuadorian government and the Galapagos National Park because of their sensitive environment.

We did a luxury cruise aboard the Passion yacht, which alternates between 2 Galapagos itineraries each week. The first itinerary covers the Eastern islands and the second one covers the West islands.

The main difference between the two is the Western islands are younger and larger because they have witnessed volcanic eruptions more recently. As such they have a more volatile environment, but with stunning instagrammable landscapes. The Eastern Islands are older, so have had more time to develop vegetation, making them

60

greener, attracting more wildlife.

Both are amazing in their own way and will blow your mind, whichever you choose. As we sailed in the Eastern islands, we’ve put together a detailed itinerary, which we experienced on board the Passion luxury yacht.

DAY 1: BALTRA AND SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS MORNING: We took an early morning flight from Quito to Baltra Island airport.

After a luxurious reception at the VIP lounge at Baltra airport, we transferred to the Passion yacht for a welcome reception and a tour of what would be our home for the next 8 days.

AFTERNOON: After lunch we sailed to Black Turtle Cove on the Northern end of Santa Cruz Island and took our first excursion where we saw blue footed boobies, pelicans and more bird species.

This island is famous for its mangroves, which are home to baby sharks, turtles and other wildlife using it to hide from predators.

In the afternoon, we navigated for around 5 hours North, across the Equator line to Genovesa Island where we docked for the evening.

This is the moment to test the toilet flush trick to see the true direction it flows as you cross the Equator line!

After dinner we had our first briefing with our guide Santiago about the Galapagos Islands. This became a daily ritual every evening when he’d

CULTURE VULTURE GALAPAGOS

THE PASSION LUXURY YACHT sit us down and explain in detail what we would be doing the next day and the sort of wildlife we’d see.

DAY 2: GENOVESA ISLAND MORNING: Genovesa Island is a horse-shoe shaped island with a distinct submerged crater called Darwin Bay, which is surrounded by steep cliffs. It is nicknamed Bird Island because the steep cliffs provide a home to many sea birds. We had our first excursion after breakfast starting from Darwin’s beach. Here we saw many bird species, in particular red footed boobies because Genovesa is one of the few places in the Galapagos where you can see them en masse. We also saw a few marine iguanas and our first

sea lion who was only too pleased to pose for us. From Darwin’s Beach we went snorkelling in our wet suits, spotting a few more sea lions and 1 reef shark. The water was quite cold, so this became more of an endurance “survival of the fittest” test amongst our group!

Text & Images By Normadic Boys

petrels, red-billed tropicbirds, finches, nazka boobies, frigates and even a shorteared owl. Once we were bird-ed out, we returned to the yacht for dinner and enjoyed a few cocktails watching the sunset, before the 5 hours navigation back south.

AFTERNOON: After lunch we went for an excursion along the trail at the El Barranco visit site. This cliff is also called the Prince Philip steps, named after Prince Philip who visited in 1965 and 1981.

Here you begin to understand why Genovesa earned its Bird Island nickname. We saw so many different species of birds including red footed boobies, mockingbirds, blue footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, storm

We did a luxury cruise aboard the Passion yacht, which alternates between 2 Galapagos itineraries each week. The first itinerary covers the Eastern islands and the second one covers the West islands.

61

CULTURE VULTURE GALAPAGOS

DAY 3: BARTOLOMÉ AND SANTIAGO ISLANDS MORNING: Our first excursion was to the tiny baron volcanic Bartolomé Island, just off the Eastern coast of Santiago Island. It was named after Sir Bartholomew James Sullivan, a friend of Charles Darwin who served as principal surveyor and second-lieutenant aboard the HMS Beagle.

Bartolomé is famous for the distinctive and recognisable Pinnacle Rock volcanic cone, which was featured in the 2003 film Master and Commander.

At the Northern tip of Bartolomé we

62

went snorkelling and saw our first Galapagos penguins. Sadly they’re not as curious as the sea lions and quickly swam away. We also saw Galapagos hawks and herons above the water.

AFTERNOON: After lunch we navigated to the larger Santiago Island where we docked for the night. This was originally named James Island after England’s King James II and was the second of the Galapagos Islands visited by Charles Darwin in 1835.

Our afternoon excursion was to Sullivan Bay on the Eastern side of the island, which is a relatively flat trail comprised of black pahoehoe lava and dotted with

a series of pyroclastic cones. Although it is completely baron the main focus of the visit is to walk across a recent lava flow and view its beautiful structural characteristics.

DAY 4: RÁBIDA AND SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS MORNING: Our morning excursion was to Rábida Island, located south of Santiago. It is nicknamed the red island because of the high amount of iron in the lava, which gives it its distinct colour.

Our first outing on Rábida was on its northern coast where we saw marine

CULTURE VULTURE GALAPAGOS

iguanas and sea lions resting in the shade of caves nearby. This is one of the best places to see pelicans nesting up close as well as blue-footed and Nazca Boobies. If you get lucky you may see pink flamingoes here.

The coral reef around Rábida Island makes it perfect for snorkelling and we saw a few friendly sea lions, turtles, garden eels and 2 reef sharks sleeping.

him daddy, thanks to the successful breeding programme!

As we stayed docked in Puerto Ayora for the night, we had the chance to visit the town, which has numerous restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops.

That cuddly toy blue footed booby souvenir you know you’ll want? This is the place to buy it!

DAY 6: ISLA PLAZA SUR AND SANTA FE ISLANDS

AFTERNOON: MORNING: After lunch we navigated to the northwestern tip of Santa Cruz to visit Cerro Dragón (Dragon Hill), famous for its successful land iguanas breeding programme. The population of land iguanas was almost decimated by feral dogs in 1975 but now they thrive here thanks to the Charles Darwin Foundation’s breeding programme.

