Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

Mirrors George Town is a street art project by international artist Ernest Zacharevic, commissioned  for George Town Festival 2012. 

The project consists of several large-scale wall paintings, all located within the core heritage zone of George Town, Penang.

The idea behind the project was to turn the streets of Penang into an open-air gallery that can be admired and experienced as one takes a walk while exploring the heritage enclave. The murals – figure drawings and portraits – celebrates the multiculturalism and diversity of the city’s inhabitants, the living heritage of George Town.

George Town Festival (GTF), as described on the official website “is a month-long celebration of art, music, theatre, dance opera and film to commemorate George Town’s inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage listing on July 7, 2008. Each year since 2009, GTF transforms George Town into an exciting and unique platform for the arts, heritage and culture.”

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Pulau Layang-Layang the Mystical Island of Borneo

A diver's paradise, Sabah's Layang-Layang is actually a new name for an oceanic atoll once called "Swallow Reefs". Situated approximately 300km northwest of KK, Layang-Layang is a tiny oceanic island surrounded by a coral atoll. It is among the famous Spratlys, which is a collection of about 600 islands, reefs, and atolls strategically located in the South China Sea. There are some who rate Layang-Layang as an exclusive dive location. The island has even been nicknamed "Big Fish" or the "Wall Diving Mecca of Southeast Asia".

Layang-Layang covers only six hectares but an atoll over 7km long and 2km wide surrounds it. The atoll features a 2000m sheer drop around its rim, thus making it an excellent dive site. Located far from land and human encroachment, its waters are crystal clear with visibility averaging 50-60m. Divers will therefore get a clear view of the amazing underwater habitats. As it is bathed in tropical conditions of 7.5 degrees north to the equator and 114 degrees east of the meridian, its waters are warm with surface temperatures ranging between 21-32 degrees Celsius.

One of Layang-Layang's biggest attractions is the Hammerhead Shark. Manta rays with fin spans of over 10ft are also found here. Other pelagic species that are found regularly include tuna, barracuda, and reef sharks.

The eastern end of the atoll is home to thousands of migratory birds. Hence Layang-Layang is not only a diver's paradise but also a bird watchers' haven. The island can be reached by plane or cruise boats. The flight takes about 2 hours while the cruise takes 16 hours from KK.

Only resort in Layang Layang Island is Layang Layang Island Resort. Layang Layang Island Resort is a modest three-star resort with 76 superior rooms and 10 deluxe rooms. Its tropical hardwood structures and the likeness of a traditional Longhouse exudes an unparalleled sense of hospitality and warmth.

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Ayob A9

What is hauntingly good here is the nasi goreng belacan. Go for it. Simple rice fried with soya sauce, onions, shallots, kangkung and belacan. Served with chicken soup and green sambal. The simpler the dish, the harder it is to get perfect but in this case Ayob breezes through it. His fried rice has a semi-wok hei taste, a good hint of soy sauce and a little bit of belacan. The balance is just right and this is hard to describe in writing. One taste begets another. Just delicious.  

They also have chicken rice here but you can order the chicken on it's own to go nicely with belacan rice and soup. And if that's not enough, during lunchtime the economy rice stall to the right sells fat pergedil that is just perfect with the belacan fried rice.

And let me tell you even the Teh O Ais Limau here is something else man. This is from two shops to the left of Ayob. A nice Chinese Aunty concocts it and she has been doing this for decades. As soon as the glass lands on your table, you will notice that this one stands heads above the rest. I kid you not, it has a golden brown hue which glows in the light. The difference here is that she uses fresh lemons instead of limau kasturi. I suspect a dash of honey or sugarcane is added to it as well. One sip and you'll be hooked. It has an addictively sweet and smooth taste, with a slight caramelised flavour. The perfect mixture of tea, water, lemon and ice. It's served in a tall glass which gives you a nice sipping experience while keeping it cool. Hats off to the Aunty. A true ice lemon tea master mixologist. Do also try her Asam Boi and Mata Kuching drink.


Going back to Ayob, the nasi goreng ikan rebus is also the bomb. Such a simple dish, such great flavours. I suspect that for this dish, Ayob uses ikan rebus as the tumis base instead of anchovies so it gives the rice a more mellow taste. The shallots and chillies in the tumis gives it a flavourful kick and the final dish is topped with fried anchovies. 

Ayob uses ikan kembung which is ideal for this kind of fried rice and is a staple in Malay homes. I further suspect that the fish is boiled then pan grilled in a wok, giving it a nice smoky char. Most of Ayob's fried rice creations are a bit dry hence the soup to wet the rice up if you prefer it that way. 


According to Ayob, he got his cooking skills from following his dad who owns a catering business. So he grew up in the food business. He started working at Hotel Dayang when he was older, called it quits after 2 years and started Ayob. Twenty years later, he is still going strong. He admits that his speciality is the fried stuff and maybe some local 'western'. 

Dabbling slightly towards the west is Ayob's sizzling chicken chop. The batter base is nice but what's good is the chop sauce they use. This sauce is a mixture of of chili sauce, ketchup, soya sauce and some other spices. Most stall cooks have their own signature sauce. Ayob's combination has a slight chilli and soury taste. Served with french fries, toasted bread with a side of butter spread, the chicken chop is worth a try. 

So if you are in the Damansara area where the old Atria shopping mall used to be, head over to Ayob's place. The reason people call it Ayob A9 is because his stall number is A9. 

friedchillies

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Ikan Pari Bakar Recipe

1½-2 lb whole
1½ tsp palm sugar or dark brown sugar
salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp tamarind paste
1 cup warm water
1 onion, sliced, for garnish [optional]
8 shallots, peeled
4 garlic, peeled
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled
3 tbsp
Rub stingray with lemon juice and salt, set aside for 10 mins
Add tamarind, sugar, salt to taste, reduce heat to med, simmer till sauce is thicken slightly" startspan -->

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The Origins of Banding Island

To know the origins of Banding, you must first know the story of Temenggor.  More than two decades ago before Banding or even Temenggor Lake ever existed, a number of rivers from the mountain ranges flowed into the Temenggor lowlands and gorges, creating a huge catchment area.


While serving as a source of water supply to the neighbouring villages and "Orang Asli" (indigenous people) settlements, this rich source of food and water supply attracted the communist terrorists to the area.


In 1974, then Prime Minister, the late Tun Abdul Razak, had an ingenious plan to flush out the communists by building a dam and filling up the Temenggor catchment area with water from the mountain rivers.  And thus the Temenggor lake was formed.  

As a consequence, Banding (the highest peak in the Temenggor basin) was transformed into an island.  With the East-West highway running through the island, Banding is the only island in Malaysia that is serviced by two bridges linking it to the mainland.  As for the communist terrorists, they were summarily flushed out of the catchment area and were forced to flee to southern Thailand.


Attractions and Activities
Banding Island provides an excellent opportunity for tourists to indulge in a quiet association with nature.

The jungle surrounding Lake Temenggor is virtually untouched, and the island is the perfect base for exploring the lakes and tropical rainforest in the vicinity. 


The surrounding jungle and the rivers that drain into the lakes offer an inexhaustible range of activities.

These span from fresh water fishing, boat rides, water sports and jungle trekking during the day, to the observation of wildlife at night.


For the eco-tourists, the study of flora and fauna is the main attraction, while for the budding sociologists, and overnight stay at the "Orang Asli" settlement can be arranged.

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