Vietnam : 3D2N cruise on Halong Bay

Halong Bay - Feb 2015

3D2N Phoenix Cruise. 

We waited at our hotel lobby for the complimentary pick up to Halong Bay~ Journey is around 3-4 hours so prepared to bring lots of snacks otherwise be ready to get chop from the one and only stop. 

It was still winter season during early Feb so it was already freaking freezing in Hanoi. I could not imagine how was the weather in the middle of the sea. Totally underestimated the weather~

Finally we reached the dock!

 We had to take a speedboat to our cruise.

 This was our Phoenix Cruise. This looks well maintained than we thought! 

 Our twin room! The two bad thing are that they do not have TV (ok maybe no reception) and no wardrobe. Other than that, we were very satisfied especially the cleanliness! 

Toilet

Walkway just outside our rooms.

Rooftop. Nobody because it was freezing cold.. lol weather forecast said only 12 degree celsius but we felt it was lying. 

After settling down our luggage, our cruise brought us to our first stop - Sung Sot Cave. While we were on our way to Sung Sot Cave, our tour guide told us a little bit history of Halong Bay.

"Ha Long Bay" means "Bay of Descending Dragons" (in chinese: 下龍灣). Long long ago, the gods from heaven sent dragons to help defend from foreign invaders from the north. When the dragons were descending, they spit jewels and jades which immediately turned into limestones upon hitting the sea. These limestones formed a fortress against the invaders.

Stone steps towards the mouth of the cave.

This is the biggest cave I have been. Ok lah, I only been to the bat cave in Malaysia before this.

 

This is the deepest point where they called as“royal garden”. Similar to other palace, this appears to has a clear pond and a fascinating landscape of small mountains

This turtle lookalike has a saying : It gives good luck to those touches its head. 

Sung Sot cave is the most famous and the most spectacular cave in Halong Bay which is in the centre of the UNESCO World Heritage area. 

Our next destination: Ti Top island.

 What an amazing view at the beach! 

We could also climb the stairs up to the top of the mountain to see panoramic scenary. 

 Pretty cool, isn't it? Winter mist please go away. 

We proceeded back to our cruise after this for our dinner and night prawning later~

We had some time to spare before dinner so we went to the rooftop to chill and take pictures.

  

Fooled around on the rooftop where nobody was there. Apparently, balancing on the sea is very hard to maintain.

Our dinner! The dishes repeated themselves for the next two days too.

This is how it looks at night.

Second day~

Our breakfast! It did not has a wide variety but good enough already. #samebreakfasttomorrowtoo

We had to take another boat for about 2-3 hours away from the overcrowded water area to the Southern end of Halong bay where we can kayak around the limestones. Initially, I was a little afraid that the kayak would not be stable but I was totally relieved when I saw the sea was very calm.

We were initially a little worried that the weather would be too cold to kayak but it seemed quite ok after we started to move our oars.

Group pic before we start!

This is quite a #yolo for me who does not know how to swim to kayak in the middle of the sea. Bf gave me lots of security as he is so damn good on kayaking. I pretty much sitting in front lying back and enjoying the scenery lol!

The most hardworking person behind. I gave him my towel as his reward lol

Then our tour guide brought us through this narrow canal to the gorgeous shallow shore. 

It was really shallow that we had to push against the rocks to move forward.

Then we took a short break. That was our tour guide on the left helping the little girls to stop the kayak. He was a very humble person and we really liked him alot. 

Then we continued to kayak through caves. Every time we got past a cave, it is as if we have gone to another paradise. Definitely the best way to feel the beauty of the lime stones in Halong Bay that could not be seen from the cruises. The atmosphere was so serene and soothing as if the whole sea belongs to you.

Let's go explore together~ You and me~

Yays~

Mobile convenience stall lol

Private beach in the middle of nowhere.

Our shag faces~

Back to the boat for lunch while heading back to the main cruise. We were very dumb enough not to bring extra clothing. Our clothes were already drenched when we kayaked and the freezing weather made it worse! We were practically shivering the whole journey back..... #smartass

Good night Halong Bay~

Third day!

Today's itinerary is to visit floating village to see how they live and work.

