Interchange in Kuala Lumpur

On my way to Singapore, I had to transit in Kuala Lumpur. The long-awaited Pudu Sentral  is finally open for revenue service after a year of massive renovation. It looks as modern as the new Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) at Bandar Tasik Selatan. I decided to go to TBS instead for south bound bus. 

One of the convenient way to reach TBS from Pudu Sentral is via LRT towards Sri Petaling from Plaza Rakyat to Bandar Tasik Selatan. I was surprised that LRT has changed their ticketing system from using ticket card to ticket coin. I guess the ticket coin is more reliable than ticket card which is prone to failure.

#1 LRT ticket coin

I stopped at Salak Selatan station initially as being misinformed by ticketing personnel in Pudu Sentral. I had been to TBS once about a year ago but the confusion arising from the place name itself is inevitable. TBS is located in Salak Selatan but the nearest LRT station is named as Bandar Tasik Selatan and there is another LRT station named Salak Selatan.

#2 Salak Selatan LRT station

#3 TBS boarding area    

Mass Rapid Transit Disruptions

#1 SMRT Advertisement Parody

Christmas month with three breakdowns on North South and Circle Lines, commuters get rare chances of riding in the dark, smashing train glass window for ventilation and once-in-a-lifetime tunnel tour.

1st disruption: 

14 Dec 6.00am-6.40am Marymount-One North Stations Circle Line affecting 1400 commuters who were going to work during peak hour

2nd disruption: 

15 Dec 6.56pm onward throughout the night between Marina Bay-Braddell Stations North South Line affecting 127,000 commuters who were heading home after work. Thousands of commuters stranded in one of four stalled trains between City Hall and Dhoby Ghaut Station were only evacuated after more than an hour without air-conditioning by allowing commuters to walk along the track in the tunnel towards Dhoby Ghaut Station.

3rd disruption: 

17 Dec 6.50am-1.48pm Marina Bay-Newton Stations North South Line affecting 94,000 commuters

............

#2 Tunnel Tour

North South and East West Line will only start service on 11am 10am 18 Dec tomorrow due to thorough health check on the train network.

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum (新加坡佛牙寺龙华院), Chinatown

I came across a Buddhist temple when I was touring around Chinatown streets. It is better known as Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum. Built on Tang Dynasty architectural style, this 5-storey temple houses the relic of Buddha which had been discovered in a collapsed stupa at Bagan Hill, Mrauk-U, Myanmar.

#1 Front entrance of Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum

Chinatown (牛車水), Singapore

Today I decided to tour around Chinatown area as I had never really explored the town of Chinese neighborhood in the past 3 years staying in Singapore. Known as Chinatown (唐人街) among foreigner and non-Chinese Singaporean and better known as Niu Che Shui (牛車水), which literally means Bull Cart Water, among Chinese, Chinatown is enriched with Chinese culture especially in terms of architectural building.

Just above the underground Chinatown Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station, there are two major shopping complex namely Chinatown Point and People's Park Complex. Before I started my exploration into the Chinatown street, I had my brunch at a nearby hawker stall famous for charcoal-roasted duck and pork. It is none other than Lee Kheong Roasted Delicacy located at Blk 32 #01-1040 New Market People's Park. The roasted pork rice I ordered is simply the best in Singapore.

#1 Famous Lee Kheong Roasted Delicacy
with the best charcoal roasted duck and pork in Singapore

Along Pagoda, Trengganu, Temple and Smith Street, there are stalls of variety food, beverages, souvenirs, and clothes. Most of items are cheaper than that of being sold in shopping complex. From my observation, it seems like there is a high percentage of elderly with roughly quarter of them who are wheel-chaired in Chinatown.

#2 Trengganu  & Temple Street

#3 Trengganu Street

#4 Trengganu Street

#5 Trengganu & Smith Street

#6 Trengganu & Smith Street

Apart from flea markets, there is a Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum situated to the south of Chinatown area. I will blog about it in details later. As Chinatown street is the most liveliest during Chinese New Year, I am looking forward to visit this town on Chinese New Year 2012.

Fairy Dream to Hong Kong Disneyland (香港迪士尼樂園 / 香港ディズニーランド)

Once upon a time...... and happily ever after.
I want to be a kid again. Oh, genie in the lamp, would you please make my wish come true.

Penang Kedah Revisit 2011

Two and a half year has passed since my last stay in Penang and Kedah from  year 2006 to 2008. Last Friday, I started my journey back to Penang and Kedah from Johor Bahru.

#1 Morning smog at Desaru-Senai Highway

The new Desaru-Senai highway shortens slightly the time taken to reach my hometown, Tanjung Malim. I started my solo car trip at 7am, took breakfast at Restoran Jejantas Ayer Keroh at 9am and reached Tanjung Malim at 12pm.

#2 Raining at Kuala Lumpur-Sungai Buluh highway

#3 Tanjung Malim toll

I spent the rest of the day in my hometown, playing with my nephews.

#4 Four-months-old nephew

#5 S$9.50 Lego plane for my 5-years-old nephew

Early Saturday, I had my favorite wanton mee before resuming my journey to the northern part of Malaysia.

#6 Must-have wanton mee at my homeplace

#7 Warm up for my solo car trip to Penang

Around 10am, I entered the only highway tunnel at Ipoh-Taiping stretch; the most dangerous and challenging stretch of North South highway.

#8 The only highway tunnel at Ipoh-Taiping stretch

Around 10.30am, I reached Penang borderline.

#9 Penang state border from Perak

#10 Autocity

My first stop was Jusco Seberang Prai City. Had a Pizza Hut lunch with ex-colleague before heading to Sunway Carnival Mall around 3.30pm.

#11 Jusco Seberang Prai City, Bandar Perda

#12 Nice art of TNB building, Bandar Perda

#13 Megamall Penang / Pacific Mall near Sunway Carnival Mall, Butterworth

At Sunway Carnival Mall Starbucks, I had a green tea cream frappucino for tea with ex-coursemate. Had a quick ride around Kulim town before attending a wedding dinner of my ex-housemate.

#14 Bukit Mertajam famous spot for food

#15 My ex-tuition center at Kulim-Bukit Mertajam stretch

#16 I got my Myvi from this branch

#17 My ex-home in Kulim

#18 Taman Selasih, Kulim

#19 Kulim town

#20 KHTP, my first workplace in Kulim

#21 KM3, my second workplace in Kulim

#22 KM5, my last workplace in Kulim before I moved to Singapore

#23 First Solar as big as an airport in Kulim High Tech Park

3-days-trip from JB to Penang ended with a total car mileage of 1600~ km, highway toll fee of RM 170~ and a RM 150~ petrol fuel.