Selasa, 12 November 2013

About me

Nur syahirah binti Mohd Shahid Tan
A12A440
Faculty of Entrepreneurship and Business, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan
Date of Birth: 28 OCT 1992
Place of Birth: Johor Bahru, Johor
Area of Study: Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan
Ambition: Teacher, housewife, and travel around the world.
Evaluation of this assignment: This assignment made me do some research about certain places in Malaysia and other country that have interesting place to go. Because of the research that I've done, hence I can gain more my general knowledge and at the same time I can share some of my experience to others.



Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Bangkok, Thailand

The most famous of the floating markets is Damnoen Saduak, about 100 kilometres southwest of Bangkok. This buzzing market is at its best in the early morning before the crowds arrive and the heat of the day builds up.

Most people live densely along both sides of the canal from one end of the canal to another. The majority of these people are farmers. They grow several types of fruits and vegetables for example oranges, grapes, papaya, cabbage, beans, onions and others.  The land in the area is naturally fertile. Apart from providing transportation, Damnoensaduak Canal also provides farmers with adequate water for agricultural purposes for the whole year around. More than 200 small canals were dug by local peasants to connect with it to get water to splatter their land. In addition, these small canals are also a way to take their agricultural prosperity to markets in neighbouring provinces and Bangkok.


Day and day out from about 8 am until about 11 am the Floating Market is routinely crowded with hundreds of vendors and purchasers floating in their small rowing boats selling and buying or exchanging their goods. Their purchases are especially food, fruits and vegetables that are mostly brought from their own orchards. They usually travel on their small rowing boats. However, today the long-tailed boats pushing by engine become very popular. People tend to use them instead. However due to lack of fuel these days is quite a long tail boat there compared to a few years ago.




Sphinx, Giza, Egypt

Sphinx, is a limestone statue of a reclining or couchant sphinx (a mythical creature with a lion's body and a human head) that stands on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile in Giza, Egypt. The face of the Sphinx is generally believed to represent the face of the Pharaoh Khafra.
It is the largest monolith statue in the world, standing 73.5 metres (241 ft) long, 19.3 metres (63 ft) wide, and 20.22 m (66.34 ft) high. It is the oldest known monumental sculpture, and is commonly believed to have been built by ancient Egyptians of the Old Kingdom during the reign of the Pharaoh Khafra.
The Great Sphinx is one of the world's largest and oldest statues but basic facts about it, such as when it was built, and by whom, are still debated. Nobody knows its original name. Sphinx is the human-headed lion in ancient Greek mythology; the term likely came into use some 2,000 years after the statue was built. There are hundreds of tombs at Giza with hieroglyphic inscriptions dating back some 4,500 years, but not one mentions the statue.

The Sphinx was not assembled piece by piece but was carved from a single mass of limestone exposed when workers dug a horseshoe-shaped quarry in the Giza plateau. Approximately 66 feet tall and 240 feet long, it is one of the largest and oldest monolithic statues in the world. 



Waitomo Glowworm Cave, Otorohanga 3943,New Zealand




I am so overwhelmed just by looking at the picture of this place. It's so fascinating if we could go there and discover the cave. More than 30 million years ago , the legend of Waitomo Caves begins with the creation of limestone at the bottom of the ocean . Now these limestone formations stand as one of the most inspiring natural wonders of New Zealand and a must-see destination .
Waitomo region is home to unforgettable journey. Discover magical glowworms by boat in the world famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves.
The Waitomo Glowworm Cave is a cave on the North Island of New Zealand , known for its population glowworms , Arachnocampa Luminosa . This glowworms spin a nest of silk on the ceiling of the cave and then hang down. Then , the larva glows to attract prey into its threads , so that the roof of a cave covered with larva can look remarkably like the sky at night . A hungry larva glows brighter than the one that had just eaten .
A silicone sheet lowered from the ceiling , along hundreds of others. Beautiful though these threads , they have an evil purpose . To trap its prey it [ the cave glow worm ] goes fishing with a line of silk . The ghostly blue light is the result of a chemical reaction that takes place in a special capsule in its tail ... Insects seem irresistibly drawn to the source and then trapped by the sticky lines . Once caught , there is no escape . Now it's just a matter of reeling in line and slowly taking the catch – alive.


a mayfly is caught on a silk thread

Isnin, 11 November 2013

Madame Tussauds, Marylebone Road, London

Madame Tussauds is a wax museum in London with branches in a number of major cities. It was founded by wax sculptor Marie Tussaud and was formerly known as "Madame Tussaud's”. Madame Tussauds is a major tourist attraction in London, displaying waxworks of historical and royal figures, film stars, sports stars and infamous murderers. It is known for recreating life size wax models of celebrities. The attraction houses its famous Chamber of Horrors. Set up by wax sculptor Marie Tussaud on Marylebone Road in 1884 it is the first Madame Tussauds. 

