Quebec City,Canada - Nice Place Yet Too Cold

We took VIA Rail from Montreal to Quebec City and the journey took about 3 hours. During the journey we enjoyed the very scenic village site, the large corn plantation, the beautiful mountain and terrain and a gigantic St Lawrance river. When we arrived at the Quebec Station, the temperature was 5'C. We went to the Quebec old city in which we discouvered a very unique building, a lot of souvenir shop, the street artist, a very nice and clean vegetables market and etc. Surprisingly, Selangor Pewter merchandise had also displayed at one of the shop .

.

Montreal, Canada - A Fascinating Destination

My first visit to the cold climate country and of course my first long hour journey (22 hrs) with a few flight transit. With the courtersy of Canadian Embassy, I and my wife did the preparation for about a month before the journey - the baggage, visa, winter clothing, the queen (duit Canada) plus a few US dollar and etc. Our eldest daughter, Amni (masa tu 4 tahun) had also with us. Our first flight to Incheon, South Korea took about 8 hours and we have to stay 6 hrs at the airport. We Ate apple pai (bought at Mc Donald, KLIA) for our lunch and performed the prayers at the religious mutliple hall. We just walked around the airport as we feel it is safe for us to stay there. A Korean Nanny who was on the same flight with us to Canada was friendly and had a nice personality. Our second flight to Vancourver took about 12 hours and we arrived at the airport at about 9 am local time. After immigration clearance, we have to wait about 4 hours before our next flight to Montreal. Our third flight to Montreal took about 8 hrs in which the flight stop at Winnipeg airport for the local transit and we arrived at the Montreal airport at about 8 pm local time. Immediately after checked in into the Clarion Hotel, three of us felt asleep (tersangat le penat) . We spent 3 days at Montreal city and another three days at Quebec City. Our friend from Toronto came to visit us in Montreal and we spent two days with them. Montreal, such a beautiful country with a nice scenery, unique building and landscape and friendly people. Most of the people there speak french. The weather was between 5'C - 10'C during our visit.

The Hongkinese

The fight to Hong Kong Airport took about 14 hours from Vancouver by Air Canada. We received an unfriendly Hongkinese Immegration Officer for passport clearance. We took light transit train from airport to Win Tai station and then the taxi drove us to the reserved Hotel. First night, we bought Nasi Briyani (Pakistani) from the one and only Muslim restaurant in Win Tai Road that cost us RM120.00 for 3 packets. My daughter wallop the beriyani within a minute after 8 days in Canada without eating rice. The next day, in the morning we took a walk to Hong Kong City. A very busy city with a tall building blanket the city and the worst thing is that I could not stand the smell (bau hanyir). The destination may worthwhile for branded item shopper but not for the traveler who love to see scenery and unique culture. Hong Kong is not in my list of the favourite destination.

Ho Chi Minh - A Motobike City

Penebangan Ke Ho Chi Minh City atau lebih dikenali Sebagai Saigon memakan masa lebih kurang lebih kurang 1 Jam 45 Minit. Airport baru yang agak modern dengan kemudahan baggage yang sangat effective. Saigon merupakan bandar terbesar di Vietnam dengan jumlah penduduknya hampir 8 Juta. Satu keunikan di bandar ini ialah dipenuhi motosikal di mana jumlahnya mencecah 4 Juta. Satu tempat yang mesti di lawati ialah Chu Chi. Chu Chi merupakan satu peninggalan sejarah di mana Gerila Saigon membina terowong bawah tanah untuk bersembunyi semasa Perang Vietnam bagi menetang Amerika. Tidak hairanlah orang Vietnam kebanyakannya bersaiz kecil kerana mereka telah menempuh pelbagai kesukaran/kesusahan untuk hidup ketika menetang tentera Amerika. Ben Than Market adalah pasar tempatan yang popular bagi pelancong di mana pelbagai barang dijual di sana - Kain Sutera, Barang Kraf Tangan dan sebagainya. Agak sukar untuk mendapatkan makanan Halal di bandar ini. Ho Chi Minh/Saigon satu destinasi percutian yang unik dan menarik.

Uniquely Bali

Sebuah pulau yang penuh mistik yang dihuni oleh 75% Hindu Bali, 15% Kristian Bali & 10% Muslim. Apabila tiba ke Denpasar Airport dan seterusnya memasuki ruang terminal, anda akan menjamah bauan setangi yang menusuk hidung. Perjalanan dari airport ke Wina, Kuta memakan masa lebih kurang 15 minit dengan jalan yang agak sempit. Sebelum sampai ke Hotel, suasana agak sibuk di pekan Kuta dengan butik-butik/kedai-kedai yang dipenuhi oleh pelancong. Resort dan Hotel di Bali tidak lebih dari 3 tingkat kerana peraturan di sana sememangnya begitu kononnya berkaitan amalan agama hindu Bali. Penduduk di sana menganggap diri mereka sebagai bangsa Bali yang suci walaupun raut wajah mereka tidak ubah seperti orang jawa. Setiap ruang di pekan Kuta akan diletakkan bunga/makanan sembahan ke pada Tuhan mereka. Setiap pelusuk di Bali akan diletakkan Patung Hindu Bali (Altar berwarna Hitam). Tidak hairanlah setiap rumah di Bali mempunyai 'Gazebo Bali' yang digunakan untuk upacara agama Hindu Bali/bersantai dan orang Malaysia pula meniru untuk tujuan bersantai. Bali digelar sebagai Land of God bagi penduduk di sana dan ini diertikan dengan pemujaan setiap hari oleh penduduk. Mungkin bagi pelancong Mat Saleh/Jepun/China, Bali adalah destinasi percutian yang menarik. Bagi saya Bali mempunyai keunikan tersendiri yang tiada di tempat yang lain namun ianya satu destinasi percutian yang biasa. Percutian ini ditaja oleh Qatar Air.