Have Perut Will Travel...: May 2023

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Sunday 21 May 2023

CENTRAL Market (Borneo Native Festival │Carol's Beading Project)

Borneo Native Festival is back!

We visited this festival exactly a year ago and were happy to visit it again.

Dubbed the "Weekend for the arts: Borneo Native Festival in KL, master printmaker celebrated" by The Star Publications, this year's festival now in its second edition, was held in conjunction with Sabah's Kaamatan and Sarawak's Gawai festivals, respectively. There was bound to be a joyous harvest festival mood for all Malaysians and visitors to enjoy.

Shopping was also on the cards as the indoor area of Central Market had been transformed into a crafts bazaar with all things traditional and contemporary Borneo, while workshops, forums, film screenings, food demos and fun competitions were set to take place throughout the festival.

"This festival is held to introduce the culture of the Borneo communities to the people of the peninsula, as well as to bring the Kaamatan Festival and Gawai Day celebrations to the Sabahans and Sarawakians who cannot return to their villages."

Sadly, the colourful Borneo Native Festival parade that was set to take place with the route taken being Dataran Merdeka to Central Market did not materialise.

We entered Central Market and walked its entire length then headed out the other end where there were even more stalls. The place was lively with a Bornean beauty pageant being held and we strolled along to visit each stall.

We eventually parked ourselves at the stall that we truly intended to visit all along, which was Caroline's. It was just a month ago that we first met Caroline at the Gateway @ KLIA2, and Cat was chuffed to bits. She made sure to take her time perusing each item on display before deciding on a few items, namely a couple of Kabo necklaces and some bracelets as well that came to RM220.00 (approximately USD48/EUR44).

We then bade Caroline farewell and left the festival site, with a promise to meet up with her again in August at NU Sentral!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Central Market (Pasar Seni) - https://goo.gl/maps/bzUo327XZcg73rXT9

SUNDAY Stroll (Dataran Merdeka, Central Market │ River of Life)

We're on a walkabout!

The last week was not kind to me as a few health issues flared up. As soon as I felt a little better we decided to go on a (what else?) walkabout. We read that the Borneo Native Festival was back, and again held at the Central Market (Pasar Seni).

We left our condo at noon and headed out onto Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. We walked the entire length of the street in relative peace since City Hall closes it off to traffic every Sunday. At the end of the street we walked across the intersection with Jalan Tun Perak, and continued south along Jalan Raja which was also closed off to traffic.

We walked past the iconic Sultan Abdul Samad Building and Merdeka Square (Dataran Merdeka) then turned left onto Jalan Lebuh Pasar Besar. We continued east until we reached the Masjid Jamek Lookout Point and walked across onto Jalan Hang Kasturi before eventually entering Central Market.

We spent almost an hour here taking in the sights of the Borneo Native Festival and met up with our favourite beadstress, Caroline.

All done with Central Market we walked out and had lunch at Taste of Medan at the Central Market Annexe building next-door. I had the Nasi Lemak with Chicken while Cat had the Nasi Lemak with Squid Sambal, and with a round of drinks our meal came to RM51.15 (approximately USD11/EUR12).

A little pricey by our standards, but it was the weekend, and we did not want to stray any further that we would have to.

We then took a stroll along the River of Life a.k.a. the Klang River headed north past the Kolam Biru and the Masjid Jamek Sultan Abdul Samad mosque. We then walked across Jalan Tun Perak and headed down Jalan Melayu before we turned right onto Jalan Masjid India. While I headed to the ATM machines at Maybank along Jalan Bunus Cat continued on headed to Haniffa Department Store to run an errand.

We met up again at Haniffa and headed home. Thus ended our Sunday stroll that garnered seven thousand steps. We will probably not be posting any blogs in the coming weeks as my day job will again consume all my time. Catch you all soon!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Havironia Music - https://goo.gl/maps/c3itMGWSg5Wbepk69

Sultan Abdul Samad Building - https://goo.gl/maps/NDumnjsefW48MmuHA

Merdeka Square (Dataran Merdeka) - https://goo.gl/maps/gPvgaU1VMmyUL8A79

Masjid Jamek Lookout Point @ River of Life

- https://goo.gl/maps/t5w9go8JGTfNL2JHA

Central Market (Pasar Seni)

- https://goo.gl/maps/bzUo327XZcg73rXT9

Taste of Medan (Central Market Annexe)

- https://goo.gl/maps/n4wFLxX9Xh74oexKA

River of Life - https://goo.gl/maps/uFWNLCtcsByZxean9

Kolam Biru - https://goo.gl/maps/mM9EXuJGanYUYF616

Masjid Jamek Sultan Abdul Samad - https://goo.gl/maps/ymjAtgShaEoc4LU68

Masjid Jamek LRT Station - https://goo.gl/maps/McA3Q5BzTSYnWYvr9

Flea Market Masjid India - https://goo.gl/maps/d1Q4i7JVgwbLSLqh6

Maybank (Jalan Bunus Branch) - https://goo.gl/maps/GxpLf2MFTCTCrkyw8

Haniffa Department Store - https://goo.gl/maps/heBiv4kUt561ERZd9

Friday 5 May 2023

FRIDAY Frolic (MAEPS │ Restoran Kader)

We're off to Serdang!