The following is a list of Madame Tussauds locations:

North America:
Las Vegas
Hollywood
New York City
Washington, D.C.
San Francisco Opens 2014

Europe:
Amsterdam
Berlin
Blackpool
London
Vienna

Asia:
Bangkok
Busan – closed in March 2013.
Hong Kong
Shanghai
Tokyo Opened 15 March 2013
Wuhan Opened September 2013

Australia:

Sydney



madame tussauds herself

marilyn monroe

Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Taman Mini Malaysia & Mini ASEAN, Ayer Keroh, Melaka

Taman Mini Malaysia cultural park is located a few kilometers outside of Melaka, near the town of Ayer Keroh. If you have an interest in architecture and traditional way of life, this is an interesting place to explore. Each house represents the architectural style of the 13 states in Malaysia and features a variety of items, decorations, arts and crafts that reflect the culture of each state. A good place for families, children can learn to play traditional Malay games as congkak or hone their skills at the Iban blowpipe in Taman Mini Malaysia & ASEAN at the weekend there is a cultural dance show. In front of each of the traditional house there is a flag that represents the traditional house. For instance, Johor flag for Rumah Limas and Sarawak flag for Rumah Panjang. Plus, there is a bulletin board that tells the history of the traditional house. In every house there is a sculpture that wear their traditional dress. Although all the replicas house look like the same, the fact is every house has its own identity and uniqueness.




Eiffel Tower, Paris

La Tour Eiffel à Paris - the Eiffel Tower in Paris is a magical name that describes a sight that everyone hopes they will see one day and not forgetting me. What would Paris be like without the Eiffel Tower? Well, Paris has proved its charm to the world before the tower was even built with many spectacular monuments: the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe and Notre-Dame. Now the Eiffel Tower high above them and can be seen from each of these three buildings from a different, interesting, angle. The iron tower still remains one of the most visited monuments around the world. It was named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel whose company designed and built the tower. Eiffel Tower is one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The tower is the tallest structure in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the world; 7.1 million people ascended it in 2011.the tower received its 250 millionth visitor in 2010.
the three platforms of the Eiffel Tower
A little fun fact about Eiffel Tower:
  1. Since its opening, there have been many crazy attempts made by adventurers with the Eiffel Tower as centre-stage. One of the most – but tragic – cases is that of Franz Reichelt, an Austrian-born tailor, inventor and parachuting pioneer, known as the “Flying Tailor”. Having invented a wearable parachute, he decided to test it from the Eiffel Tower on the 4th February 1912. In front of a thousand spectators, he made his jump, wearing his designed creation. But the parachute failed to deploy and… he crashed onto the ground at the foot of the tower. 
  2. It took only two years, two months and five days to build the tower, which is a remarkably short period of time. The work started in 1887 and the tower was inaugurated in 1889. 
  3. Can pictures be taken of the Eiffel Tower and published?According to the official website of the Eiffel Tower, “there are no restrictions on publishing a picture of the Tower by day. Photos taken at night, when the special lights are illuminated, are subjected to copyright, and fees for the right to publish must be paid to the SNTE”. So, beware if you are using night-time photos of the Eiffel Tower! 

5 Tips For Visiting The Eiffel Tower
1. Buy your tickets in advance!
you can buy your Eiffel Tower tickets online and skip the long queues on site. It can be done on the official Eiffel Tower website. Some advice is to choose a late afternoon hour. Thus, if the weather is fine of course, you can enjoy both day and night views of Paris.
2. Go visit the Eiffel Tower in early spring or late autumn!
Because that’s low season and less peoplego on vacation, hence the Eiffel Tower would be much less crowded. Avoid visiting the Eiffel Tower in the summer, especially in august, as it is even often closed for congestion.
Another useful tip is to visit the Eiffel Tower during weekdays rather than weekends, and early in the morning, or late in the evening. It gets really crowded at midday (especially on weekends), and you might miss valuable time waiting in lines, instead of enjoying the fabulous Paris landmarks.