Following our bad lack with the pink flamingos on Rábida earlier, we spotted one beauty here, which was the icing on the cake to this fascinating visit.

DAY 5: SANTA CRUZ ISLAND MORNING: Today was giant tortoise day! The Passion remained docked at Puerto Ayora all day and we focused the day’s activities across Santa Cruz Island, starting with the trip up to the highlands. There are two Tortoise Reserves here where the famous giant tortoises roam happy and free: El Chato and La Caseta. We visited the El Chato Tortoise Reserve and saw these giants up close.

AFTERNOON: The afternoon excursion was to the Charles Darwin Research Station near Puerto Ayora where we learnt more about the tortoise breeding programme. We also met its celebrity resident, Diego The Professor: over 2,000 adult giant tortoises call

We navigated in the early hours to the 2 small crescent shaped Plaza Islands called North Plaza (Plaza Norte) and South Plaza (Plaza Sur). Plaza Sur is the more popular site for visitors and is where we docked. Upon arrival on Plaza Sur you’re greeted by the many resident iguanas basking in the sun. They live harmoniously with the island’s large sea lion colony of around 1,000. The red sesuvium plants can also be found here, which make for some excellent photos. We then navigated to Santa Fé Island for snorkelling. Sea lions are the principal underwater attraction here and if you’re lucky you’ll spot turtles and various species of rays as well.

AFTERNOON: The afternoon excursion on Santa Fé begins on the small beach at Barrington Bay on the northeast side of the island. There were many sea lions basking in the sun and others just riding the waves. Santa Fé is famous for its endemic land iguanas, estimated to be around 7,000, as well as the giant Opuntia cactus plant. We also spotted a few Galapagos hawks on the prowl, hunting for their evening meal.

DAY 7: ESPAÑOLA ISLAND MORNING Española is the southernmost of the Galapagos Islands and also one of

the oldest and flattest. Due to its remote location it has a lot of endemic species, such as the Española mockingbird, the Española lava lizard, and the waved albatross. Our morning visit was to the 2km white sandy beach of Gardner Bay located on the eastern side where we sunbathed with the resident sea lions.

The snorkelling by Gardner Bay and Tortuga Rock was the best we’ve ever experienced. The young sea lions were out in full force wanting to play. Their curiosity and playfulness will completely mesmerise and charm you. For us this was hands down the highlight of the entire cruise and a moment we’ll never forget!

AFTERNOON: Our final excursion was to Punta Suarez, regarded as one of the most beautiful visitor sites in the Galapagos. It is famous for being the sole breeding ground for the entire population of the world’s waved albatrosses. There are around 25,000 to 30,000 waved albatross here. We were fortunate to watch their elaborate mating dance, which involves stumbling, honking, and beak-fencing. They are fascinating to watch because in the air they’re so graceful, yet on land they are unbelievably clumsy!

DAY 8: SANTA CRUZ AND BALTRA ISLANDS MORNING: We navigated during the early hours back to Puerto Ayora from Española and had our final breakfast on board.

After saying goodbye to the crew we took a bus North to cross to Baltra Island airport for our flight back to Quito. The Galapagos Islands was one of the best experiences we’ve ever had in our travels and can’t wait to try the Western Itinerary.

63

DESTINATION GRAND BAZAAR

THE COVERED BAZAAR - A MINIATURE TOWN

64

T

he Kapali Carsi or Covered Bazaar or Grand Bazaar is one of Istanbul’s most intriguing sights. This labyrinth of vaulted roofed winding streets and domed buildings evolved over a period of 250 years. In the 15th century Sultan Mehmed II (1451-1481) built two stone bedestens, or exchanges as a source of income for Ayasofya Mosque (today Haghia Sophia Museum). Here merchants could store and sell their valuable merchandise. Known as the Cevahir and Sandal Bedestens respectively, these became the hub of Istanbul’s commerce, and numerous stalls and shops were built around them. In time the lanes lined by these shops were roofed over for the convenience of shoppers, creating the bazaar as we know it today. This ancient shopping centre has suffered serious damage from earthquakes and fires over the three centuries since it attained its final form around 1700. Fires in 1701 and 1750 were followed by the earthquake of 1766, and further fires in 1791 and 1826. Then came the great earthquake of 1894, and most recently the fire of 1954, after which restoration work continued for five years. For those unfamiliar with the Kapaliçarsi and without a map it is easy to become lost or wander in circles. It covers an area of 30.7 hectares (75.8 acres), and consists of over 3000 shops and 61 streets, not to mention ten wells, four fountains, two mosques, and several cafés and restaurants. Around 25,000 people are permanently employed in the bazaar, and an indeterminate number of street vendors ply their wares in and

Around 25,000 people are permanently employed in the bazaar, and an indeterminate number of street vendors ply their wares in and around it. The heart of Turkey’s gold market and unofficial foreign exchange market beat here.

65

DESTINATION GRAND BAZAAR

66

DESTINATION GRAND BAZAAR

The other 15th century hall, the Sandal Bedesten (also known as the Yeni or Küçük Bedesten) is roofed by 20 domes and lies at the northeast corner. around it. The heart of Turkey’s gold market and unofficial foreign exchange market beat here. Over the centuries travelers to Istanbul have found the exotic atmosphere of this great bazaar, a miniature city within a city, irresistible. In the past the bazaar was lit only by high windows beneath the vaults, since the shopkeepers opened at first light and closed at dusk. In the centre of the complex is the high domed hall of the Cevahir Bedesten, also known as the Eski or iç Bedesten. Here the most valuable items and antiques were to be found in the past, and still are today, including copperware, amber prayer beads, inlaid weapons, icons, motherof-pearl mirrors, water pipes, walking sticks, watches and clocks, candlesticks, old coins, and silver and gold jewelry set with coral and turquoise.

