Sunday, August 10, 2008

Melaka -- D'Paradise Tropical Fruit Farm

D-Paradise Tropical Fruit World and Aboriginal Native Village is the World's largest collections of tropical, landscaped garden full of fun, adventure and discovery.

There are so many activities we can do in here. You can discover 800 type of species in more than 168 acres of Orchird Garden. Upon arrival, the person-in-charge welcomed us with a fruit platter and fresh passion fruit drink for free. Normally, the fruit platter and the fruit juice is chargeable.


Do you want to know how i get things free? Ask me personally!!After the welcome fruit basket and drink, the person-in-charged, Mr Lee, asked his main guide to tour us through the farm. You can rent a self drive buggy either 2 or 3 seater to go around the park or you might take up our buggy taxi with our park ranger to know better about the park. Alternatively, you can hire the sport bicycle ride around the park.
The guide named, Tarzan, he picked some plants from the road side for the ostricts. When we reached the ostrict farm, he passed the plants for me, to feed them. OMG!...feed them? they seem so hungry...
How about an ostrict ride in the ostrict farm?

There are a few main attractions that we might not miss. There are world largest cactus collection farm, world's largest monkey cup, Dragon fruit farm, Ostrich farm, deer farm, Pineapple farm, crocodike pit, Grape farm, rabbit enclosure, Ant Eater sanctuary, Durian Farm and so on.

My main intention is to see the worlds largest land crab. The land crab which biggest weight 5kg each are gifts from Australia Government, Christmas Island. Unfortunately the crabs are all gone. As i understand that, the crabs are sensitive to rain water. Once their body disposed frequently to rain water, they will die.

This tiny red fruit gives a taste of sweetness in your mouth for more than 2 hours. Every sour fruit/juice you put into your mouth within these 2 hrs will turn sweet. Must try! perhaps, you wouldn't know this if you go without an experience tour guide.

To hire a personal tour guide, you have to pay certain amount of fee.

OMG! Don' t bite my hands.

The experienced guide from Hanoi, Vietnam shown us many unique fruits which i have not see it before. Along the way, i managed to pick up a lot of fruits. This is Camp David Island, which consist of four individual timber built chalets are able to sleep 8 persons / maximum 12, set on a private island enclosed by water with only one guardhouse secured entrance.

Thanks for the guide to let us enter for a quick tour. What i can say is - this place is beatiful for a family outing.
Picture outside the chalet balcony. One can fish outside their own chalet.

Waoo...beautiful individual bathroom with opened air bath area attached for each chalet unit. Just imagine how nice to shower under the blue sky or the starry starry night.



Ostrict farm.







This is an educational trip that one should go at least once.

Kuching, Sematan Palm Beach Resort

Sematan Palm Beach Resort is a small resort offering a relaxing place easily reach by road from the city. Opened in 2004, situated on the western tip of Sarawak overlooking the South China Sea sits the sleepy fishing village of Sematan, about one-and-a-half hours (120 km) drive from Kuching. The resort is well known for its long stretch of clean sandy beach.

Sematan Palm Beach Resort provides chalet-type accommodation. Some are A-frames style with upstairs and downstairs bedrooms and others quadruplex bunglow style. Family Rooms accommodation consist of two linked rooms for up to six persons.

There are plenty of activities to keep you occupied during your stay at the resort. This is also a good place for team building at the white sandy beach.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Athens, Greece

After breakfast, we proceeded to airport in order to continue with our Athens trip. Unfortunately, we were informed that the dosmetic flight is cancelled, and we have to take another airline to Athens at 5pm. They compensated us with one breakfast and lunch at their selective F&B outlet. No choice, while waiting for the check-in, we had a light refreshment in the cafe.

Finally, we managed to get our seats to Athens at 5pm.
Turkish airways served salmon salad and sandwich. After a glass of white wine, i felt sick.
After 1.20hrs flight, we arrived at Athens, Greece. We proceed to enjoy our dinner at Plaka before check-in to the Best Western Esperia Palace Hotel.



