‘Speedie’.  Yes, that was a good name to describe my Cambodian train driver/conductor.  The only thing was that such a name didn’t set him apart from all the others who also deserved the same moniker.  Without even giving the possible confusion a second thought I smiled at the casually dressed young man, but he didn’t look up as he was speedily assembling my conveyance.

‘Assembling’ was truly the operative word because after he had lugged rusty wheels and a bamboo platform onto tarnished tracks, he completed the ‘train’ with a bamboo mat.  Oh yes, there was one more thing … the engine.  I recognised the ‘powerhouse’ as an old motorboat.  Here he picked one from a pile and dropped the dented and dirty hunk of metal into place.  Without a word except “have a great trip” from other travellers who had ventured out from Battambang and were also awaiting a similar magical mystery tour, we would soon be on a one-of-a-kind odyssey.

Cambodia’s ‘bamboo train’ is not only this Southeast Asian nation’s most unconventional attraction but a transport oddity unique in the world.  I crossed this experience off my ‘bucket list’ earlier this year when the solemn-faced driver manually engaged the noise maker by pushing a fan belt against oily wheels.  How hi-tech!  (A stick was used to slow and stop the train.)

We were off in a flash – actually 0 to 40 km/h took a little longer.  By the time we hit top speed, however, it felt like we were zooming through the rice-rich Cambodian countryside at 100 km/h.  As the sole passenger on this trip, I sat tightly upright and only a few cm above the twisted track as we whizzed past pleasant mountain vistas, restful rivers and farm scenes complete with smiling children, water buffalo and work weary farmers tilling massive rice fields.

My digital camera went into overdrive capturing the serene postcard-like surroundings as I didn’t have to worry about reflections from windows.  My tiny open-air carriage didn’t have them!  It was also void of walls, chairs and benches, seat belts, video monitors or even metal frames to restrain my bulk and that of other thrill-seekers from high-speed tumbles into fields or rivers.

During the 5 km journey back to base I thought of what I had heard earlier: take advantage of this train oddity today, as it will soon be history.  This is ever so true as change is coming to this isolated corner of Cambodia.  Battambang will certainly benefit with an upgraded rail connection to the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh and beyond.

During many years of French colonial rule a substantial rail network was built throughout Cambodia which included steel ribbons linking Phnom Penh with Battambang to the northwest and beyond.  Much of the track still exists, but years of neglect have resulted in rust and ruin.  Upgrade on the once busy Phnom Penh/Battambang section is expected to be completed in 2013, by which time the ‘bamboo train’ will have carried its last passenger into history.

The world’s only ‘bamboo train’ was one reason I had opted to visit sleepy and provincial Battambang.  The lure of French architecture was another drawcard to make the 370 km journey northwest from Phnom Penh.

Cambodia’s second largest city of Battambang has numerous superior structures blueprinted by the French.  An ongoing restoration program has repaired cracks, refreshed windows and gardens and beautified concrete surroundings with colour-coordinated paint.  Apart from lovely mansions brought back to glory and now used as administrative offices, a stunning bank and commercial outlets, perhaps the most notable French architectural contribution is the expansive circa early 20th century Phsar Nath.

Distinctive continental characteristics such as thick walls, well-defined lines and a clock tower are major features seen on the outside of this building.  Inside its airy interior the atmosphere is all Cambodian, however, as stall holders bargain with cashed-up locals for a variety of items from house wares and rat traps to clothing and edibles.

Vendors in Phsar Nath sell just about everything, though one staple predominates.  Baskets laded with different qualities of rice litter the market’s well-worn concrete floor.  Throughout Cambodia, Battambang is known as ‘the city built on rice’.   The valuable crop is a field favourite in a province known for its fertile alluvial soil.

Most visitors are keen to explore the fertile farmlands and cottage industry villages just beyond Battambang.  I was no exception and like so many other visitors, hired a driver who owned a sturdy three-wheeler as well as a most knowledgeable and engaging guide, both for only a few American dollars.  (This foreign currency is much preferred to the local and rarely seen Cambodian Riel.)

My amiable guide – Mr Prach contactable on mobile 016 865024 for personalised tours to fit any number of travellers – it proved, was to provide invaluable commentary and insight into this rural region.  We sat off from the central sited old colonial market after I had seen a solemn procession of Buddhist monks receiving morning offerings.

Surfaced main roads are well maintained in this part of northwest Cambodia but just off the wide bitumen, conditions became dusty, bumpy and as I expected, far more interesting.  We made our first stop at the small settlement of Peam Ek, just a few km from the ‘big smoke’ of Battambang.  It’s here that I met 16-year-old businesswoman, Mliss.

Her house like most others in the area had been built on stilts and Mliss was sitting in the shadow of the house when I arrived.  She didn’t slow her work to exchange pleasantries with Mr Prach or myself and instead just continued a task she knew well: making edible rice paper sheets, integral ingredients for spring rolls.

It’s a profoundly simple and very labour intensive task that I found utterly boring as the exertion involves endless repetition.  First Mliss ladled milky water that had been saturated with ground rice flour onto steaming hot metal domes.  It only took moments for the concoction to cook before Mliss put the paper thin sheets onto string racks to dry.  They would then be stacked, packaged and prepared for shipment to local eateries and restaurants in other parts of the country.  Mliss knew the routine well as it has been her daily duty for the past 10 years.  Boring though I thought this job to be, she said the task “was much better than working in a rice field”.

I left her small family-owned cottage industry factory with mixed emotions knowing that while Mliss had not experienced a childhood, had to work a tiring 7-day week (only during monsoons was she able to have a much appreciated ‘holiday’) for a monthly wage of 50,000 Riel (about A$18.00), she was very happy knowing that she was contributing to her family’s welfare.

There were also children working at the sole refreshment stall before Ek Phom Temple, my next point stop.  While Buddhism now prevails throughout the Kingdom of Cambodia, Hinduism was a strong religious force for many centuries and grand temples were built throughout the country.

Few Hindus other than those from foreign lands visit the moat-encircled Ek Phom today.  A few genuine pilgrims do come to the tiny village of Tkov, 13 km outside Battambang.  However it’s mostly non-Hindu locals interested in a picnic back dropped by a moat and temple, or enthralled tourists who tramp through the ruins of this once striking 11th century religious structure.  They are surprised as I was to find a temple and a far-flung collection of other spiritual havens that were built as Hindu temples, but are now dedicated to the teachings of Buddha.

A Cambodian flag tops the weathered Ek Phom which was ruined around 1976 when Pol Pot’s infamous Khmer Rouge stole laterite and sandstone blocks and used them to build roads and bridges.  Vines have overgrown many weathered columns that have in many cases been nearly covered by windblown sand and soil.

Hindu carvings can still be traced, however, on supports as well as on the few remaining lintels.  Despite its perilous state of preservation the temple still bears witness to the architectural prowess of King Suryavarman I who constructed this wonderful religious sanctuary and numerous other temples in this cultured corner of Cambodia.

Bat 1. An early morning procession of monks silently files through the streets of Battambang

(Photos: Thomas E. King)

TRAVEL NOTEBOOK

Battambang

Flights Thai Airways International has 44 flights a week linking Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth to Bangkok with two onward flights a day to Phnom Penh.  Contact travel agents for the latest airfare specials and promotions or THAI reservations on 1 300 651 960.  See www.thaiairways.com.au

Access Air conditioned buses leave Phnom Penh throughout the day for the $5, 5½ hour ride to Battambang.  There is also an in-season (water level permitting) ferry service from Siem Reap to Battambang.

Travel Arrangements for hotels and tours in Battambang and the rest of Cambodia can be confidently made by e-mail through the award winning Phnom Penh-based Great Angkor Tours Co. Ltd.  E-mail Tour@GreatAnkorTour.com See www.GreatAngkorTour.com

Accommodation Located in a quiet suburban setting, the conveniently sited Khemara Battambang 1 Hotel has 136 rooms and a large swimming pool.  See www.khemarahotel.com

Information As a representative office of the Cambodia Ministry of Tourism has not been established in Australia check with your travel agent for holiday advice.  See the government’s official website www.mot.gov.kh Lonely Planet has published a guide devoted to Cambodia.  See www.lonelyplanet.com/cambodia.

The eleventh day of the eleventh month of the eleventh year of this century, which when numerically dotted stands as 11.11.11, is very significant for the people of Jeju Island in South Korea; in fact, for the entire nation.

On arrival at Jeju before the results were declared, we are predictably greeted by the intense hype around this international campaign and during our stay, we are apparently drawn into it. Friendly locals welcome us overwhelmingly and keep touting how scenic their home is, while media people seek our assessment on the natural splendours we experience. Korean celebrities are pictured campaigning on television, and brochures on how to vote are made easily available to all. We are enthusiastic as well, being part of something big to happen.