There was much hype surrounding this year's autoshow, that promised to "feature hundreds of the latest cars, EVs, motorbikes and technology showcases, taking place at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) from 4th to 7th May 2023."

We had originally planned to go yesterday (Thursday, 4th of May) but it was Wesak Day, a public holiday and we feared large crowds will swarm the autoshow. We bade our time and made plans to go today instead. We walked out of our condo to Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman where we caught a free GOKL Red Line bus and disembarked at the Muzium Negara stop.

We then caught an MRT train first to the Tun Razak Exchange station, then switched to another train headed to the UPM station where we hailed a Grab car to MAEPS. We spent about an hour or so at the autoshow and then hailed another Grab car to the Putrajaya Sentral MRT station where we caught a train to the Ampang Park station.

At Ampang Park we switched from the MRT to the LRT but mistakenly caught a train bound for Gombak when we should have caught the Kelana Jaya bound train. We switched trains and the Damai Station and eventually disembarked at the Masjid Jamek LRT station.

We walked a short distance to our favourite Banana Leaf restaurant at Lebuh Ampang, Restoran Kader where we had our usual banana leaf rice with Chicken Fried Varuval and Tenggiri Fried Fish. Together with a round of Masala Tea we took away a packet of rice with fried chicken and curry for Brendan as well as two more packets of the excellent Masala Tea our late late lunch came to RM66.50 (approximately USD15/EUR14).

We then walked into the store next door to replenish our stocks on incense. A very colourful store, we got RM15.00 (approximately USD15/EUR14) worth of incense. We then walked along the same alley we took earlier and got a couple bunch of Pisang Emas (Lady Finger bananas?) for only RM6.00 (approximately USD/EUR1). We then proceeded to walk back to our condo, as always taking the scenic route.

Do stay tuned as we plan to go on a market hunt next week!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
MAEPS Serdang - https://goo.gl/maps/eXmNKLfesoGG4E9P8
Restoran Kader - https://goo.gl/maps/S7kwwNmYSqYaTjw5A
Havironia Music - https://goo.gl/maps/TxggWHoYJ7fJTvzg9

MRT - LRT Train Rides (to MAEPS and Back)

We're riding the trains again!

We did a little research and found that taking the train from the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) MRT station to the UPM MRT station was our best bet to get to MAEPS. After a bus ride to the Muzium Negara MRT station we caught a Kajang-bound train and disembarked at the TRX MRT station. Here we caught the Putrajaya-bound train and disembarked at the UPM MRT station for a total fare of RM4.30 (approximately USD/EUR0.90).

We then hailed a Grab car to MAEPS for a fare of RM17 (approximately USD/EUR4), and after the autoshow hailed another Grab car to Putrajaya Sentral for a fare of RM13 (approximately USD/EUR3). We caught a Kwasa Damansara-bound train and disembarked at the Ampang Park MRT station for a fare of RM3.80 (approximately USD0.90/EUR0.80).

We exited the station and walked into the LRT station where we mistakenly caught a Gombak-bound train. We disembarked at the next station (Damai) and switched to the Kelana Jaya bound train and disembarked at the Masjid Jamek LRT station for a final fare of RM1.80 (approximately USD1/EUR0.40).

Thus ended our train hopping session, be sure to catch more videos of us riding KL's awesome public transport in the future!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

MALAYSIA Autoshow 2023

Malaysia Autoshow 2023!

We made the effort to get to MAEPS which just a few years ago housed the biggest Covid-19 quarantine centre in Malaysia. Once there we paid the entrance fee of RM15.00 via QR Code and were admitted in.

Before entering the exhibition halls we grabbed a light meal and drinks from the food trucks that lined the street outside. We entered Hall A, then Hall A1 and finally Hall C.

We hope you will enjoy the twenty minutes worth of footage from the autoshow. Truth be told, we felt a little let down as the autoshow was merely various car brands transplanting their showrooms into the exhibition halls. There were no concept cars, no new innovations and no "wow factor" at all.