This village specialized in pearls whereby they plant the pearls into oyster to grow.

Tons of other seafood. Some looked very creepy.

After this, we went back to the cruise to pack our luggage.

My way to say goodbye lol

Winter is not the best season to go Halong Bay as it may get a little misty. 

Visiting Jewish Heritage in Padova, Italy

In the 16th century Jewish cemetery on via Wiel, Padova. Photo: Gadi Luzzatto Voghera

On a stiflingly hot day a couple weeks ago, I spent an afternoon in Padova (Padua), Italy, visiting some of the centuries-old Jewish heritage sites in the city -- they are being developed now as both a resource for local people and as an attractive itinerary for tourists and other visitors.

The sites I visited included the new Museo della Padova Ebraica (Museum of Jewish Padova) which opened in June. As I wrote on the Jewish Heritage Europe web site ahead of the opening, it is housed in the former “German,” synagogue, Sinagoga Tedesca, used by the Ashkenazic community, which was inaugurated in 1525 in the heart of the Jewish quarter, or ghetto, in the city’s historic center.  (Note -- part of this post is a repost of my article on Jewish Heritage Europe.)

The synagogue, on via delle Piazze, was severely damaged during World War II when it was torched by local Fascists, and it stood derelict until it was completely rebuilt in 1998 (the ark was transferred to Tel Aviv in 1956). The museum exhibition includes before and after photos.

The exhibit includes items from the Jewish community’s extensive collection of Judaica objects from past centuries to the present. Among them are a very rare Mameluk parochet from Egypt dating back to the 15th or 16th century.

There is also an 18th century Megillah of Esther,  a 16th century Torah scroll, exceptional silver torah ornaments, and several ketubot. A backlit photographic reproduction of the Ark occupies the space where the Ark once stood — the ark now being in Tel Aviv.

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Two films are included in the exhibition. One is a general introduction to the history of the community. The other — projected on the walls of the sanctuary where the exhibit is located — tells the story of Padova Jews through the life stories of several prominent members of the community over the past five centuries or so, portrayed by actors. I was somewhat dismayed that this film does not include reference to any women in Padova Jewish history....perhaps there were no famous women, but it was the women who kept the community alive, and I believe that their role must also be highlighted, even if it simply means through exhibits dealing with food and marriage customs.....

Other sites I visited included the 16th century  Italian rite synagogue, which is still used by the small local Jewish community, and the Jewish cemetery on via Wiel — dating from the 16th century and the oldest of the five Jewish cemeteries in the city. (You can download an article about these cemeteries HERE.)

Bimah in the Italian rite synagogue. Photo © Ruth Ellen Gruber

The sanctuary of the Italian synagogue is a small, rather long and narrow space, with an elaborately carved Ark and a delicate wooden Bimah positioned to face each other from the middle of the long sides of the room. The Bimah is believed to have been carved from the wood of a single tree that fell in the botanical gardens.

Ark in the Italian rite synagogue in Padova. Photo © Ruth Ellen Gruber

The Jewish cemetery behind a high brick wall in via Wiel, in central Padova near the Old Town and of ghetto, has been restored and is beautifully maintained by the Jewish community. Opened in 1529, with more than 90 16th century tombs, it is the oldest surviving Jewish cemetery in Padova and one of  five Jewish cemeteries that remain in the city. (Fragments from two 15th century gravestones from a cemetery destroyed in 1509 are displayed in the city museum).

Jewish cemetery on via Wiel, Padova, founded in 1529

The most famous people buried there are Me’ir Katzenellenbogen, or Maharam, a renowned Ashkenazic rabbi who died in 1565, and his son, Samuel Judah, who succeeded him and died in 1597.

Mainly because of them, Padova is believed to be the only place in Italy where devout followers make pilgrimages to the tombs of their masters. Indeed, Jewish community leaders say that these pilgrims often do not contact the Jewish community to obtain the key to the cemetery, but climb over the wall to pray, leave kvittlach (written messages) and light candles.

Katzenellenbogen gravestones are (rather charmingly) marked by the crest of a crouching Cat (“Katze” in German).