A nation’s treasure

Often coined as a “volcanic museum”, the oval shaped island spans around 70 km east to west and 30 km north to south, with the 1950m high Mount Hallasan dotting its centre. Legend says it surfaced on earth from volcanic eruptions millions of years ago, and boasts a unique volcanic topography with a spectacular display of diverse volcanic characters. According to geological pundits, it’s rare for such a small piece of land to hold 368 volcanic cones, or “Oreums” as per Jeju dialect, on the surface and more that 160 lava tubes underground. Undoubtedly a wondrous feature that Jeju people desire to be recognised as a top natural wonder; though winning accolades is not new for Jeju.

It was named as a Biosphere Reserve in 2002, World Natural Heritage Site in 2007 and Global Geopark in 2010, making Jeju the world’s first and only area to receive UNNESCO triple-crown.

Island delights

Our discovery of the very best of Jeju begins with a visit to the Jusangjeolli Cliff which was formed when lava from Mount Hallasan erupted into the sea of Jungmun . The rock pillars shaped like cubes or hexagons of multiple sizes appear as if carved by stonemasons. The panoramic seascape in front with high waves crashing into the rocky cliff and springing upwards is awesome.

Despite being just 85km from the mainland, this island was hardly visited for centuries. So it grew with its own traditions, culture, cuisine, dress, architectural style and dialect. Jeju Folk Village Museum , where we drop in next, is the venue where visitors get a taste of some of those Jeju specials.

The 4500 Hectare outdoor park comprehensively displays the island’s true living colours as it existed in the 19th century. On display are more than 100 stone buildings with thatched roofs transported from their original location in the island, and filled with over 8000 pieces of folk articles such as household equipment, farming instruments, fishing tools, furniture and earthenware. As history comes explicitly alive here, this venue became the ideal location for filming several episodes of a famous historical television mega-series called “Daejanggeum” whose popularity extends beyond Korea into other Asian destinations such as China and Vietnam . So it isn’t unusual to see visitors screaming with excitement when they recognise sites where a memorable scene from the drama was enacted.

Weather and wind

Even though we arrive at mid-afternoon, the huge crowd at the Seongsan Ilchulbong, from the top of which watching the sunrise is considered heavenly, proclaims it’s a hot-favourite attraction. This conic crater was formed when a volcano erupted under the ocean. The challenge here is to go to the top, 182 metres above sea level, but the reward is the breathtaking view of the entire island, that looks like colourful saucer floating in a pool of blue water. Jeju is famous for its winds and when up there you realise what this actually means, though the view makes up for the sweat you shed in climbing.

Jeju’s weather changes sporadically, you can have four seasons in a day. Abruptly rains come and bathe the earth; next moment sun appears and dries it up. When the rain pours, the islands loveliness is mystified. We experience this brilliance of nature while having lunch at the glass-walled Mint Contemporary Art Restaurant at picturesque Seokjikoji, where a huge expanse of grass-field adjoins the coastline. With the soaring peak of Seongsan in the background, the rain-washed vista of the green pasture, dotting a lighthouse in the distance, is no less arresting than any of the items on the table.

Lava lattices

If only one site in Jeju has to be nominated as “can’t be missed”, according to experts, it’s the 7.4 km Manjanggul lava tube, respected as the longest of its kind in the world. Said to be created 300,000 years ago, its diverse cave creations and interior topology are of great interest to world geologists and ordinary visitors like us, as well. Out of the entire length, only a km long stretch is accessible to visitors. We watch with amazement as the vestiges of hot lava form a range of cave artwork such as lava stalactites like shark’s teeth hanging down from the ceiling, lava shelves on the walls and ropy lava on the floor. However, the most impressing is the lava formation that has taken the shape of Jeju Island . “Is it a geological site or an art-house museum?”, I overhear someone asking.

When leaving Jeju, many ask my views on the prospect of their island- home making it to the top seven. While understanding their anxiety and excitement, I fail to give an answer as it’s simply a numbers game, but surely assure them, that to me and many others, Jeju will remain a wondrous creation of nature, laden with moments to be treasured forever.

TRAVEL NOTEBOOK

JEJU ISLAND

Getting there:

Asiana Airlines (www.flyasiana.com) from Sydney and Korean Air (www.koreanair.com.) from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane have regular flights to Jeju Island , via Seoul

Accommodation:

Suites Hotel (www.suites.co.kr), is a good option.

Visa and currency:

Australian passport holders receive tourist visa on arrival at Seoul ’s Incheon International Airport . Local currency is WON with 1AUD =1100 WON.

Trip advisor:

Because of its isolated location and tranquil setting with host of things “to do and see” for adults and kids as well, it’s a highly popular holiday destination for urbanised Koreans. So even though there are several flights from the mainland and plenty of quality hotels to stay in, getting the right flight and accommodation can be difficult unless booked in advance

More information:

Korea Tourism (www.visitkorea@knto.org.au)

The Great Wall of China

“He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man”, said Chairman Mao.

Obviously “I am a true man” are the words that burst out of me with gusto, after clambering up the perilously sloping carriageway to one of the crowning watch towers at the top of the architectural marvel, recognised as one of the Seven Wonders of the World and China’s landmark for ages.

Located just outside metropolitan Beijing, the 2000-year-old Great Wall, which was built in stages starting from 2nd century BC to keep the Mongols away, not rabbits as some may think!, is always at the apex of any itinerary to the earth’s most populous nation, which in the recent times has emerged as a sought after destination for both business and leisure.

Earlier when people thought of visiting China, the first image that conjured their mind was of a restricted and secretive regime where outsiders, were treated cautiously with suspicion. However things have changed now. China’s reputation as a friendly and welcoming nation is on solid grounds and was well proven to the international community during the Olympics in 2008.

I get the first taste of that gracious “huan ying,” the moment I board China Southern Airlines flight to Beijing via their ultra modern hub in Guangzhou, a highlight of which is its brand-new, award-winning Baiyun International Airport.

As pundits say, if 21st century belongs to China, then China itself belongs to Beijing, the dynastic capital of the nation which has undergone rapid transformation in the last couple of decades, to dazzle the world.

The Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium

Beijing, formerly called Peking, has a rich pedigree: touched by Genghis Khan, kissed by Marco Polo and ruled by Mongol, Ming and Qing emperors since the 13th century, this vibrant metropolis of 19 million lives today, like Shanghai, in an ambiance where modernity and antiquity embrace each other.

New arrivals like me are simply stunned to see how the old traditional “hutongs” (narrow alleyways) and “siheyuans” (single story dwellings on four sides of a quadrangle with a courtyard in the middle), share space with four-lane carriageways flanked by tall towers of glass and steel, as Chinese architects embraced height to augment the nations growing stature.

It’s just not the buildings, flyovers and the broad sweeping avenues filled with latest models of Mercedes, BMW, Lexus and hordes of bicycles, emblematic to the city will draw your attention; the changed social fabric, now appearing in multitude of bright colors instead of the singe red piece, will strike you as equally amazing. Fashion a taboo of the past has become an indispensable fad of lifestyle for younger generation, who crowd the growing contingent of trendy restaurants and bars where businessmen discuss multimillion yuan deals over a glass of chilled Tsingtao Beer, while waiting for the medium rare steak to arrive.

I happened to be visiting this high-energy city just days before the nation celebrated 90 years of Chinese Communist Party, which has been ruling the nation since 1949 when Mao Zedong defeated Chiang Kai-Shek’s Kuomintang Party and established the People’s Republic of China. The journey of socialism was not rosy in a land that’s been imperialistic for millenniums. After lot of bloodshed and loss of life, the country now seems to have achieved a unique balance between communism and capitalism. Being central to the change, Beijing over the years has leant how to work and play hard, and its engorging middle class, like Delhi in India, defines the present socioeconomic pattern of the city.

Temple of Heaven

China wants the world to come and see first hand its astronomical progress. That’s why tour operators like Nexus Holidays, who specialise in offering “value for money” tour-packages with English-speaking guides (language barrier is still an issue in China), are sending planeloads of tourists from Australia. There are so many tourists added to the local population everyday that you will hardly ever get a chance to capture anything in your camera, without someone in-between the lens and the object.

In Beijing, you will find most stunning sights from China’s past and present that reflect rich heritage and zest for modernisation: Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Olympic Stadium, Lama Temple, Ming Dynasty Tombs, and the Great Wall are but just a few to name.

The spectacular Forbidden City acts as the bull’s-eye around which the city’s other momentous sites cluster. Home to Ming and Qing dynasty emperors for over 500 years, rest of China was governed from this 14th century built gargantuan palace till early 20th century. Entry for commoners then was “forbidden” and the price for uninvited admission was death by strangulation; today just 60 Yuan will allow you inside. Conglomerated with 800 edifices and over 9000 rooms, some packed with precious royal memorabilia, this city-like complex occupies a primary position in Chinese psyche and hence was spared by the Red Guards during Mao’s ‘cultural revolution’ in the 60’s.