3. Go up the Eiffel Tower by the stairs, instead of using the lifts!
You go at your own pace, you see how all those rivets are bind together, and what’s really amazing – you have the chance to take some fantastic pictures of Paris.You can go by the stairs as much as up to the second level, then you need to use the lift in order to get to the top.
4. Take your time while on the Eiffel Tower
Just take your time and enjoy the most visited world landmark. Take the stairs up to the first floor, then relax having a coffee on the first level while enjoying the views of Champ de Mars.
Then head up to the second level and take amazing pictures of Paris. On the second floor visit the souvenirs shop and buy yourself a present. You might never visit the Eiffel tower again, so take your time and enjoy.
5. Choose an Eiffel Tower tour and enjoy other Paris attractions!
When planning your trip to Paris, a great idea would be to choose one of the Eiffel Tower tour offered by local travel agencies. The advantages – you see several Paris attractions, including the Eiffel Tower of course; you skip the queues; you are accompanied by a professional tour guide. Plus, you visit the Palace of Versailles, you go on a Seine River Cruise, or a Paris City Tour.


Ahad, 3 November 2013

Aquaria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

I used to come here once with my family and relatives. We had our trip in KL and Aquaria KLCC is one of the place that we went. I was so excited at that time because I can not wait to see the marine fauna life in front of my eyes. At the time I set my first step, it really take my breath away. I can see a lot's of fish and many type of marine life. Plus, there were a lot of glasses too. I kept thinking what if the glass is break? what if the shark try to attack me and break the glass? oh my god! so many negative thoughts -_-' Anyway, back to my story, as I were in that big aquarium, I can see a big types of fish as big as a car. I think car is too big. maybe much smaller than a car. Okay, my point is BIG.There were about 3 of them maybe. It was 5 years ago. I can't really remember. Although it was only a fish, but the size of it make me feel like i'm looking at a lion in front of me. I'm quite scared though. Some areas have 90 meter transparent tunnel with a  moving walkways in the middle so that the visitors does not have to walk. They can only stand and watch Sand Tiger Sharks, Giant Stingrays, Marine turtles and shoals of other fishes swimming freely. Aquaria KLCC houses over 20,000 land and water creatures from more than 250 different species from within and outside the country. I am preoccupied with the marine life as I were in there. In order to make your visit safer and more convenient, Aquaria KLCC provide a complete array of facilities such as wheelchairs / ramps for the handicapped, baby changing room, restrooms, baggage storage counter, major credit cards are accepted, MyKad & MyKid & E-cash support. Nearby the Aquaria, there were dining outlets & money changer within the complex, gift shop/Hotels within walking distance, access to Suria KLCC shopping centre and adjacent to Petronas Twin Towers. What can I say about it? It was fun and fascinating experienced. I enjoyed it so much!






Jumaat, 25 Oktober 2013

Pantai Tanjung Balau, Kota Tinggi, Johor

Tanjung Balau is the most popular beaches with beautiful fishing village planned by the same name nearby. Tanjung Balau is located about 70km from town and has a range of facilities including a food court and stalls, a children's playground and souvenir shop.One of the reason why you should pay a visit here it is because of the unique attraction that they have. Tanjung Balau Fishermen Museum. The museum displays tools used by fishermen and at the same time it illustrates how the life of a fisherman. Out in the compound of the museum, you can see a few life-size traditional fishing boats which also testify to the artistic side of the fishermen community. A walk around the planned fishing village and a visit to the museum should enlighten visitors with more accurate knowledge of the community. There are also many comfortable resort and chalet that can help to ease the visitor that wish to stay a night there. The scenery of the beach is also beautiful and peaceful. It is suitable for family trip and school trip.





Pantai Desaru, Kota Tinggi, Johor

Desaru is located on the eastern tip of the Malay Peninsula, it has clean sandy white beach. This beach popular with tourists and locals. Activities largely provided including golfing, horseback riding, tennis, canoeing, swimming, boating, fishing, snorkeling, jungle trekking, and you can also have fun at the local theme park. You can also visit Tanjung Pengelih to see the relics of World War II and the legacy of the Malay Johor Riau Empire at Johor Lama to make your trip more memorable. Visitors need to remember that the area around is quite challenging, due to limited public transport and car hire are virtually none. It is highly recommended to arrange your travel and transportation before coming to Desaru.




