Pulau Pinang and Pahang Flotilla of Magic of the Night 2015

Magic of the Night 2015 was held from 28 to 31 May 2015 from 5.00pm to 12.00midnight at Marina Putrajaya Waterfront.

My most favorite PULAU PINANG flotilla won top spot for the MOST CREATIVE FLOTILLA and the MOST POPULAR FLOTILLA. For the latter category, anyone can vote through either at the official Facebook page www.facebook.com/mymotac or the Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia Facebook page www.facebook.com/CutiCuti1Malaysia or onsite at the event at the Marina Putrajaya.

Pulau Pinang Flotilla  

This flotilla is truly in line with the Magic of the Night 2015’s theme of “Endless Celebrations”. It depicts the multi-racial celebrations like Hari Raya, Chinese New Year and Deepavali. Songs of many top local singers and musicians known regionally and internationally such as Tan Sri P.Ramlee, Dato Jimmy Boyle, the Alleycats and Dasha Logan are heard through the loudspeakers on the flotilla.

 

Pulau Pinang Flotilla

Pulau Pinang Flotilla

Boria performance is also showcased through the Tukang Karang dressed in traditional costume and holding an umbrella. There is also a trishaw carrying a Baba and Nyonya couple. Trishaw is one of the tourist attractions in the Pearl of the Orient.

Another favorite flotilla is from the PAHANG which portrays its Mother Nature at its best. With its own theme “Everglades Sacred Eco-Secret of Pahang”, this is a prelude to Visit Pahang in 2017.

Pahang Flotilla

Pahang Flotilla

Bebar Black Water Jewel, a peat swamp forest complex in Pekan town, is the largest peat forest in tropical Asia. If you are lucky, you may encounter migratory birds such as Lesser Fish Eagles, Grey-headed Fish Eagles and Wrinkled Hornbills, Flying foxes, Malayan Tigers, Asian Elephants and fresh water crocodiles.

Pahang Flotilla

Be amazed at the Storm Storks soaring above the bow of the boat, proudly showing their stout body, distinctive long neck and slender legs for wading. Beneath them is Malayan Ghairal with its belly crawling on the fallen trunk looking for its prey.

Magic of the Night is here to stay for 2016 and years to come. It is an eye opener to a spectacular backdrop of Putrajaya at night with its beautifully designed bridges, buildings and green parks

Endless Celebrations at Putrajaya's Magic of the Night 2015

Held for the 5^th consecutive year since 2011, this annual event organized by Ministry of Tourism and Culture (MOTAC), the theme for this year Magic of the Night is “Endless Celebrations”. Commence on 28 May 2015, visitors to this prestigious event sees 17 resplendent boats with 1 international participant from Suzhoum China, 13 states and 3 organizations (Tourism Malaysia, Perbandanan Putrajaya and Cruise Tasik). Each float depicts the diversity and richness of nature, culture and tradition of the state, country and organization.

The winners are ….

Overall best boat

1.       Sabah

2.       Suzhou China

3.       Pahang

Suzhou, China

Pahang

Best lighted boat

1.       Perbadanan Putrajaya

2.       Kelantan

3.   Selangor

 

Perbadanan Putrajaya

Kelantan

Most creative boat

1.       Pulau Pinang

2.       Terengganu

3.    Perak

Pulau Pinang

Most Popular

1.       Pulau Pinang

Other boats

Melaka

Perlis

Kedah & Johor

Negeri Sembilan, Perak & Pahang

Melaka, Kelantan & Pahang

See you next year for another splendor Magic of the Night !!!

Restaurant Orange, Crab burger and Crab Maggie at Wakaf Che Yeh

After the walkabout of Wakaf Che Yeh in Kota Bharu, my cousin, my friends from Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia (the participants of Jom Jelajah Koperasi Kelantan in June 2014) and I were attracted to the banner “Jom pakat try Maggie Ketam, sekali try teringat sokmo” (Let’s all try Crab Maggie, once you try you will always remember). That was how I was introduced to Restaurant Orange, Crab burger and also Crab Maggie.

Restaurant Orange is situated along the main road of Jalan Kuala Krai, Wakaf Che Yeh, not far from Old Town White Coffee Kopitiam and Holiday Villa Hotel and Suites Kota Bharu. The restaurant is an open air restaurant that can accommodate about 100 diners. The walls and pillars are painted orange in conjunction with the name Orange.

Besides the normal menu of rice dishes, noodles, fishes, meats and vegetables, there are also stalls that sell specialty foods such as Keropok Lekor, Fish Crackers (Keropok Kering) Mee Celup, Mee Combo special, Honey Chicken Rice (Nasi Ayam Madu), Eel Soup (Sup Belut), Mee Basah and varieties of burgers.  What attracted Awang, my Brunei friend, and I are the Crab kiosk that offers Crab Maggie (Maggie Ketam), 3 flavored Crab (Ketam 3 Rasa), Pepper Crab (Paprika Ketam), Chili Crab (Ketam Masak Merah), Ketam Singgang and Black-peppered Crab. He decided to try the Maggie Ketam. My choice was just Yellow noodle soup, nothing worth bragging. I am sticking to my diet that no heavy meal after 10.00pm. So far, so good!!

In the meantime, he ordered the Soft Shelled Crab Burger which arrived 10 minutes later. It looked very appetizing with a generous amount of mayonnaise, chili sauce and BBQ sauce on the burger and on top of the roasted sesame bun. For a balanced meal, a few shredded of lettuces were placed inside the bun and a few leaves as side items. After watching Awang gobbled the Crab burger within 5 minutes and two thumbs up sign from him, I knew that I must go on a quest for a Crab Burger in the Klang Valley, closer to home. 