Due to the sickness, i skipped the dinner. I walked to Hard Rock cafe nearby. I bought 2 HR t-shirs, one for me; one for my brother, King Fui. That's not cheap!!
Mission completed. i'm so happy!!
The following day, we were transfered to Piraeus Port for cruise embarkation. We were sail to 3 beautiful islands which included Hydra Island, Poros Island and Aegina Island.

Upon entered the cruise, there were two models with the local costume to snap photos with us, one by one. Of course, later on, they will sell the respective photos back to you.

Surprisingly, I'm lucky to get 2 free drink coupons from the receptionist on board, coz they said i'm very pretty (very happy to hear this. Thanks!)

First stop, the cruise brought us to Poros Island. The Greek island of Paros Greece is one of the most popular and touristy destination. The island is located in the heart of the Cyclades, in the Aegean sea. There are also many old, interesting buildings in Poros town. The clocktower offers a breathtaking view, and it is nice just to stroll around here.

The weather is extremely hot, up to 38c, which i not used to it.

From Poros Island, we proceed to Hydra Island, Saronic gulf. Lunch is served on board after the first island. What they served on board? Bread & butter, Smoked Scottish salmon, Over fresh vegetable pandaisia salad Sauce vinaigrette, and followed by Grilled Fish, Chocolate pastry with chantilly. The salmon is no longer fresh. Hydra is very popular Greek Island because of its extremely picturesque capital, full of red-tiled houses and stone-paved narrow alleys. It used to be the destination of fashionable artists during the sixties and has kept a highly cosmopolitan character.

Lastly, we proceed to Aegina Island. One the way to Aegina Island. The photographer displayed those tourist photos for sales in the cruise. Co-incidently i passed by, the photographer grabbed my hands and passed me those photos he took for me. I looked at the price tag ..Waoo...5 euro per pc. There are 5 pcs in my hands. He looked at me and said " I give you free. Keep it". I smiled and replied " Are you sure? but why?". Guess what? He touched my long hair gently and said "coz you're beautiful". Since he said so, i accepted with thanks.
Aegina Island is built amphitheatrical towards the sea. When you enter the harbor, the small, white church of Saint Nikolas welcomes you. This island is famous for its pictachios.
We had our dinner at To Hani, plaka. We had Soup of the day, season salad, Oven baked chicken or Lamp in lemon sauce or Beef with red sauce and sweet dessert.
Karaiskaki Stadium with capacity of 33 500 seats, and built in year 1964. It was used during the 1896 Summer Olympics.

This is a long-await destination - Acropolis World Heritage Site. The word "Acropolis" means city by the edge and it built at the high rocky hill in the middle of this ancient city.

Below the Acropolis is the theater of Herod Atticus built by the Romans in 161 AD and still used today for classical concerts, ballet, performances of high cultural value and Yanni.



Waoo.. i can't believe that finally i'm here to see, to touch and to feel this fabulous architecture.






Parthenon - the largest temple on the Acropolis, originally dedicated to the goddess of the city, Athena, later converted to a church, then a mosque. Built between 447 and 438 BCE at the height of the Classical period.

Its massive foundations were made of limestone, and the columns were made of Pentelic marble, a material that was utilized for the first time. By now, most of the masterpieces are under maintainance.

The Erechtheion was built to accommodate the religious rituals that the old temple housed. One at the northwest corner which is supported by tall Ionic columns, and one at the south-west corner which is supported by six massive female statues, the famous Caryatids. The Caryatids have become the temple’s signature feature, as they stand and seem to casually support the weight of the porch’s roof on their heads.


Everyday, there are thousands of tourists came to the Acropolis site.

This is the 1896 Olympic Stadium.



I was sick for the last three days, but i managed to hold on till end of the journey. Thanks god!. I can't wait to go home.
P/S : They gave me free drinks and photos not because i look pretty, but it's actually the way to show their warm hospitality to the organizer, so that they will spread the good news in their own country.