Enjoy An Eco Tour In Malaysia - Agarwood Forest, Charcoal Factory, Mangrove Forest

As mentioned in the previous blog, Ipoh is one of a cultural and heritage cities of Malaysia. Actually there is a flora and fauna in Malaysia where I have just selected some destinations having been with my travel buddies for 2 days at Ipoh. Some eco destinations are highly recommended for visit near Ipoh where takes 1-2 hours by car.

1) Gaharu Tea Valley Gopeng  (務邊沉香園)


Gaharu, also named in Agarwood, Eaglewood, Oud or Jinko in different part of the world. But agarwood in Chinese culture actually plays a significant role in medical treatment. Because agarwood leaves can be used as Tea, and also the wood can be transformed as fragrance. They also can be used as cooking ingredients in chicken soup, herbal egg with their leaves. I also tried the soft serve in agarwood flavor (RM2), which I cannot tell you the taste, as it is very unique and with a long after taste of the agarwood. It's worth to try.

There are over 200,000 agarwood trees in the forest distributing in 5 mountains according to the local guide. Some of the areas are open for the tourists. Tourists are escorted by their private vans for transportation. This Gaharu Tea Valley in Gopeng is the only one open for public in the globe, sharing the trade secrets and promoting the usage and the awareness of the Gaharu Tea. Gaharu Tea is rich in vitamins, calcium zinc, iron and manganese. Gaharu leaves contain high anti-oxidant functions. It reduces blood sugar levels and lowers the blood pressure etc. That's why there is a market for gardening Gaharu Tea.  

Gaharu (Agarwood) Tea Valley, Gopeng

For information: www.hoga.my  ; www.gaharu.com.my
Opening from 9am to 6pm (Monday to Sunday and Public Holiday)

2)  Kuala Sepetang Charcoal Factory 

A total area of 40,711 hectares of forest area divided into three regions, namely Kuala Sepetang, Kuala Trong and Sungai Kerang which were managed under a "30 Year Work Plan" by the Perak State Forestry Department.

This charcoal factory locates at Kuala Sepetang.

Trees from Mangrove

7-Ipoh Wall Art Murals by Zach

It's first time to visit Malaysia, and I headed to Ipoh, a city with a lot of heritages and cultures.
Ipoh is a home town of Michelle Yeoh, the Hollywood superstar.
Ipoh, is a name in Malay meaning a kind of tree, but nowadays there is only one and the only one existing at Ipoh, locates in front of the train station.

When visiting Ipoh, one of the cultural visits is searching the 7 wall art murals,the latest collection of by Ernest Zacharevic (ZACH), who painted murals on walls along the streets of Penang’s Georgetown.

Ipoh is famous with their white coffee, so the artist features coffee on the painting. This one features the old man drinking a cup of white coffee.

Next to a car park, there is one featuring the hummingbird.

Opposite to the hummingbird, there is a huge mural with 5 iced coffee , they call as KOPI (coffee) in Malaysia , and the packaging for iced tea is using a plastic bag.  The painting is awesome as it illustrated like a real one with water drops on the plastic bags.

This one is unofficial without Zach and the government mentioned , but our tour guide said this one is also an artwork by Zach. The tour guide said it was painted in overnight. But I think this one is a test drawing by Zach before he painted the large one, do you agree?

This one named "Girl" is very active in motions, like she is catching the bird in the birdcage.

This one is near the Coffee and Old Man . It is an awesome artwork too.

This one is a Chinese painting style. But too many tourists there I cannot take a full picture.

I like this one so much, as it shows the man doing job for living and the shaw you can take photo with it. 

The map of Art of Old Town, you can search the 7 mural artworks by visiting Ipoh, drink the white coffee, enjoy a day in Malaysia.


View another article about Eco Tourism in Malaysia

Joan Cornellà Makes Asian Premiere in Hong Kong

Based in Barcelona, Joan Cornellà is a cartoonist and illustrator famous for his unsettling,
surreal humor and black humorous comic strips as well as artwork.
With a global following, his works consist of mostly wordless 6 panel comics – the disturbing themes, extreme discomfort, often grotesque, all packaged neatly into brightly colored, beautifully rendered comic illustrations. In these times of extreme hypocrisy, Joan Cornellà sheds some light onto ourselves, unveiling who we really are, always in a humorous and disquieting manner.