  

Ten minutes later, the star dish Crab Maggie was ready. In the bowl, there were three prawns and 1 ½ huge crabs complete with its shells and claws. The price RM 30.00 is worth it. For light eaters, two or three people can share this bowl of Crab Maggie. 

My cousin gave a tip to eat the Crab Maggie – eat the noodle first before it thickens. Crab claw cracker is also available to extract the cooked crab meat inside the claw.

This time I tasted the noodles and its soup. The Maggie noodles were springy as it should be. It was perfect timing between cooking in the Curry broth and serving the Crab Maggie. Well done, Chef!! I really liked the well-balanced taste of its broth with its spicy crushed Bird’s eye chili (Cili padi) and coarsely chopped red chili (Cili hidup), fragrant yellow Bombay onions, aromatic coriander leaf (daun ketumbar), sauteed mustard leaf (sawi hijau) and a sprinkle of thinly sliced spring onion (daun bawang).

She told us that there are some other restaurants that sell Crab Maggie

1. Alemy Maggie Ketam at Bangunan MDPP, Jalan Pasir Putih, Cherang Ruku, Pasir Putih. Tel: 019-958 4657, 012-952 4657 Open daily 5.00pm – 2.00am
2. D’SyaZ Café Maggi Ketam at Jalan Pantai Cahaya Bulan, Kota Bharu Tel: 013-943 5050 (Kak Zah), 019-962 5390 (Abe Di), Open daily 4.00pm – 3.00am
3. D’Lah Maggi Ketam at Hadapan Kem Kijang, Jalan Pauh Sembilan, Bachok Tel: 017-909 6421
4. Nick Café Maggi Ketam at Jalan Tok Hakim, Kota Bharu
5. Relas Café Maggi Ketam at Kg Kutan, Pasir Pekan
6. Indra Tomyam at Kampung Pasir Pekan. Abang Ju 017-887 4702 Open daily 1.30pm – 1.30am

Kota Bharu the Islamic City with Dates trees and Wakaf Che Yeh

During the Jom Jejalah Koperasi Kelantan program in June 2014, the nights are free to discover the night life of Kelantan. My friends and I were taken by my cousin to see the Dates trees and to shop and eat at Wakaf Che Yeh.

In 2007, 37 Dates trees were planted at Bulatan Medan Tuan Padang, popularly known as the Big Clock Roundabout (Bulatan Jem Besar) as ornamental plants in line of its new identity as an Islamic city. Since 2011, surprisingly 10 trees started fruiting, attracting the attention of many. Ever since then, the biggest roundabout in Kota Bharu has become a tourist attraction and a favorite hangout amongst the locals especially during the weekends and at night. 

Bulatan Medan Tuan Padang / Bulatan Jem Besar

The Big Clock at this famous roundabout

I am just a visitor !!

Currently this famed site is unprotected with high walls or security guards, the local authorities welcome everyone to see the trees and dates and to eat the fallen fresh ripe dates. They forbid the visitors to thrust any sharp objects to the fruits and to climb the trees.

The Dates trees at Bulatan Medan Tuan Padang / Bulatan Jem Besar

Wakaf Che Yeh is an open air night market located about 4 kilometers from Kota Bharu city. Actually this place is a wholesale market in the early morning, a wet market in the late morning and a night market after the sunset. Due to its popularity, this small town has progressed well for the past ten years that local authority has upgraded the market area. Nowadays there are hotels, business buildings, eateries, McDonald restaurant and petrol kiosk in its quarter acre vicinity.

The businesses at Wakaf Che Yeh market are open all year round. The peak hours are weekends and school holidays when many of the stalls stay open until 2 to 3am. During the Eid Mubarak eve, they closed at sunrise for the benefits of the huge crowds who await the massive discounts on all merchandises. 

 

Perfumes & Clothes

Head Scraves

There are stretches of stalls selling clothes for gentlemen as well as ladies, head scarves, football jerseys, home accessories, car accessories, perfume, bundled shoes, CD, DVD, watches, handbags, towels, comforters etc. Don’t be deceive as all the goods are imitation especially watches and perfumes.

 

Traditional snacks

Fruits stalls

Here are a few tips from by my cousin

1. If the traffic jam is very bad, park outside the Wakaf Che Yeh archway. Make sure you also use steering lock because there are lot car thefts in these areas. If you find parking space within the vicinity, there is a fee of RM 2.00 per entry during the peak hours.
2. If you have ample time, it is best to shop at the Free Trade Zones of Rantau Panjang or Pengkalan Kubor where things are cheaper. Rantau Panjang is located about 40 kilometers from Kota Bharu city at the Kelantan-Thailand border. The shops are open from 8.00am to 6.00pm. Whereas the fenced shopping areas with only one main entrance at Pengkalan Kubor is opened from 8.30am to 5.00pm. It is situated in Tumpat district. Parking is limited and the customs are stricter. It is said the wares at the Rantau Panjang are of wider choice and cheaper than Pengkalan Kubor.
3. If you intend to buy original tudung bawal and fabrics, it is best to buy at the shop lots at Wakaf Che Yeh. Otherwise you can shop in comfort at Bazar Tok Guru, Jalan Bayam, Kota Bharu or Pasar Besar Siti Khadijah, Jalan Ping Pong, Kota Bharu.

Soft Shelled Crab Burger

We had late dinner at Restaurant Orange, Wakaf Che Yeh. I wrote the food and restaurant review in the next entry. There are more food, restaurant and recipe in my other blog – http://www,wanfoodmalaysia.wordpress.com.=