Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Malaysia - Johor Desaru 13-16th March Holidays (Teluk Sengat Crocodile Far, Temple Village, Desaru Ostrich Farm, Jomis Old Jetty, Kota Tingi Firefly park, Desaru Mini Zoo)

Johor Bahru - To Eat
Johor Bahru - To Do

 March 13-16th 2024
Day1
Depart Singapore 7am for JB
Return timing within 12pm-3pm range


Teluk Sengat Crocodile Farm
Opens 9am-6pm Daily

*Additional 25RM For Three chickens which will be fed by staff to the crocodiles.*
Meh. A large crocodile enclosure with loads of crocs. There's little write up of anything any lacking interactions with live crocs or even the sale of crocodile products. The 'tour' ends with a gift shop selling toys and you can purchase a picture of Croc world. Not worth the full detour up north to try Okid Kopitiam in Kota Tinggi. 
You do get a nice view of the Johor River Bridge - Senai - Desaru at a distance.

Day2
Temple Village
(Free to enter)


*Cool under construction entry way to the top*

A by the way attraction. Just temples to check out and explore. The kids were more interested in running amuck amongst the stones and construction debris.

Desaru Ostrich Farm
10am-6pm

Lays claims to be the largest Ostrich farm in Malaysia. That said the grounds aren't that big and considering the prices to pay to get in are quite steep.
* A short two round ride in the mini pen*
For the exposure and thrill of riding and ostrich at RM30/child limited to 25kg per pax with adjoining picture and certificate. The ostrich eggs are decently priced actually and worth getting.

You maybe interested in where to get Ostrich Eggs from Johannesburg.

Jomis Old Jetty
Click here for ABBA location of Jomis Old Jetty
Jomis Old Jetty Desaru is a popular tourist destination in Desaru Malaysia. It is a historical jetty built in the 1960s by a local fisherman named Jomi Bin Hasan. The jetty was used for fishing and as a transport hub for goods and people.

Not worth the near off road driving to get there. The road in is muddy, water logged and loads of mosquitoes. The path down to the IG spot is not exactly accessible and requires some traversing. Not recommended.
Click here for ABBA location of Jomis Old Jetty

Kota Tingi Firefly park
(Night Time Only)
Adult RM20, Child RM12
Advance booking is recommended. Timing are from 7.30pm, 8.30pm and 9.30pm slots.
ABBATips:
- Try to book  in advance. We almost didn't get on as the slots were already full. We were lucky enough to be on the standby list to get a ride on the first slot.
- They do have fire crackers available on site. The pyros only come out after the first boat ride returns at 8.30pm which was another highlight for the night. Pyro goes mostly about RM30/pack with some at RM40 and RM50.


*Pyro only comes out for sale after the first boat ride comes back.*
Enjoy the boat ride. Its about 40mins ride and you get to see loads of magical Fireflys amongst the trees. Well worth the experience and stick around for your alacarte choice of fireworks or launch wish lanterns from RM70 and up.
 Day3
Desaru Mini Zoo
ABBATip:
Whatever you see, you just have to ask and you probably can get free reign of handling and playing with all the critters you see. Scales, fur and all. Amazing experience.

Most animals and even reptiles are free to touch and some feed. Ask and you shall receive. There's drinks on sites and other additional add-ons such as pony rides, fish spa and more.
The other side attraction was ATV ride which was for about 25/30mins dependent on package.

*The Extreme road maybe a little bit too much for the young ones. It involved going through water and mud sections and can really dirty you up. The basic plan B was sufficient for the kids to ride along and enjoy the terrain.*
Great activity out which kept us engaged for a good half of the day. There's a drink stall on site serving coconut shakes and coconut juice as well as simple eats. Highly recommended and worth getting up close with animals. The last place which had such a close engagement with animals was in Osaka, Rockstar Reprtile Cafe.
 
Day4
We had originally planned Desaru Fruit Farm but touring the ground needed a package or ATV riding which we had already done. So we just got some local durian and made our way to Mid Valley Southkey mall for shopping lunch and eventually home. It took 1hour and a bit total from 1330hrs to reach home at 1440hrs.

Friday, March 8, 2024

07March24 Paris - To Do (The Church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, Eglise Saint-Sulpice)

Paris - To Stay
Paris - To Do
Paris - To Eat

Church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont
The church is dedicated to Saint Stephen, who is considered the first Christian martyr
The Church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont in Paris is famous for housing the tomb of Blaise Pascal (French mathematician, physicist, and philosopher Blaise Pascal. His tomb is located in the church's nave.).
Its stunning stained glass windows date back to the 16th century, depicting religious scenes. The church's music program and impressive pipe organ attract enthusiasts globally with regular concerts and recitals.

Église Saint-Sulpice

Église Saint-Sulpice in Paris stands out for its enigmatic blend of architectural styles, including Baroque and Neoclassical elements. The church's plaza features the iconic Delacour Fountain, linked to the intrigue of the Da Vinci Code. Additionally, Église Saint-Sulpice houses a historic and massive organ, renowned worldwide for its craftsmanship and musical heritage.
 
You maybe interested in these other Churches to check out for their architectural beauty and exploration. Each having their own unique charm as well as significance both in pop culture and history.
The Crown of Thornes was kept in the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris until 15 April 2019, when it was rescued from a fire and moved to the Louvre Museum.

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Manchester - To Do 28Feb24 (John Rylands Library)

Manchester - To Do
Manchester - To Eat

Manchester - To Do

John Rylands Library
Harry Potter Museum
SUN-TUE (Closed)
WED-SAT Open 10am-5pm


*People having their photo-shoots done*

Contrary to popular belief, the John Rylands Library had never appeared in Harry Potter films but supposedly did inspire some of the visuals of Hogwarts. Walking about the place really does feel like it.
Free to enter and loads of picturesque spots. A fully working library for anyone to go in and study. With tons of ancient books and references on all walls. Amazingly all of these can be viewed in a special room by members (free to join). Amazing space to enjoy and little write-ups to color the history of the place. 
*Free for people to come to study*
Even their toilets have the vibes from where Myrtle and Harry scenes.
A cool place for breakfast in a unique Victorian Toilet setting is The Attendant in London.

 Mr and Mrs John Ryland