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Another noted personality interred here is Anselmo Del Banco (Asher Levi Meshullam) who died in 1532. A powerful banker (owner of several loan-banks in the Venice area), he was the head of the Jewish community in Venice and represented the community when in 1516 the authorities decreed that Jews there must live in a ghetto. His gravestone is notable for its fine and unusual carving.

Gravestone of Anselmo Del Banco (Asher Meshullam) d. 1532

July Jewish Heritage Europe Newsletter is out!

In a 16th century Jewish cemetery in Padova, a carved cat adorned the gravestone of a member of the noted Katzenellenbogen rabbinical family.

The July edition of the Jewish Heritage Europe monthly Newsletter is out — read it by clicking here.

News, information, images and updates from around the continent, with a particular emphasis this month on Italy.

Subscribe on the JHE Home Page — where you can also sign up for the daily Jewish Heritage Europe Newsfeed and follow JHE on Facebook and Twitter.

Kaede Ikuza Japanese Restaurant at Taman Molek, Johor Bahru.

Normally those fried chicken widely available around Johor Bahru area are...Malay warong fried chicken, Mamak shop fried chicken, Chinese fried chicken, fast food fried chicken and fried chicken serve with nasi lemak is very common. But now I came across this Japanese fried chicken which is just started at Taman Molek, JB...

Kaede Ikuza Japanese Restaurant (N1.52428 E103.78540) is located along Jalan Molek 1/28, next to the Mama Nyonya Food Restaurant.

Kaede Ikuza Japanese Restaurant

The setting is as simple as the local 'kopitiam' style, kitchen just next to the dining area. And yes, the prices also follow the 'kopitiam' price.

As far as I know, this is the 'first' Japanese kopitiam available in Johor Bahru. Most of the Japanese restaurants are well decorated with air-conditioning in Johor Bahru, but this is really something new to the JB market.
The imported fruits from Japan also available from the restaurant, as you can see from the photos below...

She was holding the big apple and some kind of Japanese melon in her hand

Looks like the melon (correct me if I'm wrong)

Most of their main course is serve with the fried rice...
We ordered the Karaage chicken (Japanese fried chicken) set, Toriten set (chicken tempura), tomato omelet set, garlic pork set and Ra-so-men.

 Karaage chicken set 

(Japanese fried chicken 3pcs, rice, salad and soup)

Tomato omelet set 

(Tomato omelet, Karaage chicken 2pcs, rice, salad and soup)

Garlic pork set 

(garlic pork, rice, salads and soup)

Toriten set 

(chicken tempura 3pcs, rice, salads and soup)

Ra-so-men 

(noodles with Japanese dipping sauce and Karaage chicken 2 pcs)

Beside the main course, we ordered some of their side dish too...
Salads, Spicy cucumber and Combination tempura.

Salads

Spicy cucumber

Combination tempura 

(chicken, mushroom, pumpkin, kakiage, okura, eggplant and sweet potato)

All foods were tasty!
I like the 'boneless Karaage chicken' very much! Maybe because we already familiar with the fried chicken taste surrounding us, and this was really new and nice! The spicy cucumber got my attention too, the Japanese recipe of the sauce was unique, we all like it!

All the foods serve in this restaurant are having reasonable price, about RM10-20, that means we can enjoy the Japanese food by the Japanese chef with the street food price! No kidding!

The restaurant was operating by 90% of the Japanese, and the kitchen too. This is another new to Johor Bahru, because most of the Japanese restaurants within JB only the chef or the owner are 'Nihonjin'...other are local or foreign workers...I was impressed. We visited on the first day operation of the restaurant, and it was full of Japanese. Great!

The photos of the Chefs (or so called the spirits of the kitchen) on duty!

And I met a group of cute little boys in the restaurant too...

I will be back again for the Karaage chicken, and also like to explore more of the 'authentic' Japanese food from this 'Japanese kopitiam'.

Drop by if you happen in Taman Molek!

Kaede Ikuzo Japanese Restaurant

10, Jalan Molek 1/28,

Taman Molek,

81100 Johor Bahru.

Tel : +607-2957817

Business hour : 11.30am - 3.30pm, 5.30 - 9.30pm daily

Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/kaedeikuzo

Location map of Kaede Ikuzo Japanese Restaurant at Taman Molek, Johor Bahru.