Gate of Heavenly Peace

“Unfortunately crates of valuable relics were removed by the Kuomintang Party and transported to Taiwan”, informed Kelly, our omniscient Nexus Holiday’s local guide, as we trundled from the Forbidden City to Tiananmen Square through the famous Gate of Heavenly Peace from where Mao proclaimed the People’s Republic on 1st October 1949. Stuck on its front façade is a huge portrait of Mao which was supposedly pelted with eggs during the 1989 demonstration in the front square, said to be the largest public arena in the world. Over a million people jammed the paved quarter in 1976 to pay their last respects to Mao whose mausoleum lines on one side, while nation’s many august cultural and political institutions dots the others, Great Hall of People being one of them.

A short drive from the square is the Temple of Heaven. It’s generously ornamented architectural features have almost become a symbol of Beijing, filling countless pieces of China tourist brochures as easily as it does the horizon. This shrine in ancient times was used to offer sacrifices to heaven and pray for a good annual harvest.

Beijing is full of attractions and it can be rather difficult to see, even the highlights, on your own, though the city’s public transport system, comprising of buses, trains, taxis and red hooded cycle rickshaws in some areas, efficiently takes you to almost every end of the flat metropolis. However as the use of English is limited, the best option is to use a tour operator, such as Nexus Holidays, who will fill your time with everything that’s considered mandatory for first time visitors.

Famous duck restaurant

In addition to meandering through key historical venues, we visited the 2008 Olympics site where the National Stadium, which being the centerpiece is popular as “Bird’s Nest” with the locals; explored a Jade factory; watched a thrilling acrobatic show; and, most importantly, savoured the world-famous Peking Duck at the celebrated Qianmen Quanjude restaurant.

The media hype about the new high-speed train between the Beijing and Shanghai touched me as well. This train link, covering a distance of 1318 kms in just over five hours, was scheduled for completion in four years, but to mark its inauguration with the 90th birthday celebrations, it was built in a record time of two years. This simply proclaims to the world China’s strength and ability to achieve the “impossible”, whatever it may be.

TRAVEL NOTEBOOK

Getting There – China Southern Airlines fly from Sydney and Melbourne to Beijing and other cities in China via Guangzhou. The timings are very convenient as both ways it’s a night flight which give passengers a good night’s sleep for a good start for the day ahead. The airline has an excellent safety record and operates most technologically advanced airline fleet. From Guangzhou there are regular flights to Delhi, so a China tour can be combined with India visit as well. Check www.csair.com or call 02 92239788 / 03 8676 0088 for details

Staying There – There are no shortages of hotels to suit every budget; Jade Palace Hotel (www.jadepalace.com.cn), a favorite of group tour operators, offers good facilities. Located just across the road from the hotel is McDonalds which comes handy in case you feel like a break from local food.

Tour Operator – Nexus Holidays offers several packaged and tailor-made tours to China, Beijing included, with excellent 5 star accommodations, inland transport, meals and reasonable amount of sightseeing incorporated. Their 9-day China Highlights Tour ($599 all inclusive, except international airfare) is extremely popular. Check www.nexusholidays.com.au or call 1800 816 828 for details.

Visa – 90 day tourist visa can be obtained from the China Visa Application Centre (www. sydney.chineseconsulate.org) located at 290 Elizabeth Street Sydney 2000.

The striking Santiago Gate is all that remains of the Portuguese fort, A Formosa.

Hire a trishaw for a relaxing ride through the historic streets of old Malacca

Though it’s the second smallest state in Malaysia, Malacca is without doubt, the nation’s wealthiest entity when it comes to history, culture and cuisine.  Three great European powers have significantly contributed to the Malaccan medley by leaving indelible imprints to this diverse state located on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia.  The foreign administrators were not solely responsible for shaping the character of Malacca (locally spelled Melaka), however, as there are also some very tangible links with India.

In the late 14th century Malacca was a humble fishing village inhabited by sea gypsies until the arrival of Parameswara, a Hindu prince who had fled Sumatra in nearby Indonesia.  Because of its strategic location opposite the Straits of Malacca and halfway between India and China, guided by the prince’s astute leadership Malacca became a favoured port attracting merchants from throughout the East.

All manner of trade was carried out.  Incoming and outgoing vessels were laden with spices and sandalwood from the Moluccas in Indonesia; gold, silver, silk and porcelain from China; ivory from Siam (Thailand); cloth and tapestries from India and perfumes, pearls and incense from locales across the Arabian Peninsula.  Malacca’s success as a pivotal port attracted widespread attention.  Not all of it was desirable as Parameswara battled incursions from the Siamese.  In 1405, Admiral Cheng Ho sailed into Malacca’s harbour and unveiled a shipload of gifts from the Ming emperor.  Even more welcome was the promise of protection from the Siamese.

The ensuing relationship with China prospered and a wave of Chinese settlers poured into Malacca.  The alliance was ‘gold plated’ in the middle of the 15th century when the Sultan’s ambassador to China returned after a long voyage.  His ship was filled with many precious items, none more beautiful, however, then the daughter of the Ming emperor.  The emperor knew that a wedding would ensure a prosperous future for both entities.

The princess was not alone during the arduous journey to her new home.  She brought along a large retinue which included some 500 handmaidens.  Bukit China (China Hill), the residence of the first Chinese community was a rather large ‘wedding gift’ from Sultan Mansur Shah to his bride Princess Hang Li Po.  Fast forward to the 21st century and there are still tangible reminders of this time long ago.  They can be seen in a most pleasant way.

The city of Malacca is small enough to easily walk around; however, for a perspective with a difference discover its quaint narrow streets, old buildings and historic sites at an unhurried pace from the armchair comfort of a hired trishaw. Be sure to fix the rate before setting off for a slow ride though these pages of history.

I did just that and was soon in a brightly decorated trishaw en route to Bukit China.  Palaces and palatial homes have long gone from the famed hill – which along with two nearby knolls – constitute what’s considered to be the largest Chinese cemetery in the world, outside China.  Some of the 12,000 or so tombs date back to Ming times.  No doubt some of them are tributes to the ancestors of Admiral Cheng Ho.

St Paul's Church in early morning light.

Admiral Cheng Ho is not the only name from history associated with Malacca; Admiral Alfonso de Albuquerque is another.  Portuguese forces guided by Albuquerque – the first of the colonial powers – arrived en mass in 1511, ruling for another 130 years.  During the time of the Portuguese in the 16th and early 17th centuries it’s been said that 84 languages could be heard on the narrow streets of Malacca and on the decks of ocean-going junks.

The Portuguese language can still be heard in a very small and very special section of this UNESCO-listed city.  (Malacca, “The Historic City of Malaysia” and Georgetown, the historic core of Penang was inscribed on the prestigious register in mid-2008.)

Proud descendants of Portuguese troops who captured Malacca exactly 500 years ago still live in Malacca’s Portuguese Eurasian Settlement, about 3 km outside from its historic heart.  I didn’t opt to get there with a trishaw, instead I took the #17 town bus to Medan Portuguis (Portuguese Square).  During weekdays the square is often deserted, I found, though visitors usually arrive later in the day to be cooled by evening sea breezes and feast on Malay-Portuguese specialities as the sun sets on this unique community.

There are no architectural relics to be found in the Portuguese settlement, a cultural and residential area established in the late 1980s.  In fact there are few brick and stone reminders of the Portuguese era to be seen in Malacca.  No one can miss the most ornate one, however.

Shortly after the Portuguese arrived they built A’ Formosa, one of the greatest fortresses in Asia.  It remained so for many years until it was all but destroyed by colonial rivals.  All that stands today is the imposing Porta de Santiago, once the main gate to the rock solid bastion.  A’ Formosa is ‘tourist central’ particularly during weekends when visitors pose in front of the much-photographed gateway.

Just to the right of its arched entryway is St Paul’s Hill.  Inside the ruins of a once-mighty church I discovered another interesting link with India.  St Paul’s was built by the Portuguese as the epicentre of Catholicism in southeast and east Asia in the early 16th century.  St Francis Xavier not only preached here in the middle of that century, but his body was entombed here for nine months before it was moved to the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa.  A marble statue of St Francis was erected in front of the church to commemorate the fourth centenary of his transient resting place.

It was just after sunrise and I stood next to the gleaming statue.  The heat and humidity of the day had yet to rise over this city of living history and I enjoyed the solitude of the moment, not to mention fine views over the city and the Straits of Malacca.

Ships bearing the Dutch flag sailed through these very straits on a fine day in 1641.  After an eight month long siege and bombardment with an estimated 18,000 cannonballs, the lingua franca was no longer Portuguese: Malacca was a Dutch speaking colony.  The Dutch stayed for over 150 years, adding their touches to the city’s distinct style of architecture.

The best example is Christ Church. This impressive building was constructed in 1753 of salmon coloured bricks, brought out as ballast in trading ships from Middlebury in Zeeland.  The church is striking on the outside but even more interesting on the inside.  Its 15m long ceiling beams were cut from a single tree and have no joints at all. There is also a beautiful frieze of the ‘Last Supper’ created from glazed tiles.

Older still and even more impressive is the nearby Stadthuys, a former residence for Dutch governors from the 1660s.  It now houses the informative Malacca History & Ethnography Museum displaying antiquities from a trio of colonial powers, plus a fine collection of Ming, Ching and 18th century porcelain.  I found it easy to spend hours here, poring through the city’s chequered history.  Oh yes, the building’s thick walls also offer a cooling respite from the heat of the day.

