Little Big Suitcase

I have to say paragliding in Pamukkale is the highlight of my Turkey tour (beside riding the hot air balloon in Cappadocia). It is a once in a lifetime experience to be able to fly above the ancient city of Hierapolis and admire the white and blue travertine terraces from above. I chanced upon paragliding when we were on the way to our hotel and saw people flying above us. I really want to do it and pestered our tour guide about it - he was really nice to arrange it for me. My guess is not many people know you can paraglide in Pamukkale. I am quite blessed to have a private flying tour. ;)

The 25 mins adventure costs 70 Euro and the photos and video cost 50 TL. Totally worth it!

Pamukkale or "Cotton Castle" is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is situated in Denizli Province in southwestern Turkey. Pamukkale's terraces are made of travertine, a sedimentary rock deposited by water from the hot springs. The water contains high concentrated calcium hydro carbonate - with the contact of oxygen in the air, calcium carbonate precipitates which forms travertines when carbon monoxide evaporate.

The first time I saw Pamukkale on a travel magazine, I actually thought they were snow terraces that turned turquoise when it melted. I am so wrong, this turquoise liquid has a temperature range of 35-100 degree celsius!

Some things to note if you are planning to go Pamukkale:

The entrance ticket to Pamukkale costs 25 TL. The price includes addmission to nearby Roman city of Hierapolis
Wearing shoes in the water is prohibited to protect the deposits. There are no lockers available, you should carry a bag pack or a sling bag to enjoy the walk in the travertines.
Please remember to change into your swimsuit to enjoy a dip in the hot spring.
Do check out the great (12,000-seat) Roman amphitheater of Hierapolis, around 15-20 mins walk from the travertines.
You can also try out Hierepolis's Cleopatra Antique Pool at an additional cost of 25 Lira. However do take note this place is extremely crowded with tourists.
Take some time to find a quiet spot, sit down and enjoy the view!

Fly - Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Paragliding in Pamukkale, Turkey

I have to say paragliding in Pamukkale is the highlight of my Turkey tour (beside riding the hot air balloon in Cappadocia). It is a once...

Mid-autumn Day occurs on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, which falls on the 27th September this year. It is a date that parallels the autumnal equinox of the solar calendar, when the moon is at its fullest and roundest.

There are many legends and myths related to the moon and the most popular one has to be "Chang Er flying to the moon" (嫦娥奔月). Chang Er* is regarded as the Goddess of the Moon who is currently residing in the moon with the Jade Rabbit. Well, in the Western world you have Unicorns and Santa Claus and in the Eastern world we have Chang Er and the Jade Rabbit! :p

Here's my attempt to recreate the story using our Playmobil friends. :)

Long long time ago, a brave archer, Houyi was summoned by the Jade Emperor to shoot down the suns that were causing drought and scorching heat. There were 10 suns and he shot down 9 of them, leaving 1 to provide warmth, vitamin D and solar eclipse.

He was rewarded the elixir of immortality by the Queen Mother of the West. By drinking the elixir, one will ascend to heaven to become immortal.

Houyi brought home to his wife, Chang Er, and told her about the elixir. While her husband was resting from his journey, she could not resist peeking at the elixir he brought back. Her eagerness to become immortal tempted her into drinking the entire potion.

Before long, she felt her limbs grow weightless, and she began to float into the sky against her will. She chose the moon as residence to be nearby her beloved husband.

Chang Er spent the rest of her days in a lonely palace accompanied by a white rabbit, the Jade Rabbit**. She misses her husband Houyi, who was condemned to live the rest of his days on Earth as a common man.

It is said that during the Mid-Autumn Festival, Chang Er and Houyi are reunited—which is why Mid-Autumn Festival is also an important day for families to come together.

It is now an annual festival where the whole family get together to eat moon cakes and enjoy the moon.

The round moon cake looks exactly like the full moon in the night sky. More importantly, it symbolizes a family get-together and reflects the family culture and the special importance Chinese people attaching to the family reunion. The moon cake is not just a kind of food, but more of a cultural element deeply penetrated into Chinese people’s hearts, symbolizing family reunion and embodying spiritual feelings. The moon cake is undoubtedly a key element in the Chinese culture.

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*Chang Er was mentioned in a conversation between Houston Capcom and the Apollo 11 crew just before the first Moon landing in 1969:

Houston: Among the large headlines concerning Apollo this morning, is one asking that you watch for a lovely girl with a big rabbit. An ancient legend says a beautiful Chinese girl called Chang-O has been living there for 4,000 years. It seems she was banished to the Moon because she stole the pill of immortality from her husband. You might also look for her companion, a large Chinese rabbit, who is easy to spot since he is always standing on his hind feet in the shade of a cinnamon tree. The name of the rabbit is not reported.