We then left the exhibition halls and took a shuttle bus to the main entrance of MAEPS where we hailed a Grab car to the nearest MRT station. Would we recommend this autoshow to you? We're really on the fence on this one!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
MAEPS Serdang - https://goo.gl/maps/eXmNKLfesoGG4E9P8

Wednesday 3 May 2023

Midweek Romp (Mid Valley │ Kajang │ KL Sentral)

We're going on a walkabout!

After a stressful month at work I decided to take a week off to allow for my lower back to heal sufficiently. However midway through the week the walkabout itch reared its head, so we (as we always do) went out for an impromptu walkabout.

We left our condo at about nine in the morning and headed to Jalan Melayu for some breakfast at Jai Hind. We both had the Potato Paratha with a round of Masala Tea that came to RM15.00 (approximately USD/EUR3).

We then took a short walk to the Masjid Jamek LRT Station and got off at the Abdullah Hukum LRT Station. We then walked across the KL Eco City Link Bridge and into The Gardens Mall. We proceeded on into Mid Valley Megamall.

We spent some time browsing before having drinks at KOI Thé. Cat's Bubble Milk Tea and my Honey Milk Tea both cost RM12.40 each (approximately USD/EUR3). I then went for a potty break, after which we headed back to the Abdullah Hukum LRT Station. We were stopped by a curious couple who wanted to know more about the camera that we were using. I explained that we have a channel that they could watch for more details.

We caught the train and feeling adventurous we switched trains from the LRT to the MRT at the Pasar Seni hub. An hour later we arrived in Kajang, where we disembarked at the Stadium Kajang MRT Station to have lunch.

After running around in circles for a little bit we eventually made it to Restoran Sate Kajang Hj Samuri. We ordered 10 sticks each of Beef Satay and Chicken Satay, a plate of Nasi Himpit (rice cubes) each and a round of drinks.

Much to our dismay Haji Samuri has let his standards slip somewhat. The satay was cold, dry, and not grilled enough. The disappointing lunch came to RM42.10 (approximately USD/EUR9).

We then headed back to the Stadium Kajang MRT Station to ride the MRT to its last station, the Kajang MRT Station where we switched over to the KTM Komuter. Three quarters of an hour later we arrived at KL Sentral, and headed to the Parkson Store in NU Sentral that was holding a clearance sale. We got a bagful of clothes, then headed to MAX Fashion to get another bagful of work pants.

We then headed to the KL Sentral Monorail Station and eventually disembarked at the Bukit Nanas Monorail Station before catching a free GOKL Blue Line bus back to our condo.

Be sure to watch our upcoming video as we visit the Kuala Lumpur Auto show!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Restoran Jai Hind - https://goo.gl/maps/2SFYckG5ckHFMaNW8
KL Eco City Link Bridge - https://goo.gl/maps/9UA521GVQdgVSnkf6
Mid Valley Megamall - https://goo.gl/maps/YEr3bATTn5GpdwY46
Restoran Sate Kajang Hj Samuri - https://goo.gl/maps/XR5Kyzn9Uoq1PX3L7
NU Sentral Shopping Mall - https://goo.gl/maps/DYi84G1RpMdKkJLe7
Havironia Music - https://goo.gl/maps/JmR6TK8yRmMhg3NP9

Trains & Buses (LRT │ MRT │ Komuter │ Monorail │ GOKL)

KL's public transport is awesome!

Our train hopping session began at the Masjid Jamek LRT Station. A fare of RM1.90 (approximately USD/EUR0.40) got us to the Abdullah Hukum LRT Station where we walked across the KL Eco City Link Bridge and spent some time at Mid Valley Megamall.

We then returned to the Abdullah Hukum LRT Station to catch another train to the Pasar Seni hub where we switched to the MRT headed to Kajang. An hour later we arrived at the Stadium Kajang MRT Station for a total fare of RM4.80 (approximately USD/EUR1) and headed for lunch nearby.

After lunch we headed back to the Stadium Kajang MRT Station to ride the MRT to the end of its stop at the Kajang MRT Station for a fare of RM1.20 (approximately USD/EUR0.20) where we walked over to the Kajang Komuter Station. The Komuter train took us all the way back to KL Sentral for a fare of RM3.70 (approximately USD/EUR0.80).

This time we spent productive time shopping in NU Sentral, and armed with several bags of clothing we headed out to the KL Sentral Monorail Station. We eventually disembarked at the Bukit Nanas Monorail Station for a fare of RM2.70 (approximately USD/EUR0.60) before catching a free GOKL Blue Line bus back to our condo for a fare of RM0 (approximately USD/EUR0).

Thus ended our half day expedition around Klang Valley, be sure to catch more videos of us riding KL's awesome public transport in the future!