The Stadthuys and Christ Church are but two of a quartet of historic sites located around Dutch Square. The marble Queen Victoria fountain commemorating Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee in 1904 and the circa 1886 clock tower are reminders of British domination in this state.  This began in 1795 when forces under the command of William Farquhar – who served as a Lieutenant in the Madras Engineers – seized Malacca from the Dutch.  Control of the trading centre alternated between the British and the Dutch until 1824 and the signing of Anglo-Dutch Treaty.  Malacca became British while the Dutch received Bencoolen in Indonesian Sumatra.

Malacca became a Straits Settlement of the English India Company two years later and in 1867, was elevated to crown colony status.  The British ruled for another 90 years when Malaysia achieved its independence.  Ironically, it was in Malaysia’s most culturally crisscrossed city of Malacca that independence was finally declared.

TRAVEL NOTEBOOK

Flights: Award winning Malaysia Airlines has 52 flights a week linking Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth with Kuala Lumpur.  The airline has won the award for best cabin crew awarded by Skytrax over six years from 2001 – 2004, 2007 and 2009. Malaysia is also an excellent stopover en route to India.  For more information and reservations phone Malaysia Airlines on 132627.  Log on to www.malaysiaairlines.com

Access: Malacca is a 2 hour (144 km) drive south of Kuala Lumpur.  Comfortable coaches depart throughout the day from the city’s new Bandar Tasik Selatan Bus Station.  As well, there are scheduled express coaches plying four hours north from the Lavender Street Bus Terminal in Singapore to Malacca.

Accommodation: There is a wealth of budget lodges, value-for-money hotels in the city and stylish beach resorts facing the Straits of Malacca.  During my last visit I stayed at the centrally located 294-room Renaissance Melaka Hotel.  Located within walking distance of the heritage area, the high-rise hotel features distinctive accommodation accented with luxurious furnishings and amenities.  See www.marriott.com

Shopping: Whether you are interested in antiques, handicrafts or branded/designer goods, such items are readily available in the city’s bazaars and shopping malls.  Concentrate your search for goods from yesteryear along Jalan Hang Jebat and Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock in Chinatown.  Infokraf Melaka on Jalan Kota stocks a broad range of handcrafted items made by local craftspeople.  Airconditioned shopping comfort can be enjoyed in expansive malls like the popular Mahkota Parade Department Store.  Souvenir stalls selling mementos and trinkets can be found at the Cultural Museum next to Christ Church.

Excursion: If time permits consider making a shopping day trip to Indonesia.  High speed ferries connect Malacca with the duty free port of Dumai, Sumatra in 2 hours.

Information: Contact Tourism Malaysia, Level 2, 171 Clarence St, Sydney 2000, tel (02) 9299 4441, e-mail: malaysia@malaysiatourism.com.au for a brochure on Malacca and a tourist map of Malaysia.  Once in Malacca stop by the tourist office opposite Christ Church for maps, details of specific attractions and timings for the outstanding Sound & Light Show held near the Porta de Santiago.    Log on to www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my and www.melaka.net.

Omani Fort

Picturesque Zanzibar

Travellers to hot and dusty east African wilderness often finish off their exhaustive, but mind-blowing safari experience by taking it easy for a few days in Zanzibar, the exotic Indian Ocean Island. I was no exception to this practiced routine.

Located almost 35 km off the shores of mainland Tanzania, Zanzibar boasts to be Africa’s most enticing destination, described by the 19^th century Scottish explorer David Livingstone as the finest place he had ever known in the entire continent.

Like its neighbours Mauritius and Seychelles, Zanzibar depict images of an exotic paradise-land, soaked in a tropical languor and stippled with lush plantations, coconut palms, multicoloured coral reefs and miles and miles of white sands splashed by the warm turquoise waters of the Indian ocean.

However Zanzibar offers more to its modern day visitors; its legendary history emanates from centuries of interaction with different races and cultures and is a dividend for visitors like me, who are enthused by episodes of the past.

Recorded account says that the Assyrians, Sumerians, Egyptians, Phoenicians, Indians, Chinese, Persians, Portuguese, Omani Arabs, Dutch and English have all marked their footprints on Zanzibar’s soil at one time or another.

As early as the 8^th century AD, came the Arabs from around present day Oman and Yemen, and the Persians from Iran.

The land was then like a gold mine to grow spices, obtain ivory by killing elephants found in abundance in the mainland forests, and collect humans as slaves from neighbouring countries. The Arabs got straight into this and began a lucrative business of exporting spices, ivory and slaves to the Arab world. They spread their control from Zanzibar to over 1000 miles of the mainland coast, from Mozambique to Somalia. Later they were joined by traders from India, most of whom eventually made Zanzibar their home. The Arabs and Indians maintained their religion, culture and traditions, though being far away from home. Zanzibar became the Orient of Africa and gained name both, as ‘Spice Island’ and ‘Slave Capital’ of the world.

Vibrant beach

On the other hand, the Persians who were more into fishing and agriculture, did not hesitate to blend themselves with the local Africans through inter-marriages, giving rise to a new Afro-Asian race and a language called Swahili, which subsequently became and still remains the main spoken medium in Kenya and Tanzania.

European flavour swept the island when Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, on his way to India in 1499, stopped at Zanzibar and consequently established a colony which lasted for next the next 200 years, till it was taken over the Omani Sultans.

Becoming extremely prosperous and powerful, particularly with the slave business, the Sultans shifted their capital from the Persian Gulf to Zanzibar. A majority of land ownership came under them while trading, which was shared with Indians. Their regime continued, later under a British protectorate, till 1963, when Zanzibar became fully independent as a constitutional monarchy.

However the local Africans didn’t favour this and a bloody insurgency followed. In one fateful night the rebels killed over 10,000 Arabs and Indians, and formed new republic which a year later joined mainland Tanganyika to form the United Republic of Tanzania.

Consisting of two main islands – Unguja and Pemba and myriad islets, Zanzibar today exists as a partner state of Tanzania, but with distinct individuality. They have their own flag, government and president and require filling embarkation forms, even if you are arriving from or are departing to mainland Tanzania, for which you already have a valid visa.

The Unguja Island is Zanzibar’s main population centre and entry point for most visitors, either by sea or air. It has enough of interest to merit a few days stay and is also good base for visiting the archipelago’s other attractions.

An Old Mosque

At the heart of Unguja, lies the old Stone Town, the nation’s cultural and historical epicenter of Zanzibar. Edged on an old-world waterfront and crammed with sites of great historical significance, this fabled quarter of winding alleyways, bustling bazaars, mosques and temples and impressive architecture reveals a mystical journey into a world of another time, more Arabic in character and identity than African. Leftovers from early settlers and foreign invaders are noticeable in every corner.

Looking at the quarter’s urban texture and architectural setting, it appears that little has changed  in the setup since it was developed by Omani Sultans and wealthy Indian merchants, almost 300 years ago. Every building and townscape infrastructure I notice is decrepit and needs more than “tender loving care”. The surrounding ambiance is laidback and slow, as if no one has anything to do. Locals tout its sloppy mood, quaint lifestyle and frail architecture as an appealing feature of the destination which perhaps, sets the mood to relax and unwind.

Time rewinds when you glimpse an array of rundown mansions, whose original owners appear to have vied with each other over the profligacy of their dwellings. This one-upmanship is particularly reflected in the brass studded, carved wooden doors that proclaim the past opulence and grandeur of the mansions they guard.

Several memoirs of historical significance draw tourist attention: the Sultan’s Palace, now a museum exhibiting memorabilia of the Omani rulers; House of Wonders, the National Museum portraying the island nation’s history and culture; an ancient Omani fort with an amphitheatre; an Anglican Cathedral built on the site of the former slave market; the four-story Old Dispensary building reminiscent of British-India colonial architecture, Mnara Mosque, decorated with a double chevron pattern; and Tippu Tip’s house, Tippu being East Africa’s most notorious slave trader are the ones that always come up in the itinerary of most visitors.

Beyond history, the tropical haven offers visitors a diverse range of enticing activities to fill your time. Tour nearby spice plantations; cruise to an unknown island in a traditional wooden boat called a dhow; view ruined forts and palaces just beyond, but within reach; get lost in exotic and colorful markets or hide in one of the isolated beaches where the sand is powdery white, and the sea is ethereal shades of turquoise.

Others truly take it very easy and do nothing. They stay at a hotel overlooking the sea, walk along seaside promenades with friendly locals; cheer on kids playing football at the beach, watch the sunset from the balcony of their hotel room, or simply have a drink at the bar followed by a long dinner at a vibrant café or a quiet restaurant .

Whatever one does, they all enjoy time in Zanzibar.

Getting There

The best way to reach Zanzibar is by flying South African Airways (www.flysaa.com) from Sydney or Perth to Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania, and then either taking a short flight or a two-hour journey by air conditioned catamarans to the island.

