WHY YOU NEED TO VISIT ASIA: Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

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PHILIPPINES

THAILAND

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SINGAPORE

Singapore Nightlife: Nightlife with Hot Spots

At night time, Singapore practically transforms itself from an ever-so-efficient business hub to a buzzing network of bars and nightclubs. Busy executives loosen their ties and kick up their heels to the sound of jazz swing in at Harry's Bar along Boat Quay, and earnest students-by-day let down their hair for some laid-back bar-hopping at famous Mohammed Sultan Road.

In the past decade, bars and nightclubs have blossomed in a big way in the Lion City. Long labeled as an over-protected nanny state where its well-behaved inhabitants just don't know how to have fun, partying the night away has become a norm. Many of the bars and clubs have taken on a unique Singapore or Southeast Asian character; you'll find restored Chinese god owns pumping out rap or retro, trendy bars of glass-and-steel exteriors and buddhist temple-style interiors, historic drinking dens that will you bring back to the days of the Raj.

BOAT QUAY & CLARKE QUAY

Boat Quay and Clarke Quay are dotted with restaurants as well as pubs, so the mood here is slightly laid-back and the crowd mixed. Patronised by serious party-goers, but also people just out for a pint after work, couples chatting over a leisurely dinner, and tourists. The pubs are old Chinese god owns and shop houses given a heartening face lift.

ORCHARD ROAD

This famous shopping belt also harbours some great clubs. Venom (Pacific Plaza Penthouse, 9 Scotts Road, 7347677) boasts a state-of-the-art dance floor and a sweeping view of Orchard Road. The theme changes every night, and the music ranges from pop to retro to house. The crowd -- well-heeled and chic.

MOHAMMED SULTAN ROAD

In the past few years, this once-forgotten back alley has taken on legendary proportions. Once a ramshackle row of old Chinese god owns, the street has been transformed into a vital, throbbing artery of Singapore's nightlife. The god owns have retained their colourful Peranakan facades, and many of the bars in this area have adopted a Shanghai-Old World type of interior.

ZOUK

Any review of the Singapore club scene should begin with Zouk (17, Jiak Kim Street, 7382988). This hugely popular club, which has been compared with some of the best in Europe, plays mainly House music to a mostly young crowd. Zouk's music is spun by its seven resident DJs, while regular live acts from visiting artistes - such as Galliano, Chemical Brothers, Heart and Kylie Minogue -- are an added draw.

LONG BAR

No list of Singapore nightspots would be complete without a mention of the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel. Housed in the historic Raffles Hotel, this is where the Singapore Sling, the island's most famous cocktail, was invented. The decor, in line with that of the hotel, is high-class colonial. Old-style fans flap about on the ceiling (although now they're automated, not pulled by some poor servant), and you're encouraged to throw your peanut shells on the floor -- they're there to add to the planter's ambiance.

It's convenient to go bar- and club-hopping in Singapore, as the golden triangle of nightspots -- Zouk - Mohammed Sultan - Boat Quay -- are all a short taxi hop from each other. Be warned, on Friday and Saturday nights the clubbing herd comes out in full force and you may have to call for a taxi to avoid waiting in queue. Drinks - including beer -- are fairly expensive in Singapore. Most bars have happy hours, where drinks are at a sharp discount or standard drinks like vodka tonic are on one-for-one offer. Wednesday night is Ladies Night at many bars, while some bars and clubs mark out one night of the week with a special dance or music theme. The bars serve finger food, some offer the usual pub grub like fish and chips or spring rolls, while the trendier ones have sushi or teppanyaki on their menus. If you're hungry for a real meal after all that clubbing, there's usually an Indian roti prata stall, hawker centre or coffee shop open nearby. The Newton Circus hawker centre is alive all night, while many hotels have coffee houses that welcome the tired and hungry until the wee hours of the morning.

MALAYSIAN FOOD: A Diversity of Sumptuous Selection.

Malaysia cuisine is extremely diverse. Each racial group has contributed to the great Malaysia gastronomic heritage. Generally, Malay and Indian cuisine are spicier while Chinese cuisine is milder in taste. There are also cuisines of other ethnic groups, and a growing range of international cuisines. To add to appeal, eating out in Malaysia is relatively inexpensive. Most tropical fruit is available in Malaysia as demand for fruit is quite high.

