Miri – Part Three of Six

Miri Marriott Resort & Mandara Spa

My friend bring me to a new resort at Miri called the Marriott Resort and Spa. Yet again this is another new development after Miri become City earlier this year. It has a huge and luxurious lobby, but one thing that I’m not satisfied with is that it had no air-conditioner or fan to keep people cool. At the corner of the resort there is a campaign going on, is the HOPT CAMPAIGN organize by the Malaysia AIDS foundation, I think is something like the Red Ribbon Gala. They raise money by selling merchandise like mug, handmade goodies, t-shirt, and donation. There is a big board that had many people signature on, I also sign my signature on the board…I mean my blog address =)

The lobby is at first floor, and the spa is at ground floor, is called the ”Mandara Spa”. We entered the spa to get some information. At the reception we are welcome by an Indonesian girl, once we entered I can smell the exotic aromas of spices and fragrant blooms, plus the gentle sound of music. Immediately it give me a very relax feeling. Every staff at Mandara Spa is from Bali, Indonesia. The message girl, the message oil, the herbals, the aromatherapy, the accessories, everything are imported from Bali, Indonesia. The price range is from RM75 to RM863, this is indeed a very suitable place to breakaway from the polluted city, with no computers, no bosses, no car, no customers, and no worries.

After the spa is the swimming pool, there is a small restaurant near the pool. That night there is a pool side party going on; most of them are western countries people. Wish I can join them; and they are having a lot of fun. We rest at the couch and enjoy the atmosphere, the moonlight. How I wish now I was on holiday, I almost feel asleep when I lying on the couch. Pity that night doesn’t have any twinkle little stars, after shooting some shots; we went back to the lobby again to get something to eat.

There is a cake house called the ”Borneo Baking Co” , is sells many type of cakes. Beside cakes it also sells tea leaf with a variety of flavors to choose for. We wonder around the stall and I had bought a cheese cake for my friend, Marriott resort is a wonderful place to come for holiday. After Marriott then is good bye to Jersey and her friend, I had a good time. I still have a second date with…


In the signboard there are two seahorses that represent Miri, please go left to the hotel lobby.


Front view of Marriott hotel


The lobby with no air-con or fan


The Hope Campaign


The merchandise that use to raise money


My signature =) proof that I had been to the hotel before.


This water fountain is at the ground floor outside a very high class restaurant.


Mandara Spa with the tag line “You Deserve To Feel This Good”


Mandara is the 2004 SPAASIA CRYSTAL AWARD winner with the title Best Spa Group/Brand


I think this is the natural herbs that they use for aromatherapy


I keep on sniffing on this water, because I tough the fragrance smell is from here. But I’m wrong.


Jersey asking about the price, while the Bali girl listening.


This is one of the Ocean view Spa Suite with herbal steam and private outdoor area with bathtub, shower, and relaxation space.


This is woman favorite, the manicure and pedicure area.


People throwing a pool side party, the three of us just watch them from other side of the pool


Borneo Baking Co


A demo set cake and butter in front of the entrance


All the cakes are kept in a suitable temperature to maintain its freshness


At the back of the shop, they also sells merchandise like mug, bowl, plate, glass, and wine.


Bought a cheese cake for my friend, very delicious. I also give it a few bites


Bought some tea leaf for myself

Miri – Part Two of Six

This post actually need to go first, but I was so excited to show your guys the new park to I change the sequence a bit.

So before I went to Miri Park, my friends and I had dinner at a western food restaurant called the “Blue Ginger”. Upon entering the restaurant, I notice they painted one of the walls with seaside view, this had give customer a very unique feel that they are dinning at an exotic beach restaurant. With centimental background music the atmosphere is easy and relaxed. There are still plenty of empty seats as the time is still early. The waiter and waitress are very friendly, they greed us, open the door for us, and even show us to our seat. We wear very simple and casual but yet, still been treated nicely. This is the attitude they should adopt when doing business.

At Kuching, some of the restaurant and even shop they will judge you by your look / attire. If you look rich, no doubt you will get the VIP treatment, but if you dress casual then they will give you the “pls get out of here, we only serve rich people” looks. In this society why must they be so realistic, we are all same human beings.

For our dinner, we had order a beef fillet steak, a chicken schnitzel, and a tropical salad, and we share our food. Personally the chicken schnitzel is quiet tasty, it also come with a small bowl of tropical salad, but the beef required some chewing, and the meat does not have too much of the taste. For the tropical salad, the ingredients are tomatoes, cucumber, onions, and one big cabbage leaf. I don’t like vegetable much, but I did give it a try and it taste ordinary. We had to quickly finish our dinner, as I still have a second date tonight…


Blue Ginger, a very special and unique western restaurant at Miri


Yellow dim light, colorful table linen and chair


My table set


This is the wall that I was talking about, they also had a painting that is exactly the same as the wall, hanging on the opposite site.


The place where they make our drinks


my coke RM1.80


Sprite RM1.80 and Ice-lemon tea RM2.80


Tropical Salad RM6.00


Chicken Schnitzel RM16.00


Beef Fillet Steak RM26.00

Miri – Part One of Six

Since Miri had become a city earlier this year 2005, it is hard to believe that Miri had indeed change a lot. Each time when I went back to my hometown Limbang, I need to passby Miri but only transit at the Miri Airport didn’t visit the city.