Accommodation

There are no shortages of hotels to suit budget, however Serena Hotel (www.serenahotels.com), which occupies the former cable and wireless office and the adjacent Chinese doctor’s residence present standards of five-star international level. All rooms are sea facing and the service is friendly and faultless. If required to spend a night in Dar Es Salaam for connections, stay at the New Africa Hotel (www.newafricahotel.com), an excellent property at a convenient city location, owned and run by the elite Indian hotel group Sarovar .

Eating

Fresh spices and abundant seafood makes Zanzibar a sanctuary for foodies. A great place to sample is at the open-air street food market, held in the waterfront Forodhani Gardens in Stone Town. Soaked in a magical twilight atmosphere, the precinct comes alive after sunset with food stalls serving an array of dishes from grilled seafood, goat meat curry and parathas, to sugarcane juice and roasted bananas topped with melted chocolate. Among several Indian restaurants, Radha is recommended for high quality vegetarian snacks and meals. Serena Hotel’s roof-top Terrace Restaurant is an exquisite venue for a romantic, candle-lit dinner, where the taste of lobster thermidor will stay with you for ever.

Visa

Check with the Honorary Tanzanian Consulate office in Melbourne and  Perth  for visa requirements (www.tanzaniaconsul.com)

Currency

The local currency is Tanzanian Shilling (TZS), with 1AUD =1600 TZS. However, US dollars are widely accepted

Immunisation

Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory for entry to Tanzania and Zanzibar

Tour Operator

Contact Wildlife Safari Consultants in Sydney (Tel: 0418443494)

More information

Visit Zanzibar Tourism Board (www.zanzibartourism.net)

I have always wanted to see wildlife in its own domain and for that, unquestionably, no place can beat Africa where travellers can sight, photograph and interact with over 11,000 species of mammals, some 2400 varieties of birds and over 100 types of reptiles.

However, when planning the trip to the Mecca of wildlife safaris, an irrational fear gripped my mind. It wasn’t about a lion grabbing me for breakfast or a mozzi-bite leading to malaria and the thereafter; rather it was panic that I might not be able to see much of the wildlife, as sighting the animals is a sheer matter of luck, which at most times, does not cruise on my side.

For that reason I included six national parks in my itinerary – in Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania, giving me plenty of time to view game in different geographical settings, thus maximising my luck factor.

Thank God, it worked very well!

I saw abundant wildlife, including the ‘Big Ten’ – hippopotamus, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, lion, cheetah, leopard, rhinoceros, buffalo and elephant in their own habitats, and to my utmost satisfaction. Add to that list impala, gazelle, antelope, jackal, hyena, crocodile and innumerable varieties of colourful birds.

The type of animal life did not vary much from one venue to the other, what differentiated the experience was the setting under which we observed them; the natural characteristic of each park, in some lush green rain forest covered the land, while limitless grass plains sweet others. Add to this the luxury and comfort of the lodges that we stayed in.

These are the parklands where beauty and the beasts are the central theme and in their element.

Chobe National Park, Botswana

Nestled along the banks of the Chobe River and sprawling across 12000 square kilometre of sun blistered grassland, mopane, baobab and acacia terrain, the Chobe National Park is one of the world’s largest remaining wilderness areas, best known for its large herds of elephants, though that’s only the tip of the iceberg. You can have the opportunity to witness a diverse array of wildlife, including predators such as roaming lions in the open plains. A great way to enjoy the safari is on a river cruise when you whisk past submerged hippos and large crocodiles, while watching elephants, impalas, waterbucks and sometime lions and leopards crowding the riverfront.

Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya

The acacia and cactus-like, euphorbia-dominated parkland area of less than 200 sq kms offers excellent bird-watching and game-viewing opportunities, but   visitors include Lake Nakuru in their itinerary mainly to see thousands of flamingos that paint large patches of pink on the blue waters of the shallow lake, proclaimed as “the most fabulous bird spectacle in the world” by famous American ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson. Another key feature of this park is the presence of myriad white rhinos which cannot be sighted that easily anywhere else in Africa.

Amboseli National Park, Kenya

The highlight of this 400 sq km park is the inspirational sight of Hemingway’s snow-crowned Mount Kilimanjaro, which provides a superb backdrop for the land, dominantly belonging to some of the region’s oldest and bulkiest elephants mingling with a prodigious variety of wildlife. Its expansive open plains and swamp vegetation support an abundance of herbivores – elephants, wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, while giraffes and impalas browse amid stands of countless acacias. Maps of the park show a vast lake inside; in reality it is a barren expanse of cracked clay filled with water only on a few occasions in the last century. While there, you could meet the red-robed Maasai people and experience their traditional way of living by visiting one of their villages nearby.

Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania

You have the best chance of sighting Africa’s famous tree-climbing lions in the wilderness of this is 200 sq km park, a rare flash of green edging the shallow soda waters of Lake Manyara, set against the splendid 600 metre high backdrop of the Great Rift Valley. Spring-fed groundwater forest combining with swampy fan delta, acacia and baobab woodland and grassy plains provide an oasis for elephants, buffalos, antelopes and giraffes, although the thick bushes sometimes make spotting harder.

Ngorongoro National Park, Tanzania

The centrepiece of this 8,000 sq km park is its 19 km wide crater – a vast unbroken caldera that resulted millions of years ago from the collapse of an enormous volcano. Its grasslands, swamps, glades, lakes and forests are packed with large herds of wildebeests, zebras and gazelles which draw large numbers of predators, especially lions. Its terrain makes it a natural amphitheatre for an exciting wildlife spectacle on its 300 sq km floor. It is here that you have the best chance of coming across the rarest mammal on earth, the black rhino, the numbers of which have drastically reduced over the years, due to poaching.

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

If you have time for only one game park, then it has to be Serengeti, the 14,700 sq km wilderness which, with its topography of mountains, rolling hills and limitless grasslands, provides one of the greatest concentration of ‘plain’ animals left on earth. While experiencing its vastness, this is where you have the best chance to sight every animal that you can think of, including the difficult ones like cheetahs and leopards. A distinct feature of Serengeti is its million-year-old round-shaped granite rock formations known as kopjes, which provide shelter and store water for animals and plants. Without that, large animals such as lions wouldn’t be able to survive the dry season on the plains.

Travel Notebook

AFRICA

Getting There South African Airways (www.flysaa.com) have flights from Sydney and Perth to Johannesburg and then onwards to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe from where Chobe National Park in neighbouring Botswana is 2 hours by road; to Nairobi from where Lake Nakuru is 3 hours and Amboseli is 5 hours by road; and via Dar Es Salaam to Arusha, the Tanzanian wildlife safari getaway city, from where all the parks are accessible by road.

If you are covering both Kenya and Tanzania, you can go from one to the other by road, crossing the border at Namanga.

Accommodation A range of modern and comfortable lodges with impeccable service, gourmet food and swimming pools are available at all parks. For the best, stay at Chobe Chilwero Lodge (www.sanctuaryretreats.com) at Chobe, Lake Nakuru Lodge (www.lakenakurulodge.com) at Nakuru, Amboseli Kilma Safari Camp (www.madahotels.com) at Amboseli, Serena Lodge (www.serenahotels.com) at Lake Manyara and Sopa Lodges (www.sopalodges.com) at Ngorongoro and Serengeti.

Tour Operator Contact Sydney-based Wildlife Safari Consultants (0418443494) for all your travel arrangements.

Visa All Australian Passport holders require visa to enter Zimbabwe, Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania.

Vaccinations Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory to enter Tanzania and re-enter Australia.

India’s leading hotelier, the Taj, has the reputation of dotting their properties outside India in global destinations that are exotic and vibrant, such as London, New York and Sydney. Last year, they opened a five-star luxury hotel in the heart of Cape Town in South Africa, a city which most travel guidebooks mark as one the most beautiful in the world. Your judgement, like mine, will perhaps be no different, when gazing at its picturesque landscape dominated on one side by glorious purple-headed mountains and pounded on the other by two thundering oceans, carpeted in between by stunningly coloured vegetation.

During my recent visit, I rummaged around the city’s various sights to depict a picture of its past, present and gracious physical environment.

History and colonisation

Lying halfway between the east and west on a small peninsula at the southern tip of Africa, Cape Town, the earliest urban settlement in that part of the world, was born as a metropolis on the day Dutch commander Jan Van laid claim to the land in 1652 for the Dutch East India Company which was engaged in trade between the Netherlands and East Indies. When the company went bankrupt in 1790, the British took over the Cape which in 1910, after the Union of South Africa was established, became the legislative capital of the nation and remains so till today.

Standing as a silent witness of many episodes from the colonial period is the 1679-built Castle of Good Hope, the oldest building in South Africa and the 1885-built Victorian neoclassical-styled Parliament House, edging the Company Gardens, once the raison d’être of the Dutch settlement. Both attract hordes of daily visitors, to reminiscence its past regal grandeur.