The other 15th century hall, the Sandal Bedesten (also known as the Yeni or Küçük Bedesten) is roofed by 20 domes and lies at the northeast corner. The wayward, seemingly random plan of the other parts of the bazaar is part of its fascination. Surrounding the bazaar itself are numerous commercial buildings known as hans, each a warren of

small workshops on several floors, often named after trades, such as Varakçi (Gold Leaf Maker) Han, today long superseded. Until the end of the 19th century a family could go on a shopping expedition to the Kapaliçarsi and purchase new outfits from top to toe, all the furnishings and household linen they required, have seal rings carved to order, and even equip the master of the household with a variety of weapons; all under this one roof. Today souvenirs and gifts seem to dominate, with rugs and jewelry a close second.

The various tradesmen still tend to be grouped together along particular streets, whose names often recall items that have long since disappeared.

There are the streets of Helmet Makers, Fez Makers, Napkin Makers, Quilt Makers, Calligraphers and Book Dealers, to name but a few. The book dealers have since moved out of the main bazaar into a small open-air bazaar known as Sahaflar Çarsisi next to Beyazit Gate.

A leisurely afternoon spent exploring the bazaar, sitting in one of the cafés and watching the crowds pass by, and bargaining for purchases is one of the best ways to recapture the romantic atmosphere of old Istanbul.

67

Kanchanburi Railway Text & Images By Thomas Gennaro

K

anchanburi Province is located approximately 120 kilometers West of Bangkok and shares a border along the complete length of its western edge with Myanmar (Burma). Kanchanburi town is a very quaint and friendly place with hospitable and amenable people who take pride in their picturesque location. The town has its fair share of inspiring Buddhist temples, lush landscapes, and breathtaking waterfalls alongside captivating mountain scenery.

However, Kanchanburi is made more famous (or infamous) by the Death Railway which is located close by.

The Burma Railway - its official name - is a 415 km railway between Bangkok, Thailand and Rangoon, Burma (now Yangon, Myanmar), built during World War II by the Imperial Japanese Army to support its Japanese forces in the Burma campaign. The railway, designed by S.O. No, was estimated to be built and finished in five years. This time frame was not acceptable to the Imperial army, so Prisoners Of War and Asian workers were press-ganged into the construction.

It is believed that up to 250,000 in total worked on the construction of the railway line, with 100,000 losing their lives over it. In 1942, Japanese forces invaded Burma from

Thailand and seized the colony from British control. To maintain their forces in Burma, the Japanese were required to bring supplies and troops to Burma by sea, through the Strait of Malacca and the Andaman Sea. This route was vulnerable to attack by Allied submarines, and a different means of transport was needed. The obvious alternative was a railway.

The Japanese forces started the project in June 1942. They intended to connect Ban Pong in Thailand with Thanbyuzayat in Burma through the Three Pagodas Pass.

Construction began at the Thai end on the 22nd of June 1942 and in Burma at roughly the same date. Most of the construction materials, including tracks and sleepers, were brought from dismantled branches of the Federated Malay States Railway network and from the Netherlands East Indies. On 17 October 1943, the two sections of the line met about 18 km (11 miles) south of the Three Pagodas Pass at Konkuita (Kaeng Khoi Tha, Sangkhla Buri district, Kanchanburi Province). Most of the P.O.W.s were then transported to Japan. Those left to maintain the line still suffered from appalling living conditions as well as increasing Allied air raids. The most famous portion of the rail-

DESTINATION KANCHANABURI

way is Bridge 277, ‘the bridge over the River Kwai’, which was built over a stretch of river which was then known as part of the Mae Klong. The association with the ‘River Kwai’ came from the fact that the greater part of the Thai part of the route followed the valley of the Khwae Noi. In 1960, because of a discrepancy between fact and fiction, the part of the Mae Klong that passes under the famous bridge was renamed as the Khwae Yai. This bridge was immortalized by Pierre Boulle in his book and the film based on it, The Bridge on the River Kwai. However, there are many who claim that the movie is utterly unrealistic and does not show what the conditions and treatment of prisoners was actually like. The first wooden bridge over the Khwae Yai was

finished in February 1943, followed by a concrete and steel bridge in June 1943. After the war, the railway was in inadequate state to be used for the civil Thai railway system, and needed heavy reconstruction. On 24 June 1949, the first part from Kanchanburi to Nong Pladuk was finished; on 1 April 1952, the next section up to Wang Pho (Wangpo); and finally on 1 July 1958, up to waterfalls. The portion of the railway still in use measures about 130 km (80 miles). Beyond the waterfalls, the line has been abandoned.

Steel rails have been removed for reuse in expanding railway yards, reinforcing and rehabilitating railway tracks, and constructing new branch lines. Parts of it have been converted into a walking trail. Since the 1990s various proposals have been made to rebuild the complete railway, but these plans

have not yet come to fruition. Since a large part of the original Death Railway line is now submerged under a hydroelectric dam, and the surrounding terrain is mountainous, it would take extensive tunneling to reconnect Thailand with Burma by rail. There are several museums dedicated to those who lost their lives constructing the Death Railway, the largest of which is at Hellfire Pass (north of the current terminus at Nam Tok), a cutting where the greatest number of lives was lost. There is also an Australian memorial at Hellfire Pass. Two other museums are in Kanchanburi, the Thailand-Burma Railway Museum (opened in March 2003), and the JEATH War Museum. At the Khwae Bridge there is a memorial plaque and a historic locomotive is on display.