Chinese Food: When people in the West speak of Chinese food, they probably mean Cantonese food. It's the best known and most popular variety of Chinese food. The food are usually stir-fried with just a touch of oil to ensure that the result is crisp and fresh. All those best known 'western Chinese' dishes fit into this category - sweet and sour dishes, won ton, chow mein, spring rolls.

Dim sum is usually consumed during lunch or as a Sunday brunch. Dim sum restaurant are usually large, noisy affair and the dim sum, little snacks that come in small bowls, are whisked around the tables on individual trolleys or carts. As they come by , you simply ask for a plate of this or a bowl of that. At the end the meal you are billed is the amount of empty containers on your table. With Cantonese food the more people you can muster for the meal the better, because dishes are traditionally shared so everyone will manage to sample the greatest variety. A corollary of this is that Cantonese food should be balance: traditionally, all foods are said to be either Yin (cooling) - like vegetables, most fruits and clear soup; or Yang (heaty) - like starchy foods and meat. A cooling food should be balance with a heaty food and too much of one it would not be good for you.

Beijing (Peking) food is, of course best known for the famous 'Peking Duck'. Beijing food are less subtle than Cantonese food. Beijing food is usually eaten with hot steamed bun or with noodles, because rice is not grown in cold region of the north. But in Malaysia, it is more likely to come with rice.

Shanghai food are not easily found in Malaysia. Since most of Malaysia's Chinese are from the south, particularly from Hainan and Hakka it is quite easy to find food from this region. Throughout Malaysia one of the most widespread economical meal is the Hainanese Chicken Rice which cost around the figure of RM3.00. The Hainanese also produced steamboat, sort of Oriental variation of the Swiss Fondue, where you have a boiling stockpot in the middle of the table into which you deep pieces of meat, seafood and vegetable.

Indian Food: Indian influence in Malaysian cuisine started in the 19th century when large arrivals of Indian migrants were brought into the country as contract laborers to work in rubber estates and on the railways. Some did take the opportunity to set up trade in the textile and food industry. Indian cuisine can be divided into two mainstreams, Northern and Southern Indian cuisine.

North Indian cuisine boasts of a diet rich in meat and uses spices and ingredients such as yogurt and ghee in dishes that are elaborate without being overly spicy.Chapati (wheat-flour pancakes) replaces rice, which is the center of most South Indian meals. Coconut milk, mustard seeds, and chilies are also widely used in the Southern province.

Local Indian hawkers have created unique versions of local dishes, which are not found in India. For example, "mee goreng" is a combination of fresh Chinese yellow noodles, tofu, bean-sprouts, and dried shrimp paste. Malaysia also abounds with shops offering "Nasi Kandar", which is basically a combination of Malay and Indian cuisine - hence very Malaysian - although the taste is more robust. This concept came about when "nasi" (rice) hawkers would previously "kandar" (balance a pole on the shoulder with two huge containers on both ends) their wares.

Tandoori dishes are the most popular main courses in North Indian restaurants. Tandoori chicken is always a favorite, where a whole baby chicken or chicken quarters are roasted in the clay oven for several hours in advance and then finished off on the barbecue.

Malay & Nyonya Food: Variety is the spice in Malay food. The traditional culinary style has been greatly influenced by the long-ago traders from neighboring countries, such as Indonesia, India, the Middle East, and China. Malay food is often described as spicy and flavorful as it utilizes a melting pot of spices and herbs.

One of the most unique Malay dishes is the "roti jala" (lacy pancakes), which sometimes replaces the staple rice. Roti jala is an ideal accompaniment to any dish with lots of rich gravy and is often served during special occasions. It is made from a mixture of plain flour and eggs, with a pinch of turmeric powder and butter. Desserts are a must for any Malay meal. Easily available at most local restaurants and roadside stalls, Malay desserts are invariably very sweet and include ingredients such as coconut milk, palm sugar, and flour.

YUMMY LAKSA: It Gives Me Not Just Satisfaction But also Perspiration.

You wont be able to say that you have been in Malaysia or Singapore without trying to taste their famous LAKSA (a curry noodle). Usually you wilbe able to find these sumptuous noodle soup along Jalan Petaling in the heart of the China Town and every mamak areas where you can order it hot.