The entrance tower of the pentagonal shaped castle still displays the Dutch coat of arms and has the original bell casted in Amsterdam in 1697 hanging from the original wooden beams of the tower. There is a lack-lustre key ceremony at 10 am, which may faintly remind you of some of the royal etiquettes in Europe.

Slavery

The Dutch imported people from West Africa and the East Indies to run their plantations, and soon slavery became the economic backbone of the colony until abolished by the British in 1838. Today, a large number of the city’s non-white inhabitants are descendants of slaves who went through a very painful and torturous regime. To know more about slavery, a visit to the Slave Lodge is recommended. Built by the Dutch in the 17^th century to house human chattels, the structure now houses a museum exhibiting an eclectic collection evolved around slavery, which painfully portrays the legacies of the trade.

Apartheid

The city displays many memoirs to remind the world of the brutal period of apartheid that was legislated at the Parliament House during the post- World War II period. The first that poignantly draws visitors like in a pilgrimage, is the infamous Robben Island prison where leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and others fighting against the apartheid laws that imposed restriction on almost every movement of non-white citizens, were imprisoned for decades. The other, historically very significant is the St Georges Cathedral. Nobel Laureate Desmond Tutu used to keep hammering its doors, demanding that he should be made the country’s first black archbishop. Finally comes the iconic City Hall from the balcony of which Nelson Mandela spoke to the world immediately after his release from prison in February 1990. The classic Bathstone-made Edwardian building stands flanking the Grand Parade, a large courtyard, which was packed with thousands on that day to hear their leader say “Forgive, but not forget”.

Modern Cape Town

After the dark period of apartheid, Cape Town began booming as a sought-after travel destination in the region, not just because of its natural grandeurs, but equally for showcasing the contributions from its early settlers – the Dutch, British, Indonesians and Indians, immediately apparent in its diverse architecture, culture and religions.

Its modern-day menu card includes plush accommodation, an eclectic variety of cuisine, endless shopping opportunities and hordes of things to do and see that richly reward even a conservative visitor. With enough adrenal-rushing activities, from abseiling to paragliding, as well as more relaxed outings to expansive beaches, nearby vineyards and many city museums, quaint markets and trendy shops, the city easily fills an extended visit. The Victoria & Albert Waterfront, is a popular hotspot for visitors with high-class shopping, eating and drinking in a highly picturesque setting among piers and quays of a working harbor. It’s also the embarkation point for the journey to the notorious Robben Island.  The City’s two main historic thoroughfares, Adderley Street lined with handsome buildings from several centuries and Long Street, where graceful coexistence of old and new is the dominant feature, flank the Taj hotel on both sides, and surely deserve a leisurely stroll along their pathways to pick up some of the Captonians trendy lifestyles from past and present.

Natural splendour

Besides the city’s stunning architectural display and plush ambiance, the other image that engrosses every visitor is savouring the Table Mountains – a landmark synonymous with the city as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris, or Big Ben to London. 

For the city’s indigenous population it is known as the “Mountain of the Sea” and for Nelson Mandela, it was a shining beacon of freedom and hope. For millions of visitors, which includes a long list of celebrities such as King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II, the mountain’s 1085m summit offers an amazing natural backdrop for the city below.

It is truly a hikers paradise, though the flat-topped mass today can easily be reached by cable cars which feature revolving floors to allow a 360-degree grand view. When at the top, be prepared to be surrounded by patches of fluffy balls of clouds, which according to a popular legend are the result of a smoking contest between a Dutch pirate and the devil, both of whom have been smoking ever since.

Multiculturalism

After being elected as the nation’s first black President in 1994, Nelson Mandela said, “For it was here at this Cape, over three centuries ago, that there began the fateful convergence of the peoples of Africa, Europe and Asia on these shores.”

Today over 3 million Africans, Asians and Europeans have made Cape Town their home, giving its rich urban texture a strong cosmopolitan character, perhaps more European than typical African. Among the quirky mix of historical and modern buildings, you will spot Cape Dutch houses, Moravian churches, Georgian mosques, Victorian terrace houses and Islamic minarets crowding the townscape. 

In the adjacent Bo-Kaap quarter, you see brightly coloured Dutch and Georgian terraces concealing a labyrinth of alleyways which are arteries of the Muslim community who are descendants from dissidents and slaves brought by the Dutch, from Indonesia and India in the 16^th and 17^th centuries. There are ten mosques scattered in the small district, the 1795-built Auwal Mosque being the most significant one

Indian links

The city has a long time empathy with India. In the 18th century, Indians were shipped here to work in sugar fields; they never went back and their descendants call Cape Town home. During apartheid, Indians were treated no differently from other non-white Africans. Today they have become Capetonians, but haven’t washed off their cultural roots, heritage and traditions which still thrives in temples, mosques and numerous eateries serving rotis with spicy curries. Mahatma Gandhi, who spent 21 years of his life in South Africa, stamped his footprints here as well; in 1914, he left permanently for India from this city.

City of many names

Cape Town is often referred by other names such as “Tavern of the Seas” or “Cape Grab”, but the most commonly used one is Mother City and the locals jokingly say this name derives from an old notion that it takes almost nine months for something to happen in the city.

It’s not true as within days you, like me, will fall in love with the charms of the city.

TRAVEL NOTEBOOK

Getting There South African Airways (www.flysaa.com) have flights from Sydney (code-shared with Qantas) and Perth to Cape Town via Johannesburg. There are flights from Johannesburg to Mumbai, so a feasible option to tour South Africa can be en-route to India as well.

Accommodation Staying at the Taj Hotel (www.tajhotels.com) means you are in the centre of all the iconic sites that comprise Cape Town’s blend of fascinating history, exotic culture, soulful art, lively entertainment, delectable cuisine and buzzing street life. Do not miss dining at their Bombay Brassiere Restaurant after a rejuvenating experience at the Jiva Spa, that offer a spectrum of authentic, traditional Indian wellness treatments

Tour Operator Contact Wildlife Safari Consultants (Ph:0418443494) for all your travel arrangements in South Africa

More information  Check Cape Town Tourism (www.capetown.travel)

“Right step, right step, right step, back, now forward and turn. You have it!” With considerable patience, Rosa had been teaching me and my fellow passengers how to do the Poco Poco dance, a traditional dance performed by the Iban tribes people of Sarawak, on the island of Borneo. Earlier that day I had also honed my skills in using a blowpipe, and although Rosa is an accomplished dancer, you could tell from the look in her eyes that she knew she would impress us by demonstrating her skill at hunting by using the blowpipe. She had walked slowly, then turned quickly, put the blowpipe to her pursed lips, took aim at the balloons bobbing about in the breeze and popped them all in rapid succession. None of the passengers, except “Stoney” from Alaska, had ever hunted before, let alone used a blowpipe. Rosa Minggu was the Administrator on the Orient Pandaw and she, like many of the crew, is local Iban.

My journey began in Sibu, a port city much as I remembered it; predominantly Chinese with a busy produce market, historic shop houses and a bit edgy, as a city with attitude should be.

I was travelling upstream on an 8 night journey from Sibu to Kapit and back down to Sarikei on the Rajang River, which at 563 kilometres, is the longest river in Malaysia. Borneo has one of the world’s most diverse eco systems and its rainforest is home to a multitude of species of flora and fauna.

Twenty years ago I did the same journey, expecting to find an old colonial paddle steamer such as Joseph Conrad might have found. Instead, I experienced hell-raising journeys in express boats built like space capsules that go at breakneck speed, with Tommy Lee Jones action movies blaring in the background. In Kapit, I has found an old cafe with antique Chinese marble top tables and sat near an Iban elder. He said one day I would come back. Since then, I’ve often thought about that cafe and the old man.

The Orient Pandaw commenced journeys on the Rajang River last year. Beautifully hand-finished in brass and teak, with rattan furnishings and an informal colonial ambience, it cruises at a leisurely pace. The Rajang is muddy brown with a swift current and the 360 degree Observation Deck on board allows you to view the lush tropical rainforest up close. You can view Iban longhouses that comprise a row of attached dwellings under one roof, small riverside towns and piers with boats moored. And this is exactly how I had imagined the trip should be all those years ago. Finally, I was living the dream.

The Irrawaddy Flotilla Company established in Myanmar (Burma) in 1865 by Scottish merchants was once the largest privately owned river fleet in the world. Tragically, all the steamers were destroyed during WWII, but in 1995, Paul Strachan, a Scottish historian set about rebuilding one of the original paddle steamers and established Pandaw Cruises. Since then, several Pandaw ships have been built based on the plans of the original paddle steamers.

My journey began in Sibu, a port city much as I remembered it; predominantly Chinese with a busy produce market, historic shop houses and a bit edgy, as a city with attitude should be. I caught the public bus from the long distance bus station to the wharf, dropped off my bag and set off for the market. Here I found a woman selling the largest banana I have ever seen.  On returning to the Orient Pandaw, I met my fellow passengers from Australia, United States, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Their ages ranged from 35 to the very determined Frances Higgins, who celebrated her 80th birthday onboard and outpaced most of us.