EPICUREAN BUTCHERY

Hello Kitty Shares More Of Her Culinary Passions SUNWAY, 9 December 2016: Much-loved global icon Kitty White, better known by her world-famous nickname Hello Kitty, loves cooking so much because it lets her reach out to connect with her fans all over.

While Kitty loves apple pie, she also shares the passion for cooking with mum Mary White. Some of Kitty's favourite dishes are now available exclusively at the Sunway Pyramid's Hello Kitty Gourmet CafĂŠ - giving Malaysian fans a taste of what Kitty has learnt and been inspired by her mum.

Foremost among her latest culinary creations on offer is what "mum does best" basic start for the day with the Hello Kitty Big Breakie - featuring Kitty's own unique combination of vegetables, eggs, baked beans and sausages with fresh herbs.

Well-travelled Kitty also now offers up the Chicken Lasagna with layered pasta in a rich creamy Bolognese sauce combined with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Or if you'd like variety, Kitty has on offer the Spicy Salmon Lemonade pasta and Grilled Lamb Cutlets.

78

EPICUREAN BUTCHERY With the love of desserts passed down from her mum, she now offers a delight of Kitty Hides 'n Seeks with her peeking out from ice cream brownies covered in a chocolate sphere, served with more chocolate sauce and fruits.

All these and more are being served up at her Sunway Pyramid's Hello Kitty Gourmet Café - more exclusive treats so that there's always something new for her fans to discover, as over 30 new menu items have been added.

Enjoy culinary delights from Kitty White – available only at Sunway Pyramid's Hello Kitty Gourmet Café - and be prepared for the young and young-at-heart to be enchanted by her more mature ambiance.

About Hello Kitty Kitty White, whose birthday is 1 November 1974, loves to cook for her family which are made up of twin sister Mimmy White, parents George White and Mary White, plus grandparents Anthony and Margaret.

She has a pet cat named Charmmy Kitty and a pet hamster named Sugar. Charmmy Kitty was a present from her papa, while Sugar was given to her by her childhood friend Dear Daniel.

One of her most popular mottos is "You can never have too many friends."

About Hello Kitty Gourmet Café The Hello Kitty Gourmet Café is located at the Oasis Boulevard, Ground Floor of Sunway Pyramid mall. It can accommodate up to 150 patrons at any one time and their business hour is as stated below: Monday – Thursday Friday – Sunday

:10am – 11pm :10am – 12am

We'd like to invite culinary connoisseurs to indulge in the expanded menu at Hello Kitty Gourmet Café - all requests can be sent to: Annicle Lim H KTY Holdings Sdn Bhd Group Operations & PR Director Email: annicle@hellokittygourmet.com.my Mobile No: 019-298 1009

79

EPICUREAN BUTCHERY

78

EPICUREAN THETHE GOOD CO. CO. EPICUREAN GOOD

serves honest food with a purpose T T

heheGood GoodCo. Co.is isa anewly newly opened healthy opened healthyfast-food fast-food cafe cafewith witha atwist, twist,serving serving what it calls “honest food”. The what it calls “honest food”.

Good Co. Co. prides itself withwith an aim The Good prides itself an to improve one’s quality of life aim to improve one’s quality of life throughmindful mindfuland andhealthy healthyeating. eating. through TheGood GoodCo.’s Co.’skey keymission missionisisto to The change mindsets on fast food, change mindsets on fast food, whichisislong longknown knownto tobe befattening fattening which and heavily processed.

The Good and heavily processed. The Good Co. intends to offer its customers Co. intends to offer its customers healthierfast fastfood foodoption optionof of aahealthier natural, nutritious, sustainable and natural, nutritious, sustainable and organic ingredients which it hopes organic ingredients which it hopes willimprove improveone’s one’squality qualityof oflife. life. will The idea for The Good Co. The began idea for The Good Co. cafe five years ago when cafe began five years ago when its Founder, Miss Levy Li (Miss its Founder, Miss Levy Li (Miss Malaysia Universe 2008) moved Malaysia Universe 2008) back to Malaysia from themoved US where back to Malaysia from the US where healthy food is widely available and healthy is widely available and had food difficulty finding healthyand and had difficulty finding healthy plant based cafes in Malaysia.

The plant based cafes in Malaysia. founder herself started to be onThe a founder started be dad on a full plant herself based diet aftertoher full diagnosed plant basedwith dietcolon after cancer her dad was was diagnosed with colon cancer and she saw all this happening and she saw all this happening around her — people getting sick,

aroundon her — people getting sick, putting weight and generally putting on weight and not being healthy. Hencegenerally The Good notwas being healthy.

Hence The Good Co. born with the intention Co. was born with the intention of serving freshly prepared daily of serving freshly prepared daily healthy meals pre-packed in the healthy meals pre-packed in the most convenient way to indulge most convenient way to indulge on the go. Moreover, The Good on the go.is Moreover, Good Co.’s food inspired byThe Levy’s Co.’s food is inspired by Levy’s journey during the pageant and her journey duringcentred the pageant her travels abroad on theand art of travels abroad centred on the art of healthy and clean living. healthy and clean living.

The Good Co.’s Founder, Miss Levy Good“Our Co.’sbody Founder, Miss to Levy LiThe quoted, deserves Li quoted, “Our body deserves be nourished with natural healthyto be nourished natural healthy ingredients andwith detoxed from ingredients and detoxed from meat overload. Based on internet meat overload.

Based on internet research, Malaysia has one of the research, Malaysia has oneinofAsia the highest meat consumption highest meat consumption in Asia Pacific which represents differently Pacific represents differently from thewhich healthy living food from the healthy living food pyramid guide, that shows more pyramid guide, more than half of one’sthat dailyshows diet should than half of one’s daily diet actually consist of vegetables,should actually of vegetables, fruits, nutsconsist and grains.”