Date: 17 - 26 June 2016
Event Venue: G/F, Fort Street 18-20, Wah Kin Mansion North Point, Hong Kong
•Tickets can be bought at the door, from 10am to 10pm  (BUT LONG QUEUE, WAIT MINIMUM 1-2 HOURS OUTDOOR)
$50 (a lucky draw to win a limited edition illustration+present) 

Buy tickets in advance (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) at :
1. Zoo Records:
Shop 325, 3/F President Commercial Centre, 608 Nathan Road, Mongkok, , Hong Kong2
2. White Noise Record:
1/F, 720 Shanghai Street, Mong Kok, Hong Kong
3.The Globe:
The Globe, Garely Building, 45-53 Graham Street, Central District, Hong Kong

Event Facebook 

Easy Recipe for Summer - Tofu Cheese Cake

Every one loves chilled dessert for summer time, as I do. In the summer, I will make the Japanese styled tofu cheese cake at home which delighting you after lunch or dinner.

It's easy as you can find a fresh tofu at the supermarket or the market.

Ingredients (for 8 portions)
Creme Cheese 200g
Hard Beancurd (1 piece estimated 340 grams)
Lemon juice (1 tea spoon)
Sugar (2 tablespoons)
Yogurt (50 grams)
Gelatins (20 grams)

Cake Base:
Crackers (8 pieces)
Butter (30 grams)



Method:

Step 1: prepare the cake base with digestive crackers and melted butter. And chill the base into the fridge for minimum 3 hours.

Step 2: For tofu cheese cake fillings, melt the gelatin in water first and mix well all ingredients together.

Step 3: beat the tofu and cream cheese into fine mixtures

Step 4: Layer the cream cheese mixture on the top of the crackers base

Step 5: Chill for overnight before serving 

Bon appetit!

  

Joyce Jonathan Asian Tour 2016 - Hong Kong Station

I was so excited in May when I knew that Joyce Jonathan will come to Hong Kong for her Asian Tour after the Taiwan Station. I immediately purchased concert tickets online and expect her live show in Hong Kong.

The show is also a part of Le French May - a program of Hong Kong promoting French culture, wine and dine, performances from May to early July and I usually spend a lot of time and money in this programme every year. :)

Joyce Jonathan - one of the popular French POP singers in France, is a French singer and songwriter. Her first album "Sur mes gardes" was certified platinum in 2011 and received the NRJ Music Awards of the Francophone Breakthrough of the year (2011). I listened her music via YouTube first and then I also purchased her first album. The song I like is "Je ne sais pas" - also version in Mandarin (But I don't understand Mandarin).

The new album in 2016 "Une Place Pour Moi" and promoting songs such as "Le Bonheur" and "L'amour, l'amour, l'amour " are my favorites. The rhythm and the music arrangement of songs are very French, young and with romantic lyrics.

For the promotion of the concert, well, there were not many promoting channels except I knew that from lepetitjournal.com and some post bills which having very low profile. That's why the concert hall was not fully occupied, which I felt that concert was not well promoted to targeted audiences.

Anyway, there were two autograph sessions for VIP and regular fans respectively after the concert. It supposed to sign the new album only but she is so nice to sign for my previous album (die hard fans) although the organiser was not allowed me to do so. :)

Hope she will come often to Hong Kong and get more fans following her! :)

Beautiful Sunset !

Living in Hong Kong, one of the cities with skyscrapers that people never see the sky. That's why I love the blue sky of the Spain, although we are living on the same planet.

It's sure that you can find some natures, fauna and flora in Hong Kong where you have to travel to new territories or outlying islands.

The photo here I took it actually taking place at the bus terminal in Lantau Island. It was sunset time, after a heavy raining in the afternoon, where many clouds were layered in the sky.