Laksa is a popular spicy noodle soup from PERANAKAN culture also known as Baba and Nyonya, which is a merger of Chinese and Malay elements found in malaysia and Singapore. The term laksa is used to describe two different types of noodle soup dishes: curry laksa and assam laksa. Curry laksa refers to noodles served in coconut curry soup, while assam laksa refers to noodles served in sour fish soup. Usually, thick rice noodles also known as laksa noodles are preferred, although thin rice vermicelli (bee hoon or mee hoon) is also common and some variants use other types.

It’s a funny thing, Laksa. At risk of incurring the wrath of Malaysians, it’s a little like creamy soup, only more pungent and has a pleasant sourish tang. It’s not as over the top fiery as tom yam, so the spiciness doesn’t hit you like a locomotive, but it does have a peculiar way of getting under your skin.

Variants of curry laksa include:

• Laksa lemak, also known as nyonya laksa (Malay: Laksa nyonya), is a type of laksa with a rich coconut gravy. Lemak is a culinary description in the Malay language which specifically refers to the presence of coconut milk which adds a distinctive richness to a dish. As the name implies, it is made with a rich, slightly sweet and strongly spiced coconut gravy. Laksa lemak is usually made with a fish-based gravy and is heavily influenced by Thai laksa (Malay: Laksa Thai), perhaps to the point that one could say they are one and the same.

• Laksam, a speciality of the Northeastern Malaysian states of Kelantan and Terengganu, is made with very thick flat white rice flour noodles in a rich, full-bodied white gravy of boiled fish and coconut milk. Though usually made of fish flesh, it i sometimes made with eels. Traditionally laksam is eaten with hands rather than with eating utensils due to the gravy's thick consistency.

• Katong laksa (Malay: Laksa Katong) is a variant of laksa lemak from the Katong area of Singapore. In Katong laksa, the noodles are normally cut up into smaller pieces so that the entire dish can be eaten with a spoon alone (that is, without chopsticks or a fork). Katong laksa is a strong contender for the heavily competed title of Singapore's national dish.

Try it and enjoy!!! Visit Malaysia and Singapore and try it for your self.

PASALUBONG from MARINDUQUE: Things I Bought From Mariduque When I Returned Back HOME.

NOW I WILL BE LEAVING MARINDUQUE, so with the limited time I have, I roam around the center of the town. I went to BOAC CENTRAL MARKET and some Souvenir Shops in the town.

As a FILIPNO TRAIT of giving PASALUBONG (presents) when you are returning back home from travel. You are obliged to bring back some presents. So I decide to buy some pasalubong and the best thing I could ever buy from here is the Bagoong ng Marinduque or Bagoong Boac as the local call it. Unlike your regular shrimp paste Bagoong Boac, if I remember right, is made of fish and is more liquid than paste. but its the best especially with mangoes, believe me!

Then I went to some shop and found an Arrowroot Cookies which are Marinduque's specialty with the Rejano's Bakery brand the more known. Although the bakery is located in Sta. Cruz their product can be found in all areas of Marinduque and can be bought at the local markets or in souvenir shops. Packaging comes in different sizes: small, medium and large. the ones in the picture are medium-sized and if you are looking to buy more you can choose to buy those packed in cans. they're very tasty and one of my favorites to buy whenever I'm in Marinduque. For a medium-sized pack expect to pay P68.00.

ACCESS to MARINDUQUE.

Marinduque Island can be accessed by a number of Ports and by Air via Gasan Airport.Currently, Marinduque is served with a direct flight to and from Manila with Zest Airways (Formerly Asian Spirit), the aircraft lands at the Marinduque Airport in barangay Masiga, roughly in betweenGasan and Boac.

Marinduque can be reached by a number of ports from Lucena City, on the Mainland (Luzon). Balanacan Port, Cawit Port or Buyabod Port are the ports of call for Marinduque Island. If you are to reach Marinduque from Manila, you must take a bus or similar to Lucena City then take a Ferry/Boat from Lucena to one of the ports listed above. Currently Montenegro Lines (MSLI) serves routes from Lucena to Marinduque, but a few others do have a sheduled routes to Marinduque. Marinduque does have direct Bus service from Manila to Marinduque, you must purchase a bus ticket from one of the cities (Manila and Surrounding areas) that is direct to Marinduque. This means the bus will drive you directly to Marinduque from Manila (Of course, via the Ferry along the way).

Jeepneys, Tricycles and FX's are the main means of transport on Marinduque Island. Prices are negotiated from Driver to Driver, but at the Main Tricycle terminal and Jeepney terminals on the island, their are posted Fixed rates.