She added, fruits, nuts and grains.”

“As such, The Good Co. strongly believes the choices we make about She added, “As such, The Good “what we eat”, “where it comes Co. strongly believes the choices from” and “how it’s prepared” have make “what we eat”, a we direct andabout powerful impact on the

“whereofitindividuals, comes from” and “how health communities it’s prepared” have a direct and and the environment.” At the media powerful impact on the health of launch held today, The Good Co. individuals, communities and the offered guilt free samplers including environment.” salads in a pot, oats jar, artisan sandwiches, smoothie bowls, soups, At the mediajuices launchand held today, cold pressed locally The Good Co. offered guilt free roasted coffee. All food at the cafe samplers including salads in a is packed and served in an unique pot,interesting oats jar, artisan sandwiches, and presentation, set smoothie bowls, soups, to capture the attention cold of its pressed juices andthan locally roasted customers.

Other fresh food, coffee.

All food at the cafe is newly The Good The Good Co. is a packed and served in an unique opened healthy fast-food cafe with and interesting presentation, set a twist, serving what it calls “honest to capture the attention of its food”. The Good Co. prides itself customers. than fresh with an aim Other to improve one’s food, quality The Good Co. also has its ownof life through mindful and healthy made ‘Honest’ products, ranging eating.

The Good Co.’s key mission from granolas, peanut butter, is to change mindsets on fast food, raspberry rose jam and many more which is long known to be fattening to come. and heavily processed. The Good Co. intends to offer its customers a The Good Co. not option only focuses healthier fast food of natural, on healthy, fast and affordable nutritious, sustainable and organic food with a which great it deal of emphasis ingredients hopes will placed on details but assures it is improve one’s quality of life. The suited for the flavourful Malaysian idea for The Good Co. cafe began taste buds.

Only natural healthy five years ago when its Founder, organic plant based ingredients Miss Levy Li (Miss Malaysia Universe

79

75

EPICUREAN THE GOOD CO.

The Good Co.’s key mission is to change mindsets on fast food, which is long known to be fattening and heavily processed. The Good Co. intends to offer its customers a healthier fast food option of natural, nutritious, sustainable and organic ingredients which it hopes will improve one’s quality of life.

76

sourced from the freshest suppliers in town are used, containing no preservatives, no additives, no artificial colouring, no refined sugar and includes super food that is not commonly found in Malaysia.

Although the current menu at The Good Co. is kept simple, the cafe has plans to serve seasonal foods from various categories each month subject to available seasonal produce.

In addition, The Good Co. also intends to play a part in saving the planet towards a better environment and to top this, advocates love and compassion towards animals with its selection of healthy foods. The Good Co. brands itself as a healthy living destination, hence it is meatless, and is vegan and vegetarian friendly.

While positioning itself as conducive to healthy living, The Good Co. is collaborating with a beauty partner to have its own range of all natural products. At the media launch

held today, The Good Co. introduced HANDMADE HEROES MALAYSIA, a line of beauty products founded on the values of an all-natural lifestyle.

HANDMADE HEROES has created a collection of award winning face masks, body scrubs, lip scrubs, balm and tints to dry shampoo. Made using only natural ingredients and definitely void of preservatives, synthetic chemicals and animal products, all HANDMADE HEROES’ products are PETA-certified.

All packaging is carefully sourced from FDA approved manufacturers and BPAfree. In addition, HANDMADE HEROES prides itself in making skincare safe and

EPICUREAN THE GOOD CO.

“As such, The Good Co. strongly believes the choices we make about “what we eat”, “where it comes from” and “how it’s prepared” have a direct and powerful impact on the health of individuals, communities and the environment.” affordable for everyone. The Good Co. is currently located within a stylish sales gallery, Bön Estates - living, well crafted which stands on the pinnacle of Jalan Maarof, opposite Bangsar Shopping Centre. Bön Estates is a boutique developer that focuses on well crafted, sustainable and healthy living concept developments with The Good Co. as its healthy lifestyle partner. The Good Co.’s goal is to grow nationwide, providing convenient and affordable yet healthy variety of personalised food to people from all walks of life. It aims to be available at grab and go kiosks at all high traffic areas including hospitals, airports

and the city center in the near future.

The Good Co. also looks forward to supplying to schools, aspiring to change the current Malaysian students’ lunch break food diet. The Good Co. cafe is open daily from 9am to 6pm. It also takes online orders with delivery services available within KL and PJ areas, and catering services are also available.

For more information, kindly visit www.thegoodco.my Facebook - www.facebook.com/ thegoodcobangsar Instagram - @goodcompany

77

AIRLINES ETIHAD

ETIHAD AVIATION GROUP TO FORGE NEW LINKS WITH EUROPE'S LARGEST AIRLINE GROUP 78

AIRLINES ETIHAD

Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates and Lufthansa German Airlines, part of Europe’s largest airline group, today announced the conclusion of a codeshare agreement. The arrangement is set to start in January 2017, subject to government approval.

The wet-lease agreement between Lufthansa Group and airberlin – in which Etihad Aviation Group indirectly holds a 29 per cent stake – was also announced today. Lufthansa’s point-to-point carrier Eurowings and Austrian Airlines, a Lufthansa Group airline, have signed an agreement to wet lease 38 aircraft from airberlin.

33 of these aircraft are to be operated for the Eurowings Group, an additional five aircraft are to be flown for Austrian Airlines. The agreement has a term of six years and becomes effective from February 2017 subject to any regulatory requirements. The leases have been agreed at competitive rates.