Michael Collins: Okay. We'll keep a close eye out for the bunny girl.

**In this legend, three fairy sages transformed themselves into pitiful old men and begged for something to eat from a fox, a monkey and a rabbit. The fox and the monkey both had food to give to the old men, but the rabbit, empty-handed, offered his own flesh instead, jumping into a blazing fire to cook himself. The sages were so touched by the rabbit's sacrifice that they let him live in the Moon Palace where he became the "Jade Rabbit."

Celebrate - Monday, September 28, 2015

Mooncake Festival - The Legend Of Chang Er 嫦娥 (Goddess Of The Moon)

Mid-autumn Day occurs on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, which falls on the 27th September this year....

Photo taken in Bedok Reservoir Park. #sgflowers

Scientific Name: Emilia Sonchifolia
Also Known As: Lilac Tasselflower, Cupid's Shaving Brush
Emilia sonchifolia is a branching, perennial herb up to 40 cm tall. Leaves are lyrate-pinnatilobed, up to 10 cm (4 in) long, sometimes becoming purplish as they get old. One plant can produce several pink or purplish flower heads.
Uses: It is a medicinal herb in Chinese, called ye xia hong (Chinese: 葉下紅). It is one among the "Ten Sacred Flowers of Kerala State in India, collectively known as Dasapushpam.

Plant - Friday, September 25, 2015

Flower Of The Day: Cupid's Shaving Brush

Photo taken in Bedok Reservoir Park. #sgflowers Scientific Name: Emilia Sonchifolia Also Known As: Lilac Tasselflower, Cupid's ...

We finally have Tutu Kueh in the East! And it's not just any pasar malam tutu kueh, I'm talking about the famous Queensway Lau Tan Tutu Kueh. Most of the popular Tutu Kueh are only available in other parts of Singapore BUT not in the East (Why?) - Clementi, Jurong, Queensway, Havelock, Chinatown, Orchard.... so it is a really nice surprise to find the newly opened stall at Bedok Interchange.

So what exactly is Tutu Kueh? As quoted from National Library of Singapore:

Kuih tutu is made by steaming rice flour in a special mould. First the mould is filled with finely pounded flour. Then a portion of the filling is taken out to make space for the filling. This could be grated coconut or ground peanuts or a combination of both. The grated coconut would have been fried on low heat over several hours and sweetened with gula Melaka (palm sugar). Another layer of rice flour is added to seal the filling and the cake tipped over onto a muslin cloth placed on the steamer. The cakes take on the flower-like shape of the mould. Placed on a cut pandanus leaf before serving, they acquire a sweet flavour and scent. The flour is slightly sweetened so the cakes tastes just as good even without filling and are sometimes sold thus.

I decided to do my own research on this nostalgic snack and I was really surprise to know that...

Founded in 1930s by Mr Tan Yong Fa from Fujian, China when he migrated to Singapore. Thus, Tutu Kueh originated from Singapore and not Malaysia.
The original cakes were larger than modern-day Tutu Kueh and had no filling.
The name came from the sound made from the hot piping steamers and also the Hokkien word for 'push'.
Although very similar, Tutu Kueh is not Putu Piring which originated from South Indian.
I'm not sure if they are related but there are two popular Tan Families still selling them in Singapore - Tan's Tutu Coconut Cake and Queensway Lau Tan Tutu Kueh.

And if you are staying in the East, here's the address for the Bedok interchange branch:
Lau Tan @ BEDOK
Bedok North St 1 Blk 205
Kopitiam Coffee Shop
Beside Drinks Stall

(Couldn't resist eating one when taking these photos.... >___<)

Eat - Sunday, September 20, 2015

5 Things I Didn't Know About Tutu Kueh

We finally have Tutu Kueh in the East! And it's not just any pasar malam tutu kueh, I'm talking about the famous Queensway Lau T...

Photo taken in Bedok Reservoir Park. #sgflowers

Scientific Name: Melastoma malabathricum
Also Known As: Singapore rhododendron, Senduduk
The flower opens only for one day, opening at about 8am and closing in the late afternoon, the petals falling off a few days later. It has been declared a noxious weed in the United States.
Uses: The sour young leaves are eaten with food in Java, while the leaves and roots are used in traditional treatments of diarrhoea and dysentery.Powdered leaves may be sprinkled over wounds, roots used for a mouthwash for toothache. It is even used to treat elephants! The fruits may also be used to obtain a black dye, while the ashes of the plant is used to fix dyes.

Plant - Saturday, September 19, 2015