Rabu, 23 Oktober 2013

Pantai Cahaya Bulan, Kelantan

Pantai Cahaya Bulan is one of the famous beaches in Kelantan , Malaysia . It is located about 10 km from Kota Bharu and it is the landing area of the Japanese that want to attack the British on December 8, 1941 . At one point , the beach is named Pantai Cinta Berahi , a name allegedly given by a British soldier while he was on shore at the time of World War II . At that time, the soldiers are suffering from unrequited love . Some local people still use the old name today, though they prefer to refer to this beach as PCBs .
This coast is about 1.2 km . This coastal area is known for its long and wide, with beautiful sand and clear water. Ru and tree-lined palm trees also add to the beauty of this beach. Therefore Pantai Cahaya Bulan has become a popular picnic spot among local families , especially on weekends. The beach is equipped with facilities for visitors , there is a choice of hotels, chalets, camping area , food stalls and kiosks, and public toilets .
Trips to the beach are from Kota Bharu will lead visitors through a traditional Malay town . This is an important area in the state of craft for batik printing , songket weaving , and the manufacture of kites and brass . I got all this information from Wikipedia sites. I used to come here once with my friends. It was really memorable moment. I saw a lot of people who brings their family to have a picnic and the beach looks wonderful. It is suitable for visitors who want some relaxation to rest their mind and bodies.




Isnin, 21 Oktober 2013

Rantau Panjang, Kelantan

Rantau Panjang is a border town between Malaysia and Thailand, located in the northern state of Kelantan in the west district of Pasir Mas. It is located 39 kilometers southwest of the city of Kota Bharu and is close to Sungai Golok, Thailand. Rantau Panjang known as the tax-free zone. It is known for its assortment of merchandise and souvenirs. Opened as early as 8 am to 6 pm. During the school holidays, the town of Rantau Panjang is the busiest and most crowded in Kelantan. Peak hours are between the hours of 11 noon to 4 pm. This is the most popular markets and most suitable if you want to buy cheap goods from neighboring Thailand. Here, you can get a lot of goods things from neighboring countries like toto, football jersey, levis jeans, shoes, handbags, pots and pans, mats, scarves, crockery, pans, bags, souvenirs and more. I usually came here with my friends when we have things to buy because at Rantau Panjang we have a lot of choices, plus the price are reasonable, especially for us as a student. In addition, compulsory things that I will buy here is Baba ice cream. In my opinion, the taste of the ice cream is quite different than others ice cream that we used to buy at the supermarket. The ice cream was made by the owner itself. How to create Baba ice cream : fill the container with the ice cream,enter the diced cut bread,corn,basil grain, and grass jelly, enter the ice cream again, sprinkle chocolate and nuts, lastly add milk. Some of the sellers will add sticky rice.


Baba ice cream
When you arrived there, you will see a lots of Baba ice cream sellers along the way. The price is RM2 only. Here is also a perfect place for fans football jersey. Although it was an imitation jersey, but the quality of the fabrics is good. Plus, the price they offer was also cheap. But some of the seller gave an expensive price.Friendly tips, if you wanted to buy something, you need to done a survey first. Because not all the seller put the same price. There were a lot of club jersey such as Barcelona, Manchester United or Chelsea. Make sure you choose the jersey grade A and let the owner knows. Things that I realizes when I shopping here, most of the seller can speak in Thailand. Maybe it is because it was near to Thailand border.




On the way to Rantau Panjang, you will notice Beijing Mosque.The design of the mosque is mostly look alike to China building design. For the first time I saw it, I thought it was a Chinese temple. Than I realize it was a mosque when my friends said so. I stopped by to done my Asar there, the inner design of the building was also fascinating. I feel so comfortable and peace when I was there.







Ahad, 20 Oktober 2013

Tanjung Piai National Park, Pontian, Johor

This is the place where I get my first experience being chased by monkey and our camp site was "attacked" by monkey too! It all happened in 2005 when I was in Form 1. I went here because of the school trip that was organized by counseling club. The journey to Tanjung Piai National Park in Pontian, located 75 kilometres from Johor Bahru city centre is about an hour and a half away by car and about two hours by bus. Covering an area of over 926 hectares, the national park consists of coastal mangroves and intertidal mudflats. Almost 526 hectares of mangrove land here is while the rest is inter-tidal mudflats. According to Wetland International, Johor holds 28.7%  of mangrove forest in Peninsular Malaysia of 4.7%  of total mangrove forest covers in Malaysia. Gazetted as a Ramsar site in January 2003, the park is managed by the Johor National Park Corporation.* (* source: Johor National Park). 
"Congratulations! You are now standing at the Southern Most Tip of Mainland Asia." Well,as you arrived there, you already at the southern most tip of mainland Asia. I gain a lot of experience here. The view of the sea was so beautiful. I am spellbound by the scenery. On the evening, I got a chance to see the sunset and when the night comes, I could see the fireflies. I am so stunned and excited about the new experience that I had. And not forgetting the monkey that attacked our campsite, they left their poop in the tent. That is the worse thing I could remember. Don't be to friendly with the monkey.