The first night I was out to explorer the new face of Miri city, together with my old time buddy who stays at Miri. With almost half-an-hour car ride, my friend bring me to this new park called the “Taman Miri” aka Miri Park. Before we reach she asked me whether afraid of height of not. I was curious why asked that question, as when we reach our destination, I was shock that it is a park, but with a very long suspension bridge hanging in the mid air. I was so exited when I saw the bridge, I hurry set my camera ISO to 400 to have a faster shutter speed (that’s why most of my photos had a high noise level).

It is a public park so no entrance fees require, there is a place specially design for people to play skateboard. Upon walking on the suspension bridge, a big warning sign saying “Not More Than 10 Persons at Any One Time” this is for safety precaution, so that the bridge will not exceed its weight limits.

Underneath us is a big and beautiful park, it has a children playground and a public swimming pool. Yes, swimming pool, it is rarely a swimming pool in a recreation park. The suspension bridge had many station, and they stop at each station for me to take shoots on the beautiful night view. I had miscount the stations at the bridge, is like a mini size “Great Wall of China”.

When we reach the end of the bridge, I was sweating. The food that I ate was fully digested. =P On the end of the bridge (actually is the starting point as we start from the end), there are Malays and Chinese food stall. Beside the stall there is a water fountain, with four oil well spraying water out. We then walk up the tower beside the water fountain, on top of the tower we can have a bird’s eye view on the entire park.

All I can say is “WOW”…I wish Kuching will build more on this kind of park, so that next time I would have more places to go for dating. This is indeed a very beautiful park, and without a doubt it will become a fantastic tourist destination.


Welcome to Miri Park


The warning sign “Not More Than 10 Persons at Any One Time”


The recreation park under the bridge


There are also small pavilions in the park


That night my friend told me that the lights are not completely switch on, if not it would be a greater view.


During the day time water will flow here, it like a waterfall.


The swimming pool in the middle of the park


The oil well water fountain


Tower


Bird’s eye view at Miri Park from the tallest point of the tower


Wilson (Me), and Jersey, my old time buddy

Last Day at Sibu

Day Time View


Night Time View

Sibu – Day Three (Last Day)

On my last day at Sibu, I went to the night market near my hotel. At Kuching the night market only available on Saturday and Sunday but here the market operates every night. It starts at 5.00pm something, so after my 5.30pm work the time is just right for me.

I’m very hungry that time, as I only had a “kan pua” (noodle) for my lunch. Sibu is very famous for “kan pua” I think Sibu had the best and cheapest “kan pua” noodles. When I reach the night market, I start to buy the thing I like to eat. Beside selling food the night market also sales many others stuff like clothes, watches, daily usage, wallet, bags, umbrella, you name it, I think they have it.

After buying food, there is still enough time for me to rush back hotel to catch my Hong Kong series. I bought so many things with just around RM4.00 something, OMG! Is very cheap, at Kuching I cannot get this price. The food is not just cheap, but very tasty as well (or maybe because I am hungry that time). Anyway I seldom spend money on food without thinking, and this is the first time and it feels good. Actually I had bought a lot more, but if I post it all up you guys surely will think that I’m like a hungry ghost.

After my dinner, and Hong Kong series. I was very full and tired, wanted to sleep but can’t. After bath, my phone rang. It was my cousin brother, so I went out with him again to have my second round dinner. We went to a place where there is a lot of food stall selling western food, Malay food, and Chinese food. My cousin brother had order a lot for me, but I really cannot take it anymore so we waste a lot. Nowadays I had the habit of not wasting food, but that night I really cannot eat anymore, so I feel kinda bad on wasting those foods.

Overall, Sibu is really like a heaven of food. First is Cheap, second is Delicious, third it has so many choices. I’ll be coming back for more food when I have the chance.


Sibu night market


By the time I reach there is was only 6.00pm but it start to get crowded, a very happening place.


My lunch “kan pua” noodles RM1.70, I wanted to eat this since the first day I come to Sibu. A must eat item when come to Sibu.


Hot and delicious meat pao


Five items in one steam basket, I like the sio bi, three sio bi cost RM1.00


small pao, with white color, and purple color.


This is like a fast food stall, you choose which you like to eat and pay.


Don’t know the name, but in the middle is pork meat


Sio bi, my favorite


peanut cake


Abang Balik, another peanut cake


Don’t know the name, but taste nice.


Black soya bean drink RM1.00

Then that night my second round dinner with my cousin brother

This is char kuih


This one is special, is fish tauhu. Two thumbs up


Fried wages, we only eat 10%


My black paper lamb chop


Fried fish


sandwich

Tallest Building at Sibu

I think this might be the tallest building in Sibu, the San Yang Building. My co-worker told me that the building is a combination of shopping mall, and corporate office. Don’t know how it feels to have an office on the highest floor?


Took this shoot when I finish my work


Took this shoot when I go for shopping with my co-worker


The interior view of the building