All the excursions were interesting, but some were exceptional. One morning, very early, we went by longboat to a creek very close to the shore and were able to observe daily life, people taking their produce to market by boat, hanging up washing, chatting together. Another highlight was our visit to Melanau village famous for its Songket weaving workshop, that counts the Sultan of Brunei among its clients. The women here were friendly and demonstrated how Songket is woven from gold and silver thread. 

I also enjoyed our visits to longhouses, Jandok and Nyuka. At Jandok we were welcomed by the Iban headman and given a traditional welcome of music, dance and rice wine. I was invited to dance, but do not think I did so well, as the children all laughed. At Nyuka, our visit coincided with a visit by the Minister for Social Development and other important guests, who had arrived to present awards to those who had excelled in community service. The Minister took time out to meet with us too.

On another day we had a beach picnic, with the Pandaw crew excelling at traditional Iban bamboo pot cooking (cooking fish or rice in hollowed out bamboo).

Near the Pelagus rapids as far upstream as the Orient Pandaw could go, we were transferred to a flat bottomed cargo boat and through turbulent swirling waters. The sky turned black and a tropical downpour left us all drenched. That was the only time I saw Frances Higgins looking less than elegance personified. Otherwise she managed four outfit changes per day, each perfectly suited to the occasion.

While I enjoyed the company of my fellow passengers, it wasn’t long before all of them soon slipped into a tropical torpor, falling asleep on the deckchairs with novels opened on their laps.

At Kapit, I went into the cafe I had visited 20 years ago. Neville Josef, the extremely obliging purser, arranged for a small boat to take me there. The cafe was unchanged but the rainforest trees that stood along the shoreline have long since gone to make way for a pier for the many express boats that are now found here.

We went on walks through rainforests, crossing small wooden bridges over creeks to view waterfalls. We wandered through river towns with historic colonial buildings, including Fort Silvia in Kapit built in 1880 to prevent tribal conflict between the Iban and Orang Ulu. At Fort Silvia, as our guide Louis Jap provided informative commentary, I began browsing through the visitors’ book. Under occupation, a previous Pandaw passenger had written “Gentleman, scholar and wit.” Another wrote “Professor Guru.”

This journey along the Rajang River was one that was both, relaxing and enjoyable, a heady mix of the tropics, good food and company, travelling at a leisurely pace. I was the only one who declined the exotic cocktails served each evening, mixed using several local spirits combined together and shaken with great fervour by our barman Aung Kyaw Myint from Myanmar.  

We were a long, long way from express boats and Tommy Lee Jones….

Getting there: Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia both offer flights from Kuala Lumpur to Sibu and Kuching. Singapore Airlines flies to Kuching from Singapore.  

Where to stay: One of the most delightful cities in South-East Asia, Kuching offers a glimpse of what other Asian cities were once like. Laid back, with Chinese shops, houses and historic colonial architecture, including the splendid Kuching Museum and the palace or Astana. The Esplanade along the Sarawak River is pleasant for an evening stroll. If coming from Australia, it is wise to spend several days in Kuching initially, to become acclimatised. The Hilton Kuching is the place to stay. 

Getting around: Sibu is 8 hours from Kuching by bus, just over 4 by Express boat, or a short flight away. The cruise onboard the Orient Pandaw commences and ends here.  

Information: Sarawak Tourism: Email: vic-kuching@sarawaktourism.com Website: www.sarawaktourism.com  

Tourism Malaysia: Level 2, 171 Clarence Street, Sydney. Email: malaysia@malaysiatourism.com.au or 355 Exhibition Street, Melbourne. Email: tmmelbourne@malaysiatourism.com.au Website: www.tourismmalaysia.com.au

For more information on the Orient Pandaw go to the website at www.pandaw.com

Beautiful Taal Lake

I am not a great fan of green salad, but the experience was gastronomically different when dining on a hot Sunday afternoon at the packed Sonya’s Garden Restaurant, located 60 km south of Manila, capital city of The Philippines in South East Asia.

Tucked in the rolling hills of Tagaytay and surrounded by lush green gardens, Sonya’s Garden is an extremely popular retreat for Manila residents and a great attraction for visitors like me, to soak in a serene and relaxing ambiance, while enjoying its culinary offerings, all of which are organic and homegrown – yes, including the tasty and tender bread which they bake.

The restaurant day and night serves a set menu which comprises of garden fresh salad garnished with mango, beans and eggs, bread, pasta topped with mushrooms, olives, chicken cream and salmon belly and dessert, all washed down with freshly squeezed green mandarin juice and tarragon tea. The especially made dressings and array of toppings and dips make the simple meal uniquely appealing.

About a decade ago, the establishment was started by entrepreneurial Filipino Sonia Garcia, who after spending most of her life as an expat in Europe and the US, decided to carve out a place in which she could reminiscent growing up in her grandmother’s country garden and living the art of “doing nothing”.

It’s perhaps that philosophy of doing nothing makes the atmosphere very relaxing, and even eating a salad becomes a wonderful experience. Whispering breeze, the sounds of water flowing from a fountain and leaves and flowers rustling, transforms it into a haven for those who are burnt out, stressed and want to get away from the complexity of city life.

After my meal, while exploring its natural alcove of gardens, vines and flowers, I was surprised to find a flowering Shefali tree, a species never heard to be seen anywhere outside Bengal.

Earlier that day, I visited a Honey Bee Farm (www.ilogmaria.com) and was highly impressed talking to the owner Joel Magsaysay whose 36 years of experience with bees includes making every effort towards their long term survival, as they are said to be fast disappearing from the planet. An interesting character, Joel calls himself a beekeeper, knows a lot about the benefits of beehive products and successfully uses them to make variety of household items – soap, shampoo, lotion, throat spray, creams, are just few of them. For all types of ailments he strongly advocates natural therapies such as the use of bee propolis, a powerful antioxidant to strengthen the immune system. He spoke so convincingly that I bought quite a few items from his farm store.

Manila Cathedral

Visitors throng these two locations during their day trip to Taal Lake and Volcano, a notable attraction of The Philippines. The lake, the nation’s third largest, surrounds the volcano, which when active towered over 5000m into the sky. Inside the volcano caldera there is yet another lake where visitors go for a therapeutic bath as the water is filled with medicinal properties. This semi rural area, filled with blue sky, lush green landscape and fresh air, attracts weary residents from Manila to take a break from their busy city life.

Simultaneously noble and squalid, Manila is a high-energy, avant-garde metropolis; though in some quarters poverty is in your face. It strikes one as being more Latin American than typical Asian, because 350 years of Spanish rule influenced Filipino culture and society profoundly.

During the last 100 years, history has accelerated in the archipelago nation through a dramatic sequence of events: the nationalist movement, war with US and subsequent American colonization, Japanese occupation, WW II devastation, independence, martial law, Marcos regime, the people’s revolution followed by series of presidents, Noy Noy Aquino being the latest.

From this, the Filipinos seem engaged in a confused, sometimes futile search of a national identity which perhaps, has led them to live within a jumble of cultures, a feature that strikes visitors as interesting. Almost everything belonging to the early settlers has been preserved – language, religion, cuisine and religion. The architectural setup is Latin American, street names are in Spanish, the religion is Catholic, the accent is Yankee and some of the cuisines have touches of Asia.

Built on the banks of Pasig River, Manila was established as a metropolis after Spanish conqueror Miguel Lopez de Legazpi laid claim to the land in 1571 and soon became an important hub of trade, commerce and culture in the region. To live exclusively away from earlier settlers, the Spaniards built a walled city called Intramuros, from which today’s modern Manila sprung forth. During the high noon of the Spanish rule, the quarter comprised of stone citadels, government buildings, palaces, residential houses, army barracks, schools and churches. Today its remains are the main draw card of Manila’s tourist trade.

Its pentagonal area of 64 hectares with high stone walls stretching over 4 kms gives visitors a taste of colonial Spain. Visit Casa Manila, a restored wealthy Spanish merchant’s house to get a feel of their lavish lifestyle, and meander through the grounds of Fort Santiago which has been the site for many bloody episodes and brutalities. Or visit the imposing San Augustine Church and the nearby Manila Cathedral to discover the origins of Catholicism in The Philippines, making it the only Christian nation in Asia.

During World War II, American bombing almost leveled Intramuros and whatever of surrounding Manila existed, to free the land from Japanese occupiers. Their physical presence declined in the last six decades, after The Philippines obtained full independence from the Americans in 1946. And according to many locals, a large proportion of public infrastructure was planned and added to the landscape during the (in)famous Marcos Regime, such as the Cultural Centre, International Convention Centre, Coconut Palace and Folks Art Theatre, the venue for 1974 Miss Universe contest. The Manila Film Centre where, during construction, 40 workers died in an accident, concrete was poured over the bodies rather than interrupt the schedule for the opening of the international film festival, was abandoned after two years and the massive building has since remained closed, allegedly of faulty construction, though some say because of the ghosts of the dead workers.