- Etihad Airways and Lufthansa German Airlines agree on codeshare flights - Lufthansa to lease 38 aircraft from airberlin for its point-to-point carrier Eurowings and its network carrier Austrian Airlines

“Lufthansa is highly respected globally and I’m very pleased that we will work together in the future for the benefit of our customers.” have long seen Germany as a key strategic market for Etihad Aviation Group and this new relationship with Lufthansa marks the next step in our commitment to the leading European aviation group.

“Lufthansa is highly respected globally and I’m very pleased that we will work together in the future for the benefit of our customers. “Additionally, we are, in our role as a minority shareholder in airberlin, fully supportive of the separate agreement reached today with the Lufthansa Group to wet lease 38 airberlin aircraft.

Under the codeshare agreement, the German airline will place its ‘LH’ code on Etihad Airways’ twice daily non-stop flights between its home base of Abu Dhabi and Frankfurt and its twice daily non-stop services between Abu Dhabi and Munich, the biggest city in southern Germany.

“It is very clear to us at Etihad Airways that Lufthansa is a like-minded, forward thinking organisation with which we can do strong, meaningful and mutually beneficial business.”

Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Lufthansa Group, said:

The UAE’s national airline will, in turn, put its ‘EY’ code on Lufthansa’s long-haul, nonstop intercontinental services between its home base of Frankfurt, the business and commercial capital of Germany, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as well as Bogota, Colombia.

James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said: “We

“We are looking forward to partnering with the Etihad Aviation Group. The wet-lease contract with airberlin fosters the growth of our Eurowings Group.

The codeshare agreement of Lufthansa and Etihad will offer our customers more benefits and complement both airlines’ networks. We will consider extending our cooperation in other areas.”

79

Composing Texture In Still Life Photography Text and Photos By: Amizura Hanadi Mohd Radzi

Texture: Plant 1 [235mm, f/5.6 for 1/60 sec, ISO100]

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPOSING TEXTURE

In contrast to popular belief, one does not have to travel far in order to enhance one’s skill in photography. Amazing shots are not only created at far-away places.

T

he thorny texture of one potted plant placed at one corner of my porch attracted my attention. The thorny stems twist and curve, adding dramatic element to the composition. I circled the potted plant, choosing a favourable angle and when I peeped through my DSLR viewfinder, there it was, a fairy tale dragon with multiple necks with razor-sharp thorns as its scales. Ron Bigelow in his article on ‘Texture Photography’ (2016) states that curves communicate mood to the viewer.

My very first encounter with this thorny ornamental plant was way back in 1998. I was informed by one of Langkawi locals that this plant variety is called Kosiam. Most home gardens on the island in the 90’s basically had this potted plant as it also bears tiny flowers that come in many colours, namely shocking pink, light pink, red and also yellow.

Patterns in natural texture can add a dramatic element to the image when photographed efficiently. Ever wonder why horror and thriller movies that set in the woods or jungles normally captured haunting images of tree branches.

This is because the patterns and texture of these images create a sense of suspense that animals or monsters might just jump out of these branches to the unsuspecting victims.

I decided to include another shot of the same thorny plant, in an image that was composed slightly different. In the image, i.e. Dramatic Texture 2, the thorny stem nearest to the camera is rendered sharp in the shot.

Dramatic Texture 1 [250mm, f/5.6 for 1/80 sec, ISO100]

82

Whereas, the remaining stems in the background are out-of-focus blur, creating a stunning impact to the shot. The other stem, which half part is rendered sharp and the other half, rather blurry, with twisting rows of thorns brought back a not-so-fond memory of me

PHOTOGRAPHY RIVERSIDE VIEWS

Texture: Plant 2 [250mm, f/5.6 for 1/125 sec, ISO200

Dramatic Texture 3 [250mm, f/5.6 for 1/60 sec, ISO100]

drawing a seven-headed dragon during an exam when I was in secondary school. I felt that I did not do it justice then. I do hope the shot of these thorny stems which cunningly resemble the dragon that I once drew years ago creates a much fonder memory. In the image, i.e.

Dramatic Texture 3, repetitive pattern is also interesting element in texture photography. The downward flow of the orchid plant roots, with smaller roots that stem out of the main roots, create a favourable visual impact to the image. The sky was slightly overcast and the amount of light was just sufficient to capture the pattern and texture of these unique orchid roots. As depicted in the image, i.e. Texture: Plant 1, another way to diversify the shot is to include a break in the pattern of the texture of the subject.

The water droplets on the leaves of the Kiambang plants, which are also objects of a different texture, bring the composition to new heights.

Curves on plants are fascinating to be photographed. The edges of the fern leaves in the image, i.e. Texture: Plant 2, form interesting curves that add character to the composition. While photographing natural texture, it is crucial to focus on the part of the leaves that have good texture in order to create quality images. Both images are shot in monochrome mode as to capture the pattern and texture more effectively.

Texture: Plant 3 [187mm, f/5.6 for 1/250 sec, ISO100 A cluster of young green tomatoes with dark green sepals in my vegetable garden caught my attention. The dark coloured star-shaped sepals create a contrast to the lighter coloured tomatoes. In contrast to popular belief, one does not have to travel far in order to enhance one’s skill in photography. Amazing shots are not only created at far-away places. Sometimes, one simply needs to venture into their own backyard to find appealing natural patterns and textures to shoot!

83

HEALTH TOURISM SUBANG MEDICAL CENTRE

84 89

HEALTH TOURISM SUBANG MEDICAL CENTRE

Subang Jaya Medical Centre Drives National Health Care Expansion With Fourth Block – THE MEDIPLEX

S

ubang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC), a multidiscipline tertiary care facility launched their fourth tower block, known as Mediplex to expand their services as a multidisciplinary tertiary hospital. Present to launch the building was the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah and Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin Abdul Rahman. Subang Jaya Medical Centre is the flagship hospital under the Ramsay Sime Darby Health Care Group (RSDH). With a projected investment of RM 300 million, the 30-year-old SJMC will see refurbishment and added services and facilities supported by services at the Mediplex tower that invests into the market potential of the wellness sector.

