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Jul 20,
2001
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MISSION SINGAPORE/MALAYSIA
| Monday Jul 2, we flew to
Singapore, with Garuda Airlines, after Jamal had to pay $200
FISCAL,
a
tax for Indonesians departing the country as well as the departure tax
which has gone up to $15. The flight departed on time, the food was surprisingly
good as was the wine. Breezed thru the nonexistent customs with 3 cartons
of cigarettes, an illegal import to Singapore. Cigarette prices in Singapore
are on par with Australian prices, however in Malaysia about 50% less. |
| Checked in to our hotel,
the ASTRO in Payar Lebar. The ASTRO is a medium budget hotel with single
rooms from $55, including A/c & Tv |
| Caught the MRT underground to Town
Hall and went straight to Raffles for a few drinks in the Long Bar, including
a famed Singapore Sling, first mixed by Barman Boon in 1915. |
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Singapore Sling
1oz.Cherry Brandy
1oz. Gin
1/2 tsp. Sugar
1 oz. Lemon Juice
Shake well with fine ice and pour
into glass. Decorate with pineapple & cherry. |
| Then dined on Tasmanian Beef in
Raffles Courtyard restaurant. Excellent, but a touch expensive! |
JAMAL IN FRONT OF RAFFLES
RAFFLES HOTEL FOYEr
JAMAL IN RAFFLES COURTYARD
| Tuesday, after finally finding
the bus station we travelled over the causeway from Singapore to Jahore
Baru. After a “local” lunch we caught the 4 hour bus to Malaka, where we
spent 2 nights. We had originally intended to stay at the famed Majestic
hotel, only to find it closed 5 months ago. |
THE OLD MAJESTIC
| I had not been to Malaka for 25
years. In those days it was very run down, now it looks fantastic as they
have restored most of the old buildings. |
JOHN & JAMAL IN MALAKA  
THE OLD DUTCH AREA
| There is the old Dutch quarter with
the government buildings and old church dating back to the 1730’s. Across
the river is Chinatown with Chinese & Hindu temples and mosques dating
back many centuries. |
JAMAL OUTSIDE CHINESE TEMPLE
JAMAL IN CHINA TOWN
| Chinatown has many expensive antique
and curio shops with many interesting pieces. But you need to bargain
hard. |
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| Late on the second afternoon in
Malaka we went on a 1 hour boat cruise if the Malaka river. |
  
THE MALAKA RIVER 
JOHN ENJOYING THE BOAT RIDE
JAMAL ON THE RIVER A BIAWAK
LOUNGES ON THE RIVER EDGE
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| The river is inhabited by many Biawak,
which is an amphibious lizard. |
| Thursday we departed on the
2 1/2 hour bus trip to KL. The Malaysian toll roads are world class freeways.
The most obvious thing as you pass through miles and miles of Oil Palm
Plantations is the lack of people compared to Indonesia. Malaysia only
has a population of 20 million people as against Indonesia's 220 million,
or on Java, a comparable size to Malaysia, 100 million. In KL we stayed
in Chinatown area where the street food was excellent and cheap. |
VIEW FROM OUR ROOM IN CHINA TOWN
| Friday we went by the impressive
new, totally computerized, no driver, subway system to the Petronas
towers building. |
THE PETRONIS TOWERS 
| In the evening we treated ourselves
to an excellent dinner in the classic dining room of the Concorde Hotel,
after the photo opportunity outside the KL Hard Rock Cafe'. |
JAMAL AT THE HRC KL.
| Jamal loved the market and bazaar
shopping in KL. The genuine fake watches are excellent quality compared
to those available in Indonesia. Saturday we caught the train at
the palatial new KL Central railway station for the 7 hour run to Singapore.
We found the street food disappointing and very expensive after the delights
of KL’s Chinatown. |
SENTOSA ISL LOOKING BACK TO S'PORE CBD
| Sunday morning we bussed
to Sentosa Island to take in the old fort built by the British, the other
Disneyland type attractions there. |
JOHN ON SENTOSA
| We gave them a miss and took the
cable car back to Mt Gravit on Singapore island. Then off to Orchard Road
where shopped until almost dropping, retiring to Raffles for cocktails,
then in the evening we dined in the hawker centre in Bugis St. Food still
disappointing. Monday back to Orchard road to deplete the bank account
even further, before our evening flight back to Bali. *All prices quoted
in $'s are Aus $'s |
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DENI'S 31st BIRTHDAY
June 26: Deni's (Jamal's brothers 31st birthday. First
drinks at the KHO and on to Warung Sobat
L-R, John, Leon Joko, Tomi,
Wayang, Kadek, Asep & Deni.
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L-R Front, Kadek, Tomi, Asep,
Joko, John, Back, Pak Made (owner) Komang, Kadek (owners wife) Wayan, Apip,
Deni & Wayan.
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 Our
friends Wiwin & Robert at the party.
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 THE
FAKE "LUCKY DRAW" BIRTHDAY CAKE RIDES AGAIN
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APIP RETURNS TO BANDUNG
House Boy Apip returns to Bandung after 3 months
in Bali
 AT
TANALOT-DEDE, APIP, JAMAL, ASEP
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 APIP
AND TOURIST AT MELODY'S
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 DENI
SRI & DEWA BAGONG AT THE KHO
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 DENI
SPORTS A NEW HAIRCUT
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 BACK
FROM SINGAPORE - JAMAL AND DENI
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 DENI
& JOHN DEWA & JOHN
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 WITH
MARGERET & RICCO -FROM HOLLAND
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 JOHN
AT A BALINESE WEDDING
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