A unique attraction of Manila is the Chinese Cemetery, which is a town for the dead, complete with streets and houses, many of which are far more ostentatious than those of many living Filipinos. Some are two-story mausoleums with marble floors, kitchens, bathrooms, furniture, running water, electricity and even mailboxes, though one is not sure from where the mail arrives. Photos of the departed can be seen on the graves through ornamented wrought-iron gates. Families make regular visits, and especially on Sundays, a picnic-like atmosphere prevails.

Some of the other things that enthuse tourists in Manila are watching the stunning sunset at Manila Bay, wandering through the manicured gardens of Rizal Park after spending a few moments in front of the memorial of Jose Rizal, the father of the nation who was executed by the Spanish rulers in 1896. One could hop through the artefacts in the National Museum and Ayela Museum, get lost in mega shopping malls like the Mall of Asia and Greenbelt, ride on colorful Jeepneys, and after dark, cautiously explore the neon-drenched quarters of Ermita and Malate.

 Getting There
 Philippine Airlines (www.philippineairlines.com) from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Call 9279 2020 in Sydney, 9600 2898 in Melbourne and 3236 2044 in Brisbane for details.

Getting Around
Taxis, cheapest in South East Asia, are easily available, otherwise take Jeepneys, if you don’t mind rubbing shoulders with locals.

Accommodation
The elegant Manila Peninsula Hotel (www.peninsula.com) at Makati and when there, don’t miss out on having a meal at their Spice Restaurant.

Visa Australian Passport holders get visas on arrival, other nationalities must check with Philippines Embassy in Canberra
(www.philembassy.org.au)

Currency and Exchange Rate
Philippine Peso with 1 AUD = 40 Peso

Specials www.specialistholidays.com.au
More information  www.philippinetourism.com.au

The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque is especially spectacular as the day’s last sun beams illuminate its golden dome.

When historian Antonio Pigafetta, a senior crew member with Ferdinand Magellan during his first circumnavigation of the world, stood on a forested riverbank overlooking Kampong Ayer nearly 500 years ago, he proclaimed that the vast water village spread out before him was the Venice of the East.  If Magellan and his men could return to the same spot in Bandar Seri Begawan, the tongue-twisting capital of Negara Brunei Darussalam, today they would still find homes of wood resting on river-washed stilts.

A visit to the world’s largest water village, I discovered earlier this year, is indeed an eye-opening experience.  Some 3000 dwellings have been built on sturdy pilings pounded into the Brunei River.  These are home to about 20,000 people – about a third of the capital’s population – who live in mostly all-wood structures.  Rustic though they may be they nonetheless benefit from basic services like running water and electricity.  Most also have large and luxurious living areas accented with air conditioning, plasma televisions, internet access and colourful furnishings.  That’s on the inside.

On the outside some residents take pride in home ownership and have painted their residences in bright colours and fronted them with boxes of blooming flowers.  Others have left the forces of nature to ‘decorate’ the bare timbers.

While appearances widely differ, virtually everything nowadays is built on concrete stilt foundations and interconnected by a maze of timber paths and trestles.  The walkways link homes with schools – complete with sports grounds – shops, medical clinics, police posts, mosques and restaurants.  Virtually everything that can be found in the capital city opposite the water village is available … except an airport.  As speed boats – locally known as water taxis – ‘fly’ passengers between the city jetty and the water village opposite or between various communities settled along the river bank, I reckon they didn’t need one!

Though Kampong Ayer was first seen by Europeans in 1521, the water village is much older than that with the first settlement of Brunei Malays on Borneo Island recorded between the second and four centuries. Chinese Buddhists and Hindus from India followed.  There’s solid evidence that Bruneian merchants were bartering with Chinese traders as early as the 6^th century.  (Early historians refer to Brunei as being “45 sailing days away from China”.)  By the 15^th century Kampong Ayer was an important commercial centre of Borneo.

Speed boats called water taxis convey locals and visitors across the Brunei River to the mazelike Kampong Ayer.

Situated on the north central coast of the island of Borneo – Asia’s largest island – between the Malaysian states of Sarawak to the west and Sabah to the east and north of the Indonesia province of Kalimantan, Brunei continues to be an economic powerhouse producing one commodity much in demand by the entire world.  The tiny nation is an oil industry giant and one of the world’s largest exporters of liquefied natural gas.

In the 21^st century, foreign and guest workers are the mainstay of the Bruneian labour force.  Topping the list are skilled and semi skilled tradesmen coming from Malaysia.  There is a sizeable Indian community however, as I encountered Indian tailors, barbers and, of course, cooks along Jalan Sultan, one of the main streets in the central city. 

Several mornings I feasted on idli and dosa prepared by cooks who weren’t too busy to tell me about their life back in Chennai many years ago.  The price was only a little more than I would have paid in the South Indian city but the taste was just as good.

Elsewhere when I went shopping for shoes, a female cashier took my Brunei Dollars (on par with Singapore Dollars) and thanked me in English spoken with a Filipino accent.  I also encountered Chinese shopkeepers who spoke to fellow employees in various dialects but to visitors in English.

Brunei is both opulent and old fashioned.  I had seen the latter during a leisurely stroll around Kampong Ayer as well as when I browsed through some of the older musty shops in the central city.  For opulence I didn’t even have to look outside the CBD. 

The Sultan of Brunei’s amazing residence can be photographed from vantage points along the winding river.

The most spectacular mosque is not built on stilts in the Brunei River though the glittering dome of the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque can be seen from many places in Kampong Ayer.  Constructed in 1958, this striking sanctuary set in an artificial lagoon is located in the heart of the tidy but tiny capital on the northern side of the river. 

Brunei is a devout – yet tolerant – Islamic country with much of the nation’s devotion centred on this very impressive gold tile domed mosque.  Built of white Italian marble and dark granite, adorned with an interior mosaic made up of 3.3 million pieces of Venetian tiles and further graced with stained glass windows brought in from England, luxurious carpets flown in from Saudi Arabia and Belgium and massive chandeliers that shine like the sun, this place of quiet contemplation open to all is perhaps the most beautiful mosque I have ever seen. As I walked around the architectural masterpiece the dazzling combination of light, shadow, colour and shade made it appear as if it was from another world.      

The mosque is named after the father of the current sovereign. Today, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzadin Waddaulah is the 29^th ruler of one of the world’s oldest continuous royal dynasties.  (His regal lineage can, in fact, be traced back to the 14^th century.)

While many of the earlier sultans lived in Kampong Ayer, His Majesty, two wives and their children spend time in a 1788-room palatial palace perched on a hill overlooking the serene Brunei River. Rumoured to cost around US$350 million (A$388 million), the Istana Nurul Iman has a banquet hall seating up to 4000 guests.  The general public can view selected portions of the palace and meet with His Majesty but only during Hari Raya Aidilfitri, the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. 

The world’s largest residential palace, the planet’s biggest water village and an architecturally inspiring building are not the only stand-out attractions located in one of Asia’s smallest countries.  Bandar Seri Begawan has yet another world-class enticement.

The Brunei Museum is a further must-see lure because it superbly encapsulates the history and culture of the only sultanate in eastern Asia.  While there are galleries devoted to the indigenous people of the area, a gem in this jewel of a museum is the astonishing collection of jewellery, ceramics, silverwork and weaponry gathered from across the Islamic world.  This outstanding museum along with the numerous other unique attractions of the country I saw proved beyond doubt that Negara Brunei Darussalam (the abode of Peace) truly is a “Kingdom of Unexpected Treasures”.

Brunei Travel Notebook

Flights Singapore Airlines has nearly 100 flights a week from five Australia cities – Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth – to Singapore with convenient connections on five days a week to Bandar Seri Begawan. (SIA has four flights a day between Sydney and Singapore with the second A380 service commencing on October 31.)  Call Singapore Airlines on 13 10 11.  See www.singaporeair.com.au. 

 Accommodation  Located about 20 minutes outside the capital, the Empire Hotel & Country Club offers affordable gold-clad opulence with 423 lavish rooms and a mega infinity pool overlooking the South China Sea.  The resort also features a signature Jack Nicklaus designed golf course.  E-mail: res@theempirehotel.com.  See www.theempirehotel.com  

Travel Sunshine Borneo Tours can organise transfers and city tours as well as excursions to the superb Ulu Temburong National Park.  See www.sunshineborneo.com

Excursion Apart from its regal heritage, Brunei is an acknowledged ecotourism destination.  The 50,000-ha Ulu Temburong National Park abounds in wildlife including rare species like Sun bears and clouded leopards.  The park is only accessible by water taxi.  It’s an hour’s ride on the Brunei River from the capital to Bangar followed by a half hour coach ride to Batang Duri, the embarkation point for the cruise on the Temburong River. Sophisticated accommodation is available which enables visitors to undertake early morning and late evening escorted jungle walks through the pristine rainforest.

Tips Roving taxis are sparse but they are available on call from your hotel or near the bus terminus in the central city.  Always negotiate the fare.

Avis and Hertz both have rental desks at the airport for those wanting to pilot their own self drive explorations. 

Information:  Until a planned marketing representative office of the Brunei Tourism Board is set up in Australia log on to www.tourismbrunei.com