85

HEALTH TOURISM SUBANG MEDICAL CENTRE

“The increased space area in Mediplex will also allow SJMC to have more space for the growing number of patients and allow SJMC to continue to focus on upgrading and delivering better patientcare services. Beyond the demand for more services, we want to ensure that the quality of services continue to improve as well.”

Mediplex in its 7-storey tower will offer a new 15,000 square feet Rehabilitative Service Center and a 12,000 square feet Health Screening Centre. The extension of its services also includes a blood bank, a regional laboratory and new outpatient clinics for Ear Nose and Throat (ENT), Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Plastic Surgery and Breast Care to cater the need for more services for the larger community. Ramsay Sime Darby Health Care Group Chief Executive Officer Bronte Kumm said: “For 30 years, SJMC has been growing and evolving. The hospital has taken a broader approach by offering preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic healthcare through carefully-selected service based and product-based services. Among these services include preventive wellness, rejuvenation, aesthetic medicine, diet and nutrition, personal care and more. The increased space area in Mediplex will also allow SJMC to have more space for the growing number of patients and allow SJMC to continue to focus on upgrading and delivering better patient-care services. Beyond the demand for more services, we want to ensure that the quality of services continue to improve as well.”

With a multi-phase development plan in place, the gestation period is expected to be around 10-11 years and projected completion in 2022-2023. Mediplex was Phase 4 of this development and seeks to expand with 4-level basement car parks and wards for patients.

As of today, the first three floors of the Mediplex are operational and are occupied by tenants, which includes SJMC’s very own retail pharmacy known as Medishoppe. The RM 300 million investment into the upgrading of SJMC is part of a larger investment of RM 600 million which will also add 100 beds at RS Premier Jatinegara and RS Premier Bintaro medical centres in Indonesia, owned by RSDH.

86 89

HEALTH TOURISM SUBANG MEDICAL CENTRE

87

RETAIL THERAPHY MELINDA LOOI

Melinda Looi

CRUISE

88

RETAIL THERAPHY MELINDA LOOI

An exclusive group of VIPs, media, influencers and celebrities were the guests of Melinda Looi Fashion Suites, which was an intimate, by invitation only, four day event launching Melinda Looi CRUISE 2016/2017 and preview of SPRING SUMMER 2017 collection.

“This is a small way for me to say thank you and pamper my clients who have been supporting me since the very beginning. My clients usually come to our Bangsar showroom however I wanted to treat them with a special experience.

I have curated a selection of exclusive brands, many of them have never been showcased in Malaysia before. ” - Melinda THE EVENT - Looking for the perfect event venue, Melinda came across 8 Conlay, an upcoming hotel, characterised by branded serviced residence and high-end shopping destination at Kuala Lumpur’s most prestigious address. It was a love at first sight for Melinda, which she then dressed up with the latest furnitures from Commune and beautiful yet unique flower arrangements by OFLWR. Guests were pampered with hand massages, make up touch-ups and manicure services by prime beauty brands - La Mer, Bobbi Brown and Posh Nail Spa respectively.

While a mini fashion show for the collections unfolded, guests were treated

89

RETAIL THERAPHY MELINDA LOOI

to food and drinks by the latest gourmet menu from established luxury brand TWG Tea. Furthermore bringing the love for coffee, which is usually served at Melinda Looi Bangsar Showroom to the event, classic coffee to hot chocolates were served by the latest Drop coffee machines by Nescafe Dolce Gusto. Knowing that her guests have sweet tooth, Melinda invited Butter and Paper to supply scrumptious desserts that were absolutely a treat for the senses and were matched with Australian imported tonic waters by Franklin & Sons.

THE SHOPPING - Not only the guests had an intimate, one-toone session with Melinda Looi for custom made pieces, they acquired

90

advice on how to mix and match those ensembles with jewellery by Osare Design from Italy and Atelier Swarovski designer collection. With Christmas around the corner, Melinda also selected the luxury men’s accessory brand C MY Jewellery to exclusively showcase designs, which were specially crafted to meet individual styles. Swarovski showcased the ultimate in luxury crystal home décor with Atelier Swarovski Home, an exciting new home accessories brand created in collaboration with some of the world’s most respected designers. Complementing the pampering and shopping experiences Melinda created a wellness area to promote healthy living via brands like Young Living and Nordic Walking.

79

RETAIL THERAPHY MELINDA LOOI

92

RETAIL THERAPHY MELINDA LOOI

THE COLLECTION - The launch of Melinda Looi’s CRUISE 2016/2017 collection came right at the time where shoppers will be looking for their new Christmas or Chinese New Year clothing to celebrate the respective festivities in style. The fashion designer used the opportunity to also allow her guests to have a sneak peek at her SPRING SUMMER 2017 collection, which just returned from Shanghai, where it was showcased during Shanghai Fashion Week. Festive shoppers can immediately get their hands on the CRUISE 2016/2017 collection at Melinda Looi’s showroom and Parkson Pavilion. t *0$ 4QPSU BOE "SU 5SPQIZ Malaysia/Switzerland t .BMBZTJBO 3FQSFTFOUBUJWF BU 8PSME 'BTIJPO 8FFL 1BSJT 'SBODF t 'JSTU % 1SJOU 'BTIJPO 4IPX JO "TJB ,VBMB -VNQVS t %FTJHOFS PG UIF :FBS .FScedes Benz STYLO Fashion Awards, Kuala Lumpur t %FTJHOFS PG UIF :FBS .*'8

Kuala Lumpur t %FTJHOFS PG UIF :FBS .*'8 Kuala Lumpur t .PTU %ZOBNJD %FTJHOFS .*'" Kuala Lumpur t "TJB 1BDJÃ¥DB :PVOH %FTJHOFS "XBSE 2000, Hong Kong t "4&"/ %FTJHOFS "XBSE Singapore t $PUUPO "XBSE +BQBO t .BMBZTJB :PVOH %FTJHOFS "XBSE ,VBMB -VNQVS ABOUT MELINDA LOOI Melinda Looi started her journey on a scholarship at the La Salle School of Fashion in Montreal, Canada. It XBT IFS HSBEVBUJPO DPMMFDUJPO JO that catapulted her into the spotlight, earning her the Malaysia Young DeTJHOFS "XBSE JO ,VBMB -VNQVS Since these early days, Melinda has consistently proven her ability and creativity through many awards locally and internationally, especially the prestigious Designer of the Year "XBSE JO BOE BU UIF .B-

laysian International Fashion Awards, BOE PODF BHBJO JO BU UIF .FScedes Benz STYLO Fashion Awards.

Melinda’s latest accolades include an award for Sport and Art Trophy from International Olympic Council, Switzerland and being selected as B .BMBZTJBO SFQSFTFOUBUJWF BU World Fashion Week, Paris with one of her couture piece being showcased as part of the World Fashion Exhibition, at various international fashion weeks.

Today, Melinda Looi has a diverse range of brands to her name, targeting to different customer groups and occasion: Melinda Looi Couture (bespoke tailoring), Melinda Looi (readyto-wear for day to night) and emel

by Melinda Looi (a modest occasion wear diffusion line) Besides working on her own fashion labels, Melinda is also involved in numerous and very diverse collaborations reaching from charities and eco-friendly events to art projects, as well as collaborations with international brands and corporates such as Swarovski, L’Oréal , Levi’s, The Body Shop, TUMI, and many others.

93

HYT SAILS INTO AUSTRALIA

HYT launched its footprint in Australia with a 4-day series of events and sponsorship in partnership with MAD & Associates, exclusive agent for the brand in Australia.

Proud sponsor of one of the 8 participating sailing teams, Team Alinghi, HYT hosted press and customers at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron for the final leg of the Extreme Sailing Series 2016 held in Sydney Harbour from 8 to 11 December 2016. Guests got to meet the Alinghi crew, and despite some very strong winds (of up to 35 knots), they also managed some on-board sailing experiences on the super-fast flying hydro-foiling GC32 catamarans at the Sydney Harbour.

After-hour activities, hosted by HYT Partner & CEO Gregory Dourde, Friend of the Brand Peter Hackett and the HYT team, included a twilight sail with media friends on-board a 105ft Sun Seeker yacht that toured the Sydney Harbour. During the second evening HYT hosted 15 customers in an intimate sit-down dinner at the Australian National Maritime Museum, a beautiful setting and juxtaposition of old and new, of traditional and modern.

Gregory Dourde commented, ‘fluids are our playground and I can’t think of a better setting than the Extreme Sailing Series in one of the most beautiful harbours in the world to launch HYT in Australia. We met some very passionate collectors over the last few days and great press personalities. We’re looking forward to growing our business here.’ MAD & Associates Manag

RETAIL THERAPHY HYT AUSTRALIA

ing Director, Nicholas Hooper added, ‘I’m very happy to have introduced HYT to Australia and I expect the unprecedented innovation that HYT has brought to watchmaking to strongly resonate with Australians. Early indications show that collectors here are already very excited.’ The four days finished with the 11 December Grand Finale where Alinghi was the proud winner and champion of the Extreme Sailing Series 2016.

A smooth finish to HYT’s 3rd full commercial year of activity!

HYT in a few words HYT’s Hydromechanical Horologists have turned fantasy into reality, mixing mechanics and liquid within a wristwatch. While addicted to non-conformism, these alchemists have drawn upon the strictest codes of fine watchmaking, and shattered them. The principle: Two flexible reservoirs with a capillary attached at each end.

In one, a coloured liquid; in the other, a transparent one. Keeping them apart is the repulsion force of the molecules in each fluid. The hours are indicated by the coloured liquid released from a flexible reservoir compressed by a piston. These reservoirs, or bellows, are located at six o’clock and are made from a supple alloy.

The first coloured liquid travels through the capillary pushing the transparent one back into its own reservoir and then returning to its original position at six o’clock in what is referred to as a retrograde manner. The two

96

reservoirs at 06:00. While the first compresses, the second expands, and the other way round, resulting in the movement of the liquid in the capillary. As the hours go by, the coloured liquid advances. The meniscus, in the shape of a half moon, marks the separation point with the other fluid in the tube, indicating the time. At 18:00, the coloured liquid comes back to its original position, going backwards. The secret that gets the reservoirs going? Two bellows made of a highly resistant, flexible alloy, each driven by a piston.

And this is where watchmaking comes in to activate the system. In 2013, HYT launched its H2 Collection, a new class of time pieces born from a close partnership with Audemars Piguet Renaud Papi and managed under the steady guidance of Giulio Papi. This partnership was renewed in 2015 to continue HYT’s ground-breaking work in fluid technology and also to develop a new collection: the H3 that once again reiterated HYT’s commitment to creating pieces that continuously surprise and challenge at every opportunity. In 2015 two more legendary collections were introduced: the Skull & the H4. The most difficult aspect when creating the Skull was to transform the circular shape of the capillary to give it a skull like appearance. This was due to both the technical and the esthetical constraints of bending a glass tube that measures less than 1 millimeter in diameter. The H4 is equipped with a micro generator that converts mechanical energy into light allowing the wearer to read the time in the dark. A first in the horological industry.